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So I end up seeing a catch phrase or term all over the internet, and I'll hate it--and yet, somehow it sneaks its way into my vocabulary? Like "Squeee!". I hate "squee!". But I'm not going to lie. Today is so uber "squee"-worthy! ...
'Cause I heard back from our venue: The chef and I talked at length about your wedding today and although there is no way we can provide you with a menu this far ahead, he did agree that he would something nice for you for $27.95 per person. This is really $22.00 for the food, $3.30 grat and $2.64 Tax (that's if hst goes through, if not your tax component will go down, so vote against it!) This is a very good deal for you, my chef has a very big heart :) Now if that doesn't deserve a "squee (with extra eee's!), than I don't know what does! $22.00 a plate! Better than I could've dreamed of! Now, I know I've exhausted the wedding-talk as of late, and I promise you that I am not a bridal-magazine weilding, high-pitched giggling, obsessive lip-gloss applying, hopelessly ditzy bride-to-be! I actually become quite angry when I start to think about the whole "wedding industrial complex", and I've actually become quite turned off the bridal magazines for perpetuating this notion that weddings must be expensive. Gag. Every time I score a good deal on something wedding-related, it feels like one small victory against the wedding industrial complex (henceforth referred to as WIC)! I scour the $1.50 bins at Michaels! I pace the aisles of the dollar store looking for inspiration! I refuse to take out a loan to pay for my wedding dress (that I will wear for ONE DAY, folks!). I want to have a kick-ass party, and I want it to be whimsical and special. As I explained it to Erika, my DIY approach has had me putting my heart and soul into every project I've tackled (and will be tackling over the next year and a half), and I'm overcome with such a sense of pride when I reflect on the projects I've accomplished! Take that, WIC! Onward to some more matrimonial musings... -I hate mermaid dresses. Like, I really abhor them. No one, not even the waifiest of waifs, looks good in a mermaid dress. It's like skinny jeans, you know? In fact, I'm pretty sure the same people that invented skinny jeans are the ones selling the mermaid dresses. I'm pretty sure! -We are not hiring a DJ, because I really don't want to listen to (nor force our guests to listen to) shitty remixes of Beyonce and The Black-Eyed Peas. Now, don't get me wong. I have actually sung along to "Single Ladies", and between you and me, "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night' gets me kind of pumped...shhh. But no. Instead, Ryan and I are going to create a playlist of our own music, 80s punk rock covers and all. It's going to be rad. -Flowers totally die! And they totally cost money! That's why I'm painstakingly hand-crafting 100's (OMG am I really?!) of tissue-paper flowers ... wait. What am I thinking? As far as the bouquets go, we're totally hitting up the farmer's market a couple of months before the wedding and asking them to put aside all of their white flowers, which is totally going to suit the woodsy, bird-themed vibe of the day. -I can't even fathom dropping coin on a wedding cake after we literally shovelled the remains of Ashley and Spencer's partially eaten, fondant-covered cake into the garbage the day after the wedding. It makes me heart sink just thinking about it. Nope, my mom is doing us the lovely favour of making our cake, and I'm confident it's going to be beautiful ('cause my mom's totally OCD, just like me!). -I don't want a limo. I want a vintage car! Where does one even begin to look? Maybe someone's grandpa...maybe? 'Kay, well anyhow...I need to write back the lady from our venue, and intervene in Ryan's Playstation-playing, because when he says, "I'll just be a couple more minutes" ('cause I'll be waiting to watch a movie, or "Hoarders", see), what he really means is, "You're going to have to peel this controller out of my sweaty hands, or else I'm going to sit here until midnight". Ciao lovelies! PS - I also really hate "for the win!". I had to look up that up the first time I saw it. It's taking over like those stupid fucking Facebook statuses about posting your doppelganger's bra colour or whatever it is...
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Ohmigosh, it's sure been stormy! Reminds me of the winter Ryan and I first moved to Victoria, when it rained torrentially and our crappy basement suite flooded. Good thing we only lived there for a couple of months!
Things have been busy, but mellow. Nothing terribly exciting to report. I want to post piccies of my wedding-crafts progress, but I don't want to put them on Facebook 'cause I don't want to reveal the surprise to family members and so forth. Anyone know any good sites to host pictures (simple is best)? I went to Vancouver with Ashley this past weekend, to go to the Lovestruck bridal show. It was a pretty decent show, and there were lots of good things about it (free mimosas & canapes!). However, I'd say my dislikes far outweighed my likes. It was poorly coordinated and nobody seemed to know what was going on (it wasn't your typical tradeshow set up--instead, it was trying to be all trendy and party-esque). The fashion show, although it started good, became an absolute joke, with ridiculous "Project Runway"-like gowns consuming much of the latter half of the show (the type of gowns that would've got the contestant voted off the show...if that is indeed how "Project Runway" works...I wouldn't know). The show ran at six, but we'd pretty much seen all the vendors (yawn!), and so we left around 2:30. Actually, there was this one poor girl doing a workshop on DIY birdcage veils and she was so nervous--and people were getting up during her presentation and leaving! Like, half the room emptied! I mean, this is a room full of Coach-purse toting, extension wearing city-snob-bitches (cunts, in fact!), and this poor girl in her skinny jeans and vintage jewellry was just so exceptionally nervous, it was painful! And yet her crafts were so amazing! After everyone left, we went up to her and chatted for awhile, and Ashley actually bought one of her feather headpieces, and my sister Marisa bought me a white feathered headpiece (which is absolutely beautiful!). Hopefully we redeemed her horrible experience. Oh, I remembered her business name: A Farmer's Daughter. Check it out! Her work is brilliant!
(Oh dear, I hear things banging around outside! There's a chilli cook-off at work tomorrow and the power can't go out!)
Anyhow, the bridal show was on Sunday. On Satuday we had lunch with Sheelagh, Marisa, and Adriel at Havana's (don't mind me going all link-happy here!). (Their sangria is to die for, most especially the Tropical Sangria!) After, Adriel departed and us girls went to the creepiest-ever bridal store we'd found on-line where I literally held in my hands a wedding dress with a rhinestoned-denim top (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Ashley took a picture, but I haven't seen it yet. The dresses we're grubby (and yet sold as "new"), the store smelled weird, and the girl helping us was (I swear!) on some sort of illegal drug. Ugh, we got out ASAP. After, we stopped in at Charlie's Chocolate Factory, then Metrotown, before picking up a pile of sushi and going home for sushi & wine. We were up until 12:30 am just being silly, and then went to the bridal show on Sunday.
Ugh, and Ashley and I had the worst trip home on Sunday. We got to BC Ferries around 5:15 to catch the 6:00, which was sold out. Which means we had to catch the 7:00, but 'cause it was so stormy, the 7:00 didn't leave until 7:45, and at 8:45 we could STILL see the harbour. We indulged in the best $10.00 we ever spent and went to the lounge for recliners, magazines, and free tea & cheese! Turns out I got my money's worth, as we didn't get home until 10:00 pm.
