Seen and Heard

I found this little gem of common sense while searching online for nice gifts for friends' baby showers:
BLUE BRIGHT STRIPED PATCHWORK NURSERY BEDDING
Bright multicolor stripes veer this way and that inside patchwork squares. The stripes are yarn-dyed for lasting color and the quilt’s edges are embroidered with decorative stitching. Reverses to solid blue chambray. 100% cotton; bumper has polyester fill. Machine wash. Imported.
Quilts and pillows are not for use with sleeping infants; see Crib Safety Tips.
One might, if one was feeling very very daring, ask What the Frink a Quilt Is For, Then?

Also, a joke from one of my firm's clients:
Q: What do you call a black man flying a plane?
A: A Pilot. What are you, racist?

I Forgot to Add,

...and then it cleared up. The mighty Nicomekl returned to her banks,

and the mountains returned to their proper places on the horizon.

B.C. is so much prettier in the sun.

On the Weather, Because You Care

After 489,354,716.2 days (alright, I exaggerate), it has finally ceased raining. Thank You God. The weather went out with a bang, then a little whimper (just three more days of gentle rain), and it has been sunny for THREE DAYS NOW. The bang was the storm we had last weekend, starting Friday night, knocking out power to the area (except for our lot - we have a generator, because of the greenhouses) until Sunday morning. Lightning, thunder, cloudbursts, raging winds, sizeable chunks of tree lying across the road, the whole deal. I love storms, so it was a good weekend.

Dad, despite absence of antidepressants, cracks a smile in anticipation of laying waste to fallen piece of nature, while Mom prepares to assume fetal position.

You can't photograph the wind, but you can try to capture what it's doing.

Little brother found these two barrels with !!!HYDROGEN PEROXIDE!!! WILL EAT YOUR FLESH!!! labels on them in the ditch. My first thought was (we live in Surrey, after all) OhMyGoshTheNeighboursHaveAMethLab and I was all set to call the cops on them, when Dad came along and told me we use the stuff in the greenhouses. Oopsy.

Dignity Restored

I start work Monday at a law firm. It's only a temp job, but it pays a decent wage and will last me through February. Also sent out application for editor job and hope to hear back about that soon. If God really wants to show how much He loves me, temping at the law firm will last long enough and give me just enough $ to pay for the move and deposit on an apartment out on the prairie.

Mood: sort of "Yay!"

Prayer request

As all of you know, I've been battling the dark demons of unemployment for some time now. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though; tomorrow I'm applying for the job of my dreams, and I'd appreciate any prayers sent my way. A small-town newspaper in Saskatchewan is looking for an editor, and I think they should hire me. Now don't laugh - I do have substantial English skills, however poorly I may demonstrate them in this blog, and I've been trying to get work in the editing field for some time now, so I'm really excited about this prospect. As it is a small weekly newspaper, I'd probably get to take part in all facets of production, which would make for great experience as well as more variety in my work. Also, housing prices in SK are a third or less of the prices here in the Lower Mainland, which means I'd actually be able to live on my own without selling soul or body to pay rent.
I'm getting my hopes up way too high already, I know, but - or rather, therefore - please pray for me.
Thanks much. -Mel

Rain, rain, go away...

It rained again today, as it has every day but two or three since the beginning of December. Here's an excerpt from the morning paper on the subject:

"Today is Groundhog Day, and its de-facto commander in chief, Punxsutawney Phil, will be popping out of his hole. If he sees his shadow, he'll disappear again to duck six more weeks of winter. No shadow and he'll amble out for an early spring.
If Phil lived in the Lower Mainland, there'd be a third option. After making his entrance into the sodden season we've been enduring, he'd just shoot himself."

At least the bureaucrats probably won't ban lawn-watering this summer.

For a Laugh - Video Clips

Brokeback to the Future:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfODSPIYwpQ

(For the following two, please ignore links on the sidebars)

Speak English?
http://www.break.com/index/speakenglish.html

Subtitles
http://my.break.com/Content/ViewContentPublic.aspx?ContentID=Yc6TabU0VEY%2bIfBA0Qsk9Q%3d%3d&ContentTitle=Iraqi+Terrorists+Interviewed&ContentURL=http%3a%2f%2fmedia1.break.com%2fdnet%2fmedia%2fcontent%2firaqnews.wmv