That's what i call it when i take pictures of my lunch. I will always think of it as something (e:Paul) does.

Today, we ate lunch at Zhang's Buffet on Union, between Walden and George Urban. It used to be something else, and that place wasn't very good... this new one is much better. The parking lot was packed and we had to park down a side street. The second time we had to do that.

One of the main reasons i like this buffet is the stir fry grill... any veg i want, made to order. So, i don't have to worry about whether or not it's vegetarian -- i know.

Here's (e:Uncutsaniflush) 's half eaten plate of sushi



And here's my bowl of half eaten miso soup with tofu

Loo

As i mentioned in my two previous journals, spent last week painting and recaulking my parent's bathroom. It took 5 days. They even paid me, which was appreciated, but totally unecessary. The fed me and put me up for a week, so i figured that was all the payment i was going to get...

Before pictures:





And some nice yellow smoke stained caulking, half removed...



And here is the towel bar from hell. The most tiresome and frustrating (and ugly, sorry, Ma) towel bars in the universe.



Looks harmless, huh? Well, look at all the damn peices it has!! And it wasn't the only one....



We only needed to go to the paint store 3 or 4 times... and only had to change the colour once. Pretty good, eh?

I think both my parents like the result. My dad even does, and he usually wouldn't care about colour as long as the toilet and shower worked.






Music

While priming, painting and caulking, i had a radio to keep my mind from wandering too much.

Perhaps it is just because i missed (e:Uncutsaniflush) (he stayed here in Buffalo while i was in Hamilton), but i couldn't help but find myself singing along with this chorus,

I want, i want, i want my baby
I want, i want, i want my baby
I want, i want, i want my baby
Back.

Oh Yeah, By the Cliks

Cool band... cool cd. The mp3 is too big for a usersound, so here is the Gather info:

FILE NAME: The Cliks - 08 - Oh Yeah.mp3
TRACKING NUMBER: 0799243001181586527


Death

Our friend, Linda's mom has been really ill for a long time. The last set back she had was the day of the wedding we attended while in Tennessee. I am glad we met her a few days beforehand. On a lucid day. I wish i got to know her better, or under better cicumstances. I am glad her pain and anguish is over, though. I just wish it didn't hurt everyone else so much for her pain to be over.


PUPPIES!!!!

How can i not belive in reincarnation and not be in awe of the fact that Ava's last puppy was born mere minutes after Linda's mom, Barbara died? Kinda gives me shivers.

I didn't even know Ava was preggers.

The last time i saw Kirsten (shame that moving has meant we don't see each other as much!) with Ava and Nolan was back in April, (e:LeeTee,38980) . She may have been pregnant then.

I got a call from Kirsten just before i left for Canada asking if i wanted to go for a walk with her, Nolan and "big fat Ava". I returned that message asking if Ava was pregnant. I didn't hear from Kirsten all week and when i got back, i called her. She had the puppies the night before.

Of course, i asked if i could come over to see them. And of course i took my camera.

Nolan, the Proud Papa

I am ever so grateful for the turn in the weather. We more or less get the same weather in Hamilton and in Buffalo, with a few exceptions (Hamilton gets more snow, despite the "reputation for snow" Buffalo has).

Despite the cooler weather with the windows open and the wonderful cool breeze, i am still sweating with the old folks here.

Yesterday, i removed all the old yellowed smoke stained caulking from the entire bathroom. Around the tub and separate shower, all the seams in the corners, along the floors. Sure was a lot of it.

Then, i took off my mom's fancy shmancy towel bars, an old shaving mirror no one uses and some hooks. I patched holes.

Today, i sanded. The holes. Then, the entirety of the walls and ceiling. Then i cleaned the sand dust up.

Now, i am taking an early lunch, while waiting for the cleaning to dry. THen, on to primer.

Yay for cooler weather!!!

My parents needed their bathroom painted. When my mom asked me about it, i wasn't working, so we made tentative arrangements.

Once the estate sale at the tavern was over, i took a bit of time while (e:Uncutsaniflush) had some free days to hang with him.

Then, my mom came this weekend and took me back here, to Hamilton so i can spend the next week removing old caulking, patching holes and making repairs, painting and recaulking their main bathroom. Should be a fun week.

I will miss my husband. First time we have ever spent this much time apart. He has a pretty full week of work ahead of him, too, so we shouldn't have too much time to pine.

How do people do it? How is it possible to function while sleep deprived?

I feel like my head is going to pop off it's wee little neck. My ass is dragging -- and for those of you that have seen it, that's a considerable heft to drag.

I have things to do. Ok, mostly self imposed things. I really wanted to make my mom some cinnamon pecan ice cream. I really wanted to make her some homemade carmel sauce to use up the remainder of the cream and just 'cause i know she loves it. And pack up some stuff for going away for a week (without (e:Uncutsaniflush), but i am not sure he will be all that interested in watching me prep, paint and caulk my parent's loo). All while doing laundry and doing my usual puttering around the house. I can't remember what i am in the middle of doing. Not wise with a big pot of hot sugar on the stove.

It's not like i only got an hour or two of sleep! I am ashamed to admit how much sleep i got, and be able to complain about lack of sleep.

Is it age? Am i at that age when i need to start having dinner at 4pm so i can get to sleep by 8pm?

