Farewell to a Friend

Sometimes life takes turns that can only be described as unfair, leaving us shocked and saddened. Only a few others have impacted my life as much as Dez and I was hoping to say hello again this week, not goodbye forever. Andrew Desmond was killed with his girlfriend in a terrible motorcycle accident this Monday on their way home. My first real boyfriend, he saw my potential despite my highschool shyness, glasses and untameable hair. He believed in me when I wasn't sure whether to believe in myself and all these years later I'm glad for that gift.

I regret I didn't take more pictures of him. I always loved this one because it showed off his eyes. He had the sort of eyes that you could fall into, gaze into for hours. They were beautiful - blue and sparkling, incongrously angelic and mischievious. I still think of him every time I say "urf!". He had a quirky sense of humour and spoke a language of his own.

I used to watch him play hockey with his dad - a tangle of blond hair under a helmet. I named the tangle "Robert" and drove him nuts by occasionally asking Robert questions. I don't remember how we met. . . he just gradually appeared sometime in the corner of the school where I used to hang out and do my homework at lunch hour until I counted him a friend. He was the kid who brought in a filter when there was a solar eclipse and shared it with everyone. He asked me to dance 5 times at one school dance - I guess I should have guessed that he liked me. They were good days - the last year of highschool. We were a close-knit bunch drama groupies back when plaid and ripped jeans were high fashion and no one had email or msn. During Blind Revelations (A Sears Festival one-act play), I was the stage manager and Dez the assistant stage manager and somewhere along the line we ended up dating - such is high school drama. When I graduated and moved away to Thunder Bay, we gradually lost touch.

Farewell Andrew. I'm sorry I never got to hear you laugh again and more sorry that you won't have the chance to live out your life and dreams. Thank you for believing in me and seeing my strengths and for being my friend when I needed one most. I was always wary of saying the words "I love you" because saying them is like casting a spell and binding your soul forever to that person. Even though we've grown apart over the years and miles between us, I still love you and always will always keep a place for you in my heart. I hope that your path will continue on the other side - albeit with fewer bumps and turns. Journey safely with your good friend knowing that you'll both be missed.

Love,

Jenn

Andrew Desmond - 1995

A Last Goodbye

2003 - December

Buckhorn Roadtrip

In other excitement, we went to Buckhorn to check out a display put on by a supercool artist - Tim Packer at the Gallery at the Lake. There was also a huge annual craft fair going on and a couple other neat spots. This picture is taken somewhere on the Trent Severn waterway, not far from the highway. The water was high and raging and didn't look warm either.

It was neat driving back roads and seeing parts of Ontario I haven't seen before and spending time with my family.

I finished the Davinci Code today. The second book since the end of school. Never underestimate the time unpacking, job hunting, sorting, moving furniture and hanging out with your family will take. I still haven't gotten my own paints out yet. As for the book, well, it suffered from way too much hype. I actually liked Angels and Demons (the other Dan Brown book better). Overall, they were both sort of okay. I enjoyed reading them, but it was not so great that I'd recomend it to all my closest friends. They'd be great for a long bus ride and I like that the author had lots of short chapters. It was hard to put down owing to good pacing and suspense and there were lots of neat factoids and ideas. Yet - it lacked the kind of depth and character-catharsis that leaves the reader with a lasting fondness for the character. My suggestion - Read Robin Hobb if you haven't already. Her assassin's apprentice series are where you should start, and I've met few people who have not gotten all the way through the first 9 books, that read the first 3. I'm stalling reading her next book, which has been out since October until the second book comes out this September. I might try and stall a bit more - until the third one is in reach, but I might not be able to hold out that long.

Night,

Jennith 

Victoria Day Fireworks

Well, hours ago in the small park near my house - local neighbours put together an impressive show of fireworks. Although, it was almost cooler to see how they drew the neighbours together - gathering in the small park.

There were a few moments when the fireworks display raised eyebrows. One firework - a dragon something - tipped over and shot roman candle-like projectiles scittering across the grass and road. A second firework misfired and blew up near ground level showering the crowd with sparks. Otherwise, kids and adults alike enjoyed the display and strangers gathered at the edge of the crowd. I was surprised by the number of displays nearby - at least 5 including the one in front of me were within visual range and probably more with in hearing range, but echoes made it hard to tell where.

:D Enjoy the pics. The fireworks setting on my camera has a long exposure time and doesn't actaully do a great job of shooting fireworks. Its hard to hold your hands still especially when it is so cold. So, sometimes you can see what looks like a firework, but is really a nearby lamp post.

I never managed to see Jason this week... which is too bad, since he may be gone for some time. However, having been in his situation many times, I can understand how hard it is to pack everyone into your few days of holiday.

Cheers,

Jennith 

Explosive!

 

Bang - Kaboom

 

Swoosh

 

Ghostly Trails

 

The Girlie Firecracker

All of the fireworks that did not gain great height were referred to by the crowd as girlie firecrackers. I'm not sure this was an ideal message to send - but this last one did impress even the men with how long it lasted. 

Kaboom!

 

Last Call

 

Measles for Maples

Cards with my brother was fun last night. I was introduced to the game "Settlers of Catan" (no garentee on the spelling) It is my new favourite board game and I can't wait until Gabe gets here so he can learn it too.

It was too wet and cold to do the gardening we wanted to do, so we cleaned the house instead. I've also made some inroads into The Davinci Code. Thats all for now.

Jenn

Apologies and other missing info

A couple thoughts... First, the series of posts that I made yesterday are missing a text explaination that mysteriously didn't managed to get posted. Well, I'm not sure why, but I'm not surprised since Blogger did register an error when I posted, but I thought it was okay since the picture appeared. I think my comments have been the victem of some spamming - thus I've given in and switched on the word verification security thing that keeps computers from posting inane comments on my blog that link to poker and gambling sites. I'll try and depost them later, but right now I'm heading to my brother's for cards and I won't keep him waiting to figure out how.

As for the missing text - again - I'll have to edit it back in later. But All of the shots were taken on a bike ride that was aimed at getting a gym membership and taking pictures of stormwater infrastructure and swales. (although there seem to be an awful lot of bird and tree pictures in the 264 shots.)

The first (last in the series) is a female redwinged-blackbird - thus the comment on the next picture about her boyfriend :D who didn't appreciate my watching and shotting pictures and told me off quite vocally.

Alright, gotta go... more later.

Cheers,

Jennith

Duck, Duck ..... Goose

 

Duck Duck.... Duck - The geese are on the barrier between the forbay and the main pond

Here is a mallard duck giving me the evil eye. 

Alert and ready to march

 

Beware the Watchful Boyfriend

Here is a male Redwinged-blackbird. The name makes a bit more sense in his case. They have a neat, but loud call.

Of course, since my posts will be in chronological order, my blog is going to be a bit backward.

Jenn 

The Nature of Things