We have another 4-legged animal

I would love to adopt a second rescue dog. There are so many dogs in need of homes, and we have the room to have them. But Wade is happy with one dog.

So I was surprised when Wade told me right before bed, "We have another four legged animal in the house".

I knew he didn't just go out and pick up a dog. "A mouse?" I asked. "Yep."

Wade tried to kill it with his hockey stick. He almost got it, he told me, but he just missed when he brought the stick down. He told me that if he was closer, he'd have gone after it with his hands. Apparently, at a friend's house, he caught a mouse with his bare hands. (I did not ask what he did with the mouse.)

That freaked me out. Wade got a lecture on diseases: rabies and hantavirus. I told him not to TOUCH a wild mouse again.

We were both surprised by the mouse. There are no "signs" of a mouse living in our house (well, the unfinished area of our basement). There's no torn up tissue, no chewings, no mouse droppings.) Hopefully, that means the mouse hasn't been here long. I don't care about the mouse per se, but rather about the droppings it leaves (because that's unsanitary, gross and disease-causing). Wade's getting mouse traps on the way home. I don't want to kill the mouse - I mean, he just found a warm spot to winter (kinda like snowbirds). But what other option do we have? If we catch and release, he might find his way back to our house.

Do you have experiences with mice, vermin, or other uninvited guests?

KFL&A Public Health: follow-up "letter"

Remember when I told you how inefficient your system was? Remember when I sent you about three different emails expressing my concern? (Thanks for the prompt replies, by the way. I did appreicate it.) And remember when I sent letters to the editor that were published in two local newspapers expressing my displeasure with your organization system's inefficiencies?

Yeah, me too.

Well, it seems like you've figured things out. Finally! If anyone shows up with more than a 45 minute wait, you get a wrist-band to come back at a designated time. That's great news!

And even better, the flu shot has been available to EVERYONE in Canada for the past week. No more prioritization by "high risk": everyone can get vaccinated for free in Canada.

My husband went on Friday, and the wait was only 30 minutes. (He still didn't feel like waiting 30 minutes, so he left. But he'll go back when he has more time.)

Introducing Charlotte

Charlotte is 3 days old, weight 6 lbs 2 oz at birth, and is the daughter of some very good friends of mine: Welcome to the world, Charlotte!

Princess was a very bad girl today

Very bad.

We went to my mom's neighbourhood and went for a walk with Yogi Bear, my mom's American Eskimo dog. A kid (maybe 12 years old) was riding his bike on the sidewalk, and as he went by us, he stopped and Princess bit at his leg. He was okay, he wasn't shook up, and the skin wasn't broken. At first, we actually (including the kid) thought she only got his jeans, but that wasn't the case. I gave his dad my vet's contact information (so he could verify she was up-to-date on all shots). As soon as we got back, I called the vet to tell them what happened and ask for a recommendation on a dog trainer. The father hadn't yet called the vet to ask about Princess at that time, but when he does, they'll confirm Princess is in fact up-to-date on all shots. Also, since the skin wasn't broken, there's no risk of any disease transmission, but I'm sure it'll still reassure the father.

I've already contacted the recommended dog trainer and am awaiting them to get back to me.

Can you believe this little thing was such a bad girl?












I was very shook up for at least an hour and a half afterward, and I'm still a little shook up. We will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again.

Our house is sold ...

... again

Call me cynical, but given our last experience, I think I'll hold off on "celebrating" until the house sale has completely closed.

Extreme Honesty

(The Weight Watchers "Hunger Monster")

Seriously, the past few days have been really bad for lacking self control. If you know me personally, please don't judge me for what I say in this post! Tonight, Wade wanted dessert, so I baked cupcakes. And I proceeded to eat 4 1/2 of them. Apparently, two or even three cupcakes wasn't enough to satisfy me, so I ate 4 1/2. Think that's bad? Earlier this week, I had 1.5 L of ice cream over a period of two days. That is not a typo: I had 6 cups of the delicious cookie dough ice cream. Seriously, what is wrong with me? I ALWAYS feel overfull afterwards. I did this a lot when I was 10, 11, 12 years old, but I kicked the compulsion. It has always come back occassionally, but it lessened over time. Although, like this week, my over-indulging still happens now and then, it hasn't happened in well over a year. When this compulsion occurs, it's like some monster that must be fed overcomes me, and I can't stop eating until I am FULL. And I don't mean a little full, I mean bursting at the seams with more calories, sugar and fat than I would normally eat in a week.

