Hey...you - yeah, you!

Hey, who's that dude in the red suit?


Holy Mother of Pearl - how long has it been?!? probably too long for some , not long enough for others.

I felt compelled to retreat for a while (esp. after a very odd person accused me of using my blog to try to communicate with them....yup, you just might consider lining your hat in tinfoil (not so) young person LOL I'm a little bit more direct than that - I would have tried my paper cup and string telephone first. Some people's children, I tell ya! Trouvez une vie. Nah, working for yourself is a tough gig, especially time wise. I've been putting in some long weeks but the payoff is amazing. It just doesn't leave a lot of free time for blogging.

My blog has been a nice little journal where I get to share a few things, here and there. Like how my cat never shuts up and seems to know when I'm on a conference call, on speaker-freakin' phone, no less. What a marroon! Or how K the elder dressed up in a red suit and beard and surprised 35 parishioners at our friend's church. Don't believe me? Check it outHere he is at Nancy's lovely little bit of winter wonderland - gotta love those square log houses!
For all you local yokels, yes that is Wayne singing away. Check out the little one in pink, staring up at Santa - isn't she priceless.
There were 3 new babies in church that day and K got to hold all of them, as they came up for their gifts. Our friend turned to me and said, I hope K knows that he's got a lifetime contract for this gig!". I figured that he would, judging by the laughter in the pews every time 'Santa' asked one of the kids what they wanted from him. He even got some of the adults up there. What a card. Of course he knows how to talk to kids - he sat at the children's table for family dinners until he was 28!

I got the chance to wish a dear friend "happy trails" as she headed off to her next adventure - and I got to hang out with some of dearest, old friends from Serv. Can. I tell ya, nobody parties the way these guys do. I had a blast, got a lot of love and got to give a lot of love back to some very special folks.

Then there was Halloween and my mighty, mighty spider's web

It was so scary that a unicorn/princess/mother didn't want to walk under it so her mother had to put the trick or treat bag near us for treats.

Nash wasn't too put out by all of this - life is good when you're a dog in the country

Another day, another carload

I originally wrote this post in the middle of August - for some unknown reason, Blogger decided to hide it on me - CWAP!!!!!

En tout cas - here she be!

It's been a challenge to keep healthy, do a little business and get the car loaded on a daily basis - got so much to move, darnit! I'll take another load up this morning and try to get my office set up a little bit.

Our weekend yard sale was an amazing success - considering we selling things for 25 cents, we made over $175. Not bad, eh? I finally got the courage to sell my North Carolina coffee table - it was sad to say 'good bye' to piece of my history but in the end, the $25 (yeah, I know - for a $300 table...) that we got was well-spent at IKEA yesterday. The great thing is all of my paint and a few new things for the house were all covered by selling crap, uh I mean, "stuff that I had no emotional attachment to and was just taking up my precious space and energy" (K the elder says to add "stuff that I do not need to throw into the moving van" - kudos on that brilliant observation, dude)

Update - August 30th

The new house is almost settled. I have three rooms to finish up but that can be done over the course of a few weeks, a little at a time. My hands are ripped, my limbs are bruised but we're smiling so all is good. My darling Number One Son played a kick-ass show at the Mouton Noir on Saturday night. It was a real treat to see how our years of investment have paid off. Get this!!!! He is really, really good!!! The band was awesome. I'd even go to hear them if he wasn't involved. That's an endorsement, if ever there was one. The management at the club made the boys change their name for the event - I won't burden you with the band's real name. Suffice it to say that I pretend that I can't remember what it is when older relatives ask about it LOL. They released a great 45 and CD, too. "Cat Pants" might not become a big hit but "one" is a good listen. Watching P on stage, in his element reminded me of his favorite game of "Def Leppard" when he was 2 or 3. Dress up, grab the fireplace tools stand for a mic and his little Ukulele and awaaaaaay we go. Def Leppard he became and entertained us for hours and hours. We loved it and after last Saturday, we still do. My baby...all grown up. When did that happen????

so much to do...

