A Lot has Happpened and Big Changes Afoot.

Its really hard to know where to begin. There we were, my boys and I, enjoying our vacation by the sea when all hell broke loose and our lives changed.

I am not dishing out dirty details which enough people know and noone else really needs to know. Suffice to say that the problems of the past few months came to a crisis point while I was away and now our lives will never be quite the same.

Here is the story without gory details:

Imagine how it feels to work very very hard for a company that had a good reputation. Imagine that while working there you notice things. Things of a not so savory nature. Things like taking advantage of customer/clients, fraud, misrep-resentation, falsifying of documents etc . Stuff like that. What would you do? Imagine too that you are a person with a strong sense of right and wrong and ethics and honour....this is important in our imaginings because a lesser person may have just pretended not to notice things. May have just turned a blind eye.

Imagine that at first our upright citizen thinks that its honest mistakes and tries to correct it through the proper channels. Then he sees that they aren't HONEST mistakes but deliberate. Then he tries to effect change from within, which makes him unpopular with his bosses. He champions his clients and THEIR clients but he is ONE person between them and the corporate machine. Imagine, again, how this must feel. The stress. The worry. Over time it has a crippling effect as bosses say one thing but in fact ok the doing of other things. Imagine that you point out that customers are losing/being taken advantage of due to changes in policy and your "superiors" tell you that this was an expected side effect, that they would knowingly rip people off. How would you, as an honest person, deal with this?

In our scenario, the Honest Man informed these clients via a mass mail out that their products were expiring due to lack of representation, according to the company records. He included a trusted contact in that letter incase they wanted to prevent their losses. He tried to protect customers against losing money and protection. Many responded with gratitude, not knowing that their representative was gone and they were glad to save their products they'd spent so much on.

Unfortunately, some of these clients DID have representation but it wasn't in the records and one of these brokers got very PO'ed and thought that the company and the Honest Man were trying to steal his clients. The company wasn't happy about this OR the fact that their negligence had been brought to light. Our Honest Man had since left the company's employ and was exploring the possibility of creating a business with his friend, the trusted contact he'd suggested to the clients. Just when things were finally looking brighter for our Honest Man, the Doom came.

Allegations were being made about his actions. Suggestions were made that he'd acted to benefit himself. A complaint was lodged with a regulating body and an investigation commenced. While this investigation took place however, the Honest Man could not continue building and working on the business he'd so hoped to vreate as a way to provide for his family. His stress levels and anxiety for the future grew and grew. He told the regulators his side of the story and provided documented proof of the company's actions. The 'investigation' dragged on for 2 full months. The Honest Man appealed to a government official to look into the case and make sure the regulators were not being influenced by the huge corporation.

Then the investigation was finished and the regulators decided that the Honest Man was wrong to have chosen loyalty to the law and what's right over loyalty to the Company. Their letter insinuated that he should have turned a blind eye to the illegalities.

The Honest Man was crushed. Those in charge of protecting the public against Corporate wrong doing had found in favor of those doing wrong rather than he who'd been trying to defend and protect the victims. His reputation as a good and honourable person was now besmirched on the public record and the Company was laying liability of their actions at his door when they were sued. It was all too much. Betrayed by the Company, the industry, the regulators and the government, the Honest Man fell into the very deepest despair.

Isn't that a tale? Would make one hell of a novel for ol' Johnny Grisham, wouldn't it? This stuff could never happen in real life could it??! It must be some sort of crazy delusion of conspiracy theory.

Except that in the fiction there would probably be some sort of happy ending where the Company and Regulators and government officials get theirs and Our Hero, the Honest man, is validated and vindicated and everybody good lives happily ever after. In real life, we could only wish that this would happen.

As a result of that deepest darkest despair, my Honest man and I have decided to put some distance between us and the hateful mess. For the health and well being of our family unit, We are pulling up stakes and heading East to go back to a simpler life. Working to live rather than living for the career. We are making drastic changes, including the move, such as down sizing our possessions to fit into a smaller accomodation, looking for lower income employment because it offers less responibility than management did and also because thats all there is in the small town world we are relocating to. Let someone else save the fucking world. We will save ourselves, thank you very much.

Its been 5 years in this place. 5 years of his hard work and we did have some good times! That job was wonderful in so many ways. He found it challenging, never dull, exhilerating by times and he believed in what the industry offered people and did his best for his clients so that they could do their best for theirs. We met wonderful people and had adventures we never could have had if it hadn't been for his position. Our house, while messy and chaotic, is our dream home and we had such plans for it even though we never intended for it to be our last house. We just didn't envision leaving it under such a cloud of misery.

