2:36 PM

Ha, this will be me at our party...


2:31 PM

Our Lady Peace Thief

Another melancholy song, but I just love it. Chris is a huge Our Lady Peace fan, but I like a few of their songs. Coincidentally, OLP's lead singer Raine Maida is married to Chantal Kreviazuk. The song was written for a young friend who died from a terminal illness.

8:17 PM

I cannot wait for this week to be over...

What a weekend of highs and lows.

The meeting with Neicy was great-it was so wonderful to meet her in person. She is just a lovely person and I hope we can get together again if she comes back to visit the Great White North (which was anything but white and cold this past weekend).

My Christmas with my dad was a mixture of good and bad. We actually sat in the living room and socialized, in stead getting stuck in front of the TV like we usually do. The puppies were a riot, who kept us entertained all afternoon. But my dad didn't congratulate Chris on our engagement and my step-mother didn't say anything to either of us about it, couldn't even be bothered to ask to see my ring. It was very disheartening.

We had our cookie exchange at work today-I made 10 dozen pumpkin cookies for it. Now I came home with 10 dozen cookies, which I have no idea what to do with (I sure as heck can't eat all of them!). I guess I will be sending a bunch home with Chris for him and his dad to eat.

Work is just awful. I have literally gotten about 8 hours sleep since Thursday night and have had a tension headache to go along with the fatigue. All my co-workers are awestruck at what management is doing to me-I really wish I knew what to do...

4:28 PM

Sarah Slean - Sweet Ones

Another one of my favourite songs by a great Canadian artist.

8:17 AM

Another sleepless night in Stoney Creek. I can't remember the last time I felt this exhausted. I just can't stop thinking about the situation at work and being forced to answer to the two most difficult managers in the dealership. And losing money...

Chris and I went and looked at a location for our wedding dinner yesterday. It was really nice and the menu was to die for. And, best of all, very affordable. The menu we chose was:

Tomato and Dill Soup
House or Caesar salad

Choice of:
10 oz New York striploin
Chicken Supreme
Truffle Penne
3 cheese Fusilli

Individual wedding cakes (carrot)

And all for $47 per person plus taxes and gratuities. I was very impressed. Now if I could just nail Chris down with a date, I would go ahead and make a deposit.

Well, I'm off to meet Neicy this morning for breakfast about 45 minutes away from here. I am looking forward to meeting her!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend! Stay the hell away from the shopping malls--it's insanity!!

8:35 AM

Merry Christmas to me from the dickheads that I work for...

So yesterday my general manager tells me he would like to meet with me after my lunch hour. Immediately alarms go off-usually if he wants to talk to me about something, he just says it. I tell Chris that I have a bad feeling about this. Never doubt a woman's intuition...

We have 4 positions in the dealership to be dealt with--reception, 3rd service advisor, sales administrator and service coordinator. They moved the 3rd service advisor, Jenn, to reception so that position has been empty. So now we are dealing with 3rd service advisor, sales admin and service coordinator.

I was the service coordinator, handling appointment calls, doing all the service reminders and phone calls, service emails, marketing campaigns, providing relief on the service counter, running service clinics...PLUS all the email and mail marketing for sales, data mining for the whole dealership, website administration and phone system admin.

The sales admin has not been getting done properly--Helen would work in service on the desk for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night then try and do the admin stuff in between.

So the GM's brilliant solution was this--move Helen to service as the 3rd service advisor, and keep Jenn on reception. And I can still continue to do all my duties as service coordinator, with the exception of answering appointment calls, PLUS do all the sales admin duties. These include lease portfolio and lead management, dealer trades, statistics, stocking in vehicles, reception relief and generally being the 2 sales managers' bitch and dumping ground. And get paid absolutely no more money, possibly less.

Guess this is my Christmas bonus this year...

1:25 PM

Snow Miser Year without a Santa Claus

Maybe this can get us all in a holiday mood? I just love this...

1:01 PM

Some eye candy for a Wednesday afternoon...


Have I ever mentioned how much I love Ewan McGregor? I don't find most actors all that attractive, but I am crazy about this Scottish lad. Hell, just listening to him talk...*drools*. Not to mention he is a fabulous actor-I loved him in "A Life Less Ordinary" and "Brassed Off"...and of course Star Wars.

12:40 PM

Well, the week's half over...

It's hump day. If we can get over this, hopefully the rest of the week will breeze by. It's been hellish at work this week (wait, it's hellish here everyweek)-I swear the holiday season seems to bring out the worst in some people.

Elizabeth and I had our Christmas on Saturday, which was nice. She needed to go to Build A Bear to stuff two bears for her cousins, so that was an experience (she had bought the bear outfits in Scotland during her trip-kilts and tshirt that are sooo cute). I definitely need to build me a bear someday. She got me Melanie Rawn's new novel "Spellbinder", the Pets expansion pack for my Sims 2 game, pajamas, a pretty blouse, "Isis" perfume from Marks & Spencer (you can only get it in the UK now), a snowman ornament, a Terry's chocolate orange and my favourite Fuzzy Peaches candy.

Chris and I are going to look at a restaurant this weekend as a possibility for our wedding dinner. It's close to the wedding chapel downtown and has a really good reputation. Hopefully after getting some quotes we can decide what we want to do and finally set a bloody date (I am getting so tired of people asking me...).

We are off to my dad's on Sunday to have Christmas with him and his wife. Last year it consisted of us getting there and Dad proceeding to watch "Crocodile Dundee" for most of the visit. Perhaps he will actually want to socialize with us this year...

And I am DONE. The Christmas shopping is finally done. Now I just need to wrap it all...and figure out how I am going to carry a 24" TV up three flights of stairs by myself when I go to my mom's...hernia, anyone?

11:48 AM

Do you guys get emailed as many of these things as I do?

50 Questions to get to know you better...

1. WHAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME? Leah

2. NAMED AFTER? My mother had a neighbour who was kind to her named Leah when she was little.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Sunday

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It's okay

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Salami

6. KIDS? I had two for breakfast..wait... no kids

7. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sure

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? My blog

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Gee, no, I would NEVER use sarcasm...

10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hell no

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Honeycomb

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope

14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Emotionally or physically? Emotionally, yes.

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Key lime sherbet

16. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes

17. RED OR PINK? Pink

18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? The list would be too flipping long

19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My dog, Peanuts

20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Sure

21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? Lack shoes and distressed black jeans

22. THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A piece of carrot cake last night that I had baked for Chris

23.WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The voices in my head

24--was missing for some strange reason...

