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Friday, October 30, 2009

The Night Before

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door...

Goooood Eeeev'ning. Itssss Ssssscrubbie here kidlings.

Well ya - there's been many an incarnation of scary-boo-ness 'round the Scrub shack lo these many years. I think the first round for the kid - the Wife and me cut a hole in a pillowcase. Draped it over the Kid's head and badda-boom badda-bing - instant widdle ghost. I'm sure there is a pic floating around somewhere of him like that. I think that was back in the days of hard-copy only pics and our copy might have gone up in smoke with the fire. I'll have to check around with the fam and see if they have a copy I can digitize for future keepin'.

And, as the years passed, and the costumes came and went - one thing always remained. A good time was had by all.

In recent years, the kid bein' the little social butterfly he is, always has grabbed a punk pal or two to do some trick or treatin' with.

The pic there? Ya - that was last year. Punk pal Bobby and other punk pal Happy Meal - they joined the Kid for an evening of sugar.

This year? Well - bein the boy is a teen now... we'll see how the wanderin' around the neighbourhood thing goes. The Wife and me - we've never really had a problem with the older kids comin' around for a sugar fix at Halloween. Only when they are rappin' on the door later in the evening that it makes us cringe.

One thing for sure though - the Kid is havin a couple of buds over at the Scrub shack for a sleepover tomorrow night.

Hmmmmmm. Now that I am thinking of it. Punk pals. Teenagers. Sugar. And lots of it. Sleepover. Scrub's place.

Yes - I'll have to hit the local trading post to pick up a new lock so I can bolt the door to the engine room downstairs closed. That'll keep the little sugar-high testosterones contained.

Lets hope, anyway.


Thursday, October 29, 2009

"Where did you leave your hand?"

Look at them!

Howdy boys & girls - its Scrubbie 2.0 on a Thursday.

So, Scrub spent a couple 'a days talkin about when the Kid came into the world. And - look! 13 years later.

As ya'll may know - our lad was born missin' a few digits on one hand. Officially, he's an "amputee". Here, in the Great White, we have this fantastico organization called WAR AMPS. And WAR AMPS has this thing called the CHAMP program. CHild AMPutee. Get it?

Anyway - this past weekend, the CHAMP program had its annual CHAMP Seminar. It's a weekend where a whole whacka CHAMPS and their families all get together and there's sessions of info about prosthetics, body image, dealing with teasing at school, getting jobs etc etc etc. Honest to goodness - it is simply an amazing weekend.

The Kid - really... for the most part... doesn't have many issues to deal with. At school, he's got a pretty good group of pals that like him for who he is. The hand thing - not much of a problem. Every now and then though - it does get to him.

But, at these Seminars and with his amputee pals - even the Kid says he gets the giggles being able to hang out with other kids "like me". When they are all together, the fact that one of them is missing a few fingers - not a big deal. The fact that one of them has no legs - not a big deal. The fact that one of them doesnt have any limbs at all - not a big deal. They have fun with each other. They talk about amputation. They compare stories. They come up with solutions. They have a great time.

New families come to these things all the time too. Sometimes, the kids with the new families are a bit older and have just discovered the CHAMP program. Often though, the new families come with their itty bitty kiddies. The greatest thing is seeing these new families get thrown into this world and talking to them and watching them, over the course of the weekend, realize that their own widdle one who is missing an arm or a leg or arms or legs or arms and legs - they'll grow up to be just fine. Yep - there are challenges, but they'll grow up to be just fine.

It was particularly funny this weekend with one incident. See... there was another group at the hotel as well. This young hockey club was there. (welcome to Canada, eh. Always a hockey club on hand somewhere.) Anyway - young hockey club there. After the sessions and programming is done for the day...the kids always love hitting the swimming pool.

So, we were there. At the pool. And all our CHAMP families where there. 120 families at this thing. With their kids. And, we're at the pool.

Now, when you're dealing with amputees, some of them have swimming legs and swimming arms and such. A lot of the kids though - they like to drop the prosthetics and hop in the pool. So... there they all are. In the pool. And, around the pool... on the deck... there are tons and tons of arms and legs and hands.... just lying around all over the place. It really is quite the sight.

So - a few of these junior hockey players stop in to have a swim. They come to the door. I was there. Watching them. These young hockey players - they see all these arms and legs and hands lying around all over the place. Their eyes... literally drop out of their sockets and bounce on the floor like golfballs. Their jaws - hit the ground with a thud. Yes folks - hysterical!

The pics there in the layout. The Wife and The Kid havin a bit of lovin' time. Nice, eh?


Crazy 'ol gal.

Oh that Mamma Scrub!

Evening kids. It's Scrubbie! Yeah!

Ok - now it's getting embarrassing. I mean - sure Scrub loves Mom and Mom loves her Scrub. But, seriously... she has GOT to stop.

Apparently she made some new friends.

See.....



Sunday, October 25, 2009

The One Handed Wonder

"No wait.... let me guess."

Evening Kids. Yer 'ol pal Scrub here.

Been a helluva weekend. Tell ya more laer.

First though - thought I'd close out the birthin' story with "the day after" note.

So - went to see the Kid as he is now a couple 'a hours old. I goes into the swaddlin' room and there before me are a few of these ooglie, wrinkly lumps. Oh - c'mon... don't be shocked... ya gotta agree that most newborns are pretty ooglie. Heads all wonky and such. Not ooglie enough to make ya wanna shove 'em back in. But, ya know what I mean.

Anyway - I goes in and says to the nurse "Hiya. I'm Scrubbie. Here to see the Kid."

"Sure" says the nurse. "Know which one is yours?"

"No. Wait... let me guess..." I says. So - I goes and takes a look. Well - damnd things all look the same. "Ya know.. it'd be a helluva lot easier if I could see the hands. Mine's only got one."

Anyway - got the kid - gave him a cuddle - and that was the first of many cuddles.

And... here we are... 13 years later. You'll agree... on one hand - 13 YEARS!!!! On the other hand - in a word: Whoosh.

Oh - was gonna write more kids -but Scrub's whacked tonight. It's been a helluva weekend and this old boy needs to do the feet up thing, the cuppa tea thing and the mindless TV thing.

Yep - world of zombie-vision... here I come.