Impulse Buy

The colour is richer than the photo portrays and it is VERY comfortable both in texture and plushness and the fact that TWO can lay on it together -- if they are friendly. It is one of those pieces of furniture that I have ALWAYS wanted (It's no overstuffed chair-and-a-half, but it will do).

The fact that I spotted it at my favourite thrift store just had me gobsmacked. SO out of context among the loud floral couches and orange tweed loveseats. I walked all the way around looking for the flaws it MUST possess.... but I couldn't see any. So I dared SNIFF it, that must be whay it is here, some malodorous malady? NOPE, it actually smelled pretty GOOD, not a hint of pet, not smoke, nor mustiness.

So I sat in it. Or, I should say, LOUNGED UPON IT....

PURE HEAVEN on its four carved, wooden legs.

As I sat seriously contimplating what was going to have to go for this to fit in my home, and elderly couple walked by and inspected it, top and bottom while I sat there. The gentleman explained, "Excuse me, I used to be an upolsterer, this may even have been one that I did." And his wife went on an on about the yardage and quality of the upolstry fabric (A deep rich stitch in paisely embroidered velour, and the proper method for cleaning it to retain the subtle nap, etc, etc...."

I was simple caught by this comfy thing and bought it on the spot. The fact that it was only $80 didn't hurt either. The stock boy said he could TELL that I was going to get it the second he saw me first look at it, and the cashier was blubbering and cuffing the young man "How come you didn't TELL me about this one?! I would have bought it" she said.

I took it home in my truck, gazing in the rear view mirror at how BIG it is.... then had to find a spot for it. No room in the living room. No room in the family room unless I discard our couch (which I would have happily done if that wasn't the only seating available in there), no bedroom big enough and there is NO WAY it's going in the laundryroom to get thrashed!) AHA! I will take the treadmill out of my office and put the chaise in there, if only it will fit.

Brilliantly it does fit, ONLY BARELY. And me and my boys sat on it for hours last night looking at the many books nearby and me reading Kimberrrrr's latest writings on my old Mac.

It truthfully is too big for the space, but it is very, very comfy and nice to have beside the library for sure.


AND my cat looks good on it too!

Spa delight!

My sister KNOWS how to spend a gift certificate! Oh Ya momma!

She went for booking the Hydropath and an overnight stay with a 3 course dinner and Sunday brunch. OMG!!! In a word -- WOW.

The room was simple and clean and well-appointed -- with a stunning view of the meticulous gardens and the ocean beyond:

We arrived at 12:45 and checked in getting changed into our bathingsuits and robes for our 1:15 Hydropath appointment. Sis carefully scheduled the spa appointment to NOT be around other groups, so it was like we had the whole place to ourselves (she is so smart). I love it when something is done RIGHT. The decor was very sandstone-grotto-esque and had an intimate and pampering feeling. The water was EXACTLY the right temperature in the 6-showerhead shower cave, AND the massaging pool, AND the crazy-aggressive waterfall niches.

At every step our guide offered fresh water with a wedge of lemon -- nice touch.

The steam room had the fantastic accent of eucalyptus (which I love) and just when I thought my lungs would be steamed for good, we were told to hop into the "Glacial waterfall" NOT A CHANCE! I just splashed my face before entering the warm and cool massaging rivers. Then the bubbly mineral pool (with gentle rainfall) and finally these funny little pods that we got into to scrub with abrasive algae mush and seaweed cloths. Then after a quick rinse in the last showers..... ("use as many towels as you like" she said!) we got to go upstairs, lather ourselves in moisturizer and rest in our robes in the lounge chairs of the room with the 270 degree ocean views..... Sis and I sat there for a long time, reminiscing about growing up in this neighbourhood and having a lovely time. .... Eventually, soggy bathing suits motivated us to go back to our room.

We got dressed for slogging on the beach and went for a hike down to the end of Gartley Beach Road.... it is astonishing how many of the house numbers have the same names more than 20 years later! We even crossed over "the slough" to "snake island" and sat where we used to sit among the no-no bushes with out feet dangling over the embankment. The beef farm is still there (I wonder if he still shoots at kids).

We walked back to our favourite stretch of beach, and Kimber's house has been replaced by a lovely structure (I'd wager over $1.5 million now). It's original charm and wild-ness is completely gone, but the new thing is very nice too. We took our time walking back to the resort... we saw hundreds if not thousands of little crabs, the likes of which USED to send me screaming in terror:

Oh look, a jelly fish....

OH! LOOK! A JELLY FISH! (we saw a few of these monsters)

Some poor bedraggled and limping mammal climbed off the beach and up someones path, I think it was an otter:

This seagull didn't much like the looks of us.

We arrived back at out room in plenty of time to get ready for our dinner reservations.

The view from our table was gorgeous, and our waiter was attentive and funny and helpful with our questions, and we ate a really AMAZING meal. I had a Pinot Noir to compliment my meal of curried mussels appetiser, a beef tenderloin entree and finished with a blackberry dessert confection that was to die for!!! I was so full that I was ready to burst, but it was too good to leave anything on my plate. Sis had a tuna maki for starters, the 8oz sirloin entree and the citrus goat cheese cheesecake. She complimented this with a minty mohito drink and finished with a decaf coffee.

OH WE WERE FULL!

Thought of maybe going in the hottub was not so appealing with an alarmingly full tummy.

