jenny has a crystal ball

... and she uses it to see into the future!!!!

how'd she do that? how did she know what I was going to write even before I wrote it??
hmmmmm???? (you might ask)

that which I am referring to is... of course... the last comment about Rob/Bob and the bass gee-tar.

yes, I now hold in my possession one bonafida acoustic bass. that's right. it's true. and I have rob/bob to thank for it... it's a loan, so I'd better be quick about it and get a-learnin. I'll call the shop in the morning to see who's offering lessons.

anyone know of a good book or online resource... my preferences lean to the "cheap" or "free" end of the line.

jumping on the band wagon

... if only because the results are frickin' helarious!

go to google, type your first name and "needs" into the search bar and see what comes up.


Lesley needs....more activity
Lesley needs....physical affection (amen baby!)
Lesley needs...submissions for the next newsletter
Lesley needs...to design and build a wheelchair
Lesley needs... a hand peeling some peppercorns or something
Lesley needs...to poke Thomas
Lesley needs... to complete thirty credit hours
Lesley needs...A NEW BOOK TO READ!
Lesley needs... a hug
Lesley needs...to call people



hahaha (gutteral laugh)
I like this game

newest passion

A friend of mine let me in on a little secret the other day... I was at church and he was telling me about his newest travel plans (this is a boy who really likes to hitch hike..) He's heading up to Montreal for a concert next week, and being the cheapy that he is....
well... he found this great networking thing called "couch surfing". And, of course, now I'm hooked on the idea too.
Basically what it is, is a network of people who offer their couches (or foutons or whatnot) up to weary travelers... in exchange for pretty much nothing! Well, no, that's not true... it's sort of a "pass it on" type thing, do one deed unto the next.
So, you sign up, offer your couch... and you're free to use someone else's couch!
of course there's way more to it than just that.. but that's all I'm writing about it, you can look it up and decide for yourself.
But.... that said.... I'm SUPER pumped about it!!! Who wants to go do some surfing with me?
serious.

believe it with your OWN eyes

ok ok ok
I know!
I need to get a camera of my own.. one of them there digi-tal do-dads... I know.. I'm working on it. But until then.. you're just going to have to believe me when I tell you my stories.. despite the fact that you don't want to... hearken back to the day of the cow cheerleader team? right.. case in point, you just have to believe me.

This morning I was out for my walk (how many of these posts start with that phrase?) and I'm marching away, minding my own, when up ahead I see something large, white and feathered. Sitting on the sidewalk on the corner of Division and University, preening it's feathers... Who leaves a large duck in town? I was tempted to just pick it up and walk away.. but then I thought that maybe someone was looking for their duck... so I left it. Because.. you know.. people lose their ducks in town all the time. I've been searching the duck and goose directories (me and identification seem to be hanging out a lot lately) .
who do you think you are? Grissom? I think you've been watching too much TV.
Muscovy Duck is the closest thing I can find... but who knows.

hire a husband

today I pulled out my cute little vacuum.... to do a deed that I knew I couldn't do on my own.

I'm going all MarthaStewart-esque this week... there's winter/weather proofing to do, the rabbit is moving in to the sunroom, there are plants to be rescued before the frost eats them..... SO, I'm lugging Norty's Winter home (a.k.a. "the prince's domain") up the stairs from the garage... I set the cage down, walk away, come back.... and there's this .. this... thing on the side.
I'm not so much a squeamish girl.. unless it comes to insects... or birth.. or blood... or.. ok, scratch that... I'm a squeamish girl.
What do I do???? it's HUGE... I take a picture and go to the insect directory... I'm not going to squish that thing... it's body is the size of my thumb... it's not going to squish well... it'll juice... it's probably poisonous and is plotting my death!
I discover at www.pestcontrolcanada.com that it's a variety of the "common orb weaver" HELLO!!!! what's so common about this giant thing!!!!!
I've never seen one... it's going to eat me..
I know it.
So as I curse my life style, with not a dashing husband in sight.... I drag out the vacuum...
*bleh*
and the grossest thing is... I can see it crawling around in the dirt in the vacuum now... *shivers with disgust*

Allergy alert

I've decided that I need to pretend I'm allergic to peanuts.
Not that I WANT to give up peanuts.. in fact, this hurts to even think about life without the peanuts.. the p.B. the reese peanutbutter cup.. the glosette chocolate covered peanuts.. the groundnut sauce with chicken... the peanutbutter stew.... oh.. my... I don't know if I can really do it.
but here's the alternative.
I will eat every item in smelling distance.
*sigh* why is it Halloween time already?
*sigh* why am I spending my money on bags of "peanut lovers" snack-sized bars?
*sigh* why have I eaten those bags?
*sigh* what will I give out on octoberween?

