There's another you...

So I get an email from Chris today. The exchange went like this:

C: Wait, what?! There's another you around here somewhere! So. I went to Sobey's in Stratford to grab treats and lunch. While walking towards the treat section, I saw someone who I thought was you! It took 'til 10 feet before I was like...ok, not her.
A: You should get your eyes checked.
C: No, it's not even that, same hair, eyes, denim coat and black pants. It was weird!
A: You should have taken a picture.
C: I know, but my camera phone is horrible so there was little point.
A: Yeah but even a horrible pic might have captured the 'resemblance' so I believe you. Perhaps you were just missing me.
C: Well, see, had it just been the one occurrence, I would agree. But. I grabbed my treats, grabbed pizza, ended up in the same checkout, and even watched her drive by. Each time commenting to myself of the remarkable resemblance.
A: She probably thinks you're creepy for staring.
C: Maybe
A: My doppleganger. Cool.

In Wiki-ing the word, doppleganger is defined as "the ghostly double of a living person, a sinister form of bilocation". So when first discussing this, I was thinking 'cool'....not sinister... But wait...it gets better:

"In the vernacular, "Doppelgänger" has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a position where there is no chance that it could have been a reflection. They are generally regarded as harbingers of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelgänger is an omen of death."

Eeesh! Illness or danger...to him or me? I do feel a sore throat possibly coming on... Guess it's a good thing I didn't see her myself :)

Happy Halloween!

Setting up for a scare...

Chris has been doing some preparing for tonight's Halloween festivities in the 'hood:

This guy could use a little work...I think it might even be a good idea to have his 'arms' sticking out of the garbage bin...and perhaps that's the end goal. *sniff* That's the shirt Chris wore the first day I met him for the first time, and now it's being used to scare little children.

Nice buns :)
And then I opened the door to this. The picture is hard to see, but there's a black hat pulled right down over his 'face', and a scarf pulled right up. Life-size, and life-like from behind! He spooked Chris a few times, and I almost got away without a scare myself, but he got me just before I left for work. Very unnerving when you see the form of a 'person' in the corner of your eye when you know it should just be you and the cats home. Even the cats acted a little weird, following me around all morning; perhaps they, too, got spooked by "Chris"?

I'm *SO* bummed I will miss out this year on account of having to work. Chris has scary music downloaded, including screams, cackles and a beating heart. He can control the speakers with a touch of his iPod. He vows it will be better than last year.

"Time to make the donuts" revisited

For the benefit of my 'younger' readers who don't know what I mean when I say the phrase "time to make the donuts", I've finally found something to help me explain. Fred the Baker was the dedicated Dunkin' Donut employee, who woke up in the wee hours to 'make the donuts'. Based on my recollection of the commercials, my insight into this man's life was, "I owe, so it's off to work I go", and he lived to delve back into the monotony of his profession on a regular basis.

I went searching on YouTube, and found this old commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fu-CZugsQQ

Dunkin' Donuts actually retired this catchphrase when the actor who made the line famous passed away. How is that for commendation!

I'll dedicate this post to "Fred the baker", and any time you hear me say the phrase, "time to make the donuts", you'll now understand. Sometimes we work because we have to, not for the sheer pleasure that it brings, unfortunately.

Suddenly I'm craving a honey-glazed.

Damnit.

He noticed what looked like fur...

Careful when slicing into that block of cheese for a late midnight snack of cheese 'n crackers:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/10/30/pe-mouse-cheese.html

While slicing some cheese for his children, a father in western P.E.I. recently uncovered a dead mouse in the middle of the block.

"This would have been the very last thing I would have expected to find… in a block of cheese, which I buy every time I do groceries," Deborah Atkinson of Miscouche, just west of Summerside, said of her husband's discovery.

Atkinson said her family loved Maple Dale's Caribbean brand cheese from Ontario, which has hot peppers and sun-dried tomatoes in it. A couple of weeks ago, while her husband was cutting slices from the last block he bought in Summerside, he gave his four-year-old daughter a couple of pieces to munch on.

He made the unpleasant discovery a few cuts later.

"Obviously he cuts it in little squares because our children are three and four," said Atkinson.
"He kind of got to just about the middle and as he cut, he noticed what looked like fur."

He immediately took the cheese, a few pieces already gone, from the children. They hadn't eaten any of the cheese from near the mouse, and they didn't get sick.

