The Canadians

Before the series, I didn't even know we had a player called Dale Weise... Goes to show... I'm firing my intel guy.

2006

2006. That's when I started this blog. Mademoiselle Caroline was a regular. I believed in it. I've just been on a trip down memory lane. I cannot believe it's been 8 years. So much has happened in 8 years, so much. Yet some things are still the same. I still have Loukhi, sole survivor of that era. The house still stands around me, scarred, altered, but still warm and beautiful.
I still have this outlet to voice my thoughts, an outlet neglected for several years. Overall I think creativity is very important. So even though i've lost all my following, no wonder, in the hiatus, this blog is still alive. I'll try and keep it that way.

Received a back-pack to hold my camera and lenses today. I'm now ready to go!!! Next shoot, tomorrow at the arena.
Daffodils ready to bloom any day now. All three of them. I'm so excited.

Thrilled

An awesome match, regardless of how number seven turns out, big win, Habs!

A House in Bloom

Happy Mother's Day

Hair

Timid Spring

What's Wrong with this Picture?

Err.. Wait! I see it! There's a long-haired cat lying among my Clean Laundry piles! 

Yup. Sigh again. 

How Not to Get Tongue Tied When Speaking to an Astronaut

I've no idea. If you find out, let me know. Though I fake I'm not, my brain goes dead every time. Sigh.

Meanwhile at Home

The Princess is alive and doing well, playing Princess at every turn.

The other cats are by no means unwell but I'm testing my lenses.

My "garden" is not exactly "flower prone" which makes this all the more delightful.

The Beauty Around You

"But yes, there is a quality of life in SA - an environmentally beautiful one i mean, that is very special."
Marie Viljoen

With these words, my sister-in-law gave me a sudden flash of " déjà vu" and i thought : "that 's exactly it!".

I was thinking of my own childhood on the French Riviera. May be you cannot heal from a beautiful place. I think it haunts you forever more.
It can leave you starved, even in the most friendly places.

In Search of the Perfect Hockey Shot

Will it be an action shot? A close-up? I'm not sure yet. I have many obstacles against me: low light, shooting through thick, damaged protective glass, the speed of the action, the limitations of lenses... Still, it's a Quest. I love a challenge.

Eating Ham... Or Trying Too

Tuna you said? Forget it. HAM is the new " it " thing in the cat world. Bring home a nice smelling roasted ham. Try, just try, to cut yourself a piece. Then try, just Try to eat it.
You've never been this harassed! Relentless purring cats just all over you, several at a time so all the angles are covered. Pushy, demanding, sneaky, ferocious, anything it will take.
You fend them off with one hand, dodge, keep eating with the other, until that wonderful, delicious piece of ham has just been wolfed down in the most un-ceremonial way and you haven't enjoyed a bite of it. You're just happy YOU ate it, and not them.
That's no way to savour a delightful ham.
Some things have got to change.
This is no way to live or eat.
I'm writing a complaint and having it notarized as we speak, for all cats to share.
If you want to join me, Free Ham Eating.com
Because we have to make a stand.*



*please note this is complete jest. Terrible issues are worth making a stand for. This is not one of them.

Creative Toys

I got me a new toy!!!!!

Except when i got it, it made a little jiggling sound of a lose or broken little part in the case.

Not Good.

Brother said: "Send it back!"

I sighed and said: "Yes, Brother".

I did.

I ordered again this time straight from Canon.

I should be getting my new Rebel camera within a week.

And i'm excited!!! (Add sparks here)

I've missed having a real camera badly. The pockets versions simply never did it for me.

Can't wait to shoot some more bad pictures ;)

Life, according to Chris Hadfield. Life, according to Sasha.
Chris Hadfield says: "Be prepared!"
Sasha says: "What?"
I like to vary my philosophies.

Pistorius

It has been intriguing me. I haven't lost any sleep over it, but i have been wondering: which opposite side of the tale is the truth? Accident or intentional?
After analyzing every information in my possesion, and i might be missing crucial pieces for I'm so far remote, my conclusion is drawn: i believe Pistorius murdered his girlfriend. I feel like the truth is out there, if only the right questions were asked.
Why would she lock the bathroom door if they didn't argue?
Why, while you girlfriend is sleeping over, do you first think of an intruder when you hear noises in the bathroom?
WHY WOULD SHE TAKE HER PHONE TO THE BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHGT?
Why doesn't he insist on a lie detector test?
Who would blindly shoot through a closed bathroom door, even in a dangerous country?
A friend of mine said: well if he killed her on purpose, he's a very good actor since he's been breaking down so bad.
That argument is empty. I believe he killed her. And i believe the decent human being took over and he is crushed by remorse and fear of consequences. I believe that's what making him cry and throw up. I don't believe he is a cold-blooded killer. But I do believe he murdered her. Crime of passion. Male egos get so big.
I could be wrong. Good luck to the judge. I've been on the fence for a while, but currently, my opinion is formed.
Not that it makes a single difference anywhere.

Sans titre

"Using pain to relieve pain. It doesn't make much sense."
Veronica Roth. Insurgent p.154

Status Quo

It's 9h45 pm and all four cats are curled up and asleep on my bed. In other words, all is well. Until I move my legs.

Respect

He is a doctor so I don't know how many lives he saved, how many he lost.
But on March 13, 2014  in the Canadian Space Agency's cafeteria, Astronaut David St-Jacques jumped in and performed the Heimlich maneuver on a choking man at the table next to him and saved his life.
The next day, he twitted as if nothing special had happened.
I salute you Astro_DavidS. I believe astronaut training really does prepare you for any emergency.
Respect.

Thank You

A furious arctic wind is howling outside.
I am so safe in my warm bed, not fearing any explosion or gunshots, either now nor tomorrow.
I don't know why i was destined to be one of the privileged ones, but i am so thankfull.
Now just imagine Taylor Swift. Young, gorgeous, talented and wealthy. How thankfull should she be?
Now just imagine a young Syrian fighting for survival...
Thank you for my safe, warm house. Never wondering where my next meal will come from. Never fearing for the health and welfare of my loved ones.
I am hugely privileged, but i recognize every moment of it.
Hang in there, World.

Supremacy of a Regime

I've whined about it before. One queen-size bed: 4 cats/1 human. Who do you think is the losing party? Do you know how much space cats, curled up or spread out, actually occupy?

If I dare try to move a leg, I should say to navigate a leg between the lumps:
Miss Sasha immediately jumps off, offended (to comeback in the exact same place 3 minutes later).
Loukhi follows suit (coming back 5 minutes later).
Sweet Lulu... Bites the hell out of me!!!! She who NEVER bites, would bite me to draw blood at night if I didn't quickly remove the offending body part. May be she suffers from nightmares. AND she snores!!!
Chinook... Doesn't budge. It would take ( and has taken) an earthquake to move Chinook.

I am humble. I know my place: Ideally on the couch in the other room. Failing that, take as little room as possible... Then don't you dare move.

I'm owned by 4 cats. Not always a picnic.

Carey Price

"How happy are you right now?"
"I'm very happy!" Big grin.

This is about as excited as I've ever seen Carey Price.
He has his detractors, here in Canada, who claim he's overated. But give him the chance to prove himself with the best of the best, and he simply did it. He was a quiet wall. His last two games were shut outs.
Quietly, without fanfare, he blocked everything that needed to be blocked. He was a rock.
I'm more proud of him that i can say.

Happiness is...

...A gold medal in hockey for Canada in Sotchi. Happiness is in essence ephemeral. Seize the moment. Congrats, boys. I'm thrilled.

Aaaaaand... Here we go

Just what I didn't want. Price, my favorite goalie against Karlsson my favorite player.
Whoever wins, I'll be thrilled, but in the end, I'll have to go with Team Canada. They played so well against the US!
And the truth is, i'm jazzed in a way. No matter what, my two favourites have earned themselves a beautiful gold or silver olympic medal, and fantastic memories.

Just when you thought...

