The camera, the neighbour and other things

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. My memory card was saved, I turned my printer on again and the pictures popped up. Now I just have to print them. God, I'm an ass about using ink. We bought a new battery for the camera and it is almost back to normal. We just have to take the battery out to turn it off. I'm thinking that once it is totally dried out it will be alright. Now I just need to figure out what to do with all the photos on my virus riddled hard drive before we buy a new one.

So my neighbour is a whack job. A complete and total piece of work. A slapper, even. And that's being kind, I could say worse. Last Monday she stops me as she is driving out and says "Hey, we're going to the mountains tomorrow can you feed the cat and dog?" Well, I am me and do not know how to say no so I said okay and she says she'll drop the key over later. She comes by that night and says "So William can let the dog out in the morning, and you can do it in the afternoon and at night." No hey, William do you mind? Which let me tell you, he does. She doesn't leave the key, but sends her girls over with it in the morning. And this is what they say to me:

"My mum says to turn off the hot water to the dishwasher when you come in. You need to feed the fish and hamster, the food is in my room."

Fish and hamster? Have I ever told you people I am not a fan of rodents? I had a hamster when I was 11 and I lost interest pretty quickly.

I say "When are you coming back?" They have no idea. 3 days, maybe 4. I have no idea how long I am obligated to these animals.

I send Taylor in that afternoon to let out the dog. When I go in that evening the dog has knocked over a can of paint. Who the hell leaves 6 cans of paint in one of the only areas your dog is able to get at? Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the dog was chained to her stairs, and not near his food. She said he would destroy her house otherwise. And could you blame him?

I could go on and on but I sense this might be very dull for youse all. Anyway, they got back on Friday and she has yet to talk to me. Her husband said thanks, and that he would have left the paint too, but not a word from her.

On Friday night a police car showed up at her house. We watched out the front door as they talked to her husband and two other men for a bit and then I made the kids shut the door. And then I made Taylor watch from the bathroom window. Yeah, so tacky and rude like that. She said the police car left with one of the men, but not the husband. Today, I heard that she had him arrested for violating a restraining order. This is all because she wants a subsidy I think. Oh, and the fact that she is crazy. This is the same woman who told people she was wearing a wig because she was losing her hair to cancer but told William she had just had a bad hair day. She also said he had left her a few months back, but oddly enough, his car was there every night. Strange. She's an odd duck.

Do you know what really pisses me off on Amazing Race? The way Mirna (or is it Charla? the bigger one anyway) talks to people who don't speak English as their first language. It's almost like she is using a Spanish sort of accent and it absolutely drives me batty. How did they manage to come in first twice? And what's with these 18 hour leads? Though I was quite thrilled to see Dustin and Kandice have to wait 4 hours for another team. I don't know who I want to see win. Either Danny and Oswald or Joyce and Uchenna.

Today I had a call from my aunt that my great aunt Emma passed away this morning. I had read a thing on the internet a few months ago that said she had died and I had only just found out she was still alive. And now she really is gone. I wish I had sent her a card or something, just to let her know I was thinking of her. I am pretty sure her obit will be in the Belfast papers, she was a pretty big activist a few years ago. I'll be looking shortly.

And that's about that. But I just have to say that I really love the American anthem. It was just on the Bachelor. I can't say I would choose to sing it to a guy, but whatever floats your boat.