Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Vanilla Latte, Extra-Hot
I was so incredibly angry.
It's nearly 12 hours later and it still makes me so angry I could throttle someone. Someone in particular.
Let's backtrack a little so you get the whole story...
The Boy goes to preschool now (yeah, it's been a while since I posted regularly. He's 3 and a half now, can you believe it?). Preschool is on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning. This past Tuesday I arrived to pick him up as per usual, and parked my car in the parking lot of the school. On my way down to the school I passed a minivan with its windows partly rolled down. Much to my surprise, a little voice called out "hello!" as I passed. I glanced back to see a small child, no more than 2, buckled into a car seat, sitting in the car alone. Alone! No parent or other responsible individual in sight.
I was stunned.
I called over a friend of mine who was also on her way into the school, just to be sure that I wasn't crazy and seeing things (I'm a tad sleep-deprived these days). She was equally stunned. We both thought we recognized the vehicle as belonging to a mother from the other preschool classroom. Neither of us knew her name.
I was so flabbergasted that I just didn't know what to say or do. I was speechless.
Sure enough, as my friend and I were leaving the school and heading back to our cars, the woman we suspected as being the culprit was driving off in her minivan without a care in the world.
Fast-forward to today.....
Again I arrived at the school and parked in the parking lot. I noted the vehicle in question once again, and detoured out of my way to go past it and look inside. You can guess what I found.
I was livid. I saw red. My adrenalin was pumping, my heart was racing, and this time I was not going to sit back and watch as someone put their child at risk.
I marched into the school and made a beeline for the other preschool classroom. Sure enough, there she was, nonchalantly conversing with another parent, her back to me. I tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, but did you leave your child alone in the car?" To which she non-chalantly replied, "Yeah" with a look that said "what's it to you?" (!!!!!) *cue the sound of my head exploding*
At this point I mustered up every ounce of composure I could locate and somehow managed to not rip her head off. Instead, I tore a healthy strip off her, reminding her that leaving your small child alone and completely out of your sight in a vehicle for the 10 minutes it takes to pick up your child from preschool does not constitute acceptable behaviour. Any amount of time is unacceptable. I told her that if it was too inconvenient for her to bring her child safely inside the school, all she has to do is ask me to watch the child in the parking lot and I will happily do so to ensure that child's safety. I also told her that she could now consider herself on notice, and the next time I see her leave a child alone in a vehicle I will call Children's Services right away and report her.
And don't think for one second that I won't.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Sometimes You Just Gotta Remember What Used to Make You Happy
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Tazo Chai, Extra-Hot
I really hate doing dishes at ten o'clock at night. Especially when we didn't have company over. At least then I'd be tipsy. *sigh*
I really hate doing dishes at ten o'clock at night. Especially when we didn't have company over. At least then I'd be tipsy. *sigh*
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Days Go By...
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat, N0-Whip, Extra-Hot Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
Nearly a year. Nearly a year since I last posted. I can hardly believe it. How time flies.
I contemplated posting many times over the last year. I thought a lot about what I would say, how I would explain my absence. But it was more of a procrastinating tool, all this thinking about what I would say. So, my new approach is this: stop analyzing, stop trying to explain yourself, and just sit down and write, goddamn it!!
The truth is that there is no single, definable reason why I stopped blogging. It was for a million reasons and no reason at all. Life is complicated, and I let it all get away from me. But I missed blogging over the last year. Some days a lot, some days not at all. But, overall, I missed it. So.... now I'm back. If you'll have me!
A lot happens in a year. The Princess started Kindergarten, Jr. started preschool, and our family of 4 became a family of 5. Our little muffin is now 5 months old, and she's got us all wrapped around her little finger.
Nearly a year. Nearly a year since I last posted. I can hardly believe it. How time flies.
I contemplated posting many times over the last year. I thought a lot about what I would say, how I would explain my absence. But it was more of a procrastinating tool, all this thinking about what I would say. So, my new approach is this: stop analyzing, stop trying to explain yourself, and just sit down and write, goddamn it!!
The truth is that there is no single, definable reason why I stopped blogging. It was for a million reasons and no reason at all. Life is complicated, and I let it all get away from me. But I missed blogging over the last year. Some days a lot, some days not at all. But, overall, I missed it. So.... now I'm back. If you'll have me!
A lot happens in a year. The Princess started Kindergarten, Jr. started preschool, and our family of 4 became a family of 5. Our little muffin is now 5 months old, and she's got us all wrapped around her little finger.
Isn't she cute??? Things around here have gone from controlled chaos to utter mayhem, and I'm loving every single minute of it.
And now, here we are. 2010. Who knows what this year will hold. I am hoping, though, that whatever may come will include the opportunity to reconnect with any of you out there who still occasionally check my feed.
What did 2009 bring for you?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
On This Historic Day
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Latte, Extra-Hot (my first foray into the land of coffee in a while - the morning sickness must be wearing off - yay!)
