FINALLY...THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

There is nothing like starting off your day with a laugh! Most of my mornings begin by reading Kilroy’s blog, and today’s post with his witty comments about the continual repetition of Christmas music had me giggling before I finished my first coffee. I fully agree with him – it’s called too much of a good thing. Now and then the ear needs to hear something else, so I offered to lend him some AC/DC. I doubt he’ll take me up on it, LOL!

Last night I went to visit Suzie for a couple of hours. We chatted over coffee (the tequila is to bring in the New Year), and it is amazing how a good friend can bring up one’s morale. I left her house smiling, and decided to take the back country roads. It was a beautiful evening, with big, fluffy flakes falling on the windshield. Huge evergreen branches, heavy with snow, leaned in from each side, and gave me the impression of traveling in a cocoon, warm and safe. The sand trucks had not yet been out, and there was nothing to mar the expanse of white stretched before me. There’s something thrilling about being the first to make tracks in virgin snow. I wound my way home slowly, admiring the winter’s splendid scenery for as far as I could see under my headlight beams. The magic was complete when I had to stop to let 3 young deer run across in front my truck. The last one halted for a second and glanced back at me before leaping gracefully into the bush. I sat and waited in the silence, wanting to be sure there were no stragglers, my heart swelling with gratitude for being allowed to enjoy such simple pleasures.

It doesn’t stop there. Today I will run over and pick up my brother, who is coming to help me decorate the tree. Helen’s cooking lesson was put off yesterday, so she’ll be here too, and there’ll be smells of the traditional Quebecois Christmas stew to work by, LOL!

It’s still snowing; it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the spirit if finally kicking in....so this lady is SMILING!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

TO SLEEP OR NOT TO SLEEP...

When I went back to bed around 6 AM yesterday, I forgot to set my alarm. I fell into a deep sleep, and only woke when the phone rang. It was my office, wondering where I was, telling me it was near noon and the family was on its way to pick up the Christmas basket. Needless to say, I didn’t make it in time for the presentation. In fact, on my drive in, I was seriously considering opting out of the planned evening festivities too; the annual gift exchange, where we were to also celebrate Line’s birthday. I was so exhausted, it was a strain to keep my attention on negotiating traffic. There was no way the employees were going to let me get away with not attending, however, and they were right. They had organised everything. I didn’t need to lift a finger, and the staff is not so numerous that one member missing would go unnoticed.

It was a very nice party; pizza, lasagne, and black forest cake, all homemade by the girls, cooked and served in Line’s decorated condo, while traditional holiday music played in the background. We laughed and chatted, the gifts were distributed and warmly appreciated by one and all, and by 9 PM I was on my way home to the doggies, happy that I had decided to go after all.

The same thing happened this morning. I had dropped into bed on arrival at home last night, and was awake at 3 AM. By 6 AM I was sleepy enough to crawl back under the blankets. Helen and I were to do Christmas cooking today, and I figured her call would wake me early enough. She didn’t call, instead waiting for me to contact her, not wanting to interrupt me if I was resting. My brother was the one who reached me at 11:30, and he was surprised to hear how groggy I was when I answered the phone. It doesn’t help that my son, who spoke to me just now, said that Yoshiko, my DIL who was at our little do last night, came home and told him she was worried about me; that I looked terrible, really tired.(and there goes HER Xmas gift!!!). My children can be pains in the butt when they get on my case, but I have discovered how to halt their harping. I begin to discuss how they should distribute my life insurance. They are not into that conversation, so are all quite willing to follow when I change the subject, LOL! (I’m allowed to be mean sometimes; it’s preserving sanity).

I know they are right. When I go for my groceries later, I’ll stop at the pharmacy and pick up some vitamins. If I want to get there before the store closes, I need to get a move on!

Hope you are having a good day, folks! Mine is fine now that I’m really awake, so I SMILI NG, and passing it on to y’all!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

A HARRIDAN? ME???

It’s Saskatoon Karen’s birthday today, so HAPPY B-DAY to you, Miss! You’re catching up to the rest of us, LOL! We’ll have to celebrate that when you get here (as if we need a reason to celebrate, LOL!)

My daughter phoned me yesterday, telling me she was returning my call. I was confused for a moment, because I had not tried to contact her. Then she noted that the number showing on her Caller ID was from my home, and I was at the office. We quickly deduced that it was my grandson, who returned from Abitibi Wednesday night for his 6 days off. I had given him a key when he had come to put his sports car in my garage a couple of weeks ago, and he was trying to reach me from the house now, but didn’t have my work number. It felt weird for a moment. I have been living alone with the doggies for so long, and there’s a certain freedom to that. One need not worry about any mess if it isn’t immediately cleaned up; there’s only myself and the doggies to trip over it. I had left for the city in a rush, so thoughts went flashing through my mind – did I leave any ‘unmentionables’ lying around? Would he remember to check that the dogs were inside and lock the door when leaving?

Just a moment of unease. I quickly realised that Fred’s moving in is going to do me a world of good. Without being totally aware, I have been turning into a bit of a hermit. Ninety percent of the time, outside of the office, of course, I am in solitary confinement. I rush home from work, feeling guilty if I leave the dogs shut away too long. Living so far out of town, once I do get home I don’t feel like going back out again to visit anyone. Don’t get me wrong; I relish time alone, but it may have become too much of a good thing. No doubt a short period of adjustment will be required, but having young people around again will put new life into this huge house. All of a sudden I remembered how much I’ve been missing that. There’s less danger of me becoming a grouchy old harridan, LOL!

I’ve been awake since 3 AM, so will attempt to catch that Morpheus and keep him around for an hour or two before facing traffic. Today is designated for presenting the Christmas basket to a needy family, and tonight we are to do our employee gift exchange while celebrating Line’s birthday. I don’t want to be fighting sleep on the drive home. Oh – and Suzie should be arriving from Detroit this evening too! No wonder I’m SMILING!! Sharing it with you, folks – hope it adds a little to your day!

Luv from the bush in Quebec

HOSPITAL..AND HACKED!

I’ve been hacked!! There is a file that needs to be completed ASAP, so I logged onto the office server when my brother and I returned from the hospital today. Suddenly weird messages came up on the screen and everything shut down. None of my attempts to restart it were successful (or should it read ‘was’? Grammar is not one of my strengths). I called my puter-doc, and he advised that I drop it off at his home tomorrow, on my way to work. There is no guarantee that it will be repaired for Christmas. Fortunately my laptop soothes my cyber addiction, but I am less comfortable. It’s similar to switching the old comfy slippers for dress shoes one only wears on occasion. Ah well, at least I can still write.

My brother lives about 30 minutes from my house, so the truck was toasty warm by the time I picked him up at 5:30 AM this morning – a good thing because the -20 temperatures are hard on his breathing. It took us 2 hours in traffic, but we arrived at the hospital in plenty of time for his appointment. Unfortunately there is a blockage in his throat, or bronchial tubes, so they were unable to complete the biopsies. Now we have to wait for the MRI on Monday before the specialist will be able to determine what or why. The doctor, who doesn’t have much of a bedside manner to start with, was NOT happy. He grumbled that this should have been taken care of long ago, which only increased my brother’s alarm. When the news is not good, the ride back home is tense. It’s difficult to encourage someone when you just don’t know what is happening, other than repeating ‘we’ll cross the bridge when we come to it’. It doesn’t help that he has been continually telling the medical team about the pain in his throat, and feels that they are ignoring his words.

My son has received his diagnosis – it is diverticulitis. Because he is so young, they will not operate immediately, hoping instead that the symptoms will not re-occur. It seems they don’t in some cases and, if not, he will be able to avoid having an operation to remove the affected area of intestine. He is to see his doctor tomorrow for a progress report, but is no longer in pain, so feels the results will be good.

I finally picked up my tree this afternoon. It’s a well furnished 6 foot Balsam, and beautiful! I bought it at the roadside vegetable stand, and the nice owner carried it over and managed to fit it into my truck. I had put plastic down, but the shifting around to get it all in without breaking something left a job for the Shop-Vac. It’s outside at the moment, because help is required to set it up. My young lad will be by on the weekend to complete the shovelling (it’s STILL snowing!), and my bro will come with him. Between the 3 of us it should take no time to install it in the designated corner and decorate it all pretty. I enjoy sitting with the doggies in the evening admiring the coloured lights reflecting off the many windows. It’s time for the Christmas spirit to kick in...normally by this time I am all gung-ho. The tree, and the cooking/baking session this Saturday should do the trick.

Tomorrow is Line’s birthday. We will celebrate at her house on Friday night, which is also the birthday of Saskatoon Karen! Detroit Suzie is waiting on my weather report (she doesn’t use internet) but will certainly be driving up by this weekend. And the HABS are playing tonight and tomorrow night!! Is this lady SMILING? You’re darned right she is!

