Matt Good's Hospital Music

Linds, Ty, Fiona, Alana and I are all abuzz tonight. Big time.

Although I only got 4 hours of sleep last night (anxiety/insomnia), I find myself awake again tonight and it's because I can't shut off Matt's new cd, Hospital Music. He's been my favorite artist for some time now and, with each new release of his I keep thinking, "my God, this is his best yet". And then he ups the ante. Every. Single. Time. And this, by far, IS his best work ever.

I suggest that all of you, Matt Good fans or not, go check out this masterpiece...it's beautiful - start to finish. Go on now, give it a listen.

*Note - in order to stream the album, you must be registered to his site. It's well worth the effort, trust me. ;)

You may (or may not) have noticed that I haven't been visiting or commenting on your blogs as much as usual lately. But, if you have noticed, please don't take it personally...I'm currently "two timing" on blogger with my new love - "Facebook".

Don't worry...it's a passing trend and it's kind of like a shiny new toy to a kid. After awhile the novelty will wear off, but right now it's new and exciting and offers some new twists and turns. It's got some fun stuff to do, including a little "music challenge" game that's got me hooked. The idea is to name a song/artist as quickly as possible and rack up points - quick responses = extra points. It's so addictive that I played into the wee hours and am trying to catch up to Fiona (who's ranked a "music genius". I, however, am a mere "music junky" and have my work cut out for me). So this explains my sporadic visits and why I'm temporarily "absent".

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The long weekend is nearly upon us here and, wouldn't you know it, the rain is back. I sure hope we get some decent weather for the planned festivities - Saturday we're going to the horse races and Sunday is a big Canada Day celebration here called the "Salmon Festival". I've been attending since I was a kid and it's grown from a little community affair to a huge event (with long line ups and elbow to elbow fair goers). Personally I liked it better when it was smaller and more intimate...it's become a crowded, noisy money grab and is less about the exhibits, family and entertainment as it now focuses more on the expensive carnival rides and midway games with prizes. Seriously, how many large purple hippos does one need? But I go every year (it's tradition) and I wouldn't miss it for the world...Canada Day has to be spent in Steveston for me.

The highlight's always been the salmon barbecue and, again, it's lost some of its appeal. This year it's $12 for a small chunk of salmon, some bagged salad and a bun. I think we used to pay $2.00 (back in the day). I pass on it now, as I can get fresh salmon anytime from Dad and it's not much of a novelty for me. But I guess I'm a bit of a buzzkill here...some people flock to the event just for the barbecue and the salmon always sells out early. And the smell of barbecue in the air really adds to the "festival" feel. All in all, it's a great atmosphere and most really show their love of Canada with costumes of red and white and faces adorning the Maple Leaf. Local talent is showcased and we hit the bigtime last year when CBC Radio showed up to broadcast some of the show.

I have fond memories of the Salmon Fest as the entire extended family used to all turn up there and we'd bump into each other throughout the day.Our family has attended the fair for generations and some knew or even were the original "Salmon Queens" (Steveston's answer to Miss Universe). They rode on a float every year, waving like the queen to the neighbourhood kids. More recent memories for me are of the Bingo tent - it was always guaranteed that you could find my Grandma, Aunt Rosie, Aunt Jenny and Mom in there, smoking like chimneys and trying to win a toaster to shove in a closet. I have pictures of me as a baby, sitting on the grass with a toy as they all sat around with their kernels of corn, waiting for that one last number that would have them shriek like banshee women.

My grandparents lived one street over from the fair and we'd all gather there afterward to smear the place with sticky fingers and groan about the fact that we'd eaten too much junk. Ah, the good ol' days, I long for them. How times have changed.

As I got older, the big attraction was the beer garden and loud rock bands that played in the field behind the carnival and at the pub down the road. As a teen, I knew everyone at the fair and we ruled the world as we caroused around our stomping grounds, thinking we were the coolest things on the face of the earth. More recently it's turned into a rowdy free for all more than anything and idiots have now ruined it for the rest of us. A handful of drunken teens have vandalized neighbourhood houses over the past few years (Dad's being one of them), resulting in the fireworks being permanently cancelled (and banned throughout the city). At least when WE were the drunken teens, we just got stupid...some of the ones these days are angry and destructive. We really used to enjoy sitting by the water at Garry Point, taking in the evening show and now that's finished forever. Oh well, nothing good ever really lasts, does it? It's too bad though that the "rat race" is slowly stealing away the community feel and things just aren't as simple, friendly and easy as they once were. It's all so complicated now (damn it).

Anyhow, I'm asking you to dust off your boots and do a sunshine dance. But, rain or shine, you will find me in Steveston on Sunday, dressed like a candy cane and reminiscing of days gone by.

