All in a Woman's Day .....

We had a gorgeous day to march for International Women's Day! Here I am in Victoria Park with my friend Jules prior to the march. There were a number of speakers telling their stories - it was quite emotional. One woman who spoke is currently engaged in a sexual harassment case against the principal of the school she used to teach at. A fierce woman spoke out about her murdered best friend and how the police were extremely slow to respond due to the line of work she was engaged in. It was a complete travesty and just another of the endless horrific incidents in which women's rights are neglected, ignored trampled on and discriminated against!! It sickens me to my core...

SHAME!!!

As my father used to say....

there, but for the grace of God, go I...

Here we are taking over the streets of downtown London - a great turnout!!  My sign relates to the number of years I worked for The Royal Bank of Canada beside men doing the same jobs for more (much more) money than I earned. That's just the way it was and we lived with it.

NO MORE!!

Unfortunately I got a parking ticket, how ironic! They get it from you one way or another! I am disputing it so we'll see what happens.  And even more unfortunately when I got home Kazi looked like she was on her death bed. After 5 hours in emerg it seems you can get the flu more than once because of the various strains this year. Oh joy! So another round of chicken broth, jello and popsicles. I am washing my hands so much I'm running out of hand lotion! Too bad the Olympics didn't last a couple more weeks...as it is she's watching every episode of "Friends" for about the 3rd time :) I'm keeping my distance...her symptoms are even worse this time around!

I sincerely hope y'all are feeling healthy!!

Marching on...

March 8 is International Women's Day!

I am celebrating by going to a women's march on March 3rd. My main interest is
"equal pay for equal work"! 

Sometimes it feels like no progress is being made when you consider how long women have been marching for something that should be a given. When I worked for the Royal Bank of Canada for 14 years I wasn't paid equally to the men working there in the same positions - the saddest part was I accepted that - that's the way it was!! My eyes are OPEN now and I realize how heavy the foot was that held me, and millions of women around the world DOWN!

And so I march on and on...

In other news...I have closed off February's budget and have set up my budget for March. I hope March isn't as spendy as January and February!!! I hope the money I put into savings this month stays there!
OH MY!! 
But the good news is my brother and I have purchased our flight tickets for September's trip. Money well spent as was all the money I have spent recently. Two new pairs of glasses, a very healthy Lily, memberships to ancestry.ca & amazon renewed, invalid food, many household purchases made, car had it's semi-annual inspection & oil change etc etc etc! And let's not forget my big tax bill grrrrrrrrr!!

I've decided to pay my taxes with investment interest as those two items are linked together so it seems fitting: I benefited greatly with big, and I mean BIG tax refunds when Kazi was a dependent and I maxed out my RRSP account yearly. NOW I get to pay back those benefits - aren't I lucky?! Me and millions like me. I used to let that interest compound but now I am going to put that money to use.

 Any RRSP money not withdrawn by age 71 becomes a RIF and I'll be forced to withdraw a certain percentage annually. So from now on any tax payments I need to make will be covered by interest. It feels less painful when I look at it that way :)

That about wraps up the past week. Kazi is over the flu but has a couple of other health issues - she has a weird bump on one elbow and a similar one on a toe. A biopsy has been down and we're awaiting the results. Then yesterday she whacked her foot on a piece of furniture and is going for an x-ray and ultrasound - they're concerned about a blood clot as her calf was tingly all day yesterday. So I've checked my phone about a million times so far this morning hoping for some good news! Nothing...

The weather has been amazing - warm and sunny - helping the ground dry up. My daffodils and snow drops are emerging once again though I hear more snow is in our future.

THIS IS NOT SPRING!! 

Oh darn...

Foto Fri....Sat....Sunday!

I just had breakfast for lunch. Why? Forgot about turning the clocks ahead til just a few moments ago! So today I'll be dining elegantly at 7pm! 

Below is a photo I took one day last week and it was like 6:15pm! Tonight if I get to see a sunset it will be 7:15pm!! We're getting closer and closer to spring! Not with the weather however. A winter storm is coming our way...again...

The next two photos are from my 5km walk that I try to do everyday but there's been a lot of flooding lately even on city street as many of the drains are clogged up with leaves and debris.

This was one of my favourite signs at the International Womens' Day that I attended last Wed. It was so windy that we didn't march after listening to the speakers - we could barely hold on to our signs and banners.

