The last three months have been pretty busy, as I'm sure you can tell if you've been eagerly awaiting my long-delayed update. :)
We got back from NS without any trouble, and my friend Jenn came to visit. We were roommates in Israel, and it was really nice to see her again!
Heather came for a visit, and we went to the CPO to see "The Music of Star Trek", narrated by the actors who played Q and The Doctor. It was really fun! I enjoyed it a lot. I was expecting a higher percentage of attendees to be in costume though...the most elaborate one was this woman who dressed as Kai Winn, perfectly detailed right down the the paper mache Orb of the Prophets she carried around with her. Talk about dedication!
We went to Edmonton for Break Forth at the end of January. Such a great conference! Maybe the best Break Forth we've ever been to. We are now Matt Maher groupies...if you've never heard of Matt Maher, you should Google him...he's a great worship leader/song writer from Arizona, who's actually originally from Newfoundland. There were so many great speakers and bands, and the info they've released on next year's line up looks just as good. You should go!!
You may have heard that I gave up Facebook for Lent...I haven't missed it much, either! I've been so busy, I don't know how I ever had time for it before.
I spent a fair bit of time watching the Olympics, which I've never done before. I watched both the opening and the closing ceremonies (I LOVE the closing) and most of the figure skating. Virtue and Moir were so incredible - I'm really glad I was able to see them skate.
Last month a few youth and I met up with some youth and leaders from another church and we went hiking at Grotto Canyon. It's out by Canmore, and it's the coolest place. I've been there twice before, but never this time of year. The canyon was basically a giant sheet of ice, and we hiked up it. It was slippery going in a few spots, but coming back down was the worst, because the downhill slant made it way too easy to get going too fast to control. So I ended up sliding down a lot of it on my butt. Lucky I wore my snow pants!
I've also been busy running a youth fundraiser, organizing our trip to the youth gathering in July, helping Trevor with church music stuff, housework, reading, visiting with friends, and the endless round of errands which never seem to go away.
Last weekend we were at Rona, and we got backed into by a guy who "couldn't see us because the sun was in his eyes". There's a huge dent in our passenger side front door, and it's probably going to need to be replaced. My poor baby :( And it's such a hassle! Grrrr...
Today I'm at home keeping an eye on the guys installing our new windows. The whole condo complex is getting them, and about time! The windows we had are original to the building, which was built in the late 70's. They don't slide properly, they don't do a thing to keep out the cold, and a lot of people are having problems with them getting covered in condensation, which then rots the window frames. I'm really looking forward to not having to shrink wrap our windows next winter! Right now I've got the cats locked in the bathroom to keep them out of the way, and they're not happy, poor things!
Ok, time to see if I can get into my kitchen to get some lunch...
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
NS Part 1
Mom and sisters - family gathering at my cousin Charlotte's
Kids and cats...
Birthday Cake
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Merry Christmas!
I'm counting down my last few minutes of work...and then I'm not back here till January 7th!
Early tomorrow morning we're off for two weeks in NS - I'm looking forward to it. It's been 2 and a half years since I was home at all, and something like 4 since I was home for Christmas. I still have a lot of packing and laundry to do tonight...and 3:30 AM is going to come awfully early...eeep!
Stay tuned for photos of Christmas in NS - it's been a while since I used my camera, and it's due for a workout.
May you find joy in Jesus, the reason for the season!
Early tomorrow morning we're off for two weeks in NS - I'm looking forward to it. It's been 2 and a half years since I was home at all, and something like 4 since I was home for Christmas. I still have a lot of packing and laundry to do tonight...and 3:30 AM is going to come awfully early...eeep!
Stay tuned for photos of Christmas in NS - it's been a while since I used my camera, and it's due for a workout.
May you find joy in Jesus, the reason for the season!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Junk Mail
Did you know that if you tend to get a lot of personally addressed junk mail, you can go here...
http://www.the-cma.org/public.asp?WCE=C=47K=224217
and register to be removed from their mailing lists?
http://www.the-cma.org/public.asp?WCE=C=47K=224217
and register to be removed from their mailing lists?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Traffic
It's been a crazy week for commuting. I am getting very sick of spending so much time in my car! I keep meaning to rotate my collection of cds, but I keep forgetting. So yesterday, during my trip home from work, which took more then twice as long as it usually does, I was BORED.
I usually listen to Shine FM, and between 4 and 5 pm they take requests. I don't normally use my cell phone much while I'm driving, but I was moving so slowly I might as well have been parked, so I called in to request a song. It took a couple of tries, and I was about to give up, but then I got through.
They entered me in a draw, and said they'd try to fit my song in before 5:00 (it was already like, 20 to 5) so I didn't think I would hear it.
Just before 5 they called back to say that I won the draw! I won a pizza and passes to a Hitmen game, and my song was the last one they squeezed in. It was very exciting - I never win anything. :) Although now I have to drive all the way down to the Shine office in the south to pick up my passes, which I'm not even going to attempt to do until the roads are better!
I usually listen to Shine FM, and between 4 and 5 pm they take requests. I don't normally use my cell phone much while I'm driving, but I was moving so slowly I might as well have been parked, so I called in to request a song. It took a couple of tries, and I was about to give up, but then I got through.
They entered me in a draw, and said they'd try to fit my song in before 5:00 (it was already like, 20 to 5) so I didn't think I would hear it.
Just before 5 they called back to say that I won the draw! I won a pizza and passes to a Hitmen game, and my song was the last one they squeezed in. It was very exciting - I never win anything. :) Although now I have to drive all the way down to the Shine office in the south to pick up my passes, which I'm not even going to attempt to do until the roads are better!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Canada and Freedom
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Gallery+Soldiers+return+home/2264371/story.html
Whether or not you agree with Canadian troops being in Afghanistan, I'm sure you must agree that the sacrifices the troops and their families are making to do what they think is right are incredible. There's a photo in the slideshow (linked above) of a man who's meeting his daughter for the first time. I got a little teary just thinking about it!
On Remembrance Day, Dad and I went to the service at the Museum of the Regiments. Jim Prentice, an MP and cabinet minister, spoke and if you're interested, you can read his speech here... http://www.jimprentice.ca/EN/community_news/remembrance_day_speech_2009/
It was really good. The thing that stuck out the most for me was that at the battle he spoke of, "More than 27,000 Canadians joined the battle in Sicily and 562 Canadians died and 1,664 were wounded."
There were about 9,000 people at the service, which is their highest attendance to date, and I've been going there for about 8 years now. But only 9,000 out of a million people in Calgary. Fewer people then were wounded in this ONE battle during the Second World War.
It makes me sad that people have such a hard time taking a couple of hours, one day a year, to remember the sacrifices that others have made so that we can live in freedom, and not just us in Canada, because it probably would have taken Hitler a bit longer to get control of North America, but overseas as well. To sacrifice your own life for a nation of people you've never met - that deserves to be remembered.
My boss was in Europe this fall, and she went to one of the concentration camps, and told me about some of the stuff she learned, a lot of which I already knew from all my reading on the subject (I went through a few years as a young teenager where I read every book in the library on the topic) - but they were things that I was surprised to find aren't common knowledge for a lot of people. What do they teach in schools these days?
Did you know that Hitler didn't just have it in for Jews, he had it in for everybody who didn't toe his party line - Christians, people without white skin, transient people like Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people and elderly (who he had forcibly sterilized and/or imprisoned and/or 'put out of their misery')? The list goes on. There are suggestions that he wanted to set himself up as a god, and may have believe that he was the reincarnation of Woden, the god of war (who was worshiped by human sacrifice).
The man was a nutter, and without a whole generation of people who were willing to fight him, we could be suffering under severe lack of freedom in Canada. It seems like many people have no idea how good we have it, compared to how oppressed people were under Nazi rule. The scary thing is, the more we forget, the more likely it is that the warning signs of another Hitler rising will be ignored, and the more likely it is that history will repeat itself.
Whether or not you agree with Canadian troops being in Afghanistan, I'm sure you must agree that the sacrifices the troops and their families are making to do what they think is right are incredible. There's a photo in the slideshow (linked above) of a man who's meeting his daughter for the first time. I got a little teary just thinking about it!
On Remembrance Day, Dad and I went to the service at the Museum of the Regiments. Jim Prentice, an MP and cabinet minister, spoke and if you're interested, you can read his speech here... http://www.jimprentice.ca/EN/community_news/remembrance_day_speech_2009/
It was really good. The thing that stuck out the most for me was that at the battle he spoke of, "More than 27,000 Canadians joined the battle in Sicily and 562 Canadians died and 1,664 were wounded."
There were about 9,000 people at the service, which is their highest attendance to date, and I've been going there for about 8 years now. But only 9,000 out of a million people in Calgary. Fewer people then were wounded in this ONE battle during the Second World War.
It makes me sad that people have such a hard time taking a couple of hours, one day a year, to remember the sacrifices that others have made so that we can live in freedom, and not just us in Canada, because it probably would have taken Hitler a bit longer to get control of North America, but overseas as well. To sacrifice your own life for a nation of people you've never met - that deserves to be remembered.
My boss was in Europe this fall, and she went to one of the concentration camps, and told me about some of the stuff she learned, a lot of which I already knew from all my reading on the subject (I went through a few years as a young teenager where I read every book in the library on the topic) - but they were things that I was surprised to find aren't common knowledge for a lot of people. What do they teach in schools these days?
Did you know that Hitler didn't just have it in for Jews, he had it in for everybody who didn't toe his party line - Christians, people without white skin, transient people like Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people and elderly (who he had forcibly sterilized and/or imprisoned and/or 'put out of their misery')? The list goes on. There are suggestions that he wanted to set himself up as a god, and may have believe that he was the reincarnation of Woden, the god of war (who was worshiped by human sacrifice).
The man was a nutter, and without a whole generation of people who were willing to fight him, we could be suffering under severe lack of freedom in Canada. It seems like many people have no idea how good we have it, compared to how oppressed people were under Nazi rule. The scary thing is, the more we forget, the more likely it is that the warning signs of another Hitler rising will be ignored, and the more likely it is that history will repeat itself.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Neighbours - A Rant
So the worst part about condo living (other then condo association meetings, but those are only once per year) is having to share walls with other people.
On one side of us we have a nice family. Their kids are kind of noisy - playing, stomping up and down stairs etc - but that's normal kid noise so I try to not let it bother me too much. But their dogs! They have two Jack Russells, and they are noisy. Most of the time they have on these collars that squirt them with water when they bark, but when they don't have the collars on, they bark themselves into a conniption whenever we go into our yard. They were so agitated the other night, I thought they were going to try to get through the fence. When they do have the collars on, and they want back into the house, they will spend HOURS banging against the door. I don't know how the owners can ignore it, because it reverberates like crazy all through our house. Thump, thump, thump...pause...thump, thump, thump...for hours, literally. Also, they have a cobblestone yard, and they don't clean up after the dogs very often. GROSS!
On the other side, we have a woman and her teenage daughter, who also have a dog. A white, yippy rat of a creature. It's favourite hobby is to sit by the front window and bark at anything that even thinks about moving. So in the summer I go out to water my garden or even check the mail, and it has a conniption. I open the windows in the living room, someone goes by on the street, and the dog has a fit that sounds like it's in our house. And it will bark, bark, bark for hours when it's home alone. Trevor's mom was so annoyed by it when she was watering our garden while we were away that she sprayed it with the hose and barked back, which I'm very entertained by. And it's not just the dog barking...they have an alarm or something by their front door which buzzes every couple of minutes. The front yard faces south, so early this summer (our first summer in this house) I took my chair and book into the yard for a bit of reading. Between the buzzing and the barking, I went raving mad in about five minutes. I thought I'd try the back yard, even though it's not sunny, but when I went back there, the mom and daughter were having a fit in the kitchen with the window open! Oh, and there was the time I was watering the garden, and the daughter was in the living room on the phone freaking out at someone. I was trying to ignore her and water faster so I can leave, and then she comes over and slams the window shut, and glares at ME! Like I wanted to listen to her stupid phone call! And the mom's boyfriend comes to visit sometimes and brings his big yellow Lab with him, and doesn't keep it on a leash, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. Big dogs can be very dangerous.
