Indian Summer arrived

[xxxLinda]

And now it's gone.  It's definitely Autumn today.  Full Harvest moon last night.

I most certainly set myself up for a Getbig bashing big time in this thread and talked all silly talk.  Makes me wonder though, re-reading it...

I wasn't disrespecting Toronto, just wondering, because I spent 17 of my best years there (1970-86) and truly loved it.  I made it in TO.  I lived in the best area (moved from Fairview Mall, Don Mills as a teenager to Avenue Road and Yorkville and got a swish job) and drove the best cars, met all the best people and even went to all the very best trendy parties.  It was easy to do so there.  I went to school there (Rush was my high school band) and grew up (spent my formative years) in TO, so I'm thankfull.

I've just learned since that it's either a zero place in the middle of nowhere, kinda off the map, or else it's the most happening place on earth.  It's so totally cosmopolitan like parts of Europe perhaps...  Canada is so very different from the US and more like Britain.

Which was how come I decided I wanted to live in NY and ended up coming back to England.

Anyways, if you live in a remote place like Canada, you travel a lot.  NYC was an hour away when I lived in TO, give or take a few airports.  One of my bestest memories is of flying in a little 10-seater plane over Niagara to Buffalo to get across the border.

You're right perhaps about Vancouver.  Since it's the end of the world, it would seem right that all sorts of misfits would end up there.  Perhaps that's why I loved it so much, but I was only there 3 times these last 5 years and then only a day or two at a time, on my way across (to and from) and up and down Vancouver Island to visit my Dad.  I guess I love big cities.  & I'd never seen mountains before.

I've never been to California.  (Or Paris.)  I'm saving them.

I'm living in possibly the nicest tiny little flat with the most beautiful garden in the best part of the most wonderful city in the world, in central London.  But I'm not appreciating it, I don't get out enough, I only see my local bits and not the big picture.

It's also raining cats and dogs and has been very chilly these last few nights.
xL


xL
i'm going to do the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and turn down the drugs (unless I can get onto a long-term "lifer" bi-polar research study wherein I explain that marijuiana helps and could I please be put on the list if they're doing a study on long-term weed use.  Maybe they'll give it to me free & I could give up the vino.  Which is another reason to explain why I was daft to leave Canada, the mj is fairly available there whereas here it's more expensive than my rent.

Playbuddy, CamelJockey, I've never done crack.  I freebased cocaine with a famous movie star or two once in Toronto though.  Enough.  I know myself well enough to know that down drugs are better for me.  They always used to say to me:  Linda, take a valium or move to LA.


re: Florida.  I lived at Daytona for a year running a motel on the ocean in the 80s.  I drove there via Indianapolis from Toronto for a holiday with a boyfriend and ended up staying.  But the whole place shut down in the winter and it was dire.  It was there that I learned about trailer trash and saw my first-ever crack whore.

I guess I was too busy appreciating the high life in Toronto and New York.  I'm sure Florida is all different nowadays, I was there when it was low-life.

Here, in Maida Vale, near Notting Hill, London, where I've settled, there is a crack house 5 houses up.  I've been mentioning it to my Landlord's agent and my community police for like 3 or 4 years...  Last Saturday there were 10-15 or 20 police with flak jackets and shields running up the middle of my little quiet residential street.  Turned out the guy was out, so they didn't bust him and now there are even more maniacs on the street in and out of his house this week.  Full moon, like I say.  So I'm staying home and perhaps gardening when it stops raining.

[xxxLinda]

They just passed Timothy's law here, now if you have insurance you pay what your co-pay is for your primary care physician. 

where is here?  what is co-pay?  And who is Timothy and where is my primary care physician?
xL

[24KT]

And now it's gone.  It's definitely Autumn today.  Full Harvest moon last night.

I most certainly set myself up for a Getbig bashing big time in this thread and talked all silly talk.  Makes me wonder though, re-reading it...

I wasn't disrespecting Toronto, just wondering, because I spent 17 of my best years there (1970-86) and truly loved it.  I made it in TO.  I lived in the best area (moved from Fairview Mall, Don Mills as a teenager to Avenue Road and Yorkville and got a swish job) and drove the best cars, met all the best people and even went to all the very best trendy parties.  It was easy to do so there.  I went to school there (Rush was my high school band) and grew up (spent my formative years) in TO, so I'm thankfull.