The Atkinsons gave the cheese to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The CFIA immediately recalled about 300 blocks of the cheese from stores in eastern Canada. It did not issue a public recall, because it did not believe there was a health risk to the general public.

The agency believes the mouse did not originate inside the cheese factory, but rather was brought in with some of the added ingredients, perhaps the jalapeno peppers.

Maple Dale Cheese owner Keith Henry told CBC News on Wednesday that employees are now triple-checking all ingredients coming into the plant.

"Thank heavens it is a rarity, but we do live in a real world and it happened, and it is extremely unfortunate that it has happened," said Henry, from the company's office in Plainfield, in eastern Ontario.

CFIA officials acknowledged finding a mouse in cheese has a very high "ick" factor, but said it is not likely to cause any health problems.

A change will do you good....

Do you ever have moments where you just sit and think about your life and ask yourself if you've chosen the correct path? How do you ever really know if it's 'right'? Do you base your answer on your happiness or on your accomplishments? Perhaps your decision isn't even your own? Maybe someone else chooses for you?

We all know that life is precious, and it's undoubtably too short. I would like to hope that there's something out there, somewhere, for us after we pass from this life. It seems unrealistic to me to think that we're only put on this Earth for a short time, and once our time is up, that's it. Since we never really know 'in the now' that there is more to come after this life, though, we really should concentrate on this life, and live it to its fullest. I don't want to someday wake up and realize that I let life pass me by and regret not doing what I wanted to do... It's just that to do the things I want, or see the things I want...I need money. I want to travel - to see the world....I'm lucky to get off the sandbar once a year - and it's not far when I do leave. I collect Airmiles religiously. I think I have enough miles saved up for a one-way ticket to Newfoundland.

If I sit down and think about where I am right now I scare the crap out of myself. I see the increasing greys filling up the part on my head. I don't dare pluck them anymore - we all know that 1 grey removed equals 12 new to come in replacement. I look at how I've let myself 'go' over the years, and chastize myself for quitting the gym, for eating so unhealthily and for my laziness. Do I eat more healthy to try to go down a few sizes and have every meal be an utter turnoff, or do I eat the foods I enjoy - because I want to enjoy them, and because I want to enjoy life? It would be a whole lot easier if I liked to exercise. But I don't. Not in the least do I enjoy exercise.

I look at my job and ask myself, "is this what I want to do with the rest of my life?". No. What IS it that I want to do with the rest of my life, though? I have no idea. Then I get even more scared realizing that time is passing me by...I'm getting too old to be sitting on the fence pondering what I wanna be when I grow up. To make a change though...that's another scary thought altogether. I don't know what I'm good at. I don't know what my skills are. I crave stability, and a monthly pay-cheque. I don't have a nestegg squirrelled away for a 'rainy day' to survive on. And, I've grown accustomed to the income that I do take in, so I can't afford to take a pay cut.

I've chosen to not have children. It's the decision that I've settled on for quite some time. Will I, at some point down the road, regret this choice that I've made? Will I regret it after it's too late? Who will take care of me as I get older?

Whoa...where'd all this thought-provoking stuff come from? Bet you now miss my day to day drivel, huh? But I've figured it out. All I need to fix all of these worries is to win the lottery - then money wouldn't be the deciding factor in every decision I make. I could then hire a personal trainer who could whip me into shape, and a personal chef who would cook all my meals, making them healthy. If I cheated on the occasional meal I could always pay for a plastic surgeon to pull things back into place. Oh, and if I won the lottery, I could also concentrate on the art of laziness, making that my chosen profession. And I'd be damn good at it. I could also afford to pay someone to take care of me as I got older.

Who says money can't buy everything? Whoever coined the phrase must've won the lottery. Think I'll make a stop at the local corner store on my way home to purchase a lottery ticket. It couldn't hurt, could it?

Where, oh where, have I been?

