9:57 p.m. - 2003-08-16
Odds and Ends
Pea soup, that was our air yesterday. Not fog, it was smoke from the forest fires. At nearly zero visibility at times, it caused a lot of accidents. With temperatures in the 30's C and nearly 0 on the humidex, our health authority was warning even healthy people to be extra careful if and when they had to go outside. I had exercised the night before didn't risk it yesterday. As it was, my lungs, throat, and eyes were stinging with the smoke. My respect and sympathy goes to the families living near the fire. They've been coping with these conditions for a month now - they must be exhausted.
The area where the forest fires are still out of control is quite close to where Kevin Costner shot his new movie "Open Range". I'm glad to hear it's getting such good reviews. I don't usually care much for Westerns - although Dances With Wolves, Jeremiah Johnson, and Little Big Man were the best - , but I think I'll be renting or buying this one when it is done in the theaters.
I learned today that one of my favorite mystery writers has two new books out. I searched the internet and found a website for him Tony_Hillerman. The homepage consists of a very nice letter from Tony Hillerman thanking people for taking an interest in his books. There are pages that list profiles of his earlier works, his current books - "Sinister Pig" and "The Wailing Wind" -, his bio - he's been honoured with a lot of awards such as the Edgar (for mystery writers) and a photo gallery.
I can't wait to read them, but I think I'll have to go the library route for now. I should have enough money for small pleasures, but two years of poor health and the resulting time off work means no savings. Even though I've put in somewhere between one to two hundred hours on the work Elections Canada requested at the end of March, I haven't received anything other than an advance for my time. A lot of the Returning Officers have made the point that these assignments are hour heavy with very tight deadlines (ones formulated for people who have no other obligations). A number of Returning Officers, including myself for example in this last round, have been threatened with being fired or have been fired from our regular jobs when we've requested time off without pay to meet their deadlines. Not only is it difficult to get those deadlines extended, Elections Canada will not pay until ALL the work is submitted. So even though I had to take a part time assignment this past month to accommodate their demands and even though I've sent in everything except a report on a meeting I'm to schedule with all the political parties I have no guarantee when I'll be paid. One of my co-workers waited six months to be paid after a very long and difficult assignment. Just can't win sometimes.
Miss Kitty and her babies are a constant source of pleasure right now. The little ones have commandeered the hallway outside their nursery now so we've blocked both ends off for their own safety. They gambol, as Victorian novels are wont to say, at all hours of the day or night. Mock cat fights, chasing phantom prey, pouncing and climbing lessons (remember Lion King - hakuna matata) occupy their hours. They looove having their tummies rubbed. A few now sneak tuna and milk from Mom's feeding bowls, then turn around and demand to be nursed as though they were starving. They are all teething. Ask me what it feels like to nurse a teething infant - it's not something you forget, ouch! They crawl all over their Mom, nipping her ears and tail, pulling her whiskers and climbing on her back. Mom has taught them all to use the litter box - yes! But a few of them think it's an interesting place to play too - yuck. All developing their own distinct personalities.
Watched a PBS special this afternoon about Elvis and his love of Gospel music. Those songs were my favorites of all his work. Even now, when I was listening, they sent shivers up my spine. I hadn't realized until now, that his death 26 years ago was on the 19th anniversary of his Mom's death. I was too young to understand when Gladys died and I was too shocked to think about it when the announcement of his death was made. It may sound strange, but I had always felt he was a very vulnerable person. From the age of 19 no personal freedom and no private life. A lot of people around him who took a lot and manipulated his environment all the time. He seemed to take his position as a public icon as a great responsibility. I often felt very sorry for him. In some ways I felt glad for him when he died - released at last. The length of time be's been dead really didn't register with me until I looked down and realized I was having a peanut butter and banana sandwich for supper so I could concentrate just on the program. Never mind. Anyway, that revelation meant I went and made supper for my men. Steak - cheap cut seared in a bottle of number four son's beer (Kokanee) and black bean sauce with salad and garlic potatoes on the side. As I was cooking a sudden recollection of dreams I had had about a year ago involving Elvis, peanut butter sandwiches, home life and some kind of momentous event or decision occurring all together. Can't really recall it all but I remember puzzling over it for weeks. Odd.
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