When it rains, it pours! (at least down here...)

I am having the hardest time with this blog!!! I am just not html savvy, so I can't seem to figure out how to add things to my site. HELP! I have tried several different things. I don't even know if anyone is reading this thing because I CAN'T ADD A COUNTER! Grrr.
And now my roller on my mighty mouse isn't working right. I don't know why. It's practically new & I've not abused it at all! I can scroll down & side to side (the greatest thing about a mighty mouse), but I cannot scroll UP all of a sudden. Just started happening tonight. Does anyone out there own a Mac? I'm also wondering why my pointer just drifts across the screen all on its own at times. I'm new to the Mac world, so I have no clue. If I'm using the mouse, sometimes it's like it gets a mind of it's own. I don't think it happens if I'm not even touching the mouse. I'm seriously not imagining this...& my Mac is NOT haunted! LOL I'll call Apple Support tomorrow, but for tonight, I'm going crazy!
On another note, I had a fabulously slow night at work tonight. Once in a while you just need some time to catch up with things, know what I mean? And, to add to my glee, it's been doing nothing but raining here for days. (Nevermind the not-too-serious flooding.) It comes & goes, but it's keeping things cooler which is ALWAYS welcome. See? I miss Canada! The humidity down here is for the birds!
Well, I have some serious mindless TV to watch off my TiVo... I'll get to writing more interesting things one of these days. Kudos to the blogging world out there...there are some GREAT blogs & I'm a blogging virgin. Hope I can catch up.
Later!

Dominion (Long) Weekend

I came across this picture a couple of days ago. I thought it was very striking. Being a Canadian on America's Independence Day can be confusing. All your friends are up to partying it up, while it's just another day off for you. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to the US for my opportunities down here...totally! And I've made some lifelong friends since moving down here. I guess because I've been feeling a little under the weather this past day, I didn't feel much like going out & joining in on the festivities.
Boy, you could hear my neighbours though!!! My dogs were going crazy all evening. Between the hooting & hollering, the fireworks, & general revelry, my poor puppies weren't sure what was going on. And all this past week the thunder/lightning was doing the same thing to them. They probably think we're being invaded! LOL
Well, this Canuck is very happy that Canada Day fell on the weekend this year as well. (Remember when it was called Dominion Day...?) I hate working on Canada Day...just doesn't seem right. I suppose I could take it off, but in the past, I've always been short on PTO to pay myself for all the US holidays, let alone taking any of my own. I save up those PTOs to go home & visit my family. This year, my family is coming to me (my parents anyhow)! So, I'm still saving up...want to be able to spend some quality time while they're here....maybe travel with them in their 5th wheel! Woohoo!!!
Heck, I was thinking today that Mom & Dad's bathroom in their 5th wheel is probably bigger than my home bath! How sad is that??? We'll have to see when they get down here.
Well, the dogs are barking again, & my stomach is still feeling pretty rough, so I'm going to sign off for tonight. (Those noisy neighbours! Don't they realize it's after midnight & no longer July 4th!? LOL)
Happy Independence Day to all you Americans out there (although I see us all as NORTH Americans)!!!

Can we rewind?!

