A funny little story... me and my motorcycle

As you may be aware they past month has not been easy on our family. However, we have perserved to meet our obligations to family, friends and work. Some had to be cancelled ie scrapbooking with my mom's group and co-workers, a charity 5k run and speaking engagement for me and the boy, Dad had to miss a few days of work to help me out when I was just completely overwhelmed and not getting much sleep and the poor girl had to deal with being shuffled around all over the place.

Some obligations could not be cancelled due to policies and amount of money invested. Case in point Motorcycle training course with my Aunt Chopper and it cost me $420.00 for course $17.50 to write my M1 beginners, 15.99 for training manual, $65.00 for pair of leather gloves, $147.00 for new DOT approved helmut and miscellaneous lunch, coffee and snacks. Friday Night, All day Saturday and All day Sunday. Hilarity and sheer grit ensued.

First night is training videos and going over some of the questions that will most likely be on the written test. I really can't recall what went on from 7-10pm because in case you didn't read the beginning of the last paragraph i was EXHAUSTED. they gave us some little booklet and a couple of sheets of paper and I shoved them in my bag. Got home made some cupcakes that are required for a Mother's day dinner that I will not see and left instructions with hubby about how to go about having the kids decorate them. Still no grocery shopping, start scrounging in cupboards for lunch items because I am informed that lunch breaks are actually part of the in class training time. Hubby offers me a beer which I drink because I am a little keyed up now that I know I am literally hours away from driving a motorcycle. Oh and did I mention that at about 9pm it has started to rain and the weather forcast says all day rain for tomorrow. YIP E Fucking EEE!

Saturday... darling little munchkins awake at 5AM for miscellaneous foolery like being cold, needing blankets and having to pee. Don't really get any extra sleep before I give up and get out of bed for good at 6:15 AM. Finish packing up massive lunch, pack RAINSUIT and rest of my gear. Auntie picks me up with fear and excitement in her eyes, I just need a frickin coffee.

Get to course we are second last ones in our seats... who are all these keeners...they obviously don't have children. 5mins we are suited up and out to the bikes....what no kiss first??? Find a bike find neutral and start pushing.

First exercise is to push a partner on the bike to get the feel for balance. Chubby girl dumps bike while trying to make a turn. this is not looking good. I decide to push Auntie first. Pushing Auntie on bike in full rainsuit is like running 5k this sucks! Time for Auntie to push me! I don't think I can do this..... Auntie just pushes me anyway and tells me not to be a sissy. I am trembling but I survive.

Now we have to start the bikes... Is this guy insane didn't he see me trembling I am clearly not ready for this. Oh yes I am. Just keep the clutch in and nothing bad can happen. My clutch hand HURTS ALOT!

It starts to rain, because hey why the hell not. I have paid good money to come out here to learn to ride a motorcycle and I want to be prepared for anything.

We rode in pouring rain, hail, 45 kph winds. About 4pm on Saturday I just pull my bike over to the curb, turn it off, sit down on the curb and cry. When all the instructors rush over to see what is wrong I scream I am FUCKING tired you idiots! We ride until 5:30pm and watch a few more videos.

On the way home we discuss how tired we are and how tomorrow is really going to suck but HEY the weather is supposed to be better tomorrow just a little colder. Note to self: pack turtle neck and extra sweater.

I get home and hubby has taken kids out for dinner, I have a glorious hot shower and proceed to smother my body with A535 and a special Arnica gel my massage therapist gave me. Now I think I smell worse. I take an Advil and wait for it to kick in. We put the kids to bed and hubby says " you better go to...full day tomorrow" Whaaaaaaa!

Sunday I wake up and take a quick inventory ooooouuuucccchhhhh! I don't think it hurts to open my LEFT EYE but that is about it. Every muscle, joint and skin cell is shrieking!

I roll out of bed and start to get ready. Drink my coffee and ignore the regular morning chaos of our house because I know if I lose focus, determination for one second the motivation will leave me and I will curl up in the fetal position and not move for a week.

Auntie picks me up and she looks like how I feel, we don't discuss anything on the way to school, we silently doubt our coping skills and ponder how we will make it through the day.

More riding, but it seems to go better to day, more challenges but feeling alittle more confident. Classroom session The written test - that I did not study for because my body required SLEEP. Write test botch about 3 questions that I knew the answer to. Luckily did not affect my results. We Pass. Thank you Jesus, Budha, Confusious, and all the saints.

