I pressed 'save now' instead of 'publish post'...




I was going to post last week that I was going to be on vacation for a week and not be about; then I didn't do it.

So I was on vacation, showing a friend about the city and island, relaxing and wandering and eating and talking.


It was really great.
I didn't think about work at all.
Sweet relief! :D

Back to the grind tomorrow though...

While out shaking what my momma gave me (which really isn't much and I am not a great shaker but at least I enjoy myself) a gentleman with very groomed brows grabbed my arm, pulled me closer and shouted: "You're gorgeous".

I was taken aback.

This was quickly followed with "I'm a big gay queen! Shhh, don't tell anyone..."

He made my night with that second comment.

Ouch.
I need one of those bum doughnut things after a 27k bike ride.
I haven't really ridden a bike since I was a teen and that was many moons ago.

I was more concerned that my thighs would hurt but it's the butt that is agonizing.
The day was worth it though.

I went with a group a friends for a ride in the city to look at the cherry trees in bloom. It wasn't quite what people initially hoped for because it snowed Friday and Saturday.

Snow....

In the morning it was on the grassy areas as well as plopping off the trees and into the holes of my helmet. It meant it was pretty cool out (bright red nose weather) but the sun broke through and it was nearly perfect for riding around.

Now I'm going to bed and hoping to forget about the tush...

I got in a fix of people watching today when I went for a walk around the lake.

There were the little old people shufflers who either ignore you completely or would say a very challenging hello, willing you to ignore then so they can complain about "Those young people today".
I saw a very fast paced jogger, about 5 times, dressed in long pants, a shirt and a toque (doesn't his head want to explode due to the heat?).
I saw a dad walking, with his four girls, on the way to the pool. The kids were in their chubby bodied glory* tumbling along in their swimsuits.
I saw a couple zipping themselves up after, I am assuming here, you know....doing something.
There were tanning grannies, people fishing, dogs running a muck, groups of teens trying to be cool and numerous BBQer's cooking up some yummy smelling food.

The strangest, and slightly creepy, thing I saw were multiple flocks of Canada geese gathered at one end of the lake and in a nearby housing area courtyard. There had to be well over a hundred geese honking, swimming and standing about. I had a moment where I thought of The Birds and my mind flashed to the scene in which the girl's eyes were pecked out *shudder* I watched for a bit then moved on. As I did I noticed the raucous of the other birds as well. I think they were annoyed at having their space encroached upon.

Found here

*lovely squashy thighs and round kid bellies; so cute!

Even though I wasn't completely well on Saturday (fever had broken in the night but still weak and kitten like) I decided I had to get out of here. It was loud around the place with the constant buzz of planes in the air. The air show has that affect.

Strangely enough I went to the city to find some quiet. That and I didn't feel up to a long walk in the woods and I knew the beach would be packed so Vancouver it was. I wandered downtown some before having a cup of tea and people watching. I then popped into a shop that carries odd sizes for people like me.

Remember these shoes? They had the same style in but in silver! Shiny, eye catching silver.

I want them!

Trip Bits VIII

Last one unless I can get my act together and put up some pictures...

Apparently I am too polite for the city and it gave me away as a foreigner. I was always saying pardon me or sorry as I weaved in and out of people. When poll takers or charity people stopped me in the street we would end up talking about Canada and then the things they thought I should see in the city before they'd send me on my way with a "thanks anyway".

Where I noticed it to be the most shocking to people was whenever I was entering the tube or train station. Outside there were always people giving out freebie trashy news dailies. I always said "No thanks!" when I was offered one and as the days progress I really noticed how shocked these paper types were when I said that, especially if I also smiled. I finally mentioned it to Peanut* who explained that people pretty much ignore them or just grab the paper off them without saying a word. He said they probably thought I was a nutter.

Oh.....I just remembered something else....

