Thanks Robyn- Here's a little something about myself
I like walking in barefeet at 7:15 am after it rains and the fields are really muddy
I like singing Celine Dion at the top of my lungs in the shower
I have learned to love bugs, and I'm not sure why, but when they land on me I really like it. I saved a worm today, and I poked open a spider sac and about 100 baby spiders popped out. So cool.
I like singing songs in Spanish Church
I have a huge and sometimes overwhelming desire to cut loose and become a gypsy- but only for a month or something... because I like it here too.
When I was in grade one a boy smushed me into the gym wall and shattered my collar bone.
I spent almost every Monday night for the first two years of highschool in detention. You may think this reflects poorly on me, assuming I was some sort of bad ass. Not true. A shirt infraction, or misplaced pencil could wind you up in the office. Needless to say, highschool- with all the sports, drama, classes and detentions, was a pretty rocking good time.
That's seven.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Angry sky
My friend Tamara is crazy. Not literally, but she likes to do a lot of crazy things, which is why we really get along. Today Jocelyn and I went to visit her. You'd think a married woman would be a little more toned down, but this is where Tamara is strikingly different. After a boat ride with her parents on the Grand River, where we purposely rushed into a storm, and then fled with the birds at the first sight of lightning, Tamara took us to go pier jumping. Now, it was kindof cold, rainy, windy, and I hear lake Erie has some pretty bad under tow. I had no desire to jump off a 35 foot pier into crashing waves. Usually when I have no desire to do something, I don't, but for some reason Tamara can hype up anyone to do anything- and so when she went sprinting off the pier, I was only about 2 seconds behind her. Wow, what a rush. After a few jumps, we went to the top of the pier where you can't swim because of all the rocks. Unbelievable. Set against the dark sky, billowing clouds, streaks of rain, and peeping bits of sunlight, the sheer power of the waves crashing below us was really something to see.. up close. My friend wisely stayed up top, while Tamara and I scooted down to get some waves. We weren't being stupid, just a little daring. Bracing ourselves against the rocks, we let the waves crash over us, into us, around us... which was followed by a lot of laughing, and a bit of a rush. After a while, Joc called for us to come back up, so we said one more wave- and of course, it happens to be the biggest one we've seen yet. I brace myself and just get smacked in the face by a lot of water, but when I looked beside me, Tamara was gone. For a split second I was terrified. I know it would have been impossible for her to have gotten completely swept off the rocks, but for some reason I thought she was gone, and it scared me. The wave had knocked her off her feet, and she landed on her back a few feet away. Well, that was the end of that adventure. After seeing she was allright, we climbed back up and laughed our heads off. I'm glad we are still in one piece... maybe there is a reason why I only see her a few times in the summer :) Anyways, tonight was a good night. Tomorrow my friend Kerri is coming for the weekend, so I'm pretty pumped about that. It'll be good to see my travelling buddy again after so many months!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Finally
You'd think that a month between posts would give me plenty to write about. Well, it does. The problem is that with a dysfunctional computer at home, events and ideas that crossed my mind were forced to remain in storage until computer access became available. So for the past month I've been harboring refugee thoughts, and true to their status, now they just don't want to leave. Bear with me while I attempt to chip away at the 'layers' that have entered, ingrained and solidified in my mind.
Musings from Genesis.
I don't understand why God would wrestle with Jacob, why Jacob was blessed through his wicked scheming, or why God constantly uplifts the underdog to proceed with his Master plan. Was polygamy a sin? Why is it considered righteous of Tamar to sleep with her father in law? Is the murder of the entire male Shechemite tribe justified because one woman was raped? Was Joseph a pompous ass? Is favoritism looked on with favour by God? Genesis amazes me. Definitely worth a look.
Day to day life.
