Better

I didn't think I was gonna post today.  I have been pretty deep inside my head since the test on Wednesday.  And to make matters worse my belly still hurt and my back hurt.  It felt like she bruised me - which I guess is possible.  But I couldn't get my head out of the blackness..............

Until this morning.  I came downstairs and W decided to whip my ass.  I cried (what else is new these days - le sigh) BUT the whipping brought my head out of the darkness - made me feel real again...... made me feel human again .. made me feel more than a uterus,

AND I called W an "SOB" and before he could punish me for swearing - I said "know what it stands for?? huh?? huh do ya??? It stands for 'sadistic old bugger' " and then we both laughed.  It felt wonderful..............

AND in case you think W might have taken it easy on me.......... proof positive it was a good whooping.............

 

HATE

I hate cancer tests.

I hate the fear the technicians cause with their no comment attitude.

I just hate it !

Punishment

I was walking up the stairs wiggling my ass at W and out of my mouth came the shocking words "Fuck off".

W called me back downstairs
W had me drop my drawers and bend over the sofa
W took the rattan rug beater down off the wall
W beat my ass.

I cried ............. hard.

When it was over we hugged like always - but inside I was a pounding mess of emotions.
Let me give you some of the back story from where I sit................



I have been living here for 7 months now.  It has become quite clear that the fantasy life I had built up in my head is just that "a fantasy".  W and I have fallen into a very comfortable living style.  I am not his equal by any standards - but not submissive either - more like a roommate/housekeeper.  There is very little if any M/s when we are living here just the two of us.

BUT when we go to munches or play parties or when someone from the community drops in then the M/s comes out full force.  I am this good lil subbie - fetching and carrying - tote that barge lift that bale sort of thing.  BUT the rest of the time..... I am just me - he is just W.

I tried very very hard to maintain the whole subbie mind set - by myself - but honestly - truthfully - it hasn't been working too well - which is why I said I am more roommate/housekeeper than submissive. It all feels a little confusing.  I feel a little out of sorts - not very centered - always just on the edge of a complete melt down.

So on the weekend when I was going up the stairs - I reacted much the way I would react to a roommate........ "fuck off" .  It honestly wasn't said in anger - it was a bratty - ass wiggle - kind of comment.  I never EVER expected W's reaction to be what it was.  I had no warning you see - I didn't know we were doing M/s at that exact moment. 

It certainly won't happen again.  I learned my lesson.  Life's like that sometimes - creeps up and bites on you on the ass when you lest expect it.  Lesson learned.

Reality Check

Back in January - 6 months into my new retired life - I did a little reality check.  I knew that there would be adjustments to moving to a new city - being retired - and living with W.  I also knew that these adjustments would probably take a year.

BUT 

I wasn't doing very well.  and I am nothing if not a realist.  I spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to improve my mood - the blues were getting to me - and god knows they were getting to W!!!

The other really big adjustment - and I knew it would be - was living on a pension.  I want to do more photography - I want to buy all these fancy lenses to improve my photo taking and open up more options for photography.  BUT not on a pension!!  It was really getting to me.

SO

just for the helluva it - I sent out my resume to a couple of daycares in the area.  And lo and behold within two days of sending them out I had an interview.  I am not looking for full time work - I just want to substitute - a day or two a week would be perfect.  The daycare I interviewed with was very interested!  Interested enough that they had me go for "booster shots" (for all those kid's diseases I never had ) and to apply for a police check.

Today I am off for orientation.  Then March 10 - 14th they want me to work from 9am - 4:00 pm with their kindergarten class!!!  

So I guess I am now semi-retired - with extra money coming in and a reason to drag my cute lil ass out of the house........... maybe life will start picking up...........     

Busy-ish Weekend

Saturday W had a train thing to go to in Ottawa (about a 2 hour trip from here).  So I hitched a ride with him and went up to see eldest daughter.  She moved to Ottawa and a new job in January and has just found a home to move in to - so - I decided it was time to run up and spend some quality time with her.


