Karaoke!!!

I finally made it down to the Skol last night...Friday nights are Karaoke! I have not been for quite some time. I think it was before Christmas even...wowzas, I have got to go way more often than that! Karaoke is a night of fun...for SURE fun! You don't have to be able to sing to do Karaoke. You don't have to sing at all when you go to Karaoke. It is intended on being a night of letting loose, opening up your pipes and busting out a few tunes. It is not intended for any kind of seriousness...perhaps that is why they do Karaoke in a bar! ;o)

We headed over to the Skol after attending a beer and burger night at the Garbiola Golf Club. It was the kick off to the Second Annual Isle of the Arts Festival...they made it a night of "Coffeehouse" where a whole bunch of people got up with their instruments and sang some great folk tunes. It was a packed house by the time Clint and I  arrived...standing room only. (I am not a fan of standing too long...especially when I have to eat a burger!! lol) When two of my friends showed up (on a ladies night out) they were already ready to leave...they too do not like standing room only. ;o) I mentioned it was Karaoke night at 9pm...they finished their drinks and off they went. We convinced another friend to join us and left shortly after to join them. And am I ever glad that we did...what a blast! There was a good crowd. (except for the waaaaay to drunk guy who wouldn't leave our table alone...he drank my beer, kissed my friend on the lips, got mad and stormed away from us, came back and apologized, tried REAL hard to sing The Joker by Steve Miller, busted out on the floor when I was singing What I Like About You by the Romantics, he danced with a stool over his head and grabbed the other mic to make an attempt in joining me. He sucked! He was told to leave...like 3 times! lol) There always has to be at least one bad drunk at the Skol on any given night! ;op Anyways...Karaoke is a good time for all. I enjoy the people who can not sing...and they sing so hard and loud and give it their all...it is awesome. Sing like no one can hear!! I ended off my night of songs with an old favourite...Bad Medicine, Bon Jovi. Oh yea. That song is incredibly wordy and loss of breathy...but it is so much fun to sing and rock the stage. And when peeps come to dance to your song...that feels the best! Karaoke make fun time for all! Get your pipes to your local "watering" hole and bust out a few tunes...it'll make your soul feel good. :o)

Short little re-cap of the last week of 12:12...

Sunday April 22 12:12 pm

Warm Sundays are nice. Maggie and I love to be out on the deck chilling like villains when it is warm and sunny. (As you can see it was partly sunny...but sunny nonetheless!) Shortly after we headed out in the car, to the beach and enjoyed a lovely walk. I love my Maggie walks. ;o)

Monday April 23 12:12 pm

I like to sit out on our bedroom deck after a nice long bath. And when the sun is heating it up,it sure feels nice. I am supposed to be taking it easy and relaxing...so I will. It really is one of the hardest things for me to do to be honest. I like to be busy doing stuff...but right now I am busy taking care of myself for the first time ever. And you know...it ain't that bad! ;op (like my deck art? Pretty Lavender plant and a Batik print done by the talented Rohanna Laing. "Dancing in the rain forest after the rain is JOY")

Tuesday April 24 12:12 pm

We were on a walk with the old lady...of course! I could have taken a sweet pic of Maggie and Clint walking along the ridge of the valley looking down upon the sheep farm and the ocean past that...but there was this amazing, fire red flower! Isn't it beautiful? I have no clue what it is...if it is a weed or a wildflower. But I loved it. And it was 12:12. ;o)

Wednesday April 25 12:12 pm
(This Photo is NOT taken at 12:12 pm...more like 9:47 pm. ;op I got a hot pink chunk in my hair by the lovely Judy of Cherry Bomb Hair Studio...she da bomb!) Again...I forgot my camera this day. It was so busy. I met with a woman who is doing Art Therapy here, that I am doing. I got forgotten on the email list for the first meeting. So Jaki Deere (amazing woman) wanted to give me a session to talk about stuff. Got picked up by the fabulous Kate and Mariko so that we could get tea then head to the elementary and do some clay with the grade 3 kids. That was fun...kids are GREAT! So...at 12:12 I was in Mad Rona's with Kate and Mariko, sipping a peppermint tea and enjoying good conversation. (I love my friends!)

