I'm leaving.

Going away for a few days... this is my jet plane. Wish me luck.

Pic of the day

TWICE in ONE week!

OK... talk about a beautiful Sunday. I picked up my "crazy about bears no matter what it takes friend" yesterday morning. It was glorious outside! After a couple of wrong ways on some very well known streets, we managed to make it to Star.Bucks to find coffee and treats for the ride up to the mountain. We get to the base of GROUSE Mountain, and everybody plus three and a half dogs were scrambling all over the place. It was 0915 in the morning on a Sunday. People are crazy, including us. FINALLY in my life I have handed out some good advice... and that was for my crazy friend to pre-buy her ticket for the gondola so that we did not have to wait in line when we got there. It was very good pre-thinking, so that way the LUJZAGIRL had no time to think about the quick little ride up the very steep cliff trapped in a little 16 x 20 box attached to wire that is supposed to mimick fun! fun! fun! (Breathe Lujza Breath!). I think the ride took 8 minutes to get up there.. but once we were up there... it was all camera, all the time.

We walked past the gift shop and I asked Lujza if we needed to enquire about a new pair up underwear... out of complete bravery she denied needing any! But you know.. with just her and I... it was all about PEE YOUR PANTS fun!

Since it was just the two of us.. we didn't have to contend with children fighting amongst each other... so it was pleasantville! Well, of course you do not want to add tourists children that screech at the top of their lungs, or grown women that meow at grizzlie bears.

I have to admit... I was a bit sly in leaving the homestead... as the girlygirl PIPSTER would have loved to make the trek again with me back to the top of the mountain... but I kept it under my hat... and kind of snuck away.

I got to watch the lumberjack show with the hot looking men with their big strong arms.... more grizzlies, and the rapture show. L-O-VE'-D it all over again. OH.. and because I am truly nice.... I even let the LUJZA LADY know about the fool that hikes himself up a 60 foot pole, then crosses over the top of the pole, along what looks like a stetcher, and then onto another 60 foot pole, stands up, does head stands, and then falls off. I couldn't even look last Monday... because you knew the fate of the guy.. he does fall off the pole... of course securely attached to a zip line.. but people don't really know that... This was maximum fun (NOT) to watch.

I didn't get some good "bird" shots like I did the other day... but I do have ONE great grizzlie photo that I am going to blow up.... it was a GREAT day...

But then I am failing to mention the ride back down the mountain. OK.. OMG... talk about FREAK OUT... which I didn't really... except for the fact that we piled in the 16 x 20 box attached to a string/wire, and then proceeded to FLY DOWN the mountain at what seemed like breakneck speed. Yes, the treetops were almost blurring as we passed them... I was glad to see us land... safely! In fact.. I think last night I had a dream that we ploughed through the sky at such a rate of speed that our gondola box broke through the other side of the ticket box, and settled in the parking lot after tumbling over and over again to a stop. THERE.. hows that for a grand finale L...?

What we find at the QE

QE Park

Where brides glow!

Dealbreaker email

So I just sent my friend an email.... I am waiting to hear back from her. I might have just sealed my doom in going on an adventure due to the fact that we have to ride in the sky for about 10 minutes.

BUT... I do say... if she wants the photos of the bears... it's going to hurt a bit doing it... (like riding the gondola to the top of the mountain)...

I did offer her a choice of doing the Grouse Grind, or riding the gondola... so I am not sure what her preference will be... other than me saying "see you at the top"... as I wave good-bye locked in my ticket to good times gondola rider thingy!

BUT.. for the moment.... I am writing on a Saturday... all happy that it's a Saturday... and I am not in my usual location being at work, doing worky things... as I really do not think it is necessary for me to work.... although some would beg to differ. That said... I am still waiting to hear back from the manager of OT to talk to her about a FULL TIME job as a Rec. Therapist. (yes, what the hell am I thinking???)... but you know.. the chicklets are growing... and I should make some good use of my time... (rather than persuing personal interests that could clearly wait until I am 65....)

I must go be productive.

Here's how it's all going to happen:

1. Colour the hair
2. Load of laundry
3. Clean the bathroom
4. Tidy & shine the kitchen counters (this dark granite shows everything!)
5. Dust the livingroom
6. Vacuum the car
7. Wash the car
8. Wash our sheets & hang to dry ( the marine air may have cleared at this point)
9. Give instructions to the girlie girl that she does in fact have to clean her room.
10. Do the same with the son, but he will be more obliging (as he has less to do in his room).

Then....

The Pipster and I are going to head off over to Queen Elizabeth Park where loads of brides show up with their entourages for their wedding portraits.

It's 9:06.. let the games begin.

Seven.

Seven bears... minus pictures.

So the last number of nights it has been a land of baron sights in the black bear department.

TWO nights ago there was absolutely nothing. It's hard to figure out... as the blueberries are ripe as ever... so where were the bears. It's strange.

Tonight started off with a bang... and could have been a bigger bang...which I am glad it wasn't.