25. FAVORITE SMELL? Lilacs

26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A customer

27. SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? The big sister I never had and someone I don't see nearly enough

28. FAVORITE DRINK? Iced tea

29. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? If I have to pick one-golf

30. HAIR COLOR? Currently dyed light auburn

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, glasses

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Shrimp!

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, I'm a wuss

34. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

35. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Black (funeral, anyone?)

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Neither or both, depending on who's giving them

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake

38. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Elizabeth

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Dunno

40. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? It's just blue

42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles

43. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? Florida when I was 10

44. T.V.? CSI, Trading Spaces, How Not to Decorate

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Advanced reading speed and comprehension. real thrilling talent, I know.

46. WHEN WERE YOU BORN? 1976, Thirty long years ago.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Hamilton, Ontario

48. WEAKNESSES? Food, self-doubt, over-sensitive, aggressive, short-tempered..I could go on...

49. FAVORITE MUSIC? Dixie Chicks, Chantal Kreviazuk, retro 80's

50. DO YOU HAVE ANY PET PEEVES? People who ask the same questions over and over

8:53 AM

Finally got around to the Christmas decorations...












The tree lit up...









Not so lit up...











My favourite Eeyore ornament...
(I have about 15 different ones on the tree)











My favourite Star Trek ornament...
(This was the only one I put on this year, although I have about ten of them. This one has Spock saying "Shuttlecraft to Enterprise, Spock here. Happy Holidays, Live Long and Prosper".)











This is my tree topper with Maxine...

9:47 AM

GORILLAZ - Russel Bangs The Drum

The ultimate Friday song...where's my drum?

4:53 PM

Woohoo! The vote count just came in: 175-123 against reopening the gay marriage law. So the issue is closed and the gay and lesbian community in Canada can continue to enjoy the marital rights heterosexual Canadians have. Take that, Stephen Harper!

3:01 PM

Kathy Mattea - Where've You Been? (live)

It's funny how when you are feeling melancholy, the music you feel like listening to matches your mood. This song makes me cry EVERY time I listen to it.

2:53 PM

Where've You Been-Kathy Mattea

Claire had all but given up
when she and Edwin fell in love
She touched his face and shook her head
in disbelief she sighed and said
In many dreams I've held you near now, at last, you're really here
Where've you been? I've looked for you forever and a day
Where've you been? I'm just not myself when you're away

He asked her for her hand for life
and she became a salesman's wife
He was home each night by eight
but one stormy evening, he was late
Her frightened tears fell to the floor
until his key turned in the door
Where've you been? I've looked for you forever and a day
Where've you been? I'm just not myself when you're away

They'd never spent a night apart
for sixty years she heard him snore
Now they're in a hospital in separate beds on different floors

Claire soon lost her memory
forgot the names of family
She never spoke a word again
then one day, they wheeled him in
He held her hand and stroked her hair
in a fragile voice she said
Where've you been? I've looked for you forever and a day
Where've you been? I'm just not myself when you're away
No, I'm just not myself when you're away

2:52 PM

Tickle Me Elmo

I needed a laugh today. One of our managers bought this Elmo and you have never seen a group of grown adults laugh so hard as all of us standing in our GM's office watching this little laughing monster. I have the original, but it doesn't hold candle to this guy. Even watching the video had me doubled over.

8:39 AM

7 days left in the lower pit of automobile service hell...I managed to talk my boss into only having to be downstairs for 3 hours, so it's not as bad as it could have been.

Chris is still horribly sick. I haven't seen him since Sunday, so that has me going into sweetie withdrawal. He sounds like a frog and I'm guessing he will lose his voice today or tomorrow (which sucks since the only communication we have right now is the telephone). I just really don't want to get sick, so I can't risk seeing him til he's starting to get better, but I miss him.

I barely got any sleep last night, so I feel like a zombie today. One of my coworkers was talking about how much stuff she was buying her baby granddaughter for Christmas. She just has so much enthusiasm for being a grandma (Madison is simply adorable, so I really can't blame her). My mother, on the other hand, has told me repeatedly that I should never have children because I don't have enough patience to handle it. Not to mention my mom really doesn't like kids much. My father barely registers my existence, let alone any future offspring. So this had my wheels turning most of the night. Chris and I are up in the air about having children-we currently don't have plans to have any, but won't dismiss the idea altogether. It just really irks me when my mother says that to me. I don't have patience-this from a woman who would smack me with the hairbrush and then break the brush on the sink when my hair wouldn't do what she wanted it to or would throw a chair off the balcony in one of her fits of rage. I can be an impatient person, but I also managed to have enough patience to look after 30 screaming school age children for 5 hours every day for 6 years. Obviously not the same as parenting, but enough to give you wide exposure to the delights of children and their behaviours. It's something I shouldn't let bother me, but it does. Plus Chris' sister got on his back about not having kids last week, so that kind of stirred everything up...

9:15 AM

If grumpiness is a disease, I have definitely caught it...

The next two weeks can not go by quick enough. My boss leaves for Florida tomorrow, so I am stuck having to go down and work on the service desk during his absence. The one service advisor is a moron, the tower operator is grumpy and the atmosphere is tense. Yuck. I much prefer being up in my little office on the second floor by myself. Plus I have to cash out all our customers, who are usually pissed because the service advisor didn't bother to call and explain the repairs to them. Shoot me now, please.

Chris is laid up in bed with the flu, so I am hoping he hasn't passed it on to me. He was sick all night on Saturday, barely able to enjoy our dinner out. Something is definitely going around and I don't want it. Calling in sick while the boss is away would definitely not go over well.

I'm off to Mom's this weekend for a visit. I haven't seen her in a month so she is getting antsy. So far, things seem to be going well in the new apartment and her worker pops in every Monday to check on her and help with groceries, etc. I am not looking forward to the drive but it should be okay if the snow holds off. It's supposed to be 16 degrees again today (60 degrees F) but start dropping as of Thursday with snow in the forecast for the weekend.

I cleared all my regular knick-knacks and decor out of the living room, but haven't been able to get into the spirit to put up the Christmas decorations. It's going to be a strange Christmas for me, as I am so used to having it with my mom. Waking up by myself Christmas morning is not something I am looking forward to.

Hope the weather is nice where you are and you have a great Tuesday!

2:50 PM

Chantal Kreviazuk - Before You

11:45 AM



I am strangely in a good mood today. Not quite sure why, but I might as well roll with it.

I have to work tomorrow, which sucks, but at least Nicole is coming by to pick up the gifts for the kids party so that will be over and done with and I won't have to think about it for another year.

