Sarongs to be gifted

About a month ago I gave a Sarong to my friends 10 year old daughter and she seems to really like it.  Was a turquoise one with surfers. 

I.found these two she might like.  She likes fish a lot. She would rather not have it for dinner!

OMG that was a delicious sandwich.

I've blogged about Louise Gluten free before. Today I'm in awe.

We went to pick up bread. Wednesday is baguette day. And I decided since I had no lunch to order a Sandwich. OMG, the veggie sandwich on baguette is out of this world and to die for.

I'm having Louise's sandwiches on a regular basis.

Finally bread fun to eat again!!!

Vegetarian sandwich from Louise Gluten Free.

Hopefully this tweet tells us all we need to know about "The Donald"

I won't even bother to say what I think of "The Donald" except to share this story.

The fact he actually appeals to so many republicans is really scary.

Medicated Drama Queen......

No one is the perfect parent but there's a difference between being an ok parent and being the parent from hell.  I've not always been the easiest person to deal with, but despite my shortcomings, I'm a generous, kind and caring person. I love both of my daughters, and am EXTREMELY proud of both.

You'd be amazed at the number of people I've met in my life who's parents compete with them AS ADULTS?!?!?! I understand a teen trying to compete with the parent of his gender, but for the parent to perpetuate that forever?

Both my husbands had a competitive dad. One that will never embrace their son and their son's accomplishments, because they are still too busy competing with their son. That is really pathetic. I've had several other exes with the same thing as well.

Now I just met a woman who I can tell, was jealous the minute her baby was born and the attention shifted from her to her baby. Yes it's hard when you bring a new born home, you're tired and crabby and your body aches, and everyone who comes over ooooos and awwwws over the baby.  That is NORMAL. Still competing with your 25 year old daughter isn't. You should be proud of her accomplishements, not spend all your time trying really hard to put her down.

Dunno I'm reminded of the song "The Outsider" by A Perfect Circle. THe lines "Medicated, drama queen, picture perfect, numb belligerence.  Narcissistic, drama queen, craving fame and all its decadence"

Friends nephew latest victim

My friend lives near Riverside park in Lasalle and so does his mom and sister.  His sisters son is 14 and sometimes he hangs out Riverside park with his friends, until the track lights goes off at 11 and then they scatter. Sometime last week, after he left his friends he was approached by someone asking him the time. Then was grabbed from behind and dragged into the park. His cell phone and wallet was stolen and he was highly traumatized. I'm not going to say what they did to scare him since they did not release this detail in the newspaper article.

Suffice to say, the poor child is now afraid to leave the house. He certainly did not want to talk to Global news when they contacted him for his story. 

Usmania Cuisine

Friday I was corralled into going to help a friend figure out what type wedding dress suits her best. She brought along her 3 bridesmaid and her mom.  We all knew her mom was going to be difficult and we were not surprised.

At least my friend found a dress that suits her like a glove and inspiration to make her own. After the ordeal we decided to go to dinner. We figured since we were near the "Petit Alep" we'd go there. The food is out of this world. Unfortunately they take vacation at the same time as construction workers.

In the end we went to a Pakistani restaurant on Decarie near Cote Vertu metro called Usmania Cuisine. At least that was on their receipt. They had pakora's on their menu and I thought, how can I go wrong with Pakora's? When they are cooked in fucking WHEAT FLOUR. It's supposed to be chickpea flour. WTF? This great gluten free treat fucking full of gluten. THe batter looked disgusting and I could tell instantly that it was wheat.  Their lentil soup was ok. Though I was asked if I wanted it mild, medium or spicy, and I asked for Spicy. It was NOT SPICY. I would have barely qualified it as medium.  I think they look at me with my white skin and red hair and think "She doesn't want spicy"

The service was ok, the food was edible. But I would not go back. When I think of my two favourite Indian places, Pushaps and Punjab... this place sucked.  Heck even Qwality Indian food on sources has better food, and edible pakoras.

On the positive side, since we went dress shopping on ST Hubert Street, we fabric shopped at our favourite 2 places. Marina's, and this other place a block over, that sells everything for $2.99.

I love Dennis Leary!

