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!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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!
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!
Monday, February 25, 2008
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!
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!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
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!
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!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
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!
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!
Friday, February 15, 2008
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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!
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!
Monday, February 04, 2008
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!
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!
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!
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