Happy New Year my BLEEPS

Happy New Year my People of the Blog {Bleeps}

Best of 2010

January
Year of NO FEAR began with this
February
Men's Olympic Speed Skating....enough said
March
Month of mix and mingle...initiate and participate was a challenge
April
Always a slow month...April completely redeemed itself with this surprise
May
Leaving for Edmonton...birthdays, and best of all moving into the new house.
June
The big day arrives and 6 weeks of Real Estate, Lawyers, and packing is so worth it.
July
Pot Luck, forgotten house guests both man and puppy and yearly humiliation.
HOT,HOT,HOT.....Not painful enough, I decided to add this.
August
Good stuff happened....The Red Hat Society adopted me as their very own Jewelry designer. I wore a bathing suit in public and I met a new neighbour.
September
Enjoyed the the canning frenzy....all for the love of Dwayne and my Dude.Gratefull for discovering Brandon Flowers CD and still in awe of the magnificence that was my begonias.
October
Christmas in October...tree, decorations, presents, turkey dinner all in the new house, priceless.
November
Blessing my dear girl for being with me....washing,feeding,dressing,shopping for me.
December
Putting mascara on both eyes.

Alicia's new CD

The weather and Christmas

Started as a green Christmas.

Snow began

Geese arrive for dinner

So much better than expected

Christmas has been somewhat of a challenge for us since 1990 and 1994 for my brother and his family. The years we both lost our 18 year old precious children. We handle the season much the same..... working hard to be Christmassy and reassuring our selves it will soon be over. The real solution is to surround yourself with family and friends and yesterday, feeling the abscence of our best family ev..er, we completely were saved by the generosity and love of friends.Lovely company, and delicious Christmas dinner made the day....well....like Christmas day.

Merry Christmas to all

 

And to all a good night........

wonderland

go play here

What I love to remember

Maybe it is because we are physically home alone this year and my heart had left the building to be with the best family ev...er or the spirit of the season has finally come to pass and I am besotted with the sweet memories of Christmas's past.....nothing to do with presents.....memories like....

Making popcorn balls with mom...her signature treat....true by my birthday one needed a hammer and screw driver to bust them into mouth size chunks but the love was in making them together.

Watching the Christmas Tree bubble lights, a well documented fire accelerant, so hypnotizing in the dark.

First Christmas married, first open house in our 1 room basement suite with shared bathroom.....open house....ha, ha,still makes me laugh and cry at how proud and happy we were.

Laurie's first Christmas, sitting under the tree, dressed in her pink popcorn puff Onesy, clutching shiny tinsel and laughing at her daddy.

The 4 of us bundled up, the babies wrapped in sleeping bags trekking out with toboggans, hot chocolate, Christmas cookies and ever present chainsaw to find the perfect tree.Still my favorite part of Christmas preparations.

Sending the girls off to school morning of December 1st and tearing about putting up lights outside and in and decorating the house so that when the school bus pulled up at 5pm the lights were on, cookies baked and hot chocolate ready.

Carolling the neighbourhood in the hay wagon,dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus,Elf and Reindeer. Handing out homemade gifts and goodies and sipping the random hot toddy.

Christmas Eve Mass if all the stars aligned, supper at home with the Sevigneys then lying awake waiting to hear the sound of little feet Christmas morning.

The dinner...brocolli rice casserole, moms stuffing and the best pumpkin pie ever better the next day.

Christmas Card for you from moi

Dear friends,Please feel my arms around you and hear me whisper in your ear....Merry Christmas and thank you for making my year....PERFECT!

Merry Merry

In the words of the Profit Alf....SANTA'S COMING...SANTA'S COMING....

Love this

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco.

The pastor of the church was looking over the crèche when he noticed

that the baby Jesus was missing from among the figures.

He hurried outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon,

and in the wagon was the figure of the

little infant Jesus.



So he walked up to the boy and said,

"Well, where did you get your passenger, my fine friend?"

The little boy replied, "I got Him at church."

