Hats and Veils

Today I saw a picture in a magazine, which brought me back to my wedding preparations, many years ago. The style of wedding dress back then was of a simple nature, but the main attraction was the hat. Hats with wedding dresses were all the rage, and they usually had the veil attached to the back of the hat.

I remember that I searched a bit for the proper hat. Either they were too big or not big enough. Finally, I was able to find a hat that I liked. I do recall the saleslady saying With a hat that size, you'll have no trouble finding a suitable veil. Which of course I didn't.

Now, if we could only turn back time.....

What would I do...

Today I was asked a most hypothetical and thought-provoking question. If I had a chance to go anywhere in the world, where would that be. I had to think about it, because, if I had the opportunity, I wouldn't want to limit myself to any one particular place. So I thought a bit, and came up with what I would want to do.....



.....backpack across Europe...even at this stage of my life.....not staying at 5-star hotels, or renting luxurious cars. It would involve the challenge of actually being able to live and travel with only a backpack.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

Happy dreams...

Gypsy

Gypsies....I think those were hippie-like people who used to live like wild people and roam freely from place to place. I picture them wearing long skirts and bandannas and having long hair.

And they were free spirits.

Yesterday, my BFF gave me the little push that I needed, and told me to go and be a gypsy. I wasn't sure about going, in fact I hesitated big time. But, I threw caution to the wind and went the way of the gypsy.

.....and I had fun.....

I have had to to do that a lot lately. Break out of my old mold and be the person that I am supposed to be, whoever she is. I think that deep down, she is a spontaneous person...do things on the fly rather than plan everything to the point of exhaustion. Be the free spirit. Release the gypsy in me. Sometimes it takes a bit of coaxing and prodding, but sometimes I am able to do it on my own (not often...I am happy to have my BFF's help :)..)

I guess the more that I do it, the easier it gets.

Happy Easter to anybody who reads my blog. Enjoy some mint dark chocolate....or a bunny or 2.

The Ability To Laugh

It's late here, probably too late to blog, but I have lots of time, and I have this warm little topic that needs to be put out here. It's about the ability to laugh, laugh with others, at things that are funny, but mostly being able to laugh at oneself.

That last one is HUGE ONE...being able to laugh at oneself. I have a girlfriend with whom I am quite close. That shouldn't surprise anyone. I keep my circles tight and private. I am selective about my friends. It's sort of like a MEMBERS ONLY club. With this particular girlfriend, we take the same gym classes and we try to go out once a week. We grab a soda and sit at a local restaurant, and chat, and dream, and share, and learn. AND we laugh...laugh to the point where we both have tears streaming down our faces.

This girlfriend has a son who has special needs. Anyone who doesn't know or understand cannot possibly accept his strange social behaviour. I understand it and am accustomed to him the way that he is. One time we went out to a restaurant together....my girlfriend and I plus her 2 boys. The one with the special needs behaved as he always does, and had us laughing hysterically...and do you know why? He was imitating the sound of very loud farts while he was hiding under the table. I'll tell you, the people around us were not too impressed, but we were in stitches...with tears streaming down all of our faces.

Maybe they need to have a good belly-hurting, tear-streaming laugh......cause it really does feel good....and with that I bid you a good night...

Distracting Words

The other night, I was at a meeting where this fellow was brought in to speak on a specific topic. At first the talk interesting, and I was paying attention until a part of my brain clicked into something that was happening. I noticed that he would add the words Know-What-I-Mean at the end of each and every sentence. Actually, when he said it, it sounded like knowhudamean.

At first I thought that it was just a habit, and that he would soon abandon it. That didn't happen. Those words were there each and every time....and he was on a roll.

Now, by this time I was now fully drawn to the words rather than the message. Well sort of. I would drift back to listen to what he was saying, but at this point he was fully off topic and was now rambling, and my mind was now counting each instance of those words.

He used Know-What-I-Mean about 76 times.

:)

St. Patrick's Day 2010!!!

Here is what is on my Saint Patrick's Day mind today....

• Irish music playing on satellite radio.


• Green apparel for girls night out tonight.


• Remembering the parade that I was in, way back in my university days.


• Thinking of my Mom and her family, who were all Irish.

Even Google is dressed up for the day.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all.....Erin Go Bragh!!

Rest In Peace Mr. Stan

Mr. Stan Domereckyj

Passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the age of 86. Born July 10, 1923 in Drohobych, Ukraine. Proud veteran of the 1st Ukrainian Army Division "GALICIA" (WWII). Retired employee of American Motors (Chrysler) Canada and proud member of CAW Local 1285, Brampton. The family would like to extend their thanks and gratitude for the kindness and care provided by the staff of Ivan Franko Home. Thank you to Appleby Drive neighbours for your thoughtfulness and assistance to Stan. A special thanks to Dori and the Reinhart family for your concern and friendship to Stan over the years. Visitation for Stan's friends and co-workers will be held on Tuesday, March 16 from 7-9 pm at the Andrews Community Funeral Centre, 8190 Dixie Road, Brampton (North of Steeles) (905) 456-8190. Private family interment. Donation may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Tonight I went to pay my respects to Mr. Stan's family. It was important to do this. Some of the Appleby neighbours were there, and we reconnected. That, too, was important.

*Sleep well, Mr. Stan. We were lucky to be your neighbours on Appleby, and you grew a lovely vegetable garden. You will be missed.*

BFF Update

My BFF is going to be alright. We spoke on the phone for a wee bit. She sounded tired, and was going to have some tests done, but she is going to be alright.

YAY!

I have missed her so very much, and her hubby has been a rock for her as usual.

I guess virtual energy pooling pulls through sometimes......thank you all!!

*doing big Happy Dance here*

Mending Friend

My BFF has been in the hospital all weekend with something very serious. It sounds as though the doctors are being very thorough before releasing her.

I miss her very much, and so want her back to her normal life.

If you do believe in a Higher Power, please send prayers.

A Sad Local Music World

A young lad slips on ice, falls backwards, hits his head, and dies from his injuries.

Our local music world is saddened.

Sights and Sounds

Changes in the seasons always brings about changes around us. Here are some of the changes I am noticing these days....................

• pockets of snow hidden by shade


• larger pockets of potential grass


• my garden furniture no longer buried under snow


• teenagers wearing shorts and Ts


• a variety of cup lids and bottles, hidden all winter under snow


• birds....twittering in the morning and evening


• people....people seem to venture out of their homes when the weather is nice


• motorcycles....even though I saw the first one (to me) sometime last month


• cars with the top down


• open windows


• people going to the gym in workout wear

roll-ups

I received 2 roll-ups in 2 days....what's a roll-up...

? sleeves?
? sleeping bags ?
? carpets ?
? hair curlers ?
? eyelashes ?
? socks ?

.....your turn

Whatever Happened To....?

Did you ever wonder whatever happened to those people who used to be part of your life? They were once there, connected to us, and then, through circumstances, they disappeared, vanished. It happens, life happens. But once in awhile, there are some of those connections that magically reconnect. I had this experience recently. In university, I had a bestest girlfriend. We were like 2 peas in the proverbial pod. If we were at an event, and KC and the Sunshine Band played, we would arrive from wherever we were in the room, and dance our silly heads off. Through FB, we recently reconnected. We even talked on the phone, and it was one of those moments....30 years vanished and we instantly reconnected. ...and it was cool. * thanks to my BFF for prodding me to post*

Politically Speaking

This year it is time for me to get back into local politics. I took a wee break from it when I left Barrie, but I missed it. Currently, the whole prorogation issue has me heated up. Heating me up is what got me involved the last time, and it worked again this time.

The local group has openings on their exec, so I may get involved there, and, as always, they need volunteers...because you just never know when an election might be called.

I know, I know.....it's not polite to talk politics, even though the dinner party crowd certainly engages in such discussion, and I am not going to discuss politics. The important thing is that it is a healthy project to get involved in, and one can learn so much that they didn't already know.

So here's to me for re-acquainting myself with politics in this neck of the woods.....and I may even post about it.....

My addendum rant - if you elect a government, you should expect them to be at work for you....not taking a leave for 60+ days (and this is not the first leave they have had, not counting their extended Christmas break) so that they can hide away from important issues. Remember, nothing gets done in Parliament during that time. Think about that the next time you vote.
*end of rant*

The End of the Year

Rather than blog the typical happy yah yah Happy New Year post, I decided to blog on the last day of the current year....heck I made it to the end of the year in one piece, and that in itself is an accomplishment....so this post is a kind of summary of sorts.

What a year. I could insert profane expletives here, but I won't. It wouldn't serve any purpose anyway. ...but man it sure feels good to say fcuk every once in awhile.

Let's see.....the biggest part of 2009 was that I became a single, separate entity....well sort of.. I still have BJ....who is in his 18th year. Being single didn't really sink in until I was out and on my own for the first time in my life. A lot changed with that status change, let me tell you, but I think that I also grew in many ways. I am finding me again, and that is important. She was always there, but kind of became molded into someone else. Why this happened I don't know, but I can tell you that whoever I meet will have to accept me the way that I am. That will be non-negotiable....and God help him because I can be a handful...but then I don't know too many people who aren't.

My BJ boy is a totally different cat. He no longer hides in the basement or in the ceiling. He is always around me, like glue to paper, or the proverbial shit to a blanket. He greets people at the door. I don't have a doorbell, and I won't be getting one anytime soon, so he is no longer afraid of that, in fact, when friends come over, he doesn't even get out of the chair....instead he sits up and looks for rubs.

.....and my mind is having trouble concentrating right now for me to concisely write about everything, so I'll jot down my Coles notes version of the most memorable personal things for me....

* Buying my old house
* My very special girlfriends
* The annual Cousin's reunion...the C.R.O.C.S.
* My cousin's visit in the summer...sweet
* Spending Christmas with my cousin and his family....low key, under the top, but oh so special
* my special work buddy who helped me when I moved in
* Going to Mexico with my friend
* Getting My beautiful tattoo
* Having my ears pierced
* The Busholme Inn....my salvation place...my sanity rescue
* Playing the drums
* Getting my own drum kit
* Playing guitar again
* Playing percussion whenever I can
* Meeting men
* Dumping men
* making new friends....always

So here's to new adventures and experiences in the new year. Who knows what it will bring, but if I have any say in the direction, it will be positive, and full, and fun.....and oh so worth it.

Cheers!

Chasing The Olympic Torch

Nothing I do is simple. This is just a fact, which includes my not-so-simple chance to see The Olympic Torch, which was going to be in G'town today. Here is my story.

The hype had been building in this little town, hype around the arrival of The Olympic Torch. It was supposed to be here around 7AM, and within walking distance of where I live, so I planned to basically dash out of bed with camera in hand. It was great to see that others also stumbled out of their beds so early on a Saturday morning. It was minus 12 outside, and keeping the body moving was the order of the day. I found a couple of good spots on what was thought to be 'the route', set up my camera, and then started to have problems, first with the batteries (and I had no charged ones with me either doh!) then my camera froze. I tried everything I could to get the thing to warm up and behave, but nothing was working, so I headed home.

Once home, I found some new batteries, and let the camera warm up a bit. Everything was operating so I headed out...again. By the time I arrived at the corner, I could see the Olympic vehicles passing by....and everybody was leaving. I had heard that The Torch made its way to the downtown area, then they packed it in to head to Acton....no relay between G'town and Acton (I didn't think that they did, but a friend was adamant that it was a continuous relay all across Canada).

I was now sad that I missed my opportunity, but this sad moment didn't last for long. I headed back home and jumped in the truck and drove to Acton........about a 10 minute drive away. Once I got far enough along, I could see the Olympic vehicles ahead....and then just as quickly, I saw the police barring any other vehicles from entering. I was locked out with no way into the town.

......so I headed back home once again...or so I thought.

I recalled that The Torch was going to be in Milton after Acton...so off I went. At this point Milton would be about 20 TO 30 minutes away, I had no idea where anything would be but I guessed that the action would likely be somewhere in the downtown core.

BINGO! I hit pay day!

There was a large gathered crowd. I saw the person who was going to take The Torch for the next scheduled leg...and finally I saw The Torch itself, along with the sponsor vehicles providing crowd hype. Just a great feeling to be among others who braved the cold to feel the spirit....screaming, yelling, dancing, jumping...all active and united to see The Torch and keep this alive.

Peace.....

Tatt-a-Tatt-Tatt

Today is the day that I got my first tattoo ...and I have 2 words............LUV IT!!!

For as long as I can remember, I was curious about tattoos. My parents used to take me to Belmont Park, an old amusement park in Montreal, and I remember seeing the tattooed man, actually I stared intently at the patterns that flowed across his body.I wondered how the patterns got there.

When I grew up, I was still always attracted to the various tattoos that people had etched on their bodies. Art...yes it is actually considered art. You know the ones....the guys with the snake on their arm, or entwined hearts, or mom or whatever. Now the tatts tend to be full blown and colorful...quite stunning.

I never seriously considered having a real tattoo, until this year, and especially after I received my henna tattoo in Mexico. I really liked the idea of having a piece of personal expression on my body.

In the summer, I had visited the recommended establishment to check out the facilities for piercings and tattoos. At that time I wanted my ears pierced over and above the tattoo, but I knew the tattoo was waiting in the wings. In the end I had my ears pierced at another shop, partly because of convenience and also because I had a friend who supported me. I have not regretted the ear piercing...absolutely one of the best things that I have ever done for myself.

