Tentative Plans

38 weeks

2012-01-24T17:18:00.004-08:00

Remember when I said that this pregnancy has been kind to me? Last week? Perhaps I should have held my tongue. My back has been extremely sore for days, which means I can't move very quickly anymore. Strangers stare at me as I totter down the street. And then last night I had a muscle spasm in my calf. Not fun, friends. It's not fun for the person sharing your bed either, because you'll probably wake him up and ask him to make it stop. Actually, I wish I had been so calm.

But I'm not really complaining. I get to rest at home now that I'm done work, and so far, it's awesome. I just have to be strategic about my trips up and down the stairs. And I have to restrain myself from cleaning odd corners of the house. It's harder than it sounds.

37 weeks

2012-01-16T11:24:00.005-08:00

Three weeks to go until the due date, and I just want to take a moment -- before everything gets crazy -- to acknowledge that this pregnancy has been kind to me.

Oh sure, I've had my share of ailments. My nose has been stuffed up every morning for the past seven months. I was nauseous for two months during the first trimester, though I avoided throwing up for the most part. My thighs go numb if I'm standing or walking for too long, and that's been happening since November. I've had heart burn, but not as bad as some. My feet just started swelling a little in recent weeks. And yes, I have stretch marks on my belly.

But overall, pregnancy has been a pleasant experience. I've been sleeping well. I've only taken a couple of sick days, and that was for exhaustion more than anything else. I haven't had any crazy cravings, and my appetite hasn't let me down (though I had to avoid beef and leafy greens in the early days). I've sidestepped colds (touch wood), and I've only had a couple of headaches. Not bad.

These days I have a hard time getting comfortable, and I'm quite emotional. I had a good cry on Saturday after hearing the song Glory for the first time. We had a miscarriage just over a year ago, so Jay-Z's lyrics really struck a chord. I think it's monumental that he acknowledges the fear that accompanies pregnancy, especially after miscarriage. Jezebel thinks so too.

36 weeks

2012-01-10T20:17:00.004-08:00

We're in the home stretch, friends. I'm done work on January 20! I can't bend over very easily! I get really grumpy when I haven't eaten enough! I get overwhelmed when the hospital tour guide provides too many details about the delivery room (why do I need to know where the IV bags are?)! And even though I've been pregnant for eight months, I'm still sort of surprised that we're going to have a baby. Woah.

Tentative Plans

2012-01-05T12:14:00.005-08:00

I have a few tentative plans for 2012. They're pretty modest for obvious reasons (i.e. I'm having a baby), but this is usually the case for me anyway.

Last year I planned to go to lure myself to the gym with the promise of a sauna afterwards, I planned to print and frame family photos, I planned to take care of my knives and I planned take advantage of my benefits with regular ~~massages~~ chiropractor appointments. I've done all of these things, to a certain extent, so I'm happy to strike them off the list.

This year I plan to be more mindful of the movies I watch, I plan to learn how to use my new camera (an Olympus PEN E-P3) and I plan to take a break from the Internet every now and again. Maybe one day a week?

For the movies, I'm going to use Johanna Schneller's Twelve 2011 movies that moved spirit and soul as a starting point. I was already a fan of the list when I saw that Beginners was included. It was my favorite movie of 2011.

Since reading the list, I've already watched and The Trip (on new year's eve) and Win Win (on new year's day), so I'm off to a good start. They were great, by the way. But not as good as Beginners.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T19:07:00.002-08:00

We're really looking forward to 2012, friends.

(P.S. You can find links our past holiday cards here.)

34 weeks

2011-12-28T16:58:00.005-08:00

Well, here I am showing a little more skin than I would have expected. While pregnant. In December. Et cetera. This pool is at the hotel where we spent Christmas and where we'll be departing from tomorrow. I wanted to swim in it every day, but I only managed to make it happen on Christmas Day. The lovely bath, on the other hand, got a little more use.

Michael and I planned this trip to Vancouver as a last hurrah. I've been feeling a little too uncomfortable to live up to the original vision, but it has been lovely all the same. We've seen some of our best buddies (inlcuding a couple of the cutest kids), we both bought fancy new shoes and we (finally) ate at Bao Bei.

It's not the same as celebrating the holidays with family, but I'll take it.

33 weeks

2011-12-20T07:53:00.002-08:00

We took this photo on Saturday morning (our photo shoots usually take place on Sunday afternoons), just before we drove to Courtenay to visit the cutest family around. The lighting was poor, but my iPhone pulled through, I think. I still want me a new camera, though, so I'm hoping the Boxing Day sales in Vancouver don't disappoint.

I'm starting to feel worn out, friends. My busy job, Christmas and my big belly have taken their toll, and I'm counting down the days until the holidays. I'm also counting down the days until my last day of work: January 20 (if everything goes according to plan). That's exactly one month from today. I'm in the home stretch!

'Tis the season

2011-12-15T08:21:00.004-08:00

31 weeks

2011-12-05T07:56:00.004-08:00

This picture is courtesy of my roomie Jen. Michael is in Saskatchewan for a little visit, so I had to wrangle her (enthusiastic) assistance, especially since I missed last week's 30 week landmark. We pulled this off in record time since we were running out the door to do holiday things (attend a craft fair, buy a Christmas tree, eat some chocolate covered hazelnuts), which I hope explains why I wasn't really thinking about what to do with my thumbs.

29 weeks

2011-11-21T09:10:00.001-08:00

My belly is getting bigger. This should be no surprise, yet it feels noteworthy.

Another remarkable event: I'm officially waddling, and it's taking me a lot longer to get places these days. Even so, I continue to do a lot of walking because my chiropractor says it's the best thing I can do to prepare for labour. I always feel a little creaky when I set out, but after a couple of minutes, my body settles into itself.

Other than the walking, I've been attending a prenatal yoga class every Tuesday. Even though I love the teacher and the other pregnant ladies, I always have trouble gearing up for the class (I may be guilty of skipping a couple of them). I guess this is true for almost every activity these days, especially those that take place after a full day of work.

