Happy Easter

My all time favorite song was written by the Gaithers and I've told Chris 'that when I die this is the song you'll sing'. I'll save that blog for a later time.

The words that I'd like to share for Easter are:

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living
Just because He lives.

At Easter time these words seem more relevant than at any other time of the year.

Because He lives. HE isn't in a tomb anymore, HE rose from the dead and because of that very fact WE can live and have freedom in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.

Happy Easter Peeps

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all ! ! !


A lady opened her refrigerator and saw a rabbit sitting on one of the shelves.

"What are you doing in there?" she asked.

The rabbit replied: "This is a Westinghouse, isn't it?"

To which the lady replied "Yes."

"Well," the rabbit said, "I'm westing."

3 Things About Me

Three Jobs I have had in my life:
- Waitress at a small cafe
- Governess for a wealthy family
- Technical Services Director

Three movies I would watch over and over:
- Steel Magnolias
- The Jazz Singer
- Benny and Joon

Three places I have lived:
- Vancouver, BC
- Honolulu, HI
- Abbotsford, BC

Three shows that I watch if I am near a TV:
- Amazing Race
- Judge Judy
- Survivor

Three places I have been:
- Texas
- Holland
- Hawaii

Three people who email me regularly:
- Chris
- Margaret
- Linda

Three of my favourite foods:
- shrimp
- chicken
- eggs

Three places I'd rather be right now:
- at the beach
- on a road trip
- Deka lake

Three things I am looking forward to this year:
- turning 50
- going on a cruise
- losing weight

Three jobs I would love to have:
- pool attendant at a tropical resort
- concert pianist
- test subject for a massage therapist

An Update

We both doing well on the two goals we set for this year. We've been going to Church regularly and getting to meet more people and shake more hands every week. That's a good thing. We are going to Ladies Retreat in 3 weeks and looking forward to that.

On other more weighty issues...between the 2 of us we've lost 15 - 17 lbs. It'll be 3 weeks this Tuesday and so far we've each lost 7-10 lbs, depending on time of month, water retention, time of day, etc. but the point is we're both losing and sticking to the program.

We've started walking more and that's also a good thing.

Chris starts a new job tomorrow so that's pretty exciting, still with the same branch of the Government just a more intense, serious office where serious people get serious work done. She's already been told they like things "a little quieter" there...in other words...no raucous laughter and hearty guffaws!

Me? Just DART'n around town pickin' 'em up and droppin' 'em off...

Moses is here for another week. He's too afraid to come upstairs because of the cats, that's quite funny. Scared little whippet boy. Now he gets a choice when we go out. We hold up the diaper and say " do you want the diaper or the crate?" and he immediately runs into the crate.

Chris is going away next weekend for a week to see her parents so it'll be pretty quiet around here.

I've been scrapbooking an album about whippets having been inspired by my blog..so as they say...it's all good in the hood.

Moses Supposes

Don't let this tough exterior fool you. Inside he's really a very gentle soul, LOL. He likes to think he looks like a pit bull in this photo, what do you think?

Moses is staying with us while his Mom is in England. He comes every year for his "hollies". Usually it's in the summer and he goes to the cottage with us. This year Christine went in the Spring because her sister is very ill.

Anyways...back to Mosie. Moses has a way of letting you know he's not happy with things. It's not that he's not fed or watered or snuggled or treated or wrapped up in blankets, it's usually if we're in and out of the house a lot and not spending a lot of time with him. He demands our full attention and does not like to share. He's also afraid of cats and won't come upstairs. (They're chuckling about that one).

On the weekend we were busy like we usually are and had gone out and come home a few different times during the day. When we came home in the evening we opened the front door to find a 'puddle'. Moses looked at us with his big brown eyes and then left the room.

We happen to have a doggy diaper from previous visits so we decided that when we went out he would either have to be diapered or crated, his choice.

I come home for lunch most days and on Monday I diapered him for the afternoon. I got back into my bus and picked up my first 2 clients who are regulars on my bus. We had a few extra minutes waiting in the bus for my group so I parked by the side of the road while one got out to have a smoke and the other stayed with me on the bus while we chatted.

Just then Chris called so I answered my cell.

This is what my clients overheard:


"He's fine. I diapered the little pisser before I left so he should be good until you get home. He didn't like to be left alone but oh well. Too bad, so sad. That'll teach him for being a Mama's boy."

