Snow?

I know that snow is perhaps to be expected in April. But I wasn't expecting it. No - after the 20+ degree weather we had a little while back I was ready for summer. I even bought summer dresses! I am done with snow - that's so last season. Now is the time for seeds and new shoots and things that are green - not white (except for the white snowdrop flowers and the purple and white crocuses in my garden).
As the weather drove me inside to huddle under a blanket I brought back out the crochet needles. I've been making hats like I have two heads! (Or maybe three). But I've quickly grown tired of the hats, so seeking a new challenge I'm using the beautiful new bamboo knitting needles Tay gave me and knitting absolutely divine purple wool that accompanied the needles. I've decided to make a lacy wrap. It takes much more work than the repetitive crocheted hats. And to increase my challenge I've retrained myself to knit Continental Style instead of English Style. Continental really IS so much easier once I get the hang of it. More like the movements of crochet work.
And just for the record - all the cool people knit and crochet. Just because I knit and have three cats doesn't mean anything...

Summertime in Spring

A crazy day today! Started with random downpours and thunder (frightening poor Darla) and turned into an incredibly hot, sunny, (muggy) day! The only way to deal with it was, of course, to go outside!
And while outside I had to be productive... so I cleaned up dead growth from the gardens, admired the snowdrops up front, and then did some work in the veggie/herb garden! Inserted a new wall on one of the sloped gardens using clay pots. Eventually I'll plant stuff in the pots, but for now they're just an ingenious wall. (I think it's rather ingenious and uses up clay pots I had lying around.) Above that, in the garden I did not plant in last year, I started some carrot seeds - since they are the only seeds I have that can be started outdoors already. Got very dirty and let Darla, Gryphon and Monkey play outside in the yard. Monkey sure does love playing outside, but she's really good for staying near me. Oh, I also found a frog (or toad)! I uncovered it while digging with my hands in the soil and screamed! Then I moved it to a safer location.

To follow up from the last post - I got a photo of all the animals in the same space!
See (l-r) Gryphon, Darla, Monkey and Fenwick around the stairs. (Also featuring the Dyson Vacuum whose canister was being emptied.)


See Fenwick see Darla (and everyone else sees Fenwick).


See Fenwick dart away... as Monkey watches. This is a very typical scene.

Three in One

This morning as Robin was getting up for work (me, I stayed in bed another 30 minutes because I could) all three cats dashed into the bedroom. I'm guessing Darla was in her chair in the office. So at one point I had all three kitties together on the bed! It was so cute - and a definite first! It didn't last long because Gryphon kicked Monkey off. Strangely, he didn't mind that Fenwick was snuggled up at my feet - she's the "stranger" in the cat family. I guess Gryph knew that Monkey would be competition for my attention...
Anyhow... must keep camera in the room now to get a three-in-one photo!
This may not seem like a big deal - but the fact that Fenwick is *finally* starting to be comfortable in the same room with Gryphon - heck, the fact that she is upstairs on a regular basic - is huge around here! It's taken over 6 months and I was really worried I'd made the wrong choice in having her live here - it's not a very nice life if she lives in hiding the whole time. She's still not fully comfortable with Darla, but she's at least bold enough to walk warily around D when she is sleeping.
I imagine a day when I can photograph all four of my children together :)

Relatively Old

Facebook has me thinking about how old I am - how old we are.
Finding friends from highschool, junior high and even elementary school has me thinking how it seems only yesterday we walked those halls together.
I look at photos, and people look the same as they did all those years ago and it is easy to forget that it has been over a decade since I last saw some of them. I don't have the greatest memory, but I do have a kinesthetic memory - I remember being there and little things. So it feels like yesterday.
Now, I don't think I'm "old"... but when I consider my age in relation to those years - I'm ... old.
And back in those days I never would have imagined I would be "here" in my life. I Don't mean KW. I mean everything. A graduate student of religious studies? Never would have crossed my mind. (No one ever asks you if you'd like to be a Doctor of Religious Studies. Actually... still nobody asks me that!)
Back in the day I was certain I would have a ranch full of horses! Now I think - why would I want to have to look after horses? I just need a friend with horses!
I'm not doing any of the things I thought I would. I don't regret that (well, maybe a few regrets, like not travelling). I'm really happy where I am now.
I wouldn't trade any of it - not even for a hundred horses (with someone else to look after them).

