Monday, April 30, 2007
Spring Flowers
Okay, let's try this again. I'm having trouble adding a picture to my blog and this is the last attempt today!
Spring Garden
I went out to the front of the house at 6:30 this morning to get some pictures of my spring garden for this blog. Unfortunately I can't get the pictures to come up but I'll try again later.
It looked quite pretty out there even though the tulips haven't opened yet but there is lots of promise in my garden. I made an effort when planting the tulip bulbs to plant a variety of early, mid, and late tulips. Wonder why I chose early yellow tulips when the yellow daffodils bloom at the same time?
Some of the rocks in my gardens were here when we bought the house back in 1968 but many have been lugged here from far and wide. Some of my prettiest pink rocks came from up around Bancroft. I think I like rocks in the garden because the combination of soft flowers among hard rocks appeals to my sense of esthetic beauty.
My neighbor, new at the time, gave me a nice compliment a couple of years ago. He said that my spring garden looked as though it was newly planted and cultivated. I've since assured him that all of my plantings are done with an eye to ease of maintenance and assurety of permanence.
From my computer I can see through the patio doors to the deck. I found some of the neatest planters at Home Depot one year and they sit firmly astride the deck rail, drainage holes on either side so that they don't drain onto the rail and rot the wood. Right now they're empty but I can already envision the riot of color that will fill them in another month.
Spring, as youth, is a promise of wonderful things yet to come.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
A Sense of Relief
You know that feeling you get when you're worried about something and the problem suddenly goes away. It's literally as though a weight has been lifted and you're able to breathe deeper. Happiness engulfs you.
Such as:
The person you thought was angry with you still loves you.
You get your tax/repair bill and it's less than you'd dared hope.
Your child falls, is silent and not moving, and then cries in anger.
Your doctor walks in, looks down at his/her chart and says all is well.
You're in the unbearable heat and humidity of summer and walk into a cool room.
You're feet hurt something fierce and you remove your shoes.
Your renovator returns your call.
Enjoy these moments because they're part of the spice of life.
Such as:
The person you thought was angry with you still loves you.
You get your tax/repair bill and it's less than you'd dared hope.
Your child falls, is silent and not moving, and then cries in anger.
Your doctor walks in, looks down at his/her chart and says all is well.
You're in the unbearable heat and humidity of summer and walk into a cool room.
You're feet hurt something fierce and you remove your shoes.
Your renovator returns your call.
Enjoy these moments because they're part of the spice of life.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Comedy
There's not a whole lot worth watching on T.V. but I do enjoy watching the comedy network. Stand up comedians are a special breed of people and I believe they are born, not made. Many times the comedians base their monologues on sex and nasty language but occasionally you see a true comedian who can make you laugh without swearing.
I watched such a comedian this morning and he had me laughing so hard at the visuals he drew with words that I almost...well, you know. He made fun of every race, religion, and age without being cruel. I think that's the secret of being a really good comedian...being funny without being cruel.
We need laughter in our lives. They say it produces beneficial effects to our bodies. The problem with so many comedy shows on T.V. is that they have laughter sound tracts which just don't jibe with the so-called comedy being presented. It puts one off.
Live comedy...or even taped live comedy...can raise our spirits and make us laugh at ourselves. Lord knows, there's no lack of material when you're describing the human condition.
Robin Williams is a comedic genius who was born with the talent to make people laugh. His intelligence and natural kindness make him the kind of comedian I love to watch. He can be pretty graphic at times but somehow it just comes out hilarious and not unbearably crude.
We all have natural comedians somewhere in our families or friends and they are the people you love to be around. We gravitate towards laughter because there's not always a lot to laugh about in our everyday lives.
In my senior park in Florida there are probably about 200-300 people in the busy season but if you asked most of them who the park clown is you'd probably get the same answer...Ron. I've never yet been in his company when he hasn't had me laughing myself silly.
People like Ron or Robin add so much to our lives. Wouldn't it be a sad, boring world without the people who can make us laugh?
I watched such a comedian this morning and he had me laughing so hard at the visuals he drew with words that I almost...well, you know. He made fun of every race, religion, and age without being cruel. I think that's the secret of being a really good comedian...being funny without being cruel.
We need laughter in our lives. They say it produces beneficial effects to our bodies. The problem with so many comedy shows on T.V. is that they have laughter sound tracts which just don't jibe with the so-called comedy being presented. It puts one off.
Live comedy...or even taped live comedy...can raise our spirits and make us laugh at ourselves. Lord knows, there's no lack of material when you're describing the human condition.
Robin Williams is a comedic genius who was born with the talent to make people laugh. His intelligence and natural kindness make him the kind of comedian I love to watch. He can be pretty graphic at times but somehow it just comes out hilarious and not unbearably crude.
We all have natural comedians somewhere in our families or friends and they are the people you love to be around. We gravitate towards laughter because there's not always a lot to laugh about in our everyday lives.
In my senior park in Florida there are probably about 200-300 people in the busy season but if you asked most of them who the park clown is you'd probably get the same answer...Ron. I've never yet been in his company when he hasn't had me laughing myself silly.
People like Ron or Robin add so much to our lives. Wouldn't it be a sad, boring world without the people who can make us laugh?
Friday, April 27, 2007
Ghosts and E.S.P.
I was talking to a man today who brought up the fact that one of the buildings in my city is known to be haunted. It's an old building now used by some government run organization (I think it's actually run by the gay pride people because all the staff I once saw there appeared to be gay). I was there for an open house and only saw a total waste of taxpayer dollars.
The man I spoke to is a retired police officer and he once went down into the basement of the building and felt something touch him. I believe in this stuff!!
All of my life I've experienced events that can't be explained by what we know. Up until I was 14 I regularly had out-of-body experiences and could do it at will. Somehow I lost the ability but it has still happened occasionally when I've been under severe stress. This is a known occurrence for many people who are in extreme stressful conditions.
Many times I've known what was going to happen before it did and, by respecting my intuitions, it saved my life. This is also a rather common occurrence with others but we don't always pay attention to it.
Once my husband and I were on vacation in Venezuela and we rented a car to do a bit of touring in the countryside. We were in the village of Manzanilla and pulled up behind a water truck that had stopped in front of us. My intuition (E.S.P.) screamed at me that the truck was going to back up and I yelled this to my husband. Normally he would have ignored me, but this time he did put the car in reverse but just not fast enough to get out of the way. The driver of the truck had no idea we were behind him (there was no other vehicle on the road besides the two of us) so he put it in reverse and gunned the motor. The truck roared up onto the hood of our car, wheels spinning, and the water pipes on the side tore out our driver's side window, narrowly missing my husband. If I hadn't had my premonition, our car would have sat in a different position and the pipes would have come straight through the windshield...and through my husband.
Another time my husband, grandson, and mother-in-law went for a walk in the woods. We'd barely begun our walk when something told me strongly that there was danger ahead. I simply couldn't take another step but my husband and mother-in-law chose to go on while I took my grandson back to the car. Moments later, my mother-in-law fell on a rock and broke her ribs. Coincidence? Of course, if my E.S.P. worked flawlessly I'd have dragged my mother-in-law back to the car, too.
I've learned to heed my internal warnings. Most often they don't make sense at the time but I usually discover that I was wise to trust them. We make judgements based on our five senses every day so what is odd about using that sixth sense to guide us? I think we might be better off if we did.
The man I spoke to is a retired police officer and he once went down into the basement of the building and felt something touch him. I believe in this stuff!!
All of my life I've experienced events that can't be explained by what we know. Up until I was 14 I regularly had out-of-body experiences and could do it at will. Somehow I lost the ability but it has still happened occasionally when I've been under severe stress. This is a known occurrence for many people who are in extreme stressful conditions.
Many times I've known what was going to happen before it did and, by respecting my intuitions, it saved my life. This is also a rather common occurrence with others but we don't always pay attention to it.
Once my husband and I were on vacation in Venezuela and we rented a car to do a bit of touring in the countryside. We were in the village of Manzanilla and pulled up behind a water truck that had stopped in front of us. My intuition (E.S.P.) screamed at me that the truck was going to back up and I yelled this to my husband. Normally he would have ignored me, but this time he did put the car in reverse but just not fast enough to get out of the way. The driver of the truck had no idea we were behind him (there was no other vehicle on the road besides the two of us) so he put it in reverse and gunned the motor. The truck roared up onto the hood of our car, wheels spinning, and the water pipes on the side tore out our driver's side window, narrowly missing my husband. If I hadn't had my premonition, our car would have sat in a different position and the pipes would have come straight through the windshield...and through my husband.
Another time my husband, grandson, and mother-in-law went for a walk in the woods. We'd barely begun our walk when something told me strongly that there was danger ahead. I simply couldn't take another step but my husband and mother-in-law chose to go on while I took my grandson back to the car. Moments later, my mother-in-law fell on a rock and broke her ribs. Coincidence? Of course, if my E.S.P. worked flawlessly I'd have dragged my mother-in-law back to the car, too.
I've learned to heed my internal warnings. Most often they don't make sense at the time but I usually discover that I was wise to trust them. We make judgements based on our five senses every day so what is odd about using that sixth sense to guide us? I think we might be better off if we did.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
I Hate April Showers
Remember the cute saying "April showers bring May flowers"? Well, I'm fed up with grey skies, rain, and cold. I've been around for 66 Aprils and they're almost always the same but I never give up hope that one April will turn out to be exactly like May and we'll get a jump on summer. Foolish me.
Every fall I plan my garden for the next year. There are always improvements that can be made with choice of color, flower, or placement so it never becomes repetitious. I seem to buy and plant from spring through summer because I always believe I can fit just one more plant in the garden. Then there are the placement mistakes that need to be replanted elsewhere. I know I can't plant in April and have never been able to plant in April but it's so darned stark outside. There are a few daffodils, hyacynths, and crocuses popped up here and there but it just isn't enough.
3 weeks til planting time...how will I get through it?
Every fall I plan my garden for the next year. There are always improvements that can be made with choice of color, flower, or placement so it never becomes repetitious. I seem to buy and plant from spring through summer because I always believe I can fit just one more plant in the garden. Then there are the placement mistakes that need to be replanted elsewhere. I know I can't plant in April and have never been able to plant in April but it's so darned stark outside. There are a few daffodils, hyacynths, and crocuses popped up here and there but it just isn't enough.
3 weeks til planting time...how will I get through it?
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Importance of Color
Isn't it interesting how important color is in our lives? Of course, people in the arts live for color but I'm talking about the average, everyday person.
