Just Me

Introducing...

2012-01-11T23:00:00.003-06:00

Our new little man, Oscar.

Today it is 6 weeks since we welcomed Oscar into a cold, bright, loud world. He was 7 lb. 6 oz and pretty much nothing went the way we'd hoped.

-back labour (too painful to talk about)

-meconium in the waters...baby poop

(transport to the hospital when nearly fully dilated)

-somebody was facing the wrong way and had an extra hard time getting out

-some awwwwwful tearing as a result

-baby transport to the nic-u

-A LOT of unexpected post partum hemorrhaging

-a trip to the OR for a whole lotta stitches under general anesthetic

(and the requirement for a catheter...ugh)

-a major hemoglobin drop requiring a blood transfusion in the afternoon

(and a second transfusion the next day)

-no water alllll day in case of emer. surgery

-not getting to really meet Oscar until around 5pm

Then there was still:

-IV antibiotics for him, IV antibiotics for me

-four more days in the hospital

- 3 days of no walking

-a mix up resulting in no pain meds for me

-a mix up resulting in a liquid diet for no reason

Followed by:

-A very sore, tiring week at home

-a fainting spell getting out of the shower which led to

-a trip to the ER at 10:30 at night with a 9 hour wait

-re-admittance to the hospital for another 4 days with an 'unexpected' infection

-another trip down to the OR for a D & C (look it up)

-more 'unexpected' blood loss

-some complications with a high fever

-and to top it all off: breastfeeding issues (ie. ouch!)

Finally six weeks later, I can walk almost normally again; I've finally been able to go out of the house a couple of times; and even breastfeeding has gotten better, but I still tire easily from low Hemoglobin

(it will take a couple months before my body can make a normal amount) and I don't quite feel entirely comfortable on my own yet.

After all this, just one thought comes to mind:

We feel fortunate. Joyful. Lucky. Blessed. Each and every time we look into that increasingly chubby face.

Welcome home our sweetest of sweets.

Cyber Monday??

2011-11-28T11:01:00.002-06:00

Just now, on the american news channel, I heard it is "Cyber Monday"... as in people have planned over the weekend to spend up to two hours at work today shopping online. I can't decide if this is better or worse than black friday. Ugh either way.

'Tis the season...

2011-11-18T13:21:00.003-06:00

..for lots of work to get stained fingers, stained lips, happy taste buds.

Mmmm, I love, Love, LOVE pomegranate season!

Thursday's Preggo Thirteen

2011-11-10T01:39:00.001-06:00

Let's split today's list in two:

7 Things I'll miss about being pregnant:

1. Wearing all my clothes that used to make me 'feel fat'. Now I can wear them all with no worries!! (And even smaller sizes than normal...well sort of.)

2. Don offering to do (just about) everything for me...maybe it'll rub off and stick around. ha.

3. After a bit, I'll miss the ninja kicks from inside. They're not as bad as I hear some are...

4. I will miss this no hair loss business!! I used to lose so much hair (well, at least average) while brushing, washing, whatevs ... but now, NONE comes out. And I'm not even exaggerating. It's the best! I'm sure Don will especially miss it once I just start shedding. ugh.

5.Eating whenever I feel like it, because if I'm hungry and craving something like peanut butter toast and milk and apples at midnight, I don't have to feel guilty about it! Or worry about un-necessary eating.

6.Naps. I get my best sleep (right now) when it's mid day when I decide to 'sit down for a minute' and wake up on the couch two hours later. I'm not really a good napper, but right now...it's the best - and way better than night times.

7. That it's funny to be called 'fat'. The other day at the cafe Kim works at, she said, "Can someone ring that fat lady out?" And our friend out east recently said to Don, "Tell Tubby I said hi." I don't why it cracks me up, but it does. And it won't be nearly as funny when people say those things in February. :(

6 Things I won't miss!

8. Eating whatever I want without feeling guilty that it's not healthy protein, veggies or fruit.

9. Sitting however I want, not worrying about squishing anyone/helping them get in the right birthing position.

10. Sleeping on my belly!!! I miss it SO much.

11.My Darth Vader breathing at night. Seriously, I think it wakes Don up sometimes.

12.Getting up from bed, the couch, the car, where ever like a normal person.

13.If I have to hear one more person say, "Wow! You look about ready to pop!", I'll smack them. I had to hear it at least 7 times last weekend...so sick of it. I think it's the mental imagery I don't appreciate.

Happy Anniversary CBC!

2011-11-02T12:00:00.005-05:00

Today the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation celebrates 75 years.

I think I've probably been a listener since I was born. (Right Dad?)

It's so full of nostalgia for me...

Hearing names like Peter Gzowski, David Suzuki, Alan Maitland, Michael Enright, Barbara Budd, Danny Finkleman, Bob McDonald, Shelagh Rogers and hearing those familiar radio theme songs almost instantly puts me at ease. I remember hearing As It Happens practically every single night during supper. Saturday mornings, just open the garage door to get your bike to hear the geeky (but loveable) voice of Quirks and Quarks explaining some scientific phenomenon. Summer saturday nights on the veranda at the cottage held the take-you-back-in-time-feeling while Finkleman's 45's played over the little transistor radio in the happy glow of the patio lanterns. And Christmas Eve. If you had the right timing, you'd be sitting in the backseat of the station wagon, cruising up and down streets, taking in the christmas lights while Alan Maitland's strong, even voice totally captured you (even though you'd already heard it many times over many Christmases) in the story of The Shepard. Even down to the daily beeping, silence and tone that signals the 12 noon makes me feel everything is...right.

However inadvertently I grew up listening it,

I now love the CBC and as I get older, I only love it more.

I've added must hear shows like The Current, DNTO and Wiretap as I became an adult and now even Don (an avid pop radio listener) is happy -even eager?- to hear some interesting story or documentary or current issue being discussed.

I'm not saying it's a perfect thing, as my dad says, it's a love/hate relationship with the CBC, this proven by the fact that my eye rolling skills are still very well practiced. There definitely are still a couple of shows I'll turn off. But I'll just say that when we were in the US for a month doing something like 10, 000 miles of driving (no exaggeration), I was ever so relieved to realize that the satellite radio in our car had CBC as one of them. Un-sensationalized news from Canada on the hour, familiar shows and voices ... I was one happy passenger.

So thank you government of Canada, for funding and supporting something so useful-a place where education takes place and (attempted) un-biased information can be heard, opinions shared, polite discussion and debate happens and best of all... no ridiculous commercials pounded into your head. I look forward to another 75 years and the passing on of good radio to generations to come.

Newsworthy?

2011-10-24T12:57:00.005-05:00

I think perhaps this morning's news reporter needs to review her definition of "newsworthy". I just don't really want to hear every half an hour about what Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez did while in Winnipeg this weekend. I especially don't need to hear about her trip to the shelter to 'see a cute puppy, that she just fell in love with'. Perhaps we should, ahem, focus on our own locals who actually possess some talent and totaaly represent at the WCMA's in Whitehorse this weekend... wink, wink.

mmm.... or totally inane post

2011-10-19T14:19:00.002-05:00

This chilly morning we were right by the cafe where my sister works.

She made me a Vanilla London Fog and it warmed up my morning!

Yum! Thanks Kim, it was perfectly delicious!

Mini Jedi & Micro Sith

2011-10-16T19:11:00.002-05:00

Ummm...yeah. Just about the dang cutest short you'll ever see.

(Except maybe this one.)

US of A

2011-09-26T00:16:00.005-05:00

Soooooo.... finally a few photos from our trip so far...

Ahhh, Nashville...actually a much nicer little city than I thought.

The drive down to New Orleans...gotta love it when you hit beach side!

Our B&B was literally a 5 minute walk from this sign...fUUn!

Happy Birthday Don! A swamp tour in Sliiiiiiidell. I think her name is Lucy.

Across Texas, New Mexico and here we are in Sedona, Arizona with the 'vortexes'...

The Big G.C., yep, just as impressive as we thought, and more.

Up to Nevada, for just onnnnne night in Vegas. We lost $2.

Yes, I am a dork. I made Don take this photo of me having an Arizona in Arizona!

Just a few short hours later and here we are Hollywood! Now just imagine it's mid march and there's a red carpet behind me...

Santa Monica Pier and all it's touristness...we were mostly excited by the seal we saw swimming off the pier!

Fun times (for movie fans anyway) during a studio tour!

And now we're on our way home through the foggy coastal mists of Oregon then Washington, Idaho, Montana, N.D.... and finally good ol' Manitoba. More photos to come...as long as we can find an internet connection...

Cultured or Snobby?

2011-08-24T15:47:00.013-05:00

Sometimes, because of some people, I find myself feeling like a complicated, high maintenance, snobby person. It's strange because I'm really not, I know I'm not, and yet with a few simple words or look of mis-comprehension or non-comprehension (are those even words?), I suddenly feel like I am 'lording' knowledge over people. I've realized recently I gotta get over this. I am happy to be who I've grown into being. (I've added a few fun links to help explain myself...)

I can't stand making small talk. I can't stand media that doesn't make you think, even in the smallest, unobtrusive way. I can't stand music with really useless, stupid lyrics. I can't stand that big blockbuster movies are big block buster movies. I can't stand stupid 'fluff' books*. I can't stand wasting money eating in terribly mediocre restaurants where all I taste is cardboard and grease. I can't stand self-inflicted ignorance. I can't stand intolerance.

I love having a real conversation with someone. It doesn't have to be serious, it doesn't have to be really philosophical and deep, it just has to be 'real'. I love when a movie or a song or a concert or a radio interview or...whatever, says something to you. It could be something positive, it could inspire you to make a change, it could make you pause and consider something you hadn't before...and I'm not talking "Wow, I never knew Ryan Reynolds had such a great six pack!" I'm talking, "Hmm. Perhaps I should go have lunch with Grandma after watching "Away From Her" and be grateful to have some more time with an elder who is 'present'."

I love listening to a really beautiful piece of classical music. I love listening to Andrea Boccelli at full volume while I'm cooking alone....even though I can't understand a single word. I love listening to a new song by K'naan. I love listening to CBC radio and hearing real stories from real people in Newfoundland and how bats fly in the same day. I love watching the (CBC) news and learning more about what's happening in the world with out bias and fear mongering.

I love travelling to those places I've learned about and seeing how other people live. I love bringing back some of their customs and food and ideas to my own life. I love eating in places (including making new OR comfort food at home!) where the flavour seems to burst onto your tongue.

I love reading books that draw you into a world that someone has created either from their imagination or in a re-telling of a real event, the kind you can't wait to get back to whenever you have a spare moment. I love having an opinion and sharing it. I like challenging people to think of where their food comes from, where their garbage goes, what they're putting in their body, what they're putting in their mind...what kind of impact they're having on the earth, in their relationships...how they view their neighbours, their city, the rest of the world...I think I just love learning.

