GIRLS On the DOWNTOWN -- The SAGA of SHERPA SHAN

IT'S The NATIONAL WOMEN'S SHOW - OTTAWA Spring Edition! And, at the Recently Completed OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE. Very 21st Century on the Outside with all of IT's Facet-like Dark-Glass and Organic Shaping.

HERE's a "Money-Shot" from the 3rd Floor Gallery. That's the PEACE TOWER and PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS in the CENTER - Just a few Blocks away... The "Puddle" Area, is THE RIDEAU CANAL - which is flooded in Early Winter to freeze up as The WORLD's Longest ICE RINK. IT's finally been drained, semi-cleaned... IT'll be re-flooded soon again for the Summer Small Boat Traffic. A little Ways to the RIGHT, there's a LOCK-SYSTEM that goes Down to The OTTAWA RIVER.

So. Today was the First *really* SUNNY Day this Week! Was a tad Cool in the Morning, but got much Warmer later on.

The SHOW opened at 10am - however, unless You want to end up *behind* a few Thousand Other Women, and MISS OUT on getting one of The GOODIE BAGS, You HAVE to be There by 9:00 at the Latest!! Seriously, NO Joke. It's like Hundreds SUDDENLY "Beam-In" when You're not looking!

MOTHER and I left at 8:30 with a short Drive to THE BIG MALL. Parked The CAR. TOOK a Bus to DOWNTOWN. Found Our Way IN - quickie "plumbing" break for Her... Got Our Tickets - WooHoo, had a Discount Voucher! And, was Directed to proceed Down The RAMP to the End of the Line...

It was around 9-ish Then, and We were near the Bottom of The RAMP. I'm guessing there were perhaps 300 or so People AHEAD of Us... -- Ahh... *TIMING*... Within MOMENTS, there were a few Dozen more BEHIND Us! Shortly after that, the "Beyond The RAMP People" were moved to the other side of the Short Escalator to keep The Main Entrance clear.

Within the next 15 Minutes, at least 500 or *more* "appeared"! Then, at 10, We began to herd up
The RAMP, crossed over to the base of THE ESCALATOR where They took Our Tickets. Once,
"TOPSIDE" onto the 3rd Level, We received Our GOODIE BAGS.

Which, are actually rather nice looking This Year! [BELOW]

BUT, *NO* Time to "check" Them out, there's FOOD to be Sampled and STUFF to be "Acquired".

These BOOTHS were situated Outside of The SHOW ROOM along The GALLERY. And, after waiting around for So Long, One does start to get Peckish... Mind You, many of Us "Veterans" did notice that there weren't nearly as many Food Booths as have been in Previous Years. It used to be like going to a Grocery Store with all of the great FREEBIES back Then!

..oh, well...

After "BRUNCH", off We were to tackle The SHOW ROOM in Our "Mission" to Acquire FREE STUFF!!

FATHER likes *Free* PENS... We probably have enough Now to supply an Entire SCHOOL! Of course, that still doesn't Stop Us from getting *more*... Or, all of those Little NOTEPADS.

The "Trend" Item This Year, appears to be the TOTE BAGS... We got a LOT of Those! - Just MORE
BAGGAGE for Me to SCHLEP! -- OH! Have I mentioned that I spent ALL Afternoon wearing a Not-So-Light-KNAPSACK, and BOTH of the ABOVE Ever-Increasing-in-Weight BAGS..? That were filled with Additional *BAGS*!?

Hello..? MR. GRAVITY, *not* My Friend!

Three Hours LATER, We emerged from The "MOSH" ROOM with MOTHER in need of sampling the
"Hydraulics" once again. As for Me, a DROP ZONE was in immediate Order! -- Got a nice Spot by the Window, in the Shade, on the Carpet...

I had BOOTY to Re-BAG...

As I did, She went back to the FOOD BOOTH for "Lunch". Upon Her return - with yet, another BAG - some of the nearby Seating freed up and I moved Our TROVE over There...

BTW, I should "NOTE"... As lovely as This New Facility is, *considerably* MORE Benches - perhaps along the FIXED Walls, would be Convenient!! ...just saying...

Anyhoo. I parked Her on the Comfy Bench, whilst I took a few Moments for MY much needed Repast! - And, Yes, I came back *with* BAGgage...

Around this Time, MOTHER wanted to go Back IN to see THE SHOW's Head-Liner "Guest" - ERIC BRAEDEN - "Victor Newman" of the Soap Opera "THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS" -- At this Point, I was NOT up to having to HAUL Everything through the ESTROGEN MASSES, again!

I gave Her Directions and turned on Her Phone... I took Pics of the View, chatted with the odd Nearby Person, and worked on the Vitamin D manufacturing.... For a good Half Hour.

So, as it turns out... She didn't quite catch ANY of ERIC's Presentation - She got side-lined at some Booth..? However, when He was Back Stage doing some
"Autographs", MOTHER did get a fleeting glance and *managed* to "persuade" One of the "Security" People to take THIS Pic of Him.