I know if I don't tell the puddle story - W is gonna nag me and torment me - so the puddle story..............
Because it was a relatively nice day (for February) I wore my crocs (which are basically slip on boots that look like shoes and have holes in the top and lining inside for warmth.  NEVER did it cross my mind I would need more than that!! After I had had a quick tour of the house......eldest daughter and I headed out to the bus.  We planned on spending the day in downtown Ottawa.  The sidewalks were a bit icy and there were some puddles but nothing my crocs couldn't handle.   Suddenly daughter - who was walking in front of me - gasped - stopped and then did this death defying leap over the snow bank to land safely on the road.  I couldn't figure out what she was doing and kept blithely slipping my way across the ice. Almost instantaneously I heard this cracking sound ....... and the next thing I knew my feet had broken through the ice and I was splashing around in ice water up to my ankles - filling my crocs from the sides and the holes in the tops.  I shrieked.  Eldest daughter started laughing and grabbing for me....... As I did the death defying leap over the snow banks to the relatively dry street - my feet  splashed and paddled in the boots.    Back home to borrow dry socks and dry boots from daughter.

We did finally catch the bus and head into town............... I took some pictures of course!!  but not that many..........

Really the only interesting view from the bus window.............. 

a nifty 50's style diner we had lunch in........... 

some street performers - spring may be closer than we think  

 W picked us up in town mid afternoon and by late afternoon W and I were on the road back to Kingston.  We both had a good day!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday - ahhhh yes Sunday - the breath holding day................. 

After the fiasco with the netbook - I did indeed remove the battery and washed down the key board (hell it was wet enough I honestly didn't think a bit more wetness could hurt it any worse) and plunked the whole mess in a BIG  HUGE bag of dry rice... sealed it up and threw it on the kitchen counter.  

Anyway - Sunday I decided best to see if funeral services were in order for the netbook.  So I pulled it all out of the rice - reassembled it and turned it on.......... Imagine my complete delight when the blue "on" button lit up.  

It actually worked.  I did have some coaxing to do with the mouse port - and discovered that for some reason some programs were missing bits - like Adobe was missing flash player (which I updated this morning) but all in all the old girl is limping along quite nicely and we are back together at the dining room table in the early morning with coffee. 

 Lil missy tried getting up on the table this morning and 3 times I shooed her off.  The fourth time I slapped her ass (honestly I promise - no animals were actually hurt during the slapping - just wounded pride)  and told her DOWN - she stomped off to the ottoman in the living room and grumbled and grumbled - but she hasn't come back up on the table since  - YAY!

All in all it was a good weekend 

Sunday Sentiments

In honour of the Olympics - especially the Canadian Hockey teams - I offer you these smiles for Sunday morning.............

After the women won the GOLD............ 

 

and advise for the men's team??

 

And so it begins.................again

I finally heard from the doctor's office.  I have my first test next Wednesday afternoon.  Then two weeks later I go to the doctor's office for the results ....... and probably (more than likely - definitely) a biopsy.

I seem to keep asking you all this over and over again.......... but I sure could use some positive thoughts right about now............ 

YIPEEEE!!!

Ok - so I didn't get around to tell you some very exciting news - post Valentine's news.

For the week before Valentine's, W and I entered a contest at our local TV news channel.  Basically - what we had to do was - each day find the cupid on their web site - fill in the form and submit.  SO every day we did that.  I was lusting after the prize.... a trip for two to romantic Niagara on the Lake - two nights at a luxury hotel, two breakfasts and one gourmet dinner.  oh yeah and a $25 coupon for the spa.  (Turns out the most we can get with $25 is a lip balm - W checked.  BUT I didn't care - we'd get 2 nights away)

Anyway............. Valentine's evening we are watching the local news and at some point I turned to W and said "we didn't win" He asked why I believed that and I said "cause they would have called us"............ just as I said the words I turned towards the tv screen to see W's name printed in giant letters across the screen as the big winner of the Cupid contest!!!  I started screaming ... and laughing... and bouncing up and down.. I couldn't believe he had won!!!! 