I'm in the pooper for neglecting my blog whist on vacay. I guess I became so accustomed to doing nothing that blog updates fell on the side of 'doing something', and therefore, didn't get done. I tell you, I'm an expert in the art of laziness. Too bad one couldn't get paid for that. So, without further ado, here is what happened to me the remaining days of my precious vacation:

- Tuesday I had an all-out 'do nothing' day...staying in my pajamas, and snuggling with the cats and the laptop all day. That was the day I wrote all my posts about the glorious Cape Breton weekend. You're welcome ;).
- Wednesday I had a hair appointment. The greys are now again hidden. The color is a bit more red than last time, but I'm adjusting. Chris has now nicknamed me "Gingerkid" on account of the color. He seems to think he's funny. After my hair appointment, I picked up Mom and we went out shopping, supped at BP and then went back to her place to watch TV. I love our girl 'dates'.
- Thursday day I lounged about, and then joined a longtime friend, Darlene, for supper. I used to babysit her kids. Her kids are now 19 and 21. She looks the same. It was lovely reconnecting with you Darlene :). I booted home just in time to make it back for the Thursday night line up, where I escaped one more week to County General and Seattle Grace hospitals.
- Friday I went in search of a spooky movie for Christopher and I, settling on "The Strangers". The preview set that up to be an ultimate scarefest. Chris wasn't affected. I was spooked enough that I didn't get out of bed until it was light out the next morning.
- Saturday I landed at Lana's home, and we scrapped the day away. Thank you, thank you my lovely, for your wonderful hospitality. It was a delightful day! Saturday night she and I came home to pick up Chris and the 3 of us met up with her sister and her sister's friend in Kensington for a tour of the "Haunted Mansion", followed by a tour of the "Haunted Farm" in Borden. We had a fantastic time! (Lana, I do hope you're now over your fright...*wink*)
- Sunday Chris and I went on a "dollar store tour"....stopping at all the discount stores in C-town. One of our stops was Buy-Rite, and might I just say how horrifically sad it was to enter there, and see what has become of the scrapbook section? What a shame! After the discount tour we headed to Sobeys, purchased grub to make for supper, and spent the remainder of the night in, vegging in front of the tv.

And that brings us to current. And how quickly that time did pass.

Back to work.

BAH! Can I get a re-do??

Cape Breton Trip - In Pictures

Approaching Baddeck, NS, where our hotel was, as well as where the Matt Andersen concert was held.

We found a dirt road close to the hotel, so we explored a little. The sights were so beautiful.

Posing with Alexander Graham Bell, and his wife, Mabel (Hubbard) Bell. They were from the Baddeck area, so this monument was put up to honor them.

Baddeck Harbour, alongside the Bras d'or Lake. The Amoeba sits in dock. Tourists can board this sailboat to tour the Bras d'or Lake.

The view from the 'lookout deck' that was situated on the roof, the floor above our hotel room.

Chris calls the front desk to 'rescue' us after we realized we were locked outside on the lookout deck..and no other way off it but the locked door.

The view from our window-seat table at the Bell Buoy Restaurant - home of overpriced and discriminatory menu items.

David and Barry, with wives Patricia and Margaret - our new friends and fellow Matt fans. David and Barry own the Halifax Spice company and had met Matt while he entertained the crowd at the Saltscapes East Coast Expo. Great people :)

More new friends - Margie, Gerard, Becca and Darrell from Glace Bay. They follow Matt as well.

Matt Andersen with the Hupman Brothers on stage at the Inverary Inn Convention Centre for the Celtic Colors. A phenomenal show!

Breakfast at the Yellow Cello Cafe - and discovered internet access, to Chris' delight.

Beautiful scenery along the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, NS.

And some more...

So they will know we were here...a self-portrait in front of the beautiful scenery :)

Mary Ann Falls, National Park in the Cabot Trail. It was beautiful there.

Here I try to show some perspective of the vast hills. It's hard to show it digitally. Every bump in that colorful landscape is a full-sized tree.

Another self-portrait.

Kiwanis Park in Truro, NS, minutes away from Chris' grandparents' home. There is a huge pond there, and dozens and dozens of ducks.

Kiwanis Park, Truro.

Noreen and Charlie Wilkinson, Sr, Chris' grandparents.

Cape Breton - Day 3

Yesterday marked our final day of being tourists. We enjoyed our meal at the Yellow Cello so much on Sunday we decided to go back there for breakfast on Monday too. We headed to Truro to visit Chris' grandparents. They are just too cute, and if I might add, possibly a glimpse into my future as the resemblance between Chris and his grandfather is a little uncanny. After visiting a bit with the Grand-W's over coffee, we headed to Carsand-Mosher (never a trip to Truro without this necessary stop). Chris drooled over the camera equipment, and I equally drooled over the scrapbooking supplies. I was quite pleased with my restraint actually, leaving there after having spent only $20. After Carsand, we went to Kiwanis Park before heading out with the Grand-W's, as they offered to treat us to supper. We decided on Frank & Gino's, and it was fan-freaking-tastic! Thank you to the Grand-W's for their kindness :).

As it was getting dark, we headed home after supper, finally landing home just before 10pm.

Thank you Christopher, for a wonderful weekend getaway. I had a fantastic time :).

Cape Breton - Day 2

Thankfully the Advil and water combination I took prior to bed Saturday night helped me rise fairly unscathed from the prior night's concert. Chris & I headed out in search of some breakfast, and ended up at the Yellow Cello Cafe right in Baddeck. It was charming, and the food was excellent! Bacon and eggs cooked to perfection, served with homemade toast. Mmmm! To Chris' delight, they also had wireless Internet access, so he was able to plug-in and check his email (since he was waiting on an email re: a photo tour on Tuesday. If it was canceled, we were going to possibly stay another night). While he worked away on his laptop, I took an opportunity to try out his new iPod Touch...and check Facebook. I have to admit, it is pretty cool.

Full bellies later, we then embarked upon our tour of the Cabot Trail. The landscape is absolutely breath-taking. The changing leaves of Fall made it that much more spectacular. We stopped at several look-off areas and took dozens and dozens of photos, and also stopped at the Mary Ann Falls. We would have liked to have had another day to explore other trails and waterfalls, but unfortunately, time didn't allow. We toured the winding roads of the trail until we ran out of light, and then headed back to Baddeck. We had supper at Wong's, a local family restaurant in Baddeck, and then back to our hotel room. We watched the Amazing Race, and then fell quickly to sleep, exhausted from a long day of touring.

Day 2 of our Cape Breton excursion = equally fabulous.

Cape Breton - Day 1

As I was on vacation, and Chris finally had a weekend off, we decided to take a road trip to Cape Breton, NS. Two of our main goals were touring the Cabot Trail in all it's "Celtic color" picturesque glory, and a Matt Andersen concert at a resort in Baddeck. When Chris called the Inverary Inn regarding tickets for the concert, he was given a 'package' with tickets plus a room rate, so he booked us in for two nights. Perfect :)

Saturday morning, we woke up nice and early to head to the 9:30 ferry crossing to Nova Scotia. We took a 'touristy' approach, stopping along the way wherever we wanted, which included a stop at a local cafe, gift shop, The Candy Shop, and even a dirt road through a tree-lined path before reaching our hotel, the Inverary Resort. After checking into our room, we explored an outlook deck above our floor. As it was pretty cold out, I dutifully closed the door behind me and enjoyed the view, which was pretty spectacular. To our dismay, the door had locked behind us...putting us in a bit of a pickle, as it was the only way off the deck, and we were situated on the roof of the building. Chris had left his cell in the hotel room, adding a bit more panic, but I just happened to have my purse with me, and a charged cell (which is never usually charged), so we were able to call the main desk for our rescue. (Never a dull moment!).

We had a few hours before the concert, so we decided to head out for supper. We approached the "Bell Buoy" Restaurant, which promised to be our "Destination Seafood" on the signage. Our waiter brought us to our table, which had a fantastic view of the harbor. Upon viewing our menus, Chris was a little forlorn when he realized there weren't any "fish 'n chips" on the menu. I settled on my choice of a seafood pasta dish, and when the waiter approached, Chris asked him about the "teen menu" mentioned on the bottom of the menu, thinking that might have more simplified choices. The waiter scoffed at him, "but you're not a teen"...(I knew I should've had my hair colored prior to the trip!). Rather than argue about menu options, and instead of ordering the "Catch of the Day" or the "orange glazed pecan encrusted whatever", Chris advised he would have the "fillet of choice", where the customer advises how they wish it to be prepared. He said battered and fried, with his side menu choice to be fries. Et voila! A $18.99 plate of "fish 'n chips". He said it was good, albeit there wasn't enough food to fill him. My pasta was flavorless...the shrimp and lobster in it were good, but the scallops were tough. All in all a $60+ meal that was just 'fair'.

