Yet again, I've forgotten my weblog. Okay, it wasn't actually forgotten, I simply wasn't on my computer much. Reading week came and went and I was in Toronto and Peterborough. I did things like organise my crap in my mother's garage (with help from Richie and Leanne), rode horseback for the second time in a month, modeled in the Nocturnalia fashion show (that was neat), worked at the ROM, attended the Society for Studies in Egyptian Antiquities symposium on education in Ancient Egypt (yes, I'm a nerd, we already knew that), carved a pumpkin, did homework, rehoused some textiles, and spent a lot of time sleeping. That list is in no particular order and hopefully, I'll go into some detail about a couple things soon (like the fashion show, symposium, and maybe some other stuff).

If you recall from a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about seeking out the spider species belonging to the spider handed to me in a pill container while at the cottage. Now, for all posterity, here the link with two pictures of the exact variety. It's the pale Araneus orb weaver huddled in the window frame, roughly halfway down the page. Now, I've bookmarked it, saved the information, and can report back to Jean and Michael and even send them pictures and links to other similar orb weavers.

Not bad, for an arachnaphobe, eh?

In other news, I'm to be a bridesmaid. Again. First to Carrie, almost two years ago, and now to my old, old friend, Juliane, who lives near Hamilton. Her wedding slots neatly into the two months between Tanya's wedding and Tracy's wedding, both of which I'm bridesmaiding (can that be a verb?) in. I haven't spoken to Juli in months, but this isn't really terribly surprising. We go for long periods when we simply don't speak. Longer periods when we don't see each other. It's been a couple of years since I last saw her, I'm sure. We met at Camp Kemur riding camp near Cambridge, ON, almost two decades ago. Seventeen years ago, I think. I was ten and she was nine, or something like that, and we hit it off right away. Anyway, so today I was checking my email for the first time in a few days, which isn't like me, but hey, I had other priorities, and lo, there was a letter from Juli. In it, she mentions casually that she and her long-time boyfriend, Sean, are engaged (since the spring) and then it's onto other stuff. Naturally, I whipped open my phone book and called her. This is the abridged, but pretty accurate, dialogue that started the conversation:

Me: Oh my God, you're engaged.
Juli: So, I guess you got my email.
Me: Oh my goodness, yes, I'm so excited ! You think you took your time about telling me?
Juli: Ya, maybe. You know me and phoning. I did try to write an email about a month ago, but it bounced 'cause I had the wrong address. I actually got your email by googling your name.
Me: I'm all over [the Internet], if you know where to look. That sounds bad, but it's true.
Juli: Laughs
Me: You know, when I was reading your letter, I thought for a horrible second you were going to ask me to be a bridesmaid, because I'm already one in a wedding in July and another in October. I was kind of relieved.
Juli: voice softens So, you won't be my bridesmaid?
Me: Of COURSE I'll be your bridesmaid, are you kidding?!
Juli: Good, you had me worried !
Me: Wonderful, now I'm crying.

This, after I'd just been on the phone with Tanya, discussing dresses, and my mother teased me for being a multi-maid. Is there an addage about "four times a bridesmaid", because this time next year, it will have been four weddings. Okay, people, that's enough - you can stop asking me now, it's expensive and I've committed to quite enough... But it sure makes me realise how lucky and honoured I am to have so many people in my life that think I'm so special. I feel loved.

On a different note: as the results shift and bend toward the incumbent, I made my vote count. I am proud that my state spoke out and even though it was the original victim, its people will not be cowed by talk of terror and can still take a positive stand against the ruling insanity. At least they had the excuse for the first term that they never really elected him. This time, in the eyes of the world, they had the choice and they elected him for real. Maybe, a miracle will occur and I'll wake up in the morning with Kerry as the president.

Ya. Right.