Other than that, things are good. I finished my wedding favours (seriously!), and in Vancouver I picked up two large bird-cage candle holders on clearance from Losers (read: Winners). They will be PERFECTION! Ryan and I have also emailed a potential venue with a plethora of questions, but the lady's on holidays until the weekend, so I won't hear back from her right away.
In other news, I plan on setting up the Christmas tree this weekend, and hopefully getting my Christmas cards done. Oh, and I finally started me trial at the government employees gym (yoga! cardio!). It goes 'til December 5th...I'll let ya know how it goes.
Off I go to make veggie chili! Until next time!
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OMG. I went from "so excited to plan a wedding!" to "I'm effing stressed out trying to find a venue"!
Ryan and I keep flip-flopping on the dates, and we thought we had a venue picked out in Victoria for October 2010, but alas, as it is the German hall, they don't book anything in October 'cause of Oktoberfest. Back to square one.
Now we are considering a wedding in Kelowna for May 2011, provided it were to all come together. We could have the ceremony on the lake at my aunt and uncle's house. My other aunt and uncle have a clubhouse on their property that can be rented out, which I figure could be bridal party accomodations the night of the wedding. So I have two families there, plus family in Osoyoos nearby, and Ryan's sister is in Kelowna, too, which means accommodations for guests and nobody having to ferry over from the mainland and beyond. We've even found a good reception site, though I'm waiting to hear back from the fella. All this venue-securing is causing me a lot of anxiety, as I don't like to be in limbo. If we can just secure a venue, then I can carry on with the more elaborate details. I know I shoudn't feel in a hurry for spring 2011, but I am. It would get the biggest "to do" off my plate! So much stress! So now, I've sent all my emails this morning in regards to Kelowna, and all I can do is wait to hear back! It would work out so well to have the wedding in Kelowna, both for sites, and for our pocketbook. The reception-site has all the necessary stuff, like music, dancing, bar service, and a PA system. It would be about $3500 for food, and then another $500.00 or so for the dancefloor, taxes, etc. We'd love to be able to keep the venue budget at $4500 or under. Most of the other stuff I'll be making/creating on my own, so I can keep the cost down there:
- Favours: marble magnets--already have a bunch made, and am working away on them.
- Centerpieces: no flowers for me! They'll be twigs and lanterns and birds, in tall glass vases.
- Bouttenieres: sprigs of rosemary!
- Wedding Dress: from David's Bridal, probably. I'll try on some dresses in town, and see if I can find them on David's Bridal, or take a trip to Seattle to go there in person.
- Cake: Mom's making it!
- Wine: Ryan and I are probably going to u-Vin, haha!
That's just some ideas! I have an accordian folder full of clippings, and a sketchbook full of my designs and ideas--everything from our first dance song, to our unity ceremony (combining sand!). I have confidence that I can keep most of the cost down, it's just that damn venue that's causing me anxiety! I already bought my hairpiece ages ago (haha!) on eBay--a swarovski crystal hairpiece with a small starfish in it. Though I can't find it currently--I probably stashed it away somewhere to put it aside. I paid $10.00 for it--and it's completely handmade. The ones at the bridal stores sell for $100+! Anyhow, I'm going to Tammy's tonight to hang out with the girls and do crafts and have some wine! I'm looking forward to it! And tomorrow Ashley and I are going to visit some bridal shops (heh), and then have lunch and watch "The Proposal" (geez, I'm turning into a wedding-obssessed-geek!). I know this entry is short and sucky, but off I go!
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So! Most of you probably already know this from Facebook, but for those that don't, I am officially engaged! Before this, I used to think that upon my engagement, I would be level-headed and calm, and that I wouldn't get swept away in the wedding-mania that so many brides-to-be subscribe to. Well, that's where I was wrong. The last week has been spent flipping through bridal magazines, planning details out in my head, searching for venues, reading wedding books--I've fallen prey to wedding-fixation! I've been watching "Say Yes to the Dress" with tears in my eyes! I become overwhelmed with happiness at times and my heart starts racing in excitment! Here's how it happened...
Ryan and I had booked a stay in Whistler back in May for our 7-year anniversary. Of course, many of my friends were asking whether I thought he would propose, and inside I was hoping he would, but I refused to get my hopes up, and so I had reconciled myself with the fact that he wouldn't be proposing (and I was okay with that!). We drove up to Whistler on Saturday and checked in at the Fairmont (we got a killer deal on accommodations, and they even upgraded our room for us, free of charge!). On Saturday afternoon we wandered through the village--it was a crisp and brilliantly sunny weekend, and everything looked so beautiful! We went and had appies and drinks at The Amsterdam Pub, wandered the village slightly tipsy, then returned to our hotel. We hung out for a bit, then decided to go out for a late dinner, and ended up at Monk's Grill. The service was slow (the waiter forgot to submit our order), but it was a nice place and we were happy just to sit, pick at the bread, and have a few drinks. We left dinner tipsy once again, and were wandering near the base of Blackcomb. I saw this little tiny red barn (meant to advertise trail rides during the daytime), and so I told Ryan I wanted to go over to it for some pictures! He obliged me, and I commented on how he never wants to do photo ops, haha!
He told me to go stand in front of the barn, and he'd take my picture. He had the camera out, I was posing, and then...he pulled the ring out and asked me to marry him! I stood there stunned, and then my sailor mouth took over: "Are you f-----g kidding me! Ohmigod, you're f-----g joking! Is this real! OMG!" He put the ring on my finger after assuring me it was real (and asking me to stop swearing in astonishment), and then I did the overwhelming crying-sobbing thing! We walked around the village, me holding my hand in front of me like a beacon! I don't even remember going back to the hotel--I think we stopped several times so I could either squeal in glee or cry for a moment! We phoned our parents and best friends (future wedding party), and then we ventured down to the hot tub and pool.
We met some folks down there that we started chatting with, and told them we'd just got engaged. They bought our pitcher of mojitos and also ordered a round of shots! Too funny! I went to bed that night blissfully happy (which was only slightly ruined by my waking up at 6:00 am feeling terribly ill--undoubtedly the result of downing a pitcher of mojito's and a Burt Reynolds shot all in the span of 40 minutes!).
The rest of our weekend in Whistler was amazing! On Sunday we rode the Peak 2 Peak gondola, which was breathtaking in the sunshine. We spent the latter part of the day in bed drinking tea and watching television and basking in newly-engaged bliss. We left on Monday morning after an amazing trip!
Oh, and my ring! Well...I'm not one of those girls that had any sort of ideas about what I wanted for an engagement ring. There were two things I liked: white gold, and solitaires. But aside from that, I wasn't fussy. Plus, I feel like the guy really should call the shots when picking out a ring. He wants you to wear it your whole life, and that's special! Ryan picked out an amazing ring--a whilte gold solitaire, and more beautiful than I could have imagined. It has a floating diamond, so you can see the whole gem from either side. The cut is round and dazzlingly sparkly. He had it made at Francis jewellers--they've already resized it for me, and so I've been wearing it since Tuesday (pausing frequently to stop and admire it!). I can't wait to see my mom and dad this weekend, to share the joys with them!
