Holy Hanna ... Wholly Krista!

Inspiration for this Saturday

2011-12-04T21:09:00.002-05:00

On Friday, I turn 30. On the one hand, it's just another birthday. On the other hand, it's a milestone as I enter a new decade. I'm not upset, but I'm bewildered at how quickly my 20s went by.

But I am using this milestone as a reason to have a big birthday party on Saturday. I have invited my closest friends. Surprisingly, all the out of town friends are attending, but not all the friends who live in the same city. It's usually the opposite!

I want the "theme" to be CELEBRATE, and I want glitter and sparkle everywhere. It's such a festive time of year that I think it's only appropriate. Here's what I'm thinking:

Top left, clockwise: Snippet & Ink, Project Wedding, Style Me Pretty, http://www.skywallpaper.com/, Style Me Pretty, The Sweetest Occasion, The Sweetest Occasion, The Sweetest Occasion, http://www.twilightseriesfan.deviantart.com/, and The Sweetest Occasion in the centre.

(See a theme?!)

What are your thoughts?

Birthday

2011-11-26T22:12:00.004-05:00

I have a birthday coming up in 2 weeks. I decided recently (probably too recently) that I want a party. So I'm throwing myself a party. Why not?! Okay, I'm giving my husband things to do, but basically I'm taking the lead.

I just decided I want bunting. Something like:

(Etsy seller Bevany)

(Etsy seller Ooh La La Company)

(Etsy seller stephlovesben)

(Etsy seller JacWhippet)

(Etsy seller nice)

(Etsy seller Unicorn Parade)

Since I'm pressed for time, I'm going to try making something inspired by the above. I will be going to Michael's to take a look at what it will cost to make myself, and try to figure out how much time it will take me. Wish me luck!

Baby Pressure

2011-11-20T19:30:00.003-05:00

First, let me say, I am not getting baby pressure. My mom and mother-in-law don't put any pressure on us.

But I have a friend whose mother got her a subscription to some baby magazine. I won't pretend to know what the magazine is called. Maybe it's Babies or Baby Parenting, or something like that. And this friend isn't planning on babies until next year! Hinting, much? She's been married 6 months.

I understand how parents want to be grandparents. They want to enjoy their grandchildren while they're still young-ish (50s) and mobile. My generation is mostly putting off having children, which is IMHO by-and-large a good thing. I know people who had children younger (22, 23, 24) who spend their adult lives somewhat looking forward to when their kids are grown up so they can travel and do things they love to do. While they love their children - and they truly do - it seems odd to spend 20+ years waiting for your child to grow up in order to resume "living".

Why not do some of those things before children? Why feel like your children made you put your life on hold? Aren't your children supposed to be a big part of your life? Albeit, not the only part of your life. Oh, and why even wait until your children are grown up to travel? Marie-Eve and others have proven you can travel with kids, but for some people it's a matter of money.

I won't get it until I have kids, I get that. That's what everyone tells me. I can imagine that it's a life-shift. I can imagine everything changes - priorities change, how much you have to pack up in the diaper bag just to run an errand, free time decreases. I get it. (And yes, I got the message that I won't actually get it until I have kids.)

Study after study shows that having children in a marriage tends to increase the stress in marriage, so in marriages that aren't very strong, the divorce rate goes up. I don't mean to say children cause divorce, but rather, marriages that aren't strong are more likely to fracture if children are introduced. These are the marriage would have fractured under any signficant stress. (And study after study show that getting married younger, typically defined as under the age of 24 or 25 has a higher likelihood of divorce.)

So why rush? If the biological clock isn't screaming, take the time to solidify your marriage? Six months of marriage, about to turn 30, and has been purchased a baby magazine. Sure, they've been living together for a couple years, but somehow I feel that time was building the relationship, now I feel it's solidifying the marriage. On the day-to-day stuff, there's no difference between living together and being married, but yet somehow it changes everything in your mindset.

Things Wade says

2011-11-04T19:02:00.002-04:00

I speak a bit of French and a bit of Spanish. I like to make Wade learn words in both languages. He's good in French, but not at all in Spanish. He usually guesses what he considers to be Spanish-sounding variations of a word in French.

Me: Wanna know what "dog" is in Spanish?
Wade: Dog
Me: No
Wade: Chien
Me: No, that's French.
Wade: chenog
Me: No. That's chien combined with dog. Good guess, though.
Wade: Cano
Me: No. Not at all close, but good guess. Wanna know?
Wade: Sure.
Me: Perro.

Maybe you had to be there, but I thought his "guesses" were funny. Chenog?!

Happy Hallowe'en from Princess & me!

2011-10-31T19:34:00.003-04:00

Let's Try This Again

2011-10-29T21:13:00.002-04:00

First, let me say that I’m going to attempt blogging again.

I don’t have a very good reason for a temporary absence. I just didn’t have the motivation for a while, and when I did have the motivation, I was very busy with work.

So let me just start with it and summarize where I am.

Work:
I like work. In fact, there are days where I really like work. But I also get into ruts where I can’t possibly see how I can advance my career doing what I’m doing, and depressed because I know that if I were to return to the private sector, I’d make 10-20% more money. I need to push myself in ways there are completely foreign to me, but I’m not sure I can. In the interest of total disclosure, I consult in health and safety, and I need to step out of my comfort zone and sell my company to perspective clients. I’m not going at selling things. There are lots of workplaces that need to improve their health and safety, and I’m very good at what I do. I guess I just need to convince others of this.

Self Esteem:
I used to have marvellous self-esteem. I wasn’t conceited; at least, I don’t think I was. I just knew I was beautiful. I know how that sounds – it sounds like I’m conceited. But I think I just had a healthy sense of self-esteem, something that many girls and women do not have. I still know I’m good looking, but I no longer believe I’m beautiful. But what’s really consuming me is that I’ve gained almost 30 lbs in the past 2 ½ years, and I just keep gaining. I can’t stop. It slowly creeps us, each week. I have brief periods where I go down a pound or two, but then back up it goes. I know the basics: calories in < calories out, eat healthy, exercise. But I don’t always have the energy to exercise. And lately, food feels like it’s holding a spell on me. If there’s something yummy, it just calls to me to eat it. And because I’ve gained almost 30 lbs, I’m up a size. I don’t normally discuss my weight or size, but I’m 5’8” and a little bit (or as I round up, I say “five foot eight and a half”), which I think makes me 173 or 174 cm. I weight 186 lbs as of this morning. I was around 160 lbs 2-1/2 years ago, which I was happy with. It’s depressing to admit how much I’ve gained. And every time I see an actress or person I admire who’s slender, I really feel upset with myself for gaining so much weight.

Clothing:
Since I’m up a size, I don’t have much clothing that fits. And I don’t have enough money to buy a whole new wardrobe, so I’m buying a few things each month, because I want to look good, but all the while I’m hoping that I can reverse this trend and won’t need this larger clothing much longer. I was a size 12 (sometimes 10), and now I’m a 14 (sometimes 12), but that can vary widely, depending on the brand.

Volunteering:
I do enjoy helping charities. I volunteer with a dog rescue group (doing phone interviews to find out if applicants would be good homes for our dogs), St. John Ambulance (going to an event per month to provide first-aid if required), a kidney cancer advocacy group (occasionally doing stuff to help out, but this is not often), and as the coordinator for an annual walk (“Great Strides”) to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis, a disease my cousin had. I think I do too much, but I don’t know what to cut out. It stretches me too thin.

I’ll leave it there for now. I think I’m going to try blogging a couple times a week, and see how that goes. I hope you continue to follow me along! And if you know me in real life, please try not to judge.

Love

2011-09-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Old dogs can learn new tricks. Old dogs rescued from puppy mills can be housetrained, learn commands, and even learn to love for the first time. Old dogs whose owner dies can be "rehomed" and love their new family as much as their former family. Old dogs need love, too.

Special Needs Pets

2011-09-22T17:00:00.000-04:00

Did you know that dogs rely primarily on smell? Sometimes owners don't even realize their dogs are deaf! They can learn commands by a visual sign. My dog can hear, but she can sit if I say the word sit OR if I just hold my hand a certain way.

All Pets Deserve a Home

2011-09-21T17:00:00.000-04:00

It's the fault of humans that pets are overpopulated. We bred them. We don't always spay and neuter our pets. And an intact dog or cat WILL often end up pregnant or impregnating another animal. And pets that are ugly or have been mistreated can still make wonderful pets. They have such a capacity to love.

Special Needs Pets

2011-09-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

Did you know that dogs rely primarily on smell? Blind dogs are easily acclimatized to a new environment. We humans primarily relay on sight, so we can't relate, but dogs do not rely primarily on sight. They can easily be taught the layout of a new home.

Black Pets are least likely to be adopted

2011-09-19T17:00:00.001-04:00

... and most likely to be euthanized due to not being adopted.

Dogs

2011-09-18T17:42:00.006-04:00

One of North America's biggest puppy mills was shut down this week-end. Quebec is, unfortunately, the worst place in North America for puppy mills due to Quebec's comparably relaxed animal welfare laws. (That's not to say that everywhere else is fine, and Quebec has some tough legislation already in the works.) Still, you can read about the story here, here, and here.

Whatever you do, please do NOT buy your pets from a pet store (unless the store is a satellite for your local humane society or SPCA), from on-line, from the want-ads of your newspaper (unless it's a want-ad for a rescue group or humane society), from a "backyard breeder", or from kijiji or Craig's list.

Look into reputable breeders. Start by researching the breed you want. Then go to their breed website and look up breeders (you can start with the Canadian Kennel Club or American Kennel Club, or local equivalent). Ask for recommendations. Ask friends or on internet message boards. Remember, a good breeder won't have 500 dogs present - they just can't properly care and socialize that many dogs. And a good breeder will usually only focus on one breed. And GO to the breeder to check things out.

9/11 - Ten years later

2011-09-11T21:48:00.003-04:00

This year is the first year I've felt ready to confront my emotions around 9/11. Every year has felt too raw. I hope that as a society (western society), we evaluate our societal changes since that day. Still, today isn't about society, it's about remembering those individuals who died that day - those in the towers, the Pentagon, the planes, and the rescue workers. And those are still dying from the diseases from exposures on that day (such as asbestos-related cancers).

According to the CBC:
The 2,977 official victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were from more than 90 countries, and memorial services were held around the world Sunday. A service in Gander, Newfoundland & Labrador, commemorated 9/11 and recalled the 6,700 air travellers who were stranded in the town of 9,000 people for up to three days when North American airspace was shut down in the wake of the attacks. Memorials were also held or pending in Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, and other places in Canada. Elsewhere:
• In Japan, families gathered in Tokyo to pay their respects to the 23 Fuji Bank employees who never made it out of their World Trade Center office. A dozen of the workers who died were Japanese.
• In Malaysia, Pathmawathy Navaratnam woke up Sunday in her suburban Kuala Lumpur home and did what she's done every day for the past 10 years: wish her son "good morning." Vijayashanker Paramsothy, a 23-year-old financial analyst, was killed in the attacks on New York.
• In Santiago, more than 5,000 people partook in a march to remember Chile's Sept. 11 — the fateful day in 1973 when U.S.-backed Gen. Augusto Pinochet overthrew the country's democratic government in a coup and installed a vicious dictatorship that killed more than 3,000 people, tortured up to 30,000 others and forced a further 30,000 into exile.
• In Manila, Philippines, dozens of former shanty dwellers offered roses, balloons and prayers for another 9/11 victim, American citizen Marie Rose Abad. Their neighbourhood used to be a shantytown that reeked of garbage. But in 2004, Abad's Filipino-American husband built 50 brightly coloured homes, fulfilling his late wife's wish to help impoverished Filipinos. The village has since been named after her.
• In Kabul, U.S. soldiers marked the anniversary of the attacks with a ceremony outside the American Embassy. On display was a symbolic iron-made sculpture of the World Trade Center and New York city skyline. The sculpture was made of the steel ruins of the twin towers.
• In New Zealand, players from the American Eagles rugby team were among the first to mark the anniversary at a memorial service in the town of New Plymouth. The players, who are participating in the Rugby World Cup tournament, listened to a speech by U.S. Ambassador David Huebner, whose brother Rick survived the attacks on the World Trade Center.
• In Australia, Sydney resident Rae Tompsett said she's never felt angry over the murder of her son Stephen Tompsett, 39, a computer engineer who was on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower when it was hit by a hijacked plane. "No, not anger," she said. "Sorrow. Sorrow that the people who did this believed they were doing something good." The retired school teacher and her husband Jack, 92, were planning to attend Sunday morning mass as usual at their local church before going to a commemorative service in the afternoon.
• In South Korea, President Lee Myung-bak sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama conveying his "deepest condolences" to the victims.
• In Pakistan, which has been a victim of al-Qaeda attacks but is also accused of not doing enough to crack down on militants, the country's leaders said they joined the people of the U.S. in honouring the memory of those killed 10 years ago.

Barack Obama: "A decade after 9/11, it's clear for all the world to see — the terrorists who attacked us that September morning are no match for the character of our people, the resilience of our nation, or the endurance of our values. [...] And no matter what comes our way, as a resilient nation, we will carry on."

Where were you when you found out? Had the first plane struck? Had the towers collapsed? What did you think?

Vote again!!!

2011-06-27T22:23:00.006-04:00

I blogged before about Cheryll and Graham. They are only 100 votes shy of winning her wedding dress. (Or at least $800 of it.) Please click here to vote!

Here's her story:
Cheryll looooooves butterflies. Her boy-friend planned an early spring trip to Niagara Falls, including a trip to the butterfly conservatory and tours of the local wineries in the former honeymoon capital.

Cheryll and Graham spent the morning biking Niagara Falls wineries. In the afternoon, they went to the butterfly conservatory. As they walked through Cheryll was smitten and taking far too many pictures of all of the butterflies. At one point, she finally turned around and noticed Graham on one knee.

