Holy crap!

Yesterday Deb and I decided to go golfing to try to make up some rounds that we missed in our league.

The course was absolutely soaked. I mean wet. No roll at all. Seven Lakes is an excellent course and in fabulous condition, especially for a public course. So we both golfed pretty poorly on the first nine, and the back was going really well for me. I wasn't keeping track of my score, (I usually do...). When we finished the last hole, Deb said to me, "You golfed a 38!"

Well holy crap! That is by far my best golf score ever! I don't know how I did it, but wow, what a great feeling! So our league is tonight and I can't wait to get out there. I'm not expecting a repeat of yesterday, but that is the addictive part of the game.

Frog saga

On Friday I decided to clean out the pond. It had recently taken on a distinctive green colour: (There are five frogs in this picture.)


Of course I worried how the frogs would take this trauma. I scooped out the dull lime coloured water into buckets, leaving only an inch or two at the bottom. The 5 frogs were decidedly freaking out. I used a small pond skimmer to trap them, and put them into a deep bucket with some of the pond plants. (Billy uses this bucket to clean the hot tub filter.)

Well, lucky for me, I had Myles as a helper, and we washed the rocks, scrubbed the pond form, and hosed down the slimy waterfall. During this time the poor frogs were desperately attempting to escape their captivity to no avail.

After the pond was all cleaned out, Myles slowly dumped the frogs and plants back into the now crystal clear water. They freaked out, and didn't recognize their home. They hopped away, and hid behind rocks. Obviously this really bothered me, because I wrongly assumed they would love their clean pond.

Well, now it is Sunday morning, and the frogs have not recovered, and some have not returned. They were just starting to trust me, allowing me stare at them without seeking refuge in the green water. That's all changed now. The few frogs that are left, hid immediately once they see me coming.

Well, all I can do is hope for their return. I guess we'll see.

Back on track

After a brief and enjoyable sabbatical, I'm back on the quest to read 100 classic novels.

I've read only about a dozen. I don't want to count exactly how many I've read, as it will only depress me when I think of how many I still have to read.

I read a few in highschool, like, '1984' and 'Animal Farm'. I read a few in my early 20's like, 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead'. (That's the book that Robbie throws at Baby in the dining room of Kellerman's in Dirty Dancing - how can you see that scene and not go read that book?)

So after I decided to read 100 classic novels, I hopped online to the local library to see what I could find. I also called my sister-in-law Deb, as she has a ton of books. That led me to 'farewell to Arms' , 'Catcher in the Rye' and 'Gone With The Wind' . I've taken a break from 'The Lord of The Rings' as there is only so much useless fictional geographical descriptions one can stand, and I'm stuck at the beginning of the third book in the series.

So at the library recently, after finding two books that are not on the list, but I really enjoyed, 'Consent to Kill' and 'Executive Power' by Vince Flynn , I also found 'Satanic Verses' by Salman Rushdie. I thought to myself, 'Hey, this book has to be good, after he wrote it, he had to go into hiding as there was a hit out on him.' I quote from Wikipedia: "On February 14th, 1989, the Ayatollah broadcast the following message on Iranian radio: "I inform the proud Muslim people of the world that the author of the Satanic Verses book, which is against Islam, the Prophet and the Qur'an, and all those involved in its publication who are aware of its content are sentenced to death." Yikes!

At the library I quickly read the first couple of paragraphs from the jacket cover of 'Satanic Verses', and I was so intrigued, I just stopped and went to the checkout. Finally a classic novel that sounds good! Something I would read for leisure! Here are some highlights that attracted me to the jacket, 'hijacked jumbo jet... two figures fall to the sea... Their survival is a miracle.' Sounds good eh? This morning before starting the book I read the entire jacket, and was seriously disappointed. '...two men tumble through time and space... we are witness to a cycle of tales of love and passion, of betrayal, and faith: the story of Ayesha Cone, the butterfly shrouded visionary who leads and Indian village on an impossible pilgrimage..." Oh no! Time and space, angel versus devil! I started reading it, and although I can appreciate the Indian verbiage, I cannot stand the 'gobbledygook' that is thrown in. Arg! This is going to be painful! I'll let you know....

Good times

If you are looking for a good laugh, here's what you do:

-Take a nice day
- 3 medium to large sized dogs
- 2 raquetballs
- 4 ft high pile of dirt

What you do is throw the two balls, and watch all three dogs chase them. They then chase one another, and end up playing in the dirt.

Above is a pic of Halia in the dirt pile, then a pic of Mike, Lily and Halia playing in the side yard.

