My SEXY SEXY new hair!

HAHAHAHA...I LOVE getting my hair done, I am such a girl sometimes but who the heck cares? I would love to upload some pics but unfortunately I can't get my computer to connect to the net and I'm not sure miss Heather wants me to be adding randomn weird hair pics to her computer...so I suppose you'll just have to wait - I'll try to fix it I promise.

But, I digress....back to the hair - it is mostly quite dark with loads of RED (and I mean red) highlights and of course a few blond ones that are left over from the previous few hair sessions. I guess the thing that I forgot about was the fact that when my hair is darker I look soooo pale! Now for anyone who knows me knows that I am the world's whitest person - ultra pale and cannot for the life of me get a tan - but with my new hair I am WHITE! I honestly thought that perhaps I was getting a wee bit of a tan, but sadly no. Also, my baby blues really stand out now - I think I prefer this look, it is more, how do you say?...striking, in that my whiteness is accentuated a lot more.

Anyways to finish off the day can I tell you that the crazies were out in full force...the two people that started my work day off were completely unbelievable. First I had a lady who - get this - had a raging eye infection for 3 weeks - 3 WEEKS! - and who full on admited that she a) didn't finish the eye drops rx that her GP gave her...b) took someone else's steroid drops (I can't even begin to tell you how wrong that is).... and c) seriously thought she did nothing wrong!

Then, the next girl came in and also full on admited that she had been wearing her MONTHLY (as in can only wear for 1 month MAX) contacts for 3 MONTHS!!!!!! and she honestly thought I was going to let her leave my office without garbaging them - I cannot believe her eyes didn't fall out! Not really, but you get the jist...

I'm not sure if you all understood the lunacy of the day but meh....

So this weekend I will try - for your benefit - to a) upload pics of my wicked hair.... b)upload pics of my apartment.... and c) upload pics of my fancy dancy new car..... I hope.

Some randomn tuesday thoughts...

First of all how much do I love having a great room-mate? Lots! This morning she wakes me up and says.... "Linda - I made coffee if you like" ....ahhhhh the smell of coffee first thing in the morning can't be beat. Plus, soon, very soon my house will be filled with the delicious aroma of fantastic Starbucks coffee.....I just love Heather....

Secondly, I don't like dating - the whole nervousness, the unsure of what to do next crap - seriously I've had a 10 year hiatus and I am NOT enjoying the transition - supposedly it will get better....

Thirdly, I get my hair done today - I am forgoing groceries for this so it better be good. I think we'll take the blond out and put in some dark with some red - we'll see.

Fourthly, (is that a word?) I love my shower....it has a lovely window in it with a shelf - don't worry it's high up so I'm not exposed to my neighbours - but honestly it is really nice and I like the tile too!

I guess that's it for now....

My Apartment

My apartment, I think, is finally really feeling like home. Because I house-sit so much and have lived everywhere the past little bit (Europe, my mom's, the Bowman's, etc etc) I haven't really had "a home", however now I can really chill and do whatever I want, it really is quite nice. Oh, and I seriously do feel like I am living alone with an occasional house guest - Heather is rarely home.

Anyhoo I tried to take some pics of my new place - well the kitchen to be exact (complete with a back door!) - it's the only room (with the exception of Heather's room) that is clean. Well, not really the place is clean per say but MY room is a wee bit messy. I have A LOT of ironing to do and I need to hang all of my pictures....Oh yeah pictures, the photos are a bit blurry as I am still getting used to my camera. I'll post them anyways so you'll have to forgive the clumsiness..... oh and please note the newness of everything..hahahahahha (PS - all of the shoes are property of Miss Heather - mine are in my closet and are equally as abundant...)
















Tomorrow is a fun day I hope, my mom and I are going to the Salsa fest in Kensington - see ya there?

Yum!

More free dinner tonight - this time at the Hadock & Hoof and courtesy of my boss. As per Teila's recomendations I had the fish and chips - apparently it was to be the best I'll ever have in my life! It was quite good, and I am very very full. Oooh, also I had a mussel, a scallop, some crab and some calamari - pretty good for a prairie girl huh?

Oh yeah - almost forgot to tell you all....tuesday I got a phone call from the catering manager at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel - she wanted to confirm my booking for dec 21 this year. I politely declined - ouch!

