I've had a raging headache all day, so unless you want it, I haven't got anything to share with you today. Sorry, check back in tomorrow :(
Pain relief...
...Wish you were here
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
June 4/14
I may soon be a pseudo-adoptive squirrel gramma.
This morning, Purrball was so agitated, and until I got up and went to the windows in the living room, I had no idea why. Our apartment faces into a secluded inner courtyard, and there's not much out there, so we didn't plan on seeing much wildlife. Well, it turns out that there is a large, black squirrel who decided to drop by. Of course Purrball was agitated! She wanted the squirrel!
Eventually, I scared the squirrel off by opening the door, and I thought nothing of it...until this evening, when I noticed Purrball was agitated again, and I saw that the squirrel was not only back, but had brought a small pile of leaves, and was dozing on the pile. I was thought perhaps because the squirrel wasn't moving that it had died. I tapped on the glass, and it moved its head. Okay, alive, but maybe injured? Etienne and I fretted about the possibility of removing an injured squirrel, but we opened the door, and slowly, the squirrel moved, crawling onto the mesh screen. Then it let off a huge yawn, and I thought, "Oh you cheeky little bugger, you think you're nesting here?"
Off the little critter went once Etienne shooed it. He did a bit of quick googling, and we quickly learned that this squirrel is most likely a pregnant female, as they like to seek quiet, protective areas such as balconies to birth and raise their kits. So, yeah, let's just assume that we're dealing with a pregnant squirrel. But if this is what's actually happening, that means there's likely an imminent birth, followed by what could be four weeks or more of nesting until the kits are strong enough to leave with Mum.
We don't have a balcony, it's really just a small ledge protected by glass in front of the door, so it's indeed quite a snug little spot; but we're not encouraging her to stay, as we'd prefer she didn't birth here. It's not an ideal place, given that the caretaker and his family lives right below, and they have a young son who may scare the mum away from the nest. The squirrel doesn't seem phased by seeing Purrball, so that's not going to be a solution. It's dark now, so we're not going to be able to see if there's a black squirrel out there.
I'm too young to be a pseudo-adoptive squirrel gramma.
Wildlife...
...Wish you were here.
This morning, Purrball was so agitated, and until I got up and went to the windows in the living room, I had no idea why. Our apartment faces into a secluded inner courtyard, and there's not much out there, so we didn't plan on seeing much wildlife. Well, it turns out that there is a large, black squirrel who decided to drop by. Of course Purrball was agitated! She wanted the squirrel!
Eventually, I scared the squirrel off by opening the door, and I thought nothing of it...until this evening, when I noticed Purrball was agitated again, and I saw that the squirrel was not only back, but had brought a small pile of leaves, and was dozing on the pile. I was thought perhaps because the squirrel wasn't moving that it had died. I tapped on the glass, and it moved its head. Okay, alive, but maybe injured? Etienne and I fretted about the possibility of removing an injured squirrel, but we opened the door, and slowly, the squirrel moved, crawling onto the mesh screen. Then it let off a huge yawn, and I thought, "Oh you cheeky little bugger, you think you're nesting here?"
Off the little critter went once Etienne shooed it. He did a bit of quick googling, and we quickly learned that this squirrel is most likely a pregnant female, as they like to seek quiet, protective areas such as balconies to birth and raise their kits. So, yeah, let's just assume that we're dealing with a pregnant squirrel. But if this is what's actually happening, that means there's likely an imminent birth, followed by what could be four weeks or more of nesting until the kits are strong enough to leave with Mum.
We don't have a balcony, it's really just a small ledge protected by glass in front of the door, so it's indeed quite a snug little spot; but we're not encouraging her to stay, as we'd prefer she didn't birth here. It's not an ideal place, given that the caretaker and his family lives right below, and they have a young son who may scare the mum away from the nest. The squirrel doesn't seem phased by seeing Purrball, so that's not going to be a solution. It's dark now, so we're not going to be able to see if there's a black squirrel out there.
I'm too young to be a pseudo-adoptive squirrel gramma.
Wildlife...
...Wish you were here.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
June 3/14
Well, Tim Hudak officially ruined my day, so it's only fair I share it with you.
A little context: Tim Hudak is the inept leader of the Ontario Conservative Party. He's not good at, you know, people. What he lacks in charisma, he makes up for in.......? I dunno. Honestly, I can't seem to find anyone who likes or trusts the guy. Even among the few Conservatives I know.
As the stupid twit was called on to give his final statement in the Ontario Leaders' Debate this evening, (and you haven't seen it for yourself) he honest to fucking gawd uttered the words, "Hope is on the way."
I don't remember anything else he said after that statement. My brain short-circuited, and I was too busy answering Etienne what he incredulously asked me, "What did he just say?"
"He said, 'Hope is on the way.'"
Seriously, from damn near anyone else, that would be cliche, but from him, it was so patronizing and unbelievable. As in, Not to be believed.
Congratulations, Mr. Hudak...you've made grown, articulate men and women across the province revert to immature 10 year olds, yelling a collective "Barf-ola" across the Twitterverse.
Skeezy politicians...
...Wish you were here.
A little context: Tim Hudak is the inept leader of the Ontario Conservative Party. He's not good at, you know, people. What he lacks in charisma, he makes up for in.......? I dunno. Honestly, I can't seem to find anyone who likes or trusts the guy. Even among the few Conservatives I know.
As the stupid twit was called on to give his final statement in the Ontario Leaders' Debate this evening, (and you haven't seen it for yourself) he honest to fucking gawd uttered the words, "Hope is on the way."
