Foto Pherrets - TOY

Hello all of my pherret friends.

Hump day is here, along with another hunt!

Christmas is coming. Santa's elves are busy making these...

Our word for this week is:

Toy

My Irish cousin with his new Spiderman toy I gave him.

Isn't he a character?

Foto Pherrets , Irish Church Lady , ICL , Irish

Survey Monkey

25 Day Countdown to my 300th post

Today is Day 9

What is special today?

Well no video today. Hee

Instead something really special.

As part of my 25 Day countdown to numero 300 post, I am offering a survey on Blogging Time Management.

Help me help you to manage your blog time management. OK basically just help me. Anything you get out of the survey is gratuitous. :-)

Click here to take survey

You know you want to! :-

Happy Tuesday!

Have I told you that you internets ROCK, lately??

ROCK -----> see right

Irish Church Lady , ICL , Irish, Survey Monkey

Back in the Day

Name one thing you always wanted as a child, but never received.

Maturity

What childhood activity would you like to try again?

Womb Crashing

What were you scared of when you were a kid?

The Big Bad Wolf Who Was Under The Basement Stairs Who Looked Something Like This

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Monday Memory

25 Day countdown to my 300th post - Today is Day 10

Saturday's Photo Hunt was about 'Time'

I didn't include the shot of the clock left because I forgot that I had it.

When I visited A View from Ivry! , I recognized Pat's shot right away and it reminded me that I did have a pic of a clock. I didn't know the name of the building however. It is Musée d’Orsay . I took the picture from a boat while on a boat tour of the Riviere Sennes. Thanks, Pat, for clarifying!! Pat lives with her family outside of Paris, and is originally from the US, her husband is from Morocco.

Well, where is this all leading? In reading a lot of SPH's Saturday I came across Anne's blog, Feather Stitching, and she included a quote from Carl Sandburg that stirred up a memory.

I decided to blog about my favourite teacher. Tony Park, from Grade 6, as a Monday Memory. Mr. Park was a great teacher, motivator, counsellor and friend. He always showed such genuine interest in his students. He seemed to know us better than we knew ourselves, and encouraged and guided us so that we achieved our best and enjoyed doing it.

I kept in touch with him for many years since elementary school. It has been some years now since I have had the occasion to run into him. I googled him and looked him up to see if he is even still in the area. Nothing conclusive. If I had, I would have put on my list of things to do, above, call Mr. Park and go for a coffee or a beer.

The only information that I did uncover is that he and a couple of other teachers were responsible for creating the "Run To The Moon" challenge in which students were encouraged to reach the moon in two years via a running program. The fitness levels in the school were improved over the current national social trend toward obesity and lack of fitness.

There is also an Athletic Award in his name:

Tony Park Athletic Award - This award is given to a grade 5 student who: shows a dedication to goal-setting in sports with active participation in training programs; sets high personal standards; participates actively in a variety of extra-curricular sports, and; demonstrates high athletic achievement.

He is, of course, long retired.

I need to meet him for that beer.

I need to tell him that he knew me then better than I knew myself.

Here is the quote that he wrote in my autograph book.

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." Carl Sandburg

Best wishes Mr Park.

Call me.

Sunday Only Speak - Christ the King

Today is Christ the King Sunday. The last day of the liturgical calendar. That means next week we start into the next year. (Yay we get new missalettes! I wonder what colour they will be for next year? I always wonder this. I am so lame. )

So we start the liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. Every year the liturgical season goes as follows: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time.

Did you know that the readings focused on during each liturgical year, vary over a three year cycle? In year A they focus on the Gospels from Matthew, in year B from Mark and year C from Luke. John's Gospel is focused on during Easter and Lent usually, in any of the 3 years. At least this is the way it is in the Canadian Catholic Church.

Is that they way it is in your church? Are Christian religions the same in this regard? Is the US Catholic church the same as Canada? I do not know the answers to these questions. Do you?


Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Ask and you shall get answers...the babble is a freebie

What Have YOU Done?

I've seen this on a few blogs and decided it was time to do it as part of my countdown to my 300th post. Loni at Joy in the Morning was the last person who's (whose ?) blog I saw this on so if you don't like it blame her (kidding :-).

Of course in usual Church Lady fashion I am going to put a twist on this.

I have been thinking of doing another 100 things about ICL, plus as you may or may not know, I've been begging asking nicely for your questions so I could post answers today. I am still going to do that, see way below. But first I bring you the 150 list which I'm going to colour code the items as follows:

Green and bold = been there, done that, got the postcard.
Red = no way Jose, not doin' that, nope, nada, no how, not if I can help it!
Pink and bold = yes please, I want some of what she's having (aka I'd like to do that before I die)
Creme = comme ci comme ca, no biggie, take it or leave it, you get the picture.

Man I feel all jiggedity writin' like that. Whose yo' Mama?!!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day - I would love to do this, if I knew how!
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign (street sign)
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football (organized women's touch football)
61. Gone scuba diving (in Mexico)
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business (Pool Boy aka hubster has)
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight (now if it was blogged more than six hours straight it'd have to be green!)
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently (I wish)
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (not sure if this would qualify as exotic, but rented bikes to tour the Aran Islands, off the coast of Ireland)
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet (when I was about 10, caught one at the cottage and brought it home and kept it for a few days)
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents (NA, Europe, Asia only - still SA, Africa, Australia, Antartica left to do)
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

And now on to the part of the show you've all been waiting for! (Shaddup! A girl can dream...). Here's my random questions and answers as posted by you, my cherished internets and answered by moi, my silly self.

