Hasta Luego 2006

So that's it, only 2 hours to go, and what a years it has been. Loads of good things, loads of bad things, and amazingly I am still here.

As a quick recap lets go over the good - the bad are too depressing -

I started the year out with a trip to Europe (my annual). I visited with many goood friends, shopped, almost died of pneumonia (not really), visited Scotland, stayed in very posh hotels, took the chunnel train, revisited my old stomping grounds of Valence, and saw the sights - a good trip indeed. Then it was graduation time and I bid Adieu to good old Scam U - that was bloody brillant! Afterwards I bought a car, rented my first apartment, shopped at Ikea A LOT, got a new job, made some new friends, turned 25 (great party), started my land admin courses, and voila - that is it folks.

Let's hope 2007 is actually better than this year.

In other news to round off my year end movie a thon, today was Last Holiday, which was uplifting and cute, and just now Closer, which was horrid and depressing, I do not recommend it at all. A truly awful movie I say.

PS - my brekkie this a.m. was fantastic, I do highly recommend that recipe, I might even have it again tomorrow.

Yummy!

MMMMM, this is what I am going to make for brekkie tomorrow, I am sooo looking forward to it, me and the Bolivers, should be quite the party.

PS - I went to Ikea today after Job #2 and I did NOT purchase one thing, are you proud of me? Personally I am stunned.....I didn't think I had it in me....actually it was mainly because I have pretty much no money and the thing I really wanted (I say really wanted because I basically want everything in that store) was $329....too bad, I still think I should get a job there though - which would make it job #3, unless you count house-sitting then of course it would be job #4, but whatever.

PPS - I also absolutely adore the Bombay Company, that is my upgrade from Ikea when I can afford it...in like 10 years...I will eventually have the Herning bed, I promise I will....

Cheesecakelets Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson
Show: Nigella Feasts
Episode: Breakfast All Hours

Serving suggestion:
2 cups strawberries, chopped into quarters
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar
3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon best-quality vanilla extract
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup all-purpose flour


Put the strawberries into a bowl and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir before covering with plastic wrap and leaving to steep while you make the cheesecakelets.

Mix the egg yolks with the sugar, beating well. Add the vanilla, cottage cheese, and flour. Then, in another bowl, whisk the whites until frothy with a hand whisk and fold into the cottage cheese mixture.
Heat a smooth griddle or nonstick skillet and dollop the batter onto it make cakelets of about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Each cheesecakelet will take a minute or so to firm up underneath, then you should flip it and cook the other side, and remove to a warmed plate when ready.

Turn the strawberries in the ruby syrup they've made and squish some pieces with a fork at the same time. Serve with the hot cheesecakelets.

Where in the World

Here we go again, let's see if you guys can figure this one out sans clues....it isn't that hard I hope!

Yeah right

Apparently this is my "model horoscope" as published by Elle magazine. I'm really not sure if it actually applies to my situation....you be the judge...

Virgo
(Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

"I am most passionate about my music -- I am totally consumed by it." -- Tasha Tilberg, August 26

Since 1994, you've been polishing your skills at dealing with the external world. At the beginning of the millennium, you either graduated or reached the culmination of something important to you. At this point in your life, you're looking at a two-year window where you will lighten your load and streamline your possessions. Get ready to give away, sell or turf whatever you no longer need or use -- this applies not only to your possessions but also to people in your life and your attitudes and beliefs. This is a major overhaul. Fortunately, this year will bring you the best support and base of operations to do this. Your sources of joy and happiness will be home, family and domestic issues. It's also a wonderful year for real estate. Some of you will expand your family through marriage or children. Without question, relationships with family members will be more joyful and mutually generous than usual.
Your Virgo mantra "My home and my family are my treasures."

And if I feel like I'm going to faint I eat a cube of cheese....

I have become quite the movie buff as of late, I usually watch at least one per day and sometimes if I am feeling quite saucy I watch 2!

