three, two, one - and the winner is...

Last night, three of us on the front porch, two citronella candles burning... ONE of us is eaten alive my mosquitoes! Yep, me. I win!

Three of us at the office, two fly papers hanging, ONE of us is dive bombed by the same freaking fly over and over again! Yep, me. I win!

So my prize for being so attractive to bugs? Hopefully NOT west nile or some other plague!

Dinner Musical!

Tonight's dinner was cooked to the entire Jesus Christ Superstar score... much to Michelle's chagrin! hehehe... Another thing you may not know about me, I sing... a lot! While I clean, while I cook, while I do laundry, while I bathe, (that one to my London nephews' chagrin when they are still sleeping and the bathroom happens to be between their bedrooms!)

Evening exercise

Well, I was laying down, watching tv, being a sloth when suddenly I was madly running around the house slamming the windows shut. Michelle, naturally, was asking "what are you doing?" over and over again!

I could not afford the time to stop and answer her. See, I have a very sensitive skunk detecting nose! I got a slight whiff and sprang to action. Michelle, could not as yet smell anything.

By the time I closed all the windows, on two floors... it was more than a whiff, but I beat it!

Score... me - 1 / skunk - 0 (it's nice to win one!)

Filling in the holes...

The empty spot in my basement now holds my lovely new whirlpool washer. I've used it three times today with success! It did not burn my house down, it did clean my clothes and it is ginormous! If anyone has any spare laundry, feel free to bring it over! (You've heard of rhetorical questions? Well, that was a rhetorical statement!) Oh and now I don't have to go next door to Susan's to do my wash... though her's is a lovely machine also.

Now, the hole where my tooth used to be... that's another story! (See my post of July 19th, if you have no idea what I'm talking about.) No one told me it would take so long to fill back in... hello? Don't you think that maybe this info would have been germane to my decision in agreeing to have it pulled?

Tomorrow's task...

I have picked this lovely Whirlpool washer as the winner of the, "I promise to wash your clothes and not burn your house down" contest! Congratulations Leons Furniture!

Hmmmmmm, wonder if all those cute firefighters will help me get it down the basement stairs?

Where there's laundry there's fire?

This was the scene outside my house about 7pm tonight. That is... after the other two trucks left! Yep three trucks, lights & sirens going!




*Edit* Apparently there was a 4th vehicle I didn't notice... a Chief's car. Thanks Nancy for the info!*

(Photo courtesy of Susan, taken from her porch next door to my house.)

My car, (the lovely red Grand Am blogged about a couple of days ago,) blew it's heater core so Mich and I are sharing a car. I drop her at work at 10, go to my work, leave my work at 5 and pick her up at 6. We ran a couple of errands and came home. Before I started dinner I decided to do some laundry.

Fill the washer, add laundry, close lid and walk away... suddenly, the washer stops running. I turn around, I smell "burnt wires." I yell up at Michelle to call Bob, (next door, not husband as husband is working afternoons.) She starts to do that, I then see smoke, a goodly amount of smoke... I yell at Michelle to hang up and call 911. She hands me the phone, I dial 911, the washer suddenly starts running again, more smoke! I hang up... turn off the washer and unplug it. Then I remember 911, I go to dial but hey, they're on the line already. They call back if you hang up. I explain my washer is smoking they tell me to get everyone out and wait for the truck.

Well, I tell Mich to leave but... ummmm... well... you know that "stuff" that falls down beside your washer? I had to clean it up. I knew they would be pulling it out and well, I was embarrassed. So yes, I was leaning into the side of a smoking washing machine... it did stop smoking after a bit.

Michelle yelled down the stairs, that "they're coming, they're coming!"

I relpied "THEY?" as in more than one? We went outside ... yep you could hear the sirens from all sides!

Three trucks arrived from two directions! I told them it had stopped smoking, two trucks left. The firefighters came downstairs, moved the washer... (I KNEW they'd do that, good thing I cleaned up eh?) Used the heat sensor thingy, looked behind paneling and checked it out well. They plugged my washer back in and let it spin out the water while they were there so it would be easier for me to empty! Nice eh?

They then asked about smoke detectors. I have one on the main floor and one upstairs, but not in the basement. So they installed one! (extra battery included!) Talk about full service!

So, that was my evening, how was yours?

ps... thanks to Bob (next door as I've already explained husband was at work, I did call him and tell him that several fire trucks were here though,) for checking my washer and determining it was toast... burnt toast!

Thanks to Susan for letting me do the load of laundry that got interupted and for bringing it over when it was done.

Terrorists on billboards in Canada

Apparently anything goes in Canada these days including cheer-leading for Hezbollah.

read more | digg story

*no pic on front page of my blog... no pic of terrorists I mean. Click "read more" for image.*

**Edit** It was taken down today.

Patrick Baril, my nephew

He just turned two! C'est adorable n'est pas? (He lives in Montreal, ergo le Francais)

I am offishially fishless!

Time to empty, sterilize and start over. :(

canada stamp - 1 cent Cameo

Anyone into stamps who see this... is it an imperf? Anyone not into stamps... never mind! :)

*for those who've asked* this stamp was issued, perf 12, meaning 12 "holes" across the top where you'd rip it off the next stamp. This stamp has 15 and none on the left side. I think it was not perforated, not cut. It's ripped on the left side like someone had to tear it off.*

Canadian Idol

Canada... what the hell were you thinking?

Cicadas, Katydids and Crickets... oh my!

You know you're in the "dog days" of summer when the cicadas/katydids, start to sing! I'm not sure which ones they are actually, it's either/or... or both but I think they're cicadas as the sounds come from the trees not the ground area. They and the crickets cause a cacophony on my street in August. I love sitting on the porch and listening to them. It's funny as I just asked Patty a week or so ago if she'd heard any yet. Now you hear nothing but. I can actually hear them through the closed windows, here, in the computer room.

I'm just glad I don't live in the places where gazillions of them hatch all at once! Too much of a good thing is just too much! (Except wine, peanutbutter squares and pasta thingys on a toothpick, can't have too much of them!)

My 1992 Pontiac Grand Am (the car that won't die!)

15 years old, almost 1/4 million k and still going strong! It's shiny red and in great shape. The air is strong and cold. Mine has fog lights! (The deluxe model.)

Now, I'm sure that my mulitude of accidents and having virtually every panel and both bumpers replaced over the years hasn't hurt the condition eh? ;)

*this pic is NOT of my car, I don't have any pics so it's off Google, almost the same though! (except for the snazzy fog lights)*

A new cousin! (cousine in Deutsch)

Jana Amelie Finke, a beautiful baby girl born in Germany, to my cousin Heike Hoffmeister and her husband Christian Finke. I think a visit is in order! I haven't been to Germany since the Mich was 6. (1993)

Ach du leiber... the pic won't upload. I'll try again later! (I'm procrastinating... I'm going back to my cleaning.)

*Edit*
YAY! I fixed it, it was waaaaay tooooo big! (and a bmp not a jpg, smallerized it and saved as a jpg and good to post!) Isn't she cute?

Stop me before I hurt myself!

Started a massive cleanup on the house this morning, I have the main floor done, 1/2 the upstairs and the basement to go! So, anyone planning on dropping over for an unexpected visit? hint hint... I'd have to stop, it would be rude not to. Oh, one word of warning, I'm still in my jammies and haven't bathed yet!

Bottled water and the best peanutbutter cookies ever!

There is a Brita jug in the fridge. That's for Bob, (husband, not next door.) I drink from the tap. Michie uses bottled water to carry to work, makes her tea with tap water. When someone comes over and asks for a glass of water, they get tap water, from the Brita jug. I cannot see spending all that money on something that costs more that gasoline! Billions of plastic bottles, that cost more to make than the water is worth by the way, litter our streets and are piling up in the dumps. Why?

*Edit* That is except for the ones made into lovely Christmas decorations of course! hehe

Now, on a happier note, Susan made peanut butter cookies yesterday! OMG... they are the best I've ever eaten! They're magic I tell you. I'm going to eat the last two now and wash them down with a glass of cold, safe, clear tasting tap water!

Oh and speaking of mean...

