HABIT REFORMED

 I think I got used to not being on my laptop.  Since getting them back I have barely opened it.  Thus, the not posting for a while.

Not much has been happening around here.  The three of us have still managed to avoid the evil covid.  It's pretty rampant in this little village.  Starting next Friday we are hunkering down and not going anywhere until we leave on the sixth for Vancouver.  Stayin' clean til we have finished visiting April and Myles.  They just can't afford to get covid before their big trip.

Friday night was pretty exciting.  We had visitors.  Levi, Peter and their friend Eddy came for the night on their way to .....   Tofino of course.  I tell ya, I don't get it.  I really don't.  The town itself is an ugly little place with no view of the ocean.  And it is crammed plumb full of bougie Gucci overdressed, thirty somethings with the latest designer clothes on, strutting about. 

And, in my opinion only, the beaches are so damned boring.  Ocean all the way to Japan and sand from left to right as far as the eye can see.  And pathetic  piddly ass waves with people pretending to surf on them.  The skimmers are cool though.  I used to like to watch dogs at the beach.  They love it in the most carefree happy way.  But now there are no dogs allowed.  The next best thing is sitting around a fire and making a hot dog.  Thats not allowed now either.  But never mind.  I apologize for my rant.  I don't like Tofino.  I love Ukey though!!!

Anyway I cooked up a predictable roast stuffed chicken dinner.  I also made a chocolate banana cream pie and a vanilla banana cream pie.  I love to cook, even with a sore ass....hahaha!!!!  After dinner the boys sat around the dining room table, which was covered with liquor bottles of forty different types.  Peter, bless him, came over and sat with me and we had a lovely catch up.  He was looking so healthy and strong.  He starts his last two years university course in Social Work.  I am so proud of him.  It isn't going to be easy but he is motivated and determined.

Another new thing in our house.....every Sunday now, we have done it twice already, Ange's friend Monique comes over at four thirty and we have charcuterie or dinner, and watch that awful show 90 Day Fiancé.  Man it's so much fun.  The first night we ended up sitting on the deck til dark just gabbing  away like only older ladies can do!  Last night we got the bbq going (I say so easily) and I bbq'ed four rib eyes.  Yummy dinner!!!

Well I started this yesterday so I best finish it and get it posted.  Be careful out there peeps, don't get covid, don't cook in the heat and be patient in the traffic that will be starting up after the long weekend.  Talk soon.  I am changing my sign off.

 "Barbecue might not be the road to world peace, but it's a start."  Our fave chef....Anthony Bourdain

I bought four new tops.  Like you're interested!!!!  Lol!!!!

I WILL BE WEARING A DENIM VEST WITH THIS ONE

THIS ONE IS MY FAVE

MY MORE ADULT ONE!  LOL!!!

HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES

 Our turlett has been giving us endless trouble.  When we flush, and I have to tell this to anyone who comes here, before they use it, that you have to ever most delicately and gently flush it.  If you whack the flush handle down, there is a good chance that the round rubber pluggy thing won't go down properly.  Which then, of course, means the stupid thing will run til' kingdom come.  And I pay for our water.

Should that happen you have to then stick your hand down into what water is in there, ice cold water I might add, to straighten the thingy out and plug the hole.  

Not only that, you can't always tell if its down or not, so you have to stand there, tapping your foot, staring intently at the same spot in the tank every time, to see if the water is actually rising.  So freaking annoying.

Well, the other day something unusual happened.  The turlett became possessed and suddenly acted like it was on steroids!  The water gushed in so hard and fast that the water level came roaring up and even crossed the brownish fill line.  I was freaking out and already looking for the off tap under it.  The water stopped just below the top of the tank even though the water continued to pound in.  And there was no turning it off.

Next came the problem solving.  I have had endless trouble getting a plumber up till now.  So either I leave it and keep trying to find a plumber or turn the water to the turlett off and get a bucket to fill in the tub and dump into the toilet after use.  Grrrrrr.....

I decided to go for option one for starters.  I got my lappy (thank god I had it back, I could not have done this on my phone) and started looking.  I finally found a name way down the list, past all the Rotor Rooters, and name brand plumbers.  And it was called Faithful Plumbing.  Hahaha!  Well I had an Old Faithful to fix so I phoned.  And he answered!

When he asked where I lived, he perked right up.  His business is only about four blocks away.  And that lovely plumber was over here in less than two hours, and in half an hour the turlett was under control!

But I do have to mention one thing.  That man was drop dead gorgeous.  I mean he was like a younger version of Clint Eastwood.  He would have been about sixty and pure lovely.  I told Ange later that next time he comes, and he WILL be coming back to fix my kitchen tap and my frozen pipes, she absolutely needs to be hanging around to meet him.  He is exactly the right age for her!!!  Although we have both said that there will be no more p***ses in our lives!!!!  But we can look!!!

Well that's it for today.  Stay safe and healthy.  One of Monte's friend's just got covid and he said it's the worst he has ever felt in his whole life, and he has had some pretty awful sicknesses in the past.  You don't want to get it.  TTYL

'The geyser receded, followed by the horrendous sound of water draining down the tunnel, like somebody up on Olympus had flushed the godly toilet.'  Steven Magee

SUGGESTIVE SNACKS

MY TWO FAVE SONS IN LAW

I'M BACK AND MY LAPPYS ARE BACK!!!

The lappys are back but they aren't the same.  At least the software hacked one isn't and everything has to be set up all over again.  I have never typed in my password so MANY times!!!!  I will see that word dancing in my brain all night!  But at least they are back and working.  Plus I have had to figure out where to go and what to do to get it all back to working.  When you buy a new laptop they walk you through all the different steps.  Not when someone has put in new operating systems though.  I had to go to preferences and figure it out.  Brain food.

It has been quite the week since I last posted on a laptop.  It's amazing how my brain just doesn't open up and work when I am poking letters on a phone as opposed to typing rapidly on a keyboard.  It's like those old phones that had three or four letters per number  and you had to push number one two times to get a B etc....I know people that actually do everything, from letter writing (Karen I will be emailing you!), emailing, googling etc. on their phones.  I did end up doing that, but not well and very reluctantly.  And I learned things.  Who knew you could actually dictate all your writings into your phone and it would write it!

We have made a trip or two to Nanaimo.  It is such a beautiful drive.  We pass through rock cliffs, gorgeous lakes, ocean shoreline, soaring snow topped mountains, a plethora of eagles swooping overhead, massive huge Douglas firs, a very large number of markets, little mom pop businesses, goats on the grassy roof of our biggest market and if you are lucky, as we have been from time to time, you will see whales breaching along side the highway.  And at the end of that one hour trip is a COSTCO!!!!!  What more could a happy human want?

We do have one complaint though.  The restaurants are so unpredictable in their open hours, everywhere.  It is supremely annoying.  We drove all the way to Parksville on the way home today to go to a Vietnamese restaurant Ange and I went to the other day.  She had an eye appointment right across the street from it.  The food was unbelievable!  Pho is pretty much my fave food.  I just love it and the one in that place is beyond amazing.

So today we decided to stop in and eat before coming home.  I was so looking forward to it.  We arrived at three.  I thought that was a good time as it wasn't a formal lunch or dinner time.  They were closed!  What the hell!!??  So we went over a few blocks to a Ramen place, closed.  We then went to the Korean place.  Closed.  For the day too, not for a break then opening at supper time.  And this is happening everywhere.  So we drove up to the next wee town to a non ethnic pub and I had the best fish pie.  Love fish pie.  So all was well in the end.

As I mentioned before, I think, we will be looking after Leeloo in September whilst April and Myles go to Scotland.  So, Monte and I are heading over a couple of days ahead of time.  Monte, after visiting with April a while, they haven't seen each other since Xmas, will head on downtown to stay with Graeme.  So in light of that, Ange, Monte and I will be self quarantining for four or five days before Monte and I go over.  We need to be so careful not to give them covid and covid is crazy rampant right now.  That would throw an awful spanner in their trip plans, never mind costing them thousands of dollars.  So we are going to be extra cautious.  I am going to load up the food in the house here and do the cooking for the three of us for those days leading up to our departure.  And we shan't have anyone come visit.

