Call in the Troops. - This yard ain't big enough for the both of us!

So yesterday I made the decision to take action!!!

When I was in Africa I had a mosquito net to cover my head, like a hood.  It is one of those ones that people use when they go camping....  I looked everywhere for it - couldn't find it.  Then I stumbled upon this mesh bag in the basement I use for my picnic dishes - I decided it would be my shield to protect me from the wasps.  It was firm yet I could still see through it and breath easily.

Then I had to get the right tools...  I stopped at Canadian Tire to pick up the spray that is used to get rid of the nests.  There was about 5 or 6 different kinds - I couldn't tell the difference.... They were all between $6-$12 so I went mid range and the prettiest can - Shiny purple!  
It also made it sound Fast Acting - Jet Foam....  Sounded high tech to me....  Ring it in!

Then I had to finish suiting up - Notice the duct tape around my sleeves....  I didn't want to risk the little wizards finding their way into my shirt.  That just gives me the willies thinking about it!!!  They fly so fast and they come from no where - couldn't chance it!
I noticed the second layer of the nest was almost done (this was within 24 hours! that must be where the sentence busy bees comes from!!) so I had to act quickly before they put the call out for more tenants to move in to the newly renovated suites!

Every time I got close to aim the spray - I would freak out....  Something would swoosh by my face or I would feel something on my neck or some freak out behavior.  I have serious problems obviously!  I couldn't do it.  

Mind over matter.

I just couldn't do it for the fear of retaliation.  These little critters get mad and they come for you with vengeance.  My mind was playing tricks on me and I became more and more spooked to deal with these stupid wasps.

So - I made a call on my very own Red Batman Phone - or as I like to call it - the Direct Dad Dial....

Called my dad and he came over to assist with the abatement and removal of these un-welcomed guests!  I had to laugh because he decided to  use the mesh bag over his head too!  Those things have no mercy when they come at you!  Freaky!  I stood at a distance with my hood up and ready to bolt back to shelter if there was any resistance and protest to the move.
Everything seemed to go according to plan.  The Jet Foam did it's job and nicely filled the void where the wasps lived and sent a message to the stragglers they weren't welcomed here any more!
Oh yes another funny part of the whole ordeal was when the rest of the wasp family started to return to their nest and they found a foam filled village.  There was no where for them to go.  Clearly, we were to blame for their misfortune and they were after us.  We had already started to let our guard down and take off the protective layers like a good hockey player in the dressing rooms - removing their pads that protected them during the game.  That was when they came for us!  My dad just starts randomly squirting the Jet Foam around the yard trying to plop some foam onto the wasps!  He hit one of them and it was dead on contact.  Not sure if it was suffocated from the foam or they were actually poisoned from the spray.    

All in all - it turned out ok.  Safe and sound.

I am just hoping I don't have to deal with the squirrel.  I can't imagine the Jet Foam needed to remove that critter!

Question 3

Puppies- just how destructive can they be? Tell us your story.

I went away for a weekend and left my little puppy, Paris with my brother and is wife. They just moved into their newly built home and decided they would contain her to the linoleum area by the back door when she wasn't in the basement or outside. My dog had a few toys she liked to play with and they were all in her lino corner. My sister-in-law noticed Paris was being rather quiet for some time so she walked over to the the back door and saw little dog ears perk up. My sister-in-law saw a cloud of white batten stuffing from the toys strewn about on the floor, it was like Paris was sitting in a cloud of white but she is no angel! The fuzzy toy innards were everywhere and my sister-in-law just laughed at the sight before she had to bag up all the mess and throw away the prized toys that became limp hollow fabric shells now.

Question 2

Tell us about your loss of a pet
There are 2 days from my childhood that relate to having an animal that I remember like it was yesterday because of the impact those days had on my life.
The first day was when I was going into Grade 2 after a family meeting we all piled into the car and drove to the local SPCA to pick out a dog. I don't remember any of the other dogs but Grizzly. He was a skinny 6 month old collie X that just shook from the excitement in the back set with me on the way home. He was a little timid at first but quickly became my best friend. Everyone in our family loved him deeply as he travelled with us to visit grandma, we took him camping in the mountains and fishing at the lake in the sun and on the ice. Everyone loved him because he was a great family dog.
In the coming years my mom decided to go back to work, my dad was worked long hours at his job that frequently took him out of town and I started to find new things to occupy my time as I grew older other than caring for the dog.
The second life changing day is still so real to me even now as I reflect on it. When I came home from my friends house, Grizzly did not come to greet me as I walked in. I remember asking without concern, "Mom, where's Grizz?" Her and my dad called me to the dining room, sat me down and with very upset and emotional faces said they started to talk to me. I don't really remember how they said it but they made the decision to surrender Grizzly to the SPCA for another family to enjoy him. Our schedules were so busy that he was being neglected. No one was taking him for walks, or grooming him, he just hung around the house and the yard because everyone in the family including us kids were too busy to give him the love he needed. I remember trying to negotiate his return, "I'll do more... I'll do better..." and then running to the basement wailing in tears for hours, it was a flood of emotion like I had never felt. I knew Grizzly wasn't dead and that another family was going to take him but I had lost him from my life, no good bye.
My dad loved that dog and he had to bring my uncle with him for support when they dropped him off. I knew it was tearing him apart too. The following day my uncle went in the SPCA to see what happened to Grizzly because he decided that he was going to adopt Grizzly because he loved him too. When he asked the staff there about him they said he was picked up earlier that day by a young family who lived on a farm just outside of town who needed a friendly family dog. They sure lucked out! Our family still struggles to talk about that day because of the intense pain that we all felt. My dad still breaks down in tears when he thinks about those days, but we always have the memories of the good times and the comfort knowing Grizzly was loved by many.