Yesterday I woke up at my friends place but had zero energy. I couldn't even get up with the alarm. I slept another 3 hours before I had the energy to call in sick. Spent half of the day either vegging or sleeping. Got home around 9:30 and managed to do 2 loads of laundry before crashing again.

I ended up catching a cold the week-end I helped Julia move. It's been bugging me as a sore throat on my right and right sore ear. It's been over a week. When it hurts I'm super phlegmmy.

One thing that always puts me in a good mood no matter what is Dennis Leary's skit, "My Kids". It's part of Lock &  load....

More chocolate

This one is good too but not Crack like the other one!!!!

I HATE vanity sizing!

I really hate vanity sizing. When I was growing up I was wearing size 6 or size 8 and occasionally even size 10, especially for coats, because I have wide shoulders for my tiny frame.

Well after years of making my own clothes when I went back to buying clothes, I found that I was fitting in size 0, and sometimes even in 00. Back in the early 2000's I ended up weighing all of 90lbs for some time.

A few months at home and I lost most of the weight I'd put on 3-4 years ago, due to quitting smoking cigarettes and also taking Evista.  Most of the jeans I'd been buying were size 4, but they are too big on me.

So today I went to American Eagle Outfitters to try on some jeans. In the end I came home with Size 0 jeans. The size 2 I could pull off without unzipping or unbuttoning the jeans. That means after wearing them 30 minutes they will just fall down.

I find it offensive to be wearing size 0.  I'm not a waif or too skinny or unhealthy or look like a heroin addict. At 5'1" and 100lbs I had enough body fat to maintain a menstrual cycle. So I should not be a 0. I wish sizes were back to what I was wearing back in the day. Size 6 or 8.

Time to pack the kids and run!

Oh BOY Muslims are going to take over Texas. It's obvious! First they ask for a cemetery, and just wait a few months and soon Sharia law will be all over Texas, because Muslims are going to take over!!!

Read here:

I'm really scared. How long will it take before they come to Canada with their cemetery plots planning to take over our countries and our laws and replace them with Sharia!

/End Sarcasm. The idiocy of the American South has no bounds!!!

Feel less naked now

I went to Fido booth at Galerie des Sources to ask about my phone and I was told it was discontinued.  So I did a search on Kijiji for Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Fido, and there was one ad that showed up Sunday, but it seemed the person was in Gatineau. As it turned out it was more of an error. I guess she put her street as Masson and it assumed Gatineau.  This is probably how I got lucky getting this phone. People assumed she was in Gatineau. Anyways, she sold me her functional phone for $140.  So now I have a phone again and feel so much better.

My friend met me at work with her 2 doggies to drive me to Rosemont to pick up the phone, near Masson and 1st avenue. Reminded me that my mom grew up in Rosemont and we used to visit my grandma's two sisters on 2nd avenue near Masson.

Suffering Withdrawal

I'm now suffering withdrawal from my Samsung Galaxy S4 mini! I still don't have a functional phone. These are my options:

1) Getting fixed = $500 or more
2) Buying a new one on Amazon unlocked = $350
3) Buying a 2nd hand one on Kijiji = $140 - $200
4) Getting another phone from Fido {not sure I'm ready to change phones]

For sure new phone could not be bigger then the Galaxy S4 mini!

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini screens in high demand?

So today I went to UBrokeitIfix it with my phone that no longer displays. I told the guy the problem and the model of the phone and he was like, the part for your phone is phenomenally expensive. He said, it would cost in excess of $500 for parts and labour. Suggested I get myself a new phone instead.

Now looking at buying a used functional Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. You wouldn't think it would be so expensive to get a phone fixed?!?!?!

I broke my Samsung Galaxy S4 mini

Last night when I got home from my friends house, my phone slipped from my hands when I was unlocking the door. Considering that I have an Otter box, I didn't think too much of it until I tried using it a bit later.

I broke the display. Now only displays in black. I looked on Kijiji, I found that for my phone they charge about $140 to fix the display. I can also get a used Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini between $160-200 on Kijiji. Have no clue what I will do.  I will also go to FIDO to see if they still sell the Galaxy S4 mini's  or  if I want a newer phone.

I had almost ordered a new battery for my Samsung Galaxy S4 mini yesterday on Amazon. I got as far as putting it on my shopping cart and then decided to think about it.  Well at least if I get a new phone I won't have a battery that does not match.

