YUMMY GORGEOUS BIG BLACK DUDES

Adopt a Grad.  Thats what its called.  We, the Kiwanians, were helping the lady that usually does the program this year.  After hanging a zillion beautiful gowns and a bunch of snazzy tuxedos and sorting a million shoes, we snafooed a room at the university and set up a little changing area, made appointments, and we were in business.

What fun we had!  Although it was a ton of work! Each girl that came in would try on at minimum fifteen dresses.  The room would look chaotic by the time one little person was finished!  We would put together an outfit complete with shoes and on their way they would go.  We would have just enough time between visits to hang all the dresses back up and put all the shoes back in their proper bins.  The fun part was watching the girls parade in front of the mirror in all the finery!

I would take breaks down in the giant lounge.  We were in the residence building.  And, whilst sitting down there for a half hour break, a huge amount of gorgeous black, and an occasional white, very very large men were arriving and and milling about and sitting on the couches where I was.  One was bouncing a basketball...so I figured a basketball camp of some sort.  They were very friendly and chitchatted...........about Kamloops and the heat etc....  I found out tonight they belonged to the BC Lions!!!!  I guess they are holding their training camp here in Kamloops.

Well my house is getting a titch emptier.  Closet by closet, cupboard by cupboard I am going to make this house echo.  There is a lot of detritus I needed  left over from having Monte and his entourage here.  Those are things I don't need anymore.  A ten pound bag of pancake mix, ten boxes of half eaten cereal, boxes and boxes of crackers, coconut milk cans (shovel list), shake and bake...boxes of it, bags of split peas for pea soup, I could go on for pages.  Unopened stuff can go to the food bank, the rest out to the garbage.

I see that there are a lot of food blogs out there.  I read some of them but I don't know, as much as I love to cook, they don't interest me enough to actually religiously read them.  But I was thinking, that if a particularly yummy recipe or product enters my life, I will report it on here.  Plus, I have not forgotten to do a pic update tomorrow...(shovel list).

So I shall end this with my latest product discovery.  Its only sold at Safeway and I didn't buy this.  Graeme did so don't blame me.  And I just had a tiny bit...but it was enough to let me know I was eating something special.  Its a sherbet.  Saskatoon and Blueberry juice sherbet.  Try it!  Its magical!  TTYL

GOVERNMENT HELL

Have you ever been caught not listening?  Someone is going on and on, telling what is probably not only an interesting story, but a significant one that you need to know.  And then when you belatedly leave your happy place in your brain and tune in, storyteller is now on the pronouns and you have no idea who did what to who.  And then the dreaded happens...storyperson asks a question.  Shit!  Brain scramble, you quickly gather all the word echoes you just heard in the last few minutes and try to patch together a semblance of what he/she was going on about.  I hate when that happens.  And I find as I get older I am getting much worse and I am doing this way more.

Another thing I am doing more and more is get angry.  I mean really pissed off.  On the phone.  With government peeps.  They just piss me off.

Today I tried to call Service Canada here in Kamloops.  I got three irrelevant menu choices.  Every single freaking one of them was for unemployment issues.  I don't have unemployment issues.  I have passport issues.  But that wasn't one of the three options.  And to talk to any gum smacking moronic broad at the front desk that they seem to hire here in Hinterland, you have to put in your S.I.N. and your Unemployment file number.  I headed out to get into Tank and go down there and yell until security was called.  

You see, yet again, I can't get forms to download off Canada Passport site.  Kathy tried and failed and when she phoned them they admitted they were having a problem.  Jesus!  I had that problem with them months ago when I needed to get a copy of my passport.  You'd think it would be fixed by now wouldn't you?  No. No its not.  Fortunately, as I jumped into Tank to go down and start screaming, my phone rang.  It was April, and due to their ancient browser...it worked and she downloaded and emailed the forms to me.

I noticed in one of my umpteen calls to Passport Canada, that one of the menu options was "if you are having trouble with the forms" push five.  So I decided to do that.  And this is how it went:

Her:  How can I help you?
me:   Yes I would like to report a problem with downloading forms from your website.
Her:  What?  a website?  do you mean...like what...your .....what website?
me:   YOUR website!  I need to download ttpc 203 to explain how my passport got damaged.  It won't download.  And this happened to me months ago too.  Certain forms just simply won't download.
Her:  uhhh...like....uhhhh...your website?
me:   NO!!YOUR website!!!!!  Passport Canada.  you know.  Don't you work for Passport Canada?  Who are you anyway?
Her:  Well yes.  Oh, I see, forms won't download?  On Passport Canada?  What form are you trying to download?  The application forms?
Me:   NO. NO.  I am trying to down load the form ttpc 203.  Its in the Damaged or lost or stolen passport section.
Her:  Oh Oh In the damaged section?
Me:  YES!!!!
Her:  Oh yes, I see.  Well it is downloading on my computer.
ME:   OH MY GOD!!!!  IT DOESN'T DOWNLOAD OUT HERE IN LALA LAND WHERE WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO DOWNLOAD FORMS TO GET OUR FREAKING PASSPORTS.  AND WE TRIED ON EVERY COMPUTER POSSIBLE.  YOU KNOW, THE KIND THAT ORDINARY CANADIAN CITIZENS OWN?  AND THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MONTHS NOW AND YOU GUYS HAVEN'T FIXED IT.  WHAT THE HELL DO WE PAY YOU FOR AND HOW IS IT YOU ARE ANSWERING THE BUTTON THAT TAKES US TO 'TROUBLE WITH THE FORMS' AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A F*CKING CLUE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.  DON'T MAKE ME HAVE TO GO TO GLOBAL AND CTV AND CBC...BECAUSE I WILL.  WHERE DO I PHONE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT STUPID PEOPLE ANSWERING PASSPORT CANADA PHONES?"  Then I hung up.  (shovel list)

Okay, now I'm mad all over again.  I abhor stupid people and stupid systems.  I was just informed that I have to have a specialty lawyer to deal with the IRS.  Its likely to take a very big expensive bite out of the bit of money I may get back from the capital gain hold back.  So not only can I not complete that sale myself, but my accountant can't either.  The more government institutions I have to deal with, the stupider I feel.  And as I said, I abhor stupidity, my own included.

Well the big overhaul of the house has started.  Graeme has been staying here for a couple of days so I solicited him and his muscles to give me a hand with the heavier stuff.  Some things I simply cannot move.

Anywhoo I started in the garage.  So far I have gone through a thousand junk boxes and filled my garbage container and the recycling bin.  I put up three Costco tables (the smaller ones) and have piled them with stuff I am getting rid of.  I think when I have finished going through all the boxes upstairs here, and clearly have added a bunch more stuff to the piles, I am going to have an everything free garage sale.  I don't have time to sit at the tables and dicker with people.  Its such a good feeling to get rid of stuff.  I think that after garbage day next Monday I am going to fill it with ninety per cent of my kitchen stuff.  I hope the next place I own has a really little kitchen.  Its like a woman's purse, no matter what the size, its always full to the top.

So now its time to quit writing and get to tossing.  TTYL

CRAZY ALBERTANS!!!!!

Wow! the closer you get to the Alberta/BC border, the more red plates show up....until there don't seem to be any other.  Whats with that??!!!  Is their province not good enough?  And the vast number of those vehicles are giant diesel pickup trucks loaded with outdoor toys...atv'ers, skidoos, dirt bikes, bikes etc....  They must be keeping our economy going!!!!

We had a wonderful trip.  Its a long way...seven hours with no stopping.  A lot longer if you stop to snooze, eat and take pictures.  I have learned that when I get that super sleepy brain numb happening, pull over, haul out your neck pillow you thoughtfully remembered to pack within reach, lay back and go to sleep for half an hour.

Our first stop for a snooze (for me, Anne was fine) was at Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk, just past Revelstoke.  I slept for half an hour and Anne strolled about.  Its really beautiful there!  We stopped in Revelstoke at Denny's and had the best lunch!  It was surprisingly delicious food.  Then we went on and didn't eat til we got to Larry and Yukino's place.  Yukino made the most delicious dinner and they waited for us!  We didn't get there til eight that night.  And they are the most delightful family!!

We stayed at the Super 8.  It was good.  The next morning Anne went for the breakfast they serve.  I didn't.  I don't often eat that early.  We then met Larry and family outside and followed them to Fort Steel.  We had a lovely day there.  But I was remembering the last time we were there.

In 2003 we went to Jen's wedding in Banff.  Just before we left, April picked her gerbil, Ross, up off the couch by the tail.  Ross dug his nails into the couch and long story short, Ross got his tail skinned.  It bled and leaked fluid so bad he got dehydrated.  His eyes sunk into his head.  So we didn't have any choice but to take him with us.

