impulse, n.

2012-02-12T22:23:00.002-06:00

a while back I was telling my husband about my grand scheme to create a search engine where you could search visually by topic, or by uploading a picture to scan for matches if you didn't know what something was. I thought this was genius, because my brain just works better with an image. because as much as I love what words can say, I think sometimes I love the shape of them more.

all this to say, then I found pinterest. shiny, sparkly, addicting pinterest. I make sure I spend time there, when I am not sorting through the 34lbs of wool I got from my grandma, and madly working on a new crochet project. I made the cutest owl hat for my niece today, just have to finish the beak and I will post a picture. next is an afghan I think.

I also picked up a new camera lens and a wireless remote shutter release, and have been itching to get out and try them out..

I have been going really having to strech out of my comfort zone at work, and it feels like once my brain realized it could work in another direction it hasn't let me be content with the old status quo, in any area of my life.

Oh, you're awake and not at work solving problems? crochet. practice music. take pictures. sketch. write. dance. crochet some more.

tired? sleep is for sissies. GO MAKE SOMETHING. re-do your room. try something new. teal eyeliner? AWESOME.

I have entered a three photos into different contests, one is for hallmark and I am really hoping they choose it for an upcoming design...

either I am on the brink of an artistic breakthrough, or a cabin fever breakdown. I'll keep you posted.

2012-01-20T00:06:00.003-06:00

me texting my sister: there is a sparrow in walmart! he is hanging out in the plants and then putting out on birdseed!

me: pigging out. not putting out. No-X rated sparrows allowed, this is a family store!

my sister: I had to read this three times and I still can't tell if you are serious.

2012-01-19T23:55:00.002-06:00

adobe released monthly subscription plans for cs illustrator. glorious. I have an owl flying around in my dreams whispering ideas already.....

2012-01-19T23:51:00.003-06:00

the shins have a new album coming out in march. I have already pre-ordered. five years is a long time. my ears are waiting.

2012-01-19T23:39:00.004-06:00

apparently every time I decide to do something big and scary and I AM 30 THIS IS THE YEAR TO THROW OFF MY FEARS AND SEIZE THE DAY, DAG NABBIT, there is an earthquake.

current standings:

geological fault lines: 2

me: 2

TIE GAME!

2012-01-03T23:51:00.002-06:00

sinus cold? check.

pinched nerve in neck? check.

hip pain making weight bearing impossible? check.

random, knife- stabbing- through- your- vital- organs-intensity back spasms? check!

I asked my husband to take me out to the wild and shoot me last night. I was that miserable. I wanted to curl up in the fetal position and fade into unconsciousness, but all I could do was lie flat out, congested as heck, and sob.

I was marginally better this morning, and decided to try and distract myself at work, which did not go over well, as all I could focus on was not being that "girl whose eyes keep welling up with tears - so awkward!". When even that failed, and I had made my male boss sufficiently uncomfortable, I went to the walk in clinic, where the wonderful doctor watched me cry YET AGAIN, gave me a bunch of drugs to help with my whole body spasms, and then I came home and spent the rest of the afternoon trying not to puke because of said drugs.

then husband came home and I cried some more, telling him how embarrassed I was to cry in front of my boss and the doctor.

I have never cried this much because of pain, not even when I broke my back. I didn't cry at all then. this has just been so widespread, so intense, and without relief. I just felt utterly overwhelmed.

ginger ale and crackers have tamed the nausea, and my pain level has gone down quite a bit, so here's hoping I can get some sleep and be able to handle things again tomorrow...

2011-12-11T12:29:00.002-06:00

bwahahahaha. I am such a dork. I ordered my hubby a batman snuggie and the batman asylum game for christmas. that is, if he ever stops playing skyrim, his other present.

only 15 more sleeps!

2011-12-10T00:10:00.002-06:00

I had the strangest dream last night. I was in a plane that my friend who passed away was flying, and she was doing all these crazy manouvers that were making me sick, and whenever I asked her what we were doing she would just laugh and tell me to relax. finally we were gliding over this huge forest/canyon thing, and when I looked out the window there were thousands of birds flying along side the plane. owls, so many owls I couldn't believe it, and we circled back several times to get a better look. I was in awe, it was so blissful, so free. I remember shouting a euphoric, this is what it feels like! and my friend simply said, I know.

then I woke up, literally crying. I miss her so much, but somehow, this helped.

2011-12-06T23:33:00.004-06:00

so I bought some red lipstick today. I was showing my roommate, and telling her I loved it so much because it makes me feel sorta dangerous. she said is wasn't nearly red enough to be scandalous, and I said it was close enough, after all it was called "fancy". she gave me a blank look, and I said, you know, fancy, as in the reba mcentire song? the look she gave me was even blanker. so I gave up, and was secretly a little sad that no one gets my attempts to be witty.

but then I looked at my lipstick and felt awesome. the end.

2011-11-22T22:39:00.001-06:00

a dear friend passed away two days ago after losing a short but valiant fight against luekemia. I know she is in a better place, but it sure feels empty here without her.

2011-11-19T12:18:00.005-06:00

this is what I do lately. I come home from work, sit down in front of the tv, and crochet. this beauty is for my sister for christmas if I don't steal it and keep it for myself. I am a tad obsessed, and am working on a flower headband for my neice, coffee cup cozy's for a gift exchange, and tiny crocheted owls for my christmas tree. my grandma would be so proud, my crocheted owls next to her crocheted angels. yup. back to my yarn!

2011-11-19T11:07:00.003-06:00

SO.

I am 30.

the day started off with a literal earthquake, and hubby planned a surprise that involved an afternoon at a spa, a surprise party with my friends and family, and a birdie rum cake. I also totally won my friend's baby pool.

awesome.

2011-09-26T09:48:00.004-06:00

I have been playing graphic designer this week, making up some rack cards to be used in a friend's door to door campaign as she runs for city council, as well as some flyers, and then I was asked to do some posters for work to show clients the benefits of some of our alternate banking channels.

they turned out really well, for someone who has no previous experience or any fancy software. the friend actually showed up later with some info on a graphic design course and urged me to look into it. even if it takes a couple years to finish, if I can do it around work I think I would seriously finally pursue some secondary education.

enter school one, no distance learning, and for an 18 month course, 27 thousand dollars. boom.

sigh. we need to pay off our current debt before I can even dream of pursuing anything like that, not to mention coming up with a plan to cover living expenses.

