I think I'm growing gills, another three days of storms has got me closer to evolving to an amphibian.
Despite living on the coast for five years now, and working in the outdoors for all five I still am astonished by the amount of rain that can fall here when the winter storm season hits. Just when I think I've seen a heavy rain or wind storm the next day it rains harder and blows stronger. Today was a doozy, heavy rains combined with a cold wind blowing up to 70kmh out of the NW made for a miserable work day, thankfully I only had to endure 6hrs of it (poor Clint and Walter) as an appointment at the doctors office for Karen pulled me out of the maelstrom, normally you'd have to sedate me and tell me we're going to Gamesworkshop or the Pub to get me to the Doctors... not today, I was more than happy to flee the storm to go hear my unborn child's heartbeat. I feel guilty for not going with Karen to more of these appointments but I truly believe that her Pediatrician hates men, and nothing makes me more uncomfortable than somebody looking at me like I've committed a crime by impregnating the women I love (Karen
tells me I'm overreacting but I tell like I see it). Anyways the appointment went well, the baby's heart rate is strong and it was well worth the trip just too see Grady's face when we told him the sound he was hearing was the baby in his moms belly. He had been distracted by a balloon glove to that point, talking and not paying attention, but as soon as I whispered "whats that sound?" too him he froze in concentration and listened and when Dr. Buie said that's the baby a huge smile came across his face followed by his now famous "BAA...bby??" (I can thank Larry & Tina for their talking fridge magnet for this voice) complete with dog-trying-to-understand-his-master-head-tilt.So all goes well on the pregnancy front with Karen to fill in the important details with a Blog of her own. Now back to me....(You got love yourself before others can love you right :) )
You ever have one of those days where you've planned to do something and events conspire to tell you it ain't going to happen?? Well I had one on Monday. As previously mentioned in my last blog, I had planned to go to White Rock to play in a poker tourney at the River Rock Casino with co-worker/poker buddy Clint. Everything was set, Clint to pick me up at 7:30am, drive to White Rock eat breakfast put on our poker faces (ever see "Blue Steel" from the movie Zoolander... that's my face) and register at 9am for the 10am tourney start. Solid game plan except Clints battery died 10mins into trip, that's alright as we ended up only a half block away from a Lordco (parts supplier), lost half an hour no problem breakfast at Ronnies drive-thru instead of IHOP would get us back on schedule. Back on the road making good time, traffic is light and we can see the casino as we cross the Knight street bridge. With 30 minutes to registration starts all good until Clint decides to take the back entrance to getting to the Casino. The River Rock is located in an industrial area of Richmond and the "shortcut" took us right into a backup of transports waiting to get into a freight off-loading dock, so for twenty minutes we sat talking strategy and what we were going to do with our winnings (throw in the odd profanity aimed at the semis blocking our path to glory). Finally we pulled into the parking lot of the palatial River Rock with ten minutes to spare. Thru the deserted lower gaming floors and up three flights of stairs to the largest poker room in Western Canada we marched our steps quickening in anticipation... WHAT THE.... what do mean 110 people are in line ahead of us and another 110 are seated its only five after 9 I ask the mafia member at the sign up desk.. but its my birthday... That was one quiet ride back to Port Moody.
That's $25 saved in entry fees (Clint is in the red with the cost of a new battery) and 3 hours of poker online later at home with Clint lead to a $75us profit. I guess some things are not meant to happen while others are. (Please don't try too sign me up for GA I've yet to put up Grady as collateral for a game....)
Final thoughts of the day concern my revelations as a parent after 23 months of experience, lessons learned from Grady to remember for our new one.
1. Despite the horror of the tar like substance found in newborns diapers its nothing compared to the toxic waste found after your toddler eats broccoli and beef (mental note find something to do in a hurry when you smell that stench).
2.Your time is really their time. No explanation needed.
3.Single parents should be awarded medals of honour like war vets and paid like pro athletes. This includes stay at home moms and daycare workers. Five hours alone with my little monster and I'm DONE! (I wouldn't give up that time for anything though)
4.Hearing your child's first words is amazing and motivating them to learn more is fun... until you hear certain words in public and they sound an awfully alot like other not so cute words. You can guess these words for yourself. (hint one is like a car but bigger and able to carry more)
5.Like first words, first steps are proud moments for parents, like first words first steps lead to other unforeseen problems namely parachute jumps from anything climbable minus the parachute and balance.
6.(This ones for parents of little boys, may have some relevance to girls but I haven't had that dilemma... yet) No matter how much you envision your son as a macho, sport loving oil rig working adult that all goes out the window when they take a greater interest in the barbie dolls at the Toys R Us over the dinosaurs and toy soldiers.
7.No matter how cute it is for your toddler to pretend to drink out of your beer, don't let your friends take pictures of it. Grandparents don't think its cute at all.
8. (This one goes with no.7) No matter how much you think the first taste of beer will cure your sons/daughters need to ever drink your unattended beer again, this is false they actually enjoy it.
9.Those raspberries your infant so cutely makes are far from cute later when as a toddler they do it again with their mouths full of milk or any other beverages.
10.Learn a real good poker face as you will need it when they start doing things they find funny which you don't find funny but can't help yourself from laughing. (do not teach your son the evil villain laugh it will come back to haunt you)
11.Regardless of how shitty ('cuse the language), angry, frustrated you are during your day with them, others and/or work a simply sneak into their room at night to watch them sleep will make
everything right.Cheers John
