Author: Allegra

Born when atmospheric carbon was 316 PPM. Settled on MST country since 1997. Parent, grandparent.

Secret Santa and more holidays

Dr. Filk is coming through town on his way to see his sister Lois and family; he has sent a missive demanding sanctuary.  I hope to see him at some point.

Secret Santa yesterday was the best ever.  I got a midnight cocoa set, yum.  The rest of the gifts were thoughtful and that made me super happy.

Much rumbling and grinding at work.  I’m not in a position to say more but as always I am finding a comfy chair.  The least of it is that we have to move desks again today.  I could DEFINITELY say more about that – I’m going to be miles from a window in the middle of winter for the first time in 4 years, so you can imagine how that’s going to impinge on my mood – but since I’m obviously crabby about it I’ll stop.  I will also say that I had some prime real estate for years and it is somebody else’s turn.  So many times the things that have upset me most have not been the obvious stuff.

Still have not roused myself up to make biscotti.  I know I’m going to eat too many of them.  Somehow I need to cook them in such a fashion that I take ALL of them to work or hide them or something.

I am really looking forward to two four day weekends in a row.  I don’t mind working the last two weeks of the year, it’s usually peaceful and customers understand that instant results are not likely or possible.

down for the count, up before the sun

I was supposed to go over to Paul’s to sing and play last night. I’m really choked that I couldn’t.   I’d spent the day at home due to the weather, and then around 5:30 my right eye quit working.  That half of my visual field just stopped.  I dunno what the air pressure was during that time, but I’d be willing to bet it was rather low, so I drank a big glass of water and went to bed.  Now it’s five in the morning and I just slept 12 hours!  I can see and I am not in any pain… well, there’s a residual knot at the back of my head, but nothing that would prevent me from working.  There was no prodrome this time, I just got whacked. Very convenient of me to get sick on a snow day.

Anyway, the world is covered in snow, the cats are refusing to go out anymore, I made beef stew yesterday with the meat Katie brought day before yesterday, I still haven’t made biscotti, and Jeff and I watched a couple of movies.

Katie seems to be doing really well.  She’s negotiating things with Dax but she’s not actually living with him because she thinks she’s entitled to ensist that he be working five days a week before that happens. Also the guy who tried to kill her and Dax moved back in to Dax’s old place (in defiance of the court order…) and has indicated that he is ‘uncomfortable’ with Katie being there.  Katie and I took a moment to contemplate the intense bizarre stupidity of this.  Anyway, she doesn’t need to be told twice so she’s not going back there… Dax is apparently back at his mum’s.   So technically Katie’s living with her pop.  Paul is also putting up various of Katie’s friends from time to time, including Dax and Jessica W.  I think this is very hospitable of him but it’s also partly an accident of geography because of where he is being more convenient to the young folks.  Anyway Katie is still getting As (and you should hear her fulminate about how young people just don’t seem to know how to work these days, you’d fall over in convulsions… she’s working desk at the VCC salon and she says that she’s better off by herself than having two nitwits babbling and laughing next to her).  Katie’s life sounds incredibly confusing to me, but she is very matter of fact about it.

This is a candle for Unca Dave’s hair.

Shout out to Lexi, who got to watch Trevor Linden retire last night live.

Shout out to Jeff, who is teaching himself Java.

Shout out to ScaryClown, who is going winter camping Christmas week, yay.

Shout out to Patricia, who also has the lurgy.

Now for some coffee and to check the buses.

My predictions for the next five years.

family!!!!

Katie was over and collected her cheque.  Keith was over and played GTA4.  We watched the third episode of True Blood and the sappy and weak Xmas episode of NCIS.  I ordered out but I’ll do better tonight.

It’s snowing and I feel compelled to go to work…. I have no idea why.

This is a candle for Mike…. he’s unemployed and while that’s actually a good thing, he will need another job shortly.

Chris, the dude what helped me with my tech support issue a few days back, loved the Werewolves Ball.  Now I have to mix it better ….

I love the titles to Dave’s stories … have heard many of them and I look forward to hearing more.

Wreck Beach on a Tuesday

I was talking to a friend on the phone late last night.  The vitamin D blasted me out of my winter doldrums (and killed my joint pain stone dead… who knew?) and I was sharing my good fortune with him.  Then he axed if I’d written anything lately. I was so disappointed with myself for saying no that I wrote an instrumental called – as you see above.  Jeff will, if I ask him nice, once more try to make me understand how to FTP something bigger than 2 megs…. I will post when I can.

This is a candle for the safety of a friend at church who is going through a very scary divorce.  I mean, really scary, like I’m scared to read about her in the news scary.

This is a candle of thanksgiving that I have money to help my kids as they establish themselves, and the support of Paul and my folks in that endeavour.

This is a candle of hope for Unca Dave.  My mOm is with him now, and I think she and Unca  Barry and the rest of Unca Dave’s kin who are visiting him are really wonderful.

This is a candle for Kopper at the turning of the year.  And one each for her unique and remarkable children.

This is a candle for Mike and his new apartment *yay*.

This is a candle for Keith, who for his recent demonstrations of manturity, leaves lights and appliances on as if he wasn’t a day over fourteen.  Typo intentional, yo.  Just in case you were wondering if hip hop is dead.  Not, just on life support.

This is a candle for Tammy, who’s back from France.

This is a candle each for my trio of friends/family in Kanata.  Brother James, a big shout out for the happiness you gave just by sending postcards to me at work and given Karen a smile from me.  Leo & fambly, thanks for sharing the pictures of your travels – and that porcupine, which made me burst out laughing when I saw it.  Deb, big warm seasonal inflected-with-cinnamon hugs for you, Jim and Jenn, and your companion animals….

This is a candle for me.  I feel human again.  Hurting, but able to think about something else besides me for a change.  It’s pretty good right now.

Brain test

I just took a test at testmybrain.org.

The tests were for forward digital span, multiple object memory, abstract art memory, face memory and verbal paired associates.  I was above average for everything except word pairs.

Forward digital span, 9 (out of possible 11)

Multiple object memory 22 (out of possible 25)

Abstract art 24 (out of possible 25)

Face Memory 14 (out of possible 15)

Word pairs 14 (out of possible 25)

This is oddly comforting to me.  I feel like maybe I not so dumb as all that.

This is my cousin Alyssa. No, not that one, the new one.

Cousin Gerald had a kid, and that kid had a kid.  I am going to give a prize to the person who comes up with the best two or three word description of Alyssa’s expression, because I have never in my life seen its equal.  Let’s just say I’m impressed with her amazing, beautiful and mesmerizing eyes.

Win a Prize! Caption this baby!!!
Win a Prize! Caption this baby!!!