reluctantriter

The Good, The Bad and The ... Can a Lap Top Be Choked to Death???

2012-01-05T22:57:00.001-07:00

Well, well, well .... I'm baaaaack. Yep, after a rather long hiatus, the result of low hemoglobin and unpredictable blood pressure, I am now back on the plasmapheresis schedule. This is a genuine good thing in that it encourages me to keep my weight down and my "hem" up! Re-engaging was kind of what I imagine the Cheers bar is like. Everyone knows your name and they ask about you and family - kind of neat.

Now of course one cannot have a completely good day but why do they deteriorate so badly???

.....

Computer issues continue to haunt me. After an hour in the store yesterday another attempt was made today ... as a safety measure a backup drive was purchased and after an hour or so with express lane, the "express" was just a tad tarnished as yet again, foisted onto yet another helper where it got positively

Is it possible to kill this computer .... OK, the computer is fine, the software leaves much to be desired and after 2.5 hours and still no solution, well you can guess I'm thinkin'

It's late and I'm sure there is a solution, just not today or tonight. We await the prognostication and able assistance of yet a higher form of genius known as "the supervisor".

The 1 That Got A Way

2012-01-04T21:19:00.001-07:00

Well! Today was one of those days. Today was one of those days that completely got away from me. The day certainly started well enough with an early rising breakkie and then Xtrainer time. It was at about the Xtrainer time or shortly there after that my grip, my sure grip on the way the day was going to unfold started to slip. You might say it began to ....

Unravel ... OK it wasn't quit that dramatic initially more like ...

but by the end of the day, the top picture is pretty accurate.

Things were not as tight as I would have liked at the training session, my gym investigation, while productive had its own moments of "ga-nash", leaving me tired and then .... and then ... apple .... DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY SAY. Ultimately a computer is a computer and software is software and servers don't serve very much at all at times. You can bet the hardware manufacturer is going to blame the software and if they are related intimately, well then it is the server. The scenario was very much "you can't get there from here" sort of thing. Ultimately being told by the "genius", you will have to call "apple care". Yep at that point I'm pretty sure talking to a fruit would have been just as productive as what was happening to the computer. Ahhhh well tomorrow is another day and I can always transfer the "To Do's" of TODAY to be done TOMORROW! Yep, I have that flexibility, especially now

Sublimation or Evaporation???

2012-01-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

OK, I've been robbed, misunderstood, or just did "get it". Where is all this spare time I am supposed to have now that I am ... what? semi-retired??? Seriously I cannot decide whether my time and energy is zipped away through sublimation or evaporation. The only certain thing is that both time and energy seem to disappear into the ether. My bias is towards evaporation as I suspect energy is being used in the conversion from time to no time.

It has been fun and it is only just starting but it does seem that my "To Do" list become a "Not Done" or "Yet to be Completed" list fairly quickly. At the end of each day I glance at the thing and there are fewer check marks than there should be and some items drag along for days. Perhaps it is my fervent wish that if ignored the ignored items, rather than my time and energy, will disappear.

It is nice, no wait, necessary to be a life-long learner!

The Luxury of a Cuppa

2012-01-02T13:24:00.001-07:00

It is nice to have the time for a cuppa. Two hours of telling someone how to do my job .... exhausting .... nah, not really but it is sooooo sweet to have my CD in the background and a cup of green tea while I contemplate my To Do list. This relaxation is not typical of a Monday afternoon for me and I am learning to "To Do" list beckons but not with the intensity that it once had, partially, I suppose, related to the fact that this is a Holiday for some in lieu of New Year's Day which fell on a Sunday. Frankly I cannot DO some of those items as offices and personnel are not available. In the past this might have irked me, not so today.

This blogging business does not flow as easily as it once did and again, I had trouble remembering how to access the appropriate page to commence a note. It can only get better, the cats have abandoned me for snoozes elsewhere and this is my change to simply sit and sip ... what a pleasure!

Happy New Year .... Happy or Not, It IS a New Year

2012-01-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Seriously, you know you are not blogging enough when you can't remember how! It seemed like a giant brain cramp.... Since this is a New Year and all I thought I might put together a few thoughts on a more frequent basis than in the past year .... like even writing this much exceeds 2011's output.

Today, for the first time in a long time I did a bit of a walk through the neighbourhood, only 30 minutes and not with enough energy to kick my heart rate monitor into action. In August of 2010 my sweet little "Molly-car" was rear-ended by another car. My suspicion is that the other driver was texting or otherwise distracted, no matter the cause the result is the same. Really, I do not want to go into detail, suffice to say, Molly was repairable, me, not so much. It seems I now have more time off from the "day job" than what I would have liked.

My thinking is, blogging has gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon, with twitter and facebook usurping the role once filled by blogs. To blog is to commit which isn't to say twittering is not a commitment and in some ways more challenging than the luxury of space and words allowed by blogs.

The girls, as you can see, have the chairs "covered" and they send their cat best which is closer to "whatever" or "mew" than anything else. We shall see how this brand new year unfolds and I will practice gratitude and joy - seriously I need to practice these things as I am very rusty.

Greetings .... No Salutations

2010-08-28T21:43:00.004-06:00

Another week another funeral - definitely making a habit of them - this time a pilot, which certainly has more impact for me. Strange thing this piloting business as we who fly, keep hostage those tied to the ground. We who fly can reduce the odds as much as possible, minimize the risks and so on but family and friends have no control what so ever. Actually, this is why I think flying is a much better metaphor for life than baseball or golf - admittedly a whole lot less available as a comparison, therefore making it quite elitist. By definition, since it is so elitist I suppose it does not have much value as a metaphor, except for me.

We've not had much summer weather this summer and the pundits are calling for a longer, colder winter. Too soon there will ice and snow to deal with on the drive to work. Where are my lottery winnings?!? In fact, I have always maintained that I will not win any lottery at all until I don't want to win one and strangely enough, even though I would like to win now, I rarely buy a ticket - significantly reducing my chance to win, and I ask: If I would like to win the lottery NOW and rarely buy a ticket and I think I could use the money .... well, how likely am I to win the lottery when I don't think I need it and am even LESS likely to win? Sounds like "The Secret" to me!

The cats extend their greetings to the world, Precious busy being "precious" and Spook? Well her attitude is evidence by her picture ... oh wait there is not picture!

It Is Safe To Come Out Now/Circle of Life

2010-08-14T10:38:00.005-06:00

Ah yes ... I cannot believe how long it has been since I've written, actually put down in type, something for my blog, yes, almost a year to the day. The title, somewhat symbolically tells it all. Today I am going to a funeral, not a close friend, actually the husband of a "not-a-close-friend". It speaks, I think, of the value shift I am experiencing as my age advances. Others, my contemporaries and those older, talk of respect, lack of respect, but I believe it is about sensitivity and the capacity to be less self absorbed and more aware of the pain of living of others. The lessening of self absorption is directly related to my blog and hence the first part of the title - notably the first part so we know, self absorption has abated somewhat but by no means dismissed.

It costs me only time to attend today's events and I know, it means something to the principle bereaved and those close to that person. Such a simple act ... and one not exercised often enough, as I too become more in tune with the need for sensitivity, respect, acknowledgement - not to mention being even more convinced of the appropriateness of decisions made as a young person.

To the point, "It is Safe To Come Out Now" is a message to myself. Seriously, I thought when I quite contributing to my blog someone, somewhere, would protest/make note/comment at the dearth. Nope a legend in my own mind so to speak and to exercise a cliche. When I started to blog it was to read the entries of a friend who has long since moved on to Facebook. The blog, for me, was NOT to be about me so that it mattered if it was read or not and THAT concept was lost near the end of the blog life. Having come to terms with that, it is now "Safe To Come Out Now", begin writing again and just enjoying rather than having it entertain anyone else for anything!

Friends and those I know who have moved on to Facebook ought to consider Twitter as there is not much substance beyond cryptic comments for the rest of us to consider. My own foray into the realm of social media has been a dismal flop and really only records my "Farming" activities and my ineptitude at same.

Really?

2009-08-29T11:05:00.002-06:00

So there I am, minding my own business, accept an invitation for coffee and now I have a furless pet! At the end of our coffee time together my coffee buddy pushed towards me, a Ziplock bag in which there was some stuff that sort of looked like batter of some kind. Along with the bag there was a set of instructions and under supervision I passed the "mush the bag" skill so was deemed fit to accept the bag.

Simple eh? Well, not quite so fast - after a few days of mushing, the directions indicate that there is a need to add flour and sugar to the bag contents and I interpret this as "feeding" that which has been producing gas and therefore "living" in the bag, so to speak. Further, after another number of days pass the process of adding flour and sugar is repeated AND additional bags are split off AND two loaves have to be created. You can, I'm sure, see what is going to happen here. My friends will soon become recipients of Amish Friendship Bread AND starter batter. I mean really, I can't just toss the stuff out, it is a living, breathing entity that requires food, air and demonstrates a distinct negative response to things metal (Did I mention "my-niece-the-Librarian-cum-Professor" is allergic to metal?)and not fond of cold (me neither).

Stay tuned for further "culinary-i-zation" adventures!

2009-06-14T19:40:00.002-06:00

Friends in High Places

So … a day spent socializing, impromptu and otherwise. Translated loosely, a day spent eating, mostly this and that, mostly not too healthy and I’m feeling it.

Presented for your viewing pleasure:”friends in high places”. OK so what the heck is the cat doing up there anyway?!? Apparently this is a cat thing, the high places, and of course, like all cats, everything her gaze touches belongs to her. The truth be told, I didn’t even notice her up there until it was pointed out to me. In an odd sort of way it reminded me of how ubiquitous cameras have become in our daily lives.

Delightful day with my-niece-the –Librarian-cum-professor, including my-big-sister-the-artist. We ended the day by seeing “UP” a new Pixar release – kind of fun with a magical ending. Frankly I welcomed that because of late the gritty reality of life has impinged and separation
Tomorrow is work and while I enjoy the environment, there is always stresses and strains. I am grateful to be able to work in a field of my choosing ….ha ha … a “field” … too funny! ;-0

Like An Old Shoe

2009-06-12T18:28:00.003-06:00

So ... I've tried "flikker", I follow face book a little, but still, the blog, is the most satisfying from both a writing and reading point of view. Having the 'puter upstairs is a real bonus as it is much easier to dash off a quick note. There is a certain comfort in stringing words together in a coherent manner. Granted, I probably thing I am a much better writer than my audience say but you know what? I figure everyone is on face book and now, the blog really is a labour strictly for me.

Cats are good, goofy but good. My fantasy of entwined felines is not to be as the cats seem to have better boundaries than I do! As I begin to master the technology I will again post some pics of the furry family. Speaking of family, the youngest "great" will soon be home from Singapore for a bit ... or perhaps, more accurately, the youngest "great" will be leaving his home in Singapore to visit his extended family in North America for a bit. It is truly odd to think that we have "family" originating in Asia.

Yes, the blog fits ... like a comfy old shoe ... kind of ugly but what the hay!

Phoenix

2009-05-25T20:50:00.003-06:00

Forever, that is how long it has been since I've written. Yes, perhaps it has been that long but remarkable things have not changed all that much. Still working - that's a good thing, still love the work and dislike the idiot factory, fully admitting that I participate in that factor fully and far too often. There is now someone else in my department and I enjoy the companionship as much as that is possible in a busy setting and as well, I enjoy the wit.

My-sister-the-artist, having returned from a tour of Europe is now in Manitoba, reminding me of the ad for Fountain Tire .... "Going to Winnipeg", as stated by some poor sap who thought he was on a flight to Hawaii. My niece-the-associate-professor is in Montreal ... become a librarian and see the world. The cats, yes, the cats, are still with me (or "agin me", it is hard to tell some days.

My lust for things "APPLE" has been partially satiated by things "Sony". A smokin' deal that I couldn't turn down so here I am connected to the 'net typing in my blog. Does life get any better? Well ... a trifle, given that I got stood up by a paying client TWICE now!

It is still very light out and past 9:00PM so I think I will sign off here. Sleep will be a challenge given how bright it is out. Maybe, just maybe, the Phoenix can continue its rise from the ashes, yes?

Perfect

2009-02-07T13:23:00.003-07:00

Awoke today to what seems like a "Perfect" day, with the clouds being held back by the Koolau range, knowing full well by late afternoon the mountains will lose, clouds will win and the cool of night will insue. It is the beginning of a new day and I intend to engage fully. While too true, I miss family and friends back home, the warmth of the weather here and I suppose to some extent, distance from painful events, certainly make this place "perfect".

Today, this morning already, a debate on the nature of time. Continuous like an analog record or discreate like digital .... and if descrete, what fills in the teeny-tiny spaces between the seconds and nonoseconds. Regardless of the exact nature of time, ultimately it is measure and the fellow below .... well, don't let time expire when you park on our street!

With The Setting Sun ...

2009-02-05T14:17:00.002-07:00

The great thing about sunsets? Sunrise and a new day! Yes, I am in my favorite place and to my delight the last folk that were here provided some Christmas cheer for returning folk. Not being shy around chocolate I have "doven in" and made my mark on this delightful Christmas tree.

Thoughts of work are somewhat fleeting and the warmth of the tropical breezes are a welcome respite to the hours that were spent in the hangar the week that the floor heating decided to pack it in. Why does this ALWAYS happen in the cold spell? While it is not sun tanning weather ... yet ... it is pleasant and it is nice to reconnect with friends and have the time to actually do more than think about writing. So many times I've written blogs in my head only to find the day to day activities erase the thoughts. Nice to be back though ... nice to have a new day ... must practice my piano piece ... me thinks my teacher is punishing me with the "have a look at 'this piece' while away" - knowing fully well I will try to "finger it out"!

2009-02-03T17:09:00.002-07:00

Finally, I have arrived … the exclusive or in some cases, the not so exclusive Furlough Club, “furlough” being a more American term and more exotic than simply saying “laid off”. I too have become a casualty of the current economic environment. Many of my friends in aviation have considered this almost a rite of passage and now I get to cope with the “do-I-stay-or-do-I-go” question. Some folk I know have had entire airlines disappear on them and pensions along with the disappearance, while others, saw their employer morph into another identity and pensions might have been salvaged, flight hours or measures of seniority more or less evaporated.
Just before I left for some time off my boss indicated he would like to chat with me before I left. Being the kind of person that deals badly with delayed gratification and delayed anything else, over to his office I trotted as soon as work permitted. His first statements were about my time off and I’m thinking … “Hmmm he is not happy with my whims of running off whenever I can ….” Not true! It seems my rather frequent absences were a positive influence on continued employment.
The news is, as far as I can discern, part time when I return. This saddens me as I love the job. Temperamentally I am well suited to parts and pieces … sales … well not so much, which sort of makes me more expendable than some of my peers. The good news, I won’t lose any benefits ….hehehehehe…. didn’t have any to lose.
So …. in order to keep the “woof from the door”, it is back to what I’ve been trained to do and I pray the good Lord sees to it that the phone rings and appointments can be arranged. With luck the tide will turn but I don’t think I will ever trust complete again and come to think of it, the people who really “know their armpit from a hole in the ground", don’t really carry on with gay abandon either …. now I know why and understand a little more, the sense of … what is it? …. the sense of “not-quite-foreboding” but for sure, always being ready to move on demonstrated by many. It is just the way it is …

Road Weary

2008-11-02T20:47:00.002-07:00

Well, the picture isn't really me but I contemplated assuming such a posture in SFO, as a continuation of the nap I was trying to have on the HNL-SFO leg. It was an uneventful return to reality. Reality being the mail and two cats that have joined a cult in my absence, a cult that believes in "shunning". For a fact I know that in a day or two they will glare at me and communicate: "I'm angry with you ... I can't quite remember why, but I'm mad". Eventually they will forget that too, but they like to exert power while they can. Actually Spook will be justified in her anger as I'm going to take her in for a nail trim tomorrow, if I can and she is never impressed with the ride. The nail clipping? Nah, not a problem she is just a real critic when it come to my driving ... maybe she is like this with everyone!