New car

2011-11-16T07:58:00.001-08:00

As promised, some pictures of our new car (a 2010 Elantra Touring). What a cutie.

28 weeks

2011-11-15T08:03:00.005-08:00

Yeah, so 28 weeks. I'm really having trouble sleeping these days, but I can't tell if it's pregnancy related, daylight savings related or food related. I do I know that it's the worst. I'm often in bed by 9 or 10 because I'm so run down, but then my body is up at 3 or 4 or 5, fussing about silly things or wanting to go to the bathroom again. This morning I was up at 5:30 reading A Feast for Crows (the fourth book in the George R. R. Martin fantasy series). I wish I could say that the book kept me up because it's so engaging, but it's actually a bit of a slog right now. Even so, I have to say that it's been fun to read a consuming series during this pregnancy. It has been perfectly distracting.

P.S. Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

26 weeks

2011-10-30T19:05:00.004-07:00

This was a great week. We bought a car (a black Elantra Touring). And then we drove around the city and got a million things done. Doing things is easier with a car, you guys. I love it to pieces. I have tentative plans to post a photo of the new addition to our family soon. Until then, this jazzy photo will have to suffice.

25 weeks

2011-10-23T18:45:00.007-07:00

I've been feeling more awkward lately, and you can see why. I painted my toe nails today, and I'm pretty sure that's the last time that's going to happen for several months. I guess that means I'll have to go for a pedicure or two at Silk Road. Such is life.

Overall, I'm still feeling really good. I've been worried about getting a cold, but I think I'm in the clear (for now). Michael got sick, so we've been taking it easy this weekend. Thankfully, I'm still sleeping really well (I slept for 11 hours last night!), so that helps. So does a virgin hot toddy.

23 weeks

2011-10-11T11:06:00.004-07:00

I had my latest midwife appointment this morning and everything is looking good. I can't get enough of listening to the baby's heart beat! I want my own machine so I can listen all day. I do feel the odd flutter of activity, which is reassuring, but it's very subtle because of the position of the placenta. Too much information?

22 weeks

2011-10-05T18:20:00.004-07:00

Michael took this photo on Sunday, and I've just been too dang lazy to post it until now. The belly may not seem much bigger, but trust me, it is. I can't wear my old pants anymore, so I bought some maternity pants last week, and I love them so much. Other than the new pants, I've been wearing jersey dresses, and they've been serving me just fine, but I'm unsure how long I'll be able to keep up it up with the tights and leggings. Will they keep me warm in the winter? Will I have trouble putting them on and taking them off when my belly gets bigger? Will Michael need to help me with the ungraceful task? I'll keep you posted.

Rifflandia

2011-09-27T08:49:00.003-07:00

We only went to two nights of the festival, but we loved what we heard. These are my favorites.

The Cave Singers:

Painted Palms:

Damien Jurado:

21 weeks

2011-09-25T16:21:00.003-07:00

I can't promise that you won't tire of these photos and my increasingly limited wardrobe, but I'm going to stick to my guns and keep up with them for my own sake. And maybe the baby will want to see them one day?

This weekend Michael and I went to Rifflandia, a music festival in Victoria. Let's go to concerts while we still can, we said. Well, we had so much fun that I suspect we'll attend the day-time shows next year, with the baby in tow.

I'll share some of our favorite music later this week.

20 weeks

2011-09-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

I do plan to write some details about how I'm feeling these days, but whenever I have a moment I'm too tired (that's how I'm feeling these days). For now, these photos will have to suffice.

19 weeks

2011-09-11T17:29:00.003-07:00

I'm pregnant!

I ate this

2011-07-24T18:35:00.002-07:00

Fried chicken on a waffle. It was beyond.

It begins

2011-06-17T15:25:00.006-07:00

Summer fun has started, which usually means I spend less time on the computer. Last Sunday we spent the afternoon at the Island Chef's Food Fest, which was held at Fort Rodd Hill. I've wanted to go to this event (and Fort Rodd Hill, for that matter) for a long time, but it never worked out until this year. It was delicious, especially the desserts: apple & beet crisp, chocolate baklava, quince ice cream.

This weekend we'll be spending every minute with twin nieces who have been walking since Christmas and a nephew who just turned four years old. It will be loud and awesome.

Outside

2011-05-29T19:39:00.006-07:00

Today I got to eat outside...

...lounge on my new chair...

...walk with my buddy...

...and it felt good.

On Miranda July

2011-05-23T10:23:00.004-07:00

There's a lot of love for Miranda July these days, and I'm bursting with my share. Her second movie, The Future, will be released this summer (though I suspect I will have to wait a little longer since I doubt it will come to Victoria movie theaters).

Did you see her first movie, Me and you and everyone we know? A few times? Maybe you read Nobody Belongs Here More Than You, her collection of short stories? Or maybe you have a copy of Learning to Love You More in your bathroom (I gave my copy to my parents, but I have tentative plans)? Did you post her short film, Are you the favorite person of anybody? on your blog? Or -- last one -- do you revisit her treatise on why you should vote before every election? Did you share it on your work's social networking site? And were you thrilled when a few people you've never met "liked" it?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're probably a fan of Miranda July too. Or maybe you answered no to all of the questions because you've never heard of Miranda July before, but now you're intrigued. If that's the case, you can take this diagnostic test to see if you should watch her latest movie. And while you're at that website, you should probably sign up to get your future divined every week.

P.S. I would like a copy of this poster.

Music

2011-05-17T11:23:00.004-07:00

I bought the new Fleet Foxes album, as planned, and I love it, as expected. And when I want to listen to something a little different, I've been listening to Ellie Goulding, who I recently heard on Saturday Night Live:

I hear some influence from the Cranberries, no?

Rhododendron

2011-05-15T19:57:00.007-07:00

It doesn't feel like spring, but it sure looks like spring, part 2:

I used to dislike rhododendrons. They look so spindly when they aren't blooming, you know? But they're very popular in these parts, and I was sold when I saw the giant rhodos at Government House. When they bloom, the park looks like a circus. I have tentative plans to take some photos of them this week so I can frame some colourful prints.

