Kitty’s Place

Saturday I had high hopes of sleeping late but instead I was up by 0830. Didn’t do a lot at all. We did go grocery shopping in the afternoon but that was about the only productive event of the day. *smile*

Sunday I got up really early and made up a lasagna for dinner, baked muffins, washed dishes and headed out about 0900 for Hässelby. The time change really messed up my plans since the kidlet “slept in” until almost 0830 (his body was saying it was only 0730 I am sure). We did get to work in good time though, cleaned and then cleaned us up and headed to Heather and Mån’s home, for a baby shower for Kim and Johan. It was a lot of fun. Llywellyn had a good time, Kim brought him a toy and a cd and Måns showed him how to play the video games, so he was well occupied. When I asked LL if he wanted to go to a baby shower he was all excited and said “YES”, but then pondered on it a few minutes and asked in typical confused kidlet fashíon “just where exactly are we going to take a shower?”. *laugh* He was happy to know it was not a getting wet kind of event, rather a party. It was great to see where Heather & Måns live and after gift opening and eating, we walked over to see Kim & Johan’s apartment as well. Llywellyn was quite taken with the tarantula and he and his dad had a long discussion about getting one as a pet. Just what terribly arachnophobic mom needs around the house. *laugh* We had to run after that though so we could get a bus and head home. We did a bit of running (literally) and managed to catch an earlier train than I thought we would, so we were home about 1830. We had our lasagna and then I put the kidlet to bed. My foot was aching so I just lay down on the bed for a few minutes and woke up after 2300. *laugh* I got back up and we had tea and a brownie then went off to bed about 0030. My fellow got in his side after scooting out the cat, he laid down and sat right back up. Just behind him sat up our son, who had climbed into our bed at some point. It was like seeing one of those frame by frame shot watching the two of them. *laugh* I carried kidlet back to his own bed and we all settled off to sleep.

This morning I made my way over to the laundry room at 0700, happy in the knowledge that finally the dryer was fixed and I could wash all the clothes that had been piling up for the past 2 weeks. Well the best laid plans you know. The laundry room power is turned off automatically at 2130 and comes back on at 0700 the next morning. Because maintenance had not changed the timer to reflect the time change, the power never came on until 0800. So I am frantically trying to get the most necessary clothes done and will need to pick another time this week. I need a washer and dryer of my own. *laugh*

A - Act your age? Never.
B - Born on what day of the week? Thursday.
C - Chore you hate? Ironing.
D - Dad’s name? Alexander.
E - Essential makeup item? I rarely wear makeup but always wear perfume.
F - Favorite actor? John Travolta.
G - Gold or silver? Gold.
H - Hometown? Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.
I - Instruments you play? Piano .. badly.
J - Job title: Mom (or luxury wife if you talk to my SFI teacher)
K - Kids? One, Llywellyn.
L - Living arrangements? Soulmate, son, dog and cat in a one bedroom apartment.
M - Mom’s name? Enid.
N - Number of people you’ve slept with? Lots if you count sharing a bed with friends. *smile*
O - Overnight Hospital Stays? 7, 3x kidney stone, 4x asthma.
P - Phobia? Terrible arachnophobia.
Q - Quote you like? Friends are those who come in the door, when the rest of the world goes out.
R - Religious affiliation? Born and raised Baptist, today I just live by the golden rule.
S - Siblings? 4 younger, Greg, Eric, Bryan and Kelly.
T - Time you wake up? 0700.
U - Unique habit? I rub my left eye when I am having trouble understanding something.
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat? None.
W- Worst habit? Nail biting.
X - X-rays you’ve had? Lots and lots.
Y - Yummy food you make? A killer lasagna.
Z - Zodiac Sign? Aries.

I SHALL SEEK AND FIND YOU…

I SHALL TAKE YOU TO BED AND CONTROL YOU…

I WILL MAKE YOU ACHE,SHAKE AND SWEAT UNTIL YOU GRUNT AND GROAN…

I WILL MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY…

I WILL EXHAUST YOU TO THE POINT THAT YOU WILL BE RELIEVED WHEN I LEAVE
YOU…AND YOU WILL BE WEAK FOR DAYS.

ALL MY LOVE,
THE FLU

After I took the kidlet out of the tub I heard the mail arriving. It was our tax forms, an ad, a postcard from Japan and a package! The package was a necklace I bought from Marie and it is just lovely. I loved this one the first time I saw it and felt that it was the one for me, who else could wear “en katt” and have it be true? *smile*

So it has been a long week. Tina is in hospital in Katrineholm. She has been in a couple of weeks now and will likely be in a couple more. Since the kidlet was ill we could not go down there the first week she was there but Jonas was off work for the week and farmor & farfar went for the weekend. So Saturday after my fellow finished his meeting we headed out for Sköldinge. We left here at 1800 and expected to be there at 2000. The kidlet fell asleep in the back seat and we were having a nice chat and laugh in the front when a funny noise appeared. As we went along it got louder and became a “thump thump thump”. So we stopped, expecting a flat, but none of them were. So back into the car and we crawled along to the exit. Every time we got the speed over 50 km/hr, the noise came back. We drove into a parking lot and my fellow removed the driver side back tire. It had what looked like a hot spot on it, but was not flat at all. He put on the spare but it was a bit low on air and we were not sure how far it was to the next service station, so he put the other back on and we crept along to a service station. The bad tire was full of air, so we made the decision to finish the trip on it. Since it was all country roads from there on, we knew we could go along slow enough. So we crawled on to Sköldinge and arrived there at 2130. The kidlet was a bit freaked out by the car troubles and kept talking about how the car said “bump bump bump …”. We got the animals organized and listened to my cat growl at J&T’s cats. We all crashed early that night.

Sunday we went to visit Tina. On the way to the hospital we stopped at Konsum and found Trivial Pursuit for 299 SEK. So Ibo got it for me. Tina was glad to see us and the waiting room had oodles of Legos so the kidlet played his little heart out. Sunday night after dinner we played TP. It took a long time since I had to figure out the questions first and then answer. I also read them in swedish so that took time too, but it was a lot of fun and I really did not do badly at all.

Monday morning J went back to work. He took our thumping car since he works close to home and my fellow took his car and came back to Märsta. He loaded our summer tires into J’s car, worked from home until his 1500 meeting and got back to Sköldinge about 2300. The kidlet and I took the bus into Katrineholm and visited Tina on our own. We did some shopping and I bought a book, Jean Auel’s “Mammoth Hunters” in swedish. So now I have the first 4 books of the series in swedish. We went back to Sköldinge with Jonas in the afternoon.

Tuesday my fellow changed tires early in the morning and then he went to the Norrköping office which is where he worked out of the rest of the week. J had a long day at work, so the kidlet and I went in on the bus, shopped a bit and bought necklaces for Tina and me from a street vendor (the kidlet picked them out). The vendor gave the kidlet a little blue bead bracelet and he was thrilled with it. We stayed for about an hour and then headed back to Sköldinge so Tina could rest, since Lisa, Richard and Jacob were coming to visit later. Both J and my fellow got home about 1830 and we had tacos for dinner. It was an early night again for everyone.

Wednesday was much the same. We took the 1105 bus in. We had a lady bus driver and my son explained why to me. It appears that the “pappa” bus driver from the day before was very tired, so he sent the “mamma” bus driver to work instead. *laugh* I love kid logic. We were surprised to find Jonas already at the hospital when we arrived since I had thought he was not going in until after work. But the doctor was going to be in to talk to T and so J came in to town to hear what he had to say. We didn’t stay so long since Tina was really tired and a bit upset from the doctor meeting, since she was hoping to go home sooner. Again the fellows were late home, Ibo because it was an hour’s drive for him back from Norrköping and J went back in to spend time with T after work. We did pasta for dinner and then watched tv for a couple hours. It was a nice eve
ning.

Thursday we were up early, my fellow headed out to work early too. I packed, stripped out beds, did morning routine (feed animals, clean litterbox, walk dog). The kidlet watched Nickelodeon all week and loved it. We don’t get it here. We went in with J at noon, he drove to work and then we walked to the hospital from there. Tina was feeling a bit better which was good to see and she was not so tired. We 3 sat on the floor and built lego cars and houses and such. It was sad to know we were going home and would not be going in to see her today. We are going to go down by train a couple times next week though and Ibo’s parents and sister are driving down tonight for the weekend. We got home here last night about 2100. I had 347 emails waiting, 143 of which were spam about viagra, increasing breast size or various forms of perverted sex. *laugh*

It was nice to sleep in our own bed. This morning we had planned on going to playgroup but it is now 1030 and the kidlet is playing in the tub so I guess we will skip it and he can go to preschool later.

Our little boy is feeling better. He still has a horrid cough but whatever was in his lungs is finally breaking up so that is a good thing. His fever stayed until Tuesday night and then we had a no fever day yesterday. Today he is a bit warm but nothing to worry about. He says his throat and his ears hurt a little bit now but not too much. He has worn out his mother and his father though and both of us have sore throats, sore ears and coughs now. *laugh*

We really have not done anything the past few days. It has been a week of playing with and entertaining the kidlet. We were out to the store on Tuesday and for a short walk yesterday, since I think fresh air is good for him. Today I have to do laundry so he will have to go out again. Of course he thinks he is old enough to stay home on his own while I go down to the laundry room, but mean old mom doesn’t agree. *smile*

Yesterday he wanted to do something and I said no. He asked why and I explained my reason. He argued his point and I still said no. So he asked why I could say no and I said “I am the mom so I get to say no” to which he replied “I am the boy and I say yes”. I giggled up a storm, but not before leaving the room. *laugh*

It is obvious he is not 100% yet because last evening his grandfather called to see if he was better and wanted to go to their place. I heard him saying “I still have a fever and a cough, so I will come next week” and then in obvious response to a question “my fever is down”. His dad asked him what that meant but he didn’t have an answer, just pointed down towards his toes. *laugh*

We were planning a trip down south this weekend to visit family. So we had all better get healthy quickly. *smile*

1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A CINEMA?
LOTR - Fellowship of the Ring, before that it was Clan of the Cave Bear in 1986 *laugh*

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Rereading “… And Ladies Of The Club” by Helen Hooven Santmyer.

3. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
Trivial Pursuit.

4. FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
National Geographic.

5. FAVOURITE COMFORT FOOD?
Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup.

6. FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Bread baking, violets, vanilla.

7. FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
A childs’laugh.

8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Loneliness.

9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKEUP IN THE MORNING?
I’m still here.

10. FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Taco Bell.

11. FUTURE CHILD’S NAME?
Well there is not likely to be a future child, but I said when I named Llywellyn that I needed a girl now so I could call her Gwyndolyn.

12. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, “IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY ,I WOULD…
Live half the year in each country.

13. DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
No, I don’t drive at all.

14. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
No, but I have my 32 year old Raggedy Anne beside the bed and curl up with her if I am sad.

15. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?
Cool.

16. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Never had a car.

17. FAVOURITE DRINK?
Coffee, white wine.

18. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, “IF I HAD THE TIME, I WOULD…
Finally get some of these half done craft projects completed.

19. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI?
Yes.

20. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOUR, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Bright Blue.

21. HOW MANY DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN?
Six

22. GLASS HALF EMPTY OR FULL?
Half full.

23. FAVOURITE SPORT TO WATCH?
Snooker? I don’t watch sports.

24. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS.
Well I have seen this in a number of journals, so I will just say that all of you on my friends list are thoughtful caring people.

25. WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED?
Two storage boxes, one with my christmas linens and one with to be saved baby clothes. A box of magazines on my fellows side, so they don’t have to piled on the floor and a box of kidlet toys on my side, so he has something to play with in the bedroom.

26. TOILET PAPER/PAPER TOWEL-OVER OR UNDER?
Under.

So my little boy is sick again and mom is a tired girly. What farmor did not tell me when they dropped him off Thursday night was that he actually asked to come home, rather than go back to dinner with them first. If she had, I would have known something was up. She did tell my fellow later on the phone but by then the kidlet was feverish and cranky. So he has been running a fever and coughing since.

Friday I kept him home from preschool and my fellow did not go to work until lunch time, so it was a disjointed kind of day. Saturday we stayed home and quiet. After he was settled we watched the last of the melodifestivalen. But the kidlet was back up by midnight with a high fever and did not want to sleep, so it was not a good night for resting.

Sunday I had to go to work. Since fever was down but still over 38, I left the kidlet at home. The subway line was down at 3 stations so we had to get off the train, switch to a bus and then get back on the train past the power failure. It was excitement. *laugh* I brought the kidlet home a Happy Meal, since he has no appetite and only takes a bite or two of anything offered. He is drinking lots though. Last night he crawled into our bed just after midnight and kicked me until morning, so I am beat (literally *laugh*). I spoke with his teacher and told her I thought it best to keep him home all week and see if we can get him over this once and for all. She said that all the kids have had it come back on them once or twice. It is a nastly little bug.