Forwarding the SMILE to you’all!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

A BORING POST

Sunday, December 12th
SNOW!!! And lots of it!! I doubt I’ll be able to post this until tomorrow. Out here the electric power usually goes off with weather like this. In fact, I’m surprised it is still on even now! I had many errands to do today, but now all has been put on hold. I’ll never be able to get back up the driveway until it is cleaned, and the plough dudes will only come when the storm is finished. I’d just as soon sit at home and wait it out. The doggies and I are comfortable with the fire going, music playing, and the wind huffing and puffing around the windows. We smile at all the bluffing; inside we are safe and cozy.

I will NOT write about hockey today. (LOL)

Tuesday, December 14th
I needed to be at the office yesterday, so took the chance even if my driveway was not cleared. I slid down the hill in my truck, yelling ‘wheeee!’ – hoping it wouldn’t end in a BANG! I made it! Once I hit the main roads, the going was easier, and the rush hour was not too bad. I think the majority of commuters stayed at home. I phoned my plough man, who promised to get the job done during the day. He kept his promise, and I made it up to the house, mostly because of my 4 wheel drive, I’m sure. I see that just as much fell last night; it is still falling, and the driveway is full again. Working from home today is no longer just an option, but the only thing to do.

I finally loaded a book into my Kindle yesterday. I’m keeping it plugged in so that the battery is well charged. When the hydro goes off again I’ll find the Kindle easier to read than a book by candle light. I’ll also, hopefully, remember to buy gas for the generator so that I can use it when needed – which is the reason it was purchased in the first place!

There seems to be many people alone this year for Christmas…or rather, would be alone if they were not coming to my place. Anyone who has ever been part of our celebration, but then went for a couple of years without attending, has contacted me to say they will be here this year. It will be a full house. Now all I have to do is quit procrastinating and find time and the energy required to prepare things. My energy is at an all-time low, probably due to the lack of physical exercise. The shovelling required to clean my gallery should put me on the road to recovery in that area!

Sorry about this boring post, but the pile of office files beside me is making me feel guilty; distraction at its best. I know I should working, so I’ll get to it.

Sending you a huge SMILE, folks, and wishing you a great day with or without snow!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

EGG ON MY FACE - AND INSPECTORS

This is last year's tree
How many of you watched the HABS lose to the Wings last night? It was a great game, but even Jacques Martin, the HABS’ coach, who rarely complains, made mention of the penalties merited but not assigned to Detroit…especially in the 3rd period. Hooking was the name of the day – but ignored if it was done by the Wings…GRRR.

We win some, we lose some – but there will be no logos crossing the border today. Sam (from Blog-it) and I kept a steady commentary going by e-mail – each cheering for different teams, of course. But Sam is kind – whereas there was no way I was going to answer the phone if the Caller ID showed it was Suzie – I know her hubby, Francisco, was waiting to rub it in, LOL! Ah well, we’ll get our revenge on Toronto tonight, and I’ll express sympathy to my brother and Nautikos! I doubt I’ll see much of the game. My Cuban Susie is having her annual Christmas party for her ‘girls’, of which I am one. I will contact her son today (without Susie knowing) and ask him to set up the TV in their playroom so that I can slip down there now and then to at least check out the score.

Not one client showed up for the Christmas 5 à 7, but the employees had a good time. It could have been because it was so early this year, or that the surprise snow storm had everyone busy catching up, or that J., who was responsible for contacting and confirming attendance, was lax in completing the task. I will know in the end; things always come out eventually. In any case, I was not unhappy about being able to leave early. My doggies had already been alone at the house long enough, and I was expecting a visit from the Federal Government Inspector the next day.

Having the inspectors insist on verification is not a good thing. What’s more, it was for companies belonging to my ex-associate, who had not contacted me since our last unfortunate meeting. I reached him finally. Even though there was nothing he could do, I felt he needed to be warned. The inspector was to arrive at 11 AM on Friday, but showed up an hour early, and Oh-la-la! All the girls melted when he walked into the office. Uh-huh – some eye-candy! He was not only extremely handsome, but very polite and smiley. A wolf in sheep’s clothing? Probably, but I gave him the papers he requested, and he left 3 hours later without sharing any information…so now we wait.

I’m finally going to run in and pick up my Christmas tree today. Tomorrow, if weather permits, my son and Yoshiko, and my brother, will be coming to help set it up and decorate. I love the holiday season, but this year, up to now, I have only had fleeting glimpses of that Christmas spirit. Usually it hits me much earlier; I float around humming carols and Santa tunes until the big day. Hopefully the tree will help get me back to normal.

There’s things to do and places to go…and two doggies clamouring for my attention, so I’ll wish you a good day and be on my way (You see that? , I’m getting this rhyming thing down!!). Sending you a big SMILE, folks, with a little piece of mistletoe on it!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HABS

The HABS did it again last night! The game had just ended and my telephone rang. Ah-ha! Somebody who had good timing!!

It was Karen, my friend whose house we invaded in Saskatoon a couple of weeks ago. She was laughing when I answered. She figured she would be interrupting the little victory dance the doggies and I do on such occasions, LOL. We chatted long enough – and maybe that’s what caused me to sleep in this morning? No harm done. After listening to the traffic report, I decided to work from home anyway. Yesterday, although I had tried to avoid it, the trip was necessary; 2 ½ hours to get in, then the same to come home. I just wasn’t up to it today – enough is enough.

Tomorrow is our ‘5 à 7’, the annual Christmas party we have for the employees and clients. A glass of wine or beer, a couple of sandwiches, a bit of socializing – nothing elaborate. The huge office parties of yore are expensive, and those kinds of events never turned me on. As I get older, I like them even less. We distribute wine and cheese basket as gifts instead. The clients seem to appreciate it more….AND nobody does the drunken fool bit, or loses a driving permit on the way home.

On December 17th, my grandson will be back from Abitibi, where he is presently working, and has told his mom that he’s renting a U-haul to move his stuff into the apartment downstairs. M’mère (French equivalent of ‘granny’) is happy! It will be so nice to have him around. I know he spends most of his free time up on the ski hills, but he also has a huge TV, and is a HABS fan. I wonder if he’ll join our dance when they win?

Speaking of which – the long anticipated game between Detroit and Montreal is happening this Friday night. I’m preparing my ‘sympathy’ packages for some Wings fans. I’ve mentioned it so often that some people, who don’t usually follow the sport, will be watching this one just to see if I get egg on my face. Nah – I’m pretty sure there’ll be some Canadien logos making their way across the USA border the next day.

And that thought makes me SMILE!!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

WINTER HAS ARRIVED

It was a three hour trek to get home on the snowy roads last night. Bumper to bumper, at 10 KM/hour – the radio announcer telling us over and over that the conditions were terrible, be careful, drive slowly. There were fender-benders, an overturned transport truck, and stalls to avoid…all quite normal for our first winter storm. Having anticipated the scene before even leaving the house yesterday morning, I sat back in my comfortable 4-wheel drive, secure that my snow tires were already installed, the gas tank was full, the window washer topped up…and went with the flow. If the Dunany Demons were trying to aggravate me, their efforts failed. I love winter in Quebec.

The doggies greeted me with their usual exuberance, and were even happier to join me in a short walk down the lane to collect the emptied garbage container. I knew the ploughs would be out during the night; it wasn’t a good idea to leave the container by the side of the road. There was a risk of it being knocked into the ditch and buried.

The doggies clamoured for love, food, then more love…in that order, LOL! A short time later they were fed, the fires were crackling, appetizing aromas from my own meal in the oven wafted through the kitchen, and I stood by the huge window, glass of wine in my hand, looking at the snow swirling around outside. I could only see a short distance past the realm of light from the exterior lamps – the tall evergreens were blurred, dark shadows in the background. Grump was sitting beside me, his gaze alternating between the window and my face. Bud stood, leaning heavily against my leg, pushing me with his nose, looking for more cuddles. “Snug as a bug, we are,” I informed them aloud. They both grinned up at me, tongues lolling. They agreed.

I’m waiting now to see if it’s worth trying to get into the city office. If I do go, I’ll be alone there today. The daughter of one employee has the measles, so she’s in quarantine. Two of the others had appointments, unfortunately scheduled for the same date, and there is one who has a cold. She should have stayed home yesterday – the tickle in my nose this morning suggests that the damage is already done.

With that I leave you, folks, wishing you a great day, and sending you SMILES!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

THE DUNANY DEMONS

I posted some pictures of my home on Facebook, and had comments from others who live quite close, and I quote, “Holy sh*t! Where did all that snow come from? We have hardly any yet!”

I can remember when I first moved to my house. It was in the month of January a few years back. Before then I had been living close to the city centre of Montreal, where the winter was reasonable. On my drive up, I noted that it was slightly less reasonable in the town nearest my destination. When I arrived at the house itself, I found snow banks higher than my car!

It still happens. There will be storms here, and plenty of that white, fluffy stuff will stick around, while those who live only 20 minutes away are gazing at bare lawns and trees. I have never attempted to discover the scientific explanation, preferring to accuse my ‘Dunany Demons’. I always thought they were a figment of my imagination, but am now wondering if they are not a family branch of Kabu’s gnomes.

I was of the opinion that these ‘Demons’ tended to stick pretty close to my mountain, although now and then they would visit my friend, Kilroy, just to keep him in shape with a bit of shovel-muscle. Lately the little buggers have aroused my suspicion – do they have advance notice of my itinerary? Why is it that nearly each time I am to drive my brother to the hospital, the weather changes to rain or snow? How come the trucks are sanding roads out here, while the highways only 15 miles away are still bare? And last but not least, Karen informed us that the sun was shining and it was warm before we landed in Saskatoon. How did it happen that, on the exact day of our arrival, the temperature plummeted to -23 and snow started pouring down?

The plot thickens….

We won’t tell them, but my Demons picked the wrong person in their effort to frustrate. I love snow! I expect it would disgust them to no end if they realized that I actually have a fondness for their antics, so I’ll stay silent…just in case they decide to turn things around. Who wants to live in constant summer?? (Put your hands down now…I can’t count that high, LOL!)

This morning, Kilroy mentions that the storm has passed him by. Here, however, the demons have been appearing off and on since Friday, and are at work again this morning. Nothing very substantial yet, but I have a feeling they are just biding their time. I expect they know I have a busy week ahead, with plenty of driving to do, and are waiting for the right moment. In the meantime, they’ve sent a division out to bug my friends in Ontario, and I imagine their efforts to frustrate proved more fruitful there. Some places in that area got up to 45 cm. Would our friend, Nautikos, or Karen’s brother, Willie, be shovelling today, do you think?

There is absolutely no use swearing at the winter weather; it’s going to happen anyway. Now, however, I have given you a name to which your cussing can be directed. It won’t stop the snow, but it’s somehow more gratifying, don’t you find? I can hear it now, a collection of voices yelling ‘$*.”%, you Dunany Demons! Go back where you came from!!”

That picture makes me SMILE!!!

Have a good day, folks!

Luv from the Snowy Bush in Quebec

GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE

I walked into my office yesterday morning to find one of the girls in tears. She had been on the phone with a representative of our greedy government, trying her best to help a client who is in dire straits, and the agent was not only patronizing, but also quite insulting. Someone else would just shrug it off. It isn’t our company after all, but we take our clients’ problems to heart. It seems that our heads of state are labouring diligently for their bonuses, which means they have to empty the pockets of the small businesses and ordinary citizens. They are very adept at using scare tactics and wasting enormous amounts of time by sending form after form to be completed and returned within 30 days…or else…they go into your bank account! Even more frustrating is that much of the information they demand is already in one of their departments…but not the same one… and we have no choice but to comply, over and over again. The client is billed for the hours required to respond to the government’s BS, of course, and most accounting firms rejoice; it’s more money in their pockets too. Our office employees have not yet learned to be mercenaries.

I contacted a consultant about the problem, and guess what? His advice boiled down to screwing the government, legally…or at least in a way that you may have to put up with being hassled, but would not have to give up any money. It seems many of the huge companies have the method down to an art – but they also have the funds to bribe officials or to pay sharp lawyers to fight back if ever they are caught. There is nothing new in the idea; it has been going on for years. Now, however, because of the economic crunch, it hits home harder. When you have 2 dollars, and have to give up one of them, it can be endured. But when you only have one, and still have to give it up, you take notice. Complaints do no good. Action is needed, but how does one start?

I went to sleep last night with the problem and frustration milling in my mind, and woke this morning to find it still there. Ugh! I don’t want to spend the weekend thinking about it, so will attempt to change the subject.

When my mind is too busy, physical activity helps to clear it, which means that my house should be spick and span by the end of the day; my Christmas trees should be decorated; my baking done; my car washed; wood to last the week carried up; and all the books invading my home office dusted and stacked alphabetically…then I’ll write a thank you note to the government for having given me the initiative. Right. It’s not going to happen.

Back to changing the subject.

If the Weather Network is to be believed, my Dunany Demons are going to be busy for the next few days. It isn’t falling yet, but we are to get snow until Tuesday night. Skiers and snowboarders will be ecstatic, the plough guys will be grumbling, and yours truly will spend some time today making sure the generator is in good shape, and that there is enough gas to use it. Storms in this area usually lead to the power going off; it is wise to be prepared.

You know what? Talking about the weather isn’t working either, so it’s time to put on some loud music and dance around with the dust mop and the doggies. Just that thought is making me SMILE, and I hope making you SMILE too. Have a good day, folks!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

THE ART OF 'TOUCHÉ'

Suzie and me, albeit a few years ago. She still looks the same!
The phone rang last night during the first period of the HAB’s game. Most people know better. I glanced at the Caller ID. It was Suzie (from Detroit); I would have to set her straight on the schedules. Her husband is an avid Wings fan (of course!), so if he is not watching a game, she figures it is safe to call. Except…Detroit and Montreal often play on alternate evenings. I’m sure I have mentioned it to her previously, but would make a point of warning her again. There was only 3 minutes left before the period end, so I picked up and launched right in.

“What are you doing calling me during a hockey game?” My tone was belligerent. Anyone who knows Suzy can tell you that I wouldn’t get away with it. It took her all of 15 seconds to put me in my place, LOL! Her descriptions of my fanatic ‘hockeyism’, and what I could do with it, would put a blush on the cheeks of the nastiest scoundrel! I was well aware what her retort would be; I relish the friendly sparring which takes place when we disagree on something. Suzie is one of those rare persons who can tell you where to get off, her voice soft with the utmost courtesy, but her words barbed and striking with deadly accuracy. You walk away stunned, wondering what just hit you, but knowing without a doubt that SOMETHING did! My mom excelled at it; my brother is a close second, and Suzie is cut from the same cloth; three formidable masters of ‘Touché!’

She’ll be coming up to Canada for Christmas and the New Year, and I’m looking forward seeing her again. Karen (from Saskatoon) is to drop in around the same time, Dawna already lives ‘just 10 minutes away as the crow flies’, so this promises to be an eventful and fun-filled holiday season. I’m thinking maybe I should put up warning signs – something like ‘Beware – Senior ladies on a roll – Enter at your own risk!’

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Close and true friends are a precious commodity. I’m fortunate that mine stood by waiting until I got my head on straight and remembered they were there. All I had to do then was turn around and walk straight into their welcoming arms. Mind you, some of them are a bit roguish, but that keeps them from being dull. I’m sure Kilroy agrees, LOL.

With that said, and all the time I’ve spent since 4 AM this morning reading posts on Kilroy’s blog and in Blog-it, then writing my own, I am running late! I’ll wish you all a super day, spent with good buddies if possible, and send you a warm SMILE to top it off!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

GALLANTRY LIVES ON

My Dunany Demons did it again! I drove home through pouring rain last night, until I turned onto our bush road. Then the rain became snow…fat, wet flakes that piled up throughout the night and created a stunning view from my windows (and no – I’m not going to go on and on about it, LOL!).I heard the sand truck roar by in the wee hours of the morning; a necessity, because getting up the hill out front would be a tricky business for early-bird commuters.

Yesterday I had a rare lunch with my friend, Kilroy. We were both pressed for time, and I’m sure neither of us said all that we had to say. After having spent a couple of years chatting to each other every weekday, sharing numerous cups of tea, we are now limited to e-mail, blogging and the occasional lunch to keep each other up to date. On my return to the office, the girls remarked that I am always smiling when I come back from time spent with him. It’s true. Even if we happen to speak of sad things, there is something about my friend that puts a spring into my step. His distinguished, yet warm, manner brings to mind the gallantry of days gone by. He is a true gentleman; a little bit rogue, a huge dose of sincere, and certainly a stalwart example of strength, intelligence, and compassion. Although I have never met his sons, from his conversation I can tell that they are chips off the block and, presumably, the grandsons will be the same. In today’s society, where ‘high-steppin’, high-faultin’ tricksters and schemers are the norm, it is nice to know that we still have solid, dependable people out there. The best I could wish for anyone would be that they have a friend such as Kilroy. I expect he’s blushing as he reads this, which is why I didn’t tell him while sitting in the restaurant, LOL! A huge hug to you, my friend – you made my day!

