egg sad

Henretta was eaten by some horrid animal last night.

down sizing

I think in the past I've referred to it as the bat cave... or as my secret hideout... some call it the front door. In the summer I like to spend alot of time out here.... (I know, this is a repeat picture... I'll get my own digital camera someday... get over it!)


Anyway, back to the day of hedge trimming::
I got to the house where we were to attack the brush.. and attack we did! Lam Chun Yee (aka T.Lam:: Bush man) and I tore the place apart. It was like we were born to do it. I'd have to say, I make a pretty excellent logger, and if I wasn't near morally opposed to the idea, I might take it up as a profession. I chopped down two trees. now, by "chopped" I really mean I used the hack saw, but that's as near to chopping a tree down as I've come... and the one was 15-20 feet tall, so I got to yell "timber"... but I don't think I can quite cross off "chop down a tree" from my life list just yet... somebody hand me an axe.

Now, there really is a connection between the bat cave and the logging. hang in there.

the other night I came home and looked at my house. I like looking at it, it's beautiful. I noticed something was amiss... but couldn't figure it out. The sun was shining on my bike on the porch and I was briefly distracted by it gleaming off the streamers. I went indoors. The next morning, greeted by sunlight yet again, it's warm rays woke me as I stumbled to the bike to ride to work. "Strange", thought I, "it's so sunny here". It wasn't until I returned home and I sat on my bike staring at the house that it hit me. I was sitting looking at the porch wondering why I'd never noticed the fact that we had our street number written in TWO places, in plain view. "Plain View?!? Plain View?!? Why can I see the front of my house?!? someone cut down the trees!"

sucker for punishment

it's true. I'm going to attack the hedge at work again this morning... Having learned my lesson, I'm going to use the smaller and MUCH lighter hedge trimmers. My hope is to have full use of my arms by the end of the day ;) we'll see how it goes.

Have you ever noticed (if you are a blogger or even just a lurker) how the people you read in blogs become a community? Even though you've never really met in some instances? I've had this conversation with my Roomie quite a bit in the past.. and it's hit home alot this past week as a number of people I "know" have lost family members and pets they've loved... I hurt along with them...

I fell asleep in the sun poarch again last night. ug. I love summer.

See it with your own eyes.

I know there's been some doubt out there... but he is real.
Last night we were invited to Tim and Kellie's for supper and a camp fire, and someone snapped our pic. About time. Now you overseas folks can give up the ribbing, and you relatives and what not can have a glimpse... no fears, you'll get your turn in person...

Camp fire was lovely, I smoked both the fire AND part of D's cigar... why the special cigar occasion? In celebration of T & K's new baby girl Grace Emily... she's a cutie, make sure to stop over and give her a squish!
Kellie's turned out to be one of those moms I hope to be... really laid back about whatever... it was neat to see her interacting with everyone and the baby, but allowing everyone their turn-without the hover. Pretty cool.

of hedges and trimmers

not that I like to dwell on things... but.. ok, I'm a little OCD sometimes.
My attack on the neighbour's hedge is going well... a little at a time, we'll claim back the remaining third of the sidewalk. (By we... I mean... uh... all pedestrians.. yeah.. that's it) Sunday night I was walking home from my guy's apartment (he's got cable!!!!) and decided to make use of the dusk as a light cover on my rampage. I was clearing a large chunk when I realized there was a vehicle at the set of lights behind me... and saw they were watching me.... I pretended not to notice... and tried to blend in with the giant bush. It didn't work so well.
This is a small town.
PaSheff rolls down his window as he passes and calls "Lesley's in the amazon".....

flashback to Friday... a BUSY day at work, much driving to support people at their jobs much trying to be everywhere at once.
I arrived at one of the CH homes, and as I drove in the long driveway I watched and heard the branches as they dragged across the van. Thankfully, I had the heavy duty hedge trimmers that belong to work in the back, so I set to work on the offending plants.
Key word in that last sentence would be "heavy"... gas powered... heavy..... not made of plastic.... heavy.... two handles.... heavy.... industrial type...

I got maybe a fifth of the drive done, hacking in about 3 feet of brush, and well above my head... wow, the driveway is really wide now, and discovered I could no longer lift my arms above my shoulders... no problem, I'd clear the brush to the compost pile, then start again.... I dragged the branches to the back, and stopped inside to sign something... only to discover I had NO fine motor skills- only shaking. I went back outside to start the trimmers back up... nope, couldn't pull the rope to start it. *sigh* the hedge had beaten me.

