I have the coolest cousins

Last weekend I did a huge trip out to my cousin Matt's wedding.

It all started Tues after work, quick drive up to Revelstoke where Mitt's happened to have come down with her dog Duke which was great! We took in the Banff Mountain film fest with her Dad, and decided the next morning that we might as well drive back to Calgary together - as that's where I was catching the same flight my Dad was on back to London Ontario and the only reason I was bringing my car was to get *to* Calgary.

So we had a great drive, visited, stopped in Rogers Pass at the Parks compound and then proceeded to hike the Hermit. Her Dad's description was pretty much bang on... lots of root and then it's so steep you'd fall out of your flip flops. Duke was hilarious he just didn't know what to do with himself there were so many new smells.

We made it up to the sub-alpine, took some pictures which I'll have to heckle her for and then decided to turn around... Duke was all "what are you doing? the trail goes THIS way" but we finally got him turned around and I was very impressed with his trail manners on the way down. He didn't try to run either of us over or off the trail to get in front, and she made him walk behind her the whole way. He was very good about waiting at switchbacks too rather than cut to the inside and trip you up in the process. All in all *two thumbs up*.

The next day we did an 8 - 9 km "walk" and near the end Duke decided he was done. Now most dogs will slow down, or stop... but not Duke, no he just lay down *ffwump* with his head between his front legs and looked up at you all pathetic like. If he could talk I'm sure he'd be saying "Do we have to walk any further?... I'm tired... will you carry me?... please?!?!"

Made it on the plane, got out to London, and being in the "navigator's seat" (which is how Dad refers to anyone in the passenger seat) I got to play with the new GPS. It was very cool. Not so cool was that Dad had set the waypoint 'roughly where he thought it was', and I had a rough auto cad paper map with directions from my Uncle's house. Needless to say being the navigator I was tasked with figuring out where the paper map matched up with the map on the GPS software. Fine.

Basically the highways all have numbers, but they've been moved so many times that the numbers 'appear' to the out-of-towner (me) to be all over the friggen place. So while I did manage to find the town of Thedford on both maps, highway #79 was in such a state that you could turn the paper map upside down and IT STILL LOOKED LIKE THE GPS MAP. Allah damnit! Eventually I figured it, luckily just in time as it turned out as I got the dreaded "Critical battery level" *shit shit shit*... quickly did the "okay we need to turn left onto highway #21 and left onto highway #79 and then we *should* be on the paper map" *fingers crossed*

We made it, everyone thought we were crazy... but in my defence my Uncle's map did not have a legend on it, but if it did North would have been pointing DOWN.

The next morning at an ungodly hour (my time) Dad woke me up to see if I would go running with my look-alike cousin. We decided that we don't actually look alike, we just have very similar mannerisms... it's amazing the things that are genetic ;o) So did a quick out of bed, out for a 20min jog and shook out the stiffness from the previous two days burst in activity. The cutest was my little cousin "Momma can we stop for Spiderman Ice cream please?". "No hunny it's first thing in the morning, maybe after your nap ".

The rest of the day was spent hanging with my cousins, meeting some long lost cousins from Windsor *lol*, and attending the rehersal dinner etc. and I had a blast, everyone was so cute and so much fun and it was just super wicked! One of my favourite quotes from that evening was "MOM! Why didn't you TELL me that Sam and I would get along so well!" To which her mom turned to me and said "Hey Sam, I think you'll get along *really* well with my daughter!" *smiles*.

We finished off the evening down the beach with a bonfire and a guitar and singing. My best description of my family is that 'what we lack in skill we make up for in volume'. At one point I commented on not being able to sing very well, and my cousin turned to me and said "Oh I wouldn't worry, I think it's genetic". Yes. Yes I think you must be right.

The day of the wedding started off with a HUGE walk down the beach. Knowing now what I do we could have skipped that walk. My one cousin and I ended up relocating cars to another parking area and walking back... including the car that had some of the boys' tuxes in them *oops*.

The ceremony was beautiful, the flower girl stole the show and the rain held off... and the wind was strangely absent. Now when I say the rain held off, I'd like to clarify that there was a light mist throughout that gave the day an ethereal kind of feel. The hushed atmosphere was punctuated occasionally by my littlest cousin cooing to himself followed by baby giggles, he was having a great time!

I think that the cutest though was little Em, throwing flowers at the start of the 'carpet' and then being done for the time being... then after the couple was pronounced husband and wife and just before they were about to walk out as newly weds... Em decided it was time to do her thing, and preceded them down the isle throwing petals and just looking like the cutest little angel.

We proceeded to dance the evening away, interrupted only by tables getting up to sing a song containing the word 'love' in it to prompt the newly weds to kiss. I think their plan to not have to kiss much backfired, as they didn't take into account that our side of the family, and obviously the other side had no problem getting up and making fools of ourselves... especially when if your song sucked you had to do tequila shots. We were all shocked though when they thought our song was really good? Lay all your love on me ~ ABBA from the recently released Mamma Mia

My mid evening funny was when my Aunt, the mother of the groom says to me "You look really ready to party!" and I replied "I am really ready to party", glanced at my watch... double checked it as my time and went "Of course I'm ready to party, it's only 7:00 my time!"

So my Dad who isn't usually much of a dancer, he's usually the guy who sits and watches amused by the rest of us making fools of ourselves got dragged onto the dance floor by one of the new relatives... Apparently her boyfriend thought Dad was trying to cut in, so Dad looked him in the eye and offered to "Deck him"... whoooo boy I almost died I was laughing so hard, poor kid Dad isn't very tall but as he said "he's solid and I don't imagine he expected an old fart like myself go on the offensive". The best part though, was Dad more or less didn't get off the dance floor after that, we danced solidly until 3am when the last bus left and the DJ shut down!

I was impressed with a self admittedly small town girl who copped a squat in the bush on the side of the driveway in her dress and pretty shoes. I mean if I were a guy that would be hot! No having to worry about taking this girl anywhere, she's versatile and adaptable to any situation.

After wishing everyone well we returned to the cottages (because they don't have cabins in London, they are cottages) there were a couple of us die-hards, who grabbed a couple beverages and sat around the campfire until the wee hours. Steph, Chris, my Dad and myself regaled each other with stories from other fun times. There really is nothing quite as magical as sitting around a campfire, there's just something special about it and the time that is shared with those around it.

The next morning sucked but we survived, it wasn't nearly as bad as it should have been, my biggest complaint being that my feet were a little tender. I think between my bare feet and the sand on the dance floor == sandpaper, I literally danced part of my footprints off!

I returned to Calgary tired, rejuvenated and partied out for the time being... hit up a local coffee shop with Mitts and then caught the Greyhound arriving at 11:40pm in 'Stoke. I slept the entire way, waking up briefly at each stop only long enough to check and make sure it wasn't my stop. The trip is so much faster when you do it that way! I was lucky to end up with an empty seat for the first few stops, only sharing with a seemingly nice girl later on... I really hope I didn't snore or drool on her, and that I didn't totally scare the crap out of her when I twitched involuntarily while falling asleep.

The next morning was an early one, and I was pleasantly surprised that being at work on Monday didn't totally kick my butt at 3 in the afternoon. Apparently sleeping does help with that ;o)

When people just click...

You know those people you've just met, or don't hang out with very often... but you find yourselves doing the same thing at the same time? usually followed by giggles... That's got to be one of the coolest things ever!

My Dad refers to people like this as "kindred spirits", and I think that's the perfect term for them. It is as if you grew up together even though you just met, like they're another part of you that got lost somehow and you only just found them.

With all the ball-shit that went on this weekend, the two new best friends that I met showed once again, it's more important who you're with than where you are... It's the people that make things worthwhile not the location contrary to Achmed's "location location location".

Thank goodness for text messaging ;o)

Listening to...

Rain on the roof... and relaxing more than any 'sound of the seashore' cd will ever make me relax.

w00t

This is a post from my gmail account... sweet!

Dirty girl

I'm sore, and stiff all over... it's a good sore though, that one that reminds you that you did something and that yes you are still alive, and no you didn't accidentally slip into a coma during that last office meeting.

My entire set of core muscles are sore no doubt in my mind caused by my bat swing. It even hurts to sneeze. But after a couple big hits this weekend and full-on head-first dive into third base, making me quite literally "the dirtiest girl on or off the field".



I found that point where I remember why I love playing ball... and I'm not sure how I ever forgot it, or let it get lost in the drama.

Ball is all about winning and losing as a team. It's about trying your best but knowing that someone is also there to back you up, or pick you up and finish what you didn't. In return you do the same thing, that's just how it works. Its also about sharing the awesomeness of a good play even when you didn't touch the ball. Its about sticking together for a little bit afterwards to celebrate your successes, highlights and TSN turning points or uuber analyze things so you can do it better next time. Its about working together to do something you can't do alone.

We are the Champions!

