Bride Time in EbayLand

Well, it's Bride time out there in ebay land and website land. Yes, they are out there and I need to sell to em. The movers are expensive and we need a new bed. Or, we could just take up yoga and sleep on a mat (easier to move-yep, for sure-eh?)

Here are two new ones for me.

The one with flowers -I put little matching dots in the middle of the flower to go with the border.

Now, I realize in terms of blogging world, this is boring, but . . . you would be surprised how long it took me to get these up and ready. Lots of time. So much, that I didn't go out and find something funny and interesting to blog about.

Huh? Do what? How?

The new house. Time to sign the lease. So, we are reading it and it says:

pay the rent-check-we can do that

trim the trees-check-I have already discussed this with the owner

only our family living in the house-check-no problemo there-no subleases for us

only two cats-check-again, no problem (Larry would leave me if I got more than 2)

put out and take in the floating dock-check............ whooooooooaaahhh. How the heck do we do that? This is a new one. Larry saw that and went----oohhh, I have no idea, not comfortable with that at all. We really need them to have someone do it. Dock? Water? Floating?

Somehow I don't think throwing it in the water is what they had in mind. I am thinking they have anchors and things. Maybe even a game plan on the location. Sigh.

Oh, and I called a moving company. Because everyone moves here on July 1st, they charge time and a half for the week before and the week after July 1st. So, we need to either move early or stay here a bit longer. Plus I wanted time to have this house cleaned and sparkly for when the owners return.

Ah, the life of moving folks.

But, its good in one way. My junk drawer will have to be cleaned out at least once a year.

Cooking with Vicky Hamburger Helper

Trish suggested I forgo Hamburger Helper and make it myself. What a great suggestion. And since it all started with someone in the house throwing stuff in a pan and having it look like HH, I thought, lets give it a go.

So, what to put in it? Meat, yeah-that works. Noodles-how about egg noodles? yeahhh. Ok, so with HH you add water and milk. I can do that. And then I threw in a packet of a meat sauce. Nothing fancy, just something you can get for steaks up here (think fake wine sauce and you just about have it).

I simmered away. ManChild #1 came in. And he tasted it. It needed something. He suggested salt. Well, the point here was to get away from salt. But since I hadn't added any salt yet . . . maybe I could add some but then he said, how about garlic salt. Yeah, that would work. Besides, I could probably put the whole bottle of garlic salt in and it still wouldn't have as much salt as HH.

I served din din to the men. The final verdict.

It needed salt.

Hey . . . guys, the point here was to get away from the salt. But, they will get used to it. Or not. :)

Swing swing swing, its spring

Hey, it was pretty today. I mean it. In the 50's and sunny and everything. And most of the snow is gone from the grassy areas (ok, fine, not from near the fences or where it was piles or drifted up).

Late afternoon, Mainman had one of the man children get my swing cushion and put it on the swing. You remember the swing don't you? You know, the one that was covered with snow? So much snow it couldn't swing? Yeah, that one.

see my baby grass-its actually coming up!

Ohhh, goodieee! I can swing. Now, I was actually outside barefoot at the time. Picking up about 40 nails from the patio that I had cleaned of nails last week (them there nails do blend in well!). I was going to swing, but . . . I just couldn't bring myself to walk there without shoes. Toooooo many nails that are hidden. On with the shoes, and off to the swing.





AAAahhhh. And as I was sitting there, in the late sunshine-KC ran out of the house and up to me with excitement. Really, you could see it in his face and the way he came up. He was HAPPY to see me outside and on the swing.







But, he was able to regain his catly composure rather quickly. No need in letting these weak humans think I really care.



And we had chicken on the grill. Yummy. (Notice the state of the chefs toes-yep, no shoes either).




Cool, it's spring. Won't last long, you know more snow has to be around the corner. But, it was nice to see.

Poor Kitty

Manchild #1 is thinking of going back to the states. He isn't all that happy up here in French Canadaland. But, he doesn't want to leave the kitty. You know, the crazy Canadian Cat. Nutso kitty. The one that sits on the edge of the bed and looks at me in the morning-and licks my nose lightly-only once-because he knows it gets the job done. Yeah, that cat.

So, #1 decided to pack that cat and ship him. Yep, bubble wrap it all. I wonder what the post office would say? (this is a joke-we don't ship kitties that way-we drive them meowing and screaming for two days in the back of vans).