I've changed the settings on my blog. Comments now are sent to me via email and then I allow them to be published. Two reasons, 1- I got spammed, and 2- along with the spam was a profane and nasty comment left by someone who obviously has no friends, no life and no hope of ever having either. Anyone who would say what they said, especially on the post on which they left it... better hope that I NEVER meet them in real life! Well, I suppose I'll never have to worry about that will I? Cowards seldom come and introduce themselves. (ps, I've deleted it and don't want to talk about it either!)

"mean" - intentional & nasty - not a coincidence

A new Ontario survey shows...
Almost three per cent of drivers, the majority of them men, swerve to intentionally steamroll snakes and turtles on the road.

Daddy said...

Bob, (husband, not next door,) told Michelle to "quit painting her head!" She did not listen. It looks lovely though! (I'll post a pic when I have one.)

Hello? Who's there?

Either someone rang my doorbell at 5:55am or I dreamt someone rang my doorbell at 5:55am, either way, it woke me up. Either way, I wonder who it was? Yawn...

Humidex, haze & hellish hot!

Another RED letter day in balmy Southern Ontario... It should be illegal! Plus, I'm tired of standing in line at Tims for 20 minutes while they're all making ice caps! It's a coffe shop dammit!

ps... heat makes me cranky(er.)

Fish update!

All but one, have left for the big bowl in the sky! I cannot figure it out. Two aquariums, two sets of fish, they aren't even in the same fricking room! sigh...
Same food though? hmmmmmmmm?

Farewell finned friends!

One by one they're dying! I've done everything... and I mean everything right! I have no idea except maybe "bad" food? 4 in the last two days :(

I think maybe it's a doomsday cult thing?

I'm also thinking it's a good thing Fluffy, the almost 5 year old goldfish, who's gianormous... is in the pond next door!

Canadian Idol (my thoughts)

Wow, just finished watching Canadian Idol... (for the majority,) what a talented group! I'm torn between Carly and Greg. I hate to admit a bit of fondness for the 16 year old Country singer too! Someone slap me please! I can't explain it, it bothers me but I like the little gomer! So with singers like Carly and Greg here, why oh why, do we still have to listen to Celine? Je ne comprend pas! (sac de papier!)

Loooooooooong day...

YAWN!

Bob's "quick" trip to the county... hehehe

Well, last night Bob, (husband, not next door,) advised me he was going to Harrow to look at a truck that was for sale. I casually said... "maybe I'll go with you." So we left at about 11:30am today and got home after 4pm!

I, of course, had different ideas about a "quick" trip to the county. There were many reasons for this long of a trip. First of all, I had never been down Gore Road before. Then, we passed a farm where two of four horses were laying down, in the dirt, in bright sunshine. Now, horses lay down for two reasons, 1-to give birth, 2-they are sick. So after we saw the truck he didn't want to buy after all, I had to double back to check on the horses! (They were standing back up but keep an eye open on Gore Rd. if you're driving by ok?)

Then we had to drive up and down country roads as farmers often just park their trucks by the road with a sign in the window. Oh, if anyone needs a tractor or 5, call me... I know where there are some available. If you need a seadoo... call me for that too! The only trucks we saw were Fords and Chrysler/Dodge's and being a 4 car GM family... they just wouldn't do!

Then we had to find a Tim's and get a coffee and a donut.

Then we had to drop my sister-in-law's dish off to her I've had since Christmas or Easter, I can't remember.

Then we had to stop at the cemetery in Amherstburg to visit Bob's Mom & Dad's graves. Then we had to find his Grandparents and Uncle's graves. Then we had to clear their plaques as the grounds had grown over the Grandparents and Uncle. (Luckily I had a tool thingy in the glove box and was able to do this! I'm calling the cemetery tomorrow as Grandma is sinking and perpetual care is... hello... perpetual!)

Then we had to go to the Verdi Club because my company was doing their fireworks show. We were too early to hook up with the crew though, so we left.

Then we had to stop for gas. Then we had to stop at A&P, then we had to get newspapers, (real ones... not the Windsor Star,) at Sam's. Then we came home.

See, no frivolous stops or driving around... It was all very important. Bob, of course, at about 1:30 was whinging that he would have been home by 1pm had he been alone! Whatever!

