Ok, I'll be the first to admit it...

...I'm a freak of nature.

Not only do I dress my poor dogs up in costumes (albeit for a great cause - fundraising for Elkhound Rescue), but here it is not even the first of September, and I'm already listening to Christmas carols.

I'm one of those people who's generally done their Christmas shopping by the end of August (not this year though). I hate malls. I get mall rage in crowded malls.

I'm listening to Christmas carols for a few reasons. I need to get inspired to shoot some photos for the annual Howl'o'ween contest to raise money for elkhound rescue, and, since I've already got all my crap out for costume photos, I also do my Christmas card photo at the same time, featuring those long-suffering, ever patient pups, Monty & Quinn. Additionally, I really need to start making my Christmas cards and get at some shopping.

Above is my 2005 entry into the Howl'o'ween contest 'Captain Grey Beard and his Faithful First Mate on the High Seas" and below that, the 2004 Christmas card photo - 'Santa Paws and his Moosedog".

I'm hoping over the course of the upcoming long weekend to get lots of photos done for both events and also to be able to put a good dent in something related to the renovation.

Here's hoping!

A woman of many hats...

In my life, I've worn many "hats". I've been a waitress, worked in a variety store, a liquor store, an artisan, managed a video store, helped run a gift/craft shoppe, dog obedience trainer and, currently, I'm a real estate assistant. That's not even mentioning the endeavors I've undertaken on my own - I was a muralist, a sign painter, and I'm still an artist in many mediums - notably acrylic pet portraiture and recently soft sculpture and now I'm also dabbling in webdesign.

Sometimes I wear myself out just thinking about everything I do.

Some people have called me a "renaissance woman", but I'm more inclined to go with "Jill of all trades, master of none".

Each job has awarded it's own unique set of challenges and rewards.

The job I have now pays the bills. My bliss in life would be to just be able to paint and make a living at it.

Perhaps one day when the house is paid off, and the cars are paid off, and the credit cards are paid off...

Ah...to dream...

"Happy Monday"

The mother of all oxymorons.

I vividly remember, as a teen, telling people that "Stress didn't bother me". Nothing bothered me. Like water off a ducks back, as it were.

Oh, how I long for those days.

I am so stressed right now I am physically ill.

This all goes back to a little fender bender before last Christmas (!!).

As of right now, I'm scheduled for court Sept 8, but I have a new agent going to a hearing on Sept 5 to file a motion for a new date to allow them time to go through my file and prepare my defense.

So, here I was getting all geared up to have this behind me, for better or worse, on Sept 9. That was until last week when I discovered that my previous agent has vanished with my file and my retainer!

So this is going to go on a little longer yet and is costing me more and more.

*sigh*

I am humbled...

Last night I took my dear friend Tonya out for dinner for her birthday (Happy Birthday!!). After dinner at J.P. Fitzpatricks pub, we headed over to the AMC 24 more or less intending to see "World Trade Centre", however we did waiver at one point between that and "John Tucker Must Die". WTC won out because we felt that it was one that needed to be seen on the big screen to do it any kind of justice...

Earlier this week I was kvetching about how much life sucks for me right now, and yeah, it isn't perfect, far from it...but in the grander scheme of things, I really don't have a lot to complain about.

With the 5th (!!!) anniversary of 9/11 approaching in just a couple of weeks, this movie was a powerful, sobering reminder of the cost paid by thousands of innocent people and heroic emergency services people. I was at work that fateful morning, and Dianna and I watched the towers fall live on Citypulse online.

I have never, in my life, experienced what I did last night at the end of that movie.

There were likely 80-100 people in the theater, and when the movie ended, no one moved. No one spoke. You could have heard the proverbial pin drop and it would have echoed. Eventually people began to make their way out of the theater and still the only sound was the soft shuffle of feet on the carpet and the occassional quiet sniffle.

2,749 people perished in the collapse of the Twin Towers.
343 of the victims were firefighters.
Only 20 people were pulled out alive.

Wow.

I took this photo in August of 1987 while on an exchange trip to the States with a Kodak Diskman camera.

As a 13 year old girl from small-town Ontario, I was awed by the sheer overwhelming size of the twin towers, never comprehending the mind-boggling number of people they contained on any given day.

