Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Catching up.

Well, where to begin? It seems like it's been so long since we've walked together, doesn't it? I have been walking, though, but finding the time for photos, photoshop, putting together a post and thinking of what to say seems impossible lately. Even today...I have got to be out the door in about half an hour...it took so long to load these photos that I ran out of time...again. Yesterday, the rains returned but mostly the past couple of weeks have been hot and dry...really hot, some days. Not that I would ever complain about that. You know how thin my blood is. The arbutus and garry oaks out at Piper's Lagoon looked stunning against that summer sky, and the grasses are just now turning that delicious shade of yellow that glows so heartbreakingly golden in the sunsets. You know the yellow I mean, right? And the sunsets have been gorgeous lately, too.
At Bowen Park, we stumbled across this dapper fella. He wasn't too worried about us following him around with the camera. Lucky us.

Harewood Mines Road is stunning right now, too. The last of the huckleberries are getting wrinkley on the bushes, the grasses make the sound of a rattle when you walk through them. Eem-er and I have been walking up there in the early mornings before work to try and wear her out while I am gone. There are rabbits EVERYWHERE up there at 6:30 am...and the thing is this, Eem-er doesn't get worn out and the seperation anxiety is still very worrisome, ....today we meet with the U-Dog guy here in Nanaimo to begin working on this(and other) bothersome behaviour(s). Fingers crossed.


Got these chairs at the thrift store...hate that Southwest materiel, love the chairs. So off to the fabric store where I found this stellar materiel that matches the dark wood and my blue wall. Not too shabby, eh?



My garden...remember my garden? The passionflower is going nutters. Smells like candy. The kiwi vines are crazy but still not producing any fruit. Pretty much, the whole garden was a big disappointment this year. Such a late start to good weather, so few bees....we got some blueberries, a handful of raspberries, the lettuce is bonkers and the carrots are coming on...but the cukes didn't cuke, the pumpkins are dismal, no eggplants, no cantaloupe....sigh.




We did get peaches though!!!!!! Right now, I am finishing up an Apricot/Peach/Cranberry Chutney on the stove. We'll break it out for Thanksgiving. Although I will be in Washington for the Canadian Thanksgiving. I gotta get home and see my folks and friends. It's been too long. I'll just have to make my turkey when I get back. Also today, gotta make up another batch of Rhubarb Nectar to freeze for the winter months, AND get to the farmer's market to buy two pounds of Basil to make enough Pesto for the year....after meeting the U-Dog guy...sheesh, my days off are busier than the days I work.
I did sleep in one day, though.





Been falling in love, too. My next-door neighbour just got two puppies....one is for her mother-in-law, though I pleaded with her to tell her in-law that he(the pup) got lost in the shipping or something....






Nom nom nom....ooooooooooh, I lovers him so.







Eem-er discovered a rabbit living in the yard up the end of the block. Now she is obsessed and I have to be so very careful that she doesn't have any way to escape the house anymore. AAAiiiieeeeee!!!! As if we needed one more behaviour issue!!!!









And, of course, the Hood. There is an alley across Nicol Street that has become the new hangout. And, of course, the crackheads are congregating in groups of 20+ again. Same old mob mentality coming across, intimidating the folks that live there, harassing the residents. How bad will it have to get? How much garbage and filth will they leave behind and the city won't clean it or do anything about it? Anytime I go out on my porch, I can see them there. At night, the glow of crackpipes is like some sick, twisted Christmas tree. The drug deals and the open use of drugs happening right there just like it had been up here last year....deal after deal after deal being made. It's ridiculous.







And a whole new batch of hookers out now, too. It just never ends.
Well, looky that! Had enough yet?
My time is up and I am at the last photo. Go figure. So, I gotta go now, walk the dog, run a couple of errands, pick up some cash for U-Dog guy and the farmer's market, get home, meet the U-Dog guy, do Eem-er's evaluations, go to the farmer's market, come home, make two+ pounds of pesto, dinner, have a drink, collapse into bed and be back to work in the morning. I had four days off and I am exhausted!!!!
Talk at you later?

Thursday, August 14, 2008

miss me yet????

Two more working days, then four days off.
We'll go walking, and I will tell you about the neighbourhood b.s, and maybe we'll go out to Coomb's(I am out of Key Lime Juice!!!)....I'll sleep in at least once. Sigh.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Still here.........