BUT, that was just my first foray into information gathering. I am going to look into some other things and start tucking away a few dollars every month, and see where it leads.....

2011-09-11T10:30:00.003-06:00

I have been been reading/adoring some informative blogs this morning on how to shop your own closet, remix your outfits, and thrift or shop with purpose. there may have been a quote about misguided shopping leads to misguided style that made me go oof.

anyhow, check them out. they post lots of pictures and write funny and self depreciating posts. I secretly want to be bff's with all of them.

kendi everyday

megan neilsen design diary

girl in london

selective potential

makes me want to go play dress up in my closet. I'd love to find a site that focuses on looking professional at work, but not boring.

anyhow, I am pretty sure I have food poisoning at the moment. need some ginger ale and to lay on the cool tile of the bathroom floor for a while......

2011-08-31T23:12:00.001-06:00

I am an auntie for the second time in two weeks! welcome to my two newest nephews, can't wait to spoil you rotten like the others.

2011-08-31T23:03:00.002-06:00

vanity, oh vanity.

lately people have been using the words soft, shiny, and good smelling to describe my hair. ( the latter being my husband. I don't usually let random people smell my hair.) I feel like I am reaching hair utopia. after over 10 years of pixie cuts, crunchy goop, and ozone depleting hairspray, I have grown it out to chin length, and only need 10 minutes with a hair dryer and a spritz of finishing spray to make myself presentable. did I mention it bounces when I walk?

yup. worth every bit of the "I hate this awkward stage and want to chop it all off again" stages. of which there were many.

2011-08-26T23:35:00.004-06:00

I love the start of a few days off. the anticipation of waking up tomorrow to have a cup of coffee on the balcony. to think about possibilities. about a lack of structure. about what you see when you close your eyes, and if it resembles what is in front of you when you open them.

2011-08-26T23:29:00.004-06:00

so the referendum vote came in and we abolished the hst. I feel like we have made history and should be out celebrating!

2011-08-24T23:44:00.002-06:00

*sweeps dust off keyboard*

hullo blog. do you remember your neglectful owner?

I was thinking about you the other day. about all the good times we used to have, listening to music late at night and filling space with solid shapes. sometimes, they even made sense!

I don't know how we grew apart.

I have a balcony now. one where I can sit in the cool darkness and watch the city wind down each night. it reminds me of a fire escape from a long time ago.

It makes me think it wasn't you who did the changing.

2011-05-15T22:17:00.002-06:00

was feeling creative this morning so I dug out my fabric box and sewed an adorable stuffed owl. I based it on one I found on the interwebs, but hand drew the pattern and decided to wing it. hahaha. owl. wing.

O-o.

anyhow, it turned out super cute, and I have a baby niece I am meeting for the first time in june when I head back home for my sister's wedding, so I am making her a girly hot pink one.

I love when I have time to do crafty things.

2011-04-24T11:19:00.003-06:00

SUNSHINE! oh wonderful, warm, life restoring sunshine!

Pardon me while I go glue myself to my deck chair with a yummy iced tea.

2011-04-13T19:05:00.000-06:00

seriously wonders sometimes.

don't you?

2011-03-21T17:40:00.002-06:00

darn it.

this week is the one week I can't miss work, and I have godzilla sized blisters in my throat and can hardly talk. I haven't had a sick day in over a year, I was trying to break my own record.

anyhow, this is the week they move my job out of the branch, so I need to be there to help facilitate that, and we have a new branch manager and are still waiting for him to have security clearance and access to all the systems and stuff, so I literally have to be there to get things open in the morning. I have a going away party to attend, a bowling night with hubby's work, and a wedding shower to make adorable cupcakes for.

AND I just found out one of my brothers is getting married back home tomorrow, but there is no way I can make it.

ah well, bring on the cold meds, halls, and super human strength. If I am still conscious next tuesday when this is all over I'm buying myself a day of vacation.

adios,

2011-03-15T22:09:00.003-06:00

I think I have the post vacation blues. seriously. a week was not nearly long enough, I LOVED mexico and everything just seems so blah and grey and cold back here.

suck it up, right? neither hubby or I can figure out why we waited so long to leave the country and try a real vacation, but now we have to make up for lost time. I am hoping maybe vegas in november when I turn the big 3-0, and then back to the lovely mayan riviera again next february.

our roomie just turned 30 and came back from two weeks in the dominican, so I decked the house out in cheesy tiki decorations and make tropical cupcakes with teddy grahams in bikinis and blue water icing. they were so cute! so it sort of still feels vacation-y. which is good, because we are so broke until april we need to live off the memories for a few weeks..hehe

now to catch up on some sleep...

2011-02-25T22:58:00.003-06:00

so today they announced I will move into a new management position in the branch. it's a sales/people managing role, which will challenge my operationally wired brain in the opposite direction, but it will be good for devoting my business coaching routines and to prove to myself I can succeed even in an area that is not my first choice.

then I will be fully rounded in both operations and sales, and force to be reckoned with when it comes time to apply for my next position, whenever that is. On a good note, my team is like a family already, none of them wanted to see me go in the first place. they leave goofy notes on my desk when I go for lunch, we have cookie baking contests, and are debating the merits of starting a glee club. as much as I wanted the other position, I was going to miss them terribly.

anyhow ten hours till mexico! currently my hubby, brother and I are eating fruit gushers and watching hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, as I am trying not to bounce off walls with excitement over my first out of country REAL vacation.

and my hubby found an exotic bird aviary within walking distance of the resort, with parrots galore. does he know me, or what?

lots of pics when I come back, I'll have a drink on the beach for you!

2011-02-23T21:45:00.002-06:00

so I was not chosen to be part of the new operations centre. crummy news. logistically it makes sense, they don't have to pay any relocation fees or anything to keep me where I am.

but, it would be easier if they could tell me what I WILL be doing. no one really seems to know. it's way worse than applying for a job and not getting it. it's being told you can no longer work your dream job but not being told what you other option is. I AM thankful to still have a job, but how do I know if I am going to want it?

after eight years working to get where I was, it now feels like I am back at square one.

with a migraine.

hurry up mexico!

2011-02-21T15:38:00.001-06:00

seriously cranky.

grumble grumble grumble grumble.

meh.

2011-02-17T21:49:00.002-06:00

hopefully I will find out what is going on job wise before I go to mexico next week. so far the two scenarios seem to be either be chosen to fill the newly created role and move to another city, or stay where I am, in a position that is "undetermined".

both are sort of exciting, sort of scary, but not boring, that's for sure!

2011-02-09T19:49:00.003-06:00

whoa.

I know change is a given in any corporation, but sometimes it just happens so darn fast. more when I know details, but I may not be in the same job six weeks from now.....

2010-12-31T19:29:00.005-06:00

I was thinking about it, and I am pretty sure I didn't even make any new years resolutions last year. at this time last year I think I was so focused on just getting through each day I really didn't care to think about the future in case it was more of the same. however, this year I turn 30 and there are somethings that I think I could aim for......

1. to not wait until I am miserable before speaking up or making a change. there is no glory in sticking it out and trying to "be the bigger person" or "grow from the experience." sometimes, it's okay to get the heck out, to do what you need to do, and ignore other people's opinions.

2. to learn more about the technical side of photography, but not get so caught up in getting the "perfect shot" that I forget to enjoy the creative process.

3. to get rid of my learners license by taking and passing the road test.

4. to keep running

5. and..... to make good use of my new passport, starting with playa del carmen in february!

2010-12-30T22:30:00.001-06:00

sometimes it's hard to know the difference between growing up and dumbing yourself down, isn't it?

2010-12-27T17:25:00.002-06:00

I bought myself a canon 60D yesterday, at my husbands insistence. ( like I needed convincing). it should be here by next week...... happy new year to me!

2010-12-23T23:13:00.002-06:00

wow. a client spoiled us today by bringing in a TON of wine from a local winery, there was so much that each of us took home three bottles! yay, one for me, and two for hostess gifts :) we have also had so many boxes of chocolates and home baked goodies, that we are storing some away for summer because we can't even bear to look at them...lol!

I have to be honest, I would never really think to give a gift to my banker, mostly because if I didn't work in a bank I'd never be in one, but it is really nice to be thought of.

anyhow, tomorrow we head home for christmas with hubby's family, can't wait to see everyone, and I hope the roads cooperate so we can make it to the christmas eve service with them. just isn't christmas without it.

happy holidays all!

2010-12-23T00:17:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T20:59:00.002-06:00

see the third dress in? I bought one pretty much identical today, though mine is a teeeeeensy bit more, shall we say thanks to running, curvaceous? I LOVE it, and can't wait to wear it with some awesome earrings and sky high heels to hubby's christmas party in the new year. only thing they never tell you about sequined dresses? that they cut skin really fast while you are trying to wiggle in and out of them. ( ow!)

anyhow, some random strangers in the store told me it looked awesome with my pixie cut, very chic. I think that is the first time in my life I actually was described that way...lol!

AND....it was 50% off!

2010-12-19T12:59:00.002-06:00

I was over at a friend's for a cookie exchange, and most of the women were new mothers or mothers of several children. I was feeling a bit out of the conversational loop, until one mother mentioned this medication she was on. grateful to have something, anything, in common, I interjected a "me too!"

suddenly everyone was looking at me VERY expectantly, and I realized I should have been paying more attention to the conversation in that corner, because the reason she was on the medication was to help her lactate as she breastfed.

whoops. definitely not the reason I am on it.

almost as good as the time I was six and had an upset stomach, and told my mom I though I had morning sickness.

at least I can break the ice, right?

2010-12-19T12:23:00.002-06:00

what do I get or being ready for christmas two weeks ahead of time? broken into while we slept and most of the tree cleaned out, that's what!

I woke up when I heard a christmas ornament hit the floor, but when I heard the door to my roomates room open and close I told myself that she was just hiding something under the tree, being her usual mischievous self. I was awake for over half an hour and even crept halfway down the stairs to check the living room before telling myself I must have just been dreaming.

when we got up in the morning and found the patio door open and no presents under the tree, I realized what I had really heard.

scary, huh? especially realizing that whoever it was must have been the one opening and closing my roomie's door, because she was actually asleep the whole time.

the RCMP came right away, and was really helpful. he heard the garbage truck coming down the alley and grabbed our garbage back into the yard, and found several gifts in in. he came back at noon, just as I was going to head out to work and told us a woman had turned herself in, and that he had found most of our stuff in dumpsters and in the street.

crazy, huh?

I guess if you have to get broken into this is the way to have it happen, and I thought knowing that whoever did it had turned themselves in would help me be able to sleep at night, but nope. I am having a tough time not waking up a hundred times wondering if I heard something. even after having someone come in and install a new locking system on the patio doors and checking everything else, it's a creepy feeling to know someone was in your house while you slept, and really, if they had wanted too they could have very easily harmed you.

I'm just SO glad we are all safe, and that they didn't even go into the birdie room. makes other little worries seem so silly now, you know?

2010-12-12T10:42:00.002-06:00

dare I say I am ready for christmas? I finished the last of the baking, shopping, and wrapping yesterday, and it snowed for the first time, as if to say, "perfect timing!"

2010-11-28T16:17:00.000-06:00

ahem.

GO RIDERS!

2010-11-07T11:51:00.002-06:00

have the house to myself today.

so far, I've enjoyed a heaping bowl of sugary cereal, and got a skype subscription so I can call my grandma's landline back home and chat without paying 10 cents a minutes. I called my mom to test it, and ended up talking for an hour.

next on my oh-so-important schedule is a run. maybe filling a picture frame so I can have something personal in my office, and sewing a button on hubby's work shirt. which means digging through my sewing stuff. which invariably means finding that purse pattern I've been thinking about trying for weeks now....

also want to do some clicker training with mo, and see if I can convince pokey to bath. paint my nails. do some laundry.

oh! how could I forget making chocolate frosting for the amazing chocolate chip pumpkin brownies I made yesterday??

or I could ignore all that, curl up with a stack of books, and watch the rain for a while.

choices, choices!

