Sunday, March 30, 2008

Quiet night

Earth Hour TorontoWhen I remembered it was Earth Hour, my lights had already been off for some time, actually. So I continued watching my movie and didn't turn on the lights to pour my tea. Do I think I really changed anything? No, not really. I'm very careful about turning off lights ALWAYS. That makes more of an impact than waiting an hour to turn on the lights so that I could find my MP3 player.

This morning, I dug out the now-ancient thing. Funny how quickly technology marches on. My MP3 player was good at the time and now... well, I don't use it much because I find it eats batteries and is inconvenient to change the music. Since it doesn't hold much music, that means I like to change the music a little more often. And by "not much" I mean it hold four or so albums, which is really quite fine. And makes me wonder if the problem is not the technology but our insatiable appetite for it and our ability to become used to whatever luxuries we have such that they are no longer luxuries.

I hate to admit it, but, like my dad, I try to use my technology as long as it serves me and not give in to upgrade for the sake of upgrading. ~cough~ I can't believe I just admitted I'm like my dad. ~cough~

Johnston Canyon, 2008Anyway, while I changed up my MP3 music, I also checked out the CD of photos from my ski trip. I uploaded a bunch to Facebook, so you can check them out if you can. I laughed at our stupid faces and inevitably someone's always picking their nose or showing bum crack. It's great -- my family is so great. I love us.

Funny how, with photos. I can feel so close to them right now even in my quiet, dark house. I was thinking of them again today as I was doing all the touch-up painting around my house. It was fun, actually. I had my aforementioned MP3 player on as Alex was still asleep. I'd already gone to Starbucks and already talked to the handyman who said he couldn't finish stuff up today (again!?) and really had not much else to do aside from get down to business. So, the touch ups, softly singing to myself -- it really isn't so bad when you have good music playing.

I was thinking about the other weekend when my mom and dad came again to help me with the odd jobs around here. So nice of them! I can't remember if I told you that the renos are finally getting done? Ya, I have a new door and it is beautiful and I'm sad that I didn't do it before so I could enjoy it longer. Oh well. And my laundry room! OH, I'm so happy and sad that I didn't do it when we moved in. I can't believe that we'll have been here two years soon. I feel like I never stopped working on this place. I guess that's the way it is with houses.

Which reminds me, I'm thinking of a condo next...
Then I can get back to the business of entertaining myself in this fun city!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Skating at Nathan Phillips Square


Nathan Phillips Square
Originally uploaded by b24chicago
My friend Lisa and I totally ripped it up at the Square tonight. Nathan Phillips was pretty dead, aside from the Fashion Week goings-on, which we were SO not interested in.

There were only three other people on the ice, plus some rink "monitors" who horsed around more than anything and totally knocked a girl over by acting like an idiot. Highschool boys. Sigh.

Anyway, turns out that Lisa is a closet professional skater. She gets out there, saying "oh I think I'm going to be so shakey -- I haven't been out in years!" And suddenly she's doing twirls and spins and jumps.

It was crazy.
She looked amazing.

And she really helped me with my feeble direction changes.

I'm really happy that we got to get out there again before the end of the season! I got to do something ACTIVE! We've both been yearning for some outdoor-time and it stopped raining long enough to let us have our turn on the ice. What great timing!

And now I'm off to pack -- we all know that I put it off on purpose because I'm just soooooo good at it. Basically, I'm thinking I'll wave my wand and all of the perfect things will just FLY into my bag. Thank god for the wand or I'd be freaking out!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

shopping is good


DSC03124
Originally uploaded by sixs†eps
Last night, after working late, I decided that it was time.

I was by myself. I had gift cards and needs and time.

So I walked to the Eaton Centre. There was almost no one there. I looked at the lingerie shops and Shoppers Drug Mart and luggage stores and Sephora.

I lingered until they were shutting the doors on me.

I bought chocolate and laundry detergent. I bought yummy smelly things and pretty pick me ups. I browsed through hundreds of wallets. I fingered the fine silks of many pyjamas and underwear. I ate ice cream and spoke to no one.

I spent almost nothing. But I came away satisfied.

Leisurely alone time can be delicious.

Monday, March 17, 2008

The new definition of "House work"

This weekend, the handyman didn't show up... again. So I'm thinking maybe I need to find a new handyman? Except that he's done PART of the work. How do I get him to finish??

In the meantime, my family was over to help me out with some other tasks I've been meaning to get done. Repainting a bedroom that was painted to MY taste rather than more generic neutral colours. Recaulking the bathtub, cleaning up the storage space in the basement, fixing the dryer, putting a door back on furnace room, etc.

It was SO kind of everyone to help again. They worked and I fed them and they took a bunch of my stuff away for storage while we gear up for an open house.

Sometimes I think about owning something smaller. A condo, perhaps. Simple. Less responsibility.

I also managed to see Menopause Out Loud with my mom and our family friend, Marlene. She's a regular reader of my blog. We loved the show. OK, so I'm not close to being menopausal, but I still found the show lots of fun! And we had a nice thai meal together and walked around downtown a bit in the lovely weather.

All in all, a really nice day.
But I'll tell you, I am SO looking forward to the long weekend!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

As if I DON'T need this...

I have been thinking bad thoughts about desserts all day.

Naughty naughty thoughts have me obsessing over ice cream and warm brownie and pecans and chocolate sauce.

It all started with the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies this morning as I passed through Union Station. Damn them and their tempting, mouth watering concoctions.

And for lunch I had my boring sub of the day and facing me down at home is a container of very healthy vegetable soup.

Seriously.
A girl needs some ooey gooey goodness in her life, doesn't she?

Unfortunately, I have lately been feeling the effects of a long snowy winter that has kept my bike locked up in the bike room. Of long days and evenings stuck in front of my computer or the TV or reading. Of a less than over-exerting ski vacation.

How does one balance the need for yum with the need to NOT be a hideously flabby tub that no longer fits in her cuter clothes?

Monday, March 10, 2008

Battlestar Galactica lives on...

I haven't posted in a long while, I realize.

I've been busy with the house and work and friends and teaching and watching DVDs and reading about the Tudors and watching The Tudors and being sick.

I am really super loving Battlestar Galactica. It's really unhealthy, i think. I heard myself go on about it the other day and realized what a nerd I am. But seriously, I think it's way better than Star Trek. I can't believe I just wrote that on my blog, where my whole family can read it. But they should watch it and then they'd know.

I'm in the middle of Season 3, having finished the DVDs, now I'm watching downloaded recordings so that I can get up to speed with the upcoming episodes.

It was seriously the highlight of my weekend.

Saturday I laid around feeling like a dung heap. My handyman was supposed to come but he didn't. And didn't call. Big surprise, i guess. How many times does he have to do this before I just expect it to happen? But I'm eternally hopeful that all my house projects will eventually get done. Next weekend, I'm thinking. Ha.

In the meantime, I got to lay around on the couch and finish The Virgin Queen by Phillipa Gregory. I'm loving her books about the Tudors. I'm learning a LOT about that period and all the characters. I'm on the final book about Anne of Cleves and then I'm on to some other hot historical fiction.

I also managed to finish watching The Tudors series that was made for TV. A friend loaned it to me. I'll be honest, it's NOT as indepth as the books. It moves VERY quickly. And you don't get to really care a lot about the characters. But what it lacks in depth, it makes up for in sex. But I really wish they would develop the characters more as I'm so used to the BSG format where you're immersed in their world -- it was a bit difficult to switch gears.

And now for a busy week of zero TV...