Oh my Goodness Linda, ...we most definitely might have crossed paths, or knew some of the same people.
Some of those guys are STILL fixtures in Yorkville. Does Checkers, or PWD ring a bell?

Let me ask you what on earth would possess you to leave the Fairview Mall?
That's got to be some of the best shopping in TO 

I've just learned since that it's either a zero place in the middle of nowhere, kinda off the map, or else it's the most happening place on earth.  It's so totally cosmopolitan like parts of Europe perhaps...  Canada is so very different from the US and more like Britain.

It's the most happening place on Earth! You're right, Canada, and Canadians are far more similar to Europeans.
The differences really struck me again 2 weeks ago. It's always somewhere there in the back of my mind,
...but it was really in-my-face on this recent visit. Normally, I go to NYC, LA, or Chicago where the differences aren't as pronounced, but it was very in your face. We had representatives from over 62 countries present, and it was so easy to spot the Americans too, ...almost embarrassingly easy. 

I found the Norwegians to be a very interesting lot.
They were very dedicated, driven, focused, and consumate professionals during the day...
...but at night... they turned into a bunch of drunken vikings!    ...complete with Viking apparel.
Have you ever seen a woman in an elegant evening gown, ...and a leather Viking breastplate?
They drank like fishes, smoked like chimneys... and they were an absolute blast! They sure can hold their liquor!

Which was how come I decided I wanted to live in NY and ended up coming back to England.

Anyways, if you live in a remote place like Canada, you travel a lot.  NYC was an hour away when I lived in TO, give or take a few airports.  One of my bestest memories is of flying in a little 10-seater plane over Niagara to Buffalo to get across the border.

We've got the island airport now down at Harbourfront, so it's just a small hop over the lake.

You'd love my friend's plane.

I've never been to California.  (Or Paris.)  I'm saving them.

You've got to see California, ...especially Southern Cali. You'd love it there. Within 2 hrs drive you can go from fabulous nightlife, to fresh country air, to sun, sand, and desert, to skiing in the mountains, or sailing off Catalina.

It's also raining cats and dogs and has been very chilly these last few nights.
xL

I know the feeling. I'm missing the summer as well. It's already starting to get dark around 7 pm,
...and I've already taken the plunge and had to break out the flannel sheets at night. 
...haven't fired up the fireplace yet, {sigh} ...but I know it's coming.

[Playboy]

DITTO!
{pssst} ...but LA can give us a real run for our money... especially in the winter. 

Don't worry Jag...this year i'm gonna strike before the iron gets hot. I'm going the the carribean for christmas. While its -25 with the windchill here, i'll be tanning on a beach somewhere with margarita's and carona's all over the place. 

[24KT]

Don't worry Jag...this year i'm gonna strike before the iron gets hot. I'm going the the carribean for christmas. While its -25 with the windchill here, i'll be tanning on a beach somewhere with margarita's and carona's all over the place. 

I hear ya Playboy! My company is running a promotional contest for the European distributors only.
20 European distributors are gonna get an all-expense paid Caribbean cruise for 2 for the 1st week in December.
I've been invited onboard by one of our Norwegian platinums, ...but I'm scared I might have to push him overboard if he has a few too many drinks, ...and this guy just loves his liquor. 

[Playboy]

I hear ya Playboy! My company is running a promotional contest for the European distributors only.
20 European distributors are gonna get an all-expense paid Caribbean cruise for 2 for the 1st week in December.
I've been invited onboard by one of our Norwegian platinums, ...but I'm scared I might have to push him overboard if he has a few too many drinks, ...and this guy just loves his liquor. 

It'll be quote different. I never spent the x-mas holidays tanning on the beach. I'm used to snow, cold weather and wind that would freeze your hair stiff. 

[Playboy]

I hear ya Playboy! My company is running a promotional contest for the European distributors only.
20 European distributors are gonna get an all-expense paid Caribbean cruise for 2 for the 1st week in December.
I've been invited onboard by one of our Norwegian platinums, ...but I'm scared I might have to push him overboard if he has a few too many drinks, ...and this guy just loves his liquor. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh now thats the spirit, Jag:) I love those company trips and outings. I always get my boss hammered and happy and then I hit him for a raise. It works 

[24KT]

It'll be quote different. I never spent the x-mas holidays tanning on the beach. I'm used to snow, cold weather and wind that would freeze your hair stiff. 