There is no feelings of gratification when I'm done. I used to feel extreme guilt and shame for doing this to myself. Now, I realize there is no sense in feeling guilty. I just feel mad and frustrated with myself for not having more self control. It's just sometimes, once I start indulging, something turns "on", and I just can't stop eating.

I felt sick fifteen minutes ago. I wonder if I would feel better if I was sick, but I never want to go down that road, fearing it could lead to bulimia. My body just doesn't work that way: I am never sick if I overeat. Once the sugar high subsides (from the icing on the cupcake), I might feel so gross (as my insides digest all this unhealthy food) that I'll curl into a ball, or maybe (and this is what prefer) I'll have enough energy (and not feel too gross) so I can go for a walk and feel a bit better. I do not see myself as bulimic, but perhaps I have the potential to lean that way. I don't get sick, exercise or starve myself to compensate (as is the definition of bulimia), but I might go for a walk to feel better, and am often "turned off" sweets for days after (even thinking of sweets actually turns my stomac right now).

It really is like a compulsion, a monster that overtakes me and must be fed. How awful.

If you have any similar experiences, please feel free to share. Do you feel guilty after binge-eating? Do you or did you have any binge behaviours - eating, drinking, or otherwise? Do you see me differently (positively or negatively) for what I've admitted. Please feel free to share by commenting or emailing me.

Go Gaels, Go!

My husband and I both did our undergraduate degrees at Queen's University, a reputable school in Canada.

Although Queen's has acquired a bit of a party image in the past five years, the "big party" is only held on one week-end a year. Um, a party school that only has one party week-end and where most of the partiers don't even attend the school? Not such a party school, IMO. (For more information, see here or here).

Anyway, other than the one week-end of partying, at Queen's, we do things just a little different: for example, fraternities and sororities are banned (to foster school spirit and loyality, and it seems to work), and our official school song is in Scottish Gaelic. Yes, Scottish Gaelic.

Our football team just won the Yates Cup, which means next week, they play the semi-finals for the National Championship, referred to as the Vanier Cup. While we watched the game, tuckered-out Princess (tired from a 45 minute walk with Wade), helped us cheer on Queen's:
How cute is she?

Do you have triskaidekaphobia? Or worse paraskevidekatriaphobia? Then today is your worst day (for the third time this year)!

Paraskevidekatriaphobia is fear of Friday the 13th, and today is the third Friday the 13th this year. I didn't know that word until I looked up Friday the 13th on wikipedia! I did, however, know triskaidekaphobia, the fear of 13.

Why is 13 such an unpopular number? Well, again, according to wikipiedia, it's unnatural because it's one higher than 12. Twelve is good because there are twelve months in a year, twelve zodiac signs, twelve hours in a clock, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles of Jesus and twelve gods of Mount Olympus. Evidently, twelve is a good number, therefore thirteen is a bad number.

And why is Friday the thirteenth bad? According to my all-knowing (and usually accurate) wikipiedia, Friday is unlucky because Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Therefore, Friday + 13 = double bad.

So, how do you like that history and cultural lesson?

Anyway, that's all I have to say about today. Best to avoid stepping on cracks, breaking mirrors, spilling salt, walking under ladders, and so on today. Oh, and join me in wishing Jen a Happy Birthday! Jen and I met in grade 6 figure skating, then went to school together from grade 7 to the end of high school (called OAC here, also known as grade 13). She's a terrific gal, and even though I've only averaged seeing her every other year the past five years, I still consider her a friend!

Princess learned a new skill today

She learned how to play by herself, taking her toy and throwing it in the air then catching it herself. It's pretty funny to watch.

While we wanted to name her Kiah (Australian aborigine for a beautiful place), she really does know her name is Princess. She responds to it so easily. So at this point, it's less and less likely we'll make any attempt to change her name.

That's all I have to post today. :)