Thankful ABC's

I borrowed this idea from a friend's blog . . . I am short on creativity lately, so I thought I'd use it on my own. I thought it was a cute idea, so I thought I would do it here. I would love to see other people do it as well.



A- Aunty. I'm not really thankful for any of my aunties in particular, but I am extremely thankful that I get to be an aunty! I have 4 nieces and 1 nephew, and I enjoy each and every one of them. I like having one on one time with them AND time with them as a group. They bring youth, vitality and innocence to my life. And they have made my heart grow exponentially with the arrival of each one.

B- Best Friends. I am fortunate enough to have two best friends, which is twice as many as some people ever have. One lives really far away, but I get to see her quite often. The other lives much closer, and I typically see her monthly. I talk to both of them by phone very regularly, and we email lots. They both play different roles in my life, and together, they make my life complete!

C - Canada. I am very thankful that I live in Canada, which is a relatively peaceful nation, with lots of wealth. I don't have to worry about health care, and I don't have to worry about war, other than our brave soldiers that go out into the world to ensure peace. We have a great country that allows us many personal freedoms.

D - Dogs. I am so extremely thankful for my dogs (three of them at present). They are my sanity and mental health preservers. These dogs are always happy to see me, even when I've yelled at them or left them at home all day while I've been at work. They love me unconditionally, and they remind me of the simple joys of life.

E - Eating. I am so thankful that I can eat normally, and pretty much anything I want. I don't have to have my food in liquid form or anything like that. Since I know two people with major "eating" issues, this has been on my mind lately. I enjoy food so much that I would really miss being able to savour individual tastes and textures.

F - Family and Friends. I know I posted about Best Friends, but I also have a lot of very, very close friends that I rely on, as well as my family, who I am fortunate to be very close to. Without these people around me, I know I wouldn't be half the person I am right now.

G - Growth. I'm not talking about growing taller (or fatter LOL), but growing personally. I am a firm believer in continuing education, and I believe that we can learn something from everybody we meet, if we just pay enough attention. I think that personal growth is tremendously important.

H - Home. Although I don't own my own home, I'm thankful for the home that I do live in (my parents' house). Even though I complain about it being crowded and overstuffed (both of which are true, by the way), it is still HOME to me.

I - Income. I'm thankful that I have a good job that pays well. This allows me to pay off my debt and to do the things that I enjoy, such as traveling, dog shows and buying the things I want.

J - Job. I'm grateful for the job I have, as it presents me with learning opportunities every day. It continually challenges me and keeps me on my toes. I have great co-workers (don't tell them I said that or it'll go to their heads!), and a really good boss.

K - Kisses. For me, kisses from my nieces, nephew and dogs are something I definitely enjoy and appreciate. There's a sense of love and trust in that small gesture that always makes my heart swell.

L - Literature. Since I have already used B, I'm using L to capture literature. I am an AVID reader (as well as a budding author), and I can't imagine a world without literature. It captures our history as well as our imaginations.

M - Music. I'm a bit music-lover . . . I always have something playing in the background, especially Broadway musicals. I have a fairly broad range of stuff I like, and I am always interested in hearing new bands or musicians. Life would be very dull without music!

N - News. I'm thankful that we have Free Press in North America. When I was in China, it was a bit disconcerting to only read what the government deemed appropriate. I read the news every day, just to stay on top of what's happening in our world.

O - Outside. I love the outdoors, especially when it's bright and sunny outside. Even in the winter, when the sun is shining I'm quite happy to be outside with the dogs, soaking up some rays.

P - Photographs. Without a doubt, I love photographs and am so thankful for them. I am a picture BUFF, and am always waving my camera around, trying to get good pictures. I look at pictures over and over, and rely on them to help job my poor memory. I would be very sad to lose all of my pictures.

Q - Quiet. I never thought about how much I appreciate quiet until the first time we had all of the kids here for a weekend. By the second day, I felt like my ears were ringing from all the talking, laughing, crying and singing. So I am thankful for quiet moments, especially right after those busy weekends!

R - Rescue. For the number of dogs out there that need help, I am HUGELY grateful for rescue groups and all of the hard work they do. They take in dogs that would have nowhere else to go otherwise, and they bring out the best in them. They bring families and dogs together and facilitate happy endings.

S - Singing. I may not be a good singer (Okay, that's the understatement of the year!), but I love singing, and when I hear a song I know, I usually burst into song without even noticing.

T - Teachers. I can not thank the wonderful teachers that I've had enough. Those top notch teachers are the ones that instilled this love of learning in me, and encouraged me to always learn more. Without teachers, our world would not be a very fun place to live.

U - Understanding. Sometimes I really appreciate being able to understand more than just basic concepts. It makes life so much easier!

V - Vitality. Okay, so lately I haven't exactly been full of vitality, but I am thankful for the times and days that I DO have it.

W - Writing. My childhood dream was to be a published author, and I have to say that that is still a goal that is close to my heart. I truly enjoy writing and having the ability to express myself in words.

X - Okay, I can NOT think of anything with X. So I'm grateful for the other 25 letters, but this one is drawing a major blank for me LOL

Y - Youth. I am very grateful to still be younng and able to enjoy life. I realize that as you age you don't lose the ability to enjoy life, but I do think it gets tougher.

Z - Zoo. I adore the Toronto nd Calgary Zoos . . . both of them have been renovated in the past while, and they have excellent habitats for the animals. They are great places, with lots of learning opportunities and cool things to see.

Stuff You Don't Know About Me . . .

Okay, I must admit, I stole this blog idea from both Vicky and Weeza . . . thank you for the idea ladies! I've been short on inspiration lately, especially since I have a puppy to play with. Blog . . . puppy. Blog . . . puppy. Tough choice - or not!

1. I will eat peanut butter cups and Kashi granola bars, but I HATE nuts in desserts, salads or on chicken. I will not eat those things with nuts. It's just easier to tell people I'm allergic than to deal with the questions.

2. I do NOT eat fish. YUCK! Well, except for Basa fillets. Everything else is gross. Salmon is included in the yucky list.

3. I hate flying in airplanes, which is funny when you realize that I fly several times a year. It makes me nervous and feel sick to my stomach.

4. I have road rage. Oh wait, if you've ever been in a car with me, you already know that ;) I don't ram into other drivers, but I have gestured and hollered.

5. I love attending live hockey games, but get totally bored watching it on TV.

Just One Word

Stolen from Sarah's blog - http://callhermum.blogspot.com

Answer in only one word:
1. Where is your cell phone? Table
2. Your significant other? None
3. Your Hair? Short
4. Your mother? Calgary
5. Your father? Ironing
6. Your favorite thing? Friends
7. Your dream last night? Forgot
8. Your favorite drink? DietCoke
9. Your dream/goal? House
10. The room you're in? Dining
11. Your children? Dogs
12. Your fear? Fire
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? House
14. Where were you last night? Bed
15. What you're not? Skinny
16. Muffins? Yummy
17. One of your wish list items? House
18. Where you grew up? McMurray
19. What you read last? Behavior
20. What are you wearing? Casual
21. Your TV? Sitcom
22. Your pets? Dogs
23. Your computer? Laptop
24. Your life? Busy
25. Your mood? Happy
26. Missing someone? Yes
27. Your car? Caliber
28. Something you're not wearing? Socks
29. Favorite Store? Chapters
30. Your summer? Ange!
31. Like someone? Friends
32. Your favorite color? Purple
33. Last time you laughed? Today
34. Last time you cried? Sunday
35. Someone you wish to know more? Yes
36. Horrible habit? Packrat
37. Future plans? Move
38. If money were no object? Travel
39. Life-long dream? Author
40. Greatest accomplishment? Education

SPCA Dog Jog

So today the local SPCA hosted their semi-annual Dog Jog (I think it's semi-annual, I know it used to be). I was planning to take Grace with me, since she's so friendly and outgoing, but I think she's starting her heat cycle today, so I didn't want her out in public. So I decided to take Jack. Given how timid he can be, I knew it would be good for him, if it didn't scare the living daylights out of him. He's improving daily, so I figured it wouldn't be TOO bad.

We got there and I registered, and Jack was whining a bit, but not putting his tail down or backing off. So far so good! We watched the agility demonstration (done by the lady that owns the training school we go to), and that was a lot of fun. Then we did the actual walk. I think it was about 3km, I don't know the distance. He trucked along the ENTIRE way, happy as a clam. We walked with a Border Collie (gorgeous dog!) and a large Black mixed breed (VERY sweet!). Jack was absolutely fine with them, he didn't make a peep. He got petted by a bunch of people, and handled it really well. I am SOOOO proud of this little man!

There was a barbecue, so I got to have a hot dog and a rootbeer, and Jack got some nice cold water and a big cookie. We visited with some people, and then headed home. It was a really nice event, and we both enjoyed ourselves. He's STILL tired, but I'm glad it went well for him.

On another note, the idea was tossed out that I teach some Rally Obedience classes. Wow! I was honoured to be considered, and I hope it comes to fruition. I think it would be a LOT of fun! I don't know that I'm really qualified, but since I'm one of the only people in Fort McMurray that has competed, I guess that's more qualifications than anybody else has. So we'll see what happens in the fall.

Hope your weekend was excellent!

Thankful Thursday

Well, another Thursday has rolled around, which means it's time to reflect on something I'm thankful for. There are so many things I'm thankful for, I don't even know where to start. As I've said before, I hate the idea of sounding cheesy!

This week I'm really thankful for my wonderful friends. Yesterday one of my best friends filled out a survey of 51 questions about me. I really enjoyed reading them, and was a bit surprised about how well she knew me (although I shouldn't be, since we've spent tons of time together). But what really struck me was the "niceness" of her answers. I was really touched by some of what she said. I'm sure if she reads this, she'll think I'm just being goofy or silly, but it's true. It touched me, and it reminded me of what good friends I have. Especially this person in particular, who has been an incredibly good friend over the past several years.