We haven't quite settled on a date yet. We've narrowed it down to either October 10th, 2010, or July 30th or 31st, 2011. I'm already stressing out trying to pick a venue, but I've narrowed it down. Ryan said he wants to get married in Victoria, but on account of the venue-cost here, I'm thinking we may have to extend our search to consider Nanaimo and the Parksville area as well. We're obviously paying for the wedding on our own, so we don't have a huge budget. But I've already come up with countless crafting projects, including pathway luminaries and rosemary-spring boutounnieres for the groomsmen. I think the theme will be organic, minimalist, and nature-esque. Initially I wanted a coast theme, but I'm starting to move towards a bird theme with a more woodsy feel. But of course, I'm going to discuss this all with my Mom on the weekend and get her input. I just can't believe it! I'm so elated!
Anyhow, I best be off to get showered, as we're heading up island this morning. Until next time, lovelies!
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I'm just super exhausted as of late. (Aw, Bails keeps pawing me from the sofa, and whining for me to hold her in my lap...did I tell you our dog is a cat in disguse? She perches on the arm of the sofa like a cat; she washes her face like a cat; and she loves lap-time, just like a cat, haha!). I was struggling to do a balance pose in yoga tonight. I can usually balance with little difficulty, but tonight I couldn't hold the balance for more than a few seconds. And I guess that's sort of how I feel right now. Imbalanced.
My plan is to cocoon inside for the weekend and do little else except sit around with Ryan and Bailey and be shamelessly lazy. All this activity is starting to catch up with me, and I feel like I haven't slept in days. And I really want to feel refreshed for our weekend in Whistler! I've felt so disorganized and out of it lately. Seriously. For example, I arrived at work today feeling alright because even though I've got a few things sitting on my desk, I was confident I could get everything done (mostly the things I haven't had time to attend to the rest of the week). Well, before I know it, I'm being pulled in all directions, and the day turns manic once again! I went to a boardroom twice expecting it to be open, and instead, it was locked--and of course, I neglected to bring my swipe card, counting on it being open. I helped set up a webinar this morning, and all was well, except the link to the webinar didn't work, and all the attendees were sitting around for fifteen minutes while we frantically phoned the company trying to get the proper link! When I got to the bus, I realized I'd forgotten my housekeys that morning (and Ryan had left me the car at home to go to yoga), so I literally had to stop off at Ryan's work, then grab another bus home! I think my chaos is stemming from my extreme tiredness, but either way, it sucks! I had an ETO day on Monday, and forgot we were doing a "field trip" first thing Tuesday morning, which required closed-toe shoes. Well, stupid me, I wore sandals! So that's pretty much how my entire week has gone.
I went to the library and took out a bunch of books on clean eating & sugar free cooking/baking. I haven't committed myself to candida yet, but this weekend I'm going to get some menu plans going. I just started reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", and I'm enjoying it a lot so far, even though the whole food-security thing as a whole is quite frightening! I love many of her fiction books (especially "The Poisonwood Bible", which I read when I was in grade eight or so), and I've discovered she employs the same poetic language in her non-fiction. This is the third non-fiction book I've read about food, consecutively (the first being "The Yeast Connection Cookbook", and the second being "Skinny Bitch"), so after this I'm delving in to some mind candy!
I am so ready for the weekend! Around this time of year I always go through a couple of weeks when I feel like I don't have enough time for anything. I have so many projects and would-be projects on the go that it's discouraging to think about how I haven't had time to absorb myself in them. Not only my candida meal-plans (critical to the diet, seeing as processed foods are restricted), but I was also planning on scrapbooking our summer trip to the Okanagan, and I've got marble magnets on the go which have been sorely neglected. Oh, and then there's my novel, which has been untouched since before we moved, save for maybe a paragraph or two. I think that I hit a writer's block with that, and I'm not sure how I can get things flowing again. It doesn't help that I'm by no means a novelist, and this is just one of those life-goal things I've always wanted to do. But it's sitting in the back of my mind like an essay I keep putting off writing or something! Hell, I don't even have time for TV! Maybe having a PVR is dangerous, 'cause honestly, I have such a backlog of programs I haven't watched yet. I think that's what my Saturday morning will be for, haha!
Anyhow, aside from that, there's not much else to report. Cousinfest went well, but alas, I'm too tired to summarize it all at the moment, so I won't. Instead I'll sip my earl grey and wait to pick Ryan up. Until next time!
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Apart from being at work the past two days, today is the first time I've literally sat down in a week. I am so exhausted! Our moving extravaganza was so ridiculously draining--and to be moving in a record-breaking heatwave! I couldn't believe it!
Last Saturday Ryan and I spent all day packing up the remainder of our apartment and running errands. On the plus side, I took some books to Russell's Books and earned myself a $77.00 store credit! I'm so excited about this! We got up early on Sunday morning and picked up the Budget truck, then spent hours loading up the truck and doing the last bit of cleaning on our apartment.
Fortunately, we got to have a little bit of a layover at Erika's house (she put our homeless selves up for the night). Her roommates Jen and Eph were having a baby-shower-BBQ, so we got to hang out and relax (and I even got to drive Nate's jacked-up mobility (beer cooler) scooter, which I will declare was an absolute blast!).
We got up early Monday morning and had a bite to eat and did some shopping while waiting for the lawyers to call. We got our keys to the condo around 1:00, then spent (seriously) about six hours moving in. At the end of it, we ordered Chinese and threw ourselves down on the sofa and basked in a happy exhaustion. Then we put together some of our Ikea furniture, and I unpacked the kitchen before staggering off to bed.
We've honestly spent the past week unpacking, cleaning, assembling Ikea furniture, doing more unpacking and cleaning, doing some laundry--and not much else! But Ashley came over after work tonight and I had a glass of wine and we saw a movie and now I feel like the house is more manageable and is coming together.
I love, love, LOVE our condo! I can't wait to get it all set up and share pictures! It is just so lovely and perfect! And I absolutely adore our enormous kitchen! I feel so happy here!
Anyhow, my parents are coming tomorrow for the weekend, so I'm going to try to get the spare bedroom/office ready (Ashley suggested we call it the "rumpus room", which I will henceforth refer to it as). And I'm going to make some tea to sustain me through more unpacking & organizing. So until next time, when things hopefully won't be so brief! Ciao!
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Had a fairly mellow weekend. Friday, Ryan, Ashley, Spencer and I saw the comedy show at Hecklers, which turned out to be hilarious. We left the show in stitches! However, we were all bagged at 11:00, and so Ryan and I ventured on home and pretty much went to bed as soon as we got in the door (you know you're getting old when).
Saturday was devoted to packing & running moving-related errands. We headed over to Nate and Erika's late afternoon to receive our shipment of Ikea stuff (which, annoyingly enough, didn't show up until an hour after it was scheduled to arrive!). I sat on the outdoor swing and read my book in the lovely, warm sunshine. It was so nice outside--there were children laughing in the neighbourhood and the leaves on the trees were rustling, and I felt superbly content. Maybe because it was a welcome break to moving-related stuff. Nate made Ryan and I dinner (the man is gifted in the kitchen), and our Ikea stuff arrived as we were finishing up. I went home with sunburned shoulders and a car half-full of Ikea furniture (none of it really fit), and we came home and did more packing, then watched a movie before bed. Yep, low key!
