I'm back....

Ok, ok, I know I have been really bad, once again not posting anything for a while.

But, yet again, I blame a family emergency.

Two weeks ago, Wednesday, I had to rush my grandfather to the hospital (I was the only one in my family healthy enough having recovered from my cold while everyone else had just begun showing symptoms – though note that they didn’t catch it from me, I stayed away from them the whole time!).

Anyway, back to my grandfather, he was suffering from complications from his chemotherapy. NOTHING stayed in him – coming up and down all at once, projectile-like – to the point that he was super dehydrated, and very weak. He was so sick that the hospital staff actually asked that at least one of us stay with him at all times, so as to give him constant care (things like getting him new blankets, helping him drink his water, etc. that the nurses / orderlies were too busy to do on a constant basis).

He was in hospital until last Monday which for him is a record – even after the surgeries when he had a chunk of his colon cut out, lobes of his liver cut / burned off, and a chunk of his right lung removed, he was home within like 4 days – he is a super fast healer. Since coming home, he has still been extremely weak, staying in bed all the time. My family and I have been taking turns going to see him / looking after him.

So, trust me, I have a good excuse for not writing sooner.

I blame those people who send me the chain e-mail letters, that I delete, that warn me that tons of bad stuff is going to happen because I delete them. So – people – PLEASE stop sending me those e-mails!!!! I don’t think my family, or my husband’s family can take yet another major illness / death / family crisis!!!!!!!

I did manage to get out to a concert during all of this – I got to go because my little sister (15 years old) and her friend were going and both sets of parents didn’t like the idea of letting them go alone. The concert: The Pussy Cat Dolls and Christina Aguilera. The concert was fantastic!!!! Unlike the reviewer, I actually liked The Pussy Cat Dolls. I thought their dancing was pretty awesome. AND the main (ok, only, singer) was incredible! (She does need to learn to project her voice better though – her vocal projection strength was not strong enough for the venue, even with microphones.) As for Christina – all I can say is that she was INCREDIBLE! Her show was the best concert I have ever been to!!!!!

I am, however, getting too old for concerts. I would just as happily listen to CDs / watch DVDs of shows than deal with the crowds / noise of an actual concert. Thus, unless Justin Timberlake or U2 come to my area, I am done with paying mega money for a live show!

Customer Service...

Last week, I finally decided to switch banks to go to Presidents’ Choice. They pay more in interest and don’t charge nearly as many service fees (though the bank I am at now doesn't really charge fees either).

Checking out their website online, it made the most sense to me to actually go to a store location rather than apply online (the account would be open the same day rather than a few weeks if done online).

The website said that one requires two forms of ID – one of which had to have a photo.

I called a location in my city and asked if I could book an appointment. I was told that they don’t book appointments but that they’d be there during the listed business hours and that I should just stop by.

So, this past Friday, during my lunch hour, I drove over to the nearest location to my office. When I got there, I was told by the ‘teller’ that it would be only a 15 minute wait (there were two other people ahead of me). Stupidly, I believed her! I sat, and I sat and I sat. FINALLY, almost an hour later it was my turn.

But then…

It turns out, that despite the website’s claim, one of my form’s of ID was not acceptable (in case you are curious, a provincial health card is not a valid form of ID).

Thus, I had gone to the store/bank for NOTHING (despite, I might add, having checked with the person over the phone the day before about whether I needed to bring my marriage certificate, passport etc. and being told no!)

To make matters worse, while I was walking back to my office from my parking spot, some idiot driving a hummer decided to soak me! You see, in my parking lot, there had been giant piles of snow piled at the corners during the winter. Because it was nice outside, this snow had melted into a very deep puddle. The driver, seeing this puddle, sped up – yes on purpose – and drove full on into the puddle – soaking me and everyone around me from head to foot. My suit, dress coat, hair, everything was covered in dirty disgusting water.

Anyway, suffice it to say, I was not a happy camper Friday afternoon.

But then…

On Saturday, not having learned my lesson, I decided to go to a different Presidents’ Choice branch location (the one that I had actually called on Thursday) – a location 20 minutes away by car from my apartment.

Upon arrival, however, I learned that despite the ‘teller’s’ claim, the branch was not in fact open during the cited hours. I arrived at 3 p.m. There was a sign posted indicating that the teller would not return until 4:15 p.m.

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, suffice it to say, that despite the .5% higher interest rate, I have decided to stay with my current bank. At least it believes in customer service!

I hab a cold…

I was positive that it was just ‘asthma’ or allergies – caused by the snow molds melting – and maybe that was how it started (making me more susceptible to a rhinovirus) but now I can no longer ignore the facts – I definitely, undeniably have a cold!

The weird thing is that even as recently as a few years ago, I was ALWAYS sick – never going longer than 4 weeks without some sort of cold, flu, or sinus infection. Lately however I have been really lucky (ptt ptt ptt). In the past year, I think I have only had one other cold. Thus, I guess I can’t complain too much that I am now sick. It’s just fair, after all that I share in the misery of the common cold.

Anway, because my husband was out of town for my other cold, this will be the first time since we have moved in together (10 months ago now) that he will experience living with me while I am sick with a cold.

I think he expects me to be all babyish about it – making him wait on me hand and foot while I sit and whine non-stop.

You see, my husband likes to think that he is a tough guy when it comes to being sick. In truth, though, he spends his entire time at home in bed, leaving me to look after him while at the same time do all of the household chores. Thus, he thinks that I will be even worse since, of course, I won't be as stoic as he.

That’s just not me though. I am very tough when it comes to colds – as I said, I have had tons of experience with them and only the worst of the worst sinus infections can frazil me. (As opposed to kidney stones etc. where I am in such agony that I do become a complete baby because, seriously, the pain is insane!)

Despite my toughness, though, since he is a prince, my husband has really stepped up to try and pay me back for all of my 'Florence Nightingale' activities. Over the weekend, when I was only starting to feel yucky, he did the laundry and vacuumed. Today, he has been really good to me, e-mailing me / calling to check up on me, and making sure that I am drinking enough fluids etc. He is even going to go buy some groceries and make supper tonight. 8)

Thus, although I am sick, I don't have too much to whine about!

Oh - speaking of supper - I am happy to report that I made a really yummy brisket last night (made while I was still in denial land of believing that my allergies had simply flared up). Thanks to everyone who sent me recipes!

p.s. Sorry if this posting is incoherent - I didn't get much sleep last night what with my cold and all...