Me: It's the last day of my three day weekend. I got to sleep in until 9 again.

Recent Adventures: Friday, I was on hold with alberta.ca support for about 4 hours. Trying to reinstate my account - after a ton of emails back and forth about how it's not a matter of not being able to remember my user name or password but the account is suspended. For whatever reason. Or just another reason I hate this UCP Gov't. I also had to try calling my mom during that time since it was her birthday. Saturday I started with full intention of getting shit done. While I was checking on the peas two horseflies bit my right leg. Huge bites. Lots of swelling. Still. Not a lot of things crossed off the to-do list. At least I got to cook some things. The roasted beets with Morocco spices were amazing. And there was canning - Radishes, garlic scapes, beets and carrots.

Farm Animals: She of single shrimp for brains actually knows how to keep cool in this heat. Rids just keeps trying find all the sunbeams. Pips will sleep under any fan.

Farm Yard: Watered and mowed. Dead wood picked up. Blue truck guy (who now drives a black truck - we may have to ask what his name is eventually) stopped by to ask about harvesting the side pasture so that is another sign of summer and a bit more fire risk reduced. I wanted to till and seed the veggie garden, plant the perennials. I have two annuals that need to be put into pots.

Farm House: cluttered. Waiting to do laundry once the rest of the garden is watered.

Reading, Watching, Listening: Still Pride and Pleasure. I like it but will definitely need a change after I'm done. It's All-Star week. Not a lot of baseball for the next week. Not sure if I'll get to see any CFL or NFL games but football season is starting up. Otherwise there is Yellowstone and In Plain Sight. But oh, wait for it, I watched Hackers last night. While I still think Amazon is the devil, I have a subscription for Prime through mom and just discovered I get Amazon Music. Played 4 hours of DMB yesterday while canning.

Thinking on: Gawd, I'm 53 years old and while I love the garden centre and customer service in general, I don't want to work in retail the rest of my life. Definitely, as my short stint at Indigo showed, for a big corporation. So now I'm regretting not doing all the things I could have done to do something else. My location.. don't get me wrong, I love living on the farm but it hampers my job opportunities just as much as my age and other life choices.

SCA: Just keeping my head down and not telling anyone that I really should have opened the OP position for applicants way before now. But I want to see the database update.

Work: Friday saw more people laid off. The next pay cycle sees at least three more. Not me right now but I would not be unhappy if it was me. Sally doesn't want me to go. I'm her partner in crime, the only other buffer she has against Rayleen. I understand so I might be around for another month.

Upcoming: Back to work tomorrow. Hopefully, dinner with Nikki at some point. We have a lot to chat about - boys, parents, health, general life changes.

Me: In the middle of another three days off. I did very little yesterday except dishes and dinner.

Health: Really feeling the effects of not having a doctor anymore. She left her rural practice in early 2020 when our current gov't made it hard for rural doctors to work in hospitals. Now, there is a shortage and with union negotiations with nurses going south, it's going to be worse. So yesterday, I had a weird reaction to what may be a bug bite. I went out to water the tomato garden and by the time I walked back into the house, my arm started swelling. I didn't have any antihistamine and the store was closed (not benadryl - please people, why can't you just leave it be when I say not benadryl.) Today, my arm and hand was a bit more swollen. I was going to drive to clinic in Vauxhall but it is close - due to no doctors. Thankfully, the store had Claritin and the swelling and pain are going down.

So let’s get it out of the way. I like most everyone else around here, human and animal alike, am hot. We are on day 5 of a heat wave with 10 more to come.

While most of life centres around work, dinner plans, watering gardens and taking care of animals, there are moments of escape.

Tim took this week off, around the Canada Day holiday. I was lucky enough to get three days off mid week. The original plan was to go to Head Smashed In but it was too warm. So we just drove into Lethbridge to shop a bit and get some lunch. Nakagama’s for soba noodles and whatever else we could find, Andrew Hilton’s for good scotch (Tim) & wine (me), the Dutch store, Home Hardware and groceries, All with A/C. Lunch at my second favourite Lethbridge restaurant, The Italian Table. Strangely, it did not have A/C. It’s located in a hotel and every restaurant in a hotel has A/C, right? Still, the food was delicious especially the Tiramisu served in a small tea cup perfectly chilled. And there was A/C in the car. A nice little day trip.

