The Great Gatsby

I want to read this book again.



I read it in High School.

I think in Grade 8, which was 1982-1983.

That was quite a while ago and I can't remember it.

I'll try to find a copy at the New and Gently Used Bookstore

at Yonge/Eg on Saturday.

Post Note - Friday Oct 8'10
I stopped by the bookstore today since they let us leave work early.
New, not used, $7.99 - not too bad.
180 pages.
Long weekend.
Looking forward to a good read!

Crossword Puzzles and The Plumber

I had a few things I needed to do, so I booked a Vacation Day and took care of them all.

As a result, I spent alot of time on the bus and subway.

So much that I completed 2 Crossword Puzzles.

I am grateful that I was able to get to where I needed to using public transit

and that I didn't have to do it in rush hour and always got a seat.

But still, it was brutal time suckage.

To spice up life, we've had a minor water leak in our bathroom for awhile that

a few days ago turned into a major water leak.

We live in a lovely old building with many pros and just as many cons.

A few of the cons are that we don't have a live-in super on-site.

He comes and goes with the garbage/recycling schedule and to empty

the coin operated washer/dryer.

He calls me "sweetie". I dislike that, even though I know it's

cause he can't remember my name.

Everything we ask for will be done tomorrow.
The last tomorrow took about 6 months to arrive.

For the past 3 days he was coming. Never showed up.

I called him last night and put aside the friendly tenant voice for the

very serious (always polite) this needs to be taken care of now voice.

The Plumber arrived about an hour later.

Super nice guy, no nasty crack and took care of the task at hand.

Also, he had waiting for him in his truck, his 8 month old

Bull Dog/Pug cross named Snoopy.

Of course I had to go see him and he was adorable.

End of Plumber story is that I no longer have to mop up water

in the bathroom and our Super said we'd get a new sink....Tomorrow?

I'm betting I'll have to use my serious voice a few more times before that happens.

Saturday Morning

I woke up this morning at 7:30am & saw this out our bedroom window:



The sunrise shining on the buidling across the street made it look like GOLD.
I rushed out of bed to take Crockett for a lovely sunrise walk.
In my neighbourhood early in the morning I bump into dog walkers,
joggers and joggers with their dogs.
Happy people who are polite and wish each other "Good Morning"

By the time I got outside, clouds had started to take over.

Pretty sky above me

The grass in the park was wet & there were dew drops on all the flowers.

Crockett enjoyed his walk and had a run around with another dog.

It was a good start to my morning.

I've just asked Adam to check the Weather Network as the sky has darkened pretty fast.



Off my morning topic...

When I started this blog, I was no longer happy sitting on the couch with my

laptop on a TV Dinner table.  I needed my own space.

Adam has his office. It's a great space, for him.  The walls are painted

a yummy chocolate brown with white trim. It feels like a Starbucks Hot Chocolate.

He also hates when I use his computer. 

I always fear accidentally hitting a key & messing up all his settings. 

That would send him into a tizzy.

So, I created my own little nook.

I have always liked small spaces.

As a kid I had a great bedroom closet.

I'd take in my radio, a lamp & books and be content for hours.

I took the top off a crate I was about to put down in the storage locker,

added 2 Ikea table legs & brackets and voila - my own nook.

It's in the bedroom so it's private, it's cozy.

I had hooks on the walls already, so just attached the baskets to them. 

It was a fluke that it worked and that they were well spaced out & straight.

The one on the left is home to my current knitting project.

I just need a cork board, some photos on the wall and a prettier desk lamp to home it up.

Lollipop

In Mississauga last weekend, I saw a Squirrel eating a Lollipop.

There are so many of them on the grounds around my Mother's place and

they are brave little things. I guess they have been fed by folks.

When I started to talk to one it came right up to me within 3 feet.

Actually it freaked me out.

TV

I like to watch TV as much as I like movies.
Adam is more of a movie guy. He tolerates tv.

I didn't watch Lost or Heroes.

I've never seen an episode of Desperate Wives or Grey's Anatomy.

I loved the first few seasons of Survivor.
Jeff Probst, Colby, Ethan, Boston Rob.

I do like The Biggest Loser. 
Not for all the game play and challenges, but to see people transform their bodies & lives.

I like So You Think You Can Dance, but only the US production with Simon, Mia & Adam. 

I will watch a documentary about anything - except cruelty to animals.
Can't even THINK about watching The Cove.

Love The National Geographic Channel.
Cesar Milan is fantastic & Dog Town makes me want to pack up and move to Utah.