And I've realized it's okay to like these things about myself. I can still be a simple, easy going person and be who I am, like what I like. It doesn't make me a snob or overly complicated and intimidatingly intellectual (heaven knows that's the not the case!). It makes me me. And I like that person. Just give me real. A few original thoughts. A few extra pounds. A bit more salt. Let's see some colour and taste some of the 'flavour of you'.

What spawned this soap box tirade? One of my favourite friends sent me this video below. And it made me happy. It made me appreciate travelling, it made me appreciate appreciating the variety of life in our world, it made me appreciate the creativity and organizedness of the person who made it. Somehow, it made me realize it's okay, or more so, it's good (!) to be happy because of who you are.

*I'm talking harlequin's here people, yes, I can take a little chick-lit once and a while...

Thursday Thirteen of niceness...

2011-08-19T19:34:00.008-05:00

The past couple of weeks, my big sister has been pretty much the nicest person ever.

So today's list is a tribute to her.

Thirteen nice things Corrie did for Pam this week:

1) Had us over for lunch*

2) Had us over for supper*

3) After complaining about pregnancy rib(yes, that's the scientific name), sent me an article on relief for it

4) Let me order a jeannie cake for Daryl's coming home party (I'm pretty sure he doesn't really care about the cake type...)

5) Let me take ALL the leftover jeannie cake home!

6) Told me to start watch a new show, that is now my fav. ('Happy Endings'...you should watch it.)

7) Sent me an article on how to up my iron levels with blackstrap molasses (which I seriously need to increase if I want to have a home/non-hospital birth)

8) Went to see a suuuuuuper dumb movie with me while don was "too busy" for movies**

9) Bought me (for the second time) a pair of great maternity pants at the thrift store

10) Didn't get mad at me after I ate all the fresh blueberries my mom bought her***

11) Actually listens to me whine aLOt about certain topics I can't mention on a public blog...

12) Offered to fill in for me at work so I can take a wicked awesome trip during September

13) Gave us, seriously, the most dee-licious zucchini carrot cake. I don't know how she gained these tasty healthy cake making skills, but SO good.

I mean, come ON? Can you get any nicer than all that stuff?!? Plus she took a freakin' whack load of pictures with me (fine, and everyone else...obsessed much?) at the photo booth at Becky's wedding. I know- she's pretty awesome. You can be jealous.

*Us=Me & Don...duh. But by having both of us over for supper, that's like double the nice points. Of course just having one of us would be negative points...

**No, I'm not admitting what movie it was, and yes, we should have waited for the cheap seats. But it was Towne 8, which on Tuesday nights is the same price as the cheaps so I don't feel bad. So there.

***Fine, she doesn't looooovvvvve blueberries like I do. But I did say I'd buy her some more and by the time I got around to it, they were all gone from the stores. Who knew the blueberry season was so short?!

Shameless Plug? Yep.

2011-08-16T16:05:00.006-05:00

Seeing as how I almost forgot to vote this year*, I thought I'd try to make up for it by passing along the word to the few people who actually read this blog... even if you've already voted.

The Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards will once again be coming up in November of this year, of which don has yet to win one. Tonnes of nominations, but no hardware yet. Thing is, they have a few voting stages. The first stage, which gets you a nomination in the first place ends in just 2 short days on Thursday.

Would you be so kind as to cast a couple of votes Don's way?

You can vote here (just 'login' first): Vote for Don here.

Then you can vote for him in the "Best Country CD" category and in

the "Single Of The Year" category (song: 'Right Where I Wanna Be')

I know it takes a second, but I know it means a lot to him when his real friends and family vote too. (The first year he was nominated, he found out later he lost by two votes and wouldn'tcha know it, two very close people to him didn't bother voting.)

So take a sec and help make his day. Also, you can watch this very funny promo video as a reward after you voted. AFTER, guys, AAAAFTER.

*Yep, looks like I'll be winning the award for worst wife ever this year.

mmmmmuffins!

2011-08-09T13:51:00.003-05:00

Today, a super awesome person brought me a plate of still warm home made apple cinnamon muffins at work. I already ate one before this photo, but the best part? She also brought some havarti cheese to go with them. How did she know that would make me SO happy?!

I hope Don's not reading this because I don't think these are going to make it home at six o'clock...

Thanks Karen!!

Good one!

2011-07-27T11:12:00.005-05:00

This morning on the radio show Q, Paul McCartney (whom I love), totally got the host, Gian Gomeshi (who I nearly can't stand), with a joke, that rendered him (Gian) speechless for a moment.

It was a lovely, lovely moment.

Thank you Paul for making my morning.

Ten

2011-07-13T00:01:00.003-05:00

1. Going it alone this week... usually I don't mind, but for some reason it seems lonelier than usual.

2. Boy, does summer bring out the couch surfing requests...none for like 5 months and then three in one week. Too bad I'm not comfortable hosting alone.

3. We're headed on a canoe trip next week, I'm hoping that this bloody hot weather keeps going. I freaking love hot canoe trips.

4. The lettuce in my garden is being a beeotch. It's totally behind all the other plants and only like 1/3 of it is even coming up. It's too bad because it was the one thing I was looking forward to eating soon!

5. I hope the person who rifled through our car last week at 2:30 am really enjoyed the $2.37 they took from the cup holder. You're so lucky don only heard you walking away, he had his beat stick all ready.

6. Don 'stole' all my favourite bands at the folk fest and posted them on facebook, so now I feel like I've been scooped, but here they are anyway: reallllly, really enjoyed Blue Rodeo, even though I complained about Don dragging me there for at least a week before hand...it was worth it. Also really liked this band 'Blind Pilot' and 'The Crooked Brothers'. That was a fun, hot, long weekend.

7. I drank my fair share of lemonades at FF. I figured since the boys were buying a few beers at $6 a pop, I wouldn't worry too much about having a couple $3 lemonades. They're so delicious.

8. I made super delicious angel hair - cream sauce - fresh basil - cherry tomato -sauted onion pasta tonight with a fresh baguette. So wouldn't have happened if St.Leon Jardin wasn't across the street and flippin' awesome.

9. We cleaned the heck out of our house last week because we had company coming...it's pretty awesome. Everything still so clean. Hopefully we can stay on top of this easy cleaning now.

10. I'm planning on a tasty strawberry milkshake tomorrow using the fresh MB strawberries we picked last week. It's going to be deeeeelicious.

My Little Sister is Married...weird. *

2011-07-04T11:24:00.009-05:00

*Or also titled, "IT'S FINISSSSSHHHHHHHED!!!!!"

Tom & Becky "The Wedding" is over.

Just a few boxes to unpack from the car and I'll

spend the rest of this week relaxing. Maybe a

movie or two, some gardening, a gelati 'date'

(hint, hint, Donald).

Maybe I'll even fit some work in there. Ha ha.

Here's the list I've been crossing off in my gmail

tasks lists. I'm deleting it today.

BT "THE WEDDING"

~~Coffeehouse/Social~~
~~Backyard Shower at Mom & Dad's~~
~~Amazing Race Bachelorette Party~~
~~Invitations~~
~~12 Little Cakes~~
~~Flowers~~
~~Dress~~
~~Ceremony~~
~~Bar~~
~~Decor~~
~~Food~~
~~Reception~~
~~Candy Bar...~~
~~Bridesmaid Dress~~
~~Wedding Gift~~

Looking at those items (which each had about 3

sublists, I'll spare you boring wedding deets)it almost

looks like my wedding, which it definitely wasn't.

But I love lists, and I love getting details organized,

perhaps that's why Becky kept introducing me to

people as her 'Wedding Planner' over the last

couple of weeks. Funny thing is soooooo many

people kept mentioning that me and Corrie

(I'm only good at the organizing part, Corrie's the

creative/problemsolving/calming part) and Kim

(kim's the fun/smiley/make us laugh part)*

should go into wedding or event planning and

we're all like..."No Way!!"

Why? We do things on the cheap. We DIY it BIG TIME

and with whatever we have. It might not always be

the best idea, it might not even hold up the

whole time, we just make it work with what we have.

Why do we do it?

Yes, part because we're cheap (ahem, I mean frugal),

but we mostly do it because we love our family.

We love our sisters in a very special (gag) sister love

kinda way. It's pukey, but it's the truth. They'll still

love us if it doesn't go perfectly. They throw an idea

our way, we understand almost instantly and then

figure it out and try our best make it happen.

Being under pressure to make that happen?

Having to do things 'properly'?

I'd probably kill the first bride who hired me/us.

Plus, I think we've used up all our super good ideas.

And now we're done with weddings.

Forever.

But I can't WAIT to see the pictures,

it was a pretty freakin' awesome time.

Congrats to our feisty Bec AND

our new super awesome bro, Tom.

*(Yes, bec helps out with stuff too, but she's the whiney workhorse who helps get it

done... albeit very painfully. ha ha you know it's true bec!! But you know how to power

through and we still love you. And you make us take juice breaks, so that's cool.)

This post would be longer if I wasn't so busy.

2011-06-28T17:49:00.006-05:00

You know that kind of busyness that leads up to something exciting? The kind where you know you're getting less sleep, your to-do list keeps getting bigger even though you keep crossing things off, but then little things keep giving you a glimpse of the promised fun to come.

Yes, it's wedding week for a bunch of us here in Winnipeg.

In fact, the last wedding of the Winnipeg Van Aertselaer clan.

So much planning, prep and work...

But oh MY, this is going to be one shindig to remember.

Now...back to work.

Got Plans?

2011-06-15T22:09:00.005-05:00

Because if you don't, let me tell you what you should do.

You should come out to the release of a very good, long awaited little EP.

That's right, my little sister is finally releasing her CD. This girl writes the sweetest songs you ever did hear. Songs that you don't mind getting stuck in your head. Tunes that you can't help but sing along to. Music that just makes you Feel. Better. Even just looking at it does it...doesn't it?

So, what are you waiting for?

Mark your calendar!

Find a baby-sitter!

Pull $10 outta your rainy day jar!

Then come on down!

7:30 pm

891 St.Mary's Road

$10 each

Don't live in Winnipeg?

Check out the sweetheart website!

Do live in Winnipeg? Check it out too!

kimberlyjane.ca

Laziest Gardener Ever.

2011-06-11T17:46:00.001-05:00

Actually, I don't even think I can quite call myself a gardener yet... so anyway, after our super nice landlords offered to buy lumber for a raised garden in our tiny back yard, I decided we better get it done. So with the help of awesome, ever helpful parents, we (ah, and by me, I assume you all understand I mean the man with the muscles who's good at everything aka Don) got the wood, cut it, measured it, made little wooden dowels to hold it together (I was thrilled to have a no metal solution. I don't know why, I just had this thing with it being all 'natural' fibre...I know, I'm dumb.), got soil, brought it all to our tiny backyard, assembled, filled...done!

Then I was like, blah, let's plant later.

A week later, I realize if I wait any longer, we'll be having veggies in October. Oh no, wait, they'll all have died by then.

So, finally I planted stuff today. I tried to be all good about it. You know, making straight rows with a piece of twine, being very careful to read about each kind of seed and how to plant it and what to plant it with, blah, blah, blah. But, goodNESS, I'm lazier than I thought. By the last two rows, carrots and lettuce, I just made a row, sprinkled in the seeds, patted down a bit of soil and watered the crap out of it (dry soil).

I'm sure this will come back to haunt me at the weeding/thinning time. But I didn't care. It wasn't that hot out today, but in our no shade/no wind backyard, I was getting hot hot hot! And not the sexy kind either.

Anyway, after a little break in our ridiculously cold house (yes, it stays cold ALL the year with no A/C, which most consider good, but not me. I love heat. Although today, I must admit to it's lovely dark coolness....) I feel better about finishing up out there, but I think I'll save the raspberry bush planting and flower transplanting for tomorrow.

I was also too lazy to take a before picture, which Don would say is just one more reason to get an iphone, but I'm not that lazy to not hold on my anti-iphone stance, so this one from last year will have to suffice for pre-garden back yard. Take note of the empty space in the corner of the fence behind those day-lilies, or whatever they are.

And here are a couple of after pictures...I'm guessing they'll be more impressive in a couple of months...but I guess I'm pretty happy with them for now.

Today Was A Good Day For...

2011-05-27T00:32:00.002-05:00

Hanging out laundry to dry in the morning sun...

Riding a bike to work...

Talking to far away friends...

Smelling new lilac blossom scent floating through the air...

Skipping the dishes...

Eating a bowl of mint chocolate ice cream in the backyard...

Going to a movie...

I'm happy to say - I got it all done. Feels good.

What is it not a good day for, you might be wondering?

Maybe...climbing into bed only to see a spider crawl across the pillow 2 inches from your face, jumping out of bed, stripping off all covers, trying to find darn thing only to finally relent, remake, get back in, try to forget it and then see it crawl across the floor 2 minutes later. I think that's more of a thing for Mondays. At least I know where it is now.

Oh. My. Gosh.

2011-05-24T16:05:00.002-05:00

I just turned on the tv for a little break with my late lunch

and the Very Last Oprah show is on. (Another post, another time.)

Holy smokes, from the way their treating her, is this Oprah or Jesus?

Not Cool.

2011-05-24T14:33:00.006-05:00

Last night, since it was a holiday and I was out of milk, annnnnd I'm on a super milk kick right now I had to stop at Sev to pick up milk. Holy Hannah, is it the biggest rip off I've ever seen! Take a look at these prices...they don't even make any sense:

500 ml - $1.79

1L - $1.56

2L - $4.09

4L - $5.99

What is wrong with the person who priced those out? Not only are they ridiculous, the 1L is cheaper than the little one, the 2L is more than double the 1L, (so why wouldn't you just buy 2-1Litres), and the 4L is so expensive, why wouldn't you just wait until the next day to buy a big jug?? Does anything other than the 1L really even sell? Yikes. And besides all that, I do hafta wonder how much of this is even going to the farmers...

Cure for the blues

2011-05-19T20:18:00.003-05:00

If ever you're feeling down, or fat, or ugly, all you need is to

receive a note like this and it will spruce up your entire week.

Did I say week, I meant probably your entire month.

It's probably even better if you get it from someone under 6.

Sunshine On My Shoulders...

2011-05-14T14:18:00.005-05:00

Today, I went outside to check just how bad the weeds were in my flower beds (they're starting to get a little crazy, btw), and it was SO nice out, I decided to ignore all my house cleaning plans and weed in the sun instead. After 10 minutes (it's a small flower bed), I thought about the pile of dishes inside, sighed and headed back in to do them.

With dishes safely done, I turned to the piles of clothes in the bedroom, then to the vacuum, trying to make a decision when the glinting sun caught my eye once more. So I thought to myself, screw it! And I just shirked all my grown up responsibilities, grabbed my water bottle, threw down a blanket and soaked it all up.

It's only +16, but my backyard is like a wind block and a sun trap, so I lay there in my slippers and listened...

I heard the wind brush the new blades of grass together, I heard the rustle of crows wings as they flew just a few feet above me, I heard the new leaves on the big tree behind our house swishing with the gusts of wind, I heard the seagulls crying and the neighbours wind mobile clack clack clacking and I thought to myself, this is what I've waited all those months, that whole long, cold winter for...

and it was worth the messy house. *

*Besides, Don's on tour now anyways, I don't have to clean up until the day before he gets home!

Netflix Advice

2011-05-10T18:21:00.003-05:00

I love Netflix.

I know it's not for everyone. You have to be willing to search for something to watch OR be willing to watch something old or crappy.

But - if you're okay with documentaries or foreign movies or tv shows that you never got around to watching, you're in luck.

So, I thought I'd pass along a few of the good titles I watched lately.

Exit Through the Gift Shop -doc about street artists

How About You- cute british dramedy about an old folks home

I've Loved You So Long - French Drama about the reunion of two sisters after a prison term

Arranged - a happy story of arranged marriages in two different cultures

You Kill Me - A quirky dark comedy about a hit man

The Necessities of Life - A great movie-an inuit man who comes south for TB treatment in 1952

Ip Man- An interesting Martial Arts movie based on the life of Bruce Lee's trainer

And oh, so many more.

Definitely worth my $8 a month.

Any recommendations from you?

Done and done.

2011-05-04T11:00:00.002-05:00

Let me just say how happy I am that the election is over.*

Happy.

The next election won't be until at least 2015.

Nice!

*of course I voted. I'm just sick of the coverage.

The Big Day...

2011-04-28T09:47:00.004-05:00

Since when are Americans so obsessed with British Royalty? The amount of shows, programs and special movies out the last week on The Big Wedding is cA-rA-zy!

The Big Stars

I mean, don't get me wrong, I will be quite happy to see the wedding, although I won't be getting up at 3am, I will probably record it and watch it later in the day. I really do like W & K, but I am surprised at how much the rest of the world is jumping on board too. I saw that by the time a photo makes it around the world with different royalties, etc., a 'good' picture of the soon to be princess is worth about $150,000 - $200,000.

Tell me, how is that not going to ruin your life?

I guess with all the bad news of earthquakes, civil wars, nuclear disasters etc. circulating the globe these days, everyone wants to latch onto a fairytale. Can you blame them?

I'm looking forward to a bit of Royal extravagance.

Beware Thieves!

2011-04-20T13:24:00.004-05:00

Yesterday at two different stores our credit card was 'unauthorized'. Today I called to check it out and found out that someone has been using our credit card to make purchases in Quebec. First to McDonalds for $20, then somewhere else for $500!

On the phone after a billion security questions and checks and such, we (me and the visa guy) got it cleared up, the 'bad card' cancelled and a new one on the way. He asked at the end of the convo, if there was anything else they can do for me? And I really wanted to say, "Yeah, can you tell us what we can do to stop having our credit cards hi-jacked?" But I didn't. Partly because he had an accent and well.... let's just say I'm bad with accents and he'd already had to repeat himself like 50 times during our conversation.

But really, this is the third time in 3 years that our bank cards have been stolen. Are we doing something wrong? Is there a way we can be more secure? Do we need to switch banking institutions? We've got the new PIN cards and you better believe that after the last time, both Don and I now protect our PINs like crazy ninjas. So what can we do? At least our money has always been returned by the banks.

If you work(ed) for a credit card company, please share your security secrets with the rest of us.

Let me guess, probably the first step is not posting online that we're apparently credit card suckers?

Addicted.

2011-04-19T11:47:00.003-05:00

It's true.

I have become addicted to classical music.

It happened sometime last fall.

I started turning the ol' radio dial in the mornings at work because for the most part I can't stand Gian Gomeshi, unless he has someone reallllllly interesting on. I equally don't love pop radio - have you heard some of the songs they play now? So what was left? Country - no thanks.* That talk radio where they yell their opinions at you most of the time and have people call in the rest of the time - no thanks. Winnipeg's only hip hop station - uh, have you met me?

Then, somehow, my dial slipped into heaven. The sweet high singing of violins filled the room, first just mellow and beautiful, then onto notes that were so sorrowful, so clear and pure they honestly made me want to cry. I can't remember what that song was, some piece by the Tokyo string quartet or something. It was so calming. I wasn't distracted by badly written lyrics, or self promoting radio hosts, I was left in music that most of the time is hundreds of years old. That was first heard in another era. I love the romanticism of that.

Then I found it sneaking into other areas of my life, much to Don's dismay. I'd get in the car and be late and in a hurry and quite possibly angry, but once the sweet notes of Bach would sound or if I was so lucky to catch a Chopin Sonata, I'd almost instantly be calmed down. Instead of getting frustrated by other drivers I enjoy a leisurely drive, probably becoming one of the drivers I used to hate...

I drive more relaxed, I work more relaxed, I cook more relaxed, I don't know what hold it has over me, but I can't deny it! I should probably invest some time in actually learning who I like, but for now, I'm quite happy with my classical education from high school (thank you Mr. Kristensen!), from my family - thank you Corrie and your purple Mozart tapes!- and my currently on-going education from CBC Radio 2, thanks to programs "Tempo" and "Shift" with their equally relaxed and informative hosts. Have a listen on-line where ever you are!

*That's not to say that there's not a time and place for good fun music, I love all kinds of music, I think I just get worn out of bad mixes on bad radio stations. I know, I know, there's such a thing as an ipod now, but most of the time at work I just want the good old fashioned radio, not ear buds shoved in my ears depleting my already bad hearing...

My Favourite Internet Duo

2011-04-13T09:15:00.003-05:00

This has got to be the cutest Dad and Daughter on the internet!

I saw them last year in this video, but obviously, they just continue to be as cute.

No Impact Man

2011-04-11T13:37:00.002-05:00

Whoa. We just watched this documentary called, "No Impact Man". I heard about them last year, but just finally got around to watching it last night.

The story of a high consumer NYC family who decides to live for a year in their fifth ave. apartment without any environmental impact on the earth. Done in different phases, they don't quite do everything for a full year, but it was, no pun intended, very impacting.

My favourite things that he said:

"The thing is, it's not what little things you do or don't do, not using bags, not creating garbage, it's that you're aware of where things come from and where they go, including both the food you eat and the garbage you create."

"The fact of the matter is that if only I change, it's not going to make a difference, but the hope is that if each of us as individuals change, it's going to inspire everybody to change. So I believe the most radical political act there is, is to be an optimist. The most radical political act there is, is to believe that if I change, other people will follow suit. "

It makes me happy to think that it's not about keeping one bag (or coffee cup, diaper, etc.) out of the garbage, but realizing I don't even need those bags to exist in a happy life. To be accountable for the things I use and garbage I create, to not just do it because it's convenient.

Just what can I do without?

A lot.

Old Man Similarities

2011-04-04T17:21:00.003-05:00

Let me just say... nothing makes you feel like an old man

like having to trim an unruly nosehair.

Except maybe it did help a bit using a pair of teeny tiny manicure scissors to do it. I don't think old men do tHat.

Right or Wrong?

2011-03-27T16:48:00.006-05:00

A funny post on a blog I follow (This blog.) led me to google a look at which is right and which is wrong. The toilet paper over or under? Wow. There is a lot of info on this. But the one below was definitely my favourite. (See the original article here.) Read this and please, be a responsible toilet owner (those of you who own your own.)

Essential Life Lesson #1:

Over is Right, Under is Wrong

As part of our ongoing effort here at Current Configuration to make your life not only better, but also 10% more crunchy, we’re offering you this first installment of what will be an ongoing series of Essential Life Lessons. Kicking off this series will be a critical but even-handed examination of a common misunderstanding that occurs in a realm of many misunderstandings: the bathroom.

Put simply, there is a right way to hang the toilet paper, and a wrong way. Read on to determine the status of your own roll.

Toilet paper has a natural curve, a way of being that lends itself to certain orientations on the toilet paper spool.* If handled with skill and knowledge, it can provide an abundance of both sanitation andcomfort, quilted together in each square of pillowy ply. If handled with clumsy ignorance, or worse, carelessness, it will beset the user with pain, filth, and frustration. Don’t let it end this way, with you curled on the tile floor of the stall, weeping in frustration, covered in wasted papier de toilette. To convince you, we’ve created some diagrams, harnessing the power of SCIENCE, to demonstrate the natural benefits of the over hanging method. First, we examine the optimal viewing benefits of the over hanging method.

Below are examples of the helpful and fruitful over-hung method on the left and the annoying and detrimental under-hung method on the right.

Notice the dramatic difference in the amount of visible toilet paper. Ironically, it is the over-hung toilet paper that has both the most visible free sheetage and the least amount of sheetage free from the roll to do it. Now, this may not seem like a big deal on its own, but in these extra sheets lies your undoing. Observe.

We here at Current Configuration, for the purposes of ease and expediency, do the one-handed tear (okay, really, it’s just me, but bear with me, er, us). The one-handed tear is a quick maneuver that takes advantage of the perforated squares, allowing your bundle of toilet paper to be liberated with one quick swipe of the arm. This is thefoundation of bathroom ease, the cottony bedrock on which enjoyment rests in the restrooms of many nations.

The one-handed tear relies on a quick and forceful motion directed either away from or towards the tear-er. The forces applied in this motion are great and, like the atom, are not to be trifled with. The natural curve of the over-hung method allows the roll to stand fast after a one-handed tear, but the under-hung method creates a calamitous tendency in the roll. This tendency can only lead to this:

Wasted paper, frustration, the destruction of our forests. While we realize that it is possible to execute a one-handed tear on an under-hung roll, this is a game of sanitary Russian roulette. You are bound to lose eventually, and there is no re-rolling an unwound toilet paper roll. The results will only cause you grief. Don’t let this happen to you. Restroom attendants, janitors, maids, facilities crews, and responsible toiletowners take note: Don’t use the under-hung method for your toilet paper rolls. It leads to the destruction of our precious resources and the pillars of civilization as we know it!

*Does that thing have a proper name?

Vegas Skype

2011-03-24T19:46:00.003-05:00

Ah, I love Skype. Especially with a travelling husband. Here was my jealous view last week from his fancy-pance hotel just near the Bellagio and that whole area.

Okay, it doesn't actually look that great from here, but his hotel did have fancy remote curtain that had two levels! Wow! Amazing! Incredible! Obviously I need to get out more.

Return of the Supper Club

2011-03-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's not reeeeeally a supper 'club'.

It's more like a Don and I having some fun together club.

And because we both like eating so much (and we're both soooo good at it), we decided to combine them and have every monday night be our 'dinner night'. Not that we don't eat dinner every other night of the week... but Monday's have become something different.

Each week we take turns picking something new and different that we haven't made before for supper. It's one person's job to plan the menu - then we make it together.

It has been delicious and...mostly fun. Perhaps a little frustrating at times, learning to be in the kitchen together, but hey, challenging yourself is good, right? As long as we don't end up throwing the pots at each other... The best part it that we've often ended up having people over for supper on these nights, or packing it up and taking the meal to someone else's house to share supper with them.

The last few weeks have been 'on hold' because Don's been away, or I've had meetings or we had family winter olympics... but tonight is the return! And it's my turn to come up with an idea this week. I haven't found one yet. It's 2 pm. I welcome your ideas. Even if they don't make it 'in time' for tonights supper, feel free to leave them...or a link, we'll put them to good use!

I am a part of a large Family...

2011-03-16T10:30:00.005-05:00

and this week I feel really lucky that I am. (as Great Lake Swimmers often reminds me from my ipod)...

My parents are doing some house reconstruction in Indiana for people whose houses flooded and didn't have insurance or means to get their houses rebuilt....

Becky left last week heading to Guatemala to build some houses for Habitat for Humanity with my Aunt & Uncle...

Monday I dropped Don at the airport where he flew to Las Vegas for the week attending some kinda conference or something...

And I'm missing the foursome of Van Aertselaers who've recently packed their bags and moved to Kenora...

We seem very spread out this week. Yet there's still enough of us to get together for a nice outing and lunch today. How do people live with tiny families?

Lent..

2011-03-14T12:56:00.003-05:00

Apparently for Lent, I've given up good health. When will this blasted cold ever end?!? It seems that I just keep getting varied symptoms. Something awful ends, like sore throat (I'm so happy!), something new and awful begins, like a permanent headache (I want to cry). Although I just heard (via my good friend, google search) that colds often can take 10 days to run their course. That means I'm looking at probably another 5 days before feeling normal again....sigh.

Now I've got it!

2011-03-09T18:27:00.002-06:00

And today, I'm so tired of talking, I just want to use a chalkboard a la Anthony Hopkins in Legends Of The Fall. aM hApPy

Quote of the day...

2011-03-08T18:36:00.002-06:00

Last night as we climbed into bed, a sick Don said,

"This is like Rocky IV.

I am Rocky.

This cold is Dolph Lundgren.

And I'm gonna kick it's ass."

I love going to sleep laughing.

haiku horoscope time

2011-03-02T22:16:00.002-06:00

google "vampires"

and "terrorist rabbits"

if you want the truth

More Fun with Jesus

2011-02-28T17:18:00.003-06:00

Jesus talks about his lamb:

Some birthdays on Dec.26th:

Jesus needs to post some more photos:

Jesus loves his apps:

Jesus jokes around:

If you hold your cursor over Jesus' face, you get to see his nickname:

Best Face book ever.

2011-02-25T13:20:00.005-06:00

Last night, when I opened up our laptop, I saw this on Don's face book. How does it not make you laugh?

Here's his profile photo, just in case you're not familiar with Lord Jesus.

Four

2011-02-09T23:33:00.005-06:00

I've got four draft posts on my blogger dashboard, all waiting patiently to be finished. I'm not sure if it's busyness or laziness that prevents me from putting thoughts to keyboard...maybe a bit of both? Is that a paradox? Anyways, many exciting things have happened...so I'm gonna try my darndest to get back into blogger world. Most recent exciting thing (wherein I prove what a movie nerd I actually am): tonight I went to see a movie I really wanted to see before it left theatres (Rabbit Hole), and since no one else was really free (Okay, fine, I didn't try that hard to find a companion, but my first three asks didn't work out, so I gave up), I headed over there myself to find, much to my utter delight, I had the theatre to myself! What a treat! If only I'd had a couch...

More exciting things like this (but better, I prOMise) to come soon! (hopefully)

What's fun about living here?

2011-01-21T18:26:00.006-06:00

By 'here' I mean this fricken ice cold city where toes and noses freeze off and you just can't wait for another cup of tea because your fingers are almost frozen place. So what IS actually fun about living here (Winnipeg, not Yellowknife)?

Not helping your brother clean out his sUuuper full garage when he moves, that's for sure. (Okay, fine, maybe it was a little fun, but I attribute that more to the people, not the activity or the weather.)

But making the latest viral video (see below) happen on your own back porch this morning?That's pretty fun.

Oh, and it is lovely in the summer. I keep "forgetting" that.

Gotta go, my tea's ready...

Depressing...

2011-01-18T19:02:00.008-06:00

You may think (from the title) that this post has to do with the last post concerning the basement, but you'd be wrong.

After typing 'purging' I wondered if I spelled it right and used my lazy spell check way of typing it into google search. Well I did spell it right, but the next 4 things in the drop down menu just made me sad.

Side note: usually the drop down menu de-lights me with it's suggestions of what it thinks I am trying to type. I find it pretty hilarious(especially, as my sister showed me, if you start typing 'How To...' many fun suggestions then)!

However, this time, the next four things midway through typing 'purg' were, in order: purging tips, purging tips and tricks, purging definition, purging anorexia. It just seemed so...wrong that suggestions for tips and tricks came up before definition and disease.

Come ON Google workers, make it better! (I don't actually know how it works, I just like to hope that the google mass has some sort of control on how suggestions pop up other than who paid the most, or what was the most popular-at least for things of this nature, but probably not. Hey a girl can hope, can't she?)

Anyway, out of curiosity, I clicked on tips to see what the hoards of beautiful teenage girls who think they're hideous are finding on their google searches and....ugh (check title of post).

I hate when I find the worst parts of the internet.

It Is Time.

2011-01-18T13:46:00.004-06:00

I've 'taken some time off' of work this week so we can finally begin to clean up our basement. No small feat, we've ignored the basement for almost 3 years now and we don't just intend a clean up, but an all out clean-sort-organize. Ugh. We can call it our pre-spring-cleaning.

Let the purging begin.

Goodbye Good Commercials too?

2011-01-14T13:34:00.008-06:00

Why do the americans have to take over everything?

I just heard on the news that Target is buying Zellers...by 2013 they don't expect any Zellers to be left in Canada. I just want to support Canadian stores!! Why is that so hard! Not that Zellers was the best store or anything, it was just my department store alternative to Wal-mart (who I reeeeallly hate). Now what? Already when I googled Zellers a picture of Target came up. Sigh. I bet we won't even get their funny-awesome-indie-canadian-musician-backed-commercials anymore. Double sigh.

Time for a laugh

2011-01-12T11:17:00.002-06:00

I found this old 'letter' while cleaning out my files. Hopefully it will make you chuckle (okay fine, laugh your head off at your desk) just as much.

A message from John Cleese to all citizens of the USA

In light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (excepting Kansas, which she does not fancy).

Your new prime minister, Tony Blair, will appoint a governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the followingrules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. In the Oxford English Dictionary look up aluminum, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as favour and neighbour. Likewise, you will learn to spell doughnut without skipping half the letters, and the suffix ize will be replaced by the suffix ise.

3. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up vocabulary)

4. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as like and you know is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.

5. You will relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen.

6. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

7. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns,lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

8. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

10. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect.

11. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

12. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have mistakenly been calling gasoline)-roughly $6 per US gallon Get used to it.

13. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

14. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

15. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

16.You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).

17. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable.

18. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

19. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all tax monies due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your co-operation.

Pour a cuppa tea...

