It seems like a soap opera sometimes...life can be crazy busy and before you know it, so much has happened. I've been on "vacation" for the past 2 weeks, and am pretty darn tired. I came down to visit with my parents, mostly because of my dad's health issues, and haven't stopped much to relax! After the 4 days of travel to get here, I spent a week at my parents, and was a busy little beaver - scanning photo albums of childhood memories and burning them to disc; packing up slides and dad mailed them off to my place in the north (with the intention of me getting a slide scanner to process them all); did some maintenance on a number of local computers, including my parent's two, which took hours to clean up the messes; took a ton of photos with my new camera, burned them off; took my dad out for a walking video tour of the small community, accumulating about 50 video clips of him telling me an oral history of the area, homes, people, etc; and I did much of the cooking, wanting to BBQ for my parents and I, as they look forward to that treat when I come home.
That was the first week. Then my dad got a call to see a specialist for his then undiagnosed health issues, which was in another province. So we packed up and headed to the big city of Halifax (compared to hometown of population 24 or so) and spent the week there - and getting there isn't just jumping on a plane, or car and in a few hours you're there...it's catching the ferry early in the morning for a 3 hour run up the coast, then a 45 min drive by car to catch the car ferry across the Gulf of St. Lawrence (a 5-7 hour journey, depending), then a 5-6 hour drive to Halifax the following day. The week was busy with doctor's appointments, CT scans, and of course - shopping - my mother and I live in isolation so shopping is a MUST! Then after partial diagnosis - polymyalgia rheumatica, we headed back from Halifax to North Sydney with a couple of stops to visit with family along the way, and across the Gulf again. Got in yesterday morning, and a stop at the hospital to see family doc, and my dad was advised to turn around and head back to Halifax for the second diagnosis (he has two seperate conditions) which was vasculitis, which resulted in a blockage in the major artery of his left arm. Both are treatable conditions, but needs the supervision of the specialist and further testing to monitor the treatment plan, and watch for complications.
So I packed them up again and dropped them off at midnight to cross the Gulf to North Sydney, where they were met by relatives and spirited away to Halifax area once again. Dad will see the specialist tomorrow and begin the treatment for the second condition, which is likely a doubled dose of his steriodal treatment for the first condition as they are quite related, and will respond to the same drug.
Today I had to take a run down the coast by auto to meet the coastal ferry and put some things aboard for people in the hometown, and back up again. Now I'm all packed up and have to hit the road tomorrow morning early, catching the bus to Deer Lake where I'll fly out from on Tuesday - in the air all day, then drive home from there (9 hours north).
No wonder I'm tired. I need another vacation, this time just at home...having said that, I am glad I could be here to be of assistance to my parents at this crazy time, and get in to talk with the doctors myself and hear what was being said. With both parents partly deaf, and one blind, I never know if I am getting the proper version when filtered by phonecalls to me in the north. I am also very glad to have spent such quality time with my dad, which was what my visit back east was mostly about. I hadn't been home in 2 years, so was long overdue for a visit.
Thursday is a holiday (Aboriginal Day) so I think I shall do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Something to think about as you send your cherished children off to camp this summer...heh heh...
Dear Mom & Dad,
Our Scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and are worried. We are okay. Only one of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Adam when it happened.
Oh yes, please call Adam's mother and tell her he is okay. He can't write because of the cast. I got to ride in one of the search and rescue jeeps. It was neat. We never would have found Adam in the dark if it hadn't been for the lightning.
Scoutmaster Keith got mad at Adam for going on a hike alone without telling anyone. Adam said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him. Did you know that if you put gas on a fire, the gas will blow up?
The wet wood didn't burn, but one of the tents did and also some of our clothes. Matthew is going to look weird until his hair grows back.
We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Keith gets the bus fixed. It wasn't his fault about the wreck. The brakes worked okay when we left. Scoutmaster Keith said that with a bus that old you have to expect something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance.
We think it's a neat bus. He doesn't care if we get it dirty and if it's hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the fenders. It gets pretty hot with 45 people in a bus made for 24. He let us take turns riding in the trailer until the highway patrol man stopped and talked to us.
Scoutmaster Keith is a neat guy. Don't worry, he is a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Jessie how to drive on the mountain roads where there isn't any cops. All we ever see up there are logging trucks.
This morning all of the guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out to the rapids. Scoutmaster Keith wouldn't let me because I can't swim, and Adam was afraid he would sink because of his cast, it's concrete because we didn't have any plaster, so he let us take the canoe out. It was great. You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood.
Scoutmaster Keith isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about the life jackets. He has to spend a lot of time working on the bus so we are trying not to cause him any trouble.
Guess what? We have all passed our first aid merit badges. When Andrew dived into the lake and cut his arm, we got to see how a tourniquet works.
