Saturday, February 28, 2009

Can I get an Amen?!?!?

So, I attended a bridal shower today, and it will take me several days to recover from this event. No, I'm not hung over. In fact, I didn't have a single sip of wine. By recover, I mean the shaking off of the toxic sludge which the Wedding Industrial Complex oozes by the gallon.

I found this piece in today's Globe and Mail to be timely and completely in synch with my feelings on the subject of grand weddings.

If I may be so bold, I'd like to quote the author, Leah McLaren:

The thing that has always shocked me most about many newly engaged couples is the level of pretense required to fit into the Hallmark-approved idea of romance.

This starts with the proposal, in which he "asks" and she pretends to be "surprised." Then there is the engagement, in which she becomes suddenly obsessed by trivialities like napkin colours while he rolls his eyes indulgently and makes lame jokes like: "Just tell me where to show up."

Then there is the social permission it gives otherwise sane, polite people to behave like spoiled celebrities, the ridiculous, narcissistic "princess-for-a-day" clichés and finally the unfettered materialism that turns so many otherwise happy celebrations into garish cake shows.

Suffice to say, I have some issues - not with all weddings (I have been to some very nice ones), but with the ghastly wedding machine.


Amen, Sister Leah.

A-frikking-men!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Photo Meme

I was tagged by Shaun in this photo meme.

The instructions are to open one's photo file, grab the 6th picture, and post it with an explanation.



The sixth picture in the first photo folder on this laptop happens to be of a pair of Wood Ducks at the Thompson Park Zoo in Watertown, NY.

That reminds me .. our membership has expired. Time to renew!

What a delicious life he must lead!!

The imminent arrival of my fortieth birthday has led me to some periods of deep introspection of late. On the whole, I'd have to say that I'm quite satisfied with my lot in life at this stage of the game.

But I must admit to feeling a few pangs of jealousy when I read this article on the CBC's website. For in that article, there is a reference to a book entitled, Pancake: A Global History.

The CBC describes the author, Ken Albala, as a food historian at the University of the Pacific whose tome is erudite and witty. How does one score such a fantastic gig as writing a book about the most perfect food ever invented? And more importantly, why didn't I think of that?

Ceci, ce n'est pas ma faute!

I see that Target's 4th quarter profits fell 41% last year.

I take no responsibility for this shortcoming. Indeed, I did more than my fair share for Target, by spending the equivalent of a small country's GDP on Puff's with Vicks. And I may have spent a dollar or two on my secret obsession, Hello Kitty swag.

Perhaps if Target kept a year-round supply of Puffs with Vicks, their financial prospects would improve!

Monday, February 23, 2009

I'm really not trying to be flippant or irreverant here. Really.

This evening, we were treated to yet another gorgeous sunset. I ran outside to snap some pics, as I usually do. I was struck by the vertical beam of orange which seemed to extend straight upwards from the descending sun. As I came back inside, I was mulling over an appropriate yet catchy blog title to go with the pics I had captured:




"Stairway to Heaven" came to mind.

And then .. and then .. as I was going through each picture to choose which ones to put online .. I came across these ones:





These picture are cropped, but not altered in any other way. Is it just me, or can an Angel be seen above the sun?

Here's a more closely cropped view:



Although I no longer practice the faith, I was raised in the Catholic Church. The stories of Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Medjugorje filled my young imagination. The sceptical agnostic in me sees a beautiful sunset and an interesting refraction of light. The Catholic in me sees Our Lady, and hopes that she hasn't given up on us yet.

And now, my imagination wanders again ...

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Soon, I shall rule the world!

The chain stores around here are notorious for stocking their shelves with merchandise that is completely out of sync with the season. I learned this lesson many years ago, when I attempted to purchase mittens for my son in January, in the snow belt. I could have bought myself a bikini and some sunscreen, but there were no mittens to be found in the snowbelt in January.

So I have made it a habit to stock up on winter supplies in September and October. I feel a surge of deep satisfaction when I can gaze lovingly on my arsenal of Buckley's cold syrup, brandy, and Puffs Tissues with Vicks. Old Man Winter can bring on his worst, and I can laugh in his face.

Sometimes, I think that my paranoia runs a little too deep, but I was vindicated yesterday. I was at Target when I overheard someone asking an employee if they carried Puffs with Vicks. I knew exactly where they should have been located, having bought several boxes there myself. Alas, the shelves were devoid of those fantastically comforting pieces of paper, in the middle of cold and flu season.

This little ant knows the location of a great stash of Puffs with Vicks.



I might be persuaded to share my stash, for a price. Perhaps $10/tissue?

My 401K might be tanking, but at least I had the foresight to invest in some valuable commodities!

Mwah.
Ha.
Ha.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

A-HA! I knew it!!!

Throw away your television and pick up your knitting needles. Your brain will thank you for it.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Beautiful Frost






The morning after a night of ice fog.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Snow Rollers!

Well, look what the south wind is doing!


Wikipedia describes snow rollers as a rare meteorological phenomenon. They aren't so rare around here, as I see them nearly every year.