On this site as in life there are always under currents. The little things you share with perhaps one or two or perhaps more, which lead to relationships. The relationship can take as many forms as there are people, the common denominator is honesty.
Undercurrents are probably more prevalent than most people would let on. They aren't to be broadcast because the are appreciated on levels which don't need to be shared.
Then there is the under tow. This is what you read about on a regular basis on the forums, chat and blogs. This is the drama, this is what some aspire to.
There are many who simply want to exist in the "public" mind for their promised 15 minutes of fame. I don't think that is all though. There is something which many of us fail to remember.
The "moment" we all have experienced it. A time when there is no possible way we could have been thinking clearly we were too wraped up in it. The moment is what NN was made for. The moment is what we perv on a regular basis. The moment is what we try to capture in every pic we post whether we care to admit it or not. If the moment isn't ours we hope to inspire it in someone.
The moment is something to be savoured. The under current is something to be treasured and the undertow is something that we all get caught up in from time to time.
philosophical,
ju

and the big con by the toy companies.
I just watched a segment on the news about the latest toys to keep kids busy for the summer. The toy companies were saying kids were always wanting something new when in fact especially with little kids I think it is the parents NOT the kids that are needing to be entertained.
When I was a kid, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth mud pies were something you made in the garden after it rained or maybe in the sand box if you had one. Like most "toys" we played with the main tool was our imagination.
My kids have always been "allowed" to get dirty and wet and in the process have developed great imaginations. New toy? LOOK it rained there is a puddle!!
Now just imagine my look of disgust when this item was featured.
[url]http://www.babyage.com/products/617096_little_tikes_little_tikes_makin_mud_pies.htm?cp=sh85196&utm_source=sh&utm_medium=Default&utm_campaign=85196[/url]
The kid doesn't "need" a plastic kitchen to make "good" mudpies and would infact be happier just playing in the mud, where it doesn't HAVE to go into the bowl or whatever.
Now before I get off of my soap box do I have to mention how much space this mudpie kithen will take up in the landfills when the season is over as opposed to the puddle of mud in the garden just drying up?
Shaking her head at the people who actually fall for crap like this,
ju

Is it possible to be female and have a male friend with no sexual undercurrents? No desire to "connsumate" the relationship?
Is it possible in the male mind to just have a female friend without wondering.... taking the relationship further?
Is it possible for a man to have a friendship with a woman without trying to steer as a gentle word or dominate as a more honest word towards the direction you would like her to go?
Is it really possible to have a non sexual relationship with the opposite sex?
Or is that just a figment of my naive brain.
Truly perplexed,
ju

It was a lazy day, I felt like doing nothing and then all the sudden shit hit the fan!
I must thank cuz for taking so much damn time to sort stuff. He prolly has no real idea how much I appreciate it but I will attempt to say thanks
In the chaos that was going on I managed to have a rather philisophical chat. I have done my research and haven't come to the conclusions I have lightly. Some do just to rebel, that isn't a good enough reason for me.
In a round about way I got to prove I was right. Small victory but a victory and lesson learned none the less!
Somewhere in the chaos I had a few moments to remind myself that this is me, this is my life and as I am living it, I am learning each day.
It really is all worth it, sometimes you just have to dig a little to find out why.
ju

to be "spoiled" for mothers day. The taters are ready for the hash browns for breakie, all they have to do is toss them in the pan and scramble a few eggs.
The rice is ready to go for fried rice. The chicken is thawing so all I have to do is make the sauce and then all they have to do is chop some veggies and toss it in the wok for a fab mothers day chinese food feast.
I have left some laundry for them in case they really feel like spoiling me but of course the dishes are all up to date so I don't have a huge over flow on Monday.
With just a little preperation they can give me the best mothers day ever and some ammo for when they have kids and feel like they aren't appreciated!
ju

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100505/sc_afp/canadascienceenvironmentanimalbeaver[/url]

Industrious little creatures we have for our national animal! The fact that it can be viewed from space has left me in awe.
If you are Canadian show me your beaver
ju

and always believed that there is nothing that could drive me from here. This site is what you make it. For the most part untill recently it has been a whole bunch of people with the same attitude. Here for fun and able to make and take a joke.
However...
Lately more and more there are people here who are begging for validation. They need their moods catered to. They need their blogs validated. They need their pics praised. They need to be the center of attention in chat and the forum.
What the hell fun is there in that? I have posted total crap and been praised for it. I have posted what I feel are beautiful pics and have been overlooked.
The thing is, it really doesn't matter unless a close friend of mine calls me on it. For the most part they don't, because they are friends and have put themselves on the same line I have and have recieved both positive and negative reactions.
The ones that are driving me away slowly but surely are the ones that beg for attention in one way or another.
An anomoly yes, this is a place we come to see and be seen but there are always the extremes.
Begging isn't pretty no matter how much you sugar coat it...

For the first time ever my daughter has expressed an interest in something she wants to do beyond high school. The program she presented me is so totally perfect for her, hell I would even love to take it!
It is a long way from home and she has some serious academic work to do over the next year and probably 2 but I can just so totally see her really enjoying it.
When she talks about it she just glows, she is even talking about how she would handle her first Christmas away from home. I think, actually I know my baby girl would thrive in this environment now my job is to keep her focused!
Fingers crossed she is willing to do the work to fullfill her dream.
Mummah, ju

have asked for more pics from my mini vacation so here you go.

Paddling in, just off the landing



Beaver dam



Granite cliffs, lily pads and a great view



The first trilliums, our provincial flower and the only ones we saw in bloom in our travels

I accidentally deleted my I'm back blog
So here we go again.
I had a fabulous time with the exception of the texts I was getting from the kids. The toilet flooded so bad this morning that the carpet in the hall and my room are wet. Yesterday K2 had a crying fit because he didn't want to go to the bus on his own. K1 took both days off and used both situations as an excuse to stay home from school.
I had a fabululous time though. I got off the bus literally in the middle of nowhere across the road from a little general store. We went in there and got beer then began out hike 10 mins uphill before we headed into the bush. That was about an hr but it was a beautiful day and there was some very pretty scenery. We arrived at the canoe and there was a 20 min paddle to the cottage. I tossed my bags in my room and this is pretty much what I did for the rest of the time up there



The chairs and our locations changed frequently, it was cold in the shade but nice in the sun, so we followed the sun.
my evenings looked pretty much like this.



Don't you just love my outfit? I am ever so sexy that is pretty much the way I look whenever I am up north. Beer and fire is a great combo.
I got way too much sun but didn't want to use sunscreen and attract the blackflies. They were around but not too horrible unless the wind died down.
We took over 200 pics and vids. I have vids of the canoe blowing in the breeze and of the beer boxes burning on the fire. I have pics of what appears to be a bump on the lake because everytime I clicked, the loon I needed to pose would duck under. I have pics of a railing where a nuthatch, chickadee, woodpecker, chippie or red squirrel were a second ago. I have no NN style pics but once I get my pictures in order I will show some of you.
I will be going back up for a week in July and can't wait!!! this time WITH the kids.
We went for a paddle and a bit of a hike on Thursday afternoon. Saw an osprey, its nest and heard the young. I had such a fabulous time I really didn't want to come home but
here I am,
ju