october theme song

First it was little Cleo, waking me up at 5ish all summer, 'cause, like, the sun is up and the birds are up and she's up so I should be up. Then I got bonked in the head mid-August I have been in a state of constant fatigue ever since. Now winter is looming, the days are darker and all I want to do is hibernate. And then wake up refreshed.... but alas...

crooked mountain

7:30 a.m. Saturday

6:30 p.m. Sunday

And oh, I did not want to come home...

september theme song

10 days and counting until Omar is back for Thanksgiving (unless, of course, he gets work).

Can't believe how September just disappeared. So much going on this month. New roommate moved in,  some minor house renos (which could lead to even more minor house renos), have started applying for jobs again, have started my couch to 5k program again, trying to deal with the garden bounty. Work is really great but also busy. I'm doing a full-time job in part-time hours so there is no catching up.

That's actually how the whole month has felt... like I'm constantly trying to catch up.

Which is part of the reason why I'm super excited about Omar's arrival. It means four days of a whole lotta nothing at the cabin. I can't wait!

august theme song

Have been listening to this recording pretty much nonstop since seeing Whitehorse at the Folk Fest in July. The whole album seems made especially for me, with song like Cold July, Jane, Mismatched Eyes.... but this is the song I love the best. Dig it, man, dig it.

happy birthday to me!

july theme song

And plenty more coming in the weeks and months ahead. Though I guess that's always the case...

purple

sangria peppers

eggplant flowers 

and ready to eat

creeping thyme

my very first blueberry!

june theme song

Living my country dream for two whole days. Oh, there will be car wheels on a gravel road.

birthdays

Took Ayva to Brush Fire yesterday for a very belated birthday date. Was way more fun than I expected and I now understand why painting ceramics was all the rage back in the what... 60s? 70s? My kitchen scrubby frog definitely seems of a 70s vintage. I painted a new water bowl for the cats, O painted a bulls eye dish and Ayva did a frog. But not a scrubby frog....

This was followed by a trip to Dairy Queen, so a pretty darn good evening. Looking forward to next week when we get to pick up our ceramic masterpieces. But in the meantime...

My beautiful sister and I are heading to our cabin at Crooked Mountain this weekend for some birthday celebrating of our own. We're about half way between each of our birthdays so we'll make some toasts, eat some birthday cookies and engage in some highly competitive Aggravation playing. Can't wait!!!

"spring" has sprung-ish

Since I've been bitching so much about the weather lately, I thought I'd post a few pics to show that all is not horrible (even if it isn't as awesome as it could be)...

Garlic I planted last fall is coming up!

Ditto the fancy heirloom rhubarb.

The kitchen window is open for business.

Oh ya.... and Cleo has shed about half her body weight in fur, so it must be spring!

may theme song

Feels totally wrong to use a commercial as my theme song but:

1. This is what I have in my head all the freakin' time these days and it is totally catchy;
2. A quick internet search reveals that I'm not the only person who wishes this was a real song and not a jingle;
3. I have been watching a ton of hockey this winter (and by watching I mean, knitting and listening, and then watching the replays when anything exciting happens). Go, Sens, Go!

H-O-C-K-E-Y!

more freakin' snow

I'm going to change the name of this blog to Catherine Complains About the Weather. Jeez, man. More snow!!! I can't take it!!!!

Maybe it should just be Catherine Complains.... leave things open for mosquito season, should it ever arrive.

In any case, we didn't get hit as bad as Dauphin. They had 20 cm as of 10 a.m. with snow continuing throughout the day and overnight.  Hehheh. Always some small joy in someone else having it worse than you.

Tomorrow (that's May 1st, folks) is the 5-year anniversary of O and I moving into our house. We celebrate every year by taking a picture of ourselves in front of our humble abode. The weather is supposed to be *sigh* snow and a high of -1. I'm going to try my very best not to look miserable. Don't want to give the impression that our home is anything but happy. Because it really, truly is the place where my heart is.

flowers

Flowers at Jumilla Stories. Flowers in my inbox from Kana. These are my poor flowers but I'm not complaining.

Dianthus, doing their best.

Oh wait.... yes I am.

Winnipeg has apparently set another weather record. We've never gone this far into April without hitting +5. Go Winnipeg!!! Forecast for tomorrow is +1 with snow overnight, turning to snow/rain on Wednesday. But after that things start to look up. Which is great because our community clean-up is on Saturday. And I'm getting mighty sick of looking out the window at this...