TONIGHT I SAW THE STRANGEST THING...

As usual, I got home from work around 7 and was in a rush to get changed and get back out the door to take Quinn to agility class.

While standing in the kitchen catching up on the day's events with Darryl, I happened to look out and notice that the black walnut tree in our back yard was ALIVE with hundreds of Monarch butterflies!!

Not that I had time, but I grabbed my camera and ran out to see if I could get some photos. It was raining so I took the old digital out and although the photos aren't great, you can see that there were sure a lot of them.

In the 10 years we've lived in this house, I've never seen anything like this. What a fantastic sight to see first hand. I hope that there will be more tomorrow night and that it's not raining so I can get some better photos with the Rebel!

It was, by far, the highlight in an otherwise crappy, crappy day.


P.S. other lowlights this week - the new girl who's been on vacation for 10 days came back and quit. There go my weekends off.

P.S.S. the camera course I've been waiting to take for over a year that was finally coming up this weekend was cancelled.

P.S.S.S. The paralegal I hired to help me fight a rediculous traffic charge from an accident last December has vanished with my file and my $500 retainer less than 3 weeks before my trial and the new lawyer is going to cost me another $750. Can you say "sucks to be you?" Um...yeah.

P.S.S.S.S. (yes, there's more) Quinn got attacked by another dog at class tonite. She wasn't hurt, but she spent most of the class being jumpy, irritable and not enjoying herself one bit. I put her in agility to help her confidence (which, up until now, it had been) not destroy it! The dog in question should never have been permitted to advance to level 3, in my opinion.

P.S.S.S.S.S. Ok, I'm done venting now. Time to call it a day.

Unless you have to go to the dentist first thing in the morning to have a lost filling replaced...

SIGNS OF PROGRESS!!

I'm speechless...

Once again, I worked late tonite and pulled in the driveway at 7:15pm and what to my wondering eyes should I see, but Darryl unloading 2x4's off the truck!

I rubbed my eyes and looked again and yes, there he was in all his manliness schlepping lumber from the truck to the basement.

Still not completely convinced, I actually had to stop and ASK him what he was doing.

"Um...working on the house." (said in the tone of "Duh, isn't it obvious?")

I tentatively ventured downstairs (which, until now has been relatively intact) to find that our storage room at the bottom of the stairs is no more!

Forgive me for not getting more excited, but in our UNFINISHED basement, which we RARELY use, he decides to get motivated???

*even bigger sigh than posted earlier*

Have patience, grasshopper...

Oh well... at least the outside looks good!













PS the photos taken inside the house were taken when there was progress being made inside the house back in the spring. One is my studio/office and the other is the remnants of our old cast bath tub - good riddance!!

Anniversaries & Milestones

It's been an interesting week here so far. I'm back on the diet bandwagon and so far, so good. 2 days and counting and 3lbs lost (I know, I know...it's just water weight...but it sure looks good on the scale in the mornings!).

The "NEW GIRL" has been away from the office on holidays this week and strangely, it's been a very good week overall. I could get used to this...it feels oddly familiar and comfortable.

Oh, yeah...this is how it was for NINE years before she came along. Right.

Monday was my dear friend Tonya's birthday. I won't say which birthday, but hope it was a good one! We're going out next Thursday to celebrate (assuming her company doesn't wisk her off to some far off port of call on business).

Tuesday marked 10 years to the day since we took possession of our first home. The one we said we'd only live in for 5 years before selling it and moving on to something in the country with land for me to work with the dogs.

Did anyone do the math there?

Yup...10 years and we're still there and not only that, we're in the midst of a renovation that's going no where fast. There has not been a lick of work done on the house since...oh...May, I think?!

*sigh*

I'm thinking it'll be another 5 years bef0re the reno's done enough that we wouldn't be embarassed to have prospective buyers come through the house.

*bigger sigh*

Tuesday also unofficially marked 16 years that Darryl and I have been together. Wow. SIXTEEN years. That's exactly half my my life. The day passed quietly without comment and I'm sure he didn't remember, but it's not important. Other, more "official" anniversaries have taken up more important positions in our lives. Next May will be our 10th wedding anniversary (and I'm just sayin' now, he better not forget that one...)

