Hein?

The Weather Network has a severe thunderstorm watch on for Hamilton right now, but they also don't anticipate any precipitation from tonight through to tomrorow morning. Sigh.

What Not to Do With Central Vac Part 1

Once upon a time this was the first place I've ever lived in that had central vac. Once upon a time Mikey wasn't exactly a central vac expert either. Once upon a time Mikey and I were standing outside our apartments dealing with the recyling and Mikey pointed out that something like 100 tiny, baby spiders had just hatched from some evil egg sack. Neither of us really like spiders. Mikey wondered if we should kill the spiders. I suggested we suck them up. Before Mikey went to hook up the vac hose I blew on the wee spiders. They tried to eat my face off. So Mikey hooked up the hose and I sucked them up. Then we waited to make sure they were all the way through the hose. Now Mikey and I will spend the rest of the night brushing invisible tiny spiders off of us. Paranoia is wonderful!

Landlords, if you're reading this and you have recently woken up with spider eggs in your brain we sincerely apologize.

Today

Misheard

Mark: Are you spurning your affection?
Graham: What? Am I spreading my infection?

Yes! More Star Trek!

Big Excitement!

I played softball for 14 years. Did the whole OASA and PWSA thing. But I haven't played since I left highschool. Trips to Africa and India took out 2 summers, working jobs that had lots of evening hours, lack of funds, etc; they all kept me away from the game for 6 whole years. But this Thursday night I make my official return to the diamond. I'm playing on one of the slo-pitch teams for First CRC and it will be glorious. I have to admit that I'm a little nervous though, its been 6 years since I last played for real. Eeee. I think the stellar people on my team will make it fine.

A day in the life...

Things Team HIV encountered or experienced today:

• the remenants of a car theft - clothes, empty purse, insurance info
• a homeless dude fainting
• a three car pile up
• an interview and picture with the spec (Graham's pic)
• finding coal in the beds we're planting

DSB, DJP

Dear Secret Boyfriend,
I'm assuming you're in town for the summer. I am assuming this because I'm quite sure you wouldn't want to be far from me. Anyway, this summer would be a perfect time for you to break your silence of love. Momma's got a big ice cream and candy craving going on. Mrs. Bloemendal thinks a trip to TCBY would solve this. I'm around all day today cleaning and finishing the unpacking, so gimme a buzz and we can escape to a sugary, frozen dairy wonderland.

Laura


Dear Jogging Pants,
Welcome back to my life. I've missed you. Let's spend all day together.

Laura

Adjusting to Life @ City Hall

So I think I mentioned that my job this summer is to make City Hall look beautiful. And to tell the truth I really do like my job. In addition to City Hall we also maintain Whitehern Museum, the old Court House, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and the no longer for worshiping, but now used for City storage and impromptu homeless persons bathroom, St. Mark's Church. This means that there is quite a bit of work for us to do. Oh yeah, there is some grappling among the foremen right now too, we may also have to do Gore Park and beds along Bay St.

Our day always starts with a four person run of garbage picking from all of the properties (excepting the church) where the most popular items found are Tim Hortons garbage and alcohol containers. We did find some interesting shoes which are modeled here and here by my crew member Graham.

We only just started planting yesterday. So the days before that were spent cleaning up from the winter and preparing beds for planting. This cleaning was also in a way, house cleaning for some people without homes. You'll be happy to know that the homeless person that lives under the juniper bushes at the HOF are having lots of cupcakes and protected sex. We cleaned up the evidence of both. Also, the same homeless person(s) and the one(s) living outside of St. Marks, you will be also happy to know are maintaining regularity within their diets as evidenced by the dung piles that were left for us to clean up. There are many needles too. :) Maybe that is why we are nicknamed Team HIV.

We don't hog all the gross jobs. We share the life of Hamilton's social problems with my favourite crew, headed up by Felice and containing the lovely Maria of Green Haus fame. Together we seek to make Hamilton's downtown core look beautiful.

A Quote from Melissa Kuipers...

About me:

"I think I'm allergic to you between the hours of 5 and 7."

A Quote..

From Heather Van Harten:

in reference to ST:NG and the clothes people wear on the planets: "you know the clothes they wear on the planets, the ones that look like wierd Hebrew clothes?"

don't worry, I'm the one to brought out ST:NG (because I get TWO channels that show it!!).

Amen.

We miss you Betty.

Betty told me (and Sarah Slotegraaf) a story about how she was playing in a black church. The organ was in a little pit away from the congregation, so no one could see her. After the service she ascended from the pit to the incredulous stare of on large, black, male, member of the congregation. She asked what was wrong and he replied, "You're a white lady!?! I could have sworn you were another sister down there."

I miss you Betty. You're my favourite light skinned sister and you've left some tough shoes to fill.

Redeemed

I know you were wondering, "Is m:i:III ok to take my children to?" Or, "My friend is a nun, would she be ok watching that movie?" Well relax my anal retentive friends Mikey and I previewed the movie for you (courtesy of the Pita Pit). I want to pass along that this movie is redeemed. Not only does one of the agents pray during the film, but one of their objectives is to recover something that is referred to as the anti-god. There is also no sex or swearing. But there is lots of sweating.

So grab a priest, some popcorn and have some fun!

Alone

That I know of, Miranda, Mikey, Jenni and myself are all living alone this summer. I'm sure there are more, but this is who I know about. So if you're bored call us, I'm sure we'd love to hear from or see you.

Hello?

Hy, I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I've been occupied with this move and new job thing. So lets keep you abreast of things:

• almost everything is in my new place - not almost everything is unpacked
• i did indeed make it through choir tour, it was lovely, i am tired
• i'm not working out of Gage Park this summer, i'm working out of City Hall. so if you see a girl about my size in large orange over-alls with frizzy hair working on flower beds outside of City Hall, well, it is me!
• i had my first allergy shot and it went without incident

Nothing too exciting. I'm spending most of my time unpacking, sleeping or catching up on things.

Aug 4-6

Does anyone want to go to the Nidus festival with me?

Honeymoon

Ok, i'll give you a tour wrap up later...but while I was unpacking I had the following thought:

I have been to 3 of 11 Old Speghetti Factory locations in Canada. Rather than go to some exotic location for my honeymoon, I think I'd like to hit the remaining 8 locations.





this was post 550! :)

Holland Days in Lynden, WA

I don't have pictures of it yet, but I was in a parade; a dutch parade. The choir was a float in the Holland Days parade in Lynden, WA. Well, Noah and Victor were their own float - they carried cheese with a harness. When I get some pics I will show you. Then you can be disappointed.

Yes, that is me sliding down Mt. Baker on my stomach. 

Yeah pics

 

For Dan? - did you forget after 5 years that you don't have wireless net at every billet?

Singing at Pacific Christian High
The Empress Hotel in Victoria
Posers on the steps of the Parliment buildings in Vic.
Tenors who love each other in White Rock. 

Update-ish

No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.
- WH Auden

That was on my personalized Google page and I thought it was semi appropriate. I'm laying her in a bed in Victoria, B.C. I'm able to lay here and type because a) i brought my laptop and b) our current billets have wireless. I'm pretty much in heaven. Though I should still be asleep, but those who know me know that I am certainly no champion when it comes to sleep.

Ok, so I told you we got to Abbotsford ok. What happened after that? The next morning we got on our bus and drove towards Seattle. On the way we drove over that underground tunnel that was under the border that those dudes were using to smuggle pot. Dr. T. was really excited to show us that. We also stopped at Bec's parents' to drop a few things off and then we actually went to Seattle. We stopped at Pike's Market. We hung out there for a few hours and then went to Lynnwood, W.A. to hook up with billets.

Sarah and I stayed with the Nelson family. Norma (the mother/wife) did her doctorate work at the U. of Iowa while Dr. T. was doing his doctorate work too. That was neat. They were super nice and lived just outside of Lynnwood. On the way back to their place Norma took us for a mini driving tour. We went past the Boeing plant, which apparently is the home of the world's largest enclosed building. It was pretty impressive.

Sunday morning we sang a lot of things in two services at Norma's church. After which we caught the ferry to Victoria, which was nice. Then we sang an evening concert at St. John the Divine church. Then we met new billets, which is where I am now. And here is actually Esquimalt. We're staying with the Taal family. Well, just Len and Annamarie and the Japanese student they have staying with them. She's actually a Shinto Temple Priestess. I find that interesting. How often do you stay with one of those. Dutch people, they're a dime a dozen, but Shinto Temple Priestesses...priceless.

Ok, the shower just opened up and I need to take advantage of it. I love you all and I'll post more pics later!

I am now in Victoria

Today is Cassie's 25th birthday!
2/3 of the Booty Barn on this tour with the other third in the same province!
Ladies in pink!
Gums 'a flappin' as usual.
The monkeys from the Barrel