Just when you thought the suspense couldn't  get any higher... There's the women final between Canada and USA. What. A. Match. What a vicarious thrill. I was on an adrenaline high for hours. If you watched, you know why.

I did feel sorry for the sobbing Americans though. That was rather heartbreaking.

I don't have a good feeling for the Canada- US men semi- final tomorrow. In fact, i expect to lose. I'll be watching! Go team!

If you think this blog has turned into a hockey blog, don't worry. It's the Olympics. You must enjoy while it lasts!

Canada vs Latvia or the End of my Nails

Of course, the truth is, my nails are very short. But if i had had any to bite, they would be gone, baby, gone.
It was an impossible match. Canada tried and tried and tried and tried. Canada sent 57 shots (against 16 from Latvia). Nothing went in.
Ok, there's one time where the goalie clearly pushed the puck in, but it was denied to Canada through the powers that be.
The Canadians were literally camping in the attack zone. Still nothing went in. Latvia was a wall. It was unbelievable.
Weber saved the day. I was spent.
We may lose to the US Friday. It will never be as nerve racking as today, against obscure Latvia. The Olympics are exhausting! (And i love it)
In the meantime, Crosby oh Crosby, WHERE are you?

Hooked on Hockey: it's All His Fault!

3 years ago, i knew nothing about hockey. I mean nothing. Nothing. Did not give a s****.
Then a friend of mine put it in his head to teach me about hockey. I'll never know why.

He's a Great Teacher.

I Listened Carefully.

I started learning a few interesting things.
My friend actually plays as goalie.
I went to watch.
I was hooked.
In 3 years, i must have missed only 20-30% of all the matches he played. I simply don't get tired of watching his performances, wonderful or terrible as they might be.
I also watch his practises, as the learning curve is fascinating.
We went to see 2 Canadian matches together. Was great to have his knowledge.
Of course, I will always be biased towards goalies. I watch them more than anybody in the game. Heh. Learned behaviour.

So here comes favourite number one:
Carey Price.

Then, among the "mere" players, comes favourite number two:
Erik Karlsson.

I'm watching Sochi with my heart being in it for Canada, but hoping Sweden will still medal.
In the meantime, i'm watching garage league games, and i still enjoy the heck out of them. As long as my friend plays goalie.

I'm just hoping it won't end in a Canada-Sweden match. Imagine how thorn i'd be!
Thank you friend for introducing me to hockey. The skills involved fascinate me to this day.

Facebook

Is it really your Friend? Or your friends?
Is it a sign of what your friendships are like? Or a sign of what they are not?
When no one reacts to what you think is a major post, may be it's time to think again. May be it's meant to stay very, very superficial.
Ok. The rhythm of posting simply does not allow for thought or introspection. By the time you post a major post, 10 of your friends have posted about something else and your post is just lost in the tide.
Just remember that.
Throughout, some post are worth stopping and thinking, and feeling.
Slow down, Facebook. Slow down.

Sotchi

So I've been quizzing a few friends: Sotchi, terrorist attack or not? I was tending towards yes until a conversation I had today.  My interlocutor pointed out that Poutine's pride being so much at stake, any dissident party responsible would be... Bulldozered. The payback would be extermination. I believe that. Knowing what Poutine is like, I believe that. A former Canadian Defense Chief of Staff wondered: "I wonder how many people this man has ordered to be killed?" . Chilling you say ? I think even the most desperate black widow will not bring that to her community. The Sotchi's Games might be safe after all. Time will tell.

In Memory

In memory of Charlotte. Potcake. My beloved Bayou-a-mice-coco-Rose aka Rosie. Beloved dogs

Run, Forest, Run!

Trying to configure an Ipad 1 for my mother. Talk about hard work! I've been on it for 2 hours and not done yet. As a contrast, when I went from my Ipad 2 to Ipad Air, it took I Cloud all of a minute to restore every single feature. Sigh. Technology is running faster than we can keep up with!

So long Charlotte. Love you girl.

Father and Daughter

Photo credit: Erik Mosvold Photography

My friend Ollie and his first daughter. What a powerful picture. I adore it.