Steven and I threw up, but Scoutmaster Keith said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. He said they got sick that way with food they ate in prison. I'm so glad he got out and became our scoutmaster. He said he sure figured out how to get things done better while he was doing his time. By the way, what is a pedal-file?
I have to go now. We are going to town to mail our letters & buy some more beer and ammo. Don't worry about anything. We are fine and tonight it's my turn to sleep in the Scoutmaster's tent.
Love, Jimmie
Since arriving on the Rock for vacation, my head has been pounding most of the day. I'm not sure which is the culprit, but I have three suspects I believe - the difference in barometric pressure from NWT to NL is considerable, and with the foggy weather this week, I'm sure it's affecting my head. After all, it is a big goddamn head. Another possible suspect is the fact that both my parents are partially deaf and the volume of both voice and electronics are LOUD...particularly the former...and the final suspect is likely that I am sharing space with a blind woman and feel like I am walking on the face of the sun in the 5000+ watts of artificial light.
Whatever the case, my head is still pounding and now I have the damn hiccups...whine.....
My daughter turned 21 yesterday...where did the time go? I've been a mother now for over half my life. And with us living in different parts of the country, I didn't get to spend her birthday with her this year. We were together last year as we were sharing a cabin in the woods. Now she's legal in all 50 states - she plans to go to Alaska (neighboring state) and order herself a drink.
When I look back at where I was in life, 21 years ago...so much has changed, so much has happened. I feel old.
I'm on vacation...and so is this blog. Until I have something to rant about...stay tuned...I'm sure it won't be long...
Stormy will be staying behind in the north, being cared for by a friend who promised to visit him regularly, and water my garden along with the kitty. He'll surely enjoy the visits. I wish he could come along with me like he did the last time, but it's quite a bit farther to go and such an cumbersome journey, I can't put him through all that travel...he will be much happier here hanging out with his mice...I'll miss him though...I enjoy having a kitty on the bed so much. It will be lonely without him...
I wonder what's going through his mind here...turn off that damn flash?
I just finished reading this story and simply had to share. I've long known first hand the charity of Newfies/Newfoundlanders, having spent more than 20 years on the rock. My dad is a Newfie, my ex-husband is one, and I gave birth to one, so I was surrounded by them, particularly while living in a tiny outport for 12 years. They literally will give you the shirt off their back if you're down and out. It is not unsusual to arrive home from being away and find that someone has made you bread or sweets, or a meal. Donation rates are generally high, despite tough economic conditions. And as far as I know, Newfies have always been this way - generous at heart. And then I read that story and tears came to my eyes...I recall some of the older folks saying "there's always someone worse off than you" in reference to why it is so important to be generous.
Kudos to the Newfoundlanders!
I haven't talked about my eyes in some time, and considering what a big impact it has on a person's life, I thought I might update. After my last check-up, I had 20/20 vision. They told me I still had some "haze" but that my eyes were healing nicely. I think the haze has mostly faded, and now I rarely think about my eyes...which is a good sign...they don't bother me much other than a little dryness. The light sensitivity has cleared up although always wear sunglasses (and so should everyone). I can see very far into the distance and have no difficulty reading up close.
All in all, I am very pleased with my decision to have laser surgery and would highly recommend it to anyone. What a treat it was this weekend to wake up while camping and not have to fumble for cold glasses, or to try to poke contacts into my eyes with dirty fingers...
but now it's over. I wiped my drive, with the help of Dell tech support (in India). It wasn't nearly as scary as the last time I did it...and only took 5 minutes instead of the 3 hours it took last time, doing it step by step. Phew...
My computer has been completely bogged down for months now and I have been dreading wiping it, as it involved backing up everything, including the hundreds of photos, emails, and other crap. I finally got all the backing up done tonight, and was thrilled to discover that PC restore can put my computer back to factory condition...yayyyy...
As well, I didn't get attacked by viruses the minute I logged into the net, unlike last time when I wiped my desktop computer...and I had dial-up so downloading updates took 3 days...
Now it's fresh and clean and running smoothly again...nice. And lucky...because I was about to biff it through the front window...
Went out on a date with a man I met online yesterday. We had lunch at a nice restaurant here in YK. I didn't get a good vibe from the beginning, feeling the tension/nerves as he struggled to keep up with conversation. He was pleasant enough, BUT...I could feel that something was wrong. Then I heard from him this morning that he felt it was too early to date, as he is just out of his last relationship of 12 years...can we say REBOUND? Boing-sha-woing-woing...
I believe I was his first date too, since leaving his wife a few months ago. C'est la vie...the search continues...and Lavalife continues to suck. I deleted my profile last fall after getting thoroughly disgusted with the creeps that sought me out - men from foreign countries looking for a wife to let them into Canada, and men who went straight from Hi, how are you, can you show me your tits...
And then I built a new profile a couple of months ago...and apparently there still are no nice guys left! Not that this fellow wasn't nice...he just isn't really looking. He did seek me out, but then his nerves and "baggage" (his term) got the better of him.
Dating at 40 is rotten.
Yes, you heard it right...I am going on a blind date today - lunch date at a nice restaurant. I'm in the city on duty travel, met this chap online and he asked me out to lunch. Nerves are rattled, as usual, but at least I've brought something suitable to wear, which of course as most ladies know, is the most important thing about a blind date. I was already here when he asked me out, so it was just lucky that I brought something with me, or there would have been some shopping to do.
My last blind date (seems that is all I've had since I left my husband all those years ago) was a bust. The guy treated me like some distant relative that he was forced to feed at his house, chucking the silverware across the table at me like some insolent child and not offering to take my jacket, and lack of furniture left it piled on the floor, among other things...anyhow...I'm holding out hope that this one will be better.
Dating at my age is not fun, let me tell you. At least at 18 I knew the rules and what to do. Now WHAT?
Sitting on my small sofa, Stormy was on the back, laying down as usual, never wishing to be far. Then I sensed a fair bit of movement and turned my head and shoulders back to see what was up. He looked puzzled, and as if he was looking for something. My first thought, shit, a mosquito got in here already. They are indeed out, while not in full force, they have sent spies ahead...however there was no mosquito in sight. So I watched him for a few moments, getting a kick out of his actions...then I saw it. A spider the size of my thumb (the whole spider, not just the body) was on my sofa pillow. A brown spider on my brown sofa pillow. I almost didn't see it as it blended so very well. Clearly that was what Stormy was after, but not wanting to alert him to it, because if that spider jumped on me to get away, well...there would be screaming and one of us would be airborne...I grabbed a tissue and picked up the spider, depositing him soundly in the toilet with a flush...Stormy hasn't figured that out yet and was up on the sofa for another 10 minutes still looking for the spider.
Funny how such a tiny thing can bring out the heebie jeebies in some people. I am one of them.
I'm a cranky sick person. Best if I stay home, otherwise my inner bitch escapes. So I've been home for the past two days. You know, being home isn't near as fun when you're sick. I've been through a box of tissues already, I'm sure. I've got some antibiotics, but they have not kicked in yet (not that I've noticed). I'm hoping I will feel better tomorrow, otherwise I'll be home tomorrow as well. You would think it was serious....lol...it's only been a few days.
whine...
I am under the weather. Or am I the weather? It sure is cloudy in my head, whatever is going on. Off to the health centre this morning to get checked out and left with antibiotics. Sigh...I feel like crapola...stuffy head, pain in my ear, sore throat, swollen glands, headache...ugh...I have been on the sofa all day, dozing and watching daytime television. Simon Cowell was on Ellen today...and there are clearly too many soap operas still on...
I need my mom to bring me gingerale. It doesn't taste nearly as cool and crisp when I have to slog out to the kitchen and get it myself...
There was also a party going on somewhere. I could hear music, and I know they didn't get UP and turn the music on...they are STILL up from last night. There is a party here in town every night of the week, somewhere. I usually don't hear music, but I think it's because the wind is still thus far, so sound travels very easily.
I haven't posted in a few days...been busy...
Happy Thursday everyone...
I finally dragged out all my scrapbooking mess and spread it over the table. It is going to stay there until I finish the damn stuff or I get sick of looking at it. I mean, it's not like I eat at the table very often. I eat where most single women eat...in front of the tv at the coffee table or standing at the kitchen sink.
I have been buying stuff to scrapbook with for a few years now but have not touched it in over 2 years. It's not like I haven't had the time either...or the subject to work with. The one I've just begun is of our trip to central America in 2004. I also have some photos taken out for several friends pages, and a few of the kid as well for her sleep book.
I still have one to do for Ireland's journey in 2001. At the very least, I do have those photos in an album with writing in the margins...but I still have a huge pile of souvenir paper stuff that I want to put in an album with photos. Sigh...it will come. I've managed to fuck around all day at this and get 2 pages done. I think I started at noon and now it's after 6pm. What in the hell was I doing all day...
As I attempted to handwrite a letter to my parents today, I realized the sad truth. Computers have spoiled me, and ruined my handwriting. I could not believe the hen scratch that came out of my hand. One would think I was writing with my toes...
Then I opened a waylaid Christmas card today that was in a parcel of old mail from my daughter (apparently, sending mail on was not a high priority for her) and in this card from my aunt and uncle was a hand written note, as usual, except this year, her handwriting is quite wobbly due to arthritis...but dammit, she wrote to me anyhow, so that's commendable.