Labour day weekend marks 2 other anniversaries - we officially moved into the house 10 years ago, and we brought home our eldest feline, Devlin, that same weekend. We don't know exactly when his birthday is because he was rescued. He was just a tiny bit of black fluff with huge emerald green eyes that weekend 10 years ago, so we celebrate his birthday Labour day weekend, too.

Devlin

If Wishes Were Dress-sizes...

Once again, I'm starting a diet...er...lifestyle change.

I've known for MONTHS already that I needed to drop at least 30lbs before the middle of October (50 would be better, but who am I kidding?). Well, here we are smack dab in the middle of August and I've lost...oh...8 lbs I think?

64 days and counting...

Seems like everybody's on vacation...except for me.

We brought home another one!

We spent a wonderful day yesterday at Mosport Race Track north of Bowmanville, Ontario at the Super Car Show with 400+ other car fanatics and Darryl came away with a top 20 plaque in our class. I stood out like a sore thumb as one of only 2 newer Chryslers at the show which was sponsored by UAW/CAW (although PTs are technically domestic, they are assembled in Mexico and not by UAW/CAW workers). I wasn't expecting anything today for myself but it was a great treat for Darryl to come away with a plaque at his very first show with the mustang! Additionally, winners from the show got to do a victory lap (actually it was more like 12 laps!) around the Mosport Oval at half-time during last evenings races.

Addendum to a rebel yell...

I'm alleviating myself of some of the guilt I feel over my uncharacteristic behaviour yesterday. I'm now convinced it must have been something in the air - it wasn't only just me.

I didn't get home from work last night until almost 7:30 pm and by the time I'd fed all the animals, it was past 8 pm and I was in no mood to cook dinner for Darryl and I. I ended up at the local KFC for chicken and salads at 8:30 pm as did apparently everyone else in the neighbourhood judging by the line up.

Whilst in line, an obviously irate man came into the restaurant and shoved his way to the counter to confront an employee. He demanded his money back, claiming he'd been ripped off - that they had charged him for 2 dinners and he'd only ordered 1. I can't vouch for the validity of his claim, not having been there when he ordered, but when it became apparent that he was not going to get his money back, he unleashed a barrage of colourful language best not repeated here.

He may have been justified in his ire, but that was not the way to handle it. There were dozens and dozens of people in the restaurant at the time - including many families with children seated eating their dinner.

So I wasn't the only person exercising poor judgment yesterday.

With a rebel yell...

I knew it was rude and I just didn't care. It ticks me off when other people do it, so why did I do it myself today?

I was in a hurry. Heck, I'm never NOT in a hurry to be somewhere else.

I was out running an errand and just happened to be driving by my bank and thought I'd save myself another trip later today so I pulled in and parked at the curb (a definite no-no). On rare occassions, when the problem has been excessive and/or people are complaining, the mall brings in a rent-a-cop to try to scare people into not stopping at the curb and today was one such day. As I stopped and threw the car into park an elderly fellow in a smart uniform approached me and told me I was not permitted to park at the curb.

This is where my evil alter-ego took over and I just kept on walking. As I got closer to him, he gestured angrilly at the car and asked "You want a ticket?" and I, knowing I would be in and out of the bank in less than a minute (I have the ABM deposit thing down to a calculated science) replied, "How fast can you write?" and continued on into the bank.

Of course, when I came back out there was no ticket on my windshield and the rent-a-cop had moved on to another offender.

I knew it was rude...and a felt bad for talking back to the rent-a-cop...just a little but at the same time I got a little rush from my defiancy. Not that I'm going to make a habit out of such behaviour, but

SO THERE!

(K, I'll behave again....for now...)

Oh what a night!

As anyone in southern & central Ontario and the north eastern US is aware, yesterday was a wicked day for weather.

We have had a blistering few days here with unheard of high temps and extreme heat & humidity alerts - it was only just a matter of time before the storms would come that would break the heat and last night, they came with a vengeance.