So to that person (you know who you are) - thank you. And thank you to the other wonderful friends I have, who are too numerous to name here. You make my life better than it could EVER be without you!

Finally some sun!

I hate to be a whiner, but what the heck . . . those of you that read my blog already know I'm a whiner, so it's not like it'll be a surprise!

We have had rain. What feels like enough rain (over the past 2 weeks) to build an ark and float away! Have you ever tried housetraining a puppy in the rain? He doesn't want to pee outside, and to be honest with you, I can't blame him. I wouldn't want to either! But he's been very good (and I've been very persistent), so that's kept the accidents inside to a minimum.

But the rain is depressing for me too. I find it hard to be upbeat and cheerful when the skies are grey and cloudy. All I really want to do is go to bed and have a sleep, surrounded by dogs and with a good book in my hands. Instead I have to get up, go to work, and actually be personable with co-workers. Dammit!

Today the sun is shining, and I can already notice a difference in how I feel. I spent some time playing fetch outside with the dogs and enjoying the sunshine. I can just feel the positive energy flowing! I hope you had a sunshiny day too!

Busy Weekend (Take 3)

It seems like I use this blog post title fairly often - I wonder if that is a sign of having too much going on? But in this case, it has been a very pleasantly busy weekend so far.

Friday night was quiet, thank goodness. We had a good supper (Mom made pork chops in mushroom soup, baby potatoes and peas), spent some time chatting, and then went to bed. Mr Jack-Jack slept ALL night, and even let me sleep in on Saturday morning! What a good puppy - he's fitting in very nicely. Saturday Mom and I ran errands in the morning. She wanted some vegetables and herbs for the garden, so we went and got those, as well as stopping off at Superstore to get some big planters for everything. We assembled the bed frame for her king-sized bed, and did laundry. Terribly exciting, I know.

Saturday night was great fun - I went with my parents and a family friend to an Opimian Society dinner (http://www.opim.ca). The Opimian Society is a club for people that enjoy wine. They offer between 6 and 8 meals a year, and each one has an exquisite menu. Last night it was Creole Cooking - Down The Lazy River. The food was unbelievable; absolutely scrumptious. We had Tempura soft shelled crab, Atchafalaya Alligator, Frogs' Legs and succotash. Everything was delicious. I can't wait for the meals to start up again in the fall!

This morning I went for 9 holes of golf with my Mom and a family friend. It was cool and damp, having rained through the night, but we discovered that this is near ideal weather for golfing. Not too hot, and not too buggy either. None of us was golfing very well, but we sure had a good time, and everybody made some lovely shots.

This afternoon I gave Jack-Jack a trim with the clippers, and am sitting down to write my monthly article for the Cocker Classic. Nothing like writing it the day it's due, heh? But that's always been my style. Grace could really use a good grooming later on, and laundry is ongoing.

So a busy weekend, but a fun one. Hope your weekend was great too!

Thankful Thursday

It seems like it's been an awfully long time since I did a thankful Thursday post. That's probably because it has been a while, what with the trip to Vegas, food poisoning (or flu) and then getting the new puppy. I've been pretty busy, and haven't been spending as much time online lately.

But I'm here today, thinking of all the things I'm thankful for. And as stupid, girly and shallow as this sounds, I'm grateful for the fact that the tent caterpillar infestation is almost over. Apparently the local environmentalists are saying that by the end of next week, they should be in their coccoons, and well on their way to being moths. I really do prefer the idea of moths over these creepy, crawly caterpillars.

These things are EVERYWHERE. They love aspen trees (according to the girl at the bus stop this morning), but will munch on anything deciduous. There are quite a few in our yard, even in the grass and on the deck. I'm sure I've killed close to 50, just in the past couple of hours. Of course, I am going out of my way to make sure that I step on any that I see. The deck and planter box edges look like a little tent caterpillar killing field. Which is really what they are, I guess.

They also really like the side of our house for some reason - so my mom's been taking the hose to them and spraying them off. Whatever it takes to get rid of them, because they really do give me the shivers. I don't know why, since they don't bite or anything, but I just can't stand the thought of them.

I am thankful that their reign of terror (silent as it has been) is almost over.

Recovery Is Good

Considering the great amount of trauma that Jack-Jack went through last night, I thought there might be some residual effects. Nope, not in the least! Tonight he's as feisty as ever - perhaps even more so! He's played hard with Grace several times tonight, has played major tug-of-war with the braided fleece rope toy, and ran around the yard like his hiney was on fire. Maybe now that he's safely removed from puppy class, he feels big and strong? In any case, I like this puppy - he's much more fun than the soft, whimpering puppy I was exposed to last night.

On another front, the Northern Alberta region is going through a MAJOR tent caterpillar infestation - they are forecasting about a billion of them in my region alone. Can you say EWWWWWW? They are everywhere - I step on them on the pavement and in the grass. I am flicking them off the deck, the garden bed edging, the garbage cans, and the yard furniture. Worst of all, Jack-Jack seems to think they're some Northern Alberta delicacy. Mom and I sprayed for them on Sunday morning, but I think the rain washed the spray away, so we're going to have to spray again. Our spraying is very limited, though, because the spray is toxic and I have to be careful where we apply it so that the dogs aren't at risk.

As we were spraying on Sunday morning (garbed in long sleeved and legged clothing, with safety glasses and gloves on), I felt like that scene from "Good Morning Vietnam" where the general walks out onto the beach and says "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." Tell me, is that scary?

Off I go to wage more war on the millions of tent caterpillars taking up residence in our yard. Wish me luck!

Lucky . . . or not so much?

Well, for the past week I've been thinking that I needed to look into a Puppy Kindergarden class for Jack-Jack. Although I can manage the training aspect on my own, the socialization aspect is invaluable. And attending a class keeps ME on track for teaching manners to my furkids. However, I kept forgetting to email the lady that runs the training school in town. Today, I finally remembered to email her. Lucky for me, I was able to get into the current session, which started today!

I knew that Jack wasn't quite ready for puppy classes yet, since he's not been on a leash much. But I didn't want to lose the opportunity, so I took it and signed up for the class. What an adventure!

First of all, he was NOT thrilled about the car ride, although he did fairly well. A few French Fries from McDonalds helped make it a more pleasant ordeal. Second of all, he was NOT impressed with the whole collar and leash thing. In fact, when I tried to pull him by the leash, he screamed bloody murder! Everybody quit talking and stared - that was fun. I'm pretty sure the instructor was trying to see if I was discreetly pinching him LOL

He handled the class aspect very well . . . he worked very nicely for me, and picked up on everything I was asking him to do. Cockers really are intuitive, intelligent dogs! But for the play portion of class, he wanted nothing to do with the other small puppies. Nevermind that he was the biggest of the small dogs, as soon as that terrifying Chihuaha came close, he tucked tail and ran. Oh well . . . he can't be totally perfect, right? With all of the wonderful things he has going for him, a bit of timidity at the first class is small potatoes.

Pay it Forward

Well, my friend Sarah did this thing on her blog where she asked people to recommend music in the "guest book", and she chose three winners from that. Given that I don't get a ton of notes on my blog, I'm not holding my breath for being able to choose 3 winners, but I'm going to try!

I'm looking for people to post a comment recommending a good book to read. Doesn't matter what kind it is (ficton, non-fiction, etc), I'm open to suggestions. After a few days, I'll randomly choose three winners, who will in turn get to pay it forward!

Still around

I have been so absent from my blog, and I apologize to my faithful readers! Having a new puppy in the house is taking up a lot of my time, and preventing me from being online much. But trust me, I'm not complaining! As much work as raising puppies is, I'm thoroughly enjoying my little man!

He's settling in very well, and he and Grace are pretty fast friends now. They love to play and wrestle, and it's super cute to watch. Farley's not terribly enchanted with Jack, but he's being VERY tolerant, which I'm proud of. He's such a GOOD dog.

Work is busy too - our department is still short-staffed, so everybody is working a little bit extra. It keeps us all out of trouble, anyhow. We have a new boss from Australia, and we're all enjoying getting to know him. His Australian slang is great fun to decipher!

This weekend my brother's family is here, so the house is very busy. Many people, kids and animals give it a sort of three-ring circus feel. But the dogs are enjoying the company, and it gives the house a lively feeling. Hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

Busy Weekend!

Well, I know I have used this blog post title before, but it really was a busy weekend! I traveled to Edmonton for a dog show, and to bring home my new puppy. I left here Thursday afternoon, and didn't get back until Monday afternoon. I brought Grace with me, but left Farley at home to keep my parents company.

Thursday night Jackie and I ran to Wal Mart to get a few things, and to stock the trailer with pop and snacks. We visited with some breeders that drove up from Washington, and had a VERY fun supper at Humpty's (I will never forget the question "What is a humpy banger?" as long as I live!) We got back to the trailer and headed to bed at a decent hour.

Friday morning we got up and went to West Edmonton mall for a bit, as well as making a pit stop at G&E Pharmacy (which sells pet supplies at awesome prices - on Edmonton's south side). In the afternoon I put Grace through her paces at the Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) test, and I'm proud to say that she earned her first title! What a good girl she was! The tester just about ran her over with a bicycle at one point, and it didn't phase her one bit! Friday night was the Puppy Sweepstakes for our Specialty, so I ring stewarded for that. It was fun. After the Sweeps we went out for a late supper, which was very fun again.

