Monday Bunday

much packing going on around here.. the front hall is a maze of boxes.
While going thru boxes in the sunroom I found one little one... and decided to see if it could still be put to use....

at one point in time it WAS useful... He even came home in it....

Happy New Year's Eve

It's come, yet again, to my attention that I need to win the Lottery.
And when I do...
le sigh.....

chew chew

Earlier in the week I'd finally broken down and replaced the remote that the buns had eaten. Rather... I replaced the remote for the TV that the buns had eaten. The remote for the DVD player... well, it's an old player... I'm not going to bother to replace it. Hopefully I can continue to remember which button is which.

Anyway, since this new purchase (on Christmas Eve-Eve... my one and only visit to StuffMart this Christmas) I've been so careful with the remotes when the buns are loose in the house. I make sure to put them up out of bunny reach... I flip them over on the couch so the chewy good parts are hidden.

Tonight I'm on the phone when I hear this chompy-chew noise from the living room. I don't think anything of it, merely "ah ha, they must have found my popcorn" (popcorn when you're not feeling well is SO great!), and I turned back to my conversation. But the noise kept going, and I wasn't hearing "little feets in a big popcorn bowl" sorts of noises... so I peered around the corner.

Only to discover Fynn Pants chewing happily on the remote that he'd flipped over.

He eats remotes the way I eat corn... one row at a time... only the buttons on the right side of the remote remain.

+ and -

on the positive::

I ate brie tonight
Heard some fun music
Visited with some fun people
Got out for a walk
Watched most of season 4
Finished season 4
Got to get dressed up and put on makeup


on the downside::

Drank a lot of Nyquil
Didn't dance (see re: Nyquil)
Had to leave the party early
Think I'm getting bedsores



You should be immune to colds and flu when you're on vacation.

Merry indeed

Christmas was lovely...
And as a special gift to myself, I've spent the last 20 hours on the futon alternating between sleep and movies, gorging on a pizza and drinking jugs of water. Next on the list, an afternoon at the Bean...
ahhh.. I love vacations.

BUT on the movie front.... RENT "ONCE". That's all I have to say. (well, I've MUCH more to say on the subject, but I'll not do the film justice, AJ gives it a good little run-down, read his version.) (even if you only have time to listen to the soundtrack.... here).
Also watched "Evan Almighty" meh.. not so great. And three episodes of season 4 Sopranos.

oldie but a goodie

this is the look we were going for.... instead my arms are scratched.
For some reason this is looking kinda pixal-y, might be this crazy computer... I'll see if it can be fixed when I get home.

Merry Merry

Merry Christmas everyone! (it's one minute after midnight and Christmas day will be arriving shortly...)

The past week has flown by, and I'm still wondering if I'll get the last few presents wrapped...
I keep forgetting little pieces of presents and cards in random places... Thankfully, Christmas doesn't rely on me being organized in my giving.

So happy birthday Jesus.
Thank you for giving me what I've got. For blessing me and my friends. And for the incredible people in my life. I have so much.

Bunday Monday

after several unsuccessful attempts at putting on the Santa suit... Pontouf is happy to be left alone.
Perhaps we'll be more sucessful later in the day?

!!M Wii

Now, for some of you, it's not nearly as exciting as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, (both of which make me dizzy) But I got a new game for my Wii last week.

Dad and Gale, thank you so much for the lovely birthday sweaters you bought me!
uh... I kept one, and returned the other two....
uh.... I hope you don't mind too much.
uh....Dad and Gale, thank you so much for the lovely birthday game of Mario Party 8 that you bought me! It's like a birthday party every day!

Me and the LStew rocked the game last night (where it's gone for a vacation while I pack... so I don't sit around playing it instead of packing... like how right now I'm sitting around blogging instead of packing. or wrapping presents). I'm really really looking forward to seeing pictures of Ma and Pa Stew on the Wii... those will be wallpaper worthy I'm sure!

Using the Buddy System

Once the Buddy System has been called, it's in effect for the rest of the evening.


There are some days when I just wish I had a recorder with me to keep track of all the items that really do need to be saved on the interwebs for all to read about.

"If you'd killed him, you'd be out by now" NurseDude said to Bethsheff during her 25 wedding anniversary concert/party... It was such a great night, so many lovely people came out to celebrate with the Sheff family! Music and food topped off the company (in perfect reflection of the Sheff household). Beth's wedding dress hung on display, and Manda Manda had re-created the kissing ball wreath that the Sheffs had stood under in their wedding photos.
Always a party at the Gallery :)

Since Manda, Ian and Maria had slaved all day getting food ready for the party, I'd sent them down stairs to enjoy, I puttered around the kitchen upstairs trying to clean things up so there wasn't a huge fuss at the end of the evening, it was pretty simple stuff, so I worked merrily away at it, occasionally zipping downstairs to visit or gather up dishes. I knew SOMEWHERE in the gallery there were more dishes hiding. As in... hundreds. But I couldn't find them, so I figured that they had been put into storage. After a near panic trying to wash dishes fast enough so we could put the cake out, I was shown the hiding plates... all was well.
Sort of.
I had erroneously started a conversation with Mr.RovingHands earlier in the evening, well before he had reached his "party peak" and loss of good judgement. The evening had continued on, and Mr.RH decided that he'd come keep me company in the kitchen... after a long and tortured 10 mins of hand and lip dodging while trying to do dishes, I escaped ...though not before hearing such gems as "you've got an emotional problem don't you? I want you to know that I'm here for you to talk out your deep dark secrets... if not now, maybe later baby? I can heal you." and "I am very attracted to this, (trys to caress my nose as I hold a large dirty roasting pan between us) I love your strong roman nose".
Him: "Come and smoke this with me... we click don't we? I knew from the moment we met... didn't you?" (insert me snorting a laugh back)
I: "thanks, but I don't smoke that stuff" (and now I'm scraping old food off plates into the garbage)
Him: "But baby, this isn't tobacco, don't worry, you won't get addicted"
I: (wishing this was some sort of script for a comedy so later with my friends we could laugh some more) "No, really, I'm not into that... ".

Eventually, I've had enough and decide I'd better just get to a safety zone before it goes from really creepy to harassment... I swat the hands away (again) and make a break for the stairs, Mr. RovingHands in close pursuit. I reach the bottom of the stairs, and with a look of panic and a strangled "help" in his direction, Aengus saves the day... steps directly behind me, blocking RovingHands and engages him in some discussion for a few minutes while the Buddy System is activated and all females are forewarned.
The rest of the evening continues in a lovely fashion... and Aengus wins Hero Of The Week status.

uh oh

Chirstmas is days away.
When will I have time to wrap everything?

I wonder what my boss would think if I were to bring everything to work with me on Monday?

I heard it on the radio.. on the wrong blog

I just wrote this lovely little piece on how I've been missing my CBC.

~And how the Christmassy tunes channels on the radio have been lacking in the Bing and Bowie content.

~About how I'd cancelled our Internet (effective 28 days from now)

~And how by doing that... it was the most hard hitting of the move preparations.

~About how my contract (for night sleeps) has the opportunity to be extended.. to September.

~And about various other thoughts...

and then I went to hit post and realized I'd been writing it under the wrong blog....

meh.

unnnga unnnga raaaahhhhwwww

Well, I survived the Quad shifts.
Thankfully one of them was a sleep shift, or I figure I'd probably have killed someone by now. As it stands, I left work and went to the Laundromat... and had to try not to cry while I was there... that whole "try to be human when around humans" thing wasn't quite working by the end of the 32 hours.
Last night (during the sleep shift), one of the men decided he just really wasn't into the whole sleeping thing (which in turn means I'm not sleeping). He got up the first time at 2:20. Walked out of his room (which is directly across from the room where my cot is set up) (oh, pardon me... did I say cot? I mean... the couch in the living room) and started talking to me... wandered out to the kitchen and continued to talk for a bit. I ignored him at first, hoping he was going to the bathroom... after a few minutes, I could hear him just standing around in the kitchen, talking away.
I sat up, and gently said "Elvis! It's time to sleep!" then laid back down and fell asleep the moment I heard his door shut.
20 mins later the door creaks open again. Talking again. Interrupting this dream where I've got to find the right nightie for this chicken I've found in the crawlspace...
I open one eye to see Elvis leaning in the doorway chatting away.
"Elvis brrrrraaaaaaawwwwwwaaaaa!" (not even able to form words at this point)
Elvis goes back to his room.
15 mins later I hear the door creak open again...
This time I don't open my eyes... this time I just open my mouth and grunt "unnnga unnnga raaaahhhhwwwwww!" As loudly as I can... without actually taking a breath deeper than my previously-sleeping-breath.
Elvis goes back to his room.
20 mins later.... this is getting old now.....
the door... the talking... the walking into the kitchen... I wait, in hopes that it's part of my dream, this time, I'm fighting with a friend about how to get the Donkey to do something (I knew I'd have donkey dreams this week). Nope, he's really awake.
I open one eye and see him standing over me. Creepy.
In my most whiney voice ever I cry...
"Ellllllvissssssss..... go to beeeeeeeed".
And he does.
And the next thing I know.
It's morning.
And I'm laying in bed (errr, on the couch) wondering if I've forgotten to set the alarm... as my boss walks into the house.

Bunday Monday (Sunday night)

waiting for my camera to charge it's batteries... sadly I'm doing a Quad-Shift starting tomorrow morning, soooooo we might have to wait until Tuesday.

Pray there's a snow day tomorrow morning.

12 days... like none other.

well, the count-down is on, my shopping is... near finished I think.
Most of my bedroom is packed (I did get rid of a lot of stuff, and I found three sweaters I forgot I had)...

Generally I don't consider it the Christmas season till I've had "Christmas in the Tub"... an annual event that has me singing Christmas carols along with the Nylons at the top of my lungs while enjoying a long hot bubble bath. The bubble bath is packed, and the Nylons are only on my computer this year... I think though, that this video has brought the Christmassy feeling to my heart..... enjoy!

a few more, and we could unplug it.

While I fully know it's illegal, and they must too, anything but laughing at the situation might just cause me to lose it.

Since we gave notice that we're moving I haven't seen the temperature go above 16 degrees.
(60 for you Americans)
Now, truth be told, I haven't been here much- but yesterday's low was 14.5.
(Photos have been taken with a cell phone sitting open beside the therm to record dates and times to use with community legal services when it comes time).
The good part is, at least now I don't have to keep the pop in the fridge.

Passive aggressive much?

Bunday Fursday?

ok, so Monday never happened.

ask me about this week... in a month. I'm sticking my tongue out too.




He's still got a bit of Baby-Face happening... I'm glad for that, he's nearing 5 months.

I can pencil you in for next year... maybe.

Dear December.

I'd really like a moment. One where I don't feel like I'm going to spew the contents of my stomach everywhere. One where I can catch my breath. One where I can see what needs to be done and get it done without abandoning something else.

Did I mention I'm moving in 30 days?

L.Bo

compile and file. then burn the file.

I'm hoping that as of tonight, I'll be able to say "remember that time we had the landlord from hell?". As opposed to "Guess what our psycho landlord did this time".

Pray that the pieces would fall together.
I'm sick of the heart burn and high blood pressure.

they make 'em young?

So, as for the distraction... (Sunday's post)
The priest.

No, not the old Spanish one (or whatever his background).
The young Italian one.
Not that I was attracted to him (not everything is about sex) (despite what others might tell you), I wasn't staring at him in lust... but the thing that caught my attention was the fact he was my age. I didn't know they made Priests my age. I mean... I know that a Priest at one point in time has to live out the twenty something's years... but I don't know, it just seems like Priests are born old.

So, aside from the shocker that, in fact; Priest do NOT materialize in ancient form; Nor the fact that I didn't know people still became Priests (I think I figured they really DID materialize in ancient form)(or, that we'd reached some sort of Priestly quota in the 70's); I was more concerned about his social life.

What does a young Priest do on a Saturday night?
(I mean, aside from Saturday night mass)

Does he have friends? Does he laugh at a dirty joke? Does he hope to all hopes that he can find a good show? Does he wear his collar to the movies?

I used to wonder the same things about pastors... if they went out for dinner or not.

Then I thought... HEY! I should ask the Priest out... not on a date... but you know, so he could get to meet some people his own age. But. But what if someone thinks I'm after the Priest? What if he makes some guy friends... are people going to think that he's after one of them? Does he only hang out with old ladies in their parlours drinking tea out of their grandmother's favorite china pattern? Or does he get together with the nuns for bowling? What if... what if he was hanging out with someone for coffee and then he DID like them... (turns out it really is all about sex after all). Or what if the church-goers got their panties in a knot because Priesty went out to a concert?

needless to say, I missed most of the message, and mumbled my way thru the last two songs.
anyway, I'm going to go try to find out his name.
people like friends.
right?

Bunday Monday

Being as I had an escapee this morning who's eaten into my blogging time, Monday Bunday's photos have not been uploaded.
Stay tuned for this evening's addition.

The young Priest (or) what to do on a Saturday night?

I visited the local Catholic Church this weekend. It was thru work, but I'd been contemplating going for a visit there for awhile, the timing just happened to be good.

Not much has changed there.
But a lot has changed too.

There's the physical changes, the building is older, the murals more faded, the faces I recognized have aged, as mine has too. There's scaffolding up, pews taken out, someone is trying to bring a newness to the old murals, holding the plaster back into place.
The same refrains are chorused, but the tune they are sung to has changed- I come from a straight spoken refrain background, but my last few years in the church the sing-song refrains had taken over... it seems the tunes they are a'changing (insert eye-roll here).

My visit brought up all sorts of strange memories, concerns, lifelong frustrations... and peace too. I love liturgy. So it was good to be back... BUT
here's the but::
There was one thing that occupied my mind the entire mass.

Part two will be added after work.....

Good Lovelies

I should really be sleeping at this point.


"You know it's been a good show when you don't even care that you can't feel your butt", was a comment I heard as I left the show.
True the seats were like rocks, but the show was both Good AND Lovely.
From the three fine young men who opened (a pleasant surprise in a town void of fine young men)(err... and I extend an apology to my male friends) to the fantastic performance put on by the ladies themselves.. there was not a single moment that I wished I was elsewhere!
Flying beer. Skinny Santa. Shared deodorant. Family ribbing. Great atmosphere (this was the first show at the JTTA building... Christine promises more to come.. so long as she can find the right "fit"). N'umberland community. Old Friends (I didn't even know you moved back here!). Whiskey. Candy canes. Audience participation. Tight harmonies. Beautiful lyrics. Introduction to some new writers. And dresses that tend to fall down.
really... what didn't happen tonight?
Ok, enough of the glowing on and on...But let me say, I really enjoyed myself, the band was entertaining (as always), and even though I just saw them a few short months ago, you can really sense the way they've come together/grown. I laughed most of the night... when I was breathing...I can't always breathe when there's a good harmony.
This was probably the most "fun"- but quality show I've seen out here in awhile, Congrats ladies on your one year anniversary!

what a lovely day indeed

I just had a lovely evening with a few ladies I love.
And they love me.

feels good to be loved.