Ty used to really be into wrestling when he was young - namely, The WWF. He used to watch every Monday night RAW and we ordered every single PPV - it was his "thing" (along with hockey, of course). We even took in a couple of live events and one of our biggest thrills was meeting our hero, Bret (The Hitman) Hart. We had the PPV on when his younger brother, Owen, was killed while attempting to propel from the ceiling of the arena in a grandiose entrance. It was tragic and we felt sick as we questioned whether it was real or just part of the storyline. It turned out to be very real and that stuck with us for a long time.

Ty always knew that wrestling was "fake", but there's an element of athleticism/danger in it that can't be denied and makes it quite entertaining. You can't pull off some of the maneuvers that they do without being agile and in top condition. That being said, they completely went over the top with some of the story lines and it became a very bad soap opera, causing Ty to eventually lose interest as he "matured". It's been a few years since he's had any interest in it.

Tonight he came down and said "wow, did you hear the news?" and directed me to this story. We always liked Chris Benoit because he was one of our Canadian boys who made it in the WWF. So this, too, made us sit down and shake our heads in disbelief. Our thoughts go out to the family at the devastating news. So sad.

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In lighter news, there's a new show airing soon that looks like it could be a lot of fun.The Singing Bee has contestants attempting to sing the correct lyrics to hit songs. Basically it'll be another extension of "misheard lyrics" as bad singers make up words to songs as they go along. Where do I sign up?

It's been one hell of a day here today. I was awakened early this morning by thunder/lightning and more rain than I've EVER seen before. It lasted for about an hour and then was gone as fast as it came...there was no trace of a storm as it turned into a beautiful sunny day. Go figure. I was glad that the bad weather that had been forecast was at least out of the way for the concert tonight. Right? (WRONG!)

At 4:00 another doozie rolled through...a real houseshaker that lit up the sky (which sucked because I absolutely hate thunderstorms and become a big chicken). So much anxiety in one day. I was sitting at the window, rocking back and forth like a little baby (wondering if I should forfeit my poker game to save my computer. Takes a lot to get me off my game). We have surge protectors, but all the stuff that I read online said I should still shut down/unplug the computer and even the phone line/modem. I didn't...I crossed my fingers instead. What do you guys do? Do you unplug everything or just hold your breath like I did?

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Ty phoned from the concert awhile ago (for a Nascar update, because apparently I'm Nascar Central on Sundays). It was 5:30 and they were still in line - had been for an hour. A bit annoying because doors were supposed to open at 5:00. The storm also caught them out in Burnaby and they were already soaking wet. This has been a bad year for outdoor concerts here.

I have this to say to anyone thinking that global warming isn't affecting things - get your head out of your ass...something's definitely happening here. I know we have cycles of extreme weather, but things are so off kilter that it's got to be much bigger than anything "normal" or predicted. Mother Nature man, don't piss her off. Look what's happening in Manitoba...that's just scary.

Anyhow, I really have nothing exciting to talk about these days. I'm not feeling 100% and am a little pissed at the doctor who did my surgery. He told me of one procedure...but apparently I had two. And I never saw him before/after for any instructions. The pamphlet given to me at the hospital said I should book with him in 12 weeks...the internet says one. And I was not told anything re aftercare, so I assumed I was good to go. Here I was, out power walking and working out, yet I just read online that it's advisable to take it easy for a week afterward and not engage in any strenuous activity. Nice. Someone forgot to give me that memo. Luckily it was Ty nagging me to get some info, as I just wasn't feeling quite "right".

Well, off to clean the fridge. Woo and hoo Barb. Did you know that when honey garlic sauce spills in the back and noone points it out right away, you then have to use explosives to get it off? There is no other way...I've tried.

Well wish me luck...I promise that the next post will contain something of interest.

For now, here's mother nature at work.

The Shit Wipes

I'm a little mad at myself for snoozing then losing. It seems I procrastinated on getting White Stripes tickets and now it's too late. I did hand over my debit card so Ty could get some a few weeks ago, but I forgot to include myself. So here's who's going on the $250 that was debited from my account:

1. Tyler
2. Linds
3. Lindsay's friend Jessie
4. The ex
5. Not me

I worked myself into a hype for the show yesterday, what in my red, white and black outfit and a bunch of YouTube videos. And just when I'd icky thumped myself into really wanting to go and checked out Ticketbastards for a ticket, I was disappointed to learn that it's sold out. Dead leaves on the dirty ground - that's what I am. (O.K. I know, enough already).

I initially was hesitant in going because the ex was going and sometimes he's about as much fun as a bag of moldy mushrooms...he can be a real killjoy for me. But I'd come to the realization that I didn't have to be near him...I could dance my way away from him with Linds and her friend. And Ty could be his date so I wouldn't have to be. Deer Lake Park sounds like such a great place to attend a concert and I was looking forward to that experience. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be.

(*The Shit Wipes was in reference to the fact that when I typed in the "White Stripes" I typed an "s" instead of the "w" by accident and then inadvertently put the "w" where the "s" should've been....it just seemed natural to finish it off this way. So I'm renaming the band and will send them the memo)

What are your weekend plans?

Wahoo, it's Friday. Well for me and Mel it is (can you see me sticking my tongue out like a cheeky bugger?). I finished my shift and dropped Linds off so she could practice with her new "band"...she and her friends have formed a band and they're taking it all quite seriously. Her friends have told her she's the "Emily Haines" - so much pressure. I just hope they have fun with it. I said if they need a Little Tykes keyboard player they could count on me and I've also volunteered to be a lyricist...they politely declined my offers (smart cookies they are). They were struggling with a name and, after much deliberation, they agreed on one of Ty's suggestions - "Knock Twice For Alice" (or something like that).

I headed straight up to Garry Point afterward to do a power walk (and check on my rock...yep, still there). Found this little guy while I was up there....tk, I tried to catch him but no luck. I bumped into the ex's brother and an old friend - they were out walking their 5 dogs. Now that's a handful. I've been bumping into a lot of people lately...the other day I met up with 3 old friends all in the same day. I guess it's the nice weather bringing people out more. I miss my old friends...funny how time pulls you apart, even though you may still live 5 minutes away from each other.

Anyhow.....

Last night when I was at GP there was a group of women who were obviously part of a "workout" group. I sat and watched and was critical bitchy in my thinking as I picked apart their routine..."they're not keeping their knees over their toes", "their legs aren't far enough apart", etc. I'm pretty sure I was just jealous and wanted to participate.

This was a coincidence because tonight when I was up there I noticed a jeep from a local radio station. I went over to ask the guy what the deal was and he said if I had a sticker from their station on my car I'd win a prize. So I asked him for one and then went and stuck it on my car and drove over to where he was. What a genius I am, huh? I won a cd and a $200 gift certificate for cardio-core bootcamp which was where the ladies were from last night. So I guess I will use the certificate and go give it a whirl. Actually, in reading about the program, it looks like it might be fun.

Speaking of workout programs...I plan on following up with a post about my favorite programs from the past. One of them, although effective, was quite dangerous and the techniques were pretty bad. Something along the lines of throwing an elephant up over your head. It involved weights and a lot of shoulder impingement. If only we knew back then what we know now....

Anyhow, that's about it for now. I'm finding out if I'm smarter than a fifth grader...so far, not so much. Although I did know that the esophagus is NOT the passage way between the throat and the nose, unlike the contestant (a pre med student) who just bombed it...the fifth grader saved his butt.

Oh, and happy NHL draft day tomorrow. That's a big event in this house and we're usually glued to the TV. How pathetic is that?

So have a good whatever the hell day it is today in your world. I'll leave you with this pic (gled, you might like it)...it's a little British shop that's soon going to be demolished to make way for yet another block of condos. I'll be sad to see it go...nice little treats in there (although a little pricey). Nothing good ever lasts in this town.

I'm not having the best day today. I had to go for a pre-op EKG over at the hospital and I hadn't really thought about it much. I parked at the fitness center and walked over ('cause I'm a cheapskate and didn't want to pay $2.50/hour for parking) - I told myself it was because the exercise would do me good. But I was walking the same route I used to walk when I visited Mom. I haven't done it since she passed away and it hit me hard as I headed in to the hospital. I entered through the same door and had to take the exact pathway I used to take to visit her, right past the elevator that lead to her room. I thought I'd pulled it together when I got to reception, but as I was lying on the table they played a really sad song and that did me in. Staring at the same hospital ceiling that I'd stared at for months just brought it all home and a tear rolled down my cheek. And, of course, at that very moment the woman doing my EKG re-entered my space. I felt like an idiot...she said, "oh, don't be scared - you'll be o.k." and gave me a kleenex. So embarrassing.

I was so strong after Mom passed, but I feel like I'm buckling now. Anyhow, I will survive but, in the words of Long John Baldry, "it ain't easy".

So I thought my procedure would be early but it turns out it's at 2....I can't drink ANYTHING, not even a sip of water until after it's over. So that means from midnight tonight until about 5:00 tomorrow afternoon....GOD, I'LL SHRIVEL UP AND DIE I'M SURE. I can't go that long without water. I am not a fucking lizard.