The problem is, now I want to handwrite a note to her and my writing is atrocious...I need to practice...bring on the looseleaf. Before you know it I'll be making lists like my sister ALWAYS did (and probably still does) just to practice my handwriting. It wasn't as bad when I was in university because I had to handwrite all my exams...and if I expected to pass, it had to be legible...
off I go to practice my handwriting...
Well, it has been nearly 5 weeks since my laser surgery and I believe my vision is about 20/20. I still have some haze, and dry eyes, but overall, it looks like the surgery was a success. I am back to doing most of the activities I did before, though I do still spend considerably less time on the net. Haven't played many games online, that's for sure. The light sensitivity is not as bad as it was in the beginning (which was AWFUL) but it annoys me after a bit. I have a screen on my monitor at work, so have found that to be a great relief. Now I have to figure out what to do about my laptop screen. Or do I...I've been spending more time reading since my eye surgery...as electronic screens bother my eyes if I watch them too long (tv or computer). I have enjoyed my return to reading novels. I'd been lax over the past several months...laziness I suppose, as there is no shortage of interesting novels out there, as well as on my own shelves. I often have about a dozen or so books I haven't read yet, since I am constantly buying them, or having them loaned to me. I'm reading a loaner one this week. I can read anytime during the day with no real issue, (other than me snoozing off, lol) but my habitual time to read was in bed at night, but that has turned out to be the least comfortable time for me to read, and I often just can't as my eyes won't cooperate. I am really hoping that part goes away, but I have no doubt that it will, since most other symptoms have been steadily fading.
I had initially feared an undercorrection, which the surgeon warned me about, and with my left eye taking so long to heal up, I figured he was right. But now my left and right eyes seem to be even, though I won't know for sure until my next and final checkup in a few weeks. At least I hope it is my last checkup...
To be honest (and I would have thought otherwise) I don't tend to think about my eyes much anymore, which is quite interesting. As long as I can see the basics, and get through my day without inconvenience, then I am not likely to think of them. Lest you think me ungrateful though, I am increasingly thankful for my eyesight. I was worried (and still am to some degree) that my vision won't be as good as it was when corrected with lenses. While I was miserable with lenses (grit, dryness, duration of wearability, loss, damage, etc) and glasses (too heavy on my nose, slipping down all the time when working up a sweat, fear of loss, limited side vision, etc) I wasn't looking to trade in those annoyances for something new. Or to require a bottle of artificial tears in every room (I rarely have pockets and things that do find there way in usually suffer a ill fated end in the washing machine) coat pocket, and purse.
So there you have it. I am returning to my bed to read for a bit, and then watch more of Stephen King's The Stand on VHS...it's been a sick day from work, so I am actually resting.
I know I no longer can push myself like I used to but I think I still did a fine days work today (for the first time in a while...) having run 6 loads of laundry through...now all put away; baked a cherry cake, and several dozen jam jams and washed up all the dishes and put them away; cleaned out the porch, making a trip to the dump with a car load; cleaned up the sewing room, and blew up the air mattress for V. when she comes; changed out my bed, and made it up again; vacuumed up the floors; general tidying up of tabletops, counter tops, etc AND brought a movie back to the store on time...
It used to be that I could breeze through that much work in a simple morning, and continue for the rest of the day at the same pace. Not anymore...this took me all day and I just finished up not long ago. sigh...
My eyes are doing much better...my vision is 20/20 in my right, 20/25 in my left. I still have some haze, but I think it is clearing. The headaches are not as common, but the dryness is still there. The light sensitivity can be pretty harsh sometimes, but seems to be for shorter periods of time.
I've gotten back into reading though. It can be tough late at night as my eyes are just so tired by then, but if I read earlier in the day, it doesn't bother me. I'm currently reading Farley Mowat's Bay of Spirits. I have to finish a book my sister gave me too, before I forget what it was about. Perhaps this weekend that will happen...on Sunday. Tomorrow I'm going on a road trip with friends for the day. We have a DD so that should tell you what kind of trip it will be - FUN!
Sometimes my eyes feel like contacts that I can't take out. I don't think it has hit me yet that I am not actually wearing any, and that my sight is my own, unassisted. However, I believe I shall need reading glasses before long. I can't see closeup much anymore, not detailed things anyhow...wahhhh...
The music is playing right now...not much on television tonight, so I might just do some reading tonight if my eyes can take it...
If you have pets, and haven't heard about this...you should. They make the bulk of the wet food pet food. I checked mine - no recalled food in my stash, but be sure to check yours now!
I bought a new pair of shoes in January at Wal-Mart - Earth Shoes. Comfy as hell, but in this cold weather, they are SLIPPERY. I have been doing quite a dance since getting them, managing to keep my feet on the ground for the most part. Tempting fate is more like it...