"And why did you take Him?"



The boy explained, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to the

little Lord Jesus and I told Him if He would bring me a red wagon for

Christmas I would give Him a ride around the block in it."



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

The Ditgital Nativity story

Baby's Birthday

It's my birthday in 2 wks honey.....honey

In a 2 day period, I heard about this new spa at least 5 times. Every room is a floor to ceiling window suite.......It's my birthday......hon..ney....

This is what I know

I can brush my teeth...almost without the screaming that ensues with bending my right elbow over baseball size swelling caused by my new BF donar bicept.

I can now pull up my own underwear...true I am wearing my old granny pants.

I had my head shaved last week and my hair...the last vestage of my lost beauty is no longer my concern.

I have 45 degrees left in my quest to straighten my right arm...though Madame Pain, my Physio can do it by sitting on my shoulder and bracing her feet against my forearm.

I no longer miss my bra and am loving my new BOHO look.

I am the lady wearing the summer tops in a snow storm....my friends bicept won't fit in my size XL sweaters.

I will never shop again, at least not as long as the Dude feels the need to follow 1 foot behind me asking....do you need this?....were talking a friggin box of Turttles PEOPLE!

YES...I'M STILL A TAD CRANKY.....this I know ..oh...and I can now do caps.

I'm back....

Yes Blogsters...I was away...I had a moment, well maybe a week where the reality of 8 months of physio and the cavalier no pain, no gain attitude of my Physio brought me to my knees and somehow totally turned my resolve into.. fuck this! So like the gutless before me I turned to my bed, the TV, ice cream, and a really cranky...oh, I am so entitled attitude. Then today!!! my Physio cancelled...she is sick, and the sun came out, I made brownies, dirty dancing was on cable and I ....felt....better.

THIS BROTHER KNOWS MY PAIN

every morning,bathroom trip,bed time.....the household, the neighbourhood, the community hear my frustration. it has brought me to this difficult decision...i am going to become a NUDIST....

my day dream today

so....while clutching my gilded waste paper basket and seated on my porceline throne for the last 2 days, i had a dream...hallucination, whatever....and saw him and he sang to me....of our love,my beauty, and my amazing 13 lb weight loss....listen and feel the love.

Love this

darrelle london.....canadian sweetie

what we always knew

validation is sweet. a womans brain vs male...

beautifull day

omg...i think i might try a few decorations...the dude will faint in shock. not so stealthly he has been sneaking in lights, xmas balls, candles, letting me...discover them....boy oh boy do i have a treat for him....managed to keep at bay for 3 wks, but today oh yeah baby.....yeast infection.....

thinking cocky... umm make that stupid

many questions...can i...hold, reach, pull up, raise and lift with my special arm. can i take off body sling, lay on side, chop, stir, vacum, wash hair....all a big no in fact stop moving hand and go back to covering arm with shirt. crap,.;é`<¸=-^still no caps. patience....3 weeks longer then kid doctor will xray and set me free.

oh baby....

sounds easy....push that hurtin, swollen,concrete encased shoulder down into the mat....count to 10 while holding down..oh about 25 reps should be good....ice for 15minute...again....again....again

physio aka living hell begins

today my first 45 minutes of hell began, starting with the bendy Diane attempting to straighten the swollen, purple sculpture, i remembered as my elbow and ended with the chirpy Diane prophetizing a long...long...therapeutic relationship in my future.will my friend below be part of my journey....

love flowers

and many thanks, nadia,michael,danny and joey...

surprise!!

so....the good news just keeps on coming..apparantly my new bicept and tendon is cadaver donated...hmmmmm...

big day...staples drain debut

peach of a day....drove the bumpy,windey road to vernon....staples and drain removed by small backhoe...wooden stick generously provided to bite down on....warm week old orange juice offered in hopes of prieing the clinic basin out of clammy hands....windey,bumpy,queasy ride home.....pills,bed,ice....

surrounded by love

..
can you see the love....this girl, my girl is my heart, my life... she's a giver

