small muse

This is for Tanya!

2010-10-07T11:26:00.001-07:00

30 years...

15 years!

The reunion...

2009-10-27T22:46:00.001-07:00

was amazing. It was over a month ago, but I've been too lazy, or busy, or something and haven't been blogging in a while! Here are 3 of us from the previous picture... Janet, you should have been in that other picture, where were you?
It was a colossal party. Seriously, one that will go down in the books. It was the first time in a looong time that I crawled home at 5:30 in the morning! It's been so long that I didn't actually realise that it would take me a full week to recover. Ha ha! It was well worth it!

Grad '89!

2009-09-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

It's my high school reunion this weekend.... oh it's going to be a walk down memory lane, that's for sure! I can't wait to see how people have changed, what they wound up doing with their lives and just having fun like we used to in the old days. Our 10 year was a great time, it was like we all reverted instantaneously to what we were like in high school... it was hilarious! I'll post next week with the party wrap up!

Busy busy!

2009-08-14T16:45:00.001-07:00

Wow! I haven't posted in a while! I guess I've been busy dong summer-y stuff and frankly, hot and unmotivated. We're having a very hot sticky summer here in Van this year. I like it hot, but not humid. We've had a bit of a reprieve this past couple of weeks, but the hot is coming back next week for round two. Oh how I wish I had AC!Here are a couple of things that I'm a bit sad about...

and

I loved them both... I was going to write about Michael Jacksons death weeks ago but I was so sick to death of it all by the media junk that I just let it rest. I loved Michael Jackson from the time I was a little girl. The Jackson Five concert at BC Place was the very first show I'd ever been to. I was 11, and I went with my mom and two sisters. It was great. I got a baseball style shirt with baby blue sleeves and the Jackson Five on the front. Loved it, wish I still had it! Thriller was one of those albums that truly was the soundtrack to my teen years. Prince and George Michael are another couple that spring to mind, but Thriller was the best. The dancing, the white glove, the red coat! He was so cool back then, and so cute! It's a shame how it all ended up, but he was obviously an unhappy camper.

John Hughes was another icon who I think wrote the best teen movies ever. Period. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, even Uncle Buck! I loved Uncle Buck, but I think that was because of my love of John Candy, who also died too young. The teen movies of today won't have the staying power that these films had. It's a shame he stopped making movies, but he was one of those guys that had his priorities straight. He had obviously made a gazillion dollars over the years, so he decided to get away from the crappy Hollywood life to raise his family. He stood up to say that he thought the beast that is Hollywood killed his friend John Candy and he couldn't be part of that machine any longer. Hopefully his movies will be seen by teens in the years to come and achieve the "classic" status they deserve.

Glo-worm

2009-07-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

I was on a hike the other day when I came across this adorable little worm just hanging out on the railing. I was seriously considering having a pet worm for a minute there... how cute is he?
I used to have a pet string named Jimmy when I was a kid. He was basically a thick piece of string with a knot tied at the end which was his head. I loved him and played with him in the bathtub, but one day he went down the drain and Jimmy was no more. It didn't occur to me to just make another Jimmy, I guess he was irreplaceable. RIP Jimmy!

Farmers Market Finds and a hosed down Henry

2009-07-14T16:26:00.001-07:00

We have a lovely little farmers market just a couple of blocks from the apartment every Saturday morning, and it's just getting better and better! I bought these beautiful orange beets just because they're beautiful, I don't even like to eat beets! I will try cooking them though and see if I like them. I love the greens, so that's half of it anyways! The yellow things are called Lemon Cucumber. They are so fresh and clean and delicious! Unlike any regular cuke I've ever tasted. The Easter Egg Radishes are also so lovely and tasty. Crisp and peppery, a must in any salad! It was so hot that day that I gave the boy a good spray down with the hose. He loves it!

Have your cake...

2009-07-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

and eat it too! Or, should I say pie! Lemon Meringue to be precise. We've had our fill of cake at my nephews birthday, so we decided it may be unconventional, but why not have a lemon meringue birthday pie! It is to die for. Home made by my mom. What could be better?
The bottom picture was the Sat. night pre-birthday celebration. Warren bought a couple of beautiful crabs and we had quite the feast! I think I consumed my full years quota of butter in one sitting, but so worth it.

Car Free Vancouver

2009-07-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

It was Car Free Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, and was it ever cool! 4 streets in 4 different neighborhoods shut down to car traffic for the day, so we decided the most colourful would definitely be on Commercial Drive. There were drum circles, a roller rink, food kiosks, a music stage, a healing garden and all sorts of street performance artists. For those not in the know, Commercial Drive used to be Vancouver's "Little Italy", and it still has that flavour, but it's also kind of the bohemian/hippie district with a neighborhood of all types, from yuppies to hippies. My parents almost bought a house there in the 1970's, but chose West Vancouver instead (which is Commercial Drives polar opposite!) I would have been a lot cooler if I grew up near The Drive I think! Oh, not that I'm not cool... hee hee.

A Place to Bark

2009-06-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

If I was independently wealthy, I would be throwing money at this wonderful shelter. Bernie Berlin is an artist and animal lover. She's been running the shelter since 2001, and she takes in numerous dogs and cats from other shelters and puppies rescued from puppy mills. She is a true inspiration, and I wish there were more people like her in the world!
Check out her website, it's linked to the right at "A Place to Bark".
This photo is one I grabbed from her Facebook photos. It's a litter she has recently rescued probably from a puppy mill. The caption below was "Spay and neuter your pets!"
Really, why wouldn't you? You can buy those neuticles now if you're worried your dog (or husband) might develop an insecurity about the lack of balls, right?
Hee...

A Tribute...

2009-06-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

to one of my favourite movies of my teens, White Nights. Dancing, Gregory Hines, Mikhail Baryshnikov, what more could you ask for? Both beautiful dancers and beautiful men.
I also happened to love Phil Collins and Lionel Ritchie way back when too... ah, the 80's! It's my era and I'm proud of it!

For the joy of swimming.

2009-06-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

Well, here is the boy doing what he loves best. I swear, way back when he must have been a water dog! He absolutely loves every minute of it! Even when he's shivering uncontrollably, he still wants more. The photo where he has the stick sticking straight out of his mouth just cracked me up! It looks like he's smoking a stogie! Goofy dog...

Jumping off a waterfall in Jamaica!

2009-06-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

These pics are a little blurry, but Mere was taking them from afar and had the zoom on. This was so much fun, and I can't believe I did it! You could go right under the waterfall and have the water thunder down on your head. You could cannonball from one fall to the next, as you can see me doing, AND you can rope swing into one of the pools. I felt like a kid again!

Total Eclipse of the Heart literal version

2009-06-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most hysterical things I've seen in a while... it really shows what an idiotic video it truly is! It's a little long, but worth it!

Childhood Crush #2

2009-05-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

Han Solo was definitely the man for me when I was 8. He was so macho and so cute, plus he had the best sidekick ever! I know that Chewbaka wasn't a dog, but what the heck was he? I know technically he was a Wookie, but that just means nothing to me... I'm not a Star Wars aficionado, that's for certain.
We watched the newest Indiana Jones movie tonight, which is what got me thinking about my childhood love for Harrison Ford. Sigh...

Sebastian Horsley

2009-05-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

I heard this guy interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi on the Q Podcast, and oh my god... I was laughing out loud! He has written a book called Dandy in the Underworld. What's a dandy, you ask? Well, according to Wikipedia...
A dandy(also known as a beau, gallant or flamboyant person) is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies. Historically, especially in late 18th- and early 19th-century Britain, a dandy, who was self-made, often strove to imitate an aristocratic style of life despite coming from a middle-class background.
Sebastian Horsley is famous for staging his own crucification in the Phillipines in the name of art. He asked for no pain killers, passed out soon after the first nail was driven in and fell off the cross. Suffice it to say it was not a success. He's pompous, subversive and morally questionable, but very, very entertaining!

Gran Torino

2009-05-10T14:04:00.001-07:00

I went and saw this last night with some girlfriends. What a great film! It was widely dissed at the Oscars this year, and didn't really get all that much attention in general. Maybe it hits too close to home for a lot of people?
Clint Eastwood plays such an interesting character in this movie. It's really a story of salvation, redemption and sacrifice, all on his part.
Two thumbs up for me!

Twilight

2009-05-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Oh my... I think I'm going through a teenage regression of sorts... I LOVED Twilight! It was one of those books that I could barely put down. I was looking forward to going to bed so I could read read read! I don't know what it is. I just love a tortured love story, which is exactly what this is. The book delves much deeper into the relationship between Bella and Edward. The tension, the intimacy, the emotions and feeling of first love. Stephenie Meyer has a knack for putting those feelings on paper, and making you, the reader, feel them right along with the characters. I've put New Moon on hold at the library and I'm picking it up tomorrow - yippee!

April showers...

2009-05-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what this tree is called, but isn't it beautiful? If anyone knows, let me know! I'm thinking maybe a Magnolia of some sort... It's still so cold, good thing I'm going to Jamaica in two weeks! So excited!

La Connor

2009-05-06T09:16:00.001-07:00

We went to the tulip festival in La Connor, Washington last weekend. It's such a lovely spot, and the tulips were just beautiful! Overwhelming colour that made my heart sing!
The first field we found was a joint called "Tulip Town." There was a big parking lot with free parking, but $5 each to get in? Plus, there was this poster on the way in so we were so out of there... I don't need any propoganda with my tulips, thank you very much! We drove down the street for a while and found a free field to wander through, and no religious message to be seen, yay!
We had lunch in La Connor, which is a lovely little seaside town, then Trader Joe's for groceries. I didn't know you can bring groceries over the border and not have to pay duties! Trader Joe's is amazing. The prices, the quality of the products... I'm going to start working a trip in every couple of months... even with our dollar being a bit down, still worth it!

Henry 3 months old

2009-05-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

The cuteness! I came across these old photos today and just had to post this one. He was such an incredibly cute puppy. And his personality shone through from the minute we met him, it was love at first sight!

Doing the Pigeon

2009-04-29T00:04:00.001-07:00

It's nesting season, and the wildlife is trying to get in... That's if you can call pigeons wild. I think they must be one of the most well adapted birds in the world. Rats with wings, right?
To be honest, I kind of like pigeons. I like their tenacity, their brute survival skills... We left a window open overnight at the studio last Tuesday (by accident),and my employee phones me in a panic to tell me there were 2 pigeons flying around the studio. My reply was what did she want me to do about it? Cheeky, I know. She managed to herd them out the window, but it reminded me of a story from a few years back. The guy across the hall left his window open over the weekend, and when he came in on Monday, he found a nest with eggs in it. The pigeons had found a Jaycloth in his studio and shredded it to make a nest. They were gone when he got there, and he had no choice but to throw the eggs away. It was so sad, but was HE going to sit on the nest?

This guys likes pigeons too...

This Womans Work

2009-04-26T18:16:00.001-07:00

This is such a beautiful song. I'm not generally a huge Kate Bush fan, but this one makes me cry! It doesn't hurt that it was in this movie that I loved loved loved when I was 15. Me thinks it might have been for Kevin Bacon??? Yes, I did adore him thanks to Footloose.
This was another one of those John Hughes movies that were so huge in the 80's. Is it just me or are teen movies not as good as they used to be? Maybe I'm just getting old...or maybe its the TRUTH! Hannah Montana? No thank you!

Sigur Ros

2009-04-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

We watched this wonderful movie last night on our brand spanking new 42" flast screen! Sigur Ros are such a creative and inspiring band. They're Icelandic, and this documentary follows them as they return home to do a series of free concerts. Iceland is a country I'd love to visit. It's so barren, wild and beautiful. I was having second thoughts though when I saw the feast they were eating at one of the shows... sheep heads and jellied meats of all sorts. Not my cup of tea, but when in Iceland, I guess!
I also noticed an abundance of these sweaters, called Lopapeysa, or Lopi for short.

Yes, I had to google it... and yes, now I really have to go to Iceland to buy one! Perfect for camping!

The Garden of Last Days

2009-04-24T11:04:00.001-07:00

I didn't like this book. I didn't hate it either, but it was just a disappointment. I loved The House of Sand and Fog, and was really excited when I saw this one at the library, but it just didn't live up.
The thing I liked about Sand and Fog was the way he told the story from both characters points of view, and the way he expressed The Colonels voice with the Iranian accent. He had a similar character in this book who was Arab,but it felt old to me, like since it worked so well with the other book, why not do it it with this one too?
This book just didn't feel authentic to me. It was mildly entertaining, but I found I was skimming towards the end just to get through it.

Eagles in the City

2009-04-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

I love this city. I ask you... where else in North America can you be downtown, look up, and see a Bald Eagle soaring through the air? They are such majestic creatures. Every few years we'll go up to Brackendale for the eagle count. It's in early January when the eagles are in their greatest numbers at the local rivers, gorging on the spawning salmon. Brackendale also has a great little art gallery and tea house that's worth the trip. The food is awesome, and they sometimes have a live eagle in the house (usually an injured one waiting to be rehabilitated)
Click on the post title to look at their website!

***I'll also add that I didn't take these pictures, I found them on google images. If you are the photographer, please take it as a compliment that I liked them the best to be on my blog!

Childhood Crush #1 ... Fred Astaire.

2009-04-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Oh Fred. I remember from the time I was a very little girl I have always loved him! I've always loved to dance, but never realized how much until I was in my 20's. I took about 2 years of West Coast Swing, it was such a ball! One day I would absolutely love to learn how to tap dance. I envision heaps of humiliation and falling on my ass, but it looks like so much fun! And I could pretend I was dancing cheek to cheek with my Fred...

