Jan 26th, 2012

Tempus fugues, seize the day and all that. I was thinking to myself, yes time is airborne, I do want to do all that, seize the day, venture forth. But   Visions of canoeing across the lands, rollerblading in January, writing the next great American novel dance in my head.  I observe myself very carefully.  I waddled to the kettle  a vision in pink, turn on the kettle  and then hop into kitchen duty. The French toast cooks. I stumbled around cleaning, this is not in fact what I call an inspired life. I did re-arrange photos on sills while cleaning and bought red tulips this week.

Boot camp brought the bear walk. I am still standing but last night just barely made it to bed. The Bear Walk is where you lift your knee two inches off the ground, back straight and tippy toe forward and backward to the trainers inspiration. I threw a chicken in the oven and it was done when I got home thank God/dess . I sluiced the salad dressing off my forehead, from where I had lay my head down in at dinner. This morning when I finally got to have the salt bath. I know salt is salt but is Epsom salt the same as sea salt?    

I waited until I was extremely famished to go and purchased groceries for the biggest storm of the year if the weather person is to be believed. I came away with 2000 pounds of frozen lasagnes   I have been eating bags of sugar and suitcases of salt waiting for inspiration to hit, so this is an improvement believe me.

We don’t measure time in reverse do we. It is a month since Christmas  and the new Year has started.  I am just getting organised to do my resolutions for this year Previous lists are still posted on the fridge, Suggestions included, new patio furniture, which I purchased and is stored in the garage, that needs replacing. The other thing on the list is painting  the inside of the house, that only took 11 years. New car was on the list for several years, and is now complete until the next oil or lube job needed. Dance more is still there and underlined, and only gets done when there is an inspiring piece of music on the radio every morning. Mediate more will probably not happened as I go to sleep too fast only seem to do it when I get into bed. Mountain bike is on it and has been for a while but I hesitate as it means leaving the dog behind.  Various numbers list the mass I would like to be, all with exclamation  marks. I have the pictures of me at various stages for motivation  I am waiting for a career to hit me in the head.

I am waiting for incentive, stimulation, encouragement, impetus in other words oomph. Others seem to have it.   Remember, man does not live on bread alone: sometimes he needs a little buttering up.” John Maxwell.

Cookies and salad January 23, 2012

January 23, 2012

The toughest month of the year is just about over, with the a close second being  the next one and the next one after that. No one complains about July. Just the heat if there is any here. Last year was so wet the dog got mould. Today is not a record breaker, but it is raining and going to a high of +8C. (the record was 16 at one time in recorded history,)

I missed boot camp because of the fall on Friday. Last night was the first night back in three days. Which may not seem like a lot, but it was swimming underwater. Slow and slower. It may have been all the sugar and salt I ate over the weekend while not doing a whole lot….  Well the fat cells are plumped up let me tell you. Thought I would give myself on a holiday.

I walked thru the woods with the dog, and that was nice, and I thought what would go with this ??? Hot C and I OFF! I  went to purchase it with the requisite cookies. My defense was thecookies were on sale. I walked in the door at the store and I bought not one but two boxes. Then a guest arrived, with a lemon meringue pie. Almost leading to a near death experience (mine this time) at boot camp.

I have washed the long underwear in preparation for the homecoming of winter.  I have to tell you wearing thick heavy sweat pants and baggy sweaters do not lend themselves to a salad, soup maybe. Today I am in short sleeves and what seem to be very tight jeans. This is in addition to is seems like my hair is getting darker, I am not sure if that is because I am not getting any sun, or if the shampoo and conditioner is not stripping the colour out of it, or it is dying my hair black.

The day was spent yesterday brushing Lucy. I vacuumed before hand as is my custom it seems. Then several bags full of fur  came off of her. She was tired of the tugging I am sure as I only did half. While she was blissful I told her baby story about coming to live with me and what a good dog she was too. She then looked for my hand and stuck it in her mouth. Thumb side up.  Went to sleep. Off I went for a nap too. Joy oh bliss, hugs to all,



   

Cat love January 22, 2012

January 22, 2012

I am not sure just what is sore from the fall or boot camp. Clicks and bangs and a huge bruise which would not have been so bad if I had been skating. Somehow you seem better prepared for falling when on blades.

Murphy lives. I have no guests, and a clean house. I stayed up to try and watch a movie at midnight, and that did not work. Murphy decides that I need to get up, as his job is usually my alarm clock. There is no on off switch with him. He did let me go until he could stand it no longer. The racket started. I know better than to try and rush him. He just goes places that are too small for me to get at him. I stagger to the kettle and push the button. After a splash of tea,  I look at him asleep on the coach and remember all the good things about having a cat.

A nap later will keep him from being hurt, hugs.

Mental Health? January 21, 2012

January 21, 2012

Spent some time tracking down tickets to “Women and Wellness” which I have heard involves chocolate and wine, in addition to what sounds like an inspirational speech from a woman, who is or has recovering from a mental illness. I had to call three times as the receptionists cut me off, the last time she apologised as she was new to the job. I mentioned to her I too have obsessive compulsive tendencies as I called back the final time.

In a recent email my nephew visiting in Africa claimed that he had “academic induced pattern recognition syndrome.” I hastened to tell him it was genetic as all his aunties had it not to mention his father, my brother could recognise a pattern before it formed. I did not mention however, it is the first step to “fanatical compulsive disorder“, then “squirrel away syndrome” starts with having a house, or just plain space that you have fill up. He will come by his obsessions honestly. Look at the crap in my basement. My younger sister claims to have taken 9 years to move from one city to another because of all her stuff and paid to have it stored! There is now a TV series about hoarding, it not my sisters, but other people. How insane it is.      

The price of admission is zero, to the aforementioned event, how crazy is that? Invitations to come. I did manage to not tell them about my full psychological health status. I could not remember the name of the women I wanted to invite, so there was a mention my menopausal mind.

I checked my reservation book and I have a geologist staying. With hopes that the rest of the crew that comes alternative years comes to reside, so the only time I could be full in February is that weekend.   This is after the date I have with the eye doc at the clinic so will see how far I get.

I waited for the snow to fall to walk Lucy, and yet another trip to the library. I get really nervous, about not having enough books on hand for the weekends. It closed on Sunday. I could also, maybe, get some guests as the whole city is supposed to be full with skaters. I have to call all the hotels and let them know, they possibly do, and maybe could send some travellers my way. This means that I will be up at midnight letting them all in, the things you do to pay a mortgage. I watched the sport channel and there are not a lot of seats sold for the events in fact, there is no one in the stands.

The internal debate of should I buy a litre of cream, or not. Eggs are on sale someplace and will spend more money looking for them“ starts another psychological state with the groceries. I ran into the lady of the flyers who will not be delivering them any more as the ice conditions make her anxious. I  understand as in my new penguin boots l did not land a flying leap too well, I have a four inch bruise on my hip, with aches and pains in my neck and wrist.
I did persuade her to accompany me to the grocery store to pick up  a half litre of cream and eggs, thus, making sure no one checks in.

At the store, I managed to corner the grocery manager. I was looking for my secret weapon bullion cubes with no msg in beef flavour. While handing him a card a gentleman down the isle said “what would your husband say about handing out your name and number to a strange man?” The manager turns cherry coloured  when out of my mouth flies, “but I love a man in uniform.” He was standing there in his apron provided by his employer. He said he would get back to me about the beef cubes. I then turned to the gentleman and said well that “is too bad that I am not married.” He grinned and OFF! We went for another isle of fun and adventure.

My little student let me know he was going home for the weekend. I am stripping a bed down to the mattress at 2:13 pm which almost guarantees that at bus load of tourists will come to my door looking for every room I have and won‘t stay because I am one room short.

