Oh, Patches.

My first memory of meeting Patches was at a party at a friend's house about 3 years ago. We were sitting on the patio swing out back, taking a moment away from the drunken festivities, and this fuzzy little Ewok wandered over for a visit. He was weird looking, and goofy, and very friendly. We joked about stealing him and taking him home with us. One of our hosts told us we could take him anytime, but we didn't take him seriously. A few months later, Patches needed a home, and was dropped off at our place.

Patches ( and now Maggie) has been with us on so many adventures, it's hard to even count. The little bugger loves camping and bonfires, and even has his own camp chair. We've taken him to parties, to the bar, canoeing, and he was at our wedding. It kills me to leave our dogs anywhere, even when they've stayed with friends when we've been unable to take them for any reason, they are an integral part of my day.

Patches is a dopey, happy lump of a dog. He has become more active since we've moved to BC, and he's learned to play not only with other dogs, but with toys and sticks...finally. It's good to be a Patches, for the most part.

Patches has had more than his fair share of health problems since we've taken him in. Some were preventable ( and now we know!) , and some were not, and some just come along with being a Shit Zu ( bad teeth for example.) On top of all that, he was attacked last winter, and had to have emergency surgery, and mentally hasn't quite been the same since.

He was doing good for awhile, but the past few weeks it's been one thing after the other. It started out with a severe eye infection ( that still hasn't quite cleared up), and then what seemed to be a UTI, and now his stomach and the area around his penis is red and raw, and there are sores appearing. I spent Saturday night consoling him, while he had diarrhea and puked until 7am. Today, his sores seem to be worse, but that's probably because of all the licking and scratching he's been doing. We got him groomed, we've tried different creams, and try to keep him from bothering them too much. Tonight he is sleeping beside me peacefully after I put some zinc cream on. It was like instant relief to him, so it must be itchy-burny.

It makes me feel like a big fucking asshole that I can't afford to even take him to the vet this time. We're at a point where every penny we have has to get us back to Saskatchewan in a couple weeks. Neither of us get paid again until we get home. And he just keeps feeling worse. Ugh.

Some online friends and family have made comments to me over the past few weeks about what they think it may be, and giving advice on websites to check out for information ( THANK YOU!) , and some have bluntly told me to relax, because "it's just a dog". To these people, I want to say "relax, it's just your child that's sick, you can get another one", but that would be rude, so I won't.

The thing is, Patches is my best bud, and I worry about him always.  I am never happier than when I'm just hanging with my husband and my dogs, so every single day, I get to experience pure fucking joy, just hanging out at home. So when Patches is sick, it just kills me a little.

Here's hoping that it's nothing serious, and he doesn't feel worse before we can get some money in the bank, and also, here's to hoping that one day he won't always have to sleep on my pillow and snore in my ear at the volume of five old men who smoked for 40 years. Seriously Patches, I'm trying to concentrate!

Snow Day

Originally posted over @ http://abigailroaddesigns.blogspot.com


I had planned on spending all day today sewing, and hopefully taking photos of some new bottle cap magnets I made this week. I am now going to be working Friday, Saturday and Sundays at a group home, so my creative job will have to be done during the week. So, like I said, I had planned on getting some work done today.

I hadn't planned on the insane storm we received here on the island, starting last night. Driving back to the campground from the city was daunting. I have driven on a lot of scary Canadian highways in the winter, but Malahat Drive has got to be the worst. The wet heavy snow made the roads slippery, the tree branches heavy, and our nerves on edge. Once we were home, we decided to spend the evening staying warm, and playing Nintendo. It was great. 

Both of us had thought about my event tent ( that we use as a picnic shelter here), and the weight of the snow. Both of us knew we should go and check on it. Both of us acted too late. When we heard the heavy thud, we knew what it was. There was no saving it. The legs and roof buckled under the weight of the wet snow. 

Oops, it fell. 