Good to be home ... it will be better to go back though!

C Ya

In The 'Hood and Adios

2008-10-31T19:20:00.005-06:00

This will be my last entry from where I am as I am going back to where I've been. It has been a slice and I've enjoyed it very much. Often in parting one of the last trips, aside from the one to the airport, involves driving ocean on Kapahulu and Diamond Head is always part of the vista. When I look at the crater I often wonder if this will be my last look ... a few times I've taken shots and now these are in response to adieu and via con dios.

As good old Lawrence Welk wrote:

BUBBLES IN THE WINE, Ending Lyrics
Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you
Here's a wish and prayer that every dream comes true
And though it's always sweet sorrow to part
I know you'll always remain in my heart

Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you
Here's a wish and a prayer that every dream comes true
And now 'til we meet again

Adios, au revior, auf weidersehen.....Good Night!

Dinner Anyone?

2008-10-29T22:33:00.009-06:00

Before:
and ... after:

Before:

REALLY before:

Not really fish, either ...

This is the Hawaii that not everyone is able to see ... most still prefer ...

But ya gotta love ...

2008-10-29T21:23:00.003-06:00

Some photos of the real Hawaii:

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

2008-10-25T16:47:00.006-06:00

So who knew? Seriously, I had deluded myself into thinking that the difficulty with writing in my blog on a daily basis was strictly a time issue, as in NO time to write. There is no such excuse available given my present circumstance and still it doesn't get done. True, true, I think of lots of things that I might note and even when I was back home, when I initially stopped doing daily entries, ideas would cruise through my mind. These last few days I've though about including this photo:

For sure this should be one terrific post .... since I started it four days ago! Ahhhh so much sun and so little time. Pretty soon I will be swapping this:

For this:

2008-10-21T19:19:00.004-06:00

The above photo is for "my-niece-the-Librarian-cum-professor" who wrote on her facebook:

Laura is thinking that effective teaching is beyond her today.

Somedays no one is an effective teacher or learner; lucky days are those where both experience the same affliction.

Here I am, lolling about:
obviously not on the beach as I'm taking the picture. Every, every time I come here I always think it will be the last time I view Diamond Head. In comparison to our Rockies it is inconsequential but here it is not just a place but a direction, discription and desposition.

While I had planned/hoped to do some flying while here I am beginning to doubt that that will happen which is just fine - at the momement. Today when I was looking skyward I noticed these clouds. Frequently when we island hop we pass through cloud on take off fly on top and have them dissapate once we are over the cooler air of the ocean. Funny thing is, when we are returning to PHNL and entering the land cloud again, I am often troubled as I wonder what our fate is to be if the cloud does not break up as we near the airport. Every time there has been a bit of a hole through which we pop, having faithfully followed the vectors as provided by ATC, then it is "chop and drop" as they like to keep us high until final, by high I mean 2000' so we get lots of practice "slipping in" so to speak.

...And So It Begins!

2008-10-15T21:41:00.003-06:00

The plane seemed to have a little trouble getting off the ground and when it became airborne the bumps were less than gentle. As we climbed, bumping around, a sharp bank to the left and lo and behold, through a hole in the cloud there lay Springbank. Yes, for an instant I wondered how Cavalier was doing and really tried to see what might be on the ramp for repair but to no avail as the fast moving jet insured only a glimpse of my former life.

Yes, back on the Island, It was very nice to see Pearl, who has had some health challenges waiting at the curb to act as chauffeur. Honolulu International is very strict with cars loitering about - it just doesn't happen and passengers need to be ready to throw themselves into moving vehicles.

Activities to day were directed towards reclaiming from the jungle that which is non-jungle. It takes very little time for elements to work on human creations in an effort to have all blend to some sort of vegetation or variance thereof.

Stay tuned for another installment of my "excellent adventure"... meanwhile the girls...well, I DID keep the paper coming for their amusement!

Bits/Pieces/Peace

2008-05-11T11:40:00.001-06:00

OK, we just had a blinding, ferocious storm last Thursday, it is now Sunday and I am declaring it SPRING. That’s it, that’s all! My duvet is off the bed and stuffed away for another season, SO THERE!

Last evening was the Calgary Flying Club’s (CFC) annual Grad and Social Banquet and I had a wonderful time. Usually I am stressed out to no end with these things since I am often on the planning end. This past year, I’ve withdrawn from executive positions in many organizations, the CFC being one of them. Although I was recognized for helping with the planning of this fête, my role was minimal, minimal, minimal and so many others did so much work.

Aside from numerous grads, who have accomplished much, simply by getting off the ground in an aircraft solo, there were a few of my instructors present who have special meaning for me. One fellow is “in the Bigs”, a gal, following her dream with air ambulance and a senior instructor who has, as instructors sometimes are, both a challenge and a mentor. It was so nice to see them, especially the first two as there are few occasions where our paths cross these days. Genuine good folk. There were many, many others that I could mention that are special for simply being there and reminding me how fortunate I am to have such people in my life.

The only sad part of the proceedings is the news of the illness of the spouse of a gal who is a contemporary of mine in the flying business. He is very, very ill, ICU, the whole bit. They are such good people, it pains me to hear of his struggles, her sense of being overwhelmed and her worry for him. My “niece-the-librarian” also tells me of the difficulty that her former boss is having with her new born son. He too is very ill and there is helplessness there too. We pray, we worry, we hope for the best and some of us pray for the strength to accept God’s will whatever that might be …. so much for sermonising and I suppose I write more to make it real than for any other benefit.

After such a long period of time between entries, I’m quite sure I’ve lost whatever following there might have been. That’s OK though, because I wrote initially only to be in touch with another gal for whom I have much respect and fondness …. say, “you” could pop out and see Brad and I … bring cookies … OK, just bring yourself. Brad could use some cheering up these days as there have been some real stressors at the old salt mine.

It is nice to be back writing. Every, every day, when I am driving in the morning I ALWAYS think of themes and things that I could write about – IF I were at a computer. By day’s end, I’m so zapped, this things of poetry, beauty, information, nuggets, whatever, are lost to a very tired psyche. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. Happy Mother’s Day all you moms, especially mine, who I know is watching/reading/connecting.

Can't Have It

2008-03-30T10:28:00.003-06:00

It's true ... ya can't have it both ways. This morning I got up late but I still want to do lots with the day. The ground and fields of late have been brown, yellow and uninviting; they are covered with snow today so look quite nice but SNOW!! I want to do lots 'n' lots ... I want to be well rested for work. I want to get my taxes in order, I want to recreate. I want to be slim and in shape; I want to eat stuff with fat, sugar, yummies and NOT exercise.

So it goes, I can't have it both ways and like a lot of things it is about tension(s). We need tension, more about that later, I'll leave with this illustration of useful "tension".

PW

2008-03-29T17:14:00.002-06:00

Funny thing, I googled "Perfect World" ... don't believe it! Anyway, in a "Perfect World", I would get to the end of the week with the same amount of energy as my cats. Ah yes, the puddy cats, both of which stare at me from their perches while I'm trying to sleep in and ultimately, they win.

For a short week it has been long. My work was shut down on Monday which gave us a five day weekend which was most pleasant. The price tag of course is trying to fit five days of work into four days, no matter, it's SAT-ur-day.

Ms. Spook protested mightily alway to the Vet today on the way to get her nails trimmed. Her protests were only mildly reduced on the trip home as she chastised me for having the audacity to upset her little cat-world. However, all must be forgiven as she has been quite cosy here at home since the incident. Could it be that SHE, Spook, is willing to fall on a “cat sword” for her fellow feline and distract me from taking Precious into the Vet? The joke is on Spook, I’ve had enough of Vet trips for the day and Precious is safe until next week.

Today my “big-sister-the-artist” went off to a Trade Show (expo) called “National Women in Business”. It cost $8.00 to go in and we were there …. Ummm fifteen minutes, max. It was my invitation, too. Perhaps the very best part was the walk to the expo; it was brisk and of good length. There is not enough walking in my life and I’ll be darned if I can figure out, beyond pure laziness why I don’t do more of it. It is not like walking requires special equipment or some sort of preparation.

Ah well onward and forward, the cats call and wish to be amused.

Bad Timing ...

2008-03-23T12:13:00.002-06:00

Consider my timing bad … on several levels. Today I had promised myself to “do something” about a number, of what I thought would be recipes, that had somehow slipped from a drawer into the cupboard under the drawer. OK, the somehow is easily explained in that I am … well, I am a recipe cutter-outer. When I read the daily paper if I see what I think might be an interesting recipe I cut it out, thinking I will make that “some day”. Sometimes I save a whole page or two of the paper, again, thinking someday … In all honesty, the ship has probably sailed on that one for at least a couple of reasons related to, I suppose, “bad timing” on my part.

The fact is, I have NO TIME to cook as at this point in my life I am working longer hours than ever before because I have a full time and a part time job. The full time job does not pay all that well, the part time job supports my filthy addiction to working in aviation. Secondly, most of the people I know are now at an age where “smaller” is better and simplest is best. Most of the people I know, who I might cook for or invite over for a meal, (another point, I’m not much of an “inviter”, either), are watching what they eat, digestive tracks, heck the alimentary tracks are fussy, pernickety and prone to inflicting sleepless nights and cranky days if not treated with the utmost of delicacy!

Although that IS my reality, denial is a strong force to deal with. At this time, I report to you, my recipe drawer, the one with the cut out articles and cards gleaned from various sources is neat! As a demonstration of my willingness to accept some truths, I DID toss a number of potions - I knew I wouldn’t attempt these even at the best of times, like the “South-west Black Bean Casserole” … not going to happen … period.

The other little point, well no, it is a HUGE point and deserves a separate blog entry, is the fact that I was supposed to clean one drawer/cupboard/closet per week according to my New Years Resolutions. Truthfully I’ve cleaned um … 11 of such things so according to my timing we are only around mid-March. Actually I’m quite stunned that I’m so close the actual date, as really, I’ve written on my “To Do” list “clean drawer” every day for ages and really only had 3 occasions when it happened. You see, I get ahead of the game because rarely do I just clean one drawer; one drawer leads to another and another in my world. The disadvantage to 3 sessions and 11 spaces is simple … I let myself get distracted from what I am supposed to be doing. Oh well, can’t win them all but it would be nice to at least get a chance at bat!

Thingys To Remember?

2008-03-22T11:35:00.002-06:00

This past Good Friday I had the opportunity to have "my-sister-the-artist" over for chilli and tea. It was really kind of neat. I cannot count the times I've broken bread with her and her family and reciprocation is decidedly unequal ... but who's counting. There were a couple of neat things about this visit.

A few years ago I received, from my mother's estate, such as it was, a number of mismatched and incomplete items of china, including tea cups and saucers. The trove sat in boxes for a long, long time as there is yet to be an instrument developed that could measure the level of my indifference to fine china and silverware sorts of things, especially antique. Eventually guilt and the need to clean the garage forced me into opening and sorting the boxes and the contents truly were a trove; I've written in the past about this experience. One of the things I thought at the time of cleaning, cataloguing and placement in the curio cupboard was the idea that it would be soooo cool to have my “big-sister-the-artist” over for tea using the cups. Yah, great idea, as many are, time and tasks intervened until Good Friday.

It was truly cool to have tea with her out of mom’s cups and as well, just because I’m who I am, we had salad along with the chilli in garish orange plastic bowls. Yep, that’s just how things happen around here.

Seemless

2008-03-19T18:38:00.005-06:00

There is no doubt that I am far, far more creative in the morning than at night. It seems by the end of the work day I am at MY end, too. In fact, as I write this there is a shadow of guilt in that I am not attending my usual WIA meeting - a first for me in that I have set all other things to the side to insure that I put in an appearance there. Not so this evening. Tomorrow I promised a potluck dish and no time to make it except tonight. As well I need to square away the house of papers and so on, period!

One of the things that I have wondered about in the morning is the nature of "time"; my curiosity about time sort of runs in the background. At one point I wondered if time was discreet, by that I mean like the seconds ticking away. "Second" was a real thing with beginning and an ending. Lately I moved away from that mostly because I could not figure out what was between the discreet seconds. For my purposes I now consider time as having an analogue quality. Time is simply continuous and seamless.

The way I treat time is, I think, sort of interesting. When I awake in the morning I note the time and order my day. Never again to I look at the clock nor do I ever hurry. It is what it is. This has added a lot to my serenity. For instance, if I were to look at a clock and discrern that I was going to be late for work I might be tempted to rush to get there … to what end? Nope, I just keep doing what I have to do, one foot in front of the other and doing the things that I need to do in order to get there. It really is much more pleasant than the panic of driving fast or hurrying tasks. I DO drive fast but it is only because I like to drive fast.

Yep, I sort of like the idea of seamless and unhurried. There is really not much a person can do about time. Perhaps we humans are the only creatures that are preoccupied with it, other creatures responding more to the urgency of tasks rather than time.

Its Been A Long, Long Time

2008-03-15T15:38:00.007-06:00

There are a number of possible explanations for my absence ....perhaps this....

or this.....

or even this ....

The truth is much less entertaining. Basically a case of lots of ideas milling around and not much time to make any notes in my hand written journal, never mind arguing with a snarly computer which finally had a massive hard drive failure a couple of weeks ago.

The job still entertains me enormously, I still like planes and bits and pieces of planes but I've not flown as PIC for a long time. My medical is not current as there was much competition for the dollars involved in getting a PFT so it went by the boards. There is a sort of promise to myself to rectify that situation and I DO notice that my attention to my health in genral has declined since I no longer have to adhere to aviaiton medical standards. The furry girls in my home still have much of my attention and it is a constant game to try to outwit them when it comes time to have nails trimmed.

At the moment I suspect I am writing for myself which is OK although admittedly the reason I started blogging was because a friend had a blog and the only way I was allowed to make comments (at the time) was to be a blogger. Funny thing, all that changed.

Anywhoo... I'd like to devote more time to writing so that a mind like this:

becomes like this .....

Work 'n' Gym

2007-11-23T18:25:00.001-07:00

Wow, this one day at a time and then having all the days gang up on ya at once is amazing. It seems like I’ve been home forever and Hawaii is but a dim memory. The guys at work did not miss me at all ….. they just ignored the fact that I was away and left stuff on my desk, unless of course it was paper I needed for a paper trail and that … well that seemed to separate itself from “product”. At this point, after about a week, I think I am caught up. There are several “little” projects on the go, one of which is to reintegrate some parts that were rejected from stock because of legitimacy issues. There just wasn’t time to hunt down the pedigree of certain items and “stuff” for planes MUST have some kind of pedigree or traceability. When I say some … well it is more than “some” and the other day I teased about the project insuring employment for some time to come.

I really, really wanted to write about the “ever shrinking towel syndrome”. As any regular reader would know, I get my lazy self out of bed three times per week at 5:00AM and trundle off to a downtown gym. You know you’ve been away from the gym too long when you can’t find the equipment. It’s true, in the renos, stuff has been moved around but I was having some success keeping track of it for the most part. Further evidence that I’ve been away …. When I first started there the towel size of choice was …. ummm …. rather larger than a hand towel but certainly not a bath towel. Well, wonders of wonders a few months after I joined they introduce towels that one could actually wrapped around one’s body should one wish to practice some modesty in the traps to the shower from the locker area. Of late I’ve noticed that these towels are covering less and less. To my mind there are a number of possible explanations:
• Slowly smaller towels are being introduced as an economic measure
• Towels are actually shrinking
• Towel material is the same quantity but needs to relax – i.e. like jeans after they’ve been in the dryer … the weave gets all tight
OR ….

Horror of horrors ….
• There is more of me now than at an earlier time!?!

