Back to work?

March 18/12.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, it's been four years since my last job. (not that I don't do anything! I work my ass off, just not for a pay cheque!)  Looking after my Mum during her many challenges, illnesses, surgeries and confusion, then her death and Celebration of Life, next, the cleaning out and selling of her home, followed by my own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, - it all kept me out of the biz,

and kinda locked away like Rapunzel in my tower,

escaping, mostly for hospital and doctor's appointments,

counting down the 16 radiation table top sessions at Princess Margaret, (lucky #7 here),

shopping at all my favourite exciting hot spots, like Price Chopper!

and Canadian Tire,

lugging loads of bags back to the castle,

doing the banking,

cooking,

driving hither & thither,

gassing up the car,

taking Kate,

and Max where they needed to be whenever I could,

visiting Auntie Ray, and generally doing whatever else I was called upon to do!

Unlike my old life of interviewing stars for Global TV,  the only celebs I've run into during this long break were,

Justin Bieber, standing rather motionless near the cosmetics counter at Shoppers Drug Mart (where I keep them in business),

comic master Colin Mochrie at Loblaws, (he's very shy in person),

and Santa Claus at a Canuck Tire clearance sale! (he spoke not a word, but went straight to his work!)

My last paying job was working as a researcher/consultant for

the TV series Planet Soap aired on TVTropolis - (which was a ton 'o fun). I especially liked digging up the dirt on all the daytime characters who were buried alive over the years,

checking out the scoop on the feistiest diva catfights - (this one, between Katherine Chancellor and Jill Abbott on The Y & R),

 
and, of course, delving into the hottest love scenes! (General Hospital characters Sonny & Brenda's big moment outside Luke's was always among my top faves, - especially from 2:25 to 2:55 - up against the wall)! I know many soap fans agree with me. Maurice Benard & Vanessa Marcil had such incredible chemistry!

So now, miraculously and thankfully, cancer seems out of the picture, (except for follow-up appointments and Tamoxifen), and I feel it's finally time to try and get some work! I think I have a few marketable skills and I aim to put them to use! Voice-over work, freelance writing and maybe even radio or TV again, all on the list. Who knows?

In these tough economic times and with so much competition, it may take a while, but starting Monday, I'm pounding the pavement!

Contents sale over!

July 1/11.

Happy Canada Day!

Got to sleep around 4 a.m., back up at 6:30 a.m. (gak) to get ready for the second sale at Mum's. The last one was the estate sale. This one, contents. We're trying to clear out everything possible so the furniture bank won't have so much to take. (They charge a lot to haul it away).

What do you think of my "sale attire"? (it's been a helluva long time since I wore an apron!!) The dog belongs to a customer who left him outside.

We had a string of special guests at the sale! Carrie answered the door to THIS guy!

Introducing musician extraordinaire Mark Kersey! He's not only a fabulous pianist (playing the piano we're inheriting), but is also a Canadian yo-yo champion, a children's performer (who used to appear on Mr. Dressup as "Mark the repairman"), and worked with Carrie for years in Performers for Literacy. He plays gigs all over the city and is in high demand. Mark sat down, pounded out a couple of beyond phenomenal numbers and managed to knock the socks off the customers in the house. (Luckily for them, we had lots of socks for sale!)

I took Carrie's picture with Mark and his lovely wife, Bonita! (not only is this Canada Day, but it's also Bonita's birthday AND Mark & Bonita's 27-year anniversary! - Have a great day you two!)

Next special guest? My friend, Pam Deacon-Pickard. We met a few years back at Fern Resort in Orillia and became pals immediately. It was great to see her and catch up, (and we even ended up roping her into helping to wrap glassware and china for a couple of buyers!) Thanks Pam!

For her trouble, we told her to choose some books to take home. Among her picks - two Young & Restless anniversary books! (one for her, one for her Mother!)

(My Mum was a huge Y & R fan too and would love to know someone else will enjoy these special commemorative books). Too bad Victor Newman didn't drop by to autograph them!

Carrie's son, Lee, the hard-working garage sale king, was back in action with us again, lugging things here, there and everywhere, helping anyone who needed to get heavy items to their car.

Two MORE special guests! My sister-in-law, Debbie and her handsome son, Justin surprised us by dropping by! We told them to take what they like from the sale at the "family rate," (free!) - and Justin was also asked to cart some heavy boxes to my car. Team work!

Next? A visit from Tien, the gardener. She and her husband, John, have been taking care of Mum's lawn, and garden for years. They always did a wonderful job!

Carrie borrowed Tien's hat for this shot! - Thanks Tien and John for all your hard work. We'll miss you!

The above special guest is Hank. He is a chestnut tree! (Mum named him Hank after a guy she went to school with named Hank Chestnut!) Years ago, Mum's huge, beautiful front yard tree was hit by lightening and destroyed! The city had to cut it up into pieces and take it away. Later, they returned and planted a tiny chestnut tree to replace the big one. Mum fretted away over that little tree for years, because it never grew very much, but this year - (after Mum's passing), he suddenly decided to flourish! Now, he's taller than Carrie!

And our final special guests made their way out of a massive plastic bag of stuffed animals. These two puppets, (appropriately named "Giraffe" and "Panda") were part of Lee's old collection.

As a master of puppetry and voice work, (after so many years on Polka Dot Door), Carrie spent countless hours doing funny voices for Lee when he was a little boy. She's always been quite the entertaining Mum who has an amazing way of making little kids laugh with her crazy puppet antics! She wanted to say one more goodbye to these two little characters. Adios Amigos! Thanks for the memories!

Once the sale wrapped up, we put more stuff on the lawn for the taking. The rest has been boxed up for Goodwill and other charities. Will be back again on Saturday and Sunday to continue the never-ending process of cleaning out and closing down the house.

In the meantime, Carrie met the new owner of Mum's place! He stopped by the day before the sale to take some house measurements. His name is Dang!

I wasn't there when he arrived, but Carrie was, and took his picture for the blog! (he must have wondered what the heck was going on!)

Welcome to the neighbourhood Dang! Hope you'll be as happy in this lovely house as Mum was for nearly 30 years!

(So, wait, hang on, just a cotton-pickin' minute. Lemme get this straight Dang. - YOU'RE taking over the hidey hole????????? - Yikes! - Gak - Egad!)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! - It can't BEEEEEEEEEE! I will have no life!!!!!!!!