After supper we picked up some beer at the NSLC, (might I add being able to buy 6 for less than the two cost us at supper), and brought them back to the hotel room. We watched Talladega Nights on the laptop (after Chris discovered there was no Internet access in the hotel after all..adding to his foul humor from the restaurant). I changed and freshened up a bit, and then we headed down to the Convention Centre at the resort for the Matt Andersen concert.

The concert was fabulous! A genuine Maritime "kitchen party". Matt came on stage with the Hupman Brothers in tow, and the crowd were on their feet from start to finish. Bruce Guthro even made a surprise visit, and played a song for the crowd as well. It was all we could have asked for and more...a killer concert. We met some new friends while there, the owners of the Halifax Spice Company and their wives were there. Matt played at the Saltscapes East Coast Expo, where they were a part, so they became fast fans and made the trip from Halifax to Baddeck to see him play. We also befriended Gerard, Becca, Margie and Darrell from Glace Bay. Becca and Margie are self-professed "Matt stalkers".

Day 1 of our mini CB vacation = fabulous :)

Take off, eh...

1. a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday: Schoolchildren are on vacation now.
2. a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended. 3. freedom or release from duty, business, or activity. 4. an act or instance of vacating.

I'm on vacation. Day 1 of 10 glorious days off. No planned sandy beach days, but a respite from the norm just the same.

Good-bye to Harold...

Yesterday a dear family friend passed away. He was 81 years old, and leaves behind a wife, 7 children (1 predeceased), and 12 grandchildren.

Harold and his wife lived next door to my family home since we moved to the Island 27 years ago. It wasn't until very recently that they sold their house and Harold entered a home when his wife could no longer take care of him on her own. His health had been failing for quite some time...and from what I understand, the last while has been pretty bad, so perhaps it's a blessing in disguise for the family. Regardless, it's a very sad loss...and he will be so missed by so many people.

He was the kindest, gentlest man. He always had a smile, wave and a, "How are ya?", each time he saw you pass by. He and Dad were very good friends. They would spend hours sitting out by the old tree stump in the backyard, chatting. Dad would make him a tall glass of lemonade to serve as a break from cutting the two lawns (he had a ride-on mower so would cut both his and ours). I still remember the look of sadness on his face and the strength of his hug when he found out Dad had passed away. My uncle saw Harold sitting on his front step shortly thereafter, looking sad - like he'd lost his best friend. He had.

At this sad time I take comfort in the fact that Harold and Dad are now reunited, possibly sipping on a tall glass of lemonade together, reminiscing about the old times. Rest in peace, Harold.

Just an everyday freak out...

Happy Hump Day to all. This isn't actually my hump day...it's my "Thursday" since I'm on vacation as of Friday!! I have an exciting weekend planned...so stay tuned for pictures! I'm so friggin stoked!!

So after work tonight I met up with Lana, Lori & Tracy at BP. I had a blast! These girls have been by my side forever...meeting Lori & Tracy in junior high, and Lana in high school (we won't do the math...suffice it to say that it was long enough ago that it equals 'forever'). We can talk about anything, and everything...and tonight, we certainly ran the gamut of topics, didn't we?! How refreshing it is to feel completely confident in being able to say anything or ask any question and not worry if it's the right thing to say or ask. I love you girls...thank you for being the very best of friends.

After returning home, I settled in with my nightly routine to check emails/Facebook and a few blogs, and put the tv on. There was a documentary on the History channel, entitled "The Real Amityville Horror"...with accounts from Ronald DeFeo Jr, who reportedly murdered his entire family in the house...along with accounts from the Lutz family who moved into the house years later but were forced out by 'something'. There were also commentaries from several journalists, psychotherapists, and parapsychologists. Maybe it was the fact that I was sitting in the dark by myself...or maybe it's because the story actually gets to me...but I was freaked out! I don't entirely believe in that sort of thing...but there are enough examples of 'strangeness' reported over time, that I can't help but shake my head in wonderment. I also think back to the time, years ago, when Darlene let me read the book - her brother had read it...and during the time he was reading it, would wake up nightly, at precisely 3:15 am...(the time the murders were said to take place, along with the same time the Lutz family experienced feelings of a 'presence' in the house and general unease). I didn't experience the nightly wake-ups, but in all, I remember it freaked the bejebus out of me just the same.

I love this kind of stuff though...and it follows suit for the time of year and Halloween fast approaching :). Needless to say, I'm now watching Two and a Half Men to try to take my mind off it. What's your take on the paranormal? Do you believe?

At Poppy's Handwashing is Optional...

From an early age, we are taught that cleanliness is next to Godliness. One of the primary rules we learn is to always wash our hands after we tinkle. Now, I can understand there being a possibility of an allergy to the soap in the bathroom...and, I can understand the possibility of a person using a hand sanitizer instead of the bathroom soap dispenser...But when I'm doin' my business in the stall I'm in, and then hear the person finishing up in the stall two paces away from me, I get to questioning the situation when I hear this person leave said stall and leave said bathroom immediately after, sans soap 'n water.

And this isn't the first time I've been in the bathroom at work and encountered the same situation. I hope it's always been the same culprit, but who can really be sure...

I mean really...if the person intended on not washing her hands and knew she was alone in the bathroom that's one thing...but she knew there was another stall occupied...could she not even fake it for the sake of the ears in the bathroom that undoubtably expect to hear the routine sounds of the soap dispenser and running water? They even have signs posted on the walls with instructions on how to properly wash one's hands (ode to a Health & Safety environment). Does she not think that people will talk about her like this?

Recounting it in words has forced stomach contents to reflux and churn.

To make a gross story just a little bit grosser...the 'scent' emanating from said stall seemed to suggest that Grossie-Sans-Soapie did a little more than tinkle.

Good food, good company, good times...

Well, I had some R&R this long Thanksgiving weekend...hope you all had a chance, as well. Friday night after work we just vegged on the couch, watching a few hours of tv, and hitting the hay fairly early - both of us very tired from the week prior.

Saturday morning, Chris made us a delicious breakfast of bacon & eggs before leaving for his photo tour. I spent the day cleaning the house up, and Saturday night Chris treated us to dinner at Sirenella's for our anniversary. It was lovely. We had a 3 course dinner - starting with "Mussels in Love", which were ok. I had a few bad ones, so it kinda ruined my taste for the rest. We dined on the daily special, which was a homemade fettucini dish, with scallops, mushrooms, and pancetta(?), and it was very good. The big finale goes to dessert, though...with a homemade chocolate cheesecake which was heaven on a plate. Kudos to our waiter who had a very "Italian" flair as he explained our choices, and he made a grand decision with my wine. All in all a very good experience. Would we return? Perhaps, someday...we're not ones to splurge like that on dinner, however. After supper, we rented a baaad movie, Wolf Creek - that was in the 'horror' section, but was noted as being 'based on actual events'. Turns out the actuality of the storyline was very loose at best, and another poor movie choice. Ah well, the company was good :).

Belinda and Fred are visiting from Ontario for Thanksgiving, and Sunday Chris and I went over there for turkey supper. It was, for the most part, a gong show, like any normal time at Mom's when the house is full of people. She entrusted Fred & Todd to be the turkey cookers...and suffice it to say, that might be her last time doing so. They sorta forgot to take the juice out in regular intervals...merely sticking the turkey in the oven and letting 'er go. The bird pretty much just stewed in its own juices...ruining the stuffing (which, to me, was the ultimate travesty), and the gravy. Oh well. Despite it all, we all managed to share a meal and many laughs with family, so it was all good.

Today I'm lazing on the couch with a big fleece blanket, dozing kitties, laptop and multiple episodes of "What Not to Wear". I'm going to eat up every available ounce of 'nothing time' as I can. Tonight, we do the turkey thing again at the Wilkinson homestead. Two turkey suppers in one weekend...gotta love it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day to all my readership. Take the time to reflect on all you have to be thankful for. And don't eat too much :)

All because two people met....

5 years ago Tanya was chastising me for telling you where we live - fearing this person I had met online might be a psycho serial killer or something. 5 years ago I wondered if I was doing the right thing. We got along so well electronically - what if we met in person and that all dissolved in front of our eyes? What if we didn't like each other? What if we didn't get along in person?

5 years ago it was a warm, autumn day. The top was down on the Tracker, and we traveled from Charlottetown to Kensington for a chocolate milkshake - on the last day of the season at the Frosty Treat. We sat for hours...it wasn't awkward. All my fears immediately fell away. It felt 'right'. It felt like it should be. We'd catch ourselves imagining each other typing out what we were saying... We caught each other saying things at the same time...just as we would catch each other typing the same thing at the same time. I found myself wondering why I took 4 years to finally agree to meet you. Now, I have a hard time remembering what life was like before you.

