I just noticed the date on the calendar and realized that Claire is eleven months old today, yay!
Where the time has gone, I have no idea. A neighbour with 3 kids once mentioned that time goes by even faster the more kids you have. Knowing that, C and I are pretty sure we're good with just the 2 we have. We've hit our speed limit!
I've been meaning to write down the things that Claire is interested in - scratch that - FASCINATED with these days. Here goes:
- The remote control for the TV. Always the one we use, not the remote that we don't use that we took the batteries out of for her to play with.
- My cell phone. Always the one that I use, not the one that I don't use that I took the batteries out of for her to play with.
- Car and house keys
- The refrigerator when it's open. She will come to it in a heartbeat like a cat to a freshly opened can of tuna. She has climbed inside twice already. For real.
- The dishwasher when it's open. She will come to it, grab the utensils, and toss them onto the ground.
- Lauren's toys, especially at the moment when Lauren is playing with them.
- The Mother's Day ornament that Lauren gave me last year. It's made from a CD disc with play jewels that dangle and hangs from one of the kitchen cabinets. Claire will reach for it and grab hold of the jewels each and every time she's within reach.
This evening Lauren caught Claire reaching under the lid of the toilet, I guess in an attempt to feel the water? Hopefully reaching for toilet water won't become one of her fascinations!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Dude, what's wrong with my car?
It's been over a week since the mechanic tinkered with Sally's idle, and the battery and handbrake lights are still blinking. Yesterday I started hearing a tinny clunking sound whenever I applied the brakes, like a piece of metal from the underside had come loose and was flapping a round.
Family and friends suggest we sell, and we're starting to lean that way too.
In a last ditch effort to find the cause of the original issue (and to see if we can keep the car running until we get around to selling), C and I have arranged to leave it in the garage parking lot tomorrow overnight. The mechanic will start it himself on Monday and see the lights in action. I'm curious to see if the battery is anywhere near dead by now.
Family and friends suggest we sell, and we're starting to lean that way too.
In a last ditch effort to find the cause of the original issue (and to see if we can keep the car running until we get around to selling), C and I have arranged to leave it in the garage parking lot tomorrow overnight. The mechanic will start it himself on Monday and see the lights in action. I'm curious to see if the battery is anywhere near dead by now.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Canadian idle
This good old fashioned Canadian winter we're having is taking a toll on
Sally the Sentra. The latest tweak was to increase a low idle. Unfortunately it didn't fix the mystery of the battery and handbrake light.
The battery and handbrake light go on at start-up and stay on until about 5 minutes into the ride before going off. This began in mid November, but because the lights always went off, I ignored it. A month later I was 5 minutes from home in the middle of evening rush hour traffic with Claire in the back when suddenly all the lights on the dash started blinking on and off - ABS, airbag, handbrake, battery. I thought the car was going to stall right there on the street.
Zut alors!
I pulled away from the turn I was trying to make and drove down the street to the next available area to pull over. I turned the car off, got Claire out and walked the rest of the way to daycare. I didn't bother going back to the car and had C pick it up on his way home from work. Luckily C did manage to drive home, but when he turned off the motor and tried to restart got nothing. Dead Sally. Poor old girl.
The next day CAA came to the rescue to test the battery and got a good reading, but detected a problem with the alternator. A boost was enough for C to make a short drive to the garage. The garage tested a good alternator but dead battery. Strange. Opposite conclusions. What to do?
Well, seeing as C was right there in the garage and Sally wouldn't start he kind of had to pay for a new battery. What a pain because the dead battery was bought from CAA a year ago and was still under warranty.
Zut alors!
So, new battery installed, the drive to the airport and back that afternoon to collect Grandma B was successful and without incident. The next day the battery and handbrake lights lit up.
Zut alors!
The lights persisted on every start-up for the next few days so I finally took Sally back to the garage myself to get some answers. Of course the lights went off before reaching the garage so T the mechanic saw nothing, except the handbrake light, "because the handbrake was on", he said. "I know, because I always put it on when I park the car" I replied, meanwhile thinking, 'D'uh..., I'm not that clueless.' "The lights go on at start-up, even when I pull the handbrake off. THAT'S the problem."
Fortunately T knew the issue as he installed the new battery the previous week. He explained how batteries and alternators work and offered to test both again for my peace of mind even though he knew they would test fine. The new battery was only 5 days old after all. He also gave me a card for free towing. This too was for my peace of mind because I kept asking "worst case scenario if I'm driving in traffic will the car just die on me??" questions. I also brought both girls with me to the garage so the stress on my face must have looked pretty severe, lol!
Of course the tests were fine, but T did detect a low idle and showed me how the voltage dipped every time an accessory was switched on like the wipers or radio or rear window heater. A low idle and constant dips can deplete a battery over time. Also the alternator isn't encased as it is with newer Sentras so heat from the exhaust system and cold extremes (Canadian, eh), could have an effect. Age is a factor too. Now in her 11th year, Sally ain't no spring chicken.
