Prairie Dog Blog

Hello to all out in blogland. It's been a week since my last blog! Time flies when one is busy. I subbed three and a half days last week and I have two and a half this week.

On Saturday I went to the Lobster Fest with friends. It's an all-you-can-eat lobster dinner, a fundraiser for a local theatre group. It's held in the convention centre and about a couple of thousand people go. Everybody gets dressed to the nines at least, if not the tens. They give a rose to each lady there. There is a big silent auction and lots of drinking and dancing. We had to put on big bibs and use nutcrackers to crack the shells. I ate two and a half lobsters. Well, for me, that's a lot! The organizers order in 10 lobsters per person and I have heard of, but never met, one person who ate 23 lobsters! Now that's really being a hog! Of course hogs don't really eat lobsters, although I have heard they will eat almost anything. Now, where was I...oh, yeah, the Lobster Fest. It was fun. I hope to go again next year.

On Sunday I had my usual jazz dance class. As much fun as the first one. It must be early dementia setting in, but I find it hard to remember the steps when I get home, so I can't really practice. But, I am continuing to enjoy it. I was only stiff for a couple of days. AND HIP HOP starts next Tuesday. Woo Hoo! I phoned and found out there are five people registered, so they will go through with it. Zip-a-de-doo-da! I am just dancing my way through the fall.

Gary and Carolyn were planning to be home by yesterday, so I expect a blog posting soon. No one else has blogged, except my sister, Dee. You go, girl.

Gotta go. Tomorrow I have to cut the grass one last time before deep fall sets in and I have to get the Humanist Association of Manitoba newsletter out by the weekend. Peace.

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. ~ J R R Tolkien
23 Lobsters in One Sitting!

I will make this one short and, hopefully, sweet. I subbed in a very lively grade one class today. There were two and sometimes three adults in the room, so you can imagine what I mean by "lively." I'm back tomorrow. Willingly! So it's not too bad.

My yard sale was a fiasco. I had advertised it for 9 to 12 in the paper, so, even though it was drizzling, I felt obligated to put stuff out. I had hired a student to help, so she did most of the work. The drizzle changed to a steady rain and the tarps that were covering my stuff were accumulating puddles of water and I was so wet by 10:00 that I had to change my clothes. At 10:30 I gave up, packed the rest of the unsold goods into my car and my neighbour's van and took it to Value Village. They were happy to get it. I was happy to get rid of it. I still have a few boxes, but I will donate them to the Lion's Manor Rummage Sale, or as Mother calls it, the Garbage Sale. I did make about a hundred dollars, so it wasn't a total loss.

My dinner party went well. Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law for the recipe for lamb shanks. Everyone enjoyed the dinner, myself included. And a couple of bottles of Pinot Noir went down well. Here's to good food, good wine, good friends.

I started my jazz dancing class on Sunday. Wow. Two days later and I'm still sore. My calves are not used to trying to keep up with twenty-somethings. Well, I had to request one alternate step instead of the "drop to the knees and do a fan kick over your head as you turn over." I didn't think it would be too cool when I broke a wrist or a knee or my neck, which, at my age just might be a danger. Aside from the step for which I have requested a special "senior version", I am enjoying it. One of the twenty-somethings said to me as I was leaving, "It's so inspirational to see someone of your age doing jazz dancing." Right. You smug, flexible, young thing. Just wait. Some day you too will be my age. Ha. In October, HIP HOP, Woo hoo! You think I'm kidding! Nope. I really have signed up for it. Again.

Well, this was going to be short. I got carried away. I hope I don't get carried away literally from dance class.

Goodbye all. Take care, tata and PEACE.

Dance is the hidden language of the soul. ~ Martha Graham
Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. ~ H. P. Lovecraft
Grade One, Rainy Yard Sale, and All That Jazz

We live in an age of wonders! Jack has a new post on his blog and Charlene blogged again. Woo hoo. Congrats to Jack on his art shows. I wish I could be there on Saturday for the opening. I'll be thinking about you. Charlene has bats in her belfry? No, bats at her workplace. Maybe you should get one of those electrified rackets somebody had at the BBQ in Victoria. It works on mosquitoes and wasps. It might work on bats. If it doesn't kill them, it might stun them at least. Well, maybe not. Glad to hear the kids are all fine.

I had lunch today with my friend R. We taught together many moons ago. It was great to reconnect. I love having lunch with friends.

Then I went to the Forks to buy fresh spices and herbs for my gourmet lamb that I'm serving at a dinner party on Saturday. It's going to be great - my lamb stock is simmering now. Tomorrow I'll make the reduction - it takes 12-15 hours. Then I braise the lamb shanks for 4 or 5 hours. Yes, that does seem like a long time, but it is worth it. The lamb melts in your mouth. We are also having garlic potatoes and baked squash. With some wonderful pinot noir to accompany. And for dessert, chocolate gelato and my famous almond haystacks. It's going to be scrumptious.

