Taken at lunch on Philosopher's Walk, University of Toronto

My nemesis

I keep hearing the sound of raccoons fighting (or perhaps, sending mating calls?) from behind the house as I type. It scares the hell out of me, especially since I like to go out on the deck/balcony, and now, I just can't relax. ARGH.

So much to celebrate...

We went to Sadie's for a late lunch/brunch today with J's sis. Sadie's is this cozy little eco-friendly greasy spoon that has amazing huevos rancheros (vegan available) and a wall display of Pez dispensers. J had made a delicious vegan chocolate cake last night in preparation for today's surprise celebration for his sister's recent acceptance into a PhD program in Nursing. [She is one of those wonderful sorts - kind, intelligent, active, fun - a true beauty (both inside and out)]. It was great to be able to share in this amazing accomplishment and wish her all the best.

Another recent celebration we just had was the extended birthday celebration of our little person who just turned 8. My parents and sister flew in from Winnipeg to join in the fun and J's parents drove in from Kingston, as well, to join in the occasion. Coincidentally, some relatives were also in town from California (for a wedding) and were able to join us for one of the dinners. It was nice to see the families mingling and even more special to see how happy the little person was. I think the highlight was the "friend" birthday party which was held at the neighbourhood scrapbook shop. The little people had a blast making scrapbooks with hidden pockets and personalizing their treasures with paper punch-outs, stickers and all sorts of papers and ribbons. On a scale of one to ten, "little person" rated the weekend a 9 because it was "an almost perfect birthday but everyone had to go home at the end of it".

Coincidentally, J's sister in Indonesia (yet another one of those wonderful/beautiful sorts - must run in the family!) has the same birthday as the little person so she was in our thoughts throughout the weekend. J and his sister compiled a beautiful little birthday message for her of people saying, "Happy Birthday, L". It was really lovely. I hope you enjoyed the little vignette of wishes and your day, L. Happy Birthday to you!

Other things to celebrate... how about sitting back and realizing that for the first time in your life, you're in a good place with a special someone you want to grow old with and a wonderful little person who never ceases to teach you about yourself and the virtues of patience (and parenting). Despite those days when all you want to do is retreat under the covers &/or when everything seems to annoy you (much like me this morning!), I remind myself that there is still so much to celebrate and be grateful for - my little family, love, my parents, J's family, siblings, old friends, my health, my family's health, handwritten letters, beautiful paper, special teachers, books by Julia Cameron, a good laugh, a good cry, yardsales with vintage papers and cardmaking books, rain, fresh flowers, art, a good meal, a long nap, sour candies, Ryan Gosling with facial hair, photographs, my senses, and nonsenses.

This picture was taken just before the little person went to bed. I promised her that we could light sparklers and wave them around in the night. I've decided that I'd like to have these on hand as much as I can. You just never know when you want to break them out and celebrate...

I'm still alive...

The meeting with the artist was amazing. Update to follow. In the meantime, here are some pics that make me smile...

Chance meetings

Ah, the glory of the internet... Lastnight, during my "trolling" on the 'net, I came across the email address of a woman who was selling handmade papers. Intrigued, I quickly fired off a message but anticipated the worst, as it had been a few days since she had posted the selling of her wares. To my suprise, she had several of her handmade goodies left over BUT that isn't even the good part... It turns out that she is retiring from the cardmaking business (which she'd been a part of for 10 years!) to focus on graphic design and illustrating. Oh yes (and here's the fantastic part!), she just so happens to be getting rid of a lot of her supplies!

Long story short, I gave her my work phone number and she called me, asking if "Ima" was there which was funny and cute (it's part of one of my email aliases). We had a nice chat and she filled me in on why she was selling her papers and supplies, and what she was actively pursuing now. She was thrilled that someone was interested in taking over the goodies (at a cost, no less) but thrilled, all the same (even more so, I suppose!). We made plans for me to visit her home studio after work where I can look at her precious supplies and workspace!