(RAR)

if you've ever been on msn with me.. you know my favorite emoticon to use is the RAR guy... he's suppose to be all angry and mean... and he's coming after you with his waving arms... but all I want to do is hug him.
I would like an ugly doll.

ummmm, ok.... so last night (I can't believe I haven't written about this yet!!) we had our first ever soulhouse cafe!!!! SO great! And it went so well too... (!!! insert sound of breaking quickly and backing up even faster!!) right right, what's soulhouse cafe?
Once upon a time there was a nice little town with many other nice neigbouring towns, and in these towns were some nice young adults who... all they wanted was to belong... and all they wanted was to meet other young adults who had the same passions.. and all they really wanted... was to be heard and make a difference and ask questions and ... you get the point.
One day, after trying several different things (including the now famous Monday night get-together, known affectionately and ever-more as "Monday night") this group of people decided.. let's take our post-modernistic leanings and create a space for other like mind-eds, let's create a space for people to be challenged and to grow in their faith. And so they did. They got a core group of people praying, they met to plan, they found a place, they found a house band... they ate lots of sauerkraut... and they pulled it off.
Last night was the first of (hopefully) many cool get togethers... we didn't have a topic per say, but we mingled, we grabbed a java... made new connections and had a time of worship...
I can't wait to see what comes out of this!

the search is on

does anyone know who I last lent "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" to?
I am craving it and all other things of comfort.
please send it home.

say what?

I'm having some publishing problems right now, fear not, the posts are sitting piled in the editor mode, waiting to be released. you'll see them soon.

more time travel

oh, but other than the silly stuff... last week was such a great message... we're looking at the idea of Faith as the "Epic", the greatest story... and we've been looking at the elements of a great epic and what that has to do with our faith journey.... pretty neat idea.
Last week we looked at the villain... the element of Evil.
not so much looking at the origin of evil.. but more the existance of evil.... and how that effects us...
to sum it up in the most basic of terms
it came, it's here, it'll be gone in the end (we win)
*phew*! it was an intense message... I'll write more later on this topic... seriously, my brain hurts anytime I get to hear either of the Kennedy brothers speak.. they have soooo much to say, and such insight. Last week we had Dave at Redwood and Steve at Cedarside.... lol, who better to ask to speak about evil than two brothers?

time travel

I learned many things last week at church (aside from what the pastor had to say)

the first and most important:

When the speaker is wearing a shirt with light blue stripes on white.... do not set the main speaker lights to be yellow and blue. The resulting shadows look alot like green pit stains.

Secondly, and nearly as important:

When arriving at church to set up the sound board (please remember we've a "church in a box" set up.... as in, we put EVERYTHING in a box and lock it up- then set it all up again the next week- we don't have a building of our own) do not assume that you'll have the same sound board you've always had. And do not assume that anyone there will have ever used the new one. And do not assume that you are allowed to set up so you can hear the speakers... and do not assume that your old monitor headphones will work in the new system. And do not assume that the new system will have all the effects on it that you like from. And do not assume that you'll be allowed to just figure it out... really, there's too many boys who like to fiddle with new toys. Do, however, assume that God is bigger than all that...DO play with the new hands free mic (ohhhh, bendy!) and DO have a good laugh at the guy running the computer beside you when the itunes take over the movie clips. (I mean, come on, Darth Vader's theme is suppose to run when you play a clip from Austin Powers... right?)

am not dead

... though I feel like death may be a welcome relief.... WHERE'S MY BED?????
I will stumble there in just a few moments.

