SNAKES AND PUPPIES

Smooch, the snake has arrived!  And she is beautiful.  Her markings are really lovely.  Many of them are shaped like hearts, thus the name Smooch.  I didn't think I would react the way I have.  I really like her.  When you see her little face you can't help but like her!  We can't hold her in the first week until she recovers from the trip.  She came by animal transport from Ontario but she seems pretty happy in the beautiful environment Monte has created for her.  And Monte is totally happy, which is the main thing.

Myles and April came on Thursday and left yesterday morning.  And along with them was their extremely busy curious wee Pomeranian, Leeloo.   Holy moly!!!  That teeny tiny little squirt pretty much usurped our attention from minute go!  In a really good way.  Not only is she immensely cute, but she was totally interesting and really funny.  She was one spunky little mutt! 

 And April and Myles were the best best best parents.  They were so good at taking her out for pees and walks and they disciplined her when they had to.  They really want to train her to be a good dog, one they don't have to worry about when strangers come around and when they are out.  I do believe they will achieve that sooner than later!

The hot dog roast was a bust.  We had just started to roast our weenies when the gas ran out.  Jeez!  So we either ate the weenies raw or finished them in the microwave.  They were still good but....you know.  Plus it was so hot out there we had to move in.  I wish I could pick the house up and completely turn it around.  Then we would be in the shade in the hot afternoon.  Oh well, guess you can't have perfection!

The next day we just hung around for a while then April, Myles and I went up to Canadian Tire for a few things and then to Nesgaards for a baby gift and a look around and then to a nursery where they bought  a house warming plant for their friend they were visiting yesterday after they left here. 

 When we got home, Myles, according to him, started to do what he loves doing most.  He started to fix things that neither Monte or I can fix.  He fixed the stove light, the tap on the deck, the taps for the hoses down below, the deck surface that had horrible sticky stuff permanently on it, watered all my deck plants, picked up cans and things that Monte missed outside....I am sure I am missing things.  He insisted that he loves doing that and doesn't get the chance to at home.  Wow!!!  I am eternally grateful.  I really really am.

Then we all pitched in and made turkey dinner!!!  Monte and April went out and pulled up the carrots.  I put the turkey on in the turkey roaster and the stuffing cooking in the crock pot.  April peeled potatoes and snipped the carrot ends.  I fried up the beet slices with butter and garlic.  Monte did a stellar job of mashing the spuds.  I steamed the corn on the cob.  And Monte helped get the food on the table.  April carved the turkey.  I made the best gravy I have ever made.  (I know!  I always say that.  After all I am the Gravy Whisperer!!!). All in all it was, as Monte said the next morning, one of the best turkey dinners we have ever produced.  I agree with him! 

Now its back to quiet nothing.  Tv is crap now.  Music is okay but I don't listen to music easily.  I am actually getting tired of reading.  Can't go out anywhere safely except the bush.  I think I am going to suggest to Monte that we go further away and find a beach to walk on and look for shells.  There are some beautiful ones around Nanoose.  I will call him earlier today and see what he says.  We can get some driftwood.  You can never have enough driftwood.  Plus I can get some pics.  I haven't done that in quite a while.

Well, sorry for the boring post.  I am always struggling in my head...more posts, but they would be boring, or way less posts (and they would probably be boring too). Bloggers are always debating about when it's time to quit blogging.  I have been blogging since 2007....thats quite long compared to most bloggers.  And when I read about it, the advice is to quit at the right time, whenever that is.  And thats the debate.

What they don't talk about is how cathartic it is for the blogger.  I find talking to all you folks is one of the best moments in my week or half week.  I look at the world through blogger eyes..."oh!  I will have to share that!"  I keep a wee notebook with me and jot down things I want to blog about. I would totally miss that!  I love blogging, even though I know it can get pretty mundane and boring.  I really appreciate you folks that have stuck it out with me.

Well I am going to go finish the kitchen cleanup.  Its mostly done, just a wee bit to go.  Stay safe and make sure you noodle!  TTYL

SMOOCH

THIS SAYS IT ALL....THANK GOODNESS!!!  WE HAVE A BALL PYTHON

LEELOO

WOW! I AM GETTING LAX AT POSTING

It might have something to do with never leaving the house and nobody coming over.  I used to be pretty busy but now....well I am not.  It's going to be sept. here shortly and thats when winter projects start.  I have two I am going to do.

One is sort, delete and print my 80 thousand photos.  I have everything I need now...monitor, printer and photo albums.  It's going to take a long long long time to get through it all and I know from experience it will be an emotional ride.

The other project is dealing with all of Mom's slides.  Theres hundreds of them.  I need to sort out the ones to digitalize and print and the ones to set aside for a later maybe.   The first step is to organize the ones to print.  This is where the only pics I have of Aryn and Kevin as babies and toddlers are.  I didn't have a camera back then.  Jim, my first husband, was a photographer but he wouldn't let me have any pics when I left.  I did steal a few when he wasn't looking but I have given those to the kids.  Their baby books had some but they burnt in the house fire.  Jeez...sounds like a bad novel or a bad country and western song.

April and Myles are coming again for a couple of nights today!  I get to meet the new puppy today.  They have seen a lot of people over the last two weeks, some of it indoors, so I have told them that this time there will be no hugging :( and we will be on the deck most of the time.  (shovel list).  I just can't afford to take a chance.  And worse than me getting sick is how poor April would feel should I get it.  So caution it will be.  I am going to make a turkey dinner for tomorrow nite...but tonite its a hot dog roast on the deck!  Since we have to be out there anyway we may as well cook our dinner there too!  And who doesn't love a weenie roast?

Monte has been super prepping for his snake.  Its a ball python, (they don't get too big and they are super friendly), a girl and she arrives today.  The terrarium needed sticks and rocks, a certain kind.  So a few days ago off we went into the forest and up logging roads and we found rocks and sticks.  

When we got home, he baked the sticks for two hours in the oven and boiled the rocks for half an hour on the stove.  He has been so excited and over the moon.  I was okay with it until I overheard him tell someone that this snake has only been fed live mice and hasn't eaten dead ones.  And eventually it gets rats.  So, we went from 'they eat crickets' to 'they need live rats'.  I am NOT happy about that.

I think Peter is maybe moving back!!!!  This makes me very very happy.  Monte too.  This house needs more people in it and those two boys fit the bill perfectly.  I can look forward to more amazing conversations and learning from Peter.  He enriched my life so much.  And with no visiting with anyone I feel like my heart and soul are drying up!!!  Well I do watch Huntley Street once in a while to fill that spot in me.  But it's a wee bit off for me.  I like the stories though.  But Peter will be much better!  Huntley is a sad replacement of sorts.

Mmmmmm...I am smelling beets.  I am boiling up some beets to have with Turkey dinner tomorrow. The smell soooo reminds me of Mom.  She used to grow row upon row of beets then pickle them.  They were a major staple in our house.  

Well I need to go and get the kids bedroom back in order.  I decided to work some more on the closet in there and there is stuff all over the room. Gotta shove it all back into the closet somehow.

Kind of reminds me of trying to deal with the walk in closet in our big house.  A huge closet full from side to side and top to bottom.  I would start to clean it then just give up.  The job was just overwhelming.  After the last attempt, two days later, the house burnt down...took care of that closet problem licketty split!!!!

Anywhooo...not that I want this place to burn down and clean the closet, I gotta go gitter done!  Stay safe and stay noodled!  TTYL

ARYN:

1.  Plant a garden.  Well we did that alright!  Do you feel better?

2.  When life hits a rough patch...like bad news, family member dies etc....redouble your health practices.  Don't let your health go.

3.  Find an aerobic activity you enjoy.  And DO IT!

4.  Get creative on more ways to get active.  Like...stop using that elevator and use the stairs.

5.  Create a car free zone around your house.  Well you already walk everywhere.  That kind of takes care of 3, 4 and 5 for you.  Not so much for me.  I do walk to the truck, now and then.

OUT LOOKING FOR STICKS AND ROCKS

A BEE AND THISTLE.....I AM GOING TO NAME MY FIRST PUB THAT

FIRE WEED....JUDGING BY THE AMOUNT OF FLOWER LEFT ON THE STEM WE HAVE A FEW WEEKS TIL WINTER COMES

SNAKES...G**AMMIT!!!!!

I just can't say no to my kids.  Sometimes I try but in the end they get what they want.  Sigh.  I am a weaky thats for sure!

The latest? A snake.  Monte super wants a snake and I must admit I held out a loooong time this time.  I don't really mind snakes but its what goes along with it.  Now I will have 'that' guy, living in my basement, with a snake and frozen dead rodents in the freezer.  This is not the image I wish to project to the world believe me!  (shovel list...the only good use here for the shovel is whacking the damn thing into oblivion).  But he is soooo excited and happy now that I gave in.  The two things I insisted on was/were (which one is right) he had to buy himself a wee bar fridge to keep the rodents in and he get a friend to look after it when people who are terrified of snakes come to visit.  He agreed and found someone right away. Did I mention I am a weaky?

Meanwhile I am happily being bombarded with Leeloo pics.  Myles and April have adopted a beautiful wee Pomeranian.  She is the cutest little thing!  And those two people are totally consumed with her!!!!  I think its going to be a while before that dog, yes she is a dog, starts being treated like a dog!  Oh the worry and angst!  I will put some pics below.  One time, I promise!!!!

I have talked with Graeme and emailed with Peter.  I sure miss those boys.  Monte super wants them back too.  They became family thats for sure!  There was more noise, more sit down meals, more coffee, more conversations....Graeme is doing so well in Tofino.  He is pretty proud of his new hotel.  You guys should google it...its a pretty funky place.  It's the Zed Hotel in Tofino.  Peter is still involved with doctors and lawyers with regard to his accident.  What a hell hole to enter into!  ICBC sucks....big time!  Other than that he seems to be doing okay.  His siblings are nearby and so is Austin's brother Levi.  So he isn't too too alone.  We hope he comes back one day.  I am pretty sure there is work here somewhere!!!!

Well I am sitting here with all the windows and doors open and the sound and smell of summer rain floating through.  I love the sound of that rain on the fibreglass deck roof and the smell of new rain on sun baked surfaces. MMMMM.....love it.  And now I am going to add the smell of coffee to it all....ahhhhh life is good!  Keep safe peeps...noodle distances!  TTYL

FOR ARYN;

1.  Wear sunscreen year round.  Lots of reasons why.  But knowing your rashy skin and my resistance to suntan lotions..I have a feeling this one is a no go.

2.  Keep your hands clean....clearly this book was written before covid hit.  I read that on the whole, the population isn't even getting regular colds and flues, all because of our hand washing, distancing and mask wearing.

3.  Check for ticks.  Well okay...will do.

4.  Do not brush your teeth too soon after eating.  It has to do with the acidic level in the mouth.  When you brush you are trying to leave your mouth at a level of 7.  Your mouth acidic level goes up when you eat and if you brush right away it will still be too high.  Sigh.  So many rules.

5.  Floss.

Thats it for this week.  No problemo!!!!!

I THOUGHT MY AUNTIE IRIS IS PRETTY CUTE TOO!

LOOK AT HER!  SHE IS ADORABLE

FAMILY!!!!!

A lot of you that I talk to see your family on a daily basis.  Your kids, your grandchildren, siblings, in-laws etc...I hope you recognize, as I am sure you do, how fortunate you are.  Finally this week I was able to see one of my kids!!!  It felt so amazing to give April and Myles great big hugs.  Just to touch them was awesome!  I miss my kids and grand kids so much.  Yesterday, as I waved frantically to April and Myles as they drove off home, I had to fight back the tears and be so so grateful that I had Monte here.  If I had been alone I would have broken right up.

What a great couple of days.  The kids went swimming each day out at the swimming hole.  It was also Myles's birthday.  On the second day I stayed home to get the kitchen clean and make a cake.  We all went down to Starboard Grill for dinner and we had an amazing wonderful time.  It was so sad to see them go next morning.

Last night neither Monte nor I could sleep.  I didn't get to sleep til 8 this morning.  But around two am Mr. Man downstairs was violently ill.  Oh Lordy, for about half an hour.  Jeez was he sick.  He thinks it's food poisoning from the pork he bbq'ed. All I can say is I am glad I am vegetarian!!!!

  Then he woke up an hour ago and started in again...dry heaving now..  For half an hour or more.  The poor guy is exhausted.  I phoned my girls and they have reassured me it isn't covid.  And he doesn't have a fever so hopefully all is okay.  I took him down an immense container of water so we shall see if he keeps that down.  If not and if the other end acts up, I shall get out of my pj's and go get blue gatorade.

Thats it for today.  A shorty post.  Keep safe people and a swimming noodle distance away from everyone!!!!  TTYL

For Aryn:

1.  Wear a seatbelt.  Don't be a Bob and not wear one!!!!

2.  Don't drive distracted.  No eating while driving, no changing radio stations, no smacking kids (or husbands) in the backseat with long sticks, no bending over to get that golf ball out from under your feet.......

3.  Protect your eyes from screens.  Okay first of all he says to limit the amount of time you spend on your phone.  But then he has pages of what you should do with your computer to mitigate the damage.  You will just have to read it for yourself.  I feel if you need to do all that...quit your job.

4.  Watch your headphone volume.  Keep it turned as low as you can get away with.  Keep those wee ear hairs able to keep wiggling.

5.  Don't put q-tips in your ears.  Again, those little hairs need to be undisturbed, by noise waves or invading cotton swabbed sticks.

Thats it for this week.  A little late but better than never!

EMBARRASSING

Tears.  I just can't seem to listen to music without tears.  Not sad ones usually, although that does happen.  But just emotional ones....and it can be at the most inappropriate moments.  It seems I am always battling the tears and gulping and blinking, trying to hide it but they just come pouring out anyway.  So annoying. So embarrassing.  Music is the strongest trigger in me...more than smoking triggers, nostalgic memories, pictures, odours,....those are all triggers for sure but not as instant and strong as music...good music.

Bad music, to me, also is a trigger...to very strong feelings of disgust, anger or anxiety.  I can't just put random music on, radio, tv or hey google.  The music is constantly making me either cry or get pissed off.  Very very distracting and not a pleasant experience.  Therefore my house is silent a lot.

This morning for example Myles and April are here and everyone is still asleep.  I decided to get my emails done and do a post.  Okay just a minute..here we go...I am totally tearing up over what I am listening to.  I will be back in a moment.

Jesus Murphy!  My nose is running.  My eyes are running.  And its just a piece of stupid music.  So annoying.  (shovel list).  I am listening to Keith Jarrett's Kohn concert part 1.  And at the 21 minute mark the most magical music happens.  I force myself through the first 20 minutes, (which are also incredibly good) anticipating that climactic amazing four minutes of music perfection and when it happens out sprout the tears and my heart stops.  

My most significant memory with this piece of music happened in October of 1996.  We had just barely moved into our house on 12th.  One of the first things I did was hook up my record player and speakers in the very unfinished bedroom.  I had a rocking chair in there and a very compliant willing six year old son who was happy to climb up onto my lap and rock to whatever music I chose. This particular night I chose Koln Concert.

I shut all the lights off so it was pitch black in there and facing the huge wall to wall window, listening to that magical music, watched a big yellow harvest full moon float across the sky.  This is one of my most treasured memories.  And now every time I listen to that magical piece of music that special special night comes to mind.  What a gift.  And I cry.

So now that this has become ridiculously maudlin I shall quit.  Stay safe and six feet apart!!  Mask up folks!  TTYL

AN ATTEMPT....ACCOUNTABILITY

I have been trying to keep up with the science of this covid thing.  And one thing in particular has surfaced.  It's not a matter of if, its a matter of when another pandemic is going to happen.  And it's because of the population's demand for meat.

Whether its lamb, pig, horse, cow, fish, bats, frogs, moose, deer, rodents, cats, dogs....doesn't matter.  The demand has caused overcrowded conditions for the animals and animals provide perfect hosts for viruses.  Eventually they jump to humans.  You don't even have to be eating them for that to happen.  Monkeys...aids.  Pigs....swine flu.  Birds....bird flu.  Cows....mad cow disease....chimpanzees....mersa.  And on and on.

So I am going to try to go full vegetarian, eventually vegan.  I figure if you can, do the world a favour and start to lesson the demand for meat.  And I think I can.  I have already cut my meat consumption down to almost nothing, because I get nauseated after eating meat.  But now I am going to add the political reason as well.

So I am putting it out here...accountability.  I do crave and miss meat sometimes but my son Kevin, a die hard vegan, whom I spoke with this morning,  assured me it gets easier as time goes by.  I now just need to really commit to it.  So that is what I am doing right now with you important people in my life.  I am going to quit meat.  Wish me luck and spread the word.  Meat is now an obvious cause of our current, and according to scientists, future, living condition.


So I will keep you folks informed now and then how its going.  Dinner last night was lamb chops, mint jelly, steamed carrots and green beans, bbq'ed zucchini and home growed tomatoes and onions and feta and olive oil.  I was having one last meat feed before truly diving in.  I couldn't eat the lamb chops but I sure chowed down on the rest.  Delicious.  And thanks to all the vegans, vegetarians and raw eaters that have passed through my life, I can make a pretty tasty vegetarian meal!

Wrangler isn't well.  He has a problem in his respiratory tracts.  He is snorting and clearing his throat and chest rattling.  I have been trying to find a vet but they are all too busy right now.  And actually the last clinic I talked to has said that he should go to a respiratory specialist for dogs in Victoria.  No.  Not happening.  At least not until we actually see a vet.  People seem to think its so easy to just swan off to Victoria, pay for a hotel if you can find one that takes dogs and pay a specialist, all before actually seeing a vet.  So another round of phone calls.

