Getting ready to ROLL

The tent trailer is in our driveway, set up and awaiting my cleaning and stocking. Its so cool! Even has electric bed warmer thingies. I may move in permanent.
My many lists have been reduced to one and so I KNOW I am making progress in preparations. I have to make a new list though of what to DO before we leave not what to acquire. Things like wash the sleeping bags, pack, clear ourt fridge and kitchen sink etc, shut down the pool, give key to Isabelle to tend the girls, blah blah blah. I am having a blast planning and shopping. Weird eh? I cannot wait to leave. We will have soooo much fun.
First night..the Gardens near Edmundston..second and third nights, Risser's Beach!! WooHoo. We always wanted to camp out there by the beach. Then the 16th we move into the cottage intil the morning of the 23rd. After that is up in the air. Either Richard will fly home and leave us in NS to vacation a bit more or we will all come home. It depends on my tent trailer capabilities.
Marla and I have so many things we want to do together...Go to Carter's Beach to see if there is any sweet grass, learn ourselves how to make baskets together, laze around with drinks together.. She has kindly offered her back field as our home base and that is super because A) no daily fee, and B) I am at her place. hahahahahaha. Seriously, she has an awesome place and she is minutes from a great bakery and the beach.
We have a great friendship where we can let each other know that we are getting on each other's nerves and even get super pissed at one another but then we talk it out and make up. We should get married.

I am way excited about this trip. Richard is hankering to get on the road as much as me..he was actully prancy when he booked the Risser's camp site. Very excited.
Soooo coool.

May I Just say "JACKASSES!"

So after I get home from the Lithat ritual in Angrinon Parc today I here that the fireworks that I heard in my town last night caused this:
Fireworks fire burns homes near Montreal
Jun. 24, 2006. 11:49 AM
TERREBONNE, Que. (CP) — Three homes have been destroyed and several others damaged after fireworks to celebrate Quebec's St Jean Baptiste holiday went astray and landed on one of the house's roofs.
Police say the fire caused about one million dollars in damages and forced 50 people to leave their homes in Terrebonne, north of Montreal.
About forty firefighters were called to the scene.
Celebrations for the holiday continue across the province this weekend.
10:26ET 24-06-06

How embarrassing.............Yet could I find anything about this on the Gazette's website??? nooooooooo. I found it in the Toronto Star website. Cover up? Hmmmm......Keepin' it mum in the local press, eh?

Tidy!

I think that having fun last night gave me the energy to clean up my pantry cabinet this morning...what is up with that???!
Last night was the charity screening of Serenity in Montreal. We had over a hundred folk show up/buy tickets. We watched a shiny clip of Meryl Streep and Joss Whedon at an Equality Now function and then the big damn movie. There were folk that hadn't seen it at all! Afterward the prizes were drawn and we BOTH won a door prize! Holy crap! That was extra awesome. I also got a wee present as a volunteer. That was super shiny.
Richard looked great dressed in a Wash inspired outfit complete with a dino in his pocket. Khoba looked amazing as Zoe. I forget the name of the gal dressed as River but she looked cool too. Scarlet made an alluring Inara and I was very handy as Kaylee I do believe. No Cap'n, Simon, Shepherd Book, or Jayne to be seen. Poop.
Afterwards we trooped to the Intertainment Cafe at the corner of Bishop and Rene Levesque. Its a GREAT spot and they have kareoke booths, tonns of space and out of the ordinary beverages. I WILL return. Maybe we can get a kareoke night scheduled or make this spot our official browncoat hangout. That sounds great.
So..today is the first day of summer vay cay baby! I slept in until what FELT like 10 or 11 am...turned out it was 8:43 am. I had a coffee and then started listening to my shiny new Bedlam Bards cd (prize) and I must say the instrumentals leave me wanting MORE MORE MORE. Got all inspired to organise a cabinet that NEEDED it highly so I grabbed a shower, cranked the Bards and started in on it. After I was done it looked soooo good. Why can't it STAY that way??
I have been needing a big honkin' jar to start my potpourri in. Discovered I had one but had forgotten it. Technically its a 4 quart snp lid cookie jar but hey! Why not ! In went the rose petales, the dianthus flowers, dried orange peels, and last years dried cedar. Oh look I had juniper berries, calendula, and lavender too. In they went. The southernwood was FINALLY dry so in it went as well. Then the bay leaves I dried out a couple of weeks ago. I should really write this down I suppose! I'm pretty sure thats it so far. Now for some spice....must ponder this one. A bit of anise? Cinammon sticks? Cloves? Cardamom pods? Coriander? Something that says Summer's Garden. Hmmm...its a toughie. I know I will add some essential oils and orris root powder soon too. Its should be ready by Lammas (or Mabon if I'm real slow.). OH I forgot to dry some lemon verbena...doh! Ok...thats on the to do list.
I am having a great day so far and its just turned NOON. Whoa. I have been productive and if you know me you know thats wierd!!!!!!!!

Mommy Came Out....

......of the broom closet on Saturday to one of the kids.
Yes...finally. As Ben and I watched Cameron's soccer practice, we chatted about various and sundry things. I have been thinking about talking to Ben about my spiritual life for a little while now. He's nine and always interested in the things Mommy does (gardens, cooking, feeding squirrels and birds) and I thought I should explain to him about what I am and what that means. His first comment"But witches aren't real!" Once it was explained that green skinned scary old ladies on flying brooms weren't real but that yes there are people that work magic. Then came the talk about how cool it WOULD be to fly on the broom and I told him our joke (me and Edith) thats too old fashioned and slow..we want vacuum cleaners with cup holders. he giggled like crazy and came up with about a milloin flying things with cup holders "Is that funny mom, isn't that a good one?" Did he get the point? Kind of. Was he told to keep it under his hat and why? Yes. Does he want to learn more? Yes.
So...the first step has been taken and we move by baby steps into the world of Pagan Parenting rather tha parenting with some nature love in it. With Ben I have the opportunity to learn and teach and nurture his spirit more obviously.
I hope I don't blow it.

Did I tell ya? Cats Rule...

We have tickets to see Cats at Place Des Arts July 11th....woo hoo! Meowmeowmeow.....MUSICAL! We love musicals (although Evita didn't float my boat but Mamma Mia was awesome) and living near Montreal and actually having the occassional room on the Visa for tickets is wonderful. It makes up for a lot of my home sickness...sometimes. Its on my list of why living here isn't as bad as if feels some days. We are very lucky to have this opportunity to be near a city that attracts great shows and performances. In the year we have been here we have seen Mama Mia, Evita, and Bare Naked Ladies. Our second year of being entertained by more than TV and liquor commences with Cats! I saw Cats in Halifax as a production toured through and I loved the music..Do I really understand it? Umm..no...but I thoroughly enjoy the costumes and dancing and songs about all of these fabulous fictional T.S. Eliot created cats. The names are witty and nonsensical and yet totally right on the money as far as naming a cat goes. Fluffy? Pluh-lease..Mungo Jerry and Rum Tum Tugger are sooooo much better. Got a tabby? Jenny Anydots is a whimsical name that is perfection just in the speaking. Grizzabella is just as her name ipmlies..a glamorous beauty that is waaaay past her prime. Think Cher without plastic surgery as a cat.
It also helps that I have been a cat person for my whole life. Dogs are fine but on the whole cats are irresistable to be. The cuteness...the ferocity...the cuddle factor...the killer beneath the facade...the claws..the fangs...the sleepy time in the sun..the grace and the slyness. Cats Rule.

Updates Updates Updates.......

