The Ins and Outs of Housesitting

After two rather eventful years of consistent housesittings, I can confidently share some of my knowledge.

For your convenience, I have compiled this list of very valuable questions for you to ask a homeowner if you are ever in the market for a housesitting gig:

1. Are there any pets? This may seem like a strange question to have to ask as there are usually hints around a house which will help you to know whether or not there is a domesticated animal present. I have been to the current house I'm sitting approximately 5 times before and I still didn't know the face of the adorable little dog who inhabits the property. If you would like to avoid the awkward "I didn't know there was a dog" conversation, ask the question.

2. Can I have friends over? Some homeowners will not only approve, but entirely encourage gatherings. I have many times been told I should have friends over;  followed by a noting of the location of extra beds and bedding. If you would rather have permission to invite all your Mennonites over for a week long party, ask the question. 

3. Where is the electrical box and main water shut off? Now, let me tell you about the looks I get when I ask this question. Apparently, it is not normal for a woman of my age to entertain ridiculous ideas such as being able to keep a house in one piece, should a disaster of a sort occur. Also, if you are a homeowner and you don't know where these things are, you should probably figure it out. Ask the question (if not for your sake, then for that of the homeowner).

4. Finally, how much WiFi do you have? You may think it is more important to ask what the password for the WiFi is, but these homeowners look at your age and assume you will need your technology to survive. I would be more concerned they won't have enough WiFi to support your cheapo filippo Mennonites who NEED to stream the baseball game, right. now. If you're more interested in your guests all around enjoyment than friendly interaction, ask the question. 

Now that you are aware of the all important questions essential to the operation of a pro-housesitter, you are all set to embark on a housesitting venture of your own!

Fly my dear grasshoppers! this is t-bear signing off

QOTD

Consistent bloggers should never cease to blog, for fear of constant, aggressive harassment. 

this is t-bear, signing off

Thank You

Dearest People of this Earth:

Birthday's are so weird.

The Facebook once brought to my attention the significance of the balloon, via: "Happy Birthday, here's a plastic sac of my breath." If that doesn't make you feel special, then I don't know what will.

One of my anxieties is being the centre of attention. I want my voice to be heard, but please don't know that it's me using the voice. I rather adore the anonymity of a pseudonym.

As is usually the case, I don't appreciate the big deal that is made of my ability to add another year to my age. Therefore, I do my best to keep the knowledge of my birthday a secret until the actual day, when the Facebook ruins it. (I really need to take my date of birth off that social media goon.)

Most people wouldn't even know when my birthday is without Facebook. I often find it strange when that one person you haven't seen in five years takes the time to profess their congratulations for your not dying over the course of the last year. For at least five seconds they were thinking of you, and only you. Creepy, but also special.

Unfortunately, even if Facebook didn't tell people when my birthday is, there are too many humans on this earth who already know; and will gladly make sure that everyone else in the room is fully aware.

I did my very best to convince you people that my birthday wasn't special, that it was just a normal day in my life. 

I told my mother that all I wanted was crepes for supper and ice cream cake for dessert. She was appalled that I wouldn't ask for gifts and, therefore; took it upon herself to gather a few items that she knew I would love to receive.

It's not that I hate to receive gifts. Who doesn't want a beautifully wrapped piece of someone's fabrication? It is rather the fact that I have come to find what is more important in life than items of physical being. 

So, I guess I have to say thank you. For your Facebook posts, your loud exclamations in Tim's and Ronald's, and your non-four-part-harmony singing. (And you call yourselves Mennonites.)

My birthday is no longer about me feeling special for turning another year older. It is now about me feeling special for the opportunity to have so many of you wonderful people surrounding me with your love. You have no idea how much I thank God for all of your pieces that make the puzzle that is my life. 

Stay golden,

t-bear

The Blue Bus

You know when things get quiet and your mind begins to wander? When you find yourself thinking of your childhood and you start to get all emotional? You begin to think of all those happy times and become sad, because they are over and you will never be able to replicate them.

If you don't normally experience this sort of nostalgia, then you are probably in some serious walk-down-memory-lane withdrawals. Hans Zimmer can assist with a blast from the past if you are struggling to flashback Thursday.

The particular series of memories that I'm thinking about delivers these exact feelings. 

It is the end of an era with a rather unfortunate finale, but we won't talk about that part.

Sunday, March 6, 2016 marks the day we lost a dear 14 year old family member. Although the circumstances of the loss are not particularly wonderful, the health of the family member had me threatening euthanasia for the past few years. 

Now, I realize that I have been leading you to believe that we lost a living, breathing creature; but this is not the case.

On the aforementioned Sunday, there came about a vehicular crash wherein we were disposed of our dear  2002 Dodge Caravan. 

As the nostalgia has been strong, I have compiled a short list of memories of the minivan to share with you. Unfortunately, I can't share it all. Probably mostly because I moved on from the van about eight years ago. You really can't expect a teenager to choose a minivan over a Volvo. It just isn't done. 

Cue the memories:

- Carpool throughout all four years of high school. There are a lot of memories within this statement, but I just can't possibly summarize them into one.

- That one time that Pa said we weren't allowed to wash the van anymore because all the dried mud was holding the frame together. (The big guy got rather rusty near the end.)