New Flavour of Covered Bridge chips!!!

When I went to Louise Gluten Free Friday, I noticed that they were carrying a flavour of Covered Bridge chips that I had never tried before. Sour Cream and Onion.  The bag is now empty. They were rather delicious.

Samsung Galaxy Ace II - and it's very DANGEROUS battery

Last Saturday I ordered a battery on Amazon for my friend. The battery for his Samsung Galaxy Ace II had been progressively inflating, to the point where his phone case was popping out.

When he first mentioned it, I strongly urged him to not put the phone in his pocket anymore, and to keep it in a fireproof area if he leaves it charging over night. I was afraid the battery would explode and catch on fire. If you Google search you will find house fires caused by the battery of this particular phone.

Of course places like Future Shop, Best Buy, The Source, and even possibly Staples, tell you they carry cell phone batteries. So do cell phone carriers. But usually they carry the batteries of recent models that they are currently selling. Rarely do they carry batteries for phones that are over a year old. If you go to 3-4 places and they keep telling you that they don't carry your battery, eventually you will cave in to the prospect of a new phone... which is what they kept offering him.    Battery arrived by mail Thursday night. Thankfully his phone survived the old battery, which is now put to pasture.

He's very happy with his new battery that cost all of  $15 including shipping, handling and taxes! A new phone would have been in the $200 range.

Louise, Gluten Free!

I've been to LOuise Sans Gluten [Or Louise Gluten free] twice now, two Tuesdays in a row. It's a small shop, bakery & restaurant that caters to gluten free people and diet. It's in Dorval on Dumont street. JUst a bit before the Dorval Circle.

I've bought so far, 1 loaf of their multigrain gluten free bread, and 1 package of gluten free buns. Their bread tastes decently and they don't use refined sugar, they use Honey.

I also found gluten free RAMEN. I can't remember the last time I had ramen soup. This is rice noodles with a Miso soup type mix. Can't wait to try it either camping or at a friends place when I need to bring quick food with me.

They also carry that delicious coconut/chocolate bar too!

I can't wait to try their baguettes. Apparently they make them Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Something tells me we will be going Friday!!!

Thoughts about Social Anxiety

Social anxiety. It's so many things. I'm looking at my life from a different point of view and asking myself why so many things "stress' me out.

I've never had my nails done. I go to the hair dresser every couple of years, with the exception of 2010 where I got my hair cut short twice. Once to join my eldest when she got hers cut for boot-camp, and later that summer since I was going to Lebanon, Syria and Jordan in September and since it was too short to be tied, I wanted it even shorter for that trip. The hair dresser is painful. I have very fine hair and a highly sensitive scalp. Having my mom brush my hair as a child was the bane of my existence. And when I cried she would remind me she was especially gentle having the same kind of scalp as I do. She would remind me that her mom was far more abrupt and rough combing her hair as a little girl and she survived. Either way, I really don't like having most people touch my hair never mind comb it. Though I must admit I had an ex who used to pet my hair like one pets a cat and I didn't mind it. Probably due to my cat like nature.

I don't like going to the dentist much and I have my teeth cleaned on average twice a year, but more like twice in 14 months. I hadn't seen a medical doctor in easily 5 years, not even for asthma meds, though I really should have them with me at all times. I've been seeing my therapist about every 4-6 weeks the past 5 years, except during my crisis this spring where I was seeing him every 2-3 weeks. I'm lucky too  my therapist's office is 5 minutes away from my home. This made it so much more accessible when I was totally crashed in spring.

Some people go to the store daily to pick up what they forget, I can go weeks without entering a store. I've been struggling with groceries, though I tend to do them most often during my lunch hour with a work colleague so I don't have to face the world alone. I seem to be able to handle shopping with others. Shopping alone, especially in crowded stores can set off my anxiety in the worst of ways.

The sad part is, I wasn't aware to the depth of what sets off my anxiety. I understand now why going to parties, get together and events stresses me out. Sadly I was with people who had large families and tons of get together and would really come down hard on me for not showing up to all these events, which drained me and made me crabby. Instead of being supported often I was chastised for not being sociable enough.