This last weekend we competed for the second time in the Paddle Against Cancer, which is put on by the local JC chapter (Junior Chamber International). Last year we competed for the first time with a team composed of people from work. During the practise we were told that we might win a race or two but not to get our hopes up too high because it's hard work racing...

Needless to say we blew everyone out of the water (almost literally), including a major upset of unseating a team that had held the cup for the last 8 years standing! So of course this year we had to put in a team to defend our title. The theme for the weekend was "Las Vegas" so we entered out team "Double or Nothing".

The races this year were awesome, the first team we raced was the team we had dethroned the year before and they were out for revenge, it was a close race and definitely got the adrenalin pumping but we managed to beat them again. *phew*

I'm sad that this is the last year that the JC's will be hosting this event, I really hope that another group is able to pick it up and continue the fun times and support for cancer research.

Battle of Epic Proportions

Must. Have. More. Coffee... Mmmmmmm coffeeeeeeee *blink* *blink* Sorry my coffee hasn't kicked in yet, this is my first legible sentence. Give it a few minutes...

OK here we go now...

Had a quick hotdog-dinner-of-champions followed by wicked-awesome inner tube fights! Its a lot harder than it looks! Especially when one of the scurvy bilge rats blind sides you Nyaaarrrr!

Headed out to Crystal Bay where my cousin is vacationing with her boyfriend's family and we caught up a bit, reminisced about funny family stories (I must remember to apologize to her boyfriend), and joked about crazy profs and midterms and all the horrible things that mark the day to day experiences of University. I miss it, without all the stress, and midterms, and papers, assignments and final exams and stuff.

As we were visiting, we saw a few flashes they started out similar to that of the flash on a camera... shortly however the hills were perfectly silhouetted from behind as if there were multiple explosions lighting up the sky.

We watched in awe as a huge battle raged silently across the night sky, seemingly between a legion of stars and the temperamental lightning. It was the most incredible storm I have seen in a long time. The amount of raw energy was phenomenal.

There were all different types of lightning, incredibly solid forks, to one that came half way down to earth and then changed its' mind and forked back up to another cloud, burning a U shaped bolt into my temporary memory.

There was sheet lightning and then there were sporadic bursts of sheet lightning as if each cloud was in charge of its own sheet. They would each light up in a quick succession of bursts that weren't quite synchronized giving the illusion of synapses firing in a giant over-sized brain. The huge temperature and humidity changes that accompanied the storm as it passed by were crazy!

The strangest thing of all though, was that we could see stars throughout the entire performance. It was beautiful sitting there, eating popcorn and enjoying the free show. I believe in quality time and quantity time... you don't have to be talking to visit, but all in all last night was pretty cool.

Under a blanket of stars

Last night I called my parents on my way home from paddle practise, we're gearing up for the paddle against cancer this weekend... and since I don't always have the best cell reception up at the trailer I pulled over on a nice mowed shoulder.

As I was sitting there, I looked up and Wow! "It was a beautiful night" doesn't quite capture the awe I felt sitting there looking up. It was as if all the stars had arrived for a grand ball. Rather than feeling incredibly small and insignificant, I felt like I was an honoured guest observing the proceedings from an intergalactic balcony.

I started out leaning against the hood which on "the Fit" is rather short, so you're kind of up against the wipers which just sucks... so I climbed up on the roof. Yes Dad I know I'm not supposed to sit on the roof or the hood, so I lay down and tried to spread my weight around and not dint things in with that "kachunk" popping noise.

While I was lying there, three different people stopped and made sure I was okay. I had no idea there was that much traffic on this road! From their perspective I'm sure it looked more than a little weird. I'm almost longer than the roof on my car, and lying there talking on my cell phone... well who does that, I mean really?!? ;o)

Biking with Bears?

I convinced myself to go for an hour and half long mountain bike ride last night. It was tough, there was a little sweat, a little cursing and a little hard work. But as I stopped and ate half a Mars bar... which as I write this I realize is probably melting in the back seat right now *ass*... in any case though as I sat and let the gentle breeze drift through my sweat matted hair, I took a moment to look at the beautiful view.

And just stopped for a moment. For that moment everything was peaceful, I could hear the low hum of bees, mosquitoes and flys but for the moment none of them were trying to eat me.

Slowly I caught my breath, and sucked back some water as my heart rate returned to that of a normal human being. That is as opposed to the overweight cardiac waiting to happen that some people achieve merely by walking up stairs.

I hopped back on my bike and made it oooh maybe 10' (and that's probably an exaggeration) before stopping dead just shy of a large green bear poop covered in flies. Now the thing is, it had just rained that night making the trail nice and cohesive... this poop had not been rained on. In fact I took off my bike glove, and held my naked hand just above it half expecting it to still be giving off heat. I mean it was practically STEAMING! Ok not quite but if this was a fish story it would TOTALLY be steaming!