For the next few days we carefully fed Ross, watered him and nursed him back to health.  We were so happy and relieved when one of his eyes went back to normal.  The other one didn't but he was a lot better.  After the wedding we went to Fort Steele.  It was an overcast chilly kind of day.  And we had the best time.  It was Canada day and we were fed watermelon and cake!

After a long and wonderful day, the tired family went back to the truck...to find that it had heated up in the cab and ....ROSS WAS DEAD!!!  OMG!!!  He cooked!  God, we were all crying..even Bill!  We had all so bonded over nursing that little critter.  So sadly we drove up kicking horse canyon and solemnly buried the little guy.  At least she still had Eddie at home.

Anywhoo, we had a fantastic time in Cranbrook.  We drove around sightseeing, climbed a beautiful green and yellow flowered hillside (just like the hill in the Sound of Music)...surrounded by majestic snow covered sharp peak mountains.  We went out to a Bavarian restaurant in nearby Kimberly for an outstanding dinner.  We spent half a day browsing through a crazy second hand three story junk store.  That was a hoot!

We left Cranbrook around ten in the morning after one last visit with the family on Monday.   We hit Radium Hot Springs pool around one.  Awwwwww.......so awesome!  First you get way overheated in the hot pool, then you shiver like hell zipping over to the cool pool, then shivering back to the awesome hot pool and so on!!  Heaven!

And we rented a wee cabin in Radium.  It was so wonderful we didn't want to leave!  We went out for dinner and then back to that cozy, pretty comfy cabin.  We were asleep by ten.  The next morning the motel put on the most scrumptious incredible breakfast.

  The lady there made all the pastries and they were actually the best I have ever had.  And there was hot ham, scrambled egg filled home made croissants, boiled eggs, fruit salad (the good kind) yoghurt, cereal, four different breads, waffles and pastries.  Oh and a breakfast casserole...bread, apple sausage with a hint of maple.  Mmmmmmm......

We headed home around ten.  We again stopped at the Denny's in Rev. and had a great lunch.

But at Shuswap we ran into a wind storm that was so bad I almost couldn't drive.  It was really hard to keep that contentious critter on the road.  Sometimes I had to put both my hands on one side of the steering wheel and pull hard to keep her on the right side of the highway.  But...we made it home.

A fantastic trip I must say.  Tomorrow I will tell you about today....I spent a good portion of this day ranting and swearing at a certain government agency.  TTYL

THE KIDS AT FORT STEEL

GOING FOR A RIDE...OLD SCHOOL

THE OLD AND THE NEW...SORT OF

WHAT A WASTE OF RHUBARB....NOT

SO MUCH FUN

HEY ANNE!!!  SO CUTE

OUR SNUGGLY LITTLE CABIN

AMAZING BREAKFAST

MAJESTIC!

WAITING FOR OUR FONDUE TO ARRIVE

A COUPLE OF BESTIES

LARRY THE MASTER PIZZA MAKER

DIVING IN!!!!

COSTCO AND GRAD DRESSES

What an odd day today (Tuesday) was...and it ain't over yet.  This morning I picked up my sister and headed up to the university for the annual gen. mtg. for Kiwanis.  I have to admit I was in a very cranky mood.  Not sure why, I just was.  One of those agitated days one gets now and then.  Or at least I do.  I think I spent the trip over to the university whining and complaining to poor Kathy.  Thank goodness it isn't very far.

Then out in the parking lot at the meter, IN THE FREAKING NEVER ENDING RAIN, I again had a hissy fit trying to get the stupid thing to work.  Sigh.  Kathy was telling me to just walk away..lol!!

We had a good meeting.  After it we all started to sort and hang prom dresses for girls that can't afford new ones.  My feeble contribution was untangling millions of hangers.  Egads!  I had to leave for a quick meeting with my real estate lady. I then headed up to Costco.

I didn't need much.  Paper towels, V8 juice, guacamole...that was about it.  I get to the till, she rings it through and then my card needs renewing. I ask her how much...167 bucks!!!!  No.  Not doing that.  So she took pmt for my stuff and then I had to head over to membership counter.  I was there for over half an hour!  What the hell!!!  I wanted to downgrade from executive, take a dead person off of it and add Monte.  Good God Almighty!!!  How can that be so complicated!!!  It took three people to figure it out.  But it ended up being only fifty bucks.  I lied though.  I told them Monte lived with me.  And I don't care.

