So... what'd ya think?

This is a purchase I thought long and hard about. It's a "KidCarry" child hip carrier- supposedly good for kids up to 45 lbs.

Our update on Daniel tells us he's 31 lbs now; I tried to imagine how we will move around China with an-almost-3-year-old-31-pound-toddler. I figure that, if he's into it (or even if he's not), I'll try to carry him a lot to promote attachment. But, given that I'm barely 5'2", and we will be in Nanjing- one of the "furnace cities"- in August (we hope!), I thought I might need a bit of help. I started looking into hip carriers, and, to be honest, this was the only one I found that I think *might* work with a 3 year old.

When our girls were infants, I was big into the sling thing. Attachment parenting and all that good stuff. I found that they were happy to be carried on my hip in the sling even when they were 2 years old. But it got tricky getting them in there. And they could wiggle out almost at will.

DH was not into sling-wearing. So, when our second child arrived, we bought a MEC Backpack Kid Carrier for him to wear and tote around our oldest. Ms. Independent had other ideas, however... she wanted to WALK wherever she went, thank-you very much.

Fortunately, our second daughter loved that Backpack. And her stroller. She was 4 years old and still loved her stroller. We'd pull into the parking lot of the Mall or a park and she'd wait for us to take out her stroller with a look that said, "What? Me, walk!?!".

We still have the MEC Backpack. My only complaint with it is that is it large, and would be a real pain to travel to China with. The KidCarry, on the other hand, is light, easy to pack, and looks promising... so, we'll see whether it will live up to its claims, or if I just flushed $70US down the tubes!

Ah...long weekends

I'm on my second cup of tea, the chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs have been made and devoured by little mouths, the dogs are fed, and I've already had a first pass at blog visits and Yahoo group reading... can it really get any better than this??

My "China Scrapbook" is calling me, I think... but so are the dirty floors and the litterpans in the basement... so, once I rouse myself enough to finish at least one of those jobs, I might just have to do some scrapbooking today.

I visited a few websites this morning and was inspired to be crafty. I also have started thinking about Daniel's 100 Good Wishes Quilt again. Most of his good wishes are scrapbooked, but not all. Maybe that's what I'll do today. Now, as for his quilt... let's just say that I live in hope that he'll be cuddling under it sometime during the winter... (or maybe that should read "he'll be cuddling under it during some winter" - LOL!).

Hold the Presses! Teapot Auction!!!

Some of you know that I am involved in Ruff-Spots, a foundation which raises money and awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering as a humane method of pet population control. Well, we are having a "Celebrity Teapot Auction"!! Most of the "celebrities" are local, but some have national and even international reputations (good and bad!?!)! Anyways, check out the Press Release below, and be sure to check out the Teapot Auction at http://www.ruffspots.com.

*************************************************************************************
For Immediate Release

Contact: Linda Ryan
Telephone: 782-SPAY (7729) June 29, 2007
E-mail: ruffspots@nl.rogers.com


TEAPOTS FOR ANIMALS
Local & International Celebs ‘Serve Up’ Their Teapots to Fight Pet Overpopulation

Volunteers of Ruff-Spots Animal Welfare Foundation are determined to help responsible pet owners who want to spay or neuter their animals but who find themselves unable to afford the cost of the procedure. Ruff-Spots is a charitable organization committed to helping control the pet population in our communities. The group is currently taking on an aggressive fundraising campaign to raise awareness of pet overpopulation and to help establish an affordable ‘Spay/Neuter Assistance Program’ in the province called ‘SNAP NL’.

The group’s Fundraising Coordinator, Linda Ryan, recently asked local personalities to give up their teapots from their personal collections for the cause. “Prevention is key”, says Ryan. “Many good pet owners realize that ‘fixing’ their animals is the only way to reduce the number of unwanted animals. We understand that for people on a fixed income, the procedure is really expensive. People need to act responsibly when it comes to their pets. The problem is tragic, and we should all take a hard look at the sobering statistics of cats and dogs that are given up to shelters or abandoned and left to die inhumanely.” Tremendous as the problem is, Ryan says, “It can be solved if each of us takes just one small step--starting with spaying and neutering our pets!” Ryan says, “Support for the cause has been overwhelming! Business members and celebrities jumped at the chance to help in any way they could, and this is a very unique and fun way in which to do that! The problem pulls at all of our heartstrings, and we are very grateful for their caring and interest.”