Someone searched my blog from Omemee Ontario...

Click the screen shot to make it bigger.








Do I know someone in Omemee? I hope so, it's a fun place name to say! Hi, this is _________, my friend from Omemee; or... I was on the phone chatting with _________ from Omemee. So, if you come back, drop a comment with your name so I can fill in those blanks!

ps. I was result #8 so it doesn't show up in the screen shot. I am also having a vague memory of recently searching "Omemee" on Google but I can't remember why?

Happy Birthday Matthew!

I hope he has a great "30" in Lloydminster. I can't believe...a) he's 30 and b) he turned 30 without us!

Attempted fishy rescue

Last night we were over at Debbie & Robin's house having a bbq and planning the pyro party. We noticed that the pumps were not running at the pond next door. I snuck into the yard and found two filthy, algae infested, bathtub hot, stagnant ponds. I spotted a couple of small, lethargic, sad little fishies.

What was I to do? I went home, got a net, a container and attempted a rescue. The fishies resisted. They hid under rocks, in the algae and well... just wouldn't co-operate! I tried two different times. Each time, before I left the yard, I tossed my net and container over the privacy fence into Debbie's yard. I didn't want to be seen leaving their yard with my "fishnapping" tools! I may try again.

Can you get serious time for this?

My Dad, I miss him

My Dad is the young soldier, bottom right. I remember when he went to these manoeuvres. He brought us back the coolest presents. Toy koala bears, but made of kangaroo fur and skin as koalas were/are protected and kangaroos were vermin. He sent authentic boomerangs too. It's a month tomorrow and I miss him terribly. There have been so many things I've wanted to tell him about, talk to him about and just share because I know he'd appreciate them. Time does go on but I don't have to like it.

He did have an interesting and exciting life, for that I am grateful.

My famous God-daughter Alex!

Click on the pic, make it bigger, far right background wearing a striped poncho... it's my Ally! (and her Mom, my friend Debbie) I hope she'll still talk to me now that she's famous!

The end of the book... (no spoilers I promise!)

Mich finished The Deathly Hallows at 1:15am. A marathon session of about 14 hours with a supper break. I will NOT tell you what she told me, that would be mean.

Harry Day Update...

Mich is up to page 447 and is taking a shower break. She did stop to eat supper, quickly! Only 160 pages to go...

Happy Harry Day... Sad Harry Day!

I went and got Michie her copy at 8am this morning. She didn't know I had done that. She got up a couple of hours later after not coming home until 12:44am, (but who's counting?) She jumped out of bed, washed her face, dressed and was prepared to go buy the book. She found the copy I bought her on the kitchen counter.

It is now 6:20pm and she is 1/2 through the book! Apparently it is good. She will be sad when she's done though!

Additon to posting below...

In reference to the post below... add... #4 - do NOT eat Nutty Buddys! Thanks Robin!

Very important information...

Having never had a tooth pulled before, I am a novice. There are things I did not know but have since learned in past two days.





#1 - Do NOT eat rice!
#2 - Do NOT let your tongue wander over to where your tooth used to be! It's gross!
#3 - Did I mention do NOT eat rice?

sigh...

This is a test...

For some reason my last two posts won't show up. One will if you click on "July" the other won't but it's there, in my list of posts in the editing section? So... test, test...

**Edit** Wow, this guy is good! As soon as I posted him... tada... my posts showed up!

My beautiful, but rude daughter!

I found this pic, this beautiful pic, on Allison's facebook page. I did not know it existed... why you ask? Well, let me tell you. Michie won't be my friend on facebook. Apparently, again by reading Allison's wall, I've learned Michie has a strict policy of not being her Mother's friend on facebook. She is not ready to revisit it at this time! rude, rude, rude! But a great pic eh?

Ouch

Well, I didn't have to be "put out." Just frozen by 154 needles, give or take about 147. I saw the instrument ,(not quite exact, but similar,) pictured above heading toward me and immediately shut my eyes, grabbed the arms of the chair and started loudly humming "ABCDEFG..." I figured that way I'd drown out any noises I didn't really want to hear. After just a few minutes I realized that they weren't poking around in my mouth anymore so I opened my eyes and asked... "is it out?" They said yes and we were done! I didn't even feel it, (or hear it!)

