I did this for Tuna since she tagged me -
Will take a moment later hopefully and post a few pictures from our trip so far.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:10 am.
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? Monster House
4. What is your favorite TV show? Lost, Prison Break, BB7
5. What did you have for breakfast? Nothing Yet
6. What is your middle name(s)? Margaret.
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Greek.
8. What foods do you dislike? Liver
9. What is your favorite crisp flavour? Dill Pickle/Prawn Cocktail
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I don't have one
11. What type of car do you drive? KIA Sportage
12. What type of car do you WANT to drive? A Hummer or a MR8
13. What characteristics do you despise in people? Two-Facedness, Bitterness.
14. Favorite item of clothing? Just about all my shoes.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Australia.
16. Favorite brand of clothing? I don't have one.
17. Where would you like to retire? Kefalonia or the South Shore.
18. Favorite time of the day? Lunch Time.
19. What was your most memorable birthday? 29th (When I met Andy).
20. Where were you born? St. John's.
21. Favorite sport to watch? Olympics.
22. What's your favorite restaurant? Canada - East Side's, England - Beluga
23. How often do you wash your sheets? Not often enough.
24. What fabric detergent do you use? Tesco Colours
25. Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke - England/Diet Pepsi Canada
26. Are you a morning person or night owl? Neither.
27. What is your shoe size? 5 1/2 (UK).
28. Do you have any pets? Molly my naughty, lovable golden lab
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your family and friends? I ache like fuck after mud sliding yesterday!
30. What did you want to be when you were little? Major League Baseballer or a vet

************FAVORITES*************
Shampoo? Redkin All Soft.
Perfume? CK - Euphoric
Soap? Dove Macadamia Nut Oil
Day/Night? Either
Summer/Winter? Summer
Favorite commercial? Guiness Advert

*************RIGHT NOW************
Wearing? Stacy's pajama's.
Eating? Nothing
Drinking? Nothing.
Thinking about? Plans for today
Listening to: Not Ready to Make Nice - Dixie Chicks

*********THE LAST 24 HOURS*********
Cried? No.
Made a new friend? Only the little girl that was mud sliding along side us who I helped up the hill, lol
Cleaned your room? Nope.
Drove a car? Nope.
How many hours slept? 8 hours.

********DO YOU BELIEVE IN***********
God? Yes.
Yourself? Sometimes.
Your friends? Absolutely.
Santa Claus? Certainly the Idea.
Destiny/Fate? I'm not sure, but I think so
Ghosts? Spirits? Yes.

One More Sleep...

Our bags are packed and in the car ready for our journey to Gatwick tomorrow. We leave at 6:30 a.m. to ensure we make it to London in plenty of time. Connor is sound asleep but Alex, who is letting the excitement get the best of him, is listlessly waiting for sleep to overcome him. I suppose its a bit like Christmas for them really. I think it's hard for all of us to really believe that our much anticipated trip home is finally here. Finally our boys will get to meet my parents and all others who I hold so near and dear, as well as reunite with those they have already come to love. Finally they get to experience the fantastic place that was home to me for so long, and will always be home to me - Nova Scotia.

I have a feeling we aren't the only ones who are this excited.

One~more~sleep.

Party Party

To say last night was fantastic fun is an understatement. The restaurant was perfect - the ambiance, food, drink and company were all top notch. Andy received a multitude of cards and gifts but I think his favourite was from his family: two tickets to Dublin in October. I'm glad my name was on one of them!

My Birthday Boy
40 today!



This one was just too cute to resist:
Andy and Claire

I'm so impressed with the man this sweet little boy has grown into and I am proud to call him my husband.

Happy Birthday Andrew.

Spoiled? Well Maybe

On Saturday morning Andy and I took the boys shopping uptown to purchase the necessary clothing for our impending holiday. (Did I mention our holiday this year just happens to be Nova Scotia?) After finding them the required swimming wear, footwear, etc., we ended up browsing around as I was looking for some comfy flipflops for myself to take home.

Andy ended up buying me a pair of dressier black leather shoes for work, a pair of New Balance trainers that were so on sale it wasn't avoidable (even though I don't need new trainers) and a pair of sandals to wear with summer pants/skirts. It was when I went in Brantano that I decided I should probably by myself the next pair of shoes I found - a lovely pair of leather black flip flops that are dressy enough for work. All in all I felt very spoiled. I will say that I told Andy to put the trainers away for me for Christmas (he wasn't bothered either way) but I figured three pairs in one day was enough. Granted I won't be wearing the black patent leather flats until Autumn, but if I'd waited till then I would have paid full whack and when there is a sale on at Clark's you just have to take advantage.

Of course the quest for casual flops is still on - if I don't win my bid on Ebay for Rocket Dogs, I will just pick up a cheap pair along the way. I really can't complain.