This is known as the 9 things that internets wanted to know about ICL (even though there were 10 comments back on the topic ~ don't ask....my blog ....my way....my calculation errors do not have to be corrected even though the terribly anal person in me wants to)

Thanks internets for your queries. You don't have lives either eh?

The NINE THINGS asked about ICL

At 2:42 AM, scribbit blabbed...
I'd like to know how you pronounce your blog title. Dumb American that I am, I'm off on the Gaelic and it looks like it's not how I may think it is pronounced.

ICL blabs back: Scribbit, that is not a question about ICL. I cannot answer that. Next question.

ICL's alter ego sweetly interjects: Oh Scribbit darling! Thank you for asking. Did you know that is the most frequent question from search engines that brings up my site? What does it mean and how the heck to you pronounce it? It means "To your health" in Gaelic Irish and is commonly used in toasting like Cheers! It is prononunced - "Slawn-cha". Not like it looks, eh?

At 9:16 AM, happy and blue 2 blabbed...
I like the new design. Woohoo.You Rock as well..

ICL blabs back: HB2, you don't mind if I call you that, do ya buddy? 'cause if you do, I already have been and I ain't gonna stop now. That, my dear gentleman friend, is not a question. That is a statement. Actually it's two statements and an expletive. Two very nice statements, I must say and one of my favourite expletives, even though it is not profane.

I'm a little concerned about your punctuation though. I would have preferred to see an exclamation point behind that expletive, because as anyone who reads my blog and comments to their blogs will know that I have a strong attachment to the exclamation mark, right Lisa? Lisa and I are kindred spirits in this domain, we both have a fear that we overuse exclamation marks but we don't care and continue to use them anyways because our writing feels naked without them.

So I can turn these two statements and an expletive from HB2 into a question of "Why do you use so many exclamation marks when you write?" Oh I just told you why above. Next question.

At 9:25 AM, Caylynn blabbed...
Great ideas. :) I have to get around to creating a "100 things" page one of these days!

ICL blabs back: Yes you do. And then I will feature it on my 102 things site where I collect them. I don't read 'em, I just collect them. You know this blogging business can take over your life. You have to draw the line somewhere. BTW, Missy, don't think I didn't notice that was not a question. All you internets are alike. You just want to talk about yourselves.

ICL's alter ego sweetly interjects: And we love hearing about you sweetheart. Really we do, that's why we keep visiting everyone's blogs. Why, I've been known to talk about myself once or twice or other people's blogs. It's all very innocent.

ICL's third alter ego takes control of the conversation: Well the truth of the matter is that sometimes when we comment we want to show our similarity with the blogger, and to do that we need to relay a part of our lives in that comment. This is much more preferable to having comments like "Nice post, I played. " Don't you think?

ICL's fourth alter ego censors: Um she didn't really mean that second last sentence.

ICL's third alter ego interrupts: Yes I did. We will now move to the next question to keep this post in keeping with our standards of open, and honest, but kind and tactful blogging.

ICL: Uh folks...I'm really sorry about the Sybil thing going on here. The other personalities just take over. Let's hope they go to bed now and don't come back again.

At 10:23 AM, Cheeky blabbed...
YEAH! Let the countdown begin. So what do I want to know...hmmmmm....Enquiring minds want to know - what is the funniest thing you ever did?Have you ever sang Kareoke?

ICL blabs back: Finally a question! Cheekster, when I first read your question a few days ago I thought I had not done Karaoke, however in doing the 150 things above I realized I had. It was lame, not in a bar, but at a museum somewhere. I always wanted to try it so I jumped at the opportunity since it was just my family watching and some other kid.

What is the funniest thing I ever did? Oh gawd I can think of all the most embarrassing, dorky and stupid things I did that were kinda funny, but just funny on it's own? Hmmmmm....trying to remember what were the things that caused me to wet myself or laugh so hard that my stomach hurt but those were probably group efforts. OK so I'm still waiting for my funniest thing to happen. I better get working on it. The closest I can come up with is when I changed the words to a song and me and a girlfriend sang it at our Christmas work dinner ala Blues Bros style. Not true thrilling. I'm a dork.

ICL's third alter ego says: Maybe you can't remember them because they were also so embarrassing that you have pushed them out of your mind?

ICL: Go to bed!!!

ICL's third alter ego says: Well someone needs to hang around to make sure you tell the truth and don't lie to these people.

ICL: True. You have a point.

At 10:50 AM, Goofy Girl blabbed...
I have an old 100 things, not sure if you are interested in old ones!I would love to hear a doggie story, but I understand if it's to difficult to share one at this point. :(

ICL's third alter ego says: I'll take this one. She'll just f it up. Yes she would love to take your 100 things plus 25 new things and will post them on my 102 site soon. I'm going to do a post about the ones I've collected on this site soon too! Now I've got lots of doggie stories I could tell. I will put one on a Monday Memory sometime soon. In the meantime here's a few past ones. Read the first one at your own risk. Coprophagia, Dog in a bike Trailer?, Helper Skelper, Doggie Haircut Blues, Blue Dog, It's a Dog's Life .... I'm after (Music Video)

At 11:19 AM, mist1 blabbed...
I am not a planner. How do you know what you're going to feel like writing about for the next 25 days?

