'Tis The SEASON, To FILL The CAR...

...FULL of CRAP!

Well, *MOST* of IT was MOTHER's **HOARD** of "FREE" *crap*... MY Acquisitions of the Day was a *small* Box Load of Good "STUFF"!!

-- Okay, I'll give Her "Points" for scoring the FREE CHANDELIER - HOWEVER, **I** was the One who "acquired" the CRYSTALS for IT!

As you ALL *know* by Now, The WEATHER Here - especially on Saturdays - has NOT been up to Proper YARD SALE Standards! Usually, the "Season" in up and running by Early APRIL! You know, as SOON as the Glaciers *begin* to Recede...

Anyway, Today was the Big Annual BLACKBURN Community Yard Sale... 8:00 to 4:00... And, after around 3-ish, People put the FREEBIES out on Their Curbs - Hence, the eventual STUFFING of The CAR!

Although, slightly questionable at Times, The WEATHER held. Got Warmer as the Day progressed, and turned out to be "mostly" Sunny! - YAY! - We actually headed out a bit Late, 10-ish...

It probably wasn't until Sale #6 or so, that I actually BOUGHT Anything! A silly Little GREEN ALIEN Figure for a Dime! - I was getting Desperate. And, We were taking waay too much Time to do as much as We had wanted. Also, We needed to get to the CHURCH SALE by 11.

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH - where I do One of My Regular Christmas Craft Shows at - is at the End of the Neighbourhood. It was also, only running until Noon. So, We had to break off from the Traditional Scavenging and head There.

I'm sure that We *probably* had MISSED out on a whole whack of "GOOD STUFF" earlier, however, at THIS Point, Prices were coming DOWN! I got MOST of My Haul for 25 Cents a Piece! - Amongst Them, THIS little 8"x10" OIL PAINTING...

NATALIA RYBRCZYNSKI - 1988

Granted, NOT My *Usual* Choice of SUBJECT MATTER - Rhinos & Things Nautical - but I LIKED IT... Seriously. IT ONLY *COST* A "QUARTER"!! -- No Neurons were Fried in the Making of This Purchasing Decision!

I'll take Pics of REST of the TREASURES for Tomorrow. -- It's getting Late and I want to get THIS Done!

So, AFTER "Church"- and a rather Tasty HOT DOG There - We went to a couple of the "Local" Grocery Places. The TRUNK was beginning to FILL... Once complete, We Returned to Remaining SALES. Ah, FREEBIE TIME had begun!

MOTHER **LOVES** THIS PART!!

Especially, Our almost Last Stop in a CUL Street... I swear Her Eyes started to GLAZE! There was this HUGE Pile of Christmas "crap" - that I HAD to POUR into the BACK SEAT ,and *around* the
"Chandelier"! -- IT's actually quite Nice. AND, I got all of the CRYSTALS for IT, too! Would look Super in a Bathroom. Just needs a bit of Cleaning, Rewiring, maybe a new Colour of Paint...

FINALLY, I dragged Her AWAY from the Bargaining BURBS, and ON to FINISHING Our Groceries! MILK was NEEDED! -- THEN, it was Traffic, Traffic, Traffic, Shop, Traffic, HOME! And, 15 Minutes of UNPACKING The CAR!

Still don't KNOW *IF*, FATHER spotted EVERYTHING that MOTHER had "Collected".

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**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANNY**!!

IT WAS Years, until I "figured" it out, that
"BRIGITTE" was My Paternal Grandmother's *Nickname*!

It was never really clear to Me as to
"Why"..? *Something*
 to do with BRIGITTE BARDOT - I think..?

The *only* similarities to Her Actual First Name, are that They START and END with the Same Letters, as well as have the Same Number of Letters...

Whatever, a Mystery best left unsolved..




Meanwhile, THIS was Taken the DAY *before* Her 50TH BIRTHDAY. Over a Half Century ago, in ENGLAND...



She passed away 20 Years ago - the Last of My Grandparents to do so. However, I only saw Her a handful of Times, whenever She'd take a BOAT over to CANADA and *stay* for a Few Months!

Besides another RED-HAIR GENE and a lot of "IRISH", I also may have inherited a good Part of My
"Financial" Savvy and Love for Travel from Her, BUT certainly *NOT* Her SEA LEGS! Or, Gardening SKILLS...

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Sitting By the Fringe...

IT'S BEEN A REALLY *LONG* DAY...

