birthday? what birthday?

Well, my birthday was nothing much. The kids forgot. I got 'Happy Birthday' wishes from all my work colleagues. We shared a cheesecake (I had a small piece).

In my brilliance (and desire to have something resembling a birthday celebration) I had decided to go out for dinner with the 3 kids, to the Food Court upstairs at the shopping centre where the library is located. Yay. A food court is where many many people gather and gorge themselves on food that is really not good for them, unless they make careful choices. I had chinese. The kids had fish and chips. Toddler cried off and on from when I picked him up from kindy, he was in a foul mood. The older two were ok, but careless with some purchases I had made that came close to getting stuffed there and then. I felt a migraine coming on. Dinner was cut short after Toddler spilt half a bottle of apple juice in his lap. *sigh* Happy 31st Birthday. I went to bed as soon as I got Toddler to bed.

Other positives...
- one of my best friends, and my favourite babysitter, texted to wish me Happy Birthday
- my oldest younger brother remembered
- a friend who is pregnant took time out from her busy day and spent some time with me. She also gave me some delicious perfume, a low fat cup cake and sung me 'Happy Birthday'. Nice!

Next year I think I should stay home and hide under my blankets. Where ever home is/will be. I didn't get either of the apartments. I asked the agents and all they could say was that they hand the applications over to the owner and he/she decides from there. Not helpful at all.

Ex-DH has already organised to get a new Internet provider, as he informed me via email. I wrote back and basically said 'hang on, I am not out yet, wasn't that a bit quick off the mark?' He wrote back to say it won't be hooked up before the end of October and so what if there is a bit of overlap. Umm, if I am still here in 6 months then that is a big overlap! He just has no concept of the rental market in this city.

Had a chat to best friend tonight and she suggested I get my resume out to country libraries now just so my name is out there. I am a little shy of doing this just yet. I do understand where she is coming from, but for me it feels like if I do that I have already decided I am leaving. I told her I wanted to give it six months, and then if I wasn't having any success finding a place (or ex-DH has pushed for me to go) then I will consider leaving. Maybe I should just give it till after Christmas. Anyway, I have started watching the job boards again. Dammit, I don't want to leave. What if we get the toy library grant, what if the new person doesn't want anything to do with it? argh.

I want to cry.

On a more positive note, I went to a WW meeting today during my lunch break. It was quite good. I weighed heavier there than I do at home, so that sucked, but I did keep to my points limit today (yay me), dranks lots more water than I usually do (two glasses instead of one, lol, no, it was more than that) and didn't feel hungry. I am on day 2 of NO chocolate and not missing it, so the Chromium must be doing it's job. Now I just need to keep up the good work.

self-flagellation

Did you know that if you do WW (or any other new life/new body type plan) that you have to eat healthy and exercise?!!

I think I need to thump that into my brain a bit as I just don't seem to have gotten it yet.

helllooo?! Eat healthy and lose weight....(thump thump)

do not buy/eat/enjoy that custard cream puff at all, it is BAD! (thump thump) Bad, I tell you!

yes, carrot sticks ARE yummy (thump thump)

*sigh* I did my points tracker tonight, as I have been the last few nights. I eat too much, and too much crap. I am almost double my points each day so far. I know I am new at this, but come on! I need to get with the program! I bought Chromium tablets today, apparently they help with the sugar cravings. I also did some exercise today, if you see a lady in the street with two black eyes, it is probably me, I actually did some star jumps, among other things. What possessed me to do star jumps, I do not know.

I have my weekly weigh in on Monday.
current weight - too much
expected loss - minimal
desired loss - anything less than what is currently there staring at me each morning.

I felt 'loved' at work this morning, one of my mums gave me a delicious gift of the most heavenly smelling body and hand lotion as a thank you. Her daughter gave me two big hugs.

I love my job.

