GTI and all that Jazz

Green Wood has been going well this summer... ok, we've had our ups and serious downs.... but things have gone pretty well considering.

Last night we had a group in to help us out... we decided to see if there were people in the community who might be interested in helping us out a bit- to take some of the strain off of the team... financially, and time wise. We get a few weeks where we can really just come in, hang out with our friends... it's great. Before we decided to go ahead and ask around, we talked a lot about how we could protect our friends... ummm... from Church People.

I know.. that sounds bad.. and I think I've brought it up in the past... but there's the very real possibility that even with the best intent... people could say something that would really hurt our friends, or hurt our ability to be there. 

After an incident at dinner last night, in my heart... more than ever, I feel like I need to somehow help people recognize that it's not about us, about us and what we're doing I mean.. it's about what God is doing ... does that make sense? 

Read Ruth's blog this week... it's super. (And she's a much better writer than me, I get too impassioned and have to keep erasing what I've typed.)

Tonight... tonight

Yes my friends, tonight you don't want to be anywhere else but here!
"Why for?" you may ask...

Well, for the songwriter's showcase event (6pm)! Right here, in the downtown 'Burg.
Who won last year's event? Non other than the Good Lovelies! Who knows what's in store for us this year!?! (ps, I've written about them before... now GO listen to their music!)

And for those of you totally out of the loop.... the top winners from the showcase get to play at Shelter Valley Folk Festival on Labour Day weekend.... AND if you show up early, (so you hear every entry) you get to be part of the voting process)
Bring your lawn chair (just in case!)!

I'm writing with too many exclamation marks! But I like it!

wordless wednesday?

Not so much wordless... as topic-less.

I have a desire to write something... but I don't know what. 

the winds they are a'blowin' the times they are a changin'

my legs they are a'achin'.

shesh... a writer I am not.

Sheff Rat Escape Package Deal

For a limited time offer... you too can spend the day with the rats. 

Yesterday Ms.Percey came thru town on her way home from winning at pilgrimage.  She looks fabulous by the way- as anyone who's just walked 800kms generally does. 

Let's set the scene shall we?

I'm on the phone with MegSheff- my cell phone that is, when the phone beeps- an incoming call. I glance down to see who the call is from, and see that it's from the SheffHold. I say to MegSheff "your father is calling, I'll call him back later" (it's always PaSheff who makes the call... BethSheff, tucked neatly into the corner by the computer can be heard barking from the corner "someone call L.Bo and tell her [insert something or other here]". I ignore the call.

The house phone rings.

I see that it is the SheffHold calling again, and tell Meg there must be some Sheff emergency, I'll call them back when we're done.

Eventually the conversation ends.. I hang up, and call the Sheff's.

Baby answers the phone and loudly says "we're just about to leave and.. wait, I've got a beep, it's a 613, I'm going to take it, but we're going now anyway"

None of this makes sense... well, other than the 613 part... that would be Meg cutting my call short.

I sit on the couch and stare at the wall for a second or two... not really trying to figure out the conversation.

Then I check the messages.

And here Ms. Percey's voice on the line... I dash out the door to the Sheff's and nearly run down Ms.Percey in joy.

Baby and Ms. P were about to hop the train (hence the yelling "we're just about to leave")... but I intervened. 

sorry 'bout the blur. (the one on the rocks is us.. we didn't take the boat.. we swam)

monday bunday 2.0

I did NOT eat this carpet.... 'Touf did it.

Right right

Monday Bunday

Technical Errors today... can't get Blogger to upload my photos...

stay tuned.

fam damn-ily

I love my family... now, family reunions... I'm not so fond of.

Ok, I like the part where I get to see everyone and catch up with them- I like the part where we get too see the little kids and how much they've grown. I even enjoy the drive down!

I don't however enjoy the comments made by "well meaning" family members- the ones that hurt without intention- but are made without a thought before they're said.