Now out for more riding and this is where the funny shit starts happening. We have to do a passenger ride. Auntie just about implodes and she has no interest in this. I have frankly come to the point where I don't care anymore and I'm willing to try anything. I travel as a passenger first since I travel as a passenger all the time and I'm good at it. Besides I could use more of a break. It is a weird feeling and we make it through our obstacle course with more than a few chuckles. Now it's my turn to drive and she will NOT get on the bike. WHAT!
Me: Get on the bike
Her: Not sure if I can
Me: What do you mean? Get on the bike?
Her: This doesn't feel safe? Are you sure?
Me: Sure I'm sure I'm not about to do anything if I don't think it's safe. GET ON THE BIKE!
Her: I don't want to.
Me: I dont' care! we are the last ones, get on the damn bike!
Her: Okay Let me see.
Me: One foot then the other and GET ON THE BIKE!
Her Okay okay! But you go home and tell your dad you killed his sister!
Me: Fine! it's okay there are 4 more of you, I'm good!
Her: Not funny!
Me: GET ON THE BIKE!
Her: Hey this is not so bad, you're doing good, keep going, you're doing good, good balance, nice shoulder check, good gear shift.
ME: Auntie if you want to live you need to SHUT UP so I can focus and not get us hurt.

Hilarity ensued and we laughed our way through the course as I ran over a few pylons and she said we must look like dumb and dumber - two grown women riding around on a tiny little bike. It was so funny we couldn't stop laughing but I guess you had to been there to truly appreciate it. Our instructors found us quite funny as well and that is good because we were the last ones to complete the course and our entire class was laughing at us laughing. I needed that laugh just to relax.

The course was so much easier after that and then it was test time. The test was so much easier then the class course and although most of my classmates were REALLY nervous (including Auntie)they made little errors and received a few deductions. I was quite calm and aced my test with a perfect ride! SWEET!

I am now the proud owner of an GM2 licence in the province of Ontario.

Now only if I could use my arms because they are soooooooo sore I can barely butter toast or turn the ignition key in my car.

HELP!

Wrapping Party - It's a good thing!

Ah! I just had the most fun.

A few weeks ago I received an invitation for a Wrappping party. mmmmm. What new party plan could this be???

No party plan. Just a Party with a Plan. My friend A invited her girlfriends over for food and drinks and to get their Christmas wrapping done! Oh My God! What a great idea! Why didn't I think of this before. No more mad wrapping a 2AM. What will I do with my time.

Anyway, all teacher, therapist, co-worker, miscellaneous gift exchange gifts WRAPPED!

I still wanted to wrap the kids gifts with the hubster, because HEY that's our thing.

But all the other.. DONE, DONE, and DONE SWEET

And that's a WRAP!

Friday Nite Lites

Ahhh Friday night. Everyone is in bed. There is peace and quiet. Have you noticed the theme in my life right now. I am just aching for the peace and quiet. I just need to think, to listen, to hear!

I picked up some great papers at 2SF my favorite store. I went in there just to pick up some of my GLUE. And had two minutes to look around.....very dangerous. Tomorrow I will post the addition to my stash from My Mind's Eye. Hopefully next week I will get a project done.

Tomorrow we have a sitter coming and hubster and i are going shopping for some new dress clothes. We have both lost some weight and have not had anything new for the last 5-6 years so we are due. then we are off to a birthday party for my dearest friends husband. Well I consider him one of my dear friends too. they have always been there to support me in my life and I appreciate them alot. Happy 40th T.

It will be fun I'm sure a few beers a few shots. Good times!

Well hubby is looking pretty cosy on the couch and he has saved a spot for me so I had better get over there. Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Still crazy busy Wednesday

What a whirl wind week. On top of being sick which is totally hindering passion for life. I had/have a lot of commitments this week.

Work is crazy busy we are testing a new report format and I have to get it done by the end of the week. Others are depending on me to get it done.

I had a great workshop with my Mom's group - we did a special project I whipped up on family trees using a preprinted family tree page and the Creative Memories leaf punch. I wish I had one to show you but I had an extra person show up and did not even get to do my own :( That's okay the ones that the ladies did were absolutely fabulous I know they will be treasured keepsakes in the years to come.

Today just concentrating on getting a little caught up at work.

