giving advice

Remember when my-girl-T came to visit in July with her two little ones? Well, we talked about a lot of things - we had lots of catching up to do.

And a big thing that we do for each other is talk about our problems. Not to wallow in them, but to take them apart and understand why they are problems, why we are stuck in situations we don't like, and how we can change them, solve them, and resolve them so that we can grow and learn and get happier.

So we make suggestions and give each other advice. Of course, one of my big pieces of advice is, stay in Winnipeg for the school year, but spend that time figuring out how to move back to Toronto in the summer because she is just plain happier here. We're still talking about that one.

But one of my smaller pieces of advice was "start a blog". Tamar has had an interesting and slightly crazy life - she's been the highest selling encyclopedia sales person in Australia; had her own sugar-free chocolate bar company; and almost been a stand-up comedienne. So she's funny and while her life is not particularly funny right now, it is, as usual, both interesting and crazy.

But I'll let her explain because she took me up on this suggestion right here: http://reallytamar.blogspot.com/

Zushi Puzzle

Am I being lazy by just putting up videos that my sister made? Maybe, but if you like sushi the food in this is pretty incredible - all courtesy of Chef Roger at Zushi Puzzle.

video from Berkeley

So my sister took a bunch of footage on her flip-cam when we were together in Berkeley - this one's got Mini the cat in it!

I got hacked!

Yes, my Google account got hacked. And I came up with an ingenious new password and changed it as soon as I found out quite late one night.

And when I woke up the next morning I could not remember the password for the life of me. So then I was locked out of my account. And my my, the things Google wants you to remember to give your account back were pretty hard to dig up. I had to submit my request twice before they'd hand it back over.

 

But I've been having a wonderful time and completely forgetting to take photos. I'm glad my island friends are happy to share theirs - especially when things like Disco parties are going on!

gettin' my cowgirl on

Do I like costume parties? YES, YES, YES !!!

The Island Marina hosted a western party with a costume contest and I thought for sure me and my fellas would win. I mean look at this skirt!

But at least my friend Tim won. I helped him pick out the shirt when we went shopping for his outfit earlier that day in Kensington Market.

And we also found this amazing outfit for Bella - she'd had crinoline envy the last time I wore mine so we had to get her one too!

As a special treat the band were friends of mine - Leon Knight and the Neon Lights. Rob there in the brown shirt was my very first dance partner and we took a little spin on the dance floor for old time's sake when the band took a break.

Craziest thing of the night was when a guy we'd never seen before asked the fine fellow if he could buy the shirt he was wearing with the pink cadillac on the back. He said sure - 200 bucks, and the guy wandered away. And came back with 200 in cash!

island eating, mmmmmm

We have been eating very, very well this summer. Usually I cook up a couple of easy things at home, pack up the bike and head over the the island. Then the fine fellow does the rest - all the cooking and all the clean up! But I always make him a batch of my almond-butter chocolate chip cookies cause they're his favourite.

There have also been some wonderful dinner parties and pot-lucks organized by some of the other lovely boaters.

My new friend Tim made the most amazing spread recently - all served out on the lawn looking over the water: salmon in saffron, pork on skewers with peaches, steak, mandarin salad, capreses salad, and the yummiest lobster salad (no mayo!) stuffed in perfectly ripe avocados!!! He's promised to show me how to make it.

I may not have figured out all the things I want in life, but I've been just reveling in every wonderful, perfect moment - and they have been plentiful. I'm grateful for them all!

blog break

I know I just had a vacation but I think I need to take a little blog break.

Went to see Eat, Pray, Love and wasn't totally annoyed by it, yet it made me want to read the book again to hear Elizabeth Gilbert's voice and not Julia Roberts'. Now I feel the need to do a little more inward looking and a little less outward looking.

I'll be back next week, but can you believe that the tiny little puffs of sygnet from the spring are now almost as big as their mama?

from Berkeley with love

There was a lot of love on this trip.

My sweet friends certainly brought me here with love and then let me loose to truly indulge in my love of ...

FLOWERS!! Jas likes them too.

And I had both Ritzi guard-dog love,

and my friend the buddah watching over me in the garden.

And even Swanee turned up to remind me there was love waiting for me at home.

It's nice to go away, but it's even nicer to come home.

flower gateway to ...

It was extremely lovely to have even just two days with my sister.

A couple of times a year just isn't enough,

even if she does always borrow my clothes.

It's nice to be with someone who loves all the same things,

and was even more excited than me when we spotted this wall of pink flowering amazingness right next to this,

gateway to fairyland?

dogs are funny

They do things that cats would never do.

Jasmine spotted this apple left by some lazy squirrel in the front yard.

And she wanted to eat that apple, yes oh yes.

Even though there are dozens on the ground.

And so she tried to get up there onto that branch in that tree.

A cat could get up there no problem.

But a cat wouldn't be interested in someone's leftover apple.

sister by my side

My sister has come up for a visit from LA!!

I'm not really that short - she's wearing very tall shoes!

And this is the first sunny day of the trip. It's nice not to need a sweater.

Oh happy day!

dogs at my feet

Here are my hosts:

That's Ritzi and Jas. Ritzi is very smart and Jas is very silly.

I helped pick out the new rug today with those people in the background there.

The dogs agree that they are wonderful folks to spend time with. I'm so glad they invited me out here to enjoy the company of all these lovely creatures!

Here's Ritzi being smart: