Vintage Video

It was a rainy night, and I felt like popcorn and a movie. I picked out a bunch on the 5 DVDs for $8 deal at our local rental place, from Tangled to Supernatural, but it was an Indiana Jones kind of night.

After we finished watching Temple of Doom (I'd forgotten how much screaming there was), Jody turned to me and said, "You must have had these in Canada."

"Yes, but they were on video." For some reason this got a huge laugh out of Jody. "What?" I demanded. "They're old movies!"

"You're old." A pause. "I never had any tapes."

Me: "That's ridiculous. Why not?"

Jody: "I never really had TV."

Me: "You're old!"

Tea for Two

I am a big fan of tea. I don't know whether it's my British ancestry or the ceremony of making the tea, or if it's simply having a few minutes to myself to regroup, with a warm cup nestled in my hands.


My husband Jody is also a tea drinker (unless it's morning - then he needs his espresso!) so recently, we  had a mini date in Southbank at Tlicious. They offer Devonshire Tea for $7 - a scone with jam & cream, along with a personal pot of loose tea. Sweet deal!



The tea was lovely and the china wasn't too pretentious, which suited the relaxed vibe of Southbank. I had Darjeeling and Jody, Assam. The server brought a very unique timer to our table, which you can see in the photo. Depending on how strong you like your tea, the sand will tell you when to pour.

It must have been busy that day because there were no plain scones left, so we opted for chocolate chip for Jody and pumpkin for me. Usually I adore pumpkin scones, but these were too literal - plain scones dotted with soft nibbles of pumpkin. The choc chip is reportedly yummy but messy...



If you like the tea you chose, it's available inside the shop to take home. The perfect tea timer was a nice touch, and the tea and scone were of good quality. Bottom line? Recommended: for girl time, a mini-date, or a solo time-out.

Traditional Grace

Last night Jody and I took in a traditional ballet at the Sydney Opera House. Coppelia is full of village charm, graceful movement, magic, gorgeous costumes and living dolls.

Dr Coppelius is a secretive pensioner living in a small village, and everyone wants to know what he's up to. Franz, a young man engaged to village girl Swanilda, is distracted by a lovely figure on Dr Coppelius' balcony. Swanilda is none too pleased when she finds her fiance mooning over Coppelia, posturing below her balcony with a bunch of flowers.

Soon afterward, the doctor (who is, in reality, an alchemist) locks up and leaves his house on an errand. The village boys rough him up but are unable to get his key. Coppelius heaves a sigh of relief and wipes his brow with his handkerchief - dropping his key, which was wrapped inside the cloth, in the process. He doesn't notice, but Swanilda does, and she snatches it up with glee. Meanwhile Franz runs off to find a ladder to lean against the upstairs window.

The seven village girls sneak into the house and discover a room filled with life-sized dolls. Cautiously they look around, and find that some can be prodded into movement. (At first I assumed at least some were props, but they were all dancers - eight of them - and able to sit or stand remarkably still! Throughout Act 2 they 'came to life' and danced like rag dolls, robots, a jack in the box or a windup toy.) Coppelia is discovered in a cabinet at the centre of the room, and her jerky movements remind one of a puppet on strings, but she is lovely nonetheless.

Coppelius arrives in a fury and chases the girls out - all but Swanilda, who hides in the cabinet with the alchemist's "daughter." Franz tumbles through the window, and Coppelius drugs him and pins him to a large wheel. Franz is spun around and around, unconscious of the spell being worked on him. The alchemist believes he can make Coppelia come to life and be a true daughter to him, if only she has a soul, and he tries to take Franz's from him.

The cabinet is opened and the audience is sure of Swanilda's discovery - but she has disguised herself in the doll's clothes, and begins to move as she saw Coppelia move earlier. She fools the alchemist, and dances for him as he attempts to transfer Franz's soul to her. The other dolls come to life and Swanilda uses the confusion to try and free her fiance. Eventually he recovers, and the two are reunited. Dr Coppelius is heartbroken that his daughter has not truly come to life, and the scene closes.

The final act involves a lot of group dances as the villagers rejoice in Franz and Swanilda's marriage. Aside from the second act's superb doll dance, the third act held my (and Jody's) favourite number - 12 lovely ballerinas in midnight blue tutus, beautifully in sync and as traditional as you please. Later in the act, nearly the whole cast took part - 35 dancers filled the stage in a country dance. I can't imagine what it would have felt like to be part of that company.

The costumes were fantastic, and even from our position (six rows from the back, in the centre of the upper-level Circle seating) we could see that tremendous attention to detail had been paid. There was tulle and ribbon everywhere, and a great deal of pastels. The sets were just as spectacular, giving off old-world charm. Dancers were supported by a strong and talented orchestra. Don't you just love the jumbled sound of strings and horns that signals the performance is about to start?

It’s lovely to live in a city where I can take advantage of the cultural offerings. Jody and I very much enjoyed our evening out, and it was a memorable way to celebrate our third anniversary.

*Picture from Sydney Opera House website, as photography was not allowed. Coppelia runs from the 4th-22nd of May 2010, includes matinees, and is suitable for family viewing.
The storyline is based on my interpretation of the performance I attended. I'm sure there are numerous sites with other synopses, but this is mine.

