2009: A Retrospective

It completely blows my mind that 2009 is at a close. For some reasons, I cannot wait to say good-bye to 2009 and welcome a new year, a clean slate, and a fresh start. I do hope that as we embark upon a new year that it brings prosperity, happiness and much love to all. However, there were some highlights to my year as well - and I have some happy memories from this year that will undoubtably last me a lifetime and then some. Here's a retrospective of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the last 364 days:

• January: I kicked off my 'healthy eating resolution', and am happy to report that it was a resolution that I did stick with, and, aside from hopping on the scale post-Christmas-indulging, I've kept off approximately 23-25ish pounds! (those last 4lbs tend to leave and come back at whim. Perhaps it's just the difference between a good poop and not having a good poop ;)). All jokes aside, I am proud to say that I'm really consciously trying to eat more healthfully. The blog helped, but I know deep down I must add exercise to the mix, and I still have a huge road ahead of me yet. Perhaps a segway to changes to come for 2010? We'll see.
• February: We were treated to a fantastic show at the Confederation Centre - Stuart MacLean's Vinyl Cafe, starring the wonderful Matt Andersen, no less :). We also landed ourselves a pair of snowshoes, and had our first opportunity for a little shoein' in the woods. Segway to 2010 --more shoein' in the woods :).
• March: We laughed ourselves silly at the John Pinette show, and the better part of the month was filled with open-housing. As it turns out, we really weren't in the position to take our house hunt any further than looking, but we did have fun doing so. I'm hopeful that our two differing styles & wishes for a home do manage to gel a bit by the time we go at it again ;). I'm unsure if 2010 holds high expectations when it comes to housing, though.
• April: People will laugh when they read this, but I think that it's rather momentous and worth mentioning...a farewell to one of my all-time favourite hours of television with a good-bye to ER. I still miss it. April was also a milestone month for me; I'm happy to announce that another successsful year of regular blogging is behind me, as we celebrated 2 years of blogging together. Thanks for sticking around ;)
• May: A little sadness came into our lives in May with the passing of our dear friend and neighbor George MacKenzie. It's still not the same without you, George. We still think about you often, and miss you a lot. I got Chris a box of clementines for Christmas this year and said it was to thank him for shoveling the walk for me - in dedication to you. Your home is now in the hands of a nice girl. She looks respectable, and I think she'll give your old home lots of TLC. Also in May, more tragedy with the terrible fire that destroyed Sherwood Drug Mart and Maid Marian's diner. Both icons to Charlottetown and local businesses. I'm happy to report that both are full tilt into rebuilding with openings to come very shortly.
• June: Hollywood lost a few famous faces. They say it happens in threes - without much time between, the world bid adieu to Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson. June also brought great gladness to me, personally, with a thrill of a lifetime opportunity to see my BON BON! Bon Jovi rocked Magnetic Hill in Moncton, and we were there with big smiles on our faces the whole time. What made it even more special was spending it with great friends. Thanks again, Mark and Rhonda for a true "time of my life" :).
• July: It truly was a rockin' summer. With Bon Jovi in June, July was celebrated with more music with the Festival of Lights where we had a chance to see Simple Plan, Theory of a Deadman and Daughtry. We also welcomed a visit from our dear friend JulieJ coming to see her friends and family all the way from the Great White North. I'm so sad that it'll be two years until your next visit *sniff*.
• August: Lions, winds and guitars, oh my! We took an impromptu jaunt to Moncton for the day to visit the Moncton Zoo. Hurricane Bill tore through the Maritimes - and didn't pack quite as much of a punch as was predicted, but it was a fiercely windy day, nevertheless. And our biggest highlight of the month was the Indian River Festival and front-row tickets to see Matt Andersen. I've not seen him play in a better venue. Here's hoping we bear witness to another go at the church in 2010's festival.
• September: Thomas and Bobbie-Jo tied the knot, and Chris and I were so happy to be a part of their special day. It was an honor and a privilege to see their pledge and witness their love joining. They're a prime example of what true happiness looks like. We were lucky to have some time with Cody & Jool who were visiting from Calgary. We miss you guys terribly! Thanks for the laughs :). And, on a sad note, September brought the passing of Dale, Belinda's step-father. I say the word 'step' loosely, because their love wouldn't have been any stronger had their been blood between them. He put up a long struggle, and the only comfort is that he is out of pain. He will be sorely missed. Patrick Swayze also lost his battle with cancer in September. A heart-breaking loss, for certain.
• October: The Fall Flavours Festival was another hit in Charlottetown this year, and this year, Chris and I took in a cooking class with Chef Michael. It was fun and informative, and it also planted the seed in Chris to aspire to cook like a champ! I've been happily grazing on his variety of tried recipes. I'm a lucky gal. It's a good thing that we have that 'quid pro quo' relationship cemented; he cooks; I clean :). Simple. We also helped stimulate the economy of local artists, having the opportunity to see live performances of Dave Gunning with Jessica Rhaye, Matt Andersen with Mike Stevens, and a fantastic performance in New Brunswick with Matt and friends, including Irish Mythen, the Hupman Brothers, Ian Sherwood, and Thom Swift. Unforgettable on all counts.
• November: Falling in line with the music of October, we welcomed the chance to attend a house concert with the lovely Irish Mythen. It was the perfect way to enjoy a favourite artist. And, on a sad note, we said good-bye to our dear bunny, Homer. RIP little guy. We miss you.
• December: December was a month of togetherness, family and a few challenges, with the unexpected health problems faced by Chris' grandfather. He's still holding his own right now, and is surrounded by family who love him. His final days will be full of love, and that's all we, or anyone else for that matter, can ask for. As hard as it was to witness an integral part of a family get sick, the opportunity for so much togetherness truly helped point out the real meaning of Christmas.

Wishing all of you a safe and happy NYE -- may 2010 be a special year for one and all.

Happy Eve Eve

I will be back to regular blogging soon. I promise. I've caught a cold and I feel like poop. In between snuffing and sniffing and I'll admit, a little whining, I'm trying to get through the days with a semblance of normalcy. I've not yet called in sick at work, and tonight I'm trying to get the laundry done and the house in order. After having just sat down though, I'm kind of wishing there wasn't a load of clothes churning and needing attention. I also have a feeling that I'll be watching the ball drop under a blanket on my couch tomorrow night. BAH! At least there's a cold bottle of Pinot Grigio chillin' in the fridge.

So our white Christmas came a few days late. We had a wintery and blustery night last night. While most of the Island stayed their arse home, Chris decided we should brave the weather and look at faucets. Our current one is leaking and needs to be replaced, and he felt that the decision needed a 'girl' opinion so as to avoid the new chosen faucet clashing with our current sink. Since a clashing sink/faucet combo would undoubtably affect re-sale value when we finally ever put this place on the market, I am glad he thought of me :). Before heading to the plumbing aisles we went for supper at Boston Pizza (we had two generous gift cards given to us for Christmas -- thanks Fred, Belinda & Colleen!!). We also stopped at Walmart and I got my first Christmas gift for 2010. Perhaps this year I will pick up a gift at a time and have stuff bought early. That'd be the smart thing to do...how much do you doubt I will do it? Yeah, me too.

