Who's your mama?

Merry Christmas!

This elf is busy making presents.

New Fireplace

Is anything as cozy as a fireplace on a cold winters night? Far and away the best purchase of the year has been an electric fireplace. It's a space heater in the shape of a fireplace with a fake flame. I highly recommend getting yourself one.



It's also cat approved! The cats have decided that the fireplace is amazing. They sit in front of it waiting for me to turn it on. How could I resist this face????




But you can also turn on the TV to channel 122 (in the vancity area) and watch the yule log video. New this year on channel 123 is the christmas tree channel. Video of a christmas tree with christmas carol musak.

Leaky Girl

And just like that, I have something blog worthy!

I'm just a girl living in a leaky co-op ghetto. The rents cheap, the neighbours are weird and the building is rotting. California construction in a rainforest, what could go wrong? To make matters worse, the buildings were built in the middle of a recession, and the builder (BOSA) went bankrupt half way through the project. The government stepped in, and the project was completed... quickly.

Up until last week, I was one of the only people in the co-op complex who didn't have a water problem. During my christmas tree set up, I found mold! Oh no. The wall was actually wet and squishy. That is some serious water problem. I spent some quality time with a vinegar/water mix cleaning the walls and hunting for mold. My co-op has been "working on" getting the co-op fixed for a decade. I was less than optimistic that anything would come of informing the co-op of the mold. After all, everyone else is in the same boat.

Last night the co-op president called and asked if she could show my unit to the engineers responsible for fixing out co-op. Yes! Please come. I showed them my mold. They didn't seem surprised, they hardly even looked. Then they saw my balcony.

"Oh my God. You don't go on it do you?" asked the engineer.

Doesn't that instill confidence? I haven't set more than one foot on the balcony, I was told 6 years ago that it was condemned. (yes, six whole years ago). Hearing the engineers discuss the construction, was kind of scary. One of them said that whoever built it should be shot, it's that bad. Apparently, they aren't in business anymore, so that's a relief.

This visit gives me hope that construction may actually start one day. Once they are done, it sounds like it'll be a nice ghetto.

let's call it an update.

Have you ever checked a blog daily for months only to be disappointed every single day? There are a couple blogs that I used to read all the time that haven't been updated in a really long time. I don't know why, but I always think that today is the day that something new will be there. No, I'm wrong, nothing new today. Maybe the writer died. Maybe they went to Hawaii with their family. Maybe nothing blog worthy has happened lately.

Ah, the blogger's slump. At first, you have so many ideas, and love all the comments you receive about your posts. But after a while, the comments stop. Why didn't anyone comment on the post that was so obviously brilliant? Pretty soon, you run out of ideas and contemplate blogging about socks. Or worse yet, you blog late at night. At 2 am, the avant garde post about society seems like a stroke of genius only to be re-read in the morning. Did I delete it before anyone read it?

If you haven't updated your blog in a long time, maybe you should. You might have a loyal following who is just dying for new material. (I'm not actually referring to any particular blog, so don't be thinking that this post is all about you) In the meantime, I will hunt down some new material for my own blog.

Ella's Pumpkin Adventure

The weather wasn't all that great to go to the pumpkin patch/corn maze, but it was the only day that we could all go. We bundled up tight as it was really windy and rainy. Judy nearly got blown over the wind was blowing so strongly.

It was really muddy, so I doubled up on shoes. My boots weren't water tight, so I slipped on dad's lawn mowing shoes too! So hot!

Ella was snug as a bug in the snuggly and orange slicker. Sarah whipped Ella out, plunked her in the middle of some pumpkins so we could get a few pictures of her.

Meanwhile the wind was blowing so hard, it sounded like a tornado! It was so overwhelming Ella fell asleep.

In the barn, out of the rain and wind was a hay bale maze. We quickly ran through that, and called it a day.

Whew!

Dad's wedding

Thanksgiving day. I remember Dad saying that he wouldn't get married on a day that was already a holiday. I can't really remember the exact reason for why he felt this way. Maybe he just didn't want to get married on Valentine's Day since it's a cliche and the price of flowers skyrocket. But with all 5 daughters all coming over for Thanksgiving dinner, what better time to get married? What a surprise, they handed out invites 30 minutes before the wedding which was held in the backyard.

Best man and Maid of Honour were Judy's mom and dad.





Ella in her beautiful satin dress





It was such a perfect sunny day for a wedding

Mr and Mrs

Stay tuned for pictures of Ella's adventure to the Pumpkin patch and Halloween

Coffee table!

That's right! I have an extra coffee table looking for someone to love it. It's from Ikea, about 3 years old, it looks just like the pictures below, white and silver.

One side of the coffee table lifts up and out. Perfect for working on a laptop, or for eating in front of the tv.

Want it? You got it*!

*just come and get it soon.

Harrison Sand Castles and D-Bo

A few weekends ago I went for another driving lesson. I drove from Chilliwack to Harrison where the sandcastle competition was happening. I don't think I've been to Harrison before, it didn't look familiar at all. It was a nice drive up there, I prefer driving in the country to driving in the city. (The previous week's driving lesson was downtown Vancouver) The sandcastle competition was $8 per person to see the sandcastles up close, but it was free to peek through the fence knot-holes.





In some place the fence was low enough that I could just barely hold my camera over the top and snap a picture. Not too bad of a shot!


It's amazing that these sand sculptures don't wash away in the rain or crumble in the sun. I wonder if they add something to the sand?





Back at home, uncle Warren and aunt Karen came over with their dog "D-Bo". He's a pittbull type dog, all muscle. He was so destructive! He killed one of the kid's ball in 2 seconds flat, and broke huge sticks with him mouth like they were nothing. He ran around the yard having so much fun until he saw the horses and cows. They stopped him dead in his tracks. You could tell he didn't know what they were, he'd never seen anything like them! He turned around and ran as fast as he could away from them. Too funny.

After all that running he was ready for a nap. He snuck in the house when no one was looking and made himself at home!

Bus Tales

There is a certain feeling of luxury when travelling. All those poor saps who are stuck working while you get to see new things and relax. Going on vacation is a ultimate way to repay ourselves for all the hard work we do the rest of the year.

Although I didn't go far, I was still on vacation. A mere hour and a half from home in the country visiting family I haven't seen in years. Kahlua in my morning coffee, a Martha Stewart magazine in my lap. Perfection! But then it was time to return to the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city. So off to the bus depot I go. If I had to describe it in a word, that word would be dingy. The lighting was murky, the white tiles dirty and dated. The discoloured walls with random posters about bus regulations and festivals that happened two months ago, and a snack shop manned by an Emo teenager selling unappetising old pastries and hot dogs. Sitting in the plastic chairs, I spied my fellow bus riders. Long haired hippie kids, welfare moms, and rough looking guys. I decided to wait outside.

Finally it was time to board the bus. I couldn't help but remember that poor guy who was killed on a greyhound bus a few weeks ago. I decided that the agitated guy smoking a cigarette probably was the most likely murderer on the bus. He tried to use the pay phone, but slammed the phone back onto the hook, and stormed off. After finishing his smoke he worked his way to the back of the bus. I chose my seat at the front. Safer.

The first 45 minutes went along very well. I wondered about the cute guy sitting behind me, but decided that no good romance could ever start on a bus. But after a while I noticed that the driver was having problems. He couldn't figure out the lighting system inside the bus, he kept grinding the gears, it was dark, raining and we only had one headlight. A little later, I notice that people were concerned about something and were looking towards the front of the bus. I peeked over the seat and notice that the windshield was completely fogged up, so much so that I couldn't see any road at all. This was pretty distressing as we were on the freeway! The bus driver decided that his best remedy to the situation was to open the bus door while driving. The window cleared enough that he was able to get off the road. We spent the next 15 minutes waiting as the driver called for help.

What a relief it was to see the windshield cleared of fog. It was time to continue on our journey. But just a few minutes later the driver was on the speaker system asking passengers for directions as he had never been here before. We didn't make all the stops, because nobody could tell the driver how to get to them all. We drove one guy to his house and dropped him off rather than going to the station. Luckily, he was the only one getting off at that station. I can't help but wonder about the people who were waiting to get on our bus and it never arrived to pick them up. The upshot for me was that I got home so much faster. At my bus depot, the driver pulled into the bay and accidentally pressed the gas instead of the break nearly killing the people lined up to board the bus. I nearly fell onto the cute guy behind me. I laughed and apologised. He told me I was lucky I was getting off. No kidding!

Such a strange trip home. I'm not sure that I would recommend the greyhound as a good way to travel. The price was right, and it was very entertaining, but it certainly wasn't luxurious.

just because

Today was a day to indulge all the things that I enjoy. A grey rainy day, is the perfect day to stay inside. Yesterday I accomplished all the things I needed to do, so today was a "me day". I made porridge, coffee and tea and lit a few candles and a stick of my favorite incense. I caught up on some emails and turned on a Colin Farrell movie. I have a weakness for him. Next were stomach crunches, leg lifts and push-ups (while watching Colin....) Everybody needs motivation while working out.




