Daily WTF??!

For the love of the sweet baby Jesus.....what got into him???!??

Attack on Bus Leaves Man Beheaded

"He put his bags in the overhead compartment. He didn't say a word to anybody. He seemed totally normal. About a half an hour later, we heard this blood-curdling scream."

"...The bus stopped and everyone scrambled to get out while the attacker started methodically carving up the victim's body, not paying attention to anyone else...the driver shut the bus door from the outside while they waited for police to arrive.

"We put our bodies up against the door, waiting for him to come out ... and he went back and brought the head to the front and pretty much displayed it ...and dropped it on the ground in front of us."

Full story:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/07/31/6316716-cp.html

Wild Thang

This is exceptionally cute...you must click 'play'! Dawn the monkey is all set for the rodeo, complete with sparkly chaps, as she gets ready to ride "Dawg":
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2008/07/25/rodeo.monkey.KOMU?iref=videosearch

If you believe it, He will come...

First, He showed Himself in a grilled cheese sandwich*. Then, He made His presence known in a Cheetos Crunchit. Not to be forgotten, He's now surfacing on a furry feline:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2008/07/30/stang.holy.cat.wndu

What do you see?

*er, wait a minute, ...was that the Virgin Mary?? Aaaaaany-way.

Wanted: A Good Home

Meet Tippy & Lulu ....two adorable kittens needing good homes. Their Mommy (and their Mommy's Mommy for that matter) will be very sad to see them go, but they know it's for the best, and they're hoping to find a safe home for them - an indoor home, with lots of love and attention. Tippy is the top photo - she's all white with grey patches on her head by her ears, and the tip of her tail (it looks like her little tail was dipped in a can of grey paint). Lulu is the bottom photo, and she is white with black patches. Both kitties are litter trained, and fully weaned, and ready to be given to a good family in need of a special furry friend. If you're interested, please drop me a note.

Here's a few more pictures - Lulu liking the comfort of the warm laundry basket -sleeping with her brother, while Tippy gets a drink of milk from her dish:

You have my word that they are both super-cute...they're Amber-approved :).

Ta-daaa!

Ok so I did it....the "canvas" is still a little short and a little too layer-y to achieve the true 'bob' effect that my hairdresser & I sought...but she figures within two more cuts I'll have the look we're aiming for. I am just delighted that the greys are hidden again. The color is a lot different -more red this time, less blonde. I guess when comparing to the original 'star' pictures, it's more comparable to the "Katie" bob. My favourite part of the night - when Bobbi-Jeanne said, "well it's not like it's ugly", when describing how we need to grow out the layers a bit more. Gotta love an 'honest' hairdresser :) I'm still getting used to it. It has been the same 'flipped out' style for years. I had memories of my old "Dorothy Hamill" 'do from the 70's when the initial 'drying' stages were happening. Chris said it's "cute".

Excuse the crappy self-portraits, but here I am:

The Whos, The Whats, They Wheres

To keep you "in the know":

• The iPod is toast.
• Big Brother is just fair this season, with the only high-point so far being the roaring match between the old guy and the new-mother-who-should-be-home-with-her-babies-than-on-a- reality-tv-show.
• I've not yet been to the beach this summer.
• I've consumed entirely too much ice cream in the last month.
• I'm finally looking at changing my hair style for the first time in years.
• I've not yet joined the gym or started my 'hood walks (I know, shame shame shame on me - I blame the humidity), hence I'm still my fluffy self.
• The last thing I scrapped was a Mother's Day card, and that's very sad.
• The house was cleaned up a little bit last night - again, stopping at the bedroom, and the dusting.
• My laundry is still not done.
• I'm still buying Tim's coffee on a daily basis rather than making my own before work (tsk tsk).
• I now drink a XL coffee on a regular basis rather than a L.
• I have not been invited to any weddings this entire summer!

And then there were 8

First off - what the HECK was Zach wearing, and who dressed him? I enjoyed the "acoustic" night. Here are my thoughts:

1) Sebastian Pigott -"Lucille"- I thought it was ridiculous. Bottom 3 again, baby.
2) Earl Stevenson - "Two" - To quote Chris, to listen to this guy talk, he "sounds as dumb as dirt" (and looks it too in the pic I borrowed from the CI site to use on the post). He did a good job on the song though - I actually liked him this week.
3) Mark Day - "Stay" - The kid can sing...and he 'sounds better' if you don't look at him. He's safe for another week, I suspect.
4) Mitch MacDonald - "Oh Atlanta" -Is it just me, or does this kid resemble Chicken Hawk from the Looney Tunes? Sorry, THIS was ridiculous.
5) Amberly Thiessen - "The Way I Am" - LOVED it. Love her. I cannot fathom why she was in the bottom 3 last week. WAKE UP Canada!
6) Mookie Morris - "Ophelia" - I liked it a lot; Mookie is another one of my favorites.
7) Drew Wright - "Sunday Morning" - Not bad - can still get lost in his pretty eyes, so let him stay another week, Canada.
8) Theo Tams - "Weak in the Knees" - What's with him singing women's songs? I love this song; I enjoy Theo a lot...loved it.

Bottom 3 Sebastian, Mitch & Drew. Going home: Mitch

Completely unrelated, but it makes me giggle, I will leave you the 'insult of the day', courtesy of the King of Queens, which I watched after Canadian Idol: "He's a demented old circus monkey". The next time a person peeves you off and you want to express yourself, use this description. You might just giggle, too.

Matt A-mazing-ndersen

Chris and & I went to see Matt play at the Emerald Junction Summerfest last night in Emerald. It was phenomenal. Words fail
at expressing the time I had, really. The more I see this man play, the more I love him. Every song he played was the caliber of an 'encore' performance - that is, until he did come back for his encore, where he had the whole crowd on their feet, singing at the top of their lungs, to 'Wagon Wheel'. It was a very warm, humid night, and repeatedly, I'd catch myself with goosebumps listening to him, in awe. Joy and Kent were there too, and Joy sat next to a guy who'd not yet seen Matt before last night. When Matt started, she said that he commented, "Wow this guy is almost as good as Jimi Hendrix"....a few songs later, the guy changed his mind, claiming, "No, this guy is better than Jimi Hendrix!"

Mere words can't sum the experience up; he must be seen in person, to be truly appreciated. For any of my readers who have not yet witnessed the true talent, showmanship, amazement, and true humbleness, do yourself a favor and check him out at the next opportunity you have. For my PEI readers, he is playing again at the Indian River Festival on August 22. As you may already guess, we have our tickets bought :). His website has updated tour date information, so keep an eye out.

Shout out to Colleen B from New Brunswick! Not only did I have a fantastic time, but I met a new friend at the concert! I would have to say that Colleen might very well be Matt's number one fan? She's not only a personal friend of Matt's, but she also follows him wherever he goes. I'm just a tad jealous of her experiences.

Here are a few photos from the night:

Oh the vanity!

Many thanks to those who sent messages (and Lana, for your comment!) re: my hair dilemma. For the most part, the Katie Holmes 'do wins top choice, and the Julia Stiles one is a close runner. I played around with a 'Hair Mixer' application last night, and came up with these nasties ...obviously it's not a very intuitive program, as it doesn't allow you to really line up the proper angle of the photo you're adding your own face to, but it's a bit of an idea. Photo 1 is the Julia Stiles shot; the 2nd is a photo that had been very similar to the Katie Holmes bob - the bangs are wrong, and the sides don't come down to where they're supposed to, and I think I look HORRIFIC; and finally, the third is Kelly Clarkson's bob. Obviously I don't have enough hair to pull off #3, but maybe over time if I start with #1?

I think I'll take Julia in with me to show my hairdresser. The cut on Tuesday may yield nothing like the picture, because as it stands now my hair isn't that long - and it's got a lot of layers. At least it is a step in the direction of 'change' :).

This is a huge step for me, folks...I've had the same 'style' for years...I put in too much time to get it to the point that it is when I leave in the morning...and I use a lot of product. I'm the poster child for 'high maintenance'. I have fears of tirelessly fumbling with the curling iron, hair paste, rollers, etc to try to recreate my old look on any style she may try on me.... here's hoping. :)

Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business

So Chris and I went out last night to get ice cream - and came home with a tent.

En route to the ice cream store, Chris wanted to return a shower-head that he had bought at Canadian Tire. Outside, they had 5 tents on display. Clearance tents - discounted between 50 - 66% off. Those who know me will know that I'm not what you'd call a ...'camper'... I don't like bugs. I don't like 'roughing' it....I very much enjoy the amenities of a full service bathroom 3 paces from my bed when I travel. However, with the cost of everything these days, a person really should consider camping as an alternative lodging experience if one wishes to travel (and I really like a good bargain!). So I suggested (yes, it was my idea - about a month or more ago, long before I saw the clearance area) that we consider the purchase of some camping equipment when it was discounted at the end of the season, to prepare for further 'vacations'. A $299.00 tent on sale for $99.00.....hard not to agree on that....and it's GINORMOUS! We also "had" to get an air mattress...one condition to my agreement to camp was the purchase of an air mattress...since "I am not sleeping on the ground". When's the first camp-out, you ask? To be determined, but rest assured, there'll be pics to post :).

Oh - and by the way, we did stop at Sobeys and picked up some ice cream .....we found this new one to try...and it was freaking delicious!!

Help me thru Hump Day

Happy Hump Day - and I say that loosely, because happy was one thing I wasn't when I realized it was only Wednesday...after waking up and the first thought of the day was,"Ahh...Thursday...one more day for the alarm".

Anyway.