In any case despite the huge hill I'd just pushed my bike up (yes I know you're supposed to ride your bike, but I'm a bit of a pansy when it comes to steep hills) I turned around and rode back down. The ride down was alright, a lot steeper on the other section of trail... and then of course I came across a dry patch of trail that had recently been rooted through *great* another bear sign.

I more or less crossed my fingers, double checked the case holding my bear spray, let out a few more *woooops* than usual and left my bear bell to warn the bear either of my location so he could avoid me or my location for dinner. Completely up to his discretion of course.

All in all the ride was good, didn't see any bear but there was definitely recent activity in the area. I would like to think that he knew I was there and decided to share rather than eat me. I know I wouldn't make a particularly good meal for him anyways... all chewy and stringy, I mean really ;o)

If laughter had a colour...

Laughter is a beautiful sound, if it had a colour it would glow like golden sunlight that lights up the whole room, even the corners it doesn't touch directly. Every heart that laughter touches it seems, lights up with the beauty from within, and every face is more beautiful when wearing a smile.

Listening to kids giggling so hard and so deep, that it sounds like it must be coming from their soul. There is something about that giggle... that deep belly laugh that makes it impossible not to crack a smile. Most of the time though I end up giggling with them even if I don't know what they are laughing about.

The thing with shared laughter though, well it really doesn't matter what you are laughing about... what matters is that you are laughing together.

Perfect mornings

Waking up to rain on the roof of the trailier, cool air on your face, a perfectly you-shaped warm spot in your bed, the weight of the covers and the knowledge that you still have 20min to lie there and listen...

Until you *really* have to get up and face the chill of the morning.

Impressions

It's interesting, that having a conversation would shed such light on a topic.

Although it would seem that is the only thing that ever does. We were talking about playing ball on multiple teams and how you start to recognize players, but don't necessarily know them, but that they start to know your name and who you are.

And it was pointed out that "Really though, you must have done something that made a big impression to stand out in their mind"... even though they do not stand out in yours.

From the bench

After I juggled a fly ball in outfield and then did a football catch pulling it into my body with both hands, then rolling over backwards and standing up with it...

"Way to make a routine catch look spectacular!"

It's not as bad as I thought...

This past weekend, was one of those slopitch weekends. Nothing too exciting other than getting stung in the ear by a wasp. Someone... and I'm naming any Steven's... swatted a wasp away from themselves. Right. into. my. ear.

Yeah that's right. I got stung in the ear. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, I mean I always remember it as being much worse. But it definitely smarted.

Granted the wasps have been on Defcon 2: "Further Increase in force readiness, but less than maximum readiness", most likely due to the smoke everywhere but this weekend they were incessant. Even when you didn't have any food.

I mean at one point I ran away and ate my subway in the car because there were two wasps that were on me like bull dogs on a roast beast. And get this, I got in the car, started to unwrap my sub and one of the little fuckers had crawled in between the wrapping! He wasn't quite into my sub yet so I slowly got out of the car.... and squished him, then pulled my sub out and ate it. So there.

Basically though, I've got a few minor scrapes and bruises and one giant red ear to show for the weekend.

Expand you horizons

Last night I 'learned' three guitar chords.

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

I'm not sure which song it was by Theory of a Deadman, but it was super cool *smiles*, the guy who was teaching me said that I play very cleanly which was kinda cool.

So adding to the list of things to buy... A 6 string guitar, preferably a cheap one that doesn't sound like crap.

PS the tip of my pointer finger is still numb.

The Wiki Obsession

For about the last year everyone and I mean EVERYONE at work has been obsessed with Wikis. Especially those who have no idea what a Wiki even is. Needless to say this has been a little frustrating... as every time we identify a problem, or something that could maybe be done in a better way someone says "Well what about a Wiki?"

All I want to respond to that is "Well? What about a Wiki?" It's like your car brakes aren't working properly and instead of just fixing the brakes you say "Well what about a spaceship?" Hmmmm. Yes, you could use a spaceship... OR you could just fix the damn brakes.

On the car note I got a new windshield the other day. Which is very exciting in my little world because two months after I got my new car, which is just over a year old... I got a ding in my windshield. That ding turned into an organically growing crack over the winter. Recently though it started to crack in the upward direction riiight in front of the driver. Awesome. Not. But the new windshield is much better, and I swear I will jump out and beat to death anyone who cuts me off and dings my windsheild. Especially if it's only a couple months old.