Z’over For Now/Wrap It Up

2007-11-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

It’s really true – How quickly time flies when you’re having fun. This evening I fly to Vancouver and tomorrow home. The temperature will be a bit of a shock but no surprise.

Some of the more ironic things this trip include find Mrs Renfro’s Salsa at a Safeway far from the usual tourist stroll. Now Mrs. Renfro’s green salsa is a treat indeed and usually I plead with my “niece-the-Librarian” to bring home a bottle or two in her luggage when she returns home for a visit from Texas. The truly ironic part of all this is the fact that I will be unable to bring it home when me as I am carrying only hand luggage and you know what TSA and CATSA have to say about gels or liquids … or a lot of other things for that matter. Sigh … too bad.

My camera has a few shots that I would have liked to have shared but I forgot my cable and have no card reader along with me so alas no joy in that department. Once home … ah yes, home …. how the heck is that going to work anyway? At the moment my cats are keeping the company of what I presume to be, a young female F/O for CMA temporarily displaced from her lovely apartment in Kitsalano

Fortunately for me I have a friend who is out of town for a bit and I'm sure I can bunk in her extra room and the place will be happier for it but .... we've not been able to establish a time line and I'm sure, while the cats are really, really cute, if they aren't yours they can be a chore. All this no doubt will sort itself out.

Work? Have they missed me? Are they doing just fine? Has my desk been pillage of all that is useful in spite of my please to "don't steal my 'stuff'" on paper cover the tops of both right and left drawers. Thursday this do shall be revealled, just like the soothsayer on Johnny Carson - who was that? Karmac?

More to come....

Bundle Up ...

2007-11-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is arrival …. It will look quite different for me in a few days and I’m kind of glad that, as a rule, I leave at night when HNL seems like just another airport as the plane plunges into the darkness with nose pointed north.

Wow, can’t believe it is almost time to jump on the plane and go home for a bit. It has been a busy, busy time of late. I am the proud owner of a new Garmin Nuvi 350 (yes I have another Garmin but it’s for aviation and not much use on the ground – at least not for me!). I am truly “Gadget Girl”. Of course I am wanting to try it out but this is Hawaii … just how lost can you get on an island this size. However, I am impressed that I was able to quickly zero in on Verbano’s one of my favorite Italian restaurants here on the Island.

Church today and there is no pleasing me. Initially I was cranky because the speaker was difficult to understand … then I was cranky because I could understand him perfectly well and was largely unimpressed with his message. Very, very traditional, fire and brimstone, God’s gonna getcha kind of guy – not exactly the kind of message that leaves one filled with joy/awe/wonder/sense of promise, etc, etc. nuff said beyond the irony that I wasn’t satisfied either way.

Stay tuned …. maybe this writing will be a habit …

Not So ....

2007-11-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

We have managed two trips to “The Point”, one clearly under duress as we left it for the afternoon. The upside to an afternoon time is that the equipment is much more available, the downside is that it is really, really tough to drag one’s butt over there in the heat of the day when there are soooo many other things that distract.

Each time I visit Hawaii I am reminded that I need to not only adjust my watch for four time zones but also my expectations that chores/tasks/events will be accomplished in anything resembling main land time. Figure on four times as long for anything and rejoice if it is less. Even this entry for the blog … I started it and then decided I wanted a snack so had some lanai time with crackers.

We walked past the “not-so-spooky-centre” Asia-Pacifac Center For Security Studies – funny thing, when I described it as such the last time I was here I got a note from one of the folk responsible for, I suppose, image, noting it was not spooky and in fact had provided training for Canucks and all …. we all know how “unspooky” Canucks are!

Later today, if the stars align themselves I might take in the Sony Expo happening at one of the local hotels just to view the gadgets and gizmos, I mean, I must preserve my nom de plum of “Gadget Girl”. On the other hand …. There is a new Safeway opening up on Kapahulu!

Rain

2007-11-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

Rain

For most of the day the cloud has hugged the face of the mountain range, filling the valley, like a veil. This morning the rain was torrential, the day, mostly grey but warm. Into the evening the wind, I presume Trades, picked up providing a bit of a chill to the air. There is a promise of rain for later this evening but at the same time, pieces of pale blue sky peek through in patches here and there.

My most “favouritist” breakfast is no more at Mariposa! No more strawberry waffles with maple syrup and whipped cream – preceded by what they call “popovers” (really Yorkshire pudding) and clear chicken bullion. I don’t make the rules, I just gobble the goodies. The only breakfast meal being offered on the menu was Eggs Benedict – not one of my favourites at the best of times but for sure I wasn’t going to pay $14.00 for a hamburger or $23.00 for an open faced steak sandwich. There were many fish based dishes on the menu but I was ever mindful that we were having fish for supper and I didn’t want to ruin that. The fish for supper is a secrete family recipe and I wanted to enjoy its sole succulence!

The day has wound down, dishes done, Sunday paper read and it is just about time for me to continue reading: “Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures”. My bones are most grateful for the munificent warmth of these climes.

Warm Winds Blowin'

2007-11-03T13:07:00.000-06:00

Well there is no longer any excuse for not writing. Of late I’ve had ample opportunity to rest so I’m “up and atter” so to speak.

There has been so much and yet at the same time, so little happen since my last entry and promise of performance. Who knew that being a “Parts Princess” or “Materials Maven” (when I play the age card), would be so demanding. (Did I mention we survived a T-C audit?) Well it was either that or doing the other job part time. In any case it has been a few months of one foot in front of the other, no time, no desire to write or to give permanency to any particular thought. Admittedly, my vast array of fans has not registered so much as a whimper as to my where about.

My time on the Board of the Calgary Flying Club is drawing to a close and probably I am one term over what I should be. The last term has seen some changes and to my ancient way of looking at things from fleet to frivolity. Those with more enthusiasm are welcome to the privilege of service.

My time on my local Condo Board is also drawing to an end and NOT SOON ENOUGH! We’ve managed to have ….ummm… maybe one official meeting, what with all of us having busy schedules and to be honest, a lack of interest. In fact none of us really wanted to serve and it shows.

Cats are fat and happy. Well, one of them is fatter than the other as Precious waits for Spook to abandon her “breaky” in mid-chomp and then Precious dives in to lick the platter clean. Sometimes I will pick up Spook’s plate to insure she get more than just a lick. She, Spook that is, seems to think she is some kind of aristocracy and must nibble daintily at the gravy of the gruel with a break before full fledged attack mode. Precious experiences no such delusions of grandeur, throwing herself full bore into the tinned food.

Funny, funny thing is happening at home at the moment. Someone else is staying on the old frontier while I enjoy some heat and humidity. The gal cat sitting in between flying assignments is unknown to me except through association. I’m away, she needed a place to stay and there ya go! It will be nice to make her acquaintance although her willingness to entertain kitties during what little time she has off speaks volumes of her character.

Well folks, that’s it for the first installment from the land of Aloha and pernicious decay.

...Paving Work In Progress .....

2007-08-20T06:44:00.000-06:00

…and the sign post ahead reads: “Good Intentions” ….

One cat got a nail trim, sort of sacrificed herself you might say by sounding the alarm so that the other cat could make good her escape. It is always more convienient to take the two cats at the same time, expensive but definitely less stressful. Saturday a swooped spook and it was abundantly clear that Precious was not going to partake so off we went, one at a time, meanwhile the carrier for the other sits and waits, empty, in the living room with treats thrown in from time to time. Said treats disappear on a regular basis so perhaps Ms. P will come to believe the carrier is not so bad after all?

Sunday I had my big sister and “fixer-of-all-things”, brother-in-law over for dinner as well as another friend to square things up. It was really a lot of fun and even I liked what I had cooked – usually not the case. It is probably the last time I will see the sister for a bit as she treks down south to assist “my-niece-the-librarian” with fractured ankle and soon to be “my-niece-the-librarian-with-the-post-surgical-ankle”.

Today I roused my lazy body out of bed at 5:00AM to go exercise but got caught up with some post dinner things like putting stuff away, post laundry stuff, putting stuff away, a little writing and thus … every intention of …. and of course we all know that “the road to Hell is paved with good intensions”. The benefit of all this is of course, an opportunity to blog a bit, organized and have some self-determined flexibility. Since I took the job at the AMO flexible time has been none existent and I have to say I resent that. No lunches, no dashing out to pick something up, no flexibility. Perhaps I am unable to make the adjustment to a more regimented style of work although I have to say, I love the job, I love the planes and most of the people are terrific. As an individual experienced in career development, employee relations, work stress, blah, blah, blah, let me tell you, the adage that people quit or change jobs not so much because of the work but because of work relationships, is TRUE. Everything can be pretty idyllic but if one perceives there are difficult people job change is more likely to occur.

Well, I dallied long enough, I think I can salvage some good of not going to exercise, perhaps a stiff walk around the block or maybe getting to work early to legitimize the time off I will be requesting around noon hour to work part-time at that which pays ….

2007-08-18T11:37:00.000-06:00

It has been a busy summer with the “teachers from Singapore” and the “niece-the-librarian” having come and gone.

This morning I discussed with Spook, briefly, the possibility that she might like to get a nail trim at the Vet’s today and her response was to bite me. Perhaps it was the fact that I interrupted her nap on her favorite chair – which just happens to be MY chair, perhaps it was the subject matter. In any case, one cat is asleep in the computer room with me (the one that needs shots, too), the other sleeping elsewhere.

We continue to be very busy at work and on Thursday we learned that there will be an “audit” performed in October. Audits are extremely anxiety provoking as people are paid to find errors, I mean seriously that’s what the exercise is about. If errors are not found than clearly the audit or auditors have failed to perform.

“The Boss of bosses” – sounds like “the Mob” doesn’t it? Anyway, the “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer” and I were having a philosophical discussion one day about where “Parts” fit into the grand scheme of things. He compared “Parts” to that of being a Goalie for a Hockey team. Really, really important but not like the guys that get to skate up and down …. not really “part” of the team but part of the team. This description is truly appropriate in terms of the Audit. The other guys will probably fair quite well and it will be the Goalie that gets everyone into trouble with ultimately, a failed defense.

Onto my “niece-the-librarian” … she manage to fracture her ankle badly while vacationing with us. A nasty break referred to as a “Bimalleolar Fracture”, meaning both sides of the ankle are involved. The pissoff part of all this for me is the fact that the US health care system, HMO/PPO etc reared its ugly head in her mind at least, prevent effective and prompt care for the fracture. In fact, we sent her home on the plane with an ankle on a slab with fracture blisters. The story is thus … when the ankle was fractured a trip to the hospital ensued. For the purveyor of said fracture it was abundantly unclear whether or not the health provided would “provide” or go to great lengths to avoid providing. Having just watched “Sicko” by Michael Moore there was probably more trepidation than usual. Surgery was recommended but not carried out – who knows whether that would have prevented the blisters which surely complicate care once developed. Anywhoo, the point I am trying to make in my round about way is that a Canadian, from ANY Province, would have been assured health care once having arrived at hospital. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is sometimes difficult to get into specialists but I’ve noticed of late that there has been a reasonable response to health crises for both me and some friends and acquaintances. This is not to say there has been no wait, in fact, I need a tad of oral surgery and the Dentist was talking October with regard to an appointment with the specialist … turns out it will be late September.

Well such is life and I’m sure the outcome will be satisfactory – at least we were sending her back to a large city with excellent facilities and presumably THAT will make her HMO happy.

What it will look like “fixed”

For other cool pictures….

Ripped Off ...

2007-07-24T18:39:00.000-06:00

You're To Kill a Mockingbird!

by Harper Lee

Perceived as a revolutionary and groundbreaking person, you have
changed the minds of many people. While questioning the authority around you, you've
also taken a significant amount of flack. But you've had the admirable guts to
persevere. There's a weird guy in the neighborhood using dubious means to protect you,
but you're pretty sure it's worth it in the end. In the end, it remains unclear to you
whether finches and mockingbirds get along in real life.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

2007-07-09T22:12:00.000-06:00

Stampeding … the flying club had their breakfast and I am always impressed when this visitor arrives. The folks at Sunwest Aviation drop by and it is eye candy for some of us. My big sister and I went to the grounds on Sunday and I think I managed to out eat her … maybe not but I know when I went to the gym I had a higher number showing on the scale than previously … yeah …. Water retention, that’s it, it was water retention and had nothing to do with the candy floss, beef sundae or other indulgences.

We spent quite a bit of time at the Stock Dog trials, and no, the dogs were not being taken to court but WERE being timed with respect to their ability and the ability of their handler, to pen sheep. Sheep, like kids to day, (she says sanguinely) were openly defiant at times and refused to be directed. Actually I had never seen this level of foot stomping demonstrated by sheep and I suspect they were well aware that the dogs would be disqualified for nipping or gripping them, although there sure deserved it at times. It was all quite absorbing and fun. The barns had tons of horses, mostly the “gentle giants” like Belgium Percherons and Clydesdales.

The rest of my week will be taken up by the CBAA and with luck I will have some pretty sexy pictures of some gorgeous planes. The Dassault VII IS coming and that is pretty darned exciting. This year I am managing Ground Transportation and I have a “mike” and three Vans under my observation (certainly NOT control) and I’ve got the buses to worry about, although the details for their functioning has been set by the time the convention commenced. It is all good and a learning experience – stuff useful for preparing the CWIA Conference in 2009 … and I keep asking people to help …. yep, nothing shy about me in the “asking” department.

Movin', Movin', Movin'

2007-07-04T21:09:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time Springbank Airport was pastoral, quiet and you could do a "forced approach" just about anywhere around the place. Times, they are a changing and I'm finding myself wishing for the "good old days". In fact I am thinking that I am becoming quite resistant to change and there have been several with respect to my flying or formal flying activities not the least of which are/were the Katanas - which I yet to fly.

I digress ... YBW is becoming a busy, busy place. Oftern we wait for flag folk to usher us here there. There is dust, noise, the roads are terrible - this is a good thing? Ultimately progress will be good it is just tough getting use to it.

Half A MInd

2007-07-02T20:46:00.000-06:00

Nice long weekend, but where did it go??? Had a delightful supper with my big sister the artist, my brother inlaw fixer of all things and the "chillins" fresh in from Singapore. Wx here is too good to be true and certainly too good to be working through. Speaking of which ... here it is, the end of the weekend, I'm looking forward to work yet my personal To-Do list is already behind. How does this happen?

As soon as I figure that out I will let you know. Better yet, ask the cats, they seem to know everything or at least they think they do

Capsule Comment

2007-07-01T18:11:00.000-06:00

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. Take this blog entry for example. It has been weeks since I wrote in my blog, not because I didn't want to but because I had no time and it seemed that the preparation to write was overwhelming as I wanted to share some pictures from the Conference.

Yes, I am probably the only person that would do close up of sea gulls but seriously, as a prairie person I don't have much of an opportunity to see real sea gulls and this guy/gal was very, very nervy so deserved to have a photo on the internet. The Conference was facinating from the lights at night

to the floats of all varieties, including the kayaking crew in the early dawn

to the "I'm either gonna kill something or hit this ball" golf game

There were tons of other pictures and people and I was so impressed I came away wanting to re-create the thing in good old cow town.

This is my way of indicating I could sure use some help pulling this off. We have a dedicated cadre of folk on the committee but there are a whole lot more people needed. Lets do CWIA 2009 in YYC .... yeeeessss!

New Day Dawning

2007-06-06T18:27:00.000-06:00

When away I don’t really sleep all that well, usually awakening a number of times to try to beat my pillows into submission or substance, depending on how turgid. A number of times I awoke to try to discern the hour and I could not believe that time was passing so slowly. True, there is an hour difference between here and where I live but ….