Employees of the City of Summerside are getting some extra incentive this summer to bike, walk or roller-blade to work. The city has created a Green Commute Club to earn credits that can be used towards days off of work. Gordon MacFarlane, the city's director of human resources and legal affairs, came up with the idea. "If they have a green commute 80 per cent of the time between June 16 and Sept. 30, then we will give them a couple of green days off," said MacFarlane. Full story: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/07/22/green-commuters.html

I suppose it would be a good idea if Charlottetown came up with a similar idea? Maybe then the lady in the Honda would not sit idling her car as she ran the a/c, slowly licking her ice cream cone in the DQ parking lot??

So I'm having a mental dilemma..........I need a change.....I sooo need a change. The last time I sat down in front of my hair dresser I asked her what she could recommend, and she couldn't recommend anything........ So, I've found a few styles that I've been looking at (click the picture to bring up a larger image). Here's where you come in...Please see the attached photos, and choose which one I should go with. Please be brutally honest in choosing which style might suit the best. If you're afraid of hurting my feelings, feel free to comment "annonymously"! Amber needs a change!

I'm hoping if I go in with a picture in hand, I might come out of there looking slightly more sassy....here's hoping, anyway. Numbers 1 & 2 are a lot different than my 'norm', where 3 & 4 are similar to what I have - or what it's 'supposed' to look like. My hair appointment is next Tuesday night. Thanks for your insight :)....aaaaaaaaaand GO!

Mind-numbing stupidity

NEW YORK - A disbarred Manhattan lawyer who pleaded guilty to statutory rape has sued American Express for giving police credit card information which he says led to his 2006 capture in Grimsby, Ont.

Prosecutors say James Colliton fled to Canada after being indicted on charges of having sex with underage girls.

The 44-year-old Colliton said American Express violated its agreement to withhold customer information from third parties.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified sum.

Colliton pleaded guilty in October 2007 and was sentenced to three concurrent one-year terms.

He said he had fled to Canada because he thought Canadian courts and prisons were more lenient than those in the U.S.

Police say Colliton paid a woman for sex with her two daughters, one of whom was only 13.

The other was 15.

Source: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2008/07/21/6225291-ap.html

A Proper Paradise?

I wish I could sit here and enjoy this free-of-humidity-evening...however, amid my bliss of having to don slippers, I'm clenching my teeth, and it's taking every ounce of my being not to scream like a banshee out the window at the eff'ing trailerhood kids. Some of them should audition for cinema...their screams rivaling those of the best horror film. I keep telling myself, "They're just kids....we did that when we were kids...they're just having fun....". Then I tell myself to eff off.

When I was a kid, I was brought up to respect myself, and others...and growing up in a close-knit neighborhood filled with many kids, if we screamed like that, we'd be called in the house, and reprimanded very sternly. And we didn't do it again. Where the hell did proper parenting go? Why aren't kids raised in this day and age taught to respect their surroundings ...consequences for their actions ...

Is it just the 'hood?? Chris spoke to them out the bathroom window, stating, "You don't have to walk through people's property screaming"... They all looked around and blamed the other. They've now moved onto a different yard. For now. As they retreated, Chris heard one of them say to the other, "I dare you to go over there and hump the ground".

Does anyone have a free patch of land they could give to me??? Please??

In other news, Chris cut the grass tonight after work...he's now sitting on the couch, socks removed (likely on the floor beside him, but that's a different story)....Bosco is rubbing his face on his sweaty toes, rolling around in a fit of ecstasy.

Life in the 'hood....a proper paradise.

Monday night review

The habit strictly compels me now. The entertainment? Meh. My thoughts on tonight's show:

1) Theo Tams - No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley ~ I didn't love it; I didn't hate it. I'm not convinced that Theo gives off a 'reggae' vibe, but it wasn't bad.
2) Mitch MacDonald - Angel Eyes - Jeff Healey Band ~ I hated it; he ruined an old favorite for me. Jeff had an edgy feel - Mitch was nasal-y a la Steve Urkel. Bad.
3) Earl Stevenson - Light My Fire - The Doors ~ he's top 9 in Canada; I just don't understand it. Apparently, my opinion differs greatly from the judges'.
4) Sebastian Pigott - Love Me - Elvis ~ What? No guitar as a prop tonight, dude? I really like this song when I hear Elvis sing it. Elvis wasn't singing it tonight, and that was blatantly apparent. Bad. Bad. Bad. It's like he needs his brother to survive, and with his brother gone, he's dying a slow, painful death.
5) Katherine St-Laurent - Move Over - Janis Joplin ~ well to start, JJ is NOT my taste in music, so based solely on the performance I guess she did ok with it, singing-wise, but she didn't pull off the edgy Janis-vibe.
6) Drew Wright - No Rain - Blind Melon ~ much better choice to command the stage instead of behind the drum set. I liked it; he won't win, but I hope he sticks around a little longer so I can see his pretty eyes for a few more weeks.
7) Mookie Morris - I Feel Good - James Brown ~ I enjoy Mookie; again, never really enjoyed this song - but he performed it well, in traditional Mookie-fashion.
8) Amberly Thiessen - Redemption Song - Bob Marley ~ she has a sweet, folky flare to her singing, and I really like her, no matter what she sings. Good job.
9) Mark Day - Dance with my Father - Luther Vandros ~ ok, so I can't listen to that song without crying...he sang it really well - he emoted it well, bringing his mom, himself, and me, to tears. And, he didn't twirl. Good job, Mark, you secured yourself for another week.

