All calmed down.

This morning the air was fresh and with the sun roof open, travel mug of steaming coffe in hand, I drove to work and didn't even get one red light. Peace has been restored to my infinitesimal spot in the universe. I have so much to be thankful for and yet I allow others to influence my emotions.

If I can't rant and rail here where can I? Thanks to all who helped me realize I am better than all this.

It is a good day today.

Will it never end?

There are experiences in life that drastically change us forever. We are of course a product of all our experiences but some things truly have a life altering effect.
As the years go by we learn to "live with" these memories. Only the most naive expect us to "get over it." We don't. We carry the wound inside forever. Periodically something happens that brings that experience to the forefront of the brain. It threatens to absorb our thoughts, the scab is, effectively, ripped off and the wound bleeds again. Having your tormentor defended in any situation is unconscionable to us. When ones children are involved the rage is comprehended only by another mother. I am getting to old for all this drama. I should adopt the ancient Jewish custom of burying a box of stones and declaring the person dead. Maybe then I would gain some peace.

How cute is this?

...and I am getting new personalized plates!

Humidex and fuzzy hair

OMG the humidity today is brutal. Never ever wash your hair on a humid day. I am a mass of fuzzies. This is the day I really appreciate all the weight I have lost.

My camera has gone on a short holiday, without me, and will be back next week. So, more gratuitous pictures of THE car and the daisy on the dash will have to wait. Someone had the nerve to honk at me this morning because I didn't go around the corner fast enough to suit them. HELLO??? I am driving a new car! Wild abandonment driving will resume at a later date. Yesterday some boob decided at the last minute not to turn left from the left turning lane but to go straight and cut me off. Very pleased to report the brakes and the horn work extremely well. I felt compelled to make a hand gesture which under normal circumstances is entirely out of character. I chalk that up to new car stress.

Heaven Blue 2010 VW Beetle

I am so pleased with my new car I could just about bust. Come winter those heated seats are going to be my best friend. Sigh, who knew I could be so smitten with a car.
For years I have said , "A car is something that gets you from point A to point B and keeps you dry when it's raining." Snort. Little did I know the effect of a 2.5 L engine and a moon roof!
Oh and yes there is a pink silk Gerbera Daisy in the dash vase. Which made all the guys at work gag. Jealousy will get them nothing!

Ginko Biloba in my front yard!

The branches are like paws waving in the wind.

I have been asking everyone from the day I moved here, "What is this tree?" No one could answer me. Back in the school days beyond we were charged with pressing leaves in waxed paper,(no resemblance to that stuff they sell now) and labeling great sheets of Bristol Board with them as class project. I have a rather large repertoire of leaf designations in my brain sans the identity of this one.
It took a door to door salesman, who happened to be a botany student from the university, to tell me. Rather, he told me before I asked him. I answered the door chime and he spurted," Would I be interested it "whatever" and DID I KNOW WHAT I HAD GROWING IN MY FRONT GARDEN?" I am almost expecting a parade of university students this fall to observe said tree and discuss it's status in hushed tones.
It is the best known example of a living fossil!! How about that?
This fossil is from British Columbia. The Ginko Biloba Tree is on the endangered list as "threatened."
Our tree is a mere infant compared to this one from Belgium. It appears ours is a "male" as I have never observed any seeds. However, I understand ginko has an anti aging property.
Maybe I better go harvest a few leaves and make tea.

I wonder if I should call David Suzuki?

Car shopping

I am frustrated beyond belief. Car shopping has to be the worst experience. I have read more about cars than I ever expected I would in my whole life. My opinion of some of the salesmen is right up there with purveyors of snake oil. They will tell you anything. The only one I liked, a woman, sold Smart cars which I have been convinced is just not enough car for the money.
Then the insurance companies are right there to carve their pound of flesh. All in all a most upsetting experience.
My other beef is with the car companies. What's with the black interiors. Blech! Do you know how hard it is to find a car with a light coloured interior? The aforementioned smart car comes with a red or blue interior. The VW Beetle has a cream interior, IF you can find one left.
Not totally giving up yet but pretty pissed off.

Lost, Misplaced and just can't find.

On this day 1928 the bread slicing machine was invented. Sliced bread, by which all good things are measured!