So off we went with a tweaked idle for a drive across the city to visit Auntie B. 3 hours later when I started the car to come home, the lights went on again.
Zut alors!
They've been coming on again for the past 3 days. C and I decided it's pointless to go back to the garage. We'll ride it out, likely get a failed battery and no start-up at all one day in the next few weeks and take it back again. By then either the temperature will heat up significantly and the problem will go away, or we'll be shopping for a new car.
To be continued...
The battery and handbrake light go on at start-up and stay on until about 5 minutes into the ride before going off. This began in mid November, but because the lights always went off, I ignored it. A month later I was 5 minutes from home in the middle of evening rush hour traffic with Claire in the back when suddenly all the lights on the dash started blinking on and off - ABS, airbag, handbrake, battery. I thought the car was going to stall right there on the street.
Zut alors!
I pulled away from the turn I was trying to make and drove down the street to the next available area to pull over. I turned the car off, got Claire out and walked the rest of the way to daycare. I didn't bother going back to the car and had C pick it up on his way home from work. Luckily C did manage to drive home, but when he turned off the motor and tried to restart got nothing. Dead Sally. Poor old girl.
The next day CAA came to the rescue to test the battery and got a good reading, but detected a problem with the alternator. A boost was enough for C to make a short drive to the garage. The garage tested a good alternator but dead battery. Strange. Opposite conclusions. What to do?
Well, seeing as C was right there in the garage and Sally wouldn't start he kind of had to pay for a new battery. What a pain because the dead battery was bought from CAA a year ago and was still under warranty.
Zut alors!
So, new battery installed, the drive to the airport and back that afternoon to collect Grandma B was successful and without incident. The next day the battery and handbrake lights lit up.
Zut alors!
The lights persisted on every start-up for the next few days so I finally took Sally back to the garage myself to get some answers. Of course the lights went off before reaching the garage so T the mechanic saw nothing, except the handbrake light, "because the handbrake was on", he said. "I know, because I always put it on when I park the car" I replied, meanwhile thinking, 'D'uh..., I'm not that clueless.' "The lights go on at start-up, even when I pull the handbrake off. THAT'S the problem."
Fortunately T knew the issue as he installed the new battery the previous week. He explained how batteries and alternators work and offered to test both again for my peace of mind even though he knew they would test fine. The new battery was only 5 days old after all. He also gave me a card for free towing. This too was for my peace of mind because I kept asking "worst case scenario if I'm driving in traffic will the car just die on me??" questions. I also brought both girls with me to the garage so the stress on my face must have looked pretty severe, lol!
Of course the tests were fine, but T did detect a low idle and showed me how the voltage dipped every time an accessory was switched on like the wipers or radio or rear window heater. A low idle and constant dips can deplete a battery over time. Also the alternator isn't encased as it is with newer Sentras so heat from the exhaust system and cold extremes (Canadian, eh), could have an effect. Age is a factor too. Now in her 11th year, Sally ain't no spring chicken.
So off we went with a tweaked idle for a drive across the city to visit Auntie B. 3 hours later when I started the car to come home, the lights went on again.
Zut alors!
They've been coming on again for the past 3 days. C and I decided it's pointless to go back to the garage. We'll ride it out, likely get a failed battery and no start-up at all one day in the next few weeks and take it back again. By then either the temperature will heat up significantly and the problem will go away, or we'll be shopping for a new car.
To be continued...
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, your branches green delight us.
But I'm sure you're glad that we finally packed it in on Friday and called it a season. Time to make your way over to your next duty as compost and mulch.
I was feeling all jolly jolly at the beginning of December and put the tree up a week earlier than usual - that being two weeks before Christmas. We always get a real tree so the tradition has been to wait until just a week before so it doesn't get so dried out and droopy by the time New Year rolls around. Anyway, the holiday spirit hit me hard this year so up it went.
It crossed my mind only briefly that Claire would be all over it, but then pushed the thought aside because I remembered that Lauren really didn't bother with the tree much when she was 10 months. Turns out I made a bad assumption. For a full three weeks I was pulling Claire away from the tree non stop and hanging the ornaments higher and higher out of reach. One day Claire managed to get a good grip on a branch and just about tipped the tree over until I caught it mid fall. Yikes!
The city tree pick-up was Saturday so I was all too ready to get it outside by the curb. On the up side, it's kind of nice and refreshing to feel like you're done with the holidays and ready to move on with the new year. Not having to sweep up pine needles every hour is nice too!
But I'm sure you're glad that we finally packed it in on Friday and called it a season. Time to make your way over to your next duty as compost and mulch.
I was feeling all jolly jolly at the beginning of December and put the tree up a week earlier than usual - that being two weeks before Christmas. We always get a real tree so the tradition has been to wait until just a week before so it doesn't get so dried out and droopy by the time New Year rolls around. Anyway, the holiday spirit hit me hard this year so up it went.