Creepy Creepy Italian Man

EWWWWWW... Heather and Megan and I had dinner at a randomn italian restaurant ('cuz the one by our house strangely didn't have any available tables hmmmm). The food was really nice....the staff however was a wee bit creepy. Firstly, I have almost no idea what the hell he was saying most of the time even though I pride myself in understanding not so perfect english (being a languages major). Secondly he seemed to have a real affinity for miss Heather....I'm not so sure that she liked that so much. (PS - He's no Big Fat Pizza Man B, but he was quite the man!)

Then we went to our gelato shop (of course) and the guys at the shop were all flirty and ridiculous with us - ahh Italian men, whata group!

All in all a good evening was had by all. Tomorrow I get to go for dinner again 'cuz we had a record day at work and dinner is our reward...mmmmm free food. Wicked, I just love it.

Now that I have my Tombstone DVD (well it was nicely upgraded to a DVD from a VHS by a certain Cam) back I can watch some of beloved Doc Holliday.
"I've got two guns, one for each of ya..." and or course who can forget.."It would appear that the strain was more than he could bear" or "I'm your huckleberry!"

Excuse me - Doc is calling..

Why, oh why?

Why do I seem to attract all the crazies? It seems as though I bring out the weird talkativeness of some people. They tell me all sorts of stuff, about their medical history, their love life, their adventures etc... Today I must have sat there and listened to some lady drone on for near 45 minutes. Seriously, some how I got roped into a chat with her. First it started out about airplane travel, then crashes, then vegas, then weather and architecture and jewelry, then all of the sudden she launched into her medical history and that of her elderly husband. She continued to explain all about her husband's caregivers and how she nearly ran away with one on account of his charisma and how it so closely matched her's (which by the way if you are wondering is equally as amazing). THEN she blabbed about how her mother was such a tremendous beauty with a quick wit and - you guessed it - fabulous charisma. Honestly, she went on and on. After that she switched to the topic of intelligence and how her mother was super intelligent and (it turns out her mom used to live in the Beverly Centre, where I used to work in High School) how she passed this amazing intelligence down to her younger sister and then onto her son who turns out - get this - is a double Einstein!

Whatever the hell that means!!!!!!!????? He apparently started university at the age of 11 and is refered to as a boy genius. Oh puhleez....

No one at work seemed intent on saving me from this women - I was seriously sick of hearing about that wonderful fabulous bragging that she had to do about her family and herself....But thank god her husband needed her help with his glasses and I could escape.

I'm not sure if she was just lonely, but this seems to happen to me quite often and I have no clue as to why - perhaps I have some sort of magical talking powers and people are just compelled to tell me intimate details of their lives. Geez, what a power, I would rather have something like flying or invisibility. One can only dream , right?

Black is the new Black

Hot damn - finally a fashion trend I can really put myself behind! It seems as though the designers are using the "newest" colour in a monochromatic, very structured style. So for the fall and winter, let's all take notice, black on black with black shoes and black accesories...wicked!

I could have blown up!

Call me ridiculous but the whole time that I have been living here at my place I always noticed a natural gas-ish smell coming from my storage room where the furnace and the hot water tank are. Today however I probably spent something like 15 full hours in my apartment. The smell was getting stronger and I had a headache plus I was getting a bit light headed, so I called the gas company emergency line. They sent out a guy to check it out, now this guy was no spring chicken but he knew his stuff. He said he couldn't smell anything, but checked anyways for me. It turns out that I did indeed have a small leak - which he said was probably there for years without anyone noticing it. So why did I smell it? He said that women have a more sensitive sense of smell - HA! Anyhoo all is fixed, gas leak is no more and I feel a whole lot safer now. Weird that no one else (except Heahter, my mom and my old neighbour Karen, all of whom are girls by the way) could smell it, or did anything about it until now.

PS. I actually made it to the Stampede tonight, I ate my mandatory mini doughnuts and cotton candy, I even had that special barrel root beer. No word yet as to whether or not I won the dream home - I'll post something if I do...wish me luck!

Ode to Bertha... the Very Best Grandma

I am the worst grand - daughter ever.

All week long I was thinking about my Grandma's birthday, I even told people about it 'cuz I am super proud of her. I get my scottish heritage from her, I have some of her dishes in my kitchen, I have a fascination with the military because of her husband, and I will never forget playing with all her tupperware on the kitchen floor when I was little. All in all she is a super huge role model to me. Anyways, Friday comes around and I forget to call her, saturday comes and I forget to call her, finally today I realize my enormous mistake and I call her to wish her a wonderful (but belated) 92nd birthday. 90 freakin' 2 years....she is amazing. She lived through the depression, lived through 6 (almost 7) years without her husband (he was in WWII) while raising my uncle and then has lived for 37 years (thus far) as a widow. I cannot tell you what a great lady she is...all that she has seen and done for low these past 92 years, and she still drives!!!!! (not in calgary mind you, but still)

So Grandma if you are reading this (although I'm not sure she knows what a blog is)- Happy Birthday, I love you lots and lots.

