that moment when your computer dies...

It fires up, then turns off. Even Paul can't figure it out. He is going to call a guy. Sometime. In the mean time, I am using his computer, which is just not MY computer. If you know what I mean. Hmm, perhaps I am a bit adverse to change in my advancing years.

Oh, we had a jolly fun weekend! To the Christmas bazaar on Saturday morning, mostly to get I.D. cards for the under 16 kids,except for Margaret who has a school I.D., to make it easier to cross the border to Canada. The lady who typed up their info said, "Oh my, seven kids!" Yeah, I said. She asked if they were REALLY all mine. Um, actually, I said...there are nine more. Then I grew horns. Seven is crazy, 16...oh, one of THOSE people.

But she really was nice. I liked her alot because she appreciated Camille's cuteness.

The bazaar came to a quick end for me, as I experienced that sudden feeling of Uh-Oh, where is the bathroom, that comes with the territory of getting that gall-bladder removed. It is mostly better, but dang when I least expect it, blah. It seems to have no rhyme or reason. Abigail was there with her car, so she so nicely kept Jon, Charlotte Claire, and Camille with her. They came home with treasures, she is so good to them.

Next, a baby shower over in the suburbs near where my parents lived. Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja went with me. The mom-to-be is my nephew's wife, she is as cute as can be, and very appreciative of the snuggly little outfits and gifts.

Next, to Target because a few of the girls really needed undershirts. Which is all we got, ha.

Home. aaah.

Sunday morning, a nice brisk walk for me before getting the kids dressed, fed, and into the van for our trip up to Ottowa. Rain. Rain and rain and rain. Although I didn't like when the big trucks spray it all over my windshield, I was very thankful it wasn't snow. Because it would have been rough going. To get from here to Canada, one must drive through the snow-belt, east of Lake Ontario. It an be treacherous.

Driving in the van for almost 8 hours round trip with my six youngest kids was...fun, challenging, frustrating (yes, I did threaten to drop one of them off on the side of a rural road up in Canada). I mean, if your sister does not like when you touch the wet window then touch her cheek, why in the heck do you continue to do it?

It sort of looked like a tornado touched down in there. Orange peels and candy wrappers and granola bar wrappers, then on the way home...french fries got spilled (Jon dropped them. When I reacted, "Jon!!", he answered rather wisely, "What, Mom, do you think I WANTED to drop the fries??!" Good point.)

I was very well behaved....mostly. I did eat one mini Almond Joy bar, and I'll tell you this: I am simply not one of those girls who diets all the time and then says the sweet stuff "doesn't even taste that good, sickeningly sweet...", or some such nonsense. No, it was way too good, and I had to hold the steering wheel tightly not to reach into the bag and get another.

And I broke my One French Fry Rule. No, not the whole order, but at least 15. ouch. 15 fries. They were freshly made, the nice McDonald's girl had to bring them out to the van...I could not resist.

We got our dinner from Price Chopper, because I needed to get milk and bread anyways. We got some fresh baked rolls and some chicken and olive loaf. And some water bottles with spigot tops. And some Wheat-Thins, and the bag of Reese's, the Almond Joys, a bag of the yummiest Clementine oranges, two totes of apples. And some chocolate chocolate-covered donuts. Why did we get all this stuff? We were so hungry. And they had been so good. Well, not as terrible, anyway, on the way home. Mostly because I thought we had missed the exit to go to the border way up there in Canada...it was dark and rainy and there were no signs, I though I was headed to Toronto....and there were no exits to get off and turn around. The kids sensed I was a bit nervous that we were going in the wrong direction, mostly because I said, "Please be quiet, I think we're lost." Evelyn tried to call Paul, Aaron, Mirielle, but wouldn't you know, we couldn't get through. (Then we saw the sign that said Bridge To USA, and I was so relieved. Although Evelyn-The-Co-Pilot had been assuring me that we were indeed on the right road all along because she is a Sign Noticer.

Anyway. Home and to bed with the tired kiddies.

Today, I am going to the Dome.

Paul will go to Evelyn's band concert tonight, sorry Ev!

Today I will work out extra hard to burn off those fries. And yes, there were good. I didn't eat them and think, oh, fast food is awful! How can people eat this stuff. Although I will say I have totally broken free from eating any of their sandwiches. I do not eat fast food burgers or chicken sandwiches anymore. If we stop and I am hungry, I will get a yogurt pafait. And a coffee. All we stopped for last night was coffee for Suze and I, but they started yelling French Fries, so I surprised them and ordered two Larges. Then I surprised myself and started eating out of one. It could have been worse, that's for sure. They were pretty good.

Anyway, yay for oranges and apples and peanubutter, my true friends.

Time to get moving...there is a load in the dryer to come out, one in the washer to go in the dryer, and a lots of hampers vying for the next ride. Suri is snoring. She actually snores just like a people. She is tired because I took her outside twice already and let her chase a stick. She likes when I chase her too. She is a good girl.