Anime North and how I can embarass myself without even leavingt the house.

Dated May 30 to family and friends
Hi all;

I hope everyone is doing well?  Now that Anime North Season is over I might have time to breathe.  Still have three orders to go but not bad.  There are construction guys outside my back window.  They are tearing down our back steps and replacing them finally.  It's hard not to be polite and I don't know whether to smile or pull the blind as they are working right in front of the picture window looking into my living room.  Being me I just give them a good morning wave and go about my day, making sure I'm covered.

It turns out I don't have to leave my house to embarrass the crap out of myself.  Last week I was making a turtle shell backpack for Catie's costume.  She had taken my IKEA tray and used papermache  on it to create the shell.  But she didn't let it dry properly and for three days she and I had blinding migraines.  We discovered that the mache had molded on the inside.  So Gross!  You should have seen the "yuck" dance she did when she stuck her hand in it to turn it over--beats my "earwiggy" dance any day. 
So I decided to redo the whole thing and I made a quilted cover. My only pain was the tube of white that went around the edge.  I basically made a 36" tube and had to stuff it.  I couldn't find a long enough handle to push the stuffing up with so I decided to use the broom. 
The easiest way is to brace it against the floor, hold it with my feet and just keep pushing it up and down to get the stuffing to the end.  I didn't realise how "improper" it looked until I heard a crash outside and found out the guy fixing the window had laughed himself off the ladder. 

On Thursday night I was making armoured gloves, Catie was running around in her "Squirtle" costume with a blue wig, turtle shell and tail, Keagan, her boyfriend was wearing his pink gi, a street fighter costume and their friend Curtis was dressed as a D & D wizard.  Then the pizza guy came.  None of us thought it odd for them to answer the door.  I love these moments of my life.

My health seems to be getting stronger.  I organised a Community Spring Cleaning and BBQ for our neighbourhood.  We picked up garbage and leaves etc...  It was funny because I went out of my way to make sure I got halal meat for the Muslims in the neighbourhood and none showed up.  Really good burgers though.  It was great to see all the kids out and making an effort.  I was really impressed with them.  I was supposed to just organize the teams and food but as the one of the co ordinators I had to try to help by sweeping and picking up the glass.   That's why I'm so sore today.  My big old Mountain Man did twice the work picking up branches and old furniture and heavy stuff but won't admit he's worn out.  Thank goodness he's on holidays.  We also got our approval for a grant for the squirrel proof garbage cans I wanted.  Poor Mr. Squirrel's children will have to count on the kindness of strangers from now on.

We have all of our plants in.  Lavender, tomato, basil, oregano, moon flowers, parsley and chives.  Once they finish the back steps Hubby says he will make me a small garden but I worry that the kids will take any fruit, flowers or vegys grown.  I am thinking I might put in some chocolate mint if it's not too late.  The problem is that it has to be isolated or it will take over all your garden but it makes an amazing sauce.

We seem to have started a trend in our neighbourhood since we put up the greenhouse on the balcony five neighbours on each side have made little gardens of their own.  It's nice but I wish they'd stop asking me questions about their plants.  I get all my answers from Gene Lake (He's a friend from Convergys who used to farm and is brilliant for gardening questions.) or the internet. 

Catie won tickets to the premiere of Pirates of the Carrabien movie and couldn't go but Sarah had been desperate to go and Breyan couldn't find tickets.  They sold out in fifteen minutes.  Since Catie had to work she let Sarah have the tickets.  The next issue was babysitting. Hubby and I know how hard it is to get out together when you have small children.  They couldn't find a sitter so my guy and I volunteered.  It was physically hard but rewarding.  Except I forgot how much babies puke on everything, Aurora decided to inform me, "she can do whatever she wants."  I proved her wrong.  Ivy is adorable but very clumsy.    I've decided I really don't want more babies, I'll let my kids have them. 

But I do miss telling bedtime stories, having Rory inform me, "Nona, I have new make-up.  I'm going to give you a do-over."  She's so my granddaughter.  Unfortunately, or not, she couldn't find it.  She says she will do it next time.   She very proudly showed me how she cleaned the bathroom for me.  Am I that bad at complaining about people's bathroom?

There is a funny picture on Breyan's Facebook that has him and Rory sitting back on the couch with their arms behind their heads watching TV.  I turned around at one point and there was Oompah and Rory doing the same thing.  Wish I had my camera. 

We had a funny moment with Aurora.  We were talking about family history and I guess Breyan had explained her Great- Grampa Lorente does genealogy for the Home Children.  She told me, "My Great Big Grandpa finds little boys and girls that got lost when the government put them in ships and pushed off."  I roared.

Well this is all for now.  It's been a very hard week so I think I will have a nap today.