I had an OMG moment at work this morning. There has been a team of us working on a grant to get money to start up a toy library (that mad, chocolate induced brain wave I had one night). It was due today at 2pm. We went to view our saved file this morning at 9am.
Gone.

GONE!!!!!!!!!!!

O. M. G.

I could have cried. We have worked so hard on it these last two weeks. I am sooo behind in my work because of it. And it was GONE. I had no time left to work on it, so even though it is my baby I just had to walk away and let my colleagues handle it. I am sure they did a great job retyping our scribbles. Made that gift I got from one of my mums all the more special, it brightened a bad morning.

Bit depressed about the whole housing issue. I haven't heard back from the real estate agents. I am praying, I really am, that one of them will call with positive results.

please.

In the news today there was talk of the whole rental crisis issue that is affecting this large city right now, and leading to Rent Rage, lol. Must say that I feel like I can relate at the moment.

Spoke to friends and family about how I felt, so at least I am not stewing on it. I hope that if I am not able to find somewhere soon, that ex-DH will be reasonable about me staying in the house. That way I can continue saving and searching for somewhere. If he does become unreasonable I will just have to bite the bullet and leave this city. Well, maybe that is too black and white, but if I can't get somewhere to live here, and he pushes for me to be gone, what choice do I have? My best friend would like me closer to her (sweet, but not too many job prospects), and my mum would like me very close to her (no way, no less than two hours from her is just fine thanks).

Ah well, something will happen.

Ranting and raving

The apartment I looked at was two bedroom. What did I think?

small.....

I was close to crying on my way home. I don't think I could bear to live in a two bedroom apartment with three boys. The main bedroom was okay, but the second bedroom was barely big enough to fit a bed and chest of drawers.

*sigh*

That night I was back onto the net investigating possibilities. I realised I had to be a little flexible with my budget and expectations, but I know my limit and I refuse to get myself into financial trouble.

I looked at two three bedroom places on Saturday. One was on the third floor, and the other was a bit tatty round the edges. I would take either one if it was offered. I put applications in today and am waiting to hear from the real estates.

Got very upset with Tween on Saturday. I was working looong hours last week, on top of feeling crook and having a throat infection, so my powers of observation were nil. I came home from house hunting on Saturday and noticed that Tween's bike was not there. I assumed he had got home from his mates while we were out and had gone for a ride on it. Imagine my surprise when he calls me an hour later asking me when I wanted him home from his mates place! Where was the bike?

Well, it turns out that the bike was stolen at school on Wednesday.

Wednesday

I noticed it on SATURDAY. I felt like a bad mum then.

BUT

he hadn't said a WORD!

Why? Because he thought I would get angry. And so I did, but not because the bike had gone missing, I was angry because he didn't tell me! I made that very clear to him. I said that the bike getting stolen wasn't his fault, so why would I get angry about that? I think he got it after I had ranted and raved for a few minutes.

He did very well on his NAPLAN test (an Australian wide test that checks levels of literacy and numeracy). I was proud of him. But I waved it in his face and did the spiel of how this just proves how smart I already knew he was and why couldn't he just dig in at school and do his work?!!! I am sure he appreciated the noise I was making (blah blah school blah blah).

Tween attempted to plaigarise a play last week and I caught him at it and made it very clear that that was totally NOT okay. I then banned him from everything I could think of and helped him write his own one, using a book (god forbid) to assist him.

Lazy sod.

I keep getting told that this is just how boys are. Do I have to believe that or am I wrong to wish for more. Should I back off and let him make his own mistakes?

Well, it is my birthday shortly, and although I won't be following Frogdancers awesome example, I did treat myself, if it can actually be called that, to a subscription with Wieght Watchers. Yup, exciting hey? But I am at the point now where my weight is ridiculous, I look like I am about to have a baby. So this is the year people.

I am woman, no more wobble!!!

*Please God, help to count points and stick to healthy eating so that I may be trim, taut and more terrific than I already am.*

Oh, I also signed up for those dance classes I mentioned recently. Wiggle wiggle!