Healthy lunch

Today I had no lunch so I went to the IGA at  marche de l'ouest to pick up a salad and two fruits

It cost me almost $10. I can get a totally unhealthy lunch at McDonald's for $5. Crazy isn't it??????

I hate mornings.

Mornings can be EPICALLY difficult. Moreso when you aren't at home!

It's the 2nd time I sleep at my friends house and go to work straight from there. It's not too bad if I leave at 9am I am at work for 9:30, and there is not much traffic. Of course this is mid summer. I bet in winter will have to leave either far earlier or maybe even as late as 9:30.

I was really spacey while packing last night, and while I brought for my breakfast berries, nuts and cereal, I'd forgotten to bring the soy milk. No problem I thought, I have some at work. Left the nuts and berries at my friends place!

Other then that when I got dressed after bathing this morning, I realized I had not had the forethought of packing underwear. Thankfully I always have a spare underwear in my purse. Came in real handy this morning!

I mean change anything in my routine and chances are everything will screw up. Thankfully the cafeteria at work has delicious breakfast potatoes.

2015 is not a year for camping or canoeing it seems?

Well this past week-end I did not canoe or camp.  My friend and I were supposed to go camping & canoeing 3 days, but then things changed.  Not a bad thing, I didn't even have much energy at all. Spent most of the week-end vegging in bed listening to music.

We did go picnic with our Lafleurs at the Pierrefonds Marina. We saw a mom woodpecker and it's yearling hanging out different trees.  We did see a pair of ducks as well. 

The one thing that I was happy to see was a couple with a toddler, put a canoe into the water there, and canoe off and it seemed to canoe ok. So this is another place to take the canoe for a quick ride.

Woodpeckers

Creepy doesn't begin to describe how I feel. YUCK!

Today I have been talking with the ex-wife of one of my exes. This is the ex that I refer to as LOSER-EX. Because he was just so nasty of a human being. One thing I am sure of now is that he was NO EMPATH and instead he was one hell of a narcissist. A crazy one.

By the time I'd left him for a year I started seeing how much of an emotional manipulator, lyer, cheater and abuser he really was. But it took time. Took easily years after I left to realize the effect this man had.

Other then manipulating my kids so that they wouldn't tell me when he screwed up. He'd bribe them with candies and other things. He'd stolen all my children's money from their piggy banks. He stole my eldest artistic masterpieces and kept them for himself so my daughter would feel unloved. The list goes on.

While talking to his ex wife [Poor thing had several kids with this idiot], I found out he'd been sleeping with his nasty, incontinent mother since he was 12.  He used to bitch about his mother, how nasty she was and the like. She stank to high heaven because she leaked pee. Everything she owned stank of piss. I didn't even want her to sit on my furniture it was so nasty.

I often did wonder why  he spent so much time with her, after claiming all this negative stuff. But then some people bitch about their mom, so I didn't analyze it. Now I'm not sure how I feel. Other then really really really really really grossed out. I feel I need a shower from now till Labour day.

This chocolate is CRACK!!!!

I fell in love with this chocolate when I tried it 2 months ago. Unfortunately if I have the whole bar in one sitting,  I'm guaranteed the runs. It seems I can have half the bar, 12 pieces, and be fine.

It's sad. I LOVED chocolate. Pregnant of Sam, I ate so much chocolate cake I put on 10lbs in one month. I had not had chocolate in some time. 

It seems that I can tolerate the good stuff in small amounts.  This chocolate is divine. Everyone knows how.much I . loved nutella. Well this chocolate has hazelnut too, as well as pomegranates and the coconut milk and sugar make it beyond scrumptious. 

Dragonfly seesaw

All the best plans don't always work out. I was supposed to go camping this weekend,  heck it was going to be a three day trip, I'd gotten Friday off. I left work Thursday at 3pm to go pick up my friend. I get there and he tells me change in plans. Daughter arriving back from camp a day earlier then anticipated. 

 

So we did not go camping.  We spend a quiet night at my house so we could pick her up at Carrefour Angrignon at 1pm. We had breakie at Dejeuners Inc before heading to Lasalle. Last night we decided to come back here to go.canoeing today.  We also took.his daughter to the park... and this is when I noticed the cute dragonfly seesaw. 

