This is the Day - The The
Due to some medical issues I have been dealing with over the past, well 18 months, I have been feeling a little 'landlocked' as I like to refer to it. Feeling tethered to where I live in order to make appointments and not put my self at risk for medical complications. Now that the treatment is essentially complete, I now feel like the chains have been loosened and I can cut loose.
Through ongoing encouragement from family and friends I decided to look into a quick trip to Europe - a whirlwind trip as I like to call it to get in visits with each of my family members plus a few days travelling with a friend. Initially I looked at it as an impossible feat either due to logistics of where I'd need to go, lack of convenient flight offerings, conflict with doctor appointments or work deadlines. At the end of the day I was sure that the cost of such a country hopping adventure would be a shoe-in to make it a no-go.
So I made my list and worked through each of what were impassible steps. I checked in to see who was going to be where and when to map a possible agenda. No roadblocks there. It seemed that everyone was available and even had accommodation for me. I checked with my doctor appointments to determine if they could be adjusted easily. No problem there. I checked with the possible flights and it seemed that there was availability and flights without a zillion stopovers or long layovers. All systems go there. Ok, work, there had to be a problem and immovable deadline that would restrict my ability to take enough vacation time. Nope. Everyone was ok with it and there was back up available. Let's see, prior commitments to my dragon boating team for a regatta. Well, seems the flights were so flexible I could work around that. So, no wanting to make a decision on my own to make the trip I left it up to the airlines. This whirlwind adventure had to be a pricey one. Something that would make it totally unreasonable to consider. Wrong again. Not only was the price reasonable, but it got cheaper with each day that I waited to book. Just to knock some further sense into me I received an unexpected cheque that would cover 80% of the cost. Ok, ok, I can take a hint!!!
Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow, take things as they come and let it all fall into place. This trip was meant to be. There were some people up there helping to make it all happen - watching out for me. Consistently knocking me on the head until I came to my senses.
So I'm now booked. 17,800 km in 2 weeks; 3 countries; lots of family and friends to visit. It's gonna be great.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
It's not easy being green
Bein' Green - Joe Raposo
One of the things that I love about the city I live in is the environmental consciousness of our city council and citizens. We live and work in a beautiful place and it's so important that we not take that for granted. So there are always opportunities to jump on the wagon or incentives to encourage the somewhat hesitant to get on the bus - literally, get out of their cars on the bus.
So, a couple weeks ago our city ran a campaign to subsidize the purchase of rain barrels. I'm more than willing to jump in when someone else is paying half. I know, my taxes are paying part of the cost but then so are the taxes of the water hogs so I'm happy with that part. I decided to get two barrels. As my brother said, if you've got two downspouts, why not. And he should know because he's our water conscious expert.
I manhandled the two larger than me barrels into the car. I left them there for a couple of days until one of my daughter's taller and stronger friends was around to pull them out. I then put off installing them. There were only a few small steps but I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Finally I sat down with the instructions. Only 5 steps - no problem.
Step 1 - cut the downspout. For those who have never really looked at a downspout, that means cutting metal. Kitchen shears won't work. There's an art to this whole thing and let's just say, that I didn't take that class. I had done some forethought and had bought the right tool to do the cutting so I was able to make a rough attempt at looking like I knew what I was doing. In my mind I was entertaining the whole neighbourhood with my attempt at this whole project as they stood their with their hoses watering their grass. I mean, why water grass - you just have to mow it!!!
Step 2 - attach a curved piece of downspout to direct water to the rainbarrel. In the store it looks easy. The pieces all fit together perfectly, like lego. But once you get an amateur hacking away at the end to cut the metal, the whole adventure begins. You have to cut more, bend, hammer, pry and squeeze with your bare hands to marry the two pieces together - praying that they will stay. I'm sure that there are a few relationships built on that same process.
Step 3 - screw the spout to the pre-drilled hole in the barrel. Piece of cake right? Well, if the hole is located 3 feet deep into the barrel and your arm is only 2.75 feet, then there's a problem. Plyers don't make up the difference. Before I was enlightened and enlisted the help of my long armed son, I could be seen straddling the barrel with my arms outstretched one on the inside and one on the outside while trying to screw and fasten the bolt around the spout. If my head wasn't already in the barrel then I'm sure I would have heard the roars of laughter from the neighbourhood.
Step 4 - attach the overflow hose to either side but first break open the plastic disc protecting the opening. Not like popping off the seal on a bottle of fresh juice. No, this involved a screwdriver and a dozen good wacks with a hammer. Then the hose had to be attached to the overflow spout. Attached is putting it mildly - forced is scratching the surface.
Step 5- screw on the lid. I have to say that it was the most refreshing part of the whole process. They left the easiest for last I expect as a reward for a committing yourself to sticking it out to the finish. I was done! Yes!! Now, on to barrel number two. Arrrggghhh!
Now Let it Rain, (Let it Rain -Eric Clapton).
One of the things that I love about the city I live in is the environmental consciousness of our city council and citizens. We live and work in a beautiful place and it's so important that we not take that for granted. So there are always opportunities to jump on the wagon or incentives to encourage the somewhat hesitant to get on the bus - literally, get out of their cars on the bus.
