PGP - plannng our 2011 road trip!!!

[Alisaura]

Puppytime!

 

[Thora]

Well girls, I am off to Winnipeg for the weekend! I am going to see my other favourite band!: hyper:

Bon Jovi better look out~: wink:

Talk to ya again Sunday night! Have a great weekend!: hug:

Hope you have a fabulous time!

Hello from Montreal. Yesterday was pretty eventful. I missed me connecting flight from toronto to montral because my thunder bay one was late getting in. Had to take the next flight out so Liz was waiting for me for almost another two hours. Then val got lost downtown in her car and me and liz tried to find her for an hour. We finally did in a parking lot next to the Bell Center.

Glad you're finally there, and hopefully the rest of your trip won't be as eventful!

I'm tired... and suddenly my To Do list got massive. I need to do my tax return, check my payslips online from the last 6 months cos I haven't looked at them and have been happily ignoring baffling fluctuations in my pay (although maybe I should do that before the tax return...), get my car its 100,000km service, try to get the UK consulate on the phone to make sure I have all the rights bits of paper for my citizenship application, then send the thing off (with $900, ow), figure out where I'm going to live because our share house is breaking up in about a month (one housemate very pregnant and going to move in with fiance, other two housemates engaged to one another and will be moving in with relatives so they can save money for wedding, no hard feelings), then move there, and somewhere along the line, catch up with a pile of old emails, move offices at work, and worry about my father's worsening dementia and my brother's sudden uncommunicativeness. And stay relatively sane, but who wants to do that.



Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled party.

Wow - that's a lot to deal with. And it's $900 for your citizenship application?! Yowch. I don't remember what it cost when my brother and I became American citizens, but we did have to have lawyers and stuff, because although it should have been a very simple process (Mom is from the US, she moved to Canada when she met my Dad), it ended up getting kinda complicated because of missing paperwork and other ridiculousness on the part of the US government. My parents paid for it all since we were just kids at the time, so for all I know it could have easily been that much or more.

Soooooo we're meeting Farrah in 20 minutes!!!

Yayyy!


This is my last day of work before vacation.

 

[Alisaura]

Wow, that's a lot on your plate!

I didn't know about your dad. If you'd like to vent or exchange parental dementia notes or whatever, I'm just a PM away.

Ta... I hadn't said anything before, kind of hard to know how to bring it up. And up until a few weeks ago, it hadn't really hit me properly. I might drop you a line tomorrow.

[...] I'm so distracted these days, that I seem to forget to reply to half the stuff on here that I intend to.

I'm the same way...

I know!! When I think about things in the 90s, it seems like they only happened two weeks ago. A sign of age, I guess.

Yeah, it's funny how subjective time is sort of sharply divided into "stuff I can't remember or happened before I was born and is therefore ancient history", and "stuff I remember happening so it must have been quite recent".

 

[VintagePunk]

Soooooo we're meeting Farrah in 20 minutes!!!

Can't wait to see pics!

This is my last day of work before vacation.

Awesome! When are you leaving for your parents' place?

 

[VintagePunk]

Ta... I hadn't said anything before, kind of hard to know how to bring it up. And up until a few weeks ago, it hadn't really hit me properly. I might drop you a line tomorrow.

It's a huuuuge mental and emotional thing to come to terms with. I sincerely mean it, I'm here anytime you need anything. In the meantime, take care of yourself.

I'm not sure if this will help or not, but we were just remarking the other day how my mom seems to have fewer bad days lately. The decline is still very apparent, even on her best days, but she seems to be holding her own with the meds she's currently on. In my experience, it feels hopeless sometimes, but you get to the point where you realize things could be much worse.

 

[Thora]

Awesome! When are you leaving for your parents' place?

I have to be on the ferry at a specific time on Sunday morning. I'm hoping to find a place to crash downtown tomorrow night, as I'm going to a dinner out that way tomorrow. My parents live further west than downtown, so it would be nice if I didn't have to drive all the way east to my home tomorrow night (I live in a suburb 40 mins away from the downtown area) after my evening is over, only to have to come out that exact way again the next morning. So far I'm hitting a dead end, but I have two more possibilities that I'm going to call today. Hopefully something will work out!

So that long convoluted answer was all to say, maybe I'll be heading out tomorrow, but if I can't find a place to stay, then I'm leaving at the butt crack of dawn on Sunday morning.

 

[Alisaura]

Where did my manners go... Hi VP and DG and Thora

 

[Thora]

I don't know where your manners went. Hola!

I'm actually headed off now. I've been sitting in front of my computer in my PJ's, of course getting distracted as always. Still have to get dressed and decent looking for the day, grab breakky and make lunch, and get to work - all within less than an hour. Whoops. I think I'm gonna be late again.

I'm sure you'll be gone by the time I can get to my work computer, so have a good night!

 

[Alisaura]

And it's $900 for your citizenship application?! Yowch. I don't remember what it cost when my brother and I became American citizens, but we did have to have lawyers and stuff, because although it should have been a very simple process (Mom is from the US, she moved to Canada when she met my Dad), it ended up getting kinda complicated because of missing paperwork and other ridiculousness on the part of the US government. My parents paid for it all since we were just kids at the time, so for all I know it could have easily been that much or more.

That was the fee when I was first researching this a couple of years ago... I wouldn't put it past them to have put it up by now! And I'll have to apply for a UK passport if I do get citizenship, another $200 or so. I suppose they have to find some way of discouraging people and making a buck at the same time.

I don't know what the fees are for the various other ways you can get citizenship/a visa/residency; in my case it's through my mother, who was born in the UK.

I'm not sure if this will help or not, but we were just remarking the other day how my mom seems to have fewer bad days lately. The decline is still very apparent, even on her best days, but she seems to be holding her own with the meds she's currently on. In my experience, it feels hopeless sometimes, but you get to the point where you realize things could be much worse.

I'm not living with my parents, so it's mostly my mother I feel for... she's younger than dad and has to deal with him every day. But anyway... details are for later.

Ta again.

So that long convoluted answer was all to say, maybe I'll be heading out tomorrow, but if I can't find a place to stay, then I'm leaving at the butt crack of dawn on Sunday morning.

I hope you can find some crash space! Getting up at arse crack of dawn is no fun at all, even for holidays.

You'll have an awesome time though!


I need to get some sleep, I was going to get to bed early tonight... haha.

 

[VintagePunk]

I have to be on the ferry at a specific time on Sunday morning. I'm hoping to find a place to crash downtown tomorrow night, as I'm going to a dinner out that way tomorrow. My parents live further west than downtown, so it would be nice if I didn't have to drive all the way east to my home tomorrow night (I live in a suburb 40 mins away from the downtown area) after my evening is over, only to have to come out that exact way again the next morning. So far I'm hitting a dead end, but I have two more possibilities that I'm going to call today. Hopefully something will work out!

So that long convoluted answer was all to say, maybe I'll be heading out tomorrow, but if I can't find a place to stay, then I'm leaving at the butt crack of dawn on Sunday morning.

Hope something works out so that you don't have to do all the extra driving!


I'm headed out to run a few errands and pop in on my mom for a bit, before it gets too hot. It's been bad the past few days - not surface-of-the-sun hot like it was a week or so ago, but hot enough to be quite uncomfortable out there. See you all later.


Deeg, hope there will be puppy pics when I get back.

 

[daygloeyes2]

Omfg she's so sweet and silly!

 

[daygloeyes2]

 

[Thora]

That was the fee when I was first researching this a couple of years ago... I wouldn't put it past them to have put it up by now! And I'll have to apply for a UK passport if I do get citizenship, another $200 or so. I suppose they have to find some way of discouraging people and making a buck at the same time.

I don't know what the fees are for the various other ways you can get citizenship/a visa/residency; in my case it's through my mother, who was born in the UK.


I hope you can find some crash space! Getting up at arse crack of dawn is no fun at all, even for holidays.

You'll have an awesome time though!

Those things are so bloody expensive. I can see your point in that the costs would deter some people from attempting to become citizens. I hope it all works out for you, and that it isn't too crazily expensive!

Hope something works out so that you don't have to do all the extra driving!

Thanks! I hope so too. I looked into hotel costs, just to see what was out there, and ummm, NO. Too damn expensive for just one night, even if I wasn't directly downtown. It's too early to call people just yet, but I'll get to that at some point later on this morning.

Omfg she's so sweet and silly!

Awwww! What a cutie!

 

[daygloeyes2]

Phoebe is NOT happy. Poor Farrah wants to play and she has her back to her.

 

[daygloeyes2]

Did Farrah's cuteness kill the thread?

 

[zuropa_fit]

PUPPEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thora, enjoy vacation!

I wonder how Kristen and Drea are doing in Montreal. Is that where you're going, Thora?

So I got the first step towards applying for the Fulbright done today - I heard from the program I want to study with at King's College in London and they like me and said they'll help me with admissions and write a letter to the Fulbright people!!!!!! It's just a baby step - I still have to jump through about 100 other hoops and beat out 800 other applicants for the scholarship but still...

 

[WildHoney]

OMG Puppyness

FArrah is just so cute

Sadie didn;t take to Bonnie's arrival straight away

 

[WildHoney]

So I got the first step towards applying for the Fulbright done today - I heard from the program I want to study with at King's College in London and they like me and said they'll help me with admissions and write a letter to the Fulbright people!!!!!! It's just a baby step - I still have to jump through about 100 other hoops and beat out 800 other applicants for the scholarship but still...

OMG Zooey in London

I hope everything works out

 

[Thora]

PUPPEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thora, enjoy vacation!

I wonder how Kristen and Drea are doing in Montreal. Is that where you're going, Thora?

So I got the first step towards applying for the Fulbright done today - I heard from the program I want to study with at King's College in London and they like me and said they'll help me with admissions and write a letter to the Fulbright people!!!!!! It's just a baby step - I still have to jump through about 100 other hoops and beat out 800 other applicants for the scholarship but still...

Thanks! I'm excited for time off. No, not heading to Montreal until next summer. I'm just going to visit my parents for this little vacation.

Wow - that's awesome!! What a fabulous start!

 

[zuropa_fit]

OMG Zooey in London

I hope everything works out

Me too. It wouldn't be 'til 2011-12 school year so you've got some time to prepare.

Thanks! I'm excited for time off. No, not heading to Montreal until next summer. I'm just going to visit my parents for this little vacation.

Wow - that's awesome!! What a fabulous start!

Aw that'll be nice. Hope your dad's doing okay from his surgery.

Which reminds me, Wild, how's your brother?

 

[VintagePunk]

Awwwww, puppy!!!

So I got the first step towards applying for the Fulbright done today - I heard from the program I want to study with at King's College in London and they like me and said they'll help me with admissions and write a letter to the Fulbright people!!!!!! It's just a baby step - I still have to jump through about 100 other hoops and beat out 800 other applicants for the scholarship but still...

That's such great news!

 

[Thora]

Aw that'll be nice. Hope your dad's doing okay from his surgery.

He's doing okay, thanks. He's been pushing it lately, which is a bit worrying, but otherwise he's doing not bad. His eye is still itchy and sore, but it will take time for that to go away.

 

[zuropa_fit]

He's doing okay, thanks. He's been pushing it lately, which is a bit worrying, but otherwise he's doing not bad. His eye is still itchy and sore, but it will take time for that to go away.

Glad to hear - keep him in line while you're there!
When I was visiting last month, my dad fell down the stairs. He was so angry/embarrassed. I felt really bad for him. He hates that his body is getting old.

 

[dazzledbylight]

here for a while - 6:30ish

hope everyone is well!S

 

[dazzledbylight]

Glad to hear - keep him in line while you're there!
When I was visiting last month, my dad fell down the stairs. He was so angry/embarrassed. I felt really bad for him. He hates that his body is getting old.

how "old" is he?

 

[dazzledbylight]

ooooo way to go, zu!!!!! it's a BIG baby step I'd say!

 

[dazzledbylight]

Mmm, gymnosperms.

</flashback to biology class at school>

sounds like a bad acid trip to me!


ali!

 

[zuropa_fit]

:

here for a while - 6:30ish

hope everyone is well!S

I'll be leaving in a few minutes to take my son and his friends to a movie - a Nat'l Geographic documentary on Oceans. My son has promised to cover my eyes for me during the shark parts!

how "old" is he?

He's only 64 and still very active, smart, working, etc so it's hard for him to feel "old".

ooooo way to go, zu!!!!! it's a BIG baby step I'd say!

Thx. I just got an email that says "only 46 days until your application is due in to your advisor!"

 

[dazzledbylight]

I'm tired... and suddenly my To Do list got massive. I need to do my tax return, check my payslips online from the last 6 months cos I haven't looked at them and have been happily ignoring baffling fluctuations in my pay (although maybe I should do that before the tax return...), get my car its 100,000km service, try to get the UK consulate on the phone to make sure I have all the rights bits of paper for my citizenship application, then send the thing off (with $900, ow), figure out where I'm going to live because our share house is breaking up in about a month (one housemate very pregnant and going to move in with fiance, other two housemates engaged to one another and will be moving in with relatives so they can save money for wedding, no hard feelings), then move there, and somewhere along the line, catch up with a pile of old emails, move offices at work, and worry about my father's worsening dementia and my brother's sudden uncommunicativeness. And stay relatively sane, but who wants to do that.



Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled party.

THIS. uh yeah, better check 'em!:

Hopefully you will not have a unexpected have to pay more taxes like my sis did a few years back -something like not enough taxes were taken out and she didn't realize it!

aaaawwww no, ali! didn't know about your dad!

My dad has very little short term memory left and he hardly talks at all now. Yet he still physically gives cognizant cues depending on the convo.
He went (after a big stroke) down to 12 - 12 mins of being able hold a convo before he'd forget everything. ANd start asking the same questions again.

It was very sad, but not as frustrating and upsetting as the window of short term memory shrank to a 2 mis or so over 5 yrs or so. Now he doesn't really recognize us any more.

You can always PM me to vent.

Extra stress (expected or not)on your bro all of a sudden? that might do it. Unless somehow ( depended on his personality and your relationship with him--- some unknown simmering resentment?

woah , are you're moving to England? or did i mis-read what you said.

BIGS

 

[dazzledbylight]

This is my last day of work before vacation.

hyper: W00t!!!!!!