Boxing Day I re-watched The Devil Wears Prada as neither Rachel nor Rob had seen it, and I love it, it makes me feel both inadequately dressed and like I might have some potential, plus it is just too cute. Last night however I watched one movie that is uber famous and I am embarrassed to admit that I have never seen it, in fact I believe that I was at one point berated for not having seen it, anyhoo it was An Affair to Remember, with Carey Grant (LOVE HIM!) and Deborah Kerr (she's okay). Upon further research I found out that my new crush Carey stopped making movies as early as 1966 - what a shame!

So now, as per Rachel and my conversation I need to have several movie marathons - one for Carey, one for Gerard Butler and I've just decided one to be devoted to old classics that I must see, or that I love.....but they have to be classics....

So, any suggestions for my classics marathon?

PS - Rachel your damn delicious chocolate is driving me crazy, and that plaid box, I freakin' love it!!!!!

The return to work

As I sit at my desk wondering wow it came to be wednesday already I am reminded that I never did post the answer to last week's Where in the world....it is in fact Edinburgh Castle as Rob guessed - bravo to you! More baked goods to come....and for those of you to whom I owe baked goods, be sure that I am at a new house for housesitting today - one without 3 digsutingly smelly big dogs who are not housetrained despite what the owner tells me and whose front door does NOT lock automatically.....funny story that one is....why would anyone think that this is a good idea?? Anyways, back to the baked goods, I am going to whip up something in the nest few days so if you have any requests let me know, K and B that goes for you two especially.....

As a quick recap of my holiday experience I ate a lot, lots more than planned, watched numerous movies, made an airport run at 5 am christmas morning, ate jesus cake, sang carols at church (my yearly visit) and slept in every day.....

Nothing big to come this week, I think, I do however have to read an entire text book for my wednesday class that starts next week, so perhaps I should get going on that...hmmmm, we'll see.

Anyhoo, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noël, Happy Hanukkah, etc etc

Where in the world?

So Dec 21 came and went, and I'm still here, however, the day was quite eventful- ate a yummy prime rib dinner to cheer up, broke into housesitting house after front door closes and I realize that this front door is special and it locks automatically.....whose idea was that????? Anyhoo all in all it was a decent day - date notwithstanding...



But I digress, back to the friday festivities....



Can anyone figure out where this is - no clues this time.....and NO CHEATING!

Love Actually

I had such a nice time last night at the Love Actually Party Chez Eleni..... Yummy food, great company and a killer movie!- Plus Tim Tam's - eaten of course with the middles all melty and gooey! If you don't understand the Tim Tam reference, then I highly suggest that you come visit me asap and I shall pour you a hot drink of your choice and teach you the Tim Tam Slam.

Anyhoo back to the movie...I really do love this movie. It is a great christmas movie, very uplifting - for the most part - the Laura Linney story is a bit sad, as is the Emma Thompson one...but other than that it is very cute. I can't decide what my fav storyline is - I like the Liam Nesson one because a) he is gorgeous, b) he is an awesome actor and c) that kid thas the cutest eyeballs! The Hugh Grant one is wonderful as well - and Martine McCutcheon is very adorable and I just love Hugh. Not to mention our loveable Mr. Darcy who happened to adopt a differnt name for this film....Jamie!

Do you remember the part at both the beginning and the end where they show people re-uniting after flights at Heathrow? It made me think of the last time I flew somewhere / traveled somewhere where someone was super happy to see me when I emerged at the arrivals level. A nice feeling I think.

On a unrelated note, the cute Korean couple that run the deli in the lobby gave me the sweetest little present this morning - a tiny little stocking with a mouse in it taped to a candy cane for Christmas and a gold coin for New Years - they are so cute!

Memories

Today's post courtesy of my iPod...no really....listening to my songs on the way to work made me remember all sorts of people and places....and I shall name them, and their songs!

