More Than I Expected...

Hello Lovelies,

It's a short one today but here none the less.

I hope your holidays were everything you wanted them to be and if not then I hope it's better the next time around.

The city is light today lacking bodies and traffic so it's eerily quiet. The office is cold because the building shuts off the heat during the weekends and holidays but we have a heater on to toast things up in here. Seeing as I was almost 45 mins early for work today it's nice and quiet for me to get this out in time for you to wake up or in some places you're just getting home and settling in for the evening.

Christmas was more than I expected this year, even though I was an adult ( for most of it ) I almost felt the child I used to be way...way back when. Not for the excitement of the gifts but for feeling complete in family. I saw some that I hadn't seen or heard from in many years. There was the one that practically had to be dragged out of bed and nagged until he showed up ( but that's a normal thing ), a wayward pup back home for a few days so much more that filled me with reinforcement of appreciation for the people in my life.

That and the fact that almost every gift I gave made them happy! I mean visibly happy and ripping them open with smiles, hugs and exclamations of sheer joy. Except for ass dragger who waited until I left the room to open them so I never got to even see a reaction...jerk.

Way to take away a girls sense of accomplishment.

A bonus..I wasn't hung over this year so all food consuming and cooking went off without the need to throw up and that was outstanding! It's over though all that time and energy and STRESS and it's over for one more year.

Thank goodness.

So we all know how much I love New Years even if I'm on my couch watching cheesy 80's videos or bad B rated movies but my only resolution this new year is to get my shit together and make next year better than the last one. My year wasn't bad, I did things, I changed things and I rolled with it all.

Next year...is wide open.

Have a great week guys.

Happy New Year!

See Ya

S

Awful Christmas Gifts 2015 pt 2

Hello Lovelies!

This is the last Awful post since Christmas is this Friday. It's moved so fast and end of year is always the most busy and hectic. As well as the Winter Solstice being today on this side of the world I'm hoping that the shortest day of the year proves itself to be really short and my work day will hopefully feel shorter in return so far so good.

Only 3 and 1/2 days of work this week though and with Boxing Day on Saturday we get the Monday off on the other end so next week is short too. Fantastic. 

Anyway on to the ridiculousness.

The Lung Ashtray

I actually have nothing really to say about it except that someone is obviously trying to say something with this gift and I would have to smack them with it in return.

The Stud Undies...

Ummm...wishful thinking??? Ego booster????? Run away...

Extreme Chores Video Game

An extreme chore would be to actually have them doing their chores in the first place. I mean if paying them wouldn't get them done how would a point system work? And why does that kid look sooo happy? All of them are freaking me out.

 Brief Jerky

Edible...Meat...underwear... I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

So...gross...

Ok this is a pillow with an arm...

Desperate or needy I'm not sure which but I'm leaning more toward desperate.

Yup definitely desperation.

The Nap Sack...

This one made me laugh out loud! Not only is buddy wearing one in a meeting at least I think it's a meeting and the people on the ski lift ( how much sleeping time is there? ) but the one in Church mainly because you want to go un-noticed if you're sleeping in Church, right? 

Ok guys off I go. It's lunch and I still have time to get some writing in so have a great week!

See Ya

S

Cave Baby...Still Got Nothin

Happy Monday!

Well Christmas is only 2 weeks away now... this does not thrill me at all but 'Tis the Season' right?

Although things won't be like last year when it almost didn't happen due to the hangover from hell this year we will go without the possibility of alcohol poisoning! At least out of the 5 of us last year we were ALL down for the count until I had to cook food and bake things. It's all a blur now and I can't even look at a bottle of Appleton's Rum without my gag reflex kicking in.


Anyway I have a few more Awful Christmas Gifts for you but there are a couple that I think are right up my alley!

1. The Goatee Saver!

 The equivalent of a bowl on the head but for your man's face. A perfect goatee every time. Now I need to get one and have someone try it to see if this would actually work. I've already thought of 3 DIY at home things like this that could work, oh but wait this is a gift. Even though it looks like a giant adult soother.

2. The CROC phone case.

 Blond unicorn would love this because she is the CROC queen and why not have her phone follow suit?

3. 44cm Gummy Bear! An actual giant edible gift from the gods.

Oh come on! This is not bad...this is awesome! Why? Because the belly is shaped like a bowl and you can fill it. Fill it with what you ask? Let's say chocolate...fill it with chocolate and every woman in my house that has PMS will be satiated and calm for the duration. No one would get snapped at or have thoughts of smothering others with pillows. It's perfect!

Except for the diabetic sugar coma we would all go into.

4. I took this one so fast I didn't even notice what it was called but it's pretty obvious.

another gift that the women of my house would love while sending themselves into a sugar induced death but you have to admit it's kind of cool.

5. You Can Shave The Baby

I...ah...hmmm... when did babies come with full armpit and ass hair? What baby has CALF HAIR? And it's a Ginger baby? What exactly are they trying to say? Does it come with the razor? It's like Cavebaby. There is nothing else I can say here.

Nothing.

5. Lionel Richie Tea Pot.

This just makes me giggle and sing.

Ok guys I'm off for now but will be back this week with a post about how to not attempt to use Facebook messenger after you've had a few.

A group gets started and all hell breaks loose.

Have a great week.

See Ya

S.

All I Want For Christmas..

Is absolutely none of these.

While looking for truly awful Christmas gifts I have found quite a few that are just undeniably ridiculous and as we go for the next few weeks they will become even more ridiculous.

So shall we get right to it?

Yes I think we shall!

Up first,

This seems self explanatory, except for why your hands would need under...um...handerpants in the first place. What's wrong with gloves? Do they go under your gloves? It doesn't even matter.

I have no idea what language this is but I'm pretty sure that's a sleeping bag, that you can walk around in, and at the same time have absolutely no use of your hands. Wouldn't those bathroom breaks be a chore? Maybe he has Handerpants on under there.

The DVD Rewinder... I would get this for someone just to see how long it took to get the joke and then laugh my ass off. So this one is good for the entertainment value alone but still awful.

This gives Wake n Bake a whole new meaning but still how is this even remotely a good idea? First you would have to set it up the night before and that not gross at all (yes it is) but then to wake up and cook in bed, or beside the bed? Who eats the second they crack open an eyeball? What about grease splatter on your face? What if you roll over and drape your arm across the grill?

I have too many questions.

Oh let's see...I have dogs and I knit but do I want to go as far as knitting WITH my dogs hair? I...think...not...ever. ti makes me itchy just thinking about it.

I you have an awful gift idea or someone has given you something that was just wrong let me know and we'll see if we can find something worse.

Have a great week!

See Ya
S

Year End Is Coming!

Happy Friday!


With Xmas just around the corner in a few weeks and my shopping halfway done, it leaves my mind free to wander about the upcoming new year.

This year has gone by so fast and reflecting on what has happened and how to improve the next year comes along with it. Wanting to improve it doesn't always mean you can though. So I try to start small but I'm thinking that next year I'll just go big and all in. 

2015 was my year to "Roll With It" and I did I took everything that happened in stride no matter how weird or uncomfortable it was, with the exception of going to Walmart in my PJ's with Blondunicorn and Bean because I'm sorry I just can't do it. The most I can do that way is hit a Tom Horton's drive thru in my slippers and only because who's going to see that! Unless she tried to make me get out of the car...but she wouldn't...out of fear.

Besides that it was go with the flow the whole way.

So the oncoming 2016 year is going to be the year to "Go Big." Instead of small steps towards making the year memorable it's going to have to be leaps and bounds! Within reason people! I know a few of you who are giggling like monkeys on crack right now but get whatever those thought are out of your head. There are many changes to come and many opportunities to make things happen, thank goodness for my patient and supportive group I have that will aid and abet my ideas without question.

 Except Bean who not only has questions but finds every, single, possible loophole to just about anything. 

Besides dabbling in photography and the strides I've made with my writing, it's time to buckle down and take the time to do all of the various things that consume my world and there are just so many!

What's life if you're not going to live it, right?

With that said Monday begins the Awful Xmas Gift line up and unlike my failure for Halloween These should go off without a hitch. If you have any suggestions or memories of gifts you received that were either less than appropriate or just ridiculous let me know. Pictures would be even better.

Now I have a work party to go watch people get drunk at!

Have a good weekend

See Ya
S

Heavy Monday...

Good Morning! (Really...really fake enthusiasm)

I hope your weekend went well. Mine was awesome simply because we were warm dare I say hot even.

I can't believe it's the last day of November already, I swear that was the fastest month of the year so far. Maybe it's because I've done about half of my dreaded Xmas shopping already and it's the last...day...of Nov. for me this is so far beyond abnormal. Most of the time I'm using that last pay cheque before Christmas to venture off into consumer hell but not this year! Also the day when many many men while shave their faces and look 10 years younger for it as Movember comes to a close for another year.

I have to touch base on this because I held the cutest, fattest, blue nosed pit bull puppy yesterday that also brought up this conversation about Katie Brown taping her dogs mouth shut. Another friend had added me to a Facebook group called Katie Brown is a Douche, about it and there was no need for me to comment as I read the posts from outraged people that for the most part was what I was thinking. For me as a dog owner and avid lover of them with 3 of my own that are all rescues, 2 of which bark if someone so much as sneezes, know how annoying a barking dog can be but...taping a dogs mouth shut eve for a minute as this woman claims is beyond my realm of comprehension. a dogs nasal passages run along the top of it's nose and you've completely restricted their mouth and in that case even for a 60 SECONDS you're suffocating the dog, that beautiful dog who I hope gets taken somewhere else and appreciated.

Like I say at home, they're dogs...they bark, they lick, they chew shit but regardless you took responsibility for that animal whether it's a dog, a cat or anything else. If you can't tolerate it then don't own it, give it to someone who can. The fact that she back pedaled claiming it wasn't for that long makes no difference and she obviously knew that it was wrong because she felt the need to explain further and yet...

She also wrote, “Really people… Some dogs need a muzzle so they dont bite someones child!!!”

I'm pretty sure that when a dog is wearing a muzzle it can still open it's mouth and um breathe through it's nose. How in any way does this compare to what she did? That makes me not only stunned at her actions but at her sheer stupidity as well because not only did she do it and take pictures, she posted them on Facebook and now she's scared. Well she should be because she created this outrage for her BAD JOKE.

After looking into all of this further I saw article after article of people who do that kind of shit to their dogs and one pic in particular back in June...

made me raging. 15 months old, electrical tape...FOR DAYS HER TONGUE WAS TRAPPED BETWEEN HER TEETH! she found her own way to a neighbour. Caitlyn needed surgery and her owner William Leonard Dodson  was arrested and was facing possibly 5 years for animal cruelty. I don't know how it turned out... I didn't find much after July when his bail was revoked and after seeing so many instances of stupid people doing stupid things I gave up on some level of humanity and just want to hug mine. after they have a bath and smell better or maybe just cuddle the nameless puppy some more and make it all go away.

Kind of a heavy Monday and so much more to say that I might have to post again this week. Might...we'll see as I continue to work on new projects for the new year and old ones that I should just shut up and do.

Have a great week guys!

Hug your pets and love them!

See Ya
S

The Fun Never Stops

Hello Lovelies!

Someone told me the other day that my life certainly isn't boring and it was like watching a movie as we caught up over lunch last week.

Let's just add to that shall we?

Last week I went to pay my gas bill, BU has it in her name so I ran out on my lunch break and loaded my prepaid Visa ( because credit cards are BAD...for me ) I come rushing back to the office and get BU on the phone so that I can give her the reference number so she can report the payment. I sit down and we set up an online account for her so that I can pay by credit card. Ok. Fine. Everything is ok so far until...I go to make the payment.

Why?

Because Fortis Gas DOES NOT TAKE VISA.

Now I'm stunned blinking at the screen and that quickly turns to rage...way too fast. The string of swear words I was throwing out there probably had a few co-workers cringing but who doesn't take Visa and I'd have to pay it through a 3rd party where they can charge you $7-50 as a processing fee! I won't pay by credit card now even if I could just for that reason alone.

So I breath repeatedly as BU is on the other end of the phone, confused and probably cringing herself or possibly laughing but still having my pissed of back as I curse the gas company to hell and back for making me waste my time and I'm losing my mind because this prepaid card is type where the money is on it and it stays there. Sure I can spend it but I can't get the lump sum off the card. No cash advances, it's just stuck so I have to go and pay it through online banking and that messed up a series of other things that I had budgeted specifically for.

Seeing red now because I had a plan. I had a plan and financially and I never have a plan. I can admit that. I will rob Peter to pay Paul but the money always goes where it's needed the most. I recently got the card so that I could do things a bit differently and shop for Xmas online so that I don't have my consumer rage kick in shopping at stores. Like yesterday at Shoppers Drug Mart where I glared at a lady so hard because she was just that sort of person who purposely took longer at the cashier asking stupid questions as a long line formed behind her not caring that there were people waiting.

Cue the colourful phrases again, that though is another story.

So I pay the gas bill and we have the heat going. ( we get it shut off every May to roughly Oct ) The fan on the furnace had been running all summer blowing cool air through the duct and thus keeping us a bit cooler. The gas guy said it was good that we left it on because it would keep the dust out of the vents. Well Yay for us...until yesterday, until the sound and shaking of the house made me feel like a small plane was hurtling towards us so I actually went outside to look.

K...cool...no planes falling from the sky so what the hell was that?

Choo came upstairs and asked me if I heard the noise. OF COURSE I HEARD IT! I thought we were all going to die! So I asked what it was...it was the furnace fan. Wobbling. Shaking the walls. Right underneath BU who slept through it like a champ considering her room is directly above the furnace.

Well, shit that means I might have to talk to my landlord and I never want to do that but Choo and a friend looked into it and we might be able to take care of it on our own. My fingers are crossed.

