Michelle, surely need to take yogurt to replace good gut fauna/flora that the antibiotics kill. But you accomplished so much in any case!

Tomorrow is Canada Day, my granddaughter's 26th B-day! That sweet little girl I took places in her stroller 25 years ago now has her own tiny girl!

The last couple weeks seem to have been busy. The garden is burgeoning. The tomato and pepper plants are all in the ground after much effort – removing large chunks of concrete in enough of an area to accommodate them, removing enough rocks to give them root room and then putting eggshells and very old manure in the hole and LOTS of water. The ones I planted two weeks earlier are clearly happier but the later may catch up. Many have green tomatoes and most have blossoms. Need to keep a log to see which ones do what – and how much!

I also repotted a couple (free) LARGE, and very potbound, plants R brought home from a defunct office. They will be good upstairs.

We spent about 3 hours at the Montreal International Jazz Fest last night. Lots of free concerts, here and there. The very best was a couple young lads sitting on the sidewalk playing their hearts old with superb djangojazz. We listened for a while then got a name and phone number in hopes of getting them to the café sometime.

Took a load to the thrift shop on Tuesday and brought home beautiful drapes for the BR and a set of queen flannel sheets! And a pair of running shoes for R. He goes through them so I get them whenever I can. Also got some good groceries, did banking and met a kindred spirit who was reading my bumper stickers. They are quite notable and I love watching people reading my car as I walk toward it! Sometimes they stop to talk.

House phone has not worked since last electrical storm. I could not Skype them or call on my cell phone. R tried on his cell and was on hold for ten minutes… So today, I went to a shopping area (mall) and went to the Bell Kiosk where they let me use a phone, dialed the number and I got a person right away!!!! And so, with any luck, it will be dealt with. We first had to find another phone to plug in to ascertain if it was the phone or the line ---the line.

But, OOPS, before I went "anywhere", I needed to get gas at the nearest! So also got some good bargains in groceries at the store nearby.

Yesterday, I wore myself out as an earthmover, moving two small piles of misplaced earth to level out the rest of the yard. I was tired before going to the Fest!

We had a wonderful visit from two Whidbey Island friends last Monday/Tuesday, so happy they could use the newly recovered 2nd floor BR! We did the Botanical Gardens, went to our fav Polish restaurant (of over 40 years!), showed them as much of the city as time allowed, including a trip to the top of the "mountain" at night. Mount Royal is a volcanic intrusion in the centre of the city, a huge park. Nice by daylight too!

So, we got some of the house clean and looking vaguely civilized.

This long weekend: music Friday at the café, a CD launch on Sunday at the café (!) and back to the city on Monday, via picking up a kiln – 2 hours east – to attend a party with close friends of R's – a son visiting from Japan.

I am happy that my FB raccoon page (Raccoons Montreal Raton Laveur) has finally shown up on Google. It is basic but bi-lingual. Between that and a new blog with a basic name "Raccoons in Montreal – Raton Laveur à Montréal" which I hope will also show up. One of the wildlife women offered help and twigged an insight! I was feeling an abject failure for this year's crop of kits – actually depressed by it, I believe. When she offered help, something clicked. I cannot do much for this year but will keep trying for the next year's babes. I still need to make the later bi-lingual but I want to see if it shows on Google before I put more time into it.

And!!!! As I came in from the yard a few nights ago, a young adult raccoon came over the wall and went up our tree to the roof! It was within arm's reach but I did NOT reach out but murmured sweet nothings to it as it climbed. 9 pm – raccoon cruising time!!

I spend a few hours each day on raccoon sites. I delight in those who are rehabbing, in the info - a lot of which I copy to file and in those folks who love raccoons as I do and are so dedicated to caring for them in spite of the dreadful attitudes of those in power – the state Dept(s) of Natural Resources, and the provincial and federal govts in Canada who have no concept of caring for animals.   

Time to quit. My eyes are rebelling.

Thus endeth the month of June! This year - half over. We have each done much!

"Every decision you make–every decision–is not a decision about what to do. It's a decision about who you are. When you see this, when you understand it, everything changes. You begin to see life in a new way. All events, occurrences, and situations turn into opportunities to do what you came here to do."
(source unknown)