This morning we got up early, and I ran over to Serious Coffee to get drinks for Ryan and I, but as I was trying to juggle the door to get back into the building after arriving home, I dropped Ryan's mocha, and it pretty much exploded all over my hand and all over the outside door! Oops! Some people came by to pick up our computer desk during the late morning, and then Ryan's dad arrived. We ventured downtown for lunch at Milestone's, then wandered through the Government Street market and hit up Capital Iron (where I got the lovely tree-silhouette shower curtain I wanted, as well as a wee, little cactus!).
I've got more of a sunburn and am exhausted and apologize for the dullness of this entry.
Ohmigod, Ryan and I are moving next weekend!
We discovered that the former owners of our condo posted a bunch of their furniture on Used Victoria, including their couch (which we love), so I've emailed them and asked if they'd let us buy the sofa and just leave it in there, haha! Wouldn't that be convenient? I'm crossing my fingers that they email us back tonight.
Anyhow, off to drink Peach Passion tea. Farewell 'til next time!
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I got up at 10:16 am, and yet I feel like I could happily sleep another several hours. Yesterday was a long, long day! Here's how it went...
I'd checked the bus scheduled a few days ago to make sure I could catch a bus downtown on Saturdy morning, for the Ikea bus, and discovered apparently it wasn't a problem. Well, apparently I hadn't been reading the Saturday schedule! Turns out that the bus doesn't come by at 6:20 in the morning, and so I called Erika in a panic, asking if she and Nate could pick me up, then started hauling ass downtown. It took me forty minutes (in flip flops, mind you!), and I made it down to Cook and Fort, where Erika and Nate picked me up. Not a good start, already being tired and sweaty.
So then we line up for our Ikea tickets, and turns out I wan't on the ilst! I was the first one to buy tickets, and he didn't have my name on the list. I don't usually get angry with people (I've worked enough customer service jobs to know better), but I was so frustrated that I was exclaiming, "Well, that's impossible, 'cause I know I bought them!!!". I paid for another ticket onto the bus, and now I have to check my credit card statement to see if the charge was duplicated from earlier. Great.
After that, though, things got better. We had breakfast on the ferry and I had time to chat with the girls and catch up. Ikea was a bit of a mad frenzy--Tammy, Erika and I went bombing through the displays, writing down the items we wanted and making split decisions. Then we hauled ass to the warehouse, collected three flatbeds worth of furniture, paid for it, and then arranged to have it shipped to Victoria. This ate up two and a half hours of time. Then we went back to the marketplace with shopping carts and split up to grab the rest of the items we needed. By the time we'd loaded our stuff into the bus, we had twenty five minutes to spare, and so we ran up to the restaurant for a quick snack. This is when I discovered (by checking my receipt), that instead of buying the $40.00 table I meant to (for the office), I'd bought a $200.00 dining room table! (The dining room table is gorgeous, and is one of the ones I commented on liking during our display runaround, but I in no way meant to buy it!) The worst part is, it'd already been set up to be shipped, so I'm going to have to talk to Ryan (to decide if we want to keep it), and act accordingly (cancel the shipment?). What a pain in the ass! Anyhow, because I looooove Ikea, I have to share all my lovely purchases!
Office/Second Bedroom:
Two of the shorter Lack wall shelves, to store baskets of crafting supplies [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50011015];
Mikael Workstation (we're ditching the big clunky desk for this narrow desk) [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70111491];
Dalselv Table (for the tiny TV) [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/20020808];
Solsta Sofabed [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70087108];
And of course, this is the table I meant to buy: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S99849975;
And this is the table I accidentally bought: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50116809.
And the other miscellaneous stuff:
Kassett storage box [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50153241];
Two Dudero floor lamps [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90148356];
Molger Cabinet [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30103704];
Molger wall shelf [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90049686];
Knubbig table lamp (a large and a small one) [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60130503];
And an 18-piece Dinera set [http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10057067].
I'm so broke! And I really have to figure out what I'm going to do about the table I hate (and love)!
Anyhow, Nate picked Erika and I up from the bus depot, and we headed back to Erika's. Kelsey and Tammy came by, and we had some drinks and sat around the picnic table (the evening was so mild!) and just chatted and BS'ed. Kelsey & Tammy drove me home, and I for some reason decided to have a bath (I felt so grimey from Ikea), then crawled into bed and promptly fell asleep. Though I fell asleep with the television on, and it woke me up a couple of hours later and pretty much gave me a heart attack!
Anyhow, Ryan's on his way home from Nanaimo, so I best be getting organized. Until next time!
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Our Business Continuity Plan meeting is later this week, but today we were abruptly evactuated from the work (by word of mouth!). And the police told us not to come back 'til we watch the news tomorrow morning. What the...?
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So I was supposed to go traipsing downtown with Erika and Aaron this afternoon, but I've heard nary a word from either of them, so until then I'm planning on catching up on some writing (both blogging and novel-wise). Meanwhile, we've got laundry in, and I have to say--I'm superbly excited to have our own in-suite washer & dryer in a manner of (OH EM GEE!) three weeks! Funny how these little things make me excited. Other things that have me in a state of giddiness: double sinks with one of those detachable faucet heads (eee!); a dishwasher; and a second bedroom in which to lessen the cluttered feel of our current living situation. Oh, and then there's Ikea! I'm having trouble finding a futon/sofabed, as well as an overjohn (apparently Ikea doesn't even make these!), but I have found a desk and an armchair that I am most definitely going to buy (well, hopefully). I'm so excited to move! We were going to pick up a bunch of moving boxes this weekend, but alas, our car's starter died on Friday morning, and so we've been pretty much immobile all weekend.
Well, sort of. Yesterday Ryan and I caught the bus downtown to do some shopping. He needed some cargo pants for work, for when he's shooting (to store extra cables, batteries, etc). I picked up another Glow hoodie & a pair of comfy Quiksilver flip-flops (after I complained to Ryan about my blistered toes--a result of the cutest-ever polka-dot Rocket Dog wedges I wore to work on Friday, boo). We also hit up Silk Road for some black peach tea (love it there!) before hopping the bus back home. It was so stunningly beautiful outside yesterday--we couldn't stand to spend the day huddled up at home. In the evening, Ryan watched the Canucks game, and I did some packing-stuff and made chicken paprika for dinner (to which Ryan sighed and exclaimed, "Ohhh Megan, and your Hungarian food". The only Hungarian peasant food he likes is beef goulash!)
Oh, Ryan and I bought a Wii Fit! We've been waiting to buy one for ages and ages, and finally he was able to order one from Future Shop online. It's pretty sweet, and the yoga's pretty decent. I haven't had a lot of time to spend on it, but I'm going to make an effort to commit myself to it for at least half an hour to an hour daily. Also, when we move, I've decided I'm going to walk home from work 2-3 times a week. It should only take me about an hour or so, and because I get off at 4:00, that still gets me home at 5:00. When I used to work at YD, I wasn't even off work until 5:00, so I've no reason to complain that it eats into my "personal" time. I think it'll be good for me.
Anyhow, apparently I don't have anything terribly exciting to report. Oh, the stagette turned out to be a lot of fun! Charlene played along with the stripper, which was a blast! And like I said, the only part I could've skipped was the club...I'm just not a "club" kind of gal. Too many people trying to hard to get laid. Blegh.
So that said, until next time!
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It's gorgeous outside and makes me feel so excited for summer! Alas, here's a point form entry which I confess I am spending little to no time on because hi! I've been sitting in front of a computer all day while it's been sunny and lovely outside, so instead of spending forever poring my heart out on El Jay, I am going to crack open a white cranberry cider and make some barbeque chicken (in the frying pan, but WHATEV) and feel all happy and summer-y!
1) We got our lawyer set up, finally, thanks to a recommendation from Aaron! She seems really nice, and the final stage of our experience as first time homebuyer's is now in full swing! When we first bought the condo, our move-in date seemed so far away and nothing felt really concrete or real yet. I haven't started packing yet (sadly), but now I'm getting these crazy-excited pangs of "OMG!"
2) I've read the first chapter of my novel to two people now, and both say it's really good and that they want to hear more! This is problematic because they now ask me if I've written anymore, and I have to say (with shame) no, I haven't, and then I feel like I am letting them down. But maybe this is also good 'cause it'll encourage me to write! I am so happy with the first chapter I'm almost kind of scared to move onto the second.
3) This past weekend was fun! Friday Ashley came over and we had Chinese and ciders and chatted in our PJ's! On Saturday, I went to the Dean Park garage sale with Erika, Tammy, Kelsey, Kelsey's mom & her friend, Aaron, & Mike. And OMG I need to tell you everything I bought! ...
4) Ikea Gaje speaker stands (never been opened!); brand new shadow boxes to mount on the wall; EIGHT PRINTS THAT ARE GORGEOUS and that Ryan even likes!; a lovely and expensive painting of trolls that Ryan hates and thinks is hideous; two journals (one leatherbound, and one with a Thoreau quote on the front); two novels; a small television for $10.00 (to put in the second bedroom!); an embroidered linen cushion; four Ikea frames; a BRAND NEW Nat & Matt purse that was $69.95 and still has the tags on it (and I paid $5.00 and OMG it's green!); Scrabble!; and a tea light candle holder. I think I spent $100.00 in total!
5) And then after Dean Park Erika and I went over to Aaron and Mike's house for a BBQ! We played Beersby and ate beefalo burgers and I played with her samoids and we played "Ragin' Rabbits" on the Wii when it was too dark to be outside anymore, and it was fun!
6) Then Erika couldn't go home 'cause there was a big crazy gross stag party at her house, and she panicked and so I told her to come sleep on my couch, and we smuggled in Roxy the dog and we both fell asleep in the first ten minutes of "Eagle vs. Shark". And Roxy got up at 3:30 am and started eating kibble and it woke me up! But she went back to sleep. Then, the next morning, I realized I'd fallen asleep on top of a chocolate egg and it smushed into my sofa cushion and I had to spot treat the hell out of my couch on Sunday evening.
7) On Sunday, Erika and I spent all day shopping at the mall. It was fun looking at all the spring clothes!
I wish I had three more things to write so that I could have my list be rounded at 10 items. I think I will add three more things, just to satiate the OCD-lover in me.
8) Ryan went to Port Alberni and Parksville this weekend and bought two ball caps and a pair of sneakers.
9) I watched a cute Canadian movie last night called "Growing Op". It was made in New Brunswick and is about a boy whose parents are all liberal-y and have a grow op in their house, and this boy has to try to pretend everything's normal. The ending was crazy!
10) I saw a pug puppy at the garage sale and I talked to the girl who had it and his name was Basil and I just wanted to scoop him up and bring him home with me.
END!
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I am so grateful to have today off, it's ridiculous! My ETO day fell on the day off yesterday, so I'm home today in lieu. Ever since I began writing my novel (sounds ambitious, no?), it's like I've ignited some sort of creative spark inside of myself. I've been so content with the amount of time I've been able to spend on creative outlets these past few months: pottery, crafting, scrapbooking, writing, drawing. I had felt really stifled back before Christmas, but now that I've somewhat settled into my job, I'm able to spend some time feeding my creative-hunger.
Easter was lovely! Ryan and I drove up island early on Friday morning. We got into Powell River just before lunch. Mom, Marisa and I went out and about to putter around. When I was in Vancouver a few months ago, Marisa and I had contemplated getting pierced (I've wanted my nose pierced for awhile, but sort of flip-flopped on it). Marisa went to Nanaimo a few weeks ago and ended up getting her lip pierced then, and so we impulsively decided to go to the new tattoo and piercing place in town to get my nose done. It was quite comical--me, Marisa, and Mom all heading in! I got hit with that wave of nausea after it was done--not because it was painful, but because it was my body's reaction to the bizarre-o sensation. It was almost as bad as I got it with my last tattoo. I think it's because with both my last tattoo, and then my nose, I haven't had the surge of adrenaline that I had with my first two tattoos. I knew it wasn't going to hurt, and it didn't, but my body reacted by going into fight-or-flight syndrome, leaving me green and queasy. After we left, Marisa bolted over to get me some apple juice, and then we went to QF, where I gorged myself on sweet and sour spareribs (blood sugar up, yo!).
After lunch, we went to Liqu'y World (this is our family's pet name for Liquidation World, ha), where I loaded up on amazing salon-quality organic Hairpothics shampoo & conditioner. We then went to the Rec Centre and Marisa and I bought tickets for that night's Kings game, and then stopped at the beer and wine before heading home.
We had supper, and then Marisa, Ryan and I went out to the hockey game. Marisa somehow convinced Ryan and I to join her and her friends (I think we were sold on "beer gardens", ha!). It was quite entertaining. I haven't been to a hockey game since I was in highschool and pining after hockey players (cringe cringe cringe), so it was amusing to watch again. After the game, we wandered over to TC's, but Ryan and I peaced out immediately when I discovered it was a high school reunion without the protective cloak of Facebook. We went home and watched "20/20" with Mom, then went to bed!
Marisa woke us up at 2:30 am when she got home--she was hysterical because she'd lost her wallet. Or rather, she was convinced her wallet had been stolen. We made a list of all her ID & cards, she phoned Visa and whatnot, and then we made her take two melatonin and go to bed. Well, turns out, Kate had her wallet in her bag all along, so the panic was for nothing. Oh well, made the night interesting!
On Saturday, Marisa and I went out to the Dollarama, then for tea at Coastal Liquidators (they've got a little tea room at the back with the deadliest quiche you'll ever have the pleasure of eating). We rented a movie, picked up some more liquor, and then headed home. After supper, we basically just curled up and watched movies 'til bed.
Sunday was a lovely lazy day! We had scones for breakfast, then just lazed around all morning. Mom & I decided it would be funny to make Marisa and Ryan a joint birthday cake, so Ryan and I took a quick excursion to the dollar store for some figurines. We ended up making this ornate "knights & princess" lemon cake, which tasted delicious! We had a humungous Easter dinner, then curled up again to watch movies.