It's quite exciting... What was even more exciting was the fact that I realized she is quite an accomplished artist (judging by her blog). She makes beautiful watercolor paintings. I felt inspired and giddy at the thought of meeting a real live artist.

My only regret is that I left my camera at home today. (Boo) I guess, it might have seemed strange for me to ask if I could take pictures since we've never met.

I'll let y'all know how the meeting goes. And for those of you who might be having similar reactions as some of my fellow co-workers had when I told them, I left her address and phone number with my partner.

[If you don't hear from me again, please send out the troops. I only hope that you don't discover my body covered with papercuts] ;)

One person's trash, is another person's treasure...

I was late for work by 10 minutes this morning, but it was 10 minutes well spent, I assure you.

There is a crazy phenomena out here in Toronto that I absolutely love - at any given time, on any given street - there are treasures to be found for FREE! Unlike Winnipeg (where I moved from and where people will try to squeeze a dime from you, however they can!), people will place well-loved items at the end of their driveway or in front of their homes, begging to be taken away. It's fantastic! AND... might I add, these items are often one-of-a-kind treasures. Often times, they are barely used items or items that have been taken such immaculate care of. So far, we've come away with the following:

- two bedside tables (one, a retro-sixties style dark wood stand with black metal base; the other, a traditional-style, cherry wood two drawer stand with gold accents from the Bombay Company)
- a small vintage sewing cabinet with two drawers (the little one uses this for various craft supplies)
- a vintage five-drawer dresser with brand new pewter, whimsical handles
- an unfinished wooden, craft table with a shelf underneath
- an oversized reproduction of a Toronto Art Exhibition poster done by a fabulous artist
- our first couch (a tanned, plush little number)
- a white bookcase (which happens to fit perfectly behind our bathroom door and now houses towels and miscellaneous supplies)

[...not to mention the many, many items ranging from vintage music papers to a robin-egg blue little shelf of boxes to books and good ole records!]

And today - a beautiful white desk with large round handles!

For those that have not been initiated to such a phenomena or those who hate the idea of using items that belonged to people they don't know, it's something that a recovering germaphobe, such as myself, has grown to love! My partner, who is the complete opposite of a packrat and who likes to refer to the phenomena as "free poison", has gotten into it, as well (somewhat). And, of course, the little person loves it just as much as I do! We will often troll Kensington Market in search of vintage stores or seek junk shops and antique fairs in Kingston, so you can just imagine what a delight this phenomena is for her! At the same time, it also gives me the opportunity to show our little person the value of well-loved goods and that shiny, brand-new items are not necessarily, the most valuable. Above all, it is time well-spent - turning a simple walk into a sudden scavenger hunt as we search for treasures and later, recall the silly stories that often accompany each item...

"Remember the time we wheeled the dresser three blocks?" or "...that time we teetered the couch on the wagon down the street?". One of my favorite memories was the time we were given a tour by one of the guys moving out of this huge house. He took us through the entire place, showing us what was up for grabs and then, telling us a bit about each person that was moving out. It sounds strange and perhaps, even unsafe, but think of it as sharing (yes, with strangers, no less but still sharing). And, of course, the key is safety but this particular situation was quite unique... Normally, the items will sit by themselves, free agents, if you will.

Next time you have an item that you no longer need, why not place it at the end of your drive? Think of all the pleasure someone could derive from this very simple act of kindness.

Heal Thy Self...

I began my Counselling Level I Certificate last month and have been thoroughly enjoying it. Our facilitator is amazing - both in presentation and as a professional - and has me engaged during each of our classes. Besides lecturing, he uses practical exercises where we can apply the philosophies and strategies we've learned, on one another, along with video clips from both movies and actual counselling sessions. He is a MASTER at using questions effectively - in a way that is both constructive and gentle to the individual seeking support. He places a great deal of emphasis on language and the powerful effects it has on outcome, as well as how it shapes the way he carries out his own practice. As well, he tends to focus on bringing out the positives during counselling, not in a way that minimizes or invalidates a person's problem or "issue" but rather, offers the individual guidance and recognition of their own strengths and tools, resulting in a more meaningful experience, perhaps, with more succesful results.

It's been a real eye-opener and he's provided me with much food-for-thought with regards to every day life situations. Because I am not currently practising in the field of Counselling, I relate what I've learned in parenting and relationship situations. While it may seem simplistic or obvious to use positive language and be a good listener, the ideas and philosophies are much deeper than that. One of my favorite strategies is scaling where you ask an individual to rate how they're feeling with regards to what they see is an issue or problem from say, 1-10 (with 10 being great and 1 being horrible). Instead of focusing on the deficit, you would ask how the individual managed to stay at that level instead of falling below it and how they might be able to get to a higher level (say, even just .5 up the scale). You might ask them what is the highest they've been on the scale and how that day looked and ask them what they might do different to get back to that level. This is only one of the many examples that he used but I felt it was something practical that I might be able to use with my own child and one that I hadn't employed in the past.

[He also suggested using (smiley) faces with children, as an alternative. You might use a range from sad to happy faces or even include an angry face, if appropriate.]

Another wonderful strategy is to externalize what the person considers their issue or problem is. By referring to the problem as "the problem", it seems to take a life of its own - one that is outside of the individual. He showed us a session with a child and her two parents where the family managed to externalize their issue and gave it features, almost as if to humanize it. The child was then able to see it as something of an entity beyond her and not just a problem within her, as did her parents. In one portion of the session, he asked the child if she visualized the problem and asked her to draw a picture of how it looked to her. It was quite fascinating and again, a method I could see myself using in my own parenting.

I haven't even mentioned what the participants in the class have to offer! Many of the individuals are seasoned counsellors already in the field with a wealth of experience that they've been kind enough to share with the rest of the class. The communities they serve range from those with eating disorders to men whose lives are entrenched in the justice system, petty theives to mothers experiencing domestic violence, and walk-ins who believe they need help.

Of course, there is so much more to what I've already learned that I'm not giving any attention to AND... this is really only the tip of the iceberg (ugh - cliches!). I can't wait to learn more... and in doing so, I hope to become a better parent and partner, and consequently, better to myself.

Montreal

I can't believe its taken me so long to finally post about my little jaunt to Montreal. I flew out for the day on Saturday, April 14th and had a lovely time strolling around Old Montreal taking pictures and shopping on St. Catherine's Street.

Almost immediately after getting off the shuttle bus into Old Montreal, I stumbled upon a huge sale featuring Quebec designers. It wasn't open until 10 am so I continued on the cobblestone streets, taking in the beautiful architecture and feeling as though I were in a little corner of Europe. The buildings were stunning and overrun with tiny boutiques and art galleries. After spending some time at the designer sale (I left with only a small yellow purse), I found myself at a creperie across the street from a funky little art gallery. The gallery featured work by contemporary artists including Gary Taxali, Pete Fowler and Gary Baseman.

I eventually made my way to St. Catherine's Street which is a really fun street lined with trendy shops and restaurants and great for people watching. I think my favorite "character" from this trip was the little man in a cowboy hat dancing on a pedestal while another man dressed up in a Spiderman costume and a sailor hat cranked some tunes. And my least favorite... the man that was urinating (full frontal, no less) in-between two parked cars. 'Nuff said.

I discovered Simon's, a fantastic retail store with great style, where I managed to pick up a few notable goodies (think: purse, spring jacket and top). I also visited Archambault, which is a bookstore similar to Chapter's or Indigo except everything is labelled in French.

While it was a nice way to spend the day, I think it would have been even nicer had I been with my little family or a group of my galpals. At the creperie, I noticed a table full of friends - laughing and chattering away - and it made me realize how much I missed having my galpals here in the city.

All in all, it was a wonderful little excursion and "Artist Date" (as suggested in the Artist's Way by Julia Cameron). However, I was more than happy to get home to my little family and share my day with them.

