No Way Out

I am trapped!!!

Like a caged animal would be.

I run to the first corner, no way out.  My lack of vehicle eliminates ANY of the possibilities that await me.

I scramble to the second corner. The limited funds that are coming into my bank account make the above corner harder to leave.  How can I dig my way out of this one?  No money means no way to escape from the first corner.

I trip and fall as I make my way to the third corner.  I hang on to the fencing as I look through and see what I could have if I had the vehicle with the money that I don't have.

With my head hanging in disappointment I shuffle slowly to the last corner and find that it too is blocked.  Not only is it locked it is also covered so that I cannot even see past the rusted metal bars.

Dropping to the ground and leaning on the cold hard fencing that makes my escape impossible I look around at my cage.

Those I love come and go not leaving me entirely alone and for that I am grateful, making my time here a little more bearable.
One day I shall find the energy to climb these walls.

One day

KILLER BUNNY

Someone in Canmore has a great sense of humour

I found this flyer in town when I was there last week.  I have no idea who put it out, but I can tell you I will continue to look for others.

Blowin' (dog hair) in the Wind

It is that time of year again.  The one where we eat, breath and live dog hair.  And in our house we like to do it one dog at a time, just 'cause it is so much more fun that way. 

Rocky is the first to start and he LOVES being brushed and scratched.  It makes me feel like the process is an itchy one.  Keep in mind he has just started.. just wait a few days when it really blows.

"Oh yes!! under the collar, ohhhhh.. harder!! Wait, I'll just push my head into your hand harder.... ahhhh."

"Now the butt, under the tail please!! Come on lets go, it's sooo itchy!!!"

"Whatcha stop for?"

And this is nothing.. it is only from his right hip.. and there is still more to come.. I should be saving it to get it spun into yarn... At the moment we have birds with top quality nests in our neighbourhood.

"Fine, I'll just sit here with my new baby"

"UH,,, What about me??? Your not paying any attention to me!"

Hubba Bubba.. Your too close!!

"Uh.. okay is this better?"

Still a little too close, come on Hubba, give me some space.. kay?

"Uh.. kay... there... space right?  I love you"

The Challenge of Challenges

It feels like I've been avoiding doing these challenges.. and how many are there?  184?  No, seriously, I think it was 64... yeah, gonna be awhile before they get done.

Life has sort of woven it's way into my free time, and although that is a good thing, it has exhausted me as well.  Although saying that, I cannot think of anything important that I've done besides work and dog chores.
I do know that I have avoided getting the room ready for my daughter (who comes home tomorrow!!) and will be organizing and cleaning like a mad woman tonight and tomorrow in order to move her in for the summer.
Some things will never change, I've always been one to wait until the last minute.  I believe that by doing so it is possible to avoid doing 'it' altogether... which is never the case, but you never know.. one day.

Anyhoooo... on to the challenge at hand... doing the next challenge which I believe is #23, 5 good things that have happened to you since beginning this challenge.

Besides waking up every morning and taking a breath?


1.  I held a 2 week old puppy that had just opened her eyes... and decided that she should become a member of our pack.

2. I was able to see my son perform on stage, not once but twice!

3. Got me a new lap top!!  Good thing for me, bad thing for housework however.

4. Fell asleep in the sunshine while the dogs laid beside me, all of us enjoying the warmth and companionship.. now if that isn't a 'good' thing, I don't know what is.

5.  Found me a second hand scooter for the dogs... that is stupid exciting for me, you have no idea.. I cannot wait to pick it up.

 Isn't this the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?  Well.. to me it is!!  Holy crap I'm so excited I think I almost peed my pants!!!

The Day Lenny and Matthew Saved my Life

Without going into too much detail as to who, what, where when and why I have to 'try' and detail the events that led to how Lenny and Matthew saved my life, and ultimately the life of my 'co-worker'.

 I share a small capsule with a fellow space traveller that orbits us around the planet for way too many miles which has recently put a strain on my lower back and a twinge in my sciatica.  I'm dealing with this by trying to configulate (not a real word, I know) the seating system to accommodate the many hours spent in one position.  
Not much communication goes on between the two of us as we spend many hours in deep concentration at the task at hand, so instead music is played to pass the time.

However there is a chain of command that follows the order within our capsule that does not easily allow for all types of music to make it's way to the state of the art CD player on our dash.  I will not go into the whys as explained above.... and I don't know if I could easily explain it anyway.

