IF YOU ARE HAVING A LOVELY DAY, DON'T READ THIS NEGATIVE RANT!

 You know that old cliche...'you can put a man on the moon but.....'. Well I have a rant that I need to get off my chest. And like I said please feel free to skip this post.

A couple of months ago Aryn installed roku on both of my tv's.  My monthly Telus bill for optic tv went from 200 plus different amounts every month (which included internet) to 124.  Most of that is the internet.

It took me a while to get used to the Roku.  It has its drawbacks. The actual change in the programming is great, it's the instrument you have to use that is the nightmare.  My rant is about their  unbelievably ridiculous extremely badly designed clicker. It's so bad I googled who was the idiot that designed the piece of crap.

Bould Design from San Francisco is the culprit.  The opening statement on their site is all untruths according to me.  And as I have pointed out before...this blog always seems to end up about moi!  I am going to try to post a copy of their little statement that starts their site.  It probably won't go properly as I feel that whoever designed blogspot are cousins of Bould design.  Here goes:

BOULD DESIGN is a strategic partner for bringing highly functional, beautiful and successful products to life through a professional, user-centric design process. Our focus on function, simplicity, quality and character has achieved outstanding results for clients ranging from stealth mode startups to diversified multi-nationals.

Well guess what?  I am a client and I have a total opposite view of their clicker.

1.  Function?....the little buttons are....LITTLE!...My fingers are not big.  They don't overflow onto neighbouring buttons on anything else...like my other clickers I have.  But this little piece of crap?  Why yes they do.  One is forever hitting two buttons at once and always the wrong one is the one that will operate not the correct button.

2.  Beautiful?...it is about four inches by 2-3 inches, all black with teeny tiny faded white printing or symbols on the buttons.  Plus it is not a sharp square edge that sits on the arms of chairs or edges of overcrowded side tables.  Noooo.  It is rounded so it falls off EVERYTHING.

3.  Successful?...  it freaking well is NOT.  It is so tiny you keep dropping it.  And to push buttons from the top of it to the bottom you actually have to hold it with one hand to poke buttons with the other.  Thats just plain stupid.

Clearly young people with dexterous hands that still have max feeling in their finger tips and good, really good, eyesight so they can actually see what the buttons are and good memories so they can whip around that stupid control with no problem, designed this.  Plus they are from San Fran.

Well I am a fat cranky old half blind desensitized broad.  Who the hell do they think are the tv watchers in this world?  It sure as hell are not any people under 55ish.  Those youngsters are all watching YouTube or insta or tick Tok  on their phones.  They don't need weenie pieces of crap to operate a tv.  But us old dinosaurs need big huge buttoned, well marked, bright remote controls that don't fall off arm chairs and side tables.  It takes five minutes to get out of that chair to pick it up and if we bend over too far we either fall or can't get back up.  And by then when we finally get back into our chairs we have to find the damned rewind button and the stop button and the go button and.....well you get the point.  Shame on BOULD DESIGNS.  (I hope they have a roaming bot that finds their name when it's used.  If you did find it and you are reading this...SHAME ON YOU!!!). That does happen doesn't it?

Well if you are still with me I don't have anything to report.  My house is so clean.  The cleaner came yesterday for the first time in a month.  Boy did it ever need cleaning!!!  And now I sit here feeling nervous.  Clean houses always make me feel nervous.  Today I am determined to find all my jeans (totally missing) and throw out half my shirts.  Wish me luck!!!

TFL & TTYL

YOU KNOW UNTIL THE LIGHT FROM THE CAMERA WAS ON IT I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE ARROW BUTTONS WAS PURPLE

NOT ECHOING YET BUT GETTING THERE

 There is something very addictive about junking stuff.  I do have to admit though I don't throw out unused unopened packages and boxes of food.  That Monte takes down to the Bread of Life and donates.  But I am having trouble with one bunch of stuff.  I am truly understanding hoarders a little more.  And that is with my shirts.

I have about forty shirts, most existing since 2003.  And because of my upper back deformity (nice way of saying hump due to double scoliosis) my shirts ride up at the back.  And I really hate that.  So I am constantly reaching back and tugging my shirts down.  And because my right arm is gibbled I only use my left arm.  Now a great portion of my shirts have thumb holes on the bottom at the left back side.