My silly boy.

2009-04-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

I went for a walk with a couple of girlfriends today and took this wild and crazy mutt with us. There was still some snow on the ground a little higher up, so Henry started getting cold and doing his crazy ass running back and forth, running in circles, barking up a storm etc. etc. etc. He really has quite a distinct personality. My father in law insists that Henry smells the most bums at the dog park, and is the biggest humper as well. I unfortunately really can't dispute that...

Easter Cupcakes!

2009-04-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

yumyumyumyumyumyumyum!
These cupcakes were so delish! Yes, they were made from a cake mix... every now and then I like a good old fashioned Betty Crocker and I'm not ashamed!

I love Ricky

2009-04-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Fourth Hand

2009-04-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

John Irving. A strange fellow, no doubt. I find I either absolutely love his books, or I'm rather indifferent.
A Widow for one Year. This was a fabulous example of his brilliance but I hated the movie version.(The Door in the Floor.)
A Prayer for Owen Meany. I thought I was going to love it but was just... indifferent. Haven't seen the big screen version yet.
Son of the Circus. Don't even get me started on this one! It took me over a year to slog through this bad boy! To be fair, I had it at work and was reading it during lunch, but man was it hard to get through. And long! I did start to like it towards the end, but it didn't make up for the hours sent toiling in the beginning.
The 158 lb Marriage was certainly interesting! It was one of his earliest books, and is about wife swapping... very interesting indeed!
The Fourth Hand. It was an easy read and kept my interest, but there was just something missing for me. The characters were not very sympathetic, and I found I wasn't very invested in them. The basic story is that this CNN type of news guys has his hand eaten by a lion while doing a story in India. He gets a hand transplant and the widow of the donor wants visitation rights with the hand. An interesting concept yes, but for some reason left me feeling a little empty. Still worth reading though, and I will continue my quest to read all of John Irving's work.

Careless Whisper

2009-04-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

In honour of my 20 year grad reunion, I'm going to start periodically adding songs that were part of my high school experience. George Michael was a big one! Faith came out in 1986 I think, and Wham! was huge in the earlier 80's. I saw him live in the early 90's and still listen to him today. I really wanted to post Father Figure, but Youtube has all sorts of blocks up for certain videos. Just try and find a Prince video on Youtube that still has its sound, I dare you!

Sharp Dressed Man

2009-04-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

I bought this Calvin Klein shirt in New York for my nephew a few years ago, and it just happened to fit Henry too. Warren took this video of him and put it to ZZ Top. My poor doggy does not look all that impressed with being our little dress up dolly, but the effect is so funny!

Open Mindedness

2009-04-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

I thought this was an interesting video about having an open mind. As a non believer, I've often been faced with people telling me to open my mind to the unexplained. When you're telling someone who strongly believes something without any physical proof but just their belief, it's almost impossible to have a rational conversation about it. This video just puts it in good plain terms that makes it easy to understand. Open mindedness shouldn't just mean believe everything you hear! It's like Bill Mahr said in Religulous, "I'm not saying that god doesn't exist, I'm just saying I'm pretty sure he doesn't exist. The point is, I don't know, and neither do you."
Love him!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

2009-04-07T21:42:00.001-07:00

What do I say about this book?
First off, I am the one of the luckiest girls in the world. I have rights and freedoms that I take for granted every day. This book made me experience through the eyes of two Afghani women just what kind of hell a large portion of the female population of the world live through every day.
Khaled Hosseini obviously has stories to tell, and isn't afraid to hold anything back. He was born in Kabul himself and now lives in California, so he has first hand knowledge in the subjects he writes about. The women in this novel are heroes... for living through what they have, and for surviving and sacrificing what they had to. Heartbreaking yet heart warming at the same time.
Thumbs way up for this one... I'll be surprised if a major motion picture doesn't follow suit, like it did with his previous book, The Kite Runner(which I also loved.)

A day at the beach.

2009-03-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a nice day at Spanish Banks today... the sun was out, it was still pretty cold, but so rejuvinating! Henry is down for the count... he ran and ran and ran!
There were tons of people out kite sufing. Looked too cold for me, but they were having a blast! I'm off to Toronto for the One of a Kind show this week. Booth L-25 if you're there!

Could it be...

2009-03-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

SPRING? Really? Finally?
Oh, its been such a nasty year of weather. Vancouver has never had so much snow, and it's been cold and gross. I went for a walk the other day and was so delighted to see these lovely green buds exploding out of these bushes, so I know, Spring is on it's way. I'm just waiting for my favourites... the Cherry Blossom!

New ACEO's

2009-03-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

I was feeling creative last night. I had a custom order to do, and it forced me to get off my new laptop for a couple of hours, which was great! I'm making up for lost time in having to fight to get on a computer... now I finally have my very own!

David Sedaris

2009-03-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Where have you been all my life David Sedaris? I've heard about him for years and was always intrigued, but not enough to seek out his books. I'm usually a fiction gal, so essays weren't really my bag.
Well, I stand corrected. I was reading The New Yorker a few months ago, and happened upon one of his stories from When You are Engulfed in Flames. It spurred me on to buy one of his books, so I chose Naked, maybe for the title? I reserved Flames from the library and consumed it in short order... I'm not sure if his stories are all 100% true, but I don't care. They are so funny and entertaining it just doesn't matter!

Caramel Praline Cheescake

2009-03-24T15:36:00.001-07:00

I made this delicious cheesecake for my aunts going away dinner on the weekend. It is a fantastic and easy cake to make... and eat! I know those look like Malteezers on the top, but they are actually Junior Caramels that I cut in half, then placed on the cheescake while it was still warm to they would melt and stick to the cake.
I've made many a cheescake in my day... this is one of the best!
1 1/4 c. graham crumbs
1/4 c. melted butter
34 Caramels
3 tbsp. milk
1 c. chopped pecans
3 packages (250 gram packs)cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla3 eggs
*Combine crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of a 9" springform pan.
*Melt caramels with milk in saucepan on low heat, stir until smooth. Stir in pecans and pour over crust.
*Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on med. until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mix just until blended. Pour batter over caramel mixture.
*Bake at 350 degrees for 45050 minutes or until center is almost set.
*Cool, then chill 4 hours (at least)
*Garnish top with cut in half Junior Caramels. Wait until about 5 minutes after its come out of the oven.
*Enjoy!

A place to rest your head.

2009-03-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

Henry loves sleeping on objects. The remote control, books, and now... running shoes! Lucky for him they are new and not stinky. Having said that, he'd probably like them better if there WERE stinky, you know, being a dog and all. The grossest stinky thing he ever rolled around in was a nasty dead bird when we camping a few years ago. Maggots... and...all.