Happy Anniversary Christopher...I hope this is just the first 5 of many years to come. Thanks for waiting for me.

Let's give thanks...

So we're crawling...slowly...toward Friday. I'm almost to the end of another night shift, and one more to go before a blessed 3 day weekend. How sad is it that I sit here, wishing life away, longing for the weekend to hurry up and get here? Maybe it's because not only is the weekend coming, but also a week vacation is on my horizon. I have a 3 day work week next week, and then 10 glorious days off. Ask me how excited I am :).

It was Thanksgiving Day here at work. Every year they throw a huge splash - full turkey dinner with all the trimmings, including pie for dessert. The managers cook it and serve it. It really is quite stellar. I ate enough to be satisfied, but not as full as some (my workmate groaned and moaned all afternoon long, advising he was having the 'turkey sweats', and just wasn't looking so good altogether). So delicate as I was in making sure I didn't overeat, that didn't stop me from dropping a bite of a mustard pickle right onto my white tank top. Funny thing about mustard ...it stains, and rather quickly. So, as soon as my belly was substantially full, I waddled my way up the back stairs to my desk and diligently applied a generous swabbing of the Tide stick to said mustard stain. I'm happy to report that it seems to have worked on the stain. However, now I've been inhaling the noxious odor that is the Tide stick ever since. Seriously...this really can't be good for my health?

So today I'm thankful for the upcoming weekend. I'm thankful for my upcoming vacation, and I'm thankful for ridding my shirt of a nasty yellow stain. I'm not so thankful, however, for emanating the disgusting odor of the Tide stick, which can only be compared to the smell of sweaty, bad, smarmy feet.

Kernal Ray

In light of the fall season that is now upon us, I thought a video highlighting corn would be appropriate. Rachael Ray gets a lesson on removing the silk threads from corn on the cob:

http://www.break.com/index/rachael-ray-corn-porn.html

Straight up technique for the kitchen, or the bedroom....you be the judge.

In lieu of an actual post...

I'm not feeling overly bloggy tonight. Instead you get another list. The list may explain why I'm feeling like I do if'n you can read between the lines. A list of things I do not like today:

• the smell left by a fruit's carcass as it's left behind in a trash can
• biting into a nut and tasting fish...EW!
• pant waistbands. The pants fit when I stand. Not so much when I sit. If I had them "fit" for when I was sitting, they'd fall off my arse when I stood up. There's no winning.
• bras
• shoes; I want my sandals back.
• a warm office; 75 degrees Fahrenheit is NOT comfortable!
• the phone
• computers
• stupid people
• bad hold music
• heartburn. WHY do I have it constantly? :(
• a messy house

That's a good place to end.

Mondays SUCK

As much as I would hate a 10 hr work day Monday through Thursday, how nice would a 3 day weekend be on a regular basis? 3 glorious days to sleep in, vegg, drink wine, meet with friends...it's a great concept in itself, isn't it? As humans, we're selfish creatures though...so would the extra day off help us to begin a new week on Monday again, or would we still not want to see the day arrive? Personally, I'm thinking I'd feel the same way any Monday, regardless of how many days or hours passed inbetween. How about you?

I had a glorious weekend. Friday night, I attended Bobbi Jo's party for Carolyn & Cory, who are home from Saskatchewan for a visit. It was a lovely evening with many laughs. It reaffirms my belief that I'm not crazy when I can sit in a room with several others who all have the same opinion about certain things as I do. Thanks for the laughs and affirmation!

Saturday, Chris & I slept in, then had a big breakfast of blueberry pancakes, bacon and java, before heading down to the Handcrafted Ales & Wine Festival at the Fall Fest. It was the first time I'd had an opportunity to attend an event such as that, but sign me up for next year! You're given an empty glass and are encouraged to go booth after booth, after booth, asking for free samples of delicious ales and/or wines. Giddyup! Tim Chaisson was there to entertain the crowd - another bonus! I have to admit that regardless of the different ales I sampled, the JohnA from the Gahan is still my favorite. I tried a raspberry ale, a blueberry ale, a chocolate ale, several different pales and a chardonnay. After the beer/wine fest, we went to the Gahan for supper, and back home. Lana came over to watch a movie and crash for the night while Bruce was out with friends. We watched Baby Mama, well, Lana and Chris did. The beer did a number on me, so I was pretty sleepy and ended up napping through the movie.

