Monday, April 27, 2009

The view from my office

It's nice out.  Finally.  Which is good times - because I like to work on my laptop while sitting on the deck.  

And I am working - of that have no fear!  I still get up and get dressed (the office out back is very office casual), I still make coffee (cream and sugar), and I still answer the phone (actually with the crack berry - that makes two phone lines at my disposal).  The fact that there is a BBQ a mere 15 feet from my workstation is just but one of the many perks of being self employed.  Yeah - its a real grind getting here everyday...but my sick days haven't kicked in yet - so what can ya do?

Today was a great day to be working from the deck.  With two calls scheduled, and a bunch of emails that I needed to get off - it promised to be a productive day on the deck.  And for the most part - it was.  

Until about 3:20 or so.  You see - school gets out at about three...and that's when Nickels comes home.  At about 3:21...give or take - Nickels comes strolling into the backyard (while I'm on a call no less) and decides that there has been enough work done today - and it's time to play - NOW!

He was actually really good about it - as he stood next to me and started humming some symphony that he knows (Bach perhaps?).  The phone call started to go down hill from there....but it was all good (client has youngins it would seem) - got the call completed, saved a copy of my notes.

It was at that point that the office closed for the day.  

There's worms to be found.  Although Mommy has thus far not been overly impressed with my son's ability to carry a worm on a stick and present it for inspection.  Who knew?  :)

Sunday, April 19, 2009

I got scammed!!!

Brief note for this lovely Sunday morning.

And it's gonna be brief because I need to make more bacon.

Yeah - that's right....more bacon.

I made my son bacon for breakfast...as well as oatmeal (which he was totally into until he discovered that those little bits where in fact apples.).

As my son was sitting at the table happily munching away on the sweet, sweet meat.  He comes into the front office - and asks me for juice.  Sure little man...we can get some juice happening for ya.

As I was getting the juice....he then asked for a specific train from the basement.  This struck me as odd...but hey - who doesn't like a train in the morning?

While I was downstairs looking for the train...my son was upstairs committing an act of bacon thievery!  That's right! Outright bacon theft!!  Going on in my own home!!!  By my son even!

When I got back upstairs, there was a little boy - face stuffed with Daddy's bacon...and trying to get 'er all down before I put two and two together.  The fact that no one else was home for me to pin it on didn't seem to cross his mind.  My son set me up for bacon disappointment - big time!  The day is young though Nickels...better watch your back sucka!  This is bacon we're talking about here...and this is serious!  :)

I love my son....and I'll miss him dearly when he moves out (tick tick tick little man!!!)...but this is just crossing the line.  Stealing Daddy's bacon?  Ouch dude....that hurts.  

At least he left me one piece.

Back to the kitchen it would seem....there's bacon to be made - and guarded!!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Operation Train - Completed


It was a warm and sunny Tuesday evening in Ye Olde Toronto - and it was discovered that, "Yes - the basement is all done!!"....and that there was a certain promise made by a certain dude approaching middle age.  That would be me.

The promise?

That I would help him put together his new train set once the basement was completed.  I wasn't expecting to have to make good on that promise 10 minutes after the contractors left though.

Nickels remembers everything.

"DADDY!!!"

"Yes Nickels?"

"The workers are gone....and you know what that means!  It's time to put together my train!"

His train?

Hmmmm....the little man seems to forget that nearly all of those trains are actually mine!  And they have been since I was his age!  That's the trouble with trains in this house....they all belong to him.  Doesn't matter that I've had those trains for 30 years....I was just hanging on to them - waiting for a son to play trains with.  And we do.

So this morning - my son eats a bit of his breakfast.  But he's not really into it.  There's trains in the basement to be played with...and besides?  Who needs calories when you're 7?  Not Nickels - that's for sure.

The train experience of this morning lasted all of 4 minutes....when behold!  Over there in the corner of the room are a bunch of various animal costumes.  Hence the blur that is my son in the photo above....costumes rock!

Nickels starts pulling various costumes out - deciding which ensemble he is going to wear to school.  Hmmmm...."how about wearing the clothes you already have on dude?"

"No!"

"I need to wear a costume to school!  It's show and tell!!"  (Is everyday show and tell???)

After a brief discussion - we reach a negotiated discussion.  He can wear the costume for a bit at home - and take it to school in his backpack.  This is an agreeable suggestion to Nickels.

So....what's it gonna be?

Dragon?

Dog?

Horse?

Sheep?

Na......it's gotta be something exotic.

Zebra it is!

I can only imagine how well this is going to go over at school today.  Nickels took the zebra costume in his bag...and asked me three times to make sure that I had actually put said costume in his bag.

"Daddy - are you suuuuuuure you brought the costume?"

"Yes - Nickels...you saw me put it in the bag!!"

This is going to be an interesting day I think...go wild Nickels!  Go wild!  :)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Next stop...the basement!

The mayhem and repair from the recent water issue in the basement is nearing completion.

I've had two dudes here pretty much full time for the past week or so.  Things are looking quite nice indeed.  And I'm so happy that someone other than me is doing the work.  Sure - I could have done most of it myself (and I do have the time to do it)...but since the insurance comany is paying for most it - why not let someone with skills and training actually do it.

Even the footprints in the concrete look kinda cool.

What's this you ask?

Yes - that's right.  Footprints.  Small ones.

Not mine...not my wife's.  They must belong to the third member of my happy little household...but he won't admit to it.  

It would seem that my son is quite interested indeed in what is happening to "his basement".  He goes down there regularly to check on the progress...make sure things are done to his liking.  And ask a lot of questions.

"What's that for?"

"What's your name?"

"What are you doing now?"

"Can I help?" (he actually did help with the floor prep...but that didn't last long)

"What's this?"

And the one he asks most frequently:

"When will you be done?"

Yes - my son is quite the taskmaster.  

Faster!!  Faster!!!  Get that laminate flooring down!!  Cut those tiles!!!  Paint those walls!!!  Get a move on will ya guys?  I need my basement back toot sweet!!  You think I like hanging out upstairs with my parents all the time?  Have you actually met these people?  Get a move on - and get 'er all done.  I have a train set that demands to be set up...and the sooner you guys are done and out of here....the sooner I'll be rockin' this basement with the sounds of joyous delight!  So hurry up will ya!!

Not bad...not bad at all.

My son knows so much...and he's so incredibly smart...but he hasn't mastered the art of writing the checks to pay these guys.

Get on that will ya Nickels!  :)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Frogification

Just got back from my son's parent teacher interview.  There were a total of 11 people in the room.

Two parents, and our lead therapist.

One teacher - and 7!  Count 'em 7  people from the TDSB.

Add 'em all up - and what do you get?  11 people in the room - all talking about my son. He'd be thrilled if he was there...the centre of attention really is his thing.

Lots of discussion on what's working well...and on what's not working well.  Most things are working well it would seem...although the past few weeks have been hard on everyone.  Not everyone seems to appreciate my son's ability to 'renovate' a room.  Yes - that chair really does need to be placed someplace else!

Nicholas isn't feeling all that well today.  He has a frog in his throat.  I should know - he told me (and his voice does sound froggy).  He doesn't like Mr. Frog in his throat.  Nope - not liking the frog action one bit.

The solution to get rid of Mr. Frog?

"Daddy - I'm talking a little bath to wash Mr. Frog away.  He's bothering my throat...and I don't like him.  Will you help me with a bath this morning?"

"Ummmm...yeah dude - we can do that."  Didn't really have time to deal with Mr. Frog...but what the hell - if it helps his mood...I'll do what I can.

So - Mr. Nicholas got in the bathtub...splashed around for a while (got me wet in the process)...and took care of Mr. Frog.

Mr. Frog will be back - he always returns!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

I can't draw.

My son is interesting.

He got his report card the other day (all A's and B's...with one C+) and it needs to be signed by a parent...and the little man himself.

Pretty easy right?

Not in this house.

He doesn't want to sign it.  He wants to draw an animal as his signature instead.

Small problem.

I can't draw.  And Nicholas doesn't want to make a mistake.

The animal of choice?  A bird.

And he doesn't want ME to draw just any ole cheap bird.  Its gotta be a good one!