On this historic day.... a little known fact about Barack Obama:
On this historic day.... a little known fact about Barack Obama:
Monday, January 19, 2009
It's That Time Already?
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Tazo Chai Latte
I can hardly believe it.
I just got home from registering the Princess for kindergarten. Kindergarten! My little girl is going to be starting school in the Fall! It can't be that time already, can it?
Admittedly, I'm going through this a little earlier than most parents - the Princess is a December baby, so she just makes the cut-off to apply to school for this Fall. If she were born just a few weeks later, I would have another whole year to get used to this idea. However, that's not the case. She'll just be a wee little 4-year-old when she starts school in September!
Don't get me wrong, though - she's totally ready to go. She's been in preschool for 2 years now, and she absolutely loves school. She's very social, and she loves the opportunity to be among other children. She also loves, loves, loves to learn new things. She has discovered those workbooks that you can buy at the bookstore that have activities geared at different age levels - you know, the ones designed to teach your child reading, math, etc. Well, she can't get enough of those things. She will sit at the kitchen counter for long stretches of time doing those workbooks, totally of her own volition. We have never asked her to do them, in fact sometimes we have to take them away because she's been at it for more than an hour at a time! She reminds me so much of myself at that age - I loved anything to do with school as well. It's so delightful to see a child with such an innate love of learning.
But it's hard for Mommy to let go. I am so happy for her that she's going to be starting school because I know she's going to really enjoy it. And, it will be good to have her off at school for part of the day when there's a new baby in the house - one less thing I have to worry about, right? But at the same time I want to hang on to her a little longer, have a little more of that "little kid" time before letting her cross over into "big kid" land. I'm selfish, I know, but I want my first "baby" to stay a "baby" a little longer. Where does the time go?
I can hardly believe it.
I just got home from registering the Princess for kindergarten. Kindergarten! My little girl is going to be starting school in the Fall! It can't be that time already, can it?
Admittedly, I'm going through this a little earlier than most parents - the Princess is a December baby, so she just makes the cut-off to apply to school for this Fall. If she were born just a few weeks later, I would have another whole year to get used to this idea. However, that's not the case. She'll just be a wee little 4-year-old when she starts school in September!
Don't get me wrong, though - she's totally ready to go. She's been in preschool for 2 years now, and she absolutely loves school. She's very social, and she loves the opportunity to be among other children. She also loves, loves, loves to learn new things. She has discovered those workbooks that you can buy at the bookstore that have activities geared at different age levels - you know, the ones designed to teach your child reading, math, etc. Well, she can't get enough of those things. She will sit at the kitchen counter for long stretches of time doing those workbooks, totally of her own volition. We have never asked her to do them, in fact sometimes we have to take them away because she's been at it for more than an hour at a time! She reminds me so much of myself at that age - I loved anything to do with school as well. It's so delightful to see a child with such an innate love of learning.
But it's hard for Mommy to let go. I am so happy for her that she's going to be starting school because I know she's going to really enjoy it. And, it will be good to have her off at school for part of the day when there's a new baby in the house - one less thing I have to worry about, right? But at the same time I want to hang on to her a little longer, have a little more of that "little kid" time before letting her cross over into "big kid" land. I'm selfish, I know, but I want my first "baby" to stay a "baby" a little longer. Where does the time go?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Like Curling Up in Front of the Fire with a Blanket and a Good Book
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Tazo Chai Latte, Extra-Hot
After weeks on end of snow, now what do we have? Rain. Lots of it. Meaning lots of slush and lots of flooding of streets (but hopefully not my basement). Eww.
What does all this nasty winter weather call for? You guessed it: comfort food.
Tonight comfort food is coming in the way of old-fashioned beef stew and homemade butter biscuits. Mmmmm. In fact, the stew is simmering on the stove right now, filling my kitchen with its amazing scent. If I hadn't had a crazy, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, out in the rain getting my hair all frizzy kind of day, this comforting supper would be accompanied by an equally comforting dessert. Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess.
(But if I could choose, it would probably be lemon meringue pie. Just for the record.)
What do you turn to when the weather gets you down?
After weeks on end of snow, now what do we have? Rain. Lots of it. Meaning lots of slush and lots of flooding of streets (but hopefully not my basement). Eww.
What does all this nasty winter weather call for? You guessed it: comfort food.
Tonight comfort food is coming in the way of old-fashioned beef stew and homemade butter biscuits. Mmmmm. In fact, the stew is simmering on the stove right now, filling my kitchen with its amazing scent. If I hadn't had a crazy, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, out in the rain getting my hair all frizzy kind of day, this comforting supper would be accompanied by an equally comforting dessert. Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess.
(But if I could choose, it would probably be lemon meringue pie. Just for the record.)
What do you turn to when the weather gets you down?
Monday, January 5, 2009
Winter Wonderhell
Today's order: Grande Non-Fat Tazo Chai Latte (it's all I can stomach these days)
I am done with the snow. D-O-N-E. Done.