Ah, the sweet smell of village living

Last night Alex, Andy and I were continuously sussing each other out to determine who had let the stinker off. Although it didn't quite smell like normal gas, it was an unpleasant scent and we are always quick to lay the blame on each other. Naturally, Molly was taking the majority of blame. When the smell continued on through the evening, Alex finally realized what it was:

We live in a village surrounded by farms. Every year at this time the farmers spread their fields with a coating of manure. Temperatures have been in the mid-to-high 20's.

Enough said.

Her Father's Daughter



A night with her friends... Prom 2006

Alex let me know this evening just before six o'clock that Tasha had told him where she was going to be meeting up with her friends tonight before heading to the venue where prom was being held, just in case we wanted to see her in her dress. We did. So we picked up Wendy and raced down to the church but had missed her by minutes.

We then decided to drive out to the place where her prom was being held, where there were lots of other families happily awaiting the arrival of the limousines, buses, and even the horse and carriage arriving with the prom goers. Tasha and her mates pulled up on the (outside) top deck of a double decker bus and I was happy to have taken at least a few pictures to show her father. They aren't the best shots, but at least her dad will get to see what she looked like on the night of her school prom.

Serenity

Last night I firmed up the final details with Tim, from Mercy River. On August 2nd and 3rd we will be sleeping in one of these:



I can't begin to express how much I am looking forward to going back to the most peaceful place on earth. To think that Andy is finally going to get to experience what this place 'feels' like, is almost as exciting as the place itself.

It's been a difficult month, as I have previously mentioned and it is with every passing day that I become more eager to get back home, back where the living is easy and where all the hassle will be left far behind. It's not only me that needs this break but Andy, and more importantly Alex. I believe this trip is going to be just the medicine this family needs. To show our boys my home is truly something I am looking forward to more than anything.

Just the other day I received confirmation that Tawny will be joining us for an extra long weekend, something that made me smile - an extra bonus. On her blog she mentions all the great things we will get to do, and I can't wait. I think we will will also need to have a little 'topple' down at Pogue's before finishing the night off with Venus Pizza. Any takers?

It's all in the presentation

Saturday morning found us in a major dispute with the woman next door. Now for the past year or so, I have kept her at a distance, only exchanging pleasantries, as things had become difficult last year while Alex was living with us. Her son and Alex just don't get along and as it was stressing Julie to the max, she ended up screaming an awful lot. This I can't take. So to save our tenuous friendship, I decided to keep my distance and just chat across the garden fence.

Saturday morning she came out and informed Andy that we need to start being 'responsible' dog owners and picking up after Molly's mess, straightaway. This ultimately got Andy's back up because if we are anything, its responsible when it comes to Molly. It was getting heated so I was called out and tried to calm it down a bit. I agreed that it is disgusting and we do try to pick it up as soon as possible. She was disagreeing with everything we said, besides she hates dogs. I will admit that over the winter months it would gather up a bit, and was gross, but not left for days as she was saying. Since the warmer weather has come I've picked it up every morning and evening - whenever I notice it, cause who wants to sit out in a shitty garden? Our kids play out there, we cook out there and I sun out there all the time. Would I really lay out in that? Not to mention the flies it attracts - gross, I know. The bottom line is, I can understand how she feels about seeing it - no one wants to see it, but sometimes you don't notice straight away, our back door is open all day and Molly comes and goes.

All she had to do was politely ask if we would mind cleaning up after her straightaway, instead of insulting us and making us feel as if we are dirty people. Andy was well pissed - we have done a lot for this woman in the past i.e. sort out her electrics, help her install her washer, remove a fridge, etc.

And isn't it ironic, but just last week we were trying to impress upon Connor the importance of picking up after his dog (Jane went and got them a dog two weeks after Alex left - don't ask). Apparently Alex says they don't take poo bags with them while walking it, and no one wants to pick it up out of the garden.

You just can't win for losing.

What the double F?

Saturday morning after all the stress, I took myself off out with Beryl. We ended up doing a little bit of 'Retail Therapy'. We went in to a little shop called 'Pretty Woman' as I was looking to have a proper bra fitting, in the hope of buying a much needed, well fitting bra. I'd had a fitting back at Christmas from La Senza, and wasn't surprised to find that I measured at a 38DD, a size I'd been wearing for years. Lately though, I've been thinking that this just doesn't seem right. I watched an episode of Oprah where they said most women are wearing the wrong size, and pointed out the right style bra for various sizes. And the big sizes aren't all cumbersome and ugly as in years past.

So off we went into Pretty Woman where the fitting was much more professional and 'real'. Was I wrong about my size? Yes. What made me happy is that instead of being a bulky 38 width I am a 34. Trouble is, my cup size is FF. What the hell? I didn't even know there was such a thing. So here I am, a 34FF. After dropping a lot of money on this one bra I liked the way I looked in, I took myself off home. To say that my husband is well pleased with the result is an understatement. It just makes me think that my more endowed sisters might need to take a trip to a lingerie shop ;)