Work this summer has been both delightful and dreary. As much as I love the perennial market, and learning what I can about plants, business, and competitive strategies, I feel like I have cut myself short. Working for my dad is a safe bet. It pays well, it's simple, it's comfortable ( as long as it stays under 35 degrees). But why do I always choose what's comfortable? My brother got a job working with handicapped adults in Ottawa. He's being stretched in a lot of different ways, and I am a bit envious. The thought of working with people gets me excited. Kids, adolescents, adults, whatever- especially from different cultures. That would be a treat. Well, we'll see what pans out for me in the future. For now I'll try to master the art of patience, biding my time in the packing barn where the plants come and go as often as Bert and Sully, who by the way, have begun to construct their second nest while trying to teach their babies how to fly. Talk about your multi-tasking )
Perhaps I am feeling a little bit blah at work because I just got home from BC, and true to James' description, it certainly is the "glory land."
British Columbia is breathtaking. Mountains, ocean, rain forests, rivers, beaches- the scenery alone was worth the trip. But I think aside from all the aesthetic beauty, meeting the Harskamps was a highlight. A very warm, welcoming family, to say the least. They made sure I got a full BC experience, and everyday was packed with things to do and see. We went hiking, kayaking, swimming, explored Vancouver, caught crabs and starfish on the beach, drove up to Whistler, had a campfire with James friends, played 'disc', basketball, volleyball, walked the pier, went to some sweet lookouts, explored the aquarium, watched a dolphin and beluga whale show, and danced the lights out at his cousins wedding. It was a whirlwind of a week, and absolutely amazing. Seeing James for ten days straight wasn't bad either :) The weather was fantastic too, hot and sunny all week long. This is just a brief skeleton sketch of the past week, but I can really only flesh it out if I want to write a mini- novel, which I do, but not in blog form. I'll just say it was the highlight of my summer, quite possibly year, so far.
On that note, I hope everyone is well, and I apologize for my terrible effort to keep you updated. Cheers!
Musings from Genesis.
I don't understand why God would wrestle with Jacob, why Jacob was blessed through his wicked scheming, or why God constantly uplifts the underdog to proceed with his Master plan. Was polygamy a sin? Why is it considered righteous of Tamar to sleep with her father in law? Is the murder of the entire male Shechemite tribe justified because one woman was raped? Was Joseph a pompous ass? Is favoritism looked on with favour by God? Genesis amazes me. Definitely worth a look.
Day to day life.
Work this summer has been both delightful and dreary. As much as I love the perennial market, and learning what I can about plants, business, and competitive strategies, I feel like I have cut myself short. Working for my dad is a safe bet. It pays well, it's simple, it's comfortable ( as long as it stays under 35 degrees). But why do I always choose what's comfortable? My brother got a job working with handicapped adults in Ottawa. He's being stretched in a lot of different ways, and I am a bit envious. The thought of working with people gets me excited. Kids, adolescents, adults, whatever- especially from different cultures. That would be a treat. Well, we'll see what pans out for me in the future. For now I'll try to master the art of patience, biding my time in the packing barn where the plants come and go as often as Bert and Sully, who by the way, have begun to construct their second nest while trying to teach their babies how to fly. Talk about your multi-tasking )
Perhaps I am feeling a little bit blah at work because I just got home from BC, and true to James' description, it certainly is the "glory land."
British Columbia is breathtaking. Mountains, ocean, rain forests, rivers, beaches- the scenery alone was worth the trip. But I think aside from all the aesthetic beauty, meeting the Harskamps was a highlight. A very warm, welcoming family, to say the least. They made sure I got a full BC experience, and everyday was packed with things to do and see. We went hiking, kayaking, swimming, explored Vancouver, caught crabs and starfish on the beach, drove up to Whistler, had a campfire with James friends, played 'disc', basketball, volleyball, walked the pier, went to some sweet lookouts, explored the aquarium, watched a dolphin and beluga whale show, and danced the lights out at his cousins wedding. It was a whirlwind of a week, and absolutely amazing. Seeing James for ten days straight wasn't bad either :) The weather was fantastic too, hot and sunny all week long. This is just a brief skeleton sketch of the past week, but I can really only flesh it out if I want to write a mini- novel, which I do, but not in blog form. I'll just say it was the highlight of my summer, quite possibly year, so far.
