Nov. 23: Daybook

It’s Tuesday evening, and I’m a little bit late with my Daybook this week.

Today…

Outside my window... there was much ado about nothing. All the weather forecasts predicted lots of snow and ice today, but we actually saw very little. The passenger side door of my car was frozen shut this morning, but the car started with no trouble and reached its high temp of SEVENTH LEVEL OF HELL WARMTH within minutes. You think I’m joking? I am not. Freeways and side roads were clear. There were many, many disappointed kids across the city today.

This weekend, I… went to Sunriver. If you’ve never been to Sunriver, I’m sorry. It’s a lovely place and it’s up there with Maui in the “relaxing” department (but not so much the “tropical bliss” department). Our visit overlapped with Victor’s parents’ visit, and the rest of the weekend we were on our own. There was snow but driving was not hindered, so I didn’t mind it. One of my favorite things was sitting in the hot tub while it was snowing (very lightly) and within minutes, finding my hair freezing solid. Funny.

I am thinking... of what needs to be done before we take off for Medford in the morning. Some laundry, a little packing, a little cleaning… not too bad. I’m looking forward to getting away again; I don’t expect this trip to be as peaceful and relaxing as Sunriver, but it’ll be full of lovely people and my grandma. If Sherilee is lucky, I’ll have a story to share when I get home!

I am thankful... for oh-so-much. I’m saving it for my Thursday post, though, so you’ll just have to tune in again later to find out what it is. I know what YOU’RE thankful for! You’re thankful that you’ll soon have another post to read here at Stuff Jen Says! YAAAY! OK, maybe you’re not that thankful. Whatev.

I am working on... my Thursday post. Really. (Not really.)

I am going... to Medford tomorrow. I’ll be home Saturday, I think. I am NOT going to shop Black Friday sales where other people will be and could thereby irritate me or bump me or get in my way or smell bad. I might shop the sales from the comfort of my jammies and my mom’s living room, though. That’d be alright.

I am reading... the same book I said I was reading last week. This new sleeping medication works so well that I don’t need to read to fall asleep anymore, so I don’t get as much reading done. I knew there had to be a down side to that magical stuff! I’m also reading a book I bought at B&N today that I’m hoping holds the key to making things all better between me and my sister, because YES, the drama continues and I miss her and I want us to be good again.

I am hoping... to get some sleep tonight. It’s always hard to fall asleep the night of chemo, what with all the steroids running through my blood. I ought to get some reading done, though. Silver lining!

I am hearing... the kids play LEGO Rock Band downstairs. I love it. They’ve got a guitar and microphone, and the drum set arrives next week. We’re totally gonna be the Partridge Family, dontcha know?! Just try and tell me you’re not jealous. You can’t. I won’t hear it. I will not listen.

Around the house... we’re gearing up to get the Christmas 2010 CDs made. I’ve got some really fun stuff this year! I’m excited to hear what y’all think.

One of my favorite things... is writing our Christmas letter every year. I promise to do my best not to mention cancer very much this year, but it is the thing that has shaped our year more than any other. So, remember: we need to LAUGH at cancer! It hates that!

Plans for the rest of the week: pack for Medford, drive to Medford, make the potatoes and stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner, introduce Mom to my new favorite G&T, eat yummy food, hang out and enjoy my family, drive back to Portland, prepare to return to the real life of all-PTO-all-the-time (I’m not complaining!) and doctor appointments and homework and reading logs and cold lunches and field trips and holiday activities… for three weeks, and then it’s Christmas break! Yay.

Here’s an image I want to share: This is an item available on Amazon right now and I like it a little bit. It’s a bargain, too—there’s a savings of 35 percent! I really must have it. I’m quite sure.

I hope Victor sees this and I find it in my stocking on Christmas morning. All I want for Christmas is you!

(Also, that ring.)

Want to blog your own Daybook? Here’s the info: The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Jul. 11: Movin’ on up

Busy weekends make me oh-so-tired and oh-so-proud of my productivity at the same time. I got up an hour ago; is it too early for a nap?

Our weekend started early because Victor was home on Friday. We spent most of the day moving furniture up and down the stairs. It was un-fun. The good news is that we have a for-really-and-for-true office again—for the first time in many years—and the kids have the Wii hooked up on the big TV in the family room. Win-win.