Yet, as the great lyricist said, "every dark tunnel has a light of hope, so don't hang yourself with a celibate rope". There is joy in this move. Small town life is good. Being close to family and support again is VERY good. Changing our focus to simple pleasures and loving rather than having them secondary to achieving is also good. We are bustin' a move toward happiness again.

May you be happy and healthy and have what you need. See you on the other side.

Nova Scotia

Hello from wonderful Nova Scotia! The boys and I drove here on Thursday last and have been enjoying as much as we can of the beaches and our wonderful friends and family.We were blessed with sunshine for the first 4 days of our visit and managed to do 5 beaches in 3 days! By Monday Cam flat out refused to even consider a beach outing, claiming he was "beached out". So we went shopping!
You just can't beat Guy's Frenchies, the best thrift store shopping ever! I went into the nearest one, hoping for some pants for the fast growing Thing 2, and came out 58 dollars poorer and his wardrobe quite enhanced ( manly terry bathrobes for both boys, 1 pair jeans, one pair cords, one pair Tony Hawk cargo shorts, several shirts for Cam and at least 2 for Ben). I also got a couple of tops for the cooler weather for myself (4). And a couple of books (3). Beat that retail stores!

Tuesday, which is still today in my head, we went to visit my mom and dad. I timed it to send the boys to a movie while I went to pick up my mom and together she and I went to the home. Dad's been moved now, for a couple weeks almost I think, to the more secure but much more enfeebled infirmary wing. It smells like pee. Its noisy with various yowlings and hacking coughs etc. When we arrived, the nurse dad was speaking to pointed us out to him as we approached but we didn't really register with him. He continued to mutter and ramble at the nurse and gradually we eased him away to get changed from his soiled pj's to clean ones. Then we managed to coax him into a wheelchair because walking was tiring him, and took him outside for fresh air and a turn or twenty around the gardens. Through it all he continued to be fairly incoherant. I would make comments on what was there and he commented on what he percieved and if we were lucky it might be the same thing. Yet, for all that he was more or less content. His eyes were bothering him so he tried eating supper with his eyes closed, with some assistance from me. At this point I had to pick the boys up so we said our goodbyes, which didn't much register with Dad. Mom, as usual, tried to force his attention but can't seem to understand that it doesn't work or why it doesn't. Its not a willful thing. Taking his face and turning him to face her, eye to eye , and speaking firmly as if to a child does not work and usually agitates him. Trying the same method to get a kiss goodbye while he is focusing on his supper is also doomed to failure. She still does it though. I was content to kiss his head and offer a gentle hug that didn't interfere with his dinner attention and a heartfelt "I love you, daddy" to which he actually replied with a a lovely response, though I'm not sure he meant it for me, since I'm not 100% sure he knew who I was.

We left and retrieved my boys and took mom to the grocery store where she got disoriented as to what aisle the tissue paper prducts were in. Rather than take my suggestion that we try the next aisle she chose to ask a store employee where the Kleenex was. He jovially answered that the paper products were in the next aisle. She then insisted taht they'd been moved from the aisle we were in and where she was sure she always bought it. His confused yet eager to help expression and answer to the negative that no, they hadn't been moved, kind of clued Mom in that she was wrong. Once we reminded her what we were there for again(diabetic vanilla Boost and Kleenex), she was ok again. I got her a cold rotisserie chicken plate for dinner thinking it would be more substantial that the leftover soup she was planning to have. Then we took Mom home.

I know its wrong but I can hardly stand to be around her, at least in her house. I know she wanted us to stay longer and for supper but the idea of it made my skin crawl. I spent my teen years in that house, and they were not terrible by any means, but now as an adult it makes me claustrophobic. The nictine stained walls and ceiling, the smells of air fresheners and the like OVER the stink of 30 years of cigarettes nauseates me, and after the mice incident from my last visit ...!? My usually mild germ phobia rears its ugly head. ( my house maybe untidy and carry its own patina of grime but I also disinfect quite a bit. I go through a lot of environmentally unfriendly and possibly toxic disinfecting wipes and a fair bit of bleach in the run of a month thanks to my better-than-it-used-to-be germ issue. And hand soap...but I digress).

