And the winner is....my mom.

She was able to correctly identify the flower in my bouquet at "Wind Flower" or Anemone. You too can have these at home...simply plant and voila! Flowers. Ok, it wasn't a contest and she doesn't win a prize (but there is a treat en route to her) but I am happy to know what the flower is/was.

It has been a very quiet weekend. I spent most of Saturday napping on the couch, followed by a full evening of sleep. Ahhh, sleep.

Sunday I did manage to venture out and finally hit Whyte Avenue. It was ok. I think it will be better in the late Spring/Summer when the trees are in bloom and there are more people around. Of course I have some pics but again, I think they will be better in say another month.

Picked up my bicycle this afternoon and am looking at it from across the living room. It is going to reside on my deck, but I don't have the heart to put it outside yet. It is still too cold for a bike. (Ok, the bike doesn't care, but I do!) No pics of the new bike or new specs yet.

My trip to Cambridge Bay has been postponed. It was a last minute thing. Very last minute actually. At 3:45pm J came into my office and said "Is there any reason why we can't postpone the trip by one week." I'm sure a very enthusiastic look came over my face and I answered "No!" And then as he ran down the hall I shouted "Next Friday is Good Friday!" Ok came back the answer we will go Sunday to Thursday. A few more minutes of hesitation and by 4:15pm I was on the phone with the travel agent re-arranging the flights.

No one in the Edmonton office is disappointed by the delay. In fact it seems to be better for all of us. Whoo hoo. I am looking forward to the extra week in the office, but I need to put some major time in to be ready for the meeting. This week it would have been...oh, it's ok rush job. Next week there will be no excuses (other than laziness) for not having a perfect presentation.

One of my favorite restaurants in Ottawa--Elephant & Castle. Great pub food. They do a fantastic beef dip. I'll need to come back and check this one out.

Located in what they call "Old Strathcona" or Whyte Avenue, this hotel was built in 1891 and is one of the oldest wooden structures on the South side of Edmonton.

Part of the Whyte Avenue charm.


I'm not sure. This is a new and used car dealership that I passed. The flapping of the banners was a very pleasant sound, almost like laundry outside in the summer.

I loved the look of this place. There are murals all around the building and their mascot is a frog. They are not open on Sundays, but during the week they have three lanes of 'washes' to choose from. I just thought it was one of those charming things that has likely been around for AGES and is an icon of sorts.

See the trees down the middle of the street and lining the sidewalks. That is why I think in another month or so it will be really nice.

The sign says "Old Strathcona Heritage Area".

This humble gentleman was pushing his worldly possessions around. I feel terrible for the homeless and am glad to support groups and organizations that try to help the situation. In the 'big city' this is an all too familiar site.



An inukshuk found on Whyte Avenue today during my travels. It's so you will know--I was here.

As you may recall I am on the hunt for a bicycle. I have not received my phone call yet from Walmart, but am hoping to acquire it this weekend. Anyway, that isn't what this short post is about. This post is about commuting to work.

Someone at the grocery store by my house has been commuting to work via bicycle. But it is an exercise bike. Ok, I don't know if anyone is commuting on it, likely it has been left there, but it just seems so odd to see a exercise bike parked outside the store. No lock on it, guess they figure no one will ride off with it.

I think--maybe--one of the employees has it there for there break? What do you think?

It's Thursday evening. It has been a very long week. I am relaxing this evening with a glass (ok, maybe two) and pizza. Ah. Sometimes life is very good.

I'm off to Cambridge Bay on Monday. And then back to Edmonton on Friday. It will be a long week for me even though it is a very short trip. Most of the meetings will revolve around work that I have done. I will be presenting it and taking feedback. I am expecting resistance for a significant portion of it. I will three people in the room backing me up on the whole process...and a couple of friendly faces, but it will still be an emotionally exhausting week.

I should be doing work right now. Yesterday afternoon I 'worked from home'. Which meant that I took a 3 hour nap, went to my dental appointment and then picked at a few things in the evening. I'm tired this week...body still recouping. I think taking tonight off is a good idea, I will be fresher tomorrow and able to work a bit later than if I had of tried today. (At least that is my theory)

One of the ladies at work apologized to me today. She said "You actually are trying to make a difference in all this stuff (payroll issues) and have come up with good ideas." Yes, yes I have. It was nice to hear her say it. She finally admitted she was a bitch to me when I started and that it wasn't warranted as it really wasn't me, it was the position and threat to her job. I hope she finally truly understands that we should be working together, not fighting each other. Let's face it folks--payroll and human resources are closely linked.