So this week we got a new sound system because the old one crapped out, and tonight I watched Dead Man's Chest. Now, there are a lot of explosions, but I had the sound pretty low because Trevor has a headache. So it's about 9:15 (no where near noise curfew time) and they start banging on the wall! I'm really cross, because in general we do not make a lot of noise. Because it's a new system, the bass settings might have been a little loud, but no where near as loud as that stupid dog! Or that door they slammed really loud the other day at about 2am, which woke me up nearly having a heart attack from fright. One movie and they're freaking out! Loud people shouldn't bang on walls, because they might find themselves in a whole lot of trouble from people they've pushed to the edge...a YEAR of listening to them make all sorts of noise is just about my limit! One more button pushed and I'm going to be ready to complain to the condo board about them.
On one side of us we have a nice family. Their kids are kind of noisy - playing, stomping up and down stairs etc - but that's normal kid noise so I try to not let it bother me too much. But their dogs! They have two Jack Russells, and they are noisy. Most of the time they have on these collars that squirt them with water when they bark, but when they don't have the collars on, they bark themselves into a conniption whenever we go into our yard. They were so agitated the other night, I thought they were going to try to get through the fence. When they do have the collars on, and they want back into the house, they will spend HOURS banging against the door. I don't know how the owners can ignore it, because it reverberates like crazy all through our house. Thump, thump, thump...pause...thump, thump, thump...for hours, literally. Also, they have a cobblestone yard, and they don't clean up after the dogs very often. GROSS!
On the other side, we have a woman and her teenage daughter, who also have a dog. A white, yippy rat of a creature. It's favourite hobby is to sit by the front window and bark at anything that even thinks about moving. So in the summer I go out to water my garden or even check the mail, and it has a conniption. I open the windows in the living room, someone goes by on the street, and the dog has a fit that sounds like it's in our house. And it will bark, bark, bark for hours when it's home alone. Trevor's mom was so annoyed by it when she was watering our garden while we were away that she sprayed it with the hose and barked back, which I'm very entertained by. And it's not just the dog barking...they have an alarm or something by their front door which buzzes every couple of minutes. The front yard faces south, so early this summer (our first summer in this house) I took my chair and book into the yard for a bit of reading. Between the buzzing and the barking, I went raving mad in about five minutes. I thought I'd try the back yard, even though it's not sunny, but when I went back there, the mom and daughter were having a fit in the kitchen with the window open! Oh, and there was the time I was watering the garden, and the daughter was in the living room on the phone freaking out at someone. I was trying to ignore her and water faster so I can leave, and then she comes over and slams the window shut, and glares at ME! Like I wanted to listen to her stupid phone call! And the mom's boyfriend comes to visit sometimes and brings his big yellow Lab with him, and doesn't keep it on a leash, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. Big dogs can be very dangerous.
So this week we got a new sound system because the old one crapped out, and tonight I watched Dead Man's Chest. Now, there are a lot of explosions, but I had the sound pretty low because Trevor has a headache. So it's about 9:15 (no where near noise curfew time) and they start banging on the wall! I'm really cross, because in general we do not make a lot of noise. Because it's a new system, the bass settings might have been a little loud, but no where near as loud as that stupid dog! Or that door they slammed really loud the other day at about 2am, which woke me up nearly having a heart attack from fright. One movie and they're freaking out! Loud people shouldn't bang on walls, because they might find themselves in a whole lot of trouble from people they've pushed to the edge...a YEAR of listening to them make all sorts of noise is just about my limit! One more button pushed and I'm going to be ready to complain to the condo board about them.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
The Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today...
Outside my window...leaves and shadows on the wall next door
I am thinking... about the crick in my neck
I am thankful for... a minute to sit down and breathe after the crazy hour or two I just had
From the kitchen... I need to go get a glass of water
I am wearing... skirt, top, cute brown flats
I am reading... nothing at the moment, but I'm going to start "Between the Plums" by Janet Evanovitch while I eat lunch
I am hoping... that the rest of the day isn't as crazy as this morning was
I am creating... a blog post haha
I am hearing... the server make lots of computer-thinking noises
Around the house... lots of dust kittens! Someone named Trevor needs to vacuum :)
One of my favorite things... sunrises - yesterday's was AMAZING
A few plans for the rest of the week... girl's movie night with Lauren, housework, errands...
Outside my window...leaves and shadows on the wall next door
I am thinking... about the crick in my neck
I am thankful for... a minute to sit down and breathe after the crazy hour or two I just had
From the kitchen... I need to go get a glass of water
I am wearing... skirt, top, cute brown flats
I am reading... nothing at the moment, but I'm going to start "Between the Plums" by Janet Evanovitch while I eat lunch
I am hoping... that the rest of the day isn't as crazy as this morning was
I am creating... a blog post haha
I am hearing... the server make lots of computer-thinking noises
Around the house... lots of dust kittens! Someone named Trevor needs to vacuum :)
One of my favorite things... sunrises - yesterday's was AMAZING
A few plans for the rest of the week... girl's movie night with Lauren, housework, errands...
Monday, October 26, 2009
Funny article
http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/comment/article/350308--carving-the-halloween-mangelwurzel
The author of this article hits on a few of the reasons why I don't 'celebrate' Halloween.
The author of this article hits on a few of the reasons why I don't 'celebrate' Halloween.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Getting old...
I had my biannual eye exam this weekend. It's only actually been a year since my last one, but my eyes have been bothering me, and I have a new health insurance plan, so I have coverage available. I complained about how I keep having to move my computer screen closer, and the optometrist recommended reading glasses. Reading glasses! Oy vey...granted, between working on the computer at work, working on the computer at home, and reading every spare moment in between, I probably spend 90% of my waking hours seriously using my eyes.
But still - I didn't think I was old enough to need reading glasses...and I bet you anything the next step is going to be loosing one of the pairs somewhere, all the time.
"Sorry, I can't drive - I think I left my long-distance glasses on my desk at work."
In other news, I was thinking it might be neat to go to university sometime in the next few years. I haven't decided or anything, but there are so many study options, and so much stuff I could learn. I could take an English degree, or even study archaeology! My biggest problem is that the university system doesn't seem very user friendly. What's your university experience?
But still - I didn't think I was old enough to need reading glasses...and I bet you anything the next step is going to be loosing one of the pairs somewhere, all the time.
"Sorry, I can't drive - I think I left my long-distance glasses on my desk at work."
In other news, I was thinking it might be neat to go to university sometime in the next few years. I haven't decided or anything, but there are so many study options, and so much stuff I could learn. I could take an English degree, or even study archaeology! My biggest problem is that the university system doesn't seem very user friendly. What's your university experience?
Friday, September 04, 2009
I'm still here...
Even though it's been about a month and a half, I haven't abandoned my blog - it's just been busy. :)
August went so fast - mostly just with little day to day things, but we did take 5 days and get away to Trevor's parents' timeshare in Fairmont for a few days. I've never been out there before, and it's beautiful.
Photos here.... http://picasaweb.google.ca/michelleheumann
Last weekend my friend Teresa got married, and they had the reception at Heritage Park, which was super cool. They had the ferris wheel going, and the afternoon light was just beautiful. It was a lot of fun to see some people I haven't seen in a while, as well.
Things are work are going well, and we're gearing up for our grand opening open house. The biggest thing happening in September is that the 7th book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, An Echo in the Bone, is being released. I'm quite excited. :)
I'm starting to do research and plan for our Florida/Disney trip in May. If you've been there before and have some helpful hints to offer, I'd appreciate it!
August went so fast - mostly just with little day to day things, but we did take 5 days and get away to Trevor's parents' timeshare in Fairmont for a few days. I've never been out there before, and it's beautiful.
Photos here.... http://picasaweb.google.ca/michelleheumann
Last weekend my friend Teresa got married, and they had the reception at Heritage Park, which was super cool. They had the ferris wheel going, and the afternoon light was just beautiful. It was a lot of fun to see some people I haven't seen in a while, as well.
Things are work are going well, and we're gearing up for our grand opening open house. The biggest thing happening in September is that the 7th book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, An Echo in the Bone, is being released. I'm quite excited. :)
I'm starting to do research and plan for our Florida/Disney trip in May. If you've been there before and have some helpful hints to offer, I'd appreciate it!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Hello from Kelowna!
So for those of you who don't know, for the last couple of years I've been on the planning committee for the (deep breath) Lutheran Church-Canada Alberta British Columbia District tri-annual Youth Gathering. :)
After much planning and many meetings we (the committee) are on-site at the University of BC in Kelowna. Right now my youth group, and youth groups all over the district, are setting out to come here - check in starts at 3 pm.
This year we have just over 170 youth, leaders and other volunteers coming to participate in one of my most favourite things ever, and what is definitely my favourite thing about LCC - the Youth Gathering. Seriously, I think this is what heaven is going to be like, but without the two years of planning and work, and the registration fees! We get together, we visit with old friends, meet new people, play games, make music, listen to great speakers and presenters, don't get enough sleep...it's SO MUCH FUN!
Anyway, I've got about another hour before I really have to get up, so I'm going back to bed! (Which, being a dorm bed, is hard as the floor, and the pillow is so flat that even with a sweatshirt and a beach towel for added padding, my neck is still cricked at an unhappy angle. Urgh...)
After much planning and many meetings we (the committee) are on-site at the University of BC in Kelowna. Right now my youth group, and youth groups all over the district, are setting out to come here - check in starts at 3 pm.
This year we have just over 170 youth, leaders and other volunteers coming to participate in one of my most favourite things ever, and what is definitely my favourite thing about LCC - the Youth Gathering. Seriously, I think this is what heaven is going to be like, but without the two years of planning and work, and the registration fees! We get together, we visit with old friends, meet new people, play games, make music, listen to great speakers and presenters, don't get enough sleep...it's SO MUCH FUN!
Anyway, I've got about another hour before I really have to get up, so I'm going back to bed! (Which, being a dorm bed, is hard as the floor, and the pillow is so flat that even with a sweatshirt and a beach towel for added padding, my neck is still cricked at an unhappy angle. Urgh...)
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Dig Nostalgia
There's a team in Israel right now, digging in my square...well, it's still pretty early in the AM there, so they're probably sleeping at this moment...anyway, I've been following this blogs, and this post made me pretty 'homesick'!
http://blogs.markschuler.com/digit/2009/07/breakfast-on-the-dig.html
http://blogs.markschuler.com/digit/2009/07/breakfast-on-the-dig.html
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Where did the last two months GO?
I can't believe how fast the time is going. It's been so long, is anyone still checking this thing?!
Last time I updated, we were heading off to BC for a trip to visit some family and friends. The thing that had been in the works for a while, which I couldn't blog about for 'security' reasons, is that the day before we left for our trip, I gave my notice at Foster Richmond, where I've worked for over three years now. Why? To go with my boss and her new business partner to their new firm! It was a big relief to give my notice and hit the road...
Our trip to BC was fabulous - the weather was good, we had a good visit with my aunt and uncle in Revelstoke, and had a blast at Chris and Kelsey's wedding. We saw a ton of people we don't see very often, and got to spend some time exploring Vernon's parks and beaches. And junk stores...we found some good deals!