%$#@#&*% yaaouchhhhhh

2 wks under the belt......still not happy.why...let me summarize....

routine shoulder replacement....all in... then ...surprise...fused collapsed joint, little existing rotator cuff, detached bicept muscle and tendon....and the coup de la piss off.... humerus split vertically when pin inserted....and...scapula split as well....perfect....so here i sit ordered to not move even my hand...arm strapped firmly to my impatient self for another 6 wks......and yaaaooouch does this sonofabitch hurt.....

it works...

ok try it..it worked for me

good listening

Gluttony

The Okanagan seems to need to flaunt it's bountious bounty. Not only do the residents of the Valley seem to have cornered the market on weather, golfing and consignment furniture stores...but they are gluttonous bastards when it comes to high end "Whole Foods" like market places.
How the hell can one small city manage to have all these Green Grocers, Natures Way and Organic Fares on each and every block yet Edmonton....all we friggin get is Sun Terra Market. In Kelowna and it's surrounding "burbs" you can stop and not only get your regular organic fare, but don't look now...there is a deli AND a bakery AND artisan cheeses and holy hell...a freakin JUICE BAR!
Please chosen people of the Okanagan I implore you...share your wealth. Come to Edmonton and I promise you I will visit you daily and bring all my healthy friends. Stop being up "stuck up" whole foods impersonators. Onlock your doors to Alberta....

FYI
Tangible home tomorrow...

home again

fuckinghhristdoesthissonbitchhurt

A day at the Spa

Bleary eyed, yet filled with anticipation, Margaret began her day with a warm welcome from Hot Bone Doctor. Anticipating the fear factor and taking it seems the stance that...more fear is better..he started the conversation with..."there's nothing left, we're going to have to take the entire front of the shoulder out."

Margaret returned to her seat ....a paler version of herself.

Next to visit, Hot Anesthesiologist. The most important member of the dance crew as far as we were all concerned. HA gave young pale Margaret the low down about her new improved pain plan which involved tanned, shirtless, muscled male beauties serving her every need. An excellent plan.

Back to her waiting room seat where we were all able to observe the pep talk being giving by HBD to his posse. There was even a RN who was apparently the team masseuse. We all applauded this new addition to the crew as well as her efforts to limber every one up.

5 hours pass....tick tock...
(Tangible went shopping)

Margaret met us back in her suite with a dazed but PAIN FREE expression of surprise. Apparently the last visitor to her dance card had left her with no pain management and this was the black hole she expected again. Success! Nerve Blocks, Gravol and several other important ingredients had been added to the the recipe. Good Times!

We left young pale Margaret ready for bed. Freshly washed and ready for her first night lying on her back in 8 years.

Sweet Dreams.

Madonnart has left the building

Start the clock

Hair cut,pick my care aide up at the airport,Stop for my last Marble Slab,pack my tooth brush,call about Op time and cuddle puppy and OD, group hug.... TTYL gater.....

Guest Bloggers

Tangible


Organic Dude


While I am away pursuing my dream to perform on the high trapeze for La Cirque, Tangible and Organic Dude will step up to fill the gap. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR $#@# MIND You ask??.....well I have a lot of trust in these two dear folk and their deep caring and respect for yours truly and of course for you my faithfull followers. Be open and gentle with them. They are deft in their manipulation of the Queens English and in the case of Tangible in the dialect of The Pink Panther as well and you certainly will find yourself entertained. Do not believe all they write....they are both quite psychotically addled....in a good way. Lets welcome them, my friends.

That time of the year again

 

Remember last year when OD announced the Gyro formal dance was tonite and I did all a girl does to make herself thinner, younger and prettier as well as stocked up on all my small talk gibberish,only to be told when I emerged from my boudoir..The ball was next month!!%$#@# He says it's tonight.....or.....is it?

