I live in hope

Hope is a risk that must be run. - George Bernanos

And I live in hope. Hope that my lifestyle will not be as exciting, hope that my job will be more fun, hope that we’ll sell the old house, hope that the fog will lift - many things to hope for.

Yesterday as a second day spent in the district facility was…looonnnggg. I began the day early as I had at least 45 minutes worth of errands to run. First I had to stop at the post office and send along the original birth certificate of the soon to be tall ship crew and mail my membership for the Writers Federation of NS as it’s about time I stopped relying on the kindness of my writing partner to forward the newsletter. Then I had to be first in line at the Registry of Motor Vehicles as the ton truck was a month past its registration. My other half is a person who if you name any place in Nova Scotia (or elsewhere likely) will have an errand that you can do for him there. Going to Liverpool? Needs something at Steel & Engine. Going to Yarmouth? Needs something at IMP. Going to Shelburne? Needs something at Shelburne Diesel. You get the picture. Then a (futile) attempt to get a watch battery. You wouldn’t think it was that difficult a task would you? Wrong. I tried two drugstores, Superstore, Staples, Zellers and a jewelry store - no luck. By then it was time to head in for the first meeting so out of patience and time, I deferred the search to the end of the day.

After a full day which ended with a mumps meeting where the word is that the province is going to serve notice to employees that if they have refused the MMR immunization without medical cause and are in contact with mumps then they will be excluded from work without pay. Now this should be VERY interesting when it plays out. Can’t hardly wait.

After heading home late and finally accessing a watch battery - can you believe a little sucker like that would cost over $9? Time to start the evening routine. In yesterday’s case this meant 1) leaving a voice mail that the birth certificate was on its way 2) searching the Safety Council for Motorcycle Safety Course dates - yep it is this weekend 3) calling the girlfriend of the above mentioned course student (who is fishing until Friday a.m.) to make sure she rounds up the safety gear, reminds him of it and makes sure he gets there as it’s a $425 value 4) Being frequently interrupted by the youngest daughter who was sorting out the gear for camping as in “where is the____ “(insert multiple requests here) with repeated trips to the barn for gear, washing equipment in two sinks, using my good dish towel to dry said gear while I was attempting to write my art stories for the writing group. On the last stomp into the living room from the computer my other half says to me with a grin “what’s the matter - writer’s block?” I’m pleased to report that he was not seriously injured by what ‘slipped’ out of my hand.

Today began with me glancing out of the bathroom window at 6:30 a.m. while getting ready for work to see a neon green set of oil clothes looming up out of the fog in front of the house. One of the local rockweed harvesters was standing in the stern of the boat making his way across the harbour to begin raking. Positive identification by the life partner due to style of boat, type of oil clothes etc. Small place, no secrets here. Thankfully I could see him but he couldn’t see in the window.

Today at work was one of catch up from office absence so I was behind before I started. Collected an armful of mail, staggered to the office, attempted to log onto computer. Mouse is dead. Try all the troubleshooting I can think of. Call the help desk who suggest all the things I’ve tried, plus restart (which I do against my better judgment as it makes the system really slow and cranky - much like it’s operator - for at least half an hour), they leave a message for the tech. Tech calls back and suggests that since it’s a wireless mouse (which I don’t have at home) maybe the batteries are dead. I ask around and am told the batteries are in the storage room which is now an overland safari away due to the construction zone which is covering the elevator and end of the corridor so the long way around means a trek through another corridor, past the lunch room and back up another wing. Mission accomplished and yes it was the batteries. No the little red light next to the battery symbol does not mean you have power it means you don’t, red is always bad the tech tells me. Nice to know. Good start to the day.

The day progressed as it started with the list at the end longer than the beginning. What can you do? Retire? Not yet so…

I arrived home late to find that the landscape designer had completed the retaining wall for the flower bed on the other side of the house - looks great! He informs me the neighbour has visited as he “caught his finger in the electric planer and would like me to take a look” This request to play Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, is because we are 30 minutes from the nearest hospital/Dr office and I often look at rashes, cuts and other injuries and attend medical ‘events’ As I wait for the injured party to arrive I’m instructed to “get the step ladder from the barn” as the handyman is (finally) going to check the gutters. This has been an ongoing issue akin to when the car makes a noise and the only one hearing it is a female - it’s all in your imagination - until you get to the garage and the men there believe you (because they’re being paid to) or something falls off. But I digress. The debate about the gutters has gone like this since early spring off and on every time it rains:

Me: the gutters aren’t working as the rain comes out the top and is pooling on the ground
He: nah, must be the way the wind’s blowing it across the top of them
Me: there must be something blocking them, you should have a look
He: I don’t think the ladder’s tall enough and what would be blocking them anyway?
Me: there is a reason the water is coming over the edge
He: I don’t think it’s that bad and there’s nothing that can be done about it anyway
Me: can’t you see the marks from the water drumming down near the corners?

Finally when we were working outside on the flower bed on the weekend in the rain the water was cascading over the gutters, no wind, rain falling straight down, I pointed and said “look at that, those gutters are blocked, are you going to take a look or not?” So this checking the gutters could hardly be considered a spontaneous act. Can you guess what the outcome was? The gutters were blocked with some kind of organic (rotten and stinky now) material which when pulled out let the water rush into the drains on three corners. The most amazing part of this story is…that he admitted his wife was right ‘this time’. An historical moment.