It crossed my mind only briefly that Claire would be all over it, but then pushed the thought aside because I remembered that Lauren really didn't bother with the tree much when she was 10 months. Turns out I made a bad assumption. For a full three weeks I was pulling Claire away from the tree non stop and hanging the ornaments higher and higher out of reach. One day Claire managed to get a good grip on a branch and just about tipped the tree over until I caught it mid fall. Yikes!
The city tree pick-up was Saturday so I was all too ready to get it outside by the curb. On the up side, it's kind of nice and refreshing to feel like you're done with the holidays and ready to move on with the new year. Not having to sweep up pine needles every hour is nice too!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Unplug and be careful
Note to self: ALWAYS unplug the blender before sticking fingers near the blade.
Did I do this? No
Did I chop off the top of my finger? No
Did I come very close to chopping off the top of my finger? Yes
Am I ok? Yes
Good. But Zut Alors that was close!
A few minutes after this incident C called to say he was on his way home from work. I told him I cut my finger and I could hear a gasp in the split second before he asked if I was ok. I understand this gasp, because the last time I cut my finger I ended up in the emergency room at 10:30 at night and left with with 8 stitches. That was after the paramedics and the police showed up at our apartment in response to C's call to telehealth for advice about what to do, and after a ride in a police cruiser to the hospital. We didn't have a car at the time and the officers were having a quiet night so they offered the lift. We said, "OK!" A rid in the ambulance would have cost us money.
I got that cut from the open lid of a can of pinapple juice that I had used to make pina coladas. Talk about a fun evening gone wrong.
Last night's cut came while making Christmas cookies to give as gifts to Lauren's teachers. I was holding the hand blender with my right hand while scooping batter away from the blade with the index finger of my left hand. For whatever reason the finger on my right hand involuntarily pressed the power button and set the blade in motion. I immediately pulled my left finger away, rushed to the sink and flushed it with water, then applied lots of pressure. I took a peek a moment later to asses the damage and could see a fine cut 3mm long from the skin that reached across the most of the nail.
Was it deep? I wasn't sure, but my first thought was, "Oh my gosh my nail is going to come off!" I applied more pressure then went to sit down on the couch. After feeling like I wasn't going to pass out I peeked again and saw the bleeding had stopped. Phew. I then applied some Polysporin then a band-aid.
Turns out the cut is shallow and looks pretty unimpressive today. The nail should hopefully heal in a few weeks. The potential for the injury being far worse still freaks me out. I was fiddling with a very sharp blade after all. D'uuuhh... what was I thinking? Well, I wasn't.
Lesson learned? Unplug and be careful!
Did I do this? No
Did I chop off the top of my finger? No
Did I come very close to chopping off the top of my finger? Yes
Am I ok? Yes
Good. But Zut Alors that was close!
A few minutes after this incident C called to say he was on his way home from work. I told him I cut my finger and I could hear a gasp in the split second before he asked if I was ok. I understand this gasp, because the last time I cut my finger I ended up in the emergency room at 10:30 at night and left with with 8 stitches. That was after the paramedics and the police showed up at our apartment in response to C's call to telehealth for advice about what to do, and after a ride in a police cruiser to the hospital. We didn't have a car at the time and the officers were having a quiet night so they offered the lift. We said, "OK!" A rid in the ambulance would have cost us money.
I got that cut from the open lid of a can of pinapple juice that I had used to make pina coladas. Talk about a fun evening gone wrong.
Last night's cut came while making Christmas cookies to give as gifts to Lauren's teachers. I was holding the hand blender with my right hand while scooping batter away from the blade with the index finger of my left hand. For whatever reason the finger on my right hand involuntarily pressed the power button and set the blade in motion. I immediately pulled my left finger away, rushed to the sink and flushed it with water, then applied lots of pressure. I took a peek a moment later to asses the damage and could see a fine cut 3mm long from the skin that reached across the most of the nail.
Was it deep? I wasn't sure, but my first thought was, "Oh my gosh my nail is going to come off!" I applied more pressure then went to sit down on the couch. After feeling like I wasn't going to pass out I peeked again and saw the bleeding had stopped. Phew. I then applied some Polysporin then a band-aid.
Turns out the cut is shallow and looks pretty unimpressive today. The nail should hopefully heal in a few weeks. The potential for the injury being far worse still freaks me out. I was fiddling with a very sharp blade after all. D'uuuhh... what was I thinking? Well, I wasn't.
Lesson learned? Unplug and be careful!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Rub a dub dub
My bathtub is littered with little plastic ocean animals. And it makes me smile.
There's a shark and killer whale and sea turtle, beluga whale, dolphin and an otter. Oh, and a deep sea diver too. And three little rubber piggies for added fun.
I tiptoed around them during my shower last night rather than put them away. I want them to be ready for their next bath time ocean adventure.
There's a shark and killer whale and sea turtle, beluga whale, dolphin and an otter. Oh, and a deep sea diver too. And three little rubber piggies for added fun.
I tiptoed around them during my shower last night rather than put them away. I want them to be ready for their next bath time ocean adventure.
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