Wine induced weekend ramblings.

I'd like to declare that although this is indeed *ME* physically typing and posting this, it's actually the 'wine' speaking, so 1) excuse any typo's, and 2) I can't guarantee just how coherent and understandable this post will be. I've pretty much single handedly finished a bottle of wine (I opened it for a recipe - that required 1 tbsp) and I'm not a big fan of 'storing' wine in the fridge, so I took one for the team and opted to finish the bottle (truth be known, I don't even know HOW to store wine . . . I'm an advocate of finishing EVERYTHING that I start. Wine included. My other half poured a glass for himself, but only drank half, and I don't want to waste and all, so I took one for the team and went ahead and drank the rest of his glass too. Does that make me a wino? Perhaps. It's a definite possibility. But since I'm living it, me making that decision is a little biased or something, so I'll leave you all to make that judgement all on your own. I DO know that my near and dear friend (and she knows EXACTLY who she is) would totally agree with my thought process on 'saving' wine (or the fact that it's simply not 'good' practice).

As most of you know, we're knee keep in home renovations. So far, it's going along pretty well. The 'biggest' room/area is now finished (the entry/living/dining/hallway) - they completed that yesterday. I admit, it's not moving NEARLY as quickly as I'd like it to. The reality is, I would have liked to have seen it completed by Wednesday night - even though they just started on Wednesday morning. We LOVE the colour, and we're in awe of the miracles that they seem to perform (they've fixed a whole lot of brutal anomolies and screw-ups on the walls and ceilings). Have I mentioned that we LOVE the colour that we chose for those areas? Seriously, I walk into those areas and I squeal in delight realizing that this is MY home!!! I know, I know, I'm a bit of a simpleton and a dumbass in that respect, but when I look at what used to be there (and as much as I'd like to blame the former owners of the house, the truth is, we, or morever *I* chose the brutal green colour that was on the walls before this change), it truly is a HUGE difference. Some of the colours we (I) have chosen are bold. I'm kind of a neutral/fraidy-cat when it comes to colours on the walls . . . so for those coming into our home after the work is done, it's going to be a shock. A HUGE shock. AND . . . I allowed the kids to choose their own colours for their rooms - including lime green and bright pink (for real!!!! I made it CRYSTAL clear to them that Dad and I DON'T paint . . . so they're stuck with these colours until the end of time - or next year - because the Mayan calendar ways the world is going to end then anyway, right? For real . . . with all this horror going on around the world, those Mayan's just might be right!!! SCARY!). Anyway, one area done, 6 to go . . . somehow I don't think they'll be done midway through next week. Just a hunch I have.

My other half and I have been diligently purging and cleaning things up. Today was a HUGE day for us. Furniture delivery. WOOHOO! We took the stuff from the living and family rooms and took several trips to the dump to unload it. How wrong is it that I was giddy with excitement about tossing furniture . . . the furniture that we started out with in this house. I mean, come on, there should have been some regrets, sadness and remorse about getting rid of it - this was the furniture that a couple of kids may have been conceived on (I know, gross . . . but I promise, there will be NONE of that kind of silliness on the new stuff . . . along with eating and drinking on it - that too has been outlawed. Besides, we're old, and we have a teenaged kid. Doing the 'wild thang' or the 'funky chicken' is a thing of the past. Teen is usually up for HOURS beyond our bedtime). BUT . . . there wasn't any unhappiness or regrets. In fact when we arrived at the dump I actually kicked the green floral printed couch and had a few words (enough to make the guy beside us crack up) about it all. I got in that van and happily drove away; although I *WAS* a bit pissed at the fact that it cost me money to get rid of that green and pink hunk of shit. A hunk of shit that I'm certain if I'd timed it a bit better, someone would have happily pulled it from my pile of trash at the curb during heavy garbage pick up. We decided to pay for the dump . . . we didn't want someone else to have that eyesore in their house . . . we'd put in enough time with it for about 10 families. Did I mention that it was ugly?! Cuz it was. Very much so. When we took it out of the house the other day, we went all ghetto-like for a few days and left it sitting in front of the garage. Imagine the class that our house oozed when the kids parked their bums on it everytime they passed it. Oh yeah . . . nothing but class right here.