A good day

So today my friend Ronnalie and I had a lovely day...first we got together and took her dog Max for a walk, then we went to this great meat shop - it was awesome, I bought some fabulous beef jerkey (that Woody Harleson apparently loves!) - 3 kinds- and some yummy sausages and wicked steaks. The best part is that the meat is all super top quality, almost no fat, the sausages are made from chicken breats and the jerkey is made from rump roast. I'm telling you it is awesome. Then we went shopping and I spent $175 at Aldo on shoes and purses - I don't feel nearly as guilty as I should just because a) my shoes from Nice (from 4 years ago) are falling apart and b) I'm a grown up and a university graduate and so I should have grown up purses and shoes, thus the spending of the money.

Anyhoo afterwards we had a great lunch - with yummy yummy melted brie on Naan bread - and then we hit my place to watch the first volume of Kill Bill - it was a cool movie - violence, just what I needed.

Plus we had another walk - and some more beef jerkey. Next stop is Costco for some perrier and "pantry essentials". Slowly but surely I am making up my grown up life.

I know that I have promised to post numerous photos, but when I get my computer up and running - I'm using Heather's now (thanks Heather) - I'll post some photos.....

I'm not sure what to do just now - I feel quite empty, which I suppose is to be expected. Some days I think I revert back to how I went about things when he was in school, other days I feel the full impact of what has happened. I feel devestated, empty, alone, humiliated, like I want to die.

I sound like someone has died, but that is just it. For 9 years I was blissfully happy. No matter what happened with my family, with school, with work - whatever - I still had him. I had my "rock", I had the one thing in my life that above all else I could absolutely count on. I may sound a tad dramatic, but really - I venture to guess that you would feel the same. Countless times I have heard people say to me that I was so lucky to find the love of my life so early - and so easily. We were truly (although with trepidation of soundy quite corny) soulmates. Some people go through life never finding the one person that they can feel so free, so comfortable, so at ease and happy with - some people are not destined to ever find that - I however, always thought that I was one of the lucky few. Beginning from one month into our relationship, I was 15 - he 16, we knew that we were to be together, we planned our wedding, picked out children's names and the like. Then without warning I was hurled into this, this depth of sadness and betrayal. The best way to describe it is that I feel my very soul is bound to his - even now after all that has happened. I feel that I cannot move on until that connection is broken or disolved. Maybe it is the denial stage, maybe I can't face the truth right now. All that I know is that this is too much to bear. That I am experiencing such heartache and pain that I get through the day in denial and I fear that it will be this way for a time.

I am humiliated to admit this, at times it is all I can do to not break into heart wrenching sobs at work, at the store, alone. I know that I am not in fact alone, time and time again I hear my friends assure me that they are there for me - and I honestly am thankful for that, I truly am. But, in reality I'm not sure anyone can really understand this, unless they have been in a relationship for as long as I have been and have had this sort of thing happen to them. That isn't to say that I am not grateful for the support, I am - even from his parents - whom I secretly think love me more than I know.

I'm not sure why I wrote this - I think I shall regret this tomorrow and the next day, but I had to get it off my chest without saying the words outloud - if that makes any sense at all.

Avec un coeur gros / Apesadumbrado

Apres tous, c'est fini. J'ai auncun idée ce que je peux faire, comment le réparer. Je suis totalement au désespoir. J'ai essayé pour 10 mois pour éviter ceci, mais malheureusement mais dans la fin il se révèle inévitable.

Aunque tengo algunas cosas en mi vida con que debo ser feliz- como un coche nuevo, un apartamiento nuevo con una amiga asombrosa y otras amigas igualmente asombrosas - es complentemente terrible. Son las tres por la mañana, pero yo no puedo dormir, ni comer. Necesito ir a trabajo en algunas horas (y por el resto de la semana) pero no se como puedo trabajar con esta tristeza.

Alors, je sais que avec un peu (ou beaucoup) de temps, ce sera meilleur, mon coeur réparera. Cependant, pendant ce temps je suis détruit. La tristesse est presque écrasante.

Lo siento para este "post" bastante triste y lleno de melancolía, pero creo que es realmente impossible der ser de lo contrario.

Bravo!