BAM!!! That was me today as I walked out to my car, arms loaded down like a pack mule, as usual. I managed to get snow on my ass, legs, thighs, arms, wherever, as I spun out of control to the ground. Everything I had was scattered through the parking lot...including my new camera!!! I checked it out though and it's fine. I think it just softly nicked the ground, unlike my binder and other papers I had in my hand, which went sailing through the air like projectiles...
Thankfully, no one saw me, though they did hear me as I went down...I took my snowy arse and injured pride, and hobbled into my car and drove the hell off.
I've been away for over a week! From here that is. It's been a busy week and by the time I get home, my eyes can't stand the brightness of the screen enough to pound out a post. I hope it passes soon as I am rather annoyed by this sensitivity to light. Television has lost its attraction as well, and reading is very tiring. waaaaahhhhhhhh....whine...so I have been spending much of my time resting in the dimly lit living room, listening to old rock music on satellite. The felines seem to be enjoying my attention, and truly appreciate the music.
Winter carnival happenings this week also kept me busy and out of the home. Yesterday it was the children's races/events, and then talent show last night. This afternoon I went to the dogsled races.
Tonight it is just me and the tv (and felines) checking out the tunes and possibly a movie whilst knitting up some mittens perhaps...or I may get rather ambitious and drag out my scrapbooking stuff...spellbinding, I know.
Off I go now to check my kitty food for recall status...
They are on the mend, and the contacts were removed today, allowing for much improvement and less discomfort, however I am still in recovery stage, and expect it will be a few more weeks before 20/20 vision is in the books. Today's post op visit gave me 20/40 and 20/50, with promise of 20/20 or better in the coming weeks. In any event, I shall be barreling down the highway tomorrow, bound for my northern home, chugging back Tim Horton's all the way...
Then it will be time to return to regular blogging, more photos (with my new camera) and settling in for the rest of the winter. I reckon we have about 2 months left before the snow begins to melt...
Cancer has claimed another. My ex's brother in law passed in the wee hours of the morning. He'll be missed by all that knew him. I knew him long before I knew my ex-husband. As a child visiting my grandparents who lived in the same small town he did, I remember GB as the mail carrier. He would pick up the mail from the ferry when it arrived, and carry it to the post office. In the spring, summer, and early fall, he would cross the harbour in his boat, and often times, a group would pile in for the ride across the harbour, me included. If necessary, we would offer to help carry a package or two to the post office. That job has long since passed to another, as GB retired several years ago, however it is with fondness that I remember him now. He was present at my wedding and gave me away, and his wife decorated my beautiful wedding cake even though my budget for the wedding was extremely limited ($100!). He was a Justice of the Peace for many years, and put his "John Henry" on many documents, including several of mine. Everyone who visited that small town, knew who GB was, and I don't know that he ever made an enemy, as he was well liked by all. He was often known as GB Senior, as there was another GB in town, and he went by GB Junior.
RIP GB Senior. You deserve to be at peace now.
Incidentally, my mother and I had a discussion about the use of "RIP" and she thought it was some new abbreviation that instant messenger addicts (like myself) use. Um, no. The origin is hundreds of years old, and you can read more about it by clicking on this link. They don't give a date for origin, but I have seen it used LONG before instant messaging came about, both historically, and in more recent past.
I miss them...they went on vacation with my friend K. last week while I'm away in Edmonton for laser surgery. There are no kitties where I'm staying with my gracious hosts, just children. While the children can be every bit as cuddly...they tend to make more noise than my kitties.
From all accounts, the kitties are getting spoiled by their host, who has been driven from her bed, as they take over. They have even stolen her dreams...see my Great Northern Adventures blog for more details on THAT.
My vision is still unstable, so I can't write much, but do I ever like the new magnify feature of Internet Explorer 7. Without it I could not do much on here, as I am having difficulty focusing, and reading just about anything. I'm looking forward to fully corrected vision, and then I shall return to blogging. I also bought a new camera, so look for more photos once I can actually see through the view finder again...
I can't really se what I am doing, but wanted to post a short note...I had my laser surgery today (PRK) and am on the road to recovery. I can't see the screen, it's too blurry and I just happen to know where most of te keys are, but can't see i I have made an errors. If I peer close up, I can find out, but my eyes are quite sore, and Im tired, doped up...just heading t bed. I's been a long day, and I am pleasaed so far with the results...when I get this temporary contqacts out, I'll know better then what my correction will be, as in how close to perfect vision. I am told to expect daily noiceable improvement as the eyes heal. SEE you later!
Will it be out of mind? I left town today, heading south to Edmonton for a week, and boy was I glad to see my way out of town. Will out of sight equate with out of mind? It's been a long cold winter so far, and somewhat lonesome, so I am quite excited to get out of town, and head south. Movies, restaurants, shopping, family, friends, WHOO HOOO!
