4th Rung on the Ladder

It is spring and home-improvement time right? Last year I purchased a rain barrel with the hope of catching some of that wonderful soft water that always drowned the planter containing my special begonias whenever it rained. Did not do much with than rain barrel last year - ha - need an eaves trough and downspout to capture that soft water! Well - rain in the forecast for this coming week, so this weekend I decided to put up an eaves trough and downspout. How hard can that be? First I need materials, so must make measurements. Took my tape measure out to make those measurements. Was having a little difficulty keeping the end of the measuring tape attached to point "A" so that I could stretch it to point "b" when the neighbor came out to offer his assistance. Jokingly he said "women are so helpless....". Well..............determination took root! I got the measurements that I needed, and with a little direction from cousin Bob, I headed off to Home Depot, confident that I would find a helpful sales person who could direct me further. Home Depot has always been a little intimidating to me. In my mind, one should have a little wisdom about what they are trying to purchase...... After a little searching, I found the isle that I needed to be in, and after even more searching, I found an 'associate' who could perhaps help me. Choices - Metal or Vinyl? Well Vinyl of course!!! It will be easier to cut than metal - and no sharp edges to cut yourself on! Vinyl it is - comes in 10 ft lengths - no they will not cut it for you. No problem I have a saw at home. Gotta get clips, ends for the trough, the down pipe (also in 10 ft length) and ELBOWS and of course some screws. Much deliberation, (not much help from the 12 year old sales 'associate' with the runny nose) I am now ready to make my purchase with the promise of help out to the car. FINALLY got those 10 ft lengths of vinyl into the car - little help from the 12-year old with the runny nose! I am off - making sure to take the side roads where I did not have to look out the passenger side of the car for intersection clearance! MADE IT HOME SAFELY! Let's get this job done - shouldn't take more than an hour and then I can get some planting done..... Tool box at the ready, materials organized, proper clothing, THE STEP LADDER - ready to go. First - much attach the clips to the boards (soffit I think it is callsd). NO PROBLEM - EXCEPT - this calls for the 4th rung on the step ladder! Third one okay - 4th one a challenge. Took awhile - yes got onto that 4th rung! Gotta get a ittle more secure on that 4th rung - so up and down and up and down until I feel more confident. Yup you got it - but already bones hurt! Time passes.... Well got the clips screwed into the soffit - (knees shaking all the time - on the 4th rung on the ladder). Ha - the worst is over - downhill from here in! NOT!!!! With this vinyl stuff - one cannot just clip the eaves on - no - one must thread the eaves trough the tiny spaces on the clips that you have already screwed into the soffit!!!!! The wind is now blowing. I get this 10 ft length of vinyl lined up to the first clip (WHILE IN THE 4TH RUNG OF THE LADDER). I cannot see just exactly where I need to go with this thing - perhaps luck will be on my side. NOT!!! Wind catches the thing - down it goes onto the patio. A patient person I am (sometimes). MANY attempts later, the air is starting to turn blue, and I was tempted to scrap the whole project. WAIT! "Would you like some help?" A savior! A new neighbour who does this sort of thing for a living! (OHMIGOD) How long was he watching? My savior arrived - and not FIVE MINUTES later he had that trough threaded through the clips. AWESOME! Downhill from here on in! NOT!!!! Easy to mount the down pipe! Not so easy to get the ELBOWS to connect the trough with the downpipe. 2 MORE TRIPS TO HOME DEPOT - and the runny nosed 'associate' - geeze I thought perhaps he might have taken sick leave or something - couldn't there be SOMEONE who knows SOMETHING???? Take those silly elbows I got the first time and let's get it on with flexi elbows. 3/4 of an hour on that 4TH RUNG ON THE LADDER getting ELBOWS to match! SUCCESS!!!!!TROUGH, PIPES AND ELBOWS ARE CONNECTED!!!!! AND THEY ARE STAYING IN PLACE!!!!! Now time to test it. Will water actually run off the roof, go into the trough, through the ELBOWS, down the down pipe, through more ELBOWS, and into the rain barrel????? (This 1-hour project has thus far taken 5 hours!) I turned the water on from the main outside source (I did all these hose connection stuff weeks earlier - thought I had all the leaky things fixed) NOT!!!!! Attached the spray nozzle thingy to the end of the hoze, held my arm way up high, pushed the lever. CRAP!!!! The hose end thing leaks, and I have very cold water running down my arm into my armpits and down my side! AND I smell cigarette smoke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (likely the neighbors watching the drama and having a great laugh) Time to get this job done, get inside, have a beer, supper and end the day! Fixed the leaky hose connection. Sprayed the water on the roof, and anxiously awaited the outcome. CRAP!!!! The water is running down the OUTSIDE OF THE DOWN PIPE! Yes, I discovered what I had done wrong, fixed it the next day. THIS MORNING!!!! 4:00 AM I hear the rain coming down! OMIG - gotta see IF MY RAIN BARREL IS FILLING!!! Ha - I actually waited until 5:15 before I jumped out of bed, put on my raincoat (on top my of nightgown) to find out if that soft water was actually going into my rain barrel! IT WAS!!!!! Yes it was a comedy, but perhaps somewhere there might be a life lesson. Perhaps it might be patience. Perhaps it might be acceptance. Perhaps it might be greatfullness. Perhaps it might be pride. Would love to hear what you might have gleaned from my perception of this experiance and wish to share.