I've also had to deal with the admins at Linds' school again today...the ones who are trying to pawn her off elsewhere. I'm meeting with them Wednesday morning and I may take my uzi. I know, not a good joke considering what's happening in schools these days, but I'm at the end of my line. I got the inside scoop on the VP who's giving me grief from a teacher friend of mine who's had experience with him. Turns out my initial impression of him is bang on...he's a self-centered, egotistical know it all who gets off on belittling people that he thinks are inferior to him. I love those kind...they don't scare me. I mean what's to say about a married man who has his OWN junior soccer picture hanging on his office wall instead of one of his wife or kids. It's true...a thirty year old picture of him in his knee high white socks, short shorts and Beatle's hair. Pretty sure I can win this one. He's the type of person who looks right through you to the window outside as you're talking and you know he's not hearing a word you're saying. And he wants to decide my daughter's future?....I think not. Funny, the school called in the help of a social worker from the children's ministry and she's totally cool. She "gets" us and is completely on board with my thinking and agrees that the school's dropping the ball and needs to formulate a plan specifically for Linds. She says our district still uses the same education plan that they've been using for 50 years and it's time they start bending a bit. So their plan kind of backfired because she's coming to the meeting as an ally for us. And they think she's their ace in the hole in getting rid of Linds. It's unfortunate because this has more to do with me than it does with Lindsay. One day I'll tell the story of how I fought the school on a major issue at the School Board level (and won)...they're obviously still pissed. Remind me to post about it next entry.

Anyhow...back to my poker game. I'm playing against a guy who calls himself Yorak Hunt....lovely. And another called GeorgePig who just flopped 4 kings. Oh oh.

Take care my friends...may not be around for a few...we'll see how things go tomorrow.

Music Wars & Bloody Knees Make Me Wanna Shop

We are temporarily interrupting this blog to go live life.

I'm running all over hell's half acre doing a bunch of stuff (again). And arguing with Fred Flintstone over on another blog about Canadian music. As some of you already know ("Scribs"), I can sling mud with the best of 'em. This guy (Fred) knows nothing and considers The Stampeders "Sweet City Woman" the best song ever. Need I say more? I wanted to say "well my friends know EVERYTHING about music. So nanananaNAna" and stick out my tongue. I'm so juvenile like that. But I just stuck to name calling, which I'm pretty good at (I had a messy separation, remember?).

Actually I don't really get off on being rude and nasty to people - I'm not saying that I don't do it, just that I don't feel good about it afterward. I'd rather play nice. But this ass has been rude to people before and has an arrogance about him that really bugs me, so I let him know it. (Barb, he actually said I looked like a Zombie...I laughed and told him that some of my best friends are zombies!)



(Hey Fred....yabba dabba I've got something for you to do. Crawl out of the 70's into 2007 and check out this guy's music. He makes me proud to be a Canadian. Try it, you might like it...and, if not, you can always go back to your Sweet City blow up doll).


Father's day shopping today =

-sandals for Ty
-sandals for Linds
-nightie for Linds
-tank top for me
-a new area rug for me

Happy day Pops...don't we look good?

Going to do a late w/o now because it's the only time I can sneak it in. Don't know how I'll make out, I wiped out today and have a bloody knee that isn't working so well. Wish me luck.

(OH...and talk about karma....the Flames will now be sweating under the rule of Mike Keenan. He's so charming. Ha, good luck with that - been there, done that. Sorry Barb, time to move)

Is This All There Is?

I spent my entire DAY OFF running around, doing and getting stuff for others. Sucker, that's what I am. Oh well, can't complain - I bring most of it on myself. I got some new wheels put on Ty's rollerblades after I talked him out of getting the $90 ones he was set to buy yesterday....I said I could find some for less. He responded, as any smart person would, by saying "o.k., you do it then". D'oh. I did manage to find some that were pretty much half the price of the ones he'd scoped out and, although they didn't include bearings, it turned out he didn't need them anyhow. These are his old wheels. At this point I don't think you can call them wheels anymore...doorstops maybe, but not wheels.

After the skate shop I hit the local farm market and, unlike most normal people who buy a bag or two, I bought a whole box of produce.
This picture doesn't do it justice as it's after I'd emptied half of it (we demolished the strawberries before they even hit the fridge). We're so spoiled here - an abundance of farm fresh local stuff all over the place. I especially love this time of year with the strawberries, little "nugget" new potatoes and English peas straight off the vine...there's so much variety.

After that pit stop I had to shop for "the guys" - Father's Day on the weekend and Brandon (my nephew) turns 13 tomorrow. What the hell do you buy a 13 year old boy who has everything? No, I don't have enough for an Iphone or a hummer. Anyhow, he's just started golfing so I picked up some do-dads for that and will stick some cash in a card. What 13 year old doesn't love to get $$, right?

I went to get golf balls that were on sale at Canadian Tire and, as is usually the case, they had none that were advertised. I'm starting to question the whole advertising something for half price that's never in stock...isn't that called false advertising?

"This week we have gold & diamonds for six bucks...hurry in they won't last".

That's because they're make believe and you don't even have them...you just want people in your store and you think we're dummies. We're not...we're onto you.

The last time they had these particular golf balls on sale it was the same deal - none to be found. No trace of them and I was doubting that they even existed. So this time I insisted that they give me a raincheck for when (if) they ever did arrive. Suddenly one of the employees "remembered" that she'd stashed some on the top shelf behind some other stuff. She got a ladder and went up to find them and lo & behold, 6 boxes conveniently tucked away (for her friends and family). This happened once before when they had limited edition signed NHL prints...I was there an hour before the sale started and they sold out in 12 seconds as the employees grabbed them by the handful. They were gone by 9:58 - the sale was to start at 10. People showed up at 10 to find that they were too late and out of luck. That time I managed to get what I'd wanted, but only because I'd preplanned and showed up early...I still had to fight like a hungry dog to get my hands on one. Shopping's become a dangerous sport - it's rough out there and somebody could get hurt. Most likely by me.

I'd only intended on getting one pack of golf balls but, as you can see I changed my mind. "Screw her" I thought, about the employee who'd been hording her balls and when she asked how many I'd like at first I said one, then quickly changed it to "I mean FOUR". Gotta' get my piece of the pie. I guess it was nice of her to share her stash with me - I just don't think it's really cool that the employees do that - kinda makes it unfair for the customers. Oh, who the hell am I kidding...I'd do the same thing.

Now I'm wondering if I need therapy....four cases of golf balls. A big box of produce. And then I went and bought my 80,000 pack of rice crackers. If there's ever a huge catastrophe come to me friends, I've got supplies. I should just get another Costco membership and give in to my feelings. Bigger, better, MORE.....I think there's a name for this. What's that?..............."CRAZY?" Yep, I think you may be right.

Anyhow, that pretty much sums up my restful day off...ran around from 11 until 4. I did other stuff too, but it's all pretty boring and I just filled you in on the really exciting stuff. Aren't you glad you came?

This guy's pretty amazing.

As I've mentioned before, working out has alway been a huge part of my life...it's like breathing for me and when I don't workout I'm just not happy. That goes back as far as I can remember...I recall being about 12 when I started running on the dyke and I also swam alot back then. I've had periods where I've slacked it but, all in all, it doesn't last long and I'm totally miserable during these periods. I've been quite obsessive with it at times and can remember climbing on my stepper at 2 am because I didn't want to miss my workout. (I'm over that now.)

The entire time Mom was sick I let things slide. Actually, it goes back a bit further to when Dad was diagnosed with cancer although, during that time, I remember pedalling my ass off on my bike to try and shove down the worry I was feeling. But I started to forget what was important to me because my family is number one on that list. I was totally consumed with my parent's stuff and just didn't get around to my own.

Lately I've mentioned that I've felt very disconnected in life and I just realized what's been missing........




.....this.









My old friend, the step. Now, don't get me wrong and write me off as a heartless loser...obviously Mom is "what's missing", but I mean in terms of things I can change. I've had this baby for 20 years (it shows). I was trained as an aerobics instructor and step was my favorite so I focused on it as my specialty. It's been everywhere with me...in this picture I was at the lake on holidays.I took it there every year and I can't tell you how cool it is to workout in the mountains with deer watching (one showed up shortly after this pic). But over time I tend to get bored so, despite being connected with it at the hip, I eventually put my step away and bought a stepper and starting biking.

But today I dragged it out and dusted it off and quickly remembered how much I love it. Sounds weird, I know, but this was definitely missing from my life and it's good to reunite with my old friend.

And, yes, this is the most interesting thing that I have to post about at the moment. :)

Oh, ffs. I've heard enough of Ms. Hilton and the joke that is her sentence.

Remind me, the next time I'm off to jail (although I'm not really planning on it), to cry like a baby so that I, too, am quickly released. As a matter of fact, come property tax time I think I'll go down to city hall and try it out there. Who knew crying was the answer in this world? I certainly didn't. I'm pretty much a pro cryer...this could come in handy.

First of all, they gave her a ridiculously light sentence to begin with, which is a total slap in the face to the average joe who serves a real sentence. Secondly, they reduce it for "good behavior" before she's even started it....who monitored her behavior, Brittney or OJ? She must've behaved for a whole, um I'd say, hour and a half. What qualified as good behavior...wearing underwear? Then, to top it all off, she throws a hissy fit and they say, "o.k. princess, this is a little harsh for you...you can go home"??! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I'm glad to see that the judge was not amused and has thrown her back where she belongs. I'm sorry, not much sympathy here for rich kids who think they make the rules.

I wasn't going to post on this because I'm absolutely tired of it. But the story keeps getting more bizarre and now it's sucked me in. I feel like I've entered the twilight zone.

But, really, I do have more important things to do than to worry about Paris Hilton's escapades. Namely:

1) watching the grass grow outside
2) ironing socks
3) reciting the alphabet

As someone over on MG's blog so eloquently put it, "what a shitload of fuck".

This One's For You, Pops

I know that when you were a boy, you tried hard. Although you didn't always have it easy, you put up a tough exterior that masked some of what you held inside. You were a star in your own right - lacrosse and track and field were your specialties back then and you excelled at both. It was a different time then...though you had the trophies, I don't know that you got the attention you deserved. You were a champion, as well as a rebel. Although your image sometimes cast you in a negative light (especially with teachers and figures of "authority") you were also the one who jumped to the aid of the underdog. As you grew older, you were always the tough guy with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth...a cross between James Dean, John Wayne and Elvis. You had a swagger and were "cool" - cool enough to pull off lavender cologne. Even on the fishboat, you were GQ in your slick duds. (I had a particular picture in mind when I wrote this part but I can't find it at the moment...you on the boat in your cream colored suit with your fancy wristwatch...I'll reserve this spot for when I find it).

I always loved the story Mom told of when I was born. Yours was a "rough" crowd who spent their time fishing, hunting and in the bar. But, from the minute I was born, I was your pride and joy and your focus shifted. Apparently you'd ignore the jeers from your peers as you'd stroll me through Steveston in my pram - right past the windows of the Bucaneer Room (the local pub). You didn't care that the guys called you names because you'd ditched them for me...you were a father, and proud as punch about that. Besides, you could've cleaned all their clocks if you'd wanted to.

As a fisherman, you were away a great deal throughout my childhood and I missed you so. I always worried when there was a storm and I'd lie awake at night, listening to the closet doors rattling and praying that you'd come home safe. You always did...you were dependable like that.

I'll never forget that one phone call in the middle of the night...my worst nightmare. I knew, by the tone of Mom's voice and the urgency of the conversation, that something was terribly wrong. My heart sank as I feared the worst. Your boat had sunk but even that couldn't stop you from coming home to your family. You swam, leg crushed in 16 places, to the safety of the shore. You are the bravest man I know.

When Mom had her aneurysm you were out on the boat, but you rushed back to her side and never left it. I remember in the Holy Family Hospital when they called the families of the stroke victims in for a meeting as it was time to decide where to place our loved ones. Most men were arranging for care homes as they didn't wanted to assume responsibility for their wives. I remember feeling sad when I learned that the lady Mom shared a room with wouldn't be going home...her husband said he "couldn't do it". This was never an option for you...you wouldn't even consider it. You were taking Mom home and that was the end of that - you'd care for her. Till death do you part were words that you took very seriously. And that's exactly what you did...it would've been 20 years this August since you devoted your life to caring for her after her paralysis. And 50 years of marriage soon.

I've never known a man so great. One who assumed the responsibility of everything from the cooking, cleaning, shopping, yardwork, laundry and that's before we even get into the personal care that you gave Mom. Even sewing, although I don't know that gluing things together with Speed Sew counts. You tried. ;)

Every week Mom had fresh flowers in a vase on her night table that you'd place there from your garden. You'd ask her, each and every meal, just what it was that she fancied...then paid close attention to every detail. You even made homemade pies and cakes, in between doing your chores. Your meals were always prepared with love, with ingredients you'd either caught or grown. And there was always plenty left for us - I'll always appreciate the hot doggie bags delivered to my door. To this day, you always make sure everyone's looked after, although sometimes you forgot about "you".

I was in awe when I saw you take Mom out on the boat with you as you continued to work while caring for her. What a chore that was...getting someone handicapped onto a herring skiff and then staying up all night, tending to the net, steering the boat and catering to her needs...you never sat down. And you never complained - it was just what you had to do, but I know how hard it was. I'd tire after a few short hours of caring for Mom....you did it 24/7. Looking back, I honestly don't know how you did it.

When you were blindsided by a driver running a red, the only thought you had was of rushing home to Mom. I know that you were injured, but you didn't dare complain because you had things to do. She was home alone and you were programmed to be there...she counted on you. Just like when you battled cancer...your only concern was that SHE'D be alright and you worried about how she'd manage without you as you endured chemotherapy.

You never cease to amaze me. I mean what can you say about a tough, burly man who can be reduced to tears by his cats? One who hunts in the marsh, yet brings home wounded birds, only to name them and lovingly care for them as "friends" (pets). You forecast the weather better than the meteorologists and attribute it to your time spent at sea....I just think it's because you're "special". Like an old native chief who's one with nature, that's what you're like. You tie knots, tell jokes and grow flowers and vegetables...what a combination. You have the most wonderful outlook on life and your family is the only thing that really matters to you. You are there, unconditionally, and have never let us down, EVER. When my car would break down in the middle of the night, you'd come without question. If I needed anything, you made sure I had it, without fail. It's been such a comfort in my life to know that you were there. I am forever grateful that I have you for a father.

You are the epitome of a man. And today, on your 70th birthday, I wish you endless love and happiness. I love you Dad.

XO

Happy Birthday Mel!

You are a sweetheart and a strong lady. You truly deserve the best - today and every day.

Love Deb.

XO

I got word yesterday that a procedure that I thought I was going for in mid July has been moved up to JUNE 19!!! That's only a couple of weeks away and doesn't give me adequate time to freak out before hand. It's supposedly a "simple" day surgery...but I'm a chicken so I'm going to worry regardless of what they tell me. O.K. men, don't listen to this part....basically they're going to shove a balloon type gadget into me, heat it up and burn my insides out. Endometrial ablation or torture? I'm thinking it's the latter.

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I'm not posting as much lately (as I've noticed with others) because I'm keeping fairly busy with work and stuff around here. It doesn't mean I don't care about you my babies, it's just that mama only has so many hours in the day. And apparently not a whole lot of interesting stuff to say either. Plus, Fiona's here and I like spending time with my kids when they're around. It's a rare occurence when we're all in the same place at the same time.

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Now Barb got me thinking of today as the "anniversary" of certain important events and I'd like to add one more to that:Rather than hearing my rather limited offerings on the Battle of Normandy, go here for a pretty good account of things. I find it all quite fascinating now, despite the fact that I fell asleep in most of my history classes in school (I actually really did....the teacher smacked a ruler on the desk beside my head once and it scared me so much that I ran out of his classroom).

"Sandy", one of my favorite customers at work, is a war veteran. I love to hear his stories and he tears up every time he tells me about friends he saw killed in action....it's just like it was yesterday for him. He recently lost his driver's license (due to deteriorating eyesight) and was devastated as he felt like his freedom had been stripped away. Then, a couple of weeks after telling me this, he showed up on a shiny new motor scooter - provided by the VA! He comes in now, tooting his horn and wheeling around like he's a Nascar driver. He leaves his "cart" with me as he goes about his business...I jokingly tell him that I'll rent it out while he's gone - just like those kiddie rides in the malls. "As long as I get the money" he says. Can't fool an old war vet...those guys have seen and done it all!

Speaking of work, I'm off today (WAHOO!). With the ridiculously huge jackpots, it should make for a crazy day. Funny, when it's up around 35 mill people flock to the booth - yet, when it's 2 or 3 million they make comments like, "aw, it's not very much this week" and "I'm not going to bother because IT'S ONLY 3 million". C'mon people....two or three MILLION. If that's not a lot, then we're in big trouble. Tell you what - buy a ticket for that "measly" little prize and, should you happen to win it, reinvest it all in tickets for a bigger jackpot. The whole world's going crazy, I swear it.

Well, that's about it for me. Housework's calling and, although I'm trying to ignore it, it must be done. Have a great day friends...back soon.

I stumbled across this some time ago after seeing a bit on TV and then following up on the internet to learn more. I think I may've posted it before, but am too lazy to go back into the archives to check. Anyhow, there's been a lot bird talk around the blogosphere lately - some recent stuff on gled's blog and the pictures and discussion on herons, both here and on tc's blog. After hearing gled mention the lyre bird, I thought is was time to revisit this amazing creature. Check it out.....

Good Day Sunshine.....

Oh oh, here we go again.....
Geez people, don't you know the rules? That's my spot. I'm going to have to erect a sign or something.

At least these people didn't cop an attitude with me. I had Nirvana on (loud) on my headphones and I think I even saw the girl tapping her foot. O.K., you can stay awhile then.

I had a really pleasant day today. First of all I headed down to a fundraiser fair that my cousin was involved in and had asked me to contribute to. I donated prizes to her prize booth and apparently they were a big hit. We started running out of stuff early, so I headed home and grabbed some more.Cousin Sandra and her daughter Chelsea (remember, the anthem singer at the hockey game?).This little boy was just the CUTEST. He arrived right at fair opening and noone knew who he was with. But he spent an hour carefully examing each and every prize on the prize table. He was mesmerized and he was absolutely adorable. (Obviously, I took his pic from the back because it's not cool to publish other people's kids without permission).
Chelsea's so cute. We brought her some of Lindsay's old stuff and she was worried because her Mom suggested putting some out on the prize table. I watched her as she found some tape and taped the box up, then wrote on it so there'd be no mistaking that THIS WAS HERS - KEEP OUT!!Yea! My beautiful hippy child Linds finally arrived....with half an hour to go before closing. That's Linds for ya.The band (aka teachers) was actually pretty decent. When Linds arrived she was impressed that they were playing Jet. Then they played some Hip, for me!

