Caterpillar Cake

To celebrate Birthday Cake Sunday at church, I made a caterpillar. It was a big hit and super easy to make. I cheated by using a mix and it took less than 15 minutes to decorate.

Make a cake in a bundt pan. Cut the bottom 1/3 off (as in straight across). The top 2/3s will be the arc. Cut the 1/3 piece in half - this will be the head and tail. I ended up trimming the head and tail a bit so it was flush with the body. Ice with a small tub of Cool Whip. I used long skewers with jube jubes on them for aentennas, jube jube eyes and marshmallow legs. The red stripes are Licorice pull-aparts. When I made the cake, I added a package of green jello so the middle looked green when you ate it (like when you squish a caterpillar).

I love the Kraft website!

Welcome to the world!

Welcome to Joseph Ross Halliday!

He was born yesterday morning in Walkerton. 6lbs 6 oz and 19 1/4" long.

Mom said he nursed right away and he and Stacey will likely be resting in the hospital until Sunday. Both are doing well.

I haven't heard yet what version/combination of his name they'll be using. But I think he's rather cute - from an unbias opinion of course :-)

Election News

Hello Everyone,

Well, despite our best efforts, Leah didn't get elected. I think overall she did quite well and should be proud of her efforts. J is a bit disappointed (since she would be very good at the Legislature and she's an environmentalist) but he knew it was a long shot anyways. So, tonight and likely Thursday night I'll be helping him take down campaign signs. I have plasma donation tomorrow so I won't be able to do physical work that night.

Only 41% of eligible voters showed up. I'm thoroughly disgusted with that number - I think it should be manditory. There's a couple countries in Europe where if you don't vote, you get penalized with your income tax. In my world, everyone would be required to show up at the polling station and get a ballot. What they do with the ballot afterwards is up to them - fill it out or void it.

Anyways, that's my rant for the day.

plus one, minus one

Hello Everyone!

Last night I picked up another fish - a bottom feeder since my snail isn't keeping up. I've had that type before so I think it should be o'kay. Sad news though - this morning, I lost one of my little fish.

I have a big birthday party to attend tomorrow night. It was my co-worker's 23rd (I know - it's not a generally celebrated milestone) birthday back in January and her parents wanted to throw her a party. It's turned into a 200+ guestlist, complete with party planner, mulit-tiered cake, bouncers, media (she broadcasts on the radio) formal shindig. It should be a lot of fun.

Going bowling with the youth group on Sunday.

Will be very happy when this stupid election is over. Only 3 more days to go...

I think I'll be spending Easter with J and his family. He asked me to join them on Good Friday for their Easter meal and then we'll go to Castle Mtn on Saturday for snowboarding. J is even willing to go back to Calgary Saturday night (since I have church committments on Sunday) and miss an extra day of snowboarding for me. Believe me, he got extra boyfriend brownie points for that! I'm still worried that something might happen while's he snowboarding and he'll rebreak his arm. At least if I'm there, he'll take it easy during the afternoon with me. I send him out on his own in the morning so he can get his fresh powder and then he's more than willing to play with me on the easier runs in the afternoon.

Have a great day!

I've got bling!

Well, in my mouth anyways...



Hello Everyone!



Got my crown last night and it feels quite comfortable. You can't see that it's gold (not that I cared about that anyways) and I didn't have any problems eating last night. For those of you who need crowns in the future, ask your dentist about gold vs enamel. With the popularity of cosmetic dentistry, many dentists aren't even telling their patients about the option of gold. Gold is stronger (will generally last a lifetime) and causes less wear on the opposite tooth. It's also cheaper!

Also picked up some more fish last night since I was by the petstore. Hooray for 1/2 Price Fish Tuesday! I got 6 in total and so far things are going well in the tank... I also got Whiskers an igloo to go with her wood tunnel. She's still testing it out but I think it will help to mimic what she misses from the bed. As well, she can hide from Mike in there. She was very much the cutie last night and we had a good cuddle while I was watching tv.

It was rather gray this morning - overcast because a Chinook is going through. I'm wearing a Spring outfit to counter the gray and felt much better as soon as I got it on. The sky has since cleared and it's a lovely afternoon.

Have a lot of things to do around the house tonight. I'll be away from the apartment for most of the weekend (several committments in different parts of the city) so I want to get things done in advance. I've decided to see what it's like to cook without a microwave. Over the past several years, I've been weaning myself off it and I realized on the weekend that I don't use it very often now. So, the microwave is in the back room and I now have a lot more counter space. It's amazing how much room they take up - especially with it needing to be near a power outlet.

Have a great day!

A Sleepy Sunday

Hello Everyone!

We didn't end up doing our youth activity after church so I had an afternoon to relax. Instead of my huge list of cleaning/organizing/household stuff I had to do, I slept.

Watched a bit of the Oscars but decided to do my income tax return. I wasn't sure if I was going to get anything back since I overestimated my school deductions on my federal and provincial forms. I have since updated this information. I get a little bit back but in all honesty, it's going straight to bills. It's going to be a very tight next few months but I revised my budget tonight and I have things under control. There's a couple big debts that will be paid off and I've included a mini-vacation in May: Slush Cup in Sunshine Mountain Resort (big party in Banff to close the snowboard/ski season). I'm going to arrange to take the long weekend off from church for it since J should be back in the snow sometime next month (he's been getting a bit grumpy about being stuck in the city).

My mouth is no longer sore but I'll be glad to get the crown on so my gums can heal properly. Went down to Kensington on Friday night with J for a political pub night. Basically, their riding holds regular get-togethers at a local pub for an informal social time. Spent Saturday making signs for his candidate. When the campaign originally started, I wasn't sure how much I would get involved since I'm not a party member and I've had some issues with their past record. However, I really like their candidate and I think she would be a great additional to government. As well, by making signs, it meant I got to spend the day with J rather all alone by myself. I'll be quite happy when this thing is over - our social life is very limited right now and it's getting a bit stressful for J.

Anyways, even though I'm not tired, I need to go to bed. My fabulous nap has messed up my sleep pattern. Oh well, I'll still have enough time for a sleep cycle or 2 so I'll be rested enough for tomorrow. Have a great night/day!

Ouch!

Hello Everyone!

Had visit one of two to the dentist last night for my crown. He has recommended, based on the tooth, that I get a gold crown rather than a porcelin one. Since gold is better (except for aestistics) and is a bit cheaper, I'm in agreement. They put on a temporary crown and my mouth still feels a bit funny. They had to do some work around my gum (I have overcrowding and a small mouth - no remarks from the peanut gallery! - because my gum had gone over a corner of the original tooth. It's still rather sore although I was able to lightly chew on a bit of pasta tonight on that side.

Whiskers is still giving me attitude and she's had a couple time-outs in her cage over the past several days. I hate doing it to her - she hadn't been closed in her cage in 1 1/2 years. She has room to hop around but there's not enough room in there for proper exercise. She's been a bit calmer tonight so hopefully I'm making some progress. I think the main problem was she thought she was "alpha-rabbit" in this household (they have a hierarchy) and so when I asserted my authority, she rebelled. Mike seems to have adjusted well.

Have a great day!

Feeling happy & healthy

Hi Everyone!

Well, except for the sore throat I'm trying to get over, the above title seems appropriate right now. Since the fall I've been trying to lose weight and I'm now at where I want to be.

How did I do it? I'll admit this time I needed some help. I had put on quite a few pounds over the past year and it was really starting to make a difference, in a bad way. I had no energy, despite all the biking and my clothes weren't fitting properly. I first tried on my own by eating salad but I kept gaining weight. Finally, at 142 lbs, which according to my BMI put me overweight, I went to Herbal Magic. A lot of my weight gain was around my stomach, which for women is one of the most unhealthiest places to gain.

They helped set up a food guide for me with clear descriptions for portion sizes. It involved eating a lot more fruits and vegetables and cutting out a lot of fat. As time progressed, they slowly added more portions until where I'm at now - where I can eat whatever I want. Although I started out with taking their supplements, I stopped after about a month, mostly because of cost, but I still lost weight in about the same target time. This is likely because I bike so much and their programs don't take that into consideration.

I'm now at a healthy 127.4 lb, as of this afternoon and my energy levels are back. My clothes fit better - I'm down a couple sizes but even how the cut of the clothes fit on my body is better. I'm cooking more rather than eating a lot of processed foods. There's a lot more veggies & fruit in my grocery cart and no chips. I still indulge on pizza but not as many slices and I still like my sweets. It's all a matter of balance - I'll now eat one or two cookies rather than an entire row. Yogourt is an everyday staple now.

My target weight was 128 lb although I'll be happy with anything under 130 lb. I still have all my curves, they're just accentuated more. I'll never be "thin" - my body shape and my muscles structure prevent that but I actually prefer being a bit curvy. I was more concerned with my energy levels and health rather than shape.

The nice thing with Herbal Magic is the visits. While I was on the program, I needed to visit the store 3 times a week and bring a record of everything I ate. Now that I'm on maintenance, I visit once a week to make sure I'm still around my target weight. If I get 5 lbs above that, they'll have me start recording my food consumption again and, if necessary, bring me back to a structured food guide. They also look long term - I'll be visiting them for an entire year. If I were to take the supplements, it would have been two years (their "guarantee". Since what I think I needed was some guidance to drop the weight and instruction on proper eating habits, I don't anticipate any yo-yos with my weight.