Robin? 

Cardinal?

Sparrow?

Crow?

Seagull?

Big bird?

No way - those birds are lame!

He wants a Painted Bunting.

I didn't even know there was such a bird until I asked him to google it up for me to show me.  As you can see from the picture - its a really colorful and pretty bird.  No wonder that he likes it (he likes the Snow Bunting as well!).  How am I gonna draw this bird so that it actually looks like a bird...and not a McNugget in waiting? 

Not a chance - I'm good at a few things...drawing isn't one of them.

After much discussion - here is the compromise.  Daddy will cut the bird out of the printout that he made....and Nicholas can glue it to the report card.  I can only imagine what his teacher is going to think.  It is a nice bird though!  :)  Nicholas is a lot like his father...he seems to go for the act of the surreal...just to get people to stop, and go "WTF?"  ;)

My son has good taste in birds.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

It really is April Fool's Day

I'm tired today.  Been up since 4 - went to bed at midnight (was busy working all last night).  So please forgive any typos....I'm not at my best on 4 hours sleep.

It snowed early this morning in my home.  A lot of snow actually.

My son - the ever charming, and slightly hyper child decided that yes...its April Fool's day - so there is fun to be had.  Fun at my expense....but fun nonetheless!  (Its not like I ever did something like that when I was younger...okay...I did.  I was a bad ass little punk - I admit it.  Now its coming back to haunt me!  Mom was right.).

You know those big bean bags you can buy at Wal-Mart?  You know...the ones that you fill with thousands of those little styrofoam balls?  We had one until this morning.

My son was up early...4 am as I recall mentioning.  Both my wife and I were just too tired to get up and see what was going on.  I laid there in bed - in one of those semi comatose states....and just tried to listen to what he was up to.

He played the recorder for about an hour.  That was fun.  (Note to self - take recorder upstairs when I go to bed so I don't have to hear it so freaking early).

Then....it was quiet.

This is not a good sign.

It never is.

I thought to myself...I should get up and see what he trouble he is getting into. 

I couldn't get out of bed.

Did I mention I was tired?

So...at 6:30 - I finally get my ass moving.

I walk downstairs in that half asleep state...and notice that it has snowed in my son's room.  I thought, "Hmmmm.....isn't that strange".

That's right - snow.  Indoors even.

I ask my son, "Hey Nicholas - what happened to your room?"

"It snowed Daddy...a lot!".

"Yes - I can see that.  That's just great dude - thanks for giving me a hassle to deal with this morning".  (Going to be a busy day...need to clear out the rest of the basement, contractors are coming, another guy is coming to give me an estimate on new eaves troughs...and I have a ton of work to do as well).

"You're welcome Daddy!  I had fun making it snow".  Lucky for him he was hiding under a blanket with his head sticking out when he said this...he looked cute - so he'll live out yet another day.  :)

"Yes - I'm sure you did."

So - you're reading this and thinking..."just what is this guy going on about now?  Snow?  Is he nuts??"

That's right - snow!  Nicholas decided that it would be great fun to open the bean bag - and spread thousands upon thousands of little styrofoam balls all over his room.  I had to empty the vacuum 20 times just to get it all sucked up.  Sucked big time!

And while I'm doing that...I'm also cooking bacon, and making Nicholas' lunch....and trying to stay out of my wife's way....she ain't the most pleasant pumpkin in the patch when she hasn't had much sleep.  15 years - same person....I've learned a few things!  Just....make....her....tea.  And clear out!  :)  (Dear reader - if this is the last post you read - its because my wife has read this...and decided that I have outlived my usefulness....and that she can make the bacon going forward (good luck with the vacuum though!)).

It took me 20 minutes to suck up the snowstorm.  And its all done now....although I'm sure I'll be finding little random pieces of styrofoam for the next couple of years.

I'm glad the weather is getting warmer....no more snow.

(As I was writing this...Nicholas came popping into the room...with Crayola marker all over his arms and face.  I tried not to laugh.  I'm really glad that Crayola makes markers that are easy to wash off.  Really great idea...might have to check out their stock).

I'm tired today.  So much to do.