I also wanted to get my submission in for the 2Scrapbook Friends Design Team call . Since it is my favorite store I thought I would apply. I had a few layouts that I thought would work. Now that I met the deadline I feel more inspired so I don't really know what to do about that. Re-submit new layouts of just hang tight. mmmmm. We'll see how much time I have left before the deadline on Friday.

Hubster is out tonight so maybe I will get some time to myself to contemplate after I get the kids off to bed.

I'm really looking forward to my "empty" weekend. No real plans we'll just go with the flow.

Some fun from the weekend

Even though it was raining we had a lot of fun the 2008 Murray Pumpkin Carve. Our dear friends have finally moved in to a beautiful home and decided they were going to decorate their yard with over 40 pumpkins. So this was kind of like the house warming where you invite everyone to come help you paint...but different. Everyone in attendance was REQUIRED (yes required) to carve a pumpkin. Of course this is hubby's favorite time of year so he was happy to oblige, bring his own tools and everything.

He did several some with the kids some on his own. Some how between treats and mini meltdowns I only got a photo of this one.



I think this was the Bugs pick.

Crazy busy I still feel like crap and I only have a few more days to get my design team submission together. Not sure if I'm going to make it or not.

Doing a family tree project tomorrow night with my mom's group. So exciting! Work was a total drag today it took me almost all day just to get my inbox under control. not to mention my personal stuff.

Full time work - job security and health and dental benefits are just SO overrated.

Whew - What a weekend

Well Croptoberfest is over for another year.

We had a great time catching up on what is going on in each others lives. Some people have new babies others have taken grand trips to places around the globe and brought back fantastic photos and stories to share. Otherswere quietly working on Christmas cards and other personal projects for their children, parents and special people in their lives.

It was a great day to re-affirm to me. Why I choose to spend some of my spare time doing what I do. helping people perserve memories and thank the special people in their lives.

I was able to get 1000 photos loaded on my computer and made a dent in labeling and journalling around some of the photos maybe about 300 so even though the weekend was about serving my friends I did manage to have some productivity myself.

I wish I had some photos to share, but I forgot to take my camera and will have to wait to get photos from my co-host. :(

Hope you all had a great weekend with your families.

Today we are going to a pumpkin carve. It's pretty cold out so we will have to bundle up, but I think we will all have a great time.

Friday Post - I'm ill'in - But I have good news!

After the oh so fun bout with Tonsillitis. I am happy to announce that I have a wonderful sinus cold and I'm lubbin it! Work is so busy I can't really take any time off. I am looking forward to a quiet weekend to recoup.

So. Grab a cup oh joe and catch up with me.

My sister went into labour on Monday (my brief day of wellness, thanks fate)and had her baby on Monday night (two weeks early) 1/2 hour of hard labour and 3 pushes (what a bitch)she knows it she owns it and she flips the rest of us off.

So I have a beautiful, no handsome new nephew who was 6lbs, 10oz and he is positively adorable. I wish I could tell you his name but I don't have permission so I will call him Baby B. Not to be confused with my niece Baby Button.

My grandfather is doing extremely well recovering from his triple by-pass surgery, he has experienced a few panic attacks which where scary for him but not life threatening. I would panic too if a doc was holding my heart in his hands and picking and poking at it.

I found these beauties that have solved my problem of Labeling all of the things BugaLoo has to take to school, equipment, lunch containers, hats, sweaters and stuff. I love them! Canadian company to boot.

Held a scrapbooking intro class for a group of parents at my children's treatment centre. It was so fulfilling to be able to introduce these parents to memory keeping and documenting their child's lives and their own thoughts as they work through parenting a child with special needs. Loved IT!

Gearing up for a workshop in October and teaching a session on Christmas cards and tags! Sweet.

Both hubby and I have this cold so far the kids are doing well. The thing I hate the most is no kissing my hubby. We have declared abstinence for a week period to see if we can stop passing this back and forth and clear our house. But I miss him! Sigh!

I still have people search for Buggy info so I am going to post THIS again since it kinda got lost at the bottom of a previous post.

If you are looking for some art inspiration HERE at KAL's is my favorite place to go.

Also planning a book review for Monday or Tuesday. check back to find out who.

oops!

Every thought you posted and then logged on to find out, you in fact DID NOT?

That's what happened to me... I could have sworn that I posted yesterday, but alas, the evidence is clear I did not.

So what would I have posted about yesterday anyway? Maybe that work is crazy busy and I am trying to get us, the kids and the dog packed for 3 separate locations for the weekend. I fit in a quick massage yesterday, after therapy but before picking up end of year teacher's gifts.