They played for about an hour, then Halia passed out for a couple of hours. When dogs can make you laugh out loud, it's a good thing.

Salsa

So the plan for tonight - if not tonight then tomorrow, and why put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today - is make more salsa.

Here are our tomatoes that today are going to fulfill their salsa destiny:

In case you're keeping score, this will be our third batch. In case you're not familiar with how much salsa is in a batch, it's about 8 jars. In case you're not sure how much salsa two people can reasonably consume in a year, it's about 8 jars.

So, my point is that we (especially after tonight) will have a ton of salsa. I hope to give it away for Christmas, birthdays, graduations and baptisms. It is absolutely the best salsa in the world, very comparable to the second best salsa in the world which I had in the Mexican bar on the mainfloor on the Las Vegas Hilton in March of '02.

With that said, here is the recipe for the salsa.

6 1/2 lbs Roma tomatoes chopped, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 large white onion chopped, 1 large yellow onion chopped, 1 large red onion chopped, 1 lbs jalapeno peppers chopped, (1/3 bunch fresh cilantro - we don't use this because Billy does not like cilantro. I however love it, but I can always add some fresh stuff to whatever I'm using salsa for...)

We don't skin the tomatoes, but we do core them, and remove all the seeds. Remove all the seeds from the jalapenos (WEAR GLOVES or plan on never touching any mucus membrane again!).

Mix everything together really well, and place into sanitized jars, cleaning the rims, and sanitizing the lids. Place all the jars into heavy boiling water for 40 minutes. Once you take them out, let them sit and make sure that all the lids have sucked in. (usually takes a few hours). - If one doesn't pop, then use that jar immediately.

If you happen to be a friend of mine, please don't make the above recipe. Simply ask us for a jar. We have enough to feed a medium sized Mexican delegation of salsa connoisseurs. Enjoy!

I love it when a plan comes together!

Things are going exceedingly well on the Grady front. I shouldn't talk about it too much in case it jinxes me.

Let's list some more good things:

- My next door neighbor is all set to close on Friday. With a ton of help from her family, (excluding the son in South Korea and the daughter working on a cruise ship, and son in Germany, but is coming home today I believe...) everything is going to be fine. After living in the same house for 32 odd years, and finally making the decision to move into a more manageable property, she is looking forward to change. Whew! It was one tough sale let me tell you. We looked at everything under the sun, and actually had her home sold without her having a home to move into. Friday is the day. AND, I'm going to get a new neighbor! The final inspection went better than I could have imagined, insurance set up, meeting with the lawyer done, all utilities set up, moving company booked, boxes packed.... done!
- People buying the home next door just sold their home on the West side. They were freaking that they would have two homes and one enormous mortgage, but they sold! That relieves me from the worry that they would refuse to close. A Realtor's nightmare.
- Electrical updates successfully completed at client A's home. The best part of this is that the electrician actually stuck to his estimated price although there were unforseeable problems. Client A very much looking forward to their new home. (It's a good one!)
- Client B has listed his house, and has put forth serious effort in cleaning up the home and the property. It's on the market and ready to go. (Well, after the huge pile of garbage is removed from the front of the home...)
- received a $411 cheque from the mortgage insurance company that had us paying for a premium that should have expired in October of '04. I thought the cheque should be invested into a shopping trip to Ikea, while Billy thought the money would be put to better use paying some bills. Darn his logic!
- All appliances are working well in Tennessee and we have the home rented this coming week-end. It's a good thing to not have to worry about a house so far away!

There is more, but I have to go and enjoy my house, dog, garden, call some friends, my book, then later golf, chat and have cocktails with more friends. Life is good!

Golf Chat

Today Deb, (my sister in law) and I ventured out to Rotchester Place just outside Belle River to play 18 holes.

Deb and I hadn't been there an at least a year, if not two, and decided to play this course as Mrs. Grady had found a coupon for two people, 18 holes, with cart, for $70. Not a bad deal. The fine print stated that the tee time must be between 11 and 3, Monday to Friday.

Our tee time was 11:39, which means that we should have been done by 4, but we were quite delayed by some morons in front of us. We waited almost every shot to hit, which really disrupts your game when you've got your mojo on.

This poor chick in front of us, with a set of mis-matched rental clubs could not hit the ball more than 20 yards. It was really something to see. I think her lack of golfing abilities was contagious, as Deb and I both sucked today.

So if you are a beginner, that is okay. I'm not a very good golfer, and in fact and probably average for a woman. I have some good shots, but I also make some terrible rookie mistakes. It is about challenging yourself, and having fun.