I am so gonna go to hell for not being more tolerant of my elderly Mother.

I need some more beach time I think. Hello, Clam Harbour this weekend!

Thursday

Gratuitous Hippopotamus shots because they were my favourite part of Granby Zoo. LOVE!

What a week. Not in a bad way, mind you. I got my shop on at a couple of thrift stores which led to getting my shop on in the hardware store....you know how it is.

On Tuesday I decided that I was going back to a thrift store I visited last week to grab the rattan shelving unit I saw for 20 bucks. It was seriously fugly with its incorporated wine rack (donations welcome...maybe a nice merlot?) and had been partially painted with an ivory flat latex. The horror...the wine rack hadn't been painted and the paint job itself was very bad. 6 cans of gloss ivory coloured spray paint later, its much cleaner looking and will be holding all of my crafting books and some assorted crafting stuffs (needles, iron, sewing basket etc) in my craft space/"studio" in the basdement family room. I'm very excited because gradually I have been hauling all my yarn and crap downstairs and for the first time in perhaps my life, all my craft stuffs will have a central location. This is MY place and the rest have been warned on pain of death to keep out. There is still some hauling and organising to be done but its shaping up and making me happy. Pictures will come eventually.

Next week I am heading East! SO EXCITED. I hope we have good weather while we are there because I need some beach time.

Lets see, what else....I have more duties with the yarn company I work for now and thats fun and new. No new escapes for Da. Miss Kitty comes home all the time now that Mouche is gone (did I mention that? Mouche had to go because of his treatment of Miss Kitty. Now she comes and goes as before and it makes me so happy that she is actually coming back home again as opposed to hanging around other people's houses). Pippin was neutered today and needs to have his urine tested to check for crystals. I am waiting for him to gimme a sample (eeeew)so I can run it to the vets tomorrow. I got an awesome deal on a big book about textiles for beginners (how to knit, crochet, weave, felt, and quilt. It was regularly 19.99(UK) but I got it for $10 Canadian. Schweet! I went back the next day to nab the last copy for my lovely friend and fellow enthusiast Barb.

The upstairs bathroom is FINALLY finished. Check out the photos above! So much prettier than its former self.

The nightmare of the last two months seems to be "almost" over. It has to do with Hman's old job and his new career plans and how things are NOT going well thanks to some hiccups and monkey wrenches caused by his old job. We were told yesterday that the issues may be resolved "soon", but don't know whether it will be a resolution in our favour. Yet, that light at the end of the tunnel is glimpsed and we are trying to keep it together and prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Just knowing its soon over is heartening. Its more than we knew before (we have been seriously stressed over how long this was going to go on...6 months? A year? yet, how long a wait is this "soon"?). To all of my friends and family that have been my shoulders to cry on, sounding boards, and support I want to say thank you very much. I hope I can be as supportive and soothing as you all have been.

My Da's Famous Now

Dad moved into his new digs at the home on Saturday with the aid of my Wunder-Sistah and her husband. It was all so new and a tad confusing for him. He does like his new comfy chair and does spend time in the lounge with the other residents. There have been a few "getting settled" issues but the staff is used to things like that and all in all Da is doing fine.

However, one incident has made Da the home "celebrity" amongst the staffers. Maybe I should say he's become "infamous" rather than "famous".

On Da's 3rd day in residence, the home recieved a phone call. "Do you have a resident by the name of R******S*****?"
"Why yes we do! Please hold and I will transfer your call."
"No, don't bother. I just wanted to make sure that this is where he belongs."
"???"
"Yes, he's over here at the hospital on the 5th floor where he was living before his transfer."
"!!!!!!!!!!"

And then mild panic ensued, I am sure. Dad was returned to the home, safe and sound and cheerful after his unsanctioned visit to his former nurses and an emergency staff meeting was held to discuss the security breach that is my Da. It was debated whether to move him to a more secure area in the home but that would remove him from the other more active residents and stick him in the area where the more bedridden etc are located. His nurses stood up for him though, stating that it was only his
3rd day and that he deserved more time to settle in and learn the rules etc. Their wiser heads prevailed and Da stays put for now with an extra set of eyes watching to make sure he doesn't walk out the front door alone again.

Thanks to the incident, though, EVERYONE that works there knows who he is. He's both baffled and chuffed as to how all these nice people know him. He is greeted cheerfully by name as he walks the halls to this or that destination or when he is encountered by any staffer. "How does everyone here know me?" he has wondered to my sister.

