so sorry it's been a while

Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers for Richard's Mom. It means so much to us. She was in the hospital for another week until last Thursday. Her abdomen was again filled with fluid and had to be drained over a couple of days. They also wanted to keep her admitted to hopefully get her surgery date moved up. It hasn't changed though - it's still Dec. 20. She's gone to Ottawa to stay with Rich's sister Basia for a week. Basia's been amazing and has wanted to help with Mary's care but being in Ottawa doesn't allow her to do as much as she's offered. Mary seemed to be really looking forward to going and having the change of pace. The doctors said she shouldn't have any complications over the next week since she's already been drained. She's a tough lady and is trying to beat it as best as she can. I'll continue to keep you posted.

Thank you so much Renee for your offer to perform this year's entertainment = that was especially sweet of you my cos.

So much left to do before Christmas. We're celebrating with the Slowiks on the 16th instead of the 24th so Mary could enjoy a Christmas before her surgery. Casa del Vezina-Slowik is hosting it again this year which, as you know, stresses the living crap out of me. I plan events for a living so when I do it for myself, it still feels like WORK only I don't get to hire caterers and boss around wait staff - because I AM THE HELP! I'm getting better - I don't sit at the dinner table watching every person eat my food to see if they are really enjoying it or not. Much to my absolute mortification about 8 years ago, I made apple cherry crumble for dessert at a friend's potluck. I spotted one guy who was eating it stop, pinch something off his tongue (like a hair or worse!), grimace, put whatever he picked out of his mouth onto his plate, grimace again, and the put the crumble down without ever touching it again.

Still working on a menu. IDEAS PLEASE? Christmas Eve with Catholics: last year I did Italian wedding soup to start, smoked salmon hors derves, shrimp ring, chutney and porto cheese spread, cheese plate, baked salmon, jumbo pasta shells stuffed with butternut squash, green beans and salad. Dessert was purchased Polish donuts from the kick ass Polish donut place on the corner. Needed a lot of different food because we ate a full dinner very early - and then the kids went to their Mom's for dinner when she was in the rehab centre after her stroke. Most came back to our place afterwards and we had a late night nosh around 9:00pm. Would like to do something different this year with stuff I could make in advance. Keeping in mind the same schedule as last year (early dinner, then late snacks after hospital visits) - Tante Marlene - she goddess of all hostesses whom we all strive to be in life - any suggestions?

In other news, I worked our winter convention this weekend. Normally it's been in Toronto for the past five years where I used to go down early Friday morning and spend the day doing Christmas shopping (Pottery Barn, Sephora, Disney Store, a real H&M - Montrealers, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!)but this year it was held in Montreal. Which sounds like it would be convenient but it was actually more disruptive on the family than being away. At least when I'm away, I'm away and focussed on work only - whereas when I'm at home - I'm still compelled to fold laundry at 11:30 at night even when I know I have to get up at 5:30 the next day and work 18 hour day. Plus, I woke up the whole house all weekend getting up at 5:15am. Anyhow, it was my new colleague's first meeting and she did a really good job. I was very proud! While training and prepping her for the meeting - I was telling her to be really friendly and entertaining at the cocktail party because we were the only female presence in the midst of 40 45+ year old men. "Stimulate conversation, tell some funny jokes or stories, ask a lot of questions, appear interested, work the room, try to talk to every single person, always shake hands, when greeting someone's spouse-take her one hand in BOTH of yours to prove sincerity and to let her know that you AREN'T interested in her husband, always call them Dr. and not by their first name in front of other colleagues, step away from a conversation if it's all shop talk for more than 90 seconds." She took it all in and did famously. "We're like Geisha." Thankfully she gets me and thinks I'm a funny old lady.

While I was working, as is custom, Simon wore the same clothes all weekend. Jeans that are one size too big on him but I just haven't taken out of his drawer (they are the ONLY pants in the drawer that don't fit), and a surf t-shirt that is left over from summer and is probably the ONLY t-shirt left in his drawer. And orange Halloween socks. How do the boys find these things? I even forgot they were in there because they are usually buried! They had a great Dad/son weekend together. They cleaned up the basement a bit and got rid of a lot of crap. Simon's not usually allowed down there so it was a treat for him and he got to see all these old baby toys and contraptions that he hasn't seen in ages. And Daddy's tools.

Simon also impressed me tonight with an Eye Spy book that I haven't taken out yet because I thought it was too difficult for him at this point. It's not a "look and find" book - he's been doing those for ages - but it's an actual photograph with items that are very well hidden within the frame. Plus, it's a Halloween edition and a lot of the pictures are totally creepy and now he's at the spook age where he won't sleep with the door closed any more or go into a dark room by himself. He, whose favourite game only months ago was to shut off all the lights in the house and walk around with a flashlight. Well, Rich pulled it out (again, how do they find these things) and they must have spent hours with it because Simon has mastered a good three scenes of it and doesn't seem creeped out by any of the photos. Shucks on me!

Still waiting for his school photos - cards will be a coming and I'll actually have enough this year for EVERYONE!

To end on a happy note, anyone who understands even a little bit of French, please go to this web site: www.tetesaclaques.tv and watch the clips that are on there. The top two rated (Halloween and Willy Waller 2006) are the best! Other good ones are On Sort (parts 1-3) le VJ and Camping. It is truly the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. It's even worth learning French just to be able to watch this! Genius.

Halloween candy realization this year: Simon's 2006 haul rated 2/10. People still give out really crappy candy. Nobody likes hard candies people! Or chewy yogurts toffee that is half melted out of its wrapper. He got a lot of candy jewelry (those chalky candy beads on stretchy elastic made into bracelets, rings etc.) jellies in the shapes of teeth, fangs, eye balls and fingers (all in that chalky pink jelly = inedible). Only three peanut butter cups (which were consumed by Mommy before we were even home), NO Wunderbars and enough Tootsie Rolls to choke a horse. People - Mommies (who are eating 3/4 of their young child's candy) LOVE THE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS. Please think of the Mommies when selecting your Halloween treats. Tootsie Rolls dipped in peanut butter makes them about 45% more edible.

Our tenant's water tank sprung a leak tonight. We had to shut off their hot water because it will flood otherwise. We're estimating $600 for a new one and then there's the issue of WHEN can we buy this if we're both working tomorrow AND how do we get the big sucker back to our place? No deliveries same day anywhere. Then installation - it's a gaz heater so Rich isn't 100% sure how easy or safe it is to install himself. Meanwhile, my tenants have no hot water! I offered our shower to them whenever they wanted but they said they'll use their friends up the street for now. I hope this gets fixed for them fast! And we still don't have snow tires on the car. And we got our first snowfall today.

And this post is too long and I likely violated about 80 blogger rules.