Month: June 2010

Friday, and I’m leavin’ on a . . .

. . . motorcycle.

Yup, the hubby and me are heading out on the highway.  Taking off for the weekend on the bike.  I can hardly wait to go.

I haven’t been able to post lately as my ‘regular’ computer was having major problems.  There’s a ghost in the machine — and I mean that literally.  Every time I hit the reset button I’d hear this teeny, tiny woman’s voice, but I could never make out what she was saying.  I called my son, who’s great at fixing computers, and told him.  He said, “That’s creepy, Mom.”

I thought so, too.  So, while we’re hittin’ the open road, he’ll be hittin’ my hard drive.  He’s such a good son.

As a result of my computer problems I haven’t been able to download or upload any pictures, which makes me quite sad, because I actually had some nice shots to share.  Next week.  I’ll bombard the site with ’em.

I am hap, hap, happy to be finished work early.  We’ve had a busy week with field trips, parties and cleaning up the classroom for the end of the year.  The kids have been pretty well-behaved, but they’re bored and their need to be constantly entertained is extremely draining.  The next time I’ll see them is next Wednesday when they come to collect their report cards.  It will be hard to say good-bye to some of them — they’re leaving for the high school next year.  Some of these kids I’ve worked with for the past seven years.  It’s amazing to see how far some have come, and disheartening to see how little improvement others have made.  Still, for the most part, they are a great bunch of kids and I’ll miss them.

Well, gotta go load up our gear and then it’s time to get out of Dodge.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Talk to you again on Monday.

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Monday, and the countdown begins. . .

It’s Monday, June 25th and we’re in the homestretch as far as the school year goes.  This is crunch week for the kids writing exams and wild week for those who don’t.  There is so much planned for this week, it will be like a whirlwind every day, I’m sure.

I’m getting to this a little late this a.m., but I wanted to make sure I posted today’s pictures and get a few words on to this white space (well, on my blog page it’s green, actually).  Anyway. . .

. . . the weather is lovely today — looks like we’re finally getting some summer.  The weekend was fantastic, I got a little bit of a burn working out in the gardens.

My rock paths are becoming visible again, cleaning between the rocks is such a chore!  Trying to get all the clover and self-seeded poppies and dandelions and, and, and. . .I had very sore hands and fingers after a few hours of that.  But it felt good to be outside in the sunshine and the breezes.

I’ve started a new book by David Adams Richards.  It’s called The Friends of Meager Fortune.  Richards writes beautiful, haunting stories about the people of Eastern Canada.  And his books always have the most poetic titles, in truth, reading one of his books is like reading a very long poem.  He has such beautiful phrasing and his images sometimes stab right into your heart.   If you’ve never read one of his books I urge you to pick one up.  He is amazing, and he’s Canadian.

Well, I’m going to have to wrap this up — time, sigh, to get ready for work.

Six more days!

Father’s Day

Tim has gone golfing for the day with Landon and a couple of friends.  Hope they have the best time.  I know I’m grateful for a day to myself.  Have plans to get much done.

I feel so peaceful today, don’t know why.  I’m just so relaxed and looking forward to a day of puttering in the yard, maybe sitting outside with a new book and a cold beer a little later on.

There is nothing weighing on my mind; I’m heading into the last 2 weeks of work before the summer break and all is good.

On the way home last night, about 9:30, the sun was setting and it was so gorgeous I just had to try to get some shots.  Of course, camera still at home, (I’ve got to remember to take it with me EVERYWHERE I go!) so had to drive like a fiend to get home and get it.  Then raced through town to find a high point.  I don’t the shots are particularly good, but at least I got some.  Experimented with different settings — hopefully next time I’ll know better what I’m doing.

Also, here a couple of shots of a bee in my poppies — I wanted to capture one of the big B-52’s, but the buggers wouldn’t come back around.  Instead, I got one of the smaller, less spectacular type of bees — still, they’re amazing.

Hope all the Dads out there have a wonderful day — enjoy your time with your kids doing whatever it is that makes you all happy.  Here’s a little video that kind of puts it in perspective (though it is a commercial for Sprite, it’s very well done).  Enjoy.

Sorry, I couldn’t download the video — but if you go to YouTube and type in Sprite – Love you should be able to find it.  Hope it works, because it really is a sweet little video.

Saturday Afternoon

Went to the farmer’s market in St. Albert this morning.  Forgot the damn camera!  We were on the bike, so in the hurry of trying to remember everything we need for that, the camera got looked over.  Sigh.

The market was nice — got some fresh onions, spinach cherries and tomatoes.  Yum!  Saw an old friend, had a great visit.  Couldn’t find anywhere to grab a quick breakfast, did manage to snag a coffee.  then. . .

. . . lost Tim for about a half an hour.  So, I just found a bench sat and people watched.  Very relaxing.

I should be out in the yard right now, but wanted to do this first.  Check in on a couple of acquaintances and get a few thoughts down.

