Dining Out?

Now you can check out your restaurant's inspection online.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/agri/foodsafety/reports/

I was always told by health and food inspectors, that if you go use the restaurants bathroom, before you order, that will tell you if the place is a safe one to eat at.

Dreams

Cool website to alphabetically research and find the meaning of your dreams.

http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/a.htm

October Blog Smog 2

Nice rainy night. Played cards last night, and after the hyper one told the Avon Lady to go home, we had a game of whist. I have to admit I was a little rusty, but my partner bid 4, and got a flambeau! What a quick game. Beware...The hyper one is a big bidder. The newphie wasn't his usual self, counted his wild cards as points after the round was over. He was all frigged up. We blamed it on the new haircut/seduction he received.

Rained yesterday & had a nice Sunday afternoon nap. Tried to visit my niece, Littlest, but she was still snoozing. What a good girl. Loverboy has returned today with a sore throat I do not want. Appreciative of his safe return, for supper I made a delicious leg of Lamb and a lean gravy that's just the best. I might mail the leftovers to: Lamb loving sailor, in care of the Radical Jack, Potomac River.

The sailor and Mrs. L have lost their sailing partners due to illness. However, they will continue on their trip, I am glad to hear. Best wishes for a speedy recovery are sent to the oceanographer. Kleenex are being sent for an easy-to-tear-up Mrs.L. No doubt she is feeling concern and missing her friends already.

Thinking of you.

One of my favorite pics

Looking through some pics of my late bro Craig. This one always makes me smile. Threatening a somewhat reluctant Mr S with a kiss.

A good weird

Went to a Gala Dinner last night at the mariner's centre. It was "celebrating Nova Scotia Success" and sponsored by Nova Scotia" Come to Life". It was awesome. Drums, comedian Ron James,and Bruce Guthro entertained. The meals was lovely. Lots of politicians present also. Premier Rodney always reminds me a Craig, his side-to profile. Got the same nose.

Got all dressed up for this formal affair and came downstairs for the kids' approval. "You look weird mom" said #2.

"Great" I replied.

" Well, " he said. "It's not that much a bad weird... it's kinda a good weird"

So, I took that as an OK and went out looking weird. A good weird.

More Sumo talk

All this Sumo talk stems from Ldot and her observation of Sumo wrestlers on a handwashing poster in the hospital's OPD.

Well, last month, in Paris, this was in the news

~~ The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is notorious among the general public for causing unsightly cold sores and sore throats.
The symptoms recur because the pathogen can hide in nerve cells for a long time and then leap out.
But a more extreme form of the disease (herpes gladiatorum) occurs among athletes who take part in close-contact sports, such as sumo, rugby and judo. ~~

~~Professional sumo wrestlers live and train together in a stable called a heya. This makes studying the spread of herpes virus easier. Their living arrangement suggests that the source of primary herpes infections among sumo wrestlers in each stable was their fellow wrestlers. Two of the wrestlers died as a result of their infections.~~

So there you have it.... no more remarks from me about germy Sumo diapers and easy access to their privates.

Kaboom

So, the culprits responsible for last year's bombing of Tante MJ's mailbox are on probation, and if they behave, there will be no criminal offense.

I can understand their want to try a homemade recipe of explosives, but it's not much fun if you aren't even there to see it go off.


They should have done their community hours with Mythbusters.
Myth: Canadian Tire mailboxes can take the blow better than homemade mailboxes.
Fact or Fiction.

Huh ?

Feeling dense lately, can hardly play cards, and hardly have a clue. They used to rush the Newfie, now they are rushing me. It's getting bad. I still know what my fork and spoon are for, so there is no Alzheimer diagnosis yet. Even Loverboy has been shaking his head at me.

Tonight the hostess did her thing, and her hubby was awesome, waiting on us hand and foot. Hovered like a hungry hawk around around the table, waiting for his chance to sit in a game. La Girl won the Emmy award. Speaking of her, she's stage manager of Romeo and Juliette... awesome.