Dear Grandma...

It seems like ages since I last wrote... So much has happened since the last entry. The most significant event has been the death of my Grandmother who passed away on April 26th at the age of 85. While she had been struggling with Ovarian Cancer, it was pneumonia that eventually took her life.

The three of us went back to Winnipeg on Saturday to spend time with our family, friends and relatives and celebrate her life. On Sunday, a viewing was held from 6pm - midnight at the funeral home. In the chapel of the funeral home, family and friends paid their last respects to my grandmother. She lay in her open casket so peacefully, as if in an extended slumber. My Grandma had many friends, as evidenced by the number of people in attendance. The evening brought many visitors who expressed their sympathy and participated in various prayers and hymns. As per our culture, the food was endless and much of our celebration was fueled by lumpia (vegetarian rolls), shanghai egg rolls, pancit (noodle dish with shrimp and vegetables), various traditional dishes and desserts, and many different beverages.

The evening was bittersweet - sad, due to the occasion yet happy because of the celebration and the comfort our family/relatives found in each other. We shared many stories with one another , mostly, those that kept us in stitches. In many ways, it felt like we were kids again... Laughing uncontrollably with one another, all squeezed together at one table.

At the end of the night, our family gathered together, hand-in-hand, in front of my Grandma, to say our goodbyes. Our final words to her were, "Aloha", as Hawaii was a special place for her, which she visited frequently.

The following day, we gathered again, this time at the church. The service was beautiful as it began with my Uncle's eulogy, a heartfelt tribute to my Grandma and to motherhood, in general. He spoke of her early years as a widow at age 34 and how she struggled to care for five small children. She never remarried, instead, devoted her life to raising five wonderful children, two of whom had predeceased her. Her Great Grandchild had prepared a speech for her, as well. It was a lovely acknowledgment of my Grandma's lifelong commitment to education (she was a teacher) and how she had impacted many people's lives. Even in her twilight years, my Grandma continued to do crossword puzzles and Jumble, and was a voracious reader.

We proceeded to the cemetery where the interment took place. Everyone placed a flower on her coffin before she was buried and said their final goodbyes. Despite my tears, I was comforted by the fact that she was now reunited with my Grandpa and her two children, not to mention many relatives and friends that passed long before her.

After the reception, we went back to my parents home and pored over dozens of meticulously organized photo albums. My Grandma had documented and labelled almost every photograph with the dates and little blurbs. Photographs were dated as far back as her childhood and it was amazing to see the richness of her life unfold on those pages. We all had a great time sifting through the photographs and keeping those that were special to us. The pictures from the eighties were the most provocative and elicited the most discussion (and laughter). We were in tears (from laughing so hard!) as we looked at pictures of my cousin during his long-haired, glam-rock days with tight jeans and all the cousins with their teased out hair and painted faces. We recalled days spent at my Grandma's house where we chased dragonflies by the creek and admired photos of their over-sized cat affectionatedly named, Brawler, who guarded the front door where he sat on a kitchen chair. There were even pictures of my Grandpa that my Dad had never seen. It was a wonderful way to celebrate my Grandma's life through her eyes.

"Grandma, thank you for everything, especially the lessons you taught me in strength and in love. You struggled to raise your five children as a single-mother but did so with such integrity and success, and continued to thrive despite being in a new country with all of the new challenges that came along with it.

I'll treasure all the times we had together, especially those as a child when we would watch Lawrence Welk and listen to thunderstorms. I'll never forget the day you introduced me to that quirky little culinary delight - condensed milk sandwiches - and the times we spent in your house with all of the cousins. I'm glad that you were able to spend time with my your Great Granddaughter (my daughter) and happy that you were able to meet the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.

You are home now with your husband, daughter and son, and your sister. Enjoy this new life with family and friends that you have missed for years. I'll see you again some day. Until then, I'll miss you and love you very much."