Bottom 3: Mitch, Sebastian, & Katherine

Going home: Sebastian

The man was relieved - in more ways than one...

Proof that it really IS a good idea to keep a cell on you at all times:

Locked loo leaves lollygagger languishing

CHEMAINUS, B.C. - The call of nature turned into something a little more dire for a Vancouver Island visitor when he was inadvertently locked in the loo in Chemainus, B.C. The man was visiting the east coast Vancouver Island community on Thursday and was using the washroom at a local park. He was alone inside the facility when staff slammed and locked the steel door, thinking the room was empty.

Fortunately, the trapped visitor was able to contact family members who called the local RCMP detachment. Officers were quickly on the scene with all the necessary keys to release the unintended prisoner.

Of course, the man was relieved - in more ways than one.

Source: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2008/07/18/6197326-cp.html

Stupid is as Stupid does

It's been a few days since a 'real post'...been feeling pretty crappy the past few days...excessive headache that just won't quit (I blame it on the weather - humidity or the barometric pressure...blah blah...whatever it is...freakin OUCH). Because I don't feel I can put two eloquent sentences together, here is a list of "stupid things about me" for your reading pleasure:

-I hiccup after the first sip of any carbonated beverage - every time.

-I eat the pickles off my burger - not as part of the burger.

-My jaw is crooked, and the orthodontist wanted to break my jaw, reset it, and put me in braces to fix it. I declined, and now when I see pictures of me and you can physically tell something's not right, I wish that I'd done it.

-I got my drivers license at the age of 24.

-When I'm watching TV I need to hear every word or it drives me crazy; I can't start watching a movie/show mid-way through (unless I've already seen it before).

-I have to read the newspaper in the proper order, and it drives me nuts if someone has messed up all the sections before I get to it.

-Sometimes I read magazines from back to front.

-I prefer to use "pretty stamps" when sending snail mail.

-I'm easily distracted - EASILY.

-I always shave my left leg first.

-I hate being sticky.

-I hate having my socks twist up on my feet.

-I can't walk and drink unless there's a straw...coordination of a sloth.

-Broccolli makes me fart (doesn't it do this to everyone?).

-I don't often take overly well to criticism.

-I only use fine-tipped pens.

-I can't sleep with socks on.

-I pick my cuticles incessently - it's a gross, disgusting habit.

-I have a morning 'ritual'...consisting of up, shower, breakfast, hair, etc., which has to be completed every day, or my entire day is 'off' (let it be known that this ritual used to also consist of making the bed and tidying up my surroundings, too, but I've let those slide, so I'm getting better).

What's YOUR 'stupid' quotient? ;)

Things that make you go awww.....

Five years ago, a heartbroken 5-year-old girl from Queens, N.Y., was hanging posters for the return of her lost beagle. Today, after years of wishes, little Natalie Villacis has been miraculously reunited with her beloved dog Rocco after he resurfaced some 850 miles away in Georgia — proving that every dog owner can have their day....Cristina Villacis, Natalie’s mother, said the family was shocked to get a call last week from a shelter in Hinesville, Ga., informing them that their long-lost pup had been found after half a decade. Thanks to a microchip implanted in the dog...

Full story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25700149&GT1=43001

A zookeeper's house cat has adopted a baby red panda abandoned by its mother and is nursing the cub along with her own kittens, the Artis zoo said Wednesday. The panda's mother rejected her two cubs after they were born on June 30. The red panda is an endangered species that lives in China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Burma. It has a striped tail like a raccoon and is only distantly related to the much larger giant panda.

Full story: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/25606698/

I'll be there for you.......

OMG I just said 'how YOU doin'?' to a customer -

As I was 'multi-tasking' and at the same time attempting to have the initial conversation with the customer, I inadvertently forgot the 'are' in the statement. I do like to be personable with who I deal with...makes it a more meaningful exchange, if you ask me...less, "Thank you for shopping at K-Mart" type-thing...but...

It wasn't a complete Joey...but close.

The Top 10

At long last, my thoughts on CI - I know you've been waiting with bated breath, haven't you? The numbers were just too high to commentate before they whittled them down to 10. So, without further ado.....