The hotel is pretty spectacular............

 

W has picked up the prize package which included a gorgeous spa robe and rubber duckie ........

W has booked our two days - end of March.  W has never seen Niagara Falls!!!  (yeah I know who hasn't seen Niagara Falls??!!)  So we are going to spend one day there soaking in the touristy stuff - and the gorgeous falls and the rest of the time living decadently in our hotel room - complete with fireplace and jacuzzi ....... and wandering the streets of historic Niagara on the Lake.

What a Valentine's we had!!!

Master Chef Canada?

 

Way back when, McDonalds brought out their "egg mcmuffin" and W had to - and I do mean HAD TO - try it.  Then began the race for the subsequent fast food places to bring out breakfast sandwiches.... and........... W had to try each of theirs.

Then W decided he would buy a kitchen gadget that would allow him to make perfectly round eggs the size of an english muffin and make his own egg mcmuffins.  And his kitchen began to fill up with egg gadgets.  With little success at mimicking McDonald's egg mcmuffin.

This past Christmas youngest daughter and her brood gave him a breakfast sandwich maker.

Oh we couldn't get home fast enough for W to try it out... it looked perfect !!!

Now before we go too much further I have to explain - W makes his own breakfast.  (stop it .. just stop it!!!  I can hear all you good subbies gasping in disbelief and falling over in a dead faint.  We all have contracts in one form or another - mine clearly stipulates "unless you wish to be poisoned and possibly yelled at - I don't DO breakfasts"  W was smart and opted to make his own breakfasts.)

Back to the story of the breakfast maker and the Master Chef Canada...............

W had a couple of false starts - with egg oozing out the sides and dripping all over the counter............. but he has slowly mastered the art of layering and cooking his very own breakfast sandwich.........

It obviously takes a lot of focus............

the bottom of the muffin goes in first (on the bottom) covered in bacon or cheese or bacon and cheese or sausage  depending how much cholesterol his heart can take and spices of course. Then you slide the flat metal shelf thingy over and add the egg to that and then top it all off with the top of the english muffin and carefully and gently and strategically lower the top down and press firmly yet gently.

 

  Then you must set the timer for exactly 4 minutes or is it 6 or 7 minutes - see I really don't know - if I learn I might have to make one one day...

After the prescribed amount of cooking time - you gingerly lift the top - swing the middle bit out and carefully - with the skill of a surgeon ease the freshly cooked sandwich out onto a plate ............... 

and then - if you are like W - you will want to have 2 of these heavenly delights - so while you munch on the one cooked you assemble one more to take to the table with a nice hot cup of coffee to enjoy.............

W is very - extremely - proud of his breakfast sandwiches - he's my Master Chef Canada !!

 

colour me sad

Since I moved here to Kingston - my little netbook has come to the dining room table every morning so I can do my "computer things" while I have my first cup of coffee.  It is one thing lil miss ashes has not gotten used to............... 

in Montreal I went to my office and she would curl up behind me on the office chair.  Recently - here - she has decided she HAS to curl up on the table next to the netbook.  We had a small incident a week or so ago where her tail knocked my coffee cup and spilled the dregs onto the table splashing my netbook.  Since then I have shooed her off the table.

This morning we went through the shooing process - and then I got involved in a blog I was reading - too involved. Miss Ashes climbed up on the table and curled up beside the coffee cup without my noticing,  The next thing I knew she had sent the full cup of hot coffee/milk and sugar over the keyboard - over the table and over me.  

The computer hissed and steamed and shut off.

It is now sitting in the kitchen sink draining coffee out of the insides.

I am sitting in a corner in the downstairs office - at W's desk on his sister's laptop - feeling sick to my stomach.  

Some days it just feels like the odds are stacked against me..........

Unless some miracle happens - the netbook is toast.  It would cost me more to fix it (maybe fix it?) than it cost me to buy it....... probably more than what it would cost me to buy a new one (if I had the money to buy a new one)......... 

