I know now the name of about 8 types of garlic. I know how they taste, how to store them, how to plant them and how long they'll keep. I know how much they cost and how to present them. It's good but I'm
Glad I'm only doing it for 5 weeks. Long days!
tagged as north cowichan tag leader Beehappy
Back to Chemainus to stay with the crazy cat lady and her awful husband. 9 days with them, then 3 weeks without. And no wifi (but there is a pc). Wish me luck!!
Oh little flea
why do you like me
so much?
You take a bite
then feast on my blood
throughout the night.
But flea
You're being quite unkind
you leave red spots
that I tend to find
are itchy and sore,
and what's more,
what makes me sad,
you don't bite my brother
or my dad,
not even my mum
that makes me mad,
oh little flea
we could've been friends, but,
I'll get my revenge
one day you'll see,
I'll bite you back
or better still
I'll smack you
on the head
then, you'll leave me be,
you pesky little flea.
Disclaimer at the bottom*
Do you?
Well.
Do you?
I don't.
At least, not for most of the time.
I might on occasion
You know, when opportunity calls
or the right circumstances
present themselves.
It's not that I shouldn't.
Just that.
Well.
Do you?
* this isn't actually about anything, I just like toying with the reader :)
One night our hosts went out and left us to cook our own tea. The following poem resulted...
Melting
Mouthwatering
Magic
Velvet potatoes
coated in heaven.
Aromas of foreign lands.
A creamy kick
of cumin and clove.
Taste and smell
vying for attention.
Almonds and onions
toying with taste buds,
fighting for senses.
Spices.
Over-impressed
bloated
self-
obsessed
full to flowing brim
swagger, strut
take it on the chin
gloat, boast
know it's best
beat your chest
feel tall
spread your wings
smother the smallest
crack
of doubt
plug the gap
stifle the shout
At the ripe old age of 35 I have finally learnt to appreciate a nice glass of red wine with my meal. Better late than never. Good things come to those who wait, and all that.
Saltspring fun and games :)
Being away from woofing today has been amazing. We walked for 90 mins into town (bussed back!) had hot chocolate, made sandwiches for lunch, and had dinner at Seaview restaurant. Now relaxing on a real bed! No tent flaps in sight, and there's an indoor toilet plus bath! :)
Follow the yellow brick road
Down the rabbit hole
Sail away for a week and a day
To the land where
Enchanted forests grow
Find ye there
A witches cat
With one black foot
And a witches hat
Ask to be shown
To the Midas throne
Where the sweeps do sing
And the monkeys swing
And there you'll find a pot of gold
Full of stories past and tales of old
Princesses, dragons, secret coves
Wonder and mystery
Explorers bold
Men with six fingers
Medieval knights
Castaways, pirates
Wrongs and rights
So rest your head
open your eyes wide
Travel the story train
Have a great ride
When our French host came to visit the other evening he saw fit to talk about the indigenous people of Canada. When I was a child I played 'Cowboys and Indians'. Then it became politically correct to use the term Native American. Now the
people are called 'First Nations'.
Anyway, our host found it acceptable to racially abuse them (although one of his full time paid gardeners is of First Nations heritage). He said they were lazy, not interested in working and piled rubbish in their gardens. Clearly no-one has told him that many white people are like that too. I declined to look at him whilst he was talking. If he had stopped for breath I was going to ask what he knew about their heritage, and if there is a reason they find it hard to get jobs. I don't know much about the aboriginals here but I know they have been maltreated and I know racism when I hear it. Another reason I'll be glad to leave tomorrow.
We went to our first real liquor store today. Weird experience. You can't buy alcohol in supermarkets at all. It's highly taxed wherever you go too. On the outside the liquor stores all seem kind of seedy. Inside it's the same. They're not at all like an Oddbins. There's a tattooed gangster at the desk. Everything is shady and dull, and they put your purchase in a brown paper bag. It makes you feel slightly guilty and like there's something wrong with you. The liquor store feels frowned upon. Lots of our hosts have given us alcohol, so people do buy it (although some were part of a make your own scheme where as long as they stir the goods it qualifies for less tax). Cannabis is almost more acceptable here than alcohol, though still illegal.
I don't know if I've mentioned it before but being a pedestrian here takes serious concentration. First of all the cars come from the wrong direction, and you have to walk on the wrong side of the road. The main problem though is that pedestrians have right of way. So when we hesitate unsure if a car will stop, they get confused and unsure about what we're doing. We're expected to just walk out and I think they're also puzzled when we wave a thank you. They don't expect to be thanked, it's just the rules.
I miss orange squash! Or any other type of drinkable squash for that matter. They don't go in for diluted drinks here. You can get juice in cartons or frozen juice in cans that you dilute but no squash. They have stuff from the 'bottle green' company which I like, but its all fizzy. What is obtainable is acorn squash, spaghetti squash and butternut squash.
Everyone tells lies. Call it fibs, stretching the truth or what you will. We muddy the water, don't tell if we're not asked and reduce in our heads by using the term 'little white lies'. Children learn to lie from their parents, and they learn young. At its best lying saves hurt. We lie so as not to upset someone. At what point this is kindness and at what point it is kinder to tell the truth, is up to our moral make up to decide. The line is ours to cross or straddle as we see fit. What I can't get my head around is someone who lies for the sake of it. Randomly making something up, not out of embarrassment, to save face or prevent hurt feelings but because on some level they get a kick out of lying and see nothing wrong with fabrication purely on a whim.
Last night we started watching 'The Dark Knight Returns'. One of the people we flat share with managed to hook up his pc to the tv. We were interrupted by the boss who brought alcohol to share. Which sounds great until you realise that he is a megalomaniac who has far too much money and lies all the time. I was peeved cos I was enjoying the film lots, it was perfectly distracting. Anyway, tonight the conclusion...and potatoes for tea too :)
Today I almost got to do something different. We started digging trenches for pipe being laid under an outbuilding. Then the chief dogsbody came over and sent me and the Japanese woofer to weed so that he could dig with John. Although its not explicit and not done with ill intent I'm more than a little tired of the assumption that I can't do what a man can. I mean, of course I can't always do what a man can, but unless I'm given the chance how will I know (and how will they know) and if I'm not shown because I'm a girl then I'll never be able to do it.
I'm too young to really get feminism. I know that a lot of debate goes on about it. For me it's simple. If a woman does the same job as a man for less pay, then that's not ok. Yet it happens often enough. Wanting to be treated reasonably and given opportunity doesn't mean I hate men.
If I can dig, then let me dig, don't assume I can't because I'm a woman.
I like the physical exertion and would have worked hard.