So, a couple weeks ago our city ran a campaign to subsidize the purchase of rain barrels. I'm more than willing to jump in when someone else is paying half. I know, my taxes are paying part of the cost but then so are the taxes of the water hogs so I'm happy with that part. I decided to get two barrels. As my brother said, if you've got two downspouts, why not. And he should know because he's our water conscious expert.
I manhandled the two larger than me barrels into the car. I left them there for a couple of days until one of my daughter's taller and stronger friends was around to pull them out. I then put off installing them. There were only a few small steps but I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Finally I sat down with the instructions. Only 5 steps - no problem.
Step 1 - cut the downspout. For those who have never really looked at a downspout, that means cutting metal. Kitchen shears won't work. There's an art to this whole thing and let's just say, that I didn't take that class. I had done some forethought and had bought the right tool to do the cutting so I was able to make a rough attempt at looking like I knew what I was doing. In my mind I was entertaining the whole neighbourhood with my attempt at this whole project as they stood their with their hoses watering their grass. I mean, why water grass - you just have to mow it!!!
Step 2 - attach a curved piece of downspout to direct water to the rainbarrel. In the store it looks easy. The pieces all fit together perfectly, like lego. But once you get an amateur hacking away at the end to cut the metal, the whole adventure begins. You have to cut more, bend, hammer, pry and squeeze with your bare hands to marry the two pieces together - praying that they will stay. I'm sure that there are a few relationships built on that same process.
Step 3 - screw the spout to the pre-drilled hole in the barrel. Piece of cake right? Well, if the hole is located 3 feet deep into the barrel and your arm is only 2.75 feet, then there's a problem. Plyers don't make up the difference. Before I was enlightened and enlisted the help of my long armed son, I could be seen straddling the barrel with my arms outstretched one on the inside and one on the outside while trying to screw and fasten the bolt around the spout. If my head wasn't already in the barrel then I'm sure I would have heard the roars of laughter from the neighbourhood.
Step 4 - attach the overflow hose to either side but first break open the plastic disc protecting the opening. Not like popping off the seal on a bottle of fresh juice. No, this involved a screwdriver and a dozen good wacks with a hammer. Then the hose had to be attached to the overflow spout. Attached is putting it mildly - forced is scratching the surface.
Step 5- screw on the lid. I have to say that it was the most refreshing part of the whole process. They left the easiest for last I expect as a reward for a committing yourself to sticking it out to the finish. I was done! Yes!! Now, on to barrel number two. Arrrggghhh!
Now Let it Rain, (Let it Rain -Eric Clapton).
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Cause I Can't Get it Out of My Head
Can't Get It Out of My Head - Electric Light Orchestra
Writing or scrawling notes helps to clear my mind. It helps to get all those conversations and sometimes random thoughts out of my head. It finds a home for those lines that just don't fit into the daily discussions. It would be wonderful if my brain worked like a computer so I could catalogue all these thoughts and just call on them quickly at the perfect time in true conversation. I'd be such a witty person - at least in my mind. But that's not me and quite frankly I can't imagine the horror of having to catalogue all my thoughts I guess that's called 'tagging' in today's world but I'm still in the old world when it comes to some technology.
So when I write things down - whether I publish them or not, it frees up a little more space in my mind for other thoughts or sometimes just no thoughts which gives me breathing space. It's a bit of a release and very often it allows me to sleep at night. Many of these bits of prose come to the surface of my mind in the middle of the night. It's like they wait until After Midnight to let it all hang out (After Midnight - Eric Clapton). I guess that's when it's quiet and the distractions are fewer and those odd little bits seem more comfortable exposing themselves. Although it can keep me up at night now and then, I still love those times. It's like having a little visit with the part of me that often feels hidden and buried. It's a part of me that is only mine until I write it down. Once it is written down, it's ready to be off on it's own - set free and out in the world. And finally, out of my head.
Writing or scrawling notes helps to clear my mind. It helps to get all those conversations and sometimes random thoughts out of my head. It finds a home for those lines that just don't fit into the daily discussions. It would be wonderful if my brain worked like a computer so I could catalogue all these thoughts and just call on them quickly at the perfect time in true conversation. I'd be such a witty person - at least in my mind. But that's not me and quite frankly I can't imagine the horror of having to catalogue all my thoughts I guess that's called 'tagging' in today's world but I'm still in the old world when it comes to some technology.
So when I write things down - whether I publish them or not, it frees up a little more space in my mind for other thoughts or sometimes just no thoughts which gives me breathing space. It's a bit of a release and very often it allows me to sleep at night. Many of these bits of prose come to the surface of my mind in the middle of the night. It's like they wait until After Midnight to let it all hang out (After Midnight - Eric Clapton). I guess that's when it's quiet and the distractions are fewer and those odd little bits seem more comfortable exposing themselves. Although it can keep me up at night now and then, I still love those times. It's like having a little visit with the part of me that often feels hidden and buried. It's a part of me that is only mine until I write it down. Once it is written down, it's ready to be off on it's own - set free and out in the world. And finally, out of my head.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)