Making It Up As I Go Along

Making It Up As I Go Along #495

2012-02-11T12:10:00.001-05:00

Bath Time

Bath time, for a kid, is magical.

With the plug of a stopper and the turn of a few faucets, awatery world came to be.

I often wanted to start bath time at this very moment. To be able to sit in a mostly dry tub andwatch the waters rise… first over my toes and heals… then up to my butt… andthen rising. Rising as the Bay ofFundy. Reaching knee level (when kneelevel was that of a six year old sitting “Indian Style”). Up to hips… and belly button.

It was at the Belly Button when the desire to explore theWater World became too much. Legs areuncrossed and I’d sprawl out on my belly… hands stretching out to the depthsnear the drain… feet kicking lightly in the shallows at the other end.

Often times, goggles would make their way to bath time. A deep breath and I’d be diving down amongthe coral beds… all pink… and camouflaged as porcelain. The adults in my family seemed unaware of thebeauty of the bathtub depths.

With the tub full and water off, exploring would take on amore silent mode. My every twist andturn would bring splishes and splashes. You wouldn’t want to scare the fishes… so actions would be slow anddeliberate.

I’d bring my head down to the deepest site. And turn to look up into the faucet. Looking up into the blackness. Imagining that mysterious river nowtemporarily dammed off. Sure that itmust go on for miles… perhaps to the sea itself. And I’d be flabbergasted at the thought thatit’s only this metal faucet separating me from Humpbacks, Killer Whales, Octopi,and Great White Sharks. A slow dripwould form as I imagined… and the drop would splash my eye… the obvious play ofa nearby seal or dolphin.

When exploration ended, my sea became a distant wateryland. Great cliffs… as pink as the coralbelow the waves… rose up. The landrimming the sea as the Greek island, Santorini. And my action figures were the residence of this land. Fisher Price figures… a bush pilot andconstruction worker… shared the land with Star Wars figures… Luke, Han, Leia,Darth and the Storm Troopers… and even Perseus, from Clash of the Titans. Up in the depths, they’d take turns walkingout onto the faucet diving board and leap off into the sea.

And yes, creatures lived down there. Sharks, whales, a rubber hippo… they allbobbed about the surface, or lingered beneath the depths. My legs, back sitting “Indian Style” wouldact as islands. Where divers could climbout from the depths before the creatures would swallow them whole.

On other occasions, the sea held races. Bath Tubbies all wound up and sentswimming. A seal with churningflippers. A turtle doing the backstroke.And fish with wagging tails. All tryingto be the fastest from the depths to the shallows. All trying to do the run in the straightestpossible line. But almost always veeringoff to the side until they clunk against the pink cliff face and push their wayalong.

And sometimes boats ruled the waves. A tug. A schooner. And a ferry boat justcalling for dinkies to be brought to the tub. What good is a ferry without transporting cars from the land of thefaucet to the far end?

Funny, in all my bath tub worlds, the only rubber duckies inmy life were the one Ernie sang to onSesame Street and the one at my Grand Parent’s house in Botwood. The duck there was like an out of townfriend. Ready to meet up and play againthose three or four times a year that we’d be out visiting. Where the porcelain was no longer pink, butwhite and the water took on a yellowish hue.

As I grew, bath time began to lose some of its luster. The great seas became little more thanshallow pools. My explorations werehampered as I barely fit into the tube of water. And my girth made it so that either I couldhave my legs and butt in the water… or my upper body in… but not both at thesame time.

The watery coffin became an annoyance. And showers began to take over my washingneeds.

Today, things have once again changed. My cigar tube tub has given way to an eggshaped oval. And what were watery depthsin the tubs of my youth pale in comparison to the abyss of today’s tub.

Bath time has returned to a once a week adventure. And I sit there, once again, Indian Style, asthe waters rise about me.

And I’m left considering the absurd. Wondering if I’m losing my mind. As I contemplate a trip to the store… is 39too old to buy your first Rubber Ducky?

SATURDAY…

--- Quiet day at work and I’m tired all day. We’re all tired in fact… day shift stinks.

SUNDAY…

--- Work is much like yesterday. Just no energy and pretty quiet.

--- Super Bowl after work. I aim for KFC for a football treat… but drive by a packed restaurant andkeep on driving. A & W will do. Mozza Burger, Rings, Root Beer… that’ll donicely.

--- Game is iffy. Ends more exciting than the first three quarters offer. And Madonna’s half time show is likely theworst half time I’ve ever seen. Herperformance is best suited to fifteen year old girls… not really the primefootball demographic.

MONDAY…

--- Some TV and napping through the day. 5 degrees today, so plenty of meltingoutside.

TUESDAY…

--- Night shift. I’ma little slow getting in due to Rogers being late getting to my place to hookup the home phone. No more Bell forme.

--- Work is fine though… reasonable amount to do.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Physio in the afternoon. A half hour woods walk prior to that. Not a cloud in the sky and around -5 make for nice winter walking.

--- Some groceries and TV round things out. I drive by the old place after thegroceries. New curtains up… looks likethe old blind I had in the living room window is gone. The old deck chairs remains on thebalcony. And it was good seeing the pondagain. I’ll be back there for more walksfor sure.

--- The moon, these past nights, has been reallybright. Moon shadows out back and beamsof it shining in the windows. Livinghere, there are good views of the moon and stars… it’s a darker location thanmy previous one.

--- A letter today though from a neighbour who’s place wasbroken in to last week. The basementwindow makes for an easy way in. Alittle unsettling. Makes me want to putup more ADT stickers in the windows so that they see there’s no reason to getin my place.

THURSDAY…

--- Great day with blue sky and temps near zero. An hour walking in the woods with a phonecall to dad from the trail.

--- A few movies in the evening.

FRIDAY…

--- Another nice day for a woods walk. Not as long this time. Probably out there about 25 minutes.

--- Some house cleaning when I get back. Some sweeping, vacuuming, and wetswiffering. It’s actually a fun time inthe new house.

--- A leisurely soak in the tub and some writing round outthe afternoon.

Making It Up As I Go Along #494

2012-02-03T16:34:00.001-05:00

Some days you just don’t want to write. I suppose when you do nearly 500 of thesethings, it is bound to happen from time to time.

I even have things in mind to write about. I have some notes for some feelings on thesense of sound. In truth, it should besense of hearing… but sense of sound is what the fingers typed and I like thesound of it.

And I have thoughts on the silliness of the world. How since a woman in my office slipped on afreshly washed floor, our floors are now washed with damp mops. Damp to the point that all signs of moisturedisappear within seconds of the scrub. And now the entire office… all five floors of the building… is bombardedby 365,000 wet floor signs. They’rearound every corner… in every stairwell… and even one at each end of ourkitchen… a room that’s no more than 25 feet long. These signs stay permanently perched all dayand every day. They are completely independentof any idea of floor cleaning. It is theprototypical sign equivalent of the Boy Who Cried Wolf.

I also have thoughts of a typical government promotionalprocess. In the most ridiculous thing Ihave ever heard in a real life scenario, a French person’s English is not goodenough to qualify him to apply for the bilingual job posting. He is, however, allowed to apply for theEnglish essential postings of the exact same job. You see, language “levels” are taken intoconsideration for bilingual postings… but not for English essential ones. But to sit there, straight faced, and tellsomeone his English isn’t good enough for a bilingual job… but we do have this Englishessential one that may be right up your alley… well that’s just completelyretarded.

