For years...I mean YEARS, I have been trying to convince my husband into getting a cat to add to our family. We've had fish, dogs, and hermit crabs. Why not? My husband is part of TECHS (The Elite Cat Haters Society). Heck! He may very well be the founder. And I suppose their honor code is that no matter how much family members beg, or the list of pros they give you to try and be convincing, not matter how hard the plead their case....never give in! Ever! Because let me tell ya, he put up a good fight, and SWORE he would never let a cat into his house. So frustrating! It's our house too.

 

Well here we are, many many years after my "fight for a cat" campaign began. And guess what? The honor code has been broken. WE are proud owners of a kitten. Mwahahahaha! I should have been a lawyer. Or a salesman. Alright alright, I won't carry on about winning (but I did) *big-ass grin*. He'll have TECHS looking for him now. I'll have to keep him in hiding for his own protection.

 

Our son was turning 11 and I could not think of a gift to top anything we've gotten him before. We no longer have a dog, and he has been aching for a replacement pet. And I know that he is a cat lover. However, all his past attempts, to change his Dad's mind on allowing him to have one, have been unsuccessful. He gave up asking after awhile. Enter mom...

 

"I couldn't think of what to get Brandon for his birthday. I have a few ideas and I will get those. But what should we get him as the main gift...the big gift? I do, however, have one idea that I know he'll just love." I said as I gave him the "You're not going to like it, but hear me out" look. And he flashed me the, "I am dreading what you are about to say" look. The one where they lower their head just a bit and glare at you through their eyebrows...in a questionable way.  I proceeded with my idea. Which was then followed by the, "Have you not heard me say NO a gazillion times over the years? Do you not know me at all?" look from him. He asked me if we couldn't just get him another Playstation or Wii game? Sure we could, but how boring is that? I want to get him something he wouldn't expect. And so began the pondering....

 

After days of thinking about it and discussing it. And making sure I understood that if the cat turns out evil, it's gone! He agreed to look around for a kitten. But he had to like it! He had to pick it and think it's cute. He said, "ugly cat's make me want to punt them". Kidding of course. He has never punted a cat (yet). We searched for all kittens available in any surrounding towns. We checked the pet stores. They didn't have any at the moment. I kept hearing, "wait for spring". What are they, daffodils? Cats breed all the time. What does spring have to do with it? The kittens at the SPCA were all older, borderline grown ups. We really wanted a small new kitten. It would be more fun for him. The search was looking dim. At one point you couldn't pass a bulletin board without seeing free kittens advertised. But when I finally convince a die hard TECHS member to allow us to have one, they are suddenly scarce. Brandon's birthday was coming fast. We needed a kitten. And before my husband changes his mind!

 

One week before his birthday, a friend's brother offered me the only kitten born from a recent litter.  I guess it wasn't a litter if she was the only one born. But anyway, we saw a couple of pictures of her. Although they were not clear, she looked like the kind of cat my husband claims he might like. We accepted! The plan was to have my friend pick her up after work, the evening before my son's birthday, and bring her over once he was in bed. I would hide her out in my room for the night. And he would receive her in the morning. I could not wait to meet her! I could not wait to surprise him!

 

It was now the eve before my son's birthday. He was in bed, and my friend came over with his gift. Just as we planned. So far so good. I greeted her at the door and met the new addition. She was so little and couldn't have weighed more than a pound. But just the right age to leave her mother. What a sweet little face she had! I was very excited. We hung decorations as the kids slept, and let the kitten run around to become familiar. She wasted no time at being mischievous. I expected her to be, anyway. She is, after all, just a kitten. I took her to my room at bedtime and closed the door. I knew I'd be up before the kids in the morning. But, the kitten would not settle down. I called her No Name. What else could I call her? He  didn't even know she existed yet. Anyway, she wanted to run around like a little tornado and constantly climb my bed comforter when I wanted to sleep. If I so much as blinked, she'd attack. It was cute...but I needed to be up at 6:30, and it was now going on 1 AM. So I put her, her litter box, a water dish, and towel in the ensuite. She mewed for a few minutes and then fell asleep.

 

I didn't check on her when I woke up, because I was worried she would now want to be out and would mew non stop. So I got up and made pancakes, eggs and bacon for a birthday breakfast, and woke my sleeping children. I wanted to wait as long as I could before giving him his special gift. My husband was on night shift and on his way home. He did not want to miss the look on his face. We went about our regular school day routine and he opened all his gifts (except the kitten). She woke up and I could her her crying to get out. He didn't hear it, though. So I sent my daughter in my room to entertain her until my husband got home. Once my husband got in the door, we had my daughter bring him a wrapped gift we kept aside. He opened it and said, "Cat toys? What do I need cat toys for?" And I followed her with the kitten behind my back. We told him to close his eyes, I held her out in front of him, and then he opened them.  His expression and reaction was priceless. Indescribable. And my husband now gave me the, "It was all worth it" look. The one where they tilt their head a bit, develope a small grin on their face and look at you with satisfied happiness in their eyes. 