Kylie Minogue - Can't get you out of my mind - Snoop
Kiss - I was made for loving you - Europe '02 (plus a whole host of other songs)
No Doubt - Spiderwebs - Jen M in her room singing loudly
Garbage - anything really - Jen from Foods class
Fergie - Fergilicious - Miss KQ also singling loudly on our way to class
Blur - Boys and Girls - Kari D dancing around her living room, (also I like to move it)
Star Ac 3 - L'orange du marchand - chillin in Caen Christmas '03 with Cam
Barbie Girl - Jon, MacLeod, and Cam at Spagucci's
Spice Girls - Jon
Marilyn Manson -Beautiful People - Adam and Cam and Jen in Adam's car
Hawksley Workman - Striptease - Maya and I sitting up all night in France preparing for Christmas
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band -Fishing in the Dark- driving 13 hours to Lac L'orange in N. Sask
The Beach Boys - Mom, of course!
Black Eyed Peas - Hey Mama - dancing around in my room in France
Lou Bega - Mambo #5 - my kids in Switzerland singing all the wrong words
Live - Chillin' with Steve and Gord
Outkast - Hey Ya - Mohammed singing all sorts of verb strings in the Kitchen in France
Herbie - Right type of Mood - Dance party driving to Edmonton w/ MacLeod
Rancid - Hanging out with Steve and Gord
Anything from Grease - My little sis Amy
Anything cowboy - My big sis Sarah
Wham - Wake me up before you go-go - driving with the family to the Okanagan in the summer time

I know I missed some, oops! Let me know if you can think of anything else....

Never stopped...

I know I say this every monday but I cannot believe that the weekend is over....this weeekend however was exceptionally busy..friday I worked then headed out on foot down the street to Shoppers in kensington, and then across the road to the Vientamese place because I had been craving it for like 3 days....and then I walked home, devoured my vietnamese and then had some unexpected visitors - Miss KQ and her friend Megan who had decided that the evening was not complete until we all had some gelato...mmmm - egg nog flavoured gelato!

Saturday I worked again (job #2 this time) and then did some super quick christmas shopping and then ran home to get ready for the Job # 2 Christmas party - which turned out to be really fun. We went to the Cookbook Company and all made our meal - Cam and I had the Butternut Squash Soup, it was delicious! Something like 8 courses later we were stuffed, plus all the wine to with all the 8 courses and we were spent...headed home to sleep and was awakened by a frantic Heather at 5 am....

It seems as though we were experiencing some bathroom troubles all over the floor.,..that compounded with the fact that we didn't own a plunger and we ran out of towels...made for quite the mess, and poor Heather had to run off to work at 5 am.....so when I finally woke up for te 2nd time that morning (@ 9:30) with a killer headache from all the wine, I slowly made my way to Starbucks to see Heather, get a coffee, navigate my way through Home Depot, get home, fix the problem, decided I need to geta mop, go and buy a mop and the strongest cleaning liquid I can find, mop up the bathroom, disinfect the whole room - twice, wash the kitchen and hallway floor, gather all the recycling up (it was a mountain let me tell you) get my laundry together and head out to drop off recycling / do my laundry / do more christmas/ grocery shopping.....I didn't get home until 8:00 - I was more than spent....

Tonight is much the same, I have to get vaccinated and wrap presents so I won't be home until 8ish I think and I work twice tuesday plus Love Actually party chez Eleni...wow, I need a break I think.


PS - for a much funnier rendition of what happened chez Linda and Heather, check out Heather's Blog

Cheese it!

So here's the big news we've all been waiting for....I am off to Tunisia!

In march I will fly off to montreal, then to Paris, Casablanca and finally landing in Tunis before I trek 500 km into the Norhtern Sahara desert to a town called Nefta. We (the VOSH volunteer group) will set up our clinic and do as many eye exams and dispense as many glasses as we can. Afterwards we might have time for a tour of the country, which would be awesome...so I am hoping I can make it to Carthage and the coast....

I thought it was time for my annual leave from Canada...wonder where I will go in 2008? Scotland perhaps..

PS - Nefta is on the left, halfway down near the palm trees and huge salt lake...

Where in the world....

Okay, I know it is really a friday thing, but I can't wait another day.....plus, this one should be a real toughie....I really don't expect anyone to get it....however, having said that those of you who may know because I might have told you something are not allowed to guess.....maybe I'll do another one tomorrow to make up for it...