Lexi's little buddy, Linus, wondering WTF?!?

april theme song

Going to make you work for this one. Go to the Great Lakes Swimmers page on CBC Music, then click on the Albums tab, then scroll down to Bodies and Minds, then click on List Tracks, then on When It Flows. *phew* But it's worth the work, I promise.

What a crazy 9 days! Good things, bad things but overall loads of upheaval. O came home from three months of treading the boards in Alberta. I actually got a job (one-year, .8 EFT term but not complaining). Our sewer came this close to backing up but thankfully we caught it in time. Had a big blow-out with my dad. Not my finest moment perhaps but I firmly stand behind everything I said (er.... yelled). Tomorrow I'm taking O to his long awaited knee surgery.

AND the weather has been brutal. -19 going to work this morning. -26 if you count the wind chill, which I do since I was walking straight into it. Sometimes a song called When It Flows is just what's needed.

When it flows from the fingers

And turns to stone

It shatters with the touch

Feel the air, breathe it in

Turn the corner, take the bend

Give or take the bend

It's a spiralling cork-screw path towards you

It's a sinking, twisted path from me to you

For a second I saw you so clearly (clearly)

For a moment I knew you so dearly (dearly)

I looked into your eyes and into your mind

You were laughing like a statue come to life

The subtle piano raindrops

The creaking of the buildings and their cellos

The wind was our violin

The sky was a symphonic mural of stars

Hiding behind perfectly placed clouds

Because everything is the way it is

And everything is perfect in their imperfections

And everything is placed the best

And it is now, and it is here

And tomorrow is another now

Waiting to happen

The roar of an action silences all the words

The cry of an accomplishment

Drowns the whimper of ten thousand words

And we live in our actions and our reactions

And we live in our actions and our reactions

march theme song

Still on the job theme. Or lack of a job theme. With Spanish subtitles!

defying winter

Perhaps I'm taking the wrong attitude....

I'm just bitching whereas Canadian Granny says, "No mosquitos today!"

Trying to picture my mom doing this and failing. Trying to picture anyone I know doing this and failing.

vernal equinox

I'm stalling. It is gorgeously sunny and as long as I stay inside, drinking the amazing coffee my sister brought back from Costa Rica, I can pretend that it is actually a nice day. And not minus 33 with the wind chill. With a big pile of snow to shovel. *sigh*

I can only stall for so long because my pooch really does need a walk. *sigh*

I have so many things to do indoors that it is easy to stay in my jammies drinking coffee. Like applying for more jobs, putting together a feedback form for the workshop last Friday, cleaning the house, eating cookies (thanks Mama!), listening to Q and trying to figure out how the new Ikea bathroom cupboard goes together.

But then there is this....

takemeouttakemeouttakemeouttakemeout

One more cup of coffee, then I'll put on long johns, parka, scarf, big mitts, toque, Sorels and we'll go. Happy spring, everyone! *sigh*

classic prairie winter redux

Where's Catherine?

We definitely have more snow than ever in our backyard. It may not look like more than usual but trust me, it is. Apparently 10% more than average. Most of the patio is covered, the snow is piled up against the fence (rather than in a big heap that the dog can run around) and I have made a wee path to the compost bin. Nice of O to choose this winter to go away and leave me with the shoveling. :]

Currently dealing with an ice dam that is causing a leak onto my bed. Sleeping in the living room until it is sorted out. And guess what I'm dreaming of whilst sleeping on the sofa bed? Spring.

february theme song

Sort of - it's definitely my theme for the month but this isn't quite a song.... Good ol' NFB!

pros and cons

Five good things about the frigid temperatures:

1. Yesterday I arrived at my house at the exact same moment as the Jehovah Witnesses. But because I was wearing my burka - er - parka, I was able to walk right past them without them recognizing me.
2. It's sunny! It's sunny! Hurray!
3. I like sleeping in socks with lots of heavy blankets.
4. Coffee tastes even better than usual when I have my hands wrapped around the mug.
5. Lexi enjoys winter and it is nice to have an enthusiastic companion when I head out doors.

Five bad things about the frigid temperatures:

1. My poor chapped hands. :[
2. It is nearly impossible to get out of bed in the morning, what with all those blankets weighing me down.
3. The wind really does a number on my eyes. And the constant tearing really does a number on my cheeks. Bought facial oil today!
4. Despite my enthusiastic companion, I don't really want to go outside. But because of her, I have to.
5. Our heating bill will be through the roof.

Aforementioned enthusiastic companion...