Wait for the signs....why 333??

I notice today as I sit at the keyboard that the time is 3:33 and I'm overcome with a powerful urge to blog.

To write.

To get it out there - perchance to entertain, maybe make you laugh or get a little angry, to go out on a literary limb and produce "something".

My urge to create, to influence, to make people think is strong just now.  I want to work - to share what I have experienced, my knowledge. Target the new and struggling businesses - help show them the way through the jungle of marketing, of working, overcome challenges and exceed all customer expectations!

What does it all mean? Really is it a sign at all.I mentioned the time 3:33. It's the time I see most often when I wake up in the middle of the night.

I procrastinated - didn't post the blog when I was composing it - but the 3:33 remains! I woke again - what the heck was keeping me up? Brain gets rushing along - I think myself into insomnia some times.

And now? Ok time change, it's weeks later at 2:03 - organizing my thoughts to how I can continue to create, entertain, perhaps educate?  Time for some fresh air - and get my self back on track.

What's that light - the train?? LOL

Night Night Rudolph - hello Swans!

See ya Rudolph...be good!

And so it goes again - this winter was tied up to the Claus events - and so after finally recovering from all sorts of germy virusy crap, Santa has hung up his suit.  Yup, you read it here first.  Santa has left the building.  Done.  Finito.  Adios.  Ta Ta.

Regrets? Nope!  He's called his usual clients said his farewells, alerted stand in Santa, and now - we
are thinking of HOW to spend next Christmas! This is big news people, for a jolly elf who did 59 gigs in 2016.  Pneumonia be dammed!  He's had a great run - and I am happy albeit surprised he came to this decision.  I think he's just had enough "busy" season. He loves the kids, at times the parents maybe not-so-much. He'll still get called Santa since the beard is trimmed but still white.  But we can live with that.

What this really meansfor our home? Oh yippee!!! We can have Seasonal Celebrations! Christmas Parties with drinky's and appy's!!! Woohoo!   Our large and traditionally festive home will be rockin' round the Christmas trees!Yippeee!!  Do we still believe? You know- the bell still rings for us, and always will - just that this year, the big elf is officially off duty.  Time for his stand in to make an appearance.

I still adore Christmas - it's a wonderful, warm, loving time of year.  I do not love sitting at home alone while the rest of the world is celebrating that much! So this is a good thing.  MAYBE we'll even have a chance some year to go - dare I type it - somewhere WARM at Christmas!! Oh fingers crossed!

Hundreds of  trumpeter swans are back.

In the mean time, Spring has arrived! Sort of - come on let's be realistic, it's Alberta and winter is sneaking up on us to BAM snow and blizzard any time between now and June. But the robins have returned, swans are a'swimming, geese are grabbing prime real estate for their nests - all good!

Yes, tis now the time for all good unemployed (for now) EDO's to get the rake and take care of all the leaves!  And perhaps load up the fire pit, for a bundled up evening of hot dogs, warms drinkies and watching the stars on the weekend!  Yup this is a busy time of year - requiring lots of energy, and ambition.

So I  take a minute now and then to put my feet up, have a cup of coffee in the sunroom with my old cat Mr Big, and just reflect how things happen in life.  At the very least, these few months have given me new determination, tried my patience and faith in myself, a chance to catch up on things I've been putting to the side. Next?  Well perhaps a trek to the far north to see my mom - I mean, no time like the present!

Seems like a long since I rock and rolled...leggo my ego.

Another morning upon us in now thawing Albeeria - and yet, I remain unemployed.  A  hausfrau who's main excitement these days is trying new recipes.  COOKING!! I can't fathom it.

You see - after 7 months, still no jobs in the bag - However the Polly Anna in me is still hopeful and still getting interviewed - two more this month.

On the way to California in the
rain on the Sporty.

Job hunting is somewhat demoralizing tho.  It's a tough slog - tweak and reformat the resume, review and amend the cover letter, find a job you think -  nay you KNOW you'll excel at, send in the forms, follow up with a cordial email, interview and essentially expose all your work history to the panel and then...BAM you come in first loser.