And just so you know, the cat LOVES bubble wrap and loves rolling in it. #1 was just playing with him-he is happy in his little demented kitty way.

My mind . . . works in weird ways

I'm sick. Sick I tell you. Why? Cause, I find this funny. Now, I am sure it wasn't funny to her. Hey, it probably isn't funny. But, I laughed. Not sure why. I am so sorry-sick, sick, sick me! snicker.

Raccoon bites White Rock mayor
Source: CBC News
Posted: 03/25/09 4:25PM
Filed Under: Canada
The mayor of White Rock, B.C., is receiving medical treatment after being attacked by an aggressive raccoon.
Mayor Catherine Ferguson was forced to miss a city hall meeting this week due to the raccoon bite.
Ferguson was getting her dog from her backyard in the suburb south of Vancouver early Saturday when the attack happened, she told CBC News on Wednesday.
"A raccoon came out of the bushes and bit me on the back of the leg. I got the dog into the house and it came at me another time and I managed to hit it in the head with the door and that was the end of it."
Ferguson says she is receiving tetanus and rabies shots due to the aggressive nature of the animal, but is doing well.

Now, I do understand that some places are having real problems with these creatures. I also understand that I don't mess with them either-which was why he was out of focus when I opened the door and stuck the camera out but kept my body inside.

However, I watched a family of raccoons come of age in my back yard for several years. I like them. I don't encourage em, but I think they are cute. But, they ARE wild animals and for that alone demand respect. And respect means, learn to find your own food without me or my garbage. "Mama" and "Baby" were so cute. She taught him how to get my bird seed (thanks a lot there, mama raccoon!). The Manchildren and I watched the entire summer and fall as baby became a teenager.

Ringlets, I tell ya-RINGLETS!

Mindless blogging about

Still playing with note cards. Happy little birthday invitations. Princess always brings a smile. We are all princesses at heart. Hmmm, well I wasn't.

I was more of a cowgirl. No, actually, more of a cowboy sort of cowgirl. No pink. But, pink sells. And since I don't see a lot of pink in this house, due to the fact that I live with ALL men here, and they don't wear a lot of pink, I do pink.

And Dawn-you are sending mixed messages. First you tell me to blog everyday. Then the crow sent you over the edge and you said, oh, nm, don't blog everyday. NOW, you say you want me to blog everyday. Hmmm, to blog or not to blog-that is the question. Should I blog mindless little tidbits to satisfy Dawn's addiction, or should I refrain and only blog when I really have something worthwhile to blog about. Well, if I refrain and only blog when I have something worthwhile, I would have to end my blog. Oh, mindless bloggins isn't all that bad, is it? :)

Local Fauna

We occasionally have a visitor that pulls over the garbage cans. Not a light weight, he gets what he wants-no matter what.

But, taking his picture in the middle of the night wasn't easy. Beside being cold, it was dark and dreary.(hey, that sounds like the start of a bad novel-"It was a dark and dreary cold early spring night. When suddenly, a crash echoed through the home. The lady of the house jumped to her feet and ran to see what could be disturbing the gentle quiet of the evening.")

Yeah, well, our visitor wasn't very helpful with pictures. First time, just the screen. NOT a great shot of him but not too bad of a screen.

A series of too dark that I lightened in Photoshop. Well, you can at least tell he is a raccoon.

I opened the door, but didn't want to venture out, so he was out of focus. But nice scary eye effect.

Well, one sort of turned out. Through the window. He wasn't really happy with me. No goodies to be found. But, he came back 4 times. I think he thought he missed something, or I was interrupting him and made him miss his dessert.

Cooking with Vicky: Salt times 2

Welcome to another installment of cooking with Vicky. Or perhaps this should be titled "How to OD on Sodium without even trying."

My mother was a good cook. NO, a great cook. She was one of those who threw things together, measured by looking and of course, it turned out great. I remember trying to make something when I was young and I asked how much of an ingredient. She said -oh, about two pinches. PINCHES? I needed exact. She didn't do exact, except to say that her pinches were always the same. So, I guess it was exact. I just couldn't reproduce it.

I grew up with a mother who didn't make casseroles. Yep, that's right. I don't remember ever having one at home. I don't make casseroles now. Not because I don't like them, I just never think about it. She also didn't overcook her veggies, never bought cheap meat and didn't give us dessert (I know, I had a truly terrible childhood).