So tomorrow and Saturday I will be very busy. I am getting my wall-to-wall cleaned tomorrow and cooking up a storm. Saturday, my yard sale and my dinner party. And Sunday Mother and I are going out for supper and I start my jazz dance class in the evening. Oh, and I have lunch with my friend, W. and three days' work next week. Whew! Busy, busy, busy. I am turning into such a social butterfly.

Must go now and move some breakables to get ready for the carpet cleaning. Ta ta and take care, all.

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~Jim Davis, "Garfield"
Age of Wonders, Art Show, Bats and Lamb

I was with Dennis here in Winnipeg when I turned 18. Yesterday, I turned 59 without him. Considering that it was my first birthday without him in 41 years, it went fairly well. This is the last year of my fifties decade. I always have more trouble with the last year of a decade than with the first. It always feels like new beginnings if it's the first year of a decade. And, of course, reaching the ripe old age of sixty next year, I'll be eligible for Canada Pension! Woo hoo!

I started the day off much like many other days with Scrabblegrams and Sudoku in the paper. My sister Dee phoned with birthday greetings. Thanks, dear. Then I went to substitute at my old school, with a stop on the way to get coffee and lunch from Tim Hortons. I love my Timmy's. I saw a t-shirt at the mall that said, "Okay, just give me my Timmy's and nobody gets hurt!"

A walk with Suzie and a meeting with a friend, B. started off the evening. When I got home there were some little treats on my doorstep from my friend, W. I ordered pizza and watched the finale of BB7 with a couple of glasses of wine. Turns out Mike Boogie won after all. He did play well, although he owes a lot to his fellow Chill Town member, Dr. Will. I phoned Charlene, the other BB fan in the family, and spoke to her for a while. She is glad to have her new job and the kids are glad to be back at school - well, glad to be back with their friends.

Margot phoned to say she had sent me a gift, but it might not arrive until the next day. Thanks to Gary and Jack for the e-cards and to my wonderful son-in-law, Joel for a very newsy e-mail. Joel has a respiratory infection. Get better soon, Sweetie.

Then I watched the movie, "Breakfast At Tiffany's." I love watching Audrey Hepburn movies. I saw BAT when it came out in 1961. I was fourteen and I wanted to be Audrey Hepburn. I was quite surprised that it was about as good as I remember it. I had forgotten that it was written by Truman Capote and directed by Blake Edwards. The only part of the movie that was dated was the character of the upstairs tenant, Mr. Yashumoto. It was such a stereotype played by Mickey Rooney!!! with huge buck teeth. Not very politically correct. I think it would have been just as funny if it had been played by a Japanese actor and played straight, not as a farce. But I guess this early Edwards predicted his later Pink Panther series with Peter Sellers who also played Inspector Clouseau very much as farce.

Anyway, it was a nice ending to the day. I had bought myself a new pen for my birthday. He bought me a cartridge pen for one of my recent birthdays. He said," A writer needs a good pen." The pen started leaking when I was in BC, so I had to throw it out. I think if he had been here, he would have bought me a new pen.

I see that Ken Kirkwood is still doing well with his medical treatments. Best wishes to Ken and Helen.

Bye for now, all. Remember to tell your loved ones how much you love them!

Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act. ~ Truman Capote
A Birthday With Audrey Hepburn

I just got back from the farmers' market in St. Norbert and I sold $180.00 worth of birdhouses! It's my best day yet. Woo hoo. It feels so good to contribute to such a good cause. The wasps weren't too bad. They just dive-bombed me about 6 or 8 times. And I bought a raft of vegetables, some corn, potatoes, squash and tomatoes. Mmmmm. The potatoes and squash are for a dinner party I'm hosting next Saturday.

Bon Voyage to Gary and Carolyn. I see by their blog that they'll be on the road for two weeks. Have a great time!

Charlene posted twice this week. Char, I hope Erika wins Big Brother 7. That Mike Boogie is such a sleaze. I am looking forward to the new series of The Amazing Race and Survivor. I'd never be able to play any of those games. I can't stand bugs and if I had to eat some of those "foods" they make the contestants eat, I'm sure I'd bring up. But I really do enjoy watching how devious and frustrated some of the contestants get.

The weather has been cooler the last few days. I guess summer really is over. This morning I woke up and found the house cold. I'll have to start turning on the furnace soon. I noticed the leaves are falling in the back yard.

This evening it's the monthly meeting of the Humanist Association of Manitoba and I'm going. Dinner and a movie! Well, a video titled, "The God Who Wasn't There." It's all about ancient mythologies.

Margot just finished a three-day weekend which I know she needed because she just came off a ten-day marathon of being in charge of the restaurant. The GM was off on holidays. I think about her and Vancouver often. Looking forward to the next trip to BC in December.

I fly to Vancouver on Dec. 12 and will stay there until Dec. 17. Then I will go to Victoria and stay at Gary and Carolyn's house until Dec. 30. Looking forward to that trip.

I have a day of subbing on Tuesday, Sept. 12. at the Island, my old school. I am really looking forward to it.

Well, got to take my adopted canine daughter out for a walk and start banding those trees. Those cankerworms are already out for the fall.


The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Fresh Veggies, BB7, Mythology and Cankerworms

Well, I see from the Ouseys Up North that Charlene has a new job. Congratulations! You go, girl. Yes, it's nice the children are back at school. I'm not yet, though. I do have four days of substituting lined up so far, but the first one isn't until September 21.

How are you liking Big Brother 7 these days? I was so happy to see the girls finally got together, compared notes, realized they were being scammed and got rid of Dr. Will, the Chilltown leader. Mike Boogie looks so worried now!

I talked to my darling daughter for a long time this evening. It always makes me happy to talk to her. You made my day, darling daughter! Can't wait to be back in Vancouver again.

I got the stuff to band my trees today. Feelthy leetle cankerworms. I'll get you. So tomorrow I'll be slathering on the Tanglefoot. Gotta look after those trees. And my poor little dwarf cranberry shrubs. Those little green monsters munched off all the leaves. Surprisingly, the shrubs recovered.

My Dad has been diagnosed officially with dementia, so now he will have to stay in the hospital until a permanent placement can be found for him. There is a long waiting list for the veterans' care home, Ridgewood, so it's anybody's guess how long it will take. In the meantime, he is being well looked after and is safe.

The little canine princess is sleeping on the floor beside me. She is twitching and giving little yelps while she sleeps. I wonder if she is chasing squirrels?

Tomorrow I go to lunch with my friends, D. and D. and in the evening I have a humanist executive dinner meeting. On Saturday I'm at the St. Norbert Market to sell birdhouses. I hope the wasps have died down by then, or at least that our stall isn't right beside someone selling food or sweet drinks.

Gary, isn't it time you blogged again? Just asking.

Well, it's goodbye from me and it's goodbye from Suzie. She woke up, turned over and went back to sleep. It's a dog's life.

Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement. ~ Charles M. Shultz
Dislexic Atheist: Doesn't Believe in Dog

Crikey! Poor Steve Irwin was speared by a manta ray and died. The Aussie Crocodile Hunter was always courting danger. Dianja, dianja! He should have taken his own advice. Dennis always said he would meet a nasty end. I do sympathize with his wife and two children, though.

Well, here it is the beginning of September. It is still warm and dry. I don't think we had more than a couple of sprinkles of rain the whole month of August.

On Friday Mother and I went to a Lequier BBQ. It was fun to see all the relatives again. Dennis and Leona sponsored it and it was held at Brian and Tina's near Portage La Prairie. Mother said she knew the way, so I didn't consult a map. Of course we got lost. I guess the landmarks have changed in fifteen years. But, after consulting with a denizen of one of the small towns that dot Manitoba we found the place. A good time was had by all. Bryan Metcalfe is running in a marathon in support of Canadian Diabetes in Dublin, Ireland. Go, Bryan! I had a long talk with Marcie's husband, Rob. He teaches high school science subjects. Lorne was there looking better than he has a right to. He doesn't take very good care of himself. Doreen said she wasn't going, and then made a grand entrance after everyone else had arrived. Fun, fun, fun.

More fun on Saturday. I went to Pat and Paul's for dinner. It was a combined effort. I brought meatballs as the appy and we had ribs for the main course. The dessert was home-made apple pie from the apples in the Bertrands' back yard. I don't mean to brag, but I feel the Little Penguin Cab. Sauv. I brought was the best bottle of wine there. That bottle emptied first - need I say more? Then we played Trivial Pursuit. It was enjoyable, but I missed his sense of humour. He would always make jokes and tease everyone there. He could think up a funny wrong answer to a question faster than anyone.

Yesterday, I took Mother for a drive in the country and then we went to her favourite restaurant, Smitty's! Not exactly high cuisine, but, she likes it. She took a look at my new bathroom and said, "Nice." Well, don't get too enthused. She said she would wait until Gary and Carolyn arrive in October to take me for dinner to celebrate my birthday. I'm glad because it will be more fun with them here. Yes, this year it's the big five-nine, the end of a decade.

There is also more news in the continuing saga of Mr. G. D. Comeau (yes, those really are his initials - it's not a swear). His case worker found him a boarding house and after he was there a couple of days, the boarding house owners phoned him to say that Mr. Comeau was wandering and they were afraid he'd not be safe. They said they could not look after him, he needs more care. Well, DUUUUUHHHHHH! How long have I been saying that? So he was taken to hospital. He's been in the Saint John Regional Hospital since Wednesday and the tentative diagnosis is dementia. Halleluja! I've spoken to his nurses a couple of times and they are going to have a consult with a geriatrics specialist and a psychiatrist this week. They are also treating him for a bladder infection. I told them he would get up and walk out if they didn't watch him and guess what! He did! Even though they had a sitter, she had too many patients to watch and he slipped out of the hospital. They found him wandering a few streets away and now they've put an alarm bracelet on him, so I hope he doesn't get away again. Anyway, it sounds as if they really do believe, finally, that he needs full time care.

Time to take the canine princess for a walk. She does love her walks. Bye, bye all. Enjoy the Labour Day Holiday!

If two mouses are mice and two louses are lice, why aren't two houses hice?
Crikey, Lequier BBQ, A Little Penguin Getting Alarmed!