No Burnt Pizza Here

There are good weeks and bad weeks in my kitchen. The bad weeks are when I manage to burn frozen pizza or add bad milk to my eggs, and then I throw up my hands and declare it take-out night.

But this has been a good week in the kitchen. Sunday I baked cookies AND brownies, and although I burnt my finger it is healing well (darn those metal bowls sitting too close to the gas element). Earlier this week we had stir fry & cous cous. Last night was the simple but tasty salad, bakery rolls and barbecued sausage. Lunch was mock greek salad. And tonight? Oh yes. Tonight was the fabulously rustic and soon-to-be-repeated Chicken Thighs in Riesling.

One of my new favourite food blogs is Everybody Likes Sandwiches, which has recently migrated from a blog site to its own domain (the Vancouver-based foodie is also a graphic designer). There's much more to love there than sandwiches, and while poking around the site's newly created category search, I discovered what seemed to be the perfect culinary end to my week. So last night I scurried to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients, none of which are obscure - you might even have them in your fridge or cupboard right now.

Chicken Thighs in Riesling
Adapted from Gourmet
and Everybody Likes Sandwiches

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp garlic paste or 2 cloves, chopped
1 t oregano
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 t ground cumin
4-6 skinless chicken thighs
(even easier if they're boneless)
salt & pepper
1 T olive oil

1 T butter
4 large shallots, roughly chopped
4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch long rounds
1/2 – 3/4 c riesling
4 potatoes, cut into large chunks
1/4 - 1/3 c heavy cream
juice of 1/2 a lemon

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken thighs, using paper towel. Prepare a dish with the garlic, bell pepper, oregano, cumin and lemon juice. The lemon is key for moisture and zing! Stir to coat and allow 30 minutes to marinade.

2. Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a wide saucepan or pot, then add chicken and marinade. Brown chicken on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Heat butter and saute shallots and carrots for about 10 minutes, then add the chicken. Pour riesling overtop and cover. Cook over med-low heat until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Get the potatoes ready while you're waiting.

4. In a separate pot, cook potatoes in boiling water until just tender. Drain and add to the main dish once chicken is cooked. Add heavy cream and squeeze in lemon juice, then stir gently to combine.

If you have boneless skinless thighs this recipe is even easier, and I got six fresh ones from my deli for just over $5. No photos this time because chicken, potatoes & carrots are not particularly photogenic. This meal doesn't look like much, but it is delicious.


After dinner, Jody complimented me on a successful meal, and then commented on the lighting. "You're funny, turning out the lights because the halogens are too bright."

"I didn't do it to be funny, I did it to be romantical!"

"Oh, that's right - you have nice candles on the table."

That's a good week right there, folks. Enjoy your weekend.

Date Night - Sherlock Holmes Edition

Jody has embarked on a "keep Julia happy" program lately, which is very nice, since my parents' visit is over and we have no future plans for me to look forward to.

[January 13th] we went out to dinner and a movie, and our night went something like this:

1. Buy tickets - 6:40 show is sold out, so we opt for 8:45 and dinner first.
2. Find hole in the wall Korean restaurant near theatre. Eat delicious dumplings, drink sake (me for the first time - inexplicably, Jody tries to tell me it can taste like soap if I don't drink it warm), try dishes we can't pronounce - enjoy everything and leave, absolutely stuffed.
3. Visit favourite used bookstore, a few blocks away. Buy American Gods by Neil Gaiman and The Duchess by Amanda Foreman.
4. Watch Sherlock Holmes. This included a pre-movie show, consisting of the bogan* couple next to us mixing their own hi-ball and getting drunk before the previews are over. They talked really loudly and were generally annoying (though not as rage-inducing as the Asian chick who was on her phone in the middle of IMAX Watchmen). Fortunately, 10 minutes in, two girls came down the aisle and kicked them out because the couple was in their seats.
The movie was good, but you can wait for the DVD. The best part was the camaraderie between Downey Jr. and Law - they were an excellent duo.
5. Scrap plan to go for ice cream, as it looks like rain. Arrive at bus stop one minute before our bus arrives.
6. Get in the door just as the lightning starts. Eat brownies and vanilla ice cream.
7. Upload photos and write note while Jody plays with his newly repaired TV. (Par for the course.)

And now, to sleep.

* Bogan: Australian or New Zealander who possesses no class at all. Redneck, white trash.

West Side Story Down Under

In celebration of spring, the Sydney Opera House has put on a Spring Dance series with free movies showing on a huge Sony screen, outside on the forecourt. I didn't make it on Friday for Fred & Ginger's Swing Time, but last night I "frocked up" (Sydneyspeak for dressing for the occasion) and took Jody out on the town.

We arrived at the Opera House in time for a dance with the live band hired for the occasion, and managed a clumsy cha-cha with our bags still on our shoulders. Next, there was a performance to "Sway" by three couples from Broadway Ballroom, but to be honest I wasn't overly impressed - not that I can do better; it's just that it's nothing when you've seen world-class couples doing showdances at ballroom competitions. (We are, however, currently looking for a ballroom class to join.)

