cousins

I'm not actually RELATED to anyone in this picture. I'm not actually IN this picture. If I am, then I am remarkably well-preserved!

It's just a random photo I found, and I thought it would fit with the "cousins" title.

I've been reconnecting with my cousins (on Dad's side). At Grandma's funeral, the 5 of us were actually together for the first time in YEARS. As in - some of us still haven't met each others' spouses.

So we've been emailing back and forth, reconnecting with random questions and answers, from both cousins AND spouses.

Here are some samples for you, and perhaps you'd like to add your own answers...OR...your own questions!!!

What food do you dislike? Cheap hotdogs, the kind that goosh when they're cooked. Anything with orange or lemon rind in it. And don't think you can hide it on me. I'll know! My tongue starts to tingle and my throat says, "Oh I don't think so!" And no matter how hard I try, it will not go down! Turnips. Yuck.

What would you invent? a Bermuda Grass mole - A small and cute pet that lived on the wretched grass that takes over my flower gardens every year without any consideration for my feelings but that didn't reproduce or dig holes escept to follow the grass (the mole not the weed, that is). Cars that drive themselves. Just get in, say lets go to "Fill in the Blank" sit back and relax. Planes that don’t involve airports.

If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be? Change? What would I change? People pay good money to end up with crazy hair, funky teeth and padded ribs! Get back the biceps i had working in the mines.

Hollywood crush? Dean Cain (Clark fron Lois and Clark) Bruce Willis Reece Witherspoon Jim from The Office

If you had a "do over" in your life, what would it be? Not sure I want to answer that. The knickerbockers, though, that was tragic. Not kissing Jeffrey (another, unknown Jeffrey, not my Jeffrey! It's not even my answer!) when I was 5 years old. He had some "excessive saliva" issues.

Worst school picture? They were pretty uniformly goofy 'cause I didn't want to smile but Grade 7 particularly stands out when I had a Pricess Di haircut with a cowlick. Grade 4 I think. Black electrical tape holding my glasses together and a brown sweater vest.

Favorite saying? Don't squat with your spurs on!

What did you learn about the person who sent this to you? That my cousins are just as bitter and sarcastic as I am. But that's a good thing. That everybody else responds to emails faster than me.

yay for me!

It's warm, it's warm, it's warm!!!! If you know me at all, you know I get very excited about spring, and I believe it has hit. Love it!!!



But that's not the "yay for me" title, since I didn't actually create spring...





I successfully bid on a camera! I know...you've all done that a million times, I'm sure you're all big ebay users...but it was a new experience for me. Not on ebay actually, just the Spectator's auction last week. We had decided to get a camera anyway, because - we're going to Alaska this summer!!! (Another big YAY!) - so I decided to see if I could get a better camera for the amount I was willing to spend.




And I did! (I think.) I haven't gotten the confirming phone call yet, but I'm pretty sure I had the winning bid when it closed at 6 PM yesterday.



I'm very proud.



Oh yeah, and went to a highschool production of "Footloose, the Musical" on Saturday night. Just because. (Side note: there was a Deaf girl who was one of the dancers - I had read about her in the newspaper - she just followed everyone else's feet - she was great!)



Wow. A lot of songs from teenage years - what a flashback!

#50!

Hey - This is the 50th post on this blog! Which is a pretty insignificant thing, but I'm proud, nonetheless.

So yesterday, all the Blackberries went down. It's kind of funny (sorry to all the users) reading about people's crises. "I had to sit in my office all day, just in case an important email came through," is what one person said. Wow.

The few times the power has gone off for a few hours at work, I haven't minded at all. It gives me some time to focus on what I CAN do, without constantly checking emails. Let's admit it - email is great - but it can also be an addictive time-waster!!!

Which got me to thinking. What CAN'T you do without? (I know, I know, it is possible to do without most things, but you know what I mean.)

I'm looking around my house....

I COULD do without my microwave. I COULD NOT do without my coffeemaker or popcorn popper.

