Went for brunch with a friend, to Wally world for a few items and then home to relax. So that's what we're all doing.
Now I'm going to relax out on the deck because we've got another weather watch in effect. I'd best enjoy it now!
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Day 3 - Lazy Sunday
Up early this morning to feed the cats. My daughter D was caring for her friend's wee boy last evening and poor Sasha wouldn't come out to be fed. As a result he started pestering me early this morning. At first, I tried to ignore him but somewhere in the sleepy brain of mine came the realization that he was probably starving very hungry.
Went for brunch with a friend, to Wally world for a few items and then home to relax. So that's what we're all doing.
Saku is so good cute when he's sleeping!
Sasha relaxing in his bed
Silas chilling on the coffee table - maybe the glass is cool?
Couldn't get one of Sami sleeping under the loveseat, so here she is hanging out on the back of the chair.
Now I'm going to relax out on the deck because we've got another weather watch in effect. I'd best enjoy it now!
Went for brunch with a friend, to Wally world for a few items and then home to relax. So that's what we're all doing.
Now I'm going to relax out on the deck because we've got another weather watch in effect. I'd best enjoy it now!
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Day 2
I meant to get to bed early last night but shortly after I crawled into bed, I heard the wind pick up, and quickly realized a storm was blowing in. I called to my son C to come upstairs to watch it with me. It was raining so hard, I could barely see across the street, and there sheets of rain coming in sideways. The lightning was brilliant flashing across the sky and lighting up the night. At a few points, it even colored the sky, orange, green, or blue. I've never seen that happen so had to google it!
This article explains that the colors are created by high altitude lightning that flare above the clouds at the same time as lightning discharges in the cloud. I wish I had thought to take some pictures but probably could not have been quick enough with my little digital camera.
After all of the excitement last night, I went to bed and crashed within minutes. Sasha tried to wake me at 6 a.m. but I ignored him and they all let me sleep until nearly 8:30. I spent much of the day outside on the deck or hanging out in the sunroom. Despite my lazy attitude I managed to get a couple of loads of laundry done, vacuumed the main floor, made potato salad, and cleaned cat litter (not in that order!).
I even started crocheting an afghan. It's been years since I've done any kind of knitting or crocheting and at first I couldn't recall the stitches. Luckily the book has pictures and once I got started it came back easily. It's funny how our memory works, even though my mind was uncertain, my hands seemed to know what to do.
Here's the start of it beside the pattern, hopefully it won't be too long before my efforts look similar!
This article explains that the colors are created by high altitude lightning that flare above the clouds at the same time as lightning discharges in the cloud. I wish I had thought to take some pictures but probably could not have been quick enough with my little digital camera.
After all of the excitement last night, I went to bed and crashed within minutes. Sasha tried to wake me at 6 a.m. but I ignored him and they all let me sleep until nearly 8:30. I spent much of the day outside on the deck or hanging out in the sunroom. Despite my lazy attitude I managed to get a couple of loads of laundry done, vacuumed the main floor, made potato salad, and cleaned cat litter (not in that order!).
I even started crocheting an afghan. It's been years since I've done any kind of knitting or crocheting and at first I couldn't recall the stitches. Luckily the book has pictures and once I got started it came back easily. It's funny how our memory works, even though my mind was uncertain, my hands seemed to know what to do.
Here's the start of it beside the pattern, hopefully it won't be too long before my efforts look similar!
Friday, 29 July 2011
Start of a long weekend
The cats woke me up early this morning, wanting to be fed, as usual. I had thought I'd sleep in since today is the start of a four day weekend. Monday is a statutory holiday and I took today as an earned day off. I had some errands to run this morning anyway so decided sleeping in could wait until tomorrow (hopefully).
I went downtown to renew my passport. Since this is usually a lengthy process I made sure I put enough money in the meter for a couple of hours. It was a pleasant surprise when I was able to get in and through the line up in less than 20 minutes. Someone else got a nice surprise too since my meter still had lots of time on it.
After picking up a few things at Canadian Tire, including a few new plants to replace my wave petunias, I came home to relax outside in the sun. I was reading the local paper when I noticed today was the opening for the new Smurf movie. I've always had a soft spot for the little blue men (and Smurfette), so decided to spend an afternoon chilling in the theatre.
I had fun! The story line is a little weak and the characters aren't overly developed but it is a children's moview after all. With the 3D effects (which I'd never seen before), the few lines that were meant for the adults in the audience, and the giggles from the children around me, it kept me laughing for the entire movie.
Today was a great start to my long weekend!
I went downtown to renew my passport. Since this is usually a lengthy process I made sure I put enough money in the meter for a couple of hours. It was a pleasant surprise when I was able to get in and through the line up in less than 20 minutes. Someone else got a nice surprise too since my meter still had lots of time on it.
After picking up a few things at Canadian Tire, including a few new plants to replace my wave petunias, I came home to relax outside in the sun. I was reading the local paper when I noticed today was the opening for the new Smurf movie. I've always had a soft spot for the little blue men (and Smurfette), so decided to spend an afternoon chilling in the theatre.
I had fun! The story line is a little weak and the characters aren't overly developed but it is a children's moview after all. With the 3D effects (which I'd never seen before), the few lines that were meant for the adults in the audience, and the giggles from the children around me, it kept me laughing for the entire movie.
Today was a great start to my long weekend!
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Thinking of winter
While the air conditioner works to cool down the house, I'm thinking ahead to January. Don't get me wrong, I'm not wishing for winter to arrive anytime soon, it's just I've been busily checking websites for winter vacations. You can never start planning too early, right?
Until today, we'd been torn between two options; either 11 days at an all-inclusive at St. Lucia, or a 10 day Eastern Caribbean cruise with Princess Cruises. We really wanted to get to St. Lucia, because my friend K has never been there, and since she's so well travelled it's hard to find many countries she hasn't been too before. Both options put us in St. Lucia although the cruise would only provide one day on the island.
Today, K came up with the most brilliant idea. She suggested we should look at a week in St. Lucia and pair it up with a week long cruise. I did some research and on my first try came up with a fantastic pairing, and even better the entire trip came in a less than our original pricing for 11 days on St. Lucia!
We'll fly out of Miami to St. Lucia for seven days at Bay Gardens Inn in mid-January. While it's not an all-inclusive, neither of us care to drink a lot, and there is a fridge in each room to keep some fruit, milk and cold drinks. This hotel is part of a group of three hotels, including the Bay Gardens Resort and we'll be given access to the beach at the resort. From what I've read in Tripadvisor it's a mere 15-20 minute walk away, or a short shuttle ride.
After a relaxing week on the beach, it's back to Miami overnight, and a short trip over to the port in Fort Lauderdale to board the Crown Princess. From there we'll spend seven days cruising the Western Caribbean with stops in Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel. After the cruise we'll head back to the cold and snow...brrr.
Ain't life grand?
Until today, we'd been torn between two options; either 11 days at an all-inclusive at St. Lucia, or a 10 day Eastern Caribbean cruise with Princess Cruises. We really wanted to get to St. Lucia, because my friend K has never been there, and since she's so well travelled it's hard to find many countries she hasn't been too before. Both options put us in St. Lucia although the cruise would only provide one day on the island.
Today, K came up with the most brilliant idea. She suggested we should look at a week in St. Lucia and pair it up with a week long cruise. I did some research and on my first try came up with a fantastic pairing, and even better the entire trip came in a less than our original pricing for 11 days on St. Lucia!
We'll fly out of Miami to St. Lucia for seven days at Bay Gardens Inn in mid-January. While it's not an all-inclusive, neither of us care to drink a lot, and there is a fridge in each room to keep some fruit, milk and cold drinks. This hotel is part of a group of three hotels, including the Bay Gardens Resort and we'll be given access to the beach at the resort. From what I've read in Tripadvisor it's a mere 15-20 minute walk away, or a short shuttle ride.
After a relaxing week on the beach, it's back to Miami overnight, and a short trip over to the port in Fort Lauderdale to board the Crown Princess. From there we'll spend seven days cruising the Western Caribbean with stops in Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel. After the cruise we'll head back to the cold and snow...brrr.
Ain't life grand?
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
The more things change, the more life changes
I was looking back at some of my earlier posts, both from an editorial perspective and to refresh my poor memory on the topics I'd dealt with previously. Menopause memory truly sucks!