ICL blabs: Well, Mist1, I am a planner so what I did is I did a little chart after I figured out how many more posts it would take to get to 300 and I wrote up for each day what I normally write on (i.e. if it's a usual Meme day - which for me are Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, sometimes Fridays and Saturdays.) Then I made a list of topics that I wanted to write about that were kinda special which I inserted into the blank days on my chart, which I follow religiously, with tweaking of course, 'cause things do change, I'm not that rigid....oh sorry what was that? Do you feel ill now??


At 6:24 PM, Mrs Lifecruiser blabbed...
Wow! New design - I'm impressed. You and Goofy Girl did a really good job :-)I so recognize that "...getting on my nerves..." My layout does too, so I just MUST switch to something else soon or I'll go even more crazy!You've just reminded me that I still don't have a 100 things post. I never seem to get around to actually write one, just thinking that I shall all the time.

ICL blabs: Yes Dr. Goofy Girl rocks fo' sure!! I cannot take any of the credit. Now have you done your 100 posts yet LC or are you too busy showering naked and eating sandwiches with the blinds closed to do this for me? I know a lot about ya already you know. I could probably write your 100 things and more! What'll you pay me? I'm easy but I'm not cheap.

At 4:59 PM, happy and blue 2 blabbed...
I liked the video. I've never heard the song before.Read your 102 things list. What questions could I possibly ask after that, ha,ha..umm..Have you always lived in Ottawa? Have you met any MP's or the Prime Minister?Does your husband blog?Do you travel a lot? Why did you start blogging? What's that. My questions suck.I know..I'll try to think of better questions,ha,ha..

ICL blabs: How did you know I lived in Ottawa?

ICL Alter Ego #3 blabs: Hey you're not supposed to ask questions back!! Get a grip already!

ICL blabs: Are you still not in bed already?....... To answer your question, Happy, yes I feel like calling you Happy now, Yes and No. I lived in Waterloo where I went to university and I lived in Renfrew 45 minutes from Ottawa for about a year. So I am a real homespun girl, but I have no desire to stay in Ottawa if a fabulous opportunity abroad comes my way.

Over the years I have met some MP's. My mother was fairly active in the Conservative party so I had the opportunity to help her in election campaigns when I was young. I am particularly thrilled with how our Mr. Harper is running things so far. If I ever get the opportunity I would like to meet him, but it's not high on my list.

I travel a reasonable amount, and even less so lately. I would actually not mind traveling more now that my kids are grown. Most of my travel is to the States. I have travelled to the following countries on business - France, England, Sweden, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, US - Texas, California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Albany New York, Boston. For pleasure I've been to England, Ireland, Caribbean, Mexico, Canada (east but not west), California, Florida, Maine and have driven through the Eastern states to Florida many many times (North & South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York.)

Don't worry, I'm starting to fall asleep too. I think the other alter egos have now all finally gone to bed. Two more questions left.

Oh and the reason I started blogging is for photosharing plus my kid started me on MSN Spaces. Eventually I moved to Blogger because I found most of the people I like to blog with were on Blogger. Here's my first post on Blogger. I stopped posting to my MSN blog in July. see Why 2 Blogs? (shade over it with your mouse because the colours are now wacko since I changed my template). It's a form of entertainment and therapy for me. It's the humour that keeps me coming back. I also enjoy the aspect of documenting personal experiences and memories. Plus I love doing the photos and the cool tools that I like to play with. I'm not into the blog debating. I'm a lover not a fighter.

At 9:02 PM, Cheeky blabbed...
More questions....What music is on your ipod, cd player or whatever your medium of choice would be?What was your worst fashion stage? (I sorta did the valley girl thing but like you coulda like figured that out by now...lol)

ICL blabs: Um I don't have an ipod. I like a mixture of pop, rock, some jazz and classical. I'm thinking of getting a mini ipod for running, however it's not high on my list as I run with a partner and we blab all the way. If I started listening to music that would be rude.

My worst fashion stage would be the early eighties. I wore suits with ties, pleated flared skirts, my hair was permed .... oh my dog it was awful. Ya the valley girl thing too.

ICL Alter Ego #3: Stop it. Stop it now. You're scaring me.

ICL blabs: You're still up??? Well if you went to bed you wouldn't have to listen to this is alls I'm sayin'.

At 7:22 PM, happy and blue 2 blabbed...
Count me in if you are going to Mexico. I haven't had dysentery for a long time..Thanks for commenting on my videos..Question: What is the significance of your 300th post?

ICL blabs: Happy is so nice to keep coming back with more questions, isn't he? Hooray for Happy! Check out his videos on YouTube. They rock!

Well Hap, it's a milestone. I totally missed the 200th, I must have been in the bathroom. But also on Blogger the most posts you can view on your blog edit list is 300. I haven't figured out what that means yet but it must mean something or worthy of an award or total blognation recognition. I've noticed other bloggers doing special posts for their 100th and 200th posts etc. Haven't seen anyone do a 25 day countdown yet ... I am me and I am unique.