The hospital called my brother yesterday, and we have three appointments in December. The 15th, for the biopsy, the 20th for the MRI, and now the 28th, where we get the results. In spite of his morale being low, he knew there was a hockey game on TV last night, so thoughtfully waited until it was over before he contacted me. It was too late to go and keep him company, but we stayed on the phone for a bit, and at least he was laughing by the time we both hung up. Dealing with illness is never easy, but a sense of humour lightens the load somehow. Thankfully, my bro has not lost his, and never fails to use it, even when the going gets rough.

My son saw his specialist yesterday too, and they have decided to ‘wait and see’, because of his age, it seems. He will slowly start adding fibre to his diet, and at the first sign of discomfort, he is to go immediately to the hospital. I don’t like it, but will need to obtain more information before getting on my son’s case. Which I will do, with a vengeance, if what I learn is contrary to what they have told him.

And that’s it for today, folks. It’s time to brave the traffic and go make a dollar or two. Hoping you all have a good day, and sending you a huge SMILE to help you on your way. (A poem? Ah well, the words rhyme, even if the beat is all wrong, LOL!)

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL

The doggies.
It was a time consuming drive into the city hospital, but we were aware of the traffic problems and had prepared in advance. I was at my brother’s home at 6 AM, and we arrived in the doctor’s office at 9 AM, 15 minutes ahead of his appointment. The results of the scan prompted the doc to schedule a biopsy, and another MRI, both within the next 3 weeks. It is disheartening yet, from the way my bro has been feeling lately, we were kind of expecting something along those lines.

It was past noon when we left the hospital, and I had papers to drop off at the office. Besides, it would maybe give him something else to think about if he could manage to climb the stairs and meet the employees. He did, and was pleased to associate the faces to the names (I talk about them often), and found them all charming. On the way home he dozed off and on in the car. When I finally made it back to the house around 3 PM, I was exhausted too. We all know one’s mental attitude can play havoc with one’s physical abilities. Whether appropriate or not, sleep was necessary, if only to shut the mind down for awhile.

After an hour snooze, I became mobile again, much to the doggies’ delight. They needed attention, and did everything but stand on their heads to get it. Pat me! Love me! Talk to me! Play with me! Their tails tattooed out the message, and anything in reach went flying until I surrendered to their wishes. It was raining outside, so we raced up and down the hallway a few times, hollering and barking, toenails clickity-clacking on the wood floors (theirs, not mine! LOL!) Then Grump & I did the stairs to the garage. Four times I climbed, bearing an armload of wood, the young Grump-puppy, ears back and tongue hanging, racing ahead of me, and Bud standing at the top, wiggling encouragement. He won’t go up and down stairs just for fun anymore; it’s too hard on his ailing body…and Bud is a smart doggie! He has learned to participate without wasting his breath.

Energy spent, the three of us had our meal, then sat quietly by the fire, listening to Anya, her lilting voice singing softly in the background. Relaxing together.

I was surrounded by unconditional love, and felt peace seep in to replace the heaviness that has held my heart captive for the past two days. I remembered my brother telling me today that he watches comedy tapes one after the other, because laughter IS the best medicine. I remembered that it did no good to brood or mope over what MIGHT happen. I remembered that my family finds its strength in caring, which means that together we can handle whatever is thrown at us. I remembered that most in our lives is good.

Then I remembered that I am meeting my dear friend, Kilroy, for a late lunch tomorrow, and that completed my SMILE!

Love from the Bush in Quebec

MONDAY, MONDAY

My Jo, with his lady, Méi
From what I’ve been reading in other blogs, I wasn’t the only one to have a less than satisfactory day. It wasn’t the weather; here in the bush the sun was bright in the clear, blue sky, ideal for walking outside, if one was so inclined. The thought was there; the body couldn’t follow through.

Although very present for the long 9 hour snooze on Saturday, Morpheus was conspicuous by his total absence last night. Not a wink did I sleep. Nothing. Nada.

At 8 AM, frustrated, knowing that travelling to work would be out of the question, I resorted to Asana, those sleep-aids made with natural products. I lay across the bed, watching the clock. When the office opened at 8:30 I’d call… warning that I’d be showing late. I must have finally dropped off because the telephone woke me around 9:30. I mumbled something at my daughter, crawled back under the blankets, and 10 minutes later the darned thing shrilled again. This time it was a co-worker, justifiably wondering why I wasn’t at the office. I repeated my mumble; she hung up, apologetic, but the damage was done. Morpheus had fled, leaving me just dozy enough so that I couldn’t function properly, but not so dozy that I couldn’t fret about the whole situation. There are so many things to be done for the business – we are striving to keep it going, playing continual catch-up after the disastrous events initiated by my ex-associate, and missing a day’s work is NOT good. Just those thoughts alone can keep one awake…and then there’s my son.

I was shocked when I saw him yesterday. I knew the doctors had put him on a strict diet because of his health problem, but his weight loss seems phenomenal! My son is a strapping young man, standing around 6 foot 2 inches, ordinarily wearing 200 lbs. His clothes are hanging on him now, and in such a short time! The doctor he saw last Monday has referred him to another, who he will see on Wednesday, but they are insisting that a colonoscopy cannot be done until the swelling goes down, something that should have happened at least three weeks ago. Although he isn’t one to complain, I could tell his morale was low. He works long hours for his business, which is not yet lucrative enough to sit back and relax. He also has a young wife who is up every 4 hours to breast-feed the baby, plus two very active boys under 6 years of age to contend with at home. It means spending energy that he just doesn’t have right now. The offer for help was pooh-poohed; he’d manage; I was not to worry. Yeh, right!

When one doesn’t sleep, the brain works overtime. Because the brain works overtime, one doesn’t sleep. No wonder Morpheus stayed out of sight!

I’m the first one to admit that everything happens for a reason, but that doesn’t mean that I have to LIKE the reason.

I can’t do anything about it at the moment, so will be patient until he comes back with the doctor’s diagnosis this Wednesday. In the meantime, we need to be at the city hospital for my brother’s lung scan results early tomorrow AM, which means that I should be already in bed. If Morpheus doesn’t show up tonight, he’s fired! I’ll go out and round up sheep from somewhere….build a fence for them to jump over…invest in a huge pooper-scooper…and there – that thought made me SMILE! Thankfully, it doesn’t take much. I’m sending it out to you all, especially to those who shared my mood this Monday.

Yep – tomorrow is another day.

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

SNOW, PARSNIPS & JACK.

This is our new neighbour, Jack. I’ll try to refrain from starting each blog with descriptions of the awesome pictures provided by Mother Nature…every day….all for free…right outside my windows. Not being a poet, or a photographer, I can’t do the beauty justice anyway. Still, because I tend to write what I feel, I’ll have to constantly remind myself that I’ve mentioned it over and over again. Yet… it was our first big snowstorm yesterday; the trees are now wearing their winter dress, one can follow the doggies’ wanderings by the solitary tracks across the expanse of white on Bud’s hill, and my mountain rises above it all, not quite completely covered, slightly forbidding with the dark patches of stone showing through…and there…I’m doing it again! Moving on!

Dawna invited me for supper yesterday. Aware of my reluctance to go anywhere when the HABS are playing, she subtly informed me that we would dine only after watching the game together. It was a pleasant evening and, although our chatting did little for my concentration on the game, her husband, Malcolm, was able to fill me in when I missed any of the action. The meal included parsnips. During our culinary feats in Saskatoon, I had mentioned to my friends that I did not like this particular vegetable. In fact, I had not eaten parsnips since leaving the farm when I was 11 years old. Both Dawna and Karen had assured me that the taste all depended on how the dish was prepared, so last night I tentatively added a few to my plate. The girls were right. They were very good. As I drove home, I was imagining how surprised my grandmother would be by me eating them without kicking up a fuss, LOL!

I fell into bed at midnight, and slept right through until 9 AM this morning. Was it the parsnips, you think? If so, I’d clean out the grocery stores, LOL! Jokes aside, I rarely enjoy long, straight hours of sleep, so this morning I’m dancing with energy! Perfect timing too, because there are floors to wash, and a long gallery to shovel. I also want to visit my brother (who, by the way, will get his scan results on Tuesday), and drop by to pick up papers from my son. We do the accounting for his mobile canteen. He tells me he is feeling much better, but I will pull mother’s rank and see for myself…and besides, I’m due for hugs from my rug rats. A great day in perspective.