Oh, and here's a hint, one of - or maybe many Star Wars were filmed here, as well as The English Patient..... (well, not at this photo's locale....I'm just looking for the country...)

Well she told me!

So I was at job # 2 last night, working, doing my thing, and this family comes in to have their eyes checked - parents and 3 girls, 8,6 and a baby. The two older girls were quite cute, drawing pictures for us and telling us about their tamagochi things. Anyhoo, the oldest gave me a picture of a beach scene and she was telling me that I should make it bigger and cover the window in my bedroom with it so I couldn't see the snow (good idea!), then i could turn the temperature up in my house and it would feel tropical.....so this went on for a bit and then she tells me that I could redecorate my entire room, paint the walls with flowers and the like, but then she tells me - "and your husband can do the same in his room!" to which I replied, "oh, I don't have a husband..." and then - I swear - she looks at me with a look of pity in her eyes...

"oh, you're single, that must be a lonely life...."

Great, now I have 8 year olds telling me that my life is pathetic, nice!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Tavalodet Mobarak!

Dear Snoop, I hope you have a super wonderful exciting 25th!!!!!!

Love, Me!

Ah Jeez!

Ugh, I was driving to work this morning listening to Vibe and they are starting this promotion where they give people what they want for christmas....the first one they decide to read is an email from this guy who wanted to propose to his girlfriend but couldn't buy an engagement ring. It was quite nice that the morning show decided to help him, but then they asked him to propose on the radio! So he went into another room, called his girlfriend from his cell - to her cell and propsed over the radio! She just woke up, he didn't have anything nice to say about how much he loves her etc....BUT IT WAS OVER THE RADIO! Hoenstly, she has to tell this story over and over again, brutal! I was almost screaming - no don't do it on the radio....but alas, he did, and I was mortified for her.

Anyhoo, that is my rant for the day.....

Where to start...

Wow, I have had quite the weekend.
Friday night I arrived at Denise's with a delicious bag of vietnamese...mmmmm...and we started our marathon of The Bucaneers....another 5 hour long BBC video. It was good, not the best we've seen, but quite good. During our marathon movie we got down to work creating 55 different christmas bags for all her piano students......tying yoyo strings, curling endless ribbons, fun stuff! I made it home just shy of 1 am, jumped into bed and had a lovely sleep.

Saturday was fun, work was okay, nothing to note, except that for the last hour and a half I seemed to chat non stop, Rachel stopped by....we planned numerous parties for over the holida y season, games nights and the like....very good - also Miss Cynthia stopped by for our sleepover weekend! After work, we raced home, raced to Chinook - parked in between two huge trucks, good thing I have a teeny little car!, met with Jackie, ate yummy food, shopped at my favourite expensive (as in Ikea isn't in this category...) store- The Bombay Company.... and caught the early show of The Holiday. It was great, such a cute movie, At parts I could really connect with the character played by Kate Winslet (Iris) and of course now have a new crush on Jude Law and Jack Black.....such lovely boys! Afterwards more shopping, this time prego clothes - so cute! and home for a yummy snack of Minces aux Legumes, brie, and activia, plus a hilarious conversation with Heather after she got home from her christmas party - soooo funny!

Bright and early sunday morning Cynthia and I zipped down to Ikea for some $1 breakfast and some more shopping, and you would all be proud of me, I only bought one basket......yeah for me! But I did feel sooo sad that I left all sorts of great things behind...sniff sniff...... Then we headed for Westhills and some more shopping, a coffee and off to Gale's for our serving debut at her annual open house. We basically felt like servants, taking coats, passing around hors d'oeuvres, cleaning up blah blah blah, we made nice money, but I am not a fan of serving fancy types and feeling like an idiot, thank goodness Cynthia was there to chat away the 4 hours - really, thank goodness..... and alas the Cynthia and Linda weekend of fun is over, she is on her way back to the hat, and I am off to games night at the Bowman's..... have a good sunday!

Night!

Where in the world?

Remember that game show, where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? I do, and I loved it...especially the part at the end of the show where the kids got to race around and put those blinking pole things on different countries on the map...fun times I tell ya.


