a peek inside the fishbowl

28 Jun, 2010

Liveblogging the first official day of summer holidays

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Misc. life

I’ve done this twice before, and thought it might be neat to document this sliver of our lives again.

I’ll be adding to this page as the day grows long. Scroll down for the most recent posts.

7:41 a.m. – there’s a travel mug full of hot coffee on my left. Breakfast has been eaten. It’s really humid out today and my hair looks like something out of the house of Frankenstein. I’m dressed and (almost) ready to bring Piper for her first puppy cut. (I feel like a nervous parent!) I am happy that she’s going to get her nails professionally trimmed. I hate doing that.

10:35 a.m. – we’re back home. Piper survived her first clipping! It seems to have gone well. She looks so cute. While we waited we knocked a couple of errands off our list. Emma got a new pair of sporty sandals at Bushtukah. Now that she’s in adult-size footwear it’s beginning to cost us more money. Boo. Sarah got a new duffle bag. They both had a little croissant from Swiss Pastries. I’m thinking of making a second coffee before launching into work.

10:47 a.m. – girls doing a puzzle. Shouldn’t they be outside?

10:58 a.m. – mail is here! Getting paid is NICE. Getting art in the mail is nice too.

11:37 a.m. – early lunch of chicken noodle sodium and strawberry smoothies. The last of our summer berries are gone. Also: first load of laundry is in the washer. But guess who hasn’t managed to do any paying work yet? Me! :(

McKellar Park1:10 p.m. – back from a very hot and sweaty bike ride to the library, the park, and the McKellar park wading pool. I wish we’d known it was open today, we would have been more prepared and brought bathing suits and sunscreen.

Sarah waded around and got soaked. Ah, summer.

1:16 p.m. – Crap. I just realized Sarah forgot her puffer at school.

2:03 p.m. – Back from school. Gah. I didn’t think I’d be walking this walk on the first day of summer holidays. Sarah decided she needed extra sun protection. Now they are making lemonade. Hopefully they will remember to serve me a tall icy glass when they’re done. I’m curious to see if they remember how to make it. Recipe involves sugar/concentrated lemon juice/water.

2:07 p.m. – Sarah: “Two fourths make a half, right?” Yes. And I hope that’s sugar you’re using, not salt.

2:30 p.m. – It’s good. Very good. I am hearing lots of slurping coming from the other room. And I am officially giving up lemonade-making duty.

2:31 p.m. – Posted this week’s KMDM. Have done a bit of SavvyMom research (you will FALL OVER when you see where we’re going/trying … woot). Now I need to get a grip on that laundry. Also dozens of unanswered emails. I AM SORRY.

3:08 p.m. – Girls are reading. I am emptying the dishwasher and thinking about dinner. FUN.

3:23 p.m. – Fighting urge to nap.

3:38 p.m. – Having tea and toast instead. Realizing that soy nut butter is GOOD!

3:57 p.m. – The laundry fairies are a no-show again. I guess I have no choice but to put in another load. Also, chicken burgers are on the menu for dinner. Too hot to use the oven.

4:14 p.m. – kids can smell the dinner desperation. The ground chicken is actually turkey. There are no burger buns. I don’t want to run to the store, or turn on the oven. The bread is mouldy. Ack! Am nibbling raw asparagus to quell gnawing hunger and anxiety.

4:32 p.m. – am forging ahead with chicken turkey burgers despite lack of buns. They’re made and waiting in the fridge. I hope Mark appreciates this. I hate touching raw ground meat. Normally I ask him to make the patties! Now I’m trying to figure out what to do with a head of cauliflower.

5:01 p.m. – made up a recipe for cauliflower salad. I know I will be the only one eating it. Thank goodness for corn, red peppers and cukes.

5:02 p.m. – Wine.

5:07 p.m. – The girls are STILL reading.

5:30 p.m. – Mark home. Doing the BBQ thing.

5:32 p.m. – “Piper got out somehow and rolled in something stinky!”

5:34 p.m. – Girls are giving Piper a bath.

6:15ish – A quick after-dinner walk after a quick dinner.

9:29 p.m. – We are home after a last-minute decision to run out and see Toy Story 3 in 3D at the Coliseum. It was great, and we all enjoyed it very much. Mark is working. As should I be. :( Girls are in bed.

10:17 p.m. – Working, when I’d rather be asleep.

10:55 p.m. – So. Tired.

11:03 p.m. – BED!

11:17 p.m. – No, really. Bed!


5 Responses to "Liveblogging the first official day of summer holidays"

1 | Dave

June 28th, 2010 at 1:13 pm

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I once accidentally gave a very thirsty worker a tall glass of vinegar on a hot day. We kept our water in an old vinegar jug, and I got them mixed up. He was maaaaad.

(which is to say I hope your lemonade is made with sugar)

2 | Dave

June 28th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

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(I was 5 years old)

3 | Stefania (Ingredients for Life)

June 28th, 2010 at 7:40 pm

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What a day! You showed great restraint not getting into the wine before 5. :-)

4 | joanne stober

July 5th, 2010 at 1:14 pm

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I just found your blog while searching for wading pools in the area. What a great day. I am a bit of a writer myself (boring academic stuff usually) and I am at home with my son. what I love about your day is that the girls are entertaining themselves so much~puzzles and reading. I wonder if my life will ever return to being so quiet! My little guy is only 15 months but I am sure you can recall that toddler stage and the constant run around. Plus he’s a boy so I wonder if he will ever spend a day being so sedentary (not from what other boy’s mom’s tell me but here’s hoping!) Love the blog.

5 | andrea

July 5th, 2010 at 2:46 pm

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Thanks for your comment Joanne! The toddler stage is fun too. It goes by so fast though. I can’t believe my kids are 11 and 9 already. :)

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The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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