I must have sat down at least 4 times to do this post. Not that there’s anything earth-shaking quilty or knit wise to share .. but Kyle did have his Grade 8 graduation and he turned 14 – since I posted last. Dictionary.com gives the definition of spare time as:
noun
1. time available for hobbies and other activities that you enjoy
2. time that is free from duties or responsibilities [syn: free time]
Yeah well .. it just doesn’t exist really for me .. This current shift is rather brutal. I thought it would be a great shift – sleep in a bit, get home a wee bit later, spend some time with Reg, go to bed and start my day again .. the reality of it is, I’ve been sleeping until 12:00 – 12:30 most days, I actually saw the sunrise a few times this week (It was beautiful BUT …) and if it wasn’t for school being out for the summer, I wouldn’t even see Kyle .. as for spending time with Reg?? Well he’s tired when I get home, and the hour or so of tv that we watch together is him watching thru his eyelids **sigh Reality really does bite sometimes :\. I thought I would only have to endure this for one month – but no … I have this shift until the end of July .. bloody hell. The ONLY good thing about this shift is that I have Sunday off .. that means that someone is home when Kyle comes back from his dad’s every other weekend .. I have managed to see the fireflies .. twice .. so I guess that’s a good thing .. ah well .. only 3 more weeks to endure, then pray God I can get a decent shift. And that i have SOME energy left after work to want to hand sew or knit .. I really miss having a life of sorts …
CLick to see more pics
Kyle’s graduation was absolutely great! Of course I cried when they processed in, but it was a still a wonderful thing to see my baby – all grown up and dressed smartly in a suit move along in the world to high school. It really was a nice mass that Fr Matt did and Kyle did the reading as well .. every kid in his class got to do something during the service. Click on his pretty face to see pics from Mass and the dinner afterwards .. Kyle did get the Technology Award .. He wanted the Sports award and Music award, but he has a few issues with arguing with his coaches (I’m speaking from experience here) and not taking direction well .. He prolly did deserve them, but if he wants to carve his own way in life, he’s going to have to learn to do what is expected and make his tracks bright and bold while towing the line .. I’m sure he’ll figure it out sooner or later 😉 I have faith in him .. He did get a grown up present though .. we got him a cell phone .. it’s pay as you go with 2500 text messages – he has to buy his own cards and keep track of his time .. his original plan was 250 text messages like mine, but after 6 days he was near to going over it :O So they removed his 250 package and added 2500 package with no penalty! Thank God!
CLick to see more pics
The next huge milestone was a week later .. my little darling turned 14!! WOW … amazing how fast the time flew by .. and I’m not just saying this as a cliché either. It bloody well FLEW!! crash zip zoom bang I can remember just after he turned 12 that he was an inch taller than me (now that’s just wrong on so many levels! Now here he is going into high school .. the bugger is going to be wanting to learn to drive in 2 years!! Nevermind me not being ready for it .. what about the rest of the world??? LOL But we had a nice family get together, with cake and hamburgers (dinner was his choice) It was a nice time, he opened his present from Reg and I and then my dad got him a bike .. so the bugger made out like bandit .. cell phone, video game and a new bike :O Good thing I only have one!!
Lately Reg and I have rented the series Lost. We are just about to start Disc 6 for Season 3 .. Needless to say it’s been interesting and rather addicting too .. I’ve not gotten much reading done lately .. just mindless clicking and a few pages here and there .. The good news is – I’ll have my 90 days in about 8 days or so, so that’s good news .. And this has really been the only month that I’ve truly struggled with time .. so I think this shift is just my nemesis right now ..
Hope everyone is doing great and I miss your posts and emails! I’ve not deleted my emails and i’ll catch up on blog reading sooner or later .. preferably sooner!
Hope you all had a great July 4th and Canada Day!!!
Grace Quilts 
Praying that the next 3 weeks fly for you, gal. I’ve had my share of shifts that left nothing of a life but reading a little to relax, go to sleep, get up, wake up, and start the viscious cycle all over again… No fun, at all! Kyle does look so very grown up – even more so than at his confirmation, methinks. And (don’t faint), I quilted a version of Carmen’s “the Gift” (May Mini-Mystery) yesterday, and have the binding and hanging sleeve all ready to sew on today…
LikeLike
Oh heart be still!! Kyle is one sweetie for sure Gracie! I love the knobby knees pics from his birthday! That boy is going to be tall and is already handsome! Got your work cut out for you there girlie girl! My favorite pic is of you and Reg–you both look so happy 🙂
I don’t envy you those shift changes at all. BTW, we are all upset over Palin’s stepping down! You take care! We miss you terribly.
Carmen
LikeLike
Sounds like you barely have time to breathe. The end of July will be here before you know it. Maybe you will get a good shift. Congrats to Kyle. Tyler starts 9th grade in the fall. He has summer workouts for football.
LikeLike
Thanks, Gracie for your blog comments. I don’t know when you are ever going to get a chance to breathe, much less sit down and sew. I hope it works out for you soon. July will be over soon, but probably not soon enough for you.
Enjoy Kyle while you can; he will be gone before you know it, too.
Now I know you don’t have any time to think much less sew, but these folks (you know who I mean) are trying to get me to do applique stuff. Ugh! I need a fellow complainer on my side.
LikeLike
How big was Kyle’s class? My dgd, who is 14 and graduated from 8th grade too, only had 9 in her class. I wish they would have done awards at their school, but they don’t, since it is such a small group of kids.
Congrats on the milestones!
LikeLike
It’s so good to see you pop your head up for a moment or two. The work stuff sounds brutal, but if you know it’s temporary I hope it’s a bit easier to bear.
Kyle (and you) has had quite an eventful year already! Congrats to him for all of his accomplishments. I hope he’s excited for the next chapter in his life.
“if he wants to carve his own way in life, he’s going to have to learn to do what is expected and make his tracks bright and bold while towing the line” I think this should be in every parenting handbook. Individuality is certainly something to embrace with the benefits of higher self-worth, innovation and progress, but you also need to know how and when to swim with the current or you’ll end up battered, exhausted and set apart from your support system (phew! almost slid off into a salmon spawning analogy – he’s too young for that!!).
Okay. Off the soapbox now.
Congrats to you all, keep your chin up and try to get some rest when you can. We’ll be here when you get to come out and play again.
LikeLike
Hi Grace! I have been thinking of you!! Congrats for your son is growing adult soon. Good thing but a bit wistful!!! I have had it a busy time too. We built a new warehouse at summerplace. The weather was so fine , so I have dyed a lot! Hope to have time for sewing, but have so much at garden and outside so tiny time for sewing!! Hugs to you and your happy family!! Aune
LikeLike