It's a good thing this blog isn't scratch and sniff...

On Saturday, after the gas company left, we still smelled something FUNK-AY, but we weren't sure what it was. We looked around the house, but couldn't pinpoint the location, until...

We walked into the kitchen and it seemed a bit more prevalent there. We looked around, and while the kitchen was clean, there seemed to be an odd aroma coming from the stove hood. We took a sniff and we both confirmed what smelled like natural gas (it wasn't).

Josh decided to call a company in to clean the hood and disinfect it. They stuck some hoses in and sucked out what was there. Lucky us, it was a bird's nest. Mmmm. They dispatched with the nest, cleaned up our kitchen and all was right with the world...

I freaking live in Mayberry...

You know, with Aunt Bea, Opie, et al...

A few days ago Josh went to the Canada Post site and arranged to have the keys changed on our superbox. (For those of you that don't know, the area that we will be living in doesn't have door to door mail delivery, but instead it's dropped off in a giant mailbox across the street).

Anyways, they said that in order to get the new keys we have to show proof of ownership and give them the papers. Fine, that makes sense. We were told that we would get the new keys today and we were just waiting for the call. Well, something funny happened on the way to the forum...

Josh got the call today that the keys were ready, but instead of having to show any proof that we actually owned the house, they quaintly (and stupidly) told us that they placed the keys under the welcome mat. Umm, yeah.

So, basically anyone could claim they were us and could have the locks changed?! I think an email is in order...

...and this is why I still love Canada Post.

Loonies and toonies and cheques, oh my!

Another month, another pic of our loonie/toonie jar...

I'm really freaking amused right now...

If you remember this post, you'll find the following just as amusing as I did.

As most of you know, I check my Statcounter every day. Well, I just checked it and I had five hits from around Georgia from Home Depot Inc. I guess they didn't want to comment on the post...after all, I'm oh so scary.

Anyways, that just amuses me...I think I should copy and paste that complaint post into an email to them and see what happens...not that I'd ever use their services.

By the way, we had the house painted today. ;)

Originally I was going to just have the master bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen done. This morning I changed my mind and added the 2nd level hallway, den, foyer and stairway leading into the basement (the only things we haven't gotten painted are the bathrooms and the other two bedrooms...I'm thinking I might do that in the next month or two - before the housewarming). :)

I got such a great price and it's looking SO good right now. The painters are coming back tomorrow for the second coat...and it (the paint, not the painters) just looks scrumptious. I'll eventually post photos...be patient. ;)

Rant, rave, Rumour Queen and referrals ***UPDATE***

(rant)

Well, this is something I never thought I'd do, but I have to get this rant out. I'm pissed and, you know what, that's ok.

The new batch came out, as many of you are aware, and it went from November 21 to 25. Four days of referrals this month. FOUR days. I know that this month was supposed to be really heavy for LIDs, but this is just absurd. We're coming up to our one year LIDiversary (we're planning a little party, but I've held off doing anything for it just yet) and now I have to wonder what decade we're going to see our child. I never wanted to say this, but at this rate, I think it's going to end up being 2010. That hurts just writing that. A LOT.

I told my aunt and uncle about the adoption tonight, but I just couldn't get excited about it. Now in hindsight, I'm wondering if I really should have said anything. I just wish we had a better idea of WHEN this was going to happen.

I'm getting annoyed with the RQ. I don't know where she gets her information, but she seems to just either not care lately or not bother to get to the truth of the matter. Yes, I know, her site is based on rumours, but damn it how does it go from somewhere in (very) late November to December 13 and then, in reality, end up at November 25? She's been consistently wrong lately, yet I still click on her site. I think, for my sanity (or what's left of it), I really need to stop clicking on her site. In the beginning it helped a little, perhaps, but not anymore. If her predictions/rumours/whatever are always wrong, then what's the point?

I have to wonder if, at times, she puts out these wild assed guesses (hey, I can say that here without being censored) just to get more hits on her site. Let's face it people, she gets paid for clicks. Don't even get me bloody started on her 'book reviews' or the automatons who comment on her site like she's G-d's gift to all things adoption related. She really isn't. Granted, she spends a lot of time on her site, but if she's almost always wrong, then why should we waste our time clicking?

I find it amusing that whenever anyone questions her posts or has an independent thought, that her minions jump to her defense and beat down the person who deigns to question her, yet she says that people should support each other in the process. So, which is it?

It also pissed me off to no end when she was babbling about how the year has gone by SO fast...yeah, for her it has...she's not waiting any longer. I'm not trying to diminish her wait and everyone else who has waited a long time, but it seems lately that there's no end in sight.

I'm tired of getting my hopes up for a big batch and then having it crash and burn EACH and EVERY month. Josh has gotten to the point where he only wants to hear about the adoption timeline when it's on the CCAA site.

The only 'positive' thing is that I know I'm not alone in my feelings. How are you all handling/dealing with the wait? If you'd rather comment anonymously, go ahead. If you have a differing opinion, please feel free to express it...

(/rant)

***I just wanted to thank you all for your supportive comments, open and honest feelings on the topic, and the emails I received.***

I'm in love!

Yesterday Josh and I made our way to see Nic, Tim, and Z. Oh...my...G-d! What a precious little guy he is. Josh and I just sat there staring at him (he really is THAT beautiful)...and we got to hold him for a while. He has the most beautiful toothless little smile I've seen. He's got a great disposition, he was a little fussy, but hey, what baby isn't?

We sat around, listening to Tim, Nic and her mom talk about their trip and we really found it fascinating. We bitched about the referrals (little did I know that a new batch was just coming out last night).

After we sat around for a little while, shmoozing, we decided to head out for dinner. That was an experience...but it's a story for another day. Suffice it to say, steak should not come to the table drenched in butter and sizzling like it's a fajita. ;) Let's just say that the muffin I had at the border was much better...

We got hammered with traffic all the way home, and what would normally be a 2.5 hour trip ended up being closer to 4.5 or 5...but it was worth it to see one little smile from Z.

What's that SMELL?! ***UPDATE***

We walked into the house this morning and smelled the overwhelming odour of what can only be described as 'rotten eggs'. We had the guy from Sears over to give us an estimate on carpetting and he smelled it too. We thought for a moment and then realized what it was...

I'll give you a moment to figure out what it was...

Dum de dum...

Still thinking?

Yup, a gas leak. Gotta love that...day one of house ownership and we had a gas leak. WOO! So, we called up the gas company, they sent over a guy to check it out and he confirmed that's what it was. It's a good thing neither of us are smokers or all we'd be holding onto as we entered the house, would be the door handle.

It was a relatively easy fix, he just had to tweak something with the hot water heater and all was right with the world. I'm glad we own the house, but I REALLY wasn't looking forward to all that excitement just yet. ;)

After all that was dealt with, we ordered our carpetting. We chose brown sugar (it's a neutral brown shade) and it looks SO yummy and cozy. It should be ready in two weeks.

So, we have painting this week...carpetting and blinds in two weeks...officially move in three weeks.

***We do have a detector, but we haven't plugged it into the house...yet. That sucker's definitely going in soon. Thanks for the concern. :)***