We decorate our homes and ourselves with an eye for which color will best suit the purpose. There are always trends to follow but we usually have a few favorite colors that we won't give up no matter what the current fashion happens to be.
My favorite color has been turquoise for as long as I can remember. When I first viewed the ocean in the caribbean I was overcome with emotion because the water was the most perfect shade of turquoise I had ever seen.
People love to visit gardens because being surrounded by the beautiful colors in nature soothes our souls. I've been told that even the desert is a showcase of color but I've never seen it. Maybe one day.
Advertisers know how susceptible we are to color and use that advantage when creating their advertisements. The color red will draw our eye every time.
Psychologists have told us that lack of sunlight during the winter months will dull our spirits and worsen depression. Being immersed in grey skies for too long makes me totally miserable. Once the sun comes out and highlights whatever colors are still visible in January, I come alive.
I love to dress in vibrant colors but I'm overweight so I have to be careful. Dress up for me is basic black with a splash of red or hot pink to make me forget the black. Casual dress is almost always a lovely bright color with a long shirt to cover my butt. If I had to wear black every day I'd stay in my pyjamas.
I spend the winter in Florida which is heavily populated with Mexicans and Cubans who like to paint their houses strong, exotic colors. At first, these colors assault the eye but soon you realize that those are the colors that make them happy...then you relax and allow yourself to enjoy their freedom of expression. I love the cultural differences we have and hope they never assimilate themselves into the general population so much that they resort to painting their houses white.
Now, let's think, what color should I wear today? It won't be black!
We decorate our homes and ourselves with an eye for which color will best suit the purpose. There are always trends to follow but we usually have a few favorite colors that we won't give up no matter what the current fashion happens to be.
My favorite color has been turquoise for as long as I can remember. When I first viewed the ocean in the caribbean I was overcome with emotion because the water was the most perfect shade of turquoise I had ever seen.
People love to visit gardens because being surrounded by the beautiful colors in nature soothes our souls. I've been told that even the desert is a showcase of color but I've never seen it. Maybe one day.
Advertisers know how susceptible we are to color and use that advantage when creating their advertisements. The color red will draw our eye every time.
Psychologists have told us that lack of sunlight during the winter months will dull our spirits and worsen depression. Being immersed in grey skies for too long makes me totally miserable. Once the sun comes out and highlights whatever colors are still visible in January, I come alive.
I love to dress in vibrant colors but I'm overweight so I have to be careful. Dress up for me is basic black with a splash of red or hot pink to make me forget the black. Casual dress is almost always a lovely bright color with a long shirt to cover my butt. If I had to wear black every day I'd stay in my pyjamas.
I spend the winter in Florida which is heavily populated with Mexicans and Cubans who like to paint their houses strong, exotic colors. At first, these colors assault the eye but soon you realize that those are the colors that make them happy...then you relax and allow yourself to enjoy their freedom of expression. I love the cultural differences we have and hope they never assimilate themselves into the general population so much that they resort to painting their houses white.
Now, let's think, what color should I wear today? It won't be black!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
We've Got It Good
I spoke to a friend today about some plans we have for the summer. We discussed how full our lives are now that we're "ladies of a certain age" and wondered how we ever accomplished much when our children were young. I know how...we lived for our kids instead of ourselves then. Now our kids are grown and we can concentrate on living our own lives to the fullest.
My friend and I decided we have it pretty good and are living an "old" age that our own parents could never have hoped for. We're enlightened, so to speak, and won't accept sliding into our sunset years by vegetating in front of the T.V. We've developed the attitude that life is meant to be enjoyed.
I'm always hoping that I'm a setting a good example for my grandchildren about how getting old doesn't mean your life is over. We can't even scrape the surface of all there is to know and learn about our world, even if we lived to be a thousand. When we get older we have the time to examine life more closely so we see things we missed in our busy years.
One of the plans for this summer is a drive to New Brunswick for a family reunion. My 17 year old granddaughter is going with me and I'm ecstatic over the opportunity to spend that time with her. The New Brunswick part of the family is on my husband's side (so, therefore, my granddaughter's) and she'll have a wonderful time meeting and mingling with her blood relatives. I'm going to have a wonderful time meeting and mingling, too, just because I enjoy their company.
These days I avoid being anywhere that isn't pleasant and fun. I've learned the secret of walking away from unpleasantness because there's too much good stuff in every direction. I have the right "attitude".
My friend and I decided we have it pretty good and are living an "old" age that our own parents could never have hoped for. We're enlightened, so to speak, and won't accept sliding into our sunset years by vegetating in front of the T.V. We've developed the attitude that life is meant to be enjoyed.
I'm always hoping that I'm a setting a good example for my grandchildren about how getting old doesn't mean your life is over. We can't even scrape the surface of all there is to know and learn about our world, even if we lived to be a thousand. When we get older we have the time to examine life more closely so we see things we missed in our busy years.
One of the plans for this summer is a drive to New Brunswick for a family reunion. My 17 year old granddaughter is going with me and I'm ecstatic over the opportunity to spend that time with her. The New Brunswick part of the family is on my husband's side (so, therefore, my granddaughter's) and she'll have a wonderful time meeting and mingling with her blood relatives. I'm going to have a wonderful time meeting and mingling, too, just because I enjoy their company.
These days I avoid being anywhere that isn't pleasant and fun. I've learned the secret of walking away from unpleasantness because there's too much good stuff in every direction. I have the right "attitude".