While "Sway" shimmered through the warm night air, we found a small area to seat ourselves on the steps. I can't tell you how glad I am that we brought a small pillow and the foamy from my Penguin Parade adventure to sit on. My pashmina shawl and Jody's cotton sweater proved to be enough warmth for the duration of the film, but our legs were quite cramped after two and a half hours in our chosen spot. Enough griping - on with the show.

I watch West Side Story every couple of years, and the song "Maria" always gets stuck in my head. Somehow the show seemed cheesier than usual at this viewing, but on the other end of the spectrum, a group of teens laughed at an unintentional double entendre I've never noticed. I won't share it here, because now I fear it has ruined the scene for me, and I wouldn't do that to you.

Jody has never seen the movie before, but he was surprised to recognise some of the music. It surprised me too! Apparently the band Yes, a contemporary of Pink Floyd, did a B-side cover of "Something's Coming" - Tony's revelation that change was just around the corner. I have to say that "Tonight" is still my favourite WSS song, though, and it brings back memories of singing the alto part in my high school choir. On that note, how is it possible I've been out of high school for nearly ten years?

I can't imagine the school budgets for art, drama and music being cut any more than they already were a decade ago. My two high schools had a decent budget, I suppose, but I remember us having to be resourceful in set and costume design, and I'm positive many of my teachers gave their own time to make shows happen. I hope this isn't the end of support for the arts. Without it, I can't see how the world will gain its next Stephen Sondheim or Leonard Bernstein.

Babies: Back to Basics or Buying the Best?

Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes... perfection. Now all that's needed is a receiving blanket. And an outfit or three. And designer booties – those handknitted ones are made of itchy wool. Don't forget the diaper bag with wipes and nappies and cream and a bottle and a cap and mittens and another receiving blanket.

Babies seem to need so much – but where is the line between need and luxury? The consumerism surrounding babies is unbelievable. I don't know whether it's fuelled by parents who equate spending money with spending time, or by those who are afraid to seem cheap when it comes to caring for their offspring, or those who just get caught up in the excitement that is BABY. There is so much out there!

Why is the market for baby gear so astoundingly lucrative? Is it because this generation has lost the skills needed to knit and sew? Because new is considered better and more hygienic? Because health codes are more restrictive? We can each decide what is a necessity and what is a comfort for ourselves, but when it comes to our children, it seems that we are judged more harshly by others for the choices we make. If you don't have the latest stroller, or a $600 diaper bag (yes, they exist), or a personalised hypoallergenic blanket, does that make you a bad parent? Of course not – but loving gestures like handmade onesies and hand-me-down cribs seem out of place in today's consumer-driven world.

Those of you who know me will be aware that I married two years ago, and so far it's just the two of us. I can't speak from experience here, so my opinion may not sit well with everyone – but that's okay. Several of my classmates and friends are already parents, and I would never tell them what I feel is right for them – because, especially when it comes to raising a family, there isn't one way that works for everyone. Some of them are going back to basics, and others are providing what they believe is the best for their babies. I don't know what kind of mother I'll be someday, but I hope I'll be the kind that puts time ahead of money, and comfort ahead of couture.

Most of all, I hope that I will be able to focus on the tiny bundle of wonderment God may choose to bless us with one day. I'd like to provide the best that I can, but for me, that starts with a loving home, blankets and clothes that are soft and warm, good nutrition, and lullabies that my mother sang to me. Anything above that would be an embarrassment of riches...but I might be so content I wouldn't notice.

This week's topic is 'babies,' which is only fitting considering our chosen charity. That's it for this edition of the Blog-Off! Thanks everyone for your comments and contributions.

Mom, sis, cousins - don't freak out, ok? There is nothing I need to tell you. And Mom - thanks for all the lullabies.

Mozzies, Dymmies, Wooly's and other Australian traditions

Australians never use the long form of anything, it seems. I think they'd abbreviate "beer" if it wasn't already one syllable.

Mozzies.... currently our least favourite thing. Mosquitoes! We don't have screens on our doors/windows at home so we have bought something like a Glade plug-in that has mosquito repellent in it, and it is helping.

Dymmies... This seems more an affectionate name, as it's just as long to say as its actual name, Dymocks. This is not Die-Mocks, as I had first supposed - it's Dymm-icks. It seems to be the Chapters of Australia, or at least the B&N.

Wooly's, you might already know if you've been to Britain. There are several Woolworth's around, and depending on the size, they are part grocery store, part clothing store, part electronics boutique. We've bought a couple of cheap DVDs ($13) and some food from here. There was one in Balmain, where we spent two weeks in our friend's apartment; and there's another in the Central Business District (CBD - see! another abbreviation). The one in the CBD has a Netcafe on the top floor.

So we are learning little things and buying little things, trying to get settled in. We now have an iron and a toaster and a drying rack, all of which contribute to a more homey existence in our new place. But I am getting really sick of living out of my suitcases and a few hangers, and would like a dresser. There is only so much you can convince a cabdriver to put in the back, so I'll have to wait until a friend can help us, or until we find someplace that delivers. Phooey. We'd also like a second comfy chair or a two-seater couch, because currently we have only one recliner and a bunch of dining chairs - meaning someone gets to sit in luxury while the other sits in steerage (a coworker's analogy, and it's rather appropriate). We swap of course, but it's not very much fun. Still, better than having no luxury chair at all! We borrowed it from a (different) coworker, which was very nice of him.

