the people that you meet when you're walking down the street

Who are the people in your neighbourhood.... ug. getting songs stuck in my head left right and centre today.

Tomorrow is Amber and Shawn's wedding. I'm super excited about it- they are two of the loveliest people that I've the privilege of meeting thru the Players. I'll be singing with two beauties as Amber walks down the aisle, something I haven't done since the Newlandwed's wedding... whoa for a very short second there, I had written "since Mandamanda's wedding". Oops.

On walking to VicHall, where the wedding will be happening, I passed a car parked around the corner that was running. Locked and running. On returning home? The car was still locked and running. After walking the dog? Nearing 4 hours later... the car was still running. I didn't see a key in the ignition, someone must have hit the "start" button inside their house... I just couldn't figure out which house.

A little while later, I'm chatting with the neighbour over the fence, she lives around the corner, but as the lots are all shaped oddly, she backs onto my yard... There are only two houses between us. She's debating where to put a vegetable patch in her yard- in the past I'd had conversations with the previous owner about where to place a veggie garden- based on the sun... after two years of conversations, we figured that the front/side yard was the place that would get the most light. So, I mentioned this to the new neighbour... she was shocked... and kind of insulted by the suggestion. "Out FRONT? Tomatoes in the front? Where people could just TAKE them? No, that would be stupid".
Then I asked her if she'd seen my veggie garden in front of the house...
Keep in mind that she has two dogs... so it's likely (in my mind) that she walks them.
She sort of pointed at my house, raised her eyebrows in a "are you kidding me" look and said no.
Who doesn't walk their dogs?
Or, maybe if she's walking them downtown... who doesn't walk around their neighbourhood when they move in? She's been there since May.

I'm feeling rather judgmental today... and running with it.

Homesteading

It's not what I thought it was.

I've been reading quite a bit lately about the idea of homesteading- in particular urban homesteading. Bedmates with green living. I feel like everything I read is an attempt to live the ideal set out in early editions of "The Mother Earth News". Things I've been trying to do, things I hope to do.

side note: we've really got to finish that TMEN documentary... I was reminded at the new years' eve collage party.

side notes' side note: the new years' eve collage party was great- and we've published our own little hand-bound book featuring our work. You can purchase a copy at the bookstore down town.

more notes: I finished two pieces I'm particularly proud of. One is silly- "all the single ladies" with two TMEN "positions and situations" ads and a few old articles from the Port Hope Evening Guide- articles from the 1890's... and another that I shouldn't call finished.

Today I was reading an article about taking stock of the things you're currently doing in your own way, and things that are on your wish list (to do list?) that take you steps closer to a homesteading way of life. I think I'm going to take some time this week to make those lists.

Making music must count.

Community building- I'm putting that on the list.

hm. maybe my list isn't going to look so homesteady after all.

Do the worms count?

hobbits

I have a lot to be thankful for....

a quick recap::
I got the keys to my hobbit house. a gaggle of people showed up to clean. hobbits and honorary hobbits helped to tear things down, rebuild them, patch them, sand them wash them again and paint them.
whew!

there is one completely livable room in the house.
and I have plumbing.
and the kitchen will be built next week.

and I haven't lost my sanity... completely... yet.

thank you hobbits. you really are the best.

BBQ'ed

oh pride.

This evening marked the second ever "house ladies" dinner party. (House ladies being those lovely young women who attend the CAC House groups, grades 8-9) (though... if you go to house, you're in 9-12) (but I really want the 8s to meet the 9s before next September...)

get on with it les

righ right right

Anyhoot.
As repayment for my watering the plants of the evil landlord, we have access to their backyard and BBQ. Now, being as landlord is manipulative and evil (trust me on this) I wanted to avoid using anything that was hers. BUT a bbq IS a bbq! SO. Tonight, I hosted the gr 8s and 9s in a little BBQ shindig.

I pride myself in my bbq skills. heck! I pride myself in my cooking skills.. I love to entertain (though evil landlord has really put a damper on dinner parties). SO! When GI Netty asked me jokingly "do you know HOW to bbq?" I laughed and said "of course!"

And then a giant billow of flame jumped out of the bbq and burnt my eyelashes and eyebrows.

great.

little green friends

I have a few new friends... I'll be checking in on them on occasion. Just to see if they need anything.

In celebration of Earth Day this year my house group decided they were fed up with the garbage picking up that generally accounts for the participation of their peer group. They wanted something a little different, soooo the suggestion was to see if we could plant some trees.
GI Nette called up the town to search out some options and low and behold! The town was in need of a few good men (and women) armed with shovels!

So, an army of tree planters was formed, and we marched together to fight global warming (and soil erosion). By the time the rain came pouring down we'd planted a little over 125 trees and had decided that perhaps tree planting was a new way of life.. at least for a few of us....

I'll be stopping in every once in awhile to encourage my little trees to grow... everyone needs some lovin'.