Thanks for the night... even the part with the creepy breast cupping man.

A heads up for everyone, tomorrow I'll post a little story ... it might be a little TMI for you boys, soooo... whatever, read it, or... just visit the site to keep my stats up.
(I'm still a stats counter addict).

happy birthday to me!

(giggle)

You might remember dining with some raccoons.... carpets smeared with old food, faint smell of urine and stale smoke.

tonight, the most beautiful of quotes.

The entire area is an ice field, I could have skated from my car to the door, a few meager piles of salt dot the stairs to the building. People brace themselves to help others in and out.
The craft lady steps out the door with hot coffee grinds. She looks at me and giggles... "you know, I'm of half a mind to use these on the stairs... you know, for traction" , then she pauses and in all seriousness says, "but I'm afraid it will get tracked in on the carpet".

I lose it laughing.


ps. It's Christmas at our house now.

get a day timer. Do it.

I got my union card today.
I finished my probation.
I guess they're keeping me.
Having never been part of a union, or... better said, having no clue what being in a union means, I'm looking forward to this. More so, now that I've got the paper work that tells me I'm in the same union as the LCBO (That's Liquor Control Board Ontario for you "out of province-ers").
Go figure!

I spent a chunk of the day today at work catching up on odds and ends. I figured I should fill out my attendance record (since I didn't start one last week) but kept drawing a blank whenever I thought about Thursday.

I kept staring at the calendar, checking my schedual on the computer.... nothing was jogging my memory.

An hour after work I was telling someone about the Titanic exhibit at the Science Centre, and the Omimax film that I'd seen.

I stopped short.

right... I went to the science centre on Thursday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may remember the last bus trip I went on as a chaperone.... This time we had my old bus driver from high school... not Milford, the guy who replaced Milly.... Charles. He always gave me the creeps.
Where was I going with this?
Every time I go on one of these trips I hear some strange things come out of J.Mac's mouth. This time was no exception. I think it was something along the lines of "I try to stay away from things that I might get addicted to. I've never smoked a cigar. I don't drink. I don't golf".

3rd time's a charm?

Dear December,

Maybe with the weather, the mail's not getting thru? Is that it? I'll look into that.

Ok, so this morning at 5:32 I woke up to the most awful of noises. December! I didn't know you could do that! I had to get out of bed to figure out what it was. Turns out, all that slushy snow was freezing. With each gust of wind the whole wet roof would contract, making creaking and groaning noises, cracking and sputtering. I honestly thought the roof was caving in. Which, then made me worry, because I didn't put away my laundry... or any of my papers this week... so my room isn't all the tidy- not a good thing if my roof is going to cave in and a handsome fireman has to sift thru the debris to find my lifeless body and breathe life back into me! On that note, I thought maybe I should get up and have a shower so I'd be presentable when they did find me.

I covered my ears and tried to get back to sleep, satisfied, that at least it wasn't freezing rain and I wouldn't have to admit to my boss I'd left the winter storm weather list at work.

At 7:30 the phone rang... my boss.
Activating the phone tree.
"We'll re-assess at 10:30, if the actual freezing rain hasn't started by then, we'll open at noon." She said. Mortified, I told her where the list was... she laughed, and I called the numbers she gave me. I got an answering machine for two of them... I'm just praying they were the right numbers.

Ok, so December... here's the real deal. I'm too excited having another paid day off, I can't get back to sleep!

wide awake, but exceptionally tired,
L.Bo

Monday Bunday (or) recap of recovery sunday

I stayed inside all day Sunday. I was iced into place.
The boys and I took the day to be a day of recovery from life.
It worked out well. Warm socks, PJs, a sweater and a blanket, I didn't need much more.

Fynn, when not flying around the house at top speed, could be found sleeping under the futon... Pontouf however, knew the unspoken rule of "move only if you have too". He moved from one comfy spot to another, waking only for grapes.
shesh.

or maybe I have your address wrong?

Dear December,

I guess you didn't get my last letter? The one where I asked you nicely to hold off for awhile? Or maybe I just didn't explain myself clearly.

See, December, I'm not that interested in you this year (YET).
Oh, I love your blankets of snow, your frosty designs on my window. I even love the crispy feeling in my nostrils when I breathe you in. But... could you hold off just a little while longer?

There are some people saying we're in for the coldest winter in 15 years, that the temperatures are going to be like when I was growing up... if that's the case-GREAT! I'd love to relive that... but, your drifting snow.... um, could that wait for another two or three days? I'd like to get out and finish my shopping... and, well, I hate to admit it, but I've left my "storm closure" list at work. If you're going to blow in anyway, please wait till I've got a copy at home.
please?
I'll celebrate Decemberween if you do!
pretty please?

much love and hopefulness,
L.Bo

do I use the same postal code as for Santa?

Dear December,

I'm just not ready for you yet.

Do you think maybe we could rewind and go back a little further? Say, to October? I'd be ok with it being October.
See, December, I promised myself that I would get all my Christmas shopping done early, and... well, I started in October, and.. never got around to finishing. SO, really... I'd like a do over.
Plus, I don't think I'm ready to say I've seen 29 Christmases in my life...

Sincerely,
L.Bo

oops

I forgot to add the link that I intended in the last post...
here it is

remember this?

seated like royalty (or) it's all about the small town

Last night a group of us returned to Karaoke. It's been awhile since I've seen my friends.
Myself and another arrived a little early, and we wandered the bar looking to see if anyone had gotten there before us. The back half of the place was filled with old friends, and I chatted for a bit as they prepped themselves for a night of competition ($500 up for grabs).
Seeing there wasn't room for the group we were expecting, we headed back to the front to wait to be seated, we hadn't been there (as a group) in forever... so we didn't want to take our old seats (remember this?) without checking.
A "newer" wait-staff came to us and asked for how many, we guessed about 5, and she asked if we wanted a booth (as it's pretty loud by this point). As we were shrugging our shoulders and taking the offer, a woman comes barreling down between the tables (the head waitstaff).
"what are you doing?" (she says to the waitress) "They NEED their table!"
waitress, looking flushed "uhh?"
the barrel-er "They haven't been here in 5 months! they NEED their table!"
waitress looks at us for some sort of clue
"We'll sit over there." I point at our table.
The barrel-er grins."Welcome back", she says, and walks away.

mmmMMmmmh

just a little something that made me laugh today.
Pearls before Swine

one time only

for just this once....

the below issue really was nothing after all.
AND she apologized.
whew.

to the shakes

There are people out there who know how to manipulate.
There are people out there with too much power.
There are people who really need a wake up. I've been dealing with one of those people for a few years now... and she angers me to the point of the shakes.

I'm talking boiling below the surface anger. Make me sick in the gut.

I have to sit here and remind myself that I am better than that. That I'm a bigger person for choosing to deal with things as rationally as possible. Breathe in, breathe out.
Close my eyes.
And try to convince myself that she does not in fact have power over me, that she is a sick sick woman in need of help.
Try to feel bad for her.

And then, between the cleansing breath.....I'm still shaking. I'm swearing under my breath.
I picture myself screaming at her. I picture making her feel the same way. I see myself exposing her as the insane person she is to the greater community. I see the police taking her away...

And then I breathe again.
And I remember she's not worth it.

squirt

Though he's a little swollen in the nether regions, Fynn Pants has returned home, safe and sound.
I trundled him off to the vet's yesterday morning before work, took my "lunch out" and picked him up... delivered him home, then back to work. I did however make the mistake? of leaving him in the cat carrier cage... and didn't put him back into his own cage... I wondered about maybe making sure he wasn't exerting himself... running around .. blah blah blah..
Then part way thru the afternoon I thought to myself.... "shoot! there's no litter box!" (inside the carrier) The second I got home I got him out and stuck him straight away into the litter box... all was well with the world.