That's the hardest part.  The part where you look in the mirror, in your best interview outfit, hair done nice, makeup subtle but it's there - and you are old. You are not 30 anymore, and the one who got hired is.  Where they say oh you interviewed well, the board just thought.....blah blah blah.  Does it hurt? Is my ego wounded?  I'm gutted!

North Cal wineries - the best!

So what to do?  Me needs a job - no job might mean no bike. No bike means no joy, no rides with Macdaddy, no face pushing through the air for thousands of miles -- it is too hard to consider!
Motorcycling has been my life for over 40 years! From the first time I got on my friends brothers Bultaco and groined myself badly at age 15, to my first ride to the Black Hills in '83 on the back of a 750Bonneville to partywith over 20,000 bikers  - I've been hooked!

 This Dyna is my 5th motorcycle - the one that I swear was made for me. Fast, sleek, nice wide cushy seat, great handlebar set up, forward controls...oh yeah it's the one.  And I can keep up to Mac on days that I feel particularly brave and wild.  No problemo!

So in order to maintain this love affair with my Dyna, I need to make some dough.  It ain't cheap!

My Dyna - best bike EVER!
See me smile!

I've considered other career paths - too late in my game to become a lawyer or doctor , so that is checked off the list.  English teaching in a foreign land? Hmm too much weird food and I hate big bugs.   Perhaps a life of crime? Good grief, that would require a lot of stealth and sneakyness - not my biggest assets.  Nope scratch that idea.

I thought it was all over when I sold my beloved softail the year we moved to the NWT. I was overwhelmed with a profound loss of who I was. If you haven't been through something like this, it's really hard to understand.  Motorcycling is what defines me - more than anything.  I crave it - I yearn for it -I dream about it - Mac understands.  So I admit, now first thing I check out when job hunting - Are the Roads Paved???

For now, business counseling and consulting is my route - and without several successful consulting gigs under my belt, that is becoming a slimmer and slimmer option. Now my daily routine is get up, coffee and breakfast, kiss Mac as he heads out the door, then an hour and a half scouring the job boards.

We've talked it over - we'll move - no fear here - let's see where we'll end up.  The two old smiling farts, with big bikes, big dreams and lots of country left to explore!

And hopefully a paycheque at the end of the month!

Hugs from the highway y'all!

Undeck the Halls and Get out yer Haggis Lads!

Greetings and happy new year's all my handful of blog followers - yes tis the season to move along into the new year!

How was Christmas you ask?? Well a continuation of my last "missive" - summed up - we are all sick, REAL sick,, two trips to the emergency room, three prescriptions for antibiotics, one sick guest from the US of A (we love ya and miss ya Lynnipooh!) many loads of laundry and 13,462 boxes give or take a few...of tissues and a partridge in a pear tree!   Mac is recovering from a horrid round of pneumonia, with a twinkle returning to his eye this morning! I reckon he got really sick around the 20th of Dec...so it's been many weeks now!!

And now it's behind us! Thank goodness!! Tough to get into the spirit, with beautiful decorations hung with care, the most delicious chocolates which are hard to taste when your sinuses are raging, two amazing trees and about 58 appearances by the Big Elf in Red.  Ho-ho-holy Moly!!!

So on my Christmas wish list for 2017, I would like to replace THIS  (Santa and his fans - and he has thousands of them!) for Feet up by the pool with Palm Trees!!

Is that too much for a Claus Widow to ask for?? Of course I want Santa's feet in the picture as well!

And no, no Red Velvet White Fur Trimmed holiday wear - in fact maybe we'll dye our hair black...hahahaha


Else where in the news - life as a consultant is sure slow.  However, hope looms on the horizon with three excellent job leads, two of whom have expressed interest in making me their employee!! Watch for updates friends!