2011-01-11T13:27:00.001-06:00

I could so use a snow day today. Ugh.

Question to brain:

2011-01-06T15:43:00.004-06:00

Why is it that when I watch "The Mentalist", full of murder, dead bodies and 'gruesome' details, I dream of making pies and other relatively nice things, but when I watch "The Amazing Race", something I long to do, I dream of the contestants being human flesh eating zombies that I must join or avoid?

I'd really just appreciate more

dreams of pie, okay? Okay.

couch thoughts

2011-01-02T14:38:00.007-06:00

holy cow

i am at home

on the couch

just sitting

no tv

no noise

no one home

no plans

snow outside gleams in afternoon sun

it's ridiculously peaceful

maybe life has become a little too busy

if this feels like heaven

or maybe it's just after effects of a crazy holiday season

Here I come 10 more lbs...

2010-12-16T00:01:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday, my mom, sisters and I had what is becoming our annual Christmas Baking Day. It was a lonnnng day, but fun and full of Christmas music and incredibly productive. Our sister in law came and brought our niece and we made it an all out Van Aertselaer girls baking day. Even Grandma came and helped, and Dad sat in and had lunch with us.

What did we make? What didn't we make!

For this week's thursday thirteen...13 delicious recipes we made:

Christmas Wreaths

Puppy Chow

Christmas Clodhopper Mix

Butterscotch Confetti

Krispy Krunch Bars

Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

ImperialCookies

Whipped Shortbread

Nuts & Bolts Snack Mix

Christmas Popcorn Mix

No Bake Chocolate Macaroons

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Lemon Shortbread

The "Final" board - all checked off:

Mmmm, my favourite, Christmas Popcorn Mix - cinnamon/caramel popcorn with teddy grahams and m & m's. Deliciously addictive!

Grandma, coming to see the spoils...

sort count pack sort count pack...

(That's me on the left, counting individual pieces of popcorn-must be fair! ha ha...)

Trin, keeping us entertained (distracted?!) with all that darned cuteness!

Thank you to Bec & Court for our best looking (and tasting!) wreaths ever!

Originally against making Imperial Cookies, how could I say no after Kim & Becky made these SUPER cute ones?! I was totally impressed.

OOooh! Figgght! oops. I mean OOooh! Fuddddge! *

Mmmm, all that chocolately/marshmallowy goodness...

The famous Nuts & Bolts that no one ever wants to make, but always disappears...

These last two shots are a tribute to the 15 lbs I lost while galavanting about Europe. Get ready thighs, it's allllllll coming back! **

yUm!

* That one's for you girls. And a free plate of fudge to anyone else who knows what movie that quote is from...

**Update, I already had one night where I basically just ate goodies for supper. I may have learned my lesson. Maybe.

Even I'm not that cheap!

2010-12-13T16:43:00.003-06:00

Yesterday as we got home after being out all day, I hung up my coat, put my slippers on and wandered into the kitchen to find a snack. Thinking it was a bit chilly, I went to be nice* and turn up the heat a notch. Or two. Then I saw this:

Set temperature: 65˚F -- Actual temperature: 48˚F **

"Um....I'm not that cheap," I thought to myself, "I didn't set it to go that low when we're out...hmmmm." So, after some basement dwelling, some furnace peering and some landlord calling, our pilot light was back on and heat was once again blowing warmly through the vents.

Which is a good thing because it's a lovely, sunny -29˚C out today.

*Yes, I am the one constantly monitoring our house temperature and heating bill...we're not your average couple. At least not in this one way. ha ha...

**And, no, no I haven't changed the settings on our thermostat from fahrenheit to celsius yet because I am slowly trying to teach my brain to handle both equally.

New Tradition

2010-12-07T10:48:00.007-06:00

I've always meant to have a run of Christmassy movies in December and this year I am making it happen!(Yeah, that's right, my goals are really high in life.) I'll watch them whenever with whoever as long as it also includes some eggnog drinking, some present wrapping or some cookie decorating. Here is the list I've come up with over the last couple of years...I'd love to hear your suggested additions!

A Christmas Carol

Die Hard ✔

Elf✔

Home Alone ✔

It's A Wonderful Life

Little Women

Love Actually

Scrooged

The Family Stone✔

The Holiday

While You Were Sleeping ✔

Happy Mouth

2010-12-05T22:03:00.001-06:00

take one french vanilla tea bag

steep for 5 minutes in a nice big cup of boiling water

add 1/4 cup of egg nog

come on, let your mouth be happy!

beautiful words

2010-11-26T00:11:00.000-06:00

24-Hour Precipitation Outlook

We don't expect any precipitation in the forecast
from Thursday Overnight to Friday Evening

(I mean, I love the snow and all, but come ON!

I'm actually out of room to pile the snow along my driveway...

I'll take a few days of cold and sunny, thank you!)

(Check back in a few days to see me eat my words.)

Note to self:

2010-11-25T00:42:00.007-06:00

"Next time go ahead! Spend a little more money and buy waterproof winter boots so you don't have to wear bread bags on your feet in sopping wet boots for the drive home.

Because as much fun as this is...

you won't regret it."

Bring it ON!

2010-11-18T23:54:00.003-06:00

All the warnings and reminders and mental notes I've been making...I'm SO ready.

Yesterday, realizing it was my last chance, I got:

-the last of my leaves raked up

-my winter coats and boots out of the basement

-my snow brush from the porch into the car

-the garage all cleared out and ready to park in

I'm so ready for the snow and it was just in time. It seems incredible to me that just a few short hours we can go from a windy, cold, brow, ugly city to a bright, white beautiful one where the 'warmness' of snowfall makes you want to go for a late night winter walk.

I even put up the second string of christmas lights I had waiting (pre-snowfall), which, let me tell you was not as fun as I imagined it would be! It was SO cold I had to come in twice for warm up/tea breaks! There was also a kinda tippy ladder and a slight fear of falling and no one finding me until I had frozen to death. But, ahhhh, our house looks completed now. I'm glad I don't have any competition on our street, so that our house just looks simple and cheerful. If I did have competition, though, I'd so be doing this!

But I think I'll give it a few days before my indoor christmas decorations go up. I don't want to get sick of Christmas too fast and this year I think I'd like to focus on advent a bit more. Enjoy that sense of anticipation a bit.

Then I'll get some eggnog and put on the carols!

Mz. Lady, you are nice.

2010-11-14T23:37:00.002-06:00

Ha ha ha...yesterday at the woman's roller derby tournament (which was pretty awesome!), I got ID'd. I gotta say, I'm not really worried about getting older, but that made me pretty happy, happening the day after turning 30. So thank you to you nice security lady.

And now I'm going to make some late night pancakes and watch some late night tv. Oooh, it's like I'm pretending I'm single this week!

How exciting! *

*Sooooooo not really exciting, is it too obvious that I'm trying to boost my own enthusiasm?

Holy Happy Birthday Batman!

2010-11-13T10:50:00.003-06:00

I just have to give a big shout out to my girl peeps for giving me, pretty much one of the best birthdays ever! Three more fun people were missing and we also didn't bring a camera (I guess it will just live on in our memories...) but even so it was a freakin' blast! A surprise night of driving from unknown (to me) place to unknown place eating my favourite foods with my favourite people, tied in with amazing race type games that only I had to play to get my next clue to what the night held in store. And if you knew the people making it happen... Corrie, Becky, Cynthia, Marja ... you understand just how much fun it was.

You guys are really quite the nicest friends I could get. Thanks so much.

Thirty

2010-11-12T09:23:00.011-06:00

Hmmmm....it looks weird to type that number and know it means a part of who I am now.

Thirty.

It feels strange not to be a twenty something anymore, I mean, I gotta say it's been a pretty good last ten years for me.

Thirty.

I thinnnnk I'm okay with it ... I guess I kinda have to be!

Let see how it sits for the day, my day won't be as exciting as Don's 30th birthday in Madrid with his birthday fish and all...

But maybe I'll get used to it...

Or maybe I'll just pretend this is my birthday on a hot spanish evening out on a patio for drinks...

Eleven Eleven Eleven

2010-11-10T18:30:00.008-06:00

Today we got this quarter handed to us at the bank. Good reminder. So tonight I'm just planning out where to go to commemorate Remembrance Day tomorrow. It seems to me that this year especially, Remembrance Day is "no big deal". As I pulled out a ten dollar bill this afternoon to see a bit of "Flanders Fields", I saw the words "Lest We Forget" along the edge and thought, "But we are forgetting!"

Everything is open tomorrow, not that just closing down stores and gas stations is enough to remember, but it's significant. It lets people know - you can take one day a year to be thankful...and remember those people. Instead there are just reduced hours, so that (it seems) people can just sleep in and then head out to do some grocery or window shopping, or go to a movie. I also just found out this past weekend, that the city of Toronto (I'm not sure about the rest of Ontario) hardly 'remembers' at all. They have just 2 minutes of silence at 11am. They all still go to work, school, etc. like a normal day with a 2 minute break. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me.

I was beginning to lose hope that people would take time to be thankful for the way so many just signed up and fought for freedom. It felt to me that no one was interested. No one had plans to spend the day in remembrance to these people of the past. I was thinking maybe I was more 'concerned' this year because we were in Europe recently; seeing some of the towns that would have been occupied, destroyed and rebuilt; visiting places like the Anne Frank House, seeing video footage of the horrors that happened, remembering our last visit to Dachau. Really terrible things. But then I remembered last year. And I remembered how I felt it every year. That our country stood up against it. That men and some really young men took the brunt of it. And their mothers, sisters, wives, etc, etc. felt the loss of it so sharply. The veterans who came home to return to normal lives with scarred minds and souls.

So I looked up the services in our city this year, and there is a lot of choices. I felt a bit better, but I still feel like we're getting a so far away from remembering. So I've listed them here (below). Perhaps you have time for a service today? Or maybe you'd like to take your kids to the aviation museum for the new exhibition? Or maybe you'd watch a movie to help remember? Here are some ideas. (I'd recommend 1, 6, 7 or 12). Maybe you'd like to read a book about it. If you're in Toronto, maybe you'd like to check out Don's Remembrance day show - "A Night to Honour" at Little Trinity Church.

But at least I hope you do something to remember.

Aboriginal Veterans' Memorial Service

10:30 AM Friday Nov. 7
181 Higgins Ave. Winnipeg, MB

This event is hosted by the Aboriginal Community Campus, in the Aboriginal Centre Rotunda...

Brandon Remembrance Day Service

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Main Arena, Keystone Centre, 1-1175 18th Street, Brandon

All are welcome to attend the annual Remembrance Day Service hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #3 in Brandon. The Salvation Army Band will play selections prior to the service. Please be seated by 10:20 a.m.

Winnipeg Remembrance Day Service

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Winnipeg Convention Centre, 375 York Avenue, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend the annual Winnipeg Remembrance Day Service, hosted by the Joint Veterans' Association of Manitoba.

Valour Road Remembrance Service

10:45 AM
Corner of Valour Rd. & Sargent Ave.

