Another Day, Another Dollar

well, maybe a few more dollars...I've been prowling on e-bay again, this time for books and videos. I've been trying to round out my collection of Torey Hayden books, and just need two to do it. I managed to find them on e-bay and some other bidder keeps trying to outbid me...the wench...They're not easy to come by, and I hate to buy books brand new when there are so many used ones out there, looking for a home :-) I've also been on the prowl for some videos for my sister - Six Pack with Kenny Rogers is one of them...she has a need and its a hard one to get...I keep getting outbid. And then I noticed since being here that the kids really like the one Caillou video they have, so I peeked around for some more and found a bunch for cheap and bid on them...got outbid on a lot of 7 though, so will let that go...we bid back and forth for a while.

I recently set my sister up on e-bay too, so she is another one on the prowl...as long as she doesn't try to outbid me, heh heh. She lives in such a shopping void though that e-bay will make her shopping much easier.

now I must go check my bids!

Tuesday Night and the Race is Over

Well now what am I going to watch, the Amazing Race is over. Here I am on a Tuesday night with my regular show over...I guess it isn't that regular, it starts at Mark Burnett's will, whenever the taping is done and the show has been packaged to air. I hope there's another one for the winter season...this past one was quite interesting...love to watch those social interactions come into play, no matter how Mark's team has doctored it up. At least a worthy team won the race. I would have been pissed if that rotten jerk Colin and his stupid girlfriend Kristie won. I was rooting most for the bowling moms and they darn near had it. They sure played a good race though, and we're all proud (fellow moms :-)

The other show I love to rant over is another of Mark's, Survivor, the original reality show. Ever since it aired in 2000, I have been hooked. I missed part of the first season, and only discovered it about half way in, but luckily, they thought to replay the first season through shortly after it finished. Not all seasons have been great though...some have truly sucked, with rotten players, and even more rotten editing. I would have to say my favorite one is probably Survivor 2, Australian Outback. Who can forget Jerri, the rotten wench who everyone loved to hate? And Kimmi, who adored chickens and Alicia, who shook her finger in her face for it. And poor Michael, who fell into the fire...then there was Deb, who whined and wimpered about being voted out first...sore loser.

This season they're in Vanuatu, and its cooking up to be a good season. I don't like that they've separated the men from the women, but my guess is that it won't be for long. The dynamics are just BETTER when they have mixed tribes. I'm in the Survivor pool again at work (actually, I run it - which reminds me...many have not yet paid...if you're reading...you know who you are! :-) I think its the sociologist in me that just loves to watch human behaviour unfold. Many think the whole thing is rigged and staged, but I disagree. While it might be edited to tell a story, or to focus on a particular event, it is as close to reality as I think we're gonna get. Big Brother just makes me want to hurl...

Reality television seems to be running a strong course...there's one for every night of the week and there seem to be no shortage of ideas thus far. How about those wife swap and mommy swap ones...where the hell was that when I needed a swap???

Tomorrow night I'll be tuned in, as usual...can't wait! Who will be voted out next?

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor9/

The Crossroads of Life

There seem to be so many of them, I need a map. Why can't I just be happy with where I am and what I'm doing? I have been busy this past few months thinking about where I want to go next, what I want to do next. In the words of John Lennon, "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans" and its true. I always seem to be planning for the next stage of life, looking for something else. A gal I visit from time to time to make sense of my life (YES, a THERAPIST) suggested that perhaps it is within the next opportunity that I will find the happiness and stability I seem to be searching for. I mean, there is no sensible reason why I need to go anywhere and do anything different. I have a decent job, where I work with people I like, doing something that I am not unhappy doing, live in a good house (I've rambled on about it before, remember?) and generally like my life...but somehow it doesn't feel like its enough. Like I'm missing out on other opportunities.

