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BAZINGA!
A%ril 7ool""" &ou ;N'W this $ouldn't !e the LAST issue" Why would I 9uit now: The Art Show IS going to ha%%en and 2anette and I A<' going to New &ork in Se%tem!er. In the meantime I $ouldn't resist" I )ust *A- to get another tattoo"""
=n$e again BAZINGA!!! This is S= N=T my !ody and I will N'>'< look like this"" Anyone who thinks I CAN is 7?6;IN4 N?TS so don't even think a!out offering me ins%irational motivational advi$e or I'll )ust sla% you with a T<=?T""" I've !een there often enough to know that my weight is a lost $ause unless I suddenly stum!le a$ross some great mira$le no one else has even heard of !efore""" ,esides, even if I -I- look like this I dou!t that I'd get a tattoo T*'<'" I am WAAAAA& T== TI6;LIS*"""" It's !ad enough when a dan$e %artner has to try to %ut his hand on my waist"""
*ere are various assorted %i$tures of me with various assorted ;ISS lookalikes"" &es, I am the one in the $olourful )a$ket and the em!roidered ;ISS )eans and I still have !oth. The )eans are still somewhere in my $loset. Sadly they haven't fit me in years and as long as I have to !e on my meds %ro!a!ly never will again. The $oat I still wear although it's $onsidera!ly faded and $overed with %at$hes"" The one in the lower left where I am wearing my !lue lum!er )a$ket was taken the first night when we were near the St. Lawren$e +arket area. There was the !ig s$ene in front of the $hur$h where the +AT+=; A+others Against the +usi$ of ;ISSB women were %rotesting. Paul Stanley's wife was a$tually among the %rotesters. ?nfortunately, most of the dialogue in that s$ene had !een edited out. Too !ad !e$ause she had some hilarious lines in$luding saying that Paul was 5flaunting his se#uality like some WANT=N *=T-=4 >'N-=<"""8 Now there's a mental image that will haunt my
mind forever" *a(ha(ha""" Perha%s the !est thing a!out this e#%erien$e is that we got to see ;ISS u% $lose for 7<'' at *amilton's 6o%%s 6oliseum where they filled the $on$ert footage at the end of the show. I got some %retty awesome %hotos"
And I got 4ene Simmons to autogra%h my ;ISS )eans"" It meant having to take them off though, so I $ould hand them on stage to him. No se#y lingerie for me, though. +y fellow ;ISS fans had to $ringe at the sight of me in my mutandi de nonna!!! A=ne of the few words of Italian I know"B Another highlight of !eing %art of this e#%erien$e was $at$hing an AalmostB em%ty 6oke $an that A$e 7rehley had a$tually drank from" There was even a tra$e of his !la$k li%sti$k on the straw !ut unfortunately it ru!!ed off when I took the last si% from that $an. To this day I still have that $an. It may look like an ordinary %o% $an, !ut to me it will always !e s%e$ial !e$ause I was there to $at$h it and saw it with my own eyes so I know for a fa$t that this is the $an that A$e 7rehley drank from"" I think some 5S%a$e A$e +agi$8 ru!!ed off on me in the %ro$ess !e$ause ever sin$e then, even though I'm usually 4ene, the times I've worn A$e 7rehley makeu% I've a$tually attra$ted some of the !est kisses"" ,ut that's a story for another time. +eanwhile, you $an see the rest of these %hotos hereC htt%sC11www.fa$e!ook.$om1media1set1: setDa.3E@.E03@F3EF.FF.0/E3E@0G@/.0////3GF300H30/Ity%eD0IlDef@dH$edH. And if you ever get a $han$e to see this movie you may a$tually get a $han$e to s%ot me in the $rowd wearing my $olourful $oat""" ,y the way, some of our $rowd s$enes were filmed at the 6N' 4randstand !efore it was demolished. &ou'd never know it from the film, !ut )ust off $amera they were %re%aring for the <oyal Winter 7air and there were stalls of $attle sitting there. They were very gentle and friendly and it was ni$e to kee% my hands warm stroking their soft, glossy $oats. They weren't afraid of my %ainted fa$e either. 7or all I know, with my !la$k(and(white markings, they %ro!a!ly thought I was )ust another *olstein in the *erd""" *a(ha(ha"""