Which in itself is not a bad thing but I just wish that there was more time in a week. I've got to continue working on an online course that I'm (trying) to build and call up some clients for follow-up but then there's the house. There will be pictures...one day. Just not today. I keep meaning to bring the camera up when I take things up there but then, I forget. Being a simpleton, I also forget that my mobile phone has a camera, too - yup, just that 'clever' LOL.

Much applause to Sara, who correctly guessed the locale of our new abode *clap, clap, clap*. Sara, what's your favorite color?

For those of you beyond the boundaries of our little county, we're moving to its namesake village of Lanark! Much quieter than rowdy old Mississippi Mills and we're looking forward to quiet evenings spent on our wrap-around porch, butts planted in a pair of wicker chairs and knitting needles in hand (well, for me, at least). Add a glass of wine (or 8) and we'll be back to our standard. I've got to move a ton of plants (AGAIN!) but it's all good - I do love to plan a garden. Just can't wait to move all of my wild roses :)

I want some of your bright ideas for window treatments and wall colors. A friend of mine who's an interior designer is coming up later this week to give me some advice,too. I'm thinking about doing a lot of roman blinds, like I did for this house. They're energy efficient and cover windows well without hiding old woodwork. This time, I think I'll use lighter-weight fabrics in prints (not solids, like in this house). The big question(s?) are the 2 sets of French doors in our family room - drapes? Long blinds? What to, what to do???

The big move should be in 2 weeks so we've got lots of time to pack, plan and think out everything. The best part is my new office is huge! I'm assuming the former parlour, right at the front of the house so that clients don't have to walk through the entire house to get 'there'. It's a sunny room, facing onto the front porch with lots of natural light. The whole house, apart from the dining room is light-filled and it has great energy.

I'd better keep packing ;)

Hello?

OMIGWAD!
Has it really been over a month since I posted last? Holy Moley Cow - how did that happen???? Oh, wait a minute...I remember

My stomach is getting better and I've only had 2 bouts of severe pain in the past 2 weeks. That beats the twice a day episodes. Lots of minor (healing) pain but that, I can live with. I think that if you remove some of your stressors, life just has to get better. The best part is that has.

Business is rolling along and it's great to finally get going, full tilt. I almost forgot how much I loved my class-time and how rewarding it is to get people to think. I've been very productive in my curriculum development so there are lots and lots of products to get 'out there'.

I received a gorgeous apron from my swap-mate, Kathy and love it. How did she know how much I love Geisha images?!? Just perfect and get this!!!! It matches my new kitchen, perfectly. What's that? You haven't heard about my new kitchen?

We've found a new (and smaller) house in the country - remember that restored Victorian with the wrap-around porch that's perfect for wicker chairs and for small people to ride tricycles on, that I've wanted since we moved to Ontario? I've got it! Not that I have any small people who ride tricycles *yet* but ya never know. Our official move date is in 2 weeks but we get the keys on Monday or Tuesday, depending on when we can drive out to the house. I've already got the yard landscaped in my mind - once a master gardener-in-training, always a master gardener-in-training.

So where is this house? Isn't it more fun if you guess? Sure it is!
Read carefully and if you can guess correctly, drop me a comment - there will be prizes

1)Here's a visual clue
2)It's located on a river with a historic Scottish name
Isn't it pretty?

3)It is also named after another Historic Scottish place

4)No "Hillbilly Highway" jokes, please! (oh, just grow up, won't ya?!?)

5)It's long distance to call our current home

6)To quote Brock, it's where "the sheep are scared"

7)It's home to an amazing festival every July (one that brought Fred to town a few years ago - *sigh*)

8)It's home to the world famous (ok, maybe just 'locally famous'), Munchin' Junction and its yummy yummy poutine

C'mon, get your guesses in and see if you can name my new "home town". I'll reward you with a little something nice :)

I will be taking a little time off from the blogging world, taking care of some gastro-intestinal 'repair' work (and the emotional strain that comes with it). I may share a lot but some things are far too personal and this is one of them. I've waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop for some time so this is just another 'thing' in the pile. I've known it was time weeks ago but I try to keep the really bad news to myself... I feel like Captain BringDown these days and that makes me feel even more guilty than I have been feeling already.

When I was a teenager, a psychic told me that I would live to be 52 but I didn’t believe her. Aren’t they all liars and charlatans? I underestimated her. The stomach pain, the bleeding, the vomiting, the 'other' gastric problems are all reminders of that underestimation, I am learning. If I'm lucky, that gives me just under 9 years but since losing my lucky rabbit's foot on KittyHawk all those years ago, my luck isn't what they call in the betting world a 'good hand'(And since I’m being so candid, wanna see photos of my small intestine? No? Didn’t think so…). If you ate today (and kept it in your body), be happy. I've been like a walking milkshake machine in the past couple of weeks - whrrr and pour...yeah, graphic... I know. Sorry.

The upside (if it can be called that) is that it is giving me a chance to take stock and to re-build what time I have into something that is authentic and mine. No more 'have tos' or typical female guilt, just a more solid (if shorter) life. Enough!
Leben ist kurz so wir muß anfertigen es weit, mein Zeyde erklärte mir. Er war zutreffend. He usually was. I don't have time to waste. I only want positive, loving people who want to be with me in my life. It may be short but it'll be all mine.

I enjoy chatting to this little virtual group and it has kept me going when "the hills were steeps and the weather rough". I love reading your blogs and hearing about your lives, you good hearted people. I hope to come back one day, healthier. The good thing is that I can better understand why my body has been letting me down over past couple of years. It's not stress or 'in my head'. It's been a little like opening your closet door as a kid, seeing the fur and the glowing eyes and declaring 'see, there really was a monster there!', to your parents amazement. To my tiny little circle of friends, the people who sound happy to hear from me - all I can say is 'I love you'. I don't say it a lot but I only say it to people who matter to me so, "I love you".

I am dropping a number of gifts and swappy stuff of in the Post (well, actually K the younger is. I need to sit still) so keep your eyes peeled, Kathy, Taz & Antigone. They're on their way :) I've got K working on the Etsy end so those shipments went out this morning.

I'm so tired, I wish I could sleep forever :)

Thank you

I want to thank you for the love and kindness that you have all sent our way during this horrible time. Our house is missing a brother, a son... I often called him the 'canine love of my life'. He was my Dude, my sweetheart, my dog.

My heart is heavy and I am trying to keep busy so that I won't feel his absence. I want to see him come around the corner so that I can ask him if he wants a hug. I want to stroke his long, silky muzzle and make his ears stand up. I want to see him laugh when I sprayed him with the garden hose. I want to apoligize for giving up.

I hope that he finds peace after this turbulent life. I will always regret that I couldn't find a way to make him whole. I broke my promise to him, to make it all go away, to make him a happy dog.

We are starting a foundation to continue our efforts to punish animal abusers. If Jack's first year had been safe, he would have stood a better chance to living a whole life. In the past, I have lobbied, called Members' of Parliament and Senators' offices, marched on the Hill and made noise to draw attention to this unacceptable problem. Now, I will find a way to put money behind this cause and make the lawmakers pay attention.

Please - do not stand by when an animal abuser can get live a 'normal' life but get to punish a dog like Jack every day, for the rest of his life. Even though that man was not in his life for 6 1/2 years, Jack lived in terror that the abuse would start again, that someone would attack him, that every noise would signal the start of the next barrage. Let's change our animal protection laws worldwide, together. Jack would be proud of all of us if we can do it. I owe it to him.

Done

"it" has been done. I do not feel peace. I am not proud of myself. I miss my dude, my constant companion, my agility champ. I promised him that I would heal him. I could not.

I hope that there is a heaven, where he will find peace and loving hands. I wish him a light heart and kind words in his ears. I wish him that dock to sleep on, watching the water that I had promised him so long ago. I wish him peace.

I fear that I have betrayed his trust in me