Knowing that the exercise room did not open until 6:30AM kept me in bed until 6:45AM although I was awake much earlier. Found the exercise area, pretty nice actually, although NOT on the Mezz. as indicated by the information brochure. As I toiled away for my require time the cross trainer to the right of me had a number of visitors, the last one being an older fellow who absolutely thrashed the machine. A few times I glanced over at him with the indication to keep it down as he was interfering with my Zen-like focus on my own task. At no time did he take the hint, continuing to bash away. It was most tempting to reach over and jack up the level of effort he had programmed into the thing to slow him down. “Hey buddy, no one is interested in how quickly you can swing those arms back when we all know you’ve dialed in “one” on the effort level!”.

Up to the room to shower, put the coffee on first so it will be ready on exit. It is amazing how much mess one little bottle of soap/shampoo can make in my Eagle Creek shower kit. Oh well, I’ll wash it when I get home and heck, it is already pre-soaked. Showers are always a challenge; today’s no different … which tap really is hot? How can I dial in something less than pummeling my body? Why is there water pooling around my ankles …yes, all these things. On the other hand, I CAN shower and for that I am grateful.

Imagine my excitement when I discovered I can see the sea-plane base from my room. I can’t see them takeoff but I can see them moored. If I could figure out how to get my “off the ark computer” in sync with some kind of internet connection I would show a few pics. from my room, which has a lovely view of the harbour – hence the name “Harbour View”, perhaps?

Well, more later …. maybe …Suppose to golf today …. It is raining, not pouring but raining and one is never sure how committed golfer types are since I’m not one …. I may find myself golf in this rain and regretting remembering sun tan lotion and forgetting insect repellant!

Here I are

2007-06-06T18:19:00.000-06:00

Here I am in Victoria, coming to attend a conference that has been two years in the making. The shuttle waits at the airport for, what I am sure, is the last scheduled flight to land for the day. It is a small airport, two baggage carousels which have no chute, just a carrousel where baggage disappears, to reappear a few moments later, all lateral movement.

Underway, I am struck by two things:
1. The island is ROCK, quite a contrast to the glacial till to which I am accustomed.
2. The vegetation is thick along the roadway as if it would like to choke the very life out of the asphalt.

Though I note that the vegetation is thick, occasionally there are trees and shrubs that seemingly in defiance, appear quite dead, twisted, knurled, in opposition to the vibrancy around them.

We speed along the highway, it seems like the airport is 20 or 30 kilometers from the city itself and I try to recall my last visit here many years ago. Some buildings seem familiar others, not so. Occasionally I glimpse the ocean and it is quite striking and breath taking, like Quodlibet says, there is something special about the sea. For sure some how we are all connected to it and reminded thus when we see it, however briefly.

On arrival, finally, at my hotel, I am grateful. Folks around are wearing jackets and it is cool – I’m cautious to say cold as I’ve come from a place where it snowed only last week. The hotel is modest, the desk clerk assures me my room is quiet, away from the elevators and removed from “party animals”. She indicates it is just up a few stairs to the elevator – WOW! NOT a hotel for the handicapped as there are ½ dozen good sized stairs and of course my suitcase has increased in weight since it was packed last night! The thing about conferences is that you have to pack a gazillion things, more shoes than what I would like and certainly dresses and such fit for the “gala” and banquet. Rats! Even the golf requires wardrobe in addition to that which I would ordinarily bring. Left to my own devices …. pair of shorts, jeans, tee, sweater jacket, running shoes …done.

Time for me to “hit the pit”, as I am unsure as to the commencement of events.

Sunday, Sunday

2007-05-27T19:30:00.000-06:00

Washed the car yesterday so of course it is raining this evening. However, it does beat the snow of last week!

...and to think "Coffee" was complaining about rain!

Not much to write about as I prepare for the week ahead of taking this:

And turning it into this:

Just An Ordinary Day

2007-05-26T15:48:00.000-06:00

Both pussy cats went in for a nail trim today; always traumatic for them and thence for me, but only because they make it so. Neither of them volunteer to leap into the carrier saying me first, me first! Spook I trapped by turning on the TV and sitting in the petting chair and she jumped up to lie on the towel to be petted. Once she became aware that it was a trap the nails came out and there was much howling and carrying on, remember, the operative words here are “nail trim” so she had quite a good grasp of my shirt. She doesn’t claw flesh, she just hangs on to that in which she can embed her nails.

Precious of course was tipped off by the goings on and headed for the hills, or in this case, the deep recesses of the basement. My strategy worked in that I hustled Spook out to the car to serenade my neighbours and have them again think of me as an animal abuser and then tempted Precious with treats. The treats were the attraction but not quite enough to get her upstairs. While not going into details I will share that indeed she too was trapped, stashed and trimmed.

All is now forgiven as I went out for a couple of hours and having just returned both cats are in the computer room, each doing her “socks and underwear” like a couple of bookends.

With working throughout the week and supplementing my meager income with my “real” job whenever I can, there is not a lot of time for chores. Yeah, no doubt everyone is saying “boo hoo”; this is how real people live all the time. It is now Saturday afternoon and I’ve no idea where the time has gone although I do know I did a lot of chores and running around.

Now, nap time. If ya can’t soar with the eagles or run with the wolves, you can always nap with the cats!

WHAT THE CATS WOULD LIKE TO DO TO THE VET CLINIC - IF THEY COULD STAND THE CAR RIDE!!!

It's Nine PM ... Do You Know Where Your Children Are???

2007-05-21T21:23:00.000-06:00

Came whistling around the corner from downstairs and glanced towards the bay window where the stuffed cats stand guard oriented towards the outside. Another cat was standing guard oriented inside – she too is “stuffed” with premium cat food!

Working on “The Secret” …. Really? I “attract” all this??? Hhhhmmmm

This & That and … A Controlling Nature?

2007-05-19T15:04:00.000-06:00

Well, “The Big Whoopty” is a done deal, some parts were executed beautifully, some parts made my teeth itch. Isn’t that the case with all things though? It was good to see some of our young people who have accomplished much since they left the Club. Will the Instructors who decided to dismantle the center piece so that they could use the pebbles to chuck at each other enjoy the same level of success?

Those things which we could control – the decorating, arranging the venue, etc, etc were well executed under the leadership of the committee head. He was recognized and rightfully so. Then there was the whole middle thing and the failure to execute the items which had been requested, such as having those who were to receive awards prepare themselves so the interminable journey from the back of the hall could be avoided. We discussed where the pictures might best be taken and for sure it WAS NOT the stage on which the presentations were made, as this of course resulted in more delay as poses had to be struck. There were some speakers too … either NOT on the schedule or addressing the gathering with little appreciation of their assignment.

BUT and insert a giant BUT, the food was great, loved the music, enjoyed preparing for it and the presenter was awesome. If all of that worked why aren’t I happy? More and more I find myself estranged from the Club, its staff, and the values that seem to be promulgated now more so than in the past. Perhaps I’m just tired and testy but at the moment I am less inclined to invest the blood, sweat and tears that were once considered as payment relative to how much flying had given me. Perhaps the debt is paid in full?

Kicking and Screaming ....

2007-05-12T20:46:00.000-06:00

An interesting day to say the least. Most of my day was spent in a seminar for pilots who have not flown as PIC for a bit. The seminar is often referred to as a “Rust Remover” or “Rusty Wings”. While I could recall some of the material, other pieces of information were not so familiar.

After the class the rest of the day at the Club was spent at a Board meeting where I helped the Club spend a gazzion dollars and the Club helped me move in to the 21st century – kicking and screaming but still moving forward. We are going to purchase a couple of Katana’s for our training fleet. At one point I recall remarking, rather passionately, “Hell would freeze over before I flew one of those”. Yes well … guess I’m eating some crow – not unusual for me as I DO have the good graces to accept sound arguments. Frankly, my heart belongs to Cessna but practically the Diamond products, manufactured in Canada, are waaaaayyyy cheaper to run. Ugly little buggers, though. Oh well, I suppose it is about time I moved from the 20th to the 21st.

Where Else .... ?

2007-05-10T18:22:00.000-06:00

There was a little debate as I started to write this entry … should I call it “Finally, At Last…” meaning, I’ve been so busy and caught up with stuff it has been difficult to find time to make a blog entry. Or, should I call it “Where Else? … as in where else could I work where I could cast my eye on a Widgeon, an LJ and a Gull Wing Stinson all in one day, never mind, one week!

Ahhhh the siren call of aviation! I’ve been given the opportunity to work in the field and fortunately for me, I am still able to maintain a bit of my old business – which means I lot to me I have and do enjoy it. For the fancy-schmancy types, I could be considered the “Material Management” end of the industry. However as a pithy friend of mine termed it, I’m sure in an effort to insure that I not develop too much of a swelled head – I now work with bits and pieces of planes.

Much of my time is spent trying to find bits and pieces at a reasonable price. Reasonable price and aviation in the same sentence … yeah, right! Today I touched on a bit of log book work as anything repaired on a plane has to be duly noted and so on. My education promises to be well rounded and so far I’m finding it positively fascinating and enjoyable. In the past, I’ve told people that my “ideal” job would be looking out a window at planes flying and stationary. In fact, all I have to do is look up from my desk and my eye falls on an array. When the hangar doors are open I have a perfect view of RW 25-07 at YBW. Next door is a helicopter company.

The girls are less than impressed with my frequent absence and I am less then impressed with getting up at 5:00AM to get a workout in. All of this will sort itself out but it sure keeps me hopping. I’ve not practiced piano in two weeks … actually since I started work, and I miss that.

Stay tuned for more adventures. Yesterday my work computer died – probably from having its hard drive stuffed with the inventory – which I might add, I finally completed.

...and Quodlibet .... Brad says come by and have a coffee!

What Pie

2007-05-06T18:07:00.000-06:00

Because I am at a bit of a stalemate blog-wise I decided to do the "hobby" thing, a la coffee. This is what I found:

You're an intellectual and you know how you use your mind, so you'd rather not take breaks from it. You can always think out a situation and know what needs to be done. The only thing that frustrates you is not being valued.

Our Potentially Ridiculous Hobby Suggestion For You:
memorizing pi
Ever since we discovered that pi goes on forever and doesn't make any sense, people have tried to memorize it. See how many digits you can make it to! Quick hint: After 100, nobody ever wants to listen to you.

Your scores:

24.3

23.66

22.92

22.3

19.41

Is this a sad comment or what?!?

The World …

2007-05-06T10:46:00.000-06:00

Today I am thinking, “the world is a kind and benign place”. Why would I be thinking that? Simple, I found my “sog” and A South African gets to fly the Otter, that’s why. I’m not quite ready to go into a long discourse on what’s going on for me just yet, I promise, soon, but suffice to say, finding my sog after looking for it for a week is very pleasing. Now, if I could only find my “Air National Guard” insulated lunch bag the world would be my oyster with irritants only having the potential of creating pearls!

That’s The Way the World Goes

2007-04-29T21:48:00.000-06:00

While I miss the green of the Island, I am much reminded of the words of Sir Walter Scott when he wrote in “The Lay of the Last Minstrel”

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
“This is my own, my native land!”
Whose heart hat ne’er within him burned,
As home his footsteps he hath turned,
From wandering on a foreign strand!.....

There is more … of course, it is one loooonnnnngggg poem, but you get the picture.

We started the trek home by having “Uncle Milty’s” firm let us know that we would be leaving an hour later than scheduled. No big deal except that meant that getting through customs and on to the connecting flight would be unlikely and you all know how I feel about the YVR airport – in case you’ve forgotten, the ONLY good thing about the place is the fact that one is usually going somewhere else.

Predictably we missed the flight by a mere 10 minutes. In the grand scheme of things it wasn’t much as we were booked on the next plane out. HOWEVER, how does it come about that the 767 that we spend five hours on had ordinary seats and the one that was used for the shortest leg had wonderful lie-flat dealies with all kinds of adjustments. It really didn’t seem fair, I mean seriously there was only a digit different between the two models of Boeing (and probably a hundred years! …. OK an exaggeration BUT …). One plane was a 767-200 and the other a 767-300 of some version or other

May will see some interesting changes in my life as I’ve the opportunity to become more involved in aviation in a very practical way. More about this as things become more clear and defined. Stay tuned … oh and by the way? Anyone on the market for a couple of tickets to “The Big Whoopty” I have a couple at the bargain price … and yes Captain Tara, I have yours and will see if I can enlist CanaGal’s assistance in getting it to you.

Stay tuned to this space for further announcements!

Up and Attem

2007-04-26T21:21:00.000-06:00

We are packing, putting stuff away, covering furniture, all those things that indicated that we are leaving. It has been good, weather, so-so but not snow so can’t complain. Today I managed to screw up my back and I’m not happy about that. Hey man, I’m here for the heavy lifting! In fact, I think I strained the muscles leaning over the computer and disconnecting my camera stuff.

We went to The Point where we exercise, on Wednesday for the last time,

followed quickly by a cappuccino at the Sundry place – now does that make sense? It did to us!

Last evening we were invited by a local friend to hear a duet performing in one of the hotels. The music was terrific and decidedly Hawaiian although they did throw in “Canadian Sunset” for the likes of us haoles!

Guess Who Is Coming To Breakfast

2007-04-23T12:56:00.000-06:00

One would think that awakening in Hawaii would be to the pleasant cooing of the morning dove:

...more often than not it is the irritating beep-beep-beep of a sanitation truck who is in the process of reversing. You have to wonder why, on a street that is basically very straight, why these behemoths would need to shift to reverse – the gear that activates the beep-beep-beep. No matter, waking up and knowing there will be no snow is reward enough.

As a special treat the other day we had this little bird come and stand on the lanai rail:

The Great Cookie Caper

2007-04-20T21:24:00.000-06:00

Well, I wanted to write yesterday about “the great cookie caper” but the job wasn’t finished until today.

Having obtained suitable nourishment at JJ’s – chicken potpie is devine, off we went to try to secure specially hand made doggie biscuits. The shop, Hawaiian Doggie Bakery and Gift Shop use to be located at a very popular shopping centre, Victoria Ward Like a lot of retail space, the rent probably went up and the shop left for the less touristy and more difficult environs of, not quite suburbia, but for sure, not the city centre. Along for the trip was one of my local buddies (NEVER, NEVER refer to the people who live here as “natives” as in “Are you native to this island?” Always use “local” as in “Are you a local?”). You would think with local help this should be a snap but, no joy in sunville until I stopped at a Vet hospital – as in critters, not former armed services personnel, near where I “thought” the place might be. They gave me specific directions and I was able to track down the ever elusive peanut butter mutt bar! Well, that isn’t really the name of it but I think that that is very cool. As I said the work wasn’t complete until today as they are only open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and wouldn’t you know it, even today, we were too early as their day doesn’t start until 11:00AM and ends at 5:00PM.

Other events of the day included a rather mundane trip to CostCo for some pineapple that was already chopped up, a visit to “Wally-mart” with the Wally-mart queen for some staples and some serious reading of Guadalcanal by Richard B. Frank …. yes, that REALLY is the author’s name. A small tome of only 766 pages including notes … probably take me longer to read it than it took the US Marines to take it!

As an aside, I DID get a comment from a local about the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies (APC) – see blog comments for blog entry titled “Wednesday April 18th 2007 . It was kind of funny in a way as she apologized to me, for my seeing it as “spooky” and went on to say it was an active centre of learning and had NOTHING to do with the CIA …. too, too funny in away as I have just finished watching “The Good Shepherd” just before I came down – excellent movie by the way … yes of course APC has “nothing” to do with the CIA … of course not …. yes ….

2007-04-18T22:39:00.000-06:00

Today we moseyed around on some concrete and then over to the Hale Koa The Hale Koa is interesting in that it was constructed with funds and is dedicated to the men and women of the American Armed Forces. If you have ever read a novel where a Vietenam Vet left the front for R & R, in all likelihood they spent their time at the Hale Koa. It has a huge banyon tree in the lower court yard and an excellent restaurant … yummmmm salmon!
The path home goes right past the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies I always think this place is sort of spooky and I wonder if the CIA is lurking behind every palm busily taking photos – so I took one of my own.

Usually I’m not much of a flower picture taker, much preferring aircraft. However, today, one of the trees was so spectacular in it flowering it deserved a special moment.

Fun With “The Girls”

2007-04-17T21:18:00.000-06:00

It seems I cannot stray too far from aviation. Yes indeedy the opportunity for a pot luck with some of the local WAI ladies. What a blast, catching up on what everyone is doing and finding that some folk are in their dream jobs and others are just embarking on the trail. The level of energy, intelligence, commitment and courage never fails to impress me at these gatherings as I observe people coming to terms with the challenges life affords.

Cindy was so gracious offering her home for the potluck and the other members, so welcoming to a couple of Canucks who wandered in among them. This group of ladies has always been most hospitable. Whether or not it is the Aloha spirit or just simply their nature matters not, it is simply there.
Today’s adventure included a delightful stop at a French style bakery on Waialae Street, JJ’s Bistro http://members.tripod.com/Inprany/jj/index.html The products were absolutely beautiful in their presentation, almost too good to eat – mind THAT would not stop me. Imagine, the aroma of good coffee, not bitter like Starbuck’s, but warm smelling coffee and a beautifully prepared rum-walnut tort . Yummmmm I’m recommending

I'm Here ...

2007-04-16T18:14:00.000-06:00

So … is there anything more intimidating than LAX at night when you have to travel from one terminal to another? My travel connections, this time, courtesy of aeroplan, were not the most convenient. Try YYC, YVR, LAX and finally HNL. My layover in LAX was something like 12 hours BUT encompassed the 12 hours from 10:00PM to 8:00AM the next day. The gate agent in YYC was not enthused about checking me through to HNL because the flight was the next day and in fact refused to get me a boarding pass. Fortunately for me the gal looking after the Maple Leaf lounge in YVR was much more disposed to the “service” part of service agent and she went to the effort of getting me the Boarding pass which turned out to be a vital cog in the wheel.

There is something terribly, terribly intimidating to getting off a plane in a busy airport at night, knowing full well that you will be staying at the airport. As soon as I de-planed I looked for an information board that might tell me where my next gate would be. No luck, so I approached a gal who seemed to be directing people somewhere but believe it or not, she had no idea as to where United Airlines (UA) practiced their sorcery of moving people from one place to another on the planet. She suggested that I call the 1-800 number – that seemed totally ridiculous to me, especially since I didn’t have US change in my pocket. As I was exiting the terminal I asked a security officer how I might get to a different terminal, knowing in the back of my mind that there must be a shuttle system. The security officer told me to take the escalator “down” and I followed directions and I found myself outside the terminal in a milling crowd of what seemed like hundreds of people who all knew where they were going, plus five lanes of traffic. - All very intimidating.

Next stop – police officer who told me to go to the median, stand under a blue sign and wait for a shuttle bus marked A. After a few minutes a large bus stopped, opened their doors and I hopped on. “Do you go to terminal 7?” “Yes”, in heavily accented English. Nestling down in the plastic seat with just my back pack I began to relax until I realized that I had been in a similar situation and the bus driver had given me similar assurance BUT had not bothered to inform me when the destination was reached, resulting in me making three full circuits until he realized that I seemed to have taken up permanent residence on his bus.

Leaning forward I asked: “Will you tell me when we are at the correct terminal?” … “Yes”. In a few minutes we arrived at the correct terminal, I jumped off the bus into the seething, roiling mass of humanity, only to find myself in a hoard of people seeking their luggage from various carousels. No ticket agent, no one identifiable as an authority of airline. I wandered a bit until it dawned on me that what I needed to do was get to the level where passengers passed through security to various gates – clearly I needed an “up” to match the “down” of terminal two.

The escalator led me to a bank of sever self-serve ticket machines, no agents. Finally I followed a ribboned corridor to a series of agents standing beside scales and yet, interestingly, there was no invitation to approach the various agents for assistance. Finally, in a very un-Canadian way I simply stepped up to a counter and said “Excuse me can you tell me what gate UA 081 will load from”.

Horror of horrors the flight didn’t leave until the next day (I knew that already). Not only was the agent unwilling to provide a gate because “it might change by tomorrow”, she strongly advised against going through Security as my Boarding Pass was for tomorrow – they would not let me through. Best I sit on the formed plastic bench at the departure ticket level near the doors.

Being a good littlie “do-bie” and Canadian I docilely sat down … for about five minutes, thinking “Man … all night here … this really sucks” ….. Up I get, to the Security line I go, they look at my Boarding Pass, note that I am “early” and I am whisked through in no time. An electric cart later, I find myself at the 70’s gate, thinking to myself if the plane leaves from the 60’s it will not be a big deal to slip down another chute. My flight was not listed until around 3:00AM but I have to say there was something much comforting being by big windows where I could watch a number of flights land and leave than sitting on a sleazy, formed plastic bench just off a busy, busy road. So my trip to HNL began …. 36 hours between sleeps, maybe longer but … I’m here!

Tonight I am off to a Pot Luck with some of the local Women in Aviation gals – should be a good time!

OCD or ... The Lone Re-arranger

2007-04-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

Today I thought I would share some of Spook’s peculiarities, of which she has several. Now this fierce jungle cat, this paragon of bathroom bravery – insists on visiting me when I am trying to take a nice, relaxing bubble bath, this cat of rescue cats is has OCD . Yes, you read correctly, OCD. Now ordinarily one might think that OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, one of the myriad of disorders listed in the DSM . Close, but no cigar as they say.

OCD in Spook’s case refers to the fact that consistently tampers with anything that is framed on the wall and within paw reach. She has Obsessive Cat Disturbance. It seems, poor thing, she cannot bear that things be “squared”. Many of the “other” OCD types try to square things. Spook spends her life, reaching up with her little paws to dislodge and disturb pictures and the like. Making this more annoying for me is that fact that there is a picture in my room that she can just, just get at and at night she seems to think it is particularly good sport to rattle this rather large framed picture around. Not so smart if the darned thing falls on top of her. Sometimes I try to think of things to throw in her direction when she is doing this but “thinking” and just waking up don’t belong in the same sentence for me. At least I have the sense NOT to heave anything of significant weight and thereby damage MY stuff and have Spook laughing all the way as she dives under the bed! Now I’m not sure if the fact that things are square disturbs or distresses her or whether she things there might be some kind of secret path out of the house under the framed object d’art but I DO know that she knows she is NOT suppose to be doing this stuff as she moves really quickly when I go to grab the camera. Even now, as I type this, I see her eyeing the frames with a wistful look.

Copy Kat

2007-04-03T16:54:00.000-06:00

Stolen From Coffee ... I googled the images of the following:

First Car:

Place I grew up and where I live now:

My name ... doesn't look like me at all! Who is this person?!?

Grandmother's name ... for shame, I've NOT A CLUE what her first name was!

Favorite Food:
Favorite Drink
Favorite Book:

Favorite Smell-Spring Rain:

Favorite Colour:

Time Flies ... (and I'm a Little Jealous 'cause I'm NOT!)

2007-04-03T16:21:00.000-06:00

Wow, I can’t believe that it has been so long since I last made a note in this blog. Since the pictures of the “girls” at the screen we have had winter at least three more times! My big sister is almost ready to return from Singapore and oh, yeah …. Pella the window people are STILL around.

Now remember, this process started, I think, back in October or November, with the need to book a date for the window replacement. By window I mean casing et al. The window and casement have been installed but there have been issue after issue. The most recent issue being, the inside trim. Did you know that the portion of the horizontal window ledge that sticks out into the interior of the room is called a window stool? Nah, me neither …. who knew a window even got tired and needed to sit down, anyway? At this point I know more about windows than what I need to given that I live in a condo because I DON’T DO REPAIRS! OK, the pine, which the installers originally installed has all been pulled and was suppose to be replaced by oak and it was SUPPOSE to take place in one day … nope, somehow the wall board/gyprock needed to be repaired and it will take TWO days …. They promise me that they will finish the next time they come BUT, the change means that I have to have the fellow doing the stain return as he will now be working with OAK & PINE as the inside frame of the window remains pine, only the head jamb and side jambs as well as the stool remain pine. The staining, I already know, will take two days of noxious odor. Sssshheee!

The cats hate being confined to my room while these guys are working and today I asked if I could leave them free the next time they came by. The team lead assured me that there would be no problem. The cats were released from kitty-jail and not two minutes later the team lead left the door wide open. Fortunately for me (and the cats) they were still sulking upstairs and missed their opportunity to escape. In fact, I was discussing the very fact that I have two kitties with them and proposed the following remedy:

Spring IS Sprung

2007-03-23T20:10:00.000-06:00

What we have here are signs of spring. Alberta being Alberta, spring can officially arrive, as it did, with a blizzard. However, this evening, around 6:15 I decided it was warm enough to leave the door open. There has not always been a child gate at the door and I can assure you that the gate is not there because there might be a child.
As the pictures reveal, the cats adore looking out and of course, Precious the more adventuresome, of course, is willing to push the limits.

Spook Approved

2007-03-21T13:51:00.000-06:00

While there may be some problems with the “craft” of the thing, clearly my efforts are “Spook Approved”. Now, Spook is NOT a cat noted for her social graces. Graceful, yes, in a feline sort of way, especially when making good her escape from any kind of social confrontation.

Without invitation or introduction Ms. Spook decided that she would not only jump up on the newly carpeted, what shall we call this? Window Table? Yes, that works, so without invitation, introduction, indoctrination or any of the other “in” words, Spook spent an entire session lolling about on the window table. What more approval is required than this? Of course Precious has no qualms about “new” stuff. This is a cat who sprawls in the midst of well traveled areas in the hope that she might be petted. You can certainly tell the difference between the animal with the history of abuse and the much loved critter. Possibly, the same holds true for humans.

It's Official ...

2007-03-18T15:33:00.000-06:00

The project:

OK, its official, even with the excellent help of Precious (see picture one), I am not a crafty person at all and I’m happy the project, is, in the main, covered up by the love seat. Where is my big sister when I need her?!? …. Oh yeah, right, visiting the nephew and niece in Singapore.

For a number of months I had put this project off, I think, because I wanted to do a good job and even when I started today, with all my tools, carpet cutter, hammer, tacks, ruler, tape, etc, I STILL wanted to do a good job. Unfortunately in no time at all the “good job” became “good enough for government work” – if you get my drift. Eventually, I suspect it became more like “Crap, lets just get it done”. Really, I have no clue as to the basics of this sort of thing. Certainly I have suspicions, that is, I suspect the corners need to be dealt with differently than the action I took, I suspect too, there is a way of tacking stuff so you don’t see the tacks, but at THAT point I was just thinking I want it DONE.

Maybe, just maybe, that’s how come I WAITED until Sis was out of the country. She definitely is NOT a “good enough” kind o’ gal, she has done beautiful art work, including some crafty stuff like psanky. So maybe this is my way of dealing with less than mediocre work. There is an old saying about the “cobbler sticking to his last”, which kind of means that one should do what one has talent for. Just now I “ripped” a DVD and transferred it to my ipod for later enjoyment. Some people can’t do that sort of thing and that sort of thing is more or less my “last”. Funny thing though, I’m pretty good with Ikea stuff, so go figure … mind you, there is NO cutting or measuring with Ikea, just a giant jigsaw puzzle

Today I have actually done my “To Do” list except the shopping part and there is still time for that … oh yeah, and voice mail … have not done voice mail but I can do that later for tomorrow. It makes me deeply suspicious that my TO DO list was TOO Short!

That's Up

2007-03-17T19:59:00.000-06:00

What's up? That's up!
Today I mainly rested but I did take time to check the Shriner’s Centre where we are going to hold our big whoopty-do of an 80th celebration. You gotta check it out, it is georgeous! One of the members has headed up a committee to get this sucker of the ground and he has done a marvelous job getting it all together and motivating his committee.

Big Band sounds, prizes, silent auction, roast beef buffet … only $65.00 which I think is cheap given that at an earlier point I purchased a couple of tickets to a dinner theatre presentation in support of a local charity and THAT cost $80.00 each!

Hopefully some of our “alum” will come although lots of them now work as professional pilots
and don’t have a clue as to their schedules very far in advance. Anywhoo that’s what’s for me today, now I am going to relax!...more … again … yet… still….

Hairball?

2007-03-16T19:35:00.000-06:00

This cough is taking fooooorrrreeeevvveeer to pass on. The infective part is long gone and I am dealing with the residual asthma stuff that drives me crazy and does not impress those around me much, either. Every day it improves but it still interferes with what I would like to be doing. So far I’ve not made it back to the gym. Plasma people called to remind me that I donate next Tuesday but I’m wondering if I should, not so much because I think I still have something lurking, more because I sound so terrible. What to do, what to do. Maybe it is as the cartoon suggests and I should be taking lessons from the cats on how to cough up hairballs and be done with it!

Pella people came by this afternoon to see how best to rectify the situation of the crooked house and straight window frame. Personally I want to go with the easiest and most attractive fix and not recreate the whole dang job. Matt the painter is due next Thursday or Friday and once he sees what needs to be done hopefully the staining will be done the next week and then the blinds can go up. Tomorrow I am going to try my hand at covering, with a carpet, a sort of “table” that my brother in law “fixer-of-all-things” made me as a spacer for the love seat, keeping it away from the bay window and a cat repository. In fact the cats go on the thing without carpeting but I’m sure would be happier with it. It will be a challenge for me as I am about as “crafty” as … well I don’t know what, I don’t really have a crafty bone in my body.

Monday, I’ve promised myself, will see me back in the gym and back on program. It is so hard to eat properly, rest and exercise with this stuff – also I might add, I am not, repeat NOT the most motivated type when it comes to doing those things particularly since I now, since I’m working at home, dress down a lot. This means my weight is not as obvious as I am not tugging on panty hose much these days.

The cats have spent the entire day sleeping their little hoofies off and I’m not sure what has fatigued them so – unless of course they have some special “Cat Olympics” planned for the evening and early morning hours! On the other hand, come to think of it, the cleaning lady was in yesterday and no doubt the “dreadfuleavilnoisyscarysuckingmachine” terrorized them and they spent the day plotting its demise which of course is exhausting for the little furry beings. Yeah, that “sucking machine” is not to be trusted.

Hope to have a restful weekend.

Ol' Grey Mare ...

2007-03-15T20:16:00.000-06:00

Last evening I attended a Flying Club event where pictures and a few videos were shown of a Club convoy to the Artic Ocean. Quite a trip and many adventures were shared. Not a trip for the easily daunted and interestingly there was a real mix of aircraft from twin engine to single engine Piper Warrior. In view of the that topic perhaps a better picture might have been this old grey mare – at least that is what they call this old Mitchell TB-25J

In either case, it is my way of saying I just don’t have the stamina that I once had and I’m hittin’ the pit early. Whether it is the lingering lung issues or the late night, the result is the same …. zzzzzzzzzzz, snort, sniff, wheeze…

A Crooked Little....

2007-03-14T14:00:00.000-06:00

At this instant I would make a pretty darned good jet engine with all the whining I’m doing.
. Can’t find a disk that I put away KNOWING that I would need it in the near future. Also … Window is finished and from the ground up, looks terrific. From the kitchen, looking directly across (kitchen is a loft into the living room), there is ½ inch difference between one side and the other at the top of the casement what we have here is a bit of a crooked little house scenario* AND…. staining will not be completed until the temperature is around 20 degrees C. – that could mean summer for heaven’s sake. At one point I had suggested that the Venetians not be re-attached until the staining is done. Hhhhhmmm re-thinking that and the window is just too big and the street too busy to leave without a covering.