Yesterday someone VERY near and dear to my heart underwent breast cancer surgery and has since been pronounced 100% Cancer Free!!!!!!!
SOOOOOO - I am exstatic with this news, in fact she did so well that they released her today (less than 24 hours after surgery).

To support this I have put a lovely and beautiful pink ribbon breast cancer ribbon magnet on my car - I encourage all us of to do the same (I got mine at compasionate beauty salon south of Mt. Royal College).

Now I have a support the troops on the right and a breast cancer one on the left - I'll post some photos soon of my gorgeous car!

SHOPPING!

As you may have already read on Heather's blog - we went on a small shopping trip to Ikea. Now, I'm sure we all know about Ikea, and we definately should all love it as much as I do. In fact I love it so much I went back today and bought some more stuff (curtains and roman blinds for my room and more picture frames). Followed by a small shopping trip on airmiles.ca to order a really nice pots and pans set and a steamer (for rice, veggies, chicken /fish etc).

Yesterday however, we pretty much cleaned up during our shopping trip, Heather and I, we bought chairs (with cushions) for our kitchen table, some kitchen textiles (aka a table runner and some tea towels) a Tv stand, curtains (+ rod) for our living room, a rug for the living room, and I got some picture frames for all my french prints - in addition to all Heather's bedroom stuff. Plus, it all fit in my new car (seats folded down of course). Now all that is left is bathroom stuff, towels, bathmat and what have you.

Also yesterday I had a tea party with my grandma - she is amazing this lady... 6 years without her husband (he was away fighting for our country in WWII) whilst raising my uncle, and this Bastille day she turns 92 - plus she still drives! I love her! Not to mention all the cool stuff she gave me from her cabinet - I'll treasure those dishes forever.

Today I went to Pauline's and had a great chat, then I had a lovely starbucks iced latte, THEN I hung out with my friend Jenn and her great kids (her 6 week old baby is perfect, I just love her!).

All in all a great start to my vacation from work, Tomorrow I start to house-sit until the 4th and I will probably spend the days lounging on the deck surrounded by flowers and sunbathing whilst reading some great books / daydreaming about my new apartment - what could be better I ask you?

My mother pointed out something to me the other day - this year alone I have:

1. Vacationed in Europe
2. Graduated from University
3. Bought a new car
4. Got my own place (in a trendy part of town)

And, it is only the end of June - holy crow! What next I wonder? In any case my point is that I must have doen something really nice to please the fates to have such good luck. Thus, I am very thankful.

OPA!

What a weekend - friday was pretty much uneventful, work was well, work - thankfully I was out of there by 5:30, followed by a relaxing evening. I drove (in my new car) down to my mom's and we stopped by our old neighbour's - Karen's - house. While there we skulked around our old house peering into windows etc seeing what they did with the old place. It was the oddest feeling, I felt as though I wasn't looking at the house where I grew up in, but rather a stranger's house. It was quite dissapointing, what a shame.

Saturday was a bit of a gong show at work. We were grossly understaffed, and I didn't get out of there until 4:50 (quite late I can tell you). Thank god I have a weeks holliday! In the evening my mom and I went to the Greek Fest and ate some delicious delicious food...mmmmmm... followed by some fancy dancing and a tour around kensington to show her the house that Hez applied for - it turns out we did not get it. However, my mom (she brings me such luck!) spotted another apartment for rent just in the next block. It turns out to be AMAZING! Beautiful...it is completly renovated, new everything and - get this - right in between the #264 legion (a sign no?) and the gelato shop.

Everything is coming up Linda (and Hez of course)! (did you get that?????)

Anyhoo, I have decided that I should volunteer at the legion and hang out with some vets whilst eating gelato..... I am stoked.

Updates, and party dates to follow...

THANK YOU!

I just wanted to say a big thank you yo all of you guys who emailed, called, gave cards / flowers, or shared a meal with me in celebration of my grad. You guys are just wonderful and I am so happy to have you all as dear friends.

A heartfelt thank you to all!

Keep your fingers crossed!

So here's the update - we've applied to 2 places in the Kensington area, both houses, both 3 bedrooms, but I think one of them thinks it has 3 bedrooms but in reality it is 2 bedrooms plus a large closet. It would be nice to get the 2nd one though (smart Hez - she worked her cute young women routine with the elderly landlord man). Hez tells me that the place is in need of a clean up - 3 guys live there right now, beer cans and crazy posters everywhere....... I think I can clean it up nice - plus Ikea is having their summer sale so I can get pretty curtains and things to accesorize and make it a wee bit girly-er.