 

Of course it was hard for Brandon to go to school that morning. I took good care of his kitten while he was gone. He said he would think of a name for her by the end of the day. I brought him left over chinese food that I made the night before, for lunch at school. Along with printed photo I took of his kitten, so he could show all his friends. After a wonderful day, and a fun filled evening, it went down as  his best birthday ever. And his kitten was the best present he had ever gotten. We know this...because he told us.

 

He named her Jewel

 

My absence this time has nothing to do with spending too much time on Facebook. I actually don't like it that much. It's good for keeping in touch...that's all! I never did get hooked. I find it has too many flaws. I'll just keep coming back to ole faithful MSN Spaces.

 

So I was kicking off the new year the last time I graced my space with a blog. I've been filling my days with routines of life and still trying to overcome obstacles from the move. But it seems to all be under control.

 

I really can't believe how fast this year is taking off. I continue to work from home, and have surprised myself on how fast I have picked up everything. I have been blessed with an opportunity to still be a SAHM and work around the kids, without having to leave them. My husband is still enjoying his job. With the way lay offs have been going and the amount of industrial jobs closing, he is lucky to have gotten his job when he did. Of course working for a mill or mine always leaves the chance of a lay off. But we can take those chances. We are not worried. Healthy, happy and settling in nicely; I am glad we chose this town. Even if we did have our reservations about it originally.  

 

Spring break is just around the corner! We will go back to Mackenzie for a visit, and to check on the house we left behind. We are landlords at the moment. It's going very well. I am actually very optimistic that things will continue to go well. And when spring finally decides to show up for good...we won't have eight feet of snow to thaw! It's nice to be out of the north. A snow bunny I am not. I really enjoy that I can shovel my driveway with runners on, because the snow isn't deep at all. Much better compared to the alternative knee high Sorel boots, which feel like cement blocks.

 

I have enjoyed another weekend with the kids, doing nothing. My highlight of the weekend was using my new Swiffer. Sad, but true. And I don't care. I'd rather not have a busy list of things to do on my weekends. That's what my weekdays are for. "Less is more",  as they say.

 

 

I'll be back to blog soon!  Wishing a smooth Monday to everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. 

 

 

Tiger                                                                            Eugene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AbitibiBowater's sudden decision to pull out of the forestry-dependent town of Mackenzie still hadn't sunk in Friday when Mayor Stephanie Killam started adding up the job losses.

AbitibiBowater is the largest employer in town, with 550 direct employees. Add contract loggers to the list and Killam estimates 700 people will be out of work by Jan. 31 when the company's newsprint plant and two sawmills shut down.

That's on top of 50 jobs lost when Canfor Corp. announced earlier in the week it is curtailing a shift at its sawmill, in addition to the uncertainty caused by the third-largest employer, Pope & Talbot, being under creditor protection.

"We've been through ups and downs before. It's just that we've never been hit with so much at one time," she said. "We got hit. We didn't know anything about this. Nobody in the community knew anything about it."

Besides the two sawmills and newsprint plant in Mackenzie -- the company's entire Western Canadian presence -- mills are going down in Belo and Donnacona, Que., and Dalhousie, N.B. The closures add up to 600,000 tonnes of newsprint, 400,000 tonnes of printing papers, and 500 million board feet of lumber being taken out of production. It is the largest single closure announced by any company since the forest industry downturn began last year.

 

That, right there, is the definition of overwhelming. As shocking as it was for the first while, we have come to the point of acceptance. I can't say the same for the rest of the town, though. It has literally ruined Christmas for most. But for us, we see it as no matter when it happened, it would still have the same impact. We don't let things determine for us whether our Christmas will suck or not. I find them to be two seperate things. It is really up to us to have a happy holiday no matter what. Worry about the rest after. Things will happen one step at a time. We have the ball rolling, appointment made to deal with our house and the loss we will take. We received his termination papers (as hundreds of others did as well) among our Christmas cards this year. What can you do? You muddle through, somehow. I am sure that is in one of the Christmas songs. Life goes on, and somewhere out there, someone is going through a worse pain than we are. I can't complain. Not saying I didn't stress, cry, feel angry and all those expected emotions. My head wanted to explode form all the talk, false hope, venting, and phone calls. But, I have kids who feed off our positivity. We need to nourish them with as much as we can.

This is a mill town, without the mills, you don't really have a town. This will affect everyone. Not just the 700 being let go. My heart goes out to the town we have called home for 15 years (18 for Peter), and the struggles they will face. We'll move on and life will go on. Sometimes you just never expect these things. I'll tell ya one thing, I won't miss the friggin' snow!!