The problem with this music lately is that a very skinny screechy Canadian (sadly) woman has been blaring her nasally, and did I say screechy, voice through the speakers.  The singer (and I say that term loosely) is Celine Dion.   I really HATE Celine Dion.. I cringe when I hear her.  I'm not sure I could explain easily as to why I feel this strongly but guess that it has to do with the fact that she yells in every freaking song she sings.
The other problem is that this singer *cough* is a favorite of my fellow space traveller and is played LOTS.

Today was the worst day yet.  I kept track and the speakers crackled with this horrible noise for a total of 4.5 hours today!!!!   Add this auditory torture to the pain running down my right leg and you have a recipe for disaster.

Thank my lucky karma I remembered to put my ipod in my bag today.

Lenny Kravitz was the first to help me drown out the killer sounds, and then Matthew Good joined the saviour party.

I'm not sure who invented the ipod... but thank you!!!!!!  

I swear if I actually had to listen to this 'music' noise I would have driven the car off the side of the road to end it.  Seriously... either that or killed someone, and I'm sure I could have found a lawyer to get me off by pleading insanity caused by Dionism... I'm sure of it.

Just thinking about her has my blood pressure boiling.. I need to calm myself down.....

hmph... so much for that idea, I was gonna post a Lenny video here, or even a link to one of his songs, but I am not allowed to do so it seems. 
In that case, I shall leave you dear reader as I head off to put my ipod back on.... later.... peace and all that.

(but how about a couple pics.. one a little risque.. nice abs!)

If Pride is a Sin.. then I shall Sin today

I'm a proud mommy today.

My baby girl graduated with a BA in English from Acadia University today.
I could not be there to share this milestone with her, and for that I feel so sad.  Instead I had to watch it live online... but how amazing is that! I even took pictures (the scrapbooker in me coming out)

However she will be home in 6 sleeps for the entire summer!!! 
We can do a celebratory supper when she is here.... and I can hardly wait.

I've had so many proud mommy moments over the years, but this past year seems to have been full of them, between my girl and my boy I feel so much joy in how well they are both doing.

And I look forward to more proud mommy moments!

Wishy, wishy, wish

Challenge #22
Name 3 wishes

Three wishes?

Wishes depress me, they all have to do with what stresses me most which I 'kinda' talked about in the last post.

So... here are my 3 wishes that I would ask for as of right now, at this moment in time.... Tuesday evening on May 10th while I sit in my living room on my green couch while watching re-runs of my favorite TV show, Six Feet Under.

Hmmm wish #1... let's see.  I really felt like dessert after dinner tonight, which we didn't have as we are trying to be good and healthy... so my wish is to 'screw' healthy and have a huge banana split placed in front of me with 1 huge scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1 huge scoop of Strawberry ice cream and another of chocolate.. all smothered in caramel sauce with fresh strawberries and whip cream and cherries.

Wish #2 ... I wish, wish, wish... hmmm... honestly... the banana split right about now is all I can think of... so how about a large mug of hot chocolate with a good portion of Caramel Baileys mixed in to have along side.

Wish #3... Well... honestly I'm not really sure.... oh wait I know.. how about that my wish #1 and #2 be zero calories and no fat.. how awesome would that be??

stress Stress STRESS

Challenge #21 is something that stresses me out.

Well... here it is in picture form... I can't even talk about it in fact....

Dream Wedding, Wedding Dreams

Challenge #20 asks what is your dream wedding.

Well I'm already married... have been married for almost 27 years....

and my wedding, although not my dream wedding is done and to be honest with you I really wouldn't want to do it over again.
The planning and the organizing, the money spent, it just seems like too much work for me now.

However I had this great plan for our 25th wedding anniversary, which also didn't happen, but would have been fun. A different way to re-new our marriage vows.
I would like to go to Las Vegas with friends and family.... anyone who would like to come along... we would rent a limo and cram everyone into it.. even if it meant sitting on each others laps... oh, and Elvis needs to be driving the vehicle.
We would then go to the Drive In Chapel to do the vows....then off for a party on the strip...
I just went hunting for a picture to add.. and found that you can actually go through in a pink Cadillac.. and it looks silly fun.. but IF we did have friends come.. then the limo it would be (it says up to 12 can join us)

Not overly romantic.. but fun for sure.... however the add says that Elvis sings romantic songs before and after the ceremony.... can't get much more romantic than that, and there is this amazing room that I want to stay in while there... maybe for our 30th?