May was super chaotic - wrapping up our practice at FR, working from home for a couple of weeks while rennos were done on our new office space, and then moving into the new office and hobbling along while furniture, phones and computers slowly got up and running. We also went to a Queen tribute at the CPO, which was a ton of fun, and I saw the new Star Trek movie twice - it's just THAT good! It's definitely on my Christmas wish list. :) I visited my friend Barb in Medicine Hat on the May long weekend, and we had lots of fun just relaxing and watching movies, which was muchly needed after the chaos of leaving FR.
Our new office is beautiful - it's a heritage era brick house in the community of Bridgeland, just on the east side of downtown. We have an awesome kitchen, two porches and a great back yard. It's taking me a bit longer to get to and from work now, but it's totally worth it. I have a huuuuge desk and lots of quiet workspace and co-workers I like - what more could you ask for in a job!?
We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Tuesday - can you believe it? 7 years already!
The youth gathering is coming up so fast - less then a month away now. I'm hoping and praying that I haven't forgotten to do anything I was supposed to, although strangely enough I'm not too worried about it, which is very uncharacteristic of me.
And it looks like spring has finally come to Calgary - my little garden is flourishing and I'm really enjoying having a garden to poke around in again. Life is pretty darn good!
Last time I updated, we were heading off to BC for a trip to visit some family and friends. The thing that had been in the works for a while, which I couldn't blog about for 'security' reasons, is that the day before we left for our trip, I gave my notice at Foster Richmond, where I've worked for over three years now. Why? To go with my boss and her new business partner to their new firm! It was a big relief to give my notice and hit the road...
Our trip to BC was fabulous - the weather was good, we had a good visit with my aunt and uncle in Revelstoke, and had a blast at Chris and Kelsey's wedding. We saw a ton of people we don't see very often, and got to spend some time exploring Vernon's parks and beaches. And junk stores...we found some good deals!
May was super chaotic - wrapping up our practice at FR, working from home for a couple of weeks while rennos were done on our new office space, and then moving into the new office and hobbling along while furniture, phones and computers slowly got up and running. We also went to a Queen tribute at the CPO, which was a ton of fun, and I saw the new Star Trek movie twice - it's just THAT good! It's definitely on my Christmas wish list. :) I visited my friend Barb in Medicine Hat on the May long weekend, and we had lots of fun just relaxing and watching movies, which was muchly needed after the chaos of leaving FR.
Our new office is beautiful - it's a heritage era brick house in the community of Bridgeland, just on the east side of downtown. We have an awesome kitchen, two porches and a great back yard. It's taking me a bit longer to get to and from work now, but it's totally worth it. I have a huuuuge desk and lots of quiet workspace and co-workers I like - what more could you ask for in a job!?
We celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Tuesday - can you believe it? 7 years already!
The youth gathering is coming up so fast - less then a month away now. I'm hoping and praying that I haven't forgotten to do anything I was supposed to, although strangely enough I'm not too worried about it, which is very uncharacteristic of me.
And it looks like spring has finally come to Calgary - my little garden is flourishing and I'm really enjoying having a garden to poke around in again. Life is pretty darn good!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Road Trip!
April has been a super busy month, but it's finally about to slow down...we're leaving tomorrow morning for a week in BC! We're going to spend a night in Revelstoke with my family, and then six nights in Vernon, and we're going to Chris and Kelsey's wedding. I'm really looking forward to having a break. We've had to cancel our big trip to California, for a bunch of reasons, so this might be the only holiday we get this summer. Hopefully the weather is nicer in Vernon then it is in Calgary! I'm taking a huge bag of books, and I want to spend as much time as I can sitting outdoors and reading, even if I have to do it in a coat with a blanket - as long as it's not snowing!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Go Green, Save Green
Good book! Written by the wife of the guy who wrote "Serve God, Save the Planet" as a response to people who asked "how?".
http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-2698-6.pdf
http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-2698-6.pdf
Friday, March 27, 2009
Meow!
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2009/03/25/8874341-sun.html
Black cats not the cat's meow for adoption
By JENNA MCMURRAY, SUN MEDIA
Black cats in Calgary seem to be particularly unlucky these days.