I was at agility class with Quinn when they hit. It was about quarter to 9 and everyone seemed to be getting very restless - dogs and people alike. Several commented that it seemed to be getting dark awfully early. Where our classes are held, we are in a clearing of tall pines so the view of the sky is somewhat limited, but by 8:45 there was no mistaking there was trouble on the horizon. A black cloud with a razor-sharp defined edge swept over the trees and brought with it gusting winds that blew over our jumps and whipped the words away from our mouths as we spoke them.

Lightening flashed to the north as a line of storms skirted by us. Although obviously nervous, Quinn stayed steady with me. I think she was picking up on the nervousness of the people, as were the other dogs.

By 5 to 9, I apologized to the instructor but said we were beating a retreat for home before the storm hit us full on and I got Quinn and I into the car not a moment too soon as huge rain drops started pelting all around us. By the time I got settled into the car and got moving, the rain was coming down in sheets and the wind was rocking the car from side to side as it seemed to come from every direction at once. I KNOW I was the first one to get in my car, so I also KNOW that the other students and dogs got at least a little wet as they dashed for the safety of their vehicles.

Not much makes me nervous when it comes to weather, and I actually enjoy watching a good electrical storm, but that one last night put me on edge.

I called home and asked that the front door be unlocked so Quinn and I could make a run for it but we were still drenched by the time we ran from the driveway to the house (note to self: next house MUST have more than a single garage & must have access to the house!!!).

Poor storm-phobic Monty was just about out of his skin when we got home. Darryl and I stood in the dark kitchen for a while watching the most amazing light show over Lake Ontario while another cell passed us by to the south.

All in all, we were skirted on 3 sides by the storm but didn't sustain a direct hit. We were a lot luckier than other places in the province where tornadoes touched down or high winds and hail caused widespread damage.

Don't know what you've got until it's gone...

A beautiful ballad by heavy metal band Cinderella, by the same title, used to be one of my favourite songs as a teen and the phrase has so many applications. Today, I'm thinking of it in terms of a silly little thing like internet access as I type this entry...

We had a brown out or power surge at home early on Saturday morning and, at the time, we didn't think much of it. The lights flickered, one of the computers rebooted but the other two didn't show any affect. Until, that is, we tried to do something online and there was no internet.

OH NO!!! No internet?? Say it isn't so?!!

About an hour later after much experimentation and cursing, we resigned ourselves to admitting that that itsy bitsy brown out had fried our highspeed modem.

We spent several hours either on the phone or in person at local stores trying to procure a replacement modem to no avail. No one stocks highspeed modems. We've ordered one from our ISP and should have it by Wednesday.

It wasn't until later Sunday afternoon that I realized I had all kinds of spare time on my hands and was actually bored (a real rarity for me). While I puttered around the house, I was thinking what I should be doing was working on the computer.

I know I spend a lot of time at my desk. I manage 3 websites, edit thousands of digital photos for both work & pleasure, I dabble on ebay and msn with family & close friends but I had no idea it was such a huge element in my day to day life.

I think, when the new modem comes, I may just have to disconnect it from time to time and take a break from virtual reality and take time to smell the real roses.

Boggity Boggity Boggity!

Or as my DH put it, "WoooHooo! Watkins Glen!"

We've officially driven on the Watkins Glen, NY NASCAR road track.

Note I said "driven" vs "raced" as there was no racing involved nor permitted, but let me back up a little before that...

I've just returned home from 3 days away at various locations and attractions around Watkins Glen, New York where we went for a PT Cruiser event - "Cruise the Glen 4". Despite Mother Nature's lack of co-operation on Saturday (it POORED rain - with flash flood warnings, no less!), the overall weekend was a great success and the weather was perfect when it really counted for Sunday's track time.

Darryl and I left late Friday morning (much later than we'd planned) to drive down. We got to the Queenston/Lewiston border crossing around 11:30am and FINALLY got through at almost 2pm!! We will NEVER cross at Lewiston again. Unbelievable.

Darryl took over driving and I dozed for a couple of hours as I'd had very little sleep Thursday night (fell asleep at 4 and was up at 5 showering and packing up the car!) so I can't comment on much of the drive down except for when we approached Geneva.

We never found out for sure, but there must be a University in Geneva. We noticed gorgeous huge homes lined up along both sides of the tree-lined highway with Seneca Lake in the background all with either Greek characters above the doors or names like "Hampton House" or "Frey House" or somesuch thing.

Once we got south of Geneva, we drove along side Seneca Lake through some of the most beautiful countryside I've seen in a good long while. There were vineyards on either side of the road everywhere we looked.

We picked out a vineyard/resort to check out on a future trip.

We arrived in Watkins Glen proper around 6pm and drove straight to the track (a little south east of town) only to realize when we got there that Friday and Saturday's events were being held at a park right in town on the south shore of Seneca Lake, so we turned 'round and headed back, arriving around 6:30pm. There were dozens and dozens of PTs there already and the host club had a nice spread of food out for everyone. We registered and went to find Maggie at the Race & Street booth to pick up my big ticket item of the weekend (which I'd ordered some time ago), a new PTeazer smoothie rollpan bumper...now I just have to find someone to paint and install it for me ;o) Oh - and decide if I'm going to retain the factory single exhaust or finally bite the bullet and go with the dual.

I have no photos from Saturday because it rained ALL day. We spent the day under the tent fly trying to stay somewhat dry. I can't even tell you how many cars were there since many came in the morning, but didn't stay when it became apparent that the weather wasn't about to improve anytime soon. There were even flash flood warnings! We also connected with some people we know through Moosedog (Hi Carl, Meg, Elkie & Burliegh!) and they told us that the park we are in sometimes completely floods in heavy rains!! I could just about envision all the poor happless PT's floating away down Lake Seneca!! Yikes!

The event organizers kind of sped the day along and we did the draws and trophies early and we were able to leave the park by 1pm.

I can't confirm for 100% certain, but I overheard that we placed 4th in our class (not too shabby!). They gave out trophies to 1st-3rd place. Maybe next time!

My favourite of the show was a plum convertible with the nicest flame job I've seen in a long while that came all the way from Las Vagas. She took home quite a bit of hardware.

Saturday afternoon we braved the drizzle to explore Watkins Glen. We hit the local souvenir shops - including a large one filled just with NASCAR stuff. Took Darryl a looooong time to decide what he wanted! He finally settled on a special edition IRL hat (of course, it would be a hat - was just a matter of WHICH hat!). I picked up a hat pin to commemorate our visit on my PT cap.

We also went to the Watkins Glen state park, which I'm told is a must to see if you're ever in the area - true even in the rain! I did take a chance with the camera to snap a few photos there. I figured it was worth it! Unfortunately, I'm now having trouble with loading photos so will try to add some from the park later. We didn't walk too far into the gorge as my sandle broke and it was pretty trecherous hiking on the wet rocks let alone doing it with a broken shoe, so we came back down and hit Wal-mart for a new pair of shoes for me.

Saturday night was the banquet and auction at the clubhouse at the track. Dinner was amazing and we stuffed ourselves silly. Didn't quite drink enough to actually bid on anything at the auction although there were a couple of nice items. We called it a night early and headed back to the hotel in Corning, which was about a 20 minute drive further south for us.

Sunday morning I was up rediculously early and already showered before Darryl surfaced. We packed up the car and headed to Bob Evans for breakfast. That is my only hard and fast rule when in the US...at some point, I MUST eat at a Bob Evans restaurant!! This was only Darryl's second time at one but he's as addicted as I am (what do they put in the sausages to make them sooooo addictive???)
At 10am we were at the Winner's Circle (an Ice Cream place near the track) to meet up with fellow PTers who were heading to the "Lunch & Laps" at the race track. At 11, about 100 cars caravaned to the Nascar track. Again, I have lots of photos and videos, but not able to upload them for some reason. :o(

From 12-1, we watched cars racing on the track and at 1 we finally had our turn. We did 3 laps with a pace car. I think the fastest we got going was maybe 80 mph (frankly, driving on the 401 is more nerve-wracking/exciting at times!). We stopped in 3 lines for a photo op at the start/finish line, then headed off the track to the clubhouse for an amazing lunch (can't complain about the food at all all weekend). By three we were on the road heading home.

