Musings on a Small Life

I took the time to shave my legs for "the rapture," because who wants to meet a deity while stubbly, yet the eastern hemisphere, at least, still seems to be ticking along per normal. Maybe the "end of the world" is just for the western hemisphere? I don't feel sorry for the crackpot evangelist who's predicted this (he's been wrong before, back in 1994, and he's worth $120M, the news said), but I actually do feel sorry for those who are so desperate and needy for something more than this often-crappy life that they've bought it into it--and in the process, given up their jobs and sold their possessions. Which apparently some have. I do, however, experience a certain degree of rapture when seeing things like this: I wish you all a rapturous day, even without "the rapture." Universal Blessings and Light All Beings.

I can hardly believe we have a break in the rain again today. Not actual sunshine, but bright overcast. Actually, we did have sunshine yesterday, for the first time in almost a week. On the spur-of-the-moment, I took the afternoon off to go to a garden centre for a few annuals and some soil. Had the presence of mind to ask the clerk for some plastic sheeting for the taxi trunk, since drivers aren't thrilled about having bags of soil and various plants in their vehicles (I had all the plants bagged, though). And so while I felt a bit guilty for taking the time off work (I have lots to do right now, but nothing "life-and-death" urgent), I really enjoyed the sunny, warm afternoon puttering in my little garden. I'll pick up just a few more annuals (I'm not doing much this year) and that will be it. Everything potted looks rather scraggly at the moment; the plants need a week or two to "take" and perk up. Mom's hubby should be home now; he was relea...

It will be a long weekend across Canada: Victoria Day (Monday), ostensibly to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday. I thought it was also Memorial Day weekend in the States, but Lisa corrected me--that's the following weekend in the US! (Thanks, Lisa.) Three days away from the office will be great, but I still have all of the living/dining area to paint, as well as the kitchen. And trim. The house feels cluttered and chaotic and could use a good cleaning, but I want to wait till Mr. Handyman is done. I need groceries desperately, need cat litter, etc. I haven't been out walking anywhere interesting in what feels like forever, and given that Saturday is the only decent day in the forecast, I won't be getting out with the camera this weekend, either. (This Saturday = errands because bus service operates normally then, but runs on a very reduced schedule Sundays and holidays.)  I also want to pick up a few annuals and do some container gardening in the back space, since I...

All of the feline variety, of course! I got home to find not only neighbour cat Niko on my step (he lives in his "house" on my step while he spends the springs/summer/fall outside, though he would prefer to be in my house, I think), but also Toby waiting for an early supper. Usually I see him later in the evening and put food out, but today it was a rush to get in the house, feed my boys and feed the outside boys too. Toby is on his second plate of canned food (2 cans of Fancy Feast for entree #2), while Niko is begging me to let him into my house. (Niko lives next door. Right next door.)  Toby's not sure about me and definitely not impressed with the camera. Niko still hisses and growls at Toby, who ignores him. Toby's sole focus is food, though he'll let me pat him a little bit before he takes off. Nope, not impressed with the camera...and still wary of me. Toby always looks cranky, but he seems to have a very good disposition. He certainly doesn't show...

The nasty cold virus, now in my chest, hangs on. So my only small goal for the weekend is to paint the downstairs hall, which isn't big. Coat #1 went on this morning, coat #2 will go on tomorrow. You can see the difference in colour when you look into the living area and see the old, more yellow-y shade on the wall. Once I get coat #2 on the walls, though, the new shade will look creamier. As a neutral colour, I do like this new one very much. Mr. Handyman was here yesterday after work, doing most of the upstairs trim. Baseboard and quarter round. But the stairs have to wait, as he didn't bring his "manly" compound mitre saw and apparently the blade of my girly one isn't large enough to cut through the piece of MDF for the stairs. He'll do the caulking for me and then I'll have to paint it all. Ugh, trim is the worst . I did notice, however, that he cut the quarter round on a 45-degree angle (on the non-join ends). I've never seen it done th...

