My Laminated Card.

Gosh, who knew that blogging about one's sex dreams would get so many comments? If that's what the people want, that's what I'll give 'em! Apparently I will do almost anything for traffic.

Years ago (and I am likely dating myself here) there was an episode of Friends where Ross meets Isabella Rossellini and tells her that she is on his "laminated card". The laminated card has a list of five people, and the rule is, if you meet any of these people, you are allowed to sleep with them (assuming you can talk them into it).

This episode led to many discussions in my home. Scott and decided that five was too few people, and that ten would give us better odds of actually meeting one of these people. Another rule is that the people on the list cannot be friends, because, well, that's just to easy and could really lead to some problems. Being quite fickle, I have never committed to a list in writing. I just decided ad hoc who should be on the card and discard those that have for whatever reason lost their appeal (Marat Safin, I'm looking at you).

Last night I decided, it's time to commit. So, here is my list, in no particular order (ranking will require another post altogether).

Jon Stewart (it's a good thing we don't live in NYC)
Tim Daly (specifically on Private Practice)
Chris Garver (I may have to fight Jennifer in the street for him)
Seal (have you seen this man in leather pants?)
Justin Timberlake (you can shut up, he is fiiiiiiiiiiiiine)
Goran Visnjic (what will I when ER is done after this season?)
Hugh Laurie (for obvious reasons recently discovered)
Mekhi Phifer (I like a man in a uniform)
Christian Bale (The Dark Knight put him over the top)
Dominic Purcell (the beefy bro on Prison Break)

Honourable mentions go to Sam Roberts (specifically in the "Brother Down" video, and Matt Damon (specifically his shoulders in the Bourne movies).

Who is on your laminated card???

Dream a Little Dream of Dr.House?

I'm thinking it must be the fact that I haven't slept longer than about three hours straight in the last three months, or maybe it's the hormones surging through my body, but I am having the strangest dreams imaginable. I really should write them down the moment I wake up because I tend to forget them and they can be quite, er, ummm, yeah... They can be quite entertaining, or disturbing, depending on which side of the couch you are sitting on.

The most interesting dream as of late, was a series of "lusty" encounters with Hugh Laurie. In my dream, he was clearly the character of Dr.House, minus the cane and the crappy attitude. He isn't someone who I ever really thought about as being sexy, but clearly somewhere in my brain, he registered, because - YOWZA! Hawt, hawt dream I must say. Ladies, he did not disappoint.

Time for bed...I'm hoping some of the male cast members of ER show up.

Buying Local: July Didn't Disappoint.

Thursday's Farmers Market at Oakville Place did not disappoint. I dare say that each week gets better and better. I was wondering if the crazy rain storms would have affected any of the farmer's crops (some of the wineries in Niagara lost entire grape crops), but it seems that most of the farmers got off lightly.

Max was a big fan of the yellow plums last week, so I knew I had to get some more of those for him. I also got him purple plums. There weren't any raspberries this week, but I did get blueberries and peaches. I also got corn, mini cucumbers, orange (low acid) and red cherry tomatoes, summer squash, green beans, peas, turkey and ham. I think by the end of August I'll be doing 95% of my shopping at this weekly market.

Tonight we had burgers with fresh buns from Cobs Bakery, corn, a mixed green salad, and peaches and blueberries over vanilla ice cream for dessert. Yummmmmmmmmy.

Maxwell Hunter: 27 Months.

My dearest Maxilla,

Wow little dude - you are 27 months old today! I'm not sure where the time has gone - it has been a bit of a haze to tell you the truth. I can tell you that your dad and I love you so much and we think you are awesome. You have quite a personality and while you aren't talking yet, you still manage to make your desires known...LOUD and CLEAR.
When you want something to eat, you run to the kitchen table and pull out your chair, hop up into it and look at us expectantly. When you want the television turned on, you run up to it and smack the screen (your dad loves this...not really). When you want a drink, you have been known to go and open the fridge and get your sippy cup out. And the last few nights, when you want story time, you bolt up the stairs and vault into our bed.

