Tagged By Turtle

Just when I was thinking that I must post something — anything — I find myself tagged by Dave. So, while explosions continue to rock my world, let's see what happens with this meme.

Here are the rules: (i) Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog. (ii) Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. (iii) Tag 3 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, so I took care of #1 in both the title and the opening paragraph. So, what five things shall I share today? I seem to recall once did a seven-thing meme (which I can't find now), but maybe this list will be different.

(i) I'm opposite Cuppa who almost always has her iPod plugged into her ears at night (and who is smart and cute). Listening to books on tape (although they're on CDs now, helps her fall and stay asleep. It seems to have the opposite effect on me. I start to doze but then wake up enough to realize that I'm missing plot development. So, I strain to stay awake. And it works. Last night, it worked until five o'clock in the morning when I finished reading (not listening to) Louise Penny's Still Life. (Note: based on this book, Penny is a very fine Canadian mystery writer who rivals the British mysteries and actually sets her novels in Quebec, Canada.)

(ii) I was conflicted last night when Thesha called with the exciting news that the seven-month old Smudge has cut her first two teeth. It's exciting for sure, but it's also a first step away from babydom and that irresistible gummy smile that lights up my grampa's heart (if hearts can be lit up).

(iii) There is a fiddling orchestra out in the country — way out in the country — and I am prepping to join it. I'm still a beginner, and the leader has me and three other beginners working on some of their songs at a slower learning pace. For those tunes, we will join the orchestra when they play their Christmas Concert on January 5 [sic]. I think I sound better than the other three who all tend to be grinders. My habit is almost the opposite — I tend to bounce on the down bow. I can't seem to correct this, and it's driving me crazy. It does tend to improve somewhat towards the end of a long practice, but next day, I start out with the same problem.

(iv) Sometimes, I think I really am mildly dyslexic. For example: I just fixed a typo in point one. I had written "htta" rather than "that" (right letters, wrong order). And mechanical things leave me perplexed. Getting my music stand up and down becomes an ordeal of great magnitude, and on the weekend I stared at the stop of the maple syrup jar rather stupidly before my BIL opened it for me. However, I'll spare you the details by not trying to describe the fastening contraption at the top.

(v) I like dogs but will probably never own one. In the past I have written about the neighbour's Molly. We took her to the dog park (which I just spelled aprk — all the right letters again). several times last winter. Anyway, I really like her and most dogs, but when I see Stan out walking her five or six times a day, I shudder. You see, she won't go in the backyard. But she's a wonderful Golden Retriever, and if I ever did have a dog, I'd like one of those — but in miniature svp.

Well I think those things are pretty random, and surely some qualify as weird. So, I pass the meme (oops I just left the "p" off "pass" which may be appropriate) to ec, Philip, and Lorna.

Oh, were you wondering about the explosions that are rocking my world (first paragraph)? It's literally true. For the past week, they have been blasting on the road behind our house. They are going to widen it, and the bedrock is very close to the surface here, so, yes, we're having a real blast. So real that it shakes the house.