The theme of the night was the music of David Bowie, which immediately turned me off because I am.NOT.a.D.B.fan...at all, and Zach looked terrifying (ie, ridiculous) with that eye makeup.

1) Drew Wright - the one with the pretty eyes -singing "Five Years" ~ not bad, not fantastic - have to agree with Farley that it wasn't a good idea to sit down and play the drums, but I did enjoy looking into those purty eyes :).
2) Adam Castelli - "Rebel Rebel" ~ meh - anyone else think the ride up on the motorcycle was a ploy for votes? Uh, buddy - it's a singing competition.
3) Mark Day - "Dancing in the Streets" ~ How did I know that he'd pick THIS song?? Ok - if you close your eyes really really tight and don't let any of the tv light come in it might be better.....nah. His time has come to an end...and he looked completely ridiculous twirling around. I totally enjoyed the judges commentaries on the performance, however. Poor Mark...
4) Mookie Morris - "The Man who Stole the World" ~ this is probably the only song I enjoy from David Bowie....and Mookie did it justice. I enjoyed it a lot.
5) Amberly Theissen - "Space Oddity" ~ I love her voice...she did great -not quite sure why (most of) the judges had an issue with the performance.
6) Sebastian Pigott - "Let's Spend the Night Together" ~ 'you pooped the bed'...quote from Zach...that about sums it up.
7) Earl Stevenson - "Rock and Roll Suicide" ~ not my thing. Another 'meh'.
8) Katherine St-Laurent - "Cat People" ~ reminiscent of Pat Benatar - she sounded ok - I didn't like the song, but her performance seemed strong.
9) Theo Tams - "Silly Boy Blue" ~ great job...love him.
10) Mitch MacDonald - "Moonage Day Dream" ~ kinda screechy, but then again, it was a David Bowie song. It wasn't the worst of the night though.

Going home...ciao Marky -it's been a slice.

Everyday Annoyances

I never claimed that every post on "My Happy Place" would be happy (and frankly, if you can't take the complaining, then why're you readin'? :P). I do claim, however, that this blog serves as an avenue for me to vent. Being a typical "Monday" I find myself in a rather 'complainy' mood, therefore why not vent a spell?

Herein, I give you a list of some of my most common, everyday, annoyances:

1. rude, demanding people...I'm here to help you...if you're nasty, that just makes me want to help you less.
   
2. hearing a person breathing into the phone as they talk...it just conjures up mental images that I do not wish to have. At all.
   
3. talking to people who are unsure of their own name. Seriously...why're you here anyway??


4. hearing people chewing their gum...there are ways to chew it quietly...practice it or spit it out. Gum snapping also falls into this category.


5. hearing people suck and chew on a candy or ice cube - slurping, smacking and crunching...really IS there a need??


6. loud eaters....as I type, someone in my midst is REALLY enjoying a bag of chips...and to stop myself from twitching, I had to blog about it.


7. people interrupting me or talking over me


8. how shirts/sweaters shrink "up" & expand "out" after washing...a terrible malady when you're a 'big girl'.


9. improper use of words when trying to sound 'intelligent'; for example, I spoke with a person who was trying to put on heirs...saying the phrase, "it's a mute point". Fail.


10. bra bands and wiring


11. tight underwear elastic


12. this might be TMI, and I apologize in advance ...but the upper thigh area 'rubbing'. Being voluptuous, my thighs are generous, so they get to know each other well...and well, um, it chafes, and it's very uncomfortable.


13. two-faced people. I'd prefer a person didn't befriend me at all as opposed to being so sweet to my face, yet being the opposite behind my back.


14. bugs! anything that crawls, slithers, buzzes, stings or flits around.

** This list has been on on-going compilation of annoying things that have happened to me over the course of a few months. I'm not always this bitter about life, but I figured the list had grown enough to warrant it's own post, finally. Moreover, the waist band of my skirt is cutting into me, I have a head ache, and I fear perhaps a sore throat is beginning?

Tell me, what bothers YOU?