Give your time freely

Listening to Linkin Park's 'Leave out all the rest' tonight reminded me about some ideas I have had for my life. The song is about being remembered for the good that you have done, and asks friends/family to 'leave out all the rest'. It reminded me that I wanted to do good with my life. I am one of those people who wants to save the world, but is put off by how big a job that is, so does almost nothing.

That makes me sad.

Something is better than nothing.

Garth Brooks sings that one drop can make a difference (well, it is something to that effect).

I need to be a drop. Then I can help make a puddle. A pool. A river. An ocean.

I often talk/think about fostering children, but I know that my life does not suit this right now, that it is something for the future.

I could do reading tutoring. That is a drop. Is it a drop if I get paid for it? No, actually, I think my drop needs to be given freely. Am I prepared to commit to tutoring a child/adult for one hour per week for free? Imagine the difference it would make to their life. Yes, I like this drop.

But not yet. I can aim for that one in 2009 when I have a home and feel settled again. I could post a message on Freecycle - 'do you know someone who has difficulties reading? Free to a genuine need - one hour per week reading tutoring. No age limit.'

Sounds ok.

Is now the time to save the world? When is it a good time, lol? All the time!

I have been indulging in some eye candy by hanging around RSVP, you know, the dating site. It is fun, but it is actually also rather enlightening. I feel like I am very uninteresting when I read so many profiles of people who have travelled, learnt languages, read stuff I have never even heard of, are fitnessy sorts of people or very outdoorsy.

Makes me feel...ummm... a little insignificant.

I have spent my adult life raising children. Yes, I have accomplished things during that time, but nothing that would sound too exciting on a personal resume (finished school, got married, read alot of books, yada yada yada). So I have realised that I really do need to get a life that isn't completely centered on my home.

The cricket thing seems to have hit a dead end as I am not receiving replies to my contact attempts. Next on the list is dancing. I will try solo first, there is a dance studio not far away. And walking, that is a must do too. The afternoons are getting lighter, so I can go for a trot when I get home (not that I feel like it, but it won't kill the kids to wait another half hour for food).

If you see large cracks radiating out from footpaths around my city...it was me. I tried to run.

LOL

Didn't get the house. Going to look at an apartment tomorrow.

The House

Well, No.2, Toddler and I rocked up to the house today that may be our home for the next year or so.

hmmmm.

What can I say....

okay, it is in pretty sad condition on the inside. The walls look like they have been undercoated and no-one got round to finishing the job. The lawn looks like it hasn't been mowed in a year. The stove top is rusting and the water heater for the bathroom is the size of my shoe. There was no apparent laundry facilities, unless a single tap above a large sink in the kitchen is the place. The floor in what would be called the dining area slopes down. Most of the flooring (carpet or lino) is in a pretty bad state.

But..
the bedrooms are huge, the yard is huge (for a city place) and fenced. The house isn't pretty, but it is livable. I spoke to the Estate Agent and she told me the owners are very hands off and not particularly interested in the property, so not to expect anything to be fixed unless it was an emergency. Ok. I asked her if I could paint it and she said that it would be fine if it was at my own expense. Well, I can live with that. From my point of view, if the house looks bad, then I can only make it look better and there is no chance of me losing my bond money.

I will put in an application on Monday.

I found it and it made me think

I wanted to share this post from 'HomeMattersMost' with you today.

Today I am grateful for...

- my awesome kids, they are funny and crazy and 'grey hair producing' all at the same time.

- the friends who have stuck by me even when I have neglected them, and who have stuck with me even when things haven't been perfect. Thank you.

- having a job I love. I am one of the lucky people.

- waking up and knowing that every day is a new day.

- my past, which has shaped me into who I am today.

- God, who has His plans for me and who gives me burdens to show me that I am stronger than I realise, to remind me to ask for help, and to help me know my true friends.

- Chocolate.

I am blessed.

Mr Sandman will be along shortly

as I have spent most of the day feeling very tired.

I drove No.2 to school this morning. Normally he walks. Kinder - Year 3 were having their book week parade today and he insisted on going as a Sentinel from Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series (awesome series, I loved it, hanging out to read Superior Saturday). No.2 has read chapter one of book one (Mister Monday), and apparently liked it very much. So part of my last night was spent creating an awesome pair of wings, a helm and a gauntlet befitting a Warrior Angel. I will post photos in the next day or so. He told me this afternoon that the teachers were impressed, but (insert tone of amazement) the kids just had no idea what a sentinel was! lol. Keep in mind he is talking about 6-9 year olds. lol.

It is amazing that he even knows what one is. Actually, I was blown away that he knew what a Helm was (kind of like a half a helmet), when questioned further he said it was because he has one on an online game he plays and loves. oookaaay *cough cough*, so I guess they do learn something while staring fixatedly at the computer monitor.

No.2 thought his class was pretty funny, most of them came as pirates or princesses. Gee, what innovativeness! I did see a 'Hermione' and an 'Indiana Jones' (umm, helllooo, the book is a rip off of the movie, not the other way around, besides, I thought Book Week was about promoting quality reading...).

I am so proud of my son's imagination. I don't fully understand the theme of it (all guns and killing, etc), but I remember being just like him, full of stories and ideas and wild crazy daydreams.

Toddler was somewhat improved today, in that he didn't look like he had been stung on the cheeks. Took him to the Dr who announced it was the flu and he could do nothing. *sigh*, I kind of knew that. Glad I am not actually paying him to tell me (we have something called bulk-billing here, some Dr's do it, it means you don't pay anything, you just sign a form before you leave).

Anyway, Toddler didn't sleep much, but we were wandering around shops most of the day so I can't say I am too surprised. He had a good snooze when we were home for awhile, and this gave me the opportunity to wash the car. Normally I go to a car wash and do a quick scrub, but I decided to keep my $10 and do it at home with buckets and a cloth. Job well done. I discovered that my wheels are chrome, not black (the tyres are black though), and that my car is grey, not brown! Who knew!!? Looks real purty now.

I am off to view a house tomorrow. I have been umming and aaahing over it for the last week, and finally decided to call the real estate today and ask about it. Just so happens they are having an open house tomorrow as the tenants have vacated. This 3 bedroom house (yes, HOUSE!!!) is about three streets away from here (10 minute walk), 5 minutes from a shopping area I already frequent, 5 minutes from my work...you get the picture. What I do know is that it is a bit run-down. Just how run-down I will find out tomorrow, but I am wondering what is wrong with it because the lease is very low for the area and the fact it is a house. I drove past it today and it looked ok from the outside. I have also Googled it and it looked ok from what I could see there.

I asked my supervisor for a character reference yesterday and mentioned that I needed it to help me get a rental. She didn't ask why I was even looking, maybe it will come up down the track. She is good about not prying, I appreciate that.

If I apply for this house I would expect to be given the keys the weekend after ex-DH gets home. I think I will be paying rent there while living here for maybe a week or two, while things get sorted out. I wasn't planning on even applying this soon, but this is a good opportunity.

nighty night.

*sigh*

I am still awake at one in the morning because right now it seems to be the only way I can give my toddler a decent nights sleep. I have him in my arms now as he is feverish and congested. I worry about him in my heart and I am frustrated by my inability to take this yuckiness away. It appears to be simply a cold, but one that has come on fairly quicly and strongly.

My day was affected by his illness. I was about to go in to an important meeting when I got the call from the kindy. I headed over and brought him back to work, and the meeting, with me. I felt like crying.