New Year, New Day, New Traditions

Where has the time gone... It feels like forever since I was able to sit down and write a little ditty.  I guess it became an excuse to wait and hold out for something significant...  To add something of monumental proportion because it had been so long since my last entry - the follow up had to be amazing!  However - I just kept procrastinating and therefore I have not written since the end of summer.  Shame on me!

Well, part of my delay was due to some computer problems that were the cause of many frustrations.  I made the decision that I would buy a new laptop this year and well I did. I seriously LOVE my MacBook.  I have been playing with all the different features and it makes me laugh... Check it out...

Seriously - I wasn't even making a funny face in these pictures - it's juts the way the camera effects distorts the image....  So funny.... 

This one cracks me up - It makes me look like I have a round face and a HUGE nose!! Ha ha ha!!

I spent an abnormal amount of time making faces with the different effects.... all of which made me look disgusting... still funny though.

As for other fun stuff - I spent Christmas eve alone in a hotel in Saskatoon.  

You may be thinking "Oh poor girl, how lonely - but it was actually fun!! I went swimming in the hotel pool because it was completely empty... no surprise.  Then I took my dog for a walk in an older heritage area of the city and came upon an old anglican church.  I heard the old pipe organ playing Silent Night, Holy Night and I stopped for just a second to savor this moment.  

I walked to the back side of the church and I noticed they had 3 large stained glass windows that were lit up from the service going on inside.  I examined the images closer and they were that of the 3 Wise men, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the middle and the Shepherds in the last window.  It was a very mystical moment as the pipe organ music played, the crystal snow flakes reflected the street lights and I stopped for a second with only my breath vapors moving in the stillness.  

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.    Luke 2:9-11

As for future post... I'm back.

And I will keeping you updated on the "goings on" in my life.  

Stay tuned for some exciting news...

  

PGA (Parents Golfing Assistance)

Both of my parents have decided to take up golf in the past 5 years. They play for fun mostly but they have a little edge to them when they play. They say they want to just enjoy the walk through the fairways and the birds chirping in trees along the greens but I noticed a little edge the last time we were out on a local course. My mom missed a shot and it went into some bushes where she proceeded to stomp through to find her favourite Callaway ball (EVERYTHING she uses is Callaway - I would swear she was sponsored by them!). My dad was about 50 feet ahead and kept playing to the hole and I could see both of their frustrations mounting. So much for fun! Eventually, I went over to help her find her ball and she finished the shot but my dad was already to tee off at the next box. My mom and I came along and all of a sudden things changed from a leisurely game to a race through the course. It felt like "speed golf!" Mostly because my dad could see another group of golfers 2 hole back coming up from behind us. He doesn't like to be rushed so he wanted to hurry up the game - ironic hey?
My mom has a funny way of thinking about golf - so simple - she says "I just want to get the ball in the hole, technique doesn't matter just sink the ball!" I laugh because she has so much fun talking about her game more than playing it. No topic is taboo to her - from the philosophy of the game to the outfit she bought for the certain course dress codes. She is a chatty golfer, and she brings snacks for everyone! It is a hoot - no shortage of stories! At least she has a good time!

On this occasion they had to wait to tee off and they are chatting away - sort of distracting but I wasn't about to make a fuss, it was fine. I also enjoy watching my dad, he appears to have the Mike Weir style figured out and can drive a long ball but he can get a little too enthusiastic in his short game. I overshot my ball on the green so I called my dad over to help me retrieve my ball from a gopher hole - I could see it but I wasn't about to reach my hand in it just in case it was bitten off! I tried jamming my club in it but that just pushed it further - finally my dad grabbed it out and gave me a drop on the edge of the cabbage.... at least 60 feet to the hole - one shot - clunk! I was so proud of my fluke! Don't ask me to do it again!

Another thing about golfing with my parents is that even when I make a bad shot they are so encouraging - "Good shot" or "Nice hit" or the classic "Wow good job!" What else can they say they are my parents! I was so annoyed at one point because I lost my ball in the trees so I hit another and it went to the same area my mom say "good job Erin, Golf is a game of consistency and you are very consistent" I could have thrown a club at her! In golf there is such a thing as too much encouragement! Either way, we had some good laughs.

My mom loves the short game - I think it is the mini-golf from her childhood coming out. She has the skills once its on the green! I am always watching her judge the slope and the weight of the shot to sink her ball - "remember Erin, just get the ball in the hole." It was a fun event - I am sure we will play many more games again.