12.16.2012

the heat escaping barely keeps you awake, shivering in your clothes





It has been just over a week that I last plugged in my desktop computer and today I realized that I have to stop avoiding my responsibilities, plug this baby in, and get to work. The list of stuff I have put off all week has piled up and my list is looong, but no worries, doable, and I'm not really stressed about it.

Seth and I got to Prince George on Monday night after an epic three-day road trip and are leaving on Tuesday morning and gunning for Vancouver. There's snow 'til Clinton, so as long as we get there by 3ish we'll be good to head the rest of the way. The snow here and the cold has been nothing short of wonderful. The coldness isn't even that bitter, yet, and Seth is overjoyed by the time he gets to spend all layered up, waist deep in powder.


12.06.2012

well you ask yourself why you're so afraid

making lotion bars and sugar scrub
making lotion bars and sugar scrub
making lotion bars and sugar scrub
making lotion bars and sugar scrub

The car is 90% packed. The house has less of my imprint, but you can still see me in the piles of boxes and the random stuff left behind. Our new roommates move in tonight and in two weeks I will pick stewart up from the Ferry and we will go to the Okanagan for the holidays. I'm going to spend two weeks in PG. Hopefully to do job interviews, participate in a craft fair hosted by Laura of HOME SWEET HOME, spend some time with friends, and unpack my car. I'm surprised by how much, yet so little can fit in my little car. It's truly disappointing.  To top it off my life is a little crazy and unseeded, I'm sick, and I'd rather go to bed right now but have SO MUCH to do. First thing, load my iPod(s) and shut this computer down and put it in a box. Oh, and make dinner.

(this past week I made sugar coffee scrub and lotion bars with teen moms at the local alternative school. gonna miss those grrrls).

 

11.27.2012

i knit a hat!

may day knit hat
may day knit hat
Here's the project link from Ravelry!

For whatever reason when I put my hands in the woollens box to pull out a hat to wear on a cold day, well, there was not a single hat in the box. I know for sure I've given two to Holly, but if you troll my ravelry projects page, you'll see I've made a gazillion hats: where are they all? (I have one, but it's ill fitting, though warm.. but at this moment I don't know where it is).. Why do I live my life in such crisis? I'm not good at settling down, being super organized, and knowing where my stuff is. I'm looking forward to having dogs next year to force me to be home, be more oriented to a home-based routine. It's probably my biggest challenge re: my mental health. I'm so trained to be an extrovert and out there pleasing people with a smile on my face, but at home I'm so scattered. I saw a headline from a newspaper article about me and a colleague who I admire and love to death, but the headline was "giving their lives to help others". It's not like it "struck me" but it's a good reminder to recoil inwards a little bit and find work that satisfies me, rather than some idea of helping other people all the time (and sacrificing myself). I'm doing a lot better at not being a bleeding heart, and my vicarious trauma is zilch to none, and I'm trying to take less of the emotional side of my work on, but it's hard, and it's stressing me out, often.

Anyway, back to the hat. I got this beautiful yarn from my step uncle last year and knit it into a hat over the last two days. LOVE IT. I'm so excited to live somewhere with snow in less than 2 weeks.

11.21.2012

HURRAH

I am going to be vending at my first craft fair in THREE YEARS!! And I've put a lot of thought and dedication into superb products which I'll highlight here leading up to the fair! Some things MIGHT be available on Etsy (but OBV not shippable in time for the holidays). Save your pennies my pretties. It'll be worth it. XO

11.19.2012

hello jealousy

it's monday on the clock and i'm exhausted. i worked the whole weekend pretty much, and got to spend some time today watching derby and having dinner with dear new friends (!!). last week i quit my job and i am leaving this lil' town of port alberni on december 8th-ish. looking forward to moving back to PRINCE GEORGE for a few years and excited for all the good stuff going on there. i will be making my "first appearance" at a craft fair hosted by Laura over at my other blog HOME SWEET HOME... and a launch of the best shirt ever.

yesterday i got to help build a community garden. life is good right now, though i need to carve out a bit more time to get on top of my tasks.