Now... I began to feel it on the way home... Oh, I forgot to mention Debbie was kind enough to take me lest I was too woozy from drugs. We dropped off my script for some good drugs, picked up a Timmy's and she dropped me at home.

I tried Tylenol... nope... waited for Shoppers to deliver the good stuff, ripped it out of the driver's hand and swallowed one. Slept for a few hours and am now wide awake!

Hurts like the devil again though but don't think I want to take another pill. I'll see how it goes.

All in all, it's been two painful days, yesterday City Council, (don't want to talk about that as it's all just too weird to really explain,) today the tooth. To be honest, I'm not sure which one was more psychologically damaging!

Off to the oral surgeon!

Yep, getting a molar extracted in about 45 minutes... Not happy. I've only ever had my wisdom teeth extracted. The tooth is fine, no cavities. I'm a grinder. I've ground it right loose, like wiggling a post in a hole. There's no saving it. Hopefully they can just pull it and not have to put me out!

*cartoon courtesy of Susan who sent me good luck emails!

Looooooong day and I'm a cliche!

When you get up at 4:40am it makes for a very long day... I'm trying to force myself to stay up. So I went outside and helped Bob, (husband, not next door,) clean up under the front porch. He leaned the rake up against the porch and yep... I stepped on it and yep... it hit me in the face... I hate being a cliche! (I hate being hit in the face with a rake, even more than being a cliche!)

4:40am

Not much to do this time of the morning. Sleeping would be a great idea, too bad it doesn't work for me :(

I haven't felt much like writing lately... Too much going on... too many words flying around in my head to actually put them on paper. Should the truth be told, I don't feel much like doing anything. hmmm and my "title" section won't work... just as well, don't really have a title anyway.

Denis P. Toal, CD : December 26, 1936 - June 24, 2007

Tomorrow...

Edit: My tomorrow was very different than I had planned. I ended up driving back to London where my Father's condition had gotten much, much worse...

My Father, Denis P. Toal, is President of the Royal Canadian Regiment Association. He was to be here, in Windsor, this weekend for the re dedication of the Boer War, RCR monument in Jackson Park. He is too ill to attend. I shall be there for him. I will post pics of the event. The Parade is at 1pm with the re dedication ceremony afterwards.

Back home

I just realized this picture was taken 49 years ago this month, maybe this day? June, 1958. (Friday, two days after original post...) I also just realized that my Father is the age Michelle, (my daughter,) is now... in this pic! Well, he's about a year older but still!

I've been in London, with my Dad. It was nice having so much time with him. We even played poker at the kitchen table. He's very ill and it's so sad. He's a strong man, with a fighting spirit. All four of us Sisters are taking turns to stay with him and to make sure he's well cared for and has company.

It's actually weird being home, I got used to our daily routine pretty quickly. I imagine I will be back there very soon.

The best laid plans...

I had big plans for this morning...

1- get up
2- make coffee/take my 6 morning pills
3- turn on computer
4- win lotto 649

sigh... three outta four ain't bad?

Digital Rights Management (DRM)

T'shirt design contest on BitTorrent... these are my 2 favourites.













Go here to vote ->

http://torrentfreak.com/anti-drm-t-shirt-designs-vote-now/

Hillarry

Perception vs Reality

"Mayor Eddie Francis's State of the City address May 14 ruffled some feathers. In a rare step for a mayor of union-strong Windsor, Francis suggested labour leaders refrain from talking tough - lest potential investment be scared off."

These words, infuriated Buzz Hargrove... insisting that the CAW is NOT militant, not threatening and does no harm to the perceived image of Windsor as a welcoming, prosperous and investment worthy city...

then today's paper...

Tough talk
"CAW boss vows to 'take down' GM if transmission plant is left out of future plans..."

Yep, it's a perception problem alright, no militancy here. Way to "court" new investment Buzz! Why waste money on flowers and candy when you can just cut to the chase with "pick me or else!" Hey wait... if GM was a woman, he'd be in jail!