When Things Go Wrong
Sometimes there is a neat order to catastrophes. I happen to have a few spots of excema on my face that my dermatologist hasn't been able to clear up to my satisfaction even after years of going to him. This past winter my sister-in-law gave me one of her prescription creams to try and it worked beautifully so I made an appointment with my family doctor to obtain my own prescription.
Yesterday I dropped a showcase lid on my nose which cut it badly enough that it bled quite a bit but didn't break it. When I went to my doctor about the excema cream later in the day his nurse saw my nose and insisted on giving me a tetanus shot. Apparently you should keep your tetanus shots updated and I haven't had one for ages.
Then I showed the doctor my sister-in-law's cream that I wanted a prescription of and she told me that cream should never be used on the face (my sister-in-law uses it on her leg). She then made an appointment for me with a new dermatologist.
What I learned today...don't use other people's prescription medicine!...keep your tetanus shots updated!...see your family doctor regularly so they know what you've been up to!
Yesterday I dropped a showcase lid on my nose which cut it badly enough that it bled quite a bit but didn't break it. When I went to my doctor about the excema cream later in the day his nurse saw my nose and insisted on giving me a tetanus shot. Apparently you should keep your tetanus shots updated and I haven't had one for ages.
Then I showed the doctor my sister-in-law's cream that I wanted a prescription of and she told me that cream should never be used on the face (my sister-in-law uses it on her leg). She then made an appointment for me with a new dermatologist.
What I learned today...don't use other people's prescription medicine!...keep your tetanus shots updated!...see your family doctor regularly so they know what you've been up to!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Some Interesting Things I Saw Yesterday
I'll bet anyone reading my blog lately is bored to tears with the ongoing saga of my basement so I thought I'd add some humor here.
Yesterday I met my sister for coffee at the mall. We do this almost every Sunday and it's become one of the nicer moments of my week.
Anyone who is a "people watcher" should sit in a mall food court on a Sunday and just watch the humanity scurrying around.
I saw a young lady wearing skin tight, low rise jeans and a midriff top. She was about 7-8 months pregnant and her bare belly was almost bigger than she was.
I saw many little "princess" girls, still wearing their frilly dresses from church.
I saw people talking animatedly on cell phones while their companions sat staring into space, bored.
I saw little family units where the Daddy took as much care of the children as the Mommy did.
I saw kids wearing those running shoes with little wheels under them. They scooted in and out of the crowds and it looked like fun.
I saw people sitting alone.
My sister and I sat there for about an hour sipping on Tim Horton's coffee and chatting about our lives and plans.
Maybe there were other people watchers in the crowd who happened to notice us, too. I hope they saw how happy we were.
Yesterday I met my sister for coffee at the mall. We do this almost every Sunday and it's become one of the nicer moments of my week.
Anyone who is a "people watcher" should sit in a mall food court on a Sunday and just watch the humanity scurrying around.
I saw a young lady wearing skin tight, low rise jeans and a midriff top. She was about 7-8 months pregnant and her bare belly was almost bigger than she was.
I saw many little "princess" girls, still wearing their frilly dresses from church.
I saw people talking animatedly on cell phones while their companions sat staring into space, bored.
I saw little family units where the Daddy took as much care of the children as the Mommy did.
I saw kids wearing those running shoes with little wheels under them. They scooted in and out of the crowds and it looked like fun.
I saw people sitting alone.
My sister and I sat there for about an hour sipping on Tim Horton's coffee and chatting about our lives and plans.
Maybe there were other people watchers in the crowd who happened to notice us, too. I hope they saw how happy we were.
Sad Day/Tough Love
Today I phoned a renovator and had him come up and tell me if he can finish what my handyman started. He showed up on time, took notes, and said it wasn't that big a job and he'd do it. He'll give me the price (gulp!) tomorrow.
He'd barely left the house when my handyman showed up at the door with tears in his eyes. He handed me my house key as I'd requested and cried as he explained he hadn't meant to cause me any trouble.
As angry as I was yesterday, the sight of someone in such mental anguish was heartbreaking. I did stand firm, though, and told him he'd left me in a real mess by tearing so much of the basement apart (without my permission) and then abandoning me with it still undone. He wanted to continue the job but I told him no, that I'd already hired someone else to do it.
This man is no demon. He had great intentions when he started redoing my basement but he seemed unable to stop himself from doing too much. Soon he was over his head in work and couldn't face it. The result was that he procrastinated for way too long and I finally lost patience.
I told him how disappointed I was that our relationship had soured over his lack of commitment to completing what had started out as a relatively simple reno job. All he could see was that he'd put more money and time into it than I'd paid for...but he couldn't understand that almost all of the work he'd done was nothing I'd asked for. As of today, 8 months from the beginning, my basement is a demolition zone with half the walls and ceiling gone.
Last Spring I hired this same man to paint the front porch. I asked that it be sanded and painted...it's a small porch. We settled on a price and then he discovered that the concrete was disintegrating so he put a layer of plywood on the porch and steps and painted it with some kind of pebbly stuff that looked great but cost a fortune...so I doubled the price we'd set. It took him 4 months to paint the porch. I'm a slow learner and sometimes dumb as dirt so what did I do? I hired him to redo the basement.