Just colour me sad

How a Sadist says "Happy Valentine's Day"

the above was posted on Facebook by an Armenian friend.  Honestly I don't know anything about the "real" St Valentine - but this works for the blog I have in mind about Sadists and Valentine's Day................ (follow the bouncing ball here)

W and I had a Valentine's munch on Saturday evening with a play party immediately following said dinner.  I decided to please W and wear a dress - a red one in honour of the occasion.  Under the dress I had black thongs - black bra and black stockings and black knee high boots. 

I had completely and totally forgotten why I do NOT wear dresses in the winter!!  

In the time it took me to walk to the car I was frozen !!  The arctic winds were blowing up my dress and giving me a good case of - shall we say - " chapped lips"  

Dinner was nice - the conversation stimulating............. and then we all headed off to a near by home for the play party.  W had loaded all - and I do mean ALL - the toys for the great Valentine beat down. (or is that beat up??) Not long after arriving at the party W and I headed downstairs - we had been forewarned that there was gonna be a big crowd and if we wanted any quality play time we should get to it pretty damn quick.

I  was soon down to my thongs and bra and stockings on the cross - gritting my teeth - trying to find that happy place in my head - but instead only hearing the little voices saying "you agreed to WHAT??!"  (I wonder some times if we played with any regularity - more than once a month - would the beginnings of a public play be easier to absorb)  

But my Sadist (said lovingly and with great respect) cycled through the 'easy' toys first - the two tongued leather tawse - the canes (2 different ones I think) the circus whip - the dog whip - and then he reached for the NEW whip!  the one that raised welts through my JEANS the first time he tried it.  I literally held my breath!  And it hurt - and I finally had to cave and beg W to stop - well not stop - but change toys.  There were numerous other implements used - and welts raised (which I still sported on Sunday) and then W's voice - soft in my ear - I had to focus to hear/understand him - "Who loves you?" was the question.  "You do" was the answer.  "How do you know?" was the next question and as always the answer was "because you beat me".

I realized then and there - that's how a Sadist says "Happy Valentine's" with whips and floggers and canes and ouchies......... leaving me drained and lost in the fog of endorphins..........

Sunday Sentiments

Post Valentine's

(Editor's note - Mr Upton Ogoode - you scoundrel you! sneaking back in - leaving a comment with nowhere for me to respond!!  email me please?? if possible??? if for no other reason than to translate your comment)

Now back to the originally planned blog entry...........

So I admitted yesterday to being the Scrooge/Grinch of Valentine's Day - which does not mean I ignore the day - especially with a W in my life.  

My gift to him was - a card of course!!  and of course I got this sparkly spangly sort of card (ulterior motive - my photographic eye saw possibilities) BUT it was sappy and very appropriate for "lover's day".  

Then I had a plan - to cook W his favourite meal and have a romantic dinner.  Now that took some planning.  You see - there were a number of 'glitches' to this plan.  First off we share the expense of food shopping - and I didn't want this meal to come from our shared budget.  So I had to sneak out and buy groceries without W finding out - and then hide them in the house - which I thought wouldn't be a major problem as cooking is my job and I didn't think W paid much attention to what was in the fridge/freezer. 

WRONG!

I had bought the ingredients for a nice salad and the other day when I was making lunch W said "and I will have some salad with my sandwiches".  ughhhhhhhh so I told him he had to stop snooping in the fridge and no he couldn't have salad for lunch as it was part of our Valentine's dinner.......... (le sigh)

Then I planned on baking a heart shaped - cherry flavoured (one of W`s favourite flavours) - cake for our dessert. HUGE task that was!!  I had to hope W would go out for over an hour and give me time to whip it up AND hide it before he got home - talk about timing!!  I just managed to get it hidden away in the `good dishes` cupboard when he literally walked in  the door.

Fortunately it snowed yesterday and W went out to shovel for a bit - and I threw together some icing and got the cake iced and hidden again before he came back in........ lordie I am surprised the cake was passable considering how it was `thrown together`!

Then it was just a matter of setting the table and cooking........ and  I did warn plead with W not to come upstairs from the Dom Cave until dinner time. 