I live in the suburbs of Vancouver. We don't get snow here. Ok, ok, maybe a few flakes here and there, nothing to get excited about, generally gone by the next day. Certainly not "30+ centimeters at a time, for days on end, for nearly 3 weeks now" kind of snow. That's why I moved here. I like not getting snow in the winter time - it's very civilized.
Now, the problem isn't that I'm not used to snow. I come from the far reaches of Eastern Canada originally - trust me, I've seen my fair share of snow. I've shovelled it, I've gone sledding in it, I've thrown snowballs. I've had endless winters of it that started in October and didn't go away until late April or early May. I've walked to school, 20 miles, uphill both ways in blinding snowstorms... you know the drill...
My problem with long stretches of snow in greater Vancouver is that THIS CITY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH SNOW! Sorry, I'm yelling. I can't help it. I'm just so frustrated!!!!!
I come from a place that knows about snow. They know winter comes every year, they budget for it, they buy snowplows, employ endless numbers of city workers, and stockpile mountains of salt. When it starts to snow, they start plowing. And they plow 24 HOURS A DAY until the snow is cleared and the city can go about its' business in a normal fashion.
Greater Vancouver apparently knows nothing about these practices. My city, which has a population of more than 400,000 people, only seems to have 3 or 4 plows on the go. And the people who operate them GO HOME AT 4 PM. No, really. I'm serious. My husband snarled at people from City Hall for nearly an hour on the phone one day, slowly working his way up the management chain, until he learned that little tidbit from one of the higher-ups at City Works. We almost fell on the floor laughing at him when he told us that. Where do these people come from?????
Over the last 2+ weeks more than 100 centimeters of snow has fallen on my yard, my driveway, and my street. And, believe this one or not, the city has never plowed my street. I don't live on a major through-road, so we apparently don't get plowed. Ever. Even if it means I can't get out of my house for days on end. Glad to see my tax dollars working so hard.
AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
I'm so bloody frustrated, I'm ready to lose my mind.
Thankfully, the weather chick on CBC tells me this may be coming to an end in the next couple of days. The temperature is supposed to rise, and they're calling for large amounts of rain to wash all this bloody snow away. However, she refuses to say that there won't be any snow included in this system. She's covering her ass. Wiley bitch, that one. She knows that one of these days I'm going to come right through the television and whip her bony white ass.
I'm seriously hoping that the rain washes away some of the crazy I'm feeling.
End of rant. Thanks for listening. (if you still are) :)
I am done with the snow. D-O-N-E. Done.
I live in the suburbs of Vancouver. We don't get snow here. Ok, ok, maybe a few flakes here and there, nothing to get excited about, generally gone by the next day. Certainly not "30+ centimeters at a time, for days on end, for nearly 3 weeks now" kind of snow. That's why I moved here. I like not getting snow in the winter time - it's very civilized.
Now, the problem isn't that I'm not used to snow. I come from the far reaches of Eastern Canada originally - trust me, I've seen my fair share of snow. I've shovelled it, I've gone sledding in it, I've thrown snowballs. I've had endless winters of it that started in October and didn't go away until late April or early May. I've walked to school, 20 miles, uphill both ways in blinding snowstorms... you know the drill...
My problem with long stretches of snow in greater Vancouver is that THIS CITY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH SNOW! Sorry, I'm yelling. I can't help it. I'm just so frustrated!!!!!
I come from a place that knows about snow. They know winter comes every year, they budget for it, they buy snowplows, employ endless numbers of city workers, and stockpile mountains of salt. When it starts to snow, they start plowing. And they plow 24 HOURS A DAY until the snow is cleared and the city can go about its' business in a normal fashion.
Greater Vancouver apparently knows nothing about these practices. My city, which has a population of more than 400,000 people, only seems to have 3 or 4 plows on the go. And the people who operate them GO HOME AT 4 PM. No, really. I'm serious. My husband snarled at people from City Hall for nearly an hour on the phone one day, slowly working his way up the management chain, until he learned that little tidbit from one of the higher-ups at City Works. We almost fell on the floor laughing at him when he told us that. Where do these people come from?????
Over the last 2+ weeks more than 100 centimeters of snow has fallen on my yard, my driveway, and my street. And, believe this one or not, the city has never plowed my street. I don't live on a major through-road, so we apparently don't get plowed. Ever. Even if it means I can't get out of my house for days on end. Glad to see my tax dollars working so hard.
AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
I'm so bloody frustrated, I'm ready to lose my mind.
Thankfully, the weather chick on CBC tells me this may be coming to an end in the next couple of days. The temperature is supposed to rise, and they're calling for large amounts of rain to wash all this bloody snow away. However, she refuses to say that there won't be any snow included in this system. She's covering her ass. Wiley bitch, that one. She knows that one of these days I'm going to come right through the television and whip her bony white ass.
I'm seriously hoping that the rain washes away some of the crazy I'm feeling.
End of rant. Thanks for listening. (if you still are) :)
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