Go Ahead and Laugh (at me)

That's right, get ready to laugh at me cause what I did today was mock worthy... I'm sure you recall the other day when I mentioned how stressed out I was about suitcase weight, so, rather than just continue with the stress I did a test run. I've already pretty much laid out which clothes I'm taking (give or take a few things), so I loaded up a rolling knapsack that I dug out of the basement, and my regular suitcase. As it turns out using the knapsack leaves me with an extra 5lbs for carryon, and the suitcase had lots of leftover room also. Big sigh of relief :-)

I seem to be stressing out easily these days, I hope it is the weather :-0

Yesterday was a whirlwind day that included lunch at Carm's mom's, Ikea (for more of those kitchen rail bits), and the liquidation place. I've been wearing the same two pairs of jeans for years now as many of my other clothes just don't fit so it was time for a few new pairs of pants. The liquidation place had pants on sale for 4 pairs for $30. How could you beat that! Today I wore one of the pairs out - you know when you wear the same things all the time (pants and shoes included) how anything else feels weird and uncomfortable. That's what it was like for me today, but I'm happy to say that after a few hours the pants started feeling okay - hurrah, there is (some) hope for me :-)

Another weird thing about me is that when I like something I want to have two of them. It doesn't matter what it is... must be some sort of obsession. I'd like two more pairs of these pants... but since it is the liquidation place there is no guarantee that even if I went back tomorrow there would be any. Drat.

I ventured out into the frosty cold this morning for a short walk with the dogs. I was bundled up and had my hands in my pockets. The dogs were basically naked and barefoot in the snow. How do they do that? Why don't they get frostbite on their feet?

We indulged in Chicken Shwarma plates for lunch today. Totally garlicly delishiousness. I have lunch for tomorrow (Carm doesn't ha ha). As we paid they gave us each a giant baklava... with honey dripping off my fingers I used more paper napkins for dessert than I did for the rest of the meal. I'm sure I've told the story a million times, but when I went to Jordan with my dad (1989) we feasted on freshly made baklava at every opportunity - we even had a giant box of them in our room... we did manage to bring home a few pieces for our family!

That trip also has a funny suitcase story. You see, both Dad and I both like souveiners and there were tons of things to bring back from Jordan - camel blankets, Arabian horse bridles, other camel (stinky blankets), leather ottomans... - all these treasures had to fit into our suitcases for the return home. We laughed so hard as we were squeezing everything in. I don't know how we did it, but we did get everything to fit. Thank goodness we didn't need to worry about weight as well!

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

Walt Whitman

Comfort Food

I've got to change my playlist... I've been feeling anxious, irritable and just generally awful the last few days - I think the ongoing grey skies have been effecting my mood - at least I hope that's it. I moped around all day today, with just a short trip out to the Dollar store, it was too grey and cold to venture on a walk. Finally I ended up in the tub with my current fav playlist playing. Starry Starry Night by Don Maclean came on and as I listened to the lyrics I couldn't help but shed a tear for Vincent (Van Gogh) or was it myself I was shedding that tear for? I was deep into a mire of self pity about not having a normal brain. It doesn't seem fair to have everything be just that much harder to get through.

Part of my stress is suitcase related. I have a 15lb limit for my carry on to NZ. My bag weighs 10lb. Empty. Well that is just stupid. Carm says they won't check, but what if they do? From what I could read online at some comment sites they do check the occasional bag - what if it is mine? Do I just dump everything? Or maybe stuff the contents into a paper bag and leave the suitcase behind. I can feel my blood pressure go crazy just thinking about it. Breathe breathe breathe.

Maybe a cup of tea will be the ticket? Or a shot of Amarone ;-) Comfort food would be the ticket too. Hummm.... maybe butternut squash risotto with roasted green beans. Comfort but healthy (since I already tried the comfort but unhealthy).

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.

John Lubbock

Snowbird

Predawn I opened my eyes and knew immediately that snow was on the ground. Sure enough, a peek out the window revealed a snowy mantle gracing the trees outside the window. Ugh. Back to bed.

When I finally did emerge from the depth of my covers, I ventured out into a winter wonderland. A few inches covered the grass and every tree was piled with fluffy snow. It was beautiful. The geese were flying overhead in large flocks, some glinting white in the sun. As two flocks passed by I could see that one flock were Canada Geese, while the other flock were large white birds with black wing tips. Snow Geese. I've seen these before but always thought they were just Canada Geese with the sun reflecting off their feathers, but now I know differently. Flock after flock shouted their greetings as they passed by.

If you forget the line about "the one I love forever is untrue", Snowbird by Anne Murray is a lovely song and echos my sentiments about todays snow:

Spread your tiny wings and fly away

And take the snow back with you

Where it came from on that day

The one I love forever is untrue

And if I could you know that I would

Fly away with you

I was talking with Kirsten (my sister) this afternoon and part of our conversation centred on my upcoming trip to visit them in NZ. It prompted me to put a little app on my tablet - Days to Go Widget. There are just 44 days left till I leave! If I feel this excited so far out I'll need a horse tranquilizer the night before!

To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist.

Robert Schumann