And this picture is from the movie I was watching (The New World). It's not really worth watching because it is painfully slow and has hardly any dialogue. But the music and cinematography are amazing. Plus Colin Farrell doesn't wear a shirt for most of the movie.


Check out http://www.watch-movies.net/ for free streaming movies. No downloading required, just press play. Brilliant.

PNE!

Well! I finally had a day off. What was the first thing on my list of things to do, besides laundry? The PNE with Whit and Rod of course!

In the beer garden listening to Dal Richards with the blue haired ladies.


After lunch and the beer garden, it was time to check out my favorite part of the PNE, the barns!


Ok, this picture didn't really turn out, but that is a newborn calf chewing on my finger. No teeth, so it didn't hurt, the calfs at dad's house have teeth, and are a no-finger zone.


I love goats, they have got to be the friendliest farm animal. And once again the pig whisperer worked her magic. Pigs love me. Too bad I didn't think to snap a pic of Momma and piglets coming over to say hello to me.


And then it was time for the beer garden again. I didn't know that there was more than one beer garden. Actually, I don't think I've ever stepped foot in the beer garden before. Sadly my camera is a battery hog, and it ate through all the batteries I brought with me, so there aren't any pictures of the motorcross show or the lumberjack show. Whitney and I agreed that the lumberjack show was the best show.

Whew! Managed to escape the PNE without watching Superdogs. It's not that I don't like the show. It is a good place to rest your feet, but I never look forward to the show and don't understand why it's such a Vancouver favorite.

No, I didn't buy a ticket for the prize home. I didn't like the house very much. There was sponge paint on the walls circa 1992, and black and gold tiled bathroom that screamed 1985. I decided to save the $25 and treat myself to something else.

August

Bronze statue at Queen Elizabeth Park. I'm no expert but that camera doesn't look digital to me.


August in a nutshell? WORK. I have been work'n for the man almost every day this month. I'm trying to make some cash for some big expenses I foresee in the future (not to mention the big black debt cloud that hangs over my head -stupid student loans). I have also been focusing more on my gluten-free blog (http://www.gluten-freeme.blogspot.com/) feel free to cruise on by. Sorry for neglecting this blog! But at least I have a valid excuse.



I did check out the world famous Gastown Motorcycle Show'n Shine last weekend. Fabulous as ever. Sadly in my haste to catch the bus, I forgot my camera, so there are no pics of that event.


I also had a work dinner at Season's in the Park. It was also my first time eating out since going Gluten-free. I didn't get sick (good), but my meal wasn't exactly gluten-free even though the waiter said it was (bad). The food was very good and the view of the city was amazing. Too bad the pictures don't really capture it. I don't think I've been to Q.E. Park since I was a little kid. I would love to go back.



Random shot of co-workers.
...and Creme Brulee that came with wheat-packed biscotti (definitely not gluten-free) but it was delish!





Me posing with the other bronze statues. I took a bunch of really funny pictures but they didn't turn out very well. I need to figure out how to set the camera for night-time pictures.

As for the other job, I have been working lots, and I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable. This week I am at a training course to learn how to de-escalate situations and prevent clients from getting violent. Interesting and useful, plus there have been lots of opportunities for networking with other women working in the field.


Up coming event-day of fun at the PNE! Once again I will convince myself that I will win the prize home only to be disappointed and be forced to live in the ghetto for another year. Stay tuned for pictures.

The Wack

I got so busy I forgot to blog! Among the highlights was a trip to Chilliwack for my grandmother's birthday.

Breakfast champagne toast to Ella (my new neice)


Birthday presents for Nana.



The veiw from the back porch, it was a little hazy.





Yellow plums ready to be eatten. I know where I'm going for produce! They have 2 peach trees, 2 apple trees, a pear tree and a plum tree. Only the plums were ready when I was there though.








The lawn is so big that Dad had to buy a ride 'em lawnmower and he had to build a huge compost bin for all the grass. Pitchfork and cowboy hat completed the picture.






The lawn. Standing at the fence looking towards the back of the house





Cows! Momma, and 2 calfs (hiding in the grass on the far left). The horses were in the barn that day.






The walk to see the cows was too long for Nana, so we sat her in the back of the tractor and took her for a tour.

Bowling Drug Dealers

After the baseball tournament, I went bowling with the girls from work. A quick shower, bite to eat and I was sober enough to bowl. I was still sort of in cheerleader mode though, I kept wanting to yell out a cheer as each person went up to bowl.