So I was standing near said luxury chair last night, going through piles of recycling from our porch, when Jody suddenly cried, "Watch out! Watch out!" And I jumped around in my bare feet until I was by the sliding door to the porch. My heart was pounding because all I could think of were poisonous spiders! And I'm like, "What? What is it?"
"By your feet!" said Jody. "It's a cockroach!"
Oh. Oh.
It says something that this made me less scared. "Jody," I admonished, "I thought it was something poisonous. Don't freak me out like that!"
"Sorry."
We made a plan to catch it and fling it off the balcony using the box from our new iron. Then Jody figured it would be just as simple to use the tiny dustpan. I grabbed it from the laundry area, handed it to him, and stayed way the heck on the other side of the room. If you've ever seen me on a mosquito hunt, or killing/capturing spiders (much appreciated by several former roommates, and my sister), this little scene would have amused you.
"It's probably more frightened than we are," Jody mused.
He chased it around the TV corner, nabbed it in less than a minute, and stepped onto the porch to return it to the wild. Er, the courtyard.
"My hero," I said.
"Did you see it?" Jody asked.
"Nope."
"Then I really am your hero."
"Yup. Thank you."

I then polished off my beer, like a good Australian. Nothing like a shot of adrenaline to make you thirsty.

A Very Good Day to be Me!

Today was a wonderful day!
I saw Jody off to work, did some things around the house, read some of my book (Philippa Gregory's Meridon) and then left for my hair appointment. Even though my usual hairdresser was unavailable (again - we seem to be having issues with scheduling) I took a chance on another stylist at my usual salon, *plus* took a chance with a style I've been thinking about for awhile. I am so happy I didn't chicken out! She took five inches off the back and between three and four off the front (it was layered). I left the colour alone for now - I might go fully brunette again in the fall.



I walked to the nearby mall and saw my grandparents by chance, so we sat down to eat Subway together. Grampa was waiting for some new glasses from our eye doctor across the street, so they had about 45 minutes to kill. After our sandwiches I said I wanted to go buy a new shirt or two, and ducked into Reitman's. Twenty minutes later, I came out with two pairs of summer-weight dress pants and *three* tops, all at fabulous prices and all fun but professional. So excited! It's like I had my own mini "What Not to Wear" episode. I never find so many things in one store. Granted, I have to get the pants hemmed, but that's no big deal. I am in love with the blue and white blouse with smocking in the front that I bought, as well as the pinstriped pants. I met up with my grandparents, who shuttled me home. I then went upstairs to get books for them to read, and a pie plate they'd loaned to me containing watermelon. It's nice to be in the same city so we can share things.

I did some laundry, which as we all know is terribly exciting (blech). I talked to M on the phone, which we all know is terribly exciting (yay!). I posted pictures of my new haircut on Facebook. At 4:30 I checked out the 'spa' near our place and was very impressed with how painlessly and perfectly the girl did my brows. I'll be back another time.

I went immediately to Jody's gym, and checked it out, it being my first time there. We thought it would be a good way to spend time together, and get him out of the office at a reasonable time. He was a little late meeting me so I jumped right into a dance class that was taking place as I got there. It was awesome! "Dance For Joy," it was called, and we danced and tae-kwon-do'd and yoga'd our way to working up a sweat and, incredibly, smiling. At least, I was smiling - the guy next to me didn't think he'd come back. Anyway, I quite enjoyed it. Unfortunately it's not included in the cost of monthly membership. But it felt so good to be doing exercise beyond walking and partner dancing, I might go again regardless.

Jody & I walked home and made breakfast for dinner! Yum. Which of course reminds me of Juno, because breakfast for dinner is also Bleeker's favourite. Dinner was accompanied by some terrific jazz on CBC Radio 2, including Fever and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Gorgeous.

Essentially, the only thing missing from today was chocolate. I guess I'll fix that tomorrow - otherwise, it was a very good day to be me! The exercise equals happiness and the pampering makes me feel beautiful. I took a break from this blog to make dinner, and now that I've picked it up again it is just past midnight and time for bed. I now go off to sleep, a very happy Julia.

Ultimate 5 : It Begins

I haven't been posting lately. Scratch that; I haven't posted in a long time. But I figure I can manage thinking of five things every week or so to get me going, so I've come up with something I'm calling Ultimate 5. I will pick a topic, be it food, music, event, book or life-related (in short, anything; and I'll take suggestions) to start me off. I will then list my top five, and write a little about each one. I might write chronologically, or I might "rate" entries. Who knows.
So, for my first week: Ultimate 5 Firsts.

(If you're reading this on Facebook and not seeing images, you'll want to go to the original note - there are photos.)


1. Date
My first official date ever is still a highly memorable event in my mind. It could be that I was 14 and had a date with someone two grades ahead of me, when my parents had told me earlier I couldn't date until I was 16. It could be that I thought William was amazing, and that he took me to his junior prom, which happened to be on a tiny cruise ship on the Maas River in Maastricht. Either way, I felt pretty grown up, and it was very special.