The next morning (Saturday) I had gimpy arms. It was sad. I was useless.

I'm thinking of doing a drive by of the neighbour's offensive hedge with the work van and trimmers ;)

cars

... I saw the movie last night. It made me laugh... ok, it may have made me cry too, but that was expected right?

Anyway, what this is really about is the cars that are in town right now. It's nearing to summer and the tourist season is just about to hit high gear... (eek, I'm guessing stay away from the beach tomorrow!)and with the heat of the summer beginning to warm the sands... the number of cars and the number of pedestrians has started to increase.
Not so cool since there's huge amounts of construction going on.

Today I saw something that takes the cake... mmm.. cake, I could go for some cake.
I was stuck in traffic on Division St, right where the construction is (thankfully) winding up, for the ninth or tenth time today, when I saw this lady venture out to cross the street. she saw an opening and she was going to take it... regardless of the traffic lights a mere 50 feet away... she starts across, and it QUICKLY become apparent to all observing, there's no frigin way she's going to make it before the Mac truck that's come over the crest of the hill.... she shuffles her walker... yes, that's right... HER WALKER.. along a little faster... then takes note of the truck... and then... it happened.
this lady who moments ago was shuffling... PICKS UP HER WALKER AND RUNS GRACEFULLY across the street... once on the curb she continues to carry her walker, walking strong... Until she sees the large number of people staring slack-jawed at her.. she places the walker on the ground and begins to shuffle once more.

I'm not trusting granny.

count down

in as much as I'm dreading the end of summer.
in as much as I don't want the end of summer heat, or the return of the school year, or the leaving of students... ok, one student....

the countdown is on::

10 weeks till Shelter Valley.

*sigh*

return

you know when you go on vacation... and you really just don't want to go back to normal life?
That's how this weekend was.

I survived. I met MANY people. Many family members and many friends. And it was good, and I had fun, and it was so great to get away and do something a little different. And I REALLY liked the people I met, and I made some neat new friends.... But getting into my own car last night and driving home I was sad. I didn't want that time to end, I didn't want to go back to my life just yet.

now... back to work.

to the legions...

now I know you're going to hate me for it, but I'm going away again for the weekend, and you're all just going to have to sit tight till the next installment of my ninja diary can be written.
I'm sure you'll get over it.

I'm going for a lovely weekend in Ottawa with my guy. (read:: AHHHHH! I'm meeting family and friends, people I don't know... will they like me? AHHHHH!)
it'll be fine.
*gulp*

Shady corner of the street

I live on a beautiful street. With some of the nicest houses in the 'Burg situated on it, people will make it their destination on their strolls.
That said, there are also a few very sketchy buildings that bask in the shade of the decrepit tannery. One of these such buildings, the sketchiest of all sketch, is just two doors down and across a laneway. It's a big old house that if restored (and a porch added and landscaped) would be one of the most lovely places to see... but right now, it's been retrofitted to house seven tiny apartments, most of the tenants are really nice... (have you ever met friendly downtown mike? He lives there) But then there's that guy.
You know the one? With the sunken cheekbones, the long stringy hair? The windbreaker jacket and the baseball cap? Speedwalking to the beer store with some young (too young) girl in tow- in leggings and a tube top? You know the one?
He lives there... Now, I HATE stereotypes... But this guy IS the stereotype. I get nervous walking past him at night. I'm sure he's a decent person... But I am still nervous.
The cops visit his place often. They drive past daily. They question him whenever he's outside. Apparently this has my nextdoor neighbour in tears. She has two small children, and the combination of the noise from his place and the cops stopping by is too much.... Or so says my landlord. I believe it.
So last night I'm out on the step talking to my landlord, she's QUITE upset about a variety of things that are happening in her life, and she's not one to keep those sort of things inside.. It effects how she approaches everything and everyone. As we're talking, skinny sketchy begins to walk past our house, young tube top in tow, my landlord spots them and announces, "I need to have a word with this young man, I told nextdoor woman I would!" I get up to go inside, wanting NOTHING to do with what she has planned. She shouts at me as she marches up to him "Don't you go anywhere, I need you there!" reluctantly I sit back down, hopfully in a place that he won't notice me...
Landlord marches up to sketchy, gets in his face, and in his way and announces loudly "I need to speak to you sir" (not said with any respect) he says "no I'm on my way somewhere" she says "NO I need to speak with you, it needs to happen now!" he replies, "leave me alone lady" (and he's very careful with walking around her).
She then GRABS HIS ARM in attempt to have him face her to talk... Now, this wasn't something that was done as a restraint, this is just the way she talks to people when she's serious, and on more than one occasion I've been tempted to ask her to let go of me!
Sketchy screams at her "LET go of me lady, you can't touch me, you've got nothing on me, you can't touch me, leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you!!!!" LL yells back (as he walks away from her) "You better not cause any more trouble around here! Do you hear me? You leave people alone!!! There won't be anymore of what happened last summer!!!" (which left me wondering.. What did I miss last summer?) Sketchy yells back, a little further down the street by now, "Lady, things have been delt with, don't touch my arm, don't touch me, stay away from me (oh, right, she's now walking after him, but only to the edge of our property) Things have been cleared up with the police, I'm clean" LL (overtop of him) "You're a drug dealer!!!!" Sketchy "NO I"M NOT get away lady", "I'll call the cops!" "I'm clear, they have nothing" "get back here!" "you touch me again lady! Don't touch my arm, don't touch me!" "I'll touch you again... I'll grab your arm if I have to!".... "Don't threaten me lady"....He's now far enough away that they both finally feel stupid for screaming down the street and they stop... LL marches back up to me quite heated and upset....
she says loudly enough for him to hear "THAT man is dealing CRYSTAL METH to TEENAGERS out of that house"
"you really can't touch him. Or threaten to touch him... Not even on the arm"
"I can't?"
"no... You can't"
"oh".