After my 300th post we will return to our regularly scheduled programming. Which is pretty much the same as I've been doing but maybe with just a teensy little less diligence. Bite me.

Frig this is a long post. If you're still here you deserve an award. I may have to call in sick tomorrow. O wait it is tomorrow. Well then .....

Good night! and Good Morning to you!

ICL Alter Ego #3: 'Night



Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Saturday Photo Hunt - Time

25 Day Countdown to my 300th post - Day 14

Last call if you have any questions you want answered by ICL. I'm doing this as part of my 25 Day countdown to numero 300!. :-)

This weeks theme is
time

Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
~Brought to us by TNChick ~

When I see this stuff I think it's time to go there!

Next week: Lights
Saturday Photo Hunt

Happy Saturday everyone!

One month until Christmas!

Irish Church Lady , ICL , Irish , SPH

Half Calf

Photo Friday - Immature



Irish Church Lady
Irish

Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

OK folks! It seems like the last couple of weeks have be repeats of The Office. This week was a repeat of the Diwali Indian Festival that I blogged about here previously. Here's a few more gems that I picked up from watching it again last night:

• Michael is worried about his staff offending others (lol- pot calling the kettle black!)
• Michael acknowledges "Abu from the Simpsons" as a famous Indian.
• Kevin says "This is the best meeting we've ever had." after the Kama Sutra books are brought out.
• Angela is a vegetarian and even though all the food is vegetarian she chooses just to eat dry naan bread.
• Michael asks Carol to marry him on the microphone after they've only been out for nine dates
• Michael says he and Pam both have something in common now because they are both victims of broken engagements.
• Pam says "I'm rejecting your kiss" to Michael.
• The guy who calls Jim Big Tuna brings an inflatable bed to work so he can sleep off his night of office drinking while doing the quarterly reporting.
• Michael goes home in the back seat of Pam's car with someone else's shoes on.
• Michael's Adam Sandler imitation at the end.

Check out this link to find a "THE OFFICE" SOLITAIRE Game.

><))))))))'>

Blogger friend Happy and Blue 2 made this great video "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

Uh, I think it may be Bobby McFerrin singin' here buddy.

Enjoy! I sure did!

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

TT ~ My favourite blog posts

25 Day countdown to my 300th post - Today is Day 16

Read more here!

Get the T13 code or view other thursday thirteen players
Week #68 my 22nd TT

I lurve funny stuff.

Sometimes I write funny stuff and I lurve it. At least it's funny in my head, so what's not to lurve, right?

So as part of my countdown towards my 300th post, I thought I would recap for you my favourite posts. Some of them will be funny, otherwise they would not be my favourite.

OK they may not be funny writing but funny videos or pictures of something too.

Some of them will not be so much funny but instead will be writings of stories or memories that I think I did justice too. Or they may be photo posts that I lurved or of memories of something.

Hey, it's my blog right, so I can post what I want. If you're new here, I would recommend that you read these. All the rest is crap.

So without further adieu, I present:

Posts I did that I am proud of (in no particular order):

1. Bad Candy
2. my bathtub is on crack
3. School Daze
4. Washington - the other Capital and other back.talk.crap
5. float 'n bloat
6. The Fish
7. Bloggin' Blues
8. Whoa ho Ho HO, A Pirates Life for ME!
9. if you were a girl in the 70's
10. not another bike incident
11. Domestic Disasters ~ please try not to repeat
12. Stupid things I did as a child ~ it's too late to go back
13. Me wedding pictures

Irish Church Lady , ICL Irish , Thursday Thirteen, funny

Happy Thanksgiving all you 'mericans!!!

Hump Day Hunt - Week Forty-Eight

A great big "Howdy" to all of the pherrets out there!

Hump day is here, and another hunt awaits you.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the good ol' U. S. of A., so Mama Pherret will be doing plenty of this!

Not to worry if you live elsewhere, you'll be doing it as well, except probably not as much!

Our word for this week is:

Eat

Happy Thanksgiving Internets!, originally uploaded by irish_church_lady.

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Splish Splash

Oh I scratched my eyeball yesterday. It feels like an eyelash or piece of dirt is in there.

You know how they always say don't rub your eyes with your hands when you are tired or you could scratch your eye?

You don't? ... well I remember so it must be true.

Well that's how it happened. I was tired after a long day at werk and started a-rubbin' and haven't had nothing but that aggravating itch and pain in the eye since.

I may have to wear a patch. This appeals to the pirate in me.

I believe in statistics. So by the law of statistics, 47 years of rubbin' even though 'they' say not to do that and now finally I have a scratched eye.

So by my calculations (somebody...quick, check my work!) I will have my next scratched eye at 94! Woot ~ I hope the eye patches look sexier then!

On to my music video ... please leave comments or rate it in YouTube. Search on Splish Splash Water Cat and you'll find it second on the list. I wanna see stars! (O BTW you might have to have a youtube account to rate it, but if you love me you'll do that right?? right??)

A video by Irish Church Lady (ICL)

Manic Monday Memories - 2 weeks

25 Day countdown to my 300th post - Today is Day 19

THIS WEEK

Go Ahead, Try It!