Vampires

2009-03-21T11:30:00.001-07:00

So we saw Twilight a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say... I loved it. I know it didn't get the best reviews and the book purists were dissapointed, but I haven't read the books so I didn't have anything to compare it to. I said to W afterwards that if I were 15, this movie would have been my Pretty in Pink (my essential teen movie that defined my high school experience.) I love unrequited love, and combined with teen angst and vampires, it is the perfect teen movie.
Now having said all of that, we saw another Vampire movie last night called Let the Right One In. It's Swedish with subtitles, and apparently (according to the reviews) it is everything Twilight tried to be. I liked this one for totally different reasons. I LOVE foreign films, and this one was so dark and macabre compared to Twilight. It was also about love, but a v-e-r-y different kind of love. It was sad and scary (but not too scary... I can't handle slasher movies any more!) but had a strangly happy ending. If you can find it, rent it!

The Village Taphouse

2009-03-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

We went here for dinner on Sunday night for Sean's birthday. I love this beer tasting option they have where you can choose 3 beers from their menu and try a few different ones. The food was pretty good too, it's owned by the Cactus Club people, so the menu is pretty similar. The bonus... if there's a Canucks game on, the entire restaurant gets a (very weak) shot if Alex Burrows scores. Not sure why he's the man, but a free shot's a free shot! I had a good time watching my mother in law try to sip it rather than shoot it back!
P.S. Don't ask about the man behind the menu....

Mac & Cheese Masterpiece

2009-03-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

This was our dinner last Friday night.... we don't eat any pasta or bread during the week, so the weekends are usually carborific! I don't really have a recipe per se... I just cook the pasta and make the cheese sauce in what I think is a good quantity. I use Velveeta (I know, I know!) and old white cheddar, probably a 60/40 ratio respectively... add a little milk, cayenne, paprika and and dry mustard.
I then cut up a tomato into small bits and mix it in, pour the whole kit and caboodle into the baking dish, sprinkle it with fine bread crumds and drizzled butter and throw it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Say what you will about Velveeta, but it makes the perfect mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. When I want comfort food... nothing else will do!

The House of Sand and Fog

2009-03-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished this book last night. It's a heartbreaking story for everyone involved, and the ending shows no mercy for any of the characters.
The way the author wrote the Iranian colonel and his wife's way of speaking English(as a second language) was amazing. He must have had to do a lot of research on how difficult it is to learn English to make it so believable.
I'll never look at an immigrant 7-11 worker in the same way either... the colonel was a high level, well paid Iranian army colonel before the fall of Iran, and upon coming to America he had to take menial jobs to support his family, yet still carry on the facade to his friends and family that he was doing an important job and keeping up the lifestyle that they could be proud of. That was why he was hanging on so tightly to the house (that he had bought from the county on auction), so he could free himself from the shame. Kathy Nicolo wanted to hang onto her house (that she had lost because of a beaurocratic snafu) for much the same reason. She was living a lie that she was still married, happy and not abusing drugs or alcohol. She was desperate to get her house back so she wouldn't have to admit to her family that she had screwed up again.
Read this book. It was moving, sad and hard to read, but I loved every minute of it.

Oh yeah, I saw the movie a few years ago. Sad and depressing as well... but I liked the book better. Way more depth in the characters, especially Lester Burdon, the police officer who left his wife for Kathy)

Oh Napoleon

2009-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make.
I dance like this in the privacy of my own home... frequently. I just laughed my ass off the first time I saw this!
This movie is just so funny on so many levels. The chickens talons, the tator tots, the sweet jumps... what's not to love? And this dance was just the icing on the cake. I needs to get me some Napoleon Dynamite boots and I'm all set!

Oh Sherrie

2009-03-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

This video takes me right back to Grade 7. Jay Clennan had given me a gold necklace with a green stone in it and asked me to "go around". Oh my gosh, I said yes, of course! We went and saw Footloose with a bunch of kids who were also "going around". Well, a couple of these couples were practically doing it in the theatre, and it freaked my little 12 year old self out, so on Monday I sent Jay Clennan his necklace back in a piece of loose leaf paper in Science class and broke it off with him. Mom, you would have been proud!

Beautiful new ledger papers!

2009-03-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

I bought these beautiful vintage ledger pages from a fellow Etsy seller, Arteology! Her shop is a wonderful treasure trove... These pages are all from the late 1800's, and have such beautiful handwriting, what has happened to that kind of penmanship?
Click on the post title if you'd like to visit her shop!

The Time in Between

2009-03-11T13:46:00.001-07:00

I'm afraid my blog is becoming a bit book obsessed. People keep asking me when I find the time to read. Well, I guess the answer to that is that I *make* the time, and it's not really much of an effort! I read in the bathtub, I read during my lunch, I read for about 45 min. before bed, and if the book is really good.... I'll even turn the TV off to read some more. Yes, that is amazing, because I am a self proclaimed TV addict.
This book was a loan and recommendation from my Mom. It was a really interesting subject for me as I love reading about other cultures, and this one takes place in Vietnam. It's about a man who fought for America in the Vietnam war and revisited it 30 years later to try and sort out his feelings about the the war and what had taken place there. He goes missing, and 2 of his children go there to try and find out what happened to him. I won't tell you any more than that, but I think it's well worth a read.
Thanks Mom!

Bad Dog and it's %&*$ snowing in March!

2009-03-09T20:32:00.001-07:00

So yesterday I went out to get a few groceries. I came home and didn't put the plywood back over where our gate used to be (it fell off from the cold during the great freeze of Xmas 2008)and was boiling hot from the walk up the hill, so I left the door open. Big. Mistake.

I put the groceries on the counter, then noticed the floor needed sweeping so I went to get the broom. I had cooked some chicken before I went out and was putting it in a bowl to put in the fridge when I thought "Henry might like a little treat", so I went to call him and *nothing*.

I looked in the bathroom. Nothing. I looked in the bedroom. Nothing. Holy crap, I'm starting to panic now. Started yelling for him to come and get a treat. Nothing. Then I ran outside and saw the gate and went shrieking his name down the path to the street. People must have thought I was nutso.

There he was, standing in the middle of the sidewalk where he normally goes to do his business (he goes on the grass, not the sidewalk silly!)just staring at me. I was so mad, and so relieved. I was shaking for 1/2 an hour after that!

The thing is, I've never thought he would take off like that, it's quite bizarre! I'm thinking it was the broom that set him off. He's scared of it, but I thought he'd gotten better, the poor little freak! I'm so glad he's OK, but I'm still a little mad at him. Hello, he wouldn't last very long out there in the SNOW! In March! Spring??? Where are you???

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

2009-03-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

What a great read this was! The movie was one of my favourites when I saw it years ago, so when I saw the book at the good old Sally Anne I had to pick it up! It's a story about friends, family, love and racism in the deep south in the 1930's. The story is told in flashbacks by Ninny Threadgoode who is in a nursing home, and it seamlessly weaves together the past and the present.
The book focuses a bit more on Ruth and Idgies romantic relationship, whereas the movie kind of glossed over it. This is a love story, and though there is tragedy and loss, I was left with a feeling of hope.

Wasp's Nest

2009-03-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

I found this wasp's nest on the Pink Dogwood tree last fall when all of the leaves fell off of it. I'm always amazed by how strong these nests are, yet so fragile at the same time. Remember, they're made out of paper! And in rainy Vancouver I'm surprised they'd survive at all.

One of a Kind Show!

2009-03-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

Joanne and I were featured on the One of a Kind Blog yesterday! It's a great show in Toronto, for anyone who isn't familiar with it. Thye also do shows in Vancouver, Chicago, and new this year, New York City!
Click on the post title to check it out!

New art and new blog!

2009-03-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

I have a new(ish) blog that I'm posting a new artist and their work every day. I am so inspired by other people and their journey's in art, and I love to share my discoveries with the world, so check it out! It's called Cre8ive Juice and you can see it if you click on the post title, or the link on the sidebar.

Keeping on the scary theme...

2009-02-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

I bought this scary little armless porcelain doll from an Australian Etsy seller. Don't ask me what I'm going to do with it, it's just waiting for a shadowbox project fo some sort. The reason I bought it was that it reminded me of my childhood doll, Baby Ron, only Baby Ron had arms. He didn't have fingers or toes though, I apparently chewed them off when I was teething. THAT certainly wouldn't be allowed today, I could have choked and died!!!!!!! Ah, gotta love the 1970's. I also gouged his eyes out with a pen when I got a little older, so suffice it to say, he looks at freaky and scary as this doll now. I'll post a pic of him one day, I still have him boxed away somewhere.
If you want to see the Etsy shop where I bought the doll, click on the post title.

The Shining - Trailer

2009-02-27T10:56:00.001-08:00

Watching this trailer makes me feel better. Quite hilarious!!!!!!!! Who knew The Shining was the feel good movie of the year?

The Shining

2009-02-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Why did I read this book? I've seen the movie, shouldn't that have been enough? Nooooooooo, I had to go and read it and scare the pants off myself AGAIN! I just finished it last night at midnight (when the masks come off!) If you've read the book or seen the movie you'll get the reference...
At the end of the day I'm glad I read it. It gave me more insight into the movie, which is one of my absolute favourite horror movies of all time. I'm a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick as well, so that just deepens the love.
I was a bit shocked by the language in the book. Not the swearing so much as the racial slurs towards Mr. Hollorran. I don't remember that from the film. Having said that, I haven't seen it in years... I guess I'm going to have to rent it now, aren't I?

Dog park on a sunny day

2009-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

We went to the Ambleside dog park last Wednesday after henry's vet appointment to check how his teeth were healing, and he got a clean bill of health! Free to chew on whatever he wants! This view is looking out towards Stanley Park. We live in such a gorgeous place, especially when the sun is shining!

From the Sea and Hide'n'Seek

2009-02-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

This is a lovely little collection of things I've collected over the years on various beaches. My bathroom was in need of a little sprucing up, so I made this little assemblage to cheer me up when I'm getting ready in the morning. And believe me, I'm not a morning person and need all the help I can get! The postcard in the background is one I bought recently from Hide'n'Seek. I just love her work, and it came packaged so beautifully. She's one whimsical girl that Eloise!
Click on the post title to check out her shop!

Why am I so cute?

2009-02-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to think I have this blog only as a means to put pictures of my dog up on the internet. I'm like one of those freaky parents who think their kid is the cutest thing ever and force their baby photos on people. Well, I'm not forcing you to look, but isn't he just the cutest?
I know, and thank you.

The Abstinence Teacher

2009-02-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book last week. It was good, but I wasn't as riveted by it as I thought I would be, considering the subject matter. The basic storyline has to do with a high school sex ed teacher who has been told by the administration that she has to teach abstinence instead of how to avoid pregnancy and disease the good old fashioned way, CONDOMS! It deals with America's religious right, and how it's taken too far. He's a really great writer, I'm looking forward to reading some of his earlier work. I've already read Little Children, which I absolutely loved and couldn't put down. I've just gotten a library card to our spanking new community library, so I'll pick up more of his work. He also wrote Election, that funny movie with Reese Witherspoon as the keener nerd who was desperate to become Student Council President. I really enjoyed that movie, so it'll be interesting to see what the book is like.

My favourite commercials...

2009-02-11T09:22:00.000-08:00

These Tango ads are some of the funniest (and strange) I've ever seen. I'm a huge fan of British humour though, so they're right up my alley. If you go to Youtube, there are a lot of older ads you can check out. This is Warren's and my favourite. Sheer and utter brilliance.
Enjoy!

Henry at the Vet

2009-02-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

Here we are picking up Henry from his traumatic visit to the vets. He was so groggy when we picked him, so not his usual peppy self. He was so sad that he didn't go near his ball or frisbee when we got home,which is unusual for him, so you know he was really not feeling well! He now has a gap tooth smile in the front, and a missing tooth in the back. He's feeling MUCH better now though, and is eating well and is back at wanting to just play play play! Our vet says that he's probably been in a bit of pain in the past couple of months, so he'll probably have a bit more spring in his step when it's all healed. I told him that this dog needs no more spring in his step than he already has... as it is my parents call him Gerald McBoing Boing! (a Dr. Seus cartoon character from the 70's)
I'm just glad he's back to normal, and we WILL be brushing his teeth from now on! I don't even want to say how much this little endeavor cost us! He's worth every penny though...

2009-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

This little sad sack is going to get his teeth cleaning tomorrow. It's kind of an ordeal because they have to knock him out in order to do the job, and last time he was not a very happy camper. The vet called us at about 2:30 saying that Henry was ready to come home. We couldn't get over there until after work, so I guess they had another 2 1/2 hours to listen to him bark/ cry/ screech until we got there. He actually barked himself hoarse, poor little guy! Tomorrow we will pick him up as soon as he is ready to go, as I have the day off to go get him. For his sake, and the vets!

New Art!

2009-01-22T23:53:00.000-08:00

Here are my newest ACEO's, now available in my Etsy shop. I've been spending a little money at Etsy too... will post evidence later!

Gratuitous Cute Pic of Henry

2009-01-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

I can't think of anything to blog about so I'm just putting a cute pic of the boy up! I've been such a homebody lately! Reading and movies... that's my life! It's January I guess... it makes me want to hibernate!

Slumdog Millionaire - the best movie I've seen in a long time. It has everything you could possibly want in a movie. Loved it!
The Reader. Kate Winslet is absolutely amazing. She's going to give Meryl Streep a run for her money as one of the best actresses out there. There's nothing she can't do!
The Wrestler. I really didn't think I was going to like this one, but it was great! Mickey Rourke is the comeback kid, and I hope he gets an Oscar for his role as this sympathetic character.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Liked it, but didn't love it. I always like Cate Blanchet. She's up there with the other Kate for me, but it didn't grab me the way I thought it would. Totally watchable though, and Brad Pitt wasn't too shabby!

