It's an indoor joke.

My baby, the nurse. The caregiver. The one who is always full of sweetness, compassion and love for all things. The one who, at 21, is way more emotionally mature than most people I know. More confident. Beautiful, inside and out.

I'm so glad that she's made her way across the country this summer to live and work in my city. To live with me for the first time in seven or eight years. My little blonde baby. I'm so proud to be your big sister. You're so full of knowledge, give such good advice, and you act like a little old granny like I do. We're lame in the most delightful ways.

Happy birthday, love.

Play me that country music

Thursday was a happy night. The sunshine came out for the first time in days as Kitty and I ventured to the stadium for Jake Owen, Jaydee Bixby, Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney. Mini donuts and Corona. Not actually sitting in our seats. Seeing cute couples two-stepping and realizing that I'll never have that with the Boy -- it's not his scene -- but it's okay. I had Kitty to swing around. Plotting a trip to Big Valley some year. Throwing our heads back in laughter, feeling at home in the middle of the big city. Dancing from nearly 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on the football field. Waiting in line for the LRT as someone started the Let's go Riders chant, the lone guy who started up cheering for the Esks quickly being phased out. Running up the stairs to be the last people on the train before they closed the doors.

Even though it was a present for Kitty's birthday, it was good to have someone to listen to country music (and dance around like a moron) with me. Both of us subscribe to the "dance like no one's watching" type of dancing -- arms flailing, finger guns, the sprinkler, twirling 'til the dizzy hits... I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.

On miracles

{PostSecret}

My little "quote of the day" calendar on my work desk for Friday said "Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted." --Paul Pearshall

Taking the family for granted is the last thing I'm doing now. It's been a weekend of the Royal Alex, bruises, sore muscles, hugs, tears and a How I Met Your Mother marathon. Mom mentioned that it wasn't ideal bonding time, but I don't think it was possible to be any more bound together.

"A part of you has grown in me, together forever shall we be, never apart, maybe in distance, but not in heart."

Dear Kiki,

You're pretty precious here, with your chubbalicious little cheeks and the coveralls with the crotch at your knees. Part of me will always remember you this way.

We haven't always been the best of friends, or even the best of sisters, but I want you to know that today, your twenty-second birthday, I'm thinking of you.

It's hard to believe how much you've grown up. It seems like when I went away to university almost seven years ago, you were going to stay my very young, very innocent, sister forever. Oh how the times have changed.

Though we're not always the best of friends, I want you to know that I try to protect you because you remind me of me. It hurts to see you make the same mistakes that I did, even though I understand why you have made them. I want you to see what a beautiful, smart (yes, you are), special girl you are. I want you to be able to see that no matter what boys tell you.

I'm glad that you're working hard, and that you've found a boy you like to be with and who thinks the world of you. I'm happy for you. And I hope that you crazy kids have a fantastic time at the concert I'm sending you tickets for. Promise to have a drink and think of me... the old times sneaking out the window of your room and taking long walks down the back country roads in our pajamas (and hiding in the ditches whenever we saw headlights).

I understand you, and you, me. My life is better with you in it.

Happy birthday, dear Kiki.

"Sisterhood is a messy, fragmentary, ambiguous thing, an indiscriminate jumble of love, hate, amity, enmity, to be teased out bit by bit." Penelope Farmer

I bring this on myself

I've been listening to country music all day; one pink earbud dangling from my left ear and my right foot tappin' under my desk. It's my own fault. Summer is on the horizon, and by summer, I mean those things that makes it feel like summer. Warm weather, drinks on the patio, my BFF and the littlest sister (at the same time). The baby, baby sister will be here for the entire summer... she just happens to move here at the end of the month when my favourite lady breezes into town.

And we're going to a country music concert. Montgomery Gentry. Row 20. Because we're small town country girls.

We like corn fields and the smell of fresh-cut hay. We went to Buck and Does before we went to the bar and we were raised on blue jeans and flip flops. As far back as I can remember, I remember doing chores in the barn to the tune of country radio. Taking breaks to dance beneath the radio and belt out our favourite songs. Staying out of licking range of the cows. Belting out those tunes in the mows even when we couldn't hear them from the radio.

