bodalorna's life...

Finding Beauty...

2010-10-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

Mostly I don't like graffiti but there's something about this picture that I absolutely love! Probably has a lot to do with the colour of the paint. What do you think?

Shifting Gears...and listening to the universe!

2010-10-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

My most frequent phrase used these last few months is, "I guess the universe has other plans for me". I thought that things would look different right now. I thought I was ready to move on and do something new. The universe had other plans. But, you know what? That's ok. I'm rejuvenated and excited about the future again. I love what I do and maybe I just needed a kick in the pants to let me know that I'm not quite done on that journey. In the meantime, I'm not putting my life on hold until...
I used to do that around my weight: I'll wear that swimsuit when I'm thinner, or I'll go kayaking when a miracle happens tomorrow and I lose 20/30/40 pounds.
I'm moving forward with some other projects that will only enhance my life and make me a more happy, healthy and grounded person. I'm more focused on the goals and clearer about the path. That's gotta be a good thing - right, universe???
Check out my "Pretty Please Boutique" page on facebook.

Sinead O'Connor - This is to mother you

2010-10-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

10 Years Ago a Dream Was Born...

2010-09-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

10 years ago at the beginning of October, bodacious was born.
10 YEARS!
that's just under a quarter of my life.
it's 1/2 of the time i've been with my george.
it's 10 years that changed my world.

i never knew what the business would look like or how it would grow.
finding our first location, selecting the name (so exciting!), painting our new digs (gotta find those pix), our first sale (we still have the $5 bill framed) and thinking this was the best.store.ever!
and it was...to us (which is all that mattered).
we were revolutionary in what we were offering women and we heard that feedback all the time.

i never imagined the successes we'd have or the experiences we would share.
i also couldn't have known the challenges that owning your own business would bring.
sometimes it's REALLY hard. (today is one of those days:)
it's been a phenomenal roller coaster ride - just when we thought we had things figured out, a new challenge would present itself and make us rethink the plan. and we did. we grew with the business and it (along with the customers) guided us through. we worked through our fears and maintained a friendship through some very trying times.
but...that's life, isn't it?
it's a roller coaster ride through experiences that hopefully help us grow and become wiser and better functioning human beings.

there is a new chapter being written now.
our bodacious baby is nearing it's teens and needs some love and gentle guidance.
i'm not sure exactly what the plot is or how this book/adventure will end for me.
time will tell.
in the meantime, i'm going to appreciate the blessings and the growth and the support.
your support helps a lot!

One more sleep...

2010-07-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been 5 sometimes long/sometimes shockingly short weeks since I saw my George off at the airport to go on his 900 km pilgrimage in Spain. I didn't know what that separation would feel like or if the time/distance might make me feel differently. I guess my biggest fear was that it might make him feel differently.
Well the good news is, I believe it has done that to us both. Even before he left, there was a new sweetness there in anticipation of our separation. In our time apart, that feeling has only deepened. Through our facebook "chats", I believe we've discovered even more about our love and friendship. It's that, yes, we want to continue sharing our lives together and that experiences shared are even that more precious!
I'm certainly not suggesting that he wishes I was there for his walk. That was his journey...his dream. But I think the knowing that we'd be together at the end helped him too. Tomorrow I will fly to Madrid to meet the love of my life! I can't wait. I believe there are great things in store for us both and we are blessed to have our love and desire to share those together!
Ciao for now, my friends! Thanks to all for your love and support.

Oh yeah...Go Spain Go!!!

Gibsons Marina

2010-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

gibsons marina

2010-07-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

on a mexican beach...

2010-06-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

i played around with some of my pictures today and am preparing to make some into greeting cards.
i love how this one turned out! this was on a beach in huatulco last april.

reflections...

2010-06-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

as you may know, i sing in a choir. it's called 'threshold choir' - here is how they describe it...

The all-women Threshold Choirs honor the ancient tradition of singing at the bedsides of people who are struggling: some with living, some with dying. The voice, as the original human instrument, is a true and gracious vehicle for compassion and comfort. The choirs provide opportunities for women to share the sacred gifts of their voices at life's thresholds.

we've been singing together for about a year, learning songs, sharing our voices and preparing for the opportunity to sing at bedside. so far this year has been more about me - filling myself up with these wonderful harmonies sung with such love. learning to trust my voice and sing out. playing with the idea that i can sing and can even find the harmonies myself - sometimes:)

tomorrow, we move on to more learning. an all day workshop about taking the step towards preparing for that call. there was homework assigned via email. the "personal reflection worksheet" exercise came at the right time for me. it's time to be more reflective, look inward, answer some hard and interesting questions about my life and my desires.
some of the questions -

what or who inspires you? what is important in your life right now?
what brings you joy?
what is your source of strength?
what sustains you in difficult times?

and then there are the questions on mortality...
when you die, who or what will you be sad to leave?
if you had one month to live, how would you spend it?
my life has meaning because?

the one i enjoyed answering the most was
"write down some special moments you treasure in your life - would you like to share this with anyone?"

here's my answer but it's only the beginning
(such a nice trip!)
i'm sharing it with you:)

my high school english teacher 'seeing' me as a person and acknowledging that,
sailing for the first time in hawaii and lying on the boat with the dolphins under me,

committing my love to george in our seventh year of togetherness with our friends and family,

laughing so hard i almost pee my pants!
taking my mom to mexico,

family gatherings at my aunt and uncles' - so much singing!

swimming in the ocean in bali and pretty much anywhere else,

singing with my family at my grandma's 90th birthday celebration,

skinny dipping in gabriola,

working with my dad in his workshop (the comfortable silence),

holding g's hand while snorkeling in galapagos,

holding g's hand period!,

lying in bed listening to the birds,

putting on a wetsuit for the first time and feeling alive and free - just before swimming with the sharks!

singing with the threshold choir - the angelic harmonies and loving faces,

there’s so much more!

My new flip-flops, pedicure and a heart at the beach!

2010-06-11T07:46:00.001-07:00

My new flip-flops, pedicure and a heart at the beach!, originally uploaded by bodalorna.

2 years ago, I came to Gibsons by myself and wondered what it would be like to live here. Well, now I do and I can tell you, it's pretty great! Dreams come true...every day...if you believe. I have some new dreams now and am "secret-ing" them. Soon they will be made public and you can help me along the way.

My 45th - Chaster Hall, Gibsons, BC

2010-04-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

it's hummingbird season!!!

2010-04-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

after hearing many hummingbirds whizzing around our heads during our walk around the block tonight, i finally took the hint and filled up our feeders. i think it was a bit too late tonight but i'm sure they'll be back tomorrow morning for their fill and i can't wait! happy sunny days to you all. i hope to be back and a bit more consistent...but you never know:)

Beautiful Blue Hues...(Galapagos)

2010-03-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Faces of Quito and Galapagos

2010-03-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

To, From and On our Galapagos Boat

2010-03-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Birds of the Galapagos - including the Blue-footed Booby!

2010-03-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

Signs of Love are Everywhere!...Even in Galapagos

2010-03-03T07:51:00.001-08:00

Nature is our best teacher in life.

Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning, and under every deep a lower deep opens.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Love and Hope abound! Here are some hearts I found during our journey through the Galapagos Islands and some other images I thought you might enjoy...
Happy Wednesday to you.
Coming soon...blue-footed boobies!

More Tortoises - in the wild...

2010-02-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

The pix on my last blog featured the tortoises in the Charles Darwin Research Station.
In the following pix - they are in their natural habitat. Still on the island of Santa Cruz but now up in the 'highlands'.

Lonesome George and Co....

2010-02-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

We showed up early to visit Lonesome George at the Charles Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz island as we'd been told that later in the afternoon, he likes to stay cool and hidden under some vegetation. We weren't to be disappointed. He made his grand appearance - slowly working his way out of his den. What an amazing creature! These guys look like they come straight out of the dinosaur age. Here's his bio...