Its Monday..let the updates begin!
Friday we were told that YES we get the tent trailer. Richard goes to the bank to give them papers and sign stuff today,Then gets the trailer hitch installed and fetches the tent trailer on Wednesday. Woohoo. Camping here we come..next week. Mucho busyness this weekend. Saturday is the CMS Litha Ritual and Sunday is Pagan Brunch (can you say YUM?) for me and the kids whilst R goes to something Formula One.
The boys are finished school this Thursday..holy summer madness Batman! Its is about to be commencin'!
I super cleaned and maintained the pool this weekend before Richard got back (laaaaaaate Saturday night). It was ooky. What is UP with the algae this year? Last year we never saw a bit until August..this year it just will NOT stay away. Until now...I have taken things in hand and the pool looks fab. Clear and clean. I vacuumed (of course), tested (of course)..hmm lowish on chlorine..ok in goes a puck. Then I shocked with the oxygenating stuff. Next day(saturday)...hmmm...still not quite right... I purchased these nifty things called skimmer socks to line the skimmer basket and spare the filter some wear and tear. And got algaecide. No more guesswork either...I finally figured out the water volume and made sure enough stuff was added. And scrubbing took place again... It was a thing of beauty I tell ya! When Richard got home that pool was ready for serious hat weather action. Which arrived right on cue.
Holy sweatyness...ugh...It is hot hot hot and humid. We lounged poolside most of the day. Richard took Ben to soccer practice and later in the day the boys all went mini golfing and I napped in blissful peace. Blissful sweaty peace.
Richard and the guys arrived home to cool off in the pool and Richard then installed the AC unit in our bedroom window. We had pizza for supper and skinny dipped before beddies. Great day .
I think that covers everything...ooh..I was able to thin radishes and it yielded a couple of tiny ruby red globes for muchin's. Now I'm done..except for I bought a new two piece bathing suit. I think the sizing for Roots gear runs small...size 16 my ass! Its a red and white tropical looking floral tankini.
Fin.

Unibroue Ephemere Raspberry Ale(beer, lager???)

Is yummy. 'nuff said.
beer is good I like beer why didn't i like beer before beer is good............

New Link

I have a new link...check out the Shakespearean Insult Generator and you can learn to tell folk off with style and panache! hee hee. What fun.
No news on the tent trailer financing...not looking too good as the caisse says its a 50/50 chance. We do have a lot of debt.
Anyhoo, Richard is in Whistler and Ben has a soccer game tonight. Watched "The Corpe Bride" last night..underwhelmed.
Tonight its Pride and Pedjudice.

When the going is tough.....

or even just quiet..slow...uuumm...I'm breathing...I go to Cute Overload for massive doses of cuteness. My heart gets all melty...I smile...I feeel ssoooooo good after a trip to Cute Overload...sigh. You must try it..Addicting but so good for you. http://cuteoverload.com/
I have two new artists (to me they are new) that I want their CDs.. Matt Dusk and Natasha Beddingfield. I so want their cds. Matt Dusk does jazz and swing (think of Michael Buble but really really ridiculously good looking) and Natasha is on the radio now with "Unwritten". I am enjoying "All About Me" by Matt Dusk whenever I encounter it.
So...we found an awesome tent trailer and jumped off that cliff of "we want it lets buy it". We await word that we got the financing. By shopping around we saved about 2000 dollars compared to the local place and got more for our money thank you very much. (trailer hitch intallation and 4 bike rack) Its the same type trailer (Flagstaff) but one year older, has a bike rack on the roof, and the dealership included the trailer hitch we need to have installed on the Volvo. We are so stoked...want to go camping as soon as possible. And if we have this I am staying in NS with the boys for some extra time and maybe can go back more often (in camping season). This is exciting. I hope we get approved.
finger crossed, toes crossed, legs crossed...eyes crossed.......

Another day....

blahh blahh blah.. Its Tuesday and I have another soccer game to attend tonight. Ben's this time and Cammie again tomorrow.
We went out looking at tent trailers last night after Cammie's game. They are pricey little motherf$%^s ! There is one for sale a couple of streets away and its for $12,000. Thats right...TWELVE thousand for a used tent trailer. Oy! Then again I don't know what year it is or what upgrades have been done. its a fairly recent one.
I have tried being the Devil's Advocate rather than the Devil herself and suggested that maybe this isn't such a wise move. We do need to reduce our debt further so that we have less month left at the end of the money. BUT it will allow us (by us I mean me and the kids) to spend more time in NS camping comfortably rather than much less comfortably. Richard doesn't get much time off so he'd not be going as much. BUT i'd have to learn how to put it up and down myself. And how to back it up...I suck at that with trailers though I was getting the hang of it with my utility trailer a few years ago. I think he wants to shop around some more before we decide for sure this year, yes or no.
Ben's teeth are doing great although Suzanne says she thinks he will need braces when he's older. Damn! there goes retirement.
My roses look sooo pretty! I think I will try to make lavender bottles tomorrow!