On that note, I hope everyone is well, and I apologize for my terrible effort to keep you updated. Cheers!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Turtle Blood
I know I havn't bloged for a while, but I've been busy and my internet has been down at my house. Such is life. Right now I'm in BC at James' place, so it gives me the ability to write a new blog.
Pretty much all I wanted to say is that I'm doing well, but that I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again come September and possibly in the next couple of weeks. That is all.
Pretty much all I wanted to say is that I'm doing well, but that I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again come September and possibly in the next couple of weeks. That is all.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Fact. James is back and I am glad.
Fiction. Read the "adventure's of Duddy Kravitz" for a good piece of literary fiction.
Fact. The month of May has seen an increase in shipping of 48% compared to last May.
Fiction. The notion that I will ever get off work before 7pm
Hey everyone. Work is busy, the sun is hot, the days fly by, and my summer so far has been swell. ( That word is underused, so I'm bringing it back.) The fact that James just arrived in Ontario this past Monday has allready improved my summer by a good, oh let's say 27 %. That number- be it high for some, or low for others, means absolutey nothing to me, I picked it at random. But what I'm trying to say is that there has been a marked improvement to an allready great summer which makes me excited for the next few months. Moving on.
Jersey, the golden retriever that tramples all the plants on the farm, attacked a gosling today and killed it. The mother is now in mourning. The little one is sorely missed.
The wildlife in the packing barn keeps me amused when I'm fairly bored. Each corner has a nest of different baby birds. They will be jumping out any day-- which makes me wonder, are they insane? They certainly can't fly, so what would possess them to step off a 16 foot ledge? It's a possible death sentence! ahh well- thank goodness for fluffy down.
Considering I'm talking excessively about birds, and that I just said "fluffy down" I am thinking that I have nothing too new or exciting to contribute to this update. It is also late, and I am beat. The sun has been relentlessly frying my skin. I feel like a sauteed mushroom. Eww.
Now it's really time to get to bed. Adios todos! Me gusta pato.
Fiction. Read the "adventure's of Duddy Kravitz" for a good piece of literary fiction.
Fact. The month of May has seen an increase in shipping of 48% compared to last May.
Fiction. The notion that I will ever get off work before 7pm
Hey everyone. Work is busy, the sun is hot, the days fly by, and my summer so far has been swell. ( That word is underused, so I'm bringing it back.) The fact that James just arrived in Ontario this past Monday has allready improved my summer by a good, oh let's say 27 %. That number- be it high for some, or low for others, means absolutey nothing to me, I picked it at random. But what I'm trying to say is that there has been a marked improvement to an allready great summer which makes me excited for the next few months. Moving on.
Jersey, the golden retriever that tramples all the plants on the farm, attacked a gosling today and killed it. The mother is now in mourning. The little one is sorely missed.
The wildlife in the packing barn keeps me amused when I'm fairly bored. Each corner has a nest of different baby birds. They will be jumping out any day-- which makes me wonder, are they insane? They certainly can't fly, so what would possess them to step off a 16 foot ledge? It's a possible death sentence! ahh well- thank goodness for fluffy down.
Considering I'm talking excessively about birds, and that I just said "fluffy down" I am thinking that I have nothing too new or exciting to contribute to this update. It is also late, and I am beat. The sun has been relentlessly frying my skin. I feel like a sauteed mushroom. Eww.
Now it's really time to get to bed. Adios todos! Me gusta pato.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Life of Pi
Prologue
This was written in an effort to vent some pent up frustration caused from work. It was not intended to be a blog- but, when my mom found it, read it, and then read it to my dad, I figured what the heck. ( At least he got a kick out of it)
Inspired by Life of Pi
Today I was attacked by a Bengal tiger. Not a deadly blow, but the sheer volume of his throaty roar turned my bones to liquid. My defiance flared, my blood simmered, and I stood. The stare returned by the beast made me balk. He was mad. I was no match against a tiger. He broke his hypnotic eyes from mine, distracted for a moment by a flying fish that had clumsily found itself caught in the crossfire between two seething creatures. I took what precious moments had been granted to me and fled to my safety raft. 25 feet of rope allowed for a 25 foot distance between me and the cat, with a double twisted knot tethering the two worlds together. Feeling the bruise where he had struck, right around my heart, I briefly considered slashing the life line that kept us uncomfortably close. The message being sent across the gap was made clear by the fixed stare and low growl of the tiger. This. Is. My. Territory. You. Listen. To. Me.
Today I was Pi Patel. Today my boss turned into a Bengal Tiger. Today was a hard day for a boss’s daughter. Tethered to the loading dock, amidst the hustle and bustle of rolling carts, surrounded by a sea of green, and always under the watchful eye of management- AKA- Bengal Tiger, the time was bound to come when territorial claims must be made, rights must be given, a voice must be heard.
The attack came unprovoked. Carts were properly assembled, we were on schedule, garbage did not abound in the work space, it was smooth sailing to 7:00. But of course, when do the big cats begin to stir? At dawn and dusk. We were pushing dusk, and the boss emerged from his lair. For the untrained eye, a quick scan of the dock’s activity would cry out chaos. Tractors buzzing in, trailers flying out, carts- endless amounts seeking safe haven through the gaping jaws of the ever hungry transport trucks- and the people. People everywhere. But to the trained eye the sight brought a surge of pride and relief- the peak of the days work was about to be reached, the winding down process was around the corner, the last stretch was beckoning…
THIS IS ALL WRONG! but the.. LISTEN! I DON’T CARE WHAT THE PAPERWORK SAYS!! Oh. why do I use it.. SHHHH!!! …..the time had come. Between my overtired, stressed, and intensity driven father I had overstepped my territory due to sheer personality. I am a smart ass. When attacked, I do not immediately step down in a reconciliatory manner. ( If I may just add, not in any means of self- praise, but as pure fact- my father WAS wrong) Accused of screwing up an entire order- and knowing the accusations to be false and unfounded, I was in no uncertain terms Pissed Off. But what can one do in the face of Richard Parker? Scream back? Certain death. Turn my back? Sudden death. Ignore his ominous presence? Against my nature. The only viable option was to stay rooted in position, clamp my mouth shut, and deal as much damage with my glare that was within my capacity. To think an ice storm on the 15th of May. I was chilled to the bone by the returned gaze. Option two would have been a bit warmer. Within seconds the ice spell was broken by the slam of the door. Parker had returned to his lair.
Small victory for Pi Patel.
Day 2.
The ice storm was proceeded by a crisp wintry gale- hardly the ideal weather for spring shipping- due undoubtedly to the spat that occurred the previous night between boss and boss’s daughter. All further encounters decidedly dropped the temperature, so they were either avoided, or kept to a bare minimum. To sum up the day in a word- Silent.
Day 3.
Pi has been reservedly perched on his life raft for 48 hours. Ample time to brew things over, sufficient time for an angry cat to calm himself. I unconsciously decided to grab ahold of the metaphorical rope that kept us distant, and over the course of 9 hours, managed to pull myself within a distance that at least allowed for communication. The breeching point came unexpededly, and I owe it all to a pigeon. He came a few days ago, a stranger in a foreign barn, and he amused me. I named him Bert. He is a steady companion. My father thus entered the barn while I was cooing at my new friend. He thought I was nuts- and absurdly I mumbled ‘ his name is Bert…’ That was it. The ice was broken. I smiled. I don’t know what made me do it. I was bent on being pissed off for at least another full day, or until said apology was made…but who has that kind of will power? Who coos at a pigeon? Case closed- we are back to being Ted and Rebecca. Undoubtedly Richard Parker will rear his terrible head again, and Pi Patel will inevitably resurrect, but for today- I’m content to just be Ree.