So I have material. There are things there to discuss. But I’m in no mood to delve into any of them today. I got good shoulder news and just find I’mnot in a writing frame of mind due to the surprise… no surgery needed on therotator cuff. Just keep an eye on thingsand take it easy on the heavy weights.

So… for today, I give a poem I wrote in grade three that myfather just forwarded me a few weeks ago.

I feel like an old rag doll,

Always kicked around the hall;

So I’ll flip and flop

And not talk at all.

So that everyone will say:

“We’d better get out of the way

Cause Chris is angry today.”

I feel like an old crab

I’ll claw at things;

I’ll snap at everyone around.

So everyone will say:

“W’ed better get out of the way

Cause Chris is angry today.”

FRIDAY…

--- Freezing rain to start the day. Even though the car starts off dry in thegarage, it has a layer of ice on the hood in the twenty minutes it took todrive to work.

--- Lunch with Shannon.

--- Close to going off the road heading home. A sharp turn in the road means you must slowto a near stop and as I break, leading up to it, the car slides for a whilebefore the ABS breaks kick in. I seeanother car that didn’t get away with such luck… slide into the ditch.

SATURDAY…

--- Quiet Saturday day shift. Makes for a slow day. Once home, watch UFC and nap in front of theTV. New sofa works just fine for napping.

SUNDAY/MONDAY…

--- Night shifts… pretty busy. In fact, it used to be that day shift wasreally busy in CPSIC and night shift was a break… now it’s almost flipflopped. I work solid up to 3:30 AMTuesday. Physio was mixed in theresomewhere too.

TUESDAY…

--- Don’t sleep enough. Up after about 5 hours… at 11:00. Take it easy though. Some TV…some relaxing around the house… and shovel the driveway.

--- Getting pretty tired of facebook. People either don’t care or don’t realizethat they’re now basically shilling for companies. Too many linking to radio station contests ortravel companies… sharing their info in the hopes to get prizes. Status updates used to be people’s personalobservations. Now it’s become asecondary junk mail folder.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Minto day. Lotsof workers coming in through the day doing bits and pieces… mostly paint andplaster. So I’m stuck at the house allday.

THURSDAY…

--- Some running around in the early afternoon/latemorning. Get my drivers license andhealth card in order with the change of address. Get some things at Canadian Tire after that.

--- Home for a lunch and walk in the woods across thestreet. 40 minutes out there and thenget ready for Karl and girlfriend to come over.

--- Pizza night with them. A good few hours of food and records. Bob Dylan on vinyl is how it should be.

Making It Up As I Go Along #493

2012-01-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

The Red Squirrel’s Home

Walking through the red squirrel’s home

Snow crunching

He watches

From a tree perch

Unaware I often watch him

From my window perch

Rabbit tracks bound

Off the main trail

Crossing it

Leaping into the forest

Away from prying eyes

Dog tracks explore

Sharing the human trail

Veering off

A spot to sniff before moving on

My tracks pioneer

Starting a new path

A good photo angle found

No squirrel tracks exist

He bounds lightly

This is the red squirrel’s home

THURSDAY…

--- Work is pretty busy. Home is relaxing… just pull in to the garage, grab some cereal for abreakfast supper, and watch some TV.

--- Sad to hear of Sarah Burke dying. Skier on top of the world and then just gone.

--- Dad e-mails me a poem I wrote while in grade 3. Have no memory of it but enjoy it all thesame. I wasn’t half bad back then.

FRIDAY…

--- Busy day at work.

--- Bank, supper from Farm Boy, gas station all happen onthe way home from work.

--- Some TV in the evening… up late to get ready for nights.

SATURDAY…

--- Physio… nap… night shift. Wendy’s for supper and a pretty quiet night.

SUNDAY…

--- Organize my iTunes some with the TV on after I getup. Got a little tickle in the throat…better not be getting sick.

--- Work is not busy and feels pretty long.

MONDAY…

--- Up earlier than I should… about 10:30 gives me less than4 hours sleep.

--- Clean up the computer room and watch some TV.

TUESDAY…

--- Furniture is here. Sofa and love seat in the basement… a new coffee table in the livingroom. Feels good having it all herenow. Also, with this, I have the IKEAchair up in my room… little spot to sit and read or work on the laptop.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Physio… groceries after that… post office to follow.

--- Once home and groceries put away, a sandwich is followedby a half hour walking through the woods. Meet a neighbour there who has lived in the area for 47 years… he seemsa little afraid of how far the development will go.

Making It Up As I Go Along #492

2012-01-18T11:59:00.001-05:00

Rising Sunsets

One hundred years ago it took you a day to go from downtownSt. John’s to Torbay. This is a twentyminute drive today, but a hundred years ago, you needed to plan for a place tospend the night if you were to do such a trip.

Where much of the trip today is done on four lane roads,then, it was dirt roads through the woods. Cart paths for horses. Perhaps asmall wagon to be towed for the family in summer, or a sled with runners in thewinter.

Summer cottages for St. John’s residents dotted Long Pond. Today, you can walk from the harbor front toLong Pond in little more than half an hour. Then, it was an out of town get away for summer picnics or for the richto get away from it all.

Back then, a trip from St. John’s to Ottawa would takedays. Perhaps weeks. You’d have to hitch a ride on a steamerleaving St. John’s harbor. Cruise alongthe southern coast of the island. Perhaps stop along the way to pick up supplies and passengers or, if ona strictly working vessel, perhaps you don’t hit shore again for a few days… inNova Scotia.

From there, maybe you’d get a train ticket and chuck for afew days through more wilderness than civilization. Or maybe you’d continue steaming up the St.Lawrence, likely going no further than Montreal before having to get on thattrain.

A trip from St. John’s to Ottawa likely meant yearsaway. Letters could be written… findingtheir way back over a few weeks time… perhaps a month if weather is bad. But that was it. You were cut off from those behind… in a newworld.

This past week I left St. John’s for Ottawa.

I left in the dead of winter, in the middle of a snow stormand, within two minutes, I was into great sunshine, looking down through clearskies at outport communities that had either found a way to avoid the weather,or had already endured it.

In under two hours, I was in Halifax. Where snow was nowhere to be found and thewestern sky glowed orange from the setting sun.

And within a half hour of our arrival, we departed Halifaxonce again, causing the sunset to rise once again.

We chased it down. Sawit again on the far horizon before it gave a final exertion to be able to loseus for good and bring on the purple of the night.

But still we had cut up… even if briefly. A hundred years ago we were taking a day tomake our way twenty kilometres. Todaywe’re causing sunsets to rise again… all while comfortably seated in leatherrecliners.

Less than two hours after our dance with the sun, we arrivein Ottawa. We flew over Montreal in theprocess. Bypassing it completely and simply looking down upon it’slights… some of which are blurred by a light cloud cover between us and them.

And four and a half hours after we left St. John’s, we’rethere… in Ottawa. There were even otherflights that could have been booked. Ones that would have made the journey even quicker. Bypassing Halifax just as we hadMontreal. Leaving St. John’s and arrivingin Ottawa in little more than a movie’s time. A movie we could have watched within the seatback in front of us.

And after arriving, I e-mailed my parents back home. I texted my sister in BC. And they both responded to me within fiveminutes of my contact.