I remember road trips with country on the radio. No matter whether a song is new or old, it all sounds familiar. It feels familiar. It's legs dangling as you lean back on a swing, letting the world wash over you. It's a big hug from those who've known you longer than you've known yourself. It's Mom and Dad's patio with a cold beer after a long day of doing hay. It's long walks in the middle of the night down the backroads. It's home. It's summer.

And I couldn't be more excited.

Monday Memories: "there she was just walkin' down the street"

Shocker: I hate doing dishes. I always have. This menial task was always a source of contention in the Bee household with Momma explaining that we didn't need a dishwasher because she had three of them: one to wash, one to dry, and one to clean off the table and put the dishes away.

As soon as a meal was finished, the competition would begin. No one liked to dry. Clearing the table and putting dishes away was the easiest of the tasks, so it was the most highly coveted. Kiki, the world's slowest eater, often seemed like she was merely taking her sweet time to get put on the latter task by default. Those who had to skip out of the house early for soccer practice would rejoice in the fact that they had been saved.

There was one thing that could save us from killing each other during dish time -- Mom's old Solid Gold cassettes. It wasn't possible to be bitter when you were busy shaking your hips and singing "Lollypop" or "Do Wah Diddy Diddy". Singing along to those tapes made us seem like friendly siblings between the brush-throwing and hair-pulling. It provided a glimpse of what life would be like when we all surpassed the "bitchy teenage girl" stage and moved away from home. It's not saying that we're perfect all of the time now, but the way that we get along is much more as it was when we were dancing together to those old hits than it was when we were hurling random objects and mean comments at each other.

So, little one, if you want to maybe do your big sister a favour and make her a copy of those old tunes that you've scrounged up... she'd make sure you were rewarded appropriately. Hint, hint.

An unexpected love letter

Dear Roomie's Boyfriend,

I don't know if you know this, but you are pretty great. My girl has been through a lot of crappy men in her lifetime, and it pleases me to no end that you are not another one of Them. You listen to what she has to say, you get her, and most importantly, you give her a break from feeling like she needs to fix people all of the time. You make sure she makes time for herself.

I know many of Roomie's friends haven't been super supportive, or confident, in this relationship. Age difference has that effect on people. The thing with our girl though is, while she can be immature at times, she is grown up beyond her years. Antoine de Saint-Exupery said that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. I feel like, for the first time in as long as I've known her, she finally has that. Actually, I don't just feel it, I know it.

Roomie is pretty outgoing, she's known for being sexually adventurous and open, she's honest about everything and keeps nothing hidden. I've heard more than I ever wanted to know about her boyfriends' man parts. But you know what? I haven't heard about yours. Don't think that I want to hear about yours (gross!), but I think that this is pretty significant. Instead of bragging about the size of your meat, or complaining because the lack thereof, she talks about how amazing it is to kiss you. Previously, she had mentioned that she didn't understand the big deal about kissing, that its place is as the precursor to the main event. But with you, it's all she talks about. How sweet you are, how she gets butterflies when your lips touch and how being with you is unlike anything she's ever felt.

Our girl tends to lose herself in relationships. She feels the need to censor herself, or devote all of her time and attention to the new guy, or hide some awesome part of her that he's not keen on. The best thing I could ever say about your relationship is that this doesn't happen. She's still the old roomie, her completely lovely self. I love that you want to meet her friends, and that you invited the Boy and I along to the comedy club last week. I love that you're coming to our not-really-fancy-but-kinda-pretend-fancy wine and cheese party this weekend, meeting lots of people who you've never met before. You realize that Roomie's friends are important to her, and you encourage her to keep those relationships alive. Even better, you want to get to know the people she talks about.

I just wanted to let you know that I really hope you are The One for her. She's found a good thing in you, and you've definitely found something wonderful in her.

...And if you ever break her heart, I will cut you.

xoxo, Elle

Brought to you by caffeine and the letter "V"

The lovely Brookem over at Shrinkering Hearts had this little ABC thing going on over at her blog, and she's assigned me the letter "V". Yikes.

If you want to participate, leave a comment on this post letting me know and I will assign you a letter. You then write about 10 things you love that begin with your assigned letter and post them on your blog. When people comment on your posted list that they want a letter, you give them one and the chain continues on and on.

