Single Sock Syndrome

I have never had a single sock, ever... I always finish what I start, eventually. But not this time, I must admit that this little pair anklets that I started way back when did not get finished and will never get finished. I found the pattern tedious and badly written.

I've now found a use for that single sock.

Socks in July! Yes, absolutely... it is unnaturally cold here with temperatures under 20 Celsius most days.

There are ten days left before this beauty comes off and I have a feeling it's going to be a very hard ten days. The cast has started to loosen and with every step I take it moves rubbing the wound underneath and hitting the wires that are still there. There were many stitches in the foot and just a thin gauze was wrapped around my foot before the cast went on. There is a strip of foam going around my ankle but it has stretched as well. I've tried sewing it up a bit on the sides to tighten it but heck, it's foam and we all know what happens to foam.

I am getting a bit depressed altogether and missed a couple of important occasions. I forgot to call my two grandsons on their birthdays last week and my offspring was getting a bit concerned. Being stuck in the house is the pits and with the weather not cooperating, sitting out in the yard is not even an option.

We are entering week four of the garbage/civic worker strike here in T-dot and thus far a resolutions doesn't appear to be imminent. The big Caribana week is coming up and some of the events are up in the air. That would really be too bad as it's Toronto's premier summer festival.

Priceless!

Gotta love Andy Donato...

My Toronto - The Dirty

This is what has become of our beautiful, clean city. Not a pretty sight. We are now in week three with no end in sight. The unions have dug in their heels and so has the mayor. It will be a long, hot, stinky summer.




During the last garbage strike in 2002, our then councilor rented a truck and picked up garbage from the elderly and disabled in this neighbourhood at his own expense and time. Our current councilor doesn't reply to email information on the strike. Telling...

Does Anybody Fall For This Stuff?

An email I received today. Just think, I could be rich...

Hello Dear,

I am Deborah Williams 23 years of age the only daughter of late Mr Boni Williams whom was killed by the rebels that attacked our country cote d'Ivoire west Africa and took over our town (BOUAKE). I ran to Abidjan the economical capital of cote d'ivoire from were I am contacting you.Before the death of my father he told me that he has a sum of US$2,100,000(Two million one hundred united states dollars) kept in a bank in cote d'ivoire in my name as the next of kin.

Please, in the capacity of the next of kin, I am contacting you with due sence of humanity and responsibility and with few awareness that you will give it a sympathetic and mutual consideration. I am honourably seeking your assistance in the following ways.

(1)To provide a bank account where this money would be transferred to.

(2)To serve as the guardian of this fund and to visit the bank to take delivery of the consignment.

(3)To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a residential permit for me in your country.

(4)To provide good investment plans for the fund and to manage the fund for 5 years, during the investment period,only our profit will be shared annually 70% for me the investor while 30% will be for you the fund manager annually. Moreover, I am willing to offer you 20 % of the total sum as compensation for your effort /input after the successful transfer of this fund to your nominated account overseas before the investments
starts.and I have maped 5% for any expenses that might be incured during the course of this transaction.

furthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting me as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within a stipulated period of time you signify your interest to assist me.

Thanks and God bless you.

Best regards,

Deborah Williams

.

Well not me, not today anyway... not until dear Deborah learns how to spell.

Garbage Strike In Toronto - Day 16

This strike has started to impact this household in ways I hadn't considered initially. In terms of household garbage it's not bothering us all since I have devised my own method of dealing with it. I compost all vegetable stuff, freeze leftover food matter, recycle like mad and what's left just stays double bagged until the strike is over. There is no smell, no raccoons and no maggots and I don't have to use neighbourhood parks, which I think sucks anyway.

No, the bigger impact is on my husbands business. He has now turned down three jobs that require him to remove demolition material and take it to the local dump. This was always included in his service since there are very few homeowners who would want to take their own debris away.

There has been one fence job and two kitchen jobs which he has now turned away. We certainly can't store old cabinets and old fencing in our driveway. Steve's also not prepared to wait hours at the local transfer station while the strikers hold up all comers. I suspect we are not the only small business in this predicament.

Toronto is starting to look pretty ugly these days and by allowing parks to be used for garbage it's pitting neighbour against neighbour. Our city council had lots of time to settle these issues before it came to this. At the moment the Mayor and most councilors are missing in action as in not working and getting paid for it. All our local municipal offices are closed. No one can get a building permit. I think this is in support of the unions. Anybody considering a visit to our fair (stinky) city this summer should certainly reconsider. It's not a pretty place right now.

There has been talk of compensating homeowners for lost services but no one can compensate us for the lost income this strike is causing us.

Back From The Wild

It was a peaceful five days just hanging out listening to the birds, watching the chipmunks play and waiting for the hummingbirds to visit. They didn't, it was too cold and rainy. Out of five days I think it rained of and on for three of them. It was also cold, in fact the coldest July 1st long weekend in recent memory. The temperatures rarely went above 15 Celsius and this morning we woke up to a chilly 4 c, brrr...

Nevertheless, I did get some knitting done. These will be socks someday soon, as soon as I can decide on a pattern. I started and ripped back three times and still haven't made up my mind. It's pretty yarn though. There was some more knitting but I'll put that on my knitting blog tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the boys (Steve invited a friend and his son) were out fishing just about every day, all day and brought home dinner every night. They even cooked it and I did pretty much nothing except sit with my foot propped up. I sure knew how to milk it...

The star of the weekend, Michael caught the biggest fish. Not bad for a 6 year old...

And my foot...seventeen more days and counting. I can hardly wait.

The Sock's Gone Away

And I've gone along for the ride. Even though it's pouring rain and the temperature is around 12c
(low 50's) we are braving a few days at our cabin in the bush. Bass season has opened and since my sweetie has been so busy taking care of me, he deserves a few days of fun. At the time of writing, he has already brought back 4 bass and 5 perch. Good dinner happening tonight.

There is only dial up available here and it took almost ten minutes to upload one photo, I probably won't post again until we return home some time next week. Only twenty days left to go for the wire removal, I'm counting.

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends.