Wildly Globose Thought

Without Direction

Sunday, December 13

Me and Dad are talking in the livingroom about a pimple that's just on the inside of my nose and hurts. Dad tells me not to pick my nose- hahaha, Dad.

We hear Mom talking from the Den.

"Who's she talking to?" Dad asks.

I shrug.

"Must be talking to herself. Sheila! You're talking to yourself!" Dad yells.

To which Mom replies,
"No. I'm talking to you assholes."

Ah. The Christmas spirit is all around us!!!!

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 10:42 AM

Friday, December 11

Jods just blogged a meme with a challenge to her fellow readers. (Read it here!) With the Christmas season here- she's right. It's time to take stock of those little things that make you happy. I pass this challenge on to you, fellow bloggers. I've accepted the call with vigor!

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. When I've made someone laugh. Be it intentional or inadvertant. I especially like to hear Dad laugh.

2. A strong bold Italian Chianti.

3. Our Christmas tradition of opening presents before a dinner of paella and Dad's birthday cake with daisies in a vase on the side table.

4. A slight tinge of my muscles when I've worked out especially hard.

5. Days that give me fullfillment- like I've made a difference- at work.

6. A sunny day kayaking at Mersey River.

7. Lazy mornings with a late breakfast at Cousins with Steve.

8. My Thai dates with my husband, and movies with Fern.

9. A hot bath with a good book.

10. My family and friends- in small insignificant moments that just make me content.

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 1:12 PM

Thursday, December 3

Mom's probably loosing her hearing. 80% of what I say to her now is usually followed by a "what?". Which inevitably gets me to respond back in a overly pronunciated bitchy manner.

"I left my phone at Steve's."

"What?"

"I
LEFT
MYYYY
PHONE
AAAT
STEEEEVE'S"

"Steve burnt himself?!"

...
(?!)

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 11:53 AM

Friday, November 27

Just as an update- my skin is FINALLY starting to clear. Thank God it never got angry red and noticeable to others. Mind you it might have been fun to watch people cringe and slowly back away from me... Right on course- it's been about 5 weeks, so one more week and hopefully all my fish-like scales will be GONE.

In new news:
Mom's been hearing sounds all morning. So.

She's either finally giving into the voices, or we may have another little mousie running through casa McLaughlin. As my loyal readers know, this HAS happened before.

I've considered yelling "MOUSE", and scaring the shit out of her. But pointless.

Why put myself in the line of fire when the vaccuum cord just needs to brush her leg? hehehe. I mock, yes. But I am also a little on edge... Thank God Dad's not home running around with a butcher knife. Silver linings people. Silver linings.

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 11:41 AM

Thursday, November 12

Leave it to me, I suppose.

My skin has been doing some weird things this last week. At first I had a dry scale spot on my breast bone. Then a couple of itchy spots on my inner elbow. I was chalking it up to a reaction to some sort of detergent, but then it spread to my stomach and arms, my neck and back. So, of course, I run the list of things. I think chicken pox, psoriasis, fleas. Scabies- Hell PLEASE no! But given the knowledge I have of all these I quickly dismiss the hypochondria.

So I do something even worse.

I research online.

I found a website with a gallery of skin ailments. Pictures of shingles, warts, and exema. It was stomach churning. But like a car crash I couldn't turn away.

And in the end- I found it.

Pityriasis Rosea.
Though- hopefully mine won't get as bad as that picture!
Fingers crossed

It is not known what causes it, and there is no treatment. As it began, it ends- a couple of weeks down the line. No worries- just ugly splotches.

What's funny is that it usually strikes people between the ages of 10 to 35. I guess I had to hold out to the 24th hour, huh?

Lucky me I got in under the wire.

So.

Glad it's not bathing suit season.
*scratch scratch*

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 12:50 PM

Sunday, November 8

In preparation for our trip to Newfoundland, Mom did her obligatory OCD thing. She had to get things just so- as she does. She cleaned the floors, cooked some slow cooker stuff for Dad, polished the silverware.
You know.
Normal stuff.
So she had been rushing about collecting all the garbage from around the apartment...enough to fill half a kitchen catcher. She left the apartment destined for the garbage room, and met Dad who was just coming in from work.

"I'm just running down to the garbage room. Don't lock the door."

Dad comes in and locks the door.

As he tells me about his day we suddenly hear a rattling of the door knob. He gets his patented(TM) shit-eating grin, and says,

"Oops. It's habit!". He rushes towards the door.

"Whoooo issss it?!", he says in a sing songy voice.

To which Mom replies, "Open the door."

"Whaaaat's the password?!", again the sing songy voice.

"Open
The
GodDamn
Door."

He waits a moment for dramatic effect, and then opens the door.

"The magic word is 'please'.", he tells her, to which she replies,

"FLEAS?!?!"

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 6:46 PM

Monday, November 2

I had no plans for a trip at this time. Other than a little jaunt to the valley with Steve. We've spent the last 5 days doing not much of anything after he was at sea for 6 weeks. Movies, dinner, Wii. It was like being in a fun little bubble.

I returned home to mine today, and I was set to work a 6 day stretch.

But within hours that has changed.

My Aunt Jean passed- unexpectedly. So me and Mom are packing up the car, and heading for Newfoundland tomorrow morning. We've got a cabin on the boat to Port aux Basque. My supervisor was stellar on helping me blow off work. The weather seems to want to co-operate.

So now the list writing begins. GPS, something funeral-worthy, snacks for the drive. All swirled through with memories of an Aunt with lots of personality. She christened her dog in Church, told gross stories from her days as a nurse, and spoke to Mom like she was a "young'un". I can't help but remember her cooking up food for us at my house in the days just after Robyn had passed. Now I say goodbye to her.

So, I'll unpack the big green bag, and stuff it full with different intentions and emotion.

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 1:39 PM

Saturday, October 24

Last weekend I decided to head up to Charlottetown. My friend Char was heading up to visit Jules anyway- and I had been looking for a time to go for a few months. The stars aligned- and I actually had the same weekend free as Char.

Julie didn't know that I was going to Charlottetown. So when Me and Char reached Julie's street I got in the trunk. Us two fools were giddy with the idea, and as Char started driving down the street, I couldn't help but worry a little if this plan of ours went awry... You know. Like being rear-ended. Or Char getting pulled over only to try and explain why she had someone in the trunk. I giggled to myself thinking that if she DID get pulled over, it would be kind of funny to cry out in a sad little voice, "Help me!!". Okay. Probably NOT funny.

We pulled into Julie's driveway- and she had been looking out the window. Charlotte uttered in a (I assume) no lip moving tone, "We're here." I could here Julie's screen door slam, as she came flying out yelling "yeeeahhh! Yerrr heeere!!!" at Char. They exchanged pleasantries, and Char urged her to help her with the stuff in the trunk. Jules was focused on the bags and ukulele in the back seat, but Char was insistent. 'No. The trunk.'

Char popped the trunk, and at first it swung all the way open, but then rested half up. I could see Julie's legs. She went to make a comment about my pink makeup case (Cause Char would not have pink or a make up case), so I popped up out of the trunk with a monsterly "AAARRR!", which instantly scared the bejeezus out of her :) Her face was priceless. She went from that vampire face of dread, and then you could see her register that I was there to visit her too so the face moved into a broad smile and she started clapping quick little golf claps while jumping up and down.

We haunted Charlottetown the remainder of the day- eating and shopping as you do. Charlottetown is a beautiful city. I found the cutest hat that's like 40s slapper style!

We grabbed some Thai takeaway and went back to Julie's to get all gussied up to head out on the town. We had some drinks, and later that night we headed to the Triangle. Charlotte had found out that two of the guys we hire to play our annual ceilidh were going to be playing there. We arrived around 9:30, and listened to Anthony and Doug play their first set.

When they were done, Anthony came over and joined us. We were all chatting about the upcoming Kitchen ceilidh- on November 21st people! It's our big annual party-de-force, so our talk was animated and happy.

At the next table was a well dressed couple in their late 50s/ early 60s. Pretty nondescript. But.

They got up to leave. And as they did, the woman wrote something on a napkin, folded it up- and as she left the bar handed it to me with a "here, hunny".

I unroll it to read,

We all looked at each other like 'what the fuck?'.

The only thing we can figure is that- as Char knows him more, and that Julie is just naturally really loud and boisterous- that the lady figured we were all posturing to hook up with the man from the band. And I guess she figured I should win.

We all weren't sure whether to laugh, be insulted, or roll our eyes. Gotta say though- the woman was crazy and ballsy thinking she could square up a situation that doesn't involve her and then think her two cents was wanted or warranted.

We took some pictures with the note- which I've got on my nightstand now. I've got to keep it- but where?

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© dawn mclaughlin bullshat at: 9:32 AM

Saturday, September 5

When I arrived home this evening and stepped into the elevator, the linger of the previous rider hung in the air. As I rode the 6 floors up, I couldn't quite place it.

With no face or name to give this ghostly perfume, I just ran on emotion with the scent.

A soft floral note that made me happy. Made me think of some woman years ago- not forgotten, but not nameable with the olfactory nostalgia. But I did know things with it. I cared for her, loved her maybe. A teacher. A family friend.

Regardless. The faint scent transported me back to early years, and I swear I shape-shifted into my 3 foot adolescent body for just a faint moment. I was warm with happiness and youth.

And then the moment was gone. But I'm bolstered with a lightheartedness I didn't have half an hour ago.

The sense of smell is an incredible thing.

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