Summer Adventure Sunday

I did get out of the house on Sunday! After a hearty breakfast at Maggies, we headed toward Cavendish to spend the day. Of course I brought my camera to capture some of the moments :)
Chris and the Moose. He was very friendly with the Moose - and do you know how hard it is to actually get him to SMILE in a photo??? Yet, put him with stuffed, life-size, wildlife and he's all smiles. Go figure. This was taken in front of Bayberry Lane in Cavendish on the Boardwalk where we sat and enjoyed a slushie.
We also went to Sandspit - and on the Cyclone. Nevermind the fact that we were the only two 'adults' that were waiting in line to go on it. Nevermind that I screamed like a 'young girl' as we raced around the turns. Nevermind that the two of us had a whole cart to ourselves, one in the front, and one in the back, for fear of not 'fitting' together in just one seat. It was still fun :). We took a video of it - I will try to post it eventually.
At Sandspit, as part of the Seashore Festival, 5 of Canada's premiere sand sculptors demonstrated their craft. It's the same idea as what is put on down at the waterfront at Sandland. The detail is absolutely amazing... they used a few different types/colors of sand to create the intricacies of the sand carvings. You should definitely try to check it out before the sculptures end up breaking down.
This is a close up of the Merman & his lover. Look at how they used the grey sand for his hair & beard.
And this would be Anne ~ had to post this for you, Lana :) .... she appears to have drowned in the waters beneath the dolphins :)
Full shot of the dolphins - again, note their use of the two different colors/types of sand.
Pirate, complete with parrot, gold coins, and bottles 'o rum!
Close up of the PEI logo on the main sculpture welcoming you to the event.Sand castle sculpture by Peter Vogelaar, a prime sculptor who has been here every year for the Jack Frost Festival, and Sandland. His work is amazing.
All in all, I had a great Sunday :). After leaving Cavendish we drove to Emerald (we have to map out our path to the Emerald Summerfest party with Matt Andersen at the end of the month!). By the time we stopped for a few groceries, it was 8:00pm when we landed home. We watched Big Brother, each geeked a bit on our lappies, and then bed. If only we had one more day (don't I say the same thing at the end of EVERY weekend?) ... I hope you all enjoyed a great, sunny weekend as well.

P.S. BB was just fair - as is all of the first episodes from previous seasons. There's the standard gay guy, the standard older guy (but 75 years old?! wowsers), the standard annoying girl, and the standard boobie-girl. It should be an interesting season.....stay tuned for more in-depth recounts :).

Feeling my age...

So the weekend didn't turn out completely as I'd planned. Friday night we did end up at Kim & Kevin's place (we call it the Pepperoni Palace because they introduced us to the deliciousness of fried up pepperoni - a great little snack with a few sociables :)). We had a lovely time catching up with them - and Kim & I enjoyed a few glasses of wine. When I left, I knew I couldn't drive...but I didn't think I'd had that much...until the next morning, that is.

Yesterday, I just felt like poo all day...I'm just not as young as I once was!! So, my Saturday became the 'do nothing day' that I'd mentioned I wanted this weekend. I missed going to the races, but it was sorta nice to just vegg on the couch with the kitties. Congrats to Wiggy who won her first race though - sorry I missed it. After my 'chillaxin' doin' nothin' day yesterday, though, I do hope to get out of the house today for a bit. Chris is a at a shoot right now, and we're supposed to head to Cavendish when he returns. I hope he's hungry, because I haven't had breakfast (my initial delight that I'd had just enough milk for a bowl of cereal quickly turned into repulsion as I took my first spoonful, realizing that the milk had soured...*GAG*)...so I'm hoping to convince him to head to Maggie's for a good 'ol fashioned breakfast before our day.

Another thing that did NOT get done, and likely will not, is of course, the housework......rolling tumbleweeds of cat hair are all over the house...stuff is piling up on every available surface....and of course the laundry is a behemoth in the corner. I can't stay in all day today though - it's just tooo nice outside. See? I told you I enjoy the summer...it's a warm day, in the low 20's - the humidex is low, and it's LOVELY...and I can't wait to get out in it.

On another note, wishing one of my avid readers a very happy birthday today. Happy BD Jodi! I hope you have a fantastic, relaxed day...you totally deserve it :) *hugs*

TGIF

Jeepers - from writing about sawed-off man parts to teary-eyed memories - that's quite a range in posts, hmm?

TGIF! ...and a busy weekend ahead planned!

Last night, we were invited over to Steve & Wanda's for a BBQ, and we had a blast. They are very hospitable hosts, and not the type to see your drink hand empty for very long. Suffice it to say that it was a tough wake-up this morning...made tougher by the impossible-to-wait-in-line-ups at any and all coffee shops en route to work...:(. That's right, I'm composing this sans-caffeine. Wowsers. I really regret not going to get my camera last night...there were many photo ops...from Wiggy throwing radish, to Steve's fire ("tonight, I am God"), to Chris' chubby bunny. Next time...

Tonight, we're booked at the Pepperoni Palace...and can't wait. I wonder who will play the banjo this time? Tomorrow, we hope to make it out to Cavendish to see the sand sculpting team in action (plus I haven't been to Cavendish this year anyway), and tomorrow night, we're thinking of going to the races. I think Sunday should be a 'do nothing' day...but the humidity that has been the norm of last week (which finally lifted yesterday...HALLELUJA!) has made it impossible to clean house....so I fear Sunday will be a clean up day. Oh, and my good gracious...BB starts Sunday night too!

The Passing Crow

They say you never get over the loss of a parent. They say you really can't understand what it's like to feel the loss of such a key component of your life - until you do. Time eases the pain - lessons the immediate sting...but you never, ever, truly feel 'healed' when you think of your loss - when you start missing this person. Sometimes the slightest thing brings back a world of memories...not that the person is ever really far from memory at any point in time.