I was laughing a little at my post of May 29 (which if I knew how to create a link I would). I was writing about the impact of depression on my life, and how it creates the need to create change in my life. With the benefit of hindsight, over the last few weeks there have been changes in my life, most positive, and each one has created a new opportunity for me.
The first change in my life was creating this blog. I had no idea whether anyone would ever read what I wrote, and yet I was hopeful someone might. Well, not only do the statistics show that there are views almost on a daily basis, I actually have two followers! Thank you both, it's so nice to know I'm not talking only to myself.
My work is changing as well, not only have I been asked to coordinate this newest project, but it appears the composition of my team will change soon as well. Three of my staff are currently involved in a competition which may take one of them to another area in the office while another individual has been assigned to my group for the duration of the project. And still another staff member, although he won't know about it until tomorrow, will be given an opportunity to move to a different section.
The thing about change is that it is constant. In the moment, it's not to see but looking back provides a new perspective.
I was laughing a little at my post of May 29 (which if I knew how to create a link I would). I was writing about the impact of depression on my life, and how it creates the need to create change in my life. With the benefit of hindsight, over the last few weeks there have been changes in my life, most positive, and each one has created a new opportunity for me.
The first change in my life was creating this blog. I had no idea whether anyone would ever read what I wrote, and yet I was hopeful someone might. Well, not only do the statistics show that there are views almost on a daily basis, I actually have two followers! Thank you both, it's so nice to know I'm not talking only to myself.
My work is changing as well, not only have I been asked to coordinate this newest project, but it appears the composition of my team will change soon as well. Three of my staff are currently involved in a competition which may take one of them to another area in the office while another individual has been assigned to my group for the duration of the project. And still another staff member, although he won't know about it until tomorrow, will be given an opportunity to move to a different section.
The thing about change is that it is constant. In the moment, it's not to see but looking back provides a new perspective.
Monday, 25 July 2011
A good kind of tired
Last night was another rough night. I tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable cooler spot in the bed without disturbing the cats. Why do I care? Because from their perspective, if I'm awake, it must be feeding time at the zoo. So I'm very careful, sliding one leg at a time out from under the covers, and arranging the blanket so no one has to move. I'm sure to an outside observer it would be hilarious to watch.
Although I sleep with a fan on, take my herbal pills, the night sweats are annoying. Thus far, I haven't had to change sheets but it isn't unusual for me to tear of my nightgown and fan it in the air. Again, probably humourous to watch, but not great to live with.
As a result I went to work feeling tired and a little out of sorts. With so many of my staff away on holidays I thought it would be a quiet day with few tasks to keep me busy. Boy was I wrong! Last week I agreed to help out another manager by gathering information for a project. Then while I was off on Friday our office received word we'd been granted funding for another project. Our management group decided it would be my responsibilty to coordinate and monitor the project through it's completion. As is often the case, the information provided is limited and we'll learn as we go. I know I'll be working with some great people so I'm sure we'll meet the challenge!
Then there were the normal Monday issues, answering messages, reading and responding to e-mails, reviewing timesheets, and weekly meetings with staff. I came home exhausted though I hadn't even noticed feeling tired all day. When I look back I see a lot was accomplished, the work was interesting and challenging and I have more to keep me busy tomorrow. I might be tired but I feel great!
Although I sleep with a fan on, take my herbal pills, the night sweats are annoying. Thus far, I haven't had to change sheets but it isn't unusual for me to tear of my nightgown and fan it in the air. Again, probably humourous to watch, but not great to live with.
As a result I went to work feeling tired and a little out of sorts. With so many of my staff away on holidays I thought it would be a quiet day with few tasks to keep me busy. Boy was I wrong! Last week I agreed to help out another manager by gathering information for a project. Then while I was off on Friday our office received word we'd been granted funding for another project. Our management group decided it would be my responsibilty to coordinate and monitor the project through it's completion. As is often the case, the information provided is limited and we'll learn as we go. I know I'll be working with some great people so I'm sure we'll meet the challenge!
Then there were the normal Monday issues, answering messages, reading and responding to e-mails, reviewing timesheets, and weekly meetings with staff. I came home exhausted though I hadn't even noticed feeling tired all day. When I look back I see a lot was accomplished, the work was interesting and challenging and I have more to keep me busy tomorrow. I might be tired but I feel great!
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