Thursday April 26 12:12 pm

I have been slowly buying flowers and then planting them into pretty pots to place all over my decks. There is nothing better than your outside world being filled with colour and life. I love spring and the warm and rejuvenating feelings it brings with it. I was outside enjoying the bright sunshine yellow of the Gerbera daisies. I placed them on a plant stand right under neath my kitchen window...that way I can be excited about them each time I have to be at the sink...doing dishes! hee hee hee (there has to be some way to brighten that chore up!) ;o)

Friday April 27 12:12 pm

At 10:30 am I stepped into the heated, watery abyss that holds me in...but cuddles me so sweetly. ;op I got out at 1pm...which I kind of foresaw. Hence, me bringing my camera with me. Just to spice things up, I figured I would do a video instead of a photo. Videos are always fun to watch...right?

Today is an exciting day here...Isle of the Arts Festival community pole painting starts today. It kicks off with one of the main hydro poles when you arrive in "town" getting painted. Clint is heading this up with a few other artists on the island. It is going to be a big pencil! (I'll take pics...don't worry!) By the end of next weekend some of the neighbourhoods will have their poles painted by the community that lives there. Each area of Gabriola will eventually get done...different colours, different themes. It's about times that a place called the "Isle of the Arts" gets some colour splashed around. ;o)

Frustration...mental constipation.

There are always going to be things in our lives...in our loved ones lives that we can not control (to an extent, of course). And these circumstances or happenings can create a whole whack of frustration for anyone involved. Take for instance, addiction. Addiction comes in all forms...it is not just about drugs and/or alcohol. Saying that, drugs and alcohol are MAJOR problems in our society today. (I watch intervention, quite a bit. Very sad but an incredibly enlightening show. Sometimes they end happy...not always.) These days 'Meth', 'Crack', 'Ecstasy' and 'Heroin' are quite rampant among many teens and adults these days. Some of these addicts are quite functioning...CEO's that are high on heroin while they are running a huge corporate meeting. It is quite unbelievable, unless you hear of an actual story...you may not agree with me. (But I have heard the stories...i watch Reality TV! lol) (Just don't be so quick to judge a "junkie". They all have a story and a reason why they turned to drugs in the first place.) Anyways...being in love with someone with an addiction is an obvious frustration. Watching your child, husband, wife, sister, brother, mother, father or best friend fight the demons of addiction is a difficult, sad and very frustrating life experience. It's frustrating to watch someone you love slowly take their life and seemingly not even care about it. The inner person screaming out for help cares though...and it ends up being those close to them that have to help pull them out of the deep dark abyss of pain. It doesn't always work...frustrating. I feel that is how people end up on the streets...alone with their addiction. So sad. :o( It makes my brain and heart hurt to think of the millions of addicts, their struggles and the black hole that they have been sucked into. Frustrating.

Cancer, Alzheimers, Leukemia, Kidney Failure, ALS...there is an enormously long list of diseases and illnesses that are taking people from life...from living life. I can not imagine having my Dr. inform me that I have cancer. The instant drop of my heart into my stomach would make me throw up in the moment the news hit my ears. I have had friends and relatives get the news...it is very scary. I have also seen them rise up and become amazing and brave warriors...fighting with strength, positivity and determination. The things that us humans go through in life feel like too much sometimes. No one should have to fight just to live...there is absolutely nothing fair about that at all. It is so hard to watch someone you love suffer. Frustrating when you can do nothing to make it better. I know that just being there is a whole lot for them. Support, love, laughter and some delicious food (soul food!) can do much for the spirit. That is all that we as humans can do for one another. No matter what the situation...sickness, addiction, divorce, depression or a crisis of any kind, we need to have empathy for each other no matter what. It really is love that connects us all...I feel some days that we are losing that. It makes me sad...hurts my brain thinking of the people in the world that are alone and dealing with something difficult in their lives.

