it's (just) a sign

My goodness, don't mess with us at this age, at this time! 

Scene: busy weekend afternoon at the grocery store. I know, she shouldn't have gone but oh well, she's there now. And there's no carts available inside the store and the roll is empty so there's not many produce bags. And it's crowded - the check out queues are all long. It is what it is, just get the stuff you need and go home, right? 

Standing in line, the cashier asks the man behind her to put the 'closed' sign on his cart handle. The cashier has worked there for years, it pays the bills and is frequently challenging. Like now: 

"that's not my job" says him

... ?!?

"well... I can't see the end of the line from where I am... so... just... could you put it on the handle of your cart, please?" says she, kindly

"that's not my job" says him, again

At this point, my friend steps in

"here, let me put it on my cart then"

Problem? solved.

(he abandoned his cart)

definition of ?

embarrassment: unable to locate my iPhone, dial the phone and hear the music pumping out of the stereo dim a bit behind the sound of my phone ringing.


(so, I've attached my iPhone to the stereo to blast some tunage only to forget that my phone is attached to the stereo...)


(but the wandering around muttering angrily while trying to locate the phone, all the while enjoying the music's presence...)


(and I've done this multiple times, not just once)

channelling

In honour of her Wins last night, this post.

the reason why I started listening to Adele Adkins:

because I was stopped dead in my tracks;

how can that voice come out of a 

19 yr old white chick?

I jumped on over to iTunes 

right after hearing this interview

and bought Right as Rain.

The power of a real performance, no?

let me count the ways

I didn't early adopt, but I am comfy around technology. (except for the new TV setup. how can two adults with at least six combined degrees in total NOT figure the damn thing out?? even the 14 yr old 'just fiddles' around sometimes. argh!)

Around these parts, conversation leans towards Blackberry v. iPhone. I'm in the iPhone camp. I understand the plusses of the Blackberry, but I'm happy with my choice. The iPhone is more like a wee tablet, and I couldn't be happier that technology is kinda starting to catch up with my scifi brain. (except for the hover car... where IS it??)

So - just off the top of my head, my iPhone is not sitting in front of me - this is what I use my iPhone for just about every day:

check the weather

listen to radio

text my family and friends

check in and look around fb

tweet

pin

find friends; okay family

see when the library book is due

flashlight

alarm

calculate the tip

other calculates

voice memo to remember... something

photography and instagram

track my period

find out where the ISS is

check my email

read

listen to music

oh, and make the occasional phone call

oh so good for a friday

... in the name of love

This past weekend I travelled with my daughter's competitive synchronized swimming club to an out-of-town meet. Her first one. (mine too)


The purpose of this post is for me to remember the emotions present during this event. What is the emotion called that causes tears to well up uncontrolled when you're watching someone you love perform? It's a cousin to pride, that's what it feels like. But it's not the chest thumping kind. It's part pride and part happiness for them. Working through her first set of real nerves while waiting in line to perform her compulsory figures. She works really hard and it was so great to see her putting on her 3 min show with her team. She says she doesn't remember much of her team's routine, just diving in and then getting out at the end.


And the stuff back at the hotel room, Yvonne - remember that too. No, it wasn't bad. But I just handled it, gave the girls a pep talk about bonding and team performance. Not freaking out on them and hitting the ceiling like the other Mom said she would've.


"Do you work with kids as a job? How many kids do you take care of?" she asks. Just two, and I have a biology background.


"Really?? cuz you seem to know what you were doing back there."


It was a wonderful compliment, especially with the another team Mom nearby nodding furvently in agreement. No wonder shortly after that I was having difficulty seeing through the tears.


I may not do other things particularly well, But this? this I'm proud of.

I make art

kids look at these crayons

I make art:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How? Started by copying a photo of a gorgeous pair of Fluevogs, 

Chiyao Fluevogs

ran it through my TurboScan app and then printed it out. 

pdf

Adhered the paper to a canvas with soft gel medium, (coloured side down) and let it dry overnight. Next day wet the paper and rubbed it away gently to reveal the end result in the first photo. Covered it with a layer of matte Modge Podge when dry. That's it! Easy peasy.

Excuse me, I'm gonna go make me some more...