Now, if only I could figure out how to get the meds INTO his mouth.

Bunday Monday

so innocent... so clueless....

well, this morning little Fynn is on his way to see the Dr. for a little... um.... snip.
I feel bad... but watching what poor 'Touf is having to put up with... and his problem with spraying when he's left in the big cage... it's time.
wish the little guy luck!

random side note:: (herrr herrr herrr...side!) That spot on his side is a perfect circle when he's laying down, I love how it's tucked right into his little hip pudge!

there's a key for every lock

You know how sometimes in life things just aren't so great? Not as organized as you'd like (take my bedroom for one) or doesn't fit into the box you wish it would fit into?
It's when that happens that I'm always glad for the constants.
The things that I can take for granted because they don't change. The things I can be overly confidant in.
One of those is that there is a key in a "hidden" place for when I lock myself out. (Anyone who's been to my place is laughing right now.... it's hidden so well)
I can go on walks without my keys, I can go on bike rides in pants with no pockets... all because I have a key in a safe place waiting for me when I return.

Tonight I left the house without my purse... who wants to walk by themselves with a purse in the dark around town? NOT I! As I shut the door, I glanced casually in the direction of where the key lays in wait and thought to myself (and I distinctly remember thinking this tonight) "I'm so glad that I'm organized in at least one part of my life... I don't have to carry my keys with me."
With that thought, I shut the door and bounded off down the stairs.

Fast forward a few hours.

Wearily climbing the stairs to the house, patting myself on the back yet again for the preparedness of my being.... (I was, after all, a girl guide for nearly my entire adolescence) I reached for the key.
And remembered dropping it into my purse when I came home earlier.
The purse inside the house.

eeeeEEEeeeewwwch

I keep blowing my nose.
I don't want to.. . it's making things worse.....
But I have to.
Or I'm going to have to stick my finger up there.

Ever get one of those little cuts up in your nose... and it gets a little crusty spot around it, and when you hit it.. it hurts, and makes your nose run?
I have one of those today.
It must be the dry weather.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(I didn't want to make it a habit to keep writing "in other news". Instead, the little squiggly lines will represent for me the line "in other news")

The part of Victoria will be played by Melinda Fandastic this episode... these are the days of our lives......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I shouldn't be complaining about my little nose cut. Fynn is going to lose his manhood tomorrow morning.
Poor little Bun.

mmmm. food.

up in the top left hand corner of the page you'll see a little link.... right now I can't get blogger to let me put up a banner (with a link) there.... I'll keep working on it.
Here's a fun little game for you, expand your vocab AND give food to people who need it. My high score is 39 so far... but I'm sure you'll beat me.

What a great idea for a site. for others check out
www.therainforestsite.com
www.thehungersite.com
there's a bunch of others... I'm sure you'll find them if you look.

let it snow let it snow let it snow

Growing up I had a love hate relationship with snow, errr... rather with snow days.
Snow-I liked. You could make all sorts of cool things with it. Forts, snowmen, snowballs, toilets. A guy in grade six made a life sized toilet out of snow one year, I spent the next three winters at home trying to recreate it.... to no avail. Then one year my cousin showed me what you could do with food colouring in a spray bottle.... We built a giant rat and made it look like it was decapitated and bleeding all over the lawn... then went and "shot" all the snowmen in her neighbourhood.
It was more the "SNOW DAY" that I wasn't the biggest fan of...
My parents owned and ran a local business. Because of this, snow days didn't happen in our house- instead, we'd get a ride to school with mom. No matter the weather. This left my sister and I and the 12-15 students within walking distance stuck at school.
Here's where the love-hate kicked in, my nerdly-art side loved it. I always volunteered to clean the art cupboard on snow days. Teachers didn't actually teach anything to the 12-15 kids in the school, we watched movies, caught up on reading, listened to music, and changed the display boards. The hate came in- in the act of having to get dressed, in having to go when no one else was there, in having to make small talk with the teachers. That... I did not love.

Once in high school, I started to get snow days. Bussed into another town, if the weather was bad, I'd sit beside the radio in the morning chanting my bus number under my breath (come on 387, come on 387!) praying to hear that Milford had cancelled his route... But Milly was a tough old coot, and the cancels were few and far between.

Fast forward to working life... I've held a job now since graduation that doesn't allow for snow days. The entire town might be in lock-down in a blizzard, but a group home still needs staffing.

This morning I woke to the tiny ping of ice pellets hitting the windows... windows coated in ice, looking out at trees coated in ice. And I sighed.
Until I remembered something.... I work in an office now.

ring ring riiiiiiing

me:: uh... hello?
boss:: good morning, just calling to let you know we're not opening the office today, please activate your calling list.
me:: uh.... (then with more enthusiasm than I should have...... to my boss)
All RIIIIIGHT!

two things.

number one::
this is something I love.





fair trade chocolate.... I'm not the biggest white choc lover of all time, but.... the "with nibs" caught my attention. Little tiny pieces of cocoa! strangest.. but nicest combo of textures I've had in a chocolate bar... ever.

I can't remember number two.... but I was composing it in my head all night. I'll add it later.

I'm not faking it.

I don't know if maybe I'm just in my own world, dreaming. Maybe it's wishful thinking?
I've been wearing my new shirt all day... and I keep hoping I'll run into a beautiful stranger... one who will glance my way, see my shirt and walk up to me... offer me his arm, and whisk me away. Saying only “hypothetically, I'm in that band too”.

1 800 (or) now I use fewer towels

welcome to post 800!
odd. Didn't think I'd last this long.

Last night I made some rather unfavourable comments about the quality of writing in the 'burg's paper... however, having read my own post from the same evening, I retract. I have no right to make a comment.

well, last night I finally did it. But I do have to admit it wasn't the look of horror I was given the other night, it was the time factor involved, AND, now I don't take so long to dry off.

I shaved my left leg.
finally.
See, the problem was (and still is) I get bored shaving my legs. And, I'm a creature of habit.... so, I always shave my right leg first, then my left... it's just lately, well, I haven't had the patience to finish the job... so, while my right leg has been presentable.... my left hadn't seen the blade since August.
So, last night I fought the urge to follow my right-left habit, and did the switcher-roo to left-right...
I got bored.
I'll get to the right leg tomorrow.

of brains... and brains!

my brain feels good.
both of them.

my brain in my head is happy... more than happy, to have been put to use the past two days. Work sent me to a "Train the trainer" event in the Petes, and now I've got lots and lots of info pouring out of my ears on Dual Diagnosis.... It was a nice refresher, and I was happy about the amount of info I'd retained since University. It felt good to be in a room of people sharing some neat ideas on support and diagnosis.
I considered (again) taking up smoking just to be able to hang out with our behaviour therapist... but was glad that she and the rest of her agency's members were there.... I was able to network with some other consultants who deal specifically with individuals dealing with dual diagnosis- including some who deal with individuals with Aspergers (something we didn't touch too much on in this course, but something we're dealing with more... as we're the only town in the county willing?able? to put time into these supports).

ok, enough work talk... for now. I know that came out in all gobbledy gook, but there's so much in my head right now that there's no space for comprehensive writing styles.....

moving on.
my other brain!




not the best picture.. but I was too excited to set it up all lovely.
I'm in the band... and I have the shirt to prove it ;) I could have kissed the mail man
(again).

train-ed

spent all day yesterday... and heading out the door now for some more...
training.....

my head is hurting.