It’s amazing how far the world has come. One hundred years isn’t so much. There are people alive today who were alivewhen Torbay was a day’s travel from St. John’s and Long Pond held cottages forthe rich.

What changes will there be one hundred years from now? Will there be lunar cottages? Homes on thesea floor? Or will a trip to Australia be complete two hours after itbegan?

Will we ever catch up to that setting sun?

TUESDAY…

--- Off to Signal Hill in the early afternoon with dad. Take some pictures of the city from there anddrop by the Geocentre for a look around afterwards.

--- Some home time and then a trip to Bacalao forsupper. Great food there. I have some caribou and cod chowder.

--- A little evening TV with the folks. Arctic Air looks like it has some promise.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Fly day. Weatherisn’t good but the flight gets out no problem. From Halifax, I see the sunset rise again… pretty neat.

--- unpack once home and watch some TV before bed.

THURSDAY…

--- First day shift with the new team. Pretty good. Driveway shoveling after work is hard… rough with a gravel driveway.Quite a workout.

FRIDAY…

--- Up early for home inspection… goes fine. I nap for an hour or so after that and thengo to physio. After physio, it’s nap#2. Driveway shoveling follows. Run in to neighbour Chris there and we chatas we shovel. Seems like a good guy.

--- Thai food at work for supper. Good night with the new team.

SATURDAY…

--- Up just before 11:00. A little TV on a nice sunny white winter’s day.

--- Work is pretty busy. At it fairly hard until 1:30. Systems down and the like.

SUNDAY…

--- Up earlier than I should be. Take down the Christmas tree and put all thestuff away. Some sweeping up and laundryas well.

MONDAY…

--- Groceries, a trip to the mall, a walk in the woods/alongthe lake. A good off day.

TUESDAY…

--- Freezing rain and flurries makes me happy to beindoors. Some puttering around thehouse.

--- Get the call this evening. Sofa and love seat are in. I’ll pop by tomorrow to pay the rest of thebill and arrange delivery. Good stuff.

--- And I’m getting impressed with Canadian TV. Republic of Doyle is always good… Michael:Tuesdays and Thursdays was fun this fall… I was surprised with how much I likedMr. D yesterday… and Arctic Air seems to be a winner too. 2^nd episode even better than thefirst.

Making It Up As I Go Along #491

2012-01-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

Sleep Mode

My mind’s not fresh enough

Staleness in my skull

Eyes heavily droop

Twenty second cat naps

As I sit watching

Bed beckons

Outdoors calls

Shower and shave gives a nod

I sit instead

In computer sleep mode

Simple breath just won’t do

Oxygen depleted

And deep yawns are called to compensate

The yawny respirator kicks in

Twice a minute

Just to get by.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Rainy day… sleep in a bit, do some writing, plan outsome of the rest of my time home.

--- Go to Jim and Kristann’s in the evening. A nice time talking and hanging out. Longest we’ve sat and talked in ages.

THURSDAY…

--- Lunch with Jim and Kristann… some downtime after that…then supper at Wince’s with the family… cards there ends the night.

FRIDAY…

--- Feeling sort of crumby today… which is bad cause it’snice outside and I haven’t been out around. Still, I stay in and rest up… and by the evening am feeling lesscongested and not sneezing.

--- Del and Fish come by this evening. Crazy that I actually fell asleep on the sofabefore Del got here and his knocking and doorbell ringing didn’t wake me. Good that Fish lived nearby… and that I wokeup to pick up the phone after several rings.

SATURDAY…

--- Visit Wayne and Sylvia for a bit… then go out withCraig… Fred’s Records… get a Tom Waits album… supper at the hockey rink… goodburger… then the game. 3-2 victory withthe winner scored with 40 seconds to play in the third. A fun night.

SUNDAY…

--- Walk day. Walkdowntown for about an hour or so… lots of pictures… memories… and a littlemelancholy.

--- Walk up to Frank and Shirley’s for supper… nice tenminute walk through the neighbourhood… And surprised that Dave Lafosse isthere. Good to see him and a niceevening.

Making It Up As I Go Along #490

2012-01-04T10:46:00.000-05:00

Streets of Hell

Speeding cars upon my street

Zip along and o’r your feet

As you hop with throbbing pain

They zip back and o’r again

Christmas time won’t slow the pace

They drive along as in a race

So when you leave after you’re fed

Look both ways or you’ll be dead

Freezing rain or even snow

Neither will keep traffic slow

We need to sit on porch with gun

Speeding targets would be quite fun

30 clicks is the speed they post

Try driving it and you’ll be toast

Another car will sideswipe you

As it travels at Mach two

So be careful this Christmas season

Car sized bullets will be the reason

And if you catch a rotting smell

Know I died crossing streets of hell

FRIDAY…

--- ADT comes today. After that it’s out for a walk in the woods. Great trails across the street. There’s the obvious one built around the lakebut then there’s also natural woods trails that go all over the area. A great walk with the fresh snow down.

SATURDAY…

--- Christmas Eve and still in Ottawa. Work is quiet and there’s lots of food leftover from the regular office’s little party yesterday.

--- Some TV after work just taking it easy as my neighbourscelebrate with family… a little weird.

SUNDAY…

--- Christmas Day. And I’m working on a very slow day in the office. Open a few gifts in the morning beforeheading in (binoculars will be good for the viewing of the woods, a nice slateserving tray, and a good family picture of Edena and family). A good soak once I’m home and off to Phil’sfor a family Christmas dinner. A nicenight… not a bad time for my first Ottawa Christmas.

MONDAY…

--- Quiet times at home before work. Some hockey on TV… World Juniors is started…and some movies.

--- Work is quiet.

TUESDAY…

--- Getting ready to travel tomorrow. Boarding Pass printed and laundry gettingdone. Hoping the snow due tonightdoesn’t affect the flight tomorrow.

--- Work tonight is real busy. Most busy in a while. And it’s my last night before vacation.

--- Snow falling making me worry some about flights tomorrowmorning. We’ll see how it goes.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Cab comes pretty much on time this morning (last cab Icalled was a half hour late) and at the airport with time to spare… especiallywhen I see my flight’s delayed by a half hour.

--- The flight information is never stellar. Today, my flight was shown as departed whileI sat at the gate.

--- After the gate runway finally got over an ice patch andwas able to reach the plane (took about ten minutes of shoveling melting stuffunder the tires) the plane was ready to go.

--- Good trip home… Porter does well.

--- Turkey dinner with mom, dad, Wayne and Sylvia… some TVafter.

THURSDAY…

--- Quiet house day. Windy outside… the howl makes you want to stay in. Some TV, some hanging out, just mellowingout.

FRIDAY…

---Downtown for lunch at the Rooms. It’s nice… good food and nice view.

--- Shopping after that. Mom and dad’s Christmas gift… I pay for part of their new iPad. Spend the evening getting it set up and organizedwith mom… nice machine.

SATURDAY…

--- New Years Eve. Supper with mom and dad and their friends. I go downstairs for some hockey while theyplay cards afterwards. Pretty quiet NewYears.

SUNDAY…

--- Busy around the house. I must say, sort of looking forward to a day where meals aren’t a majorproduction for many people. Today is notthat day as ten of us, plus an infant, do supper. It’s good and it’s nice to see everyone butit’s also tiring… don’t know how mom and dad do it.

MONDAY…

--- Work on mom and dad’s iPad… setting it up and trying toget mom comfortable with it. Bert, Bett,Jenny and Mike pop by for supper. Firsttime seeing my cousin Jenny in years… likely ten or so. Way too long.