12 Loooooooooonnnnggg Years

That is how long Ricahrd and I have been married now. Twelve. Long. Years. :oP
Poor guy...come on let's hear it for my pooor long suffering husband who puts up with my various weirdnesses. aaaaaaw..Poor Richard. Thats what my family always says anyway. June 11th, 1994 is a day taht will go down in infamy!
To celebrate said event we went to a garden sale and bought some plants. Then I planted the plants: one Baptisia(false indigo), one lily magnolia, and 2 lilacs. they are all pretty small (except the baptisia) but with any luck they will grow and flourish. My roses have commenced to blooming after teasing me with the tips of opening buds for a week or more. Morden Ruby, while not fragrant, is very floriforous (sp?) and the blossoms are interesting because the petals are not a solid color but somewhat blotchy. Very pretty vibrant pink/red. I highly recommend it for hardiness and showiness.
Tonight was Cameron's third soccer game. He overheard one of the other kids say he didn't play well and his feelings are hurt. Mama Bear wants to crush the other kids skull and smear it on the ground. Reasonable Mother wants to help him learn to play better and utilise this as constructive criticism. What did I say to Cameron? "If he says it again tell him "Bite my ass, Dickwad!" Well I thought the dickwad part since that seemed a bit much. Poor Cammie. He was really enjoying it until that happened...having fun and thinking he was doing well and liking being part of a team for the first time. Poor baby.
Today was my last shift at the MPRC for most of the summer. The boys finish school next week. I got two new books today. Healing Wise by Susun weed and Jude's Herbal Home Remedies by Jude Todd. Very exciting. Also got some orris root powder so I can make potpourri this year. Yaaaay! The lavender is blooming now as it dianthus.
Gotta go.

Chilly

and not just the weather. R checked the bank account this morning and after an exclamation (softly) or two became ominously silent. When I would speak to him I got monosyllabic answers and little to no eye contact. It would appear that I am in the doghouse yet again! Its getting so's I should decorate in here since I have spent much of the last 12 years out here. Suddenly I feel very very tired. And bored. and Tired. Thumbsucking may be called for. Or not.
Many heaved sighs later........
Is it just me or does non-fiction do this to everyone? I zone out...I'm reading..its interesting..I bought the damned books...why do I zone out? Suddeenly I am paragraphs or pages along but no idea what I just read because my brain switched over to another track. Grrrrr. This always happened with text books. That is understandable!! But why when its a book I WANT to absorb????
Yesterday I washed some clothes, vacuumed, washed the kitchen floor (eeeeewwwww gross), and di some dusting. Today its laundry again and bathrooms etc. Ben has another game tonight! Had no idea until his coach called...yup there it is on the schedule I have not read thoroughly.
I so suck as a parent.

Is it just me?

Does anyone else find the DQ commercial featuring creepy monsters funny? Its like monsters meet junior high crush. Very funny. To me anyways. ahem..anyways...
My nose is running like crazy(plus sneezing watery itchy eyes etc etc etc). YES allergy season is upon me and I AM NOT HAPPY. Y'know if global warming etc causes wild life decimation why can it not get rid of some grass???? #$%^&^%^%&* pollen. I hate you grass pollen!!!! grumble grumble
Ben's soccer team so got their asses kicked again last night. Only half the team showed up for the game in St-Roch-de-l'Achigan and its probably because it was hard to find. Not on my list of parcs that Cameron's team plays on. Here is another way that Cam's coach is sooooo much better than Ben's. He gave us MAPS of the parc locations. Thank You! Very handy for someone like ME who has no idea where these #$%^&* places are! Richard went online to the soccer website and found the map for St Roch. I still got lost and had to buy a provincial map (again..mine is in the Volvo and I had the Echo) to find my way there. Anyways, the other team really had it together and showed up. They even warmed up better..grrrr. Asses kicked very fast 7-1 BUT Ben's playing was much better than last game even though he had no idea how to play his position. We basically yelled instructions at him from the sidelines. I became the kind of mother I hate at games. Then I got excited when Ben made a good kick and squealed/screamed. I must hang my head in shame now. So humiliated. Ben was thrilled with his playing and happy even though they lost and THAT my friends is what sports should be about. Tonight Cameron plays. I will keep my mouth shut...REALLY.

