I wake up. Lately its been between 11am and 12 noon. Bad. I know. But when you get home at 12:30am and usually can't fall asleep until 1:30am it happens.
I eat some breakfast (steal some cereal from Ryan, or if there's yoghurt in the house I'll have that with granola and a banana) I rotate coffee / tea. Shower, figure out an outfit, and everyday I wish I had more "work" clothes. I have a lot of black, and I want some more coloured shirts / blouses. Each pay cheque (or every other) I pick up one more piece for my collection, a long, slow process but its getting there.
I debate driving all the way into work, or taking the Skytrain. I loathe the skytrain, it has certainely lost its charm; Smelly people, loud, long....longer than driving (if there is no traffic) and there's no washrooms in any of the stations, so the extra 30 minutes with skytrain commute makes a huge difference (i've had to pee so bad at times, because traffic on the highway made my drive from 20 mins to the skytrain station to an hour.I had to go to an A&W and buy crappy fries I didn't eat, just to use their washroom). The skytrain is also not enjoyable because when I get there (btween 1:30 - 2pm) the 9-5ers have taken the best spots, so I'm left with a quarter mile walk....this SUCKS in the rain, and at night, I have to walk across an empty parking lot in the dark, in surrey. Its scary, trust me.
I save maybe $8 a day taking the train, but add on 2 hours to my commute total. And these days I'm finding it hard to justify spending extra time. At least before when I was in class I could study my notes, but now I just sit there playing solitaire on my iphone.
Parking in the city is bullshit. Its expensive and more than half of the lots are closed by 8pm. Parking on the street is free after 10pm, but I'm finished my shift at 11pm.
Parking in the hotel is not cheap, even with discounted fare its $16 per day. Plus the gas i'm using to get into the city. So as much as I loathe the skytrain, I find myself urging... myself, to take the train more often than not.
I need to find a place downtown. Bottom line. I have 2 more weeks until i've officially finished my 3 month probation and get a big fat $5 / hour raise! So maybe by the new year I can afford a place downtown?!
I digress.
So once I've decided if I drive or take the train, and i've arrived at work I punch in. Lately I have been working "for free" for an hour each day. They refuse to give anyone overtime as often as possible and my shift 3-11 gives me hardly anytime to do paperwork and computer stuff. So i've succumbed to coming in early ( i hope they notice and it will pay off).
I log in ( i don't have a desk yet, so i'm a "floater" hoping to find and secure a computer if someone is away from their desk) and I get to work. As each day passes I find myself creating more tasks. Right now, the major one, is the Wine Syllabus Binder. My idea, my creation. Currently, we have over 100 wines on our list. My position is a Sommelier, which means I am a glorified sales person. So my immediate goal is to sell wine. And they want me on the floor at all times during dinner service.What they fail to realize is that you can only bullshit customers so much,.Agood salesperson is a confident one and with knowledge comes confidence. So the binder is essential and this is why I come in early.
So i've taken it upon myself to create this syllabus. I have a page info of each wine: Producer, background, vineyard techniques, winemaking techniques, tasting notes and any other pertinent or interesting information I can discover. With each page of info, I then highlight "Selling Features" and make notes to elaborate some technical info (if necessary).
I came up with a selling tool that I dubbed "Selling Demographics" which i loosely learned in school but I tailored it to wine sales and came up with a few of my own categories.
Educated Buyer- This specimen knows their wine, and they will appreciate selling features that are tailored to technical information.
Status Buyer- This person usually has money, and when they see a very expensive wine they go for it, or for things that are self sellers like "Vouvray" or "Sancerre" or "Chateau Palmer". They also like it when you tell them how many awards a certain product has won or the celebrity proprietor who owns the winery...etc...
Trendy Buyer- This category likes to follow the trends. Right now "Organic" or "Biodynamic and Sustainable vineyards" are a huge trend and they will appreciate this info. Also things like "Wild yeast fermentation" are a big hit.
Special Occasion Buyer- This creature wants to spend money so take full advantage of it.
All of these categories can be figured out by asking questions, NEVER assume. I approach the table as such "Hello, blah blah blah.... What kind of wine are you looking for? Red? White? Light / full body? Dry / Sweet? Oak / Fruit? The more questions you ask, the better understanding of your guest. Finally, the very important question, what is your budget? This will give you an opportunity for upselling. If they say $60-70 push for $70-$80 but you HAVE to be able to justify the purchase. This is where the syllabus comes in.
I go to my baby (the wine room) and look in the category they want. I scope out the features they want and see which wines in their bracket fit the glove and then I look for a possible upsell. Usually I want to upsell, but I'm not a scheming jerk. Its all about the experience too, so sometimes I stay in their budget or maybe even go less, as long as it fits into their category and I think they will really enjoy it.
With this system, my success rates have been great. We are still fine tuning my approach, because my position was "created" and it wasn't in thier budget, so they didn't have a job outline for me, I just made it my own (which rocks) and the servers weren't used to having me there, so its been a bit of a challenge for them to have me interfere with "their tables". However, when I sell a $200 bottle of wine for them, they aren't complaining.
So far I would say the binder is 45% completed. There is still a lot of work to do on it, but if I'm lucky I get maybe 5 wines done a day, but there's days where I have no time to work on it.
I just submitted a large document that I've been working on for the past week. Our computer system, called MICROS, was designed super fast because the hotel was a rush open for the olympics. They had literally hours to have the place in operation. So the person who created "numbers" for each wine in the ordering system for the servers didn't forecast for the future. Big mistake. The entire system needs to be overhauled and re-entered. So I decided to take on this task since i'm the wine girl now. So i've taken "Our cost" prices, cross referenced it with what we are charging the guests (found inconceivable errors) as well as assigned each wine with new numbers with allocating enough room in between each category to accomodate expansion (sorry if this is really boring). I've just submitted it to my managers today....hopefully its well received!
I will say this. It sounds like a lot, and it is. I live, breath, love my work. There are a few things I wish I could have to make my life easier, but we all have to start somewhere. I miss having tips as a server and living close to work for costs of commute, but there's ups to this job and what I've come to realize is this :exposure. That is my tip. With this will come other opportunities monumental to this position....its all just a matter of time.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
this is it...
I am reading a book called "Arctic Dreams" that I found in a local used book store. I almost didn't buy it because the word "dream" was in the title and it seemed that it would be a little too....romanced? And I know not to judge a book by its cover, but what about the title? But it was only $2.00 so what the hey.
Lately, I've been incredibly intrigued, borderline obsessed with the arctic. As I've done a few large-scale road trips, I find myself having unnatural urges to continue these explorations and they are getting more remote. I don't know what I'm searching for but this lparagraph in this book sort of sums it up.Its thought provoking and at the same time simplified, yet complex wisdom. It is sad to think that society has dulled this understanding. This book was a New York Times bestseller in 1986, Author Barry Lopez.
The next few paragraphs are as follows:
"For some reason I brooded often about animal behavior and the threads of evolution in the Arctic. I do not know whether it was the reserves of space, the simplicity of the region's biology, its short biological history, striking encounters with lone animals, or the realization of my own capacity to annihilate life here. I wondered where the animals had come from; and where we had come from; and where each of us was going. The Arctic ecosystem itself is only 10,000 years old, the time since the retreat of the Wisconsin ice. The fact that it is the youngest ecosystem on earth gives it a certain freshness and urgency. (Curiously, historians refer to these same ten millennia as the time of civilized man, from his humble beginnings in northern Mesopotamia to the present. Arctic ecosystems and civilized man belong, therefore, to the same, short epoch, the Holocene. Mankind is, in fact, even older than the ARctic, if you consider his history to have begun with the emergence of Cro-Magnon people in Europe 40,000 years ago.)
Human beings dwell in the same biological systems that contain the other creatures but, to put the thought bluntly, they are not governed by the same laws of evolution. With the development of various technologies - hunting weapons, protective clothing, and fire-making tools; and then agriculture and herding - mankind has not only been able to take over the specific niches of other animals but has been able to move into regions that were formerly unavailable to him. The animals he found already occupying niches in these other areas he, again, either displaced or eliminated. The other creatures have had no choice. They are confined to certain niches- places of food (stored solar energy), water, and shelter- which they cannot leave without either speciating or developing tools (evolution). To finish the thought, the same technological advances and the enormous increase in his food base have largely exempted man from the effect of natural controls on the size of his population. Outside of some virulent disease, another ice age, or his own weapons technology, the only thing that promises to stem the continued increase in his population and the expansion of his food base (which now includes oil, exotic minerals, fossil ground water, huge tracts of forests, and so on, and entails the continuing , concomitant, loss of species is human wisdom.
Because mankind can circumvent evolutionary law, it is incumbent upon him, say evolutionary biologists, to develop another law to abide by if he wishes to survive, to not outstrip his food base. He must learn restraint. He must derive some other, wiser way to behaving toward the land. He must be more attentive to the biological imperatives of the system of sun-driven protoplasm upon which he, too, is still dependant. Not because he must, because he lacks inventiveness, but because herein is the accomplishment of the wisdom that for centuries he has aspired to. Having taken on his own destiny, he must now think with critical intelligence about where to defer.
A Yup'ik hunter on Saint Lawrence Island once told me that what traditional Eskimos fear most about us is the extent of our power to alter the land, the scale of that power and the fact that we can easily effect some of these changes electronically, from a distant city. Eskimos, who sometimes see themselves as still not quite separate from the animal world, regard us as a kind of people whose separation may have become too complete. They call us, with a mixture of incredulity and apprehension, "the people who change nature".
Lately, I've been incredibly intrigued, borderline obsessed with the arctic. As I've done a few large-scale road trips, I find myself having unnatural urges to continue these explorations and they are getting more remote. I don't know what I'm searching for but this lparagraph in this book sort of sums it up.Its thought provoking and at the same time simplified, yet complex wisdom. It is sad to think that society has dulled this understanding. This book was a New York Times bestseller in 1986, Author Barry Lopez.