Mom had to work on Monday, so Ryan, Dad, and I went for breakfast at QF, then drove down to the ferry. We were quite early, and so we wandered along the dock in the sunshine, looking at boats. It was nice! Ryan and I caught the noon boat home, then just relaxed for the evening. Ryan's at work all day today. I'm going to throw a roast in the slow cooker, work on my novel for a bit, and then get started on some of the packing which has up to now been neglected.
Next Saturday is the Dean Park garage sale, and then Tammy is going to instruct a yoga class for us at Erika's house! And in the next couple of weeks will be Charlene's stagette party; we've got lots of ideas in the works.
Anyhow, I'm off to braise a roast and make some coffee. Until next time!
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Can anyone remember the name of those shoes from the early 90s (though I think they originated in the 70s, maybe). They were, like, a brown leather woven with red, green, and sometimes yellow leather. I had a pair (I think they were from SAAN) that were actually like a full-out shoe, and they had these little shoe laces. I think they might have a Spanish name, but it's not Espadrilles. They were woven so you could wear them to the beach or whatever, and then they also made sandals in a similar fashion. It's driving me bonkers not being able to remember! Help?
Edited to also ask...
Is anyone able to offer any insight into what's involved in getting your work published? Like I've decided I'm going to write a fiction. Not, like, intentionally to make money or anything (honestly, I haven't even got any training...but do you even need training and classes to learn how to write? Can't you just do it the way that feels right to you?) It's just something I've always wanted to do, to say I've done. And I guess Tammy's sort of inspired me in abandoning the rat-race that is the world of working in offices, and has pursued her yoga certification. It made me think, why can't I do something that I've fantasized about doing? Anyhow, I just wish I knew a little more on how it all works, just to satiate my sense of curiosity...
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So Erika, Tammy and I thought we were pretty brilliant. 'Til we sobered up. (Fortunate that we scribbled them down, though, ha!)
Haiku number one...
Ice-Cream Cake
Mine is so fudgey
I love the fluffy whip cream
Crunchy chocolate
Number two...
Mary Jane
Sticky brown lips ew
The green in me is the green
Floating in the sky
I can assure you that much more constructive and creative thoughts flowed from this evening. Elena is getting married tomorrow afternoon in a spontaneous wedding ceremony, to honour the recent passing of her mother. We came up with a stunning and lovely gift idea. No revealing 'til after, though...
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It really feels like spring! I bribed Ryan to visit the baby goats at the Beacon Hill Petting Zoo this afternoon (he said that if I made him French toast for brekky, he'd go to the zoo with me, ha!). And so we went amongst the hoardes of enthusiastic little people (re: children), and visited all the little springy animals at the petting zoo! My favourite was a soft little white baby goat named Adelaide, who was exhaustedly falling asleep on her mom's back in between rough brushings from wound-up kids. I put my finger next to Adelaide's mouth, and she sleepily tried to nurse! What a sweetheart! After, Ryan and I headed down to Willow's Beach to see the moulting seal, and then stopped for some lunch at Willows Galley before heading home. The weather was so amazing and warm today, and I'm wondering if it's too early to pull my spring skirts from the shelves of my closet...
Things have been manic-busy as of late. Right before I left for Calgary, Ryan and I (!!!) bought a condo! It is officially official now! We had the inspection done the day I was leaving, and aside from some minor, easily fixable things (for example, strapping down the hot water tank), it was a good inspection! And so we did everything that needed to be done to seal the deal, and now we're excitedly waiting June 1st, the day we take possession! We still have to organize a lawyer and take care of all that fun stuff as we get closer to June, but for now we're just like, "Ohimigod, can't wait to move in!" I love it--love it! Laminate floors, huuuge windows, a walk in closet, an enormous kitchen with a dishwasher, an additional half bath! It is seriously amazing! I need to get around to posting the MLS pictures on Facebook, as everyone's been asking me what it looks like. Can't wait!
Banff was a lot of fun! Jessie's wedding was lovely and she looked stunning! We spent Thursday night at Aaron's parents' house in Chestermere, then went to our lodge on Friday (which was supposed to be in Banff, but was technically in Canmore). The lodge was great, and we spent our time there hot-tubbing and watching movies. We meandered through Banff on Friday afternoon, had some drinks at the pub, and then went back to the hotel and had a mellow night. On Saturday we lazed about, then went up to the Buffalo Mountain Lodge for Jessie's ceremony. It couldn't have been a nicer day--warm and exceptionally sunny! We killed the time in between the ceremony and the reception at an Irish pub, then went back to our hotel and got ready before heading to the reception. After the reception, we went out to a pub in Canmore (and shut the place down!), then crashed back at our hotel. On Sunday, we had an ultimately lazy morning which involved pajamas and a shark special on the Discovery Channel. We headed back to Chestermere to spend the evening at Aaron's parents' house again. Her mom made us a fabulous dinner, and we hung out and chatted, and then watched a movie before bed. Monday was yet again another lazy day (theme much?)...we sat on the deck in the warm sun before having an early dinner at Red Lobster, then racing for the plane. It was a great dynamic the whole weekend, and the group I was travelling with was a blast. My only complaint is that it sucked not having Ryan there...I was feeling homesick for him by the third night. I'm super stoked for our Okanagan road trip in July!
This past weekend, Ryan (my brother) and my Auntie Cheryl were both in town. We had some drinks and went out to Baan Thai for dinner on Friday night, and then headed over to Hecklers to see the comedy show (which was kind of quaint compared to Yuk Yuk's in Vancouver...oh well). Ryan crashed at our place that night...we partook in the smoking of some medicinal marijuana before bed, which literally knocked me on my ass for two hours before I staggered to bed. (It quite literally knocked me out...both Ryan's said I was dead to the world, wrapped up in my tourquoise terry cloth robe as they watched the Will Ferrell farewell to Bush special on HBO.) I had myself some very bizarre and vivid dreams that night, that's for sure. Anyhow, on Saturday morning we headed to Floyd's for a late breakfast, and then Ryan took off and Ryan and I got ready to head to Ashley and Spencer's for Ashley's belated birthday celebration.
The four of us headed out to My-Chosen Cafe for an amazing dinner, then went back to Ashley & Spencer's house for some drinkies and Earth Hour. We lit a fire and played Cranium by candlelight while sipping on caramel apple martinis. It's kind of a novelty to not use any electricity, and so we kept the lights off until 10:00, when we finally turned them back on 'cause Ashley was feeling quite ill. Turns out she was running a terrible fever and was feeling really horrible (she's been fighting a cold for the past few days), and so we agreed that we'd be sure to do up a proper martini night next weekend, and Ryan and I headed home.
And so that's how things have been as of late. Aside from work, which is same old same old. There's always drama at work, but after the drama I've experienced at some of my former jobs, it's tolerable. All in all, I'm still loving my gig, and the civil-servant-perks don't get old. To be honest, though, it really is a lot of work, and I'm constantly skipping my coffee breaks 'cause I can't afford the extra time. So don't get me wrong...it's got it perks, but I still work my ass off!