I one thing that would make me happy, and I've rambled about that before as well...to meet someone to share my life with. I put it off while Amber was living at home but now that she has moved out, I feel the need more urgently. Its just no fun going through this life alone. Not that I would ever choose to go back to my marriage...I spent far too long looking for a way out of that "blessed union". Although I often think about whether or not fate has only handed me just that one opportunity to be with someone and I blew it. The time has passed. What if that is true? Then I recall what my friend had to say earlier this summer when she read my cards. That there was a man in my future and only I would know when the time is right. She gave me some descriptors of the type of person he would be, and he sounded just right. So how do I know when the time is right? What if I leave where I am now and just miss him? It was almost easier to live when I had no choices...almost.

Some things I'm considering these days (yes, these days...Amber laughs at me because I have a new plan each week...so indecisive) are the following:

1. to move to Northern Ireland for a year or two and work as a social worker. They are recruiting for the UK and I might get lucky enough to get a posting in Northern Ireland. I haven't visited the north yet and am dying to go and spend quality time there.
   
2. to try again for work up north. I know I would get the job, they as much as hired me during this spring's job search/interview process. It sure would help to get ahead of my student loans
   
3. to return to university. I still don't feel like I have completed my academic goals by a long shot. I just truly enjoyed university. The conundrum is, I don't know for sure what I would like to master in - Social Work, Criminology, or Psychology.
   
4. To stay where I am, and work for a few more years, hoping something will present itself to me (which so far hasn't worked and I feel like I am wilting)
   
5. to move to SE Asia and teach English for a year or two, and really pay off my student loans quickly. Except I would hate the heat, language would be tough, and food even worse.
   
6. I have even thought of moving back to Ontario for a while. Don't know what the pull is, but there is one.
   
7. And how about moving to BC to be closer to my sister, like I had promised her for so many years. Now that I have gotten to know the boys, I would love to be Auntie Jude from closer by, like perhaps Prince George. Except I have no desire to live there
   

So what's a gal to do? My pull right now is to pay off student loans, and I think I will likely end up taking a job up north for a year just to give it a shot. I won't take much, just store most of my stuff, or better yet, have someone rent the house in my absence with my stuff in it, like my current roomie and another person. All I really do know is I need a change...but why?

Babysitting Again

I'm babysitting all three nephews tonight, the little tykes. I haven't done a whole lot of babysitting over the years since before I was married. The occasional time for a friend once in a blue moon. I used to do tons of babysitting when I was in high school. And some of those kids...well, they were a challenge. I remember one little "charm" who refused to go to bed until his mother came home..at 2am. She wanted me to lay down with him until he went to sleep and just when I thought he had finally dropped of, I'd sneak out of the room to go downstairs to do homework, I'd hear him up on the phone, talking to his mother at work. It was one of the worst...another was when a brother and sister played tricks on me all night, bratty ones too. Then there was the little gal named Reagan, who screamed for 3 hours each night. Her father was a dentist...I was thinking of asking him for some drugs to put her out for the night. She would rock in her crib and wiggle that thing right to the door, screaming blue murder the whole time.

So far, these boys have been quite well behaved. I've been here nearly a week, so they have gotten used to me, and listen fairly well to me. They are heading to be in about 10 minutes and we'll see what happens then. It is their parents worst time with them. It was always my best time with Amber. She would often come with her dolly and book in hand and tell me it was bedtime, could I please put her to bed. We would read a number of stories, and then she would either have tapes to listen to, or some books to look at until the half hour was up, then lights out. I never had a peep from her after that, unless she had a night terror. Remember those? You're in a dead sleep, probably dreaming of sunny summer days, lolling around the beach...and then AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH
comes out of the dark...you think someone has slipped in and murdered your child in her sleep until you get to her room to find her soaked in sweat, eyes glassed over like someone on speed, and panting like a dog. She doesn't know who you are and continues to scream. Finally, you break through, she settles down and goes off to sleep like nothing happend...too bad your own heart is still thundering away in your chest...who is going to settle you down?