We stopped in Geneva to take some photos of the houses I mentioned earlier and while I was pulled over on the shoulder, a group of PTs heading back to Ontario went by. Once Darryl was done taking his photos, we scrambled to catch up with the others cars and finally did about a half hour later and we drove right through to Fort Erie with them were we stopped for a coffee and a visit before we all went our separate ways. We finally arrived home around 9pm to be greeted by two very happy puppies. It was nice to sleep in my own bed but man did it hurt getting up the next morning knowing I had to go to work.

Gotta make the money to pay for the toys I guess, huh?

Two more sleeps to go...

I can't wait for Friday. Such is the norm pretty much every week here at the office, but this Friday in particular I can't wait for.

I'm finally getting out of town, even if it's only for a couple of days.

This weekend is Cruz the Glen 4 in Watkins Glen NY and we depart bright and early Friday morning to drive down for the 3 day show. The festivities start at 5 on Friday night and run right through until mid-afternoon Sunday.

Did I mention I can't wait to go??

Did I mention I get to drive on the NASCAR track?

Sure, there are plenty of other, more productive things I could be doing with my time, but I don't wanna. I wanna go cruisin'! And cruisin' I shall go! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The Bride-to-be wore white...

We survived the vultures... er... mosquitoes on Saturday night and had a pretty good time. It was a very woodsey, remote location and the mosquitoes were as bad as I expected. Upon arrival, we each poured a bottle of "OFF" on each other (remind me again why I bothered to shower and put on perfume before we left??) and hiked back in to the pond and the party where we were welcomed by the sight of already happily inebriated revelers shooting bow & arrows and paint ball guns (thankfully, at targets on the side of a shed)!!

The theme of the Jack & Jill was "Survivor" and there were all kinds of Survivor-themed games and even the path from the road in to the pond was lit by dozens of bamboo torches (citronella torches, thank goodness, every little bit helps!).

We were greeted by a very soggy bride-to-be who informed us that she and her beau had thought it would be romantic to take a paddle boat ride around the pond at dusk...forgetting that they had yet to use the stockpile of water balloons that had been previously prepared for another event.

Funny that the line of grinning people on the bank didn't tip them off, but as they paddled closer, it became apparent what was about to happen. I understand it was a total balloon bath. The two in the boat never had a chance. Unfortunate that the bride-to-be wore a white top...

On Sunday, I got up bright and early (yes, it hurt) and took the Cruiser over to the car wash and then on to the Mopar show at a local Chrysler dealership for their 15th annual show and shine (although, with the weather on Sunday, it was really more of a bake and glare). I met up with my friend Phil, who also had a Cruiser, there (that's his blue PT on my right in the photo).

This was my second time at this event and I have to say, it was much improved over the first time.

Final tally was around 90 cars (I think there were maybe 20 at the one 2 years ago - but it was raining then too). It was hot (oh so hot) and the sun shone all day (I'm soooo fried).

At the end of it all, we walked away with a trophy for best front wheel drive - a nifty little desk clock with a plaque on it. The vast majority of cars there were older so I was maybe competing against 10 other entries, one of which was a neon green neon with a Canadian Tire special paint job (a la spray cans - complete with overspray!!)




After the show ended around 2:30, Darryl and I went home, changed into our bathing suits and drove up to my parents for a swim and bbq supper. A perfect end to a fabulous day.

In stark contrast to yesterday's post about escaping small town Ontario, I went back today. Not to my own small town, but one is pretty much like any other.

A general store, a church or two, a community center, a park and a gaggle of houses and there you have it - small town Ontario.

Today, I went to watch my friend, Lori and her daughter, performing at "Kendal Days".

Madison, Lori's 6 year old daughter, participated in the bike parade and received third place in the competition for best decorated bike. I, of course, missed the parade. :o(

At 2, there was a kids talent show. I arrived just as act #3 was about to take the stage. Madison was act #2. :o( I watched the last 2 acts in the talent show and then the awards. Madison again took third with her guitar playing. Considering she was playing a full-sized guitar and, albeit a bit slowly, she got all of her chords, I was impressed! Think how much more impressed I would have been if I'd actually seen it!! Way to go Maddy!!