So with the rat and the flooding and now the furnace I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to make an offering to some higher power or a lower one if only that things just run smoothly for once at this time of year.

Speaking of the rat it set of the trap and left teeth marks in the bait the sly lil devil. If SHE keeps this up and I'm pretty sure its a she that one will end up with a name too I'll have to go get one of those humane traps where she goes in and doesn't get out. and relocate her and her potential offspring because it's a she.

Ok guys, have a great week!

See Ya.
S

Friday the 13th Shenanigans

Good Morning Lovelies,

So today's post is an account of my Friday 13th.

I don't usually associate the day with bad luck but I did this time.
You guys on my Facebook got part of the story about my nightmare Friday and now you can all get the whole story.

Now lucky for me Friday the 13th I had off. On Thursday night seeing as I didn't have to work the next day I stayed up to wait for Blondunicorn to get home. She works dumb afternoon hours all the time so I don't really see her much hence the me staying up so that we can go for our typical after midnight 711 run.

We went out, chatted for a bit and around 1am I went to bed only to be woken up at 4am by Sese perched on my bed, on her knees staring at me.

Sese - Mom (Whispers)
Me - blink blink
Sese - Mom I think there's a mouse in my room.

Enter Choo who is up to go to work who is also confused as to why our 23 yr old is half in the fetal position on my bed.

Sese - I can hear rustling under the bed.

Cue me getting out of bed. on the way down to the basement I did do a quick check to make sure that Buffy my pet rat who constantly looks for a way out is still in her cage and she was. Now we're no strangers to rats but we have 3 cats that are killers when it comes to the rodents so we haven't had had to worry too much about live rats...inside...until now. At this point Sese had been up since 3 with Bast our Calico in her room stalking the rat but apparently bast got bored. We looked under the bed and didn't see anything until we pulled the bed away from the wall and there perched between the mattress and the wall, bracing itself was oh yes a rat. The funny thing was that it was directly above the cat but it wasn't until the rat dropped down and took off like a rocket that Bast became animated again.

I had no idea rats could flatten themselves like pancakes to fit under a door until I saw it as the little beast ran like it was on fire but bast followed and the chase was on...for about 6 feet when bast decided it was bath time. So we lost the critter and decided that traps were in order just as Choo came out of the laundry room with a look of utter disappointment on his face but he uttered the words we have all longed to hear.

Choo - The Laundry room is flooded ( not those words )
Me - FML
Choo - We are getting the fuck out of here. (Oh happy day!)

By now it's 4:30

I always say that Fall is BC's monsoon season and after the lake forming in that Laundry room, my point was proven. We put down towels down, Choo told me to keep an eye on it ( like I wouldn't ) and I tried to go back to bed...and tried....and tried. Finally I got up and made a pot of coffee, watched a weird movie called The Loft and set my brain on auto-pilot hoping to doze off.
Around 6 am I went back down to check the flooding and Allan was up.

Allan - Hey... the laundry room is flooding.
Me - That's why I'm here...now...at 6 am on my day off.

I checked it and Allan had put down some more towels so I  went back upstairs.
Fast forward...kids got up, we went shopping, figured out it was Friday the 13th, bathed the 3 dogs, I made Pulled Pork in the slow cooker, rain stopped and traps were laid down and I ordered a Lootcrate.

Well now I'm not even lifting my feet to walk anymore because I'm so tired but I couldn't sleep, couldn't form words and couldn't even eat when all was said and done but forced myself to and still didn't even get into bed until almost 11 pm and slept like the dead. That was funny because I fell asleep watching the first Evil Dead movie.

The next day all was right with the world I went to a b-day party for a little man turning 1 and on Sun went to a memorial for a matriarch that had passed away at 97. Two complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

The battle is on with the rat though, we haven't caught him yet, I actually think it's a her and that is not a good thing.

Today's soundtrack - Monday's Motivational

Someone asked me what I listen to in my soundtracks and next time I'll post a list somewhere. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music with the exception of Country and Classical. I never have a mood for either of those.

Ok guys have a great week!

See Ya
S

Shove It Up Your Ass...Is what I Should Have Said

Well it looks like today is a Monday mild rant day Lovelies and I apologize now.

This is a work related rant and even though I try to stay away from ranting because really...who needs to see that?

Monday's are usually slow and painfully agonizing to work through after the weekend but normally with enough coffee it putter's along at along at a steady pace.

Until this Monday.

Most of you know that my job is not something that I want to do forever and although I've been in the Investment Industry for almost 8 years, it is most definitely not where I want to stay. Even though I try to do a good job and some days are crazy busy and others are slow enough to give time to catch up on things left behind. The people I work with day in and day out are great. There are others though that just flat out bring on the rage.

Note to those people.

1) Don't talk to me like I'm stupid. I don't talk to you like you're stupid and I'm sure in this case you were.

2) When I ask for you to not speak to me in a certain tone then please refrain from using that tone because all that results is the soft click as I hang up on you.

3) When you ask me if I can read, I can...you just pissed me off so I didn't want to.

4) Calling me every 5 minutes will not make me pick up the phone if anything it makes me want to smile fiendishly at the flashing red light on my voicemail and unplug it.

5) If you seem to have a problem with my attitude after all the professional niceness I dished out then I suggest you go fuck yourself because now it'll only get worse.

Now with all of that being said staying professional is always a goal and usually a very easy thing to do. I am happy I accomplish and it's only 1 in a few that provoke a reaction from me. My biggest issue is people trying to make me feel stupid and I don't make a habit of letting work stress me out because it's pointless to stress out over things I have no control over and really the only control I have over this situation is the fact that this can be my outlet.

Which is good, because things would just end up thrown out the window like my phone and computer ect...

I also don't usually let people get under my skin, there were a few this weekend that did a successful job at getting under it but all that is good and gone. Everything set right again.

As I write this though, I'm on my lunch break with my headphones in cranking some make me happy music, because music does make me happy on so many levels. So will continue to try and do as good a job as I can while working towards removing myself from this Industry at the same time.

Now that the calm has returned, Have a great week guys!

See Ya
S

It's Over For Another Year.

Good Morning Lovelies!

Well I'm here a day or two late but still made it!

 I got distracted on Monday as Blondunicorn was pelting me with pics of Supernaturals most prized possession the Impala as they film behind us. My excitement was shown is extreme CAPS lock because you know if the car is there then one or both of the boys will be there. I guess they're not really boys right ?

Anyway I was distracted! I hope your Halloween was safe, fun and full of some kind of sugary goodness. I kind of miss that about my kids being all grown up except that I'm completely ok with not having to go trick or treating in the pouring rain so that I can raid my girls candy stash. I raided the stash at work though only to have for the first time in the 5 years we've lived where we are have more kids than we ever had show up. Usually there are none...wait last year I think we had a little princess. Every year I would buy candy and no one would come so I give it to my crew to eat but this year i bought none and had to give away my stash from work, go figure.

 Sadly you did not see my costume post because...there is no because I completely slacked letting other things get in the way but what's done is done.