I suppose you are wondering where this is going in terms of Cooking with Vicky.

Let me tell you. I have NEVER used Hamburger Helper. Never eaten it either. No kidding. I have seen it in the stores. But, I would turn up my nose-WHO actually cooks with that? Well, manchild #1 tends to cook, and throws things together. One night he made a meat, noodle thing and I said-gee that looks like Hamburger Helper. He looks at me with a question? I have never heard of that, what is Hamburger Helper?

Welllllllllll, two generations of HH deficiency, and this had to stop. Off I go. I need to find some. Of course, not as easy as it sounds. Loblahs doesn't have it, or I can't find it. Finally, I find it in a store. Yummmy. Let's make it.

To be honest, it's not that bad. And #1 really likes it.



However, if one happens to read the ingredients, one will NOT eat it. Let's just say, sodium alone is enough to make you wake up in the middle of the night thinking you are lost in the desert.

But, it's easy, the kid LOVES it, the other kid likes it, hubby likes it and so do I (in a salty sort of way).

Could it be Spring?

Wow, it really must be spring up here.

On Friday, all the snow and ice finally melted off the back patio. Not the yard, mind you, but the patio. But there was a problem. When the snow finally melted, you could see all the stuff left over by the roofers. It was a MESS. Shingles, bits and pieces of unknown materials, nails, screws, gloves and tools. Plus cigarette butts. Gggrrr.

To be fair, the roofer did say he would come out and clean up once the snow was gone. And the snow isn't gone on the grass or near the front door. It wouldn't be productive for them to come out just to do the back patio. But, I couldn't stand it.

So, out I went and swept and cleaned and swept some more. If this is an example of the amount of nails that are in the yard, please remind me NOT to walk barefoot in the grass! I hope the roofers have good magnets. (And yes, I am living in my own little world thinking that they really will come back and clean up).

KC watched and helped. I ended my cleanup with putting a chair out that he loves sitting on. The table and chairs are still frozen in the yard from last December when they told us to move them for the roof.

This morning, we woke up to a dusting of snow. It blew off the patio pretty quickly with the gentle breeze (ok, fine, it's windy), but a little stayed on the chair.

KC wasn't amused. He finally got his chair back, only to have snow on it.

Oh Dear, that's not good.

For the last couple days, KC has been occasionally staring at the fireplace in the living room. He would just sit there, silently and stare. It has glass doors, so I looked in. Nope, nothing. Besides, if something was running up and down (say, a mouse) it would be able to get out of the fireplace upstairs in our bedroom. Right? At least, I would think so. And KC wasn't interested in that fireplace (well, he hasn't been interested ever since that unfortunate first day and his curiosity).


Last night, Larry commented that he thought something was in the fireplace to keep KC looking. He started to open the glass doors. I suggested that he NOT do that as it was late, and if a mouse was in there, it would run around the house-with a big cat chasing it, followed by a clumsy smaller cat. The thought wasn't pretty. I looked again through the glass-nope nothing. I listened. Nope.


Tonight, Larry is watching TV and KC is doing his daily stare at the fireplace. I thought maybe some branches were hitting it outside. You know, making noises (and being nothing living, breathing, and well, dirty with ashes). Larry goes to open the glass doors and I hear a loud noise. Hmmmm, that isn't a cat sound. Not a manchild sound either. Or a sound that Larry makes-even on bad days. LOL


Oh, Vicky, I think there is something in the fireplace
Oh?
Yeah.
Hmmmm
(yeah, we have brilliant conversations in our house)

So I try to see. I go find a flashlight. It's one of those new ones with the LED lights. Not bright enough. So I put a brighter light there. And I look through the glass doors. Hmmm, nothing . . . but . . . maybe-over there, behind the log. Something gray. Well, it would be gray, wouldn't it? I mean, there are ashes in there. I look closer. I see a gray fluffy tail.




Now, in case you haven't noticed, mice don't have fluffy tails. I promise they don't. And if it was a mouse, it was a BIG mouse. Nope, it was a squirrel.

Well, dang it all. I can handle mice, I can handle birds, even occasional chipmunks. But, squirrels are mean. And they bite.