I was driving down my favourite viewing spot for the bears... now I have seen trucks and cars FLY their way through this space and I wonder to myself... what would happen if a bear ran out... everybody would be dented badly... as was almost the case tonight. I am doing the driveby in my appropriately unspeedy like way... when a big HUGE black bear comes running out in front of me (he may have been chasing the ultimate blueberry.. meaning my car... and the indigo blue colour and all)... and then similar to Bat.man, he takes a flying leap and throws himself into the bushes. I wouldn't have believed it if it didn't happen right in front of me. Run run run... fly... right into the ditch with all the long grass.. and in a shot he was gone. I sat there stunned and relished the moment with great admiration for these wonderful beasts. I was kinda glad that I was cruising at my breakneck speed of 2 kmh an hour... and was thankful it was me, and not some of the morons that fly down the road. It was quite spectacular!... but then I am easily amused.

Eventually I saw another three bears... all in separate instances... and then... just as it was becoming darker... out popped mama and her two cubs. That was brilliant.

Sadly I do not have pictures to share... but if you could just reach into my memory and dig out a couple, then you could have the visual. OH.. right... the memory is fading, don't bother... you will have to stick the words on this page as the ultimate in truth.

I am not sure if I can top seven tonight...

More Lujza again!

More for you Lujza!

love love love love love!

Grizzlies!

Grouse con't

Grouse Mountain

rickledicklequack

The greeen waste guys are just going by. I wish they would slow their pace so I could quickly jump out back and scoop up some more green waste in the blink of a rickledicklequack.

I have been off my omega 3-6-9-'s... I think it is beginning to affect me.

Other things that are affecting me is the fact that I have no cream for my coffee. It jsut isn't the same without cream.

In other things going amiss:

The crows are eating Till-Till's bone, my hanging basket looks like SHIT! , and it seems that I needed a larger couple of bags for all the stuff that I am giving away to the Sally Ann.... which I do not have. Well... at least I mopped up all the dogs mud prints from yesterday... that she tracked in and out, in &out... in &out... in & out.... in & out of the house yesterday while she was busily panicking that the husbandman was out front and leaving her behind. It was a nice look. this time last year the kitchen was non-existant... so you now... it's good to whimper about filthy dog paws and dirty floors.

Bleh... this coffee is bad... time for another cup.

psssst

So I was down staring at the NON bears earlier. I got to see ONE.

YES, one. I was a bit pissed... but then, you can't control the wildlife now can you? OH.. and to boot I almost missed it... as a van was driving up I turned to look at the oncoming vehicle... and that's when stealth boy came bulleting through. He was a quick one... with no time to spare. BUT.. I did manage to see him through my lense, which ended in a photo, although it is not loaded here... yet. But then.. they all look like little black blips anyways.

We had a PINK garage sale this weekend. The PIP was willing to part with her PINK things... and we stood on the edge of the driveway and rid ourselves of a large amount of her great loves. ALTHOUGH... the soft fluffy things did not depart, and have once again found themselves in a large bin in her closet. BUT... we can open her closet door, and find things stacked away now.. so it is all good.

The handsome Hamsterson went to his brilliant cousins on Friday. He had a great day... and came back knowing about 4 more songs on the guitar... including.... Thunderstruck, by AC.DC. Well, it was just the beginning part... but he was able to play up a storm, way way way more than I could have... without any music in front of him. He is such a lucky kid in that regard.. and even luckier to have a cousin to hang out with who is so brilliant. I am hoping one day that the lovely and handsome Hamsterson will find his brilliance and let it shine.

Speaking of shiny... the PIP spent the last two days in the pool. So here's to a pound of chlorine to turn the PIP's hair blonder...it's a requirement for being her.

The boy is still outside flitting around with his friend. People might mistake him for being "the looker" as the PIP calls it. There is a THIEF that rifles through people's cars, and the PIP has dubbed him "the looker"... as she has seen him in action. So now... she refuses to have her window open even a smidgen.. until 'the looker' has found new streets to look at. In the meantime the boy and his friend are running around in the dark throwing a CD around as a frisbee.

I best go make the PIP find her way to her bed...hey psssst... psssst PIP... it's time for bed....

More wild things

beanie baby

So... once again high ISO to capture the big boys in the fading light... but in the meantime this little "wild chickypoo", ad they are sometimes referred to... came into the spotlight. The scary thing here is... they kind of look the same.

Work & Play

Here's the work that had to happen before the playing began. The girl is busily attacking the boy with her stuffed animal german shepherd that we have nicknamed PRANCE. This dog will not be in the garage sale, as this is the dog that took over for when the real dog died... otherwise known as Cicely, and while she had many names over her 11 year life, the name PRANCE was the current one of the hour when she died. Her personality did not fade mind you when she died, it took on a new stuffed animal way of being when this one came into the home. (Which is why she is busy yelling at Hamsterson and complaining how come she isn't going camping... that would be the stuffed dog talking, not the girl behind the stuffed dog)... Cicely really did have a strong personality.