This last development is new - I think what motivated this desire to be in mom and dad's bed is that you saw me sleeping there with your little sis Cameron a few days ago. Clearly you need to stake out your territory, which is fair enough. I'm guessing you don't recall the many nights you slept in our bed as a baby? Well, you did little buddy - lots.

I think that one of your favourite times of the day is story time. It is special Max and Mommy time. We have expanded your favourite book collection extensively in the last few weeks. Your favourite book used to be Eight Silly Monkeys, but now I think it is Ten In the Bed. You also like Brown Bear, The Wheels on the Bus, and you really really like Pajama Time. Your dad's speciality is Snuggle Puppy, but I leave that to him.

You get so excited when I read to you, it makes my day. You get up in the bed, snuggle under the covers and between the pillows and grab the first book you want me to read. You take turns in the stories and turn the pages, you giggle when we get to your favourite parts, and you like to choose which book we will read next.

Max, you are loved by all of your family and you are making such progress every day, it is fun to see what each new day will bring. In some ways you are still my baby, but in a lot of ways you are also turning into a boy, which, well, I guess I have to accept.

Love,
Mommy

I Hate Vista, I Hate PCs, I Hate Best Buy.

In the vein of "screw me once, shame on you - screw me twice, shame on me", let me state for the record that I will never, ever, buy a PC again. And, I will never, ever, buy a computer with a Microsoft operating system, and I most certainly will never, ever purchase said non-PC-non-Microsoft O/S from Best Buy.

"Ah, Fickle Feline, what has brought on this rant?" you ask? Let me tell you. My barely year old HP laptop's wireless adapter pooped out on me last week and I took it into Best Buy today to see about getting it fixed. You see, much to Scott's dismay, when I purchased my laptop last year, I also purchased the Best Buy three year warranty. I did this because in my opinion, laptops are a bit testy and certainly less reliable than desktops. And of course, when I was upsold to this extended warranty, I was assured of speedy service should any problems arise with my laptop.

Well, it turns out that "speedy service" is defined as 3-4 weeks. Yes, that's right, you read that correctly: THREE TO FOUR WEEKS. To pop a new wireless adaptor in!!! What are they doing? Slow-boating my laptop to China for the repair? Also, according to the guy in the very sporty Geek Squad golf shirt, they may have to reinstall windows for the repair. WHAT??? Since when do they need to reinstall Windows to install a new wireless adaptor? ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!

So, a big fuck you to all PC makers in general, your products are garbage and you make them that way on purpose so we have to keep buying more of your shoddy shit, an even bigger fuck you to Microsoft and your shitty operating systems, and the ultimate FUCK YOU to Best Buy for your shitty customer service, your shitty warranties and your shitty, lame-ass repair services and snobby Geek Squad reps.

My next computer purchase will be a Mac, and I will buy it from the Mac store. I have yet to meet an unhappy Mac customer. As I said before, screw me once, shame on you - screw me twice, shame on me.

Weekend Wrap-up.

We had a busy weekend with a visit from my 13 month old nephew Zevi and his parents David and Haschmo. As always, they were a tonne of fun, and came laden with lovely food and gifts from Ithaca, NY. My favourite is the Apricot Wheat Beer and the Apricot stilton, followed closely by the chocolate cherry bread and Spicy Italian bagels from Collegetown Bagels. Yummmmmmy. I am not looking forward to stepping on the scale tomorrow (a big boo to that!).

Haschmo showed me how to make the garlic-parsley cream cheese we love so much (very easy), Scott went and got lox, and we had bagels and cream cheese with lox, tomatoes (local) and red onion for breakfast. Lots of coffee too. Devine. Haschmo also spoiled Cameron with more baby gifts - a pile of the nice light Circo sleepers, which are perfect for warm babies like Cameron and Zevi. I'm finding that as much as I love Carters, the sleepers are too warm for summer.

Saturday was a busy day chez Fickle Feline. We set up a sandbox for Max and Zevi (unfortunately it then proceeded to rain all weekend, so Max will have to try it out tomorrow if the weather holds up!). 300 pounds of sand, I might add - and Haschmo lugged all of it from the car to the backyard and loaded it into the sandbox for us. Now that's love, I tell ya! With all the rain, it kind of put a damper on our bbq plans, but Scott, good bbq citizen that he is, braved one of the fiercest rainstorms of the summer to grill up some food for us.

Sunday was a bit of a lazy day for us. Once Zevi and his folks headed for home we had naps and watched some TV. It's hard on Max when the weather is foul as he gets a bit stir crazy. After his bath tonight he decided he would prefer stories in our bed (he ran into our room and climbed into our bed....very subtle). I decided to go with the flow, so we hung out in the big bed for a while and then much to his chagrin, I carried him back to his room once story time was done. Once I put Max to bed I watched the last four contenders compete for the Maria crown - I'll blog more on that tomorrow, let's just say I think Marisa is getting the shaft.

Kicking the Diet Coke Addiction.

I have loved Diet Coke since I was a teenager. I could drink enough diet coke to sink a ship. I guess some would call it an addiction. I have tried to give up Diet Coke several times in my life, the longest stretch was a whole year without the lovely, sweet, liquid gold.

I am happy to say I am back off the bubbly, brown juice. And you know what it took? It wasn't that I don't need caffeine any more, because clearly I do. It was my disgust with the overall crap that North Americans ingest that finally pushed me over the edge. I decided, I'm just not that kind of girl. I no longer identify myself as the type of person who drinks diet coke, eats McDonalds, or mainlines donuts. No, not I.

Perhaps I should be careful with the moral indignation I'm feeling. I mean, who knows, she may sing her siren song once more and lure me into her sticky web. But damn I hope not. I like feeling holier than though.

The Buy Local-Weight Loss Challenge.

I'm happy to report that I have lost 4.5 pounds so far. I started my weight loss challenge back on June 24th, so I'm losing about a pound a week. Since I'm also breastfeeding, that's about the max I should be losing right now. What is interesting, is that I haven't really been restricting my calories, only applying them differently. As I learned when I did the weight loss challenge after I had Max, it isn't so much the quantity of what you eat, but the quality.

I have been making a point of buying locally, and I think that is the trick to the weight loss. Every Thursday I go to the local Farmers Market at Oakville Place. I really enjoy seeing the produce, and learning about what is actually in season. I think after years of being able to buy blueberries in February I have lost touch (assuming I ever had it) of what grows when. This week I bought plums from Jones Farm. They are yellow, which I've never seen before, and Max ate two for dessert. I can't even tell you how happy it made me to see him munching away on this fresh, local produce. This week I also bought blueberries and raspberries from Thames River Melons Farm in Innerkip, and I ventured where I have not ventured previously, and bought ham and sausage from Molisana Bakery. Scott was very, very, pleased with this and immediately made himself a ham sandwich upon my return home. I'm guessing that I'll have to add the Molisana Bakery to my weekly grocery list at the market.

In addition to attending the market today, I also went and got my hair done. Woot! It's been about 3 months since I went to visit Dan and John at Mynt Hair Studio and my hair was in sore need of some attention. It was also nice to get a few hours to myself sans bebe. I got some time to chat, read and sit quietly. Quiet. Such a nice thing.One last word - I think that given my success, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" should be sold as a weight loss manual. If everyone in America got this book, read it, and took it to heart, I sincerely doubt there would be the obesity epidemic there is today (can you tell how much I love this book?). In a perfect world...

Sleep Like a Baby.

Don't you wish you could sleep like this? Must be nice...to sleep peacefully, only to wake up to dine at your favourite restaurant, then fall back asleep. Too bad the chef at the restaurant has to fully wake up every few hours to feed you, and said chef has a much harder time falling back asleep than you do. To sleep like a baby...those were the days!

The Day, the Coffee Maker Died.

I know, sounds like a cruel joke, right? Especially for a family with an 11-week old, in bad need of coffee (the family, not the baby). I had been thinking that my fancy Cuisinart coffee machine had been acting "funny" as of late, but I was chalking it up to my own exhaustion (like, maybe I just thought I turned it on, but didn't really?). But oh no, it was in fact on its last, albeit caffeinated legs. Today I actually had to stand next to my coffee pot, continuously turning it back on (it was turning off every minute of the brew cycle), only to receive a mediocre cup of joe to start my engine today.

As the day wore on, I started stressing out more and more about what the hell I was going to do come Wednesday a.m.? I mean, I need my coffee (I'm not too proud to admit it). I really, really, need my coffee. Tonight, after Max was safely tucked in, I looked at Scott and said, "I think I need to go buy a new coffee maker. NOW." He saw the stressed out look in my eyes and nodded, "yes". So I grabbed my car keys and rushed over to the evil Walmart only to find that they are renovating, and they are not bothering to stock their shelves while they do so. Ack. All my online research in the crapper, I'd have to make due with whatever they got. I had been planning on getting this coffee maker, but they didn't have it. I was informed by the naive stock boy that they would be receiving a shipment of these tomorrow. Tomorrow? Has he no idea what it is like to have a baby in your home? Having decided that I would not spend oodles of money on an expensive-fancy-ass coffee pot that would let me down a mere four years after its purchase date (a wedding gift), I opted for an even cheaper model. I just need it strong and hot, I'll leave the fancy stuff for the baristas. Another crisis averted.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

After last week's shock of Tamara getting saved over Kyla (a big ol' boo to that!), and the continued voting manipulation of making Donna look like a diva (I have it from an inside source who works on the show that she is very nice), I wasn't even sure if I wanted to watch this week. But, this being summer, and a Sunday night to boot, I was stuck. So, I watched. Actually, I recorded it and then fast forwarded through the group numbers and Gavin Crawford's horrible, corny jokes.

The favouritism of the judges on this show is shocking, even for a reality show. Part of me hopes that Donna is in the top 2 for the remaining few weeks and that Canada goes ahead and picks her. After saying that she hadn't proven her soprano range was strong enough, they stuck her with "Bang, Bang" which... well... uh... doesn't really show off one's high range...more like one's guttural range. Also, they dress her like she is the size of Casa Loma. What the deuce? She isn't actually very big, but they seem to have got the ladies from Mumu Central and the tent supply store on hand just for her costumes.

Anyway, I was not impressed with Janna last night (though "California Dreamin'" is kind of a brutal song to sing in that setting. Elicia keeps getting the most rocking numbers, Jayme continues to fail to impress me. Tamara, well, she is just out of her league at this point. Marissa, I dig Marisa, but again, last night wasn't her strongest.

So, who did I vote for? Not a one. Nope. Nobody moved me to get off my duff and vote last night. But in a weird rubber-necking-at-a-car-accident kind of way, I will still watch tonight. I am going to predict that Tamara and Donna will be going home, assuming that they are in the bottom three.

An Afternoon With Friends.

This afternoon Scott and I threw the kids in the car and drove out to Aurora to visit Stephanie, Shane and Charlotte. And by "threw the kids in the car" I mean, got the kids down for nap, then packed diaper bags and showered while they were asleep, laid out clothes and prepared lunch prior to them waking up and then still managed to leave about 45 minutes later than we intended. It's a good thing a lot of our friends have kids - they understand that "scheduling" is really just a concept. You do your best and hope you all get where you are going in one piece.

Max decided he was not really into the whole pool scene (despite his super cute swim trunks):
Charlotte was feeling a little shy:
Stephanie allowed me to take her picture with Cameron:
I snapped a picture of Shane and me in the kitchen (yes, I am as tired as I look):
Max and Scott rough housed as per usual (Max decided that pants were optional):
We made it home in one piece (Cameron and Max saved their tears for the final few minutes in the car). Tomorrow Scott and I get to go see a lawyer to get our wills done (fun!). I feel pretty guilty that we have waited this long, but I guess it's okay, seeing as we are both still here to tell about it.

Perhaps Not Such a Bad Thing?

I've been doing a fair bit of reading as of late about the "sudden" energy crisis. Not like it hasn't been creeping up on us a-hole North Americans for quite a while now...and I'm thinking, perhaps it isn't such a bad thing?

Not that I love the idea of the economy going in the sh!tter, or that I enjoy paying over $75 to fill up my Toyota Camry, but I do like the fact that people are starting to rethink purchasing SUVs and trucks they don't need. I like the fact that companies are fast tracking hybrid products. I like the fact that people are talking more about purchasing food locally, and that there is a movement afoot to buy more products locally, instead of "cheaper and bigger is better" always winning out.

My opinion is likely not a popular one, but it seems to me that something has gotta give. Perhaps some short term pain will equal long term gain. I hate the thought of my kids growing up on an earth where we have depleted its natural resources and you can't breathe the air. I hate the idea that I'll likely have to battle them on eating processed crap. Also, I'm probably going to have to learn how to text message if I ever want to communicate with them from afar. Sigh. The future is bright, eh?

Still Recovering.

The Fickle Feline is still recovering. Boo to that! On the way back, but not still not 100%. Here are some pics to keep you smiling.

Attempt #3: Buying Locally.

Even though I'm still feeling fairly rough around the edges, it being Thursday, I knew I had to get my act together and head down to the local Farmer's Market at Oakville Place. Cameron serenaded with me with level 11 wails the entire way there (thank gawd it is a short drive).

I learned a few things today (and any day I learn something new, I figure that's a good day).

#1: Peas do not naturally come from a can or in a bag already frozen.
Funny, in all my 33 years on this planet, I have never really thought about where peas come from. I mean, I didn't realize that they originate in a bumpy-green bean-esque pod (yes, now I know, that's where the "2 peas in a pod" saying comes from). The lovely mother-daughter team womaning the booth for Hillsview Greenhouses in Lucknow let me sample their peas (embarassingly enough I didn't even know how to spring the peas from their pods!). Yumm. So I bought some.

#2. Farmers are good people.
Seriously, in all my adventures of buying locally, I don't think I've met a bad one in the bunch. Every one of them has been friendly, encouraging, and happy to pass on tidbits of information on prepping, canning, cooking, washing, storing, and everything else that would be good to know about their fruits and vegetables. The only thing I will say is that bee keepers are a bit odd. But really, is that a surprise? I mean, they like to keep bees for a living.

#3. Plums are coming next week, Peaches the week after that.
Every week I get an update on what is coming next. It gives my taste buds something to look forward to. Also - I had no idea that peaches would be available until mid-September, and that the variety available is overwhelming.

So, what did I buy this week? I bought mushrooms from Blyleven Farms in Lowbanks, summer squash from Thames River Melons Farm in Innerkip, cherries from Jones Farm in Niagara, strawberries from Andrews Scenic Acres in Milton, and a whole lotta other veg from Hillsview Greenhouses in Lucknow.

Sadly, I have only read about five pages of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle this week. Between being sick and chasing babies, I have hardly had a spare moment, and in that spare moment I was washing and cutting vegetables, not reading. I'm sure Barbara would understand.

The Fickle Feline is Sick.

I apologize in advance for not blogging yesterday. I had great intentions, but so did Max's stomach bug which I seem to have picked up. I don't think I'll ever be able to eat BBQ Chicken pizza again. Enough said. Here are some pics of the Cam weaseling her her way out of tummy time.

Monday Roundup.

Max Update: The little guy is finally feeling better. Better in the sense that he is eating again and his poop is not longer so foul it would knock a buzzard of a sh!t wagon...he is still super tired. Doesn't help that he was up partying last night and didn't really nap today. There were many tears at bedtime, but he finally conked out (early, I might add).

Maria Update: Colour me surprised, they kept Tamara and let Kyla and Katie go. I have a bit of an inside source on this who is telling me that the producers are gunning for a Janna/Jayme finale. Given the great song/staging/costumes these two are getting and how Donna is being framed up as a bitch (which she isn't), I'm not going to disagree. Whoever thought these talent shows were fair though?

Weight Loss Update: I seem to be maxing out at losing a pound a week (so I'm down a whopping 2 pounds). I guess with the breastfeeding and lack of exercise, that is about as much as I can really expect. Scott has joined me and is doing great as well. It is always easier for guys to lose weight so I'm not going to be put off by his success. The good news is that we are both eating really well (yeah local produce!) and feeling pretty good considering neither of us are getting much sleep.

Buy No Crap Update: So far so good in July. My wish list is actually staying pretty lean. I am still owed a birthday present, so I may end up using that as my "buy" for the month...we'll see. I feel like I could use a few new items of clothing.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

I have always loved the movie "The Sound of Music". I probably watch it at least once a year on tv (usually around Christmas). When I was in public school I got to play Marta in a school production - I think they cast me because I can blush on command. You can imagine my excitement when I found out that the latest reality/talent show to hit the airwaves was a competition to cast Maria in The Sound of Music coming to Toronto later this year. Woot! Too bad the CBC is producing it.

While the talent is quite strong (though I'm still sad that Allie got the boot last week), the show is...well...piss poor. If it isn't some poor girl's mic not working, a singer almost being tripped by a sound guy or an ill-fitting costume almost giving Canada a Janet Jackson style eyeful, then not to worry - the host will make you want to stab yourself in the eye. Seriously - who the hell thought casting Gavin Crawford as the host was a good idea? He reminds of of Alfred E. Newman and makes Mulrony's son look like a pro.

The scripting is terrible, the costumes look like they were pulled from a 1950's storage locker in the vault of the CBC wardrobe department and the hair and makeup...oh the hair and makeup...sheesh. Someone get these ladies a makeover already!

But still, I watch. Why? Maybe because it's summer and there is nothing else on? Maybe because even though I typically detest musicals (excluding Les Miserables of course), I have as soft spot for this musical in particular? Maybe I just like being critical and mean and making fun of people singing out of tune...who knows? But every week I tune in and every week I vote. This week I voted for Janna. Even with that big nose of hers, I think she could be Maria. Who do you think could be Maria? I think if Tamara and Katie land in the bottom three tomorrow night they will be going home. Only time will tell. Now go vote!

Food With Friends.

Today my oldest friend (as in, known the longest, not in years), Elizabeth and her lovely husband Scott came over to dinner and to meet Cameron. It was terrific catching up with them - we don't see them nearly enough (especially since Scott is an amazing chef who also specializes in gourmet chocolate, and Elizabeth has access to some of the hottest tickets in town!).

Just to provide some context, Elizabeth has known me since I was about 5 years old and I looked like this: Cameron charmed them and Max made them laugh with this antics. Max is still under the weather, though we're hoping he has finally turned the corner. He ate two pieces of toast and two rice krispie squares today. Poor kid. Scott (my Scott - not Chef Scott), cooked his speciality - steaks, and I attempted to cook roasted asparagus (overdone - boo!), salad (fresh and local - yeah!). Dessert was chocolate scones from Cobs with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries (strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry).

We were also spoiled with some very cool baby gifts for Cameron - the most useful is likely a pacifier that snaps shut when it hits the ground. How awesome is that? I can't tell you the number of times I have had to rinse pacifiers that Cameron tosses asunder. Also cute - a designer bib and huggabar protector to keep the germs away.

Exciting bunch that we are, Scott and Max have already gone to bed (worn out due to middle of the night antics from Max last night) and Cameron is snoozing in the papoose. I need to wake her up for a bit or she'll never go to sleep tonight! Until tomorrow...

Where Did Baby Max Go?

If you haven't seen Max in a while, you will likely be surprised to see how BIG he has gotten. He is huge. He is a boy. Ack! These kids, they grow too fast! Scott's theory is that as long as someone else is wiping your bum for you, you are a baby. Fair enough, but this boy, he really isn't a baby. Unfortunately for Max, he is sick with a stomach bug he picked up at daycare. He has been battling this bug for a week now. Funny enough, he did feel well enough to climb into the water table at daycare and splash around in it (much to the dismay of his teacher Vicky) and yesterday at bedtime he opened the fridge and helped himself to his sippy cup full of milk. What a guy. I am hoping that his less than stellar mood this past week has been due to the bug and is not an indicator of what the next year holds. Cameron, my sweet daughter, slept 6 hours straight last night. 6! HOURS!! It must have been all that stimulating play with her Woozit toy. I, on the other hand, woke up every two hours to feed her. If she does in fact decide to continue on with this whole sleeping thing in the future, it will take my body a few weeks to get used to sleeping again. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here; I should just be thankful for the one night.