Name one ritual you'd like to work into your day.

What is something that you'd like to try that would surprise someone that knows you.

What is something that you've tried, that looking back, you're surprised that you did.

~Pilates~

I can't think of anything - I'm an open book. Read it and weep!

Topless sunbathing in Mexico

LAST WEEK

What is a quality that you love about being human?
What is something you'd do if you weren't so afraid to do it?
What is a phone call that you've received that changed your life?


Being able to communicate is what I love and value about being human.
I would love to sky dive.
My sister calling me about my Mum.

Having been through a few rough days with a sick doggy, makes you realize how important the ability to communicate is. Oh he could tell us in many ways that he didn't feel well, he was happy to see us when we visited at the vet hospital, and that he most definitely wanted to go home. Heading towards the car in the parking lot when we took him out for a walk was his form of communication!!! The ability to communicate with words is such a gift and we humans muck it up far too often. Think of when you didn't say something you should have or said something the wrong way. We need to use and appreciate this gift more than we do.

_________________________________________________


I think the feeling of free falling from a plane during sky diving would be awesome. I think I would be too afraid to jump from the plane though. If I ever find out I don't have long to live then I'm gonna do it.

_________________________________________________


I had been taking it easy. The night before we had a gang over to dinner - a summer barbeque - just family, but more than usual. Lots of fun. It was an impromptu get together - the best kind! Rather unusually, alot of my kids were around as well as my niece and nephew. It was a Saturday night. Usually they'd be getting on with their plans to go out with their friends. For some reason, they hung around that night, chatting, laughing with their aunts & uncles, grandparents and parents. Lots of joking and teasing was going on, fun banter.

I remember it like a moment captured in time.

The younger ones were swimming in the pool. One last swim after supper they wanted. I remember walking arm in arm with my Mum down the patio stairs, keeping her steady after a few glasses of wine , to go and watch them dive. There was a time when having to do that probably would have made me slightly annoyed. I remember distinctly thinking at that time, isn't it funny how I am not annoyed with my Mum for having a little more than she should. How uncharacteristic of me.

The next day I was tired. Cleaned up, went to church and then took it easy. Floated around the pool, read, had a nap. About 4:30 I called home (my parent's place) to talk to my Mum. I was rather surprised when my Dad answered the phone. He had gone to the cottage for the day and I was surprised he was back so soon. We chatted for a bit about his day. He said Mum was taking a nap and he would go see if she was awake.

I heard his footsteps going up the stairs to take the phone to her. I heard his voice in the background "Mum, you awake. Deb's on the phone ..." nothing ... then finally his voice again. "I will call you back."

That didn't sound good. What was going on? I pushed any bad thoughts out of my head.

They rushed back.

Why didn't she call me that day, like she usually would, to say what an enjoyable time she had the night before? Why had I, in my idleness, not noticed that she hadn't called me yet, which was unusual? No ... stop that ... you're reading too much into it. Just like you always do.

Phone rings. My sister, kind of panicky "Have you talked to Mum today?"

"No, I'm waiting for her to call me back."

"No she's going to the hospital, Dad's called the ambulance."

"Oh my God."

"I'm on my way over to the house."

"Call me back and tell me where to meet you."

I run upstairs to get dressed.

What seemed like only seconds later, the phone rings again.

"No, Deb, it's too late. She's gone."

I could not believe it. I denied it over and over again aloud on the journey over to her house. I had to see with my own eyes.

She was in bed doing her crossword when she went. It was actually about 9:30 that morning. Her pen was still in her hand. Her dictionary on the bed. Her glasses on. Her tea by the bed, still one third of a cup left.

__________________________________

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

On a happier note, look at the award I won

from Happy & Blue 2

Isn't he brilliant??!!

SOS - Sunday Only Speak

25 Day Countdown to my 300th post - Day 20

Who am I kidding? I've got nuthin' so far for SOS.

Just been goofin' around on the net. I bring you another BaT Video below which I thought was kinda cute because it shows a bunch of scenes from the movie to the tune of a cool Billy Joel song.

Hey internets ~ Don't forget to respond in my post above. Give me your questions that enquiring minds want to know. I've got a few but I need some more, otherwise it will be an awfully short post in blogland! Hey maybe that's what you want! lmao. G0 and check out my 102 things ~ this might give you some inspiration.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Plush

25 Day Countdown to my 300th post - Day 21

Hey internets ~ Don't forget to respond in my post above if you have any questions you want answered by ICL. I'm going to do this post on Sunday 26th, all going well. :-)

This weeks theme is
PLUSH

Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.
~Brought to us by TNChick ~

My Irish sheep butts!
Don't their BUTTS look PLUSH?!!!!

Next week: TIME
Saturday Photo Hunt

><))))))))'>

OK so last night I spent the night drinking cranberry martinis and watching Breakfast at Tiffany's (movie clip below) with my girls (aka daughters ~ so the 16 year old decided after a few sips it was too strong for her and switched to coke! Yay!)

I have a wee bit of a headache (I stopped after 3 okay!) but nothing that some water, java and tylenol won't cure.