So, here we go: 10 things I love, starting with the letter "V".

1. Volunteering. I like to get involved in causes I believe in, like interVivos and Relay for Life. I feel good about contributing to society, and think that everyone is better off focusing on others for a while and forgetting the stresses in our own daily lives.

2. Voting. Oh man, do I ever love voting. As a former political science nerd and a member of interVivos' The Vote Project, which springs up around election time, voting is one of my passions. It's the big chance where citizens have an opportunity to tell the leaders of a country how we really feel about them. It's a democratic right which we take for granted. The shamefully low voter turnouts we have every election makes me hurt inside.

3. Vineyards. I described my dream job earlier this month. Wine is becoming one of my favourite things. It relaxes me after a long, hard day and and is in my glass when raised in celebration. I went to a wine tasting with a friend and now have fantasies of enrolling in a legitimate wine course. The beautiful scenery, delectable food, and delicious wines cause visions of vineyards haunt my dreams. My goal for the summer is to get to the Okanagan with the Boy and visit some vineyards there.

4. Veggies. Vegetables are delicious, I've never needed enforcement to eat them. Even brussel sprouts, which I didn't try until university, create a party in my mouth. Yum, yum.

5. Vests (the sweater kind, not the suit kind). I can't pull off the clean suited vests that all the cool kids are wearing these days, but I love a mean sweater vest. I went through a phase where I couldn't resist them, which was only fueled by the fact that so many of them featured argyle, my pattern of choice.

6. Vegas. The Boy and I went in November, and it was a great time. Censory overload and exhaustion-inducing, but it was interesting to not only see the sights but also people watch. Chain smoking, drinking, and intensely staring into the face of a slot machine are not things that I could do before 8 a.m. but it was normal for so many others. We saw the Beatles' LOVE Cirque de Soleil when we were there and it was absolutely amazing. I'd go again just to see it (well and maybe check out Freemont Street).

7. Violet (the colour, not the flowers). I love deep, rich purples. Always have. And violet is a colour that looks amazing on just about anyone. Which is fortunate since my skin is quite often some shade of purple (I'm a little accident prone).

8. Video games. Growing up, we never had video games. We had a couple of educational computer games, but no video game console. It wasn't until I started dating the Boy that I started really playing video games, and I don't care much to brag, but I'm pretty kick-ass at RockBand. He gave me a Wii for my birthday, so now video games are a pretty solid part of our relationship. Currently, I'm addicted to Fable II for the XBox. I dream about it.

9. Vases. I don't know what it is, but plants and vases send me into a frenzy. I can't go into Ikea without purchasing one of these two items, and if for some reason I do not return with one or the other (or both), it's cause for celebration. The ones to the right are from Ikea (I stole the picture from their website). I don't own them, but I kind of wish I did!

10. Vacation. Ahhh, sweet, sweet vacation. One week from now I'll be on an airplane, looking forward to a week off of work. Spending Family Day with my family. I can't even describe now much I'm looking forward to it. I've never been one for sunshine-soaked destinations, but lazy vacation is defintely where it's at.

There we go! I never thought I'd be able to think up 10. Thanks Brookem, for making me think on a Friday, and giving me reason to actually take a break during lunch on a busy day.

Although it's been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you.

“Christmas is awesome. First of all you got to spend time with people you love. Secondly, you can get drunk and no one can say anything. Third, you give presents. What's better than giving presents? And fourth, getting presents. So four things. Not bad for one day. It's really the greatest day of all time” (Michael Scott, The Office, Christmas 2005).

The presents are all purchased, wrapped and under the tree. Mix CDs filled with a variety of Christmas carols are being primed for tomorrow night’s party (Metal Christmas mix, anyone? Or is old school Jazz more your flavour?). As we head into the Christmas/holiday season, it’s easy to get wrapped up (no pun intended) in the economy, the stress of finding things for those you love while still sticking to your budget, and the old “did I spend on them, what they spent on me?” dilemma.

I’m here to help, by providing you a list of things I’d like for free this season.

New Christmas traditions. It’s the first year that I’m away from my family, and coincidentally, the first Christmas that I get to spend with the Boy. It’s pretty exciting that we’ll be together this year, especially because the more we spend time together, the harder it becomes to spend any lengthy time apart. Everyone who knows me has heard me discuss the sadness of being without the sisterly Christmas Eve slumber party tradition this year, but I’m looking forward to making some new traditions with the Boy.

Laughter. The holidays are for getting together with friends and sharing good times, imbibing, and creating a database of alcohol-induced moments for blackmail at a later date. I am looking forward to decorating up the apartment and having over friends old and new to celebrate the season before people head off to their respective holiday locations. Whether the laughter is the kind where the hand meekly covers the mouth while giggles attempt to escape, or the hearty head-thrown-back-because-it-can’t-be-contained type, I want lots of it.

Encouraging others to give back. It doesn’t have to be a monetary thing. It can be wrapping presents for something like Toys for Tots or Santa’s Anonymous. It could be spending quality time with a grandparent, while you still can – time is short. Basically, I hope that everyone steps outside their regular comfort zone just a little bit to do something that will mean the world to someone else: whether it’s working with an organized charity, doing a good deed for a stranger or merely helping with the dishes post-Christmas meal.

Voices of those I love. This is totally free, with the joys of unlimited, free long distance. Weee! I’ll be calling home on Sunday night, to talk to Daddy’s side of the family while they’re all at my parents’ house, celebrating Christmas with my grandparents for the first time in as long as I can remember (usually they head south to get away from the cold). It’s strange that they’ll be at my house and I’ll be away for a change, but it will be awesome to call and get to speak to everyone at once.

Family fun time. I’m looking forward to being at the Boy’s parent’s house in the deep Saskatchewan south, surrounded by the tall trees bending with snow, the harsh cold whipping outside, while staying inside all toasty warm playing games. I love to play games. Not the emotional or mental kind, but of the card or board persuasion. Love! Even if I am not good at losing, it’s still a fabulous time.

The Boy. Just reiterating how excited I am to be with him this Christmas, the first Christmas I’ve ever spent with a boyfriend even. Weird. It will be good to make fun of him with his family, cuddle him, and see his reactions to the presents I chose for him.

Looks like everything I want for free, I’m well on track to receive. And what could be better than that?

This post is the final chapter of mine for the 20-Something Bloggers' December blog carnival. My other posts can be found here and here.

Christmas wishlist, by sense

"Every sense hath been o'erstrung, and each frail fibre of the brain sent forth her thoughts all wild and wide." Lord Byron

This post is in continuation of the 20-Something Bloggers' December Blog Carnival. The topics up for grabs were:

• A wishlist of things you want that are free.
• A wishlist of five items, one for each sense.
• A wishlist of things you would sneak under the tree for yourself, age 13.

My post on the latter can be found here. What follows is my wishlist of five items, one for each sense. Unintentionally, all of these items are also free. Kind of. Without further ado, five sense-related items on my wishlist.

Sight: The expression on the faces of those I love while they open their gifts from me. I love when I get someone a present that I know they’ll love. Something that they aren’t expecting that will cause their eyes to light up and a smile to their face. Or tears, if it’s the momma. I’m excited to see the reactions to gifts I’m giving my friends and the Boy, hopefully cementing my own belief that I did a pretty bang-up job this year.

Smell: Lilies. This time of year is a little hard, since it’s around this time that my Grandpa passed away. His gardens were always so beautiful, his lilies so tall, everything so lush. Lilies also remind me of home. My mom’s beautiful lily garden. Her annoyance when cross-pollination occurs (I still like "mingling", Kaye) and all the lilies come up orange. They remind me of family and freedom. Running about outside with the wind in my hair. Smelling the flowers and nearly falling face-first into the garden. Because that’s how I roll.

Touch: Hugs. I am a touchy person, and the holidays are all about friends and family. I’m excited to see my friends this weekend for the Ugly Sweater Christmas Party the Roomie and I are hosting. Hugs all around for those I love. Excited to snuggle up with the Boy. Even excited to see his parents for Christmas, who always make me feel as welcome as my own family.