I managed to strip the room down and have not one phone call but my older sister who told me it was warm and sunny, in Texas. It is not here.

SO I have three dozen eggs in the fridge, and no one to eat them……my life “When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” Oscar Wilde.

Cuddles,



   

Patience is a virtue Jan. 19th, 2012

January 19th, 2011

While walking the dog down by the river, before going  to go to a Superhero workout,  a potential lady guest phoned from a gigantic hotel down the street saying they were full and did I have rooms. She wanted to see the space and sat in the driveway until I had powered the dog and myself up the street. The dog of course should have been cleaned up better but her paws did get a swipe.

The potential guest gives , a bad name.  She had Ontario plates on her car, claiming to be a goal setter for the school systems teacher  along with being a realtor in Ottawa. (I don’t make this stuff up) We toured the bedrooms available.  She then proceeded to tell me how to run a bed and breakfast.  She signed in and left her shoes in the middle of the foyer going to the stairs. She complained about the heat, the lock on the doors, and the bathroom, the wireless connection and the star rating system.

She informed me she was allergic to tree nuts then ordered peanut butter oatmeal for breakfast. I explained it was crunchy peanut butter when she asked what the bits were in it. She asked for extra pillow cases and make clear I should purchase the one with zippers to encase the pillow. I told her that they were already on and required for my licence.  I handed her the extra ones while she followed me into the laundry room after I told her to stop. She could not understand how I could eat such a big bowl of oatmeal, and it was the first thing we agreed on. I can’t either.

She is gaining weight she claimed and usually only “eats smoothes for two meals a day.” She is uncomfortably thin. Originally from Thunder Bay a known frigid area of the country, she wore just an open jacket and shoes. Asserted she moved to Ottawa as she hates the cold, I guess it depends on your perspective.  

I asked her if she was tired, her response was she said exhausted. She was a two week road trip teaching goal setting and this weekend driving to New Hampshire to go to a class reunion at Dartmouth. Isn’t that an Ivy league school?

Wanting to “just fall into bed, which she did“ She went out for the night and was the last one in. She ended up at the new sports bar I did not know was open. There she met a judge for the skating competition and watched the hockey game.  Leaving her running shoes on the hardwood floor and not entrance hallway.

It was explained to her  where and how to park in the driveway. She asked for a shovel and proceeded to shovel the lawn to park the car on it beside where I indicated. I don’t know just where the shovel is at the moment.  I went outside and explained to her she did not need to shovel a thing and stood in the place and indicated the diameters of where to park in the driveway. I returned from boot camp, she had her car in backwards. However there was enough space for the other guest to get out this morning.

I tripped over her shoes on the way to let Murphy out this morning She gave me the time she wanted to eat. It was two minutes to the appointed time and cooked. Said she would be down in 15 minutes. Mere minutes later, she came downstairs in her panamas, hugging her hoodie over them.  Asserting that she was not a morning person.  She tucked her feet under her, on the chair.

She did not drink the tea but was appreciative of the apple juice because she was not feeling well.  Other people would have finished meal. She asked for it to be left as she was in a “time crunch“, I knew she would not be back to the table leaving half bowl of oatmeal and pot of tea while she went and showered. Enquiring  where the soap was while standing beside it at the sink in the bathroom.

She left the door open to go and start the car and come back with a travel mug. I did find the shovel . She did not comprehend why I was boiling the kettle to warm up her to- go mug that had been in outside in her car. She poured tea I made in the pot in after she washed her mug. (The weather has plummeted over night but nary a drop of snow.)  She only got to her car before she dropped it.

I was notified however if she was ever back this way she would be back. We live in hope. "Every person is a new door to a different world."
 

The bed is stripped of its three pillow cases and for good measure the mattress cover. Just for something to do.

Boot camp saw us doing Spiderman push ups and leaping on the  boson balls.   An easy workout was how it was sold to us. If my arms don’t fall off I will be lucky.

I also dropped three tea bags in a cup and it is just 9 a.m. Wish me luck..