...Facebook, the new obsession...

Ok, we all know that Facebook is the newest obsession. We waste precious time...I mean, do we really need another excuse to stay inside? (As a newly transformed cat lady, I especially love Facebook for this feature).

I found this video on one of my Facebook friends' pages.

Ironic, really.

But hilarious.

...I am the cat-lady...

It's official. I live in an attic and it even comes with it's own cat. How can I not become a certified cat lady? It's inevitable. I mean, why fight it? I'm going to stop going out altogether and only drink tea. I'll cook scones. I had a friend over for lunch and she brought me homemade raspberry jam. See, I'm already on my way - except for the 'friend part.' I'll have to ditch her and make the raspberry jam myself, but do that and I'm well on my way. I'm going to start drinking wine before bed and reading poetry, and Virginia Woolf. And knitting. I'm going to have to take up knitting. Everyone's getting a scarf for Christmas...

Sure, it's funny now. But what if the cat has kittens?


The cat's name is Smudge, due to the smudgy nature of her fur. It's almost as creative as the names I used to give to my pets when I was a kid (Hampstey the Hampster, Goldie the Goldfish, Blackie the Black Guppie Fish...). Smudge loves me. She doesn't particularly love being petted, but she does love to forcefully rub her head against you (of her own accord) and then lick you repeatedly. At first it's a little unnerving. Actually, it stays that way. But I'm beginning to accept Smudge for who she is. She's a bit traumatized after living in the attic for months alone. She's afraid of the new dog and has lived in isolation ever since. She's sweet, but a little psycho. Finally, a cat I can relate to.


I've got an antique trunk. And bamboo. Just wait until I tell you about the bamboo! Boy did I get a deal!

So I was looking for something to help me divide my bedroom area from the rest of the room, and I came across a giant roll of bamboo fence in a home accents store. It was on clearance because it had been used as a display in the store. They told me it was 12 feet in length. They lied. It's waaaay longer than that (note the excess rollin the right-hand side of above photo). So far, I've made 2 dividers, 1 blind...and who knows what else will become bamboo-rifique in a few weeks. Clearly, bargain bamboo is exciting for a newly converted cat-lady.


So if you ignore the mess (which I highly advise) and maybe if you squint a bit, you'll get a view of what the attic could be. Eventually it will be beautiful. And the shag carpet....well, it just makes me feel at home, without actually being there. (seriously, will I ever escape shag carpeting?).


And of course, we have the sink. It's nestled in the corner near the 'tea corner' (the one with the antique trunk...which incidentally also makes me feel at home). Ignore the clutter, ignore the dirt. I haven't cleaned yet. I can't wait for that. No, I'm serious.



So that's it! I'm looking forward to moving in more permanently around October 19th. Between then and now I have to head back to Toronto, transcribe another 6 hours of interviews (I've calculated that it takes me about half an hour to transcribe 10 mins. of interview), fly out to Halifax, attend a wedding, fly back home, and then move out to Peterborough. Oh yes, and celebrate Thanksgiving.

Next stop: Turkeys (Turkies?) Something's just not right...

Happy trails!

...je ne comprend pas...

Alright, so as we know, I am probably not the most observant individual out there, so it took me a while to notice this. But when I did, it scared the crap out of me. Who does this??

In case you're having trouble seeing, the tree has grown a face, complete with mossy eyelids. You know, to make it more believable that the tree in my neighbour's front yard has be come a cognizant being.

I was taking out the trash one night, and I happened to look to my right on the way back to the house, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I noticed the Treeman. I'd probably been home for about 2 weeks and not noticed a thing. Apparently, you only notice on dark, starless nights, where you pee a little bit in your pants upon sighting.

Don't worry, I did laundry.

Special, don't you think?

In other news: Cam says my border thing at the top of the blog is too big. I know, I know, but it's a long story in imperfection, and I'd prefer not to talk about it. I'll see what I can do.

I'm in Peterborough this weekend, scoping out 'the attic.' I can't wait!

...forget the pigs, I'm the real catalyst for 'foot in mouth' disease...

Sometimes I think "why do I even open my big mouth?"
Honestly, verbal diarrhea...and they once called that 'excellent public speaking skills.'
Pfffftt.

Went to a show last night that was great. Here is my shameless promotion of one person I know well and another perfect stranger. Check them both out, it's quite worth it (besides, what else better do you have to do with your time? You are, after all, reading my blog yet again. and I love you for it. Thank you, thank you! )

www.myspace.com/shobhamusic

www.myspace.com/julianscottsounds

Enjoy!

...moving on up, moving on out...

Nothing can stop me.

Can you hear the music?

NO? (You mean to tell me it's all just in my head? Well, at least my world is melodic...)


It's official: I'm moving to Peterborough in October. What is not official is the exact date of the move, but it might be, possibly, there's a good chance it could be around October 17th...or 19th. Who knows.

YAY!

Why am I so excited? Because it means I get to hang out with these people

------->
(aren't they attractive?)

And I get to live in my very own attic! I'll have to take pictures of that and post them soon.

So now I've been applying to the Peterborough Boards, both Public and Catholic and crossing my fingers for some supply teaching gigs in the fall. I'm going back to Ptbo. mid-Sept. to throw down some resumes and sweet talk my way into a job somewhere.

Oh, I'm also now a member of the Peterborough Singers by some sort of miracle. After a disgraceful audition where I realised I'm completely rusty and have absolutely no range left, I'm surprised they let me in. But let me in they did, plus I'm allowed to miss rehearsals for the month of September. That's got to be a miracle. Our first official concert is in December, another in February, something around Easter and then another in the Summer(ish).

La!

...everything's better in Peterborough...

I'm winding down on my Southern Ontario tour (the screaming fans were tiring, I tell you!) and I'm on my last day here in the good ol' Peterpatch.

The last 2 weeks have been great. I spent a week in Smiths Falls with my sister and brother-in-law and it was lovely. My sister and I didn't even kill each other! This, my friends, is a small miracle which I chalk up to my having been out of the country for a year. Things went so well that my sister even offered to let me move in with them in their new house in Smiths Falls. It was very generous and I thought about it seriously for a bit...but...it might be a bit of a disaster. I can be really annoying. She forgets because I've been out of the country. :) (Love you, Tasha).

I was in Cobourg visiting my friend Titus for the beginning of the long weekend, and then Jen picked me up and drove me to Peterborough where I've been for the last 4 days. I've seen a few people, shared a lot of laughs and photographs, and generally just felt loved. It's been great! On a really positive note, I met with one of the teachers I traveled to Sierra Leone with in 2005 and told her about looking for a place to live, and she offered me her attic in Peterborough! It's got a sink! I love sinks! I still need 100% confirmation on the attic, but let me tell you, it looks good, people.

To add to the greatness of this option (which is 'option #4), I've felt a real peace about moving to Peterborough. I know the town, I can be close to my friends, I'm close enough to Toronto to get back for weekends and when I'm needed, I'm right by Trent and the library which I can have access to with my Alumni card, and i'm also close to a prof who will be helpful while I'm writing my thesis. On top of it, yeseterday when I was out for lunch with my glowingly-pregnant friend Brittany-Ann, we went to a new restaurant (tantalizingly called 'Dancing Blueberries') and they had a 'now hiring' notice in their window. I've always wanted to work at a place where blueberries dance. While we were drinking our coffee and eating our complimentary belgian waffles with chocolate sauce (oh yes, I'm not making this up), in walks the director of the Peterborough Singers who also goes to Britt's church, and all of a sudden I'm going to the first rehearsal of the group tonight...and likely being playing in some kind of band at church. Uh huh. (I dropped the magic word "Canadian Children's Opera Chorus," it works like a charm).

So, all in all, a productive weekend. I think I've found a place to live, I'm joining a choir, and maybe even a church. To top it all off, I was at my friend Jeff's last night and he made a delicious dinner of roasted lamb kebabs, feta-rice, and grilled corn on the cob. It only took him a couple of hours. Starting at 7pm. Sweet! Jokes aside, it was great to spend time with friends.

Thanks guys.

*sniff*