Our Annual Halloween party went off without a hitch and the costumes were awesome.
You guys that already saw them on my Facebook...too bad look again!


These are the ones that won special prizes for their imagination and work that are being custom made for you.

Meet French KISS and the baguettes

photo courtesy of Megan Buzzard

From left to right meet Allan, Bean, Marvin ( whose real name is Armin but when he was introduced to us a few years ago we were drunk and Marvin he is now forever. ) and Handsome Dan. I love this photo so much it's the Wallpaper on my work computer!

A 24 hr work of art for this Naruto costume.

Good job Steven and it only took about 4 hrs and lots of ow's to get his hair to stand up like that and there are really so many uses for duct tape! You will be an awesome Cosplayer.

Blondunicorn did it with flair as a gypsy.

Now that Halloween is over, Bean is gearing up for the next holiday complete with sparkly and shiny things. After Remembrance Day I'm going to try and not hate the season so much and ease into it with preparedness and relative calm...

Who am I kidding?

If that happens someone needs to make me an award.

So have a great week!

See Ya
S

Heart-wrenching and Heart Warming

Happy Monday!

Who am I kidding? I just can't get it together today but it is Monday so I'll conveniently blame that.

Warning...if you watch The Walking Dead and have not seen last night's episode there are spoilers below.

If you don't watch it...what is wrong with you!

Tough thing the Heart.

It takes so much abuse and is still the thing we have to contend with the most unless you have no conscience. Let's start with Heart-wrenching.

Well after having me scream at my TV last night while watching The Walking Dead I had to sit back down and say hmm... and then get told by Sese and Allan that read the comic books at 2 separate times that this had to happen. I don't know how many of you watch the show and have from the beginning but it is one of the most emotionally intense shows pretty much ever. I know there have been others but very few have that fully engaging aura that in a lot of cases makes you feel like you are actually there with them. I thought that when Hershel died it was tough and even Lori because it was such a sad sequence of events, Beth...ruined me too but Glenn... completely devastated me and felt so senseless at the same time! Nicholas really just finally succeeded in killing Glenn  (maybe) by snapping and turning a gun on himself just to have his dead weight body fall on Glenn and tip him over the edge and even though in my heart of hearts I am still hoping that those intestines were not Glenn's being consumed... he would not have made it out of that horde.

As The Talking Dead pointed out something I would not have noticed until I re-watched all of the seasons was when Glenn was telling Rick his plan he called him "Dumbass" which was what he called him the first time he spoke to him in Season 1 when Rick was trapped in the tank.

Full circle? I hope not but none the less it could be.

I do have to say I'm glad it wasn't comic book Glen's death because I might have broken something. Now Glen wasn't the only thing about the episode that had me on the edge of my seat. Rick running for the RV and what happened in the RV was crazy and you could see crazy on Rick's face. Is it time for his hand? Is it? We'll see after he makes it out of the horde he's surrounded by because after Glen...Rick will make it. Now with that being said we have no concrete evidence that Glenn is dead and every part of me hopes he can miraculously make it out and back t a waiting Maggie who has had her father and her sister taken from her. Hmm...both of them were taken from her by people not Walkers when you think about it.

 Can I say that I feel like Darryl is underused right now and at what point did Morgan break off from them and go back to Alexandria during the Wolves attack? Next weeks episode is 90 mins and we'll finally get to see what Morgan has been through.

I can only hope to be able to write things as powerful as some of the things I have seen in the past and  now. That is a goal I strive to someday achieve.

Heart Warming time!

Ok so besides the shock of the week this past Sat we had Parker help out for his first Pumpkin Carving session or more for him his pumpkin colouring session. After I made sure his father stripped him down out of his brand new Spiderman PJ's, Peanut took a seat at the big table in the kitchen and eyed the 5 pumpkins in front of his big brown eyes he picked his pumpkin out and while Craig started the process of carving his pumpkin for him, P choose to colour mine instead and that was ok he's 2 1/2 so his way works and also funny as he tried to eat pumpkin guts and then put them back into my pumpkin while we were trying to get them out. Bean and Allan worked meticulously on theirs and Bean's turned out to be the most vicious looking one out of all of them. He was gross and sticky and it was awesome! Blondunicron held the speed record for carving as she was in, out and done in no time at all. So fun I was pleasantly tired afterwards!

Photo courtesy of Blondunicorn 


Since mine was covered in Crayon it was carved later and placed with the rest but the gang did a good job!

 I swear I'm going to get my costume post out before Halloween!

Have a great week!

See Ya
S

Distracted, Derailed and Chaotic.

Ok so this week has been... I don't even know what it's been because there are no words. Nothing deep or devastating that you need to know about yet just this overwhelming need to put everything in it's place. Like everywhere...

I have 3 blog posts started all about completely different things because I figured that I would plan them out and you know be prepared, think ahead and be organized. Not only here but with all of my Social Media and Writing.

Not...gonna...happen...

My first post was just titled Here.

That's it, just Here. There was no body to the post at all just a title and do you think I can remember why I had it titled that way or what I was going to write? Hell no...nothing, so ya that was the beginning of the end of organizing my thoughts.

The next post, I was all happy to share Bean's rite of passage as a young adult and voting for the first time, which still could happen only not in the full picture that I wanted to paint for you. I was a proud Mama though as I watched my girls do their duty. Oh but wait, technically I didn't watch either of them because Bean had to register to vote first and Sese was next in line behind me to vote so when I was done I scooted ( many excuse me's later ) over to where Bean was signing up to relieve Choo who was standing with her so that he could go vote and then Sese and I stood outside because there were so many people packed in the Elementary School gym where as it was Sese's education began at 5 years old and here she is almost 23 and in my eyes seeing the chubby cheeked little girl that never wanted to go back to kindergarten walking towards me smiling after she cast her vote only to have Bean come out when she was done and ask it we were supposed to mark an X or a check mark. Then we were all struck dumb for a second as you could see us all mentally sift through what we had done.

And breathe...

All in all though it was a memory I'm very glad to have.

So the next post I tried to line up? My Awful Halloween costumes! Which I left the photos of on my other computer and can't even give you a sneak peek but I'll finish that post this week...at some point....ugh. What was nice though was that last night Bean and I went over her Pinterest Halloween board to pick out special drinks and food stuffs for the 3rd Annual Halloween Party. It's a thing! We made it a thing! Happy dance!

After that is when I noticed that I had started 3 different posts with no endings.

There is so much to do on many different levels don't even get me started on Chapter 17 of CF because I may die right now if I even think about it, and I tried, I really tried to put it into some form of order and take the advice of so many that I've spoken to about this ( All Hail Twitter! )  but except for my desk at work that has to be in order, I seem to work best in the midst of chaos so why fix what ain't broke right? I'm just going to embrace it and continue to roll with it, letting it all play out. Hopefully taming my inner frustrations at things around me and working with everything I can to make even the little things happen.

If it kills me...