Anywhooo, stay safe people.  TTYL

Aryn:  
1.  Don't chew tobacco.  Okay.  I won't.

2.  Don't vape either.       Okay.  I won't.

3.  Have indoor plants.  Plants are natural air purifiers.  As it just happens, I recently bought three Boston ferns...the dirty little blighters.  They may clean the air but they sure dirty the floor.  I had forgotten about that part.  And I know you have plants....its a good thing.  Say hi to Steve for me.  And talk to them.  It might not help the plant but it can sure help you.

4.  Avoid pesticides on produce.  No licking the cantaloupe.  Not good for you.  Go organic, even if it breaks the bank.  That being said, the ones to avoid first are:  strawberries, apples, nectarines, peaches, celery, grapes, cherries, tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers and cucumbers.

5.  Don't microwave food in plastic containers.  Well you don't even own a microwave so....never mind.  

   

DOCTORS

Oh Lordy, save me now!  I have done a lot of whining over the years about not being able to get a family doctor.  Starting in North Vancouver, then Langford, then Kamloops and now Port Alberni.  And now, here in little old Port, I was offered a family doctor by the clinic doctor.  She did a telephone appointment today with me to get the basics.  Oh jeez!  This ain't going to be fun.

I have always said I like having doctors I can push around.  Ones that don't take too much interest in me.  Just enough interest to write my prescriptions and ignore the rest.

Well it took twenty seconds on the phone to see that this one ain't going to be that.  First of all it became really quickly evident that she is young and enthusiastic and saving the world population, one person at a time.  First thing she told me was that she was here for only two years.  She is leaving our little town in two years.  Which tells me she is either from somewhere else and HAS to dr. in an undesirable location.  Or she is brand new and this is the only health authority hiring and sent her here.  Neither situation is optimal.

She then started to take a history.  What pills I am on, what past health issues have I had, what operations I have had blah blah blah.  Then....she asked how much I weighed and how tall I was.  And there we go....where all frigging doctors go and I have been there and back a thousand times in my life.

She tells me, "Well I want you to make an appointment for two weeks from now and we will discuss your weight and the effects it can have on you.  I would like you to start a food diary (fucking shovel list shovel list shovel list to the power of infinity plus one....what am I? 14 years old?) and we will see about you going to a dietitian in town here."  No.  No we are not.  I am 67.  I don't, and never will, agree with the Canada food guide.  I don't, and never will, follow the Canadian Diabetes Guide.   Jeez!  Now I remember why I don't like personal doctors.  They are just waaaaaay too interested in you.  I can look after myself.

Well I finally got my purple room done.  It was just awful.  I should have taken a before picture.  It seriously looked like a hoarder's room.  I honestly had the ironing board in there, up, and you couldn't even see it.  Now it is all organized and ready to wallpaper.  It took me a whole day to put everything away where it belonged.  I even found some of my important jewelry.  I never wear any of it but I like to know where it is and look at it now and then!

I found slugs, little ones in my kitchen sink.  Obviously they came in on the lettuce from the garden.  I was telling April about that when she told me that they carry a parasite that can paralyze you!!!!!!!!!!!!  Jesus!!!!!  I washed that lettuce but....so I googled it and sure enough they can.  And not only that, washing it three times and using bleach and stuff doesn't necessarily get rid of the parasite.  So thats it.  I am not eating salad with lettuce in it ever again.  Never!  I am going to look up Russian salad recipes (they don't eat lettuce) and make those.  God every time you turn around there's something that wants to kill you.

Thats it for today.  I will post again tomorrow.  Wrangler is in trouble and I need to update the 'make your life healthy' thing for Aryn.  Stay safe peeps.  TTYL

A LITTLE MEMORY

WE HAD HER FOR MANY MANY YEARS

EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I WOULD PACK THE TRUCK UP AND WE WOULD PICK THE KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL AND HEAD UP TO BAMFIELD.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:  BRAD'S DOG MARLOW, WILLIE, PRINCESS THEN LUMPY

MY CLEANED UP PURPLE ROOM WITH THE OLD LADY WALLPAPER STILL

I HAD MONTE PIN THE NEW WALLPAPER UP SO WE COULD GET AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE

A TRIP TO MAUI ONE YEAR:: NINA, JEFF, MONTE, MATT, LUAU LADY,APRIL, ARNIE, MOI, JESS, BILLY AND ETHNA