The Beatles did say it right..."All You Need Is Love"...you know it! Even plants grow better when they are loved and given all they need to grow strong and beautiful. Talk to your plants...it works! ;o) Ha ha. Anyways...I have been way too frustrated lately with my own pain in the neck (literally)...but I can feel that frustration quickly setting into depression. So it's time to make sure I am also doing things that make me happy. And that is a whole bunch of stuff...sitting in the sunshine, walking at the beach with Clint & Maggie and of course hanging with friends because they make me laugh and make me feel happy and thankful that I have them in my life. I am NOT alone...I need to remember to appreciate that fact...I am blessed! ;o) There...I hope that got it outta my brain...typing it out is like Ex-Lax for my thoughts that get trapped in my head! hee hee.

So...vat vuss going on zis veek fur me? (that is in my German accent...)

Sunday April 15 12:12 pm
So Springy! Kathy brought the warm feelings of the fresh season into Artworks. It looks so pretty! I love the colours of the lanterns...and the parasols!  The sun shining through the windows is awesome. I love this time of year...when it feels so amazing to have the sun warm your face again. The excitement of the coming summer heat and swimming in the ocean. Wheeeee! I am getting supah stoked. Today (April 22) is Earth Day and it is going to get up to +20! Woot woot. I will have to sit out on the deck and soak in the precious sweet smells of the freshest time of year.

 Monday April 16 12:12 pm
When you live on a small island that is not hooked up to city water, you have a well or a cistern as your source for water. Here, we have a well with three  cisterns as back up. To most effective way to keep the water safe for drinking is to have a UV filter installed to keep it clean and free of gross things that can come from yucky water. (I don't know the technical words for this stuff! lol) Anyways...my friend Ken is THE water guy on the island...making sure you are safe. ;o) He needed a new ad...I wanted to do it for him. I am no graphic designer...but I like to play with the photoshop. This is what I finished for him this week. Cute and Colourful. ;o) Withey's Water Treatment...Servicing all your water concerns. With a smile! ;o)

Tuesday April 17 12:12 pm
I had my camera in my purse...but I was on a table with needles all over my body at 12:12. Accupuncture! I had accu done years ago...it gave me relief at that time. I went for 7 months, two times a day...it was awesome. I have only seen Brenda here 4 times...and that is all within 2 months. When I leave her I feel good...but it soon fades. She gave me this bottle of liniment. It feels good when it is on...I love the tingling! I just know that right now I really need to take it easy. Things will start to heal...I have never really taken it as easy as I should be. Breaks don't do as much as actual, full relaxation. My tub is my best friend now. In fact, I just got REAL bubbles for my tub, 'Conair' bubbles. It is meant to help reduce muscle strain...maybe all that I am doing now will give me the real relief I so badly need! Fingers crossed. ;o)

Wednesday April 18 12:12
Yes Maggie! I know, I know, I know! All she wants to do is what she wants to do right then and there. And she will make sure that you know it. In and out and in and out the sliding door in the back to the front door. It either means she wants food in her dish or to get outside and go for a walk. hee hee hee...Old Lady, you so smart! ;o) I took this pic and off to the beach we went. Clint chauffeured us both there...how nice. 

Thursday April 19 12:12 pm

Veronica is home from Thailand and Cambodia!! Fun times she had on her adventures...accompanied by her boyfriend Dylan of course! She is so tanned and beautiful and happy from the amazing places she saw and the beautiful people she met. It's nice to have her home though...safe and sound and dog in tow ready for walkies! She has a most handsome lab/pittie/whatever else is in there. He is quite a specimen to behold! ;o) Grandma Maggie loves young Swayze too. Keeps her on her toes with a youthful bounce in each step! ;o)

Friday April 20 12:12 pm

Happy 4 20!!! I got to spend my day with one of my favourite peoples...Joelle!!! Yay! She needed to take a trip to Nanaimo for work...it makes it much more fun when you have a friend on the ferry and the drive around town. Plus...you can stop for sushi!! Always nice to get to town and do a good grocery shop too...SuperStore is a must stop shop when over there. The sun is shining and we are moving in the line up to get on board the MV Quinsam! The ferry ride is fun when it's sunny and warm...especially when the boat isn't too full. Peeps get out their cars and hang out on the deck in the rays. Love it!!! ;o)

