Monthly Archives: January 2013

Unseasonably warm with a chance of polar bears?

14 Monday Jan 2013

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John & Thor

It was really really super warm for January here today. We were able to keep the windows open all day, and even take the baby out for a walk without bundling him up in a snow suit, or wearing coats ourselves.

We didn’t go very far, just a few blocks up the road to the top of the hill. That was quite enough to wear me out, and if you know anything about the hills here in western Pennsylvania you know exactly why. Usually I don’t walk those big, steep hills on foot for just anyone, but I had a promise to keep to my grandma, that involved a certain box of candy bars.

We’ve been back on the sofa most of the evening, listening to the hubby play some nice sitar music for some friends on his weekly radio show. Thor got to play some with his polar bear puppet when the roommate came out to see him, and we thankfully finally got the batteries in his swing replaced, so hopefully it will go fast enough to keep him amused again.

I have no idea how long this warm spell is going to last, but it’s been nice. For now it’s time to try and get the baby off to sleep, which isn’t easy to do some nights. I think Thor is always worried he is going to miss something the moment he nods off. The good part is, that once he does finally decide to sleep he usually sleeps most of the night rather well for us. I hope this is another one of those good nights. I’m tired…today wore me out.

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Hello from the sofa

13 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in Boredom, Daily Drivel, Evil Wizard, Fun Stuff

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What else is there to do on a boring winter evening but sit on the sofa with the hubby watching dvds? John and I are both big fans of British comedy, and we have recently begun watching our way through a few boxed sets we happened across, or got as gifts over the holidays.

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The series we are presently watching is One Foot In The Grave. I used to watch this series long ago with my dad, after he would come home from work late at night on PBS. The main character Victor Meldrew always reminded me a bit of my grandpa with his ornery sense of humor, though grandpa didn’t have anywhere near his hypochondriac tendencies thankfully.

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Another favorite Britcom of ours is Vicar Of Dibley. Hubby first showed me a few episodes of this series several months ago, and I instantly fell in love with it. It really is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. I surprised him with the complete boxed set of the series as his Christmas present, because it was one thing that I knew for sure he would love and didn’t already own. (he’s not the easiest person on earth to shop for usually)

Yes I know most people would ask why we bother to buy the dvds when there is so much available for streaming online nowadays. I guess good tv series are like good music, if you like something enough, you really should invest in making shows a permanent part of your collection.

We don’t have cable television due to the monthly cost, but do get hours of enjoyment watching the shows and movies we have collected over time, and those we check out from the local library. In a way I have come to like not having cable, as only having discs to watch will give us a little more control over the sort of shows our son will be seeing growing up. (at least while he is at home)

We already have amassed quite a collection of good children’s movies and intend to expand it by the time he gets old enough to really pay attention to tv. John and I aren’t all anti-tv, but neither of us are really big fans of most of what is being passed off as children’s programming lately. We’ll be pretty careful what we let him watch, at least for quite awhile to come. Besides, a good hour or so watching shows on the sofa is ok, but we want him to know it is far better to play and to read than to spend all his time being a couch potato glued to a television screen.

Or a computer monitor…hello pot…meet kettle…

Can we talk?

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in Boredom, Daily Drivel, Evil Wizard, Random Thoughts, Taterbug

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I really really hate having a cold. I’m trying so hard not to get the baby sick, but it’s going to be difficult to take care of him and not pass this cold along. It seems this is the second time I’ve taken him to the doctor for a checkup and drug a cold home with me. It doesn’t seem to matter how careful I am not to sit too close to people, or to wash my hands when we get home, I still seem to always pick up some sort of bug while we are there. Ah the joys of parenthood.

Sometimes I think I would blog more if I thought much interesting happened. Now that it’s winter and we don’t get out much, not much of anything does happen everyday. My son is still so little that life seems to get lost in a blur of bottles, diaper changes and snuggling a baby that never seems to want to be put down. If John weren’t helping out with this “I must be held” stage I would be pulling my hair out.

Most days I feel like I don’t accomplish much of anything now. I take care of my son, and I may get a bit of cleaning done. I spend way too much time online, mostly reading, because there isn’t much else to do right now. Thor is still far too small to take him much of anywhere. With the coldest part of winter still to come around here, I doubt we will be going much of anywhere until it warms up this spring. It wouldn’t be so bad if we could afford a car, and trips outside didn’t involve pushing a stroller through the snow, which isn’t an easy feat considering the hilly terrain around here. Then again after Christmas is over, the rest of winter usually does blow monkey cheese.

Sometimes I wonder how John and I will make it through this winter without driving each other absolutely crazy. Money is so tight right now we are really limited on doing much of anything other couples might take for granted. We have no cable tv, have only been out to a movie once since we’ve been together, and going out to eat is a rare treat for the moment, unless he grabs sandwiches to go and brings them home for us to eat. (even that may happen only a couple of times a month right now) Spending over a hundred dollars a month at the laundromat is killing us, but everyone knows that babies go through some serious clothes.

