3 months!

So as of today, I've officially completed my first 3 months with the City! I can't believe how fast the time has gone, and so far all that I've accomplished in this short time. The nostalgia of a new job hasn't worn off, which is good, and I still very much enjoy what I'm doing. There are some crazy people out there, I wish I could share the stories here! But this is a public site, and I want to keep my job!
I don't know if Fletcher is too thrilled, however. I'm not home like I was when I wasn't working, and I can't take him to work...yet. We're still working on that rule! But soon my parents will be in the Loops and Chow will have g-ma and g-pa all day long. He will be so happy.
Poor Chow, he got beat up by a cat on Saturday when all he was trying to do was snuggle. When we were kitty sitting Stella and Delilah, Fletch would lie down and one or both of the felines would curl into his pantaloons or in between his paws. He will deny this if you ask, but we were witnesses and have proof. Anyhow, he thought that Colby was a nice, snugly cat; boy was he wrong! We came home with a bloody eye, scratched up brow and gash across the bridge of his nose. I think it hurt his dignity over the physical pain. No more mister nice guy to cats! Watch out kittys...

These are from Wanda's page...I nearly peed myself with them. Enjoy.

Early Easter Bunny

Whistler Sleddin' Photos

What do you mean stop when I hit the trees?

Here I come!

Careful, I'm a little out of control!

Oh no...this isn't gonna be good.

Help me! I've fallen and I can't reach my drink!

I'm trapped and you grab a camera!
At least I wasn't the only one who flipped!
Beautiful scenery...

I'm in so much pain. Muscles I didn't know I even had are hurting, calling out for medication to numb the ache. It's more than an ache; it’s a stabbing, crippling, agonizing recoil of all things that once felt good on my body.
On Saturday we went sleddin' in the Callahan, just outside of Whistler. The snow was thick and wet, the heavy, goopy kind of pack that weighs more than you originally expected. I am slowly recovering from the many barrel rolls and flips that I inadvertently preformed on my Phazer...did I mention that I'm in pain?
Photos to follow...too sore to get up and find the camera.

WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

Distant Love Day

Wishing everyone out there a happy Valentine's Day. I'm all alone today, Daryl is in Toronto, Fletcher went home with my parents, and all I have left are the fish. Fish don't snuggle well... So hug the one you love, hug them once for me!

What Planet are YOU from?

I am from MARS

You're energetic, althletic, and totally hyperactive.You love playing sports and being in the middle of all of the action.You're independent, corageous, and brave. Unafraid to do things your way.Mars can be reckless, quick tempered, and a little too spontaneous.So think before you act - and resist your natural urges to dominate others.

Ha ha! I'm from Mars! Who would have thought...

Weekend Report

I had nothing extreme planned for this weekend. I was not going to do any renovations, I wasn't going to paint a room, replace flooring, change a toilet out or swap light fixtures. By all accounts on Friday I was just going to have a quiet weekend alone. This is why I don't do quiet!
I don't even remember Friday night, so I have no comment.
Saturday was spent scrapbooking and finally using the gift certificate I received for my Birthday! I finished 2 albums (our 2003 x-country trip) and then started playing the piano. I went curling, sort of, had some photos printed, went for dinner, had a few drinks (the one slushy apple one was horrible!) and went to an open-mike night at Cowboy Coffee. The duo, James Wolf, were awesome, and by far in my top three faves for live performers at open-mike. Thanks to T&B & kids for the intros and great company, as always...
Sunday I was surprised that my parents decided to make the trek to the Loops through the snowfall on the Coquihalla. I found out later that although it was snowing here, the highway was clear the whole way. I was in a mad panic to clean the house a little for their pending visit...I can't remember the last time I vacuumed the TV room...hum... Last night my dad and I were given tickets to the Blazers hockey game and they destroyed the visiting Portland Winter Hawks 8-0, the last 3 goals within 2 minutes! My dad and I hadn't been to a hockey game in over 15 years, and we had a great time.
Today, I'm sleepy...maybe I'm getting sick.

PIANO!

The piano is being delivered today! No, I did not just purchase a piano! Silly, this is my piano from when I was very young. It has been moved from Toronto to Montreal, to the cottage and then Vancouver, and will soon have a permanenet home in the Loops! I think I will put it in the trampouline room, as it seems to have great accoustics when Chow and I practice our howling. As I am alone in the house these days it is the perfect time to practice and remember what it was like to play! I can't recall the last time I actually played anything other than chop-sticks with my niece Alicia!
Oh the Christmas carols that we will sing! Taking requests for sing-alongs!

Guest Room is Open!

I've finally finished (for now) the renos of our guest room. I stripped the old wall paper, removed the chair-rails and base, and repainted everything. If I had the time, energy and the money, I would have ripped the carpet out and put down hard wood floor. Someday!
This is an old dresser that had seen better days, that I refinished and painted. The photo does not do it justice, but it looks amazing! I am very proud!
Some shots of the guest room...taking reservations for the 2007 season!

Blog Dog

An update about Blog Dog Fletcher, aka the chow. He is now officially registered in Kamloops as a dog. I could not believe what a process it was for me to get a dog license for him (we were bad and didn't register him last year). I thought that since I now work for the City, I should lead by example. The nightmare that it was to "prove" that the chow was neutered was unbelievable! As he was born in Quebec, his original vet papers are all en francais...nobody here speaks that crazy french talk and didn't realize that "male-châtrer” means castrated male. Pardon? I threatened to bring Fletch in with me, and they could lift his pantaloons and see for themselves that he, pardon the expression, has no balls!
Well, they finally agreed about the gender of the chow, and he is registered in this fine city of ours. But my goodness...the hassles we go though for that mutt! Gotta love him!

So I'm going to add to my previously mentioned list of "crap" to do...cause this stuff is important as well.

• go through our wedding photos and FINALLY pick the ones that go in the album
• finish the scrapbook of our 2003 trip across Canada and the US (I know, I'm slow)
• finish the scrapbook of our work trip in Russia (again, 2003)
• start the scrapbook for our Honeymoon in Australia (I'm only a year out on this one!)
• find a local carpenter/cabinet/book case maker to start the process for our built-in cabinets in the trampoline room
• pick a carpet for the TV room, as the vomit pink is starting to get to me
• replant my Christmas cactus plants, as they have completely outgrown their 4" pots, and are probably root-bound, but I will attempt to save them!

I don't need to worry much as most of these line items require little financial input. I just need to find the time!

Going Crazy

Unfinished projects make me crazy. Every time I walk into a room they just jump out at me. No drapes, holes in the wall, no door stop, a chip in the paint or complete lack of paint, only half of the baseboard in place, chair rails missing. The thing that makes me craziest is that the unfinished project is that only because we lack time and energy. You see, all of the supplies needed to complete most of the household projects that stare me in the face from the moment I wake until the moment I slumber live in the workshop or the garage. They call to me while I sleep - "please, come and get me, I'm ready to complete your project." If only I could learn the 'get by on 4 hours of sleep' technique. Then, maybe I would have fewer projects on my to do list.My wish list of things to do includes the following:

• Finish painting the guest room
• Re-install baseboards and chair rails in guest room
• Reno the guest bathroom (much bigger job than I imagined)
• Complete Emergency Preparedness Packs (I attended a Pandemic Planning Workshop…’nuf said)
• Go to the optometrist for new glasses
• Finish Organizing the Garage - this will happen in the spring
• Refinish my old trunk

It felt good to be self sufficient today. And, if the way I feel about painting the guest room the most lovely shades of Martian Meadow and Harvest Brown and being half way done with baseboards and chair rails is any indicator of how great I'll feel with the other stuff done, I'd be willing to take a bet or two. Stay tuned.