Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, December 21, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
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!
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!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
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 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.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
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!
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!
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!
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, September 10, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, September 03, 2007
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!
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!
Friday, August 24, 2007
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!
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!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, August 06, 2007
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
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
Sunday, July 22, 2007
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 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!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
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!
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!
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