Back to the Middle of the Journey

Let’s see! Where was I?

I was kind of in awe, and then in panic mode way back! I’ve had to actually check my calendars and previous notes just to jog my memory. By the looks of things my Dr. appointment was on Thursday March 19th. Four days later I received the confirmation email from MeReLeaf that I was approved and my account was set up to be able to purchase my first order. I was starting to panic that I would not have my first order before I left for a medical procedure for one of my kids in another Province. And since I would be flying I wouldn’t be taking any of my street stash.

I contacted my Cannabis Councillor at MFT and headed in to meet with him by the next day. A quick side story, I met another newbie there that afternoon in the Vape Room. She was only a few months in, and was there to take advantage of the use of the Volcano Vaporizer that is part of the membership with MFT. In good stoner fashion she offered me a hit off her Vape bag. She (unfortunately) uses a different company with different strains available. This was my first real hit from a medical strain. And the first Sativa I’ve actually tried. Holy Hanna! as they say here! I felt nothing in the body or even a tingle in the head. But there was a point in time when I slowly just felt great. A type of euphoria I guess. I have never felt anything better than that feeling! It lasted at least six hours. Way longer than a typical hit or rip. The effects from inhaling cannabis usually lasts about an hour to maybe two. I’m attributing the long lasting effects to that fact that it was a Sativa, and my first hit of one. My body was just highly reactive to it, sort of like how it over reacted to the time I smoked my first joint. 

My cannabis councillor and I talked about my trip and how to pack my order for the flight. Recently he and the Founder, Fabian had been to our local airport and pretty much taught Air Canada about how to handle medical marijuana when patients travel. We checked out demo models of the vapes from a local Vape Store to get a sense of them. We also went over the strains available to me, which he thought would be good strains to try first time around, and how much I should order. Which, at the time I thought he was crazy that I would need to order 15grams right off the bat! MedReLeaf sells in 5g increments, so I couldn't actually order less. But 15g’s seemed like SO much! Once I finally got into smoking a joint I only used at most 4g in a whole month! Of course, that didn't count that fact that I had been eating herbal cookies for the last month, which would be equivalent to another 20g.

I headed back home as happy as could be with this Super Silver Haze leading the way (I am currently on a mission to see if I can find a strain similar through MedReLeaf). As soon as I could I messaged my Sensei to see if I could get some moral support and physical participation in going to the Vape Shop to pick out and purchase my Vape. I get very nervous going new places on my own, especially when I’m already feeling out of my element with this whole new lifestyle change! Basically, I needed someone I didn’t have to explain everything to, but who knew the technology and would be able to ask questions, or at least keep me focused on the need rather than the want. I was very happy Sensei was willing and available. We set a time for the weekend and my next mission was to place my order.

I navigated the website with a lack of confidence. This was a big purchase and I was nervous! I was pretty much told what to order and how much to get, so I just did that. Put in my credit card info and my order was made! Then came the small surprise. I received an email notification at every step of the shipment. Order received. Order processed. Order shipped, here’s the tracking number…should arrive…Your order was received and signed for. Literally five minutes after it arrived I had that email. 

My order arrived by Canada Post. Hand delivered and had to be signed for by an adult. I was the happy recipient that day. It actually arrived a day earlier then suggested. Ordered Friday, received Tuesday. Pretty stinkin’ fast if you ask me! It was in a nondescript brown box, with red tape. No return address to give away what the contents might be. 

Back up a minute! I bought the Vape between ordering and receiving. I arrived with Sensei at the very spacious, clean store and Sensei directed me to the small glass cabinet off by itself that contained all the dry herb Vaporizers. They had three options of portables in stock, which made the choice easier. Cuz of course, I wanted the best one that was nearly $500, but that was the one they were sold out of at the time. So I choose the Pax. There are two on the market. I have the Original Pax in purple. It’s very streamlined. Easy to fill, clean out, and use. Sensei reminded me my biggest concern was that it be discreet. and the Pax is! 