We were celebrating the following:

(a) My freakin' project being finished!!! It officially closed yesterday, on time, under budget and with a 96% scope achievement score. Freakin' killed me but that's nothin' my regular readers don't already know. Now on to the next project which has already started but I haven't been able to work on much. Some catch up to do, but I think I will get there by the end of this week or next.

(b) DQ Girl doing her last Irish Dance Competition (Feis), last weekend, Oireachtas (Eastern Canada). She achieved her goal of not screwing up any steps but she did not qualify to go to the Worlds which will be next May in Glasgow, Scotland. Her friend did. She thinking about traveling with her anyways! That was officially her last competition of her life. She is now going to focus on her teaching and getting her certification. This is all part-time stuff that she does. She has a good full-time job on top of it.

Oh and one more tid-bit. Her last house purchase fell through. She now has her eye on another which she likes even more. She saw it with her Dad last night. I'm going today at 4 to see it.

(c) Nurse-a-baby getting 95% on Anatomy and 88% of Pharmacology mid-terms! Also having to discuss her real life patient with a doctor last week! This is the part of the placement that they have. She said she was really nervous but basically wanted to clear up what she thought was an error on her chart and it was!

(d) BatGirl - cutting the lawn yesterday! What else can I say? She's a good kid, a homebody, very creative, but her marks at school officially suck! She is failing 3 of 4 subjects and the one she's passing is with a 53%. They are 4 hard subjects but still, she doesn't have a job, no organized extra curricular activities that take up her time (although I've tried getting her into things ... jujitsu, basketball, running, art classes ...but it never lasts).

She's quite capable and seems to spend a lot of time on school but I don't think she uses her time effectively. Also, she spends alot of time looking up recipes, crafts from Martha Stewart websites, Halloween and Christmas decorations. This seems to be her area of interest.

Any ideas internets on what I can do to get her focused on something she enjoys so that it will cause her to do likewise with school?

><))))))))'>

Um, I'm noticing that when you change the background colour of your blog template that some old posts that have the text hard colour coded are now hard to read. Like this one and this one. Oh well. Live and learn. If someone really wants to read it they just have to mouse over to see the text anyways! Probably best to stay with the template text colour. I just used to dislike the basic black from me old template but I love the colour that Goofy Girl has come up with here.

Don't you?

Now here's Audrey as Holly Golightly!

Stuff Portrait Fridays - I played!

25 day countdown to my 300th post - Day 22

Wow! I haven't played this for awhile!

This week Kristine has asked us to play SPF is in honour of Jenelle (daughter of Kelly @ http://missingjtsnow.blogspot.com/) and National Epilepsy Awareness Month (November).

1. Something you seize (as in seizure, get it?) - I seized the moment at our recent Go Live party Pizza Lunch BOO-Nanza held on Halloween.

I locked everybody in the room as I gave out the project awards and treats! It was a success, had the MJ Thriller video playing on the projector

...however the more I watch the show THE OFFICE, the more I worry that I'm getting like Michael Scott. (um...ya that's me in the costume, she said sheepishly...)

2. Something that shakes (because you shake when you have seizures) - this baby shakes when she's cold (ok we all do!) like after a bath, or when we go for a walk and "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

She also shakes when she's scared, like on garbage day. She stays close for comfort waiting for the dreaded garbage truck to come, do it's business and leave. I've even tried showing her the truck and what it does by holding her up to the window. Don't think it's helped ~ I've probably traumatized her more!

3. And something purple (because purple is the color for National Epilepsy Awareness Month! - these are purple flowers taken on the roadside in Ireland.

Did ya play?

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Now in honour of this warm weather we're having here up north, and knowing that the old mercury is going to plummet next week, and the cold baby above, we have playing.... Poor Jessica! (Updated: to take Jessica off autostart so she doesn't compete with Audrey above. Click play if desired!)

Baby, It's Cold Outside
By Jessica Simpson
BestAudioCodes.com

A big Happy Birthday to Maribeth, The Dackel Princess
.
Did you know she's gonna be a Grammie?

TT - My 'old' favourite blogs to read

25 day Countdown to my 300th post - Day 23

Read more here!

Get the T13 code or view other thursday thirteen players

Week #67 my 21st TT

OK time to post this baby. I wrote this a long time ago and have had it in my drafts. This is a list of blogs that I used to read every day. It was from when I first started doing Thursday Thirteen a few months after starting blogging.

I still try to read them regularly, but of course I've added some more to my repetoire now too and there are even more that I read periodically that I do enjoy!

Some from below are expired blogs or ones on hiatus.

I just thought that since I am counting down to my 300th post I would post the list as it was initially written and add my recent editorial comments.

I feel like this is the list that Austin Powers was going through when he came back to the nineties from the 60's and realized he had missed out on a lot that changed.

1. Speckled Pup - on hiatus
2. R's Waste of Space - now defunct
3. Lizzie Daisy's Stopping Traffic - on the lam (hee!)
4. The Kept Woman - funny female shit
5. Kami's DallasK's - dallas bitch
6. Snow Trapped Cheeky - our singer, still a regular read!
7. Bethy's Blog about being in her shoes - sweet
8. Fleur de Lisa - fabulous fotographer and meme sharer
9. The Dackel Princess - doggies r us
10. The Mayhem Tank - ranter and raver
11. The Naked Nerd - funny male shit
12. Raw Matt - my first blogger pal!
13. Your name here

Happy TT!