Saturday was a busy day - I had to groom a dog for Jackie and then prep another dog that I was showing for a friend. I showed a female in the morning for a handler that was injured and managed to go Reserve to the girl points, which was a big deal for this 6 month old puppy that showed like a CHARM. She was such a pleasure to show! Saturday afternoon was the specialty, which took a couple of hours. It was fun - I think people enjoyed themselves. Saturday night was the dinner and auction, and it was a fun time for all. MOre fun for some than others . . . not naming names, just commenting on the fun that some people had LOL Some of us (them?) may have even paid for the fun a bit the next day LOL

Sunday was busy for me, as I had committed to judging two classes for the specialty Junior Handling. I've never judged before, but have always wanted to, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope to do it again in the future. I also got drafted to show that 6 month old puppy for the injured handler again in the Specialty. She did very well with me (as she had done the previous day with Jackie, who was pinch handling), and I had a blast showing her. I have to say, I've never won so much at a specialty, and it was a pretty good feeling! Then Jackie and I packed up the trailer and went back to her place. We got to play with the puppies, HAVE SHOWERS, and just relax. We were both very tired.

Monday I drove home, new puppy in tow. So far Mr. Jack-Jack is settling in just fine. His confidence level goes up by the minute, and he is charming everybody here left, right and center. I'm enjoying him immensely. Farley's not thrilled, but he's not nearly as unhappy as he was when I brought Grace home. Mind you, Jack's not nearly as crazy as Grace was either. IN any case, we're settling into being one big, happy family.

Hope your weekend was great too!

A Pup At Heart

So, my girl Grace will be 2 in August. For many dogs, this is when they start to mellow a bit and sleep from time to time. I think Grace missed getting that memo from above, because she is most definitely still a puppy at heart. She will run laps and laps around the yard, which I call her "puppy zoomies." She will chase beams of light until she's half dead from exhaustion, and even then she's reluctant to stop. She loves to chew, and gets herself into trouble every now and then by chewing on the kids' toys and shoes. Apparently kids' shoes are a delicacy unto themselves . . . something I would know nothing about.

She also provides me with many reasons to smile and laugh. Even when she's getting in trouble, this dog is wagging her tail and waiting for the lecture to be over so she can get back to playing. This dog never complains about being in the crate or otherwise confined, she just makes the absolute most of her time out of the crate. She loves new people, and I recently discovered that she has the patience of a saint when a baby is pulling her hair out by the fistfull. She was certainly raised right by her breeder - nothing phases her at all!

So every now and then there comes along a dog that just won't grow up. Sort of like Peter Pan, although I'm not sure he ever ate kids' shoes. Grace is one of those dogs. Just a pup at heart.

Outstanding Read

Because Randy Pausch has been on TV, YouTube and all over the news and internet, you may already have heard of him. He's almost 50 years old, a former resident of Pittsburgh, PA, a PhD and former Disney Imagineer. So far, he really doesn't sound like a remarkable guy. But he is, I promise you. Randy is dying of pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to his other internal organs. Early this year the doctors gave him 3-6 months to live in good health (I assume the use of the word good was relative in Randy's case). Anyhow, Carnegie Mellon U in Pittsbrugh (where Randy was a tenured professor) asked Randy to do a "Last Lecture." So he did.

The lecture made the news almost immediately, and portions of it are all over YouTube and the rest of the internet. Randy did a spot on Diane Sawyer in mid-March, and I think a lot of people tuned into that documentary. Along with portions of his 90 minute lecture, Randy spoke candidly with Diane about dying from (and mostly about living with)cancer.

The companion to his last lecture is the book, The Last Lecture. It's not a thick book, and most of what it contains is about living out your childhood dreams. It souds hokey, and I suppose in one way, it is very cliched. But it's an excellent book. Even though nothing that Randy said was revolutionary, it was like reading it for the first time. I HIGHLY recommend this book - take your time with it and absorb what Randy has to say. And then say a prayer that Randy beats the odds, and that his wife and kids have many more months and years with him.

Summertime . . .

Well, I can always tell when summer is officially here. It means cutting the lawn on a regular basis - and today was the first lawn trim of the season. I was going to leave it until next week, but it really was looking quite shaggy, and so I came home and got the lawnmower out. It didn't take long, and the grass looks and smells great now! My runners are green, and the dogs' feet are green too . . . but that wears off over time.

I doubt I'll be as enchanted with everything the next few times I have to cut the lawn, but I have to admit that I half-enjoyed doing it today. It was nice to get out, get some sun, and get some exercise. That won't hurt me at all!

As an addition to my earlier post about the Cocker Rescue Auction Site, I want to thank the folks that conspired to send me a beautiful bouquet of flowers! They are so pretty, and they smell amazing. The vase and flowers are purple, which was chosen specifically for me, that much I know. The gesture is VERY much appreciated - and the flowers have been greatly enjoyed by myself and my family!

Countdown is On!

Life is just so exciting for me lately, it seems as though I always have something to count down to :) But this coming weekend is one of the more exciting things I have going on for the next few weeks. I'm getting a new puppy! His name is Jack (short for Jackpot) and he's a handsome buff baby that I'm getting from my very good friend Jackie. His dad was over visiting from Russia for a year, and his mom flew here from South Korea, so he's truly an international pup!

Next weekend is a big dog show in Alberta, and at the show are two Specialties, which are shows for Cocker Spaniels only. Jackie brings her nice travel trailer to the show, and we stay on site, which makes life a lot easier. This year the show committee even got pay showers, so we won't stink by the last day! (Vicky and Weeza, you know what I mean LOL)

Anyhow, it sounds like Jackie's husband will bring Jack to the trailer on Sunday, when the family comes to see a bit of the show. Then I'll bring him home with me on Monday. I can't quite imagine with Farley will think, but I hope that Grace will be thrilled to have a new playmate!

So . . . welcome to the family Jack! We can't wait to bring you home!

Digging Out

So as I've posted before, my family consists of packrats. All of us suffer from this affliction. It might not sound serious, but that just means that you've never been to our place. We have STUFF. Everywhere. It's gotten to the point where it's stifling and slightly unsafe. I am tired of tripping over stuff or knocking carefully arranged piles of things over.

So today, I'm trying to dig out a bit. My bedroom is a household full of stuff crammed into a tiny room. It's very claustrophobic, and I think that anybody that's seen it would agree. I've gotten rid of one garbage bag of stuff already, and the day is only half over. Right now I'm taking a break . . . it's all fairly overwhelming. But hopefully by the end of today I will see some progress and feel better about my room.

If there are no blog posts for more than a week, send in the troops to dig me out!

Back Home

Well, I've been home from Vegas for a couple of days now. What a trip! That is a VERY, VERY cool place to visit! There is something to see everywhere you look, and there is most certainly something for everybody there. You want to gamble? You have your choice of casinos . . . from busy, noisy and smoky to classy, quiet and sweet-smelling. You like shows? There are shows for every taste - comedy, musicals, artistic . . . and every night of the week, if not twice a night. You want to shop? This is a mecca for shoppers, with high end stores and outlets as far as the eye can see. It was just amazing.

We spent some time on Monday at Siegfried and Roy's Magic Garden and Dolphin Habitat, which was great. It was a super hot day, so we spent most of our time in the shade, just taking in the signs. We watched the dolphins for a while, and then checked out the white lions and tigers, and the snow leopard and panther. It was very relaxing, and well worth the $16 each. Monday night we saw Cirque de Soleil's "Le Reve" which was absolutely amazing. The stage is water, and the acrobatics are just incredible. The men . . . oh, the men. I'd have taken any one of them home with me in a heartbeat.

Tuesday we went to the Las Vegas Premium Outlets, which is an outdoor mall of all kinds of stores. Wow, I spent a few dollars there ;) I got some VERY cute outfits for my nieces and nephew, as well as a few items for me and my parents. Tuesday afternoon we spent some time at the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand. I LOVE that hotel! The Lion Habitat is very cool - and best of all, it's free! We really enjoyed it. We had dinner at the MGM Grand Buffet, and it was awesome. Great selection and very yummy food. I would recommend it to anybody.

Tuesday night we saw two shows - Cirque de Soleil's KA and the Blue Man Group. KA was quite different than Le Reve, but it was good in its own right. Very acrobatic, with a bit of martial arts mixed in. The stage moved all over, so that was pretty cool. I preferred Le Reve, but both shows were good. The Blue Man Group was awesome! So funny, and a really enjoyable show . . . I loved it! I laughed SO hard!

Wednesday we flew home at the crack of dawn. That was horrible, getting up after just a couple of hours of sleep, but I was ready to come home.

So in a nutshell, that was my trip. I'll try and post pictures within the next few days . . . when I am feeling better and have some time to download and re-size.

Pondering . . .

As I'v been getting ready for my trip to Vegas, I've been thinking about one of the strange things that women have been doing for many, many years. Removing all hair from the legs. I don't understand it, really. And whose idea was it to start waxing legs? Goodness, but it HURTS! I mean really, why is it necessary to pull the hair out by the roots?

There are benefits to waxing, for sure. Once you get on a routine, the hair comes in lighter and finer. It lasts for a while, unlike shaving, which has to be repeated quite often. The legs feel smooth and you don't get that stubbly feeling. But still, it hurts like heck!

Yes, I waxed today. Did my legs and did my mom's as well. We purchased a wax pot and stuff a few weeks ago, so that we could save money over time, and do it ourselves. I have a friend that is a trained esthetician, and she taught me the proper procedure. Still, it hurt. No matter how good you are, pulling anything out by the roots is bound to be uncomfortable.

So I pondered traditions, and what made women decide this was a good idea. Anybody know the history of it?

The Last Day

You know what I re-discovered today? That the last day of work before you start a vacation feels infinitely longer than any other work day. Yes, it is a scientifically proven fact (I'll get right on finding the research references for you LOL). Never mind that you can hardly sleep from the anticipation, but then you're also dying inside to be done work. I think that's true regardless of how much you love your job.