Don't worry, I told them I was talking about a dog. All's good in the hood.

Sam, the Wonder Whippet

It wasn't long after we got Sam that we realized we had a very smart dog on our hands and that he really was quite self-sufficient. One of the things he started doing was raiding the fridge.

The first thing that happened was Christine coming home from work in the afternoon and finding the fridge door wide open. Hmmm, she wondered and asked me when I came home from work at night if I had left the door open. No, I hadn't.

This happened a few more times and we just kinda thought well the door isn't closing tightly anymore, a big gust of wind rushes through the kitchen while we're gone, anything except the obvious. Sam.

One day we decided to hook up the video camera to try and find out why the door was mysteriously coming open. It didn't take long to catch him. I set the camera up (Operation Sam) and when Christine was getting ready to back to work in the afternoon she wandered past the camera and turned it on not causing too much of a stir. She patted Sam goodbye and away she went.

Not 2 minutes later but Sam comes into the kitchen and goes over to the fridge. With one quick movement he opens the door from the bottom with his 2 front paws and shazam! the door opens!

This time he decides he's hungry and goes to town. The bottom shelf had a casserole dish full of chicken breasts cooked from the night before. After some considerable effort he pulls one out and munches it down. Then he went to the bread and the cheese and the tuna..............

We sent the video into a few places hoping to make some dough on the little guy but never got a response. I wish I could replay it here. It's hilarious. Skinny little whippet boy going on a feast.

You had to be there.

Maggs

One night shortly after we got Maggie we went to her fave store for PETs cuz she's SMART that way. It didn't take her long to figure stuff out, she's a smart one that girl. She found out very quickly just which aisles contain all the good stuff and the ones that are...shall we say BORING.

Anyways, we had bought her some stuff and at that time we still had Bryce, Chris's handsome man cat who gave us his shopping list before we left home because he never did get to go shopping with us. If it hadn't involved a road trip he might've but we'll never know.

Anyways, back to Maggie. A lot of people have asked us what breed she is because she has a Whippet shape but definitely the poundage of a Lab. Her personality is as mixed as her size and shape.

This couple walked up to us in the store and petted her and asked if she was a Weimeraner (sp?)??? Are you kidding me?

"No, I said, quite confidently (as if they were idiots and I knew better).

"She's a WAB"

Chris laughed so hard the shelves holding the canned cat food shook.

Flannigen and Moses

Flan and Moses were brothers and were the best of buddies. Moses often came over to visit Flan and hang out together.

One day I was out for a walk at the park with both dogs and 2 kids and their mom walked towards me and asked if they could pat my dogs. I said they could and they asked what their names were, how old they were, etc. Flannigen and Moses. They're 3years old. Important stuff. Then we moved on.

A few weeks later I was at the same park with just Flannigen and the same 2 kids spotted me. They came running over and the first thing the little girl asked was,

"Where's Noah?"

Gotta love those little Sunday School going kids.

Maggie

Maggie is our 7 year old Whippet/Lab X we got at the pound in January 2005. I've written about her before and her issues but she really is a lovely dog. She loves her Mom's with such adoration and gratefulness, I think she understands we were her last hope on earth for a decent life.

Maggie puts up with being medicated 2x a day for her nasal problem, 1x a week for her bladder problem and now has ear drops 2x a day for a yeast infection in her ears. She doesn't come cheap but she is the easiest dog to medicate. I've medicated others and I'm here to tell you she's the best. It's like she knows what she's getting is good for her and will make her feel better.

Maggie had her first holiday in May 2005 when we were travelling up to the Cariboo to look at potential property to buy. We didn't have a place to stay so we had to book into a Motel for the night. We got a dog-friendly room and Maggie got her very own bed to jump on! Just like a real kid in a real motel room!

Maggie rolled over after testing out the linens and just grinned as if to say, "I love you guys, wow, a holiday!"

There's nothing better in Maggie's life than going to the Cottage. She absolutely loves it and puts up with the 6 hour drive to get there. She knows every rest stop, every restaurant we stop at, every gas station we fill up at. She can be sound asleep in the back of the truck and we'll know we're getting close to a rest stop when all of a sudden she lifts her head and sniffs.

