Thursday, June 30, 2011

Summer O'Fun Day 6 (2011)

I took the kids to buy stain for the deck (whoo-hoo!) and then we stopped at Half Price books so I could buy them some reading material for the summer. Dex and Jax moped around the store then said nothing appealed to them. Cars only found one book that he wanted. It is called "Fart". OMG At first I refused to consider buying it but then I relented. "Fart" is better than nothing, right?

I have also instituted a rule that there will be no xbox, wii, nintendo dsi, computer or tv between noon and 4pm. "What will we do?!" the kids wailed. I told them "something productive". Of course those 4 hours were painfully slow today but eventually they all found something to do. Dex and Cars pulled out the Thomas the Tank Engine train set that has not been played with in about 4+ years. It was fun to see them building the track - just like old times with Dex and Jax because they loved those wooden toys! Jax went to the skate park with his friend.

Afterwards, Jax asked me what I did during those 4 hours that was "productive" (he even used finger quotes). Let's see...I dropped his friend off after the skate park, I did laundry, I watered and weeded my vegetable garden. I also went through some of our 4th of July gear. I asked him if that were productive enough and he said he guessed so. Geez!

What I also did during that productive time (although I did not tell him this) was do a bit of research on Photodynamic Therapy which I had done on my face late this afternoon. It is a treatment for the pre-cancerous stuff on my face. I will tell you that nowhere did I read that it hurt as much as it does. Well, perhaps hurt is the wrong word. It stings! Like a bad sunburn which I guess makes sense because it was a serious of light pulses on my face. And I have to stay indoors and out of any direct light for 36 hours (I guess just 32 to go!). I have hired a babysitter for tomorrow so the kids will hopefully have an actual fun summer day.

And of course when I told Stephen that my face hurt he said "It's killing me!" yuk-yuk-yuk

Off to take some ibuprofen.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Summer O'Fun Day 5 (2011)

We went to the $300 Store today to buy supplies for the Fourth of July party. I know it was not the most thrilling day for the kids but they did get a slushee as a reward for helping out in the store. Then I made a meal for a friend who just had a baby (who is so little and sweet that I just want to eat her up!). Jax was going to go to the Farmer's Market to meet his friend at the skate park but the kid's mom changed her mind about going. Not a whole lot of fun for the kids today, I'm afraid.

Yesterday we went bowling though and we had fun. The kids were driving me a little bit nuts though (being super silly). We were the only ones at the bowling alley so their antics and noise seemed that much more amplified which made me less able to ignore it.

Afterwards I went to the eye doctor to check up on the corneal ulcer I had (have?). It is nearly cleared up but now I am on a different round of eye drops. I go back again next week to make sure it is all good.

Summer O'Fun Day 3 was tie-dyeing and for the first time ever our shirts did not turn out. Well, they turned out but we used dyes from two different kits and the dye from one kit ran all over and all of the shirts look muddy and ugly. So I bought a new kit today and we will redo shirts soon (need to run to Target to get more shirts).

I barely remember Summer O'Fun Day 1 & 2 but I am sure we did not do anything memorable. Gotta get on it to make sure we have more activities planned. Actually, just gotta get through to after our party on the 4th then then real Summer fun can begin.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Book List 2011

We are half way through the year and I have read a lot more so far this year than I have in previous years. I still need to step away from the computer a bit more.

Anyway, here is my list to date:

1. The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein *also read previously
2. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
3. Rough Country, John Sandford
4. Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss *also read previously
5. Wise Man’s Fear, Patrick Rothfuss
6. Little Bee: A Novel, Chris Cleave
7. The People Code, Taylor Hartman
8. Middlesex, Jeffery Eugenides
9. Miss Bossypants, Tina Fey
10. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
11. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Alan Bradley
12. Replay, Ken Grimwood
13. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
14. The Girl who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson

Since I have hit 14 so far, I will set a goal of 30 books this year. Geez, I remember when I used to read a book a day (in lieu of homework, tv and way before computers and children).

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Hurray for Me!