Monday Bunday

happy nosevember

(the tip of his nose moves too fast... so it's a little blury)

relief

I've been in a mild state of panic since Monday... not that you'd notice in amongst the other quirky bits that make me...uh... me.
But last night it reached the point that I had to do something about it.
My camera was missing.
I know I had it on Sunday night (as I processed "monday bunday"... and modified the time stamp to make it look like I actually had gotten up at some ungodly time in the morning, early enough to be fully dressed and ready to go to work- and still have time to blog) (HA!). But after that... it's whereabouts were a mystery!
I knew I'd tried to fit a book into my pretty little leather purse without too much success, the flashlight had taken up too much room... the flashlight was now sitting on the floor in my room, and the book eventually came with me to work. Did I take the camera out then?
Did I toss it into my purse as it sat by my desk at work? Had I been showing someone pictures and forgotten to put it away?
All the places that I've (previously) found it were coming up empty.
I even started making phone calls!
Until last night.
When I crawled into my bed... and found it nestled beside a pair of socks under the covers.

time to clean my room.

melting

sometimes I'm so exhausted that it feels like my face is just going to melt off.
land in a puddle
then I'll have to clean it up in the morning.
and that makes me sad.
so instead I cry myself to sleep, and all I have is a wet pillow.

but tonight...
I'm literally melting.
I think the thermostat is broken.
In the winter, we freeze here (unless the landlord is away and her kids crank the temp). It's a big old drafty house, with little to no insulation to speak of... windows that don't quite close... and a random vent into the corner of the kitchen that I stuff socks into when I remember... (note to self:: don't forget to stuff the vent this week).
But not tonight.... tonight I walked into the apartment to the smell of burnt lint (note to self:: time to dust) the thermometer says that it's only 26 degrees... but... for a house that averages 17 degrees....
It's so hot that one of the rads has sprung a leak... I've got a bucket under it, and I've called down to the landlord. If the water didn't smell so funny... I might be in for a nice hot bath before bed.

In other news, life is full of choices... pray for the ones that are appearing right now.... you all know how I adapt to change. (even if it's good)

Hit Me!

oh my... I don't really know what happened yesterday... but for some reason, I got hit with 20 odd searches thru google.... just looking for SVFF!
(hate to break it to you A, they weren't looking for a folk festival)

So, those of you linking here looking for the film festival... also named SVFF....
here's a clip of Robin Williams at the fest.....

AND, just to let you waylayed visitors know, SVFF is really Shelter Valley Folk Festival.... the best of the fests...

is someone standing gaurd?

pretty sure I'm not suppose to check my daily reads from work.....
however.. yesterday I had a 5 minute span where-in I didn't take a smoke break (because I don't smoke), and had nothing to tide me over till my meeting with my boss.
Except... I wasn't counting on the sneeze being quite so funny, and nearly blew my cover doing a "turn that laugh into a coughing fit or phlegmy throat thing".

back in the day

On a blog I frequent daily, two questions were posed to us earlier this week: why did you start blogging, and name another blog I should read.

I gave my answer, but then, going back to read other's answers I was reminded.....

Another part of the reason I started blogging was because of a personal web page back in 96 or 97...
we'd just gotten hooked up to the world wide web, and I was clogging our phone line reading ...
wait for it....
a man's JOURNAL!!!
I thought for sure he just didn't know how to use his computer and was accidentally writing for all the world to see... All I remember was that he was really into swing dancing... I read everything he wrote till we got a new computer... and in my laziness never remembered the address.
That was back when we "yahoo'd" things... because yahoo was cooler than Google. But yahoo let me down trying to find him again... I had a bit of a geeky girl crush on him.

curses

swears thrown at you publishers!

Just as I'm enjoying a great book... loving what's going on, content to have left the real world and snuggled all cozy with my fictional friends... you go and screw things up!

I yelled out loud today. In my car. No, not driving. While waiting for an appointment. Reading.

I turned the page in my nearly finished book... only to discover that indeed my book was done. The remaining 30 pages we just previews for other books!

who does that???
Ugh. Now I have to go to the library again.

Monday Bunday

finally no red eye... brought to you by "lean the camera on the coffee table with no flash and only overhead lighting".

hot potato

There are good microwaves... and there are bad microwaves.

Last week I saw a movie set in the late '70's.... a large box shows up in one of the scenes and one character reads the type on the box.... "what's a micro-wave anyway?"

I remember being just a little bit more than scared of our first microwave... That may or may not have something to do with the fact that it caught fire once.

Our next microwave was easy to use... pick either High, Medium or Low setting, then the amount of time... then start... pretty straight forward right?
It wasn't until I went to University that I realized I'd never used any other microwave other than my own (other than the old dial-the-time jobber at high school... but it was the same as our family's first box). Microwaves with extra buttons? Pre-set levels? Pre-set times? combos including defrost 3 portions? I was lost! All I wanted was a high heat for 40 seconds.... was that too much to ask?
It was then that I started using the "baked potato" setting to cook everything.
This method has it's downfalls.... you have to stay and open the door, or hit cancel when you've had enough... you have to hope that you want that high heat setting... and pray to God you don't need to defrost any bread! BUT.... it saves taking out the instruction manual and going cross-eyed. Last year, I decided to change it up, and I switched to the popcorn button.
(I know... I live on the edge)
Last week... I decided to have a baked potato for dinner.
I was about 5 minutes into the oven pre-heating when I thought to use the microwave.... and it took a few seconds of staring at the box before I realized that I actually knew how to use the microwave to cook what I wanted.....

triumph!

money money

.. and I don't mean the band. (Although... I do have some love for the boys)

right now... me and ebay are in love.
sweet cross border shopping!

you can't be serious.

Last night I walked out to my car, and without giving it a once over... got into it and drove away. I reached my friend's home, went inside... then walked to my car....

SOMETIME yesterday after work, weather it was while my car was parked at home, or while it was parked at my friend's... someone HIT my car! Smashed it! Dented it! Scratched it!
My car... and I.... are none too happy about this.

I went out when I got home, and wandered the cars parked near where I park my car... it was dark, I brought my flashlight.

I like that my dad suggested I go vandalize their car if I found it...

I really want to.

He's always been a really good "eye for an eye" type guy like that :)

an open letter to the time keeper

Dear daylight savings time guy,

I hate you.

I work some nights doing a sleep shift in a group home... and I like my sleep. I look forward to sleeping so much that I often go in early.... in fact, I'll sometimes go in a full hour early, just to make sure I'm going to get my full allotment of sleep time.

Last night on the couch, waiting for it to be an acceptable time to go to work... I was counting down my minutes. getting nearer and nearer. 15 mins till I can go and get my stuff together so I can go to work and to go to sleep....
14 mins... 13.....
then the phone rings....
who the heck calls at 10:15?

I wander out to the hall to grab the phone... I look up at the clock again, starting to worry about why/who would be calling late-ish at night... and I see that I've forgotten to change the clock by the couch... in fact... it's only 9:15... and my shift doesn't start till 11:30.

I hate you.

monday bunday

man on the run.

The cages have moved to the sun porch... a little chilly, but both boys have thick coats, PLUS all the comforts of house rabbit living (read:: access to the rest of the house) I only hope they are getting enough rest... there seems to be a family of loud birds in the roof now too.... (in addition to the squirrels)

more than two weeks ago I called the land lord about the squirrels. I heard nothing from her after that... however... I heard lots from the squirrels. They eventually moved over to the other side of the roof. Friday night I'm headed out, and while standing beside my car I can hear them chewing the roof... I talking LOUDLY... like, as if I had a 2x4 of maple and was chewing it off hunk after hunk with metal teeth type loud.
I stand in the driveway looking up at the roof, just as the landlord drives in.
She asks me what I'm looking at, and I reply "I'm listening to the squirrels eat the roof."
to which she says plainly and coldly "there are no squirrels".