As a result, an eclectic display of teapots was ‘unveiled’ at a fundraiser tea at The Tea Garden in Holyrood on the weekend. Teapots belonging to local celebrities from Andy Jones (who donated a pot used in the popular stage production ‘Letters to Uncle Val’) to Andy Wells (who doesn’t normally drink tea yet ‘christened’ a teapot selected especially for the event) generated much intrigue among the 120 guests who attended. Perhaps one of the most unique ‘pots’ in the collection is that contributed by well-known Newfoundland artist Lloyd Pretty who hand painted a tin can that he had used for many a “mug-up” at a favorite fishing spot on the west coast of the island. The oldest teapot contributed is estimated at 100 years old from the personal collection of Sheila Guy-Murphy. Undoubtedly, the most ‘well-known teapot’ is that from international singing star Rita MacNeil. Ryan visited MacNeil’s Tea Room in Big Pond, Nova Scotia two years ago. It was this visit that ‘brewed’ the idea of a tea fundraiser and teapot auction. She contacted the star who graciously sent a ‘signature’ pot from her Tea Room Collection. You can read Rita MacNeil’s letter to the group and the significance of tea in Rita’s own life on the Ruff-Spots website. The teapots are being auctioned on-line at www.ruffspots.com until July 28th.

Ruff-Spots Animal Welfare Foundation was formed in 2003 by a group of just seven people. In just over four years, the foundation has grown to include a network of volunteers and has disbursed over $28,000 to animal rescue shelters and organizations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

-END-


You’re Invited…Would you like more information on the subject of this release, or to schedule an interview with Ruff-Spots’ volunteers ‘over tea’ featuring Rita MacNeil’s teapot?! You are welcome to contact Linda Ryan at 570-2140 (daytime) 364-8413 (evening).

And now for something completely different...

I saw this YouTube video on Julie Kenner's blog and it is too funny!

Any of you who write for a living, or who correct student's writing will appreciate it (Warning: it may not be appropriate viewing for those under 14).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjhOBiSk8Gg

LOA, LOA!!!

This is it- the source of my most recent anguish and, now, my great relief! It's actually more impressive in real life, with it's nice red stamp and all. But we could only get a photocopy in black & white.

The letter arrived today and we were able to go and sign it at the adoption consultant's office this afternoon. Hopefully, tomorrow, it will be winging its way back to China with the other documents that the Province had to sign.

Now, we wait for our TA. That needs to come, at the latest, by the first week in August. Hopefully, it will get here before that- or I'm going to be a wreck again. Let me tell you, the grey hairs are plentiful these days!

Not that I thought this would be easy... I just didn't expect it to be so hard every step of the way.

What!?! A Holiday?

I'm so distracted these days, that I didn't even remember that today was a provincial holiday. Discovery Day. This holiday commemorates the day, 510 years ago now, when Giovanni Cabotto (John Cabot) sailed into Bonavista Bay and "discovered" Newfoundland.

Now, I don't get this particular holiday- its one of those "funny" ones that some employers give, some unions negotiate for, some stores close for, but most don't. At the university, faculty don't get the holiday, but staff do. If you work for the federal government, you don't get it, but if you work for the provincial government, you do. Bottom line is that, at our house, we got ready for work this morning. It wasn't until I drove into the parking lot that I realized what was happening.

So, after calling my research assistant and assuring her it was OK to stay home (we had planned to meet today), I called the Province's adoption consultant. I left, oh, probably a 3-4 minute voice mail message for her. Just so she gets it first thing in the morning tomorrow. Because we NEED to get that LOA tomorrow and sign it!!! Otherwise, we won't be able to do so until next Tuesday- which could have serious consequences in terms of our TA arriving on time to travel with our group.

Can you spell STRESS?

Quote for the Day...

Love is inventive
to the point of infinity.
-St. Vincent de Paul