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Monday, August 22, 2011

Danger in the Painting Field


"Meanwhile, in the painting field, Old Witch laughed her "heh-hehs" and "he-he-hes" while swooping here and there, picking up egg after egg (rocks) and ravenously swallowing them whole, eating them as appetizers for the real feast to come - rabbits!"

Shortening up a lot of moving, I spent most of my childhood in Stratford, and most of my time there was spent at the library. I remember getting books on tape for trips (remember when books came with a book AND a tape? in the plastic bag with a handle? yeah. awesome), I remember story time, I remember getting so excited on friday night when I got to take home a movie and I remember going through the children's section for HOURS for a new few books to take home and begging my mom to take just one more book home. I also remember loving certain books, and taking them out again and again and again, a trait that's continued on to this day.


The Witch Family, by Eleanor Estes was one of those books. I LOVED this book. I remember reading it so many times, mom caved and bought it for me (though, I'm not sure it was caving, books weren't a present in my house, they were a fact) and I read it again and again and again. I forgot the name of the book for years, and on a whim Googled "Witches on a glass hill" and found the book today. I was shocked at how many people were looking for the same book - for the past 35 odd years, people have loved this book.

I'm not going to lie - I just bought it again.

""May I go down tonight?" asked the little witch girl. "please, please, please say yes. I'd love to be seen on my broomstick in the light of the moon."

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Barbet Fanciers Picnic!





I skitzed out, and forgot to use my camera I very carefully remembered to bring. So many thanks to Judy Preston who took the pictures I'm posting!










Thursday, August 18, 2011

A lot of time at the River


I'm taking advantage of the fact that I'm right on a river, with a lovely trail, and a 5 month old puppy who's SUCH a good boy off leash!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Where I'm going, where I've been.

My mom's in NYC for the week - she grew up there and can only handle staying away for so long. So, I'm house-sitting. More exactly, cat-sitting, but that's semantics. It's strange being in the house I grew up in (from grade 9-12, but still) alone. I went from having an amazing job at a huge grocery chain's head office, to nothing when my boss quit and the company threw me under the bus in... punishment? I don't know. After he left, it was awful - weeks of not doing anything, sitting at my desk and listening to people whisper about me.

The point is, when I left the company, I was faced again with What do I want to do with my life. I was never sold on a corporate job - I fell into the position with extreme luck, and was fortunate enough to have an amazing boss who taught me a huge amount in a short short time. When that finished, I don't know if there's much in that world for me. What I DO know is there there's a lot outside that world for me. When I was there, I missed everything I loved about the information field - working with people, different people to solve every changing and dynamic problems, answer fun, intriguing, interesting and complex questions, meeting new people and most importantly, helping people find what they need.

Coming to Waterloo, to mom's (sometimes) dark and scary (usually) peaceful and beautiful acre on the river helped me get my priorities in line. I applied for a job in Edmonton, and withdrew my application. I'm not ready to leave and go west to the different and unknown. I think I wouldn't mind it, but I think I'd rather go back out East if I have to move, but really I'd rather stay in Ontario - anywhere in Ontario. I'm ready for another adventure, and I'm ready to figure out exactly what it is that I want out of life. My feelings about living in Toronto are generally complicated. I love this city, it's where I was born, raised on and off, and where I came back to. I love the people, the feeling, and the energy. But I do miss the quiet. I love my field, I just need to figure out what I love the most about it - what my niche is, and where in it I belong. I miss working in the community, and being part of a community. I don't like I can't volunteer because I don't want to make a commitment that I might have to break.

So, here's to not knowing what you want, not knowing where and how to find it, but knowing that you will.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

You would almost think it's different dogs...

Water Dog in Water:


Water Dog on Land:

It occurs to me this blog is boring. Unless you're a librarian.



And maybe you like Barbets. SO.


Mojitos:
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp simple syrup
Juice of 1 lime
2-3 sprigs mint
Soda Water
Havana Club Rum

Muddle (aka crush) Sugars, lime, mint. Add Soda water and Rum. Maybe Ice. To change it up, throw in some fresh cherries, passion fruit or cucumber!


Sangria (Roja):
1 Bottle Red Wine (I like Torro)
Fresh Fruit (Lime, Grapefruit, Orange, Peach, Cherries, Strawberries, Passion Fruit... anything)
1 cup Orange Juice
1 can Fanta Naranja (orange) or Lemon (Look, I lived in Spain. I know this is what they do. really)
2 cups mixed fruit Juice - AYTHING. no really, any mixed fruit juice works

Throw fruit in a jug. Mix in Juice. Stir. Drink. Good for 2 days! I made this batch with just citrus - change it up!


Then, and now.



Then:



Now:



Sunday, August 14, 2011

Mom's house.

One of the things I love most about the "information field" is the same things I love about being at mom's house - finding completely obscure books.


I love that mom has these books. She mostly buys mysteries or heavy heavy biographies these days, and leaves the buying obscure & ridiculous books to me, so I love finding things like this, she's had forever and I for some reason never noticed.

All in all, a good way to spend the week while housesitting!