11:44 PM - 12.09.04
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I was awakened by a reggae serenade at about 3:30 in the am this morning. I like reggae, but not necessarily when I can feel the vibrations down my breastbone and it's the middle of the night, thanks all the same. Now the neighbours on the west side of my home have been there for about 20 years and they have always lived an "alternative" lifestyle - one the police aren't all that happy about. Chose this community likely, because with all the new Canadians there wouldn't be enough people of the "resident" culture to challenge or "out" some of their more outrageous behaviours. Not that we haven't tried.
Anyway it is likely that part of it was my fault. Sometimes I will put on some of my CDs as I'm writing my reports for work because some of the information is coded in the music I was listening to as I was working you see. That's how I used to study too decades ago. Worked well too. I'd be writing an exam and all I would have to do is recall the songs I was listening to at the time to remember what I had been reading. Our computer is in the cats' room which is on the west side of my home. The room can be somewhat odorous as a result - especially on hot, sultry summer days, so I usually lock the cats out - no kittens on my keys - and open the window. The neighbours have built themselves a firepit - just feet from the new fence they also just built to separate our properties and feel the night is theirs in terms of noise and partying. Even though my CDs were always off before midnight, they resented my choices of music mightily sometimes and their catcalls made that obvious.
Of course, a couple of times I chose those CDs just to make the point that music can also be noise pollution when one isn't fond of the sound. One night I put on ABBA and "Dancing Queen" just about sent them wild. The odd thing being that at the height of the Disco craze their music played at night was so loud that one could hear words of each song clearly even down in the other corner of our basement. Not cool anymore apparently. Sometimes they've obviously really liked my choices too. One night I put on the brother from work's CD and all of a sudden there was silence outside - this from a group who were thoroughly drunk and obnoxious by then. Another time I was playing the remastered Marvin Gaye CD I picked up for a couple of bucks at the music store sale. It must have brought back some painful memories for one of their guests though - he left quite distraught. I could be too that I was playing it close to the anniversary of his murder and it hit a nerve.
Today number three son came by at about 9:30 am and my youngest and I joined him for a trip out to one of the small farming communities about 70 KM/45 miles out of town. It was a beautiful drive to the west and south of the city heading toward snow capped mountains under a brilliant blue summer sky. We were slowed down a bit by several different barriers. The first was the road construction - closing the one major north-south freeway in parts is absolutely necessary to tune up and extend the road before the snow and ice of winter sets in but still... The second barrier was when when bisected the road race that is part of the corporate challenge. Wouldn't be wise to run over some of my co-workers would it? The police were everywhere protecting the cyclists though so it was a moot point. Just got past that and we were in to the traffic for one of the major sporting events in our city in September. The Spruce Meadows International Horse show and competition. Horse trailers and RVs as far as the eye could see. They don't move all that fast and rightfully so - just grin and bear it. Finally got to the country road that took us to the Millarville race track - given over this day to the farm families selling off their wares. It's been an incredibly tough season for the ranchers because of the Mad Cow disease problems but they were all gracious and generous to a fault when we stopped at their tables to browse.
As usual my weakness is books and music and everything came in around one or two dollars for the most part. Each vendor often through in little extras as a grace note. At one table I was given a collector's spoon and I said that they must have read my mind since I collect them too. Next thing I know they offered me their whole collection for 5 dollars. Spoons from all over the world. Found a pair of nearly new rockport sandals for 50 cents. Now I'd been searching all summer for a decent pair of walking sandals at a price I could afford with no luck. To get a pair the fit me exactly and that are known for their quality and longevity was just about too much to believe. Astrology, children's and herbal books and a deck of Tarot cards - something else that I've been feeling Ineed to work with again. It's been years but the intuition is saying there's a reason. Fine - the universe provided so I can figure out why. Some CDs - I have to try them out on the neighbours some day - Michael Bolton won't likely do much for them but that's ok. They're lucky I didn't give in to the urge to grab up all the Julio Iglesias CDs there - there was a whole set of latin and salsa CDs for the taking. A rose quartz necklace and what appears to be some form of jade ring for under 5 dollars - and yes I can tell the difference between real and plastic. The lady selling them was wearing a beautiful amber pendant but she wasn't open to selling that - yet. Maybe next year. Brand new Tupperwear and I didn't even have to attend a party and a crochet scarf just about did it for me. Number three son picked up a whole set of weights for 10 dollars and my youngest found a brand new controller for about one eigth of retail and an original Mastermind game. My sibs and my Dad and his neighbour were there too. They all found treasures of their own as well. Picnicked out behind the bleachers for a bit but a thunderstorm blew up before long and we all parted company. My sons and I stopped at Peter's Drive in - THE burger joint in Calgary - on the way back home just to complete our country foray in the proper manner.
Home time has been housework, laundry, and report writing for various work issues downtown and federal - yee haw. Listened to the news and wished I hadn't - really just wanted to know what the weather would be like tomorrow. Hurricane Ivan trashing Jamaica and heading for the Caymans. One of the women I worked with in my last contract just moved down there at the beginning of this month to start a new job. I looked at a position that was posted for there that would have been perfect for my skill sets. Even talked it over with my youngest with respect to relocating there. We were worried about our ability to adapt to the heat and also to the smallness of the islands themselves. The information indicated that they were among the safest of the island groups - "almost never being in the path of any major storms". Almost never isn't quite good enough if you're there when that one in one hunddred year storm hits. I hope she and her family are all right - very nice person she was. anyway,time to put our pouting cats to bed now that I've sluiced out their stinky room and washed all their blankies. Tuna and fresh kibble should ease their pain I think. I still have another hour or so of paperwork to go so I'd best sign off now. Good night dear diary. Keep your sticks on the ice and your heads down Team Canada - we know you can take those Finns.
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