Dammit. I really liked that tent. I got it on sale too. Mother Effer.  My husband called time of death on it this morning, after he was a super trooper, and shoveled all the snow off of our roof at 4:30am so it wouldn't collapse like the tent, and then dug the tent out of all the snow. He's tops in my books today.


Not that the tent has anything to do with my ability to sew. It doesn't. We ( along with about 30,000 other people) were without power, all day. Like, a nine hour work day, all day kind of day. Without power, we don't have heat, and we don't eat anything that needs to be cooked. Without the tent, we don't have dry charcoal to cook outside on the grill. It was a cold, frustrating day, that didn't give any opportunity for crafty ventures. Unless you call shoveling crafty.

It wasn't a total bust though. I learned that I can survive in a trailer with no heat, as long as I am in BC and not Saskatchewan ( I am positive we would not have made it, had this happened back home.) The dogs had a ton of fun frolicking in the snow drifts, and I know have a special appreciation for my rubber boots, that I did not have before. They saved my feet today, so I can still push the "gas pedal" on my sewing machine.

Tomorrow is another day, the weather is looking up, I hope, and I've got a pile of material that's just begging to be made into shirred top dresses and shirts, and apron tops. Woot!

Garbage Tent. 

BTW --- Check out my booth @ handmadecraftshow.com !

Wanna See Some Pictures?

This is a picture of the ocean. I snapped a bunch of photos on the ferry, but it was so windy, I was afraid I was going to fall off the boat, so unfortunately none of them turned out very well. I'm glad I didn't get any photos of  a whale, I would have shit my pants. Whales scare the hell out of me. Maybe it's because they're so big. Now that I'm thinking of it, it's possible that I have a phobia of things that are enormous, because I'm also afraid of seeing the planet Earth from above,  mountains, and large birds.

This is what we live in. We call it "The Little Green Bean" and the " Gypsy Caravan that Love Built", but most people call it "An Ugly Piece of Shit". Never to our faces though, 'cause that would be mean. Other than the occasional roof leak, it's pretty sweet, and we're happy in our home on wheels. Oh, and if you want to send us anything, our address is "42".

While walking on a beach in Vancouver, we came across this piece of "art". It makes me think of dinosaurs, or something Fred Flintstone might put on his BBQ. Come to think of it, I'm not afraid of dinosaurs, I think they're super cool, so that rambling in the first paragraph about a possible phobia doesn't quite work. I'll put some thought into it and get back to you.

These are our dogs. Their Separation Anxiety Disorder has gone from mild to moderate when we had a home, to severe, since we left Saskatchewan.They seem to be enjoying the trip though. They've met some other dogs, and have had the opportunity to pee on many trees that they never had the chance to pee on before. Anyone who has any tips on how to train dogs to chill the fuck out, please email me asap.

And, that's all for now.

Photos from Cuba

View of the Yayabo River, near Sancti Spiritus.

Juan Valdez? (near Trinidad)

A view of my toes, and the Atlantic Ocean, (Varadero)

Trinidad, from above.

Catamarans and kayaks at the end of the day. (Varadero)

Myself, George Burns, and our bitches, kickin' it in Havana.

The Young Communists building. (Havana)

Boys fishing by The Fort. (Havana)

That's the Tooth.

On Saturday night, after a long-winded discussion with a bouncer at a local nightclub about dress-code, and how ridiculous it was that a man cannot enter without sleeves on his shirt, but a woman could enter with her tits hanging out, I realized that something was up with one of my molars. I informed the ladies that I thought my filling was coming out, and then had a few shooters to forget about it.

By the next morning, I was missing at least three quarters of said tooth. It hurt, almost as much as my hangover.

On Monday morning, I decided I had to try and get in to see the dentist. Luckily, they could get me in by 2:30pm that day.

