Homesick

2010 thus far has been a year mostly consumed with planning, waiting, and tediously biding our time with one notable exception:

Dave is currently in China.

Yes, it is a rather large exception, but it does require some patience of its own, mainly the fact that I am currently in Canada.

A student of NWCC in the business administration program, Dave, along with his fellow students, were given the opportunity to take part in a 6 week cultural exchange in the city of Qingdao, on the Eastern coast of China. Several grants were made available which would cover the majority of the cost, and the exchange would provide him with 6 additional credits toward his diploma. Although we had a few hiccups along the way, it was really a no-brainer from the start.

After the initial few days of jet lag, activities and classes, I finally heard from Dave via skype, and have been keeping in touch with him that way very regularly. It hasn't been unusual for us to speak as often as twice a day, even with the 15 hour time change and his busy schedule. About a week after his arrival Dave divulged that he is rather homesick. Having visited India with a group of relative strangers, I have also felt the periodic ache for the familiarity of my homeland, and so I sagely told him that it would pass in a few days.

We are now at the halfway point, and not a day goes by that Dave doesn't fantasize about airplane seats and in-flight magazines.

This isn't to say that he isn't enjoying China. Much to the contrary. He loves his fellow Chinese students, and has been exploring as much as he can. Again, this is much the way I felt about India - it was a feast for the senses, a playground of history and cultural texture, and the people were kind, curious, and endlessly fun. But even so, I had a constant feeling almost like being trapped underwater and not being able to find the surface. Not of drowning, but just adrift where there is nothing to latch onto, anchor yourself with.

I know that once he is back, China will melt into a swirl of distant memory faster than he may realize. I also know that it will be a good memory.







Miss you too Sweetie. See you soon.

One Spring Morning

I'm in a play! Again! It's called 'One Spring Morning' by Cherie Thiessen.

See if you can figure out what happens.

























All photos by Nancy Stone-Archer.

Sittin' in the Garden Eatin' Worms...

It's SPRING people! Even up here in the blizzardy Northern tundra, spring has arrived. And to celebrate its arrival, I have decided to end my regular evening rendezvous with the couch and a bag of chips try something completely new - GARDENING.

That's right. For the first time since purchasing a home of my own, I'm getting to know the dirt in which it sits. And what have I discovered you ask? Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words:



Thrilling, isn't it. Rocks. Represented in the above photo is a miniscule portion of the rocks I have pulled out of my back garden bed in the last week. I am about three quarters of the way through pulling rocks, (and some weeds, but mostly rocks), and I'm honestly tired of it. That being said, marvel in my lemonaid making skills:



Isn't it cute? The evil, hateful rocks in the back turned into sweet, happy rocks in the front!

MORE TO COME!

Cute or Cutest?

This was on Cute Overload - who on earth comes up with this awesomeness!!??!

THERAPY

Until this morning, I had been baby-deficient. While I experience no shortage of toddlers, as many of our friends now have little ones, for one reason or another I have not had the opportunity to hold a newborn in YEARS. I don't know why this is. The friends we made in Terrace either don't have kids, or have kids that are walking and talking and mostly out of diapers. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE toddlers. They are so much fun and I always feel so lucky when it turns out they remember my name or want me to colour with them.

But holding a baby is a different. A friend of mine gave birth to a 5.1 pound baby boy last week. He is adorable. I don't think I have ever seen a baby quite so small - his fingernails were only about two millimetres across, like the tiniest little bit-size nubbins you've ever seen. He was either staring around with his brand new eyes, stretching, yawning, or sneezing the entire time. It was the head-exploding kind of cute that you don't recover from immediately.

Now, I'd just like to point out at this juncture to any family or personal friends that happen to be reading this: DAVE AND I ARE NOT HAVING BABIES YET NOR ARE WE PLANNING TO START HAVING BABIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I just need to throw that out so as not to mislead. Sorry peeps!

That being said, holding someone else's baby for a while is the best kind of therapy. And it's FREE!

Donation Opportunities

As many probably already know, the Canadian government has offered to match donations from Canadians towards the relief effort in Haiti. They will match up to 50 million. Donations need to go through registered charities such as the Humanitarion Coalition, Red Cross, World Vision or Salvation Army.

Go Team Canada!

Retrotainment - This time even older.

Terrace may not have a lot of shopping, but I have yet to visit a town that has a shop that compares to 'Gold Diggers'. (Except maybe the Free Store on Hornby, but only because everything is free). It's a thrift/flea market store and besides having lots of video game equipment and games that works with our original Nintendo, we go there quite often because they have buckets and buckets of old computer cords. Dave is always looking for some cord or another, so while he rifled through the stash, I perused the vintage awesomeness.

I had been satisfied with picking out a few old pins (which are kept in a wicker basket that weighs a hundred pounds, I shit you not), when I found THIS:











Attached was a little note that said they were from 1967, and they are in nearly perfect condition. Now I just have to learn how to play Rummy!

Character Building?

Last weekend Dave and I went ice fishing with a few friends. Don't ask me why I agreed to this fiasco because I couldn't give you one good reason, especially given the temperature outside lately.

As it turned out, it was a gorgeous day on the lake and it was well worth the scenery, but it was FREEZING. I spent most of the time running in circles and trying to convince my dog to stop stalking the nearby children and huddle with me for warmth. Of course, no amount of cold temperature or hurricane-force winds could have taken away Sierra's joy at making sure the children remained under her tight fist of control.

Stalking her prey.

Sizing up her opponent.

Ooooh, now I see why they say this is so much fun. (No.)

Don't worry mum, I'm looking after the shovel.

Presents!

I know, I know, Christmas is about family and spending time together and all that jazz...but LOOK WHAT SANTA BROUGHT FOR ME!

2009 LOOT:



Thanks Mom! I really like the way it looks against our blue couches, and it's suprisingly warm.



Thanks Jon! I'm about 40 pages in right now and it's hilarious!


Okayy...thanks Dad...looks, um, fun.


Wait a second, this looks like it has some potential. It also looks slightly reminiscent of lower Thornhill.


Redneck-hance!

We played this game on boxing day with some friends. I laughed so hard I had a backache the next day.

And now, the Pièce de résistance :



That's right ladies. MY HUSBAND bought me a K I T C H E N - A I D M I X E R.



THANKS HUNNY!!

A Kick in the Pants

I realize I have not posted in...some time.. Ahem.

I have been mulling over my own reasoning for this. In some ways I feel that my life isn't really interesting enough to write about day in and day out and expect people to be interested. Some days I feel like it's a self-inflicted obligation in the midst of a flurry of REAL obligations. Other days I can't wait to write about a funny moment in my day, or vent about a frustration.

In any event, I received my birthday gift from my mom today, (fyi: my birthday is in October!) and the magazine to the left was part of said gift.

Isn't it puuurdy??

So I guess I have to read it and use it to BLOG.