I know when people hear about weight loss programs, they usually see ads about "I lost 100 lbs on this program" and other enormous weight loss numbers. I lost 14 lbs over a period of 3 months and since I have a small frame, it's quite noticeable. For me, I don't think I could have lost the weight in a healthy manner in this short of period without their help. So, they have my recommendation.

Have a great day!

A Sleepy Evening

Hello Everyone!

I just woke up from a 3 hour nap and feel great. I was rather tired at work so I think my nap was much needed. Will be running errands and doing things around the house this weekend. It's Family Day on Monday in Alberta so I'm spending the day with J, helping him with election campaign stuff and fun errands. I'm hoping to come up with some birthday ideas for him - it's coming up in March and I'm drawing a blank. Any suggestions you might have would be much appreciated.

There's a battle of the wills going on in the apartment. I've decided to put my bedroom off limits to Whiskers & Mike to try to cut down on hair/fur on my clothes and overall to see if I can keep the apartment a bit neater. Mike's been o'kay so far but Whiskers is rather ****ed off at me. She's dug up the carpet that runs under the door. This actually isn't much of a problem since the carpet is a tile style and there's no underlay between the carpet and the cement floor. She loves staying in my boxspring and I'm hoping she'll get used to finding another place "just for her".

J took me to a fabulous tiny French restaurant for Valentines. He was even more organized than I thought - he had to book 1 1/2 months in advance for a table! I would say the entire restaurant could seat 50 people. He used to work with the chef a long time ago and the restaurant had a lot of character. There was a set Valentine's Day menu with four courses. For the first course, I had a vegetable (well, there were 2 main vegetables in the "potage" but I can't remember them - it was green coloured) soup and J had a warm spinach salad. The next course was a melted brie/blue cheese blend on bread. The main course was steak covered by a demi glaze (which looks a bit like gravy but isn't. It's made with the juices rather than pan drippings. It was extremely tasty) served with vegetables. The veggie selection was interesting - did you know you can cook radish? I'm not a radish fan but I did try it and it provided a nice contrast to the other veggies. I even ate the piece of broccohli but that was more to be polite. For dessert, I tried creme brulee for the first time (I think it's a new dessert favourite for me) and J ordered a chocolate pate that was served with strawberry sauce and some other type of dark berry sauce. He was also nice enough to give me the majority of both desserts (since he claimed he was full). The meal was paired with a nice red wine recommended by the chef. When we were done, ,we were both full but not stuffed. It's sometimes touch and go when going to a restaurant like that. I've been to ones in the past were although the portions were proper sizes (Eurpean sizing so it's much smaller than N. American portions), I was still hungry when I left since it takes a couple hours to eat everything. I really enjoy sharing meals with J - he's rather passionate about food and I love hearing him talk about its preparation. For me, generally I couldn't care less about the food, as long as it's tasty, but when you listen to him, it sounds wonderful. He very much takes a European approach to cooking - simple ingredients that don't overwhelm your palate with too many flavours.

I know some people go all out for Valentine's Day but for me, the thought behind choosing the meal more than overwhelmed me. Yes, flowers and chocolate are always appreciated by me but I think they would have gotten lost in comparision to such a lovely evening.

And for my gift? Well, with Valentine's Day being the day before payday, I was definitely on a limited budget. Since J isn't a materialist kind of person, I decided to make my gift. I got a nice box at the dollar store, which he can use for storage and filled it with goodies. I made monster cookies, since he loves Safeway peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and decorated them with red & pink smarties. I also made chocolate cookies (froom the recipe on the back of the white chipets package - very tasty and easy to make) and some heart shaped sugar cookies with pink sugar sprinkled on top. I then filled a mason jar with hershey kisses (so he can have kissses from me whenever he likes "Awww"). I also did up a box and filled it with coupons. These coupons were things like, "coffee in Kensington", romantic things and I added a weekend in the mountains. Since he's usually the one to spoil me with the last item, I wanted to return the favour. He gets a bit grumpy when he's in the city for too long and since we both love the outdoors, it's a win-win situation for all. I had a lot of fun with the coupons and since the items on them will be spaced out over a period of time, it's much easier on the pocketbook. Overall, I had a lot of fun making his gift.

Anways, I should be getting to bed before this weekend screws up my sleep pattern. Have a great day!

Happy Pre-Valentine's Day!

Hello Everyone!

I've only got a few minutes as my work load has increased dramatically. It'll be high until about the middle of April so I'll be able to make a few extra dollars with the overtime.

Have a cold but I'm mostly over it. Was off 2 days from work last week.

Not sure what the plans are for tomorrow - J has something planned that involves dinner. I had lots of fun putting his gift together - will describe it later for you.

Need to get a crown on one of my molars next week and I need another crown on the other side in about 6 months. Just when I get my finances back on track and I'm prepared to put away somthing for savings, I hand over all my money to the dentist. Over the past 4 years, I've spent $4000 on my teeth (not including my upcoming crowns expenses). Moral of the story - go to school and become a dentist. Sure, it has the highest suicide rate among professions but just think of how much money you could get from me! And, by the way, no cavities at my last visit.

Passed my payroll midterm. Although the material is light, I found the exam surprisingly challenging. I write my final sometime around the end of March. Everything is done online so it's a lot more convenient than attending a class.

Furry family is doing well. I think Henry might be feeling ill - I had him in the tank with the other fish but he wasn't swimming around much. He seemed to be hiding a lot so I think the 2 big fish were ganging up on him. I put him in a separate bowl again last night so I'll see if this helps.

Have a great day!

A warmer week!

Hello Everyone!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted. I have a sore throat (I think) from riding in the very cold weather so I'm taking it easy. The weather, with wind chill ranged from -40 on Mon & Tues, -35 on Wed and got up to -20 on Thurs & Fri. I commuted Tues-Thurs and although I took transit on Fri, I rode up to J's place later that night.

Speaking (writing) of J, he managed to break his arm on Monday and had to get a plate put in. He's doing fine and they have him learning some office work. I was rather worried since this was the same arm he broke last year and they kept him in the hospital for a couple days. I was up for visits from Tuesday onward to make sure he was eating well and that he was resting and overall taking care of himself.

This week I need to prepare for my payroll midterm. It's going to take up my evenings and J will be tied up with the (unofficial as of yet) Alberta election. At this point, I don't think I'll be able to see him until the weekend :-( Oh well, he managed to handle my school schedule so I will work around his election schedule.

Will make pancakes for dinner on Tuesday and will attend the Ash Wednesday service. I still haven't decided what I'm giving up for Lent but I think it will be television.

Have a great day!

Christmas in Fernie & Castle Mountain

Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas/New Year. I had a wonderful time in the mountains and didn't come down with my head cold until the night I got back. I've head it since Saturday but I think it's clearing up. Spent New Years on the futon, cuddling Mike and channel surfing (since it requires less energy than sleeping)

Stayed up Christmas Eve so I wouldn't need to worry about hearing my alarm clock (sometimes a problem). Had a nice bus ride to Fernie with a stopover in Fort Macleod. It's a tiny, but historic town and the landscape was pretty. Slept most of the way. J's family are very nice. I think I met about half of them. They were rather laid back and I felt comfortable around them.

On Boxing Day I had my snowboard lesson. It's very different than skiing and I was exhausted by the end of the day. I had thought my legs would be sore but it turned out to be my abs and my shoulders that showed the lack of muscle. On Thursday, J's parents drove us to Castle Mtn (near the US border) where J & I stayed at his friend's trailer. There were 4 of us (plus a dog) there that night and 5 the next night (I was the only female but they were all very nice). It was very pretty and I went snowboarding again on Friday and Saturday. Over those two days, I managed to go down the green (beginner) runs and a couple blue (intermediate) runs. I still need a lot of practice but J was impressed I picked it up so easily. I'll go out a few more times this winter. It's a very tiring sport! I think I only totalled 4 hours each day and I was exhausted.

The furry family has been quite affectionate since I've gotten home. It's probably also because I'm sick so I'm laying on the futon most nights. They were well taken care of and I still think they're spoiled. Two fish died so I replaced them with some tiny fish. I also added Henry IX to the tank but I think my big fish is scaring him. I'll see how he is tonight as to whether or not to put him back into his old bowl. I don't think Henry is being injured - just startled since my big fish is 3 times his size and he's never lived with other fish before.

I'll do my best to post some photos over the weekend. Have a lovely day!

Very full

Hello Everyone!

We just finished a potluck lunch at work and I'm rather full. Since I'm printing tax forms this afternoon, I have a few minutes to write.

Got all my cards sent - they will most likely be late. Received parcels from Chesley on Thursday. Since things were wrapped, I'm rationing them out until Christmas Eve. I figured I wouldn't be awake enough on Christmas to open them. I need to be down at the bus depot at 5:30ish, which means leaving my place at 5. Mike & Whiskers (the latter especially) are enjoying the presents. There's a little hiding spot at the back of the tree in which she has rearranged the blanket (she ate the tree skirt last year so this year it's a fleece blanket) to her liking.

Received a few Christmas presents from co-workers so I bought a pretty grey sweater from Roots and some make-up. I've never actually bought anything from that store but I saw a sweater in the window and thought it was really pretty. I didn't end up buying it as once I put it on, it was nice but the grey was just as nice and $40 cheaper. It's a wool blend button-up cardigan with a large collar. Very warm and comfortable.

Will be doing errands and cleaning tomorrow. I want to have my place all clean and organized by the time I leave. It'll be nice to be a homebody for a few days.

Have a great day!