Anyhoo, the point of this is to bring a little bit of that game show here to my blog. So for today I will ask this question...where in the world is this picture from? The first person to get it correct will get,uhhhhhh - some home baking from me! Scones perhaps......

It's in you to give...

Or for them to jab with all their might at your tiny little vein and then forget about you while the BP cuff is squeezing the life out of your arm.......as you can guess I went - as I affectionately call it - to get my blood drained...

I arrived hoping and praying that my iron was high enough no to get rejected this time....and after 2 different tests I finally passed. But my question is - why the heck is my iron low? I haven't been doing anything really different these days...whatever.

Back to the story...I was called into the little room with the nurse where she asked me all sorts of extremely personal questions - but that is their job so meh. Anyhoo, I was taken to the clinic and hopped on the lounger then the aforementioned nurse proceeded to put on the bp cuff and seriously hurt me as she put the needle in and and the stand there and chat with the other nurses about hairdressers......and forget about my arm! My fingers started to turn a dark colour (remember I am the whitest non albino...) and started to turn numb....so I kind of interupted their conversation and she looked at me kind of startled -"oh, right, just one moment I'll just collect some samples and I'll take that pressure right off for you.." she did, but my fingers stayed numb the whole time...towards the end of the ordeal another nurse came over to take the needle out of my arm, but I was feeling quite woozy here and obviously I had turned a shade or two greyer than I was at the beginning so I had 4 or 5 nurses come running over to me with fans, cold cloths, apple juice (my fav), massaging my arm and fingers, basically fussing over me for almost a half an hour. Then when I was feeling better one of my nurses walked me over to the cookie station where I was plied with many cookies and more juice....mmmmm - this is the real reason I donate - for the cookies.

Now I feel like I am somewhat of a reasoned vet when it come to getting blood taken, I get bloodtests done more than the average person, but holy crap, she put her weight into it....

Oh well, afterwards I got to zip over to grandmas for tea and some girl talk - I just love my grandma - she freakin' rules.... and then to bed early (for once..) and that was my day....

Moving on up...

Changed desks today..new location is crappier than my last desk..I'm right in line with front door of our office, but at least the people in this department are nicer (no dragon lady..or chatter box- however she was quite nice), and at least I do NOT have to sit next to the boss' wife - that is a huge relief. Yesterday there was talk about me sitting beside her - thank god that didn't happen though!

Spent all day doing practically nothing, training on the new system being implemented in a few days and pulled loads of title off the landtitles website - easy stuff I tell ya!

Last night on an impulse (and a bit of a sverve off of deerfoot...) I ran into Ikea with 10 minutes to closing - but as I explained to Cam, I know where everything is in Ikea, we can be finished in 5 minutes (and we were!). In the end I bought 2 more rugs for my room (the floor is like ice), some bamboo for Heather, and a bedsheet - then ran home to watch the end of the Flames game - which of course we won...Mikka and Iggy are Hockey Gods! And then a run home to set up my new room and watch the victoria secret fashion show.

Did you see it??? If you did you would have seen the PLAID section!!!! A Highland Romance they called it! I was flabbergasted! Did I not say how cool plaid was????? I love it! But despite the plaid, I did start to feel quite depressed about not having the body of the models....but then again I'm not 5'10" and 120 lbs....I'm barely 5'7"..oh well, maybe in a different life.

In any case I have been told that I have forgotten to mention a few things that happened in the past:

• Six White Boomers is an awesome christmas carol - especially when I can sing along loudly in the car.
• After being invited out to watch the Flames game one night I was ceremoniously asked to pay off a certain someone's gambling debt.....

What was the other thing B?

A nice change

I am getting quite creeped out by this traffic business these past 2 days. It seems like there is no one on the road, seriously - before work traffic is excellent, after work when 14th is a gong show and crowchild is a huge mess...there is no one, I almost never have to brake. This is very very weird. Something is going on, but honestly I am just going to hope and pray that it continues.

In other news I love this weather....tomorrow is +2, thursday +11, friday +10, saturday +9...despite the slush and dirt, I am soooo pleased, a welcome change from the near -40 degree temps we have been experiencing lately.