The menu was grilled steak and baked potatoes with the infamous salad.........

and knowing how W loves bacon and cheese I added them liberally to his potatoe... 

all in all I think I pulled off the romantic dinner with a minimum of exposure (cheeky grin) and that includes the naked pics W promised on yesterday`s blog...

Hearts and Flowers

I am here to say I HATE Valentine's Day -  I am the Scrooge/Grinch of Valentine's - I am!!

Right from grade school - when we all made those silly heart envelope/mailbox thingies to hang on our desks so our secret admirers could fill them with sillier cardboard heart cards.  I never saw the point to it...........it was a stressful time - the kids would count how many valentines they got and woe to the poor soul who only got a couple.

When I went back into the classroom as a teacher they had "improved" the whole ritual.  Oh there were still the silly mailboxes on the desks or one big one for the whole class - BUT - there were now chocolate hearts that could be purchased from the graduating class and sent secretly to your valentine.  AND woe to the poor souls who couldn't afford to purchase these chocolate hearts - or to the ones who didn't receive them. 

And the one true love of my life - husband at the time - never remembered Valentine's Day.  I always figured - stupid me - that when you actually found the one true love of your life - Valentine's Day was never a stressful day ever again.  My kids would bring home glitter covered valentine's cards for me - thanks to art class at school.  BUT there was never a really meaningful Valentine's Day celebration - it always felt forced.

Then I met W.  He was a man who believed in Valentine's Day.  He might not say "I love you" all year long - but he never forgot the flowers and sappy "I love You " valentines on Feb. 14th.  I know cause I watched how he spoiled his partner at the time.

When we became an item my 'laisser faire' attitude about Valentine's Day had to change.  Here was a man who honestly believed in the celebration of love.  I never had to wonder if there would be a card on the 14th - there always was... and usually flowers and some small gift.

This year too W remembered............ He came upstairs this morning while I was having my first cup of coffee with a gift bag - complete with card (not so sappy anymore - he says those sappy ones were when he was young and foolish) and the bag was filled with little gifts........... a teddy bear (cause I do love smooshy cuddly teddy bears) ... and a stylus for my new smart phone - and peppermint candies (dentine) that I love and can't seem to find anymore. 

From me - W got a sappy card (cause I am still young and foolish I guess) and tonite I have a romantic dinner planned (promise I'll post pics some time this weekend)

BUT I still say I am the "grinch/scrooge" of Valentine's Day - hearts and flowers - bah humbug!

Thoughts from the Darkness

About a week ago - or so - I awoke suddenly - bang! - from some dream - couldn't remember the dream but there was a word - one word - etched into my brain - tattooed to the back of my eyelids.............. DEATH

At first it scared the hell out of me.  It all ties in (I think) with the post I wrote here - about the growing older thing.   I really do seem to be more than a little obsessed with the end of my life.

Of course I am still waiting for the hospital to call - to start the tests - to find out what is going on in the old body parts.  One part of me doesn't want to do it all again and gets sick at the thought of the phone ringing with the appointment.  Another part of me wants to get on with it.

It's a bit strange though....that dream - that word DEATH - has settled me down a bit.  I am not quite the bundle of nerves I have been.  I seem to have developed a "what is to be will be" kind of attitude.

I have also decided I have been the picture of perfect behaviour for too long...always worrying about hurting someone's feelings.  Especially - since -  just recently - people don't seem to care what effect their words have on me. No more - I am going to speak up for myself  more ............ not allow nasty cracks about W to float over my head.  Nope no more !!

AND strange as this sounds - but the other night I decided I wanted a bucket list.  I have heard a few people talking about their bucket list and I found it amusing.  BUT then I thought - there are things I really would like to do.......... so I have started a bucket list of my own.  It only has 3 items on it right now......... and not very adventuresome - but I plan to add to it as time goes on........... and hopefully get to cross some of them off before............. well just before............

If you want to see my bucket list - I have added it to the right hand side of this page.. just under the "Vote for my Blog"............... 