The hostess saw the doctor today, and of course, her ailment is unique. We offered unique solutions, but I doubt she'll take our advice. She is recovering from the haunted village, where she apparently got hugged to death, over and over, in her scene. She requires so much more tenderness. Got to watch them hyper ones.

Sumo

Ldot was wondering if there was indeed Sumo wrestlers in Canada? Supposedly, there is one club, Ronin Club, in Toronto. Maybe they are all germ freaks.. hehe. I did read an interesting tidbit about these guys...

~~in the wake of a serious car accident involving a wrestler the Association banned wrestlers from driving their own cars. Breaking the rules can result in fines and/or suspension, not only for the offending wrestler, but also for his stablemaster.~~

Women over 40 .... by Andy Rooney

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think.
If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.
Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant.
Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.
Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40.
Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

New mayor for Yarmouth

The final numbers are in for all the council seats. Joining Phil Mooney, mayor-elect, on Yarmouth town council will be Byron Boudreau, Ken Langille, Martin Pink,Neil MacKenzie, Danny MacIsaac and Esther Dares.
The final results came in around one o'clock Sunday morning when the advance poll votes were tallied. Langille, MacKenzie and MacIsaac will be new faces on the council with the new mayor. Langille and MacIsaac were councillors on previous councils.
Incumbents Cliff Hood, Wally Strickland and Murray Judge were defeated, as were Martha Cassidy, John Ryan and Theresa Dalton.
Mooney had 1,781 votes to Crosby's 1,113.

Election results

It will be mostly familiar faces around the Municipality of Argyle council table following Saturday’s civic election.
The exceptions are districts 4, 5 and 7.
District 4 was the tightest race, Guy Surette finishing with 233 votes, followed by Roland Bourque, who had 229.There will be a recount because the outcome was so close, but whoever prevails will be new to council as each was running for the first time.
District 4 incumbent Greg Foster was third with 70 votes and Earl Babin had 28, according to Saturday evening’s results.
Also making his council debut will be Malcolm Madden, who led the way in a seven-person bid to represent District 5.He finished with 199 votes, followed by Nicole Albright, who, with 157 votes, came up short in her bid to become only the second woman to serve on Argyle council (and the first to do so since Emilie Doucette in the early 1940s).Albright’s father, Arthur Muise, held the seat until his death earlier this year.
Also joining council will be Kathy Bourque, who defeated long-time council member Robert Amirault (204 votes to 185) in District 7.
District 2 incumbent Roderick Murphy Jr. defeated challenger and former council member Briand Pothier, Murphy garnering 480 votes, Pothier 76, according to Saturday’s numbers.
Veteran Councillor Charles LeBlanc prevailed again in District 3 with 381 votes. His closest challenger, Gwen LeBlanc, had 219.
In District 6 incumbent Richard Donaldson topped a four-person field with 168 votes, Wayne Spinney placing second with 134.
In the only other contested council district, incumbent Calvin d’Entremont again took District 9, 347 votes to 176.

Real Mothers

This is an exerpt of a "Real Mothers" thing I read. I loved the second line, it made me smile. Son #2 told me that he loves big garbage day, which is today. "Remember mom" he said, "last year I got you a really good spatula." and indeed he did. Like a good mom, I had said thanks, gave a hug, and washed it. It was a little rusty, and screws were loose, but I used it instead of my good ones, quite a few times, just because I love him and loved the gesture.

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of shag carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.

On Dion's french

This was just too cute. All Stephane Dion fans will enjoy.

~"Within a few moments of taking the stage the other night, Dion was mangling and mutilating English with all the abandon of a kitchen garburator. At his first stab, the word "China" came out sounding like "Cheena." And his rendering of "Niagara" sounded like a cross between "Nicaragua" and "Viagra." As Dion struggled to wrap his thick tongue around the language, supporters smiled and nodded and reassured him with their eyes in much the same way polite Canadians encourage foreign tourists to continue asking directions in fractured English."~

Hubble trouble

The Hubble is in trouble. It hasn't worked for 3 weeks, and it may be January or later before it's fixed.

