Introducing…..
Jesse James
My new pony……a lease….but keeping me busy. Aint he cute?
And please ignore my bad hands and elbows and position, I am working on it.
My Brief Hiatus
May 28, 2009 at 11:17 AM (gardening, notes and thoughts)
Tags: aylmer stuff, compost
Apparently I’ve forgotten how to write. Seriously. I have been neglecting a lot of things lately, especially online, because – can you imagine – real life has been more interesting and time consuming! Work is work, kids are kids, and my garden has been calling loud and clear! I’ve been sick for the last while, and now, for this week, I am on vacation. Actually, the girls have come down with the chicken pox, so we are hanging out at home for the week.
Our neighborhood had its big yard sale last weekend, but I didn’t sell any plants this year. Emma had her sleepover birthday party on Friday night, and I was still not feeling great, so I just didn’t bother. I do still have some plants available, although Todd is bringing a bunch of them to work for his co-workers so I may not have that many left. And I also built another raised bed this spring, so I have more space!
I have also neglected a lot of email, for the same reasons.
So I will try to answer some of the questions here.
1. Aylmer is a nice little town to live in. I like it. That’s why we live here. I’ve written lots of posts on stuff to do here, etc. The city of Gatineau also has a website, with a lot of information on it. Just google Gatineau.
2. For free horse manure in Aylmer, go to TicToc Stables on Klock rd. Wear boots if possible, and bring heavy duty yard bags. Sometimes we have extra empty feed bags that can be used, but I can’t guarantee they are always available, so it’s better to come prepared. The manure piles are behind the barns, feel free to go right ahead. You don’t need to ask anyone, and you are welcome to take as much as you want. If you need a pitch fork, check in the barn. They are usually right by the door. And if you see me, please come and say hi!
I don’t know how often I’ll be posting here anymore. I’ve kind of lost interest, but we’ll see what happens down the road.
In passing conversation…
April 26, 2009 at 8:20 PM (notes and thoughts)
With Emma this morning and Todd, we discussed marriage and whom you marry, and why. And whom Emma will marry, and why. And how sometimes you don’t marry the one you think you want, but you marry the one you need. If you are lucky enough. And trick questions. Like how she asked me if I married Daddy because I needed him or wanted him? How can you explain the intricacies and tangles of love and need to your almost eight year old? Suffice to say, I told her that I was lucky enough to both love and need him, and that there are certain things that are just really hard to explain, that you have to experience it yourself. She wonders though. Sometimes, so do I!
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I was thinking about getting another part time job, weekends, so had contacted a farm that I knew was looking. Turns out, they called my boss for a reference (which I had not oked, but they knew where I worked), and she called me, worried that I was thinking of leaving. I assured her that I wasn’t, and explained that I just wanted to work a bit more, so she offered me more hours on the weekend. I’ve been thinking about it, and I think I will take her offer. I love working with the horses, to me it is not a job, and a bit of extra coin would be nice to go towards my savings and my debts. And it is so great that the barn is a 15 minute drive, and not an hour commute like most other barns would be. Plus I already know all the horses, most of the people, and the routine. So I’m pretty happy. Oh yeah, the other barn had offered me the job too! So that felt pretty good.
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Closer to forty than thirty. Been that way for a bit, but another birthday bites the dust. I know I’ve said it before, but why is it when you are a kid, you can’t wait to grow up. Once you are grown up, you wish you could be a kid again. With your entire life stretched out before you, unmapped and free. As a kid, you hate the rules, the homework, the bedtimes, the inability to set your own plan and the ability of the grownups to tell you what to do. As a grownup, you hate the debt, the work, the lack of sleep, the inability to set your own hours, and the ability of others to affect your life in ways that you have no control over. And your life is no longer stretched out before you, it is now passing you by faster than you can blink, and if you don’t grab the things you want now, you will never get them. I can accept the fact that I will never ride in an Olympic, and I can be happy for Eric Lamaze and the Canadian team for doing what they did, but I still have goals and hopes for myself. I will ride Jumper at an A show, I will have a powerhouse horse at some point, and I will savour it. I know I will never be a vet, I will never be a Grand Prix rider, I will probably never write a novel (although I may surprise myself yet), I will never win the lottery, I will never play with a big Symphony, and I will never be the Prime Minister. That’s okay. I can take it. But I will accomplish some of my goals, even if they have to be in a minor key. I may be older, but I’m not dead yet.
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Indulgence for the week: Jilly Cooper.
Need I say more?
Really?
Okay. I absolutely love her books. Totally soaked in alcohol, sex, british bad boys and girls, horses and hounds, outrageous behaviour, and pure absolute unreal fun, fun, fun. Life is not a novel, but if it was, it should be a Jilly Cooper book. As a teenager, the book ‘Riders’ made the rounds of our Pony Club, and never in my sheltered life had I read something so provocative and entertaining. We passed that book around like a joint, hiding it from our parents, and treasuring it. Worried that if it was found, it would be seized and destroyed. Maybe that was part of the magic. Whatever it was, I still treasure her books. I reread them every once in a while the way some people reread Lord of the Rings. My Magic.
What to say…
April 12, 2009 at 10:52 PM (notes and thoughts)
I drove through downtown yesterday, and cursed the fact I had once again forgotten my camera. It was democracy in action. The Sri Lankan government protesters were lining Wellington St, waving the flags, and banging the drums. Many people were honking their horns in support. The girls were curious and it was interesting trying to explain it all to them, especially since I am very ignorant about Sri Lanka, the Tamils, and the people. One thing I do know, they need help and support, and not from China.
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Tomatoes are growing well. The first set of seedlings have been transplanted. The second set are still in the first leaf stage.
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The Easter bunny has come and gone. Many chocolate treats were left hidden around the house, and most were found before 7 am, while the parents slept on. Visiting Grandmas had been awakened. Smart children I have!! Thank you girls and Easter Bunny. I love my weekend sleepins. And thank you Grandmas for getting up so early on a Sunday morning to help (not that you had a choice!)
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In regards to comments recently left on my blog in reference to Barack O’bama, well, I’m not sure whether to ignore them and delete them, or address them. When they are from people I know, such as Sandbar and Sarah, and whether I agree or not, I lean towards leaving them. People who spout diatribe, such as Mike OOOsomethingorother, I don’t know. Leave them to stand and be judged for the crap that they are? Or delete them.
Ah well, more later on this subject.
Gobama!!
April 8, 2009 at 9:19 PM (politics)
I love Barack Obama. If he is half as good as he sounds, carries out half as his promises and threats, then he is ‘da bomb’. Or is that a passe kind of thing to say? (Or is it un-PC?) He is da man!? Ah, whatever. I know I’m no longer cool (if I ever was). And I’m sure in a couple more years my kids will be more than happy to tell me what a loser I am! Barack may not be president or PM of my country, but I kind of wish he was.
Some of the things he has said, and some of things he seems to be doing are almost unprecedented in an American president. I am totally blown away by how almost incredibly fantastic he is. He wants the US to take responsibility and leadership in ending the nuclear proliferation. Indeed the US must have that responsibility because the US is the only country to ever use a NUCLEAR WEAPON. He admits it, full frontal nudity, holy shit!!! No american president has ever said anything that comes close to what he is saying here.
Then today, on the news, I hear about a raprochement with Cuba. Seriously. How long has it been since the Bay of Pigs?? Does anyone remember or even know what that means anymore? Bay of Pigs, not raprochement.
The only thing that could make him the most amazing president ever in the entire universe would be for him to turn the US’s drug policies on its collective ear, and legalize marijuhana. Apparently, he has no interest in even opening that can o’ worms. But we shall see, my friend, we shall see.
Buying the not so virtual farm…
April 2, 2009 at 9:44 PM (1)
My husband, the dear and smart man that he is, has come to the realization that we need to move. We like our house, we have a great yard, and a fantastic neighborhood but …our house is simply too small for us, and minus one bathroom. And the girls aren’t even preteens yet, the primping has yet to begin and it’s already a push for bathroom time. And we are clutter bugs. Big time. We need a basement, or a room where we can shove stuff and close the door on the mess. And the girls will soon need their own bedrooms, and what we have is just not big enough, nor private enough for the four of us, especially when they get older. And of course, parents need their privacy too! So we have been talking about selling and moving to something bigger. Which leads me to the farm…
All my talk of buying a horse, and related costs (board alone is close or over $500 a month, never mind the vet bills and the farrier (horses spend almost as much on shoes as my sister does – gotcha Sarah!!), has brought Todd to the realization that I would be spending almost the equivalent of half of a mortgage payment on a new house every month on a horse. So 2 + 2 sometimes equaling 4, why not take that money, actually spend it on a mortgage payment, and keep the horse(s) at home? Which means needing a large enough property, aka a farm. So now 4 + 4 equaling 8 most of the time, what this means is that we are going to buy a farm. Or at least a house with enough property to keep a few horses! And chickens. Just don’t mention those fowl things too often, because they aren’t that popular with him. Are you excited yet?? Cause I am! For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to live country. And now, being married to such a smart, wonderful man, I have a partner in this vision along with me, for the ride. I’ll even let him drive. But I call shotgun!!!
Positive thinking…in the sun
March 22, 2009 at 9:11 PM (animals)
I realize lately I’ve been a very negative person. I’ve given up on things because it’s just too much bother. It’s easier to bitch and complain, rather than try to do something about it. Part of it seems to be winter’s effect on me, especially this year, as it has been a long, extremely cold winter. Or maybe I’m just noticing it more because I’m spending most of my day outside. Whatever it is, I don’t like being who I have been lately. The sun was out today, despite the dusting of snow we got last night, and I decided to take a cue from the weather, and go for a ride. Out to the barn, saddle up the old boy, and just enjoy the fact that I have a horse to ride. He might not be mine, but for most purposes, he is mine to ride when I please. He doesn’t hack out, he’s is a bit of a goof, but he is so lovely and I like him a lot. And I think he actually likes me as well. I’ve decided to wait until fall at least, or maybe next year, to buy a horse, so North will have to be my baby for a while more. Which is good, for both of us. He needs somebody, of the human persuasion, to care, excercise, brush, and provide carrots, as I need someone of the equine persuasion, to care for, to ride, to brush, and to feed carrots to. It’s a symbiotic relationship, and it works.
What else is new?
March 20, 2009 at 8:23 PM (notes and thoughts)
Tons and tons of stuff. I’ve had so much to say, and my fingers were unable to type the words. They could not translate from my brain, who was apparently speaking gibberish. Make any sense to you? Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t meant to be sensical.
A lot has happened to me lately. Some I can post about, some is better left unsaid. And some is just not suitable for sharing on the intraweb.
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First, let me say I don’t dislike cops. I don’t like them, but I don’t dislike them. Second, I am a woman. I am a ‘feminist’. I believe in equality. Women can do anything men can do. Almost. I’ve peed standing up, behind a tree. Maybe not completely successfully, and couldn’t just whip it out and pee, actually had to remove clothes to do it, and it was a silliness thing, probably involving beer and a conversation about equality and peeing standing up and proving that indeed women can, etc……okay, just silly. But I digress…
Women should not be cops. With the power to give out speeding tickets. And the inability to sympathize, or at least knock down your ticket a bit the way the guys do. Seriously, women are bitches and given the power will take the trip!
Nuff said.
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Second, women are bitches. Oh, wait,….did I say that already? What is it with being just plain mean??? Is it necessary for human survival or something? Honest to dog, I’m getting tired of nasty people. Who undermine, who are nice to your face and knife in your back, and it’s not even directed at me! Yet!!! Is it the pack instinct when one person starts bitching, the others join in?? Reason I love animals so much, they don’t hate you and bitch about you even when they want to eat you. At least they are honest about wanting to kill you.
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I am done for today. I wanted to write about other blogs (and other stuff), especially this one, which I just found and love, (she is an old friend), but it ain’t gonna happen. Battelstar G is on tonight, season and show finale. Gotta watch it. And I’m getting tired. I want to go curl up in my comfy chair in front of the idiot box and chill out.
Fridays…Better than Mondays??
March 6, 2009 at 9:48 PM (1)
Who knows. You reach a certain age, and Friday night loses its luster. It used to be my favorite night of the week. It meant going out, dancing, listening to music, having fun with the girls and flirtalicious with cute guys, and later, when you were hooked up, being with your guy, knowing you were going home with the guy you came with, and all with the knowledge that you would get to sleep in the next day. Till bloody noon if you so chose! So if you drank a little too much, danced a little too hard, and laughed a little too loud, it was all okay. Precious sleep would help you nurse the hangover, coffee and a cigarette in the am would do the trick, and so what if you made an ass out of yourself, (I will not go there!!!). Somehow, what seemed like an excellent way to spend the night at 22, seems awfully silly at 37. Especially seeing as the last time I danced was in my kitchen with Bob (it’s a radio station-see my post about 80’s music), I just have no clue how to dance anymore!
Whatever, dude!
Honeymoon Suite…
February 24, 2009 at 9:56 PM (notes and thoughts)
Anyone remember that band? How about Platinum Blonde? Trooper? Loverboy? Triumph? Glass Tiger? The Box? Corey Hart? Parachute Club? Doug and the Slugs? Where am I going with this? Not a clue. Just listening to the radio (my fave music station, BobFM,) and they played one of their songs. I am an ’80’s child afterall, there is no getting away from that one, so the music is imprinted on me. I will admit it, I love the music! I don’t miss the fashion one iota; the skin tight jeans, the big hair, the blue eyeshadow, but the music plays on. Canada had some great bands, who probably never made it out of the country. And some not quite so great.