 I'm like a squirrel right now and it's like my fingers are on speed just to try and get this out before it disappears in the wasteland of the day and my brain.

The fact that I'm just going to post this as is, in a rush to make sure I get at least one post out this week of  is a good thing maybe not for you because it's all going to sound like a distracted mind but for me at least considering the derailments and distractions I've had going on it's amazing and yet I love it all so I'm not complaining because life would be boring otherwise.


Ok, get back to work or play or however you chose to spend your day.

Soundtrack for the day?  Punk Rock

Have a great week
See Ya
S

PS TWD...best episode ever!

What Has Been Seen Cannot Be Unseen

Hello Lovelies!

I'm back after a nice long weekend, that I had forgotten was a long weekend and then was very happy it was one wishing it was much longer. I really have to win the lottery.

So let's get to it.

There are a couple of things up for today, the first of course being the Premiers of 3 of my favourite shows Supernatural, American Horror Story and come on now The Walking Dead.

Let's start with SN because the boys are back and although I had trouble tracking it a bit I was so happy they're back for another season and for something like the Mark of Cain to be such an important factor last season, how come everyone and their...um...baby has one now? It's one of those things that will obviously play out over the course of the season along with what I'm suspecting is going to be an unwanted attraction but really...who cares it's Sam and Dean. Crowley in a woman's body was very entertaining and Cas...poor Cas...someone just needs to save Cas.

AHS-Hotel I'm just going to say this...WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? Within the first 15 mins of the show  I had to read subtitles which I only like to do watching old kung fu movies, saw scenes that reminded me of The Shining, Seven, Saw and Tarantino's 4 Rooms except that wasn't a "whore under the bed" and it wasn't as funny, realized that Lady Gaga was not awful and all I can say is Drill Dick.

Now Bean and I were speculating a bit at who the wrapped up guy with the killer extremities could be and she's betting it's Evan Peters because in every season he has something to do with a scene where someone is being violated but we'll have to wait and see. Wes Bentley is creeping me out more than the creepy people in the show are and as all of the previous seasons are linked together somehow, this one will be linked to season 1's Murder House.

I had even posted on Facebook that the FX warning for this show should simply say..

"The following contains ANYTHING YOUR SICK MIND CAN THINK OF" Viewer discretion is advised because you can not unsee what happens next. 

Because there is no way to unsee that! Any of it really because those were only the shocking moments. there are layers of insanity here and I along with others will watch it unravel.


TWD What...a...rush! The scale was so large you couldn't help but feel it looking over the expanse of Walkers which gave me goose bumps and I even uttered an "Oh hell no!" then and as Daryl emerged over the ridge with the herd behind him. Now was that a herd or a horde? Is there a difference?  How happy was I to have that bone deep anxiety for the group back?  I was so happy I watched it twice. Carol and Morgan will be fun to watch and every year Carl is like 6 inches taller kind of like the kid that plays Bruce Wayne in Gotham. That kid must have grown at least a foot in 3-4 months or just it looks that way. Glen being forgiving and Eugene kept the hair.

Fall has truly begun now Thanksgiving has passed for us here and I was just thinking that there is only about 2 1/2 months left until it's a new year again scares me a little.

Time flies right? Yes, yes when you're having fun blah blah because when you're not having fun time takes forever to go by doesn't it?

One the writing front I have a problem...I have a character that is quickly becoming more than the lead is herself and  I still want to tell the story but it seems that one story line is almost effortless to write where the other is a constant struggle. Although one has many more working parts than the other one does so, is it just the simplicity of it?

I don't know but it's doing my head in. Not like that means I'm changing anything.

Ok guys, thanks for the read and have a good week!

See Ya
S

I Almost Can't Control Myself!

courtesy of www.freepik.com

Hello Lovelies,

After my Just A Little Road Trip post I was surprised to have the "Are you OK?" questions considering it wasn't really about me but people I know that are going through tough times right now and I wish I could help them more. So far so good and I think they're turning a corner!

Well one of them is sure to be a corner that turns into a brick wall but sometimes you just can't fight that fucked up logic.

I'll have the band-aids ready though so I can rip them all off at the same time when they need to be.

So with that out of the way. How ya been? Did you have a good week? Awesome because it's October now officially and the parade of costumes and scary movies and days of celebration are headed our way. Bean is in super decorator mode...although she keeps talking about Christmas thus making me want to lock her in the closet with the Xmas decorations until Dec, because I know her and Nov 1 she'll have all things Halloween stripped and all the greens and reds and other holiday things will make it look like not only Santa threw up in our house but all the elves and reindeer too.

Oh...joy...and not to the world. Stop that train right there!

First up! Events I'm going to force my family to check out over the next few weeks!

Gravecouver Haunted House
Your worst fears, phobias and nightmares will be experienced at this indoor haunted house. Features 13 individual scary rooms with rides, zombies and more. • Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby • Oct. 3 until Nov. 1, opens at 7 p.m. • $13, VIP/$20,gravecouver.ca

this one I'm sooooo not doing but I would like to hear from anyone that does!

On Death’s Door: Plague of the Zombie Syndrome
The Virtual Stage presents Andy Thompson’s all-new interactive, roving theatre adventure. Armed only with their wits and a smartphone, teams of audience members race against the clock and elude the undead while unraveling a nefarious plot to flood Vancouver’s streets with zombies. • Top secret location • Oct. 7 until Nov. 2, Tuesdays-Sundays, performances begin every 30 minutes, 6:30-8:30 p.m. • $12.50-$50, thevirtualstage.org/tickets, zombiesyndrome.com

OH Blondunicorn this is right up your alley!

An Evening with the Paranormal Society
Join the Vancouver Paranormal Society as they share their discoveries from investigations at the Historic Stewart Farm and elsewhere. • Historic Stewart Farm, 13723 Crescent Rd., Surrey • Oct. 9 or Oct. 16, 6-8 p.m. • $15, registration required, 604-592-6956, surrey.ca/heritage

There are so many more to come and return like Fright Night @ Playland and the Ghost Train as usual every year. Next week begins my parade of awful costumes and the prep for our 3rd Annual Halloween Party and many days of AMC's Fearfest, AHS, Supernatural and THE WALKING DEAD!

Ya I'm a tad excited.

OK off with you and have a great week and remember that if you have any suggestions or ideas to offer contact me and put me to work!

See Ya!
S

Just A Little Road Trip

Hello Lovelies,

It's one of those days where things feel a bit... off. I have to say that the week was productive and I'm glad that it was. Still working on the first Freelance Friday post along with moving forward consistently when it comes to writing and many other things that are on the go but it almost feels like I've made no headway.

You know me by now and most of the time there is always something I'm excited to say especially at this time of year but I feel heavy in the head today. There is so much going on destructively around me and that is the heavy part, it's not that the weight of it is directed at me but I feel it none the less in the people around me going through tough things... sort of out of balance. 