- The most recent adventure involved us traveling to the airport and the upper rad hose protesting. We should have known better than to take such a long (three hour) trip in the old guy.

- This one time (maybe even the last time) we were traveling to Chesley Lake when Pa went over a bump as Syd was taking a drink of water. She dumped the whole bottle of freezing cold water onto herself. I still remember the look on her face as the water doused her. 

- When we were in elementary school, if the buses weren't running because of snow or fog; the Blue Bus was always running. 

Hairs to the future! this is t-bear signing off

Lavender

Let me explain this whole "ecocube" business to you. 

One day, you may be searching through the beautiful Chapters website looking for a $10 item to add to your order to receive free shipping. (Free being the Mennonite way) All of a sudden, you stumble upon a collection of ecocubes that promise a future of flowers. 

Each ecocube comes fully loaded, flower already planted in the soil. All you have to do is water the cube and let it bask in the sunlight. How hard can it be?

Well, the cube suggests that it should take approximately 2 weeks for the dear plant to arrive above the soil. I had almost lost hope in my plant nurturing abilities, when I discovered a little leaf poking through about 4 1/2 weeks after beginning germination. 

I feel I was quite justified in my lack of hope. Our humble abode is a rather difficult place to grow and maintain the life of a houseplant.

If you Google "who can't keep a houseplant alive", I guarantee Google Maps will zero in on our humble abode.

Now, I don't blame the humble abode. I blame the people. I would like to say that it is just our generations but I fear we acquired such a trait from Oma. 

I am happy to report that the lavender is still alive. A mere inch above the soil, it towers over the three-legged table it rests upon.

Every day the lavender gets to take a trip from its three-legged table by the east window, to the dining room table at the west window. Sometimes I really wonder why people buy homes that don't have southward facing windows. 

Whatever the case, I feel that I have taken our inability to grow plants and turned it a couple degrees to the positive. I feel it's too early to declare a full 180.

Brought to by 11 degrees Celsius at 9pm on March 8/16, this is t-bear signing off

How to improve your Sunday.

Some of you may be sitting around thinking that your Sunday is already as good as it's ever going to get. This is why I feel it is my obligation, as a fellow human being, to give you some hints as to how you could improve your Sunday. 

I always start my Sunday off with a little Jesus-ing at our lovely local Mennonite church. Now, I'm not saying that you are required to check into a Christian establishment, but you might want to take some spiritual time on your Sunday morning. I guarantee it will brighten your week. 

If you didn't have plans for lunch before your morning activity, find plans. Good food is just around the corner. Also, it's really wonderful when you bring friends along to add conversation. People just look at you funny when you start to get really into your own conversation. Helpful tip; if you are going alone, bring a novel. 

Once you have finished your meal, acquire half a dozen sugar coated donuts. Don't question it, just do it. Careful where you set the bag, the grease may be seeping through the bottom. Not to worry, it's just a confirmation that there is goodness in the bag. 

When you finally arrive home after the events of the morning/early afternoon, pick up a book, "watch" golf, or maybe sit with a nice chocolate martini and a jello cup; and catch up on a television show. I would also recommend family board game time. The enjoyment is endless. Relationships will seriously be tested. A good time will be had by all!

If you are feeling super adventurous, figure out where the neighbourhood Mennonite people are hanging out, and get yourself an invite. If you are that influential person who gets the group together; make the plans, invite the people. 

Your Sunday may just be a variation of the above activities, but it will still be a successful time. Don't forget to document and share on various social media sites so that everyone will know that you didn't just sit at home the entire day.

Happy Sunday! this is t-bear signing off 

Carnival Dream - 2016

Ten things you should know about my 2016 southern vacation;

1. If you are sister, Syd, people will gawk at your McDonald's grade soft ice cream twirling. I was rather jealous myself.

2. Hot tubs in the Caribbean are a wonderful idea. Especially in the sun. Especially on a Monday.

3. It was discovered that walking down the cabin-only decks feels like walking to China and back. The Youngest Cousin will gladly let you know how much he absolutely hated the walk from fwd. to aft.

4. If you wake up at 8:04 am to the sounds of the cruise director, Jase, letting you know that there has been a medical emergency and you are pulling into port; you just might be arriving in Cozumel four days earlier than you should be.

5. Serenity (the 21+ deck) is a very serene place to sit and write in your travel journal with Ma, Pa, the Aunties and sister, Syd.

6. The people of Honduras are a wonderfully humourous group of people. The only thing they lack is height, but don't let that take away from their ability to successfully run a zip-line course through the canopy a trees.

7. Following the visit to Belize, I have adopted such phrases as "Unbelizeable" and "Belize you me". Tour guide, Jeff, is the instigator of that escapade.

8. Tour guide, Jeff, inherited some beautiful sunglasses. In completely unrelated circumstances, I purchased new sunglasses in Cozumel. 

9. The dining room is always a lovely place to try new and delectable foods. However, I didn't find myself trying alligator fritters or frog legs like The Youngest Cousin. I felt so honoured to be sitting beside such interesting foods.

10. If you questioned whether or not 14 people (our 13 plus the driver) and, approximately, 18 bags/pieces of luggage could fit into a 10 seat van, don't anymore. It was a tad bit squished, but hey, we're all family!

this is t-bear signing off