Today I walked (and ran a very tiny bit) the Seattle Rock'N'Roll Half-Marathon. I have blisters on the soles of my feet and my hips are very sore but I managed to make it through the 13.1 miles. I am very proud of this accomplishment, especially since lately I have not been feeling very fit and haven't been particularly active. I even feel like signing up for another race, although I think I will do a 5K rather than another 1/2 Marathon.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Miss Melanoma

After I went to the dermatologist and found out that I had a pre-cancerous spot on my face, I wrote a little thank you to the hospital for holding the free skin cancer screening, telling them that the dermatologist I saw there recommended that I followed up on two things and the two things were not "nothing" as I was hoping to hear. Anyway, a couple of weeks later, someone in the PR department of the hospital called me to chat and told me that she would like to shop a story around to the local press about the event and asked me if I would be willing to talk to the press. I explained that I didn't have cancer so maybe it would be better if they found someone who had it diagnosed after the screening. She said it would be fine and said she'd be in touch. Another week or so later she called and said that one of our local papers was interested in the story and she set up a time for a reporter to contact me.

The reporter called and the first thing she said was that she heard I found out that I had melanoma after going to the screening. I explained that I did not in fact have melanoma or any kind of cancer but a pre-cancerous spot on my face and a suspicious mole. We spoke for a few minutes but I could tell that she really did not understand it all but I knew she would be talking to a dermatologist so no biggie.

A few days later they asked for a photo of me so I submitted my current facebook profile photo which was taken with my iPad so it is a low-res photo and my wrinkles disappear. :)

On Saturday morning as I was waiting at the plaza for my MIL to have her hair done, I saw a pile of newspapers so I picked one up (this is a free publication). There on the FRONT PAGE was a photo of me with the headline "Summer Sun: It's a killer" and under it (smaller headline "LocalCityName woman discovers she has melanoma after screening". WHAT!?!? No, I didn't and no I don't! I was horrified. I read the article and it was almost nonsensical. It did say that what I had removed was "non-cancerous" which is in direct conflict with the headline. I was so embarrassed and wanted to snatch up all of the papers that I could find to throw into the recycling bin. I am even blushing a little bit right now as I type this out.

Stephen thought it was funny and has taken to call me Miss Melanoma. :\

Fortunately, as it is a free paper, not a lot of people read it and I have had only one friend contact me about it. My hope is that no one else that I know has read it or will read it. Just three more days until the next edition comes out and this current one disappears forever.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Blathering on...

School is *almost* out for summer. The kids' school year was extended due to some snow days. So instead of getting out on June 16th, they get out in two days - June 22nd. But the last two days are 1/2 days. I am not sure why they didn't just lump them into one day and get out on the 21st.

Now if only summer weather would arrive we'd be golden.

We haven't one single summer thing scheduled this year. My traditional first day of summer tie-dye making day will not take place the first day after school gets out because I have a few things to do that day. I will try to get out to get the boys white t-shirts by Friday and hopefully we will get it done then. I usually have a party and invite several friends but I really don't feel up to it this year. We'll see how I feel later in the week.

Oh, wait, we do have one thing scheduled for the summer. Our annual 4th of July party. This year I am holding a hat contest and there will be prizes for most Patriotic Hat and most Original Hat. I hope that the guests participate. Stephen thinks it is lame and that no one will want to do it. I hope he is wrong.

Hopefully we can get a short camping trip scheduled in as well as some other fun summer activities. I need the boys to work on their summer activity wish lists. Oh and I'd better hurry and check the low tide schedule. Sometimes the lowest tides are early in the summer. Going to the tidal pools is one of my favourite summer activities.

Monday, June 06, 2011

After nearly three years, I quit my guitar lessons today. I enjoyed it but lost interest in the past few months. And I rarely practiced. My instructor would tell me "That's ok! Practice here." Fine for him getting paid to listen to me practice but expen$ive practice.

Anyway, I can play quite a few songs, and two really well - "Maggie Mae" and "It's All Been Done" by the BNL. It is one of my very favourite songs and very Beatlesque. I can also pluck away at "Let it Be", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Fire and Rain", "It's All Your Fault", "Dead or Alive" and some parts of "Stairway to Heaven". It was great getting a refresher in reading notes and now I do bar chords on an acoustic guitar (initially, I had to switch to the electric when I was learning "Let it Be").

I just sat down at with my guitar and played a few songs and I am proud of how well I have done considering the lack of practice. I imagine how great I'd be if I'd had actually picked up my guitar every day for 15 minutes each day!