Crossposts: https://manyra.livejournal.com/361245.html

( Read more... )

( Read more... )

Ps...pics are up at http://codexpublishing.ca/piwigo/index.php?/category/5

Current Mood: awake
Current Location: office
Current Music: CBC Radio Two

Ok just to start – because I would really love to get all the details down the time but that will take some time.

Itinerary: 13 days….London 3 nights, Bath 1 night, Cardiff, Pembroke (for the ferry - very late at night), Wexford, Waterford, Cork 1 night , Dublin 3 nights, Holyhead, Chester, York 2 nights, London then home.

Weather – Sunny, bit cloudy, only 3 days of rain.

Modes of transportation: Plane, Train, Subway, Buses, two ferries and what seemed like a fortnight of walking. My feet were dying at day one. I bought 2 pairs of shoes to lessen the pain somewhat. I’m just about perfect for such an excursion now.

Museums, etc: V&A, Garden Museum, Thames boat tour London, British, Roman Baths, Cardiff Castle, Waterford Treasures – with cool Viking stuff, Guinness Brewery, Temple Bar, Trinity College & Book of Kells, Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo, The GPO, Barley Hall, Clifford’s Castle, York Castle Museum, York Brewery, Roman bath in York, York walking tour.

Shopping: York was the best where I got a Kipling Purse and Tim picked up a new hat and scarf. I also made friends with a bookseller who specializes in architecture and garden history there. Yes, she ships to Canada. The gift shops weren’t as good as we hoped but we still came home with a few nice books and trinkets.

Pubs….I have a list somewhere… Let’s just say the subtitle to this whole trip is now The World’s Longest Pub Crawl. Cork was the most fun when others started buying us drinks. For those not in the know…Cask ales rock. We also ate a lot of Italian food. The BEST-evah!!! tomato sauce can be found in a little Italian place next to the Kilmainham Jail above the Patriot Inn. They wouldn’t give me the recipe.

Hotels: Lovely. Very glad we sucked it up and sprung for the expensive Hilton in Dublin. It had a hot tub. My feet loved me.

Current Mood: happy

I love that I hang around with such clever, wonderful people. That is all....

Current Mood: chipper

( week what? 8, 9 )

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: office
Current Music: Lou Reed - Take a Walk on the Wild Side - complete with that great Sax bit.

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Let's Talk Gardening radio program on AM770.

Joel Plaskett - A million dollars

"We’ll go out we’ll take no prisoners
Lonely love gotta leave it behind
We look like a million dollars
Every time they look at us, we'll blow their mind"

Current Mood: dancing..
Current Music: Danger, High Voltage! - Electic Six

I find this amusing...Hmmm, wonder why.. the psychologist in me is intrigued....

- From The Big Bang Theory:
<quote>
Leonard (to Sheldon, his roommate & leader of the science expedition): I don't think I can go to the North Pole.
Sheldon: Okay, Leonard, I know you're concerned about disappointing me but I want you to take comfort from the knowledge that my expectations of you are very low.
Leonard: Yeah, that's very comforting.
Sheldon: Comforting is a part of leadership. It's not a part I care for, but such is my burden.
</quote>
(The Monopolar Expedition, Season 2, Episode 23)

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: living room.
Current Music: ghost whisperer - the one with cheerleaders...

Quote from justgemma17 : I saw a post about negative vs positive self-talk this week, and how women especially are pretty much programmed. So if you're reading this, I ask you all to think about 4 or 5 positive things about yourselves and either post them here or to your own LJ. Encourage everyone you know and love to start thinking lovingly and positively about themselves. We too often say things to ourselves that we would *never* say to anyone else - how wrong is that?!

To which I reply...

I am independent, intelligent and curious.
I can perform physically challenging tasks (ie - renovations).
I make friends easily and fully.
I am so thankful and appreciative for my wonderful husband.
I laugh often and well.

Now for the rest of you...

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: office
Current Music: CBC Radio Two

Keri-Anne Lawton's Dewey Decimal Section:

708 Galleries, museums & private collections

Keri-Anne Lawton = 15891445213054 = 158+914+452+130+54 = 1708

Class:
700 Arts & Recreation

Contains:
Architecture, drawing, painting, music, sports.

What it says about you:
You're creative and fun, and you're good at motivating the people around you. You're attracted to things that are visually interesting. Other people might not always understand your taste or style, but it's yours.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

Manyra Thorinsdottir's Dewey Decimal Section:

836 German letters

Manyra Thorinsdottir = 3145810858949450098 = 314+581+085+894+945+009+8 = 2836

Class:
800 Literature

Contains:
Literature, criticism, analysis of classic writing and mythology.

What it says about you:
You're a global, worldly person who wants to make a big impact with your actions. You have a lot to tell people and you're good at making unique observations about everyday experiences. You can notice and remember details that other people think aren't important.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: CBC Radio 2.

( Update for week 2. )

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: on the farm
Current Music: CBC Radio 2.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

manyra sent to me...

Twelve

sonohighpockets drumming

Eleven

kristinewilsons piping

Ten

yrsas a-leaping

Nine

vikvikingssons dancing

Eight

ethnowomans a-milking

Seven

rectangularcats a-cooking

Six

minyatas a-publishing

Five ula-a-a-a1066s

Four

thorwulfssons

Three books

Two martinis

...and an avacal in a

gann550.

In 2009,

manyra resolves to...

Give up cooking.
Get back in contact with some old martinis.
Find a new avacal.
Go to the books every month.
Start a sca fund.
Eat more

bork107s.

Current Location: Rm 1111
Current Music: CTV weather

From

ya_inga

List the names of up to ten bands you

a) least suspect your f-list has heard of BUT that

b) you actually actively listen to on a regular basis. This is not a “show how many obscure band you know of”. You have to have listened to them within the past two months to qualify.

nyra's picks...
Underworld - Discovered them originally in grade 9. Seriously before they hit their Techno phase.
Ruby Blue - Scottish Band. Have worn through 3 copies of their CD in 5 years.
Philosopher Kings - I love that soul jazzy stuff, precursor to Joss Stone.
New Pronographers - especially with Neko Case.
Joe Grass - Picked up his CD after seeing him play at Stuart McLean concert. Easy blue grass. Young kid, young voice but so much emotion.
Shaye - a trio from the maritimes - Kim Stockwell, Damhnait Doyle, Tara McLean. Got the CD a few years ago for Christmas from Tim and it has a kick ass version of Crash Vegas' On and On
Barney Bental and the Legendary Hearts - He has a new career as a country star and recently a new album. But I love his early stuff. Saw him in concert for my 18th b-day...a long time ago...
Katie Melua - it's a good restaurant experience when I rush to my ipod, not even waiting to get home, to down load the music they were playing. Each and every song she does is good.
Ella - I do so love to sing along with Ella.
Beth Orton - She's kinda a smokier version of Neko Case

Mind you.. what I listen to at home is totally different than what's in the car.

Current Mood: accomplished

(un) Death-Match Presents: Vampire vs. Zombie

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Alright - Shiloh

I am amused....

Gummy War: Ever Feel Like Things Aren’t Working Out? | So Misguided

Now, I've been fascinated by Carnivale in all it's recreations since I was a young girl - Rio, New Orleans, Venice, all of the above. That's where I want to be. Now that I consider it - perhaps the combination of ritual, tradition and flat out party is what attracts me. Or perhaps it was the music. I do remember waiting for them to announce who was playing down in Brazil, the way some wait for Glastonbury, SXSW or NXNE (just to give a good CDN plug.)

Anyway, as some of you may know this year's theme for the Grotto Party at Quad is indeed Carnevale. My suggestion from way back. So, as I mention before, it really break my heart at the thought of missing it. However, the possibility is not completely out of the question. Yet. I've survived my sales trips over the last three weeks, perhaps I can survive a night at the grotto.

So with that thought in mind, I'm hedging my bets and working on an outfit. I already have a dress (may need to take it in) and a mask. Now I just need a hat. Off to wander the internet for inspirations. Here's a bit of what I found.

Carnevale Wiki (not everything on the wiki is a lie, right?)
Carnevale di Venezia Photo Gallery
Italy tourist stuff on About.com (there's a good photo gallery)
More in Venitian Carnevale
And not to forget places outside of Italy...

And just in case you were wondering "Italian dialects suggest that the name comes from the Italian carne levare or similar, meaning "to remove meat", since meat is prohibited during Lent"

I think we can assure you that we've removed all meat from the blender drinks & martinis....

unless, of course, a certain someone brings the bacon vodka....

Current Mood: hopeful
Current Location: living room
Current Music: CBC Radio Two - Drive

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Musings

Nunc est bibendum...

Recent Entries

Listen to the Music.

Feeling hot, hot, hot.

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(no subject)

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