Home again, home again... If only home really was where you hang your hat. ;-)

I went "home" for a visit last week for my Mum's birthday. We surprised her with my arrival, and then again with a party on Saturday. It was funny, she had no clue, and honestly, I was very surprised that nobody spoiled it before I got there!

Now of course I'm totally broke, and wondering how I'm going to put gas in my car *and* buy milk this week. Y'know, for a "civilised" country, the US really needs to re-think its vacation policies! I don't have paid vacation time this year, and I took 3 days off last week, so my paycheck (once they took all my deductions) was paltry to say the least. My paycheck next week will be only slightly more, with 3 days of pay.

But, I got to pig out on Canadian goodies for 5 days, so not all is lost! And I got to see family and a few of my friends. I just wish I had thought to have my camera out to get a picture of Mum's face when I walked into her house! It was hillarious! LOL!

I got back to NC on Monday evening, which was James' birthday (more than half the family has their birthday in July...its a rather expensive month!). My Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was here waiting for me, and I got maybe one chapter read that evening. I finally finished it Thursday evening, and now I'm waiting for James to read it so I can have another go at it.

There were some bits that dragged, but all in all, not a bad read really. Despite her assurances that 2 people would die, more that that did, and I was more than a bit angry at the final death toll. (I won't go into detail in case there are any readers who have not finished yet!) There was one in particular that had me sobbing like a baby. And one or two that shocked the heck out of me. When this movie is made, it'll be a tear jerker for sure!

Not much else has been going on really. I had a short trip home (I'll post some pics maybe once I get them uploaded) that I wish could have been longer, and work is stil work. There's not much of it to go around, so we're still on a 4 day week, which really hurts the wallet, as I'm sure you can imagine. I've thought about getting a second job for the weekends, but then that leaves me with no life. Plus, I'll be taking time off again to go to Dragon Con at the end of next month, so what's the point? *sigh*

Oh, and our air conditioner is broke, the hot water heater is leaking, and so is the roof to one of the downstairs bedrooms.

I don't know yet if this "slow down" will continue thru September, but if it does, I'll have to consider looking for a different job. I can't afford this one. We all just found out by a round about way that it was continuing through August. It was only supposed to be for July.

Dragon Con is going to cost us a small fortune, but when I booked it, I was working 5 day weeks, and had no idea we'd be cut to 4 day weeks. When I booked my vacation time off for Mum's birthday, we were working 5 day weeks, plus, at the time I had no idea how much my weekly health insurance premiums were going to cost me. They took up pretty much my whole paycheck this week :-p *sigh*

Ah well...live and learn. Maybe we can get these houses sold soon and move somewhere with better jobs and closer to home. blah blah blah...  ¶ 11:44 AM 1 Comments

  Oh yeah! How could I have forgotten already? Must have been the ooey ooey gooey goodness of Spike staring at me ;-)

We went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last night! For some reason, quite a lot of the critics are complaining its too long, but its only 2 hours and 18 minutes, and I thought was not long enough! So much had to be cut out of course, as the longest book in the series somehow ended up as the shortest movie so far! There was a couple of spots where I went "huh?" and more than a few others where I was like "wow, cool!", like flying over London at night time. If only...

I forgot to take a kleenex, and I forgot (going in) who it was that dies in this part. Then I remembered, and almost started crying before he even arrived on scene. If you follow. I'm such a sap!

It felt kind of rushed to me, I guess because so much was missing, but all in all it was a darn good movie. The younger principles are getting better and better at their craft, and the actor who plays Delores Umbridge is absolutely fabulously horrible! And clad entirely in bright pink during the entire movie except when Harry is on trial for using magic outside of school in the presence of a Muggle no less. Umbridge's office is also one of the more creepy ones, what with all the decorator collector plates with mewling kittens all over the place! LOL!

There is a lot that is left out, understandably, but some of it leaves questions and confusions. While some other scenes left in are kinda "why'd they put that there?"

Kreecher the house-elf is cranky and creepy as he should be, but we missed the family portraits at Grimmauld Place. The extendible ears are freakin' hillarious! And Cruikshanks the cat even moreso!

