Turns out, I didn’t stress myself sick. My sister-in-law, brother, father, and then mother, were all sick as well. My brother said later, “I figured out what that bug we all had was.” “Oh?” “Yup. The Bird flu.”

Bwah ha ha!

Yes, my nephew and his parents (well, my brother and his family, I guess, but my 2-year-old nephew was most definitely the King of the Castle) were here for 10 days or so. My most adorable nephew. He stole everyone’s heart; people in the airport were telling us how he’d won over everyone on the plane. I love him, and miss him, and I still don’t want one of my own but I do wish he lived closer so we could play. Halfway through the visit, he was waking up in the morning, grabbing his father and saying “nana” while pointing downstairs. To my mother. She’s over the moon. And when someone asked “where’s Aunt Gayle?” he pointed at me.

Awww. Plus, while his hugs are given freely, and he offers his cheek when asked for kisses, he doesn’t give lipkisses to just anyone. But I got two! I felt so special.

. . .

We’re still looking for houses. There are a couple we love, which of course we shouldn’t do without having secured financing, but it’s so hard to stay away from the websites, and even harder to find time to get to a bank.

. . .

My neighbours have been markedly quiet lately. I’m enjoying it immensely.

. . .

I got my mail yesterday and got my copy of The New Democrat, the magazine I busted my ass doing (for no pay, just recognition and portfolio, and because I wanted to help out my party). Imagine my surprise to open it and find that 97% of the hours and hours of work I did over several weeks was completely gone, and my name was nowhere to be seen.

What the fuck? If they were going to just get someone to re-do the whole thing, why did I bother? If it had to be redone for some other bizarre reason, it would have been nice to have at least gotten a "hey, we had to change some stuff, sorry."

Instead, I get a big Fuck You.

Nice. Why did I bother, indeed.

. . .

And, in the final bit of news, my Terrance and his Love had a baby girl yesterday! He sent the most adorable email account of it out today, but I feel honoured that I was on the Call List and I heard the news from his own mouth within an hour of her birth.

today, i am: