Am I turning into a Cat Lady?

Aa I begin typing tonight, fighting insomnia and the Sunday nite “next week work plan”, I feel a presence, a warm hairy (should that be furry) purring beastie who has softly, quietly, unobtrusively latched onto my bare shoulder.  My cat.  Or should I say, one of my cats.  The small one. So here she sits, appearing to be somewhat inconvenienced by my effort to type.

At last, she decides to relocate.  But not before her long hair and flank brush my face.  Leaving a wee deposit of super fine fur on my eye.  Good grief.  Now purring she’s decided my legs are where she bed down for the nite.  And she’s the quiet one.

Enter her brother, big cat...proudly and loudly announcing his arrival, mouth full of cat toy...about to deliver this wee gift before getting comfy on my bed. My bed in name only, he presses his girth against my legs and pushes until I move. Lol Share is not in his vo-cat-ulary..  he fits, he sits. And then...he pushes and rearranges himself in such a way, there is very little room for my feet.  Yup..the cat wins again.

And so dear reader, I try to get some sleep before heading to work.  Wish me luck!

On the road again...

Oh how I wish - as I sit here warming up the computer for another days teaching, I'm thinking it's been a while since I had some "mental health" time.  Don't get me wrong, I have painting time - where I'm currently in the Cat portrait mode, and I get weekend time where it's a plethora of chores from the week like dishes, pots and pans (my nemesis) bottomless laundry basket, paying bills, buying groceries, gas for car...you get the picture.   The other time consumer, which SHOULD be relaxing, is riding and traveling - but alas 9 hours on Hwy 22 S is not really that relaxing. Let me expand on this.

Yes the first hour or so, great conversation punctuated by excitement of being on a trip, a mini vacation, an Adventure! Three hours into it and the pickup reminds you of an old box of spuds, kind of earthy and mildewy, then realizing it's an endless vista of asphalt, trees, trees, sky, trees...LOL you get the drift.  Sciatic starts bugging me ...Ok I'm getting old. But a quick lunch, we're back at it - and then, repeat. We look at the leaves, beautiful.  Animals if there is wildlife. on and on  Ad naseum.  So after 5 trips south this year, one gets weary.  However, it's the road we need to take, and on the up side they fixed the pavement on a large portion! LOL

After a particularly long month of working with people who are for all intensive purposes broken, I find it can be draining on me.  And with each new intake and tales of ... you don't wanna know ... its harder to fall asleep, it's harder not to rewind snippets of heartbreaking conversations.  Its not all bad - honestly some times little acts of encouragement and support make a mountainous difference in their lives.  But with fall approaching, and leaves changing colour - I can't help but want to take a break.  A few days off.  No chores.  No responsibility, no demands.

I'm thinking - SPA.  Hot tub.  Massage.  Chocolate mouse body wrap.  Soft bathrobes and good wine.  *sigh  A girl can dream yes?? LOL Perhaps it's time to go to Kananaskis - get a room and spoil ourselves.  HAHAHA Well alas this aint in the card for me this year BUT I will replace SPA with URAL. 

Saturday is the big practice push!  I will prevail! Not ride it like a Hog but totally different animal. a Russian Bear! And our reward at the end of the day? a Steak, a Stoli, and a NEW mattress to sleep on.  Ah yes, life is good. 

Yer All gonna love this Ural!!! lolol or in the words of Jeremy Clarkson "There was a little poo"

So my friends, a whole NEW Chapter in adventerous Marlean's life - and that is in a side car! Yes, alas the last Harley was traded in, along with the last Indian which belonged to the love of my life.

Now if you have never owned a motorcycle, never ridden long distances, never enjoyed the smell of sage on the prairie after a wicked thunderstorm, this might be hard to relate to.  But I, alas have seen it, felt it, dealt with it all...and 99.9% loved it! Yes lightening striking a pole across the street from you is indeed scary, but it also reminds you YOU are ALIVE!!!

And now, I've recently celebrated turning 64 - ONE MORE YEAR and I collect OAP!!! (Old age pension)  Yup, against all odds, I'm officially a senior.  And I ask for senior discounts at all hotels I go to, I order with impunity off the seniors menu and this is great! Oh yes, I'm old and I'm cheap. LOL

The plan is to slow down - in preparation for retirement.  Now it seems to me I haven't really "slowed down" much in 64 years, but I need to learn.  When hubster and I go ride our former bikes, we would start the trip with - Now no racing, no speed demoning, just stop and smell the roses..... and we'd hit 6th gear, and potatopotatopotato we're gone! No stopping until we needed fuel.  No smelling roses.  Or anything else!  This made me really happy - but I've noticed that the last couple of years it also made me really tired. And sore.  Like my knees and hips - they couldn't work like they used to.  Needed new gear oil or something?  Then at a bike show 3 or 4 years ago we saw these wee Russian bikes with sidecars.  Weird?  Cool? Urals.  Hmm we could each get one and haul a ton of stuff!

We put that on the back burner, we just got my Dyna and his Indian Nostalgia Chief , gorgeous bikes, super comfy, let’s go!  But a friend “Fazer”who just was fixin’ to retire had this sidehack, a Ural, the “mobile Chernobyl” and it appeared to be a riot!

Then we found a dealership in Albeeria...started checking out FB groups like Soviet Steeds, and realized these weren’t army surplus bikes...more research required!

So this years bike trip south to ‘Merica was rained out.first time in 40+ years:  we’re talking epic Tstorms, flash floods, hail, tornadoes.  Nay nay not going to spend a week south of the border in that. Luckily our most excellent friends Dave & Liza said oh hell, stay with us, long as you want.  Here, weather sucks, use our pickup....so off we went in the rain to look a little closer at these Russkie bikes.  And ya know?  We loved them!  Made a deal, we’d ride back the next week, trade ours in.

Long story short, we both got Gear Ups, he got the Sahara model, mines O/D Green...and they were ordered. I could ramble on about the factory in Siberia.  Yup, made in Russia.  You can google it.  But 4 weeks later the bikes were in Canada.  Sept 7 we collected them, and trailered them up north. I’ll tell you about that trip and the UDF (Ural Delay Factor) another time.  Or the amazing red head I met at the bike shop who continues to encourage me on this new adventure.

One truth she left with me: forget anything you know about riding a bike...start from scratch with a sidecar.  Leaning? No.  Foot down?  No.  Slow down ...you’re headed left.  Counter steer...bwahaha you fool!  It’s like wrestling a drunk Russian bear!  But omg when you get it right it’s glorious!

What we’ve learned so far is we need more practice before taking them on a public road.  Also a Ural can run over a 4’ blue spruce like nothing.  And when they’ decided it’s time to go left, best up the revs and steer right!  We’re getting better each short ride.  Oh yeah, the adventure has just begun!

Sunshine ☀️ and me own studio!

Oh happiness abounds..summer is here!  Ok it’s Mid May and no snow, green grass, hummingbird is back and life is good.

But holy crap it’s crazy busy!  Not to say the house could use some attention but hubby commented on the state of the kitchen with a “looks like a refugee camp”!  I must admit washing pots and pans is a chore I do not like. We both pack lunch everyday...so about a dozen plastic containers with lids do tend to pile up in ones sink, no? But we haven’t died of food poisoning yet 🤞and there are several stellar meals prepared in Chez Mac’s. 😋

So busy...I have discovered that I can paint!  And now it’s a passion, yes Virginia there are other ways to spend $$ besides shoes!  Acrylics, brushes, canvases etc all cost.. no, not in the league of motorcycles, but it takes my mad money for sure!  And I humbly submit my efforts..check my Facebook page!  Now since my art group isn’t meeting over summer, I need a place to paint.  Enter, the Blitz!  The camper trailer we very seldom camp in, but do use occasionally as a guest house.  So my plan is this:  it’s going to be a studio!  Uhuh.  Plug it in, and voila...lights, a fridge and A/C!  Fix a wee booboo on the door and bugs are kept at bay.  Yup, it’s ready to go.  Colour me brilliant!  And it keeps moi out of hunnies hair while he studies. Win win I say!

Other business keeping us busy:  well work of course, both of us slogging along.  Meh, it’s a living.  Vacation is coming, 2 weeks on the road again to Montana.  👍 more on that another time.

But this upcoming weekend, our May Long Weekend is supposed to be wet.  Oh well, maybe I’ll get the kitchen cleaned up, and more. 🧹🧺⏱

Ive lost my blogs!

What is happening? I silently sob...I’ve lost some blogs!

Call out the blog hounds, they’ve got to be here somewhere!  My adoring fans, ok one fan, has been seeking my wise, ok sometimes wise ass missives.

So here I am..March. Sheesh what happened to October, November, December, January and February?  That’s almost half a year?  Time travel?  Alien abduction?  😴 naps?all I know is I was parking my bike and Zot its -33 C, and I have cabin fever.  My adorable well meaning bestie Liza sent me A photo of her in the ocean, big smile...and info on a flight and 1 week in Cancun.  😿 I wanna go, toes in the sand, all inclusive...whaaaa 😭 but no way Jose, can’t do it.

Well Kale Kalayi found all my blogs!  Not missing, just hiding.. lol

So now March..as in March my butt into the kitchen and empty the dishwasher, as in March my self to the vacuum cleaner and get rid of cat hair...March my self to the truck and make a needed trip out with the garbage and recycling.  Argh.

Tomorrow I will go paint, my art buddies cornered me and Mac demanding I get myself out of bed early Sunday!, oh and I have my Cat Sitter coming Sunday aft, have to make our home inviting, so she has an idea of what it should be like after we leave her with the hair balls.

Happy weekend!

Holy Moly - it's FEBRUARY!! how'd that happen?

Just a minute ago it was August.  Sunny, Hot, Motorcycle weather.  Then I looked around and holy crap it's Valentines Day!!

Where did fall, Christmas, new years, Robbie Burns day go??? Weeks of vocational coaching, meeting all sorts of new challenges, some victories and some heart break - it's a tough gig.  Requiring quick thinking, sense of humour, empathy, did I mention patience? and understanding some people are living lives I never would want. Seriously.  I have a clean bed, food in the fridge and friends/family who aren't out to kill me.  So I guess I got it good eh?

This new gig is not for everyone. A good friend from Municipal Gov days said she would go mad trying to teach, etc...I said think of it like an endless Council meeting.  You see how misinformed and misdirected the folks at the table are, you try to warn them of impending doom but they blindly clench their tiny fists, and jack step into a minefieild of disaster.  The old saying you can lead a whore to culture but you can’t make her think. (I’m giggling over that one, get it..horticulture...lol)

But it does give me deep warm and fuzzies when I see someone have a job interview, learn something they never thought they’d learn, or shake my hand and thank me for believing in them when they have their first job in 12 years.  It’s a pretty cool feeling.

I guess that’s what motivates me to haul my lazy butt outta bed at 5:30, jump in the truck at -30C and drive an hour to be “perky, smiling, and empathetic “ for my students.  Job Readiness is a great course to deliver (facilitate?). For sure.  But lest I paint too sunny a picture, there are times when I shake my head and say WTF?

Tips for getting hired:
1.  When you’ve passed 60 years, that thin stringy mess on your head has to go.  Chop it...go to the barbershop.
2. Have him whack that billy goat mess growing off your chin to no longer than 2 inches.
3. The eyebrows...yeah it’s not a sin to trim them, keep them tame, not feral.
4.  Do not drop an F Bomb every third word.  There are many other descriptives in the English language,
5. Wardrobe...doesn’t have to be expensive, just well fitting, and clean.  Not wrinkled helps.  Mended, no butt cracks or boobs hanging out.  (I had a student who was unaware her right boogie had escaped in class..I honestly don’t think it’s appropriate that have to tell her to round up her puppies in class!)
6. Show up clean.  And sober please.

Ah yes, the soft skills...lol.  You may laugh but some folks haven’t been fortunate to have had a more or less normal life, with support from family and friends.  I can’t imagine how hard it would be.  Hell I whine if coffee isn’t presented to me bedside.  Yes this is true.  Lol.so I don’t think I could make it to work if I didn’t have a place to live, relied on others for a couch to sleep on and no food.  But many of my students do!  And come to class eager to learn and get ahead.

This program also helps our students with short term training, tickets to work in industry , work clothes, safety gear, drivers training, winter boots...and more.

So when I start bitching that I’m tired, I’m cold, I don’t wanna drive..it’s amazing what a warm truck on a cold morning reminds me of.  I’m not walking, there’s Waylon on the radio, and hot coffee at hand.. and I get a paycheque every week.

But I’ll still complain if it’s colder than -25.  Lol

Jesus Wept - was I ever this young?

Right now I'm a teacher.  Crossed with a Social Worker.  Crossed with a Redneck.  Oh what a combo. Let me elaborate.

My current occupation is a Vocational Coach - delivering or facilitating classes on Job Readiness.  As in how to be ready for a job.  Or to look for a job.  Or decide on what job you might want to do in your life.

So for the past 5 weeks of a 10 week program, I have shown up to class, prepared to engage my students and keep them quasi entertained whilst delivering assessments, tools to make a tight resume, how to look for jobs, how to decide what jobs they might be best suited for etc etc.

Today was the toughest so far. But let me start from the beginning.

The first day of class I looked out at 9 emotionless faces.  Smiling? Maybe 2.  Frowning - definitely 4,  the rest - were they awake? Alive? Who could tell.  But they were there.  Not ready to work - not a one of them.  Previous work experience? Nu huh  Skills? Welllll on the sleeping in and playing games/being on Facebook level - they were Expert.  On the other hand...oh my work is cut out for me!

The requirements of the course is that a) the participant wants to get a job at the end and b) the participant will attend classes, and participate. Thus the title Participant.

First day on the course, parameters were outlined - clearly. 1)  Miss 3 classes = we determine that means you've withdrawn. If you are unable to attend - let us know.  Sick Children do not count as an excuse.  2) Respect your instructors and classmates - not a tough rule to follow.  We are the teachers.  You are the students.  Simple right?


The 9 are now down to 3.  1 said it was like they were in school, they hated school - so they quit right off the bat.  OK I can dig it.  One yelled that THEY were the teacher, that we had to listen to her - yikes...she was a big mean looking woman, so I personally was a bit intimidated.  But I pulled up my big girl panties and said "In this room I am the teacher - you are not.  Now either sit down and participate respectfully, or decide maybe you are in the wrong place."  Phew!! She gone


Others had their own issues - partying is more fun than class time, sleeping is more desirable than learning, etc etc.  And so - then we were down to 3.  Sadly one more didn't show today. No idea what happened - in jail? in hospital? at friends? home asleep? hunting? This makes it tough for me - it's hard keeping a class of 2 engaged in the process.  But their choice - do or do not - there is no try.

If this is the future of our country - we are in big trouble.  I know when I was a young person, I held at least one job.  I may not have known exactly what I wanted to be when I "grew up" but I did work - it's the whole thing about liking the freedom to have $$ and living independently. These people - not there yet.  So whil2e I tend to the occasional outburst, hissy fit, and crying jag by and large my remaining students are pressing forward - tho to me it looks like as easy as wading through wet cement. Jesus wept - let's hope next week I still have a student or two!

Post Script:

The call came that night. One of the two remaining students was dead. Of a drug overdose in a crack shack. This bright light,  with determination to turn his life around and be a good father to his little girl was gone.  Those who knew him were sad, not shocked.  I was so sorry he died in such an avoidable ugly manner.  Fentynol doesnt care.  The drugs will continue to flow in his community,  others will die.  So much potential,  such a sad end.