This event is hosted by 38 Canadian Brigade Group. All are welcome to attend.

Royal Winnipeg Rifles Remembrance Day Service

10:30-11:30 AM
Vimy Ridge Memorial Park, Portage Avenue at Home Street, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend a Remembrance Day Service at the memorial to the 44th Battalion of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in Vimy Ridge Memorial Park.

Remembrance Day Service at HMCS Chippawa

10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
HMCS CHIPPAWA, 1 Navy Way, Winnipeg

The Commanding Officer and her crew of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship CHIPPAWA will pay tribute to the service and sacrifices made by men and women in uniform and in service to their country with a drumhead service on the drill deck in HMCS CHIPPAWA. All are welcome to attend. Please be seated by 10:15 a.m.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch #215 (Henderson Hwy) Remembrance Day Service

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Albright Church, 3600 de Vries Avenue, Winnipeg

All are welcome to attend the Henderson Hwy Legion's annual Remembrance Day Service, followed by a reception in the legion hall, at 3400 de Vries (beside Albright Church). Guests are asked to take their seats by 10:15 for a 10:50 a.m. start.

Minto Armoury Service

10:25 AM
969 St. Matthews Avenue

The Remembrance Day service at Minto Armoury is hosted by 38 Canadian Battle Group and is open to anyone who'd like to attend.

Aviation Museum Exhibit

1 PM - 5 PM
Building T-2, 958 Ferry Road

'Korea - the Forgotten War' opens on Nov. 11 at the Western Canada Aviation Museum. All are welcome.

University of Manitoba Remembrance Day Ceremony

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, November 10th
Brodie Centre Atrium, Bannatyne Campus, 727 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg

Staff, students and members of the community are invited to attend the university's Remembrance Day ceremony. The annual event pays tribute to University of Manitoba students, graduates, faculty and staff who have served their country during times of war and in peace-keeping operations. For those unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be webcast live on at umanitoba.ca beginning at 11:00am.

Deer Lodge Remembrance Service

2:15 PM
2109 Portage Avenue

Veterans and their families are welcome to attend this service in the Deer Lodge Centre

Triple Threat

2010-11-03T18:02:00.007-05:00

So this weekend is pretty packed in the Amero household - or rather, out of the house.

Friday night...

Don's up for a few awards once again at the APCMA's ; we're not expecting a win as these are something like his 12/13th nominations without one win yet, but we've still got our fingers crossed. Mostly we're just looking forward to a good time. Here we are at last years awards:

Red carpets are fun - once in a while. And I think I'm gonna get a haircut again this year. Once a year isn't too bad ... I guess. Yes, I am that cheap. And if you're my grandma or if you're stalking the Amero's, you might just catch us on TV (APTN), since it's usually aired live! What fun. Actually, it's one of my favourite things to do - watch the camera guys run around with their little cord feeders running along after them. Very entertaining!

Saturday night...

The big CD release. I call it the 'club' release. At the Pyramid Cabaret here in Winnipeg. Starting at 9pm, Don isn't on until midnight! I must be getting old, because that seems ridiculous to me and yet...if we have it any earlier, literally no one will be there. But if you like to party (- quick Hotrod reference, there), come on down at 11:30...as long as you're 18+. Tickets are just $10. Come find me at the merch table, I'll give you a free sticker!

Sunday Night...

Then we have the 'soft' release as I like to refer to it. A more acoustic feel. A night of "Stories & Song". Soft lights. Hot coffee. Master storyteller, Brad Woods to host the night. A 7:30pm start time. Family friendly. See you there? (You'll have a realllllly good time, oh, and, might I add, some really great music!) You're coming!? I thought so.

Come monday morning...a bit of sleep and then maybe a nap.

It's heeeerrrrrrrrrre...

2010-10-31T09:13:00.006-05:00

I loved Halloween SO so much as a kid. I was always so confused as to why (some) people had to make a big religious deal out of it. If you don't want it to be scary, then just dress as a pirate or a butterfly and focus on the fact that EVERYONE is GIVING away CANDY. What is so wrong with that??? As I've gotten older, I've been a little more open to hearing other people's opinions, but I still generally think that way. (Although I do especially respect this blog post...) Then a few years ago, I heard the great Jerry Seinfeld do this routine and it was all perfectly clear. That IS Halloween. He got it. At least for me anyway. Take a listen here (at least to the first three minutes) and I dare you to do your best not to laugh.

Then go eat some delicious candy.

Also, Halloween is extra good this year ... Don gets home from tour!

So Runs The World Away

2010-10-28T23:28:00.004-05:00

Tonight I went to see Josh Ritter for the 4th or 5th time, I can't remember.

It should get old, right?

You should be used to a performer and their onstage presence.

But have you seen Josh Ritter?!?

It's nearly impossible to get used to.

He is SO happy everytime I see him play.

(and not the fake happy you see from Celine Dion either...)

He loves his band so much and you can just see them love him back.

He smiles so much and laughs so happily, it's contagious.

Then there is his song writing, which gets everything started.

If you don't have his albums, you should be leaving your chair in a few seconds to get them.

(Or emailing me to make you a mixed cd, although that could prove difficult as every single one of his songs is good and cutting them would be hard to do, but I'll try. For you.)

If you haven't seen him live, you should be planning that.

Right.

Now.

Go.

It's over!

2010-10-27T22:22:00.003-05:00

Know what I'm happiest about? That I don't have to listen to anymore recorded phone messages soliciting my vote. Especially when I get home and check my messages, hoping the one that's there is from the person I love who is thousands of kilometres away ... but no, it's some candidate running for civic election. Like their recorded message sent to 100,000 homes is going to change my vote? Come ON! Goodbye election!

Currently...

2010-10-22T18:59:00.004-05:00

I am in my parent's kitchen (part of my prolonged stay here while the mice are in and don is out), learning how to make holopchis with my mom and learning how to roll them with my grandma and pretty dang happy. I guess there are some good things about your husband leaving for weeks at a time.

Did I mention....

2010-10-19T11:41:00.002-05:00

I HATE MICE!!

What was going to be a busy day of Getting Stuff Done is now going to be a day of cleaning out every drawer and cupboard of mice poop. Annnnd since we have deer mice here in Manitoba, I can't vacuum it.

BLAST YOU DARNED LITTLE BUGGARS!!!! ARRRGGHH!

Good Day

2010-10-19T00:35:00.004-05:00

I count myself quite lucky that I am able to participate in A2CD with a bunch of guys each year (and becky). Or twice a year, rather. For today, we took votes and here were the final films.

Bottle Rocket

Solomon Kane

The Professional

District 9

A couple old movies, a couple new movies. Some junkfood, some good food. Some pretty darn cute visits from 2 sweet little girls. A pretty good day.

And also - I haven't seen the mouse for a couple of days now. I hope they've decided to leave/die/stay away from me.

I'm such a girl...

2010-10-15T21:00:00.002-05:00

"A huge, like, spider or something just ran across you kitchen!" Becky said.

"Something?" I said, "Like a mouse?"

"Yeah...that makes more sense than a tarantula!" she laughed.

"Oh, nooo," I moaned, "I haaaate mice. They've probably gotten into everything!"

And they did. They kept us up all night munching on something we couldn't see. I even dreamed about them. (Ughhgh, what an awful dream!) But I can handle it. It's a world wide problem. I'm an adult. We've had mice in almost every place we lived. Even here already, last year. I can handle it, as long as Don empties the traps.

Except.

Don left on tour today. Until November. And I am left ... well, not quite alone.

When I got home today, I very hesitantly checked the traps. Oh no. No, no. That one is flipped right over. I tried, honestly, I did my best to be brave. But in the end, the bravest I could be was to get my landlord's number a mere 4 feet above the deceased culprit.

"Um, hi, Dave, this is pretty embarrassing, but..."

Within minutes, my kitchen was my own again. Until the loud snap I just heard*...

How am I gonna last the next 2 weeks?

*phew. i checked. the trap just snapped on it's own. Now I'll at least be able to sleep knowing there won't be a dead mouse lying in the next room all night.

¡Va Chile!

2010-10-13T18:19:00.004-05:00

I can not stop watching the rescue of the chilean miners. I'm so glad for high speed streaming internet and my free cable news channel! So many thoughts continue shooting through my mind all night and all day and all night again. I'm just so happy for all of them and their families. With each safe journey to the surface, each opening of the cage, each of their families waiting patiently to hold them, each long, joyful embrace, and each and every hug from the president and the first lady, my tears fall. How incredible all aspects of it are. I just love this 'first' picture.

Welcome back to the world, guys.

Thursday Thirteen

2010-10-07T00:22:00.000-05:00

Of a combined sort this week...

Why I loved Holland so much:

1. Such good people that we were able to visit and become better friends with.

2.One word: Gouda

3.Everytime I'm there I love bicycles a little bit more and hate Winnipeg's cycling systems a little bit more...

Why the trip home was good:

4. We got the most incredible view of Greenland on our flight home!

5.We decided to drive home through the US just when all the leaves were at their most beautiful.

6. Two days of driving-One cozy hotel bed-Three happy canadians.

Things I love about being back in my own home:

7. My own bed AND my own shower -- I CAN USE AS MUCH SHAMPOO/FACEWASH /LOTION AS I WANT!!!! I still can't believe I didn't run out!

8. Making meals. Happy sigh. Even after four days of being home, it's just still so nice to think of something I want to eat and to go make it.

9. No gross dog hair to deal with. At a few of the last places we stayed, there were really sweet dogs. And I do actually like dogs now*, but I don't like their floaty dog hair sticking all over my clothes. Or floating into my glass of water. Or coating the bottom of my socks. Or their stinky dog breathy tongues licking all over my hands. I know dog owners don't notice it anymore, or just learn to live with it ... but it has confirmed one thing for me - I'll never be a dog owner.

Good things about this week:

10. Realizing once I got back to work that I had an extra paycheque I'd forgotten about, making me and our less-than-empty bank account, sigh with relief.

11. Reuniting with everyone I love, Sunday morning at church. It was just the place to make it a sweet, familiar welcome home.

Things I'm looking forward to soon:

12. Giving everyone the presents we picked out so carefully for each person. I love giving presents!!!

13. It's thanksgiving. They don't have anything even remotely similar in Europe, which seems really obvious, but I kept forgetting that fact. Then remembering it and feeling sad for them, because I love it so much. I mean, come on! At least celebrate the harvest or something! The things I'm looking forward too are endless. Crisp fall mornings, pie making, woodstove warming, hot dog roasts, book reading, sleeping, hugging, sharing stories, doing dishes, hauling water, creating centrepieces, walks on the beach, raking leaves, laughing, eating...

*After about 15 years of recovery from snarling-dog-chasing-me-around-the-block-as-a-7-year-old syndrome.

The good, the bad and the ugly

2010-09-24T11:25:00.004-05:00

The good: I've only had to wear the pair of jeans I brought twice in an entire month!