Case in point - I really do love my job. And right now I'm very busy, which makes the time just fly by. But today, even though I was doing stuff all day long, the time dragged by. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. The funny thing is that I'm not even leaving for 2 more days . . . so the excitement is only going to grow.

I love the feeling of anticipation that comes with a vacation. It makes me feel like a 5 year old all over again!

Cocker Rescue Auction Site

So, a couple of months ago, a friend of mine that runs a Cocker Rescue based out of New Hampshire asked me if I would think about being the Site Administrator for a new Cocker Rescue auction site. There used to be a fabulous site, but the woman that runs it came down with ill health, and she just isn't able to manage the workload right now. I'm a big supporter of Cocker Rescue, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to work on my site administration skills while making a valuable contribution.

Well, let's just say it's been a real learning experience! I clearly did not know NEARLY as much as I thought I did LOL I have relied more on tech support over the past month or so than I ever thought I would. Granted, tech support hit a few glitches along the way too, so it's not all my fault. I'm not really sure, but I kind of suspect that the folks that asked me to take on this role are questioning their choice. But I've learned, so that certainly helps.

Today was the launch of the actual Spring auction . . . and we discovered very quickly that using shared servers does not provide enough bandwidth for our auction. It is just way too intensive. So as I type this, I am trying to get the Name Servers changed, so that we can be hosted on a Virtual Private Server, and not experience interruptions to our service. When I woke up this morning, I couldn't have typed that last sentence if I'd tried . . . I don't think I even knew some of those words. I've come a long way baby, in just 9 hours!

Check out the auction at http://www.lifeslittlepawsauction.com

Learned Something New

I've been grooming dogs for about 9 years now. I've done a lot of dogs, and I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the whole thing. For my breed of dog - the American Cocker Spaniel - I use a heavy duty dryer on a stand. It blows significantly more air than a regular human blowdryer, and I can use variable heat settings. About 8 years ago, I bought a second-hand stand dryer made by Edemco. I didn't pay any more than $100 for it (new ones go for about $700 depending on the model), and it was already about 20 years old at that time. It worked like a charm, but in the fall of 2007 I decided that I needed something stronger. So I ordered a brand new dryer with my bonus money from work.

I ordered the Edemco F7001, which is one of their top of the line models. I got a good deal on it, and I was super excited about it. It had variable air flow control and variable temperature control. I really wanted both of those features, because it's nice for grooming puppies and adults.

I got the dryer, set it up, and began using it. I played around a lot with the temperature control, but couldn't quite figure out how to work the air flow control. I put it out of my head.

Last week an online friend was asking me about my dryer, because she wanted to buy one. She pointed out to me that it should have air flow control as well as temperature control. That tweaked my memory . . . but I still couldn't figure out how to make it work! Today I was grooming a Sheltie for a family friend, and I played with the air vent cover on the side of the dryer . . . and voila! Now I can control the air flow!

So an old dog CAN learn new tricks!

Getting excited!

So, in just 5 more sleeps, I get to go to the City of Sin, Las Vegas! I've never been before, and I'm so excited, I feel like I'm about 5 years old :) We have tickets to see Cirque de Soleil, and a reservation to eat at a cute little French Bistro called Mon Ami Gabi in the hotel Paris Las Vegas. I'm not sure if the reservation will stand, as it depends on what kind of adventures we find, but it's fun to think about eating there, anyhow. It comes highly recommended by both Frommer's and a co-worker that I trust.

We plan to tour the strip, preferably with some kind of exciting beverages in our hands, and we also plan to sneak in some outlet shopping. It will be a packed 2 days (and one night), but we are definitely going to make the most out of it! I can't wait! Have I already said that?

I am women!

Okay, so the more correct title for this post would be "we are women" since it's about both my mom and I. But that doesn't have the same ring to it . . . hence my exectuive decision to title it as such. My mom and I had the most productive weekend that we've had in a long time. On Saturday she worked in our back room (the computer room), getting the rest of the Christmas stuff put away and getting rid of junk. As a previous post pointed out, we're ALL packracts, so this is a huge job. I raked the backyard, making sure the dead grass was gone. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but it was hard work!

On Sunday I started raking the front lawn, and got about half of it done (with my mom helping). Then we decided to trim the top of the cedar tree that grows in front of the house, as it was growing over the roof. We propped up the ladder, and I hiked up there with my trusty Japanese saw. It looks small and ineffective, but it actually has pretty good cutting power! Still, my arms were pretty darned sore!

We used to have this big stump in the middle of our front lawn. A few years ago we cut down the flowering bush that was there, but were unable to get the stump out. It's been a humungous pain to cut the lawn around. Well, my mom decided we were going to try and get that sucker out. I was doubtful, I'll admit it. But she did all of the work - digging the dirt away, hacking at the roots with an axe, and trying to get it out. She got to a thick, stubborn root, and her arms were tired, so I had a few hacks at it. Together we got it out! Talk about a sense of accomplishment and empowerment!

So there is the reason for the blog post - we proved that we don't need no stinking men to do the grunt work. It might take longer, but we manage just fine!

Happy Mother's Day!

Although the day doesn't officially start for another 2.5 hours, I wanted to wish all of the mothers out there a wonderful, happy Mother's Day! This goes out to human moms, dog moms, cat moms, and all other kinds of moms too. This is a day to celebrate somebody that has made an impact on your life in some way. Of course, it is meant to celebrate your mother - the person that gave you life, that nurtured you when you needed it the most, and that raised you into the human being that you are today. For me, this person is incredibly special. I am SO very lucky to have the world's best mother (feel free to disagree . . . but I would debate your arugments any day!). Not only is she my mom, but she is also my best friend. I can talk to my mom about anything, and know that she will provide me with honest, heartfelt advice. Growing up, she taught me about strength, independence, perseverence and the importance of educating yourself. She demonstrated that a strong, independent woman CAN succeed - in life and in business.

She raised me to be honest and ethical, and she raised me with a sense of responsibility. I see so much of who I am today in the person that she is. I couldn't be prouder of that if I tried. There is nobody else in the world that I want to be like as much as my mother. I'm not one of those women that shudders when somebody tells them that they're like their mother - I beam with pride. My mother instilled in me values that will take me far in life, and that make me a reasonable person (well, most of the time - hormones can mess with that!).

So Mother's Day is all about celebrating my mom, and thanking her for everything she's given me over the years. Not the physical gifts, but the things that I will carry with me forever. Threads of my mom, woven into the fabric that is me.

Thank you Mom, I love you always and forever.

Small Pet Peeve

So, I work for a company that is situated about 40km (roughly 25 miles) north of the city. The company is generous enough to provide bussing to and from work. The bus ride ends up taking anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes, depending on traffic. There are several busses that do various routes within the city. Folks that have been working at the plant for a while understand bus etiquette . . . we disembark in rows, starting at the front, we talk quietly (if at all) in the mornings, you check with the person behind you prior to fully reclining your seat. Most of the time, bus-riding is a congenial, relaxing experience.

But once a year, the idyll is shattered by the influx of summer students. Don't get me wrong, most of the summer students are great, and many of them contribute a lot to the company. But it appears as though a lecture on bus etiquette is required during orientation. They race to the front of the bus to get off first, they slam their seats back without looking, and they yak on their cell phones (rather loudly, often) for the entire ride. For the first few weeks of May, the adjustment period is a bit painful for us "veterans."

So it's a small pet peeve, but being that it's the first week of May, it has recently surfaced again. I promise, I won't complain about it again. At least not until next year ;)

Thankful Thursday

As the weeks of Thankful Thursdays go on, I half feel like I'm running out of things to write. I don't want to write about the small, seemingly-insignificant things that I appreciate, I want my posts to have depth and meaning (and an element of humour as well). But in all honesty, how many "big" things can I be thankful for before I start sounding corny or insincere?

So this week, I'm thankful that I have a good job. Those of you that know me might remember that this time last year, I was in a miserable position at work. I was in a job that was a bad fit right from the start, and there wasn't anything I could do about it. It was a very tough few months, but then I moved into Internal Audit, and despite everything that you've heard or said about auditors, they're a really good group! The work suits my nitpicky personality, and I continue to learn new things all the time (which is an important element of a job for me). I'm happier than I was a year ago, that's for sure.

So while this isn't a huge, meaningful relevation, it's still something that definitely makes me happy.

Something for everything

I was going to title this post "Another one of my favourites" but I think that post title has been used too much lately on my blog. So, I thought of something else appropriate . . . since the "food" I am about to discuss really DOES go with everything!

That "food" (which is in quotation marks since I'm not really sure it's the right word) is maple syrup. Nectar of the Gods for sure! The real stuff is best, but even Aunt Jemima will do in a pinch. Yesterday a good family friend brought a HUGE jug to the house. Her sister's husband's family makes it and sells it, and so she got some for us, because she knows my dad and I LOVE it. I was so excited I was almost giggling :)

I love it on breakfast sausages, ham, scrambled eggs and pancakes or french toast or waffles. I'm sure it's equally as good on all other types of food, I just haven't tried the combinations yet.

For those of you that don't love maple syrup, I really, honestly think you're missing out!

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for my love of reading. The enjoyment that I get out of sitting down and reading a book has enhanced my life immeasurably. It provides me with an escape outlet to other worlds, time periods and places. When I'm having a rough day, or I just need to get away without spending big bucks, I can open up a well-written book and get lost in it. Reading has educated me - thankfully enjoying a wide range of book genres has helped. By reading biographies, I have gotten to know famous people. By reading business books, I have learned about the intricacies of business, the management of people and how to make ideas work. By reading dog books (non-fiction), I have learned an immense amount about training, health, structure, behaviour and various breeds.

I enjoy reading books, magazines, newspapers and blogs. This love of reading has led me to enjoy crossword puzzles and word searches, as well as to enjoy writing. I have a bigger vocabulary than most of the non-readers I know, and I can spell very well.