Mixed Feelings

I'm home.
Alone.
On Mothers Day.
Bored
BORED

In the past I've been taken out for breakfast/brunch, but this year my husband is working at his shop and has stolen my son to do so.
They both left early in the day... and I probably wont see the hubby until later tonight... the boy is going back to his home in another town right from the shop. 
My girl is far away... although I did have a nice talk with her this morning.

I\m feeling rather sorry for myself ... and did I mention that I'm bored?
Well I'm bored!
No car to get me anywhere.. and it's raining outside.... and... well, I'm bored.

So... I might as well do the next challenge.

#19 Tells me to put my ipod on to shuffle and share my first 10 songs....

Alrighty then, here they are with links.... so enjoy... or not (depending on your taste I suppose).. and it is just a very small taste of what I enjoy as there are almost 7000 songs on my ipod.

1. Eagles; Hotel California

2. Great Big Sea: Going Up

3. The Real Mckenzies; Pour Decision

4. The Toasters; Don't Let the Bastards Grind you Down

5. Sublime; Caress Badfish

6. Frank Sinatra; That's Life

7. Flogging Molly; Float

8. Beatles; We Can Work It Out

9. Brian Setzer Orchastra; Jump Jive An' Wail

10. Samshing Pumpkins: In the Arms of Sleep

I'll Have to Learn the Hard Way!

Challenge #18 wants me to talk about something I've learned...

That could open a plethora of boxes.  Yet no matter what box is looked into I seem to like to learn the hard way.

Latest lesson. Never, EVER hold an almost 2 week old puppy when you know they are going to be looking for homes in 6 weeks.

The middle one is the one that melted my heart.

The Killing of Birds and Oral Projectiles

I've had the most interesting? 
Interesting, well yeah, that word is better than any to describe the day I had yesterday.

Let's just say that it involved another human, sharing the small space that I work in, who was experiencing involuntary release of bodily fluids orally.
And let me add that this small space we share was inescapable for 45 minutes.

Hmmm.. what do I do for a living you ask?  I could say that I work for NASA as we navigate small floating capsules that orbit the earth... I could say that, yes I could.  I work as a stratospheric navigator with a fellow space traveller as we parallax planetary nebula in the Seyfert Galaxies. 
I have no idea what that means... but it sounds way cooler than 'we do deliveries'

All that is another story, for another time, on another planet.
Instead I thought I would kill 2 birds with 1 stone and do 2 of the challenges today....  which does not actually include the killing of any birds (for all you Peta's out there)

Challenge # 16 asks about any nicknames I may have.

Technically I have lived all my life with a nickname.  When I was born my parents named me and had that name legally placed onto my birth certificate... then took me home and proceeded to call me another name completely different than the one originally chosen.  So if you want to be all techie then the name Shelley could be considered my first real nickname.... and I do think of it as so... considering only family and 'old' friends now call me by this name.  (not even my kids or hubby think of me as Shelley.. at least I don't think so)

Pumpkin would be a second nickname that came to me via my father when I was a little girl and Hubby started calling me honey bella a few years back, but doesn't use it very often as it reminded me of a character from a movie we once watched and I felt it was a stolen nickname.
Mom, or Mommy can that be considered a nick name?

However when I think nickname I think of names that are given to you for 'other' reasons that remind me of a private joke... a name that gets stuck and the reason for it fades but the name does not.

Fred..... Roach..... Rockel.... Mugsy (was my nickname from my hubby while I owned the store, but hasn't been used since).... and Chelle (pronounced shell) is the biggest one, however that one is plain obvious.... and last but not least is Boss Lady.

Challenge # 17 wants a favorite picture of yourself with an explanation of why... I don't really have a favorite picture of me... I've gained way too much weight over the years and do not feel good about myself.  I tend to not be in many photographs either.... however I did pick one that works for this challenge.. and a challenge it turned out to be...... I'm not sure what I love so much about this particular picture... perhaps it is because I don't look 'fat'... or because I was having fun with this series of pictures.. or it could be because I'm with my lucky Penny.
In any case it would be this picture, and it feels like a cheat as this picture has already been shared once in this blog somewhere.... but too bad... it is the one I've chosen.

Spring is FINALLY here!!!

Oh Joy! It is beautiful outside today. (this was actually written yesterday, I just forgot to post it!)

I sit in my yard with my furry kids as they massacre stuffies all over the yard.  Well actually only Penny is interested in demolishing her baby, making me wonder at her mothering instincts.. good thing we are looking at getting her spade.

The buds are all out on the trees, (it's about time) and that also means the 'sticky buds' from the poplar trees.  The kids will be covered in them soon with their fur all matted and stuck together from the sap.  Soon after the fluff will fill the air.  Luckily I am not prone to allergies or hay fever so this event I find quite pretty and is a true sign that spring is really here.

The many birds are singing away calling out love songs to each other... flies have been buzzing by my head on their way to the poop buckets by the kennels... mmm a smorgishborg of goodness for these disgusting insects.
I've even seen the odd butterfly flit past the pups as they lay basking in the warmth of the sun... brave butterfly, they do not realize how quick my Rocky boy is at catching 'things' mid flight.

There is a breeze, and it has a slight crispness to it letting it be known that there is still a touch of winter to be shared before we can officially say we are on our way to summer.  We almost always have snow by the May long weekend.. and I know this to be true this year as the work car I drive has had it's winter tires off today... fate... karma... call it what you will, I just know it to be true.

To this I am going to add the next blog challenge... Something that I am missing.... I am always missing people.  Especially when I sit on my own in the yard with only the pups and my thoughts.
My grandad.. my father-in-law.. my Nana Forhan... I miss them all very much.. still. 
I miss my girl who lives too far away.
I miss friends who also live far away.
I miss friends who have just left my life.
I miss my Molly, my Emily and our Oakie.
I miss my store.
I miss my staff.
I miss my customers.

However today as I sit outside in the beautiful warmth of the spring time sunshine.. the birds chirping, my dogs playing in the yard, the odd shout from a child down the road playing in their yard... what I am missing is something I have never owned myself.... and that is the solitude of living in the country... with some distance between neighbours.
Don't get me wrong.. I really like my neighbours.. they are all pretty amazing people, and we have been seriously blessed with some incredible people who live around us....
.... it is just that I would like to sit outside and not listen to their radios... their music... their talk shows....

It has rudely interrupted my silence that I was so enjoying until now...

So what I am missing most.... is solitude... silence....

But it IS spring!!!!

Eating, eating and more eating

I'm actually getting rather tired of this blog challenge.

I needed something to kick start me on my writing again... and well... it worked. My paper journal was brought out again (and actually filled, I need a new one!)... and I have this urge to continue writing here, but this challenge keeps getting in my way.

I think I'll slog on with it for now, but it feels like it is getting silly.
If it was suppose to help me begin writing again, or to be creative, or stand on my head... whatever.. then I suppose it did it's trick, but some of the challenges are just boring.

My favorite place to eat, well that isn't silly... and I could talk about eating establishments for hours, suppose that could get boring... but a few of the challenges coming up.. I just don't know... I may just skip some of them... or how about I really shake things up and not do it in order anymore???
Now that is more like me anyway... you never know what your gonna get, and if you don't like it then fine.. your problem not mine.  (hmm..that doesn't sound so nice written down in word)

Anyhow ....back to the challenge, my favorite place to eat.

Wow.. this is tougher than I thought.

I suppose it could be the Olive Garden... I think of it as me and my daughters place to go.. nice in a family restaurant kind of way, but not too Smittys like if you get my drift.  And I love the food.. mmm bread sticks.

Another favorite is the Grizzly Paw in Canmore. I don't know why exactly... it is noisy and busy... but the food portions are good and the price is okay.... and it's in Canmore in the mountains near hiking and dog sledding trails.. well okay I like the food too... the nachos are the biggest portion I've ever had... at $20 well worth sharing between 4 people as a meal with their own brewed beer or rootbeer.  If in Canmore...I suggest it for sure.

But when I'm on my own and need a lunch or dinner out I like to go to an Edo diner.. not in a mall... I really like the stir fry, but it has been the best place to people watch ever.  I'm not sure if it is the type of people that eat there or the way the tables are set up... but seriously I have had some amazing people experiences here... I know odd.

Oh.. and the bestest ever Donairs are in Cochrane at a little joint on main street snuggled in beside Rexall drugs.. the best since I was a young adult and would frequent a place on Young Street in Toronto (which sadly is gone now)

My son and I had the best ever nachos in Edmonton on Whyte Ave. in an Irish pub. Instead of nacho chips they used thinly sliced potatoes.. it was to die for.. and although I could physically take you there, I do not remember the name of the place.

I cannot really pick a favorite... I love to eat out (cause I don't have to cook)... and I can usually find something good about anywhere I go... but a favorite?
I guess I'm on the hunt for a small intimate place kinda romantic when with your partner, but perfect for close conversation with a good friend. A place that also has good food at a reasonable price... if anyone knows of something that fits this description let me know.