So..up North next week. One of the ladies going North with me has never been North before. I have been trying to fill her in on things she might need to know. I don't think she has a very good winter coat and her boots are...well, ok for spring, but not spring in the Arctic. I'm taking my parka...only cause I hope to take a couple of walks, but it is warming up in Cambridge Bay. -23 at the moment, -34 with the wind chill. It will be neat to show her the ropes.

Not much to add today but am looking for some help. Can you identify the beautiful white and pink flower in this picture?




The flowers I got from the folks at the office.

I ate my rice pudding.
I ate my naan bread.
I ate my curry and rice.

And I ate them in that order. Why not start with dessert? It wasn't a plan, it just happened. I was hungry when I got home but wanted to sit and rest so I grabbed a bowl of pudding and started in. Then after a while decided I was still hungry so I munched on the naan. Over an hour later I finally heated up my supper. It was yummy.

The lovely folks at work gave me flowers today. My boss asked who sent them...um, the office. He looked surprised and then said I thought they gave them to you before you went off. Oh, I think they decided that I had bought myself too many flowers already and saved them for now. LOL.

I survived the first day back at work. Maybe not as much accomplished as I could have...but I was there and really that is all that counts. Oh, and I'm taking the camera to work tomorrow to take some photos of the flowers.

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. I am finally resting. The butter chicken is on simmering, the curry is on the stove brewing in its own juices and will soon be giving off wonderful aromas. The rice pudding I have wanted to make for weeks is done and tastes very yummy. It is an Indian pudding of sorts. I didn't use basmati rice, I used a sweet rice I bought in Newfoundland almost a year ago now...but I did use cardamon seeds, a vanilla bean and coconut milk. Mmmm. And I attempted the naan bread. Phew.

Had a phone call from an old friend from Pang. She lives in Yellowknife now and called to see how I was doing. She is the one that taught me how to make butter chicken and is impressed that I was attempting the naan on my own. (Me too!)While on the phone with her I managed to go through all my flowers and toss the dead/dying ones and re-cut the rest. I am down to one vase, but am happy with that. Pics to follow.

There is a winter storm advisory on for Edmonton at the moment. It would need to get A LOT worse before I would consider this a storm. It has been snowing all morning but there is almost no wind. It would be great if it got worse around say 7am tomorrow, but that is wishful thinking. Yesterday was spring like in the afternoon and there was a lot of water on the roads. That has refrozen and I am glad that I don't need to be out driving today as I suspect the roads are a bit icky. The lovely taste of spring though did boost my spirits and take my mind off the fact that I must return to my day job tomorrow. Sigh.

I didn't make it to Whyte Ave. I was feeling too lazy in the morning and then once the sun came out I was busy running errands and getting groceries. I finally got the package off to my niece and nephew yesterday and will be keeping track of it as it makes its way across the country. Maybe I'll get to Whyte Ave in the upcoming weekends.

Here are some not so exciting photos of the naan and flowers.


One of the petals that didn't make the cut. As I look over at the vase I notice that I left the petal on the floor still.


My Indian rice pudding. It may not look great but trust me it tastes good. I just hope it freezes well. Interesting but not noteworthy is the dish the pudding is in. I purchased this in China town in Montreal a number of years back. LAH who is currently on world tour with her husband was with me and purchased the same dish. It is fantastic!


The naan bread. It goes great with Indian food or any kind of food that has a sauce to it. It is my first attempt at making naan and I think I will definitely try it again. Next time I will roll it out thinner. Live and learn.

And now some flower shots...

I'm in the middle of what is turning out to be an all night cooking-a-thon.

I hate trying to make lunches for myself everyday, I never want what I pack and by lunch I'd rather go out and get a sandwich than eat the one on my lunch. Sad. To help combat that problem I decided to cook and then freeze servings of many meals that I know I would like to eat, even 5 hours after I pack them.

I had a bit of a shopping spree this afternoon after carefully checking a couple of recipes to make sure I had all the ingredients I would need--making a list and checking it twice! After spending more than a few $ at the grocery store I then spent an hour cutting up chicken, cutting away the fat and generally making it mouth-size pieces. Then I started to make my famous butter chicken and noticed I had forgotten the butter. D'oh! See, butter is one of the key ingredients in butter chicken. Back to the store.

A couple hours later I have the butter chicken about 90% done. It is sitting on the counter cooling so I can put it in the fridge for the night. Tomorrow I will put it in the slow cooker for the day to let all the spices do their thing. Yummy.

I also have a chicken curry about 75% done. I will finish it tomorrow and then freeze it in single serving dishes. The curry will have lots of yummy veggies in it, something that butter chicken doesn't have.

