Happy Birthday Nancy!

1957 is a year of classics, you, me, and T'Birds...

The mystery of the pond vandal!

Ok, something LARGE is demolishing Susan and Bob's pond next door, home of Fluffy the almost 5 year old Goldfish and friends! It rips up plants, tips things over, topples fences and generally causes havoc! Causing Bob, (next door, not husband,) tons of extra work and aggravation!

I think it's trying to fish. I may have to stay up all night and see what it is! That is if certain persons I know who are armed for a legitimate reason would lend me their gun! :)

WFCU Centre (again)

(click the pic for larger image)


This is a copy of my original WFCU Centre post that brought the google hits.




WFCU Centre - Windsor Ontario

Yep, it's official. Our new Arena, the one we've been waiting for for 20 years or so has it's name! woo hoo...

They forgot a couple of letters though. It should be WFCUHBT Centre...

Whatthe F... Could U Have Been Thinking?

Let's compare: Air Canada Centre, Labatt Centre, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Hall, Barrie Molson Centre... WFCU Centre ... sigh

Well, my blog is only 82 visits away from it's 2000th visitor! do realize that in the blog world, that's not much but hey, I'm no big political pundit, just me blathering about my day so I think that's not too shabby a total!

Today, someone from Reston Virginia, googled the WFCU Centre and Google's second return, after Wikepedia... was ME! My post, two posts ago about the new name. (I am humbled being so close to a Wiki link!)

Sure hope it wasn't someone the Spitfires were trying to recruit, they may not want to play in the FU centre eh?

Blockages, cranes & jackhammers... oh my!

Elm Avenue was awash with construction equipment this past week. We had piles of gravel, excavators, cranes, machines I've never seen that look more suited to the oil industry than sewer repair.

Last Sunday, Bob (next door, not husband,) on his birthday discovered his basement full of water. Nope not a burst pipe but a clogged sewer. In came the eel guy... out went the eel guy - it was beyond his scope (pardon the pun!) Bob dug out around his clean out and well, it wasn't pretty.

Monday morning out came the city guys who after some investigation announced "you're going to have to do more digging than that!" Yep the whole darn thing had to be dug up and replaced... from house to street connection. There began the waiting.

We shared our bathrooms and showers and tubs with Bob & Susan, well not with them, but happily told them to use our facilities at will.

Unfortunately for them, the company doing their replacement was on another job that ended up taking another 3 days! They were sewer-less from Sunday to Friday. The jackhammer mentioned in the title was used in their basement to break up the cement floor, apparently that's quite loud for those in the house, go figure! The hole in the front yard was quite impressive, and the one they dug in the street is nicely patched. Bob calls it our Elm Avenue speed bump. (The "void" they found when digging, apparently is not a problem and there will not end up being a giant sink hole that swallows my car.)

I haven't been over to see the basement yet but the front yard is all tidy, the guys cleaned up nicely and apparently the toilet is now a "super flush" though I haven't heard it yet myself!

I cannot help but be a bit nervous now, two house to my right and the one directly left of me have had this happen in the past year... What do you think the odds are that the tree roots are everywhere but my front yard? sigh...

WFCU Centre - Windsor Ontario

Yep, it's official. Our new Arena, the one we've been waiting for for 20 years or so has it's name! woo hoo...

They forgot a couple of letters though. It should be WFCUHBT Centre...

Whatthe F... Could U Have Been Thinking?


Let's compare: Air Canada Centre, Labatt Centre, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Hall, Barrie Molson Centre... WFCU Centre ... sigh

Happy Birthday Rick (who's always in the hood!)

Happy Birthday Bob (next door, not husband who had his on Wednesday)

Happy, Happy day to you!

Bush league geography!

Austria, Australia... OPEC, APEC... whatever!

Hungry at work!

Update... 18 hours since my last post where I mentioned I couldn't eat due to the new filling and that I was starving... Actually, I haven't eaten since supper on Wednesday! I still haven't eaten! If you're reading this, send food!

How cute is this pic? I found it in Google images.

Toal - Bondy house; weekly round-up

Ok, I've been away for a couple of days so here's what's been going on. London was good saw my Sister Barb and family, (all but Daniel who was working.) I spent lots of time with my Step-Mother Jackie and we went to White Oaks Mall. Mich was very excited as they now have an Aeropostal store! I bought her two t'shirts. I drove home yesterday afternoon so I could ...

Celebrate Bob's birthday! (Husband, not next door as his isn't until the 9th.) Woo hoo... 56 years old! (OMG!) We had a nice dinner and gave him his presents. He asked for and received the new Tim Horton's thermos and we threw in 3 big bags of little chocolate bars and a box of macaroons. He got a plethora of fancy "imported" cookies from Bob & Susan next door. He got a ton of lottery tickets and as I am still here blogging and not on my way to Toronto to pick up millions you can figure out how the tickets did!