This photo below is from my 5km walk the day after the big wind - a large spruce was brought down. I have several tall spruce trees behind my condo and I was keeping my eye on them due to the 90km/hr winds - they seemed to be bending over at almost a 90 degree angle to the ground but thankfully none of them were uprooted.

The next few photos are from Friday's fun activities. After my weekly sit-in I had lunch at The Trini Man Kitchen with my two best buds - I could eat blackened chicken everyday of my entire life!!!

Then my friend Jules needed to go to a nearby art store to purchase supplies for a week long kids' art camp held at our city gallery. It's now March Break. I looked around and found a box of soapstone pieces!! So I bought 2 small chunks because I work small and the cost for the 2 pieces was a mere $3.43! I'll be going back soon to get more!

While I was at the sit-in in the morning I was able to purchase some farm fresh organic eggs from my friend Celeste. She has a small illegal farm in the city but hasn't been caught yet! I also purchase organic honey from her!

The campaign I'm involved in is to try to keep Ontario Hydro a public utility - our government is trying to sell it off for short-term gain. I was given a Hydro mug as thanks for being a part of this protest movement.

This was my small grocery shop that I did on Friday. I'm currently eating mostly vegetables, a smaller amount of fruit, and protein in the form of chicken and fish. For snacks I'll grab a few peanuts and will make my detox drink from lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon and boiling water. I've lost 5 pounds in combination with moving my body 25km per day. (walking, hiking and biking). I hope that by lightening up my weight my knee won't hurt so much. Worth a try.

I buy unsalted peanuts in the shell and pistachios too.  I will complain just once about all of the empty shells in the bag! I did try buying from the bulk store but an equally high or higher amount of empty shells :(

I received in the mail this week - a guide for The South West Coast Path which is over 600km in length.  What an adventure that would be!!! I also received the guide for the West Highland Way in Scotland that I'm doing this year.

The last photo is the worst of the bunch!! A couple of years ago the cost to renew our annual license plate sticker was $75. Then the next year they raised it to $90 (and I know I complained about that on my blog!) and this year!!!!! $120.00!!!!!!! An increase of $30 - holy crap! Once more reason to go car-free!

And that about wraps things up. Last week was a busy week of going out to lunch, going to a Council of Canadians dinner, sit-ins, going for walks and to movies (saw Fences and Manchester by the Sea). I missed seeing "Moonlight" but it's out on DVD so I'll rent it.

Now, with a shorter day, I must get the laundry going and get onto my bike. It doesn't look very inviting outside so I think I'll skip my walk. It's -10c and we have another snow squall warning in effect.

Did you remember to turn your clocks ahead?

Time Wasters

I would post the photos I took for International Women's Day yesterday but I can't because as I just told Kim, who has been battling her "inner brat", I can't get up to do things when there is a cat or two sitting in my lap! Just can't disturb them! This works really well when I have various housecleaning tasks on my "to do" list. Sometimes I spend a good 20 minutes looking for the cats and making them sit on my lap but I do what has to be done!

Who could disturb this little face? Not me!

My inner brat also makes me watch numerous videos about the chaotic affairs in Washington, D.C. especially from Late Night TV shows hosted by Seth Myers, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon. Talk about wasting my time! Yet it helps to laugh!

Those are my two main time wasters - cats and humour - it could be worse! What are your time wasters?

International Women's Day!

Imagine going through one day without a woman - a mother, sister, friend, colleague, wife, aunt, niece, grandmother...

Hard to imagine isn't it? But then, you're all women I think! (There may be the odd male lurker/creeper out there who doesn't make himself known :)

Last night I spent a wonderful evening with friends and fellow members of the Council of Canadians, as we gathered to celebrate International Women's Day; there were a few supportive male friends and husbands as well. We ate an amazing dinner of Afghan food prepared by a former refugee, now a Canadian citizen.

In the front row is revered author and WATER activist, Maude Barlow, if you click her name you will be linked to her Wikipedia page. We were so fortunate that she could attend our gathering.

My friend, Julie, made the banner which will go with us today to Victoria Park, as we all gather in sisterhood and solidarity to support women's rights and to give thanks to the women in our life! (Can you see my tiny head?)

Now I must go get ready. We've been blessed with a very windy but warm and sunny day - it should be an exciting time!