Hurricane Bill

Wow! What fun to be in Nova Scotia when a hurricane hits. Bill wasn't quite parallel with Eastern Passage but we decided to go out and take a look at what was happening and how the waves were shaping up. Oh what fun.

So here we are with Heidi and Joel going to the shore line...


Here is where we stopped to get the first set of pictures of the waves crashing into the shore.


Then we braved it and got out of the car and got totally soaking wet on one of our bodies...luckily it was the side without the camera.

Sure wish you could have seen this because pictures just don't do it justice!

Beware of being friendly

So there aren't any pictures to go with this post either but I want to share with you the dangers of being too friendly with people. So I'm out in Nova Scotia visiting Heidi and Joel. Thursday night Heidi works in the temple and Joel has stake meeting. Yesterday night I went with Heidi to the temple and took in 2 sessions while Heidi worked. On our way out to the car there is the usual chatting with those that are around and wham it happened. The temple president introduced himself to me and then before I knew it he is match making. Oh my my my!! So now I'm suppose to email a letter to his nephew through Pres. Blake. His wife was the funniest when she said there's probably greener pastures somewhere else! She later countered with he is a great catch, good looking and fun but he's hard to catch. I'm sure they have the best of intentions!

Scandals

This one goes out to Tanya who was looking for a juicy blog filled with scandals...I think that these new "environmental" toilets are a scandal. Why you ask....well I'll tell you why. They are suppose to be good for reducing the amount of water used each flush with a choice of flushing capacities for liquids or solids (up for liquids, down for solids). The problem is that with the "liquid" flush 95% of the time you are left with remnants. How when it's liquids you are flushing? The darn toilet paper doesn't go. What courteous person wants to leave their toilet paper remnants in the bowl for the next person who thinks "that darn person who left as I came in never flushed and probably didn't even wash". So really these so called "environmental" toilet systems are a socially constructed hate machine that make you think you are using less water but really they are teaching you to think that no one is flushing or washing their hands. Case in point is that now all of our new "environmentally friendly washrooms" in our green building now have hand washing instructions taped to the wall right beside the sink. Maybe a better reminder would be on the back of the door so that when those non-flusher/washers go to leave they are reminded to wash!

So that environmental flush turns into 2 or 3 tries and I don't think that it is really using less water than a normal regular run of the mill toilet. Back to the drawing board boys cause it isn't working.

How's that for scandalous!

Shopping

Okay, today was the best shopping day ever. I went just to get some pictures printed and thought to myself "hey, it'll be fun just to look around while I wait for pictures to be printed." Boy did I hit the bargains. Sears was doing "Christmas in July" and while in the store they announced that racks of merchandise was brought up that contained items for only $5. Well, I just had to check that out to see if I could find a deal and boom, a deal was found.

The best part was that when I got to the check out I received at additional 25% off. Yes you read correctly an additional 25% off. So that means that this jacket/blazer which was originally $50 only cost me $3.75. The bonus part was that on the way to find a register that wasn't overburdened by the rush of shoppers with their sale items, there was a table with shoes for $2.99. No one can ever have too many shoes so you must always stop to see what is available. Well wouldn't you know it there was a cute pair of maryjane keds in just my size. I tried them on and checked the box to make sure they were really only $2.99 and they were.

Once again the best part was that I received an additional 25% off these already reduced pair of shoes. They ended up costing me $2.24 plus tax of course. Can you believe it? What an amazing fun shopping day.

Registration

I just registered for classes this week and boy was that disappointing. Due to "budget cuts" or sabbaticals, not as many classes are being offered and so that means that the ones I was hoping to take are not available this year! That sucks! So I'm venting a little because I didn't get the classes I wanted and that will mean having to work harder at classes I didn't really want to take but must to fulfill the requirements to graduate. The other problem was that they didn't have what was being offered up until a couple days before so then all my pre-planning was for naught and that built up excitement for getting the classes I wanted lead to a major let down. I'll let you know how the classes actually fair as time goes on. Maybe it will be for the best.

Moving the Baby...

My baby sister moved on Canada Day. Great way to celebrate the birth of our nation with a new home.

Here Toshina sits in the living room of her old apartment eating breakfast while Dad, Mom, and Brian were driving those busy streets of Toronto to get the moving truck. A shout out to those that came to help as we were able to make a "chain" to move the boxes out to the truck quickly and efficiently.

We were able to use the "chain" technique at the new place as well and so with a start time of 11 am and a finish time of I think 2:30 pm that was great. The only crazy part was when I slammed my finger between the island and the door frame. Don't worry I took a picture, but by the next day you could hardly tell...

Funny that it bruised the knuckles above and below the smash site. Go figure! But I'm sure you'd rather see this next picture. Toshina and Brian's new place.

It's the window on the ground floor. We stayed as long as we could to help Brian unpack as Toshina had gone to YW camp. We got some of the kitchen unpacked and then had to go. But Neil and Dan were still there helping Brian get unpacked. (Working on the electronic stuff - TV)

This is the kitchen before unpacking...can you spy my mom?

And this is after. That stack of boxes is empty just had to be saved for someone else who needs them. I think my body has stopped being mad at me for doing so much physical movement without warning it or preparing it. Wish all of you could have been here to play with boxes too but then there would have been no where to park on their street anyways so it's alright that you didn't come. But Carma does receive a demotion for not helping her fellow minion....

Weekend Getaway

One must always no their limits and be aware of their own weaknesses....

In visiting Cindy's house this weekend, I helped her redistribute the stock that she had accumulated in her office/craft room. As we went through the merchandise, I found pretty things. This one ended up on me.

It was fun to wear to church and have people look but not ask. Some were brave enough to ask about the tattoo. At work, I was complimented on my nice tattoo. Draw in a chain around that neck and it will look like a beautiful necklace.

I had some fun at my sisters house. We were lucky to go down under the bridge for fries and then they exercised their patience as I took some photographs like this

The drive home seemed to be going well until I ran into a parking lot on the 403 and then the Red Hill had ramp closures to the QEW and so I took the exit they said not knowing which way to go. Needless to say I turned the wrong way and had a little adventure in amongst my drive home. But it was fun to scrapbook, water fight and eat fries under the bridge.