The Hubble telescope was launched into space on April 24th, 1990 aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Did you know: The Hubble telescope is almost the size of a school bus and can fit inside of a space shuttle cargo bay?
The Hubble can't observe Mercury or the Sun.
The Hubble gets its energy from the Sun through 2 solar panels.

Happy Birthday Babe

My baby is 11 today. We had ice cream cake, and some relatives over. Tante T was preoccupied, as was Tante MJ, and Tante A. The cake had melted somewhat because I had picked it up yesterday, and after Leta-Marie was born, 7 hrs later, I took it out of the cooler and put it into the freezer. Son #2 said that when she gets older he's gonna tell her that she ruined his 11th birthday a bit. He he. She was worth it all.

So Loverboy is returning in the middle of the night, earlier than expected. He'll come home to a living room full of sleeping boys (I hope).

She's here ... happy birthday

My new niece arrived today after a long journey in the cargo. The trip was slightly delayed, but was fairly uneventful, and she is absolutely beautiful.

Her name is Leta-Marie Belle Adams. So proud to finally see her, and to see her parents welcome her into their world, I have nothing much to say.

Life itself is a miracle.

Goodbye "Red Brick" Road

Well, Kerr has taken Thibault.

At least now, R. Thibault can stop writing apologies for the public. He can write his memoirs instead.

X marks the spot

I always exercise my right to vote... but I have to admit, today I was somewhat irked at the polls.

First, the mobile poll at work was chaotic. In the past 6 weeks they have asked me twice for a list of residents, yet 6 of them never made their voters list. Friday I had to complete 25 papers to attest that they indeed live here AND today they wanted a health card PLUS their voters card to verify that indeed they were who they claimed to be. Lots of crap, and paper work for nothing.

So, I head out to my own poll, prepared with my health card in pocket. I know my polling number, but my card is at home. The lady at the "shredding" box, will not let me in to vote because she needs more proof of who I am. I have known her for 42 years. Who the heck does she think I am? I left, and returned with some more ID. I had a good mind to leave. I am finally past the poll-ice station, and am now at the friendly polling desk, where they say hi Charlene! Is your husband around to vote today? We chit chat, and again they ask for ID. I know that in an urban setting, it is necessary, but.....

I was irked.

I have gotten into different countries with less trouble.

Happy Thanksgiving Day

I am headed to work for awhile today. Yesterday we had our get together at mom's. Everyone was there except my two brothers, I guess. It was a nice gathering as usual. The Cook, who lost me at arm wrestling, showed her many yoga talents, and had quite a few tied in knots, resting on their heads, and smartie pants had bones-a-crackin'. Sis won the arm wrestling, two years in a row, and probably has a lifetime title. Nanny kept her title till she was 69... I'd say that was pretty good.

Had a game of cards home last night. It was dominated by the men, who were all smiles. Loverboy, who didn't think he wanted to play, won the first game. Newf won #2. We learned a few Japanese words, and the newfie will try them out soon at work. Hope they come out right and they don't offend...hehe. I, who has no nickname on this blog, could be called the dense one. I was all mixed up with my cards most of the time. I was even called the Pay-me police. The only time I made any sense was when giving my spiel to the hostess on manners, or her lack of.

The hors d'oeuvres were a little chewy, but the pumpkin bread was a beautiful thing.

Jay Leno Quote

The Wall Street crisis has actually affected the way children play.
When kids play Monopoly now, the dumbest kid is the banker.
- Jay Leno

Tittle Tale

Went to the Tittle for a rather uneventful duck hunting trip with Loverboy & son #1. They sat in the duck blind, while I sat behind them on the "island" & amused myself with the camera, and field binocular. It's rather hard to stay focused when the only thing you moving see in 2.5 hours is the tide.

Here is a pic of the serious hunters, and one of the not-so-serious "spectactor".

