The Garden is Growing

Amber on February 28, 2004

So, Spring is pretty much here in Coquitlam. We have crocuses blooming, and all of the plants that died over the winter are coming back to life. The tulips are poking up through the ground, and new life is emerging everywhere. It’s wonderful.

I have grand plans for our garden this year. Since we took possession in June last year, and we were distracted with the renovations, the garden got lost in the mix. Right now I’m considering my options, planning, and pulling weeds.

Today, Jon and I went out and trimmed our hedges, as part of the clean-up project. It feels good to go work outside, and see the results. I’m looking forward to seeing what our yard looks like this June.

Tagged With: Gardening, Seasons

Two Whole Days

Jon on February 27, 2004

Lately I’ve been trying a new tactic with my work life. That is to try to take two days off a week. I know, to many of you that may sound a little foreign, but hear me out. It’s actually quite nice to have two days to do things around the house, or take care of errands, or spend time with your loved ones. This two days off a week thing is something I hope to continue, and you never know, it might just catch on.

Bad Veterinarian

Amber on February 26, 2004

Our vet, Dr. Ochotsky, is a lovely woman. I think that she truly cares about animals. And really, you’d have to in order to be around them all day, right?

However, our little Dorothy does not agree with my assessment. She feels that Dr. Ochotsky is a wicked woman, who runs a highly questionable establishment. In this establishment they poke you, they give you operations, and in general they abuse you for no particularly good reason. Anyway, this is Dorothy’s view of things.

We had to visit the vet this evening because Dorothy’s right eye is irritated. I’ve been watching it for a while, and it doesn’t seem to be getting better on its own, so in to the vet we went. I got an ointment to put in the kitten’s eye two times a day for one week. You can guess how excited Dorothy is. It’s bad enough to go in for a flea shot, but this ill treatment is coming home now, and the cat is not impressed.

Tagged With: Pets

Snack-o-Rama

Amber on February 24, 2004

I face an ongoing dilemma when it comes to my snack choices at work. As my husband will tell you, I’m always hungry. Often, this hunger is at odds with the best food choices. Really, how many vegetables can one person eat? And after our mythical person finishes all of these vegetables, will he or she actually be full? My guess is no, although I’m sure their colon will be absolutely marvelous.

My current solution to the snack problem is a huge bag of almonds and raisins that I keep on my desk. However, my co-workers are overwhelmed by the size of my snack supply. They fear that if I can eat this many almonds and raisins, that I am not above consuming a colleague or two in a pinch. While this is a valid concern, the reason I have such a large bag of snacks is so that I have something healthy to munch on at all times. So far, so good.

Tagged With: Navel Gazing

TGIF

Amber on February 20, 2004

It’s about that time on a Friday afternoon right now. Anyone who works in an office will know what I’m talking about. I walk up and down the hallways, and no one seems to be around. They’re all ‘working from home’, or ‘using up their banked time’, at least according to the post-its on the office doors.

As for me, I am toughing it out. I have three hours left to go, and I’m here for the duration. And, if I appear to be bitter, it’s just that I’m not properly set up to work from home, and I have no banked time. This is my own fault, so here I sit hard at work.

And, what’s my husband up to this fine Friday? Well, his friend Jody is visiting from Calgary on a sort of bachelor’s weekend before he gets married in June. So, I’m sure Jon’s solemnly lecturing his friend on pertinent issues like financial planning and good communication. Or something like that.

Computer Problems

Jon on February 17, 2004

I think I am now resigned to the fact that when I bought this computer it came with a not very good power supply. Now the computer has a really hard time when I’m doing anything processor intensive. The crashes and lockups are becoming more common. I’ve been doing some research, and all signs point to the problem being the cheap power supply. I thought I could be one of the few who didn’t have problems, but of course those people do nothing more than check their email. Email checking, or blog posting for that matter, is not the kind of thing that will cause power fluxuations. Apparently creating zip-compressed files is just the kind of thing that makes this machine have a brain cramp. At least power supplies are not the most expensive component in the world. The problem is that installing one basically means rewiring your system. But monkeying with the insides of the computer is a fun thing.

What’s Your Sign?

Amber on February 16, 2004

Tonight at Brownies we’re learning about Chinese New Year. This is about one month too late because Brown Owl can’t read a calendar. I mixed up Chinese New Year (Jan. 22) with Islamic New Year (Feb. 22) when we were planning our meeting schedule. We decided to go ahead with the Chinese New Year meeting anyways, because it should be lots of fun. We’re making a dragon!

To research, I was looking up the signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Jon and I are both dragons. Apparently, dragons are the best and most sought-after sign. Of course, we knew that.

We’re currently in the year of the monkey. Our friend Milly tells us that dragons and monkeys are very compatible, so we should have a monkey baby. However, Chinese astrology doesn’t matter enough to us to sway our decision-making process. And really, aren’t all children monkeys, underneath it all?

Tagged With: Girl Guides

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Amber on February 14, 2004

Jon and I had a lovely Valentine’s day. On Thursday, Jon drove down to Burlington to buy me Krispy Kreme donuts. Very good. I also got some magazines and chocolates. This morning, we went out for breakfast. Now that Jon’s stomach is doing better we can actually go out to eat in the morning. Such luxury! Then, I gave him a travel guide for the Pacific Northwest. So, all in all, it was a good day.

A year ago now, we were getting pre-approved for our mortgage. It’s funny to think about how much has changed since last Valentine’s day. Big things are happening with the Strocels, for sure.

Very Bad Cat

Amber on February 13, 2004

We have a Very Bad Cat. Here are some more recent examples of her badness:
- she has resumed her late-night mewings outside of our bedroom door
- I am now forced to store my contact lens case in the drawer, because otherwise she plays with it
- we found a stash of forbidden items, including old tissues and a spare key, under our bed
- I found an avacado in the laundry room, when I left it on the kitchen counter (kittens are Not Allowed on the kitchen counter)
- the other night I left the door open to Tilly’s room when her cage door was also open, and I found Dorothy in the cage with her
- she bites ALL THE TIME

We don’t know what to do. Our kitten is a bad egg, and she does not listen. Our only hope is that she will mellow with age. Of course, when that happens we will be all misty-eyed with nostalgia about the kitteny nonsense. There’s truly no winning, here.

Tagged With: Pets

Knobby Knolls

Amber on February 11, 2004 Leave a Comment

This past Sunday my mother and I visited Minnekhada Park in Coquitlam. The park is mostly boggy wetland, distinguished by small steep hills, called ‘knobby knolls’. The landscape is unique in this region, certainly.

There is a lot of bird life at Minnekhada, which explains why it was originally the site of a hunting lodge built by Vancouver lumber magnate Eric Hamber in 1932. Mr. Hamber became the 15th Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia in 1936, and the lodge became a sort of recreational residence for Lieutenant-Governors after him, until the province sold it to the GVRD in 1983. Today it’s a lovely place to go walking with many trails suitable for varying abilities. You can also visit the Lodge on Sunday afternoons, where they serve refreshments.

It was a lovely spot. Here are some photos: