Jingle becoming a blackjack dealer...?

So I'm at the BeanCounters monthly meeting and Charlie Regan, the owner (also the founder of Nerds On Site) turns to me and says "so when are you taking holidays and where are you going kid?" He always calls me kid. So I say, "hadn't really thought about it, figured I'd save the money this year, may take a few days, just relax".

He says, "if you could go somewhere, where would you go?"

"Well, I'd be great to visit my Grandma in Regina but it's been a couple years since I saw my cousins and Aunt and Uncle in Vegas and I really miss them".

Well stop the clock! Charlie, shocked by this comment? Nothing shocks Charlie!

"You have family in Vegas?" "Yes, great family, I love them dearly and feel very close to them." I didn't rattle off the names, it takes too long to say Bill and Sandy, Bill and Mandy and Paul and Brandy live there. And people get confused anyway. They just think I'm stuttering.

So Charlie thinks for a minute then decides that I need to take a vacation to Vegas, and I need to drive there, take the Smart Mobile into the states and let it be seen (the Smart Cars are still not in the US, not until 2008). I must take two weeks, because it's a 2 or 3 day drive, not enough time to relax if driving. Oh, and if I have family there, is there any chance of getting citizenship?

I stop for minute thinking, did I hear him right? "Uh, yes... " I stammer. "I believe my father is the next in line under the Grandfather rule and then my sister and I can get our citizenship".

Charlie's face lights up and he gets excited. "Great, call you Dad as soon as you can and get him working on it. And book the two weeks this year, BeanCounters will cover your gas if you take the smart car. Have some fun, but drive the car around Vegas, check out the response. Let me know how it goes".

And the meeting ends. John stayed behind a bit, talked to Charlie, who seeming lost his mind, and I cornered John later to ask him what was up. Aparently, when Charlie gets an idea, Charlie sticks to the idea. Probably a good thing for someone worth millions, terrifying for me. Charlie told me a long time ago that they were training me t manage a branch and we all assumed they meant Toronto/Niagara where I lived for stint, and area I know well. It seems that all this time, Charlie wanted me in the states and hearing that I had relatives in Vegas, thought that would be a great place to start. Pack me up, ship me to Vegas and start the first US BeanCounters on Site.

So now I'm excited and terrified. Partly because no one but Charlie knows for sure if this will happen and Charlie's not talking, and partly because, although I love Vegas, I'm not so sure I want to up and move. And can I get citizenship for Jingle.

It's all a little freaky and we'll keep you posted, but it's possible Jingle and I may be shipped to the desert. Good thing I didn't tell Charlie about the family in Phoenix. He just may have split me in two, one half for each state.

So just in case, Jingle is learning Blackjack in case we need some startup cash, and I'm brushing up on US History and Geography in case I need to wirte any citizenship exams.

And Bill and Mandy, can I crash for two weeks? I don't know when yet, but I will let you know!

A shout out to Sarah and Rebecca!

This happened almost a month ago but, like I already said, been a little busy and been neglecting the posts. But I have to share this treat with all of you.

So I see Sarah once a month for massages and usually, the little wee ones aren't there. The last time I went, it was so wonderful. Not only were Sarah's children there but Rebecca (her sister) was there with her little boy! It was a pleasant surprise of 4 little ones. And add Indy to the mix and what a busy household. Those children are all so well behaved though, and when you get Indy inside the house, she's a well behaved little doll too. I even got a smile from the baby! A great big toothless little grin!

Sarah is remarkable at relieving the stress I always seem to have, but this visit, I don't think I ever felt so great after. Just the wonder of what little kids can do for you.

Hey Chantelle, maybe someday we'll have the joy and visiting each other for cups of tea with our children.

And Sarah and Rebecca, thank you for letting me gush over your children. They are just so incredibly gorgeous kids.

Why I can't make my bed, ever!

I'm not a slob, I swear! I vacuum often, I dust, mop the floors, keep up with the laundry (which isn't much for one person who wears a uniform everyday and a cat), keep the bathrooms clean and do the dishes. And whatever else comes up. But I can never seem to make my bed and now that it's summer, it's worse. And the culprit is Jingle.

I'm a firm believer that you can make a house look tidy on short notice, you can throw the dirty dishes in the diswasher, and swiffer has all the products for those quick clean ups when you don't have time for the mop or broom. And Jingle barely sheds so if I get behind, you really can't see any cat anywhere (except my bed where she sleeps). However, an unmade bed can make the cleanest house look messy. It takes about 18.5 seconds to make the bed and I can't seem to do it any morning. And that's where Jingle comes in.

Jingle likes to sleep on cushy lumps, not nicely folded blankets. She likes to burrow under quilts and pretend shes in her own little world. When morning comes, theres no chance of her waking up with me. She glares at the alarm clock and falls promptly back to sleep as soon as I turn it off (what does she do all night long that makes her so tired in the morning? I think I need to set up some cameras). She moves around the bed while I shower but only to find a lumpier position that she can burrow into. She remains asleep while I get ready, eat, drink my coffee. And barely gives me a look when I leave. So I ask you. Would you disturbe the incredibly cute kitty that is so comfy and sleepy to make the bed?

Then I come home and get my greetings from the now awake Jingle but as soon as I head to the bedroom, up on the bed she goes, eliminating my attempt to make it. By dinner time, I give up.

Now that it's summer, it's worse. It's too warm to sleep with the bedspread on the bed so I started folding it and placing it nicely on the floor for the night, thinking, Jingle can't get to it so I'll just throw it over her in the morning. WRONG!! She unfolded it and made herself a tent in the middle of my bedroom, as shown!


So then I thought, I'll put the bedspread in the closet on top of the Christmas tree. The plan seemed to work until I realized the next day that I hadn't seen Jingle for hours, which is very unusual. After turning the place upside down, I found her, burrowed into the bedspread, on top of the Christmas tree. *Sigh* So just be aware that if you ever visit, and the bed is unmade, please don't hold it against me. It's just another case of Jingle owning me, not me owning her.

Vacation temporarily over!!!!

Hey everybody!

I know, I know, it's been a month since Jingle and I blogged. We aren't trying to keep you out of our lives, honestly. Its just that we go through spells where we (I'm) busy and just can't find time to write a blog. Also, we find many days where it's much more important to us to grab Jingle's favorite toy, curl up under our favorite blanket (a handmade patchwork quilt my grandmother gave me) and watch a movie together. Anyone who know me well knows that I will drop everything I'm doing if Jingle wants a "snuggle" and give her the attention she so rightly deserves.

Lately, she's been big on cuddling and is into movies more than ever. I think she is anxiously anticipating the new Harry Potter movie coming very soon because she is now starting to pull the DVD's off my movie shelves and bring them to me. After a few permanent teeth marks, I moved Harry and his friends to the top shelf and moved my boxed sets to the lower shelves. Aparently the deluxe super edition of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, all six Star Wars, the Godfather movies, Indiana Jones, and the Family Guy and Simpsons collection prove to be too big and heavy for her little mouth. Not that she didn't try.

But I can't complain. For a girl that never tried to teach her cat tricks, Jingle does some pretty cool ones. You have to love a cat that runs immediately to the bed and starts pulling the covers back as soon as I say "Bedtime!". A cat that greats you at the door and talk to you about her her day for 20minutes. Or a cat that faithfully and attentively watches Harry Potter and any and all Disney movies. A cat that comes when she's called, that ensures I take a break every hour on the hour when I work at home by either jumping on my laptop or crying at the top of her lungs until I come running. A cat that loves the bubbles in a bath and bats them into my face all the time. And conveniently goes deaf when shes done something wrong but can hear the fresh "slurp" of her treat jar when opened from the deepest sleep or the faintest ringing of her lazer pointer from a mile away. And the list goes on.

She's one crazy kitty and keeps me on my toes. Because of this, we just sometimes forget to blog. We get so wrapped up in each other that time flies and before we know it, we are far behind in postings.

When you have the greatest cat in the world (in my own opinion, I know, no angry responses to that) you tend to give her everything you have. It's amazing how such a little, tiny thing can take up so much of my heart.

Love you Jingle!!!