It's like a kick in the pants...

.... When I refuse to extend grace to someone, and God uses me anyway. Maybe not so much a kick in the pants, but it makes me stop, take a second and re-examine my actions.

This morning when I got home, my landlord was parked badly AGAIN. Now, this is a person who for some reason, can't figure out the dementions of the vehicle she's in, and has on a number of occasions hit the house, the garage, and other people's cars... There's only space for two cars in the driveway... It's long so more could fit, but there would have to be some serious car shuffling to get out. Currently, my car has to park partly in the garden in order for there to be a huge space for the landlord to park her car... Not that my car is in the way... However, she's taken to parking in the middle of the driveway during the day so I have no parking space, or no way to get out. It's quite frustrating, as it only takes a second or two to park properly, while it takes a few minutes for me to find her to move the vehicle, and then she gets grumpy.... blah blah blah.

So, today when I got home and saw the van taking up both parking spaces a few thoughts went thru my mind. I considered going in and getting her to move it- short term pain, long term gain. I considered parking around the corner- the gracious thing to do... And I considered parking and blocking her in- that's the one I wanted to do most. And I wanted to park there.. And go have a shower, effectively blocking her until I was finished, running on MY timeline, thereby teaching her a lesson once and for all!!! MoooWA Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!

I sat at the end of the drive for a few minutes... Listening to CBC, the car running, debating.
I couldn't do it, and I drove around the corner ashamed at how awful I wanted to be.

As I was getting out of my car the little guy who lives next door (cutie pie 2 year old) toddled out from behind his parent's truck.... And started to walk down the road! I followed him and herded him closer to his house, trying to coax him back to his yard... But also trying to frighten him to his yard (don't want him trusting random people on the road!) He wasn't interested in going back in the least... I didn't want to pick him up, or take him by the hand... (the whole randoms issue) so I started talking really loud asking where mommy was, hoping she'd hear me... A few moments passed before she came to the door and saw me (this was at least 4 mins total that he was loose) she came out to say hi, and I let her know I had her little guy with me on the other side of the fence.... Panicked she rushed over and got him, ultra thankful that I'd been there to stay with him... And ultra ticked at daddy who had left the gate open and disappeared himself!

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief that I'd been there right when I had,
and I wasn't annoyed with my landlord anymore either...

yum

Some people shop in the city at their favorite Deli... searching for that perfect cut of roast, or that smokiest of meats.... give me a deli any day and every day.

There are few things I enjoy more than a freshly cut slice of Mock Chicken....

I know... sick.

I wonder where they were shopping? And... Why were they purchasing that?

Tonight I had the pleasure of hanging out with a friend I rarely see since moving back south.
I always enjoy her company.
I also sometimes wonder at what's going on in her head. (I love you Eh-Tan-Yo)
Tonight we were browsing in some stores in the Petes, and she was catching me up on the in-town news::

"X and Y are pregnant! X decided to go off the pill... Turns out Y is allergic to spandex, they were pregnant pretty quick."

I didn't bat an eye.

*phew*

I'm a little more at ease.
Apparently fake trees are mostly recyclable. AND, when you cut down a real tree there's a rumor that they have to plant three more.
Anyone know where I can find the references to both of those?

Blubber laugh blubber

I was just sitting in my car laughing and crying at the same time.
There's a couple of different reasons I guess, and sometimes they bubble to a head and pop out of you. There's no control then, just emotions. Messy sometimes aren't we?

I had a lovely family dinner with the MackAttacks tonight, that left me smiling.
Next stop, x-mart. And "the tree" -
::The reason I just sat in my car blubbering.
Am I happy and confused by the fact I'm helping to save the planet (somehow?) by purchasing a non-degrading plastic product? Sad that my house won't smell like pine? Upset that I've broken a promise to myself and purchased yet another large product from x-mart? Discouraged by the fact I can't do anything without someone's help? All of the above.. And...