So I'm thankful for my love of reading, and everything it has added to my life.

200 Posts!

I've spent quite a bit of time today trying to come up with the ultimate blog post to celebrate my 200th post. But unfortunately, my inspiration has taken a road trip. What a bad day to have a brain fart!

Today was interesting. We just moved to new offices this week. The person that had this office prior to me did not turn in the key, so I'm waiting on the company lockshop to get me another one. It's actually against company policy to leave my door unlocked overnight, but there isn't any other choice. Well, last night either the cleaners or security locked my door. So when I got in this morning, I was locked out! We called security (who have a master key), but they didn't make it over until 11am. So I worked in am empty cubicle for the morning.

As if that wasn't enough, I grabbed a can of Diet Coke, since my water bottle was locked in my office. I don't normally drink Diet Coke before lunch, but I made an exception. As I was getting set up in the cubicle, I knocked the can over, and spilled it into my work bag. All over two new books, a magazine, and some documents. Talk about crummy luck!

Fortunately I managed to salvage my day, and it turned out to be a pretty good one. So that just goes to show that just because the day starts out on a sour note, that does not mean that it can't improve!

Farley's New Friend

So, the day before my parents got home from their cruise, the doorbell rang. I answered the door, and it was a young man of about 10 years or so, asking if I had any dogs. The incessant barking should have given it away. He asked if he could take them for a walk, so I told him he could take Farley. I dug Farley's leash out of the closet, and watched them walk down the street together. After they turned the corner, panic set in. I mean, I didn't even know the kid's name! And what if he didn't bring my dog back? What would I do?

About 45 minutes later, this pair came strolling back up the driveway. The smaller half of the pair was just black with mud and puddle water, but he was also grinning from ear to ear, tongue hanging out happily. I thanked the young man for walking my dog, and proceeded to take Farley down to the basement for a bath. Halfway through the bath, I realized that the kid probably wanted to be paid. Oooops! I couldn't even go to his house with money, because I didn't know his name. I figured he'd never come back, since I was a bit of a deadbeat LOL

A few days later, he showed up again. My dad called me at work, and before I even really thought about it, I told him it was fine. I STILL didn't know the kid's name! But again, Farley made it back in one piece, albeit dirtier than heck. This time the kid's mom came to the door as well, and they introduced themselves. I paid the young man for walking the dog and apologized for not doing so before. Mom explained that their dog had died in January, and they couldn't get a new one, so the boy was missing his dog. How could that not tug at my heart strings?

Farley's new friend has been back a couple of times now, asking to walk his buddy. He now gets the leash out of the closet himself, and Farley is happy to have the outings with his buddy. I, on the other hand, am slowly going broke. Also, my back's a bit sore from the baths. But how do you say no to such a happy pair?

My favourite . . .

Back on the theme of things I love (aka My Favourites), I wanted to talk about one of my all-time favourite home-cooked meals. What brought it to mind is that we had it for supper yesterday and again today. Spiral ham with my mom's special glaze (which includes gingerale, maple syrup, crushed pineapples and other "secret" ingredients), potatoes and mixed vegetables. Oh my goodness, what an awesome treat! The spiral hams (so-called for the method of cutting, as far as I know) aren't nearly as salty as regular hams, and they are sweet and succulent. Mmmmm. Of course, maple syrup makes EVERY meal better, so that's a given.

The potatoes were mashed this time, although the ideal potatoes with ham are scalloped or au gratin. I won't complain, I like mashed too. Then we also had peas, corn and broccoli. What a meal! Despite the fact that I don't normally like leftovers that much, I was looking forward to tonight's meal all day long.

Feel free to share what YOUR favourite homemade meal is!

Family Fun Day

Today was my company-sponsored Family Fun Day. The company rents a local indoor ice rink and turns it into a fair for kids. There are all kinds of games to play, those big air-filled bouncy "houses" and some other climbing stuff. There is also a petting zoo with farm animals, face painting, airbrushed tattoos, food, and shows. It really is a lot of fun. My mom and I took my three oldest nieces (I now have 4 nieces and a nephew!) for a fun-filled day. First off, we all went to see the Amazing Brent, a magician. He really put on a good show, and the kids enjoyed it. Then the two older girls went off on their own, and mom and I went with Tashie to explore. It was fun - we got airbrushed tattoos (yes, me too - a fairy on my left arm), I took loads of pictures, and Tashie played and played.

I plan to write a letter to the event planners/coordinators, to thank them. The girls had a great time, and we enjoyed sharing this day with them. It was a day full of smiles and laughter!

Thankful Thursday

So here we are again, we've made it through 80% of the work week, and we're back to Thursday. I can't say that personally it's been a stressful week, since I haven't worked nearly as much as I normally do. One snow day, one day of packing, and one day of working from home because our offices are being moved to a new building, have added up to a lighter-than-average work week.

Today I'm grateful that my brand new niece (who will be 1 week old tomorrow!) is doing well, and isn't suffering from many of the ailments that preemie newborns commonly have. She was born 1 month early, so she's in the NICU for a bit, but other than some jaundice and a slightly underdeveloped sucking reflex, she's a healthy little girl. Given the health issues that her brother had when he was born early, it is a miracle that she is this healthy.

The miracle of life is really something to behold. This little baby is a perfect miniature, even compared to regular newborns. Her fingers and toes are so tiny and yet so perfect.

I was cranky this morning!

So, it finally quit snowing around 5pm last night, hallelujah! It also started to warm up, which has made the snow wetter and more compactable. Seems like that should be a good thing, but I disagree now.

Backed out of the driveway fine, because the neighbor's son shovelled it for us last night (I could have kissed him, but he's 16 and embarasses easily LOL). Got stuck in the street due to the depth of snow. The city is not plowing anything other than main arteries as it's supposed to warm up soon, and the snow should melt. I have a small car (Dodge Caliber) with front wheel drive. I rocked back and forth and managed to get going. Stopped at Safeway to get flowers for our Admin Assistant, as it's Administrative Professionals day today.

Saw that the parking lot had not been cleared, but figured it was no big deal. There were lots of tracks from people that had been there yesterday and earlier this morning. Hah! I got stuck right in the main laneway. Could NOT get out. I had 5 guys help me push the car out of the laneway, and there it sits, crossways in TWO angle parking spots. Hope those people don't want to park today!

Thanks to two wonderful co-workers, and one anonymous other person from my building, the car eventually got dug and pushed out, so that I could park in a cleared lot. It took about half an hour, a snow shovel, and lots of manual labour, but I was so grateful for the help. Now I'm home and heading to bed soon. I HAVE to sleep off this cold.

Snow Day

In my 28 years of living in Northern Alberta, I've never heard of the city busses not running due to snow. Cold weather comes now and again, but I can't think of the last time we've had this much snow in a short time period. I'm sure we've gotten around 15" of snow, if not more, since Saturday night. Today the city busses quit running, the major companies told people to stay home, and the roads were almost impassable.

I took a few pictures for everybody to see our little spring squall!

My favourite . . .

Okay, I thought I'd go back to favourites . . . so today I want to talk about my favourite time of year, which is spring time. I love that the sun makes longer and longer appearances with each passing day. I love the green grass, and the buds on the trees. I love seeing nature slowly wake up from its long winter slumber.

I most decidedly do NOT love winter. Especially not most of the way through April, which is a full month after the start of spring, according to my calendar. I do not love blowing snow, and drifts against the house that make opening the door tough. I don't love so much snow in the street that I almost get stuck on my way to work. I don't love brushing a foot of snow off my car in the morning, and I don't love the snow. Did I mention that?

Alberta is in the grip of a winter storm . . . a really nice, good one, with snow and wind and cold. All I want to do is curl up in bed and snooze . . . unfortunately my boss disagrees ;) So I'm here, wrapped in a sweater, with big slippers on, dreaming of hot soup and hot chocolate. Hope you're warm and cozy too!

Farley is a GOOD boy!

So in January 2007, the Canadian Kennel Club added a new event for dogs to earn titles in. It's called Rally obedience, and it's sort of like a combination between certain elements of agility and obedience, leaning heavily towards obedience. It's meant to be an introductory stepping stone to traditional obedience. Handlers can talk to their dogs all the way through the course, and offer praise and encouragement. There are stations that you go through (heeling your dog in between) and do what's on the signs.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I showed Farley in 2 Rally trials in Red Deer. We'd never been to a class or played in a sanction match, but I had watched it in Philly, so I figured it wouldn't be too tough. Especially for a dog who's competed in regular obedience.

Our first trial was definitely for learning, as we lost a few points for doing stations incorrectly. But we learned from our mistakes (okay, MY mistakes) and we did much better in the second trial. Farley LOVED that I could talk to him, and I found it fun. On Friday we went to one more trial, this time in Edmonton. Farley was amazing, and he earned his third passing score to earn a brand new title, at the tender age of 8.5 years old. What a boy! He is now Ch Silverwood's Northern Light Am Can CD, RN, CGC.

I'm sure most of this reads like gobbledygook, but thanks for letting me share my pride!

Thankful Thursday

Back to my favourite blog day of the week . . . I love spending time thinking of things that I'm thankful for. It's such a positive day for me.

After watching Randy Pausch give his "Final Lecture" on Diane Sawyer last week, I am very thankful for my health. Randy Pausch is a former professor from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsbrugh. Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer some months ago, and although he is battling it bravely, it appears that the cancer has spread. When you read my sentence, it sounds infinitely sad. Randy has a beautiful wife and young kids, and his life is being cut short. The great thing is that Randy doesn't see it as a sad event. He sees this as an opportunity to truly live out his dreams. Instead of wondering when the time will come, he lives each day as fully as possible. He tells people what they mean to him, and he does the things that he wants to do. He spends as much time with the people that are important to him as possible, and he takes nothing for granted.

