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.

The Renos of the Guest Room

stripping the chair rail, finding 3 layers of wall paper
one of the layers was painted PINK!!
the paper slowly coming off
I think I made a mess

Finally clear of the hideous wall paperfirst coat of paint
looking pretty good!

Well I am happy to report that my trip to Vancouver this past weekend, despite the reason for it, was not the traumatic event that my last drive on the Coquihalla was. The roads on Thursday and Sunday were both dry, the sun was shining and the music blasting away. Of course I was singing!
The memorial service for Uncle Tony on Friday was really beautiful and opened my eyes and heart to a whole other side of him that I didn't know, unfortunately, until now.
I think the funniest thing of the weekend, though not at the time, was when 9 of us were leaving Dodie's apartment for the service on Friday, and we got stuck in the elevator. With 4 people claustrophobic, and 1 severely, my 2 cousins and I singing "I believe I can fly" to ease the tension and my dad just pushing buttons...we all knew that this was Tony's way of laughing at us, and telling us that he will always be there.

How come some Pedigree commercials make me cry?

Bargaining for Burritos!

For the past few weeks I've been eyeing a very unique chair that I thought would help with the void that is our empty living (aka trampoline) room. Over the span of about 2 months, I've watched as this chair, that I've sympathetically called mine, move from one location in the store to another, watched as the price drops but much too slowly, and never reaching the give-away price that I've been hoping for.

Today, I found out that I would be receiving some long forgotten payment for some free-lance work that I did last September! So, belated Christmas bonus...I went to see how my chair was! It was still there, waiting patiently for me...begging to be taken home!

Amazingly, I bargained with the assistant manager and negotiated the price of my chair to down almost half of what the most recent price tag read.

So, below is the photo of my new chair...not in the trampoline room, but in front of the fire place, where I will snuggle with the warming glow and read a good book!

Farewell Uncle TJ

Every once in a while, we receive one of those not-so-gentle reminders about the fragile nature of that precious gift called life. Earlier today, my Uncle Tony took on the journey into another world. Now he will feel no more pain, will not suffer, and can enjoy his cigarettes anywhere he pleases.
I can not imagine the loss that Auntie Dodie is feeling. All we can do is surround her with our love as she copes through her grief. My mom is heading to Dodie's now and will spend a few days with her, to help with the emptiness that would devour your world when your love departs.
I have many memories of my Uncle TJ. From being terrified of him as a young child, never wanting to be alone with him, to most recently laughing, debating and bantering about any topic that came to mind. He had a great wit and a unique sense of humour beneath that tough exterior, you only had to have the patience and determination to convince him you were worthy to be let inside. He once told me that he despised wasting his time talking to people without any smarts...as he continued to talk to me then and every other meeting we had, I took that as a compliment.
I have a great deal of respect for any person who overcomes diversity and oppression. Uncle Tony was a very giving and creative man, who created wonderful videos of our family gatherings, including Daryl and my wedding in 2005. Uncle TJ will always hold a very special place in my heart, and I will miss him terribly.

Back in the CD rotation...From the bottom shelf

I found a CD tonight that I haven't listened to in...God, was I still at McGill the last time I heard it? Listening to the haunting sublime voice, the languid, weepingness of it... and droning guitar riffs of Mazzy Star. The songs magically transform the sadness into something beautiful, poignant and ultimately powerful. I was taken back to another place, another time in my life. It got me thinking, on so many levels. I still recall hearing 'Fade into you' so often on the local and college radio stations, and never figuring out at the time who the artist was. I remember being overwhelmed by the sadness in her voice, and not understanding half of the lyrics...but it didn't matter. The music and feeling I would get when listening to the albums were like nothing I've felt, then or ever since. It's hard to describe. If you can put yourself back into a local pub, sitting in the dimly lit, sticky floor, beer stench trying to drown your sorrows for some purpose that, at the time, meant the end. No need to wash the painkillers down with a bottle of wine today. Now, say 10 years later, I realize that the immediate moment didn't matter, but the feeling lasts a lifetime. There are some things that stick, some feelings that cling like gum in your hair. But its these gluey experiences that don't actually kill us but force us to be stronger, to stand up and be who we are suppose to be with intense emotions. Fate? Karma? Divine intervention? Whatever, I like the dreamy atmosphere in the room tonight. Tonight I dream, tonight I remember, tonight I am transported back. I find myself asleep while I'm awake, pondering lost loves and hazy afternoons in bed and intoxicated. I recall all the moments that ended, even though I never wanted them to...the moments I'd long since forgotten. The experience would be complete if it were a rainy day...I'm listening to a lullaby.