I remember many years ago when my sister and family lived in our Monte Creek house for a while.  They were looking for a house to buy.  One evening there was a showing and she asked me to go along.  I said I would love to and as we were about to leave she gently says, 'were you going to change?'  I wasn't, hadn't even thought of it.  But when I took a look at what I was wearing....well let's say rag bags looked stellar compared to what I was sporting.  I just never noticed or really cared if I am honest.  But I happily went and changed...probably not much better.  

I will put a pic on here somewhere.  Preferably at the bottom but this blogspot has a mind of its own.

Yesterday Monte and Ange were at the dollar store.  I was buzzing around the house working away and I thought I heard Ange come upstairs but she didn't find me and say anything and when I went to sit for the five minutes I need to sit cuz of my back there was an awesome surprise on the chair.  A mars bar!!!!  I passionately love those things and once a year at halloween I allow myself one mars bar.  But this year whilst I was in Vancouver Monte got into the halloween candy and there were no mars bars left when I got home.  I lamented to Ange.

Well I guess she bought me one at the dollar store!!!!!!  And there it was!!!  I pounced on it and gobbled it down!  Soooooo ooooey gooey good.  I took a selfie of me eating and sent the pic to Ange with a giant heart!!!

But then I took an actual look at that picture.  I was wearing a pair of dirty black jeans, big pink slippers and a black sweatshirt that I didn't remember but what the heck.  Down the arm was written 'I draw the knife'. Huh???

When Monte saw it he says hey!!!  that is my Wolf Parade shirt.  Ooooops!!!!  But holy hell you can't see those clothes in the pic but Jesus Murphy my hair, my fat neck, my big brown sun spots!!!!  Egads!!!!  I don't remember looking in the mirror since I got home and boy does it show!!!  So if shirts are that unimportant to me it's time to do a massive cull.  That will be my goal for tomorrow.

Well as usual this post is ALL ABOUT ME!!!!  Again.  I mean I could be writing about politics or other news or crap that happens in town here or......but no.  I write about me.

So before I launch into another all about me story I shall hang 'er up here.  Have a wonderful time til next time....TFL & TTYL

I CLEARLY HAVE NO PRIDE

but it is a picture of happiness!!!!

RAIN RAIN RAIN

Well folks, yet again I am in the clearing out and disposing of goods....purging you might say, mood.  And due to the crappiness of dealing with  FB marketplace I am just chucking it all out.  Our thrift stores here are very hard to please thus I am not considering them either except for clothing....clothing seems to go no problem.

  I try really hard to feel bad about the waste and throwing out perfectly good, sometimes new, stuff.  But I don't.  Those feelings are what totally complicates a good massive clearing out.  Thank god for black non transparent garbage bags.  And thank god for the van and the garbage dump.  I really don't want my kids to have to do it after I am gone.  I am not stopping this time til my voice echos in here.

No xmas tree this year.  As much as I love staring at the lights I have decided there will be no tree, not even that tiny one.  I will let Biscuit shine for us.  Biscuit is the flowering hibiscus and right now she has three massive flowers glowing on her.

Ange showed me the most awesome app the other day.   It's called Freeprint.  Every thirty days you send them up to 45 pictures and for the cost of shipping...6.99 they send 4x6 prints to you.  They are beautiful!!!  So I got onto Amazon and bought four little albums and I have sent my first batch off.  I am sending them in groups that make sense.  The batch I sent off this first time was the pics of our Vietnam trip and the pics of us all at Hullcar burying Mom's ashes with Dad at the cemetery there.  I will label  each album for quick finding.

I apologize if I am missing words or saying things in a screwy way.  I have a really interesting show on tv going, my phone is blowing up for some reason and I keep getting bleeps on my laptop.  Busy techy day today!  I like doing three things at once and my brain just happens to be in the kitchen.  I made an order super early this morning at Walmart site for a ten o'clock delivery.  Two 2 pound sirloin tip roasts and sourdough.  

Back when I first went on the dr. Atkins way of eating, one thing I subsisted on was cooked roast beef, cheap cut, put through a meat grinder.  You also put through a piece of bread for every 2-4 pounds of roast and a little onion.  You then add mayonnaise and salt, pepper and whatever spices and herbs you want.  Zero carbs in that and it is delicious to snack on.

The last time I made this was yonks ago in Bamfield.  Cookie and I made a big batch with the old crank handle stainless steel grinder that you clamp onto some overhang ledge.  I have a picture of her and I cranking away!  I think we were in pjs. 

Well this is getting me nowhere!  Gotta go and get the roasts ready.  Not sure if I can figure out how to work the stupid thermometer.  I have always had Monte do it!  But alas...he has left home.  He hasn't slept at home even once since I got back.  Hope he doesn't get caught.  You aren't allowed to live in those places.  I have told him but you know.....

So have a great week or few days or whatever and TFL&TTYL

'Out of clutter, find simplicity.'  Albert Einstein 

HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGETY JIG!!!!!

 Okay!  The actual physical trip home was a complete nightmare.  And I am on a mission to get rid of that tiny piece of shit car.  Honestly it is very rare that I take the time and energy in my life to regret my actions or decisions but here is one I am really regretting.  Selling the jeeps.  Oh we have totally saved enough money in gas to be happy but....what is the point in having a vehicle with so many negatives.

Don't buy Corollas people.  First of all they are so low to the ground even spry young people have a hell of a time getting in and out of them.  The seats are so low I can't see out of the stupid thing.  I have asked other people  to tell me if they can see the hood of the car when they are seated and no matter how much they strain up they can't.  Like how do you drive onto ferries and tight parking spaces when you can't see the front of the car?

The giant screen with your life story written on it sticks up so high it blocks your vision when driving.  The bottom of the car scrapes when you go over speed bumps.  The only thing this car can do really well is corner.  And that ain't enough to entice me into kind thought about that assy little piece of crap.

It was raining hard all the way home.  Really hard.  And every puddle, no matter how small sent the car sailing sideways.  What the hell is that???  So even going only 70 it was happening.  So scary.  And on the freeway it was easy to go really slow cuz everyone could pass me but when I hit the two way road it was whilst all the working bros in big pickups were heading back to Port from their respective jobs.  

Not happy about doing 70 or 80 they would ride up right on my backside and flash their lights and honk their horns.  I would have pulled over but it was raining so hard I couldn't tell when there was a pull off.  I finally made it to Cathedral Grove and pulled over.  I am NEVER EVER driving that car in the snow.

But the real drawback to all this is Monte.  He absolutely loves that dumb car.  And he owns one third of it.  I am not sure how I am going to solve this problem.  In a year I am going to have to do the DMV tests to renew my license and because of my eyesight in short distances (long distance is perfect) I may end up  having to be chauffeured around and it will become a moot point.  I need a shovel, not a penguin.

I had a fantastic time at Myles and April's.  I spent a lot of time alone while they worked and played at previous plans so I had awesome time to think, rethink and write.  

I think I mentioned I belong to a writing group and I get twelve essays per day.  Most I don't read as they aren't interesting to me.  But the ones I do have taught me so much.  Sometimes I write comments to the authors.  One of them wrote me back.  I had mentioned in my comment how I was raised in a pretty severe iconoclastic religious lifestyle that has been likened to a cult.  She suggested I write about being raised that way.  Well, it sparked something in me!  So I started to write and it is rolling out pretty easily.  I really love writing and I am quite happy if anyone reads it or if no one does.  It's not a requirement for me.  My mother was similar!  She always told me to burn all her writings after she died.

It is good to be home.  Now it is time to get ready for my most disliked holiday of the year.  I hate halloween.  It wasn't fun when I was a kid and it isn't fun now as an adult.  I hate fireworks and running up and down the stairs to answer the door a thousand times.  With any luck it will be raining and cut down on the amount kids.  The part I do enjoy though is seeing all the little ones in their costumes.  I even enjoy seeing the older ones, especially the ones with homemade costumes.  Normally I would have one box of large chocolate bars for the teens that are proud and brave enough to come to the door at ten o'clock at night.  They are the most fun.

Well thats it for today.  I apologize for the negative overtone.  I am actually feeling very happy and content.  I gave Monte some money and sent him off to Pete's Mountain Meats to buy a dozen lanjagger sausages.  Myles bought some from his butcher and gave me half of one and I have been jonesing for lanjagger ever since.    TFL & TTYL

Nutritional Value of Landjaeger

Landjaeger is not just tasty; it also offers several nutritional benefits, making it a practical choice for those needing a quick energy boost.

16. 16

    High in protein. Each serving provides a significant amount of protein, essential for muscle repair and growth.

17. 17

    Rich in fats. The fat content helps to provide long-lasting energy, which is particularly useful for outdoor activities.

18. 18

    Contains essential vitamins and minerals. These include B vitamins, iron, and zinc, which are important for overall health.

19. 19

    Low in carbohydrates. This makes it suitable for low-carb and ketogenic diets.

BEST BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

 What a wonderful day!!!!  It started with many many happy bd messages from family and friends.  Then the phone started to ring and my family called as well.  I was happy!

Then I spent the day doing something I have never done before.  Through a very convoluted process I found the month and year of Bill's and my trip through Viet Nam.  I then went to the right spot on my blog and found all the entries for that trip.

Like I said I have never reread my blog.  And as I started...I couldn't stop!  It totally refreshed my memory for sure but more importantly after reading on past the trip for quite a ways, after finishing, for the rest of the day I felt like I had spent it with Bill!  That was a true bonus.  (penguin list).

Then at six we got all duded up and headed to a Greek restaurant for a most delicious wonderful dinner.  I love Greek Food!!!!  It was such a delicious dinner and so huge an amount we had enough left overs for dinner tonight. I had the roast lamb so on the way home, knowing it was on the menu for the next night, we stopped at Safeway and I bought mint jelly.  The only reason to eat lamb, in my book, is to have that lovely vicious green jelly with it. (penguin list)  And the Caesar (double, tall glass)  I started with was one of the best I have ever had.  Mind you I don't drink...it maybe could have been the worst...I don't know!  lol!!  Right Kathy?

Earlier when Myles came home he brought me the most beautiful bunch of flowers...a huge bunch with accompanying greenery and baby's breath.  I will attempt to put a pic down below.  Sigh...it could end up way up there at the start.  Who knows?

Tonight Eithne came over with Noah.  What a hoot he was.  At three he is most engaging.  He and I played poop games that occasionally morphed into peepee games.  What a kid!  It doesn't take much to entertain a three year old, let me tell ya!!!!  And he called me Gramma!  I felt so special for about two minutes. Eithne told me he calls everybody that! I had a great visit and catch up with her.

Tomorrow afternoon Graeme, otherwise known as Toonykoot (much to his chagrin) is coming over.  I am going to see if he will walk with me to Kin's for vegetables and salad.  He can carry it back for me!  I really have to start bringing my walker.  

I am finding I am limiting my distance mobility because I don't have it with me.  I think I am going to sell it and get a much lighter easi

SELF EXPLANATORY

NOAH AND LEELOO COMMUNING

MY DEAD HALF A LAMB FOR DINNER

MYLES AND APRIL

SCRAGGLE MUFF

er and hopefully taller one.  I need one I can throw into the car.  The brute I have now cannot fit in that stupid wee car.

Anywhooo all in all it has been a fantastic time so far.  They look after me so well here.  I am definitely spoiled!

I will try to put some pictures on here.  Wish me luck!!!  TFL & TTYL

TURKEY IS AWESOME....TIL IT ISN'T!!!

 Well turkey day went off awesomely!!! Set the table with cute turkey napkin rings and new trivets.  I will try to put a pic here but blogspot totally sucks majorly.  We will see.  I miss putting pictures here but I never know where they are going to show up.

A couple of boys, Mont's friends joined us.  One of them drives for Door Dash.  I was digging into him for information.  It sounds like a good side hustle for Monte.  Monte loves to drive, can listen to music and not talk to anyone.  Apparently they pay well, pay mileage and they get to keep their tips.

Dinner was delicious.  Ange and Monte helped out so it made it easier.  Turkey, gravy, peas and carrots, candied yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing....sooo good...at first.  But for some reason the next day eating the left overs I get an uneasy unpleasant stomach.  Too rich I think.

One odd thing...we opened four cans of cranberry whole berry ocean spray sauce.  Three of the cans were liquid.  The liquid tasted good but where were the berries and why so runny?  It was the strangest thing!

Well I have some pretty good news right now.  The mental health headquarters here in town phoned Monte the other day and told him he had an appointment yesterday at ten am.  Probably it was a follow up from the hospital.  We aren't sure about that but....I went with him and long story short the gal that we met with said that they were a short term goal setting program for mentally affected people.  Jobs, health, connections in the community etc.  We were there for over one and a half hours.  When we left we had access to a psychiatrist (penguin list), a resource for help with taxes, tax credits etc....and they will help get him on the two yearsish list for subsidized housing.  Suddenly life is looking so much better...maybe not better so much as hopeful!!!

Monte man took the shower contraption that Myles so kindly removed in our old decrepit bathroom, up to Home Hardware and is now installing it...not too successfully at the moment by the sounds of it. Oh!! he got it going perfectly!  Yay!!!!!  So here are a few pics!

AS USUAL, NOT IN ORDER...THE OBLIGATORY NEXT DAY TURKEY SAMMICH

MY TURKEY NAPKIN RING

EVERYONE READY TO DIG IN

THE UNBESMIRCHED TABLE SETTING

A VERY LARGE MOON OUT MY FRONT WINDOW

GOING DOWN

GOING UP...LOOK AT JENI'S FACE!!!!

Well there are the pictures right in the middle of the text.  Oh well.  Have a lovely (ahem) traditional thanksgiving folks.  TFL & TTYL

CLEAN HOUSES MAKE ME NERVOUS

As I sit on my laptop, phone handy, tv going, all the chores I am ignoring are running through my head.

My house is uber clean at the moment.  I am not making dinner tonight.  I only do that now and then.  the lists and shopping are done for the turkey dinner we are having on Wednesday.  There's a thousand things I could be doing but they aren't dire.  I work best when things are dire.

We cancelled our trip to Kamloops and Penticton.  I may have already mentioned that.  I am still going to April's on the 18th.  So we are going to have a turkey dinner on a date that suits us.  Which happens to be next Wed. the eighth.  We have two people coming.  And this year I requested some help...mostly with the clean up afterwards.  By the time dinner is on the table my tail bone and back are done.  I hate to even mention it but they are.  Monte always puts the food away and Ange will help with the dishes.  Thank goodness!!

We don't have the van at the moment.  It turns out the back brakes seized up.  Another 1300 out the window.  It is endless. 

 I remember back when it seemed like 20 dollars was constantly being needed somewhere and heading out of my purse to where ever.  Then it moved up to fifty then I started noticing it was a hundred going away.  Now it's a thousand.  A thousand to rev can.  A thousand for the van.  Two thousand for house insurance. A thousand plus x 2 for vehicle insurance, 1500 for a hot water tank, probably a thousand for all the plumbing that is needed.  Of course that increase  is over fifty years lol!!!

Monte is a putoffsky.  Well so am I but when the rubber hits the road I get it done.  But I have been asking him repeatedly to take a giant frozen turkey, (purposely bought two) and a ten pound bag of russet potatoes and a massive  giant bag of staple food down to The Bread of Life. As long as we are able to eat I feel we should feed another family or two.

  But he keeps saying he is going to but it just doesn't happen.  Normally if I have asked seven times for him to do something I just do it myself.  But he has the car right now so I can't.  Plus we are donating a hundred (not a thousand lol I wish we could) bucks for carrots and yams and peas etc...which means a stop at the bank.  I just texted him, (he is at his office composing electronic music)  I had asked him hours ago...again and he said 'sure!!  I just texted him and I said " guess I should put the turkey back in the freezer then."  And he responded with a ?.  Hahahaha!!!  It wasn't even on his radar.

Well I will get this posted.  Have a wonderful life til next time.  TFL & TTYL

"Don't wait.  The time will never be right." Napoleon Hill