Sunday

After some other fun outings, we decided to go to Bird Island to hang out, watch the water and wave to Canada (yeah, i actually do that).

When we arrived, someone in a car next to us asked (e:Uncutsaniflush) if he had a bottle opener. Poor guy got himself some beer, a girl and a decent view and couldn't have a beer 'cause he didn't get twist offs. I knew i had one somewhere. But damn, if the wind didn't get in the way of me rumaging through my purse! The man thanked me for looking and we went to go sit on a bench. Then, it hit me... the glove box!! Where else should one keep a key chain bottle opener?! In case you're driving down the road and have a bottle opening emergency, there it will be!

We walked along the water for a bit, and settled along a wall just North of the bridge. Lots of seagulls there. We wanted to see what they were doing.

Seems they have this conveyor belt thing happening for catching wee fishies. They fly south into the wind, fighting for space, looking for small fish, swoop down, grab one, eat it, land in the water, bob north for a little bit with the current, then up and fly again, looking for more fish. A few doing this might seem mildly amusing, but dozens is quite a sight.




I know mostly everyone thinks they are a pest, but i think they're still beautiful birds...



Monday

The crowds at Home Depot were insane. I had to beg people putting stuff in their cars for the shopping carts just to get one. And the staff was overwhelmed. But we got our tomato plants home and into the ground. Remind me to water them, will ya?

Afterwards, we decided on a small adventure. We found this place called Zooz that we had seen signs for along the QEW between here and St Kits. Turns out it's in Fort Erie, Stevensville, to be more precise. Looked like it might be an interesting little privately owned zoo and decided to go.

Nice place. Loved the park like feel, some of it very much like a light nature walk. Liked the fact that the canned information on the trolly ride gave us the names of the animals.

We were impressed. Particularly for a new (opened 2002) private zoo. The animals all look well cared for. Some even have new babies. Mama moose was rather protective of her 3 day old baby.

We were also impressed by the sculpture by Rod Dowling. Very interesting.







And i, of course, found a bird to bond with. Beautiful Miliary Macaw.

This is one of those recipes i invented, and super easy. But, it took 3 tries to get the right combination of sweet and tart for our tastes.

Raspberry Sorbet III

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 12oz pacakge of frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, put in sugar and water. On high heat, disolve sugar in water. Let boil for a minute and remove from heat. Add frozen raspberries and lemon juice. Stir. Cool for a few minutes.

Scoop cooled mixture into a blender. Blend until there are no chunks left.

Strain mixture into a bowl and put in refridgerator to cool for about 5 minutes.

Scoop into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.

I think i have posted a journal with this exact name before... but i am way too tired to look that up.


The Good

Someone called me "an incredible woman". Felt good. Thank you, kind sir. You know who you are.

I helped someone find something they were looking for. It was appreciated. I was complimented, but the act of doing it, well, rocked.

I worked an honest day doing something i enjoy.


The Bad

Met a friend's terminally ill mom when we were in Knoxville. Found out she is now in the hospital and they are looking for hospice for her. They hope she lives long enough to make it there. Glad i got to meet her, but my heart aches.


The Ugly

Stealing rosary beads at an esate sale should land you directly in hell.

Throwing a dime at someone because you don't want to pay the 8.75% sales tax on a $1 item does not sound like good kharma to me.

Got home Monday night. The trip to Tennessee was wonderful and fun and exhausting. I was very happy to see two people very much in love and very well matched get married. I was teary when Chris said that (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i are a good example to him. He's a good egg, that Christopher. His bride's pretty groovy too. I just wish they got married somewhere indoors with a/c, or with the option of wearing... oh, i don't know, a bathing suit, perhaps. But i am biased -- i hate the heat. No wonder i live in Buffalo.

Which reminds me. Buffalo so feels like home now. Returning felt like coming home. And that is cool beans.

Worked Tuesday -- from about 11am until 9pm -- then stayed up until 2am unpacking and doing all sorts of around the house things that needed to be done.

Today, i worked from about 11am until about 9pm again. Got home, ate, then... damn period.

The Estate Sale starts on Friday. Tomorrow is do or die. Things must be sorted and priced by then. We got 99% of the back bedroom with the linens and purses done, the middle bedroom with the toys and odds and sods done, and the front bedroom with the x-mas stuff done. The kitchen is getting there, the dinning room is almost ready and the living room... well, it will get done. I think all the bits will be ready in the restaurant and bar... the "amn things" seem so foreign to me...

Anyhoo, for those that want to see me work my butt off... here's the link.

(e:Uncutsaniflush) and i arrived here in Knoxville yesterday afternoon. It's so nice to be back here. We haven't done much sightseeing yet -- we will do most of that today.

Right now, i am up early (damnit!) and in the computer room of our friend, Linda's house. She is being kind enough to put us up and feed us for a few days before the wedding preparations begin (we are staying in one of the hotel rooms recended by the bride and groom and less than 5 miles from the wedding site). It was so nice to see her last night... to just hang with her. Wish she would move to Buffalo... i have missed her tons since we moved.

Today, we are going to wait for the a/c repair man for her (poor thing is melting in the heat here -- i didn't find it too bad, and i am usually the first one sweating and complaining!) and then head off to as many of our old stompping grounds as we can manage. The Knoxville Zoo, our old house to gawk, Target to pick up some sunscreen that i forgot to pack, Market Square... Yay!