Have you heard the pipes, the pipes are calling! Well this Wednesday January 25th 2017 it's Robbie Burns Birthday - ahhh yes, another wonderful lad born in the first month (Along with hubby and with my friend Gman) but for Burns, ur home celebrates the entire week! Starting with a proper Scottish Breakfast on Sunday with black puddin', fried mushrooms and of course Haggis!   With egg rolls?? And a wee dram perhaps.   Well did ya know this year, it's Chinese New Year's on  the 25th as well.   And did you know there is a Chinese Tartan?
Aye - we met a lovely man who wore his striking tartan when we took highland dance classes!

So one and all Happy Burns Day... tonight it's Fish & Chips, tomorrow maybe a nice Curry?  All Scot Favorites!  Get out those sporans, pour a wee dram of something smooth and toast to the Bard!

Here's to a 2017 that is  prosperous, healthy, full of friends and safe riding  ahead!!

Slainte!

The weather outside is frightful...and so is my hair!

Ahhh the joys of static electricity.  Hair stands on end, in a Tesla like fashion as the moisture is sucked from the atmosphere - and static cling is your new nemesis.  Cold dry weather, skin that is no longer silky smooth but is sandpaper and horrid...that's winter in Alberta.

How hard can a static shock snap? Well lets try the sock and cat trick...rub your stocking feet on the carpet, then shuffle up the the cat.  YEOW! And usually the one howling is you - the cat, nonplussed, might give a perfunctory swat at you for trying to annoy it.  Surrender, go to the light switch to see what is happening in the world. and SNAP you get it again.  Yup, just for thinking evil thoughts about your furry friend.  Let's not even go to the pet hair sticking to everything you wear issue, no just sigh in defeat, get a dryer sheet out and try to amend the clothing that is waaay to friendly and stuck to you like velcro.

Winter is a tough season.  I mean where I live, it can, and given a chance will kill you.  Friends who were ill prepared for our winters have lost feet, been frozen and scarred.  Not a nice thing.  So my motto is Be prepared! Over prepared if you can, why just depend on one set of gloves when you have plenty of pocket room for a second pair.  Scarves?  Just how many is too many? I keep a full change of warm wear in my car - just in case!

So all this might give you the reader the idea that I don't like winter.  Well let me just be specific here - I don't like being cold.  I like winter.  I like bundling up, snow crunching as I struggle to get those decorative seasonal candy canes to stand up.  In -25C  weather.  Did you know plastic breaks really easy when it's that cold? Well you do now.  So my 6, nay 5 candy canes are listing but lovely in front of the house.  They go well with my single antlered deer...LOL

The thing is, I'm a pretty social gal.  I am blogging now, preparing to watch netflix and preparing to watch a movie downstairs - I'm going big tonight, 2 movies!! (where the electric seduction of the toasty fireplace awaits me) but here's the scoop: should I feel like I'm missing out on weekends once The Big Elf gets booked?? I mean, yes I have a beer open on the desk, yes I've eaten about a third of a miserable excuse of a frozen pizza, but come on!! Where are my peeps? My buddies?  The truth is - I'm old.  and so are my friends.  And Saturday nights are no longer for going out and dancing in the streets.  Living in a rural village means that no one who I hang with lives here.  Ok there are a couple of folks I would actually love to hang with tonight, but that would mean getting dressed into something more presentable than old baggies and a tshirt (and a cap, since well, who has time to shower every day?)  But I know they have their families and lives and so I must be inventive and find alternative ways to spend my energy.  What there is of energy!!

Tonight I am keeping a promise and blogging.  I love to blog - why is it so far between installments?  One word.  Santa.  He is a big demand on my time these days - from rushing around looking for white gloves, to chauffeuring him through wind and snow to a waiting audience (occasionally while I'm dressed as the Mrs in Red)  to tonight - he leaves on time, I wave good bye in the -19C weather, and hustle back into the house.  Only what to my wondering eyes did appear?? Oh snap, he left his thermos cups on the counter - I forgot to pack them! So hustle out of flip flops, into boots, grab one of the plethora of touques and jump into my trusty Kia! 30 minutes later I'm delivering his hot drinks, while he sits incognito waiting to get on the Polar Express!  And this happens every weekend, some week nights, and occasionally twice in one day!

