Loved Ones Leaving

So lovely:


and a choir version, quite nice:


*****

And then this one that rips your heart right out:

Fancy Edibles

There is no child in the world who would not be captivated by this teddy bear in a blanket -- on her plate.

Go to fancyedibles.com to see more creative ideas for making kids love their food. 

Engenes

There will be no suppers in the fields tonight, methinks.
The rain started pounding on the roof while I was at my desk at work yesterday afternoon, and when Alison and I stepped outside after locking up, it was a gorgeous warm dark evening, glistening with wet pools and shiny pavement.
She had a sheaf of papers an inch thick after printing off the photos taken on her cruise, and we went over to our favourite café to have supper and look through them.

My sister Karen is on the far right next to her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren.  Thanks for the pic, Michelle!

I arrived home to unlit windows and a message on the phone from Scott to tell me he was staying in Calgary one more night. After shucking my clothes and putting on some pyjamas, I watched the tail end of Coronation Street and then turned off the TV and read the Engene family history book till midnight. To think of how many grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great grandparents we all have, back to infinity! And how many of them were cousins who married each other! Well ... people didn't travel and move around then like we do now. My ancestors on Grandpa Emil's side were farmers in Norway and most people they knew were neighbours and family in their own vicinity.

I've read this particular book before, but still found things I'd forgotten or maybe missed the first time around. There was a cousin — a distant cousin — not that distant though — let me see, actually he would only have been my second cousin — my grandfather's first cousin — who at age 24 was dropped off at home (he still lived with his parents) after a party so that he could drive his girlfriend home. His car was known for being a pain in the ass to start; it had to be jacked up in the rear. Anyway in the morning his dad noticed he wasn't home and looked in the garage to see if his car was there. He found his son's body near one of the car's fenders, the car jacked up, and the body of the girlfriend in the front seat. It appeared the car had been started but perhaps the garage door had blown shut while he was fixing a flat tire, and carbon monoxide had killed them both. The headlights were still on.

At any rate, a family tragedy for sure.

There are no Engenes left. Not the last name, anyway. The great-great grandparents who came to North America had 11 children, about half of whom were boys, but it's worked out that some didn't marry and have children to carry on the family name.

One family trait that is mentioned many times in the book, via people's written memories of the Engenes, is their kindness.

Alone Times

It's been three weeks since My Pal Al jaunted off on a Mediterranean cruise, and she returns to the office today.  It'll be good to have her back.

Now I just have to finish this mug of coffee, get dressed, and get out the door . . .  hm, easier said than done . . . I can't help thinking "A's back, so what's the rush for me to get there? I'm not really needed just yet."

I've been alone here at the house since early Saturday morning when Scott left for Calgary. One might have expected the last four days to pass slowly, since I haven't been working or had to be out and around much.  But no. I'm accustomed to being by myself here on my days off so his absence hasn't made a lot of difference. I'll be glad to see him home tonight though. It's reassuring to have another body in the house when it's dark outside your curtainless picture window.

Fall Gold

I have dick-all to say.
But there are pictures.

I never get tired of fall golds.

Everyone is on the move.

Fortunate Are We

The winds of change ... no kidding ...
From hot to cold goes the weather
In a day
In an hour sometimes

But we
We have warm houses
Food in the fridge
No reason to leave it all and run
For our lives

From here
we run toward
the danger
the killing

How fortunate are we
To have that choice

Hey hey it's the weekend

Or it will be at the end of the day ...

Gerald gets some help with harvesting

Go custom-combining with Kristen Bohl and her family: CLICK HERE.

Perfect Fall

It was the easiest filling I've ever had. Rainbow Dental Therapy in Kelvington. I'm telling ya ... I was so relaxed I almost could've fallen asleep. Almost.

The rest of the day was a write-off, mind you. I took Aspirin as soon as I got home, and again in the evening, and still my jaw was sore all night. 

This morning all is well again. Woo hoo! And it's a sunny, breezy, beautiful fall day. Too bad I have to spend it in the office. These are the days when it would be nice to have nothing to do but prepare meals and generally be available if a hand is needed in the field. 

But that's not the way she goes, so ... off she goes ... .

Heavenly Day

If today was not a heavenly day ... well ... then I don't know what heaven is.



It was all I could do to stay indoors a couple hours and get News stories onto the company webpage.

What a glorious day!

I can't bring myself to cut down flowers that are still green and blooming (ish)(well, there is still life). I don't have a vegetable garden with all its late summer tyranny over the life of its keeper. What's a girl to do outside, then?

Why, a leisurely stroll down the road is just the thing.

I went and snipped up some coltsfoot.

The dogs are always up for any sort of jaunt.

Theremin

Ottoline

Have been reading a biography of Ottoline Morrell. A bit of a soap opera life, or at least the way it’s written – mostly about intrigues in her personal relationships with people – and rather dull. I’d like to read something in the woman’s own voice instead.

Her friends saw her philosophy as "her brand of mystical romanticism." It sounds like her friends were as two-faced and mean as it's possible to be, bar acts of stabbing and theft.

She was a longtime friend of Lytton Strachey, who, while working on the production of his manuscript for Eminent Victorians, wrote about the process:
"All sorts of tiresome details and minor crises," which could describe working in a news office some days.

Ottoline's on-again off-again sweetheart Bertrand Russell was in the streets of London when the end of World War I was announced. There was widespread jubilation. He wrote, "I saw a man and a woman, complete strangers to each other, meet in the middle of the road and kiss as they passed."

Zinnias and coneflowers brought inside before they could freeze.

Here's Ottoline and her home at Garsington Manor:

At Garsington Manor near Oxford; painting of flowers over mantel by Duncan Grant

Garsington Manor

For more about Ottoline Morrell: CLICK HERE.

One More Day

Chilly in the morning, and by dark, a warm summer evening! Oh Saskatchewan weather, how thou canst still surprise us all.
Today we're enjoying a misty rain. The farmer in my house is not weeping ... yet ... but close.
I'll be indoors all day, trying to fit everything into a 20-page paper before the press deadline is too far past.
But I did take a jaunt down the alley and over to the liquor store late yesterday afternoon to pick up a couple bottles of wine. It's waiting for me in the fridge, and I'm already looking forward to pouring myself a glass tonight.

Raspberries ... mmmmmmmm....

Zippity Doo Dah

It does seem a tad early to be wearing long underwear and cranking the furnace up, doesn't it? We were promised warm weather by the weekend, but it sure doesn't feel like it today. Oh well. As certain members of my family say about some of the most tragic events, "We have to take what comes."

Besides, I'm happy for an excuse to wear brightly coloured leggings under my jeans. That wind is frickin' freezin'.

Lifted from FB

Check out Alisa Burke's blog today. Her family visited an aquarium with underwater tunnels.

I'm off to work.

Now can he drive 55?

I got nutthin! Just a cheery Good Morning.
Maybe I'll see you back here tonight!

I did come home at suppertime yesterday and make a cake for Scott, as it was his 55th birthday.
See recipe at Stubblejumpers Cafe.
I think he appreciated it.  He had two pieces, anyway.

To Dennis from Emil

Once upon a time, Emil told singer/songwriter Dennis Lakusta — or maybe Dennis told Emil — that he should write a song called Emil Goes to Camp Easter Seal. 

This may have been said lightheartedly but Emil takes everything literally and has never forgotten, and so every once in a while he reminds Dennis, who now lives in Nanaimo.

"I'll tell you what, Emil," Dennis replied, "Next time you go to Camp Easter Seal, send me a list of all the things you did there. Then I've got a place to start."

So this summer when Emil returned from camp, he sat down here at the computer for an hour and composed this list. I was only called upon once or twice to help with spelling a particular word; otherwise, my proofreading suggestions were firmly ignored:

Hi Dennis How are you doing ?

I had a good time at camp easter seal this year.

On saturday at camp easter seal this year I got to watch a talent show.

This year at camp easter seal I got to pet the  horse 2 times.

On the last day before I went home from camp easter seal this year I danced with lots of people.

On sunday at camp easter seal this year I  got to make cookies.

On the first day I got to camp easter seal this year I got to go out for supper at a restaurant called  the spa.

Do you ride horses?

On saturday at camp easter seal this year I got to watch cowboy movies.

Do you have a new car  yet?

On sunday at camp easter seal this year I had supper up at russ sticks.

A t camp easter seal this year when we had supper up at russ sticks we had pizza bush pies for supper,

On monday at camp easter seal this year I got to go swimming one time.

What songs do you like to sing the most?

On saturday at camp easter this year I got to watch the ruff rider game on tv.

At camp easter seal this year I watched a movie in the tv room.

If you write that new song called Emil goes to camp easter seal I would love to hear it.

On the last day before I went home from camp easter seal this year I had a final banquet and dance.

After the final banquet and dance was over then I had an after  party.

I would like to see you again sometime .At camp easter seal this year I had sports.  At camp easter seal this year I got 2 have ice cream 2 times.

In sports at camp easter seal this year I played catch.

At camp easter seal this year I got to go for a ride on a boat called a pon toon boat.

At camp easter seal this year I was in cabin 16.

At camp easter seal this year my camp counsellors said to me Emil I like you you are fun to hang out with.

Camp easter seal is a very nice place.

How often do you sing the car alarm song ?

What is year favourite food?

How often do you go out and play at concerts?

At camp easter seal we have 2 really nice stone buildings.

One time we watched a music video of you on scotts lap top.

On the first day I got to camp easter seal this year we had a camp fire before bed.

On monday moring at camp easter seal this year  we had french toast for breakfast.

                   from Emil

Poor Dennis, he's been sick in bed since last month and just wrote to explain and ask me to tell Emil to be patient. I bet you've never had such a demanding "biggest fan" before, have you, Dennis?

In other news, there is a birthday boy in the house. Well, not in the house. He's out working, and I'm heading off, myself, but leaving this on the table:

The envelope contains a booklet all about the year he was born, 1959; and a backscratcher. What more could a man ask?

Panic Attacks

Another weekend has come and gone. Man, the time goes fast, doesn't it? I guess tidying and cleaning up the house and getting on top of the dishes are just So Much Fun that time flies! At any rate I like having a couple days at home to put things back in order without rushing.

That's really all I had the energy for. I'm still coughing and even had the beginnings of a panic attack one afternoon when my chest felt heavy and constricted so that I couldn't breathe deeply or quite normally. In the moment, I did recognize it was "only" a panic attack (there was a time when I had quite a few during a short period, many years ago) and that there is only one way to cope with them and that is to "breathe through it." But at the same time, I was thinking, "Maybe this is the beginning of a heart attack. I am not ready to die. My affairs are not in order!" That's why they're called panic attacks, I guess; because you are afraid you might actually be dying.

They are scary, even when you know better.

Dining

Sunday mornin' you sure looked fine . . . .

No Go

It seems sensible to stay home, keep warm, and not spread this dastardly cold one inch further than I already have by going to work for the past four days.

I hated to do it. I'm the first one to preach that when you're sick you should stay home, for the sake of other people if not for your own healing, and to hell with everything but resting. Your health is more important than any of it.

But I understand why people go to work when they're sick. It's not so much that they need the money — at least in my case right now, it isn't — but that they're very likely part of a team and they don't want to let others down. They want to get the job done, dammit! Then they will rest.

Last night I arrived home feeling not too bad, considering the state of me in the morning. Oh sure I had some ugly coughing fits during the day, but could think straight, at least. I actually felt well enough when walking in here about 7 o'clock to tackle the dishes that were overflowing on the counter. And then I stayed up till midnight, and was still wide awake at 3:30 a.m. after lying abed for hours in the dark! Weird. Maybe too many hours of sleep the night before?

I will never understand the reasons this body does what it does. I'm just thankful it only gets migraines, cold sores, the occasional bizarre uncalled-for (as far as I'm concerned) back injury and the rare head/chest cold. Many would be glad to trade places with me if that was all they had to live with. So I count myself fortunate — at least, on the many good days. And most of them are.

So today, I rest.
There are still some dishes to do, and I've run hot water into the sink with some soap and am letting them soak. And if I get around to them, good. I like a clean kitchen. But if not, C'est la vie. They'll be there tomorrow, as the saying goes.

The  pretty blouse Joan brought, which looks silly on me because of its peculiar style, with little foldy fluffy pleats on the sides. I am probably too short for it. Next! Cara, you give it a try.  Though you're shorter yet. It's gonna look great on somebody. Maybe on someone tall? In which case, no one in our family.

Also, Cara, the packages of jujubes and lifesavers I've been carrying in my purse for your kids are probably a year old now. That is just sad.