Dinner turned out good!

Hello Everyone!

My turkey stayed moist, even with the reheat, the potatoes stayed firm (which can actually be a problem with instant), and everything else was delicious. I have the makings for turkey sandwiches for the next couple days.

Calli's had a rough couple of days. On Monday, enough of my basket was finally destroyed that it is no longer useable. Weight from books had started a separation and although I now use a pack, the wear and tear got to it. Then, when bringing her inside, I knocked her front light and it fell apart on the stairs. Last night, a piece of her seat came off. It looks like a spring and it helps support the bum area of the seat (or I should say, "saddle"). Luckily, it fell off while I was walking her so I was able to retrieve it. It was a rather uncomfortable bike ride home as supportwise, my seat was lopsided. J put it back together as well as adjusted the distance of the brake levers for me. He's a rather handy guy to have around!

After plasma tonight, I'm heading up to his place to work on Charlotte. I have no idea why my new bike decided to have that name but it came to me while coming home last night. They're building a cargo bike tonight so I'll get to see how that's done. Afterward, I'm going to learn how to strip Charlotte (and keep your mind clean!) and learn how to build a bike from the bottom up.

Have a great day!

Turkey Dinner

Hello Everyone!

Making real turkey dinner tonight. I get a Chrisco hamper every year (I know, it'd be cheaper to just buy groceries but I'm always strapped for cash at Christmas and a hamper means I'll at least have food!) and this year it included a stuffed turkey breast. I cooked it up last night since it took about 4 hours and I'll serve it tonight for dinner. I'm having J over and I'm cooking a proper meal. It'll include salad (mixed greens, mandarin orange segments, almonds & poppyseed dressing), turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry jelly, potatoes (although they're instant - I hate peeling potatoes and the instant stuff is pretty good - and a Canadian invention!), and mixed veggies. For dessert will be a fruit shortbread-type pie/pastery thing with ice-cream. No, I don't normally make meals like this and no, I don't usually have all these different types of food on hand. Hooray for the hamper - I only had to get ice-cream and the cranberry jelly! The hamper included canned cranberries but I don't like the whole berry - the jelly spreads on the turkey much better.

J leaves for the mountains on Friday night so we're having our own Christmas dinner tonight in case he gets tied up with last minute errands on Thursday night. I think I only have snowboard pants to buy prior to my mini-vacation but I'll get them tomorrow. Have all my Christmas shopping done and my cards are going to the post office today after work. It's doubtful if you'll get them before Christmas but rest assured, I was thinking you.

I'm really looking forward to the time off. The last time I was out of the city was Thanksgiving for an overnight trip to Banff. It'll be nice to see proper amounts of snow for Christmas. There's still a bit of snow here but generally there isn't accumulation. Even with that 2 week cold snap, I don't remember seeing even 1/2 foot of snow anywhere! It's just too dry. I hope everyone is being extra careful when travelling - I've been watching the news and those storms look pretty bad. Keep warm and stay at home to drink hot chocolate.

Have a great day!

Back to auburn

Hello Everyone!

My roots were really getting noticeable (or at least noticeable to me) so I redyed it last night. Not a big change but at least everything is evened out now.

Been trying to get motivated for cleaning/organizing the apartment but no luck so far. I've been vegging out in front of the tv, but I need to get things done some I'm forcing myself tonight to snap out of it. Got my Christmas letter printed so I'll be mailing cards tomorrow.

Eating a yummy salad - it's lunch and I discovered blogger isn't blocked at my work computer. My salad is mixed greens, poppyseed dressing, slivered almonds and mandarin orange slices (from a can, juice removed).

Have a great day!

I can relax now...

Hello Everyone!

Submitted my final and assignments for class yesterday. Felt good to get it wrapped up. I can now start organizing & cleaning my apartment, which had been put off over the past few weeks. It's been driving me crazy!

Got a programmable coffee maker last night from Walmart. I don't drink a lot of coffee - I'm pretty lazy, so I liked how my coffee was all ready for me when I woke up this morning. There's nothing like the smell of freshly made coffee when waking up! I was looking for an 8 cup maker but they only had 4,5 & 12. I decided to go for 12 and also bought a permanent filter so I didn't need to keep buying filters.

Since so many of you have asked, here's a photo of J and myself at my office Christmas party on Saturday. I was happy enough that he was willing to dress up. He got extra super-wonderful boyfriend points for coming back from the mountains early enough that he could accompany me. I was a bit panicked when he called at 4pm telling me about the great snowboarding conditions and the amount of snow. It wasn't until he was mostly done the conversation that he mentioned he was on his way back to Calgary. The venue was rather cold (hence the wrap) but the food was pretty good. Had a lovely time.

Will be taking it easy this week - a lot of catch-up and I need to get my sleep pattern back to normal. The temperature's warmed up and I starting commuting yesterday without my longjohns layer. Was still warm enough although I got a bit cold when running errands after work. I could feel the temperature dropping as the sky turned black. Because of our location in the time zone, it's dark by 5pm.

Have a great day!

A warmer day

Hello Everyone!

Slept in today but still got my work done (and I'm ahead of schedule). Got a haircut at noon - it's now starting to form a bob. I'll try to take a picture tonight if I figure out the auto-picture feature. Picked up my contacts and so far they haven't been bad under the fluorescent lights, computer screen and bloodshot eyes. Running a few errands after work and then heading up to J's for a bit tonight.

It was a bit warmer this morning and I didn't need my scarf on. There's a shift coming tonight and it's suppose to get cold again. It was around -7C this morning when I checked the forecast before heading to work.

Treated myself to a Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks today. Very yummy.

Have a great day!

Update

Hello Everyone!

I know it seems like I've dropped off the face of the earth - it's been a busy time for me but by next week, things will have calmed down and I can go back to keeping this up to date.

Absolutely love payroll - I'm catching on quickly and I'm starting my certification in January. Akita's paying for everything. I'll hold off on ABC courses until I get a better feel for the certification workload. It's a part-time course, run online.

Will be spending Christmas in Fernie (ski resort in the BC Rockies) with J and his family & friends. Catching the Greyhound early (6:30) on Christmas morning so I'll get there shortly after noon. Will take my first snowboarding lesson on the 26th. Will snowboard (or ski if I really don't catch on) on the 27th & 28th. Leave on the 29th as I need to be back in Calgary for youth group on the 30th. I'm very excited!

We decorated my little tree on Thursday. Made roast beef (from M&Ms so I didn't need to season it) with potatoes, carrots and onions added to the pan. Turned out pretty good even though I had all the timing off. The roast was done a lot sooner than expected (thank goodness for meat thermometers) but luckily J was running late so I could remedy the situation. Everything eventually got cooked and was still warm by the time he came.

Have the office Christmas party this Saturday. Found a fabulous black dress on the discount rack ($39.98! - it was originally over $100 more). Got an early Christmas present from Mom & Dad so you'll be able to see photos. Picked up my new camera today so I could learn how to work it before the weekend. I'll also take some photos of J so you'll know what he looks like. He has his winter beard, which I think is rather cute. He does have a chin under it so he's not one of those guys with a weak chin who grows a beard to cover it up. The beard is more a practical thing since he's out in the cold all day.

Still biking even though it's averaged -15C during the day for over a week now. Calli doesn't handle snow well and J will be building me a winter bike. Basically, through his connections, he's going to find a used frame, will build (or have a friend of his build) the wheels, and will put together a single gear for me. It'll be much easier to handle. He gave me my present early - a shopping trip to MEC for winter biking gear. I got me a jacket, two middle layer shirts, winter tights (well, they're not overly tight but that's the best word to describe them) and glasses. It has made a huge difference in my comfort level. I carry a change of clothes in my bag and my new winter boots ($39 at The Bay - I've found some amazing shopping deals recently!) are warm enough that I haven't had to wear heavy winter socks. He was planning to get me this stuff anyways and he figured he might as well give them to me now so I can make sure everything fit, looked great, and I could keep warm. I pointed out the third reason was rather selfish because if I was warm, I would be more likely to brave the cold to visit him. It was a wonderful and thoughtful present.

I've resisted buying cycling gear because I tried to convince myself that I'm a casual rider. I'm not - I cycle a minimum 100km per week and so far the weather hasn't stopped me. The snow does slow my commute up to an additional 15 minutes but that's only when the roads are slippery. The city does a poor job of clearing the core and last Tuesday, it ended up being quicker for me to walk my bike on the sidewalk rather than try to manoeuvre my usual sidestreet with the traffic and road conditions. Don't worry - I keep myself very visible, have an additional red light on my bag and I don't weave in and out of traffic like some crazy cyclists.

Have my Christmas shopping pretty well done. I need to pick up a couple small things (which I already know what they'll be) but I'm sending my presents to Chesley on the weekend. I'll try to get organized and send my cards this weekend too but in all honesty, it'll likely be next week. If they arrive late, it's not Canada Post's fault - it was me.

The furry family is well. Mike still escapes outside when the door is open but he's not protesting when I pick him up and bring him inside. He tries to avoid the snow but he's not all that smart. Whiskers is being quite friendly. So far, the Christmas tree has staying intact. Gilbert's been a bit neglected these past couple weeks but I'll spend some quality cuddling time with him next week.

I've been trying to finish up my Christian History class and I've had a hard time focussing. I enjoyed the content and had a great teacher. I just haven't had any interest in doing the assignments. My professor has given me an extension for my work so I'll need to have everything in by Monday. This is part of the reason why I've been stressed - I know I have work that needs to be done but all I can do is stare at my computer screen. It's likely I need a break from school and I hope the payroll courses are enough of a change to snap me out of this lethargy.