So its been an adventure so far. My cold is relenting somewhat, and I have not been hiding out as much from the family. I know its likely they will all get my cold, but I don't have to rush it. They may just give it back to me before I go.

My days are numbered though...11 days to go...

My Girl

Well, she is well settled in university at Saint Mary's. She is loving the life. I am still trying to get her to blog but she claims she is too busy and she actually is busy...she works three days a week, she has classes on Monday to Thursday (only one on Tues-Thurs), she volunteers at the Women's Centre on campus, she joined the Psychology society, she joined the Food Committee (I'll explain below), she goes to the gym on campus twice a week, and she is participating in some Psych studies for credit...whew! I'm tired just listing it!

The Food Committee is something else...Amber loves to eat, and loves to critique food..so she found the perfect committee. She meets with the committee twice a month in a huge board room, where they have prepared tons of food they plan on serving in the cafeteria, and they get to eat all they want for free and critique it...cool huh? That's her kind of committee...heh heh.

I'm so proud of her, my girl!

Sickness is for the birds

I hate being sick. I don't get sick very often, but when I do, I hate it...as I'm sure everyone else does. I can't sleep, I can't breathe, I feel like I am choking all the time. And it happens every time I travel. I am off to the drug store this morning for some more drugs...ech. This is for the birds...I won't share the gory details with you.

Auntie Jude is Tired (and sick)

Well, I am very tired...partly from those exhausting boys, but I now have a cold...rats. I always seem to get sick when I travel. Too many germs...will have to take to wearing a mask when I travel I guess. Who cares what I look like. might even get me more room on the plane if no one wants to sit next to me...I could make up some exotic disease...heh heh.

The boys are a challenge...I haven't been around this much activity in a while, that's for sure. They haven't been too bad today, not much screaming...yet...bedtime is an interesting time. I think I will hide then.

Took my sister out for a beer and pub grub this afternoon...nice to get out without any children in tow! Alexander wasn't too bad today, and listened to me well enough, but not his mother. They are a going concern, thats for sure. Alexander loves to play computer games, while Simon loves to be outside. He will even just go outside, barefeet and all and take off to the back yard to explore...little mite...bolted from the house when the Jehovahs were here today, pestering.

I wrote to my mother today...hoping to mend fences...either that or burn them down...its a crap shoot...who knows how she'll take it. I simply tried to explain how I felt is all and we'll take it from there.

Survivor is on tonight! Yahoo! hopefully the boys can be settled in their little beds by then...

Auntie Jude is Tired (and sick)

Well, I am very tired...partly from those exhausting boys, but I now have a cold...rats. I always seem to get sick when I travel. Too many germs...will have to take to wearing a mask when I travel I guess. Who cares what I look like. might even get me more room on the plane if no one wants to sit next to me...I could make up some exotic disease...heh heh.

The boys are a challenge...I haven't been around this much activity in a while, that's for sure. They haven't been too bad today, not much screaming...yet...bedtime is an interesting time. I think I will hide then.

Took my sister out for a beer and pub grub this afternoon...nice to get out without any children in tow! Alexander wasn't too bad today, and listened to me well enough, but not his mother. They are a going concern, thats for sure. Alexander loves to play computer games, while Simon loves to be outside. He will even just go outside, barefeet and all and take off to the back yard to explore...little mite...bolted from the house when the Jehovahs were here today, pestering.

I wrote to my mother today...hoping to mend fences...either that or burn them down...its a crap shoot...who knows how she'll take it. I simply tried to explain how I felt is all and we'll take it from there.

Survivor is on tonight! Yahoo! hopefully the boys can be settled in their little beds by then...