The bad: We've not had opportunity, time (good decision to go back to Venice rather than staying at the campsite to do laundry!) or we've been too cheap to get any Laundry done in the past 2 1/2 weeks (the latter may be a bad decision but I am NOT paying $11 to do one load!!).

The ugly: that one pair of jeans is my only clean piece of clothing left ... looks like it's washing underwear in the sink tonight!

Since our internet time seems to constantly be limited, here's a few of my favourite photos from the past few weeks...

Lunch in Lisbon...

Wine, bread and laughs on the Seine...

Corrie & Daryl 'skirt' troubles near the Moulin Rouge...ha ha

Don & Daryl and their espresso addiction.

Following tradition and throwing coins over your shoulder into the Fontana de Trevi

Celebrating Don's 30th on a hot Madrid night after a long day...

Oh, didn't you know? I've become a venetian model!

A really fabulous afternoon wine tasting in Northern Italy

For our last week, we head to Holland to visit friends, a nice respite from being strangers in foreign lands and perhaps a few more photos before we head home!

Photos Pour Vous

2010-09-08T19:08:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it seems like everywhere I look, something catches my eye that reminds me of people I love thousands of km's away. So I started snapping shots that remind me of ... many of you! Enjoy!

For Cynthia; who showed me by example that famous monuments can still look interesting/beautiful, if you find a new new/different perspective for them...

For Kurt: Here's the promised pint in a nice warm, cheerful pub - The Sommerset Wagon.

For Annika & Nicole; This store made us all think of both of you!

For Melodie; can there be anything better than this??

For Mom; with that unreasonable love of mugs!

For who else, but Monsieur Jean Louis. A whole store?! Awesome.

For Justin; how cool is that?!

For Dad; this (absolutely real!) plane looked to be hanging from just one cable and was only about a foot from the floor!

For Becky; I swear bec, this busker (dressed, as I can only assume, Mr.Tumnus) was playing a flute type thing that sounded exACtly like you'd imagine it to! The most dedicated busker we've seen to date.

That's it for now, but we're bound to have another post or two like this in the coming weeks! Still to come... 'Fun/Pain dans Paris' and 'Home Sweet Portugal 2'....

Home Sweet Portugal.

2010-09-05T17:16:00.005-05:00

Tonight after a long drive through dry, hot Spain, we made our way into Portugal and after getting lost (aGain!), we found the right house and rang the bell of long (almost) lost friends.

What a wonderful feeling to see familiar faces after 20 years! (yikes, am I really that old?!) What a surprise to see grown up faces of beautiful girls last seen at 4 years old. What a relaxing treat to have a glass of wine, a giant bowl of pasta and a table full of soft light and much laughter. What an absolute pleasure to have a tiny villa waiting for us with fresh flowers and linens and ... a speedy internet connection (no more stopping in McDonalds parking lots to steal their free internet connexion!!! ...for now), overlooking the sea.

And best of all?

I never thought I'd be so happy to see toilet seats again!

With all this and five long lovely days of sea and sun stretching before us, I just know I'll be sleeping good tonight!

Here are just a few quick shots I liked from today's drive through Portugal...

Surprise! It's Bath!

2010-09-01T17:55:00.003-05:00

I've always known where Bath is. I've passed by it probably 6 times during my life, but never was too, too interested/had the time. This trip, I made time. Time to sort of drag everyone there. Sort of. I was mostly going because I recently read NorthAnger Abbey and I was itching to see the streets that Ms. Austen wrote about. I knew Corrie would happily go along with this. The guys, well, they'll go where ever (they're pretty easy going). But I honestly wasn't expecting the beauty of age. I wasn't expecting The Pump Room to actually still be there! I definitely was not expecting a such a very pretty city... even though my photos below do not nearly do it justice (hopefully Daryl's will!).

I will definitely be going back to Bath someday.

Overlooking the 'Parade Gardens' on the river Avon.

A little further up the river where even their dams were poetic.

In the courtyard outside the pump room and roman baths!

C & D under the city on the river walk.

Two excited girls outside the Pump Room which has been turned into a restaurant that, needless to say we could not afford. Sigh.

Outside view will have to do!

Coming soon: "Fun/Pain dans Paris" & "Photos Pour Vous!"

Samesies!!

2010-08-31T16:36:00.004-05:00

Okay, I don't care if corrie already posted pretty much the exact same story on her blog, because it was one of my London highlights too.

Read here for the story.

See below for the picture.

Yes, I look serious, I didn't want to have some big goofy smile

for such an important artifact of history!

Coming soon: 'The Surprise of Bath' and also: 'Fun/Pain in Paris'...

but for now - blessed sleep in a bed.

Ooops, I may have forgotten to say...

2010-08-28T04:07:00.003-05:00

That we've been rather quickly planning a trip to Europe.

Annnnnd, I also haven't said that we left 3 days ago.

Also...

That we had a nice day by default in the lovely and well organized Hamburg, Germany. Here we are, ridiculously tired.

A almost flawless journey into London.

And then a fricken awesome apartment to stay in for our duration of London.

Things are going well so far, but I have a feeling I won't be posting too often, but someone else will...hopefully. Check it out to follow our journey: here.

And Becky, please don't forget to water my three plants!! I know they're only little, but they brighten up my kitchen! Thanks!!

More to come...

Neighbourhood Watch

2010-08-10T16:51:00.004-05:00

Around here they're known as the 'neighbourhood watch'.

They walk the length of our short street about 10 times a day.

They sit on their front steps and watch the river (and the neighbours!) go by.

They stand on the corner and watch the traffic for hours at a time.

They make countless trips to throw stuff in the BFI bin belonging to the apt's.

Last year, I lamented the fact that my tiny selection of neighbours (there's only four other houses on our street... well, there is also three giant faceless apartment buildings, but the people just disappear into those like stars into a black hole...), doesn't leave much in the way of community. I wanted some families, or some young cool couples. Or some old ladies looking for company and tea and chit chat. But I think I'm starting to change my mind..

The 'neighbourhood watch' is 4 old men, all 70-85 years in age. As I've slowly gotten to know them over the past couple of years, they've slowly worked their way into the warm fuzzy area of my heart.

They eat peanuts on their carpet covered outdoor steps.

They wave hello each time I walk across the street to the market or ride up to lock my bike at my own carpet covered front steps.

They like to chat and tell me about the way of life that has been lost to them. Their lost wives, their lost careers, their lost children, their lost agility. (One of them likes to mention his lost memory ...too often-too often because he claims you lose your memory due to too much goooood love makin'. This used to creep me out, but now it just makes me laugh.)

They watch me paint my fence (from two feet away) and give me approval.

They like to yell at each other (a la 'Grumpy Old Men'), but always give each other a hand, or help with car repairs, or reminders to "Take your damn pill!" or "Don't forget you gotta put those eye drops in in half an hour, you don't want to be late with those..."

And so, slowly, I've come to realize that my neighbours are pretty great, just in their own way.

RUSHRUSHRUSH...rest

2010-06-25T11:45:00.009-05:00

Holy smokes...what a crazy few days!

Don and Kim played two great shows this week.

One at the forks for Aboriginal Day Live, filmed by APTN. (Which we are still trying to find a copy of...)

Here they are with MJ.

Then one at the Walker Theatre with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. What a great shot. Thanks internet guy.

While I don't think this one was recorded at all (due to a bit of mix ups..), my fabulous brother recorded one song with his...phone? ipod? gadgety thingy? Either way, its not the best video but the sound is pretty good and we're just so happy to havesomething to remember it by over nothing. Check it out below (or here). And thanks again Kurt!

Now we finally head off to a glorious week of....nothing! Some camping in the Qu'Appelle Valley followed up by a canoe trip to my favorite lakes with my favourite friends...it's looking good. Then we return home for one day before making the drive out to the Vancouver Island music fest. I love summer! See you all in a few weeks!

They're heeeerrrrre...

2010-06-13T19:35:00.003-05:00

It seems the mosquitos have finally

found their way into my backyard.

I know, I KNOW, I live in Winnipeg, what do I expect?

But it's just been sooooo nice without them.

Sigh.

Welcome back mosquitos, the battle resumes.

10 down, only 75, 456, 234 left to go.

I mean, I know some people are desperate...

2010-06-11T00:50:00.005-05:00

but let's all remember not to drink and dial...especially 911.

Check it out.

No wonder she didn't answer her phone.

"I Just Want My Mom!"

2010-06-08T10:41:00.005-05:00

Things just seemed impossible.

Then, kinda out of nowhere, mom shows up.

Suddenly you feel okay to cry, talk things out, listen, pray.

Or just sit there and be loved.

And a few hours later you feel able to face your problems again, as an adult.

You feel okay to go back out into the world.

You don't feel so lost, lonely, confused or stupid.

It seems incredible to me that God could infuse that 'mom need' into our very souls.

What do people without mothers do?

I'm so grateful for mine.

May 31st

2010-05-31T10:15:00.008-05:00

The past few years of my life, I equally dread/look forward to Don going on tour. I hate living alone, but I have a great life here and many, many people to live/stay/hang out with if (ha ha, I mean when) I get tired of being alone. Also, it gives me great opportunity to get things done around our house without pressure. If I feel like shampooing the carpet at 1:30 am, I do! And being alone can give you really great opportunity to grow a bit as a person....well, for me anyways. This is probably the fifth or sixth tour where he's been gone for more than two weeks straight. I've gotten pretty used to them, especially with the hundreds of overnight/weekend shows thrown in over the past few years. (It really is not that hard to get used to, when you know the person you love is gone doing something that they just love.)

But this tour was different.

This time I had aching, aching longings for 'my other half'. This time I had moments of yearning for my friend who just understands me, who lets me talk/complain/be silly to about anything, such yearning for his presence that would suddenly bring me to tears in very public places. Some days are not so bad. Some days, no matter how they were filled with things to do, my mind would constantly wander back to thoughts of him. Before this gets too cheesy (Already too late, you say? oh well, too bad for you), I am a very firm believer in the saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". It is quite true and I have always found it strengthens our relationship in a way ...

I guess it was just something I couldn't shake this time.

So today at 3:52 pm, I'll drive to the airport and be just SO happy!

And.... just maybe, I'll just look into joining the rest of the tours somehow from now on...

Friday Five

2010-05-28T09:10:00.007-05:00

It's forecasted to rain allllll weekend here, but I don't really mind that much ...hence's today's list:

5 Reasons I Like Rainy Days:

5.You don't feel nearly as bad working inside all day (as compared to when it's +30 and a gorgeous blue sky outside).

4.I love lightning and thunder. Almost as much as fireworks. Maaaaybe even a little more because it's natural. Either way, I get excited and glued to the window until it's over.

3.I love clouds. Yes, I love the big puffy summery ones, but there is something about the dark menacing ones travelling low in the sky, rolling across the sky seemingly eating up the bright blueness...I especially love big dark clouds approaching in old paintings like this one. Look out sheepies!

2. Rainy days you have no excuse not to get a nice book, a nice couch and a nice cup of tea for a while. Or, alternately, a nice friend, a cozy table by the stormy window and a nice conversation (oh, and don't forget that nice cup of hot tea!).