We hadn’t planned on starting the move this soon because I wanted to paint the room first. It’s still a dark royal blue from when it was Jack’s pirate bedroom. And while it’s not the color I would choose were I starting this office from scratch, I’ve decided I can live with it because I don’t have the energy for painting right now. I have decided, though, that when I do get around to painting, the office will be a delightful shade of green.

The most difficult part of all our work was moving the armoire from the playroom to the family room. This armoire is solid pine, built by my dad, and in typical Dad fashion, has every kind of support and brace and backup support and backup brace he could possibly have put in. This means that it weighs no less than 127,000 pounds. We took out all the shelves and removed the doors and STILL had a tough time wrangling it down the stairs. As we began to push it, Vic said, “If I say ‘run!’ make sure you RUN.”

Can you imagine? I go through all this cancer crap, but in the end, my obituary says “She died trying to save an armoire.” Because let me tell ya, if that thing fell on someone it would DEFINITELY kill them.

I’m glad to say no people or things were harmed in the moving of the armoire. Whew.

The other challenge was getting my bookcase/desk up the stairs. Thank goodness the desk can be detached from the shelves because they are both huge:

 

See? Huge. Sixteen sections huge. (Mine’s a lighter wood, but I’m pretty sure it’s just as heavy as this one looks.)

At least the bookcase has places to grip (unlike the armoire)—it was actually more awkward than heavy. After a lot of clever maneuvers, it’s in its new place and looks very nice. We added our comfy puff rocker and ottoman to the room, along with a few small pieces of furniture, and voy-ol-ay, new office!

Will it change my life for the better, this new room that’s all mine? I like to think so. But we all know the truth: within a couple weeks my desk will be overflowing with mail, the dogs will have taken over the rocker and ottoman, and the misc furniture will be stacked high with things that belong on my desk but no longer fit. It’s more than a little bit sad that my life is so predictable, hm?

The other big weekend event was that yesterday Jack came home from my mom’s. I was so glad to see my boy! I didn’t think I’d missed him all that much (bad mom alert!), but I guess I had. I kissed him and kissed him and kissed him until he finally wiggled away from me in what I can only describe as revulsion. He looked a lot like this:

The first thing he did was run upstairs to see his new bed, and he was VERY happy with the change. He then ran down to the family room and turned on the Wii so he could play the game Katie bought while he was gone. That’s what he’s been doing ever since.

Katie’s at Mom’s now. It’s so nice when the kids are someplace where I have no worries about their safety or homesickness. They love hangin’ with Grandma Mary and Gilly. (Thanks, Mom!)

It’s cooler today than it’s been most the week, so I’ll probably do a little weed-pulling in the front yard. Otherwise I plan to do a lot of lying very still with my eyes closed in a dark, quiet bedroom. Yes. Good.

Jun. 19: A wee Wii question

“Wee Wii” = hee hee.

We surprised Katie and Jack with a Nintendo Wii this week and they instantly decreed we were the best parents EVER. I think our neighbors are possibly the most grateful of all because it means our kids will invade their homes less often and really, who would want Jack around all the time? He’s loud and stinky. We can barely stand him in our own house.

The Wii console comes with Wii Sports, which Victor is enjoying a little bit too much. I’ve seen very little of him after the kids’ bedtime because he finally gets the Wii to himself and doesn’t have to let the kids win every game. Also, he’s getting winded at the Wii bat and I’m worried about his real heart. But I checked, and our life insurance is all paid up so, y’know, whatevs.

We also bought Lego Indiana Jones because Jack is insane for all things Lego and Indiana Jones. Also, he kept asking to go over to some kid’s house for a play date but finally admitted he just wanted some time to play the game. We thought having our own Wii was a better option than calling some parent we don’t know to ask if our kid can spend time at their kid’s house. Jack loves the Wii version of the game (he’s mastered the DS version) and is excited to try out the other Lego Wii games too.

Katie’s first game choice was Wii Play, which is mostly just fun practice for using the Wii remote in all possible ways other games may require. It’s a fun assortment of activities, though—there’s a game similar to air hockey that I love, and I rocked on the fishing one. (Clearly, action games are not my thing. Give me Scrabble any day.)

So, my question is this: what are the big Wii hits at your house, and why? We want to add to our collection of games but would like some variety and are hoping for suggestions from other Wii owners. Please leave your advice in a comment. Thanks!