My friend Jack wanted to know where I went. I've been right here. Never left, I just never got around to posting anything here. Somehow October just got away from me, and now it's November. What happened?!
I guess I've been busy. With what I'm not exactly sure. The basement reno has been taking up some of my time, and I'm glad to say it's almost done. It doesn't look like the basement anymore, it looks more like it's part of the house now. The newer part of the house. We've also got ourselves a new front door, one that lets light into the previously dark cave-like hallway. It's remarkable what a little bit of light will do.
The outside of the house has been plugged up, the rotten boards have been replaced, the satellite dishes have been removed. Now there's just the matter of all those leaves.
The espresso machine is finally up and running again. I haven't put the cover back on yet, just in case. There are still a few little leaks and some of the valves need replacing, but when you've been nearly 8 months without an espresso machine...you take what you can get. Now we have to find someplace to put it. It's sitting on the kitchen table right now, not exactly ideal.
Nate went trick-or-treating as Batman on Halloween. I stayed home and doled out candy, and Patty took him around the neighbourhood. He was very well behaved, and didn't once wander into anyone's house. Quite a change from last Halloween when all he seemed to be interested in was going into people's homes.
It's Patty's birthday tomorrow and she's leaving for Ottawa in the morning. I got Beatles Rock Band for her last week, since I knew she wasn't going to be around this week. Nate has been singing Yellow Submarine and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
Today at work I met a couple who just moved from Vancouver. They drove across the country and arrived here at two this morning. They were looking for Black Cat espresso. 'Wicked?' I asked, 'Yes!' they replied. Regulars of Wicked Cafe on Hemlock, but they also liked JJ Bean and 49th Parallel. I wanted to jump over the counter and hug them, but I managed to control myself.
This post is missing photos, and I promise they will come soon.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Burned...by a three year old
Nate's bed was empty when I went to his room to wake him up this morning. I kept it together long enough to yell his name, and he yelled back 'I'm down here'.
I went downstairs and found him on the sofa, tucked in comfortably with a pillow and blanket. The following exchange proceeded to take place:
I'm not sure I like the idea of my three year old wandering around the house in the dark while everyone else is asleep. That said, this incident has clearly demonstrated that Nate has not inherited my night blindness. I'm not sure how he made it down the stairs in the dark, but I am pretty sure I would have ended up as a mangled mess of broken bones and torn flesh if I had tried it.
He could just as easily closed the door to his room.
I went downstairs and found him on the sofa, tucked in comfortably with a pillow and blanket. The following exchange proceeded to take place:
Me:
What are you doing down here?
Nate:
I couldn't sleep so I came down here.
Me:
What time did you come down?
Nate:
At night, it was still dark.
Me:
Why couldn't you sleep?
Nate:
You were making too much noise.
Me:
I was making too much noise? I didn't make any noise last night!
Nate:
You were too noisy dad, your snoring was too noisy. I couldn't sleep. That's why I came downstairs.
I'm not sure I like the idea of my three year old wandering around the house in the dark while everyone else is asleep. That said, this incident has clearly demonstrated that Nate has not inherited my night blindness. I'm not sure how he made it down the stairs in the dark, but I am pretty sure I would have ended up as a mangled mess of broken bones and torn flesh if I had tried it.
He could just as easily closed the door to his room.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Parenting
It's one thing when your kid tells you he hates you, but it's entirely different when you catch him telling another kid he hates him.
As a parent, you expect your kid will hate you, it just goes with the territory. I was a kid once myself and I remember telling my parents I hated them, so why should it be any different with my kid?
This morning, when I dropped Nate off at 'school', I was hanging around and chatting with the teachers when I caught him telling another kid 'I hate you.' He wasn't just saying it, you could see venom in his eyes. He'd been playing with some Lego bricks, and another boy walked up to him to show him a toy, and he just turned and looked him in the eye and told him.
I called him over and we had a talk and he apologized, but I'm still in shock. I know these things are going to happen, but it just brought up all these doubts in my mind on the walk home. Doubts I used to have before I became a parent. Doubts about being a good parent, raising a kid to know right from wrong, doubts about passing on my prejudices and faults. Am I raising him right? Most of those doubts have faded since Nate was born. I don't think I've had much time to worry about them, too busy 'parenting'. This morning's incident makes me question how I've been parenting, too often I think I just want to get things done and don't put much thought into the process. It strikes me that this sort of parenting is exactly what I used to have doubts about, and that this might ultimately be a self-fulfilling-prophecy of sorts. Perhaps I am over- reacting (I'm not even sure if any of what I've just written makes sense), or perhaps this is a bit of a wake-up call for me.
I'm not looking to win any father-of-the-year awards, but I think I may have to work a little harder at this if I want Nate to be that good man when he grows up.
As a parent, you expect your kid will hate you, it just goes with the territory. I was a kid once myself and I remember telling my parents I hated them, so why should it be any different with my kid?