I was surprised by the strength of my emotion. I was feeling overwhelmed at work (I was also in the middle of final preparations for a presentation that evening) and a little bit over being a single parent. Sometimes the burden feels very heavy. But I pulled through, had a productive meeting and completed the preparation for the evenings event with minutes to spare. I did cut the event short, simply because I had no back up to take over and I really wanted to take Toddler home.

We got home and he went to bed almost immediately. I did the usual mothering of No.2 and Tween and later, as they were going to bed, Toddler woke. We hung out on the lounge together for awhile, then I put him back to bed. This has not gone well. He seems to have gotten more congested and recently threw up over my bedroom floor and the hallway. So I have him against my shoulder and he seems more relaxed.

I, however, reek of spew.

I am appreciated, lol

Well, now that I don't have a marriage to worry about it seems that I don't have much to say for myself!

I am attempting a healthier lifestyle again (now, now, stop nodding and saying 'heard it all before'). I don't pretend to be perfect, and any attempt at a lifestyle change isn't going to run perfectly either (I swear I can hear chocolate calling me from the supermarket). But a little change is good.

I have been purchasing and putting away various household items, ready for when I move. I figure I am going to have to tighten the belt shortly, so might as well make the most of the little extra I have for the next three weeks. Yes, ex-DH returns in 20 days.

I will continue the cleaning out and sorting that I have been doing for the last few weeks. I won't be taking an awful lot, but I really feel like I have too much stuff still. I was thinking about putting alot of the sewing stuff and books into storage, simply because I don't have alot of time to do anything with them and don't want them cluttering up space, but don't want to dispose of them either.

It is so nice not to be angry and confused any more. I asked someone about this and whether it was ok, and they said I would probably feel it more once I have moved out and started moving on literally.

I turned up at work on Monday to find my area had been rearranged. I now had alot more space and extra shelving. I felt very uncomfortable about the space I had and made some comment to my enthusiastic colleague about it being bigger than my bosses office. The colleagues comeback was that he and the boss both felt I needed it. Well, ok. But I could already see that our resident cranky pants staff member didn't like it. Later she hit me with 'did you know about this?', I just told her I knew it was happening, but did not expect it to be like this. I checked with Mr Enthusiasm later and he said that Cranky Pants will be getting more space too, so that is a relief. I just don't want to find out that people I work with have been complaining about it behind my back, since I did not ask for it. I made sure to say something along those lines to our receptionist, since everything gets back to her eventually anyway.

We are having an author visit on Monday, that no-one has booked for. It isn't really our problem as it was initiated by a neighbouring bookstore and we are simply supplying the venue, but we have done a bit of promotion for it on their behalf, in the hope that we/they will get more than three kids turn up (it is a children's author). *sigh* we just don't know where we are going wrong with our promotion. The only thing that has been successful (other than my baby sessions) is stuff to do with Local History, and that is because there is a Historical Trust group that is closely tied in with the library. I mean, we can't even get the knitting group off the ground, because no-one turns up! I am having a meeting with the Local History Librarian (who is my age and very enthusiastic) tomorrow that is something to do with a conference she attended and the brilliant ideas she came back with.

I was considering what some of the other libraries in my city offer to people under the age of 20. This involved a look at their website to see what their regular programs are. I was surprised to discover that, out of ten, only two offered something for the teen age group, and two or three offered something for primary age. Most of the attention was still on babies and toddlers. Made me feel abit better about not having gotten the YA group off the ground yet.

Twice this week I have been asked if I would offer a second session of Storytime/Craft. I just told the parents that I couldn't fit it in at this stage. I can only spread myself so thin and still do desk shifts as well. I need to discuss with my supervisor how I should prepare to tackle it down the track, should my attention be on services within the library, or are my kindy and after school care visits seen as a valuable means of contact with people who may be unable to attend the library? I struggle with saying 'no', because I want to reach out to as many people as I can, and because I know how much the kindys etc appreciate the visit. Not that I do much, I read a couple of stories, sing a couple of songs and might do craft too, surely the kindy's etc do this anyway? I don't fully understand my appeal, lol.