At 3, the Ganaraska Country Cloggers took the stage in two groups; the ladies and the girls. I thoroughly enjoyed watching all of them hoofing it under the hot sun. They all looked like they were having the greatest time and it was a thrill to see Lori having so much fun - how she loves to dance! You can't actually SEE Lori in the group photo. She was sporting a sore ankle and had missed a few recent practices due to being on holidays, so she hid in the back row. Not to worry though - I got plenty of video of her kicking up her heels. Yehawww! You go girls!!

Shortly, I'm on the road again to yet another, if you can believe it, SMALLER small town. Norwood.

"Norwhat?" you ask.

Yes, Norwood. We are going to a Jack & Jill for an old friend of Darryl's. I hear there's going to be paddle boat races. Should be interesting. I have a feeling it may start as a competition between people but will quickly become "he/she who can outrun the mosquitoes the furthest shall be the victor and least itchy of the evening" competition.

Pass the OFF please!

So what's all this pLuM LoCo stuff about anyways?

It's a long story, really. Goes back to 2000...well, honestly, it goes back even further than that, perhaps even as far as 1990. 1990 is the year I turned 16 and got my drivers license and the world suddenly became a much larger place for a girl who'd lived her whole life in small town Ontario.

I'm a bit of a motor head. Not a die hard mind you, but I know my way around a car more than most girls. My grandfather bought me my very first car the summer between high school and college. I was going to a local college and would be commuting, so a car was a must have. I asked him to *help* me buy a car, so he goes out and buys me just the coolest first car ever (in my opinion; everyone has their own idea of a cool first car). It was a 1986 Mercury Cougar LS in desert taupe metallic blush and I named it Rocco. Rocco and I spent many fantastic years together and went through good times and bad, but Rocco was the beginning of a love affair with cars for me that, over the years, has brought me to my recent obsession spanning the last 6 years. PT Cruisers.

Yes, a Cougar is a Mercury and a Mercury at heart is a Ford and, heaven forbid, a Cruiser is a Chrysler. I never bled Ford blue and to be honest, the Cougar was the oddity since I come from a Chrysler/Dodge family, so although there will never be another Rocco, getting the Cruiser was like coming 'home'.

In the late summer of 2000 while out looking for a new vehicle for my husband, I spotted this peculiar, yet undeniably COOL looking little wagon/van type car and thought to my self, 'self, you need to go have yourself a look at that'. So me and myself not only looked, we took a test drive and a short time later, I was the proud owner of a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited Edition in deep cranberry and I named it Wyldberry...and we still didn't have a new vehicle for my husband.


There was something else that came with the Cruiser that the salesman at the dealership neglected to tell me about, or perhaps it was just to early on in the phenomenon for him to know about it. A membership in an exclusive club. There's a whole culture out there of people who live and breathe everything PT Cruiser...and I became one of them. I bought the shirts, the hats, the 1:32 scale remote model...I drove all over to shows and events. I showed. I shined. I "Cruised the Falls" more than once and when the lease came due on my '01, I did the most natural thing in the world to me...I bought the TURBO. Yup...the only thing I never could forgive in the '01 was the lack of get up and go. No problem with that now.

'pLuM LoCo' is the name of the '04 GT Turbo and I've gone a little bit overboard with this one. It's deep plum (purple is my favourite colour, by the way) - but that wasn't enough for me. I've had it two-toned with vanilla on top. Then I added more side graphics. And a K&N air intake (you oughta here it scream on the 401 now). At the most recent show I was at, I added a chrome hood liner and in a couple of weeks, when I pack up my Maguires Show n' Shine and my buffing cloths to head off to Watkin's Glen, I'm picking up a new smoothie bumper from Maggie.

My family thinks I'm crazy. I have two cars now. I don't drive the Cruiser in the winter. It slumbers winter away in a garage bought just for it erected each fall on the patio.

My husband and I are the respective black sheep in both of our families. We have no children. We each have a "good car" and a "beater car". We spend our hard earned money on our pets (another story) and on our cars. And our families think we are crazy.

I'm just pLuM LoCo...you'll have to ask my husband what his excuse is. Perhaps "Mustang Mad" or "'Stang Stupid"? tee hee (hope he doesn't read this...)