It's only 10:45am and I have most of the weekend chores completed, having started only this morning when I got up at 9am. Dishes are washed(there are tons...I let them pile up for a few days), laundry is ongoing with the first load done. Rooted through mounds of paper and found some tax slips from last year I had to resubmit. I efiled, which I've been doing for years and last year they decided they wanted my slips for student loan interest. Fine, whatever. So I faxed them with the label the enclosed. Apparently they didn't get them. And then I moved, and was in limbo for a while, then cluttered until the extra furniture was moved out, blah, blah, blah. Anyhow, I found them. I also found some other paperwork I had been looking for, and culled the mound, getting a bag of shredding and a bag full of garbage. I could go through again and again and get the same I should just throw it all out to begin with. I need a MAJOR cull one of these days.
I also hauled out the suitcases and the felines began to look nervous. I'm going away next weekend for 2 weeks, and they are going on vacation to a friend's home while I'm off and about. They are pacing about, in and out of the room with the suitcases each time I put something in there. Packing has begun, but not in earnest.
I put away some clothes from the last time I did laundry. Laziness has crept into my home...
Now I think its about time to start cooking brunch...
"Listen, this guy is an escaped convict. Look at his clothes! He's probably spent a lot of time in jail and hasn't seen a woman in years. I saw how he kissed your neck. If he wants sex, don't resist, don't complain.....do whatever he tells you. Satisfy him no matter how much he nauseates you. This guy is obviously very dangerous. If he gets angry, he'll kill us both. Be strong, honey. I love you!"
His wife responds: "He wasn't kissing my neck. He was whispering in my ear. He told me that he's gay, thinks you're cute, and asked if we had any Vaseline. I told him it was in the bathroom. Be strong. I love you, too".
this one cracked me up...heh heh
What an evil day. A time to celebrate being with the one you're with (even if they aren't the one you love)...and if you're alone - it's the day couples love to grind in your face til you want to puke. Oh, did I say that out loud?
I'm playing cards tonight at yahoo, my usual haunt, and as often happens, a guy will decide to become chatty only to discover he is also a pervert. Tell me fellas...if you met a woman you liked in person for the very first time in a public place, would you be asking her to take off her clothes within the first 3 minutes? No? Then why the fuck do you do it online? When I see a fella do that, the first thing I want to do is RUN away from the STDS from the sleezy guy. Shortly after dodging that conversation (and I kick his as in Gin) an apparent "friend" of his comes into the game room we're in and she kicks off this whole private conversation with him, in my room (as the host, it was my room - I set it up) to the complete exclusion of me. This guy just asked me to undress, and moments later he is ankle deep in conversation with another woman.
That's why I am still single...there just isn't anything out there...this guy was pretty typical of what I've encountered on singles sites, game sites, chat rooms, you name it...surely there is a prince among men out there waiting for me? Don't answer that...
Reads, Watches, Plays, Works...so it's a meme of sorts. Let's run with it...I'm bored...
Reads - juggling as usual...Reader's Digest (in the reading room), I Started Out One Afternoon (or some other title for a book my sis gave me for Christmas - it's good, but I am too lazy to go get it), National Geographic (new subscriber!), The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan (second read), Fall On Your Knees by Ann Marie MacDonad (second read), Lonely Planet's East Africa (my favorite guides!).
Watches - ER (I wish they were all new dammit, enough of these repeats!), Grey's Anatomy (thanks to my friend K. who got me hooked like her!), Survivor, Amazing Race(irritated that Rob and Amber are showing up ONCE again - ya got a million bucks, now go spend it!!! No one wants you to win!!!), Little Mosque on the Prairie (very hilarious new sitcom), Rick Mercer Report, Brothers and Sisters, and yes, Extreme Home Makeover (cry my silly eyes out). Then there is a plethora of sitcom reruns...
Plays - usually cards at Yahoo (gin, canasta) but sometimes poker or slots at Pogo. Offline I occasionally pop the Sims in, but I have to be REALLY bored...
Works - somewhat disgruntled civil servant (social worker) long enough only to eradicate student loan debt...
There's been much in the news about this. I have one comment to make, and it isn't based on any specific research method, nor did it cost millions of dollars and take years to come to a consensus on. Considering the theory of a former ice age, and the fact that we are no longer in one and haven't been for thousands of years...wouldn't that be considered global warming? The very fact that we are not in an ice age tells me our planet is warmer. Imagine. And I didn't need to have 113 scientists come together to confirm this.
the photo below is of the sunset in my back yard. It is a "screen" shot, literally because I could not open the door. Too much fucking snow behind it.Washing my clothes is one of those necessary evils. And with each move in my life, the evil often becomes more difficult to tackle. Growing up as a child, I remember little difficulty. We always had a washer and drier and running water. Then I left home, and what I took for granted was soon to become somewhat of a nuisance. My first apartment had a laundry room in the basement. It was a nicer apartment building, so had a gym room, an mini golf, a tennis court, a pool, and so on. So I would often go swimming or work out while I was doing laundry. Not too bad, but it was lonesome. I don't know where everyone else was but they weren't in the basement.
Then I moved into a townhouse and we had a washer and dryer...sweet. There were 8 of us, but 4 of them were men, and one girl was never home (at her boyfriend's). After that I moved back home again, easy going. That was a short stay and I moved on to Grand Bruit with my soon to be husband (now ex). An old fashioned dual washer, with a place for washing on the left and spinning on the right. It got your clothes clean enough but was a tedious chore to stand there and feed clothes in, then pull them out and put them into the spinner, moving the hose here and there. One basically had to stand in front of it most of the time to do the laundry. The first winter I was there, our waterline froze up and we had to carry our water, for more than three months. I was pregnant, so was exempt from dragging it from the brook, but still had to handle it in the house. We didn't have a dryer either, so all the clothes had to go out on the line or hang about the house. Ugh. I love hanging laundry out in the summer, but wintertime sucks ass. Freeze your damn hands off, turning purple and cracking open as you hang clothes out. Then it comes back in, frozen, and often still not dry. So then you have laundry hanging all about the house, steaming up your windows. After our daughter was born, we bought a dryer. Babies go through A LOT of clothes, and I couldn't always depend on having disposable diapers on hand, and used homemade cloth ones when I was out. I made them out of old Hudson's Bay flannel sheets. You know the ones, with the stripes on them, heavy weight, and often used in hospitals.
When we built our new house, we bought an automatic washer and I was back in order again. A washer and dryer, AND a nice new clothesline. I hung clothes out only when I felt like it (which was a good bit of the year) or when the dryer was broken down. Years went by in this manner until I moved away to Ontario to attend university in Waterloo. Back to laundry rooms in the apartment building. This time everyone was in the laundry room, as I was living on campus in married student housing, and there were TONS of kids, making clothes dirty...Upon completion of my degree, I moved to another townhouse, and it was off to the laundromat this time. Ugh. Dreadful holes with sports on television, 5 year old magazines, and often a small child with sticky fingers who wants to be friends. I even got into an arguement with some lady over the use of dryers...I never went back after that, and bought a second hand washer and dryer. The damn dryer broke not long after I bought it, so was without for a while until I realized it was under warranty for 90 days and got it fixed. The washer never really worked well and often didn't clean our clothes, so that was a pain in the ass, as we often had to wash things twice. And no clotheline so when the dryer was broken, we were back to hanging things about the house. Sigh...
Then I moved to Cape Breton and stayed in my great uncle's house. No washer or dryer, and it was back to the laundromat again until we moved into our duplex, and I bought a brand new washer and dryer, and there was a clothesline in the back yard. Laundry life was good again. I moved again, taking the washer and dryer with me, into a home with a clothesline, and laundry was still getting done easily.
When I moved to the Yukon, I found myself falling in love with a cabin there, and it didn't have a dryer. Despite past inconveniences, I chose the cabin and went without a dryer for a year, hanging clothes out in summer months only, and about the house the rest of the year. The rare time I would drag it off to the laundromat to dry, but that happened more when my daughter was living with me, and uniforms had to be cleaned so often.
Here in the trailer, there is a washer and dryer, but the cold intake was down to a fast drip, and took forever to fill. I knew it was just probably dirt in the screen, but didn't think I had a wrench big enough to get the hoses off to clean. So instead I lugged water in from the kitchen or bathroom to the washing machine to fill it up quicker...for well over a month. Today I finally got into my toolbox and tried a pair of slip joint pliers and we were off. There was about a teaspoon full of crap jammed into the screen, so once I cleared it out, we were good to go. I don't know if there is a clothesline here. I haven't really been all around the house or in the back yard, such as it is. There is deep snow and I'm saving it for a spring surprise...
No, relax, not changing this one again! But I have created a new blog for my African adventure this fall, and you can check it out here: The Year I Went To Africa. I'll be posting occasionally about my planning and preparation, however the bulk of the posting will be in the fall, once I begin the journey. I'm excited.
Tonight I decided to check out when The Amazing Race and Survivor were starting up again with their new season, as both are beginning in February, with Survivor starting up February 8th, and The Amazing Race gets out of the gate on February 18th. And after visiting both websites I noticed something. At first I thought I was mistaken, but if you look at the 19 contestants for Survivor, there isn't one Caucasian woman on the show. They are all African American, Asian, or Latina. And then check out The Amazing Race. Nine of the 22 contestants are Caucasian women. What's up CBS? Is this mere coincidence or a concerted effort? And if so, to do what?