His "Last Lecture" (both an actual 90 minute lecture and a published book) is basically his advice for living out your dreams. It's heartbreaking, inspiring and full of words of wisdom. Much of it has been said and heard before, but somehow, it sounds fresh coming from Randy. I wish him the best of luck with his ongoing battle. I truly hope he wins it.

So even though I have to admit that I don't always live my dream, I am thankful for my health and the fact that I don't have to be fully aware of what each day holds. I'm grateful that I am able to get up for work, feed the dogs, do chores and other mundane things . . . because it means that as far as I know, I have lots of life left to live.

Enjoy your weekend friends and loyal blog readers!

Welcome Home!

Well, yesterday was the big day . . . the end to pretending that I own this house and I don't share it with anybody LOL My parents came home from their 3 week vacation yesterday. I surprised them by meeting at the airport - I have to admit that I was pretty excited to see them too. Despite being able to sit online as much as I wanted to, the house was kind of quiet and lonely without them here.

My mom had a real adventure on the cruise - her blood sugars went WAY out of whack, and she ended up spending all kinds of time in the ship sick bay, getting IV treatment and having injectable insulin. Not an expensive adventure, and certainly not a part of the ship that folks want to see. But they got everything under control, and she's feeling better now. Thank goodness!

I have looked at all of my dad's pictures, and he took some awesome ones. I can't wait to see what my mom took now :) They did have some formal pictures done on the ship, and those turned out beautifully. It is so cool to see my dad in a tux!

My family is whole again . . . life is good ;)

Life Is Good

Okay, okay I know that's a corny title for a blog post . . . and goodness knows, I've probably already used it at least once during the life of this blog. But honestly, these days, I can't complain. Yes, there is some added stress at work, and yes, I've had some "friend" issues recently (they *seem* to be over now, thank goodness). But overall, life is very good for me. I have a great vacation coming up, my folks will be home from their cruise soon (don't tell them I missed them though!), two healthy dogs, and things are just on track.

Now, ask me if I feel the same this time tomorrow! I have to get groceries, buy dog food, get a massage (okay, that part won't be hard), clean the house, do laundry and clean the yard. I might not be as excited about life in 24 hours ;)

Thankful Thursday

Here we are again, having reached Thursday. There's something somewhat exciting about Thursday, because it's tantalizingly close to Friday. It's most definitely the best night for prime time TV, and you go to bed happy, knowing that Friday might be more casual than the rest of the week, and you have a different feeling than you had all week.

This week I'm thankful for being spontaneous. This is not normally something I'm good at - I tend to plan everything, if not OVERplan it. I'm very averse to risk, and I feel that planning takes away a lot of risk. But yesterday, when my friend emailed me and asked if I wanted to take a quick trip to Vegas, I had enough spontaneity in me to say yes! We're planning now, of course, but just that rush of adrenaline that came from saying yes without thinking it through helped get me through the day. I'm still feeling good about it. I know it sounds silly, but for somebody that plans everything to a "t" it's pretty cool to just "do it."

I hope you guys are enjoying your Thursday!

Tagged!

I stole the idea for this post from a friend's blog . . .

So here's goes nothing....

A- Attached or Single: Single

B- Best friend: I have four if you can imagine that! - Ange, Jackie, Brandi and Jes

C- Cake or Pie: Chocolate cake!

D- Day of Choice: Fridays . . . it's a more casual day at work, and usually a fun, relaxed evening

E- Essential Item: Water... for the need to live kind of essential. Books... for my sanity! (sounds good to me)

F- Favorite color: Purple

G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Gummi Bears from Dominion in Scarborough . . . yummmmm

H- Hometown: Fort McMurray

I- Indulgence(s): Novels... I love to get into a good book.

J- January or July: January - my birthday falls then!

K-Kids: Two furkids - Farley & Grace

L- Life is Incomplete Without: My family

M-Marriage Date: Not applicable

N- Number of Siblings: 1 brother

O- Oranges or apples: Oranges

P- Phobias or Fears: Losing my loved ones

Q- Quotes: Let me be the person my dog thinks I am.

R- Reason to Smile: I'm going to Vegas, and it's going to be awesome!

S- Season: Spring

T- Tag Seven: Weeza . . . nobody else I know has a blog!

U- Unknown Fact about Me: I love jigsaw puzzles!

V- Vegetarian or Meat Lover: Meat lover . . .

W- Worst Habit: Nail biting! I need to join nail-biters anonymous.

X- X Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasound . . . I had one for my gallbladder once, and the U/S tech showed me my heart beating, which was super cool!

Y- Your Favorite Food: Hamburgers & Jackie's lasagne

Z-Zodiac: Quintessential Capricorn!

Crazy Days

It's funny how life can change so suddenly, based on the people around you. One day everything is fine, and then bam! things change. I want to preface this post by saying that the changes are affecting me negatively, so this isn't a complaint or rant. Just an observation, if you will.

Yesterday I got back to work after my trip to Devon/Red Deer. I've been working on an audit with a co-worker, and she'd been off the week prior, so I was eager to chat with her and to have us align our work again. She dropped a bombshell - she told me she was leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. I wasn't surprised, as she isn't completely happy where she is, and this will be a much better place for her. But I was disappointed. She's a good co-worker, and I've enjoyed getting to know her and working with her. I'll miss her.

The bigger aspect of this is that the company she's going to work for is the one we have been auditing! So, to prevent any perception of impropriety, she is being taken off the audit, except to finish off her paperwork. That leaves me with more responsibility than I had two days ago! It's a bit daunting, but I do think I can handle it. It just caught me off-guard. So the last two days have been busy, filled with adjustments, emails and phone calls.

On another, much more fun and exciting note, I'm going to Vegas baby! A couple of friends and I found a good seat sale, and now we're jetting off to the city that never sleeps :) It's over the May long weekend, just for a couple of days. I think we're going to have a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see what the hype is about this fabulous city!

Fabulous weekend!

Well, I know it's Tuesday and for most people, that means the weekend is a distant memory. But I had such a good weekend that I'm still glowing with the happiness of it.

I travelled to Devon to spend the weekend with my good friend, as well as to attend a dog show with my "old" guy Farley. In January 2008, the Canadian Kennel Club added Rally Obedience as an event that dogs can earn official titles at. It is like traditional obedience, but more fun and less stressful. Since Farley has been trained in obedience for years, I decided to take him out of "retirement" to see if he could earn a new title. He did me SO proud!

On Saturday he passed the trial, despite never having seen a Rally obedience course before. He trusted me, and worked like a little champ. I was so proud of him. Sunday he passed the trial again, and managed to earn the "bonus" win of High Scoring Cocker Spaniel in Rally (don't tell him that he was the only Cocker LOL). Two passes down, and one more to go, and this guy will have earned a new title at the tender age of 8.5 years old!

I had a fabulous time visiting with friends and watching dogs compete. There were some nice Cockers entered at this show, and everybody had a good time cheering each other on. A group of us went out for supper, and had a blast. This is what dog show weekends should be about! Camraderie and laughter and good dogs.

Hope you had a good weekend too . . .

Thankful Thursday

This week, I am so very grateful for good friends. This has really been a roller coaster week, discovering that some people I thought were friends are not, and trying to sort through the "wreckage" of those friendships (or what I thought were friendships). It has been quite discouraging, but the bright spot has been my truly GOOD friends. People that don't care that sometimes I'm nutty, and that don't care whether or not I look good or whatever. Those are the people that are really important to me, and they're they people that I am so glad to have in my life.

Over the years, as I've gone through some struggles, the same people have been supporting me and looking out for me. I'm sure they know who they are, and I would like to thank them. These people, along with my family and dogs, truly do make my life complete.

Gordon Ramsey (Spoiler below)

Yahoo! Hell's Kitchen is back and with a vengeance! I've only watched the first few minutes (I taped it last night because I was busy with other stuff), and already I'm feeling the vibe! The introduction was particularly amusing . . . it started almost like a fairy tale, with pretty music and a soft, pleasant voice. Then they introduce the big monster - Gordon Ramsey! It was perfect!

Now he's tasting the first meals that the aspiring chefs have made. Never in the three prior series of Hell's Kitchen have I seen him throw up, but this time he did. Several times. It was awesome! Not that I like to see people puke, but come on . . . that's not a good start for some poor schmuck!

I can only hope that the season continues on as it has started. I'm so glad that Hell's Kitchen is back!

April Fool's Day

Since I'm not really a jokester or prankster, I don't usually pay a lot of attention to April Fool's Day, other than to fervently hope and pray that nobody plays a joke on me. I tend to be quite gullible with stuff like that. Today was no different - in fact, I forgot about it being April 1st until well after lunch time.

A friend of mine was going to get her pregnant friend to pee on a pregnancy test stick, and then leave it in the bathroom for her boyfriend to find (you have to understand that they have a sick, twisted sense of humour in their relationship, so after the shock, he'd be fine with it). I would have liked to have seen his face this morning!

Other than that I haven't really heard of any good April Fool's Day pranks. If you have a good one, please share!

Pleasant Surprise

Be forewarned that after reading this, you might think I'm a bit off the wall. Moreso than usual, I mean.

Last week I ordered a book in the mail, based on a recommendation from a magazine article. I really respect the person that wrote the article, so I thought I'd give the book a try. It's called "Best in Show" and it's written by Bo Bengston, who is very well known in the dog world, as a breeder, a judge and an author. Anyhow, since it wasn't very expensive (around $30 with my Chapters membership), I figured it would be a typical book, around 200 pages or so. Well, I could see the box in my mailbox as I pulled into the driveway, but I had NO idea how heavy it was! This book is almost 650 pages long! Which I personally think is a GREAT deal for about $30!

So, I was pleasantly surprised. It looks wonderful (after a quick skim) so I can't wait to dive in and read it!