1. A combined love for umbrellas and rubber boots!

Ouch.

2010-05-25T00:19:00.003-05:00

Sunburn time.

I was not counting on that.

Ow.

It is time.

2010-05-20T14:58:00.004-05:00

May Long Weekend is here...

my favourite weekend from January to June.

Cabin time.

Family time.

Baby time.

Food time.

Freezie time.

Beach time.

Bonfire time.

Veranda time.

Badminton time.

Dance badminton time.

Barbecue time.

Tophats time.

Relaxin' time.

And I don't give even one hoot about what those weathermen are saying!

love it/hate it

2010-05-17T17:34:00.003-05:00

Why do I love it so?

It is an unimaginable improvement to conversations to see the person you want to talk to...especially if it's your loved one away on tour until June.
It saves so much money!
I do feel a bit like I'm in the future (uh, Total Recall anyone?) using it and that is lots of fun.

Why do I hate it so?

Unless you have a laptop, you must sit in your office (alt. at your computer desk) for all convo's.
It makes fighting easier and hanging up harder than regular telephones.
I have old-person-fear-of-technology-syndrome sometimes that makes me think someone in the cyber world is recording my calls!

That being said, I'm still mostly leaning towards the 'love it' end more than the hate it. Thanks Skype inventors!

that was close

2010-05-13T18:03:00.006-05:00

Today I brought my brand new bottle of "Sweet Almond Milk" lotion (discount at Zellers-hurrah!) to work. I twist the pump top in the 'Open' direction, smell the deliciousness, then pump it vigorously to start my work day smelling nice. No luck. Nothing comes out. I try again and again and finally, reluctantly twist off the whole pump top hoping it's not broken. 'Oooooh, this is weirdly slimy lotion' I think to myself still inhaling the intoxicating smell and savouring my good find on the bargain table. I suddenly realize it is very weird lotion and dip the lid up and down, up and down a few times just staring at the strange consistency. I swipe a bit onto my finger, rub it onto my hand at the exact same moment my brain kicks in and says "This looks like SHAMPOO!" Sure enough, a quick turn to the label lets me see the words 'Body Wash'. Sigh. So much for my nice smelling beginnings at work. Well, I guess it still would have smelled nice rubbed all over my face and arms, it just would have been a very... soapy rest of day. Here's hoping the lotion version is still on that bargain table...

My Public Announcement

2010-05-07T23:37:00.004-05:00

This past week, we finally ordered a laptop.

We've actually been needing one for a while now.

I was having trouble admitting that we actually "needed" one...

but with two people now working from home

and don away from home for more than two months a year

and attempting to work from the road (in internet cafes..ugh)

we bit the bullet and placed our order...on apple.ca...gasp!

That's right. We ordered a Macintosh. A macbook pro.

After working on pc's for years and years and years and, I might add, being completely anti-mac, I am admitting today to the not only willing, but excited purchase of one last Tuesday.

Now, I'm not trying to convert anyone (like I have any friends who care about that kinda stuff...except you Daryl), I am merely stating my own happy conversion. And I'm not trying to sound like a completely materialistic consumer...it has been a long, long road to be able to impress me. I didn't give up the pc world easily, but after working and playing on their products for the last 2-3 years, their ideas for making things easier for their users are just so helpful, smart and modern. It takes a little getting used to, but if you are open to being open...you might be able to understand the goodness too.

For now...I am happy to work on the couch and watch missed tv shows in bed-hurrah!

And a big thank you to my in house (well, practically), always on call computer specialist, d-hibbie, for just making the transition sweeter.

Proud as Punch.

2010-04-28T10:34:00.011-05:00

This morning we attended the launch of a great campaign that Don was invited to be a part of called, "Stop Sex With Kids". It's all about all of us in society recognizing the dangerous people who prey on kids...and it's up to us, all of us to protect and help them. So...you may see Don on tv in the next two months in a PSA all about this, and I must say, he's pretty good. I'm just so happy that through his music, he gets to be an important role model and voice for various things, and especially bringing one that is so dark into the light.

Check out their site (and the TV PSA!) for more information here.

Bittersweet

2010-04-23T12:40:00.005-05:00

The little movie rental store by my

parents house is finally shutting down.

They tried, but they just can't compete with the internet.

(Really, who can?)

Too bad, because they were a good little store.

I noticed this week when I stopped by

that they were selling ALL their movies!

Yikes!

That's like a casino deal for a gambling addict to me!

45 mintues later and I walked out with my wallet lighter

and my arms full of movies...mostly good ones.

(I say mostly because I also picked up some 'silly' ones for Don!)

Here's a sampling of the good ones I snagged:

Dear Frankie, The Visitor, Return To Me, Luther, God Grew Tired of Us,

Ghandi, The Fast Runner and also The Snow Walker.

All of these movies are just so good and at $3 a shot,

could you honestly expect a movie lover to refuse?

I didn't think so.

Earth Day 2010!

2010-04-22T13:15:00.003-05:00

I had much bigger plans for earth day this year.

Due to some unforseen circumstances (including my poor Grandma breaking her arm!), my earth day this year will consist of driving, working, a nice lunch on the back deck, a short walk and some good old tv watching tonight...not exactly what I had in mind!

But my composting, biking, gardening, trash picking up, awareness helping plans will just have to happen throughout the year without the big kick start of Earth day as planned.

So get outside! Enjoy this beautiful earth!

(And take a little action to help it...if you dare!)

Best Dream Ever!

2010-04-13T12:34:00.005-05:00

Last night I dreamed that I went for a horse ride that I had signed up for. When I got there, I found out that it was actually a pegasus ride. It was fantastic. We took off, just me and my horse...flew over and around an amazing valley. I saw my older sister out on a walk and yelled and yelled until she saw me and waved. Then after flying through the most beautiful sunsetting sky we came in for a smooth landing. I realized when I landed that I didn't even know my horse's name, so I asked the trainers. He was called Dr. Pepper!! (I assume it was named after it's deep brown colour.) Seems quite fitting for such a mythical creature, doesn't it? Ha ha. To make the dream only better, I dreamed that I had 'accidentally' agreed to marry someone and had signed the 'contract', so we were married, but I couldn't wait to get out of it so I could be with my good 'friend', Don, who was always hanging around. It should have been a messed up dream, but you know how dreams are... I knew that everything would work out alright, as long as I could avoid my annoying, clingy 'husband' and find Don to hang out with. When I woke up, it was soooo good to have Don right there beside me...but sadly, no Dr.Pepper. Ah well, after all, Don is better than a Pegasus.

Here's a shot of just how Dr.Pepper looked, just imagine

him in brown and more like a normal horse...

it's really hard to find good pegasus art online!!

Pam's Addiction

2010-04-09T17:13:00.003-05:00

It's true.

I am addicted to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution USA.

Have you seen it?

It is fan-bleeding-tastic!

What he is trying to do is incredible.

Basically his goal is to change the hot lunch school programs to fresh, healthy, tasty food on budget so that the kids will be happier, smarter, more focused, healthier, etc. Then hopefully that will take it a step further and teach families that it's not as hard to do it at home too! He's giving free cooking lessons at a temporary store he's set up in 'the fattest town in the US' and he's going to people's houses, who are at the end of their food rope to help them change their detrimental diets and help save kids.

Really, really, he's just trying to start by planting a seed in fat people's brains that they don't have to eat the horrible processed frozen fake deep fried crap called food that is forced at them by many, many industries.

And while a lot of them are starting to get on board, a bunch are not. It is soooooo demoralizing. I know it's just a tv show, but I think it's brilliant of him to use the medium that is helping keep them down to help change their lives. And mine. It makes me think...hmmm, what can I make for breakfast, lunch, supper today that will be good??

I think the big pie in the sky hope is that it will snowball to where people change how food is processed, advertised, sold, consumed. Yeah, yeah, it's a big dream. But I'm a believer.

So if you like him, take a peek.

If you don't, can you at least appreciate what he's doing?

If you're American, sorry about that, but you can go sign his petition to change school food and guidelines so that french fries don't count as two servings of vegetables for those poor fat kids.

And I'll just be happy that Canada didn't make the top ten fattest countries list...yet.

Bad Week/Good Week

2010-04-04T23:41:00.005-05:00

Rough week in ways, then quite internally celebratory in other ways.

Thank goodness for sisters.

Browsing through some photos on our computer, these ones from our trip last December to NYC seemed especially meaningful to me...

Monday Morning Report Sire...

2010-03-22T14:34:00.011-05:00

So much to report on...I think I'll just do a random post today!

-I finally got a lovely Dutch Birthday Calendar for Christmas this year (One of the handiest items the Dutch have come up with! The birthday calendar is used to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries and other important days, it has dates but no days so it never becomes obsolete!) and on Friday, I got to add a new birthday, which is always nice. I was thrilled to add: Trinity Van Aertselaer(2010) to March 19. She is my new little niece and she might even be sweeter than her big brother Sam!

Here she is on Friday afternoon:

Here is me and Sam nearly two years ago:

-This past weekend I did two things I don't do very often: Karaoke on Friday and Paint Ball on Saturday. No, I did not sing any songs (and am quite happy watching, thank you. Especially when I get to sit & watch Don sing N'sync.) -much to the chagrin of my mother in law, who is a great...Karaoker. And yes, I got (9!) large welts (mostly from my loving husband) during Paint Ball. Must do PB more often...it's great fun!

-This morning(afternoon!) we are finnnnnnally getting around to doing our taxes. Yikes, there is a lot to add up. But, with the help of our great tax guy, I'll have the biggest return I've ever had! I'm always afraid that something terrible would have happened and I'll suddenly owe thousands of dollars by the end of April. So that's pretty awesome.

-This Wednesday brings me to the one month anniversary of the Documentary film/discussion group I began in February. It's made Wednesday nights quite fun! Wanna come? Anyone's invited! We watch a different Documentary every Wednesday at 7 pm. We talk about it a bit afterwards, there's lots of snacks to share, we love recommendations, and we suggest you bring along a blanket (the room we meet in has a lovely projector and sound system, but not a super good heating system!) Here's the best part... my awesome friend Daryl made a website for it, so you can check it out here. It's simple, clear and informative... perfectly suited for a documentary group!

-Last, but definitely not least...our annual church retreat is next weekend. I am SUPER excited. It not like we do anything crazy exciting while there, but I'm just so happy to be a part of such a great community. I'm looking SO forward to the game playing, joke telling, getting to know new people, getting to know friends better, hanging out, sharing, laughing, eating, connecting kinda weekend that I wake up early thinking about it lately. And if you know me, you know that is pretty unusual. Me. Up early. Must be a good sign.

So look out week-here I come!

Patience, thy name is...Becky?

2010-03-18T14:27:00.002-05:00

13 hours

10 hands

3 combs

200 elastics

1/2 jar waxy stuff

one dread headed becky

(and I was very, very impressed with how little complaining occured)