The nice Pella sales Rep. came over today on his lunch hour and looked at the situation and will re-involve the installer this Friday afternoon. Did I mention that the venetians don’t fit anymore? We had expected that they would be slightly smaller leaving a bit of a gap, with which I was fully able to accept. However NOW, they won’t fit into the casement area, quite a different story. No doubt they will come up with some solution, they’ve certainly been very capable to this point.

(*pretty interesting website, coloured the cat several different colours as a warning to mine!)

Exactly How ...

2007-03-13T09:03:00.000-06:00

Exactly how did I offend the Gods? We, meaning the cats and I, we are in the middle of a window replacement. Yesterday the temperature was a balmy 15 Centigrade, 59 degrees F, for the non-converted, today … snow. The pictures tell the story … snow covered ladder, large window not finished with manufacturer’s stickers affixed … a tree of two minds, heavy snow on one side, lighter on the other – neither one of my liking!

“Molly” the SMART car had a well deserved bath yesterday, weeks of mud, salt and crud left at the local hand wash place. She is now, at this minute, sitting on the street rather than in her garage because I am waiting for the Pella guys to come and park on the pad in front of the garage door. The Pella guys who were SO punctual yesterday, so eager to get on with it … it is now 9:00AM; they were here between 8:00 and 8:30 yesterday. The cats are imprisoned, much to their chagrin, in fact I heard some thumping against the door and I’m guessing that Precious would be the “thumper” with Spook more than willing to make good an escape should Precious be successful.

Not much to be done, it is what it is. This too shall pass and while present, offers an interesting learning opportunity.

Not Complaining BUT...

2007-03-12T16:26:00.000-06:00

Not complaining BUT … what is that evil smelling stuff that they extrude to fill the cracks around the window frame??? Yes indeed, the Pella folk were here on time and have been working rather steadily throughout the day. The removal of the old glass in one piece was a site to behold. Heavy work, dangerous, not very glamorous yet very necessary. Prior to their lunch break they reached the stage of extruding foam around the new glass and window frame. At first there didn’t seem to be much smell … I retract that sentiment. There is definitely a strong chemical odour and I’m sure, “this too shall pass”.

The girlz are upstairs in the master bedroom with a litter tray, water, crunchies and a pair of BAD ATTITUDES! Every time I’ve gone into the room – after all, is MY room they have tried to escape and fortunately for me, they’ve yet to learn cooperative warfare. Spook is pretty easy to shoo away as she is timid – except when biting and if it looks like I’m about to pick her up she will scoot under the bed to avoid my grasp. Precious, who, I believe, has never, ever been mishandled or abused, tends to be pushy and not easily dissuaded from her chosen course of action. Pssst! In a harsh voice only seems to interest her more rather than act as a sign of impending danger.

So I’m curious. What retaliation do you suppose they have planned for the dark hours of night as I lay snoozing and wheezing? What plots have they been hatching? Perhaps there will be an all night game of stair racing? Perhaps the infrequent game of tag where one or the other feels a compelling need to short cut across the bed with a step and a bounce, the step being on the bed, the bounce being on my body.

The only down side to all of this window business is the fact that the staining of the sash will have to wait until it is warmer out to insure that it “takes” properly. This means no window dressing until who knows when. It made no sense to me to have them put the Venetian blinds up only to have to have them removed for the staining activity. Well no doubt …. More to follow…..

You Will Be Amazed Before You Are Half Way Thru....

2007-03-11T12:21:00.000-06:00

I amaze even myself … here I am, knowingly, not well, and puttering at the most inane thing. Tomorrow the place will be crawling with workers (I hope!) installing a replacement for a 12’ window – that is casing, frame, glass, et al, followed by reinstallation of the blinds and staining to oak, the interior woodwork. Yes, must move furniture. At the moment, I am pushing paper. While thinking about this I’ve come to this conclusion….

Perhaps I am willing to do the thing that requires the LEAST amount of effort, something that has to be done, eventually …. so if I get tired I can just quit and go rest. I don’t do “sick” well. I resent it, hate slowing, hate the feeling of being tired for no good reason and hate not being able to get on with my life. I know I have limited chest capacity by just the sheer effort of hiking my body up the five flights of seven stairs to the upper filing/computer room. At this point, I husband my resources and have little piles of “in transit” stuff on the sides of the stairs, some going up, some going down. As I sit typing I think to myself, perhaps on my next trip up, I will pull the furniture away from the bay window and put the “stuff” away … then that will be done, Yes?

On the other hand … I could just walk up the three flights to the kitchen table and finish organizing receipts and what not from my final and may I say SUCCESSFUL completion of my 2006 taxes ahead of time – thus defusing my accountants “pissed-offed-ness” – which was at MAX capacity this year. The poor guy really doesn’t realize how much I loath numbers AND satisfying “the government”, forgetting for the moment, that like it or not I AM the government….. sigh I really am a miniature anarchist and have the theory that I can spend the money I am suppose to send them annually in SO MUCH better a fashion, bring ME so much more pleasure than what THEY ever do …. what’s a girl to do, eh?

Time to, as my parents would say, when I was a very little girl and I suspect they still saw me as sweet and innocent … “time to climb wooden hill” …. referring to the steep, hardwood staircase that led to the upper level of our home, where the bedrooms were located …

Sniff, Snozzle, Wheezzzz, Cough

2007-03-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Just a short entry today as I struggle with what I hope is a head cold and also, what I hope does not trigger my asthma. It amazes me that INSIDE of ones ears and the back of one’s eye balls can itch so severely. I’m told that coughing, sniffling and other oozing activities from the neck up are related to the body trying to rid itself of the virus. I wish it would hurry up about it!

Pella people (window installers) are coming on Monday and I MUST be ready for them – furniture away from the bay window, bric-a-brac, plants, etc. The job was arranged months ago so I’m not willing to say “No thanks another time perhaps”. Fortunately I have all of Sunday and I can work at my own pace. I’d like them in and OUT ASAP.

That’s it for now folks!

I'm Baaaa-aaa-cckkkk....

2007-03-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

The rumours of my having reached the “vanishing point” are somewhat exaggerated although, I must admit to having been buried in paper, bits of paper, pieces of paper, history, ink, adding and wishing that I really did have an accounting firm working for me called “Wee Cheatum and Howe” instead of the honest guy I DO have – what a pain, needing to prove every single little itsy-bitsy thingy. Unfortunately the following captures the act of FILING taxes quite well … yeah … you file them and THEN what??? We fall for it every time....sometimes the filing is the EASY part, not so easy, the paying ... (especially if one has a bit of, shall we say ...hhhmmm grasshopper tendencies!

On a more positive note, all the paper work has allowed me to monitor the cats at work. This picture shows the utter and complete exhaustion experienced by Spook after a vigorous round of “paper bag hiding”.

The activity itself. No wonder the better part of the day is spent napping!

Wandering Around Animal Time

2007-03-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

This seems to be the story of my life these days. On the other hand, I am absolutely grateful for the unfolding that I am experiencing although at times it gets a little tedious. Some days I think ....

Everyday just about, I haul my sorry butt to the exercise "club" (now I know why it is called a "club" - as in something to beat yourself over the head) and yet I sympathize with the two below:

Pouting

2007-02-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

OK, lets get something straight. Yes, this is my world and yes, snow is part of my world BUT … I don’t have to like it. In fact, considering it has been one week and one day I must say I am not adjusting to this business at all. True, I am grateful that at least I did not return home to minus thirty.

Let me say I am bless with lots of learning lately, the ordinary stuff that people do as situations arise and are resolved. My preferred method of intense denial does not always work. In some cases, it is OK, simply to gain time to figure out “what” to do about a situation but in NO circumstance is DENIAL SUFFICIENT for action. Eventually something has to be done about situations. It has occurred to me of late that my capacity to deny, deny, deny has bitten me in the “asterberry” more than once.

However, nice that I am a work in progress and that each day I am provided with many opportunities to learn and to do things differently. In fact I suspect at the end of the day there are even “left over” opportunities that can be used the next day! … I am THAT lucky.

Onward and forward – for sure, I know, the lesson will be presented to me until I learn it. It is, I suspect, part of that whole scenario of “When the student is ready the teacher will be there.

Ah yes, time for me to re-read The PROPHET, by Kahlil Gibran

2 Much

2007-02-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

www.stupidvideos.com/video/commercials/Cat_Herding

I've not figured out how to post videos but this particular one was just too funny to pass up. It reminds me of my week. I've only been home one day less than a week and there are scratch marks in the earth of me wanting to stop the world so I can get off. Yep, been one of those weeks where herding cats would have been easy.

2007-02-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

DEFINITLY not me, I have the sense to wear running shoes, etc

I lay debating the merits of pulling myself out of bed @ 5:00AM. I had seen 12:30, 3:00 and 4:00AM and was presently negotiating, telling myself I could go use my friend’s cross trainer, there was no need to go to the gym. Mentally, I slotted it in to occur right after lunch – when have I ever exercised after a meal? Never, nothing more than having a good brisk sit.

The benefit of an early rise was no traffic on the way down town and a good parking spot. At some point on the trip I realized that I had not taken my ipod and I was predicting that the TV would be super loud as it prime time.

The “cardio room” was almost at full attendance and I was only able to secure one of the trainers marked “If there are people waiting please restrict your time to twenty minutes”. Now, I’m thinking whoo-hoo, maybe I will have to give up this machine to the next person coming in the room. Throughout my session I watched in the mirror to insure there was at least one other cross trainer available. Now the truth of that statement is more like ….”through out the session I kept hoping tons of people, well OK, 3 or 4, would come into the room, thus forcing me to end my exercise session”. To my dismay people continually dismounted from equipment, no doubt to get on with their day of work. My session was the usual 30 minutes but today there were no bursts of speed and the ol’ heart rate was right up there with very little effort.

On my walk to the car I thought a piece of ash was headed towards me and I moved my head to avoid it. Ash? Ash? Highly unlikely! By the time I drove home there was a full scale snow squall occurring – good heavens, can’t even recognize snow, so I guess it is about time I re-introduced myself to my life!

Cats are very attentive, especially Spook which really surprises me – something tells me they have not seen my “To Do” list where “cat nail trim” is number one on the list.

I've No Idea ...

2007-02-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

I've no idea what this is about but I fugure I better keep up with "my-niece-the-librarian-and-acting-academic-coordinator" (Gad, I wish she would get a job with a shorter title!)

Your results:
You are Derrial Book (Shepherd)

Derrial Book (Shepherd)		80%
Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)		70%
Wash (Ship Pilot)		70%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)		70%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)		65%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic)		60%
Alliance		60%
Inara Serra (Companion)		55%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary)		35%
River (Stowaway)		35%
A Reaver (Cannibal)		10%

Even though you are holy
you have a mysterious past.

Click here to take the Serenity Firefly Personality Test

A Different Kind of Night Flight

2007-02-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

How does it come about that I am ALWAYS behind the family with four kids, or the couple who have incredibly complicated travel plans with many layovers and detours, or worse yet, about to step up to the counter and some guy emerges from my left or right with a fistful of tickets that are in mid-process unbeknownst to me? Fidgety, impatient, not wanting to leave yet wanting to rip myself away the same way one remove adhesive tape, finally my turn, I lay down the ticket, the passport and mumble “no checked” luggage. This lady has NO IDEA was a feat “no checked luggage” is. She prepares the passes, all of them, all the way through to YYC indicating that I will clear Customs in YVR. In my head I am thinking the ONLY good thing about Vancouver is the fact that I will be on my way elsewhere. “Security is right behind us but you should go to the right and you will find a short line call Gold … mumble mumble …” This is not doubt the umpteenth time she has said the same phrase today, it is 9:00PM and the tropical night is close with the smell of flowers, exhaust fumes from the open structure of the terminal building and a hint of decay as there always seems to be around lush vegetation.

Folk in front of me are arranging and re-arranging clothing, shoes off, into the bin, jackets, phones, change, sometimes a belt or watch are placed hurriedly into plastic containers as vigilant security folk peer at each of us as if …Several times over the PA the announcement has been that security is at level “orange”, heightened security. Don’t get me started on this … Idly I watch how individuals cope with the scrutiny, some folk obviously nervous, others annoyed, most tolerant. The “Gold” line moves much more swiftly than the longer, what shall we say, “Non-Gold” line. Folks in this line seem to have “been there done that”, there are no delays from instructions like “take the change out of your pockets”; “do you have a cell phone?”, “Sir, you have to remove your jacket”. No, these folks are seasoned and offer no resistance either consciously or otherwise to the system.

I shift tiredly in the plastic seat in the holding area, my back pack as a foot rest. The agent is working hard at trying to entice folk to pay and extra $54.00 for five extra inches of leg room. “Hurry, hurry, hurry” he chants, “these seats are going fast” – in fact the seats are not going fast at all. Finally a tallish, young lady takes him up on his offer, holds her arms straight up and she is applauded by the band of bored captives otherwise known as airline passengers.

The agent announces boarding, first the infirm, then anyone under two and elite, super elite, the annoying or whatever, I DO recognize that I am included in the early list. I start toward the chute and the agent that will actually take the Boarding pass tells me “Go around” as I start to shortcut. I take the long way around only to find that she has let everyone else through the shorter way. I’m steamed and when she takes my Boarding pass, I look her in the eye and say: “Why did you tell me to go around?” Totally and truly this is more for my benefit than hers as I know she has NO CLUE whatsoever who I am or what she told me less than two minutes ago. The only reason I say anything is because, if I don’t, I will feel victimized and it is a long, long night to stew.

Because I was held back, well … maybe because I was held back, my seat mate is seated, an older very portly oriental man. He eases himself out of his seat to allow me passage and of course I make up all kinds of problems I will be having – just because I’m in a snit, probably about leaving but who knows, maybe I’m just a snitty traveler! It seems to take a long time to get clearance to taxi to the runway and finally pull into the night. The plane lifts off as if there is a giant vacuum in the inky black of the sky pulling us upward. We pass downtown, Waikiki, turn at Diamond Head, pass over Kaneohe and then … an isolate light and we are wrapped as if in a camera box … or perhaps, we have truly been vacuumed up by the night sky ….. Tonight’s night flight did not include a 180 degree turn and a leisurely return to HNL while being entertained by the freeway lights and traffic. Tonight’s flight will be into daylight at SFO to continue the journey…

Only in Hawaii, You Say?!? ... Pity!

2007-02-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

As my time on the Island grows short I feel somewhat driven to attempt, by various means, to capture the spirit and meaning of my time here. OK “driven” is too strong a word as nothing, absolutely NOTHING ever seems to be driven by much urgency here, except perhaps the wailing sirens of the ambulances. It seems any time an ambulance is in motion, it is on urgent business as the sirens sounds even at 3:00AM when there is scant, if any traffic on the main drags.
Today is nearly as perfect a day as what one expects here, cloudless, except those kept at bay by the Koolau and Waianae ranges, calm breezes, really pleasant – unless of course you are trying to do any sort of manual labour in which case it would be miserable as the ambient humidity prevents sweat from evaporating to perform its cooling function. Anywhooo as I was walking to lunch, being Valentine’s day and all, my Valentine was treating ME, as I was walking to lunch I spied the neighbour’s koi ( a fancy name for “carp) and I was reminded of how unique Hawaii is in some respects. Now koi can be very, very valuable, depending on their markings and so on.. The neighbour has bought himself a child’s inflatable swimming pool, assembled a pump and stocked it with a number of quite pretty specimens. The larger of the koi are patterned while the fry resemble gold fish, REALLY resemble gold fish. Perhaps the patterning does not emerge until the fish mature. Maybe even, the patterns are something that the fish EARN if they escape being eaten by their pool mates? When I first arrived the pool bottom was clearly visible but that is not so now, as algae seems to be making serious inroads. I can’t help but wonder what a few months will bring … will the fish all have expired because of toxic, choking waters? Will the air-filled plastic/rubber sides of the pool be collapsed as a result of algae rot? Who knows!
Another unique feature of this place is the neighbourhood and beyond Thursday through Saturday swap. The county, it seems, has agreed that it is better for them to pick up large household items rather than have such things carted to the upcountry/back country and abandoned. A round-island trip reveals a number of abandoned autos, appliances and just junk, so the county’s decision is probably well founded. All manner of item can be seen on any given Friday afternoon and evening. The county, wanting to keep things somewhat tidy, admonish contributors to restrain themselves to Friday afternoon curbside deposit for Saturday morning removal. The more keen or ernest type start to haul stuff out Thursday … the less earnest seem to miss the point entirely and hual stuff curbside anytime, including Sunday – the Sunday deposit ensures maximum viewing and opportunity to disintegrate further as the week progresses.