The rhodo pictured here is outside our house, and it's really happy right now (unlike last year). So that's one good thing I can say about all this rain.

Again with City Museum

2011-05-10T07:40:00.006-07:00

Remember when I wrote about City Museum way back when? I described the museum as a crazy dream world fantasy. I still want to go, especially after I read this description on Design*Sponge:

Part museum, part playground, part funhouse where repurposed architectural and industrial objects mix with cranes, planes, buses, a vintage photobooth, an aquarium, underground tunnels, a 10-story spiral slide, a working Ferris wheel on top of the building and so much more. Housed in a former shoe company, City Museum was named one of the “World’s 10 Best Public Spaces” by the New York-based Project for Public Spaces.

Now I need to find a reason to go to St. Louis.

I also need to find a way to work for the Project for Public Spaces.

Pain in the back

2011-05-07T15:14:00.002-07:00

Throwing your back out is embarrassing.

I was riding my bike home on Tuesday. When I stood on my pedals to hustle through an intersection, my lower back seized up. I managed to pedal to the other side of the street in slow motion while a car crawled behind me, waiting to turn.

You guys, I was holding up traffic.

Once I made it to the side of the road, I sat on my bike for a couple of minutes, one foot on the curb, confused as to what to do next. Cyclists passed me and looked over their shoulders at my stunned expression. I probably should have asked for help, but my instincts told me that hiding my shame was a better plan.

Somehow I managed to lift my right leg over my bike frame and hobble to some steps. That's where I sat until my family came to get me 10 minutes later. While I was waiting, I refused to make eye contact with the pedestrians who looked my way. I don't think I managed to hide my pain though. I was hugging the stair railing and sitting at an awkward angle, grimacing. Not as low profile as I would have liked.

I couldn't stand or walk, so Michael and his brother Matthew carried me to my parents' van. With one arm around each of their shoulders, they kept me in the sitting position and put me on the floor of the Westfalia.

Nothing to see here, folks.

Once home, I sat in the driveway for a good 30 minutes -- surrounded by my mom, my dad and Michael -- before we concluded that I wasn't leaving the van. We drove to the hospital instead, and an ambulance attendant helped me into a wheel chair. A few hours and an x-ray later, I left with pain killers and instructions to lay low for the next few days.

Back at home, I was still embarrassed about the whole situation. There were so many witnesses! Sure, they were witnesses that gave me hugs and birthday cards, but they were witnesses all the same. When Matthew left for the airport (he's moving back to Saskatchewan), I had to say goodbye from my bed. Same for my parents. They left for Seattle on Wednesday, and my last hours with them were spent in the bedroom. For shame.

Now Michael and I are on our own until our roomies return from their holiday on Monday. My back is much better, and I'm moving around on my own, for the most part. I've left the house to see my doctor and a physiotherapist, and I even went to my ukulele class this morning. I decided to forgo a cab and walk home, which was the wrong thing to do. The embarrassment crept back as old women clipped past me on the sidewalk and drivers glared at me as they waited for me to amble across the street.

If my doctors are right, I'm a couple of weeks away from being back to normal and leaving those ladies in the dust.

Spare yourselves the embarrassment, friends. Be nice to your backs!

And Check

2011-04-29T10:09:00.005-07:00

Well, we weren't at the Empress, but we watched the wedding.

We ate scones from Relish with Jen's strawberry jam and Devonshire cream.

We took photos of the TV and went back to bed at 4:30.

Snuggling on the couch in the middle of the night with my mom was the best part.

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-21T13:29:00.008-07:00

I'm planning to watch. I'm tempted to attend the live screening at the Empress Hotel, which will feature an English breakfast buffet, but I suspect I would regret the temptation in the early morning hours of April 29.

Instead, I think I'll get up to watch some live footage in the comfort of my pajamas. And maybe I'll plan ahead and have some scones and Devonshire cream on hand.

I don't feel one way or the other about the monarchy, but I don't want to miss an opportunity to watch this historic event with the rest of the world.

Things Worth Making

2011-04-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making baklava

Things Worth Making

2011-04-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making a cactus garden

Magnolia

2011-04-13T21:20:00.002-07:00

It doesn't feel like spring, but it sure looks like spring.

Helplessness Blues

2011-04-11T14:28:00.003-07:00

Even though (or maybe because) I've been listening to a lot of talk radio and podcasts lately, I'm really looking forward to the new Fleet Foxes album.

Things Worth Making

2011-04-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making a spring scarf

Jonathan Adler

2011-03-28T09:22:00.002-07:00

Michael and I conducted very little research before we went to Palm Springs, but I did come across The Parker Palm Springs during some Internet dabbling. When I saw that Jonathan Adler was the designer, I hoped we'd be able check it out.

We first saw Adler when he was a judge on Top Design (though it was hard not to be distracted by Todd Oldham). After that show I saw his pottery all over the Internet, and we were thrilled to receive the best tea pot and mugs as a wedding gift.

We became official fans when we went out of our way to check out his store in Hollywood last year, where we bought this teal vase as a souvenir:

In Palm Springs, we went for brunch at Norma's, one of the hotel restaurants, so we got to explore the grounds. Everything was very charming -- from the communal fire pit to the croquet pitch -- but we only took photos inside the main building. This one captures the overall style of the lounge:

I don't know if I'd ever choose to stay at this hotel, even though I'm so smitten with it. I'm not sure I can mix with guests who mull about inviting Nick Cage and Joanie Rivers to their next event (overhead during brunch). But I would go out of my way for a cocktail in that lounge any day of the week.

Desert love

2011-03-26T17:34:00.010-07:00

In grade school, we remembered that desert is spelled with one 's' and dessert with two because people prefer dessert (that is, two servings over one). At the time, the logic seemed sound; I did like dessert. But now that I've been to the desert, it seems unfair.

We decided to drive from Las Vegas to Palm Springs because of the direct, cheap flights. We imagined the road trip would be interesting, but it turned out to be one of the vacation highlights.