Today it's supposed to be spectacularly nice, we hope to go canoeing in Riviere des Mille Iles. 

Reminds me of my youth

Most mornings I take Kingsley between Davignon and Sunnybrooke, which means I pass in front of what is now called "Spring Garden school", which I believe is now an integration school for children arriving in Canada. I noticed that they were adding pre-fabs the past week.

Just seeing the prefabs brought me back to the early 70's and Gerald McShane school on Maurice Duplessis in Montreal North. My mom sent me there, to challenge me, because it was a big school and it was also one of them new fangled "Open area" schools.  Each grade had one large room that was subdivided in 6 classrooms. One was generally kept to be used for arts the other 5 were filled with desks and the rooms were separated by shelves and partitions. The noise levels in these rooms was phenomenal. I used to go home from that school frazzled. Over stimulated au max!

The reason my mom sent me to Gerald McShane was because out of the 5x25 or so kids in each level, we would be divided for English and Math classes by skill level. So I was challenged on those levels. we had 10 or 12 classes for math and English. Usually the teacher would get a highly skilled group, and a less skilled group. They would show work to the skilled student and let them work on it while explain stuff to the less skilled students. 

Anyways, the other thing I remember about Gerald McShane was the Pre-Fabs... 70's style. They were ugly, they stank, and it was also too hot in June and September, and freezing from November to March. We used to get our French lessons in the prefabs, and instead of desks it was those stupid chairs with a little tablet which doesn't take into account some people might be left handed?!?!!

They are fixed

Both the dishwasher and the washing machine were fixed on Monday finally.

Monday we all used the washing machine.  I even put 4 loads of laundry outside on the line. Was not lucky, it rained buckets several times.  Was going to go home at lunch to put away laundry except there was heavy rainfall.

Instead we went to "Louise Sans Gluten" in Dorval. Picked up a multigrain loaf. So far so good, had a grilled  cheese goat brie sandwich yesterday.  Yum. They apparently make baguettes that are out of this world. 

No Consent equals rape....

Bill Cosby used to have a routine about date-rape. It makes things even more creepy, to realize that someone most of us admired is just a creepy rapist who doesn't even realize he's a RAPIST!!!!

It never ceases to amaze me how hard it is for some people to get the concept of consent!!!

Great fabric finds at Value Village

There was a 50% sale at Value Village on clothes and linens, of which fabric is part of. So two Sundays ago I ended up picking up 4 pieces of fabric, at ridiculously low prices. Now trying to get the smell of moth balls out of the fabric

The red fabric is some type of satin polyester, of which there was 1.5 meters, it was originally $2.99 so $1.50. The plaid fabric was a thick cotton flannel, of which there was 1.5 meters, originally $4.99. so $2.50. The pink lacy knit print had 2 meters and it was originally $5.99, so $3.00. The last of the fabrics was a pink and white cotton/spandex knit, of which there was 5 meters and it was originally $12.99.  So $6.50.  Normally a nice cotton knit is about $15 per meter.  So getting 5 meters for $6.50 is a steal. I can make easily 3, yes 3 dresses with this knit fabric!!!!

Severe lack of Women in some professions!

When I went to Concordia in Computer Science back in the 1980's I was in the 5-10% of women in that program.

The sad thing is, things really haven't changed much. Some engineering programs may have from 15-20% women, but that's the most they might have.  There are now more women in computer science especially in black box programming... maybe 40%

And then I read an article that there was a BOYS ONLY robotics program offerered in an Ontario public library. I get that many girls might not be interested but to make it boys only?????  I was so unimpressed.

Well thankfully one little girl and her mom started a petition and now girls can join. BUT WTF? I would have fought to make that program gender free no matter what!!!!

A couple of days in Kingsbury!

Just spent an awesome couple of days in Kingsbury.  We went canoeing in the marsh twice and even spent a night camping on the other side of the Marsh.  Hardly any mosquitoes. Just a few horse flies during the day in the sun.

ISIS - Those fools have little in common with ISLAM.

Interesting article I read on Huffington Post this morning, Did prophet Muhammad warn us about ISIS?

Happy Canada Day

Sadly I remember my buddy Rick on Canada day. It's been already 4 years. Time passes by quickly.