So, I'm in x-mart and I'm passing the seasonal section. I've been talking for awhile about getting a tree, and today I spot one that fits the bill perfectly. I go to put the box in my cart and realize I'm not going to be able to do it... Not because it's heavy, not because it's up high... But because the Dr. Says NO LIFTING.
I find myself a nice young lad in a blue apron and get his help. Blue apron lifts the box with one hand and puts it in the cart. He looks at me kind of funny as I walk away.
I head to the cash and ask for help with carry-out. The cashier looks at me kind of funny, but makes the call when she sees the "team carry" sticker on the box. And so I wait. And I wait. And I wait. After 10 mins (no joke) I ask the cashier to make the call again. After 5 mins I walk to the Service desk and ask them to make the call. After 5 mins I'm starting to feel like I'm going to faint if I have to stand much longer... I start to turn pale, and I'm sweating... Great... I'm going to faint.... And then....
Then a young man walks up to me and asks if he can help.
As we walk to the car he tells that he and his girlfriend have been standing at the service desk for the past 10 or so mins. "short staffed I guess" he says... We reach my car and I open the door for him to put the tree in the back seat, he glances at the "team carry" sticker, and before I can say something, reaches with both arms braced for a heavy load.... And nearly flings the box over his head.
"It's pretty light" he laughs, and then heads back to the store....

sometimes there are some super people

the other sheff

ok, so I don't have a picture of Emmy, but I do have this lovely picture of PaSheff cooking a turkey for some Germans.





And if you click HERE, you can see the (currently) most famous of the Sheffs (I couldn't link to the picture for some reason today... sorry about that.

doubt me?

There was some question as to the photo of pig n'bun. Yes, that's a real pig. Yes, that was a real bun. And finally, yes, that was Nort. He was big. And fat.



This was the day he got his hoodie. He was quite proud of it.
in the contemplation process of whether or not to find a new bunny love, I've got to put into consideration the large bag of terrier sized clothing.

just when you need to... they stop you

This one's for crilly.

uh. click the picture.

Duties

One of the things I'm finding difficult about being off work... I want to do things for myself! I hate having to rely on others. I'm not good at it!

Last night though I was blessed like crazy by three of the girls from my house group. They showed up after school to my home with the intent of cleaning. And clean they did!
hahahaha.... I just tried to look up a link to the house group... I found it, but it's a part of the Church's site and the intro makes me laugh too hard.... So I'm not adding it. Although Dolly's voice is part of it.... hahahahahahaha...
Anyway, yup, these girls came and worked hard, and my house is clean and I'm SUPER thankful.

Tomorrow is a day of cookie baking. It's nearly Christmas. Reasons I know this to be true:: I can listen to Christmas music on the radio now, There's a pile of Christmas gifts wrapped and waiting in the hall (no, I'm not nearly that organized, that would be the roomie), The mall is decorated (and Santa is sleeping there) and my fingers are stained yellowy-orange. (From the crate of clementines I've consumed).

spell check doesn't include clementines.

Pulling a thread

Do you ever follow a commenter from a random blog and see where you end up?
WELL. am I ever wishing I'd followed this one sooner.

get a load of this. Why didn't I know about it? I imagine it's too late to dive into the competition, but I'm going to start now, and try to do it for 30 days. Just to see how it goes.
I made myself journal EVERY day while I was in Togo. Ok, ok, the last week didn't go so well, but I more than made up for it on other occasions... There's this fantastic feeling of "Oh yeah... That was me" when you go back and read things you've written. Events that happened that you've forgotten about, feelings and dreams that got lost along the way. I love reading my old journals.

I have a journal from grade 5.
I didn't write in it every day, do I ever wish I had!!!! I'll dig it out and start posting some of the stuff just so you can enjoy it... It's nearly as entertaining as this. But without the pictures. Maybe I'll make some pictures.

ok, this wasn't what I was planning on ranting about today. Maybe I'll just have to post again later.

Manda

this is random::

These are the most bizarre of the google searches that have led people to my site. Note, if you are still reading my site because of doing these searches- I love you! stay as long as you like. ;)
you know.. one of my dreams is to be heard all over the world....
LOL
ok... enough cheese, on to the funny


google search::

"wanting to start a drum circle in the fraser valley"

"memebers of ECOWAS" (ha! not members... memebers!)

"Everybody loves Raymond pantyhose episodes"

"Tim Horton's locations Cobourg, On" (that one's not so random, but Zao Thusia was listed too)

and my personal favorite::

"underwater dragon called moo"


Manda called me and wanted to be mentioned in the post. she said it made her feel important. I made her the title for today.

an adventure???

IMPORTANT!!!!
If you've ever attended the Auction at Toad Hall (Previously known as Barkey's Horse auction)
It's under new management, and they are changing the dates of the auction.
so... new number is 905-640-7086 for info.


AND they are having THREE that's right... THREE monday nights in a row before they switch to their new every-other thursday night auction. November 27, December 4, and 11th, then in January, they switch to the other night.

If you've never been to a livestock auction.... we need to go. It's super fun to watch, esp if you like horses... and especially if you like to come home with random animals. It sometimes takes a strong stomach, some sad neglected animals go there... but hopefully they go to better homes.

oh oh oh!!! and you can buy street meat on a bun. (if that don't attract you... nothing will!)

just like sesame street

today's lesson:: Little... to Big
(side note:: with NO reference to a posting by a similar name)



This is an example of little.
note the inability to stand (floppy baby legs and slippery surface), tiny ear to hear ratio, giant nose and eye to head ratio. Include in your study the flipper like quality to the floppy baby legs. In the background is NOT a giant coffee maker, but a small coffee maker. This tiny bunny couldn't stand for the first few days .... he was very very clumsy.

incidentally, those who know first born daughters, and have heard my weeping tale... that's THE coffe maker.
;)


Here is the second half of today's lesson.
BIG.
No, not PIG. BIG.
As in... bigger than that pig. As in, chased the pig around it's pen for 20 mins big. As in, stole the pig's carrot and ate it big. As in bullied the pig so bad the pig fell in love and tried to follow him around after he was done being chased big.
ok, so that's not so much a description of big, as it is yet another giant bunny story.

Sadder

Norty died tonight.... I'm pretty sad.
oh don't you worry, many annoying bunny pictures to follow tomorrow.

:(

I think my bunny is pretty sick.

a hit... everyone needs one

I just had my Ian fix for the evening. really, you can never get enough Ian.

slow... but not... you know.. "slow"

ok, brain has pretty much returned to normal function... I can hold a conversation, I even went out on my first "event" today... lol, I went to watch a movie.
Saw Santa Clause 3, and it's great, funny how this series of movies has been able to retain it's entire cast... and retain it's funny for all three movies. I'm impressed.

If you're looking for me, I'm at my Dad's place for a bit longer.... I have a tendency of trying to push myself. And apparently, that doesn't work after surgery too well. So I'm taking it easy, where I don't have to reach for anything. Now there's no excuse. You know where I am ;)

If you have a second tomorrow morning and you think of it, pray for me, I've got a bit of an interview, and after the discouragement and frustrations that the last brought, I have some pretty mixed emotions about this one. So yeah, tomorrow morning, at around 9... I'll be on the phone.... It's pretty neat how accommodating these people have been, when I first applied, I had this feeling of dread, I KNEW that the interviews would be the week of my surgery. and... they were. But, the people at that district took into consideration the fact that I'd be a druggie, and put the interview off... AND turned it into a phone interview, just so I wouldn't have to drive there... for that I am extremely thankful.
Ok, nap time...

big to little

Hello people...
ok, I'll wrte fast, because I can type, so long as I don't look at the screen... and so long as I don't try to read what I've written... the drugs that are still in my system have messed my brain up just enough that words don't seem to make sense. Text messages.. if they COULD be recieved in this cell free land that I'm staying in (an aside:: the sheff family is the most amazing family in the world for taking in yet another stray- I am being nursed well) are hard to read and they are only one or two lines long! I even tried to play puzzle pirates... and I can't because when the words show up over the pictures..... I can't see the pictures... and I can't decipher the words.
Just say no to drugs kiddies
which are good? which are bad?

So yes, I'm healing.
I'm pretty slow witteded.
Showering causes me to want to fall over from lack of energy
and I fall asleep easily.
for many hours at a time.
apparently that's what major surgery does to you.

no I don't know how many stiches... I'll ask the doctor today. too many for me to count anyway. maybe she kept a running tally, but then again, I'm guessing she lost count too. stopping now... I looked at the words. now I'm confused again.
love ya!
not using spell check, be forgiving.