I want to apologise.
I was meaning to post the following last week but time ran away with me - as it has a habit of doing, no matter where in the world you are - and before I knew it, my posts and the topic dates were getting in a muddle. I will try my best for this not to happen again, but I cannot promise there will definitely not be any more confusing date mash-ups in the foreseeable future.
The reason - or my excuse - for this is that my working days are limited in terms of hours. (Aren't they for everyone I hear you say, and you would be correct). Mine however, are reduced by the ME. The disease means that, at this point in time, my brain only opens for the business of writing, as well as the majority of other activities, between 9-10am and 4-5pm. In that time, I have to cram in any trips outside of the apartment i.e. dancing at the gym, going for a walk, supermarket shopping, meeting someone for coffee, with tasks such as cleaning, washing etc, as well as writing and allowing at least an hour midday for a rest.
I tried getting up earlier last week but as lovely as having breakfast with my husband and seeing the early morning sunlight stream through the windows was (I do love the feeling of the fresh new day at that time in the morning before it is tainted by time), the ME did not share my views; and I was left getting through the rest of the day in a zombie-fied state.
Occasionally I manage to push the writing to after 5pm, but I cannot do this on a regular basis without experiencing burn out after a couple of days and spending the rest of the week feeling acutely sick and all the other joyful aches and pains that like to join in the party.
I was meaning to post the following last week but time ran away with me - as it has a habit of doing, no matter where in the world you are - and before I knew it, my posts and the topic dates were getting in a muddle. I will try my best for this not to happen again, but I cannot promise there will definitely not be any more confusing date mash-ups in the foreseeable future.
The reason - or my excuse - for this is that my working days are limited in terms of hours. (Aren't they for everyone I hear you say, and you would be correct). Mine however, are reduced by the ME. The disease means that, at this point in time, my brain only opens for the business of writing, as well as the majority of other activities, between 9-10am and 4-5pm. In that time, I have to cram in any trips outside of the apartment i.e. dancing at the gym, going for a walk, supermarket shopping, meeting someone for coffee, with tasks such as cleaning, washing etc, as well as writing and allowing at least an hour midday for a rest.
I tried getting up earlier last week but as lovely as having breakfast with my husband and seeing the early morning sunlight stream through the windows was (I do love the feeling of the fresh new day at that time in the morning before it is tainted by time), the ME did not share my views; and I was left getting through the rest of the day in a zombie-fied state.
Occasionally I manage to push the writing to after 5pm, but I cannot do this on a regular basis without experiencing burn out after a couple of days and spending the rest of the week feeling acutely sick and all the other joyful aches and pains that like to join in the party.
So, all in all, it is not for an on-time blogger maketh. I am sorry for the often delayed posts, and thank you for baring with me!
Apology over, I better get on and post before yet another day passes...
Apology over, I better get on and post before yet another day passes...
At the beginning of last week, the warm temperature led to the mounds of snow starting to melt. As it did so, the ground it had been hiding for months began to emerge from its winter cocoon. It was strange to see the landscape a colour that wasn't a shade of white, and it was almost exciting to see old familiar things once again.
We saw clumps of lesser-spotted grass! The concrete of the pavement - sidewalk - was visible! The mountains of cleared snow dotted around the city became mere hills. But it wasn't the prettiest of sights to greet the eye; the dreary grey, dirt-coloured snow, mixed with grit, and the piles of rubbish which the white blanket had been covering was also visible.
Inn addition to the thawing snow, we also had rain on Tuesday. Quite a lot of rain in fact, which continued to pour down all day long. Walking around town, hood over my head as the fine rain still succeeded in splashing my face and coating everything, it felt as though we were back in England. It was quite a novelty witnessing rain, but not so much of a novelty that I wanted it to continue.
On Tuesday evening, we had just finished eating supper and T was doing the washing up. I was wiping the kitchen surfaces (I am a messy cook) when I felt something splash me on my shoulder.
How did T manage to splash me from the sink without turning around?! Sneaky!
Then I heard a drip.
Hmm.
I turned around to see Albie staring intently at the floor. As I shifted my gaze to where he was looking, it was met with the unwelcome sight of a puddle on the floor.
Drip.
Drip, drip.
That definitely wasn't T...