This was written in an effort to vent some pent up frustration caused from work. It was not intended to be a blog- but, when my mom found it, read it, and then read it to my dad, I figured what the heck. ( At least he got a kick out of it)
Inspired by Life of Pi
Today I was attacked by a Bengal tiger. Not a deadly blow, but the sheer volume of his throaty roar turned my bones to liquid. My defiance flared, my blood simmered, and I stood. The stare returned by the beast made me balk. He was mad. I was no match against a tiger. He broke his hypnotic eyes from mine, distracted for a moment by a flying fish that had clumsily found itself caught in the crossfire between two seething creatures. I took what precious moments had been granted to me and fled to my safety raft. 25 feet of rope allowed for a 25 foot distance between me and the cat, with a double twisted knot tethering the two worlds together. Feeling the bruise where he had struck, right around my heart, I briefly considered slashing the life line that kept us uncomfortably close. The message being sent across the gap was made clear by the fixed stare and low growl of the tiger. This. Is. My. Territory. You. Listen. To. Me.
Today I was Pi Patel. Today my boss turned into a Bengal Tiger. Today was a hard day for a boss’s daughter. Tethered to the loading dock, amidst the hustle and bustle of rolling carts, surrounded by a sea of green, and always under the watchful eye of management- AKA- Bengal Tiger, the time was bound to come when territorial claims must be made, rights must be given, a voice must be heard.
The attack came unprovoked. Carts were properly assembled, we were on schedule, garbage did not abound in the work space, it was smooth sailing to 7:00. But of course, when do the big cats begin to stir? At dawn and dusk. We were pushing dusk, and the boss emerged from his lair. For the untrained eye, a quick scan of the dock’s activity would cry out chaos. Tractors buzzing in, trailers flying out, carts- endless amounts seeking safe haven through the gaping jaws of the ever hungry transport trucks- and the people. People everywhere. But to the trained eye the sight brought a surge of pride and relief- the peak of the days work was about to be reached, the winding down process was around the corner, the last stretch was beckoning…
THIS IS ALL WRONG! but the.. LISTEN! I DON’T CARE WHAT THE PAPERWORK SAYS!! Oh. why do I use it.. SHHHH!!! …..the time had come. Between my overtired, stressed, and intensity driven father I had overstepped my territory due to sheer personality. I am a smart ass. When attacked, I do not immediately step down in a reconciliatory manner. ( If I may just add, not in any means of self- praise, but as pure fact- my father WAS wrong) Accused of screwing up an entire order- and knowing the accusations to be false and unfounded, I was in no uncertain terms Pissed Off. But what can one do in the face of Richard Parker? Scream back? Certain death. Turn my back? Sudden death. Ignore his ominous presence? Against my nature. The only viable option was to stay rooted in position, clamp my mouth shut, and deal as much damage with my glare that was within my capacity. To think an ice storm on the 15th of May. I was chilled to the bone by the returned gaze. Option two would have been a bit warmer. Within seconds the ice spell was broken by the slam of the door. Parker had returned to his lair.
Small victory for Pi Patel.
Day 2.
The ice storm was proceeded by a crisp wintry gale- hardly the ideal weather for spring shipping- due undoubtedly to the spat that occurred the previous night between boss and boss’s daughter. All further encounters decidedly dropped the temperature, so they were either avoided, or kept to a bare minimum. To sum up the day in a word- Silent.
Day 3.
