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Friday, March 31, 2006Putting the "Bike" in "BikerMomma" My introduction mentions that I ride a motorcycle, and the description of my blog says that I might talk about bikes once in a while, so I thought I'd finally introduce you all to my ride.Presenting my 1986 Suzuki Intruder 750. Sorry for the funny-looking, obstructed picture. It was taken while I was attending a 35MM photography class eight years ago. I was apparently going for an "artsy" shot. I bought this baby as a used bike some ten-or-so years ago. Her seat was a little torn up, but other than that, she was in pretty good shape. We had the seat re-upholstered, and away I went. She was an upgrade in displacement from a 1982 Yamaha Seca 400. I decided that I needed a new ride when I had my first brush with death. I was riding with hubby and a group of friends down a small country highway, one lane in each direction. The rest of the group passed a truck without issue, and then it was my turn. Mr. Truck Driver decided to play some very dangerous games with me. He would speed up when I got up next to him, then slow down when I ducked back in behind him because of on-coming traffic. I know he saw me; he looked right at me. The bike just didn't have the power to motor past him quickly enough. The last time I tried, I was almost past him when another truck was coming in the opposite direction. My throttle was completely maxed out. Mr. Truck Driver wouldn't let me get in ahead of him, so I had to slam on the brakes, struggle to keep control of the handlebars (which were objecting to the sudden drop in forward momentum - bikes are all about physics, you know) and then scoot back in behind him. I almost bought it big time that day. So hubby and I decided it was time for me to get something with more power, more pick-up. I tried a few bikes on for size. The super sport-bikes didn't exactly fit my short-legged frame (but Oh! how I wanted that Ducati Monster Dark!). Besides, I had taken a spin on hubby's old Kawasaki Ninja 600 once. Heading down yet another, slightly larger, highway, I wondered why my riding companions were lagging behind. Then I checked my speedo. Oh, my! Honestly, Officer, I had no idea I was going that fast. I always thought that was just a line those sport-bike riders used when they were caught red-handed, but now I know they really meant it. Those bikes are very smooth, very comfortable and built for extreme speed. When you put those qualities together, you get a bike that goes really fast without you noticing it. We moved on to cruisers. Sorry, but I'm not a Harley kinda gal. I can appreciate them for what they have to offer, but they're just not for me. So we checked out the Japanese cruisers. Most of them were very wide, which made them a little uncomfortable for women, who are not used to sitting spread eagle very often. Oddly enough, at this point in my life, I was spending a lot of time horseback riding as well. You'd think that would make it easier for me to ride the "wider" bikes. Not so much. In rolls the Intruder. Low to the ground, so my wee legs can reach the ground comfortably at stop lights. Narrow in the saddle, so I don't feel like I'm straddling a Clydesdale. Plenty of get-up-and-go so I can , well, go when I need to. And a nice, throaty little rumble that announces my presence to the oblivious automobile drivers around me. Other than repairing the seat, we haven't done much in the way of customizing her ... yet. Right now, she's on loan to a friend while my children are young and I can't get out to ride as much as I'd like. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. He needs the riding experience for when he buys - and insures - a bike of his own. In return, he keeps her running, limber and lubricated, something that would definitely not happen if she were stagnating in my garage. I believe he and my husband have installed a set of flat bars, and there's talk of a new set of pipes. Oh, but one day ... one day ... you'll just have to tune back in to see what I have in store for my baby. The paint scheme, the chrome, the Corbin Gun Slinger seat ... *sigh!* Time to drag out the ol' sketch book and get dreamin'! Technorati tags: Motorcycles ; Suzuki Intruder Subscribe to my feed!  
Wednesday, March 29, 2006Wednesday's Want-ItSsshhhhhhh! I can't say this too loudly. The laptop I'm using right now might hear me. I want a new laptop. I'm not picky. I don't need state-of-the-art. I'll even buy a used machine, if I can find one that fits the bill - and the budget. I just need something that can run Windows XP and Norton Anti-Virus and download e-mail at the same time without grinding to a halt. I love my laptop. Really. I have a tendency to get emotionally attached to my equipment. Just ask hubby what my reaction is whenever he talks about selling my motorcycle - the one I haven't ridden in about 8 years. So, yeah, something that can handle Windows XP, Norton Antivirus, surfing, my QuickBooks software, a little photo editing, some website design, a big monitor, a couple of USB ports, a DVD burner, DVD burning software (of course), a wicked set of speakers, maybe a tablet... No, I'm not picky at all. Subscribe to my feed!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006I'm SO Not Ready For This!So I'm having breakfast with my six-and-a-half-year-old this morning before sending him off to school. Between spoonfuls of Cheerios, he looks over at me and asks, "Mommy, why did God only give girls special parts?" After spewing coffee all over the kitchen walls, I replied in what I thought was a nonchalant manner, "Honey, God gave everyone special parts." "No, I mean why did He decide that only girls can have babies?" I choked down some more coffee. "I don't know, hon, that's just what He thought was best." Then he starts yammering on and on in what apparently was complete awe, "Like, you could be pregnant right now, and your uterus would keep getting bigger and bigger and the baby would keep growing and growing..." while making expansive growing actions with his arms. As I make a mental note to order my funeral flowers at this point because I can feel my heart preparing to keel over in shock, I calmly ask, "Sweetie, could you please stop talking about my uterus? I promise you I'm not pregnant right now." After a few calming breaths and another swig of the completely unsatisfying decaf I was drinking, I managed to get the full story from him. Turns out the class is learning about the whole cycle of life in preparation for Easter (you know, when Jesus died & rose again). So their teacher had started telling them how babies begin as little eggs that grow inside their mother's uterus, are born, grow into toddlers, who grow into children, who grow into teenagers, yadda, yadda, yadda... I'm just wondering why she had to start so far back, ya know? Why couldn't she start with "babies are born"? At the very least, I think she should have sent home some sort of warning note to prepare parents for the discussions that may ensue. "Dear Parents, Please note that we are discussing the cycle of life in this month's lesson plan. Please do not be alarmed if your children are suddenly displaying a very intense interest in your bodily functions or wish to discuss your reproductive systems..." Nope, I'm so not ready for this just yet. Subscribe to my feed!
Monday, March 27, 2006What A Tease!!!You'd think that, since my husband loves me, he wouldn't be the type to feed me a fantastic idea, get my hopes up, get me all wrapped up in the planning of his latest brainstorm, and then bring me crashing back down to earth with "We don't really have the money for this right now." Since when has that stopped us from doing whatever we wanted in the past?? Here's the story. I run this engraving business out of my house right now. My "shop" is this tiny room in the basement, which I share with my husband and his computer and several of his model cars and motorcycles. As I've gotten busier, I've been buying more machinery, more supplies, more stock. So the quarters down there are getting really, really cramped. I've actually had to move my file cabinets and the computer I use for billing and such to the bedroom. Hubby approached me the other day with what I thought at the time was an absolutely brilliant idea. We would buy a couple of plastic storage sheds from Costco. I believe they're 8' X 8' and cost about $750 each. In one shed, we'd place all the lawn equipment - mower, lawn tractor, garden tools, etc... In the other, we'd put his dirt bikes and all their related paraphernalia. Our garage, which is a single-car garage measuring approximately 12' X 23', would then get split in half. We'd put up a wall so that the front of the garage would be about 11' deep. This would be hubby's half, where he could keep his lathe, welder, toolbench and both of our street bikes. The other 12' would be for my new shop. We'd build a door leading into the house (there currently is no inside entry door), put a window in the back wall, install a subfloor and laminate flooring, get some inexpensive lower cupboards and a counter top at Home Depot to run along one 12' wall (this is where the machinery would go) ... oh we had all sorts of plans laid out! I was getting so excited! I had started dreaming of floor plans and colour schemes, designing the sign that was going to direct clients around to the back door of the garage... Then, hubby started talking to other people about it. Everyone, of course, has a "better" idea, so now he's second-guessing the original plan. On top of that, his male friends are all teasing him about losing "his domain", meaning the garage, and worse than that, losing it to "a woman." So, while I'm ready to head out to Costco today to pick up those sheds so we can put them up this week-end, he's talking about the lack of funds and the lack of time and, let's face it, the lack of enthusiasm he's developed since talking to his "friends." Well, honey, I'm sorry to break it to you, but I like this idea too much to back out of it now. So don't be surprised if you come home one day to find me erecting a wall in your precious garage. I love you, but I'm getting tired of having to climb over to you find the stapler. Subscribe to my feed!
Thursday, March 23, 2006Sponge On The BrainI admit it. I'm a SpongeBob-aholic. Yes, it's a mildly amusing show. It has a few laugh out loud moments. But this is getting rediculous. My children (you remember Trouble and Mini-Me, don't you?) just adore The Sponge. I had bought, a very long time ago, the Christmas DVD. We watch this DVD every day, sometimes several times a day, regardless of the season. Then, around the dinner hour when SpongeBob makes his daily appearance on TV, we watch it again ... and again ... and again ... (thanks to the magic of satellite TV and the various time zones). My love affair with SpongeBob et al is beginning to wear thin, though. This insidious sponge is starting to affect my sleep patterns. You know how, sometimes, you'll wake up in the middle of the night with a song running 'round in your head that just won't go away? Usually, it's an old Beatles' tune, or some obscure '80s hit from a one-hit-wonder the world has long since forgotten. Sadly, those days are gone for me. I now wake up with SpongeBob's "Striped Sweater" song permeating my subconscious. "The best time to wear a striped sweater, is all the tiiiiiiime... One with a collar, turtle neck. That's the kiiiiiind..." Groan! Quick, turn on the TV. Even that annoying, and somewhat disturbing, commercial jingle about the bank's "Hand In My Pocket" would be preferable to this. If I'm especially unlucky, it'll be the Christmas tune that's invaded my sleep-deprived brain. "It's shaping up to be a wonderful holiday, not your normal, av-er-age every day." "Sounds like someone felled my old coral tree. SpongeBob, Patrick, why'd you do this to me?" "This Christmas feels like the very first Christmas to meeeeee....." Oh, God, please, make it STOP! Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there's any relief in sight. The kids are addicted. So am I, for that matter. Inane musical score aside, he's a funny little guy. Therefore, until the kiddies outgrow the Sponge and his antics, it wouldn't appear that a SpongeBob Intervention is forthcoming. Guess I'll just have to grin and bear it. "The Krusty Krab Pizza, is the pizza, for you and me. The Krusty Krab Pizza, is the pizza, abslutive-a-ly!" (*author slinks off to sob quietly in a large glass of chocolate milk*) Subscribe to my feed!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006Wednesday's Want-ItA new toy for Daddy. A new, very expensive toy, that is. This week's Want-It is dedicated to my beloved husband. A long, long time ago, he was the proud owner of a black Toyota pick-up truck. This truck had it all - large tires, lift kit, home-made bumpers and roll bars that looked very mean... It was quite the little tank, too. The Toy had done plenty of off-road duty, been rolled over the edge of a highway off-ramp once, been rear-ended several times (which it barely felt, thanks to the home-made bumper). Through it all, the Toy managed to get back up and keep on rolling. That is, until the lift kit took its toll on the differential and we had to send Ol' Black to that great mud pit in the sky. *sniff!* But there's a new love on hubby's horizon. Ok, so it's a very distant horizon. A $37,000 horizon. It's the new Toyota FJ Cruiser. Loosely modeled after the old FJ40 of the late '60s, early '70s, this new machine has hubby drooling buckets. It's not just a rugged, mean machine, though. Alot of those same features that draw the grunting, testosterone-wielding masses have a very strong appeal to the more sensible female of the species. Take, for instance, the very cool suicide doors, initially intended to make loading and unloading the kayaks a breeze. They also make it much easier to get little ones in and out of their car seats. The seats are water-repallant and the floor is an easy-to-clean resin-type material. Ideal not only for the apres-mud clean-up, but also when Junior decides he's had enough of his breakfast-to-go. It comes in some very unusual and eye-catching colours - perfect for spotting amongst the sea of vehicles at your local WalMart. There are a whole slew of other, family-friendly features, but I don't want to rewrite the whole brochure here, so I'll just refer you to it instead. Alright, so the price tag is a little heftier than I'd normally consent to. The bank will probably object as well. So, we'll have to bide our time, waiting a few years until we can buy one second-hand, off-lease. In the mean time, we'll just have to keep playing those lotteries. Keep your fingers crossed for us, ok? ;) Subscribe to my feed!
Monday, March 20, 2006What The Doo-Dads Are Doing...They multiply. I swear they do. All those knick knacks that have been relegated to the dark corners of the crawl space beneath my house. Every twenty year old paperback romance novel. Boxes of old bridesmaid gifts. All these years I've been innocently going about my business, thinking that they're inanimate objects that do nothing other than gather dust as time wears on. I couldn't be more wrong. You see, a couple of years ago, I rummaged through that dank crawl space looking for garage sale fodder. I pulled out crate upon crate of what appeared to be old cast-aways. Excellent! Surely this will bring in some much needed cash and we'll be freeing up the equally short-in-supply floor space. We put up signs, we set up tables, we stood out in the blazing sun from what seemed to be the crack of dawn until deep into the frigid night. We made a grand total of $42.50. Canadian. After that dismal performance, I vowed to never again waste a perfectly good Saturday on such a fruitless endeavour. But the multitude of inanimate obejcts lodged in my crawl space seem to have other ideas. I believe they've taken it up on themselves to ensure that the Saturday garage sale becomes an annual event for me. I'm pretty sure I sold all of those books, yet there sit three full boxes, seeming to mock me as I scratch my head in puzzlement. And where did those glass decanters come from if they're not self-propagating? Heaven knows I sold an even dozen of them at the last yard sale, and I certainly haven't bought any more since then. So be warned, ladies and gentlemen. You may think you're making headway in your war against clutter. You may believe you're battling nothing more than a few lingering dust-collectors. Don't be fooled. We're talking about breeders with a tribble-like tenacity. Show now mercy, for you'll get none in return. Subscribe to my feed!
