I am a grandma!

Not much to say, boring day, rain, grey skies, blah blah blah. Have a great holiday weekend to all my Canadian and US friends. TTFN

OK, so we had 2 sunny days with 25c, today barely hit 20c, intermittent rain and grey.  Hopefully the sun comes back tomorrow.  I have a 4 day weekend, my car is back, Canada Day party on Friday.  Weekend is looking up. Long boring day today.  Got 1 student this morning, then nothing.  No phone calls, no e-mails.  Summer really slows a university down. I am impressed, people keep coming to my office and dropping off sunscreen for the eles.  I do work with some wonderful people.  People are also looking for blankets that they can give me.  Have already started my bag that will only have the stuff for the DSWT.  I will see about the soccer balls tomorrow.  The recreation center has promised me a few.  I have also started a collection of chocolates and some other sweets for the keepers.  I heard they have a sweet tooth.  Have to finish off the sculptures with the sealant.  I have the bubble wrap, so I hope I can pack them well enough that they don't break. I realized today as I

O.K. so I am over my case of the blahs.  Had another bright, sunny warm day today.  Getting my vitamin D.   It really does improve your mood. Just realized that a lot of the hairballs I have been finding all over the house are not Kayla's.  I got her shaved, and I am still finding the hair all over.  The culprit(s), my 2 cats.  Maybe I should get them shaved down too.  No, I'll just live with it. Anyhow, one more day of work this week.  Friday we have a big celebration across from my apartment.  The city puts on a great BBQ and then there is a big pool party with races and such for Canada Day.  It will be great fun, the once a year I can have BBQ.  YEAH! Anyhow, not much going on otherwise.  TTFN

Not much to say tonight.  It was a beautiful day, lots of sun and quite hot.  But we are supposed to return to rain tomorrow.  Only 2 more days to work this week.  Then we have our long weekend.  Hopefully I get to do stuff, although a bit of rain is predicted, but there are 4 day for the forecast to change. I will try to seal all of the sculptures I have done, they have had a good long time to dry.  I redid my ele with the keeper as the original ele nose broke.  I seem to be doing everything twice, but the second one always turn out better.  As they say, practice makes perfect. A p.s.  I am feeling a little maudlin tonight.  Walking through the park with the dog loving the smell of the wet grass and leaves, even though I am allergic.  Came in sneezing like crazy.  Just feeling alone.  I realized I have been alone for 40 years now.  Raised my son alone.  Lived alone.  Then I debated if I was better off.  Definitely.  What I left when I was 15 was nasty.  If I had stayed there, I do

Enough already.  Have seen the sun for a total of maybe 15 minutes over the past 4 days.  Now it is getting depressing.  Plus the arthritis in my hip is killing me.  You can only take so many hot baths to relieve it. Should be getting my car back tomorrow.  Another 3-day work week coming up, so maybe I can do something if this rain ever goes away. Did a sculpture of my Kayla, but I am having a hard time getting the paint color right.  She is that light caramel color in most places with some black and darker brown mixed in.  Have to keep mixing and see what I can come up with.  I still have to seal my other works, but can't do it because of the rain.  I like spraying outside and there is quite a smell to it. Back to work tomorrow.  Good thing as I am getting quite bored.  Be different if I could do something. TTFN.

Another day of pouring rain.  I think I am getting moldy.  Spent the day quietly, watched Disney's Tarzan.  Took the dog for a walk and got a close up look at a Pileated Woodpecker:  Stunning bird.  We also stopped to watch a squirrel playing in a soccer net.  He was having the best time.  At first I was afraid he was stuck, but then he was jumping and tumbling all over the place.  He was very cute. Around 6:00 the sun came out for about 10 minutes.  Yeah! As usual, Saturday night and nothing on TV.  Even less than usual.  Will have to go through my DVDs and see what I feel like watching. TTFN.