Saturday April 21 12:12 pm

Totally left the house sans camera! bad me! Didn't know how long it would take...how long Kate and I would spend at the garage sale or the GIRO. (Gabriola Island Recycling Organization...like a thrift shop!) The garage sale was the best I have been to in a long time. Wicked deals...we scored hugely! I got this ceramic owl clock...$1.00!!! Also, a cute mirror with owls painted on it. It's not like I am a huge owl fan or anything...I do think they are mighty cute though. Clearly someone in this home loved them. There were much more items avec la owl. It wa sa fun day...retail therapy spending no more than $15 and getting two pairs of pants, a hoodie, a bag of dresser legs that I needed, owl clock and mirror, 70's hardcover school books and a couple of brooches...SCORE!! Thanks for bringing me along Kate! Ended yesterday having dinner and drinks with a table full of friends...Mariko, Bryan, Kate, Lynn, Steve, Brenda Jack and Clint. The Surf is back in business and we are all VERY happy about it! Sunset evenings with a pint of beer! ;o)

What will I be getting up to today. Happy Earth Day!! Plant a flower...or just smell some! xox

I'm missing you...since you been gone.

No reason to be all forlorn over it...he hasn't even been gone for 36 hours yet. And to be totally honest...he will only have been out of the country for 48 hours all together. I will not be there to see him the moment he arrives safe and sound back to the Vancouver airport. That makes me a wee bit sad too. If it was affordable, it would be fun to float plane it over to the airport from here to meet him there...with a bouquet of pretty blue and yellow daisies tied to a nice, ice cold 500 ml can of Sapporo! It'd be even cuter if I could be dressed up in some sexy French maid's costume and wearing a blond wig...just to see the freaked out expression on his face followed by bursting out laughter at the hilarity of it all. Leaving everyone else in international arrivals with something to talk about. "Did ya see the blond French maid with one arm holding odd coloured flowers and a can of Japanese beer jumping in delight when some handsome bewildered looking man came out of the gate?" ha ha ha. That definitely would be something to talk about! And my poor Clint would be so embarrassed...totally awesome! ;o)

In some park in Richmond, pre-airport, pre pre-flight beer!

The thing about missing him is...he has NEVER left me. I have gone away numerous times to fly to Winnipeg or Texas to celebrate a birthday or whatever with my family while he has stayed home. (way cheaper for one to fly) And, I have missed him while I was away...but I was also always with my family and never feeling like I have been left alone. That was the exact feeling I had as Maggie and I drove away from the airport and headed back to the ferry for our travels back to the island. There was no Clint in the seat beside me keeping me company and making me laugh. There was just crappy radio music and annoying early Friday afternoon traffic...I do not miss traffic one iota!! Sitting in the car, trying to fall asleep while on the big ferry to Nanaimo I got a bit weepy. Like some tears actually trickled out of my eyes...I stopped them. I felt foolish. "He's going to be back home in 2 days! Get over it!" I said to myself. I just miss him. He is so amazing and wonderful...he takes such good care of me. I really don't know what I would do if he were not in my life. He always tells me that I am his support...through my encouraging of his art, to making him feel special about who he is and the man that he has become despite many an obstacle thrown in his way. But, in reality...he is the rock...he is our foundation. He keeps things going when I feel like it may all collapse. And right now...I miss my big old rock! Before I know it, he will be at my side again and we can conquer all together again. So, I sure do hope he is having a great time with 3 of his brothers down in Denver...a 50th birthday bash. 4 Irish men together celebrating...how much trouble could they get into?? ba ha ha ha haaaaaaa!!! (Honey...I hope you are not too hungover when you get home!) :o)

 Monday April 9 12:12

I mean...could she be any sweeter? I really don't think so. I must have hundreds of sleeping Maggie pics. She just looks so adorable when she is quietly dozing. I love catching her wiggle her head into place on the cushion...like she is really looking for that ultimate cozy head space. Oh Maggie...you are just too cute for words! xox

Tuesday April 10 12:12 pm

Lucky me...I got to spend another afternoon on beautiful Mudge Island. This time it was to help the incredibly talented silversmith...and now crocheted leather jewelery artist Lindsay Stocking Godfrey. She is getting herself into the "scene"...the networking scene. I've been showing her the ropes! You can find her works of jewelry art on Etsy too! She is too cool. ;o)