Before I forget – and this one is for elysianfields, a fellow blogger – yesterday afternoon Bud and Grump warned me there was something going on outside. When I went to the window, I saw a little dog on the road, a very dangerous place to be standing with cars unable to stop on the slippery snow. He was wearing a coat, so I knew he was not a vagabond, but someone’s pet. Fortunately he came when I called, and was so happy to see me; it was evident that he was lost. I brought him into the house, contacted the phone numbers on his collar, and discovered he belongs to a new neighbour, the one who has just moved into my cookie lady’s house. I managed to take a picture of Jack (an appropriate name!) before his owner gratefully picked him up. What do you think, Elyse?

With that said, I need to get doing what there is to do. I hope your day is fine, and that your SMILE is a big as mine, and who said I’m not a poet? LOL!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

THE TRIO IN SASKATOON

Dawna had a problem setting her camera's timer. By the time it was done, we were finding it hilarious. The wine helped. “Sh*t! We’re going to miss our flight!”
And that’s how my mini-vacation began. Both Dawna and I had arrived 2 ½ hours early at the airport, had checked in, then I convinced her to spend our wait in the bar. I’m not a brave flyer; I prefer my feet to be on solid ground, and was depending on a shot of ‘spirits’ to numb my nerves. When we did cross customs, we thought we had time to spare, and that we were beside our boarding gate, number 49. As luck would have it, there was a Starbucks concession right there! Lattés in hand, we meandered past 48, towards 49…and hit a dead end. We were walking the wrong direction! A glance at our watch told us it was 4:30 PM, the departure hour…then we were running!! The West Jet rep made some wise crack about our ‘Starbuck stop’ as he shooed us up the ramp and onto the plane. Gasping for breath, slightly embarrassed, but still laughing, we scrambled into our seats. I hardly even noticed when we were up and away.

There was a short stop in Toronto. We got off to stretch our legs, and the stewardess warned us that we were to be the FIRST ones back on the plane. What was that comment about, you think? LOL!

It was on to Saskatoon and Karen…and a temperature of -23 degrees…. and falling snow! Winter had arrived before us, and yours truly was wearing running shoes.

It didn’t matter. We spent 4 wonderful days catching up on each others’ lives, laughing together, cooking our specialities, shovelling snow; all very relaxed and just what I needed. We did take a short jaunt into the city centre, and hit a bookstore (of course!), but it was mostly for a ‘wine-run’. Karen had stocked up, but those darned bottles had ghastly holes in them!

My friends endured my hollering as we watched my HABS beat Toronto on Saturday night, and we all cheered when Saskatchewan took the semi finals from Calgary on Sunday afternoon’s football game. Another girl who lives in that area drove 4 hours to drop in and visit. She worked with me during my stint with Montreal’s homeless youth, and we hadn’t seen each other for at least 10 years. We enjoyed an afternoon of reminiscing and updating; she met my friends, and we were introduced to her husband. Another totally pleasant day.

It was quite ironic that my new swimsuit, which had been gathering dust for at least two warm summers in my closet, was first worn outside in freezing temperatures! Karen has a hot tub behind her house. I had never been in one, but both she and Dawna are avid users, and one night we ventured out for my initiation. It was new experience, immersed in bubbling, steaming water, wine glasses frosting in the frigid air, surrounded by the snow we had just traipsed through with bare feet. Picture an overgrown Jacuzzi in a vast white room, with the lights and the furnace heat turned off. Glorious!

Although there’s no place like home, our departure was difficult. The time had just flew by, and as we hugged farewell, it was not without a few tears. However, I think we’ve convinced our Saskabush girl to come spend a few days with us in Quebec just after New Year’s day. Seeing that the snow has followed us back, she should be right in her element!

The flight back was uneventful. I will say that West Jet crew are a nice group; smiling, joking, and very solicitous of their clients’ welfare. I didn’t feel nervous at all during the journey, and that’s something!

I called Karen the evening after our return. We didn’t do the usual 4 hour chat, but we could have. It certainly wasn’t because we had run out of things to say, even after talking a blue streak during our visit. After hanging up the phone, I reflected on how important it has become to keep in close touch with friends. Maybe it’s because our time is less taken with raising families and developing careers, or maybe it’s just that we get wiser with age. Whichever, I feel the need now for regular contact, and realise more and more how precious our friendships can be.

I bet Karen is reading this now and thinking ‘Aw, enough with the sentimental crap!”, and that thought is making me SMILE. Actually, I’m giggling!

Have a good day, folks. I’m hoping there will be many occasions on this holiday (for USA) weekend to make you giggle too!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

BACK TO THE BUSH

I’m back, and I didn’t bring the snow with me, but I do believe it is following close behind. That’s okay. It’s one of the reasons we enjoy this country of ours – the four seasons. Skiers, rejoice!

I have some pictures to put up, and will tell you all about our trip as soon as I can. It was off the airplane and straight to the office before even coming home, and the only time I’ve stopped running since then is when I’ve dropped into bed. Well, except for watching part of the hockey game last night (we won!!), and I see there are two scheduled for the weekend, plus the Grey Cup football finals, where Montreal will be battling Saskatchewan. Maybe we should fly back out there for the game. I’m sure Karen wouldn’t mind our invading her house again….I think we left one or two bottles of wine untapped…LOL!

Needless to say, upon my return the doggies greeted me with their usual enthusiasm. They both spent the evening following me from one room to the other, sticking to me like glue The next morning I woke to find Bud beside the bed, happily curled up on my furry housecoat; he had dragged it out of the suitcase which I had left open on the floor. And that reminds me that I haven’t even unpacked the rest of it yet. Ah well, it’s not going anywhere.

Although I’m supposed to work from home on Thursdays, today I will be going into the office. Tomorrow is my brother’s appointment for his scan at the city hospital, so I’ve changed the timetable to avoid going back and forth twice in the same day. He’s to have his lung scan at 5 PM; smack in the middle of rush hour, and I expect that’s another hockey game where I’ll be listening to the first period on the car radio! I’ll have to speak to the doctor about his timing!

That’s it for now – off to the jungle I go. It’s a beautiful sunny day here. The air is crisp, and life is good, and this lady is SMILING! Have a nice one, y’all!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE

(Photo courtesy of Photobucket)
We humans are creatures of habit and, although most of us like a challenge, we are wary when doing something outside our comfort zone.

I have friends who live in the country and very rarely leave the immediate area. They are used to navigating narrow, winding, dirt roads where, at night, only your headlights pierce the darkness. One has to be forever vigilant for animals jumping out in front of your vehicle. Your car breaking down in the middle of nowhere means you may or may not have a long walk before, or if, a good Samaritan shows up to help. Many country folk do not carry cell phones, and often trees and mountains will hamper the signal anyway, so the phones are not much use. You are on your own, and it can be scary walking in the bush in the dark. Yet these friends hate the thought of driving on the auto route or in the city. Too much traffic, they declare. Crazy drivers – you never know what kind of wild person you will meet – it’s nerve-wracking! Give us the country roads any day!

I also have friends who are city dwellers. If you mention driving country roads to these individuals, they come out with all the points I mentioned above, the most prominent one being the absence of street lights. They feel completely isolated if they have not met another car within 15 minutes, and it makes them uneasy. A country jaunt is okay as long as you are not alone in the car, and preferably during daylight hours.

The subject came up yesterday when Line, who will be the dog-sitter while I am on my trip, gave me her GPS to bring home with me last night. Her sense of orientation outside the city is not the best, and my programming the route into this little machine will keep her from getting lost. Each of the numerous times she has come to visit, I was the driver, and she didn’t need to pay attention to direction. The other employees, who reside within a 15 minute bus ride from the office, find her very brave, or maybe fool hardy, for even attempting such a feat.

It all depends what one is used to, of course. The girls expressed admiration for yours truly, because I am, fortunately, at ease either way. I have walked the country roads alone, in the dark, on more than one occasion, especially in my younger years when what I could afford was beat-up automobiles which ran mostly on a prayer. Some nights the prayers just didn’t work! I have also walked the city’s worst streets, again in the middle of the night, when I was working with the homeless youth. I was cautious, but not worried. In my case, heavy traffic has become a way of life and, although it can be frustrating, it isn’t frightening. I could brag that my comfort zone is pretty wide…until I have to get on an airplane…which is going to happen soon…and we won’t go into that just yet!

Speaking of which, I am not ready to leave. Reading Kilroy’s blog this morning (he just returned from a vacation cruise) reminded me of all the running around that must be done when preparing our departure, and then to catch up when we return. The older I get, the more I’d just as soon use my time off to stay at home with the doggies, taking walks in my familiar bush, curling up with a good book by the fire, hugging my little rug rats, and having friends in instead of me going out. My mind set will change as soon as I arrive safely at Karen’s place in Saskatoon, of course. It’s just the first step outside my comfort zone I find perturbing…and that just put an end to my bragging, LOL!

One thing for sure, things aren’t getting done while I’m sitting here writing. It’s time to get my butt in gear, so I’ll send you my warmest vibes and a reminder that, if you have to leave YOUR comfort zone today, do it with a huge SMILE; it will surely make the challenge easier to handle.

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

HODGE PODGE OF INFO!

My new tenant, Grandson F.
And my helper. He chopped for four straight hours!

Some weekend! Saturday was used to do laundry and housework, a little extra in that department because I am also preparing for my trip out west, which includes getting my house ready for my dog sitters. It won’t be my brother this time. Fran isn’t around, and I don’t want him stuck out here in the bush alone, without a vehicle, and not feeling the best anyway. Line, one of my co-workers, and her significant other will be doing the honours. Line has slept over here often; she’s a partner for the senior homes (which are still on the drawing board) and both dogs know her well. She lives in a compact condo downtown in old Montreal, and she assures me that it will be a treat for her to spend the 5 days here; fireplace, Jacuzzi, wide open spaces, room to run around…all good for a change.

Speaking of change, my daughter has put her house up for sale (after being there for under a year) and is planning to buy another closer to her youngest boy’s school. He is our sports dude, and Shan is constantly on the road either for school, for hockey, for soccer…this way she will be more central to all the activity and it will cut down hugely on the constant travel. But – her oldest, who was renting her basement, wants to stay in this area. He is often away working, but his home base will now be the apartment in his M’mère’s house (that’s me!). I was delighted when he asked, of course said yes, and he came by during the day to take a good look at it, and to clean a space out in the garage for his car.

Back to the present. We lost another person to suicide yesterday. The poor fellow had no money problems. He’s lately retired from a lifelong job, a good one, and was caring for his elderly mother. It seems he was wishing he had kept working – felt his life no longer had purpose. How sad. The man was only 55 years old.

A few days ago, one of my neighbours borrowed my backhoe to help set up his tempo (plastic garage) and returned the favour by dropping off a pile of cedar lengths. It’s the best wood for kindling, so I was quite happy with the exchange. It needed to be chopped into small pieces, and I contacted my deceased friend’s young lad who often helps me when strength is required. He has been out there swinging the axe for the past four hours. My brother (his ‘adopted’ dad) came over for the day too, to supervise, he called it, but I strongly suspect it is mostly because he needed the company.

The chopping had just begun when my friend, Helen, showed up, proud as punch, to take me for a drive in her brand new 2011 Jetta. She will be turning 70 in January, and this is the first new automobile she has ever owned. That lady has worked hard all her life, has helped so many people for so long, and can you believe it? She was feeling guilty about spending HER money on something for HERSELF! It was a nice ride, and I am thrilled for her!

My youngest son (the daddy of my 3 rug rats) has been in bad pain for a couple of weeks now. The doctors suspect diverticulitis, rare enough for someone as young as J., but can’t be sure until the swelling goes down and further testing can be done. He spent most of today at the hospital again, and his energy level is very low. Mom is worried, and not too crazy about flying halfway across the country when one of her children is sick, although I doubt he’d appreciate having me hover around as if he was a little tyke, especially for tests of that particular nature, LOL!

My grandson has just arrived to put his car in the garage. He’s leaving for the Gaspésie tomorrow morning, where he will spend 10 days working before coming back for the 5 days off. I’m going to try to feed him some supper, so wish you all a good evening, and you know, as would any grandmother who gets to spoil her grandson, that I am SMILING! Sharing it with you!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

THE LOST COOKIE-WOMAN

(Picture courtesy of Readers Digest Cookie Book)
Did I tell you that I’ve lost my cookie-woman? I blogged about her delivering all those homemade goodies just before Christmas last year; the new neighbour who wasn’t quite sure why her family had moved here – other than it was her husband’s idea. A spur-of-the-moment thing; a pipedream; a decision made without considering what an enormous change it would be for his teenage sons, his little daughter who was unwilling to transfer to a new school in mid-term, and his wife who would now have to travel nearly 2 hours each way to her job. A ‘citified’ group whose experience in the country consisted of a couple of holiday weekends spent at a cousin’s house, where a good time was had by all, but not enough time to absorb the total difference in country living. Besides, the dude went a step further and bought his house out in the BUSH!

Newsflash, sir! There is no public transport here. You need to drive yourself over snowy, slippery roads for at least 20 minutes if you forget that pint of milk. And you thought your children’s pet kitten would enjoy a stroll in the country air? Another wrong decision. There are wild animals to beware of, and hawks….

Running water is YOUR responsibility; the city has nothing to do with it. Your garbage had better be locked away, because bush animals WILL spread it all over the yard, over and over again. Red pepper is not a deterrent; they’ve seen worse. Black flies? Well no, I’ve never heard of any product to get rid of them. One gets used to it, or stays indoors, and you wear long sleeved shirts during that season no matter how nice the weather is.

When the electricity fails (often – tree branches on the wires, etc.), the areas with higher population get repairs first; being isolated as you are now means your house is last on the list, so you wait…and wait…and wait. Yes, generators are an expensive and noisy option.

High speed internet needed to download games and the films your sons live for? Sorry, not available. That could be part of the reason why the boys now spend most of the time at their friends’ places in town.

One more thing – people living in the bush are there because they actually like being solitary. We don’t hang out in each other’s houses everyday; very little chitchat goes on; and there is no telling each other’s life story at the drop of a hat.

And certainly, when checking out the place before buying it, you noticed that the numerous dogs were running loose? And you thought what? That they would be tied once you moved in??? By the way, here in the Bush, if you have a problem with a neighbour, you first go see that person to talk it out. You do NOT write letters of complaint to the municipal authorities, and you do NOT call the police unless all else fails.

Does the above sound mean-spirited? Unfortunately, it’s just the simple truth. The man did not use Kilroy’s TTT method (Think Things Through), and everyone in his entourage was paying for it. Fortunately, none of the above involved me directly. I heard about it off and on from my other neighbours. I was only aware of their leaving after seeing the ‘For Sale’ sign on the property, and that happened nearly a month after they had already gone. At one point, during their stay here, my agency offered the wife a job in this area, but she refused. I guess she was already working on moving back to the city. On the rare occasions that I did see her, each time by the central mailbox, she seemed to have lost her smile. I got the impression that her family was falling apart, and she didn’t like it. I had finally met her husband and hadn’t been impressed. Too buddy-buddy for me.

I’m happy for my cookie-woman. I’ll bet that she is thankful to be back in familiar territory. I’ll remember her this Christmas; delivering her cookie tins was a nice gesture, and her shortbread melted in your mouth! I guess I’ll have to make my own this year. That’s okay. I enjoy baking, and I’ll be thinking of her, certain that she is SMILING now, as she prepares little cookie tins for her new neighbours….

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

AND ON THIS WEDNESDAY

My rug-rats in the Jacuzzi

I could tell by my brother’s voice he wasn’t feeling well at all. He rarely calls me at the office, so when the receptionist told me he was on the phone, I knew something was wrong. He said he ‘wasn’t bad’ when I asked, but the dude has to be literally dying before he’ll admit it – he’s doesn’t want me to worry.

Right!

He was in pain. That hole in his throat is causing all sorts of problems, one of them being re-occurring pneumonia. His appointment for the lung scan is only on my return from Saskatoon – two weeks away. However, he will be seeing his family doctor early in the morning of my departure. I’ll have time to go with him and make sure she gives him adequate medication. Suffering is NOT an option! I contacted my youngest son, Jo, who had been on morphine a few weeks ago for a stomach problem. As I suspected, he still had some pills, so he ran them up to his Uncle Bird.

I left the office late, but decided the doggies could wait another hour, and drove on to my bro’s apartment. He was a bit better, he said, and was hoping the donation from Jo would help him pass the night. He’s sleeping now, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will last at least until tomorrow morning when the pharmacy opens.

It had been 11 days since I’d last seen my rug-rats, and I was in the area, so why not? I stopped off at Jo’s place and, sure enough, was rewarded by hugs and kisses from my two little grandsons. The baby was already in bed, but two outta three ain’t bad! N. was happy to tell me that he got a smiley face on his sheet from kindergarten today; a super day, he called it. B. was dancing and singing with the cartoon on the TV when I left. I drove home, smiling all over just from having shared some time with them. They are a no-fail recipe for feeling good!