Not that it was all a fairy-tale. Will picked me up and drove me to the school (we were living in Germany at the time, and attending high school just over the border in the Netherlands), where a "shuttle" was waiting to take the grads and dates to the floating party. Our shuttle was no carriage, but a really old, clunky army bus with vinyl seats. It was pretty hilarious to be all dressed up on such a momentous occasion, and then to be met with...that. We enjoyed ourselves anyway. People thought we were very cute, there was probably a lot of smiling, and I remember trying not to fall off the bench seats- they were extra slide-y with the material of my dress.

Prom itself was wonderful. Food, dancing, pictures, and friends of Will's that were becoming my friends. I was wearing tiny heels and makeup, and I felt glamorous in my dress, especially alongside William in his tux. The "theme" of the dance was Moonlight and Roses, with Seal's hit "Kiss From A Rose" the song of the evening. Now that I think of it, that's kind of a creepy song for a romantic ballad. But it was on everyone's radio that year - bonus points if you know it won Song of the Year in 1996. I think I got my first CD player that year, too.

That night included a lot of firsts. Not only was it my first date, but I received my first corsage from a boy, stayed out late, went on a cruise ship, and received my first kiss on its tiny, starlit deck.

As first-ever dates go, it was pretty spectacular.

2. Publication

I hoped to be published by 18,and thanks to the burgeoning Internet I managed it. Lovestories.com, at the time, was small and new and tightly focused on user-submitted poetry, rather than personal ads. I was going to link it, but looking at the site now, it is nothing like when I joined in its inaugural year of 1997. If you want to go look it up, go ahead, unless you are my younger cousins or parents, or you are easily offended by photos. Anyway, Lovestories is headed up by Alanna Webb (yes, that's her real name), who decided to publish some of the site's popular poems in book format.

My poem "Baby's Blessing" was named Poem of the Week sometime in 1998, voted into the top spot by site members browsing the newest additions to the poetry vault. I had written the poem - very Hallmark-like - to celebrate my friend's new arrival, and I guess a lot of people liked it. I read it at her baby's christening, but never expected it would attract so much attention.

Webb sent a promotion package to my local paper, and a reporter and photographer came to my house to interview me. They asked me about the poem, the site, writing in general, my life in general, and how I came to be involved in the book, which was called Bytes of Poetry: A Lovestories.com Anthology. In case you're wondering, I was paid with two copies of the book and an extra to bestow on my high school library. But it was not vanity publishing, and it was published the week of my birthday. A lot of the poetry in it is great, and knowing that "real" people wrote them and shared them online is quite impressive. I've always thought it was pretty cool to be included in a collection of 80 poets chosen by other readers.


3. Dance Competition

In 2001, I had been dancing for approximately one year when Erik and I (no romantic stories here) attended Grand Ball as part of the UVic Ballroom Dance Club. We had been practicing really hard, and I'd made a trip to Vancouver to buy shoes and a dress - which, though a bold choice for me, was not anything like what the other competitors were wearing. But I do remember a certain person's dad's jaw dropping when he saw me in it. It was a short, cranberry-coloured velvet halter dress with gold sparkles thrown at it, which matched my gold 3" sandals, and it was still the most conservative outfit on the floor.
There were five couples in the Newcomer Latin division, and Erik and I took home the 3rd place trophy. Following that, we also won 3rd place in West Coast Swing. So we were pretty excited!

The trip itself was pretty eventful. We stayed at someone's house in Richmond which had not been in use for awhile, so the hot water was not hot. And it was November, so it was freaking freezing. We (I think there were 6 couples? and a second car?) went to the rec centre at the end of the street to use the showers. We were very glad that a certain person was able to shower, because he reeked of Tiger Balm, owing to an injury. The ride through Vancouver in the rental van will, in fact, forever have the smell of Tiger Balm associated with it. I also remember Erik bringing more luggage than me, then complaining that his fitted Latin shirt didn't cover his arms enough. Yeah, Erik - look at what I am wearing, and then look at what you are wearing. Right.

Singing with Jane and Christabel and Laura in the van. And screaming our lungs out with a huge UVic sign as "our" couples took the floor. Then there was the nasty woman who tossed our bags out of the women's washroom, screaming at us to use the competitor's "change room" - ie; a tiny curtained-off area you had to cross the floor to get to, and they'd squashed the events together so much there were no breaks to do so. When I got back there, though, I zipped a championship dancer into her gown. And sewed the top button onto Vernon's shirt collar while he was wearing it. Finally, we posed by the van with our mound of collective trophies. That was a sweet moment - anyone have that picture somewhere?
There were a lot of moments from that weekend that are inside jokes, so I won't puzzle the rest of you by posting them here - but it was very memorable. I don't know that I've ever been more excited at a dance comp, and I've been to six and competed in three of those. I miss it, and thinking about how awesome, though crazy, my first comp was, I hope to be back at it soon.


4. Ski Trip

I know -- it's hard to believe. I'm a Canadian over 25 and had never been skiing until January of this year. But my first time out was pretty fantastic! I went with Jody and Camilla (my sister in law), as well as their Australian cousin and his girlfriend. The powder was nice and soft, it was actually snowing as opposed to artificially blowing, and I had a lesson.
First off, though, I had to get the gear on. I had way too many layers on my legs at first, making it impossible to get the ski boots on. It hurt when Jody tried to jam the boot closures shut, so I had to take off the fleecy pants and put the ski pants over the boots. Much improved, I set out for the bunny hill, where I was told to lose the poles.