PMS

Ah the joys of PMS ! The tight pants, the constipation, the tender breasts, the cravings for salty and crunchy whatchacallits, and most of all : the mood. You're Jekyl one hour and Hyde the next. ... And you don't even feel bad about it. Even the clicking of the cat's toenails can irritate a woman with PMS. And it's not in our heads.... I have proof. First I start to feel really crabby, and then I make the decision to check out my cycle on the calendar. Hmmmm, just as I predicted. It's PMS.

Glad it's not my new personality.

Well not yet.

Pressure rising

This is the barometer son #2, Loverboy, and I, created for his science project. I found it to be quite a complex project for grade 5. There was a variety of barometer "recipes", but we chose this one. We had to borrow some playdoh from Tante, and using some boat silicone of some kind, to cover it with goop.

The next day, I ask son #2 " How are the rest of the students making out with their barometers?"

"Oh, well Mom, I'm the only one who is making one."

" Why is that?"

"You could choose the project you wanted.... the rest decided to measure rain , or wind direction with a windsock. I wanted to measure the barometric pressure."

Good Grief.

I'll forgive him .......only if he gets Cindy Day's job once she retires.

Whew !

When I was pregnant with #1 son, Loverboy often spoke to my belly, called that baby inside, his buddy.

Today Loverboy, and his buddy, went duck hunting together. The years have flown, and seeing him go off hunting at 12 and a half years old, was similar to seeing him get on that big yellow school bus at the age of 5.

I worried all morning, and wondered if everyone was safe. And of course they were. He killed 3 ducks and in all they got 11.

It was also Sandee's first hunting trip. Still a puppy, she did OK. Stole one of the men's sandwiches, and the first duck she retrieved was a decoy. Cute eh? I rubbed her ears tonight and told her " You're a Sandee Girl.... wouldn't you rather stay home and chase butterflies and moths? " But by her reaction to the duck call, I guess I am wrong.

That's what's up, Doc

It's a small community of it's own ,you know... those addicted to Pay-Me. While shopping in the meat aisle, I spoke to a woman, with whom I have never played Pay-Me, but she and her friends of a golden age, play the game almost every afternoon. I was amazed to learn that one of her friends had 8 pay-me's in one game, and her total score was a mere 5. Amazing ain't it ????

It's a waiting game...

Yes, we are eagerly waiting for our new niece or nephew. I saw my sis-in-law yesterday. My, how she has grown. Carrying a basketball, it appears.

And there is always the curiosity of the babies sex, weight, and the name of course!

When I was born , my mom liked the name Edwina. Lucky for me, my brother Craig didn't, and couldn't say it that well. He liked the name Charlene, as there was a girl down the road named Charlene. I am so pleased with my name.

Had my name been Edwina. I suppose people would be introducing us as Roland & Ed Leblanc.

Pay Me Purse

Our change purses are lighter tonite after a whopping pay-the-hostess game. 7 pay-me games out of 11, plus low score. Seated safely behind the table, it was all about her and her cropped top.... hehe. For a change, very loving words were exchanged at the table. The Avon Lady must be feeling mellow, talking love and wine. And as for me, I managed OK, despite my table divorce from the hyper one.

And yes, j'aime les 6! et j'aime les Jacks!

Martha Stewart

Made wonderful cranberry jelly with a recipe from the Internet and an old pair of panty hose slipped over a colander.

Turned out nice and clear.At last, a use for those old panty hose. Don't worry, no crotch or feet attached.

Ig Nobel

I read about this years Ig nobel prizes. The Ig nobel (Ig, swedish for the grade we would call an F) is awarded to researchers who discover things that make us laugh, and then make us think. The awards ceremony is traditionally closed with the words: "If you didn't win a prize — and especially if you did — better luck next year!"

The "18th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony" was held on 2 October 2008 at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre.

Archaeology: Astolfo Gomes de Mello Araujo and Jose Carlos Marcelino, for showing that armadillos can mix up the contents of an archaeological site.

Biology: Marie-Christine Cadiergues, Christel Joubert, and Michel Franc, for discovering that fleas that live on dogs jump higher than fleas that live on cats.