I finally bought myself a pair of winter boots this year. I'm tired of cold, wet feet...and the day when I was attempting to scrape my icy windows and I almost stepped out of my little black shoe I was convinced it was something I *needed* to do. So on the idea from Tanya, I went to Soft-Moc and got myself a pair of those generic "Ugg" boots. They're just like wearing slippers, in fact, it feels 'wrong' walking outside in them because they feel so much like slippers. They're very flat though, so not offering much support. They're great for going from the car to the house but I don't know that I'd wear them out again for walking around the stores. Oh, and my biggest issue? They pull your darn socks off! I literally removed my socks from my feet in between stores last night and went barefoot because there are few things that annoy me as much as the feeling of socks that have slipped off my heels (these were literally hanging by my toe pads when I went to fish 'em out). I gotta say, though, barefoot and all, my feet weren't the least bit chilled :).

Mom & Todd are still in Ontario. They decided to stay in Ontario for a few more days to get more time in with the family. It also may be a blessing in disguise with the added security going on in international airports this week due to that attempted terrorist attack (wtf, eh?). Hopefully by the time they go to leave on Friday things will have settled down.

I guess that keeps you in the know. Happy New Years Eve Eve.

For Brandy

I've found the following post on two blogs that I read on a regular basis, and I'm more than compelled to follow suit. Please read the following, and if you have a blog, post it as well. Brandy needs as much support, prayers, and good vibes that she can get. May the power of positive thinking work for you Brandy...sending all the good vibes and positive thoughts for you that I can muster...

My name is brandy. And I have a blog.

And a plea.

I use my blog to showcase the crazy I meet everyday, share the stories of the kids I teach and document my love for tequila, dairy products and the abdominal muscles of Ryan Reynolds. Rarely do I talk about personal issues on my blog- as personal as the dude that I adore (who I actually met through my blog- single ladies, let that be a very good reason to blog, the possibility of meeting someone as wonderful as my man), but I need your help. And it involves my dude.

He’s a guy who made math comics for my class, so they would love learning about addition. He’s the kinda guy who sends my friends gift cards when they are having hard times, who remembers every story I ever told him, who was the first person I celebrated with when I got a teaching job. He’s the guy who sent flowers to me at school- dozens of my favourite pink roses just because he loves me. He’s a guy who has spent a year patiently explaining (and re-explaining) everything there is to know about football during the important games when silence is preferred. He’s made me word puzzles and comics and stayed up late playing Scrabble with me (even though I beat him almost every time). He’s listened to me cry about school and family and jobs. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I always knew I wanted.

The holidays have hit us hard. He’s recently been told he may have something called multiple myeloma- an incurable cancer, that gives a person an average of five years of continued life. Though this news has came as a shock, he continues to be exactly who has always been- spending his time worrying about me, rather than worrying about himself. He’s the most selfless individual I know- (he stayed late on Christmas Eve to work, so his co-workers could leave early) and a post like this would never be something that he would promote or encourage but when I’m overwhelmed and feeling helpless, the blogging community has always given me tremendous support and comfort, two things I desperately need at this time.

As I write this, the future is uncertain and we aren’t sure what’s happening. He’ll need to see an oncologist soon, to verify what’s going on in his body. My hope is that everyone who reads this think positive thoughts and if you are a person who prays, could you add him to your list? (You can refer to him as ‘brandy’s hot awesome dude’). If you don’t pray, please keep him in your heart.This cancer is only a possibility and I believe that the prayers and positive thoughts of people can make sure it never becomes a reality.

I want to give a big thank you to the blog owner who scraped their original blog plans and graciously put this up. My goal is to get as many people as possible to see and read this post. If you are reading this and want to help, copy and paste my plea into your blog or send a link through twitter, so more people can keep him in their thoughts. I would be so very grateful (even more grateful than I am to my friend who first showed me the picture of Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. If you haven’t seen it, google it. You. Are. Welcome).

I realize this all sounds dramatic, a Lifetime movie in the making- but this is life. Right now. And I’m throwing away any hint of ego and am humbly asking for you to pray or think kind thoughts. If you are able to pass this on, thank you and if you know anything regarding MM- please email me (my email is on my blog). This isn’t a call for sympathy or a plea for pity. It’s just one girl hoping you can think positive thoughts for the person she adores. If my current heartache provides you with anything, let it be with the reminder that life is short, love is unbending and no one knows what could happen next. Maybe it is silly, but I really do believe that positive thoughts can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading this and if you haven’t already? Please tell someone you love them today.

I did.

A recap -holiday style

I hope you all had a fantastically magical Christmas. It's hard to believe that at this point, it's all over. All that stress and worry, and now, it's finished. I say this every year, but I'll say it again...next year, I will be prepared earlier! There will be NO stress, and I will not darken the door of any mall, shop or corner store 2 days before!

On account of my mom and brother being in Ontario to celebrate Christmas, it was a little quieter this year with less running around. Christmas Eve, we headed over to Chris' parents' house for supper, and had a bowl of some DELICIOUS seafood chowder, and of course topped the meal with a few shortbread cookies (Rose is a bit of a cookie connoisseur and she makes fan-freaking-tastic shortbreads!). From there, we headed to the Bowlans's annual Christmas Eve party. I don't know how Rhonda does it every year. Her house is wall-to-wall people yet she's mingling amongst them all, taking care to ensure she has a moment with everyone, all the while serving up a host of delicious appetizers - most from the oven, along with plates and plates of desserts, hot cider on the stove, and she even had a bottle of wine *ahem* for me (I do hope someone else helped finish it off). Thank you, once again, Bowlans for a fantastic, holidayrific evening! After mingling at the Bowlans we headed back to his parents' for another visit & picked up our prezzies and then headed on home to crash.

Sleeping turned out to be a bit of a challenge, I'll admit. I 'blame' the fact that the bed was so freaking cold I couldn't warm up, and therefore, could not get to sleep. However, I do suppose that a teensy bit of excitement was potentially part of my sleep issue as well. I'm like a little kid - it's pathetic! :). Who doesn't love getting to open presents? After a bit of tossing and turning, we finally decided to rise out of bed by about 10am. I made us coffee and we had breakfast as we opened our stockings. Chris seemed to enjoy all of his loot, even managing to not complain too much when it came to the new Old Navy jeans and t-shirts (he claims to have boycotted ON on account of their hideous mannequin ad campaign). A few of the highlights for him were the Wii Super Mario Bros game, the new Matt Andersen CD from his Phoenix performance, and the picture I framed of him and his granddad (I even saw a little tear). I guess Santa Amber did ok.

Santa Chris also faired out rather fantastically. He brought me a pair of silver hoop earrings, a Bon Jovi coffee table book that is drool-worthy, a cool CSI game for the Wii and a converting device to convert slides to digital format. Probably my most favourite of the gifts were the heart shaped "two hearts, one love" diamond pendant (soooo beautiful), and by far the biggest cry of the season was when I opened up the small album that he had filled with converted pictures (from slides I had saved) of myself and my Dad from when I was a baby. He'd used the converter to see how it worked. I still tear up just thinking about it. That's just one of the examples of how thoughtful of a guy Chris is...and explains just how special he really is to me, and how much I love him. Thank you so much Chris...that gift alone made my Christmas. xoxo.
We made our way to Chris' parents' house again for Christmas dinner and visited for a few hours (even getting a chance to say hello to Chris' granddad on the phone which was super special). Thereafter, we headed to Rustico to see the Christmas lights. It was lightly snowing which made it much more Christmas-y. For any non-local readers who may have stopped by, Rustico is a little fishing community and they go completely Griswald for Christmas. It's insane, but neat. I wouldn't want to pay their electric bill though.

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

From our house to yours, wishing you every happiness this holiday season. May the magic of Christmas stay with you all every day of the new year.

Have a holly, jolly Christmas....

Wouldn't you know it, just when I thought I was 'done' I realized I wasn't quite that close. Tuesday night I made a quick stop home after work to have supper to fuel up for the impending crowd fight, and went onward to a few more stores. After having wrapped everything up on the weekend and seeing Chris' prezzies under the tree I thought I had scrimped on him pretty badly - especially seeing as two of the few boxes there contained things he really won't like or enjoy (you know those essential things that everyone needs but would never put on their Santa list). So, my main goal of the Tuesday venture was to stop by a few places for a few more things for him. I succeeded rather nicely - and will elaborate more when things have been unveiled :). I also managed to snag something that is wrapped under the tree for "Chris and Amber" from "Santa", that I absolutely LOVE!

So with that, I can finally say that I am officially DONE. *Phew*

Done, that is, with the present-buying, wrapping, and that sort of readiness. What I wasn't finished with was groceries and spirits. Last night, I braved Sobeys and the beer store... This is where the post could go sour.

It's amazing what stress during the holidays can do to people.

"Pardon me, sir, you're heading toward me. Um, HELLO sir! I'm right here! Excuse me while I go out of my own way to avoid your smashing your cart right into mine!"... "Um, ma'am...would you and your three children mind making way for my little cart? You're taking up the ENTIRE AISLE". I literally had to go back to the same aisle three times to get what I needed on account of there being just no semblance of organized traffic or thru-way. And it never failed, my entire shopping trip at Sobeys, I ended up behind the same family of ladies - it looked like 2 adult daughters with their elderly mom in tow. I think they were British. British Mum stood in the middle of every freaking aisle. I had to say, "excuse me" to her FOUR times (four different aisles). I should have invited her over for tea. As I headed toward the check out I walked by the same mother with the three children walking aimlessly down the main aisle by the checkouts mumbling to herself, "this just isn't good. It's not good at all!" A rather impatient couple butted toward my checkout girl with a, "How much is this?" before I was even able to key in my pin number to complete my transaction.

I finally made my way out of there only to be thrown into moving car traffic akin to the grocery cart traffic. Three people cut me off and I was nearly side-swiped TWICE when people attempted to make the merge lane longer than it really was. Thankful to still have my life, I made my way to the liquor store, filled my basket with beer, wine, Baileys & a little bottle of spiced rum, and then back home to clean the kitchen and make ice for the Christmas spirits. I'll ignore the fact that my dear Christopher complained* about the fact that there was only a case of 12 beer waiting, and OMG....."I got cans??!!". I'll not bother writing about my utter lack of Christmas spirit at that very moment. Oh, maybe I just did?

*He insists that his tone wasn't complaining. He insists that I only 'inferred' complaint due to the fact that it was at the tail-end of a SH!TTY day and a SH!TTY night of shopping. Whatever.

After several cups of coffee with a splash of Baileys I'm in much better spirits.

Deck the halls...

So Friday night I opted out of a work Christmas gathering to muckle onto Chris when he had a free moment to breathe and obtain his help for making our home 'festive'. We had a beer, ordered take-out pizza, and started the labor-intensive decorating. I lost his help to Home Alone on the tv pretty much after the tree was standing and lit, though. I'm probably a better decorator, anyway, truth be told :). By the time the tree was done and other little festive accessories were out we had a decorated "mess", with all the boxes and stuff in the middle of it all. I really should have taken pictures. So it was about 1am before I had cleaned up the messy part and could sit and relax for a bit.

Saturday I had a brief stop at the mall (it was insane!) and wrapped my remaining gifts, and even a few for Chris' family (how great am I?). It was much nicer wrapping with a lit Christmas tree and the yule log channel on in the background. Saturday night, Chris and I attended the Annual Saturday before Christmas Party at the Ostridge's. Merriment, good eats, and great times spent with great friends were a perfect combination. Thank you Ostridge's!! We love you :).

Chris' grandfather is now home. He has his oxygen tank that he can take with him, which helps keep him mobile around the house. They are not treating the cancer. He's spending his last days at home. His grandmother knows that she has her husband home until she has to call 911... We are going to get over to Truro to see him at some point, but the doctors have ordered a quiet Christmas for Charlie, so the family has to visit in small groupings. I hope we get over there in time :(. In all likelihood, this will be Charlie's last Christmas, and Chris' mom has expressed the fact that she 'doesn't expect that he'll last very long'. I'm glad that he's home.

Please, in all the hustle and bustle that comes with this holiday, take a moment to count your blessings. Search for the true meaning of Christmas, and keep your family and loved ones close by.

O Holy Night

The tree is up. The gifts are wrapped. I'm finally able to sit down and relax, and having an opportunity to see this has cemented my "Christmas spirit". Always a favourite before, I love this song even more now. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us all, Matt.

Sleep deprived

Disrupted sleep + failure to check alarm clock to ensure set to go off + amazing ability for internal alarm clock to wake self from coma-tized disrupted slumber = how my morning started today. Let's just say that I am not a very happy camper when I don't have my usual double-hit of the snooze button. Couple that with a sore throat, runny oatmeal and coffee that tasted like metal and there you have how my day started.

The pros:

I made it to work on time

I did not slip on the icy walkways/roads (I'm TRYing!)

Fortunately, I remained adept at looking at the glass half full today, and the rest of the day didn't follow suit in how it started (huge sigh of relief!).

Last night, I had a wonderfully delicious time at the Annual Girls Night Christmas Exchange at Julie's. The food was enticing, but the company was much better. Thank you for hosting Julie, and thanks for the lovely time, girlies! *Muah!* Even though I ate enough to feed a small army last night and felt sure that I didn't need another bite of anything rich, sweet, or chocolate, I have to admit feeling the happy come back when Craig treated the staff to a bite-sized chocolate, peanut butter chip, skor bit delight. Oh the holidays. I had my very first Scotch cookie the day before yesterday, too. Another true sign of Christmas. The only thing missing? I've not had one Quality Street chocolate yet. Perhaps that's why I'm having such a hard time preparing? Doesn't chocolate solve everything after all?