Secretariat

OMG!!! Talk about a flashback after seeing this movie....THIS IS A MUST SEE,and I have to say brought me back to such good times spent with my mom at the track from the age of 6 up. Those early mornings in the huddle with dad and random Greek and Asian dudes handicapping the races of the day. Chatting up the Vets, grooms and exercise boys.....ohoh..fantasy coming on .....me...mist on the track, hair long and licorice black, flying in the wind as I breeze the pick of the day. Stopping only when Ronnie Turcot steps out on the track to stop us and lift me gently from the big red colt I was riding.OMG....go see this movie but take a box of kleenex with you.

Jewel...so pretty

Nice ......

Request List

Today, I am completing the last of my essential needs in preparation for Titanium Wedensday. We...the women in our family have an essential prerequisite to returning home following any invasive medical treatment....simply put....NEW BEDDING....Armed with my Bargain Moose coupon at Sears, I am off to purchase my POST OP BEDDING...***which by the way must not be wrinkled or sweat upon by man or dog prior to my arrival.I'm feeling Seafoam green and shades of coffee and gold. Next stop M&M's to purchase the best Almond Chocolate icecream bars and Maple Walnut icecream made by man then over to Cobbs for my favorite Artisan buns and bread and Sunshine Market for ..The Best Cheese ever and then to Purdy's to get my analgesic Snowballs. It is important I do these things myself as thoughts of being left to Organic Dude and a plethora of green smoothie combinations has kept me awake for nights. Not the masses of surgical/doctor videos and jokes sent to me by you, my friends but the vision of bits of kale floating in congealed gogi berries, has caused these bags under my eyes.

Was wondering if you were all asleep....my friends...

But here you are....on task....

On Task

The Cat Scan, blood letting,giving, testing, heart and lung function completed and chat with anesthetist regarding need for 28 hour nerve block, my pain threshold assessment, are done. I am on the fast track now. Just 1 tiny setback following 2 days of tests.....momentary insanity....lapse in commonsense....total absence of guts led me to seriously consider ,sneaking off in the mist in Little Red and starting a new life as a ranch hand/horse psychologist in Big Sky Country (Montana).I spoke with the family self appointed/educated Life Coach, went to my safe place, reorganized, cowboyed up and voila....posted...ready now...lets rock and roll.

Robyn...love her voice....love the lyrics

edmonton Scavenger Hunt score

Organic Dude 0, Laurie 10.....she had on hand, found in a timely way and knew the answers to all requests. The spectators were entertained and amazed as it all unfolded in a quiet, unmedicated way.....even the final challenge.....report and pics tomorrow.....stay tuned.

Thanksliving

Due to changes in in life, Christmas was moved up to Thanksliving(name change by Sarah.This made discovering a decorated Xmas tree in the Edmonton homes living room, not an alarm to call in the family Shrink but an opportunity to open presents 2 months early. That's what real love is...a working and for the most part single parent with 1 day warning we we on our way to spend Thanksgiving with them not only managed to deliver a sumptuous feast but a fully decorated Xmas tree complete with wrapped presents. Did I mention the supermoms iron is at an all time low of 1 and the dinner was for 10 very confused family members.Don't anyone underestimate the power of a whiny mother with pending surgery and a desire to see the new house in festive decor.

AHH...Surgery not Mental Health yet

RING.....Ring.....

Welcome to the Psychiatric Ward.

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.

If you are codependent, please ask someone to press 2.

If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.

If you are delusional and occasionally hallucinate, please be aware that the thing you are holding on the side of your head is alive and about to bite off your ear.

Wow feeling the love ladies....

Giving Thanks for.....being here

Love this....Kylie sings wonderful life

The musical contribution

Thoughtfull....very....

Starting to meet with the Possey

Had lunch 3 times this week with girl friends as I'm anticipating my future holds rather a dry spell in the ladies who lunch department. Summer pulls us all in different directions mostly family committments,(I had the most fun I think...moving my babes) but great to hear others stories of summer, and what their kids are doing, as well as....the Colonoscopy, the cateract surgery, the knee replacement, the lipo and Birch Proceedure...etc....etc....