Cats Anyone?

So it seems that I've inherited two cats. I've been kitty sitting for what seems like FOREVER, and I think that Marci has actually been back in the Loops for over a week. No phone call. No attempt to come and claim her kitties. The dog is going bonkers, the cats are worried that I will lock them (unintentially, silly) in the basement or workshop, and I think littler boxes are the most disgusting thing EVER.

If something doesn't change, soon, I'm going to turn into the crazy cat lady from the Simpsons!

I wonder if cats can fly...

Now that the house is empty, the Chow can get some much needed rest, back in his own bed!

Snow Storm!

Chow, come inside quick! So...will we have another visit from the family in Toronto soon? We have snow...what about you?

Photos from Sun Peaks

These are a little late, but I've been busy!! Better late than never!

Kayaking Anyone?

My sister and brother-in-law from Oz are planning a trip to BC in the summer of 2007 and want to do some 'extreme' kayaking. Does anyone out there have any suggestions of guides, tours, locations?
I really have to start working overtime to take a week off!

Empty House...almost

Nadia and her brood have left the Loops, returning to a balmy 10C in Toronto. There is still no snow there, so they missed nothing! It was a great visit with my nephews who are amazing skiers, and just hanging out with family. My parents drove up on New Year's Day to spend some time too, so Fletcher and I will go through visitor withdrawal slowly.
Daryl is back to work in Toronto, and he too can't believe the weather. As he plans for an upcoming snowmobiling trek in Whistler we can only hope that the white stuff continues to fall.
The cats are still crazy with Delilah making a mad dash in her attempt to escape our home. She ran from the laundry room and immediately bee-lined for the garage. Fortunately, the overhead garage doors were closed, otherwise she would be one cold kitty! Colton coaxed her out from under the Mini with some treats and sweet promises of love. Back to the laundry room for you! Stella is a sweetie, comes when you call her, snuggles and isn't the royal pain that Delilah is! Thank God for laser pointers and replacement batteries!
Marci...when do you come back?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Congrat's to the Water Ratz (and Team POWWR)! They both won their respective Murray Marathons with amazing times! WAY TO GO!

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone, near & far!

More Murray Madness...

Both Karine & Peter's teams are KICKING BUTT! Check out the results from today (yesterday..er, tomorrow?) Whatever! They are doing great!!

Murray Madness

Last year at this time, Daryl and I were on our belated honeymoon Down Under, cheering on Jacquie, Karine & Peter as they paddled in the Murray River Marathon. We wish them good luck, and wish that we could be there again, as the crazy Canadians that cook hotdogs on the manifolds of the car!
It was so blazing hot last year, that the asphalt was melting off the roads in Swan Hill! You have no idea...

For race results...

Karine (WOODLEIGH WATER RATZ boat #422) is in the TK2/OSR Double Touring Kayak - Open School Relay (kicked butt at the Barwon Mini)
Their arch-nemesis is CAMBERWELL GRAMMAR (10 minutes off the pace after day 1) and we hope their boat sinks! (bad voodoo from Canada!)
Peter (POWWR TEAM boat # 331) is in the TK1/OR Single Touring Kayak - Open Relay
Jacqueline was home from 6 months in Africa only a few days before the start of the race...so perhaps she isn't racing. I will keep my eyes open for her! Otherwise, she is one of the support crew working the shores - Helene is there too I'm sure!