Yes, I've seen other people ski, but I didn't really understand the physics behind it. Unfortunately, this meant that when my instructor tried to get me started, I got a little ahead of her - and took off straight down the hill. And I do mean straight. down. I didn't hit anyone, I didn't run over anything, and I didn't fall over -- success! My instructor didn't know what to make of me, so she sent me back up the rope tow and proceeded to show me how to turn and stop. My next to forays down the hill were much more controlled, and soon I was on my way to the ski lift with Jody.
Oh, ski lift, how I hate you. No, seriously, look at my eyes in this pic. The rocking motion was not what I had in mind. Height, I can handle. Wobbly ski lifts, not so much.


Off the ski lift and feeling considerably happier, I let Jody videotape me with his camera as I did the hill in about three short runs. One of them ended in a spectacular tumble in which my skis flew off and buried themselves in a snowbank behind me, but I wasn't hurt- it was actually kind of fun! I began to feel okay going fast, and I was linking turns just fine, even without poles. Nevertheless, one big run was enough for me. I was tired and wanted to end on a good note, so I packed it in and headed for the lodge for hot chocolate.

5. Year of Marriage

I will never have another, and it began with support and good wishes from innumerable friends and family. If what people say is true - that it's the hardest - we got off easy. Not that it was 100% bliss, but there were so many moments that I wouldn't trade, not even for a box of hedgehogs.

My first year of marriage was also my last year of university, which made for an interesting contrast as I tried to understand the direction I was headed in. So many people have helped us get through this year, and I am grateful. To have the freedom to study, to make time for people, to be invited out for meals and movies, to be kept sane by those who were able to take my mind off stressful exams, and to Jody, whose support and encouragement at home were immeasurable. I was worried about combining those two major life events, but it has turned out well. I don't know that I could have managed otherwise.

Living with Chris and Angie was perhaps unusual, but it worked for us. Sometimes they would invite us upstairs to watch Battlestar. I would give Angie "doorway support" as she sewed. The four of us often made dinners together. "The cookbook," i.e., The New Best Recipe, became a sort of Bible as Chris & Jody attacked new ways of cooking. Meanwhile, I baked family recipes and made chili or casseroles, while Angie's salsa has yet to be trumped. (I want her to make me some. Angie, you come here right now!) The kitchen was the site of many giggle fits, discussions, and discoveries. I think the four of us all took something away from living at Belmont House together. Chris and Angie were as much a part of my first year of marriage as Jody was. Especially when Jody was away on business, it was nice to have them in the house.


There was a lot of traveling involved in our first year - our honeymoon to San Fransisco, New Years' at Jody's parents' in the Kootenays, my venture to Evette & Richard's wedding in February, and our up-island weekend to celebrate our first anniversary. Jody went to Romania and Korea, for one to two weeks per trip. We also hosted a horde of nerds in the fall (one of the reasons we didn't want our wedding to take place in September) during the FOSS4G conference. Being able to invite people for dinner or barbeques without worrying about bothering our neighbours was a big plus of the Belmont House. Unfortunately we had to leave it, because it was sold to our landlord's cousins. Boo! So now we are in our new place, an apartment that's nearby many useful places. Still, all but the last two weeks of our first year was spent there, and we had good times.

I can't believe the first year was over so quickly. We filled it with ridiculous amounts of laughter, walks, coffee, dancing in our living room, reading, and talking. Jody worked a lot, and I wrote more papers than I care to think about right now. We supported each other through deadlines and celebrated little victories. I've never been so stressed about school, and I'd never seen Jody fight his way through each stage of a project before either. This year was not what I expected, but that kept it interesting. We were waiting for me to graduate, and now that I have, our next step is one we take together. We still haven't decided where we'll be, but we're excited about the year ahead. With no car, no mortgage, no kids and no ties to the university, we're ready for an adventure! I have to say, though, I'm a little nervous about the prospect of leaving so much of my stuff in Canada if we move Down Under. Hopefully the opportunities will place my uncertainties in shadow.



So I'm looking forward to Year Two!

~*~

I have to say, I thought this might be a nice way to blog about some "moments on my beach." But I didn't expect to run on quite so much! If you read everything, wow. Either you're bored or really interested. If you read only the headings that sounded good, that's fine too. But if you're Evette and skimmed through it, shame on you - you told me to blog, and blog I did. Guess I had a lot of pent-up ideas.
Oh, and if you're wondering why I didn't write about my first date with Jody? Read this.

Hope

Today marks two months of marriage for Jody and I. It seems appropriate that this week's word is something that has been pivotal in our relationship.
When we met for the second time (the first being several years ago and briefly), I wasn't expecting him to be anything more to me than a great ballroom dance partner. I'd just gotten out of a relationship that had never reached great emotional heights, and went to a casual swing dance, where I was surprised to see Jody. We partnered each other for most of the night--which was unusual for me--and found that we moved really well together. When I asked him, he seemed really interested in taking some ballroom classes with me. And at the end of the night, he walked me outside and wouldn't go home until he saw me safely onto my bus. He said a lady shouldn't wait alone at a bus stop, which made me wonder all the way home.

