sadness

We lost a great woman yesterday.

Sue- we will all miss you terribly.  As mom said, you are free from any pain now.

My memories of Susan began when I was very young and would be up north visiting my grandmother "north of the checkerboard".  Kelly and I would sneak into Susan and Wayne's apple orchard or ride our tiny bikes around their property singing "Hello Wayne and Sue, Yabba Dabba Doo", a homemade song we still chant today once in a while.

My mother and Sue had a great friendship which dates back decades and decades. They met as young kids and continued their friendship- especially when mom and Pete moved back up north 12 years ago.  Mom and Sue were essentially neighbors again!  Susan was a gentle, loving woman who loved to harass me about getting married.  "When are you and Corey getting married?  We need another destination wedding, for chrissakes!" -This a reference to a trip we took in 2008 for our good pal Sarah's wedding to Manny in the Dominican Republic.  We made it quite the family affair. A large group of friends as well as Lil Kel & Brother Rob, myself & Corey, Mom & Peter and their neighbors Aurelia and Roy- and then Susan, for good measure!

We had a blast!

Susan was the walking pharmacy on that trip when I found myself covered in Dominican mosquito bites.... or whatever it was that got me.  Being a nurse by trade- the woman knew how to take care of you.

My regret is that I did not go to see Sue on my last trip up north.  This is something I really have to work on.  Death is the most frightening thing to me, and I guess I try to shelter myself from it whenever possible. 

I am glad that my mother was nearby.... was always nearby to comfort Sue during her illness.

I will be up north in less than 2 weeks and we are going to do something for Susan. Perhaps plant a tree in her memory, and cheers our glasses with something sparkly.

Goodbye Sue.

You can now be with Wayne senior again.

 

 

A week in pictures:

Last weeks Kumar hookup

Last weekend`s WORK off-site.  Joel Doodle.  (very lifelike)

 BABY lunch date at my house TODAY!

 So new, so fresh!  (3 weeks!!)

Heineken mommies (JUST ONE EACH)... I had H2O- I`m working for Chrissakes!!!!

end.

toe

YAR

This past weekend we were up north at moms place.  We ate A LOT of corn. What else??? Well there was swimming at the rocks after dinner on Saturday night.  It was needed.  SO hot and humid that day.  Even Mom got on her suit and joined us in the water!

 Meanwhile, earlier that same day......

Yes, you got it.  PIRATES "invaded" sandy beach.  It was the best thing ever, actually.
We were lazing about when all of a sudden I hear firecrackers out in the water.  I think to myself  "how stooooopid."  Fireworks during the day are the epitome of LAME.

That is UNLESS they are coming from a mini-Pirate ship which is embarking onto the beach!

These 3 men FULLY dressed in pirate gear get closer, get out of the boat and start yelling at the children to help them bring the ship in.

"HEAVE you scurvy-dogs HEEEEEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was in complete awe.   Turns out it was for a B-day party.

Anyways the pirates talked all YAR YAR YAR and gave the kids lil' pirate costumes and then proceeded to run about the beach looking for buried treasure.  The pirates, of course, had brought a shovel!



I hope to shit those parents didn't warn the kids about the pirates.  Would have been so amazing to have this show as a surprise!


While we were up north, Lil Kel and Brother Rob were up at HIS cottage.  Somehow while out swimming, Brother Rob cut off his TOE.


 I will warn you NOW this is not for the faint at heart.  Those with any underlying conditions which should prevent them from looking at something SO SICK should close this web browser 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 Gah!

Slán go fóill, Maeve

Until recent years (late 20's) I was never much of a "reader".  In fact I read exclusively magazines. Usually trash at that:

Even back in school- I would never pick up a book unless it was assigned to me for English class.  And even then I would sometimes end up just skimming over the surface, my ADHD getting the best of me. 

However, there was a particular book I quite enjoyed.  I t is possible I read Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy about 2 dozen times in high school alone….  Unusual for a non-book type.