Fun Weekend

I had a really nice weekend :) A good friend of mine came to town for a visit, and we had a great time catching up and having fun. Friday I left work early and had lunch with my friend, and then we came to the house and played Wii. She brought up Karaoke Revolution: American Idol, and we had quite a bit of fun with that. Amazingly, Simon Cowell is quite nice . . . which is just odd. Neither of us can really sing that well, but we managed to win some Platinum and Gold records.

Saturday we went for lunch at a local sushi place and then ran some errands. After that we came home and played Wii again. This time we did Dance, Dance Revolution (with the floor pad). It sounds like a kids' game, but let me tell you, it provides quite the workout! I'm sure I got more exercise playing video games than I have in a long time. And believe me, I know that just sounds wrong LOL Saturday night we had tickets to see Aaron Lines in concert. He put on a fabulous show, and we both enjoyed it a lot.

Today was low key, as her flight left in the early afternoon. Still, we managed to get in lots of visiting in what felt like two short days. I'm sure glad she came for a visit! I hope you had a great weekend too!

Thankful Thursday

Last week I had a brutal migraine, and couldn't post on Thursday. This week, I'm glad to be back on track. This is my favourite post of the week, because it really gets me to think about the great things in my life.

Today I'm thankful for my family, and the fact that we're so close. Yesterday my parents left for a South American cruise, and the house is very, very quiet without them. If I feel lonely without them today, how will I handle the next 3 weeks? It's not necessarily loneliness . . . just noticing how quiet and still the house is without other people moving around. Thankfully the dogs make up for some of that silence . . .

I have heard of so many people that don't have close relationships with their parents, and I always feel sorry for them. My mom and I are especially close, but even my dad and I have a good relationship. I know that I can talk to them about almost anything, and they'll provide a good perspective for me. I know that they love me and care about me, and will support me through anything. And I know how lucky that makes me.

Take some time to think about what you're thankful for today . . .

New Music

Over the past few weeks I've added some new music to my collection. Having received an iPod Touch for my birthday from my best friend, I've been downloading from iTunes like crazy. Thankfully I got lots of gift cards for Christmas for iTunes, so I haven't spent money out of pocket . . . yet.

Feist - a Juno-nominated Canadian artist, Leslie Feist has a very soulful and haunting voice. I purchased her most recent CD and am enjoying it. It has a slower pace to it than a traditional rock or pop CD, but it's very musical.

Sara Bareilles - Her single "Love Song" has been all over the radio, and I liked the catchy tune, so I purchased the whole CD. It's a nice, mainstream, female pop album. Upbeat, and Sara has a very nice voice. It's perfect for listening to at work. If you like the American Idol type of music, I think you would enjoy this CD. If you don't like pop music, give this one a miss.

Regina Spektor - This CD was recommended to me by a good friend, so I felt like I had to purchase it. I wasn't disappointed. Similar to Sara, the first tune was a hit single (can't remember the name of it off-hand - sorry folks!), and very catchy. This CD isn't really as "poppy" as Sara's, it has a bit more of an edge. Not raunch or hard core at all, just not as . . . carefree. Another wonderful female artist.

Trace Adkins - Greatest Hits Volume 2. Okay, I admit that I fell in love with Trace's gravelly voice from watching Celebrity Apprentice, so my dad thought he'd surprise me with Trace's CD. I'm not typically a huge country fan, although I do have some albums (Aaron Lines is an incredible country artist). I really enjoy Trace's album - it's a mix of "classic" country songs, along with some more modern, edgy country. There is a wide range of song types, from ballads to upbeat. Thta being said, if you don't like country music, don't buy it.

I'm always open to suggestions for new music, so if you have any ideas, feel free to share them!

Boo Hoo :(

I should have known better than to post a "Welcome spring" note, but I couldn't help myself. As punishment, it has been snowing since sometime through the night. YUCK! I don't like to use my blog to whine and complain, because that's no fun for people to read, but I am so sad to see winter back. I sincerely hope it's a short visit, because I am in desperate need of more sunshine and warm weather.

Apparently, in central Alberta, the weather is much better. So please take note that I'm jealous of the central (and southern) Albertans. Sigh.

Happy Easter!

I just wanted to wish all of my friends and blog readers a very happy Easter! It's been a nice day here - the sun has been shining and it's been a glorious 6 degrees! Everything is continuing to melt - at this rate we will be rid of the snow by the end of next month. I had two of my nieces visiting, and they spent some time dying eggs and decorating them. It was a fun day.

I hope everyone is enjoying their friends and family this Easter holiday!

It's the Easter Cockers Charlie Brown!

Okay, okay . . . I know it's not really the Easter Cockers, but I didn't have a Beagle for my photo shoot, so I had to make do. My dogs are such good sports about it all - I just want to tell you that right up front. Not only do they tolerate the bunny ears, but they sit and stay while I take a bunch of pictures. I couldn't ask for easier models to work with! I can't say the same for the fuzzy pink guy in the middle . . . he refused to listen to any of my requests. Oh well, it was all in the spirit of Easter.

Wishing my friends and blog readers a very happy Easter! May it be filled with fun, good food and the love of family and friends!

Daffodils

Every year, the Canadian Cancer Society sells daffodil bunches, to raise money and awareness. Last weekend I bought two bunches, and they opened up through the week. They are gorgeous, and another welcome sign of spring. I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took, using the "macro" function on my new camera. Enjoy!

Welcome Spring

So yesterday was the first day of spring, as per my calendar. Since I live just south of the North Pole, spring doesn't arrive here quite as quickly as it does in other, more temperate climates. But I think that I'm finally seeing signs that the solid grip of winter is being loosened! The snow is slowly melting, what with temps slightly above zero, and I can even see some small patches of grass! Granted, it's dead and brown, but at least it's showing. I'm so thankful for that. I think there are more birds out, and the sun is shining longer every day.

I know that given where I live, there could be more winter to come. But for now, I'm going to enjoy the sunshine and spring weather, and I'm going to soak up some Vitamin D!

More favourites

I am really getting a lot of mileage out of this whole "favourites" thing! Thank you Vicky for suggesting it :)

With the famed Writer's Strike (over now, thankfully), a lot of my normal favourite TV shows have been on hold. I am in withdrawal from such great shows as NCIS, Grey's Anatomy, House MD and Brothers & Sisters. I can't wait until April, when they all start coming back on the air. It will be a momentous month! But, the strike has given me the opportunity to watch new shows - shows that are somewhat off the beaten path, and are just being aired on major networks as filler.

"Big Love" which stars Bill Paxton is about a polygamist and how he functions in the normal world (along with his 3 wives and their kids). The relationships within the family are explored, as is living "normally" and dealing with the church and their beliefs. It's on Thursday nights, and I think it is normally shown on HBO. I've gotten interested in the story, so I try to watch it.

"America's Most Smartest Model" is one of a plethora of reality TV shows that has cropped up to fill the void created by the strike. It is hosted by Ben Stein and a former model (her name escapes me right now). It is comprised of "smarts" and beauty competitions, and it's very entertaining. It's also on Thursdays, on CityTV. Definitely good for a laugh!

As always, TLC can be relied on to have quality programming. Now that Paige Davis is back on Trading Spaces, the show is more interesting again. This time around, the storylines of the people trading homes are featured as much as the re-designs themselves. Saturday nights on TLC are enjoyable with this show back to its former glory. Also of note on TLC are What Not To Wear (Fridays), Moving Up (Saturdays) and Flip That House (Saturdays).

I'm always open to suggestions for other new shows, so feel free to share your favourites!

My reading list

Somebody had asked about books . . . and I'm always willing to talk books. I've been reading up a storm since 2008 started!



Earlier this year I read "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett, which is a historical fiction novel based in the 1300's in England. The story centers around Kingsbridge, which is a town attached to a priory with a cathedral that is being built. It spans about 100 years or so, and goes through several relationships over those years. This book was written in the late 80's or early 90's, so it is readily available.


Following that I read "World Without End" which is Ken Follett's follow-up novel. You don't have to read the first one to "get" the second one, but it would clear a few small things up, especially around ancestry and heritage. The second book starts in te 1600's and it also takes place in Kingsbridge. Both are length novels, but well worth the read.


Following that I read "Atonement" by Ian McEwan. This novel was recently made into a movie in Hollywood. I haven't seen the movie, but wanted to read this book. I have to say that I found it quite slow . . . lots of descriptions and discussions about peoples' thoughts, but not much action. It took me a while to get through it, simply because it wasn't hard to put down.



Now I've really gone serious, and am reading Danielle Steele's "Sisters" LOL Not exactly intellectually challenging, but it is a nice, light read and so far I'm enjoying it. It works for a time when work is busy, and I have lots to think about there. This gives me an escape.

Curling Follow-Up

I am VERY proud to report that Kevin Martin, the skip (leader) of Team Alberta led his team to victory last night, in a narrow 5-4 win over Glen Howard and Team Ontario. Despite the excitement of the win, the game was played fairly cautiously, and wasn't all that exciting to watch. Often, finals games are full of risky draws and take-outs, but both teams strugged with the ice (the rocks weren't moving down the ice as they had all week), and that made the game feel almost mundane. Keep in mind, this is coming from an armchair curler - I couldn't DREAM of being as talented as these men are. As much as I enjoy curling, other than the occasional bonspiel, nobody will ever be watching ME curl. They might watch me fall, because that's entertaining on occasion, but my curling is not.

