I was in my Toyota screaming at the radio, yo!

Every special moment that happens in life you can recall where you were when it happened.

I was sitting on the pavement steps when I realized I was finally done school.

I was in a tree house when my boyfriend (now husband), Jeep, gave me a promise ring.

I was staring into the fridge wanting mayo and chicken chili sauce mixed together when I realized that I was pregnant with my second child.

I remember where I was when Canada won Olympic Gold in Hockey at the Vancouver 2010 games.

Where were you?

Introducing Nestor...give him a great diva welcome

This is Nestor. Named for The Nester and her wisdom found here.

I place him at on the bedstead, but he tells me that he wants to try some other places first.

In the hall? No. Not enough natural light.

Ummmm...no.

Back to the bedside table!

This is colorful--but it's my garbage can lid, so no.

This could work. However, look at that dinosaur. He's all bones. He will devour Nestor in mere moments.

Ah, perfect. On the bed stand.

See his smile?

Back off! I have a price gun and I'm not afraid to use it

I have myself a little job.

Hehe.

Yup, a little job that provides me with a chance to connect with the people in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood, in my neighborhoooooood!

It's at the Ye Olde Bargain Basement. It's a quaint little store that has oodles of ...well, bargains and I work with a colourful cast of women who have been working there since the town was established. Ok, not that long, but they have been working there for a long time and they all know each other really well. They have a little family unit going and I am the new member. The "baby" so to speak.

It's a great little hobby, as I call it. I get to stack the shelves and it fulfills all those anal, control freak tendencies that come from cleaning your house throughout the day only to find that you need to start cleaning the house again. I think that has something to do with living with other people.

Anyway, I get my fix by straightening the shelves and unloading new product.

And here is where it gets really fascinating: where I put the product...it stays. It stays! It stays in that spot. It's amazing. I have yet to find the beauty products in the shoe section. No one moves the product on me. It's my own little piece of heaven on earth. What I clean up stays cleaned up. What bliss! What joy!

(Do you see why getting out the house once a week will be a good investment for my mental health?)

It is all about the mulch

See this pile?

This is a beautiful thing. This is from my community compost pile.

Did you catch that? My community compost pile. And this is only the wood chips, my friends. There are 4 other mounds of composted raw materials that are now dirt and another hill of grass clippings.

Have I mentioned that I love small town living? Small town let's-work-together-so-everyone-can-have-amazing-gardens living.

I love my little town.

Almost free gas for me

I, officially, live in a small town.
I stepped up to the counter to pay for gas. The teenager behind the counter smiles at me as he tries to process my debit card (checking card for you Americans). Suddenly there is a flurry of button clicking sounds as he tries to process my order.
“Dude,” he says to his buddy behind the counter. “What did you do to get the board going again?”
‘Dude’ comes over and hits some keys...which does nothing to proceed things. Instead, he shrugs and says, “Looks like you’re screwed, man.”
“Dude,” ‘man’ says, “can you get me the old keyboard?”
“Man, it’s not gonna do anything.” But he still goes and gets it.
It would seem that Dude is prophetic because it does not do a thing.He picks up the phone to call “the Boss.”
Enter Cranky old guy.
“Pump one isn’t working. Are your pumps not working?”
“No,” Man says, “I just haven’t authorized it.”
Old Cranky Guy wearing a look that says, “Why the hell not?” asks, “ What does that mean? Does that mean the pumps aren’t working?”
“No, the keyboard’s broken. I have to hit a key to authorize it.”
“Ah, I see. The pumps are not working.”
Exit Cranky old guy.
Dude hangs up the phone and gives an update to the now growing line of sweaty patrons in the cramped gasoline booth. “I’m gonna go put out the pylons, man. Take cash for orders.”
Enter pregnant lady amused by lack of problem solving skills the staff have. “And what do you do if you only have debit and no cash.”
Man and Dude look at each other for a moment.
Dude, clearly the leader in the group, tilts his head to the side and says, “Do you happen to live close by?”
“mhmmm.”
Sigh of relief from both boys.
“Great! Could you just write down your phone number and address. When the pumps are up again we’ll call you.”
“Ok” says pregnant lady. “I’m good for it.”
After leaving my number and address, I push open the door seeing huge line ups of cars, vans and trucks.
One lady keeps saying to Dude. “I think something is wrong with your pump. Are the pumps broken?”
Men, women and children all have their heads sticking out the window listening attentively as Dude addresses the crowd and says, “Yeah, pumps are closed, guys. Keyboard problems.”
I walked toward my vehicle at pump 5, and hear a family in the car say, “No gas here. Looks like the pumps are broken.”
I’m half-tempted to say, “No, it’s a keyboard problem.” But I keep my mouth shut. I just walk towards my vehicle as pandemonium among the townsfolk bursts forth repeating the small town news: “The pumps are broken.”

Simple pleasures

Waffles with whipped cream and berries

Colored glass-broken or whole

The park

the view from up here

Here are some random shots of the view from our house. Actually, the park. But the park is like two doors down from us...so it's kinda the view from our house. We live up on the coulees. Great for hiking on and we watch the sunset from our living room.