Lonesome George (Spanish: Solitario Jorge) is the last known individual of the Pinta Island Tortoise (Geochelone nigra abingdoni) which is one of eleven extant subspecies of Galápagos tortoise, all of which are native to the Galápagos Islands.^[1]^[2] He has been labelled the rarest creature in the world, and is a potent symbol for conservation efforts in the Galápagos and internationally.^[3] It is thought that he was named after a character played by American actor George Gobel.

George was first seen on the island of Pinta on 1 December 1971 by American snail biologist Joseph Vagvolgyi. The island's vegetation had been decimated by introduced feral goats, and the indigenous G. n. abingdoni population had been reduced to a single individual. Relocated for his safety to the Charles Darwin Research Station, George was penned with two females of a different subspecies, but although eggs have been produced, none have hatched.

George is estimated to be 60–90 years of age, and is in good health.^[4] A prolonged effort to exterminate goats introduced to Pinta is now complete and the vegetation of the island is starting to return to its former state.

The presence of mixed race Pinta ancestry tortoises around Wolf Volcano, on neighbouring Isabela island, suggests the recent presence of at least one Pinta individual near Wolf Volcano. A possible purebreed Pinta candidate, male and dubbed "Tony", lives in a Prague zoo.

There is a reward of $10,000 for the discovery of a Pinta female.^[5]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And here are some of the others at the centre - it was lunch time...
Not so lonesome George:)

An underwater ballet...

2010-02-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

Before the shark incident of 2010 (not really an incident but I love the drama of saying I swam with sharks!), I got to witness one of nature's most beautiful and mesmerizing underwater ballets!
Having baby sea-lions swim and play safely with us in the water was soul-tickling but witnessing the moving and graceful dance of this sea-lion with a school of silver fish almost took my breath away (insert snorkel here).
It was a truly magical performance. It couldn't have been lit more perfectly by the sun gleaming down through the water and the fish glistening as the sea-lion broke through the group - dipping and swaying as if listening to their own classical ballad. Our private show went on for several minutes and it was nature's perfection. Who knew these creatures could be so graceful?
The performance may have ended with a few of those fish ending up in the sea-lion's belly and they might not have so joyfully called it a 'dance' but that's all part of the circle of life.

I swam with sharks!

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

What an adventure that was! I'm downloading all the photos (over 700!!!) and will attach a link for you here. Definitely a trip of my lifetime with treasured memories that will be hard to describe. I saw all of the below and so much more.
And...umm...I swam with sharks!!! (and lived to tell the tale:) Oh look, there's a sea lion, and a penguin and...look at those beautiful fish! "Shark, Shark!" screamed Walter, our naturalist/guide. I looked over to see if this was a warning to get out of the water fast or a call to come and have a look. He didn't look concerned so we swam closer to him. As we approached, he started humming the "Jaws" theme and laughing! I looked down to see at least 3 white-tipped reef sharks swimming (here's a video I found on youtube so you can see what they look like) right underneath us! Apparently they don't like humans unless you tempt them with blood. whew! I could hear my breath coming quicker through my snorkel but tried to remain as calm as possible. We continued to swim along and look at all the other beautiful sea creatures - happily leaving the sharks behind, when all of a sudden I looked down to see about 20 of them circling underneath us. I almost squeezed poor George's hand off and once again tried to keep my breathing under control. As with every other creature we saw in Galapagos, the sharks didn't seem to be too bothered by us and were happy to stay swimming with the bottom-dweller fish. I, on the other hand, am satisfied to say, been-there-done-that, and am happy to leave the sharks alone and move on to other adventures!

in 7 days...

2010-01-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

We will be heading to the Galapagos Islands! I've seen the movie, looked at pictures online, and read a lot of blogs but I still can't get my head around what this adventure is going to look/feel like!
I hope to see this...
and this...
and this...
(although a bit freaked out about swimming with these awesome creatures!)
and I'm sure a lot of other weird and wonderful things. Time has been flying by more than ever! It's mid-January every body! That's wonderful news, isn't it? Spring will be here before we know it and the Olympics will be a distant memory (not that I'm wishing time to go quickly).
On the 17th (in 2 days!) I will be starting an online creative journey through this website...http://goddessschool.ning.com/ which I hope will inspire me to explore my creative side and challenge me to jump in to some of those unknown waters (with sea lions, maybe??). 2010...here we come! It's going to be a great year filled with some twists and turns and I'm ready for the adventure!

A Belated Christmas Report...

2010-01-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

We had a very busy holiday season this year filled with family and friends, great meals and some entertaining game-playing. My G. chose a theme for my gifts and gave me the 'Julie and Julia' movie, the Julia Child cookbook and a beautiful turquoise le creuset casserole dish like the one they use in the movie. I LOVE it and can't wait to try out some new recipes in my new pot!!! For him, I printed up some photos that I took on a walk last year in Robert's Creek and framed them. They are the photos of the trees from my last blog. There were many other gifts exchanged and memories shared and we were once again truly blessed with love and abundance in our house and lives!
I hope you're all having a fantastic weekend!

2010 - 20-zen!

2010-01-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

thanks to cynthia for sharing this and several other ideas with me!

i'm determined that 2010 will also be my 20-zen and am prepared to do the work that it requires to bring back balance, creativity and fun to my life.
the past few months have been a struggle. i lost focus, held a LOT of fear and felt like all i wanted to do was hide under the covers. i do believe that sometimes you need to curl up under the covers and take care but for me, it's time to step forward and look at what amazing events and opportunities my future holds.
first order of fun - my new year's resolution/commitment - sing as much as possible!
i had the privilege of singing in the new year with the local hospice group on the most beautiful, wind-swept, stormy beach - honoring the memory of friends/family who have passed on with words and song. our threshold choir met to support this group with the songs we have learned and it was a beautiful experience. it was followed up in the evening by our regular, bi-monthly choir meeting last night. pure magic - so moving and healing and powerful! the force and harmony created in that room has to have an impact on the world.
i had also heard about another group that meets here on the coast regularly in a singing circle while raising funds for an african village. i met the organizer of that group last night and she invited me to attend their next gathering. my heart has been yearning for more music and also for a place to give back. i can't wait to learn more about this project and to be a part of it!
so...2010/20zen will be a year filled with music, giving back, accessing my creativity and always taking the next step forward! and that is very exciting!!!
i bid a fond farewell to 2009 and am thankful for the gifts it brought me including travel, beautiful friends, supportive family, a wonderful new home and community, flowers in my garden, beach walks/swims/rock-gathering expeditions, music, a business that supports me and reflects my goals of celebrating all women and, of course, as always, the love of my life, my george (now in our 20th year together)!
i wish you all a happy new year!

Our First Official Christmas on the Coast...

2009-12-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Our tree...(found these vintage decorations in our crawlspace)

Our front porch (this beautiful 'glider' sled and set of skis were also left here!)

stormy seas...

2009-11-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

taken from geo's cell phone - friday the 13th.
not an unlucky day by any stretch!

yesterday at the beach...

2009-11-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

the beach heals my soul! so blessed to live so close!

How Was Your Weekend?

2009-11-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend George and I tuckled in.
We had about 50 trick or treaters (after being warned of 100's) so have a LOT of candy left over.

Sunday turned out to be beautiful and warm so we headed off to Robert's Creek beach. Such a great day!

Check out my flickr page for some more pix.
Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Can you get any more Coastal?

2009-10-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

On the Threshold...

2009-10-15T09:41:00.001-07:00

2 weeks ago Friday, I was invited to attend a meeting of a newly formed choir here on the coast. It's called the Threshold Choir. I had heard a bit about it from a friend who had been and googled it to learn its' history, etc. but...could not have imagined the power, healing and magic of these voices joined in song all focused on one purpose. The songs chosen are picked/written for their nurturing words/melodies to provide comfort and inspiration for someone who is "struggling: some with living, some with dying." As you can see if you visit the website, one of the purposes of the group choir is to prepare for a time when 2 to 3 people might be asked to sing for someone in need. I don't know when I would be ready to make that step - but just being in that room for 1 night (with the opportunity to sit in the middle of the room and be sung to), changed my life and made me vibrate with energy like I've never felt before. These choirs are popping up all over and one is being formed in Vancouver as we speak. Have a listen. I can't wait to go again tomorrow night! What song fills your heart?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR0v_vlBVCg

A day at the beach...

