A Spot of T

Here's To Sunshine - He was a good Sunflower

I was so impressed when I saw a sunflower growing in amongst the front shrubs a couple months ago, I didn't have the heart to pluck it out of there.  I managed to get some great pictures of it as it matured, and really grew to love the bright yellow head greeting me everytime I'd leave or come home.  I'm weird, I named him Sunshine.

So I was a bit surprised when I opened the blind in the front room the other day and found 'Sunshine' all tipped over with his head in the ground looking like he just got back from a night on the town.  What to do what to do??  I decided right then and there to become a master grower of sunflowers.

Since moving out to the acreage 11 years ago I have always said I wanted to grow sunflowers and maybe this was a sign from the big guy above, or at least a birdy up above.  I mean really, how hard can it be?  I'm almost positive a clumsy bird dropped a sunflower seed as he was passing by, and the thing just started growing right then and there.  I can do that.  Drop a seed in some dirt and watch it grow.

So I thought about it and did what any master sunflower grower would do.....I took a knife and went out there and cut Sunshine's head off.  I sat him in the 20 degree weather we've been having and thought maybe the seeds needed to dry out.  I was winging it.  I could have googled about sunflowers but a clumsy bird grew this one so who needs google.

Well the dog was whining and carrying on all morning and it finally dawned on me to look out the front window.  Guess what I saw?  Four Blue Jays fighting over Sunshine!

He was being picked away at and by the time I ran and got my camera out of the truck, these are what I managed to get.  If I would have known these Blue Jays were going to come up so close to the house I wouldn't have put Sunshine out there....and so far away.  Or maybe I would have put him out there because what a great opportunity to get some pictures.  Of course it was right into the sun and by the time I ran and got the tripod......my battery went dead in the camera.  Sigh!

So here's to Sunshine.  He was a good sunflower, he was a bright sunflower.  May I be able to find a morsel of him left to plant and have little Sunshine's again next year.

Fun Friday

I had a great day today!

I had some errands to do and since I was going to wash the truck anyway while I was in town, I decided to go into St. Albert the back way and enjoy some different views of those beautiful Fall colors.  Have I ever mentioned Fall is my best favorite time of the year?  Well it is.  Add in a bit of rain on those glorious Fall days and I tell you, I could die a happy lady.  As a matter of fact I have often told my family I hope when my time comes, it will be in the Fall and the day is a rainy day.  Absolute heaven to me.

I went to a few stores and no one had the battery in-stock I needed for my camera.  I phoned the downtown London Drugs and they had one left.  For the price of these things you would think no one would be buying them, but I guess if we want to take pictures we need the batteries.

The sales guy was a bit bored I think so started asking me questions about my camera.  When I told him I had a Canon EOS 30D he got all excited.  I'm sure I stood there for 25 minutes talking and chatting about this camera.  I mean I love my camera but to see someone else appreciate it too is always nice.  He said he couldn't believe how much I knew about the camera and he could tell I had a passion for it.  Awwwww shucks.  I was a bit taken aback when he told me how many people he deals with with big expensive cameras and all they do is set it on automatic because they can't be bothered to learn anything else about it.  What a shame is all I have to say about that.

Since I was downtown anyway and knew Kelsey was off school soon, I waited and we both went to our favorite store Ascendant Books.  I haven't been in this little gem for awhile and was thrilled to see some new and exciting things there.  As always, I left there with a bag full of goodies.  Kelsey and I were both starving so we ate in their little cafeteria.  So cozy and comfy and the lady who took our order was delightful.

I had some more running around to do, so I dropped Kelsey back off at her car, and then met all three kids at Moxies on St. Albert Trail at 4:00.  It's so nice to be able to get there early and enjoy a quiet relaxing supper before the weekend rush comes in.  It's amazing how the noise level goes up in just an hour.

I sat there listening to the kids and how their days were when my youngest daughter tells us she has a note for me from the school.  Oh oh.  "No nothing like that," she says "It's just to let the parents know why they've had so many RCMP and military at the school the last few days and to let us know about the threat on monday and tuesday."

What the?!!  HUH!  I think I stopped breathing.

Yep, apparently someone called the school earlier this week and threatened to come to the school and start killing kids.  RCMP showed up and within the day they somehow managed to find out who the kid was and he's being punished as I write this.

Then today there was something scrawled in the boys washroom about how 'another' person was going to come to the school either monday or tuesday and start killing kids.   The RCMP were there in a matter of minutes as well as the military and all day the kids were under lockdown.

My day was going so good, and it's still going good but we all sat there stunned.  Instantly I thought of homeschooling and mentioned it to my youngest.  She's in Grade 10 so what's the problem with doing the rest of her schooling at home right?  But then, as always, my kids are the voice of reason.  I was reminded that not two days ago there was a threat scrawled on the downtown Grant MacEwan Campus wall and the police have been there for two days walking the hallways and outside of the campus.  I can homeschool all I want, but what happens when they want to go to College or University?  Can you get a degree from home??  I can shelter them all I want, but the cold hard reality is.....the world is turning into a freak show!

They wouldn't hear of homeschooling no matter what I  said though so I was wasting my breath.  They've loved and enjoyed every single moment of school and the memories they have are priceless.  Sigh!  So you do what you always do when you hear these things, you talk and listen and you talk some more and you hope and pray they listen and most of all, they will be kept safe.

So!  We haven't let the moron ruin our day, it's friday and that means movie night at the T house.  Popcorn anyone?

Friend - To Use the Word Loosely

Did you ever have a 'friend' you just wanted to take a hammer and smash over the head?

I'm not a violent person, I swear I'm not.  Ok I have the odd evil thought when people tick me off, but I'm mostly all bark and no bite.

A 'friend' called up last week and 'scheduled an appointment' to come and have coffee today at 10:00am....sharp.  I told her I would be out but if she wanted to come around 10:30 I'd love to see her again and have coffee.  As a matter of fact I offered to make a late breakfast if she was interested.  She said that would be fine.

Guess who showed up at 10:00am...........sharp.....and I wasn't home?  Yep.  Ms. Prissy 'Friend'.  I thought I had seen her as I was driving down the road but didn't think much of it.  I get home and go to walk in the front door when I notice an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of lined paper taped to the door handle.  Who carries lined paper and tape with them??!!

This is exactly what the note said:

Ms. Prissy Friend:  "I find it in extremely bad taste to make an appointment for 10:00 and then not have the common courtesy or brains to either phone and tell me you will be late or cancel our appointment altogether.  You must know by now how much I despise tardiness Joy and yet you leave me sitting here for 20 minutes.  Unlike you, my time is precious and I refused to wait any longer.  I will await your apology."

Joy:  Dialing 'Friends' Number......in my most calming, happy dripping sarcasm voice........."Hi (Ms. Prissy 'Friend') this is Joy.  Hope all is well.  I'm great and soooooo lucky this brain of mine functioned well enough for a few short seconds to be able to dial your number.  Phew!  I got your note, and it was just really swell to read.  I did want to tell you though (Ms. Prissy 'Friend') no one writes like that in this day and age.  I mean really, tardiness?  Come on.  When hell freezes over is when you'll get an apology from me.  You have a nice day and I've been meaning to tell you this for awhile now, but don't bother calling my number ever again.  Now where DID I put that book I had on Toxic People........"

Things I Hate

1. I hate when the dog follows me around from sun-up to sun-down.......I feel like either he's dying or I am.
2. I hate when telemarketers call.
3. I hate when I do the happy dance because I only have one load of laundry left and can see the light.......and the kids decide to 'clean' their rooms.
4. I hate when I have to call in a repair man because the washer's always broke down and each time he's here he finds things like great big belt buckles wedged in the bottom of the spinner thing, or wads of chewing gum stuck god knows where.  Why can't he ever find wads of money......or....wait a minute......maybe he does?!
5. I hate when telemarketers call.
6. I HATE when I see my son walking away and his pants are down around his crotch.  One of these days he's going to get an incredible jean wedgie from his mother.
7. I hate when my husband calls me 18 million times a day.....to see what I'm doing.  Isn't it clear?  I'M ANSWERING THE PHONE!
8. I hate when telemarketers call.
9. I hate when my daughter gives me heck for being two minutes late to pick her up at school....but I can sit there for 10 minutes while she "says goodbye to all her friends".
10. I hate waiting all week long to enjoy my one cup of Hazelnut Latte and Carrot Muffin I treat myself to, only to get up to the speaker at Second Cup and have them say "I'm sorry our Latte machine isn't working.....and we just sold our last carrot muffin."

Come back often.....I'm sure the list will grow

Mona Lisa's Smile

Ah yes, scientists have finally cracked the case....they think.....of why Mona Lisa is smiling in her picture.  It's because.....they think.....she had just had a baby before being painted 500 years ago by Leonardo da Vinci.

Sigh!

MY opinion is.......the girl just has that kind of face.  You know the kind, some people just have a natural smile on their face.  Just as some people have a natural grumpy face.

Grumpy faced people are bombarded with "Smile, life can't be that bad." and smiley faced people are.....well......they aren't told alot now are they.  They look happy all the time.  I'd rather have the smile....and do I'm afraid.

When I went in to get my passport picture the guy kept saying "Stop smiling, you can't smile for a passport picture."  To which I would reply "I'm not smiling, I'm just sitting here."  To which he'd reply "Well we can't have you smiling for your passport picture.  It has to be a natural neutral non-smiling picture."  ?????  But this IS my natural neutral face.  Sorry, but the genes I was dealt with gave me a permanent slight smile, even when some schmuck photographer is being a dink.

So I did what any good upstanding citizen would do when the government says they want a natural neutral non-smiling face for a passport picture......I made an 'un'natural kind of frown and the photographer was ecstatic.

You keep smiling Mona Lisa......and keep those scientists guessing for another 500 years :o)

I Say Yea for the Jury

I'm was listening to the radio this morning when I heard the girl (Katrina Effert) was found guilty of second-degree murder for strangling her newborn baby with a pair of thong panties last year and tossing the little one's body over the neighbour's fence like a piece of garbage.  Well those weren't the exact words they used, but you get the jist of it.

My opinion?  I say good good GOOD......and the sentence should have been tougher yet.  The jury gave her the mandatory 'minimum' sentence of life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 10 years.  I wonder if that will be enough time for her and her family to really realize what this girl did?

There is no doubt in my mind everyone was thoroughly shocked at the verdict.  I mean after all, it said in the Edmonton Journal "In virtually every case, the mothers are found guilty of the century-old lesser charge of infanticide.  That charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, but in almost every case the mother is given a conditional sentence or parole because infanticide means the mother suffered from a "disturbed mind" because of trauma of childbirth."

Well not in this case.  Someone.....or in this case 12 someone's.............heard the evidence throughout the trial and decided this girl should be charged with second-degree murder.  Did I voice my opinion on this already?  GOOD!!!

I understand family members broke down, started sobbing and then started yelling obscenities at the jury.  RCMP were brought in because of the rising tension in the courtroom.  What a proud classy moment for the family.  Can't figure out where the girl went wrong.....hmmmm.

Kids Growing Up = Spotless House

Have I mentioned my daughter's moving out at the end of the month?  Have I mentioned how proud I am of her and all her independence?  Have I mentioned I didn't realize how I'm a little stressed because of it??  I guess I've been too busy to really think about it, but my baby's moving out.

I really thought I was ok with this.....and I am.....I really really am.  I know she's got a great head on her shoulders, I know she'll do just fine, I know we won't be too far away from her and I know we'll see and hear from her often.........but the closer the end of the month gets.....the bigger the knot in my stomach gets.

When I'm stressed, worried, angry, or have a lot on my mind......I clean.  I didn't realize I was cleaning so much until Gregg said something when he called today.

Gregg:  "Hey Joy, what are you doing?"

Joy:  "Cleaning the cupboard and stacking the cans of peas."

Gregg:  "Again?!"

Joy:  "What do you mean again?"

Gregg:  "Weren't you cleaning the other cupboard and rearranging the cereal boxes the last time I called?  That house must be spotless by now.  Everytime I've called the past week you're cleaning something.  Everything all right?"

Joy:  "Of course everything's all right, why wouldn't everything be all right, are you SAYING things aren't all right, because if you're SAYING things aren't all right then you're trying to jinx things and isn't that just your way, Mr. doom and gloom to jinx things and say things aren't all right when in fact they are PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT!!!!!!"

Gregg:  "Joy?"

Joy:  "WHAT??!!!!"

Gregg:  "UmmmmsorryIgottagosomeone'scallingmeontheotherlinebye"

Postcard Update #8

With Permission from Diane Armstrong:

(YEA NEWFOUNDLAND! Rah! Rah! Rah!)
Here is your regular update on the numbers of Postcards For the Troops received.
BC - 135
AB - 163
SK - 81
MB - 0
ON - 1964
QC - 13
NS - 0
NB - 0
NL - 10
PE - 0
California - 11
Total received - 2,377. We're getting there!

If you use regular mail today and tomorrow, your cards should arrive on time. Wednesday and Thursday, send by Express Post. Friday or Saturday, you'll have to use a courier service such as Purolator or FedEx. If your parcel isn't ready by Saturday, keep the cards until next year. I cannot extend the date beyond October 3rd.
Sorry if I'm sounding like a Drill Sargeant, but when the Army says October 3rd, they mean it!
Diane

Drive in the Country

I haven't been to Legal in ages so with the warm morning and spitting rain, I dropped my daughter off at school and away I went.

I forgot how charming this little town is.  It is a very French community and the added charm are all the murals they have up on the sides of the buildings.  There are so many more than what I've shown here, but if you're looking for a really nice drive to the cutest little town.....I'd recommend Legal.

Dial-Up SUCKS!

Ok now I feel bad ranting and raving about the huge document coming into my mailbox because it turns out it was hysterical and made my morning!

It was one of those hidden camera things and this was a Scotsman wearing a kilt and asking if people would hold the ladder for him while he went up to do what ever he was doing up there.

They caught people looking, laughing, and looking again, it was sooooo funny!

Would "I" look?  Damn straight I'd look :o)