Keep it up weather, keep it up!

One more quick thing...I am just watching ET Canada and I would have thought that honestly they would have got this right, but they just announced that Nickelback - those west coast boys...win big in Vegas...WEST COAST??????? WTF, aren't they from HANNA ALBERTA? Last time I checked we are NOT sporting a coastline....ridiculous!

Funny Stuff

I just found this on the overheard at the office website....funny stuff....I just wish I could get away with it (the horse puppet that is)...

11AM Yeah, Tell Him We Canceled Favorite Animal Friday

Coworker leaning on office door: Hey, have you seen John*?

Horse puppet appears peeking from under John's desk.

Horse puppet: John's not here right now. Can I take a message?
Coworker, slowly backing out of office: Uh...

8700 NW River Park Drive
Parkville, Missouri

Overheard by: Hapless intern

Also, I'm not sure what this means....

3PM At a Quarter-Million Square Miles, He's a Very Big Boy

Proud, jorts-wearing papa: Eric* is looking more like a Saskatchewan every day, with his big feet and all that hair.

Conrad Sauer Drive
Houston, Texas



This is awesome....

12PM Waistline: It's the Cheesesteaks

Harvard MBA student: So, are you flying back tonight? What airport are you flying into? New York?
Suit: Why would we fly to New York? We're from Philadelphia.
Harvard MBA student: I didn't know Philadelphia had an airport.
Suit: It's the fifth-largest city in the U.S., of course it has an airport.
Harvard MBA student: Largest city? Based on what?
Suit: Uh, population...


Harvard, Massachusetts

Overheard by: Not hiring any MBAs

This one takes the cake....

11AM For Emily Five, Wherever I May Find Her

Boss: Thank god for Emily Five!
Coworker: What?
Boss: Thank god for Emily Five!
Coworker: Huh?
Boss: You know -- the whole London terror plot thing.
Coworker: You mean, 'MI5'?
Boss: Whatever... thank god they were there to make sure we're safe.

1400 16th Street
NW Washington, DC

Overheard by: Neena

Posh and Becks

I'm pretty sure that we all know that my very fav celebrity couple is Posh and Becks - so whne I read this entry of Go Fug yourself, I couldn't help but giggle quite a bit to myself....

PS - the drive to work today was wonderful....over the weekend something magical must have happened to the crowchild / glenmore / 14th area - I can't remember it running so smoothly...

What a weekend!

What a weekend indeed!

I spent the weekend being plied with cup of tea after cup of tea, and of course grandma's cooking - nevermind I was there to take care of her! No really, it was very very nice to spend the weekend with my grandma - I love hanging out with her, she has such great stories and amazing experiences. To make the most of our time together we went out for dinner last night, to a cute little family owned restaurant, and then today with curlers in her hair we went for special London Fog teas.....she loved it!

Tomorrow I am back to work, boo-urns! But at least I bought new slippers to make me feel happier - I love slippers, especially since my floors are like ice...I should really call my landlord on that one...

In any case I am very content tonight, in fact I've decided that I desperately need to get away from Canada - I've been in the country waaaaaay too long for my liking. My thought is that I want to go on a scottish walking tour. I found one that goes from Fort William to Inverness - how Outlander! My new problem is that I need a walking partner...who's game?

HOT DAMN #2!!!!!!!

Congrats KQ - you are my hero!!!!!!!

Be Still and Know

I had truly forgotten how much I love going out for an evening of entertainment. Jen (from job#2) and I attended the christmas concert of our co-worker Jackie. She sings in the choir of the Rocky Mountain College and they put on a spectacular show. The orchestra was amazing, the singing was absolutely fantastic - it even gave me shivers...now I'm winding down, sitting by the tree, eating waffles for dinner and having a lovely cup of tea... what I really should do is go to bed and actually get a decent amount of sleep for once. But that wouldn't be fun now would it?

Oh, almost forgot....I got my car back!! Yeah!!!! - best part is I didn't have to return my rental car back to Aldo the creepy rental car guy.....

I can't help but think I was going to write something......meh, it's gone - night!