2010-11-07T11:32:00.003-06:00

found some awesome tall boots yesterday, and ended up getting two for the price of one. (yes, the sales lady TOTALLY sucked me in.) I had been looking for brown high heeled boots for two months now. ( I am also picky. and cheap.) so I got these ones, and a dark gray pair as well. set for winter now!

2010-11-03T21:13:00.002-06:00

told my husband today that if he continues to come up behind me and grab my behind while I'm running on the treadmill with my ipod blasting in my ears, thereby SCARING THE CRAP OUT OF ME, that I will wait until he is sleeping and shave off his eyebrows. or just one eyebrow. and pull his baby neck hairs. and write on his forehead in permanent marker. and make the couch his new room.

he still thinks I am kidding.

2010-10-31T18:55:00.002-06:00

where are all the cute little trick or treaters?? this is the first year with the potential to actually give out candy, now that we are all snug in a residential area instead of apartments, and nothing.

people at work told me to prepare for 100-150 kids.

I don't want to eat 300 fun size chocolate bars. even if they are chocolaty delicious.

2010-10-31T18:52:00.002-06:00

you know those "this is a velociraptor free work area" posters spoofing workplace accident numbers?

I am making a "this is a black-widow spider free basement" poster for above the washing machine, complete with the number of days free of black widow spider sightings underneath.

gotta bolster my confidence somehow!

2010-10-30T19:38:00.002-06:00

I am SO going as Amy Farrah Fowler from Big Bang Theory next Halloween. wish I would have thought of it in time for this year!

2010-10-25T22:34:00.003-06:00

can't remember what week it is anymore, but I am still running. indoors on the treadmill, but running none the less.

life has been awesome. I love the new job, love the new town, and feel more at home here than anywhere has felt like home in the last four years or so. I feel....settled. all the way to my core. I was walking home the other day and looked up at the sun setting above the hills, and felt my whole soul take a deep thirsty breath.

it's been a long time since I remember being happy.

2010-10-03T11:28:00.001-06:00

awww.

I looked out our front window this morning and there was a dead bird on the sidewalk, with another bird just standing beside it. It stood there for over an hour before finally flying away.

so sad.

2010-09-22T22:21:00.002-06:00

mo has learned how to bark. we got home from work today and apparently he's been taking careful notice of the neighbours little dog, and was ruff ruffing to greet us...so funny!

2010-09-20T09:22:00.003-06:00

while running a few weeks ago, my foot slipped off the edge of the path and I turned my ankle/side of my foot pretty awkwardly. I ran on it twice after the incident, but in hindsight that may not have been the smartest approach to "wait and see". that approach probably should have included the words "stay off it".

it's pretty painful, and not really going away, so I'm going to the clinic today to get it looked at. I'm hoping it's just a sprain, but I don't want to hear I can't run for a few weeks, so it's making me grumpy.

anyhow, depending on the doctor's advice and my level of stubbornness, we may go explore downtown and see all the cool shops and scope out a new sushi restaurant. then it's back home to roast a chicken for dinner....yum!

2010-09-14T21:38:00.002-06:00

week eighteen: ( day two)

obviously, I missed weeks 16-17, ( though I did have the odd run, I just forgot to log it. bad dedicated runner, bad!) but I am back in the groove.....the mostly flat, awesome pavement type groove that leads me to a high school track, a gorgeous nature trail along a little river, or a meandering neighbourhood route, depending on my mood.

tonight I was joined by two girls from work, and despite all of us being a teeny bit nervous about keeping up with each other, we had an awesome time. we made it over 40 minutes, and it felt so fast because we could chat and just have a good time. I have MUCH shorter legs than them, so it was an effort to keep up a few times, but it was a great push to that next level.

in a few weeks we are going to start sprinting up the stairs by the dam....any butt I've earned during the last four months just might be worked off....lol!

anyhow, it's nice to have some friends to share this with...now to finish a big bang marathon with hubby and laura, who just officially moved in with us today...yay!

2010-09-12T15:07:00.004-06:00

so we have a year end gala for work in a few weeks, and our theme is 1920's new york glamour.

I used it as a perfect excuse to order the following from modcloth.

the off center of attention dress:

and a pair of arabian tights....
I also have a pretty sequined feather headband to pair with it, and am working to figure out how to work my short hair into finger waves...

pretty excited about it, everyone else is ordering from costume places but this is just perfect to me, thanks modcloth!

2010-09-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

bowl of homemade hearty beef barley stew in my tummy while the rest is frozen for a cold fall evening? check.

awesome run discovering a path by a beautiful canal AND a high school track, while looking forward to starting "running club" with some girls from work next week? check.

plans to soak in our ginormous tub and read a girly magazine until I am so sleepy I can't keep my eyes open? double check.

plans to meet up with a co-worker for starbucks treat before the last work day of the week tomorrow? yummy check.

trips to the basement since discovering the scary spider? zero.

level of contentment? through the roof.

2010-09-08T20:37:00.002-06:00

went down the to basement to re-start the dryer from yesterday so I could fold the last load of clothes, and threw some towels into a laundry basket on top of the dryer to wash later. as soon as the towels hit the basket, I saw a large spider start to descend from the wood beams towards the towels. I gave a little shriek, and was about call for my hubby to come kill it for me, when it turned around and I could see the distinctive red hourglass that signifies a black widow.

then I didn't just give a little shriek, I screamed like a true girl with what's left of my voice from a rotten cold, and stood frozen in fear ( screaming) until my husband came and, as he does with all other spiders, squished it.

I have seriously taken almost an hour to calm down and not want to run away back to the bitter cold prairies where venomous spiders can't survive. my husbands thinks I'm being silly, and keeps trying to reassure me with the gem "they are non aggressive, honey". I point out a still blistering bite from a month ago on my arm and tell him I'm a marked woman. I also cannot stop feeling a continuous crawly sensation all over me that is making me twitch like a crazy woman. which I may or may not be acting like at the moment.