a!out ./ minutes and that was it. We )ust got !a$k in the $ar to drive all the way !a$k again. I was so disa%%ointed that that was all we did that day" And to add insult to in)ury we )ust *A- to %ass a 6A<NI>AL with a ,I4 ,'A?TI7?L +'<<&(4=(<=?N-" And we did N=T get to sto% T*'<'""" ,ut on that glorious 2une day in 0FFK I let 2anette !e my 5offi$ial tour guide8 and I've !een !itten !y the Niagara ,ug ever sin$e. &ou see, she had !een there on many family tri%s where she'd gotten to stay for several days and see all kinds of attra$tions. So she knew her way around and W' got to do and see what W' wanted to do and see"" And we sure managed to $ram a lot of a$tivity into that one glorious day" It feels like another lifetime. What else did we do that day !esides go u% the Skylon and wat$h the I+AJ movie: Now I remem!er. We also went u% the S%iral Tower. The S%iral Tower was also the first thing -ave and I did during our honeymoon !ut it doesn't e#ist anymore. It was torn down, along with -a le Land, to make room in more re$ent years for the Sky Wheel. -a le Land had a %retty little $arousel !ut it was )ust for $hildren. At least the Skylon now had a ni$e little Italian fi!erglass one we $ould a$tually ride"
That first day tri% we took together was one of the ,'ST -A&S '>'< and the first of so many e#$ellent adventures we've had there sin$e then, in$luding, most re$ently, 2anette's K/th !irthday )ust a $ou%le months ago. So mu$h has ha%%ened over all those years"" And Niagara 7alls is always $hanging. There are always new attra$tions so in many ways it's never the same %la$e twi$e. &et there are still a lot of the same old attra$tions we like to revisit time and time again, su$h as the +aid of the +ist, =aks 4arden Theatre and the Skylon, and of $ourse, more re$ently the Sky Wheel. +ore of these %i$tures $an !e seen here on my 7a$e!ook a$$ountC htt%sC11www.fa$e!ook.$om1media1set1: setDa.3E@E.@0@H///HGH.0/E3E@0G@0.0////3GF300H30/Ity%eD0IlDdddE!F!H0!
=n$e u%on a time, may $enturies ago, a $hild was !orn in a village far away. *e was a!out as homely as a mud fen$e, with dra!, $olourless hair, a %ale, $halky $om%le#ion and eyes as %lain and dull as two rough %e!!les. *is mother $hristened him 5Ivon8 and %erformed the ritual herself !e$ause no one else wanted to !e !othered.
The kids in the neigh!ourhood would %oint at him and laugh. 5Ivon Tortik" Ivon Tortik"8 they would $hant, 5Tortik8 !eing an old Norse word for 5hun$h!a$k8. They didn't $are that he was an ama ing artist and there was nothing Ivon liked !etter than drawing on the walls with a sti$k of $har$oal.
When Ivon $ame of age, he thought he would seek a wife. And he found himself smitten with +arguerite, the daughter of the wealthy a%%le farmer, so he asked for her hand in matrimony.
&eah, right.8 she said, 5I'll marry you" When you are as handsome as the day is long and when your %o$kets are as full of gold as my father's trees are full of a%%les"8
6restfallen, Ivon left town to seek his fortune. It was late in the autumn and the nights were growing $older. As he walked along he met a wise farmer. 5*alloween is $oming soon.8 said the farmer. 5Wat$h out for the fairies"8 57airies:8 Ivon thought the farmer was strange. 5&es indeed,8 said the farmer. 5=n *alloween they get u% to all kinds of mis$hief, !ut if you $an tea$h them a lesson, they will ri$hly reward you.8
5I see.8 Ivon nodded, ske%ti$ally. 5Not only that, !ut if you kee% heading north you will $ome to a stone $ir$le. ,eneath one of these stones there is !uried treasure !eyond your wildest dreams. =n 6hristmas 've, the stones get u% and walk over to the river for a drink of water. &ou'll want to gra! as mu$h of it as you $an !efore they $ome !a$k and $rush you. Ivon thought the farmer was full of nonsense !ut he smiled and nodded %olitely and $ontinued along his way. Lo and !ehold, *alloween night $ame along. =!livious to the %assing of time, having totally forgotten what night it was, Ivan Tortik fell aslee% in the woods. *e was awakened !y singingC Monday Tuesday, Monday Tuesday,Monday Tuesday, Wednesday!
Sure enough, it was the fairies" Ivon Tortik $ould not !elieve his eyes and thought he was dreaming at first. 5It must have !een those wild mushrooms I ate for su%%er last night.8 he yawned and mum!led to himself and tried to go !a$k to slee%, !ut the singing $ontinued as the fairies, with skin like %ar$hment
and hair as !la$k as ink, fluttered their wings in his fa$e and flew around him in $ir$les. Monday Tuesday, Monday Tuesday,Monday Tuesday, Wednesday! they $ontinued to sing as he rose from the ground where he'd !een slee%ing and let them take him !y the hands.