Penpal Swap

Yes, I'm still alive and obsessing about handwritten letters and penpals, as of late! Thanks to Felicia C. Sullivan who wrote about Adventures in Letter Writing: The Pen Pal Swap on her website (http://feliciasullivan.com/?p=579). What a brilliant idea! I've always loved receiving goodies in the mail and have missed regular handwritten correspondence. As much as I love the internet and the wonderful ways I can connect with others, I do feel sad about what it's done to the art of handwritten letters and traditional correspondence.

As a child, I had quite a few penpals. There was Lisa in West Virginia, Liliana in Saskatchewan, Lori in Pennsylvania... We would send class pictures to one another and write about school and our favorite colors and the "snowballs" we would attend. One of my dearest friends, Angie, also had a number of penfriends. I remember rushing over to her house to read the latest letter she received or to look at her new stationery. We would practice our penmanship on scraps of paper and pore over her sticker collection. We tested her glitter pens and metallic markers and watched Big Blue Marble to find out how we could get even more penpals.

Recently, we decided to get our little people to write to one another, knowing how much fun it would be for them (and to live a little vicariously, as well!). My little person is very excited about this prospect and has started thinking of things to write about!

[Coincidentally, my partner also shares a love for handwritten letters. Imagine the surprise when he shared several of his shoeboxes filled with old letters and little goodies that he had saved throughout the years. Yet another reason why I think we're such a fantastic match! (Shhh... he also has a love for Japanese stationery which he acquired during the time he lived there)].

As for Angie and I... To this day, we still love writing notes to eachother, though, it's more sporadic or limited to greeting cards. We're also still very particular about perfecting our penmanship and still swoon at the sight of beautiful stationery and little stickers and rubber stamps to adorn envelopes.

For those of you who miss receiving goodies in the mail, I urge you to check out Felicia C. Sullivan's post and join in the penpal revival.

[OR... if you feel more comfortable sending yours truly a handwritten letter, why, I certainly wouldn't mind that, either...] ;)

"Brown paper packages tied up with strings..."

"...These are a few of my favorite things..."

I am feeling particularly blah today and needed a bit of cheering up so I thought I would revisit the lyrics to that wonderful little ditty. I just love this song and find it especially uplifting on those not-so inspiring days (like today!). I was reminded of how beautiful the original film was with Julie Andrews and thought I would start the week writing about some of my favorite things...

The Sound of Music is one of my all-time favorites. I never seem to tire of it and can watch it over and over (and over) again. It's one of those "comfort" things, like a nice, warm, hearty soup on a blistery Autumn day or a cup of (lactose-free) hot chocolate after an afternoon of skating or better yet, putting on your favorite pair of sneakers after having your piggies stuffed in a pair of heels (yikes, what a horrible visual). It was also one of the first records I ever bought.

My Favorite Things (lyrics)

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,

Brown paper packages tied up with strings,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels,

Door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles,

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,

Silver white winters that melt into Springs,

These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites,

When the bee stings,

When I'm feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad.

[Repeat]

Now, wasn't that uplifting? What are a few of your favorite things?

Here are some of mine:

+my family, of course! (I know, this one was too obvious!)

+old friends

+hearing J & H laugh (J has the moist boisterous/genuine laugh while H has the sweetest little laugh)

+hugs

+papers of all kinds (handmade, moonrock, Japanese, rice - I don't discriminate!)

+cupcakes

+my "skinny jeans"

+sunny days

+rainy days (indoors)

+teachers that inspire (that's you, Ms. G!)

+chocolate cake from Fresh on Bloor

+journals (both blank and written in)

+photographs (especially, H's baby photos)

+ephemera (particularly, old postcards, vintage cards/stationery, advertising, magazines)

+vintage children's books and the lovely illustrations within (e.g. the artistry of Kate Greenaway)

+cola bottle gummies

+handwritten letters

+notecards and stationery

+thunderstorms

+Ryan Gosling with facial hair

+rubberstamps

+Apprentice UK and Sir Alan Sugar

+travelling

+inspiring blogs

+lazy days

+fun-filled days

+my green and pink Pumas

+horror flicks

+love letters

+stickers

+music from the 80's

+mint ice-cream

I'll probably add more as the day goes on... (It's made me feel a bit better already!)

Hope you're happy in your own little corner of the world!

PS Highlights of my jaunt in Montreal to follow...

2 am

I'm finally going to bed...

It's almost 2 am and I have to get up again in two hours to get ready to go to Montreal! We're leaving the house at 5am ("Sharp", I've been told). I'm really looking forward to it! I love the idea of spending the day and going on a little adventure!

I just wanted to thank my wonderful little family for encouraging me to go out and enjoy myself. (Aren't they the greatest?!) Thank you, thank you! Much love my little homies. xoxoxo

Are you happy?

Often, when I'm walking down the street or standing in the subway or elevator (or anywhere, really), I'll look at people and ask myself, "Hmm, I wonder if that person is happy doing what they do for a living. I wonder what their passion is..."

I stumbled onto a report written by Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics, University of Warwick (which I believe was presented at the Warwick WBS Event, Warwick Hotel, NY, on 5 November, 2002) asking the question, "How much do people like their jobs?"

These were his findings:

.USA - 49% of workers say they are “completely or very satisfied” (Only a few percent say “dissatisfied”)
.Denmark - 62% say “completely or very satisfied”
.Japan - 30%
.Hungary - 23%

[Unfortunately, the stats. for Canada weren't included. Hmph]

Whenever I see these kind of stats., I have to wonder what kind of sampling was used.

Was it stratified? And if so, who composed the control groups?
Did any of these people have any sort of mental illness?
How old were these people?
Unionized or non-unionized positions?
Years on the job?
Salaries?

I remember when I worked at a previous job, quite a few passersby came up to me and commented on how happy I appeared to be. While it was kind of them to take the time to tell me, I often thought of how ironic it all was, since I was not always that happy with what I was doing (however, I did love meeting all of those wonderful people). I think of one of the most touching interactions was with one individual who was clearly, a very shy fellow and commented on how I've been so nice to him (by virtue of him passing my desk) and how he didn't know anyone in town so it made him feel as though he did have, at least, one friend. His confession was such a kind gesture and always reminds me to be mindful of those we cross paths with and that it never hurts to share a smile.

There are days when I miss that little ole post back home. I met so many wonderful people, including students, staff, Faculty, the general public, as well as many vendors and service providers within the institution. For the most part, I loved many of my co-workers, especially my supervisor. She was a great mentor to me - a strong woman with a good heart. She advised me when I needed to pull up my socks and was a good friend when the situation required it. A combination such as this is so hard to come by these days so I am grateful to have experienced that. We still keep in touch via email, mostly, and I hope we always do.

And that... makes me very happy.

Paris Je T'aime

My partner is a self-professed Francophile. He's been to France something like four times; continues to learn French and is also teaching our "little person" the language of love (in fact, they've even placed little French labels throughout our home and designated certain meals as "French-only" times); visits French bookstores with the little person; is a cinephile for French flicks and has a French pen-pal (internet pal, really, who shares beautiful photos of his family and life from a countryside in France). His affection for the country is contagious (not that it would ever be difficult to fall in love with it, non?) and has led me to two blogs that I absolutely adore:

http://parisparfait.typepad.com/


http://www.parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/

Not only are these blogs visually stunning, they are also amazing reads and oh, so inspiring! (Each blog also has access to their flickr photos which come highly recommended).

As you know, whenever I discover a blog that I love, I contact the writer to thank them. (It really is like having your fan mail answered, when they do! And even more inspiring to discover that these writers are lovely extensions of their amazing blogs!)

While our European vacation doesn't include France this time, my sweet Francophile has promised that the three of us will spend one summer there (who knows, maybe more?) in the future.