Ah, the first day of spring. When the western & central provinces are being throttled by snow storms, Australia is being buffetted by Cyclone Larry, and everyone in my family has been sick for weeks with the cold from hades. Does anyone else get the feeling that Mother Nature is more than a little annoyed with all of us? Sure, March has always been a little unstable, weather-wise. The meteoroligical equivalent of Jeckyll & Hyde, if you will. But I don't recall ever having such extreme swings in temperatures as we've had lately. Just over a week ago, the neighbourhood kids were out riding their bicycles in t-shirts & running shoes, and today they're all bundled up in snow pants, hats & boots. The so-called common cold is lasting an uncommonly long time. The geese are flying around in circles because they don't know if they should be coming or going. And if that whole "in like a lamb" thing can be counted on, we're in for one heck of a month-end beating. Kind of makes you wish it was good ol' predictable winter again, doesn't it? Subscribe to my feed!
Friday, March 10, 2006The Business of Play DatesBusiness cards: Not just for business people any more. The latest trend these days is to pick up a stack of free business cards for your kids from Vista Print. With neighbourhoods spreading out and schedules becoming increasingly hectic, it's very difficult for kids to get together to play. Parents now have to provide transporation to and from play dates that have been arranged weeks ahead of time. So, to make life easier for everyone involved, parents are now ordering their own set of free business cards for their children. Then, when you get the question, "When can Brian come over to play?", you simply hand your little one a business card which he can slide into Brian's school bag. The cards can say whatever you want, like "Please call Timmy's mom to arrange a play date!" Teenagers love these little cards, too. Name, phone number, e-mail address and even website can all be included, so their friends are sure to keep in touch. It doesn't stop there, either. Free return address labels, free holiday cards, these are just a couple of the really cool, full-colour, printed products you can get from Vista Print. All you pay are the shipping charges. I don't know about you, but "free" is right in line with my budget. ;)Subscribe to my feed!
Thursday, March 09, 2006Politics: By E-BayI know that bidding on E-Bay can be quite addictive. So much so that people are often caught up in "bidding wars" where they pay extraordinarily high prices for sub-standard items, purely because they want to WIN. It would appear that the folks at the CBC's 'Rick Mercer Report' have decided to cash in on the financial feeding frenzy. Mr. Mercer and his band of merry makers have placed up for auction one 'Liberal Leadership Kit'. This kit consists of fifteen minutes with his writing staff so they can help you write up your campaign, plus the use of their colour printer, which happens to be running low on magenta ink. Not only is the prank actually getting bids, but there appears to be an all-out bidding war going on. As of 5:00PM EST today, there are one hundred and ten bids, with the highest bid logged at the bargain price of $16,000,000.00CDN. Yes, folks, that's sixteen million loonies. Bear in mind that there are more than five days left in this auction, so the price could very well sky rocket. I'm guessing, however, that the person who actually wins this auction will be excused from payment by reason of temporary (or, maybe not-so-temporary) insanity. Wouldn't it be a kick in the head if this guy actually wins the election, though?! Sixteen Million Dollars for fifteen minutes with a couple of comedy writers and the loan of a used printer. You'd think they'd at least throw the whole printer in for free. That works out to more than $1 Million per minute. Where can I apply for one of these writing jobs? Subscribe to my feed!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006Wednesday's Want-ItThis week's Want-It comes to you straight from science fiction. Remember that tricorder Dr. McCoy on 'Star Trek' used to wave at people to diagnose their every little ailment? I wish someone would make one of those thingies. Imagine it. No more poking and prodding. No more cold stethoscopes. Gone are the days of tiny cameras mounted on the end of a plumber's snake trying to make their way opposite the flow of natural traffic. Don't even get me started on "internal ultrasounds." But wait! Apparently, there are all sorts of these dreamy little machines all over the place. Check this out for a few recent developoments in the area of hand-held medical scanners. I guess it's not such far-fetched idea after all. I mean, everything else seems to be getting smaller - like computers and cell phones. Seems natural that hand-held MRIs and CT scanners would come next. I guess my next question would be, why doesn't my doctor have one yet? :( Subscribe to my feed!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006Bust Those Mills!A Channel News reported this morning that another puppy mill has been busted by the OSPCA. Hooray! Kudos to the OSPCA on a job well done. Many people don't know what a puppy mill is. Here's some info to get you started. Once you're sufficiently disgusted by what you've seen there, here are some tips on what you can do to help shut these millers down. Personally, I never (and I do mean NEVER) buy my pet supplies from stores that sell puppies & kittens (yes, folks, there are cat & kitten mills out there, too). Not even so much as a tin of fish food. That's why I love places like PetSmart and Global & Ryan's. They care enough not to sell puppies & kittens in their stores. PetSmart goes the extra step to give part of their floor space to local rescue groups so they can showcase the animals they have up for adoption. And, in the case of both stores, you can bring your (leashed) pooch shopping with you. Sure makes for a fun day out for the whole family! :D Subscribe to my feed!