Today was crazy!
First of all, I woke up at 11:30 am, which I haven't done in a LONG time. I quickly got ready for church, where I serve in the greeting ministry. I love my church (although I really didn't get to pay attention today...)!
When I got there, I was told that my friend's son had been in a wreck (they hydroplaned, hit a tree, & rolled), while she was out of town visiting relatives. Trying desperately to get ahold of her (she wasn't answering her cell), I called her daughter's cell. Finally! I made another friend (with me) break the news...we hated to be the ones to break it to her, but it was obvious she had no idea when I started talking to her. Later, she told me she was so glad we had told her because she had a bunch of voicemails asking if her son was okay, & she would have had NO idea. Turns out, he was okay...but a friend of his might not be. I have no details now. We'll just have to pray that he's okay too...the other 3 boys (including my friend's son) that were in the vehicle are all fine.
After all the drama, I got the errands run that I'd put off from the day before. At my final errand, I went to get into my car & the darn alarm wouldn't disarm! I kept pressing the button on my key fob, to no avail. I called a friend for advice on what to do, & I only got her voicemail. I was stuck outside the pet store (dog food). I tried calling the dealership to see if they could replace my alarm remote (key fob)...but there was no answer. Are car dealerships always closed on Sundays? Seems to me that might be a good selling day...
Eventually, after waiting several minutes, I tried the button again. It worked! I immediately disarmed my car alarm so I wouldn't have that problem the remainder of the day. If I'd manually tried to get in (by using the key) it would have set off my alarm & the engine would have been disabled anyhow. I'll have to check out if maybe it's only the battery...I hope so.
In the end, I spent way too much money (darn eBay this week!), but got all my errands done...had lunch with friends (that was nice)...finally spoke with my best friend who moved to Reno last Christmas (we've been missing each other lately).
Actually, I was speaking with her while I was buying a wedding gift for the couple whose wedding I'd been to the night before. Turns out I had no idea what to buy them because my invitation didn't have the note about where they were registered. So, I got that cleared up today, all the while speaking to my best friend throughout the store. I'm sure some people were adequately annoyed or entertained, but it had been so long since we'd both been able to talk, so too bad!
Now I'm home, with my puppies, relaxing. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the most crazy day by some peoples' standards, but it seemed crazy while it was all happening. I'm going now, to veg...

Happy Canada Day!

Well, this is my first post, & although it's about midnight on July 1st, I haven't gone to bed yet, so for me it's still Canada Day.
Not currently living in Canada, I feel extremely patriotic about home...not that I wouldn't be anyhow, but it's enhanced b/c I really wish I was back in Canada. Instead, I spent the day talking with my family on the phone, being lazy (& not getting done anything I had planned...well, there's always tomorrow), & then tonight I went to a co-worker's wedding.
The wedding was nice...different from Canadian weddings to some degree. Do men pin money to the bride's dress to be able to have a dance with them in Canada? I don't remember that from any of the weddings I've been to back home. Maybe at the bachelorette party... I sure wouldn't want pins in my God-knows-how-expensive wedding dress, that's all I know!
Anyhow, some other Canadian co-workers & I all sat together...so I guess that was our way of celebrating Canada Day a bit!
On the way home, I called my parents who are travelling the country (Canada) at present. They recently sold our family home (sob!) & bought a fifth-wheel & a truck, & now they're travelling around, visiting relatives as they go. They've made it from BC to Ontario without major incidents & are visiting my Mom's brother & his wife until Monday. Then on to visit my Gram, where they'll stay for about a month. Eventually, they will be heading down to the US to visit me. Well, visit & work! They're going to help me fix up my house so I can list it, sell it, & move back to Canada! I can't wait...both to have them here & to eventually get back home. Nothing against the US, they've been great to me...I just miss home! Of course, there is no "home" to speak of...since my parents sold it, but I will find my own little nest.
By the time my parents get down here to stay with me, it'll be in the fall, so they'll for sure be with me past Christmas, which is SO exciting b/c I've never had anyone down here to spend Christmas with (family-wise). And it's been years since I've been able to get home for Christmas, for various reasons. The last time I did go, it cost me over $900 just for airfare...& that was before gas got to be so ridiculously priced, as it is now! The prices are just so inflated during the holidays. And I've got a mortgage to think about now...& my dogs.
I have several dogs, & they're my babies! They are the greatest dogs ever! (Not to diminish the numerous wonderful animals I've had in my lifetime...) Having so many dogs (4 to be exact) can be crazy at times, but they're great, happy animals, with a consistent routine, & really no trouble. Except if I want to travel anywhere...then 4 dogs can be expensive to kennel. I'm really not complaining, b/c I believe when you have an animal you take on a responsibility. They rely on you as children do. I'm only stating why travelling can be more difficult now. I can't just go anywhere at the drop of a hat without considering them. Ahhh...adulthood!
Well, I think I've written enough for my first blog. I hope to continue this regularly & see how it evolves over time...who knows!? I welcome your comments...