As noted, discards can include televisions, lamps, stoves, refrigerators, couches, mattresses … anything. The “AS IS” really is “as is”. If you take away something it may work, may not, may electrocute you, may introduce a whole new variety of pests into your home. It is all an adventure. Certainly we have deposited a few things, like a storage bin whose bulk made it very unfriendly as a storage convenience; I think too, a lamp or two might have made it way to the reject pile. It is really kind of amusing, the “as is” thing in that I know back home, there was a huge “hue and cry” about the possibility of being held liable should something you sell at a garage sale cause harm to the purchaser – ironic given our southern neighbour’s propensity for legal action precipitated by injury, real or imagined!

The last thing I wish to note today, for those of you who have “stayed tune” is the bands around the trees. The aluminum rings about 8’ high are not to beautify. No, they are to prevent RATS from nesting in the tree tops and prevent them from climbing the trees to raid the nests of the birds who claim a home there. There is also some concern that rats would or might loosen the coconuts causing them to crash down randomly on the heads or cars of those in the vicinity of the palm. Every few years the county send out pruners to cut down the fruit and remove fronds that are nearing their shedding stage. These pruners are not to be mistaken for arbourists. They are rough men with kerchiefs tied around their neck, machetes, gloves and rubber boots. It is a dirty, hot job and should encourage any onlooker to stay in school at best, or at least, “don’t quit your day job”. I should add, I’ve never seen a rat here, never even evidence of its passing and perhaps the locals tell me these things just to alarm me, knowing that being of pale skin, a haole, I am easily intimidated by these and “other” things (not geckos though, I like geckos ‘cause they eat “other” things and are a sign of luck)!
So, now I am in serious count down stage and it is with pleasure that I watch the thermometer back home inch its way up from -30 wind-chill to a mere -14 degrees – it is still tough to compete with 28C … all of them above zero

Night Flight

2007-02-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

I shifted my weight a bit on the fender of the car, feeling the warmth from the engine creeping up my bare legs. The sky to the west was still showing the warmth of the day although night, dark night had taken over most of the sky. The lights of the taxi way looked like hovering fire flies caught in a net of dark to make them unmoving.

Swish, swish of the security guards bicycle as he pedaled himself around the parking area paying attention to the lounging stranger yet acting as if he didn’t care. Clearly, at less than five foot two I posed no danger to him – although one might note that many of the population around here seemed to be between that height and five foot six. In any case I deserved no more than a noting glace. How did I come to be here in so casual a lounge? Night flight? Who would have thought that I would jump in a plane and cruise over a metropolitan area with the only other choices being mountainous terrain or black ocean. Love of flying, I feel my chest tighten and my heart race a little as I thought of soaring aloft … but at night?

I was reminded of the short flight the other day, a quick course along the north-west edge of the Island, a generous gift from a flying friend. Funny, funny, at home I would NEVER, ever jump in a plane to go anywhere with only sandals and there I was, locked in a strange kind of soul freeing ecstasy. The offer came and spontaneously I thought it the best deal of day spent painting the compass rose. We soared and watched the evidence of a whale breach, the foamy testament to its presence below the surface. With an eye to the gliders, tow planes, ultra-lights and the more insistent drone of the big brother twin, laden with those who would leave a perfectly functioning aircraft, we came in on final with a lovely view of our recent handiwork to the left, marking the lines only visible through the urging of the whiskey compass.

We spoke briefly of the possibility of a night flight, the aviatrix saying it would only be brief, if it were to occur at all. Brief? Brief, says I, the quintessential family pup when it comes to airplane rides! My thinking being, even to sit in a plane with the engine running and the potential of flight, even that stirred my heart. “Call me, call me if we can make this happen.”, I asked.

The night had grown in its velvet closeness as idly I snapped a few night shots of the runway and a couple of aircraft landing, knowing full well that they would be the pits as my camera just wasn’t up to the task. Hugh, bulky thing that it was, gazillion pixels but not of them particularly efficient at night. I resumed my roost on the fender waiting and listening to the call of what I later learned were small birds that inhabit the airport grounds. To me, neither knowing bats nor rats, I was convinced it was one of the two, more so, bats as they seemed to communicate with each other here, then there, then somewhere else and sometimes more than one.

Headlight appeared at the parking entrance and soon the car was pulled in opposing mine. “I have to get out of my high heels and into my flying boots”, she said. “Oh and I have tee shirts, we’ll talk later”.

Expertly she performed the preflight for the little Musketeer, after calling out to her as we walked across the asphalt. It sounded like “How are you baby” – maybe I made that up, maybe that’s what I WOULD have said, always sensing that aircraft, at some level, have the soul of a gallant steed and certainly for me, seemed to know my fears and capitalize on them.

The single piston came to life with no prodding, the instruments were bathed in sight-saving crimson as various values, trends and measures were noted, permission to taxi was granted. The radio transmissions were all garbled to my ear but the pilot responded with confidence and decisiveness; from her end of the conversation I was able to discern the runway, hold shorts and other instructions.

As we crossed one runway to our take off position I noted the light of a “heavy” reaching out to us and I momentarily wondered if he would make the correct choice – “of course”, I’m thinking, anything to make this more dramatic. We are cleared, the small plane, anxious to join the dark sky lifts easily off the runway and we head over to the freeway, our assigned position for our outward bound leg.

Dark, dark gaping areas, large, large ones, which envelop the Island edge, I know are ocean; the smaller ones, Diamond Head Crater, Coco Head, Eva plains. The lights of the city are like precious stones thrown across a velvet cloth, the undulations, the result of the folds and crevices of the cloth. Downtown and Waikiki are remarkable in the attempt of their lights to reach up and out. We see a cruise ship headed out to see. Tonight those folks will retire fresh from Honolulu, tomorrow to experience a new island. It is dwarfed on the ocean but we know it is a large ship just in relation to the lights around it. We can maybe see some light on Molokai; we believe this in our minds and have no taste for flying across the water to confirm our guess.

My ears are attune to the engine; it misses no beat, the idea of carb ice, foreign to this little beauty. Still, in some corner of my heart I wonder what the options are. We radio to confirm our 180 to return to the airport and on our return I am struck by the slashes of continuous light, known as the H1, H2 and H3. The H2 somehow strikes me in its tidiness, perhaps because I was on that freeway just the other day, having had more luck than planning, getting on to it so that I could get to Dillingham. It is much less tidy and defined at ground level. I am strangely conscience of my book bag at my feet, hoping that it is secure and will not coil itself around the rudder pedals like some treacherous beast should the little plane buck, shiver or otherwise misbehave. This is a very odd preoccupation given the craft has not given us one moment of concern and the bag has not moved an inch since our takeoff. While I note this, I explain it to myself as anxiety as I am not a night flyer and have huge doubts about the naturalness of flying at night – all excuses for my failure to achieve the rating I suppose, but that is a whole other story ….

We begin our transition …..

Busy Bodies ...

2007-02-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today we painted the compass rose at Dillingham Airfield (PHDH). There was a bit of a breeze which played havoc with the fresh paint, grass clippings and fine gravel but all in all the effort was not wasted. The rose had not been painted for some twenty years so it was long over due. All morning we painted while the bird dog aircraft towed the gliders aloft, a few ultra lights joined the pattern and the twin took off to discharge their load of jumpers. After lunch one of the gals who owns a Beech Musketeer took me for a quick ride to Waimea Bay. We saw the results of a large whale breaching but it dove down and would not show itself when we flew over. Note on our approach and landing, the newly, almost completely painted compass rose.

My legs will be stiff from bending over and I’ve a bit of a burn but it was a lot of fun and I can say, with assurance, I’ve left my “mark” here!

... And the Winner Is ????

2007-02-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

Humph! .... since no one will venture a guess I tried to attach an enlarged photo. Well it seems the only way to make it bigger is to put a cursor on it and click it a few times. Anyway, maybe it is because I've gazed at it so often that it looks so easy to identify.

In any case the identifiers I was looking for were PHNL and PHJR. The latter, Kalaeloa Airport is no doubt less well known as it is used by commuters and GA. This is where most "touch and go" practice takes place, sometimes daunting as there are huge fuel reservoirs on one approach and sometimes flaring of, I presume, gas. There is always a cross wind around here and I can recall lamenting that fact to a professional pilot - I was reminded of the necessity of running the runways to take up the least amount of space.

To you Nanook, yes, definitely far, far away from you and the kind of weather that you folk are experiencing. What can I say? I'm a wimp when it comes to cold and opportunity to escape if fully exploited by me.

One Adventure After the Other

2007-02-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Nothing but adventure I tell you, first the helicopter lift then the haircut … or was it the other way around? In the pictures of the helicopter lift, in one, it is very difficult to see the thing at all as it is the same colour as the building. It is about one third of the way down. Frequently this method is used to install air conditioners, boilers (which are housed on the roofs of buildings) and so on.

Don’t tell the cats that I hardly thought of them at all yesterday. Being cats, I’m quite sure they ceased thinking of me sooner, being more concerned about chow and the like and waiting for their visitor.

The weather here is much the same as yesterday and I’m thinking beach at some point today although some time will be devoted to lying in of staples and creating a nice environment for the next few months. There were no takers on my airport quizzes and I’m not telling you the answers. This weekend I will take some pictures of the airport rose painting – must admit, this is a first in terms of “potluck” picnic!

... And Extra Points

2007-02-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

There are extra points involved if you are able to identify the airport and give the correct ICOA identifier and even more if you can identify the “other” one. For those of you with no clue as to what I am referring, scroll down a little and it is more than a hint.

The “girls” are no doubt thoroughly po’ed with me as I skulked out of the house under cover of darkness in the early morning – “they” thinking I am off to the routine of the gym and home soon to work etcetera. “Nice bonus”, they think, of the double order of canned food and the topped off dry stuff. “Yeah …. right… “, feelings of betrayal no doubt started creeping in within a few hours and now that it has been a couple of days – full scale anarchy!

After a day long meeting on Saturday, dinner with my big sister – who is on a “cleansing” thingy, so it was more like dinner with my B-I-L, “fixer-of-all-things-broken” accompanied by my sister looking on and being squeaky clean, I was able to make my escape.

Rumour has it that “Winterpeg” is living up to its name with temperatures in the realm of -49C! Gad, that is cold for anyone. This morning, here, at 7:30AM it was about 25C and it won’t get much warmer … well maybe 2 or 3 degrees but not like Texas in the summer, that’s for sure.

This weekend I think I will participate with the local group of women aviators and paint a compass rose at one of the airports. Sounds like fun and there will be a picnic to follow – a potluck picnic so we need to bring some stuff to share. Suntan lotion will be the order of the day and maybe some “wobbily pop” in the cooler – AFTER the compass rose of course.

Well, it is off to the “hairy” appointment as I have a “regular” here and I was unable to secure same before I left YYC.

Just Too Weird

2007-02-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

According to some “researcher” at the University of Calgary bloggers are lonely, socially inept folk with poor social skills. In the interest of improving the situation for bloggers, I offer this link, sent to me by my big sister. Honest, you have an instant friend and since there are several voices, dialects and languages, you can have several new friends.

To be honest, I found it just too, too weird! Enjoy!

An for CanaGal …. I was miffed that I had to actively seek not to be boring … as I said, “who knew”????

Who Knew

2007-01-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

Pirated from Coffee's Blog:

you are greenyellow
#ADFF2F

Your dominant hues are green and yellow. There's no doubt about the fact that you think with your head, but you don't want to be seen as boring and want people to know about your adventurous streak now and again.

Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Strike Up the "Band"

2007-01-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

There are Bands

.....

and there are bands

There are bands and then there are bands. The last couple of weeks I’ve been plagued by an IT band issue.The difficulty being that as the IT tightens, it pulls the knee cap out of its happy little groove thereby upsetting the cartelage and the whole thing is a pain in the …. knee. The physio has me in shape and the trainer has given me some stretches so I am back at the gym.

It is quite amazing how de-motivating an injury can be as evidenced by lack luster attendance and performance and already my jeans are tight around the middle. sssshhhheeee no rest for the wicked and the righteous don’t need it.

The cats continue to run the house as to their liking, both fat and sassy … well neither is fat but they are both sassy. They need a nail trim and that is almost on my “To Do” list although I must admit, finding myself another “hair cutter” is more of a priority. It is not easy to find someone to cut my hair the way I like it – more accurately, the way MY HAIR likes to be cut. When I find someone competent I usually stick with them. When I started with my latest person she swore she had no plans to marry or retire – the fate that seemed to befall my other shearers. Guess what? She is retiring and I’m looking very, very scruffy. Most cutters want to dispense with my side cow-lick and trim away my natural duck tail. Bad mistakes as I end up looking like I need a trim three days after the cut. I need someone who respects the naturalness of a little curl and a lot of individuality. Sigh … I’ll keep looking but I think my reputation is beginning to suffer both because I’m looking scruffy and because I am spending an in ordinate amount of time staring at other women and scrutinizing their coiffeurs!

Now, on to the weekend … may, I just may go see “The Last King of Scotland” with a friend of mine who happens to be a lady of colour.

Ideas ...

2007-01-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt in my mind that I have the best, the very best ideas and writing ideas in the morning, usually in the car as I am on my way to someplace. The situation is such that I cannot possibly jot my thoughts or puzzles down nor would I be able to tape them – at least not in sufficient detail to insure I would be interested in developing the themes later in the day.

My question to myself is, if I am a

Nighthawk

how does it come about that I am bereft of cogent thought from one PM onwards. Seriously my functioning is typified by the cartoon below.

So …. what gives, eh?

Quodlibet, I think I am going to take your advice and maybe not do the Sorties, but for sure pursue some activities that are more closely related to what I would like to do than the activities which tend to fill my time and occupy my psyche. Even reading would be better than what I am doing now.

Seriously, I’ve committed myself to the gym tomorrow morning so I had best, as they say, hit the pit. Since I have a 9:00 appointment, it means getting “up and attem” at about five AM to insure I will be available at the appointed hour.

And a message to close on .... in case you were confused!!

Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

2007-01-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

This week seems like a blur. In fact, I’m pretty sure the “speeding bullet” left the blur which was this week, in its wake. Missed the South African, which I regret but there will be other times no doubt. The gym did not see my running shoes at all this week.

Contrary to what my trainer tells me: “Exercise won’t hurt” … apparently it did and has. There seems to be a “bit” of a cartilage issue with m left knee – at least that is what the physiotherapist is saying. Funny injury in that it doesn’t hurt much at all until …. until I go down stairs. Upstairs is no cake walk but down is much more painful, maybe because as I step, the knee temporarily sort of hangs in midair. Anywhoo, it is a little better since the first physio treatment so I will see the physio once more and see if I can tolerate some exercise before I become as big as a house … OK, not that big but still ….

Got the big fifty pin from Canadian Blood Services and for the life of me, I have to say it sort of reminds me of Labatt’s beer “fifty” ale.

