Overruled

...this post was overruled that is.

I was going to write about my Introductory Drum Lesson, but another, more pressing, topic, required addressing.

My Cleo is reincarnated and appearing at my patio door. Not quite.

Some of you remember Cleo. She was the smartest, most attentive little Tortie. She was my most favoured kitty of all the kitties that we had (well, okay, BJ has maybe now taken first place as my Numero Uno, just because he has been there for me through everything). Cleo went to kitty heaven when she was 17 years old, but she had a grand life, I think. She was spoiled, as was I, but gave back in so many ways. She would greet us at the door when we would return home from work. She was a talker, and could respond to words spoken to her. She was a huge cuddle monster, and would let me snuggle my arms around her at night. To this day, I still miss her very much.

Back to the present. *sigh*

Yesterday, I was fiddling with things around The Cottage. When I went to the back of the house, where my bedroom is located, I spotted a Cleo look-alike. She was a Tortie, of course, and had the same coloring as Cleo. She was a smaller, younger version, but her eyes had that same quality that Cleo had......curiosity and inquisitiveness, darting from location to location, trying not to miss anything.

She was sitting quietly at the patio door. She was peering inside, tying to see what she could see, and looking like she might want to come inside for a visit (which would NOT have been a good thing, seeing as BJ is the resident cottage kitty). When I went for my camera, she took off in search of flies, so I couldn't get a snap of her.

....but just wait until next time...and I think there will be a next time.

................Sweetie

Horoscope

New discoveries will provide excitement for you. This day will be a stimulating one that will hold many pleasant surprises and outcomes. If you are not flexible, this could be nerve-wracking. Teaching, lecturing, performing, selling, demonstrating--any activity that puts you in front of the public in positive ways are where you can be found this afternoon. Your wisdom and the way you portray your ideas to others will help guide people at times when you may not know. Time is on your side this evening . . . whatever you involve yourself with now will be successful. Perhaps after such a busy day, you will enjoy some form of relaxation. Certainly, any strain in a love relationship will benefit from your relaxed undivided attention.

This is my horoscope for today. For all of the non-believers and non-subscribers....pfeh! You can stop reading right now. :)

Lately, my daily horoscopes have been pretty dead-on. For me, this particular horoscope was just screaming for a post today, because it is just so, so, accurate with regard to the performing aspect.....at least my interpretation of it anyway.

Tonight I will have my first drum lesson on a full drum kit. This has been a secret passion for me, which only a few people know about........and now you guys.

When I listen to music, I usually use my hands in some sort of drum banging motion...tapping on the table or whatever. When I do the percussion thing, I usually incorporate some form of tapping with the Cabasa.

And so it got me to thinking.....

Then, one day, there was an ad in the local paper for Drum Lessons, so I called to inquire. This is purely experimental at this point, but I am going to give it a whirl.

..............and we'll see where it leads.

..........................and, as usual, look out!

New Life

Quite a few people have been choosing this term lately when referring to my circumstance....."adjusting to my new life". When I actually sit down and reflect on what the words mean, it is ironic. I mean, we only have one life. We are born into this world once. We don't get a second life or a new life. We have the same old life that we had, only different. That said, we may get a second chance at making a different life, whether we like it or not.

I prefer to say making a different life for myself. The key to that phrase is "for myself". For the past 6 weeks, and actually for the 5 months prior to that, I have been carving a new path in my life journey, because, after all, it is a journey.....my journey....an unshared journey with unique experiences. Each day presents something new to challenge me, be it small or large, and somehow I'm not doing to badly.

I have earned a few things about myself that I never knew before.

• I can live alone (well okay, with BJ...because he is the bestest company), and not be lonely.


• In all likelihood, I will not marry again.


• I don't have to eat dinner if I don't want to...and I usually don't.


• I enjoy mowing the lawn....but most of my male neighbours seem to want to help me for some reason....must be the construction boots with the shorts.


• I appreciate how my next door neighbour looks out for me like he's my brother....at least that's how I refer to him....


• I like how my furniture doesn't really match...but it doesn't have to...just sayin'.


• I am pretty good at assembling things...even though I may curse at the inevitable hiccups.


• I love destroying things....even though I may, again, curse at the inevitable hiccups.


• Power tools still scare me, but less so....now they empower me somewhat....and nothing has fallen down yet either.


• The men in the hardware store no longer look for the man of the house to talk to. Now they have to deal with me and my string of inevitable questions. Poor them.


• I get to work out at 3 different gyms, and I have tripled the number of people that I have met by doing so...and, yes, they are learning to experience Mau.


• I love accompanying the band every week. That has been, and continues to be my escape pod.....and now I even have my own bag of instruments....so look out.