I had the great privledge of going to my 5th (or maybe 6th?) Steve Bell concert this evening. 'Twas lovely. This is a man in my top five for best guitar players on the planet (that I know of). Also ranks high on the story-telling meter.

tonight he said this (or some very close approximation to this)... which left me pondering

"I don't think Mother Theresa was all that 'special'. I think that maybe she just lived the 'normal' life we are intended for"

oh.
ouch.

laughing

I am well adjusted.
as in... I just came from the cry-ropractor and she adjusted my neck... and I like that a lot... I can turn my head ... and ummm, look up... and look down and um. turn my head.
anyway, it's nice to have full ROM again.

today I was trying to catch up on my homestar viewing.. I fall behind there quite often... And I found pretty much the funniest video yet.
enjoy.

talk your ear off

(ha ha ha... I think that's the funniest line)


this morning I received a call for "Mrs. Bowl-ee-oh"... I like to hear mispronunciations of my name from time to time, but... this is Canada folks and surely you can at the very least hearken back to grade two French and remember the words and pronunciation for "drink" and "water"! That said, perhaps I shall myself switch back to the francaphone version.
Yes.
Anyway, that's not the point of the story.
I was civil with her, listened to her spiel, even threw in the appropriate "active listener" comments and sounds... but when she asked if I was interested and I declined.... and then she asked me why and I began to answer....
SHE HUNG UP ON ME!!!!!

LOL
ROFL!
sigh... sitting by the phone waiting for my next call.

too too

ok, so instead... we'll just jump back into normal life... because as they said on the radio this morning (God bless you CBC for coming back... life can continue) life isn't the beginning and the end of the story, it's what happens in the middle.

So.... jumping back to the middle in 5..4...3...2...1...

I went to the zoo today.
It was my day off, I slept till I didn't sleep anymore, then leisurely rolled out of my bed, gathered some appropriate zoo-visiting items (bananas, pears, water bottle, book, sweater.... but my mittens could not be found!)
I then called my Pa, to see if there were any joiners from his place... there were not, so I grabbed a java and left.
This is the perfect "wanderer" weather.
There's nothing more I enjoy than taking a walk... (it can only be trumped by a trail ride or a campfire)
Today the sun was shining, the trees orange and red, the wind crisp, my sweater warm, and the zoo near empty. I spent hours enjoying the walk, I got to read every sign.... and there was no one to rush me along... the school groups were few enough that I only ran into them (or was run down by them!) a couple of times... there were 4 or 5 other single visitors - we continued to cross paths during the day and took pictures for eachother...
I wish that you could have been there with me.

summation

um... Apologies, to you and to myself for not blogging over the past couple of days.
and you know, I can feel it when I don't. there's a build up of words... I start walking around composing in my head, writing to the invisible masses that don't exist.... lecturing and debating to myself, leaving comments in my comment section in my mind. um. yeah.
so that said, I've composed no less than 6 posts in my mind, and I have not the time to write them... sooo, you'll get the summery later tonight ;)

let the sun shine

If there is no rain;
I will be going to the zoo on monday.
If you have no life and would like to join me, I will be leaving early and returning early.

call now

for a limited time, I will be offering my autograph for free to those who make the request. Just so you can say, "I knew her when..." because someday quite soon... I'm going to be famous.
me and jonny depp, we're tight.
I'm gonna go try out for a part in a movie tomorrow.

dork::

1. Slang. A stupid, inept, or foolish person: “the stupid antics of America's favorite teen-age cartoon dorks”.
2. Lesley Marie in infatuation.


[Perhaps from dork, variant of dirk.]
dorki·ness n. dorky adj.

dork
n : a dull stupid fatuous person. jerk.

I'd like to thank the academy

um, I don't really know where to start in listing the things I'm thankful for. There's so many.
I just finished a lovely meal with my newly blended family... ok, so we weren't totally blended.. I think that happens at Christmas. There were still a few new faces missing. But it was great, I'm thankful for the way God's been growing me this year, and the ways in which my family has grown... If someone told me three years ago that I'd be friends with my sister, and be able to hang out with my dad without being on edge the whole time, I'd have laughed. "Ha!" I'd have said.
But things have changed.
And I like them a lot.
I'm looking forward to that becoming even more in the future.


it's cold... my rings are falling off my fingers as I type.
and my face hurts from the sneezing.

quality quote of the day:: I'm so full... it must have been the four glasses of turkey I drank before dinner.

my turkey

it's funny how, on days when we feel invisible, or figure that no one's noticing... we aren't and they do.
And sometimes we find out.