flip the coin, you decide.

well friends, you have a choice in what's posted next.

I can continue with the limo story, and everyone likes continuation...

or

I can tell you about the time (last night) when my landlord attacked the drugdealer as he walked past my house.

I promise

...this will be the last of wedding type installments on this blog for awhile. or . at least until it gets closer to manda-manda's wedding. Because at that point in time I will be gushing on and on about her wedding. But take heart, that's not till October.

what I did this weekend::
a short essay by Lesley Marie

This weekend I went to Ptbo to dwell with my friend Co-lean (aka Madam Volpel). Co-Lean has just purchased the most wonderful bed in the entire universe, and when I was not busy with this weekend's activities... she let me sleep in it!
Now, anyone who knows better, knows not to let me and Co-lean spend too much time together in close proximity. We get loud. We laugh. We get in trouble with the law. We cause much distraction. In fact:: at leadership meetings at church, Co-lean, Pony and I are not allowed to work on group projects, nor are we to sit together if anything is to be accomplished. Thus sayith Scott and Aaron. SO! imagine my surprise when Eh-tanya (the very soon to be eh-tan-yo) placed us in our bridesmaidy order... imagine my surprise when we did NOT get kicked out after the practice, and did NOT get a stern lecture after the wedding... perhaps that will come after they view the tape....

Friday night was the rehearsal, all went well... There were a few mix ups, as the second pastor helping with the wedding wasn't super proficient in English and hadn't been part of typical white Canadian wedding, but he was super helpful with the Korean parts of the family!
Dinner afterwards was held at the carousel... Darn good buffet... and much to the delight of both Co-lean and Moi... There were brusselsprouts.
Sat. Morning, early morning breakfast at the Martin home..... You know it's going to be good with Ester in the kitchen. Next, hairdos... Mine was up and curly, just the way I like. Eh-Tanya had most of her's down in long curls, she looked AMAZING.
Then time to change, time for pictures, time for running around.
and then
it came
the limo.

i lied, this is getting long, I'm going to write more about weddings tomorrow.

don't even hint or you're next!

ok, in response to my last post....

A few weeks ago I was approached by ylang-Leanne and asked if perhaps I would consider renting a place with her, the rent would be much much lower than here, with parking and everything gas electric included... two drawbacks, first, it's located next door to current roomie's parents... no way would she want to live next door to her parents... we've all seen enough episodes of "Everybody loves Raymond" to know that you just don't do that.... and secondly... well, it's next door to current roomie's parents... that's out next door to the middle of nowhere... no thanks. BUT. I said I'd think and pray about it. I did.
Today ylang-Leanne called me at work to say she'd gotten engaged last night.

lists... the curse or the blessing of living with me

so I've decided, with tomorrow's forthcoming events, to make a little list for you all.
maybe it will be encouraging, maybe not.
(huh? what's tomorrow?)
eh-tanya will become eh-tan-yo. (welcome to the family Josh Oh)

the females I've lived with in my life (other than my sister)

Sarah D
Rachel G
Kaw D
Laur W
Theresa F
Tanya M

the females I've lived with in my life (other than my sister) who are now (about to be) married

Sarah R
Rachel (uh... brain fart)
Kaw W
Laur M
Theresa P
Tanya O

current roomie... watch your back!