Also on tap is my spinach paneer. I have some of the spinach out thawing and have decided that since standing for the past few hours is starting to give me a pain in my side that it will wait until tomorrow. I can almost taste the paneer. Paneer is actually pretty bland. It has the same consistency and taste as tofu but is made entirely from milk. The texture is part of why I like it so much. And yes, I like milk--it does a body good. Don't ask why I like paneer so much. I doubt I would eat it plain, but it takes on the flavours of the dish so nicely and is a nice contrast to the spinach puree. Or in other dishes the paneer sometimes takes away some of the heat.

If I had more freezer space I'd cook up some mac 'n cheese, but I fear the freezer will be full tomorrow night so it will need to wait. But I am making some pasta sauce tomorrow. I take plain sauce and add as many veggies as it will hold, some additional spices and voila! homemade pasta sauce.

My apartment smells like curry and onions. I hope my neighbours like curry.


My not so neat box of spices. Some in bottles, some in bags, some old, some new. Surely there must be a better system.


Paneer. I was aiming for an inukshuk, but it looks more like a cross.


Butter chicken. It will have a slightly different colour tomorrow after I add the yoghurt.


Palak Paneer (Spinach Paneer). The picture is a bit fuzzy and you can see the two different greens in the pot. The lighter green is the canned spinach puree I found at the Asain food store. The darker is the frozen chopped spinach I found at the grocery store.


Chicken curry before the veggies are added to it. I hope to put in baby corn, jicama, peppers, eggplant, mushroom and whatever else I find in the fridge. (Jicama is a mexican turnip or potato. I haven't tried it yet..it is one of the three new foods I am trying this year.)


My messy kitchen.

One of the corners I found myself on this afternoon.



Today was fun.

I headed downtown this morning camera in hand.I only took 89 photos and considering I was out for a total of 2 hours (plus a few more not downtown) is rather unusual for me. I asked people where I should go and what I should see. Beyond telling me where the shopping malls were I didn't get much in the line of 'must sees'. One item I did check out was city hall and it was nice but I don't think I need a second trip. Even the girl at the Tourism Centre wasn't much help. Oh well.

The nice man at the parking lot I parked at was very nice, friendly and helpful. It wasn't a flirty thing, he's old enough to be my grandfather. He told me to come back anytime and I probably will.



The under-major-controversial-is going to look fabulous when it is done-renovations at the Art Gallery of Alberta. I hear a piece on the radio the other day about how much steel was going into it and the special rock being used on the outside, etc. It sounds impressive and I look forward to seeing the finished product.



I'm not sure where or when Alberta developed a love for pyramids, but it is evident that there is a love there as they are all over the place. I spotted this one downtown. The three banners across the front say University of Alberta and something about celebrating a 100th anniversary. I assumed it was a U of A building. Nope, it is city hall. There is a sign on the right-hand side of the building that says city hall but it is behind a bunch of trees and the big tower. No wonder I was wrong, but I did go back coming on the end of my trip and realized my error.




This is where CBC radio (and tv I guess) is in Edmonton. They always talk about their view of Churchill Square and comment on the folks walking by. Today I had the thrill of being on the radio (maybe). I was approached by a CBC reporter and asked if I'd comment on the arrival of spring in Edmonton. I chatted with her about it and said that while I had seen a couple things I didn't really see any signs of spring. She thanked me and we both carried on with our days. Don't know when I'll be on and no one outside of Edmonton will get to hear it but it was neat.



This building had some appeal to me as I wandered around. It is part of a hotel/inn in downtown Edmonton. I would gather it is nice inside as real estate in this part of town is BIG $$. I like how they kept the old sign.



And I love how the cut a hole in the side of the building so they could add extra windows to the hotel. Very creative. I just wish they had put a garden in as well instead of just air ducts.



View from afar.

I love the name of this place "Chicken for lunch". Apparently it is THE place to go for lunch in downtown. The line up is huge every day. I didn't have lunch there but will defintiely come and do it some day. How could I not have lunch at a place with Chicken in the title.



I just thought this made an interesting photo. I like how dirty the boxes are. They will be shiny and clean in the summer (I hope!) but right now with the dirty snow around the bottom and the splashes from the road they are a dirty mess.


Is there anything happening in Edmonton? Apparently yes! This bill board is covered, rather neatly and politely with ads for all kinds of shows and concerts. Again, not sure why, but it caught my eye. LOL.

Looking up inside the pyramid roof at city hall.

One of the outside features of city hall. I wanted to try and capture the perspective of the columns.

