My next project...

Isn't is gorgeous!! This is a copy of the sweater that Molly Weasley wears in the Chamber of Secrets. I don't know how much I will wear it but I have to have it!

But first I have to finish Chris' corner. It's coming along nicely. I'm a bit over half way done the centre panel. The two side panels will whip up really quickly so I'm not worried about them. Originally my plan was to work on his 'corner' as we drive to Florida in the fall but it looks like I might have it finished by then so I think this sweater would be a good car project.

The pattern for these very cool sleeves can be purchased Here.

Of course I'll let you know when I start it. I know I'm going to be fussy about colours and the such so perhaps I'll wait and buy the yarn when I am in the states. See what I can get down there that isn't available up here. Hmmm I'll have to see how far I am done before I decide for certain.

WWWOOOHHHOOO!!!

TC IS HOME!!!!!!!!

Hubby just came running in the door 30 minutes ago, calling me saying he is sure is just saw her run across the back yard. 2 seconds later I am calling her name under the back hedge freaking out because I can hear her bell and her meowing but I couldn't find her. I was about to crawl through the hedge and over the fence into the neighbor's yard when he pulled her out from a bit farther down from me. Poor thing is terrified and shaking. She keeps darting looks at Karma so I'm sure she has been chased by a couple dogs and a few of those bastard racoons.

I admit I cried my eyes out when I finally got her curled up in my arms kissing her head. Gving her shit for running away. Poor wee thing has lost weight not that she could afford it. She's been at her dinner bowl 4 times since being back in the house. I know I haven't slept well without her over the last 5 nights. She has a habit curling next to my tummy and I have so missed her purring.

I have to go hug her and cry a bit more into her fur. Stupid cat, I love her so much.

Many thanks to everyone who was keeping good thoughts for me and reassuring me.

I've been rated!!

PG13?? That's it? Should have checked the week I was really pissed off and dropped the f-bomb every other sentance.

Still no news on T.C. I'm trying to keep up the good thoughts but it's been 4 days and my imagination is in overdrive. Didn't help that we had a massive rain storm today. All I could think about was her sitting somewhere all alone, soaking wet, dirty and hungry with ravenous evil raccoons circling around her. Yea, I'm not making myself feel any better.

Missing: small, furry, with claws

T.C. is missing.

I have no clue how she got out and whoever must have left the door open at some point isn't owning up to it. While she liked to sit on the doorstep she wasn't all that curious about outside and would only wander out after a minute or two and even then only if something caught her attention. Since Karma hasn't figured out how to open a door, that leaves the humans and they aren't talking.

My best hope is that she gets picked up by the pound. She has been micro-chipped, so I'll get a call if they find her. My worst fear are the mutant raccoons that live around here. Bloody things are a pain in my ass, hell, I have almost gotten to the point that I have to duct tape the garbage closed.

She still does have her claws and has one of the most superiour, bitchy, feline attitudes I have ever seen. If one of them try to grab her she will make them pay.

I just want my kitty baby back. I want to piss her off my hugging her too much. She would yowl and meow as if she hated every moment of my holding her but if I loosened my grip she would lean against my shoulder yowl more. Big faker.

How silly is it that I am taking this personally? As if I did something wrong and she left because this was a horrible place to live. Like she was just biding her time until she could escape and when the opportunity rose she ran and never looked back. And the last thing I said to her was giving her shit because she was clawing at the side of the mattress.

Stupid cat....I miss her

random techno gooberness

I'm playing with my sidelines there so just ignor this one post. *G*

Happy 8th Birthday Baby!

My youngest when she was about 2. This was taken in the middle of the night; Nice green wellies huh? She loved those boots so much that she wouldn't take them off even to sleep.

Flashes of my childhood

Reading was a big part of my childhood. I loved books and read pretty much what ever I could get my hands on. From Nancy Drew to Trixie Belden and a few that were a bit advanced for me.

There was one...I must have been in grade 4 when I read it and completely blame my being slightly claustrophobic because of the story. It is about a woman being kidnapped and wakes up in a box, buried alive. Let me make it clear that it wasn't my mother's fault. (see, I got your back mum) I can't remember where I got my hands on a copy but I had almost all of it read before I was caught with it. Needless to say I was more careful after that in regards to stories I would read. I used to remember the title of that book, 72 hours or something like that. I'm kinda relieved that I have finally forgotten what it is. LOL



So in an attempt to help my daughter with her reading we went to Chapters today and I remember a series of books from when I was a kid. Choose Your Own Adventure Wouldn't you know it they are still in print! I was thrilled and while my oldest didn't seem to interested, Ryleigh plopped herself down and started reading one. She loved it.

I'm thrilled to see that she has inherited my love of books and I keep hoping that in time Teaghan's reading skills will improve to the point that she will enjoy them too.

On that note...only 5 days till the final Harry Potter book is out. Yes I am counting the days. I love those books too.

The BBQ and aftermath....

See I did get her toes done in time. Then of course she insisted on haveing her fingernails done too. Looked so cool that I did mine as well LOL





The big BBQ went well, it was crazy as all get out and I felt like I ran around all day but I got some great pictures of all the kids. Once the sun went down the temperature did too, so everyone ended up putting on sweatshirts and I was grabbing blankets from the house to take to the park. The boys...I mean grown men who act like boys around pyrotechnics set up all the fireworks. We had a bunch from the States which is really cool 'cause you can get much better ones down there then we have access to here. Inbetween the ones they were fireing off we could see the really big ones going off at Bronte Harbour. That with what seemes like an endless supply of sparklers and I thought it was a great end to our Canada Day party. On Monday we just flaked out and watched TV or read books. Neither Chris or I had any energy to get a thing done.

Speaking of tv have you ever heard of Veronica Mars? Oh man it is one of the best shows I have ever seen. I'm addicted like crack I swear. But typical the way my luck runs I discover it just in time to find out that it has been cancelled. Apparently it has been around for 3 seasons. I am just about through watching Season One on DVD. I want more!!! Just a little fix and I'll be ok, I swear.

It's the long weekend!

It's a beautiful day, sunny with an occasional fluffy cloud. Too bad the temperature deciede to dip today but that's ok. The big BBQ is still on and I have a massive amount of potato salad to make. That is as soon as I'm done painting Canadian Flags on my daughters nails LOL.

Happy Days!

The Danger of Complacency

I (WE) are very fortunate to live in the country that we do. I am free to practice what ever religion I want. Hell I can stand out at the end of my driveway naked and holler at the top of my lungs "I'M A PRACTICING WITCH". And other then horrifying a few neighbors and possible causing blindness in one or two others nothing will happen to me. It's easy to forget that there is a large part of the world that is not like that.

Today I discovered that on April 7th of this year, seventeen-year-old Dua Khalil Aswad, of Northern Iraq, was pulled into a group of men–some of them family members, who then beat and stoned her to death. The ordeal took about thirty minutes, and though the police witnessed the event, they didn't intervene. All this was recorded on camera phones by several members of the "audience". Dua Khalil was of the Yazidi faith, and she was seen in the company of a Muslim man that her family believed she intended to marry. She was brutally murdered to preserve the "honour" of her family.

Because it's no longer enough to be a decent person. It's no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I've always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I'm beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red. ~Filmmaker Joss Whedon

As a response there is an anthology being planned for release in April 2008. Nothing But Red takes its title from that description of Aswad's murder and was conceived as a response to Whedon's plea. It will be an open-format anthology of responses to Aswad's death and the topics raised by Whedon in his post, which will also be included in the volume. Essays, short stories, poems, photographs, drawings and other kinds of literary or visual arts will be considered for inclusion. Submissions will be open from August 1 to November 1, 2007. Further information on submitting work can be found at http://nothingbutred.wordpress.com.

Now I have to go hug my daughters, tell them I love them again, and remind them that they can be what ever they want when they grow up.

Pop Quiz...

Who Should Paint You: Gustav Klimt

Sensual and gorgeous, you would inspire an enchanting portrait.. With just enough classic appeal to be hung in any museum!

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

Too bad Gustav Klimt died in 1918, so I don't think I'll be able to get him to paint much. Actually I thought this quiz turned out really cool. Klimt is my second favourite artist next to John William Waterhouse

My Favourite Sale

Ah yes Chapters is having their Buy 3 get the 4th free sale!!!!! WooHoo I'm a happy camper! As you can tell I've already started Angela Knight's Master of Dragons Patience might be a virtue, but it's not one of mine.

I also got Mysteria (an anthogy), and Alexis Morgan's In Darkness Reborn. For my 4th, I did what I did last year and picked up an author I had never read before. This year I picked up Alexandra Ivy's When Darkness Comes. I blogged last year about discovering Alexis Morgan's 'Paladin' series and I can't wait to read this latest installment.

Well I'm off to slather some more aloe vera on my chest. I did a stupid today and didn't pay attention to how long I read by the pool. (sans sunscreen) *DOH!* I know better too.

This that and the other

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." Cicero










What a great quote *G* I can honestly say there isn't a single room in my house that doesn't have a book or 8 stashed somewhere. I won't even bring up the pile that currently lives next to my bed. Oh what the hell I have no shame LOL
This picture is what it looked like 5 minutes ago. That doesn't count the two book shelves I have in there too. And yes I've read them all. Most of the ones shown I've read more then once. "How to Marry a Marquis", "Mercy", "Tis All I Ask", "Dance with the Devil" just to name a couple I pick out a first glance. I don't think I can even guess how many times I've read those or skimmed to my favourite parts. LOL

I've heard tell of people that have uncontrollable TBR (to be read)piles. I must be some sort of nut because I really don't have that problem. I can't, NOT read a book I've bought. Even if it sucks some huge slimy rocks, I'll skim through it hoping to find a kernel of redemption, or at least get to the end and finish it. I can see a couple such books in that pile, I won't name names 'cause that isn't nice but they were authors I hadn't read before and won't ever again.

Speaking of authors I have taken a gamble on. Alexis Morgan. She hit a big home run with me last year with her first Paladin book. If you want to read my original blurb about here click here. I checked Chapters tonight and her third book is in stores. Officially it isn't released until the 26th. As soon as I get the girls off to school in the morning I am picking myself up a copy. I can't wait!

Toyota Tacoma Loch Ness Monster Ad

OK I couldn't resist. Really this should win one of those commercial awards. I thought it was hilarious.

Loch Ness Monster Caught on Tape!!

Speaking of mythical creatures making a real life appearance....Guess who made an appearance on May 28th?

I figure the old girl popped up to say Happy Birthday to my mum *BG*

My camping trip

My apologies for leaving everyone hanging like that. I had all intentions of haveing a post written by now but I've been playing catch up with life since I returned. It was only 48 hours, How so many things can fall apart in that time I don't understand. But enough about that.

My camping trip with the Guides went very well thank you. Other then a couple scraped knees and what felt like an excess of mosquitos, we were injury free. I couldn't have wished for better weather. We took a long hike late Saturday afternoon in hopes of missing the majority of the humidity. Teaghan carried the camera for most of it and took lots of neat pictures.

Years ago we told the girls that faerys live in the root system in the bottom of old trees. The older the tree, the more likely it was a home to someone. I still remember the day we (mum, me and the girls) went on a hike and they knocked on trees yelling "You have a beautiful home". That was an interesting hike and a good story for another time. Needless to say I wasn't surprised to see she had taken the above picture when I looked at them later.

This picture was taken a short way farther down the trail. See that iridescent/glowing stripe just to the left of the centre. I don't know what it is either. If you click on the picture it will large size and still I can't figure it out. I can tell you what I think it is, and what I know lives in those woods but I'd love to hear you ideas. Maybe is was the flash reflecting on a spiders thread....or something that was almost caught on film?

I took this one about 20 feet after the other two Teaghan took. That my friends in a bonified faery circle. I saw another one a little farther away. I've know for years that there is more then just wildlife living in the Rockwood forests, it was nice to be able to catch a glimpse that they are still there. I wish I had gotten a better picture but if I went off the trail, it would have been a invitation for all the girls to follow me.

Not a good idea where there is poision ivy among that greenery...also one should never play around faery circles. *G*

Heigh Ho Heigh Ho

It's off to camp I go.

This weekend is the last camping trip with the Girl Guides. As much as I love being involved, I'm looking forward to the break. (Guides doesn't run during the summer.)
As usual I'm not packed but at least I have most of the stuff I need piled up at the front door, ready to be thrown in the car after work. We're tent camping for the next 2 nights, which means a lot of extra stuff has to be brought.

Wish me luck, it we 3 leaders and 17 girls that range from 9-11. Oh man what have I gotten myself into?

World Lupus Day

I know I'm 17 days late but it wasn't until today that I remembered that World Lupus Day was in May. My aunt passed away from this disease last September.

Today we were down in Fort Erie visiting with my dad's side of the family. It was so nice to be able to see eveyone and catch up on what is going on and visit. This was the first time I had seen everyone together since Sandy's funeral. Little William was running around playing but his dad was abnormally quiet, although I guess that is to be expected, 8 months is such a short time.

A fun twist on my quiz addiction

My visual DNA...it was fun

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Kilts, Not just for the Scottish anymore

Ok so I will freely admit that my tastes may be seen as a bit medieval...but damn I love the sight of a man in a kilt. Traditional or Informal doesn't matter it is the quickest way to get my knees to go weak. Now I have discovered a company that actually specialises in day to day kilt wear, called Utilikilt. Humina humina humina. *LOL*

Of course I showed them to hubby and got at typical response...
"NO, NO, NO, Never, not even if hell freezes over. If I saw I guy wearing that thing I'd make fun of him."
Oh come on! What is it with North American men? Have we raised multiple generations of homophobic males that are terrified of anything that might be seen as feminine? Although if anyone views a man in a kilt as looking girly then they need some serious glasses. Personally I think they are sexy as hell and would gladly ogle any man who wears them in my presence. **BG**



Utilikilt's Top 10 Reasons To Wear a Kilt!

1)Because throughout history, men have worn un-bifurcated garments. (Scots, Samoans, Egyptians, American Indians, Hawaiians, Japanese, Indians, etc.)


2)Because if women had an appendage hanging between their legs we guarantee you they wouldn't be wearing pants!


3)Freedom, and increased mobility.


4)You only go around once, so why not be as comfortable as possible?


5)All men deserve air conditioning in the summer. You will chafe no more.


6)No more adjust, right side, left side… and say goodbye to wedgies.


7)Unlike pants, the Utilikilt's pockets are only sewn down on top, so that they move with the garment but not with your leg. No more bulky crap contorting the shape of your leg. The Workman's can carry an entire six pack! You don't have to wear your cell phone on your belt. With the Workman's kilt, you don't need a tool belt.


8)The Utilikilt is made in the USA . You are supporting local industry. Your mojo will thank you.


9)Easy access...


10)Fringe benefits:
A. Physical: Your virility may increase. You will experience the pleasing sensation of air conditioning.
B. Mental: Wearing a kilt shows a sense of security with yourself, and you will inspire much debate in others.
C. Spiritual: Without physical constrictions, your burden will be lighter, your sense of freedom less impaired, and your sense of self will have room to grow.