Hmm I'm hungry... wish I had time to fly into Phils... the best place for the best breakfast.  I love their omelets filled with fresh mushrooms, cheese and bacon with a side of hash browns and a huge fluffy pancake.. I usually get this for mothers day.. however this year the men in my life are busy on Sunday... so it'll have to wait.

Good eating everyone.

Looking Forward

Challenge13 is asking me what I am looking forward to the most.

The two words 'looking forward' mean so much to me. 
Yet cliches pop into my head. 
Never look back... always look forward.

Looking as in seeing, hoping to see?  Forward.. ahead.. the future.

My looking forward holds happiness and sadness for me.... the things I look forward to the most are intermingled with sadness and the passing of time to get to these happy times.

My immediate future I look forward to Friday night and the monthly consumption of poultry wings and too much alcohol... I will not enjoy the Saturday morning as I awake to head to work possibly.

My baby girl comes home in just over 2 weeks time.
I only get to see her once a year.. twice if I'm lucky.
And to have her home for 3 months is enough to make me giggle madly with happiness.  I can't wait!!
I will try not to smother her as I follow her around the house pinching her so that I can see it is all real... no, I suppose she will have to pinch me.

A weekend away with a best bud to the mountains to hike.. becoming a yearly ritual... I always look forward to spending time together, just her and I... and we actually don't get into any trouble.. one of these days..

Summer... Seeing my baby boy in a Shakespearean production... (I hope) and a family holiday maybe?

Then there is the visit of my bestest friend from the past this September.. a high school buddy/trouble maker is coming to spend an entire week with me!!  Just the two of us as I show her around this great province.  A spa time, girly time, our time... it will be wonderful to catch up after all these years.. just the two of us.

Yet getting to that time also means the saying goodbye to BOTH my babies as they leave for their own lives..  my girl back in Nova Scotia, my boy in Toronto.

So you can see my dilemma of trying to look forward with happiness and anticipation, when there is some sadness involved... however.. that said.  I'm so happy and excited for both my kids and what their future holds for them.

My Dream House

Challenge #12 Says to talk about your dream house.

Well lets see....

Windows that are not drafty or cracked... doors that are not drafty... a roof that is in tact, new shingles, no holes in the bedroom ceilings... closet space... kitchen cupboards....how about more than 2 feet of counter space?.... a bathroom that is larger than a closet... maybe 2 bathrooms!  A full size dining room... carpets without stains.... a laundry room that is insulated so you can use your machine when it is below zero....a yard with grass.

Take all of that and correct it in my home and you have my dream home... actually place my fixed up home on a large piece of land away from the tracks and stupid whistling trains in the middle of the night and all day long.. THEN you have my dream home.

Lately however I've been wistfully day dreaming of a cabin in the middle of nowhere.. away from traffic, and people.. a life in the bush.   But then I think about having to gut and clean my food and I change my mind.

Dog sledding sans snow

Me thinks I'm avoiding house work today....  well... I can think of many other things I could be doing today rather than that stupid chore, but since no one else is going to be doing it for me.... sigh....

But first I thought I should share what the furry kids and I do when it isn't winter, yet still cool enough in the mornings to run.

Unlucky us in that we do not live on a great piece of property that heads out onto a trail system.
Unlucky us in that we do not live in a town or city that has great biking/ walking trails either.

However lucky me that we do live down the road from the ability to head out beside the railway tracks where a sweet man made trail has been made.. it's not very long.. but it gives you the feeling of being in the wild... I am going to explore this trail a little more and see if it connects to the coolie and the animal trail that I know is down there.. then it will be perfect.

So for now we do lots of road running as well as trail running.. a good combination of the two.

Today was our first bike run of the season (sad as we should have been doing this ages ago).
Running a dog with a bike is kind of like going down a hill on a bike with no brakes and keeping your eyes closed.
Wait!... let me re-phrase that.... Running a SLED dog PULLING a bike is like going down hill with your eyes closed.
And if you like adrenaline then you will love it... however.... if you don't, then let me give you Hubba Bubba to exercise with the bike...

Penny was harnessed as she danced excitedly around me.. girls first after all.
Although she chose to run on the sidewalk, sniffing her usual spots, run she did... Penny listened to the commands and took the turns perfectly leading us to the trail as though she has done it a million times before... a couple little sniffs here and there and one pee break... but she ran the entire trail pulling me up the two hills we met along the way.
My pretty girl could have gone way further and even though she was excited to be running back into the yard she did sit by the gate in hopes she was going to go again.