We are super looking forward to hosting the wee tyrant.  She is a fearsome little dog!  And it seems April is far more worried about what Leeloo will do to us than what we may do to her!  I think once she settles in she will be fine.  April has her trained to stay in the bedroom on the bed during parts of the day.  I think I will try to do the same routine here.  We shall see.

Well I gotta go.  It's good to be back on a really super clean laptop.  They cleaned it!  It's like taking your car in for a checkup and it comes back all healthy and clean!  Stay safe and enjoy the last of the summer.  TTYL

"I sometimes look into the face of my dog Stan, and see a wistful sadness and an existential angst, when all he is actually doing is slowly scanning the ceiling for flies."  Merrill Marco

EITHNE'S 3 HOUR OLD NOAH!

 

I’M STILL HERE

 Well I’m still waiting for my laptops. They are having to replace the whole keyboard on the older one. Only the on off button doesn’t work, thanks to a renegade craisin. But with Apple it’s a whole keyboard.  So it went from a 100 dollar job to 350 because they also replace the rim around something or other and the battery, need it or not. But that’s a bonus with this older laptop.  A good refurbish.  The newer one is a simple software fix. Next week!!!

So I am one finger texting on my phone. I cannot two thumb text. I’ve learned lots of other stuff now that I am phone forced. But I can’t wait to get back to typing!  So I should have a new post Monday or Tuesday. Til then take care, enjoy the daylight that’s getting shorter by the day. Winter will be upon us before we know it!!!!  As my dad used to say ‘make hay while the sun shines!’   TTYL

HACKED

 I have either been hacked or have a virus. If it takes a long time to fix my posts will be short!!  Lol!!  I need my laptop to do proper posts!  Just letting you know. Til it’s fixed…ttyl

I DID IT!!!!

Firstly I want to thank Karen for her awesome advice on the kind of walker to get.  I might have gone for an inexpensive walker as opposed to a skookum heavy duty more stable one.  And I am a hefty dame, not necessarily broad in the beam but huge every elsewhere!  Her suggestions were bang on.

It just so happens the very comprehensive walker/wheelchair/knee scooter/hospital bed etc store is literally one block away.  I could have walked there!  Haha!!

The lady was pretty helpful as well.  They had a lovely selection but not the one that Karen recommended, but a very close facsimile.  After trying them out, going for a dash around the building, shoving it over loose gravel and up and over curbs, I chose one.  I wanted red to match Gladys, but it was blue.  Oh well, like that matters .  It was a good day to get one as my freaking tailbone was extra sore for some reason.

So I bought it.  And last night I tried it out.  The three of us drove down to the marina where they have that paved pathway along the river. 

 At first I must admit I had a bit of a moment.  I could clearly see my shadow on the ground and I looked like an old lady.  My brain immediately said 'welcome to oldsville!'  And then I gave my head a shake, told myself to knock it off.  I mean I am almost seventy so old isn't bad...it's just a fact. 

 And I tell ya I whipped down that path to the end and back and not a twinge from my tailbone, or hip!!!  Now my arms...they were hurting. Obviously they aren't used to being used a whole lot!  That will change!  And I think I will raise the walker up.  The higher it is the better, at least for my arms.  All in all it was a great success.

I had Monte take my picture.  He took it through the windshield so there are dots on the pic but it gives you an idea.  I have already ordered a hanging bag for it where I can put a cup of coffee, bottle of water and even my laptop should I wish.  I love it!!!

Now I must get a wiggle on.  Dinner to plan, shower and hair washing day, and WALKING!!!!  Tonight we are going to just try walking around the neighbourhood.  I am going to take my camera.  Expect goofy pics to come!  Stay safe, be healthy and TTYL!

My quote today is an old idiom:  Pride goes before a fall.  Very literally.  If I was too proud to use a walker, I would definitely fall at some point.  LOL!!

