Merry Christmas!

Dionne's Herb Garden

James and I went to the garden club meeting.  I was a little worried since there were so many mosquitoes about, but James was good, settling down under the mosquito netting, and I used Dionne's herbal mosquito repellent.  Onward for the tour! 


Amongst the towers of sunflowers (they help take the metals out of the soil) there was milk thistle, Campanula (can cut down and it just spreads and spreads), Skullcap, and California poppies. 

Members (Erica) seemed most interested in the ones that had calming and sleeping benefits.

Once dark, we headed inside for the meeting and enjoyed lilac cordial with pretty floating ice cubes of calendula and violas (all homemade from flowers in her garden).


We talked about:

- Building bee hotels in the future
- the plant exchanges happening on the weekend

- The Open Farm Days at Northlands - Margaret continues to recommend the tours.  Hopefully it'll still be around next year for others in the club to partake.

Drama-Free Friendship Manifesto

Recently read Renegademamma's post "THE NO-BULLSHIT, NO-DRAMA FRIENDSHIP MANIFESTO" (from apocalypse mamma?) -- I laughed and became even more thankful for the drama-free friendships I've been blessed with in my adult life.

But things change, and these are trying times, I've become one of the worst flakes ever and I know that's frustrating... but I also have faith my friends and I (whether mothers or not) will be there for each other when it matters.  

So, I'm lifting this straight off from Renegademamma's "THE NO-BULLSHIT, NO-DRAMA FRIENDSHIP MANIFESTO to make my Drama-Free Friendship Manifesto (an understanding that makes friendship easier).  

P.S. I love you!  And I'm not calling you a flake (or a mother)!

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My Drama-Free Friendship Manifesto is basically The No-Bullshit, No-Drama Friendship Manifesto with #23 struck out (I don't hate them and I can't guarantee I won't give parenting advice, though I'll try), #12 gender neutralised, "child" and "children" removed when not applicable, and again, not calling you a flake or a mother!  Thanks again, Renegademamma for writing this: 

1. I will not get on your case for not texting me back in a timely manner.
2. I will not get on your case for not calling me back in a timely manner.
3. This is because I will soon be the one not calling and texting you back in a timely manner.
4. If you tell me you’re going to call me back “in a few minutes” I understand I may not hear from you for 3 days.
5. I know this is not because you don’t love me.
6. If I need you for real, I will harangue and harass you until you acknowledge me. This process includes, but is not limited to: calling, texting and emailing (repeatedly), instant messaging, tweeting, tagging on Instagram, showing up on doorsteps, actually leaving voicemails (!) and/or contacting spouses.
7. This will not annoy you because you know you’re a fucking flake.
8. This will not annoy me because I know I’m a fucking flake.
9. If you don’t RSVP to my kid’s birthday party for 3 weeks then call the morning of the event and say “Uh, yeah, um, sorry, but can we come?” I’m not going to express profound irritation through a suppressed sigh and deep pause, rather I’m gonna be like “Yeah that’s cool, but do you have any candles? I forgot the effing candles.”
10. And I’m going to be happy you came, because we’re friends.
11. When my kids are acting like shitheads and you’re like “Hey child, No.” I won’t get all righteously indignant. Instead I’ll look at you in gratefulness for dealing with the little bastards so I don’t have to.
12. When you get pissed at your husband, I will agree he is the most sorry d-bag to ever walk the planet and we shall plan for the day when we live on an all-female commune with organic produce, llamas and wool spinning-wheels. And redwood trees. And the ocean.
13. Even if you’re clearly the asshole.
14. When you swear in front of my kids I won’t care. Because obviously.
15. The dinners you make uniformly blow my mind.
16. Whoever has the youngest (or worst behaving child) at the moment gets to make decisions. We all understand that children are often foul, insane little creatures and it needn’t even be mentioned that we DON’T BLAME YOU.
17. Maybe your house is clean. Maybe it isn’t. Maybe who gives a rat’s ass?
18. When I say something stupid that could be conveyed as insulting or whatever, you’re not going to get all overly sensitive and weird, calling mutual friends and psycho-analyzing what, exactly, my problem is (probably going back to childhood), rather you’re going to call me out on it and then I’m going to apologize and we’re going to move on, LIKE ADULTS, because occasionally adults say stupid shit, the end.
19. When you say something stupid, I’ll either do number 18 or, and I know this is revolutionary, I’LL LET IT GO.
20. We tell each other the truth (except the asshole part when fighting with domestic life partners).
21. When my jeans are sagging, you’re going to lovingly take me shopping. Or you’re going to not notice. These are the only two options.
22. The only time I’m going to one-up you is to prove I’ve screwed up worse than the time you’re currently feeling terribly about.
23. I will not give helpful parenting advice. You will not give helpful parenting advice. WE ALL HATE THE MOM WITH HELPFUL PARENTING ADVICE.
24. I understand that “on time” means “not as late as I usually am.”
25. When our conversation gets interrupted nineteen hundred and forty seven times by one kid or another and that thing I was going to say that was so funny and interesting is forgotten entirely, I won’t get hurt feelings.
26. When I borrow a baby item, don’t return it, then, 2 years later, when you ask for it back and I’m like “Yeah I don’t think we have that anymore,” you’re like “oh okay” but then, 4 months later, when I find it in a bin in my garage, you’re like “It’s cool.”
27. Because we’re both fucking flakes, except when it matters.