Rocky was second out as I thought I'd get the Sibes run first before the heat of the day arrived.  He ran like the wind right out of the gate, not stopping for anything.  His listening is terrific and he too pulled me to where we needed to go as though this was our usual morning run.  However he was not as quick along the trail.  Way too many new smells bombarded his nose.
He had to stop regularly to make sure he marked along the way and on our way back he found what looked like a deer bone.
Rocky held his tail up in his perfect curl the entire time... skipping along and smiling as well.  He too was excited to be flying up the drive home but was also found by the gate for his next hopeful run.

Hubba is a different story all together.  He has never run with a bike before.  And I'm not sure what is up with him, but it is almost as though his small brain has it engraved that since he's left the W's he doesn't really have to do this running business.
He was confused... kept running around to both sides which led me to having to untangle the line from me.  So I stopped re configured how the line was attached so it would swivel more with his confused like run.
For a little bit of time he stuck by my side and sort of trotted along with a very worried look on his face.
Half way down the road he sort of got into the hang of it and started running ahead, turned 'haw' on command and led me straight to the trail head. 
Yet as soon as we got on the trail he sat down, but not before turning a couple of times and tangling his legs in the line... not once but twice.
I tried to walk him along the trail.... but I think the bike had him freaked out.
So I just turned around and brought him home rather than make it an event we both hated. I really do want to get him doing this run eventually, we'll just have to take it in small steps.

When we hit the road home, he realized where he was heading and flew like the wind... but decided to run down the middle of the road which gave the old man in the van coming towards us a heart attack or at the very least got his adrenaline pumping as well. 
Oh Hubba.. why oh why will you not run like that going out?  You love to run.... so why not just do it?

I think I may have to double up Hubba with Penny next time.... but first I have to find my helmet!

Challenge Continued

Challenge #11

A bible verse...

Really?

I don't read the bible... I've never read the bible, well except for bits a pieces.
I'm not religious... I may be spiritual, but definitely not religious.

I received a wonderful gift from a friend of mine... the bible in both Hebrew and English.. I love it very much.. but have not actually sat down to read it... perhaps I should.  I do know stories out of the bible... but I know not the scriptures.

So I hunted for a verse that would be of some interest to me... and I found this...


He said to David, "Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?" And David said, "No! Worse than a dog!"

1 Samuel 16:43

I believe however that no human is better than a dog.. they are the most trusting, loving creatures that were given to us... a gift from heaven.

The Nose Knows

Or rather the nose remembers

I have this memory that came flooding back to me as I was drifting off to sleep last night... and I find I have this urge to write about it.. not that I'll forget it, but I just felt a need to share.

There was this crawl space at my grandparents house when I was growing up that I absolutely loved to go into.  For those who know me now will be in wonderment and wonder wonderingly how someone with a phobia of small dark places could find this memory a happy one.  

I know eh?  That and it was probably filled with wolf spiders as well....

It was dark, yet not dark as naked light bulbs lit my way.
The ceiling was so very low and even as a kid I had to keep my head down and my knees slightly bent.

The room felt like it went on forever.. it was very large and full of 'stuff' - boxes upon boxes of treasures.

Stored Christmas decorations and other items that were too priceless to throw away yet not loved enough to have out on display. 

However it is the smell that I remember so vividly.  Clay - potters clay. 
There were bags of it in a box. A craft once learned but now forgotten and packed into a box for future creative endeavors only to be found by a grandchild.
The smell still sits in the back of my nose and if ever I am lucky enough for the opportunity to catch a whiff of that scent I am immediately transported back to the special place in a time so long ago now.

I remember once playing in that space with some Barbie dolls.. I'm not sure if I found them there or if I had brought them in myself... but I could play for hours and not be disturbed by the grown ups.
A place that they called dark and dingy but one I found quite magical with a wonderful smell.

The house was sold years ago, but I can still walk through it in my mind as though I was only there last week.  Much has changed about it.... the trees have matured, the swimming pool out back is gone and even the colour is different. No matter, the memories that I take with me will never change.
I bet that crawl space is still there and hasn't changed though.. I wonder if it still smells of clay?

I think I need to find myself a quiet special space once again....  in fact all 'grown ups' should have a magical place they can escape to from time to time.

  

This pic was taken many, many years ago.. that is me as a baby being held by my grandmother.. Nana Betty.

and this is the house now... years later.