Graham was speechless because he was so nervous so it took him a minute to get any words out, but he had tears in his eyes.

When Cheryll saw this for some reason she thought he had stepped on a butterfly and was upset about it so she knelt down to him to comfort him, assuring him that it was an accident.

He hadn't stepped on a butterfly, but he was still speechless. While Cheryll was trying to comfort him, it took all he had to whisper "Will you marry me? You are the love of my life and I want to spend the rest of mine with you."

To give you an idea of Cheryll's love of butterflies, here is a screen snapshot I took of the facebook photos from the trip. You can see the photo right after her engagement of them in front of the cherry tree in the bottom row ... but the majority of the photos involved butterflies!

AND please feel free to re post this on your blog or tweet it! They need the votes by midnight tomorrow (Tuesday, June 28).

Two years ago today ... and help a new bride out!

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

My 2nd anniversary is TODAY!

It must be a sign that I'm getting older that I'm marvelling at the passage of time.

In honour of my anniversary, maybe you can help my friend Cheryll. She has 67 votes in a contest is to win her wedding dress. (Or at least $800 of it.) And she's nowhere nearing winning right now. The contest closes soon! Please click
here to vote!

Here's her story:
Girly Cheryll looooooves butterflies. Her macho boy-friend planned a spring trip to a butterfly conservatory near Niagara Falls, followed by some time actually visiting what used to be the honeymoon capital.

Cheryll and Graham spent the morning biking Niagara Falls wineries. In the afternoon, they went to the butterfly conservatory. As they walked through Cheryll was smitten and taking far too many pictures of all of the butterflies. At one point, she finally turned around and noticed Graham on one knee.

Graham was speechless because he was so nervous so it took him a minute to get any words out, but he had tears in his eyes (he is very manly and never cries so it is adorable).

When Cheryll saw this for some reason she thought he had stepped on a butterfly and was upset about it so she knelt down to him to comfort him!

Of course, he hadn't stepped on a butterfly, and it took all he had to whisper "Will you marry me? You are the love of my life and I want to spend the rest of mine with you."

To give you an idea of Cheryll's love of butterflies, here is a screen snapshot I took of the facebook photos from the trip. You can see the photo right after her engagement of them in front of the cherry tree in the bottom row ... but the majority of the photos involved butterflies!

We now return to our normal programming

2011-05-03T23:08:00.001-04:00

... Including those long-ago promised pictures from my redecorating, pictures from my friend's bridal shower that I hosted, pictures from her bachelorette that I hosted, pictures from our deck that is currently getting redone (due to falling apart in the middle!), and other normal posts.

Evil begets evil

2011-05-03T22:42:00.003-04:00

While I welcome the news that a certain bad man is no longer able to be bad. He was considered the mastermind of one of the modern era's darkest hours in an attack on my neighbouring country, resulting in the death of many people of many nationalities. (Many of my countrymen - I would say the majority of us - consider an attack on our allies as an attack on us, too.) I was not shocked that the bad man was in the country he was in (it starts with the 16th letter of the alphabet), in spite of that country insisting he was next door in their neighbour's country (that starts with the words used to describe a charming colourful blanket).

(I'm avoiding names and locations so this post doesn't come up in random searches because I'm not interested in being a political blogger.)

I was shocked to see westerners (in many countries, but not surprisingly predominantly in the country most affected by this bad man) dancing on the streets and cheering the bad man's death. Certainly, it was good news, but to dance and sing in the street? Didn't we westerners shudder when we saw the people of the Middle East burning effigies of western politicians, burning the main religious book used by the largest religious group in "the west", shouting death to my neighbours to the south, and doing similar "uncivilized" behaviours? Didn't we say to ourselves that we were educated and above such lowly behaviour?

A wonderful friend pointed out the following, said by one of the greatest of my neighbours to the south:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

Martin Luther King Jr

The world is changing

2011-05-03T22:31:00.004-04:00

I am somewhat political. I don't have an identified party. There are 3 parties I alternate between, depending on the election, their platform, and other factors. In Canada, we have multiple parties, and the 3 main ones are the Conservatives (right-wing), Liberals (centre-left), NDP (left-wing). Then there's the Green Party (left-wing with an environmental focus), who just won their first seat. There's also the Bloc Quebecois (who only run in Quebec and want Quebec to separate from Canada). And there are weird parties like the Animal-Environmental Alliance, two Communist parties, the Marijuana Party, the Rhinocerous Party, and the Pirate Party. (These parties only run candidates in a couple ridings, so they won't be able to govern, and they basically never win.)

So what's the point of my rambling? Well, other than disappointment in the result, it means it's just one thing that's been adding to my consumption of things non-blogging

I voted in my riding, in spite of it being a foregone conclusion that the Conservative would win by a landslide. Voting is a duty to me, and I have voted in every election since turning 18.

(Just one more explanation. Harper, the Conservative [equivalent of an American Republican] got a majority, meaning he can do whatever he want unopposed. Our checks and balances are not particularly strong, so as a majority they can pass any law. They're only accountable to voters in 4 more years, although accountability to voters isn't such a bad thing.)

You are the one and only ever YOU, Noah

2011-04-06T09:44:00.003-04:00

On the night you were born,
The moon smiled with such wonder
That the stars peeked in to see you
And the night wind whispered,
“Life will never be the same.”
Because there had never been anyone like you … ever in the world.
So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain
That they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.
Noah Curis Godwin Lloyd.
It sailed through the farmland
High on the breeze…
Over the ocean…
And through the trees…
Until everyone heard it
And everyone knew
Of the one and only ever you.
Not once had there been such eyes,
Such a nose,
Such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.
When the polar bears heard,
They danced until dawn.
From faraway places,
The geese flew home.
The moon stayed up until
Morning next day.
And none of the ladybugs flew away.
So whenever you doubt just how special you are
And you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,
Listen for geese honking high in the sky.
(They’re singing a song to remember you by.)
Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
(It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!)
Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
(Listen closely…it’s whispering your name again!)
If the moon stays up until morning one day,
Or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,
Or a little bird sits at your window awhile,
It’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile…
For never before in story or rhyme
(not even once upon a time)
Has the world ever known a you, Noah Curtis Godwin Lloyd,
And it never will, not ever again…
Heaven blew every trumpet
And played every horn
On the wonderful, marvelous
Night you were born.

(Lyrics from On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman. Picture from Noah's mummy)

Egad!

2011-03-09T16:34:00.002-05:00

I still haven't posted "after" pics in the kitchen. I keep forgetting to pick up my camera and upload the photos ... will have to do that tomorrow ... but I won't promise anything

The Kitchen: Before

2011-03-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

The kitchen had been "redone" in 2008 by the previous owners. They thought they were going to stay in the house for longer, so they did the kitchen to their standards. Then in the late summer, they decided to move. So, this is a nearly brand new kitchen.

The cabinets are real wood. Oak, maybe? I would not have chosen this colour of cabinets. I would choose a dark espresso finish. But, you know what, this medium finish is really appealing to me now!

The counters are granite. A special crane was brought in to move them into the house! I would not have chosen this finish of granite. It hasn't grown on me to the point of liking it, but I definitely don't dislike it now.

But the kitchen somehow looked unfinished before. No backsplash, no window coverings, and nothing to personalize it. (Unless you count the bills we often stack on the island as "personalization".)

Now ... well, we still haven't decided on window coverings. I bought a grey roman blind from the Home Depot. It wasn't quite wide enough (I knew that, but I thought it'd be close). Wade thought it was too dark. Then I got a beige roman blind from Sears. It's just too wide, but I think it's not quite right. So now I have to decide on something else.

You can see the "after" tomorrow. (I forgot to bring my camera in.)

A few days later ... it's mostly done

2011-02-23T17:30:00.000-05:00

We were mostly done after just under 2 1/2 weeks (12 1/2 work days). I say mostly because we're still waiting for the shower doors for our ensuite shower to come in.

I'm going to start doing before and after shots so you can see how it looks. We don't have art and pictures up yet (lazy us!) so I might wait a few more days so I can show you what it looks like with the art.

This pictures is actually from around February 3rd or 4th - mostly done - you can see the bright blue laundry bathroom that I haven't shared with you yet :)

Princess is wondering what's going on!

Day 7: February 1, 2011

2011-02-22T12:06:00.003-05:00

The living room is now a blue-grey. I'd been hoping for a little more grey than it turned out, but overall, I like the effect:

The main bathroom is now a grey-mauve and the new flooring (vinyl) is laid:

It's coming!

Day 5: January 28

2011-02-14T15:09:00.004-05:00

Blue bedroom:

This may be too blue. I'm still undecided if I like this colour.

The forest green and beige bathroom:

The basement with its final coat:

It's not quite this turquoise in person.

And what was my favourite discovery of the day, the front entry:

And how very appropriate for me to share this on Valentine's Day, although rest assured this bright entry will be enjoyed all year!

Day 3: January 26

2011-02-10T14:39:00.004-05:00

The beige ensuite (with me in pyjamas barely caught in the mirror):

The basement has one coat of paint:

Another shot of the basement:

The main bathroom is beige and hunter green ... the mirror is down:

Day One: January 24

2011-02-09T14:42:00.002-05:00

Lots of splatches, filling in holes in the front entry:
More splatches in the hallway:
Splatches & Chair Rail in the basement:

Pictures coming soon

2011-02-06T23:20:00.003-05:00

The last 2 weeks have been a flurry of home-repair stuff going on - walls painted, vanities changed, new backsplash put in ... so in the coming days, I'll post about it.

Oh, and we hired someone to do it all. Otherwise, we'd spend all our spare time for months doing this work!

Winter-peg

2011-01-16T20:37:00.004-05:00

I am heading to Winnipeg this week for training. For once, I'm attending the training, not delivering it. I haven't done any external professional development since starting with my employer just over one year ago, so I'm excited IN SPITE OF the fact that this training is in Winnipeg.

Now Winnipeg is a notable city for many reasons, including: the Blue Bombers (its Canadian Football League team), the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (a renowned ballet), the Jets (its former National Hockey League team, which despite moving to Phoenix in 1996, still has more fans than many small market NHL teams), and future home of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. All good things!

Winnipeg is even better known for its cold winters and for being mosquito-filled in the summers. And I'm going to this city in the middle of January.

Now, granted, I'm still excited about the training. But Tuesday's high is -26C (-15F) and its low is -34C (-29F).

Brr...

A notable anniversary

2011-01-14T19:11:00.005-05:00

Ten years ago today, a double marriage ceremony was held in Toronto at Riverdale's Metropolitan Community Church. This ceremony is quoted as a world first. In this double ceremony, Joe Varnell married Kevin Bourassa, and Anne and Elaine Vautour were joined matrimony.
(Source: Associated Press)

The right to gay marriage started in Canada in 2001, though its legality was in limbo for two years. It was a legally-administered marriage (for lack of a better term). In Ontario, one can get married with a marriage license or through the reading of the banns. Their minister read the banns, so they didn't need a marriage license. Their marriage was upheld in 2003.

Today in Canada, same sex partners have the rights as any and every other couple. Unmarried partners are "spouses" regardless of gender, after a certain time living together elapses. Pensions, drug plans, insurance plans, and everything else must recognize same-sex spouses as equal. Of course, churches, temples, mosques, etc., all have the right to determine if they will marry a same-sex couple, but it's always the right of a religion to select who and how to marry. For example, whether or not we agree, some religions won't marry a couple who's living together. That is an aspect of religious freedom.

I think this anniversary is noteworthy. If you'd like, you can read more: here or here (the second link describes the personal struggle the newlyweds went through during and after the wedding - including the minister wearing a bulletproof vest during the ceremony and death threats before and after the ceremony).

On a sweet note, Joe Varnell and Kevin Bourassa renewed their vows at the same church today.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T20:00:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Season's Greetings!

Whatever you celebrate, Wade, Princess and I wish you the very best for the New Year!

These are the belated cards we sent out, including some of our engagement pictures, wedding pictures, pictures from our honeymoon, and pictures of Princess!

On the third day of Christmas ...

2010-12-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

And today, we'll see this:

Then we head home in the early evening. To get ready for Christmas! :)

Of course, my in-laws and our neighbours looked after our house, and my parents looked after the dog. I wouldn't dare post that we'll be away while we're away without having someone to look after the house.

On the second day of Christmas ...

2010-12-22T10:00:00.004-05:00

Today, we'll be here:

then going to see this:

On the first day of Christmas ...

2010-12-21T10:00:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas gifts to each other is a trip within our province.

We leave today. In fact, we should be on the road right now.

Today, we'll be here:

(Princess will stay at my parents, where she'll be spoiled with at least 1 walk, often 2 walks, every day. Also, my parents-in-law are practically neighbours, which works out wonderfully. Plus we know our neighbours very well. Still, I'm not posting anything on social media because I have heard horror stories.)

Musings on Life

2010-12-14T20:04:00.002-05:00

Ever notice how different coloured ju jubes have different flavours? Yet they all have the same ingredients - mostly 4 or 5 types sugar.

And ever notice how most people like the red best?

So why is it so hard to get all-red packages of ju jubes or jelly beans?

I'm thinking about this as I'm finishing off the green ju jubes from a package of red-and-green Christmas ju jubes. I did a "blind" taste test (not really blind, but I didn't look at which one I was putting in my mouth) and that's how I confirmed the red and green candies taste different. While I feel better that it's not all in my head (which I was half-suspecting), I don't feel any better as now all I'm left with are the green ju jubes.

(Also, I think jelly beans are the same.)

Christmas Cookies!