I love it and have no complaints. I have a warning though. Don’t carry it in a shallow pocket. If it slips out onto the floor you will lose all the contents and that is both embarrassingly NOT discreet, and could possibly do damage to the rechargeable battery inside. Or you could lose the bottom to the oven chamber. Then, you’d have to order a second before you could use it again. That would set me back to smelly Joints so I’m very thankful I have not lost it yet!

My Wild Canon, and a Bunny Trail.

I just have to tell you this story this morning. I'm sorry I've left ya's all hanging with the progress of getting legal...I promise I'll get to that. But this was too cute not to share.

I have a 12 year old girl who knows I use Cannabis as medicine. She has been told not to talk about it at school and such because this is the kind of thing people would break into a house for. Well, I wanted a bit of fear in her. I hope that's not wrong...anyway....

A couple days ago her and her Dad went for a walk around the neighbourhood after dinner. As they passed the park Dad noticed a small group of boys looking 'suspicious', but not dangerous or threatening, so they ignored the boys and kept going. My daughter whispers to her Dad as they pass the boys, 'It stinks Dad'. He asks, 'What stinks? What does it smell like?' "It smells like Mommy's medicine", she whispered. Haha! What a perfect answer!

Today I got to hear a new story about her. She and her Dad left early and visited The Market this morning. A once a week tradition in our city for over a hundred years. It's always a bustle of people, good smells, local food, and local artisans. We have our favourites, and that's exactly where they were headed. One vendor is a lovely lady we have purchased her hand made hats, and purses from. My daughter makes sure to greet her every time she goes. They like to talk about her hand made items and learning how to knit, or crochet, or sew, or school. She's such a neat lady. Well todays conversation I'm glad I missed the live version! First, an important piece to this story.

I was feeling creative recently. For a while now I have been toying with a couple ideas of Cannabis inspired hand made something, a blanket, pillow, quilt, bag. Anything really. I have searched Pinterest relentlessly but have found very few patterns. I'll have to wing it I guess, which is what makes me hesitant to try anything. I'm not that good at any craft. BUT! I did get creative a bit! I crocheted a cannabis leaf with multi-coloured hemp string. It just won't lay flat by its self. I considered it a fail even if it is pretty.

My most recent inspiration came from a friend whom I found out did not own a keychain. I found that kinda strange and decided to solve that.  While away recently I hunted for a keychain but found nothing that said his name. When I returned home, after more Pinterest inspirations I traced a cannabis leaf from my computer screen, traced it again onto felt, and with a random broken keychain found in my house I put together this!
It's about two inches long, chain not included.

He was quite pleased! His first ever keychain. And I got on a kick! It was fun making that. So this is what else I have made since then.

This one was too big for a keychain but the crocheted
 one looks great stitched to it.

Made a very mini one. Stuffed and all.













Oh right, back to my story.

So my DH tells me that at the market this morning our daughter was trying to explain to the lady what her Mom had been making. She was so proud of my creations and was happy to tell someone, but she must have realized part way though that she couldn't tell anyone what it actually was. So as she described it, my husband said, after she hesitated, as a kind of fern leaf. Of course this wonderful women who had no idea the awkward situation my daughter had gotten herself into was asking all kinds of questions about what I made and how.

I get the feeling this girl is going to be an unending source of funny stories just due to her innocent and excitable nature.

A Short But True Story

Hello Lovelies! I have missed posting to my blog over this last month. I hardly feel Newbie-ish enough anymore to feel comfortable with my blog name now. I obviously wasn’t thinking ahead at all when I choose that name. 

Well, here’s a first. Writing a blog post buzzed and on the way to baked. I’m telling you, short sighted!

So quickly, I apologize for being off here for so long. Had an extended hospital trip pre-planned for a surgery for one of my children, so we were away and distracted for 20 days this month. She’s alright and recovering fine. Just trying to manage pain and lack of energy while healing. And I won't get started on my rant about pain meds here! I need to be fully devoted for a day to be able to hash out that topic. Tonight I planned on leaving you with a few funny stories that happened in the last few weeks. 

