Oddrey needed people over 30 to be part of her control group in some cognitive testing type study she's doing. She asked if I'd participate since I am, after all, way, way over 30.

I have been reading Oddrey's adventures in one incarnation or another for years now. Even though I had absolutely no idea what cognitive testing might actually be, not only did I cheerfully volunteer myself, I also volunteered the spousal unit.

You can well imagine how thrilled he was by that.

His joy increased exponentially once it speedily became apparent to him that not only I had volunteered him as a guinea pig without getting his consent, heck I had volunteered him without actually understanding what I had volunteered him for.

I am that man's cross to bear.

He whined that there could be poking.

He whined that there could be prodding.

He whined that there could be *gasp* needles.

I solemnly assured him that if there were needles, I was sure they would be itsy bitsy needles.

I am living proof that really you can never, ever be too careful when selecting a life partner.

The spousal unit is understandably a little bemused by the whole on-line writing business. He finds it extremely odd that anyone would want to read about our cats, the gardens, or my agonies as I try to push this aged carcass towards some faint semblance of fitness. As well, he doesn't understand why I avidly follow other folks' lives on-line.

Beyond that, he finds it mildly alarming when virtual and real life intersect and one of my three loyal readers shows up here. But never let it be said that the man is not a trooper. Even though it's all very odd and vaguely alarming to him, he soldiers on.

Yep, you can never, ever be too careful when selecting a life partner.

Oddrey's last visit here to Canuckistan had been stressful. She had recently moved to Vermont from the west coast, so all her ID said she was Californian. Seeing a car with California plates and two twenty-something occupants with California identification at the sleepy Vermont-Quebec border crossing near my home is unusual. The fact that the car was not registered to the driver or passenger set off all the bells and whistles of the guard on duty that day.

Why, this could be a heist! Oddrey and Jen could be fugitives from justice! Phone Calls Were Made. Many Questions Were Asked. It Took A While For Bona Fides To Be Established.

Thus, as she geared up to travel once again to The Great White North, Oddrey cautioned her partner Yoshi that it might take a while to get into Canada. The car still sports California plates. The occupants still have California id because, well, the mad pace of life in Vermont apparently leaves little time for paperwork. The horrors of the last border crossing were discussed.

I helpfully made sure to make jokes about strip and cavity searches because, really, can we ever have too much orifice humour in our lives?

My thoughts, exactly.

The universe being what it is, of course, yesterday they were basically waved through the Canadian border by a guard who clearly wanted to get back to his cozy chair as quickly as possible.

I'm still getting over the disappointment.

Cognitive testing turned out to be fun. It was basically a memory game, different tests to see how much we could remember of lists of words, numbers, short stories, and drawings. I marveled at both the sieve-like ability of my brain to completely empty itself of any of the information I needed to recall and it's amazing ability to tear off on completely useless "ooooh, shiny" directions.

The lists of words were especially challenging because I kept riding off on alarming tangents involving the items listed. Oddrey would say "candle" and I would immediately think, "Oooh, I love the smell of bayberry candles. Is bayberry a shrub or flower?" This not only diverted my attention from the following words in the list, but actually helped me forget the word "candle" since I was obsessing on the bayberry question.

I can confidently affirm that free association is not a recipe for success during tests which involve remembering items.

The hardest thing hands down was drawing an odd figure. I could see the bits that went into it, but not how they were assembled. Very frustrating. The spousal unit said that was easy peasy but he had a harder time with the words.

I have been avidly following and sharing with the spousal unit Oddrey's travails as she tries to integrate new bunnies into her household. We had a great time during her visit getting updates on The Great Bunny Wars, a source of enormous wonder and bemusement to us both. Apparently rabbits are insanely snobby to each other, prone to sarcasm and use poop as social commentary.

What fun. In my next life I am so coming back as an alpha pet rabbit.

--Marn

Mileage on the Marnometer: 312.79 miles.
Oh man. This is going to be hard
Goal for 2004: 1,000 miles - 1609 kilometers