I'm sure it was quite serious on Monday but now all we can do is laugh at our Dad the famous escapee .

Fridayness

Today, for the second time this week, I've had trouble using my debit card. It happened at grocery stores both times and I had to whip out the credit card to save the day. This time however I went to my bank to see what was wrong with my account/card. Turns out, that I'd used my card somewhere that was cloning cards!!! GASP! I've been wracking my brain to remember if I'd used my card in a shady place of business lately..a questionable depanneur maybe? Anyways, the bank said I just had to change my PIN and all would be well. WHEW!

Dad is moving tomorrow! My sister tried to get my brothers to lend a hand because at a thrift store she got Dad a nice easy/armchair for his room. Apparently my brothers are too busy. I could just SCREAM and its all I can do to keep myself from calling them to bawl them out for having their heads so far up their own arses. Anyways, one way or another she will get the chair and herself to the place on time to check Dad out of the hospital and into the home and try to have him settled in comfortably. Thank goodness her husband is around to lend a hand. If I could afford the air fare.... I haven't been able to leave the guys for a trip back since April.

Our big family outing for the month was a trip to Granby Zoo. It was exausting trudging around all afternoon but I loved the hippos so it was worth it! They are so cool. Now, its not ONLY a zoo...there is a small water park with two wave pools, a lazy river ride on tubes, and some other assorted bits and bobs AND a small amusement park with a mini roller coaster, ferris wheel and games of chance etc. There are restaurants and canteens to get your munch or drink on and lots of places to have a wee rest. If we ever go again I'd like to spend the night before at a motel in the vicinity so that we could get there earlier. Its an hour and a half away from our home. Next month we have our trip east scheduled and a promise was made for a day at La Ronde in August.
I have the first sock of my second pair nearly done of the 6 I committed myself to for Romanian orphans.

News

As anyone who reads here knows, my Dad was stricken with quick onset dementia with delirium this winter. We'd noticed the cogs were slipping a wee bit over the last year or so...just little things here and there..but then the whole train seemed to leave the tracks over the span of a few weeks and Whoa Nelly! that was hard. The delirium was due to an undetected infection and over time has eased and now Dad usually recognises his family and no longer thinks he's being held prisoner by criminals on a boat.

My sister has been handling EVERYTHING for Dad. Doctor's, paper work, financials, lawyers...you name it she handles it. She's my hero.

So, since February Dad has been hospitalised because he is no longer able to live at home safely. Last week the call came that he is going to move into the local long term facility! My devoted sister went to our home town yesterday and dealt with the paper work and information. She got to visit the room waiting for Dad and see how his life is going to change from such limited freedom in a hospital situation to a much more social and active small community. The TV and socialising lounge is right next door to his room and the dining hall is a short walk down the hall. The activities they engage in there range anywhere from trips to the Mall to soft exercise sessions. He will have a roomate but their room is spacious enough that we could get Dad a comfy armchair for having some peace and quiet in his room if he's not up to being sociable. This is going to be so much BETTER for him than how he's been living the last few months that I am really excited for him.

Its a big adaptation for him, though. The support staff at Glen Haven seems to have thought of just about everything to ease his transition from hospital to home facility and I think that he might be able to enjoy himself given the chance.

Mom won't need to do his laundry anymore either once he's moved in since its all done in house, so thats a bonus too. I can't wait to visit Dad in August and see his new digs. Maybe I can challenge him to something on the lounge's Wii!

Tuesday in July.

So far its been a beautiful day for weather and somewhat productive. I did errands while waiting for a kid in tennis lessons. I have spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker and ingredients to make my version of shish taouk. Miss Kitty pee'd behind the washer again and thats been cleaned and I bought some enzyme odour remover stuff so it won't stink up the joint.

I started editting a manuscript for a friend. I am not an expert, nor do I play one on TV, but I did major in English at University and I remember enough to know when a sentence doesn't work properly. If only I had one of those memories that actually stores useful stuff like the rules of grammar and punctuation. I can say something isn't right but can't give a good reason why. I'm running more on instinct here I guess. So far my pencil and highlighters have been busy.

The beds have been switched around and now the old bunk bed frame (minus a rail)is serving as a shelving unit for my totes of yarn and fabric. Not all of the yarn has been moved nor have my books as I need a bookcase to put them away in. I hope to find one cheapish at the thrift store. I don't want that space that I have carved out to be overwhelmed in clutter like its predecessor(s). The key will be having enough storage to put things away. Places for my things and things put in their place.

Summer is slithering by. We hope to get to Granby this week and take in the zoo. The kids will love the water park. Next month has a trip East scheduled and possibly a day at La Ronde.

I hope everyone is having some fun this summer.

Trying not to take it personally....trying....

I have lived away from my friends and family for 5 long years now. We get back east fairly often and try hard to fit people in to our visits. Most folk cannot come visit due to finances and work schedules etc and we get that and accept it. What I get hurt by is those that can fit any other trip or event into their very busy lives and budgets, but yet never ever have yet made the attempt to reciprocate a visit here despite numerous invitations and their "Oh i would love to be able to come visit...maybe next summer" comments.

I am trying very hard not to be hurt or take it personally. I am trying to be a grown up about it. Yet, when you are repeatedly NOT a priority in loved ones lives, it really hurts. Alot.

I must be PMSing to even give a shit.

Holy Frak its July!

I have become so remiss in posting its pathetic. I blame Facebook and Twitter. And the fact that I am so boring and have very little to write about.

HEATWAVE!! Last week we had a heat wave. It was nasty but I was able to refrain from killing anyone in my house. Much jumping into the pool. THANK all deities that we have a pool!!!! In NS, I could handle heat by going to the shore . Here in the land of lakes and rivers, there's no icy cold ocean to cool off in so I am grateful as hell for a pool. Even if it is heating up at an alarming rate.

KNITTING: I keep messing up the buttonholes of the Kria sweater and I am too hot to settle in and fight it right now. Instead I have started some baby things for a baby I know is due in October or November. Then yesterday I came across a charity knitting plea on Ravelry for orphans and Gypsy children and mothers in Romania. There are some very small socks and mittens needed and I may volunteer some handknits. Small and fast. After a sweater I need quick gratification, even if the bugger isn't finished yet. SOON! It's only 7 rows, armpit weaving, and washing/blocking from being finished! But i keep screwing up the damn holes.

OTHER CRAFTS: I have a serious problem with this now. For years I have admired handmade pincusions in all their adorable forms and now I am gathering the materials to start making some. Why? Because they keep calling to me!!! Sew us! Stuff us!! Make us!!!! What am I supposed to do with them then???? I only have so many sewing friends that would appreciate the time and energy and cuteness of a pincusion. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Then there's the quilting: now at a standstill because my machine is in the shop for a tune up. I managed to find fabric to finish the blue and yellow log cabin quilt top on Friday, oh happy day. I also have enough fabric to get a good start on the pink quilt scheduled for after the yellow /blue. Meanwhile I embroider and work on baby knits and avoid my housework.

As usual!! lol

End times????

What a freaking few days it has been! First off, the other day we had an earth quake. Today, funnel cloud over the West Island. Also last week a tornado touched down in Ontario, same day as earthquake I think. WTF! There is a reason I do not live south of the border...ok...many reasons...and two of them are earthquakes and tornados. You all need to keep that shit down there where its expected.

Between crazy weather, earth quivers, and oily oceans I am really starting to wonder if that friggin' Mayan calendar was right. Maybe I should just hide under my bed until things settle down and its January 2013...except its nasty under there and its way too humid to even think of making the effort.

Speaking of efforts, my quilt is at a stand still until I buy fabric and get my machine tuned up AGAIN. Today's crazy mini hurricane blew down my bean trellis so I have to put it back together tomorrow and secure it somehow. I steeked my Kria sweater project and because of my effed up sewing machine, the machine stitching broke and let go in places and I had to do a crochet reinforcement that looks like total ASS and I am not sure some of the loose ends won't let go along the steek line. My formerly soothing p[ractice of embroidery has turned on me because for some reason the cosmic forces will NOT allow me to create a frikkin' French Knot no matter how hard I try and re-read the instructions. You'd think i was trying build a rocket or something, but those damn knots just will not knot!!! ARGH!

And its not even July yet....wow. It may prove to be one pippin sansy of a summer!!


PS: does anyone know how to keep spammy commenters at bay?

Summertiiime, and the livin' is...sweaty

We have high humidity the last couple days and while the temps are not extreme, they feel very squishy and sweaty. Bleah. I do NOT like to sweat. I think I would be very happy living up north in the chillier lands but the gardening would not be so nice.

Was wakened from the last of my sleeping in of the day by screaming cats and flying fur in my bed. Not pleasant at all. Mouche had attacked Miss Kitty while she and I were sleeping. This is just getting nerve wracking, this hate he has for her. I have a spray bottle now for when he gets near her in the living room, where she usually hangs out. How can such a sweet lovable Mouchey guy who plays with a kitten so nicely, be such a turd to my poor old lady cat. She actually tried to run away this week but the neighbors whose house she was lurking around brought her home (after I'd given her up for gone having checked the shelter for her to no avail), thats how much he's getting on her nerves. At least by keeping HER in the house (oh she is NOT pleased)we can protect her more while this sorts itself out. But WILL it? sigh. I don't want to send Mouche away but if he doesn't cut the shit it may come down to that.

I haven't been knitting much except for apple cores for the AppleCore Blanket pattern. These things are addictive...fast(now that I've memorised the pattern), light, uses leftovers (except that I also bought yarn for them which wasn't supposed to happen), did I mention fast? Practically instant gratification, knitting wise. Besides this I have been re-introducing myself to embroidery. O.M.G. This is a very soothing occupation. I find myself getting lost in the simple stitches I am using for my first project in YEARS!!!! Its a spray of wild roses on unbleached fine cotton for a quilt I have in mind for my grand neice Annika. But first I need to finish the lingering blue and yellow log cabin quilt thats been on the go for about 8 years. Its been going much faster in recent months but is currently lingering on my dining room table and serving as a cat mat. LOL Both Mouche and Pippin love sprawling out on it for a snooze.

We are on our second FULL day of vacation here and while the urge to kill has not risen sharply, there are moment when I understand why wild animals will sometimes eat their young. The squabbling brought on by constant association with one another....the sassing back.....the whining.....the tantrums.... I need some good earplugs and some stronger drugs to withstand the next 2 months.

Kitten naming redux

The name "Sansy" just has not been a hit. It just doesn't roll off the tongue and the guys were resistant. The hunt for a name never ended, even after he'd been named. I guess we knew it wasn't THE name for this complex individual. Today we were trying Jasper because the balck stripes on his face remind me of the polished stone but it wasn't it either.

Kate the Enabler suggested Peregrine, as in Peregrine Took aka Pippin from LOTR and I think we have our name. Fun loving, mischievous, lovable, sweet, curious, troublemaking FOOL OF A TOOK! We have our name and it is Pippin.

Perturbation

We are very perturbed here. The pump on our washer is finished and needs replacing. Cost is, as yet, unknown until repair dude calls with the quote. Having him tell us what we already knew cost us over 70$.

Yup..perturbation. We have it. Don't think we'll go blind from it though.

The saving graces of hobbying

I don't understand people that don't have a passtime or hobby interest. What do they do in their spare time???? What do they dream and plan and hope for? To me its just weird and seems like a very empty existance. Also, those people that I have know with no "interest" or "hobby" are very unhappy people.

Now, that said, there are those of us who may or may not have what some consider TOO MANY hobbies or interests and are these people really much happier than those with none? maybe not because they never seem to get anything done. A balance must be struck.

All this to say that I am GLAD I have something to do and live for besides whining and navel gazing. To whit, I segue to the garden and its goin's on. And it does have it goin' on.

This year I used seeds for German Giant radishes and I have had THE BEST radishes ever. Yearly I bitch and moan about how mine never do well for such an easily grown vegetable. Not this year. I am in ecstacies over my yield and the quality. Its German Giant from now on in this garden! Woo hoo!

The spinach is ready to be picked as are the "baby"salad greens. They are lush from the recent rains. The shelling peas continue to dawdle along. They are so hard to wait for after growing snow peas.

Something ate off all my bean seedlings again this year. I think its a neighborhood squirrel or something from how they were nipped of at the top over night leaving nothing but a stem. Something else nommed away all my watermelons but one poor plant. I think it was slugs or some type of bug. Nothing is hurting the last plant...weird.

Yesterday, 6 tomato plants were set into their summer homes. 3 Superfantastic and 3 Principe Borghese to be trellised against the shed wall. After that I started setting in the peppers and it began to rain. I got 12 in, I think, before I gave it up. I also popped in my 3 cucumber seedlings and ringed them heavily with ground coffee for protection from evil bugs/slugs/snails.

Next up for plantings, more radishes and peas and a replanting of the bush beans. Maybe another watermelon or two as well.

See? How can a person not find solace from the everyday blahs of life without a passtime?? Once my washer is fixed I will be hitting the quilt doings again.

Because Kitties Make Things less Crappy

And thats what get's me through...most days.

Just when you think everythings ok....

...A letter arrives to throw everything back into the misery it was 3 months ago. ARGH!!!

Anyway, just a note to say we've hit a new patch of pain in the ass. Things were going so well too!! Thats what upsets me most. Life was getting bacxk onto an even keel, we were free from the corporation, new opportunities had arisen....and now corporation is being bitchy. Its like they missed having someone to pick on so they decided to ring our bells for some shits and giggles.

In the perfect world that I envision this will simply be a pain in the ass and will be resolved in our favour because right is right and thats it. Unfortunately, in the real world, you do something you think is right and you get smacked down for it because someone with the power is suspicious of motives and just can't leave something alone. It doesn't matter that you didn't do anything wrong. You've made them look bad/ineffective/stupid/negligent and now you must pay.

Pray for me because my nerves have just about had it.

Pleased.

I wish I had a photo to accompany this post. I will later cuz Ben just took one.

I am pleased as punch to announce that the nameless kitten has a name now. It came to me as I was facebooking about doing nothing with the kitten on the sofa...again. I referred to him as le petit Monsieur Sans Nom (The little Mr. No Name) and it hit me right then....Sansy. I will pronounce it with an accent to both be pretentious and creative, so its said like this : Sahwn-zee.

Voila...he has a name and it is Sansy. YAY!!!

The 5th of June

Its a pretty low key day here. Its over cast and not terribly hot. The Hman is gone fishing for the weekend and the kids are gaming with a pal downstairs.

I've had a week of pinched nerve in my left shoulder but feel on the mend thanks to my teriffic chiropractor. I have a contract to finish up this week, so I have been working from home as well as at an office in Montreal on some text writing. Its been a more difficult task than the last time.

Last Sunday I brought home the wee tawny tabby with white kitten that I'd committed to before Mouche came along. He is adorable and lovable and cuddly as all get out. Yet, he is still Nameless. Nothing monikeristic is coming out and sticking to him. It is bugging the shit out of me. Have I mentioned his adorability? I think I could just walk around with him around my neck all day. He is always near by, especially if we are on the sofa. If not then he's racing through the house and up the cat tree, soon to be back with the humans on the sofa. Like today...he and I have been couch potatoes for ages. If I get up, he tends to follow, do whatever, and if I go back then he comes back too. Last night he kept me company while I watched The Wolman from the basement sofa. Such a sleepy cuddly wee baby. 11 weeks old now. Still without a name. I've tried everything. It'll come eventually I guess.

Thats about it for us this week. So boring!!

Almost June!

I cannot get over how FAST time is flying by. 2010 is like an eyeblink...sure there was a lot of shittyness to the beginning of it but its still moving at warp speed towards 2011! It's almost June for cryin' out loud!

Almost June means almost summer and almost summer means almost end of school and we all know what that means.

My going insane with The Bickerson twins. Oh yes. Its already started lately. Thing One and Thing 2 annoy the crap out of one another until one breaks and starts screaming or hitting. I won't lie. Its usually Thing 2 annoying and Thing One screaming. Like nails on a chalk board no matter how deep the voice is getting.

So, facing a summer of madness brings up the lovely debates on day camps. They are 11 and 13...they are getting a bit long in the tooth for day camps so we need to search out ones that cater to an older crowd. Did I mention that only one is open to the idea? Yeah. Fun.

In other dealings, summer's approach means the semi-annual changing of the wardrobe and this year mine sucks. Between what I am disposing of from winter and that which does not fit etc for summer, I have trasg bags of clothing to donate and nothing to wear that can be seen outside the home. This has brought also the annual delusion that I can sew myself some stuff. How hard can it be?

There in itself is my red flag. Whenever that phrse "how hard can it be?" comes up, I have been training myself to STOP and back away from the idea. Tiling my kitchen floor on the farm? It was very hard for such a simple thing. And apparently I can't even buy a pattern in the right SIZE let alone sew it.

Yesterday while out with T2, we went to Fabricville. Things may have gone better had I been alone and able to focus solely on the task at hand rather than constantly trip over my sidekick and answer his questions about how much longer this was going to take. They really need to install a waiting area in these stores so I can park a male with a book and say I'll be back in awhile, don't leave thios area.
Thus, I ended up with a misleading pattern that in NUMBER was the right size but in actual measurments was NOT. I discovered this while pinning the pattern pieces on my fabric last night.

To all my friends who find sewing so relaxing and soothing, I THINK YOU ARE MAD!! Nothing frustrates me and makes me cry quite so much as sewing. I contantly fuck up, mis-read instructions, buy the wrong size(this one's new actually), run a needle through a digit, break needles, mis cut, mis measure...you name it. Anything that I can screw up in sewing, I do. So why do I even try???! Because it is a deceptive craft, thats why. It looks SO EASY when you take a simple non-froufrou garment, break it down into 4 easy pieces to be sewn together. It even SAID easy on the pattern for this "one hour" sewing project that I bought the wrong size for and thus the wrong amounts of fabric. ARGH.

Anyway, I took said fabric that I'd been starting my practice skirt on and basically created a tube with and elastic waist band. The easiest skirt in the world. Now I just need help in hemming it. I will probably make the same skirt with my purchased fabrics too. One of which has lovely scalloped selvedge edges for a self hemmed skirt. I think anyways.

The Kria sweater has been giving me fits in the hood creation but a friend gave me a brilliant bit of coaching and now it will be ripped back during todays drive to Charlesbourg and restarted. Rather than doing a wonky bit of intarsia while knitting back and forth oon two different sizes of needles, I will continue the sweater in the round, through the neck and the hoodwith steeking stitches at the front and a marker for increasing the stitch count of the hood in the back. Its gonna be swell and will no longer drain me of my will to live. YAY.

Speaking of will to live, my Mom is feeling much better than she was when I last saw her. Apparently her potassium levels were all outta whack (too high she says) and it was making her weak, dizzy, ill feeling etc. Now she feels great! I am trying to convince her to come and visit us this summer for a week or two. She's never been here and it could be fun for her.

Recent changes in the household numbers: I'd committed to adopting a tabby and white kitten through my friend Elaine last week. He's very cute and almost ready to leave home. Then two days later, my friend Geeta called. Her 3 year old black male cat Oscar was not happy. She'd adopted him a year previously and he has never enjoyed indoor cat life. He's very vocal about the whole thing too. He constantly tried to make a break for it when the front door opened etc. So she called me, her cat loving friend in a much quieter neighborhood to see if I would give him a chance at a happier life. How do you say no to a black sable cat named Oscar Peterson???? A couple hours later he was here. Lets just say I do not know HOW they lived with him for a year without giving in. I lasted two days and then he was let out. HE'S LOVING IT. And though he is still vocal, its more of the chatty in a loud voice variety of vocal. He musty have some Siamese or something obnoxious in his ancestry. This annoying feature of being very loud and never content in being inside or outside or the contents of his food dish has lead to his name evolving into Le Mouche!! He is our pesky pest of a fly. But he's very soft, cuddly, playful and lovable. Monsiuer Le Mouche...Mooshie-mu, Mooshoo...he gets it all from us grown ups but the kids are still calling him Oscar so far.

Wonder whats going to happen when the wee'un comes to us!? 3 adult cats and mischievous kitten. Should be interesting!

Our Spring of Renewal?

It would appear that our winter of discontent has passed,here at Chez Nous. I'm pretty sure my nerves of spaghetti couldn't take much more drama and the like. Things have settled down regarding my parents and things are lookin' good where Hman is concerned.

So good. It brings me so much joy to see him smiling again. He's embracing his new project with so much enthusiasm, its almost like he's been reborn from the ashes. He's been so strong that to have had him brought so low was very difficult to watch, for me and also for those who know and love him. Now, he's full of ideas and plans and optimism and its WONDERFUL.

I think the boys see a difference too. I see a lightness to them as well these days. They are relieved the dark cloud has passed on and that we have decided not to move house. This is a good thing.

Maybe its just the Spring talkin' here. The sun is shining, the lilacs are in full fragrant bloom, flowers abound in the neighborhood. It all conspires to have one feel that life is grand and embraceable again. The old adage that "This Too Must Pass" is true I guess. The sadness and worry of the past 6 months has lifted and exposed our faces to the lightness of Being again.

DAMN, it feels good!!! :oD

To all of our friends and family who listened and sympathised and commiserated and just plain oved us through it all, I want to say that I am extremely grateful for your positive vibes. All of you, even if you don't realise I mean YOU! Yeah, YOU! ;op