I don't think I'll be able to ever go in that basement again. this was a childhood fear of mine, and being almost thirty has done NOTHING to diminish it.

sheesh. I am the biggest wuss around. but I cannot be cool about poisonous spiders in the basement. tarantula sized wolf spiders are one thing, but this is going to cause the worst nightmares I've had in a while..

2010-09-06T20:13:00.003-06:00

these are a few of the "finished" pictures from the wedding saturday...I took over 900 photos, and forsee a LOT of editing in the next few weeks....but for a first attempt I am pretty happy with how they turned out.

of course, the fact I was using my father in laws canon did not hurt either. it's so sad to have to give it back, I've been using for four months to get used to it and I can't go back to a point and shoot. guess I have my next savings goal set for me...

anyhow, kettle is boiling, time for tea. I caught hubby/mother in law/nieces nasty cold, and I have no voice. one day off was not enough....five days of work and then a real weekend with no moving, weddings, or unpacking in it!

I'll see if I can get some pics of our cute new place up, but I'll leave you with the most adorable flower girls on the planet in the meantime..

2010-09-05T23:23:00.002-06:00

one: we are moved. and mostly unpacked. we pulled a couple really late nights, but it was worth it.

two: the wedding was beautiful and I think I got some really nice pictures.

three: we hit a deer tonight on the drive back from the coast, but are okay. car, maybe not so great, but fixable.

we are exhausted, sick, and ready to lay around and do NOTHING tomorrow for the first time since late july.

what a crazy, busy, memorable week.

2010-08-29T23:02:00.002-06:00

crashing for the night at the in-laws using an unlocked wi-fi to post....ahhh, this is the life.

we have a fully loaded u-haul in the driveway and get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to drive it three hours to the new place. poor birds are in a travel cage and mo would NOT go to bed until after ten. I actually had to take him out of his cage for some snuggling because he was so stressed that he was just randomly throwing himself into the sides of his cage. ( what a drama lama.) hopefully they settle into the new place pretty quick.

hubby and my father are currently driving our car up there ahead of time tonight, and coming all the way back in my fathers car so that we don't have to make the two trips tomorrow...bleh. I hate hubby being on the highways so late at night. a few weeks ago a HUGE tree rolled down a mountain and crashed onto the highway along our route, and I've been paranoid about falling trees ever since.

anyhow....we said our goodbyes to the house and some good memories, but I am most looking forward to the new ones we are going to be making. the new town just already feels like home.

OH! crumb. I just realized that my hubby will be hitting the end of the ironman triathlon when they get into town. it's going to take FOREVER to get across main street to drop the car off and turn around.

that was the whole reason we didn't take the moving van up today. he probably totally forgot.

what a late night when we have to have such an early start in the morning. of we don't have the moving van back by noon they charge us for a extra day, but I'm starting to think it may be worth it to sleep in a bit....

will post again when internet is up an running at the new place sometime tuesday. wish us luck!

2010-08-28T18:01:00.002-06:00

the staff have been introducing me to clients over the last few weeks, and I have met close to a hundred at least. now, I'm fairly good at names, but there is no way I'm going to remember every one of those hundred after only one meeting. I was inadvertently introduced to the same man twice in a two week time by two different tellers, and he was quick to point out that I hadn't remembered we'd already met and that my level of intelligence was such that I would be able to hide my own easter eggs. ( yes, he used that exact phrase.)

sigh. I have since made a point of coming out of my office to call him by name if I see him in the branch, and he actually smiled at me the other day. progress, right?

in another case, I was introduced as the new manager of client care, and the older man exclaimed, "boy, they sure hire you managers young nowadays. attractive, mind you, but young."

made my day.

2010-08-28T17:51:00.002-06:00

week fifteen: ( day four)

went for a run last night, called it quits after a windstorm hit and I was attacked by giant tumbleweeds. got scratches all over from them...I felt like I was in a video game where I tried to criss-cross the road to avoid them and the wind's objective was to roll them right into me. the wind won. did I mention the tumbleweeds are like large exercise balls? yeah. it's not like a cute little handful of dead plant chasing you down. there was even a point I had to cover my eyes and shield my face from a particularly bouncy one.

ah, fun.

but on the upside, my pants are getting seriously loose. hooray! only took four months to get rid of the squishy and I am proud of the results...so proud I'm wearing an amazing dress to the wedding next weekend and I think my hubby will appreciate it. it's a little more svelte than I'd normally go for....no empire waist or bubble skirt for me this time!

2010-08-26T22:01:00.003-06:00

week fifteen: (day two and three)

two days in a row. as used to running as I think I am, I can't get over how much my legs and butt STILL hurt after adding a few extra measly hills. always room for improvement I guess.

tonight was so nice and cool, hovering around 23 Celsius, I wasn't even purple when I finished my run. I even heard a lady I was passsing for the second time on my loop that I must be really dedicated to do TWO laps.

then I undid all my hard work with some vanilla ice cream and a ton of freshly sliced local peaches that were so juicy I could have slurped them up with a straw.

so delicious.

one more day of running and then I'm giving myself the three days of moving off so I don't kill myself by doing too much. haha. me? try to do an inhuman amount in a single day? not me...nope...

2010-08-24T21:33:00.002-06:00

week fifteen: (day one)

made it a full two laps of the hills, running with quail, deer, and a dog that I was sort of worried was going to chase me, but didn't. was SUPER hot and I felt pretty close to needing to sit at the side of the road at one point because my head started to swim and I felt a bit woozy. that's better now, but my heart is still going a little weird. I know I've been drinking too much coffee these last few days. I need to give the ol' heart a break or I may be in some trouble.

now off to pack lunch, iron my clothes, and watch an episode of mad men before bed...

only six days till the move!

2010-08-21T08:36:00.002-06:00

got my name tag yesterday, I'm official!

also stopped a counterfeit item and subsequently a fraud scam right in it's tracks. pretty awesome day, all in all.

hubby will pick me up after work today, and then only a week left until we move. crumb, it's getting super close!