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The second half of my day (after I dropped Linds off with friends) was spent at my usual spot. As you already saw (above), my rock was taken again. But I didn't sweat it...I wandered off and that lead me to my brother, who was further along on the beach. It took me a minute to figure out for sure that it was him, as his back was facing me.I crept up quietly, just in case it wasn't him. Peter Jackson smokes, the sandals I gave him...yep, it's Dave. A nice surprise - we haven't spent any quality one on one time in awhile. He had a net out and was trying to catch some smelt. Then Dad showed up, out of the blue. It was really cool - the three of us stayed up there together for a few hours and we never get to do that. Dad had his binoculars and we bird watched as David fished got skunked. I treated Dave to Pajo's fish & chips...Dad passed as he'd already eaten. A great night, all in all. ( I think Mom might've been there with us too).

Well, contrary to what I'd envisioned, I'm still here - alive and kicking. Kicking and screaming. Mostly whining and bitching though.

I've been spending my time at work (yuck) and then at Garry Point (yea). The head honcho at BC Lotteries was fired today. About time's what I say. We take a lot of flack for the cheating bastards who rip off unsuspecting customers. Burn 'em at the stake...when you take money from vulnerable people who need it (especially the elderly), you deserve everything that comes your way. Boy, I'm hostile lately, aren't I? I'll try and lighten up. Tomorrow.

Tonight a woman was sitting on my throne rock
when I arrived there, so I scooted over to another one a few feet away, despite wanting to tell her that it was "my spot" and to move. She should've known. Anyhow, I was basking in the sun in a most inferior spot when I noticed her gesturing to me. I took my headphones off to ask what she wanted and she snarkily said, "turn down your headphones". Did I hear her right?....I said "come again" and she repeated, "turn down your headphones - I come up here for quiet". Just like that, no pleases, no smiles...nothing. I sat for a minute to digest her rudeness, and then I replied "are you kidding me?". She said "no, turn it down" and I had two options at that point. Normally, with a civilized, polite human being I'd have willingly turned down my headphones with no problem at all. Probably smiled and started a conversation. But this lady was such a prissy snot that I chose option 2, which was to reply "well I come up here for reasons of my own and if I'm bothering you you can always move". I wanted to add "off my fucking rock" but I didn't. I also could've thrown in a "I've lived here for 45 years and I was up here, listening to my headphones long before you stumbled across this place so I figure I pretty much own it" but, again, I bit my tongue. I put my headphones back on and snickered as she "hmmmfff'd" and stomped off.

What the hell? What's this world coming to? There were a million people up there, flying kites, jogging, laughing, barbecuing and this snotty wench thought we should pipe down because we were ruining her zen moment?! Killjoy. I could tell she was trouble by her polyester baby blue Urkel- waisted shorts that she had her matching blue tank top tucked into. She'd completed the ensemble with her baby blue visor...scared me right there. So much blue. Middle aged gangster, I know it. She was anorexically thin and probably hungry and I fear that if I hadn't stood my ground she might've come over and gnawed on my arm at some point. If I'd had my camera I would've cheered her up by taking/posting her pics but, damn it, the batteries were dead.

Anyhow, this was at 6:00 on a beautiful evening - if you want silence you should probably hit a library instead of a park at sunset. I only wish I'd had my Sex Pistols tape. And Lindsay's little speakers. Don't get me wrong, I'm usually very friendly and considerate, but I don't do snotty and rude...it just kind of kills all the rules for me. When someone's confrontational with me I have the necessary skills for that - I used to watch Jerry Springer for chrissake. I can throw a chair with the best of 'em.

In other news, we got Linds' computer back today and it was a little less than expected (whew). I opened my big mouth when Lance rattled off the breakdown of the bill for me over the phone...something to the extent of "oh, I think you forgot one thing" and he went, "yes I did, I'll add it on there". D'oh. Linds reassured me that I'll get into heaven because of my honesty.

I've been having computer problems of my own lately and when I recently commented on MG's blog one of the admin's over there emailed me afterward and said there's a serious problem. Only he was supposed to get back to me and never did. I have no other problems, except when I go there. Today my computer acted really quirky after trying something there, so I think I'll lay low for awhile. And blame him for my computer crash when it happens. Free cd's/concert tickets for life is what I'm thinking.

So that's my exciting life lately. A whole lot of nothing, but that's the way I like it most days. And yes, all negativity all the time here on Deb's blog. When someone challenges me over my music while sitting on my rock, it turns my world ugly.

I'll leave you with my Friday random shuffle:

Low - Cracker (w/n...you know it's going to be a good weekend when you start off like this, right?)
Return To Innocence - Enigma (again this week?!)
Leave It Alone - Moist
Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance
In A World Called Catastrophe - MG
Sad Songs & Waltzes - CAKE
Song 2 - Blur
The Only Time - NIN
Release - The Tea Party
Nothingman - My Boyfriends