Broke my glasses a couple weeks ago. Stepped on them and snapped them right in half. So far super glue is holding them together (repair about once a week). My contacts have arrived so I'll be switching to them for my main sight aid. I had been thinking about switching back to them for a while and it'll mean I can hold off for a while longer to get new glasses. Because of my prescription, they'll run me around $400, which is not in my budget at this time.

Love having my place to myself again. It's a bit messier before but I enjoy the freedom. I really enjoy having a bedroom solely for sleeping. It's made a huge difference in my quality of sleep. I ended up moving into the spare bedroom and turned my old room into a storage area. I keep the piano and my bicycle in there. I moved my home office to the little alcove where the piano was. There's enough space for me to keep most of my stuff there and I'm close enough to the phone jack that I didn't need to run wire everywhere. My job in the new year is to organize that back room. I've already declutter in the fall but I've got a long way to go.

Have a great day!

PS - an update from my last post. I met J in Kensington for coffee and he mentioned he hadn't eaten yet. He ended up treating me to a fabulous, authentic Italian meal in a very trendy restaurant. We had Napolitana style pizza, antipasto and then some kind of tasty dessert, a bit like a cake? The chef trained in Italy and the restaurant is certified by an Italian agency so it meets Italian standards for quality. Our meal was paired with a lovely wine and I was completely taken by suprise by J's celebration for me. I would have been happy with some fabulous coffee from our usual coffee place but this completely wowed me. I could tell J really enjoyed it. He was trained as a chef and worked in some higher end kitchens. He got really excited when describing the antipasto components to me (never had anything like that before! He really went into details when describing ingredients and how they were prepared) and the food was amazing.

Lucky for me, J is very easy going with food and has tolerated my cooking to date. It can be frustrating - I need to plan my meals in advance and he can somehow magically make something delicious appear on a plate in 20 minutes. Needless to say, I never refuse a meal at his place.

I got my home office!

Hello Everyone!

The offer was waiting at my desk when I arrived this morning. It's a big enough raise that I get my home office and there's a bit extra so I have some breathing room. Hooray! It's effective Oct 16. Not sure when I move over to my new office (hee-hee I love saying that) as they need to get a temp and I'll train him/her.

Decided on my Hallowe'en costume - Little Red Riding Hood. I was her when I was really young and I wore the costume often when playing dress-up. They didn't have my size so they're ordering it in. It should be in 5-8 days. It's very adorable. The website is www.rubies.com and it's #56117. It's a great website to get ideas for Hallowe'en.

Heading down to Kensington to celebrate with J. I can't do a big celebration yet because money will be very lean until the end of the month - just drinks or coffee.

Have a great day!

An exciting week

Hi Everyone!

Had a fabulous Thanksgiving. Didn't do the relaxing weekend/restaurant I originally planned but went for an adventure instead.

J took me to Banff on Sunday (after I got home from church and he got back from visitin his family) and we spent the afternoon strolling around the main strip, went to the hotsprings and then had a romantic meal at the Grizzly House. It's a fabulous Swiss fondue place where we spent 2 1/2 hours eating our meals. The first course was salad greens, followed by cheese/kirsch fondu, meat course and then Toberlone chocolate fondue/fresh fruit. For meat we had both hot oil and a hot stone for cooking it. Selections included beef, venison, elk, bison and wild boar. Very delicious - I've been there a few times and it's a place where if I know I'm going to Banff, I'll save my money so I can eat there.

On Monday, we stopped in Canmore for a leisurely breakfast before returning to the city. I really needed that trip - I hadn't been in the mountains for a year! It was also very unexpected. When J originally mentioned having a car and maybe heading to the mountains, I was figuring on a day of hiking or something adventure-like. I was not expecting a romantic, incredibly relaxing, fun escape from the city.

On Tuesday, HR approached me about a position in payroll. They want to move me to this department to help with the field pay. I'd get my own office (and a good size too), with windows along the back wall. It involves a raise (but they haven't given me the numbers yet so my acceptance isn't official yet), a bit more flexible hours and as many courses as I want to take. Since a lot of it is on-the-job training, my inexperience is o'kay. There are courses I'm interested in taking (which they'll pay for) but I was advised to be in payroll for a couple months before taking any courses. I haven't been given a start date but I'm accepting the position based on a change in work, the challenge and new experience. As well, the other girls in payroll are very nice.

If I get a big enough raise, I can afford to keep the apartment to myself and turn the second bedroom into an office. At least - I can do this until the end of June when the youth leader position finishs. It'll be nice though because it'll give me time to come up with other money options. I've been really wanting a separate room for an office to help keep my schooling and youth leader stuff organized. As well, I'd have somewhere to store my bike during the winter. J plans to build me a single-speed bike for winter - lighter than Cali and easier maintenance for snow. Keep your fingers crossed for me on the raise and I'll keep you up to date.

Have a great day!

It's October already!

Hi Everyone!

I can't believe how quickly time flies! It's already October and I didn't realize how long it's been since I updated. Things have been busy.

I started my new job as youth leader - the kids (12-16 yrs) are a challenge but it's really interested to be with them.

Paula (roommate) found a job in Canmore and moved out on the weekend. I've been roommate searching again. I have a few interested people but no showings yet. I'm expecting 2 showings this week and possibly a couple more next week.

Made a lovely dinner on Sunday. J joined me and he took seconds even when he didn't need to. He's a really good cook so I'm glad he's willing to dare my cooking. I made pecan topped sweet potatoes (with marshmallows!) and bacon apple stuffed pork loin. Both recipies were really good although I left the pork in for too long and it was a bit dry. It was still edible though and not nearly as bad as some of my attempts. Made apple crisp and served it with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce.

I've also met his roommates. They love mom's recipe for chocolate chip squares.

No plans yet for Thanksgiving. I usually go out to a restaurant but I'm not sure what country I want to eat from. So far I've done Greek, Indian and Chinese. Any suggestions?

Attended my first Critical Mass. It's a movement to support alternative forms of transportation (bikes) for commuting. Basically a huge group of cyclist rode around the core of Calgary on the last Friday of the month to promote cyclist awareness. Apparently it's done all around the world. It was a bit of a crappy (weatherwise) evening but it was an interesting crowd.

Start class on the 23rd. It's been nice to have a break but I think it's important to get back into the swing of things. Been doing some psychology reading in the meanwhile.

Was at the optomitrist on Monday and got a sample pair of contact lenses. I'm to try them out for 2 weeks before I make any decisions. They're softer than the ones I used before but the focus isn't as clear. Was able to wear them all day Tuesday at work with only a little itchiness. Since I don't plan to use them everyday, they may be a good option for me. As well, my eyes are healthy and my prescription didn't change a lot so I can keep my current glasses.

A bit of snow fell earlier in the evening.

Have a great day!

An o'kay Monday

Hi Everyone!

Usually I hate Mondays bu this one was o'kay - work was steady and I just had a very nice, refreshing bath. The weather's suppose to change on Wednesday and I've had a headache all day.

Lots to update you on from last week. Had my first peanut butter and jam sandwich. I know - that sounds pretty pathetic but I didn't like peanut butter as a kid. I'm still so-so on it - like it with chocolate or in a peanut sauce for meat but I don't see myself eating a spoonful of it. The sandwich was a bit odd - funny texture but very quick for getting protein.

Finished my finals for Interpreting & Applying the Bible.

Found Counselling Skills too overwhelming so I'm going to audit the course. This means I still do the reading and attend class but I don't hand in assignments or get a grade. I'll retake the course in December for marks. There was so much reading and I wasn't able to absorb the information. Since it involved the history of psychotherapy and its basic theories, the material was very unfamiliar to me. I was getting fustrated with myself for my lack of understanding and lack of sleep. Now, I'll have until the end of October to read and work on the material. Church History starts up then so I'll have 1 course between the two classes. I feel a lot better after making the decision - my stress has decreased, my sleep has increased and my stomache is no longer in knots.

Got a position at the church as the Youth Leader. It's a paying position and the extra money will cover the rest of my school costs, let me have a bit of fun, let me pay off some debt (or not go any further) and I'll be able to try snowboarding this winter. It should be an interesting experience - I was told I'd have a sore *&^ the first couple times but by the end of the season, I'd be able to get (reasonably) down the hill. J (since I don't want to keep writing "the guy I'm seeing" all the time) was very excited that I'm willing to play in the snow. He's already counting down the days until Sunshine opens.

We went to the movies on Saturday night and saw 3:10 to Yuma. Really good movie - recommend it. I couldn't believe how expensive it was! Luckily I had a gift card to use up. It cost over $40 for 2 tickets, a large popcorn, a large drink, nibs (all part of a combo) and a kid's sized drink.

Exciting news from Chesley Fall Fair! Christine is now the Junior Ambassador. I'm very proud of her hard work and I hope she has a lot of fun. I think it'll be a great learning experience for her.

Have a great day!

Happy Labour Day!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

I took it easy and stayed around the apartment. Did some major reorganizing/house cleaning in my room. Got rid of 3 garbage bags of stuff I no longer needed (but wouldn't be useful to charity) and two boxes worth of recycling. I'm such a pack rat! It felt great though to go through everything - I only do it once a year and it was getting bad. Did some re-organization of storage and I think this'll work much better.