Small Children

Aren't they sweet? I haven't been around small children much for many years. The last time I visited my sister was in 2000 and her son Alexander was just 10 weeks old. Now she has three sons, aged 3.5, 2.5, and 3 months. There is noise, that's for sure, but so far, I haven't wanted to jump off a bridge. The baby is adorable, and other than an aversion to his car seat, he seems to be an easy baby. Alexander had taken to me easily and will often just climb up on my lap, or curl up next to me when I watch tv. He can say my name easily, and its awesome! Simon (middle child) is slower to warm up to me. He will come around, and ask for things, but not quite the cuddler yet. He is definitely the strongest personality of the three. Watching them is the most fun I've had for years. I love watching children interact with others and figure out what's going on in their little minds. Alexander is very much the big brother, and knows it. When Simon does something he is told not to, he is quick to react and reprimand him for it, sometimes overdoing it by pushing or smucking him. When Simon gets reprimanded by anyone, Alexander included, he is quick to react as well and lash out at anyone and anything. Books, toys, arms and legs go flying in a rage. And if he is reprimanded a second time for the mess, he either cries or laughs at you.

Isn't it funny how their little personalities are emerging at such a tender young age? They are both rough-housing boys, no doubt learned from dad, who loves to wrestle with them. No momma's boys here, that's for sure. They have been listening fairly well to Auntie Jude, which is good...hope they keep it up as I have a few babysitting opportunities coming up...my sister has a wedding to attend on Saturday (didn't I tell you Jude, she says). Which is fine. I always wanted to parent boys and never got the chance, so here we are...three of them! And I miss not living close to these little gems, watching them grow up. Perhaps that will have to be remedied in the future as I go through those crossroads again next spring.

One thing is clear...as an Auntie who loves to spoil, I often wander aimlessly through children's clothing and toys in the stores, looking for the perfect gift for these tykes...um, they don't need it. They have tons of toys, tons of books, tons of clothing. I guess having a gramma who works at the local second hand store has proved very handy indeed! So I am considering doing something else for them, like perhaps put some money away for university for them. Sounds like a much more practical idea, I think.

So here we are, on day 3 of Auntie Jude's visit to BC...hope we get out for a walk today! It has been FREEZING but I think I brought enough clothes...heh heh...

Its a LONG LONG way to Houston

Well, I've landed...it took all day, but I got here. I set both alarm clocks and neither went off. Imagine that. So I slept in, waking just 15 mintues before we were to leave for the airport, so it was a mad dash to get everyone moving, and get out the door. I wasn't late, I just didn't have time to get a shower...ick. So I travelled all day without one, not a new experience, after my international travels, but was not what I had planned. At least I DID wake up...

All the flights were basically on time, a new first for my travel experiences. My major complaint was that they don't feed you on West Jet. Now, you do get a "snack" which consists of 14 pretzels, or 2 cookies (sometimes those yummy digestive biscuits) and a beverage...but that's IT! On one flight I took, they'll sell you a sandwich for $5. no condiments on it, just meat and cheese. So of course, I snacked on junk food the whole way, thankfully I had stocked up before I left. I still have half of it left...amazing how 14 pretzels can fill you up...after 5 flights...

The flights were uneventful themselves...I did however have the opportunity to sit next to a good looking man who talked about his family - wife, 2 kids, farm, etc. Doesn't matter...at least he smelled good. The plane is small and cramped enough without ending up sitting jammed up next to a smelly, sweaty guy...which has happened to me before. On my flight to London in 2001 I was sandwiched inbetween two large Sikhs who smelled very bad. It was a lovely flight.

So I got to the last airport in one piece, then had a 3 hour drive to Houston. She had only brought just the youngest, so it was fairly quiet on the drive, although her youngest has an aversion to his carseat. But he worked through it...lol

Thankfully there is another 2.5 weeks before I have to travel again...

Here I sit...

I'm at Amber and Brad's apartment, alone. They just went out cosmic bowling with another couple. I am flying out tomorrow morning, so opted to stay home and relax. I hooked Amber up with her AOL internet, since they are putting a hold on the high speed for now - too expensive to install with Eastlink for their budget. She got 3 months free with AOL with her new computer. Couldn't remember the login for the new blog I made for her, so had to make another one tonight - http://ambersdomain2004.blogspot.com/ . And this time, I e-mailed the login and password to both Amber and I...surely one of us will remember it!

Its pouring rain...guess I won't be sleeping in the hammock tonight...

Vacation Time

Well, my vacation got off to a good start today...leaving the courthouse after testifying, I tripped on a grass clump where the sidewalk had become overgrown and fell down, skinning most of my left shin and ankle over...and BOY does it burn! So then I had to fill out those pesky accident and WCB forms. Then I came home and my dryer had quit. Thankfully I had gotten most of my laundry done, and the neighbor was home for me to finish up at. The dryer is only 2 years old, so I don't know what's up with that. All I know is GET ME OUT OF HERE! I leave in just 90 minutes for an appointment in Guysborough, then head on for Halifax. I fly out early Sunday morning for BC and then I will feel like I'm on vacation. Hope the kitty makes out ok!

Stress - It'll get ya

Just when you think you're doing fine, stress jumps up and GETS you. Here I was, ticking merrily along, or so I thought when this feeling started coming over me last week. I recognized it allright, but tried to ignore it. I had felt it last fall, right before I went on sick leave for 3 weeks. I wasn't off for stress particularly, but I remember that feeling. I had gone off for that whole SSRI issue that I talked about earlier. My last day of work though, I was STRESSED OUT due to not sleeping properly for nearly 3 months, and being overworked.

So here I am, sleep is not terrible all the time, there are some half-decent nights but in the past week, I have lost a few as well. Saturday night was an example - went camping, slept in my hammock under the stars...well, lets rephrase that...laid in my hammock under the stars. Don't know if there was much sleep involved. Comfy enough, just no sleep. Then there was the following night - roomie's phone ringing at 1:40am and she's not even home. So lost that night.

Anyway...work has not been especially stressful...well, then there was an incident on Friday that was totally a non-incident, but I got stressed over it for no reason (at least I didn't think there was a good reason) and my workload is not terrible...I actually have most of my notes up to date and all my visits darn near done. I'm going away on vacation in two days, so its important to have it all done before I go, since I'm gone for 3 weeks.

I've been on call more than anyone has ever been - I think I've signed up for 19 weeks this year...insane, I know...but I need the money and I don't feel like I mind the work...but this past week, I have not wanted to be on-call. It hasn't even been that busy - no apprehensions (yet...shhhh) just a few phonecalls here and there. I'm known as the "duty queen" as the on-call shifts are called standby duty.

But right there in the centre of my chest is that stress...I can actually feel it. I was getting ready to leave work today and I felt it. A co-worker came in and asked me to take her to Tim Hortons before our big union meeting tonight and I told her no, because I was going home. Bye. and I left. I've never been that short with her before, but I told her I just needed to get out of there before I said something nasty at the union meeting. I just couldn't take spending another minute with anyone from work...and it's not them, its just WORK.

There's nothing remarkable going on at work that is bothering me though, so its weird. I'm not even that busy, and certainly not behind. So why does a person get stressed out? I was away this weekend, camping with friends and had a hell of a time...we laughed, ate, sat around and talked the weekend away. I don't understand it.

Then the non-resident teenager called me tonight, all stressed out herself. History is not going well and she wants to drop it and add another course. Instead of being the supportive parent, I barked at her first. Then I heard myself and got it together and we worked through it, finding her another course and sorting that part out easily. But I shouldn't have barked at her...why did I do that? Stress?

Now I leave on Sunday to go to my sister's house for 17 days. She has three children under the age of 4. I've gotten used to the quiet of my house. What in the hell am I going to do out there to control my stress level? My roommate had a good idea - initiate a brand-new walking program that gets me out of her house for at least 1 hour a day, ALONE. We'll see. I am delighted to spend time with my nephews, but I haven't really spent any time with small children in ages...I hope I don't SNAP.