Then when I got home I was packing stuff in to the house.  I was trying to prop the garage door open with the loser laundry soap I only use when I am out of good stuff, (it sits on the floor) and stuff started to fall out of my arms.  I got mad and threw the rest of it all over the place.  Then I had to bend over and pick crap up and stuff fell out of my bra...phone, keys, comb...  Now I was really mad.

Later I was snipping the plastic off the case of V8 so I could put it in the fridge and punctured one of the cans and by the time I snapped up the holy spewing can and threw it across the room into the sink, the kitchen looked like a murder scene.  It still does.  I haven't cleaned it yet.   Grrrrrr.....TTYL

PRETTY DRESSES

HUNDREDS OF PRETTY DRESSES

I HAVE A FEELING THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME HE EVER HUNG A PROM DRESS!!!!

MACARONI SALAD TO THE POWER OF INFINITY

April and Eithne arrived around seven from Prince George.  They were so tired, poor things.  But we had a bite to eat and a wonderful visit.  Then early to bed.  They said they would stay later the next day and come with me to help make a meal and feed a couple hundred less fortunate folks.

And feed them we did!!!  We went down to the church around 12:30 and dove in immediately. We tiny diced peppers, celery and green onions.  We peeled a million carrots, prepared cauliflower, broccoli, frozen corn, frozen peas etc.... Cut up many many many chickens.  Mixed up a delicious flour coating for it.  Mixed quarts of tasty salad dressing for the mac salad.  Cut and buttered over two hundred buns.  Plated about 200 dishes of various desserts.  Made a ton of bagged take away lunches.  Set up tables.  Wrapped silverware in preparation.  Made coffee and iced tea by the gallon.  What an unbelievable experience!

At one point I stepped outside the door in the back alley where you enter this amazing commercial kitchen in the back of the United Church.  There is a concrete pony wall along there, so I took a minute to sit down.  There were already a bunch of interesting characters lined up out there.  One scruffy older man with a beard that would put Santa to shame, asked what was on the menu.  So I told him...roast chicken, mac salad, veggies, buns, dessert and beverage.  His response?.."I hope there aint too much salt on the chicken!"  Best Mother's Day ever!!

I have to admit that the four hours of work kicked my ass.  I was getting charlie horses everywhere and my feet hurt.  April had to drive home because I was needing to contort to relieve the cramps.  But the girls were tired too!  It was a lot of work! 

 Then, immediately upon arriving home,  Kathy sent me a pic of Stirling...and said she was on baby duty!  Seriously!!  And that was like immediately!  I do not know how she does it.  (well actually I do...constant movement!  LOL!!)  If I had the kids at that moment they would have been in serious jeopardy!!!

The girls left not long after we got home.  I immediately missed them:(  I don't see my kids nearly enough, through no fault of theirs or mine.  Its just the way it is.

Yesterday, Monday, was a busy people day.  Lyons landscaping came by a couple of times and we have worked out a good deal for keeping my outside looking good.  Its really necessary now that I am listing the place.

The real estate lady came by with a package for me and we clicked immediately.  Honestly our convo veered off into New Age Spirituality in a way that just never happens.  It was kind of amazing.  So because we both had encroaching appointments we decided to put a comma in it and get together soon for coffee and visit.  Awesome person!!!  I am aiming to list by the end of June.  Sigh!

Then I met Leanne, my awesome friend from the past (I used to babysit her) for dinner.  She and I just simply click.  She is an amazing woman and a truly amazing mother.  She is going through a very similar thing with an adult child of hers as I am going through with Monte.  We compared notes and suggestions and info.  We both are walking a very very delicate line between helping and enabling.  These two adults are not mentally deficient, they are mentally struggling with anxiety.

  At the moment neither can really work in the general world but they need to be independent.  Its hard.  At the same time we are doing everything humanly possible to help them wend their way through the mental health system to get real help.  I am going to hire her son when I get back from Vancouver on June 5th to help me get the house ready to list.  Thank God!!!  And he is such a sweetie!

Well I am off to the Annual General Meeting of the infamous amazing Kiwanians!!!  Yippeedoodle!!!!  TTYL

RUSTY (HAHA) SHOWING OFF THE MAC SALAD VEGGIES WE DICED UP.  THATS KATHY BACK THERE WITH THE COLOURFUL BALL CAP ON

WASHING THE VEGGIES

PEELING MANY BAGS OF CARROTS.  THE TWO PEOPLE ON THE LEFT, ELAINE AND ROGER, ARE THE TRUE MOVER AND SHAKERS OF THE KIWANIS GROUP.  WITHOUT THEM WE WOULD TRULY STRUGGLE.