This year I went with a simple mini album, a rogers gift card for movies and a bag of microwave popcorn. I had no creative genius this year.

That crazy girl child of mine will not stay in her own bed for the night, she wakes up repeatedly between 2 and 4 and comes in wakes me up and goes back to bed. It is driving me crazy. After the 4th time last night I decided to cut out her commute and sleep in her bed. Since she has opted to sleep on the futon matress on the floor. (she discovered we were storing it under her bed, we use it for sleep overs).

It worked out well since she didn't wake up again, it was hot in our house and my DH wanted to cuddle all night and he was snoring like a blast furnace.

Good Times, Good Times.

So tonight I am going to try to get some playdate cards done with our phone number on them so the Bug can pass them out to his friends tomorrow on the last day of school.

Plus finish packing for the weekend.

Whew!

Switching it up!

My regular running partner is gone to a conference for the rest of the week. So I decided to switch things up a little and will be running with a BOY today!

A co-worker who used to sit across from me has also joined our little running club and his regular partner is not running today either so we decided to give it a try.

We'll see how I do considering he is 6'2" and I am 5'4". That and he is used to running without a break and the longest I have run consecutively is 5 mins.

Hopefully we can compromise and both of us will make it back alive!

Not much creative stuff going on lately...I guess I've been a little SWAMPED at work.

I really have to start studying for my Life License exam soon. I will have to see if I can extend my deadline to write. I really did not focus on it and it has snuck up on me.

That's about it for now. Tracey has a great post from yesterday about why men are so willing to let their wives do everything (lazy).

You may find it interesting.

Big Thanks to JENN I still feel great. Although I'm sure this noon hour run is not going to help.

Wicked Biker Chick!

You know how sometimes people will do a small meme with questions and answers? One of my favorite Q&A is Name one thing people would not know by looking at you? This is always a hard one for me because I figure I'm so transparent. I where my heart on my sleeve, if you ask me a question I will give you a straight answer. I mostly speak my mind and say what I think, usually asking if you REALLY want to know what I think.

But apparently there is something about me that people can't tell by looking at me.

I'm a wicked biker chick!

Yes it's true. Hubby and I just returned from our 6th year attending Friday the 13th in Port Dover, ON. This "event" started in 1981 when a group of guys who ride motorcycles decided to play hooky from work and go for a ride and stop and have dinner in a little beach town. They enjoyed themselves so much someone said we should do this every Friday the 13th. This past Friday I shared this little town with over 40,000 motorcycles and probably close to 100,000 people.

I can't tell you how many people were surprised to find out how I was spending my long weekend. Just goes to show that everyone can have a little mystery about themselves.

Hubby and I packed up our camping gear all week and loaded our shit on the bike on Thursday night to head into Port Dover. We met up with about 50 of our friends and spent the evening drinking and shooting the shit, generally just catching up on what's been going on for everyone.

We had a great weekend doing our own thing. Love it!

Although I am tired and wish I had a few more days off. And it's going to take me a week to de-program the kids from being at my brother-in-laws. Small price to pay.

Baa... Still thinking

This so sucks!

This is a good job opportunity (notice I didn't say great) I feel like something better will come along. I had made a list awhile ago of all the things I was looking for in a job and somehow this opportunity seems to fall short in every catagory.

It just doesn't feel right.

But then my cerebral brain says, "You fucking moron take the money and run."

such a dilemma...

More scrapbooking completed last night, a great kit from my favorite store. For other great ideas and contest and stuff check out their BLOG

If I could get my computer working properly I would post a photo, but alas I am not that technically inclined.

Looking forward to T-ball this weekend. Hope all our friends will be there.

Independence - Co-existence - what is a marriage nowdays? Part 1

I have a crazy day today, so I thought I would try to squeeze in a post real quick.

I have to take the dog to the vet to have his wound dressing changed due to incident on the weekend where some FUCKTARD tossed a beer bottle into our fence line and the dog stepped on the broken glass and damn near bled to death in my kitchen, but I digress. Then it's off to therapy for the bug, today we are checking the results of his botox to see if he has gained any range of motion in his hamstring and heel cord muscles. Then we will play play play for a few hours since I think the kids have been missing some mommy time and then at 4pm I have a DATE with my massage therapist for an hour of sheer torture I'm sure since my shoulders are around my ears due to stress. She will make it better.