The next few paragraphs are as follows:
"For some reason I brooded often about animal behavior and the threads of evolution in the Arctic. I do not know whether it was the reserves of space, the simplicity of the region's biology, its short biological history, striking encounters with lone animals, or the realization of my own capacity to annihilate life here. I wondered where the animals had come from; and where we had come from; and where each of us was going. The Arctic ecosystem itself is only 10,000 years old, the time since the retreat of the Wisconsin ice. The fact that it is the youngest ecosystem on earth gives it a certain freshness and urgency. (Curiously, historians refer to these same ten millennia as the time of civilized man, from his humble beginnings in northern Mesopotamia to the present. Arctic ecosystems and civilized man belong, therefore, to the same, short epoch, the Holocene. Mankind is, in fact, even older than the ARctic, if you consider his history to have begun with the emergence of Cro-Magnon people in Europe 40,000 years ago.)
Human beings dwell in the same biological systems that contain the other creatures but, to put the thought bluntly, they are not governed by the same laws of evolution. With the development of various technologies - hunting weapons, protective clothing, and fire-making tools; and then agriculture and herding - mankind has not only been able to take over the specific niches of other animals but has been able to move into regions that were formerly unavailable to him. The animals he found already occupying niches in these other areas he, again, either displaced or eliminated. The other creatures have had no choice. They are confined to certain niches- places of food (stored solar energy), water, and shelter- which they cannot leave without either speciating or developing tools (evolution). To finish the thought, the same technological advances and the enormous increase in his food base have largely exempted man from the effect of natural controls on the size of his population. Outside of some virulent disease, another ice age, or his own weapons technology, the only thing that promises to stem the continued increase in his population and the expansion of his food base (which now includes oil, exotic minerals, fossil ground water, huge tracts of forests, and so on, and entails the continuing , concomitant, loss of species is human wisdom.
Because mankind can circumvent evolutionary law, it is incumbent upon him, say evolutionary biologists, to develop another law to abide by if he wishes to survive, to not outstrip his food base. He must learn restraint. He must derive some other, wiser way to behaving toward the land. He must be more attentive to the biological imperatives of the system of sun-driven protoplasm upon which he, too, is still dependant. Not because he must, because he lacks inventiveness, but because herein is the accomplishment of the wisdom that for centuries he has aspired to. Having taken on his own destiny, he must now think with critical intelligence about where to defer.
A Yup'ik hunter on Saint Lawrence Island once told me that what traditional Eskimos fear most about us is the extent of our power to alter the land, the scale of that power and the fact that we can easily effect some of these changes electronically, from a distant city. Eskimos, who sometimes see themselves as still not quite separate from the animal world, regard us as a kind of people whose separation may have become too complete. They call us, with a mixture of incredulity and apprehension, "the people who change nature".
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Wish Bone
As a young child, and even as I grew up, my family had this tradition where anytime we made a roast chicken or turkey we would save a bone (located by the neck that looks like a "Y"). I think my Gramma and Papa started it and it continued in my home growing up. I'm not sure if anyone else had this tradition, its kind of gross if you think about it; you let the bone dry for a day on the counter and then two people grab an end and pull it apart, whoever had the largest side got to make a wish.
Well, I made a roast chicken the other day and I saw this wish bone and vaguely thought of saving it, but decided not to. I guess my brother found it when he went to get some chicken from the fridge and this morning when I woke up I saw it on the counter and I actually started to tear up, and then start laughing because I cried over a chicken bone, but it flooded memories of my Papa (who passed away over 4 years ago) and it was a nice thing to see that my brother still held that memory as fondly as I do.
Well, I made a roast chicken the other day and I saw this wish bone and vaguely thought of saving it, but decided not to. I guess my brother found it when he went to get some chicken from the fridge and this morning when I woke up I saw it on the counter and I actually started to tear up, and then start laughing because I cried over a chicken bone, but it flooded memories of my Papa (who passed away over 4 years ago) and it was a nice thing to see that my brother still held that memory as fondly as I do.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
When risk meets opportunity
Well, it has taken 3 months since my move out here but I have landed my dream job. It is still sinking in at just how remarkable this opportunity is. I came out here, with no plan. Maybe a 5 year plan to work towards a dream job that would include wine education, sales or sommelier, and in just 3 short months I have obtained all of these in one. Unbelievable. So in my interview, I was asked "so tell us your 5 year plan" and I couldn't know, perhaps wine writing as a side venture for the future or independant consulting on the side, the avenues are limitless now. I am humbled by this.
Since making the decision to move here, life has made things very difficult, almost as if its testing my worthiness. First my car had cost me $1000 to fix before driving out here, that in itself could have prevented me, because my savings took a hard hit, but I prevailed and kept going (with the help of someone I am very thankful for). Secondly, when I arrived I thought I would get a serving job no problem. Little did I know that the town, no CITY, of Abbotsford is insufficient, borderline useless in its provision for fine dining restaurants. I spent 3 weeks looking for a job; many resume's, meetings with managers who promised to call me back but never did, and pretty much no one was hiring. Finally, and it was a chance happening, I had put my resume into a place called "Wings" the day before, and my bro and I went there for dinner the night after and I overheard a girl quitting, and I said to him "how much do you want to bet that I get hired tomorrow'. Sure enough, I got the phone call the next morning offering me a job. I was elated. SOOO relieved! This was a place I didn't want to apply to originally because its not fine dining, but I was beyond being able to pick and choose.
This place wasn't what you would call upscale. The thing that bothered me most was what we had to wear; a tight black tshirt and a short black skirt. Ugh. Combine that with muscle freaks dining at regular intervals for "cheap wings", a prominent church crowd every sunday wanting coffee and tea service ( I loathe tea service), and a certain ethnic group (Which I will call CEG) who is known for poor tipping, or complete lack thereof. My own personal nightmare.
To top it off, the only time we were really busy was after 8pm when the wings went cheap. So we would easily get double, and still easily triple amount of people, sometimes I had 7 tables on the go (completely insane when you don't have food runners, bussers and you have to do your own payments). All of this craziness and people are just gorging their face holes with a disgusting amount of chicken wings ( I saw a family of 4 consume 150 wings, and fries, and appetizers), AND we have free pop refills, (SHUT THE EFF UP!!!), so I am quite literally running around the restaurant trying to manage all of this, and their bill goes from $227 to $100, or $80 to $35. THEY DON'T TIP ON ALL THE WORK YOU"VE DONE, they only tip on the total of their new bill!! How ignorant of you!!
There were regulars too, that didn't leave a penny, CEG's and a few others, if I happened to get stuck with them, I certainly wouldn't give them attention to detail. If their pop was empty, tough shit, you shouldn't have drank it so fast, If they needed more napkins from their gorging, use your shirt. Of course at first I gave them the best service I could, until it was the 2nd time they came in and didn't tip at all, after that, I dont' care who you are, don't waste my time. I once did a $200 bill, complete with appetizers, wings, mains, drinks, shots (CEG's) and they didn't tip me a dime! How is that possible?? This is western culture! ADAPT and RESPECT it.
So after all of that, and It may sound like I am just ranting, which I totally am, but trust me, it was a bad place to work.... I think I deserve where I am now. My poor brother, I couldn't give him rent last month because I didn't make any money at Wings.
But he knows I will take care of him in the next few months, he has helped me out astronomically since I've moved here. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have been able to take this risk and move out west. I also want to give a big huge shout out to MY KIA !!! I LOVE YOU! If it wasn't for this car, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today, literally, because she made it here in one piece. I had a lot of haters back home and here, taking bets on whether it would make it or not, laughing at my possible misfortune of being stuck in the praries somewhere. But she did it!
Back to my new job.....
So basically, the restaurant is called OrU, which is Japanese for "to fold" we had a master "Origamist" fold a light fixture that is over 100 feet long. We are Pan-Asian cusine; Indian, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. which is fused into pacific fare, so internationally inspired but locally prepared. Somewhat of a challenging menu to pair with wines (we also have an extensive Sake list --- which I know next to nothing about, so another big challenge is to learn it and experiement with Sake/ food pairings--- probably one of the best parts of the job....trying AMAZING food and wine together and making note of what works and what doesn't).
It is everything I wanted; wine education ( I am responsible for training all of the staff. I am making a syllabus of all of our wines -- we have about 300-- and I am doing weekly and monthly tastings with them, and how wine and food pairings interact), Wine sales (I am also responisble to get our wine sales revenue up, by upselling to guests when they come into dine -- and let me tell you, the calibre of these people are like royalty -- literally, we had royalty in to dine the other night-- compared to the, ahem, others, at wings) .
They have told me quite a few times, and I am fully aware, just how amazing this opportunity is for me. My job, wasn't in their budget, but they needed someone to train the staff and ultimately create more revenue through wine sales. Everything I have done in the past 5 years, all my decisions I've made that has brought me to this moment, its almost as if this job was created specifically for me. Humbling.
The ONLY downside, is my commute. I drive 40 minutes (without traffic) to the Skytrain Station in Surrey. Then its a 40 minute Skytrain ride to Burrard station in Downtown Vancouver. But trust me, its worth it. However, it does make my days long, an 8 hour workday, becomes 12 hours with the commute, the other day I worked a 10 hour shift, so it was a 14 hour day. Exhausting? Yes. Will I continue to do it? Yes. Until I can afford to move and hopefully not much longer!
Learn it; Live it; Love it.
Since making the decision to move here, life has made things very difficult, almost as if its testing my worthiness. First my car had cost me $1000 to fix before driving out here, that in itself could have prevented me, because my savings took a hard hit, but I prevailed and kept going (with the help of someone I am very thankful for). Secondly, when I arrived I thought I would get a serving job no problem. Little did I know that the town, no CITY, of Abbotsford is insufficient, borderline useless in its provision for fine dining restaurants. I spent 3 weeks looking for a job; many resume's, meetings with managers who promised to call me back but never did, and pretty much no one was hiring. Finally, and it was a chance happening, I had put my resume into a place called "Wings" the day before, and my bro and I went there for dinner the night after and I overheard a girl quitting, and I said to him "how much do you want to bet that I get hired tomorrow'. Sure enough, I got the phone call the next morning offering me a job. I was elated. SOOO relieved! This was a place I didn't want to apply to originally because its not fine dining, but I was beyond being able to pick and choose.