• HAD to be UP *Early* - BTW, I am NOT a "MORNING PERSON"!
• THEN, there was the MORNING TRAFFIC, which I usually never *ever* have to "deal" with! The Longest Part was just getting OUT of Our Neighbourhood!
• Surprisingly, the *Threatening* Weather held OFF... I sooo did NOT want to Start My *DAY* with any *more* RAIN!
• "Double Shock" - There was actually adequate Parking at Our Destination.
• Hence, FATHER and I were a bit *Early* for His "Appointment".
• Small Waiting Room. Noisy A/C Vent. Seats were better than Most, but not by much. FATHER has found the Morning PAPER to Read...
• "THEY" are running about 20 Minutes BEHIND Schedule.
• Less than 10 Minutes Later, "PART 1" is Complete! -- Now, We have under 3 Hours to
  "kill".
• We PARK Ourselves out in one of the Nice-Larger-Waiting-AREAS. Much more Airy with Natural Lighting. COMFY Chairs!
• I take out My CROCHETING. FATHER is working on being Bored...
• Halfway through, He's ready to EAT His packed "Lunch". IN The CAR. Thankfully, the Rain is STILL holding off - a bit Gusty though...
• BTW, CROCHETING *behind* The Wheel, NOT so "comfy".
• Eventually... We go back to the Nice-Large-Waiting-Area until about 15 Minutes before We have to Return to Small-Waiting-Room.
• "THEY" are NOW running a Half Hour LATE! -- Should have stayed in the Other Area longer.
• FINALLY, "PART 2" is underway. I have the next 40 Minutes to get back to My Yarn!
• Once DONE, FATHER couldn't get OUT fast enough! We were HOME by 2:00!

THEN, it was MY Turn for some ME-Time! I had a new TOILET SEAT that was in need of Purchasing... Not to mention, Losing Lottery Tickets... Some Junk Food... A chance to WALK around at *My* SPEED.

And NOW, The DAY is catching up to Me... Sleeping IN, Tomorrow! Perhaps get around to Flipping through Today's new MAG-in-the-MAIL...?!

********************************************************

"MAY the 4TH Be With You!"

YES.. It's TRUE -- I AM a STAR WARS "Fan"...

Granted, I was never One of Those "Dress-Up" DIEHARDS with UNLIMITED Theatre Passes, Who would go EVERY DAY to SEE that First "1977" Version! ..I think I went about a Dozen Times, perhaps..? -- However, *OVER* the DECADES, I have "made up" for it!

LET'S SEE... Besides the Obligatory "Collection" of YARD SALE FINDS of Action Figures and Ship Models that are scattered and "buried" about the House, there are a Few CHOICE "ITEMS"! Mostly obtained by way of Charity Auctions - PRE-"EBAY"! There's an *Almost* Complete PRESS KIT for the 1977 Movie. TWO of Those LIMITED EDITION From-the-"Original"-Official-STAR-WARS-Fan-Club-*ONLY*
"REVENGE of the JEDI" POSTERS! Still Rolled-up, BTW.

And then, there's the Assortment of AUTOGRAPHS from Several of the ACTORS that I've had the enjoyable opportunity to MEET at various SCI-FI CONVENTIONS over the Years... Alas, that was all "..a Long Time Ago, in a..."

Anyhoo... in the Meantime, how about Celebrating The DAY with a CAST of CUPCAKES!?

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/08/amazing_star_wars_cupcakes.html

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Temporal *Origami*!

"WHEN AM I..?"

Was what I was asking Myself, after spending an Hour or more of Experiencing the [cough!] JOYS of "SCHEDULING"!! -- Nothing says "PLANNING" like getting 46 Hours NOTICE on Something that You know was Coming for Weeks, but in REALITY, *could* still have done with a tad more
Lead-Time toward the Final DATE..!?

And then, there's the Part where OTHER Previous "Plans" have to be RE-scheduled... Thankfully, some Commitments are FLEXIBLE, however, some NOT so much. MeanWHILE, toss in a few Scenes from the Daily-Episodic "REALITY SHOW"... -- OH! And, let's *NOT* FORGET about The WEATHER!!

BTW, all of THIS is for just MAY!

Gonna have to MESH in My BUDGETARY "Itinerary" in there, too... UGH!

...My Calendar hurts... I *feel* a Definite NEED for ICE CREAM right NOW! ...Yeah.. That Bucket of CHOCOLATE-FUDGE-BROWNIE is *just* Screaming My Name!!

Can Ya HEAR IT?!? -- [..over the Mind-numbing cacophony of DRIPPING RAIN!?!]