As this post seems to be going a little bit on the up and down scale, let's go down now shall we? I returned home to find 3 piles of kitty puke. Awesome. Apparently Zoe also puked 3 times yesterday, too. Now I'm worried about her to go along with the rest of the stress that's going on right now. Dear Universe - you can stop now. Please?

Fa la la la la.....blah.

The days keep on slipping by...the tree isn't up yet. There are no decorations on display. The only thing I've managed to accomplish is to get the cards in the mail. I hope to get the tree up this evening*, but we'll see. Put it this way - I'm not holding my breath!

Sunday night I joined Angela, Laurie Anne, Shelley, & Maria for supper at ESM. It was lovely to see them all again and it was a nice break - just what I needed. I had yesterday off, and though there wasn't any Christmas prep accomplished, it was a productive day nonetheless, including shopping for some much needed groceries, putting said cards in the mail, and doing a major clean up of the house. Lana, God bless her heart, popped over last night at suppertime and made Chris and I supper - complete with appetizer, main course and a delicious cheesecake for dessert. You're such a sweetheart, Lana -- thank you so much, again. We love you...xo.

*pre-post update: in all likelihood, no tree tonight. The Picture Guy (ie, Chris) needs help sorting orders. If we slam through those, sweatshop-style, who knows what we might have room for. Otherwise, we might get 'er up by next week.

Hope your prepping is going a bit more smoothly :). Ready or not, the day will come, and in the larger scheme of things, does it really matter whether or tree is up and twinkling? No :). In your own hustle and bustle that is the season, do keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas....

Still praying for Charlie...

Our little Christmas miracle has dimmed slightly...although he beat all odds coming out of a massive heart attack, Chris' granddad was just diagnosed with lung cancer. FU#K you cancer. FU#K you. He's still in hospital. I'm unsure whether they'll treat him or not - he's 89 years old and just had a heart attack. Would you even want to start a cancer treatment? All I know is that my heart is breaking. I'm sad myself just because I love that man dearly. I'm sad for his family. The patriarch of the Wilkinson family is very ill ... and may not come out of this one. I'm so sad for his wife... her partner in life. I'm sad for his sons ... I know what it's like to watch helpless as your dad lays sick in a hospital bed. I'm so sad for Chris ...he worships that man and it kills me to see him so sad. There's nothing I can do to lesson the pain.

Give your loved ones an extra hug - and tell them that you love them.

Keep fighting big Charlie - we love you...xoxox.

Say it isn't so....

It's two weeks til Christmas Eve.

Just thought I'd get that reminder out there.

{Holy EFF it's 2 weeks til Christmas Eve}

My cards have been started. As in, paper has been cut. Some have been folded. About 12 have been stamped, and nothing is glued together. At this rate they may be delivered some time in February. I have pretty much all of my shopping completed, save a few phone calls and waiting for delivery for a couple of items. I have a sneaky suspicion that I'm going to be promoted to Chris' personal shopper, however... So, if you see a rather lonely-looking lost soul wandering aimlessly through the malls on the 24th of December, give me a wave, ok?
We might get the tree up on the weekend. Maybe it'll be the weekend of the 19th. As a compromise then, I suppose it'd be alright to leave it up til Easter then? What do you think?

Merry Thursday.

I *Heart* the Den

Easily one of my very favourite hours of TV.

And Brett Wilson is my very favourite Dragon. If you're in the dark - look it up, and watch it. I guarantee you'll enjoy yourself...and save a slot every Wednesday night to tune in - like I have.

Checkin' in.

I'm still here - busy as a bee so lacking in posting. Sorry m'lovelies. Christmas is still all packed away in the office closet. My shopping is not yet complete, and my wrapping is still not yet complete. I cut paper last night to make my cards. It'll likely take a few more nights before they're actually constructed and ready to be signed. We have Chris' work Christmas party on Saturday night, and Sunday night I'm scheduled to meet my scrap gals for a bite...somewhere in there I hope to get the tree standing... and Chris is beyond busy with the Picture Guy stuff .... We might be ready by Dec 24. Bah!

Chris' Granddad is still doing well. We haven't heard the results of the echo cardiogram yet - but I'm going on the fact that 'no news is good news'. We're all still keeping good thoughts, and are thrilled that things have turned around like they have. Thanks to all for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers...xo.

Happy Hump.

Praying for Charlie

Well I'm now at the very end of my vacation. I didn't get as much done as I'd planned, but under the circumstances, that couldn't be helped.

Friday morning, Chris got a call from his mother - his grandfather had taken a massive heart attack a few hours prior. It didn't look good...and the family were preparing for the worst. Suddenly, my measly plans of tying up my wrapping and starting the Christmas decorating seemed rather minuscule, and the bigger job of being someone's girlfriend took over. There was no question - I had to go with Chris to be there for him. He's really close to his grandfather, and was taking the news pretty hard. We got ready and on the road as quick as we could.

En route, we had a call from Chris' brother Shawn - their dad had called him to let him know that Charlie Sr. was doing a little better. He'd been taken off his ventilator, and was remembering things. We headed straight to the hospital - to ICU. Charlie Sr. was really drugged up, but he seemed to recognize Chris (off and on). The whole family took turns in and out of the family room and being at Charlie Sr's bedside. Apparently, he had actually flatlined in the early hours of the morning, having to be resuscitated...

The family received a Christmas miracle, though...for Charlie Sr. beat all odds, and to the surprise of his doctors, and us all, he's now doing amazingly well. He's got a long road ahead of him, of course, but for an 89 year old man who just recently suffered a major heart attack, he's doing fantastic. He's got great color, has total recognition of all of us and his surroundings, a great appetite, and a strong will to get out of there and live a long life yet! He's a stubborn old bird, and I think the worst thing he may have ahead of him may be being told he has to take things easy and rest more than he's used to. He's having an echo cardiogram tomorrow - this will reveal how much damage his heart suffered. Hopefully he's got a long life ahead of him yet. We love you, Charlie, and we're praying for you -- keep getting stronger...xo.

So we were in Truro from Friday onward to today - just getting home at about 6pm. The Maritimes received the first snowstorm of the season today as well. It made for a tricky drive home - but the scenery was spectacular, and just a little more Christmas-y. Here's hoping that your Christmas season is filled with its own little Christmas miracles, too.

Relator - LISTEN!

I heard this song for the first time the other day on Ellen, and I just love it! I didn't know Scarlett Johansson could sing - the two of them share a great vibe together - and I think I enjoy this so much that I'll have to give the rest of the album a listen, as well.

Listen to it -- and tell me you didn't move your hips and shoulders to the beat!

Wherein I pray for a stoppage of time

How'd it get to THURSDAY already? :(

I want a recount.

If I was working this week I bet you it'd still be Tuesday.

Baraghhhh! I suppose I should get a bit of laundry done; Chris told me he was out of underoos this morning. I opted to not wrap a thing yesterday with full intentions on getting up early with Chris, making coffee, and getting to work on my wrapping. That was before I found out he had to be out of the house for a 6am shoot. I quickly reneged my offer. The result? I'm just rolling out of bed now. The coffee hasn't been made, and I've done nothing save wiping the sleep from my eyes and having a pee (truth be told the urgence of which the only thing that roused me from my slumber in the first place).