This place wasn't what you would call upscale. The thing that bothered me most was what we had to wear; a tight black tshirt and a short black skirt. Ugh. Combine that with muscle freaks dining at regular intervals for "cheap wings", a prominent church crowd every sunday wanting coffee and tea service ( I loathe tea service), and a certain ethnic group (Which I will call CEG) who is known for poor tipping, or complete lack thereof. My own personal nightmare.
To top it off, the only time we were really busy was after 8pm when the wings went cheap. So we would easily get double, and still easily triple amount of people, sometimes I had 7 tables on the go (completely insane when you don't have food runners, bussers and you have to do your own payments). All of this craziness and people are just gorging their face holes with a disgusting amount of chicken wings ( I saw a family of 4 consume 150 wings, and fries, and appetizers), AND we have free pop refills, (SHUT THE EFF UP!!!), so I am quite literally running around the restaurant trying to manage all of this, and their bill goes from $227 to $100, or $80 to $35. THEY DON'T TIP ON ALL THE WORK YOU"VE DONE, they only tip on the total of their new bill!! How ignorant of you!!
There were regulars too, that didn't leave a penny, CEG's and a few others, if I happened to get stuck with them, I certainly wouldn't give them attention to detail. If their pop was empty, tough shit, you shouldn't have drank it so fast, If they needed more napkins from their gorging, use your shirt. Of course at first I gave them the best service I could, until it was the 2nd time they came in and didn't tip at all, after that, I dont' care who you are, don't waste my time. I once did a $200 bill, complete with appetizers, wings, mains, drinks, shots (CEG's) and they didn't tip me a dime! How is that possible?? This is western culture! ADAPT and RESPECT it.
So after all of that, and It may sound like I am just ranting, which I totally am, but trust me, it was a bad place to work.... I think I deserve where I am now. My poor brother, I couldn't give him rent last month because I didn't make any money at Wings.
But he knows I will take care of him in the next few months, he has helped me out astronomically since I've moved here. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have been able to take this risk and move out west. I also want to give a big huge shout out to MY KIA !!! I LOVE YOU! If it wasn't for this car, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today, literally, because she made it here in one piece. I had a lot of haters back home and here, taking bets on whether it would make it or not, laughing at my possible misfortune of being stuck in the praries somewhere. But she did it!
Back to my new job.....
So basically, the restaurant is called OrU, which is Japanese for "to fold" we had a master "Origamist" fold a light fixture that is over 100 feet long. We are Pan-Asian cusine; Indian, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. which is fused into pacific fare, so internationally inspired but locally prepared. Somewhat of a challenging menu to pair with wines (we also have an extensive Sake list --- which I know next to nothing about, so another big challenge is to learn it and experiement with Sake/ food pairings--- probably one of the best parts of the job....trying AMAZING food and wine together and making note of what works and what doesn't).
It is everything I wanted; wine education ( I am responsible for training all of the staff. I am making a syllabus of all of our wines -- we have about 300-- and I am doing weekly and monthly tastings with them, and how wine and food pairings interact), Wine sales (I am also responisble to get our wine sales revenue up, by upselling to guests when they come into dine -- and let me tell you, the calibre of these people are like royalty -- literally, we had royalty in to dine the other night-- compared to the, ahem, others, at wings) .
They have told me quite a few times, and I am fully aware, just how amazing this opportunity is for me. My job, wasn't in their budget, but they needed someone to train the staff and ultimately create more revenue through wine sales. Everything I have done in the past 5 years, all my decisions I've made that has brought me to this moment, its almost as if this job was created specifically for me. Humbling.
The ONLY downside, is my commute. I drive 40 minutes (without traffic) to the Skytrain Station in Surrey. Then its a 40 minute Skytrain ride to Burrard station in Downtown Vancouver. But trust me, its worth it. However, it does make my days long, an 8 hour workday, becomes 12 hours with the commute, the other day I worked a 10 hour shift, so it was a 14 hour day. Exhausting? Yes. Will I continue to do it? Yes. Until I can afford to move and hopefully not much longer!
Learn it; Live it; Love it.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Spontaneous Combustion
I just want to write quickly to say how amazing this summer has been. I know everyone looks forward to their summer every year, but honestly, this summer is definitely the best I have ever had.
Everything about the decision to move out here has been confirmed over and over by positive notes. I have met a great group of friends, totally by random, which ignited a "spontaneaous combustion" of long term friendships overnight. We've been hanging out regularly for the past 3 weeks and it feels like we've known each other for months. Such a cohesive group of people who all get along great. I feel like a teenager again!
Not to mention all of the great trips and activities I get to do on a regular basis; Weekly trips to vancouver, my INCREDIBLE trip to Grand Forks, I still think of that adventure and I wish i could go back immediately. Washington for the bachelorette weekend where I met amazing women whom I had phenomenal conversations with, and of course camping / beach / hiking / random parties whenver possible. Spontaneity is key for the best experience and that's what this summer is all about, just living it one day at a time and loving every moment.
The longer I am out here, the easier it is to know for a fact that this is where I am meant to live my life, I no longer have any anxieties whether or not this was the right decision. Without a doubt this was.
<3
Everything about the decision to move out here has been confirmed over and over by positive notes. I have met a great group of friends, totally by random, which ignited a "spontaneaous combustion" of long term friendships overnight. We've been hanging out regularly for the past 3 weeks and it feels like we've known each other for months. Such a cohesive group of people who all get along great. I feel like a teenager again!
Not to mention all of the great trips and activities I get to do on a regular basis; Weekly trips to vancouver, my INCREDIBLE trip to Grand Forks, I still think of that adventure and I wish i could go back immediately. Washington for the bachelorette weekend where I met amazing women whom I had phenomenal conversations with, and of course camping / beach / hiking / random parties whenver possible. Spontaneity is key for the best experience and that's what this summer is all about, just living it one day at a time and loving every moment.
The longer I am out here, the easier it is to know for a fact that this is where I am meant to live my life, I no longer have any anxieties whether or not this was the right decision. Without a doubt this was.
<3
Sunday, July 4, 2010
the Valley
There’s a certain magic that enters you when you journey into the mainland. I have travelled across Canada a couple times now, have witnessed countless panorama’s of beauty, and I have to say that the Valley is hard to top. It’s almost as if the rest of the province is in contest to see who can grasp the title for being the most magnificent, or picture perfect. I guess it’s all a matter of opinion and the angle you look at, because every direction gives you a different perspective.
The drive from Abbotsford to Grand Forks took about 6 hours; I stopped briefly at a couple wineries to and from. Six hours doesn’t seem long, in comparison on the long journeys across the country I have done, and especially when every turn there’s a new landscape that trumps the prior in its contest for beauty. As long as the drive took, I am looking forward to doing it again, hopefully in the not-so-distant future.Going through Osoyoos was really a great experience; it’s the only certified Desert in Canada. No, there aren’t cacti and sand dunes everywhere, but there are a lot of rocky cliffs, with an abundance of shrubs and conifers brave enough to contend with the dry weather. Osoyoos is right on the border with Washington, so naturally one will see a lot of American license plates. There’s resorts, water park’s, water sports, girls clad in bikini’s and men (in incredible shape, and others not-so-much) walking around without shirts on. If you take away the touristy, sure to please feeling, it’s actually very beautiful.
I enter Grand Forks and its valley upon valley of rolling hills (not the hills you see in Ontario, these are very large). One side of the road is lush green Coniferous forests, and the other, dry with only a little bit of trees, mostly shrubs, rocks and grass. Nicola’s directions are based on landmarks and there’s so much to look at I missed them the first time around. So I do what I have done more times in the past 2 months than my entire life; the U-Turn. I pull onto “Henderson Road” and she tells me to stop when I’m surrounded by farm. She greets me in work clothes and we exchange happy hugs! My fatigue from the drive wears off immediately; I cannot wait to explore the farm.First I unpack my car and put on some “work clothes” and we head out into the fields. I meet 5 out of the 6 dogs that live on the farm and 2 of the 4 cats right away. Jock (the main farm dog in my opinion, is a Border Collie – I believe) and Jazzy (Nicola’s pug from the city, who has proven herself a master of adaptation because she fits right in on the farm) follow us wherever we go. We first meet Rio, the beautiful white horse who is the only one allowed to walk around the 30 acres of farm freely, he’s very old and won’t get into trouble. Then we meet Zulu, the beautiful black stallion; the only stallion on the farm. His pen is right beside the house and I feel bad because he can’t socialize with the other horses….. Stallion….. so I make a point to regularly visit him, but Rio and him have become the best of friends and you will often see Rio just hanging out beside him even though he has so much freedom. We then venture into the pen where there’s a mix of Gelding’s (male horses who have been “fixed”) and Mare’s. All of the horses are hanging around their “watering hole” ( a group of buckets we put water in) and its empty, so Nic teaches me how to fill them and you quickly realize there’s a hierarchy among them all. Once the “bosses” have finished their share of water, the congregate on the hill and take off over into the valley while the underdogs get their fair share of water and then they too take off over the hill.We then make our way to see “the ladies”, about 8 other horses in a separate pen. I don’t know if “pen” is an appropriate term for this space, because it’s quite large, probably about 4-5 acres. Nicola introduces me to each horse separately and I wonder how she remembers all of their names; they all look very similar. She teaches me how to fill each water tub ( for each pen) so while she’s at work I take on the responsibility of making sure they are always topped up. As each day passes and I surround myself with the horses, I get familiar with the nuances of each one. They all have a different personality. One day when Nic was working with the horses ( she takes them into a small pen and starts to train them to respond to her commands….. this is a little humorous because these horses literally have not done a days work in their lives, and most of them are 8 years or more). So I watch her work with a horse named “maroon” and he responds very well to his first time, this has a lot to do with the chemistry between the horse and the teacher though, and Nicola knows this. While she’s grooming Maroon, I go into the large pen to see if another horse will allow me to brush them ( I put some horse treats in my pocket to coax if need be) I center one out and he didn’t like the brushing (most of them haven’t been groomed ever, so they are scared) but one curious horse by the name of Stretch, comes straight up to me and greets me, so I walk away from the others (because it’s a little intimidating when your surrounded by 10 very large creatures) and he follows. I allow him to smell the brush first, so he doesn’t scare, and then I start to groom him. He seems to enjoy it, Nicola taught me the postures of horses when they are relaxed or when they are stressed or on alert (they are pack animals) After I am finished grooming him I give him a cookie and I walk back towards the gate, and I hear a slow trot behind me. It seems I have found a new friend.Each day since then, every time I was near the pen, he would wait for me and if I entered the pen he would follow. One day I went in and walked way in the back where the valley was and he actually followed me a good distance until he felt to distant from his pack, then he returned to his friends.