At the cottage we have her Chuck-It hanging on a nail outside. It's the first place she heads once she's there. She gets to chase balls a lot there because we can give her a good run on our own property. She swims in the lake and she visits with the dog who lives by the lake.

Maggie's a loving dog with a gentle disposition. She's kind of a bull in a china shop in that she's not very gracious but she makes up for it with those big brown eyes that melt our hearts.

Top 10 Reasons to Own a Whippet

10. They truly know the meaning of retirement.


9. People will stare at your dog instead of at you.


8. They can curl up to the size of a ball if they need to.


7. They can expand to the size of the whole bed if they want to.


6. They don't bark, keeping your neighborhood safe for burglars.


5. You can play their ribs like an air guitar.


4. They are the only dogs that know how to really smile.


3. You can dress them up as a reindeer for Christmas.


2. They are never confused with poodles.


1. A Whippet in flight is the most amazing sight you'll ever hope to see in your own back yard.

Whippet - a definition

whip·pet (hwpt, wp-)
n.
Any of a breed of swift, short-haired dog developed in England for racing, resembling the greyhound but smaller.

Flannigen

After Sam and Sunshine passed away, Christine and I were both getting very lonesome without dogs. We were both living alone and one night we met up for Chinese food. All of a sudden, Christine pounded her fist on the table, shaking the water glasses and said "That's it!"

Amazed, I looked up from my sweet n' sour pork and said "What's it?"

"That's it! We've gone too long without dogs!"

It was time. We both knew it. She wanted a whippet and I wanted a whippet so where do you go? You go to the Whippet lady. I remembered where she lived although we hadn't been there for 5 years (which amazed Christine) and we took a drive out to see her.

Mrs. M. always had a lot of Whippets, but you have to go through an bonding time with your prospective dog before you take one home. We picked out Moses for Christine and a little girl named Willow for me. We went back a couple more times for more bonding and walking and cuddling.

Willow didn't like being away from her pack, she had been the leader and turned out to be the wrong choice for me. Moses however is perfect for Christine and continues to be the joy of her life.

A week later I called Mrs. M. and told her I was bringing Willow back so I did and then had to start all over again with another dog. This time she told me about Flannigen, Moses's brother. Flan loved me right from the start and I adored him. We bonded and Flan came home to live with me. Moses and Flan were so happy to be reunited and spent lots of time together hanging out in each other's back yards and running in the fields together.

Flannigen was truly a lovely dog. He had a wonderful disposition and people fell in love with him wherever we went. He had been a show dog so he cost me (cough, sputter) more but he was worth every penny.

When I met Chris she was quite taken with this crazy whippet boy of mine, I don't think she had ever really met a whippet before. She tried to "man him up" and dressed him in football jerseys. It didn't work. He was still a Mama's boy.

Flan loved to visit my mom and would always sit in her lap like that was nothing unusual. A long legged skinny dog sitting in a long legged skinny woman's lap.

Flan got very ill very quickly in 2004 so with lots of tears I had to say goodbye to him. He was a very special dog and I still miss him today. At first Moses would come over and go looking for his bro' and had a puzzled look on his face when he couldn't find him. It was sad to watch. Eventually that stopped. Then we got Maggie. Stay tuned.

In 1996 I was getting ready to buy my condo and I was faced the reality that technically Sam really was Christine's dog and therefore when I moved, I would be dog-less. I purposely bought into a pet-friendly building, only problem was, I didn't have my own dog! And I wanted one!

About 2 months before I moved a friend called from out of the blue and said, "hey, you like those skinny dogs right?" Right. She had only seen Sam once but apparently he left an impression on her. Then she said she had seen an ad in the paper from the pound advertising a Female Whippet X. So I went and looked.

There she was all trembling and scared out of her little mind. What they told me was that she had been picked up on the street and nobody ever came and asked about her. She'd been there for 2 weeks and they were really hoping somebody would adopt her. She was a Whippet/Beagle cross and they guessed her to be about 5-7 years old.

I brought Sam along so that he could interview her which she passed with flying dog bones. Sam and her got along famously. No argument there. He became her 'big brother' and protected her fiercely.

She didn't come with a name so I called her Sunshine. My reason for that was I was going to live on my own, it was getting into winter and it was the beginning of my deep depression. I wanted Sunshine in my home whenever the days were dark. Little did I know just how the dark the days were going to be ahead but that's another story.

Sunshine lived with me for 5 years, she was a sweet loving little dog. She didn't bark unnecessarily and was the easiest little dog to take care of. She lived with me through the worst days of my life and just weathered life's storms with me.

Sam and Sunshine were always great friends and spent a lot of time together between the two homes.

Whippets, Then & Now

Yes, this is what I looked like in 1993 in case you're wondering.

I'm scrapbooking these days about Whippets and "all the whips I've known before, who been in and out of my door"...think Willie...ok, moving on...

It all started with Sam. A crazy fun loving whippet who landed on our doorstep and immediately took over the house.

Sam had run away from an abusive situation and followed a Postal worker to the Post Office one morning. He had a tag around his neck with a phone number. The Supervisor called the number only to be told that they no longer owned Sam and that Sam and his sister Delilah had been given away because of a new baby in the household. Supervisor called the number given and a gruff sounding man said he'd be right down "to get the dog". When he drove up in his ratty old pick-up truck, he left the engine running and threw Sam into the back.

The Supervisor called the original owner and told her what had happened, she grew very alarmed and said she'd try to get Sam back. The mean owner wouldn't give him back and not only that, informed her that he'd given away Delilah. Poor Sam.

My former roommate Christine had told her Supervisor that if they were looking for a home for Sam she'd be happy to provide one. But it wasn't meant to be that day. A few months later Sam once again ran away, this time he met up with some nice Skytrain employees who called the original owner because he was still wearing the same tag. This time she didn't call the mean man but called the Post Office instead and asked if the Postie that was interested in Sam a few months ago would still be interested in giving him a home.

The Supervisor radioed Christine on her route and told her "your dog's at the office waiting to go home with you." Christine ran to finish her route so she could go and pick up Sam.

All of this happened while I was enjoying a trip to Hawaii (of course). I had flown home to Seattle and gotten in late and it had delayed my trip home until 3:30 a.m. Christine was supposed to be housesitting at her brother's when I got home so I wasn't expecting anyone to be there when I opened the door. I turned the light on and this skinny little guy with a long nose came out of my bedroom (apparently he liked my bed) and walked over to me and wagged his tail. Surprised, I said, "well who are you exactly? "

Christine called from her bedroom, "that's Sam and he's ours".

Sam never went back to the mean man. Instead he filled our home with his crazy antics and compassionate loving nature. He could open a fridge by himself, tie his leash up in knots and take out the garbage like nobody else. He lived with Christine for 8 years. He was the joy of her life. Oh, and he had his own TV which he turned on for himself. He was very smart.

Sam had a job volunteering with Pets and Friends which he did for 4 years at a Care facility. He loved the people there and they loved him. He was rewarded well for his work and for his sweet demeanor. Sam was the first whippet I ever got to know and he taught me a thing or two about whippets and what warm loving dogs they are.

Sam loved the ladies. When my aunt came to visit from Holland he immediately made friends with her. She thought he was funny looking and needed some meat on his bones but they became instant friends.

Stay tuned...more whippet stories ahead.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Back to Church this morning. Every week we seem to meet new people and they seemed to be quite charmed with us. No really, we are quite charming individuals, we're lively, we're fun and we signed up for Camp! Ladies Retreat! Wow! Now everyone wants to go because "those new girls are going". It's going to be good I tell ya!

Been sticking to the WW thing and feeling good about that. I'm holding off from weighing myself for the first week just to get the rush of weighing in and being told I've lost some weight! Ooo ooo, it's gonna be good!

Went to see the movie Juno last night. Very good. Very quirky but very real. Lots of familiar landscape as it was filmed in Vancouver, White Rock and Burnaby.

Next weekend our little whippet friend Moses is coming for 2 weeks while his mom goes off to England. The little guy is a doll and we love having him around. He and Maggie get along famously, it's quite fun to watch.

A cat died and went to Heaven. God met her at the gates and said, 'You have been a good cat all these years. Anything you want is yours for the asking.'

The cat thought for a minute and then said, 'All my life I lived on a farm and slept on hard wooden floors. I would like a real fluffy pillow to sleep on.'
God said, 'Say no more.' Instantly the cat had a huge fluffy pillow.

