Out with the old season in with a new one

 

 

Well, it has been a bit since I sat down and actually blogged, but here I am. I’m not sure what Mother Nature is trying to prove here, but she does not have a very good sense of humour. One day it is sweltering heat with the humidity up to 42 Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) and a few days later we are switching from the cool A/C to mumbling as we adjust the heat from the furnace. Maybe I’m just getting old and can’t take the cold mornings like I used to be able to, but damn, waking up to a house that is 12 Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) is not fun. Even the dog had snuggled under the blankets with me to get warm. Actually I do love the fall season, in fact it’s my favourite season, but hells bells Mother Nature, let my body slowly adjust to the temperature changes before throwing hints of frost at me, besides fall doesn’t officially start until the 21^st.

The end of the summer fish fry went very well and damn it did taste good. This year instead of holding it at the house, we decided to go camping at the camp ground that was more like a summer home in the earlier years and invited the people out to the camp ground for the fish fry. What can I say? I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to relive my earlier years of Labour Day camping and fish fry. There was certainly enough fish, salad and fresh corn on the cob to go around with plenty enough for a second helping if you wanted. I did take a few walks down the trails with Bentley in the lead and wow, did my mind go back in time. It was refreshing to remember, but also kind of sad. Where the hell did the time go??

Over the course of the last few years I have worked in a few places, but nothing really seemed to fit me. I tried on a couple of positions as I went to work at a taxation place to becoming a tele- recruiter for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and a few odd jobs in between. I noticed I was slowly entering the position of a “Couch Potato”. This job requires no thinking skills and you definitely do not need experience as I was finding out. It’s a very “cushy” job and the pay really sucks, but the benefits were hard to decline. Where else can you sit all day curled up on the couch with your beverage of choice and wait with baited breath to watch Steve Wilkos throw chairs across the stage trying to intimidate the “guests” he INVITES onto his show. If you are not familiar with this Steve Wilkos, he was once employed by Jerry Springer as his body guard on the Jerry Springer show. He was the big burly baldheaded body guard (try and say THAT 3 times fast) that broke up the majority of fights. He also ran to Jerry’s aid a few times when Springer crossed the line and almost ended up squashed on the floor when certain interviewee’s lost their temper. I justified the “Couch Potato” position as trying to figure out who was more screwed up on the day time talk shows. Was it the interviewer or the interviewee? I have come to the realization that they all rate the same on the intelligent scale. That’s when I thought to myself O.M.G is this what my life has turned into? Waiting to see Steve Wilkos intimidate people by getting in their face and throwing chairs across the room?? I THINK NOT! So it was back to the real world and earning a living.

 I’m trying on another job position starting next week. This is a bit out of my comfort level but I passed the interview with flying colours so that must mean something. I’ll be working in a small rather popular shop as a “Sales Associate”. The manager is super nice and this place has to be my all-time favourite store, sorry Value Village, this store rated even better than you did. When asked by the manager why I wanted to work there I simply told her because I love the atmosphere of the small stores and boutiques over the hustle and bustle of the larger department stores. At first I thought this might have blown my chance at the job, but she smiled and said “that’s the best answer I have heard in a very long while. At that point I really felt this job was for me and I was very happy when 3 days later she called and said the job was mine if I wanted. Of course I want this job so come Tuesday I go in for a day of training and then Thursday I will be working on the floor! So all in all, my life is back on track. Accessing Steve Wilkos and his guests I.Q’s will be better left in someone else’s hand. I’m needed back in the real world now!

I'm checking another item off my Bucket List

I hope everyone has been enjoying what’s left of the summer of 2013. The weather has been so unpredictable, one week being damn chilly…almost fall like and then the next week the humidity is back with a vengeance. I have to admit I do love the cool nights since it has been very good for sleeping. The mornings are another story since one morning the house was registering 61F when I got up. I hate to admit it, but I was out the other day and I saw a few trees’ that have already started to turn colour at the very top. Autumn is my favorite time of year but August is way too soon to see signs of it, at least for me it is.

Well after months of saying that I was going to do it, and never going through with it, I have now completed another Bucket List Item. Yes, that’s right I finally did the zip lining and tree top canopy tour. After going down the first two zip lines with my heart almost falling out of my chest and landing with a rather huge thud on the platform at the other end I finally got my zip lining legs so to speak. The third zip line I attacked with more confidence than I knew I had and with a huge cry of excitement I cried out “holy hell that was freaking awesome!” as I landed on the platform. Simon the lead guide broke out in a fit of laughter but patted me on the back and told me I was a natural. Now I know he was inflating my ego but damn it felt good! There were a total of 8 zip lines, 2 suspension sky bridges, 14 tree topping canopy platforms and a 40-foot rappel. That was the scariest of all, lowering yourself down 40 feet of rope. I didn’t conquer my fear of heights and my legs almost gave out once I hit the ground, but I did it! My whole body was shaking but damn it I went outside my comfort zone to complete the one item on my bucket list that was holding me back! I can honestly say with all the confidence of the world…I AM WOMAN……HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The course takes a total of 2.5 hours to complete and in my opinion well worth the money!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This coming weekend is just going to be a lazy one. I don’t have anything planned as of yet, but who knows what might arise. The next weekend I’ll be off camping for the long weekend. To me, that’s the perfect way to end of the summer of 2013!

Have a wonderful week ahead my fellow bloggers and keep smiling.

Just checking in

 I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I know I am....and in fact a bucket list item of mine will be tackled on the 17th. I'll be sure to post about it as soon as it's completed!!!

Here are a few pictures that caught my eye.

