May I Present ...

Pirate



And his Pack

Pirate Pack Isn't Just a Menu Option

Although, if you've never eaten at a White Spot you have no idea what I'm talking about.

What I do mean is ..... we picked up Pirate last night. The most adorable little kitten I've seen in a long time. I tried to take some pictures last night, but none of them caught him in his best light - being a sneaky, fluffy, little, Pirate and all.

He's settling in nicely, but Digit is not to sure about this tiny blitzing wonder. In fact - she's quite peeved at hubby and I, and given to very negatively verbalizing around Pirate. What I can't seem to convince hubby of though, is the fact that no matter how much straight talking about acceptance and tolerance that hubby gives to Digit will she relax in her posture.

I am firmly convinced that Digit will calm down and become more accepting. She's always shown herself to be a polite hostess when we've had other visiting cats (Stinky Pete a stray from last summer, and most recently Daisy). But kitten seems to be able to push all Digit's proprietary boundaries - for now.

In the meantime we are trying to affirm Digit in the place she holds in our hearts. She will always be our #1 cat, and we really did make the decision to get a second cat as a companion for her.

I'll get a picture or two posted as soon as possible.

Playing Hooky - kinda sorta

It's Sunday morning, and I'm at church, but obviously I'm not "in" church. I found out late on Thursday that I would be 'on deck' on Sunday. Some how, somewhere, someone decided that it would be a good idea to have all of our Janitorial/Facilities team on holidays at the same time. Who authorized that???

Thankfully - I don't have to clean toilets. But I do have to make sure that the myriad of doors are unlocked, coffee percolator's turned on, elevator unlocked, and much more more.

I will sneak in and get a little of our guest speaker’s sermon this morning - just not at the moment.

I've grown kind of blasé about attending church these days. I spend so much of my time here during the week that I find it very hard to come in and sit or be part of the congregation on Sunday's. I suppose I could come to our evening service "The Place", a congregation I have less interaction with - therefore I am able to be more anonymous. But I find this younger crowd, next generation of believers to be too casual.

I was always taught to be reverent, quiet, and respectful when in church on Sunday's. You come in, you worship, you listen, you digest God's word, you have community. But I find this next generation of folk to almost come strictly for the community. Some think nothing of letting their children run around during the service. Some think nothing of sitting close to the front (which is a good think) but getting up and leaving half way through the service, and rarely quietly or un-noticeably. I find it hard not to judge, but here I fail miserably.

I find it all very distracting, and takes away from my time of coming before the Lord on the Sabbath.

I guess though I've got to work on 'getting over myself'. It is important to join together and worship together as a community. All those that come out on a Sunday ARE my community. They ARE my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I just wish they’d do things MY WAY!! LOL!!

Oh me … Praise God for the wonderful works He does. Praise God for making people all different in so many ways. Praise God that He doesn’t strike me down with the lightning bolt I so deserve. Praise God for the way He loves me mercifully and with much grace.

Praise God for His sense of humour!!!

We Have A Winner!!!

The winner of my "Great Summer Give Away" is Laura Williams.

I am so honoured and pleased that I had 9 women who wanted to be in the draw. That is just the coolest compliment I could get.

I hope we can do this again sometime soon

Happy Friday - and blessings on all who participated - on all the blogs in this Give Away.

LJ

A friend for Digit

We just got back from visiting a friend who's cat had kitten.

Guess what? I know you'll guess this ...

We're getting a kitten!! We'll be able to pick 'him' up next week some time, he just turns 8 weeks on Sunday. At present his name is "Pirate" because his mom's name is Cookie and my friends named all the kittens after kinds of cookies - Oreo, Oatmeal, ... With one exception - "Roy".

Anyway, I was pretty sure that my hubby would not be interested, but he surprised me. I'm not sure that we'll keep the name "Pirate" - unless Poolagirl makes him an honorary crew-kitty, then maybe we'll have to.

All in all though - I hope that Digit will get along with the new household member. She is the reason we're getting Pirate (no, no selfish wants and desires here LOL!). We didn't do her right with Daisy, so I am more than ever determined to make this one work.

Well .... wow ..... this is my second entry for today. You still have until tomorrow at 7pm to get in on the "Great Summer Give Away". Don't delay!

Thursday stuff

Please make sure to check out the previous entry and the "Great Summer Give Away". It's been a lot of fun, and so far there have been 8 people wanting to enter the draw for my cards. I'm honoured! I really didn't think I'd get anyone at all. So - PLEASE sally on up to the bar and get your name in there!

On a different note, once again Christy posted a fun meme a few days ago. So, here I go:

…time you laughed?
Last night at the Theatre watching “Hair Spray”. That John Travolta plays an interesting woman!

…time you cried?
All to often lately. I began to think about my mom this morning. She’s been gone for almost a year (August 31st), and sometime it all just catches up to me.

…time you felt guilty?
I was born feeling guilty. It is a solid tool used by the devil himself. Not to worry though – I’m working on this very subject in therapy.

…time you shouted at the TV?
I can’t remember an incident like this. However, my co-workers can attest that I’ve been known to shout at our office photocopier on many occasions.

…time you had a hangover?
Well over 25 years ago, when I was young and senseless.

…time you hugged someone?
My hubby this morning as I left for work. But I also work at a church, so there are often people who come in that need a hug or want to hug me.

…time you couldn’t sleep?
Again – an all-together regular occurrence that I’d like to dispense with. I’ve done well this week.

…time you kissed someone?
My hubby when I left for work this morning.

…time you exercised?
Uuugh! Not my strong suit, and I actually can’t remember the last time I took a good long walk. Now we’re tapping into the guilt question.

…time you ate something really unhealthy?
Define “unhealthy”. I can justify just about everything.

…time you had a dance?
I honestly can’t remember. I have NEVER danced with my husband, and for the most part my dancing days go back to my hangover days with the exception of a few weddings. I used to love to dance, even if it was a poor imitation.

…time you went on a shopping spree!
My last birthday. What fun I had!!!

…time you spoke to your mom?
My mom passed away almost a year ago. I think I talked to her a week or two before that. She lived in another province, and we didn’t talk regularly.

…time you said “I love you”?
To my hubby as I left for work this morning. Right after I got my hug and a kiss.

And your last word is?
Live, Love, and Laugh as God intended you.

Great Summer Give Away

So I’ve decided to play along with a Great Summer Give Away, which I found on Christy’s site, but originated with Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer (see link – hopefully).

What I will gift up is a six-pack of homemade (by me) cards. You can chose the colours you like and the themes (ie. Birthday, Thinking of You, ….) . I will chose a winner on Friday, July 27th, and post it here. All you need to do is leave me a comment, and don’t forget to let me know how to get in touch with you.

This Give Away is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike. I show no partiality.

I will try to post some pictures of some samples I have later today. I’ve been a stamper and paper crafter for 15+ years, so I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in my work.

Please, please, please enter my Give Away, and make sure to check out what others are posting.

Blessings,
LJ

Friday's Feast :-)

It’s Friday, and it’s still raining (after 4 days – and 4 more days to come), so I don’t think we’ll be getting up to too much excitement this weekend. But in the meantime for your reading pleasure I present today “Friday’s Feast”. Bon appetite!

Appetizer
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how much do enjoy watching sports on television?
Easy-peasy = A “1” is higher than I’d rate my enjoyment of sports on the telly. Neither my hubby nor I are big sports fans, although T does enjoy the occasional NASCar race. Which for the life of me, I can’t understand the enjoyment of. Guess ya gotta be there.

Soup
If you could completely memorize any one work of fiction, which one would you pick?
Right up there with watching sports on the television is the idea of memorizing a work of fiction. Can’t make me. Not gonna do it.

Salad
What is your favorite breakfast food?
Coffee. It is one of the 4 major food groups isn’t it? But seriously, once in a while I savour and enjoy good old bacon and eggs (easy up) with a side of toast.

Main Course
Name something fun you can do for less than $10.00.
Mini-golf. Rent WarioWare for the Wii. See a movie (yes – you can still find a theatre with tickets for less than $10 bucks). Bus to downtown to wander around on any given warm/dry summer night – the buskers in the inner-harbour are free entertainment. Bowling.

Dessert
How long does it usually take you to fall asleep?
This depends. Some nights it can take up to a couple of hours. Some nights it can take less than 30 minutes. Falling asleep, and staying asleep are not one of my strong suits. I thank the Lord for travel pills (always make me groggy, and they are non-addictive), and prescription sleeping pills.

Harry Potter Meme

We saw the new movie on the weekend. I've loved the entire series, and can't wait for the new (and last book) to arrive at my door next week.

If you take this meme, let me know how you turned out.

You scored as Remus Lupin, You are a wise and caring wizard and a good, loyal friend to boot. However sometimes in an effort to be liked by others you can let things slide by,which ordinarily you would protest about. Remus Lupin 80% Ron Weasley 70% Harry Potter 70% Sirius Black 65% Albus Dumbledore 65% Hermione Granger 65% Ginny Weasley 60% Severus Snape 60% Draco Malfoy 55% Lord Voldemort 30% Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com

Newbie Vs Vetran

Even with the advent of Daisy’s passing I am still determined to get another cat. I have reconsidered the appropriate age for our future adopted cat from the same age as our Digit (8 + years), and am now leaning toward an under 4 year old. Hubby on the other hand is completely fixated on getting a kitten.

I haven’t asked him, but I am convinced that he has never had a kitten and doesn’t know the work that is involved. Most of my cats have been taken on as kittens, with the exception of Digit, who was 3 years old when I adopted her. I am well aware of the work that kittens can be. Don’t get me wrong – kittens are absolutely the cutest, most adorable little balls of fluff that exist on the earth (emphasis on “fluff” so as to exclude human babies – nothing beats a human baby in my cute/adorable book), but kittens can do more damage in no time flat than most tornado’s I’ve seen. Not to mention the “accidents” that happen when training said fluff ball where the litter is kept.

We would definitely have to kitten-proof our home before we got a kitten, but even as I write all this I’m beginning to think the kitten direction is the right direction. Digit would handle a kitten well, and I think she still exudes the energy that would only be encouraged by having a kitten around.

But there are some many older (anything over 1 year) cats that are in desperate need of a good home. You need only take a quick glimpse a any animal shelters web pages to see that. But I suppose that getting an older cat is much like purchasing an older car – you would be (potentially) inheriting someone else’s problems. Which I recognize might sound mean, but you have to remember what we’ve just been through.

I digress ….

Ultimately I want a good fit for our household; a cat to be a good companion for Digit, and a friendly cat for hubby and me to love.

I want to know what you think? I recognize that you may not be a cat or even a pet person. That’s ok – I want to hear what you’ve got to say.

The good, the mediocre, and life

The up side is: we have a lovely much needed rain happening.

The down side is: we have rain, and its supposed to stick around for a few days.

The up side is: the plants, lawns, and trees as taking it all in.

The down side is: the grass and weeds will grow and we'll have to mow.

The up side is: the temperature is much cooler.

The down side is: I actually contemplated putting the furnace on.

The up side is: my favourite paper crafting magazine came in the mail today.

The down side is: .... there is no down side.

Happy Tuesday everyone.

A Sad Sunny Sunday

As some of you may recall, we took in another cat about 6 weeks ago, that turned into a bit of a rescue situation. I haven't written about Daisy much, mostly because I had grave concerns about her health. Unfortunately my concerns proved to fall true and we had to put Daisy down this afternoon.