Spring has Sprung

"Spring has sprung,
the grass has riz,
I wonder where the birdies is...
There they are,
up in the sky,
dropping little white things in my eye.
I'm just glad that cows don't fly."

Spring is surely here. A light dusting of snow earlier this week tried to convince me otherwise, but the mud says it all... as it is tracked in by various four-legged children.


Monkey explores the deck.


Gryphon plays in the grass.



In Other News:
Today, Thursday March 22, Alisha has disappeared from existence. She no longer exists today. Yesterday she departed Canada to travel to New Zealand. Tomorrow, Friday, she will exist in New Zealand. In the meantime, Thursday does not exist for her (it's a time zone thing, still pretty strange to think about). I suppose I could say she is currently in limbo... on an airplane, somewhere.

And now for the cute factor:


Monkey tries to eat the stem of a pruned shamrock... but is stuck on the leaf. I think it is Fenwick who is chewing on the live shamrocks causing them to not do well. I also suspect they need to be dormant soon. I'm just waiting for them to stop sending up flowers.


Fenwick ventures upstairs while the others are outside.


Robin recently introduced me to Facebook - yet another networking system. However, I've located old friends, so that's fun. You can find us there if you haven't already. And if you're not on Facebook - what are you waiting for? Go Quick, before it's outdated! ;-)

I bought a laser printer this week after I found a great deal on an HP for $120. This is a much needed office item for my dissertation. I recently spent $25 just to print three "short" draft copies of my proposal and ethics application - I wasn't about to print 100s of pages on my inkjet. The orange office is becoming quite functional. With the winter chill leaving I'll be in here more often. A few more pictures and a couple more plants.... that's all I need. Oh, and another bookcase, and more storage space... but I was trying to be realistic :)

New Video - how fun

I've nothing much to write about. I've been keeping busy as usual. Robin plays video games, as usual. I have managed to stop revising/perfecting my dissertation proposal and ethics application so that I can submit them...

Instead of some boring text I offer you an entertaining video of les animaux in action. Always fun.


Notably, Fenwick is absent, for obvious reasons. She would actually have to come socialize a lot with Darla in the room to be featured. She is getting much much better though!
Enjoy.

Worms

I've blogged about worms before - but those were red wigglers.

This evening we got new worms - a new distraction - one that I can actually enjoy. We get to blow worms up!! Kablooooey.

It's a video game, Worms, And it recently became available as an XBox download - so we just *had* to get it! It's one of very few types of games I can actually play. My aim is pretty pathetic right now, but I'll get better with practice. My favourite weapon is a sheep. It explodes.

Almost as funny as Lego Star Wars, but without the popping noise. We still don't have that game, but I've not really had time to play the demo much. While I find it entertaining, I'm not sure I'm really interested in playing the full game and trying to complete levels. I just want to pull apart lego people and hear that lego popping noise.

In other news, V and baby are doing great! (They don't have worms) Our grandma hosted a baby shower in her honour here in Ontario. I brought along my laptop and webcam so that we could have a virtual shower with V and baby. Very high tech ;)

Robin is back on days - yay!!!! 8-4. On the downside, this means I have to get up early to drive him to work. (grumble grumble) I almost prefer the later start, but I'll adjust again.

We also recently hosted our first post-renovation party here and got to show off the new kitchen! It was a great party. Most of the evening consisted of a cheese fondue and talk. After some of the guests had left (those with chidren) we played a round of a game called Carcassonne. I won - so I thought it was great! My win was rather sneaky too because I got many of my points at the end when the game is over and you count up farm points. I had managed to secure prime farm lands without anyone intruding on my claims. So as they all built their little cities and claimed their points, I silently watched as their new cities increased the value of my farms! mwhahaha!! See, those thiefs on the roads thought they were sneaky (being thiefs and all), but really it was my farmers.

Nothing much new otherwise. But let me find some photos for you... I'm not going to bother posting pictures of baby since you can see them here. Do I have any new good pet photos?... I've got videos! But I'm not in the mood to edit and upload stuff. Eventually this will happen and you can all laugh at Monkey s'more.

There you go. Monkey and Gryphon. If you want more, you can check at Flickr.

I'm going to bed. Early to bed and early to rise is the new pattern, even though Robin doesn't work tomorrow. I need to get myself onto a regular schedule. I was going to do work this evening, but Worms distracted me. I've not played video games in a long time! Now my brain is mushy. Not from the games, just from being awake all day. Sheesh, I'm getting old! Midnight and I think it's late. Wait, midnight IS late. Right? Well either way, goodnight.

Monkey Silliness

As I dropped the basket once again over Monkey, I realized I have to share this funny thing with y'all.

Monkey is a strange bird. She never ceases to amaze us with her silliness. It started with a bag... you know, the old stuff a cat in a bag, swing it lightly, and watch the cat wobble. That was Jenny's favourite game! She'd dive right back into the bag when you opened it! Monkey is the same way - always looking for a new ride. So I put her in the laundry basket one day while I was running up and down the stairs doing laundry (as one is likely to do on laundry day, which was today coincidentally). She loved the ride and didn't want to jump out immediately or when we got to the destination. I eventually just started dumping laundry around her to carry.

Soonafter Robin discovered that Monkey LOVES to be trapped UNDER the basket. Yes, all I have to do is flip the basket and lift up a corner and she dashes under. She then proceeds to either play with a toy I provide outside the basket or figure out to get out. I suspect the game is beginning to get old for her (or maybe not) since she is very skilled at getting out. Sometimes she is very clever and moves the basket so it hangs over the stairs. Sometimes she uses Darla's bed as a slop to lift it. And the rest, I guess she just wedges her paws underneath and lifts.

Today, as I was putting away dishes she did her usual attempt to hide in the pantry. I removed her, but as I was getting up to reach the door handle she darted back in half-way, stopped, turned to look up at me... and was removed again. But the cheeky brat did it on purpose and then looked at me! lol

Life with Monkey is never dull. Heck, life with Gryphon and Darla was never dull either. How much more excitement can I take???

Better Photos

You don't really want to look at the photos in the previous post! You really want to see my nephew Dorion. Oh, I know it's true. Everyone loves to see the baby.

Now don't start asking me questions about... well you know what you were thinking. I told you already, you'll know. It will happen. If I can be patient (hahahahaha) so can you. Just enjoy my nephew.

Profiling us

As I posted to Jen's blog just now and saw our wedding photo come up to accompany the comment... I wondered if it's time to update the picture... we're not newly weds anymore :)

Here are some possible alternatives:

This is the most recent from January when we were at a party to see our friend from Tennessee. Then we have the following photos from November. This is my friend's newborn son.

I could confuse everyone with these. Wouldn't that be fun! See that adorable rainbow pointed hat? I made that :)

Looking through the options I realize now why I hadn't changed the photo yet - there are few other options. We don't take many photos together. Now, if this were a blog just about Robin, I could use the photo above. And if Robin knew how to log in I bet he'd remove it! lol Those are my PJs he's wearing to pajama day at work. He won a prize too - damn well better have with that getup.

Here's Robin again with the same baby from above. There's a series of similar photos - but I don't want to scare you with them.

That's about all I have for photos of us. Since I rarely point the camera at myself there are few of me. And since I'm writing this entry I don't have to include any pictures I don't want to - like pictures of me! Now, if you wanted cat or dog or plant photos, I've got that covered!

So, what do y'all think. Should I keep the same photo or change it up - likely to the first option. Or maybe I should wait for a better photo option.

I'm tired - hence the strange randomness of this post. I have to stay up to record tonight's episode of My Unique Family. It features a Wiccan family. I taped it once already at 10 for myself and will tape again at 1 for a friend. I had to borrow her VCR to record. That's team work! I've got the channel (she doesn't) and she has the VCR (I don't) and we both want a copy of this episode. Unfortunately, I missed the recent Wife Swap episode because I didn't hear about it until after it aired. Hopefully I can catch it on a re-run. I also hear that Wiccans were featured on ER this week. That's a lot of Wiccans on the networks lately.