It is difficult to have fun when you are behind a slow group, (the whole course was packed though...) and the golfers suck. The only redeeming thing that can be done is make fun of the person in front of you. Say for instance she hits 20 yards off the tee box, I would say to Deb, 'wow, she really got a hold of that one!' then we'd laugh and find something else to chat about while waiting for her to hack her way down the course. Those comments probably hurt my karma...

It's all good though, it is a part of golf. Patience is a huge factor. Consideration, etiquette and more. When you get a hold of a drive, have the perfect chip, or a great putt, it is all worthwhile and that is what keeps you coming back.

Some very good things

Here are some very good things:

-The Roman blinds in our bedroom that my mom made for us. Finally after over a year and a half, no more blinding morning sun beating down on our sweaty bodies at 5am.
- New red duvet cover and chocolate coloured corduroy pillows for our bed from Ikea. It looks so great!
- Salsa. We made another batch the other day, and it is by far the best yet. Nice and chunky, not too spicy, but completely addictive. Used home grown jalepenos, early girl and roma tomatoes with the seed removed... I'll post the recipe once I get some ambition.
- The reality TV show Big Brother. It's on three times a week and is wickedly fun to watch with Billy.
- The weather lately has been awesome.
- I'm still in love with my new golf clubs, and I can't wait to golf this afternoon, relax and consume some Coors Light.
- Email and voice mail. I thank God everyday for these two technological gifts, they make life so easy (and fun).
- Neilson's Raspberry Lemonade is yumalicious. (probably 4 pounds of sugar per container...) Billy tried some of mine last night, and said, 'something doesn't taste right', and I reminded him that it was the first time in probably over a year that he drank it without vodka...
- Medium rare filet minon with blue cheese crust and roasted garlic cloves from the Keg. I've had two in the last 5 days...
- Gray 3/4 length joggies from Old Navy - still my fav for lounging.
- Last week's golf score at 7 Lakes - 43 on the back, not bad!
- 7 frogs in the pond - it's a good thing, they're getting used to me staring at them.
- Planned trip to Tennessee with Billy in the fall. Ah, can't wait!
- Planned camping trip with friends in late September, it will be fun!
- Starry, starry nights.
- The song 'Catch my Disease' be Ben Lee, and anything by Rascal Flatts.
- The book I'm reading right now, 'Separation of Power' by Vince Flynn.
- Taking care of business, (mortgage insurance, PepsiCo, volleyball meeting, stray bills, calling clients, etc) mostly completed.
- Looking forward to lunch with KT and Other Liz tomorrow.
- My uber-comfy although not too attractive orthodic sandals, I'm hoping to modify them for winter wear.
- Co-worker Cathy is in Tennessee and loving it, all major appliances are working, and they are going to book a week next year.
- Halia has been having fun and exhausting herself with Lily and Mike, making my life even easier than it already is.

Well, that's about it off the top of my head. The bad things are so few, unimportant, and completely negated by the good, I'm not even going to bother listing them.

Cheers to all! Have a great day!

Crap and other happenings

I hate paperwork, especially when it is impossible to understand and does not benefit me in the least.

Case in point: My PepsiCo stock.
Last week I mentioned that I was finally moving in the right direction to stop receiving $0.37 cheques four times a year. Today I finally received the paperwork in the mail. The first step was easy, it just involved filling out a simple form regarding direct deposit. Fine and dandy until I'm at the end and realize that the other person on the account has to sign the declaration as well. (It's a joint account). So I had to call Paul and ask his permission to forge his signature, (don't ever ask an accountant if you can forge his signature...) needless to say Paul will be over here any time to sign the stupid form.

Okay, so moving right along.... the next form looked innocent enough. It is a US 'Certificate of Foreign Status of beneficial Owner for United States Tax withholding'. Accompanying this form was a 8 page manual on how to fill out the form. No problem, I am quite literate and have been on occasion able to follow directions...

So, hmmm, what do we have here... name, address, SIN if not US citizen... no problems yet. Ah-ha! US tax payer identification number, hmmm, I better refer to the manual for that one...blah blah blah, wading through legal-ease.... okay, 'If you do not have a SSI number and are not able to get one, you must get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)' hmm, this does not look good... 'To apply for an ITIN file form W-7 with the IRS.... It usually takes 4-6 weeks to get an ITIN' Not good at all! Next they'll ask me for an ID 10 T number (figure it out), I should have one of those somewhere...

I go to the IRS website, and after some rooting around, I find the form section, and dontcha know that there are 6 different types of W-7 forms? Hmm, which one do I chose? I download all the PDF files and of course, it is the last form. Oh yes, the document includes 3 pages of directions on how to fill out the form. The form, and the instructions are now resting comfortably in my recycle box.

Do you remember that all I'm trying to do here is avoid getting $0.37 cheques four times a year....

Paul Foster to the rescue! He just left... he's pretty sure that they can withhold the right amount of tax automatically without the ITIN. Whew!

So now left to do, (besides mail the paperwork back to the Bank of New York and PepsiCo), I still have things on my list from last week that I thought were completed, but apparently not.

- Billy must sign the paperwork regarding the refund from the mortgage insurance company.
- Follow up with our investment guy/ personal banker that the property tax issue is taken care of.

Oh, I guess that's it. But:

- I've been made captain (due to lack of volunteers) of our Wednesday night volleyball team. That means I still have to find out Dave B.'s birthdate, home and work numbers, and address, fill out more paperwork, and attend stupid meeting at 10am tomorrow in Windsor. Ugh.
- Have to call client C and figure out time for final inspection of property, make sure she has all utilities set up, insurance in place, mail forwarded, and questions answered by the homeowners by early next week.
- Make arrangements for another final inspection
- Concerns about client C's dishwasher
- Concerns about client D's electrical and when that will be completed.
- Concerns about the listing of client F's home. When? Is it ready? Call me!

All in all, I guess it's just a day's work. I shouldn't complain, as I have complete flexibility, and often very little time invested in my 'jobbie' (hobby-job).

Well, I guess that's enough ranting for today. I hope one day to wake up and have my conscience completely cleared of things I must do. Until then...!

Monday, Monday

I always feel a bit 'off' on Mondays. I have the house to myself after sharing the week-end with Billy, I have the dog staring at me bored and ready for action, and I usually have a few work related things to do.

Not today.

It's a weird one! First of all, I had a dentist appointment at 8:30 this morning, and Billy is home today because he worked last Monday (the Civic Holiday). Is he going to treat it like a true day off and lounge on the couch, order in Chinese and generally behave in a sloth like manner? Or is going to be one of those semi or fully productive days off? See I feel the need to know because there are things that I could do today, (say if he decides to fix the electrical on the two lamps) or I could join him in laziness. (His is well deserved, mine, not so much).

Right now he's in the backyard cutting the grass. (A two hour event involving multiple gas powered devices necessary to accomplish the task.) But is he going to continue with 'to do' list? I know that he has a dentist appointment at 1:30, which I made a month ago not knowing that he would have today off. That really sits in the middle of the day.

So here I am, wondering if I should get started on a project, or is he going to finish up outside, go to his appointment, and come home asking why I'm not dressed to go golfing?

The thing is I hate to bug him. Maybe he plans on crossing some things off this 'invisible' list, but after his appointment he'll change his mind, and that's cool. He doesn't have too many days that provide him with flexibility in his decisions. For him to wing it is just fine with me, but...

So I wing it. I have a few things to do that won't take too long, and I can do while he is finishing up the grass and at the dentist. If he comes home and decides we should go golfing then that is great. I'm open. It is kind of nice to have him here and not have the entire day scheduled. (Well, except watching 'Hell's Kitchen' two hour finale sometime tonight - thanks to the DVR, we don't even have to have that scheduled.)

We'll see how today goes. It's like having a bonus week-end day. ;)

God bless America

Okay, here's the disclaimer, this entry is a little political, and slightly biased. I would first of all like to admit that I Don't Know Everything, but I'd like to consider myself to be open to ideas, so feel free to comment, as long as you have an open mind too.

In a very short time, the movie 'World Trade Center' will be in theatres everywhere, and that's fine and dandy, but it does make me think....

When Billy and I traveled to Hawaii, it was just after the war in Iraq started, and I have to say, we were treated with a little hostility when fellow travelers discovered we were Canadian. Over a friendly lunch, one guy asked us point blank why the Canadian government wasn't supporting the war in Iraq. What do you say to that? I think I said something like, 'uh, our military consists of 8 guys, a plane and a canoe.' Really I wanted to tell him that we have military in Afghanistan, looking for the dude that attacked your most beloved city, not searching for 'weapons of mass destruction that don't exist. (The US can have those weapons and that's okay... because they are on the good side...)

Now, In My Opinion, Americans love their country the way a four year old loves their mommy. Blind Patriotism. It can do no wrong, just go with what you're being told on the T.V. Remember when the Dixie Chicks spoke out about the war, and they were absolutely banished from American radio? Now it is fashionable to speak out against the President, as long as those same people support their troops. (after all, that is their job)

I could go on and on, but I'm going to jump topics a little, so this blog doesn't take all day to compose...

I love the US. It is a beautiful county, poses many opportunities, and does have a high standard of living, BUT, it is not the greatest county in the world. That's a fact. Believing so is another example of blind, ignorant patriotism. Here's one for you: Canada is not the greatest country in the world either. I like it here, I plan on living here, but, as a Canadian, we are able to objectively look at our country and criticize as You See Fit. (That may translate into 'Free Speech', but I won't get thrown under the bus for it.)

Here's some stats for all you non believers, (compiled from UN Statistics, CIA World Factbook and the BBC) and just for the fun of it, I'll compare Canada and the US:

Quality of Life:
Canada ranked #3
US ranked #6

Cleanest:
Canada #3
US #11

Most Expensive:
Canada is not in the top 20
US is #13

People attending Universities:
Canada #1
US #4

Divorce Rate:
Canada is not in the top 20
US #3

Gender Equality:
Canada is #7
US is not in the top 20

Most livable:
Canada is #5
US #10

Life Expectancy:
Canada: 80.22 years
US: 77.85 years

Pretty surprised? Here's some more:

The United States has a higher GDP per capita than Canada(each household makes more money)
BUT we have healthcare...

The United States has a lower unemployment rate by 1.7%

The US has a higher birthrate, (keep poppin' then out!) higher AIDS rate (of course per capita, I know that there is way more people in the US than Canada)

The United States has 12% of people below the poverty line, whereas Canada does not have an official poverty line, but a Low Income Cut Off of 15.9% (CIA World Factbook admits that this number is higher than average poverty lines)

Okay, that is enough stats, just a couple of more thoughts...

Remember the Saturday morning School House Rocks? There is one depicting the United States as a country. There were all these different ethnicities jumping into a huge pot. The US calls themselves a 'Melting Pot'. Come to the US, and become one of us. Canada embraces 'multiculturalism'. We don't ask immigrants to become one of us. We let people be who they are. They can worship where they want, dress the way they want - whatever. I've heard there is a huge push in the States to have all signage in English as well as their language of choice. Do you really think that me, as an English speaking person would go into a store with only Arabic on their sign? Obviously these store owners know their target market, and are only hurting themselves if they don't advertise in English. So, who cares?

All of our government signage (and institutions) is in both English and French, and that is because we are a bi-lingual nation, with both French and English recognized as official languages. If someone comes to our country and doesn't speak English, then I wish them all the best, because I imagine it would be quite difficult to experience all Canada has to offer without being able to speak either language. Do I care if they don't speak English or French? No, why would I?

There is currently a huge Mexican immigration issue in the States. Many of these immigrants initially came to the US as migrant workers. This didn't bother Americans then, because they needed those low paid employees because no self respecting American would pick tomatoes for minimum wage - but now that these Mexican Americans are making some money, and 'stealing' American jobs, now, it is a problem. It should have been dealt with years ago. Did Americans really think 20 years ago that Mexicans would be happy working in US fields forever? They want to make something of their lives just like everyone else. But now it is a problem.

Canada has issues too. We have a problem with our health care system, (but we have one...) We have slow waiting times, and tough to get specialist appointments or referrals, but we don't leave a hospital with a $500 bill for aspirins and a cast. Canada has high taxation, and an unemployment problem, especially in the automotive sector. We also have problems with government overspending and waste. Our teachers are also underpaid and overworked in a system that is aging, as well as the States. The difference is I, as a Canadian can truly criticize it, and not be a social outcast.

One last point for any Americans reading this, (by the way, my mom and her whole family is American, I own a house in the States, and I watch almost entirely American entertainment, and news), we know that you make fun of us in your media. We know that you think we're backwards and passive. We 'get' the jokes about us made on TV programs. We know who your president is, your chief of staff, and how your political system works. You however, have no idea what we think of you. You have no clue about our way of life, our health care system, or our government. Once again, In My Opinion, the above is a perfect example of the Blind Patriotism, egotism, Ameri-centric ideals that defines the United States of America.

Who let the dogs in?

In case you don't know: Billy and I live next to my mom, (and brother, who lives next to my other brother and his wife and their 4 kids, who live next to my sister and her son).

There are many benefits of living so close to my family. There are also some drawbacks, however, the good definitely outweigh the bad.

One certain benefit is having constant companions for Halia. In the Spring, my mom had a fenced installed between the two barns, which gives the 3 dogs an open area of about 60 feet by 120 feet to play in. With the recent hot weather, we've chosen not to leave the dogs out. (Halia does not have enough sense to come in out of the sun.) So now, just about everyday, I try to take Halia to see my mom's dogs and they play 'fetch', or 'chase'. It's great exercise for all the dogs, and gets Halia so exhausted that I can get things done around the house without her sad puppy eyes following me everywhere.