We drove through Barstow on the way down, and we took the route through the Mojave National Preserve on the way back -- the favoured portion of the drive because there was no traffic, and the ghost towns were just creepy enough in the light of day. It was relaxing, and we stopped more than once to get a close look at the Joshua Trees and to bask in the desert heat.

Even though the drive was so endearing, I won't travel through Las Vegas next time we go to Palm Springs. The city is definitely an interesting place, but I found it expensive and exhausting. Instead, I would travel through Los Angeles or San Diego, and I would spend some quality time in Joshua Tree National Park, which is only a half hour drive from Palm Springs. The pool at the Ace Hotel is clearly the main attraction, but I'm going to see some lizards next time around.

Being prepared

2011-03-19T20:09:00.004-07:00

When I put my earthquake kit together in 2007, it was because Michael and I were superstitious. I don't think I have to explain why we felt it was necessary to revisit our supplies this weekend.

This is what we've added:

A First Aid kit. (A big omission the first time around.)

A crow bar.

Waterproof matches. (We live in Victoria, after all.)

A whistle.

Freeze-dried meals, including space ice cream to lift our spirits. (The meals don't expire until 2016, so they're worth the investment.)

Water purification tablets.

We also added more bottled water, a survival handbook and a windup radio/flashlight since that original photo was taken.

If you live in an earthquake zone, I hope you're taking appropriate measures too; hopefully we'll never have to realize the fruits of our labour.

Things Worth Making

2011-03-17T09:57:00.003-07:00

Check out Jen's latest post on my other blog:
Making quilts for new friends

Check out my latest post on my other blog:
Making a log cabin pillow (part 2)

Hello Palm Springs

2011-03-16T19:52:00.009-07:00

I suspected that I would like Palm Springs, and I was right. It's hot and dry and just plain lovely. That said, I'm not sure I would like it as much if it weren't for the Ace Hotel. Michael and I have stayed at the Ace Hotel in Portland a couple of times (remember?), and we figured it was time to try a warmer version. You should check out some photos on Flickr to get an idea of what the desert is like, and I'll go to bed and think of some travel stories to share with you. Deal?

Hippy tea

2011-03-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

Snow day

2011-02-23T10:40:00.006-08:00

I wonder how this snow will impact the Victoria Flower Count, which is scheduled to run from March 1-7?

P.S. This is the view from the same bathroom window last March.

Things Worth Making

2011-02-21T12:50:00.002-08:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog:
Making a log cabin pillow (part 1)

Audiobooks!

2011-02-18T11:39:00.009-08:00

I listened to my first audiobook over the last couple of weeks: An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.

It was the perfect book for me at this point in time: light but engaging. I hear that the actual book included images of artwork, but I was happy to give those up in order to listen to Campbell Scott read me an entire book. Remember Campbell Scott? From Singles? It seems he has recorded quite a few audiobooks, including The Shining by Steven King.

I like the idea of audiobooks (Michael isn't interested in reading to me, so this is the next best thing), and this first experience was positive. What do you think about them? And more importantly, do you have any suggestions that would be suitable for, say, the five hour drive from Las Vegas to Palm Springs?

Things Worth Making

2011-02-14T09:06:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making Lemony Lemonade

New scarf

2011-02-13T18:28:00.003-08:00

I bought a great scarf at a craft fair on Saturday, don't you think? It was made by Laura McMillan of Drop Spindle Times. I'm not really into wearing scarves indoors, but I haven't been able to take this one off all weekend.

Tentative Plans

2011-02-09T17:22:00.009-08:00

I told you I have a few more tentative plans up my sleeve, but after I wrote about going to the sauna/gym, I realized that these others don't need as much explanation. I won't keep you waiting any longer.

I plan to print photos! And frame them! And hang them on the wall! Because we don't live near our family, it's important for us to have current photos of our families around, and we finally got around to hanging some photos before Christmas (after we organized our digital photos). We need more frames though. I plan to buy some from this Etsy store. I also plan to make some in this spirit. Then there's the challenge of acquiring photos of family members missing from the collection; I'll work on that too.

I plan to figure out how to take care of my kitchen knives. After Christmas, I bought this knife holder for our drawer. Before that we were just throwing knives in the drawer willy-nilly (this is not good practice, friends, especially when your roomie has a really fancy knife). Now I need to figure out how to sharpen my knives correctly, though I might take them to get sharpened professionally first, to start fresh. I'm also aware of the need to improve my knife skills, but we'll see if I take it that far.

I plan to start taking advantage of my benefits by getting a massage once a month. I really don't like making appointments for things (you too?), and I really don't like filing paperwork, so this is a big challenge. But the reward is worth it. Last year I had a 15-minute chair massage in my office building once a month, and I really miss it. Perhaps I need to look into setting up a standing appointment.

Things Worth Making

2011-02-05T09:19:00.003-08:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making brownies

You're cool

2011-02-02T18:31:00.008-08:00

I like public messages that say nice things to strangers:

I took this photo on a bridge in Portland. Is there a name for this type of thing?

Design Sponge just posted about Paul Price's Signs of Affection project, which compliments people on their hair, for example:

Let me know if you come across this sort of thing in your travels, please. I can't get enough.

I love sauna

2011-02-01T20:44:00.001-08:00

I've been going to the gym for the last month. I'm up to three days a week now, and it feels good. So good that I have tentative plans to keep going.

I actually started going to the gym a year and a half ago, when I hired a personal trainer to hold me accountable to a routine; I floss because my dentist holds me it, so I thought the same could be true for going to the gym.

It sort of worked. My trainer introduced me to a lot of new exercises and helped me feel more comfortable in the Y, which is best described as a zoo, but I didn't stick to the program.

It's different this time though. I now have the fancy gym membership that gives me a few perks. Most importantly, it gives me access to a sauna.

The promise of some quiet time in the sauna (I often have it to myself) has proven to be enough to lure me to the gym. It is my carrot. It's cool that I can do push-ups and all, but what I'm really into is the sauna.

Of course, when my commitment to the gym is flagging, a few inspirational words don't hurt either. Alice Bradley just wrote about what exercise has done for her, and it made me want to go to the gym every day too. Well, no. But her words did help me commit to three days a week. If you like it, you can also read her older, funnier posts about getting a trainer and getting stronger.

Things Worth Making

2011-01-26T11:42:00.003-08:00

Check out Jen's latest post on my other blog: Making marmalade

Out with the old

2011-01-25T18:47:00.010-08:00

I haven't talked about actual tentative plans for a while now. Instead I've been documenting them after the fact -- like playing Catan at Christmas and buying and decorating our own Christmas tree -- if at all. But I have them. Every day I make new tentative plans. I want to tell you about them, but I thought I'd best clear the decks by reporting on the success of some of my plans/resolutions from last January.

I didn't learn to play this song on my ukulele, but I did take a four week ukulele class in November. I learned how to play Silent Night, which I played for my family when I went home for Christmas. I plan to take a 10 week class this year so I can really get into it, so I'm pretty sure I'll be playing Magnetic Fields in no time.

I didn't buy succulents for my cubicle, but I did start a new job last fall, and I like my desk décor. I have this calendar from Little Otsu on the wall and a little cactus garden on my desk (it's pictured above, and this is what it looked like in 2009). I've also been tending to Jen's succulents since we moved into our house, and so far, so good.

I started reading more short stories, as planned, including those by Alice Munro, Louisa May Alcott and Tobias Wolff. Michael read my favorite story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Eternal Husband, and he was confused by why I liked so much. I guess I need to read it again to confirm, and now that we have a copy, I will.

I went for an eye exam last spring, and I found out that I don't need glasses (my doc said I probably won't need them for a long time). I was convinced that my time had come, and even though I was sort of excited about trying on glasses, I was relieved. It's just one less thing to think about, so phew.

I accomplished other things last year, of course, but I wanted to address the plans that I wrote about last January. Now I'm going to make a concerted effort to tell you about my new plans in the coming days - a tentative plan in itself.

Things Worth Making

2011-01-17T12:05:00.001-08:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making another scarf

Things Worth Making

2011-01-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making a scarf

Saturday

2011-01-08T18:08:00.004-08:00

Our neighbours:

Our coffee:

Our lunch:

The Christmas of Catan

2011-01-06T20:38:00.008-08:00

In December, our roomies Marc and Jen gave us an early Christmas present: The Settlers of Catan. The board game, which combines the best parts of Risk and Monopoly, has been on our wish list since Ananda introduced it to our household last fall.

We brought the game to Saskatchewan for Christmas, and we played it a million times. Both sets of parents and our friend Raissa learned to play. Everyone was really into it.

This game had a lot to do with making our Christmas holiday so enjoyable.

Other things that contributed: looking at old photos with my Baba, watching three good movies in the movie theatre (you really need to see The King's Speech), knitting scarves by the fire and drinking coffee in a leisurely fashion.

Then there's seeing friends and family in the flesh; that's always a good time.

I hope you had a fun holiday too!

Christmas Greetings!

2010-12-25T12:26:00.006-08:00

We got our Christmas card done, just in the nick of time. I didn't want a replay of last year, so I made Michael change out of his pajamas to take this photo on Christmas day. I'm a jerk, I know. If you want to see our other Christmas cards, for old time's sake, you can find links to all of them here.

Christmas moments

2010-12-09T18:40:00.006-08:00

Cardboard gingerbread men at Choux Choux Charcuterie:

A snowman and his cat in our backyard (who have since expired):

A snowman and his popsicle (obviously) at the Christmas tree farm:

Slippers, tree, lights and Michael in a rocking chair in our living room:

Lights on a giant tree at Government House:

Things Worth Making

2010-11-08T09:27:00.001-08:00

Check out my latest posts on my other blog: Making chocolate cupcakes and malted icing, Making canned tomatoes

Relish

2010-11-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

In August, Jamie Cummins opened a restaurant in Victoria: Relish Food + Coffee. Yes, he's a friend, but you guys. It's amazing. It has homemade everything. Biscuits. Muffins. Cookies. Bread. Bacon. Sausage. Gnocchi. Yesterday I had the homemade pasta with tomato sauce, a generous portion of fresh mozza and a ton of sauteed greens. It was simple and perfect.

Even though it's not located near my office, I often hustle over there on my bike to have lunch with friends (more often than not I'm meeting my buddy Susan from my old place of work). The cauliflower soup pictured here was one of Susan's meal choices shortly after Relish first opened, and it's the only decent photo that I have. If you want to see some additonal photos and read some additional gushing words, check out this review in Eat Magazine.

I wish Relish was open on weekends, so I could go more often, but I also don't want Jamie to burn out. Opening a restaurant looks like a lot of work, yo.

Belle and Sebastian Write About Love

2010-10-18T14:22:00.004-07:00

After a few listens, "I want the world to stop" is my favorite song from Write About Love:

Vancouver holiday

2010-10-17T13:29:00.001-07:00

We went to Vancouver a while back, and I meant to share some photos with you. The new job has gotten in the way, friends. Also the new iPhone. I've been overwhelmed by a number of things, is what I'm trying to say. Even though life continues to be overwhelming, I do plan to continue with the blogging. I love this space, even though I'm often confused with why I bother.

But back to Vancouver. We ate one of Michael's favorite cookies (a Linzer from Meinhardt):

We had a close look at some of the public art of the Vancouver Biennale (this guy is from Wang Shugang’s The Meeting):

We biked around the sea wall in Stanley Park, which we never did when we lived in Vancouver:

Most importantly, we visited friends, including a new baby friend. It was a lovely Labour Day weekend.

Things Worth Making

2010-09-10T14:01:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making jam

Mixtapes

2010-09-09T13:20:00.008-07:00

I have a few blog posts in the cooker, but I can't seem to finish any of them. While you wait for me to get my act together, I'm going to recommend that you listen to these end-of-summer mixes that I came across via For Me, For You:

> Tidal Wave (2010)

> Weird Summer (2009)

They provide a perfect soundtrack for this time of year. The Weird Summer mix also features a song that I've been trying to find since I heard it in a restaurant last year: Walkabout by Atlas Sound with Noah Lennox.

I think this cute comment for the video captures how much I like this song: "this song is very important. it makes me feel so special." I hope it makes you feel special too.

Summer photos

2010-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I posted some photos from our summer travels over on Flickr. After that post about Toronto, I never wrote anything about Oshawa, Saskatoon and Emma Lake. We went to all of those places to see family and friends in August. The journey was fun and hot and tender. And busy. As always. Now we're looking forward to a mellow trip to Portland in October. Can you believe that we're going with our house mates? Apparently we can't get enough of each other!

Government House

2010-09-02T07:51:00.006-07:00

Last week I brought my new wool blanket, three new books and my camera to Government House for a little quiet time. I love that we live two blocks from this beautiful place.

These are the new books that I bought from Munro's: A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg (on sale!); A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore; In the Garden of the North American Martyrs by Tobias Wolff. Those last two authors were recommended by David Sedaris during his book tour last summer. Remember when I saw him?

Everybody's happy

2010-08-31T10:00:00.002-07:00

You know I love Improv Everywhere. This latest video is cute and simple, but the best part is the tender gentleman at the end. You have to watch it for that.

Things Worth Making

2010-08-30T14:28:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making piña coladas from scratch

Things Worth Making

2010-08-14T09:58:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest post on my other blog: Making granola

Blueberry Beer

2010-08-12T11:56:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I heard about Blueberry Pail Ale (a limited edition of Phillips beer) on Facebook, and I decided to stop in at the brewery on my way home. I wish you were here to enjoy it with me, because it's only available in Victoria. It's also a truly local product: "Every ingredient used to craft this refreshing beer has travelled 24 miles or less from farm to brew kettle."

It was my first visit to the brewery, and I'm glad I made the effort to stop in. I got to see Bill, a friend who works for Phillips, and I bought my first Growler. I love this brown jug and the fact that I can refill it with local beer. Blueberry beer, even.

The beer is delicious, by the way. And purple.

Shiny people

2010-08-10T20:24:00.006-07:00

On Sunday, Michael and I arrived home after a little summer holiday. Our first stop was Toronto, which we've been planning to visit for a few years now. Michael had never been, and I'd only had limited exposure during a high school choir trip in 1996. We went to see our buddies Jillian and Erin, and now we know the city inside out. No, but really. I never knew where I was, despite Jillian's attempts to drill a sense of direction into me (I might be able to find my way to Queen Street West, though). These photos were taken on the Toronto Island ferry, which was as hot as it looks, but worth the temporary discomfort. We got to spend the day in a park (big enough to absorb all of the Toronto families escaping the steaming city) with a picnic, popsicles and a quadracycle.

Things Worth Making

2010-07-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making s'mores

Berries!

2010-07-23T14:15:00.003-07:00

Yes, there are local berries to be had. I like them best when served with pastry and vanilla custard at Fol Epi or when freshly picked and still warm from the sun. Whichever.

Things Worth Making

2010-07-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making waffles (the basic kind)

Badminton

2010-07-06T21:24:00.004-07:00

You guys. It's summer. It's hot outside. I'm relieved.

I bought a badminton set with some birthday money back in May (we have a sheltered back yard, so the wind isn't a problem), and we've only managed to play three times since due to the cool, wet weather. It's time to step it up!

MICMACS

2010-06-25T14:27:00.003-07:00

Well, the preview doesn't look as good as Amelie or A Very Long Engagement, but I'll take it:

Things Worth Making

2010-06-20T14:26:00.001-07:00

Check out the latest post (and the new banner) on my other blog: Making things grow

Two sets of parents!

2010-06-16T20:09:00.010-07:00

When our parents come to visit, we like to show off our scenic vistas:

Michael's parents came first for the May long weekend, and my parents just left us on Sunday. Both visits were so much fun! We toured the Cowichan Valley, we hiked up Mount Work, we went to the Highland Games, we watched the Snow Birds from the harbour, we fixed the barbecue, we used the barbecue and we ate great food.

We were a little bit worried about having so many house guests within a short period of time, but Marc and Jen were gracious. I think they understood the reality of our potential visitors before we moved in together. I hope so, anyway.

Sharing a kitchen

2010-05-31T15:04:00.004-07:00

When I tell people about our living situation, they wonder how two couples can share a kitchen. They expect to hear about an awkward arrangement, I think. Truth is, sharing a kitchen and cooking for each other has been one of many unforeseen benefits of living with another couple.

Currently, each roommate cooks dinner for the other three once a week. We've chosen specific days -- I usually cook on Mondays -- but the schedule is flexible since there are three remaining days up for grabs. On the days when no one cooks we eat left-overs and simple concoctions (scrambled eggs, anyone?), or we eat out.

We didn't have any plans on this front when we decided to move in with Marc and Jen. I had some schemes in mind, as always, but we figured we'd let the meals sort themselves out once we were settled.

They sorted themselves out pretty quickly, in the end. It started on a fortuitous evening when Michael and I were too tired to figure out dinner plans.

We both arrived home without groceries and without the energy to go out for dinner. We had just finished moving over the weekend, we were back at work and we were pretty burnt out.

We dragged ourselves downstairs to get ready to leave the house, and that's when Marc and Jen announced that they had just finished making dinner and that they had plenty of food to feed us.

It was a magical moment.

The following weekend, Michael and I made a dutch baby pancake for breakfast, which came out of the oven just as Marc and Jen woke up. We had made sure to make plenty for everyone. These two events were so satisfying that they set the stage for formalizing our cooking plans. There are still pleasant surprises, though, like chocolate chip cookies or brownies for dessert after a long day, and that's what makes living with friends so fun.

For those of you interested in logistics, I can tell you that we each buy the groceries for our own meals and we share the cost of things like olive oil and sea salt. As far as sharing plates, utensils and other accouterments, we've found our supplies to be surprisingly complementary. That, and our new kitchen is bigger than our former kitchens, combined, so there's plenty of space for doubles.

I'll start keeping track of the meals that we've been making on Things Worth Making, if you're interested. You'll find that the vegetarian recipes of Peter Berley figure prominently in our menus.

Hang out to dry

2010-05-25T20:49:00.004-07:00

Michael's parents came for a visit this weekend, and we got up to all sorts of fun. We strolled the Government House gardens. We ate waffles at the Highland Games. We sampled cider, chocolate and wine in the Cowichan Valley. Fun, right? On Monday, after we took them to the airport, I soaked up some sun along with some of my favorite tops. It was the first time that I've used our clothes line, and it was awesome.

Things Worth Making

2010-05-06T11:59:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making sense of spices

Tofino Feast

2010-05-04T07:40:00.005-07:00

Remember when we stayed at the Wickaninnish Inn last fall? We were in Tofino for a dinner party organized by a friend, and I can finally share the details with you (and day dream about the delicious feast). Chris' article is in the current issue of enRoute:

British Columbia’s Iron Chefs : The West Coast's best chefs cook up a storm in Tofino, where life’s a beach and then it rains.

You can see a cute picture of Chris and Jillian, and you can see my silhouette in one of the photos. Most importantly, you can read about the best oysters of all time.

Orange Bears

2010-04-14T09:13:00.004-07:00

Cabin + Cub posted great photos of a public art installation that I gawked at from the bus during my last trip to Vancouver. I wasn't quick enough to take a photo, so I'm glad she took the initiative.

California on Flickr

2010-04-13T21:00:00.008-07:00

So, photos: the best way to share the finer details of our trip, I think.

The two photos below were a little tricky to include in the photo set, however, since they require a bit of an explanation.

1. This is a 1985 photo of Guns N' Roses at Canter's, an amazing Jewish deli in L.A.:

2. This is a half-assed recreation of the photo featuring cousin Bob Bowen, Michael, me, Shannon and Chris:

It's my kind of family photo.

Thanks for recommending the deli, Brie! In addition to the photo opportunities, the blintzes and the latkes were beyond.

Recuperating

2010-04-10T16:44:00.003-07:00

Whew. We are home from a wonderful trip to California, and I'm just going to take some time to figure out how to tell you about the journey (and also to get rid of the cold that I caught on the last day). We did a lot! One of the obvious highlights was our stay at the Madonna Inn, where I drank that lemon drop martini pictured above. Our gift certificate to the inn, a wedding gift from Shannon and Chris, instigated the trip south. It didn't disappoint.

Things Worth Making

2010-03-31T09:37:00.001-07:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making an indoor garden

Goodness

2010-03-29T18:41:00.011-07:00

When you move into a new house, people buy you treats called house warming presents. I've never experienced this in full force before now. Maybe you have to move into an actual house? We've received flowers, plants, booze and chocolates from our lovely friends, including this British Easter chocolate haul from Robyn, who lives in London:

I realize that I've been posting about the house a lot, but even so, I haven't had time to write in as much detail as I would like. I hope that I'll have time for more reflection after we get back from our trip to California (where we get to stay in this room for one night). We've only been living here for one month, after all.

March has also seen life beyond the house. Last weekend Michael and I went to our first roller derby. We were floored by how many people showed up. Everyone in Victoria! Except no one that we knew (well, except for the host). We watched Victoria's Eves of Destruction decimate Vancouver's Riot Girls. Our favorite part was the diversity of the people in attendance - all ages and all sorts. Our least favorite part was sitting on the arena floor. That's what you get when everyone in Victoria shows up before you.

The weekend before we went to the IMYGRATE exhibition at Olio Co-operative. In 2008 we found one of the IMYGRATE characters -- a scuba diver/space man -- on the side of Oxford Foods. We brought him to Italy (the instructions beside the character told us to take him with us), left him in a cobblestone alley in Florence, took a photo and emailed the evidence. Thankfully, I randomly heard about the exhibition (which is a precursor to a book), and we saw our photo and accompanying email on the gallery wall. I was too shy to take a photo, but this one shows you how many characters were created for the project.

One of the other things that we've been doing lately is eating great food. In addition to cooking some fabulous meals in our giant kitchen (three times the size of our old kitchen), we've enjoyed memorable meals at Choux Choux Charcuterie, pictured above, and Brasserie L'Ecole. Things are pretty good, friends. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

There are photos

2010-03-17T10:00:00.002-07:00

I've posted photos of our house on Flickr. Finally.

Bathroom window

2010-03-11T17:49:00.005-08:00

I only have one picture for you today, and it's not a picture of the inside of our house. Instead, I'm sharing the view from our bath tub. I love me a bathroom window, especially when it comes with a magnolia tree right outside.

We've spent the last few nights by the fire, recuperating from our ambitious unpacking schedule and trying not to get sick. Soon we'll get to focus on the fun stuff, like gardening and house warming parties.

Moving house

2010-03-04T18:54:00.009-08:00

We moved two apartments into our new house in one day.

Aside from the aching muscles, moving was the easy part. Who can complain when one of our helpers (i.e. Jen's mom) made our beds for us?

The hard part is unpacking. It's almost as difficult as the packing, but - thankfully - without the deadlines.

At least we have some boxes like this to keep us going. I'm itching to show you some actual photos of the house, but I want to wait until we have a few more boxes unpacked.

The Right House

2010-02-17T11:03:00.016-08:00

We were out for brunch with Marc and Jen. That's when we decided that we'd like to share a house. It wasn't just the coffee talking (although I have my best ideas after a cup); we live in an expensive city and we'd been talking about housing alternatives for months. But it was during that meal that we shyly agreed that we would like to live with each other, that we thought our lifestyles would work well together and that we were ready for such an experiment.

We were ready because we wanted to move out of our apartments. By combining our resources, we realized we could afford to rent a real house with all the trimmings (a garden! laundry! windows! closets!).

We were excited, but it took us a while to get the project off the ground. At first, I delayed because my job was unstable. Then there was nothing available in our price range. During those months, we kept the project alive with serious discussions about the implications of sharing a house, and we came to the conclusion that we could mitigate a lot of potential conflicts by landing the right house.

So, we started visualizing the right house.

We wanted a house with more than one bathroom and preferably one with two full bathrooms, one for each couple. We wanted a dishwasher. We wanted bedrooms that weren't located next to each other. We wanted enough space for guests and musical instruments and sewing machines and sipping cocktails outside. We wanted to be walking distance from groceries, co-op cars and the city centre.

Thankfully we were on the same page about all of these things, although Jen doubted that we'd find a house with two full bathrooms.

We started looking again after Christmas, when Michael noticed that there were a number of rental postings in our price range.

After that point, everything happened very quickly, which surprised us, since we weren't sure how landlords would respond to the four of us. We looked at three houses in one week. The first two were close -- we could picture ourselves in both -- but they didn't quite meet our criteria.

The third house was better than anything we had imagined. It met our requirements and threw in a couple of wood burning fireplaces for good measure. And friends? It has 2.5 bathrooms.

We sealed the deal with the owner fairly quickly, thanks to a mutual friend who vouched for us. Since then, we've been picking paint colours, packing, updating addresses and willing time to pass quickly.

We found the right house. Now we can try out this housing experiment with the knowledge that we're giving it a fair shake.

Moving

2010-02-16T12:42:00.007-08:00

In less than two weeks, Michael and I will move out of our apartment and into this beautiful house. There's more to it than that, however, and that's why I'll be writing about this topic quite a bit over the next few months. You see, we'll be living with another married couple (our buddies Marc and Jen). Intrigued? Me too!

Darcy

2010-02-08T17:22:00.007-08:00

Michael and I went home to Saskatchewan for our friend Darcy's funeral on Saturday. I'm at a loss for words about the whole thing, so these (awesome) photos will have to suffice as a tribute. I've also included Darcy's obituary, below.

Darcy Pellerin

July 17, 1977 – January 29, 2010

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Darcy Pellerin on January 29, 2010 in Prince Albert, SK at the age of 32 after a brief battle with brain cancer. Darcy is survived by his parents Norm and Leona Pellerin; sister Dana; grandmother Mary Lubyk and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his grandparents Arthur and Eliane Pellerin; grandfather John Lubyk; aunt Darlene Lubyk and cousin Jeremy Chenier.

Darcy received his schooling in Prince Albert and then later attended the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina where he attained his degree in Fine Arts. He moved from Regina to Vancouver where he worked in the film industry until he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After surgery and treatments he decided on a career change which brought him back to Prince Albert where he enrolled in the addictions program at SIAST. After completion he was employed with the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region as an addictions counselor.

Darcy enjoyed playing and watching sports, especially hockey and football. He also loved fishing, watching movies, art and playing poker with his many friends.

In lieu of other tributes, memorial donations can be made in memory of Darcy Pellerin to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada or online at www.braintumour.ca/braintumour.nsf.

Things Worth Making

2010-01-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making biscuits

Things Worth Making

2010-01-22T12:38:00.002-08:00

Check out the latest post on my other blog: Making 2010 calendars (it's not too late)

Vintage Samsonite

2010-01-20T16:49:00.003-08:00

Phew. I'm so glad that carry-on bags are allowed on US-bound flights again. I bought this bag for my trip to San Francisco and LA in April, and I was worried about checking it, even though the original luggage tag is still attached.

Death Comes to Shuckton

2010-01-14T14:06:00.003-08:00

I started watching The Kids in the Hall when I was in grade six. I've had crushes on all of them since, but lately -- as I've been working my way through the series box set that I got for my last birthday -- I'm really into Scott Thompson. He's such a babe!

In addition to watching their show from the get-go, I've also seen them on tour, gotten their autographs and followed their post-CBC careers.

Given this history of adoration, I should have been counting down the days to the premiere of their latest CBC series, Death Comes to Town. I wasn't, but I managed to watch it by being in the right place (Marc and Jen's apartment) at the right time (Tuesday night) with people who are in the know.

Now I'm counting down the days until the next episode. If you're interested, you should watch the trailer for the series, because I can't find the words to describe it:

SKYPE

2010-01-11T08:16:00.001-08:00

I talked to all of these pretty people on Skype yesterday (except for Michael, who I saw in person):

Using Skype is one of my family's 2010 tentative plans, and we've all embraced it very quickly; it's only been a couple of weeks since we saw everyone in Saskatoon, where we set up our accounts.

Michael and I saw my mom and dad yesterday afternoon, and my mom was able to show us some of her bruises from a recent car accident (boo!). Then last night Shannon and Chris took us on a tour of their home (including their new kitchen lighting). Michael hasn't been there before, so now he'll know where the bathroom is when we visit in April.

Seeing my family is very cool, what with this long distance thing that we've got going on, and I still can't believe that we can do it for free.

P.S. For those of you following me on RSS, you may have noticed that I deleted a post over the weekend. This was the video that I tried to embed unsuccessfully. It features a baby polar bear, friends. Doesn't a baby polar bear deserve 17 seconds of your time?

P.P.S. Michael and I met 13 years ago today!

New year

2010-01-07T12:02:00.003-08:00

Happy new year, friends. We almost didn't make a holiday card this year, but I persevered. The photo was taken on Boxing Day. Can you believe that the skating and the skate rentals were free (well, by donation)? The cabin with the wood burning stove where we warmed our feet was also complimentary. What a festive gesture, Saskatoon.

The card was delayed because I was sick during the days leading up to Christmas. The long and short of it is I had to take antibiotics for an infection, and my stomach didn't like them. The infection was caused by a stitch that was left in my nose after I had a mole removed last summer. The good news: the stitch is out and my nose is healing nicely. The bad news: I couldn't eat for three days. Rest assured: I'll be writing a letter to my doctor in the near future.

In addition to that letter, I have a some other tentative plans for the next few months: learn to play this song on my new ukulele; buy some succulents and keep them alive; add some plants (succulents?) to my cubicle décor; read more short stories, starting with collections by Alice Munro, Louisa May Alcott, William Faulkner and Fyodor Dostoyevsky; and go for an eye exam.

The first one is the most intimidating for me, but I think I'm finally ready.