Gas prices are ridiculous. Jim says it's even higher where you are. The highest price he saw was $1.32. That is crazy. I thought this was high. I've seen it as low as $1.16 at your favourite place Ultramar that's with full serve. It just seemed like not too long ago it was 40 cents a litre. Hahahah, I just sounded like an old person. 


Even with my civic it's starting to hurt a little to fill up. It's getting close to $50 and almost $80 to fill the jeep... every week ...ugh.

Woke up this morning to... snow?? It was raining all day yesterday, now today it's white again. Even the cats are confused. I'm not complaining. I love snow. I actually hope it's still snowy when you come for your visit in a couple of weeks. It's so pretty and I think it would be nice for the Maple Syrup festival. Remember last year? It was so muddy and half the activities were cancelled like snowshoeing and dogsledding and the snowball canon.


Oh, I didn't tell you about last weekend too. I wanted to go watch the dog sledding races. I know you've heard of the Jamaican bob sled team but did you know there is a Jamaican dog sled team? They were here for the races. Well, one guy was. The team consists of one guy. lol


Unfortunately, it was cancelled. Not like anyone would have gone with me anyways... sigh.

Can't believe I forgot to tell you about this... Woke up on Thursday to a freezing cold house. Poor Liam was literally shivering. As long as we've lived here I've always been so paranoid about running out of propane and well water. I don't know why? Oh, I know why. Because I know my lazy-ass husband won't do anything about it so it's left up to me to make sure nothing goes wrong because God knows if something goes wrong I have no idea what to do. That's why. 


So, there's nothing I can do about the well water but I check our propane tank obsessively. I guess my mind is else where these days. How could I not have checked the tank?? Did my worse nightmare come true?? What do I do? First things first... I run outside in my underwear to check because taking 5 minutes to put on some clothes just didn't make sense at the time... yup, completely empty! I knew it! 


What next? Call our propane company to listen to a lady say while chuckling, "Oh, we're scheduled to come this week, I guess we just didn't make it in time... heeheehee." WTF? I'm freakin cold here and I can't take a shower! But, hey no reason to lose it, propane is on it's way and we're still on time for work and school. I remain calm... still in my underwear. 


I guess we used up more than usual (must have been all my cooking) or the 24C indoor temperature that Jim sets the house to. Anyways $1,100 later a full tank of propane. The propane guy was nice enough to offer to start the furnace up. Didn't even think about the water heater. So, two days with cold water, Jim went to Cambridge without a care in the world... frig, I guess I have to start that up too. Just went down to the water heater and read the panel of instructions. Unplugged it and plugged it back in and started that sucker up no problem. So, I did it. With no help whatsoever. I guess if that's the worse that could happen, it's not so bad. Nightmare busted. 
Let's pray that the well holds up... 

Here are the books next to my bed. My to read list... it keeps getting bigger and I can't find time to read them all. Are you still reading much? I'm actually reading two books for the last couple of months. Shakespeare's Dog (weird, left it unfinished in the spare room) and A Big Life in Advertising. Paul gave me this book last summer/spring. Just trying to read it now. It's Mary Wells Lawrence's biography. She was the first woman president of an advertising agency. Do you think Paul is trying to tell me something? Anyways, I thought I better read it. hahaha.


Then Jim bought me Life of Pi which I've had on my reading list for almost a year now. Christine recommended it. Sounds interesting. "...is a magical adventure story centering on Pi Patel, the precocious son of a zookeeper. Dwellers in Pondicherry, India, the family decides to move to Canada, hitching a ride on a huge freighter. After a shipwreck, Pi is found adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a 26-foot lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, all fighting for survival." Maybe not your type of book.


Then Jim just came back with a couple books from Alene. Shantaram and The Book of Negroes both come highly recommended. It actually excites me when I look at these books but then I know once I start reading I will just want to curl up in a corner and disappear for a couple of days. So, I just pile them up next to me and I stare at them longingly... hahaha.


And these are just the books beside my bed. As you know I have another dozen or so in the guest bedroom - all waiting... for moi. What's a girl to do?

Mom's Monster Mash served with mashed potatoes and green peas. Liam named this dish when he was - I don't know - five? It's a recipe that I took from a friend's meatloaf recipe. I took out all the 'stuff' that made it a loaf - because I just don't think meat should be a loaf, yuck - and came up with my lazy man's version of a meatloaf/sheppard's pie dish. Liam and I love it and we always have it when Jim's not around. It's a yummy comfort food :)

What a crazy week. It was so busy I missed a hair appointment because I double booked myself into another meeting. I'm exhausted. I'm not sure why work is so busy. It's suppose to be our slow period. Although, I guess I'm not really working on billable stuff right now. Just catching up on staff reviews and admin stuff. Had a few client presentations that went really well. And, my freelance work is picking up again too... So, I can't complain. I prefer it being busy anyways.


Our management meeting - you know the one where we've gone to NYC - is set for 6 days after I return from Paris. THAT is going to be a crazy two weeks! And, the rumour is we aren't going to NYC this year. I'm guessing Chicago or Boston. So, watch out for pics on Facebook! I'm a little worried I'm not going to be prepared for the meeting but worth it. My mind will still be in Paris. Or maybe I won't come back! haha


I'm going to be making apple compote this weekend for Pancake Tuesday at work next week. I pulled a recipe from Martha Stewart's website. I'll let you know if it's any good. Maybe I'll make it for your visit. Although, if we are going to the Maple Syrup festival we will be eating pancakes there, right?


Spring seems to be having a hard time making an appearance this year. Today it rained, then we had freezing rain and when I drove home it was snowing. Tomorrow it's suppose to rain. Going riding in the arena. Did I tell you that Randi's horse is expecting a foal in June? We're pretty excited.


It should be a quiet weekend. Liam is going jamming with his friends. Jim might have some homework to do. I'll keep myself busy somehow. Always something to do!


Can't wait to see your new cupboards in a couple of weeks. ciao ciao ciao. xox