Got all but 1 book for school from Chapters. The final one should arrive this week. The books from Abebook should be here in the next week.

Lovely weather - warm (but not hot). It's getting a bit cool at night and I'm needing a jacket for my bike ride in the morning.

Work's going well. I've been getting some extra training as I'm filling a different position in the new year for a month. I've got more this week so I'll be busy.

Finishing up my one class this week. The final is due on Thursday but I'll be writing them later tonight. The other course runs throughout September. The next class, Church History, won't start until Oct 23 so I'll have a couple weeks off to recoup. It's been a very stressful few weeks and I was averaging 5 hours of sleep in the weeknight and 14+ on the weekend (and needing it). I did a bit more sleeping this weekend but I think my body's recovering from the lack of sleep and improper meals.

Otherwise, things are going well in my life. I've been seeing someone for a little over a month and he's really great. Won't go into details but he's respectful of my committment to school and helps me keep balanced between serious (which I get bogged down with) and fun (which was something missing for a long time). He's also a great cook, which is a bonus since you already know my cooking abilities.

Anyways, I've got 4 papers to write tonight along with getting ready for work tomorrow. I'm about to make some chocolate chip squares to help focus my brain. As well, there's a new show, Saving Grace, that I'm planning to watch later tonight. I saw the pilot last week and it was quite interesting to me.

Have a great day!

An expensive few hours...

Hi Everyone!

I've been busy with school and socializing so my urge for being in front of a computer is nil. Mind you, I've just spent more than the equivalence of a month's rent on additional textbooks.

The professor for my Counselling Skills (who I met on Wednesday) also wrote the course. Generally, the "Recommended Reading" list is just used for people whose interests get piqued by something and wants to learn more. Not in this class. She expects (i.e. "I expect to see...") us to reference these books in our assignments. This course requires 3 smaller papers (5-10 each) throughout the weeks and a 15-20 page major paper as a final.

I ran into a number of problems:

1. The school library is on summer hours - closed by the time I could get up there (very inconvenient)
2. Our church is closed for the month - although I could ask someone to search through their library and have them delivered to me (bothersome as they're busy and they might not find what I'm looking for)
3. Calgary library didn't like my online searches.

With some financial help, I just helped Chapters' stock rise. As well, there is a great website: www.abebooks.com that is a huge source for used/out of stock books. I had to order 1 from Canada, 2 from the US and 1 from Australia.

I should get my books from Chapters (6) next week and the final one sometime the following week. I tried ordering most of them through the local Christian bookstore (I like to support local businesses) but they didn't have them in stock. Several would be shipped in 24h but by the time you put in the delay of 2-3 weeks for the others plus still having to find another bookstore for the secular books, it was just too difficult. Chapters will get them to me faster (which was a priority) and cheaper (a bonus).

For next week's homework (and my first paper), I'll need to conduct most of my research online. I don't like doing that for this type of work (since I would be flipping between resources/windows) but I can manage for a week. I will be very happy when I get my books. Luckily, these books will be useful in future courses and for my own personal reference.

I spoke with one of my classmates who is also taking the same overlapping courses. She has extra copies of 2 books ("I must have really liked it as I bought it twice by accident!") and has offered to give me her extras. I'll be sure to bring her cookies next week!

Anyways, it's well past my bedtime, goodnight!

Happy News from PEI

Hi Everyone!

I received a happy e-mail Sherri (roommate in 3rd year of college) on Friday. They have a new addition to their family - Isabella Carole Marie. She was born on Wednesday and everyone is doing well.

Have a great day!

Back to Brunette

Hi Everyone!

I loved being blonde but it was really expensive (salonwise - not in socializing). I needed to make a choice between an appointment with my stylist (whom I love to pieces but don't want to put his kids through college) or lose my blondeness. I took the second option as I'm not sure, but I may, grow my hair out again. I've seen several pictures of Katie Holmes recently and I really like how her bob looks. It's hard to say if I'll last that long but you never know...

Anyways, my hair is a very dark, almost black colour. The box said it was suppose to be medium brown but it's definitely not that. I like it, although it's strange to look at in the mirror after getting use to the light colour.

Anyways, I have a plasma donation tomorrow so I'm going to pack it in early. Getting rather sleepy.

Have a great day!

Holiday weekend

Hi Everyone!

It's Heritage Day in Alberta and I've been enjoying the weekend. It's been nice weather (although a bit cloudy yesterday afternoon).

Class started on Thursday so I'm back to my study schedule. I loved July and the fun involved. I really needed the break but I was ready to get back to classes. It's a large class - 12 students and I'll be working ahead to get as much homework done as possible before my overlapping class.

Fishing (a few weeks ago) was a lot of fun. We went to Lumbreck(?) Falls near Crowsnest Passage, went into Frank to see the rock slide and went to Chaine Lakes on the way back to Calgary. I didn't catch anything but it was really relaxing. Beautiful scenery and I went swimming.

I've recently watch "Hairspray" (very funny) and "Close to Home" (Israeli movie) lately. I'm not sure what my plans are yet but I might be seeing "The Bourne Ultimatum" next weekend. Although the movie series is not much like the books, I've enjoyed both. I'm curious how they wrap up the series.

I have a new roommate. Paula is very nice - originally from Saskatchewan. She's a couple years younger than me and will be studying at Mount Royal College. She's outdoorsy, into hockey and so far finds Mike charming.

They had gladiolis on sale at Safeway this weeks and I have a pretty bouquet of magenta flowers on the kitchen table. I've been trying to eat more healthy but I think I'm resigned to having breakfast consist of caffeine and yougurt. Oh well - at least my veggie intake has increased. Speaking of veggies - my garden is doing well. My peas are finished although I was very disappointed with their yield. I think they didn't get enough water. I planted 2 rows and only got a couple handfuls of peas. I noticed this past week I had 3 green beans, some baby zucchini and my cucumbers were blooming. Apparently cucumbers are hard to grow in Alberta so I wasn't sure about them. My carrots are still too small to eat but they're getting there and I can likely start pulling out onions.

Anyways, it's too nice to be inside today. Have a great day!

Karen

A new first

Hi Everyone!

I just ate my first Big Mac. I know, how did avoid eating one until now?

1. hamburger patties from McDonalds aren't made from meat
2. condiments, such as "special sauce" are wrong
3. chicken nuggets are yummy (or at least they were before they went healthy and switched to all white meat)

Anyways, I had a coupon for a free Big Mac (no strings attached) and I didn't feel like cooking tonight. After taking off the pickle/sauce layer, I ate it. It didn't taste too bad (considering the price) although I don't know how you keep the lettuce from falling out.

Have a great day!

I can't believe I'm at my computer...

Hi Everyone!

It's a gorgeous Saturday evening, and yet here I am typing. It's been such a busy few weeks that this was the first chance I had to catch everyone up.

Had a great visit with Amy and her friends. They saw the rodeo on Thursday and I met them on the grounds after work.

On Friday afternoon was a corporate stampede party that a lot of people from work went to. The office closed early and it was a lot of fun. It was rather hot though so I only stayed for about 4 hours and ended up switching from beer to water. Later that night, a friend of mine wanted to go out for drinks so we ended up drinking Belgium beer until rather late.

Saturday morning, tired and a little hung over, I had part one of my bike course. It was really interesting, especially about gearing. Basically, your legs should go at the same amount of revolutions (called a "cadence") no matter what gear you're in. I've notice since that I'm less tired after biking. That night was Transformers - a great movie and I can't wait for the dvd.

Sunday was the pancake breakfast at church. Monday & Tuesday were rest days. Wednesday was watching Harry Potter with a friend. It was interesting enough but I wouldn't have seen it except for the invite.

Thursday night I went out for ice-cream with a friend, followed by Vietnamese, a visit to MEC and we ended up drinking beer all night at the park. Yes, I know it was illegal but it was really nice to sit in the shade by the water, relax and have some great conversation. I stayed out way past my bedtime but I think it was worth it. Yesterday, after work, I had a 3 hour nap and felt much better.

I had the second part of my bike course today and I managed to go up the first steep hill near the golf course for the first time, riding. This was one of my goals for the summer. Basically, there is a winding, long hill that goes through a greenspace beside the golfcourse that leads down to the river. Then, along the side of the golf course is another hill - steeper but shorter. My new goal will be to bike up both hills by the end of the summer, with a quick breather between hills. We did a 4 hour bike ride and stopped at the farmer's market. Now that I know how to get there, I'll be visiting again the future. I've got lots to do around the apartment this weekend - cleaning, laundry, etc.

Tomorrow, I'm helping with coffee at church and I'm planning to visit the Kensington Sun & Salsa (food) Festival. I'm not a big salsa fan but it should be interesting for the people watching.

It's been a long, fun-filled few weeks and I'm looking forward to catching up on my sleep. This week, I'm going out for coffee, watching Hairspray, potentially visiting the outdoors and helping at church again next Sunday. I also have homework to do as class starts in a couple weeks.

No new roommate yet but I have a few leads. I'll let you know how things goes.

Have a great day!

What a week it's been

Hi Everyone!

It's Sunday morning and I'm skipping church today. I've been up since 7am but I'll explain everything in a few moments.

It's been a super-busy weekend and next week's looking very busy as well. On Wednesday, I went to a free bike maintenance course at MEC. I learned (and did) change a tire - well, actually, I removed my tire & tube, learned how to patch and how to get everything back to normal. I also learned how to fix a broken chain. It was very interesting and I felt very proud of myself when I was done.

On Thursday, I had a hair appointment (my roots are gone) and then Corey (friend from Edmonton) and Kelly (her boyfriend) came down for a visit.

Friday morning was the Stampede parade so we walked downtown, watched for about an hour (it's pretty long so I think we watched about 3/4 of it), went to Prince's Island for a picnic and then I went to work while they went to the rodeo. Met up with them after work and we toured the Stampede grounds. It was a lot of fun.

On Saturday, we went to the zoo. Hooray! I've accomplished my travel goals for 2007 and it was very interesting. Relaxed in the afternoon.

They left early this morning and I've been relaxing in my pjs, drinking caramel lattes all morning. I really enjoyed having guests and the furry family were well behaved.

Next week, cousin Amy and her friends will be here for Stampede for a couple days. I start my bicycle communter/maintenance course next Saturday (2 Saturdays), am going to the movies (Transformers) Saturday night and will be cooking sausage for the church pancake breakfast next Sunday.

This afternoon, I'm going with a couple friends to watch La Vie En Rose - a french biography on Edith Piliaf (unsure of spelling).

Lisa has also given me her notice. She's getting married in November and will be moving out at the end of the month. I've put up a couple postings online but so far haven't heard anything. It's still pretty early though. I've asked my landlady's son to call me concerning the lease. It's up at the beginning of September and I'm wanting to find out if they're renewing it (I don't see any reason why they wouldn't) and how much the rent increase will be (the average 2 bedroom rent is a little over 1200/mo and I'm only paying 700).

Anyways, I should probably get dressed and run some errands. It's cool today and overcast. I'll do some laundry anyways.

Have a great day!

Ah... no more school!

Hi Everyone!

Got my final papers e-mailed to my professor minutes before the deadline (not that they're all that strict on that). I had problems focusing last night and couldn't get my thoughts together until about 9pm. I ended up going to bed shortly before 4 this morning but I'm not all that tired and my work (when I read it later today) was surprisingly understandable.

I was planning to go to the movies tonight but that's been tentatively moved to Friday.

I have some tidying and homey things to do tonight and I'll get a proper night's sleep.

Have a great day!

Funny Cartoon

Hi Everyone!

This was in the paper yesterday and I found it very funny. The cartoon is called "Pearls Before Swine".


1. Picture - there's a donkey wearing yellow with polka dots boxer shorts, sitting on a purple couch watching tv. There are several crumpled cans laying on the floor and he has one in his hand. His dialog box says "I like beer". Another dialog says "Ding Dong!"

Above caption - Danny Donkey sat a home in his underwear and drank beer. The doorbell rang.

2. Picture - 2 men wearing ties, 1 (balding) is holding a clip board. The other has an orange afro. Danny is at the door, holding his beer with dialog box "?"

Above caption - "Help save the planet," said the people at his door. "Huh?" said Danny Donkey.

3. Picture - close-up of the two men

Above caption - "Sign a petition. Attend a rally. Display a bumper sticker."

4. Picture - as described in 2

Above caption - "I would like to sit at home in my underwear and drink beer," said Danny Donkey.

5. Picture - as described in 3

Above caption - "But what does that accomplish?" asked the people.

6. Picture - close up of Danny

Above caption "The beer that I am holding will go from fully to empty," said Danny Donkey, "and I will be happy."

7. Picture - as described in 2 but this time the men are crying. The balding man's dialog box says "Forgive us Danny Donkey". Danny's dialog box says, "Urp"

Above caption - And at that, the people wept, for they realized the genius that was Danny Donkey.

8. Picture - goat holding a script "You are not gonna put this in a children's book". Mouse with a pencil behind his ear "But it's about redemption." Pig crying "I am so moved."

A Lazy Day

Hi Everyone!

I love long weekends - I've lazed around, stayed nice and scruffy and have gotten several things done around the house. The sad news in my household is that 2 of my fish died last week - one big gold fish and my small gold fish. On Saturday, I went to Walmart and got 4 new fish. They're called platies. I have 2 bright orange with black tails, one grey spotted, and one light yellow/orange.

I'm trying to get the motivation to finish my final papers. They're due tomorrow but my professor has indicated we can e-mail them to her. As for school, I start Interpreting the Bible on August 2 (which means homework in July) and Counselling Theory on August 22. This means a two week overlap. The school will give me the course books ahead of time so I can do the homework for one class and not have the double work load during that time period. After that, I'm not sure how long I have off (hopefully a couple weeks but I'd rather not have an entire month off) but the next course should be Church History.

Got my final mark for my Psychology course - I got a B (but I forget what that is in a percentage).

Out of boredom one day, I check the Starbucks website for the nutritional value for my favourite indulgence - a tall dulce de leche latte (A delicious combination of the classic Latin American milk caramel, Dulce de Leche, with 'Starbucks' signature espresso and freshly steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and a dusting of toffee sprinkles). It has 370 calories, 14 g fat, 44 g sugar and 35% of your recommended intake of Calcium. It's healthy for you!

Missed the fireworks last night. They were suppose to last for 15 minutes but in reality it was a little over 5. I heard them and went rushing to the park so I could see them but by the time I got there, they were done. The Calgary Tower flame was burning though (lots of money to do that) and you could see an orange haze around downtown. I'll see fireworks for Stampede however - they do a show after each night and they're pretty spectacular.

Watch a hilarious South Park episode. It was a Terrance & Phillip movie called, "Not Without My Anus". For those who don't know South Park, Terrance & Phillip are Canadian actors whose routine consists of fart jokes. Anyways, it takes place in Canada. Scott (a film critic) doesn't think their fart jokes are funny and he wants to kill them. Saddam Hussein calls him up (he often appears in the show) and offers to get rid of them, in exchange for him and his friends being able to visit Canada.

Anyways, Terrance receives a letter saying his daughter (mother is Celine Dion) has been kidnapped in Iran. To summarize, there's KD jokes, Celine Dion, a CFL game between the Ottawa Roughriders and the Vancouver Roughriders and lots more fart jokes. Saddam's plan to take over Canada is foiled by everyone in Canada Stadium farting at the same time (they're wearing gas masks so they're not affected). The national anthem is sung twice (and there were only a few word changes and nothing was rude). All in all - I found it really funny. I wonder though if it was shown in the United States. There are so many Canadianisms that I don't know if they would get all the jokes.

Anyways, I have to finish tidying the apartment and write those papers. I have a busy week ahead of me - movie on Tuesday, a bicycle maintenance course on Wednesday, hair appointment on Thursday and Stampede starting on Friday (well, it starts Thursday night but officially starts on Friday).

Have a great day!

Dr Who is back!

Hi Everyone!

Hee-hee! Dr. Who is back - I watched the new episode last night. It was quirky as usual and I'm excited about what they will do with the new companion, Martha. I can't wait for next week! It's too bad the dvds are so expensive.

Anyways, just got home from class and I'm heading to bed.

Have a great day!

Seasonal allergies - yuck!

Hi Everyone!

Just came back from movie night - saw "Ocean's 13". I would normally rent this rather than see it in theatre but it'd been a while since I went out with my movie group. After, we went to a nice pub where there was live music. Met some interesting people that I plan to chat with again.

My allergies have been terrible for the past couple weeks. I switched medication to Aerius yesterday and already I am feeling better. I have a super runny nose, sore throat/cough (from post-nasal drip) and my eyes water. It's rather uncomfortable. Yesterday I had a terrible headache and had troubles concentrating at work. One of my co-workers gave me a hug because I looked so miserable. I needed it. I walked home, took more medication for my headache and ate some ice-cream. Since that didn't help, I crawled into my pjs and went to bed. 17 hours later, I felt so much better.

Tomorrow (or I guess today but looking at my clock) is the Sunday School picnic. I also have some tidying and homework to do. It's been cool and rainy for the past week and it's supose to last until Wednesday. Assembled a bicycle repair kit on Wednesday courtesy of the super-friendly staff at MEC and I will be taking a free basic repair class on the 4th down there. I also got a bright yellow coat and reflective vest so cars will see me better. I also discovered an easy way to get to work from the parking lot via the +15s (covered walkways linking office buildings). It will make it slightly quicker than my usual outdoor walking route.

Anyways, I'm getting sleepy...

Have a great day!

A quick happy note

Hi Everyone!

I passed my exam - 66.7%. I'm happy with the mark as I didn't put as much effort into it as I should have. Got my garden planted on the weekend.

Have some homework to catch up on so I'll write a proper entry later in the week.

Have a great day!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hi Everyone!

I know I'm a day late wishing myself a "Happy Birthday!" but I'm taking a break tonight before bed.

It's been a great few weeks. Here's an update since my last posting:

-someone stole my credit card online. This would normally be very bad but MC called me, wiped out all the weird charges immediately and since that card wasn't linked to any bank accounts I still feel comfortable shopping on-line.

-won a garden plot for this summer. I entered a Helman's mayonaise (I know I don't like mayonaise but that wasn't a requirement in the contest). I had to write a 150 word essay (hee-hee) on why I wanted a garden plot. I was one of 12 winners in Calgary and get my 8'x5' plot next Saturday to plant vegetables.

-got my bicycle! Finally! It's vey cute and has a detachable basket in case I want to bring it into the grocery store (or load it up with vegies from my garden!) I've ridden it a couple times this week to work and it's very nice.