The best thing I do (ie: how I benefit the most) is to sit in the shade with 2 or 3 balls, and toss them for the dogs. Halia and Lily always end up rolling on the ground playfighting, and Mike indulges in his obsessive - compulsive disorder. Occasionally I'll walk over to our garden and pull some weeds, while keeping an eye on the dogs.

Today, within 30 seconds Mike and Lily were gone. Nowhere to be found. This is not the first time they've disappeared so I knew exactly where to look. As I peered thru my mom's fence, I saw the two dogs swimming in her pool.

Dogs in the pool is not necessarily a bad thing. I do take the dogs swimming a couple of times a week, but today, I was just about to put the dogs in the house, and get started on my day. So I had to let the dogs run around a bit so they could dry off, dry their ears with a towel, then squirt 'dog ear cleaning solution' in their ears and rub them some more.

How did they get into the fully fenced in pool area you may ask? Well the side door does not close very well, and Mike knows this. (he doesn't know much else...) He waited until I was looking away then snuck right in with sweet innocent Lily in tow.

All in all, I was over there an extra 20 minutes. I know Mike is now laying on the couch with a triumphant, satisfied grin on his face, and Halia is pooped out on our bed, but you better believe that I'll be checking the side door tomorrow!

Baby steps

The last two weeks have been red letter weeks for me. I have been getting things done than have been wearing on my mind. I think that publishing my guilt list in this forum really encouraged me to get this things taken care of.

I'll list the accomplished items in order of how long they've been on my 'to do' list starting with the present.


Met client A at their new home
Time it took me to get over there: 4 weeks
I finally made the time to see my client in their new home. Also gave them a card, a gift certificate, a magazine subscription, and a survey for them it fill out. It felt great to see them so happy in their new place.


Central air in Tennessee doesn't work.
Time it wore on my brain: 4 weeks
We have a great guy that rents our house every year, and he took the inititive to get the AC fixed in Tennessee. What a relief. Thanks for Randy, we have working central air in the house. Yippee! Only cost $125!


Weeded behind the hot tub and under the deck.
Time it took me to start this project: 5 weeks
Oh yes, those weeds have been neglected and annoying me for five weeks now. It felt great to get rid of them. Some were three feet high.

Met client B at their new home.
Time it took me to get over there: 8 weeks
Well, these people are really busy too, so I finally just stopped by unannounced with a card, a gift certificate and a survey for them to fill out. They put in a pool, and it look amazing. I'm so glad I finally went over there!

Worked out my orthodic insurance issue.
Time it took: 3 months
Finally! That stupid bill for $500 was wearing a hole in my brain. The letter from Great West Life sits on my computer desk and has been mocking me for months now. Finally I'm moving in the right direction!

Concerns about our property tax bill.
Time I've spent worried about this issue: 6 months
At last we have received our long awaited tax bill from the Town of Kingsville. Why the concern you may ask? Well, we haven't had a tax bill, and we moved in here in November of 2004. We waited over a year for the assessor to come. Luckily we've put money away every mortgage payment in preparation for this enormous bill. Now we can get it paid, and not worry about it.

Incredibly unorganized in the closet under the stairs
Time it took to do something about it: 1 year
It was our dirty little secret. (Well, beside the garage, but the garage is not really a secret, because when it is open everyone can see what a complete disaster it is) Finally I went to Home Depot and bought a shelving unit. It looks so much better. So much more room. You can actually see the floor in many places. It's a good thing.

Mortgage Insurace being automatically withdrawn my my chequing account.
Time it took to get this matter resolved: One and a half YEARS
Yes, you read that correctly. I have had $19.60 withdrawn from my chequing account every month. We moved out of our house in Cottam in October of 2004, and this insurance covered only that particular mortgage, and we've been paying unnecessarily. (I only realized it in February of 2005) I've called my bank, Billy's bank, telephone banking, tried to stop payment online, etc on and off for months now. Finally I was put in the right direction, and after only 3 easy phone calls, all with people that spoke English, I am only a letter away from not only the withdrawls ending, but being reimbursed for the amount paid without warrant. Whew! Finally!

