TM’s Journal

Well, it looks like our “family” summer holidays are going to be missing a family member. Let me explain:

I have the last 3 weeks of August off as holidays. My partner. Jaxx only has the last 2 weeks. The original plan (back in March when we booked these holidays) was that the first week (Aug 13th - 17th) I’d take JD, my son, camping for a few days. We bought a new tent, we’ve even checked out a couple campgrounds that are possibilities.  Then, the last 2 weeks, we’d do something as a “family” . Options such as going camping or to the States were discussed. I even said I’d be excited to take a few days and go to Kenora area for some swimming and fishing. We knew then that J’s Mom would be out at the lake, but made these plans anyway.

So, last night my sister called and said that she and her family are going camping at Rushing River August 22 - 26th, did we want to come? I was so excited! I’d love to go! I haven’t been there since I was about 14 or so. So, I told Jaxx about my conversation with my sister and her fist words are : “I can’t go”.  Why? Because of our dogs. We have 3 dogs, and one of them is her baby. Lately he has been experiencing some health issues, and she is very worried about him. He cries at night if she’s not home. I suggested taking them, but she’s not in favor of that idea….”it’ll be too hot”, “Beau (the oldest) isn’t up for travelling”, “what avbout bears?”, Aero (our youngest) will eat your sister’s dog!” (Well, she’s right on that one. Aero would eat my sister’s little Jack Russell for lunch. She’s not very friendly with other dogs.)  We can’t leave them behind because there is no one to care for them. I realize that, but funny how we didn’t worry about that in March when we started planning our holidays. So for months I’ve been dreaming about going to Mount Rushmore, or Grand Forks, even Theif River Falls where there is a river tube park.  I’d love to do this, and I think my son would too. Jaxx would not. Anything that involves car travelling, heat or water, she’s not a fan of.

So, she suggested that just me and JD go for those few days with my sisiter. At first I said that I’d call my sister back and cancel. Then I thought some more and figured Dammit! It’s my holiday, I worked hard all year, waiting for these holidays, I am going. She says she can stay home and get ’some things done’ (her term for ”Projects” - see other posts) I figure JD and I will go and have some fun. I want to check out the riding Stables at Falcon, and the cruise out of Kenora that takes you around the islands and shows you the sites. I went on this cruise many years ago….the favorite is the Devil’s Rock!  It’s only a painted stone, but JD’ll love it! This will be mine & JD’s family vacation. 

It’ll only be 4 days….then I guess we’ll go home and sit on our asses for the rest of the 2 weeks. I’m sure there will be some pressing project that has to be done.

Who knows, maybe next year we’ll be able to have a family vacation with the whole family. 

Who am I kidding?!?!?!?

Okay, so I finally remembered this blog. It’s not habit yet, so I actually forgot about it for a few days. To catch you up - not that you asked to be caught up - it’s now Tuesday, July 24th.

We spent Saturday at the beach! We drove to a place we hadn’t been before - St Ambroise Beach. I clocked it and from my doorstep to the beach is 101 kms. Not to bad of a drive. Nice campground. I’d definitely go back. My partner, Jaxx, did come, although I think it was just because she felt obligated, not because she really wanted to. She spent most of the time OUT of the water, while JD and I spent most of our time in the water. I loved it! It reminded me of my childhood, playing and splashing, and floating on an air mattress. It was so peaceful. I could have stayed until dark, but I know she wasn’t having fun. To be fair, the flies were terrible and were biting pretty bad. Since she was on shore most of the time, they were making her life miserable. Had she come into the water, she would have been fine!

Sunday was very hot! Too hot to do much. Yet, Jaxx found a “project” to do! lol  are you surprised? She and her Mom restrung our clothesline umbrella. Since I was a tad sunburned, I chose to stay away from the sun. Just the couple times I actually did go outside, the sun burned my sunburn! Finally, about 2:00pm, the project was finished, and the 2 of them finally figured out that it was just to darn hot to be outside!

Yesterday, was nothing important. Same old same old. Slept, worked, ate, slept.

Today, I went to the dr for my 3 month checkup for my diabetes.  Things are going good. My numbers are pretty good. The meds - and my new found information - have kept my sugar levels under control. He has now given me yet ANOTHER  drug to start taking. This means 11 pills a day! I’m really starting to wonder if this Dr. is a pill pusher.  I want to trust him, as I was brought up with the idea that you trust your Dr and do as he says. Its just from some of my research, and thru word of mouth, I’ve heard and read things that sometimes make me doubt him. It’s easy, you’re thinking….go get a second opinion. Not so easy, finding a Dr these days is not so easy in my city. There are so few Dr’s taking new patients, that the ones who are, can pick and chose who they want to take on as a patient. I know  3 people right now looking for a dr, and it hasn’t been easy for any of them.

Anyway, that’s my last few days. I’ll post again when I have some exciting news! No wait, that might not be for weeks! I’ll post sooner than that!

I’m going to bookmark this site so I can find it again!

Later,

T.

Today my son, JD gets braces. He’s excited by the thought. I’m so glad that I’m not the one who has to take him for this appointment. I have this terrible feeling that he’s going to be crying in pain. I am not one to be strong for that….I’m terrified of dentists myself. In fact, I was told a month or so ago that I have to have my wisdom teeth out. The dentist gave me his card, and told me to “think about it” and then give him a call to book the appointment. As of today, I’m still “thinking about it”. I’m too scared to phone and make the appointment. I’ve nevr even had a filling done, so the thought of someone pulling perfectly fine teeth out seems barbaric to me. I’ve heard so many horror stories about this sort of stuff.

Anyway, back to my son’s issues. We were told that he’d possibly have some extractions. so we’re not sure if today is the extractions in preparation for the braces, or if he’ll be getting the actual braces today. Time will tell. Either way, I know that this is great for him in the long run. He’ll be done with the braces before he hits middle school. So when he starts to worry about his appearence, and is going thru the typical awkward teenage stuff (puberty, voice cracking, acne etc) at least he’ll have a killer smile! A $2500.00 smile!!

And I will probably still have my wisdom teeth.

Okay, I’m new at this. I’ve read literally hundreds of blogs, but I’ve never written one. My partner has one, and she says it’s very theraputic to write. I mentioned once that I should do it……..it apparently relieves stress. And now, lo & behold, she set me up with this one! So, now I have my very own blog…. and I don’t know what to write about. How about I just ramble on about whatever pops into my head.

Most of the blogs I read are very mundane. Just regular events that happen to those people. Not too much happens to me that anyone would be interested in. My mundane events would put most people to sleep. I sleep, I get up, I go to work, I go home, eat supper and sleep again. During fall, winter & spring, we spend our evenings after work running our 9 year old around - Tae Kwon Do lessons, swimming lessons, baseball practices, games and weekend tournements. Sometimes I miss having time for ourselves. We call them “BJ” days - Before Jonathan. Life with a kid is totally different than life without one. Besides a kid, we also have 3 dogs. Between the boy and the dogs, we have no life anymore.

BJ & dogs, the 2 of us would pack up the car, and go drive. We’d pick a highway and go. We’d stop anywhere that interested us, and explore, take pictures or go fishing. We’d have a picnic lunch somewhere, and maybe make it back home after dark. It was fun, and it was the 2 of us. Now, even to go on a short excursion takes planning….arrange with Jaxx’s mom to watch the dogs, pack up the kid, the bug spray, the mosquito spray, toys & books to occupy him, rain gear, sun umbrellas, lawn chairs,blankets, first aid kit with bandages….you name it, we bring it! We are the perfect Boy scouts - we’re prepared for anything - - And that’s just to go to WalMarts to pick a perscription up!!!

I guess I just miss the fun in life. Now it’s all responsibilities, bills, parental issues, financial woes…nothing fun. I realize this is the price we pay for growing up, but somehow I never knew that growing up meant that you can’t have fun anymore.

This spring, we made the decision to sell the camper and the boat.  I made a decsion that still I wanted to go camping this summer with JD even if it meant tenting. I grew up camping, and have many great memories of time spent at the beach, and I want to make some great memories for my son. My partner has never camped out. This poses a problem. But, I bought a new tent (one big enough to accomadate the family and the dogs) and I want to go to Watchorn Bay for a few days. But, this summer is going by so quickly, it’s already the middle of July. I wanted to do a trial run camping one weekend, but it seems it’s not meant to be. You see, we are still trying to sell our camper and our boat. Weekends are spent running out to my parents to show someone the trailer, or staying home doing household “projects”. There never seems to be an end to them, and personally, I think my partner LOOKS for some that have to be done because she doesn’t want to go camping. Whenever I bring it up, it gets knocked down - Primarily because of Beau, our oldest dog. He’s 15 +1/2 years old. Lately he has a slight limp. we don’t know if he’s hurt himself somehow, or if his arthritis is very bad. Either way, we can’t take him camping, and we can’t leave him at home because he cries all night if my partner isn’t home.  So, another weekend doing another “project”. 

I want to spend a weekend doing what others do, HAVING FUN….. Going to the beach, going to waterparks, having family get togethers, travelling & sightseeing.

I just feel like all the fun has been sucked out of my life. Being an adult sucks!

 I guess I’d better stop writing. I’m depressing myself. Besides, it’s almost 4:00pm. Just about time to go home and do nothing.

More tomorrow if I can find this place again.

T.