26 Apr 2008

webcam

My grandson has discovered the fun of webcam, which I don't have. So far I haven't had a use for it, but no doubt there will come a moment. That is the way I have progressed with most of the new communication technology; getting to know it when I found a use for it. When Sandy was born, nearly ten years ago, I was newly signed up to the internet and sending emails for the first time. Good gracious how things have advanced! I can see a future use for it to view my grandchildren in Cornwall rather than driving 600 miles.

I do have a friend who uses the webcam daily. She has a relationship with a chap who lives in Calgary, Canada. He works, in some capacity I'm not clear about, for an oil company which is how she met him. She lives in Aberdeen and he spends quite a bit of time there; they also meet up in the hot sandy places he has to travel to, and go for the occasional holiday together somewhere really exotic and beautiful. The relationship has endured several years pleasantly within these parameters but she claims it wouldn't if they tried living together. For one thing his mother doesn't like her - claims she's a hippy! This rather shook Kerry because she lived in juxtapostion with the Findhorn Foundation for enough years not to want to be associated with hippiedom. She also dresses rather oddly for a hippy; tight jeans and a little leather jacket, very fitted; very high-heeled pointy shoes. She thinks she earned the accusation (that's what it was in this case!) because she is vegetarian and the mother thinks that's a a hippie thing to be. She refused to have Christmas dinner with her son and 'that woman' because 'that woman' wouldn't cook a turkey. Kerry, who is very hard to offend or faze, said she would certainly have shoved a turkey in the oven for them and made all the trimmings for them too. The mother chose to stay away. Kerry hates Calgary so Ma doesn't have to put up with her often. The son is in his 50's but has never married, so never properly cut the apron strings.
Kerry is obvously fond of this chap but if he gets a bit depressing or boring during their evening chats by webcam she reaches under her desk and - oops! disconnects the line!! I bet some marriages would work better if the partners could disconnect each other when they get irritating.

I have never asked how they actually met, but I wonder if it was through Kerry's work. She gives colonic irrigation, so maybe NOT asking would be better. I remember meeting Kerry in the carpark of a Homebase store one day when she first started on this career. She had been looking for rubber piping and exuberantly related the details of the quest to the entertainment of passers-bye. Most of the piping the store had on offer was too stiff for the purpose she had in mind. She asked a young store attendant if there was any stock not on display. He tried to help but kept saying the softer piping wouldn't last so long and wasn't so suitable, so she told him what it had to be suitable for! She said she could see his butt cheeks tighten as his face cheeks reddened, poor lamb. A cheery chatty extrovert, Kerry used to be a nurse so is competent in these areas, but the installation of new plumbing recently nearly had her tearing out her abundantly thick and curly hair. I think it was a new pressure pump. The workmen who came to try to fix it kept getting it wrong amd the wrong pressure behind the water is not something you want to have in these circumstances. They were also seriously disturbed when they discovered what it was to be used for and she felt they left faster than they might otherwise have done!

Not exactly book-related anecdotes but there's not much happening round here that is at the moment!!

2 comments:

stitching and opinions said...

My kousin K lives in Calgary, he describes it as the Texas of Canada, i.e. defintely gun-toting meat eaters with strong boot straps with which to pull themsleves up and stomp on anyone wearing sandals, or winkle pickers.
p.s. spent much time today trying to get blogspot to acknowledge my existence. Does some soft wear have opinions or is it just grumpy sometimes?

carol said...

It's grumpy. Very grumpy. On some days it claims I do not exist. I find this quite terrifying since there are days when I feel as if that might be true. If your words mean anything Chillsider - save them elsewhere. This may be a black hole into which they vanish one day.