Nightmares

Today was a boring rainy day here at my house.  I didn't have much to do, other than the regular stuff like make meals and clean up after those meals and iron etc.  but other than that it was pretty hum drum.  Don't get me wrong those types of days are nice every once in a while, but today I just wanted to laugh and it just wasn't one of those days.  This need to laugh lead me to thinking about some funny things I have been thinking about lately.  One of those things was the time that Damie and I tried to get through the scariest haunted house I have ever been in.

In Niagara Falls there is this place called Nightmares fear factory.  This place is beyond your wildest imagination when it comes to haunted houses.  I have been in some really good ones in my time but this one freaked me out the moment I walked into the reception area. 

When you walk in there is a place to buy your tickets.  When we went there were two people working in there, and no one else in sight.  Every so often we could hear people screaming in the distance and other noises, which as you can imagine scared us a bit.  When you walk up to the booth to pay there is a big sign telling you who shouldn't go through this haunted house.  People who have bad hearts, are pregnant or wish to one day become pregnant, people who have problems standing, sitting, kneeling, running, screaming, people who have a hard time catching their breath, people who one day want to see their grandchildren, people who have problems in close spaces, open spaces that are dark, very dark places, people who can't walk on unlevel ground, people who colour their hair, people who do not like to be scared, and people who think haunted houses are a good place to kill people!!  Well maybe not all that, but it was still a bit alarming.

Damie is a scardy cat from way back.  She hates all things scary, scary  movies, scary stories, scary houses etc.  The girl cries at the smallest of scary stuff.  I have known her to cry just watching a commercial for a scary movie.  So obviously getting her to buy a ticket and actually enter the factory was going to take some convincing. 

It's not like I wasn't scared, I was, but I like that feeling.  I am not one to do really dangerous things, and even less so since Zeb was born, but getting my pants scared off has always had this sadistic pleasing effect on me.  Sure I scream and jump out of my skin, but the laughing fit that quickly follows is what I am addicted to.  It's sort of like getting a tattoo, while you are getting it you are asking yourself why on earth, but that adrenaline rush after it's all done is what makes you want more.  Scary stuff is my adrenaline rush.

I finally convince her that nothing will happen to her and that I will go first and hold her arm the whole time.  She agrees, which completely shocked me.  So off we went.

Just before going through the doors to the factory they explain to you that if you want to stop at any time all you have to do is yell nightmares as loud as you can and someone will come and let you out.  I looked at Damie at this point and said, "please don't yell nightmares, it would be so embarrassing to have someone come and let us out".  She agreed.  We enter.

At first it's okay, you walk down a lit hallway to a case in the wall.  Nothing much scary about that right.  Well just as you are feeling like you can do this, what was all the hype about, the case crashes and the lights go out and you are completely in the dark.  You then hear someone whisper, in what you think is your ear and they are apparently right beside you yet you feel around and no one is there, to follow the light.  Yes there is this small light, more like a pin spot in the air that is obviously at the end of the room.  We, me holding onto Damie's arm, we move slowly towards that light.  I want to make sure that my footing is right before actually stepping down, just in case the floor should drop out or something.  Damie's is terrified, whimpering as we slowly move forward.  All I can think is I have to be strong or that girl is going to start screaming nightmares like her arm has just been amputated.  Finally we make it to the end of the room and we see the next light.

This time the room is louder than the last, there seems to be people in it, but you can not only not see them but no matter how you feel around you can't touch them either.  Every once in a while someone or something brushes your cheek or rubs your hair, but then it's gone as quick as it came.  Every time this happens, Damie whimpers a little louder, but using stronger language every time.  It starts out low, and then it begins to grow.  I am scared crazy, but I can't let her know, otherwise that girl is going to scream nightmares and out we will go.  I stand strong, move forward and whisper to her that everything is okay, "I'm right here and nothing is going to happen to us".  It was my little mantra as we slowly moved towards the pin light.  All of a sudden the floor creaks and bang, we drop a couple inches...well I don't have to tell you how loud we both screamed, I didn't know I could scream like that, but apparently when faced with incredible fear you do become a 7 yr old girl once again and you can scream in a way that it just makes you skin tighten.

We get to the end of the room and start across the next, only this time we make a turn and have to walk down stairs.  Damie is having none of it.  She starts to resist like a calf on a rope.  No matter how much I push the more she plants her heals...and here we are, in the darkness and not moving an inch. 

Now I have no idea what makes her think this is a good thing to do at this moment.  All I can do is think about getting through this thing and going to get something to drink, my throat is as dry as sand.  I ask her to please move forward, she doesn't say a thing, but I can't budge her.  I try everything, until it occurs to me that she will move if she thinks moving is safer than staying...so I tell her "Damie, there is someone behind you" well that makes her move!!

We get down the stairs and around the corner and then you won't believe whats there.  A small crawl space and the sound of a very loud, very close chain saw. 

What these people wanted us to do was get down on our hands and knees and crawl through a small opening with a very angry chainsaw somewhere in the area.  Can you believe that.

Well Damie was having none of it and before I could say a world that girl was screaming "Nightmares" like it was time for dinner.  Before I knew it a door opened, we went out, and we were done.

Around the corner we went to the ticket area, we told them we did not make it, and they happily gave us our "Chicken out card" redeemable anytime.

We have not gone back to try it again, I will never get Damie to ever do it again.  To this day if you even bring it up she starts to get that look of fear in her eyes and tells you in no uncertain terms that she will "NEVER DO THAT AWFUL THING AGAIN". 

But did I laugh after we left and every time I think about it, or tell the story....and that's what it's all about!


This is another thing that makes me laugh out loud every single time I watch it!!  Enjoy :)

Summer of 2012

The summer is passing quickly and I am not exactly happy about it.  It's been the hottest summer I can remember, but that hasn't done much to take away from our fun, since we spend so much of it in the pool.  As long as I can swim I say the hotter the better.

We are loving our new house, except for the two sets of stairs.  I can't remember the last house I lived in where I had to walk stairs on a  daily basis, and this house is kicking my butt.  My knees are literally killing me daily...I can't wait till I can get some of this weight off and give them a break.  Other than the stairs we couldn't as for a better place than here.   We have almost finished everything.  I am painting the office this week and once that is done there isn't many big things left to do.  I can't wait until it's all done and I can just enjoy it.  I have a lot of fun projects lined up so I can't wait until the have to's are done and I can get to the want to's.

This summer seems different for me.  I can't shake the feeling like this is the last one I have with my little boy Zeb.  For some reason I think there is a big difference between 7 and 8 and because of this next year I won't have my little boy anymore.  For this reason I have been trying to enjoy my time with him, trying to make the summer last for as long as I can.  I don't want to think about not having my baby boy around, but in the not too  far away future he will be gone, or at least he will be in a place where he doesn't want his old mom around.   Boy oh boy, just the thought of it makes me sad.

In the early fall I will be having surgery.  This also is something that has made me want to slow things down a bit.  Like any surgery it's a serious thing, anything could happen, and because of that I have just wanted to enjoy my life as much as I can this summer.  Don't get me wrong, I have no fears about there being a bad outcome, but there is always that chance right, so I want to make sure that Zeb has good memories just in case.  I think we have done that so far.  We have a bit more summer to go so I am sure there will be more memories made.

So many other things have happened, both with us and in the news.  Shooting in movie theatres and Sikh Temples, people boycotting Chick fil a,  etc. etc.   I have tried to turn it all out, but some things just wont go away.

Who is so crazy that they walk into a movie theatre and start shooting?  Who is that crazy?  Where have we failed I would like to know?   The most amazing thing I heard after this is people who wondered why there weren't people in the theatre with their own weapons....now that is the most messed up idea I can imagine.  Here we are with a crazy gun man in a theatre and you think it would have been a good idea for a but of "scared out of their wits,  civilians" shooting back.....so many more would have been killed.  What a scary thought.  Do I believe in gun control, why yes I do.  I have no idea why anyone would need a semi automatic gun to hunt with??  All I know is up until now the NRA has been winning their fight down there in the US and so far we have seen more shootings like this one in the theatre, seems to me when something isn't working it's time to try something else??

As far a chick-fil-a, well I have known about that business for 7 years now.  I have only eaten their once, and that was before I knew where they spend their money, and have never made the choice to eat there again.  As for freedom of speech, well we all should have that right but we also have the right to no agree.  My problem with that company is not that they are against any other definition of marriage but that they spend millions of dollars a year on funding agencies that spread hate, and want to take rights away from human beings, such as the right to not be beaten because of your sexual orientation.  I don't agree with hate in any form and that is why I will never spend a dime at that place or a list of other places.  As a gay person I have done my research and I will not support those who do not support me, simple!  I buy my gas at shell!

Zeb is excited about school, and grade three, but I think the thing he is most excited about is that he will be starting dance lessons in Sept.  He knows the exact date and everything.  I think it's wonderful that he is so excited.  As a mom you know you are doing the right thing when your kid mentions it every single day, there is no question that this kid is going to love these lessons and that makes me happy.  I can't wait to see him dance his ass off this year, and for the years to come.

We haven't gone anywhere this summer, it's been too crazy and way too hot.  I can't even imagine going to a festival or fair in the heat we have been having.  I can't tell you how grateful I am to be out of the house we were in, not sure how any of us would have made it through this summer without air conditioning.  I think that if anyone is questioning global warming, well I think the proof is really in the pudding.  It is just getting hotter as far as I'm concerned.  I hated living in Houston Tx mostly because of the heat, and now that heat is here in southwestern Ontario, crazy stuff!!