I picked Mom up after work last night. How I enjoy our 'girlie' time; since Dad's passing it's like all the love she had for him is being redistributed around to us. Every good-bye there's a hug, and a big hug...something that was rare years ago. Her pride keeps her from calling on her own, but there's a little smirk in her voice when I call her. I love her so much...and I'm so scared to lose her. I hope she has many more years ahead - I feel selfish, because she is now without her life partner - but we need her here.

Our night started out with her noticing the crow walking along the lawn as she was getting buckled in, "Look Amber, there he is!"...A big black crow was proudly walking along the side of the driveway, beak held high in the air. He looked like he was strutting. Every time Mom & I leave the house we always see him. To us, he's our 'sign' that Dad is always 'there'. Dad loved to talk to the crows - he'd throw old bread scraps out to them. He'd open the back door and 'caw' to them...'talking to them'...all of the time. Mom always joked, "one day you're going to come back as a crow". And come back he does...regularly :).

We talked a lot about Dad last night...from reminiscing about times when he was silly...to the last days in the hospital. I felt a deep sadness as I drove out of the driveway. The same sadness I felt when I drove away from Mom on the nights after dropping her home after we'd been to the hospital. The same sadness I felt leaving her after I'd visit in the early days after he'd passed away. Tears fell as I drove the distance, but as quickly as the sadness came over me, it left, as I pulled back into my own driveway...to my own home, and my own life I've started outside of Mom & Dad's house.

He's always with us...in our thoughts, our minds, our hearts...he's the breeze flowing through the curtain...he's in the waves washing along the shore...he's the twinkle in our eyes...he's the silly laughter after a bad joke...the comfort of a warm blanket on a cool night... he's even the proud strut of the passing crow.

I love you, Dad. :)

...its function is aesthetic...

Provided by: Associated Press
Written by: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jul. 4, 2008

BUCHAREST, Romania - A court has ordered a Romanian surgeon to pay $795,000 in compensation to a patient whose penis he accidentally severed during an operation.

In July 2004, Dr. Naum Ciomu made a surgical error while operating on the man's testicles, severing the penis instead of making an incision to the testicle.

The Bucharest Magistrates Court ruled that Ciomu had been "superficial" in his approach to the operation, ordered the fine and handed Ciomu a one-year suspended prison sentence.

The ruling can be appealed.

A piece of muscle from the man's arm has now been attached to where his penis was, but its function is aesthetic.

The victim's lawyer said you don't have to be an expert to realize that the 33-year-old victim isn't in a good state of mind.

Source: http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=25741&channel_id=16

Ok - I have one question...namely, HOW does one mistake one for the other? Was the penis extra small, perhaps?...or were the testicles just really, really large? It's very puzzling, indeed...

Walkin on sunshine....

Good grief, is it Monday already? The weekend went by in a blur, but I'll try to recap the important things:

-Lana left for Quebec - she's gone for 5 weeks. I will miss her dearly, and hope she has a tremendous time au Quebec, yet still manage to stay in touch with me :)
-After a supremely bad day at work on Friday, that evening I had a mini-meltdown - thank you to Chris for picking up the pieces, and staying true to me even when I'm a bit of a psycho. He went to the beer store for me, picked up a pizza for supper, and we enjoyed a late supper and a few beers after said 'meltdown'. Beerapy is a great thing :).
-Saturday we slept in, then headed into town to enjoy the lovely day (while it was still really 'hot' temperature wise, the humidity was a little lower - so much more enjoyable). We had a coffee at Cafe Diem, then headed toward the Confed Centre, sat for a song or two with Joseph, and then people-watched on Victoria Row til we got hungry. We headed to the Gahan for supper, then home to light a fire in the chiminea. It was a really good day :).
-Sunday, we enjoyed a very 'lazy' summer Sunday, starting out on the deck, then moving over to Steve/Wanda's deck. I was a complete idiot, neglecting a full slather of SPF, and I regret it immensely now. I tan eventually, but it usually takes a few good burns, and I have one now. Yes, the Darwin Award for July goes to yours truly. After 'decking', we then headed to get a bite to eat (too hot to cook (rephrase to: too hot to clean kitchen to then start to cook)), then headed for a drive down around Covehead/Grand Tracadie, and looping back to Jewel's Country Market for a stroll through their greenhouses, enjoying a larger-than-expected ice cream.

All-in-all, a very relaxing weekend...only wish we could have had just one more day...but then again, what weekend ever passes where we don't look for one more day? Happy Monday, folks!

