Sunday, April 29, 2007

A thought

Tonight, whilst lounging in my new super hot jeans I was watching bits of the Lord of the Rings movie... not sure which one, but one of them, and anyways Liv Tyler is of course in these movies and her appearnace started a train of thought through my brain - let me enlighten you...
  1. Saw Liv Tyler
  2. Made me think of Steven Tyler
  3. Made me think of songs by Aerosmith
  4. Made me think of songs by Aerosmith and movies in which Liv Tyler appears
  5. Made me think of Armageddon
  6. Made me think of scene in said movie in which Space ship and Space station blow up in spectacluar explosion complete with fireballs
  7. Made me think that fire requires oxygen to be possible
  8. Remembered that there is no - or maybe very very little - oxygen in space
So, maybe I'm ridiculous, but maybe someone who is a little bit more into the space knowhow can clear this up for me.... how on earth (well, I guess how in space....hahaha) can a space station and space ship blow up with explosions and fireballs if there is no oxygen in space?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To my lovely, cake decorating, glasses adjusting, outlander reading friend Jen.... Happy Birthday to you, hope your day was wonderful!


Shop-o-rama

Yesterday Eleni and I participated, on what I can only describe as a shop-o-rama. After Job #2, we met up at Chinook and walked, and shopped, and walked, and shopped. I am not a big shopper, I think we all know that, but yesterday we did a marathon. I guess because it wasn't mindless shopping but rather we were on a mission. I had to get some new stuff for Montreal, and Eleni and I really had to spend some quality time together.

In the end, we did find everything I needed, including JEANS! Yes, jeans, and I made a new friend for life - Duane at the Gap, love him, found me awesome jeans, and in a size smaller than I thought I would wear...lovely guy that Duane! We also made a stop at Spring (aka Transit) for some adorable black wedge heels, and a cute of the shoulder black shirt from Jacob. We also spent endless amounts of time looking for a damn plum coloured cardigan.... we never did find it, but we did have a good time asking shop people if they had any.... One girl, she was priceless, after we asked, she basically stared at us, tilted her head and asked " ummmm, can you describe it to me???" Quite, the scholar I can assure you..... We did end up with a dark lilac coloured cardigan, after some pretty funny sizing malfunctions (ps, medium, large and extra large all are the same size.... go figure)

Afterwards we fell into our chairs at Moxies, devoured our deliciouse Tandoori Salmon Salad - sooooo yummy - and popped over to the Comesy club to end out Linda and Eleni's day of fun! Comics were alright, the MC was decent, the second guy was pretty weak, but the Headliner made me laugh... the company wasn't half bad either!

When I got home, I played dressup for a while, I won't lie, it was fun... and finally went to bed, only to wake up at 11 am this morning, apparently I was quite tired.

PS - Whilst shopping around in Zara, I ran into a lovely suprise.... Snoop!!!! How awesome... plus she was with her mom and sister....Best shopping day ever, love you oodles snoop!

Friday, April 27, 2007

The Return of Where in the World

Alright friends, here we go.... inspired by my facebook conversations....

Thursday, April 26, 2007

I know I know, I got totally sucked in...

SO Facebook, yep, that's the big new thing.... and I totally got sucked into it. I did find oodles of people I went to elementary school with, which was great - it is so nice to see all my old friends... but really, it is quite addicting and I am kinda mad at myself for joining, but at the same time happy... what the hell is wrong with me?

In other news, I am leaving for Montreal in 1 week.... awesome. I can't wait. I haven't been to Montreal in like 6 years, well that's not true, I was there right before I left for Tunisia, for a few hours.. and I did have great fun, but, this time I get to spend more than a few hours and I have 2.5 days to chill, go (i know, i know, Linda in the clubs - well yes in cities other than Calgary I do go out).... Plus I was promised a dance by Carlos, if I made it back to Montreal, and voila, I'll be there conveniently enough for a friday and a saturday night. So, I'll be getting up bright and early to catch a plane to the east and sipping lattes in my fav Quebec city by friday afternoon....

Tomorrow is KQ's farewell lunch... ordered in from Earls... I'm having the chicken and brie sandwich (w/ apples and fig jam), and I've been looking forward to it for days...