I finished my work, and then headed out for some retail therapy. While perusing cardigans at Walmart, I overheard some girls talking about the AC/DC concert that was that night, and how they couldn't believe that 40,000 people had "wasted their money to see some band that hadn't done anything in 20 years". I bit my lip, glared at them a little, and figured they either A) they must not be from small town Saskatchewan, or B) they were more the type of girls that would spend $200 to see New Kids on the Block.




So anyways, at 2:30pm, I went to visit the dentist. After gagging during 3 X-rays, and discussing the fact that my dental plan licks balls, and I'm broke, we decided that the molar wasn't all that important, and he would just pull it. If I ever won the lottery, I would get a fake tooth put in at that time.

It took 3 needles for my mouth to feel the slightest bit numb. The dentist started to twist and turn and pull on the bloody tooth, but it just would not budge. He realized that the root was attached to the molar beside it for some reason. Alas, that one had to go too.

After some tears, and screaming, and worrying that I was scaring the children in the chairs around me, the fucking things came out. And yes, I felt every last bit of it. Ouch.

However, my main concern was that it was already after 4pm, and I needed to pick up my AC/DC tickets in an hour, and get to the show!

With a mouth full of bloody gauze, that I changed about 12 times throughout the evening, I somehow was a trooper, and had an amazing time at the show. By the end, I was a mess....tired, sore, and in no mood to party like I had promised. I felt like a big baby, but I had to go home.



Although it was well worth it, I hope you appreciate what I went through for you AC/DC.

Oh, and thanks for the amazing show!

It's That Time of Year Again....

As per usual, the Arts Festival is but a few days away, and I am positive that I did not make enough "stock" over the winter.

I have a few bags left over from last year, and I have about six that are "almost done". I have not made any jewellery to sell, and never did get around to finishing the journals I was making, because I don't have a drill. I have 4 of my weird springy vase holders, and I actually did buy vases for them, and I should have about 6 summer dresses completed before the 23rd arrives.


I know that if I use all my extra time to make bags, I could pump out a shitload in the next week. However....

I think the reason that I don't have as many wares ready to sell this year, is not because I was lazy, but because I decided quality was better than quantity. But, now I am afraid that the few quality items that I do have, won't sell...and then what?

Due to my awesomeness (hehe), I am raising some of my prices this year, and am afraid that will turn some people away. Hopefully it won't, but that's the way I am, I worry about these things.

And on that note, I should really do some sewing before I have to head off to my real job for the night. I'm working on a crazy looking dress, that I hope someone will adore.

Summer Nostalgia

I'm just sitting here looking at pictures from summers gone by.......

......and all I have to say is, that if it doesn't warm up soon, I'm going to lose my ever lovin' mind!

Grace in { Crafty } Things #13

Hi There!

Sorry, I know I've been missing. Smyrish bought me http://abigailroad.ca for my birthday, and it took a few days to get all set up. Thanks to all who noticed the blog was missing, and sent me messages and Twits! It feels nice to be missed!

It's been a busy week so far.

We replaced our two roommates who moved out on the weekend, with a dog named Patches, and an upright piano.

The piano is lovely, and I'm slowly getting back all my piano-playing knowledge. It amazes me how much I have forgotten, considering all the years of lessons I took. Thankfully though, my brain hasn't totally turned to mush, and I figure with a few weeks of practice, I should be back on track, playing Beethoven and the "Cheers" theme song.


Patches had been offered to us to take in a couple times in the past few months, but it just was never the right time for us, or his original owners. He has been a bit of a handful, as he gets used to his new home.

He attached himself to me right away, which was cute at first, but now I think it may be a bit unhealthy. I'm not sure if he wants me to be his mommy, or his girlfriend. However, I learned today, that if I want him to give me some personal space, I should just bring out the camera. I got these two shots, after a half hour of chasing him around the apartment, as well as about 15 pictures of my slippers and the walls.


He's a cute little bugger though, and once he gets used to the place and doesn't bark continuously when we leave him alone, we should all get along famously. It will take time, and training, but we can do it.