**************************************************************

Does IT Get *ANY* "Better"..?

**NOT**!!

Just so You ALL *KNOW*... It's *not* a "GOOD" Day!

FIRST off - *ENOUGH* with the &$^&^&*$@# RAIN!!! AARRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!

Secondly... I finally Figured out *what* is BROKEN with The TOILET. Looks like the "Flush-Flap" [?] has broken off from the Part-that-Lifts-IT... At least, I THINK that's the ONLY Thing WRONG! Afterall, the damn Contraption IS 40-plus Years Old!!

Okay, I'm going to go *PLAY* with IT - Now...

You know, even The ROMANS had
"sort of" Flush Toilets. *How* HARD could THIS be?

I'll be back LATER.


Meanwhile, You can WAIT with My Niece - Who was recently promoted
to - "CPL" TAT-BABE's New Puppy.

Who is *currently* residing with SISTER - *IN* New Brunswick!

Several HUNDRED Miles *AWAY*!!






Right... I'm BACK. Miss Me?

So. My Lower Back is really KILLING Me!! -- This is what *happens* when TRYING to Crash-Course-TOILET-REPAIR-101 in a Cramp-Under-the-Stairs "Water-Closet".

Anyway, I spent a good Hour or more, "observing"! Watching to see WHERE Water was coming and going... And, waiting for The ELDERLY PARENTAL-UNITS to RETURN from Shopping. MOTHER was going to look for one of those FLUSH-FLAPS.

YAY! She got One! AND, for FREE!! -- The Store had screwed up Their "Pricing"..?

WHAT can I Say..? SHE has This *GIFT*...

However, BEFORE I could start on The GREAT REPAIR, I had to go VOTE! -- FEDERAL ELECTION DAY. The POLLING STATION is just Down the Street, only took about 10 Minutes.

Ah, MR.PAIN-in-the-A$$-TOILET... I pretty much Tortured Myself TRYING to GET AT the Broken Knobby End that the FLAP had come off of. There was *suppose* to BE "some" SCREW...? All that I'm *not* SEEING, is more like a Capped Bolt, loosely housed in a PLASTIC-Waiting-For-Me-To-Snap-CUFF. I'm having *tremendous* DIFFICULTY in gripping Parts with Plyers and Twisting Things WITHOUT *Breaking* Anything ELSE!!

Then, there's the almost-Futile EFFORT to NOT SLURP all over the Recently-Acquired-Little-FLASHLIGHT in My Mouth! -- I've mentioned the Chronic Lower Spinal Problems, yes?

...hang on...OH! PLEASE *TELL* Me that THAT Hinge Part comes OUT like the Toilet-Paper-Roll-Holder!?

THANK YOU, ELVIS!!

Alrighty! I've succeeded in REMOVING the "TILT-TUBE-VALVE" *Thingy*...!! Now, I can get a CLOSE look at The EVIL KNOBBY-BIT that's *rumoured* to have a SCREW. -- hmm.. There's a
LOT of grunge on This... HAH!

Amazing what a little bit of HOT Water can DO! The KNOB, it's LOOSE!! -- WooHoo! LOOK!!
A SCREW!!

So, from THAT Moment on, EVERYTHING POPPED into Place! The FLAP got Screwed ON. The TUBE-Thingy snapped back INTO the "Holder" Bracket. Adjusted The CHAIN. I still THINK that the
?FLUSH-VALVE? is a little Hinky, but IT's Working! -- NOT going to MESS with IT.

NOAH, We *have* "Handle" FLUSH!!

Perhaps *NOW*, I can get around to FLIPPING through that *new* MAG I received LAST FRIDAY!


Oh, BTW... On a FINAL Note to MARK The DAY -- GO, NAVY!!

******************************************************************

The DAY *AFTER*! ...Is it MAY, Yet?!

WELL... For "Starters"... My Shoulder is NOT in such great shape Today. The Result of all of those weighted-down Knapsack and Tote Bag Straps on the chronically BAD Joint and Back. -- Oh, and, it's Cloudy out AGAIN!

Hey! Look! Now My Toilet *isn't* FLUSHING! ...joy...

o-kay... At least I got My Load of Laundry out of the way. Whatever. Time to get going on THIS Entry. And, back to Yesterday's "Special" Moments...

But, FIRST... A *Mention* of a lovely Couple We chatted with Yesterday at the NATIONAL WOMEN'S SHOW.


Unfortunately, I didn't quite get His Name, but "SHE" was JACQUI UZA - of BOKO [Bead One Knit One].