I looked up, and to my horror saw water was dripping at quite a rate from the ceiling. Not only this, but it was coming from the wires which had been meant for a light fitting. (The landlord had planned to put a chandelier there, but we told him not to bother, so as a result there is a hole in the ceiling with taped-off wires sticking out of it.)
Water + electricity = "darn", or other more panic-stricken words with a similar meaning.
We rang the landlord who said he would come over and take a look the following morning...
So we could do nothing more than turn off the electricity to that area, place a bucket underneath to catch the drips, and hope for the best.
How did T manage to splash me from the sink without turning around?! Sneaky!
Then I heard a drip.
Hmm.
I turned around to see Albie staring intently at the floor. As I shifted my gaze to where he was looking, it was met with the unwelcome sight of a puddle on the floor.
Drip.
Drip, drip.
That definitely wasn't T...
I looked up, and to my horror saw water was dripping at quite a rate from the ceiling. Not only this, but it was coming from the wires which had been meant for a light fitting. (The landlord had planned to put a chandelier there, but we told him not to bother, so as a result there is a hole in the ceiling with taped-off wires sticking out of it.)
Water + electricity = "darn", or other more panic-stricken words with a similar meaning.
We rang the landlord who said he would come over and take a look the following morning...
So we could do nothing more than turn off the electricity to that area, place a bucket underneath to catch the drips, and hope for the best.
This wasn't too successful at first, as Albie kept pushing the bucket across the floor away from the drip; but after repeatedly telling him not to, he eventually got the message and left it alone.
We went to bed to the sound of dripping and splashing, praying the rain would stop before too long. Having to leave the bedroom door open so 'Mr. Spoilt Cat' could have free range over the apartment and our room, meant we couldn't shut out the sound of the water splashing in the bucket. So it was a finger in the ear instead - we had earplugs somewhere, but where that place actually was, we did not discover...
In addition to the sound of the water, our phone rang at 5am (we have a Skype phone with an English number so our family and friends can ring us as though we were still in London and so it doesn't cost them, but the trouble is that any work agencies or cold callers assume we are in England, so to them, 5am our time would be 9am with them....). So all in all, it wasn't the best nights sleep and morning came far too quickly.
We went to bed to the sound of dripping and splashing, praying the rain would stop before too long. Having to leave the bedroom door open so 'Mr. Spoilt Cat' could have free range over the apartment and our room, meant we couldn't shut out the sound of the water splashing in the bucket. So it was a finger in the ear instead - we had earplugs somewhere, but where that place actually was, we did not discover...
In addition to the sound of the water, our phone rang at 5am (we have a Skype phone with an English number so our family and friends can ring us as though we were still in London and so it doesn't cost them, but the trouble is that any work agencies or cold callers assume we are in England, so to them, 5am our time would be 9am with them....). So all in all, it wasn't the best nights sleep and morning came far too quickly.
When the alarm went off, I - closely followed by Albie - cautiously tiptoed into the kitchen to investigate the damage.
The bucket was full to overflowing with dirty water, there were two bulges in the ceiling where the water was beginning to drip through, and there had also been water trickling down the wall where the light switch is, and the paint had peeled away. Thankfully the dawn light was giving way to blue sky, and the rain appeared to have gone; so although the bulges in the ceiling were still dripping, mother nature wasn't fuelling the leak any longer.
The bucket was full to overflowing with dirty water, there were two bulges in the ceiling where the water was beginning to drip through, and there had also been water trickling down the wall where the light switch is, and the paint had peeled away. Thankfully the dawn light was giving way to blue sky, and the rain appeared to have gone; so although the bulges in the ceiling were still dripping, mother nature wasn't fuelling the leak any longer.
The landlord came at 9am, and he and one of his work guys climbed up on the roof to identify the cause of our indoor rain-shower. It turned out the drain from the flat roof was blocked, resulting in it resembling a gigantic swimming pool. When they drained it (which took quite a while), the dripping stopped and the inside of the apartment was able to dry out.
I could have kept shtum and pretended all that occurred this week, but those who live in Montreal or pay attention to the Montreal weather would spot an huge flaw. You know I said the snow was melting and we could see the pavement?
Well we can't see it now.
It has snowed for the past twenty-four hours virtually non-stop, and left over 25cm snow.
It has snowed for the past twenty-four hours virtually non-stop, and left over 25cm snow.
Today is officially the first day of Spring; can someone tell the weather this fact please!?