Oh, and Vicky, if you're aiming to play at the 2009 Tim Hortons' Brier (being held in Calgary), you may want to start planning the sex change now. The Brier is the mens' national championship. I think you'd be much more suited to the Scotties' Tournament of Hearts :)

Curling

Since I was on a theme about my favourite things before my thankful Thursday post, I thought I'd talk about one of my favourite sports today. I do love dog shows (and I do consider it a sport, but so many people debate me on that point), but I also love curling. Not curling my hair - curling the sport! It looks so simplistic to people that don't watch it - throw rocks down ice and get them on the bullseye. But to those of us that are avid fans, we know that there is so much more strategy involved than that. The skip (team leader) has to think ahead, and try to figure out what his competitor is going to do. And there is a lot of math involved, as well as understanding the ice, and how it is affecting the movement of the rocks.

On Friday night I was watching a playoff game between Kevin Martin of Alberta (and his wonderful team mates) and Pat Simmons of Saskatchewans (and his great team mates). Although Kevin Martin's rink was outplayed by Saskatchewan, it was his understanding of the ice and his accurate prediction of what Pat would do that helped him win the game.

Tonight is the final of the Tim Hortons' Brier, which is the Canadian national mens' competition. Kevin Martin of Alberta is playing against Glen Howard of Ontario. It should be one heck of a game! I warn those of you that could possibly call - all phone calls, emails and text messages will go unanswered between 4:30pm and 7:30pm . . . my mind will be focused elsewhere!

Thankful Thursday

Yes, it's another edition of Thankful Thursday! I really like this blog topic, because it makes me stop and think about the good things in my life, instead of just being angry about stuff, depressed about stuff or just unhappy.

Today I'm thankful for my dogs. The weather outside isn't as warm as it was on the weekend, but the sun is shining for the first time in several days, and it's nice. Seeing the shining sun and feeling the warm rays on my arms made me want to get out and walk. Normally, I'd just get home, eat supper and get online. But today, I walked in the door and I could tell that the dogs were feeling the same "goodness" that I was. So instead of eating and sitting, I grabbed their collars and leashes and took them for a 30 minute walk. It was our first walk of 2008, and it was a great way to celebrate the coming of spring.

I'm also thankful that on the days that I feel like the world is against me, I come home and these two dogs are smiling and wagging and jumping on me. They're acting like the best part of their day just happened . . . and that ALWAYS makes me feel better. Well, unless one of them has a chewed up leather shoe in their mouth, but that doesn't happen as often anymore.

I absolutely love bedtime with my boy Farley (Grace still sleeps in her crate because she eats books at night while I sleep). He snuggles in as close as he can, and sighs and goes to sleep. I love that feeling so much, and it's the thing I miss the most when I travel. That feeling of closeness.

I could keep typing the things I am thankful for with regard to my dogs . . . but I think you get the picture!

My favourite . . .

Colour! LOL Just kidding . . . I'm sure that would earn me another humorous rant from Vicky ;)

Soup . . . I'm kind of fussy as far as soup is concerned. I don't like soup with lots of "stuff" in it . . . like barley and vegetables and stuff. And I really don't like stuff that I can't identify . . . "mystery" ingredients. I like to know exactly what's in my food. Unidentifiable objects scare me. It could be anything!

My favourite soup is cream of mushroom. I love it . . . it's so yummy and creamy and tasty. I don't like Italian Wedding Soup, Beef & Barley Soup, and Florentine Soups (with spinach in them). I LOVE Miso Soup . . . which I never thought I would. But it tastes so good, and it's actually good for me too. I also really like Won Ton Soup.

So that's the lowdown on Soup from me . . . hope this satisfies my loyal critics . . . er . . . um . . . I mean readers.

Hey thanks!

I got a few replies to my request for inspiration - so thank you my friends!

I can't quite offer a review of the Canon Rebel XTi yet, as I'm still just using it on the Auto settings (it has several). From the pictures I've taken, I'm VERY happy with it. The pictures are crisp and clear, with lovely colour. I played around a bit with the long lens the other day (75-300mm) and was thrilled with the pictures I got. It's very easy to use, and I can't wait until the weather is really nice and I can be outside more, playing with it. If you're looking for a "mid-range" camera with SLR capabilities, this one is great value for the money, in my opinion. That being said, I haven't tried any other D-SLR cameras, so this is a biased review.

I just finished reading "World Without End" a couple of weeks ago. It's written by Ken Follett, and it's a follow-up to his famous book "Pillars Of The Earth." It's sort of a historical fiction type of book, that covers a span of about 75 years or so. The first book covers the building of Kingsbridge Priory (in Britain), and the second book covers a later period in the same village. Both are long books, but both are really enjoyable. I had trouble putting them down!

I'll end there, and not use up all of my inspired topics at once ;)

Inspiration

So, I want to keep posting here regularly, but I'm having a tough time coming up with interesting topics to write about. I used to write about the dogs a lot, but I think that appeals to a limited audience. I have written about my life, but to be honest with you, it's just not that exciting right now. I can only rave about the weather so much, before I bore people to tears, and they give up reading here.

So, I'm looking for suggestions . . . what do YOU, my loyal reader(s), want to see me write about?

Incredible

Yes, that is truly the only word for what Mother Nature has given us today. The sun is shining to brightly I need shades (no really, I need shades!), everything is melting, and I can't get enough of being outside. I never thought I'd want to hear the sound of running water, and I never thought I'd be happy to see a muddy vehicle. But I am. After a long, hard, cold winter, spring is finally tempting us with a bit of her presence. It's supposed to stay above zero (Celsius) for the next few days. They're forecasting a dip in the weather next weekend, but hopefully that will change as the days go by.

Oddly enough, even with a glorious temperature of +9 today, I need to shovel the driveway. The issue isn't the daytime weather, it's the sub-zero temps we're getting at night. If I leave the slushy snow on the driveway, it freezes overnight to turn our driveway into a skating rink. It might be fun, but it's most definitely not safe. So, after I get off the computer, I will go outside and get rid of some more of the slushy snow.

Enjoy the weather folks!

Thankful Thursday

Thank you Sarah for "lending" this to me - I really appreciate taking a moment to think about what I'm thankful for every week. This week I can name one thing that I am supremely thankful for, and that's the SUN! I have been back in my office this week, instead of out on an audit, and the sun has shone through my big window every day this week. I am thankful that I had to close my blinds to reduce the glare on my computer monitor. I am thankful that I had to take my sweater off (it's like a blazer, I had a shirt on underneath) because the sun's rays were warming my back. I am thankful for slushy, slippery roads and walkways, because it means winter's tight grip is loosening.

I am also thankful for my dogs . . . I would say this every week if I didn't think that people would get sick of me, but these two animals really do restore my sanity on a daily basis (well, except on the days they chew computer cords or eat my dad's expensive leather shoes). When I've had a horrid day, I come home and they run to greet me like I'm the most incredible person on earth. After a meal, they come and sit beside me on the kitchen floor (it's a ritual, but I know it sounds weird) and push into me, to get closer. At night, I'm thankful for Farley's snores, because they mean that I have another day to look forward to with him. In the morning, I'm thankful for Grace's mad dash up the stairs (I personally think it's attempted murder, but they deny it), because it means she's healthy and agile and full of life.

I'm also thankful for the people (yes, I hope that's plural!) that read this blog, and allow me a creative outlet.

Canada Post

I have to say, I typically appreciate Canada Post and their services. As a regular buyer and seller on eBay, I make use of their shipping options with frightening regularity. I'm not quite a power-user, but I'm not too terribly far off. I have never had complaints about our mail carrier, because she is SUPER reliable. I used to just about be able to set my clock by her. I made sure to keep a path shoveled for her - since she's so good to us, I might as well return the favour.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, the letter carriers in my area went on strike (could quite possibly have been called job action, as I'm not sure it was a strike in the true sense of the word, although that's how it was worded in local media). They were off carrying for a couple of days, but then they were asked to return to work. It took almost an entire week for us to get any mail at all . . . and even a week after that, delivery was patchy, at best.

Now, I am left waiting for several "important" items. Things that are very important to me, although their total value might not be what some consider high in the true sense of the definition. I sure hope they come soon! And I hope we get our regular mail carrier back too. I miss her and her dependability.

Hello???

So Alberta just elected the Progressive Conservative Part for a record 11th term in a row. While I think that's a nice win for the PCs, I'm wondering why only 40% of eligible voters turned out to execute their democratic right? Come on people, how can you complain about the government when you didn't even take part in choosing it? I'm sure this sounds like a pointless rant, but I hear people grumble about the government on almost a daily basis . . . so I would think that with the nunber of people complaining, voter turnout would have been better.

I didn't want to vote . . . it's a pain in the neck to go out when it's cold, vote, and then head home. But I did it, because it's a personal right I have. People went to war so that our country would be democratic, and so that we could elect our leaders.

I know that a rant on a random blog won't change things, but I just had to vent about it.

Some pics

I wanted to share some pictures that I took earlier this week with my new camera . . . I sure do love my new toy!


The first picture is my girl Grace, who is about 18 months old. I know, she looks very innocent, but she is heck on wheels, let me tell you! Busy, busy, busy. She has the makings of an obedience star though . . . very smart and eager to learn!


The second picture is my "old guy" Farley, who is now 8.5 years old. I've never been able to get pictures of him with his eyes open, due to my old camera having a big flash. I'm so happy to know that he has eyes!


Anyhow, thanks for indulging me!

In like a lion . . .

March has certainly come in like a lion in Northern Alberta. We woke up to a winter storm warning this morning, and it has been snowing and blowing all day. Yuck! I have already shoveled the driveway twice this week, and it looks like the third time is coming sooner rather than later. It's been so nice all week, with some of the snow melting and the sun shining. This is just disappointing. I sure hope that March goes out like a lamb!

Those of you that know much about me know that I do NOT cook. However, I bought a new cookbook a couple of weeks ago, sort of like "Cooking for Dummies" so I've decided to make a beef and broccoli stroganoff for supper tonight. Please pray that my family doesn't end up in the hospital with food poisoning LOL

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!