TUESDAY…

--- Bring mom and dad to the airport for their trip toSweden. Home after that and do somelaundry and rest up… just exhausted.

--- Canada vs. Russia hockey game is bizarre. Down 6-1 in the third and Canada comes backto make it 6-5 with a goal post in the final minute that would have tied it. So Russia vs. Sweden in the final.

Making It Up As I Go Along #489

2011-12-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

Home

So it turns out I basically go an extra week betweenposts. Just been too hectic with movingto get much else done. And that’squickly followed with Christmas coming upon us. With this being my first Christmas alone… and away fromNewfoundland.

This is actually the longest I’ve ever been away fromhome. I haven’t been back toNewfoundland since last Christmas. It’spretty much now been one full year away from it all. The smell of the sea air as you walk thedowntown streets of home… the rocky hills never far from sight… the easy goingnature. A full year away from it.

But even a year away from home hasn’t affected how much I’veseen my family. In fact, I may have seenmore of mom and dad this year than any other since I moved to Ottawa.

In the summer we had the BC vacation. Two weeks of all of us. Mom, dad, Edena, Duff and the girls… it was ahighlight vacation. It’s hard to say howmany more times that the seven of us will be together like that. With Fraser getting at that age where summerjobs may remove her from the equation.

And twice this Fall, mom and dad returned to Ottawa in orderto help me move. The first in September,helping to prepare the old place for going on the market. The second in mid December, helping me getout of that place and into the new.

Nobody could ask their parents to do what mine willinglyoffered. The help they gave financially,and in labour was more than I liked. Buteven though I didn’t like them sacrificing so much, I appreciate it more than Icould ever say or show.

I loved my old place in Avalon. Loved how close it was to a great littleurban pond. And I could get home after along week and just hibernate in the quiet of the place.

But I had outgrown it. There was no room to add anything more and I was restricted in severalways. Storage of my bike meant eitherthe back balcony held it or the kitchen nook did. Spare tires were always stacked on thebalcony. And those clothes I didn’t wantto put in the dryer would make their way onto a rack in the spare room bathtub.

I began longing for a basement. Looking back fondly on my time living athome, able to venture down underground where the summer was always cooler andTV glowed the room as a fire in the caves of ancient people.

I missed real baths. Where you could stretch out and soak in hot water. I had tired of the test tube tub. Where the only way I could get my chest wetwas to hang a leg out over the side.

I missed real barbeques. The electric grill served a purpose and has been good. But the idea of going back to a gas barbeque,outside on the ground level began to haunt me.

So when we found a townhouse across from a forest and nearbya new lake, the opportunity was too much to pass up.

And with the decision to go for it, mom and dad became myslaves. Offering help in many of thecosts of moving. Offering to come andhelp pack up, clean, and assemble.

My shoulder wouldn’t allow me to screw curtain rod bracketsto the walls… dad took over… twice my age and working for hours.

And when I suggested they’d done enough. That we should take some time for them. To go downtown or even to do something assmall as going for a walk. Mom pushedon. Wanting to make sure things weredone to her liking before their flight home.

And on top of it all… with all they have done… the lastthing they do before leaving is buy my Christmas gift. I scoffed at the idea. Of them doing anything more. But there it sits atop my sofa. A painting that has you peering over thetrees from a high top peak. The calm seaunder a glowing yellow sky… just before the sun climbs out of the salty depths.

Thanks to my parents, I’m in a home. With a place to sit for reading or chattingthat’s separate from the place the TV dominates.

I have that cool basement, complete with fireplace.

I have that little yard for the barbeque.

I have a garage where I can work away at those activities Icould never do before… and where my car hides away from freezing rain andfrosty nights.

I have the tub that makes me ten again. Considering a rubber ducky and ensemble ofaquatic toys.

I have room for the clothes to dry, and room to store thingswithout the need of balconies or corners of spare rooms.

Christmas came early for me. And although I’ll be at work for the day itself… I’ll feel close to theones I love and know that I’ll see them soon. And the next time I am together with my parents, I hope we can relax andjust be. I’ve already slaved them enoughfor one year.

FRIDAY…

--- Work day shift. Fairly normal day.

--- Straight from work to the new place to meet Sarah andMatt and figure out things for installing appliances and the TV on the basementwall. Off to Home Depot for somesupplies to get all that done.

--- No TV tonight… so it’s computer time. Some hockey pool stuff and some Netflix onthe laptop before bed.

SATURDAY…

--- Up too early as the roofers are banging around above meat 8:20 in the morning.

--- Help Matt a little with my place and do some runningaround with that… Home Depot and bringing some boxes back and forth.

--- Night shift is quiet and I’m exhausted by 6:00 AMSunday.

SUNDAY…

--- Up around 10:30. Over to the new place and do some work there for much of the day.

--- Mom and dad arrive this evening. A bite of supper at Kelsey’s… a tour of thehouse… and some sitting around.

MONDAY…

--- Busy day around with some shopping for the house…several trips back and forth moving stuff… Phil there to help in the back andforth in the morning… and also physio for me in the early evening. Bed comes pretty early.

TUESDAY…

--- Move move move. Movers come… Rogers come… Bell does not (because Bell is useless). So the majority of the stuff is in the newplace but my home telephone is still in the old.

--- Chinese for supper in the new place and we relax some inthe evening. Fairly early to bed astomorrow will be another busy day.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Very busy. Driving back and forth from my new place to the old. Mom and dad basically stationed out of theold spot cleaning and packing stuff up… me loading the car and driving it over…dumping in the garage… and back again.

--- Lawyer visit in there as well and an evening out to thehockey game. Boston beats Ottawa 5-2 butit’s a pretty entertaining game overall. Hate what Tim Thomas did to the Canucks but love watching him play.

THURSDAY…

--- Too busy to do my update today… it’s pushed a day ortwo.

--- Shopping… cleaning the garage… organizing the storagearea… curtains up… Christmas tree up… cheque from the lawyer for the selling ofthe old place (Bois Vert Place and Avalon are no more… although I’ll visit thepond)… Go to bank where my head hurts… lots going on. But the place is looking good.

FRIDAY…

--- Busy once again. Some shopping… some returning of items… some physio… a visit withMelissa and Nick… curtain rods put up… more shopping… and a few breaths atabout 10:00.

--- Bell are incompetent. After four days go buy from the first attempt to set up my phone… theytry the same thing the second time. Nowthey’ll call on Monday to set an appointment for a 4 hour temporaryinstall. So tempted to switch to Rogers.

--- Got the basement sofa and love seat picked out… bedelivered in about a month. And a newcoffee table as well.

SATURDAY…

--- A bit of mom and dad left in Ottawa. Get my Christmas gift… a nice painting forthe new house… hang some pictures… a quick walk with dad… drop them at theairport… and off to work.

--- After work, supper with Sheila and some TV for thenight… my first night alone in the house.

SUNDAY…

--- Night shift. I’mexhausted by the end of it but it’s a quiet night and I don’t need to be tooalert most of the time.

--- Got the garage clean enough for the car. No more scraping the frost from home.

MONDAY…

--- Second night. Busier than last night but not too bad.

TUESDAY…

--- Up early with Bell coming. They’re here almost 5 hours and leave with meconnected to a land line.