But, back to my smallville I guess

Monday, April 23, 2007

Evolution of Dance

Funny Stuff

A Juice adventure

People who are miserable make me very annoyed. If you are miserable, please do not take it out on me. I am in no way part of your misery, I did not make you create the situation you are in... you did that all by yourself.... If you are wondering exactly what I am talking about, let me tell you.... I popped by my local Jugo Juice to get some wheatgrass juice as the one at Southcentre was out of comission (the juicing machine that is ) and the one at Glenmore Landing was somehow closed for today only, and anyways I asked for a shot of juice and got this, what I can only describe as a death glare... apparently she didn't want to make me some - even though it is her job.... the other lady who worked there (probably the owner) stepped in, smiled at me and politely asked me single or double.... but wow, that was uncalled for.

In any case, I shot my wheatgrass, chased it with some fresh pressed AJ, popped my earphones back in my ears and strode out... now, it's back to cleaning up the apartment, and by apartment I mean my room - it's a bloddy disaster.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just got off the phone, got the best news ever. I am officially an Auntie, Auntie Linda I will be called.....

My lovely lovely friend Cynthia and her wonderful husband Aaron just had the first little girl - Samantha..... 4 lbs 7 ounces.......I am so happy it isn't even funny.....

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH!

My thoughts and prayers are with you two! Love you both.

Friday, April 20, 2007

You can put it in the win column....

Hot damn - another win tonight, 3-2.... and Kipper is still a hockey god....

Today was pretty decent - before the game I spent a great deal of time at work. KQ was there before I arrived this morning as I had slept in a wee bit.... but I still got there for 8 - worked and laughed and wrote silly emails in the am, ate lunch at my desk, had a conference with KQ in the kitchen and back to work in the pm. As we had such a huge amount of files to KQ and I decided to stay late, but - we thought we might treat ourselves to some lovely Ikea hotdogs before launching into the evening session of work... so off we went. At 4:30 we jumped into her car, cranked the XM radio channel 9 (the 90's) and sped away down the road towards Ikea. Downed our hotdogs and lingonberry pop, took a quick survey for the Ikea people - for whcih we were richly rewarded with coupons for a free cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun at the cafe during our next visit - jumped back in the car groovin' to some more 90's tunes and arrived back at work fresh for another shift of file processing.

The nice thing was that we were able to find a super cool VH1 90's station on the internet and listened to it until 8 when we thought it might be time to header and leave.

Now, it's 11:00 - I'm thinking to myself that it is time I took out the garbage, cleaned the place up a bit and got my butt into bed. I'm notorious for staying up waaay past my bedtime, and tonight is no exception but I thought it was high time I filled you in on the happenings in my life - which you can see are quite minimal. Basically I wake up, slap some makeup on my face, don appropriate work clothes (today happened to be my beloved Freddie jersey) and jump into the car to go to work. I arrive at work, toast my toast, check my email, sip my coffee, and process files. I eat a bit of lunch and work some more... then I leave work, come home - put my jammies on, make dinner, eat dinner, email some more people, talk on the phone, watch a bit of TV and go to bed. Saturday's I switch it up with a visit to job #2 and Sundays consist mainly of sleeping in, laundry, drinking coffee and reading.

Basically biding my time until I can take off again, or do something spectacularly fun like travel or visit with friends. Anyhoo, that's my life for now.... kinda sucks to get back into it all after a vacation - but somehow I think I'll manage, at least while the Flames are in the playoffs.

Ok, I'm beat I gotta go to bed..... night!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Another Birthday Wish

Obviously I am completly losing my mind.... while I was away I did know it was my other friend's birthday (March 15) but as I was in the land of no computers I couldn't do anything about it... so I thought, well a month (plus) late is better than never.....


PS - Good Luck on your exams chica (aka Ronnalie!)

HAPPY (BELATED - OOOOPS!!) BIRTHDAY

So basically I suck, I totally forgot my darling Cynthia's birthday...... I am brutal!!!!!!


Here we go -
Happy Birthday to you, me dear, sweet, ultra prego friend from down south (aka the Hat). I truly regret that I neglected to post a message to you on such an auspicious occasion as your birthday, and thus have decided to attempt to rectify the situation with this grand gesture.
Love you lots, miss you oodles and hope that your day was half as special as you are.....

Sunday, April 15, 2007

My new fav pastime... posting pics

I'm off to a bar-b-que of sorts.... margaritas, steaks, garlic bread, and perhaps some wicked awesome arabic music sent to me by the lovely scorpio husband.... (as Eleni is currently in possesion of the Isreali Techno....) Anyhoo without further delay, I give you... more Tunisia....

Me, Anjum and Martin at the Museum / Café


Serge and I at the Coliseum (with Guide, Julian and Martin in the background)


Julie, Virginia, Carlos, Martin, Me and Serge in the Salt Deset Chott El Jerid
Me on a Camel!!!!!!




Saturday, April 14, 2007

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Pictures !!!!

Julie and I chez le medecin.... fun dinner (they served lapin)

Sticky Stylos at the clinic (Patrice, me and France)

Patrice, me and Shainul Calèche #29


Walking to lunch under the Palms

After a long walk in the desert...Patrice and I are cold and quite tired! (in Sticky Calèche)


Julie watching the sun set over the Sahara


Sticky Calèche

Shainul with some lovely lunettes


Day 1 of Clinic

Serge, walking to Clinic

Audrey, walking to Clinic

An update of sorts

Quite the week I've had.... For monday and tuesday I've been feeling the post vacation blues, not to impressed with life in general, but it could of had something to do with the whole crappy weather gray skies phenomenon that swept through Calgary.... In any case, today is about a billion times better, and yesterday for that matter as well.

Monday was nothing too crazy, I was not pleased to be at work, it being easter monday and all. Tuesday was much better. I got a phone call around 11:45 from my darling Ronnalie requesting my presence at lunch... needless to say I leaped at the offer and away I went to the Whitespot.... awesome...... the food itself wasn't my fav, but the company was devine.... After work I had a new Land class to attend (yes, I decided to take the plunge and go for it ) - not too impressed with it though, despite KQ and my best intentions to have positive attitudes about our classes. As it turns out, we learned about legal descriptions - again - and of course learned about parts of a title.... This quite honestly is a bit of a slap in the face. We have seen this in 3 other courses thus far, and working all day on land titles I think that I could have taught that course.... but I digress..... After class I got home, saw that my 6000 pictures arrived from Martin - and therefore proceeded to spend the next 3 hours a) talkign on the phone to Carlos (2 horus) and b) watching all the videos from Tunisia and looking through all the pictures..... AWESOME times.....

PS - Carlos, you rule, I miss you lots and lots!!!

After my marathon phone call I thought it was high time I stop being a deadbeat student (as KQ likes to point out to me every so often) and get to studying (I had a quiz on wednesday for my last LAND 212 class)... So I pulled out the books around midnight and did a quick review session. Boring stuff, but I persevered.

Wednesday brought more lunch plans.... this time it was Denise and Eleni at Broken Plate... the food was amazing.... calamari salad and wicked pits w/ dips - plus of course the obligatory crème brûlée..... ahhhhhh. D and Eleni also laughed hysterically at all my funny tunisian stories, so I was quite pleased..... After work it was off to class for KQ and I.... as it turns out my prof was late, then decided not to teach the last module - because she didn't know the material !!!! and give us our quiz... I did it inrecord time (3 mintues) and took off.... KQ I hear had ot suffer through a full class..... brutal stuff!

Last night I was in full tilt showing off the tunisia photos, more to come tonight I think..... that and of course the FLAMES game....

Oh and PS - I am currently writing this whilst sitting at my desk in my beloved Freddy Brathwaite Jersey surrounded my an office full of people also decked out in their finest Flames garb....

Anyhoo, I shall sign off for now....

GO FLAMES GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, April 9, 2007

This just in

THE BFF gang again, but still no Virgina..... I need to find a "hand" picture with her.... let's wait until my 6000 pictures arrive on wednesday shall we.....

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Happy Easter

So I almost had wicked fun plans for this weekend, sadly they fell through and I ended up working yesterday - not as much fun, but we did have quite the saturday talking and figuring out stuff....

Friday was very bizarre, I had almost the whole day to myself - nowhere to be, nothing to do - and it was spectacular. I slept until 9:45 when I was rudely awakened by a certain someone requesting my presence at breakfast - to which I gladly agreed. I quickly jumped out of bed, pulled myself together in a record 15 mintues and voila I was whisked away to delicious Cora's for some mouth watering crepes...mmmmm !! After that I laid around all day, did some grocery shopping, some pilates, wrote some emails, had a shower, read a book, etc etc....

Saturday I worked, then I came home, went for a giant walk around my old 'hood - stopped by Mac's, bought some peanut M&Ms in preparation for a phone call today (from my good bud Carlos in Montreal) and chilled all night.

Today, slept in - again (I could really get used to this) - fancied myself up, popped by Shopper's to get some easter cards, washed my car, delivered my cards, sat on the patio sunning myself, reading a book and eating the yummiest greek type-ish salad I've ever created......

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was such a hermit - I've barely answered my phone (sorry guys!) and I've just relaxed all by myself. Best weekend ever. But really, think of the last time you didn't have anywhere to be, or anyone to see..... been a while huh?

This week I have to re-analyze my career plans - the next LAND class starts this week - finish up my other LAND class, and go for lunch with D, Eleni and of course the great KQ, and wait for the highly anticipated 6000 pictures of Tunisia that Martin has put together and express posted to me....but in 40 days I pop off to Montreal to attend a lovely wine and cheese that my aforementioned Montreal (Scorpio) Hubby has organized for the Tunisian group - I can hardly wait. I miss all you guys, you are wicked fun! Maybe I can plan a trip out there before that, 40 days is kinda a long ways away - right?

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Virgin?!?!

Not much to write about these days... I am back housesitting, one less cat here (RIP Cas)- kinda sad, but it makes my life a whole lot easier. But living out of a suitcase for another 2 weeks really doesn't interest me that much, although I can even walk to work I am so close.... Perhaps I shall, get more active and all that jazz you hear about so often.

Tonight KQ and I had our second to last LAND 212 class. I left when we started doing our in class activity - the boredom was killing me.

Work is work. We finally got caught up to the huge backlog of files, thank god! I have started to question the whole Land thing.... I can't see myself doing it, not a good thing seeing how I have already taken 3 courses..... I should really analyze that situation a bit more, the next class is set to start next week I think.

Easter is this weekend, I almost had wicked fun plans, sadly they got the kybosh......but just think only 44 more days till Montreal! YEAH! I am missing so many of my new friends there, and my husband of course! Plus the new H & M will have opened already in Calgary so I can go on my trip looking like a super star! Awesome!

Oh, driving home today I thought of another funny Tunsian story to tell you......

Martin, Julie and I were all shopping in the souk in some random city (I can't quite recall the name just now) and we wondered into a jewellry shop. Me being me, I asked to look at all the pretty rings (as I was continuing our silly marriage joke with my hubbby).

Whilst trying a few on I was also modelling them for my shopping partners and we got to chatting about birthstones (I must have been trying on something with a blue stone in it....) and I mentioned mine was sapphire... blah blah blah... next thing we started talking about horoscopes - I asked Julie and Martin what there signs were - Julie is a Leo and Martin is a scorpio.

Now keep in mind this whole conversation is going on in french and the french speaking shop keeper is standing right next to me... therefore Julie is a "lion" and Martin is a "Scorpion"... and as I divulged my sign, I instantly regretted it.... I said " Je suis vierge" which could translate into... you guessed it - Virgin.... to which the shop keeper immediatley perked up - "Ah, oui.... BON!" aka - "Wow, great!"

Damn it! Although I meant it more in the way of Virgo, the damage was already done.

Feliz Cumpleaños et Joyeaux Anniversaire Crystal


Happy 24th Birthday Chica!!!!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Best damn email ever.....

Cheers KQ Cheers

PS - so is everyone up for a 90's themed BSD bash chez moi?

PPS - BSD (aka means Bermuda Shorts Day for all you non U of C alumni) and it happens on Friday April 13th

Monday, April 2, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HOPE THIS YEAR IS SUPER AWESOME FOR YOU

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Lucy, you got some splainin' to do....

Dear reader;
I owe you an apology. Last friday I negligently failed to fulfill my posting duties. I cannot imagine the grief and hardship this must have caused; it won't happen again. Yours Sincerely,
Linda

So it seems that I should be explaining how it came to be that I acquired 2 husbands on my travels.... funny story I tell ya.....

We had various diners at various locales in Nefta, restaurants, people's homes etc... this evening just so happen to be at this "restaurant type place" in the palm oasis... they organized some kind of entertainment before dinner....however, after the entertainment we had to split up into smaller groups to sit at tables of 4.... my table had Virginia and Anjum plus one extra free place - it was taken by my new tunisian father in law...