So, we shut all the doors to every room. Put the kitten in the basement (he doesn't normally go there), blocked the room as best we could, shut the drapes and opened the front and back doors. I wanted him to run out the back door. No windows could be seen (the thought of a squirrel climbing up the drapes to the window . . . oh, let's not even go there). I got a big plastic storage thing (got a lot of those sitting around for water, etc).

Ok, we each have our defense-a broom.

And we open the door and at that time I say . . .

Hey, where's the camera?

Let's just say, Larry wasn't amused and said,
This is NOT the time for the camera.

He had a point.

So, we open the screen doors.

There he is. Looking at us. And a fine example of squirrel he is. Big, round, fluffy and WIDE eyed. We move a broom behind him and he steps out a bit, pauses, looks around and takes off out the back door. Two leaps and he is gone. NOT a footprint or ash to be found in the room.

Toooo cool.

But now, we get to clean the fireplace. He had to be in there for a couple days.

PS:
My hair is still short. Very short. But its really wash and wear. I mean, what else can I do? I don't really have a small curling iron.

Whining Works

It's amazing how well whining works. I should have remembered that. Now, to be honest, I hated it when the kids whined. They didn't whine that much either. Well, they went through a short time of whining, at which time, I sat them down, explained what and how they sounded. They didn't get it. So, whenever they whined, I would say-this is how you sound (and I would repeat how they said it) and this is how to say it if you want me to really do what you want me to do (hey, were you able to read that without having your eyes cross?). It seemed to work. They don't whine. I think it drove them so nuts to have to hear me each time, they stopped whining. Not because whining was irritating, but because I was irritating! They may ignore me now, but they don't whine.

However, I must say, whining works on Sheila. Larry loves a certain soup mix that isn't sold up here. So, I told Sheila that he would LOVE the soup mix-he is such a nice guy, etc. Yeah, I know, that's hitting below the belt.

A package came the other day. I wasn't home so the postman took it to the post office and left a little note. Thinking it was a returned order, I was bummed. I am still trying to figure out the post office rules and a couple packages have been returned. I drag myself to the post office (which is in the local drug store) and was happy to see a cool box for me. A heavy cool box.

Inside was something special for me. Paper. Stickers. And something really special for that special guy in my life. yeahhhhhhhhhhh-soup mix. I made it last night. He is happy. I am happy with the stickers and paper (I happen to like paper)

So, when Sheila gets home from her wonderful vacation in Hawaii, I will have to call and say-

Thanks for dinner the other night-it was great!

Oh, you did your hair

I "did" my hair yesterday. Well, in reality, I stole ManChild #1's hair gel and sort of calmed down the curls a little, and did the sides a back a little. Let's just say that ringlets with such short hair tends to look like 90 year old lady's hair who just had a perm. And while I am old, I am not that old.

The manchildren had seen me ALL day so the hair had been seen. And #1 walks by and pats my head (something that happens when those cute little pudgy faced babies grow up and get taller than you-and BOTH the manchildren are taller than me!)

And he says AFTER he pats, OH, I see you "did" you hair.
Well, yeah, you noticed.
Yeah, its got stuff in it and I could feel it.

Sigh.

Oh well, so I am looking at the "product" I bought yesterday. Queen Dawn told me to get some. And if nothing else, I do follow her advice for buying things. Yep, lots of things. But there is a problem. Has anyone looked at the total amount of hair products there are out there? Now, add in some french things and some Quebec things (yeah, in french only) and its mind boggling. AND I am allergic to the natural world, so I have to make sure I get the stuff that -well, you know, glows in the dark, has killed the test subjects it was tested on and has NO tree bark, grass essence or alfalfa extract (or whatever they put in the stuff to make you think of long hair flowing as you walk through a fresh field of grasses and flowers and stuff with a gentle breeze).

I need chemicals, I say. NOT natural stuff. Nature is so overrated anyway. I think I got something. Not really sure, its in french. I have to test it on my arm first. I'll keep you informed. If my arm doesn't swell up and fall off, I will try it tomorrow.

Pink was a tad too PINK

As per a special request, my blog colors have returned to normal. And I have changed the header back too-since the person I was fishing for didn't bite on the header (ok- she did tell me to put the entire blog back).

But Annie said the pink was driving her nuts. It was driving me nuts too. It was PINK.

So, back to the basic background and the basic header. I think it's better but to be honest, sometimes us fishermen have to use bait that is bright.