However, on to my topic. My fellow blogger Tracey had a great post about TV that she is watching (including the show WEEDS) for which she raised the topic of women relying on their husbands as sole providers for their families.

What would you do if your husband suddenly left or died???

I left a brief (ha) comment, but it got me thinking. Do we as women really expect to be taken care of anymore? Do we get married to be taken care of ?? Do we as women really believe that if we get married we have no reason to continue our education or pursue work outside of the home after we have started a family??

Yes having a family is the most rewarding thing I have ever done and yes more often then not I find myself wearily ploping down at the end of a day of work, laundry, dinner, banking and whatnot. I take comfort and a sense of pride knowing that if anything were to happen I could take care of myself and my family.

I am married and stay married because I choose to do so not because I have to-to survive or exist.

Too much for one post I have to get to the vet now.

Have a great day!

Boys, Dogs and General Anesthetic

My goodness what a weekend. Friday was our day to take the Bug to London for his botox injections, this time under laughing gas with a little anesthetic so they could isolate the muscles and perform a deeper more accurate injection.

Of course nothing goes according to plan, Friday was also the day the school Spirit Wear order showed up so I had to go pick that up at the school to bring home to sort, before we even started for the day.

We left at 9:30 to get to London for 11am to register (what a joke)Only to find out that his procedure had been bumped to 1:30 instead of 1pm and only to find out that they were not ready for him until 2:15pm. I don't know about you but having jello for breakfast and going until 2:15 pm with no food SUCKS! The bug was such a trooper though he never once asked for anything to eat or drink. I love that kid!

He recovered well and we finally left the hospital at 4pm. LONG DAY!

Not our only surgical customer for the weekend though.....


As luck would have it, some fucking idiot threw a beer bottle on our fence line and on Saturday night the dog stepped on the broken bottle part and cut open his foot and the artery that is in his foot. Let's just say copious amounts of blood, a 140km visit to the Emergency Vet clinic at the other end of town and a cool $800.00 later. The dog is just fine. Scared us half to death. He is 13 and we were really worried he would not survive the surgery.

Thanking my lucky stars that everything and everyone is okay!

Stayed up till after midnight putting together the orders for the kids spirit wear.


Very tired!

Friday, It's Friday!

I am so glad today is Friday. Only one more gruelling day of work left and hopefully I will have put in enough hours to make my 35 and cover off the time I took off for the pediatrician appt on Tuesday and therapy of Wednesday afternoon.

I really am thankful that my supervisor and employer are so flexible.

Let's see. Today I am thankful for so many things. I don't think I'm really pissed off about anything.

We'll see how the day goes. If you haven't already head over to The Pioneer Woman Cooks Herefor her yummy dumpling recipe. It is THE DEVIL.

Cheers

Cast of Characters - My peeps

So I thought I would take a moment to introduce a few of my friends:

The Dutchess - She and I worked together for a few years in the late 90s and hit it off and have been friends ever since. I am the godmother to her two girls who are just amazing. For the last 5 years she has been living in a different city about 2 hours away (1 hr 45 mins if your lucky). We have many interests in common and are the same age almost exactly. We are 4 days apart (she is older of course, it is one of the only things I have to hang over her). We talk as often as we can and email always to keep in touch. She is my counsellor and confidant and has seen me through a separation, reconciliation, separation and divorce.

Ms. Missy: Ms. Missy and I also met at work in the late 90s and have become closer and closer over the years. I quite enjoy her company as she is always cheerful and positive. More recently she has become someone I turn to on a regular basis as we are often on the same wave length on a variety of issues. She is also my supplier of children's hang me downs as her kids are a few years older than mine. She is one year younger than me.

Nurse K: Well I can hardly call her a nurse anymore, she has completed a B SC. and has held several administration positions in her area of expertise. Nurse K and I went to high school together. She has been there for me through thick and thin. I really can't explain in words how much she means to me. She has proven the true meaning of friendship with me and I will be forever grateful to her. I am also godmother to her fourth child. (yes she stopped at 4) She amazes me with everything she can get done in a day,week,year. Nurse K and I don't see each other as much as we would like to. I think we are at 2 times a year. But we try hard and acknowledge the big things when they come along.

My sissy: My sister she bears repeating, we have had our ups and downs but I really don't know what I would do without her.

These are my closest and dearest friends. The circle is ever expanding. But I count on these guys to keep me sane and balanced.

MONDAY!