Where things that end will bring about new beginnings, the ending parts are like they've been put in bold print on neon signs, advertising the end is coming. So big that no one sees any chance of inner mental survival. Now again this isn't me... at least this time and it that I'm feeling it from others in my life right now, though for many different reasons. Their sadness is loud as much as their anger ever was. The ones that don't get angry outwardly hold it in and it sits like a black cloud over head while they smile and try to make you think everything is ok. 

Kind of like with the eclipse last night, the shadow that passes over you is only temporary and I want so much for them to see that, unfortunately just like with everything else they will see it in their own time. I say what I can and do what I can but whatever is in their hearts and their minds is all that matters because sometimes as much as you want your words to help someone along, the only thing they can do is sort it out for themselves even if in some cases they go through it over and over again expecting different results, praying that things will work out and go back to how they used to be before the damage, having to get rid of things that you love because you have no other choice, being stuck inside your own head fighting with your emotions and the whole time feeling alone in it all. I have been guilty of that, no surprise there.

I'm not so cliche to say something like 'Time heals all wounds' because personally I can't stand the phrase. Most of the time it doesn't feel like it will ever get better and I've had more than one of those moments many, many times. 

It never really goes away it just sits in the backseat staring at you ominously through the rear view mirror just letting you know it's still there. For myself I can shift that focus when it happens to me and kick my own ass into gear because I refuse to look into the rear view anymore. I know it's not perfect but I pull over and kick whatever it is out on the side of the road and drive away. I had to learn that nothing can be done about the past, it can't be re-written, it can be grieved though and little by little you need to get back to who you are and who you can be. 

I feel it and hope that there is something that can make you feel better. 

Something that makes you remember that there is a reason why your still important at least to me and this is the only time I'm saying it because what I think doesn't really matter, what you think does and it's your peace of mind that needs to be addressed and handled by you.

I'm just going to keep driving just let me know when you want in on the road trip.

Have a good week.

See Ya

S

In Weird News Sex and the Paranormal

Happy Weird News Wednesday!

As I used to post WN on this day weekly and it has taken a back seat as I post chapters on CFA for Writer Wednesday instead. Now since this week I posted to CFA on Monday so that left today open for some weird news and really I've missed checking out the strange stories of the world and sharing the craziness and in honour of Halloween coming I'm going to see how weird we can get up until then.

So far this morning I have seen a story about this 

Teacher Allegedly Suggests Kid Is 'Evil, Sinister' For Being Left-Handed

Hail Satan? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/teacher-allegedly-calls-kid-evil-sinister-for-being-left-handed_56018393e4b00310edf8ab73?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Now if lefties are evil well what a way to weed them out right? Although I'd have to say that of all the people that I know that are lefties sure they can have an evil side but it being the hand that Satan uses? Would it matter to Satan if we were left or right handed? I know a hell of a lot of right handed people that could be classified as evil but to tell a 4 year old boy shit like that is ridiculous! 

Now playing along if that were true then my roomie who I'm certain should have been a lefty but was corrected at a young age for exactly the same reason to use her right hand should then in my mind have Schizophrenia or at least a multiple personality as her evil side tries to break through right? Although in her case it makes things a whole lot clearer if I go with that logic.

Hmmm Grand baby boy and his father are lefties too I guess we could be in serious trouble.

Up next...Ghost Hookers...

Ghosts in haunted building turn out to be prostitutes

http://www.examiner.com/article/ghosts-haunted-building-turn-out-to-be-prostitutes

Ummm...ya  

Neighbors living next door to a haunted building learn that the ghosts are actually prostitutes and that the abandoned warehouse is being used as a brothel. People that live near the building reported bizarre noises (ooooh like what? moaning? grunting?), strange shadows (were they on their own? against each other?), and weird lights emanating from it (it? the building? The ghosts? the naughty bits?). These are details we need to know to prove that there is sex in the afterlife! Imaging that endless loop,  stuck in a haunting to complete over and over. I guess they wouldn't be hostile ghosts now would they? The thing is that they don't say how exactly they died. Curious...

There is too much running through my head for that one, too many questions on top of that...and this is in China now if you do click the link and read the short article I urge you to read the link in blue just underneath it about the man that convinced a woman that her vagina was haunted and that she needed a sexorcism...also in China that particular article is from a couple of years ago but the laugh factor is still there...at least for me because who in their right mind would believe that! That there are ghosts up there?  After that whole Queefing thing that horrified me (and still does), she should have just learned how to do that and evac those ghosts herself.

Screw it here's the link to that story.

http://www.examiner.com/article/man-convinces-woman-her-vagina-is-haunted-and-tries-to-rid-ghosts-with-his-penis

Unbelievable...

Ok that is it for the Weird News

Have a good day guys!

See Ya

S

Motivation Was Mine Until Today.

Good Monday Morning!

    Well we can pretend it's good...so far!  I was really hard to wake up this morning I have to say. The getting out of bed part was decent and of the I'm up! I'm up! variety but the commute was almost tragic to my sleepy brain but I made it and stayed awake...er....might have dozed but no drooling because that would be awful and probably one of the main reasons I don't nap while commuting. the day is brighter now though 2 coffee's in.

How was your weekend?

Mine consisted of the movies with Bean, Allan and BU to see Ant-Man and I have to say that it wasn't bad! I had my doubts but it turned out be pretty comical. The only thing that creeped me out was all the ants as...um...cute ( I can't believe I just said that ) as some of them were I still have trouble looking at all of them and in 3D no less. In the ongoing ant battle we have every year not only did the movie make me feel bad for killing the little bastards it reminded me that I can handle any insect except when they are in large numbers or in the case of one ant from the movie, just large period. Now the 4 of us have a spoken rule when it comes to comic book movies and that's that we go together and this time we dressed for it regardless of whether it was a Marvel or DC movie. Me and my Batman shirt, BU with her Superman, Bean went with Deadpool and Allan with Daredevil.

Yes we like our comic book characters.

Yesterday it was the beginning of my Wall of Souls Halloween project and I wish I had special powers to speed things up but I'm going to have to take my time with this one because of the varying components and I'm hoping that it will be finished and on display in the house by Oct 1 along with all of the other decorations. Now Bean pointed out to me that lately, each year I seem to leave up one decoration and she seems to be right. A witches hat behind the TV, a spider that was hanging on a glass ball from the ceiling, a grim reaper outside the front door, there was a ghost somewhere too and of course Pirate Pete the dead pirate wall art decal that I absolutely love who welcomes anyone that comes in with his skeletal frame and toothy smile. I'm figuring that the WOS might be a permanent  addition to my defiance of Winter and X-mas by leaving up something of Halloween. Now we wanted to go simple ( and cheap ) so out popped a bag of flour and water and the makings for paper mache, strips of newspaper, a couple of skulls to start off with and my girl Buffy the rat who watched with excitement from her cage. Bean is on the sign making trail with her Bewares and hopefully a headstone or 10.

This is what watching shows like Face Off, Heroes of Cosplay and Hot Set do to a person. Eventually though I want to make stuff like this...

While I was letting the goopy strips of paper dry I caught part of the Streamy Awards and that was a first for me.

I had heard of them but never actually watched them so while I watched the show being hosted by Grace Helbig and Tyler Oakley as I ate a bag of White Cheddar popcorn, I realized that I know very little about that streaming world. I mean sure I watch My Drunk Kitchen and Good Mythical Morning, Beth in Show, Jenna Marbles, Prank vs Prank and IISuperwomanII and even iJustine once in a while but HOLY CRAP we're talking way beyond anything my limited brain would comprehend showing me yet again just how big and yet small our world really is.

I even got some gaming time in as well as writing time. I was just a little Tasmanian Devil of time management and seeing as he was and still is my fav Looney Tunes Character I'll go with that.

Oh and they are bringing the Muppets back???? To Prime time too???? It's like parts of my childhood usually left forgotten have been given new life. I don't even think my kids grew up with the Muppets...nope thinking back there was no Muppet Show for them. So that's where I'm at right now or was at.

I'm off to start this week guys! Stay creative, all tips are welcome and encouraged!

 Have a great week!

See Ya!
S

Moon Rising and Freelance Friday

Hello Lovelies!

Well it's Sept 14th already and time keeps on moving on. Only 3 1/2 more months of this year left and I find that the last quarter of the year moves by really quickly but I'd appreciate those of you that are already Christmas shopping and caroling to stop until after Halloween! No countdowns yet and stop asking me what I want! I have no idea and never really do.

As Fall rolls in with it's promise of comfort and coziness, energy seems to be running full tilt getting ready to cocoon ourselves. With the Autumn Equinox on the 23rd the days are still very-warm but the nights are getting cooler. Darkness comes sooner and lasts longer but that's never bothered me. I'm ok with waking up and staring at the moon while she's still high in the sky looking down as she begins her rule for the next 6 or so months. Then again I'm a moon baby and even named my oldest after a Goddess of the moon.

The leaves are beginning to turn already and aside from them filling my gutters and creating problems with the water flow, the cooler outside just makes me happy for the warmer inside, I did what I'm hoping was the last cut of the year on my lawn which didn't take much because of the dry Summer. After a week of rain we had those green blades came back with a vengeance but were easily taken care of.

Now don't get me wrong...I like Summer, I do like the bright days and the sun shining and everything in bloom repeatedly but I hate being to hot to sleep and not being able to efficiently cool down and the bugs... I hate the bugs not all of them just the pain in the ass ones you know bees, flies, spiders actually the spiders don't bug me at all. No See Um's  and fruit flies are the devil.

With all that's been going on I typically have to pile more stuff on top of it all.What I had wanted to say on Friday but tripped down memory lane instead was this.

I have met over the years several local people with talents I would love to share with you from Artists and Photographers along with Musicians, Chef's and people that put their faith into their own ideas and make it work and other creative people that have the drive . People that are passionate about what they do and want some more exposure and that's when I came up with Freelance Friday. Each week I'd like to showcase someone and their work and conduct an interview...the only problem is that I don't know anything about interviewing except that when I've been interviewed, for me it was an awkward experience but that's ok! I have a plan for that.

I know how I want everything else to go though so I figured I would try a trial run using volunteers and I know who those people are even if they don't know yet! I am also determined for it to be a fun experience I can add to my list of things I have attempted. And I have not forgotten about those of you that have asked me to read, listen to or check out your passions it's just all a matter of getting it all organized and I'll be in touch with you guys too and might have some questions for you even though you're not local. Local is relative now though isn't it because it's so easy to reach out on a global level.

I should make a spreadsheet for all of that because there is so much to do and part of it is trying to get my office space sorted out and the space being a spare bedroom that has been used for storage and a crash space for visitors. It just needs to be set up right and once it is...well we'll see what happens.

Memories 14 yrs Strong 9/11

Happy Friday...

Now usually I don't have multiple posts in a week but I've been batting this concept around for a long time and as of yesterday decided to give it some wings and see what happens, you know roll with it and why not but first...

Although hearts are heavy today with remembering what happened 14 years ago. I'm sure that everyone remembers where they were at that point in time. For me I was sleeping and woken up by a call from a friend telling me to wake up Choo and have him turn on CNN. Well for him who at that time fell asleep and woke up to CNN anyway was already awake and staring at the screen. I was 1 week into a new job after not working  and had the day off but what time it was and how long we sat with our mouths open I couldn't tell you. Time was irrelevant, it was a bad time...just a bad time in general. The only time frame I can remember without the factual prompts of the time was that it was after 8 am on the East coast and after 5 am here on the West coast so very early. I'm pretty sure my girlfriend woke me around 6.

Choo didn't speak, his eyes glued to the TV. My friend was talking in my ear but I didn't hear anything she was saying, all I could see were the images as my brain tried to process what was happening so far away but still so close to home. Everything was eerily quiet as we watched and my ears kicked back in. He had been watching for awhile and filled me in on what happened. I don't even remember hanging up the phone but I'm sure I said goodbye to her but like I said time was irrelevant. I don't remember when my girls woke up or feeding them breakfast but I know I did, everything was consumed by coverage and wanting...no needing to know more. The girls were 6 & 9 then and had no idea of the impact.

The devastation was more than obvious and the pain very real even if we had no physical connection to the events, we were a part of it. A part of that awful history. Year after year I think back to that time and how much has changed since. I watch old movies that have each of the landmarks that were destroyed in them and others where they are gone forever and it's always one of the first things that is noticed and yet I can't watch movies based on the stories of those who survived or didn't in some cases because even though I'm not an overly emotional person it's too hard to take and I wouldn't see anything through the tears anyway and even though I wasn't a flier then I sure as hell am not one now with no desire to.

Now that I have tripped down that particular memory lane as I'm sure so many of you are doing today That memory is no place for me to stay in but I do remember and always will.

With that being acknowledged and being put back in the mental memory box what I was originally going to talk about got away from me and feels like something that can wait for my normal Monday blog to talk about it just doesn't feel right now.

Have a good weekend

See Ya
S

You Know What Time It Is!

Happy day after Labour Day!

( Yes there is a u in there. )

So all the wee children are back to school today and doesn't that mess up things for everyone! Traffic and schedules being changed. On Sunday I went through Walmart with Blondunicorn and it was anarchy but I knew this before I went there and boy didn't a tiny part of me got all nostalgic about the first days of school for my kids and picking out books and pens and pretty girly stuff all pink and sparkly! Until your jammed up cart to cart with screaming 5-12 yr olds and then you think "Thank god that is over!"

I was all over it like most parents, cheering along side them happy for the "mom I'm bored" and "I don't want to go to bed at 8" arguments to be put in the suck it up category because I'm free of you now for a few hours! I feel for you guys but doesn't it screw up everything else? Buses that ran at certain times over the Spring and Summer have been shifted or completely removed from service, traffic crawls, and all the TV stations change their Logos. On the side though snack foods are much cheaper during the school year and that's right up my alley. I thought Sunday was bad well she had to go back there yesterday and 2 hrs of torture later she came home frazzled and in complete disarray wide eyed and in "I'm never doing that again mode."