The Vet said that Daisy was probably at end stage feline diabetes, and no amount of treatments would correct the situation. We were with her in the end, and feel that we never really even got a chance to get to know her. However, now she is no longer in discomfort. Thank you Lord.

One thing this has taught me is that just because something is free doesn't mean it comes without a price. AND our other cat Digit needs a kitten to keep up with her shenanigans. So when my heart is healed a little we will again look for another cat - probably from a vet or the SPCA.

Blessings, and Rest in Peace lovely Daisy.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite fruit?
RASPBERRY’s!!!! Mmmmmm, anything Raspberry. Just like me they are tart and sweet, and will leave a stain if mishandled.

Soup
Who is someone you consider as a great role model?
Hard question really. I, personally, don’t have any well-known role models. There are a few ladies around our church that I admire, and hope to have the grace, mercy, and love that they show. I’d like to say Mother Theresa, but she’s almost in the “completely unobtainable” level of role modeldom (I know that’s not a word, but you get my drift). Besides, it’s the rare woman who looks good in a wimple.

Salad
If you were to spend one night anywhere within an hour of your home, where would you choose?
Not a fair question when one lives on an island. There isn’t much but water, except in one direction. But, given that ‘one direction’ I would have to say … Sooke Harbour House and B&B. I’ve never stayed there (can’t afford it), but I’ve heard wonderful things.

Main Course
Name something you do too often.
Go to work – but somebody’s got to do it.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I really like ___________ because ____________.
I really like ice cream because it validates the inner child in me. AND it doesn’t hurt that it tastes really, really, really good, especially with raspberries on top.

Summer Time and the Living Is .....

The heat wave continues. It was 34C here yesterday ( a quick lesson in metric conversion to get Fahrenheit - double the Celsius temperature and add 32 roughly equals Fahrenheit equivalent). Using the fancy new formula I just gave you - we're talking low 90'sF. For us - that's hot, and especially for our cats (and other peoples pets) AND we have a poorly, if not non-existant - insulated house.

I slept on our back deck last night. I dared the racoon's and the bugs to bother. I wore "Deep Woods Off", and had my trusty cat by my side, and cooly and deeply drifted off to sleep until 4:42am, only waking because of the coolness of morning. At this time I went into the house and curled up beside my warm hubby until the 7am alarm.

My hubby on the other hand decided to stay in our inferno like bedroom (the house kept a constant 80'sF for these nights and days) and have a sleepless night of his own. Silly boy.

Thankfully, today seems to be cooling off a little. I love to be warm, but I'd settle for a little less than we've been experiencing.

My work week is doing well. I didn't completely do a mental-dump of everything I ever learned on the job, while I was away. Remembering my passwords is almost always my first test. In fact I am well on line with much of my catching up. This is a good thing.

Being someone who likes to know whats going on, the one thing I miss while being away on holidays is finding out first hand what the in-house news is. I know I have a gossips heart - but not in a bad way - I like knowing what's going on, but rarely share it. Or rather - share it only when it edifies the body. Does that make sense. I love knowing how to pray for people, meeting peoples needs, and being on the "in" of stuff. But on the flip side - this is also what wears me down and burns me out. What's an introverted people person to do?

Anyway - I'm fully back in the saddle and enjoying it being summer. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. Amen!

Back to it

I've just completed my first day back to work and I'm exhausted. The heat (on island terms) is quite hot = 90's F or 30's C. Which for Victoria is hot. Right now, at 11 at night it 80 degrees in our old house. I'd sleep outside, but then I'd be bug bait. Not my idea of a good time.

Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter, but thankfully the office is air conditioned. As a matter of fact I briefly considered sleeping at the office tonight. There are loads of couches around the joint.

But I won't.

I'm blathering. I'm tired, and I'm signing off.

you are slateblue #6A5ACD

Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy. Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it. Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Unpacking

I've updated my flickr account with new pictures. I don't seem to take the usual vacation style pics, but I had fun with what I did take. I suppose they show proof that we didn't do much more than relax and rest.


This picture of our fire (a nightly event) was one of my favourites.

Please stop by my Flickr account and tell me what you think.

Blessings,
LJ

Trails End

The time has come the walrus said
To speak of many things.
Of sailing ships and sealing wax,
Of cabbages and kings.

We're reluctantly packing up and going home today. In part I'm ready to go home, but boy do I hate cleaning and packing up. We've had a great week and we have no regrets. Two very important aspects to holiday time.

Now I need to work on my body's schedule of getting up early again. No more sleeping in.

I miss my bed. I miss my cats. I miss my bathroom and shower. And I think I can safely say that I think I'm ready to go back to work. Although, I did get news that one of our Pastor's has lost his mother-in-law to a massive heart attack. That puts my count up again, but i won't go there.

I must begin the deconstruction of a good week.

God bless,
LJ

Rough Stuff

I am pleased to say that THIS is the kind of hard-core camping I've wanted to do all my life, but didn't know it existed for white trash like me.

OK, so the white trash comment is a little out of line. I take it back.

We roll up to my friends trailer. Not really know what to expect. We'd actually stayed at this resort for our 1st anniversary four years ago, but in a cabin. The really funny thing is that that same weekend the people who own this trailer was also up here - IN this trailer - our paths just never crossed.

I digress - this is really roughing it. The trailer is around 20+ fee long. It has a queen size bed, full size fridge and good size freezer, toaster, coffee maker, microwave ....

The really truly bestest roughing part is ..... the cable tv, and internet access!!

Is this livin' or what???

I'd feel almost embarrassed, but I'm liking this a whole lot, and have firmly decided I want one when I grow up.

Well, now that I've rambled on about the accommodations I'm pleased to say that we've had couple of truly relaxing days. The sun has been out and hot (my shoulders got burned yesterday) but the river behind the trailer is cold and flowing. We wandered into town yesterday and each one a game of mini-golf and one of my two favourite courses. Today I hope to gain victory in the mini-golf department when we play our other favourite course.

Simple things give great thrills to simple people.

I will have some pictures for you, but I will have to wait to download them when we get back home.

With this I must be going, some lazy by the fire pit with my book is in order.

Blessings,
LJ

My Week Off!

We found somewhere to go!!! For a while there I thought I was going to have to stick around the house for my week off - which was not my idea of a good time.

Thankfully, after much phoning around a friend offered the use of their trailer up-island. YAY!!

So, we'll be heading up (a two hour drive) there tomorrow some time, and I can hardly wait. A few days away from the house, work, and life as we know it. I must be at burn out, or very close.

I'm taking my laptop, although I don't know if we'll find a wireless signal, its worth the shot. I've also got a new book, my Nintendo DS, card games, and loads of relaxing on my mind. Just what the doctor ordered. I love Parksville because (as far as I'm concerned) it has the best swimmable beaches on the island. The low tides are way out there and you can walk the beach for miles. And at high tide it never gets too deep. The only part that I'm slightly nervous about is .... me in my bathing suit. Not a pretty picture, but I won't go there.

We will be coming back on Friday, and hopefully Saturday I'll be able to scoot over the Pender Island to visit my girlfriend for a night.

I can already tell that I'm doing better this year (at relaxing) than I did last year in the first couple of days of holidays. Last year I think I cried for the first day or two, this year I've pretty much slept through the first few days. AND - I had a guilt free Sunday of not attending church. I'm sure that the fact I didn't wake up until 11:30, just as church was getting out, had a little to do with it. Bad me, but I also knew that I wouldn't be able to attend and not be 'on duty' so to speak.

But enough about work, and on with the relaxing and rejuvenating!!!

A Happy Canada Day (yesterday) to all my Canadian friends. Don't we look grand for 140 years of Confederation!?! And a very Happy 4th of July (in two days) to all my American friends.

God Bless,
LJ