Today we have played trains, read, watched movies and the kidlet has shanghied my computer to play games one. He has had Tylenol twice and it is just keeping the fever hovering around 38 to 38.5. Bedtime can’t come too soon today. *smile*

Wednesday was a nice day. We did laundry so there was no playgroup in the morning. Brenda came over after school in the morning and we had a nice visit. We dropped the kidlet at preschool at 1230 and then walked over to the little library here. She has pretty much read through the english section of the main branch here, so it will be nice for her to have a new selection. Farfar picked the kidlet up just before 1700 and he headed off for a night with his grandparents. We had a quiet home evening and enjoyed some “us” time. *smile*

Today we were up at 0500 since my fellow had to take the train to Norrköping (I think I spelled that right) for the day. After seeing him off I washed some dishes and then went back to bed, where I stayed until noon. It was a great treat to sleep so late. I dug about and found a pair of shoes with high arches and have been wearing them. Between that and icing my foot, it is amazingly better. The kidlet is home now and my fellow just called to say he is done with meeting and on his way home too. So another cosy family evening is about to commence. *smile*

So we have had a lovely day so far. We were up early, the kidlet first around 0715 and then I followed about 20 minutes later. Made tea, washed dishes, cleaned bathroom, made the kidlet’s bed and packed breakfast and lunch for my fellow, who struggled out of bed close to 0900. He is complaining of a stiff back and just was pokey. After getting the kidlet and I dressed and my fellow off to work, we walked the dog and then headed for the bus.

We arrived in Stockholm a bit before 1100 and met up with Kim at Kulturhuset. What a huge place that is. I have only seen it from outside before. We had a nice visit, Kim is such fun. She brought stickers and candy for the kidlet and saved the day by having a pencil in her purse, so he could do the puzzle maze in the Tom & Jerry comic book we bought before getting on the train. He got this little plastic flute (like a pan flute) with the colouring book and wanted desperately to play it. So after eating only half his cake, a bite of his dammsugare and a few sips of coke, he began lobbying to leave. *laugh* After we left the cafe we took the subway to Rådmansgatan and said goodbye to Kim there, since she was heading home. We went to the toy store and the kidlet got a set of Mumin fridge magnets. Then we went to Grays American Food Store. The kidlet got Scooby Doo cereal. I got some soup, cream soda, evaporated milk, pumpkin and food colouring. From there we went to the used book store. I bought a Ngaio Marsh book (swedish) and the kidlet got a swedish book as well. He went through the books himself and picked out the one he wanted. Strangely enough it was called ‘Prairie Winter’ and is originally from Canada. *laugh* While he was looking at books he suddenly decided he had to pee. There was no bathroom in the store, so the owner walked us down a couple of doors and unlocked the door to where the storage area/laundry room was for the building. It was long walk down dingy corriders to get to the bathroom. I had been going to say I would take the kidlet across to McDonalds but the store owner was so helpful I couldn’t. *smile* So after our trips to the bowels of the building we went back and finished our book shopping. He also gave me a free paperback of a swedish auther called Inger Edelfeldt, since I always buy swedish books but never swedish authors. We are still reading the ones the kidlet bought there in December a couple times a week, so it is well worth dropping in every couple of months.

We got back on the subway then and once we were at Central Station we went to McDonalds for lunch. The kidlet surprised me and ate every bit of his Happy Meal. We saw a fellow delivering bread and he had his little girl with him. She looked about Llywellyn’s age. After her dad got the bread onto the dolly and locked up the truck, he gave her two loaves to carry for him and she was just prancing around she was so happy to help. I love seeing things like that. *smile* We caught the train home at 1405. LL had been watching the pigeons on the platform and then had a cry because he missed them after we left. So when we got home and were walking in from the main road, he spied a bunch of birds on the lawn and was all excited because his birds from Stockholm came to us in Märsta. No matter that the ones here were magpies. *laugh*

I think I will have to make another appointment with Lisa. I am having a hard time bearing any weight on my left foot because my heel is so painful. I think it is something nerve related, like a sciatica. Once I am ambulatory it is ok, sore but bearable. But if I sit more than half an hour, I have a hard time to actually start moving again. Good excuse to keep busy. *smile* I used to have custom made shoe inserts and am thinking I may need to get those again. Hopefully once I can ditch the boots and get back into shoes with good support, it will be fine again.

Need to decide what I am going to make for dinner tonight and looking forward to a relaxing evening, since my fellow does not have a meeting tonight either. *smile*