After several more rounds of this Ivon interru%ted them. 5There are more words to this song"8 he said to them. Thursday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday! The fairies were thrilled" They $ontinued to dan$e and sing throughout the night with Ivon until he started to !e$ome very slee%y. 5We would like to reward you for tea$hing us this new verse.8 they said 5What would you like more than anything:8 Ivon knew that fairy gifts of silver and gold usually faded away so he said 52ust make me as handsome as the day is long. Soon Ivan drifted off into a %ea$eful slum!er and their magi$ worked its way as he sle%t.
When Ivon awoke he looked at his refle$tion in the river and $ould not !elieve his eyes" They were as !lue as sa%%hires, his hair as !la$k as the wings of a raven and his !a$k as tall and straight as a %ine tree" If only +arguerite $ould see him now"
,ut he still had one more matter to settle so he $ontinued his )ourney north to the 6ir$le of Stones. ,y then it was finally 6hristmas 've. Now that Ivon knew that the 7armer's words were true, he followed some strange instin$t that led him to draw a Nativity S$ene on one of these stones.
As it got darker out, the rest of the stones trundled off to the river. -a ed !y the light of the 6hristmas Star, the stone Ivan had drawn u%on to%%led over to reveal a magnifi$ent %ile of treasure. There was more gold and )ewels that Ivon had ever seen in his life" Now he $ould easily fill his %o$kets with even more gold than +arguerite's father had a%%les in his or$hard"
Ivon gra!!ed as mu$h treasure as he $ould $arry and hurried away !efore the stones $ould return to their rightful %ositions.
*owever, whether or not they a$tually did live ha%%ily ever after is hugely de!ata!le if you ask me"" LB
<ight ne#t door to the $arousel was another one of my favorite things..."" This aviary full of adora!le rain!ow lorikeets""" htt%C11www.youtu!e.$om1wat$h:vDg7=t%hh%0?' And while I was there I was looking at theseC htt%C11www.youtu!e.$om1wat$h:vDhaL/N<NFAGg While T*IS was %laying on my +P3 %layerC htt%C11www.youtu!e.$om1wat$h:vD<shfn.f)i@&
I ho%e that 6olin has a really wonderful day and wish him many wonderful times for the future"""
the way it was when our landlord dro%%ed that horrendous !om!shell. We do N=T want to get ki$ked out of here. At least we've had three months to straighten u% this %la$e. A month and a half down, another month and a half to go. I'm sure we'll have this %la$e shi%(sha%e well !efore the deadline at the rate we're going. When we first got started this %la$e looked like a lost $ause. We figured we were doomed. ,ut look what we've managed to a$$om%lish so far... htt%C11www.youtu!e.$om1wat$h:vDN.3&ka?/s.+IfeatureDyoutu.!e I figured showing my %la$e on video would hel% me motivate myself. I've already made even more im%rovements sin$e the $om%letion of this film so in another day or so I shall make yet another video !log entry when this %la$e is even +=<' organi ed. Sin$e the making of this film I've gotten rid of all the $ra% on that kit$hen $hair and the %ile on my ta!le in front of the $om%uter is gradually getting smaller. I'm not em!arrassed to have %eo%le over anymore. Not that I ever was in the first %la$e !ut there were $ertain %eo%le I was un$omforta!le having over !e$ause I know they'd )udge and le$ture. We $ouldn't have done it without 2an and 7ede's hel%. They !rought over a !un$h of !ook shelves last weekend. At first I was disa%%ointed !e$ause none of these shelves were as !ig as the one that had !een languishing in the hallway. That !ookshelf was literally falling a%art at the seams, tilting to one side at a %re$arious angle. If I hadn't !een so em!arrassed a!out the way this %la$e used to look I would have taken 5!efore8 and 5after8 %hotos. ,ut the !ook shelves 2an and 7ede !rought over $ame in useful after all. The two smaller ones are in my !edroom and the tall one is in the kit$hen. When we em%tied the !ig !ookshelf in the hall we found that it $ould a$tually !e fi#ed. 2an and 7ede 9ui$kly dashed out to 6anadian Tire for some tools and some metal L(sha%ed !ra$kets to reinfor$e the $orners of that !ig shelf and it's as 4==- AS N'W""" They even went !eyond the $all of duty and !rought me and -ave ;76 for su%%er" I am so thankful for the hel% they've !een too us. Amy has !een a great hel% too. A $ou%le weeks !efore that she and Tasha took me all over hell's half a$re in sear$h of that 7irst ,ook Shelf that I needed for the !edroom to take $are of all those annoying !ooks that were %iling u% ne#t to my !ed. I )ust needed a small shelf that $ould sit sideways ne#t to my filing $a!inets !y the window. We went to the Salvation Army and a num!er of different furniture stores. It is so hard to find small !ookshelves nowadays. 'veryone either owns !ig, im%ressive li!raries or totes all their reading material around on ;indles and other su$h devi$es. I $an't remem!er the name of the last store where we 7INALL& found that right !ook shelf !ut even after it was finished there STILL wasn't room for ALL my !ooks so I am really grateful that I have more shelves now. A %la$e for everything and everything in its %la$e" 4etting everything %la$ed u%on those shelves has !een a ma)or milestone. Another milestone was a $ou%le days ago when I was sim%ly a!le to %ut those two !ags full of fa!ri$ into the $loset. Prior to that it was another milestone to free u% one of those %lasti$ !ins in the $loset so I $ould %ut the full one inside the em%ty one and have even more s%a$e. +y art su%%lies are now on my shelf where I $an see them and ho%efully use them soon. I so !adly want to %aint that horse I !ought in ;ansas. There are S= +AN& things I want to do !ut I'm afraid of messing the %la$e u% again. I've 4=T to get in the ha!it of %utting things !a$k as soon as I'm done with them. At least now I am in the ha!it of va$uuming every day and I've gotten !a$k into the ha!it of making my !ed every morning. +y video e#%lains a little tri$k I taught myself for dealing with all my %illows and stuffed animals. It 7''LS ni$er getting into a !ed that's !een made. It's one of those things I've always en)oyed a!out staying at a hotel. Now I $an feel like I have that hotel e#%erien$e at home" I am S= loving all this e#tra s%a$e that I didn't have !efore. =ne of the first ma)or milestones was getting all those !ins sta$ked and u% off the floor. ,efore I was a!le to move them there was hardly any room to move around in my room.
=ne thing I love a!out all this new s%a$e is now I a$tually have room to set u% the $ard ta!le inside my !edroom instead of out in the hall so it's not in any!ody's way if I want to work on my $raft %ro)e$ts at the ta!le. ,esides !eing in every!ody's way, when the $ard ta!le was out in the hall it had the tenden$y to !e the *=TT'ST %art of the house" And I have 7INALL& su$$eeded in getting ALL the $ra% $leaned out from under the kit$hen ta!le. A %lasti$ sher!et $ontainer really %ut u% a fight though. It was so determined not to leave that it a$tually ,<=;' in the %ro$ess. There I was using the handle of the !room to nudge those %ie$es of %lasti$ out from under the ta!le. It's not easy when I have my s$anner on a smaller ta!le under the ta!le and my modem under the ta!le too on a small %lasti$ kids' $hair and there are wires hanging everywhere. &ou wouldn't !elieve the amount of $ords and $a!les I've found that aren't !eing used for anything and I have no idea what they're for or where they $ame from" &ou wouldn't !elieve all the T'L'P*=N' e#tension $ords we have" And I've managed to get some of my homework done. S$hool has !een 7AS6INATIN4" I am taking a $lass in World <eligions and I've $hosen to do my summative %ro)e$t on Noroastrianism. ?% until I took this $ourse the only thing I knew a!out Noroastrianism was that it was 7reddie +er$ury's religion. I also had this 5Wi ard of = 8 story!ook I'd !ought in ;ansas that said that the Wi ard's full name was =s$ar Noroaster -iggs. Then when we were learning a!out 5$reation8 stories, we studied 6hristianity AAdam and 've, of $ourseB, an$ient 4ree$e APandora's ,o#B and Noroastrianism. The Noroastrian $reation tale is a very long and $onvoluted story that says their first human !eing was a $hara$ter named 4ayomart who was !oth male AN- female and neither moved nor s%oke for three thousand years. I remem!er the details of 7reddie +er$ury's funeral when they said it was a Noroastrian funeral and his $offin was dra%ed with white satin and a single red rose. ;nowing that 7reddie +er$ury was o%enly gay, I $ouldn't hel% !ut !e $urious to find out what the Noroastrian o%inion is a!out homose#uality. So far I haven't found one. What I do know, however, is that he was raised in the Noroastrian faith, as is everyone else of this religion. There are no 5$onversions8. As for his funeral, he was $remated and his ashes are in an undis$losed lo$ation, even though there is a memorial %la9ue with his real name, 57arou9ue ,ulsara8, in a West London $emetery. +ore Noroastrians are !eing $remated now !e$ause their usual method of dis%osing of dead !odies is !e$oming less %ra$ti$al. They !elieve in the 5e#%osure8 method, where a !ody is left at the to% of the 5Tower of Silen$e8 where it is allowed to !e $onsumed !y the elements and flesh(eating !irds su$h as vultures. *owever, now that vultures are !e$oming endangered, $remation is !e$oming more widely a$$e%ted. They do not a%%rove of !urial !e$ause they !elieve that a de$om%osing !ody %ollutes the soil. =ne we!site I looked at says that 7reddie +er$ury is !urning in hell not for !eing homose#ual !ut for not knowing 2esus as his saviour. I know it's hard not to think a!out death and dying this time of year !e$ause of a $ertain anniversary that's $oming u%. 