I still want to see Revolutionary Road, and saw a preview last night for He's Just Not That Into You... TOTALLY want to see that one for some mindless fun entertainment!

Wall-E

2009-01-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

I finally saw Wall-E yesterday. How can a computer generated robot make me cry? I had a very emotional reaction to this little guy. There's just something about a lonely robot who just wants to hold someone's hand that brings a tear to my eye! This is NOT a kids movie in my opinion. Yes, kids can watch it, but (depending on their age)the message would be lost on them, I'm afraid. My 4 year old nephew saw it and but found it a bit scary, but loved Wall-E himself. I hope this one cleans up at the Academy Awards. I think it deserves to be a contender in categories other than just animation. The environmental and political undertones give it a greater depth than most movies in this genre. Run, don't walk and rent WALL-E!

Bizarro

2009-01-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

I love Bizarro. He has the kookiest mind, and a mind bending cleverness about him. This cartoon is the way I imagine Henry to think...

Neverending Winter

2009-01-03T12:03:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, it is snowing again. It is the last of it though. The warm front is moving in and it's supposed to rain later in the day, and hard! These photos were taken on New Years Day, and it was a cold one! At least the sun was shining. Henry has been so housebound with the bad weather, he was just running in circles with excitement to be outside. Actually, make that 2 of us! I've been sick for over 2 weeks with 2 different colds, and going a little stir crazy. I'm feeling a *bit* better today, we're going to go outside now and soak up the last of the snowflakes before they're gone!

Jane Austen rocks and other chick flicks...

2008-12-29T00:29:00.000-08:00

I've been sick this Christmas, one bad cold to the next. It sucks, except for the fact that it allows me to watch all of the movies that W normally vetoes when we get DVD's together, not to mention all the movies that are on at this time of the year in general.
Here is just a sampling of what I've watched this past week...
-Pride & Prejudice (the new one w/ Keira Knightley) I've seen the A&E version too with Colin Firth. HELLO Mr. Darcy!
-Sense and Sensibility (seen and loved it before!)
-The Jane Austen Book Club (seeing a theme here?)
-Love Actually (I ACTUALLY watch this one every Christmas now!)
-P.S. (Not P.S. I Love You... this one has Laura Linney (love her!) and Topher Grace (love him!)
-The Devil Wears Prada. Didn't think I'd like this one as much as I did. Meryl Streep can do no wrong in my eyes.
-Mama Mia. See above. Pierce Brosnan can't sing and is adorable.
-The Sisterhood of the Travelling pants 2. I actually saw this on the plane coming home from Toronto. My Dad tried telling me which movie was being shown by telling me it was called THE PANTSUITS. Um, The pantsuits dad? Are you sure it's not The Travelling Pants? No, he was quite insistent that it was PANTSUIT. So now it will be forever known as "The Brotherhood of the Wandering Pantsuit."
-Thank you for not Smoking. Not a chick flick, but good nonetheless!
-The Hours. Ah, Meryl does it again.
- Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail. These were on TV and I got sucked in even though I've seen both before.
-Bridgit Jones Diary. Ditto to the above.
I'm sure there's more, but it's all a bit of a blur. For the record, I hate the term chick flick. I also hate the term Chick Lit. Why do we have to cutsie up everything that is women centric? We need a new term for it... Idea's?

The Paper Place Contest!

2008-12-24T00:13:00.000-08:00

So there is this great shop in Toronto that has the BEST selection of Japanese Chiyogami papers I've ever seen. They are having this contest where you can win a sample of every Chiyogami paper they have! Now, I've already spent a lot of money buying all the papers i like, but I'm sure there's a lot I haven't seen yet. I WANT TO WIN THIS CONTEST! By posting it on my blog I receive 5 entries, so wish me luck!
The shop is located at 887 Queen St. West. See my links for a link to their online store!

Anonymous Art Show

2008-12-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

W, I participated in the Anonymous Art Show at the North Vancouver Arts Council again this year and this is the piece I sold! It's such a neat concept... it's a fund raiser for art programs and the artist gets half the proceeds as well, so that's a big fifty bucks coming my way!

Baby it's cold outside!

2008-12-19T22:22:00.000-08:00

It is cold. Very cold. Well, very cold for Vancouver. It's supposed to be -19 tomorrow. That's MINUS NINETEEN CELSIUS! Hold crap that is frigid. That is why we live in Vancouver, because it's very rare for it to get that cold. We don't have proper clothes (or tires, snow plows or the constitution!) for this weather. It's very inconvenient. Having said all that, I do kind of like it just a little bit. It's so beautiful when it's coming down. Everything looks different, there's a certain quiet that you only get when it's snowing. It's like it muffles the everyday street noise or something. (It could also be that there is no street noise when it snows because Vancouverites can't drive in the snow, so we just stay home).
We are dog sitting my sister's dog Puck, who is the sweetest girl dog I know. She is such a cuddler! Henry likes to sidle up to you on the couch, whereas Puck likes to plop down right on top of you. She is half Cairn Terrier and half Cocker Spaniel, a strange mix that strangely works....
These are our holiday lights on the patio. That is my absolute favourite thing about Christmas is the lights. They fill me with a unequivocal joy!

The Sweet Hereafter

2008-12-16T23:57:00.000-08:00

I swear, this is becoming the year Andrea reads every book that's been made into a movie... I realized that a few weeks ago, and I think it's because of my book source (The Salvation Army thrift store). For the most part, the books I see in there are Oprah Book Club books, Maeve Binchy, Steven King, John Grisham etc. Popular authors and books that warrant being read only once then tossed. Obviously if a book has then become a film, it's going to become a more popular book, hence my reading only books that became films. Next maybe I'll tackle some lighter fare, say Danielle Steele? Hee hee!
So, The Sweet Hereafter. I saw the movie first a few years ago. As mentioned in my previous post, I LOVE Atom Egoyan, and really enjoyed the movie when I saw it a few years ago. As for the book, it was good, but didn't really grip me. I liked the format, as it told the story from 4 different points of view. The school bus driver, the lawyer, the girl in the wheelchair and the father of 2 of the children who were killed. The basic story is a school bus slides off the road on a snowy day and many of the small towns children are killed. The story really is how the town deals with the loss, and who is to blame.
In this case, I think I liked the movie better again... Atom Egoyan, that's two for two!

Felicia's Journey

2008-11-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book by William Trevor. I saw the film version by Atom Egoyan a few years ago, and had pretty well forgotten most of the story, except that cute little Bob Hoskins played an evil, evil man.
Almost 100% of the time I prefer the book to the movie, but in this case, the opposite is true. I'm a big fan of Atom Egoyan's work, his films are always unusual and dark. The book too, is dark, but I felt it moved at a pace that was a bit slow for my liking. I guess I also knew what was coming, so I was getting impatient for the inevitable ending. "The Collector" by John Fowles is one of my favourite books, and this book had a similar feel, but just didn't quite do it for me. If I was rating it, I'd give it 6.5 out of 10.

