Tuesday 25 July 2006

A Penny for Your Thoughts

In my first few months on this planet, I spent my days lounging around in my Moms "hot tub". My father used to wait until my mother and I were comfortably drifting off into a gentle sleep to make his move. He'd cautiously place his hands on her swollen belly and give it a good shake. I would awaken. My father would then slip into a comfortable slumber leaving me to kick the crap out of my mother, thus keeping her awake. But I got even. I was a colicy baby. HeeHee!

Unwittingly my father had created a creature of the night. As soon as the sun slips below the horizon my body kicks into gear and I am more awake then than I have been all day.

Last evening I needed to get out. No longer having to play beat the bus, allows me some much needed morning time sleep. And to keep from wanting to play beat the kids (not that I ever would!) I need a bit of time to relax and wander after dark to clear my head. That is how I found myself wandering the street at 9:00 at night.

As I was walking I was taken back to a time when you could go for a walk and find pennies periodically discarded along the street. Many dropped, but not considered worthwhile to pick up. As a child I used to love to collect them. The challenge of beating my previous record for the most pennies found in one trip was the game I played.

On this walk though the neighbourhood however, I had not found even a single one! What happend to all of the haphazardly discarded pennies that used to ocassionally lined the streets? I suppose I need to look at the makeup of my neighbourhood to figure this one out.

We own a small bungalow in a neighbourhood in which many older couples have lived and raised their families for the past 40 years. Many now in their 70's and 80's. These people tend to appreciate the value of money more than their younger counterparts and wouldn't leave a lost penny unlooked for. For them it's worth potentially breaking a hip whilst trying to reclaim their lost gem.

There are a few (very few) young families which also live amongst their geriatric friends. They don't have extra pennies lining their pockets. They have children to raise and use up every single one. They can't afford to leave dropped pennies along the street.

There are single fellows here and there in the neighbourhood. Yes, I say fellows since the majority are indeed male. They don't use pennies. They are of the modern computerized age and barely know what a penny even looks like! They use plastic.

There is the gay couple on the corner. They don't go onto the street. They move only between their front door and car. Their visitors do the same. They have their own little utopia that doesn't go past their front yard. They couldn't possibly leave pennies on the street, since I don't think that they've ever gone there outside of in their vehicle.

There are the drug dealers and grow-ops that think that if they set up in a "retirement" area that they won't be noticed. They don't have pennies. They only deal in paper money. I don't see any cash left on the pavement. And if I did, I would probably tend to leave it there for fear of being shot when trying to pick it up.

So what was I finding on the street? Sadly, I was seeing the decline of a once beautifully kept city. Never before had so many popcan tabs been visible. Had these been pennies I'd have beaten my record for sure. Cigarette butts aplenty, even though smoking has now gone out of style. Torn papers, weeds poking though the asphalt at an alarming rate. Leaves and bits of paper. Chalk drawings from one of the very few children unfortunate enough to live in "Grannyhood." Sticks, stones, rocks and boulders. Oh wait. That's not a boulder. That's the only part of the street that's not a pothole. Bird poop.

They used to care enough to sweep the streets. Now it's done but once a year in the Spring whether it needs it or not, because of cutbacks. It needs it! Believe me! We have to after all make sure that we use our tax dollars for more important things such as funding and forgiving debts accumulated by special interest groups for their parades. Foot bridges to save university students from having to walk a few meters to the other bridge. A light rail system running to and from the least populated portions of the city. The list of "necessities" goes on. They have cut back on the non-necessary tasks such as picking up the garbage on the streets, getting rid of graffiti, sweeping and cleaning the streets and culling the weeds.

It was with these thoughts whirling around inside my head, and with my eyes firmly glued to the ground that I walked into my neighbour. Built like tower in height and girth with a stare cold enough to freeze the melting ice caps she says,
"You didn't sweep my driveway after you mowed the lawn the other day."

Without looking up, because I might miss that one penny that I so desparately crave, I respond, "cutbacks."

Wednesday 19 July 2006

Weenie Roast Anyone?


This has been floating around the web. An obviously sick individual sent it to me. By the way....if you are buying a product in the pet stores called "Bull Wrinkles" you may want to rethink your purchase. It's pretty much the same as what's above. Only bovine in nature. Dogs love them, but it's just somehow so wrong;-)

Tuesday 18 July 2006

Working at a day camp. Lots of "active" kids. No bus drivers. Still rushed. Very tired. I must be crazy!

Friday 14 July 2006


This was sent to me. Ahhhh! I feel the call of a Cafe Mocha. Venti of course!

Wednesday 12 July 2006

Vicki gets pinned


Well Hello Darlings!

I'm having a wonderful time in San Diego! The weather is fabulous, and the palm trees are a sight for sore eyes!
I've got two new pieces of jewellry to show off. You may wonder where I've stashed all of my old baubles. I always remove them before my flight and leave them at home Darlings! I would so hate to embarrass Mr. Perp in any way should they ask why he was travelling with a ladies pair of undergarments covered in pins. This way I'm so much less flashy. He can just tell them he thought they were men's and all would be wonderful again!
Much love and wish me luck for the flight back!

Vicki Stripes
xxxx
ooo

Tuesday 11 July 2006

My husband Phil

I wouldn't exactly say that the other half of we is a dead ringer for Robin Williams, but let me just say that many, many, MANY people have commented on the likeness through the years....except he's just not quite as hairy as Mr. Williams.
As Mr. Perp was flying to his destination a lovely American family from the Eastern U.S. thought they were fortunate enough to be flying with a star. When seeing my dearest they yelled out PHIL! Look it's Phil! Apparently now that he is getting older he's less like Robin and more like Phil Collins.
Personally, I think instead of straightening them out, as he did, he should of put on his best limey accent and signed autographs. Now that would have been a trip! Maybe he should have introduced them to Vicki and started some real star rumors [giggle].

Monday 10 July 2006

Hello again Darlings!

I'm on the move again, thankgoodness! I was starting to get bored of the decore at home.
I'm on my way, probably as you read this, to San Diego via Chicago. I'm told that Mrs. Perp would probably have loved to go on this trip and is green with envy darlings! She would have just adored a trip to the zoo! (like she doesn't live with enough animals having all of those children!)
Wish me happy adventures, hope to have pictures soon.

Much Love,
Vicki
xxx
oooo