I think it's time for some alcohol...darn it...I'm on call. Well, tomorrow night I am off, so there is a drink with my name on it.

The Many Travels of Mrs Pickles

I met my friend Phyllis in Ireland at a hostel in Galway in 2001. We were both staying at the Barnacles Quay and she spotted my Canadian Flag and I hers so we hit it off right away. Our room wasn't ready right away, so we headed across the street to the pub...any street in Ireland has a pub across the street. This one was an old chapel, and many of the seats were pews and a couple of areas around where the organ used to be, the choir, pulpit, etc...very interesting. I think it was called the Quays (pronounced Keys). We had a couple of pints there, then headed back to settle into our rooms. Over the next few days, we toured Galway together, along with a Dutch gal, Madeline, and had great fun, and went on a bus tour of Connemara together, including Kylemore Abbey. Phyllis left and headed elsewhere, while Madeline and I continued on to the Aran Islands, and then I met up with Phyllis again in Kilkenny, surprisingly and we hung out again for a couple of days, and even hitchhiked to Ballyhale. We had such a riot, and she was such good fun. She had met Matthew McConnaughey in Dublin, so of course I was jealous...anyhow, on with the story...

Phyllis is in her 60s and has been travelling for a number of years now. She goes home for a short time, and then heads out again as soon as she can. She often works for several weeks at a time to be able to move on to the next spot and often works in hostels or at horse farms (where her talent lies). She has travelled the globe and has always kept a sort of travel log of her experiences, e-mailing every so often. I offered to post her travel log onto a Blog that she could share with everyone, so posted below is a link to that. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do...she really knows how to have fun and I hope I have her energy when I get to be her age!

http://mrspickles.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

and now it has me thinking I should post my Ireland e-mails into a blog. I still have all of them...hmmm...

Why I Need to Go Camping

mainly because I had a little meltdown at work yesterday. The thing with stress is it kind of creeps up on you and before you know it, it has you in its grip. I had suspected it was coming all week, kind of like a dreaded aunt Edna coming to visit. You know she's coming, but you fight believing it all week. And then BAM there it is. I had gotten into a little bit of a pissing match with an RCMP officer, and when he called a coworker to talk about me after it happened, I just lost it. We work very closely with RCMP all the time in my field of work, so need a good relationship and I just wasn't feeling respected when I spoke to him earlier and things just went downhill. I conceded and agreed to do what he was asking, but apparently he felt I was too confontational to work with that day. WHAT, ME? I was pissed off, and had a little tantrum at work, which is totally not me. Then I started crying and had a very difficult time shutting it off. I tried to go out and do some home visits, and on the way there, all I could think about was going home and crawling in bed. I didn't, I fought it off, and ended up working my way through it, but I didn't work with that officer yesterday, and now I just feel stupid. We will have to sort it out another time as I will likely have to work with him again, but for now, that dog will have to lie asleep for a while.

So I am going camping today with a big group of friends, some from work, some not. We're going on a piece of private land belonging to a co-worker and there will be beach, hiking, bbq, junk food and lots of beer! I plan on sleeping in my hammock as it is much more comfy than sleeping on the ground. There is a little shack on the land, so I'll have to rig something up in there, otherwise I will be out under the stars, which sounds great, but the mosquitoes would have a feast on my face while the rest of me is wrapped in my sleeping bag.

Hopefully things will look brighter when I get back, and if not, I only have to make it through this week before I get to hop on a plane to BC to visit my sister...YAHOOOO! I haven't seen her in 3 years, so its quite exciting.