Until then, if you haven't already fallen in love with France, I ask you to open your hearts... and make a date with yourself to watch, Paris Je T'aime, and begin your relationship with this beautiful country...

Promises, promises

When my partner and I first met, he promised me two very special gifts:

1. His family
2. Travel

The gift of his family has materialized over-and-over, time-and-time again - each time we interact, it seems. They are the loveliest bunch I've ever met and are as close as peas in a pod (despite, the fact that one sister lives in Indonesia). They've been incredibly kind to my daughter and I, and have welcomed us with such open arms that it brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it. They are such good people with these big ole hearts... I am so grateful for this gift (and for my very special guy!).

His second promise began to materialize almost immediately after we met. In fact, it began just a couple of short weeks into our relationship when we went on a road-trip to Toronto (my first time visiting!). If you ever want to get to know someone in a short amount of time, hop in a cube van with them and go on a long drive. For us, it confirmed that we were meant to spend the rest of our lives together and that we would eventually move to Toronto... And here we are now!

Another trip included a birthday present to Minneapolis, MN. What a wonderful treat! I think my favorite part was watching a midnight screening of Purple Rain at a theatre (Uptown). I don't know why it surprised me to see the theatre so packed (after all, Prince reigns from Minneapolis) but it was. The most surprising thing of all was how interactive the group was! People were bopping around, reciting lines (verbatim) and yes, sparking up their lighters during those tender moments (remember, Lake Minnetonka?). It was so much fun, as were the rest of the experiences of that trip. I couldn't wait to find out what was next on the agenda!

And here we are now... Anticipating our European vacation this summer (a first for my daughter and I; the fifth for my partner). I cannot wait to immerse myself in the experience! Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Zurich, Luzern, a very short stop-over in London, a day-trip to Milan and who knows what else (my sweetheart is taking control of the planning). Imagine the beautiful pictures to be taken, the spectacular fashions to behold, the stunning landscape and architecture and the lovely people to meet... Oh, I mustn't forget the delicious food we'll sample and the wonderful smells we'll encounter... It's going to truly be a feast for the senses!

Until then, I'll continue to peruse various blogs for stories and pictures as a bit of an appetizer for what's to come...

Confession

I've got a confession... (Oh boy, I can feel the willies coming on...)

I have, what might be considered, a maniacal fear of raccoons. It's a subject I've briefly alluded to, but am now ready to divulge in its pathetic entirety. (Actually, it's as a result of seeing two of those crazy critters making their way into my neighbour's yard the other night).

I never had much exposure to these critters until I moved to Toronto. In fact, the only other time I actually saw a raccoon was when I lived in Vancouver and saw this massive creature staggering across the street. (I didn't realize they could get so huge!)

Anyway, I think the fear really manifested itself one hot summer night... (Gosh, I wish I had taken a night vision video of it - y'know, just to capture the hilarity of it all). The past few weeks leading up to this night included several incidents of the critters attacking our green bins and destroying garbage bags. Our street resembled a city where the sanitation folks were busy striking (well, maybe not that bad but it did look a little dirty).

My partner had left the screen door open a tad, after going out on our deck/balcony, and I was freaking out. I told him to shut the door quickly because the critters might try to make their way into our home. He laughed and teased me and then, finally got up and shut the door. Still not appeased, I looked out into the darkness with fear, WHEN... I thought I saw some movement out on the deck!

"Oh no - it must be the raccoons! They're here!" Teased my very sensitive partner.

I rushed out to the deck when, lo' and behold, there was the backside of a rather, over-sized raccoon, just sitting out on the corner of the deck, admiring our backyard or just in deep thought. He then proceeded to walk across the deck railing (gosh, my heart's beatin' fast just relaying that night) and before I could grab a camera, my partner flashed the deck lights on. The critter practically fell off the railing - clinging onto the side and looking, what seemed to be directly, into my eyes! He then shimmied down the corner post...