Sound: It’s a toss up. I absolutely love the sound of laughter. The sound of people coming together and sharing stories, memories, and new experiences. But then, I also want to hear the sound of my sister’s voice, “I wanna talk about boys!” as she crawls into my bed late at night. Our Christmas tradition was a sisterly sleepover/slumber party. Which meant the three of us staying up way too late, giggling and gossiping, saying our prayers together. Usually we were shushed more than once, or sternly commanded to go to sleep. Then, we’d get up early in the morning to look at our presents and help get breakfast organized. The lack of this Christmas tradition has me particularly homesick this year.

Taste: Gingerbread, whether it’s in cookie or latte form. This treat contains the very essence of Christmas. Just as the smell of lilies brings memories rushing back, the taste of gingerbread makes the holiday real. Memories of creating houses in days gone by, or the excitement on old Roomie Tim’s face as I called him upstairs in our house on Maitland Street to cut out his own holiday shapes.

"Love is of all the passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses." Lao Tzu

Where oh where is the Christmas spirit? ...off with the snow?

It's hard to get into the Christmas spirit with the serious lack of snow we're experiencing. It was a balmy 2 degrees Celcius this morning, with a forecast of rain for later in the day. Rain! Not cool.

It's starting to hit me, the enormity of not going home for Christmas. I'll be spending the holiday this year with Boy and his family in southern Saskatchewan. It's not that I don't want to be with my own family, but at this time of year one must sign over their first-born in order to get a plane ticket across the country. This will always be known as the year I wasn't there, even if I manage to make it home every year to come. I'll be absent in the annual famly photo. I'll miss the "Christmas Tradition" (aka. sleepover) with Kaye and Kiki, something we've been doing since we were wee. I won't be there for breakfast, making fun of Brother and his wife for being late. I won't get to see the looks on my family's faces when they open the presents I've chosen for them. I know that everything will be okay, and Boy's family always makes me feel incredibly welcome, but it makes me a little bit homesick to think of all that I'll be missing. To think that this is one more memory the other five people in my family have without me in it. Ah the joys of being the only one living a province (or three) away.

In other news, who knew being oh-so bad could do so much good? Strippers from an establishment here in the city have raised over $4800 for Santa's Anonymous, a program that delivers Christmas presents to needy children in Edmonton. More than 30 exotic dancers donated their day's pay and tips to the cause on the weekend. They sure have the Christmas spirit.

My sister Kiki brought me a Skip-It when the girls came to visit this summer, as a belated birthday present. It's still in the packaging as it was more to serve as a reminder of my favourite toy ever. I loved my old pink Skip-It. I would spin it around, hopping over it, an eye on the counter to beat my personal best. I thought I was amazing at this game. My mother told me much later that she feared for my uncoordinated life every time I pulled it out. Thanks mom! Point is, I cleared it with Kiki to donate my new Skip-It to Santa's Anonymous this year. Hopefully some little girl, more coordinated than I, will love it as much as I did.

How are you going to get into the Christmas spirit?

My inspiration

"If you want something said, ask a man... if you want something done, ask a woman." Margaret Thatcher

Over 14 years ago, my mom took the leap from farm wife to municipal politician. She sat on a council that consisted solely of men. I remember discussions about municipal issues around the dinner table, discussions that would spur my own interest in the political system.

When I went to university, preparing for a future law degree, I chose to take politics instead of pursuing the English degree she thought I should pursue. She didn’t understand my reasons. She didn’t understand what I could do with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She didn’t understand that I was so intrigued by the discussions we had, that I was so inspired by her and the work she did in an old male-dominated field in our small community. I saw the difference that she made, the passion she held for our community and I wanted to be able to do the same.

I remember that no matter what was going on at home, no matter what time of the day or night, when residents called our house complaining about their gravel roads not being graded, or the state of the community, she would listen and put on her happy voice.

As our small municipal council grew with the amalgamation of three townships, council members from all joining parties were at risk. She remained on as the sole woman. Residents of our community saw her integrity, her dedication and her passion for the community and chose her for the new, smaller council. She was always my role model, no matter how we were getting along at the time. She has moved from councilor to deputy mayor, and now she’s looking for a new challenge as the potential warden for the county.