--- Off to physio and groceries… drive by the old place onthe way back. It’s weird and a littlenostalgic going through the neighbourhood. It was a fine place for a good eight years.

--- Home and find my telephone is dead again. No dial tone. Fed up.

--- Also spend much of the evening on my wirelesssetup. Moved the modem and stuff fromthe basement to the main floor and after doing it, I can’t connect with theiPod Touch or iPhone. After hours offiguring, I reset some stuff and get it back to good.

WEDNESDAY…

--- The phone rings today. Bell calls to check on things. The dial tone is back… odd. Theydid nothing.

--- Freezing rain day… and I have a car in a garage. Pretty nice.

--- Dentist as well today and some house work. Half the office is done… with the filingcabinet being organized and some boxes emptied. Cut up boxes in the garage too… lots for recycling.

Making It Up As I Go Along #488

2011-12-08T22:02:00.001-05:00

Been just too busy this week to write anything ofsubstance. Even forgot about the blogyesterday… when I was supposed to post. So much running around and organizing and packing and unpacking goingon. So I’ll write more when thingssettle some next week. And I’ll share alittle bit to go with the weekly portion now.

Living In Boxes

I’m living in boxes

Pushing an empty off my bed

Leaving it on the floor

A small box propped against bigger ones

A cardboard mountain range

At the foot of my bed.

When I wake a few return

Clearing floor space by transference

Lazy cardboard snoozing

As an old dog taking my place

When I’m off to work

In the living room are boxes

Stacked and rimming the room

Ready to go, nearest the door

Empties furthest away

A conveyer belt of moving

I drag them to the car

I drive them over the roads

And drag them from the car once there

In newness and cleanliness

Where I’ll be living quiet soon

I’m surrounded by boxes

In the corner of each empty room they sit

An Infestation

I have been inflicted

This past week

By boxes

WEDNESDAY…

--- Tired. Wake at2:50 in the morning and get about another 15 minutes before I must get up at4:30.

--- Crash at work by about 3:30 and have to also deal withcalls regarding a mover and the bank.

--- Straight to the bank after work to work out mortgagefinal details for the new place.

--- Exhausted once home around 7:30.

THURSDAY…

--- More dayshift. Atleast I had more sleep than yesterday.

--- Still getting stuff organized for the new house. Getting stuff called and worked out oncomputer for address change and such.

FRIDAY…

--- Physio followed by my nap and then chaos. Got to rush to the bank, talk to theinsurance company and try making a few calls to organize things. Insurance and the bank are straight by theend of the work day, but it’s hectic.

--- Work for me tonight. Mostly shoe impressions for me to work on while the other guys do therest of the work.

SATURDAY…

--- Not good for sleep as I’m awake early with roofersacross the parking lot. They’re stillthere come nap time. Still, make itthrough work ok.

SUNDAY…

--- Up around 10:30. A bit too early after night shift. Ultimate Fighter on PVR.

--- Some TV and a nice walk around the pond.

MONDAY…

--- Some phone calls to line up my move… a trip to thelawyer’s office to sign a bunch of stuff… physio… groceries… and some TV. Pretty busy day.

TUESDAY…

--- Packing in the morning. A walk of the pond while the buyer of my place has a final walkthrough. Get the keys to the new placeat the lawyer’s office.

--- Over to the townhouse for a few hours. Put some stuff away and explore. Sarah comes for a tour after work and thenit’s home for a bite and some more packing.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Up early and over to the new place waiting for the Searsdelivery truck. They come and things gowell. The fridge was a tight squeeze butmade it in just right. And a little nickout of a corner of a wall by the movers with the stove. But it’s good.

--- Phil comes to help with some of the moving from the oldplace to the new and I walk out by the new pond. Water filling in there and a muskrat isswimming around.

--- Use the soaker tub for the first time thisafternoon. Achy muscles from moving somuch stuff enjoyed the luxury. Ahh.

--- A little more packing in the evening and some down timein front of the TV.

THURSDAY…

--- Day off work. Packing some more… meet ADT at the houseto discuss a system… walk the new lake area (I think the water is rising prettyquickly, may be higher than it was yesterday. This time I walked as far as the path would take me (it’s not a circleor connected circuit). Took about 20 to25 minutes to go from my place to the end of the trail. So a 35 to 45 minute walk to go and comeback.

--- Physio and some trips to the Minto Care Centre to clearsome questions and pass in a form.

--- Look up on the internet to see the road plans for thearea. Looks like there will be a roadeventually crossing where the point of the pond system is. It’s sort of “U” shaped with me at one end ofthe “U” a point at the rounded part and another connected storm water pond atthe other end of the “U”. Well it lookslike, in the next 5 years or so, a road will cut through the woods at thepoint, with a bridge crossing the spit of water there. Kind of too bad but, as long as there’s someforest buffer and not cars driving along the shore of the pond, it will remainnice.

--- Realize today that I should have posted on the blogyesterday. Just been way too busy withthe houses and moving and calling here and there and e-mail there andhere.

Making It Up As I Go Along #487

2011-11-29T12:46:00.001-05:00

Limbo

Hearing No is not hell

Hell is the Yes that hangs

Forever in Limbo

Awaiting the result to follow the word

No brings closure

Allows you to move on

Things move forward

Disappointment fades to opportunity

Limbo Yes brings waiting

Everything stops dead

A holding pattern

Where fear gnaws at nerves

When Limbo Yes turns to No

Wasted weeks waiting

No plans can be made

Powerlessly holding on as deadlines tick closer

TUESDAY…

--- Cold morning with heavy frost to scrape off thecar. Fairly quiet work day followedimmediately by physio… home for cereal supper and a little TV for only a coupleof hours before bed.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Snow. Drive in isa bit messy.

--- Some after work TV as it’s time to stay up late again…first night after days is often a tiring fight of the bed.

THURSDAY…

--- Lunch with Karl followed by afternoon nap and nightshift. Pretty tired by the time I hitbed in the morning.

FRIDAY…

--- Awake around 10:30 but snooze in bed, in and out, untilalmost 1:00 PM. Some TV during the daybefore night shift number two.

--- So tired of the house selling. Today was supposed to be the deadline onthings but their side needs a bit more time to get things in order and now wewait until Tuesday. The last week or sohas been limbo hell.

--- I leave work early. Stomach isn’t in good shape this evening. Not sure if it’s a bug, bad oranges, orstress from the last few weeks of real estate and shoulder discussions… buteither way, the call of bed comes about three hours earlier than it otherwisewould.

SATURDAY…

--- Bad sleep and I do nothing for the day… lots of sofatime. Fever and a touchy stomach… forthe day I eat two bowls of cereal and some toast.

SUNDAY…

--- Wake up feeling better again. No more hot and cold… feel a bit warm fromtime to time through the day but nothing too bad… and my stomach feels alrightagain. Although I decide not to push ittoo hard too fast and skip out on the KFC Grey Cup tradition. Game is a dud too and I quite as soon as Isee the Mounties parade the cup onto the field with six minutes to play. Sometimes the Red Surge just looks ridiculous. Sports trophy parading is one of those times.

MONDAY…

--- Physio… a pond walk… a nap… some TV… a pretty basic dayoff.

Making It Up As I Go Along #486

2011-11-21T17:01:00.001-05:00

The Weremoose

Fear the Weremoose.