{LOL}  It will totally blow your mind!

I remember the first Christmas I spent in California, ...dancing around a Christmas tree on the beach in Malibu.
It was surreal, ...especially after years of white Christmasses in TO. I'm not adjusting well to our new weather.
The week in Orlando has spoiled me. although the scenary is very pretty. the leaves are starting to fall and turn all sorts of pretty shades. 

[Laura Lee]

{LOL}  It will totally blow your mind!

I remember the first Christmas I spent in California, ...dancing around a Christmas tree on the beach in Malibu.
It was surreal, ...especially after years of white Christmasses in TO. I'm not adjusting well to our new weather.
The week in Orlando has spoiled me. although the scenary is very pretty. the leaves are starting to fall and turn all sorts of pretty shades. 

Gurlllllllll, you were in my neck of the woods and didn't call?    What up wit dat? 

[24KT]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh now thats the spirit, Jag:) I love those company trips and outings. I always get my boss hammered and happy and then I hit him for a raise. It works 

Neat trick, ...but in FFi, we write our own paycheques,
...and if we want a raise, ...we just give it to ourselves. 

The company owners are pretty cool though. Wendy is so sweet, and Randy is an absolute hoot.

For the past few weeks, they kept saying they had some big surprises for us, but they weren't telling.
Randy kept saying he felt like a giddy little child who knew what his brother was getting for christmas,
but couldn't say. Some things leaked out, but they managed to keep a very tight lid on a few things.

They gave away some brand new 2008 BMWs. They managed to keep that one a secret.
After lunch, we came back into the ballroom to get further clarification on our new sister division,
...when lo and behold... there were 4 four different BMWs at the front of the room. 2 3-series hardtop & convertible, a 5 series, and a 7 series. We didn't know what was going on. Everybody wanted to know why there were 4 cars in the room. We figured, maybe they were going to do a draw for a car or something, but we couldn't get clarification.

So Wendy is up on stage, explaining our new sister division, ...and no one is paying any attention. We all want to know about the cars. it was so funny. Finally, even the guy operating the big screen kept switching the slides on her presentation midsteam to a slide that said "What about the cars, Wendy?". It was hilarious!



Finally she just gave up on the new sister division clarifications, and moved on to telling us about the cars.
They announced in addition to all the other things they rolled out, they were introducing a new car program,
...and these were the qualifications, ... oh, and btw, the following people have already met the qualifications.

Then they proceeded to give away, not 1, not 2, not 3, not even 4, ...but 24 brand new 2008 BMWs.

It was a total surprise to all of us!  Pretty Cool! 

[24KT]

Gurlllllllll, you were in my neck of the woods and didn't call?    What up wit dat? 

I swear Laura, I was going to call you, ...really, but things were crazy!
We barely had time to poop. Most of us were running on sheer adrenaline & alcohol the entire time.
Getting to bed at 3 or 4 am to be up at 9 am or even earlier. Breakfast meetings at 7am.

I promise the next time I go to Florida, I will call you! ...and I will be back, ...my 8 yr. old cousin declared it.
Other than the colleagues from all over the world at convention the only people I managed to see was my cousin, and her family the night before I left. The little one, ...she's a scary little thing. 8 years old and going on 40. Articulate beyond her years, ...with the confidence and assertiveness of a grown woman.

She skeered me.  it more than likely may be within the next 6 months. I have a B1 visa, but my passport is only a temporary 6 month passport til I can get some bureaucratic BS taken care of on this side of the border.

[Laura Lee]

I swear Laura, I was going to call you, ...really, but things were crazy!
We barely had time to poop. Most of us were running on sheer adrenaline & alcohol the entire time.
Getting to bed at 3 or 4 am to be up at 9 am or even earlier. Breakfast meetings at 7am.

I promise the next time I go to Florida, I will call you! ...and I will be back, ...my 8 yr. old cousin declared it.
Other than the colleagues from all over the world at convention the only people I managed to see was my cousin, and her family the night before I left. The little one, ...she's a scary little thing. 8 years old and going on 40. Articulate beyond her years, ...with the confidence and assertiveness of a grown woman.

She skeered me.  it more than likely may be within the next 6 months. I have a B1 visa, but my passport is only a temporary 6 month passport til I can get some bureaucratic BS taken care of on this side of the border.

Well, don't forget!