I have a scrapbook class this evening, too,...

Better get at 'er methinks. Happy Thursday. May the next 3 days pass s-l-o-w-l-y......

On cravings and balls

It started with a mild prodding based on a fellow FB'er's status message re: getting Chinese for her birthday supper. It intensified with the increasing hunger in my belly. It became clearly evident that my craving needed to be quelched. I needed eggrolls. When the King of Queens started and the first scene panned to Doug participating in a eggroll eating contest, I figured it was a sign from a higher power.

So the following MSN exchange ensued (bear in mind that the two of us, yes, were in the same house. Yes. We do live in a small home...within shouting distance between rooms... yet, we still communicate via MSN between our respective laptops. Call it nostalgic. Or lazy.). I've taken the liberty of censoring the bad words:

A: I'm craving eggrolls
so. Chinese?
or at least eggrolls?
....
You have just sent a nudge.
....
A: hellllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
C: go get'em
he in the freeezer should be tossed
A: who's in our freezer?
f#@k that seals it
KoQ has an eggroll eating contest
how many do you want?
....
answer me - I'm hungry
I'm not getting you any...
....
You have just sent a nudge.
....
You have just sent a nudge.
C: lol
the rattle thing does nothing on mac
6:38
Amber wants your attention!
that's what it does
not even a beep
no rattle
nothing
A: ANSWER
C: If you're going, I want five.
A: anything else?
C: nah
I'm good
A: sure?
what about beef & broccoli?
C: yep, been a rough gastrointestinal day.
no f#@king way (Chris really hates broccoli)
A: and 5 eggrolls will help?
i'm getting a half order of shrimp rice then
with mine
you're SURE? cuz I'm about to call it in.
C: I want six.
{muffled sound from the bedroom - just as I click the phone after thanking the nice lady for my order}
A: pardon? {"BALLS"...in a rather pained tone...}
you didn't type it
C: and chicken balls
A: I asked you THREE times
no balls foryou
I ordered rice and 9 eggrolls.
thassit
C: (I believe he's copied this at this point because he SWEARS he was typing it to me as I was on the phone - not sure where the original went on my chat window, then...)
nothing more.
rolls and balls
rolls and balls
rolls and balls
(then he starts new typing) oh now.
oh no.
oh well.
no balls for me.
unless you called quick
'cause they'd add it quick
cook in the same fat
do it
call'em
I can't call'em they won't believe me
A: what?
C: call for balls
chicken balls
me wanty
quick, add 'em
i'd do it for you
redial
chris wants balllllllllls!
A: NO BALLS FOR YOU
C: BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS!
A: They said it'd be ready in 10 mins
NO balls.
C:callllllllllllll!
A: you're not getting balls.
C: f#@k sakes call!!!
A: tooooooooooolate
no
it's too late
C: eff you.
A: you're tooooooooolate
C: it's not too late.
A: what?
:O!
C: eff you.
it's not too late.
even 5 minutes would be fine
call
say chris wants balls
balllllllllls
{my hunger becomes my weakness}
A: 1/2?
C: full balls
FULL BALLS!
A: good thing I love you
arsehole
and I don't think you need a full order at all.
you'd better eat every freaking ball.
well, I might eat 21
oops
C: i love balls
i love you for ordering my balls
A: I mean 1 or 2

Incidentally as I was typing this the Dragon's Den was on, and the first entrepreneur was pitching a ball bra (he didn'g get help from the Dragons). And incidentally, Chris only got a half order of chicken balls. And, I ate 1.

My craving was sated. And, Chris still loves me.

Oh the weather outside is...

Our first snowfall ladies and gentlemen...

Good thing I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon for the winter tires. It'll be my first winter with snow tires on. Chris bought them for me. He said it's an early Christmas present. I guess he cares about my safety or something.... awwww.

Drive safely!

Continuum

So Day 2 of vacation - and I got out yesterday to pick up a few more odds and ends, and I think, aside from Chris' gifts, I'm about finished (counting on the fact that I'm still leaving his family up to him). I have the Ontario gifts wrapped, and while Mom is going to try to stuff Fred & Belinda's in her luggage, I still have to send a box away for Cathy. I hope they make it there in one piece. Today I have successfully avoided more packing so far, but have to get back at it. I'm going to try to have Todd's & Mom's wrapped by tomorrow as well.

Tonight, I'm joining the girls at Pat&Willy's for a bite to catch up and to celebrate Erin's birthday! It will be so great to see everyone. I'll try to come back with a few pictures.

Tomorrow, I have a nail appointment in the morning, and then an appointment for an oil change, inspection and winter tire change in the afternoon. Chris has maneuvered our appointments to sync up so he'll drop me off at Mom's in between so I don't have to sit at the garage (and this year I'm opting to take it to a garage instead of the dealership -- perhaps that ought to save a dollar or two?).

Ok so now you're up to date in the mundane that is my life....I have oodles of stuff to pack...bah!

Happy Birthday Erin!

Erin is one of those go-to kinda gals. Whenever you need her, she's there. She's kind, understanding, intelligent and warm. She has a smile that lights up a room, and a big 'ol heart. We've been friends for many, many years, and I don't know what I'd do without her in my life. Through good times and bad times, there was always a shared laugh or hug, whatever the case might be. Thank you Erin, for always being there. Today I raise a glass in your honor to toast all of your goodness. May your upcoming year bring you every happiness, love and good health. Love you bunches, xoxo.

Project: Vacation

After a very tiresome week I can happily report that I'm now embarking upon a week's vacation! I have a very busy week planned for myself - and in preparation, I have done next to nothing so far today. Tonight, our local Christmas parade hits the streets of town, and Chris & I just might check it out if the weather stays clear. Thereafter, we're heading onward to the Mosher's for munchies and a movie. They have been in Halifax for a few days and Chris has been feeding their cats. They get back today - it's kind of a nice feeling to know they'd rather spend a few hours with us tonight instead of relaxing by themselves after being on the road for hours.

Tomorrow, I *have* to get a move on...I have purchased some supplies to make a few things to go with a few presents. Nothing spectacular, but homemade, just the same. And though nothing spectacular, they will no doubt take me a lot longer to put together than I'm anticipating. I also have to lay out what I have so far for gifts and perhaps get myself out to the Mall (*groan*) to finish a few gifts - especially those that have to be mailed away. My goal this coming week is to do it all...by next weekend, we should only have to worry about putting up the tree (I know darn well I'll not be as ready as I think I will be, but here's hoping...).

It's going to be a quiet Christmas this year. Mom & Todd are going to be spending the holiday with Fred & Belinda in Ontario. It will be very strange not being at home at least for some part of the season...Mom doesn't even plan on putting up the tree this year. Fred and Belinda have gone through a tough year though, so I know they'll be very appreciative to have some more family close by. It will also be nice for Cathy and the kids to be able to visit with Mom for the holidays, too....a first for Anja and Jackson, and the first in many, many years for Cathy. We'll celebrate in the New Year exchanging gifts when they return, and, I didn't let her off the hook too quickly - making her agree that I still required a filled Christmas stocking (I'm such a baby, but Christmas, to me, would never be Christmas without a stocking filled with goodies!).

