Updated finally!

It's certainly been awhile. Blogging is very new to me and it isn't that I don't have anything to say, or that events don't happen...maybe I'm just lazy, don't quite know why I can't seem to take to blogging and if not write every day, I should at least make the effort to update a couple times a week.

Well I'll try to update since then in random bits.

February was mostly a write off, just trying to get through what feels like the longest month of the winter even though its the shortest month of the year. We had a very cold winter. I hope we're past the worst of it. Family day, created last year to give those of us in Ontario a mid winter long weekend, was a wash out compared to last year. Last year the whole family went sledding and had a huge lasagna dinner. This year half the family was sick , the temps had risen melting the snow so the girls and I took my grandson swimming instead. Everyone had the same idea cos it was packed! Came back and barbq'd burgers for dinner.

March first I saw something odd. I was coming back from the store, and I saw, sitting on the fence outside the condo, 3!! robins!!
I have never seen robins that early, so I came upstairs and googled to find out if they migrate and sure enough, they do. So what were they doing back so early? I've yet to see or HEAR any blue jays and they usually appear around the same time as the robins. Then on Friday, I saw a whole flock of robins. They must know something we don't. The weather has been milder with a few days that were bone chilling, but we're on the downside of winter now, thank god!

The recession is finally making itself felt here in Canada. My company is having to go to 4 days a week by the end of this month cos the work has just dried up overnight it seems. It manufactures aluminum and copper electrical connectors and with no housing starts in the states and the economy in the state it is, all of a sudden everyone is scared. We were all made to take any remaining vacation time before the end of the month.
They have applied to Employment Insurance for the work share program. We will work 32 hours a week and E.I. will pay 55 % of the remaining 8 hours. Which isn't great but I should just shut up and be glad it's in place but it still means I will lose close to $280 a month. Again, though, I know there are people way worse off and I should be grateful I even have a job but it still sucks.

The strip mall on the corner of the street I live on had a fire on
Tuesday, the restaurant had some kind of explosion happen in the wee hours. I didn't hear anything but when I looked out, it was still dark and they had the whole road closed off and 10 firetrucks and all kinds of cops and ambulances. The mall is still closed and will be for a while. J and I walked past there yesterday and I had a look in the surrounding stores and there's a lot of smoke and water damage and even the store at the opposite end of the mall still reeked even with front and back doors open. What a huge hassle to have to get rid of all your stock and have to order new..an insurance nightmare I'm sure.

Friday, I had my last vacation day and so picked up my grandson from the daycare early and we went to the park. It was a gorgeous early spring day, still cool but blazing sunshine and no clouds. The dog got ahold of some kids ball and just went nuts rolling it and chasing it and barking at it. She ran through the grass, which was literally covered in goose shit, then through the sand. She's a shitzu, with longish hair and she was covered in sand, dirt and shit. Hubby picked us up from the park and I was grateful cos after all that running she wouldn't have wanted to walk home and there was no way in hell I was gonna carry a shit covered dog lol As soon as I put her in the bath, the water turned a lovely brackish green colour. I ended up using J's shampoo and conditioner on her and wow did she ever come clean and when they were here yesterday, she still smelled nice. I really don't like the way dogs smell and it's why I don't have one but if ya use people shampoo, it keeps the doggy "aroma" away longer!

Sunday, I was out on the balcony trying to figure out how all the excess cement is gonna come off the railings from when the brick Restoration guys were here last year, looks like it will end up bringing up the paint when its removed. Anyway I looked down and there across the road from me was some young black guy, 3 cop cars and the cops were searching the kid, emptying all his pockets and then put him in the back of the cruiser. I had 2 thoughts about that. One is this, the kid wasn' t resisting arrest, so was it overkill to have 3 cop cars there and were there 3 cos he was black? or was it a case of erring on the side of caution cos had he been armed and resisting 3 wouldn't have been enuff? Did they run his name and then request back up? Just wondering, but will never know for sure.

This is for the most part a pretty quiet residential area but bad things happen everywhere, I suppose that nowhere is ever really safe.

Last week of afternoons and possibly the last week of 5 days for awhile. I hope it picks up, I hope things turn around soon. It's spring and a time for new beginnings, its easy to have hope in your heart when the weather is mild and the sun is bright!

Cathy