2010-08-19T23:22:00.002-06:00

did I mention a few months ago I chickened out and couldn't finish watching the movie paranormal activity? actually, barely made it through the opening credits? the whole concept was just too much for me.

I heard afterwards, the best way to get over a scary movie is to watch it and NOT close your eyes, because what your imagination can come up with is usually way more terrifying than whatever was on the screen. I can totally relate to that.

anyhow. it's been months, and last night I woke up completely freaked out after a nightmare, and the tv in my room was emitting a faint glow, even turned off.

scared the crap out of me.

I'm not too big for a night light when my hubby isn't here, am I?

2010-08-19T23:16:00.002-06:00

I am currently sleeping in a bedroom situated in a basement. it's a very nice room, huge window, view of the city lights, spiders the size of kiwi fruits....okay maybe not kiwis, but apricots, easily.

I seriously have to turn the lights on if I get up in the middle of the night and grab the shoe on my nightstand to kill my way to the door. there is some sort of device plugged into the electrical outlet by the bedroom door that is supposed to emit a frequency that spiders will not come near, but I think they were in on that marketing scheme to lure us into a false sense of security.

I have even left spider corpses lying around the carpet as a warning, but I think I am just making them mad.

dang arachnids.

2010-08-19T23:00:00.001-06:00

week fourteen: ( day three)

much cooler tonight. I kicked the hill's butt, and though mine is still sore, it was a great run....

2010-08-18T22:07:00.002-06:00

talked to my hubby on skype tonight, and mo was with him talking up a storm for me. it still cracks me up to hear him quacking away like a little duckling.

sigh. I can't wait till we're all together and in the new place. I have to say I've been handling the transition really well, but I like it better when I have my home to centre around, you know?

anyhow. I should be working on the last eleven pages of the slide show. but I think I'll watch mad men instead and then let my sleepy eyes rest...

or maybe I'll just sleep.

2010-08-18T21:58:00.002-06:00

week fourteen: (day two)

it's hot. there are a lot of hills. that pretty much sums up my run tonight. It was still 30 celsius at eight o'clock, but I thought since the sun was down it wouldn't be too bad...ugh. I think I lost half my body weight in sweat. I wanted to go this morning, but it was dark until almost six, and by then I had to get ready to head to work, because it takes 40 minutes of walking to get to the bus.

though with all the walking I did to and from work today as well, I put in just over 10k with my two tired legs.

I did not run down the nature trail tonight as someone at work suggested, mainly because my uncle again mentioned the high probability of rattlesnakes, and I don't love running that much.

I'll leave that to all the ironman triathlon people training for next sunday's event. everywhere you look here there is someone biking or running. when people drive by me while I run I pretend they think I'm training for it and are impressed by my dedication, when in fact they are probably more concerned by the deep purple my face has turned and my sort of limping old lady run and are wondering if I'm going to pass out on the side of the road.

but a girl can dream, right?

2010-08-17T18:59:00.002-06:00

so sad. a friend lost her parrotlet today and my heart is aching for her. it's been almost a year since I lost my gus and I still miss him, and she's just at the beginning of that pain and healing.

sigh.

makes me wish I was at home to give my two a snuggle and a kiss.

2010-08-16T22:58:00.002-06:00

week fourteen: ( day one)

in case you hadn't noticed, week thirteen was bust. didn't run once last week, I'm so ashamed! Not to mention I imagined I could feel all my hard earned muscle turning back to squishy bits again.

so since I was back home this morning I snuck out and it felt great. there was a teeny bit of huffing and puffing, I'll admit, but I made it the whole half hour.

I did have hubby drive me around a new running route for the next two weeks while I'm bouncing back and forth, so I can run with the little flocks of quail that are all over up here...I will stick to the roads though, no trails, because I've heard the word rattlesnakes a few times in the last few weeks and I am NOT eager to see that particular sort of wildlife...

2010-08-14T17:36:00.002-06:00

three more hours till I see my hubby!

my brain is SO full of procedures and folios right now. I want to be sure before I change something that it actually needs to be changed, and isn't something that's optional, but for my own confidence I need to confirm it against our operational guidelines and there are literally thousands of pages of those.

today I had to reconcile the branch expense reports, and I had a question for the branch manager about some missing receipts. took us half an hour to figure out that what was really going on was a simple difference in terminology, and once I know what THIS branch called the receipts, I was able to locate the file and account for everything.

I'm just very cautious of stepping on other people's toes, but at the same time, I was hired to manage the operational side of things, and to manage it effectively, I will have to make some changes. just small, polite, consulting with staff that it will be affecting type changes.

anyhow, welcome weekend!

2010-08-12T08:59:00.002-06:00

I watched the first two episodes of mad men last night. first impressions? I loathe don draper with an intensity that startled me.

yup.

hate him.

anyhow. have LOTS more episodes to see if that changes...

2010-08-11T21:27:00.002-06:00

second day was awesome. the branch manager is pretty much letting me tackle things and get stuff up to date, and I work well like that. autonomy is my middle name, after all.

it feels good to go to work and not be stressed out. I mean, there's the new job stress, but it's a happy stress, if that makes any sense.

tonight I am just relaxing and debating catching up on mad med. itunes had an awesome deal and I ordered all three seasons, even though I haven't seen any yet. I've been wanting to check it out, and figure three weeks of evenings to myself is a good time. when I'm not working on the uber slideshow for my sis in laws wedding coming up.

they are getting married on our fake anniversary, the day we wanted to get married on, but due to a mix up at the marriage licence issuer we had to wait a few days to be legal.

anyhow, the next weeks are gonna fly. then we'll be all settled in and I can get back into a routine and some running! I am walking around 3-7k day, so I haven't been running yet, but I am missing it. a lot. some girls at work are figuring out a way to get me a ride home each night, so I may be able to sneak a run in evenings again.

anyhow, boring update, I know, but it's all the excitement I can handle right now!

2010-08-10T19:09:00.002-06:00

well, made it through my first day without too many hiccups. I did break one of the safes and had to call in a locksmith, but in fairness to me, it is a faulty lock and needs to be replaced.

other than that, there is a lot to dig in to and get sorted out, but I am looking forward to the challenge. the staff are awesome, and they'll make it a lot easier.

only 14 more days of work until my husband can move down as well...

