There are some people I have met through a complicated process (see the end of this posting if interested) that wanted to have us over for dinner. Well, it would take less to get half the United Nations together. They both work, we both work, my hubby plays different instruments with different bands so he is always rehearsing or playing or traveling to or from one thing or another.
It was finally decided that the only day we all had free was the Sunday night before Christmas. Great!! The husband of said inviting household is a guitar player and had been wanting to meet my husband. Except that at the last minute my husband's project members decided that they did indeed want to get another practice in before a recording session next month.
Supper had to be moved up by a few hours, but my hubby missed out anyway. He had to leave before supper was ready but he did get to play for and with them for a while. He now has a couple of 'man-fans'. The other husband and a friend of his have a man crush on my hubby. They are amazed at the way he plays, they are enthralled with his guitar collection, they want to know all they can about him. "Man-Crush" ! ! ! !
A nice surprise about the evening was that my best friend and her husband, who live across the street, were invited for dinner as well. It was a wonderful evening. Their daughter, who I adore, although to her face I make like I can barely tolerate her, is amazing. We were talking computery/internet/blog stuff. Such a knowledgeable and astonishing young woman. She has her own blog (A Gossip of Sexy 30-Somethings) happening that I am still trying to figure out. It is like a novel and has been going on for a while so I am just beginning to get the gist of it.
Apparently she had a 'wardrobe malfunction' that she was completely taking into stride until yours truly found a little snide comment to make. I almost had her blushing and she got in a shot at me too so we are still even. I really like the way we kibbutz back and forth. She does the same sort of thing to me in the grocery store when she comes in. I love having people that I can trade barbs with. It is really nice to meet someone that is quick with come backs. I find it challenging and amusing.
Our hosts are such nice people. They want to have us over again when my husband can stay longer. I am very happy to have found this group of people to add to my life.
The Complicated Story:
My best friend lives in a neighbourhood not far from where I work. Across the street from her are two people with two teenage daughters. One of the daughters applied to work at the store and was told by my friend that I would look out for their daughter at the store ( I was asked first whether I would). The daughter and I hit it off and sometimes one or the other of the parents would come in to pick her up or buy groceries and say hi to me.
Then one night in the summer, I made an extra rice pudding for my best friend and took it to her house. She wasn't home so I asked the neighbour whether she could give it to them when they came back. Gladly, she said, and then noticed that it was rice pudding. She wanted to make some for her hubby (who LOVES rice pudding) so I gave her my Mum's recipe that I have had for like a hundred years. Its not TOO detailed so there was a bit of a mess with the first rice pudding she made. I offered to help her sometime and one thing led to another and we are great friends now.
I told you it was complicated.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Thursday, 25 December 2008
Christmas Morning
When I lived in the country I loved doing my chores. Christmas morning was my favourite. As we all know anticipation helps a lot with the enjoyment of Christmas. It allows our curiosity to build and if you have your work done ahead of time it leaves you moments that you can use for opening and enjoying presents. Or for just enjoying, period.
On Christmas morning I would always get up and make sure all the animals were well fed. They each got a special treat even if it was just some extra attention. I would clean out the waters and make sure it was all fresh and not frozen. I loved to do the bird feeders and especially putting peanut butter on the trees for the nuthatches and chickadees. One time I even had a little chickadee land on my knife while I was getting peanut butter out of the jar. WoWWW.
The bunnies would get carrots and the horse got an apple. The animals seemed to sense the difference in my mood too. They respond to the vibes you give off and therefore it seems like they know its Christmas too.
We had these Muscovy ducks and they are quite gregarious little creatures. They wag their tail at you, and it would be so nice to carry them some cracked corn and watch all the tails going and have the males chuckle at you. They sort of hiss a 'hee hee hee' at you and bob their heads.
My dogs (I used to breed and show Rough Collies) would always respond to the different mood that day and I loved to have them all out running around and playing and chasing each other. And ME!!! We used to roll in the snow and wrestle.
The one thing you could count on happening every single day,(even Christmas) was Harry the goose hissing at you and trying to smack you with a wing. The other geese were quite nice and seemed to know who fed them, but Harry was evil on two webbed feet. One time as i was exiting the barn, he surprised me and got me in the ankle. I went down because my whole leg went numb it hurt so much. I saw him coming and the only thing I could think to do was to grab him by the neck and lift him off the ground. He didn't know what to do then because he was totally helpless. I could almost see fear in his eyes when he realized I could shorten his life. I didn't because I actually have admiration for something that weighs 8 pounds and thinks it can take on a full grown, very hurt and angry woman.
Harry, I actually miss you.
Merry Christmas everyone ! ! ! ! ! !
On Christmas morning I would always get up and make sure all the animals were well fed. They each got a special treat even if it was just some extra attention. I would clean out the waters and make sure it was all fresh and not frozen. I loved to do the bird feeders and especially putting peanut butter on the trees for the nuthatches and chickadees. One time I even had a little chickadee land on my knife while I was getting peanut butter out of the jar. WoWWW.
The bunnies would get carrots and the horse got an apple. The animals seemed to sense the difference in my mood too. They respond to the vibes you give off and therefore it seems like they know its Christmas too.
We had these Muscovy ducks and they are quite gregarious little creatures. They wag their tail at you, and it would be so nice to carry them some cracked corn and watch all the tails going and have the males chuckle at you. They sort of hiss a 'hee hee hee' at you and bob their heads.
My dogs (I used to breed and show Rough Collies) would always respond to the different mood that day and I loved to have them all out running around and playing and chasing each other. And ME!!! We used to roll in the snow and wrestle.
The one thing you could count on happening every single day,(even Christmas) was Harry the goose hissing at you and trying to smack you with a wing. The other geese were quite nice and seemed to know who fed them, but Harry was evil on two webbed feet. One time as i was exiting the barn, he surprised me and got me in the ankle. I went down because my whole leg went numb it hurt so much. I saw him coming and the only thing I could think to do was to grab him by the neck and lift him off the ground. He didn't know what to do then because he was totally helpless. I could almost see fear in his eyes when he realized I could shorten his life. I didn't because I actually have admiration for something that weighs 8 pounds and thinks it can take on a full grown, very hurt and angry woman.
Harry, I actually miss you.
Merry Christmas everyone ! ! ! ! ! !
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Past Experiences
I often talk to the different people that I meet at work, plus various co-workers and tell them about my experiences owning a small hobby farm.
Apparently the stories are funny, amusing, entertaining or all three. Its been mentioned that I should write a book. Until that time comes I thought I'd start putting some remembrances down here. I have always regretted not getting every story I could from my parents before I lost them both.
So here goes:
My best friends lived in the house next door, same side of the road about 1/8 of a mile away. We both bred and showed rough collies which is actually how we met in the first place. (another story)
Anyway, one day they called me up to show me their new 'puppy'. I go running over to find its a baby pig. I WAS IN LOVE. I helped them raise theirs up to butchering weight and we all enjoyed the experience.
Nothing would do that I didn't get my own piglet a few years later. Well live and learn. Pigs are very smart. Plus they are social. So here we are with one little pig in his own little stall in the chicken house. All nice and secure. A few days later my parents came over to see the little guy and after looking they came into the house. I went downstairs to get some laundry out of the machine and look up at the basement window in time to see this little animal go running by.
I realized it was the pig and called to my parents as I run up two stairs at a time. We end up chasing this little thing all over the country side. Up the road, around the yard, through the trees, down the road until I am actually starting to gain on him. Suddenly out the corner of my eye this shape flies by me and throws a rolling body check at the little pig. It was my Dad!!! He was 50 years old at the time but he caught the lovely little pork chop.
We put him back in and closed the door. Five minutes later the pig is standing in the yard. This time it didn't take as long to catch him. He was still quite frisky, like the previous experience was just a warm up, but we managed to corner him in the other barn. As we put him back in the pen, my Dad made every thing so secure Houdini wouldn't have gotten out. We stood and watched this little pig and my Dad said you could actually see him figuring out how he was going to get out this time. He said it was a good thing the pig didn't have a slide rule.
He never escaped again and turned into some lovely meat. I learned several things by owning that pig. I had always been interested in animals and such but this little pig sparked such an interest in farming etc, that I read everything I could find. Turned out my pig was lonely and missing his litter mates. All the fun could have been avoided by getting him a friend. I only ever owned a single pig once after that.
Apparently the stories are funny, amusing, entertaining or all three. Its been mentioned that I should write a book. Until that time comes I thought I'd start putting some remembrances down here. I have always regretted not getting every story I could from my parents before I lost them both.
So here goes:
My best friends lived in the house next door, same side of the road about 1/8 of a mile away. We both bred and showed rough collies which is actually how we met in the first place. (another story)
Anyway, one day they called me up to show me their new 'puppy'. I go running over to find its a baby pig. I WAS IN LOVE. I helped them raise theirs up to butchering weight and we all enjoyed the experience.
Nothing would do that I didn't get my own piglet a few years later. Well live and learn. Pigs are very smart. Plus they are social. So here we are with one little pig in his own little stall in the chicken house. All nice and secure. A few days later my parents came over to see the little guy and after looking they came into the house. I went downstairs to get some laundry out of the machine and look up at the basement window in time to see this little animal go running by.
I realized it was the pig and called to my parents as I run up two stairs at a time. We end up chasing this little thing all over the country side. Up the road, around the yard, through the trees, down the road until I am actually starting to gain on him. Suddenly out the corner of my eye this shape flies by me and throws a rolling body check at the little pig. It was my Dad!!! He was 50 years old at the time but he caught the lovely little pork chop.
We put him back in and closed the door. Five minutes later the pig is standing in the yard. This time it didn't take as long to catch him. He was still quite frisky, like the previous experience was just a warm up, but we managed to corner him in the other barn. As we put him back in the pen, my Dad made every thing so secure Houdini wouldn't have gotten out. We stood and watched this little pig and my Dad said you could actually see him figuring out how he was going to get out this time. He said it was a good thing the pig didn't have a slide rule.
He never escaped again and turned into some lovely meat. I learned several things by owning that pig. I had always been interested in animals and such but this little pig sparked such an interest in farming etc, that I read everything I could find. Turned out my pig was lonely and missing his litter mates. All the fun could have been avoided by getting him a friend. I only ever owned a single pig once after that.
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