2010-12-04T21:34:00.006-05:00

Tomorrow, I have "my kids" over to bake and decorate cookies. I sometimes refer to them as "my kids" or as "my nieces & nephews", but they are not blood relatives. This group has recently expanded from Ryan & Kylan (sons of Wade's best man) and Lily & Chloe (daughters of groomsman Chris) to include 1-year-old Kiara (Ryan & Kylan's baby sister) and 2-year-old Charlie (son of another groomsman Dave). This is the third time I've had this party. It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Here are pictures from last year:

As an aside, Happy 1st Birthday, Kiara! :) (Here's Kiara just under 1 year ago at last year's cookie day.)

And RIP to Pat Burns

2010-11-29T22:15:00.002-05:00

Famed NHL coach Pat Burns, coach of my beloved Leafs, as well as the Habs, Bruins (all "Original Six" hockey teams), and finally won hockey's coveted Stanley Cup (the trophy of the NHL, and sports' largest trophy) as coach to the Devils, was buried today. This fact was commented on at his funeral today, where it was joked that this devout man could only win the Cup when coaching the "devils".

Like so many, Pat Burns died of cancer. He was eulogized as a devoted, family man. I only knew him as the yelling coach who was often pacing behind the bench:
(Source: The Associated Press)
Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.

RIP Leslie Nielsen

2010-11-28T22:05:00.003-05:00

One of Canada's many comedians, Leslie Nielsen was known (arguably) best for his role in The Naked Gun series. I quite enjoyed him in Men With Brooms, one of my favourite movies.

Christmas is one month away

2010-11-25T10:02:00.002-05:00

... And I got my first Christmas card yesterday.

It was in the mail, addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Hanna" in neat handwriting with no return address. I was perplexed. I opened it up ... and found it was from my parents! (My mom has very neat writing, with a couple distinctive letters (like K, B, T). Since none of these distinctive letters were in our name or address, I didn't recognize it right away! Silly me!

(I have hyphenated my name, but I go by my maiden name, which my parents thought was a very smart career move. However, they know I have no problem with being a Hanna socially. And given the context, I don't mind going by "Mrs.", although my mom knows I far prefer going by "Ms.")

Airport Screening continued

2010-11-22T10:53:00.004-05:00

As a follow-up, apparently the pat-downs are quite ... thorough. Men are gettig "cupped"! Women with a prosthetesis (due to breast cancer, they have one shaped bra cup) must disrobe to prove it is actually a prosthesis! So ... it does sound more invasive.

My most recent "pat down" was in Timmins. I didn't set off the scanner, but I was selected for a random pat down. While my "chest" was "patted", it was respectful - above and below. Not bad, not invasive.

My dad always gets pat downs because he always sets off the scanner. He has a fake hip, and even if he were to travel with a doctor's note saying that (which he did at first but quickly gave up), they can't trust a doctor's note. So he gets the wand then a very thorough hip pat down. He leaves himself extra time (above the minimum recommendations) to ensure he makes his flight. He doesn't enjoy it, but he accepts it as a way of life.

Of course, we've all been behind the a-hole who flips out because his belt set off the scanner and now he's getting a pat down, and he's going to yell about how it's so ridiculous. I like being behind him, because it means I'm going to get ushered through by security very quickly while they deal with him!

But it'd be a different scenario if I was asked to disrobe to prove I had had a breast removed due to cancer.

Is the pat-down check to get on a plane reasonable?

2010-11-16T21:45:00.005-05:00

An American traveller was selected for body scanning on the new scanner. He opted for the pat down, but was upset when told the employee's hand would go up his thighs until it reached his torso.

I understand radiation safety. In my opinion, the technology of the new body scanners looks like it should be safe. But I am cautious of the safety of new technologies. If given the option between the scanner and the pat down, I would probably select the pat down. In fact, I have been patted down when flying through airports before the scanners arrived, and more recently in an airport that didn't have the scanner. It was respectful, clearly just checking my body for items. She wanted to check around my bra, and even that was done in a respectful manner.

While I have no problem with the pat downs I have experienced, I might be a little more cautious in the case of this man's patdown:

The U.S. TSA is saying they think John Tyner went to the airport to cause problems. Mr Tyner says he videotaped "just in case" there were problems. While I find it odd that Mr Tyner's instinct was to videotape the event, I also find the pat down procedures odd.

What are your thoughts? Is this new security procedure too far?

Lest We Forget

2010-11-11T09:32:00.003-05:00

Last year, I posted this, including the verse of Canada's most famous poem, and including pictures I took in Flanders Fields, Vimy Ridge, and Juno Beach.

But given we are currently in a conflict zone, Remembrance Day services have hit "closer to home" in the past decade.

In Canada, all fallen soldiers arrived in our air force base in Trenton, then go to a morgue in Toronto, before being released for burial. The stretch of highway between Trenton and Toronto has officially been named the Highway of Heroes.

Canadians gather over every bridge and along the highway for every repatriation ceremony.

Every single fallen solider is sent home in this manner. Every single one. Whether a 19-year-old private or a 40-year-old sergeant. They are all greeted by Canadians, who line up hours before the drive to get a good spot. Whether it's -30C (-22F) + the windchill ... or it's +30C (86F) plus the humidity ...

I recommend you watch the first minute of this 7 minute video.

To see how American broadcaster NBC describes this phenomenon, you can view it here:

To see how our Canadian musicians address this subject:

The video is nice, but the lyrics are truly touching.

Up close and personal with some skaters!

2010-11-10T14:02:00.002-05:00

When I arrived Friday evening, I saw these two being interviewed:

Local DJ Candace Drover interviewed Paige Lawrence & Rudi Swiegers. They both talked about how interviews are new to them, and they are both still nervous. Rudi said he thought Paige does a better job because he still says "um" too much in his interviews. I thought he sounded fine. They were a sweet couple. (At least, I think that's who it was. Google them and let me know if you think I'm right.)

When I arrived Saturday, this is what I saw:

Canada's Sweethearts! I wasn't about to wait for the nearly hour to meet them, but I was able to see them up (fairly) close: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Olympics champions in ice dance. They were originally supposed to complete, but she's currently recuperating from another injury. They still showed up and said hi to everyone!

Daylight Savings has ended ...

2010-11-07T19:54:00.003-05:00

Daylight savings time (DST) has ended, or as the British call it "Summer time", and the days are now much shorter here. I was driving home from my parents' this afternoon around 5:30pm, and it was quite dark. There was just a little bit of sunset remaining over the horizon.

To many Americans (particularly those who are significantly south), you may not realize how short and long our northern days vary through the seasons. In the summer, where I live (in southern Canada), we lose the last remnants of daylight just after 9:15 on the longest days. In the winter, we'll lose the last remnants of daylight by 5pm on the shortest days, which are about 6 weeks away. I was shocked by how much shorter and longer the days are just 150 km north of here. I lived in Arnprior for 1 year, and the sun set around 4pm in the winter, but lingered until 10pm in the summer. [In the northern communities, the summer sees 24-hour sunlight in the summer and 24-hour darkness in the winter.]

I lived in southern England for 4 months for the first 4 months of 2005, and was amazed at how much more northern this much more temperate climate is. It was dark shortly after 3pm, but instead of the subzero temperatures we experience in Canada, southern England didn't often dip much below freezing! Lucky them, getting the Gulf Stream (or North Atlantic Current) to warm them up!

Driving home, on the one hand I was depressed by the shortening days, but on the other hand, I was excited when I thought about the upcoming holiday season. I love December! So I might as well look forward to December for now ... because the short days aren't so pleasant in January and early February when there aren't the holidays to add a little sparkle and joy!

Skate Canada: Friday afternoon

2010-11-04T10:58:00.003-04:00

My mom and I arrived around 11am on Friday for the first two events. We had tickets to the ladies' short program and the pair's short program, starting at 11:30. The venue that hosted the competition, the K-Rock Centre doesn't have parking, so we went to the parking lots that usually have event parking.

The big signs said "Event Parking at 6:30". Otherwise, you have to go "feed the meter" every 2 hours.

Yeah, great planning.

We drove a couple blocks away and paid in a parking lot with all-day parking. We arrived just in time to get coffee, about 11:20. And proceeded to wait 10 minutes because they didn't have coffee ready.

Yeah, great planning.

We grabbed our coffee and sat down just as the first figure skater started. It was 11:30 in the morning, and the ladies were wearing the glittery dresses we usually see on tv at night. These sequins looked out of place in the morning. The crowd, I later found, was also just not into yet.

Still, it was a lovely afternoon. My mom and I spent the afternoon discussing and criticizing every move, sequence, spin and jump, judging if the music matched the program, if the skater matched the music, and our overall thoughts.

I wish I could move like these figure skaters:

Happy Hallowe'en from the Great Pumpkin!

2010-10-31T21:34:00.007-04:00

... Or at least the really cute Pumpkin.

She didn't like wearing the "hat" (in the 2nd picture) ... but she liked using it as a chew toy and a pillow!

Photos from Skate Canada to resume tomorrow ... Happy Hallowe'en! :)

My week-end:

2010-10-30T00:08:00.006-04:00

Here's what I'm doing this week-end:

I have all-event tickets to Skate Canada, being held in my , one of figure skating's Grand Prix events. If you watch on TV, maybe you'll see me! I'm in the 9th row of section 105. Where is that? Well ... I'm off to the right of the judges' stand. But occasionally, I think you can see me when they're doing certain angles on the jumps. I was trying to find video on-line to show you where I am, but no luck - not clearly, anyway. I have seen a flash that I'm a part of, but you can't tell I'm me.

Chile Miners Being Rescued!

2010-10-13T19:29:00.005-04:00

As I type, I just watched the 30th miner "board" his capsule for rescue. The first arrived at the surface late last night (just after midnight in their time zone, just before midnight where I am). All day, updates from the rescue have come through. All the news (so far) has been good - no hitches or glitches, no one has become stuck in the tunnel, no panic attacks, and everyone is arriving faster than they'd hoped.

I get so excited with every rescue. Have you watched it? It's great!

Everyone has arrived healthier than expected, which is a huge testament to the work of healthcare professionals in preparing the miners.

In the interest of their health, all men briefly meet a limited number of pre-chosen family members, then are sent to a medical centre, and after being checked, flown to a hospital for 48 hours. How thorough!

Source: CBC

As I write this post, the 30th miner was hugging his wife.

Some of the men re-evaluated their priorities. One proposed to his girl-friend and another expressed a desire to marry his girl-friend. One is up to greet his "heavily pregnant" wife (BBC's words, not mine).

Interestingly, one miner asked both his wife and mistress to be the selected family members. From what the media is reporting, his wife did not know he had a mistress. She decided not to show up. Fortunately, this has been mentioned as a "sidebar" to most reports, letting the glory of the entire rescue take precendence. The most "thorough" story I found is here.

As I finish this post, the capsule is just arriving at the bottom of the mine in order to board the 31st miner.

I am so happy that this workplace incident is having a happy ending!

A Lesson in ... Confusion

2010-10-12T21:11:00.004-04:00

I am incredibly unimpressed with Bristol Palin. She seems like a nice girl, but she seems ignorant. Of course, given her age, naïvété isn't a surprise, but she's beyong naïve.

First, she's on "Dancing with the Stars" as a "teen activist". Her "activism", as far as I can tell, is speaking at expensive looking dinners about how abstinence is the way to go. (Wikipedia says she makes $15,000 to $30,000 per speaking appearance.) When I was 20, I'd have considered discussing the merits of abstinence for a well-paying public speaking gig!

I wonder what's the matter with teaching teens about safer sex, methods of contraception and methods to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI)? You can also teach abstinence as a moral and ethical decision.

I've never heard anyone say they decided to have sex because they were taught about the dangers of STIs and the difficulties of pregnancy and babies as a teenager.

And while she's preaching abstinence, she rips off Mark Ballas's shirt on DWTS. Huh?

I am thankful for ...

2010-10-11T21:24:00.005-04:00

... My husband, my dog, my friends, my parents, my parents-in-law, my brothers, my brother-in-law. I am thankful my friends Jane and Matt have a healthy baby girl. I am thankful my friends Corry and Ryan have a little girl who is recovering from an awful respiratory infection. I am thankful for my grandparents. I am thankful for my best friends, Jocelyn, Crystal, Emily, and all my other friends. I am thankful for all my family. Even the nutty ones like my Aunt Janis.

I am thankful my mom is doing well in her long battle with cancer.

I am thankful my mother-in-law's heart attack (3 weeks ago) was minor and left no damage.

I am thankful for living in the "country", where we get to appreciate watching wild turkeys on an almost daily occurrence in the fall. (Did you know that wild turkeys fly up trees to "sleep" at night? We just saw them do that this fall!)

Disclaimer: no turkeys were harmed in the making of my Thanksgiving dinner. I ate tofurkey! :)

Wade & his love of '80s hair bands

2010-10-07T22:10:00.003-04:00

Wade is going to another '80s hair metal concert this week-end. This time it's Great White, who did a couple songs I know. I go to concerts when I know the band and really appreciate the music, but I don't go when it's a band I only kinda know. So Wade, his buddies "Seabrooke", "Dinger" and Ryan are going to stay in a posh motel called the Luau or something like that, to see Great White.

Seabrooke in particular is very excited about these concerts. His favourite band is Ratt so those four went to see them at the same venue earlier this year.

It's funny when these guys go to these concerts - Seabrooke and Dinger post constant updates on facebook. (Wade doesn't have a cell phone or a facebook account.) I know what they did, with pretty much hourly updates, if I just hang out and read facebook. I usually read a couple updates!

Seabrooke is so excited, he created this "video":

Municipal Elections

2010-10-07T21:23:00.005-04:00

Across Ontario, we may municipal elections at the end of the month.

Reading through the local paper, one particular candidate of the region north of me had a name that sounds familiar:

Seriously? All I can think of is:

Home Early

2010-10-05T11:23:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned, I came home early. The reality is I got sick. I caught it from a coworker. Grr.

