This little one didn't remember we moved the sugar water to the other side of the house this year. Either that or it was simply looking for a place to rest up.







This chickadee is sitting on one of his types favourite spot to stand and crack open seeds.








Oh look the hummingbird located their "crack" supply.








This year we have had a large gang of finches in the yard. Such beautiful sounding birds. They seem to eat and sing at the same time. We are glad to have them entertaining us but we were worried about what happened to our chickadee friends. But as you saw above they have returned.

Now if the song sparrow would show up it would be grand.

Headed out for a sushi lunch.
Came home and organized a few more odds and ends of Sweetie's packing for his departure tomorrow.

We went to the beach...for some reason we were both feeling the heat. Didn't stay very long...just enough to drink in the scent of the sea and look at shells and sea lettuce.


Now we are home. We will dig out his passport and US American money from the safe and then spend some time with ODCBC on the porch.


Our friends M&G have gone kayaking and may call us later to go for ice cream.

Oh and Sweetie found a little mini set of contact solution and stuff so he was so thrilled.

I need to unload some photos off the camera. I may post some if they turned out or are interesting.

writing letters to Sweetie. One for every sleep he is away at band camp. It is hard to write into the future when I really have no idea what I will be feeling (aside missing his company, a food guinea pig and cootie exchanges) in the days he is gone.


I mean I get the better end of the deal. I get the company of the cats and get to stay in paradise. That said he will be off eating sleeping and breathing the bagpipes. One of his passions aside from wood working and me.


We made a rule at the beginning of dating back in 1992...never take each other for granted. I look forward to his return.


He departs in 2 more sleeps. I have two more notes/letters to complete tomorrow.

1. My paternal grandmother's autobiography (she lived from 1895 until 1195)
2. My journals thus far. A story like my grandmother but my story.
3. A CD of the ocean.

Now I would hope my eyesight was good enough at age 97 to read the first two items and remember and my hearing good enough to hear the CD or probably more of a concern a CD player to play it on.


I make Moroccan Kefta for supper. It was so simple but I was not sure that it would taste like anything...man was I wrong. Yum! Delicious! Good eating. I imagine this dish to be a real body warmer in cool weather. Actually like the Turkish lentil soup I make.

We rented this dvd today and I just had to excuse myself because the violence has arrived in the last 40 minutes of the film.

Needed buttermilk and the local store only had a litre carton of buttermilk.

Any suggestions for yummy things to do with buttermilk in another recipe?

Records. Not made to be broken.

I think the record madness began at about age 8. I got Glen Campbell's Galveston and Ray Stevens Everything is Beautiful were birthday gifts from my much older brothers. I still had them until late July 2006. They now rest in the landfill with the other 200 plus albums.

I also had quite a '45 collection.


I can't be certain that I got both of those records for my 8th birthday but they were both released to the public in the same time frame.


I played them tooooooo death.

Last night our neighbours the Scott's came to dinner. Bobbie and Jackie are our favourite neighbours and really the first people we met when we moved here almost 2 years ago. We have become quite good friends. I have written many an entry about sharing a bottle of wine or two with them. We see them as just like us simply older. They are in their 70's and have a youthful spirit and their relationship with each other is fun loving and solid.

They move next week. They came over last night and we fed them a meal they raved over. It was an easy evening of just eating, talking and drinking wine. They are a pleasure to have around. No airs, no denials of life's pleasures.


We are going to miss them. I know I have never had neighbours like this in my entire adult life.

What is the title about? It is what we called them when we didn't know their last name. It is our term of endearment for the two of them. Such a pair of jewels.


For those wanting to know what they raved about from the culinary team here at aislinn na muir:

1. Grilled slices of new yukon gold potato.
2. Fresh carrots and green onions poached in foil on the grill
3. Grilled bell peppers stuffed with buffalo mozza, pesto, and garlic
4. Halibut poached in foil with butter and fresh (just snipped) herbs.
5. Butter tart squares
6. Raspberry dessert port

I would probably pick C.J. Craig from West Wing for the chance to be tall and lean and one of the only girls around the centre of power. Oh and sooooo smart. Allison J. had a great gig.


I would also pick Elaine from Seinfeld as that would have been such a laugh. Julia D. had a great gig. Just to be in such a humourous work energy.



Also I think Scully from The X-Files because to hand with Fox would have been a blast...David D. is so nice to look at. Oh and I would get to have red hair. Sure I could dye my hair red in real life but shit I can't get the red I want for a hair colour because of my skin tone. Oh and Gillian A had a great gig.