It appeared that Jody had harboured a hope of dating me since the spring, and a summer of my seeing someone else had only dimmed it a little. He arranged for us to practice dancing at the fabulous Butchart Gardens, and once we were there I couldn't help but suggest we stay and roam around once the dance was over. I hoped the connection I was feeling was more than dance connection.
At the wishing fountain in the Rose Garden (pictured), we discovered that our hopes were not unfounded.


A few weeks went by, and we were entertaining thoughts. Serious thoughts. Yet we both felt unbalanced, insecure in our burgeoning feelings, certain we must be imagining something so suddenly wonderful. But we continued to hope, building our relationship around that light, enveloping feeling that we belonged together. We mentioned hope constantly, trying to hold onto it, as though we were afraid it would slip away.

Eventually we realised that our hope came from a genuine desire to commit ourselves to each other. The hope that we would still be involved with each other next week, next month, next year, became love that was founded in a mutual trust in that initial wisp of emotion. Hope is sometimes seen as a dangerous sentiment, one that can carry us beyond the realistic plans we make for our lives. "Dare I hope?" you might hear someone ask. Hope carries a certain amount of risk. It is only a positive feeling because it lifts us away from believing in a negative alternative.

It's as though it's as weightless as a balloon, this emotion that buoys us and gives us a childlike trust in the unbelievable. And like a balloon, hope is hard to hold onto. It might vanish into the sky at any moment, should you let go. But it is worth holding on. It makes all the difference.



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This post is part of the Blog Off for Breast Cancer.

6 weeks and counting...

Wow... we've been married six weeks already!
I have to say, when you get married you know it won't all be kisses and long walks on the beach. But you hope it is.
Jody and I have been very very busy, and still we feel there is too much to do, even for two of us. We have fallen terribly behind on thank-you notes. We have taken on too much -- fixing computers, trying to reorganize the entire house in one month, dump run, helping my parents move, attempting to sort out a budget before we buy anything big (ie; a bed).

Our strategy has changed to unpacking one box a night, no matter how tired we are. Some days we do better, so we are down to only 3 more boxes of my stuff that needs a home. My mom brought home the Ikea bookshelf we asked for from Vancouver, so I used my new screwdriver set to put that together in about half an hour on Sunday and it's mostly full already. I do love books... and candles. Jody was in shock on Sunday when I unpacked a box and a half of PartyLite. Hey, he has games complete with a racing wheel and flight stick... I figure I can have some tealights and pretty holders.

Just last night we ordered wedding photos. It was difficult; not only were there so many beautiful ones, Jody actually teared up looking at his "lovely bride" and I got a bit emotional thinking what a wonderful ceremony we had. Plus, we were a little stressed out two nights ago because we were feeling the pressure to order before the photos went offline, and what I wanted was a nice time together--instead I was cranky over how rushed we were. Last night was much better because we knew it would take three hours, so we planned for it. Our order is in, and should be here soon. Also, I took some in to Blacks, and they turned out nicely up to 8X10. I don't know that I would trust a close-up of faces in an 8x10, though, so that's what we ordered professionally printed from our photographer -- plus one 11X14 of the kiss behind the parliament buildings fountain, which seems to be a favourite of anyone who's seen the photo collection in its entirety. 587 photos. Good grief.

We are trying to make time for ourselves and our friends. We've had an ice cream date, walking around downtown with gelato in hand, pretending it's summer. We went out to Swans and Swing City for dancing, but not as often as we'd hoped. We had a nice dinner out with Mitch & Pam at 5th Street, and have made many meals together, some of them with wine or fancy dessert. We pored over the Boulevard cookbook we received in the mail from our dinner-out restaurant in San Francisco, deciding we will have hero status if we manage to make ANYTHING.

Michelle has joined us for dinner & the first two Pirates movies at home. We hope to make this some sort of a tradition. She and I saw The Painted Veil together when Jody was out and our friend Sarah was consumed with busyness from work. It was sad, but well-acted; we were, however, disappointed in the ending. And one of my roommates was in the kitchen banging around on a really pivotal, quiet scene. Grr.

We've set up my computer on the house server so I can play my music on the speakers attached to the TV, through some technological miracle of Jody's PS3 interacting with my computer. Don't ask me how. We also use that to watch episodes of Battlestar Galactica, and are nearing the end of Season 3 now.

I joined a book club and have just finished reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, but no word yet on when we'll discuss it. Should be interesting, seeing my English friends outside of cram time. And I am thinking of participating in a blog-off to raise money for a girl going on a 3-day walk to fight breast cancer.

I have been trying to ride my bike more, but it's a bit scary. I went down a street with no bike lane to get downtown the other day-- it was busy and I got sworn at, then nearly cut off to the point where I had to pull over and give up and get on the sidewalk while someone backed into a parking space. So I can't say I'm too thrilled, despite my new lock and helmet and flashing light.

My folks are moving in less than a month now. They've bought a house, which my dad fully intends on restoring before they leave (reality: my mom does the work). So that's keeping the whole family busy. We are also making trips to Vancouver to see Unc, and our cousins are playing lots of field hockey. Never a dull moment.

Anyway... that's about what I've been up to the past month or so since the wedding. Just last night Mom called and asked if we could loan her a teapot until they move... And I said no, absolutely not. We have none to spare; we need all seven. At once. :)

Counting down!

The wedding is almost here!
The tally so far is:
8 more sleeps
85 RSVP's
1 bachelorette
1 shower
2 cakes
1 hair trial
54 bobbypins
5 haircuts
1 out of town guest (Nana)
35 favours done
45 programs printed
2 passports
2 excited fiance(e)s

I can't believe it's so soon! :)

One more thing...

Twenty. Days.
In just under three weeks, Jody and I are getting married!!!
We're so excited we can barely stand it, and I can hardly wait until my last exam is over and I can actually think about seating arrangements and vehicles and showers and what on earth I'm going to do with my Nana when she arrives on the 2nd.
But for those of you who are wondering, the cake and flowers and photography and food are all set up and it's all going to be wonderful. And tasty--definitely tasty. The cake and food, that is.
So, if there are questions about bachelorette party stuff please talk to Michelle, my best friend/Maid of Honour; if you're wondering about a shower there's a rumour of a surprise shower being perpetuated by my Gramma but I really don't know. My mom's back in town on Tuesday afternoon, so hopefully she has some knowledge that I don't.
We are registered at The Bay, which you can view by our names (Jody's last name is Garnett with two t's) online or in-store, if you don't know where to start. There isn't anything we desperately need aside from new furniture, which we're saving up for. We most definitely do not need any tea. We likely don't need any books either, but we'll always take books. :) We like games too, and music for our iPods, and we both like to cook but aside from Pyrex and Epicure we are well-stocked.
But really, if we've invited you it's because we want you there, not because we want stuff from you. Just come. Enjoy the party, bring a camera and your dancing shoes, and remember to hug your mom the next day because it's Mother's Day.

The busyness!

Jody and I were busy with many things over the weekend-- premarital counselling, the menu, the guest list, talking about the honeymoon... not to mention going to church, sorting through boxes I'd brought over to his place, cleaning and reorganizing, and taking a bit of time together just to relax.
Wedding planning is not for wimps!

My parents are selling their house, which only makes sense. So it has to be scrupulously, ridiculously clean. Yes, I am untidy. No, I am not a slob--mostly (clean) clothes and papers/books stacked everywhere. So this constant tidier-than-tidy cleanliness is a bit much--I mean, you can't really *live* in a house when you're selling it and people can call and say, "Is it okay to open up your home in 10 minutes?"

Mom went to the thrift store today and walked off with fabulous vintage Nine West shoes that only need to be re-heel-tipped. She also found a navy blue, floaty gown with a belt--complete with oval rhinestone buckle--that fits her perfectly. Yay, Mom! She looks great.

Today I took another look at Peoples and found a wedding band I really like. This is the best one I've found yet. The lady there also looked at my engagement ring and was scandalized that I'd been wearing it, because apparently the last two people who've looked at it had not noticed one of the smaller diamonds spinning around in its setting. So, yeah. Now it's going to be retipped, or whatever it is they have to do to stop it from doing that. Apparently I'm lucky I didn't lose any of the four smaller ones, because they are loose, but especially the one on the end. And the diamonds are the original ones from the fifties, which means they wouldn't be easily replaceable. Plus it doesn't go in for appraisal until the end of the month.

I didn't think about it much until today, but having our wedding on Mother's Day weekend affects more than just the invitees. It affects the florists. My first choice for a florist is not doing any weddings that weekend. So I have to look for someone else.

On a good note, with all this rearranging and moving boxes, Jody and I are closer to deciding what we'll need to go and get a registry started. Because people have been asking, which is lovely, except that we've been too busy with things that are more immediately pressing. So hopefully we'll have an answer for those people soon...

School. Ah, school. This is coming into crunch time. And there is so much to do I wish there were two of me. And perhaps someone to read the depressing American novels heaped on me this term--it will be a wonder if I don't go into a mental asylum like Esther from The Bell Jar or find myself underground with stolen power lighting up thousands of lightbulbs like the narrator in Invisible Man. No, not H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man--this one's by Ralph Ellison. And I have to say, Oprah picks dark books. The Bluest Eye, anyone?

So that's about it for me right now. Time for bed.

May 12th!

Woo-hoo!
We've set a date, and it is now three months away!
Invitations will go out soon... bridesmaid dresses are here, and maid of honour dress is ordered...
The locations and pastor are booked and we're working on catering and other things!

Ready, set, go!

Yes!

Jody asked me to marry him, and I said yes!

(It's now been a week, and all the immediate family now knows, so I can finally post this.)

I am beyond happy, and still rather overwhelmed, as is he. There's a lot to think about and plan, and I am looking forward to so many things that were previously only hoped for.

Everyone wants to know when, and the official answer is:
We don't know yet!

I surprised Jody with a ring of his own, which we should be getting from the jeweler's soon--they should have been back from sizing today but that didn't happen--sad. Mine is very special, a five-stone diamond ring with a dainty white gold band that was his grandmother's. I'll try to get a picture next week.

Meanwhile... I guess I get to move up in the alphabet-- not that there's anywhere else to go! :)