The other situation is that it is a bit expensive for only the 2 of us - so Hez might post the extra room at the WJ hanger and recruit someone to live there with us. This is excellent for me because living with 2 flight attendants is awesome, they are there only 1/2 the time and pay full rent. It's like living by yourself with an occasional guest.

Furniture is also coming along nicely - Hez has a couch, I can get a couch plus a love seat(??) and the best part is - it's plaid (which although hidiously tacky - I think we all know I really love). My desk and her kitchen table plus my coffee tables are going to look a bit mismatched, but after all I can't get a new car AND new furniture - that will have to wait. By the way - does anyone have any extra furniture they would love to donate to the "Furnish Linda's house" Camapign?

More updates to follow - stay tuned!

HALLELUJAH!!!!!

Hot damn they did it - they LOST!!!!!

I am soooo pumped that the Oil did not win the cup - as a born and breed Calgarian it is my DUTY to hate the aforementioned Oilers, as well as the Maple Leafs and also the Canucks. To those of you who decided to "jump on the band wagon" to cheer for those cretins up north you deserve to have any property held in Calgary revoked and given to a TRUE Flames fan - which by the way in essence means that you must ALWAYS cheer for whomever is playing the Oilers.

I suppose that is enough words in all caps - but I think you get my point even though it is a little late in coming. I have been occupied driving around as of late - no pics just yet, but I did however put a beautiful yellow "support the troops" ribbon magnet on my car in addition to a Flames sticker. My decorating job is coming along nicely thus far.

PS - I still love Commodore! (and Stillman) - they will always be Flames to me.....

HM Queen Elizabeth II

After having watched the program aired on CBC this evening, I realized just how much I really love the Queen. I love her pearls and her hats, I especially love her corgi dogs and love of horses. Her unending stamina and kind words, she is every bit what anyone would think to be a Queen. Over the past 54 years she has reigned over the Commonwealth, and through my 24 years alive I have been proud to have her as my Queen.

Upon re-hearing the speech she made during her trip last year to our fair land, she remarked that during a visit years ago her mother had proclaimed that Canada has always felt like a home away from home, and 60 some odd years later the statement still rings true. Her exact words...

"Ladies and gentlemen, six decades later, it still does, and it is good to be back."

Call me ridiculous, but honestly I had tears in my eyes.

In my life I have had the good fortune of seeing her in person twice. Once when I was only 8 years old. She came to Calgary and was of course staying at the Palliser Hotel. Being that my mother also loves Her Majesty we were able to skip school and be at the hotel for her arrival. My sisters and I were of course dressed up with our hair curled and in ribbons (my mother LOVES her ribbons). We watched in awe as Her Majesty walked through the doors and made her way to the elevators, pausing to accept flowers. A while later she descended the stairs to the lobby on her way to the Oval room. As my younger sister Amy was only 6 at the time, she was tiring quickly and was sitting on the floor playing with her cars, her ribbon was falling out of her hair and her pretty pink dress and petticoats were spread out about her. As she passed us where we stood in the front row, me standing quietly beside my mother and Amy on the floor, she (I'm serious here) gazed at the two of us, winked and smiled. That sealed it for me, I was starstruck. The other occasion was last year at the Saddledome. Although I wasn't as close to her as previsouly, still I saw her.

One other thing that I hold near and dear in my heart, "Raised and trained by the RCMP in Saskatchewan, Burmese was given to the Queen in 1969. It's said that after the horse, which she rode during official events for 18 years, was retired she attended celebrations in a carriage."

Often time I get an email asking who I might have lunch with if I could have it with anyone, past or present. Without a doubt it would be her.

I'm not sure if I have been as eloquent as I could be in this posting, but I'm sure I got my feelings across.

God Save the Queen.










Me at Windsor Castle Feb 2006 (w/ Rupinder)

Dissapointment City!

SO, I went to see "The Breakup" featuring Vince and Jennifer, after work tonight. I had heard that it was quite funny and cute, thus I went.

- However.... anyone who really knows me knows that I am a sucker for a happy ending, a PROPER happy ending. SOOOO needless to say I was very very dissapointed in the end of this movie - and no matter what anyone says, that doesn't count as happy.

I just don't know quite what to say - first I can't have my car until monday, @ 6 pm mind you, then this pathetic ending on what could have been a stellar funny movie. My whole week is shot I tell you! I'm not sure what can possible happen now to repair it........ maybe I'll try folding some laundry (confused? see previous post)