So all three for a week about would be grand. It would also give the actor in my a good lift.


EDIT: I just realized I would also have an EMMY collection.

Today for lunch we decided to let someone else do the work. We went a sushi place we have only been to once before. I never thought it would happen but I have to say that this place has the best sushi rice I have ever had. I don't know what there secret is and how rice isn't just rice...granted all the work to prepare sushi rice aside.


We sat at the sushi bar which is our preference and it was great. We had sea urchin that was out of this world. I think it may fast becoming a favourite of mine.


I hate that this computer is American English. Grrr.

We stopped in to get tickets for an afternoon of jazz in the garden. Once we got our tickets for the August 17th event we decided to walk around the garden. It so lovely there. Had not been there at this time of year and it was lovely.

I will post some pictures later.

Off to do some carbon paper/tracing paper/transfer work on some ATCs.

I got a lovely email from my cousin M. today. I hope we are able to keep in touch now we have each other a type away.

Awhile back I leaped out of many LJ communities just to keep the friends list more manageable to read. I have remained in about three or four communities because they really are good for me.

But now the full brunt of summer is upon those of the North Hemisphere and well my friends are just not massaging the keyboards for LJ like they use to.


Is this a trend for others?

Happy Cake Day adamselzer.


A wedding a birthday all in the same month. Celebrations abound!

Tonight on TV I came across the movie Flashdance . Remember that one mazzepagirl?

I remember back then I was a store detective and the store I was at regularly had a rather large record department. Yes, kids, that is right, a record store. I had seen the movie and I don't know if it was the manager of the record department or some guy who came to the store with the records but I was peppering him with questions about the sound from said film. He didn't know what I was talking about. I told him that I was sure that this soundtrack was going to be a top selling album. He pashad me and ask me where I got such ideas. I told him , I knew these things. (Back in the day I was a huge record/music follower. Today, not so much.)


Turned out I was right. There was posters of Jennifer Beals in character from the movie.


Tonight while watching it on tv I saw all the scenes I loved but one. The water bucket scene.


We did some major work in the garden yesterday. Still sore and starting to get stiff. I may put up pictures of our efforts. Sadly, we don't a totally before picture.

on the CBC site about the incoming text messaging charges going forward with several cell phone companies in Canada.

I laugh at those people who say they are going to block the incoming text messages on their systems but I am sure they will be so darn mad when they don't get those "really important" text messages from friends or when their friends block the incoming text messages on their phones and then the people in the first instance can't send other people useless text messages about whatever inane shit people text about.


Cell phones are rude instruments of torture. Clearly now that smoking sections are things of the past maybe eating establishments should have non cell phone sections. And the section should all be tables for one.


I know some will argue that their cell phone is also their land line. If that was truly the case those people would leave their cellphones at home when they went out for the purpose of work, fun or just living life.


Luxury items are luxury items. They cost money. And when those people who provide luxury items can make money off consumers they will. It is called keeping the shareholders happy.

There are some people who pain my brain...


Some of them make me think and that is the good brain pain.


Many more make my brain swirl in utter despair.


How do you respond to someone who has really had a good decade of a passing acquaintance with telling the truth and failing to walk to the talk that spews out of his/mouth? How do you know the truth, the partial truth and the big blanks of which you are not aware of when that same person comes with a tale of woe and wants advice?


People lie to other people. It is a given.

It is worse when we lie to ourselves.

We went to a brunch. The setting was lovely, the service nicely done. The food. The food was dull, tasteless and flat. So disappointing. The fresh squeezed orange juice at the very beginning was the highlight.


My taste in birthday gifts were excellent. Something for the emerging chef side, some tools for the woodworker side, and soft lovely clothes for his wardrobe. I can't remember the last time he bought clothes for himself other than blue jeans.


We shared a cocktail with the neighbours early this evening.



And for the first time in ages I had a piece of toast and jam for a snack.

Today is the last day that Sweetie gets to enjoy being 48.

Tomorrow that all changes. He be 49.


To celebrate we had fresh BC cherries for breakfast.
Went out for chicken wings for lunch
Had a nice rain. A little sun and a lovely breeze.
Stopped at Starbuckles and got him his frou frou drink and a ginger cookie.


Now we are home but we are going for a loop around the 'hood on foot.



Then I will have to get my act together and parcel up his birthday gift and such details for tomorrow.