When I recently went to Mexico, as a whim, I got a henna tattoo on my ankle. It was a simple bird and flower tattoo, and was guaranteed to last 2 weeks. I liked it so much that I wanted to have it as a permanent reminder of my trip. So, I had it designed with a twist...the bird has a flower in its beak along with a drumstick. See pic....oh and there is still a hint of the henna which will eventually fade.

2 Months Later and 7 Months In

It's about time.....about time I updated this old blog of mine. Contrary to what some people might think, I did not fall off the face of the earth and disappear. I think some would wish that I did, but alas I am still here. The last time I posted was around October 10th. Things were settling down a bit by then. I had some necessary things done to my house to make it liveable. My drum lessons were in full swing. I had my ears pierced. All good things.

It is now 7 months since I moved to G'town. Work has been both busy and steady. But, for me, things are. In my soul, I still feel disconnected and with no sense of purpose. My past is still a huge part of who I am, and for the most part I merely survive. Now, to other people, they see a huge change in me, and they say for the better. I guess I have to look outside my own box and continue on. Part of that continuum is drumming, where I am the house drummer for the Sunday afternoon jams in Erin. I also jam at other places, but those stints are much shorter, but it's all about enjoyment, and I enjoy being a chick drummer.

Recently, I took a trip to Mexico. That was my second time there, mostly because I love Mexico, and the first visit there left me with permanent and special memories. This trip was my summer vacation. I had not been away all summer. I booked the trip in July and did not know how I would be able to wait 4 months until it was time to actually go. Before I knew it, I was wrapped up in a daily countdown that had my system whirling with excitement....

Short trip synopsis ...Playa del Carmen shopping excursion with handsome Mexican men serving free nachos....swimming with the Dolphins and experiencing my first dorsal tow...and a Catamaran trip to absolutely die for....henna tattoo on my ankle for $5 US....salsa dancing at the pool....nightly shows that were A+.

So, what's in store for me now? Well, first off, I try not to plan too much into the future, because I am still trying to deal with the past and present. What I do know is that I will be spending Christmas day with family. I will be getting a tattoo on Saturday. I am going to a radio party in a week. I'll be jamming on Sunday.

The rest will just happen as it is supposed to.

Ola!

Melancholic Day

When I moved to this town four and a half months ago, one of the draws, and one that would form one of my obsessive routines, was the Farmer's Market. It started about two weeks after I had moved, and even though I was far from settled, I wanted to go. I had this planned, and I live so close by that I can walk to the market, so I manned my knapsack and my iPod and off I went. I can remember feeling warm as I reached the top of the hill and looked down into the town...a town which has retained much of the old charm.

For the first week, the crops were perhaps still not ready, and the presence of vendors was sparse, but the weeks that followed brought more vendors to the street.

....the fresh baked breads, croissants and danishes
........farm fresh fruit and vegetables
............fresh brewed coffee, where I would sit and take in the sights and sounds of a Saturday morning.

....and the odd craft and jewellery vendor....

Today is the last day for the Market, and I am left feeling sad. Some of the vendors recognize their regular patrons, and some of those will operate out of other areas during the winter. They volunteered their information and I may visit. As I left the Market, I stood at the top of the hill and looked back. My routine now must change. My Saturday morning jaunt is curtailed.

Somehow, though, I think I will find something to fill that space until the Market returns next year.

Peace.

Scratch my Head

This world of ours can be a funny place...and the other day I watched something that entertained me while I was at the checkout counter.

First a little background.

When I was young, I can remember having paper bags as shopping bags. I would get penny candy in wee paper bags and my Mother would have her groceries placed in large paper sacks. How we arrived at the world of unlimited plastic I'll never know, but thankfully we have finally woken up and are doing something about using less of it.

So, now we reduce and reuse and charge people for the use of a plastic bag, which is all good, so people now bring their own bins or bags or whatever.

...except for one lady...

While at said checkout counter waiting for the lady in front of me to finish, I noticed that things were taking somewhat longer than normal. I also noticed a lot more activity than usual. Then I noticed why. The lady did not bring any bags or bins, so she had to unload each item from her cart to the checkout counter (and there were many items!), then she had to load each item back into her cart.

Now you also have to figure that she had to load each item back into her car and then get each item into her house (unless she had the bins in the car and was too lazy to go out and get them). Whatever it was, it was certainly entertaining.

I have an intolerant remark that I refuse to make here, but rest assured that it is in my head.....and it has something to do with hair color...

Have a good weekend y'all...