Anyway, after 3 trips to the dump (we got rid of all the living room furniture and the sectional in the basement; which I need to point out came INTO our house over 10 years ago in TWO pieces, and left in THREE pieces today because it broke THAT much. I'd also like to point out that I dropped part of that sectional on my 'bad' toe - and now I'm sporting a fantastic bruise and skinned spot. Damn couch!), our NEW furniture arrived. I wasn't home when it arrived. I actually planned it that way, I was about having a stroke over the fact that they might scratch or dent up my new paint job - yes, I'm *THAT* anal right now. As I told my children, I'd like the entire house to be finished before the first dent or scratch occurs (which I know is an almost impossible feat, but I'm being the optimist here and am hoping with all my heart that it DOES happen). My other half called as I was out and about and informed me that everything looked great, although the sectional in the basement has a 'mark' on it, which warrants the company to have to order in an entire new one. Being the nice folk that they are (reality: They know that I'd chew them a new asshole otherwise), they left the 'damaged' sectional until they get the new one. Yeah, it's no "mark"; it's a freakin' HUGE gash. Of course it's the stuff in the basement because that means we have to carefully work it OUT of the house again and risk hitting the walls. It couldn't be the freakin' pillow or something . . . because THAT would be too easy. BUT . . . all that aside, it all does look FANTASTIC! I'm pretty excited about it. The kids?! Not so much, I may have made 2 of the kids wash their hands and made one change their pants before they sat on one of the couches. I'm TERRIFIED for next week when I have my little charges return . . . the ones that pee on my furniture, carry their cups that leak all over and wipe their noses on everything - couches included. Seriously . . . I'm thinking about channelling my mother and putting sheets over the furniture while the kids are there (my mother used to it with their dog so it wouldn't get all his doggy cooties all over everything). I used to think it looked silly when my mother had her furniture all covered up with an old sheet, but honestly, right about now, it's probably one of the single most clever things I've ever seen.

Speaking of clever . . . . I'd like to brag on Banshee for a second. Today she went to her gymnastics practise. She asked me specifically to watch her cartwheel on the beam (she's been doing it on a low to the ground - it's a few cm off the ground - beam). She did it - and did it well. So well in fact that her coach encouraged her to give it a try on the 'big/real' beam. And she agreed. The coach assisted her a couple of times - just to help her get a feel for it all, and then Banshee started doing it on her own; with NO help or spotting. At first she was falling off, but she'd get right back on and try again. And then she landed it. Again and again. Her coach rang the sacred bell (they ring the bell to get the attention of everyone in the gym/mezzanine so they can watch someone who has a big accomplishment) and Banshee, with ALL eyes on her, did that damn cartwheel PERFECTLY. She landed it; everyone applauded and cheered. It made her day (hell, it probably made her LIFE to this point so far). Me? I cried like a baby. I'm so darn proud of her. With all the health issues that she has, it warms my heart that she's so determined to do this. It was a HUGE boost to her ego, and she started taking HUGE risks for the rest of her practise. She did stuff today that she claimed she couldn't do. This was a HUGE step for her. For me . . . I had to sit down . . . I admit it, I can't watch the entire practise. I'm a bit of a "freaker outer" with some of the stuff they do . . . I know how fragile the human body is, and these little gymnasts? Well, they do shit that the human body shouldn't be able to do. YIKES!! I'm surprised that some of them don't snap in half or something.

Anyway, today has been filled with much excitement. Here's hoping that the rest of the weekend and next week are equally as exciting; and really, why wouldn't it be . . . I mean, come on, who wouldn't be completely envious of the fact that we're going to be sequestered to the basement all day, every day again next week as the contractors finish their work upstairs. As they work away listening to THEIR music; going potty all by themselves and getting breaks. It's March Break and all, so to add to the fun, I've got my own 3 kids and my other half home (and as much as I love this guy, the truth is, he's sometimes {MOST TIMES} equal to about 10 little kids all rolled into one). Oh yeah, I KNOW you're all jealous.

And that my friends . . . is why I enjoy wine so much. It helps to 'dull' reality sometimes. Reality typically isn't all that bad, but when my house is completely turned upside down and stress is running rampant . . . then yes, I admit, a little dulling is required.

CHEERS!!