Monday, March 06, 2006Kudos to Canadian Oscar WinnerI didn't watch the Oscar's last night. Sorry. I was in bed, sick as the proverbial pooch. However, I was pleased as punch upon waking this morning to hear that Canadian Paul Haggis won the Best Picture Oscar for his film, 'Crash'. Kudos to you, Paul, for bringing a little red 'n' white to the gold 'n' glam. Not having seen the film, it's a little difficult to say whether or not I agree with the nomination and win. However, I did catch a few scenes when the cast appeared on the Oprah show. The premise definitely peaked my interest. I like the way the different stories intertwine with one-another. Oprah's show and the ensuing debate about racism and sterotypes were certainly food for thought, whichever side of the fence you sat on. So, I'll save my official review until after I've actually seen the movie. In the mean time, though, I'll give Mr. Haggis another pat on the back, from one Canuck to another. Good job, eh? Subscribe to my feed!
Friday, March 03, 2006When Does Mess Equal Marvel?When there's a toddler in the equation, that's when. My two year old (you all know him as Trouble) was playing quietly by himself the other day. Yes, I know, that's the first sign that Trouble is brewing. Nonetheless, I ignored the warning signs because I was especially busy at that particular moment. Besides, his older brother was with him, and it was only for a minute or two, so how bad could it be? Turns out that Trouble was investigating the stand-up shower stall. This shower stall is in the ensuite bathroom in my bedroom - mere feet from where I was sitting at the moment. So he was being especially quiet for me not to hear what he was up to. I was soon smelling a lovely scent emanating from the bathroom. I'm not being sarcastic here, it really did smell nice. I couldn't quite place the scent for a moment or two ... and then it hit me. Shampoo. My shampoo. Oh, dear. Now what? Upon investigating, I find Trouble standing barefoot (thankfully) in the shower stall in a large puddle of my best "for colour-treated hair" shampoo. Sigh! Why couldn't he use hubby's bargain brand? I pull Trouble out of the shower and start wiping him down. A few minutes later I returned to the shower to deal with the spilled shampoo. But Lo! And Behold! When I rinsed away that slimy goo, the shower stall beneath it was sparkling clean! Cleaner than any other commercial, bathroom-specific cleaner has been able to make it. And I didn't even have to scrub! This is quite the feat, since hubby dearest is a machinist by trade and a week-end warrior to boot, which means my shower is regularly subjected to varying sorts of grease and grime and paintball scum. So ... um ... thanks, Trouble, for spilling my shampoo all over the shower stall and then smooshing it around with your toes (there's one of the strangest sentences I've ever uttered, let alone put down in writing). I wonder, if I get him to do that once a week, would it qualify as "child labour"? Subscribe to my feed!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006Wednesday's Want-ItWith today's technology, how hard would it be to include a movie's soundtrack CD with the movie DVD purchase? DVDs hold a rediculous amount of information. Couldn't the sountrack be included on it? Better yet, slide a separate CD into the DVD case. It costs, what, something like three cents to produce a CD? Surely the DVD people could see it in their hearts to include the freebie, especially when I'm already paying upwards of $20CDn for the DVD? If they don't want to give us poor consumers a freebie, then charge an extra $5 for the DVD/CD combo. I'd gladly pay a little more if it included the soundtrack. It's certainly better than having to pay an extra $15 for a separate CD. Well ... better for me, at any rate. I'm sure the folks on the other side of the picture think things are fine just the way they are. ;) Subscribe to my feed!
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