Receiving $.037 cheques from PepsiCo
Time it took to take care of this annoyance: 11 YEARS
Yes, that is correct. 11 years. A friend of mine bought me a stock in PepsiCo about 12 years ago. (As a joke, not investment. I ate at Taco Bell so much he thought I should own a part of the company, and that's PepsiCo) Every 3 months or so I receive $0.19 cheques in the mail as a dividend. The cheques have gradually gone up over the years, (and the stock split in the late 90's) and now I get $0.37 cheques, which I've never cashed because they are in US. I got a notice in the mail that the stock is considered 'abandoned' because these cheques have never been cashed. I called the number, and the paperwork to get these cheques automatically depostited in my and Paul Foster's US account is in the mail! I've tried a few times to get the dividend re-invested into the stock, but of course, being a Canadian citizen, it's almost impossible to do anything like that without a Social Insurance Number. The guy on the phone told me how to fill out the forms so they don't need a SSI number. Woo Hoo! Finally!

I don't consider myself a procrastinator, but these little details in life can really get me down. Now that the above items are taken care of, or almost, I feel so much better!

Here's me new list:
Call Erika and Liz S
See Sarah, Lisa, Mar and Thad
Buy shelving unit for second bedroom
Start something in the garage (it's unrealistic to wish to complete it, as it needs drywall and that's not going to happen anytime soon)
Do a client mailout (ugh)
Hang diplomas, awards, etc. in office
Go to Point Pelee
Go to Ikea in Canton MI
Buy pots for indoor herbs
Commit to a clock in the family room
Try staining some furniture black

Give me a few months, and see how I do!

The speed of life

If I wrote this post this morning, it would have a completely different feel to it.

So what do you do when life throws you a curve ball? Do you continue on your happy path, (I've had a very happy path lately...) or do you let it bring you down? Are you consumed by it? Does it eat you up inside, even though it is out of your control?

Do you simply except this new 'hit' and move on? I guess I'm the type of person that deals with a new and difficult situation with a direct and logical approach. Efficient effort. Luckily I haven't been up to bat too many times in my 33 years.

I remember being on autopilot when my dad died. I felt I had to push emotions aside to be there for my mom. Then it was to help with final arrangements, and finally greet people at the funeral and hope that they were as comfortable as possible. It was strangely easy. It is like being told by your boss to count the beans, when you've counted beans your entire professional life, yet you've never even seen a bean! You are actually in totally unfamiliar and painful territory. You really see what you're made of in a time like that.

Looking back, I can't see anything I could have done differently. I don't think it would have been beneficial to me or anyone else for me to breakdown and become a catatonic mourner. It still would have been a long and heart-wrenching healing process.

So I accept and move on. Deal with it. Analyze the state of affairs and carry on, as best I know how. In the end, after all is said and done, I hope that I see within myself a strong, capable, and yet sympathetic and loving person.

Backyard ponderings

I love the outdoors. Not so much in the last few days because of the extreme heat and humidity, but in general I love being outside.

I could (and have) spend hours puttering around in the garden, pulling weeds and moving rocks by the pond. It's just a quiet, peaceful way to spend time.

I would love to have one of those properties with rolling hills, a wooded area with a walking path, and a stream. One of those hidden garden areas with lush vines and dense foliage would be a dream. I'd love to look out and see deer, fox and other critters. What we do have is a 180 ft by 200 ft lot, with sparse grass, 3 trees, (the tallest is 10 ft), and the only hill is the funky front grade, and the huge septic bed bump.

I acknowledge how lucky we are to own land and to have a great house. I'm sure many city people would love to have a blank slate in a 'county' atmosphere. Open fields behind, and no 'immediate' neighbors.

Landscaping is a slow and expensive process. The grass has been a huge issue. Last year was so dry, and this year has been better, but we have a lot of area to cover. We did a little bit of deorative landscaping beside the back patio and near the pond, but that's about it for this summer.

So anyway, back to wildlife. The first sign of Spring were the robins sitting on the 10 foot high property marker posts. For weeks there were always at least one robin perched there. We've had a few cardinals, the occasional bunny, a skunk, (I have never encouraged Halia to get in the house faster than that time!), 2 pheasants, (Halia didn't know what to make of them), the neighbors' cat, (a calico, always facinates Halia), my mom's cat, (Rat - with no tail), and of course the dogs.

After a huge rain in the Spring, the low area in our yard, which used to be our garden, was totally flooded. Off and on for about a week were two mallard ducks, having a great time in the water. That was pretty cool. If you ever have seen the first episode of the Sopranos, I felt like Tony...

Last year, (our first summer) it would totally freak Billy and I out to step outside and almost smush a toad, (they are the size of my fist!). They always sit right in front of the back patio door Billy would tell people that they were trying to get in. We came to the conclusion that they were attracted to the light for the food factor. This theory makes more sense then the toads wanting to become roomies....

Yesterday in the extreme heat, there were about 100 boring black birds, all around our tiny, itty bitty pond and bird bath. They were bossing the sparrows around. (The pond usually hosts 4-5 sparrows.) It was a really strange sight.