A few days later, six mice were killed in an accident and they all went to Heaven together. God met the mice at the gates with the same offer that He made to the cat

The mice said, 'Well, we have had to run all of our lives: from cats, dogs, and even people with brooms! If we could just have some little roller skates, we would not have to run again.'
God answered, 'It is done.' All the mice had beautiful little roller skates.

About a week later, God decided to check on the cat. He found her sound asleep on her fluffy pillow. God gently awakened the cat and asked, 'Is everything okay? How have you been doing? Are you happy?'

The cat replied, 'Oh, it is WONDERFUL. I have never been so happy in my life. The pillow is so fluffy, and those little Meals on Wheels you have been sending over are delicious!'

And the winner is?

There were 2 things I desired to do this year to make changes in my life. The first was my spiritual health. It's been quite some time since I've been committed to one church. The excuses are obvious of course. Working shift work for 8 years is one of them and that included working a LOT of Sundays. But I'm not working Sundays anymore so I've become more regular in my church attendance and that's a good thing. It's much easier to sleep in on a Sunday morning (because after all don't we deserve it?) and going to the restaurant down the street and eating a nice big brunch. It's very easy for me to give in and do the things that give me the most 'bang for my buck'. But I've decided to do the things that maybe aren't so comfortable and go for it this year.

The other change I need to make is my physical health. Since 2000 the lbs have steadily come on. Again, obvious reasons. I quit smoking and boom! overnight there came the poundage. When you don't keep your hands and mouth busy with a cigarette you fill it with food. Gotta fill it with something right?

We joined WW again and I find it easier to make a committment to losing weight when there is accountability. Not only the $$$ every week but also group support.

I really need to stay focussed this year. It's for my health and for my well-being.

More on the subject. Stay tuned.

Church

More on this subject later. Stay tuned.

Glad This Isn't My Cat!!!

Yesterday we went to see my step-dad Paul who's now living in Victoria. It was a beautiful day and there's nothing like a ferry ride in BC to remind you of how gorgeous the scenery is here. The weather was fabulous and we enjoyed a really nice day and visit with Paul at his new residence.

Paul's memory comes and goes as well as his level of confusion but yesterday he was bright and chipper. He had such a smile on his face when my mom walked into the room. He stood right up and just hugged and kissed her. It was very sweet and heart felt.

We went for lunch together with his daughter joining us and then left Paul and Betty alone for awhile. Chris and I went downtown and walked around the harbor. The place where he's living is 2 blocks from the Parliament buildings and very close to where 2 of his 3 children live.

The decision to move Paul to Victoria was one made by everyone involved his care and although it was a difficult one to make I believe it's a good one. He is well looked after and it's much easier for his daughter Norma in particular to be involved in his care.

Hopefully we'll be able to get over there for a visit again soon.

Enjoying the view

We had a great weekend and managed to shake the head cold, thank you very much. After my head pretty much exploded on Thursday somehow I managed to get it all back together by Sunday so we went to Church.

Isn't it amazing how people from your past pop up? This has been happening to me a lot lately it seems and I wonder what the purpose is behind it. I don't know if I need to know, I just wonder.

Yesterday we sat in a different section of the church as we haven't attended there regularly enough to have our row paid for and you better not sit in my seat attitude. That'll come later I'm sure. You know the type.

Anyways this lady sat behind us and during the meet and greet shook my hand and we looked at each other and both said "I know you from somewhere". Back to the service, about face, and I'm still wondering how I know her. I guess she was too because as soon as the service was over she started talking to me again.

First we found out that our friends D and S actually know her sister J, so that was met with "well it's a small world isn't it" and then the lightbulb went off and I asked her if she had worked for a ministry I had worked for in the 80's, Boom! Yes she had, for several years and then remembered me from that time.

Too funny. You just never know who you're going to run into...so 20 years from now when you see me hobbling down the street with my cane you can say "Oh look! it's her from the blog! I know her!"

Achoo!!!

What started out as sniffles on Wed night has turned into a full-blowin cold. Yikes!! Seeya in a few days.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

The card shops make so much $$$ off this day so who needs to contribute more...Chris and I go to the shop and read cards out loud to each other. How's that for cheap entertainment? After the 3rd or 4th card we're laughing so hard we can hardly stand it.

So go on, save some money! Read cards out loud to someone today!