My new favorite sitcom is Big Bang Theory. I love Sheldon
and Howard's belt buckles.

The best series I've enjoyed have been on Showcase & HBO.
The show I wish was still on - Queer As Folk. Gale Harold - 'nuff said.
Curb Your Enthusiasm - classic, neurosis at its best.
Entourage - love Lloyd
Califonication - David Duchovny - 'nuff said

The one thing I have not watched lately that I told Adam I'm going to start watching again this season is Hockey Night in Canada.
Believe it or not, I miss watching Hockey.



I Used To Be Fearless

When I was younger,  I was fearless.

I had confidence.

I was not self concious.

I was audacious.

I was brave.

I was daring.

I was gutsy.

I just went and asked Adam, out of the blue, to explain me using only 5 words.

They were:

Kind

Giving

Sweet

Funny

One of a kind

I'll take that. That is a good list coming from the man who
vowed to love me 'til death do us part.

 

Now, the 5 words I'd use to explain myself are:

Nurturing

Funny

Worrier

Affectionate

Kind

I want to add fearless and brave back onto both Adam's and my list.

Just What I Needed



On Friday night, I slept better than I have in weeks.

I was at my Mom's.

My Dad was away so I spent the weekend with her.

When there, my Mommy hearing turns off.

I don't have kids, but I do have Mommy hearing.

The phone rang early Saturday morning and I didn't even hear it!

If you've seen the movie Mother with Albert Brooks, I, like Albert's character, cannot spend any time with my Mother at her home without my Brother calling her at least once a day.

The way in which I have chosen to deal with my dysfunctional sibling relationship is to not deal with my dysfunctional sibling relationship.

I have an excellent argument/life case study in regards to Nature vs. Nurture.

At home in the city, any small noise wakes me up.

Any movement by Adam or Crockett in the night and I check to make sure they're ok.

Tap is dripping, I hear it. Guy in the apt above tinkles in the night, I hear it.

When I'm sleeping within 20 feet of my Mom...magic slumber.

I ran some errands for my Mom on Saturday.

The sky was creepy and beautiful.

Believe it or not, it didn't rain.

Saturday night we had Lamb Curry for dinner. 
We discussed why it's good to be a vegetarian, and how awful it is to eat a cute little lamb.
My mother said it was especially difficult when she was in England to eat Lamb and then on the way home from the Pub, see them all grazing on the hills.
I will admit, it was a good meal and one I would only eat if prepared by my Mother.
I have never purchased and cooked Lamb myself. Couldn't do it.

My Mom making Lamb Curry
At home, I am a Pescetarian on my journey to becoming a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian.
It is a process and I accept that, until I am fully transitioned and eating a full well balanced vegetarian diet, I will on occasion, eat meat.



Not The Best Day Ever

I've had a tough past few weeks.

I haven't been feeling very good.

Today, on my way home from work, on the bus, this happened;

A panic attack is a period of incredibly intense, often temporarily debilitating, sense of extreme fear or psychological distress, typically of abrupt onset. Though it is often a purely terrifying feeling to the sufferer, panic attacks are actually an evolutionary body response often known as the fight-or-flight response occurring out of context. The most common symptoms may include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain (or chest tightness), sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), light-headedness, hyperventilation, paresthesias (tingling sensations), and sensations of choking, smothering and dreamlike and disconnected sensations. During a panic attack, the body typically releases large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream. First time panic attacks are usually one of the worst experiences of a person's life. Typically, first time sufferers of a panic attack truly believe they are dying, going insane or having a heart attack.

What the......Was it a Dream?

I didn't sleep well last night. Lots of dreaming.

Our bedroom faces Yonge Street so with open windows, noise happens.

I was trying to remember if this was a dream or not.

I woke up and it was like a scene from the Simpson's with Mr. Burns.

I was startled by a loud clap of thunder.

I opened my eyes to see Adam closing the window.

Only I didn't really see Adam.

I saw his silhouette in a bright room filling flash of lightning.

I wish I could draw......

Drawn on a Post It Note with my favorite Sharpie Pen

What a Rebel

  With the arrival of spring/summer comes the arrival of construction season.

Last season it was south of us, this season it was right at our door. 

It made for very dusty windows and extra traffic congestion during the evening rush home.

Adam is a romantic. 

The day they repaved the sidewalks right in front of our building, he did this:

Sure the J is a bit wonky....but still

This is where he did it - next to the side door.

What makes him a rebel and what made the J wonky is that he did it while 

the pave crew was a few meters away.

He did it right by the small side door that we use everyday.

I see it every time I come & go.