This morning, when I dropped Nate off at 'school', I was hanging around and chatting with the teachers when I caught him telling another kid 'I hate you.' He wasn't just saying it, you could see venom in his eyes. He'd been playing with some Lego bricks, and another boy walked up to him to show him a toy, and he just turned and looked him in the eye and told him.
I called him over and we had a talk and he apologized, but I'm still in shock. I know these things are going to happen, but it just brought up all these doubts in my mind on the walk home. Doubts I used to have before I became a parent. Doubts about being a good parent, raising a kid to know right from wrong, doubts about passing on my prejudices and faults. Am I raising him right? Most of those doubts have faded since Nate was born. I don't think I've had much time to worry about them, too busy 'parenting'. This morning's incident makes me question how I've been parenting, too often I think I just want to get things done and don't put much thought into the process. It strikes me that this sort of parenting is exactly what I used to have doubts about, and that this might ultimately be a self-fulfilling-prophecy of sorts. Perhaps I am over- reacting (I'm not even sure if any of what I've just written makes sense), or perhaps this is a bit of a wake-up call for me.
I'm not looking to win any father-of-the-year awards, but I think I may have to work a little harder at this if I want Nate to be that good man when he grows up.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I think Nate may have inherited a love for tools from me
We were at The Home Depot today, getting more things for the basement reno. We had Nate with us this time, and although he wasn't all that excited to go initially, he quickly warmed to the place once we got there.
Some things he wanted to buy:
Some things he wanted to buy:
- various tape measures - 'for measuring things'
- a rubber hammer - 'so I can bang on things'
- some small screw drivers - 'cause they are made for little boys like me and they're cute'
- 2 packs of 10 carpenter pencils - 'one for you and one for me'
- a chisel - I have no idea why
This could be a good thing, I could think of worse things to do than go to The Home Depot with Nate for a few hours.
The continuing story of my broken espresso machine
They may not look like much, but these two pucks of coffee signify the first time that espresso has been poured in this house. The first time I've been able to pull a shot of espresso at home since we left Vancouver.
We have been without the Wega for over 6 months now. 6 months! If we were still in Vancouver I could just walk the 3 blocks to JJ and pick up coffees, but we haven't had that luxury here. Three blocks from here gets us a McCafe, and we weren't going there!
So we've been making do with an Aeropress and a Hario woodneck pour-over. They're good, but they don't get you espresso. They also take quite a bit more time, and fussing about. There is no satisfaction of watching that first stream of espresso drop from the spouts, thick with promise. I"m not knocking the Aeropress or the Hario, I just miss my old morning ritual. I miss hearing the familiar sound of the pump kicking in as I lay in bed, my old pre-alarm so that the Wega would be hot by the time the real alarm went off.
Finally, we are one step close to getting back to the good old morning ritual. The machine is up and running, but there are still a few kinks to work out before I'll be able to run it all day like I used to.
As you can see, there is still a leak in the boiler. It's just a small crack, but it's a leak. So I'll be taking the boiler out again. The good news is everything else seems to work just fine, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Random bits
- It's been 6 months since we left Vancouver
- Nate started going to 'school' last week - 2 1/2 hours twice a week
- This, based on one of my favourite books by Oliver Jeffers, makes me happy
- We've been without our espresso machine for 6 months now, but the wait is almost over...I think
- I am still taking photos, despite the lack of activity on my flickr account
- Pipe is being laid for natural gas, right in front of our house - our electric stove's days are numbered
- Work on the basement continues
- Patty is spending next week in Vancouver, I wish I was going
- I really really miss The Brewery Creek Liquor Store
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
This, is my life
Getting Nate to do anything these days is like pulling teeth, wringing blood from stone, bashing your head against a brick wall...you get the picture. He's full of excuses, he talks back, he yells, he screams, he throws things, he hits. There have been quite a few time-outs lately.
Just this morning, he drew a time-out for not listening and bugging Patty while she was trying to work. Not an hour later, I asked him to go pee, and he refused. He didn't want to, he would go later, he didn't have to. I asked him again, and told him he could go pee or go to his room. He started yelling, and I put him in his room. More yelling and eventually silence. I usually give him some time to cool off, and he generally comes around and comes out all smiles. Five minutes and still not a peep, so I decide to go take a look. I find him sitting on his bed, reading a book, all smiles. Then I see the dark spot around him on his sheet. The little devil peed in his bed!
Some days there's just no winning. You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. It was 10am and I wanted a drink already. Such is my life these days.
Just this morning, he drew a time-out for not listening and bugging Patty while she was trying to work. Not an hour later, I asked him to go pee, and he refused. He didn't want to, he would go later, he didn't have to. I asked him again, and told him he could go pee or go to his room. He started yelling, and I put him in his room. More yelling and eventually silence. I usually give him some time to cool off, and he generally comes around and comes out all smiles. Five minutes and still not a peep, so I decide to go take a look. I find him sitting on his bed, reading a book, all smiles. Then I see the dark spot around him on his sheet. The little devil peed in his bed!
Some days there's just no winning. You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. It was 10am and I wanted a drink already. Such is my life these days.
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