More revising to come

Finished revising some voters' lists yesterday. Next, we'll be working at the university, getting students from the residences enumerated for the election on October 14.

On Tuesday I'll be starting my writing class. It should be interesting, but I have to say, I'm a little bit nervous. This will be the first time I've tried writing prose fiction at the university level.

C.J.'s new name

After trying out several (dozen) names on the new man in my life, I had narrowed it down to Alex, Fuzzface, or Sweetums. He answered to every other name twice, as if seeing how it would fit, and then stopped.

After several more tests, Alexander the Great rules!

Abandonment issues

My cat seems to have real abandonment issues.

Coming home in the car from the Humane Society, he was subdued; very quiet. All week he was extremely well behaved.

Then I had to take him to the vet's for a check up. He was hyperventilating so badly that I stopped at a park and got out, walking around with him in my arms. He cuddled right up to me, and held on tight. He was well behaved at the vet's, but had another hyperventilating session on the way home. I let him out in the front hall and, I've never seen surprise register so clearly on a cat's face before.

That was when I realised that he thought I was getting rid of him -- taking him back to the Humane Society, perhaps -- for some crime, real or imagined.

It will take a while for him to realise that I am in this for the long haul.

Some more work

Because of the byelection getting cancelled, I will be working as a revision agent for the general election. Eight thousand students need to be added to the list.

This is going to keep us busy. I'm looking forward to working with Carmel again. She is so much fun!

Skogwalkers

Today, for the first time in my life, I walked for charity.

I've sponsored many people over the years, but this was the first time that I actually asked people to sponsor me. I managed to raise $430 for ovarian cancer research and support, so I was very pleased.

Half of the team (five of us) walked in Toronto, while the other half walked in Ottawa.

Why did we choose the team name of Skogwalkers? We did it for our friend Sandra who has been battling ovarian cancer for over two years. I have two other friends who are also battling it and that was where my mother's cancer had started, as well.

Why now? Because this year a friend turned 40 in January. She decided to have an 'event' each month in order to celebrate, and to invite friends to take part in each one. For example, she had never been to a spa, so January's adventure was a spa day. Another month, it was a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls. This walk was September's outing.

Already, the Toronto team is talking about doing it again next year.

Godson's birthday

Today is my godson's birthday and the party is tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to this. After the party, I'll take him to a toy store and he'll get to chose something. He's been collecting a set of Mediaeval knights and there are two left that he doesn't have. If he gets one of them at the party, I'll be able to get the other one for him. If they aren't too pricey, I may get one for myself, too.

New man in my life!

I got a cat yesterday. He's a big beautiful mellow fellow who loves to be petted.

It started like this: On Sunday morning, I was reading the paper in order to put off doing housework before the arrival of visitors on Monday. I saw a lovely cat named Freya up for adoption, so I hustled over to the Humane Society to see if she was still available. Well, she was; but she and I didn't see eye-to-eye on cuddling. So I put her back and wandered down the cages to see if there was anyone else.

At the very end of the row, was this cat. He's four years old and had already been tested and diagnosed as FIV positive, which means I shouldn't have any other cats. That's okay by me.

As I brought him home in the car, he was very quiet. It was as if he was wondering what was going to happen now. I brought him in and let him out in my bedroom -- which is quite large -- where I had food and water for him, as well as a litter box.

He stepped out of the carrier and looked around. After he had investigated my bedroom thoroughly, and I learned that my efforts at removing dust from under the furniture had been somewhat less than successful, we had an afternoon nap on my bed. Later, I set up the 'kitty tv' for him -- also known as filling the bird feeder.

I had been told to keep him in one room for 24 hours, but he wanted into the rest of the house after our naps, so I opened the door and we walked through the house together, examining his new home. He kept purring and rubbing against me.

While I was on the computer earlier, he stretched out under the desk and snoozed. He seems to like being with me, and that was exactly what I was hoping for.

His name is CJ, but he doesn't answer to that -- or to anything else I've tried, so far. We'll have to figure out something.

Some friends are here ...

Some friends from Ottawa have been here for the past couple of days. They went to see The Music Man at Stratford yesterday and, today, he went to Point Pelee while his wife and I did some errands and I showed her around some of the prettier areas of Guelph. Unfortunately, they are going home tomorrow. I'll be sorry to see them go, because they are fun people to have around -- excellent guests. I showed them where everything was in the kitchen and they let me sleep in.

Sonnet 29

I ought to wear a mask lest I, by loving glance,
Divulge the yearnings that are running through my mind,
Betraying my regard to others of my kind
Although I sometimes think that I might take that chance.
I ought to bind my hands lest I, by gentle touch,
Declaim the wild desires coursing through my veins
I’m left with deep frustration for my silent pains:
I never thought to care for any man this much.
With all my dreaming, my imagination flies.
I must be mute, for I may never tell a soul.
It’s never easy to maintain such strong control
I cannot purge my thoughts, no matter how I try:
To rest within your arms has been my greatest wish,
But meat for scandal’s never been my favoured dish.

Yesterday was National Sex Day

Apparently, there is a young man in Vancouver who is trying to get August 21 listed as a holiday in Canada -- as National Sex Day. This isn't just a day to have sex because that, of course, is any day we want -- especially every day. This is a day to celebrate sex.

Hands up, everyone who celebrated it yesterday! Oh, you're still busy ... sorry for intruding!