Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Off Island

This weekend past I went to Halifax with Rana to shop for wedding dresses (hers not mine!) It was nice to get off the Island, despite the rainy weather and my horrible navigation skills, which found us lost many times over the three day trip. Upon Rana's insistence we had dinner at Lonestar one night. Now I am not a fan of chain restaurants, but I will give Rana this...the fajitas were pretty good. What was better, however, was our visit to Freak Lunchbox, where candy is all that lines the walls.

On Saturday we went to three wedding dress shops and Rana tried on a number of dresses while I slyly took pictures with my digital while hiding behind curtains. Until we learned that it's only at Caseley's on PEI that they don't let you take pictures. After that I took a gazillion pictures, but also found time to try a couple of dresses on!

After returning to PEI, I decided I will need another break from the fast-paced, crazy lifestyle here so I booked a flight to Toronto in October.I'll be shacking up with Shackleford and enjoying the delights of Toronto and surrounding areas as a tourist. A tourist with no money, but a tourist nonetheless...

So YAY to seat sales and friends who live in places that are worthy of visiting!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Gold Cups & Saucers

Thanks to the popularity of horse racin, gambling and floating advertisements, I have a day off work tomorrow!! Yes, that's right folks, it's the Gold Cup & Saucer parade tomorrw morning - rain or shine. Such an important event here on PEI that we get it off instead of August 6th, which the rest of the provinces get off as a civic holiday. Anyways, I'm ditching the parade in favor of working out and sleeping in. Then it's off to Halifax. Woohoo - a roadtrip and my first time off PEI since I came back from Oz in Jun!! I'm excited to say the least, although I'm not sure that's coming across because I'm bloody tired right now.

I jus spent the evening enjoying dinner and dessert with Keri, Sherilyn and Dawn in honour of Dawn's farewell event - although I managed to abstain from ordering either dinner or dessert and stuck with Diet Pepsi. Having somehow managed to maintain my weight over the past week of birthday gluttony taken to a new level, I am not in a position to test the kindness of the weigh-in gods. Anyways it was a lovely evening, but it's always sad to say goodbye to a person that you really enjoy the company of and Dawn was definitely in that category.

Backtracking a little bit - spent the weekend milking my birthday for all I could. On Friday I 'may' have skipped out of work a little early in order to join the family on Argyle Shore where Mark & Rita had rented a cottage for the week. It was a gorgeous day - perfect for taking pictures with my new DIGITAL CAMERA!!! I am eternally grateful for Jim's addicition to technology:) Anyways, the evening was enjoyed in the compnay of family. On Saturday I treated myself to - get this - a step class down at my old gym. Yes, I am masochistic. Anyways, rest of the day was spent cleaning the house so that I could play hostess to my potluck birthday party in a sparkling venue. A grand night was had by all who were enteretained by my willingness to tell tales that I would not normally relate were I not completely induced by red wine and a game of Truth or Dare, which also found me eating from a plate of nibs that were on the floor sans hands. Oh dear.

Anyways, it was great to see some friends I'd not seen in a while, including Christine and Andrew - who wins a prize for being the friend who travelled the farthest JUST for my birthday party and not at all to help his mom pack and move to Vancouver...Right, so he may win the prize of hosting me when I fly up to Toronto this fall!!

Sunday I was very very tired and not at all hungover. Adam and I went to Cora's for breakfast/future heart attacks. It was alright, but seriosly breakfast is overrated as a meal. Dinner and dessert is where it's at. Speaking of dinners - Mom made teh most fantabulous one for me on Sunday night- salmon steaks, burgeres, new potatoes, garden salad and the MOST DELICIOUS Raspberry Pie EVER!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Monday night I hung out with Andrew again and ate another piece of pie. Seroulsy life doesn't get much better than that - good company and good food.

Tuesday I made dinner for my dad and he gave me birthday presents. I am now the proud owner of a pair of stylish rubber boots amongst other things...


I now retired to bed, knowing that the weekend holds many exciting adventures since it will be enjoyed in the metropolis of Halifax where Costco and Freak Lunchbox are not just dreams, they are realities. Oh,and my sister is fabulous!!! So is Rowan Thunder!!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

The Unusual Suspects

I was going to write a venting blog. I haven't done that in a long time. Mostly because I've been very content with life, especially in the last year. Well, the past two weeks have been wearing on me... I wish I could say I don't know why, that it must be something innocuous like the heat or my horomonmes or my impending birthday, but it's not. It's Men. Details aside, I've basically realised that I'm very very close to letting history repeat itself - the lovely old cycle that each of us creates and carries out over and over again. Unless we recognise it in time and make a conscious decision to avoid repetitive, self-destructive ways. And that is where I am right now. I'm walking the line.

Therapy amounted to me making Chocolate Chip COokies (not eating them) and dancing to as many crazy tunes as possible. And being alone.

I'm reading Harry Potter - that's great therapy as well.

On the weekend I went to the Gallant/Wedge family reunion - it was great to see all sorts of relatives I had never met and ones I'd not seen in ages. I'd forgotten how many American relatives I have - hello Boston! So, being one of the youngest there (aside from the little kids), and one of only two cousins that isn't married/engaged, I was getting questions about my 'status' left & right. At one point I was sitting with my sister and Dad, relating how I kept being asked whether I was married. In response my dad asked if I was being asked by guys or girls, insinuating that if it were men, that they were asking because thye were interested in me. I kindly reminded him that we were at a family reunion and I wasn't quite THAT desperate yet. he looked only slightly embarassed.

To be honest, i was a bit disappointed wiht teh tameness of the reunion. I guess Nan and Aunt Mill are 87 & 90 respectively, but I was hoping for a little crazy sister act. Would it have been too much to expect some of the Courtneys to jump up on the tables and start dancing. I guess I have to accept the fact that my family is not as crazy as I'd imagined and it's just my Dad who can retain that title without fail.

After the family reunion, I hopped over to Argyle Shore (since I have no car, I've been using a pogo stick to get around the countryside)to hang out with Mom, Jim & the Sampson clan - namely Uncle Mark, Aunt Rita, Sharon and her three brilliant kids. Every time I get to hang out with them I really really want to be a Mom. All was good until the crazy lightening storms put the power out permanently. thank good ness Long Creek was with power. I could still read Harry - v. important.

Sunday I can't even remember what I did, but it was nice to be in the midst of family. It turns out I have an awesome immediate and extended family.


K -I have to go put cookies away and not eat them. This wil be difficult but I willn persevere.