And on that note, I'm going to interrupt his snoring and puppy dreams, and get out for a walk before Mother Nature decides to make it cold outside again.

Finally, I'm Thirty.

My birthday party was an absolute blast.

I got presents, and cupcakes, kisses and hugs, free drinks, and got to visit, and dance and sing with my whole gaggle of friends. We pretty much filled both bars we hit, and it was just wonderful to see everyone, and to see them have a good time.

The day didn't start out well. I was dreading my party, and the surprises that Smyrish was planning for me. I don't do well with surprises...I'm a control freak, and like to plan everything myself. I was better the second I walked into The Pub. No one embarrassed me, they just made me laugh, with custom made buttons and an 8 foot tall cardboard cut out of The Unknown Poet, whom I wished could be with me, but couldn't.

Thanks to everyone who was there for the presents, the surprises and the love.

You sure made me feel special, and helped me prove to myself than I can still party like it's 1999.

Happy Birthday Smyrish!

Today is gonna be a crazy busy day. I have to finish my spring cleaning and I have a meeting with my boss, which I am expecting to be less than joyous. But, today is also the Hawksley Workman concert, and Smyrishs' birthday extravaganza, and those are good fun things. I am not going to have time to do any shopping though, so instead of a present, Smyrish gets a list of all, well some, of the things I love about him. Sure, it's cheap, but what can I say, it's not his real birthday yet, so he'll just have to wait. ;)

1. His big smile. You should see his eyes light up when that big grin covers his face.

2. The way he can fall asleep, anywhere, anytime. Sure, I tease him, but really, I think it's pretty cute.
3. His ability to be spontaneous and up for anything astounds me and excites me. I'll never forget our spontaneous road trip to Toon Town in the middle of the night last summer.

4. Even when he hasn't brushed his teeth, I want to kiss his soft, sweet lips.

5. He reminds me to not stress out over the small stuff, and to only worry about the big things in life.

6. Even though he is younger than me, he never makes me feel old.

7. He is goofy and hyper in a way that I will never be, but I love how his energy rubs off on me, and those around him.

8. I don't care what he says, he has the sweetest ass in town.

9. Our relationship is so far from dramatic, it took me awhile to get used to it. Now, I love the calm and the comfort we have.

10. I tell him to stop it, and leave me alone, but it's pretty funny when he tries to put his fingers up my nose.

11. Whenever I am feeling gross and ugly, he tells me he thinks I am beautiful. And I know he means it.

12. When he snuggles up to me on the couch, he reminds me of a kitten.

13. Watching him with children and babies gets my ovaries roaring.

14. He wants to experience as much as possible in life, and I see many adventures in our future. I can't see us ever being bored.

15. He is comfortable talking to everyone. The crazy people downtown, my family and people he has just met.

16. I love that he writes me little notes that say "I think you're super!", and adds to my "to-do" lists when he sees them with things like "Spank Smyrish's sweet ass".

17. A friend of mine once told me that when I found someone with a VW van that liked to camp and go on Sunday drives in the country, I'd have met my match. Creepy, how when I wasn't even looking, he showed up.

18. Doing nice things like bringing me and Knuckle Toes food when we're stuck in our festival booth, and offering to help around the house or pick up my mom, comes completely natural to him. You don't see that as often as you should, these days, people you know you can count on, no matter what, and expect nothing in return.

19. Sometimes, I just want to crawl into that big brain of his, and find out where all his crazy and wonderful ideas come from.

20. When he is around, I know that I am safe, and everything will be okay.

21. He gives great back rubs, and always helps me put lotion on my back when I am itchy.

22. He is open-minded and accepts people for they are. And he accepts me for who I am, even when I am moody, stressed out and acting like I'm from CrazyTown. He acknowledges the fact that I can be a real weirdo, but puts up with me anyways. I know I can just be me when I'm with him, and I never have to put on an act to make him happy.