Pick a number people, there's a lineup forming

A nurse was leaving the hospital one afternoon when she seen a doctor standing in front of the office shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Can you help me", said the doctor, "this is really important and my office manager has left. Can you make this thing turn on?"

"Sure", said the nurse, happy that the doctor had asked her for help.

She turned the machine on, inserted the paper and pressed the green start button.

"Wonderful!" said the doctor as his paper disappeared inside the machine.

"I'll just need two copies of that"

BBBbegonialicious

Remember this pic, just after the rain last week.


1 Week later.

I will so be planting these next year.

From the next Curse

It’ll Be Okay

A man was wheeling himself frantically down the hall of the hospital in his wheelchair, just before his operation. The head nurse stopped him and asked, “What’s the matter?”

He said, “I heard the nurse say, ‘It’s a very simple operation, don’t worry, I’m sure it will be all right.’”

The head nurse said, “She was just trying to comfort you. What’s so frightening about that?”

The patient said, “She wasn’t talking to me. She was talking to my surgeon!”

Snack Opposites

This is us....on to mega years of marriage still miles apart but oddly.... still together. He chooses ice water without the ice...WTH!...and a slice of lemon. I order 2 glasses of the Triggs Merlot. He chooses Marble Slab Vanilla with fresh cherries. I the Rum chocolate with Score mixins....and then today he makes dried fruit in the dehydrator with cinnamon to boost metabolism and I chocolate rockyroad fudge with nuts and Neilsons Crispy Crunch topping for the same reason.

Racing towards the finish

Pear jam today,waiting for the Concords then will make jelly. Tomorrow a batch of sponge toffee and chocolate rocky road fudge then wrap everything to take to Edm to leave for Xmas for my boys. Imagine by Oct. 7th all my Christmas shopping will be done, wrapped and sent. When I return home it's lab work, blood giving,Cat scanning Pre Admission Clinic, pedicure, manicure, hair cut, color, eyebrows and facial. Then it's ready or not.....

Beautiful

 

This morning following a light rain, I saw this lovely begonia.

Recycling and Dwayne

I have been blessed with the best SIL EVER. Pleasing him makes me so happy and because this often entails hard labour also makes me hurt....alot....but he is so happy when his gift for whatever occassion is canned fruit, jelly, jam, pickles. He generously parts with 1 jar, usually to his son and then quietly moves the entire remaining booty to his current work camp up north, never to be seen again. Now that includes the empty jars....never seen again. So Dwayne, a word about recyclables....no jars no fruit.

Love the fall

The Begonias are so happy with the humid weather and look better than they have all summer. Love the fall.


Rain for the last week has made the fall blooms absolutely amazing. This begonia is one of my favorites.

Guess what I'm doing today?

All 40 pounds......

Preparation is the key

Time is flying and I fill each day with tasks preparing my closet, drawers, bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, laundry area and outside decks so I can reach, use and be more self sufficient (read less demanding) following the surgery. Living with Organo Dude (raw, organic rules) could leave me in the lurch for essentials like coffee, ice cream, salt and vinegar chips and chocolate so items must be purchased and stored within reach of my weak and very short left arm. I have about 20 frozen meals put away but realized that I was remiss in prep of dessert/snack essentials...next week... Totally cleaned my red girly girl yesterday as driving will be out until early spring...dratted gear shift thingy. Hate, hate, hate giving THAT up. Next is to shop for xmas gifts or everyone will be back to getting items from Princess Auto Home Depo and Canadian Tire. Supply of red wine, tequila coolers and Baileys are now on the low shelf along with Tramacet, Ibuprofen, Gravol and Pepcid AC...Ozzie Osborn would be proud. Monday....to the studio to sort, file, and make up a beading project container, order years zines, place holds on 50 or so library books,and net shop for easy loose pull ups that retain my sense of style and mature beautiness. New list to make to include paint and copy xmas cards, wrap xmas gifts to take to Alta in October and put xmas decorations within reach....looks like we will have to stay here...sigh..maybe the new Winners store will be open by then....whatever!!