Something nice passed on to me today — you should definitely check it out:    http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=hN8CKwdosjE

Can’t say why, really, but this made me cry when I watched it.  Something I suppose about the earnestness and honesty of youth, the unconditional belief that good things happen just because you believe they will, something like that.  Anyway, it touched a chord, ’nuff said.

No picture, sorry, perhaps I’ll be more with it tomorrow.

Thankfully, it’s Friday

I was supposed to have today off, but. . .

. . . life happens, and I’m off on another field trip instead.  Taking Leadership kids swimming.  It will be fun, but I’d much rather be home.

I discovered yesterday another lovely side effect to antihistamines.  (I’m sensitive to just about every drug going, even allergy meds) Took a Claritin yesterday a.m. before work.  About half an hour later I’m freezing.  Asked a coworker who I know suffers from allergies if that ever happened to her.  She said yes, it’s because the drug slows your heart rate, thereby your metabolism, thereby you feel chilled.  I was freezing all day!  Me, with the killer hot-flashes!  Sure could have used one yesterday.

As a result of all that chilliness, I was bone tired by the end of the day.  But had a meeting, then shopping, then long drive home.  When I finally fell into bed at 9:30 I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Thankfully, this morning it’s Friday and I’m feeling refreshed.  No allergy pills for me today!  I’ll just suffer through it, thank you very much.

I decided to forgo my daily walk in favour of sleeping in today.  So, no picture to share.  I might head to the Farmer’s Market early tomorrow.  Hopefully, some nice pics to come out of that.

Have a happy weekend all.

7:11 and I’m not getting ready for work, but I should be. . .

I’m supposed to be getting ready for work, and for a meeting after work.

I just can’t do it.  All I want to do is sit here, write a bit and then go work in my gardens.

The house is a flippin’ mess — I’ve tried, really tried all week to be a good house keeper, but it’s a losing battle.  At least we eat.  And clean up the dishes.  The rest of it will just have to wait until I’ve got the time and the need.

Thank God I’ve got tomorrow off.  Have great gardening plans — the weeds have staged a rebellion and I must get out there with my guillotine!  The rain better hold off until I’m done.  (Sorry Heather.)

Our keys to the apartment in New York came yesterday, along with our tickets to Wicked.  Three weeks from today me, two of my sistahs and a sistah-in-law will be in the Big Apple.  Five days of frivolity, fun, food and fantasy.  Cannot wait.

Well, I really must stop this and get moving.  Huge sigh.

Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

Heather wants the rain to come

Heather, my walking partner, was really, really wishing that we get some rain for her gardens today.  So, this is for her:

Heather wants the rain to come;
For the ground to be drenched,
For the leaves to sing a muted
city-dwelling forest song
as water cascades and drips
and dribbles to the earth
off their green and slender backs.
For the rain to seep and soak
and expand the rich black dirt
that holds this years plantings
of leeks and onions and chard.
Not to forget the tomatoes
. . . and pumpkins and corn!
So, gather the dark clouds
like  an umbrella of hope reversed
and bring on the blessing of rain.

18 holes and a sunburn

Me and the husband went golfing today.  A fun tournament out at the Goose. Was too much fun.

Even though I hadn’t golfed in about 4 years.  18 holes was a lot to take on.  Especially at the Goose, but I did okay.  Our team came in 12 over par — but we weren’t the worst!  And we won a prize!  How great is that? Tim won $100 for the longest putt by a man.

The day was absolutely lovely.  We were on the greens by 8 a.m.  It was windy and a bit cool at first, but by 10:30 it was actually quite warm.  I wound up sunburning the backs of my legs.   It’s not too bad, by tomorrow it’ll just be a light pink.  My version of a tan.

We got home about 4:30 and promptly laid down for a nap.  We slept til 9 o’clock.  Got up, ate some leftover Chinese food and watched an episode of So You Think You Can Dance.  Not sure I like the new format of SYTYCD.  It was very distracting to have the past favorites on with the new dancers — didn’t know who to watch.

I’m watching Master and Commander as I write this.  Terrific movie.  Very frightening. Unbelievable what men went through in those days.  Much as I love the romantic notion of the sea I sure as hell wouldn’t have wanted to be on it in those days, in those conditions.

I’m kind of all over the place here tonight, probably a result of the overdose of sun today.  So, I’m going to say goodnight.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Sunshine morning

my little primrose
I awoke to the sun shining in my window this morning.  I can’t tell you the feeling of joy that gave me.  Two solid weeks of cool, cloudy, rainy days had begun to take its toll.

Probably a big part of my problem yesterday.  There’s only so much gloom a girl can take.

So, in celebration, a little free verse:

What first catches my eye,
chiffon-yellow primrose
opened like a lover to the warm
breathless kiss of the sun.

Then, a finch trilling
a welcome to the day,
the sound of sunlight,
liquid gold pouring from his throat.

The trees are greener, gayer
branches swaying softly
brushing up against the blue
teasing the sun as it dances out of reach.