Wednesday April 11 12:12 pm

Finished! And just in time as we leave first thing in the morning for the ferry. Clint was commissioned by his sister in law to paint his nieces and nephew as a surprise 50th birthday present. He was building a frame for it for the travels...safety first! He sure immortalized them as rock 'n rollers! This painting is way too cool. And Clint...well, he is also way talented! :o)

Thursday April 12 12:12 pm

Driving in the big bad city known as Vancouver! It's not bad...but it is pretty big. lol I don't mind being in the city...I do always miss being at home though. For real...there is not much in the city that can trump our beautiful paradise island. (besides sushi, I guess!) In town for a Dr's appt (he botox'd me up...haven't had that treatment in 7 years. I really hope this time it works. I feel a little less strain in my neck already...though this typing isn't helping the situation any! wah) When I am a passenger in the car I get to look out and have these two characters to look beyond...cute couple eh? I think so. hee hee

Friday April 13 12:12 12:13 pm

ha ha ha! Can't hide that my camera missed the moment of opportunity! I looked at my ipod and it said 12:12...I grabbed my purse and rifled around for my camera...got it...missed the time! Ah! No problemo. I see it as a cool thing. April 13th was my brother's 40th birthday. So, I was thinking of him that day. (my little sister has a birthday on September 11...that makes us 11, 12 & 13!! In the order...youngest to oldest.) I felt that the whole "number" thing worked out in my favour because of these numerical facts. It worked out exactly as it should have! ;o)

Saturday April 14 12:12

After a usual 2 hour bath this morning, I went outside to enjoy the sun that was starting to warm up my deck. I thought what a perfect day to do some planting. Over grown plants in pots that need transplantation, new flowers to be bought and planted in pretty pots, a good sweeping of the deck to rid it of all the pollen that is all over everything. Perfect day for that kind of work. But...I just had the stupid injections! I am supposed to take it easy. So I went for coffee instead. ;o)

I really hope that the rest of the weekend and the coming week is as glorious as today...perhaps even more so. That would make Pam a very happy camper indeed! Peace!

Oh my...waaaay behind the times...my time

Friday March 30 12:12 pm
I was taking another stay at home and do nothing but watch TV or movies and rest my stupid arm day. But...I had done that for a few days already and was feeling incredibly antsy. (I can get that way when I have nothing going on.) So, what did I do? Well, I had been wanting to create myself a jewelery holder for a while now. I had this awesome piece of beach wood that I felt was perfect for my project. I have a bag full of wicked little driftwoods to. This is my DIY jewelery holder for my bedroom wall. Just like a piece of art! ;o)
(stupid blogger keeps rotating my pics! I can't figure it out...boo!)

Saturday March 31 12:12 pm
I had yet another rest day...seeing as I ended up NOT resting so much the day prior. ;op While tubbing it I was obsessively watching the Tugboat below playing with and rearranging a HUGE mass of log booms. It is so freakin' amazing what these little guys can accomplish. I have great respect for the Tugboat dudes...they truly ARE dudes! ;o)  (look at his smoke pluming out of his stack...working hard there buddy!!)

Sunday April 1 12:12 pm
Desperately needing a change of scenery...we headed to the "Big Island" to do some nature walking. I really wanted to just get away...so off to Rath Trevor Beach we went. (Parksville, BC) At 12:12 we were waiting in line at the ferry to cross over. I noticed earlier that the odometer would soon break the 100,000 mark. (Alberto is a 1993 Dodge Spirit...low mileage eh? Omi driven for most of it's life. Since it was given to me Thanksgiving 2009, we have put nearly 60,000 kms on it! ) I am a numbers kind of gal...so I felt this was a great photo op! ha ha ha ha!!!

Monday April 2 12:12 pm
Yep...tubbing it again...and watching the Tuggies work it again. I have no idea why they kept bringing more and more logs those days. It was like the whole ocean below was nothing but great big log booms. Fun for me anyways...watching the Tugs push and pull...the men running all over the logs like wee little ants storing their food for the winter. (ugh, ants! Our home has a bit of an ant problem. But as of today, I think I may have rid the home of them...I hope! If not, unfortunately the exterminator will have to be called. I don't like killing them...so cute. But not so cute when they are all over your kitchen counters!!!)