THAT could say more about my twisted mind than reality. The clinic also took my picture with the “movable feast of the framed certificate”, I call it a movable feast simply because you get your picture taken with it but then they take it away to use it again for someone else. Economically I can certainly appreciate the practice but it is sort of weird to grasp it temporarily as no doubt hundreds of other have. Probably it is no more weird than watching the technician/nurse return the last few mm of blood to my arm by milking the plasmaphoresis tubing on the last return.
Today I went to what is referred to as a “Rusty Wings” seminar, a way for pilots who fly infrequently to refresh knowledge. It is akin to “those who can’t do it … talk about it”, I suppose. It did remind me of how much I enjoy the idea of flight but also how much I doubt my skill as the time between flights increases, so lots of
mixed emotion there.

Darn, I’m pretty sure I was switched at birth and actually belong to a very wealthy family – at least I certainly have champagne tastes on less than a beer salary – there’s that beer thing again!

The “girls” are telling me: “Enough already, you were away all day and part of the evening, WE want some attention!”

ipods

2007-01-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

OK, let me be perfectly clear, I ought not to be doing this blog at THIS time simply because there are tons of other things that require my attention.

However, I must report that I have moved from Eye pod

to

True so true, I’ve managed to download my first movie … OK, so I cheated and the guy who transports aluminum was really a big, big help – such a help in fact HE sent me the movie already in the correct format and all I had to do was get the darned thing to download to my ipod – which I managed to do eventually and also, in all of my cleverness, managed to erase. So in fact, I’ve downloaded this movie twice and I am savoring the time I will watch it. Probably on some aluminum tube hurtling through space as I usually end up sitting behind some one with a frizzy “do” and can’t see the movie screen anyway. I’m hoping to amass a few movies for the interminable layovers in airports – once a person could actually “nip” out of the confines for a bit of an explore but with all the security, one could easily be held up in one the lines and miss a flight.

Never would I be caught thusly

My cats' impression of all this to-do about technology?

Odds

2007-01-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

Well darn if it isn’t cold again! Drove out to the Flying Club in flurries, road not too bad, came back in flurries with a slippery road and past an accident or two. Nothing major, more annoying than anything but it does remind me of how much I dislike this weather. Ahhhh soon to have a break as I abandon ship and cat children and run away to warm climes – not a moment too soon either as I've become a cranky old broad of late.
Tuesday I will make my 50th plasma donation. That in a nutshell tells everyone just how “interesting” my life is. If you’ve ever gone through the process of blood or blood product donations, you know you cannot possibly have a life and still qualify as a donor.

Still struggling with staying the course and staying organized as my priority list gets re-adjusted by reality on a regular basis. It seems I have all kinds of ideas and not much energy/time/organization to carry them out – at least not at the moment. The trip will provide me with an opportunity to connect with some special folk and I will come back energized, I’m sure.

My PALM is now back in a “syncable” state. It was a real pain in the butt not being able to back up my material and as the days passed I was growing more and more uncomfortable. All is well now so I have a

Who's The Cutest Cat??? I AM and Reading The Paper, Too

2007-01-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

The radio was filled with "people are back to routine ... " yadda, yadda, yadda as the school kids are now back at it. Personally "I thought" that last week was a return to the usual as my 7:00AM trek to the Club took place in a sea of red tail lights. Today traffic WAS heavier and I suppose really this week does mark the return to the usual. That being the case ... I'm having a heck of a time applying myself. This, that, the other, all distract me, hence this brief note, with the hope that I can get it out of my system.

All last week, since I was arriving early to exercise I was able to use metered parking just outside the building. Today I took the “Lert” (LRT) which means I have a bit of a walk, especially on the way back. During my walk I came across not one pair of empty shoes, but two. Empty shoes, just empty. On the sidewalk, near the curb but appearing to have been recently stepped out of as if … Well, of course, with my imagination I was conjuring up all sorts of scenarios and decided, just for the heck of it and to annoy my more evangelical type friends, to ascribe the empty shoes and entirely due to the inhabitants as having experienced the Rapture. Of course my tongue is firmly in my cheek (although some might say my head was up my … never mind “they” would never say THAT!).

What else to report? The tree is down although the storage bins are in my office as I would like to vacuum the room where the bins are kept. Over for another year. Some very cool stuff and blessings received. Today on the LRT I too, became one of those folk with “ear buds” and unfocused as I created my own little world as dictated by my music. However, I am most anxious to get on with some videos if only the transporter of aluminum would get back into town to hold a tutorial or two!

Precious sends regards although she was interrupted in here daily routine to do so. She is a paper reader and firmly takes over the paper when and sometimes before I relinquish it. Of course when she has herself on it, it speeds along the whole process of “relinquishment” – gives it a whole new meaning, closer to “usurping” than relinquish!

OK, to work … or something ….

Star Wars ... Yeah

2007-01-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ripped off from"my neice the librarian" .... nice to know that the next closest character to which I might compare myself is a computer ... yeah ... right ...
Your results:
You are Yoda

Yoda		74%
R2-D2		72%
Obi-Wan Kenobi		69%
Qui-Gon Jinn		68%
Luke Skywalker		65%
Boba Fett		65%
Chewbacca		63%
Lando Calrissian		61%
Princess Leia		60%
Padme		60%

Wise and all knowing you are…yes.
Tall, dark, and handsome?
Not so much I'd say.

(This list displays the top 10 results out of a possible 21 characters)

Click here to take the "Which Star Wars character am I?" quiz...

Drink Your Water or Use a Sippy-Cup

2007-01-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Today’s edition was going to be called “Gym Etiquette For Old Broads”, it will now be called “Drink Your Water/Use a Sippy-Cup”. The change in title is the result of dumping a glass of water on my desk. That is the thing about “To Do” lists, things that I have written down get bumped by things that are not predicted and urgent. Of course we all know that water is not the best thing for electronic equipment so I needed to be especially careful to insure no water dripped down the soaked cables into the USB slots. Everything seems to be working, not too badly and I do have one side of my desk clear of dust and paper. However there are a number of pieces of paper lying on the carpet drying.

Liquid and I have had other “unfortunate” events, hence the “sippy-cup” recommendation. Once, while minding our table for Women in Aviation at an Aviation Days event, I managed to spill water on some of our stuff and was teased unmercifully for a bit. For the next event, I decided to have one of those coffee things with the sip port that can be open and closed. For sure, I was having a gay old time and thinking myself very clever until I discovered everytime I took a sip a little of the coffee I was drinking leaked out onto the top of my white shirt. Gad, I can’t win! … anyway …

Interesting time in the Gym today … there is definitely some kind of etiquette working and it is all very subtle. Some observations:
• At my tender old age, “we” do not speak to each other while in the state of undress … younger folk can
• One does not loiter near the two, tiny changing closets, even if your stuff is near there, you sort of move it
• People definitely look different at various stages of repair – to the point that I didn’t even recognize my trainer today as her usually wavy hair was poker-straight
• Control of the remote for the television is not as straight forward as I thought.

Initially I assumed who ever had the remote when you went into the room where the TV is located has the prerogative to choose both the programs and the volume. Yesterday and today the remote was abandoned on the piece of equipment with which I chose to exercise. Hhhmmm what to do, what to do?
The reasonable thing was to leave it on the station on which it was set with the prerogative of knocking down the volume a little. Today, after each person left the cardio room I turned down the volume a little more and a little more until there was just another lady and me in the room. She was reading and at no point did she give me the hairy eyeball as I gradually reduced the sound.

An especially nice event occurred in that as one fellow left, he walked through the treadmill area where the TV was blaring to NO ONE and he turned it down. As he turned to face me I mouthed “Thank you” and gave him a thumbs up. He commented something about it being “too loud”, YES INDEEDY! For today he is my
HERO

Guid Day!

2007-01-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! Did my very favorite thing last night …. Into bed early and hardly noticed the arrival of 2007, if I don’t count the thump-thump-thump from my neighbour’s place and he lives ACROSS the parking area so we do not share a common wall. More the pity to his direct neighbours.

Usually or frequently or maybe it is “I use to …” have elaborate preparation for the arrival of Hogmanay as my Scottish ancestors would refer to the New Year. There would be much cleaning of the home, laundry, settling of accounts and special invitations to specific folk to perform the duties of “First Footing” to ensure a prosperous year. Lately, the last few years anyway, I’ve not practiced any of the exercises from my youth and WHAT??? … the world has continued to turn.

Today I spent some time writing in my journal and noticing that I really get caught up in doing was HAS to be done and not doing it very well – that is, procrastinating, half-way, distractedly. The end result, quite simply is, my resistance to the “have to” gets in the way of the “want to”. In my mind, I suspect it works like this: I would really, really like to be out having fun, flying, coffee with people, yadda, yadda, yadda. I know that I can’t do those things until after the “way is earned” so to speak. I get into “earning my way” sideways and really do not perform as I can/should/might resulting in NEVER being ahead enough to do the things of “want to” origin. So, if I change anything this year, it will be to follow through and CONSISTENTLY do the best job I can at whatever it is in which I am engaged. If I really, really want to go flying, I know what I have to do – work for it! Not rocket science, just being a grownup and sometimes I just don’t want to be a grown up!

On a cheerier not and I hope responsible one, off to my big sister’s place for supper. My niece-the-Librarian only has a couple of days left before she returns to Houston and her life there. While we did not have a lot of time together and today, no murderous Trivial Pursuit games, I am always the richer for her visits.

As an aside, it seems that I have not been able to completely abandon a history of duty around New Years as here I sit, with my list, laundry and bills being at the top of them. Tomorrow is back to basics, with a plasma donation and exercise in the morning, just like usual; new calendars to hand, too!

Exercising

2006-12-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Things I liked about exercising:
- I LOVE my ipod
- I enjoy the quiet when few people are there
- The shower after a hard workout is a joy to behold – my shower at home may be “prettier” but there is no show quite so enjoyable as one after a strenuous workout
- I enjoy fresh towels – which actually cover me, unlike the ones they had originally, no doubt designed for the severely anorexic or exhibitionist
- I enjoy putting lotion on my calves, firm to the touch – lotion being a practice which I skipped until I found myself scratching, itching, flaking and leaving claw marks that my kitties would envy
- In particular I enjoy the svelt feeling that I have, at least for awhile, even though it is faux and disappears when I see myself in a full length mirror

When I walked in to the exercise club today it seemed like I was the only one interested in exercising. The quiet of the change room was very pleasant. When I walked to the cardio area, the usual blare of two televisions within ten foot of each other was missing-pleasantly so. There was only one other fellow in the cardio room, on a bike; he seemed intent on his workout and basically ignored me. Later I discovered he was listening to his ipod. We toiled away in our own separate worlds to be joined by another fellow who seemed to know Mr. bike. The new guy was quite intent on locating the remote to “flip the TV on”. He did not ask he simply turned it on and LOUD, too. In response I cranked up my own ipod and I presume Mr. ipod did as well, as it was then, as he fiddled with the dial, that I became aware that he was using one. Mr. ipod/bike wrapped up in a few minutes leaving “I-must-have-TV” (IMHTV) and me slogging away. He too completed his routine before I finished, blithely sprayed his cross-trainer and sauntered away with the TV going full tilt. I called out to him saying: “Excuse me, would you mind turning the TV off?” and he was most accommodating regarding this request and seemed somewhat surprised.

Now tell me …. “he” walks in to a room, the TV is OFF, two people are working away without the TV, “he” turns it on …. why oh why would he not at least turn the DAMN thing off when he was finished? What kind of

is he?

That gentle-folk, is the only thing I did not like about exercising today.

Mid Thoughts

2006-12-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you need evidence that the Christmas season is about miracles then consider the following events – beyond the major one, celebration of the virgin birth of Jesus.
-Christmas eve: there I stand, peeling leaves from Brussel sprouts until more than a small mound is evidenced and the heads are pristine in their beauty
-Christmas Day, with tons of stuff yet remaining to be done before the family dinner, there I sit, in Church and had I known that it would be THE ONLY quiet respite of the day I would have relished it more
-Boxing Day: Me, I, am in a shopping mall … IN, I say! To all the clerks with whom I had contact I, freely explained I intended to buy nothing, but I had a parking spot, so there!

We are about 1/2way through the Holiday Season and I am most grateful for all that is. My niece-the-librarian arrived safely from Houston and of course I did the “dance of joy” at “Greeting Station D”. She is now off in Edmonton visiting with other friends of which she does not have a shortage. For Christmas, among many other things (mmmm…. hot sauce …. mmmmm …. salsa – the real stuff from TX) she gave me a book with a tin cover. It is quite striking in appearance and I wondered how best to preserve this item, not hidden away but serving a purpose for which it might be intended. My big-sister-the-artist declined to fill every page with pencil sketches and then return it to me and my niece admonished me in that the gift was not suppose to result in work for mom. Big sister suggested it might be used as some kind of guest book. While not pooh-poohing the idea outright I was more bemused than convinced. Now, the break in between Christmas and New Years has always been somewhat of an “Advent” time for me, just as the period before Christmas. However this Advent is more personal as I try to get the keel squared away for easy or at least more straight sailing in the year to come.

“YES” I thought, that is EXACTLY what I will use that little book for. In the new year I will try (yeah Yoda says there is no such thing as “try”), to be more accessible and more willing to include folk in the new year – this and a number of other sorts of personal enhancements usually forgotten by the end of the first week and certainly by the end of the first year.

It is snowing out at the moment, reminding us that it really is winter AND the days will grow longer to the point that there is visible dusk even past 11:00PM. Yes, Percy Bysshe Shelly was right .... “If winter comes can spring be far behind”.

2006-12-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

It is official; I’ve actually managed to avoid ironing ANYTHING for more than a year. This fact is confirmed by the presence of my Christmas napkins hanging on a hanger, more than on the wrinkled side. Wow, how time moves along.

Since my home is also my office I was not inclined to decorate until the last of my clients had been seen. In fact, I thought I might not bother putting up the tree at all until I saw the look on my niece-the-Liberian’s face when her mother, my big sister, tried that trial balloon during my birthday lunch. Speaking of my birthday, my family bought me an ipod, 80G (go big or go home) and I am absolutely THRILLED. Secretly I had been lusting after same for a number of months, more so since I started exercising regularly and became subject to the noise of the TV while in the cardio room. Yes, the exercise club is going to go with earphone counsels on the new cardio equipment but that isn’t until MAY and I may be a basket case, a deaf one I might add, before that happens.

Now I can report my first “freeze” (I unfroze it myself) and I’ve got tons of pictures on it and around sixty songs and I’ve not even STARTED on MY stuff, just free stuff that they had at itunes. Videos, apparently, are a different kettle of fish and I’m hoping another friend, a guy who transports aluminum will help me come to terms with the mysteries of downloading video stuff. Already I’ve come across a book that I would like to download and may do that in the New Year.

The tree is up without the help of the cats as they were traumatized early in the process by my knocking over a cat candle holder, followed rapidly by the grill of the gas fire place. Run for your lives, run for you lives, worse than the killer vacuum. Every cat for itself – no rescue attempts were directed my way. They scattered and have since returned to doze in their favourite places. Like any home with youngsters, the breakable stuff is at the top; the lower layers devoted to unbreakable wooden or stuffed ornaments.

Tomorrow I “do” the dinner. My big sister has done a yeoman’s job of this for many, many years and I am pleased to step up to the plate. Every time I have a meal at her and my brother-in-law-fixer-of-all-things home I marvel at their ability to pull these things together with what seems little effort and it is always delicious.

To all who read my writing: MERRY CHRISTMAS, may there be peace and joy for you and yours.

Zoo Lights

2006-12-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

Had the opportunity to attend "Zoo Lights" compliments of the son of a friend of mine. It was a family event, two little ones - always more fun to travel with little ones and they walk slower than most of my friends thus compensating for cold air and asthma. We were well fortified by "tube steaks" and cocoa prior to hitting the trail. Many pictures were taken and I'm including a few. Just to prove it was the zoo, note the picture of the camel!