* the friend I stayed with

I was out for a wander and daydreaming as I strolled. I noticed that I was inching up on a man and his two Jack Russell's. One kept turning back and giving me the stink eye.
As I slowly moved up behind them the wee doggy got more and more antsy. It kept walking back and forth behind the man and giving me very concerned looks. I tried smiling and making nice noises but apparently those things do not work with that pup. As I moved to over take them the chicken dog ran behind its owner onto some grass, dug its paws in and was thus dragged head first into a railway tie fence. I let out a big "OH!" then had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing as the owner actually tugged the leash one more time and knocked the dog's head again.

I finished my walk with a grin.
(and yes I do like dogs but it was amusing!)

I may be a west coaster and used to the rain but this is getting ridiculous. It is bucketing down for the third weekend. Bucketing I say. There's nowhere for all the water to go and thus we have many new lakes around and, like at my place, the foundations are weeping due to excessive saturation. I lent my jacket to a friend when he went out for a walk and he came back looking like he'd gone for a swim. He was soaked (soaked!) head to toe and had to change everything but his shirt (jacket held up though the pockets were full of rain).

It's a good thing I went for a long walk on the only sunny day.

Fraser River Estuary

Train in the distance

Wishing for a Snow Day

I just finished making a big batch of ginger snaps in time to watch the news. The snow is still falling. There's so much that I wish I was a kid again so I'd have a snow day off of school in the morning. So far we've had about 35cm/just over a foot and they are saying we shoud expect another 15-20cm/half a foot plus. We also have artic outflow warnings and therefore have the windchill to deal with: about minus 15. It's not that bad but for we left coast types that's quite chilly.

There are advisories for the roads as well. Basically they are telling us to stay off of them. I went out this morning and it was fine but on the way home it was a bit zoo like. Cars littered the freeway and people drove like idiots; too much brake, too much spinning instead of rocking and way too fast. I went for the slow and steady myself with just a dash of confidence. I really, really like this weather. I just wish I could put it to use and make my way up a mountain. Darn that work!

1pm on the main street

BW3

So I did it and it was fascinating. I found a medical friend to come with me and we both thought it was well worth our time and money. The human body is amazing and intricate (as are the things we do to it).

The things that I found gross? The diseased organs and tar blackened lungs.

The rest, even if slightly unsettling, I found engrossing. One of the displays was of the major nerves running through the body. Another showed the entire digestive system stretched out (how does it all fit???). Some of the others they had sent red plastic through the veins and then removed everything else: amazing.

It was quite a subdued crowd throughout the exhibit but I still managed to have a few laughs. I got a few dark looks due to it but what's a girl to do?

1) I was standing in front of the exhibit pictured when an older man and his wife stepped beside me (in their fifties?). They looked at the figure and then the man turned to his wife and said:

What are those two sacs hanging from his abdomen?

In my head I thought 'Are you serious? Maybe it's time to cop a feel of yourself or something. Sheesh.' I then snickered and repeated the conversation to my friend. Other people that I have told the story to thought maybe it wasn't obvious what they were. Um, they may be attached at the abdomen but they are situated on either side of the penis! Heh.

....which reminds me....I think it was at The Hurdler figure....on this male they had cut open both the testes and the penis. Looking around at the people observing this figure I noted that all the guys gave themselves a little check and shift...

2) A mom had brought her two young children to the exhibit. They appeared to be about 4 and 6. The older child, a boy, turned to her and matter of factly said "Look. She died standing on him." They were looking at two dancing figures where the male was holding the female who was standing on his bent knee. The girl was much more interested in the rocks underneath on of the signs.

3) Another 6 year old, a girl, was looking at the tar blackened lungs when she turned to one of the adults she was with and said "I don't smoke." In my head I thought 'I should hope not!' She followed with "And none of my friends smoke either". Kids!

Sunday was a true Fall weather day around here. We had it all.

I went into Vancouver (which is about an hour drive) and when I left it was cold and overcast. A half hour down the road it was bucketing rain and when I got to the city it was brilliantly sunny with a dusting of snow on the coastal mountains. In amongst all this we had gusty winds, so much so that a freighter broke its chain causing it to drift into and collide with 2 other ships.

I broke out my jacket for the first time since the spring though I had it off and on all day with all the temperature fluctuations. In typical BC fashion I saw people in everything from gloves, scarves and toques right down to shorts and sandals.

This morning it was minus 2 but it has been a gorgeous day.

I Went Walking

I spent sometime walking in the woods over the weekend and made another spot for all the pics. Our Fall has been fantastic. Where normally we have rain we are actually still on water watches. This has led to a very colourful Autumn indeed.

I chose the trees over the beach this time. I need an ocean fix but know the weather will be turning very soon and everything will become brown. I wandered the side trails of Campbell Valley slipping in mud and getting covered in cobwebs all the while smiling and muttering to myself. I left dirty, wet and happy.

It was peaceful, beautiful and calming.

(I like a number of my pics but looking through them I have an itch for a better camera and so am tucking away bday and, soon, xmas money)

Friday the Thirteenth

I am hoping to go see the works of plastinator (that sounds wrong to my bad mind) Gunther von Hagen at the Body Worlds 3 exhibit at Science World.

Plastination is a very interesting way to preserve bodies/parts.

It looks creepy and extremely intriguing. It even has a caution:

Caution for sensitive viewers: eyes and genitals remain; a section of the exhibition highlights prenatal development, and includes embryos and fetuses.

I have some time this weekend but I may put off going until I can find some time during the week. Too many people ( read kids) otherwise. Plus I might try and go to a concert so must balance out the good times.

(A good friend on the cover of the paper in the week leading up to the show)

I went out to a car show on the weekend. I don't know all that much about them but I can coo over the pretty lines with the best of them. I dragged the dad along and he was able to name a lot of them and also had stories for a number:

I was in the backseat of a car like that and we got broadsided. I flew out the rear window and back in again. I broke my leg and got a concussion.

This was the first car I ever bought.

I learned to drive in this car.

I admired the fins, curves and colours. My pictures didn't turn out that well as I seem to have changed the setting inadvertantly.

The Fair

I hadn't been in ages and that made it all the more fun; people, food, rides, music, games, gimicky offerings, animals etc.

I went to buy my gate/ride pass before picking up my friend and heading into town (saved a few pennies for the eventual purchase of outrageously priced food). When we arrived we went for dinner and met up with the rest of our group. After that we split up into the 'we love rides' and the 'you couldn't pay me enough' groups and went our separate ways.

There were a number of new rides added to the park and I'd say that most of them were on the spinny side. Watching them make my stomach swirl but I found that, once on them, the visual was much worse than the reality (though I still skipped the Tilt 'o' Whirl; I just do not like it). Some of them spun us upside down, some sideways and others backwards. We managed coaster rides as well including the wooden one built in 1958 and then decided to go on the Pirate Ship for nostalgic reasons.

Bad move. All the ride does is swing back and forth in a large arc. You wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal (and I don't ever remembering it being a problem before) but it caused the big 'I think I may puke' saliva build up in my mouth. I kept it together, and in, but boy was I queasy. I had to walk and breath and finally sit down with my eyes closed for 5 minutes or so. Hello, winner! That made me feel old.

The pictures below are of the Swings. It is my all time favourite ride. It's so simple (duh..swings) as it brings back the joys of childhood and the feeling of freedom as you fly through the air. I could go on it again and again and again.

Twirling, floating, happy.

Girl On A Swing

September is entering with a warm long weekend ahead (averaging 28 degrees). I have no plans to be away but I do believe I will go to the fair with some friends and take in some rides. The bigger the better as far as I'm concerned.

I have a housewarming party to attend as well. Food, drink and foreigners. I hope I have my mingle on. It's disappeared recently.

If I have any socializing left in me after those two things a BBQ then beckons for Sunday.