Today, and the inspiration for today's post, there are hundreds of seaguls in the field right behind our house. They won't step foot into our yard, it's like we have an invisible seagul fence. What are they doing here? Where did they come from? How long are they here for? I'll keep you updated....

The garden

This entry is all about our garden. Consider this a warning to those who couldn't care - less to skip this post.

I just want to start by saying how much I love our vegetable garden. Early in the Spring, Billy built me 4 raised beds 4 feet by 8 feet, and 12 inches deep. We sunk them in a bit, and each needed just over a cubic yard of soil to fill. Awesome. The advantages to having a raised bed with good soil included the following:

The growing period is extended
Fewer weeds
No compacted walk ways to weed
Higher yield
Less bending
Easy to access

It is the best garden I've ever had. I believe that all gardening is based on trial and error. You learn something every year. My first garden was at the cottage. It was only about 3 feet by 10 feet, and recieved full morning sun. I planted way too many tomato plants. (The seeds were incorrectly labeled, and all the plant except one were cherry tomatoes) Neighbors were encouraged to raid it any time they wanted to, and they did! I also grew green beans, which worked great because I really like green beans, and I was poor, and green beans go with anything. Radishes and carrots were ravished by the wildlife, so it was quite limited. I later realized that it was poorly located, as it was a favorite spot for male partiers to use as a urinal...

Our second garden was in Cottam. It was located at the very back of our 200 feet deep lot. it was huge! (about 12 feet by 45 feet) It had full morning sun, and lovely afternoon shade. At one time, the previous owner thought it a good idea to dump gravel, broken concrete blocks, and screenings in the garden. The garden was also infested with wild garlic chives that sprung up everywhere, and were impossible to control or pull out. The soil was borderline terrible. We needed 150 feet of hose to water it... We grew (again) way too many tomato plants, and failed miserably with shrunken, deformed green peppers. Jalepenos kicked butt, and cucumbers did well. We were never able to enjoy rhubarb or asparagus, as we moved before the two year waiting period.

Last year's garden, before the raised beds, was located at the back corner of our lot (150 feet of hose again came in handy), in a depressed area about 15 feet by 30 feet in size. Combine the low area with clay soil and it was either rock hard with huge, dry cracks, or flooded and swamp like. We planted way too many tomato plants, but canned some, and made salsa, had a few cucumbers, beautiful sunflowers, Black Eyed Susans, (which I successfully transplanted this year into the landscaping), pathetic green and jalepeno peppers, and 1 watermelon the size of a soft ball. It was impossible to keep the garden weeded, the paths were rock hard and riddled with stubborn weeds. The garden's end came when Billy drained the hot tub in August, and all the chemical water sat in the garden. I never quite trusted the tomatoes after that, not have I ever seen tomatoes that colour...

Needless to say, our garden this year is incredible, but I have already learned some lessons, and will improve next year. Here's what we have goin' on:

Bed A
Spinach (all done now...)
Cherry Tomatoes (Holy Hannah tons of the little buggers)
Asparagus (next year we can actually eat it...)
Cherry Bomb hot peppers (never had one...)
Swiss Chard (favorite of bugs the world over)
Beets (just canned)
Brussell Sprouts (not doing that well)
Green peppers (third crop... not doing so well)

Bed B
Green beans (good)
Cucumbers (second crop, take up a ton of room despite trellis)
Jalepenos (awesome, huge yield)
Other peppers (can't remember their name just now...)
Red Chilies (starting to turn red just now)
Watermelons (have two the size of cantelopes... the kids can't wait to eat them)

Bed C
20 roma or plum tomatoes (doing REALLY well)
Peas (all done and yanked out)
radishes (done and done)
Okra (for my mom, not doing great, you'd have to grow a ton to make a meal)
Herbs, all grown from seed except chives and rosemary - basil, parsley, mint, thyme

Bed D
Cucumbers (1st crop, doing really well)
3 varieties of tomato plants (including the 5 1/2 foot high early girl, or as my mom calls it, 'the tomato plant that ate Cincinati)
Green peppers (first time they've grown well for me!)
Spinach, second crop (done)
Random 3rd crop peppers plants (too hot to grow)

Okay, that must have been really boring to read, and I'm sorry, but this garden is important to me. I love seeing things grow from seed. I love eating what I've nurtured and cared for. (that's why no kids, HAHA!) It is a good feeling. I'm already looking forward to next year. Later in the season, I'm going to post some changes for next year, and lessons I've learned... don't worry, I'll warn you to skip it too....