  

Celebrating Winter???

Yup it's kind of a "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" kind of thing.  Kingston held a "FebFest" from Thursday till Sunday........... skating - sliding - polar bear plunge - maple candy on snow - well you get the picture!!!

W and I drove downtown on Thursday afternoon to see what was going on.  The snow sculpting contest had just started and wouldn't be finished until Friday around noon.  Being a Thursday - the kids were all in school and the adults were all at work - so there really wasn't much activity going on.

So yesterday I decided to take a run down to FebFest and try again. Yesterday there was the polar bear plunge - and truthfully I have never witnessed "nut cases" actually jumping into below freezing water for the hell of it!!  

I have to say I wasn't disappointed!!  

The snow sculptures were done............. the Golden Gate bridge...............

And London Bridge.............

The Polar Bear Plunge which was supposed to start at 11:00 but didn't start until after 11:30 as divers tried to remove as many ice blocks as possible................

Costumes were encouraged but not necessary..............

Unfortunately  there was no really good place to stand to take pictures of the plungers - thank goodness for telephoto lenses and the ability to crop............. 

About 150 crazies actually took the plunge - and raised over $22,000 for the Special Olympics!!!

After freezing my feet off for a good hour - I took a walk around to see the other activities.........

The ice slide............

 The snow maze.....

The maple taffee on snow...

Then - just before heading home I went to the ice rink and practiced my freeze motion shots (still need work - but they're coming!!) 

 
Ok - so all the celebrating is over - FebFest was a huge success - we can now - NOW - have spring - thank you very much!!!   

Sunday Sentiments

No apology

I make no apology for yesterday's rant - none whatsoever,  And for those that asked - a modified version went out on Facebook - the whole thing, as is, went on Fetlife.

Now I will take some deep breaths - enjoy the weekend with W and allow peace to return to the kingdom once more.

 


 

Warning - Rant to follow

I had written a rather long post about the fools who inhabit the earth.  Then blogger - or my computer (probably more likely my computer) ate it up.  Trying to tell me something????



Ok so this rant just got a whole lot shorter and whole lot less diplomatic.

YOU - yes you - with your holier than thou attitude - your self proclaimed leadership and importance - I am sick to death of your back stabbing.............. of your publicly bad mouthing others on social media............ of your need to try and rule everyone - including myself ............  BACK THE FUCK OFF !!!

I am sick to death of the politically correct thinking of this lifestyle - "Your kink may not be my kink - but I'll support your right to practice it"   BULLSHIT !! there's a whole lot about this lifestyle I don't like - don't approve of - and have no intention of supporting.......... this lifestyle is not an excuse to do whatever socially inappropriate thing you want to do....................

I have had it with your gushing all over me (and others) then stabbing me (and others) in the back .  I have had it with your snide sarcastic comments directed at me or W.... HAD IT!!  do you hear me!!!

I am tired of being the quiet well behaved socially acceptable polite one sitting in the corner watching the nastiness/two faced behaviours going on around me............. HAD IT - up to here and higher.  I am done with it. 

So next time you write something on social media  - or say out loud publicly - which is nasty or mean spirited I am gonna  call you on it... trust me I am!!!  I can and I will.  


You have been warned.


(putting my soap box away  - and returning you all to your regularly scheduled program)

 

 

Snap Snap

 

On Monday I decided to head off and do some exploring with my trusty lil camera.  The weather was near perfect - well no storms and not sub zero temps.  

I headed off to find the Kingston locks.  My mother used to picnic there all the time and I figured what better place to get some neat shots of frozen water than at the locks.  Unfortunately though, the locks appear to be closed in the winter - definitely the parking lot is closed -  I managed to scoot around the corner and pull my car off the road - not quite in the ditch but pretty damn close.

I perched half on/half off a snow bank - on a curve in the road - snapping shots of the ice and water.  Definitely not an ideal shooting arrangement.  It took approximately 5 minutes to exhaust my shooting options.  The outcome wasn't bad - but it wasn't great either....................