Exploring on a Saturday

Saturday I traveled to Welland Ontario for a nice leisurely drive. It takes a little over an hour to get there, but it’s been eons since I had visited the city known for the ginormous boat locks of Welland Canal. It was hot and humid, but with the truck a/c blowing and music pumping the drive was a good one.

 

 

 





I have to admit once you get into the Niagara on the Lake the scenery is really nice. Traffic wasn’t too bad either so it really was a relaxing drive.

 



 

Once I had toured Welland, it was onto Niagara Falls and battling mega traffic. Once I got off Lundy’s Lane (the main tourist street) I was fine. It was then a long but easy drive towards the Butterfly Conservatory, then onto The Floral Clock and The Brock Monument Statue.

 

 

 

 

 

I sat in the park for a bit and then made my way to the boat launch on the Niagara River. There I sat until sunset just relaxing and watching the water. The peace and serenity was something I really needed to clear my mind.

 

 
 

 

 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and I wish everyone a good week ahead!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Canada Day!

To all my Canadian Bloggers            

Have a safe and fun Canada Day Weekend!!!

Monday July 1st 2013



Summer Is Offically Here!!!

They say the only thing that is certain in life is death and taxes and that is certainly true. Recently there have been two deaths within my little circle of the world making me think about how short life really is. I found myself feeling more vulnerable than I have ever felt. I guess I needed to have some “me” time, hence my lack of blogging. I spent most of my time sitting out on the deck reading or weeding the back garden thinking of nothing important and just soaking up the warm summer days. I’m glad I chose to do that during the previous few weeks since the Southern Ontario humidity has attack with a vengeance. The other day the temperature hit 102 Fahrenheit with the humidity. Now I know that to some people that’s a good temperature but for us Cunucks it’s rather a brutal heat. I’m not sure why, but when the humidity is that high my hair seems to take on its own personality. Curls pop up in the oddest ways and the frizz; well let’s just say a curly frizzy afro is soooooooooo 1980’s. The hydro (electric for my American bloggers) bill is going to be sky high since it has been running constantly. The other day I actually dug out the plastic kid’s swimming pool and filled it up so Bentley could cool off. As you see, he lounged in it for most of the day.

 

 

Yesterday I braved an afternoon of humidity and did a bit of trail walking spending some time at my favourite spot. It’s such a tranquil place that I could spend hours there. The mosquitoes were happy to see me, but I was prepared for their welcome with some heavy duty bug spray. Oh how I wish I could take this spot and transplant it into my back yard!



 

 Last night I was on the back deck and I was lucky enough to catch the Super Moon. The picture doesn’t do it justice since it was a pretty amazing sight. There hasn’t been a Super Moon since March 1993 and last night the moon passed by Earth at a distance of about 221,567 miles. Once upon a time I was going to be the first woman on the moon, but then my love of animals got the better of me and I decided I was going to be a Zoologist. I didn’t become either one but sometimes I feel like I AM living in a Zoo and I’ve often wished I could send certain ones a one way trip to the moon!

 

Since summer is officially here, I can hear the neighbourhood kids filled with exciting chatter because there is only one day left of school. It brings me back to when I was a kid. I can remember making a tent out of a few of the old blankets and slipping under it with my book. Even back then I was a book worm and read whenever I could. My sisters and brother would be drawing pictures or colouring out on the picnic table while I was tucked away in my make shift tent reading page after page of my book. There was one summer I was especially addicted to The Little House on the Prairie serious and spent almost every waking moment with Laura Ingalls at her little cabin in the big woods and then the move to Walnut Grove. As I grew older I moved away from Laura Ingalls and became good friends with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Now that I am grown I read many different books, this summer’s read is Autobiography of Us by Aria Beth Sloss.

Next Monday is Canada Day and I hope all my Canadian Blogger friends have a safe and fun holiday weekend celebrating Canada’s 146^th Birthday!!

Heading towards the Summer of 2013

Wow, already into June and summer is peeking around the corner, although one couldn’t tell with the weather we have been having. One week it is so hot and humid that I had to buckle under and turn on the air, and the next week it is chilly enough to wear a sweater outside. I did read the Farmer’s Almanac for Southern Ontario Canada and they are predicting a normal June until the end of the month and then the brutal heat moves in. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if these predictions ring true.

Now, the fence is all up and looking very nice. Curly Larry and Moe did a damn good job and there were only a few minor bodily ohoh’s along with more than a few oop’s.  All 3 had said that the fence would be erected in ONE day because they all KNEW what they were doing, so 3 days later the final board was screwed into place. I really should have placed a friendly bet, but since I had given them the benefit of the doubt, I did what I do best and stayed quietly on the sidelines distributing Band-Aids when needed. Last fall I bought an ornamental cherry tree and I’m happy to announce it made it through the winter and bloomed exceptionally well. I just bought a yellow chain tree and I hope I have the same luck with this one. That makes a total of 9 trees in the back yard. Can you tell I love the natural look of nature in my backyard?

 

Lately I have been running into an acquaintance of mine. I haven’t seen her in years but my oh my did the years catch up when she told me her youngest daughter (who was in one of my preschool classes) was going on 18. We seem to be meeting in different aisles in the grocery store for the past 3 weeks, but each time we stand and chat again. It’s rather funny since we have both been growing our hair longer, she says it’s to feel youthful again (which is true) but I say it’s cause it makes my face look skinner (which is also true) so in fact we both look youthful with skinny faces!

I just went for my summer pedicure and right now my feet feel like a million dollars. That won’t last long though since I am a bare foot summer girl through and through. When I’m at home, you’ll never see me wearing a pair of shoes. I never really liked wearing shoes and socks and the only time I will were them is if I have to go out.

I hope everyone is enjoying the last days of spring and making wonderful plans for the summer of 2013!