1. Toby has been coming for breakfast every day. Niko (neighbour's cat who makes himself at home in his "house" on my step) still is channeling Annie, with all the growling and hissing and spitting, but Toby, bless him, has a one-track mind (FOOD) and ignores Niko. 2. My upper hallway and lower coat closet now are painted. Mr. Handyman came on Sunday at 10AM for the first coat and Monday at 2PM for the second. 3. My guest room closet is done (except for trim, but I might wait until I get around to pulling up all the carpet and putting down laminate). Everything is back in order, nice and clean. 4. The narrow iron spindle-thingies on my stair railing are repainted (finicky, pain in the butt work). I had painted them white when we bought the house 11 years ago, so a touch-up was needed. 5. Mom's hubby, Harry, still is in the health centre, possibly will be released a week from Friday. He's bored, a good sign, she says. She will be converting the dining room ...

Cleaning up Derry's paint paw prints after coat #2 on the hallway... A trip up to Rona for more paint rollers and to look (again) for stair nosing. Then, when Mr. Handyman arrived, he had some help from Nicki...(Uh, it's a fair drop there, Nicki.) Chaos downstairs, as I had the handyman repaint the downstairs hall closet as well, because I was too lazy to do it myself. I have enough painting to do. I did repaint the bifold door, however. I do have a little closet organizer now, and Mr. Handyman said yes, I could use the other pieces in the new box elsewhere. So I might have him do something in my spare room closet too, since that's where I keep my out-of-season clothes. I have to prime and touch-up paint some spots in the closet, and Mr. Handyman will put in some baseboard, I believe. Then I'll be able to dust, vacuum, and launder the futon bedding and put things to rights. Mr. Handyman is coming back today around 4PM to put the second coat of paint on the stairwell w...

Toby was at my door for breakfast, and on my step waiting for supper just a short time ago. Yay! I'm glad he's okay. Niko, the neighbour's cat, was particularly growly and hissy and mean to him this morning; maybe Niko was channeling Annie. LOL. Here are a few pics, in order as I snapped them. I managed to give him a quick head rub while filling up the food dish.  :-) I know he's only starting a bit of his post-supper wash up here, but he could be giving me the "business" for that trip to the vet on Thursday/Friday.  He looks a bit cross to me, like he's pissed off about those losing those "jewels." LOL. BTW, I know I emailed those of you who had chipped in for his neutering, but I'd just like to say again, thank you very much . It's greatly appreciated. Universal Blessings and Light to All Beings.

A very happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, whether your "children" be two-legged or four. And a very special happy Mother's Day to my own mom, Judy. Lots of love and Light and (((hugs))) to you, Mom, today and always.

I haven't seen a even a whisker of the stray cat today. Not unexpected, I just hope he stayed safe last night. Niko's happy to have my front step to himself.  :-) Niko yesterday, enjoying the fresh catnip. (Toby was in the carrier and in the garage at that point.) Today was busy, productive and also frustrating. (Thanks for all your time and help today, Mike! Could not have done it all without your assistance.) I got 4 gallons of Behr's primer + paint in one, my first time using it, though I've used Behr before, many times. That was Home Depot. Got some trim from Rona, but couldn't get a transition piece to match my existing one (the piece that finishes off the floors when you pass from one room to another). I also couldn't find stair nosing that wasn't aluminum. Rona had one piece of oak (?) stair nosing left, but I needed more. Home Depot could special order the laminate stair nosing, delivery in 2 or 3 weeks. Lowe's had lots of laminate and hardw...

Yeah, I'm calling him Toby. Ted (Teddy) would have been good too, actually, but Huffle's brother is Teddy and I didn't want to use the name for some reason. Anyway, my wonderful co-worker offered to take me to the vet clinic to get him, so that's what we did after work. Carly, the vet tech, told me to keep him in the carrier till later this evening, around 8PM. So I put him in my garage when we got home, just before 4:30PM. He's so stoned! By the way, Carly said he was so good. She showed us scratches on her arm from a house cat she treated today, but "Toby" didn't try to scratch (or bite) once. What a sweetie. Half an hour after I had left him in the garage, I could hear him meowing up a storm, so I called the clinic just before they closed at 5PM and asked if it was safe to let him out. Carly said he'd be fine, so I did. I fed him a lot--he seemed to be a bottomless pit. I was worried he'd be sick, but he kept everything down. Howeve...