Well, it's getting late - especially considering the time of day that it is and considering just how little I've so far accomplished today. The kitchen is a mess, and many chores await. Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody

If you say you DON'T sing along, all by yourself, in the car when you hear this song on the radio, you're completely lying. The Muppets put their own hilarious spin to it...and I can't get enough. Watch it all...:) You'll be glad you did. And, when you have a bad day. feel free to visit the blog again so you can watch it again.

As an aside, Chris says I look like the bear when I'm in a bad mood.

And thank you to Jeannette for posting this on Facebook, so I could then share it with the world ;).

A jolly 'ol elf was she...

It's a month til Christmas.

A MONTH, PEOPLE!

I have picked up a few odds and ends - starting with the weekend, and a few (very few) things last night as Mummy & I went out to complete her shopping list. I have my card-making supplies on order...but they're not due in til likely the end of next week or first of the following. That doesn't leave me much room to cut, stamp, sparkle and address them all, does it? Methinks I should have just picked up a few boxes of pre-made cards. I just can't bring myself to do that, though. I've been so 'crafty' over the past few years and have made cards the last 3 I can't bring myself to spend money on a card (face it, folks...I have a room hog-filled with papers, embellishments, tools, and the like...that is just sitting there. The LEAST I can do is spend a little time in there once a year). So if you get your card juuust before the big day, know that my intentions were good, ok. They won't be stellar, either - but they'll be hand crafted. Real, genuine sweat and good thoughts put into each and every one. Yeah.

I think I really have to sit my buttocks down and lay out all the little things I've been picking up here and there to see really what I have for people...and what I have left to buy. I am determined to be complete - as in bought, wrapped and ready by the end of next week. I am on vacation next week -- there shall be no excuses! (this is your queue to hold me accountable. Heh).

Tell me - are YOU ready?

Happy Hump.

Happy Birthday Todd!

We used to fight like cats and dogs. We also used to play together like the best of friends. I remember when you cried when I had to break the news to you that it wasn't 'allowable' to marry your sister. I remember when you aspired to be a garbage collector, and played for hours with your dinky cars and Tonka trucks. I remember the firemen's hat with the real working flashing light and sounds...and your Kermit the frog pajamas.

That was 30+ years ago, little brother...but it feels as though it was only yesterday.

Happy Birthday to our family's comedian...to Mom's 'rock'...to my baby brother. Sorry for all the teasing, the fights & the bad words. When it all boiled down, there was always love there. Love you...

I hope the year ahead brings you much happiness, wellness, and love...xo.

"All Kinds of Dirty; one kind of clean?"

So Chris cleaned out the coffee maker this weekend with C-L-R. It's recommended that a user wear gloves when using the product. It descales lime, rust...and hard water deposits. It works like a dream. When we first moved into the 'hood we had some nasty hard water deposits in the toilet bowl (we're talking perma-poo looking stains, people). Christopher (God love him) took to it with the C-L-R, gloves and a scrubbing brush and it was sparkling after a bit of elbow grease.

The commercial advertizes that it's a great solution for stained, grimy coffee pots. So, Mr. Jelmar.com, maker of this wonderfully fantastic product, you advise me to wear rubber gloves to protect my hands and skin when using it to clean anything else... yet, with a bit of dilution, it's ok to run it through my coffee maker?....and rinse only 2 times with clean water to rid the coffee maker of any toxic leftover C-L-R remnants? Really?? Mmmkay...? I'll play your game Mr. Jelmar.com (well, hehe, Chris did as he's the the one in this relationship that handles the toxic cleaners). Our Brew Station was looking a little worse for wear, and we thought a good cleaning would put 'er back to 'new'...

We did as you instructed, Mr. Jelmar.com. In fact, there were many more runs of clean water through than your instructed 2. You know, just to be safe...

I thought the first sip could have been the residual morning breath affecting my taste buds. Then I thought perhaps the different coffee beans I'd used were the culprit.

It tasted odd. It tasted wrong.

It smelled like cleaner.

It tasted...like cleaner...toxic C-L-R cleaner!! If it would burn your hands, what would it do to your throat and lungs??!

I dumped the remnants, promptly instructed Christopher to stay away from the coffee pot, and made my way to Tim Hortons for an XL cup to sustain me (might I also add that it's just not a good idea for me to start the work day without at least a cup of coffee first?). For the remainder of the day I was certain I could feel the toxins coursing through my veins. At one point I even wondered if I should enduce vomiting. My mind can sometimes play horrible tricks on me. After Chris assuring me I'd be fine (after all he'd consumed a full cup of the affected java with no complaints other than it tasted 'soapy'), I figured I was going to live to see another day.

Moral of the story: Mr. Jelmar.com, while we thank you for a good, deep cleaning product, we do recommend that you stick to promoting it with regards to toilets, rusty foundations, and the like.

Wedding Anniversary for One

Today would have marked 51 years married for my Mom & Dad. I know he's shining down on her today from Heaven. I think the words of the song, "In My Life" by John Lennon sum up the day in a fitting manner:

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad....xoxo.

Oh Weekend, how I love thee

A great, though spendy, weekend is almost behind me. Friday night after work Chris & I decided to go out for supper since neither one of us had any other plans, and neither of us felt like making anything. We went to Pat & Willys for the first time it what seems like ages. I enjoyed mine; Chris, not so much...so, I felt compelled to take the tab since he didn't like his supper. From there, we popped into the kitchen store where I picked up a few little items to officially begin my Christmas shopping (yay! me). We ran into Kim & Kevin there and had a little impromptu chat until the mall security kicked us out. From there, we had full intentions on going to the Colonel Grey Craft Fair, but it was pouring rain, and the traffic for the fair was beyond ridiculous. So, we opted to stop for a movie (The Taking of Pelham 123) and came home to snuggle. The movie was probably okay, but, sadly I missed most of it. Seems as soon as I'm in the horizontal position I'm a goner. Friday night was no exception.

Saturday we got up fairly early and had a hearty whole wheat blueberry pancake breakfast, and then went on our way. First I had to take a stop into Indigo to cheer on my dear friend Lori, who was having a book signing there. I grabbed one of her latest, and a couple little stocking stuffers, and then it was onward and upward to give the Fair another go. This time, we made it there. It was fairly predictable - same as every other year, but I had a few goals in mind for gift-giving, and I was successful in my quest (that's all I can divulge in the event that one of my giftees are reading my blog ;)). We purused the halls of the school to find people we knew in previous graduating classes, and I feld pretty damn old! A quick stop at Sobeys and Tim's for a coffee, and we were back home.

Saturday night, we joined Krissy & Marco for supper at Boston Pizza and then we took in a movie. We had already picked up our tickets prior to supper, but had we not have done so, we may have changed our minds about the evening's entertainment after landing back there to wait in the ridiculous line up to get in (thought we weren't taking in the newest in the Twilight series, the rest of the Island was). The line up was our first clue. The next clue was our chosen movie being in Cinema 7. Cinema 7 is the forgotten theatre. The one that is alllll the way at the back where they put the crappy movies. The smalllllest theatre, with the shitty seats. The ones that make your arse go to sleep within 10 minutes. The next clue was the fact that we were forced to sit in the front row in order to get 4 seats together. As if the seats weren't uncomfortable enough, now I knew we'd have to sit with our heads craned just to see the damn screen. And the final clue....our chosen movie. We saw 2012 - which was nothing like the trailer led us to believe it would be. It was 2 1/2 hours of the cheesiest cornball plot and storyline I've seen in a long time. It had such good potential, yet...it failed miserably.

That brings us up to current. I've been up for hours, and have about 5 loads of laundry done and most of my taped tv caught up on. I just may stay in my jammies all day long :) I hope you're all having a relaxing weekend as well.

If I don't,, you'll complain. Once you read it, you still might...

After Day 2 with the new role I'm feeling much more comfortable - and so far, quite enjoying it! Now perhaps I can try to concentrate on the fast-approaching Christmas season..........(who'm I kidding??). Seriously though, people -- look at the date. I have GOT to get out this weekend and pick up a few things so I don't feel as anxious... Help a girl out....tell me you're all in the same boat, would ya?

I had to scrape my windows today. That sucks. On account of it being super cold out this morning I of course dressed warmly, and now that the afternoon has approached it's warmed and I'm...well...slightly uncomfortable. Oh, I'm also wearing a pair of pants that had been laying silent over time in my closet. They feel fine as I stand up. Sitting? Well, let's just say I've grown accustomed to the new "comfort fit" pants at Reitmans (if you've not yet experienced, you HAVE to! Um...dress pants that feel like gym pants.....Hellllooooooooooo! Where have you BEEN all my life??!). At least they're on my arse instead of in the closet ;). Do I have to start Christmas shopping? Can't I just go to Reitmans and buy more Comfort Fit pants??

Wow this post was filled with enlightenment, now wasn't it?

A Birthday in Heaven

Happy Birthday Dad. I think about you every day, but today, you're on my mind a little more. You would have been 73 years young today...with your little strut, and a twinkle in your eye as you flirt with all the ladies.

I have an old 8 Seconds soundtrack with a song called "Once in a While" by Billy Dean. I always think of you when I hear it:

Once in a while
Someone comes along
That one in a million heart
So pure and so strong
They can face up to the tears
And somehow still find a smile
We only get it
Every once in a while

Once in a while
Someone has the eyes
That one in a million look
That never tells lies.
They can take get you on your feet
To walk that extra mile
We only see it
Every once in a while

That's why we call them heroes
That's why we know their names
And once you've heard their stories
You're never quite the same

That's why we call them heroes
The best thing they ever do
Is point to the best in us all
And say, "If I can, you can too."

Once in a while
I still hear his voice
That one in a million sound
Like two laughin' boys
He would hate it if we cried
That never was his style
Oh, we still miss him
Every once in a while

Oh, they can face up to the tears
And somehow still find a smile
But we only get it
Every once in a while

Oh, how I miss him
Every once in a while

You'll always be my hero, Dad. I'll love you forever, xoxox.

Spinnin' like a top...

Ok I have Day 1 of the new role at work behind me...my head is spinning. After 6 years of doing the same thing day in and day out, it's hard to be fresh off the teet to do something brand spankin' new, ya know? Training drained me severely -- to the point that I was mush by the time I got home Friday night, which sorely dampened my plans for the weekend, I'm afraid. I could have taken Mom to Nova Scotia to celebrate my aunt & uncle's 40th Anniversary Party. I could have attended Lana's dancing birthday party, but I ended up being the Queen of Party Poopers and bailed on it all. Happy Anniversary Wayne & Celine!! Wishing you many years of continued happiness! Sorry I missed dancing with you Lana - I hope you had a great night!!

So, on account of feeling poorly, I did little else this past weekend other than loaf, sleep, loaf, and sleep some more. I did, however, have an opportunity that I could not pass up - and that was to attend a house concert this weekend with Irish Mythen. I almost opted out of that as well on account of how poopy I was feeling (as in Chris waking me up from a nap with literally 13 mins to decide if I was coming or not)...and despite a few waves of nausea, I made it through. We had seen Irish perform for the first time during Matt's show in Saint John. She's been compared to Matt actually - a female version. I can see how she gets the claim. At 4'11", you wouldn't think a person of her stature would pack a punch like she does, but she's a complete powerhouse! She can wail like nobody's business; she's soulful, energetic, and her songs touch your heart. It was a complete joy to be there. And the setting of this 'house concert' thing was amazing. Basically it's the same as any other concert - with a cover, sit-down venue, etc...but you're amongst people who want to be there, and who will sit down and shut up through the entire performance. I hope to be able to attend many more concerts of this nature. Thanks for sharing your talent, Irish! :)

Sunday I was starting to feel a lot better, and in between more napping and catching up on my taped TV, I finally managed to clear the way to my closet and put the piles of clothes away. I still have about 3 or 4 loads of laundry I could have done, but they'll just have to wait. I hope you all enjoyed a good weekend - and I hope yours had a bit more excitement and flair than mine did :)

Anja's Sweet 16

Your Gifts

Some people are gifted
With beauty and radiance
Some have the power
To make you feel joy from their smile

Others are blessed with pleasant personalities
Who are loving and trusting
Or just plain out striking
Some people are blessed
With the gift of reliability

But you my dear have a gift of one kind
And that is your inner and outer beauty
You're loving and trusting
Caring and daring
A perfect princess

Happy Sweet Sixteen

...........
My beautiful niece Anja turns 16 years old today. I borrowed the above poem from the interweb to toast her beauty on this milestone birthday. I also stole this gorgeous pic from her FB profile (hope you don't mind, Anja!). Wishing you every happiness, sweetie. I hope all your birthday wishes come true. Never lose your inner beauty....xoxo.

Never Forget

"They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them."

On November 11th, show your respect to all the brave who have lost their lives for our country, and to those still serving....

I found this message posted on Facebook; it is a quote by a poet named Laurence Binyon, and I thought it was fitting to include in a post in preparation for tomorrow's Remembrance Day. I hope you all take the time tomorrow to join in the moment of silence at 11:00am. Please, for this moment stop to think of the fallen soldiers, and those who are still putting up a fight. We owe our freedom and our lives today as we know them, to these brave men and women. Lest we forget.

Bah! Monday!

Oh Monday. You're a sneaky little little jeezer. I wasn't ready for you today. At all. I want my weekend back. I didn't even get the laundry started before it was time to go to bed last night.

Bah!

