Red Cedar

i’ve been pretty much cut-off from the internet all day owing to a firewall crash at work – in fact our access just came back 15 minutes ago. i don’t want to go all cliche about internet withdrawal – but it’s been an annoying work day without access to the rest of the world (and yes, that’s what it feels like). i did end up using the telephone an awful lot today which helped to ameliorate some of the sense of disconnect. besides that, i managed to pare my inbox down from 1100 messages to 45 which are all action items…. and recycle all the endless bits of paper from my desk – so huzzah, life is a little tidier at the moment.

the fall-rains have truly come – the last few days overcast and even a dusting of snow on the higher peaks around howe sound – we are barreling into winter it seems, and even though fall is my favourite season, i am barely able to acknowledge the end of summer. i’m in the right mode though for rain, reading endlessly and with a good wool coat and umbrella – my habits are right in line with the weather.

i bought two garden books yesterday at the united way used booksale at work (both from the 80s, but only two dollars each), and so am also thinking to plan my garden and some build some planter boxes for my deck over the winter. with the hearth and burning-can, and the greens i have already been planting, i have much greater visions for that deck space which is a great hang-out in good weather. i suppose i will need a small power saw since i already have a drill and hammers and such – and i should probably keep my eye out for waste wood of varying sizes.

i feel like a bit of a different person lately – i bought new clothes and my hair is longer – people have stopped recognizing me a lot. it’s a bit strange and i’m not sure why i’m making these changes in the first place… they just keep happening one after another. first i thought i would not cut my hair for awhile, then i decided i needed to start swimming every day, and then i bought a bunch of new work clothes (which i haven’t done for a couple of years) – but it’s not like i’m thinking about changing myself, i’m just doing it by my actions. all of which makes me realize that my *self* isn’t really anything to do with my hair or my dress or my exercise habits – which of course – duh – but it’s good to recognize as things about my physicality do change. it’s a bit curious for me – that’s all – i’m interested to find out where i’m going with all this.

winter 2005, grasses in the yard

i’ve been a bit remiss in posting since last week – mostly because i’ve been pretty busy and pre-occupied with work and other commitments and have spent surprisingly little time in front of the computer since last thursday.

a few things going on these days – i spent the weekend on vancouver island at my folks place and then went to the institute of ocean sciences in sidney for a work-meeting yesterday. the visit with my folks was good, though i am often disturbed when visiting the island at how much development is destroying areas that i knew and loved as a kid – whole mountains stripped of their trees and redecorated with ugly and expensive housing, valleys redeveloped for golf courses, big-box stores planted on once-rich agricultural land – distressing to say the least. i’m glad i made the decision to move to the sunshine coast when i did, though i’m afraid it might not be long before the type of development-destruction takes over there too.

didn’t manage to visit any friends this weekend, as i haven’t been to the island since late-spring and i really owed my parents a full visit this time. i’m hoping to go back in november and catch up with other folks – it’s much easier for me if i just keep the friend and family visits separate if i only have a weekend.

since last week i’ve been working at getting into a routine of swimming during my workdays – going for 20 minutes of laps around 11:30 or so (earlier turns out to be better at the y) which i think will make for a good habit to get into for the fall months. there’s also a lunchtime pilates class twice a week i am also thinking of going to – but really, there’s nothing like swimming to take you totally out of the work routine and into a much better (more relaxed) place. no one around here really notices when i take my lunch break so as long as i can work around my scheduled appointments in the day, i am free to go anytime.

work itself has been a bit hectic the past couple of weeks and i suspect it will continue to be so as union and job responsibilities pile up over the next few months. i had a presentation to senior management this morning that had me nerve-wracked, though everyone seems to think i did just fine. two more meetings this afternoon on totally unrelated matters (one work, one union) – and i still haven’t got the week’s groceries since i got home late last night….. seems so much to do, but at least i feel able to get it all done for a change.

on the fun front, i’m pretty sure i have found a regular jam i want to attend in gibsons comprised of some of the nicest and best folk musicians around – i went last thursday to check it out for the first time (secretly dreading meeting another round of “weird” traditionalist musicians) and ended up pleasantly surprised by this interesting group of people. in turn, each person picks a song to play with the circle (whether it’s the first time it’s come to the circle or the 2oth time, or no matter who is there), and over the course of the evening you might have to put forward anywhere from 3 to 6 songs depending on how many people come out…. it will definitely challenge me both in my improv skills and also to learn new music to share (my repetoire is a bit scant at the moment). i’m really excited to have found this (through an invitation from my friend steve) and thursday night has become “booked” for me unless i am off the coast for some reason.

so yes, things are mostly pretty damned fine at the moment, and i’ve got a meeting to get to (unfortunate, but necessary).

so – this morning i managed to talk myself into signing up at the ywca again…

… and then i swam 20 laps in the pool. i’m pretty pleased about that at the moment (not that 20 laps in 20 minutes is any great achivement – but it does mean i swam a 1/2 a kilometre on my lunch break which is better than most days).