(UGH)

Ever since that night, I haven't been able to enjoy our wonderful balcony. Whenever I do make my way out there, I'll stand right by the sliding doors, ready to switch on the light or head inside. (I'm sure I look like I'm completely crazed when I'm out there, especially the way my head jerks to-and-fro', making sure there's no animal scurrying above or creeping up the side of the house). In fact, throughout the winter, I frequently asked my partner what raccoons did those cold winter months. He reassured me and said they were "hibernating" and "it's too cold out for them". Despite being somewhat skeptical, I eventually gained a sense of peace from that. Of course, the peace was short-lived when I came face-to-face (okay, it was actually more like across the street in my neighbour's yard but it felt awfully close!) with another hearty critter. Dang, I should have known they weren't far... all clad in their fur coats feasting on their green bin buffet.

Speaking of green bin buffets...

The raccoons attacked the one on our porch this morning. They like to taunt me, I suppose.

In closing, I'd like to leave you with this disturbing visual... And the three letters that sum it up best, "WTF?!"

P.S.

I forgot to pay homage to the lovely vintage shops that are scattered throughout Kensington Market...

"All hail the mighty vintage handbag!"

To show my respect, I purchased three items from that awesome shop, Planet Aid on Baldwin St. I picked up 2 vintage vests for $3.50 a piece and a very funky recon'd top for $30 made from a pair of jeans and a bohemian print shirt (it's probably hard to imagine - it's a tunic style top - great with a pair of skinny jeans and riding-style boots).

Happy Belated Easter!

(... or how ever you chose to celebrate the long weekend!)

I had such a special weekend but I can't really talk right now. Here are a few of the highlights:

- a date with my sweetheart which included a creperie on Queen Street (say that five times quickly) and a movie filmed in our hometown, Winnipeg, called The Lookout (which was great, by the way!)
- seeing how happy our little person was in the presence of our amazing babysitter (she really is a super-star and crafting extraordinaire!)
- a wonderful visit from an old friend (we met during a second year Criminology class - many moons ago... Maybe, too many?)
- hearing the words, "This is the most fun I've ever had!" from my little person's play date (always a Mother's dream, isn't it?)
- experiencing Easter through a little person's eyes (I think my favorite quip of that morning was how the Easter Bunny was heard during the night and how he threw up the eggs which landed in their hiding spots!)
- Kensington Market (and the pride of showing it to a non-Torontonian)
- King's Restaurant (think: sweet and sour soy bites, California rolls, spring rolls and drumsticks... I'm hungry just thinking about it!)
- tickets to Europe booked (!)
- being grateful that my home and personal life is so rich with wonderful experiences and that I get to spend those days with my amazing family (how did I get so lucky?)

There is one other highlight that requires a bit more detail... It's about a little shop that I visited in Chinatown...

I don't actually know the name of this little goldmine (or perhaps, I'm being selfish and hoping none of you will go there! Baahaa) but it's a gem! I wish I had taken pictures during my spree so that you might be able to appreciate the plethora of little treasures to behold! Beautiful Japanese style dishware, all kinds of trinkets and ornaments, elaborate mobiles hanging from the ceiling, costume jewelry (for all ages!), toys, housewares, baskets, incense, stationery, pens, pencils, crayons, Buddhas, stickers, rocks... you name it! However, the real appeal has been all of the amazing craft supplies I've found!!! Beautiful textured and printed papers (some of them, FULL SHEETS!), clear envelopes (of different sizes!), journals (I found two that are Parisian-themed!), beads galore(!), little glass darlings (in different shapes, beads included!), gorgeous handmade envelopes... (Oh boy, my head's spinning!) Best part of all - it's dirt cheap in there!

[Oh - I forgot to mention - if anyone is searching for a toilet brush with a handle full of water and pearls and fluorescent pink flowers, the little shop also carries them... Baahaa!]

Anyway, as I said earlier, I can't really talk right now...

(Imagine what a long entry looks like... Oh wait, you already do!)

More later.