Yup the life of the Claus's is not all chocolate and sugar plums, no there is also late night laundry, inventive snacks that will withstand subzero weather, but on the up side many afternoons are spent in "a long winter nap" which could become one of the highlights of winter for me.  And we aren't even at the big day yet - which this year involves family from the US of A and a lot of movies!! Did I mention chocolate? mmmmm

I know there are days when I just wanna hang up the suit, be a tourist in winter, perhaps make it to some of  the Christmas parties going on - we'll see what transpires.  But for now, how can I resist?  He's handsome and jolly, a little naughty but really nice...worth a few SNAPS when I shuffle over to him for a smooch - and now, to get some chocolate to take away the taste of cheap frozen pizza.

Gotta go check those Christmas lights and the timer - until next time
Stay warm!

Hinterland who's who: one hump or two?

Yesterday I was introduced to Jamal.  Young, athletic,  calm.  Long of leg, lovely "coat"...not a bit disturbed from his late morning snack by this very curious woman stopping and fumbling with her phone like a hill billy paparazzo.

You see, we don't see a lot of newcomers like Jamal in this neck of the woods.  But the real headsmacker was..one hump?  Is Jamal a camel or a dromedary?

Oddly, southern Alberta is not generally known for camels, tho I've heard they were employed to take prospectors to the Yukon during the gold rush.  And indeed some escaped, living like weird looking moose, until the last one was hunted.

Jamal, his two caretakers cheerily explained as they pulled up, and in typical prairie fashion rolled down their windows to say howdy, Jamal is a pet.  This should not have come as a surprise,  I mean people have pets right?  And, they went on to tell me, all wide grins and windblown hair, Jamal is a sweetheart.   Fond of apples and neck rubs.  How cool is that!
The owner, a young fellow who's fortune was initially made selling Thompson Ground Squirrels aka gophers...to the Japanese as adorable pets..rumour has it a mattress lined vac truck was originally employed to amass inventory. .has a business in exotic animals.

This might explain the 3 Ibex, one 5 horned sheep, 2 large Yaks and a whole bunch of mini (and I suspect fainting) goats.

I always linger near the paddocks when passing...its a treat!  Whether a speeding herd of baby potbelly pigs, or a pair of stately Japanese Cranes calmy strutting by, it never fails to amaze me!  One thing for sure, Jamal won't lack in companions, love & attention, or admiring passersby.

Country living..whats not to love!

Jack? Is that you?? You're right on time!

Oh yes it's happening.  Jack is back.  

September 7, 2016 - Frost warnings! Good grief I say and here I haven't even gotten my head around having a flower bed or garden!  Let me explain.

It was spring, that joyous season, full of promise and dreams.  Dreams of a tranquil space, filled with the scent of delicate blooms - green lush lawn, and bunnies hopping about... oh ok no bunnies.  How about lucious tomatoes, feasts of fresh green beans, shelling peas, mmmmm baby potatoes.  And of course in my minds eye I saw a bountiful herb garden, dill and cilantro, rosemary and sage...oh my.  

Lawn furniture was purchased, there were the early days of the season under the shade of the apple trees, dozing, book in hand, in the warm gentle breeze.  Bees buzzing contentedly in the blossoms, a robin perhaps singing off in the distance.  

And I looked towards my perennials, bright and abundant, flowering shrubs and attractive foliage.  Yes this was the time to day dream.  It all sounded so good.

Fast forward, ambition taking over, unruly raspberry canes being pruned, weeds under control, really who needs to fertilize, it's a lawn.  Late nights at the office.  Companies coming and damn the borrowed lawnmower isn't really rolling along - one wheel going on it's own journey.  Throttle is stuck on off - ok just call the neighbors kid, pay him to tame this jungle.. Phew, snuck through on that one!