Tales from the DART side

I think I'll start blogging about my experiences about driving the DART. I DART around town pickin' up people with medical appts, social appts, mental health appts, and a whole lotta shopping appts. We offer door to door service. It's a great way of meeting new people, seeing people you've connected with before, and doing a whole lot of driving.

Last week it had snowed for about 2 days and it had snowed the week before for 2 days so some of my regulars who like to go shopping at the Mall had been house bound for more than a week.

I went to pick up one of my faves, Mrs. A. She's a Scottish lady with a walker who lives with her son and d-i-l. Nice lady. When I got to the door it was like the Ikea commercial when the woman runs out to the car..."start the car". Except it was "Get me to the bus, I gotta get out of here". She'd been housebound for at least a week.

Poor lady, her son is waiting for knee surgery so he's home, her d-i-l just had some surgery so she's home. She couldn't wait to just GET ON THE BUS.

She told me that every morning she goes on the computer and talks by video cam with her sister in Scotland. How things have changed since she came to Canada and a phone call to the old country was the size of a mortgage payment. Now she talks by web cam and hears water running. She mentions it to her sister who says "Oh, it's me 'usband, he's 'avin a shower".

How times have changed.

It's come to my attention that I'm tall. You ask, 'you didn't know that'. No, apparently I don't because at least once a week someone, usually a complete stranger will say to me, 'boy you're tall.' I try to act surprised and say things like "thank you for telling me, I didn't know" or "I'll have to look into that, I wasn't tall this morning when I left the house".

As a teenager and young adult I absolutely hated it. I stood out in a crowd, on the other hand I could pick people out of a crowd that I was looking for so it came in really handy at airports looking for my mother who always seemed to travelling.

As a tall woman it seems that I'm often mistaken for a man because well, woman aren't supposed to be tall. According to some rules out there. I'm not sure who made those rules but they're out there somewhere.

I also have short hair so that adds up to the problem of being mistaken for a man because obviously a tall person with short hair is a man.

Yesterday I had to go to the Hospital to pick up a client. On the way to the Dept I thought I'd take a quick trip to the washroom. In my work you take bathroom breaks when you get them.

So I opened the door to the washroom and there are 2 stalls with doors inside. One looked shut and the other one was open. There was someone standing by the sink but because I was in a hurry I just blurred past them, went into the stall, locked it and sat down.

Somebody knocked on the stall door. Thinking I had "stolen" the stall from her I said, "Oh I'm sorry, I'll be right out."

Knock, knock, knock. Again I said, "I'm just about done, I'll be right out."

Thinking I would meet hostility on the other side I was a little hesitant to open the door. I finally did. There was a little lady standing there who by this time had knocked on my door at least 6-7 times.

Once again I apologized, said I had been in a hurry and proceeded to wash my hands.

The lady looked at me and said "This is a Ladies washroom".

I said "Thank you for the information". And walked out the door.

Next time I'll show her my boobs.

The next time someone asks you a dumb question wouldn't you like to respond like this?.....

Yesterday I was buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for Maggie, my wonder dog at Wal-Mart and was in the check out line. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm sarcastic, with little to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again. I probably shouldn't, I continued, because I'd ended up in the hospital last time. I awoke in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. However, I did lose 40 pounds on the diet, so I was giving it another go.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is you load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete and I needed to lose a few more pounds. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was, by now, enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, this woman asked if I ended up in intensive care because I'd been poisoned by the dog food. I told her no, it happened because I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's ass and a car hit both of us.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard!

WAL-MART won't let me shop there anymore.

Sometimes................

It seems that weeks go by without a whole lot going on that's of any interest. I think I lead a really dull life. I guess I could write about my tales on the DART but I'm far too lazy for that. Although sometimes it would give me something to blog about.

Like the time last week I went to pick up a client from the Sikh Temple, I'd picked her up before, she was wearing a brown sari and brown shawl, grey hair put back in a bun, so when I pulled up I looked to my left and thought 'oh there she is.' I jumped out of the bus, held out my arm and walked her to my bus. She smiled at me and said thank you very much and went to get into a car.

I was surprised and said something like 'oh, you're not going home with me today' and she laughed and pointed to where we had just walked from There on the curb stood a lady dressed in brown, brown shawl, grey hair tied in a bun just laughing her head off. I had walked the wrong lady to my bus and they all enjoyed the joke.

Around the house it's the same ole same ole.............we work, we eat, we sleep, we laugh, play with the animals, but it's all good in the hood.