2010-08-08T23:10:00.002-06:00

drove up to sign all our rental agreements and scope out how I'm going to get to work until we can move today.

hubby's aunt and uncle live 3k from the closest bus stop. 2k of that is a giant hill. guess what I get to walk every day for the next three weeks? uh-huh. guess the hills get one last hurrah before I can settle into my glorious, flat, ten minute jaunt to work from our cute new house.

hubby doesn't have to work on tuesday, so he's taking me back up tomorrow for the week, and he'll stay the night so he can give me a ride my first day, providing me a way to get my books and stuff there without killing my arms, and of course, moral support for the first day jitters.

less than 48 hours to go now...

2010-08-07T10:08:00.001-06:00

week twelve: ( day three)

woke up, killed a spider crawling up the wall beside my bed. judging by the size, it was probably the one who inflicted me with the bite on my stomach. walked down the hall to dispose of the body, and was confronted with giant spider number two. dumb move on his part. I was still armed with the flyswatter.

killed second spider. decided I need to leave the house before the walls crumbled and we were flooded with angry arachnids seeking revenge.

went for a run.

the end.

2010-08-06T21:15:00.003-06:00

week twelve: ( day two)

running along, spot a bear in the bushes in a yard. freeze, thinking, crap. it's a black bear. do I stay still, or start running? I know grizzlies, you freeze. or is it grizzlies, run? double crap. my husband was JUST talking about this the other night. I stand there a second, as it continues to just stand there. forever. without moving a muscle.

because, as I eventually realize, it's a one dimensional, life-size plywood cutout of a bear. a lawn ornament. I think I may have laughed a bit hysterically when I realized I was not in any danger. followed by relief that no one else was awake at five in the morning to witness my moment of stupidity.

never a dull moment, eh?

2010-08-03T23:40:00.002-06:00

hubby and I were driving home from the barbecue along my running route, and we drove past a house on fire. literally. I grabbed my phone and called 911 and we worked with some joggers to figure out the address. one of the guys who lived there showed up and I got him to call his roommates to make sure there was no one in the house, (all were out for the evening, thank God) and then we watched pretty helplessly until the fire trucks got there.

all those recurring fire dreams I was having a few months ago were pretty much summed up. my biggest fear is not losing everything, but not being able to get to my birds. unfortunately, it seems a dog was lost in the fire, and the kids renting the place were pretty upset. I can't even think about it.

what a night. my eyes and chest hurt from all the smoke. time to drink some water and get some sleep...

2010-08-03T19:18:00.003-06:00

I've been spending time clicker training the birds over the last week. it's amazing to watch how intelligent these little creatures are. mo caught on to 'targeting', or touching his beak to the end of a stick that I move left, right, up or down, like a pro. pokey has even joined in, and proved faster at picking up and holding a plastic ring in his beak. they don't even realize the 'treat' I'm using is the uber healthy milk thistle seed to help pokey and his feather issue. which I think is slowly improving a bit. I added a few supplements to his diet and he's been pretty perky.

today was C-R-A-Z-Y at work, but tonight some friends are throwing a barbecue to wish hubby and I the best in our move, and I get to see charlie and her eggs...

three more days at this branch, then I am off!

2010-08-02T21:25:00.001-06:00

week 12: ( day one)

I'm getting faster. only by a minute or two mind you, but I had to add a few blocks to my route to keep it an even 30 minutes.

lying in bed the other night hubby was listening to my heartbeat and commented it sounded stronger than it used to, not so faint and wimpy. I laughed, but it feels good all the same.

2010-08-02T12:26:00.003-06:00

I packed 14 boxes of non essentials yesterday. I have a big pile for the thrift store already. I love being ruthless and donating clothes, books, ect. less for us to pack, and I've been browsing the ikea catalogue to decorate our new place..

the plan for today is to keep packing ( the fine line between not packing enough, and packing too much too early), catch up on some laundry, and sit outside in the sun for a bit and read through more of those work folios.

and find the spider that bit my stomach again, leaving a three inch angry red wound, and KILL it.

and maybe run.

that's it!

2010-08-01T10:30:00.002-06:00

we have a room full of empty boxes, calling my name, just waiting to be packed. in the meantime, they are one heck of a playground for two trouble-finding birds....

yesterday mo took a bath in a water glass. he hangs onto the edge with his beak and sort of dog paddles. so funny.

anyhow, off to church and then tackle those boxes....

2010-08-01T10:27:00.001-06:00

we were at a barbecue with friends the other night, outside despite the recent heat wave, and a swarm of red ants appeared all along the stone fence they have in their yard. it was like a red wall, about a foot wide and over 15 feet long. yuck.

most of us had never seen anything like it, so kids and adults alike were watching with weird fascination. one of the dads asked his two year old where he thought they were going, and with great authority he declared "sandy point!" ( which is the local beach).

hahaha. kids are awesome.

2010-08-01T01:24:00.003-06:00

so sleepy....

we took my brother in law to emergency tonight, and learned that the WORST time to go to emerg is any evening of a long weekend in a tourist town surrounded by water.

six hours later, he had been seen. but they wanted to start an iv and do some observation and had no idea how long that would be, so we headed home and he'll call us to come an pick him up..

2010-08-01T01:22:00.002-06:00

not only does charlie have all his feathers, but more importantly this week, we found out he is most definitely a she, as four eggs appeared in her sleepy hut....

2010-07-30T22:04:00.003-06:00

I recently found a unique looking ring that I really liked, called a feather wrap ring. I'm not a big ring person, but I bought it, and wear it pretty much everyday.

today I had an older gentleman at my wicket, and before he left, he mentioned my ring, and said anyone with such unusual taste in rings must be an unusual woman. he told me I was a leader, and that if I don't know something, I didn't wait for someone to tell me, but I'd figure it out myself, and that I would go very far in life.

I sorta felt like I got my fortune told, but it was kinda neat at the same time, considering it was those very qualities that helped me get my recent job...

2010-07-30T22:03:00.001-06:00

week eleven: ( days one and two)

gave myself a few days to rest my shins, and voila. feels good again.

next week marks three months of this crazy idea....happy I stuck with it!

2010-07-28T23:21:00.002-06:00

today, a potential became non-existent. but not for me.

and I knew without a doubt that I made the right choice.

sometimes, hindsight kicks serious butt.

2010-07-28T20:18:00.001-06:00

so no news on the pokester. I need to get him in to my usual vet who will be less concerned with his feather plucking and more concerned with the weird feather growth on his head.

till then, have some natural remedies in the form of milk thistle, red palm oil, and bee pollen and will keep him on his usual good diet..

2010-07-28T20:17:00.000-06:00

I haven't run since saturday. this is wednesday. I'm starting to twitch. it's just SO hot out. and I have been too lazy to get up at five.

excuses, excuses.

gonna try tonight after the sun goes down...

2010-07-28T07:04:00.003-06:00

the headache fairy came in the middle of the night. grr. I woke up at about two with my head feeling like it was in a vice, complete with nausea, sweats, and generally just wanting to die to make it go away.

in between feeling like I was going to pass out I managed to choke down two advil liquid gels, and my hubby held my hand until they kicked in and the worst of it eased off.

woke up this morning and it's still there, just not as intense. more advil, and I'll try some coffee at work.

guess all the excitement is catching up with me!

2010-07-27T15:05:00.001-06:00

off to the vet to get Pokey looked at....then over to the in laws and if all goes well, I can squeeze a run in after that if we don't get the storms they are predicting...

2010-07-25T22:05:00.002-06:00

whew! what a day...

we got the house we wanted to rent! it's absolutely stunning, we can't wait to move in. it looks like I'll be able to stay with relatives for the first few weeks that I'm there as well, so the last thing I need to work out is transportation...

by the time we got back into town we headed out to the lake to catch hubby's parents up on all the news, and the took us out for a boat ride and to dinner on this awesome restaurant on the lake...

12 hours after we left the house we're back and ready to crash, because it's work as usual tomorrow morning...

sweet, sweet sleep, here I come!

2010-07-24T08:12:00.002-06:00

week ten: (day five)

I was supposed to sleep in today! sigh. my birdies think there are worms somewhere, because they are getting up at 5:30 and sounding their "GOOD MORNING WORLD ( and mom we want breakfast) " call in unison. they do the same thing on weekdays when they hear my alarm go off....

so since I was WIDE awake, I went for a run. did my route backwards this time, and it was a good workout, since all the hills are reversed. I still had pretty severe stabbing in my left shin, so since I made it five days this week, I may wait till tuesday to try again. I did up the length I've been running pretty fast.

once I get really comfortable with the half hour, and stop feeling like my speed is similar to that "I'm running in slow motion" feeling you get in dreams, then I'm going to work on my speed a bit. I really want a watch that monitors your speed, distance, heart rate, and time. maybe once things are sorted out in the next month, I'll treat myself for getting the job...

okay. it's seven thirty now. I think I may crawl back into bed for a bit before tackling laundry, some packing, and the hundred pages of folios I need to review before the 10th...

2010-07-22T20:45:00.003-06:00

remember charlie? the little featherless lovebird that needed a new home?

well, we saw his owners today....he has ALL his feathers, and has learned to wrap his humans around his beak to get whatever he wants...lol!

sigh. I love it when a birdie gets a good family and the life they deserve.

2010-07-22T19:27:00.002-06:00

so my official start day at my new job is august 10th. I can't wait! since it's only two weeks away, we're a little panicky about housing....we do have a gorgeous three bedroom home with a loft master suite we'll be going to see this weekend, but there is another couple interested as well. I told hubby we need to be SUPER cute and charming and responsible looking.

other point in our favor is that this house is owned by one of my new coworkers best friends, and she is putting in good words for us.

it may not be available until sept 1 though, and that means I need to figure out where I'm staying for three weeks, if my birdies can come, and what my hubby is going to do.

least life isn't boring right?!

2010-07-22T19:22:00.003-06:00

week ten: ( days three and four)

yesterday's run....AWESOME. today's run? not so much. my leg hurt, I felt winded the whole time, and then walked partway home.

bleh. I think four days in a row was maybe two much, judging by how bad my shins are burning.

give myself tomorrow off to recover, then at it again saturday!

2010-07-20T17:55:00.003-06:00

week ten: (day two)

made up for yesterday with a sold 30 minutes again...LOVE my new ipod shuffle. working to find that balance when running with music where I don't run to the beat and wear myself out too fast, but stick to a steady rhythm and can make it the whole way.

anyhow, felt awesome.

2010-07-19T22:45:00.002-06:00

pokey recently had his spring molt, but his head feathers grew in looking kinda weird, so I e-mailed a picture of him to a friend who is a bird expert.

she's only seen it twice before but both times it was liver disease/nutrition deficiency.

boo.

I'm got an appointment with the vet next week to do a complete work up, and have him eating milk thistle seeds which are supposed to be birdie liver wonder drugs, but I have to admit I'm worried about the little guy. I know he had a pretty crummy diet before we got him, but had hoped all the good stuff we give him would be enough to reverse any bad effects....

at least he's his usual cranky, lovable self. if he was acting odd I would be on the doorstep of the vet's instead of blogging...

2010-07-19T07:36:00.002-06:00

we had a mild thunderstorm here last night, but what was totally eerie was the colour of the sky. it was a weird gold and make everything feel like some post apocalyptic movie....see?

2010-07-19T07:33:00.003-06:00

week ten: (day one)

woke up with a strange burning in my throat and chest and silently glared at my congested husband, snoring peacefully. decided to run anyhow, but was a wuss. after twenty minutes my lungs felt like exploding and I was so shaky I cut it short. time to load up on vitamin c and cold fx.

need to run a solid 30 minutes for at least two weeks before I buy my other pair of shoes for the treadmill. then I know it wasn't just a fluke...hehe.

2010-07-16T22:42:00.002-06:00

I got the job! details are still being worked out, but as of today I am the new branch operating officer/manager client care.

and I get my own business cards. how dorky is it to be excited about that?

now to start looking for housing and stuff.....