Bums and Willies

Do you ever have something you like it but there is just something not exactly right about it?  Remember that great messenger bag that I made just before I left Colombo? 

I always had a feeling(j'ai le feeling) about it and now I know what it is,  my bag is covered with pictures of boy bits and bums from all angles!  It is most disturbing!  I don't see the fine seams, the great design, the clever re-use of findings I see PENISES AND BUMS!!!! 

I can't wear that!  I got enough strikes against me! ARGH!

Gettin' outta Dodgy!

Gosh I guess I shouldn't be so hard on Sri Lanka but it's hard sometimes.  It really is an emotional roller coaster.  For example; yesterday.  I went to pay my Dialog bill at the new kiosk after having learned that the guy who sits behind the desk and window won't accept my payment anymore.  Okay, fine, but I went to it only to find out that a) they won't let you touch the machine, b) the machine doesn't make change so "is it okay that we round it up?" and c) a guy stands there beside it with a bag of cash to give exact change?!  Is that not a direct duplication of a "service" already provided?  Anyone seen "Brazil".  So that's kind of stupid.

I left to pay my other internet bill at Sri Lankan Tel, yes, I pay 2.  They use the "old" method except you have to write all the info on your receipt.  Seemed positively refreshing after Dialog.  

One the way home I decided to cut through Slave Island.  (You may have read of my trips there previously.)  Once, steps into the neighbourhood, I was re-jazzed about how special Sri Lanka is.  There were women in full burka, muslim boys on the way home from school taunting each other to say "hello" to me and then running away when I responded! Crowds of tuktuk drivers standing around smoking watching one guy do all the work on the vehicles, chickens running around, wash draped on every surface to dry before the rains set in.  It's so vibrant and the people so friendly.  It's vanishing as the area is being squeezed to death by luxury hotel/residential developments.  Progress really is a 2-edged sword.

So tonight, the boys and I board the first of 3 flights to get to Vancouver.  It's a lot easier now than when they were little.  However certain parties think that on a 2 hour layover they will just "pop into Bangkok or Tokyo".  "Yeah, and monkeys will fly out of my ass."* 

The flights are just part of it.  After one night in beautiful Richmond (again "I'll just pop into Vancouver") we return to the airport to catch the bus down to Seattle where we'll stay until Monday the 16th.  We then fly out to Calgary.  So in reality, I'm on the road for awhile.

Looked at what I'm going to do in Bellevue.  I plan to visit with my old school, perhaps rejoin the "Soccer Mom Blonde Streak Nation" and thrift.  There is just one bus to take to the ground zero of thrift stores in Bellevue.  On the outer edges are the Children's Hospital followed by the American Cancer Society.  Next, is the weird one next to Fred Meyers. Oh yeah, pitstop Fred Meyers for a decent bathroom and coffee.  Then onto the nerve center of the thrift vortex, the Bellevue Goodwill (cue heavenly host)!  Yeah Macklemore, watch me bust some tags!

Catch you later.  


*Wayne's World.  

GALL-E*

I'd add Sri Lankan tumbleweeds, if I knew how!

I should've known how the day of the Pola was going to go by my lunch order.  I found a funky little cafe on Pedlar Street and ordered a sandwich and juice before going to the market.  After about 15 minutes of banging and clanging about in the kitchen, the rather flustered looking chef/waiter/tech guy/bus boy came out and asked if I wanted peanut butter on my chicken club sandwich!  I have to admit a big "double u - tee- eff " look came over my face as I contemplated this option!  Lunch was gross. Oh yeah, my camera died too.

So after that debacle, I hauled all my stuff over to the market square.  It's just outside the lovely old law courts in Galle.  There are huge banyan trees providing shelter and clean public toilets nearby.  I was placed next to the end near a bank...wow that'll drive people my way!  It turned out to be quite a fun place to be as all the people at the bank were young and genki.  

It was quite busy for the first 2 hours and I chatted with a few people.  There is a small expat community in Galle.  They came over and looked and I even sold 2 belts!  I was surprised by that.  Then dead calm...nobody.  As it turns out this is low season in Galle and there was nary a tourist in town.  In fact, the hotel owner told me that this is the time of year most hotels shut down for renos, etc.  Comedy and life, eh?

So as it is in Sri Lanka, there is always a cricket game going on somewhere.  On the other part of the square, some kids were playing.  Soon all the bank people had drifted over and a quite raccous game got going!  Honestly, there was nothing to do but chat with the other vendors.  I met an artist, a couple of musicians, some lacemakers.  In retrospect, I really came away with a lot from the experience, not cash but definitely a different kind of experience.  The people I yoga'd for the Good Market very kindly came down to check me out!  They are a funky couple from Hikkaduwa and have a cute little lodge/studio there.  I had to laugh as they really loved my hippo cash can!  In fact, I think more people liked it than my yoga stuff!

All in all, I was a little bummed but it was fun and I'm proud of the leap I took.  The drive down and back was great.  I often forget how cool it is that I'm driving myself around Sri friggin' Lanka!  Of course, I missed having companionship for dinner but I was so tired at the end of the day that I just ate and left.

The monsoon is upon us and the weather is gloomy and wet.  You know it's different when N finds 29 degrees cool!  It's actually good weather for sewing and I have always admired these napkins from Paradise Road.  The Sinhalese and Tamil alphabets are so interesting and graphically pleasing that I knew I had to do something with them.  So I pulled out my old Chinese Temple Guard bag as my inspiration and template and this is what I created yesterday.  Ta dah!

Sinhalese Alphabet bag.

Faux Marrimeko lining.

Now I have to make a Tamil alphabet cosmetic bag to go with! I have to be careful as it's easy to venture into CIDA WOMAN** land with handmade stuff.  In fact, G has started to call me "Etsy Johnson".  It's actually not a bad name, tee hee.

So I am now turning my focus towards home for the summer.   I will write soon.

* apologies to Disney

**a woman of a "certain age" who wears all drapey ethnic clothing and jewelry.  May also own a few feral cats.