So it's taken me a day or two or three to settle in after Vancouver. Unpacking and doing laundry was on the list today, amongst the emails, meetings across town and a quick stop at the U. to drop a coffee to my BIL.
When I zipped downstairs to start a load this afternoon, I noticed water on the floor which freaked me out, considering the history of water on the floor in this house! It appeared to be fresh water, not waste, and was quite obviously coming from the washing machine. It's happened in the past where the drain hose has popped out of the copper shaft that leads to the sewer. Nope, all secure. I checked the water lines to the washer. All dry, even whilst filling the machine.
Hmm...
The water started flowing again once the tub had a load, so I'm figuring there's maybe a crack in the tank somewhere.
Ikes.
The machine is not that old - in fact, I blogged about it the day it arrived: here
It's only three-and-a-bit years old. Frustrating.
Anyway, the point of this story is that I ran a load. While it was washing, I folded the load that was in the dryer - April's stuff... figured I could return the favour at least once.
Once the spin cycle had completed, I figured I'd give it another spin - just to get as much water out as possible. I went back a few minutes later to discover the machine filling with water.
Odd.
Put it back on SPIN and ran away.
Came back.
It's rinsing agian!
Checked the dial.
Yes, there's a "STOP" position between SPIN and RINSE - I wasn't going brain-dead.
Spun it again.
AGAIN, came back to a washer full of clothes and water!
Then it hit me: there's a selector for "ONE RINSE/SECOND RINSE"
It was on "SECOND RINSE".
Must be a girl thing. I mean, who needs to rinse a load of clothes twice?? That's the whole point of a RINSE cycle, ain't it? Clearly I must be thinking like a boy - I'm sure a girl would have a perfectly logical explanation for why you'd need to rinse your clothes twice... let alone... 4 times!
Maybe this is the Universe telling me I need to enter the modern age and get one of those front-load machines that auto-senses your load and uses just the right amount of water. I'm sure we could also programme an "APRIL" mode and a "TURTLE" mode.
So, I'm convinced that if only for today, I have the cleanest clothes of anyone.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Life settles into... almost normal
The craziest thing happened to me. Once I returned to Calgary, everything... and I mean EVERYTHING needed my attention, or so it seemed. My week away was fun, yes, but not nearly as energizing and restorative as I had hoped. Vancouver is a place I rarely go, and chalk full of stuff to see and do - not to mention a great place to eat cheap! Eating out in Vancouver is cheaper than filling the fridge - it blew me away! Or maybe I've simply been living in hyper-inflated Calgary for so long I've lost my perspective on the rest of the world? Anyway, it was a treat to eat out while catching up with several good friends.
I was perusing my previous visit's post about Comox, Vancouver and Burnaby in July and realized I'd done it again: promised additional posts without posting.
I've been on the go since I got home - touching base with clients, doing quotes, invoicing (with a little prayer along the way), tending to the basement suite, catching up at the chiropractor, and today I buzzed out to K-Country to sit in on a planning meeting at the Tim Horton Children's Ranch. We're installing their new sound system in the soon-to-be-renovated Lodge.
I simply had to go to yoga tonight. I walked in, looked at the fellow behind the counter and said,
"I need to be here in the worst way..."
"...the 'worst way', huh?", he said.
"Yup."
I'm exhausted.
Tuckered
Pooped
Worn
and almost Expired.
So you'll excuse me if I don't take the time just now to upload more photos from the trip, yes?
OK, 'cept this one:
This is one of Sharon's kitties, Lugh. He's incredibly skinny because like Bob (you remember Bob, yes?) his kidneys are failing. Sharon refers to Lugh as "Old-Fart Kitty". He's a real sweetie, despite what Sharon says about it all being a facade. He and I are buddies, none the less.
I was perusing my previous visit's post about Comox, Vancouver and Burnaby in July and realized I'd done it again: promised additional posts without posting.
I've been on the go since I got home - touching base with clients, doing quotes, invoicing (with a little prayer along the way), tending to the basement suite, catching up at the chiropractor, and today I buzzed out to K-Country to sit in on a planning meeting at the Tim Horton Children's Ranch. We're installing their new sound system in the soon-to-be-renovated Lodge.
I simply had to go to yoga tonight. I walked in, looked at the fellow behind the counter and said,
"I need to be here in the worst way..."
"...the 'worst way', huh?", he said.
"Yup."
I'm exhausted.
Tuckered
Pooped
Worn
and almost Expired.
So you'll excuse me if I don't take the time just now to upload more photos from the trip, yes?
OK, 'cept this one:
This is one of Sharon's kitties, Lugh. He's incredibly skinny because like Bob (you remember Bob, yes?) his kidneys are failing. Sharon refers to Lugh as "Old-Fart Kitty". He's a real sweetie, despite what Sharon says about it all being a facade. He and I are buddies, none the less.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Flying High For Pie
I've had an iPhone since April. One of the advantages of such a device is that it is not simply a mobile phone, but also sports web browsing, email and a whole raft of applications.
Today I'm blogging whilst aboard the Queen of Cowachan, en route to Nanaiamo, Vancouver Island. I've been in BC since Sunday, staying with my since-kindergarten-friend, Sharon in Burnaby. I'm here to celebrate my 40th birthday come Thursday.
I've always enjoyed reading blogs that incorporate photos along with the story, so here we go...
THIS WAS A FIRST FOR ME: TO WATCH THE DE-ICING PROCESS. THERE'S A GUY WHO SITS IN A POD, WHILE A DRIVER RUNS THE TRUCK AROUND THE PLANE. THE POD OPERATOR CAN MOVE THE POD UP AND DOWN THE BODY OF THE PLANE. THE DE-ICER IS TINTED PINK, MUCH LIKE DRYWALL PRIMER.
COMPARATIVE SHOTS: THE WEATHER IN CALGARY ON DEPARTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT ABOVE THE WEATHER, ON DESCENT AND ON THE GROUND IN VANCOUVER.
THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS EXPEDITION IS TO CELEBRATE MY 40TH BIRTHDAY WITH PIE FROM THE CHILLIWACK AIRPORT. ON MY ARRIVAL, SHARON PICKED ME UP AND WE DROVE TO THE AIRPORT AT CHILLIWACK WHICH IS HOME TO A GREAT LITTLE DINER. WE SAT IN FOR LUNCH AND PICKED UP OUR PRE-ORDERED PIES. FOR ME, IT WAS THE LONG-ANTICIPATED COCONUT CREAM - WHICH I HAVE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY FINDING IN CALGARY. SHARON'S FRIEND MALA HAD US ORDER A BANANNA CREAM FOR HER, AND I PICKED UP A BLUEBERRY PIE FOR THE TREK TO NANIAMO. WE ALSO CELEBRATED WITH A GOOD BOTTLE OF SCOTCH: GLENMORANGIE WITH A SHERRY FINISH.
LIKE ME, SHARON TENDS TO TAKE PICTURES OF ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. HERE SHE'S PHTOGRAPHING THE ONE PIECE OF CARAMEL SOMETHING-OR-OTHER THAT SHE PICKED UP FOR ANOTHER FRIEND WHO'S ALSO CELEBRATING 40 THIS WEEK. SHE HOWEVER, COULD NOT JOIN US IN OUR FESTIVITIES.
LATER, SHARON SNAPS A SHOT OF SOME CREAM PIE THAT INTRIGUED HER.
MALA THEN SNAPS A PHOTO OF ME SNAPPING A PHOTO OF SHRON'S PHOTO.
...to be continued
Today I'm blogging whilst aboard the Queen of Cowachan, en route to Nanaiamo, Vancouver Island. I've been in BC since Sunday, staying with my since-kindergarten-friend, Sharon in Burnaby. I'm here to celebrate my 40th birthday come Thursday.
I've always enjoyed reading blogs that incorporate photos along with the story, so here we go...
THIS WAS A FIRST FOR ME: TO WATCH THE DE-ICING PROCESS. THERE'S A GUY WHO SITS IN A POD, WHILE A DRIVER RUNS THE TRUCK AROUND THE PLANE. THE POD OPERATOR CAN MOVE THE POD UP AND DOWN THE BODY OF THE PLANE. THE DE-ICER IS TINTED PINK, MUCH LIKE DRYWALL PRIMER.
COMPARATIVE SHOTS: THE WEATHER IN CALGARY ON DEPARTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT ABOVE THE WEATHER, ON DESCENT AND ON THE GROUND IN VANCOUVER.
THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS EXPEDITION IS TO CELEBRATE MY 40TH BIRTHDAY WITH PIE FROM THE CHILLIWACK AIRPORT. ON MY ARRIVAL, SHARON PICKED ME UP AND WE DROVE TO THE AIRPORT AT CHILLIWACK WHICH IS HOME TO A GREAT LITTLE DINER. WE SAT IN FOR LUNCH AND PICKED UP OUR PRE-ORDERED PIES. FOR ME, IT WAS THE LONG-ANTICIPATED COCONUT CREAM - WHICH I HAVE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY FINDING IN CALGARY. SHARON'S FRIEND MALA HAD US ORDER A BANANNA CREAM FOR HER, AND I PICKED UP A BLUEBERRY PIE FOR THE TREK TO NANIAMO. WE ALSO CELEBRATED WITH A GOOD BOTTLE OF SCOTCH: GLENMORANGIE WITH A SHERRY FINISH.
LIKE ME, SHARON TENDS TO TAKE PICTURES OF ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. HERE SHE'S PHTOGRAPHING THE ONE PIECE OF CARAMEL SOMETHING-OR-OTHER THAT SHE PICKED UP FOR ANOTHER FRIEND WHO'S ALSO CELEBRATING 40 THIS WEEK. SHE HOWEVER, COULD NOT JOIN US IN OUR FESTIVITIES.
LATER, SHARON SNAPS A SHOT OF SOME CREAM PIE THAT INTRIGUED HER.
MALA THEN SNAPS A PHOTO OF ME SNAPPING A PHOTO OF SHRON'S PHOTO.
...to be continued
Sunday, January 03, 2010
As I ready the Armchair Year in Review...
...something happened today that caused me to laugh.
About 4:30 this afternoon I was invited for dinner downstairs. It happens frequently, and is pretty casual. I usually end up taking a salad and maybe a bottle of juice or wine.
Tonight it was wine, but I'd forgotten the salad tongs. I found out that April doesn't own any salad tongs.
"Odd,"
I thought to myself,
"she's vegetarian."
Not that being vegetarian automatically means there would be no question about the tongs, but really... do you see why I was a little surprised. Before I headed upstairs to grab my beautiful wooden set, I thought it smart to ask,
"...you have a corkscrew?"
just in case. The response?
"Of course I have a corkscrew... I'm vegetarian!'
So, there you have it.
Who knew?
For a joke during dinner, I suddenly exclaimed,
"Oh my gosh, I p'd on the table!"
"What!?"
"Look!"
About 4:30 this afternoon I was invited for dinner downstairs. It happens frequently, and is pretty casual. I usually end up taking a salad and maybe a bottle of juice or wine.
Tonight it was wine, but I'd forgotten the salad tongs. I found out that April doesn't own any salad tongs.
"Odd,"
I thought to myself,
"she's vegetarian."
Not that being vegetarian automatically means there would be no question about the tongs, but really... do you see why I was a little surprised. Before I headed upstairs to grab my beautiful wooden set, I thought it smart to ask,
"...you have a corkscrew?"
just in case. The response?
"Of course I have a corkscrew... I'm vegetarian!'
So, there you have it.
Who knew?
For a joke during dinner, I suddenly exclaimed,
"Oh my gosh, I p'd on the table!"
"What!?"
"Look!"
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010
Welcome to the New Year.
In fact, welcome to the new decade. Where did ten years go? I heard a girl on the radio today. She was talking about that very thing. Her topic of conversation was music, but she still asked the all-important question.
Time, indeed, marches on.
I was thinking of posting before the clock struck 12, but was really quite busy. You see, this is the first New Years Eve I've had off in... 23 years? The boys are out there doing their thing, and here I sit contemplating stuff and things.
In actual fact, I got a bit of a bug today - a bug to organize! Check this out:
The office. I should have taken a 'before' shot for comparison, but take my word for it: it's been a zoo here. This feels great, and it's my theme for the next couple days, anyway.
I may still post a 'year in review' of sorts since I really didn't blog much last year. Back to the organizing - which feels really good, by the way!
Until then...
In fact, welcome to the new decade. Where did ten years go? I heard a girl on the radio today. She was talking about that very thing. Her topic of conversation was music, but she still asked the all-important question.
Time, indeed, marches on.
I was thinking of posting before the clock struck 12, but was really quite busy. You see, this is the first New Years Eve I've had off in... 23 years? The boys are out there doing their thing, and here I sit contemplating stuff and things.
In actual fact, I got a bit of a bug today - a bug to organize! Check this out:
The office. I should have taken a 'before' shot for comparison, but take my word for it: it's been a zoo here. This feels great, and it's my theme for the next couple days, anyway.
I may still post a 'year in review' of sorts since I really didn't blog much last year. Back to the organizing - which feels really good, by the way!
Until then...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A lack of information...
As I was logging on to Blogger just now I was stumped for a post title.
After log-in, I noticed I've posted 411 times since opening the Armchair in 2005. I thought to myself,
"Hmm... 411... that's like the number you dial for information."
Certainly there hasn't been a lot of that here in recent months. In fact, it's been over a month since I last checked in. I've felt sluggish about blogging, and have really been out of my normal operating mode: no pottery, no yoga, no English classes.
I have been busy though. Work's been monopolizing my time - catching up on housekeeping matters and keeping my eye on the horizon has been a full-time-and-then-some job. In some ways I feel like I've slipped from "ship's captain" back down to "grunt of the sea", but perhaps it's a captain's duty to do what needs to be done for the benefit of the whole. I'm looking forward to climbing myself back up on to the look-out tower in January if only to get a big-picture view of not only the work world, but my life (and lifestyle) as a whole.
As I approach 40, (about six weeks away) I'm finding myself a wee bit confused. The calendar says I'm almost 4-0, but in my mind I feel much younger. The other day I had a wee panic about it. I thought about all the stuff I haven't done yet, where I thought I might be by now, and really - what my true-to-life position really is.
For the last number of years I've madly been defending myself against what typically happens to self-employed folks - becoming married to my job. It happened in my 20s and early 30s, and those on the outside would probably say I've done a pretty good job of finding good wholesome activity to provide a counter to the insanity that can and does easily take over.
Today marks 23 years (1986) since we did our first event for actual dollars. The next year will see some significant changes in how we go about making those dollars, not to mention what will get done with those dollars. The challenge will be to somehow "box up" the work so I don't slide into the abyss. I love my work, really. Trouble is I love a lot of other things too, and I want to fit it all in.
The next post will touch on a couple gifts I picked up for the business - both of which should help keep a lid on boss's hourly involvement,
On the list for January: Pump up the biz, Back to pottery (remember pottery??) and a wee bit of travel... oh, and more blogging!
Stay tuned...
After log-in, I noticed I've posted 411 times since opening the Armchair in 2005. I thought to myself,
"Hmm... 411... that's like the number you dial for information."
Certainly there hasn't been a lot of that here in recent months. In fact, it's been over a month since I last checked in. I've felt sluggish about blogging, and have really been out of my normal operating mode: no pottery, no yoga, no English classes.
I have been busy though. Work's been monopolizing my time - catching up on housekeeping matters and keeping my eye on the horizon has been a full-time-and-then-some job. In some ways I feel like I've slipped from "ship's captain" back down to "grunt of the sea", but perhaps it's a captain's duty to do what needs to be done for the benefit of the whole. I'm looking forward to climbing myself back up on to the look-out tower in January if only to get a big-picture view of not only the work world, but my life (and lifestyle) as a whole.
As I approach 40, (about six weeks away) I'm finding myself a wee bit confused. The calendar says I'm almost 4-0, but in my mind I feel much younger. The other day I had a wee panic about it. I thought about all the stuff I haven't done yet, where I thought I might be by now, and really - what my true-to-life position really is.
For the last number of years I've madly been defending myself against what typically happens to self-employed folks - becoming married to my job. It happened in my 20s and early 30s, and those on the outside would probably say I've done a pretty good job of finding good wholesome activity to provide a counter to the insanity that can and does easily take over.
Today marks 23 years (1986) since we did our first event for actual dollars. The next year will see some significant changes in how we go about making those dollars, not to mention what will get done with those dollars. The challenge will be to somehow "box up" the work so I don't slide into the abyss. I love my work, really. Trouble is I love a lot of other things too, and I want to fit it all in.
The next post will touch on a couple gifts I picked up for the business - both of which should help keep a lid on boss's hourly involvement,
On the list for January: Pump up the biz, Back to pottery (remember pottery??) and a wee bit of travel... oh, and more blogging!
Stay tuned...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- Turtle Guy
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- English student, Pottery enthusiast, Yoga novice and lover of all people. I make friends over a warm handshake and a beverage. I discover, every day, someone willing to help me along my path.