7riday is that day... +eanwhile I $ame a$ross something that will %ro!a!ly give you a !it of a $hu$kle. This %i$ture of me was %ro!a!ly taken at least four or five years ago, and this one of him is distur!ingly similarC Talk a!out an amusing $oin$iden$e. =kay, so he's got more !ananas than me, !ut we !oth have rather similar goofy e#%ressions" To think he's !een gone for more than ./ years"
,y the way did I tell you the e#$iting news last month: I've )ust finished W<ITIN4 A ,==;""" &''''( *AWWW""" It is $alled 5+agi$al 2ourneysC The Ama ing Ouilts, 6reations and Adventures of +argaret 7ranklin8 and I am ho%ing that the finished $o%ies will !e ready !y the end of A%ril when my art show !egins. It's %retty $ool the way it all !egan" A!out a week after our landlord dro%%ed the ,om!shell, 2an and 7ede dro%%ed !y to visit and I was showing them some of my 9uilts as well as the !inder that $ontains my %ortfolio and 7ede was really im%ressed" And he )ust ha%%ens to work in his own small %u!lishing !usiness" It only took me two or three weeks to write my !ook, as it was mostly %i$tures and I'd already had %revious e#%erien$e with my %resentations and stuff. I was S= in my element""" 7ede set u% the %age format for me and I !asi$ally went to town on the whole thing" The hard %art, however, was getting the manus$ri%t to load onto a flash drive. I had Walter try to hel% me with that and he su$$eeded eventually although for awhile it looked like he wasn't having any su$$ess either and I had an em!arrassing meltdown in front of him. *e said something that really kind of u%set me and makes me feel kind of hesitant to ask him for any more hel%..I'm 5s%iritually low8. *okay...WT7 is that su%%osed to mean. =kay, I know I haven't !een to $hur$h in years, I tend to use the 7(!om! more than I should and I don't want to have kids. In fa$t I'm not sur%rised some %eo%le think I'm an evil %erson !e$ause I'm not overly fond of !a!ies. I know I'm a $ra%%y 6hristian !ut I haven't $om%letely renoun$ed my faith..yet..and I don't %lan on doing so even though sometimes I feel like the only thing I'm good at is !eing a !ad e#am%le. I admit I got a little %i$kled at +el's %arty a $ou%le weeks ago. I even had a !eer on Tuesday night after -ave and I got our in$ome ta#es done. And that's another e#am%le of Autisti$ *ell Night. I guess it was a !lessing in disguise that 6heryl $ouldn't do our ta#es this year after all. At first I admit I kind of felt resentful a!out the idea, es%e$ially knowing that they were going to *AWAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII""" &ou know how *awaii has !een sort of an o!session of mine lately. At least now that the weather is getting a !it warmer and I've !een so engrossed in this $leanu% that I am a$tually en)oying the way our home is starting to look the *awaii !ug isn't !iting me as hard as it used to. 'nvy is S= N=T a good thing"" ,ut if 6heryl *A- done our ta#es we'd STILL !e waiting for them. At least going to *I< ,lo$k meant getting our $ash right then and there. -ave's $ash anyway. *e raked in )ust over Q3///. I made NIL6* as usual. ,ut it's money we needed N=W. There were fees and dedu$tions so there wasn't as mu$h as we would have gotten !a$k if 6heryl had done it !ut we'd rather have a little less money immediately than !e !roke for
