Monday, November 02, 2009

Odds and Sods

Strange how you scramble to get urgent matters dealt with before leaving for a brief three day get-a-way and upon your return there’s another pile of urgent matters begging for your attention. I place 80% of the blame for this phenomenon on email.

Had a great time – de-mice-pooped the cottage & scooped up two dead mice bodies with a snow shovel. Why a snow shovel and not simply a dustpan? I needed that distance. Why? I don’t know. Bought and placed mice poison in the basement (thank you Guy and The Bodhi Chicklet) and also put Bounce sheets everywhere (thank you Cheryl) as back-up. The cottage smells like a laundromat.

Mice matters aside, my time away was wonderful. Good food, lots of wine, much laughter and great company – including the presence of a man (!) amidst what was basically a girls’ weekend. Brave soul. And, no, he was not my guest or date. For lack of a better word, this eligible male “belonged” to another.

I’ve always been intrigued by a certain aspect of my make-up – and I am referring to the character kind of make-up, not the plaster all over your face sort. I have never felt the slightest inkling of an attraction to a male who is “taken.” (Again, for lack of a better word – one person never owns another.) He could be the most gorgeous of men with a personality to match but from me – not a spark of interest. Nada. Interesting that the world is full of those who do not recognize, acknowledge or respect such boundaries. Love (or lust) is a many splendored & confusing & fascinating subject.

Bleeding radiators is not such a fascinating subject. That was one of the pressing matters I attended to upon my return and ended up with a numb butt waiting 10 minutes for the water to finally flow through one of them.

Next on my agenda – dealing with further legal matters.

I am so glad I went away. Needed that break.

23 comments:

Sherry said...

I'm glad you had the break and aside from dead mice and bleeding radiators (I'd need more than a snow shovel to scoop up dead mice I'm afraid...yeech), that it was a good weekend.

Your character? I second that...what is taken we might like, we might wish we had...but it is not ours, never was and probably never will be.

I had this character trait from a very young age..and then when my dad left us for another woman, a woman he was seeing "on the side" for some time it was so disillusioning for my sister and me. Do I as I say, not as I do...it's okay for "me" to break a commitment, it's all right for this woman to have wormed her way into our life...but you do not do this. Right. Hypocrite.

Needless to say, I stayed true to my character as did my sister. Our relationship with our father? Gone. Respect is such a huge part of any relationship. He chose to allow a family to fall apart for his own desires. Good on him. The fact that both he and his second wife are now deceased? I shed no tears.

Cid said...

You were so much more organized than I was to close the cottage. I not only forgot to bring the poison but the dryer sheet idea slipped my mind as well. Oh well, guess it will make for a great "Opening/Fumigating the Cottage" post in the spring.

Deidra said...

So glad you had the break...and got rid of those mice. You are brave. I would have had to call someone to remove the dead ones.

This weekend I learned about osage oranges (I think that's right). They are natural, beautiful for decoration, they smell wonderful, and they keep mice away. Who could ask for more?

I love what you have to say about your character...your make-up. I've often wondered what attracts a person to someone who has promised themselves to another.

Barrie said...

Glad you had a good time. Interestingly, a female friend and I just had that discussion about zero attraction to "taken" men. I'm glad to be that way. It makes life much easier. ;) Good luck with the legal matters!

Anonymous said...

Glad your back, and that you had a nice time (dead mouses aside). I give you credit and total understand the need for the distance, for picking up the dead mice. They just creep me out. Still I'm glad you had the 3 days to relax and get away from the real world.

Sorry you had to come back to even more stress and things to do. It just seems like it will never end, but it will, you you will still be standing, stronger than ever. I don't think your character should ever be questioned, it is and will be as true as always. Remember that, especially when the stress gets high.
XXXXXX

thea said...

I'm glad you went away too!

