Happy Halloween from me and Ruby-boo

IMGP3300, originally uploaded by smoooch.

celebrate the dead

celebrate the dead, originally uploaded by smoooch.

You know you live in the right neighborhood when in the middle of the night, they block of the street and 25 000 people come out and have a parade to celebrate the dead.

Otherwise known as the Parade of Lost Souls.

i see you

"I made a cup of coffee smoked a j and started perusing; feeling more than a little like a spy or as though someone might at any moment blow a whistle to announce I had crossed a barrier or committed some kind of foul. It’s a beautiful site, full of wondrous verses, fantastic photos, familiar commentary and pretty things of all nature, but I have to admit that doesn’t really surprise me.

It’s good to know the blood in your veins is still warm and your life is not the one I knew you to once have – by that I mean better than it was. It was a warm feeling but a short lived one as I knew with every achieved month I read that I did not belong here, and more than that, that this feeling is as it should be. Like seeing you from across a street for a moment before dashing into a store to avoid being seen in return. Things are as they should be now, but I'me very glad that includes you being healthy and happy.

I didn't really need you to hear that, I'm just glad. Maybe I only took the extra step of writing this down in a comment because I knew I would get the last word. ;-)"

This is really quite nice. A nice thing to find like a little note tucked away in the corner of a dusty drawer. It was darn nice of you to go looking for me and well, let's admit it, I'm quite easy to find. I'm not really hiding myself or keeping any secrets anymore. And you found my little presence on the web and took a moment in a breath of inspiration to say some nice things.

Or was it the marijuana??

I'm glad you like this place. It's really always been about having a nice place to go. A place of comfort and acceptance and you know, "more kisses please" is about being kinder and gentler and nicer to one another and sharing nice things. It's not about spying, or not belonging and least of all is it not about getting in the last word.

You wrote you don't belong here, but yet you come around and check it out. I'm amused by that. And glad by that. A lot. After all these years and I can still captivate your interest even though you duck into the stores and hope not to be seen. Somewhere underneath all the denials I suspect you probably do care and are interested.

I've dropped my defenses and my "I don't care about you" face. You can come around and say hi anytime you'd like. I'm happy to know you, have known you and a little less happy to assume the blood runs warm in your own veins. I'd rather know for sure.

Thus, things are, however, not as they should be. You should walk across the street and say hello. I'm not that scary.

Boo.

don't blink

don't blink, originally uploaded by smoooch.

up for a challenge?

I'll be participating in the annual NaBloPoMo challenge. Otherwise known as National Blog Posting Month. (Charlotte..this is perfect for you.) Here's a bit off the website:

"NaBloPoMo is an alternative to November's NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, the program wherein you crank out a novel in thirty days."

"Rules: Post every day for the month of November. That's it."

Sounds easy enough. Tricky part is when you have to go to Texas for a wedding or in some cases you are the wedding. Then again.. its topic info.. and if that fails, I'll be referencing Mighty Girl's "No one cares what you had for lunch- 100 Ideas for your blog".

Stay tuned, check in, and pass the word.

audrey echo

audrey echo, originally uploaded by smoooch.

inspiration for the knitters in my family

Grabbed this from Knitty. Another great knitting website.

Mom- I'll have one in brown please.

Free Hugs

knit one pull out 2

My mother is taking up handy crafts.

She emailed to say that she wanted to build a garden shed and explained that she didn't want to make coffee for the guys- she wanted to do the sawing and hammering. She was going ask my Uncle Ken but she realized that she'd end up with a Ski Chalet. This is true. Ken only thinks BIG.

She's also endeavored to sort out the scrapbooks of baby pictures and mementos she's been carting around in various shoe boxes for about 29 of my 36 years. She didn't start collecting for me until I was verbally able to ask her, "Are you saving this stuff?".

She also revealed that she is taking up knitting. Of course my first thought was that my mother would become a member of the renegade guerilla knitting group, Knitta- warming the world one car antenna at a time.

Maybe that's a bit too ambitious. So, I found this instead. A cute and easy flapper hat pattern.

I think it would look great on her!

Or me.

a novel idea

scenario: storage hopscotch

characters: the boyfriend, loyal beautiful and helpful girlfriend, 3 unknown warehouse guys, Kennedy, and Todd, and a woman named Shirley

setting: warehouse number 1, warehouse number 2, bsmt of subletted apt

props: various boxes and unboxed belongings, 4 pallets, a pallet jack, a one ton truck and a bucket of dust.

plot outline:

-The boyfriend vamooses into the UK and the arrangements for his belongings does not remain reliable. Belongings include but aren't limited to 4 pallets piled chest high, 2 large heavy wooden desks, and a metal cabinet.
-Objects make an unexpected run out of a North Shore storage unit to a sound stage in South Vancouver. 2nd location is eerily close to the girlfriend's job and convenient rented warehouse storage facility.
-Calls are made by Shirley to the girlfriend and the suggestion is made that if items do not make a hasty retreat, doom may befall them.
- A gasp is heard.
-More calls are made. Vehicles are borrowed, keys obtained and items beat it out of one storage to another.
-Later, the aquistion of muscles, a truck, and a more permanent storage facilty are sought.
-Resolution looks hopeful for Sunday. However if the Boyfriend thinks its a good idea to return from langushing in the UK without making a stop at the girlfriend's favorite grotto of cosmetic lovliness otherwise known as B Never, there may be a sequel to the story.

what the?

Mother, pointing to a woman playing the musical saw: She is singing!
Son: No, She's playing the saw.
Mother: There is an orchestra playing!
Son: It is a tape.
Mother: And she is singing?
Son. No. She is sawing.
Mother: What did you say?
Son: Go, have a look.
Mother: .......
Son: And?
Mother: It's like singing.
Son: That's it, the saw.
Mother: What a nice voice she has!
Son: She is not singing. It's the saw that's singing.
Mother: No way... She is singing into the saw?
Son: No, no singing. Just sawing.
Mother: But she is opening her mouth.
Son: She is breathing.
Mother: Are you sure she is not singing?

Overheard in Union Square subway station

poignant

"When you're at the end, it's too late for oranges."

Thanks Vince, for having the humor your father passed on to you and for remembering it, sharing it, and finding the laughter inside of it.

love jill

rebuttal

Courtesy of Subversive Cross Stitch

Oh Charlotte, did I reall dress down the man of the house? Or did I merely advocate the esthetics of Joe's coffee albeit passionately??

The Dog Walk

Awesome and funny friends of mine: Vince and Mitch, and their kind of bizarre video.

the saddest feeling

"The only evidence I have is his socks."

To my deareast most loyal friend.. I am so saddened by your unexpected loss. It is an unbelievable passage in one's life when one of the people responsible for your creation passes on. My heart and my thoughts are with you.

magnolia1, originally uploaded by smoooch.

a reason to go to church

Joanna Newsom is coming to Vancouver on the 5th of December, playing at the St. Andrew-Wesley church. Tickets go on sale this Saturday.

Do you want to go with me?
Joanna Newsom - The Book of Right-On (Jools Holland 2004)


update: it was fantatsic!

uh oh

Oh my. I'm in a bit of trouble now that I have found The Curiosity Shoppe. File that kitty under "theraputic internet shopping" straight away. Curb your credit cards people.

I want this and especially this (how sweet) and this and this and this. Well thank god they have free shipping over $200 or I'd be hooped.

receptacle of time

Calling all archivists (hello Catherine, the only person I know that has been carting around a giant pvc rocket shell to "one day" bury as a time capsule). You all should check out this:
The Yahoo Time Capsule

"For 30 days, from October 10 until November 8, Yahoo! users worldwide can contribute photos, writings, videos, audio — even drawings — to this electronic anthropology project. A mosaic of revealing snapshots will be sealed and entrusted to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings based in Washington D.C., officially taking its place in history."