The night view from hotel.

While away in Montreal for this hospital trip the Shriners from our home city booked and paid for our hotel (as well as the flight there and back. Support your local Shriners club! They do Great work!). Everything was walking distance! I loved living there the better part of a month. Once my daughter had surgery she was admitted and I remained in the hotel since that is also where she would be discharged too for a few days until the first doctor appointment…too much detail….sorry. So I would sleep at the hotel and walk all of two and a half blocks back and forth to the hospital each day. To finish setting up the scene, the side street I walked for two blocks crossed over a very main street in Montreal. And by main I mean full of people day and night. Many business men and women, and lots of poor hung around there too, pan handlers and street people even. A bit sad, and yet I loved every face, language and nuance that my senses could take in. I would watch people as I walked behind or past them. To see their clothing styles and which language they were speaking (many english as there is an english college close by).

One very warm evening I left the hospital around 10:30pm and headed back to the hotel. Every time I got off the hospital property I would pull out my Pax Vape (Ah! I have to tell that storey!) and take a few inhalations from my medical marijuana. Which sounds cool, but walking and holding your breath isn’t easy, but it got easier. This evening I did the same thing. I approached the main intersection and had to wait for the walk signal. I had been holding my breath, and as I halted I exhaled slowly only to look around and see four walking police men and women just coming up behind me at the same crossing point where I was standing and exhaling marijauna vapour! There was nothing I could do except act natural, which was surprisingly easy to do. 

The light seemed to take forever to change, but the longer I waited the more I noticed nothing happening. IF they noticed the smell they may not have known who it had come from. It’s a common smell on that street specifically. But I really wasn’t worried about it. Which got me thinking later how completely unafraid I am of being noticed vaping it by police. I had my prescription bottle on me and my MMJ card also. And frankly, who dry herb vapes marijuana recreationally? I bet absolutely no body! Act naturally and no one notices. Act awkward, or shifty and someone will notice! 

Which reminds me of another short story from my trip. While with my daughter before she was admitted we had the privilege of hanging out together in a big, busy, noisy, city full of LOTS of shopping and amazing restaurants. One afternoon after a full day of walking and shopping we stopped into the Starbucks around the corner from our hotel to refuel me. I needed caffeine, and my poor feet needed bandaids! We sat for a glorious half hour. Long enough for me to discover my herb was well used and ready to be refilled with fresh. I didn’t want to wait to hobble back to the hotel so I dumped the two thimble sized amount of cooked herb out of the little oven compartment and into the garbage hole at the milk and lid counter. I returned to my seat and when my daughter excused herself I took out my MedReLeaf plastic prescription bottle, scooped out already ground herb with the larger end of the green splash stick (my tool of choice actually). Right there in a packed Starbucks, at a window table I gently packed the little oven and attached the lid/bottom, then put everything away. If anyone noticed me I’m sure it looked like nothing more than someone packing tobacco or just a lady with a medicine bottle. I had it all done and away before my daughter returned to the table. 

So apparently I have no fear at all of being seen. In fact! This 20 days away in another city was very liberating! I could walk around the streets, with my daughter, and vape in public. No one I know was there to see me. I had legal permission to have marijuana on me, and use it. Maybe I am innocent enough to think I’m safe from police harassment, and that gives me false security. Don’t know. But until I experience anything different, I’m walking tall, and proud and free to use where ever I am (except the kids school grounds….I’ll refrain there!). Cuz I am just one in a new breed of women on the rise; and I will be an honest, and outspoken advocate for medical marijuana use. 

Obviously I’ve got lots to still fill ya’s all in about. So keep watch here. Or subscribe to get updates of when I post and then you won’t miss out on any of this weird and wonderfully happy new journey I have embarked on. 

Sleep Sweet! I know I will…