I actually forgot

that it was Father's Day today! I pottered around the house and lay around on the lounge till midday, then took the kids out into the gorgeous day and enjoyed the park. Came home to do some gardening and No.2 made some comment about Father's Day. Oops. lol. Not that I could do anything anyway.

Right now I am blissfully enjoying the silence that comes at the end of the day when all the kids are in bed. I will destroy that silence shortly by putting the kettle and the drier on, but for this moment it is like heaven. I think I will head to bed shortly and enjoy a book.

Crap, I lost half this post!

Damn the internet. And I was so witty and funny and had so many things to say about my job. Well, stuff it, I have had enough for today...

Hmm, well, I suck at positive thinking, but I will take it one step at a time.



I underestimated my No.2. He basically reacted the same as Tween. He also suggested the week about visiting. Well, we will just see what happens.



I have now told - my best friend, the two boys, and another good friend. She was pretty supportive and said she had wondered if things were a bit rough with some of the things I had mentioned (such as the NZ trip, when I told her about DH announcing he and the boys weren't coming with me).



I am yet to tell - my mum, another good friend, Toddler's daycare, my boss. I figure the last two can wait until things actually change, or if I need to take a couple of days off work to move I will tell my boss then. I am seeing my mum on 20th of this month, so I think I will tell her then.



I overdosed on Coca Cola and chocolate yesterday (was not intentional, I was wallowing in self-pity). You wouldn't think that was actually possible, but I can't imagine what else would have made me feel so damn awful. I ate most of a family size block of chocolate and a 600ml coke in about 3 hours. For the next hour or so I was totally buzzed. I imagine that is what it would feel like to be on Speed or something, because I was high! But the crash came.


I developed the shakes badly. A migraine appeared and within an hour of that I was vomiting. Today I feel seedy, like I usually do after a migraine, but with the added effect of nausea. Not pretty. I was in bed last night by 8.30pm and I am seedy and nauseous today.

Short version of my missing half of post...

Work - must write grant application for money for Toy Library (that I asked for during my insane sugar high), must clean up desk as I am being moved and given some more shelving (arrived to find not one, but three colleagues discussing my desk area, I am not a tidy person, my predecessor was almost anal about organising/tidiness. Get over it).

Big Talk Day

It wasn't a great day today, but it wasn't awful either. I found myself to be overly emotional and negative. I need to work on positive thinking.

Big Talk No. 1 - Tween brought home a note today from his science teacher. It said that he had been particularly disruptive in class today, among other things. So I had a big chat with him again about taking responsibility for his behaviour. We also discussed what friendship was and whether his mate (who assists in the disruptiveness) was really a good friend to him. Tween remarked on something he had read in PE/Health, about friends not being people who tease alot. He said that it had made him think about how his mate behaved towards him. I encouraged him to find other friends, or develop the friendships that he has made since coming to highschool.

Big Talk No. 2 - I had the talk with Tween tonight. I asked him if he remembered how things had been between DH and I before DH went away. He said that we were angry alot and argued alot. He said that he had wished we would take a break from each other to see if we wanted to fix things. I pointed out that DH going away had given us that opportunity and that DH and I had had a talk recently and decided that we would separate and I would move out once DH came back. I could see Tweens head start ticking straight away, so I jumped in with - 'we are staying in this city, I will find a place down the road, and you guys will live with me most of the time.' He clarified where I meant when I said 'down the road'. I told him it would be an apartment, alot smaller than here, and he kind of screwed his face up, so I said that Tween and his dad could have a chat about how they want to work out the living stuff, that I was happy for him to come and hang out with his dad whenever. Tween suggested he do week about and I thought that was a pretty good idea. He seemed sad, so I said that to him. He said 'yeah'. I told him I was sad too, because I am. We talked about it for a bit longer and then Tween changed the subject completely and that was that.