Come to think of it though, maybe I should have gotten a space ship.

Griffin Lake

Chucked Muddle One in on the side of the highway at Griffin lake this last weekend. I was surprised to find three blue herons amidst all the noise of people scurrying around on the long weekend. Snuck up on this guy and two of his buddies fishin' on the side of the highway. It still amazes me how close you can get in a canoe before they decide that you're almost close enough to eat them. I would like to get a better camera, so that you can see the water drops on them ;o)

Minding my own business...

Yesterday I got a phone call at lunch "Your rear drivers tire is flat" ... Crap. Can I come for lunch with you guys?

Well after work I totally forgot, drove down the hill, made it to the gas station and remembered... changed my mostly flat tire, got all hot, schweaty, and gross and got it up to the tire place to patch it. After hanging out with the nice neighbourly employees (they really were quite nice) I decided that I needed to go for a swim, despite the thunder and lightning warnings.

Fear not, this tale does not end with lightning, nor is there even any in it. Other than the previous warning about it ;o)

I do a lap through the mounting waves from the storm blowing up the valley around the swim area, and decide that I shouldn't dawdle as my core body temperature has been lowered to an acceptable level.

So there I am in my car sitting at a yield in a goofy triangular shaped intersection minding my own business when a large black blob seeming lands on my windshield... I passed it off as a chunk of ash from the Terrace Mountain fire... until it flew IN MY WINDOW!!! It was a medium size, mostly black, BUMBLEBEE!!! that if he were walking instead of flying would be waddling. He couldn't quite hover in one place and kept flying towards me!

So there I am, in a bikini top, with my right foot jammed on the brake, blowing at a bumblebee. Phhooooshh, phhhoooosshh, PPHHHHOOOOOSSHHHH!!! Now despite my efforts at not panicking and not blowing him into myself... HE LANDED ON MY BOOB!!! Now did I mention that all I am currently wearing is a BIKINI TOP!!!

(The extensive use of exclamation marks and caps is just how much the situation was stressing me out)

So there I am with a BEE ON MY BOOB, wearing nothing but a bikini top. And all I can think to whisper is "doooodde not my booooob" and to my horror I watched as he climbed down under my boob where I COULDN'T SEE HIM ANYMORE!!! The suspense is killing me, and I pray that nobody is behind me waiting for me to use the intersection because I *know* that if I get stung in the boob, I'm immediately going to stall my car, jump out and run around in circles like a dog chasing it's tail screaming like a little girl... and then I'm going to stop and swear like a trucker with tourettes.

Yes I am that person your mother warned you about. No you shouldn't take me home to meet your parents.

Without further ado however, as I'm fervently looking for any sign of "The Bee" I notice that he has somehow made it over to my seat back behind me! I lean forward as far as I can without having my boobs blow my horn... and he casually flies out the window as though his flower inspection is over and he found nothing of note in my little sparkly blue Honda.

~insert minor amounts of hyperventilation here~

Calmly I decrease the amount of pressure I'm using on the brake, double check that the car is in gear, check my rear view mirrors, and ease out into the intersection and back to driving home. Although my adrenalin is still high enough that I could outrun a Kenyan, I concentrate on slowing my breathing back to a normal rate, and not driving like I'm on speed. Because I'm sure if I got pulled over my pupils would be so dilated that the cop wouldn't believe that I wasn't on anything.

This episode of my life brought to you courtesy of the letter "Bee" and the word "Boob".

Save the whales?

It was an offhanded comment that was hilarious at the time...

"Do you think that there are dumb whales like there are dumb people? You know like all the other whales say 'Hey you're too close to the rocks' and the dumb whale's like 'Noooo I'm not look at me, oooh I'm swimming close to the rocks, ooohhh nooo...' and then 'Uhh guys?... Guys!? I'm stuck!!! HELP!' And all the other whales are like you dumbass we told you so!"

But then I was thinking about it, if there really are dumb whales like there are dumb people... we've mucked up more than just our gene pool. I mean how many whales have we 'saved'? I'm not talking about what Green Peace does vs the whale hunters... but really?!? Maybe we keep saving the dumb beached whale gene...

Dear God I need to be institutionalized

I ran out of pages of Lolcats... at 512!!!!

We're way past interventions and 12 step recovery books, might as well go straight to the pretty white jackets and all the nice men in white coats *giggle giggle* I'll even have my OWN ROOM!

Oooh look at the pretty padded wallpaper! *smiles*

*blink*

...

*blink*

Ok, I'm back.