Texbooks 'R' Us

Its that time again...textbook shopping. I went with Amber to the university bookstore, only to discover that textbooks had not magically dropped in price now that I had a child in university. Drat. Turns out her books are going to cost her $415 for new. I tried to convince her that I could find them online somewhere for much cheaper, but she wasn't having any of that. Until she saw the price of her history book - $138 +tax. So she bought just four of the 5 books. I went shopping online last night and found the history book for $22US used, or $42US new, so bought the new one. Found her sociology book online for $19.95US (was$86.95CDN at bookstore) and couldn't find her psych book for any cheaper, unless she was willing to go for the 5th edition, instead of the 6th. Then I could get it for $1. yup, just a buck...US funds of course. Isn't that just crazy? Looks like the editors of the book update it every other year making each edition obsolete for most students. What a money grab. Anyhow, I have managed to save her a few hundred dollars, which is fine with both of us!

And then there was the book I found on e-bay for work. We have a standards manual that refers to it and we decided we wanted the source of information. I found that book at Chapters for $188CDN. I found it on e-bay for $2US. yup - 2 dollars. So I bid and won.

Many of my friends buy their textbooks online now...if you're lucky, you can even get brand new, like I did for a fraction of the cost. I wish I had been able to buy online when I was in school, but was not too adept at the time in online shopping. At least now I can save Amber some money.

My favorite site, besides www.ebay.ca is www.abebooks.com check them out!

Post 201

Well, we made it...my last post was what is called an audiopost, hosted by http://www.audioblogger.com Just click on the icon to hear my voice and my corny audiopost.

I'm going out of town for a few days, so no posts until I return...I think you'll manage.

Adios!

The Long Weekend

I can hardly believe its here...the last holiday weekend of the summer. Its seems we waited so long to even see summer weather, and then wham, it was over. September 2nd came in with a cool wind. The leaves have already begun to change color. Its like the first day of school had to mark the beginning of autumn. I'm not ready. I still have camping trips to go on, beaches to swim on, and sun to lay out in! How can it be over already? Its now September 4th and the cool weather is still with us. I don't really like it steaming hot, but I'm not ready for those cold winter nights either, that inevitably follow autumn.

So for my long weekend, I'm heading up to Halifax tomorrow to visit with Amber and Brad. I could have gone today, but they are both working and she wanted to go out on a "date" with Brad tonight since they have seen so little of each other lately with him working the night shift, and then last weekend she was here with me. So today I have spent doing laundry, packing up her new computer for transport, packing up things to take up with me for them, etc. She attends her first student orientation event tomorrow...YIKES! She is nervous and I am nervous for her. What an exciting time in her life! I'm glad I will be there to hear all about it when she gets home.

I'm in Halifax for a couple of nights...the first one at Amber's sleeping on the balcony in the hammock and the second one sleeping in a hotel room - I have a work meeting early in the morning the next day. We are hoping to get out on Monday to do something fun as she is busy all day Sunday.

and then, the long weekend will be over and it will be time to start Christmas shopping...

Kitties and FUR, and just Kitties in general

As you know, I have a kitty named Via, after the train. And as most kitty owners and non-kitty owners alike know, they come with a lot of fur. I think indoor cats come with more, either that or they don't have the opportunity to shed outdoors so I see it all.

Well, Via has a LOT OF FUR. It is everywhere. Of course, its all over my clothes, bedding, furniture, mats, rugs, etc. But it is also stuck to my keyboard, and monitor, on my phone, window ledges, and bookcases. And lets not forget the TUFTS of it flying around in the air. And then, it goes without saying, but I will here - it is in my food. And if it isn't I don't believe it and have to go looking for it until I find it. Sometimes I'm up into my elbows in pasta, looking for that cat fur.

The funny thing is, Via is a calico cat, the true kind with all colors and a white underbody. However, she only seems to shed white fur, and more white fur when she knows you are wearing black. And that's when she will rub up against you, again and again.

For the most part, I can't complain to much about my kitty, in the grand scheme of things. She is a good kitty. What makes a good kitty?

1. she doesn't use my house for a litter box and never misses the litter box
2. she doesn't miaow too much, and rarely at night
3. she doesn't ask to go outside, or make that mad dash when my friends come in
4. she rarely coughs up hairballs for me to step in at night when I creep to the bathroom
5. she LOVES to cuddle and understands when you don't want to
6. she knows when you are upset and will comfort you, listening inquisitively
7. she comes when she's called (at least, when she feels like it)
8. she eats dry cat food - and doesn't like that smelly, messy canned cat food
9. she likes my friends and will snuggle with them anytime
10. she can catch mice and bugs
11. she follows me from room to room, making sure I know where she is
12. she doesn't roam at night, at least, not too much - a couple of times a month
13. she has never had fleas, worms, or any other filthy animal disease (yet)
14. she keeps herself immaculate

I found a nice poem about kitties:

Those Crazy Cats
By Ron Fields

They come in black and white,
yellow, grey, and tiger stripes,
they love taking naps in laps
and little hands with gentle pats.

They grow-up with balls of string,
butterflies and birds of spring,
they wonder out into the night
lying by your door at first light.

This hunter sits on the windowsill
with instinctive dreams to be fulfilled,
now bathing in the warming sun,
purrs a loving song to someone.

Now onto your bed with natural grace
that flipping tail will find your face,
bite your toes and lie on your feet
and watch over children while they sleep.

A little scratch behind the ear
they’ll nuzzle away the saddest tear,
and so gently with soft calico…
touch upon your most inner soul.
…those crazy cats.

My Sister's Uncanny Ability

Yup, she's got one. She has the uncanny ability to know when I have gone to bed early and then phone about 30 minutes after I have gone to sleep. I am impressed too, by the way, because she lives in northern British Columbia, which is about 8000 or so kms away. She's real good. I know there is a 4 hour time difference and she often forgets about this, or thinks that, "oh, she's always up til midnight, I can call her" which is usually true, but once in a while, I happen to tire early so go to bed early. And she calls me.

Such was the case two nights ago. I had recently changed my room around following the evil blue paint episode. It was all about the feng shui. Sleeping has improved somewhat, but it had been so HOT and HUMID lately, I had brought in my big square fan and put it on a chair facing my bed. You know the kind - they belong on the floor, and they are two foot square or so. I bought it in Waterloo at the campus housing I was living in for $5. Because of the room being changed around, I didn't have a phone cord long enough to reach where my nightstand/desk was, so left it over on the dresser, thus I would have to get out of bed to answer the phone. Normally, the only time the phone rings when I am in bed is when I am on duty and get a duty call....except when my sister calls me on the nights I go to bed early.

So there I am, safely tucked in my newly arranged bed, the fan is not on because it is finally cool again but I haven't gotten around to moving it just yet, the lights are out - and I live in the country so when they are out...it is DARK. I have just drifted off to sleep, and that is what I call my "stupid time" - the first hour I am asleep I am usually very stunned if awoke during this time and confused.

BRRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGGG! The phone rings! I grab towards my nightstand/desk and fumble for the phone, forgetting it is way over on the dresser, knocking everything onto the floor - glasses, book, tv remote...so then I leap out of bed, charging towards the dresser, forgetting about the fan. Now the chair is at a perfect height to slam both knees into, which I do, and then fall over the fan, knocking it over and off the chair onto the floor, tipping the chair over. I lunge for the phone, cursing and knock it off the dresser. I finally pick it up off the floor, and stumble to my bed, shouting a confused "hello?" into the phone, fully expecting it to be the answering service with a call for me.

Its not. Its my sister. Oh hi she says...were you gone to bed? Grrrrrrrrr. She talks for about 4 minutes while I nurse my wounds, and then announces that she forgot her friend was coming over and had to go. Bye. Oh, there were choice words for her...

My roommate didn't know what to make of it. She heard the phone ring and then the mighty crash, and thought we were at war. I think I need to get an extension cord for the phone.