COMFY!

JEEZ!  NICE HAIR LADY!!

I AM SO SPOILED

This has been a lovely weekend!!!  Emily arrived and we had a wonderful visit the first evening.  It was soooo good to see her and get a chance to solve the world's problems!  We actually stayed up til three in the morning!

The next day, after a leisurely start, her boyfriend, a fairly new one, arrived from Cumberland, a couple of hours away.  What a gem he is!!!  I can't think of even one thing wrong with him!

First of all, after a nice big, but messy kitchen dinner of salmon, he and Em did all, and I mean all, the dishes and cleaning!  That just doesn't happen in this house.  Oh don't get me wrong, people definitely help after a meal.  But those two did every single thing possible that needed doing.  They figured out where stuff went and put it away.  They cleaned things that hadn't been cleaned for ages.  It was such a gift.

Then the next morning they announced that they were going to make dinner that night and after swimming, scrub my filthy dirty deck floor!!!!  I was about to do that when my tailbone went out and it benched me.  I couldn't believe my ears!!!

As it turned out my brother's daughter and grandson were in town so they all met up out at the lake and had an awesome day at the beach.  When they got home they made a most delicious dinner and cleaned the whole place up after.  Happy Sigh!!!!!! 

Now it is morning and the two of them are out on my deck scrubbing away.  Another happy sigh!!!!  They are amazing.

Yesterday Monte had a lovely, for him, experience that doesn't happen very often.  Emily was willing to hold his snake.  Monte loves Smooch to pieces but naturally people aren't all that excited to hold her.  It would be like having a super cute dog that no one is interested in.

So he brought her up and Em played with her for a long time.  Smooch doesn't stay still so you are always having to 'handle' her to keep her from slithering away.  It isn't all that relaxing.

Then the most amazing thing happened.  Smooch is very attached to Monte.  She is absolutely not used to being handled by others.  I think that is probably why she doesn't relax.  Monte went downstairs for a half hour to take advantage of the moment to clean her terrarium.  Em was okay with Smooch minding.

I was in the kitchen cooking and when I came back into the living room to check on her and Smooch, she was sound asleep, with a finger on her near her head and Smooch was asleep as well.  It was amazing!  As soon as Em settled down and started to snooze, Smooch did exactly the same thing!  Clearly she got right jiggy and comfy with Em.  Monte was ' so pleased!  Pics below.

Yesterday afternoon while the kids were making supper, Jeni and her friend Heather and their combined three kids came for a visit.  Man, we had a laughing awesome time!!!  And then in came Emily and Drew with a giant platter of canapés.  They were toothpicks with a half of a cherry tomato, basil leaf and baratta type cheese and drizzled with sweetened balsamic.  The kids, and us, loved them!!!  So good to see them all!

Well I think it is time to get off my duff and try to do something.  This sitting around ain't good.  In fact I seem to remember I was going to mention a decision I made.

So here goes.  I am going to get, or rent, a walker.  I know this seems pretty 'out there' but I can't walk.  Even before the tailbone fail, my hip kept me from moving around much.  I was shopping, reluctantly, the other day in Save-On and I noticed that pushing the buggy made all the difference.  Even back when I had babies in buggies, walking was easier.  And that gave me the idea of getting a wheeled walker.  

We have a wonderful paved walkway along the river and I would be so happy to walk down there.  And if I get great big wheels I will be able to go over rough terrain or sand.  I am really looking forward to it frankly.  I am going stir crazy not leaving the house ever.  When he and I were down at the marina where we sit in his van and listen to music, it is at the start of that walkway and we see people with walkers disappear down it.  I wanna be one of them.

Well enough talk. Time to get something to eat.  I am starving and there are lots of yummy leftovers in the fridge.  Mmmmmm.....Stay safe and healthy! TTYL

'If there is a wheel, there is a way!'  Anonymous 

A SLEEPING EM AND SMOOCH

WOULDN'T STAY STILL

THE DINNER THEY MADE

HE DOESN'T EVEN DRINK MUCH!!!