2009-10-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

so needed and appreciated!

my aunt and my dad...

2009-09-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

I love this pic!

back to me...

2009-09-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's so easy to lose yourself in this crazy, busy world. My life since we moved to Gibsons has been amazing! So many great things happening, people visiting, stores opening:) And then, yesterday, I stopped for an hour. I went for a reiki treatment which I've never had before. It was very comforting and relaxing. She said, you can fall asleep if you want and I thought, thanks, but I want to stay awake and enjoy every moment. Ha! I must have fallen asleep at least 20 times throughout the treatment. It was such a special, sacred and safe space to just be in the moment and relax. It's all about energy and healing. I realized that I haven't taken the time to just be in this place - take the time to just be quiet and still in the world. My George is away for a few days and I thought I'd get so much done but all I want to do (outside of work) is be quiet, lay in my bed, listen to the froggies and rain outside my window and rest. I guess it was time! I hope you're having a fantastic Friday!

a snapshot...

2009-09-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Toast to the Bride...

2009-09-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not the greatest public speaker and mostly because I'm a crier. I can't even think about speaking in public and I get all welled up. Imagine having to speak/toast one of your best friends in front of all the people that she loves and cares about. Not easy but - I was so honored to be asked. Not just to speak but to be a big part of such an important day in Barbie's life. As I hope I mentioned in my speach, Barb has that ability to surround herself with love. She's incredibly patient, kind and supportive. The feeling of warmth and love generating from the group of people surrounding her on her wedding day touched my heart - and I know it touched hers. It was their turn to give back to someone who has been there - with a kind ear, solid shoulder and warm hugs. Oh, and did I mention it was also her birthday?
To Barbie!

the girls and the pretty car!

2009-09-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

what a great day! still recuperating - will post more soon!

Barbie's Shower...

2009-09-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

What a lovely evening! Only a week until the wedding. Send all your good weather energy...

Asked and Answered...

2009-08-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Chatelaine Magazine,
Re: Urban Jungle Fashion Feature - September 2009
As a long-time subscriber to Chatelaine, I value and appreciate the way the magazine highlights different perspectives and points of view. However, as a size 18 curvy and petite (5'2") woman, I am often disappointed by your fashion features. I was curious when I saw that you were starting to include a "plus-size" option but instantly dismayed to see that your "plus-size" choices usually go up to a size 16 (size 15 in this issue) or XL (typically the same size range of the other body styles you feature). Any modern woman knows that the definition of "plus-size" means sizes that at least go up to 24. I know these options exist. I own them and wear them. Here in Vancouver, many of the more popular local designers have learned the benefit of being inclusive in their sizing. I believe that to inspire women to wear, be creative with and enjoy fashion, you need to give them realistic options. A size 20 woman may also be "pear" shaped. A "petite" woman (usually defines height, not size) may be a size 2 or 18. We've all heard the fashion rules so many times we could probably list them off in our sleep. As a magazine that celebrates all women from all perspectives and walks of life, isn't it time to start encouraging us all to break those rules, take risks and realize that fashion can be fun and liberating? Aren't those the women that we all notice and admire anyway?
Lorna Ketler

reply...
Lorna,
Thank you so much for your letter. I just wanted to personally apologize for the misunderstanding. The linen pant is actually available in a size 14–22 and the jacket was as well with a long sleeve. This was obviously an error on our part and by no means did we mean to offend or patronize our readers.
We'll do our best to avoid the issue in the future and again, I apologize.
Kate
-- Kate DaleyAssistant Style Editor
Chatelaine magazine
One Mount Pleasant Road, 8th Floor
Toronto, ON M4Y 2Y5T
: 416.764.3954F: 416.764.2431
www.chatelaine.com

Bean at the Beach...

2009-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Life is good!

One more weekend down...

2009-08-12T15:51:00.001-07:00

Feeling a bit unsettled this week. Lots of things happening (see here for details) and I'm feeling a bit out of control. Nothing I can't handle. It seems to happen once in a while. One thing that made me feel better today was finally getting my hair cut. It probably wasn't that long according to most people but to me, I'm used to having my hair pretty short and it was driving me a bit crazy. Better now. Didn't go too short as I'm going to get it coloured before the wedding and my hair dresser needs something to hold on to:)
This past weekend we had our great friends Lorraine and Greg over for some golf, food, wine and crazy card playing. Lorraine and I have known each other since elementary school and we've shared a lot of good times over the years. It was great catching up. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. So much fun! The last time they were here we golfed too but it was soooo cold and almost snowing so - this time was much more enjoyable.
(you can see more pix on my facebook or flickr pages)
Tomorrow we're back in the city (or 'town' as they call it from here) and this weekend have more friends visiting with our god-dog, Bean! Can't wait.

evening at robert's creek

2009-08-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

the posts are coming...

2009-08-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

i got a new camera on the weekend! my old one broke about a month ago. i was considering taking the leap into something bigger with more options but loved my old one so much. just being able to always have it in my purse whenever i was ready to capture the moment (and i thought the picture quality was really pretty good!). so, this is just a new and improved version - bigger zoom, more pixels and some other updates. and...it's a really pretty blue:)
i haven't been inspired to blog because i haven't been able to take any pictures so...look out - i'll be back soon with some updates.
in the meantime, check out this site/workshop. i'm considering signing up for the fall course. looks pretty fun and inspiring!http://www.mondobeyondo.org/index.html

Another weekend on the Coast...

2009-07-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

It was a jam-packed weekend...again! Friday night our good friend, Doug, flew over from Nanaimo and we made our now regular jaunt down to Smitty's Oyster Bar for a delectable feast. Saturday, Barb made her way over to be part of the live radio event happening down at the Lane. I got interviewed live twice on the radio which was great promo for Bodacious - there was also fantastic live music by Verna Chan and her crew. George and Doug headed out on the boat for a 3 hour tour.
It was really hot and we were all pretty much done, so we headed down to the newly licensed Black Bean coffee shop for some cold coronas and snacks with new and old friends. So much fun, sitting outside on a hot summer day looking at the ocean view.
Saturday's dinner was at home - our now infamous maui rib tacos with homemade guacamole. So yummy - if I do say so myself! ...and then the badminton challenge was on. Always good for a laugh - especially when the boys try to get the birdie off the roof ("we used to do this in university!")!
Sunday we breakfasted at Molly's Reach, and headed down to veg at our beach for awhile. Barb had to get back to the city earlier and Doug flew home to Nanaimo in the later afternoon. This weekend - we'll be driving Big Momma in the Sea Cavalcade parade.
Now, when am I supposed to get the housework done???
Check out my facebook page for more pix since every time I try to download pictures here, my computer crashes. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Bean...about a month ago

2009-07-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

he's quite a bit bigger now. pretty cute, huh?

Lazy Sunday...

2009-07-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! George just asked me why I don't blog any more so I thought I'd post an update on my whirlwind life these days. Things are moving fast and furious down at Molly's Lane where we set up a Bodacious booth in April. Last week I moved into an even larger space and on September 1st, we'll be setting up in the largest available space there as the woman who is currently there is vacating. I think it's almost as big as our Vancouver store and much less expensive so...very exciting and a great new challenge! In the meantime, I'm trying to get the word out here on the coast that we're here. Yesterday, that meant a first ever fashion show with a new friend/co-vendor, Verna (who's also been kicking my butt at boot camp:). Here are some pix for you.

We've also been enjoying getting to know some new friends. We've had a few weekends in between guests which left some time to actually get to know some locals. Lots of events including Gibsons Jazzfest, Sunshine Coast Youth Idol, frequenting the oyster bar down at Gibsons Harbour called Smitty's, and last night after the fashion show, we shared some wine, dancing and laughs with friends while listening to music in the park. So much better than I could have even hoped! Last weekend we even managed to go for a couple of quick dips in the ocean with my brother and his family. (quick because it was freakin' cold!!!) We've found our new favourite spot down at Robert's Creek beach and I can't wait to have a sunset dinner there sometime soon. Today however, is a dedicated lazy Sunday. A bit of housecleaning just so I can enjoy being here but that's about it. We did get to meet our new god-puppy (we're the god/dog-parents), Bean, this afternoon just after our lovely friends picked him up. Wheaton/poodle cross - soooo cute!

And that's about it - for now. How the heck are you?

This morning from the ferry going to the city...

2009-07-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

from G's blackberry! what a gorgeous start to the day!

the view from our back yard about 5 minutes ago...

2009-07-02T23:11:00.000-07:00

just wish i had a better camera! full moon next week...

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden...

2009-06-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

When we bought this house, it came with a fenced in rose garden with 21 rose plants. We weren't sure what to expect but so far..amazing! What do you think?

resting in the flowers

2009-06-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

DSC04730, originally uploaded by bodalorna.

check out other backyard views from around the world on shutter sisters today.

more deer pics - they're so beautiful!

2009-06-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

DSC04713, originally uploaded by bodalorna.

try this...

2009-06-14T17:39:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIQ01ZjO0ik

this morning in our backyard!!!

2009-06-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

A borrowed pic...

2009-06-09T11:44:00.001-07:00

Our lovely hosts, originally uploaded by chaigirl.

I just rec'd this pic from chaigirl and thought it was kinda cute...so here ya go. Us in our new home - happy together!

weekend update...

2009-06-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Success! Both staff bbq's went really well and I think all who came enjoyed themselves - and didn't leave hungry:) The weather cooperated for both events - whew!

Here are the beautiful Bodacious ladies in Barb's flowery backyard...

and the gift bags...

G's staff bbq in our backyard...

enjoying our new swing...

An amazing rose from our garden...I wish I could scratch and sniff the beautiful scent for you!

my backyard patio...it's coming along and my strawberries are almost ready to eat...

A couple of our friends stayed the night so there was some extended partying into the evening, fantastic breakfast of leftovers and then off to the beach for the afternoon.

All's quiet now and I'm sitting in my backyard watching all the birds enjoy whatever they can find on the grass and a cruise ship slowly going by.
Another pic of our living room colour...

How was your weekend?
Oh, and remind me to tell you how much I love badminton! Ummm...I guess I just did.

Wednesday wandering...

2009-06-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

I got up, got dressed and hurried off to do my shift at Molly's Lane this morning only to realize I wasn't scheduled to work today! Ha...that left a whole unscheduled day to do...stuff. Trying to get our living room back in order after painting it last weekend. What do you think?

I love the colour - very bright and tropical. We also got a new patio set from the brick which we picked up. I can't wait to set it up and have a real table and chairs set with umbrella. There's pretty much no shade on our yard at this time of year so we really need to create some of our own. G's having his staff bbq here this Saturday, so we're also prepping for that -

groceries - check

liquor - check

bubbles for the kids - check

badminton set - check.
Last night we attended the first evening of the Sunshine Coast Youth Idol competition (as a Bodacious sponsor). It was pretty sweet. All girls - all nervous! Ages ranged from 12-17. It takes a lot of confidence to get up in front of a crowd like that. There was some amazing talent - it will be fun to see it progress week to week.
Back in the city tomorrow and having our Bodacious staff bbq at Barb's. That should be fun. We just had one of our best weekends ever at the store and it's time to celebrate!
Gotta go put the patio set together so we can have dinner outside tonight.

The Time, It is Flying!

2009-05-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not making apologies anymore about my lack of blogging frequency. Typically it means that I'm busy enjoying my life so I'll catch up when I can, ok? Geez, I don't know why you have to give me such a hard time! :) Oh right, that's just me giving me a hard time.

I hope you all enjoyed the sun as much as I did this past weekend! It was so healing and warm. One of G. and my favourite things to do on a weekend without houseguests (and sometimes with houseguests) is to go on driving adventures. Yesterday we hit another jackpot. I still can't believe all of this beauty is right at my doorstep!

We drove down to Robert's Creek and picked up a couple of peanut butter balls and drinks at the Gumboot Cafe and then walked down to the water. Instead of just going to the end of the road like we usually do, we went down the side path and onto the rocky ocean front. The tide was quite a ways out so we just walked and walked - through what seemed like acres of seaweed and kelp beds which led to hundreds of brilliant purple starfish basking in the hot sun. They were absolutely everywhere! A local expert joined us on our journey - we named him Simon. He lost interest when we didn't share our peanut butter balls and wandered back home.

Of course, there were also heron, seagulls and eagles to keep us company.

G. spotted this baby wolf eel and carefully carried it to safety.

Driving further down the lower road, we next discovered Robert's Creek Provincial Park. Who knew!?!

As our stomachs were starting to grumble and G. was itching to get back to his new bbq, we finally found someone to fill our propane tank on a Sunday and headed home to enjoy our yard and the view. (The cruise ships are now part of the 7pm-ish show)
...and on a quick side note - Barbie took me for my birthday lunch last week (I love celebrating my birthday whenever I can!) at an amazing new French restaurant on Cambie called Pied-a-Terre. If you have an opportunity to splurge anytime soon, you must try it. They have a set menu for lunch which was reasonably priced and the food? Well, we couldn't stop ooh-ing and aah-ing the whole meal. Soooo good! Here's a glimpse of our dessert.yummmm!

hello again...

2009-05-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

mother's day - last weekend - with both of our lovely moms. ALL weekend. There were pedicures, plant shopping excursions, lovely dinners, brunch at bonniebrook and more family visits.
a glimpse...

and then...my nephew lost his frisbee in the culvert
whew...he found it! crazy kid!

Time for a Haircut???

2009-05-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm getting my haircut on Wednesday. Don't ya think it's time???

A Few of My Favourite Things...

2009-05-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

bird from Swallow's Nest

balls (made with cinnamon) from Bali

bowl from Mihrab on Main Street

new placemats from Kerns - Gibsons (only $1.99 each!)

plate with bird from Nikaido - Steveston

birthday gift from my lovely friend, Karin

I love the colours and the quote is so perfectly timed!
"Sometimes your only transportation is a leap of faith" by Margaret Sheppard

place setting - makes me smile

"weeds" from my yard

blue leaf tray from my new favourite local store - The Swallow's Nest

(our quirky chairs were from there as well)

tulip - I never planted any flowers in the yard so everything that comes up is a surprise and a gift!

glass eggs from Mosaic Market in Davis Bay

blue dish from Bali

Super cute shopping bag at the beach - a handmade gift from Cynthia

deer - just down the road from our house! (I love how he posed for us:)

flowers in my garden

I noticed there was a bit of a bird theme going on here...hmmm...

Happy weekend to you - I'm off to the flea market.

I dare you not to be affected!

2009-04-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Watch this video and feel the power of song. (thanks Robyn for sharing it on facebook!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAjFnJuk1Aw

home from huatulco - a link to my pix

2009-04-26T21:33:00.001-07:00

hey! long time no see:) here's a link to my flickr pix from our recent trip to Hualtulco, Mexico. hope you enjoy them. it was an awesome trip. i'll write more soon...

Skookum Day!

2009-04-10T18:20:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while the universe blesses or gifts you with a day that reminds you that magic exists. A day that makes you fall in love with the world, your honey and yourself all over again. Today was my day! We drove up to Skookumchuck Narrows where Jervis and Sechelt inlet meet. There's an easy 50 minute hike from the parking lot to the narrows that takes you through a mossy forest and past a beautifully calm, pristine lake.

We watched the sea lions surfing the waves and saw pinky purple starfish and anemones tucked into the rocks. We sat and canoodled with the sun on our backs. We drank beer and ate burgers at the pub while watching the hummingbirds battle it out for their chance at the feeders. We sang at the top of our lungs to Cat Stevens on the windy car ride home.

Happy Easter weekend to you, my bloggy friends. I wish you magic filled days and nights!

more pix from my flickr page...

Finally...this is what I've been waiting for!

2009-04-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Sunday...Sitting outside on the back patio in the sunshine,

with friends,

and a beer,

and some bbq'd wings,

and some Bob Marley,

YESSSSSS!

Today, I put my hummingbird feeder up after a hummingbird whizzed noisily past my head while I was out thinking about where to plant my new bulbs. Can't wait to watch them feed! OH! OH! OH! - I just watched one land and have a sip! Yay.

Today's been a catch up day. Had guests all weekend again which was great so today is back to the reality of emptying the laundry basket, dishwasher, recycling...and getting some more vitamin d in the back yard. Our uber-gardener neighbour stopped by last week with a big bag full of coffee grounds (thanks Starbucks!) to add to our flower beds. Apparently it's very good for the soil so that was another project I crossed off my to-do list today. http://www.sustainableenterprises.com/Business/coffeefert.htm

Oh yeah, I also caulked around the windows on the outside of the house. Am I handy, or what?!?

George is on his way home and the sun is still shining. Maybe it will be warm enough to dine outside this evening? Or is that pushing it:)? Hope you all had a fantastic weekend.

Oh yeah, we also had the ceremonial planting of our lilac tree this weekend. I LOVE lilacs!

All's Quiet...

2009-03-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's so perfectly quiet here right now. I'm learning how important that is for me. I need those quiet times to regroup, re-energize and figure out what just happened:)
Yesterday was one of my LONG days. Up at 5:15am to catch the 6:20 ferry. Barb and I spoke on two panels at this fantastic networking conference, SHOP Symposium from about 9:30 - 11:30ish. WOW! We were surrounded by beautiful, intelligent and inspiring women both on and off stage. Love doing this - it really affirms what it is we do and the impact we can have if we get out there. Having women come up to you and say, "Thank you so much - that really helped me". How could I ever have known that my path would lead here?
A funnier comment was, "did you ever think you would be a celebrity?" I started laughing since obviously, she must be joking, right? But when I looked at her, she was waiting for my honest response. What do you say to that? "Ummm, no?"
After lunch we stayed and watched some other panels discuss the whole new world of Social Media and the impact it can have on your biz. A bit overwhelming but kinda exciting too. Twitter...here I come!
Great connects for future business, great inspiration from powerful women and great to get the hell outta there at the end of the day! My overstimulation sensor is quite low these days so at a certain point, with so many people around and no escape in sight - I need to bolt. Arriving home last night to our little haven was the best cure. Now, time to process, remember and allow...
And, it's a sunny day!

Bad Blogger!

2009-03-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Not great at keeping up to date these days. Still haven't found my cord to transfer all my great pix onto my computer so that takes some of the fun out of it for me. Busy busy time tho'. Lots going on - including bringing our boat over to the coast yesterday. The plan was to take it all the way to Port Staleshen (towards Sechelt) but after 4 1/2 hours of motoring against the wind and some big rolling waves, we pulled into the Gibsons Marina - if only they'd let us stay:) It wasn't a bad day - lots of beautiful scenery along the way, but not quite as mild as we'd been assured by the marine forecast. We're going to try again in the morning to get her to her destination. I'll post a couple pix from G's blackberry (a bit grainy but better than nothing?) Also, we bought these chairs for our fireplace room last weekend which I think are quite lovely and different. I LOVE different! Hope you're all well...

Right here, Right now...

2009-03-23T10:02:00.001-07:00

I had a day a couple of weeks ago that felt perfectly right. It was a Monday and I stayed in my pajamas most of the day - working on the computer. I didn't have any of those niggly feelings that I usually have, telling me that I should be somewhere else, I should be doing something else. Having that day really showed me how rare that feeling is for me. How seldom I can just BE in the moment without worrying, wondering, stressing, fretting, apologising. I want that feeling more. I believe part of that is just letting go of expectation - mine and others', and really trusting my own senses, needs, wants. It was just about a year ago that I took off for one night to a B&B in Gibsons. I struggled throughout those days to know what it was I wanted to do, feel, experience. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time and enjoyed the not knowing, connecting to myself in that way. It was also during that trip that I dreamed the dream of living here. I remember walking along the beach (which is now the beach that is at the bottom of our hill), wondering what it would be like to have access to that place on a regular basis. How would it feel to live in Gibsons?
Well...I'll tell you, it's pretty great! There has not been one moment of regret or doubt. Every part of my being says, this is where you are meant to be, right now. I believe G feels the same way too. One more example of opening up to the universe and asking.

Life is good!

Happy Spring!?!

2009-03-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

Good morning everyone and happy SPRING to you! I can hear the birds chirping away outside and I've got a pot full of pink hyacinths beside my bed so it smells like spring. I'm just going to put on my rose-coloured glasses today and believe that the wonderful weather is on it's way. My tulips and crocus' (or is it croci?) are very optimistically peaking their heads up through the earth.

I wish you all a wonder-filled weekend!

Giving Back...

2009-03-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is a letter I received the other day regarding my KIVA loan. It helped put things into perspective...

Dear Lorna Ketler,
This is an update on your loan to Sreypov Chim in Cambodia.
On the Koh Dach Island on the Mekong River, I visited Sreypov on a Tuesday morning. With me was Sothea, a friendly credit officer working for MAXIMA, one of Kiva’s four partner microfinance organizations in Cambodia. As a Kiva Fellow at MAXIMA, I travel with loan officers and company employees to meet borrowers and see the impact of microfinance firsthand.

When Sothea and I pulled up to Sreypov’s house, Sreypov was seated by her loom while her son, Mia (age 5), played nearby. In this video, you can see Sreypov weaving two-toned purple fabric while Mia watches. I say“Suis-stye!” to Mia, which means “Hello!” Link to video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whLIEyBTwos

This is Sreypov’s third loan with MAXIMA, but her first loan on Kiva. She borrowed $300 to buy silk thread, which she purchases in Phnom Penh.She pays $53 for 1 unit of silk. She weaves from 7 am until 10 or 11 am,when she makes lunch for her family. She starts weaving again around 1or 2pm, finishing in the evening around 5pm.

It takes Sreypov 2-3 days to make one kabun. (1 sheet of silk, about 3.8meters long). If she’s busy, it could take her 4 days to complete a kabun. Four months ago, she could sell each kabun to a middleman for$10. Now, prices have dropped and she sells her silk for $8. She guessed that the economic problems were causing her prices to fall, because people aren’t buying silk as often. She hopes that conditions will improve, as it affects her ability to support her family.

With the money she makes from her silk, Sreypov purchases food for her family and pays for the school fee to send her son to school. She also uses some money to pay her loan back. Although she pays her loans back on time, she is dependent on the market for her products to sell at a good price.
Before leaving to visit more weavers on the island, I thanked Sreypov for her time and wished her success: “Some nang lo’ah!” – Goodluck!

I Didn't Do Anything Wrong...

2009-03-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

I've been accused of cheating. Or at least that's what it feels like. My intentions are pure and pretty clear but the other person seems to be acting from fear and past experience. I get that.

What I don't understand is my regression to that shamed feeling of me as a 7 year old girl who's just been accused of copying the answers by my teacher and no amount of explanation will convince her otherwise. (I wasn't copying!)

My heart is thumping, my face feels flushed. I didn't do anything wrong so why does it feel like I have to apologize and 'over-the-top' make up for their insecurity? How do 'normal' people react to being confronted unfairly? Me, my head feels like it's going to explode and I have no resource of confidence or words until much, much later and the opportunity is lost.

I was having a pretty good day...thanks for listening:)

It's All Good...

2009-03-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

One day soon, I'll have my camera, charger, adapter cord and computer all in one place at the same time. I finally got my computer back (she was very much missed!) and now I can't find my camera adapter cord to transfer my pix on so...I'm writing anyway (pictures to come soooon).

I feel very settled today - in my jammies watching the snow fall and working away on some new Bodacious stuff. We had lots of company over the weekend which was pretty great - my dad, step-mom, grandma, brother and his whole family and my uncle and cousin were all here at some point over the past few days. Lots of great visiting and catching up.
One of my favourite things is hearing my dad and grandma tell stories from the "old days" when my dad was a small boy in Mexico. One I hadn't heard before connected Pancho Villa to their hometown of Chihuahua (well before my dad was born but still connected to our family)!

My grandma moved to Mexico when she was 4 years old with some of the first Mennonite settlers over there. The land was cheap and uncultivated and they were able to practice their religion without the threat of being conscripted. Their culture wasn't necessarily welcomed by all of the local Mexicans and the families had to find a way to communicate and do business in this new land.
Apparently, my grandma's uncle found a stash of gold (we're talking several gold bars) on their land and decided to make a dash for the border - thinking it would be easier to keep it if he was outside of Mexico. Unfortunately, that's as far as his plan went, and all of the gold was confiscated by the border patrol. This was the year before Pancho Villa was killed and there were rumours that his gold was hidden in the vicinity. That's as far as the story goes for now but I'm looking into it:) Imagine how history might have been different had his plan worked!
Hope you all had a great weekend - now it's hailing!!!

Feeling Groovy...

2009-03-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

I've had a hard time smiling lately. I hadn't even noticed it but now that my mood has shifted back to normal, I realize that I just went through a bit of a low spell. To look back at it now, it feels like it was some kind of protective sheild I put around myself in order not to be hurt but I have no idea why. Yesterday and today I feel like I have some new energy - smiling easier, laughing and even wanting to dance around the house. Funny when you're in a funk, sometimes you don't even know it. I know that I have no reason to complain and I'm not. Maybe just the crazy changes through the worst winter in 40 years somehow caught up with me - but anyway...I'm back and it feels so much better! There are crocuses coming up in my garden, the buds are sprouting on my brand new lilac tree and my family is coming to visit this weekend. It's all good! I'll post some pix once I get my own computer back (hopefully tomorrow). There was an amazing sunset coming home on the ferry last night!
Happy hump day to you!

Miss Me?

2009-03-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been out of touch - once again, I'm computer-less (my on/off switch needed fixing and apparently that takes at least a week!) so have to steal G's when I can. Things are going great - working out again (finally - that was a pretty long break:), finishing some projects around the house (got our new blinds installed on Friday! Love them!) and working on a new project that I'll update you on in the next coupla weeks. This weekend, my dad, step-mom and grandma will be coming for a visit. Can't wait!
See ya sooooon...

here ya go...what a crazy life!

2009-02-25T20:03:00.001-08:00

http://bodacious-bodacious.blogspot.com/

100 Things Meme

2009-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

I wasn't even tagged for this (saw it on K8 the GR8's site) but thought it would be a fun one, so here I go...feel free to copy and share your answers.

the 100 things meme (in which all the truths that apply to me are in BLUE, all the things I haven’t gotten around to doing yet are in BLACK).
1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. I have played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (both)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62.Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check/cheque
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant

My Commute...

2009-02-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

My way to work...

My way home...

Good, right?

Lunch with the girls today - can't wait!

Baked French Toast, bacon, blueberries, whipped cream...yum!

sunny monday!

2009-02-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

Just playing around today - trying to give my blog a new look/sound without so much stuff! Thanks to Danielle at whitehottruth for the song!

I was getting frustrated at not being able to utilize the whole page.
Had a great and once again, mellow, weekend. Picked up a couple of treats on friday for g's valentine. Got an amaryllis plant that's just about to bloom (i'm quite fascinated with bulbs at the moment) and a dragonfly decoration for our garden with a glow-in-the-dark marble/orb-thing that we'll put in front of our bedroom window once we put some plants out there.
Had a sweet Saturday - drove to Davis Bay (our new weekend morning stop) to get coffees/teas and snacks and then meandered around Sechelt and checked out the shops. Our welcome wagon lady gave us a bunch of coupons for free stuff so we ended up going to Casey's Country Gardens for our free 2" plant (i chose an ivy) and picked up a beautiful bromeliad plant called "guzmania torch". Apparently easy to care for which works for me!

Headed to Smitty's Oyster Bar as mentioned in my earlier post and had some yummy food and drinks and then a mellow night at home.
Yesterday was so beautiful here so we decided to get some projects done around the house - not a chore to hang out here at all! Washed the car (dirty, dirty, dirty!), cleaned the gutters (i held the ladder:) and tried to convince ourselves that it was warm enough for a picnic on our back patio. Didn't last too long but it provided great anticipation of things to come - backyard bbqs, croquet, bocce parties, shared with friends and family.
Two weekends in a row we've been on our own and now we're ready for company again. I believe we're starting to get booked up so...if you're planning on coming, give me a call. Barb and Brandy on Wednesday, Karin on Friday and the Manuel crew for the weekend. Woo hoo!

V Day Update...

2009-02-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is the view from our bar seats at Smitty's Oyster Bar in Gibson's Harbour this afternoon. (still haven't found my camera battery charger so you'll have be satisfied with G's B.berry pix)

Fresh, yummy oysters, sweet potato fries and absolutely delicious halibut fritters with a perfectly chilled bottle of Semillon Sauvignon. It must be love:)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T09:40:00.001-08:00

I'm following the trend in changing my blog background with this http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/
What do you think? It's pretty fun!
Happy Day to you all...

Is It Really Important to Know?

2009-02-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

I've been watching the news a little more than usual lately and I'm just wondering - do I need to know all the bad things that are going on in the world? Is there any benefit to hearing about the horrible things that are happening to innocent and not-so-innocent people? Probably the answer is yes and no. I think it is important to have compassion and provide assistance to others and how would we do that without knowing what their needs are? But what about all the shootings happening this past month in Vancouver and the lower mainland. How can knowing about that benefit me other than to know what areas to avoid? The Langley IGA?!? That's a pretty normal, regular place for normal, regular people to shop, isn't it? Will my IGA be next? I know, lots of question marks today and I'm actually feeling pretty positive - just having these thoughts that I thought I'd share with you. So on to more positive thoughts...

I'm looking forward to sharing 'heart' day tomorrow with my beloved. No specific plans, probably a drive to parts unknown and a yummy home-made dinner with wine shared at the end of the day. How about you? I wish you a day/week/life filled with love shared!

Bloggy Giveaways!

2009-02-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this site thanks to a local jewelry designer that contacted us. What a fantastic idea! What do you think?

Mellow Sunday...

2009-02-08T19:25:00.000-08:00

Our first weekend without guests in our new home and it was pretty uneventful and mellow. My energy was really low all weekend - fighting something? - so it was nice to just hang out with my beloved. Did manage to order blinds for the fireplace room which is exciting. It's surprising how difficult these decisions are - there are so many choices out there these days so it's definitely good to have the experts assist when deciding.

Also went out for a drive to Davis Bay this morning and walked along the beach esplanade after stopping at Pier 17 for a peppermint tea and a sweet treat. G. took this pic of me with his blackberry (sorry, Denise, I actually did have my camera but when I pulled it out to take the pic, realized my battery had died:)

Grocery shopping, some cleaning, lots of sleep - that's about it.

You?

Sunset from Ocean View Drive

2009-02-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
Rabindranath Tagore quotes (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist, Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, 1861-1941)

George and I went for a walk around the block at the end of the day yesterday and he captured this on his blackberry! So many more to come...

Hope you're having a fantastic week!

The Life of a Super Model (tongue planted firmly in cheek)

2009-02-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Got up at 5am yesterday to prepare for a full day in the city. Caught up on business stuff in the am and had a nice late breakfast with Barb at Helen's Grill on Main & 25th. I was soooo cold from working in the back room at the store and the lovely owner did everything in her power to warm me up from sitting me right in front of the heat vent, turning the heat up and bringing me a steaming pot of tea. I felt very taken care of (and oh so much warmer).
That seemed to be the theme of the day - being taken care of.
At 1 pm, we were scheduled for our photo shoot for the cover of the March issue of Today's Vancouver Woman - read Barb's account here. We were surrounded by strong, intelligent, competent women (including our own manager, Brandy) who's sole purpose was to help us look our best. It was pretty fun and also, as Barb mentioned, hard work. Not complaining here - I'm honoured to be given the privilege of having this experience and live to tell the tale:) You really do start to feel like somethin' special tho', when you've got so many hands available to you - hair, make-up, buckling my shoes, smoothing that crease! I can see how this might go to someone's head - not mine of course! I was brought back down to reality pretty quickly as I was tearing off my fake eyelashes in the car on the way to catch the 7:30pm ferry.
Once we arrived home, exhausted and pretty hungry, George decided to surprise me by heating up the split pea soup I'd made the day before. Unfortunately, the elements on our new stove are waaay hotter than in our old house so the soup quickly became a burnt, stinky mess! I love that he cared enough to surprise me - and he cleaned up the kitchen so I didn't even have to deal with it (see the being taken care of theme here?) I'm so lucky. I can and do take care of myself - no concern there - but how nice to be thought of kindly, whether it's a cup of tea, the hot bath run for you, a gentle foot rub, or the truffle and glass of port delivered with a kiss at the end of a long and interesting day - yup, he did that too!!! My reality seems to suit me just fine - thank you very much:)

Hello Froggy!

2009-02-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law and I checked out the Roberts Creek Flea Market this weekend and I picked up a few things.

First and foremost - these frogs were calling my name! I thought they were pretty cute so asked "how much?" and the funky vendor fella said "take the whole batch for $1"! Can't tell you how excited I was to be the proud owner of 15 mini frogs on wires! They are each only about 1" in length so I thought that I could tuck them into the plants that I plan on filling our home with. Humour me here...

Next, I added two matching teacups to my new teacup collection. I absolutely love the colours and how delicate they are...I also think they fit in perfectly with the others on my window sil. Teacup collection - complete!

I also picked up a bag of Jerusalem Artichokes (sunroots) which I'd never tried before. They have the texture of radish but with a much milder, sweeter flavour.
Also...a flour sifter for $1, a bag of "korean purple" garlic and a dogwood tree - a gift from my mil. Pretty fun -

Saturday was such a beautiful day with amazing views of the water - impressed the hell out of the in-laws. I think they feel better about us being a bit further away now.

Can't believe it snowed yesterday! C.R.A.Z.Y.

How was your weekend?

Serendipity!

2009-01-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

You know how, in life, when you're on the right track, things just flow? It seems moving to Gibsons is one of those things. Things have been just falling into place quite naturally and sometimes quite surprisingly. For example...We had learned that there would be quite a long wait to get our sailboat over here as all of the marinas are full up and there are wait lists. We had decided that we were going to bring our boat over to Secret Cove (the only place that had a spot available. very pretty BUT is over 40 minutes drive away) and wait there to get in closer to town. Last weekend we went to Gibsons Marina to see if they would even take our name on the waitlist (they'd refused before Christmas) and they did but assured us that we would not get in this year. The next day, the woman that I'd spoken to called to say a spot had just come available at another marina - only 10 minutes away from our house! We can move over as early as March 1st! Now we just have to wait for a calm day. Only one example - but one that increases our quality of life in a huge way! Yay:) Happy Friday to you!

Evita is in the house...

2009-01-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

We have a new permanent resident in the house. She belongs here (lived here long before we did) and I think she's quite beautiful! When we first looked at the house with our realtor, I noticed this beautiful lady hanging over the bed in the master bedroom. I had commented to the owner that I thought she was quite beautiful so...when Irma (the woman who loved this house before us) came to pick up her mail the other day, she said that she'd like us to have her. (Her husband had given it to her 40 years ago and she said now we should have it for 40 years.) We've just given her pride of place in the front entrance. What do you think? It's a mass produced copy of the original and the artists' name is Jose Puyet. Can't seem to find out much else about her but will keep trying.

Wednesday on the Coast...

2009-01-21T09:59:00.000-08:00

I love this pic so much, I'm posting it again - just bigger:)
It's a "work from home" day today. G. has his command central set up on the kitchen table - I think he's been up for hours, had a shower, already gone through a pot of coffee, had a conference call and is clicking away on his computer. I'm in the living room in my pj's (or pretty vintage peignoir set:), catching up on everyone's blogs and facebook, eating toast. I actually saw some sun when I first got up but the fog has settled in again. Our days in the city have been working pretty well so far - I just have to get used to the 5am start.
Since we still have our rental home in Vancouver until the end of the month, we've been putting off doing the final clearing/cleaning that needs doing. You know that bit? It's just crap left but it's your crap and needs to be dealt with? Can't I just move forward and let someone else deal with that? The landlord has been in there painting and putting in new carpet so as far as cleaning goes, I don't think I'll have to do much. The fact that he's had 3 weeks to work on the place on our dime makes me feel a little less guilty for not getting in there to finish up sooner. The next tenants will also benefit in a big way!
It looks like my mom and stepdad are going to come for a visit this weekend. I'm thinking I might put up a calendar to keep track of all these visits. Fun!
Oh...big congrats to Barbie and Superman for setting their wedding date. September 12, 2009 - her and George's birthdays. Very exciting! I can't wait...

What do you think?

2009-01-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

I think my versions of these dishes turned out pretty good!

Breakfast - baked french toast with blueberries and peaches with bacon. Visiting friends... on the walk down to our beach...
our beach...

Fantastic weekend (even with the fog). Lots of good visits - some touring - some eating - some laughing - some sunshine! Yay!
It cleared beautifully today and we finally got to see our view! How was your weekend?

Plans for the weekend...

2009-01-16T10:03:00.001-08:00

Farmers' Market Salad w/ Spiced Goat Cheese Rounds

We have our lovely friends, Karin and Franz joining us for dinner tonight and since she's a vegetarian (does like seafood), I was scrambling for a menu that will impress. (They always make the most amazing meals for us!) This recipe is a bit out of season but I think it will work beautifully and looks pretty, too. Hope I can do it justice. I will try to remember to take pix of my own so you can compare. I think I will also make Shrimp Sandwiches with Tarragon-Caper Mayonnaise.
Both recipes are from http://www.bonappetite.com/
The sun is starting to clear up the fog here in Gibsons and I think it's going to be a beautiful day! I've been listening to the fog horns all morning. I love that mournful sound. G. and I are playing around with how the commuting will best work for us. We've decided that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we will go into the city together on the first ferry (6:30am). He will make other arrangements for the days that I will work from home. This morning I drove him to the first ferry and his co-worker (hi Barb!!!) picked him up on the other side. Seemed to work ok and I got to get a couple more hours sleep after I dropped him off. It will take some time to get used to the early mornings but usually, once I'm up, it's all good. Seeing the sunshine today helps a LOT!
We're hoping to have a few more visitors this weekend - I'm really loving the idea of people coming over from the city and discovering this new place with us. Weird thing??? After living in apartments, condos, or in the city where people don't tend to have driveways, it's very strange when someone pulls up in your yard. You know immediately that they're coming to you. So far it's been the old owner, the meter reader, the cable guy and the realtor. Must get dressed now, just in case:) Waiting for a call from Welcome Wagon!!!

A New Link...

