You already know I”m high maintenance. Which I detest. I hate taking care of myself. I used to love soaking in the tub, doing my hair, removing hair off my toes, waxing my moustache (oh be quiet. everyone gets hair there.) Painting my toenails…

Now I find it way too time consuming. I could be doing other productive things like writing, or reading, or cleaning my house or playing with my dog. I could even clean all the gunk out of my bellybutton ring hole to keep the hole open even though I don’t wear a belly button ring anymore because it gets too infected.

So now let’s talk about my knee.

Three months ago (June?) we went to North Carolina for a holiday. I sat around a lot. I did do some running,  but mostly it was all on one night when I was mad at hubby for something ridiculous which I can’t remember right now, but was probably because he ate all the chocolate or something.  And when we got back, I was strawberry picking and then I felt an intensely sharp pain behind my right knee cap. Something dreadful and wouldn’t go away.  So after a few days of awfulness I dragged my butt to my poor doctor who usually hears from me once a week (actually that would be his lovely nurse receptionist who hears from me, but it’s not usually a problem with me, it could be with Dan or the gaffer but let’s just say we have a great relationship and I butter her up with hot chocolates and strawberry jam) who told me I stressed it and to put some weird anti-inflammatory cream on my knee four times a day. This cream was not cream but oily goo that was impossible to rub in.  Anyhoo, three months went by and I finally went to a physiolady. Guess who has no tissue behind her right knee cap?

Me!

So now I”m on physio exercises for my knee cap. And am still on physio for the same knee for something else I can’t remember but can’t do it because they contradict each other. And I still do physio for my left shoulder which I tore tree climbing.

I have decided I am slowly falling apart. And it’s very annoying… and I don’t have time for this.

So… coming to my book launch or what?

reading: um… Corsets and Clockworks or something.

listening to: hubby clean the tub. because I can’t kneel.

watching: the dog stare at me as she waits for me to play with her…

I have an issue. Actually, I have many issues, but this one allowed me to see my doctor.

Every single night, just as I get into bed, my nose stuffs up.  We’re talking stuffy stuffy. Yes, yes I could sleep with my mouth open but when that happens I jolt awake, scaring the crap out of the dog (husband never moves – that man is dead when he sleeps) and drink a litre of water because my throat is so parched and crackly.  So instead, I flip from side to side, depending on which side of my  nose is stuffy and routinely wake up throughout the night to jam Vick’s up my nose or just sit up and shake my head for a few minutes until I clear up again.

So I asked my fabulous pharmacist friend (you really should get one, they are oh-so-valuable to have) and they mentionned to take Benadryll. It’s not addictive. Although I may enjoy my sleep more. So for the past few months I play on and off with Benadryll. And it works. Until about 2am and then I’m plugged up again, but not about to take more drugs as I have a hard enough time getting out of the bed in the morning as it is (I can’t do coffee).

So I saw Scuba Steve (family doctor) and he asked to look up my nose.

Do you know how weird that is? You have to tilt your head back and flare your nostrils. I am an excellent nostril flarer, but couldn’t stop giggling, wondering if he would find any ‘lurkers’ hiding up there. I asked if I could blow my nose first and he said no. And what’s even more weird is having this large thingy up your nose, while your head is tilted back and Scuba Steve has his serious face on (maybe to stop you from laughing?) and says very seriously, “huh”.

????

So apparently my nostrils are red and inflammed (aren’t you glad to be reading this?) and I have allergic rhinitis.  Which means I’m allergic to something at bedtime. Hubby is out of the question as I do not sleep on top of hubby. He’s too bumpy and muscle-y to be comfortable. Nor can I stand being touched while I sleep (ie Dog may NOT lay against me while sleeping and feeding baby in bed? Yah, right. No, I don’t have a baby now, just to clarify, I’m talking about 6 years ago).  So I have to wash my pillowcases and blanket (my snuggly one that must be tucked under my chin while sleeping) in Ivory Snow. Which I don’t mind. But if this doesn’t work, I have to start buying different pillows. Which is incredibly annoying. I have a love affair with my pillow. My pillow does not mind if I beat it in the middle of the night, if I drool on it or not wash my face for a few days. It does not mind if I cough into it or cry into it. I love my pillow. So I’m hoping I don’t need a new pillow.

So now I have to buy this prescription spray (yay excellent health care!) to spray up my nose every single night, for the rest of my life.

… yay…

(Incase you were wondering I did a semester of Paramedics at Algonquin way back when and absolutely loved it. I loved working on patients and taking control of the situtation (ie being bossy) and using my brain in quick action moments. However it was horrible on our marriage and I decided to give it up in order to be a great wife. See? See? And instead I’m an AUTHOR!!! Very happy about decision. Always have been. Although it would have been super cool to be a 911 operator. But we won’t get into that right now.)

eating: waiting for decaf soy pumpkin spice latte from hubby but he’s not home yet

listening to: some horrible Nickleback song on the downstairs radio. Ick. Oops. I’m supposed to like them, right? Being Canadian and all?

watching: Star Wars Lego wii. Well, not right now, I was last night. Playing I mean.