I COULD do without my TV. (I might be kidding myself there.) I COULD NOT do without my computer. How would I have these meaningful conversations with all of you?

I COULD do without video games, but Jeff COULDN'T, and I COULD NOT do without him.

I COULD NOT do without a CD-player of some kind.

I COULD do without a cordless phone, and I'd probably get more exercise running to its location than just carrying it around with me.

I WILL NOT do without a dishwasher. Although I have. I just prefer not to. (Hmm, let's not go down that housecleaning path of what I could do without...)

And I COULD NOT DO without some outside space at wherever I live. It's a deal-breaker!

How 'bout you?

friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th. I guess we're supposed to be extra-cautious on this day, and not plan anything too serious.

Unless you're a biker. In which case, you go to Port Dover.

Gotta tell ya, the number 13 has never ever bothered me. I never notice the date, I would live or work on the 13th floor of a building, it just doesn't occur to me.

But I've had several conversations this week about anxiety and Things That Cause Fear.

For example...my mild fear of heights. There's no logic to it. My mind is quite fine. But my legs tingle and turn to jelly, and become completely unreliable in a place that is high and feels unsecure.

It makes no sense! For example, you could give me a railing to hang onto, and I'm good at any height. I can stand on the glass floor of the CN Tower with no problem. But ask me to stand on the top step of a very short ladder, and exert any kind of physical activity - like, say, change a light bulb - and I start sweating.

I fight it. I deliberately climb things, just to prove that I certainly can. Mind over matter, right? But there are limits. If you stand on the edge of a cliff while I'm around, I will walk away, because I just can't stand watching you there! (Don't count on me for a rescue if you fall, either.)

How about you? Any phobias or fears, mild, irrational or otherwise?



And, on a side note...if you buy a house in the quiet little town of Port Dover, not knowing anything other than what you see there on a quiet day...is the real estate agent obligated to tell you that every Friday the 13th, your little town is taken over by Harley motorcycles? Or do you just wake up one day to find the house rattling?

music in a minor key

It's a very bad day when you are a piano mover, and you drop an $89,000 piano.

I'm in mourning. Even though it happened in Britain.

You can see the story in www.thespec.com click "search" and type "piano" as the keyword.

Sad. Very, very sad.

return of the blogger

I wonder if anyone is still checking in on this space, or if you've all given up on me? We shall see!

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and condolences to our family, after Grandma passed away. Truly...she will be missed...but when you're 99 years old, you're ready to go! My guess is that she is still absorbed in commenting on the lovely weather in heaven. (Grandma never began a conversation without mentioning the weather. Even birthday cards had a description of the temperature and cloud cover that day!)

It was rather pleasant to spend a few days in Petrolia, the town of my childhood. Met up with cousins from California, Oregon and Manitoba. Laughed a LOT as it became evident at the funeral which cousin was spoken of the most by Grandma....stranger after stranger came up to meet us.... "oh, you're a grandchild? are you the one who is the AUTHOR?" And over and over again, the four of us non-authors pointed to the end..."no, she's further down the line...."

This monstrous building is where I went to nursery school, I'm pretty sure. My sister and I wandered around town, checking out our old house (now apartments) our old church (now apartments) and our old school (still a school). Many memories, including Al's memory of Mom checking on her in the laundry room..."Whatcha doin?" "Nothing." (a pause, as Mom searched for the reason her instincts were screaming) "GET THE CAT OUT OF THE DRYER!!!" (Fortunately, the start button hadn't been pushed.)

HEY - HAPPY EASTER!!!!

I thought it was a great weekend, and I loved the excitement that was just pouring out of one guy - one of Crossfire's most valued people - who was thrilled to turn on the lights at the "He Is RISEN!!!" moment. AND, I loved the Apostle John's performance...most excellent, I must say. Not just a professional actor, but clearly a well-researched historian as well (which is right up my alley).

You know what caught me? "You know, when you're in a bad mood, it's probably because you're judging someone."

There's a lot of truth to that! And I'm a little irritated that I never thought of it myself.