And we’ll know when it matters, because WE ARE FRIENDS.

Checkin' out the Crib and Garden Blooms

Life is good.  I'm bouncing in my bouncer.  

I get a bottle from my PoPo.

But what's this?  

I'm not sure what I think about this.

Meanwhile, outside: 

- Some poppies are popping:

The hydrangeas are starting to bloom (and there's a few nasturtiums in the back): 

 

And, wow, the pink lilies are out in full force.

Night Feeds Soundtrack (4)

Summertime

Summertime and the living is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your momma's rich and your da' is good-looking (adjusted for our situation :P)
So hush little baby, don't you cry.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? - Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby

Go to sleep, you little babe
(Go to sleep, you little babe)
Go to sleep, you little babe
(Go to sleep, you little babe)

Your momma's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay
Didn't leave nobody but the baby

Cat Toys for Babies?

Hm... what will keep James engaged?  The toys we have don't seem that interesting to him.  But random dangling bits and bobs... yes those make him laugh. 

But, I guess even those can get boring. 

Oops, I wore him out. 

(Right: My boys in red and white stripes!)

James is *actually* napping!

OK, stay calm and focused. What's on the list?
Nap too? Or get that birth cert paperwork filled out?
Start / finish another course?

That's all just silly.  I'm going to read stuff on the internet :P
No, really, I should try to do something responsible while he doesn't need my attention.

In, then Out for a Walk

We finally took an "after-dinner walk"!  Paul and I imagined as parents we'd be doing this all the time with the baby, but in reality, I'd be too tired, or it would seem too exhausting to get James all bundled up and ready.  Not today though -- we ventured out!  

We saw a neighbour's "Fence Post for Fort Mac" display.  And a dish of water available for pets to have a break.

The path Paul wanted to take was over a bridge!  Agh!  But... um, no, I was fine.  Has becoming a mom rewired my brain so I'm not so scared of bridges?  Or am I just too tired to even know I'm scared?  :P




Below: The view from the bridge. 

We walked to the Concordia College and the Concordia Lutheran Seminary.  He looked at the buildings, I looked at the flowers (below: Did you know Canna lilies have such spiky seed pods?), James slept peacefully in the stroller. 

Even though Paul was doing all the stroller pushing I was getting too tired, the strong winds probably also took a toll.  Anyway, it proves I don't have all my strength back yet.  Tired, but I'm glad we went out. 

(Right: No bicycles, no men with hats)

(Below: Onion flower buds). 

15th & 16th Photo Dump