From an article in our town’s newspaper: “Having experienced county council for a number of years now, I think it is time to step forward and create a bigger challenge,” she explained. The current economic downturn will no doubt top the agenda heading into next year and the deputy mayor seems ready to tackle anything. “It’s important to be up on all of the issues and I look forward to all of the challenges in 2009,” she said.

A lot of the qualities I have accumulated, I owe to her. Her strength, her intelligence and her dedication to make our community, if not the world, a better place. I couldn’t be more proud.

"One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.” Maya Angelou

Tell me more, tell me more (like does he have a car?)

One of the best parts about being not only an older sister, but an older sister in a couple, is hearing the adventures of the baby's dating life. Though dating is not always a fun endeavor, it's fun to be told swoon-worthy stories of cute boys and adventures with them.

After waking up yesterday to a text message telling me to check my Facebook mailbox for details, I've been looking forward to the "what's next" of Kaye's dating life. Ahhh, the excitement. So far, nerdy engineering boy + Guitar Hero = much potential. I should know, that's how my relationship started out (though it was Rock Band).

All I have to offer Kaye in return for her stories, is this article. These women are doing amazing, very important work. Even more important is that they're doing it without judging. Their concern is for the health of these women during their pregnancies and the health of their babies.

Using $95,000 from the Public Health Agency of Canada, a part-time nurse and two street-smart outreach workers find homeless, pregnant women. They help them get medical care and test them for syphilis to prevent the sexually transmitted disease from making their babies sick.

It's a very interesting, very insightful article. I fully recommend it.

Thankful for…

My awesome family. Text messages from Mom and Kaye. The Daddy with his gentle reminders during the tumultuous teens that, “Life is too short to be miserable”. A mantra I shall never forget. Sleepovers with Kaye and Kiki. The Brother and his lovely wife. People who didn’t argue when I wanted to move across the country, but are sad when I can’t come home as often as we’d all like. Sisters who visit so I can show them what I love about this province. And they love it too.

Great friends. I mention them quite frequently, but there is something absolutely incredible about relationships which span the country. Relationships where more than 3000 km do not affect the connections, story-telling, support of great people. It almost makes up for the fact that they’re not close enough for a glass of wine after a long day (though they’re willing to do it by phone, which works). Also, great friends in Edmonton. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for a mere two years… it feels like a lifetime with the people I have found to surround myself with. The biggest fear of moving was not knowing anyone and being insanely lonely, especially with my 22nd [golden] birthday was a week after I moved out here. Saddest birthday ever. Roomie, who moved to Alberta a month after I did, and I frequently comment on how well we’ve done. In two years, after moving out here knowing nearly no one, with two suitcases each, we’ve gathered 1030 square feet of belongings which we can pack full of friends (which we do at parties, all the time).

The Boy. It’s been almost a year now. I’ve had one other relationship that’s lasted this long, and I can say with absolutely no bias that I never felt about him how I feel for B. I tell him I love him nearly a hundred times a day, because that’s all I think about when I look at him. Situations where I used to need to be left alone, I’m perfectly comfortable spending with him. He calms me. He makes bad days better. Because of him, I’ve become a [Rock Band] rock star. He makes fun of me. He makes delicious breakfast. I make fun of him. Menial tasks like dishes and grocery shopping become almost fun. When good things happen, I want to share them with him. We watch football. He really listens to me, and my opinions, even when he doesn’t agree. We have drunken epic discussions about politics, the economy and the state of the environment. We put on music and got prepared to paint his condo this weekend. A year from now, we’ll be roommates (that’s the plan anyway). I’m not the least bit concerned with this development.

The Boy’s family. Including me in things like Thanksgiving and Christmas, when I’m too far away to be with my own family. Making me feel so welcome. Playing games. Gently providing their expertise when it comes to picking paint colours for the condo. Family is important, and it’s pretty awesome when you find a second one you can be just as comfortable with as your own.

A good job, working with excellent people. Building new skills while not losing my mind.

A country where we are able to have a say in what our government does. So many people around the world don't share this luxury. They are mistreated by their governments so much worse than we ever perceive ourselves to be. They have no input. Today, we get the chance to tell our government what we think of them. Get out and vote.

I feel old.

20 years ago, Kitty was born.

My little blonde-haired, blue-eyed, mini-me (in personality only... obviously, due to the whole blonde vs red, blue vs green reality) is no longer a teenager.

It seems like yesterday I started university, moving into residence and away from her and Kiki. It's amazing how fast the time has flown by. At that time, she was just beginning highschool and here she is, the summer before third-year university. A brilliant, strong, hilarious, sickenly sweet human being.

We alternated between being sisterly pals, with me doing her hair, having sleepovers, chatting about anything and everything, to being great enemies. Since I've left, we've become more than sisterly pals, we've become great friends. Some of the best. Someone that even if I wasn't a four-year-old fortunate enough to have her come along as a baby sister, I would choose as a friend. I'm so in awe of her and the amazing person she has become, and to some extent, has always been.

She's been filling my life with joy (on and off) for the past 20 years. Thank you, dear Kitty, for being born. I know not what I would do without you.

Love, your big sister.

Best. News. Ever.

With all the crazy overtime comes the ability to look into the future to take time off. With the insanity that has been happening around the office that means that when my baby sisters come to visit me in August I can take the whole week off. Weeeee!

Possible plans include:
Drumheller
Jasper
Columbia Icefield
West Ed
Fringe Festival/Whyte Ave (access by the streetcar the runs during the summer)
Football game: Eskimos vs Saskatchewan Roughriders
Science Centre
Muttart
Outdoor market on 104 St, just north of Jasper Ave
Leg/River Valley stroll

..what else should be on the list?

Speech by the sisters three: Jenna and Andrew

Thank you Andrew and Jenna for having us be a part of your special day.

Andrew was always pretty clever.

When we played house, he was the best banker he could be. He guarded that stack of Monopoly money with everything he had.

He drew up an air-tight contract to ensure that when he offered to pay me $5 an hour for playing "boy games" with him, he'd never actually have to pay out since I couldn't bear to stay in for the hour he had stipulated. Don't worry Andrew, there were times we wished that you had gotten a little brother too... just to save us from playing whatever you wanted to play.

And anyone who has ever had the pleasure of seeing the accounting books that Andrew had for his farm set -- keeping track of revenues, expenses, market prices and so on -- knows that this boy has a lot of brains.

That being said, we can say with full confidence that making the decision to marry Jenna was the smartest thing that Andrew has ever done.

Andrew and Jenna go together like peanut butter and jelly. She's sweet and he's stuck on her.

Welcome to our family Jenna.

Cheers, to Andrew and Jenna. To love, laughter, and happily ever after.

Speech: Meg and Stephen

Thank you Meghan and Stephen, for letting me be part of this incredible day.

A while back I received a rather inappropriate post card in the mail and was told by the new Mrs. Bartolo that it was my job to make sure she walked down the aisle this morning.

…I can tell you all that this was the easiest task I’ve ever been given.

From that first conversation detailing her run-in with a strange boy on the bus… to the ecstatic phone call in the middle of the night from Tobermory announcing their engagement… it’s never been of any doubt that these two would end up together.

Even when Meghan was not so impressed with her new husband, like the time I visited the pair and Meghan decided to take shots for every sip her increasingly intoxicated boyfriend was taking, her love for this man was apparent.

Even clutching the toilet bowl, insisting I hold her pukey hand in mine… Meghan talked of nothing but their future together. …Now that’s love.

From the many visits to Ottawa over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to witness Meghan and Steve’s love each other as well as their love for pushing each others’ buttons…

…And now they get to annoy each other for the rest of their lives.

People claim that fairy tales don’t exist but I beg to differ. The real fairy tales are the ones that we make ourselves. Contrary to the stories we read as kids, fairy tales aren’t always easy. Relationships aren’t easy. They take work. There will be bumps in the road. The important thing is that when you hit those rough times you remember why you got together in the first place.

For those of you who don’t know the story of Meghan and Stephen, you’re in for a real treat… a real modern day fairy tale.

You see, once upon a time, back around four years ago, there was this girl with a smile that could light up any room. As you can see, she’s doing it here and now with this room today. This girl was at the bus stop, with her eye on a mysterious hottie. Anyone who knows Meghan knows she’s nothing if not subtle. So she took off her dark sunglasses and began flirting with this boy in earnest once they had boarded the bus.