Pi has been reservedly perched on his life raft for 48 hours. Ample time to brew things over, sufficient time for an angry cat to calm himself. I unconsciously decided to grab ahold of the metaphorical rope that kept us distant, and over the course of 9 hours, managed to pull myself within a distance that at least allowed for communication. The breeching point came unexpededly, and I owe it all to a pigeon. He came a few days ago, a stranger in a foreign barn, and he amused me. I named him Bert. He is a steady companion. My father thus entered the barn while I was cooing at my new friend. He thought I was nuts- and absurdly I mumbled ‘ his name is Bert…’ That was it. The ice was broken. I smiled. I don’t know what made me do it. I was bent on being pissed off for at least another full day, or until said apology was made…but who has that kind of will power? Who coos at a pigeon? Case closed- we are back to being Ted and Rebecca. Undoubtedly Richard Parker will rear his terrible head again, and Pi Patel will inevitably resurrect, but for today- I’m content to just be Ree.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Today
6: 36 am- woke up, woke up the boys, ate honey bunches with oats. mmmm.
6: 53 am- in the car, realize we have very little gas
6: 59 am- ran out of gas
7:01 am- ran in the rain to work
7: 09 am - got to work
7:15 am- the day begins
12:00- had "festivus" at grandmas- which has been renamed "grunch". Basically
the words grandma and lunch have been combined to create grunch- which is a delightful midweek treat thrown together by my grandma to revive our souls and fill our bellies with what she calls "a light snack" which in reality is a 3 course meal complete with cake and coffee. Glorious.
5:00 pm- much work still to be done.
7:00pm- much more work to be done
8:06 pm- the last of 800 Cedar trees are loaded onto trucks
8: 10 pm- time to head home
8: 25 pm- dinner has been lovingly prepared by my sick mother- steak, potatos, salad and fresh green beans- accompanied by a glass of white whine
8: 27 pm- I realize how incredible my mom really is.
8: 30 pm. The family sits. We eat. We talk. We bond. Michael Buble is playing in the background
9: 15 pm. We get off the table, I hit the shower.
9: 30 pm My mom has coffee and chocolates waiting in the living room.
9: 31 pm- We sit. We drink. We bond some more. I realize my mom missed us today.
10: ish.. I get on the internet, read some great blogs/ emails. I realize how much I miss my Redeemer friends- and I make/am making an attempt to keep you posted.
10:49 pm I end my blog, I say farewell. Tomorrow will be another day much like today, minus running out of gas, festivus, and working 'til 8.
10:53 pm- a more accurate time. I'm done here.
6: 36 am- woke up, woke up the boys, ate honey bunches with oats. mmmm.
6: 53 am- in the car, realize we have very little gas
6: 59 am- ran out of gas
7:01 am- ran in the rain to work
7: 09 am - got to work
7:15 am- the day begins
12:00- had "festivus" at grandmas- which has been renamed "grunch". Basically
the words grandma and lunch have been combined to create grunch- which is a delightful midweek treat thrown together by my grandma to revive our souls and fill our bellies with what she calls "a light snack" which in reality is a 3 course meal complete with cake and coffee. Glorious.
5:00 pm- much work still to be done.
7:00pm- much more work to be done
8:06 pm- the last of 800 Cedar trees are loaded onto trucks
8: 10 pm- time to head home
8: 25 pm- dinner has been lovingly prepared by my sick mother- steak, potatos, salad and fresh green beans- accompanied by a glass of white whine
8: 27 pm- I realize how incredible my mom really is.
8: 30 pm. The family sits. We eat. We talk. We bond. Michael Buble is playing in the background
9: 15 pm. We get off the table, I hit the shower.
9: 30 pm My mom has coffee and chocolates waiting in the living room.
9: 31 pm- We sit. We drink. We bond some more. I realize my mom missed us today.
10: ish.. I get on the internet, read some great blogs/ emails. I realize how much I miss my Redeemer friends- and I make/am making an attempt to keep you posted.
10:49 pm I end my blog, I say farewell. Tomorrow will be another day much like today, minus running out of gas, festivus, and working 'til 8.
10:53 pm- a more accurate time. I'm done here.
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