The chewing has stopped (as the van just drove in, and we've been talking) and I only reply "then what is that noise I'm hearing?"
She frowns at me and says.... "I've had a man up there twice, and he didn't see anything, and he's placed a live trap. PLUS (she says accusingly... like I put the squirrels up there?) you told me they were on the other side of the house!"
I don't bother to point out that was more than two weeks ago.

she continues.... "the man said that sometimes mice are loud chewers, we must have mice"
me:: "but... they must be very large mice then... because I can hear their nails as they run... I can hear their weight on the ceiling plaster... it's the same noise as when the rabbit runs down the hall"
her retort:: "perhaps your rabbit is in the ceiling."

I get in the car and drive away.

and now it's half price!

one of my bosses, the morning after Halloween, hung her head out her office doorway, her face twisted in disbelief.
"I thought that was your voice speaking... but I just can't seem to believe that you'd do something like that!"

What she'd just heard was the exchange between myself and another staff, comparing numbers of kids to our door the night before.

This Halloween was the first that anyone's been home at our house since we moved in... (four years ago). So I went out and bought a big bag of candy around 5pm (we hadn't been sure that we'd be home this year either).... turned off the porch lights, locked the door.... and sat on the couch eating candy for the rest of the night.

we only got one trick-or-treat'er.

another shot

oh yeah... those are beans growing in the autumnal collection of fallen leaves.
NOVEMBER 2nd!

november

ok... it's November... the month when we're all suppose to be writing everyday... month of the writer.. there's even blogs dedicated to counting the words written for the month... words written in support of the celebration of this month.... and what have I done?
well I sure as heck haven't been writing.


I think last year (or the year before?) I tried to commit to the whole "write every day in November" thing.. and failed miserably. When I'm thinking that I need to write.... I can't write.
Since last week when the Roomie and I rearranged the apartment (if it happens once every four years it feels like you've moved!) all I've wanted to do is curl up on a couch with a book.

or a rabbit.

the books don't make me sneeze.

Yesterday I was in Grafton... I love that little town... it's on the outer rim of my house-hunt radius... anyway. Apparently Grafton should also be the spokesperson (spokestown?) speaking out against global warming....
November 2 and I was wearing my flip flops....
my flip flops and I discovered something strange happening "on the high hills of Grafton... warmin' with the sun"...


points if you can name that tune.

ooooh!!!!

goodie!

(cause... you know... I say "goodie" a lot)


Last night, I ordered my t-shirt from that band I'm in....
I know you're jealous.



ALSO***********
today is my dad's birthday!!!!!! Happy Birthday peaches ;)

and for my next trick.....

let's hearken back to a title not so long ago....
something about embarrassment?

So, last night, I'm attending a coffee house fund raiser for YFC. I am in bliss as I get to hang out with some dear friends who I never get to see, and I get to hear great music... and well... what more could I want?

A young guy comes up to me that I've known since he was potty training, he's in high school now, and along with him is another young guy... I hug the first, and put my hand out to the other... "my name's L.Bo" says I. "I know" says young man number two.
A quizzical look on my face leads to his reply... and I'm hit with the realization that little boys grow up, and sometimes I'm an idiot for not recognizing old family friends.

oh no, that's not all....

while at work I was sent to help an individual buy a pop from the locked fridge in the kitchen. the key is on a large chunk of wood... the end of a hockey stick? large enough that someone can't lose it... large enough that you can't stick it in your pocket and forget about it. I help the guy purchase his pop, then lock the fridge and head out of the room. "I just have to return the key" I shout, and head down the hall, reaching into my pocket to retrieve it.
It's not in my pocket.
No big deal, I've left it on the counter again... or on top of the fridge, I'm always doing that.
Into the kitchen I go.... no key.
anywhere.
crap.

I locked it in the fridge.

Bunday Monday

two shots for today....
the first....

can you see it?
the perils of being owned by bunnies.
I have no idea what buttons I'm pushing on the remotes anymore... Also replaced a lamp cord this weekend. (No fears, the lamp was unplugged at the time of chewing)

Fynn Fynn and 'Touf are out in the sun porch for the winter... fewer allergies for visiting friends and less fur in my mouth. Fynn's showing off his new digs here... they're in separate cages now till Fynn has his little operation...

L.Bo is embarrassing herself everywhere

I love facebook status lines.

At work, the front office is blind to what's going on in the hallway, it's also blind to a meeting room that is directly across from the door to the hallway.... So, to make that a little more clear, you enter from the hallway into the office- turn left to actually enter the office area... OR go straight and enter the meeting room.
It often happens that people in the hallway will chat with people in the meeting room... without the people in the office hearing the hallway people.
Yesterday I was the chat-er in the hallway. I made a comment to someone in the meeting room (unheard by the office people) and entered into the office while continuing the dialogue....

what I said was "Darlene! yummy ice tea! MMmmmmMMMM, lookin' good!" while Dar shook up her bottle of ice tea by doing a little dance.

what was heard by the delivery guy standing in the office-and whom I came face to face with as I finished talking- was "MMmmmmmMMM, lookin' good!".

needless to say... I turned right around in the office and walked into the meeting room as fast as I could.

700 Club.

Welcome to our 700 Club....
Well, actually, you've reached post number 777.
And super exciting news comes with this one!!!!

Pontouf-Pony is famous.
err... in a "famous in internet's circles of those who peruse pictures of cute animals" type fashion. That's right, for those of you who follow "teh cute", you'll know of a little place called "Disapproving Rabbits". Little Cinnamon brought on the first of the disapproval, and he's been passing disapproval as only a rabbit can ever since... so much in fact, he's released his first book!

nooooooooo

just when you thought you'd found everything to kill that second of free time you thought you had... just when you thought you had your addiction to the interawebs under control.... it got worse.
I mean... alot worse.
in a good way.

Blogger released, last month, a nifty little tool that has just allowed me to waste 20 mins of time I didn't have.

I think it's called blogger play, (or play blogger?) but what it does is allow you to see the pictures that are being uploaded to blogger at any given time of the day... in nearly real time.... I'm going to have to start monitoring it to see what happens over the course of a day.... I was seeing lots of Asian photos when I was looking... could it be because it's mid-day to the East? I'm going to have to test my hypothesis.

so, go check it out... I've added a convenient link in the side bar for us to be enthralled together.

(this also explains the strange entries to my blog of late... I couldn't figure out the referral site)

Monday Bunday

spot the bunny?

chillin in the front window :)

puzzled

it's closer to November than it is to September... and I'm considering going to the beach in my shorts for a nap.

part 2 (read the previous post first)

so, Friday morning was the second morning of my new schedual. Thursday morning I'd shown up early partly to get the extra paper work done... partly because I forgot I was suppose to start later....
Friday morning I started early (as per my new schedual thank-you-very-much!) I rushed thru my paper work (as the network was up and running)

and wrote the wrong date on everything apparently.

After I'd been at work for 30 mins, I signed myself out and hopped into my car to head to Colborne... like I do every Friday.
I got partway down street and turned on the radio.
But there was something wrong.
My radio program wasn't on.
Not only that... but there was something else wrong....
I had started my new schedual.... and was leaving an hour too early.

I turned the car around and went back to work.

night of deception returns (or) I should really learn how to READ that date book

Have you ever just.... "missed" an entire day?

I listened to the Nylons a lot growing up. I remember making mixed tapes of my favorites by them, leaning more towards the tight harmonies than lyrics... but one line's been in my mind since Friday.
Friday the 19th of October.

"time has a way, of going by, tomorrow becomes today... if the beat goes on when the song is done... Harmony finds her waaaa-aaaaay"

let's back it all up....
Thursday.. the network at work goes down. Not a problem really... just means I can't do any paperwork... and I did come in early to get my paper work done... but.. whatever.

Friday night... there's a concert I want to go to. I finally convince some people to go with me and we head out for a lovely evening of dinner at Hot Belly's then walk down to where the show is to take place.... Turns out, the show doesn't start till later than we thought, so we go for a little walking tour down town.... wandering.. then back to the coffee shop.
We sit, and wait.
and wait.
I'm looking around wondering why I don't know ANYONE there... that's strange. We wait awhile longer... now I'm confused. Not only is it nearly an hour and a half after the time slotted for the show... but I don't see either of the bands... and still no one else I know is there....
I check my phone to check the time... thinking maybe the clock in the shop is wrong....

"uh... guys.... is today really the 19th?"
sheepishly
"what was the.. um.. date on the poster?".... "cause I thought today was the 18th... "

I think I only made it worse by recounting what had happened to me earlier in the day.....

weeping

ok... I'm in the library again.

and I'm nearly wetting myself laughing over this one....

people are staring at me.

thank you sneeze yet again.
I think I'm going to order a bacon-on-the-left pizza.

back to the date book

the other day at work someone asked me what it is I do with "all my time". She prefaced the question with something about her life revolving around her kids... and their hockey scheduals... then asked with this hint of pity what there was to do in the 'burg as a single person.
ouch.

now here lays my dilemma... there are 3 concerts, two activities and 2 get-togethers with friends I need to choose from for the weekend. What ever will I do?

an aside... anyone want to go to ptbo friday night? There's two bands I really want to see....
(including wee-dav-id).

better late than never?

Know when you get the wrong words to a song?
At one of the group homes I sometimes work in, every morning starts out with music at full blast. We're blessed (and sense me clenching my teeth and gritting a smile out when I say blessed) to listen to some Shania.. and Shania knock-offs... re-mixes that go on forever and ever.... "is that CD skipping... or is it a really bad remix?" (says I, joking about the remix) "no... it really is a remix" (comes the glum response).
Two mornings now we've been greeting the day with a children's mix. This one though really IS scratched.... the chorus goes on forever till you think you might be crazy.

I had the words wrong for an hour.... apparently the song isn't "stop prohibition"
who knew!
it's a safety song...."stop look and listen"

Monday Bunday

doing the bunny 500 around the living room...

Sunday morning:: laying in bed, listening to the squirrel family that's moved into our ceiling (no, not in the same space as the raccoons). They're living above the kitchen... so I figure (as it's a sloped roof there) they must be living somewhere between the shingles.. and the plaster. I can hear them chattering and mewing at each other... it's kind of creepy. So, I'm laying in bed, listening to the squirrels. And I'm thinking... "sheesh, these squirrels are sounding like they've found their way into the attic... I can't hear their little claws anymore... it's more a thudding."
And I think some more... "hmmm. sounds almost like the bunny 500 in the hallway... but... not, because we have squirrels in the roof, not bunnies in the hall... the bunnies are in their cage"
I roll over and go back to sleep.
It gets to the point where I should probably get out of bed if I'm planning on going anywhere, so I stumble to my feet and open my door... where I'm met by both Pontouf and Fynn.
Seems that when I put them in their cage the night before, I forgot to lock it... thankfully they were so excited to be racing in the hallway, they didn't stop to eat anything they shouldn't be eating.

ah ha... mah date book!

this weekend I was planning on getting to the zoo.
but for some reason, when I got up on Saturday morning.... I WAS UNABLE to change out of my PJs! There was some sort of force field keeping me from getting dressed, from getting out of the house... from leaving the couch! The force field weakened just enough for me to sit and pirate for a bit.. but then! back to the couch!
Knowing it couldn't be resisted, but still knowing I had some yummy soup to make for a dinner I was to go to... I used all my strength (with the help of a Reese peanut butter cup) and fought my way to the grocery store....

in my pajamas.

I put a jean skirt and sweater over them.

have I mentioned the grocery store is pretty much across the street?

overheard in New.... err... Colborne

a woman just walked into the library where I'm currently hard at work....
she just announced in a loud, old woman's voice, cackley with smoke-enhanced lungs

"do you have any books by some author by the name of Tolkien?"

all that junk inside your trunk

when I was touring with Watoto, each night had us in a new home... you never really knew what it was going to be like until you arrived, BUT... generally you could get an idea by looking at their car. Not so much what type of car they were driving (well, no, that's not true, Canadians were well reflected by their choice of vehicle, Americans... not so much.... not at all) but more by what was in their car, or... what condition their car was in.
Tonight I was clearing some of the stuff from my car. And while I did, I wondered how people would classify me, or what impression they'd have of me by the contents of my little sunfire...

Tonight included, but wasn't limited to:: three pairs of high heels, one board game, eight pairs of socks (mostly pirate themed) a crock pot, a kitchen aid mixer, one (size small) goat skin East African drum, a winter coat, a lawn chair, festival blanket, library books, sleeping bag, rocking chair, cast iron pan, a pair of barn boots, swimming gear, gym bag, meeting minutes, and two empty coffee cups.

What's in your car?

yarrr grrrr

I don't know WHAT's going on... but I can't log into puzzle pirates. It's making me really really grumpy. I've gone to the site, reloaded the program.... I don't know what else to do... I hope it resolves itself soon.

31 degrees.

That's the temperature for thanksgiving dinner last night!
We had discussed doing the whole outdoor meal thing.. but after being swarmed by mosquitoes and lady bugs... we decided to sweat with the turkey inside.

speaking of insects.

This summer, with the lack of rain, and the removal of our vines... and the giant decaying factory being torn down... our landscape was... drier... hotter... than I've ever seen it in the tannery area (hmmm... I suppose that since the tannery doesn't exist... we aren't the tannery area any more) ....After my first yearly snail-crush (I'm so sorry Snailio Eglacias) in the spring, I figure I've only counted 7-10 snails over the summer.

fast forward to NOW.

We have snails again.

I single handedly have, since Saturday, unwittingly brought to an untimely death, no less than 4 snailios.

Tonight, on my walk, I counted 5 crushed little bodies.

watch your step.

FOUND!!!!

ok, last week? I mentioned how much I loved the new Old Navy commercial (the sweater one) and... ta-da! it's been found... take a listen to it . It's been in my head since it first came out.

Monday Bunday

Happy thanksgiving everyone! It looks like this year (thanks? to global warming) we'll be having our turkey outside!

I took too many shots this week, so in celebration of all we've been given, here's a little heap o'bun shots.

Fynn's a dad! none of them got his dark brown, BUT one... (not pictured) and it came out solid dark chocolate.... ooch... too cute, edible.

little Fynn-pants.... checking out the magic tea-towel of goodness... what will it hold today?

well, I think we may have a problem... 'Touf is now bigger than Norty ever was... but he hasn't "filled out" in the same manner... all his clothes are baggy, but too short in the arms (his shoulders are broader) and I'm still not sure how to manage those ears with the hoodies...

all in a day

it's been yet another busy week... but I think that's it now... really... um... honestly?
I hope.

This week the Sheffs moved into town, it was a huge job, BUT it was cool to see just how many people were willing to help out! By the time I got there after work on Friday most of the work was done, so I just joined Maria and we played house set-up. I love putting things into their new spots in a new house... now if only I could capture that enthusiasm and use it to put away my own crap.

This pic is from one of my new favourite blogs, if you get a chance to check it out I def recommend it... www.bentobjects.blogspot.com

Nuit Blanche

Saturday night in the city... with a few thousand of my closest friends...