It's our anniversary on Sunday-8 years. Oy, I have dated Chris for almost a third of my life. We are going out to the Canyon Creek Chophouse on Saturday, so that should be a nice dinner, plus we could use an evening out.

The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend-11 degrees and sunny. Hopefully Chris and I can do something outdoors. Plus I would like to get some of my Christmas stuff up, since I'm away at Mom's next weekend (I am one those sad people that normally has her Xmas tree up by mid-November).

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

3:29 PM

There are days when I know I should not read the headlines on my home page. This week has been that way--some headlines have just pissed me off to no end.

Michael Richards--what on earth was he thinking? How can you go into such a hateful, dispicable tirade and expect people to believe that you are not racist? He looked genuinely sorry on Letterman, but geez. I understand being angry at hecklers, but attacking them because of their race is absolutely horrid. I watched the clip from the comedy club and was stunned-I am not sure if his career will recover from this, and it will serve him right.

OJ Simpson and Fox--greed knows no limits. The sick bastard basically confesses in a book and is given millions of dollars to do so, and Fox didn't think people would be outraged? Haven't the victims families been through enough? Now that the whole thing has been cancelled, OJ is whining about the loss of money that would have gone to his children (yeah, right) and how Ron Goldman's family keep trying to drain him dry. Boo hoo.

AFA vs Walmart--I just caught wind of this this morning after Walmart did some backpedalling to please the AFA and stop the boycott. There are days when I think we are still living in the bloody stone age, with a bunch of bigots running our countries. Bigotry is wrong, whether it is a prejudice against race, religion, creed or sexual orientation. We all are humans, we all deserve the same rights. Which brings me to my next fury of the week...

Stephen Harper-our prime minister has made good on his campaign promise to reopen the debate on gay marriage (hence why he didn't get my vote). It was made legal by the previous Liberal government and made Canada the fourth country to come out of the dark ages and grant gay people the same rights the rest of us have. Harper has a minority government so chances are the motion will get struck down, but it still infuriates me. Al this nonsense about gay marriage damaging children and destroying family values--gee, I don't see heterosexuals doing such a bang up job of maintaining family values and providing secure, loving homes for their children. The freaking divorce rate is over 50%, so who's to say gay people can't do as good of a job (it's not exactly a high standard to live up to)? Churches are not required to perform ceremonies for gay couples if they choose not to, so they aren't having their rights infringed upon. I just don't get it, but I should probably shut up now or risk offending people.

I'm in stressed out frame of mind, so things are not sliding off like they normally would. But maybe that's a good thing, since too often people let too many things just slide off..

4:16 PM

12:16 PM

4 hours, 51 more minutes to go...

Well, I didn't end up calling in sick yesterday but I did play hooky in the afternoon after my doctor's appointment. I told my boss I had to go for bloodwork and an ultrasound and I wouldn't be back...I should feel guilty, but I don't. I ended up going out to Chris' and we went for lunch and had a delightful afternoon alone.

I just talked to my mom, who seems to be doing pretty good at her new place. The maintenance staff have been really good about fixing things and she says the building is fairly quiet. I was really worried about her taking out the garbage and doing laundry (my mom has had 3 back operations and has osteoarthritis and osteoperosis), as she lives on the 3rd floor of a walkup, but she discovered this week that there is a garbage chute and laundry room on each floor, so that was a relief. Doing groceries is a bit of a challenge, but her social worker has been helping her out and I will take her out when I go up in a couple of weeks. So far, so good.

So far, I have no big plans for the weekend. We are going over to Chris' sister's for dinner on Saturday, but the rest of the weekend should be quiet (and hopefully relaxing!). I hope everyone else has a fabulous weekend!

12:49 PM

Today is a day of rescheduling.

First, my ob-gyn's office calls and tells me my appointment has been cancelled. So that's been moved until tomorrow. Gee, I am just in mourning about putting off that pap smear for another day...

Then my dad emails me and tells me I no longer have to puppysit on Saturday-George Carlin is sick and has cancelled his performance in Toronto. Which sucks, because I was looking forward to seeing those puppies...

Today is shopping day for the kid's xmas party. I had 4 other people helping me out, but 2 of them have abandoned me, so it will just be 3 of us. I cannot wait until this party is over and done with...

I got a location for our adult party for January 6th. It sucks having to have it in January, but I really didn't have many other options. My GM is pissed because he is away on vacation, but you can't please everybody...

I am feeling crummy-I've been tired and had an upset digestive system all week. I 'm thinking tomorrow would make a really good sick day (sshhh, don't tell my boss)...

Hey, it's almost lunchtime. I think I wll curl up with my book (I'm rereading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series- I'm currently on "The Fiery Cross") and maybe try eating some soup. I hope everyone is having a great day!

9:04 AM

Chantal Kreviazuk - All I Can Do

10:51 AM

Shoulda stayed in bed this week...


What a week. Aside from the regular aspects of my job being totally out of control this week, the bloody volunteer work I do here went to hell as well. I head our social committee, which presently consists of me and another co-worker from one of our other dealerships. I do all the work, mainly because I'm a control freak. Anywho, I get a phone call on Wednesday from the banquet hall that is hosting our Christmas party in mid-December. Apparently they are under construction and won't be finished in time for our party. Their alternative: they will host it in the Knights of Columbus Hall with their catering. Ewwww-the KOC hall is a small drab little place and there is no way we can have our party there. And of course, by this time, every place else is booked up for december on Saturdays. AARRRGGHHH! So now I'm trying to pull something together for January that fits around all the bigwigs schedules. I had wanted to resign from the damn committee at the end of this year, but we are so short handed there is no way.

The nightmare that is the children's party is coming up shortly, so we have to go buy all the gifts on Wednesday (each child actually gets to write a list, so it's not like we can just go buy bulk gifts for each age group). Thankfully I don't have to actually attend the kid's party, as all the parents do is whine about how long it takes for each kid to go get their gift and visit with Santa. The kids are good as gold, it's the parents with no patience. It's better that Nicole handles the kid's party, because I would tell the impatient morons to go f**k themselves.

Well, here's to next week being a more calm one. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

10:15 AM

1:57 PM

Ah, hell...I thought this week would be better than last...

It's going to be a week full of Mondays, I can just tell...

The weekend was pretty quiet. We had dinner with Chris' dad, his sister, her fiance and Chris grandmother and uncle on Saturday night. Sam made a great roast beef dinner. But the evening had a sour note for me, since Chris still hasn't told his grandmother about the engagement and had every bloody opportunity to do so Saturday night. He has the smallest freaking family on the planet and half of them don't know about the engagement. I could just smack him...wait, I did smack him...apparently that didn't exorcise all my frustration.

On Sunday I had Chris over for dinner and he checked my tires and oil before the trip on Monday. I made Mom tortellini with shrimp and mushrooms in alfredo sauce. Chris and I had samosas, rogan josh with chicken and naan bread. It was so yummy-I wasn't sure if it would turn out as well as it does at the Indian restaurant but I was pleasantly surprised.

Monday was quite the day. We were at the storage place for 9:00 am but the movers didn't show until 10:10. They loaded the truck and we headed out. It took us about 2.25 hours to get to Chatham-the bloody movers took 3.25. They unloaded the stuff for about an hour and then gave us the bill, for $10 more an hour than was originally quoted. All told, it cost $1150 for the movers. Mom only had $1000, so I had to fork out $150 (which I really couldn't afford to do). The apartment she has is really nice and clean in a small building, close to most amenities. Hopefully she can keep a positive outlook and not get caught up in negative thinking. She was already worrying about how lonely she would be...hell, it wasn't my idea for her to move 2 and a half hours away. I hope her social worker will keep a close eye on her...

Work has gone straight to hell since last week (and I thought last week was bad!). They laid off one of our service advisors and screwed with our computer systems-I have 500 freaking reminders to individually go through, to make sure they are correct. My GM dumped a pile of marketing crap on me plus they rescheduled our meeting to tonight without letting me know. Rat bastards...(can we all start singing the Machete song now?)

12:46 PM

TGIF

12:36 PM

Thank you, Kristi, for getting "The Name Game" song stuck in my head. Now every employee that I see makes me start doing the song in my head with their name...lol.

Work has been bonkers, hence why I haven't been able to post much. My machete weilding days are coming, I tell ya.

November 1st has come and gone and I have officially launched into Christmas present buying mode. I should be done by the end of November. I hate crowds, so getting it done early just saves me the misery of slogging the through the crowds. I have some candle holders for Mom and a Snowbaby for Elizabeth and a Trailer Park Boys toque for Chris. Next week when my bonus comes in I will be able to knock off a whole bunch.

Mom moves on Monday, so that should be an adventure. I figure it will cost about $1000 to get the move done, considering there is 2.5 hours of travel time each way and her apartment building doesn't have an elevator (ugh, she's on the third floor). I hope she likes it there and can finally get herself settled. I won't be able to visit her again until the first weekend in December, so hopefully she will be able to get used to the separation.

Have a good weekend, all!

3:30 PM

Have a safe and happy Hallowe'en...

10:20 AM

You Are Worth It

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances; that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope; To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

-- Unknown

11:22 AM

Taking The Long Way...

They kicked ass. It was a fantastic concert that was worth every nickel of my $110. The Chicks played for 2 solid hours and had everyone on their feet. They came out on the stage to "Hail to the Chief", which was hilarious. I probably preferred their last concert stage set-up better, but the quality and energy was just as great.

Elizabeth and I had quite the adventure trying to get to the concert, with screwed up transit schedules and such, but we eventually made it. The train ride home was interesting since there were literally thousands of people in Union Station, trying to get home. Crowds are not my cup of tea, so I was happy when we finally got on the train.

Elizabeth leaves for Scotland on Wednesday, so I am very envious of that. One of these days I will have enough money to go with her...

The rest of the weekend was quiet. I felt crappy on Sunday from a lack of sleep, so I pretty much vegged out on the couch all day. Gypsy layed an egg Saturday night, so hopefully that will be the only one and her health stays okay. Having Mom at the apartment totally screws up the birds schedule, so it kicked Gypsy into egg-laying. Thankfully Mom is gone next Monday and their routine will return to normal.

8:50 AM

4:45 PM

I need an Odie right about now...

4:39 PM

It has been the Friday from hell. And with Saturday still to go yet...

Chris is coming over for dinner tonight, which should be interesting. He hasn't seen my mother since she was in the hospital and still habours a fair amount of resentment towrds her behaviour during that time. Mom is completely unaware of this, although she has wondered why he hasn't been around. I've just made excuses but I'm sure underneath she knows something is up. It's very uncomfortable for me, as I have been able to forgive her behaviour during that time and appreciate the difference I see in her now since she has been properly medicated. Should be a fun night...

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

8:53 AM

Brrrrr...


Holy moly, is it cold this morning! I walked out to my car and it was covered in frost (and being the dumbass I am, I have no ice scraper). Hope it's warmer where you are!

4:19 PM

Okay, so apparently killing your employer IS illegal. What about co-workers? Can you hack their sorry heads off? If so, I know a little Filipino service advisor who deserves to be shorter by a head...

It is just so BAD here right now. My left eye is throbbing so badly from stress I think it will pop out. And I have to be here six days this week, so that just makes it so much more fun.

Some good news: Mom got approved for her apartment, so she will take possession November 1st. She probably won't do the actual move until the 2nd week after all her money has come in. Hopefully this will bring some peace to both our lives.

11:23 AM

Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice

11:19 AM

10:34 AM

Is it illegal to run around with a machete and hack off your employer's head? Just checking...

My mood was so foul yesterday I didn't dare post, and I'm not sure it's much better today but I'll give it a shot. Work is hell right now, but I'll spare you the gory details. Although I may go machete shopping on my lunch :p

The weekend was pretty good. I spent most of it with Chris, which was great. We went out for mediterranean food on Saturday-I had baba ganouj and chicken shawarma-yum! I dragged him off to the craft store and dollar store, which I'm sure thrilled Chris to no end (he hates shopping).

On Sunday, we went to Toronto to the "Everything to do with Sex" show. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Chris has wanted to go for the past few years just to see what it is all about. What a zoo. There were thousands of people there and it was really lioud. I am terrified of crowds so it was very unpleasant for me. Most of the vendors were just selling pornos, toys and junk. There was also some awful male dancer thing going on, which had a bunch of women screaming like banshees (I am not one for strippers, so this held no interest for me and definitely didn't thrill Chris, lol). We spend $40 on admission, $10 on parking and stayed for barely an hour. And what did we buy? Some red pepper jelly, garlic and herb dip mix and jalepeno cheese dip mix from the Wicked Gourmet. Needless to say, we will never go again.

We did have Indian food for dinner, which was awesome. Aloo tikki, pakoras, samosas and naan-I swear if it weren't so bad for you I could live off it. Very yummy. I just looked up some recipes on line for aloo tikki, rogan josh, tandoori chicken and homemade baba ganouj so I can't wait to try them. Oh look, I'm drooling on my keyboard...

Bright spot for the week-only 4 more sleeps until the Dixie Chicks concert! Yay! I can't wait. I saw them in concert the last time they toured and it was an amazing show. It was just after all the silly backlash about the president, so I think they were happy to play for a crowd that really doesn't like George W. much.

10:57 AM

3:18 PM

Is it wrong to love this cat and his rubber chicken?

12:42 PM

Let's do a Friday dance...

Another week survived. This has been my worst week at work in at least 4 years here. I have been overcome by ridiculous expectations and am at a loss for what to do. Finding another job that pays even close to this will be very hard (and considering how little I make now, it really is depressing). There are days when I could go back and take my fifteen-year-old self and seriously kick her ass.

You see, I'm a high school dropout. My parents split up when I was 14 and I had a really tough time dealing with it. It changed me, made me reclusive, nervous and socialphobic. And this was right when I started high school. I couldn't hack the social pressure-the work was a complete joke but I couldn't stand all the crowds, noise, etc.

So I decided I just couldn't do it. I got up one morning during my third week of grade 9 and took half a bottle of Tylenol with about 10 oz of vodka. I headed off to school to await the effects. Needless to say, halfway through band class I had to rush to the bathroom and vomit. I was sent home and was dreadfully ill for a couple of weeks (I never told anyone what I had done, so they just assumed it was the flu or mono). I got better and my parents assumed I had gone back to school-I did not. I stayed home or hid out behind the house when Mom was on nights. The school assumed I was still sick. Eventually my guilt got the better of me and I confessed to my parents. I was sent back to school with my movements being monitored. I managed to catch up in two weeks for midterm exams and scored 100% on three of my four midterms.

But I still couldn't handle it. I started skipping again. I would take ringer off the phone so when they called my mom wouldn't hear it. I would steal the notes left in the mailbox by the truant office. One day, my mom beat me to the mailbox. She figured it was my marks or something from the board of ed-nope, it was a notice that my parents would be taken to court if I didn't get my butt back in school. Of course, my parents freaked. I was dragged back to school kicking and screaming but it was decided that an alternate program might be more suitable for me.

I started at Lawrence Alternative Program just before my 15th birthday. It was great, you signed yourself in and out, didn't get in trouble for being late-the place was a joke. I got in with a delightful group of kids and delved deep into the world of smoking, drinking and sex. I dated a small-time drug dealer, wasted all my work wages on cigarettes and booze and managed to earn zero credits in one year. They kicked me out and my mom moved me away just prior to my 16th birthday. This was the end of my high school career.

I went back part-time when I was 17 and earned my math and English credits but being on my own made working a priority. I eventually got my GED when I was 22 and had to laugh when I scored higher on the tests than 95% of high school graduates who completed the same tests (that's how they created the benchmark-by comparing your scores to graduates scores).

So that is the long winded story of why I didn't finish high scool. Even though I have gotten a ton of diverse job experience in the past 15 years, not having a proper education really limits your career opportunities out there. Hence why I feel stuck in my current job.

Sorry I rambled on, but it was one of those days where I felt like telling a story. Have a great weekend!

2:01 PM

I love this song and it pretty much sums up my day...

Daniel Powter - Bad Day

4:38 PM

This made me giggle...

12:07 PM

This day needs some Calvin

11:46 AM

Mr. Sunshine, where are you?

This weather is the pits. I guess it could be cold as well as being rainy, so I should be thankful for that. It's just so depressing when you look outside...

Today is one of those days where I should have just stayed under the covers. There is a service advisor meeting tonight, which I am being forced to attend. So only heaven knows how long this blasted meeting will go on for, because I'm sure the whining will be unbelievable. I just know I am going to have more work dumped on me with this and am going to be pushed to start selling services. This sucks because #1) I hate to sell stuff and #2) I'm not the one making a big, fat commission of selling the service. Grrr. At least I get a free dinner out of it (although I know they won't pay me for staying for this damned thing...)

Mom and I went out for a bit last night. I picked up a bunch of embellishments for my scrpabook, which was fun. I completed the first page last night-I think it turned out really well but it sure took a long time (perhaps I should consult scrapbooker extraordinaire Kristi and her sidekick Scrappy for some advice, lol). I need adhesive advice, stat!

11:20 AM

I need to get me a cat...

11:05 AM

It's raining again...

I wish I was a duck...then this weather would be fun!

Last night we went to see the Trailer Park Boys movie. It ws pretty good-Chris and his dad were laughing their butts off through the whole thing (they are huge TPB fans). For those going "who the heck are the Trailer Park Boys?"-it is a Canadian produced show based out of Nova Scotia about some small time hoods who live in a trailer park and their misadventures. There is a ridiculous amount of swearing, so if the "f" word offends you, avoid these guys at all costs! The show just finished its sixth season and the movie came out on Friday. Chris just loves Ricky, Julian and Bubbles so I went mainly for him, but I did get quite a few chuckles myself.

For dinner last dinner, Chris and his dad headed out to the local grocery store for some chicken wings. They asked the girl at the pre-made food counter if the wings they had picked up were spicy. She said there was just some mild spice to them so they grabbed a couple of packages. HOLY MOLY! These were the hottest wings I have ever tasted-they were practically doused in Tabasco sauce! We had to wipe all the sauce off to even make them remotely edible, and even then our lips were still burning. Chris and I like spice, but these were ridiculous! Chris and his dad were ready to go kill the girl at the grocery store.

Hopefully some good news-it looks like they have an apartment for Mom come November 1st. We have to fax back all the paperwork tomorrow but hopefully it all goes smoothly. She is going stir-crazy at my place, so I know she is anxious to get into her own space. Have I mentioned how wonderful Lithium is? I swear, it has helped my mom so much it is amazing. Now if it could only make her less anti-social...

8:41 AM

3:52 PM

Hee...brave little penguin...

10:37 AM

Darn internet keeps crashing here at work. How am I supposed to surf, messenger and basically get no work done :p

The clinic was a bit of a nightmare. First, there was horrible winds and rain so I had a few no-shows. Then we had the worst customer EVER. Let's call him Mr. Butthead (I can think of much more colourful names for this guy, but I will spare you my profanity). Mr. Butthead comes in and grunts at me in way of a greeting. He then walks up to the presentation table where the items are for the door prizes. Mr. Butthead proceeds to take one of the hats and sits down with it. When another customer looked at him strangely, Mr. Butthead snarls "I pay $40000 for car, I keep hat". Then throughout the next two hours, Mr. Butthead interrupts our speaker a zillion times, complaining about problems with his Onstar, oil change issues and his general negative opinion about everythng (all in crotchety broken English). I was never so happy to see the back of someone on their way out the door. Our presenter, who does 3-4 clinics a week said that was the worst customer he has had to deal with in 10 years. Argh!

So I finally get out of work at 8:40 and head over to the drugstore to renew my prescription. I drop it off and the technician says it will be around 15 minutes. So I stroll around the store for 15 minutes. 20 minutes. 30 minutes. 40 minutes. My feet are absolutely killing me from running around for 8 hours and these group of kids are sitting in the chairs, so I can't even sit down to wait. Finally 45 minutes later it was ready. How freaking long can it take to slap somes labels on prepackaged drugs? Bah! Plus my mom was worried when I got home because I was gone so long and the weather was horrid.

But there was at least a little good news yesterday. The moronic twit that sits at our reception desk has finally decided to quit. Good riddance, I say. Let's hope they can actually hire someone competent this time around.

9:02 AM

Hmm, I resemble this cat right about now...

8:52 AM

Rain, rain go away...

Holy cow, is it miserable out. It is raining cats and dogs and isn't supposed to let up until Saturday. What is this, England?

Another sleepless night, due to it being too bloody hot in my bedroom and my mind just wouldn't shut off. I am wicked tired and in dire need of a nap. The urge to pull a George Costanza and sleep under my desk is overwhelming.

I have a car care clinic today, so I will be at work until 9:00 tonight. It will be a crazy day of running around, buying food and supplies, setting up tables and chairs, kicking people's butt to get them to clean out the showroom and shop. By the time the clinic hits, I usually look like a drowned rat from running about and sweating so much. The rain is not going to help with the drowned rat look either...

4:27 PM

This one's for Neicy

2:52 PM

Don't feed the animals...

This is Chris' sister's cat, Callie. We brought a huge bag of peanuts and kept putting nuts out on the deck. Callie had a blast watching the different animals that came to snatch up the nuts.


The chipmunk..

The squirrel...


and the blue jay.

There was also a deer mouse but he was way too quick for me to snap a picture.

2:24 PM

I felt like crap but got some good pics...

This was on the way into the cottage Friday night. The water was like glass. Friday night was the Harvest moon, which was amazingly bright. My pictures of said moon look cruddy, so I will spare you their awfulness.


Saturday morning was sunny but crisp. Chris doesn't look too Canadian with that toque, eh?

Sunday was a truly beautiful day, warm and sunny. Unfortunately I spent most of it trying to nap.

The colours had changed on the trees about a week and a half ago, so the colours were pretty muted, which I was disappointed with. Ah, well. Mother Nature won't wait for you.



11:24 AM

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

3:20 PM

I don't know about you, but I needed a giggle...

2:49 PM

Presenting Captain Bearway...

12:22 PM

Sage advice from a feline...

10:14 AM

For extra work I had done on a project for my general manager, he offered to pay for Chris and I to go out to dinner. I took him up on it last night and we went to the Bombay Grill. I have been slowly trying different eastern and mediterrean dishes, so I was excited to go to an Indian restaurant. Oh, man was it GOOD. We has mixed appetizers of samosas, aloo tikki (spicy potato fritters with curried chick peas) and pakoras (mixed veggie fritters). Yummy. Then Chris had roganjosh (sp?) chicken and I had butter shrimp, with nan and rice. Incredible food, plus I think anything tastes better when you don't have to pay for it :p

Chris' sister Sam and her fiance Ian came over last night. They just got back from Las Vegas and had some amazing pictures to show us. We also got some great gifts from them: Chris got a cool mug for his tea and a CSI long sleeved shirt. I got a stuffed bear wearing a Star Trek uniform, a ginormous mug from Quark's bar and a personalized Star Trek keychain (this was all from Star Trek: The Experience). I will have to post pictures tonight of the bear-he is so cute!

I have to sit down tonight and watch the first episode of Ugly Betty that a coworker taped for me, plus Chris taped the 2nd episode of Heroes for me when I was sick the other night. I am looking forward to watching both of them.

It looks like Sam has her heart set on making a full-blown turkey dinner up at the cottage this weekend, so that should be interesting. Turkey is not cottage food fare, in my opinion-too much hassle and fuss. Plus I am starting to feel a little guilty about leaving Mom alone for the weekend, but I had to figure if she was in her own apartment she would be doing her own thing anyway. That really doesn't make me feel much better about it, but I will just have to live with my guilt.

3:10 PM

Ooh, have I got a doozy of a headache today. I think it stems from the delightful neckache I've had for the past few days. I really need to go see a massage therapist, but I am just to darn cheap to go. And a word of advice: do not go lifting multiple window air conditioners by yourself. My lower back feels like an elephant did a tapdance on it.

I finally got a hold of my grandmother and told her about the engagement. She was very happy and it was nice to talk to her. She lives about 3 hours away, so I basically see her about once a year, which sucks because she is an awesome woman. She is supposed to be coming down towards the end of the month to see the puppies at Dad's, so I can get in a visit then.

I had a pretty quiet weekend. I worked Saturday until 1:00 then headed out to Chris'. We went to Chapters and roamed around in there for a while and then had Chris' chili for dinner. Sunday was spent alternating between cleaning out my closet, moving the air conditioners and laundry.

There was a marathon of "How not to Decorate" on so I watched that in between my housework. The hosts, Colin & Justin were in Toronto this weekend, but I coulnd't be bothered going to the Home Show to see them. They are absolutely hilarious, though. If you don't know the show, it is about them going to the worst homes in Britain and giving them a total makeover. Colin and Justin are two very loud, blunt Scottish gay guys who do the decorating-they are just a riot.

This coming weekend is Thanksgiving here in Canada, so I am looking forward to the long weekend. We are probably going up to Chris' family's cottage, so it should be nice. Hopefully his sister's fiance doesn't drive us wacky with his incessant chatting and I hope the two of them don't get drunk, either. That would not make for a pleasant weekend.

And to Neicy: words cannot express how horrible I feel about what you went through this weekend. Please, please stay safe and strong and take care of yourself. I wish there was someway I could help you, but know that you are in my thoughts.

12:38 PM

8:58 AM

If only it could be that easy...

8:51 AM

It's Friday, but I have to work again tomorrow so the week isn't quite at an end yet. It's been a horrid week at work, so I am anxious for it to be over with.

My mom got news from her social worker this week that they will probably have a place for her in November. That wasw at least a little bit of good news this week, even if it isn't anything definite. It hasn't been so bad having her at the apartment, but I guess it's easier this time since I have my car and can take off at will.

Otherwise, this has really just been an awful week, both professionally and personally. So here's to next week being a better one. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

9:02 AM



This strip reminded me of most of my co-workers. Most of whom have been making my life at work a living hell over the past few weeks. Grrr.

We are having a catered luncheon today for our fleet manager, who is retiring. I will miss Bob, as he is a really good guy and the only competent manager on staff. A free lunch is always a good thing, especially when the company is paying for it :p

Our company just sold our sister dealership in Oakville, so tonight our social club is having a goodbye dinner for our member from that dealership, Nancy. We are going to Crabby Joe's for some food and drinks. I really hate this, as I will miss Nancy terribly. She's become a good buddy, so hopefully we can keep in touch. There are now only two of us on the social committee and Nicole is, well, a twit. Nice enough girl, but utterly useless so I am just dreading planning the upcoming year's events.

Had a really nice dinner last night-Chris made stuffed peppers, steak and baked potatoes. He also got me a rose and a card to try and cheer me up. I just wish I could get out of this funk...

8:35 AM

9:29 AM

I would say "woohoo, it's Friday", but I have volunteered to work the next two Saturdays so Friday doesn't mean much. The wedding will not pay for itself, especially since the budget has now doubled, so I'll have to try and earn any extra cash that I can.

I'm sorry I haven't posted much, I've been down in the dumps and not overtalkative in general. Hopefully next week will be better. Have a great weekend and Neicy, have a fabulous party! Wish I could come!

9:28 AM

8:25 AM

What's in your purse?

Okay, this is from over at Kristi's blog. This should be interesting because my purse weighs a ridiculous amount, so maybe there is more crap in there than I thought...

1. Bottle of Advil gelcaps

2. My car keys and house keys

3. My wallet

4. My digital camera and extra batteries

5. Hairbrush

6. Several crumpled receipts and paystubs

7. Pressed powder compact

8. Change purse with my birth certificate, and various other cards

9. My cell phone

10. Two hair clips

11. Pepto Bismol chewables

12. My prescription sunglasses and case

13. Oh look, another pressed powder compact

14. An old shopping list

15. A Papermate Dryline correction tape (how the heck did that get in there?)

16. 2 lip glosses and 3 lipsticks

17. 3 Pens

18. 1 lonely Halls cough drop

19. And two items I won't mention since, well, I am embarrassed.

20. A packet of those little papers you use to take the shine off your nose

Wow, and I was making fun of poor Kristi with all the stuff she had in her purse! No wonder the damn thing is as heavy as a brick...

9:55 AM

Odd question survey

Apparently it's survey week, because this is the second one I've gotten so far and this one is huge! So prepare yourself for all the inane details, lol

Are your parents married or divorced? Divorced

Are you a vegetarian? No, but I like lots of vegetarian dishes

Do you believe in Heaven? No

Have you ever come close to dying? Luckily, no

What jewelry do you wear 24/7? My gold claddagh ring that Chris gave me for our 6th annv.

Are you eating? Yes, jalepeno Tostitos (healthy, I know)

Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Yep

Do you wear makeup? I own a ridiculous amount, but wear a minimal amount

Would you ever have plastic surgery? I don't think so

What do you wear to bed? My underwear

Have you ever done anything illegal? Yes, but nothing that other stupid teenagers haven't done

Can you roll your tongue? No

Do You have a boyfriend or girlfriend? A fiance

Do you believe in Abortions? I am pro-choice, but abortion is not a form of birth control

What is your Hair color? Naturally light brown. Currently dyed light auburn

Future child's name, boy and girl? Boy-Logan Girl-Rowan

Do you smoke? No

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Scotland

Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Nope

If you won the lottery, what would you do first? Quit my bloody job

Gold or silver? Gold

Hamburger or hot dog? Yum, do I have to pick just one?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Shrimp!!

City, beach or country? Country

What was the last thing you touched? My keyboard

Where did you eat last? At my desk

When's the last time you cried? Yesterday (this wedding crap is getting to me...)

Do you read blogs? Yep, Neicy's and Kristi's

Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex? I doubt it

Ever been involved with the police? I was a witness in a murder trial once

What's your favorite shampoo/conditioner and soap? Pantene and Lavender Chamomile Body Wash

Do you talk in your sleep? How the heck would I know?

Ocean or pool? Pool

What's your favorite song at the moment? Baby Hold On by the Dixie Chicks

Have you ever had a cavity? One, when I was fifteen

Window seat or aisle seats? Window seats

Ever met anyone famous? No (Brad Pitt, where are you??)

Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life? Heck, no

Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Cut it (I suck at twirling)

What is your fav. sport to play? Is minigolf a sport?

Basketball or football? Basketball

Do you drive a stick? No

Cake or ice cream? Ice cream!!!

Are you self-conscious? Big time

Do you like any of your close friends? I should hope so!

Have you ever given money to a bum? Nope

Have you been in love? Yes

Where do you wish you were? At home sleeping

Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Once, when I passed out during a panic attack at work

Can you tango? No, but that would be so cool to learn

Last gift you received? Flowers from Chris

What occasion did you recieve your gift? No reason, just to cheer me up

Last thing you spent lots of money on? My wedding dress

Where do you live? Stoney Creek, Ontario

Last wedding attended? My cousin Ryan's, about 4 years ago

Favorite restaurant? Kelsey's

What is your favorite kind of car? Honda Accord

Most hated food(s)? Brussel sprouts, onions, eggs

Most loved food(s)? Shrimp, pizza, steak, guacamole, cheesecake, pasta

Can you sing? So-so

Person on your mind? Chris

What's your least fav. chores? All of them?

Favorite drink? Cranberry & vodka

Currently have a Crush? Just on my honey

How long was your longest drive in a car? Sudbury (six hours)

2:34 PM

Is it Friday yet??

Today is one of those days. You know, when you want to go postal on everyone because they are just bloody annoying. Chris' exact words were, "Man, you are TESTY today". Testy? Hah, that is the polite way for saying BITCHY.

The cause of this wondrous mood-no sleep. And why no sleep? Because wedding plans are getting more complicated by the minute. But I can't be completely selfish or I will truly be a Bridezilla. Looks like we are going to have a small wedding instead of eloping. Chris' dad and sister were pretty upset at the notion of not being able to attend and I can empathize with them. Their family is so small now with Chris' mom gone and they rely on each other a great deal. So I can make concessions for that. So I have a guest list of 15 people (that is Chris' ENTIRE family plus my dad, stepmother, mother, grandmother and 3 close friends). This small group is still going to screw with my budget, but hopefully my dad and Chris' dad will at least kick in a bit of money to help out. WE had set a date of february 2008, but now with people coming, we don't want to do it in winter. So I am pushing for summer 2007 (I really don't want to wait until summer 2008-it's almost 2 years away!).

On the plus side, I found my dress! In case you didn't know, I am a huge Ebay junkie. I used to spend a ridiculous amount of money but now it's just a few purchases here and there when I find a great deal. So this dress is brand-new from Emme Bridal and retails for almost $700 US dollars. I won the auction last night--for $90!!! Woo hoo! The measurements are perfect and I think it will be wonderful for an intimate wedding (not too formal, but still feels like wedding dress to me) . I also got my jewellery and hair accessories. Ha! All I need is a venue and money to pay for it and I'm all set. Oh wait, I guess I need Chris there , too :P

2:28 PM

The Dress


3:21 PM

This was an email a former coworker sent me today and I thought it could be fun to post it here:

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Service Coordinator
2. Receptionist/Admin
3. School Age Childcare Supervisor
4. Cashier

Four movies I have watched over and over:

1. Star Wars
2. Beverly Hills Cop
3. X-Men
4. Finding Nemo

Four places I have lived:

1. Burlington, Ontario
2. Hamilton, Ontario
3. Stoney Creek, Ontario
4. Ancaster, Ontario (these are all within 15 minutes of each other)

Four TV shows EI enjoy watching:

1. CSI
2. Star Trek (all except Enterprise)
3. Buffy & Angel
4. American Idol

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. Orlando (when I was ten)
2. Cottage Country, Ontario
3.
4. (I need to get a life apparently...)

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Shrimp!!
2. Spicy Guacamole and fresh Salsa (yum!)
3. Steak
4. Cheesecake

Four Places I would rather be right now:

1. Asleep in bed
2. Curled up on the couch with Chris
3. Playing with puppies
4. God, anywhere but work!

4:47 PM

star wars audtions

I loved the Christopher Walken part (all it needed was "I need more cowbell")

8:51 AM



Ta da! The ring is here-woo hoo! It is even better in person-I can't stop looking at it. Most of the people at work know now (because, well, I keep sticking my ring in everyone's face). I really want to tell my dad, but Chris and I haven't worked out how we are going to tell him. I don't want to wait much longer, because he should be one of the first people to know.

I want to elope. Getting the rest of the world to go along with this apparently is not going to be as easy as I thought. I know my parents really won't be too put off by me not having an actual wedding, but Chris thinks his dad might want to attend. That just puts a whole new spin on things. There are two big reasons I want to elope: money and my parents.

The money part is obvious: I would much rather spend $1500 on an amazing elopement for the two of us than say 5-10,000 dollars on a full wedding. Because if we do have a full wedding, it will be large because my side of the family is huge. Chris thinks we could just have a small wedding with just our parents and his sister and grandparents, but this leads to my second problem...

My parents and my stepmother. My parents do not even remotely like each other and my stpemother hates my mother. Now I know they would all behave for my sake on the big day, but the thing is I won't be comfortable. The thought of being in a intimate setting with all three of them there actually make me nauseous. I really don't need the pain of my teenage years being thrust in my face on my wedding day.

And to top it all off, I am excited to actually set a date. I desperately need something in my life to look forward to. Chris, in his current mental state, has no enthusiasm for this. So it has kind of sucked all the wind from my sails.

Man, I see how people turn into Bridezillas! It totally takes over your mind! All I can think about is WEDDING. Please shoot me, now....

6:47 PM

The proposal...

9:13 AM

Happy, happy, joy, joy...

I think we all have those moments where something just strikes you. An epiphany of sorts. Well, I had one two weeks ago while watchin Little Miss Sunshine. Greg Kinnear's character is a motivational speaker, who goes on about the difference between winners and losers, and some of his words really hit home. I have been so depressed about my relationship with Chris not moving forward, complaining about all the people around us who are engaged, getting married, etc. But who am I to complain and be depressed when I am not doing anything myself to move our relationship along? Why should the responsibility be on Chris to propose? Soooooo.....

On Saturday, we went to the Water Street Cooker, which is one of our favourite restaurants and where we normally go for our anniversary. Earlier, I had stopped by the restaurant and given them a personalized pewter beer stein to serve Chris his beer in (as he will usually have a drink when we go out somewhere for dinner). So we sit down and the server takes our drink orders. I order a cosmopolitan to encourage him to order something alcoholic, but lo and behold he orders a green tea. Argh!! So the poor waitress gives me a panicked look and leaves to get our drinks. So now I figure Chris will go wash his hands, since we get bread and olives at the table, and I can go talk to the server. Nope, he eats the stuff with his fork. So the server comes back with his tea and sets the beer stein in front of him. He looks at it strangely and reads the inscription "Chris, Will You Marry Me? Love Leah". I don't think I have ever seen someone looked so shocked-it was priceless. I'm tearing up and telling him he was SUPPOSED to order a beer...then he says "Of course I will". Eeeeeee! What a moment of elation. I scooted across the table and kissed him, which I also think shocked him because we aren't ones for PDA's. We had a fabulous dinner and a wonderfully romantic evening afterwards that went as I had planned.

So that's why I haven't slept in two weeks and have been so anxious. Now if everyone would just stop asking us when the big day is...Geesh, let us get used to this whole engaged thing first (we have only told 3 people so far and that was the first thing they asked)! My ring should get here by the end of the week or next after the sizing is done on it. It's an emerald (Chris' birth stone) surrounded by diamonds (my birth stone) so I am excited for it to arrive. Then we can get around to telling all the family and such. Eeeeee!

11:59 AM

Aside from a lingering cough and a little congestion, the darn cold has finally lost its grip. I am so glad Friday has finally arrived, as it has been a trying week for me at work. Chris is coming out to have lunch with me today, so that will be a nice break.

I'm sorry I haven't posted much recently, but I have been in such emotional turmoil over the past two weeks that I am finding it hard to keep my thoughts organized. After Saturday, hopefully I can post about what has been causing me so much anxiety (and hopefully it comes to a happy resolution). Hopefully the weepiness will go away by then, too.

I don't have many people in my life that are close to me. Aside from Chris, my friend Elizabeth and my mom, I really have no one to talk to or confide in (and sometimes I can' talk to them because THEY are the cource of my distress). So I must give a huge thank you to Neicy and Kristi. Both of you have been wonderful, always giving me support and making me smile and letting me have a glimpse into your lives through your blogs. Who would have ever thought that two strangers, miles away, could offer you more friendship and kindness than the people around you everyday?

Here's a little chuckle for the day, since I think we all could use one. Fortunately, my cockatiel Lucky hasn't picked up any bad words from our TV habits...


3:32 PM

New "half" siblings...



Bailey and Barney!