Foto Pherrets - UP

Hump Day Hunt - Week Forty-Seven

Another hump day is here!

It's time for the pherrets to hunt!

Even though Dr. Seuss said that it was a great day for this, I still hate doing it...

Our word for this week is:

Up

Foto Pherrets
Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

25 day countdown to my 300th post

In honour of my upcoming 300th post I am having a 25 day countdown.

And.... I am rolling out my new blog template. Hooray!!!! she says finally!

Big thanks to Dr. Goofy Girl of GG Designs. {Rounds of applause can be heard here} Click on the cow to get to her design site.

This is her great design based on my desires. I wanted a new template look more in keeping with the fall / winter season.

As cute as he was, that hummingbird was starting to get on my nerves. lol

I am planning on doing posts on the following over the next 25 days:

- my old favourite blogs

- update my links to other people's 100 things. I like to collect them... let me know if you want me to add yours ... I may even post a new list of 100 things about me or something else bizarro-mundo. Now's the time to let me know if you have any questions you want answered.

- favourite posts I have written

- favourite posts I have read

- my most embarrassing experiences in my life thus far

- some significant memories or stories of my experiences

- my new favourite blogs to read

- whatever else I feel like or think of. Any requests?????

Thanks for putting up visiting with me here, internets.

Have I told you "You ROCK!!!" lately?

Sláinte

Irish Church Lady
ICL
Irish

Fergus is now home. He has 3 types of meds and some special liver diet food. We go back on Friday for more blood tests to see if his levels have managed to remain stable now that he is off the IV.

He is so happy to be home.

The vet has diagnosed Chronic Active Hepatitis but we still don't know the root cause.

We need to decide if we continue with the additional diagnostic tests that the internist recommends such as biopsy and ultrasound. More big bucks.

His experience is that dogs can be treated for this to prolong their lives, but there is no cure. He says on average they can live another 1 - 2 years. I can't think about that now.

Thank you all for your concern and kind comments and well wishes for him and us. It truly is like having a kid sick, especially when you are such an animal lover.

Anyone have any similar experiences, please share.

St. Francis, please heal him.

Standard Poodles
Chronic Active Hepatitis
Irish Church Lady
ICL

Sad and Worried

My dog hasn't been well for the last few days. We took him to the emergency vet services because we couldn't get an appointment at our local vet until Monday afternoon.

He's been vomiting, not eating, drinking twice the usual amount of water and consequently peeing a lot.

They did some blood and urine tests and figured out it's his liver that's the problem but they don't know why. There's apparently 20 possible things that could be impacting it from ingested toxicity to cancer.

He was about 5% dehydrated which isn't much, but the doctor recommended that he be put on IV for increased fluids plus to administer antibiotics that would get to his liver faster than orally. Then they can repeat the bloodwork in a couple of days to determine if it is trending positively.

He said it is difficult to pinpoint the cause without further diagnostic tests including ultrasound ($300). He said that if he responds to the treatment, then we can stop there and may never know what the cause was but avoid further expensive lab tests.

Hey, we were in for $300 yesterday for the visit and tests and it's going to cost another $1000 for the hospital stay plus meds. I don't know if we've been had or not.

It broke my heart to have to leave him there last night. All he wanted to do was go home. I know he won't eat when he's there and that is very important to his recovery. I know this because he barely ate when we had him minded by friends for a weekend. They are former standard poodle dog owners, who knew him and the breed. Their dog used to be Fergus' best friend. When we go to their house, Fergus is still always excited that he is going to see Shadow and looks for him all over the house.

The vet said that if he doesn't eat then they may call us to come in and try to feed him but knowing him that will not help. He will just go to the door and wait with his nose pointing right at the opening, saying "Take me home".

He also said we can go and visit in the afternoon. I know when he sees us he will think he is going home so I have mixed feelings about going in. I cried last night when we had to leave him and all the way home and all the time in the bathtub and finally stopped when I started playing solitaire on the computer. I didn't even feel like blogging about it then nor visiting anyone's blogs.

Of course I woke up at 1 a.m. still worried and wondering if we should have just asked for oral antibiotics and brought him home. Our regular vet whom we love and trust is just establishing his own practise and is not open yet. He was supposed to be open in November but when we called there was a recorded message and when we checked the website it now says opening in January and left an email address. We contacted him by email but have not heard back from him. If he does contact us I am going to get his opinion.

I am worried about Fergus of course, I hope it is nothing more serious. He is 6 1/2 years old. I am also worried about the cost of the treatment. Suffice it to say, that this is one more bill we had not planned for nor can afford right now.

I think this is the root cause of my current state of mind - worries about finances. Another blog, another day. I've got all I can handle right now.

I need to blog about my daughter's Irish Dance competitions from last weekend and this weekend too. Laters .... I need hugs.

Me and my boy


Standard Poodles
Irish Church Lady
ICL
Veterinary

We Remember

Calling all Canadians - Sign up here The Dominion Institute - Canada's Last Great War for the petition to provide a state funeral to the family of the last veteran of the First World War resident in Canada. There are only 3 WWI veterans from Canada alive today. They are all over 100 years old. The goal of the petition is to have 50,000 signatures by December 11. They currently have 20,000. In honour of Remembrance Day .... do this for your tribute.

"In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow..." John McCrae

Remembrance Day

Saturday Photo Hunt - Growth

This week's word:
g r O W T H

Saturday Photo Hunt

Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.

~Brought to us by TNChick ~
Next week: P-L-U-S-H

Scranton Branch is Closing!! NOT!

THE OFFICE

OMG I can't believe it. Scranton branch was closing. Now it's not!

Fav's:

- Michael spilling the beans to the office about the Scranton branch impending closure
- Josh refusing the North East Branch Manager job for a Senior Management job at Staples
- Michael and Dwight staking out the president's house
- When Michael and Dwight thought they had something to do with Scranton not closing

Did you see the preview for next week? Did you see that big hug that Pam laid on Jimbo?

What's gonna happen now with that new chickie who digs Big Tuna joining the Scranton Branch?

meoooooooow!!!! catfight



THE Office

Thursday Thirteen - Random Baby! UPDATED

1. Calling all Canadians - Sign up here The Dominion Institute - Canada's Last Great War for the petition to provide a state funeral to the family of the last veteran of the First World War resident in Canada. There are only 3 WWI veterans from Canada alive today. They are all over 100 years old. The goal of the petition is to have 50,000 signatures by December 11. They currently have 20,000. In honour of Remembrance Day .... do this for your tribute.

2. I am coming up to my 300th post. I am thinking about rolling out my new template in conjunction with this. Haven't decided if I should have one of those posts where I answer a bunch of questions from readers. I'll let you decide. Do you have any questions for the Church Lady?

3. I took a lot of pictures of weird things on route to DQ girl's dance feis in Syracuse this weekend. Haven't done anything with them yet. I didn't take any of the dancing this time. Last time I got in trouble with the judge.

4. This time I got in trouble with the US border security. LOL. I was taking random pictures while we waited in the four lane line up to go through security. I took a picture of the American Flag which wasn't moving at all because there was no wind. He saw me and yelled at me to come over to him. (I was in the car and still seatbelted in dammit). By the time I struggled to get my knapsack off my lap and my seatbelt undone he was already over at the car. He made me delete any pictures of the building that I took including the unwaving flag and the car line up which showed the building and the sign saying have your ID ready. He was really mean at first but then got a little nicer when I was asking him if I could keep the picture of the Welcome to New York sign, and the picture of the 5 mph sign and the picture of the sign where buses was spelled wrong. LOL S&^%, now I wish I had these pics ready. I may update this post tonight with these pics but I don't have time right now because I have to get to work for a 9 a.m. meeting I am chairing. Sheessh!

UPDATED with pics!!!

5. I have a pre-written post in my drafts for Thursday Thirteen about my favourite blogs to read. It's out of date though now because some of those blogs are not really my top 13 favourites anymore. I may post it anyways as part of my 300th post celebration week(s) and then post a new one with my recent list of favourite blogs. I wrote this blog a long time ago and had it in reserve in case I didn't have time to write a 13 one week but I have never needed to use it! LOL Now it seems like a shame to dump it. What do you think?

6. I need to figure out how to manage my blog time better so it doesn't become so consuming. I could blog all evening if I let myself (sometimes I do ... hee hee) because there are so many interesting blogs to visit and tools to play with and pictures to post and things to write. Any suggestions for me?

7. I've been getting a lot of daily headaches lately. I think it's back and neck related. I missed my last monthly chiropractor appointment. I think I need to go see him and maybe make a few massage appointments as well. I think things are getting all tight back there and one part affects the other if you know what I mean.

8. After missing a bunch of runs last week, too busy - I only managed to go once - I have managed to go twice so far this week. My goal is at least three times. Four or five is even better. I should meet my goal this week anyways and hopefully better it.

9. My FIL and my niece share the same birthday today, November 9. Happy Birthday to them! Unrelated sides of the family - my hubby and my sis.

10. I really should have a picture of a poppy for my TT header this week instead of those happy face flowers in honour of Remembrance Day. I found them on someone else's site and oh dear I can't remember who now. My anal and type A personality wants me to now go and find that site again so I can give credit here but I simply don't have time and probably should spend the time. It's all about sharing here right internets?! UPDATE: My anal personality has caused me to snag a poppy picture from our website at work today and post it above.

11. I really like the happy face flowers because I have some like that in a vase in my office. I posted a picture (I think) of them before. See my anal personality will go and look for it tonight and provide the link for you (only because I don't have time now, otherwise I would do it now!) Sheessh... I wish I wasn't like that.

12. In Canada we call November 11 Remembrance Day. In the US I think it's called Armistice Day. I could be wrong and I don't even know if I've spelled it right. So normally I would look up my facts and spelling before I post. Today I'm just going to let my US readers correct me. How's that for going out of my comfort zone??? LOL

13. As you can tell I've kind of been grasping at straws trying to think of 13 things to write so I could get this post up quickly and get my A$$ outa bed (coffee cup is now empty) and get ready for werk. I hope I haven't bored you to tears. I hate when I do that! Plus I've given you alot of work to do with all my questions and corrections and editing required above. Oh I'm funny in my own head.

Have a great day internets!!!!

Thursday Thirteen
Irish Church Lady
ICL
Memes