Henry's new fall jacket.

2008-11-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

Isn't it adorable? It just suits his colouring so perfectly! This was a lovely sunny day a couple of weeks ago at the dog park. The leaves are so incredibly vibrant this year. Breath taking colour! Oh, I love Autumn!

New Collage Stuff!

2008-11-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

These fridge magnets are my newest babies... I'm quite liking them, actually! I found some superly strong small magnets from another Etsy seller, and mount them on Lino samples... Shhh! Don't tell Home Depot!

TERRIERS!

2008-11-09T00:11:00.001-08:00

I love Kids in the Hall. They were one of the first cool Canadian things on TV, and believe me, in the 1980'2 and 90's, there wasn't much on the good old CBC (except maybe the Beachcombers - Ha ha!)
I also happen to love terriers, and always have, so this video was always one of my favourite bits.
Enjoy!

The Glass Castle

2008-11-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been consuming books like candy (and believe me, I eat a LOT of candy!)I buy almost all of my books at the local Salvation Army thrift store and most books are $1.00-2.00, cheap like borscht! I consider it my "buying library". I'm really bad at remembering to return library books, so I just return them to the Sally Ann when I'm done with them - No overdue fees!
This is one of the most engrossing books I've read in a while. I couldn't put it, was dreaming about it when I went to sleep!
It's a memoir by Jeannette Walls about her bizarre and dysfunctional family growing up. A lot of it is hard to believe, but I know people who have had similar upbringings, so I'm pretty sure it's not a Thousand Little Pieces all over again. She is proof that someone can make something of their life, no matter where they've come from. I highly recomend it!

Goodbye Nyac

2008-10-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Nyac one of the two famous otter-holding-hands YouTube stars and long-time resident of the Vancouver Aquarium died on September 23, 2008. She was one of the last surviving sea otters from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Nyac came to the Vancouver Aquarium in 1989 as one of the few young survivors of the oil spill. She not only survived the traumatic event, but she overcame incredible odds and became the only known survivor to have successfully had a pup. On November 9, 1993, Nyac gave birth to a healthy female pup, Kipnuk. This event was considered miraculous due to the internal damage she had sustained. During her 20 years of life, she won the hearts of members, visitors, volunteers and staff at the Vancouver Aquarium. She inspired many people as they learned about sea otters and the issues that face them in our waters today. She was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia a few days before her death. This cancer has not been previously reported in sea otters, but it is associated with contact with petroleum in other species. So even in death, Nyac will continue to provide vital information on the long-term effects of oil exposure.

Nyac one of the two famous otter-holding-hands YouTube stars and long-time resident of the Vancouver Aquarium died on September 23, 2008. She was one of the last surviving sea otters from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Nyac came to the Vancouver Aquarium in 1989 as one of the few young survivors of the oil spill. She not only survived the traumatic event, but she overcame incredible odds and became the only known survivor to have successfully had a pup. On November 9, 1993, Nyac gave birth to a healthy female pup, Kipnuk. This event was considered miraculous due to the internal damage she had sustained. During her 20 years of life, she won the hearts of members, visitors, volunteers and staff at the Vancouver Aquarium. She inspired many people as they learned about sea otters and the issues that face them in our waters today. She was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia a few days before her death. This cancer has not been previously reported in sea otters, but it is associated with contact with petroleum in other species. So even in death, Nyac will continue to provide vital information on the long-term effects of oil exposure.
We'll miss you little girl!

A walk in the park.

2008-10-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Lighthouse Park last weekend. It's a gorgeous waterfont park in the community I grew up in, West Vancouver. It's hard to believe the beauty sometimes, of this place I am lucky enough to live in.

Silky Specialty

2008-10-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

We went to the Silky Specialty dog show yesterday in Cloverdale. Henry's breeder's are pretty serious dog show people, and we like to go out and see Henry's sister and Grandpa who we knew would be there. It was a great time to see all of these funny little creatures together. It's amazing how different they all look! Well, Henry immediatley looks different because of his full tail and home made haircut, but if you ask me, he's still the cutest!

New Collage

2008-10-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of my newest pieces. You can find them in my Etsy shop, along with my cards and ACEO's. I'm looking forward to going to Toronto soon. My VERY favourite paper shop is there, The Paper Place. That's where I get my Japanese Chiyogami paper. They have an entire wall of it, there's probably 200 styles to choose from, AND you can get a 1/4, 1/2 or full sheet. It's heaven!

Black Sheep Yarns

2008-10-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

This is my most recent Etsy purchase from Black Sheep Yarns. Now, I've had some things come to me from Etsy sellers that is packaged beautifully, but this one topped them all! It felt like it was my birthday! And the papers were even better than I expected. Thank you Black Sheep, I'll definitely be buying from you again!
If YOU want to check out the shop, it's here...
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5033945

These beautiful old ledger pages are from 1897, and are just gorgeous! If you look at my collage below you'll see how I use them. The old yellowed book pages were just a bonus! Thanks, I LOVE them!

This collage doesn't use the actual ledger papers I bought, but a very similar one from France. I'll be putting Black Sheep's into the mix very soon!

Sage Island

2008-10-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

My friend Sam wrote a novel for her Masters program, and it was recently published by Brindle & Glass. I rushed out to Chapters to pick up my own copy and finally finished it this week. What a great read! I absolutely loved it, and am so proud to be friends with such an amazingly talented person!
Now, I'm not much of a writer myself. In fact, I kind of stink at it, but I do read. A lot. So I like to think I know good writing when I see it. Some of my favourite authors include Margaret Atwood, Timothy Findlay, Margaret Laurence and Ann-Marie MacDonald. I guess you could say I'm a little "Canadian author" obsessed.
Buy this book at Amazon.com or at your local book seller.
Sage Island by Samantha Warwick.

SAD

2008-09-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

I think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. Probably a mild case, but I've really noticed in the past few years that I have WAY more energy in the summer, and am generally a happier person... the ironic thing is, I LOVE Fall! I love the changing season, the leaves falling from the trees, sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire. That's why I think it might be the lessening of the daylight that's affecting me. I SHOULD be full of energy and life right now!
I've been kind of in the dumps this past 2 weeks. No reason, nothing is different. I'm just irritable, low energy and want to hermit. My mantra is "Shake it off!" I try to not let my feelings and negative energy simmer and dwell within me. It sometimes works, but if this is in fact a SAD problem, maybe it's not that simple!
If anyone has any experience with those light boxes and their affectiveness, let me know!
Thankfully it's sunny today, so I managed to get our into the sunshine for a little while this afternoon to soak it up!

Ode to my pup

2008-09-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

I love this goofy dog so much it hurts! Nuff said.

Henry's version of work.

2008-08-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

This is what my dog does all day when I bring him to work. Well, I should say when he's not scaring the pigeons off the windowsill . Or barking his head off at anyone who dares to knock at the door. Or if a dreaded fly should come in (then he's under the couch). At least he earns his keep with cuteness. He makes everyone at work so happy, and that's a very important job!

Henry's Nemesis - Part Deux

2008-08-16T00:27:00.001-07:00

This is one ballsy feline... The other night I took Henry out to do his business and I left the patio door open. When I returned I shut the door and saw that I had a voicemail so I sat down on the couch to listen to it. I heard a scuffling toenail noise over by the kitchen island and looked over and saw that Henry was chasing a fast moving ball of black fur. The funny thing was I was so startled by the cat that I started yelling into the phone, "I have to go, the cat's in the apartment!" forgetting that I was only listening to a message from my Mom, and not actually talking to her... Duh!

Yes, the cat took it's opportunity and made a move. What it was thinking, I do not know... Suffice it to say, she wasn't really scared of Henry, and Henry simply didn't know what to do with the cat. He was chasing it, but he didn't attack it... I picked her up, and she slumoed down on my lap immediately and started to purr. The most relaxed ball of jelly cat ever... no tension in it's body at all! Henry was NOT happy about that, and was pacing around the apartment growling and making a fuss.

I also now know with 100% certainty that I am very allergic to cats... snif... I've been pining for a cat again, but I had such a reaction to this cat! I got hives all over my chin, a red, runny eye and had to blow my nose 4 times in 5 minutes. Oh well, better to find out now than after I bring a new kitten home.

Some new art...

2008-08-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

Here are the new ACEO's I've been working on, They aren't in my Etsy shop yet, but will be soon!

Summer Lovin'

2008-08-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

My old friend Wendys cabin on Gambier Island. I spent a lot of my childhood summer's there!
Camp Fircom, also on Gambier. I went there with my Mom and sister's for a couple of summers. it seems to be deserted now, so we wandered around a bit. Brought back some memories!

Harbour seals having a rest in the sun. They didn't seem to mind us hanging around.

It was such a beautiful day, I think it was 38 degrees. Perfect day for a swim, right? Well, I jumped in, then jumped out so fast it would make your head spin. Glacial runoff in Howe Sound is C-O-L-D!!!!!!!

Mount Seymour

2008-08-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

We hiked Mount Seymour on holiday Monday, and it was a gloriously sunny day, as you can see! It was tough going for me that day... it's a pretty easy hike, but you immediately gain a lot of elevation, so I was huffing and puffing pretty good... I was surprised at how much snow is still at the top... it's the first weekend in August!

Lisa and Deb carefully picking their way down the mountain...

I'm the king of the world! Er, I mean Queen!

Pride Parade

2008-08-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

It was the Vancouver Pride Society 30 year anniversary this year, and I went to the parade for the very first time! Usually I'm camping or in New York this weekend, but this year it was neither of the above, so I went with my sister and my 2 little nephews. It was an awesome spectacle of colour and colourful characters! My 3 year old nephew just loved it because people kept giving him lollipops! He was very excited about all of the cars, trucks and balloons going by as well... my sister told him that at the parade we were going to, people waved rainbow flags instead of Canadian flags (he's only ever been to the Canada day parade!) Happy Pride to all!!!!!!!!!!!

Henry's nemesis

2008-07-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my poor dog. He really has a thing about black cats. He hates them. He goes crazy if we see one on the street. And guess who goes and moves in upstairs? Just look at it peeping into our apartment!
This cat apparently grew up with a dog, and isn't scared of them. It sits on the blacony above and STARES at us. It kind of freaks me out a little... I use to have a cat, so I was used to their strangeness, but now I'm used to the frank openess of a dog, so I'll have to get used to life with a cat again! I love cats, I'd love to get one, but Warren is allergic. (allegedly!)

My newest art...

2008-07-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

Here is some of the new stuff I've been working on. I'm doing some small collages for framing as well as the cards and ACEO's. Next up... pendants and fridge magnets...

Hike to St. Marks

2008-07-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

Went for a fabulous hike yesterday. The snow is finally melting from the top peaks, and we're able to get into the back country. We hiked into an area I hiked 5 years ago, and I actually meant to take a different route this time to Strachan Mountain, but somehow ended up at St. Marks viewpoint. I guess I'll have to try again in a couple of weeks for Strachan. Apparently that's where you get the great viws of the Lions (top left). It was a pretty good climb, my first good hike of the year! We went fully loaded with bear spray and an air horn... the air horn scared the crap out of me, so I think it would send Yogi running. I'm going to really try to get out a lot this summer. The weather was so crappy last year there wasn't a lot of point in hiking hours to see a socked in, overcast view. As you can see, the weather could not have been better!

Cooling off...

2008-07-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

Here's Henry on his first swim in the ocean of the year. I was being the nervous nelly though, as there's a pack of seals in the area, and they've been known to attack dogs from time to time, so we were keeping him pretty close to shore. He just loves swimming, nd he's good at it! We always joke that he looks like an X-Large rat that escaped from the freighter when he gets out of the water... well, an XL, XCute rat!

Fraser Valley Fishing Lodge

2008-07-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Had a fabulous weekend away at the Fraser Valley Fishing Lodge. We didn't actually partake in any fishing, just relaxing, but next time I might be inclined to learn a little fly fishing. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a great time

exploring the area. Harrison Hot Springs is just down the road, so we went and had a great lunch and strolled the lakefront artisan booths, as it was the Harrison Festival of the Arts that weekend. This is farm country, and there is produce, cheese makers, hazlenut farms and this area is known primarily for their corn... it is the best! Unfortunately we were just a little too early for the corn, but we get it fresh in the city as we're only 2 hours away. The lodge had bison roaming in the filed right across from our patio. They were quite friendly for bison, and there were eight 2 week old calves that 1 male spawned... I guess he knows what he's doing!
http://www.fraserriverlodge.com/english/

My birthday!!!!!!!!

2008-07-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

It was my birthday on the weekend, and I had a "37 going on 7" birthday party! I had hot dogs and cupcakes and loot bags! It was a great time and I'm still recovering! You may note that I'm wearing my angry cupcake pin... it felt appropriate considering all the cupcakes that were consumed that night!

The Prince (?) and the Pea!

2008-07-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

We came home the other day, and somehow our small dog managed to ( jump/ climb/ we're not really sure) up on this pile of cushions and blanket. It's pretty tall and unstable! He looked kind of busted when we walked in... who me? I'm not doing anything wrong! Don't mind the mess... the cleaning lady was off that day...

I love apples!

2008-07-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

I think I'm addicted to apples.... W and I have been on a healthy eating kick, and for some reason apples have become my staple food. Red, green, large, small... I don't care, I love them all! My favourite would have to be a variety called Pink Lady. they are so crisp and juicy, and are such a beautiful colour. These Granny Smith's just looked so incredible in the this bowl (another One of a Kind Show artisan) that I had to take a picture.