Tuesday Tuesday should be a snooze day..........

but it isn't. I have to get to Jean Coutu and get a photo done (AGAIN) for my health card. I just did this last summer for pete's sake. What a pain in the ass.
Also have lots and lots and lots of laundry to haul downstairs. Ben has a game tonight at 7 pm and Richard is pretty sure he will not make it home from Quebec City in time. My allergies are starting up .
I wanna nap!
I got books yesterday: Way of The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock and Mysteries of Druidry by Brendan Cathbad Myers. Also got the latest Eating Well but not knocked out by this issue as I have been by past issues. Made me want to bake a tart though. Yum.
ok...this is getting nothing done at all.
sooo slllleeeeeeeepy.
MORE COFFEE.

Oh and

SageWoman passed on the article because Wyntergreene is publishing it(SageWoman only takes articles that have never been soiled by other publications inky litttle mitts). They suggested I send it to their sister publication Blessed Bee and to try them again (SW)when I have something new. Oh well...nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Sales at Sears.......

are a dangerous thing for us it would seem. Richard has been in desperate need of fresher duds for work for quite some time. Its a sad but true fact of life in Montreal that in the insurance industry you are somewhat judged on appearance and need to stay au courant and stylin'. To this we are not adjusting well. Poor man.... after Christmas when I gave him a couple of cool shirts and a sweater he got compliments. This points out the fact that his look had been getting stale. But ye Gods NEW clothes are EXPENSIVE! If they want him looking sharper than we can afford maybe they should give a clothing allowance (don't even get me started on the fact that our Volvo purchase was after a "suggestion" from the boss). So, poor R has been getting dowdy , especially in the golf attire.
Today was the day to hit Sears. The sales were great!!!! We got 25 and 40% off many items and literally loaded our arms with shirts, ties, pants and shirts for golf (outdoor office) and pants and blazers for the(indoor) office. Since this only a once in awhile thing he needed quite a few things replaced. the shocker is when we got to the check out. The total was almost as much as my wedding gown. Thank Gods for plastic or the man would be naked. Thank Gods for my sister's care packages of hand me downs and thrift finds or I would be too.
Meanwhile, I got shirts and shorts for the kids the other day at the comptoir as well as shorts for Richard. $13. Went back yesterday for the bonsai pot I saw Thursday. Now to find the right plant for it.
One garden box (4x8)is finally filled and planted. 38 bags of soil it took! Those will be expensive tomatoes and carrots this year. Now I know how many bags I need for the other one.
I have been disgusting for May. No trips to Curves and eating like crazy... The inches taken off are back. Depressing. I gotta try to do better. I have been very tired and going to the gym after lunch has just seemed like too much effort. Must..Do..Better!!!!
I wish I had ice cream.

Thursday

So, after a scolding from Edith I sent my article to Sage Woman. I did it. Really. Now the wait begins. If they email me back will I remember that I sent them an article? I'm assuming it will take many moons for a reply. I took the leap and there we have it.
Now I need to do more laundry. And more article ideas. Hmmmm..."My Favorite Nap" 'What Kelly Said on Tv Today" "Vodka..Its not just for breakfast anymore" "Why Yawns Are Contagious and Other Universal Mysteries"......
Just a bit of brainstorming....heehheeeeeee
oop washer dinged.........