Today was a provincial holiday, St. Jean le Baptiste.  Everything was pretty much closed down.  Poured rain most of the day, and no car, so no shopping, no canal with Kayla, no celebrations, no parade.  Boring day all around. Did make a sculpture of Kayla today.  Am waiting for it to dry so I can paint it and see how it came out.  Hard to picture it right now.  I think it looks good, but it will be better when it is painted. Hope the sun comes out for tomorrow.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Not a lot happening today.  I washed some of the blankets I got to bring for the eles.  Today was very gray and miserable.  Finally got the rain late this afternoon.  Cool outside but humid in my apartment.  I have a semi-basement apartment that I have lived in for 35 years.  Hey, I have a 2 bedroom apartment to myself and if is only $535.  Best deal in town, seeing as I have a beautiful park across the street. People are promising me more blankets and sunscreen for the babies.  I love it.   They heard I was going and asked if there was anything they could contribute.  They won't go so far as fostering, but I will take what I can get. Nothing else much going on.  I have a 4 day weekend and the first day is rained out.  My son has my car and he's in Ohio, so not much I can do.  Unfortunately I have osteo-arthritis and walking can be a little difficult when the weather is like it is, but I get by.  I got my cleaning done, laundry, floors, etc.  so I can't complain too muc

Attended a city meeting last night to go over the hell I am going to be living in for the next 2 years.  I live right next to a large park in the middle of our city.  Also next to me are tennis courts, a public swimming pool and a hockey arena.  Turns out they are tearing down the pool, arena and tennis courts to make a new complex, most of which will be underground.  This is going to mean tearing up the whole area, digging a big hole, pile driving, etc.  Two years of construction hell. Today wasn't anything special.  Lots of work to do so the day went fast.  Now I have a 4 day weekend.  Love official holidays and summer hours when they combine.  Not going to be doing much as I don't have a car this weekend and it is supposed to rain, but I can get a few more sculptures done.  Have to try to figure out how to do my wall plaques without them falling apart.  It's jut the ear that are giving me so much trouble.

Well, I have come to the decision.  Just had my last cigarette, I hope.  I'm really going to try this time.  This is going to be hard, I have been smoking for over 30 years.  Wish me luck everyone! That's it for today.  I'll let you know how I am doing.

A very lazy day.  No birds or other wildlife at the canal today.  It's a little chilly here.  Don't think it went over 20C.  Actually, it might have, but there was a wind that had a bit of a bite to it. Kayla had a wonderful time.  She went swimming in the canal, then played ball for a while.  She feels much better without all that hair.  Although I notice she has a fatty lump on her ribcage.  Nothing to worry about right now, but I will keep an eye on it.  She doesn't seem to mind being shaved at all.  I have heard of dogs that hide for 2 or 3 day after they get clipped.  She doesn't seem to care. My son came and got the car.  He has a conference he and a friend are going to this week in Columbus, Ohio.  They are going to drive down.  So he rented my car.  Hey, the money is going into the Nairobi fund. I have 2 three day weeks coming up.  We have two holidays coming up and both fall on a Friday.  Because of summer hours, we also have the Thursday off.  I'm no

Not a very eventful day.  Brought Kayla in to get her shaved down for the summer.  You would have thought I was sending her to be killed, the look she gave me as I left.  When I went back to get her, she put up a huge racket.  But she is going to enjoy the summer so much more now.  And my vacuum won't whimper any more. All in all, a quiet day.   Weird not having a dog in the house for that time.  But she is not a vain girl and doesn't mind being shaved.  It is the process she hates. 

I think I was being a little maudlin tonight, and I was thinking, I was never a big Beatles fan, but there is one song they did that I can never get out of my head.  It is so fitting: Songwriters: LENNON, JOHN WINSTON / MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAME There are places I'll remember All my life though some have changed Some forever not for better Some have gone and some remain All these places had their moments With lovers and friends I still can recall Some are dead and some are living In my life I've loved them all But of all these friends and lovers There is no one compares with you And these memories lose their meaning When I think of love as something new Though I know I'll never lose affection For people and things that went before I know I'll often stop and think about them In my life I love you more I was thinking that it took me 55 years to start to really care about the world around me.  Or I could say it took me that long to meet the people who woul

House is clean, full tummy, happy puppy.  It was too hot today to stay at the canal, so Kayla and I came home and cleaned up the house.  Well, I cleaned, she supervised... Tomorrow, Kayla is going in to get shaved for the summer.  It amazes me how thin she is without all her fur.  Her undercoat is so thick, it's difficult to get the comb through it.  She will feel much better once it is gone. I'm going to indulge myself and watch the Lion King.  Love that movie.  As someone once said, "Hamlet with big cats".   Will pour myself a drink and celebrate jobs well done and relax. As soon as I get Kayla back I will post a picture of her, before and after.  She always looks so pretty.

Ahhhh, the weekend.  Love these 4 day work weeks.  Ends way to soon.  Came home, took up the runner in my hallway to wash it, vacuumed and washed the floors.  That much less to do on the weekend.  Tomorrow monrning, groceries, maybe the canal in the afternoon if it is not too hot.  Hopefully my Heron will be there, or the peregrine falcons.  Too cool. Took the scissors and cut the hair from Kayla's hind legs.  Boy, it was so thick and wooly I could barely cut it.  But that is where she loses most of her fur, so maybe it will help and my vacuum won't whimper when I take it out. I put a countdown clock on my homepage of the web.  It is counting down the days, hours and minutes until I leave for Nairobi.  At the moment, it is at 123 days, 20 hours and 20 minutes.  Doesn't seem that long, really. Well, have a great weekend, everyone.  Take care.

I continue to be completely amazed by the human race.  You would think that I would be accustomed to it by now.  I heard from one of my colleagues that they overheard someone in St. Jean, where we went to help with the clean up, Maudit anglaise (f*(&ing english).  Ah, Quebec, what a place to live. Then you have the cyclists who are screaming that motorists and pedestrians are against them as they nearly run you over going through stop signs and red lights.  I got news for you, people, I have been cycling since before a lot of you have been born.  I don't care if you have helmets, lights, whatever,  if you don't follow the rules of the road, you is gonna end up hurt or dead.  If you share the road, you need to follow the rules of the road. Anyhow, my little rant for the day. Have a good sleep everyone.

Looks like it's back to boring.  The boss is back and I'm back to working, which I actually prefer.  Makes the day go faster.  Just sitting with my glass of wine and watching Gordon Ramsey.  He is so harsh, but good. One good thing is that all the pain from the weekend is gone.  Isn't the human body amazing?  Could barely move yesterday, but I'm all better today.   Am about to give up on my idea of wall plaques of each of the eles.  The ears keep falling off.  I don't know what else to do, I have tried 4 times.  Oh, well.  I will have to think of something else. Nighty night all.

Not much happened today.  It was grey, cold (13C) and rain off and on.  Feels more like October than June.   Boss is back, so things should get busy again.  Anyhow, time for bed.  Have a good night (or day to those on the other side of the world). 

A couple of hot baths and a lot of Advil.  Muscles in my upper arms are really sore today.  Back is fine though.  I am not complaining, rather have sore arms than sore back.  Pouring rain with some thunder here most of the day, so it was a good day to do nothing except watch the Africam.  Back to work in the morning. Have a great week everyone.

I am exhausted.  Those sandbags were heavy.  My back is a little sore.  Nothing a hot bath and a couple of advil won't fix.  Hopefully we made a bit of difference in these people's lives.  Nothing much else happening.  I think it is going to be an early night.

Had a wonderful day at the Canal.  Got a lot of great pictures.  Now I need to pack my backpack for tomorrow's clean up in St-Jean.  Should be a good day for it, not too hot and only a slight chance of light rain.  St-Jean has endured over 40 days of rain and flooding.  Tomorrow will be packing up the sandbags and clearing debris.  Should be fun.  I'll wait until I get home to take my shower and do my washing. TTFN (tata for now).

Wouldn't you know, I finished the plaque of Naisula.  It looked pretty good.  Then the ears fell off and there was no way to get them back on.  Will have to redo it.  But that's o.k.  I am having fun.  I really like working with the clay, it is so messy. ;-)

I lead a pretty boring life.  I admit it.  I am almost a hermit.  However, since I got Chemi Chemi for Christmas, a whole new world has opened up for me.  I went on the Facebook page for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and have met so many incredible people from around the world.  It has truly opened my life up to so many new experiences.  I now have a new outlook on life and many things to look forward to.  Especially seeing my babies in October.

I get a lot of posts urging me to go vegetarian.  Along with these posts are graphic clips of the horrors of the slaughterhouses.  Besides being extremely graphic, they are intensely upsetting. While I agree that the horrors and torturous methods used by some of these places are reprehensible, I also look at the other side of the coin. Humans are basically animals.  And, like animals, some are carnivores and some are herbivores.  Do we condemn the lion for taking down a zebra to feed its family?  No.  Do we blame the elephant or the giraffe for stripping the leaves and eating the vegetation?  Again, no.  The difference being that the kill by the lion is swift and efficient with little suffering involved.  Both are animals, both have different needs. In recent years, I find myself not able to eat poultry or pork.  Not for any specific reason, I just don't like it anymore.  When I see the clips of how these animals are treated, I am glad I don't.  But there are ethical farm

Tuesday night and not a lot happening.  I painted my first plaque, Naisula, and will let it dry for a couple of days before I seal it. Boring day all around.