another month or two. The only !ad thing a!out the e#%erien$e though was that the re$e%tionist who wel$omed us went home at the end of the day and forgot to tell the new re$e%tionist we were there so no!ody $ame to get us when it was our turn and we waited for over half an hour. <ight in front of =ld Navy and The 4a%. And the musi$ from one or !oth of these stores was so loud that it was making the !en$hes we were sitting in >I,<AT'" If it's that !ad out in front of the store, imagine what it must !e like for the %oor %eo%le who have to W=<; in these %la$es" I wouldn't last 7I7T''N +IN?T'S" The %ounding was driving me $ra y. When it finally was our turn all the noise in the mall felt like it was %ressing down on me. I had a %ounding heada$he and I was on the verge of tears due to sensory overload" And at least I got to mention that when I filled out the survey that was emailed to me, whi$h they %honed a!out the ne#t day a%ologi ing for what ha%%ened. I ho%e that doesn't ha%%en again ne#t year. At least listening to some musi$ hel%ed a !it and !y the time we were finally finished I was feeling okay enough that we $ould en)oy a ni$e meal out at 6asey's. I'd had a $raving for honey(garli$ $hi$ken wings and I thoroughly en)oyed my ,''<""" 'ven though I don't have s$hool tomorrow I should have !een in !ed ages ago. Tomorrow I'm su%%osed to $lean the !athroom and I have a dentist a%%ointment in the afternoon" =h, )oy, oh !liss, doesn't that sound like more fun than a !arrel of monkeys" Love, +argaret
Today is the third anniversary of her death" AI-S %atients suffer from thrush mouth too, I wonder if 7reddie +er$ury had it !efore he died. ,ut Thrush +outh is another one of those %ain(in(the(ass things like ,artholin $ysts Ain this $ase literally""B and alo%e$ia, not to mention autism in the regard that is there anything that -='SN'T $ause itC meno%ause, ST<'SS Aand I've had %lenty of T*AT these days thanks to this evi$tion ultimatum and -ave's latest !out of $ellulitis"B, vitamin defi$ien$y Aes%e$ially iron and ,0. whi$h I $ould understand the iron defi$ien$y if this ha%%ened 3 to K years ago with all my %eriod %ro!lems"B or it $ould !e 9uite sim%ly yet another side(effe$t from my !i%olar meds, whi$h is why I have to go to the dentist more often than anyone else to !egin with. +y !i%olar meds $ause dry mouth and e#$essive !uildu% of %la9ue, re9uiring me to have to see the dentist for $leaning every 3 or @ months instead of every si#. Last time I was there was %ro!a!ly Novem!er or -e$em!er and everything was %erfe$tly fine. So I made an a%%ointment with my do$tor for yesterday. +eanwhile I read everything I $ould on the Internet a!out thrush mouth and of $ourse they show you the worst $ase s$enarios" They also suggest %lain yogurt as a home remedy in the meantime. It must have a$tive %ro(!ioti$ $ultures to fight the mayhem going on in my mouth. Tuesday the weather was !eautiful, !ut on Wednesday it was !li arding like hell" I !raved the !us ride downtown and went to the !ank as I had errands to doL %ay Q0K/ off on my >isa $ard for the time !eing and take out some money for train fare to Toronto, et$. for my do$tor's a%%ointment. I talk a!out it in my latest video !log entry... htt%C11www.youtu!e.$om1wat$h:vD+tJt!n4vG>s So I get to the gro$ery store and all I see is one $arton of vanilla Iogo on the shelf. The de%artment where the yogurt is usually availa!le is !lo$ked off and 6L=S'- 7=< 6=NST<?6TI=N"" Story of my life" 4<<<<<" I had to get the $ashier to go to the sto$k room for me. She returned with two $artons. =ne was %lain and one was vanilla. I ke%t the %lain and asked for another %lain one even though she ke%t talking a!out vanilla. I -=N'T WANT >ANILLA" It *AS to !e PLAIN" N= S?4A<"" And it +?ST have A6TI>' P<=(,I=TI6 6?LT?<'S" 4''N"" Why does '>'<&T*IN4 I need always have to !e su$h a damned $onvoluted O?'ST""" Anyway I did N=T fan$y the idea of navigating my way a$ross the +idtown +all %arking lot in the midst of that snow storm. It was $oming down so hard I e#%e$ted to !e u% to my knees in a matter of minutes. So I $alled a $a!. I knew it would take long" '>'<&=N' wants a $a! on a day like this" I must have waited at least 0K or ./ minutes. And while I was waiting Oueen's 5,ohemian <ha%sody8 $ame along. I don't $are if I looked silly, I )ust sang right along. 2ust as the song was ending the $a! $ame. When I $ame home I filmed my latest video !log entry. +y a%%ointment was at .C// on Thursday. The anniversary of the last time I saw my mom. I arrived at 7in$h station early enough that I had time to WAL; the rest of the way there. It was a !eautiful, sunny day and I en)oyed my walk. When I got there, they figured while I was there they might as well give me my %hysi$al right then and there as it had !een a long time sin$e they've seen me and they might as well save me the tri%. +y do$tor took a swa! and sent me to the la! for !lood work as well as a urine sam%le. I never felt S= N=T like I had to go in my life !ut managed to s9uee e out a few dro%s after all. ,ut they had a hell of a time trying to find a vein. I ho%e I do N=T have dia!etes. I do, however, have high !lood %ressure so my do$tor gave me some sam%les and I have to return ne#t month.
She also wrote me out a %res$ri%tion for the %ills to take for my thrush mouth. The %ro!lem is, tonight when -ave and I went to the drug store to fill my %res$ri%tion, the %harma$ist $ouldn't do so without $onta$ting my do$tor first. +y do$tor ;N=WS I'm on S'<=O?'L1O?'TIAPIN'" Why did she %res$ri!e something that $ould ;ILL me when 6=+,IN'with my !i%olar meds": 'ven if I only have to !e on these %ills for T*<'' days, they're N=T taking any $han$es""" I know it would !e ni$e to see my mom and dad again, !ut N=T &'T" I'm N=T <'A-& to die" I have too many unfinished $raft %ro)e$ts to $om%lete. It's !ad enough that this u%heaval has made it im%ossi!le to finish anything over the +ar$h !reak !ut this would have meant I wouldn't get my master%ie$es $om%leted '>'<""" That and all the ama ing %la$es 2anette and I want to visit together"" We haven't !een to WIS6=SIN yet" =r LAS >'4AS" =r +&<TL' ,'A6*""" In fa$t we've already made most of our %lans to go to N'W &=<; in Se%tem!er"""" And we're talking a!out going to 4?'LP* for my !irthday" And of $ourse I have my !ig art show $oming u% in ,o!$aygeon for +ay and 2une"" 7olks, you +?ST $ome and visit" It's definitely worth seeing. At least we've gotten over the hurdle of -ave's illness and he's !a$k at work and doing okay. I *=P' our a%artment %asses ins%e$tion so we -=N'T get evi$ted, and I $ertainly don't need this thrush mouth1dia!etes nonsense in my life"" If anything I WANT T= 6AN6'L +& S?,S6<IPTI=N to the 6<ISIS =7 T*' +=NT* 6L?,"" I did N=T ask for this"" +ay!e I'm !eing %unished for swearing too mu$h"" 4o figure, there had to !e an 7(!om! in this newsletter somewhere"" It's the %erfe$t !it of $autionary mum!o()um!o for %aranoid %arents to s$are their kids with, right u% there with 5-on't make that fa$e, it'll 7<''N' that way"8 and 5-on't go swimming until an *=?< after you've eaten or you'll get 6<A+PS"8 A$tually I have found a kernel of truth to the latter statement. The last $ou%le of times I've gone swimming I did N=T wait an hour after eating and found out 9uite effi$iently that I $ouldn't en)oy my swim and had to get out of the water 9ui$kly !e$ause 5$ram%s8 is 9uite the deli$ate and dis$reet little eu%hemism for I G TTA G TA!" A #HIT!!!!!$ =kay, so I'm living %roof that swearing $auses thrush mouth. +y former landlady is living %roof that G ##I% CA&#"# G IT"R!!!"
"aro'sel of Friendship
The 'ild A(out )un*le Cat+$ ,uilt
The 5Wild A!out 2ungle 6ats8 9uilt is AL+=ST finished"" I am down to the LAST row" I was a$tually ho%ing it would !e finished !y the time this issue is %u!lished !ut I dou!t that will ha%%en on time. In fa$t I've !een feeling kind of disa%%ointed and frustrated !e$ause with all the u%heaval that took %la$e over the +ar$h !reak I didn't have time to get AN& of my $raft %ro)e$ts finished" ?nfinished $arousel horses still hang from the living(room lam%. At least they've all got their ears. I had so many !ig %lans for the holidays and now I $an't hel% feeling ri%%ed off !e$ause I never had the $han$e to finish anything. At least the to% row is $om%leted at last, es%e$ially the s$ene in the middle of the $arousel museum at
Sorry it's a little $rooked on the s$anner. &ou may re$all I showed s$enes of it in %rogress last month. I am down to the last row nowC
*ere we have the lion fa$e that a%%ears on the !a$k of the $hariot at the 7ort 'dmonton $arousel, a tiger from my !eloved PT6 S0. at 6rystal ,ea$h whi$h a%%eared on the $over of one of my old Carou+el Ne-+ . Trader$ maga ines and the early -ent el lion I am working on now. Sin$e this %i$ture was taken I am almost finished that lion and I must $onfess, it is one of the most ,=<IN4 $arousel animals I have ever worked on""" Not only that !ut there were some annoying little orange stains near the edge of the fa!ri$ that would N=T $ome out with hel% from the Tide sti$k so I disguised them with some $lever little nauti$al stars"" Two more tigers and I'm finished, not to mention the ordeal of having to sandwi$h the !atting !etween the to% of the 9uilt and its !a$king and do all that hand(stit$hing to 9uilt and hem this son(of(a(gun"" And then I a$tually may have a $ustomer who is really interested in !uying this %arti$ular 9uilt" This is
e#$ellent news from a finan$ial %oint of view !ut it may mean the %u!li$ won't get to see it in my ,ig ,o!$aygeon Show"" +y e#hi!it runs for the entire months of +ay and 2une at the ,oyd *eritage +useum 4allery at .0 6anal Street in ,o!$aygeon and on Saturday, +ay 0Eth. I find it odd that +ay 0Fth is >i$toria -ay this year even though the .@th is on a Saturday" In the meantime, during my $leanu% I $ame a$ross some more $arousel artwork that I didn't even ;N=W I had"""" I have no idea where these $ame from !ut they're going on the N'JT 9uilt...