Reading: “Where the Heart Leads” (please don’t ask. It’s research) “The Riddle of Amish Culture”, Vanity Fair from June

It has been far too long.

Your words are just written

on the memories of our hearts.

Where have You been?

So many years of waiting

wondering

whether

You have forgotten

us.

A walk that never ends.

It has been far too dark

for far too long.

And lo’

You speak.

Your words are like the sun

the brightness shocking us

out of our slumber.

We rub our eyes

trying to figure out

if it’s real

or just another

100 years of darkness.

You send us a star.

The brightest

biggest

most magnificent star

ever created.

And we follow it

waiting for it

to take us

home.

Every year I always reflect on my life and what I’d like to change. This is something I sure everyone does on New Year’s but I’m not a New Year’s person. A new year is when I get older. But first what I did for my birthday.

I got to sleep in until 8am. Then hubby went out and bought me a grande, decaf, soy, no foam, no whip, pumpkin spice latte. Then I got croissants and brie and grapes in bed for breakfast. Then we went to the mall, I shopped a bit and found an awesome pair of black pants that were sadly poorly made and had to eschew them.  Then we saw “Despicable Me”  in 3D ( I don’t like 3D) and then home. My man bought me flowers and two fuzzy purple blankets for the cloud and I’m making him pay for some lovely sweaters. And then I went to Shoppers and bought make-up. I’m not normally comfortable wearing make-up but I really need to learn to put on some eyeshadow and whatnot for the days I look very tired and old.  I will be practicing today. It was a lovely day. And today, I clean.

Ok. So looking back on this year. I guess I’ll write out my favourite things.

Christmas. I got a white Christmas tree. And I was able to buy beautiful ornaments at Sunset Gardens in Pembroke. The most beautiful ornaments I’ve ever seen. The tree was stunning. And I’ve always wanted a white tree. I know, tree-hugger/chopper such as myself.

Georgia. In February the man and I did a mission trip to McDonough, Georgia. It was freezing down there. We got to landscape and rebuild homes for people who were hurting. I got sick the second day and was useless for the rest of the week. Figures. But it was good to be there. Danny worked so hard and made such a difference.

Paris. The Batobus. The Grand Palais. The cobblestone streets. The vendors. The FOOD! The views. Nowhere is it ugly in Paris. Vivaldi playing at the ah fudge. Can’t remember the name of that church. Holding hands almost all day.

North Carolina. Topsail Beach. Just taking it down a notch. Taking our time. Eating club sandwiches and cold beer. Sunbathing. Writing. Watching the boys get pounded by waves.

Jackson starting school and my heart breaking. Wait, that’s not a good thing. Never mind. Skip this part.

New York. Oh New York. The people. The sidewalks. The sights. Central Park.

Doing two book signings. Being scared out of my mind, and all my close friends came to cheer me on.

Purple fuzzy blankets. What? They’re soft!

Things I need to work on:

My fear of eternity. I know it’s ridiculous. But I can’t wrap my  head around ‘forever’. To live in heaven and the new earth ‘forever’. Bliss. But freaks me out.

My words. I have a bad habit of not being kind with my words. Not that I’m trying to be mean, but words come out more direct and more harsh than I mean to. I need to learn how to say things.

Myself. I need to take better care of myself. I need to take the time to eat better, to exercise and to be kind to myself.

My quiet time. Needs to be more frequent and longer.

Ok. That’s enough.

Reading: Tribulation Force

Eating: banana

Watching: the sky turn gray

I mean, I don’t want to get into trouble for putting anything in that I shouldn’t (I always get into trouble for saying things I shouldn’t – note to self: build mouth filter system) and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

But I’m also finding my webpage a tad boring. Should one be blogging about their everyday life whether monotonous or not, or should I be mentionning all the amazing recipes I try or things that catch my eye?

I want this page to appeal to kids who are old enough/young enough to read my books, but I also don’t want to dull the adults. Maybe I should figure out how to make a fun web-page where there are cool buttons and whatnot.

Problem is I have absolutely  no idea how to do that. Nor am I interested in figuring out how to do that. I mean, I’m the type of person who finally got her ITIN number and I still haven’t written it on the W-8 form and sent it to my publishers.

I know, I know.

Things are just too pretty. Or tiring. Or distracting. Or they are waiting to be read. Or I need to update my ipod because I need to go work out. Or something.

Today I woke up, took the kid to school, went to the gym, then met Lelu and Neecee for coffee at Starbucks. Lelu is going to Afghanistan on Monday. I just met her and she’s already become an amazing friend and now she’s leaving. That kind of breaks my heart. But Neecee has known her for much longer so she’s even more upset. Because Lelu is so freakin’ cool and sweet and she just invites you to let your guard down and be yourself. Gosh I’m going to miss that.

I might go to the Ottawa Writer’s Festival tomorrow night. Check some stuff out. There’s even a private party going on late at night which I’m invited to. How …. cool. Must practice being fabulous.