She KNITS These absolutely Gorgeous Czech-Glass Beads into VINTAGE-Styled PURSES!!

I wish My Pics were better, as to SHOW off the Exquisite
"COUTURE-Level" Workmanship and Design Details put into EACH of These!

And, THEY *FEEL* really Cool, too!

The "LITTLE BLACK DRESS" PURSE

So, have at LOOK at Her "SHOP" --

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bokointernational


And, for the Moment, *IGNORE* the Pricing Stated THERE...

Apparently, They're still Setting the SITE up. -- At least, that's what They were saying at THE SHOW.

LATER on... We were in the TOURISM Section and happened onto the CARLETON PLACE Booth. Which is WEST of OTTAWA, and where My NIECE and The PRINCESSES live. The *new* TOWN MAYOR - WENDY LeBLANC - was "manning" the Booth!

We had a pleasant Chat...



NOW, to get on with PART 2 of Our DAY...

Bearing much BAGGAGE, We departed The OTTAWA CONVENTION CENTRE to grab a Return BUS to THE BIG MALL, where The CAR was Parked. -- We had a rather *Entertaining* DRIVER!

Once We arrived, I left MOTHER in One of Her favourite *haunts*, whilst I, headed to The CAR to DEPOSIT Our FREE-gotten Gains! -- I think I may have bounced UP an Inch... Anyhoo, I got back to Her in short order - We still had Other Things to DO, ELSEwhere!

Dropped Her off at the POST OFFICE. I headed up to the FOOD COURT to grab a "SUB" for Dinner...

A "Funny" Thing happened as I waited IN LINE to Pay for My Food.... As I just chanced to look off toward the Seating Area and Other Vendors, there's this *open* space that leads off toward the Restrooms. Right smack in the Middle of it - about 15 or so Feet away from Me, I *noticed* what appeared to be a Folded Piece of PAPER...

...That had, what seemed like, a bit of Colour to IT...? -- hmm...

I observed MANY People walking past IT, over IT, never really looking AT IT... I began to wonder IF IT really was, WHAT I "thought" IT *WAS*...

FINALLY, I was able to Pay for My Stuff and leave to Check IT Out! -- Nonchalantly, I glide over to IT, as I *casually* begin to place My Food into My TOTE, and bring IT's "Identity" into focus...

***YES***!!

HAPPY DANCE!! -- A $10. Bill!!

Feigning - for the benefit of any Other Observers - "fiddling" with My lowered Bag, I snatched IT UP in Rescue from being Toe-Troddened, and into the Security of My most appreciative Protection!
-- Well, that certainly covers the Cost of My Meal and most of the BUS FARE.

Now, to just make it Down The STAIRS safely - The ESCALATOR was OUT of ORDER! - and retrieve MOTHER.

From THE BIG MALL, We snuck in a Trip to the Nearby Grocery Store. -- There's an Ambulance out Front... *That* can't be Good! Whatever, We never did find out *what* that was about...

At any rate, We didn't stay long. And, had intents on heading STRAIGHT HOME, when MOTHER suddenly *Remembered*, that She had a Prescription to pick up over at THE MALL... Switched Lanes... Left Her IN The CAR. Ran IN to pick up Her Meds.

Ah, HOME - finally! ...But, wait... Mr.SMOKES&Drinks-TOO-Much-Neighbour from across the Street is coming over - He rarely ever does! - as I'm about to put The CAR in. And, He also speaks French, I don't. MOTHER does [because She IS], but, is already in the House.

Anyway, LONG STORY SHORT... It would appear - UNnoticed by Us - that during the "Not-so-Little" WIND STORM last Thursday, He *noticed* that Our Spruce Tree looked like it was going to BLOW OVER onto Our House! -- And here I was, hoping that EVIL-NEIGHBOUR'S-TREE would.

I took a better look at THE TREE... Yeah, there's a definite LEANING going on, and ROOTS are surfacing. Great. *Just* what We REALLY need right now! -- He suggested an Anchoring Cable..

However, on further contemplation, I'm wondering if perhaps, a couple of Metal Framing Beams braced out from the House to PUSH and KEEP THE TREE Upright might be better? As We really *don't* want to CUT IT Down or Halve IT.

IT's currently Our main barrier against the Prevailing Winds, especially since the Other Tree had to be removed Last Year. And then, there are ALL of these *new* CITY Ordinates on Trees... yeah... I'm going to have to DESIGN *Something*!

MEANWHILE... I've GOT a TOILET to *FIX*!! -- crap...

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