Art Walk, Winnfield

This last weekend, Winnfield hosted the annual festival of Art and good coffee, we know as Art Walk. I look forward to this event each year, always hoping that that "the light of my life", my daughter might be visiting. No one is more fun to walk the art with than her. Lakeland Art Community are so far ahead of the valley crowd in their ability to present the diverse artists of this area. One day I plan to bite the bullet and face the Jury and show my meager attempts at art but that's another day and today was well TODAY and I was a happy, happy coffee drinking art walker.

Om pa pa...Om pa pa

 

Yes it's Ompapa time in Peachland. Home of the Gausthaus, wherein you beer swigging, Polka stepping, Liederhosin wearing, boob leering, Octoberfestin folk are gathering. I had the pleasure of chowing down to a yummy schnitzel with spratzle accompanied by a litre sized mug of lager the color of tar. Sadly I had forgotten I would be unable to hoist the brew to my mouth. Thankfully my self appointed rehab aid assisted me on my journey to the silly land. There is nothing lovelier than a fall evening on the lake where the peace of the evening is broken only by the sound of Zigge, Zagga, Hoi Hoi Hoi!

Mostly about mothers

What week of memories. This time of year really does me no favors, even though fall and Thanksgiving are my favorite times of the year; I have a love hate relationship happening. It all comes down to my mother...having a mother, being a mother ....and on....and on. So! Today finds me still in a puddle remembering my mother and how I sat behind her, holding her in my arms as she was dying and thinking no one will ever love me so completely ever again, and trying to hold her here.Then remembering my own daughters and the fact no one will ever love them as much or so unconditionally as me,their mother and finally rereading, Robert Munsch's I'll love you forever and like you for always as long as I'm living my baby you'll be....so are you starting to get my drift? Time to get the hip waders on and splotch out of this swamp.Want to hear a nice story, my sweettarts? Click on Robert Munsch and prepare to be in tears. The story was written while grieving the death of his own 2 babies.

Brandon Flowers Oh my

Is he not the best thing? A fan of Killers Forum for a long time because of this guys endless talent....well....and look......

A very gifted paper artist, and lovely lady passed away on Saturday. Bev will be very missed by her family and friends many of which are CST members (a Canadian Stamp Talk group). Visit Bev's siteto see her art. It is so uniquely hers and will live on for many of us who have pieces of her incredibly beautiful cards.

Happy Birthday too

Coco at 18, a watercolor. Today....a day of memories......

Toe Thongs needed

As you may recall, Jewelry Slave and I created 126 pairs of Toe Thongs during the early spring in anticipation of the summer beach season. Inventory tells us we have 11 left. I would say they have been quite the little success story and perhaps Dragons Den is in our future...NOT!I am LOATH; read very distressed when thinking I may have to do a repeat on those extremely monotonous and mind numbingly boring Dodads but I have dreams that need independent funding so.....WTH.

September...get ready...

Good news....dance girlfriends...dance like no one is watching. October 27th is the day my dancing days will become possible. Me and my very own Patrick Swazy lookalike (Kid Dr.)have a date in Vernon, so...I am now in preparation mode. Body, house, stuff I need to survive and stuff to make the pain less...Purdy's Chocolate, Autumn Harvest Coffee, Marbleslab ice cream, great bath products and comfy rehab outfits. I am so READY!!

Went Clubbing last nite....had a blast

Eventfull month

Go my little bits of my heart and soul and be happy. Spread joy and attract love for those who are now your people.I miss you already. Sold today and wrapped in pretty handmade butterfly wing paper to be delivered tomorrow.....maybe...

Are these really my hands?

OMG....I looked down at my hands laying accross the quilt this morning and thought...what is my mother doing here?

and then there was MORE

Another 6 dozen peaches arrived....Dwayne you have hit the WIN button...I am now working for you. 8 hours of one to one with the canner is going to happen again tomorrow.