LIKE I SAID "MAC SALAD TO THE POWER OF INFINITY"

SETTING UP THE TABLES

THIS IS RICK.  THIS SAINT OF A MAN RUNS THE KITCHEN.  EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY HE AND A CREW OF PEOPLE MAKE LUNCH FOR 150-200 PEOPLE.  HE IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.

GIANT FRIDGES HOLD GALLONS OF MAC SALAD!

DRUNKS AND CHILDREN

That was the name of the play we saw last night.  Apparently only drunks and children tell the truth. The play was amazing...about a couple of our first nations reconnecting.  The acting was particularly good.  So often in these small productions the acting is overly dramatic and loud.  But what really stole the show last night was the very natural acting of two of the four characters.  So good.

I went on that realtor.com and found the exact townhouse I want.  I mean I really want it!  It has a pretty funky layout, not at all like any other townhouse out there.  And the kitchen cupboards are bright bright red! I just might give the realtor a call and go see it.  Maybe, with any luck, the red cupboards will put people off and it won't sell for a while.  Theres no appliances either.  But I have a feeling its going to sell.  Hey Cookie, here is the MLS # 139833.  Go take a look and let me know what you think!!!!

On Monday I am going to go and buy boxes....again.  The middle smaller bedroom upstairs is empty.  I shall start packing and filling that room.  Sigh.  Not quite shovel list though.  I kind of like packing.  Why?  Cuz it means throwing stuff out and sending stuff to Sally Anne, which happens to be one of my most fave activities.  And I also know that as you pack, the place looks emptier and emptier.  I just happen to know that realtors are always whining how your house is too 'cluttered'. 

Which reminds me of the North Vancouver house.  Due to circumstances I didn't call my realtor until the house was completely packed.  We bought a house in Victoria and everything was moved over there. The house was empty.  Then I called Dane to list it.  And when he arrived he was shocked!  I casually asked him if the damned place was uncluttered enough for him.  Then the bugger wanted to stage it!!  I said absolutely NOT!  Theres no making them happy I tell ya!!!

Well the girls are on their way...left Prince George an hour ago.  I have a bunch of things to do before they get here.  And our friend Jimbo is coming over.  He texted me last night asking me to put a cup of his barley in water to soak.  I have never soaked barley before...other grains but not barley.  He is going to cook it when he gets here.  I better clean my kitchen!  Gotta bounce!  TTYL

DID THE MATH

Well I did the math and have come to the conclusion that I can't in all good conscience continue to live in this house.  It's 1500 square feet too big.  I just don't need all that footage (which is very expensive in this town when it comes to property taxes).  I also do not need a yard.  I do not want to grow a garden.  I don't want to mow.  I don't want to shovel snow.  I don't want to figure out the stupid automatic sprinkler system.  yadda yadda yadda.  (all those are on my shovel list).

I went on realtor.ca today and there are a zillion townhouses for sale.  Thats where I am headed!  And after I put in three bedrooms, two bathrooms, the first thing I look at when I click on one is how big the dining room is.  If it isn't at least fifteen by twelve I don't even look.  Or I look to see if the dining room is open to the living room.  As long as I can use my seven foot dining table then that place is a contender.  Its been fun looking.  I wouldn't mind having a view but it isn't mandatory.  I know I am moving downhill though.  I do NOT like the weather up here.  Its too windy and cold.  Oh, and I want a garage.  First one I have had that I could drive into and there's no going back!

But alas! there is lots to do before I can list.  The painting has to be finished, wall nicks to be fixed, and a whole lot of junk to get rid of...again.  Anne mentioned that she has a handy man that I could hire for the painting and fixing.  And I think I am going to start parking Tank outside and I am going to start filling the garage with all the necessary stuff to get rid of.  Major purge...again.  Then when the garage is full I shall either rent a truck and haul it away or hire a junk hauler to take it all.

Behind my chair there have been three boxes full of crap, papers, cords, trip goodies, bills, receipts etc...  Finally today I hauled them out, sorted it all out and filed, put away and garbaged the whole lot.  What a good feeling!

Now I am getting the stuff together for a cheesy broccoli impossible pie and heading down to Kathy's.  We are having dinner with friends there and then off to a play down at Heritage House.  I'm looking forward to this particular play.  More about that tomorrow!  TTYL