We made it back to the room and did the "satin hands" treatment that I had packed, and a clay facemask, and peppermint foot rubs... hey why not!? Then we popped the girly-movie "27 dresses" in the DVD player, watching into the wee hours and each taking over our own queen sized bed..... ah, what a luxury!

Next morning, my internal clock insisted I get up at the regular time, sorry sis.

So I snuck off to have a very long shower at 7:30 am.

Sis woke soon too and we actually got ready in record time, seeing no reason to put it off, we checked out pretty early and headed into Courtenay for the memory-lane tour of the valley. We drove by NEARLY every house we lived in, and oogled at the lovely character homes. We gasped at what had changed, and what was the same and just enjoyed the whole thing. Then we went to Winners and did a bit of shopping, (I had that birthday party to go to later). We made it back to the Resort for brunch.

Let me just stop right here and say I have never seen anything like it!!!!!!

Anything you could imagine for breakfast and then some! I wish I had the nerve to take a picture! I tried only about 1/3 of what was there (and only tiny bits of each too) and I was SO FULL that it made the night before look like a snack! I did get a picture of the chocolate mousse that I simply could not leave behind... I stared at it for a very very very long while before getting the courage to try to fit it inside my mouth.

Sis and I were laughing for the silliness of it... but everything was so GOOD.

We had to walk the grounds for a bit after that, and then lie on the lawn looking at the flowers for a bit before we could feel comfortable enough to go anywhere.

The drive home was easy, and then I went to T's sister's B-day dinner (I didn't eat much, I can tell you that)

*Spa pictures from the Kingfisher Inn website.

I got a hair cut

And I like it! (My haircut that is).

I have had a very boring week. Other than the school open house when we got to officially meet the teachers, my work has been rather monotonous (rare in my line of work) and the school routine is even more tedious than I remember... now I have two boys grumbling and fighting with me over homework instead of one.

I managed to throw out my back loading the dog into the truck... too heavy and squirmy on his leash... and it makes me really slow.

One highlight is looking forward to this weekend! My mommy got a nice gift certificate as a parting gift from her coworkers when she left work, and she was sweet enough to give it to Sis and Me! This weekend we are using it, having booked the hydropath at the Kingfisher Inn we are spending the night and having a leisurely evening and breakfast, if anyone wants us Saturday night, that's where we will be! So this could be me this weekend:

oh ya baby, I'm looking forward to that!

Let me Tell You A Secret

There is a teacher that "has it in" for my oldest boy. She picks him out (I've seen her do it) since Kindergarten. I am sure the feeling is mutual as he has no respect for her whatsoever.... unfortunately she is the ONLY music teacher and this year will be teaching him THREE classes: LifeSkills (snort), Music and Art.

When he told me I wanted to groan and tell him to buck up and get through it. Instead I got an inspiration.... "Do you want to know a secret?" I asked him slyly.

"YES!" he answered (who wouldn't)

"There is a way to deal with people that don't like you that drives them crazy, just bonkers and you WON'T get into trouble..."

"What is it?!" He is getting into it now

"Be REALLY sweet to her this year" I instruct "If you are super sweet to her then she will be confused and angry but there isn't a thing she can do about it because you aren't doing anything wrong!"

"Really? It's make her nuts?"

"Yup. It's a secret that not many people know, have fun with it"

Was it wrong to do that? I'm not sure, but maybe he will have a better year with the "jolly" fat lady that doesn't like my serious son.

Camping bliss

Once again I had a fantastic camping experience at Nixon Creek.

We had almost the whole place to ourselves so we got the prim beach-front spot and the weather was ideal, right down to the timing of the breeze keeping the mosquitos away (I didn't get one bite!).

Now what could be more perfect than a camping trip without mosquitos nor any wasps to speak of ?!

Really the only menace was the many little mice that scurried around after dark leaving their poops everywhere. And after the first night of that we learned to seal and cover everything up (we only lost a bag of brownies to them). They were healthy pretty mice and they reminded me of the small friendly pet mouse I had , "Mouse-a-mique".

The mornings were very very calm and beautiful and the sunsets were stunning and breezy.

The pup had a great time too without a leash for almost the whole week, as the only other people there (a friendly, elderly couple in an RV) also had a dog and were cool with Max and the boys running wild.

We did all the normal camping activities: looking for bugs, picking berries, playing with the campfire, exploring with the boat, fishing, swimming, walking over the undergrowth on the windfallen logs (Max kept up very well), building forts out of branches and ferns, eating camping food, staying up late to watch the fire and look for bats outlined in the millions of twinkling stars seen in the tree's canopy, and going to bed in our snuggly sleeping bags in the total darkness and silence of the deep woods.

5 perfect camping days. No phones, no electricity, no running water... pure freedom.

Before we talk of camping...

I know I promised pictures of my camping trip (which was absolutely fabulous by the way) but first I want to say....

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME + T!"

14 years ago, us 2 crazy kids got hitched for all the right reasons: love, respect, mutual values...

And today we still like to cuddle and spend time together, even 2 babies later.

Things have changed a lot since then. We are older and maybe even a bit wiser. It wasn't all smooches and mutual bliss, but we had the sense to work out the bumps and move on together.

I am so happy that that man is my husband! He is strong, loving, respectful and grateful, and in return I love, respect, and am grateful for him!

What a happy life I lead.