I know he will now go away and think on it for awhile and pop back to me with his thoughts when he is ready. I asked him not to discuss it with No. 2. That boy is a whole other story, I think. I will tackle it shortly.

An evening of learning

Tonight, at work, I was not snowed under. But I did have a couple of enquiries.

1. I need info on Colombia
ok, so we go and look for books on Colombia, of which there are few. Then the person clarifies a bit more...actually, they want info on a park in Colombia called San Augustin that apparently has statues dating back centuries on display. hmmmm. Found something on the WWW, but nothing helpful in book form. I suggested she go to a rival library (lol) instead.

2. I need info on Medieval sieges.
success came rather quicker, but I discovered that most of the really good stuff was already out on loan.

3. I need info on the Leaning Tower of Pisa
another pretty easy one - World Book here we come! Then, out of interest, I googled it. It took 200 years to build because they kept getting interrupted by wars! And the tower is actually curved (if you stood it upright) because they tried to compensate for the lean that happened just 3 years after the first floor was built on a very poor foundation.

Then, somehow, I was overcome with the need to look for a history of mobile phones. Wow, things sure have come a loooong way in about 20 years.

And of course, that then led me to googling the history of computers, which was also rather fascinating. Women have played important roles all throughout computer's life.

Last night I finished reading a book called 'Escalante: the best teacher in America'. It was a discarded book from our library and I found it pretty interesting. I wouldn't say that he actually was the best teacher in America, but he had a unique style and it worked for a large number of kids who were interested in Maths (his area of interest).

Tonight I picked up 'He's just not that into you' and 'They call it a break-up because it is broken' and 'Deal breakers'. No, I am not trying to salvage my marriage, I actually like torturing myself with the fact that I made the original mistake 9 years ago. lol.

Househunting, or in my case, shoe box hunting, is rather unpleasant. There is some stuff out there, and thankfully I know the area fairly well, so I can sit at my computer and say 'no way' or 'maybe'. Did a drive past one area and decided I had better rework my budget so that that area wouldn't have to be an option.

Asked Tween today 'If you had a choice, would you stay in Sydney or move away.' Stupid question to ask him, since I already knew the answer, but I wanted to check I had it right. He wants to stay in Sydney. I can understand that, my mum dragged me all over the place when I was around his age and I really resented it. I know that if I asked No. 2 he would say 'Move!', as he has already said it a few times.

I was talking about careers with No. 2 today (actually, we were talking about my job, because he was complaining about being tired from a teeny bit of walking and made some comment about how I must sit down alot in my job hahahahaha). Anyway, I suggested he become a Pilot since he likes to see new places. He announced he was going into one of the defences (keep in mind that he is 8!). We then discussed the merits of Navy (boring) vs Army (cool guns) and Airforce (fly big planes and shoot people out of the sky, awesome!). He is currently leaning towards Airforce. hmmm.

No. 2's teacher is a little concerned about his incredibly active imagination, but personally I think it sounds cool, like a boy version of me at the same age. He likes to write stories about spies and people from another dimension and killing (he is very big on the whole 'I am a boy and boys must kill' thing without it actually spilling over into real life). He and his mates act out this wild spy club thing that sounds pretty awesome, and they even have girls joining in! Wow! Can I play too?

Tween does not like No. 2. I am hearing this alot lately. Admittedly, they are like chalk and cheese, so if they weren't brothers they probably wouldn't have much to do with each other. How do I encourage a relationship that will enable them to still be talking to each other in ten or twenty years time, without requiring them to be bestest buddies? No. 2 actually loves his big bro, and would like Tween to be nicer to him and play with him, but unfortunately No. 2 has this yucky habit of whining if things aren't going his way. Irritating for me, and like nails on a chalkboard for Tween. *sigh*

DH is home in 30 days. He called tonight while I was at work, chatted to the boys, and told them he would call back later to talk to me, but didn't. Can't say I am surprised, it's just as easy to email.