I oscillate back and forth between hope and despair when it comes to the urgent action required to tackle climate change. Yesterday was verging on despair as I listened to Canad's Environment Minister engage in his typical double-speak with the media. The G-8 summit is coming up and climate change is on the agenda. I might go so far as to say that coordinated decisions regarding the actions of the nations that are contributing to the greatest share of the problem rest in the hands of 13 people. But we speak for those people, and that's where my hope returns. Canada's "New" Conservative government is very much aware that the general public wants action on the environment and this issue rates as one of our main priorities as a nation. So today, as I read that Canada's government will side with EU nations in endorsing a call for greenhouse gas reductions, I was thrilled. It is a baby step, but at least the place I call home is coming on side. Let's face it; for political reasons, but I'll take it. For now.

But what remains to cause despair is the fact that the United States government will shun the targets. As the nation that emits more greenhouse gases per capita than any other, it's time to step up. Overdue, really....so let's do something about this!

From my Inbox today...

Greetings from Russia,
I hope this mail doesn't come to you as an embarrassment as I receive unsolicited mails sometimes.

I am KSENIA FOTIANOVA : My husband DMITRIY FOTIANOV was shoot dead
October,19 2006 by his enemies in Dalnegorsk-city , Russia. Both of us were attached and I am now getting better after spending about four (4) months in the hospital.

He has tree-extraction business in Far East of Russia. After his dead, the police and govenment authorities has restricted my movement and watching me, thinking I have a hand in his death.
Before he died, he left $usd 10.5 million with a bank which he indicated me as the beneficiary and next of kin and I am looking for an honest person who will help me secure this money in his account.

This fund being the basis of my future .Your friendship, assistance and advise will be immensely appreciated while your effort will be rewarded. We can talk about that later.
If you can be of help to me, please let me know and we discuss. I will then give you the documents.
KSENIA FOTIANOVA

My response:

Dearest Ksenia Fotianova;
I am so glad to hear that you are now out of hospital after being there for four long, dreadful months. I was wondering what it was that you were "attached" to that could cause such grievous harm?

I was also wondering how I might get involved in the tree extraction business in Russia, as it seems like it is most lucrative.

Most Sincerely,
Cathy in Canada

I have been busy with work, and family and friends this past week. I had a good friend from Calgary come and stay with me this week and spent loads of time talking about everything deep and shallow. The spectrum was covered. And now I am behind in the writing again, but that is ok. I feel like I needed this week. I have no idea what you all have been up to, but I will be around again soon! In the meantime, I am answering Chloe's tag...

1. The phone rings; whom do you want it to be? Anyone inviting me to dinner.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? 90% of the tine. If the babe is in my arms and he’s having a tantrum, forget about it!

3. If you had to kiss again the last person you kissed, would you? Of course!

4. Do you take compliments well? Someone told me that I was one of two people in all of Canada that was an expert on something, and I completely diverted the conversation away from the statement. Compliments of any kind make me uncomfortable. Somwhere deep down, they make me feel great, though!

5. Do you play Sudoku? Never. Yawn.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive? I would. I would hope for no large insects, though.

7. Do you like nipple rings? Disgusting.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid? Once, and it was terrible.

9. If a sexy person were pursuing you, but you knew he/she were married what would you do? Think there was something wrong with them.

10. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you? This is irrelevant to me. I do not and will never understand the conflicts between religions. We are all just people, after all…

11. Do you like to pursue or be pursued? Neither.

12. Use three words to describe yourself at the moment: Tired, ambitious, dedicated

13. Do any songs make you cry? Not really. (What’s wrong with me!?)

14. Are you continuing your education? I learn something every day. This is my life’s journey. What is life if we aren’t constantly expanding our knowledge base?

15. Do you know how to shoot a gun? No.

16. If your house were on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed? Children, Mr. C and photos.

17. Who was the last person you shared a bed with? Mr. C.

18. Whom do you text the most? I don’t text.

19. Favorite children’s books? The Lorax, Goodnight Moon, Uno’s Garden

20. What do you buy at the movies? Popcorn and diet coke. Sometimes red licorice.

21. Do you know how to play poker? No.

22. Do you wear your seat belt? Always. My car would scream at me if I didn’t.

Of all the cuddly creatures the babe has in his crib, this is what he held on to dearly as I put him to bed last night. I mean, who wouldn't want to sleep with an ogre that belches, right?

The babe is very quirky, actually. For example, we have two cats and their names are Oopsie and Daisy. The babe has no issues with Oopsie but will NOT use the name Daisy. He insists on calling her Other Oopsie. This is my cat Oopsie and my Other Cat Oopsie. Reminds me of Newhart....

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. It began by sleeping in and then going to Halifax's version of Windows on the World for brunch. After stuffing ourselves completely, we headed to my favourite magazine shop. Back at home, I spent the afternoon gardening and then we had a bbq and played boardgames (yes, even the babe!) tonight. And after the kids are in bed, the Survivor Finale is on! What a wonderful day!

What bothers y0u about where you live?...or should I say, your government?

I am trying really hard not to be annoyed, because really, what good is there in that? I could go on here, but it would likely sound lame and whiny. So I'll just simply leave it at the fact that it's Monday morning, I have PMS and I am annoyed. But I'm trying hard not to be: does that count for something?

I have to spend the day writing about something that is completely boring and uninteresting. A deadline looms and I fear I won't make it. Because when I am terribly bored by my own words and the research I must do, I tend to wander to the fridge, and then the TV, and then browse the wonderful world of the web. I might start here and then make my way over to here for a bit of real information, check out this to see what I'm missing...if I'm really bored I'll slip over here for awhile and then the real lethargy slips in and I'll end up here, here, here, probably here, and maybe even here!

Well, I've obviously got some important work to attend to.

What distracts you from otherwise meaningful employ?

I was inspited by Connie and Pea to join this Saturday's Photo Hunt.
I contemplated joining, but am not sure that I will post every single Saturday. Maybe one day...
So yes, that's me: about 1973; northern Quebec. Looks like we're on our way to church: surely my mum wouldn't have sent me out in leotards to play in the snow!

I know. I shouldn't lament the weather. I, the harbinger of the climate change warnings. The fact is that the warming is not uniform and climate change can actually cause certain places to get cooler. So while we are still freezing here on the edge of eastern Canada, much of Europe is sweating amidst record high temperatures. I know that I write far too much about the weather, but it is a part of what I do. And it has had so much to do with my temperament lately. Does the weather affect your mood?

Thank you for all your posts on the last one. I am happy to be blogging more frequently now.

My song for this post: Mushaboom by Feist. Listen to it. You'll love it.