Category Archives: Life

Wisdom Tooth Countdown

Posted in Life by

I can’t run away from this any longer. Or I could, but it would only get worse. Five years ago I was told I’d need to remove my wisdom teeth. Ha! That was Catherine-ese for “You need to stop going to the dentist,” and so I did.

The infections come and they go, but my wisdom teeth have remained in place.

Except for now. For some reason I’ve suddenly pooled courage and decided to get the suckers pulled one at a time. (I’m only getting 2 removed since the others seem fine. We’ll see how it goes.) Why now? Why not five years ago? Actually I don’t know. Circumstances have lined up this way, and I’m actually a great believer in circumstances. So it’s on, baby. (Unless I run away.)

There are many, many YouTube videos online explaining how an impacted tooth is removed from the jaw. I can see them in the list of results, but haven’t actually clicked upon them as of yet. One lady told me they need to unhinge your jaw. HOLY S. What kind of crazy is that?

Okay. Status has changed:

I just watched 49 seconds of a 1:11 min video. That was enough. It was a very straightforward cartoon. I hope this is a straightforward procedure, because Catherine won’t be taking a nap during the event. Bring on the numbing agents!

Maybe this is just the distraction I need from the scans that follow my upcoming birthday. Got scanxiety? Get your wisdom tooth removed!

Bah!

T-minus 10 days and counting till tooth removal. This is now the part where you say it’s no big deal, and far more like playing with a puppy while floating on a cloud. That sounds about right. Right?

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The Moment I Knew For Sure

Posted in Bumpboobs, Life, Love by

So I have this memory burned into my mind.

This memory is me at a train station in Amsterdam. My younger brother is standing behind me on the train platform and we’re waiting for this train to pull away. The train station is perfectly European as in the ceilings stretch up high and pigeons fly amoungst the raftors. The announcements in this far-off echo and bounce around the massive place as we stand there waiting.

And then I see him. I see Zsolt find his seat inside of the train. Only seconds ago he was with me in my arms, and now he’s there inside of this train about to pull out of the station. It’s funny how one second you can be wrapped up in this world of love and excitement, and then – almost inevitably – the next second you are sobbing on a train platform as your heart breaks and you wonder, “will I ever see him again?”

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Zsolt is inside of this train waiting to pull out of the Amsterdam train station. He’s sitting by the window next to the platform. I slow down the tears as much as possible and go up to that window, and wait till he notices me.

He notices me.

He smiles.

I smile.

I put my hand against the window; it’s cold and it’s dirty, but he’s right there on the other side and only moments before he was next to me kissing me goodbye. Zsolt puts his hand upon the window against mine so that all there is between us is this cold pane of glass – that and a train that is now about to leave the station.

But just there in that ten second window before I need to step back, I make the decision that will change my life. I decide that no matter what happens, I will see him again. No matter what, we will be together again.

At that point, I’d known Zsolt for about three weeks, and had spent about nine of those days together with him. It was enough to know I wouldn’t give up on us. It was enough to change my life.

So, when I start to think about the things I’d rather not think about, I try and remember that moment on the platform – grimy glass and all – and focus on my hand against his hand. It is the moment that I carry with me through all of this, and keep safe with a sense of certainty. It’s the bright side when I go to the hard places. It is my power. It is our love.

 

P.S. It’s our five year wedding anniversary today, hence this sentimental post! 🙂

 

Human vs Squirrel

Posted in Canada, Finding Home, Fun, Life by

This started late last week, but if I really think about it – it’s been going on for quite some time. I’d look out the back porch door window at the fire escape stairs and see them hopping up and down the steps. It was fun to watch. Squirrels going up and down during the winter. It’s a glimpse of urban wildlife, like spotting a raccoon or getting to know the neighbourhood cats.

Then about two weeks ago the gutter came crashing down in the middle of the night. The BANG woke us up for about two minutes before we fell back asleep. (Thank God it wasn’t a burgular, geez.) Apparently – according to my landlord – the gutter had simply rotted away, and it needs to be replaced by a professional.

squirrelAnyhow, that’s all back story.

Early last week I was outside on my back apartment-building-porch, enjoying this amazing weather. With weather this good, I take the mobile phone outside and do my social media’ing’ from there in my $10 Sobeys grocery store chair. It works really well.

Anyhoo, I’m on the back porch when a squirrel makes its way down the stairs above me. So I did what you do – I stood up and stomped my foot, thinking the squirrel would bolt. Except it didn’t. The little bugger came at me! Or not at me, but it came toward me, so I’m up and jumping around, and it’s up and jumping around, and I’m like “OH Sh8T this squirrel must have rabies to be this crazy!” and basically hug the wall, when it – thank God again – ran past me and somehow disappeared.

At this point I began calling out for Zsolt, since for some reason that’s my gut reaction in a situation of panic.

Eventually I settled back into my $10 chair, and then promptly left again when I heard more little noises I couldn’t place. I had crazy squirrel fear.

THEN just the other day, Zsolt informs me that we have a family of black squirrels living under my spice planter that has been sitting around since last summer. Apparently, according to Big Z, they just moved in and he has been watching them run in and out. The potter has a gap in the bottom so it could, in theory, sit on a railing.

Four teenage squirrels, who were obviously birthed in the apartment roof, had moved onto our porch. And for some reason, none of these squirrels have learned fear. They are freaking fearless. The cats don’t even chase them!

But you can’t keep squirrels on your porch, can you? One second they are all cute looking, and the next they are reminding me of black rats with long tails. Normally I’m cool with squirrels because they show respectful fear and avoidance. But not this little pack, oh no, they have no fear.

So, we decided to bust up their little nest. Putting on his tall green rain boots and carrying the broom, Zsolt carefully snuck around behind the planter on the porch, and tipped the thing over. They ran outta there.

But here is the problem. They still have the family home in the roof. I don’t want to be responsible for a bunch of dead squirrels if the pest control is called in. But I also really want to be able to go outside and not freak out with every little noise or ambush of black bushy tail.

Therefore, we are keeping the broom on hand at all moments, and Zsolt has been repeatedly running outside with it chasing them down the porch stairs and out of the yard.

I’m not actually convinced this is working, but we will see.

And that is yet another adventure from the land of apartment rentals.

Anyone know of some non-killing squirrel deterrents? Maybe we need to adopt an owl?