Missing you all.
Kimberley

Dodging the Breast Cancer Bullet

I have just received the news that the lump in my breast is a group of cysts.  I really don't know why I am not jumping around the house doing the Snoopy Dance.  While I was in limbo, I was really convinced my turn had finally come.  I mean, Mum, Katrina, family history, the fact I smoke like a chimney and wear underwire bras even when I don't have any "under." I should have punched the BC ticket a long time ago.

So why aren't I dancing?  Is it just because I'm grieving for Uncle Norm?  Is it the anti-depressants they have me on to fight the fibromyalgia?  I do feel relieved and grateful.  I'm happy my kids and the Mountain Man will not have to take the cancer journey with me again.  That was cervical but a few years ago I had another lump and I didn't tell my husband until after the biopsy because he gets so stressed and won't do anything about it.

When I first found this lump, 34 days ago, I was almost terrified to bring it to my doctor.  I felt frozen.  Then I sat in denial for awhile, which didn't last long since my inner Gramma told me I was being stupid.  When I finally did go to the doctor I took Mountain Man with me because he said he needed to be involved.  He took it like the man he is.  He stopped talking about it but joked, "Guess that's the only girl on girl action I'll ever see." when my female doctor examined it for herself.

After that I told him I didn't need him to take me to the mammogram because I saw he really couldn't take it and I couldn't take seeing him try to be supportive while falling apart inside.  

My friend Sarah offered to take me since I haven't been able to drive for months with my back and fibromyalgia acting up.  We both found the paperwork highly amusing.  At one point it says, "I agree that the results of this treatment can be reported to [various medical agencies and research foundations] and The Nuclear Safety Commission!!! " Why a Nuclear Safety commission would be interested in pictures of my boobs boggles the mind.

So with my customary humour I decided that it must mean I was going to have radioactive boobs and that would make me a superhero!  Therefore I needed a superhero name.  I liked my granddaughters idea the best, Supernova Nona!  Of course my redneck honey came up with 'Radioactive Boob Woman.'  Subtle is definitely not his style.

The mammogram was it's  usual annoying time but I noticed they have a screen on the machine that shows how many pounds per inch is on your boob.  Mine was 20-odd pounds.  I don't get it.  It's not like the technician will see the screen so why on earth would they put that there just so the patient can see it?  I really did not need to know how many psi was pushing down on my breast.  I could feel it.  The guy, (it has to be a guy, no woman would do that,) who designed the machine is just sadistic.

And really? with all the money put into Breast Cancer Research, why can't someone come up with a screening test that doesn't hurt?  I mean guys get a blood test for prostate cancer.  It's a man's world Baby~

I saw the mass on the ultrasound screen.  It was black.  I've never seen a lump be black so it further convinced me it was my time.  They should not let patients see the screen if they aren't going to explain the results.  Especially if it Thursday and their doctor is not in until Monday.

I noted the irony that I spent the earlier part of the year sewing gowns for the Arnprior Mammogram screening clinic for Aunt Elta and I was freezing in paper gown here in Ottawa.  I talked to the technician and found that they have the same problem finding super-large gowns for patients who are hefty.  They end up wrapping them in paper sheets so I think, in my thankfulness, that as soon as Anime North Costume season is over I'm going to make the Ottawa clinic some and donate them.  It's bad enough going through all this without having to deal with no gown fitting you as well.  "Yeah!  More Pink," she said sarcastically.

Oddly, being sure it was cancer was oddly freeing.  I mean, I really stopped worrying about the future.  I was totally living in the now.  I laughed harder.  I made sure my children and my husband know how much I love them.  I took the time to tell people stuff I wanted to be sure they knew just in case.  Even if it was just that I love them.

Sarah took me to the Women's Show to distract me.  She is such a good friend.  I had a great time.  I went up to the Canadian Forces table and said, "Thank you for being our military, we appreciate you."

I went up to the Breast Cancer Awareness table and said, "Thank you for the time and energy you put into volunteering and fundraising."

I made Sarah, not a girly girl, try some foundation that made her look like a Twilight Vampire and sparkled in the sun.  

I loaded up on prescription allergy meds and sure enough I was trapped in a crowd with a woman who feels it necessary to bathe in cheap perfume.  I really wanted a portable fire extinguisher to spray on her or to threaten to follow her home and fart in her living room.  I settled for getting some more Benedryl into me.  However as Sarah and I got into the elevator to go to the drugstore for some migraine meds, I freaked the security guard who happened to be in there with us out.  I was babbling mad that I could still taste the perfume even after drinking liquid Benadryl and she thought I was panicking.  Sarah just smiled and I told the poor guard, "No, I'm just babbling, this is my normal."  Sarah just nodded and smiled.

I am not even going to talk about needle biopsy.  There really is only one word to say, "OWWWWW"

So here I am 34 days later and I've just updated friends and family and you think I'd be dancing.

Maybe I'm just bummed I won't be "Supernova Nona."  Mind you, I would have looked horrible in spandex.