We were in far Northern Ontario as part of a clean-up operation. There are a number of cold war era satellite stations to guard us from the Russians all over our country. They used some chemicals that were thought to be okay then, but are now known to be bad. There were PCBs predominantly - in the transformer oils, in the capacitor fluids, and even in paint. There was also lead and mercury in the paint, asbestos in the insulation, and other things. We're there to oversee the environmental, health & safety of the clean-up, basically.

Currently, we're doing baseline monitoring. To determine the current levels of dust, PCBs, and other things, before work even starts. It was my coworker, a Ministry official, and some local First Nations: a housekeeper, a "monitor" (who reports our activities to the local First Nations group and looks out for the health & safety of the First Nations employees), the custodian (for lack of a better word - he kept the generator running and maintained a supply of firewood for our woodstove), and a bear monitor. Yes, we must employ a bear monitor. The First Nations employees lived in a barracks next door to us. My coworker, the Ministry official, and I lived in a 3 bedroom cabin without running water. At least there was an outhouse. And an oven.

It was ... interesting. Really! We didn't know what to expect, so I anticipated a mould-filled cabin with no outhouse. The cabin was clean. The outhouse was clean. The only downside is that it took 5 days for the Ministry official to figure out how to connect the fridge. He assumed it wasn't working, but once he read the manual (on day 5), he realized he just had to flip some switch to get it to work. In the meantime, we could NOT store our food outside, so we had it in coolers. Some of it went bad, but we also had lots of dehydrated foods (Side Kicks) and canned foods (soups), too.

In case you didn't know, putting food outside would attract bears. And these aren't just any bears - they're polar bears.

Pitcher

2010-10-03T20:42:00.003-04:00

Back in May, I won this pitcher from Rachel. I have taken pictures of it in use, but I can't find my camera right now. I'll post them another day when I find it and I post on a couple of our patio parties.

Here are the claims: This 1-quart super-durable pitcher won't scratch, and is dishwasher safe. Because of how its made, it will keep its contents either warmer or cooler longer than any other pitchers - which makes it great for my favorite drink, margaritas!! This is such a cute pitcher, it would be great for display even when you're not using it.

I ordered the pitcher in the blue. It only took around 2 weeks to arrive, which surprised me since it was being shipped to me in Canada. That's a fast delivery!

The pitcher is super cute! I was a little skeptical - how can a PITCHER keep your drinks extra cool and extra warm?

In the summer, I tried it out with cold drinks several times. I have to say, it works like a charm. I've used it to keep white wine chilled for longer, to serve lemonade, punch, and even plain ol' water. I found that it kept the drinks cooler than my other pitchers. I have 2 other pitchers, and there were a couple occasions where I had enough people over that I had different drinks in three pitchers at onceThere was one big downside to this pitcher. It only held 1 quart (which is about 1.5 L or 6 cups). Not enough when you have guests over!

In late August, I also decided to test out its ability to keep warm drinks warm. I brewed hot tea using the pitcher as a tea pot. Seriously. I did in mostly on a whim to test out the claim! And, I was surprised - it actually worked. It kept the tea pretty warm - almost as warm as a proper tea pot. Seriously!

So, if anyone needs a pitcher, seriously consider this pitcher from CSN. If you're going to use it to serve many people, consider getting two. :)

Who doesn't love a contest?

2010-10-03T11:20:00.005-04:00

Who doesn't love a contest? :)

Oh, I'm back from my 3 1/2 weeks away for work after 1 1/2 weeks. I'll post on that another time, as well as my thoughts on Northern Ontario and Polar Bear Provincial Park (no, I didn't see any polar bears).

But back to the contest.

My friend, Jane, who blogs about the two things nearest and dearest things, her son Noah who left this world far too soon, and her daughter Charlotte, who's almost 11 months old. I've known Jane since we were in grade 7 or 8, but I really got to know her in high school. Jane is a lovely woman who married her high school sweetheart. In honour of her 50th follower, she is having a fun contest from Small Bird Studio.

Go visit either of Jane's blogs (the contest is here) and have a look at her contest! :)

What I'll be wishing for ...

2010-09-15T22:13:00.007-04:00

In honour of my impending absence to an area not on the map (literally), I will post on things I know I will wish I have!

Crisp sheets and a soft duvet:

A luxurious bath:

(I wish I had this bath tub!)

A nice place to curl up and read:

Seeing these images, I'm also realizing just how serene an off-white decor can be!

Tell me: what comfort items would you pack if you were me?

Long underwear?

2010-09-15T22:04:00.002-04:00

I've been swamped at work. Just so stressed. I work for a consulting company, and about a month ago we won our largest contract so far. It's $5 million over 2.5 years. Well, we're only operational for certain months - October and November this year, and six months next year and the year after. I'm getting part of the occupational aspect under way, and I'll be there for the first 3 weeks. At first, I won't have internet access. When internet is hooked up, it'll only be in our office. I'll be living a facility between a dorm and camp - something like 4 beds to a room, but we won't have total occupancy. Also, I'll be the only girl for a while, then there will be 2 girls, and just before I leave, 3 girls. I'm not looking forward to losing internet. I'm not sure what to think of aspects of it. The site is remote - so remote that the nearest town isn't on google maps or mapquest! The catering facility may not cater to vegetarianism. I am not vegetarian, but for the purposes of this camp, I'm ovo-lacto-vegetarian. I eat seafood and fish, but they won't be serving those options. Just beef and pork, with occasional chicken.

I go up next Tuesday or Wednesday - details are still being sorted out. If I can get my act together between now and then, in addition to shopping for work clothes (coveralls and heavy duty jeans and long underwear and wool socks) and finding all my PPE (yay hard hats) and packing for 3 1/2 weeks, including camping for 1 week, I might try to do some posting ahead of time.

But I won't make promises!

My week

2010-09-11T13:36:00.004-04:00

My as-of-yet unpublished resolution is to post three times a week, ideally Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. I was okay with this resolution last week, but I failed this week. Monday was Labour Day, so I figured I'd just post on Tuesday instead.

Then Tuesday, on my way home from work, I decided to test my car's off-roading abilities.

Not really. Really, I saw a deer, swerved, and ended in a swamp. The road to my house goes through a swamp, and there's no shoulder. If you get close to the edge, the edge can give way. (Safe, right? I guess that's a risk that is taken when a road is built through a swamp.) We haven't even been in this house 11 months, and I'm the third car to end up in the swamp. Were the others, like me, just close to the edge? Were they inebriated? Was it due to bad weather? I don't know what caused the other 2 cars to end up in the swamp. But one of the many passers-by (who knows Wade) informed me his brother did the same thing, with the same result, a couple years ago.

I don't really remember what happened. All of a sudden, I was shocked by mud splashed on the windshield, and I realize my car was 2-1/2 feet deep in mud. My air bag didn't deploy, which I suspect was beccause I wasn't going that fast - maybe 60 km/h (~35 mph) when I went off - and the mud slowed me gradually to stop. At some point before I realized what was happening, I had a sensation that the car was about to roll sideways, but then I bumped a tree and I was righted. The tree caused some damage to the bumper & fender.

About 2 minutes after it happened, a lovely couple named Troy & Amanda stopped and helped me. They helped me to climb out through the windows because I was so deep in the mud. This couple was on their way to take their daughter to riding lessons, but they insisted on waiting with me until my husband arrived. I was so confused, and Amanda assured me it was normal. She was in an accident a couple years ago, and she doesn't remember it. She thinks that the emotional trauma makes it hard to rememeber the accident. I think that makes sense.

In fact, every passerby stopped to offer their help. As disoriented as I was, it was very heart-warming.

Wade, his dad & brother showed up with a big truck, but they quickly realized we'd need a tow truck. Surprisingly, the car is undamaged. I had a safety inspection yesterday, and it's fine! I had to get 2 tires - 1 tire was damaged, but it/s not usually advisable to get 1 new tire. Luckily, these tires were getting worn and I was going to have to replace them in the next 6 months. If you can call that lucky. I have to get the fender and bumper fixed. I have one estimate ($1700) and I'm going to get a second from a company my dad swears by - both for price and quality. After I get it fixed, I have to get it cleaned. It smells like swamp! I'm undecided if I'll claim it through insurance - I'll call my agent (who's a family friend) and ask if it's worth it to claim it (and have my rates go up) or just pay it myself and keep my relatively low rates.

I'm okay. I've had some back aches. Some have been bad, but most are bearable. My cheek bone was tender, which makes me wonder if I bumped my cheek on the steering wheel. I really don't remember.

And I've been sick all week. I had a minor cold last week, but now it's miserable. My mom says that a physical trauma weakens your immune system, and an emotional trauma weakens your immune system, and I had both a physical and emotional trauma. I'm still shook up, although I am doing much better. But I have a horrible sinusitis.

I know I'm lucky. So lucky.

Another skin care myth

2010-09-05T13:59:00.000-04:00

I thought this was neat. You know "age spots", aka "liver spots"? Your mom might have them. Or maybe you do? No biggie ... but they're not actually age spots. They're sun exposure spots.

Again, from Paula Begoun, the Cosmetics Cop says:

Brown, freckle-like skin discolorations are not a result of age; they are the result of years of unprotected sun exposure (Sources: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, September 2007, pages 195 -202; Dermatology Nursing, October 2004, pages 401 -413; and Age and Ageing, March 2006, pages 110 -115). You can demonstrate this yourself: just compare the skin on the parts of your body that haven't seen the sun (like your backside or the inner part of your arm) with skin on the parts of your body that see the sun on a regular basis. I'll bet that the parts of your body that don't the see sun will have minimal to no skin discolorations. And keep in mind that the bad rays of the sun also come through windows!

The number of skin-care products claiming they can make skin whiter or lighter more often than not contain no ingredient that can have any significant, or even a minor, impact on melanin production (melanin is the brown pigment in skin). (One of the products that can lighten skin is hydroquinone.) In addition, even when the product does contain an ingredient that can have an effect, it usually contains such a small amount that it won't help at all. Basically, there is no comparison between the effects (or non-effects) of using one of these products and using a sunscreen plus a product containing hydroquinone. (Sources: Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, May-June 2008, pages 107 -113; Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, April 2008, pages 20 -24; Experimental Dermatology, August 2005, pages 601 -608; Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, December 2005, pages 2368 -2373; International Journal of Dermatology, August 2004, pages 604 -607; Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, July -August 2004, pages 377 -381; Facial and Plastic Surgery, February 2004, pages 3 -9; Dermatologic Surgery, March 2004, pages 385 -388; and Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, March 2005, pages 272 -276).

I found this interesting - I thought age spots were caused by age. Who knew?

P.S. I promised this for Friday, but I forgot to post it. It's been in my drafts for a few days.

Gardening

2010-09-01T21:01:00.008-04:00

As the promised follow-up to my post on Monday, which was a much overdue follow-up to my gardening post back in May, here's what some of my garden looks like now.

I have about half the marigolds I had when I killed them (as I mentioned on Monday) by using a "safe for flower beds" weed treatment. As you can see, some of them are full and some are kinda puny and sad. This is about half the marigolds prior to using the "safe" treatment, and they were ALL full and wonderfulin July. So imagine double the marigolds with more fullness, and you'll have an idea of how great the marigolds were doing:

Where some of the marigolds were completely dead, I put these late season chrysanthemums:

I liked the lavender so much that I bought two more! The bottom lavender (the smallest) looks droopy because I accidentally over-watered it last night. I'll leave it alone the next few days, so that should help.

I also got another rosemary - and they're both doing well. Behind the rosemary, you can see the pepper mint. I've already cut LOTS off the mint - it's thriving!

I added some flowers in June, which I have not posted pictures of - some hanging plants (begonias and petunias), two hibiscus plants, two English (David Austin) roses and more peonies. My petunias) (not planted until later in June, which I haven't posted about) and hydrangeas (originally posted) look pretty sad - we've had a heat wave the past week, so may things that were blooming are wilting. I'll post them next week once we've had a little bit of rain.

Oh and for the cuteness factor, here's a picture of Princess I took tonight:

She's saying "oh hi, do you want to play? I love to play! And get belly rubs. Belly rubs are great!"

6 Myths and Facts about Acne and Skincare

2010-08-31T21:27:00.007-04:00

My super amazing "blog twin" Carly posted a great article on adult acne. I suggest you read it here.

Carly and I are both in our late 20s, both got married in June 2009, and have (in my opinion) very similar personalities and opinions. In spite of the fact we've never met! We've heard it all. (Or at least I have!) We're supposed to be over acne by now. Acne's caused by poor eating. Just wash your wash more often. Use more expensive products. Get facials regualarly.

Hmm ...

When it comes to skin care, I defer to Paula Begoun. She's the Cosmetics Cop. I discovered one of her books about 6 years ago when I got Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me. This book talks about common ingredients in skin care and make-up, what works, what to avoid, and then proceeds to review every. single. product. on the market at the time of printing of the book. She reviews Dove, Olay, Revlon, St. Ives, Perricone MD, Boots, Clinique, Neutrogena, Lancome, Occitane, Quo, brands I've never heard of and brands I can't afford. On her website, she posts just some of the reviews, but basically everything is reviewed in her book.

I love her website and I subscribe to her free emails. Yes, she sells her own products, which she admits can appear as a conflict of interest. But she also reviews other products, citing peer-reviewed scientific literature for the basis of the reviews. (We science, university types start to drool and get excited when we hear "peer-reviewed".) She has pages devoted to topics (like acne and sun exposure) where she talks about that concern, how to treat it, and good products (from the drug store!) to use.

In response to Carly's post on acne, I wrote two very long comments. I thought I'd add more here. This is taken (without permission - sorry Ms. Begoun) from Paula Begoun's website.

6 Myths about Acne

Myth #1: You should choose skin-care products based on your age.