Heavier strings on my guitar!

A couple of weeks ago I put heavier strings on one of my guitars - yearning for a deeper 'boom-chang' sound. It was a wise decision - although at the time I did not anticipate what those heavier strings would actually do for me. In fact - while they have given me the deeper 'boom-chang' sound, they have frustrated me beyond sanity! Much more difficult to play! All those chords that I thought I was getting pretty good at are not so easy to play now. HOWEVER - those heavier strings have given me the option to really really 'twang' away without actually breaking the strings! A wonderful method by which to set free the frustrations of the 'daily grind' and to transfer the built up emotion to something positive - MUSIC (well sort of music.....) During the last few days, I have been soooo tempted to back-slide and buy a package of cigarettes! Instead, I followed through with my original plan - which was to switch from the 4 mg lozenges to the 2 mg lozenges. (Actually, I have done this sooner that I planned, because the 4 mg were starting to give me the hiccups - and there is the continuing issue of the throat tickle! VERY ANNOYING - and often embarrassing! I am sure that this is caused by the lozenges..... On a previous post, I expressed concern about becomming a little 'pudgy' - which I am. However, I have decided to let go of that concern (for now). One thing at a time...make sure the nicodemon is dead first. The rest - well another time and another place.

Second Hand

So strange it is.... When I first began this journey, I found that the smell of cigarette smoke actually made me feel ill. Now, however, I have discovered that the odor of tobacco smoke is very very pleasant to me - especially if I catch the scent while I am outside. I continue to be super-sensitive to the odor - I think I could smell a burning cigarette from a mile away - but now it is a pleasant thing - while just a few short weeks ago it was almost painful. Perhaps this is a good thing???? Or perhaps this is bad thing??? I don't know - but thus far that pleasant odor has not tempted me.... So far during this journey I have not been in a room with smokers (thankfully). I am sure that it would not be a pleasant time.... However, that outside thing - the faint scent of tobacco leaves smouldering caught by the wind currents. Could it be so bad that it smells good to me? Could it be so different than the fragrance of the Cypress Hills in the early spring, newly mown grass, fresh baked bread, freshly brewed coffee.... Perhaps, it stirs a memory of pleasant times leisurely enjoying a smoke while camping, fishing, or just out on the deck with friends and neighbors.. Perhaps it is a connection thing...you know how certain music will remind you of a pleasant time in your life? Well perhaps the smell of tobacco sort of rekindles a memory of 'calm'???? How's that for a amateur analysis of one's own thought processes?

Spring has sprung for 'Pudge'!

It is FINALLY spring! A time for new beginnings! I am a little late getting out into the yard to do clean-up, planning new plantings, moving perennials, and perhaps thinking up something new and exciting to work on this spring and summer. For some reason, I have had a little trouble 'getting into the mood'. Aside from the fact that the weather has been somewhat spotty, there has been much going on to distract me - and that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...... My biggest (and most honest) excuse is that I have been lacking energy and motivation! 'The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak....' Well, now I think I am motivated, but the 'flesh is still weak'. (tee hee) I have decided to get my driveway resurfaced. Sounds simple enough. NOT!!!! Must prepare the area! This means removing cement blocks that I put down many years ago to simulate a sidewalk. It means moving all the brick that I placed at the end of the driveway as a 'decorative' thing. It means trimming back a Calgary Carpet Juniper that has encroached the driveway - 3 feet in places. In spots the Juniper has taken root and broken up the existing pavement! (I understand now why Frank complained about how narrow my driveway was!) The beautiful Grape Hyacinths that have spread from the flower bed beside the driveway into the bit of soil between old pavement and the flower bed - must be taken out. A wild Strawberry that has served as a great ground cover over the years - cut back and tamed. This whole process - well a little painful. I truly hate to curb nature! The good thing about the procss, though (if you recall my last post about getting 'pudgy') - there is nothing like hard labour to tighten up the body, burn calories, and hopefully flush out the cholesterol. I must say that the 'old girl' is a little proud of herself for what she has accomplished over the last few days. I did however, come to the end of my rope physically, and called the boys at work for help! They will come to my rescue and make sure that all is ready for the paving company Note to self......must work at getting into better shape so that this type of project is not such an issue..... AND - by the way - I REMAIN SMOKE FREE!

Getting Pudgy!

