I ♥ This Week !!

I do ! I ♥ it, I ♥ it !!
This is the last week of summer ... not officially, I guess, but by my inner calendar & the school's calendar it is ... I am not crazy about summer so I am happy to see it go ...go on with you !! ... I do like a few things about summer ... bonfires, open doors, sandals, flowers ... but I see no reason to not embrace those things all year anyway.
This is the week I pack up my tiredness. I sort through my old ideas & throw away those that aren't working for me. I unfold my dreams, write them down, plan the steps to make them happen. It is the mental equivalent of buying a new book bag and filling it with crisp new school supplies. It makes me excited , brave, and energized.
No matter how old I am, September will always be a new start . It is the first blank page of a new scribbler, a whole new pack of crayons, and a chance to start and learn. To try more, learn more, experience more, and be more.
I always have ideas percolating in my head ... hmmm ... but I let them simmer until now. If not I fear that summer's heat & (for me) discomfort will make the ideas wither and die. I will not have the determination or the mindset to deal with them. But come September I am "back to normal" ... lol. And I am ready to make dreams happen !!!

YAY !!!

Happy Happy !!!
As some of you know I have been complaining about hives ... for months ... since January actually, 8 months. Almost a full term pregnancy. lol. These aren't the spotty itchy hives though ... those I deal with ... every day. I have had those every day since late December. But these are - in addition - big huge swollen spots that burn and sometimes cause big blisters. They can last for days if they are severe. They exhaust me and make me unable to do a lot of things. They come from kneeling, carrying a purse, heat, walking, using a paper punch, applying a foot mask, having a massage treatment, rubbing my arm, wearing a sweater over sleeves, a paper cut, a bug bite, a bra strap out of place, shovelling dirt ... yep, silly things really. They can be on my hands , on the bottom of my feet, arms, anywhere. They are really a problem.
So I have been to the doctor several times, been referred to a specialist for 2012 (yes, waaaaaay in the future), that specialist died, and then I was referred to another specialist. I went Wednesday. I was so nervous the night before that I made lists on paper, I had my symptoms all layed out ... I was so sure I would have to convince the specialist. I had been hearing "Oh, you must have an allergy" for so long. I didn't sleep that night, I ate no breakfast ... I was nervous.
I went in & started speaking and she NODDED. She nodded. She knew what I was talking about and knew I wasn't crazy !! She did some very simple tests, took a biopsy (yes, right there ... cut out a piece of the hive !! UGH !!) , ordered some very specific blood work, and gave me a partial diagnosis ... right there !!! I was thrilled. It is fairly rare and is multi layered. The biopsy and tests will tell more but it's a start !! I am on a MEGA dose of medication for a month and then taper it off a bit for a few more months, then back to see her in 3 months. In the meantime we await the blood and pathology tests.
I didn't feel well when I left ... maybe from the biopsy ;) ... but I was elated !! To have someone say "I know some of what is wrong and can start helping you now. And I will soon be able to figure out the rest of it ... and it can all be dealt with ". I can't tell you what a relief !!!
Happy ! Happy !

My HEROIC Actions ... and a "Group Hug" thanks to Mother Nature...

Hello !
You may not read about this life saving story in the paper ... there really was no media coverage ... but I'll share (as I am not one bit modest ... heehee). My husband (Feedman we call him) has been moving a truck body- by himself, by hand, with a jack & a winch. Hard backbreaking work. Inch by inch. (and yes, he realizes that there are people & machines who can do that, but he has been waiting months for any of a number of them to show up ... with no luck). So I have been coming back to work at night so I can check on him - I am worried he will get squished and I will be at home. (yes, I am a bit of a worrier...) Sooooo ... last week I went out to check on him and he needed a bit of a hand. The body had slipped off the rollers and needed to be jacked up again. So he asked me to go around and take the other jack out. Okaaayyy ... I needed directions on how to use a jack - never done that before - and I had to ask if the "righty tighty, lefty loosey" thing worked. It did. So I put in the handle, gave it a small turn to the left, and the BODY DROPPED !!! BANG onto my shoulder. OUCH !!! I heard Feedman give a yelp and my mind immediately envisioned him pinned under the truck ... OH MY GOD !! I couldn't look over as I was bent under the truck and it was sitting on my shoulder. I sat motionless ... I didn't dare move. I was (somewhat) calmly trying to figure out how I could continue to hold up the (fully loaded) truck body while getting help. Oh my . It was heavy. Then I hear Feedman say "Are you bringing me the jack?" WHAAAAT ???? Turns out I WASN'T actually holding up the truck body. I moved my shoulder and it DIDN'T fall ... something had hit the side of his face when it LOWERED . I removed the jack and took it to him. Later that night I admitted that I thought I had saved his life and had been supporting the truck with my shoulder ... let's just say he laughed ... a lot. But I do have a bruise ...

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A few nights ago we had dinner at a wonderful place, The Hall's Harbour Lobster Pound. Great fish & chips !! It had been a very hot day in the valley and we had hidden out at home all afternoon & evening. We were ready to get out. So we headed there for a late dinner. We placed our order, took our fun little number on a stick, chose a table and waited. The host ,Lowell, came over to tell us that the clouds and sun were in an amazing formation - the light was wonderful. So I went around the building ... and there it was. A wall of fog out over the water was topped by clouds and from behind it beamed a glorious light. The top edges of the clouds sparkled an amazing pink and glowed. Dragon's tails, wisps of dreamlike clouds, and fairy wings grew from the top of the cloud ... all illuminated by this mysterious light. We all stood together - strangers- and stared at this wondrous sight. It was magnificent. For a brief time we all came together in a magical moment embraced by the beauty of nature ... exquisite.

This IS my life !!

This is the view from my front porch ... and from my heart. I live in a blissful place and in a state of bliss. Yeah, I have things that bug me ... who doesn't ? But all in all, my life is wonderful. It flows along peacefully with gorgeous blazes of colour and happiness... what more could I want ?

* my FRONT PORCH ... besides the view "out there", I love the view "right here". I have put up some awesome kick ass (If I do say so myself ... and I do !!) planters and they are full of delicious colours. My lovely old gargoyles are peeling and looking like they have lived there an eternity ... just what I wanted. We have a wonderful new lawn, beautiful walls, and an amazing lamp that looks like it is beckoning those on the water to come in. LOVE IT !!!

* HIVE CONTROL ... I have learned the source of my hives and I am working on CONTROL. Not always easy ... mmm, cleaned the bathtub ? Apparently that's a hive inducer by the swollen knees and blotchy stomach ... who knew ? But I am working on it and doing okay ... avoiding heat, pressure, injury (except bathing the cat ... there was no avoiding the injuries I incurred there ... eeek ... and the hives INVADED !!) But all in all, I think I have the upper hand ... shhh, don't tell the hives !!

* DRAMA-FREE ZONE ... I hate drama in my life. I hate hearing the word "stress" . Hate hearing people talk about how "stressed" they are. ... hate it all ! So I have distanced myself from all that is drama and "stressful". I have no desire to listen to that. (and I don't mean real stress - I am 100% supportive if someone has a real reason for stress) Some people love drama and draw it to themselves ... feel like there is nothing going on if they don't have something to be fretting & obsessing about. And that's okay for them. But I find it sucks the life out of me ... keeps me from enjoying my days. SO I have stepped away from all that is dramatic and negative ... who needs it ? I like to enjoy my ups and deal with my downs (on my own) . And everything is smooth and happy.

* ZOKU POP MAKER ... makes popsicles in under 7 minutes ON YOUR COUNTER !!! Oh Yah ! Amazing. And the flavour combos are limitless and DELICIOUS !! And, HEALTHY !!! How often does that happen ???!!! So far we have had strawberry banana and pineapple coconut ... both WINNERS !!

So, I guess, what I am trying to say is ... stay drama free, stress free, hive free, and enjoy a good sunset with a popsicle !! Happy days to you all !!!

Just a few More TiDBitS ... Travel Tips, we'll say ...

Hello !! We are just back from a trip to Toronto and ... guess what ? ... I learned some things !! Now, I like to share these tidbits because I never seem to learn things the easy way ... always (seem to ) prefer the hard way ... just saving you the trouble ...;)

1. Digging, sodding a huge lawn, and other assorted manual labour every night for two weeks before a vacation may be a bad idea ... it may hinder your energy levels and really infringe on the fun factor ... you may even fall asleep during a dream concert ... (Sorry James Taylor ... it wasn't you !)

2. Three and a half hours sleep does NOT prepare you for a 22 hour day ... nope, does not.

3. If you are not usually an egg eater I would advise you NOT to eat them twice in a day as you may later vomit them up ... and it will make you even less of an egg eater.

4. And , just on the vomit prep strategy, (because you never know when it could happen) , try to avoid getting on a packed, PACKED bus and then having to fight your way back off for that very reason.

5. And, if this should occur, try to take a good look before getting off that bus ... you may have chosen a NON STOP that is by REQUEST ONLY from IN the bus ... and it may be 1.5 hours from your hotel, at midnight , with nothing around. Just sayin ...

6. Keep your knees out of the way. You'll smell better.

7. If you have a problem with heat & pressure hives , DO NOT go to a city in the summer and then walk for miles & miles & miles ... I can send pictures if you need a visual ...

8. Now this is actually a PLEASANT lesson !! If you go down to the Harbourfront to catch a ferry to Centre Island with, oh, 5000 of your closest friends and a few 1000 others that you don't know as well ... GIVE UP !!!
(that's the "line" over to the little blue toll booth that you see in the background ... then there are 3x as many people on the other side waiting for the ferry ...)
And then add another $3.50 to what you were going to pay, walk 5 minutes down the boardwalk, stumble across a private water taxi, slip him $10 each, and BOB'S YOUR UNCLE !! You are on Centre Island in 5 minutes !!! ( haha suckers !!)

9. Renting a quadracycle SEEMS like an awesome idea ... until 30 minutes later when you are at the farthest point of the island and you realize you (who hasn't pedalled a bike in 20+ years) have to pedal all the way back .... creak ... groan... puff ... pant ...

10. Street food rocks. But don't assume that all the signs at the street booth are foods that are right there being cooked. Order a few Tacos El Pastor and you may find yourself schlepping through a grocery store, out back, to a tiny little kitchen, passing a ticket to "Pedro" and standing in the boiling hot kitchen for 40 minutes for "quick" street food. Hmmm ...

11. When they inform you that your subway car will not be continuing along and you must leave - do so. And when they then add that you are to evacuate the subway station in a calm & orderly fashion ... do so. And when you emerge from the ground and are met by firemen rushing in with pry bars and axes, a sea of firetrucks and police cars, and the radio barking "WE HAVE A PLAN B, A PLAN B!!" .... try to find another route.

12. And when you do get an all clear and try to return to the subway, through the back door - the ONLY door you have ever seen - and the police stop you and order you to go ... don't. Reach into your reserve, remember how many hours you have been up and how many miles you have walked, think about the concert you are going to, think about the fact that you have no earthly idea where the other entrances are and that your feet are now too hivey and sore to walk another mile around the block ... stand there and yell back . Tell them you were told by the "man with the phone to come back " and that "you have no idea where the other entrances are" ... it worked for us.

So that's my tips !! And before you think we had a bad trip ... no ! It was great ... just a few technical difficulties !!

We sang "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" with James Taylor and thousands of others ... awesome !! ( And yes, exhaustion , eggs, smelly hot dog breath from hundreds of people, hot hot cramped buses, .... all added up to me pushing my way off a bus and standing on the side of the road 2 hours from downtown Toronto barfing my face off. And yes, it was a request only stop in a desolate area but we did meet up with some other concert goers and eventually walked to a bus stop where we boarded a bus that made 28 stops before we got to the subway and finally got home at about 1 am ... 21 hours from when we left home !!)

We went to Centre Island ... a magical haven right next to a city ... we rode a freaky bike and saw beautiful things. We enjoyed the charming old fashioned amusement park and imagined what it must have been like back in the day when the rich & famous summered there. Wonderful !!

We spent an afternoon in Kensington Market - one of my favourite places ever. The crowds, the music, the dancers, fire jugglers, the street sized Scrabble game, shopping at Blue Banana, visiting Al Waxman's statue,

eating Tacos El Pastor, the most delectable pie EVER at Wanda's Pie in the Sky.... sigh .... heavenly.

Strolling down Spadina, visiting China Town, Queen Street and my other Fave - The Paper Place ... oooh, I get so excited by paper clip penguins, cat bookmarks, fun paper, coloured tape .... be still my heart !!

So it was a great trip but we were happy to come home. Because, you see , we love our life here too !

What If ?

I am so grateful to all those wondrous unseen forces that keep those we love safe. Now I don't know what those forces are - some say God, some say angels, some say karma, fate ... who knows ? I just know that they are there and we don't think about them until something happens. And then we are inundated with "what-ifs" ... What if she had been there ? What if they hadn't waited ? What if ... what if ... Friends of ours were recently in an accident. For some reason, they chose to put their child in the other door of the van ...their other child wasn't with them ...because the one child got in the other side, the Dad wasn't standing by the van with him ... on and on ... When I heard the story, I thought of all the what-ifs. Chills ran down my spine. And I knew that somewhere somehow someone some-force was at work that day. And my heart sang. I am grateful.

In a Funk ...

I feel like I need to have happy stuff on here ... but man ! I am in a funk !!!! And I am not pretending that I am not - so there !! I am tired ... of what I am not sure ... oh, I have ideas but whatever. I tried the "chip cure" but it actually didn't really work. Still in a funk but I had greasy fingers... I thought about running away & joining the circus but there's that whole stupid reptile thing and I hate them. But if I continue with the 'chip cure' I will have a place there, I'm sure !! ("Hello, Fat Lady Dress... have you been waiting long ??!") So I just need to come up with a plan ... a real plan ... a DEFUNKING plan !!! So I am putting my mind to it today ... in between all the other stuff .... including 500 month old turkeys tonight ( now that will help the funk ... ICK ... U.G.L.Y.)... and I will come up with a plan ... and then I will bottle it (or is that where the solution lies now ...hmmm ...) ... I'll let you know how I make out!!!