-going to have visitors! I received an e-mail from Aunt Jean about an upcoming Halliday visit in June. I'm very excited, even if it's only a short visit

-finished my psychology quizes and research project tonight. My exam's on Saturday and although I'm not prepared for it, I'll be studying tomorrow over my lunchbreak

-tried Starbuck's Dulce con Leche latte. Yummy!

-made some fabulous new recipies. Two Sundays ago I made roast chicken (a real chicken and fresh herbs) and last Sunday was minestrone soup using real parmesean rind and proscuitto for seasoning.

-found a place that repairs heels. My wonderful brown heels had the end wore down to the metal and they were able to put new rubber on it so I no longer slide on tile flooring

Anyways...my birthday. I turned 29 (for the first time) and although I was feeling a bit old at the beginning of May, I'm o'kay with it. It's because when I was a little girl, I had all these plans I was going to do before I was thirty. This included: a university degree (or at least done all my schooling), a house, a car, a husband (but no children-that was always optional), a dog, and a career. I don't have any of this list but I like my life and it's been interesting so far. There's been a lot of changes over the past year:

-moved apartments
-got a roommate
-became a blonde (and I just got my photos back so when Mom scans it and sends me the file I'll post it
-changed jobs
-went back to school
-wemt from "bad" cook to getting better" cook
-got a mode of transportation
-had someone from Chesley visit me in Calgary
-got a tattoo
-bought a real watch with hands on it
-joined a movie group (and hence, now have a social life)
-bought a professional wardrobe
-went to Edmonton (the furthest North I've ever been)

Anyways, on Saturday, after my exam and a visit to Hassan (my wonderful hair stylist), I'm taking myself out for dinner. I think I'll go to the Greek restaurant on the corner where I went for Thanksgiving. I like to treat myself (and by myself) to a nice meal and glass of wine on my birthday. Had a free mini-facial and make-up session from Shiseido, where I usually get my make-up, today. It felt very nice and relaxing.

It's bedtime for me and the caffeine from the coffee is wearing off. I'll post on Sunday to let you know how the exam went.

Have a great day!

Job News!

Hi Everyone!

I was offered a permanent position with Akita today and accepted it. I'm very happy! The pay's slightly more, there's benefits and I get my 1 hour lunch break. The agency didn't pay for lunch so I only took 1/2 hour to get my 40 hours. It's a huge relief to have this - plus they're a great company to work for and my co-workers are nice.

Anyways, May's been rather busy. I'm spending the weekend finishing my psychology and have my exam on the 26th.

Have a wonderful day!

Psychology

Hi Everyone!

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth - I've just not wanted to be near a computer for the past week or so!

Been working on psychology all weekend. My mind's had a whole bunch of info crammed into it so I'm keeping this short. As soon as I finish writing, I switch to ABC homework.

Have a great day!

I'm blonde!

Hi everyone!

Yesterday was an exciting day. I went to the hair salon and came out blonde. Hassan, my stylist mentioned the last time I was in if I had ever thought about going blonde. I said "No". I've been many other colours and I've had blonde highlights before but I never thought I could pull it off.

Anyways, several months later, I decided to go for it. I found a great new style (short again) and told Hassan my plan. He was wonderful! I still had a few red highlights in from the fall so he had to bleach my hair before applying the colour. It was rather funny to see my hair after that - it reminded me of Aunt Viola's hair from when I was a kid. He then applied the colour. I only told him "blonde" and told him to choose the right tone/shade for me.

It turned out amazing. When he bleached my hair, he deliberately made some parts darker and some lighter so when he applied the colour, I ended up with highlights without highlighting. It's a rich golden blonde that works well with my eyebrows and skin complexion. Altogether, I was in the salon for about two and a bit hours.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have them developed.

That afternoon, I went with my movie group to see "Grindhouse". Basically, it's a double feature of horrid "B" movies. There are pretend trailers between the movies and altogether it's about three hours long. The first was a zombie movie and the second was a car chase movie. Not the sort of movies I would normally see but since they were suppose to be bad, they were really funny. I would recommend seeing them but be prepared to suspend reality/physics/logic throughout the movies. As well, "sensitive" viewers might find them offensive - there's a reason why they're rated "R". Went out for beer and wings after. It was a lot of fun.

Today is a lovely spring day - warmish and fresh. I've got lots of homework and household chores to do.

Have a great day!

Happy Easter!

Hi Everyone!

I likely won't have time before Easter to write again so here are my early greetings. I attended the Good Friday service today, have the labyrinth tomorrow, and the sunrise & regular services on Sunday. We've got three choir pieces, including the "Halleluia" chorus. It should be challenging but fun. I was rather tired today and ended up having a 4 hour nap.

Needless to say, I've got a lot things I need to do tonight. I'm currently waiting for hot-crossed buns to come out of the oven so I can put the next batch in. I've only got room for 8 buns/cookie sheet so it's a time consuming process. I'm glazing them with maple syrup this year (rather than corn syrup) and used dried cranberries cherries and blueberries rather than raisins. I had an uncrossed one and I've got to say - it was yummy! I'll eat a proper one for all of you.

Congratulations to my friends Sarah & Greg! They just announced their engagement and I'm very happy for them.

It's cold and snow here - the warm weather's on the other side of the mountains but it should be here in a few days.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Hopefully, you'll have a chance for quiet reflection. If not, eat lots of chocolate and bounce off the walls because of the sugar.

I have a social life!

Hi Everyone!

I stayed out until 11pm last night! After work, I went to the meet-up group to watch "The Lives of Others" (Oscar foreign-language winner). The projector was broken so we ended up seeing "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" (Cannes winner). I still don't know what to think of it - it's Irish and it can be difficult to understand what's being said because of some very strong accents. As well, it was a thinking movie and I'm still working out what the director was trying to bring across. If you want to see it, I'd wait until it's in the cheap rental section - and don't watch it if your tired.

There was 6 of us and after the movie, we went to the strangest Irish pub I've every been in. I found out today that it's owned by the same person who owns "Cowboys" (a notorious bar where the servers are "encouraged" to be well-rounded). There were only three Irish beers on tap and about 6 domestic. There was pop/dance music playing and the hockey game was on tv. The only thing I saw in common with other pubs I've been in was the amount of wood and the fireplaces. It's been a while since I've had a Kilkenny and it was rather tasty - although I was looking for a nice cream ale.

Anyways, I had a wonderful time. We're rescheduling the movie again for next week so I have another event planned in my social calender. I'm almost giddy at the thought...

I'm rather tired now and I think I need a good night's sleep. I don't know how many of these late nights I can handle! :-)

Have a great day!

Christine's Birthday

Hello Everyone!

Today is Christine's birthday. I was feeling a bit old at work as I still remember the day she was born. She was on the top of my "Monday" list. I planned to call her shortly after getting home but...

While walking the final block home from the bus stop, I could smell someone barbequeing. This led me to crave pork chops with bbq sauce and french fries. This is not a normal sort of craving. I had the pork but went to Walmart to pick up the rest of the ingredients. Still thinking about food, I ate supper, which was delicious. The next thing I know, it's almost 7:30! (or 9:30 Ontario time). I spoke with Dawn who said Christine has already been in bed for an hour. I'll call her tomorrow right after work. It's weird - this was the first year I either didn't see her or talk with her on her birthday. Stupid time zones.

Anyways, it was a lovely day and we're suppose to get a huge storm overnight/tomorrow. Lots of snow and wind. I'm starting to feel the temperature drop.

Not in the mood for typing - Have a great day!

A New Adventure...

Hi Everyone!

I walked home on Friday to see how long it'd take. It was 1 hour and 7 minutes in sem-practical shoes. I kept watching people zoom by me on their bicycles when it dawned on me that it's now practical for me to get one. At my previous apartment, I was on top of a large hill so it didn't matter what direction I was coming from, I always came home going up hill. At my new place, I'm near the bike path system that gives me access to most of the city.

I figured out pricing for a bike vs transit and decided an entry level bike was all I could afford. I know I could go to Walmart and get a $100 bike but I did that when I first got here and didn't like it - it was heavy, uncomforable and I couldn't get a rack or basket for it - wrong type of metal and it didn't have mounting posts. I went online and checked out different websites of bike shops in Calgary.

Today, I went to Ridley's in Kensington (trendy neighbourhood that's about a 30 minute walk away). I already knew I wanted a simple bike for commuting (paved bike paths and roads) that I could attach a basket, rack and lights. The assistant was really friendly and helpful. He showed me lots of options but we both thought the above bike (isn't it cute!) would work really well.

It's made by Trek and it's a cruiser bike called Calypso. It has 7 gears (I'm not using it in situations where I need a lot) and I can get all the assessories I want. At the store, they have free monthly classes to teach you about maintenance and repair (something I'll need as I have no clue) and free maintenance. I was pretty clueless - I wanted something simple but pretty and the assistant didn't look down on me for it. He explained that he was looking at this style for his girlfriend and to remember that "bikes are fun!" He encouraged me to find something I liked and was fun for me.

They didn't have any in stock (only a man's style) so they're going to order one in for me to try - with no obligation. As well, if I buy it and decide after a month it's not suitable, they'll accept it as a return and I can use the credit to get a different bike. Including the bike, accessories and tax, it will cost me 8 months of transit passes (or when you count the odd time I will be using transit - 10 months) and since Calgary doesn't get a lot of snow accumulation, you can basically bike all year. My commute is mostly side streets and city pathways and should take about 15-20 minutes (about the same as if I take transit). With the woman's style, I can still wear a skirt (I did this when biking in China) and it's designed for my body frame rather than the Walmart-style bike. As well, I'll get back into shape again - that walk on Friday really did me in!

