100 Posts? Already???

I cannot believe that I’ve wracked up 100 posts already…how on God’s green earth did I manage that? It’s been a strange year, with lots of dips, doodles and bumps in the road. I’ve knit.I’ve drunk.I’ve been good. I’ve been bad.

Over the course of 8 months, I’ve opened 2 businesses, attended to sick partners and pets, fought bad guys and bullies, hugged good people and small people, sometimes wrapped in one package. I’ve gardened in the dead of winter, tried to guide my boys and to remedy a mentally-ill dog. I’ve played tug-of-war with a strong Lab puppy and had him play ‘keep away” with my possessions. I’ve built flower beds and fences, cried tears of frustration and happiness, cleaned up after cats, dogs & peoples of all sorts and sizes. I’ve wiped ‘varnish’ off of my clothes after getting licked by Nash (yummm, Lab spit!); I’ve even ‘done work’ and generally tried to keep my poop in a group. Life moves on and so do blogs. When I started posting, knitting and the occasional (shut up, MC) glass of vino capped a good part of my days. Not so much right now – research, writing and spending countless hours on the phone are no match for a nice Pinot Noir and some squishy merino. The drone of my ‘colleague’ (she who never shuts up, or “swnsu”) is no match for the clack of my bamboos as I slip off another row of my sock. Life moves on.

I know that everyone says this but what I find fascinating about our brave new electronic world (as Huxley spins in his grave – sorry, dude), is the camaraderie that forms when we read someone’s post and immediately identify with the sentiment. Whether in Zambia, Scotland, Mumbai, Delaware or the frigid wilds of Co. Lanark, we are all more alike than we are different. If you’re worried that this is going to slide into the mush of girl-speak and virtual love, you’d better leave now. Ha ha too late! Sucka!

I started this little journal as a means to get some things off of my chest, to converse with myself throughout a painful experience that eventually has become just another learning experience. I never thought that I would have conversations with so many people, whether through their blog or through mine. I never thought that I’d receive and send parcels all over the world or that I would be delighted to share silly details and inane conversations that roll through my pea-sized brain. I was especially ignorant of how many smiles I could garner from an errant hour (or 8) on the inter-web.

There are more good people around us than not-so-good, more love than hate, more understanding than dissent. Seeing this reality is a gift.

Speaking of monkeys, so far the choices for my ‘name my fete-abration’ are:

7. My Kick Ass, Knock your Grandma Down 3rd annual 40th Birthday Bash 5 votes

13. The Cops Ain’t Bin to my House since Grandma was Arrested, so let’s give them a reason to visit-fest 3 votes

14. Y’all Get Real Drunk, Y’hear-fest 2 votes

9. One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor-fest (a dear friend recommended changing this to 1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, “whore-fest”. Remarkably, he is still alive. For now)” 2 votes

1. Leave Your Beer & Wine (now SCRAM)-o-rama 1 vote

8. Bothering the Neighbours Since 1964; why destroy an ancient tradition-fest 1 vote

10. Sharkey & Muffin’s White Trash Bash (“it won’t start when I shut it off so she has to get the beer. She slips it on the front seat and she quietly says to me….” Sing along if you know it)1 vote

No one voted for RootBeer-fest 2007. Not one single person. No one wanted to keep my neighbors awake but several of you had no objection to knocking Grandma down. What does that say about you lot (insert wagging finger here)

Sorry, Taz – Tea with the Queen-abration is out of the question. K refuses to slip into a Beefeater suit, not even for the privilege of wearing that kooky hat. It's always hard to keep him clothed at parties.

Keep the votes coming; I'll have the results in a week or two

From what I gather, our much loved Willie is on the mend. We send him love and thanks for many years of fine music and smiles. Here’s to many, many more. Maybe this rest will allow for some more song writing and a new a new album. To tide you over, here’s a little video (personally, I think that he does a better job of this tune live but I’m a fan).