The drive from Abbotsford to Grand Forks took about 6 hours; I stopped briefly at a couple wineries to and from. Six hours doesn’t seem long, in comparison on the long journeys across the country I have done, and especially when every turn there’s a new landscape that trumps the prior in its contest for beauty. As long as the drive took, I am looking forward to doing it again, hopefully in the not-so-distant future.Going through Osoyoos was really a great experience; it’s the only certified Desert in Canada. No, there aren’t cacti and sand dunes everywhere, but there are a lot of rocky cliffs, with an abundance of shrubs and conifers brave enough to contend with the dry weather. Osoyoos is right on the border with Washington, so naturally one will see a lot of American license plates. There’s resorts, water park’s, water sports, girls clad in bikini’s and men (in incredible shape, and others not-so-much) walking around without shirts on. If you take away the touristy, sure to please feeling, it’s actually very beautiful.
I enter Grand Forks and its valley upon valley of rolling hills (not the hills you see in Ontario, these are very large). One side of the road is lush green Coniferous forests, and the other, dry with only a little bit of trees, mostly shrubs, rocks and grass. Nicola’s directions are based on landmarks and there’s so much to look at I missed them the first time around. So I do what I have done more times in the past 2 months than my entire life; the U-Turn. I pull onto “Henderson Road” and she tells me to stop when I’m surrounded by farm. She greets me in work clothes and we exchange happy hugs! My fatigue from the drive wears off immediately; I cannot wait to explore the farm.First I unpack my car and put on some “work clothes” and we head out into the fields. I meet 5 out of the 6 dogs that live on the farm and 2 of the 4 cats right away. Jock (the main farm dog in my opinion, is a Border Collie – I believe) and Jazzy (Nicola’s pug from the city, who has proven herself a master of adaptation because she fits right in on the farm) follow us wherever we go. We first meet Rio, the beautiful white horse who is the only one allowed to walk around the 30 acres of farm freely, he’s very old and won’t get into trouble. Then we meet Zulu, the beautiful black stallion; the only stallion on the farm. His pen is right beside the house and I feel bad because he can’t socialize with the other horses….. Stallion….. so I make a point to regularly visit him, but Rio and him have become the best of friends and you will often see Rio just hanging out beside him even though he has so much freedom. We then venture into the pen where there’s a mix of Gelding’s (male horses who have been “fixed”) and Mare’s. All of the horses are hanging around their “watering hole” ( a group of buckets we put water in) and its empty, so Nic teaches me how to fill them and you quickly realize there’s a hierarchy among them all. Once the “bosses” have finished their share of water, the congregate on the hill and take off over into the valley while the underdogs get their fair share of water and then they too take off over the hill.We then make our way to see “the ladies”, about 8 other horses in a separate pen. I don’t know if “pen” is an appropriate term for this space, because it’s quite large, probably about 4-5 acres. Nicola introduces me to each horse separately and I wonder how she remembers all of their names; they all look very similar. She teaches me how to fill each water tub ( for each pen) so while she’s at work I take on the responsibility of making sure they are always topped up. As each day passes and I surround myself with the horses, I get familiar with the nuances of each one. They all have a different personality. One day when Nic was working with the horses ( she takes them into a small pen and starts to train them to respond to her commands….. this is a little humorous because these horses literally have not done a days work in their lives, and most of them are 8 years or more). So I watch her work with a horse named “maroon” and he responds very well to his first time, this has a lot to do with the chemistry between the horse and the teacher though, and Nicola knows this. While she’s grooming Maroon, I go into the large pen to see if another horse will allow me to brush them ( I put some horse treats in my pocket to coax if need be) I center one out and he didn’t like the brushing (most of them haven’t been groomed ever, so they are scared) but one curious horse by the name of Stretch, comes straight up to me and greets me, so I walk away from the others (because it’s a little intimidating when your surrounded by 10 very large creatures) and he follows. I allow him to smell the brush first, so he doesn’t scare, and then I start to groom him. He seems to enjoy it, Nicola taught me the postures of horses when they are relaxed or when they are stressed or on alert (they are pack animals) After I am finished grooming him I give him a cookie and I walk back towards the gate, and I hear a slow trot behind me. It seems I have found a new friend.Each day since then, every time I was near the pen, he would wait for me and if I entered the pen he would follow. One day I went in and walked way in the back where the valley was and he actually followed me a good distance until he felt to distant from his pack, then he returned to his friends.
You really learn a lot when you are removed from the city and from all the distractions and you pay attention to your surroundings. I found myself to adapt very well to farm life, perhaps this is because when I was a very young child my Grandmother still had a farm where I would enthusiastically go with her to help groom the horses. I remember having a velvet riding hat and vaguely remember how to ride a horse. Nicola said she will continue working with the horses so next time I visit towards the end of the summer we should be able to ride them.
While there I learned different degrees of silent languages and what an enriching experience. I haven’t quite escaped the spell of the valley yet and I’m not sure if I want to. I look forward to my next venture out to the Valley and all of the elements that are included.
A.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
je voudrais flâner....
For those of you who have been sucked into the Hype as we know "The Hills" you will know the reference to the title of this blog.
First of all I want to say this; I was jobless, bored, lonely and there's only so much cleaning / cooking one can do in 3 weeks, I watched an Episode of The Hills on MTV, and that was it, I was hooked.
As vacuous as this show is, I find --some-- insights.
The meaning of the title is this: To walk around aimlessly without a plan. This is exactly what I am doing, and its a combination of the most exciting and scariest thing I have ever done. For the past few years I've always had a plan, a next step, and once it was all said and done I needed a change of scenery to utilize all of my hard earned knowledge, experience and trial and errors that lifes opportunities have given me.
4 weeks into the Coast, and I have secured a job. Part-time, serving, but its something.
In the week I have been there I have already managed to pay my brother half of this months rent as well as stocking of the kitchen (and let me tell you, this boy has no idea what a "Stocked" kitchen is. No, it is not, ketchup, water, margerine, cheese and frozen pizza) so each week I pick up a few more items and my spice cabinet (not as extravagant as I'd like it to be) are off to a good start, among other things that I consider staple in my kitchen.
One thing that we have discovered is bread and cheese are very expensive out here, probably a good thing because those are one of my weaknesses, so I am steering clear of that and my newly streamlined figure is thanking me. But I'd also like to thank my mom for convincing me to bring out the bread maker; I have made whole wheat and a rye loaf so far, and Ryan is quite happy with this arrangement. My brother is simple to live with. He works, then I feed him dinner, then he plays video games. He cleans the not-so-nice things (bathroom) and I take care of everything else. He even buys me food when I'm craving it (probably because I make threats of my inevitably miserable moods if he does not). We haven't had one tiff yet, which is surprising because we weren't shy of fists and kicks as kids.
As far as life goes out here, things are really great. I'm so happy I took this risk and I will tell anyone who has a mind to take risks, do it (positive ones of course), I promise you, you won't be disappointed. As long as you stay focused and keep your eyes on the prize!
I guess life would be better once I land the dream job and I start to make aquaintances and eventually friends, but I know things take time and time is what I have a lot of right now.
I have a project in the works right now, a side venture where I'd do alongside of my job, but it won't be ready for a few weeks. Details to follow !
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe". -Anatole France
First of all I want to say this; I was jobless, bored, lonely and there's only so much cleaning / cooking one can do in 3 weeks, I watched an Episode of The Hills on MTV, and that was it, I was hooked.
As vacuous as this show is, I find --some-- insights.
The meaning of the title is this: To walk around aimlessly without a plan. This is exactly what I am doing, and its a combination of the most exciting and scariest thing I have ever done. For the past few years I've always had a plan, a next step, and once it was all said and done I needed a change of scenery to utilize all of my hard earned knowledge, experience and trial and errors that lifes opportunities have given me.
4 weeks into the Coast, and I have secured a job. Part-time, serving, but its something.
In the week I have been there I have already managed to pay my brother half of this months rent as well as stocking of the kitchen (and let me tell you, this boy has no idea what a "Stocked" kitchen is. No, it is not, ketchup, water, margerine, cheese and frozen pizza) so each week I pick up a few more items and my spice cabinet (not as extravagant as I'd like it to be) are off to a good start, among other things that I consider staple in my kitchen.
One thing that we have discovered is bread and cheese are very expensive out here, probably a good thing because those are one of my weaknesses, so I am steering clear of that and my newly streamlined figure is thanking me. But I'd also like to thank my mom for convincing me to bring out the bread maker; I have made whole wheat and a rye loaf so far, and Ryan is quite happy with this arrangement. My brother is simple to live with. He works, then I feed him dinner, then he plays video games. He cleans the not-so-nice things (bathroom) and I take care of everything else. He even buys me food when I'm craving it (probably because I make threats of my inevitably miserable moods if he does not). We haven't had one tiff yet, which is surprising because we weren't shy of fists and kicks as kids.
As far as life goes out here, things are really great. I'm so happy I took this risk and I will tell anyone who has a mind to take risks, do it (positive ones of course), I promise you, you won't be disappointed. As long as you stay focused and keep your eyes on the prize!
I guess life would be better once I land the dream job and I start to make aquaintances and eventually friends, but I know things take time and time is what I have a lot of right now.
I have a project in the works right now, a side venture where I'd do alongside of my job, but it won't be ready for a few weeks. Details to follow !
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe". -Anatole France
Friday, May 7, 2010
Day 4
This is an exciting day! we are only 4 hours away from our final destination and we are going on wine tours :)
We wake up around 7, SO EXCITED for our continental breakfast. The sleep seemed to rejuvenate our appetite; hard boiled eggs, english muffins, cereal, juice, coffee and tea! We had it all.
Our first stop was at a TINY winery called "Rollingdale" a friend from school works there, and I bought a bottle of "Riewurztrafelseron"......a uber blend of: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Semillon and Ehrenfelser. Its smooth, quaffable and fun, a good start to my new life on the West Coast. The second winery was a no brainer; Mission hill. The vincor of the Okanagan; Esthetically pleasing to every sense, including those you didn't know about. We didn't try any of the wine, I knew it would be delicious, but I came for the view.
Driving along the streets of Kelowna, you quickly realize just how well the economy is doing there. The houses were painstakingly beautiful with views that the Queen would envy.
The seed is planted, and germinating, to my eventual move there (maybe).
We continue on our way and leaving the Oak is sad but I know i'll be back! i'm only 3 hours away. Driving through the mountains here is a little different. There's signs all over the highway warning "SEVER WINTER WEATHER IF FLASHING" thank goodness it wasn't flashing, but we did experience flash fog, then flurries, then sun and repeat 12 times.
Our first stop is to drop Amanda off in Chilliwack, we go to her brothers work (a bike shop) and its so good to see him! I haven't seen him in 7 year either! i literally have a picture of me holding him as a new born. Crazy how time flies.
And then to Abbotsford. I don't know what to expect, but once there, I am more than pleasantly surprised. Coast mountains, followed by snow capped ones, clean, beautiful city with all the essential amenities, a large red pine forest nearby. My version of perfection. I couldn't be happier.
We wake up around 7, SO EXCITED for our continental breakfast. The sleep seemed to rejuvenate our appetite; hard boiled eggs, english muffins, cereal, juice, coffee and tea! We had it all.
Our first stop was at a TINY winery called "Rollingdale" a friend from school works there, and I bought a bottle of "Riewurztrafelseron"......a uber blend of: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Semillon and Ehrenfelser. Its smooth, quaffable and fun, a good start to my new life on the West Coast. The second winery was a no brainer; Mission hill. The vincor of the Okanagan; Esthetically pleasing to every sense, including those you didn't know about. We didn't try any of the wine, I knew it would be delicious, but I came for the view.
Driving along the streets of Kelowna, you quickly realize just how well the economy is doing there. The houses were painstakingly beautiful with views that the Queen would envy.
The seed is planted, and germinating, to my eventual move there (maybe).
We continue on our way and leaving the Oak is sad but I know i'll be back! i'm only 3 hours away. Driving through the mountains here is a little different. There's signs all over the highway warning "SEVER WINTER WEATHER IF FLASHING" thank goodness it wasn't flashing, but we did experience flash fog, then flurries, then sun and repeat 12 times.
Our first stop is to drop Amanda off in Chilliwack, we go to her brothers work (a bike shop) and its so good to see him! I haven't seen him in 7 year either! i literally have a picture of me holding him as a new born. Crazy how time flies.
And then to Abbotsford. I don't know what to expect, but once there, I am more than pleasantly surprised. Coast mountains, followed by snow capped ones, clean, beautiful city with all the essential amenities, a large red pine forest nearby. My version of perfection. I couldn't be happier.
Day 3
Its just Amanda and I now, we are sad to leave the guys in Calgary, but they have to go to work the next day.
Our original plan was to stay in Banff that day, but we think it thru and agree it makes no sense only driving 1.5 hours and then 9 hours the next, plus we were on the road by 9am so it was plenty of time to "explore" the rockies and the national parks.
It didn't even dawn on me the fact that it was still winter season. Here I am expecting to see green/blue water again and excited to show Amanda, but Moraine Lake wasn't even open because its 10km's up the hill and Lake Louise was most definitely ice locked. It was mild enough though, to walk in just a sweater. We didn't realize that the rockies actually have 8 different weather systems in them, makes it SUPER unpredictable and dangerous, especially in the winter months. We didn't run into any bad weather at all, it was beautiful and clear.
So our contingency plan was to head to Kelowna. Again a different route than what I took last time, so I'm very excited to see a different scene. It was beautiful! So amazing to see the forests and scenery change as you decend the rockies, first its all pines, thick with the smell, and then birch trees flicker in, then its equally birch trees and pines, then wild flowers and ferns and sicamours and red pine. We see a female Elk ( something I didn't see last time), and we were talking about how badly we wanted to see mountain goats when just as we turned a corner, there's a dozen !!! Young ones or females, but not scared at all of the vehicles, we get out and take pictures quite close! Its very entertaining to see them scale down the mountainside! Unbelievable how their hooves work on the rocks. We are literally hysterically laughing with glee as we pull away and even though we were totally spoiled with the sight of so many, we can't help but wish we saw "horns".
Next corner, there they are. Magnificent creatures! 4 males keeping watch of their females like statues on a cliff ! They didn't move, it was very eerie, we were told that's their defense mechanism, to intimidate. I felt it.
We reluctantly leave them and continue on our way. The scenery continues to spoil us, and its hard to believe that it just keeps getting better and better. We arrive in the Okanagan and again, we gasp at the sheer beauty of it. The lakes and mountains, snow capped and lush green all at once, doesn't even seem real.
We check into our hotel and its early yet so we change and treat ourselves to a dinner. I chose steak, naturally, to replenish my protein and I opted for salad and steamed veggies on the side because rockstar and beef jerky seemed to be the norm for the entire trip previous. I also order a glass of red (we are in the Oak, afterall) and it tastes so good. After our meal, our plans to hit the hot tub were squashed by exhaustion again, at this point we have gone thru 3 time changes so exhaustion hits you fast and hard. We were both in bed by 9pm again, but woke up completely refreshed. I haven't had a decent sleep since the Thursday prior (about 5 days before).
Our original plan was to stay in Banff that day, but we think it thru and agree it makes no sense only driving 1.5 hours and then 9 hours the next, plus we were on the road by 9am so it was plenty of time to "explore" the rockies and the national parks.
It didn't even dawn on me the fact that it was still winter season. Here I am expecting to see green/blue water again and excited to show Amanda, but Moraine Lake wasn't even open because its 10km's up the hill and Lake Louise was most definitely ice locked. It was mild enough though, to walk in just a sweater. We didn't realize that the rockies actually have 8 different weather systems in them, makes it SUPER unpredictable and dangerous, especially in the winter months. We didn't run into any bad weather at all, it was beautiful and clear.
So our contingency plan was to head to Kelowna. Again a different route than what I took last time, so I'm very excited to see a different scene. It was beautiful! So amazing to see the forests and scenery change as you decend the rockies, first its all pines, thick with the smell, and then birch trees flicker in, then its equally birch trees and pines, then wild flowers and ferns and sicamours and red pine. We see a female Elk ( something I didn't see last time), and we were talking about how badly we wanted to see mountain goats when just as we turned a corner, there's a dozen !!! Young ones or females, but not scared at all of the vehicles, we get out and take pictures quite close! Its very entertaining to see them scale down the mountainside! Unbelievable how their hooves work on the rocks. We are literally hysterically laughing with glee as we pull away and even though we were totally spoiled with the sight of so many, we can't help but wish we saw "horns".
Next corner, there they are. Magnificent creatures! 4 males keeping watch of their females like statues on a cliff ! They didn't move, it was very eerie, we were told that's their defense mechanism, to intimidate. I felt it.
We reluctantly leave them and continue on our way. The scenery continues to spoil us, and its hard to believe that it just keeps getting better and better. We arrive in the Okanagan and again, we gasp at the sheer beauty of it. The lakes and mountains, snow capped and lush green all at once, doesn't even seem real.
We check into our hotel and its early yet so we change and treat ourselves to a dinner. I chose steak, naturally, to replenish my protein and I opted for salad and steamed veggies on the side because rockstar and beef jerky seemed to be the norm for the entire trip previous. I also order a glass of red (we are in the Oak, afterall) and it tastes so good. After our meal, our plans to hit the hot tub were squashed by exhaustion again, at this point we have gone thru 3 time changes so exhaustion hits you fast and hard. We were both in bed by 9pm again, but woke up completely refreshed. I haven't had a decent sleep since the Thursday prior (about 5 days before).
Day 2
We wake up at this "lookout spot" and I was convinced that this will be our first glimpse of Lake Superior. Turns out, its just a bunch of tree's. Amanda is still beat (she loves her sleep) and I feel refreshed, even though I just had a cat nap. So we are on our way again. We definitely need gas, so we stop off at a place somehwere around Marathon, ON. Once there, its one of those pumps that you have to "lift" the metal thing for the gas stream to happen. No brainer. So I do this, press the kind I want and start pumping, but the numbers on the screen just say "$0.00". Confused, I go inside and ask if i'm doing it right and the women says "It's $50.50" and i'm like, No....I haven't put any gas in yet, it still says "$0.00" so she comes out, and tries to reset it all. I start pumping again, same thing, no numbers are moving, but when I pull the nozzle out, there's gas coming out, so I assume its working. I go inside and she's trying to tell Amanda its "$50.50" still. WTF ? Lady, it's not $50.50 because we only had half a tank, and everytime we fill up on half a tank it's no more than $20. So we argue back and forth a bit and she says "ok, just give me $20" We just want to get out of there, so we pay and then take off. We realize about 25km's later that no gas went in. Mother F****er.
So we see a Petro Canada ahead and we stop in there, restock our caffeine, snacks, etc. I was very tired and dressed hap hazardly (socks with flip flops) when this guy asks me if we're travelling, wehere from etc... we find out that their both from Burlington, ON and are on their way to Calgary for work, so we decide to travel "caravan" style. This makes the trip much more exciting and we feel relieved (especially if we run into anymore dirt roads). Both thier names are Justin and have done this drive many times. They show us this place called "Kakabeka Falls'' and its beautiful!
We decide to stop in Ignace, ON for lunch, at some diner, where I filled up my oil (that's for you dad) and we talk about how far we want to drive. We decide to try for Regina, SK, knowing that that is a pretty hefty goal, but we'll aim for it anyway.
We continue driving, and --finally-- make it to Manitoba, you don't realize just how LONG it takes to get out of Ontario, a Full straight day of driving....
Around 4pm we start thinking we won't be able to make it to Regina, we are all very fatigued and decide to split on a hotel together ( obviously Amanda and I to a bed and the guys have their own) but they are legit. So we stop in Brandon, Manitoba (around 8pm) at a Days Inn. We all take turns to shower, then I'm passed out by 9:30 (we had already gone through a time change in Northern Ontario.
We wake up at 5am- felling somewhat refreshed, at least we got to sleep horizontal, and we head out on the road again. Today we know is going to be a long one, all praries. But there's no reason to stop overnight again until we get to Calgary. The guys ask us if we want to save more money and we are welcome to stay at thier place, if we could just help them move their stuff in, no problem at all! On the drive through Saskatchewan, the wind starts to pick up, so I check the weather on my iphone and sure enough, there's a severe wind warning for area's of Alberta and Skatch. Some area's are up to 100km/hr, so this made driving difficult and really took a toll on what would have been, good gas mileage (on flat prarie roads). At one point, it was completely overcast except this tiny little window of light South West, and if we looked closely, that was the first glimpse of the rockies, pretty neat!
So we arrive in Calgary, its FREEZING and super windy. We had some troubles finding the place and at this point everyone's in a pretty irratible mood and we just want to get inside. So we finally find it, all of us in tandem with the tought of beer and pizza. I can hardly keep my eyes open at this point. The beer and pizza arrive, I manage to eat 3 peices and drink 1.5 beers and that was enough for me to fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken at 6am, and can't fall back asleep because of the windstorm. Amanda wants to sleep in that day so I decide to do a timmie's run, eat breakfast there, fill up my gas tank and by the time I got back she was pretty good to go.
So we see a Petro Canada ahead and we stop in there, restock our caffeine, snacks, etc. I was very tired and dressed hap hazardly (socks with flip flops) when this guy asks me if we're travelling, wehere from etc... we find out that their both from Burlington, ON and are on their way to Calgary for work, so we decide to travel "caravan" style. This makes the trip much more exciting and we feel relieved (especially if we run into anymore dirt roads). Both thier names are Justin and have done this drive many times. They show us this place called "Kakabeka Falls'' and its beautiful!
We decide to stop in Ignace, ON for lunch, at some diner, where I filled up my oil (that's for you dad) and we talk about how far we want to drive. We decide to try for Regina, SK, knowing that that is a pretty hefty goal, but we'll aim for it anyway.
We continue driving, and --finally-- make it to Manitoba, you don't realize just how LONG it takes to get out of Ontario, a Full straight day of driving....
Around 4pm we start thinking we won't be able to make it to Regina, we are all very fatigued and decide to split on a hotel together ( obviously Amanda and I to a bed and the guys have their own) but they are legit. So we stop in Brandon, Manitoba (around 8pm) at a Days Inn. We all take turns to shower, then I'm passed out by 9:30 (we had already gone through a time change in Northern Ontario.
We wake up at 5am- felling somewhat refreshed, at least we got to sleep horizontal, and we head out on the road again. Today we know is going to be a long one, all praries. But there's no reason to stop overnight again until we get to Calgary. The guys ask us if we want to save more money and we are welcome to stay at thier place, if we could just help them move their stuff in, no problem at all! On the drive through Saskatchewan, the wind starts to pick up, so I check the weather on my iphone and sure enough, there's a severe wind warning for area's of Alberta and Skatch. Some area's are up to 100km/hr, so this made driving difficult and really took a toll on what would have been, good gas mileage (on flat prarie roads). At one point, it was completely overcast except this tiny little window of light South West, and if we looked closely, that was the first glimpse of the rockies, pretty neat!
So we arrive in Calgary, its FREEZING and super windy. We had some troubles finding the place and at this point everyone's in a pretty irratible mood and we just want to get inside. So we finally find it, all of us in tandem with the tought of beer and pizza. I can hardly keep my eyes open at this point. The beer and pizza arrive, I manage to eat 3 peices and drink 1.5 beers and that was enough for me to fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken at 6am, and can't fall back asleep because of the windstorm. Amanda wants to sleep in that day so I decide to do a timmie's run, eat breakfast there, fill up my gas tank and by the time I got back she was pretty good to go.
Day 1
It's 5am on Saturday May 1st. I look at my cell phone and the number 1 on the calendar is staring at me. I try to fall back asleep for 2 hours because I don't know when I will be able to have a good sleep again, but by this point my mind is racing; Did I forget anything? Will my car make it? Is mom going to be ok? When will I get to see my family and friends again?...
So I get up. I want to have a nice breakfast with my mom, so we make coffee, pancakes and home made berry sauce, I try to keep conversation as casual and light as possible because I know she's on the verge of tears. I'm not good with goodbyes myself, I just sorta sputter out the word and smile, but I try to make it a good one for my mom.
Once breakfast is finished she has to drive me to Dad's where I left my car. I give her a big hug and then say goodbye to Danielle and I'm on my way. My first stop is North Bay, where I have to pick up Amanda. I have known Amanda since she was born, our parents were Best Friends and I used to babysit her and her brother. I literally haven't seen her in 7 years, so I'm excited to get caught up! Amanda is coming for the ride because it's her brother's 19th Birthday on the Thursday. He lives in Chilliwack, which is literally 20 mins from where my brother is, so it worked out perfectly.
I arrive in North Bay and have to wait about 3 hours for Amanda to sort out her new roomates moving in, it was a nice break because I've already been driving for 5 hours.
3pm rolls around and we are on the road again. Last time I drove out West, google maps and my GPS took me through Sault and around Lake Superior (most beautiful drive ever). This time, however, it suggested a different route (and I'm always up for suggestions). It suggested we head north of Sudbury and cut across to Wawa (hwy 101 or something). It looked as if it would shave 3-4 hours off of our drive so we went for it. This highway is about 4 hours north of Sudbury and 4 hours South of Timmins. On the corner of the highway there's a gas station and so we fill up ( we tried not to let our gas tank go below half, just in case we don't run into another stop). At the pump an old guy asks me where we're from, etc. and wonders why we decided to take this highway, i just said it'll save time (not sure what he meant). So we pull onto the "highway" and signs say "Gravel Road for 80 km". Horrified, it dawned on me what the old guy was surprised 2 girls decided to take this route. We are literally in the middle of nowhere. Our cell phones haven't had reception since Sudbury, and we have to take this route (turning back is not an option). To make matters worse, we are driving directly West now at 7pm, so the Sun is setting directly in our faces, and if we happen to see a car drive by, it kicks up so much dust, visibility is literally impossible. So we are crawling along, going no faster than 60-70km/h. I notice the gravel is constantly being kicked up and "tinging" the bottom of my car, I wince at the thought, and then I observe all of the "car parts"; mufflers, wheels, etc at the side of the road, no doubt from the rocks being constantly kicked up at your car. At this point, I'm sort of freaking out. I try to stay as calm as possible and remember to breath, but can't help but think "2 girls, in the middle of nowhere, no cell phones, no weapons, if we get a flat, we are F***ED."
Amanda is driving (thank goodness because she seemed a lot more calm, if this was a disguise, good on her because I would be visibly shaken). She can't see the road, so I have to hang out the passenger window (for 80km's) and tell her "a little to the right, ok now the left".....
And then we see them. Bears. LOTS of them. This made it all worth it, I took it as good karma and was able to relax a little better.
We managed to get some fantastic photo's of them, and the sunset.
Finally, and this finally is worthy of a victory dance, we pull onto pavement, huge sigh of relief and big smiles on our faces. We are determined to get to Wawa, even tho its another 3 hour drive.
We finally arrive and its just after 11. We decide to eat something (subway - my healthy eating habits suffered on this trip) and we agree that both of us are weary from driving (our eyes are doing funky things in the dark, a sure sign of exhaustion). We pull into a well-lit parking lot and try to get some shut eye. I thought by this time I should be able to sleep standing up, but sleeping in a car (one you have been sitting in for the past 15 hours) is no easy feat. I concentrate on my breathing, and I find myself finally drifting off, but then I hear these 2 guys talking right outside my car, I sit up, fully alert, scared they are going to tap on our window or something, I check to make sure the locks are set, but then they just keep walking. I settle my beating heart and try to sleep again. Then 3 OPP vehicles pull into the parking lot and one of them shines their spot light directly into our car. "Wawa is BULLSHIT" I say, and I get myself a coffee and pull out of there. I'm terrified of night driving, even though I have "deer whistles" who knows how well they work. But i'm confident that I am fully alert now. My mission is to find a transport truck that I can keep up with and follow behind (if they hit something, who cares). The first 4 trucks were big meanies and were driving way too fast for my comfort level, but then I found a guy and he visibly slowed down for me :) I followed him another 300km's and then we pulled off into a lookout point (around 3:30am) and Amanda and I slept until 6:30. She can sleep no problem in the car, I struggled with this, and got maybe 30 mins of shut eye.
So I get up. I want to have a nice breakfast with my mom, so we make coffee, pancakes and home made berry sauce, I try to keep conversation as casual and light as possible because I know she's on the verge of tears. I'm not good with goodbyes myself, I just sorta sputter out the word and smile, but I try to make it a good one for my mom.
Once breakfast is finished she has to drive me to Dad's where I left my car. I give her a big hug and then say goodbye to Danielle and I'm on my way. My first stop is North Bay, where I have to pick up Amanda. I have known Amanda since she was born, our parents were Best Friends and I used to babysit her and her brother. I literally haven't seen her in 7 years, so I'm excited to get caught up! Amanda is coming for the ride because it's her brother's 19th Birthday on the Thursday. He lives in Chilliwack, which is literally 20 mins from where my brother is, so it worked out perfectly.
I arrive in North Bay and have to wait about 3 hours for Amanda to sort out her new roomates moving in, it was a nice break because I've already been driving for 5 hours.
3pm rolls around and we are on the road again. Last time I drove out West, google maps and my GPS took me through Sault and around Lake Superior (most beautiful drive ever). This time, however, it suggested a different route (and I'm always up for suggestions). It suggested we head north of Sudbury and cut across to Wawa (hwy 101 or something). It looked as if it would shave 3-4 hours off of our drive so we went for it. This highway is about 4 hours north of Sudbury and 4 hours South of Timmins. On the corner of the highway there's a gas station and so we fill up ( we tried not to let our gas tank go below half, just in case we don't run into another stop). At the pump an old guy asks me where we're from, etc. and wonders why we decided to take this highway, i just said it'll save time (not sure what he meant). So we pull onto the "highway" and signs say "Gravel Road for 80 km". Horrified, it dawned on me what the old guy was surprised 2 girls decided to take this route. We are literally in the middle of nowhere. Our cell phones haven't had reception since Sudbury, and we have to take this route (turning back is not an option). To make matters worse, we are driving directly West now at 7pm, so the Sun is setting directly in our faces, and if we happen to see a car drive by, it kicks up so much dust, visibility is literally impossible. So we are crawling along, going no faster than 60-70km/h. I notice the gravel is constantly being kicked up and "tinging" the bottom of my car, I wince at the thought, and then I observe all of the "car parts"; mufflers, wheels, etc at the side of the road, no doubt from the rocks being constantly kicked up at your car. At this point, I'm sort of freaking out. I try to stay as calm as possible and remember to breath, but can't help but think "2 girls, in the middle of nowhere, no cell phones, no weapons, if we get a flat, we are F***ED."
Amanda is driving (thank goodness because she seemed a lot more calm, if this was a disguise, good on her because I would be visibly shaken). She can't see the road, so I have to hang out the passenger window (for 80km's) and tell her "a little to the right, ok now the left".....
And then we see them. Bears. LOTS of them. This made it all worth it, I took it as good karma and was able to relax a little better.
We managed to get some fantastic photo's of them, and the sunset.
Finally, and this finally is worthy of a victory dance, we pull onto pavement, huge sigh of relief and big smiles on our faces. We are determined to get to Wawa, even tho its another 3 hour drive.
We finally arrive and its just after 11. We decide to eat something (subway - my healthy eating habits suffered on this trip) and we agree that both of us are weary from driving (our eyes are doing funky things in the dark, a sure sign of exhaustion). We pull into a well-lit parking lot and try to get some shut eye. I thought by this time I should be able to sleep standing up, but sleeping in a car (one you have been sitting in for the past 15 hours) is no easy feat. I concentrate on my breathing, and I find myself finally drifting off, but then I hear these 2 guys talking right outside my car, I sit up, fully alert, scared they are going to tap on our window or something, I check to make sure the locks are set, but then they just keep walking. I settle my beating heart and try to sleep again. Then 3 OPP vehicles pull into the parking lot and one of them shines their spot light directly into our car. "Wawa is BULLSHIT" I say, and I get myself a coffee and pull out of there. I'm terrified of night driving, even though I have "deer whistles" who knows how well they work. But i'm confident that I am fully alert now. My mission is to find a transport truck that I can keep up with and follow behind (if they hit something, who cares). The first 4 trucks were big meanies and were driving way too fast for my comfort level, but then I found a guy and he visibly slowed down for me :) I followed him another 300km's and then we pulled off into a lookout point (around 3:30am) and Amanda and I slept until 6:30. She can sleep no problem in the car, I struggled with this, and got maybe 30 mins of shut eye.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Goodbye, Farewell, Au Revoir, Arrivederci, Adiós, Auf Wiedersehen, Adjö
However you say it, it doesn't make it any easier...
I knew this was coming...... tried to prepare myself, but you can't escape it; the rush of fond memories, the feeling of disconnection to loved ones fastly approaching, the final moments before I leave and all the farewell's are said. Super sigh.
When my brother went out west, he bought a one way ticket, not sure if he would come back, so he didn't say any "goodbye's". I'm sure that was hard, but this seems worse. I can't just pick up and go, I have to say my goodbye's because I know once there, I'm staying.
Even after the goodbyes, it still hasn't fully sunk in yet. It will prolly hit me when I'm somewhere in Saskatchewan looking over and over and the endless flat landscapes and I suddenly gasp and say to myself that this is actually happening.
People ask me if I'm scared or nervous or excited. I'd say 85% excited, 10% nervous and the latter scared. I've always been full of guts and had enough confidence to make it happen. Most people recoil at the thought of change, I on the other hand, do not, because I love and embrace change. I think they have a diagnosis of this; ADHD.
Tonight I am having my "last supper" with my mom, friends, aunts and cousins. Hopefully more laughter than tears will be present, if all fails they can use me as comic relief because I am sure to do something silly, like mistake a lettuce leaf for a napkin (true life).
I knew this was coming...... tried to prepare myself, but you can't escape it; the rush of fond memories, the feeling of disconnection to loved ones fastly approaching, the final moments before I leave and all the farewell's are said. Super sigh.
When my brother went out west, he bought a one way ticket, not sure if he would come back, so he didn't say any "goodbye's". I'm sure that was hard, but this seems worse. I can't just pick up and go, I have to say my goodbye's because I know once there, I'm staying.
Even after the goodbyes, it still hasn't fully sunk in yet. It will prolly hit me when I'm somewhere in Saskatchewan looking over and over and the endless flat landscapes and I suddenly gasp and say to myself that this is actually happening.
People ask me if I'm scared or nervous or excited. I'd say 85% excited, 10% nervous and the latter scared. I've always been full of guts and had enough confidence to make it happen. Most people recoil at the thought of change, I on the other hand, do not, because I love and embrace change. I think they have a diagnosis of this; ADHD.
Tonight I am having my "last supper" with my mom, friends, aunts and cousins. Hopefully more laughter than tears will be present, if all fails they can use me as comic relief because I am sure to do something silly, like mistake a lettuce leaf for a napkin (true life).
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Result
Well that was certainely a memorable night!
The whole night was foreign to me and it was a lot of fun!!
We arrive, not sure what to expect, but once there even our uncertainties didn't qualify.
Complete silence. Massive hall. Old people everywhere. Intennnnnse. I managed to suffocate a laugh.
We find a table right at the back and desperately ask the veterans (old ladies running the show) for help. Thank goodness for them because I was under the impression that if you got a line- it was bingo. So I nearly yelled it out, when I was informed that you had to follow the pattern on the screen.... X M Y 2 lines...etc....
I dont' know how to describe this, but I will do my best. Picture a big hall, that echos. Add 1960's decor. About 150 elderly, another 50 people overweight, pure silence except the bingo guy (his story is coming) and nacho's where the cheese comes from a machine. Imagine that !! Machine cheese !!! Its like a different planet.
The bingo guy was almost too hard to handle. I couldn't deal. Every time he said "B 2" I laughed. he sounded a mix between Mr. Garrison from Southpark, a character from Little Britain and a dopehead. And then to make matters worse, there was another game that involved balls (that we didn't know about) and everything was quiet, and intense. Then some old guy yells out "Balls".
Kelle and I lost all composure at that point, and then to top it off the Bingo guy says "Balls are called" in his dopey voice. Tears streaming down my face from (almost) silent laughter.
None of us won anything, however Allie was 1 dab away from winning $350. Overall a fun filled night !
The whole night was foreign to me and it was a lot of fun!!
We arrive, not sure what to expect, but once there even our uncertainties didn't qualify.
Complete silence. Massive hall. Old people everywhere. Intennnnnse. I managed to suffocate a laugh.
We find a table right at the back and desperately ask the veterans (old ladies running the show) for help. Thank goodness for them because I was under the impression that if you got a line- it was bingo. So I nearly yelled it out, when I was informed that you had to follow the pattern on the screen.... X M Y 2 lines...etc....
I dont' know how to describe this, but I will do my best. Picture a big hall, that echos. Add 1960's decor. About 150 elderly, another 50 people overweight, pure silence except the bingo guy (his story is coming) and nacho's where the cheese comes from a machine. Imagine that !! Machine cheese !!! Its like a different planet.
The bingo guy was almost too hard to handle. I couldn't deal. Every time he said "B 2" I laughed. he sounded a mix between Mr. Garrison from Southpark, a character from Little Britain and a dopehead. And then to make matters worse, there was another game that involved balls (that we didn't know about) and everything was quiet, and intense. Then some old guy yells out "Balls".
Kelle and I lost all composure at that point, and then to top it off the Bingo guy says "Balls are called" in his dopey voice. Tears streaming down my face from (almost) silent laughter.
None of us won anything, however Allie was 1 dab away from winning $350. Overall a fun filled night !
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Sock as a Verb
Not exactly sure if I should screen this post, however, I'm going to post it anyway.
Myself, Kelle and Allie have found a new passion; sock puppets / dolls.