Just posted this in a reply to a friend and thought it would make a good rant for the day. I really think we are living in a "me" world. Most people care about nothing but themselves. I see it all the time. In Canada, there is all this recycling message going around, get rid of water in bottles, and then I go to the canal and all I see are plastic water bottles and plastic bags floating in the water. Garbage everywhere. Yet everyone is concerned about the environment. Tell me another one.  At work, in our classroom, we have separate bins for recycling, clearly marked for paper, plastic, etc.  Nobody pays attention.  They just do what they want. People are self-righteous because they use their bikes instead of cars, but don't follow the rules of the road and will run over you rather than give way.  They seem to believe they have an entitlement because they are helping the environment by cycling.  They gear themselves up in all kinds of fancy outfits and

When you look into the face of an elephant, you see the wisdom of the ages, the sorrow for what is being done to them, and the love they have for life.  Is there any greater insight.

It's Sunday.  Got the cleaning done that I put off yesterday.  Cloudy and not nice most of the day, but wouldn't you know, 3:00 pm and the sun finally comes out.  Too late to really do much of anything outside. Just brushed Kayla for the umpteenth time.  She loses so much fur my vacuum whimpers when I take it out.  That's the penance for having a long haired dog. Back to work tomorrow, but this week we start with summer hours which means I only work Monday to Thursday.  Next Saturday many of my coworkers and I are heading out to St. Jean sur Richelieu to help with the cleanup.  Those poor people have endured more than 40 days of rains and flooding and had to leave their homes.  The floods are receding, so now it is a huge cleanup.  Two universities are getting together and sending people to help. Nothing much else happening around here.  Waiting for my sculpture to dry so I can finish it.  Have a great week, everyone.

Busy, busy, busy.  Did my groceries this morning, got the car washed, then had to go get Kayla a new name tag.  Got her one yesterday with the new phone number and lost it between the store and my home.  It is only 7 blocks, but I was on my bike, so it might have fallen out of my pocket.  Oh well. After we went to the canal.  Not as warm as I would have liked it to be, but we had fun.  While I was gone, apparently a couple of female ducks, along with 12 ducklings, decided to go swimming in the city pool.  My neighbor told me it was quite a sight with all the workers trying to get the ducks out and back into the pond in the park.  The pool is right across from my apartment.  And fun was had by all. Finished 1 wall plaque.  I did Naisula.  She turned out quite well, I even put in her tusks.  She needs a couple of days to dry, then I will paint and seal her.  All for now.  As usual, Saturday night and nothing on TV.  Guess I should get some cleaning done. Kayla playin

Well, it's Friday.  I finally managed to get my clay, and it is not supposed to be that nice a weekend, so I can now start on the project I had in mind.  I want to make just the heads of my babies that I can hang on my wall. I want to add it to my other art work that I have done. Ele love Chemi Chemi, Sities and Kainuk Chemi Chemi clambering on Mutara My version of Muddy Butts

Just thought I would try to get in the habit of writing a little something each day so I don't forget about this Blog again. Dislocated my jaw last night eating dinner.  No idea how it happened, just was there all of a sudden.  Don't know if dislocated is the right word as it seems it just popped out and right back again.  Still, having a hard time eating anything right now.  Just a few bites and the right side of my jaw swells up.  Back to putting ice on it and resting it as much as possible.  Oh, well.  If there is a weird accident, it'll happen to me.

Wow, 35 years have gone by, almost.  Where did the time go.    One day they are riding a bike and the next they are opening their own store.  This is April 1, just a couple of weeks after the opening. Right is Greg working on some figures.  Below are the cakes I made for his grand opening. Well done, Greg and Phil.  You worked hard for this and I wish you both well.

Wow, five years have passed. Forgot I had this blog. So much has happened. My son gave me a baby elephant, Chemi Chemi, for Christmas. They can be fostered at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/. Since then I have fostered 5 more. I will be going to Nairobi in October to see them. I am so excited. I have never been overseas before. On the Facebook site, I have made so many friends from around the world. It is so exciting keeping in touch with everyone. And hearing about the elephant orphans. These are such wise and caring animals, so beautiful.