The Calgary Humane Society has seen a spike in the number of black cats -- as well as black and white felines -- at the shelter and is concerned about their future.
"It's unusual to see so many black cats, but the prevalence of them is quite high at the moment," said Lindsay Jones, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society.
"We're concerned they might not get adopted."
The society has about 26 black cats, which Jones said is the highest number of that colour it has ever had.
"Black cats and black and white cats are the least likely to get adopted," she said.
"We're not sure why exactly because black cats are just as loveable as any other cat."
Dark cats still seem to be a last resort for most Calgarians looking for new pets, with light and multi-coloured ones being much higher in demand. "We'll have a roomful of kittens -- one will be black and he'll be the last to go," said Jones. "It may be due to superstition or just that (black cats) don't look as nice as the calico next door."
Black cats not the cat's meow for adoption
By JENNA MCMURRAY, SUN MEDIA
Black cats in Calgary seem to be particularly unlucky these days.
The Calgary Humane Society has seen a spike in the number of black cats -- as well as black and white felines -- at the shelter and is concerned about their future.
"It's unusual to see so many black cats, but the prevalence of them is quite high at the moment," said Lindsay Jones, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society.
"We're concerned they might not get adopted."
The society has about 26 black cats, which Jones said is the highest number of that colour it has ever had.
"Black cats and black and white cats are the least likely to get adopted," she said.
"We're not sure why exactly because black cats are just as loveable as any other cat."
Dark cats still seem to be a last resort for most Calgarians looking for new pets, with light and multi-coloured ones being much higher in demand. "We'll have a roomful of kittens -- one will be black and he'll be the last to go," said Jones. "It may be due to superstition or just that (black cats) don't look as nice as the calico next door."
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Spring Fever
A few days ago I was walking home from work, and the sun was shining and the snow was melting and I could hear water running, and it took me right back to spring in NS when I was a kid. Making maple syrup, playing in the creek, hunting for mayflowers, getting cold, wet and muddy and loving it. When spring comes, I always feel like going and splashing in the creek. Sadly, spring comes so fast in Calgary it happens overnight, and there are no creeks in our condo development!
I follow a few blogs about life in the country, and they definitely don't help with the spring fever thing...I'm not a city girl, and reading blogs sure doesn't help. Maybe I should have given up blogs for Lent. :P
I re-read one of my favourite books last month - one that I now realize shaped my childhood opinion of what the season of spring should look like, an opinion that clearly lingers. It's a story of a poor little rich girl from London, and her mother sends her to live with family friends in the English countryside while she goes abroad, and the bulk of the story is set in the spring. It's beautifully described, and I can picture it so vividly it's almost like being there. I'd give just about anything to experience a 'proper' spring for real though! Maybe one of these years...
I follow a few blogs about life in the country, and they definitely don't help with the spring fever thing...I'm not a city girl, and reading blogs sure doesn't help. Maybe I should have given up blogs for Lent. :P
I re-read one of my favourite books last month - one that I now realize shaped my childhood opinion of what the season of spring should look like, an opinion that clearly lingers. It's a story of a poor little rich girl from London, and her mother sends her to live with family friends in the English countryside while she goes abroad, and the bulk of the story is set in the spring. It's beautifully described, and I can picture it so vividly it's almost like being there. I'd give just about anything to experience a 'proper' spring for real though! Maybe one of these years...
Friday, March 06, 2009
Enid Blyton
When I was about 10, I discovered the Famous Five - four cousins and their dog who adventured all over Great Britain, solving mysteries and eating lots. I'm collecting vintage editions of her books written for the 12-ish age group - the Famous Five, Mallory Towers and St. Claire's (British boarding schools) and the Mistletoe Farm series (six cousins in that one!). They're just light, fun, happy stories that make you feel better when you're done reading them. If you're looking to buy books for a child you know, I highly recommend them.
Recent story in a news magazine about Enid Blyton...
Good golly, Noddy’s back!
Posted using ShareThis
Recent story in a news magazine about Enid Blyton...
Good golly, Noddy’s back!
Posted using ShareThis
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