11.12.2012

far from the hills and the sea swell...that's where my true love lies










I've been busy making pies, working, and knitting my face off. We have new roommates moving in and are so excited. I'm packing boxes for my upcoming move. Things are sorting themselves out. I wish I had more time to workout and read books, but whatever. Lots of things on the table, irons in the fire. This coming weekend I get to go to Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw First Nation and help them build a garden! So honoured! To date I've made 16 pies. 40 more to go. Looking forward to the next few months and feeling really proud of myself for identifying what was/is BRINGING ME DOWN physically, emotionally, everything really, and finding ways to combat it. Now to bed to read a bit before sleeping. Must pick out tomorrow's outfit first! XO

ETA: there's like 70 fucking pies all together.

10.18.2012

how time goes fast.....

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Last Saturday me and Sethie and Stewart jumped in our car and headed south east to Errington to visit my family because it was my uncle's 50th Birthday ! ! I love going to their farm and Seth is completely in love with them and all their animals and all of the toyS!!! There were so many great people, lots of good food, and a blustery day that ended up nice enough to sit around the fire. I also got to see my cousin who I haven't seen in months b/c she's been working on the East Coast of the US (providence ish).... She's there for one last night, TONIGHT!, so we're heading out after work.

We've made some really great life decisions lately that will be unveiled soooooon!!! Things are falling into place. I'm so happy. XO

10.15.2012

halloween dress up ideas

i hate dressing up for halloween but we are going to TWO halloween parties: so I SHOULD dress up, right?

here's my ideas:
  
drew in riding in cars with boys

this guy
sexy hermoine costume

10.14.2012

B A L T I M O R E ! ! !

PHALLUS
PHALLUS!!! (dc)
Grafitti
so much graffiti in baltimore
book thing!
book thing! amazing!
baltimore farmer's market
baltimore farmer's market
baltimore
baltimore skyline
OMG TK!!!
post tattoooooooooo. "you know who my wife is right?", "um, yes", "well take as many pictures as you want!" (haha)
sean's mom's house
great conversation with sean's mom about rep/dem and family dynamics along political lines!
non-dairy ice creams?
dairy free ice creams at whole paycheck
OMG LAST WEEKEND i was so lucky to spend almost forty cumulative hours traveling from my home to Melissa's home in Baltimore. YAYAYAY so much anticipation and worth every minute. Also getting tattoo'd by my tattoo artist hero (and for him to be probably the first man in the tattoo industry who hasn't been a complete dickwad to me) was a dream come true. My favourite parts?: Learning more about american politics; getting drunk with Melissa on Edgar Allen Poe beer and eating a club sandwich and fries with both cheese and gravy, going to the Baltimore Farmer's Market (incredible!), and just hanging out. It was the best time ever. I'm looking forward to going again next year.
PS there's more pictures in my FLICKR SET

10.01.2012

Family Day

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I've taken some time to focus more "in-ward" and it's paying off. After a super busy weeks at my jobs, and Stewart's exhaustion from school and finishing a course with a spectacular grade, we treated ourselves to a day on the West Coast! We spent most of our time at the Aquarium in Ucluelet where Seth almost died in excitement at all the FISH and OCTOPUS! We also got to see a demonstration with shellfish and sea stars. Basically they put the shellfish on the back of a sea star. When the sea star responded the Swimming Scallops would clap their "mouths" to build momentum and swim away. The big clams would stick out their inner bodies like LEGS and push off and roll away. It was pretty cool. I also liked all the sea animals that looked like plants. All of their species are from within 5KM of the aquarium and they don't have any big tanks: no whales, no big sharks, etc. The biggest thing was the octopus. I can't believe it took us three years for a visit and it was worth more than the entrance fee.

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After the Aquarium we went to Chesterman's Beach, but to the South End (we usually go to the North End). It was super cold in the water, though Seth insisted on running in it repeatedly. We had to pull him out as he was up to his chest in high tide cold water. Changing back at the car was a bit of a challenge, and I was wearing Nylons, so it *was* interesting!!

We also went to do our favourite: burritos at Tacofino and coffee at Tofitian. Ever since I came back from Tofitian with my travel mug Stewart has been pining for something with their elusive skull on it, so he grabbed a trucker hat. Tacofino was closed so we ate at Wildside. OMGYUM.
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This week is proving to be overwhelmingly busy again. But I get to cap it all off with a trip to Baltimore to see my dear friend Melissa and get tattoo'd by my favourite tattoo artist of all time, Thomas Kenney. You won't hear from me until I get back. So have a good one! XO