You can view my entry here. Forever recorded until some future intelligent being sifts through the thousands of entries and finds mine. By then we'll be making flour in a lab and the top soil will have long blown off the Alberta prairies, leaving behind the great "Canadian Shield Desert".

I thought I'd leave something for posterity too. Go! Leave your mark.

watch it buddy

watch it buddy, originally uploaded by smoooch.

My agent won't allow me to publish my homework until the movie deal is finalized.

Charlotte, the lovely novelist who kindly decided to move upstairs so I could rock out in the best.apartment.ever has found her way out of her blog's bermuda triangle and has blogged once again. It may take a while but when she does post, she really pulls it out.

This time it's about 91 ways to respond to literature or as she put it:

"designed to enliven the good old book report, and to disguise the fact that public school English text selections are porridgey and boring."

Suddenly grade 4 and the book report (one of many) I was forced to write about "Jacob Two- Two Meets the Hooded Fang" just came rushing back.



As I peruse the 91 ideas to enliven the literary response, I came across a few "wish I could have done that assignement instead" items. For example:

#22.MAKE LIFE-SIZED PAPER-STUFFED ANIMALS, PEOPLE, OR OBJECTS FOUND IN A BOOK. Yes I would have enjoyed a giant hooded fang in my bedroom.

#42.COOK A FOOD MENTIONED IN YOUR BOOK. The article kindly says "It is always fun to share something to eat. Please cook your recipe at home." Or what, I would have brought a giant pot with gruel to school?

This one is really great

57.RETURN TO THE FUTURE. As Jacob at 25 years years old haunted with nerosi from run ins with a make believe demon. I would ahve enjoyed that as well.

If only I was allowed this level of creativity as a child, the book diaramas I dreaded and the hand written book reports where I AGONIZED over making sure I had the required 300 words and 1 inch margins, would not be a part of my repitore of childhood memories that make me physically wince and shudder.

By the way Charlotte, if you read this, take a look this gem of a website when you might need a handy reason why not.

down but not out

More Kisses Please went out, got drunk, screwed around with its settings and got knocked down. Luckily for me, the sober one of us two, I was able to hoist her back up until she was standing on her own two feel again. Thanks to both Sonia and Catherine for thoughtfully alerting me to the near tragedy.

thinking of you

on green, originally uploaded by smoooch.

I miss your British accent and the way you say funny things like "steady on".
I miss sitting with you at Joe's over "short in a glass" coffee.
I miss the way you play and talk to Ruby.
And I miss the way you snore because I have the whole bed to myself.

xxx
me

beauty is in the eye of the owner of photoshop

get your crafty on

If you enjoy crafty people and the lovely things they make, AND you live in Vancouver, please support the next Craftynest-Vancouver's New Craft Bazaar.

When: Saturday October 21st 2006, 11 am to 5 pm
Where: Legion Auditorium @ The Legion Hall, 2205 Commerical Drive (at 7th Ave), Vancouver, BC, Canada

I hope to one day sell my crafty wares at one of these fine events. So, please support getting crafty!

Sonia? Waht are you doing that weekend?

If I was very small, I would live here and I would plant my whole back yard full of wildflowers and roses.

is it an old playhouse, originally uploaded by smoooch.

Then and Now

THEN

Then, originally uploaded by smoooch.

NOW

Now, originally uploaded by smoooch.

Wow. How things have changed in 54 years. If you'd like to see ALL 188 photos of my last visit to the farm, you can look at them here.

Incidentally, this is my 200th post on this blog. Number 100 is this one!!)

overheard on the way to work

"Letting small planes fly over Manhattan is like letting bicycles on the Interstate."

Listen to the Listen Bird

I am the Listen Bird, originally uploaded by smoooch.