Dedication

I have worked in customer service a long time - in fact, as long as I've been employed, I've been aiding and assisting the public in some capcity or another. Sometimes, we do have to put on a 'pretty face' , and smile sweetly, when all along we're telling our customer in no uncertain terms to 'go F#@& himself' in our head. The societal belief that "the customer is always right" can be pushed to the maximum, and unfortunately, those least deserving of extras, breaks or favors are those that receive those extras, breaks or favors because they can scream the loudest, and that enrages me. Why does one person feel it's right to berate and belittle someone else when all the person on the receiving end is trying to do is help them? These tiny, tiny, tiny souls are a special kind of stupid. They will get their own comeuppance, someday, and I hope it's ten-fold.

To Mr. L.J., this song is dedicated to you.

Thank you for calling, this is Ms. Crabby, how can I help?

Now, now, before you get all nasty at me for cursing the summer weather - hear me out. I enjoy summer; I enjoy the feel of the sand betwixt my toes as I walk along the edge of the water; I enjoy warm summer evenings, sitting out on the deck with a drink; I enjoy sitting outside, drinking in a bit of vitamin D on occasion; I enjoy summer weather. It's the HUMIDITY that I loathe. Give me a nice sunny day with highs of 21 - 23 degrees Celcius, free of humidity, and I'm a happy camper. I might even smile a little wider - there may even be a noticeable spring in my step... but when the humidex is ranging in the high 30's to a 40 degree range, I'm an utter biotch. Herein, we have today...........

Seriously, WHEN is this effing humidity going to break? I'm tired of sticking to everything. I'm tired of everything I touch being damp. I'm tired of that disgusting stench on the towels. I'm tired of sweating profusely from not doing ANYTHING. I get major headaches in this weather; headaches that make me feel nauseous and dizzy. My knee swells up - it's painful, and by times I can barely walk. I feel like someone is sitting on my chest when I walk outside... It's bad. And there's no way a person can feel all that I've just described and not be crankier than the day is long... To add insult to injury, people greet me in the hallway with a big smile, "isn't it beautiful/wonderful/gorgeous/lovely outside?"; I smile sweetly and mumble an indiscreet, "mmm", yet inside, I want to deck them. Inside, I'm doing the biggest raindance in my head, praying and begging for a big thunder/lightning storm to try to clear the air.

Oh Canada, our home and native land...

I trust y'all had a fabulous Canada Day? Finally the weather cleared up so I did get down to the waterfront yesterday. I was hoping to make it down for the Collective Soul concert on Monday night, but as they opened up for the Hip and I had to work til 7pm on overtime, I just couldn't make it in time so opted to stay home. The other few nights were too wet and rainy to even bother going down. I am not a 'stand-in-the-rain' kinda girl (well, I'd have to consider it for my Bon Bon). Apparently, this year's festival was a huge sucess - the biggest ever, with 14,000 people landing there. Of course the City is complaining, per usual, about the noise and the unruliness. I have no sympathy for them - they do live in the heart of the city. If you want to have peace, quiet, and tranquility, move to the country.

So, a recap of yesterday, for your viewing pleasure:
- Lana & I started our festivities by lunching again at Cedars for some shawarma...and it was deeee-licious.
- Full bellies later, we then walked over to the Confed Centre, and looked at the Cancer Connections photo exhibit put on by PhotoSensitive (Lana had not yet been). I was thoroughly and absolutely repulsed by the blatant act of vandalism & disrespect when noticing one of the prints had been graffiti'd. How could someone do something like that??!
- onward to the waterfront, we toured around a bit, looking into some of the shops, but it was so freakin' hot, we didn't last long doing that. We each purchased an over-prized, under-sized slushy and then headed to Sandland.
-Sandland was very cool, but we felt not as fabulous as last year -maybe because we'd already seen it last year? Nevertheless, if you've not yet been, go - it's very neat.
- after Sandland, we then headed toward the sanctity of a little shade - with the humidex in the high 30's if not approaching 40, it was nearly unbearable. We couldn't understand how some people looked so comfortable and free of sweat as they walked past.... We ended up sitting on the steps of a church, sucking back our liquids (I, an over-priced bottle of water; Lana, an over-priced bottle of iced tea)

- from there, we headed back toward my car, with the initial intent of sitting in the a/c and going for a drive, but ended up meeting up with Chris, sat on a bench under a tree, then headed to Brennans, where Bruce joined us, and we sat for an over-priced, sub-par supper before heading back down to the waterfront.

- we went to the petting zoo - my first time seeing a real-life baby pig. Sooo cute :). The emu was freakin' scary...even Bruce didn't really want to feed him.

- Matt Andersen in concert....awesome, as I expected. The worst part of it was he didn't have enough time to play.

- fireworks - they were ok...they always advertize them as 'the best in Atlantic Canada'...and maybe I enjoy quantity over quality...they ended pretty quickly. What we did see, though, was pretty good.

Back to work now - another day with mandatory OT and I'm exhausted. Who do we have to contact to ensure Canada is a 2 day holiday, anyway? :P

*photo courtesy of Chris Wilkinson