It all started with Allie. She was feeling all maternal one night and wanted to knit a baby blanket, she texted me letting me know she googled "how to knit a blanket" and was going to the store for supplies. Once there, she discovered a "how to construct a sock doll" book, intrigued, she opened it and then abandoned ALL thoughts of the baby blanket. Her new addiction took shape.
Next thing i know, she's texting me asking me if I want to come over and make puppets. I know my best friend, she's a weirdo, ( why I love her) but I couldn't help but tactfully deny her invitation..... until I saw the photo album.
After that I was hooked. It was absoloutely hilarious. So for the past few weeks, we have been getting together at regular intervals to "sock". I think she has made about 5-6 dolls now, each one unique and each reflecting what mood she's in. There's one she made where she was "in a dark place" and its actually really funny and she felt much better after she created it. LOL
I've made 3, I will post pics now....
Kelle has 3 as well, all of them are hilarious -- i'm actually quite sad that I am leaving this new found activity to spend with girlfriends, we're always laughing about it !
Myself, Kelle and Allie have found a new passion; sock puppets / dolls.
It all started with Allie. She was feeling all maternal one night and wanted to knit a baby blanket, she texted me letting me know she googled "how to knit a blanket" and was going to the store for supplies. Once there, she discovered a "how to construct a sock doll" book, intrigued, she opened it and then abandoned ALL thoughts of the baby blanket. Her new addiction took shape.
Next thing i know, she's texting me asking me if I want to come over and make puppets. I know my best friend, she's a weirdo, ( why I love her) but I couldn't help but tactfully deny her invitation..... until I saw the photo album.
After that I was hooked. It was absoloutely hilarious. So for the past few weeks, we have been getting together at regular intervals to "sock". I think she has made about 5-6 dolls now, each one unique and each reflecting what mood she's in. There's one she made where she was "in a dark place" and its actually really funny and she felt much better after she created it. LOL
I've made 3, I will post pics now....
Kelle has 3 as well, all of them are hilarious -- i'm actually quite sad that I am leaving this new found activity to spend with girlfriends, we're always laughing about it !
Bingo Banjo
So its a friends 25th birthday today, and she wants to go play bingo.
I haven't played bingo since I was 8, and it was when I was camping with my grandparents, but I do fondly remember the thrill of excitement I got when my number was called and I was proudly able to stamp my bright pink dabber on my sheet.
So, the venue for this event was to be at "the delta bingo" on King street Hamilton, possibly the sketchyest (sp?) area in southern ontario. (we later changed the venue to burlington). So myself, Kelle (the bday girl) and Allie all went to Value Village in search for animal shirts. Specifically "wolf howling at the moon" and "cats sitting and playing in wicker baskets" shirts. The only wolf shirt we could find was a xxxL :( . So I opted for a lion/ lioness shirt, pretty badass still. Allie is 8 months pregnant and got a "Save the gorilla's" shirt which is hilarious because the face sticks out. (I still think she should have gone with the small "I LOVE MCDONALDS" shirt, but her belly stuck way out. Funniest thing I've seen in a long time, i thought she was going to go into labour she was laughing so hard). Kelle hasn't found one yet, she is currently looking through her dads closet for "wolfy".
We are pre-gaming at Kelle's place and then strolling in, caravan style, to find the best seat in the house. Pics will be posted along with updates as to how this event was.
I haven't played bingo since I was 8, and it was when I was camping with my grandparents, but I do fondly remember the thrill of excitement I got when my number was called and I was proudly able to stamp my bright pink dabber on my sheet.
So, the venue for this event was to be at "the delta bingo" on King street Hamilton, possibly the sketchyest (sp?) area in southern ontario. (we later changed the venue to burlington). So myself, Kelle (the bday girl) and Allie all went to Value Village in search for animal shirts. Specifically "wolf howling at the moon" and "cats sitting and playing in wicker baskets" shirts. The only wolf shirt we could find was a xxxL :( . So I opted for a lion/ lioness shirt, pretty badass still. Allie is 8 months pregnant and got a "Save the gorilla's" shirt which is hilarious because the face sticks out. (I still think she should have gone with the small "I LOVE MCDONALDS" shirt, but her belly stuck way out. Funniest thing I've seen in a long time, i thought she was going to go into labour she was laughing so hard). Kelle hasn't found one yet, she is currently looking through her dads closet for "wolfy".
We are pre-gaming at Kelle's place and then strolling in, caravan style, to find the best seat in the house. Pics will be posted along with updates as to how this event was.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Big Decision
It's the year 2010 and a lot of changes to my life are about to happen.
I've decided to start a blog, to keep my friends and family updated, because I know how hard it is to stay in touch with everyone all the time. This will give me a means to keep you all connected in my not-so-boring-life.
For years now I've wanted to move out to BC, I've pondered it and wondered how I would make it happen. I'm usually a planner and like to meticulously organize things, but this time around, I've done quite the opposite. I'm winging it. And I'm terrified.
Dad gave me the "talk" about room and board (totally reasonable) but i'm 26 and DESPERATELY want to move out. Not that I don't have freedom, or a great family that I live with. I just want my own space, a place that I built myself. I thought about moving out around Niagara, but I knew that would seal my fate and I'd never be able to save up to make the big move to the West Coast.
So here I am. I've saved every penny possible during the past 2 months, and planned as far ahead as having a place to stay once I'm out there (my brothers)
But beyond that, I don't really have a plan. My philosophy on life is this: do what makes you happy and things will fall into place. I know that I am in my element when i'm out west. I LOVE the outdoors, I love cooking, I love culture and a sense of adventure. Every time I've been out there, its harder to come back to Ontario. I know that the West is where I belong.
Today I started packing my car, I know I don't leave for another 2 weeks, but I'm excited, ok?
Plus I might have to part ways with more items that I think I will, so I guess this will give me an idea of exactly what.
So far my trunk is FULL. Kitchen stuff (pots, pans, utensils, etc) hangers for my clothes, my "file box", cookbooks, spices, pictures, decorative pillows, curtains, 2 lamps, most of my shoes.
I haven't put a single article of clothing in there yet. I have bought vaccuum bags to seal them and create more room, but I honestly think I have to get a rooftop carry case. I still have my pasta maker, more kitchen stuff, toiletries (all my skin care, makeup, hair stuff....bcuz that's expensive to buy) sheets, blankets, all my clothes....etc. Plus I have another person coming with me and she'll need some room.
What scares me the most is actually getting my own place; I haven't done this before (college not included). This is my next life. I won't have ANYthing except my small possessions. But again, I do have confidence in myself and I know that if I want something bad enough I will acquire it. And the fact that I don't have a job yet. I'm literally going there with my resume, determination and high hopes.
This next part is hard.
I'm slowly preparing myself for my goodbyes; grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, friends, best friends, my new little brother and sister whom i've come to love and adore..dad and danielle.....and mom.....and everything that goes with it. Family dinners, hugs when I need them, reassurance.... this is going to be hard. I know this, but I also know there's this intangible element that is drawing me out west.
As the weeks draw on and May 1st gets closer, I allow myself to think of these goodbyes a little more, It would be easier to ignore but I have to come to terms with the reality of it.
As I drive out, I will update as much as I can on my adventures, photos and text included.
Once I'm there, the first person to come visit me gets a 3 course meal and a high 5 !
I've decided to start a blog, to keep my friends and family updated, because I know how hard it is to stay in touch with everyone all the time. This will give me a means to keep you all connected in my not-so-boring-life.
For years now I've wanted to move out to BC, I've pondered it and wondered how I would make it happen. I'm usually a planner and like to meticulously organize things, but this time around, I've done quite the opposite. I'm winging it. And I'm terrified.
Dad gave me the "talk" about room and board (totally reasonable) but i'm 26 and DESPERATELY want to move out. Not that I don't have freedom, or a great family that I live with. I just want my own space, a place that I built myself. I thought about moving out around Niagara, but I knew that would seal my fate and I'd never be able to save up to make the big move to the West Coast.
So here I am. I've saved every penny possible during the past 2 months, and planned as far ahead as having a place to stay once I'm out there (my brothers)
But beyond that, I don't really have a plan. My philosophy on life is this: do what makes you happy and things will fall into place. I know that I am in my element when i'm out west. I LOVE the outdoors, I love cooking, I love culture and a sense of adventure. Every time I've been out there, its harder to come back to Ontario. I know that the West is where I belong.
Today I started packing my car, I know I don't leave for another 2 weeks, but I'm excited, ok?
Plus I might have to part ways with more items that I think I will, so I guess this will give me an idea of exactly what.
So far my trunk is FULL. Kitchen stuff (pots, pans, utensils, etc) hangers for my clothes, my "file box", cookbooks, spices, pictures, decorative pillows, curtains, 2 lamps, most of my shoes.
I haven't put a single article of clothing in there yet. I have bought vaccuum bags to seal them and create more room, but I honestly think I have to get a rooftop carry case. I still have my pasta maker, more kitchen stuff, toiletries (all my skin care, makeup, hair stuff....bcuz that's expensive to buy) sheets, blankets, all my clothes....etc. Plus I have another person coming with me and she'll need some room.
What scares me the most is actually getting my own place; I haven't done this before (college not included). This is my next life. I won't have ANYthing except my small possessions. But again, I do have confidence in myself and I know that if I want something bad enough I will acquire it. And the fact that I don't have a job yet. I'm literally going there with my resume, determination and high hopes.
This next part is hard.
I'm slowly preparing myself for my goodbyes; grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, friends, best friends, my new little brother and sister whom i've come to love and adore..dad and danielle.....and mom.....and everything that goes with it. Family dinners, hugs when I need them, reassurance.... this is going to be hard. I know this, but I also know there's this intangible element that is drawing me out west.
As the weeks draw on and May 1st gets closer, I allow myself to think of these goodbyes a little more, It would be easier to ignore but I have to come to terms with the reality of it.
As I drive out, I will update as much as I can on my adventures, photos and text included.
Once I'm there, the first person to come visit me gets a 3 course meal and a high 5 !
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