Ahh... MOTHER.. and Her shameless *use* of the "Great-Grandmother-Old-Lady" Card!

Not long after Our "regroup", We LEFT!! Our Day was yet to be *over*...


It's LATE. I'm Exhausted! So, PART 2 of Our *Advanced* "MOTHER's DAY" Adventures, Tomorrow! -- FIND OUT about a few Other *Interesting* People We met at THE SHOW, and "What" bit of Fortune crossed My Path!!

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My **INVITATION**, IT Must've Gotten LOST, eh?

IS IT OVER *NOW*??!!

I went TO Bed AT 3am! I *didn't* WAKE UP "Then" to Watch the Coverage! -- I viewed the Hightlights over My very Late "Brunch"...

Whatever... Lovely DRESS. I'm still amazed that PIPPA managed to navigate STEPS in Hers!! Fabulous TIARA, too! -- BTW, super nice Touch with the Driving Off in The SPORTS CAR!

Okay. So. NOW... Let's ALL *Leave* THEM **ALONE** and MOVE ON!!

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The Other Day, whilst perusing the COUNTRY LIVING Website, I spotted ALL of THIS!

http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/knitted-royal-wedding

Knit Your Own Royal Wedding Party

Didn't get an invite to the Royal Wedding? Thanks to knitting genius of author FIONA GOBLE, you can stitch together your own celebration. Buy the book, Knit Your Own Royal Wedding, for $10.95 at amazon.com!

By Ashley Womble

When You CLICK into the BOOK LINK at Amazon, there's also a Video Link available.


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Wicked WIND From The WEST

"TIMING" really IS *Everything*! - Baby Bro's FAV "Saying". -- Personally, I'm more a Believer of the "..LIFE *sucks*! And then, You LIVE *Forever*!" School of THOUGHT...

Anyhoo... The FORECAST was for RAIN for most of the Morning, with Sporadic Periods in the Afternoon...

"WHAT" We *got*...

• RAIN in the Early Morning.
• Mid-Morning, slight Clearing with RISING *Humid* Temps.
• The CAR Windows FOGGED up when I took IT out of the Garage!
• The SUN was out between the Sweeping "Rain" Clouds.
• The WIND was "Breezy"....
• Managed to GET the "important" Green Lights on the Way to Our FAMILY Appointment.
• An Hour Later, We *discovered* that it had RAINED whilst We were Inside!
• Still Warm, still Sunny, less Clouds, getting BreeziER...
• By the Time We get HOME, We're talking *WINDY*!
• GUSTS...
• And, after a short Lunch, ELDERLY PARENTAL-UNITS *have* to go OUT, again!?
• The Clouds are coming back, but still Sunny.
• Starting to Hear HOWLING Outside...? - Over the Sounds of the Washing Machine!
• Having an OZ-ian Moment.
• E.P.-U. eventually BLOW back.
• And THEN, it *really* gets **GUSTY**!!
• "Official" WIND STORM.
• It quieted down by Suppertime. For the most part...
• *WHY?* is EVIL-NEIGHBOUR'S TREE still Standing?!
• ...Grrr! ...stu-pid Laneway Asphalt holding down the Roots..!
• The Clouds returned.
• BAROMETRIC PRESSURE Changes driving Me NUTS!
• I a'm sooo Sleeping IN Tomorrow!

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WELL!! It. Is. *About*. TIME!!

FINALLY. At least *ONE* of My COUNTRY LIVING Issues has arrived! - MAY. I'm **STILL** Waiting for the APRIL One!!

It was surprisingly SUNNY for "most" of the Day, along with 20C plus Temps! However, THUNDER STORMS are expected This Evening. And, of course - RAIN for Tomorrow! Which will be a PAIN as We have "Things" to DO!

BTW, We've ALREADY surpassed *ALL* of the "APRIL" Rainfall Records! With *more* to come...

Meanwhile, as Everyone succumbed to the Sudden Shock of Sunlight, I escaped the House long enough to do some Banking, obtain a Gift-From-The-PARKING-LOT-FAIRY-Primo-Parking-*SPOT*, did another quickie drop off at The POST OFFICE, and a flyby of the Nearby Grocery Store.

Thankfully, the TRAFFIC on the Roads and IN the Stores - *even* The BANK! - were at a MINIMUM!! -- Well, except for the couple of BUS LOADS of KIDS that were INVADING THE BIG MALL... And, being that it was "PENSION DAY", probably not so much of a "compatible" Mix?

-- Hyper-Carefree-TEENAGERS and The BEN-GAY-Not-in-a-HURry-Walker-Racers... Someone's going to end up taking an iPhone out!