And, in case you were wondering, my hair is still short. Really short. So short that my neck and ears are cold. I need a scarf. Now I know why people with short hair have stylish scarves around their necks-they are COLD.

Hey Dawn-YOUR friend is in Hawaii!

I just got an email through ebay. It seems that someone who is on vacation in Hawaii wanted to say hi. Now, in case you guys don't know, I was a little off on when your spring break is down there, so her trip caught me by surprise a little. I should have paid attention. I do pay attention, but-ok, I didn't.

So, I get this one line email. Hi, its beautiful here. I'll email when I get home.

I am sure it's beautiful there. And I am sure SHE could have remembered MY email if she thought for a minute. I mean-commmon-she should remember that. But noooo-she contacts me through ebay.

Sigh, I am unloved.

That said, let me tell you that newbies are coming out of the woodwork on ebay. You would NOT believe the emails. Please, folks, READ. Please read. Please. Read past the title. Read.

Ok, forget it. Back to emails. I can't get anything done with all these blings.

Not that I want to get anything done. But I have orders to print. Yeah, just a few too many. And I only have one printer up. The rest are still packed (I know, I know). So, do I unpack them or leave em? Or do I set them up in the new house? But that house is so small. All those printers will take an entire bedroom.

I guess I should have given you a couple printers before I left!!

So, how was lunch? Mine was fine.

:)

Setting and the internet and what am I doing wrong??

My favorite blog won bloggie of the year (or something like that). I really wanted to put her website as a favorite on my links (over to the right), but something just goes wrong. It goes someplace else.

I played with all my settings.*

It won't work.

Anyway. It's PioneerWoman.com

Coooolll site

Go look!

* sorry for the brief disruption of your daily reading

Hair Products, etc

Is it lunch time there yet? I have to remember the time difference. Maybe early lunch.

To respond to your comment, while I tend to post my daily blogs after midnight, I WAS up at 5 am this morning. Yeah, I was awake early. Things change, what can I say. I stay up less and less late at night and if I go to bed early, I get up early. Plus, I have this cat who hasn't been trained as well as KC (who NEVER wakes me unless you count staring at me).

As for hair product, its a whole new world out there. I used to look and use stuff that would settle my hair. NOT curl was the idea. NOT go nuts all over the place. So, I don't have anything for my hair. What to do today? Hmmmm-I went and stole #1's hair gel. Hey, he doesn't use it all the much. He will never know. What are kids for anyway, beside manchild fishing?

So this is my hair right now. I am thinking it is a little better. #1 told me last night that I should dye it purple and spike it but to be careful where I go since other women with short hair might hit on me. Siiighhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Thanks kid.

I am thinking I tend to look like a combo of Rosemary's Baby and Murder She Wrote. Neither of which make me all that happy.

In case you were wondering why the color seems to change (in some pictures it is darker with red tones, the eyes are different, etc), when I use my flash late at night, it does something weird to the colors-washes me out, darkens the hair, changes the eye color. This picture is at my desk in natural light. My eyebrows are darker than what shows and while I am white, I am not that white (at least not in my mind-in my own little world), but the hair color is about right. LOL

Ringlets

Good Morning Sunshine! You asked for pictures of ringlets.

Well, I tried. The first picture is right after I combed it out- straight. Yeah, you see it happening already.

Then in two minutes-not kidding, it starts. I wish the other pictures turned out, but, hey-taking pictures of the side of your head isn't easy.

Ok, so my hair is curly. But, you have to understand-I came of age in the middle 70's (I know you were still just a little kid at that time . . .), and the look was long straight hair (and bell bottoms, etc). Plus, I had fought my hair for years for some sort of control. Now, most people would just give it up and embrace their hair. However, I continue the losing battle.

I may have finally lost the battle this time. The hair is not being weighed down by how much hair I have (toooo thick too). She did some sort of wispy thing with the cut. So, not so much hair, and it just curls. CURLS, I say!

Dawny Beths Blogging Friend

Hi, it's me again. You know, DBBF. Yep, I am Dawny Beth's Blogging Friend.

Good Morning Dawn. Hope your day is bright, warm and beautiful. Mine is bright and beautiful. Hey, close enough.

So, here is my little story. Yesterday, I decided to get my hair cut (which, by the way-when I washed it this morning is in RINGLETS!!-ringlets, I tell ya! Curls all over the place. But, it's also not as short as it looked yesterday. Still short tho)

Off I go. Out into the warm spring air. It was above freezing. More than half the snow banks are gone. See how low they are. You can see over them now.

The snow banks on the more traveled roads are yukky and dirty. I guess road grime has to go somewhere.

I know snow has to go somewhere, but it always bugs me when I can't see over it to see the stores. Now, if I knew for sure where I was going, I suppose that wouldn't be an issue.

Ah, here I am, the clip joint. Not a good cut. And to be honest, she was supposed to only cut 4 inches off. Things got out of hand. Oh well, these things happen. It sure washes up fast. But it sure curls up. And, I know, I know, people PAY to get their hair to curl like this. Yeah, yeah, my mother used to tell me that all the time. Sooooo cute. Cute little curls-allll over. How sweet. How adorable. Sigh. I want straight hair.

So, I come home, and show the boys. Hey, manchild #2-look. He wouldn't turn all the way around. And, hey, his hair is longer than mine. And its straight. OH, forget it. NEVER MIND. Some people have straight hair. And some people would prefer to play their games. And some people . . . were very smart when he finally looked and plastered a smile on his face and said, ummm, it looks nice mom. and sat there. Eyes glazing over.

What have I done?

Well, I cut my hair, of course.

(my miley cyrus look)

Ok, ok, not great pictures. I guess I should have combed it before I took it. But, to be honest, taking a self portrait is hard. (but if you put the camera up and take the picture down-hey=instant face lift). It helps too --NOT to take the picture in real sunlight-like below.

It's hard is so many ways. But it's hardest on the ego. Yeah. It is.

Hey, it's only hair, it will grow back. Or not.

In MY world . . .

In my little world, all is bliss. You know, happy, sweet, warm. Not cold, not boring. You know, its my world. And I am the queen of this said world. So I rule. You know? Queen.

So welcome to my new world. The world of me. My name is . . . oh that's not important, just call me DBBF. Its short for something. I think. Let me think . . . D is for Daylight in the morning,

In my own little world. I have cool little conversations. Now, since its in my head, I can say whatever I want-reality is so overrated nowadays.

So she sezz to me: Hey you don't have to blog every day
and I sezz to her: Hey , YOU said I had ta
and she sezz: Crows sort of suk
and I sezz: Nah, they just caw
and she sezz: You bored?
and I sezz: ohhhhh, yeah
and I sezz: member when you sez to me that u liked me hair in that picture?
and she sezz: Ummm, nope
and I sexx: OH, yes you do
and she sezz: U didn't
and I sezz: well . . .

Did I happen to say I am bored? Does anyone know what I do when I bored?

Yeah, I make my own entertainment.

HHmmmm, I am thinking that some people may not have found my post on the unique mysteries of the nature of the local crows all that entertaining. Now, I happen to enjoy the quirks of nature. Not a huge fan of crows, I did enjoy the biscuit adventure. And if I had my camera with me, I would have taken pictures. LOL-that would have made that post oooohh so much interesting.

But, no, I didn't and apparently I have pushed someone who shall remain nameless (yeah, DAWN) over the edge with my mindless twittering about Crows and other strikingly interesting subjects. Her comment was: "okay you don't have to blog everyday! I release you from a daily post....just email me :-)"

Ok, my blog is boring. But . . . to be fair-its still winter up here. And I am bored, and boring. And I am focusing on my cards-sort of. And dealing with a little bit of Ebay drama. I am distracted-ok? I promise to liven things up a bit. Or, I could just make it up and post it as real. After all, once its on the internet, it's has to be true . . . right?

*now for those of you who know me, it has the flavor of maybe starting me on a little bit of Dawn Fishing. Let me think . . . what to do, what to do. Stay tuned.

Crows

A posting about crows. Sounds fun and interesting, doesn't it?

Well, ok. But, it was sort of neat.

We have a family of crows around here. They tend to travel, so we only see them once a week or so. I think they must just go around the area, finding goodies and snacks. The problem I see with these guys is I think they scare off the little birds (or eat them, whatever). And, they are LOUD in the summer and fall when they visit. But, they keep the cats entertained when they come by on their weekly fly in.