Giggles, the hair flip, the whole nine yards.

In order to speed up the process, our protagonist decided to give this mystery boy fair warning before her stop came up. Though she made everything so obvious, to her dismay, she received no acknowledgement from the boy. So she cut her losses and went on her merry way.

A few moments later, walking down Sparks Street, the girl turned around to find our mystery boy literally running down the street towards her. Being the suave girl she is, she decided to play it cool and slow her pace to let him catch up as she watched his reflection near in the windows beside her. As she was patiently waiting to cross the street, our boy gently taps her on the shoulder and calmly says….

“Excuse me, you were supposed to ask for my phone number.”

After a firm handshake and waiting the two standard days to call, our lovebirds have been together ever since.

Earlier this week, I was talking to Meghan about boys, clearly not a shocking topic of choice. Meghan oh-so-wisely told me…

“You will not find love. No matter how hard you look. Love will find you. And, it will probably be at a very inappropriate moment, as it doesn't have the greatest timing, nor does it care what is convenient for you.”

Apparently love waits until you’re late for work and forces you to do things you’d never do. Like follow a gorgeous woman down the street, armed with only a vague idea of what to say and with your pride on the line.

My only advice for you today, Meghan and Stephen, is to remember those little moments. Remember Stephen, what pushed you to get out of your seat and follow Meghan down the street, even though it was totally inconvenient and out of character.

And Meghan, remember what had you focused on this cute boy (other than just his cute backside) and what made you say yes to the gentleman who gave you an introductory handshake when all you wanted to do was throw yourself at him.

Meghan and Stephen, this day today and your love for each other is proof that fairy tales do exist.

Congratulations Meghan and Stephen on your beautiful wedding. Cheers -- to love, laughter and happily ever after!

Haunted by lemony visions... and the prospect of more weddings

A couple weeks ago I had this incredibly random dream which involved light, fluffy, lemon cupcakes. I can not gets this vision of cupcake heaven out of my head, even though I have long since been a huge lemon fan. Must. Make. These. Cupcakes. The need haunts me and I know not why.

I think there may be a problem with the fact that every time I get a drunk-dial in the middle of the night I fear it is another friend telling me that they are engaged. Who calls me after 4 a.m., boyfriend in tow, merely to tell me how in love they are and yet how they are thinking of me at the same time? ...oh right, Erin does. Stay away from the Koolaid.

Speaking of weddings, my cousin is getting married in Cuba in the spring and I'm seriously considering going. Even with the prospect of Europe. One of my friends called me "moneybags" last night when I was explaining this to which I say... no mortgage, no little family, no car... what else is there to spend money on but travel? Works for me.

Megpie's wedding countdown is three weeks. Brother is getting married in five. Airplane tickets have (finally) been purchased and I don't nearly hate Air Canada so much anymore due to the lovely ticket counter lady at the airport. Though I still hate them plenty. West Jet is my airline love. The dress is nearly ready. My bags are far from packed. My duties are still a little bit unclear. But I am getting a little bit excited. It'll be good to go home and see all the friends/family who I have left back in Ontario. And I shall get to spend the night with the littlest sister in her university abode, which will be all sorts of girly fun (though she must wake up in the morning for class before we head home to the farm).

Still reading Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs. Still loving Klosterman. Even though at times he is ridiculously pretentious and I don't particularly agree with him... I can't remember actually laughing out loud at a book so much. In weird places. Like on the bus surrounded by sweaty strangers. Hilarity. People should read this book if only for this reason. The man is funny.

Last night, went to Packrats with my peeps. Had the best wine of my life. And the food. Oh the food was amazing. Everyone must go (or try to go) here. My new favourite restaurant. Ever. Also, check out the Fringe. Because it is arty and awesome. And deliciously dirty.

Mamma Mia

A birthday is a time to look at what you've created and see if it still serves. Change is necessary. Life is opportunity.

My mother is a genius. Of course, this is something I've known for years... but I am just in complete awe of her. She's confident, she's brilliant, she's successful, she's strong, she's compassionate. She's an inspiration. Yesterday was her birthday.