T'were the Days After Christmas

For those close by, you may notice that the boat is missing from our driveway. Daryl is nuts, and wanted to go wake-boarding today. I can't believe I'm back at work. Christmas and the days surrounding were wonderful, spent with family and friends in Kelowna and down on the coast. We had 6cm of fresh snow fall overnight, which will hopefully continue for the next few days until Nadia and family arrive! That's right! Colin was apparently so appalled with the COMPLETE lack of snow back east (dry land training and cancelled lessons) that they decided to have a spontaneous ski vacation with us in the Loops! We could not be happier, as they have yet to visit us in our new home, and were so happy when they decided to come to Sun Peaks and not head to the Big White-Out! I wish I had vacation days. I might talk to my supervisor and see what I can do about next week, as the gang arrives on Friday and stays for 6 days.
Everyone was too generous with the gifts this year, we thank you all for opening your doors and hearts to us, and we apologize for the quick visits everywhere. We spent less than 24 hours with my parents...it was freaky fast!
Oh, just to clarify, Daryl is not out on the river today, he is up at Harper Mountain with the neighbours...the boat is in the garage thawing (for tomorrow?)

Daryl's favourite joke...I don't think it's funny

So this baby seal walks into a club..

and gets hammered!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Daryl is home, safe and sound. He arrived last night at 7pm and you would have thought that he was away from home for years. I think just coming home was more exciting than the pending present pandemonium!
Then there is the chow. I can’t begin to explain the excitement and psychopathic enthusiasm that oozed from every hair on his furry body. Fletcher was just twitching and spinning when he saw Daryl. I wish I had a camera. He hasn’t left his side, slept by Daryl on the floor on his side of the bed, and today I can only imagine what those two are up to! Super-chow reigns supreme? Some things are better left behind closed doors.
The cats are also very happy to have someone who will actually pick them up and play with them (and not just with the laser pointer)
The next few days are going to be nuts, with visiting family and friends and spreading the holiday cheer and spirit. I am back to work on the 27th, so expect a full update on the activities at that time.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and all the best for this holiday season!

My Rant About Country

I like country music. While talking on the phone to a friend from back east, they mentioned that they could hear what sounded like country music in the background. I replied that, yes, indeed, it was country music. Silence. Then “what?” was his only question.

When I was growing up, I listened to classical music & knew all about DiscDrive with Jurgen Gothe before I could say my own name. When it was deemed appropriate, I could tune into the local “easy listening” station while being chauffeured by my parents, provided the volume was kept under control. When I became the rebel, and perhaps gained more bravery, I would automatically tune the car radio to CHOM, the quintessential rock station in Montreal of the time. With my father rolling his eyes, and protesting “not CHOM!” we would make our weekend trek to the cottage. I was satisfied.

Satisfied until I moved to Vancouver. Coming from a society where if you weren’t running you were going to slow, where driving without road-rage caused you stress, and eye-twitches were the norm to a place where people actually walked on their lunch breaks and stopped to smell the cherry blossoms in the spring. To those who have not experienced the marvelous pace of leisurely life in Vancouver, you have no idea what I’m talking about. (take that and multiply that ten fold to feel what its like in a small town! But that’s another story)

Life seems easier out west. People are more friendly, more approachable, and you just get the feeling that life is great, almost everyday. This feeling is reflected and manifested in the lyrics to most country music songs. One of my all time favourite lyrics in a song is It’s a Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt. It isn’t the best song, but the lyrics can’t help but make you feel good and want to smile.

There is something so simple, and easygoing about the lyrics in country songs. You can relate to almost every story, be it a slow, broken hearted drawl about the loss of a great horse, or an energetic fireball of a song enlightening us on the intrinsic worth of owning a Dodge. Perhaps that is why we have a Dodge in the driveway.

So, to all who have dared to ask, I like country music. I would even go so far as to say that there are some songs that I love. At our wedding, our second dance was Forever and Ever, Amen. For those skeptics out there still set against country (you know who you are) take a minute and read these lyrics and tell me you still don’t believe in country love!

Daryl comes home today. I don't know how I am going to function for the next 8 hours, but at least he will be out of contact...I think it makes it easier. Fletcher and I will go to the airport for his arrival and both probably pee ourselves!

I don't know why, but I can't get Phoebe's song "Smelly Cat" out of my head!

Salute to a Brave & Modest Nation

A friend sent this to me the other day...it was a bit long on the blog, but worth the read. Really makes you stop and think about what and why Canada's military forces are still going to bat for our neighbours to the south.

http://www.canmilair.com/tribute.htm

I'm the WINNER!!