Fact: Many products on the market claim to be designed for a specific age group, especially for "mature" women; mature usually refers to women over 50. Before you buy into any of these arbitrary age divisions, ask yourself why the over-50 group is always lumped together? According to this logic, someone who is 45 shouldn't be using the same products as someone who is 50 (only 5 years older), but someone who is 80 should be using the same products as someone who is 50? To clear up the confusion what you need to know is that skin has different needs based on skin type, not based on age. Your skin-care routine depends on how dry, sun-damaged, oily, sensitive, thin, blemished, or normal your skin is, all of which have nothing to do with age. Then there are the issues of skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, allergies, and other skin disorders, which again, have nothing to do with age. What everyone needs to do is protect the outer barrier of their skin in exactly the same way: avoid unnecessary direct sun exposure (sun protection!), don't smoke, don't irritate your skin, and do use state-of-the-art skin-care products loaded with antioxidants and skin-identical ingredients (Sources: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, October 2007, pages 409-410; and Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, April 2007, pages 343-357).

Myth #2: Products labeled as "hypoallergenic" are better for sensitive skin. And “Dermatologist tested” means it’s safe.

Fact: "Hypoallergenic" is little more than a nonsense word. It is nothing more than an advertising contrivance in the world of cosmetics meant to imply that a product is unlikely or less likely to cause allergic reactions and therefore is better for sensitive or problem skin. (Sources: www.fda.gov; and Ostomy and Wound Management, March 2003, pages 20 -21).

Fact: You absolutely should not rely on the "dermatologist tested" claim any more than you should rely on the appearance of a doctor's name on a product's label to indicate you are getting a superior (or "medical-grade") formulation.

Myth #3: Women outgrow acne; you're not supposed to break out once you reach your 20s and beyond!

Fact: If only that were true, my skin-care struggles in life would have been very different. In fact, women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and even 50s can have acne just like teenagers, and the treatment principles remain the same. Not everyone who has acne as a teenager will grow out of it, and even if you had clear skin as a teenager, there's no guarantee that you won't get acne later in life, perhaps during menopause. You can blame this often-maddening inconsistency on hormones! What is true is that men can outgrow acne, because after puberty men's hormone levels level out, while women's hormone levels fluctuate throughout their lifetime, which is why many women experience breakouts around their menstrual cycle (Sources: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, June 2004, pages 129-138; American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, May 2006, pages 281-290; International Journal of Dermatology, November 2007, pages 1188-1191).

Myth #4: Acne is caused by eating the wrong foods.

Fact: This is both true and false. The traditional foods thought to cause acne, such as chocolate and greasy foods, have no effect on acne, and there is no research indicating otherwise. However, there is the potential that individual dietary allergic reactions can trigger acne, such as eating foods that contain iodine, like shellfish, although there is an ongoing controversy about that. A bit more conclusive is new research showing that milk, especially skim milk, can increase the risk of acne. The same may be true for a diet high in carbohydrates; a high glycemic load can increase breakouts, while a low glycemic load can reduce their occurrence. Experimenting for a few months to see which of these food groups either hurt or help your skin is worth the effort (Sources: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, June 2008, pages 718-726; Dermatologic Therapy, March-April 2008, pages 86-95; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, May 2008, pages 787-793; and Dermatology Online Journal, May 30, 2006).

Myth #5: If you clean your face better you can clear up your acne.

Fact: Over-cleaning your face can actually make matters worse. Acne is caused primarily by hormonal fluctuations that affect the oil gland, creating an environment where acne-causing bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) can flourish. Don't confuse scrubbing or "deep cleaning" with helping acne, because it absolutely doesn't. Over-cleansing your face triggers inflammation that actually makes acne worse. What really helps breakouts is using a gentle cleanser so you don't damage your skin's outer barrier or create inflammation (both of which hinder your skin's ability to heal and fight bacteria) and using gentle exfoliation. An effective exfoliating product that contains salicylic acid or glycolic acid can make all the difference in reducing acne (Sources: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology Venereology, May 2008, pages 629 -631; Expert Opinion in Pharmacotherapy, April 2008, pages 955-971; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2007, pages 59-65; Cutis, July 2006, Supplemental, pages 34-40; and Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, June 2006, pages 296-302).

Myth #6: Stress causes acne

Fact: Generally, it is believed that stress can trigger acne, but no one is exactly sure how that works, and there is conflicting research. While it never hurts to reduce angst and worry in your life, stress as a causative factor for acne is hard to pinpoint. Plus, the way to treat acne doesn't change because of the stressors in your life (Sources: European Journal of Dermatology, July-August, pages 412-415; International Journal of Cosmetic Science, June 2004, pages 129-138; Archives of Dermatologic Research, July 2008, pages 311-316; and American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, May 2006, pages 281-290).

On Friday, I will post what I use as well as discuss some of Paula Begoun's most highly recommended products. Just for fun.

Oh, and I don't use Paula Begoun's products. Over the border shipping from the U.S. is a hastle. But that's okay because she reviews other products. Typically, I try to choose products that get her "happy face" along with a "check mark", indicating the product is the best you can get.

How does my garden grow? Ant and Mosquito Repelling Plants

2010-08-30T20:32:00.008-04:00

Apparently, I'm having better luck uploading photos ... if I have patience. I started to post about my garden in May, but I didn't finish. (Click here to see what I posted back in May).

Here are some more pictures from my garden back in late-May:

Lavender, a wonderful smelling plant that is a natural mosquito repellant:

I bought more lavender, so I'll show you pictures of all my lavender!

Rosemary, another wonderfully smelling mosquito repellant:

I also bought more rosemary. I put it in the top of a candle lantern candle holder, and the smell of the semi-burning rosemary appears to help repel mosquitoes.

Irises (in front), marigolds, silver leafy thing, more marigolds, and geraniums (in the back):

Mint (pepper mint, to be exact), a natural mosquito repellant and yummy herb:

On Wednesday, I'll post my garden now.

Marigolds are supposed to repel ants. It's hard to confirm they're working, but they aren't hurting and I enjoy them. We had an ant problem in the spring, but we used an exterminator to get rid of them (they were that bad). Then I planted marigolds, and they haven't come back inside. That could be due to the exterminator or the marigolds or both. The exterminator said that nature is the source of their ant poison - chrysanthemums, in particular, but there are many plants in nature that repel or even kill ants. He said it was smart to plant the marigolds to try whatever natural methods to repel the ants. (We also dug up these massive cedar bushes out front that attract ants.)

Geraniums are supposed to repel mosquitoes. We have a ton of mosquitoes at dusk, so I don't know if a few geranium plants will make a difference. I enjoy the geraniums, so I think they're worth it. We've also planted a bat house to try to attract a bat to the area. More on that another time.

The silver leafy thingy is supposed to attract butterflies (and thus repel mosquitoes). We have a ton of milkweed on the back of our property, and so we have a ton of the endangered monarch butterflies floating around our property, including on the silver leafy thing. We have little monarchs and big monarchs, monarchs of all sizes all over, including on the silver leafy thing and just floating by!

My marigolds were thriving. I was weeding them every day, and found a weed spray that is "safe in flower beds". You can guess where this is going - only about half of the marigolds lived, and some of them are still dying. I'll post a picture of the marigolds I have left so you can get an idea of how they might have been thriving! Half my geraniums died, too, and one of the silvery leaf things doesn't look so good. I pulled up the dead marigolds and moved them all to the right side of the bed (they were distributed on both the right and left side before). On the left side, I've recently planted fall chrysanthemums to fill out the flower bed. It was making me really sad when I saw the empty areas where thriving marigolds had been, so having the mums there is nice.

Lesson learned.

Art ... and everyday life and images that become your own art

2010-08-29T20:07:00.011-04:00

There are three things on my mind lately. The first is decorating. We are still in the process of decorating our home. I have eclective tastes and often love so many "looks" that I find it hard to pinpoint what I like best. I enjoy watching my tastes develop (if that doesn't sound too conceited) as I decide what I truly want to showcase in my own home.

The second is fashion. I've gained some weight in the past few months (and no, I'm not pregnant - just eating poorly!) and many of my pants are very tight (though not all). Sigh. I am torn between buying a bunch of new clothing in the meantime or throwing myself (back) into exercise. It's not that I don't exercise, it's that recently I have been doing less aerobics and cardio, but doing more yoga and pilates.

The third thing is the impending end of summer. I enjoy the fall, the rich colours, the warm sweaters and the crisp nights. But I love the summer.

In honour of all three things on my mind, here are some highlights stolen from some of my favourite blogs:

Alternative Wife, where Dawn gives me a dose of fashion and art:

(Sources: Photo on the left and Photo on the right)

Cyd at The Sweetest Occasion, who loves stationery, paper products (and cotton and bamboo alternatives) and, of course, event planning, always has gorgeous images from birthday parties, bridal showers, and stationery shows:

(Sources: on the left or top and on the right or bottom) (depending on your browser)

Last, but not least, Rachel is the Girl Learning Along the Way, whose posts are filled with a mix of realistic and fantasy decorating advice:

Source: on the left and on the right)

Quentin Tarantino

2010-08-26T20:36:00.003-04:00

Of course you know who he is. I'm the only person who doesn't think he's a genius. I know many people who counted Pulp Fiction among their favourite films. Although I found it confusing, it is a neat movie to watch. Still, all the violence? And Kill Bill has a really interesting plot, but all the violence turns me off. Of course, it's so gratuitous that it doesn't look real, but it still turns me off.

And tonight, I'm watching Inglorious Basterds. It has all the hallmarks of Tarantiino - the violence, the folky and poppy music overtop of scene montages, the noir themes, the plots that don't necessarily follow the timeline.

It's not as violence as past Tarantino films, but there are still a couple scenes that are over-the-top. Like how the "Inglorious Basterds" scalp the Nazis. Or "engrave" swastikas in the foreheads of survivors. And in the film, they appear to portray all members of the German military force as Nazis.

My very good friend's late Opa (German grandpa) served for Germany in World War II. He truly believe what he was told. From what we understand now, most Germans had no idea what was happening. So for this movie to portray all Germans in this light is ... antiquated.

Overall, I liked this movie. Although it had holes in it, it was a neat story and a neat fantasy of American "bandits" ending the war earlier.

Anyway, I just wanted to get my two cents on this movie, and just discuss my thoughts on the director who is everyone's darling. Except mine.

Red-Necks

2010-08-22T17:03:00.004-04:00

I don't self-identify as a "red neck". I have to say that first. I know people who do, and who take pride in it. Personally, I don't get it. To me, a "red neck" is an uneducated person who lives in the country. And yet, I live in the "country" and know educated people who call themselves "red necks".

I don't get it.

But I also don't think it's appropriate to call people red necks as an insult. Insulting someone based on their income or education or hometown or race is never appropriate.

I volunteer for St. John Ambulance, and I was a volunteer first-aider at an event called the Verona Mud Drags. People race cars with really loud engines and way too many housepower (2,000-3,000). I don't get it, either! But I also won't laugh and call them rednecks, as one of the other volunteers did. According to him, he couldn't believe the low intelligence of people who live in this town.

Well, I don't think that most people at the event don't actually live in that town, since it's a small town and there were a lot of people there. But as I live two towns away, I thought this person was rude to make a statement like that. Actually, I know I would have been offended by that statement even if I didn't live in the area. To judge everyone in the area based on where they live, and to judge everyone at the event based on this event, seemed ... ignorant.

I will admit, there were people at the event who were ill-mannered, like the two teens who were chewing tobacco and spitting everywhere. (And they were clearly under 19, making their activity illegal here.) There were women who appeared as if they had not bothered to brush their hair this month. (Yes, that is a harsh thing to say, but that's what it looked like.) There were young men (maybe my age) wearing shirts with very rude messages. But though I found some of these behaviours sad or offensive, I wouldn't judge the entire community based on the actions of the people at this event. Nor do these actions necessarily make these people bad people. Sure, they may have questionable judgement (the t-shirts) or may have succumbed to peer pressure (the chewing tobacco) or may not have self-esteem or self-pride (the messy-haired women). But that doesn't automatically make them bad people.

Besides, there are a lot of other things I can judge people about - for example, the parents of the child (probably around 10) who I observed careening around the grounds of this event on an all-terrain vehicle (four-wheeler) at very fast speeds, almost hit my car in the parking lot (yeah) and not wearing a helmet. Don't get me started about the many reasons this was wrong!

On an unrelated, neat note, a family who had been on Wife Swap had been there. Apparently, the mom (at least prior to going on the show) did all the cleaning, cooking and "women's chores", while their husband races at these mud drag events. I don't know who they were, but it wasn't that big an event so I probably saw them. Random, eh? :)

Attempt at blogging

2010-08-20T12:30:00.002-04:00

I've said it before - I'd like to blog more regularly. I've set a goal of 3 times a week ... but I'm coming up dry!

I'd like to have witty posts filled with humour mocking the difficulties in my life. But everytime I set out to write these posts, I end up sounding like I'm complaining. I'm trying to drily comment, not whine about everything!

I'd like to have stunning posts filled with pictures of fashion or decorating ideas. But my internet's still slow and I just don't have the patience or time to sit down and find the pictures then upload them. Grr!

I'd like to have funny commentaries of the wonderful things we're doing this summer ... But I can't word how much I've enjoyed this summer. It hasn't been an amazing summer, but we've done lots of small things (like visiting the Sheep Dog Trials or having a pool party) but I can't find the words to describe these events.

I'm hoping a lightning bolt of creativity hits me soon!

The Dog Days of Summer

2010-08-15T13:57:00.003-04:00

Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn.
Michelle L. Thieme, August's Crown

It's the middle of August. I always find August mildly depressing. Yes, some of the best days of summer are still left. But yet ... the days are getting shorter and there are less hot days.

I used to spend most of my summers at the family cottage, where I could tell the time by the sun very accurately. By the time late August rolled around, the sun had changed enough that I found it difficult to be as accurate with the time. I also noted everyone's mood changed as Labour Day approached.