Yesterday, as I was driving home, I was stopped at a quiet stop sign, getting ready to turn onto the little road to heads home. I notice a big crow (and these boys are BIG), sitting in the crosswalk with something in his beak. It was a nice round biscuit. Nice, pretty biscuit that I am sure was made with loving Canadaland hands (ok, or frozen). He took his biscuit and dropped it on the road. I watched. He had put it in the middle of a puddle. He waited a bit, and then turned it over. He was softening up that biscuit!! And it was obvious he had done it before. WOW, now that's a smart bird.

Random thoughts on Friday

Did you know that in Quebec, Pizza Hut doesn't have the three pizza deal for $5 each? The rest of Canada does . . . but not here.

We will be able to turn right on red after stop when we move. We will be off of the island. It's only on Montreal island that doesn't allow that.

Shopping will be easier too. Lots of stores very close. Except for Costco and the mall. No problem for the mall, slight problem with Costco. I can adjust to that! LOL

Postal service up here . . . well, sucks. They take forever to ship things, the information isn't always updated promptly, and it costs more. Ok, I am spoiled by USPS. But, then again, the post office up here isn't losing money like USPS.

I am having the occasional order. Nothing big, but that's ok. I am still not sure this will work out for me. I am putting up new things daily. Most are old designs that I have played around with and changed colors or layout.

Before . . . after.

Don't you just love before and after shots? Your hair before . . . your hair after (hopefully beautiful, flowing mane of gorgeous hair . . . or something close to that)

No hair shots. But I do have a couple before and after shots.

Driveway before-see the white stuff? That's snow and ice. I realize for you guys down in the lower 48 where daffodils are poking their head out may not remember what this white stuff is. Driveway today. Now, this may appear ugly to you. But it is beautiful to me. See the black? That's called blacktop and it's not something I have seen a lot of lately. Like months.

And to continue with the guest photographer. Before-small, smooth ice lake on grassy area. After-an ever enlarging pond. Where does all this water go anyway? Oh, yeah. Lots of rivers around here.

Kid Fishing . . . when will it stop??

Ok, ok, I know. Fishing for ManChildren is a little-well-mean. Nuts? Crazy? . . . Fun? Yeah, it's fun.

To continue with the fun, I give you antenna balls. I have had antenna balls on my van since it was new (thanks to Suzan). I started for several reasons. One-its a red van and when it was new, there were a LOT of red vans around. One day I walked out of Sam's and saw 7 red vans all parked in a row (mine being in the middle). What to do to make it a little easier to find the van for me and my cute little manchildren? Well, put on an antenna ball. So, Suzan had the cutest Mickey Mouse antenna ball and she gave me one (actually many over the years).

Yeah, yeah, I "borrowed" this image.

As the ManChildren grew, their love of antenna balls waned. OK, they started to hate em. Now, you know what that means. Yep, time to put lots of different antenna balls up. Suzan gave me Mickey through the seasons. I had New Year's Mickey, Valentine Mickey, St. Patrick Mickey, 4th of July Mickey, Thanksgiving Mickey, and Christmas Mickey. I was in Mickey heaven, let me tell you!

One of the ManChildren particularly hated any antenna balls except for the basic black Mickey. I put a sparkly RED Mickey and it kept appearing in the kitchen, OFF the antenna. And then it was in the glove compartment. He never said anything, just took it off.

Yep

Then, Thanksgiving was close. Such a cute antenna ball. It was brown with a Pilgrim Hat. CUTE. He didn't notice for a couple days. Then . . . he took it off in front of me when I picked him up at school and handed it to me. I put it back on later. This went on until he told me he wouldn't get in the car if it was there. (Now, we know this was a empty threat-he wanted to go home). Finally, he got grumpy, so I relented (and it helped that Thanksgiving was almost over). He promptly gave it to Missy (the missing cat), and for some strange reason it became her all time favorite toy-she would carry it everywhere and play fetch with it.

This one too

Back to the present: I have a Mickey Christmas striped antenna ball now. I know, it's after Christmas. I ordered a new and pretty obnoxious ball in December from ebay. It never came. I contacted the seller. She reshipped. It never came.

Ditto


Guess what arrived yesterday?

Yep. My new antenna ball. *snicker*

I unpacked it and said the MC#1-hey look what I got.

YOU have to be KIDDING! (ooooh, how I love ManChild fishing)

#2 hasn't seen it yet. It is going on the van today. :)

He isn't allowed up there. He discovered it today when I was taking picture of "Jack". So I let him see "Jack" right before I told him, no no, kitty, let's get down (but I said it slightly differently)