After dealing with Homer Saturday, Chris and I had breakfast at Timothys, and then headed down to the Charlottetown Hotel. There was a run being held (Wally Rodd 10k), and afterward, a pumpkin toss. The pumpkin toss was a fundraiser for the IWK. Interested parties paid a $1 to go up to the 4th floor and drop their old Halloween pumpkins down to the ground beneath. Chris wanted to take a few photos. No, neither one of us were run participants. The thought of that is laughable, at best. Thereafter, we did a bit of running around - WallyWorld and a stop at the Mall to pick up Lana's birthday gift at the Body Shop.

Saturday night, we headed over to Lana & Bruce's. Bruce arranged a bit of a surprise cake/ice cream gathering for Lana's birthday. It was mostly just family, and they left fairly early in the evening. Chris and I stayed back, and the four of us played several rounds of the game "WTF - Raunchy version". We didn't realize it was a drinking game when we purchased it. It was good for a few laughs nonetheless...and, I suppose, if we all concentrated on making it an actual drinking game, the questions would have packed more of a punch. Thanks for the fun evening, MacAusland's :).

Sunday, we brunched on homemade (well, Chris-made) whole wheat blueberry pancakes (from scratch!), and I finally got caught up on my Thursday night taped tv. I had full intentions on getting a few loads of laundry done and straightening up a bit around the house, but the pull of the television was too great ...having just happened upon a show starring my Bon Bon I had to give my entire concentration to that. After that, I met up with Lana at Cedars for birthday shawarma! It's our tradition to go to Cedars for shawarma on our respective birthdays; really, it's just an excuse to eat more shawarma! Mmmm....shawarma! As always, the food and the company were fantastic!

And now it's Monday - another work week...and I'm surrounded by coughing and sneezing and blowing noses. It's that time of year. What I wouldn't give for the shelter of my warm cozy bed...

An empty cage...

Homer T. Bunny has gone to bunny heaven.

Chris woke me up this morning to tell me he figured he finally needed to put him down. He suspected perhaps he'd had a stroke through the night...one side of his body didn't seem to move. He'd been getting sicker and sicker for the past few months - losing so much weight. He still seemed to have an appetite and drank well, but he was nothing but bones. Chris never wanted to play God and put him down, but today it was such a sad sight, it felt like the only humane thing to do.

He called the vet and made an appointment. I left them to go have a shower.

In the time it took for me to have my shower, he'd died in Chris' arms.

As long as Chris and I have been together, Homer's been around. He didn't do much....what do bunnies do, really? He was a Himalayan dwarf rabbit. A real cutie. He loved raisins, jelly beans and Nibs. Sometimes we'd let him out of the cage for him to get some exercise. It was hilarious when we lived in the apartment because he'd do this little run and skip thing - I called it his 'frolic'. It looked like he was clicking his heels together. He didn't do it much here on account of there being no carpet. He couldn't get much traction on the laminate. He did try though. Chris would put an old quilt down and he frolicked a bit on that. He used to take forever to get a drink from his water bottle...and the clicking sound he'd make doing it used to drive us nuts. He used to take his food dish and bang it up against the bars of the cage to get our attention..."uh...hey guys, my dish is empty...". Chris put super strong magnets on the dish to try to keep it in place. Somehow, he always seemed to manage to get it free though.

The floor looks really empty now where the cage once stood. As much as it drove me nuts, I'll miss that clickety sound he made when he got a drink.

I really am going to miss the little guy.

Rest in peace, buddy.

This little fella cried wee, wee, wee......

It's been a long time since I posted any 'news' worthy goings-on, but after having come across this article, I figured it was post-worthy:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/2009/11/06/chatham-pig-tim-hortons-091106.html?ref=rss

I get a kick out of the final sentence: "'I guess we're lucky we added a section to our health and safety manual for when someone leaves a pig in your washroom,' Morelli said." They already had a section in their health and safety manual...really? Talk about your protection against the swine flu...

Happy Birthday Lana!!

Today marks Lana's birthday, so this is a post in dedication to her.

Lana, I toast you - today and always. Thank you for being a friend - a confidante, a shoulder, an ear, and a hand. For your words of encouragement... for laying it out on the line without the sugar coating when I need it...for the silly times and shared giggles. For your sick sense of humor...for standing up for what you believe in...for your insight, and your strength. Through thick and thin, happy or sad, I'm here for you whenever you need me.

Happy Birthday, my dear friend. May the year ahead bring you every happiness and utter spoilage! xo

"We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over."
-- Samuel Johnson

A mish mash of nothing, really.

When did it get to be Wednesday?? Jeepers... Huge changes going on around work - and because I make it a point not to blog about work, I'm not going into any huge detail. Suffice it to say that we're training for a whole new role within the organization. The change is exciting, challenging... and here I am back in a classroom learning something completely different. By the time I land home I'm mentally exhausted. I guess that's how you get from Sunday to Wednesday in a blink of an eye.

(That entire paragraph took an eternity to write as I'm 'multi-tasking' between blogging and watching Rachael Ray...where Michael Buble is one of the day's guests. I love me some Michael Buble....mmmm, mmmm, mmmm. He's so talented, funny, ...and heck, I'm happy just hearing him talk).

So aside from training, the week has passed pretty uneventfully. We're now in November...Christmas is just around the freaking corner. I haven't even started thinking of Christmas shopping, let alone shop. I haven't given thought to what my Christmas cards will look like...and I'm doing well keeping the sink clean and having clean underwear on hand lately. I'm not entirely sure where the time will come to do the card making and the shopping... I guess I say the same thing every year, though don't I? I have a lot of birthdays to celebrate in November too, so once they're out of the way that allows more of a mindset for the St. Nick season. I'm all shades of bah humbug at the moment, though.

(I haven't even managed to craft/send a "thank you" note to ColleenB yet for her hospitality after the Matt show in Saint John yet, for God's sake!)

So far, I've managed to evade the drasted swine flu...and I gotta say, I'm sooooo effing sick of watching/hearing about the hysteria that is the H1N1 virus. I know it's serious, and I don't mean to belittle those families mourning the loss of a loved one afflicted with it. The 'regular' flu has also had casualties...but no one hears about those. I just feel that the media has blown it up to an unimagineable proportion, creating massive fear everywhere. People are quarantining themselves in their homes - preventing their children from going trick-or-treating on Halloween (and some of those that did were sanitizing the treats as they got in the door!) ... Wash your hands, stay home if you feel ill or have a fever. If you're immune system is compromised, or if you're a part of a high risk group then sure, it's probably a good idea to be vaccinated. I haven't had a flu shot in the past 3 years; I've also not been afflicted with the flu in those 3 years. The year I did get the flu shot, I came down with the flu. Will I roll up my sleeve to guard against swine? I haven't made up my mind. You can bet I won't be standing out in the cold for 3-4 hours to do so, that's for sure.

(I wasn't even going to bring up a mention of the swine flu due to my utter disgust with the media hysteria, but this blog may someday prove helpful in remembering certain moments in history, so I decided to go against my better judgement. And, I wash my hands with soap and water...I do NOT douse them in scads of anti-bacterical hand sanitizers either!)

Ok, the Dragon's Den is just starting, and my hands are so freaking cold it's hard to type. I'll jump down from my soapbox for another night. Happy Hump.