I felt really great after leaving the store - I was listened to, informed about what I needed to know, felt that this was a store that cared about their customers and knew their business and most importantly, treated me with respect. It's like when a woman goes to a car dealership and the seller asks her "what colour she likes" rather than what model. The associate talked about model and features before I brought up its cute appearance.

Anyways, I'll let you know when it comes in and how the test drive goes...

It's a lovely day and I was able to walk in a short-sleeved shirt (maybe +15). Did some errands and cleaned the apartment a bit. Lisa stopped in after work so we had a nice chat. I also got more fish - one of these days, Walmart is going to stop selling them to me. I got 2 big goldfish because I figured they could handle themselves against psycho fish. Actually, all three are psycho so they're quite entertaining. The sole (ha-ha) little goldfish left is small enough to dodge and hide from the others. The catfish can also hold his own. He rarely moves from his rock tunnel but he's quick when he does.

Bought some daffodils today and already they're opening up - hooray for warm water and its wonders for blooms. I had bought some for work on Tuesday (raising money for the Cancer Society) and everyone commented on how lovely they were. They were so cheery that I decided to pick some up when I was grocery shopping.

We have a difficult choir piece tomorrow and 3 for Palm Sunday. They're pretty so I like the challenge. It'll be a busy Holy week - service on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, a labyrinth I'm helping to organize on Saturday, and Sunday.

For those (women) who remember Gramma Halliday making doilies - check out this website: http://koniakow.com/sklep_en.php. Not suitable for all eyes - it was mentioned in the newspaper and I think it's rather innovative...

As an aside, the newsletter I've been working on for The Townships Project has been published! It only took since September - fustrating but worthwhile in the long run.

I just remember the tea a made before turning on the computer is still steeping - I'd best go make a new pot.

Have a great day!

Murphy's Law

Hi Everyone!

I wrote too soon. I got home tonight to discover one of my fish has passed on "to the great ocean beyond."

Donated plasma last night - they've changed the clinic hours again so instead of my every three weeks, it's a very infrequent four weeks now. After I got home, I laid down on the futon for a quick nap (headache). Next thing I know, Whiskers is waking me up this morning for work. Felt surprisingly refreshed.

Alice Cooper was making fun of Pink Floyd last night. He couldn't figure out why a band that made sounds like that were named after two blues musicians. He hasn't gone into a big rant tonight but apparently he thinks Bon Jovi is a great band to see live (I knew there was a reason why I liked his show!).

I've got a busy week ahead of me - Thursday: choir, Friday: free, Saturday: focus group for Alberta Bible College, Sunday: church, Monday: free, Tuesday: movie. I'm going to watch "The Lives of Others". It's a German movie that won the Oscar for best foreign language film. I'm going with a group through "Meetup.com". It's a website where people with similar interests can get together. This particular group gets together to go to the cinema and then for drinks. It's playing at a "historical" theatre downtown so I'll go there after work (early show) and can easily catch transit for getting home.

Anyways, it's past my bedtime...

Have a great day!

Stupid Calgary weather

Hi Everyone!

It was so nice on Saturday that I was able to go for a walk in my green short-sleeved shirt. Overnight, it turned cold and there was a skiff of snow when I went to church.

I've been indulging in some "fluffy" music recently. This includes The Pusscat Dolls - PCD (fun for cleaning and dancing to when nobody's around) and Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics (I was rather surprised by the lyrics). I also picked up the Dixie Chicks (Taking the Long Way) and my super favourite indulgence - Meat Loaf (Bat out of Hell III). I'd be the first one to say he's an over-the-top, rock/opera style musician and I love it! He puts so much passion in his singing and I think that's missing in a lot of the music I hear today on the radio.

I also got some chick-flick movies - In Her Shoes (was pleasantly surprised at its depth and I've now ordered the book), She's The Man (fun, girl-power, Twelveth Night-based fluff) and The Devil Wears Prada (another pleasant surprise).

My tv watching has decreased - Dr. Who finished the 2nd season and I have no idea when the third is coming out. For anyone who hasn't watched the series (or the really old ones), it's light-hearted, fun, sci-fi pg watching. I've still got Jericho to watch and I hate its addicting quality. I can only see it run for a maximum of one more season because of its story line but I highly recommend it. It's based on the community of Jericho and what happens when some type of giant explosion changes their lives forever. Each show builds on the previous and you learn about what's happening at the same time as the citizens. It's an interesting look at how people can react in high-stress/survival situations (even though it's a fictional story).

I've been having good luck with the new fish - only one has died. They're quite active and I find myself getting distracted by them often.

Anyways, I've got a whole bunch of stuff to do before bed. I starting getting a headache mid afternoon (there's going to be another weather change according to where I felt it on my head) and I ended up having a 2 hour nap after work. I feel a lot better though and not that "fuzzy-head/cranky" feeling you get when you sleep for too long.

Have a great day!

Ice-cream

I now understand why Hagen-Dazs is so expensive...Wow!

cream, concentrated skim milk, sugar, liquid egg yolk, natural vanilla extract.

That's it - no chemicals I can't pronounce! Mind you, I did add unsalted peanuts (a new snack for me) and warm chocolate sauce to it. It was so good I had to leave my homework and sit on the futon to focus on its lovely taste.

Have a great day!

A slow Sunday

Hi Everyon!

I'm taking it easy this weekend. On Friday, I was so tired after work, I made supper and then fell asleep. All in all, I got about 12 hours of sleep and it felt good. Today, I could have made it to church but I decided to nap some more and take things slow.

I've been getting a lot done around the apartment that I've been putting off. Mostly cleaning and organizing but it feels great to putter around and get everything done. I have some laundry to do but there's a Chinook so my clothes will likely be dry by tonight.

Mike has been really cute these past couple mornings. Since he likes to sleep in too, he'll slowly bat me in the face with his paw until I acknowledge him and then he's happy to be cuddled. He also finds human yawning fascinating. I have no idea why.

Anyways, I'm not much in the mood for typing - I'll be doing enough of that later when doing my homework.

Have a great day!

I'm back!

Hi Everyone!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've written! I've been crazy busy but things are calming down and I'll have more chances to keep this up to date. At my new work, I can't use the internet to update my blog so I have to remember to do it while I'm at home.

It's been a good day today. I've got a lot done. I slept in but still made it to church on time. The annual meeting was today so I didn't have to worry about lunch. So far today, I did two loads of dishes (I know, bad me for leaving it this long), did laundry in the tub (and it's now hanging to dry on my little rack), made chocolate carrot muffin (using a mix for the first time - they're actually pretty good and all you need is water-and chocolate), cleaned out the furry family's cages, changed the water in the beta's (still not named yet) bowl, filed some paperwork, played the piano, got things ready for work tomorrow and tried a new recipe. It was couscous and vegetables - very yummy and surprisingly filling. It's a vegan recipe I'm trying for lent.

I've been researching lenten traditions and I'm presenting it to the church in the format of information pages, including a vegan recipe each week for those who which to modify their eating habits for the season. It's taken up quite a bit of time but it's quite interesting to see where some of the traditions come from - and how old they are!

I got a couple new fish. They're called fire-throat cichids and although they're suppose to need a heated tank, both seem to be doing well. My apartment's pretty warm and I've noticed the tank water is warmer than the room. I think it may be the filter motor I'm using. They're silver with a black dot on them that looks like another eye.

The Townships Project is hosting a breakfast fundraiser at the end of April. Although I want to be more involved, I just don't have the time. I still have a couple things to do with updating our brochure and newsletter but it won't take long once I get the information.

School is going well. I've decided to take a break and wait until the summer before taking my next class. Basically, it'll mean a 6 week break after my current class and then I'll go into Life of Christ. I can take Interpreting and Applying the Bible later - it just means I'm doing things in a different order and I'll do Hebrew Wisdom Literature & Poetry by correspondence to make up for taking the time off. It'll give me time to finish my pschology course, which was put on the backburner so far. I have until the end of May to finish it but I'm wanting it done by the end of April.

The new job is going well. I'm at the point that I feel comfortable and like I'm fitting in. They are very nice there - not like what I expected. There is a large age range but there are several people my age. I've got everyone's name memorized (there's about 30 people) and everyone knows me too. They were very welcoming and were happy to answer any questions I had. It's a busy day. I work 8-4:30 with 30 minutes for lunch. I could take an hour for lunch but I need the extra money. My two 15 minute breaks are actually when I go pick up and drop off the mail. My suit did me well and I now have the same combination in black. I basically have a three week revolving wardrobe by wearing the same suit jacket twice a week - once with the pants, once with the skirt. I've had several comments on my wardrobe so I'll have to tell my salesperson advisor the next time I'm in...

Whiskers has been a pleasure this week. I've been able to pet her without having to trap her. I can reach out and most times she will let me pet her (for a few seconds at least). I had a nice cuddle with Gilbert this afternoon and got a couple of his claws trimmed. He's difficult because his nails are black so I can't see the quick (vein). Mike did very well at his vet appointment last weekend. He was very well behaved and the vet said he was very pretty. In July, he will be a senior and we'll need to switch food. He's not too happy with the new food I'm trying out for him. It's a bit more expensive than I had been using but the ingredient list seemed more healthy. Apparantly the cheap food is the equivalence of giving kids candy and that's why Mike gobbled it up so quickly.

Anyways, it's time for bed. Have a great day!