Now that I don't return to school, you'd think I'd be used to summers. Well, I still notice everyone's mood change as Labour Day week-end approaches. Like Victoria Day (the first Monday on/before May 2-4) is the "unofficial start of summer", we also view Labour Day (the first Monday in September) as the "unofficial end of summer".

The days are getting shorter and the heat dissipates at night. I get mildly upset by this change that signifies the approach of days when the sun sets before 5pm.

Do you get upset as the end of summer approaches?

Telemarketers have a new market: dogs!

2010-08-13T21:55:00.004-04:00

Wade: "Hello?"
Person on the phone: "Hello, may I please speak to Princess please?"
Wade: "Um, pardon?"
Person on the phone: "May I speak to Princess please?"

Source: Shelter Dogs Rock

... should I just stop here and tell you that the person on the phone burst out laughing. It was ME. I was calling from a private phone (so Wade didn't recognize the number) and Wade somehow didn't recognize my voice. He was trying to figure out what kind of telemarketers need to speak to the dog!

Becoming a Professional

2010-08-11T21:53:00.003-04:00

I am about to officially find out that I passed the Registered Occupational Hygienist exam, which is the most difficult professional designation for a specialized subset of occupational health and safety called occupational hygiene, which is what I do. It's recognized by the international governing body as the equivalent of Certified Industrial Hygienist accreditation in the US.

That's great, right?

Except at my employer, it means I "lose" overtime. That doesn't make sense, so let me explain.

Right now, if I work more than the "standard hours" (42.0 hours, I think), I get to "bank" the extra time to use as paid time off. If I don't take the time off, I'm paid for the extra time (straight time, not at over-time pay) at the end of the year.

All "professionals" (those with professional designations) at my employer do not get overtime. Professionals often still work more than the "standard hours", but they get no recognition of it. I realize many people don't get paid for working more hours than they're paid for, but it's just disappointing to have the extra paid time, then lose it.

And I don't even get a raise!

Why'd I stress myself out over writing this test again?

I'm going to be in a wedding for the first time!

2010-08-09T21:58:00.010-04:00

I've never been a member of a wedding party. I've been a bride - obviously. But I've never been a bridesmaid. Most of my friends aren't married yet, and those who are married are not my closest friends. There are 2 exceptions - close friends who did not ask me to be a bridesmaid; one selected closer friends (which is fine) and the other had several sisters and sisters-in-law.

I was asked by my MOH Jocelyn to be her MOH. Except, of course, she was my maid of honour and I'll be matron of honour.

She is going through the same debate I went through on colour. First, she thought purple and silver:

Now, she's thinking turquoisey-blue and orangey-red. I am having a hard time picturing what she means. It's not turquoise and orange, nor is it pale blue and read, which are the two combinations I've seen more frequently. I found these combinations by using the google images search (but not the gorgeous turquoise dresses and orange flowers in the bottom left of the left picture - more red in the orange):

(

(I'm in a hotel tonight for work, so I have highspeed internet, hence the ability to post pictures. However, I'm on my work computer and I didn't bring my camera so I can't post/upload pictures.)

Vacation

2010-08-05T10:49:00.003-04:00

This week was a short week for most Canadians. Monday was a holiday in seven of the ten provinces. And I have this week off work! Wade has two weeks off work, but I have to return next week for a specific project.

Somehow the things we meant to do this week won't all happen, but that's okay. We still have four more days. Okay, I still have four more days. Wade still has a week and four days! Lucky duck.

But I did one thing I didn't think I'd do. One evening when Wade was at hockey and the pool looked so invited, I went skinny dipping. Just a few laps. It's not something I normally do. Since we're in the country, neighbours aren't exactly close. I looked at the pool, I realized the sun was almost set, and it just looked so inviting.

So in I went. I don't think Wade believed me when I told him what I'd done.

Work Woes

2010-08-02T11:10:00.004-04:00

I like my "new" job. I've had it for 7 months, and unlike past jobs, it's permanent. I had 3 one-year contracts in a row with three different employers. The first and third were great companies to work for, but there was no chance to become permanent. The middle job was a good job but not a great company to work for. There was a slight chance it could become permanent, but I wasn't interested in pursuing it.

This job, my fourth job since finishing grad school, is a good job. I'm a consultant, which I didn't think I'd like. It's not as rewarding as working for a company - I just go in, do what I need to do, write a report, and leave. Working for a company means you get your hand's dirty, you create the project, you identify solutions, you work it through, you implement, you follow up, you evaluate its effectiveness, etc. You really own the project. Being a consultant means you do your job, regardless of what they need, you just do what they ask. (Of course you suggest if there's a better solution, but ultimately the client chooses what you do.) Then you leave. It's not as satisfying for me. Some people prefer to just do the consulting role. You don't leave your comfort zone as much, you do what you're there to do. Sometimes, a client brings you into the project at the beginning and involves you form the start to finish, but often you're there for a specific, small piece of their puzzle.

I'm not always happy because there are times I feel that there are certain individuals who taking advantage of me. I don't want to get into in on my blog, just in case my employer were to stumble across it. I don't link friends to my blog in any way (I've sent select people the link); but since I'm not blogging anonymously, I should be cautious before divulging too much information.

Basically, among other things, I was asked my past salaries in my interview. I know I don't have to answer that question, but it's very difficult to deflect that question in a polite and respectful manner during an interview for a job one wants. The interviewer acknowledged it was a difficult question, and asked me anyway. I answered, and was told they wouldn't be able to offer me that high an amount. Fine. I presumed, therefore, that the amount I was offered was the highest they would go. I realize I shouldn't make that assumption, and I knew it at the time. Since I made myself vulnerable by declaring what I made at past jobs, I thought they would be honerable by taking that into consideration when formulating their offer. Upon having some idea of what coworkers make, I know they could have come higher. I negotiated for more vacation (which is great) and accepted the offer. Now that I know more about the company, I know I should not have been so naive. Of course, I knew it at the time, but it all comes down to me not being able to deflect a question I should not have been asked. My feeling of being minorly exploited is partially due to my own mistakes and assumptions, which (naturally) makes me angry with myself. And yet it all comes down to the interviewer, now one of my bosses, asking a question that person knew they shouldn't ask (and said so) but asking it anyway.

Smile!

2010-07-29T10:34:00.002-04:00

If you aren't at least smiling by the end of this video, I don't know what will make you smile!

What do I do in an evening?

2010-07-23T15:34:00.004-04:00

I never feel I have enough time to blog. Or put away clean laundry. Or exercise. Or ... well, I always feel busy.

Then I read this post by Marie-Eve. She talks about a typical evening, and I realized how little I actually do in an evening.

By the way, go read her post. It's beautiful: the theme is that children don't make life easier, but they're incredibly rewarding. When you have a few moments to enjoy them, of course! :) It's a beautiful post ... and it made me realize that I'm not really that busy.

Maybe I'll motivate myself by thinking of how much more parents have to do than me! :)

Audio Links?

2010-07-22T17:11:00.004-04:00

Does anyone know any way I can post an audio files on-line? I have a copy of the interview I did, and I'd like to share it. It's a .wma audio file, and I can't figure out how to post it to blogger.

If I could post it to you-tube, then I could put the link here, but I don't think that I can post .wma files to you-tube.

Let me know if you know how to post an audio file anywhere on the internet so I can share it! :)

Activism: Kidney Cancer

2010-07-20T15:38:00.004-04:00

Listen to 98.3 Fly FM at 8:45 EST tomorrow morning (Wednesday, July 21st), a Kingston radio station. If you aren't local, you can always live stream it from Fly FM Kingston.

I'm going to be interviewed for their "Family Matters" segment at 8:45 EST. This segment is held daily to talk about family and health issues. Kidney cancer used to be incredibly rare, but it is now the 10th most common newly diagnosed cancer. Ontario has recently decided to provide access to TORISEL, a Health Canada approved intravenous chemo. (That means TORISEL is now "free" for Ontarians who are diagnosed with kidney cancer as a first treatment.)

I'm going to talk about what kidney cancer is, how the "new" targeted chemotherapies work, why it's so great that TORISEL is covered, and why other Health Canada approved chemos (like the oral chemotherapies Sutent and Nexavar) need to be covered in Ontario, too.

The press release on TORISEL is here.

Listen in! (I think it's going to be live, which is intimidating!) And please feel free to re-post this information!

The Name Game

2010-07-17T10:09:00.004-04:00

My "blog twin" Carly (The Less Than Domestic Goddess) has had some amazing posts lately. She's talked about some challenges in trying to conceive, the challenges of living with one's husband and brother in the same apartment due to economic pressures, the challenges of a crazy mother-in-law (she is crazy), and the challenges of running a blog. If you don't read Carly's posts, you need to subscribe or visit her blog!

This post will be a reply to her post entitled (Changing My Name: One Year Late). The gist of her post is that she has two last names - her maiden and married last names. She didn't hyphenate, but she legally has two last names. (Kinda like hyphenating, but without a hypen between). She goes by either last name, partially depending on her mood, sometimes in a flighty way (if she's mad at her hubby, she goes by her maiden name), but more out of genuine confusion over which she prefers.

Let me state that I legally "inverse" hyphenated. I'd have preferred two last names, like Carly, but with Hanna as one of the last names, it would sound like I had two first names!

I personally find it abhorrent when women change their name because it's the right thing to do or it's the easiest thing or it's what they always assumed they'd do. To me, it seems like someone who always "assumed" that's what they'd do was groomed to prepare herself to be a wife, as if that's a goal. Yes, being married is great and it's a wonderful thing to want to spend the rest of your life with someone; however, getting married should not be a goal in life. A goal is something you set for personal betterment. Getting married is what two people who want to commit to each other do. Going to university, becoming a teacher, getting a promotion - these are goals.

I don't understand women who change their name because their maiden name is hard to pronounce or difficult to spell. (I mean, that's the best reason you could come up with for changing your name?) And as for women who want to have the same last name of their kids: in this "modern" time, people can deal with mothers having different last names than their kids. And let's be honest, you could always consider hyphenating your kid's name. It's not a death sentence or a horrible crime to do that, although some people think it is. You know Helena Bonham-Carter, the actress? Her family name is Bonham-Carter or Bonham Carter. Her cousin once removed is James Bonham-Carter, who was my high school biology teacher. This is a whole family with a hyphenated last name. I also dated someone early in university who had a hyphenated last name of his mother's and father's last names. He was actually proud of having these two last names merged into one hyphenated last name.

I sympathize with Carly's debate. And I pointed out in my comment that you can change your name years into the marriage. Sarah Michelle Gellar changed her name to Sarah Michelle Prinze on her fifth anniversary, but of course she's professional known as Sarah Michelle Gellar. (And some women change their name socially but go by their maiden name professionally. That's another option.)

While I hyphenated (inverse hyphenation: Married-Maiden), I professionally go by my maiden name. I think changing or hyphenating your name is a personal decision. I haven't completely decided what to do, either, I suppose.

Thanks, Carly, for your thought-provoking post!

Posting

2010-07-17T10:05:00.002-04:00

Well, I haven't posted nearly as frequently. Part of that is due to me being swamped at work. Part of it is due to not being able to post pictures, which is incredibly frustrating. And part of it is due to me being lazy. (C'mon, when I get home from my swamped days, I just want to go to bed!)

I've been reading all the blogs I follow. Since my creativity is literally nil, I think I'll spend today replaying to some of my favourite posts. Or at least up until my "brand new" antique dining room set arrives. It's 150 years old, but it's new to me! :)

A Mother's Pride (aka Princess was so good this week-end!)

2010-07-08T17:00:00.003-04:00

I will upload pictures tomorrow to show you our Pool Party this past Canada Day week-end. (Canada Day is July 1st, so it usually falls on the same week-end as Independence Day for those of you south of the border.)

We had about 40 people over, including children ranging from 7 months to 13. There were two darling 7-month-olds (Charlotte and Kiara), two toddler (14-month-old Charlie and seventeen-month-old Liam), six-year-old former ring bearer (for us) Kylan, plus three 11-13 year old names Tyler, Jordan and Spencer. There were new men, big scary men, children running and screaming. And Princess was good. Kylan's nervous around dogs, but within a couple minutes, they were cuddling. Princess quickly learned that if she sits under the toddlers, food will come her way! She sat beside people to be petted, greeted new guests as they arrived with a tail wag (no jumping and no barking) and was generally the best behaved dog ever. She growled once to tell someone she didn't want to be picked up (but it was a very quiet 'rrr' to indicate dislike, rather than a full-out growl).

She was so good. We were so proud of her! We were watching her very closely for the first two hours, but after that we relaxed after all the guests had arrived and we saw how Princess was behaving. We prepared everyone who was coming to be prepared for her behaviours, and our plan was to crate/pen her once she became excited or over-stimulated. We didn't need to do anything, though! People who hadn't met her before were confused that we had prepared them for a scared rescue dog who was prone to fear-based behaviours; and they arrived to meet the friendliest, most docile dog many of them said they'd ever met.

She was so good. You should see how proud Wade and I were of our cute little dog that night! :)

Pictures to come soon ... I was going to uplaod them from my camera at work (shh!) where I have faster internet and could use my work laptop, but I forgot the camera cord. I'll try again tomorrow!

Princess ... le sigh

2010-06-27T20:39:00.003-04:00

Princess was bad. If you may remember, shortly after we adopted Princess in the fall, she was startled by a boy on a bike. This time, she was excited by a neighbour. We don't let her off-leash, but we'll make exceptions when we're coming in from the car. (When we get home from a car-ride, especially when we have food, she's thrilled to follow us in the house.) I was carrying in her dog food and some human food, and she was trotting behind me.