I'll be away this weekend at wedding festivities if you're looking for me.

secret agent woman part 2

so... I've been continuing with my vandaliziation of the hedges... A little at a time, we're making some space for walkers. Though, it seems I get a little excited and impassioned about my crusade... I had to be talked down last night before a whole bush was brought to ruin.

ok, I know I've written of snails before... I've got snails... Some people have crabs (cough cough.. crilly) (oh wait, no he just has one giant crab) I've got snails. It's spring when the snails show up, it's summer when they crunch underfoot. They find their way up the side of the house, they end up IN the rabbit cage outside, they line the sidewalks... They are EVERYWHERE. Those who live in the tannery area know of the snails, and are vigilant, they swerve on their early morning walks and late evening promenades as the snails trek cross the sidewalk... Careful not to crush them... But those who are impostors in our neighbourhood, or those running to catch the train trod on them with narry a thought nor a glance... (until the giant CRUNCH!)
(side note:: take the time some morning to watch people walking their dogs through the area early... Not quite awake... Watch their faces as they start to step on snails... Whew! I laugh every time...)

So, in keeping with my rights of the pedestrian, and being an animal activist of sorts.. A snail activist that is, I want the sidewalks to be safe for ALL! Snails and humans alike. I've taken to removing the sidewalk snails (those who should have finished their trek before daylight) and placing them in the cool shade of the grass while I walk to work in the morning... Saving them from a fate worse than death... Wait no.. Saving them from death. Death by bird, death by foot, or death by fry. (Sidewalks get pretty hot in the sun, escargot is only good with butter... Not sidewalk grit)

Monday I had the day off, so I started my walk a few hours later than usual, the sun was already high in the sky, I counted four crushed snail casualties before I saw him... A lone snail in the middle of the sidewalk... Waiting for rescue, waiting for the cool refreshment of the grass... Waiting for Godot.
I swooped in for the rescue, and began the delicate process of moving Snailio... A slight tap usually gets them to let go of the ground, retreating into their shell so they can be lifted... I tapped, then tapped again, because snailio wasn't getting the point. I then lifted his little shell.. And horror of horrors!
I was too late...
Snailio was cooked to the sidewalk...
I removed his shell... And he was left, stuck and cooked, on the ground...


eww


gross.

killing me... absolutly killing me

honestly, I can't get enough of this... there are some people out there in the world SO talented, that characture is a way of life...
I think my head may explode... and not just from the cute.


www.angryalien.com

(I'll make this a prettier post from home later.. I tried last night, but couldn't log in)
GO TO THE SITE!!!!!

Secret Agent Woman

I have a few passions in my life, things I hold in high regard. One of those things is the rights of the pedestrian.
I love to walk. If I knew my leg would last it, I'd walk Canada....
in a week.
(I walk fast)

As a result of this passion, I have a pet peeve. One that I'm sure you've heard, if ever we've been on a walk in town. I HATE things hanging over the sidewalk, or protruding from the lawn obstructing the sidewalk... I ABHOR your bushes. Sometimes, when I'm walking, I'll bend back the offending branch, breaking it so it hangs down, rather than in my face... Leaving in my wake shriveling leaves, creating an unsightly shrub in need of love...
There... I've said it, and I feel much better.

Yesterday I had a plan... and I carried it out.

It was no mistake that I walked to work yesterday afternoon... it was no mistake that I wore an innocent looking skirt.... it was no mistake at all... you see... no one suspects the innocent looking girl in the innocent looking skirt walking home after work at eleven... in fact, no one takes notice of her at all... now, if she'd been wearing a dark hoodie, or balclava or pantyhose.. well, then, then... she'd look suspicious.

You see, there's this group of bushes that line the sidewalk on my way to work, and over the past few years, they've been growing and reaching... now bullying their way over HALF of the sidewalk, narrowing it by a margin beyond acceptable. I've tried, in my walks, the bend and snap technique a few branches here and there several times over.. to no avail. So last night... I fixed them.
It took about three minutes, I bent and snapped and bent and snapped and bent and snapped. So the next time you walk unhindered down my street, smile and think of me.

Liturgy

So this morning I wasn't up to driving to Ptbo to hit my church... Well, I was but I knew I wouldn't be back in town (in time) to get a certain someone to a house group surprise party... PLUS, it had been awhile since I'd slept in, so... In bed by 12:30, and woke up at... You guessed it... 6:30.
grr

anyway, after rolling over several times I attended a lovely service at Bedside Baptist, Church of the Open Pillow. It was a nice service, we picked up in Jeremiah where we'd left off the other day (oh, by we, I mean me) (I like to talk in the third person) (with an accent). It was a good service, but it left me wanting more. Worship time in the shower didn't satisfy it at all! Which is weird, because usually my daily worship in the water time leaves me refreshed in more ways than one... I was CRAVING... But, I wasn't sure what...
I set out on my walk, and it hit me.. I wanted history, I wanted familiar, I wanted tradition,I wanted structure, I wanted... (shiver) "liturgy".
it sounds wired, but as a girl raised in the Catholic church, it's a part of my experience of who God is, and every once in awhile... Well, I need a fix.

I sped my walk towards the Catholic Church, only to discover I was more than late... And disappointedly continued on my way.

Alas... I had to go to work. The day was going sour. (side note:: there was the highlight of the day:: surprise party... moowahahahaha!)

(geee Les, this is a long one)

I got to work to be greeted by "I need red juice" "the dog made the hurt noise" "I've got a pwoblem" and "are you still my friend?".

but then... a glimmer of light...

I got to attend the Taize Candlelight Vespers for Pentecost at St.Peter's.
ok, it sounds odd, but I really really enjoy it, I've taken "Harvey" there on a number of occasions, and each time I've had such a great experience. It's this space where people come ... and reflect, and are led in prayer, and led in reflective readings and repeatitive chorus... and.. it's just what I needed....

Abide with us, O Holy Spirit, for it is toward evening and the day is almost
over; abide with us, for the days are hastening on and we hasten with them;
abide with us and with all your people, until the daystar rises and the morning
light appears, and we shall abide with you for ever.
Amen.


Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God's holy name,
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.

shamed

now, I probably should have written this sooner, but the shame of the event kept me from it. I'm over my shame, and the craziness of the story is just too much.. so you're in luck.

Last week at work we had a group of people come in from the united way and various companies in town, doing a "day of caring". They came to the house to paint both "Fred" and "Harvey"s bedrooms. Part of the day of caring was a BBQ that was to happen in Port Hope in the Fair Grounds building, my job... to drive my boss and another manager to the BBQ for some good eats...
Before the appointed time arrived, I received a text message from D-Town that said he'd just hit a pigeon, and that it exploded... my immediate response? "EWWW!!!!" I turned to both managers and told them wheat he had just sent.... I then responded with my own text, "GROSS, you murderer!" I laughed and brushed it off... but only after turning to my boss to say I'd never killed an animal with my car.
An hour later we were on our way to be fed burgers and dogs and other lovely charred food. When suddenly!
we were dive bombed by two kamikaze sparrows, they flew straight at my driver-side windshield, and at the last second... pulled up.
unfortunately.. it was the last second of life for one of those birds.... it hit the windshield with a thud, bounced off the van and rolled across the road, where it was hit by not one, but two more cars.
oh the shame.

huh?

a morning of singing old sunday school tunes with "the sheriff" and "Fred" led to requests. But I have to admit I was stumped when the sheriff asked for the banking song....
that is until he started singing
"he brought me to his banking table"



LOLOLOLOLOL
whew... that was a good one.

crunch

SO, I was out for my daily constitutional last night, the temp had dropped, the humidity was dropping, the beach was calling. I power walked the long way there, then decided I'd had enough and took the little path way that leads from the harbour up beside the liquor store into town... as I was crossing the road- or rather, as I was attempting to cross the road, I saw this little green K car beating it up the street. I decided to wait till it passed, rather than tempt fate. (side note: When I was driving back from St.Catherines on Monday I sat behind a green Chrysler Reliant K at a stop light... it made me smile) Anyway, backing out of the farmers market parking lot was a white van, this white van was NOT watching as they backed, and missed the green K by barely two feet as it sped by! I thought "what great luck that driver has" and continued to cross the street, only to watch as a car parked at the bakery quickly backed into the white van.
crunch.

pages and pages

So sometimes I toy with the idea of writing. Not just writing here.. but writing for real... I think I've talked about this a bit before.. but it's been on my mind again.
But what the heck would I write???
That's really the problem. I want to write... but I don't know what to write. someone give me a topic.
please.
no, really.

Janny suggested the "ongoing adventures, as had by Sean, Mark, Ralph, Tom, Ray, Chris and [herself] Janny".
that might be funny, today's tales were quite odd.