Working lots these past couple weeks....things should quiet down after the coming weekend and I will try to catch up. Michael just got home on Saturday night(so good to have him home) and back to work today, which is my day off...so I had a nice lunch on the patio of the Fox and Hound Pub with just girls... and Pimms. Cheers, Tod. I had to to try it. I was so curious. It was yummy...but could be a dangerous drink....you hardly know you're drinking!
So, I have stuff to post and photos and all, but time gets away from me these days. Who knew the days could be so short?!? I had all the time in the world a few months ago. Yesterday was spent catching up a week's worth of chores. Today, after some errands this morning, a walk with Eem-er and then lunch....it's after 3 already!!!! Yikes.
So...don't give up on me yet. Next week should be much quieter. I may not even know what to do with myself!

Thursday, August 07, 2008

sssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh,,,,,,


not found on any maps....don't get lost.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

yeah, hey neighbours....so sorry about today

Sigh. My fears were not unfounded. Today, home alone, Eem-er apparenty scaled the shelves in the plant room(and didn't knock anything over!), flipped the latch on the push open type window and got out onto the deck....which would have been a few foot drop from the window. So, it goes without saying, she was out there ALL DAY LONG cuz she couldn't climb back in. Apparently, she was howling the entire time. Sweet. Eight hours or so. Yeah, my neighbours love me today. Lots.
It was 31 degrees Celcius today...nearly 88 Farenheit, for those of you south of the border... stuck on a hot deck with no water, little shade, all day, no stairs to the yard(thank goodness or she would have picked the lock on the back gate and disappeared, or whatever, the little escape artist)...I feel like the worst doggie mom ever.
And no dog sitter again tomorrow, either.

I apologize in advance.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

four minutes and counting


until bedtime...actually a late bedtime, considering. I am working lots the next two weeks and there is lots of peripeheral stuff going on, too. I wish Michael were home now, but it's okay. It's just cuz things seem to be gettin out of hand, and I worry. I worry about Eem-er home alone, and the heat with this weather. My dog sitter is unavailable for the next couple of days but I still feel guilty even though I KNOW all is well, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people, leave their dogs to go to work every day. And meeting friend(s) in some sort of crisis a-couple-of -few-times this week is cutting into what dog time I do have. Why is everyone always in crisis mode at the same time? Why do things always work out like that?
Anyhoo, four minutes is up...and then some.
gotta get up early and get out for a long dog walk(instead of my run) in the morning...and should have been in bed a while ago...
i miss taking pictures, ya know?
and i miss all of you out there, too.
well, nighty night, then.
sweet dreams

Monday, August 04, 2008

wow

So, yeah...home alone...it's been a while. You forget things...like eating alone, doing things alone, sleeping alone....
last night i was trying to sleep and a damn truck was parked outside idling....checked the window and the old fucker was sending his young buck down to the crackhouse. I went outside in my pjs and took two flash photos and the guy took off like a bat outta hell in his big shiny new red truck with no front plate(illegal in BC so he's from somewhere else....hmmm, where might that be?). this morning i saw his young man still wandering the neighbourhood lost...maybe i should feel bad, but i don't. not really. i live here.
today i went to see the X-Files movie...in a theatre....by myself. yeah. i am THAT nerd, but the nerd down the row from me(also there by himself) was laughing out loud at little quips the movie made about the series, the little homages, as if he was the only one who got the joke...at least i wasn't THAT nerd!!!!!!!!! whew.
i bbqed!!!!!!!!!! yep. i did. by myself. and? it was edible!!!!!
got in an arguement with a crackhead hooker out front, too, today....she moved on, though. And another stand off with crack heads in the alley. Those ones are gone, too. Though it is getting real busy around here again...no thanks to the crackhouse down on Finlayson. If the RCMP are reading this...that house is BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And nobody is smart enough to hide what they're up to so could you do something about it?!?! Please?!?!?!?!?
Crazy, isn't it????

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Happy Birthday, Maggie.

I can still feel you curled up at my feet at night...so can Eem-er, apparently. She won't lay in your spot.
I still miss you so very much.....how can I still miss you this much?!?

I hope you are feeling better there....hope you are chasing rabbits like a whirlwind.... I hope you and Crook are still together.


Before you know it, we'll be talking again(cuz that's just how it's gotta work wherever you are, right?)...I have so much to tell you.



and you can finally tell me about all those things you read in the wind....and I will finally be able to hear you again.
I love you, my bestest. Be so very good.
Sleep well and sound, Mr. Solzhenitsyn. "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."