The heat continues in our part of the world. It was 45C in Port Stanley, on the lake, where it is supposed to be cooler than in the city. That's 120F and this is Canada and if we all lived in igloos, as some people think, things would be a trifle damp right now.
No, this is not my car I wouldn't have been surprised it my tyres had looked like this when I left work yesterday. Perrier ads are very apropos these days. Look at the camera lens, too funny.
I have done it again. Story of my life so it can not be blamed on age. I have misplaced something. It is very frustrating. I can hear my mother's voice in my ear, "If you have looked in all the likely places then go look in the unlikely places."...sigh

Antiques and micro chips

I made reference the other day to the "voices." This is how my daughter refers to her characters fighting to be heard when she is in the throws writing. She is on her third (or is it fourth) book and I am not even out of the starting gate. I think I need a mentor. With a big stick.
Through the devices of the WWW I heard from a dear friend with whom I had lost touch. One day whilst wondering where she had ended up, I posted on a search wall. About a year later she whimsically googled her own name. She was shocked to find a post saying "looking for..." It was good to touch base with her and I bring this up to say she was my "big stick." The one thing she said was, "Harry Potter," should have been mine...lolol She always believed I had it in me to write a blockbuster.
So I have this first draft written. It is unmitigated drivel and crap and I would be embarrassed for anyone to read it. Having said that it has some redeeming features. My early morning voices have added to the mix and now I am thinking of combining 2 story ideas into one. Or jacking the whole miss into the tip. There is no reference to knitting in either of the plots. Considering the state of my aforementioned knitting this is probably a good idea.

A new follower!

The lazy crazy days of summer are truly upon us. No summer holidays for me this year as we have opted to save our time for the winter and head south for 2 weeks in January. I mean way south and over to the Pacific side. With all that nastiness going on in the Gulf and Carl wanting to go to the Dominican or Jamaica...well, I guess we shall just have to wait and see.
My knitting has completely broken down. I am stuck in the mind numbing phase of the lace project. The Faroese wool is not working with the beautiful Aran pattern I bought through Ravelry.
So this means either a new pattern or new wool. Double crap. I think I shall have to put them both away for now while I "cogitate." I am waiting delivery of wool for a winter sweater so here's hoping that works out. In the mean time it is back to the project that has me bored to tears. Two more pattern rounds and at least I get to add some beads to the edging.
I am car shopping. Carl is having a fit. My little dodge is starting to cost me $$$ and I am concerned what will happen next. It is 8 years old now and I am thinking it is time to move it along. Carl just bought a 2009 Dodge Caliber. It was time for his 1997 Jetta TDI to go to the big car lot in the sky. It was a big decision and the time was right. He will miss his little diesel engine.

So.....Julia and I took a Smart car out for a drive. I loved it. I was a nervous wreck driving someone else's car and although the engine is different I am sure I could learn to handle it.
It was fun while it lasted. Practically speaking we get a lot of snow in the winter and some mornings our crescent is not plowed by the time I leave for work. Carl has safety concerns about me driving this car. "But, it is so cute." I wailed. Saner minds prevailed. So now I am looking at a VW Beetle.
I woke up this morning with, as Corinne would call it, "the voices," fighting to be heard. Maybe if I stuff a micro card in my ear at night some of these good story scenes would be recorded by morning. No? Oh well, I have enough bits of ideas to write another War and Peace. Which, yes I am rereading.

The True North Strong and Free.

Yesterday I was at work for most of the day. The powers that be decided that we should work on the 1st and then have a 3 day weekend. At the time it seemed like a good idea until the day arrived. The phone never rang..oh bliss..but the thought of everyone else swanning around pools with a brew was most disconcerting. Then the computer went tits up and I didn't get to do month end. I got sent home at 2:30 with a full days pay. I love my boss.

We stood in our garden last night and watched the fireworks going off in the park behind us and I sent up a silent prayer of thanks to my Higher Power. I live in a free country where explosions of light and thunderous noise is in celebration of life not death. We live in a safe country where our biggest complaint is the HST, well taxes in general. We go out of our way to welcome anyone who wants to live here and compromise our life style to accommodate theirs. Not perhaps the smartest thing we do but, we are what we are.....Canadian!

I am fiercely proud of my cultural heritage. I think it is important that everyone acknowledge their roots. This is Canada the great melting pot. Stir us up, bake us in the summer and freeze us in the winter and we come out CANADIAN. My children are CANADIAN. My grandchildren are CANADIAN. I live in the BEST country in the world.