Had brunch with my friend Jennifer on the weekend. She just turned 60 in January so we finally made plans to get together and get caught up. That's always fun, Jen and I used to work together in a group home. She still works there 8 years later. Last year she brought WD over (shown here in photo) who turned 60. Lookin' good!

Last week I got together with friends I used to work with at IM in the 90's. The company closed down in '97 but we still get together once or twice a year for dinner and a few laughs. There've been divorces, deaths, births, all shared with friends.

Anyways.........that's life in my neck of the woods (just where did that expression come from anyways).

Have a great week everyone. Remember: Safety First.

What Will I Be When I Grow Up?

Giving to Charity

Sometimes I go through my closet and "purge". I get rid of lots of clothes that don't fit anymore or I just don't wear. It makes me feel all warm inside knowing that the clothes I previously wore are now gracing another grateful body!

Remember that cleaning out your closets at least once a year and giving former treasures to Goodwill (or charity of your choice) is a great way to give back to your community and help those who are less fortunate.

So look through your closets and see if you don't have something that doesn't fit, or might be a little out of fashion.

Those things will probably fit someone else and could be the height of fashion for them.

With that in mind, I send along this heartwarming photo to inspire you, and remind you that your efforts won't go unnoticed.

This picture is breathtaking. There are millions of people around the world that pay thousands of dollars to come and see a mountain such as this, covered in snow. Unfortunately that snow has leaked down to my road. All week long! We've had nothing but snow since Saturday. Every day I've gone out to my car to dig it out of the white stuff and spend 15 minutes warming it up so I can drive to work and it can get buried again while sitting there.
We've been on essential services this week which means only the people who really need a ride get one. No shopping trips, no trips to the Bingo hall, no visiting the girls, nope, only necessary trips and that's it.




I've been thinking that this is a much nicer photo.




Or maybe this one.

I mean, if you're going to spend lots of money looking at something beautiful....

I've Had a Make-Over

It's come to my attention that my old look was getting tired. Too yesterday. Too conservative for this wild and crazy woman. So in honour of the year that I'm turning 50 I thought I would change my look. Spruce it up a bit. Put some "oomph" into it. Maybe give Pamela a run for her money. What do you think?

Cake From Wal-Mart

Okay , so this is how I imagine this conversation went:
Wal-Mart Employee: 'Hello 'dis Walmarts, how can I help you?'
Customer: 'I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.'
Wal-Mart Employee: 'What you want on the cake?'
Customer: 'Best Wishes Suzanne', & underneath that, 'We will miss you'.

Here's a warning to never swallow your bubble gum. It could happen to anyone.

The Difference Between Men and Women

How have I gotten along all this time without knowing this stuff???


1. NAMES
If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara go out for lunch, they will call each other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara.

If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in a $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.

When the women get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need, but it's on sale.

4. BATHROOMS
A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott.

The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that... is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS
Women love cats.
Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

7. FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change , and she does.

10. DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

13. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

AND FINALLY....
A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position.
As they passed a barnyard of mules, jack asses, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, 'Relatives of yours?'

'Yep,' the wife replied, 'in-laws.

Lunchtime is Lunchtime People!!!

The office phone rings, one of the employees picks up and says:

"What kind of an idiot is it that dares to phone me in the middle of my lunch break?"

The caller shouts back: "Do you have any idea whom you are talking to...? I am the CEO of this company."

The employee replies: "Do you have any idea whom YOU are talking to?"

Perplexed, the CEO mumbles: "NO!!!"

The employee heaves a sigh of relief and says: "Thank goodness for that!"
And hangs up.

How Did I Miss This???

My lack of motivation is legendary. It's very easy for me to procrastinate... anything, everything. It's so easy for me to keep putting off losing weight, cleaning house, pet care, laundry, you name it, I am the Queen of denial. But I'm the first to admit it! I would much rather read blogs, watch TV, bury my head in the sand on any self improvement projects.

But this year it's going to be different. Really it is. I hope it will be. I need to lose some weight, how on earth did I ever get to be this big? Must've happened while I was sleeping. No other reason.

Here's to a new year and new goals. Hopefully by next year I will have lost at least 25 lbs, got my eyes checked, my teeth fixed, the spare room cleaned and paired up my black socks which is a never ending project.