• I love my backyard space, with the Bluejays, Cardinals, Chickadees, Hummingbirds, Chipmunks, and Squirrels. I even know where the vegetable garden will go....eventually.


• Backyard campfires are nice at night...especially the past few chilly evenings.


• I like Tiki torches in my garden..Tiki torches are cool....the tribe has spoken.

I am thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am grasping it with both arms extended.

A Freebie a Week

There is an antique shop closeby, which I visit regularly. The shop is quaint, and packed with all kinds of treasures, well, treasures to me....they may not be treasures to someone else. Since my house is old, I have found a few things that fit in well here. Today I picked up an antique mirror, which has a cubby for keys.... for an insanely low price. I also have the most perfect spot for it too. As I was leaving, I spotted a sterling necklace chain, one which has the most unique linking that I have ever seen....again for an insanely low price.

But, even though I manage to find something to buy, the highlight of the day is always the freebie part. One day, I was given a sterling silver heart that had an opal in it. Another day I was handed an antique money bank. Today, it was a Victorian sterling locket look-alike.

A freebie a week keeps the antique geek happy and meek.

:)

Stunned Silence

When I left the gym this evening, I glanced up at the televisions which were displaying some shocking news... ..that Michael Jackson was dead. Now, I am sitting here in stunned silence, watching the assorted coverage of his life.

Love him or hate him, he was one of the world's top performers. Remember the MoonWalk, and that silver glove, and Thriller.

I will mostly recall him as the adorable little guy with the Jackson 5. He was one of the five brothers who went on to be something huge.

Yes, he had a sordid past which overshadowed everything else that was possibly positive. Yes, he was a child molestor. Yes, he was a little strange. But he was also incredibly generous, probably almost to a fault. Remember Neverland.

He will now join Farrah Fawcett, who also left this earth today. Though her passing was expected, the beloved Charlie's Angel is now at peace.

Two great people gone in one day. Life is short and oh so fragile.

Scratcher

I may have coined a new term here. A new term for me that is.

One of my favourite hobbies is making my own cards from scratch. I use scrapbooking materials, but I also like to use other things as well, hence the scratch term. Now, in most circles, and Sue is the most knowledgeable about this, the term Scrapbooking is used, and the people who practice it are known as Scrapbookers or Scrappers. These folks also work their creative magic and turn precious mementos into scrapbooks.

I don't enjoy doing this as much as making cards.

So, I guess that makes me either a Scrapcarder or a Scratcher.

....but feel free to coin a proper term for what I do....

Bits and Bites

I acquired My Sweetie's tools....many of them....most of which I haven't a clue what to do with. I do know that some of them weigh a ton. and may need a small forklift in order to move them around...kidding! Now I am okay with some tools, usually the manual kind, but the electric rechargeable scares me a bit (did you get the word pun there?!?).

The first part of this fear dealt with the fact that the drill only had one drill bit. Of course, the screws that I had needed different bits. Unable to find the rest of them, I bought a neat set of 'things'....since there is no instruction manual (and I am really into instruction manuals, since that is what I create for a living) I was at a loss as to what these pieces all do. The guy in the store rattled off the purpose of each (he is smaaaaart...like most men when it comes to tools and such), but once I arrived home, I sat on the couch and stared at the box...unable to even open it.

So, I did my evening routine, and after dinner, I started to tinker with the drill and the 'bits'. Not so bad. This goes here. That goes there. This attaches to that. Simple right? Well, yes, pretty much. I have a piece of wood that is now my test piece, and I am not doing too badly.

So I have a couple of projects which will require me to use The Drill. No sweat ;)

p.s. - I also plan to visit Home D when they have their courses For Ladies Only....

A Voice from a Window

First of all, I want to thank those who have returned to visit my blog. It is nice to see followers once again, and to follow on a regular basis.

In a past post, I talked a bit about where I now live. The area has a mish-mush of residents. Some are single (actually a LOT are single), but there are also quite a few families (I know this because the school bus route passes by my window, and I get to see the little buttons meeting up with their Mommies).

There are also a few century homes here. At first, I thought that these homes were inhabited by a single family. I later learned that these places have been converted into multiple apartments. One of these buildings is across the street from me, containing four apartments. All of the residents are quiet, in fact. I have only seen one of them.

Until today....when I heard a voice from one of the upper windows.

The building is for sale, and the owner is usually there to try and fix one thing or another. While he was there today, I looked out and saw him looking up and talking to one of the upper windows. The voice was asking for something cold to drink ?!? Now, I have been here almost a month, and have never seen anyone there.

Maybe vampires?!?