My sexy shoes.


Glow in the dark bowling!
It was strange, the balls were all covered in oily slime. Apparently they put grease on the lanes, we didn't like it. We were all worried about our clothes. One of the balls was so slippery, that I dropped it. It rolled across to the next lane, and nearly took out a little kid!


Team picture.



Something we discovered, if you throw the heaviest ball you can, you get a better score. I could not believe how well I was playing! I started out with a 7 pound ball, but had graduated to a 14 pound pink ball by the end of the night. The next morning I discovered that I had thrown my back out! I guess throwing a 14 pound ball one-handed repeatedly isn't so good for the ole back. It kind of sidelined me for the second day of cheerleading.

CONGRATULATIONS

If you were born today, you share a birthday with Ginger Rogers and Will Farrell. You might be the centre of attention and turn every head when you grow up.

You also share a birthday with Orville Redenbacher and Michael Flattery from Lord of the Dance. ...I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

However, it's an excellent day to be born.

Shamrocks will rock you!

Time for the annual 420's... I mean Shamrock's year-end tournament


Official cheerleader gear, thanks to the local dollar stores.



Shannon scored these awesome sunglasses.



Cheering at 420 in honour of the previous team name. Don't look directly at my legs. They aren't actually that white, it's just that everyone else is so tanned.

Adventures in Groceries

Well it has been 2 months of gluten-free living. Only a couple of mistakes along the way, and lots learned. Thank goodness for the internet, there are so many resources and gluten-free communities out there. I have a new favorite blog, it is called "Gluten-Free Girl" The writer was miserable most of her life and thought she was dying. Then one day she found out she had celiac disease, changed her diet, and changed her life. She fell in love with a chef who changed his restaurant for her. Every week she writes about food, falling in love and living a full life. It's a great food website, check it out. http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/ Her cookbook (by the same name) is top of my wishlist.





Two months of gluten free eating has resulted in 2 months of sleeping through the night, no more sickness. Honestly, I have never felt better (with about 10 pounds mysteriously melting off). There are a few things I am really missing though. Every cereal in the breakfast aisle at Safeway contains gluten. Believe me. I literally started at one end of the aisle and read ingredient lists until there weren't anymore to read. Security probably thought I was planning on robbing the place. In despair, I have started shopping a little broader a field at specialty shops. I have found a good corn-flake cereal and have found a frozen bread I like. But what I've really been missing is oatmeal. Oats are gluten free but they are cross contaminated with other grains during processing. I have found a few online retailers of gluten-free oats, but the price is outrageous.





Today I went to a new grocery store. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called Save-On-Foods. Ha ha ha. There isn't one near my house, so I've never really shopped at Save-On. To my delight, they had all sorts of sections dedicated to food-freaks like me! I'm excited to try out the new foods I bought. The first is a sort of "Oatmeal"





"Ruth's Chia Goodness"
What makes this cereal different? Well it is made from Chia Pets! Remember that seed that you used to smear on your Chia Pet as a kid? Well turns out Chia is from the plant Salvia (found in lots of gardens including mine!) I honestly don't know if this is going to be good, but first thing tomorrow morning I am going to get up and make a bowl. Stay tuned for the official review....

And we're back. well I made a small bowl of Chia, I was expecting something that looked like oatmeal (because that's what is on the package.) The end product is dark brown, almost black seeds in a jelly-like muck. It reminds me of a kiwi fruit mushed up, the mouth feel is strange. The taste is tolerable as long as I keep reminding myself that it is good for me.

Gas Tax Tuesday

All day long I kept hearing people moan about the cost of gas and the new gas tax. I've never cared about gas prices because I don't drive. But that is all soon to change, I am planning to buy a car in the fall or winter (because I have to). I really want a hybrid or smart car, but I can't afford it. After doing a little Internet searching, I found that there are plenty of eco-friendly options out there if you aren't going to go far or aren't wanting to go fast.


At first I saw electric scooters (like motorcycles, but smaller.) I was surprised to learn that in BC, you don't need a licence to be on the road with an electric scooter. It doesn't really make sense to me, why should you be allowed to drive on the road without a licence? Sounds kinda dangerous to me. And then I found electric tricycles! A trike is so much more my speed and seems a lot safer. Some of them have peddles and other types don't.





Can't you picture me on this scooter? So cute. If only I could find a pink one! I could totally grocery shop and commute to and from work on these! The best part is that they are cheap, starting at about $1000, and the best part of all, no gas!




Can anyone else picture themselves cruising around the city on one of these puppies?