For example- three cousins have had some fertility issues... including several losses each. But, that doesn't stop people.... "when are you going to give little [kid's name] a brother or sister? it must be lonely for them?" or "it's too bad [delightful devil child] is an only baby, when are you two going to give him/her a sister?" I'll admit I was thankful that I was only asked BY EVERY FREAKIN' PERSON when I was going to settle down and start my own family... And only twice did someone say "well [patting my shoulder and looking sadly at me], it's never too late, someday, someone will come along".
/me bangs head on desk.

I had lined up a baby for use at the reunion. But knew full well that no one else in the car would want me to be bringing a borrowed baby along for the ride.
Maybe next year I can show up with my illegitimate child and throw them for a loop.

fire's burning

When PaSheff first came to me about this evening's activity, he touted it as "kumbia and beyond"- an evening of campfire reflection". Ok, maybe that's not what he said, but in my mind, that's what I figure he meant. 

We took over the Bean... took over... to the point that I even emailed Sue (the owner) and asked her to make an evening special to be served... s'mores with hot chocolate.... she came thru.

The stage was shared by a group of us, Jim Yates (whom I love... the same man that convinced me to buy my guitar... yeah... the guitar I don't play... BUT fully intend to) Shamus, Derrick Ballard (he of the Gene McLelland tribute concert forever ago- also of "the gentlemen husbands" - great band) Roy (security man Roy from SVFF), and some boys from Derrick's band. The guys all came baring guitars (well.. other than Mr.Yates, who also brought his auto harp). I took the evening in a slightly different direction ... 

The guys started their music, and sang lovely folk type songs, the type any campfire would have, covers of country... that sort of thing.... 

And then I turned it into summer camp.

Not even kidding. Call and repeat, action, and interaction songs. High energy. 

I felt like I was at the ranch- I spent 9 years working at that camp... 9 summers of camp songs- 5 of those, leading the camp fires... I could have gone on all night.

The two best compliments I got were from the older crowd. "I felt like I was back at summer camp" was the first, and the second was from Mr.Yates himself... PaSheff asked him if he'd be interested in doing another campfire night, to which he replied "Only if L.Bo is doing it".

ok. he didn't call me elbow.

Did I mention we packed the place? Standing room only at the back- people sitting on the floor. I'd do it again.

Also met one of the two boys who have been lurking the Bean lately. The one that has been stealing my favourite seat.

oh hai

I think one of the best things I’ve ever heard just happened. Ok, let’s make that TWO of the best things… ever.

First, a staff at the office told me I should probably start reading books by some woman, that she LOVES to read her stuff, “AND, she’s a psychic… but, you know.. a real one. On Montel and everything!”

Then, a manager came in and asked me the result of an assignment she’d given me yesterday. This was not the same manager who ended up coming in to help- it was one who likes to give additional work. I had not gotten a chance to do it, but I had some places I needed to stop by around town, so I told her I’d go do it and call her with the results. She seemed a little annoyed that it wasn’t done… I called her less than 10 mins later with the info.
Flash forward to a few hours later- I still need the results from her part of the assignment (it was the exact same assignment, just done in a different area… the area being right outside her office door). I give the manager a call and ask her what she’d found.
“um… I haven’t done it yet”

who decided that?

I got to insist that I be joined by a manager today at work... they had a replacement for someone who was away- but then the person came back, so they cancelled the replacement- but then the person called in sick, and there was no replacement... on the busiest day of the week.

I was thankful that she was willing to come in... there's not too many places where that would happen.

Ordered some more worms today... very very excited about them coming... I'll give the mailman a heads up this week...

I spent some time at the trailer, looking to hang out with some friends... turns out they were waiting for me at the beach... that's what I get for leaving my cell phone at home.. though, I'm thinking that when this one dies... I might just go without. (a scary thought.. but... might be a good idea)

and finally, I ran 2+ Kms tonight... 

Don't expect much from me tomorrow.