The doggies were patiently waiting, and gave me the usual exuberant greeting when I arrived at the house. We went for a short walk. There is something magic about the bush in the evening. It was dark but not at all cold outside; the stars were bright in the sky, and it was so quiet and peaceful! Our stroll was just long enough to sharpen our appetites. After our meal I sat on my rocker by the fire in the kitchen/dining area and watched them wrestle (showing off for the mistress), answered the phone a couple of times (I’m on call), then did my stint in the Jacuzzi. Now I’m going to hunt down that Morpheus fellow and take him to bed, LOL!

Hoping you are having sweet dreams, my friends. If you see someone in there with a huge SMILE, it may be yours truly…..who managed to trap Morpheus after all, LOL!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

NUMBERS OR WORDS?

This one person who has been reading my blogs for awhile sent me an e-mail. “Have you ever thought of writing for a living? If not, you should.” he wrote. I replied with “XOXOXO…” all over the page, adding a footnote that he had made my day. I’d have reacted the same way if someone, in those good old days when I played the game, would have asked the same question, substituting ‘playing professional hockey’ for ‘writing’. Dreams. We all have them; few of us pursue them. We get caught up in the everyday effort of making a living.

My teachers thought I would be working in the writing industry too. Not one of them ever imagined I would end up in accounting, except maybe Mr. Papa – our science/geometry/trig professor. I can remember being ordered to meet him in the library for a serious discussion. It was during the ‘boys-boys-boys’ year. He was adamant about warning me that I was letting things go; my marks were losing ground; I had stopped paying attention; I could and should do better. Because I respected him, and was surprised that he cared (this kind of meeting really wasn’t his style), I listened. He probably had much to do with me being okay today. (Hear that, Auslander?) By the way, he was also the one who was present for our after-grad party, and endured my drunken, maudlin expressions of thanks until I went outside to up-chuck all those rum zombies I had imbued during the evening, LOL!

But back to my coveted e-mail. I have been writing all my life; diaries, letters, little stories, poems, fairy tales for my kids, homemade greeting cards. It’s part of me, even if it’s not the professional part. I usually have three to four stories started, but not completed, at any one time on my computer. I keep thinking that when I retire, I’ll get more serious about it. I’ll do my homework in the writer’s market, send out manuscripts, have more time, etc. I’ll become a writer. The revenues will be a welcome addition to my pension. Okay, noted, but in no way certain. Maybe if I wrote a book on procrastination…but that’s been done. I’ve read bits and parts of it, and it didn’t help at all.

Just for fun, I’m going to copy a few lines of a one of my projects here. Feedback would be nice, but not necessary.

The directions from the anonymous voice had been chilling, but accurate. Fifteen minutes later, they found the body. It was exactly where the caller said it would be, but nothing had prepared them for the state of the cadaver. In spite of the multitude of blowflies, the atrocities were easily discernable. Staring down, the Sheriff fumbled for the handkerchief in his pocket, yanked it out to cover his nose and mouth, forcing himself to keep from gagging. The young rookie made a noise, then turned away and started to retch. Well hidden, the voyeur smiled as he shifted the binoculars. He watched them until the hearse arrived, then crept silently away. He would contact them later that night with another tip, just when they’d be thinking everything was over. It was only beginning.
And that’s it for now folks. I have work to do, dog food to buy. Wishing you all a good day, with many adventures and lots of SMILES!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

LOOKING FOR CAESAR.

(This photo is courtesy of Photobucket. I still haven't found the adaptor for my own camera to show you the real Louka, but this doggie could be her twin)

I think my two dogs have made a pact with the neighbour’s two dogs. It used to be that Bud and Grump-puppy would only bark if someone was coming up the driveway and, believe me, they have lots of time to warn me before the intruder reaches the house. Ditto for the hounds across the road. Now, however, if anyone even turns into one yard or the other, the whole four of them raise voice. It has been happening since the beautiful Louka moved in. Not only does she run the show and initiate the squabbles, she also wanders around at night, or sits howling, and gets everybody going when the humans (her servants) are trying to sleep. She’s not into obeying orders; neither those of her master, nor those of the lady who gives her treats (me). A typical husky mix, she believes in doing pretty well what she wants whenever she wants. Ah, Caesar – where are you when we need you??

Speaking of the famous dog-whisperer, he held an event last week at the Bell Center in Montreal, the home of my Canadiens. I missed it (there was a hockey game going on elsewhere) but have heard attendees rave that it was spectacular. The man is not only an expert on canines; it seems he can also put on quite a show. I’m having regrets now. I really should have talked Louka’s master into dragging that gorgeous beast into Caesar’s presence, and maybe everyone around here would have an easier time of it. Don’t get me wrong. I admire a dog with character – just not when its character is stronger than mine! If Louka was human, I strongly suspect that she’d be in the Paris Hilton group, or maybe competition for Lindsay Lohan. Still, one can’t help but love her. She is such a cuddly doggie. A gentle wave of her bushy tail with the sincere, apologetic look from her expressive eyes and we're all convinced to overlook her shenanigans.

My first weekend in November was relatively quiet, especially compared to those of October, where my house was filled with family and friends. I mostly cleaned, just taking time out to meet my ex-associate for an hour, once more to discuss our situation. I regretted the move afterwards, even if it was a necessary evil. The enormous pressure he is under is wearing on him, and his trumped-up excuses cut deep into any respect I still feel for him. It ended with my realizing that he is scrambling, doing and saying anything and everything to avoid paying what he owes. After I walked away, I sat in my truck for at least 20 minutes, analysing what, if anything, was left of our relationship. I discovered that I felt only pity for what has become an extremely sorry excuse for a friend.

But.....

Mother Nature afforded us a sunny, pleasant temperature on the day we turned back our clocks. The Weather Network assures me that the whole week to follow will be similar. Sunshine AND an extra hour of sleep?? Now, how can that not make me SMILE?

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

THE SCREAM!

Last Thursday I received a few animated Halloween cards by e-mail, one of which made me jump out of my chair. The first scene finds you standing outside an old, haunted house, complete with the ragged trees and full moon partially hidden behind clouds. You walk through the creaking door to the sounds of eerie music, look around the spooky interior, then start up the blood-covered stairs. You know, of course, that something is going to happen, but the horrific scream took me by surprise. It was so LOUD, and blasted out at me when I was halfway through the climb instead of right at the top of the steps. I wasn’t quite prepared, and my reaction nearly knocked over the coffee sitting on my desk, LOL!

It was at that moment a little devil prodded my shoulder.

The receptionist at our office, Jay, is a beautiful, young lady whose family is originally from Haiti. She’s a sweet person, but also what my grandson would call a ‘scardy-cat’. I can still picture the tentative look in her huge, brown eyes when I told her that, no, she couldn’t lock the outside door even if she was alone at the office. What if a client wanted to come in? From where her desk is situated, she was unable to see if anyone was there until the person entered the waiting room.

I knew she was alone there last Thursday. We had talked on the telephone more than once for business purposes. I also figured that there would be no lights on in my part of the office (which is beside Jay’s desk) and remembered that the volume was loud on my work computer. Today’s technology is awesome, isn’t it? I forwarded the Halloween card to my business e-mail address, then logged onto the office server to open it up. I sat giggling as I watched it play on the distant screen, imaging Jay’s reaction when she would hear that chilling scream come out of the dark beside her.

It worked better than I thought! Still laughing so hard that I could hardly speak, I phoned the office. It was on the third ring before she picked up, and whatever she was gasping was unintelligible. By this time I had tears rolling down my face. Finally we both were coherent, and she told me that she was running out the door; that I was lucky that she even came back inside when she heard the phone. Then her words set me off again. “It frightened me so much, I think I turned white!!” she said. My stomach was still hurting an hour after we ended our conversation!

Trick or treat, right? Come to think of it, Jay was the only one of my colleagues who didn’t leave any goodies on my desk! But that’s okay. Our little episode will give us years of SMILES, and those are sweeter than any candy!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

(picture courtesy of Photobucket)

YOU GOT HAIR!!!

It happens in every family. An event occurs, usual spontaneous, from which is born a saying; something only the people who were present at the time will understand when hearing the phrase years later. In a family as large and as close as mine, we have many of these moments; a slew of inside jokes that will last a lifetime. I’m going to share with you the most recent one.

We were sitting around the remnants of the Thanksgiving turkey, all of us laughing at a story being told by our born comedian, my oldest son Bow. The children were running back and forth, now and then stopping to lean on a chair or against one of the adults, listening in for a bit before scampering away to play again. At this particular moment, Bow emphasised whatever he was saying by uttering a swear word. Amid the gales of laughter, a small voice piped up, "Uncle Bow, you just said a BAD word!” It was my 5 year old grandson, N., who, unnoticed by his uncle, was on the chair right beside him, and was now looking at Bow with censure in his eyes.

Bow threw me a “Oops!” glance. I raised my eyebrows, but remained silent. What would our master of improvising come up with? It took only a second, then, his expression dead-pan serious, he launched into his explanation.