Now, I do realize that whilest in high school the aforementioned movie also came out.  And my crushes on both Minnie Driver and Chris Donnelly (equally) may have helped to facilitate this allure slightly.

Back to Maeve.  Throughout the years, particularity in the past 8 or so, I have picked up more and more MB books.  She has been my “go-to”, some would say.  On road trips I could be sure to find one of her books in a local goodwill store or yard sale.

Her stories were mainly depictions of small-town Irish life, and the struggles of her characters both in love and in life.  

Her own life was a love story all its own. I have noticed in reading her work that many of her books are dedicated to her husband, whom she married in 1977.  You open up a MB novel and surely you will see the likes of:

'To dear generous Gordon' 

'To Gordon Snell, who has made my life so good and so happy...

or

'To my dear love Gordon Snell'

Her thoughts on her husband as per the Maeve Binchy website?

"I met Gordon Snell, a writer, a man I loved and he loved me and we got married and it was great and is still great. He believed I could do anything, just as my parents had believed all those years ago ..."

What can I say? I am a sucker for the L word.

Her novels contained their fair amount of love and drama but more than anything- her characters and stories were very.... human.  Relatable, even when the story was set in another continent, during a war I'd never experienced.

I feel that without Maeve perhaps my transformation into a “reader” may not have happened.  Well perhaps I shouldn't be SO dramatic-- but her tranquil stories that I look forward to getting home to dive into- has certainly guided my way.

Best Sunday Imaginable

Yesterday RULED. If everyday could be like it was- no doubt I would be a happier, healthier woman.

It began in the AM freshly showered and riding my bicycle DOWNHILL to Trinity-Bellwoods park where Jenna and I (and 100 others) participated in Yoga in the Park.

After a good stretchin' we hippity-hopped on our bikes and met up with the OTHER KZ at BODY BLITZ spa.  While there we enjoyed the following luxuries:

• Dead Sea salt pool
• Hot green tea poolC
• Cold plunging pool
• Aromatherapy steam room (think sitting in a world made of VICKS)
• Infrared sauna

The hot rooms above were followed with the cold plunge pool.  Yikes / Wow.  Amazeballs. 

We followed up the "water park" with Therapeutic messages.  One glorious hour of someone rubbing and working my sole ol' muscles.

So, as per the above, it was pretty much BLISS.

But the day did not end there.  After the ladies and I enjoyed some lunch grub at Shanghai Cowgirl (triple decker grilled cheese, please), I biked up to meet the love of my life for a coupla' beers and went home and ate TASTY BITES.

So as you can see?  Pretty much the best. 

day. 

ever.

Summer Vacation!

I had the opportunity to take a few days off and enjoy Summer 2012.  I have been off since last Friday and I STILL have a nice long weekend ahead of me back in Toronto.

We began our travels on Saturday- myself and Cdawg, Bolt and Niki.  

We got to the beautiful Bruce Peninsula and of course HAD to go see WILLIE EMERGING for a quick photo-op:

 

We headed north from Wiarton and arrived just in time for some pre-dinner cocktails, and then dinner at my moms.  Pete made homemade, fried Bass.  De-friggin-licious.   

There have been some moments as of late where I feel maybe I will once again give up fish in my diet (not sure how "right" abot it I feel).  Let me tell you PETE'S BASS was not one of those times.  So.  Good.  

Mom also made (my fav) Spinach Lasagna and we ate like kings.

We then headed back to our sleeping abode (Grammas old house) and had a wee fire.

Also on the agenda was a trip next door to visit Mo.

I have talked about MO before here.  Well Mo's pen has some new additions!  A Jenny and a Baby!

 

BOLT had to leave us the next day but Lil Kel, Tiffy and Baby D joined us on Sunday for Canada Day.

We hot hit the beach and put a pringle on Lil Kels bum while she rested HOPING, PRAYING that a shithawk may land and take it away:

No such luck though. :(


In the evening we had another nice dinner and THEN
We had a reaaaal big fire!

HAPPY CANADA DAY BABY D!

On Monday we headed toward Port Elgin to see C Dawgs family.  Gladly, we stopped by the Saugeen First Nations Amphitheater on the way to stretch our legs.
This place was so lovely and serene. 

Someone get married there so I can go back

Once we arrived and showed NIKI around the Port (equals poutine and ice cream at the beach) we bid adieu to Niki and spent 3 wonderful days in the Port.

C dawgs sister Tracey and the kiddies came up as well.  There was beach time a-plenty, and a very necessary visit with Clint and Maggie`s fam.  I HEART Clint and Maggie. Such goodness going on there.  Also I want their house.  And their humungo yard..... I`ll take the hammock

During our time in Port Elgin we ate some good food, had some good visits, but my very favorite would have to be riding around the town on these pretty ancient bicycyles like a pair of teenagers.

Swoon.

 

It is so wonderful to get away ....  But there is something JUST as sweet as coming home.

Especially to a tuxedo cat (who was well taken care of during our absence) rubbing his lil` head against my feets and legs.

Weekend / Work mishaps

I am really looking forward to this-

Also, yesterday when in communicado with a CLIENT, I emailed her the link to THIS:

...Instead of ... well- the link which related in any way to WORK.



The best news was her response:

"I think you attached the wrong link – you should click on it though it’s pretty funny!


LOL :)
Thanks"

 

THREE!

Zumba + KZ equals ouch.

....And not in the muscles-aching kind of way.  I believe when we were "rolling on a river" (thrashing head upside down and right), I may have injured my brain.

Because, my lovelies, after the class I walked home, had a quick shower and BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE
throbbing headache- full on!

The bastard stayed with me all night, past the delicious supper I couldn't eat, into the night, and when I woke up... Still. 

There.

It subsided during the day but still lingered.  

And then again this morning- 

STILL. 

THERE.  

I do believe that -thinking this was all due to dehydration- I drank the equivalent to Lake Superior in just under 20 hours.

I have now temporarily cleared it with my strong cuppa Typhoo and I THINK it may be gone forever.

Here's hoping.

HERE'S HOPING IS RIGHT, BECAUSE soon enough, on their way to the big city is my MOM (Also known as MARMIE) and SIS (Also known as Lil' Kel). 
That's right, it's girls + C dawg loong-ass weekend!


So far I have only planned our visit until tomorrow at NOON.  I suck at "planning".  
We are gong to eat scrumptious brunch foods at FANNYS and then off to get Pedicures!  


Somewhere in there some bubbles will be drank.  
And while my mom doesn't know it yet --it happens to be a certain special anniversary for the boys at our local watering hole on Saturday and so a trip to KILGOUR'S in in the cards.


I mean it wouldn't be "showing my Marmie my way of livin'" weekend without one! 


 I leave you with this old clip from a great show which has nothing to do with this blog post.  Just CUZ.

i have a crush .....

I have a confession to make.

C dawg and I can get addicted to a particular genre of teevee, this changing from month-to-month.

Sometimes it is a certain old syndicated sitcom, or ANY kind of cooking competition, right NOW it is auction hunting-type shows shows.....

Several weeks ago it began with us watching home improvement shows- one after another- mostly with Mike Holmes.

And then one day we happened to stumble across this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw3hxZAlao

And we went on to watch.  I went on to swoon.

I mean hes adorable right???? (right??)

Plus he looks dang good for 53.

I don't know.  Maybe it was the wine-high, the fact that he's super creative and passionate....maybe it's his tee-shirts and his bandana- but let the truth be known:  I have a serious (female) hard-on for Balki Bartokomous.

That was then

This is now....Hel-lo

Who is this guy?

think mid-nighties

Chicky Chicky Parm Parm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OhJJR8nBl4