I am at fault for expecting him to do what was asked and get it done in a reasonable amount of time. I've known him for 40 years and should know by now that his personality doesn't allow for that kind of rational behaviour. He has a heart of gold but he follows his own rules and timetable. I deserve to be in the mess I'm in.
He'd barely left the house when my handyman showed up at the door with tears in his eyes. He handed me my house key as I'd requested and cried as he explained he hadn't meant to cause me any trouble.
As angry as I was yesterday, the sight of someone in such mental anguish was heartbreaking. I did stand firm, though, and told him he'd left me in a real mess by tearing so much of the basement apart (without my permission) and then abandoning me with it still undone. He wanted to continue the job but I told him no, that I'd already hired someone else to do it.
This man is no demon. He had great intentions when he started redoing my basement but he seemed unable to stop himself from doing too much. Soon he was over his head in work and couldn't face it. The result was that he procrastinated for way too long and I finally lost patience.
I told him how disappointed I was that our relationship had soured over his lack of commitment to completing what had started out as a relatively simple reno job. All he could see was that he'd put more money and time into it than I'd paid for...but he couldn't understand that almost all of the work he'd done was nothing I'd asked for. As of today, 8 months from the beginning, my basement is a demolition zone with half the walls and ceiling gone.
Last Spring I hired this same man to paint the front porch. I asked that it be sanded and painted...it's a small porch. We settled on a price and then he discovered that the concrete was disintegrating so he put a layer of plywood on the porch and steps and painted it with some kind of pebbly stuff that looked great but cost a fortune...so I doubled the price we'd set. It took him 4 months to paint the porch. I'm a slow learner and sometimes dumb as dirt so what did I do? I hired him to redo the basement.
I am at fault for expecting him to do what was asked and get it done in a reasonable amount of time. I've known him for 40 years and should know by now that his personality doesn't allow for that kind of rational behaviour. He has a heart of gold but he follows his own rules and timetable. I deserve to be in the mess I'm in.
The Aftermath
This is what happens when you complain to your handyman that you're not happy that he's taken 8 months to get a job less than half done. He quits.
I wasn't surprised but I was a little overwhelmed with the mess I was left with and one I wasn't capable of fixing myself. After a short time of feeling totally lost I pulled myself together and decided to hire a professional. All it takes is money but putting up with a torn up basement and an out-of-control demolition "friend" for 8 months used up too much energy and peace of mind on my part.
The only thing my handyman did that I asked for was to take down one offending wall. Then he proceeded to tear down ceilings and walls that I'd wanted to keep! You can only imagine how scary that is and how much misguided faith I had in this man to know what he was doing. In the end, I discovered I'd allowed an untrustworthy individual too much leeway.
I'll keep you posted on my progress in finding someone to complete the work started. Wish me luck!
I wasn't surprised but I was a little overwhelmed with the mess I was left with and one I wasn't capable of fixing myself. After a short time of feeling totally lost I pulled myself together and decided to hire a professional. All it takes is money but putting up with a torn up basement and an out-of-control demolition "friend" for 8 months used up too much energy and peace of mind on my part.
The only thing my handyman did that I asked for was to take down one offending wall. Then he proceeded to tear down ceilings and walls that I'd wanted to keep! You can only imagine how scary that is and how much misguided faith I had in this man to know what he was doing. In the end, I discovered I'd allowed an untrustworthy individual too much leeway.
I'll keep you posted on my progress in finding someone to complete the work started. Wish me luck!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
More Than Disappointed
I've often read or heard about people who began renovations on their homes and then had the renovator run out on them, but now I feel as though I'm in the same boat.
Last September my neighbor's son, whom I'd known most of his life, began a renovation job for me. He was supposed to replace one wall in a basement sewing room, paint the ceilings in 2 rooms and lay laminate floors. Before I knew it he'd removed the existing carpet and vinyl flooring, most of the walls and all of the ceilings (replaced one), moved one wall out 18", installed pot lights, rerouted some ductwork, and undercoated the walls remaining. Then he stopped.
This sounds good until you realize that 8 months later I have an unlivable basement and he's not showing up to finish the job.
Before he started I was capable of doing the bit of repainting needed and maybe even replacing the damaged wall with new drywall...might have needed help from my buddy, Carole, who can do anything! I could even have lived with the old carpeting if I had to and I would still have had a usable basement. Right now it's a nightmare down there and I'm worried I may have to hire someone to finish it.
This handyman, my old friend, has caused a rift in our friendship because he chose to do extra renovations in the basement instead of the few things I asked of him. Now he's bogged down, has added unnecessary expense to the flat fee I paid him, and I'm worse off than I started. Where do I go from here?
This is basically a good guy and I feel confident he'll at least come close to finishing the job...in time. The shame of it is that he's ruined a long time friendship not only with me but with my daughters. All because of a promise unkept.
Last September my neighbor's son, whom I'd known most of his life, began a renovation job for me. He was supposed to replace one wall in a basement sewing room, paint the ceilings in 2 rooms and lay laminate floors. Before I knew it he'd removed the existing carpet and vinyl flooring, most of the walls and all of the ceilings (replaced one), moved one wall out 18", installed pot lights, rerouted some ductwork, and undercoated the walls remaining. Then he stopped.
This sounds good until you realize that 8 months later I have an unlivable basement and he's not showing up to finish the job.
Before he started I was capable of doing the bit of repainting needed and maybe even replacing the damaged wall with new drywall...might have needed help from my buddy, Carole, who can do anything! I could even have lived with the old carpeting if I had to and I would still have had a usable basement. Right now it's a nightmare down there and I'm worried I may have to hire someone to finish it.
This handyman, my old friend, has caused a rift in our friendship because he chose to do extra renovations in the basement instead of the few things I asked of him. Now he's bogged down, has added unnecessary expense to the flat fee I paid him, and I'm worse off than I started. Where do I go from here?
This is basically a good guy and I feel confident he'll at least come close to finishing the job...in time. The shame of it is that he's ruined a long time friendship not only with me but with my daughters. All because of a promise unkept.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Doing Nothing
After a bit of yard work today I sat myself down on a patio chair and propped my feet up on another and did nothing. I did nothing for about 3 hours, just watched the birds pulling worms out of the ground and a couple of squirrels making out on a tree limb. It's been so long since I sat and did nothing at all that I was amazed it wasn't boring.
My yard has a lot of full grown trees which provide shade in the summer but, since the leaves haven't appeared yet, the yard was lovely and sunny.
I have new neighbors on one side, a young couple with an 11 month old baby named Felix. Odd name but beautiful baby! We gabbed for a while over the fence and they seem like a nice couple.
This was one of those lazy, warm spring days when we should stop whatever else we're doing and just enjoy the moment. As I sat contentedly, sipping on Diet Pepsi and perusing my kingdom (or queendom), I thought how lucky I was to be here...doing nothing.
My yard has a lot of full grown trees which provide shade in the summer but, since the leaves haven't appeared yet, the yard was lovely and sunny.
I have new neighbors on one side, a young couple with an 11 month old baby named Felix. Odd name but beautiful baby! We gabbed for a while over the fence and they seem like a nice couple.
This was one of those lazy, warm spring days when we should stop whatever else we're doing and just enjoy the moment. As I sat contentedly, sipping on Diet Pepsi and perusing my kingdom (or queendom), I thought how lucky I was to be here...doing nothing.
Saturday Mishmash
Well, here I sit at 8:25 A.M. wearing shorts and waiting for the temperature outside to at least come close to 70 degrees before I venture out. Yesterday was gorgeous and I got lots of yard work done so it looks pretty good out there. Today promises to be even warmer and I'm prepared...I just have to wait a few hours.
I heard on the news that the family of the Virginia Tech gunman issued a response to the actions of their son/brother. It was so sad to hear such a heartfelt apology from that family. It's obvious they're suffering in many ways.
I'm not sure I understand how anyone with a close, strong family can ever do anything to hurt or shame that family. My own daughters grew up always wanting to earn their father's respect (mine, too, but the emphasis was on their Dad). I suppose if you felt disenfranchised from your family then their feelings wouldn't count for much.
My cousin phoned me yesterday and asked if she could visit me in Florida next winter. Of course I said yes but I was feeling "oh, god, noooo!". She's a nice person but she drinks too much and has the foulest mouth I've ever heard. She sure wouldn't fit in with the retired folks at my senior park. Oh well, I've got 6 months to figure something out.
Right now the sun is shining brightly and it's about 55 degrees outside. My shorts and I are going to wait inside for a while yet.
I heard on the news that the family of the Virginia Tech gunman issued a response to the actions of their son/brother. It was so sad to hear such a heartfelt apology from that family. It's obvious they're suffering in many ways.
I'm not sure I understand how anyone with a close, strong family can ever do anything to hurt or shame that family. My own daughters grew up always wanting to earn their father's respect (mine, too, but the emphasis was on their Dad). I suppose if you felt disenfranchised from your family then their feelings wouldn't count for much.
My cousin phoned me yesterday and asked if she could visit me in Florida next winter. Of course I said yes but I was feeling "oh, god, noooo!". She's a nice person but she drinks too much and has the foulest mouth I've ever heard. She sure wouldn't fit in with the retired folks at my senior park. Oh well, I've got 6 months to figure something out.
Right now the sun is shining brightly and it's about 55 degrees outside. My shorts and I are going to wait inside for a while yet.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Momma Squirrel
This morning I looked out onto the backyard and saw a squirrel scurrying down a tree trunk. Wouldn't it be interesting if this was the Momma squirrel? I watched as the squirrel made a beeline for the spot we'd put the baby yesterday. It must have been the Momma!
How fascinating that some human mothers can walk away from their babies without a backward glance and this little animal has shown such touching commitment to it's offspring.
How fascinating that some human mothers can walk away from their babies without a backward glance and this little animal has shown such touching commitment to it's offspring.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Death of a Baby Squirrel
Does anyone remember the little lizard I killed in Florida? I mistakenly thought it was a cockroach and emptied a bottle of Raid on the poor thing. Well, today I killed a baby squirrel.
It was sunny and gorgeous out today...for a Canadian Spring...and I thought it was a good opportunity to do some yard work. I gathered all my tools (broom, rake, garbage containers) and started cleaning up the twigs and branches left behind when one of my sons-in-law (haven't found out yet which one) trimmed the big tree in the backyard away from the roof after I left last Fall.
I was sweeping off the deck when I noticed a huge nest of the twigs stuck in behind the awning on the upper deck. I often get bird's nests in there and that's what I thought it was so I decided to get rid of it before any birds laid their eggs in it.
