Gardening 101 or G*dd*mnf*ck*ng Pl*nts

Yeah, that's right. . .Pl*nts is a swear word from now on!!

So for those who didn't know this. . .I suppose the lurkers if I have any ( I sincerely doubt it) I grew up in the Concrete Jungle.

I mean this quite literally. My schoolyard didn't actually have grass until I was in about grade 3 or 4. I lived in an apartment all my life and only recently have a genuine front yard and backyard. I suppose since I had never had one before I decided to go all out and get the biggest possible yard I could get.

The folks who lived in the house before Dr. Evil and I moved in did not take care of the yard at all but I figured, I could fix that. I had the excitement of someone who was ready to fix things up. I also thought I had the money for that fixing up too but the too much debt status has sent plans a little awry so I had to adjust. Here is what I've learned. . .

1. Don't buy a house with the biggest yard possible

2. Don't use/buy a push mower. It feels like shoving an extremely heavy vacuum over an extremely pitted terrain.

3. Pushing uphill is a lot harder than pushing downhill (a.k.a. buy a home with a yard that doesn't slope)

4. Don't volunteer to do all the gardening (thus saving you from asking Dr. Evil from doing the patch you left and complimenting/lying to him that he looks just as hot as when Don Draper used his push mower)

5. Don't be afraid/grossed out by worms (also inform children that unlike the book; fried worms are not in fact delicious)

6. Make sure you do in fact have some A5-35 or some variant thereof available in the house for the amount of pain you will be in after doing said yard work (in my case an awful lot since I'm not a fan of exercising)

7. Don't go out in 20 degree weather to mow the lawn; even if it's already 5:00 p.m. it's still freakin' HOT!!

8. Make sure you cut your nails before gardening as the feeling of them breaking is indeed quite painful. (Also, they will shortly be black)

9. Birds do indeed laugh at human beings.


10. Don't forget the bug repellent especially if you are the extreme magnet of attracting mosquitoes (also, keep some type of calamine lotion handy)

Yeah, so that's what I've learned so far. Next time I'll take a before and after picture and you can tell me how I'm doing. Little by little. . .I'll get there o_O

Stupid Pl*nts.

2009 Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Opposite George sent this to me; I responded and decided to make it a post too. . .here's me so far in 2009

1. What time did you get up this morning?
8:30 a.m.

2. Diamonds or pearls?
Both

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

Knowing

4. What is your favourite TV show?

Right now. . .South Park

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
An apple, raisin toast and tea

6. What is your middle name?

******

7. What food do you dislike?

There's very little food I dislike. . .I guess something gross like Balut

8. What is your favourite CD at moment?

I only have one favourite CD - Seal II

9. What kind of car do you drive?
I don't like driving; but I have a Honda CRV

10. Favourite sandwich
My own concoction of Pastrami, Sweet Pickles, Cucumber Dressing, Fresh Bun and Old Cheddar

11. What characteristic do you despise?

Dishonesty in any capacity

12. Favourite item of clothing?
My Jeans

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would
you go?

I have no idea, maybe Thailand

14. Favourite brand of clothing?

I don't have one. . .I guess the last place I went to buy clothes was H&M

15. Where would you retire to?

Somewhere warm and quiet

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?

Last year I went to an Indian Buffet with Sim & Shauny

17. Favourite sport to watch?

I don't like watching sports

18. Furthest place you are sending this?
London

19. Person you expect to send it back first?

Don't Know

20. When is your birthday?
August 26

21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night

22. What is your shoe size?

8 - 8 1/2

23. Pets?
No

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?

Nah, nothing new

25. What did you want to be when you were little?

Veterinarian

26.. How are you today?
Tired

27. What are your favourite sweets?
Mmmm, does ice cream count?

28. What is your favourite flower?

Magnolia

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
None really, Christmas?!

30. What is your full name?

*****-****** **** nee *******

31. What are you listening to right now?

Policemen Skank - Audioweb (on the MP3 player)

32. What was the last thing you ate?
Thai rice, and stir-fried chicken

33. Do you wish on stars?
Sometimes

34. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Green

35. How is the weather right now?
Sunny and cool

36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
Jordan

37. Favourite soft drink?
Ginger Ale

38. Favourite restaurant?
Koganei

39. Real hair colour?
Black

40. What was your favourite toy as a child?

Barbie

41. Summer or winter?
Summer

42. Hugs or kisses?
Both

43. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Vanilla

44. Coffee or tea?
Tea

45. Do you want your friends to email you back?
Yes

46. When was the last time you cried?
Today

47. What is under your bed?
One of those slide under your bed containers filled with clothes

48. What did you do last night?

Cleaned, watched Futurama

49. What are you afraid of?

Lots of things

50. Salty or sweet?

Sweet

51. How many keys on your key ring?

3 (Seems the older I get the less keys I need)

52. How many years at your current job?
None, I'm at home

53. Favourite day of the week?

I don't really have a favourite day

54. How many towns have you lived in?
2, Toronto & Hamilton

55. Do you make friends easily?
Sometimes

56. How many people will you send this to?

A few folks

57. How many will respond?

Don't know

Weeeeee!

Weeeee!!
Home alone for the first time in a loooooongg a** time!! I can do whatever the h*ll I want :)
Apparently me doing whatever I want includes cleaning up my house but at least, I can listen to my own music while doing so instead of the Wiggles.

Yeah, I'm enjoying it. I realized I hardly ever get to be by myself . . .even when I'm in the bathroom because the kids always walk in to see what I'm doing. Yeah, I know. . .I'm clearly not teaching them boundaries. I know I'm just waiting for someone to stay over and have them walk in on them.

Had a pretty good weekend. Made 4 stops. Attended an awesome birthday party. Didn't get my Japanese but that's okay because I enjoyed delicious super-alcoholic Pina Coladas. Perhaps a little too much since I got a headache afterwards.

Went to my parents place and hung out for a bit. Headed out to my buddy's place in the Dirty 'Shwa. Yeah, that's apparently a nickname for it. . .seriously, look it up. Then off to nowheresville and it seriously looked like a hurricane was approaching. Spoke to the sis-in-law. She's not doing too well. I'll tell ya her story another time but things don't look too great for her right now.

Lastly hit up downtown T.O. and visited my aunt. She made a great dinner. I had steak, shrimp, broccoli, baked potato and asparagus for dinner there with some wine. She already had that set-up; like seriously that's just what they eat for dinner all the time. Man, must be awesome to be retired.

Finally got back home to the mess I left and very lazily began cleaning. Dr. Evil of course is constantly working so no help there. When I found out he had to go in to the office tomorrow(that's right!! He is actually on vacation!!!) I told him to take the kiddles. It was a welcome change for me.

Don't get me wrong; I love the Things but even I need a break. I think I just don't feel well because I'm stressed out and that can be contributing. I figured it was a sign of the times when I had to lock myself in the bathroom and eat the rest of the chocolated ice-cream. Mind you, I hate chocolate. Love ice-cream though.

So still hoping to accomplish much on this (working) vacation. Also need to start driving because I need to book my G test soon or my licence will expire. After all I went through to get it I don't want that to happen. Despite the fact that I'm now having constant nightmares about driving (seriously) still don't want to lose it because of all the work I put in to it. Even if I just get it and never drive again. At least I'd have it.

Now I'm off to listen to some more chunes. . .because I can.

This is BRILLIANT!!! Once when I went out with this chick, we put 2 bucks of gas in the car. . .HA!!!
Broke a** folks unite

Sort of Vacation

Well, Dr. Evil's sort of vacation begins. This includes visiting folks as I said that I would and doing stuff around the house. Changing light fixtures and gardening. Seeing what I can do about my seriously dilapidated fence. Unpacking more moving bins (yes, I'm still not done!) and putting up more curtains. My itinerary for the upcoming two weeks are Toronto, Oshawa, Cobourg, London and possibly Wellesley (wherever that is).

As usual, I feel bad that we can't take a vacation off to a cottage or someplace different. But that's the boat we're in and I hope that I won't always be in that boat; which is what keeps driving me to reduce the too much debt status.

How is that going? Terrible. I had to max out the debt again to pay for my roof and I have no idea where I will get the funds from to complete my driver's licence which still scares the heck out of me!! I get heart palpitations just thinking about it. No, seriously. I think Ontario is the crappiest province ever to learn how to drive. Especially considering I failed like three times before finally getting my licence.

I have some other things to do too. Update my CAA and my health card. I can't find my new one for the life of me and my doctor's office is threatening to charge us so I've got to do that soon. I'm off to the dentist's tomorrow to actually get my teeth cleaned. Wish me luck, haven't done it in 10 years.

Yeah, reading this it sounds like I'm in a funk again. I probably am. . .pitying myself as usual. Laughter is always my cure. May I strongly recommend Freaks and Geeks. Opposite George was also in a funk and told me to watch it.

I can honestly say I've never laughed out loud so much at a TV series as I did with this one. I couldn't believe something so funny was cancelled but considering I had never heard of it until O. G. mentioned it. . .I guess yeah. Still pretty damn funny. I also watched Role Models. Not a masterpiece but still worth a watch if you want something you don't have to think about. I liked the little kid in it and the Laire stuff. Yeah, the freaks and geeks are taking over Hollywood and it's all thanks to Judd Apatow.

Also, I'm reading the first Twilight book. It's okay so far. Seems like a typical teen romance novel. I was hoping it would be more a page turner. I haven't had a genuine one of those in a long time.

Now I'm off to watch Lost and South Park :)

A Birthday/Friendship Post

This blog post is dedicated entirely to you. Happy Birthday!



"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one." - C.S. Lewis


"Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and have her nonsense respected." - Charles Lamb

"Friends are God's ways of apologizing for our families." - Anonymous

"Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty." – Silican proverb.

"Love is blind. Friendship tries not to notice." - Anonymous

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." - Bernard Meltzer

"An old friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a dead body." - Jim Hayes

"One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim." - George Carlin

"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway." - Fr. Jerome Cummings

"Friends: people who borrow my books and set wet glasses on them." - Edwin Arlington Robinson

"Friends are relatives you make for yourself." - Eustache Deschamps

"The best time to make friends is before you need them." - Ether Barrymore

"A true friend stabs you in the front."- Oscar Wilde

In Da Club/Ragga Mix (I think I heard this at Club Tobago . . .HA!)

Lovely Day

Had a great Easter!! I didn't think much would be happening. Just the family and me at home re-watching the same damn Dora and Wiggles DVDs. I know that their godfather had burned them about 30 movies but I still haven't got the DVD player to actually watch them yet. I hope to do that soon. I don't consider it an excessive splurge because we've got $40 in gift cards for it so it will end up costing us $30 and it's a one-time purchase really. Plus I will finally be able to dowload and watch different things.

But I digress. The in-laws came and as promised brought the awesome swing set! Dr. Evil put most of it together but we have yet to anchor it. We'll probably do that and some much needed gardening when Dr. Evil goes on vacation Friday. They ordered a huge pizza and wings lunch which was very nice. We had more than plenty of leftovers the next day. Also, this time I didn't get sick from eating take-out. I must note that the place I ordered from was a family run pizza business so maybe they were cleaner than A&W's. My aunt called me after the in-laws left and asked what we were doing. I said nothing, because that is in fact what we were doing. She got mad at me for not having an Easter egg hunt but I told her that I'm pretty tight right now and I'm justifying it by saying that chocolate isn't good for them.

I already felt guilty that we can't do any fun things. All the time at the school the parents and grandparents talk about the kids going to Mexico or Florida and yadda, yadda, yadda. I, of course am just quiet because the last fun thing I did with the girls was going to Ontario Place and the Zoo but I don't really know if I'll get to do that again this year. Chances are looking that it's probably not going to happen.

Well, my aunts decided to drop by unexpected and unannounced on Saturday. My dad had apparently given them directions. They brought a whole ton of stuff; and I really mean a whole ton of stuff! I won't have to do groceries this week with the amount of groceries they brought. Plus all the Easter stuff.

I was really surprised that they came; I just assumed no one would visit me since I lived too far (by their standards) now. We enjoyed putting the Thing 1 and Thing 2 on the swings and most of all having them do an Easter egg hunt in the backyard. They were so happy - their faces just lit up when we said chocolate. Some days I really feel like the most horrible parent in the world for not being able to give my kids everything I wish I could give them. Other days I feel great that I have such a huge extension of family and friends. It was definitely one of the latter days for me.

Obligatory Easter Post

Well, at least I didn't overdo it like all my Valentine's posts - HA!

Dr. Evil told me a story about a co-worker's 5 year old. She walked in seeing him sitting there and squeezing his nose as hard as he could. She asked him "What are you doing?!"
He said, "I'm trying to stop the boogers from growing!"
I thought that was funny.

Finally the long weekend and what's new with my crew?

Well, we went to school for the entire week. *Pats self on back*
Kids didn't like getting snowed and rained on though; so that was a tough couple of days to be making a 20 minute walk there and then another 20 minute walk back. Hopefully that's the last of this weather and it will be a 10 minute walk from now on.

We spent time at school painting pictures for the family. I still firmly believe that my kids have to be the worst ones there as they were regularly throwing temper tantrums. One decided to throw something at one of the grandparents' head. As much as I would have liked to spank twinsie right there and then I still had to refrain but she got a good hand-squeezing. It's still just as terrible getting all the looks from everyone.

My calmer in-laws came today to see the kids and wish them Happy Easter. They got some lovely bunnies and chocolate eggs. They also got a *drumroll*. . . . . . . .SWING SET!!! Very awesome birthday/easter gift for them!! I'm glad; this just means that I won't have to walk my lazy backside to the park. Also, the neighbour kid seems to like it so I'm sure that my house will soon be the place to hang out. As soon as I collect that sandbox and pool from my aunt I'll be set for summer. I'm still lacking a barbeque and a lawnmower but maybe some kids could just trample my grass for me?!

Hoping it will warm up soon and looking forward to Dr. Evil's unprecedented two weeks of vacation coming up. Going to attempt to squeeze as many visits into that time as possible while still attempting to get more stuff done around the place.

HAPPY EASTER FOLKS!!!!