For now there is more housework to be done, and I am being paged to come and help with it. John looks like he is fixing to curl up in the chair and go to sleep from boredom if I don’t get up to come and help him soon. I’d better get moving before he gets sucked into the universe of angry birds and nothing else gets accomplished today…

Insomnia

10 Thursday Jan 2013

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I should be sleeping…

I’m exhausted..

But I can’t shut my brain off after a very long day as much as I would love to be able to…

Maybe the events of the last week are still getting to me. I’ve been through quite a bit, an unexpected whirlwind out of state trip, my grandfather’s funeral, and dealing with even more things that were nowhere near my list of things I wanted to do anytime soon.

Today was also my son’s two month checkup, and his first round of vaccinations. He’s fine, mom is the one having anxiety issues over it all. I know the shots are necessary, but it’s scary nonetheless having to put him through all that. You’d think having been through it all before with older children would make me less nervous, but no. He’s still my baby, and I worry just as much about him as I did all the others when they were small.

There are just too many things running through my head for me to unwind. I know a lot of it is my anxiety talking. I’ve always had a problem with that. Sometimes I believe I am a natural born worrier. What if gets to me a lot more than it should.

Someone advised me long ago that when I was worried, that I should make a list of what all was worrying me, and then make another list of things in my power I can do to make it better. Maybe I should try that later on today, when my brain is a little more functional. At the moment I don’t see how it could hurt any, but for now I believe I may finally be getting tired enough that I may give trying to get to sleep another go.

Just in time for a diaper change and a feeding…

Still can’t believe he’s gone

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Holiday Thoughts, In Hindsight

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My Grandpa

It always seemed growing up that grandpa was too ornery and stubborn to die…

I remember the grandpa who was strong as an ox. He loved to work on antique cars, talk on his CB radio, and always seemed to have time to work in the garden, or do repairs on the house. He was funny, kind and had rambunctious sense of humor, but knew well the time for comedy, and when the moment had come to be serious. He kept us in line, and there was never any questioning where he stood, or what he expected of you.

He’d been sick on and off for a long time, but each time before he seemed to have risen to the challenge. Grandpa was a fighter, who overcame both cancer and heart problems on countless occasions. Even while his health grew weaker, his strong personality never faltered. He was still as ornery, cantankerous and quick to laugh as he ever was.

Above all else, grandpa was determined to stay in his own home, and deal with his illness on his own terms. Thankfully with grandma at his side he got his wish. He passed away peacefully the morning of New Years Day at home, right where he wanted to be.

It all still just doesn’t seem real somehow. I am still half expecting to get there and see him sitting in his chair eating his favorite candy. If he saw me crying he’d be telling jokes and teasing me, just to get me to laugh again. That’s just who he was, so quick to laugh, and he wouldn’t want me to remember him with tears.

I’m trying grandpa, I’m really trying…

Sleepy New Year

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Boredom, Evil Wizard, Holiday Thoughts, Random Thoughts, Taterbug

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As I sit here writing I am the only one in the house awake. Hubby went back to sleep once I got up with the baby, and now Thor has gone down for a nap in his baby swing. I guess I am enjoying the peace and quiet, and taking the opportunity to relax, read, and drink some chocolate milk with breakfast. (yes I know this isn’t gonna make losing that post-baby weight any easier)

I wish I could say I’m tired because of some exciting new years eve reveling, but that would be a lie. I missed the stroke of midnight last night because I wasn’t even paying attention to the time. I didn’t notice the hour had passed until I heard fireworks outside. Where was I in the minutes leading up to midnight? In the shower. I guess I climbed out and made it to the living room after toweling off just in time to give the hubby a kiss. He was too busy watching youtube to notice it was getting close to midnight either. I guess we really are a pair.

I was going to make new years dinner for everyone here like my great-aunt used to do for us when I was a kid, but our friend’s daughter came down with the flu, and we sadly don’t have the crock pot, so I may be back to square one on what to make today. But darn it all, it’s new years and I want my sauerkraut.

As far as new years resolutions go, I haven’t made any, and presently don’t plan to. I think most of us would be better off making a list of small obtainable goals we would like to work toward, not making a once a year promise to ourselves that is way out of reach. Change things because you want to, not because you feel you have to join millions of others in declaring for the world to see a compulsory list of unreasonable expectations.

My goals for the moment are to be a good wife and mom, and to take a walk every day so I can stay healthy. I don’t think that sounds all that unreasonable. Sure there are other things I could be doing, but I’m no longer heaping things on myself that I would have to wait on others to help me accomplish. Doing so it setting yourself up for disappointment. You can only control the things you do have control of.

Do what you enjoy, try to find the humor in everything. Being able to laugh at even the rough stuff is what is going to keep you sane. That’s been much the case the last couple of years. No, optimism has never been my strong suit, and each new year is going to have its good days and its bad days.

The train has now left the station, laugh, smile, and enjoy the ride the best you can.