As I poked and pushed with the end of the broom in an attempt to dislodge the nest, I sort of wondered what kind of bird would build a nest out of such large twigs. Just then, most of the nest came free and a little hairless creature fell out barely able to hang on to what was left in the awning. It creeped me out to see this little thing because I couldn't tell if it was a squirrel or a rat.
I raced into the house and called the S.P.C.A. who were not the least concerned that this little creature might be freezing to death and who told me to call Animal Control at City Hall. Animal Control told me to phone a pest removal company. I phoned one of those companies and they would be delighted to come to my house and take care of the problem...for $240 plus taxes. I told them, "no thanks!".
My 2 grandsons arrived moments later to help me with my yard work and I showed them the nest and the poor little thing (most likely a squirrel) which was now laying on the patio, possibly dead or dying. My big, strapping grandsons didn't want to go near it at first but I think I shamed them when I moaned "do you really want your poor old Gramma to handle it?".
After a great deal of arguing who was going to move it, Chooch got a dustpan and handed it to Nick who tenderly picked the little creature up and laid it way in the back of the yard under a bush. Chooch gathered what he could of the nest and covered the little guy up. We hoped it's mother would come back and tend to it before it froze to death.
I'm afraid their work was probably in vain and I'm becoming a serial killer of wildlife. It sort of ruined the day for all of us.
It was sunny and gorgeous out today...for a Canadian Spring...and I thought it was a good opportunity to do some yard work. I gathered all my tools (broom, rake, garbage containers) and started cleaning up the twigs and branches left behind when one of my sons-in-law (haven't found out yet which one) trimmed the big tree in the backyard away from the roof after I left last Fall.
I was sweeping off the deck when I noticed a huge nest of the twigs stuck in behind the awning on the upper deck. I often get bird's nests in there and that's what I thought it was so I decided to get rid of it before any birds laid their eggs in it.
As I poked and pushed with the end of the broom in an attempt to dislodge the nest, I sort of wondered what kind of bird would build a nest out of such large twigs. Just then, most of the nest came free and a little hairless creature fell out barely able to hang on to what was left in the awning. It creeped me out to see this little thing because I couldn't tell if it was a squirrel or a rat.
I raced into the house and called the S.P.C.A. who were not the least concerned that this little creature might be freezing to death and who told me to call Animal Control at City Hall. Animal Control told me to phone a pest removal company. I phoned one of those companies and they would be delighted to come to my house and take care of the problem...for $240 plus taxes. I told them, "no thanks!".
My 2 grandsons arrived moments later to help me with my yard work and I showed them the nest and the poor little thing (most likely a squirrel) which was now laying on the patio, possibly dead or dying. My big, strapping grandsons didn't want to go near it at first but I think I shamed them when I moaned "do you really want your poor old Gramma to handle it?".
After a great deal of arguing who was going to move it, Chooch got a dustpan and handed it to Nick who tenderly picked the little creature up and laid it way in the back of the yard under a bush. Chooch gathered what he could of the nest and covered the little guy up. We hoped it's mother would come back and tend to it before it froze to death.
I'm afraid their work was probably in vain and I'm becoming a serial killer of wildlife. It sort of ruined the day for all of us.
Virginia Murders
My 16 year old granddaughter wrote a blog about her feelings on the Virginia Tech murders and she said something that touched me deeply. She said that, in the end, no matter the murderer's mental state, he was the one responsible for his actions. He was the one ultimately responsible for making the choice to take the lives of so many innocent people.
There were also many people on the periphery who share in the responsibility in some form. His parents should have been aware that he should be under care, either their's or some psychiatric facility.
The school authorities knew he was a danger to himself and others but did precious little to protect the other students...they didn't even notify them that a dangerous gunman was on the loose at the school until 2 hours after the first killing.
Whoever sold him the gun and ammunition, even legally, participated in the slaughter. The United States government which refuses to practice a strict form of gun control is also mightily responsible.
His tormentors prodded a sick human being, making him even more unstable. They also carry the burden of responsiblity. "Bullying" occurs at all ages and causes untold misery, sometimes death.
But when all the dust settles, Cho made the choice to murder. For whatever reason, he decided that by killing innocent people, he would relieve the hell he was in. He acted in a cruel, cowardly way and that's how he'll be remembered.
There were also many people on the periphery who share in the responsibility in some form. His parents should have been aware that he should be under care, either their's or some psychiatric facility.
The school authorities knew he was a danger to himself and others but did precious little to protect the other students...they didn't even notify them that a dangerous gunman was on the loose at the school until 2 hours after the first killing.
Whoever sold him the gun and ammunition, even legally, participated in the slaughter. The United States government which refuses to practice a strict form of gun control is also mightily responsible.
His tormentors prodded a sick human being, making him even more unstable. They also carry the burden of responsiblity. "Bullying" occurs at all ages and causes untold misery, sometimes death.
But when all the dust settles, Cho made the choice to murder. For whatever reason, he decided that by killing innocent people, he would relieve the hell he was in. He acted in a cruel, cowardly way and that's how he'll be remembered.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Raising Babies
I just read my daughter's blog and she's sadly reminiscing about how many mistakes she made raising her two sons. She's thankful they still love her.