That's what I'm thankful for today.

we don't need religion

.... just the love of God.

I was wearing my Brian Houston shirt yesterday, and I found my Hudson Taylors CD.
Small world.
didn't really even realize it until I was driving down the street and this one song came on. It's a good one, and it gets me pumped about doing whatever the heck it is that I'm suppose to be doing. Guess I'll just keep praying till I figure out what it is.
I had a conversation on MSN this morning that brought this song back to me.

To know that I the Lord your God dwell within you
live beside you and walk behind you
This is the pure gold that I am talking about
That cannot be consumed by fire or stolen away from you by human hands
This is the gold of ministry that you have longed for
That you have lain awake at night on your bed
dreaming of
And you need to know that I have been
Wishing for you
Dreaming in you
Hoping for you
For my dreams are so much greater for you than yours
And to know my hand in your life
This is the greatest prize
So much better than recognition
And as you rise up in my
Many will know
Many will see
Many will hear
Many will fear
'cos I am your God
This is the pure gold that I am refining in you
That will shine within your soul
And your cup will run over
And you will see the fruit of your labours
And you will not be disappointed forever
For your toils and your struggles are not in vain...

... where you see bones I can see the army
Where you see floods I see the shore
Where you see dry winds blow I see the new life grow
Where you see the clouds in your way it is the Lord.

more of the same.....

But I do not want you to remain in that place of brokenness
Even though I am in that place with you still I do not want you to stay there...


Where you see bones.....

The Hudson Taylors~ Hurricane.
(Richards, Houston, Drain)
"when the ones you love and trust"

not the crack train

I am catlike. Tawny and sleek, quiet and sneaky...
today I had an incredible adventure that should be shared with many a person.
now, by "incredible" I mean quite boring and mostly stupid.
now, by "adventure" really I mean nothing happened.
now, by "should be shared with many a person" I mean, I'm telling you in my blog because if I tell you in person you'll get bored with the details and walk away.
and maybe by catlike... really I might mean that I like to fall asleep in sunny places.

Today Megsheff was going to come home on the train and hang out with me until babysheff's rugby game and until I went to work. The train was to arrive at 2:00 and miss Meg would jump off and appear on my step (there are three houses between my house and the station). At around ten to two, I walked out into the beautiful day and over to the station, I plopped myself down on the grass and rested against a tree. After a bit of time had passed, I looked over my shoulder... in doing so, rested my chin on my shoulder.. decided it was quite the comfortable position, and promptly fell asleep.
Some time passed, one train passed (a freight) and I woke. Realizing that the train had not yet arrived, and that I had to get to work for 3... I thought I'd better go in the house and check the time... walking quicker as I remembered that it was thursday today (all day) and I work at 2:30 on thursdays (a fact that I never remember, and Be-Bop has to call and remind me every week). I run up the steps and see I've got two messages (one from Roy... thanks for the reminder ;) then look at the clock... it's 2:32!
perhaps (me thinks) I should start wearing a watch.
the train showed up just as I tore down the sidewalk on my bike... I could just picture what Megsheff's face must have looked like as I flew away in the opposite direction. In my mind I heard "we are SO not friends".

unsaid... spoken

there's been alot of coverage of the hurricanes and their wake... but today I found this site and it made me cry.
it actually brought me to the people who are there.

today's the day!

yup yup.
today marks a very important day in the life of a young woman that I know.
somewhere, over "that side" of the ocean, there's a young girl who, today, celebrated her 17th birthday. Meanwhile, "this side" of the ocean, I was thinking about her and her family and wishing I could celebrate the day with her.
Happy Birthday Lisa





Lisa it's your birthday
happy birthday Lisa!
(as sung by a large fat white michael jackson wannabe)

nice

by the time you read this, we'll be at over 4000 hits.
that's kinda cool.
and sick... get a life would ya all?

new! improved!

I've added a few new pics in the sidebar.....
Poor Norty is still hiding under the chair outside... in fear of what may come next.

open my mouth as if to speak

I have things to write, but I can't seem to concentrate enough to write them.

I was asked awhile ago why I write here. Is it for myself? Is it for others? Is it information sharing or is it expression?
I don't know anymore.
maybe I need to decide that before I continue.