Sunday Lana & I slept in til noon, then watched a few hours of TLC before she left to go do schoolwork. I returned to my position on the couch after she left and napped some more. All in all, a 'do nothing' Sunday - my most favorite kind. It's just too bad that Monday came and reared its ugly head so quickly.

September ends, October begins...

Some highlights of the week:

- Gas went down to below $1.20/litre (I can't believe this makes a "highlight")

- Season premieres of the Dragons Den & Private Practice

- Night out at the Gahan with the girlies to celebrate Tanya's birthday

- Night out with Angela to celebrate a belated birthday for her

- Night out with some girls from work to see a visiting Carolyn
- The Ales & Wine Festival - free beer plus live entertainment - who could ask for more?

- A 'sleepover' party with Lana, complete with stinky feet chips, chocolate cake, and a movie

TGIF

Thank flipping Gawd it's Friday....what a week.

Last night after work I joined Angela at BP for a belated birthday supper for her. It was lovely to finally connect and catch up on each other's lives. It had been too long. Cheers Angela...Happy Belated!! We actually penned in a few dates to scrap together, too, which is an accomplishment, indeed. Honestly, I don't know when this girl has time to sleep.

Afterwords, Chris & I went to NightCap to see Tim Chaisson & Meaghan Blanchard play for the Fall Flavors Festival. It had been the first time I had seen either of them play, and I had a fantastic time. Great job, folks. Chris ensured to buy all availabe CDs and Tim & Meaghan were gracious enough to sign them. They are both so very talented, and do the Island proud. Go see them the next time you have a chance. You will not be disappointed.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Happy Birthday Tanya!

"Like branches of a tree we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other's."
---Unknown

Today is Tanya's birthday! She is one of my closest friends. I cherish our friendship very much. We've been through a lot together over the years. We worked together; we lived together; we've carried each other over heartbreaks; and we've celebrated many happy moments together. She is a very kind, generous and caring soul.

She's seen me at my very worst, being there for me when my dad got sick - graciously giving up her own bed for my sister. Her friendship helped me through that painful time - and I can't thank her enough.

I was so proud to stand beside her and watch her marry the man of her dreams. I'm thrilled that she has found the person who fits her perfectly, and I wish her never-ending happiness, always.

Tanya, on this, your special day, I toast you, my very special friend. Thank you for always being a true friend to me over the years. I look forward to many more years of shared laughter. When we're old, grey and hunched over I hope we can still sit and enjoy an episode of Friends while eating chocolate together. Love you bunches...enjoy your day! xo

Curiosity...

This could so totally be Bosco:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/cat-vs-printer/2164104546

So cute.

I just don't get it...

Happy October. It's been a monkey day so instead of b!tching relentlessly, here's a list of wtf's for your enjoyment:

-wearing pyjama bottoms out in public; I'm ALL for comfy attire, and have been known to leave the house to go to the Tim's Drive-thru in my pjs, but walking down the street wearing pants littered in Mickey Mouse or teddy bears or puppy dogs in multitudes of colors...liiiittle much.
-clumping cat litter that turns BLUE....seriously...aren't the clumps enough of a hint? WTF kinda cockamamie marketing ploy IS that, really??
-ricer cars...why? WHY?
-'muffin top' girls wearing low-rise jeans and tight T's. There should be laws against that sort of thing.
-socks & sandals; if your feet are cold - put shoes on.
-comb-overs; perhaps it's a helpless attempt at holding on to something that's no longer there - separation anxiety or whatnot...but it looks bad. So very, very bad. Shave it off already. Bald is beautiful.
-rap. I enjoy music of all kinds & genres...I just don't get rap... and never will I - ever.
-incessant texting by teens; they can be in the same room on the same couch yet still sit there and diddle with their phones...wtf? No wonder the cell companies have started charging a fee for incoming texts.
-why everything that tastes good is bad for us but the stuff that is good for us tastes sooo bad; it's just not fair.
-pants that are so tight that the wearer should almost definitely be able to taste them (not to mention how uncomfortable it must be). I'm no fashionista, but you don't see any fabric creeping up my crevices.

Tell me...what has YOU shaking your head in wonderment?