I gave birth to my first daughter when I was still 17 years old. Poor baby (and I'm referring to both of us). Kim weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. (ouch) and came home with a teenage mother who had read somewhere you should feed a baby every 4 hours. Mothers of today who feed on demand will wince at that but how was I to know differently? I never thought to ask my own mother or grandmother so they thought I knew what I was doing. Poor baby (yeh, both of us).
I was 19 when baby girl number two came along. I was a little better prepared for Cindy because I'd had Kim to practice on for 18 months. The problem was that I needed a D&C for 3 months after she was born but didn't know it. In those days we didn't have a government health insurance plan so I couldn't afford to see a doctor about my weakness and fainting spells. Both Kim and Cindy were seldom held by me for those months because I was too weak to lift them. Today I understand that we missed out on some very important bonding.
Dennis and I behaved ourselves and Shelley wasn't born til 4 1/2 years later. I was 23 1/2 and Dennis was almost 27 so we were at the top of our game as far as raising babies by that time. Either Shelley was a perfect baby or we had learned how to appreciate the little life we'd created. Either way, she was the easiest of all to raise.
As in every life and marriage, circumstances control the outcome no matter how good your intentions are. We made mistakes but we did the best we could. Neither one of us had very good role models to show us the way so we had to improvise. Our girls grew into wonderful women who never failed to make us proud of them. Secretly, we were never sure how they managed to survive our parenting.
I gave birth to my first daughter when I was still 17 years old. Poor baby (and I'm referring to both of us). Kim weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. (ouch) and came home with a teenage mother who had read somewhere you should feed a baby every 4 hours. Mothers of today who feed on demand will wince at that but how was I to know differently? I never thought to ask my own mother or grandmother so they thought I knew what I was doing. Poor baby (yeh, both of us).
I was 19 when baby girl number two came along. I was a little better prepared for Cindy because I'd had Kim to practice on for 18 months. The problem was that I needed a D&C for 3 months after she was born but didn't know it. In those days we didn't have a government health insurance plan so I couldn't afford to see a doctor about my weakness and fainting spells. Both Kim and Cindy were seldom held by me for those months because I was too weak to lift them. Today I understand that we missed out on some very important bonding.
Dennis and I behaved ourselves and Shelley wasn't born til 4 1/2 years later. I was 23 1/2 and Dennis was almost 27 so we were at the top of our game as far as raising babies by that time. Either Shelley was a perfect baby or we had learned how to appreciate the little life we'd created. Either way, she was the easiest of all to raise.
As in every life and marriage, circumstances control the outcome no matter how good your intentions are. We made mistakes but we did the best we could. Neither one of us had very good role models to show us the way so we had to improvise. Our girls grew into wonderful women who never failed to make us proud of them. Secretly, we were never sure how they managed to survive our parenting.
Site Meter Chipping Away At My Confidence
When I first installed the Site Meter I was blown away by the information I received from it. I could see that some of my readers came from as far away as China, Singapore, etc. and that filled my mind with wonder. How had they found me?
Well, I've learned a little more about the site meter and now I know a bit about how they found me...and how long some of them took to read the words I'd crafted. A lot of my readers took 0 seconds to read my blogs. What the hell?
My confidence level dipped a smidgeon but then I thought...that's not what counts. What does count is that I have fun doing this and if even one person likes to read it then that's the real bonus.
My topic for today is a comment on flea market shopping. I was out at my own flea market stall yesterday cleaning and redisplaying what was already there. All around me were stalls selling the remnants of days past...there isn't much you can't find at a good flea market. In some ways it's like wandering through a museum.
The flea markets I frequent in Florida seem to sell mainly brand new junk but I much prefer an old time place that sells nice, used items...not necessarily antiques. My flea market is filled to the rafters with interesting old stuff. Years before I got my own stall I used to enjoy shopping there myself. It's about 1/2 hour drive from home and I'd often spend a couple of hours browsing through the mishmash of items from yesteryear.
There's a romanticism about finding things our parents or grandparents once had in their own homes. For us oldsters, it's interesting to find the things we threw away a few years ago are now worth big bucks. I love glassware of most any kind. If it's old then that's all the better because it comes with a story.
When I'm at my own flea market I spend most of the time tidying but I still like to wander around to see what else is available. It always amazes me.
Well, I've learned a little more about the site meter and now I know a bit about how they found me...and how long some of them took to read the words I'd crafted. A lot of my readers took 0 seconds to read my blogs. What the hell?
My confidence level dipped a smidgeon but then I thought...that's not what counts. What does count is that I have fun doing this and if even one person likes to read it then that's the real bonus.
My topic for today is a comment on flea market shopping. I was out at my own flea market stall yesterday cleaning and redisplaying what was already there. All around me were stalls selling the remnants of days past...there isn't much you can't find at a good flea market. In some ways it's like wandering through a museum.
The flea markets I frequent in Florida seem to sell mainly brand new junk but I much prefer an old time place that sells nice, used items...not necessarily antiques. My flea market is filled to the rafters with interesting old stuff. Years before I got my own stall I used to enjoy shopping there myself. It's about 1/2 hour drive from home and I'd often spend a couple of hours browsing through the mishmash of items from yesteryear.
There's a romanticism about finding things our parents or grandparents once had in their own homes. For us oldsters, it's interesting to find the things we threw away a few years ago are now worth big bucks. I love glassware of most any kind. If it's old then that's all the better because it comes with a story.
When I'm at my own flea market I spend most of the time tidying but I still like to wander around to see what else is available. It always amazes me.
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