Although I must disagree with you, "Bleeding radiators" is the ULTIMATE subject! (hehe) I bet all the people who love horror moves and having a numb bum would strongly disagree with you too!
hehehe

don't give up :)
Who needs a feeling bum!

thea.
xx

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

I, too, like a little distance when picking up the corpses. Although I'm quite adept at picking up poopers with plastic bags, a body is a different thing. How nice there was mirth with the wine. I hope the time served to steel you for what now needs to be done.

Lainey-Paney said...

so glad that you got to get away!

Beth said...

sherry lee:
Some life lessons are hard earned and hard learned.
Thank you for sharing your story. And I’m glad you stayed true to your character – and that we share that trait.

Cid:
I don’t envy you come spring! As for me – we shall see who ultimately wins the battle. ;)

Deidra:
Have noted the osage oranges – thanks. If they work, I’d much prefer using them to poison.

Barrie:
That zero attraction certainly does make life easier & far less complicated.

Cheryl:
I think I’m beyond stress – have entered the world of weary.
Thank you for those kind words as to my character. :)

thea:
We shall agree to disagree. I still say bleeding rads is boring!

The Bodhi Chicklet:
I am “steeled.” ;)
I wonder what we think a dead mouse could possibly to do to us??

Lainey-Paney:
A much needed – and fun! – break from the usual...

Anonymous said...

Did you get to see the Fall colors a bit or were the leaves are blown away already?

Urgent matters are stressful. Paperwork and people who expect me to be connected and available 24/7 stress me out. Hope it's not too much pain to deal with whatever you are dealing with... good luck!

Rick said...

Welcome back, Beth, and glad you had the short vacation. Legal matters are a heck of a thing to come back to, though!

oreneta said...

Sometimes a break, even a short one, can provide a much needed recharge....or a bit of distance from a problem. Bounce sheets, I can see why they stay away...

glad to hear you again!

O

Beth said...

Zhu:
No colourful leaves but still beautiful – the evergreens, the lake…

Rick:
Short but sweet…

Oreneta:
That place certainly does work some magic – recharged and rejuvenated!

Angel said...

so glad yo had a break at the cottage! see, I'm not the only one getting out there and enjoying herself!!! and mice poop on the pillow is WAYYYYY over the line, little critters!!!! eewwww....but the fun times and lots of wine kinda make up for the poop.

XOXOX

Mary-Laure said...

Your posts always make me laugh...

Cheryl said...

Hope you caught the mice colony at it's source. I would have used a snow shovel, too.

I agree with you about men who are taken, now anyway. I hate to admit to more than one crush on guys who weren't available, but that was part of a larger pattern of being attracted to unavailable men. One thing about getting older...

Bee said...

I'm really glad that you had a good break, Beth. Someday those legal matters will finally be resolved . . . and I hope it will be soon, for your sake.

Mice and email: ongoing problems for me, too. I feel like I'm always playing catch-up with those two.

Bee said...

After I finished writing, I noticed your title again: odds and sods works particularly well here. :)

msb said...

Speaking on behalf of the male guest - he had a wonderful time. You are a great hostess. Thanks for mentioning him. As for "belonging" to someone - yes he definitely does.

Seraphine said...

attraction is a funny animal. i'm attracted to smiles, pretty faces and sharp intellects, taken or not.
i don't like mice, especially dead ones.
and most things i hold at arms length anyway. it takes a while before i get comfortable.

Reeny's Ramblin' said...

People can find other taken people attractive I think. It's the acting on such attraction that is the bad part.

There are those who go after others in relationships and in my eyes it's probably a low self esteem issue.

Glad you got the mice taken care of...they were planning a pretty big party!

Shari said...

Ugh. Mice. I want distance, too. LOL. Yep, if a guy is with a girl, no matter if they just started dating, engaged, living together, or married, I'm not interested. THough I alwasy feel uncomfortable talking to said male, worrying if the girl thinks I am that sort who'd "steal" a guy from her. Glad you got a much-needed break. HUGS

Lynda said...

I thought of you and the mice when we were removing the wild vine from our new house. The neighbour told me that in Summer they had seen the little mice running up the vines to get into the upstairs open windows... so it all had to go. Hopefully, they will get the hint and go away...