Now let me explain the setting - we have a huge yard.  Like three regular yards worth of yard,  There is the boulevard - actually the village owns this and to say it's ample - well we could run a couple of cows on that grass.  The redeeming factor here - it's green.  That's about it.   The  grass just doesn't stop growing, doesn't slow down during a drought, it just keeps going like the ever-ready bunny.  I always pray that the sound of a riding mower in the neighborhood means some soul will take on the challenge and whip around the front and give her a trim.  Sometimes this works, sometimes it looks unruly.  

Then there is this wee strip in front of our house.  Should be easy you say? Radishes, marigolds and spinach, and three holy hocks from the neighbors surplus of perennials. Small space, it was deceptively easy to weed - in  the beginning! Then the seeds sprouted and radishes and spinach appeared - we had a feed, then another and then? A month of rain. Torrents.  The weeds emerged!  Thistles, yellow things that might have been a relative of dandelion only on steroids? Kosha??? WTF?  Radishes can only absorb so much moisture, then they burst! And the spinach? Bolted like a scared pony! Oh dear.  So a summer of tall leggy veg, the radishes kind of looked like a flower when they bloomed before going to seed, but the thistles ruled over all! Weed eater to the rescue! And the marigolds?  They are like steady relatives who just keep on growing and bloom for all they are worth! Today the weed bed is unruly, but with a perky yellow border.

Now lets wander to the side yard - oh look at the lovely fire pit and the lawn chairs - so beautiful! That's because the yard has finally been mowed (nearly hayed!) and the majority of the apples - rather the windfalls - have been collected, bagged and taken away.  The perennial bed? Now home to young mourning doves and voles.  A bit of a tangle I'd say - but it's happy and who am I to interfere with nature?

Journey with me on a safari into the back yard .  My red rose is full of lovely crimson blossoms. Living happily cheek by jowl next to two large yellow clovers.  See where this is going? Crimson in Clover - over and over.  The lily I planted with great hopes did come up eventually - a whole 5" in height with one large pink blossom.  Which something ate most of the petals off of.  Damn those Voles! As a side note - this year apparently has produced a prodigious crop of rodents.  Mice and voles are loving  the overgrown flower patch - as indicated by the cat presenting me with two rose leaves - and a wounded varmint the other day.  

The many many sunflowers however thrive! Blooms are yellow, orange, rust - a plethora of colour! All hale mighty Sol!  But the lawn? Ok it's green - again a couple of heifers would keep it in check.  Our 5 grapes have gone wild - like undisciplined teenagers - they are all over the place right now.  Hubster has a plan to control them, to bring order to chaos, and this fall we'll put up the camp,,,er I mean the trellis and arbor and zey vill obey!! 

The veggies we planted there - lets say that a dozen potato plants yeilded one full colander full of beautiful albeit small spuds.  The peas - yeah not so good - lots of pods, but if one doesn't pick them on time they become garbage.  The beans?  Again, there is that picking detail.  The dill and cilantro and morning glories? They were there somewhere under the giant thistle patch.  This my friends is why weed eaters and herbicide were invented!

But all this is minor in comparison to the strawberry and raspberry garden. Delivering us with buckets of fruit, more than we can consume, the reality of needing some strict controls has hit us.  We took out 2/3 of the raspberries last year - it seems this is like telling a cranky 2 year old No don't and they've shown us who's boss.  So this fall, I'll put them on the block, "free to good home" and see what is left over.  

No one can accuse us of being quitters! The reality is - we are not 30 and full of dewy eyed energy to garden after 8 hours in the office and an hour commute.  We are over 60.  We need a new plan.  Now there is a new garden plot in the planning stage (the plot thickens! hahaha) where we take a few specimens out, destroy the remainder and start again with large containers hubby found on line. The Big Bag Bed.   We will prevail and bring order to that dang garden if it kills us! Yes it's us or them! 

And next year?  I'll have a nice domesticated strawberry patch, a wee herb garden and a SMALL patch of contained raspberries!  Ah spring, the handsome prince, who introduces us to his dashing brother summer, then the swarthy bad boy autumn comes along all in a hurry, while old man winter sits in his goose down waiting, chuckling....another year!