Tuesday April 3 12:12 pm
My two lovely friends Mariko and Kate! I love these women...a LOT!! I finally dragged my sorry butt over to Feedlot Studios to get my ceramic on. I wasn't quite physically ready for the task...but I HAD to get my glazing finished for my garden stakes for the Crafted Booty sale. :o) I always have a good time with these women...whether playing with clay, walking the dogs, drinking some wine or enjoying an awesome Mariko meal. I love my friends...I am lucky to have such good ones. ;o)

Wednesday April 4 12:12 pm
I was not inside of this lovely cross stitch/mixed media painting. I totally gapped this day. I don't even think I had my camera with me. But, I spent the entire day dreaming of spring actually being warm and sunny and full of flowers on the ground and fluffy white clouds breaking up the beautiful blue sky above. I can't really complain...it has not been all that bad. We have had sunny days. But we keep getting grey ones too...mixed precipitation...even snow still (on the big island), so I am just really looking forward to the days when we can soak up the heat of the sun. The days when I wake up gleefully singing about the sun and the fun things that I plan on doing that day. Maggie walking, beach strolling, flower planting, reading the sun beams...ahhhhhh.

Thursday April 5 12:12 pm
Day one of Crafted Booty, "Spring Fling" edition set up. Down at the Feedlot Studios, transforming an empty space into a beautiful boutique of hand crafted items...ceramics, jewelery, paintings, glassware, leather work, crocheted things, pillows and the nicest kids clothes made by Wendy Stok...she should be selling her clothing in a Yaletown shop for kids, seriously! Anyhow, Kate and Clint did all of the grunt work of set up. Maggie May pictured here was around to help out however she could, of course! (can you see her doppelganger to the left...oh Kate Wood, so talented!)

Friday April 6 12:12
Day 2 of CB set up...the sale starts tonight! Don't worry...we were ready. We were BORN ready! hee hee. I enjoy helping up with the display work. Such pretty things all over the pop up shoppe! I felt excited about the cute little shot glasses I painted...ocean theme. Aren't they cute? Beside them are the salt bowls that Mariko made...too cool. They sold like hot cakes! (the salty's...NOT my glasses! lol)

Saturday April 7 12:12 pm
Spring Flingers! The day was so gorgeous outside. Our day started slow at the sale because of it...but who can complain about that?? It was so nice to have the double doors wide open letting in the fresh ocean air and just look at the glow of the sun coming through the doors and skylights! What a day it was. There were some peeps in at 12:12...finding handmade treasures to bring home with them. Who doesn't love sunshine AND retail therapy?! ;o)

 Sunday April 8 12:12 pm
Happy Easter!! Can you believe it has already come and gone? I can't. I missed not being with my family...Easter is always family dinner and tons of fun. It sucks that we all live so far away from one another. ;o( But..so good that I have my "family" here. 6 of us got picked up from El Verano beach and boated over to the beautiful Mudge Island...cob oven pizza at  Chad's place. What a fun day it was. I love being over on wee little Mudge...for a small island it has BIG presence. The moment I hit the land...I take in a huge breath of it's fresh air. It smells different there...paradise! <3

 Monday April 9 12:12 pm
Clearly someone did not have her camera on her..boo to me again!! I went to do the final tally of sales, get peeps $$ ready for them and take my things home. So...this is me doing that. Don't I look good? ha ha hahahaahahaaha!!! All right...now that that's over...what's next? ;o)

Peace!



(sorry for grammar mistakes and such...I am not editing today...this took forever already!!! ba ha hahaha!)

Just Rock It.