PEACHES!!!!!

WTF......3 cases of peaches were delivered today, along with sealers......

So tired

Monday at last. Company since last Tuesday, ended with a dinner for 15 Saturday nite and everyone returning to their various home's Sunday. I could sleep for a week and just might......

Marble Slab ???

WTH....the week has bombed so far. I know it is just Tuesday but it feels like Friday. Far be it for me to be negative, sunny disposition and all but....on Friday, that's Friday the 13th to you,I heard from these ...we're not going to make it easy people. RBC Mortgage...wrong address, wrong phone number some how typo'd in all the 200 pages of notarized mortgage documents, signed and initialed by pricey Lawyer and harried bank manager. They were needing a June 1 answer to very NB and confidential question that our never seen before neighbour received by mail 8 weeks ago before feeling obliged to pass on to me;you guessed it on Friday the 13th. Second call from WCB requesting ASAP Dr's. report from 2003, currently in the possession of the Lawyer discharged from the case in 2008. Third call from third party insurance party requesting ASAP report from WCB regarding status of said Dr's report and WCB decision. Monday and Tuesday find me cranky enough to ban horse racing from the world,until a sign on my corner announced Marble Slab (cue in Theme song from Superman) would be opening soon. Alla be praised!

Contacting RBC

WARNING!!!! Prior to reading this text take a couple Valium or imbibe to ensure the old BP stays within normal limits. Maybe it was the relentless heat of the past 75 days or possibly these unfortunate folk pulled the short straw of career selection when agreeing to work for this sad institution....regardless, I was their Friday the 13th victim. The weapon of choice ...the telephone. My shocked wail when a neighbour delivered 8-10 pieces of confidential bank mail addressed to the wrong address (theirs) was heard resonating over the golf course. Why all opened? Her name also started with the letter M as does mine and she was understandably confused. Some thought a yell of FORE was heard, and wisely ducked, while I delivered my much loved tirade on personal space and the respect thereof.The mail,dated from May 31st and marked urgent reply needed (remember today's date...August 13), alerted me to a big problem. One, it was from a bank. Two,it concerned a new mortgage venture and 3,it was from RCB,, an 8 year thorn in my foot (long story), and another reminder of I should have known better. You would think a simple address correction, would be well,simple...NOT. Remember April when we signed away all rights to privacy about everything and the quad zillion forms requiring our notarized signatures,costing $500.00 that later was determined to be unnecessary. All upon the advice of your Mortgage Specialist(sorry) #@$%^&^* Someone ??? keyed in a typo, 0 for 9, giving free access of our financial life to total strangers.Today 3 hrs talking to 5 different bank assistants at 3 different phone numbers,to change 2 addresses for 4 people, changed me and not in a good way so I in turn changed them. Over, you ,ask?...not yet the big snafu will be addressed on Monday. . Forcasted temp is in the high 30 degree C. You will want to be there.

Update on the year of NO FEAR

More on Task than off in meeting my objective of finding and using my brave gene. I have stepped up and gone on a boat in rough water,invited and hosted at least 2 dinner parties a month,joined and participated in a new group,Worn my bathing suit in public and lived,gone swimming in the lake,driven the car in rain and a storm, submitted an article to a bead zine, not backed down to an argument with scary people....etc....etc Sounds a little feeble, OK a lot feeble but recovery from a brain bleed totally dissolved my gumption and independence. I think it's coming back.
Thank you Great Spirit Guide.

Welcome to The Red Hat Society Boutique

The jewelry was OK,"so cool...no one will have it...love the funkey style...can you make more........MORE!!!!More red and purple? Perhaps when I get over my eminent surgery...love to after I return from the annual Beader's Triathlon....call me...really.

Makes sence to me!

Reading this made total sence to me and now I demand a total Do Over. What about you?

It's bit me in the butt

I know.... I know, in a past rant, I swore I would become a Brittany fan if I ever, EVER said or did anything to infer I had formed an allegiance with the incideously, addictive, much like Mary Kay girls,virus, affecting the ....when I get old, I will wear purple, female population........but I have prostituted my art and made RHS jewlery. Mea Culpa....mea culppa.....$$$$$$$$$$$.

To Dance is human but to Polka is divine

This is the KD I love.

Remember the summer of the Cabanna Boy?

OooHHHHHhhhhhyaaaa.....Remember the pool boy in the white cotton draw string pants....shirtless....tray of extra sour Marguritas.....him.....picking up all those teeny tiny seed beads I kept dropping, and dropping and dropping...great summer. He...might have been Jason Colette, singing, strumming, picking up beads.....oh ya..

Again???

Brought to you by the same people that gave you Big Boned Girl....da..ta..da..ta

Happy Birthday my little Leo

The bathing suit must never win

Shopping for a new bathing suit yesterday was its usual humbling and exhausting experience. Let me explain....bright fluorescent lights and a 3 way mirror in a coffin sized, non air conditioned cubby, began my afternoon of pain. Living in a summer resort area provides a plethora of brightly colored suits mostly thong bikinis, all tooting bare midriffs both areas in my no fly zones of public apparel. Bold advertising over the one piece suits for curvy women....read plus size, promised to eliminate my belly, elongate the look of my leg, enlarge (have you lost your frigging mind) or reduce my bust,and cover any side and back fat. Really makes you wish you had donned a disguise before you gathered together an assortment of the weiner-casing-like contenders for the athletically built woman (read same width of bust, waist and hip),in appealing camouflaging (slimming) shades of black, brown and Navy and dashed for the dressing room.92 minutes later, bathed in sweat from frustration and fulfilling my aerobic exercise componant for the day, I returned home to a welcoming 4 Robaxicet and a litre of Mikes' Hard Lemonade and reflected on the remaining 62 days of 36 C temps in the desert of western Canada. Maybe I am not meant to swim in the cool Crystal clear, though now chemically polluted waters of Lake Okanagan and perhaps I should take my daily allotment of vitamin D in Pill form rather than try to tan in the smoke filled air that encases the valley or maybe I should just wax philosophical and get a life and hold my own party....thats the way I roll....positive thinker...me....

Love this Big Boned Gal

No doubt written for me.....da...ta....hey hey big boned gal ain't no doubt she's a natural...da..ta...da...

Leo....the Lion

Lion is the king of the forest and he can survey the entire forestland with an aristocratic outlook. Most demanding and dominating of all the animals is the Lion because of its imposing presence. It is no wonder to see that people who are born under Leo sun sign are the most dominating of all sun signs. Leos are the most expressive, creative and immensely out going of all people. Just look at a Leo person and you will see how creative and inventive they are! A typical Leo can be very attractive, imposing and magnetic in looks and demeanor. With all those tough looks, Leos can be very kind and humane as well. In general, all Leos are courageous, creative, exciting, dominant, disciplined and ambitious in their approach.

Standby Art is happening.......

WTH prove it BB...........

Birthday Week**** it's Birthday Week

August 1st,heading towards August 6th, the day my little butter tart became.What fun awaits her this year as she commemorates the year of the house, the year of shopping at the other end of the rack,the year of mother of the graduate and the year of daughter of a senior citizen (remember 65 is the new 50).
My years behoove me to pass on these enlightened words of wisdom to you my precious daughter,by the great philosopher, George Carlin a comment on the journey....

Life's journey is not to
Arrive at the grave safely
In a well preserved body,
But rather to skid in sideways,
Totally used up and worn out, shouting '..man,what a ride!

Something you need to know

The opposite of Abby is Maude

Regal,elegant,gentle girl, everything you would want in a dog.

Maude , Brian's dog, loves Abby and takes care of her when her sonar goes wonky.

The small shall command the earth

This is Abby...she is 18 years old, blind, arthritic,smelly and wheezy, cranky and impatient but still commands the room.

 

This is Abby and her stuff and the stuff provider and server, Brian