Feeling Groovy...

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!

What I've been up to...

yummy snacks/drinks/wii and handing out candy with Kathleen on Halloween night (we had kids galore)...

friends visiting (eating/drinking/wii-ing) on weekend...
granville island...

Lest We Forget...

Victory Square Remembrance Day Ceremony

and quite a few other things that I'll try to update on soooon - now that I have a beautiful new computer:)

As big as a dinner plate!

Have you seen the dahlias growing out there? I swear some are as big as a dinner plate. They are so beautiful. I discovered these on my walk to work the other morning...
Did I ever mention that my world is full of virgos? It's true - George and Barb are actually exactly the same age (september babies) and there's several other friends and rellies whose births are honoured every year at this time. As much as some of you might think that I'm a party girl, the boring truth of it is that (as much as I do enjoy my wine), I rarely get a chance to play with my friends. Saturday night was the rare exception. (oh, I guess last weekend too;) Anyways, there was lots of laughing and dancing with the girls and a few boys as well at my friend, Bear's birthday party on Saturday night. Crazy silliness - so much fun! And I just had to walk across the street at the end of the night - perfect!
Sunday we celebrated my nephew, Trevor's 15th birthday - really??? 15 years??? I can hardly believe it. George and I were in Budapest, Hungary when he was born. I kept calling home from each stop on our trip (much to my sister-in-laws chagrin!) to see if my nephew had arrived yet. When I finally got the news, I told everyone on the streets of Budapest that I was now an aunt! They couldn't understand a word I was saying but I'm sure they could see by the big smile on my face that we were celebrating a very special event!!! Happy Birthday Trevor!

Heavenly Days at the Lake...

My friends invited me to join them at Sproat Lake this past weekend and since George is away in England all week, I decided to take them up on the offer. It was a fantastic time - one of those 'everybody-gets-everybody-lots-of-laughing-singing-dancing-drinking-swimming-eating' kinds of times. I didn't know everyone very well which made me a bit shy about crashing their party but it worked. I made some great new friends.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE swimming in lakes??? Well, in case you haven't heard, I LOVE SWIMMING IN LAKES! I even fulfilled my summer goal of skinny dipping (quickly and alone last night while everyone else was around the camp fire). How magical is that - I just laid in the water laughing to myself - feeling all free-spirit-y and naughty! (The pic above is me in a swimsuit so don't waste your time trying to enlarge:) Hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying this cleansing rain.

last night's yummy dinner (Kathleen and Wilma's delicious chicken with rice, salad and corn-on-the-cob) I learned a brilliant new trick about using a big lump of butter on a slice of bread to butter your corn (apparently its from Martha Stewart)

Click here for more pix...

A fun video from the past...

In December 2005, George and I went to Barbados to attend some very good friends' wedding. We had a week to play before the festivities started so we amused ourselves by frolicking at the beach, shopping in Bridgetown, and spent one crazy day in a little shanty bar, tucked in a corner, partying with the locals. The video is of a woman outside the bar who was getting her groove on. I love it! Here's some more pix of some of the people we met that day...As you can see, the 'Banks' beer was in abundance!

It's been a day...

Well...Barb and I were on our way to see Norm and Cynthia in Mission when we got very stuck in some crazy traffic - apparently a crane had "collapsed" on the highway and they'd closed both directions! We ended up being over an hour late for our lunch date (if you know me at all, you know that stresses me quite a lot - don't like to keep anyone waiting and am usually the first one at any event/party). Thankfully, we had the perfect hosts who offered up yummy rum-licious drinks upon our arrival and a delicious chicken burger and fruity salad lunch. Lots of laughs, funny stories and 'maybe one more of those yummy rum drinks, please' later, I relaxed and had such a loverly time. Thanks so much Cynth and Norm. Great to see you Denise! And Barb...you're a fantastic driving, stuck-in-traffic, laughing-at-everyone-and-everything companion.

Tag ladies, you're it!!!

My day is an open book...

I got these beautiful peonies from my friend the other day (from her garden). Aren't they loverly?

The crows are going absolutely crazy outside this morning. In the past, it's meant there's a raccoon around but I haven't gone out to check what the kafuffle is about. I do try to love crows equally to all birds but sometimes they push my buttons:) They don't have the prettiest "caw" in the world and just seem to hang around and get mad at everyone. Last spring I had one make a b-line for my head when I was running. I know it was protecting its' nest but hey! After that incident, I always ran by that spot with my hands waving in the air trying to look much bigger and more dangerous than my wimpy self. I'm sure the families at the nearby park got some good giggles out of that!
Today is an open book. I'm not going in to the store and had made plans to get together with a friend but her kidlets are home with colds so...hmmm...should I go see Sex and the City??? What do you think? It would feel so naughty to go to a movie in the middle of the afternoon. Not sure why. It's not like I haven't done all sorts of other crazy things of an afternoon. Any suggestions?

My Spine-y Senses are Tingling!

When's the last time you laughed so hard you almost peed your pants? Well, for me, that was yesterday. Tears were streaming down my face and I could hardly breathe! It felt like I'd had a 20 minute workout. Here's why...I'd written a letter to someone that I hope to do some work with and because I felt such a connection to her request, I told her my "spine-y" senses were tingling. I thought that was the expression! I showed the letter to Barb (after I sent it) and she didn't really comment. It wasn't until a few hours after I'd sent the email that I realized it's "spide-y" senses! Ok, I'll admit I'm not a huge cartoon fan but once I realized it, it seemed pretty obvious. Why would I even use that expression? It's not like it's something I've ever said before in my LIFE! Thinking about that made me laugh even harder. When I asked Barb why she didn't say anything, she said she thought that it was a cute play on words. Again, I was almost driving off the road (oops, did I mention that I was driving when this laughing fit took over?) doubled over in laughter pain. I guess it's good that I can laugh at myself.

I highly recommend a laugh workout at least once a week. I was way overdue!