23. He loves my friends, and my friends love him, we get along with each other's relatives and we're all just one big happy family.

24. He has the cutest bed head I've ever seen. The site of a cowlick has never made me so happy inside.

25. I don't know if he knows it, but he makes me want to be a better person, for myself, and for the good of the earth.

26. He is one of a kind, and I'm lucky he's mine.

That was way too easy. I could have gone on forever I think. But maybe I'll save the rest for next year.

Happy birthday, Smyrish. I hope your birthday party kicks royal ass, and I'll see you after I'm finished ogling Hawksley.

Bunny and Cat

Last night was one of the most insanely chaotic nights of work I have ever had. So this morning, when I finally arrived home, I just felt I needed to take photos of the bunny to relax myself a bit.

He was acting so darn cute, I just had to give him some Craisins, which to a bunny, are somewhat like crack. When I ran out, he actually started slapping and scratching at my hand, and then ran away to eat his litter. Apparently that's what junky bunnies do.

Trance the Cat was not impressed that I wasn't playing with her, and came over to "mip mip" at me, and give me what for.


Even after I payed some attention to her, she was still being a bag, so I threatened her with a bath, and she stopped bitching and started purring, and now we're all heading off to bed, because I have been awake for more than twenty four hours.

Oh, Happy Day.

What a great day.

I was actually mentally prepared for my 7:00 am call-in for work, so when I arrived seven hours early for my originally scheduled shift, I was in good spirits. I found someone to work the remaining 6 hours of my would-have-been 18 hour shift, and headed home to pound a Kokanee.

After a couple of quick phone calls to the girls, I called Smyrish, and he said he wanted to spend some money on me to take me for supper. How could I say no? When I went to pick him up, he said we had to make a quick stop on the way, and it was a surprise. I hate surprises, you never know if it will be good, or bad, and they cause me anxiety. ( "Surprise! Here's a million dollars!", or "Surprise! We're in the middle of nowhere, and now you must die!")

However, this surprise was abso-fucking-lutely wonderful:

( I think I will name her Gigi )

He bought me a new sewing machine!!!! Yippee!! Isn't she beautiful???

After I gave him a smooch, we headed off for supper, where I enjoyed the second best sandwich I have ever had in my life, the best one being the corned beef sandwich I had when I was in Montreal last, at Ben's Deli.

( I promise, it looked much better than these leftovers do.)

After supper, it was off to Home Depot where I sat in my dream bath tub, a quick visit with Film Star at the Shopper's Drug Mart, and then back to Smyrish's place to hang out and listen to the new Radiohead album, read catalogues, and look at old photos.

And alas, I am home. About to spend the first night in forever, alone in my bed. (With the exception of those nights where Smyrish couldn't stand my snoring.) I am going to play some scrabble, watch the rest of "Hello, Dolly", hug Gigi, and hopefully get a good nights sleep, with dreams full of Barbara Streisand sung show tunes.

Boxing Day

T'was another fine SmallTown Xmas. We ate more than our bodies wanted us to, we drank no more than our seasoned livers could handle, and we even got in some tobogganing and fresh air at The Lake. We played Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, opened presents, visited the cousins, and took in a "Family Feud" marathon on the television. Smyrish and Film Star even wandered into an old abandoned school, and accidentally got a nice photo of a ghost. And of course, we all got some deadly fucking presents.

Overall, it was a nice little holiday, and it was especially nice to have Knuckle Toes and Smyrish join us.


Next year, I hope that we can get together with AJ and her clan as well, 'cause I missed them terribly, but at least they phoned to sing to us our family Xmas medley.

And now, it's time to finish the laundry, make the leftovers into a stir fry, and get ready to meet the ladies at The Pub for the "ugly xmas sweater party", as they were nice enough to offer to buy this poverty-stricken lassie a pint or two.

Hope y'all had a nice Festivus!