What a weekend!

I had fun kicking back with the girls! I am tired we scrapped like crazy! I was working on my year in review books and it was weird this weekend I was definately drawn to over simplify my page layouts All my pages we very similar and very linear, very simple. If I get a chance tonight and survive the chaos of being home again I will load some photos for you.

We played some practical jokes and made some silly pages, but most of all just had time to reconnect and grow our friendships. Nothing wrong with that.

But now I am just overwhlemed with picking up the pace again and getting everyone ready for school and work today.

Organize om....

What a morning. So far I have packed up the kidlets and their belongings out to my mothers.

Taken the car in for an oil change, which turned out into a power steering fiasco which is going to cost me $1000 bucks next week. Swore at mechanic (who is a good friend) he didn't mind.

Stopped to pick up sample clothes that were embroidered for Bugaloo's school, for school council meeting next week.

Came home for well required shower and absolutely necessary hair washing.

Had breakfast and sat down with Coffee to blog for last time before going away for well deserved weekend with girls.

Still left to do:
Box up inventory and pack in car
breakdown 8ft table and pack in car
pack clothes
pack books to read
grocery shop
clean kitchen
prepare clothes for kidlets for hubby
GO CRAZY
Leave by 3:00pm

The book I am Planning to read is The Life Organizer By Jennifer Louden

You can check out the Website here

Holy Shit! I better get going. Have a great weekend everyone.

Family Day - TOPS - Scrapbooking and Job hunt

We received a new Provincial holiday this year from our Premier Dalton McGuinty. Family Day was yesterday Feb 18th and will fall on the third Monday of February every year.

I myself was happy for the holiday because the weather sucked and I didn't want to go out anyway. The kids are coming down with a cold so we were only outside for a brief moment in time before they were complaining, their noses were running and we were not enjoying our time as a FAMILY.

We had dinner with Nonna and Nonno and watched some movies, all in all a good Family day!

TOPS blow out. Well first I have to say that I went bowling on the weekend for 3 hours and that was alot of exercise! But the 2 lite beers and slice of ooey gooey pizza after 9pm was probably not a good choice. But it tasted good. I did some stretching and some crunches, bugaloo helped by sitting on my stomach (to provide resistance?) Also some push-ups (if that's what you call flopping around on the floor) and a few lunges, which after the bowling really hurt.

We'll see how the weigh in goes today but I'm not holding out too much hope at this point. I just hope to maintain my loss from last week and not gain anything back.

I am trying to get ready for a huge scrapbooking retreat that I am co-hosting this weekend. I am a consultant for Creative Memories (in my spare time ha)and me and another consultant are hosting a retreat weekend for about 45 people, so I have to pack all my SHIT and make a list of my inventory and blah blah blah. But it will be fun and I know I will sell alot of stock and get a few orders and that will feed my own scrapbook addiction as well as feed the children so it's all good. You can check out my CM website here.

I haven't here back from my recruiting agency yet. I love how things are always a rush and then you have to wait a week to get an interview. So I sent a follow up today and hopefully I will get an interview sometime this week.

I think that's all for now! I'm on a short week because of the holiday, therapy afternoon and a scheduled vacation day because of the retreat so I hope to put in a few extra hours to get some actual WORK done.

Wish me luck!

What day is it??

Did I miss a memo? did Saturday fly by and I had no time to post? Darn!

My niece had her confirmation, and we did a big luncheon party for her yesterday and then in the evening, said niece babysat for us while we went out bowling with our biker friends. Nothing like 20 bikers wearing goofy shoes and acting like a bunch of goof balls.

Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Now I'm catching up on weekend laundry and getting dinner ready.

Chicken, pasta, green beans and garlic bread. ho hum!

Moonlighting

I'm so excited! A great gal I've met is publishing her own book. The story of her journey through the heartache of infertility and how they built their beautiful family. Her one son has CP as well and that is how we met.

And, she has asked me if I would look at her manuscript! Eeek!

Now I have to tell you, I am no english major, although I did take 7 english credits in high school, but that is the extent of my formal english education, but I digress.

I consider myself the first reviewer, I get most spelling and grammar errors and check for flow and consistency. But I leave the final version to the pros, because, well because what do I know. I couldn't recognize a dangling participle if it was dangling off my nose.

Anyhoo, she needs a new set of eyes on her book and I offered and she said yes.

So I will be reading and spell checking and reading the grammar rule book for a few days.