Well, she was distracted by a rabbit and she charged away. I ran after her. She lost the rabbit and stopped running. As I got close to her, she noticed there was a dog being walked by the house. Princess was about 20 feet from the dog and his owner, and the neighbour was excitingly yelling at my dog to "go home". As the neighbour kept repeating this phrase, the voice got louder, higher pitched, and more excited. Not all people know this, but dogs respond to human's emotional responses, so a loud, excited voice creates an excited dog. Princess stood about 20 feet away watching the neighbour and other dog for a good 10 seconds (several minutes in dog time), as I ran closer. As I got closer, the neighbour's voice was extremely excited, and my dog ran after the neighbour's dog.

If it wasn't so upseting, it would be quite funny. The scene was out of a sit-com, except there was nothing funny about it for either of us. The neighbour and I ran around each other in a circle, as the two dogs ran around each other in a circle. The neighbour kept yelling comments about how could I be such a bad person and have such a bad dog. (Seriously.) Her voice was, understandably, excited, which fed both of the dog's excitement. I was yelling at Princess to "stop" in my firm, listen-to-me voice. (Stop is a command she knows. Well, she knows the command when she's calm, but an excited dog sometimes has selective hearing.) It felt like every time I got close to catching my dog, the neighbour stepped in front of me (to protect the other dog), causing Princess to change direction, and therefore preventing me from getting to Princess. The neighbour and I continued to run around circling each other (as the neighbour continued to repeatedly yell about how I was such a bad person and I yelled at Princess to "stop") for a good 30 seconds. (Hours in dog time.)

As the neighbour was walking away, I was subduing Princess to teach her that was bad. I apologized. The neighbour ignored me and kept walking away. Several seconds later, the neighbour looked back, then gave me a funny look, a very "taken aback" look. I don't know if the neighbour was surprised that I apologized or surprised I remembered the neighbour's name. (We've only met once. Perhaps the neighbour didn't remember we'd met. Or maybe I remembered the name wrong? But I don't think so, I'm pretty sure I remembered it correctly.)

This dog bit Princess. I think Princess may haved nipped the dog. (Princess doesn't bite, but rather nips, meaning the skin is not broken and therefore no diseases can be transmitted.) Princess's shots were all updated three weeks ago, so I won't go ask her if the other dog's shots are up-to-date. (I don't think I'd have the nerve. In fact, I'm currently holed up in my house, almost hiding, because I'm so upset.) The neighbour has every right to be upset, too. An off-leash dog ran at her dog, followed by a crazy owner who was only yelling "stop".

My heart has been thumping out of my chest the past hour, since it happened. I'm starting to calm down. I think I need a bath and some peppermint tea now.

Sigh.

Not exactly what I want to deal with. Pretty soon, the neighbours are going to start hating us. (Maybe I'm being melodramatic.)

"I felt the Earth move under my feet"

2010-06-25T11:27:00.000-04:00

I could have easily titled this "Shakin' All Over".

Now get that song out of your head now :)

Here in southeastern Ontario, we had an earthquake on Wednesday. Although not a large earthquake (reports range from 5.0 to 5.6 on the richter scale), it was unusual for two reasons: first, we don't get many noticeable earthquakes, and second, it could be felt in a 1000 km (600+ mile) radius. The large radius was due to the cooler rocks being a better conductor of vibrations than the warmer rockers of many earthquake regions, such as California.

We have construction out front of our building, so occasional compacting and demolition has been shaking us. At first, my co-worker and I thought it was an oddly long demolition. Then we got a call that it was an earthquake.

I admit, I was a little figuratively shook up, plus I was worried about how my dog took it. Some animals were reportedly upset. Everyone around the office was buzzing, and other office occupants who we'd never seen before "popped by" our office to see how we felt. I wasn't getting any work done, so I went home.

Princess was fine. She was just happy to see me, the exact same way she is every day when I get home from work.

Wipe Out

2010-06-22T21:37:00.002-04:00

Have you seen the show Wipeout? Wade and I love it. I heard that Wipeout is the American answer to Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (MXC), which is itself a dubbing of a 1980s game show called Takeshi's Castle. (For the records, MXC is far more funny than Wipeout, but that's because MXC dubbing is clearly not what the people were originally saying.

Here's a video of MXC if you haven't seen it.

Wipeout is coming to Canada, but (oddly enoughly), Wipeout Canada will be filmed in Argentina. (According to wikipedia, my source of way-too-much, the American version of Wipeout is filmed in California, which is obviously much closer than Argentina. Go figure.)

Wade and I are thinking of "auditioning" for it. (Auditioning = filling out a really long form.) The crazier you are in your "audition", the more likely you are to get picked. I'm not sure how to be "crazy" in the audition!

Here are just a few of the many questions "asked" in the "audition":
Have you ever won any academic prizes?
Does your job require you to wear a uniform? Would you be prepared to wear a version of that uniform on the course?
If you were a superhero, what would your superhero power be?
What is the coolest thing about you?

Crazy, non? (Both the form and the idea of auditioning for it!)

On an unrelated note, I still can't post pictures from my slow internet. Grr. I'm not totally sure it's the slow internet. Anyway, I'll make an effort to post more frequently. I know how annoying it is when you visit a blog that only updates itself once a week.

Essay (or is it an essay?) on Twitter

2010-06-15T21:37:00.003-04:00

Posting pictures is still slow ... painfully slow. We have "high speed" satellite internet, but satellite internet is not nearly as fast as other forms of high speed internet access.

So I shall now devote this blog to essays.

No / few pictures (for now), but (hopefully) still interesting.

Today's theme: twitter

I recently read that young people don't twitter. (Apparently, young now means under 20, possibly younger.) Young people find twitter is a lame old-person thing.

I'll admit, I'm on twitter. My twitter name is lame. Well, not literally. Literally, it's "kristawantswork". I created it last fall when unemployed and was using it to follow employers, and lo and behold, real people - either people I know or bloggers I read - started to follow me.

This was a flattering revelation, but then I was left trying to find cool things to say. At first, I documented being unemployed. Later, I documented my feeling about the Olympics. And then ... I couldn't think of anything to say.

Tonight, I tweeted for the first time in three months. It wasn't very interesting. Sometimes I think of things to say, but I wonder if twitter is just an ego-fulfilling tool for me. Other tweeters I follow post interesting comments about the state of social justice, thoughts on the meaning of humanity, or post comments about their latest project.

I tweet on why so many businesses are following me.

Yep, three months of thinking of something to write, and that's the best I could come up with. Maybe I'm not as creative as I like to think I am.

Do you tweet? If so, what themes do you tweet about? Do you find this social media to be particularly useful?

One year ago ...

2010-06-06T21:23:00.000-04:00

A year ... a year? Really? I must be "grown up" because I'm marvelling how quickly a year can pass.

I'd post more pics, but for some reason it takes forever-and-a-day to upload pictures to blogger.

Hello? Is this thing on?

2010-06-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

Still having trouble posting pictures of my gardening / pool opening.

So in the meantime, here is a re-print of a singles ad reported to have been listed in a newspaper (allegedly the Atland Journal).

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I'll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me... Call (XXX)XXX-XXXX and ask for Annie, I'll be waiting.....

Apparently over 150 men found themselves talking to the Humane Society.

(This may or may not be true according to Truth or Fiction and Snopes. But it's a great story. The phone # changes in different versions to be the phone # of actual Humane Societies!)

The Long Week-End (that would be LAST week-end for Canadians!)

2010-05-27T21:04:00.010-04:00

This past week-end was our long week-end (Victoria Day, which almost everyone calls "May 2-4"). Following a nearly decade-old tradition, I went out Wolfe Island. It used to be quite the party - sometimes we'd be there from Friday to Monday. This year, we went out for Saturdy evening. I gardened and planted things all-day Sunday. ("May 2-4" is the week-end many Canadians plant their gardens. Any earlier, and there's still a possibility of frost!) We also opened our pool. I meant to put more pictures, but because of uploading problems, there are just three.

Some of our irises, plants that are perennials already along the side of our house when we moved in:

I planted fox glove (a perennial we had at our old house) alongside geraniums. Fox glove is highly poisonous (and in fact is the therapeutic basis of the heart drug digoxin). It also attracts hummingbirds, but we've only noticed butterflies and bumblebees. Geranium is an annual that supposedly repel mosquitos and flies. I don't know if I believe it, but it can't hurt.

We also planted marigolds (possibly a natural mosquito repellant), a silver leaf thing (the name eludes me, but it's a butterfly attractant), more irises, peonies (far from the house as a natural ant attractant), lilacs, and hydrangeas. I'll post pictures of each of them later.

I'll also post pool opening pictures later. While we planted and opened the pool, here is what Princess did:

It was hot (33-34C / 91-93F) so we tried to keep Princess in the shade, and we kept her water bowl near her. For a few minutes, she ocassionally sat in the sun, but every time she quickly moved back to the shade.

(Okay, no more updates for me. If you have google reader, I think you just had 3 or 4 very similar posts. Sorry to bother you!)

something something ... in Margaritaville

2010-05-20T09:23:00.003-04:00

Rachel at Girl Learning Along the Way hosted a giveaway for this amazing pitcher. It is insulated to keep cold things cold or hot things hot. And I won!

The lovely pitcher arrived yesterday, just in time for our pool opening. (I'll try to take pictures while singing about Margaritaville!)

By the way, if you want decorating or gardening ideas or just general inspiration, Rachel's blog is my favourite. She's also on Elizabeth Anne Designs with great DIY and decorating tips.

Baseball, Bumps & Bruises

2010-05-14T21:47:00.004-04:00

I have done sports my whole life. I always got to pick a fall/winter activity and a summer activity. In the spring, I had to take swimming lessons. My parents felt strongly that learning to swim as a child is a practical and potentially life-saving skill. In the fall/winter, I tried ballet, gymnastics (was apparently good, but my mom hated the sport so she steered me away), jazz, and then stuck with figure skating. In the summer, I ended up liking baseball (softball/fastpitch) and sticking with it for a number of years.

Between figure skating and baseball, and various other games and informal sports, I had plenty of bumps and bruises. I'm quite klutzy. I even banged my head in figure skating (twice were falls from jumps, but one time was a lay back spin that I laid too far back on!). Even through all these years, I only broke one bone (in my hand). And while the head injuries hurt, as they always do, I don't believe any were a concussion.

Well, last night, I suffered my first concussion. I was playing 2nd base in a co-ed slow-pitch league. It was my second game this season. A really fast ground ball came to me, and I stopped it in my glove. Unfortunately, I didn't grip it enough, and it sprung up and smacked me in the jaw. My jaw hit the back of my head so hard that it felt like my brain rattled into the back of my head. I "saw stars" for a few seconds, walking aimlessly around the field in a daze. I left the field, sent Wade to get me ice (for the jaw) and sat out the rest of the game. I felt better by the end of the game, but I was very spacey at work today as I was furiously finishing a report that was due at noon. (It wasn't my fault the report was almost late; the lab was late in getting their results to us.) It was a struggle because I felt like my brain was wading through mud: I couldn't concentrate, there was a ringing in my ears, loud noises were really painful, I was tired, slightly disoriented (not quite dizzy, but definitely off-kilter) and had a headache.

As soon as the report was off, I sent it off and left work. I went to an urgent care centre, where I had x-rays (nothing was broken) and was diagnosed with a minor concussion. Apparently, if something hits the side of your head (temporal bone), it's possible to have a head bleed. Fortunately, the ball hit me lower in the jaw (mandible). However, hitting the jaw is a common cause of concussion.

Strictly speaking, all concussions are brain injuries, and no concussion is truly minor. Many people fail to realize the severity of concussions, even "mild" concussions. By having one concussion, I am now at an increased risk of repeated concussions. The more concussions one has, the greater the chance of psychiatric disorders, mood disorders, impaired memory, brain damage and even "punch drunk syndrome" (a horrible disease that is essentially a combination of parkinson's disease symptoms, alzheimer's disease symptoms, cognitive impairment and slower mental processing). Of course, I am not going to develop any of these issues off one concussion, but I will be careful. I will even consider getting a mouth guard. (There is evidence mouthguards can prevent concussions by prevent your jaw from banging into your head, but it is not known for sure. But I felt the blow from my jaw knocking my head. Plus, if the ball had been a few inches to the right, I might have lost some of my teeth!)

I now have post-concussion syndrome, starting a couple hours afterward: headache, difficult concentrating, sensitivity to noise, ringing in the ears last night, couldn't sleep last night, tired all day today, feeling disoriented / slow, and nausea. Post-concussion syndrome is "debated" by some doctors, but I am telling you I am feeling all these symptoms (and I didn't even know this was post-concussion syndrome until I got home and looked up concussion on-line to research what I can do to heal faster). I am glad this is a minor concussion. My brain is on "slow motion", and though the headache isn't nearly as bad, I still feel "off-kilter".

Does anyone have any experiences with concussion? First-hand or otherwise? (I'm okay and have seen a doctor, so don't worry!)

Animal Safety for the pool

2010-05-13T16:52:00.005-04:00

Remember I talked about animal pool safety here? Well, Wade's picking up our Scamper Ramp tonight. We're opening our pool in exactly one week, so I felt we needed this animal safety item.

I keep calling this the "Critter Crawler". I'm not sure why. I think I must like the name Scamper Ramp better.

New picture of Princess (in our backyard)

2010-05-13T09:13:00.004-04:00

It took me four attempts, and with each attempt 20-50 pictures to get a couple good pictures of her. It's hard to take a picture of a dog who wants to play! Most of the time she was either moving to fast or trying to play with me, both of which don't make for ideal pictures. I'd hardly call myself a talented photographer, but with digital photography and enough exposures, I got a couple that turned out nicely. To get this picture, I tied Princess to a tree (if we don't tie her or have her in our fenced area, she sometimes bolts after squirrels and birds). Then I called her to me, but I sat out of the leash's reach. She quickly realized she couldn't reach me, so she sat and watched me squeak a ball at her.