We had a fund-raiser at work today by selling tickets to win one of 6 booze baskets. Guess what? I WON! A 6 pack of Corona and a beach chair (complete with pink flip flops and hat)! Merry early Christmas to ME!

Baking, NOT Bacon!

This past weekend I was overwhelmingly possessed by the Christmas Baking Bug. Saturday I was out shopping, helping Santa of course, then proceeded home to make 180 ginger snaps. That wasn't enough...Sunday I invaded the neighbour's house and we dipped 8 dozen biscotti cookies made by Nona, 3 sheets of almond rocca, and began the process of making cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies. It was amazing how little I snacked, cause EVERYTHING SEEMS TO INVOLVE CHOCOLATE.
Liar! my mother is a LIAR! I guess that's why I can wear the same pair of pants I bought in September 1996 with Stacy when we went shopping at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. They are actually big on me now! Reverse metabolism? I won't complain!
I am eating a ginger snap right now (chocolate-free) and they are YUMMY! Want one?

OH! The Weather Outside is
FRIGHTFUL!

BC is getting walloped by yet another winter storm. We had about 5" of snow last night in the Loops, and already this morning over 1" has fallen. It is wet, fat snow, falling in huge clump-like flakes that makes your mascara run. Not that I wear mascara, but some lady walking down the street looked like she had just left the set of a horror movie! It was AWESOME!
This is a photo of the Coquihalla highway just past the snowshed, taken about 15 minutes ago. This is NOTHING compared to the hell that I drove through 3 weeks ago to come home! Anyhow, we are bunkering down for another great winter storm. I've got lots of fire wood, rum & egg nog so we should be just fine!

Holiday Visit

To all our friends in Kelowna, Darly and I will be in town for a brief but distinctive visit from the 23rd to the 25th. We will simply not have time to drive and visit everyone that we want to see, especially with the traffic situation in Kelowna! So Twyla has graciously opened her home on Saturday (23rd) afternoon for one and all to come on by. We are giving you plenty of warning, compared to other visits we've made, so there are no excuses, unless you're in Mexico (damn you Marci!)
We hope to see you there, please pass the word on to others who may not know what a blog is!

New Rule for Me

Cats love laser pointers, and if you spin them around enough, they will walk into walls and puke.
Opps!

Cats now have a new rule...

Do not try to drink from Fletcher's dish, you will be chased.
Run kitty! RUN!!

Chow has a new rule...

The cats are NOT squeeky toys to play with.
'Nuf said

Better in the Land Down-Under

It is a tragic day...when Daryl and I were in Australia last year...at this time, we purchased some consumer products that we can't find in the Northern hemisphere, like Australian Heinz ketchup, 25lb cray-fish, digeredoos, and YUMMY FLAVOURED NESTLE QUICK! I don't really enjoy chocolate, or chocolate milk...some of you know why. Anyhow, the powder in these little cans make milk taste SO GOOD! But I'm all out of the vanilla, and no matter where I look, I can't find it anywhere! Oh well, time for another trip to Oz!

STELLA's BACK!

So just when Fletcher thought it was safe to go outside...well, inside, actually. Roxy went back to animal control yesterday after a GREAT, fun-filled weekend with us. I miss her already, but do enjoy my time alone with the Chow! Just when things were back to normal, there was peace and quiet in the house, along came the cats!
Marci's last day with PCL was Friday, and to celebrate this joyous occasion she is off to Mexico for a month! MUST BE NICE!! So Fletcher and I are kitty sitting STELLA and her sister Delilah until early January. So far, so good...they won't come out of the laundry room! Crazy cats! I don't think they will cause as much heart-ache to Chow as Roxy.

The two friends playing in the snow! Fletcher has been so patient!
Fletcher thought that if he behaves, he might get a cookie!
If Fletcher could have puppies...this is what they would look like!
Two cute bums!

Sleeping angel...
Little devil!!

Passed out on a soft rug!
SMILE!!
Decorated for Christmas!
Roxy attacking the EVIL tree...I had to move all the lower ornaments up!

WHY MAMA? WHY? Can the puppy go now?