Hearing deep grunts from within the woods

Peering out the cabin window

Into the darkness

Trying to spot the noisemaker

Flashes of lightning

Bring instant daylight

Gone with the blink of an eye

As the sky shatters

Followed by a slow rumble

Could the grunts be just that?

Perhaps no creature lingers

But instead the skeletons of trees

To go with the storm’s thunder

Until a lightning flash brings terror

Standing in the cabin’s clearing

Glaring towards you

A great creature

With rack of antlers so big

They block out the forest behind.

Thuds over the forest floor

Closer towards the cabin’s door

Atop the step

Breath heard huffing

Your hand hesitates over the doorknob.

And with the next flash from the sky

Comes furry hands through the door

Forcing themselves along the frame

No longer the hoof of moose

These are the hands

Fur covered human

Yet monstrously big.

You scamper to the back of the cabin.

Looking for a place to hide

Then hoping for a new way out

As the creature stomps towards you

Across the wooden floor

And all there is to save you

Is a closet shelf to cower under

Hoping to be low enough

Hoping to be far enough away from the open room

But the Weremoose is not fooled

It stomps straight towards you

And with another flash of lightning

Those mighty antlers come crashing down

Through the closet door

Through the small shelf

Towards you

Until you wake.

Eyes flash open

Blankets tangled around you

In the quiet of your room.

A breath to ease the nerves

Eyes blinked to remove the sleep

And a glance towards the clock says 4:00

Meaning sleep will have to be attempted

Once more

With hope the Weremoose won’t find you

As easily as in that dream.

MONDAY…

--- Slow day at work.

--- New offer on the house… and it’s conditionally soldagain. Hopefully it works out this time…I’m getting to the point that I can’t wait again.

TUESDAY…

--- Frustrating work day. Nothing in particular, but just not a real nice day.

--- Falling asleep half the night while trying to stay uplate for night shift.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Night shift… and the food is great… Thai. But that’s all that’s great. Vacation time is needed soon.

THURSDAY…

--- Up around 11:30. A bit of TV before nap time.

FRIDAY…

--- Up around 11:00. And meet Laura and Janice for drinks at 2:00. Been a while since seeing Laura, so it’s anice time catching up.

--- Once home I fall asleep on the sofa to the point where Iwake up thinking it’s Saturday morning.

--- Mom and dad avoid a bad time when a truck clips thebumper off their car when they leave Swiss Chalet. Another few feet out into the intersectionand that could have been serious.

SATURDAY…

--- Exhausted today. After coming off night shift, I have to get up around 8:00 for a 9:00inspection of the house. Do physio whilethat’s happening but I’m wrecked after that. Napping much of the afternoon and dragged out in the evening.

SUNDAY…

--- Quiet day. Wakeat 7:00 but refuse to get up… rain starts outside by 8:00 and that’s likedrugs… I’m out until close to 11:00.

--- Some football and hockey on TV and battery rechargingtakes place around the house.

Making It Up As I Go Along #485

2011-11-13T12:44:00.001-05:00

Based on a Dream

I dreamed I was back in school today. One of those quasi realities that dreamsoften create. It was sort of high schooland sort of university. You’d walk downa high school hall waving to a high school friend, then turn a corner andteleport into the tunnels of university, rushing off to class through a crowdof mostly strangers.

And the friends weren’t my best buddies. None of those I know best were there. I’d see familiar faces of people who I sortof know on the most superficial of levels. Nice enough people… the types you’d see and think “I’ll have to get toknow them a bit better, go to lunch or something”… but you never do. And they remain simply familiar, superficialfriends. Those you know on Facebookstatus levels.

She got a new cat last week.

He hated last night’s hockey game.

She’s going jogging this afternoon.

He had a busy day yesterday.

And in my dream, I knew I had a class to go to. And I knew it was starting pretty muchnow. But I was in no rush. I wandered the halls, waved at the girl whogot her cat, and nodded at the guy who was busy yesterday. And we all just sort of meandered into class,not caring that we’re ten minutes late.

And even though I know this is my class, I know little aboutit. A philosophy class I think… which isodd, since I never took a philosophy class in my life.

And in the dream world, it also appears this isn’t justMonday after a weekend away from my studies. This is like me having a fifteen to twenty year weekend. I’m back in class yes, and I know what theclass is generally covering… but I haven’t read a book or studied a note onthis material. I’m in the room,clueless, and unconcerned about the cluelessness.

That is until the teacher tells us “you may begin.”

I don’t even see the papers of the test on my desk until sheutters those words. And I look down withpanic. But still, my brainscurries. Maybe I know enough to getby? I have experience in life, I’vewatched TV programs about this stuff. Perhaps I can manage?

And I look at the instructions atop the page. And read how I’m supposed to cite examplesfrom a specific textbook. A book I’venever read.

In dream world, my panic increases. I actually can see the unopened book layingupon the shelf in my locker. I rememberhow I meant to read it… but just forgot.

I read the first question… the second… the third. I turn the page over, hoping that starting atthe back of the test will somehow improve my odds. But I know none of it and my mind races forthe right course of action. Get up andwalk out, leaving the paper blank? Make stuff up with the hopes of earning amark here and a point there?

The decision is never made. For at this moment, I wake up.

Lying in bed, panicking against my pillow. I slowly… sleepily… realize no decision isnecessary. The test, so horrible anddaunting, shoots twenty years away… down a worm hole of time… far far away.

And with relief, comes a relaxed stretch and heavyeyes. Until a sudden jolt that oftencomes after waking from unpleasant dreams.

In the past, if I go back to sleep too soon after wakingfrom a bad dream, I pick back up where I left off.

Well, on this day, I have no desire to return to thatclassroom. No wish to return to thesemi-school sort of university. And nowant to go back and see those kind of familiar barely known friends.

And that’s how I came to decide to get up this morning. Still tired, and ready for sleep… I draggedmyself awake and out of bed… not wanting to return to an imaginary class, whereI’d be forced to take an unreal test that I’d have absolutely no hope inpassing in the land of make believe.

SUNDAY…

--- Day shift. Prettyquiet day.

--- The phone alarm betrays me. Waking me at 3:30 rather than 4:30. It did change the time for daylight savings…but bumped the location from Ottawa to Halifax.

MONDAY…

--- Lunch with Sheila… and a new showing for the house asit’s back up for sale. Wednesday eveningfor the viewing.

--- Physio after work and some TV after that… with a goodol’ Yala Yala shwarma for supper.

TUESDAY…

--- Night shift. Notmuch out of the ordinary.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Leave for work a touch early for a showing of thehouse. So I actually work somethingalong a 12.5 almost 13 hour shift.

THURSDAY…

--- Some TV in the early afternoon, after waking up. Then the showings kick in. I go for a walk, tired, and then get somegroceries while a 3:00 showing happens. When I get home, a request for another showing at 5:00. So it’s a walk of the pond and neighbourhoodat dusk and then some TV in the evening.

FRIDAY…

--- This house selling thing is weird. First the conditional sale… which takes twofull weeks before it goes away. Now asecond showing booked fifteen minutes before they are due to show up. So I’m out walking the streets for two hours…well, hour and a half with a half hour chat on the phone to the parents.

SATURDAY…

--- Physio and some movies and hockey on TV. And some UFC as well. I think the UFC will take over entirely fromboxing. It does many things right…bringing top contenders to fight each other rather than dodging a contenderlooking for paydays… and there’s only one title per weight class. Boxing is hurt by having so manyorganizations.