COUNTRY LIVING
- May 2011

P. COVER [p.99] - Love the Shade of BLUE going on. But mostly, the BLUE & WHITE TEAPOT and SAUCERS! - Which are difficult to make out in This Pic. However, LUCKY for You, I just happen to HAVE a Single PLATE in That PATTERN! Unfortunately though, IT's Packed away and I can't
Remember the Maker - only that IT was of FINE Quality and that I got IT [and Others] at a Yard Sale for 50 CENTS!!

P. 3 / 111 - Great looking WIRE CHAIRS! Especially the DOMED One!

















P. 43 - Very Nifty "Cellular"-Shaped Wired BOWL. [cb2.com]

P. 44 - I just love the Glaze Colour of These EGG CUPS. [burkedecor.com]

P. 96 - [RIGHT] - JADEITE! Love IT! But, I think MARTHA STEWART has bought it ALL!! Can't find Original Stuff ANYwhere, let alone for a Good Price!

P. 98 - [LEFT] - One can Never go "Wrong" with MAPS!

P. 106 - [RIGHT] - Wonderful QUILT. Super CHANDELIER. And, seriously Cute POLAR BEAR WALLPAPER.

P. 108 - [LEFT] - Excellent Placement USE of Book Shelving.

P. 117 - "JUMBO SHRIMP with BOK CHOY" - YUMM!! Even I could make THIS!

P. 120-121 - Despite This ROOM being in OREGON, IT's still very Beach Cottage!














P. 123 - And, Who can resist all of Those COOL CORALS?!










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ALL That MAIL...

AND, absolutely NOTHING of Value deserving Rescue from the RECYCLING BIN! ...okay...Except for The CHEQUE! As with RICH MEN, "MAIL" MONEY is *always* WORTH "SAVING"!

Meanwhile... It was another one of those Dark-Dreary-Drippy-DAYS! With a Dash of THUNDER in the
Evening... I just hope that Tomorrow is LESS *Intense* - have to head to The BANK to show The CHEQUE a *Good* Time!

Anyhoo.... Whilst I attempted to IGNORE the Water-Tortuous-Orchestra OUTside, I decided to do some more "EXPERIMENTATION"...

HERE is Rest of that Thick Cotton YARN that I was toying with Last Week... I thought that I'd try My HOOKS at making some of those Yarn BOWLS that seem to be currently making the *Design* Rounds...

They're only about 4 or 5 Inches Wide by 2 Iches High... Very SOFT, too. Would probably serve as a Comfortable LOCATION to place a Set of PEARLS into for the Night...?

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$$ Flow - Don't Forget To Flush!

FIRST OFF... *HAPPY 6-Months BIRTHDAY, LITTLE PRINCESS BIG-RED*!!

SECONDLY... *THANK YOU, FAIRY-T*!! -- She *does* SEND Me the "Cheekiest" Bits of MAGIC.. Let's just "say..", that Her *version* of ROYAL WEDDING MEMORABILIA is sooo much more "palatable"...!

Meanwhile, Back at Boring BLOOGSVILLE...

I tried to *imprint* those FEW Moments of SUNLIGHT of the Later Afternoon, as it was quite likely The ONLY Time that it will be *seen* THIS Week! MORE RAIN is currently on Schedule... UGH!!

Bearing THAT in Mind, We ran a few needed Errands...

• There's a REASON *WHY* I don't like going to COSTCO *after* 2:00!
• I was expecting Heavy Traffic - just NOT at Where it was...
• Spotted an interesting Collar Design on some Sweater. May *adapt* it at some Future Date.
• Traffic has lightened up along Route to THE BIG MALL.
• MUST incorporate Time-Management-Skills.
• Leaving MOTHER to explore two closeby Stores, whilst *I* tend to EVERYTHING ELSE.
• CA$HED WINNING TICKETS!
• Happy Dance!
• Proceeded to POST OFFICE.
• The INCOME TAXES are NOW on Their WAY!
• Can MOVE ON with My Life!
• Make the Pilgrimage Stop at THE GAP.
• Oooo. Another SALE..?
• I overhear Lottery Winnings formulating an Escape from My Pockets as I peruse the Sale Rack.
• A Weird-Maroon-Zipper-Hoodie and a Dressy-Black-Sweater apply for Adoption...
• Whipping out a Charge Card, I cunningly thwart The CASH's premature hopes for Economic Freedom! -- I have *Plans* for Its valued Resources later in the Week...
• I rendezvous with MOTHER - She is actually *Where* She's "supposed" to BE!
• Masking My resulting Shock, I remind Her of The Hour...
• WOW! Check out the SILVERADO parked Next to Us... I've never seen so much MUD!! I think I see Bushes growing from the Wheel-Wells...
• hmmm... The POTHOLES Here don't look THAT Nasty!
• Must LEAVE *before* The MUD PEOPLE Return!
• GREEN LIGHTS *ALL* the Way HOME!!
• *SHOCK*
• Smart Savings with *not* having a Lottery Ticket for Tonight, as the Clear-Vehicular-Flow has just used up ALL of My MOJO!
• Besides, My NUMBERS *didn't* Come Out, anyway!

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