2009-01-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

I've just signed up on Daryn Kagan's site and will be writing on my page there as well as here. My intention is to focus on having an 'attitude of gratitude' for those posts. Check it out if you like...http://darynkagan.ning.com/

We're Here! Woot woot!

2009-01-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well...I think I'm finally ready to get back to my new normal! Cable's set-up, internet is set-up, my bed is made and feelin' pretty comfy - what more could I possibly need? I took a coupla pix of some of the finished rooms so you can all have a peek. I stayed home today to wait for the cable guy so had a whole day to putter by myself in the new digs. I kept having to give my head a shake. Is this really mine (ours)? I feel so blessed and lucky! Hope you are all drying out from that crazy rain storm - we had a few more inches to deal with in the basement when I went back to the old house yesterday. Won't miss that one little bit:)
Oh yeah, for those of you who were wondering where we were going to sleep on that final night at the house? We borrowed some blow-up mattresses and slept on the floor. Not too romantic or exciting:) The move went extremely seamlessly tho'. We and the movers caught the first ferry over (7:20am) and we were unloaded and they were gone by 9:30! Sweet...
Then we had the whole weekend to get sorted. Sunday, we finally had time (and the road was clear of snow) to check out the pathway down to the beach. It was a pretty nice 15 minute walk to a beautiful stretch of beach through a lovely forested area! I whistled the whole time to warn any curious bears or other such wild beings that I was happy and friendly so no need to bother with me. The walk back up the hill was not quite as pleasant as the way down (not much breath left for whistling:) but it will be my new challenge to get my cardio back in shape. I can't wait to explore more of this amazing place!

Lots more boxes to sort but so far, very happy.

Well...Here we go!

2009-01-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

We noticed our basement had started flooding at about 9 o'clock last night. It wasn't a huge surprise - this is about the 4th time we've had water down there since we moved in 3 1/2 years ago and with the weather we've been having, all the ingredients were there. Just before that discovery, we had a call from our movers asking us if we could load Thursday (today!) instead of Friday morning!!! It actually makes sense so that we're good to go first thing Friday and don't have to worry about connecting ferries, etc. But...that meant some scrambling to get the packing done, things taken apart, plans for where to sleep (still not sure about that one), etc.

Once we noticed the flooding and starting wet-vac-ing it up, we decided that it needed to be attended to about every 2 hours. I did the 9/11/1 shifts and G. set his alarm to do the rest. So now it's almost 8 am and I'm exhausted (of course I woke up with G. each time his alarm went off), have a huge day ahead of me and have no idea where I'm sleeping tonight:)

The good news???...I'm moving into my new house tomorrow and this flooding will soon be a distant memory! I can't wait to see how our furniture fits in with the colours we chose for the walls. Gibsons, here we come! Happy Day to you.

Blue Christmas 2008 on Walden Street!

2009-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

New Home in Gibsons and New Year's Eve Revelry

2009-01-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

thanks to our loverly friends, Kathleen ("cinderella") and Alexandra who came over to Gibsons with us on New Years Eve day loaded up with yummy food (you can see our very fancy improvised dining room table) and painting supplies (including painting socks!), we managed to prep and paint four rooms, have some silly fun and begin our transition into our new home! If you look closely at some of these pix (click on the photo to see it larger), you can see before and after colours, a couple of mr. napkin heads, a jazz split!? and a very snowy yard. So far our new home is feeling pretty welcoming. Only 3 more sleeps until the big moving day! Pray for no more snow!!!
Happy New Year to you.

Merry Wishes!

2008-12-24T18:08:00.001-08:00

Well...I couldn't not write anything for Christmas. I've been a bit preoccupied and also left my computer charger in Victoria so no pix as I'm using G's work computer. (at the time we thought we'd be back there within a coupla days so it wasn't a biggie) But...We're pretty much snowed in here on Walden Street. It sure is beautiful. I believe this is a record snowfall - most snow E.V.E.R.!!! The day has been filled with shoveling, pushing cars out of the snow, visiting neighbours, packing up the kitchen of all non-essentials and now - waiting for the roasting chicken and sweet potatoes to be ready so we can eat.
I feel very blessed in my life - good food, good friends, warm home, a life filled with love! I wish all good things for you and yours as we end this year and begin a new one. Merry Christmas, warmest wishes, my friends!

Countdown to Christmas and our Big Move...

2008-12-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I haven't been updating. It's been a bit of a crazy time full of reflection, memories, boxes, hours of phone calls coordinating phones/tv/hydro/movers, dreaming of our new space, facing fears of this huge change, early family holiday celebrations and tomorrow, a funeral service for our friend, Sanjay. I'm sure there's never a good time of year for this kind of event but doesn't it just put all else into perspective, right now?

I wish you all a love-filled holiday season.

In Memory...

2008-12-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

We had a call from G's mom two nights ago to tell us that our old friend, Sanjay Ablak, had been killed in Victoria. He was 42 years old and the father of two. About 19 years ago, George and Sanjay went off to India with several of their Indian friends. Some of them had gone to get married and George attended several weddings during his 6 month stay. Sanjay did not marry during that trip but did spend much of his time hosting George in his home country. I've heard so many great stories about that trip that I feel like I was there. Sanjay eventually married my very good friend and had a son - who is now 15. Unfortunately, that relationship did not last. He has since remarried and has a young daughter. We hadn't seen Sanjay in several years (it was harder to keep in touch after moving to Vancouver) but his presence was always felt and now the memories are flooding in.
Sanjay was an integral part of G & I's courtship. He was there on the night we officially decided to become a couple. He danced with us (Indian style) in my living room late into the night and taught me the moves. He helped decorate my Christmas tree - while sitting on George's shoulders - in my studio apartment on Moss Street. He covered his ears when he bowled which made us all laugh hysterically!
There seems to be a lot of questions surrounding his death and I'm sure that will get settled in time. The overwhelming factor tho', is that Sanjay was well loved - and isn't that the most important thing? We all struggle in this life and some have more demons to conquer than others but - hopefully - we leave behind some goodness. Whether that's through our children, our relationships or the people we've affected along the way. Rest in Peace, Sanjay Ablak. You will be missed!

Yay to the Vancouver Sun!

2008-12-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

We so love it when the local media supports local business! Check out this article that will run in tomorrow's paper - and remember to support your local, independent businesses:)

Fa la la la la...Come Join Us...

2008-12-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

If you live anywhere nearby, we'd love to have you join us for our 3rd Annual Walden Street Caroling Evening! If you don't live close, maybe you could join us in spirit and hum a few bars. If you'd like to start a caroling evening in your area, I'd be happy to email you my songsheets.
Deets...
Come join us for our 3rd annual caroling evening on and around the 4500 block of Walden Street. We'll provide hot cider and song sheets. Please bring your good cheer, a mug for drinks, a candle or flashlight and a friend, if you like.
Thursday, December 18th
Meet @ 7pm (our house)
We'll probably go 'til around 9ish.

See my facebook page to rsvp...

Making TV and Making Merry

2008-12-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

Georges' Barb and her hubby Al We spent about 3 hours yesterday morning filming at the store for a CBC program called Living Vancouver (I tried to post their link but it's not working at the moment). It will be a 3 1/2 minute segment to run in the second week of January. Barb, Bonnie and I modeled our clothes, and we got to talk a lot about our philosphy, loving your body, celebrating your curves, etc. I think it went extremely well. Funny how exhausting that can be. The "being on" and trying to say the right thing in the right way. At least they have plenty of material to work with. It's always nice when the reporters or media people 'get' our concept and help us get it across in the right way. Fun!
Last night was G's annual staff Christmas party at the Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park. Beautiful setting, fun night - too much wine! Will I ever learn? I think G. and I were feeling particularly celebratory with the new house and all!
Today was an all day pj day - movies, blog surfing, hanging out with my G. Also nice. Hope you're all having a great weekend! More pix here...

G. in his utilikilt!