Summer's Coming

For the past year or so, or at least since I was diagnosed and started staring at walls more, I have woken up to an empty house. It's a chain reaction in here, Kim gets up stupid early, then wakes up Iain to do his papers, who then wakes up Riley to go to school, who finally wakes me up on the way out the door. This week I have woken up every morning to find Iain on the computer. I'm so confused. He's on exams so he isn't heading in at any regular time. 


Summer is almost here and the kids will be home all day with me. It's already started. The computer is the household entertainment unit now. We used to think that getting rid of cable TV was the best thing we ever did around here, the kids would have no choice but to find something else to waste their time with than mindless boob tube. But as it turns out like any other Darwinian scenario, when faced with the need, intelligent creatures adapt and change to their new environments. 


The little buggers still won't leave the house.


Now we have the computer, XBox, Wii, and a plethora of other devises that require some sort of cord to keep them happy and inside. All this and the summer has yet to even begin, however you wouldn't know that if you stepped outside - 20 seconds and you loose 5 lbs. of water that you can feel evaporating from the top of your head. I hate hot. And me being as cheap (and Scottish) as I am, refuse to put in the air conditioner. When the temp in here reaches 105 I will consider it.


One huge problem with the computer - I've started a home graphics business. I get dibs, they don't like it. Oh well, I'm getting paid, they're not. On that note, check out Ink Blotch Graphics on Facebook if you suddenly decide you want something designed for whatever reason, say your neighbour's Bar Mitzvah, or any major concert event you happen to be sponsoring, I can help you with that. (By the way, I'm really good, just thought I'd toss in some blatant self-promotion). 


Is anyone impressed that I haven't mentioned being Bipolar yet? Just wondering.


So this summer promises to be weirder than most. The kids are older now, which means they're harder to keep happy. I'm older now which means I'm seriously into a mid-life crisis (as well as sick). And it's hot enough out to melt the metal chairs on the patio. We have some projects going on as well, which are going way too slow for my liking, We're taking out all the carpeting upstairs and installing hardwood flooring. So far, only one room is anywhere near done, so we're sleeping wherever we can, I drew the short straw and got the living room couch. So hire me so I can finish this damn job!


We're planning to drag the kids kicking and screaming out of here too, This being the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, and we being history nuts, we're going to Summerfest to see the tall ships and re-enactments of the battles between Windsor and Detroit. That should be fun, if my sandals don't melt to the pavement. I would love to drive up to the Niagara region to see their festivities too, Queenston Heights and the Brock Monument are worth the trip on any day, but with the added events I don't want to miss it. Only problem is my car needs new front bearings and won't make the trip. That means the hardwood will get pushed back again.


Whatever you do this summer, make it worth your while for your kids. Make it fun for you too, personally I'd love to spend it in the Caribbean on a beach, but that ain't gonna happen, so we make the best of what we have, and enjoy what we can. I'm not letting my illness wreck this summer. It's not a vacation for me, I spend way too much time in here now. It's a family time that should be relished and preserved. 


Now with my luck, someone is going to hire me for a massive job with a ridiculous deadline that eliminates all these plans. As long as they pay me. I can only wish.


Cheers.