It's all very interesting...
My friend S. was telling me about her son's hamster that escaped a while ago...she managed to corner it again, after discovering him tapping on the door in the bedroom, eating his way through the leftover Halloween candy. When she firsts saw him, he had a tootsie pop in his mouth...
Thought you should know this, just in case...the American Medical Association researchers have made a remarkable discovery. It seems that some patients needing blood transfusions may
benefit from receiving chicken blood rather than human blood. It tends to make the men cocky and the women lay better. Just thought you'd like to know.
heh heh...
Yesterday I decided it was time to phone all of my student loan folks and up my payments along with giving them my new address. I've been here long enough to be able to balance my budget and see just how much I can give those fucking bastards them each month. It should have been an easy task...apparently with one company, nothing is easy.
And that was just one company...I was too pissed after wasting an hour and a half on the phone to call the rest of them. I saved that for today. Today was less painful, but there is a relatively new annoyance out there in the world of call centres...voice recognition systems...you have to speak your option and unfortunately, it didn't understand my command "get me a fucking person to speak to!"....darnit. I finally got the bypass code from the CSR I finally got to speak to and it's *7 for anyone wishing to call RBC. It gets you back to touch tone automation...like that is any better, but at least from there you can dial "0" to get a CSR (customer service rep).
Sigh...and they wonder why people get frustrated in paying back student loans. I'd like to tell them all to take a flying leap off a dam into a pit of vipers, but that won't clear my account...
Of course, you're wondering WTF? I am simply asking "Where are the toilets" in Swahili. Now you know. And if you didn't already know...I am planning a trip to Africa this fall. My friend K. may also be accompanying me, and we are headed for East Africa, namely Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. I don't know that I will get to all four, but the first two are my targets. And today I got my guidebook and Swahili phrase book in the mail from Lonely Planet, so I have to go.
I've taken a quick peek through the first part of the book, where they write about safaris, and what I love about Lonely Planet, is they don't cover the exorbantly priced tourist stuff. They know that not everyone has buckets of money to go "on safari". And so far I am interested in three kinds of safari...and I thought there was only one. I want to go on a regular Land Rover camping safari to see the lions and such, but then I want to do the canoe/kayak safari in Tanzania where the Nile begins and see the water mammals, and bird life. THEN I want to do a camel safari, simply to ride a camel and spend a few days like the locals do. And they seem to price at about a hundred bucks a day for each, so we shall see what I end up doing. I know it is going to be the trip of a lifetime, so want to do as much as I can while there, and will spend what I can to do it, and safari is not somewhere I really want to skimp too much. Can't be breaking downn on the Serengeti in a crappy truck because the more reliable vehicles came for 20bucks more a day...
I think there will have to be a whole other blog for that trip too...photos, stories, you name it. I have them for myother trips, but this will hopefully have video, if I can figure out how to post it.
Of course I shall be shopping too..and bringing an extra bag to put it all in. It's funny...now that I have finally bought the guides, I feel like its okay to get excited about going. and Lonely planet has the best travel guides, IMO. I own several of them. (although have not actually travelled to all the places they cover...someday...). The shopping is what I think I am looking forward to the most, after safari of course.
If anyone has every been...feel free to offer any recommendations.
Usiku mwema (good night)
I haven't posted in a few days, and now I am left without inspiration...what to write, what to write...randome tidbits I reckon for today...
I had a visit from my ISP today (small town, she knows where I live) to let me know that a 14 year old young gal a few doors down from me was camping out on my network...little snot. Yes, I had left my network unsecured, figuring I would get there eventually, and I had met most of the neighbors and didn't figure them for laptop users...what I didn't know is that this little miss got a computer for Christmas, and apparently has been downloading like crazy. I also got an email from my ISP main office telling me I am over my usage for the month...WTF??? I have hardly downloaded anything, a few songs, that's it. Then I put that together with the little miss who has a new computer and blingo...apparently she told her mother she didn't need to get internet now because she could get it for free...nothing comes free you little brat.
So then, in what should have been a short effort...I set about securing my network. It should have been easy. It wasn't. Turns out I WAS a complete retard and couldn't see the setting for it when I logged in. What I wasn't putting together was the fact that the card I was reading instructions from didn't say you access the settings from the internet account...I though it was on my computer somewhere...duh. Once I got that sorted out, only 2 hours later...I even renamed my network from Netgear (the brand name of the router) to FREEFORME. Take that ya cheapo putz...
Of course, I was never above camping out on someone else's net once in a while...but this affected ME, so of course was more important...heh heh. However, purchasing extra bandwith is expensive ($30/gig) so I must put up with slower connection until the 15th when I am unrestricted again. And now my ISP has a new customer...