Now I was faced with where to go for more shots.... I hadn't spent all that time layering the clothing - pulling on my mountain man boots, hat and scarf and mittens to head home after only 10 minutes.  So I headed back to Lemoine Point - the area of my first ever photo shoot with my class.  Folks had talked about all the animals in this conservation area - so I had high hopes of spotting an owl - or a fox - or maybe even a deer.

The one thing about Lemoine Point is it is vast - and I do mean vast!  You can walk for hours.  I decided to take a new pathway.  First mistake.  It was mostly through open fields of snow swept drifts.  Can I say BORING!!! pretty but boring!

After a good 20 minute walk I did manage to work my way into the "forest" area.  I walked quietly taking my time (watching my footing over small hills and icy patches) keeping my eyes and ears open for signs/sounds of animals.  But still nothing more than stark trees against a winter sky................

After nearly an hour of walking I turned around and headed back to the main gate discouraged.  It really hadn't turned out to be the type of photography day I had hoped for............as I approached the main gate ............ it turned out "she" had been waiting for me............ to say goodbye maybe???

 

she was definitely cheeky though - look closely at the following pic - you will see she is sticking her tongue out at me 

BUT that is not the end of my photographic adventures.  

Yesterday W was heading down to Montreal to go to his train club.  I was to do the grocery shopping in the morning - and W announced - I would go back out again in the afternoon and take more shots.  I whined a bit - "where will I go?" and he answered "don't much care - pick a park" and headed off to Montreal. 

So yesterday afternoon found me layering on the winter clothes to head back out to snap some more pictures.  I have had this idea to photograph junk yards.  I don't know why but they just appeal to me.  However I didn't have a clue where to find one - wondered about how willing the owners/operators would be to have a stupid female wandering around snapping pictures.  I decided that would take a whole lot more investigation than I had time for ........... BUT .... there is a tourist area just north of where we live called Sharbot Lake.  I have seen the road signs for years and thought I might find some interesting subjects up there.  So off I headed.  (editor's note here - I didn't have a clue where it was other than north of us and this was really pushing my limits going off somewhere new by myself)

I am not sure what I expected - definitely NOT what I found.  First off the first road sign told me that Sharbot Lake was about an hours drive.  Second it wasn't on a big highway but a two lane highway - that was snow covered.  I almost turned around.  I should have turned around.

I kept going by farms with horses and wishing I could stop and take a picture - but there was absolutely no where to stop............. no soft shoulder only snow banks.  At one point I felt like I was on this road to nowhere with nowhere to turn around.  I began to question the sanity of this adventure.  

It was a picture perfect drive.  And more than once I wished I could stop and snap a shot or two.  The snow glistening like diamonds on the trees....the multiple small lakes I passed untouched by man............... it was glorious (well it was when I dared to take my eyes off the road)

Finally I reached Sharbot lake.  I drove right through it and nearly missed it.  About the only reason I knew I was in the town was the speed limit was reduced from 80kms to 60.............. 5 minutes later I was back up to 80 heading along this winding/twisty turning highway again.

I found a spot to turn around - carefully.  I got the car heading south and started home.

There was one spot though - I had seen it heading up - with a dilapidated old building by the edge of the road (sort of).  I was bound and determined I was gonna get that one shot if it killed me - I wanted/needed proof for W that I had actually tried to do another photoshoot.

As I came around a turn in the road there it was................. I looked and the soft shoulder was non-existent.  But a little further down the road it did widen a bit.  I slowed down and pulled the car as far over to the side as I dared without putting it over the edge - into a ditch or worse - into the river.  I put my emergency flashers on - carefully climbed out of the car with my camera and scurried back to the spot.

Again I stood half on a snow bank and half off - one eye on the road - one eye on the building ............. and snapped.  I have to admit I am quite glad I did.................. 

Today we are housebound again......... more snow and blowing snow.......... BUT February Fest starts here tomorrow and I am planning/hoping to head downtown and get lots of pics of snow sculptures and toboggan runs and all the excitement.