During our conversation he asked if I was married, not thinking (silly Linda) I said "nope......." then under my breath "damn it...." as his face lit up.....He then decided that I should meet his youngest son (he's 23), in fact he will send him to the clinic the next day so I can give him some glasses.... uh oh, not good I thought myself - baaaaad situation......but I tried to smile nicely and through my clenched teeth.... oh, yeah good idea...Anyhoo the night went on, I tried to get away from this guy, he tried to chat with me... in the end we left and I said bye bye to this guy (I thought)

The next day during our clinic one of the doctors found me with the message that I had a visitor - wonderful, what the hell am I to do now.... so I went,just to say Hi... after beign pulled through a maze of corridors I was greeted by the smiling face of a 23 year old Tunisian guy. So I did the only thing that a nice polite canadian girl would do - shook his hand and said "nice to meet you". After that, it was a bit awkward as I waited for the doctor to escort me back but instead me asked..."are you going to give him an exam?" Shit, I wasn't rid of him yet.... so I took him back to our clinic and left him (after everyonewe passed laughed at my unfortunate stuation) in the line up to see the doctors and returned to my duties. A while later he showed up in the line up for glasses and I shoved Serge towards him as I explained - "he's yours, there's no way in hell I'm helping him...." What a great guy Serge is, he did it...however my next patient was seated next to him and was then subject to the grining and nodding of his aunt, one of our nurses..... not good at all.....As he was leaving I said a nice polite goodbye and showed him the door - story over, I thought...

I was feeling rather ill so I didn't go to lunch, but went back to the hotel and went to bed... my roomy Patrice showed up a while later and as we chatted about the day I had several visitors banging on my door.... Carlos and Martin..... who then informed me that I was not to leave my room, as my new father in law and this 23 year old kid were stationed near the pool quizzing everyone that passed where I was ..... hmmmmm, really not good - it seems I had a small problem. In any case I appointed the two aforementioned (for you KQ) guys as my personal bodyguards.... Time for dinner, I got ready and met the gang in the hotel lobby - however I was greeted with a room full of snickering people, the reason for the laughter was my father in law was sitting at the back of the lobby waiting for me... and for dinner - he was invited to our soiree by someone.... he then got up and greeted me with presents - presents that after I refused a few times I had to accept, and that I am currently wearing.....

Dinner that night was without incident but the next day I think my father in law showed up at the clinic, I was too busy to see him, but I was told he was there -

don't go just yet, the story gets worse.....

That day after clinic we had to switch to the hotel across the street, but we still had use of the other hotel pool - which we all did as it was gorgeous... so we were all basking in the tunisian sun and a group of us decided to go move our stuff over to the next hotel. Upon our return to the pool I was greeted with a message from Joanne and a few people sitting poolside....


After everyone stopped laughing hysterically at me, Patrice pipes up..."I'll trade you for a white camel" - more laughter, I'm almost in tears, and very displeased with everyone....but Carlos and Virginia at least feel my pain... and after getting out of the pool and seeing my note Martin says to me... "Hm, well do you want to marry me - then you don't have to marry him!" then he yells over to Pierre (a catholic priest) "Hey Pierre, can you marry us?" Perfect, problem solved! After my "poolside wedding" and beautiful black henna sesison we had a tea reception at a local cafe where Carlos gave an inspiring speech to the bride and groom.... more laughter with fake "refresh tears" running down our faces.

We return to the hotel for dinner, and interesting conversation with a professor (where I learned a women's place is here, her husband is here (higher up on the chain) followed by God (the highest)....). To this enlightening tidbit of knowledge I glare across the table at my new husband, who returns with a huge smile... and which turns into a joke all week long.. he reminding me of my "place" and me reminding him that there was a mistake and that he was the lowest and I was the highest..hahaha, it was really quite funny, but I guess you had to be there.

Next day we had to move to the Auberge (a disgusting little hole where we slept for one nasty night) and as I was running down the stairs to get into a caleche, I passed
Mohammed (my stalker / Tunisian husband) going up the stairs into the hotel...luckily for me he didn't see me and I ran as fast as I could to find someone to latch onto to protect me... I got away and back to the Auberge where Patrice, Julie, Virginia and I were then kidnapped and deformed (see the picture below with my "beautiful traditional henna design"). After a harrowing escape and Uupon our triumphant return to the auberge, Joanne intercepts me again... I have another message for you Linda... Mohamed found me at the hotel, and her words I swear "he begged me to find you, and get you to call him...and he even asked me to ask your friends to get you to call..." oh shit..... this is getting dangerous.....

In the end I had no more confrontations, but I refused to go into town that night and as I was in an out of the way hole in the wall I was sure that he couldn't find me.... now let's all hope that no one I gave my actual contact details to at the hospital feels is necessary to furnish the said details to my "tunisian husband / father in law"

In any case Martin and I jokingly spent the next week calling each other "chéri", hilarious......

Okay, that's enough writing for now... I'll try to think of other funny stories to share.... in the meantime we can all laugh about my misfortunes......