If you live in Edmonton (hello Vince!) you may be aware of a little grafitti phenomenon known as the Listen Bird. Maybe you've noticed them and never put 2 and 2 together. Maybe you noticed them and didn't care. Maybe you'll take a look at ALL the photographs collected about the Listen Bird and think "shit, this is kind of neat." Whoever has started the Listen Bird has amassed quite the portfolio and I seriously want everyone to take a look

I hope you do too. Here are some links:

My favorite Listen Bird grafitti found on a grain tarin car in Kansas!
My Listen Bird Set.
Somebody else's.
All Flickr Photos tagged Listen Bird
A blog dedicated to the Listen Bird.
An entire Flickr Group dedicated to the Listen Bird.
The creater .

roast this

elephant garlic, originally uploaded by smoooch.

don't mess with texas

Don't Mess, originally uploaded by DarbCU.

I can't provide too many details but I am looking at a quick trip to Dallas to be a guest at a wedding reception of 2 people I have never met.

Update: Okay, here's the deelio. I work for a funny little company, who will remain nameless, lest I get dooced. During my regular scheduled activities, I helped a stranger in a special request to have a proposal message put inside one of the items we produce. The proposal went well, she said yes, and now the couple invited me to the wedding. I asked if I could go and the job said yes. Crazy. Now, I'm off to Dallas to stay in a nice hotel and have a rental car and go to a wedding reception of 2 people I have never met. Am I nuts?

As a friend says.. "only you jillyjillerson. only you."


By the way.. the lovely photo is not mine. The link to the photographer is here.

a toast

I'm back on the family farm in rural Alberta. It isn't really the family farm and it never really was. It's my grandmother's farm. It was my grandmother's. I've spent my entire life visiting these walls, these windows, this land. Back then, at the beginning, my beloved Grandfather was alive. There were kittens and baby cows. Baby birds and baby pigs. Everything was young and healthy and full and free.

My grandfather died when I was 5. I barely remember, I was so young. Vague memories of clutching kittens tightly around their midsection and following my grandfather or sitting on his lap. Loving and protective and warm. He had big hands. That's what I remember. Big weathered hands that smelled funny. Smelled like gasoline, but I didn't know that.

After he died, the farm was never really quite the same but over time, what the farm was became the standard. Visits were made, bread was baked. A grandmother that made my childhood idyllic with hand sewn dolls and hand knit sweaters was visted. Camping trips nearby and just outside the back door. Weiner roasts and burnt marshmallow sticky fingers.

Over the years, I grew up and I grew sullen, less interested in the rural origins of the family. I stayed away. I came back for visits when it was neccessary due to some family gathering. I learned to drive out on the country roads. I was 16 then and I thought my time was better spent getting into trouble than getting close to my cousins.

Later yet when I moved to Calgary, I came back. I came and visited and loved to be here. A refuge from the big city bustle and hustle. The rural landscape captivated me and I took long drives looking for worn out barns and abandoned houses. Looking really for some forgotten treasure. A left behind book, a purse with a crumpled bill or even some piece of furniture small enough to take away and covet. I drove up and down the roads looking for treasure when it was always right there on the farm. The long ago written words of my grandfather on the walls of the barn and garage, the old cabinet with the lists of cows and heifers held; the left behind presence of the best present of all, my grandfather.

More years passed and as I moved further away. My connection to the farm and rural Alberta only grew stronger. Wheat and wild roses weave their way down my arm, etched forever in a tribute to this land. The items I surround myself are are reflections of the farm. The old fruit crates and butter boxes and now the salvaged glass door knobs that opened the doors to these rooms of warmth, love, my childhood and family.

Now, the farm has been sold. My grandmother is leaving when she can, when it is positive and good and the farm has been sold to someone who grew up in the area. Someone that may love it as much as we have all loved it. The scraps have been burned, the writings added to and photographed, the cabinet taken off the wall and washed. Remnents of a childhood stored in the basement moved. The family gathered for one last Thanksgiving and in usual fashion forgot to really thank one another for all the times spent, the experiences had, the love felt. Instead the toast was just simply.. to the farm.

IMGP3039, originally uploaded by smoooch.

To the farm..I will miss you.

keep it simple

milk and eggs, originally uploaded by smoooch.

I took a little trip down south to Seattle. I took 89 photos. You can view them all here...click this link

The neon ones are some of my favorites.

Let me know which ones you liked.