Inn of the Wandering Dragon

It is officialy the eve of the new year. Reflections anyone? I am not one to make resolutions per se but I did make up my mind last year that there were a few things I wanted to work on.

Reduce clutter - has pretty much been an uphill battle all year. The boyfriend keeps bringing home more stuff - stuff from work, stuff from home, stuff from shopping. I have also contributed to the stuff collection but I appear to be the only one who is trying to weed out extra stuff. The end result is that I feel like I am drowning in clutter and just throwing a whole bunch of stuff in the dump is sounding more and more like a great idea. Allright, this one stays on the list.

Fill Sketchbooks - I have not been entirely successful with this one either. I have done a fair bit in terms of Artist Trading Cards and henna practice. I have done some drawing in my sketchbooks (I have 2 on the go right now) so I will not say it has been a total wash. This one also stays on my list for the new year.

Increase Movement - In this I have been successfull. I have regualrily attended dance classes and I have been working out at the gym. In fact I have been considering adding another dance class to the roster. I just need to decide if that will be workable schedual wise. This goal can now be re-written to Maintain Movement.

Oh yes, and if you really want to feel like you have come full circle, the boyfriend has upgraded the amp for the stereo system and is currently trying to reprogram everything. Again.

Happy New Years Everyone!

We are now well into the month of December and I can gleefully torment my boyfriend with everything Christmas! Don't get me wrong, he is not a complete Scrooge as he does grudgingly enjoy the family get-togethers. But to his mind all the trimmings are a complete waste of time.


Not suprisingly, I disagree.

Putting up the tree is an event in and of itself that is marked with the presence of family, Christmas music and good food. We are always invited over to my parents house for their tree decorating. It is concluded with turning off the house lights to sit back and enjoy the decorated tree in all of its splendor.


With the tiny space I have, my tiny Christmas tree gets put up on the book shelf, more to discourage the cat from knocking it over than anything else. The tree is out along with a few decorations, and the tree itself will be decorated sometime this week.

Wrapping the presents is typically done in one or two sittings and almost has an air of ritual present as the occasion (in my mind anyway) demands eggnog and a clear solitary work space. And of course one must always have some spare wrapping and ribbon present to satisfy the shredding needs of the cat. This way the presents are more likely to have their wrappings unscathed. This also gives me a good excuse to take a stretch break and play with the cat.

Gingerbread cookies have been baked, along with the bread loaves. There is still a little more shopping to be done - I hope to finish that this week. The cards have all been sent out and those comming in are being displayed up on the wall. I even picked up some new Christmas music to play, Loreena McKennit's A Midwinter Night's Dream, which I am looking forward to enjoying.

All in all this season is thus far turning out well.

I finally had a chance to play with my new henna mix. This mix is 1 part Jamilla and 1 part Rajasthani henna, two different crops from two different regions. I decided to mix them because the raj is supposed to be much more "stringy" than the Jamilla, which allows a person to string long delicate lines without the henna strand breaking. Essentially this opens up other avenues for the art work.

Unfortunately I made this quite a while back and I had to freeze it for later. Freezing the paste is fine, it is very effective for storage without breaking down the stain capabilities. But I do not recall how much sugar and lemon juice I added. As you can see in the picture, I obviously added too much! The paste, once thawed, alternated between pouring out of the cone and clogging. Massaging the cone helped somewhat. But my lines were quite soft and prone to spreading out (my technical term for that is splooging). In addition I had to hold my hand in front of the space heater just to get it dry enough to wrap. And this paste was not stringy at all, the Jamilla seems to have negated that.

When I first scraped off the paste I was in shock, the stain was so pale despite the paste being wrapped and left on over night. The fingers were darker, so I left those alone and reapplied the paste over the rest of the design. This time I only left the paste on for a couple of hours since I was tired and cranky and not in the mood to wrap my hand up again. The stain was still light but over the next few days it darkened beautifully. The design on my fingers was wonderfully dark and almost had a purple hue. The rest of the design was a very attractive red/brown. I did not think to take a picture of course and by now the effect is fading due to frequent hand washing.

But I have used up this batch so now this weekend I will try to make up some more. I shall cut back on the amount of liquid and see if that helps. This time I will write down what I mix for future reference! (although I may need reminding!)

Tomorrow is the 1st of December with just over 3 weeks left to get things done for the holidays. Like many people there are so many things I enjoy doing but I am finding a serious lack of time to do them. Of course a very large chunk of my available time has gone towards physical exercises, three days at the gym and one day at belly dance class. My health has to be taken care of, there is no way around that.
I have been asked to paint the cover art for a friend's upcoming album which involves a fair amount of research, planning and prep (then there is the painting to be done - that's the easy part!). I already know that I will not have both the front and the back done this month but we will see how far I get on one side.
I will happily be indulging in some baking this season - in part I have little choice because I was given one of those "friendship loaf" packages of already fermenting yeast, flour, sugar and heaven knows what else. I really *hate* letting food stuffs go to waste so the appropriate day for baking has been committed to. And why not squeeze in another recipe while I'm at it that day? (gingerbread maybe?)
Christmas cards will be my project for this week. Now here is where I really am cutting back. Due to time constraints I will not be making the cards this year. They are store bought but at least they will be sent.
Christmas presents are in the works. The boyfriend and I managed to find presents for a couple family members today so hooray - scratch a couple more off my list!
I am not sure how much will happen in the way of decorations around the house. This year I may cut back and just do a few things here and there. Since we are spending the holidays at the farm it will save cleaning up the mess that occurs when the cat decides he's bored with no one around.
Meanwhile we go to work each day and deal with the normal needs of day to day life, laundry, cooking, family, cleaning, getting some sleep to ward off getting sick - the usual that we all go through. I have cut back on some things, but I am still constantly busy. I'll just have to gauge it as I go along. If I am still enjoying myself two weeks from now then I guess I pruned just enough.

O I forbid you, maidens a’, That wear gowd on your hair, To come or gae by Carterhaugh, For young Tam Lin is there.

There’s nane that gaes by Carterhaugh But they leave him a wad, Either their rings, or green mantles, Or else their maidenhead.

Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she’s awa to Carterhaugh As fast as she can hie.

When she came to Carterhaugh Tam Lin was at the well, And there she fand his steed standing, But away was himsel.

She had na pu’d a double rose, A rose but only twa, Till upon then started young Tam Lin,S ays, Lady, thou’s pu nae mae.

Why pu’s thou the rose, Janet, And why breaks thou the wand? Or why comes thou to Carterhaugh Withoutten my command?“

Carterhaugh, it is my own, My daddy gave it me, I’ll come and gang by Carterhaugh, And ask nae leave at thee.”

Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she is to her father’s ha, As fast as she can hie.

Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the ba, And out then came the fair Janet, The flower among them a’.

Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the chess, And out then came the fair Janet, As green as onie glass.

Out then spake an auld grey knight, Lay oer the castle wa, And says, Alas, fair Janet, for thee, But we’ll be blamed a’.“

Haud your tongue, ye auld fac’d knight, Some ill death may ye die! Father my bairn on whom I will, I’ll father none on thee.”

Out then spak her father dear, And he spak meek and mild, “And ever alas, sweet Janet,” he says, “I think thou gaest wi child.”

“If that I gae wi child, father, Mysel maun bear the blame, There’s neer a laird about your ha, Shall get the bairn’s name.