During the last 2 months I have given myself some latitude with respect to diet. I worked very hard winter before last winter to shed a few pounds, and was so proud of self for having been successful in losing 20+ pounds. The process began because of a cholesterol issue. Some might remember the "Three Month Challenge" postings. Well.....I did lose the weight, but never went back to the doctor to get my cholesterol rechecked - UNTIL - just before my 'quit smoking date'. (By that time I had been on holiday to Alaska and had really really fallen off the diet) Unfortunately, the news was not good.... I made a 'deal' with the Doc.... When I told him that I was going to quit smoking, and needed just a little time to 'get things under control' - he agreed that he would wait for awhile before putting me on the cholesterol reducing drugs. He did, however, make the comment that he would not give me an 'infinite amout of time'...... (So whoever said that a doctor should have that much power over your life????) Craaapppp - stepped on the scale the other night - not a pleasant surprise!!!! Soooo.....I guess it is time now to 'shift gears' and change direction. Ya know - the thought has just struck me...... There is a quote - don't know who said it - "you spend the first 40 years of your life accumulating 'things' and then you spend the last 40 years trying to get rid of those 'things'. Welllll.....I guess the same could be said that we spend the first (60???) years of our lives developing bad habits, and then you spend the next (_____) years breaking those habits. (fill in the blank depending on how extreme those habits are (tee hee). I guess what I am saying is that now is the time to terminate the 'diet' latitude that I have been giving self and get real! No more chicken/turkey skin - no more pork rind - no more bacon (well maybe a little)- ration the eggs - no more processed meat - cut the sweets and sugar - start counting calories - all in all stop enjoying food! What do they say - 'Eat to live - not live to eat...' Wish me luck!

I forgot!

A couple of days ago, a coworker approached me and asked 'What are you going to buy yourself on the 18th?" For a brief moment, I was confused by her question. Why would I want to buy myself something on the 18th? It then struck me that she was (bless her heart) remembering that the 18th of April will be the 2-month anniversary of my 'quit date'. "You must continue to treat yourself" she continued.... I awkwardly responded that I was actually going to a concert this weekend - although in all honesty this was not intended to be a 'treat to self' - just a lucky draw - so to speak. I have since thought about that brief moment of conversation with my coworker. Perhaps the greatest 'treat to self' was the realization that at that moment in time I was not thinking about SMOKING!. How sweet it is to realize that these moments now exist! While the struggle continues (and I expect it will continue for the rest of my life), I am so pleased that for a few moments in time that I FORGOT that I want to smoke!

A New Friend

Last night I was going to add a post to this blog, but my internet service was down. So I thought I would just watch a little TV and forget about it. Oh Oh - TV signal lost too. Well - time to contact Telus! Really not something that I wanted to do after a long day, but obviously an issue that needed to be dealt with. With much trepidation, I dialed the 'help' line. Will I get someone on the line from a far and distant land who I cannot understand, and who cannot understand me? Will this be just another frustration at the end of my day? Should I even bother with it tonight? Should I just forget about it, pick up a book and be done with it for now? No, I need to deal with this now...... Surprisingly, there was not a long time on hold before I got a very pleasant young fellow on the line. I could understand him when he spoke!!!! There were, of course, many things that he asked me to check. Took a little time. Then it became apparent to him that we needed to 'reboot' the modem and the TV boxes. There was considerable waiting time for everything to come back up after rebooting. You just cannot be on the phone and say nothing, so I thought I would start a conversation. "Where are you?", I asked him. "The Phillipines", he responded! We talked a little about the weather, and those impersonal things. I then made the comment that I was going to make a post on my blog, but could not because my internet was down. "You have a blog!', he said. I responded, "Yes - I have recently quit smoking, and I started the blog as an avenue to vent, and perhaps help others in some small way". Well......this turned the conversation. Turned out that he is a smoker, and sooo wants to quit. He is 40 years old, and the only one left in his family that smokes. (They make him go outside - he said) He does not like to do that when it is raining. I shared with him my experience of going outside when it is very very cold to smoke. We talked about the inconvience of being a smoker, and also the expense. He did some quick money conversion and figured out that his cost for a package of 20 'sticks' is $20 Canadian! He then began quizing me about how I have gone about the process of quitting. I shared with him my 'pre-quit' process, the 'post-quit' process, the 'continuing' process, and the support I have gotten of the QuitNet website, as well as the support and encouragement from friends and co-workers. I was on the phone with him for about 1 1/2 hours while all the electronics were 'doing their thing'. When we were certain that indeed the internet and TV signals were restored I thanked him for his help. Get this - his response - "I am the one who was helped here". I was sooo touched by his comment, that I almost started to weep! Oh, if only it would be that I motivated him to start the process of freeing himself from the 'Nicodemon' then it was truly a good day! Ya know what is said "there is a reason for all things"? Perhaps there was a reason that I 'lost my signal' yesterday. Perhaps there was a reason that of all the people that Telus employs, it was this fellow in the Phillipines I got connected to.