With everything back to normal, the power grid back up and running and BC's Monsoon season coming up as Fall approaches...you know what this means...

My absolute FAVOURITE time of year is coming, I can feel the changes and that makes me very...very...excited. Now I'm not big on craft blogging but Bean has a rather large project or 10 she wants to do involving making a large mess on the Prop/Halloween side in the form of a 6 foot tall Reaper and comfort things on fall foods side so I'm thinking of running video for those projects instead so we'll see what happens. Bean and BU are Pintrest junkies so I'm sure they will have stuff on their...um...boards? Anyway The 3rd Annual Halloween Party, Fall returns and new shows... I love new shows!

Limitless
BlindSpot
Supergirl
Mr Robot
Gotham
The Bastard Executioner
SUPERNATURAL!
AHS
TWD

Can you tell the ones I'm excited to see?

On the writing front...I'm still progressing (ya me) and have made quite a few new friends along the way ( Thank you Twitter! ) I guess I should thank G+ as well although I find that it reminds me of Tumblr but more interactive if you choose to be in turn it's making me more comfortable in my writing skin even though I still have about 5 chapters of Revisions to go through and have been slacking on but I'm determined to get those done this week and as usual on Wednesdays I post the story progression on CF

Anyway guys it's a short one today lots to do lots to plan.

Video...oh boy

Have a great week!
See Ya
S

Vancouver Blackout 2015 My Event.

Happy Monday!

It's only happy because we have power now where out of the 500,000 people without it over this weekend there are still about 60,000 in the dark around the Lower Mainland. So...not so happy for those guys.

Saturday morning was like any other Saturday. In PJ's puttering around the house watching the sun peak in and out. Standing on the back deck chatting and a gust of wind came up so hard that I thought the table umbrella was going to take a Wizard of Oz trip. We were expecting the wind, seeing it all over the weather reports we knew we were in for a windy day.

Boy were we wrong. We underestimated the force of what was coming and although the wind itself didn't last long, the carnage it left in its wake lasted for days...still counting. I figured when the wind kicked up and tried to lift the roof over deck off that we would definitely lose power along with the flickering lights. Before I had left the house Choo had put laundry in and I had said something about that maybe not being a good thing. At some point so those of us in the house decided it was time to hit up our downtown core here in PoCo and get some things to get us through like sandwich stuff and extra candles. For Craig the emergency was the Liquor store.

We figured hey why not if the lights go out we'll have a Blackout party of sorts. So Craig, myself and Bean take of to get 'provisions' and we weren't the only ones who thought that way. We had a plan. Store, dollar store ( candles ) and Samz beer and wine store. The grocery store was buzzing with people on the same track. We grab what we need and head up to the till and we're behind 2 other customers chit chatting with people about the wind. Then everything went dark...everywhere and there was a collective AWWWWW Many of us left our things behind while the poor few that were in the middle of debit transactions were about to lose their minds.

Bean and I were about to head back to the house when Craig was determined to check if the place that held all that would save him that day was open. So away we went telling him there was no way but he needed proof. Walking down the street and seeing everyone pop out there doors on the storefront at the same time all talking to each other about whether to close up or hang in there in case it was a quick fix made me think "This is how natural disaster movies start."

People holding the goods they could get and all the street lights going out on that busy road on a Saturday was not going to be a good thing. After getting to the door of Samz and practically having Craig cry tears of distress, we went home this... was all about noon. Walking back we saw a tree across the street from our house had been ripped completely clear of the ground and hit some lines. Well...shit. We still have a downed phone line hanging from a pole outside.

We got home and let everyone know that we almost made it but we had to think of other means for the evening. Bean and Craig were on that immediately looking for things that were open and a ride to get there as we sat in the windows watching debris tumbleweed across the street. Where Choo was cursing because the washer's lid locked and there it sat in a drum of water until we got the power back. We heard that  Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge were out as well as Coquitlam and Burnaby and large parts of Vancouver. Everywhere was blacked out. Blondunicorn had a wedding to go to and I have to say that the universe was looking out for the bride and groom. They were supposed to have an outdoor wedding but the rain that had been called for had caused them to change the Venue and wouldn't you know it, it turned out to be the only place in Port Coquitlam ( South side anyway ) that did not lose power.

The kids found out the only place they could go for anything was Port Moody so they headed out to hunt and forage as I was saying to them. It took them 2 hours to get to and back from a city only 2 cities away from us. Sese decided she was going to brave the wind and now rain and head to a friends in New Westminster where they were dark too and what to you know Translink was letting people on for free. It took a little longer because everyone driving had the 4 way stop procedure to adhere to and many of them didn't. At that point it was much safer to j-walk than try to cross at an intersection. Sese called us from the bus stop to say she saw BU drive by her with a branch under her car. OK we giggled at that while sending her a text to warn her that she didn't get until she had parked the car anyway and all was well.

I have to say though that having no power makes absolutely everyone social physically. With no WiFi and trying to conserve battery power we all but tuned out of anything virtual having to talk to each other and play games to pass the time. We would check repeatedly on the BC Hydro website only to find the site um...down for maintenance? Really...of course but the company was Tweeting in lieu anything else. Craig had his Sleemans crisis security blanket and after almost an entire bottle of Jim Beam ( not all by me thank you ) we decided at around 11 pm and with the streets so black not a light in sight we were going to take a walk. BU was back by then and joined in the fun. It wasn't raining but all the cloud cover hid the Full moon and the bevy of stars we might have seen. Can you imagine how many more there would have been without all the light pollution? That would have been cool.

So me, Blondunicorn, Bean, Craig and Handsome Dan hit the streets and all I could think was Night Of The Comet. Well that and screaming Zombie every time a dark figure appeared making me want to hit them with pieces of trees.

All in all though we had a good time! Until the next morning when we still had no power...then as usual the only thing that would have saved us was coffee. How were we going to make coffee? Well Choo was up to bat for that and since he slept through most of the outage, it seemed fitting. Finding a metal kettle and propane, on the BBQ he heated up water for our wake up. As the morning dragged on we all got antsy, needing to do something, anything to kill time until all of the things we blindly depended on came back to us. I got so stir crazy that went to get dressed and go for a walk just to do something. BU hadn't slept much because the Assisted Living condos beside us had their generator running all night and it was not quiet.

As I'm putting my pants on, someone screams from up the street. A loud WOOOOOOOO! traveled along the sound waves and just like that we were back on line as cheers erupted in the house we scared the crap out of BU waking her up and my cell phone had a stroke as all the notifications from various places filed in once it's life was revived.

Even though we regained our power most of our city was still out even a block away at the storefront was still dark until late last night. What it made me realize though was that we are not even close to being prepared for something larger. Not by a long shot. It makes you think though about how to solve that problem and as much as we know what we should have in the case of Earthquakes or Floods we are sadly not prepared enough.

 So now one of my goals is to change that.

OK guys have a great week!

See Ya
S