The s$anner does little )usti$e to the original $olours of these %i$tures, and the last two are %ossi!ly unfinished !ut it's hard to tell. The last one looks like the artist might have !een ha%%y )ust to $olour the mane and tail and leave the rest of the !ody white. The $olours of the tail remind me of a waterfall. In the meantime, as soon as I finish the two 9uilts I am working on I +?ST knu$kle down and get as mu$h work done as %ossi!le on 2oey's %ro)e$t. I had a kind of an em!arrassing e#%erien$e going through my email yesterday when I $ame a$ross a message from her asking if I was almost finished yet and I re%lied to it and after I sent it I reali ed she'd sent it LAST &'A<"" I didn't want to go into too mu$h detail a!out everything that's !een going on in my life lately !e$ause I don't want 2ean finding out. If she knew a!out this a%artment and my thrush mouth I'd never hear the end of it, so I'm !asi$ally kee%ing a low %rofile. So how $an I kee% a low(%rofile if I'm always on line: It de%ends on who's reading it. So far Planet Nilknarf has !een a relatively safe little !u!!le. I have a grou% of faithful followers !ut I am not viral. +ay!e it's a good thing I'm not. Life is !usy and $om%li$ated enough the way it is. +eanwhile, en)oy this list of EE A+ANIN4 7A6TS" htt%C11www.!u feed.$om1daves@1EE(fa$ts(that(sound(like(huge(lies(!ut(are($om%letely(true
The Creativity Cure !y 6arrie ,arron, +- and Alton ,arron, +- and God is Not Mad at You !y 2oy$e +eyer
The Creativity Cure is an e#$ellent !ook for en$ouragement. I dis$overed it at the li!rary at the start of +ar$h !reak when I was gathering resear$h for my summative %ro)e$t. It tells of the im%ortan$e of working with your hands. Whether it's $ooking, $rafts, knitting or writing, taking the time to do something $reative will hel% you feel !etter whatever ails you. +y $reative %ro)e$ts are what's ke%t me sane all these years Aalthough some would think that's %ro!a!ly de!ata!le, tee(heeB. Working on a $reative %ro)e$t gives you a feeling of satisfa$tion that nothing else $an and it is good for your !rain. Not only that !ut so is time to )ust allow yourself 9uiet time to )ust sit and do nothing. This !ook $an e#%lain it all mu$h !etter than I $an. I dee%ly re$ommend it. God is Not Mad at You $ouldn't have $ome at a !etter time" The world needs more !ooks like this !e$ause we need to know more a!out 4od's un$onditional love. +any of us have a hard time a$$e%ting it !e$ause our relationshi% with our heavenly father tends to !e !ased on how we e#%erien$e our relationshi%s with our earthly fathers. I had a good relationshi% with mine, however $ertain figures of authority su$h as !osses and tea$hers Aes%e$ially kindergarten and the first few years of elementary s$hoolB have !een diffi$ult and tur!ulent. The good news is 4od loves you no matter what and the gift of his healing and un$onditional love are yours for the taking. I know there is a lot a!out relationshi%s, !ut for me sometimes I've felt like 4od was mad at me !e$ause of some of the things he's allowed me to go through. I still hunger for an e#%lanation as to why 4od allows !ad things to ha%%en to good %eo%le and then worry that I'm not good enough, !ut 4od is good and his mer$ies are new every morning. *is love and forgiveness are things we often need to !e reminded a!out again and again and this !ook tells it like it is.
2,etopia