My stomach has been giving me grief lately, too. I saw my doctor on Thursday in order to renew my prescription, but I also complained to him about the side effects of my current medication, and got him to put me on something a little newer, with fewer side effects. I think the medication switch-a-roo has caused me some withdrawal side effects from medication number one, which has made me feel a little dizzy and nauseaus. I'm supposed to be cutting the pills and taking only 10 mg for a week, but I think I'm just going to start taking the 20 mg right away, 'cause I was taking 20 mg of the other stuff all this time anyhow. Anyways, all this travelling and poor eating and whatnot has got my stomach hating me lately, and I really need to start treating it better. Ryan and I both agreed that now that things are (hopefully) going to quiet down for the next while (save for Easter dinner, the one upcoming exception), we're going to make an effort to eat really, really clean. I'm starting to realize which foods flare up my stomach and which ones I can get away with, and as I go along, I just need to be increasingly aware. I already tend to steer away from most white carbs, but I'm a sucker for pasta. I wish I had the discipline to go back on the candida diet again, but when I think about how miserable I was as far as my eating choices, it's not all that enticing. It was ridiculously difficult to find things I was allowed to eat, but on the flip side, my digestive health felt amazing! Thus why we've decided that it's imperative to eat clean and to cut out sugars and processed foods from our diet. I don't hate the stevia sweetener, so I'm going to try to substitute that in my tea instead of sugar. I already drink my coffee sugar-free, so no worries there...I just wish I didn't have such a sweet tooth. I take after my dad in that regard. Must practice willpower! Am also planning on laying off the devil's lettuce for awhile, just 'cause the inevitable munchies are definitely undermining my efforts to avoid sweets.
Anyhow, I'm off to read for a bit before bed. Ciao!
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I think sometimes our PC is jealous of my laptop and that's why my wireless connection sometimes gets fussy on my laptop. Which tends to be quite frustrating when all I want to do is surf the Internet from the comfort of my bed.
Though tonight, I'm not terribly comfortable. I don't know what I did to my back this weekend, but it's but hurting since Saturday afternoon! I'd gone to the pottery studio on Friday evening and spent about three hours working on a fairly intricate project. I wonder if bowing over the table for so long is what has caused my back pain. It feels like a stabbing pain from the right side of my spine right up through my neck. I've been taking Robaxacet and Ibuprofen and using A5-35, but it still hasn't gone away! Saturday was terrible, and I spent most of the day lying in bed. Today was much better, but we decided to check out a movie at the film festival, and sitting in the hard chairs of the Odeon for an hour and a half had me writhing in pain by the end of it. So I came home and had a soak in an epsom salt bath and I now have the heating pad on my back as I get ready for bed.
Ryan and I checked out the presentation centre for a local condo development late Saturday afternoon (yes, despite the pain, I did make a brief outing, ha!). The unit we are looking at is just outside our price range, so even though we love it, I think we're going to have to look at something a little more realistic. Nonetheless, we're going to make an appointment with their banker to see what our options are, and we've got an appointment on Saturday to do a little walk-through of the property and check out the phase one presentation unit. There's another development in Royal Oak that we're also planning on checking out next weekend. It's not as fancy schmancy as the one we enquired about on Saturday, but it's still a new development, and the location is decent. Both developments are pet friendly, which is a huge factor when it comes to us buying, as I want a pug so bad it hurts! Anyhow, our plan is to hopefully become home-owners by the spring, provided things work out in our favour. I do hope so!
There's a little bit of mild hysteria happening at work right now regarding the premier's announcements of cutbacks to the public service. Everyone I work with is assuring me that I'll be okay--that if anything, they'll look to offer a buy-out to employees on the cusp of retirement. And they keep sending out announcements that there is no hiring freeze, but rather, they've simply just cut back the number of job postings right now and are going to vacate positions through natural attrition. I'm sure we'll have a better picture of things after budget day later this month. I do hope that I'm alright, though!
Work in all has been going well. I feel like I'm learning a ton, and it can sometimes be overwhelming, but it's also really gratifying. I'm happy to not have a lot of idle time, 'cause idle time is what makes the work day drag on. And I hate to say this, but I'm so relieved to no longer have to answer a ringing phone with an artificial chipper-voice!
I saw Erika's sister this afternoon for a hair cut. She is so superbly talented! I told her I'm planning on growing out my hair, and so she just trimmed it up a bit, and then she cut me some long and heavy bangs--enough to change things up a bit but keep my length and my goal of growing out my hair. I didn't touch the colour...I'll deal with it in March, as I've made an appointment for the weekend before Jessie's wedding in Banff. I think I'll take it back to a solid colour then, to allow it to grow out low-maintenance. I miss having the ability to pull my hair back, even though I love the funkiness of a shorter haircut. I've resolved not to let my impatience get me this time, though--I miss long hair!
Anyhow, I'm getting sleepy! Next weekend is Valentine's (yay for consumerism and crinoline hearts, no?), and then the following weekend we are off to Vancouver for Jackie's going-away party, and then I'm back in Vancouver during the last week of February for Jessie's stagette. Lots coming up for this short month! So until next time!
PS - You need to watch "Flight of the Conchords", asap!
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Man, I've been busy! I don't even know how it happens, but it just does! Like, last week--Monday evening is yoga, Tuesday evening is pottery, and on Wednesday I went to Moksana with Tammy & Erika for more yoga! And even though I didn't have much of anything planned for this weekend, it still feels like it was busy. Enjoyable, yes, but definitely busy. Friday Ryan and I wanted this amazing documentary on marijuana called The Union. I had PVR'ed it quite awhile ago and hadn't got around to watching it yet. The things they talk about are ridiculous! For example, America allots five million dollars annually to fighting the "war on drugs"; well, four million dollars of that budget goes towards marijuana, a drug which is harmless (the documentary discusses that it a) does not kill brain cells; b) does not cause lung cancer; and c) is a better medicine than anything the pharmaceutical companies are dispensing). I recall discussing this topic in my introductory Criminology class--that marijuana is illegal even though it is harmless, whilst alcohol, cigarettes & caffeine are the most harmful drugs in existence--as in, they cause the most widespread damage. Interesting to ponder, no? If you get the opportunity to watch this documentary, you must! It's even local, in and around Vancouver & Kelowna!
Anyhow, on Saturday Ryan and I ran a bunch of errands. We came home late afternoon, after which Erika came over to scrapbook. We scrapbooked from 5:00 pm until 1:30 am! Super fun! This morning, I did some more scrapbooking and crafting, and then Ryan and I went out to run some more errands. We came home and I made dinner & baked a lemon poppyseed cake, and now I am in bed and getting ready to go to sleep. I have decided that I am going to attempt getting up early in the mornings in order to go for a power walk, and that's why I'm trying to go to bed a little earlier. We'll see how it goes...
I got sworn in as a public servant last week! We had the orientation thing at the conference centre, and the day ended with us shaking the Deputy Attorney General's hand and saying our oath. All very exiting! I'm so blessed to have landed this job, and honestly, working for the Public Service is totally meeting my expectations of how I thought it would be. It was a long road getting here, but I feel really lucky when I reflect on where I'm at now. We'll see what's to come in the future! I have a five-day work week ahead of me, which is a little exhausting to think about. Yoga again tomorrow, and then Erika's coming over to scrapbook again after. Pottery on Tuesday, and I think I have plans for Wednesday--and Thursday I'm usually so exhausted that all I feel like doing is sleeping when I get home.
Which reminds me of this recent rumination..."Everyday at work I think about all the things I could be doing if I was not at work. I then write a 'To Do' list for when I leave a 5pm. The list gets shredded at 4.50pm because when I get home all I want to do is eat, check Facebook, shower, check Facebook and sit on the couch until bedtime". You need to check out www.ruminations.com/site/index.php. I promise, it will make you el oh el!
'Night night!
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Tomorrow is New Year's Eve! We are supposed to head up island to a party at Ryann and Rhea's, but I am worried about the weather. It's not snowing in Victoria, but let us hope that the same can be said of Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach! In preparation for the potluck, I made the same Blue Cheese Walnut Dip that mom made us at Christmas. I am a big fan of blue cheese, and it is amazing. I also made Nanaimo bars, adjusting the first layer this time so that it wasn't so crumbly (and such a failure!). I wish I could bring something as an entree, but seeing as we're transporting the food up island, it's just not feasible. Anyhow, the Cheese Dip recipe comes from Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cookbook (illustrated by Andy Warhol, believe it or not). Amy Vanderbilt was the epitome of 50s housewife etiquette, and it's quite clear in flipping through her cookbook. However, the reason Mom gave me my own version (she has her own tattered copy as well, but the dust jacket on hers is still in tact) is because the recipes are simple and divinely retro and there's much enjoyment to be had in the commentary. I have to say that even though I haven't had much of a chance to experiment with the recipes, I really, really like this book...
( Domestic bliss... )
While we're on a domestic tangent here, let me just mention that I made a loaf of fluffy white bread in my new Cuisinart breadmaker yesterday. I claim that I "made" it, but really, the lovely little machine did all the work! All I did was add the ingredients in the directed order, and press start. But honestly, the bread was amazing. I am a fiend for white bread, and Ryan and I don't ever buy it. I made a simple loaf of white bread because it was the easiest for the first time, and because I was eager to try out this wondrous device! The loaf's not very big, granted, but Ryan and I have very nearly demolished it. I think I'm better off sticking with the hearty whole grain breads, given that white bread is as good as eating dessert!
Anyhow, amongst other random things...Ryan and I are going to check out that condo tomorrow, but I also spoke with my lovely personal banker (Ashley!), who crunched some numbers for us and determined that we are eligible for a rather decent mortgage. Well...we will be eligible once I'm no longer on my newbie probation. This news had made me so excited, and I finally feel like home-ownership (hell, who am I kidding--condo ownership) is within realistic reach. Still, we are still going to check out the suite tomorrow...Ryan's stipulation is that if we were to love it, and were to move (I'm very insistent about the-finding-a-pug-friendly-home matter), then I will be entirely responsible for the packing. Odd thing is, I love packing. It's like the ultimate clean and purge. And I think that's why it takes me so long to pack. But whatever.
Anyhow, I should start getting ready for bed. Lately, I've been engaging in the bad habit of staying up until midnight. My body then punishes me by waking up 45 minutes before my alarm is set to go off, so that I'm not awake enough to want to get up, but not tired enough to fall back into a deep sleep. However, on this staying up 'til midnight business--this morning I was feeling desperately tired and guilty for having done so last night, but then I realized that I have to stay up until midnight tomorrow anyhow...which means I've tried to convince myself that staying up late is my way of practicing for New Year's Eve. Right?
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I am blogging from the comfort of my bed--a novelty that I don't think is going to wear off anytime soon! I love love love my new little laptop! When I was a teenager, I used to write in a journal almost every night before going to bed. And even though when I now read those journals, I can't help but cringe in embarrassment (read: my life was driven by ridiculous boy drama), I love that I still have those journals. So basically, my wee little laptop has now come to replace my spiral notebooks, and my hope is that the ease with which I can now blog will encourage me to do so more frequently! I am excited!
Ryan and I left P. Riv early this morning, on the 8:10 ferry. The rest of our visit was good. On Boxing Day, we went to Ashley's family's house for their usual Boxing Day open house. On Saturday, Ryan and I bought a bunch of Alaskan king crab legs and had a feast before Ryan left to watch the UFC fights with Spencer, and Riss, Mom, Dad & I watched a (pretty crappy) movie. I'm sad that Christmas is over. It seems like it only just began. I guess because I've been so busy with the new job, it seems as though Christmas just flew by me, and I didn't even have time to savour it before it passed. I feel like I only just finished my gift wrapping, and now we've already packed the tree up into it's falling-apart box (next year = time for a new tree). Our apartment has been purged of all things Christmas, and even though I like the extra space and enjoy the fact that I won't have to do the clean up over the next little while ('cause we'll be so busy), I still feel sad about saying goodbye to my Santa candle & berry garland. Oh well, until next year, I suppose.
We stopped in at Ryan's Grandma's on the way up island and had lunch with her and Ryan's dad. We then hit the road again in order to get home before dark. Oh, I meant to mention--we stopped in Courtenay on the way over, and I picked up a rad laptop case (rad to me; Ryan said it was "ugly"). And I also got a pair of cutesy raspberry-sorbet-coloured gumboots with ponies on them! PONIES! This is how it went: Ryan and I were standing in line to buy a calendar from one of those mall kiosks, 'cause the calendars are now 50% off, you see. Anyhow, the lady was having trouble with the guy in front of us, and so I start looking in at the "cowgirl" store next to the kiosk. We're talking a real ranch shop, with horse merchandise everywhere. I was overwhelmed by the sequins and galloping-horse-beer-cozies when I spotted the pink gumboots, and said, "Ohmigod Ryan, look!" He watched me put one on, sighed, and said, "Just buy them...". And buy them I did. And they are awesome. And no one needs to know that I bought them at the cowgirl store!
I am very determined to adopt Ike the pug. I want him like you wouldn't believe. I posted an ad on Used Victoria (hey, it worked for the tire chains), and got an email back about a lady who is putting up her condo for rent in February. The condo seems decent, and it's close to Ashley and Spencer's place. However, it's got some funny wallpaper-borders that I don't know if I can live with. I'm trying to think, "How many decent places in Victoria are going to allow you to have a dog?" And then, "Ugggh, wallpaper borders--forest green wallpaper borders!". I mean, the place has some laminate flooring, and a gas fireplace, and is otherwise cute. And hello, I'd get to have Ike the pug with me! (By the way, have you guys checked this out: as if you didn't need another reason to love pugs!) Anyhow, I really, really want to adopt Ike, and I'm thinking the wallpaper border might be livable...but I guess I won't find out until we see the place on Wednesday. And then, we'll have to make a split decision, 'cause it's like, give our notice on Wednesday, or miss the boat (end of the month thing, you see).
Anyhow, I really need to get to bed...work tomorrow. *groan*
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