Art or Science?

2010-05-11T14:53:00.003-04:00

NASA publishes a picture-of-the-day here. I recently discovered it, and it's really cool! Would it be NEAT or NERDY to frame a few of these pictures as "art" in our house? I'm on the fence. I think these pictures are really interesting, and would certainly make for some interesting focal points. But would guests be charmed by the pictures or amazed by my geekiness?

Original? Or is this just a horrible idea?

Pool Safety

2010-05-04T21:17:00.006-04:00

Before we open our pool, I am semi-obsessing over making our pool safe for children and animals. There's the obvious pool safety implements, of course: it is completely fenced with a 5' high fence; the gates entering the pool are self-closing and self-latching; the door to the pool is locked whether or not we're home (unless we're actually on the deck).

But there are less obvious problems that many people don't think of.

Case #1: our door opens onto the back deck to the pool. That's a problem because it's an easy access point for children to the pool. We have two choices: put up removable but secure fencing to block access to the pool (like a big child gate) or put a second (elevated) lock on the door to prevent little ones from opening the door. Here's the fencing: If these fences are truly secure and easy to install/remove, I think the fence option seems convenient. You just put it up when the pool's not in use and we're not around. However, if not, then we'll install a second lock on the door that's far too high for any child to reach. Probably cheaper, of course, but I'm afraid that it's easier to forget.

Case #2: animals can still get in the pool. Although dogs can swim naturally, I read that if they fall in at night, they can panic. Also, frogs and other critters can get confused in pools and drown trying to find their way out. Of course, where there's a need (or someone manufactures a need!), there's someone to sell me a solution! Well, I uncovered this solution, which I think looks neat. There are several brands that make stairs or ramps for animals, including the Scamper Ramp (shown here):
No idea if these work, but I like that it'll save pets and wildlife who may become confused in a pool.

Currently, we have a fancy-schmancy pool cover that you can walk on! It's a winter cover that can withstand up to 200 lbs of weight. It's not made for adults to walk on it, but rather to support the weight of children or animals who might escaped supervision (children) or get over the fence (animals) to venture around/on the pool. It's stretched taut so that no one can get under the cover, too. I really like this cover, but it's a winter cover. Once we open the pool, it's far too difficult to put on-and-off the pool frequently.

I considered a pool alarm (it goes off if anything penetrates the surface, creating waves). However, the literature indicates that it's prone to false alarms (such as on a windy day) so most users end up disabling the alarm. I think we'll save the money and not put in a pool alarm. I will investigate more permanent safety method that will not be disabled.

So, do you have any opinion on what we should do to ensure our pool is incredibly safe? Have you seen or experienced the animal pool ramps? Have you used the secure fences that are easily removed around pools? Any thoughts on pool safety in general that will help me out to make our pool safe for children and animals? :)

P.S. I'm thinking of creating "pool rules" to discuss with all children before they swim. Things like "no running", "no pushing", insisting that children who can't swim wear PFDs, and all the good stuff I learned in swimming lessons many years ago. Or maybe I should discuss expectations with parents? Although most parents I know are well aware of pool safety, so I might not need to have "rules". Could creating "pool rules" be going too far?

Bathroom

2010-04-28T22:09:00.002-04:00

How much do I love this vanity/sink from Magickwoods?

Perhaps slightly impractical. (How on earth would you clean UNDER a raised vanity? I mean, talk about a dust-bunny collector.) But stunning, nonetheless.

Bathroom Inspiration

2010-04-26T21:51:00.004-04:00

I want to re-do our bathroom. In our house, we have a full bathroom, a three-piece ensuite bathroom, and a "half" bathroom (that is also our laundry room). Um, that is WAY more bathrooms than two people need, IMO, but oh well.

I definitely want to re-do the full bathroom. Let me quantify that: paint the walls, change the vanity/counter, change the flooring and change the towel racks. And maybe change the lighting fixtures. The plumbing, bath tub and toilet are fine.

I want to make some more minor changes in the ensuite, including changing the vanity/counters, and maybe making a change to the shower stall. Not sure.

And while I'm changing the other two bathrooms, I might as well change the vanity/counters in the half-bath / laundry room. I mean, what's another vanity/counter, right? :) (Famous last words, I know.)

I emailed Wade some ideas that I like, compiled in this picture:

I'm thinking the ensuite will be teal / aqua blue; the half bath / laundry room will be either bright red or marine blue, and the full bathroom will be either marine blue or bright red (undecided which will be which).

I love vessel sinks and "water fall" facets especially. I don't know how to describe the images I like (above). Are they modern? I don't know. If you have any ideas of how to describe the look in the photo, let me know! I'd love to have some adjectives at my disposal to describe my plan.

I can't source the photos in the above collage. Most of them were either from various national and local vendors, or from just googling various key phrases (such as "vessel sinks") in google images. Sorry, I didn't think I'd be sharing it on here!

Lasagna

2010-04-25T21:19:00.005-04:00

Wade and I went to a potluck hosted by one of my coworkers in honour of Earth Day. There was a symbolic prize for the person who got there in the most earth-friendly manner. The winner was one person who bicycled 40 km (which took her about 2 hours) to get here. Dedication. (Her husband drove, bringing out their contribution. And they drove home together. But still - impressive.)

I brought out a "soy meat" lasagna. People seemed to like it, and a couple people's jaws dropped when I said it was "Earth friendly" and vegetarian. (The vegetarian part was why they were shocked.) I didn't follow a recipe. I basically cooked the lasagna noodles according to the instructions, cooked the "soy meat" with pasta sauce (Ragu) and spices (oregano and whatever else I thought would mix well). I then put a layer of noodles, a layer of "meat", a layer of noodles, a layer of Ragu, and a layer of cheese. A lot of shredded cheese (a pre-shredded mix of cheddar and mozarrella).

I realize lasagna usually has more layers, including ricotta (or cottage cheese as an excellent substitute). My mom does a great lasagna with cottage chese. I think having cottage cheese (or ricotta) would have completed the lasagna. But it was a "meaty" (in texture) lasagna, which is probably why the men liked it. (I personally always preferred a lasagna that was semi-meaty and semi-cheesy. I don't like the lasagna to be overwhelmed by meat or cheese, which I find they often are.)

I'll have to ask my mom if she has a recipe for her lasagna. My mom doesn't do a lot from scratch, but when she does, many of her regulars don't have recipes (her amazing potato salad, for example, is just done by "feel"). She follows recipes for baking, mostly, but she's definitely not afraid to make substitutions when she thinks they're logical.

If she doesn't have a recipe, I'll have to follow her "approximations" and maybe read a few different recipes on All Recipes. I'll read at least four or five, or sometimes more recipes to find one I like, or maybe combine two or three based on each recipe's comments.

Note that I've mastered my Mom's most amazing potato salad based on her directions, but it took about 2-dozen phone calls over two potato salads to get it right. With a few phone calls and some ideas from All Recipes I should be able to figure something out for lasagna.

Does anyone have any tips for lasagna? I kinda like my approach to cooking the noodles and "meat" separately, then combining them, then just putting it in the oven long enough to warm it up and melt the cheese. It seemed easy. But maybe using the "no boil" lasagna noodles and just assembling and baking (as if it's a casserole) would be easy, too? I don't know! Yesterday was my first lasagna. I think I'll add the cottage cheese. I also think using parmesan and mozzarella (instead of cheddar) would have been better.

Any thoughts?

Places to See: Scotland

2010-04-23T22:49:00.003-04:00

A couple years ago, Wade became interested in his genealogical roots. His father's side descends from the Scottish Clan Hannay, however directly or indirectly is unknown until we look into it further. In his research into this ancient clan, he discovered there was once a clan castle:

(Source: Clan Hannay U.S. website)

This castle still exists, but looks a little different:

(Source: Scottish Field)

So, I think it's unnecessary to say that we'd like to visit Sorbie Tower on a trip to Scotland.

Random Post

2010-04-22T10:13:00.003-04:00

Seeing wedding blogs makes me want to get married again. To Wade, of course. I've made that comment to him, and he looks at me like I'm crazy. I don't mean the stress, of course, but the day.

Helping my best friend and maid of honour (and recently engaged) Jocelyn plan her wedding will be fun. I admit, I'm envious of her getting to do this. This does not for one second effect my ability to help her. I know I had my day, and now she'll have her day, and anything I can do as a friend to plan or relieve her stress will make her day that much better. But still, I envy her! :)

Wade and I are having a fabulous anniversary party ... well, two. Wade doesn't know about the one. We're having a belated anniversary / housewarming party in early July. (In the near future, I'll write the reasons we didn't do a housewarming when we bought the house six months ago. But not today.) That party is for friends. I'd like to have a family anniversary party a bit earlier. I haven't run this idea by Wade, but I'm sure he'll agree if I offer to make a compromise, such as "allowing" him to watch a number of Nascar races without me complaining once. (The easiest way to accommodate that promise is for me to leave the house on a couple Nascar race afternoons!)

Also, Wade and I are thinking of a trip this summer. Not sure where. Newfoundland? Scotland? India? Our budget will impact where we go.

Plus we're still decorating our house. We I want to paint and make a couple changes to the bathroom. That hasn't happened yet.

So in honour of what's coming up in the next couple months, I'll start posting about these things: travel, decorating, two anniversary / housewarming parties, and Jocelyn's wedding planning.

If I wasn't at work, I'd definitely post pictures in the above post to make it prettier and more reader-friendly. Maybe I'll get around to it tonight.

Farmin'!

2010-04-12T19:10:00.002-04:00

I had a busy week-end. Kinda. On Sunday, I volunteered with St. John Ambulance. I've been volunteering with them since September, and Sunday was the first time I actually provided first-aid on a duty. For privacy reasons, I can't disclose the name or details of the first-aid I provided, and I intend to honour that requirement. However, I can say that the event was a triathlon. I can also say that at triathlons, a common cause of injury is due to falling off bicycles (not due to lack of skill). So you can guess what kind of care was required.

Later in the day, Princess & I went to a farm. My friend Teresa married a farmer. She is not a farmer, but she somehow ended up a farm-wife! Her hubby took us around and introduced us to the animals. There was one pig, one calf, two cows, a bunch of sheep and lambs, one ram (the male sheep) and one horse.

They only have one pig. They had two plus a bunch of piglets. They recently sold the piglets, and of their two adult pigs, only Sammy is still there. I petted Sammy on the head - apparently, she likes head rubs. Sammy's companion was Hammy, and I don't need to think too hard to figure out where Hammy went.

Of the lambs, most were running free, but two were still isolated with their mommy because they were so young. Teresa and I each held one lamb. I have to say, they look waaaay softer than they feel. Their wool was actually rough compared to what I was expected. We cuddled them both, but their poor hearts were just pounding! We didn't cuddle them long and we returned them to their very worried mum.

The calf was named Angus. He's an Angus cow, and he's going to become Angus steak. I forget what the other two cows were named, but apparently their days were numbered.

Princess and Marley (Teresa's chocolate lab) did NOT get along. I think Diesel (8 month old black lab neighbour) would have gotten along, but Marley and Princess were so wound up by each other that no one was able to get along. Marley's also a trained duck-hunting dog, and she seemed friendly. Other than trying to eat Princess, that is. But Princess was trying to fight back, like the scrappy stray she is. It was almost funny watching how much those two hated each other. I think they would really have injured each other if we weren't there, but it's hard to say.

So that was my exciting week-end. What did you do?

Miners Died Today

2010-04-05T22:12:00.005-04:00

We have the technology to make mining safe. In fact, we have the technology to make every industry safe: we can ensure there are no mining fatalities or occupational diseases; we can even make it safe for nurses to lift patients without throwing out their backs. And do we?

Many people, myself included, are quick to judge "third world" countries' health and safety track records. China and India, with two of the largest populations, are free-for-alls with regards to many things, including human rights and occupational health and safety. But while we're quick to judge, we must remember we're not perfect.

Case in point: while a large mining accident this past week in China has (surprisingly) recovered over 100 workers, I suspect there will be many deaths once everything is settled. However, today's mining accident in West Virginia reminds me that we (being the "developed" world) ignore these very technologies we've developed for safety.

What is the reason of this most recent mining accident? Who knows, and the mining company is rightfully focussed on life saving efforts of the survivors. However, we know that mining can be done safely, so there was an error somewhere - whether an engineering issue or cultural (from not accounting for geographic issues to not enforcing safety regulations).

By the way, in Ontario (my province of Canada), mining is significantly safer than working in a hospital. I suspect that statistic is the same throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Surprised? Well, we don't "perceive" hospitals as dangerous, so we don't always adequately address the safety hazards (such as lifting patients, mixing cleaning chemicals, being attacked by dementia patients or even emotional family members can all cause significant injuries to workers).

Remember, everywhere in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and most other developed nations, you have the right to refuse unsafe work, the right to know about the safety hazards you're working with/around, and the right to training on these hazards. Don't be afraid to exercise your rights. If you're unsure, google your appropriate authority (such as provincial ministries in Canada, OSHA in the U.S., HSE in the U.K., etc.)

Please take a moment to remember those who died needlessly for their job.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

In honour of Easter, some images of the Easter Bunny (or at least bunnies that you're looking at during Easter):

(Source of the above pictures: Peonies and Polaroids)

(Source: wikipedia)

(Source: The Guardian)

(Thank Rachel at Girl Learning Along The Way to thank for this picture!)

(Source: email forwards.)

I have bad news for the bottom two bunnies. I think I'll let them remain oblivious for now. Ignorance is, after all, bliss.

Pictures from Sunday

2010-03-23T15:01:00.005-04:00

... continued from here from Charlotte's baptism:

Didn't I say she's adorable? But I have to say, she looks much bigger in pictures than in real life. Especially the last one :)