I went to work today and then had to leave at 2pm for the dentist. They had found a cracked filling in June, but I didn't have time to do it then. I decided that since flossing made me have to push it back into the tooth I shouldn't put if off any longer. Well... didn't like it! Remember, no cavities for the last 38 years, not too much current drilling experience... did I mention I didn't like it? hmmmmmmmmmm? Now I'm starving, have a fridge full of great left overs but none of it "soft food!" I ate 3 of the banana muffins I made the other day but am still starving!

That's my life for the past three days or so.

A week of three sisters and their heads...

I live in Windsor. Barb lives in London. Sandra lives in Sturgeon Falls. The only thing in common is the Province.

So, I'm talking to Sandra on the phone last night, (Friday,) only to find out she has a migraine.

She tells me Barb had one Monday and Tuesday.

I had one Wednesday and was off work for a day.

Three Sisters, three cities, three migraines covering every work day this week. I need to check with Sarah in Montreal and hopefully she's not taking the weekend shift?

Confessions and surprises!

Confession #1 - I'm getting old. My eyes, even older than the rest of me apparently.

Confession #2 - I mend things. (Things that aren't too complicated for me as I have no formal training or real talent in that department!) I don't toss them at the smallest rip, hole or ravel. Yep as in, drag out the sewing box, yes I have one, and find the right colour thread, size needle and spend the next 1/2 hour trying to thread it. (I should mention at this point we are all going to a wedding tomorrow and I've been ironing too...) Google that if you don't know what an iron is and I don't mean hair iron!

Confession #3 - I use the biggest needle I can get away with. I have been known to use a darning needle, (google it if you don't know what darning is,) for bulkly fabrics.

So tonight I have to shorten straps on a "slinky" type shirt. Can't use the darning needle, have to use a fine one. I can't see the hole, can't see the damn thread, just can't see period. Bob, (husband, not next door,) says, "why don't you use the needle threader?" I must admit then...

Confession #4 - I never figured out how to use one! Yep, tried over and over for years, off and on and could never figure it out. So Bob takes it, shoves it through the eye of the needle, tells me to put the thread in and voila... threaded! OMG... I ask why he never showed me that before? His answer...

Confession #5 - I can't tell you all my secrets at once, I have to have some surprises left! Who knew he had any to start with! hehehe

Turns out I've been taking a very simple process and over complicating it every time. I thought the thread had to slip through the wires PRIOR to going into the needle. Never occurred to me it worked the other way! duh...

The old guy still has a few tricks in him after all!

Coolest vistor this month!

This is a copy of a site meter record of a visit to my blog. Look at the name of this city... (in bold)

thirtypoundsofcat
By Details > Visit Detail
Visit 1,686
[<<] [>>]
Domain Name comcast.net ? (Network)
IP Address 69.250.227.# (Comcast Cable)
ISP Comcast Cable
Location Continent : North America
Country : United States (Facts)
State : Maryland
City : Gunpowder
Lat/Long : 39.3675, -76.2961 (Map)

I googled it, yes Gunpowder, Maryland is a real city! It is a town that grew up along the Gunpowder River so called because of the huge iron deposits and the iron industries that were built there. Another explanation is the large deposits of saltpeter, (an ingredient of gunpowder,) found there.

I think that maybe someone should open a fireworks company there eh?

Doug... the pumpkin ash that we thought beat the odds

Doug is a pumpkin ash tree growing in my back yard. He started life as a teeny seedling in Michelle's grade 4 class. Her teacher, Doug Gorell, who sadly died waiting for a kidney transplant, started the seedlings in his science class. Michelle brought hers home.

We grew Doug in the back kitchen for a year and then transplanted him to the back of the front garden where he would be protected, watered and nurtured. He grew there for years until he got taller than the porch railings.

Bob, (next door, not husband,) kindly dug him up, gathering a huge root ball, and took him to the back yard. Doug is now taller than the garage. (The pic is not of our Doug, but one of his relatives off Google!)

Essex county is infested with the Emerald Ash Borer, killing trees, causing mass cuttings and clearings of ash trees.

Doug had one small dead branch. Bob, (husband, not next door,) cut the branch off tonight. I broke it open in several places. Close to the trunk, it was fine, white and moist. Closer to the tip... brown, dead, full of larvae. :( I burned that branch and now just hope for the best.

Doug the tree who's been with us for over 11 years is under attack. Stupid Ash Borer! (I do not mean to minimize the catastrophic impact of the Ash Borer, I do realize that Ash trees everywhere are in peril, but I don't know those ones!)

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!