I feel the need to recognize two special animals today...two animals that know/knew how to rock it. Wensday Wiener Beener Bendy Wendy...my sweet, sweet old lady kitty. Wensday just turned 15 in February, and it was today, 15 years ago that I brought the little squirt home. She fit in the palm of my hand...she was the runt of her litter and the cutest, most wee kitty there. She is definitely not wee anymore. A 15 pound big kitty she is...but still as sweet and gentle as ever. And then there was Schwarzie...he was an amazing little buddy. Bichon/poodle...so yeah, he was sometimes a bit barky...but he was rad. His birthday would have been today. He would have turned 21...that would be quite the ripe old age! He died at 18...I still miss him greatly. Animals rock! I feel that we are so fortunate to have the privilege to "own" an animal that becomes part of the family. They are so special and I am thankful for all of the fabulous pets that I have had in my life. Yay!

Nike says "Just Do It"...I say Just ROCK it...and ROCKITHARD! I have been watching a ton of movies and a whole lot of television these last bunch of days. (thank you inventor of the magical PVR) The other day I finally got to a move hat I "taped" about a month ago...it was the Def Leppard story. I am not ashamed to admit that I was, and still am a forever Def Leppard fan. I can't think of anything that they did since the early 1990's, but they are always played on the radio still. Rock 101 and Jack FM play them often enough for me to still get  to enjoy rocking out to them. I remember friends saying to me that I only was a fan because of the one armed drummer! ha ha ha! I mean...I did think that his missing arm was quite cool. Not so much that his arm was missing, but that he was missing an arm and was still a huge rock star. A huge rock star that had kicking talent on the drums. I knew that he had some kind of accident in his early twenties that took his arm. But beyond that general knowledge, I had no idea what happened to him and how he came through all of the struggles that accompany the loss of a limb. I also had no idea what an inspiration he is to me...and I am sure to anyone that hears his story. He freakin' rocks it!

Rick Allen is his name and beating the drums is his game. He joined Def Leppard in the VERY early years, 1978...he was only 15 but became their full time drummer instantly. They quickly rose to fame, especially after Pyromania which was released in 1983. They were all high fluting Rock Stars by that time...doing what many rock stars do...drinking too much, drugging, sleeping with too many woman, blah blah blah. That drinking caught up early with Rick. He crashed his car being a reckless, (and drunk) "I am in my fancy speedy car" cocky kind of driver...they exist all over unfortunately. His car flipped over a whole bunch of times after it careened off of the highway, his girlfriend was in the car too. She got scratched up pretty bad...but he had his arm ripped off. They attached it but it got gangrene and had to be amputated. He fought it. He was so scared that he could not do his favourite thing in the world anymore...rock star drummer. The doctors took his arm. He went through a depression...but it was short. He just needed so badly to get back to work...get back to rocking out in front of his fans. According to the movie, Joe Elliot (lead singer) was the only band member to have faith in Rick...or at least wanted to give him the chance to at least give it all he's got. And give it, he did. He just kept at it and at it...if he stumbled he got right back up. He didn't care what he would look like to everyone else...he was determined to do what he was obviously put on this beautiful earth to do. When Rick got back on the drums they finally put out their next album...it was 1987. The album...Hysteria. And what a kick ass rock album it is. Even if you say you are not a fan of Def Leppard...you KNOW that album is da bomb. "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Animal", "Armageddon It", "Love Bites"...just to name a few. ;o)

Anyhow...not all of us are going to have an arm taken or even a leg. But we will all go through the loss of other important things in our lives...we lose parents, spouses, children, marriages, jobs, businesses, homes and of course our beloved pets. And it's always a good idea to know that we can get through it...we can conquer the pain and heartache...we can come out on top. We all have so much inner strength. It somehow can hide from us. Things that have happened in our past can keep us down on ourselves and refrain us from being the amazing person that is inside of all of us. I feel that I am finding my strength and I just keep getting stronger. It may have taken me nearly four decades to get it going on...but I am so excited about it. And the more stories that I hear of others battles in life, it only gives me more strength. We are an amazing race...the human race. I love life and all of it's many lessons! And in my life...all I wanna do is Rock It!

Okay...now I am going to rock my head to sleep. Good night! :o)

This was Sunday at Rath Trevor Beach in Parksville. It was my "Honey, can you please get me out of the house for I have been cooped up in the spare room for a week now and am going C-R-A-Z-Y". We had a nice walk, through the trails and up the beach with sweet Maggie. This here, it's my "yeah, I am cool" face. ;op