“True, N.,” he answered his nephew. “But Uncle Bow is allowed to say those words now and then because….” We waited in anticipation. Bow rubbed his hand over his bald head as he continued, “well, because I’ve got no hair.”

There were sounds of stifled laughter, and throat clearing, everyone watching N.’s reaction. He was gazing at his adored uncle, his face expectant, listening intently.

“You see, “ Bow leaned over as touched N.’s short locks. “You can’t say those words, because you DO have hair! One day when you’re bigger, and IF you’re bald like Uncle Bow, then you can say them sometimes. Not all the time, mind you, and only if you have no hair…and even then, only sometimes.”

N.’s big brown eyes scanned the table, looking at each one of our heads.

“That’s right, N.!” his uncle exclaimed, knowing the reason for the scrutiny. “They all have hair! The only one allowed to say bad words here is me, your Uncle Bow!”

The laughter was rampant then, and I heard N.’s dad, although just as amused as the rest of us, trying to tell his son that it wasn’t true, nobody should swear, Uncle Bow was joking. Too little, too late.

N., of course, told all this to his mom the next day. She, too, tried to warn him that his Uncle had been pulling his leg. No-one should be swearing. Little did she realize that the trend had been set.

It was a week later. The house was full of family again, this time for Halloween. My daughter and I were playing with the children and, as she turned back towards me, Shan banged her knee on the coffee table. “Ow, sh*t!” she moaned. She immediately caught herself; her hand came up over her mouth and she looked around to see if any of the little ones had heard her. Who else was right there, his eyes wide as he stared up, but N.! She looked at me, at a loss for words.

“Hey!” I told her, pointing to her head. “You can’t swear – you got hair!!” N. nodded his agreement, and repeated it loudly. We waited until we walked back to the table before grinning at each other. “That crazy Bow!” Shan laughed. “This one is going to stay!”

So true! And I can picture it now: somewhere, sometime, somebody swearing for one reason or another, then scratching his head in confusion when a little finger points at him and he is told, “Hey! You can’t say that. You got hair!”

It’s one of those moments where you just have to SMILE!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

HALLOWEEN, AND SNOW!!!!

I really need to buy myself another camera. First, it’s a Panasonic, so I have to get the PC adaptor directly from that company, mail order, because none of the universal adaptors will fit (Thanks for the suggestion, Wiley – but it didn’t work!). I have great photos of my grandchildren in there, and don’t want to lose them. Next, when I wanted to take pictures of my goblins last night, and then the awesome, bush winter wonderland this morning – nothing worked. Nothing!! Click on the button, but nada. Fortunately my daughter had one with her for the party, but she was not here to see my mountain glistening in the early sunshine. I know there will be other days, and very shortly too, but I like to capture the first snows. One thing is certain, no more Panasonics for me. According to my friend, Dawna, replacements of microwaves parts of that brand are difficult to obtain too. So, away with it! There are lots of competitors out there whose equipment is just as good and with which one can use universal gadgets if something breaks or, in my case, disappears.

I don’t need to write about what fun we had yesterday; I’ve described often enough now how my family and friends enjoy getting together, and how a bunch of little rug rats running around make my day. The Halloween party was no exception – glorious! In spite of the sugar buzz, there were some very sleepy little monsters riding daddy or mommy’s shoulders by the time it was over, LOL! And there is something to this ‘perfect timing’ which has been happening a lot lately; the snow knocked out the satellite last night, so our evening chatter was not interrupted by the Habs hockey game. We stayed in a joyful mood too, which would probably have been spoiled by watching them lose.

On November 18th, Dawna and I are heading to Saskatoon. My brother was saying that it is a place where, if a man’s wife leaves him, he can watch her walk away for three days, LOL! Jokes aside, it is a new place to visit, and it will be great to spend time with Karen. The only thing I’m NOT looking forward to is getting on an airplane. Not at all my cup of tea, but nothing a couple of shooters of rum can’t handle…I guess.

It is perfect for a walk with the doggies out there; maybe even build our first snowman of 2010! My dishes are all done up, but the floors need a good wash, although the rug rats did a fine job of wiping up any dust lying around, LOL! I am in the midst of doing laundry too, and our nurse, who finally found her way to the client’s house yesterday, will be calling in at the end of her shift to give her report. All this to say that I’m signing off now, but not without wishing you a great Sunday, and certainly not without sending you a huge SMILE! It’s free of charge, so no harm in passing it on!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

NURSES, GHOSTS AND SNOW

My first call came in this morning at 6:15 AM. I had been up already for an hour or so, and was in front of the computer, by now having read Kilroy’s blog, made my comments in Facebook, and was pursuing some posts in the Blogit writer’s site. When I spoke to my brother last evening, he told me he was not feeling too well, so the phone was on my little bureau by the bed…just in case. When I heard it ring so early, I immediately thought it was him, and I raced to answer it. My heart settled down when I saw the number on the caller ID. It was the nurse’s aid who was on her way to a client’s home in the city. It is the first day for this job, and she was having difficulty finding the place. I logged onto Google map and relayed more directions, then attempted to call the client to warn him that she would be slightly late. He didn’t answer, so I left a message on his voice mail, and I’m now waiting for one of them, the nurse or the client, to confirm that she has arrived, and all is well.

Later today I will be invaded by little ghosts and goblins – it’s our Halloween party, and there should be up to 20 weird beings gathered here. I’ve decided that my costume will be an ‘old lady’ – not too much effort required for me to dress up accordingly, LOL! My son and Yo are to prepare the bags of goodies for the little ones and, instead of pot luck supper, we decided to order a buffet. Most of us are rushing during the week, and having food made to order is one less hassle.

And there is snow out there! It’s no secret that I love the stuff, even if it does cause more work. Shovelling, mopping wet doggie tracks on the floor, carrying up wood….I’ll probably be complaining about all that later into the season. At the moment though, seeing the first layers of it lying here and there on the mountain makes my heart sing! For some reason, winter floods me with a warm, happy feeling. I’m not sure why – maybe it’s a flashback from childhood, the sleighing and skating and snowball fights. Or remembering kisses on the cold, rosy cheeks of my children, all bundled up in scarves and mittens, as we laboured at one of the many snowmen built during the years. Whatever the reason, anything that makes me feel that way is more than welcome!

In fact, I think I’ll pull on my boots and go take a little jaunt out there before it melts away. So, while reading this, folks, you can picture me running around in the yard with the doggies, pitching my first snowball, and you can be sure I’m SMILING! Here’s hoping your morning is making you SMILE too!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

THAT GUY MORPHEUS

Ha! Ha! Ha! I giggled yesterday when someone who reads my blog asked me ‘Who is this guy Morpheus? Sounds quirky – handcuffing him to the bed?’ I actually considered letting her think that Morpheus was a new flame…but I decided to be wise and contribute to the interrogator’s education instead. “Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams and a very elusive fellow indeed for insomniacs like myself,” I answered. Now the remarks in my Blog had a whole new meaning for her, and are probably far less exciting, LOL!

Working from home means spending a lot of time on the telephone, and yesterday was no exception. My ear was sore and swollen by four o’clock. However, there were a couple of new leads for our health service, and that’s a good thing.

I have to wonder where I’ll find enough energy to keep it all going. It helps when I get adequate sleep, but the amount of sleep I get is directly related to the activity in my mind which, in turn, is needed to plan procedures to get the company back on its feet which, in the end, will depend on the energy used to carry out the plans; that same energy which is related to the amount of sleep I get…and we’re right back to the beginning of the circle! Age is a factor too, I guess, although I know people older than me who hop on their bicycle and pedal from Montreal to Rigaud, play tennis at least once a week, and never seem to stop. And yes, I’m talking about you, my friend, Kilroy!

The financial stress we are dealing with at the moment doesn’t help either. It dominates my thoughts. Advisors tell me it is all part of business; learn to deal with it, don’t take it so seriously. I stand there nodding. Yep. Okay. Got that. Except…I don’t like it, and I hate the feeling of reoccurring panic that appears as soon as the advisors are out of sight. I’m sure a lot of my necessary energy is wasted just by talking myself out of the panic!

My, oh my! Can’t I get myself in turmoil so early in the morning?

Don’t worry, folks; it’s just a bit of venting. All it takes to bring me up is the thought of my family, my friends, and the multitude of good things in this adventurous world. I’m one of those ‘glass is half-full’ people, and fully believe that, no matter what happens, or what kind of challenge you face, it’s always easier to take care of it when you’re SMILING! Life does go on, and my life is good!

Besides….the HABS are playing again tonight…..

Have a good day, y’all!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec