Things that make me happy IV

[via flickr]

1. When B picks me up from the LRT station, we make kissy faces at each other before I even get to the car.
2. This weekend is the final glorious girly weekend with Kitty before she returns home to Ontario.
3. There will be girly drinks on the patio.
4. And farmer's markets galore.
5. The cheap fruits and veggie market near our house.
6. Finally not feeling weird calling it our house.
7. Being the boss at work for five out of the next ten weeks.
8. School! It's a bit off, but getting closer. I'm so excited.
9. Talking with the girls at work about needing to get together to play lame nerd games, like the Canadian Trivia board game I got for Christmas.
10. The anticipation of vacation.

If you're looking for me, I'll be at the track

[via flickr]

It was a great way to celebrate my birthday, and her birthday. A lot of sunshine, a splash of Bud Light Lime, small bets that were enough to make us hold on to our hats. Multiple sunscreen applications. Superman ice cream cake, and more than a handful of good people to eat it with. Freezies and branded fans in the condo to keep cool. In the end, I think I made a couple bucks, but generously donated it (and more) back to Northlands for beer. Because I'm sweet like that.

It's good to have weekends like this to realize just how wonderful your friends are. And to help lovely people fill Alberta must-dos before they leave us (me) for the east coast.

Picnic, in pictures

Happy (belated) Canada Day

I'm a day late, but as yesterday was a holiday I was nowhere near the computer. Instead, I tried my best to get the pictures in the Boy's kitchen to go on the wall in a straight line, we walked down to the Legislature for a fabulous picnic with Kitty and A, stared in shock at how empty my house is getting as I threw some more stuff into boxes, and watched the fireworks from my balcony. Fireworks are one of my very favourite things.

Alas, today's back to work, feeling very much like a Monday rather than a Thursday. On the plus side, the weekend (and tonight's football game) is on the horizon. Oh, and tomorrow my parents fly into town.

Yesterday on our way to see the hoards of people swimming at the Ledge, little kids with burnt faces, and more ice cream trucks/carts then we could count on both hands, Kitty mentioned that Canada Day was just like any other day.

"But aren't you glad to be Canadian?" I gasped.

"Meh," she shrugged.

"Don't you enjoy your civil liberties? Democracy? Health care? The fact that you're a woman and you live here rather than in somewhere like the Middle East? Political stability?"

"I guess," she pondered. "It's just that I haven't had to go through that by living somewhere else."

True enough. We're pretty lucky. I, for one, am pretty proud to be Canadian.

The defensive line had no penetration

I love football. Canadian football. Last night, B and I took the parents to the Esks' first pre-season game against our beloved Roughriders. Spending a few hours draped in green and a blanket, sipping beer from a plastic cup, shouting to "just run faster", and wincing when someone gets hit really hard makes me ridiculously happy. The stress of the world melted away as the wind whipped my hair and B's arm around me kept away the chill. The view from our seats for the season was perfect, the amount of periphenalia you could purchase was ridiculous, and a glance to the boy beside me kept me warm from the inside-out.

It's going to be a great season. Even though we have to cheer for the Eskimos.

Things that make me happy III

1. My awesome coworker and friend, who ran off with me at lunch yesterday for a gin and tonic/vent session. Being the boss can be stressful, but a good friend like her makes it okay.
2. The Boy, Kitty, cribbage and wine on the balcony. Even though I didn't win.
3. Homemade frappes/iced capps and the lovely Kitty. So delicious. I love going home to her and delicious cold coffee-like beverages over chit-chat and Sex and the City.
4. The Boy's parents are coming up tomorrow and they're staying for a week. His lovely parents are going to help paint the house among other things. I hate painting so much. They are also bringing some of their homemade wine. And they are just all-around lovely people.
5. Soccer.
6. The Boy.
7. Wine.

working hard to get my fill

I'm not too ashamed to admit that sometimes, when I have a bad day, I turn to Journey videos on YouTube.

I've been pulled in so many directions lately that I was beginning to feel like I was being torn in two (or more). At work, I'm wearing the hats of boss lady, writer and media star, which is surprisingly harmonious except when big boss' pregnancy hormones are raging. I'm trying to find balance between friends and the Boy, and failing miserably. I'm trying to refuel but can't, as any extra time I have is used to satisfy other commitments. I've never really done the me time thing, as any spare time I have is given to friends who make me feel guilty for spending so much time with the Boy, or with the Boy, who has finally exploded in a "but I'm your boyfriend and I'd like to see you sometimes" rage.

The little sister is a shining light in all of this, which isn't helping anyone really. When I was feeling all frustrated to tears, she simply told me to do what makes me happy and screw the rest. Her words helped me figure it out, but then when what typically made me happy became just another obligation to fulfill, she became my default. While everyone else was having a virtual tug-of-war with my emotions, she became my solitude merely because she's just happy when I'm happy.

I walk by this boarded-up window every morning on my way to work. There seems to have been a movement in the city to cover up these construction-site boards with interesting art. I love it. The thought that people put in to make something so blah more exciting lights up my day even more than the sunny days in the weather forecast.

Almost even more exciting is the fact that I remembered to use my slacks (holy old woman word!) as a grey card to meter the light in this shot. Accurate colours, what.

Things that make me happy II

1. The baby sister. I love the whole "I have to sleep, but I'll crawl into bed with you and chat for a bit" thing. Especially when it turns into a full out sleepover with hours of talking.
2. The baby sister. Texting me about meeting up for an impromtu picnic at lunch since she was at a course nearby. Even though the concrete bench made my bum cold, my heart was just overflowing with warmth and happiness (cheesy, I know).
3. The baby sister. Making me dinner last night before photo class and packing me lunch this morning.
4. The Boy. Booking plane tickets home for Christmas. About half the price they'd be if we waited a couple more months. I'm so excited.
5. The Boy. For putting up with me spending all of my time with the baby sister and talking about her all of the time. The thought of only 2.5 months until being with him becomes my default setting.
6. Raising over $500 for Relay for Life! If you still want to sponsor, see the sidebar.
7. My soccer team, the Sweaty Balls. Being undefeated for the first time ever (for longer than one game anyway). The improvement of how we play together over the past three years makes me ridiculously happy... and it makes Thursday nights something to look forward to.

Things that make me happy

1. Boy's head on my lap as he reads non-fiction and ignores the fact that I'm watching One Tree Hill
2. Wine class, even when I'm stuffed up and want sleep
3. Cheesies
4. The fact that I enjoy my job so much that I apparently can't take a full sick day off... instead I slept until I couldn't sleep anymore and came in for a half day
5. A boss (but not my boss) coming to me to ask me to keep an eye on certain news developments on Twitter, since I'm "in the loop with these things"