“If my love were an earthly knight, As he’s an elfin grey, I wad na gie my ain true-love For nae lord that ye hae.

“The steed that my true love rides on Is lighter than the wind, Wi siller he is shod before, Wi burning gowd behind.”

Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she’s awa to Carterhaugh As fast as she can hie.

When she came to Carterhaugh, Tam Lin was at the well, And there she fand his steed standing, But away was himsel.

She had na pu’d a double rose, A rose but only twa, Till up then started young Tam Lin, Says, Lady, thou pu’s nae mae.

“Why pu’s thou the rose, Janet, Amang the groves sae green, And a’ to kill the bonny babe That we gat us between?”

“O tell me, tell me, Tam Lin,” she says, “For’s sake that died on tree, If eer ye was in holy chapel, Or christendom did see?”

“Roxbrugh he was my grandfather, Took me with him to bide And ance it fell upon a day That wae did me betide.

“And ance it fell upon a day A cauld day and a snell, When we were frae the hunting come, That frae my horse I fell, The Queen o’ Fairies she caught me, In yon green hill do dwell.

“And pleasant is the fairy land, But, an eerie tale to tell, Ay at the end of seven years, We pay a tiend to hell, I am sae fair and fu o flesh, I’m feard it be mysel.

“But the night is Halloween, lady, The morn is Hallowday, Then win me, win me, an ye will, For weel I wat ye may.

“Just at the mirk and midnight hour The fairy folk will ride, And they that wad their true-love win, At Miles Cross they maun bide.”

“But how shall I thee ken, Tam Lin, Or how my true-love know, Amang sa mony unco knights, The like I never saw?”

“O first let pass the black, lady, And syne let pass the brown, But quickly run to the milk-white steed, Pu ye his rider down.

“For I’ll ride on the milk-white steed, And ay nearest the town, Because I was an earthly knight They gie me that renown.

“My right hand will be gloved, lady, My left hand will be bare, Cockt up shall my bonnet be, And kaimed down shall my hair, And thae’s the takens I gie thee, Nae doubt I will be there.

“They’ll turn me in your arms, lady, Into an esk and adder, But hold me fast, and fear me not, I am your bairn’s father.

“They’ll turn me to a bear sae grim, And then a lion bold, But hold me fast, and fear me not, And ye shall love your child.

“Again they’ll turn me in your arms To a red het gand of airn, But hold me fast, and fear me not, I’ll do you nae harm.

“And last they’ll turn me in your arms Into the burning gleed, Then throw me into well water,O throw me in with speed“

And then I’ll be your ain true-love, I’ll turn a naked knight, Then cover me wi your green mantle, And hide me out o sight.”

Gloomy, gloomy was the night, And eerie was the way, As fair Jenny in her green mantle To Miles Cross she did gae.

At the mirk and midnight hour She heard the bridles sing, She was as glad at that As any earthly thing.

First she let the black pass by, And syne she let the brown, But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed, And pu’d the rider down.

Sae weel she minded what he did say, And young Tam Lin did win, Syne covered him wi her green mantle, As blythe’s a bird in spring

Out then spak the Queen o Fairies, Out of a bush o broom, “Them that has gotten young Tam Lin Has gotten a stately-groom.”

Out then spak the Queen o Fairies, And an angry woman was she, “Shame betide her ill-far’d face, And an ill death may she die, For she’s taen awa the bonniest knight In a’ my companie.

“But had I kend, Tam Lin,” said she, “What now this night I see, I wad hae taen out thy twa grey een, And put in twa een o tree.”

And speaking of wanting...

In browsing around online last week I came across a beautiful model ship for sale - it is a scale model of the tall ship that I spent three months aboard some years ago. I do not want the model itself, as I can clearly envisage the cat getting himself hog tied in the rigging. In addition, this model is of the historical vessel and not of the current one I worked on so there are a few noticable differences. I have no complaint with the model, it just isn't my ship. But what I am longing for is some advenure - to hit the high seas again (or the road for that matter)!

Just the thought of getting back aboard ship is enough to give me warm butterflies. I have found myself checking flight costs for various trips near and far. Eastern Canada? Europe? India? I have even been checking a few sail training websites for information. I don't have the money now but the age cut off for the Picton Castle is 40 so I still have time to make it!

I have been thinking to get my negatives scanned for a while so I can load pics from the south pacific trip onto the computer. Now I really want to pull out those albums! But with my whole cost concious thinking I think I will have to get the old scanner working instead. And in the meantime, I am going to have to get creative and come up with some fun adventures closer to home. There is no cure for the itchy feet except to get them wandering somewhere!

Ah, the joys of laying in a cold room while various wires and clips are draped over me to feed an image into the computer. It is that time again - the annual checkup. But since I have a new doctor this time and he has only a small idea of my health history I have been sent for more than the usual blood tests. EKG, ultrasounds, enough bloodwork to feed a small vampire and x-rays to top it all off. Overall I will be going to appointments for the next month. In the meantime I have to corner the office staff to find out what happened to my chart summary which was sent over by my previous (now retired) doctor. They claim it never arrived, I think it has been misplaced, as does my old doctor who was always meticulous about things like this. Let the fun continue...

I think a lot of people are cutting back on their spending with all the uncertainty going around. I know I certainly am. This past summer has seen me doing a little more shopping than usual for things like CD's, make up, fun stuff for costumes and crafts etc. It is so easy to just get used to being able to spend like that all the time, and as time goes on you find yourself wanting to spend more. I am a sucker for beautiful things, for good books and for 'treating myself'. Now I find myself getting a lot more critical of how I budget my money. I find myself wanting some lovely dragons to add to my collection, or a decorated wooden box to drool over. And lets not forget that fabulous skirt I found online! But then I have to stop and ask myself: Do I need this? Where would I put this? Do I honestly have a use for this?

What do I honestly need - and has that need been met? For example, I need my health so the gym membership is justified as long as I keep going regularily. I need to get the suspension checked on my car so that it remains road worthy, but since I do not yet know what that will run me the items I want - the dragons and the box - will have to stay on the store shelf. I have a use for the skirt, heaven knows I do not typically buy a lot in the way of clothing. But I have skirts in the drawer that are rarely worn as it is. For now maybe I should look to get more use out of what I alraedy have.

There is so much that we are told we need everyday, an entire industry is devoted just to getting that message across to us. But do we really need so much..?

My cat has developed a few bad habits, not the least of which is mooching for food. When he first arrived he had no interest in people food, aside from some fresh meat once in a while or a few drops of milk. However the boyfriend seems to think that this is not the behavior of a "real" cat, and he has always offered a bit of whatever he is making / eating. Over time my cat has grown more willing to eat human food and has become more pushy in getting it.

I do not have an actual 'dining table' so we typically eat at the coffee table which means food is in easy reach of eager paws and we have to be on guard most of the time. The cat has, on occasion, managed to grab something and run off with it much to the boyfriend's dismay.

This morning started no differently, the cat has developed a taste for crackers and was attempting to steal some. Since I was on the other side of the room assembling my own breakfast I was having a few good laughs at the antics as the boyfriend was simultaneously defending his food and sorting some papers. Finally I suggested a solution and I handed him my stack of fresh grapefruit peel. They were promptly arranged in a circle around the boyfriend and his food, and the cat curled his nose in disgust and backed off. He then spent the next while determinedly circling like a hungry shark looking for an opening. It was only a temporary reprieve, as the cat eventually figured out he could go over the furniture and come in from above. By then however, most of the food was gone. I guess the boyfriend is going to have to think of something else next time.

Well I have finally bit the bullet and joined a local gym. I had checked out a few in my area and lets face it, they all have the same equipment and the same 'areas' to work out in. They all have the same types of group classes ie. Pilate's, cross training, spinning etc. They all have the 'women's only' area. They all have the juice bars and they all sell the supplements. For myself the choice came down to two factors - value for dollar, and overall atmosphere. So when I walk into one gym and the place is dim and the staff are more efficient than friendly, that would be a good indicator that this is not the place for me. Add to the fact that it was the most expensive gym out of the lot and that sealed the deal. The one that I did choose came in at half the average price and the staff have all been friendly and know what they are doing - as a plus, it has nice large windows that let in a lot of light. I live in a basement suit with minimal light and I do not feel I want to work out in the same conditions. The biggest difference between this location and the others is that this one is not in a shiny new location - therefore less overhead. But the equipment is current and well looked after and the facilities are clean. Really, to me that is what is important.

Ever have one of those days where you just wish you could say whatever it is that you really think to another person? With working in retail with the public I have several of those days. I know it would upset the other person and it would impact whether or not the sale actually went through but some days - it is so darn tempting!
I had a customer who was whining about getting a discount - and I mean whining! "But what about MY price? What are you going to do for MY discount?! What was really passing through my head was the notion that the more my young nephews beg and whine for treats, the more the chances of getting such treats rapidly diminishes, and that the same principle should definitely apply in this case! I could mentally picture the shock in the customer as I told him in my best mom voice "What have I told you about constantly asking for discounts? No, you are not getting anything because you did not listen, and you have not earned the right to receive a discount."
I find the though amusing as anything, but I shall just have to enjoy it in the privacy of my head. Ah well, life goes on...

A few of us were invited out to a day on the lake not that long ago. Here it was, the end of September - beginning of October and we had just fantastic weather! The sky was clear, the water was smooth and the fall colours in splendid contrast.



I just love the complexity of the hot autumn days, alternating between cool, warm, humid, sharply dry, and the rich golden tones of the changing leaves against a blue sky.
For lunch we dropped anchor in a sheltered cove and enjoyed the picnic. Other families came by, some fishing, some just relaxing on the glassy water but there are bends in the cove that allow each group to have their own little spot. I can see how people can fall so much in love with boating. I don't know if I ever would, but I will enjoy a brief jaunt now and then.

This past weekend was my 15 yr high school reunion. It was pretty casual, the organizers just booked a section of a local restaurant / pub and people came and went as were able. Truth be told my graduating class was a large one so there were not many people that I knew but we still enjoyed ourselves. I had a great conversation with a few ladies that I did remember as we caught up with the passing of time and joked about our present lives. Hopefully we can keep in touch without having to wait until the 20 yr reunion. We could not help but notice the irony as the bar was getting ready to close, as one of the ladies pointed out: 'we used to be the quiet nerds in school, now we are the ones closing the bar!' Yep, it was a good night.

Each evening the pirates and nobles would gather at the pub to reveal the conclusion to the story - would the pirates be convicted or found innocent and released? The nights entertainment was rounded out with a selection of shanties and period songs for all to enjoy.

Lady Radar on her steed, Diego, were the tournament champions on the last day due to the other knight having to forfeit. His horse was not co-operating and he did not want to ruin the animal by forcing it to compete. After the field cleared he would work the buckskin up and down the list, so the horse knows he still has to work.

Many of the faire going public joined in the spirit of the venue by dressing up in costume. Some outfits were store bought amalgamations while some, like these two beautiful costumes, were hand made.

Once again the big draw for most people was the joust. Of course this time around the crowd was egged on by the pirates who had fun picking making up rhymes to cheer on their favorite. The King and Queen had also chosen their favorites as well.

The village saw the unexpected arrival of King James IV, King of Scotland, and his wife Queen Margaret Tudor.

This was our home of sorts for the 3 days of the faire. Welcome to Elemental Illusions! Only the one side is painted thus far but having the seperate sides allows us to open another side or back as needed (very usefull for drying things out).

My internet connection has been downright sluggish lately, and this has made the posting of pictures from the faire a challenge. This has made a number of thaings a challenge for that matter. But hopefully I will have some up by the end of the week.



And it looks like there is another high school reunion happening this coming weekend. My work schedual does conflict a bit but I think I will still be able to go. It will be interesting to see who all shows up - and whether or not I actually know them. The school I went to was not exactly small and this is not restricted to the graduating class.



Some items on my to-do list are done and crossed off so I am feeling better about things overall. I have also picked up a trial pass for a local gym and I know some physical activity will help immensly. Of course, it is hard to actually sign up for something like this when I know darn well that there will be a big price break in January for new sign ups. They are always hoping to catch everyone on their resolutions. But there are a few gyms in the area so I will try them out and see which one works best.

In the meantime lets see if I can actually post this...


Apparantly not from home...

Ever have one of those weeks where you just don't want to do anything? This has been one of those weeks for me, with a lengthy to-do list sitting on the counter no less. Truth be told I have sunk into the luxury of laying on the couch with a good book or playing laser with the cat. I just do not have much inclination to focus on much. Partially I am tired, partially I am lazy. I know it can not last for too much longer though. Tomorrow I start the next bellydancing class. I also have my non-shrinking list that needs to be attended to. Ah well...

I spent the long weekend out in BC for the second annual Renaissance Festival, this time held in Fort Langley at Alder Acres Farm. I am still working on sorting out the numerous photos and I will gradually post some of them as I get that done. But the site was good even if the weather was less than stellar (setting up in the rain is not so fun). We enjoyed the hickory smoked turkey legs, watching the joust and the falconry demos. Of course there were a few new vendors - one of whom taught me Norse wire weaving (I'll post about that later, it is very difficult to weave long strands of wire when there is a cat in the same room). It was also nice to visit with those who returned from last year. Academy Duello expanded from just a demo to adding introductory lessons in sword play. There was more entertainment for people to enjoy this year overall, hopefully that encourages more people to return next year - and bring their friends! I know I plan to go back again schedule permitting. We shall of course have to see.

I have received some new henna! This is from a different region and so it is supposed to have slightly different colour and characteristics (ie more stringy and easier to drape long thin lines than my usual Jamila). I can't wait to play with it! I'm thinking of trying some seperate, and some mixed with the jamila to see what the differences are, I know it's going to be subtle but it's still going to be fun experimenting. Plus I have a henna workshop to attend Wednesday night, so I'll be able to pick a few brains for tips and techniques! I'm like a kid at Christmas - this is going to be so much fun!

Remember the phrase "you get what you pay for"? I found myself helping at my old job for a couple of evenings this week, a picture framing shop. It never ceases to amuse me to watch people shopping in the store. They want the most beautiful, the nicest, the most classy and they think it should cost nothing.

Now I will admit that the inexpensive and the expensive can quite happily co-exist together providing - and this is the important part - that the quality is compatible. Not everything that is inexpensive is disintegrating trash, and likewise not everything that is expensive is actually worth nearly what you paid for it. But lets be honest, the reason that picture on the rack is only $20 is because there are tens of thousands of them mass produced by people who are not paid enough to care about it. They are then packed by the crate load and shipped across the country - (if not the world) by more people who really don't care much. So yes, it is only $20 but chances are there will be a scratch or a careless blob of paint or a ding somewhere to mar the surface. This does not mean you are entitled to a half price discount.

Now if you bring in a photo or a work of art to be framed you are paying for someone to care and to take the time to make sure the mats are cut perfectly, the glass has no fingerprints on the inside, there is no tiny stray lint sticking to your great great grandfather's nose etc. And in that case you are entitled (and expected) to look over every square inch to make sure it meets your expectations.

Now I have just presented two extremes but the fact is that there has to be some reasonable expectation about what you are buying. And the fact that you are paying ANY amount of money at all is not an automatic entitlement to stunning perfection.

We finally made it to Edmonton to visit and catch the dragon show - without any further automobile drama!

The show itself was allright, I would have liked to see a little more on other cultures and their ideas of dragons but cest la vie. There were several fantastic works of art on display from pantings to ceramics to textiles. Simply put this is a fun show to get the families into the museum. There is a fair bit for the kids to do and interact with and then since we're here lets check out the rest of the museum... This show is also bi-lingual so you can practice your french following a storyline throughout the hall.

We had a good visit with our friend who recently had knee surgury and helped with some stuff around around the house since he's not so nimble at the moment. We enjoyed a rousing game of Settlers of Catan along with a tasty BBQ and called it a night. All in all it was a pretty good trip last weekend.

Well the laundry is almost done and I have cooked up enough food for lunches for the next little while. I still have the house to clean but that's ok. It's amazing how much everything piles up when you have been absent for most of the week!

So I now have a car, a nice little 4 door that is reasonable on gas and in decent shape. I bought it off some friends since they have upgraded to a new Freestyle. This car is also a standard - which I haven't driven since I was working down under, say 8 years ago. We took the car out for some practice driving and suffice to say I was pretty rusty. The little dog that joined us in hopes of a nice car ride was having some serious doubts regarding my ability to drive. I can still picture the dog in the back seat with a wide eyed trembling expression - "we're all going to die!" My driving ability gradually improved however and no people or dogs were harmed in the making of this little adventure.

I also attended a family reunion this past weekend. It was held a a small rural community center a few hours drive from here. The boyfriend and I crashed in my parents 5th wheel for the event and we all had a pretty good time. The whole event was low key and not too structured. Basically if you felt like haveing a game of horseshoes or softball you went and started one, nothing other than the pot luck dinner was predetermined. The dinner itself was excellent with a good variety of dishes to choose from, a nice change from bland pot lucks of the past. I enjoyed hanging out with the cousins and meeting new people from other branches of the family. By the sounds of things, so did everyone else so plans are in the works for a repeat performance next year. We shall see what happens.

After the reunion the boyfriend and I decided to head to Edmonton to visit friends and catch a show. Unfortunately what we ended up with was a broken down truck and then getting rear ended in a borrowed car - yay. Most of monday was spent fixing the truck and I have been seeing the chiropractor all week. Next week I get massage after Chiro and I'm looking forward to that. To be honest the crash could have been a lot worse - other than my neck being a bit off kilter I don't think there were any other injuries. For our friend's sake we hope this whole issue can be resolved quickly and as painlessly as possible.

I have lots more to blog about, but this will have to do for now. It is time to get some sleep so I can tackle the mounting insanity at work tomorrow...

My co-workers were laughing at me today. You see, the boyfriend has gone out of town for a few days so they are teasing me about taking advantage of his absence to go out and play, as per the adage.

For the past few days I have been tossing ideas around as to what I want to make, such as:

A lovely garden salad with fresh sliced cucumber, ripe tomato and avacado
(he hates most vegetables)

Pancakes stuffed with blueberries
(he's not a fan of pancakes, with or without fruit)

Tortelini with a spicy sauce
(he only likes a certain form of spice in a certain amount, and he doesn't like pasta)

Home made soups
(which invariably has some ingredient that upsets his tender digestive tract)



Scrambled eggs
(he hates eggs)

Chai tea
(tea and spices do not mix in his books)

To make a long list of possibilities short I can basically make any recipie I feel like making without having to alter or discard it all together!
Don't get me wrong, I will occasionally make these things regardless of what he thinks, but the fact is that while he is away I can enjoy these yummy foods, without the grumbling, hissing, comments and occasionally stalking off to the other room. I can enjoy the taste in peace.

To top it off, once I am done cooking and enjoying my dinner I can clean up the kitchen and the dishes without worrying about waking him up (since the bedroom is right next to the kitchen - talk about poor design!).

We are entitled to our own
definitions of the world
we have in common

earth house (stay)
water well (carry)
fire stove (tend)
air song (sigh)
ether dream (die)

and try out new combinations
with key words
unlocking power

house on fire sing!
stove under water stay,
earth filled well die.

The spells and spellings
of our vocabularies
are oracular
in translation.

One woman in Pagnito-an
another in Solentiname
still another in Harxheim
naming
half the world together

can move their earth
must house their fire
be water to their song
will their dreams well.

Not long ago I finished reading my latest purchase, "The Dubious Hills" by Pamela Dean. It is an interesting story about a society that has been created by a series of wizard spells. These spells were put in place to avert war and suffering and as a result various types of knowlege and experience are strictly parceled out. These gifts of insight and magical birthright come at the onset of puberty, so only the Physici knows about, and can experience pain, only the Gnosi knows how to teach, only a certain individual can know what is truly beautiful or ugly etc. As an example, when a child falls out of a tree and breaks their arm they do not feel the pain, only the Physici feels the pain.

Into this society comes questions in the form of shape shifters who live beyond the hills. These wolves are not bound by the spells laid on the Dubious hills and have the power to bring others out of those spells into a world of direct experience and learning, into a world with pain and strife as well as beauty.

Given the world we have grown up in I think it may be difficult to imagine a world so different. But if you could... if you were given a choice between these two worlds, what would you choose? And if someone else was trying to make that choice for you, how would you react?

Yes, I finally bit the bullet and took the cat in for his teeth cleaning. Of course, not being able to have breakfast (I'm HUNGRY!!!), and then getting stuffed in the carrier (you know, it's hard for me to be comfy when this box is bouncing against your leg), to then being strapped in the backseat of the truck (Hey! Truck rides are NOT COOL! Let me out! NOW! Please?!) meant that the cat was not going to have a good day.

Although really, he gets knocked out while the staff work on him. He wakes up dopey from antibiotics and pain killers in a nice fuzzy heated bed with a nice volunteer ready to cuddle him so how bad can it be? Of course, given that this is my cat we are talking about here, naturally the cleaning did not go all smooth and wonderful. He had lesions in his two back molars so they had to come out. That set me back an extra 400 bucks for a grand total of $1,065. Sigh...

Don't get me wrong, my cat is worth the cost of looking after him. I'm just hoping to get a better average one of these days, after all, half of his vet visits thus far have cost $1000 each. I would be much happier (and so would the furball) if we could make that say, one in five.

But on a cute note, I do get the last laugh when the cat makes a heroic leap up his scratching post, only to slide back down on his butt - with a very startled look in his eyes! All thanks to the vet kindly trimming his claws, so until they grow back traction is a bit of an issue.

Another year has passed and another visit to the vet to get the furball's shots and checkup. At least this time around I was not the person to actually take the cat in so it's my turn to be the good guy for once. My cat starts stressing as soon as you place him in the car and there is a long, loud and agonizing song to keep you wide awake at the wheel the entire way. I still think it would be fascinating to have a star trek inspired universal translator to actually let me know what he is really saying during all of this. Ok, maybe the trip to the vet I can skip but those other days when I walk in the door to be greeted by a variety of inflections and nuances as we have our conversation would be too interesting to pass up.

But back to the checkup, alas, my cat needs to have his teeth cleaned. The estimate came in around $600 in total plus taxes. Of course that is assuming everything goes quickly and smoothly - which in the case of my little lion, no guarantees. But this has led me to checking out various sites for Pet Insurance, as recommended by the vet.

After reading the different policies and getting quotes I have come to the conclusion that the insurance really isn't going to help much for the teeth cleaning. Most plans do not cover it and the ones that do find me paying close to $400 per year (after deductible) for about $400 worth of teeth cleaning. Yippee. I might as well pay that straight to the vet. There are plans with more coverage but I have a budget to stick to. Of course, where you do get the benefit is precisely where you hope to never have to use it - for accidents and illnesses. My previous cat spent a fair amount of time in the vet's office as he aged so I do see the value there. Not to mention this feline's encounter with a sewing needle - that was a nasty surprise! But it will still take some debating on my part as I mull over the different plans and work out just what I want to do (and what I can afford to do).

When I am going to sit down and apply some henna I usually flip through some pattern books and get an idea of what I would like. Then I use that as a starting point and go off on a tangent from there. In this case the starting point was for a finger design I found in a book called Henna from Head to Toe.

Changing blog templates is not unlike flirting with a new hairstyle some days. I have been itching to shake things up lately and this template is one of the few that catches my eye. I give you fair warning I will be playing with it in the days to come, making small adjustments until I am happy with it. Feel free to toss any comments my way!

It has been a late night. Together with family we went to a local carnival and movie in the park event, which was hosted by the parents association of the local school. The little ones had a blast in the various bouncers and pretty much wore themselves out. Naturally the outdoor movie screen is not that good for viewing in daylight, and the fact that this is pretty close to one of the longest days of the year, this meant that a late night was had by all. No one fell asleep durring the movie anyway - I think the loud volumn was a deterent in that regard. But everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and even the kids could shake off the tired grumps long enough to giggle at the sillines of the movie characters on the way home.

I was going to open this post with some fantastically witty remark about how time flies when you're having fun / crazy busy etc. Then I realised it would sound pretty much like any other long delayed posting attempting a witty opening. To be honest my head isn't quite on straight so I'll change tactics while I'm not too far behind. Last night was not the best night for sleep so if I ramble or change thoughts mid stream you understand why.

After what has seemed like weeks of west coast type weather the sun has finally come out! And I look semi lobsterish already, such a lovely start to the season. Some family and I went for a long rambling bike ride on the weekend - hense the rosy hue and mozzie bites on my part. (As near as I can tell I was the only one afflicted with this). What really suprises me in this highly populated town is the lack of other people out doing the same. The paths were not totaly bare. We came across other people walking their dogs or riding their bikes but for the most part it was pretty quiet. The picnic areas were nearly deserted. So is everyone making a mad dash out of town after theses soggy weeks? Or are they indoors blissfully unaware as they attempt to master the next level on their x-box? Hmm... I'm thinking xbox probably doesn't have a hyphen which goes to show just how out of touch I am with the gaming industry in general. I expect the general exodus that comes at the start of June every year when we get flooded with tourists and visitors.

At least I can enjoy the paths and the parks without getting run over. And I will probably be doing that a lot more as the season progresses.

To say I have been busy is an understatement. I have been going in early to work, and both the boyfriend and myself have been fighting a persistant cold. It's not as bad as it was thankfully but it is lingering - never a good sign. We have recently celebrated Mother's Day with extended family up north. My Dad had his birthday and his retirement party. There have been a few birthdays to enjoy. My dance class of course continues (which reminds me, I still need to enroll in the next session) and I am debating whether to move on to level two, or retake level one and really solidify the moves I have been learning. I have been working on and off on my dance costume which has required me to stretch my meager sewing skills immensly. I have been playing with more henna. The other night my girlfriend and I took turns doodling on eachother. She has the pictures so I may post them whenever she sends me copies. Life continues, spending time with friends, family, housework and cooking. Perhaps this weekend I will scrounge some time to sit down and put together some posts. But in the meantime, I haven't fallen off the planet.

Yes I have been playing with henna again. Actually this was from last week but things have been crazy busy so I'm only getting around to posting it now. Initially the stain was really pale but eventually it made a nice brown - no pictures of the after I'm afraid. That will have to wait untill the next time.

Yes, I have been playing with the borrowed scanner! This is a little painting of my feline friend done in acrylics a couple months ago.

I have been getting a range of reactions from people when I tell them I am learning belly dance. These reactions range from the very positive (that is so cool and great exercise, have fun!!) to ambivalent (that's nice.) to the very unsure (um... OK.. isn't that like... stripping, or something? Isn't that all sexual and women performing for men..?) OK I haven't been been asked those questions outright but the significant pause in conversation and the frantic look in their eyes as they struggle to find something nice to say pretty much gets the point across.

Belly dancing originated in the middle eastern countries, and while there is a fair amount of speculation regarding its origins, all the sources I have gone through indicate that folk dance is the main inspiration. For some this dance would have been public at various festivities, remembering of course that they would be dancing in regular everyday clothes - not the costume made popular in mass media. Both men and women could perform these dances. For others this was a form of entertainment for women to perform with other women. In many areas of the middle east it would have been inappropriate for a woman to be entertained by male dancers. Several sources indicate some moves in belly dancing provided a way to express the contractions and muscle spasms of giving birth, which again would go back to the folklore roots.

Much of the confusion steps in when belly dancing gets introduced to North America. Firstly there has been a huge amount of romanticising "the Orient" in popular culture which has resulted in a very skewed concept of the traditions, people and dress. Would Hollywood have made as much money on the movies if they were accurate? I doubt it. Secondly this form of dancing was introduced in the late 1800's - can you picture an audience with Victorian sensibilities watching belly dancers (who did not wear corsets - gasp!)? There was a lot of cultural misunderstanding about what the dance actually represented and the imitations in the burlesque halls and carnivals did nothing to help the situation. It was considered an erotic dance, and that view has persisted to this day. Admitably there are some dancers that have helped perpetuate this idea, while other dancers try to overcome the stigma. In the meantime I think most would agree that the moves have changed and evolved into something beyond the village folk dance traditions.

Belly dancing has become more popular in recent years. For one thing it is a very good work out which focuses on the body core strength as well as leg strength. Many of the moves focus on isolating specific muscle groups in specific movements which takes a lot of patience and control to do well. Then go ahead and layer these moves together in a routine and you have a demanding cardio workout, now who says that is not good for your health? But I have found another very important factor for many women in chooseing to learn this art form, you do not have to be that ideal athletic shape that so few women can safely and practically achieve. This is an art and an activity that actively welcomes women of all shapes and sizes.

We are bombarded daily in popular media, to loose weight, change our hair colour, get botox treatments and plastic surgury. We are told that we are not beautiful unless we buy this product and wear that fashion. We are told over and over that our bodies are not good enough, and by extension we are not good enough. We have been told growing up that areas of our bodies must remain still and remain covered and are somehow shameful. I am not just talking about breasts or hips, how many women do you know who would rather hide stretch marks or a soft belly? These areas are given prominence in the movements of the dance in a way that is not lewd or overly sexual but shows strength and gracefulness. And I for one think there is real value in that. Belly dancing for many women is about comming to terms with our own bodies as something that is beautiful and worthwhile.

Isn't it about time?

The past week has been busy to say the least both at work and in my personal life. Work wise there really isn't anything new. We had our annual open house which, due to the short notice and relative lack of advertising, went over fairly quiet compared to last year. It still required some extra hours on everybody's part to pull together but that is to be expected. Our neighbors went all out with the pancake breakfast and the radio spots. They had a decent turnout and we basically took advantage of the traffic. Last year it went the other way, we did all the promoting and they enjoyed the increased traffic. So all is fair in retail sales, in reality our relations with the people next door are pretty good so there are no hard feelings over it. Otherwise we are experiencing our usual spring increase in activity.

I have enrolled in a belly dancing class! I get to shimmy and twist and quite frankly my abs will never be the same! Neither will my knees for that matter, I think I better do some extra exercises to strengthen them for the dancing to come. To make things even better some friends are also enrolled so we get some fun girl time on the side. We picked up hip scarves this week so we get to jingle as we move. After the last class one of my girlfriends and I decided to hang out with a massive birthday cake and season one of Heroes - not a bad way to enjoy the evening. I also discovered the sound of the hip scarf scared the daylights out of my cat, he was fluffed out about twice his size when I first walked in the room.

Yes, my birthday was this past week. This year I have had some issues with coming up with ideas for presents. Not that I am usually on the ball with that sort of stuff, to be honest I can say I have learned that quirk from my parents. They are just as difficult as I am.

Anyways, for this year my Mom and I agreed that my present would be a lovely dinner. I picked Rouge, a local restaurant serving a homegrown spin on french cuisine. To start with the building is an historic house near the river. It has been well maintained and the interior decor is intimate and welcoming. I chose the Seared Foie Gras with Sautéed Pear Soufflé, Sunflower Seed Butter and Maple Gelée for the appetizer. The combined flavors were excellent! And the seed butter added just the right amount of crunch to the overall texture. It was an interesting contrast with the style of fois gras I tasted in France. This was the whole duck liver, as opposed to the almost pate style served on fresh bread. My parents enjoyed a lovely crab and salmon cake for their start. For the main course: my boyfriend chose the Lamb Loin with Catalan Vegetables & Truffled Potato Purée; my Mom went with the Coriander Seared Prawns with Oven Fired Bell Pepper Polenta and Butternut Squash Coulis; my Dad and I chose the Ostrich medallions a top Rosti & Marjoram Crème Fraiche. The portions were not overwhelming and the presentation was well done. The ostrich was cooked medium rare and we both found it to be tender with a pleasant flavour. Mom very much enjoyed the prawns - coriander does have a bit of a bite to it - although she's not 100% sold on the Polenta. But it's all about trying something new for us when we do this so it's still enjoyable regardless. For the final round - dessert - I was in luck, they make everything from scratch so for once I can get a definative answer as to what is safe to eat. (translation: what does NOT have nuts). While the others indulged in Fallen Chocolate Soufflé and Lemon Meringue Crème brûlée, I enjoyed warm Ginger Cake with homemade Coconut Icecream and Orange Sauce. The kitchen staff even piped Happy Birthday in chocolate around the edge of the plate! We relaxed with some tea / coffee to finish off what was an absolutely wonderful meal. I would definately go back to this restaurant again, especially once the garden is grown in...

Saturday was the open house so I worked. The original plan was that a small group of friends would head out to play pool that night. But the week of extra early days and late nights was catching up with me and a few others. The general concensus was that a short nap was in order prior to heading out. What actually happened was that most of the people did not wake up from that nap (myself included) until it was really too late to go out. My girlfriend and I had a good laugh about it today, we're calling a raincheck and we shall try again another day. She says it's a clear sign we are getting old. Since I really don't feel "old" I just chalk it up to being short on sleep and leave it at that.

It is always a good day when I can work on some art. In this case I created a small series of art cards with gargoyles, two of which I have posted already. They are for an exchange in which the theme was "Dark Art", and seeing the vampires and other gothic images thus far posted for the swap, I figured some snarky gargoyles are just the thing to compliment it.

I have also played with pulling some prints off of a relief cut. I'm not planning to show it since it was for experimenting but it has helped to further understand the materials. I think my next experiment will be something to show. Just have to push the boundaries, right?

My boyfriend has borrowed a scanner from his friend - yet another piece of equipment I don't have a place for. Right now it is balanced on top of the printer and I have no idea where I am going to find a home for it. It can't stay on the printer since one wrong step from the cat will send it crashing to the floor and I really don't want to owe someone a scanner.

The adventure continues...

You can insert the name of whatever major cold and flu fighting drugs you prefer. The title is from a radio ad I have heard somewhat regularily but the actual name of the drug escapes me right now.

I am home sick today. It is my firm belief that most of those drugs available simply mask symptoms as opposed to actually fighting the bug in your system so for the most part I avoid them if I can. This is for two reasons: a) I build up a tolerance to the drug in no time leaving it less effective and b) I really hate the side effects like dry mouth and a mental fog. A good dose of rest, liquids and vitamin C work better for me in the long run. I will be back to work tomorrow, feeling much better (and working more effectively).

If it is just a case of the sniffles so be it. I'll still go into work. But sometimes it is worse than that, as my boss pointed out "when you get sick - you REALLY get sick!"

Back to the commercial...

In the ad a womans voice lists all the things she does not do when she is sick.
I don't mope.
I don't wear fuzzy slippers.
I don't ask people to get the remote for me.
etc.
But I do take _________ !

Essentially the ad is saying take this drug and you can still go about your high speed life. If you choose not to do this you are a wimp and we all look down on you.

Go for it Superwoman / Superman! I just have one thing to say...

I do believe that masking the symptoms so you can run down your body when you are legitimately sick and increasing the chance of passing it on to your co-workers is a very stupid thing to do.

It seems this just isn't my time for dealing with institutions. I will not pretend to know the answers regarding why, but I do know that I am always puzzled by the convoluted ways things are handled.

I took some classes last year, and since those classes were with an accredited educational institution I am entitled to claim my tuition expenses as a tax credit. I am also entitled to what is known as an educational amount credit. This is a flat rate per month that you are enrolled and varies with whether you are a part or full time student. Of course, in my case my classes were technically "online" since my working hours prevented me from actually making it to the classroom. So because they are "online" I get the absolute barest amount for the educational credit - never mind that I had to spend the same as the in-class students on software etc. So I grumble about it and move on. But the real kicker this year is that I have still not received my tax form for my tuition credit. The schools are required to mail them out by the end of February and it is now April. I have received multiple "Unofficial Transcripts" showing my top of the class marks so yes, they *do* have my address. I have spoken with the school office and they say they will mail another. So I'll give it until Friday and then if it's not here I will call again. I really do not want to have to take time off work to go deal with this down town but if I have to that next week I will. Sigh...

Next up... The bank I deal with has decided to phase out both accounts that I use - claiming that less people are using these types of account and therefore they do not serve the client effectively. Since I have not changed my accounts since high school I can honestly say they serve me just fine thank you very much. So if I left it up to the bank, they would automatically convert my old accounts into new accounts with *double* the user fees. Nice. Now if I told all my customers that prices for services are doubling "just because" they would all tell me where to go in a very graphic manner. But when I phoned in this afternoon we managed to find an account that is pretty close to what I am currently paying in fees. As long as I watch my transactions I should be ok. At least the actual account numbers are not changing so I don't have to worry about the automatic payments that go through each month, that was my biggest concern.

And finally... Think back to our lovely trip to France. We had the full french experience - including transportation services going on strike. The long and the short, one of our flights was cancelled. When I attempted to get a refund for the lost flight, every "customer service"agent was completely unable to help in any way. When I followed the directions on the airlines website on getting my refund, they directed me to an 800 number and the lovely lady on the other end of the phone said: "Why are you phoning me? I cannot help you." I was given multiple addresses to send a letter to, but when I have had this much misdirection already do I really want to trust that? So finally I was frustrated enough I phoned my credit card company. I supplied all the flight numbers, dates etc. I was told I would see my credit in about 3 weeks. So far so good. My refund never showed up. I phoned again and was told there was no record of me phoning at all. So I started all over and gave this person all the details. There were two charges on my card but I only needed ONE reversed. Weeks later they reversed BOTH. Sigh... Not long after I have a letter in the mail from the credit card company stating that the airline is requesting payment for the other charge - the one that was NOT supposed to be reversed. The letter states: If you wish to dispute this charge please fax all supporting documents to blah blah blah. Since they are asking for payment for a service that I received I am perfectly ok with that and I did not dispute it. Now I see BOTH charges have been re-applied to my credit card! Of course, the gentleman on the phone with said card company acts like all of this is my fault.

When I specifically request ONE charge to be reversed and you the company reverse TWO charges - how is that my fault!? When the airline requests the ONE charge that it is entitled to and you submit TWO charges - how is that my fault?!

I have faxed in a letter along with copies of emails, letters, documents etc. I then phoned in and asked them to put a note on my file stating the fax had been sent. It looks like I will still be chasing this for a while. As I stated in my letter, this really is a simple matter that should have been taken care of last year.

*Update:
After phoning the school for my tax form, I received three forms over three days. Go figure. At least they all said the same amounts.

The credit card company has opted to 'reopen' my dispute in light of the information I faxed in. They say it will take 30 - 60 days to resolve. I say I will probably have to phone them every week to make sure they do it right. The fun never stops!

The boyfriend and I made the trip out to the family farm for Easter. While there is still a fair bit of snow on the ground the weather still was not too bad. Yes the wind was cold but hey - I'm outside in the sunshine so life is good! A trip to the farm is never complete without a barn cat or two trying to stand on your shoulder (or head), getting the dog's frizzbee stuck in a tree or on a roof, and getting bawled at by some cows. And mud - semifrozen mud everywhere.

Unfortunately not everyone was feeling so great (a bout of flu) and on top of that, two family members are nurses who were stuck with the night shifts at the hospital. This puts a damper on things but what can you do? We still tried to make it a good visit regardless and we even managed to visit some more family in the city on Saturday. Overall, it was pleasant, here's hoping everybody feels better soon!

The first day of spring has arrived, Easter is right around the corner and the skies are clear and sunny. Maybe we can start to feel like winter is finally leaving us for another year. Not to sound like a pessimist but I will not be suprised to see one more big snow dump before the end of May but cest la vie. It will melt away fast enough. Most of the spring cleaning is done so I am satisfied. A few small improvement have been made around the house here and there. I now have some coat hooks by the door and a door on the spice cupboard - horaay! I don't think it is any secret, I'm in a mood to get my nest all in order.

I'm not alone in that feeling, some co-workers are seriously looking at buying houses. But they make a lot more than I do so they *can* consider that luxury. I really wish I could too, but on my wages alone I would never qualify for a mortgage in this town. I was playing with a couple online calculators on bank websites. According to those I qualify for a house worth 50-60 thousand dollars. A small condo starts at around 4 times that and a starter home in this city starts at 5 times that amount. Even with my boyfriend's income thrown in it would be tight. I think it could be doable, but since he is not interested it will not happen. Period. I don't need anything huge or fancy. I grew up in a small house and I've been living in small basement suites for the past several years. But at least I would be working on something to keep as opposed to paying someone else's mortgage and being completely at their mercy. I'm also getting tired of living underground. I need some light. I need some life.

Tuesday nights are my nights with out with one of my girlfriends. We chose to schedual a regular night every week to get together and hang out because otherwise our crazy lives would have us running off doing other things. Next thing you know, 6 months has passed and we haven't even spoken to each other. We still occasionally arrange something on other days but for the most part, tuesdays have become our 'hang time'.

Yesterday I went to her place, food in hand (because of detox) and discovered her latest addiction - Guitar Hero 3. A friend of hers brought over the playstation and controller so the evening was spent taking turns navigating our little band towards greatness. Actually, they navigated, I occasionally detoured off the map. You can tell they have put in a few hours of practicing! But they cheered me on as I gradually missed fewer notes and managed to complete 3 whole songs (all in 1st level). They tackled the more difficult songs and we all had a laugh at the character options for costumes and guitars. I enjoyed it over all. I don't see myself rushing out to buy a copy, so I guess you could say the addiction hasn't taken hold. But when some other friends come to town (bringing their guitar hero games) I won't say no if they offer a chance to play.

Today has been a good day. I was aiming to get the bedroom and the kitchen done today for part one of my spring cleaning.
The bedroom has been dusted, walls spot washed, floor vacuumed (behind the dressers and under the bed), laundry finished and all that is left is to change the artwork hanging on the wall. All that is left of the kitchen is to wipe down the top cupboards and wash the floor. We put the door on the spice cupboard and pulled the fridge out to clean the back and underside. The oven was pulled out only a couple months ago so that's fine. I still have to clean the oven itself but that can wait until a nice warm day when I can open all the windows in the house. There is finally a decent towel rack in the washroom, it's not in the ideal place but when we're trying to anchor in the wall studs we have to take what we can get. Otherwise everything else has been swpet and vacuumed.
I even managed a walk out in the sunshine this afternoon and enjoyed a good chat with a long distance friend. All in all I am feeling pretty good about it all.

Time flies when you're working like crazy and generally enjoying yourself. It still passes when you're not that impressed with the world overall whether you like it or not. I think I can honestly say I spend most of my time in the first part, which is a good thing to my mind. But like a startled cat I do occasionally blink and notice that all of a sudden I'm not in the previous year / season / time of day etc. And sometimes I am watching it pass by closely, thinking about what may lie in store ahead.
The past couple of years have felt largly stagnant to me and so for the past while I have been working to change that. Physically I am moving a bit more. Artistically I am creating a bit more. I am working to get that momentum going and gathering steam, with the vague idea that one day my life will be in better balance than it is now. I also have other issues to contend with, revolving largely around the big question of "what do I want to do with my life?"
In short, I'm restless and I need to shake things up.

There have not been many reactions to my decorated hands in the past week.

One comment at work came from my boss. He asked if these were real tattoos, when I explained what they are he seemed to accept that and nothing more was said. Mind you the guys at work have all accepted that I'm a bit 'weird' so I guess in a way this is just another manifestation of what they already expect.

Another guy asked if I had eaten out at an Indian restaurant, and if there were any meanings to the designs. (we picked the designs because they were pretty, not for any meaning)

One friend has teased me about being a "tattooed freak". I recognize that she is teasing, so it doesn't bother me.

My friend upstairs had to see the designs and complimented me - as well as my other friend who made the design.

In the past I have experienced a variety of reactions ranging from surprise and honest appreciation to outright disdain and negativity. Most people do not say anything at all but it always surprises me when they do. Henna is not traditionally a part of my cultural background so I can accept a certain amount of surprise or hesitancy. For those who question my use of henna in a negative way I have a very simple argument in return.

a) It is an activity that makes us sit down and relax. Think about that for a moment.

b) Henna is temporary, the designs WILL fade away.

Winter's grip is begining to thaw as we enter March and I am once again doing my annual spring detox.

I started on Sunday so for the remaining 10 days I am staying away from processed foods, flour, dairy and sugar. My boyfriend would like to interject that this includes no wine or booze as well. For those who do not know, the detox I undertake lasts for 12 days and the intention is to give my body a break from all the artificial food colourings, flavourings, preservatives and chemicals etc that are common in processed food. I have been doing this for a few years now and I can honestly say that the results are worth the hassle. It is not always easy (since I love good food) but in the end I feel better physically and mentally.

What I can eat can be basically listed as follows:
Whole grains
Vegetables
Domestic Fruit (the tropical fruits have too much sugar for this)
Meat and Eggs
Fish

Thanks to my ample spice cabinet I can enjoy flavourful curries, homemade soups, stirfries and roasted / baked meats and fish. It really is not as bare and desolate as some people think. Mind you eating out is pretty much kaiboshed but so be it, my wallet can breath a little easier for it.

I just heard a reminder on the radio that this comming sunday is once again time to adjust our clocks - yet another sign that spring is getting closer. I am starting to make a list of what needs to be done for spring cleaning. Unfortunately it really didn't happen last year so the house definately needs it now. Time to sweep and scrub and get some fresh air moving through the house.

It has been a long time since I played with henna but this weekend I decided to break it out and have some fun with it. I also decided to try a different approach than previous times - can you believe I used to draw my designs with a toothpick? Some of those designs were pretty darn elaborate too which meant HOURS were spent fiddling with them. This time I have taken a few cues from the lovely people over at The Henna Page so I'm pretty excited, I shouldn't have to worry about the paste evaporating before I'm done!
Of course, the paste has been brewing (so to speak) for the past day under a lamp so walking into the house after going out shopping is to be greeted with a wonderful warm earthy smell. Henna is a plant so it's not too far off the smell of cut grass. Sort of. It hasn't driven the cat out of the room so I'm sure he doesn't think it's too bad.

I realized I haven't posted a dragon picture in a while so I figured I should rectify that. This was done for an ATC swap last year.

Since Sunday was so lovely weather wise I hauled the boyfriend off the couch to go check out some art.

At the Glenbow Museum was a painting by Peter Paul Rubens - The Fruit Dance. It is now on long term loan from an annonymous donor. The museum put together a short term display of Baroque sculptures, period furniture and other works of art past and present with The Fruit Dance for a lavish Valentines display. Sad to say it came down yesterday but perhaps it will be brought out again at some point. None of the pemanent galleries have a corresponding theme so we'll just have to wait for an appropriate exhibit to see it again.

At Arts on Atlantic, the main show is a retrospective of sorts for the well known illustrator Charles Van Sandwyk. He has crafted a beuatifull book of original works spanning 21 years and this show is a celebration of that. Only 10 books have been made but all the artwork in each book are original prints created especially for this.



A scanned copy was out where the public could flip through. You can ask to look at the original and the gallery will provide the white gloves to prevent damage. According to a newpaper article, 3 collectors from Ontario flew out just for the opening. But the artist's work is undeniably beautifull so I really don't blame them. You can check out the images here.

It was my intention to just attack the bathroom today, and clean out the closet etc. My little place is not unlike those games where you move one car in order to move another, and another until you can get the red one out through the gate. So as room was made in one storage area, so stuff around the house moves from one spot to another. Eventually this results in a cleared off shelf for CD's or books, a cleared piece of floor so I do not trip over stuff, and an overall reduction of clutter. Not bad for a days work.

A snippet of conversation was overheard yesterday in the clothing section of a sporting goods store: (customer to staff) "Don't you have anything with logos on it? I don't want to go out in just anything..."

Wow. Fortunately I contained my laughter until I was outside the building. It seems to me that comfort, suitability and fit are the most important priority when shopping for clothes. Especially clothes meant for going outside and getting messy in! Am I in the minority? Do I really need to have a trademark somewhere on my person in order to be considered valid in my dealings with the rest of the world? Or is it more an outlett to flaunt ourselves and our perseption of wealth (hey, I make $X a year, so I must wear brand X)? I didn't get it back in high school, but then my family didn't have the money for the latest fads and fashions. I certainly believe in going for quality but I won't loose sleep over it if people I pass on the trail don't know what store I bought my gear from. Such is life, but I will laugh and shake my head at the craziness of it all.

Last night I had dinner with a good friend. For whatever reason he was craving white wine to go with dinner, and finding his usual favorite out of stock at the liquor store, he opted to try something new. I'm all for trying something different or new. But as he showed me the bottle of choice, faint alarm bells were ringing out from a hazy memory that I couldn't quite place. I had never tried greek wine before, but as I read the label - and specifically the word 'traditional' I knew deep down this was not going to be like any other wine I have ever tried before. I just couldn't remember why I knew this would be an experience. I think I had read something about it years before when I had to come up with something Greek for a multicultural themed pot-luck.


I uncorked the bottle and inhaled. My eyebrows went straight up. This scent was comming from off the map in terms of my familiarity with wine. I grinned - this would definately be an eperience. The glassses were poured and tried. We both agreed that the wine was quite smooth and light. Pleasant, yes... but... What stopped us dead in our tracks was the taste of pine. It was not unpleasant, just shockingly different from what we were used to.


It turns out that historically, the greeks used pine resin to seal the amphora or wine jars. They did this because the jars were ceramic as opposed to impermaeble glass and the resin prevented oxygen from spoiling the wine. It also infused the wine with a pine flavour. There are some interesting anecdotes and information here.

Overall, I didn't mind it. I'm not certain that it pairs well with wasabi (we had sushi for dinner) and I think that it is more of an aquired taste. My friend tried turning it into a spritzer with the addition of soda and I will definately say that it is better in it's natural state. Pine infused wine tastes much better than pine infused water, of course that is only my opinion. He was rather gloomy at the prospect of still having one unopened bottle to contend with. But I figure it gives us a good excuse to spend an afternoon or evening with a fabulous selection of meze (a greek selection of small dishes not unlike the spanish tapas idea). Why not? Invite some friends to have a try and share the experience...

Winter is back (at least temporarily) with a bite this week. Our daytime HIGH was all of minus 29 degrees celcius. That's about minus twenty degrees farenheight, and we're not counting the wind chill yet for this one. In all reality we have been spoiled with mild winters and little snow over the past few years. I guess you could say we have become soft in our chinook riddled province. But regardless I thought I would share a few quirks this weather can bring.

The streetlight glare passing through huge billowing clouds of steam lifting off the otherwise cold river creates a gorgeous moody atmosphere the likes of which you rarely see.

It is easy enough to smell snow or rain, but clear absolutely frigid air has a unique scent all it's own. And if you don't pull that scarf over your face, you may not be smelling much of anything afterwards.

Call me weird but I have always liked the sound of the snow as I walk, whether it is squeeking and crunching benaeth my feet, or when the icy particles are rattling through the evergreens.