Quote of the Now

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do
Rumi

Monday, October 31, 2005

Samhain rit and crazy neighbours!

Last night the collective met at a local member's home for an open ritual. Many
of us dressed as witches of various sorts. (I was the most colourful amongst a sea of black)
It was a great ritual and included a walk through the nearby cemetary.
Unfortunately for my friend, her neighbour is the local crazy fundamentalist
Christian. And she's not crazy just because she's a fundamentalist or Christian. She refers to my friend as a satan worshipper and makes a lot of trouble for her and is always making trouble in the neighbourhood. Her house and car windows are covered in
text about the rapture and being saved by Jesus. She called the cops on us "satan worshippers" last night. They drove by, looked at the "witches" (really witches dressed as such) and "demons" (not really demons, but the children of witches) on the porch and laughed at the crazy lady and her friends as they continued on their way. I think the cops get a lot of crazy calls from her...
Poor crazy lady, I'm glad I don't live in her world. On her other side is the most wicked halloween house ever (wicked cool for me, wicked damned for her I imagine). That neighbour loved us singing down the street and admiring her decorations. She came out to turn more of the display on for us.
The crazy neighbour has also covered her house in plastic... apparently she gets egged a lot at this time of year because she harrasses all the local kids as well. Our other theory is she's trying to keep the demons out. I think she's creepier than the stereotypical old witch/woman in the haunted house... but then, I like haunted houses and witches.

After the ritual we had great food and shared ghost stories and crone stories, which was a lot of fun. Probably my best halloween/samhain yet. Crazy neighbour included - she just made it more interesting.

Robin's off at work right now bedecked in orange - complete with an orange troll-hair wig he found yesterday!! Crazy crazy. I wish I had my digital camera to take photos! I've taken film pictures, but I can't easily upload those and by the time I get them developed and to a scanner, it's far too late. Oh the joys of digital!! Maybe I'll get Robin to pose for the webcam when he gets home. I can take a photo with that. The quality is crap, but better than nothing.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

End of October Update

Robin's birthday and thanksgiving weekend was quiet. We shared a yummy Thanksgiving lasagna dinner with Candace and Jon, Robin's cousins here. Our own turkey dinner plans were cancelled when nobody could make it :( Veronica was supposed to be in town with her BF, and we had originally planned our dinner to host our non-Canadian friends here, but they also could not attend. So no turkey for Robin and I. It was very very sad. Candace and Jon came over for a very delicious bakery cake to celebrate Robin's birthday a day early. (Again, nobody else could make it of Robin's acquaintences... hmm...) I had to work/TA on his birthday. Oh, wait, Chris did drop by on Robin's birthday while I was out.
Robin's dad visited just this past Thursday as part of a brief visit of family in Ontario. We had a wonderful day of walking the dogs (Darla and TJ - Alan's dog), visiting the St. Jacob's market, eating delicious food, and playing cards. (I kicked butt, not that I brag about such things. lol)
I needn't bother mentioning that I have been very very busy. That's not fun to write about. I did finally receiev a copy of my MA thesis in the mail. It looks so pretty and complete sitting on my bookshelf. Also framed my diploma and have my three diplomas so far hanging in my office.
I have ordered a laptop for my office from Dell. I was originally determined to get a Mac, an iBook to be exact, but I finally caved. It was within my budget and it had everything I needed EXCEPT I don't think I could live with a 12" screen as my primary office computer for all my writing... So I found an equally good Dell notebook with a 15" screen. My laptop will be even more powerful than my HP desktop here... I think that's kinda funny. More memory and faster processor (that will be awesome, although this one usually seems fast enough... and I'm quite hard on it, running many programs at once all the time). And I just realized that this comp is a celeron (yuck) while the laptop is a pentium (yay). Hey, what can I say, this computer was a great price, and has served me very very well.
Robin will like that he can chat with his friends in messenger more. And I'll like that I can be up in my office, as far from his noise as possible. That and closer to all my books, files, etc. We already have a wireless router (and the laptop is wireless) so networking will be easy.

Our digital camera broke the other day. It just froze up - open. The lens is exposed and it won't run on to shut down/close it! The nearest place to have it fixed in all of Southern Ontario is Missasauga and since the camera is open we don't want to ship it... so next drive out to Niagara Falls we'll have to swing by TO. So don't expect any photos soon.

I think that brings us up to date. Halloween plans include fun for me, sitting at home for Robin. I have an open ritual tonight and my coven ritual tomorrow night. So Robin gets to hand out candy. I suppose most people had their parties last night on Saturday. Candace and Jon are having a post-halloween party next weekend, but we already have a religious studies potluck to attend that night.
Darla goes in for surgery to be spayed on Wednesday and we will finalize the adoption that day as well. Then she'll be all ours!! :)
She and the cats get along great now. Between Darla and Gryphon I'm never walking alone. They're always at my feet and in and out of eachothers way. It's very funny. Gryph rubs up against her all the time as they both stare out the back window/door.

A final question for the comments section:
So what are you dressing up as for Halloween? (Or did dress as?) I don't care how old you are, everyone should dress up for halloween!!!
I'm going to be a "fluffy bunny" witch. I've got a pointed hat with colourful stars and moons. Colourful clothes. Tons of crystal and witchy jewellery layered on. Wings and a colourful wand (which I made for a Harry Potter viewing years ago). But the most fun part is all the buttons I made with foamy! They say things like "Gardener-arian Traditionalist" (on a flower), "Charmed Ones Apprentice" (complete with the show's symbol, which was fun to cut out!), "My name is Lady Serene Dancing Unicorn Dream Weaver", "I do not worship Satan," "Some of my best friends are muggles," "What would Goddess do," and "My great great great great grandmother was Burned in Salem [as a witch]. Never again the burning times." Okay, so some of this may be controversial, but it's fun. And of course it's satire, just incase anyone reading is starting to fume. I am fully aware that most of what I am wearing is stuff I own and wear, just not all together and in this manner... And for those who just don't get it at all... it's an inside joke in the Pagan community.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Running for the Cure

On October 2, Robin and I walked for the cure for breast cancer at RIM Park in Kitchener, Ontario.
Thank you to everyone who sponsored us with donations. We appreciate all the support we have received.


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Here is Robin, in the midst of everyone waiting to begin...


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...at the start line.


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Here is a small section of participants coming over a hill in the background. We were somewhere near the front of the middle section.


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Here I am, at the side of the trail we walked, in a stinky field. It was not a good day to wear black (too sunny), but it's my pink ribbon shirt.


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Robin runs the last leg to the finish line...


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...and joins the other runners and walkers celebrating their finish.




If you are realizing now that you forgot to donate... there is still time :) I've receieved more than one inquiry about this. Go to https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/personal_page.asp?track=1399027&languageid=1

3 More days until Robin's birthday... (October 6).

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