Chemistry: Sheree Umpierre, Joseph Hill, and Deborah Anderson, for discovering that Coca-Cola is an effective spermicide,and C.Y. Hong, C.C. Shieh, P. Wu, and B.N. Chiang for proving it is not.

Cognitive science: Toshiyuki Nakagaki, Hiroyasu Yamada, Ryo Kobayashi, Atsushi Tero, Akio Ishiguro, and Ágota Tóth, for discovering that slime molds can solve puzzles.

Economics: Geoffrey Miller, Joshua Tyber, and Brent Jordan, for discovering that exotic dancers earn more when at peak fertility.

Literature: David Sims, for his study "You Bastard: A Narrative Exploration of the Experience of Indignation within Organizations".

Medicine: Dan Ariely for demonstrating that expensive counterfeit drugs are more effective than inexpensive counterfeit drugs.

Nutrition: Massimiliano Zampini and Charles Spence, for demonstrating that food tastes better when it sounds more appealing.

Peace: The Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology and the citizens of Switzerland, for adopting the legal principle that plants have dignity.

Physics: Dorian Raymer and Douglas Smith, for proving that heaps of string or hair will inevitably tangle.

Rainy Friday , again

Another rainy Friday, and another small card game. Women only tonight. The one called "rusty" in game one, won the quarters in game 2. Guess she wasn't so "rusty" after all. Some had their nerves frazzled, some were real food critics too. I admitted that my marachino cookies look a bit like slices of a small larsens bologna, but they ate them just the same. Lady di was stuffy but no one took pity, as she was winning too much. She can afford her own Halls, extra strong.

Rachel Ray?

I have been on a bad baking streak. Started to make this oreo cookie fudge, while making myself a grilled cheese for supper. The fudge was burning, & the grilled cheese was ready. The dog wants out, really, really bad, I run to let her out. As she goes out the door, I see my grilled cheese in her mouth.

As for the fudge, don't even ask.

October babies

I haven't yet blogged about our excitement. My sis-in-law, Tante T, is due to have a baby October 13th. The time is running out and I have to admit we are all pretty excited. She and the mechanic will make wonderful parents.

Today I was thinking about that baby boy I had in October. He's so grown now, and still cute as ever.

When I was 11 weeks pregnant, I had started to bleed quite a bit. Upset, I figured I was losing the baby. I had an ultrasound, and the results would be given to me by the doctor the next morning.

At the doctor's office Loverboy decided he'd wait in the waiting room, while I went in. Inside the office, the news was great, & all was fine with the baby. Something had bled, no danger to the pregnancy, and I may bleed again. Not to worry.

Outside the office, my eyes met his, and I could not speak. I knew I would cry, and my eyes teared up. Inside the elevator, a teary-eyed husband held his wife, and she surprised him with the words : " the baby is fine".

It was April fools day, and he's been a joker ever since. Always eager for love and attention.

Do Not Call List

You may have heard that yesterday, the Do not call list number and website was clogged due to an entire nation eager to get those telemarketers out of our lives.

Tonight, I did register successfully. Very easy. Like "feed the children" would say... come on, make the call. Click on the link below.

http://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/

Girlfriends

Aren't girlfriends great.

Here's a replay of my phone conversation to my best friend Superwoman. I called her at work.


Ring, Ring.


Hello, "superwoman" speaking, finance manager.

Hi it's Charlene ! I was thinking we should do something great for our birthdays this year. Don't you agree?

Yes I agree, what' have you got in mind ?

Well there's a seat sale to Iceland. Real good deal from Boston to Iceland, return. We could fly Boston on our airmiles, then fly to Iceland. Leave on a Wednesday, and return on Sunday. Sit in the hot springs and rejuvenate by 10 years , they claim. We could see the northern lights really well, and daylight is only from 10:30am to 4pm in November.

(silence)

Superwoman? Are you there? ( I can hear something in the background)

Through the laughter she says " Sorry, you must have the wrong number".