It really was a great night, and I'm still not totally sure what I liked the best there.... I'm super fond of the Arts Counsel stuff- all textiles, very interesting... the wall hanging that I thought was a mosaic to look like a pebbled stream... ended up being made of felted wools, the two sided wall hanging of a garden, the vase like felted creatures... I loved the giant aquarium, the tables floating behind the car-sized fish. The music and smells, the carpeted walkway, the photos, the paintings, the pom poms... the sculptures... the camp tent.
So much to take in, and we barely finished a third of the art out there...
While standing under the "lobotomy's $300" sign, I noticed a familiar face... but couldn't place it... I stared for a bit, then turned around and asked my friend, as I asked, I knew... and I hissed... "that's Andrew Younghusband!"
Sadly, I hissed too loudly, he looked up on hearing his name and melted into the night...
just as well, I would have missed a lot of the art following him around for the night.

Monday Bunday

the weekly installment....

couldn't keep 'Touf away from the Shanghai noodles... I spent most of the evening fighting to eat my own dinner.

pizza and more

I lol'd all right.... yes, you heard me... I LOL'D.

The new Domino's Oreo Dessert Pizza commercial makes me laugh and laugh... the only problem with it is that I've seen it more than 11 times this evening... I started counting the 3rd time it was on, then lost track after 10 viewings.

Also, I'm in love with the sweater song from the new Old Navy commercials.


(can you tell I've spent the evening on the couch?)

things come in sets of 3?

or 7's.

I should have gone back to bed yesterday when the day started with me nearly running over a man (if you see a car coming, you shouldn't walk around the blind corner and STAND in the middle of the road waiting for it).

The day ended with the most awkward of youth groups... and had in it's middle, an unplanned meeting, staying two hours late after work, not getting the supplementary job I'd hoped for, forgetting my lunch, and having my purse locked in the office because a meeting went late.

On the plus side, I've got fun plans for the weekend, and my mileage cheque came in! 89 days till Christmas.

bad vibes

ok, so today I was working inside the Pdot's Rec Centre, supporting some guys in their job there... also going on was the set up for a polling station which was to open at 12. the 'burg's station was to open at 9am... both times were listed on the notices sent to people... who reads the whole thing??? you scan it, find the numbers you're looking for, and that's it.
I'm thinking of writing a letter to the editor....

Mister grumpy pants was manning the outside portion of the station, "greeting" people as they came. The first arrival was at 11:15.

Arriving Man:: Hi I'm here to vote
Grumpy pants:: Well, you can't yet.
AM:: puzzled look
GP:: OBVIOUSLY you didn't bother to read past the first paragraph.
AM:: puzzled look
GP:: Because if you had, you'd see that it's 'burg that opens at 9, WE don't open till 12.
AM:: puzzled look... walks away

Mister Unhelpful (who's been wandering around asking people questions and getting people upset) wanders into the hall.
MU:: THOSE people in the gym rented it until 11.
GP:: They're still in there
MU:: They don't PLAN on leaving until 12... but they only RENTED it till 11... no one's kicking them out.. is that Pdot's general climate??? (look of disgust)

GP:: (with a triumphant look) Well, I just turned our first away.
MU:: oh really?
GP:: He couldn't be bothered to read the second paragraph, so he was early.... it's ok, he was only going to vote green party.


I don't even stifle my shocked "oh goodness".

Later I hear GP try to pull the holier-than-thou "you couldn't be bothered to read the second paragraph" thing on another guy (who arrived at 11:50) the man didn't play along, much to grumpy pants' disappointment... he was cut off with "I'm a few minutes early".
GP tried to redeem himself a few moments later with a story about the man who arrived in the last hour "irate that he couldn't vote, but hadn't bothered to actually read the papers."

I let out another "oh goodness".

two for the price of one....

sometimes, you can't pass up a good thing... like, a peddle thingy at a garage sale.. for only a quarter- so you can sit at your couch being lazy... AND getting exercise. Or... like, going someplace you're not very comfortable... just so you can squish a new puppy....
sometimes you get to hear two quotes that are equally deserving of the title "quote of the week" (maybe even "quote of the month"....) one day after another... for times like that... it's important to indulge.

"Bill Borne? I'd do something illegal for that man"
(not from who you'd expect it)

and

"When I met them... I knew they were good people... and then, when the wife came out barefooted into the yard, I knew they must be missionaries."

monday bunday

pretty much the ultimate in bunny disapproval.

what's that? we've left you speechless?

this weekend has been... so great.
I feel like me again, I've been missing me for quite awhile... when did I last feel like I've been in my skin? I don't even know.

It all started with a great concert out at Hughes Room, that had me singing at the top of my lungs, smiling like a ninny, and dancing round in my highest heels. Sweet 80's done acoustic... yeah, it doesn't get much better than that does it? (think hungry like a wolf... folked....)
Ask me about it sometime.

One memorable moment of the evening included Tantisama, myself and a group of lovely male police officers. We hit the ride program sometime after 1am, they were being all manly joking with each other as we rolled down the window, and we were greeted with
mmpo (manly man police officer):: "good evening ladies"
(chuckling in the background from his friends... "hey, how come you get all the ladies tonight?")
us:: (coyly) hello there
mmpo:: where are you two coming from this evening?
us: Hughes Room
mmpo:: so early? why so early?
us:: laughing... um... it's after 1?
mmpo:: well, have a good night.... drive safe

(then some random comment about us driving thru his check point again...)

He forgot to ask us if we'd been drinking.

dip dip and swing'er back

yikes.
my arms are going to fall right off my body.

I challenged the dragon x5 today, and did pretty well considering! My official team was CH's, my team that I put my full heart into was the SVFF team (of course!) and ... then there was the random race with the hospital's team... uh.. yeah...

I'm not sure where we are on the "annual" list for the 'burg's dragon boat races, but since this was my second.. I'm calling it the second annual dragon boat race. SVFF needed some extra rowers, so of course I jumped into their boat when their first race was called, we did pretty well... well... ok, it was kinda slow, but most of us hadn't been on the water since last year's race... and we were just warming up.

And then it happened... the wind picked up... race times went up for every team... WAY up, we were paddling into the wind, waves jumping the side of the boat on the turns... and the steers calling for all to paddle so we didn't flip. I was doing ok with the whole thing till he yelled that at us.. then the panic sat in my throat for awhile.

My second race was with CH, we had a full boat, it went ok... MUCH slower than my first race, I could feel the difference in the boat, feel the pull on the paddle as being different.
Then back into the festival boat for an AMAZING race, we were together (after a false start, the wind blew us out of the right angle before the race started... our steers kept yelling to the race official "we're not ready yet!") and pulled HARD.

Then our last race was called... I didn't know what to do! my teams were against each other!!! We rallied up a few extra bodies, and I decided to stick with the festival crew... but only three of us showed up... we stood at the cue wondering where the rest of the team had gone... joking about them being in the pub.... when one member wandered by... we hollered and got his attention... and he said they were all at the chili cook off... then took off running to get them.

I knew there was no way he was going to run the two blocks to down town, find everyone and get them back in less than two minutes... my own team had enough people... so Manda and I joined the Hospital's team (they were really short on bodies) and poor AJ stood forlornly in the festival's lane by himself wondering what to do... when... out of nowhere.... the festival crew showed up! (sans tambourines) Yeah... turns out they weren't at the cook off... they WERE in the pub. Money was thrown on the table, and drinks left full when they took off running.

So really, it turned out for the best in the end... I didn't have to sabotage either boat in the end!

SVFF came in first in that level... the third level overall... pretty darn good!