I don't remember anything else he said after that statement. My brain short-circuited, and I was too busy answering Etienne what he incredulously asked me, "What did he just say?"
"He said, 'Hope is on the way.'"
Seriously, from damn near anyone else, that would be cliche, but from him, it was so patronizing and unbelievable. As in, Not to be believed.
Congratulations, Mr. Hudak...you've made grown, articulate men and women across the province revert to immature 10 year olds, yelling a collective "Barf-ola" across the Twitterverse.
Skeezy politicians...
...Wish you were here.
Monday, June 2, 2014
June 2/14
Sometimes, this blog can wax a little philosophical (READ: pretentious), and sometimes, it can be as fluffy as frou-frou girly pillows. Today, we're going with the latter.
This:
If this doesn't make you smile at the pure silliness of it, you are broken. Broken, I tell you.
Smile...
...Wish you were here.
This:
If this doesn't make you smile at the pure silliness of it, you are broken. Broken, I tell you.
Smile...
...Wish you were here.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
June 1/14
The Poitras-Normandin household was a little under the weather today (Wine Flu), but in the wee small hours of the morning, as we were settling into bed, I had promised Etienne I would go get him a gluten-free apple turnover from his local GF-deli, so I dutifully showered and went to get it. That relatively early shower meant I was ready to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather today. Etienne was less fortunate, opting to stay in and recover.
In the late afternoon, I went up to the rooftop patio with a book, and despite the breeze playing havoc with my hair, I got to enjoy about an hour of sun and shallow introspection. At times I read (about a British diplomat's impressions of Libya in the 70's...yeah, who knows how to relax? This girl, right here!), at other times I just looked at the skyline around our neighbourhood and considered what to do about my Ottawa problem.
As you know if you've been following along, I'm not enjoying my time here. There have been many changes since the last time I blogged, some for the better, but nothing overall that has made me turn the corner on my relationship to this place. If you'll recall, early this year, Etienne and I were competing in a process to move to the next level, and we were both successful. He was fortunate that his current group worked out a solution to keep him on, but I had to make the big change. So on May 23rd, I said goodbye to my job and my colleagues there, I took two weeks vacation, and on June 9th, I should be starting my new job in a new branch (same department) with a team that works on issues I am eager to take on. There is already a lot of optimism about my appointment, and I hope I am up to the challenge of meeting expectations.
So, the change up in my career is a positive development that should distract me for a while, and it couldn't come at a better time, because I've recently be subjected to external reminders that when I'm unhappy, I'm such an asshole. I don't like who I'm becoming here in Ottawa. I'm tired of the cynicism and politicking, and I'm tired of seeing good people compromise their values so consistently that you start to question your own. I have heard of instances of gaslighting people's careers, throwing colleagues under the bus, and while I know this happens everywhere, I'm just mindfucked by the scale of it here. This constant feeling of frustration has made me over into a mean girl. I know myself too well. If you think I'm an asshole now, after only four years, can you imagine how bad it would get after 14 years or 24 years? Yeah. That.
All this from being on the roof, staring at the complexes of buildings in Gatineau. Next time, I need more fluffy reading material.
To big changes...
...Wish you were here.
In the late afternoon, I went up to the rooftop patio with a book, and despite the breeze playing havoc with my hair, I got to enjoy about an hour of sun and shallow introspection. At times I read (about a British diplomat's impressions of Libya in the 70's...yeah, who knows how to relax? This girl, right here!), at other times I just looked at the skyline around our neighbourhood and considered what to do about my Ottawa problem.
As you know if you've been following along, I'm not enjoying my time here. There have been many changes since the last time I blogged, some for the better, but nothing overall that has made me turn the corner on my relationship to this place. If you'll recall, early this year, Etienne and I were competing in a process to move to the next level, and we were both successful. He was fortunate that his current group worked out a solution to keep him on, but I had to make the big change. So on May 23rd, I said goodbye to my job and my colleagues there, I took two weeks vacation, and on June 9th, I should be starting my new job in a new branch (same department) with a team that works on issues I am eager to take on. There is already a lot of optimism about my appointment, and I hope I am up to the challenge of meeting expectations.
So, the change up in my career is a positive development that should distract me for a while, and it couldn't come at a better time, because I've recently be subjected to external reminders that when I'm unhappy, I'm such an asshole. I don't like who I'm becoming here in Ottawa. I'm tired of the cynicism and politicking, and I'm tired of seeing good people compromise their values so consistently that you start to question your own. I have heard of instances of gaslighting people's careers, throwing colleagues under the bus, and while I know this happens everywhere, I'm just mindfucked by the scale of it here. This constant feeling of frustration has made me over into a mean girl. I know myself too well. If you think I'm an asshole now, after only four years, can you imagine how bad it would get after 14 years or 24 years? Yeah. That.
All this from being on the roof, staring at the complexes of buildings in Gatineau. Next time, I need more fluffy reading material.
To big changes...
...Wish you were here.
Friday, March 7, 2014
March 7/14
After just an awful day at work that made me question my future, compounded by my withering despair over the so-called report and recommendations on missing and murdered Aboriginal women released today, there is just one way to sum up my life by 5 pm:
Rescue me...
...Wish you were here.
halp, pls. pic.twitter.com/mQN1StxwyG
— Emergency Kittens (@EmrgencyKittens) March 7, 2014
Rescue me...
...Wish you were here.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
March 6/14
This...
Just this...
Thank you, Nick.
I wish I were there...
...Wish you were here.
Just this...
After! Congrats Nick!! #LidstromNight pic.twitter.com/m58Fx2aDke
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 7, 2014
Thank you, Nick.
I wish I were there...
...Wish you were here.
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