Making It Up As I Go Along #484

2011-11-05T12:22:00.002-04:00

November 4

Sometimes hate is easier

When sleep is broken by power tooled men

Calling to each other between drills

Let alone not caring someone’s curtains are drawn

Rather they are oblivious to the fact

Ignoring the idea of others

Yelling, drilling and stomping away morning’s peace

When know it alls pound chest

Proclaiming their rightness

Ignoring those that know more

They waste your time

And suck away energy

When dumb kids comb the neighbourhood

Literally walking with pants around ankles

Feeling bold and rebellious

They ring the doorbells of the elderly

Running away giggling

While a poor woman stands at her door

Confused

When all this comes together

All within a twelve hour window of time

This is when hate rears its head

The easiest reaction to have

And the internal struggle begins

Because we’re always told how bad hate is

But on days like this

It feels so right.

SATURDAY…

--- Alone at work on a quiet dayshift. Left over pizza accompanies me there.

--- Cold in the morning. -5 in the car on the way in… I had to scrape the windshield.

SUNDAY…

--- Alone at work again. Feeling a bit iffy. Verytired. Hope it’s not that flu that’sgoing about.

--- Catch up on Sunday TV once I’m home. Quickly becoming the best TV day of the week.

MONDAY…

--- Sick day. Exhausted and throbbing head for much of the day. Sleep a lot and that helps mostly… just anyactivity drains me at this point.

--- Expecting to be at work for Halloween, I bought nothingto give out. Ignore the door… there’sonly a knock or ring of the bell about six or seven times anyway.

TUESDAY…

--- Sick day number two. I go to physio but cut out the exercises today. Just too easily over heated.

--- Go to the inspection of my new place as well. Really like the view out the spare roomwindows and like the way the place is shaping up.

--- Mom and dad booked tickets. Here for almost a week in mid December… tohelp me move and get the new place up to snuff.

--- Also I’ve booked my tickets home. For the first time, I will not be home forChristmas… but will be soon after. Homeon the 28^th of December. Backin Ottawa January 11^th .

WEDNESDAY…

--- Wake thinking I’m feeling better. But a walk around the pond knocks me downpretty quickly. One lap and I’m ready tolay down.

--- Take it easy the rest of the day and watch some TV inthe evening.

THURSDAY…

--- Physio followed by groceries. And get through it all without losing allenergy. I think I’m healthy again… fluon the way out.

FRIDAY…

--- And the sale of my house is not happening. All thanks to a condo manager who doesn’tthink dealing with other people is necessary… and a young guy getting ledthrough life by a know it all father. Even though the real estate agent that represents them, and theinspector they hired both say the house is fine for the purchase, ol’ Popdecides that what the inspector really means is that the entire roof on thebuilding needs to be replaced. Two weeksof my time wasted by idiots.

Making It Up As I Go Along #483

2011-10-28T12:56:00.001-04:00

Sports Old

I’ve become old.

From a sports point of view, I’m old. Both in the participating, and in thewatching. I mean, I tore up my shouldershifting in a chair at work! From beingable to play through every ache and pain to wiping yourself out when your buttstarts to fall asleep from sitting…. That’s aging.

Even before the shoulder injury, I’ve been holding back insports. I used to go 100% at alltimes. I once got a double by blooping aball over the second baseman’s head and catching the outfielder off guard. I once hit a ground ball to the firstbaseman, and dove head first into the base to beat him there, safe.

Yet, for years now, I’ve run at three quarter speed, notwanting to blow another hamstring. AndI’ve given up trying to avoid being tagged out, for fear of rolling over a kneeagain.

Yet the showing of my sporting age has gone beyond the fieldof play. I now watch hockey games on TVand cringe when I see a big hit about to happen. Where once I used to scoot to the edge of myseat in anticipation of the collision, I now cower back, turning my head forfear of seeing Armageddon.

A hockey fight was once good and is now silly anddangerous. And the players are too youngfor me now.

I find myself thinking and talking like an old timer on theporch. Back in my day, players didn’twear these silly high numbers. #72? He should be ashamed to put that on. Now #7… now that’s a number.

Be humble after winning a fight, no wrestler stylecelebration on your way to the box.

Shoot outs aren’t real hockey! (actually, I’m glad I’m oldfashion on that one… Shoot outs are pure evil and have made NHL regular seasongames basically worthless).

The home team is supposed to wear white jerseys!

The designs on today’s goalie masks is too busy anddetailed. Give me a nice white one, or abasic design.

TV time outs are horrible. Back in my day, when the game went to commercial, you had to run to thebathroom and shoot out your pee with gusto… otherwise you’d miss the nextfaceoff.

They should outlaw composite sticks! Only wooden ones.

These players have too much padding on! They aren’t supposedto be done up like football players!

Stop with the fear of sharing injury information! It used to be, if you broke your ankle, youbroke your ankle. Now a broken ankle iscoded as Upper Body Injury. Yes, anankle becomes upper body in order to avoid targeting when the poor baby comesback.

It’s gotten so bad, that hockey teams can’t even admit whena player has a cold or flu. No… he has “flulike symptoms.” Is that code for hungover? Otherwise… just say he’s got theflu. Nobody is going to target theflu. Maybe it will open up some space onthe ice for the guy. And, perhaps whenyou really need that extra room on the ice… in those big games… you tell themedia “he’s got a case of explosive diarrhea… but he’s still going to play.”

And my crotchetiness has gone beyond hockey.

I don’t watch football. Too dangerous, and it’s all about gambling anyway.

Too many baseball players have too many tattoos. Especially neck tattoos. It looks like they’re gang members!

Stop pointing to god after you get a hit… or after you scorea run… or after you pitch your way out of trouble. God doesn’t watch baseball… he doesn’t care.

Pitchers are treated like babies. 100 pitch counts… shutting them down for theseason when they’ve reach an inning limit. Back in my day, pitchers threw a dozen complete games a season. No starter came out while throwing ashutout. And you weren’t a real startingpitcher unless you threw 230 innings a season.

Mound visits used to be cool. They were the places where Bull Durham likeconversations took place. It was as if abreak was called in the middle of the game and the pitcher, catcher, coach, anda few infielders gathered around in a circle and caught up on the daily news. Or… in those times when they were talkingstrategy, they did it like men… talking face to face, with serious looks, andbuilding intensity.

Today mound visits have face covering, for fear ofopposition lip readers picking up secrets. Pitchers put a glove over their mouth and nose… looking like they’reabout to cover a sneeze. Coaches put ahand up, trying to throw off the opposition. And catchers keep masks down… and even then, STILL put their glove overtheir mouths. It’s all mound visitpeak-a-boo. Eyes slipping up overgloves. Faces disguised. I’m surprised coaches don’t come out with abag of peanuts, throwing in a handful of nuts every few seconds… making spokenwords and eating chews blend into a lip reader state of confusion.

Yes, I’ve become sports old. Those young punk players are too big and rough… but also too wimpy andneed to suck it up. My sports senilityknows no bounds.

FRIDAY…

--- Dayshift. Fairlyeasy going… not too busy.

--- Was supposed to go for appliances after work… but anoffer on the house comes up. So it’s offto the real estate agent instead of Sears. Looking positive… should know more tomorrow.

SATURDAY…

--- Officially, the house is conditionally sold. Inspection up next… sometime before the 28^th.

--- Work is normal.

--- Swing by the new place on the way home. Outside is completely done… and now I evensee railing for the stairs and kitchen cupboards up. Getting close.

SUNDAY/MONDAY…

--- Night shift. Andfind out that the house change of possession date will have to change… December27^th instead of 15^thnow, we’ll see.

TUESDAY…

--- Up by 9:30 is hard after night shift. Got to leave the house for a few hours forinspection.

--- Some PVR’d TV once I get back in my house.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Bring the car to Mazda… oil change… tires changedover. Yes, winter tires are on.

--- Do an hour walk while waiting for the car. Nasty stuff walking through industrialareas. Loud and ugly.

THURSDAY…

--- Cold day. Physio…fill up the gas… and get groceries. Around the house before and after that.

--- World Series and hockey on TV. The baseball is crazy tonight. 7-4 Texas into the 8^th… 7-5 intothe 9^th… one strike away in the 9^th… St. Louis tiesit. Two run home run for Texas in the 10^th…9-7… St. Louis down to their last strike again… ties it again. And, in the 11^th, Freese home runwins it for St. Louis, 10-9… forcing a 7^th game tomorrow. Wow.

Making It Up As I Go Along #482

2011-10-20T14:53:00.001-04:00

Lady Killers

Who knew there were biting Lady Bugs?

So dainty and sweet

Gently ambling along a flower

Slowly crawling a blade of grass

Perching upon your finger

Or sunning itself atop your shoulder

But biters? Can it be?

An Asian strain

Orange instead of red

Ferocious beasts they say

Python like images come to mind,

Both the comedy Monty and swallowing snake.

I’ve seen them and now feel lucky to be alive

But they looked the same

Yes orange and not red

But in the Obama world

I didn’t dream race would matter

So naïve of me to think

Racial harmony lived

In the land of bugs.

THURSDAY…

--- Day shift. Rainyday and busy on the SICAR (shoe impression) program.

--- New house is coming along… Outside is now done andworkers were all over it when I drove by.

FRIDAY…

--- Feeling iffy on day shift. After lunch I improve though.

--- Rush off to physio from work and rush off to Telus afterPhysio. Blackberry is done and retired…iPhone is in.

SATURDAY…

--- Up just before noon. Feeling like hit by a truck. Butthat picks up after shower and some food.

--- Get Nick and go to Jenn’s house warming… while my houseis showing… no afternoon nap for me today.

--- Supper with Nick and Melissa and then off to work. Quiet night… pretty much only a tire trackand a few shoes to look at.

SUNDAY…

--- Good sleep and feeling better. A little TV… a good nap… and off towork. Quiet night.

MONDAY…

--- Quiet day. Out ofbed shortly after noon. Some TV andcomputer time with a fairly cool rainy day outside.

TUESDAY…

--- Physio… just overall weak today. Doesn’t hurt anything but both right and leftshoulder exercises tire things out quickly.

--- Showing of the house in the evening. Walk the pond for a lap, get groceries, andtalking to mom and dad on the phone while I wait.

--- Play around some with the new phone. It’s quite good at taking dictation. For e-mails, texts, whatever. It does it pretty well. But FaceTime doesn’t work with Sam… not surewhy.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Quiet day. Sleepin a bit… walk the pond… taking pictures and videos with the new iPhone. Pretty impressive.

Making It Up As I Go Along #481

2011-10-12T11:19:00.002-04:00

Grapes

Don’t listen to a word he says

Only he believes it

Needing to be ignored.

Coarse words spewed

He so sure of his own importance

Everyone tunes in

Ridiculous ramblings for entertainment

Ready to laugh at his freak show

Yet he doesn’t see the joke that he has become.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Work is steady. Ihad little sleep last night so lucky to get through ok.

--- The house on Aquaview, put up for sale after mine andasking more, is sold. Hmm. (note: findout later in the week that it didn’t sell after all, but is back off the marketand listed as a renter).

THURSDAY…

--- Work is fine… the drive home is long and winding as twoaccidents along the normal route have roads closed and me aiming for alternateroutes that are quite crowded already.

--- Some hockey on TV for the night along with somebaseball. Yankees are out… Montrealloses to Toronto… and Vancouver lose in that silliness shootout garbage.

FRIDAY…

--- Some afternoon hockey on TV. Buffalo looks good.

--- Afternoon naps works for the first time in weeks. Been doing too much laying there awake. But today, slept a good hour.

--- Supper out for Karl’s birthday. Good Thai food. Straight to work from there and it’s a quietnight.

SATURDAY…

--- Up just after 11:00. A quiet afternoon around the house before work.

SUNDAY…

--- Open house day. Ido an hour and a half walk along the power line corridor and than spend sometime sitting and walking around the pond. Sounds like the open house did well… we’ll see if anything comes of it.

--- Montreal beat up Winnipeg… but nice to see the return ofthe Jets.

MONDAY…

--- Out to Paula and Eddie’s for supper. Nice BBQ and fun times with little Mariatalking and talking some more.

TUESDAY…

--- Physio… I’m now officially right handed again. I did the exercises with weights on both myright and left arms… and the right was stronger. Followed by a little bite before running outduring another home viewing. Buy the newNHL 12 for the playstation. Got $1 forthe trade in of the old version of the game. Even the staff member laughed and said “it may not be worth it.”

Making It Up As I Go Along #480

2011-10-04T12:53:00.002-04:00

Summer? Summer?

The only evidence of sun is shades of cloud.

Those over there being brighter than these over here

Gusts of wind blow spittles of rain against ones face

Dotting glasses with a moist film and causing shoulders tohunch up.

The land glowed warmly only a dozen days ago

Allowing leisurely strolls comforted by pillowy blankets ofair

A short time later and now it slowly dies

Dropping leaves to the ground and driving the winged awaysouth

We bundle up and stare through the mist

Watching the birds abandon us, trapped here atop dyingearth.

Like the birds, the sun rushes away.

Rising later each morning, setting sooner each night

As if needing to be searched out and coaxed to come back

If only for a little while.

TUESDAY…

--- Work is steady. Lunch with Melissa. Go to HMVafter work and buy the new Wilco CD. Vinyl album to soon be bought too. Need best of both worlds.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Work… fairly slow day really… physio… thought Septemberwould be it, but the best course of action is to keep going until I see thesurgeon in the third week of October (sigh)… got to cut back at least.

--- Baseball was crazy on TV. Tampa Bay, down 7-0 into the 8^thwhile, in their game, Boston is up 3-2 going to the 9^th. And still, in the end… Tampa wins 8-7 inextra innings and Boston loses 4-3… and Tampa Bay goes to the playoffs. Wild.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY…

--- House showings that go nowhere and working nightshift. Not much else going on.

SATURDAY…

--- Physio and then a walk of the pond as my house is beingshown again. Cold out. I only do one pond lap and then huddle in thecar.

--- Get Sheila and head downtown for Karl’s show. A late supper follows and then home for aquiet few hours before bed.

SUNDAY…

--- Quiet day around the house. First in a while. Some laundry… turn on the furnace (coldoutside)… some baseball on TV… and Boardwalk Empire plus the season premier ofDexter in the evening.

MONDAY…

--- Showing between 2:00 and 3:00 and it seems productive,as they call for another showing tomorrow evening. But a few hours later, this is cancelled andI’m back to square one on the house selling again. Annoying.

--- Some shopping… got me a can opener. Life rarely gets this exciting.