Well...I think I'll go see what's for supper now. It ain't gonna cook itself for some reason. Where's my magic wand...?  ¶ 6:36 PM 2 Comments

  Aha, a Title! imagine that! ;-)

My darling hubby just got home from a day out with his buddy at the comic book shop and lo & behold, he brought me presents! Yes pressious! Presents!

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 comics 1, 2 & 4, and Spike Asylum #3. The latter of which I will have to take to Dragon Con to see if I can get autographed by James Marsters.

I was looking on-line today at an army-navy surplus to see if I can get an inexpensive Stargate-ish costume for con. This weekend we may go check to see if the guy is still at the local flea market, it may be cheaper. We can't afford to go all out of course, but maybe just a pair of BDU pants, combat boots and a t-shirt should do. Maybe a hat.

A costume like Claudia Black's PVC get-up in her first visit to the SGC would be awesome, but I think is a bit out of my price range. And weight range :-p

No idea what I'll wear to the shindig. Maybe there'll be a frilly dress at the flea market somewhere ;-)  ¶ 6:24 PM 1 Comments

  again with the not letting me put in a title! This is annoying! I must write a harshly worded email to the webmaster.

Anyhoo...did you know that Tippy Hedren, oh she of "The Birds" fame, is still around? I didn't, but holy cats was I surprised to see her added to the guest list for Dragon Con!

Also added today were Juliet Landau, most notable (to me anyhow) as Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Paul McGillion, recently on Stargate-Atlantis as Dr. Carson Beckett (killed off this past season, the bastards!).

Just too many sexy people going to be there. I may need to carry a cushion around with me, in case I swoon. ;)

Yay! I need a countdown ticker...  ¶ 7:20 PM 0 Comments

  What's up with my blogger? It won't let me enter a title. Stupid thing :-p Ah well...

Last weekend we went to a Canada Day celebration at a couple of fellow Canucks in NC house near Charlotte. They graciously hosted a backyard party for a couple dozen people. They even supplied Canadian beer, which was a nice touch. It was nearly a 2 hour drive to get there and back again, but a fun time was had by all. Even my grumbly hubby :-p

Check out the hat on my fat head


My t-shirt says "I'm being chased by angry beavers". I got that several years ago at Thrifty's in Toronto. I thought it was absolutely hillarious at the time. Now it comes in handy for Canada Day parties as the only red t-shirt in my drawer ;-)

With thanks to Charlene for sending the hat, along with a whole bunch of other stuff that was well received at the party. I was really popular with the kids I'll tell ya! They kept coming up to me "what else have you got in the bag?" LOL! Mostly they had fun with the stickers (from Cara) and the tattoos (also from Char). The frizbee disappeared somewhere, but I managed to get another one from the box of swag that the Consular guys brought with them. They also brought rubber Canada bracelets, stickers, lapel pins, and Cold-FX, cuz, you know, its Canada and we get free healthcare. ;-)

I also had a string of lights with Canada flags on it that Mum sent, and a maple leaf citronella scented suncatcher that Cara sent. That is now hanging in my front kitchen window. Not sure what I'll do with the lights yet, maybe hang 'em here in my office.

On Wednesday I had the day off of course for the Independence Day holiday here in the US. James and his friend Eric and I caught the 12 noon showing of Transformers movie, which I was quite pleasantly surprised with. Then we came back here for backyard cook-out and to get eaten by the mosquitoes and midges. My legs are covered in bites, I should have put on the insect repellent, but I was too busy cooking while the guys played video games inside :-p

Not much else goin' on really. The week was kind of weird, with a holiday on Humpday, and then back to work for Thursday and off again Friday (4 day work week for summer).

I got my bike goin' yesterday. Finally got it out of the basement last weekend, and got air in the tires yesterday and took it out for a *very* short ride. My legs just take soooooo long to get used to that kind of work, and its surprising how much it bloody hurts! Plus, its very hilly around here!

But I need to lose this fat, so hopefully with work I'll be able to go further and further each time. Maybe someday even make it to the store and back. ;-) Maybe.

My anti-thyroid medicine was reduced again by half, and my last blood work shows my thyroid levels at "normal". I'm doubtful, but hoping that the reduction will help me to lose weight. But the last reduction didn't, I actually gained a couple more pounds, despite eating less food and working out more. It is just so disheartening I tell ya! GAH! Very frustrating.

I'm hungry.  ¶ 10:26 AM 3 Comments