This is where I had lunch! Fat Franks. Mmmm. Nothing says spring like 'street meat'. That's what my friends call it--yuck. I just think of them as hotdog guys. They have regular hotdogs, veggie dogs and sausages. I had a lovely hot italian sausage with spicy dijon mustard and ketchup. Mmmm. And just around the corner I ran into the girl from CBC again. Mouth full of food I told her I had found a sign of spring. She laughed and then made me do it again on tape. LOL.

Probably the only French sign I have seen in Alberta.


Blue sky of spring. No buds on the trees yet...but I'm sure it is coming.


The sign I didn't see telling me what building I was looking at. If you go back to the pick of city hall I first took I think you will see why I didn't get it the first time around.

Happy Bhudda. This guy is outside Lucky 97 Market. It is right on the corner of Chinatown. He made me smile.

The lightposts, bus stops and telephone booths in this area all have the 'China' look. I think the store paid for it. Adds to the atmosphere though.

Heading toward one of the entrances to Chinatown as seen from my truck.


Beautiful old building surrounded by sky scrapers. There apparently are lots of these hidden gems around the area. Guess I will need another day to find them.



In case you don't know what to do at a pedway the feet are there to help you out.

I had a wonderful day. After leaving downtown (2 hours) I wandered around a bit of Chinatown, bought some yummy coconut buns at a Chinese bakery and then wandered around Lucky 97. An hour later I was on my way home. Two hours later I made it. I decided to stop at the Salvation Army I missed the day before. Then overheard the location of a Goodwill a couple blocks up. I missed it the first time round but found a Walmart. I ordered myself a bike...which may be ready by Monday from Walmart and then finally made it home.

Yes, I overdid it today. But I had a good day and I can sleep in tomorrow to make up for it. I have another destination in mind for another day but don't know if tomorrow is the day...I might rest up tomorrow and then head out on Saturday and take in the Farmers Market at the same time.

And another day of not working. I could get used to this...as long as I had a pay cheque coming in.

Headed out for a movie and some shopping. I watched Slumdog Millionaire this afternoon. It was fantastic and I would highly recommend it. I also recommend going to an afternoon matinee. There are no line ups, the theatre is almost empty and it feels like a naughty treat cause you know you should be at work.

Did a tiny bit of shopping for me as well. Got a couple things that I will re-evaluate in the morning. It is always best to evaluate the day after...just in case.

Purolator called today and I need to go pick up my new keyboard at their depot. Whatever happened to them delivering packages???? Oh well, at least it was FAST.

But the best part of the whole day...I found a store near me that sells paneer. Paneer is used in many Indian dishes. This will add a whole new dimension to my Indian cooking and I am quite pleased. I have plans to cook up a whole batch of yummy Indian this weekend and freeze it for my lunches. Yeah me.

Yes, I was feeling pretty good today. I am sorry that it is Wednesday and my week is almost over, but I guess if I want to continue to enjoy my life I need to work. Sigh. Having time off is great...thinking about going back to the office not so good.

Not hard to tell I'm off this week and have time to waste...another blog post!

Dentist appointment went well. I have a filling that needs to be repaired and other than that no issues. The total bill was $472 and change. I ended up paying $2 and change. Thank goodness for a good health plan.

This afternoons eye appointment brought about a change in my life. I'm getting glasses. I have a astigmatism in my left eye...or right eye...either way. I have one. My 20/15 vision has decreased to 20/20 which I can live with...but I was right, there is a change in my vision and I can't see things as well I used to. Which is to say I can no longer read the menu at McDonalds from the back of the restaurant, I now need to be half way to the front to see it clearly. LOL. I made the purchase this afternoon and in 3-5 business days I'll have my new specs. I am to wear them for night time driving, watching tv and being in front of the computer. If I'm out with my friends apparently I don't need to wear them, but generally any other activity that involves watching requires the new specs.

I went a bit nuts with them. They are green metal 1/2 frame. No frame on the bottom. I liked them and the sales clerks said they looked good. And they wouldn't lie?!

I've got some musk ox in the slow cooker right now and will have it for supper tomorrow. Mmmm, musk ox. I brought it back from my last trip up North. It is very yummy.

Decision made.

Ok, I have finally decided on my next vacation destination--Italy. I don't know when or any other details but I have officially decided. For those of you who have been...where do I go? what parts should be on my must see list? any and all suggestions welcome.

I have learned this year from friends and life experience to not put off your dreams. It has been dream of mine for a number of years now to go on vacation in Italy....and so I have decided that it is time to go! Yeah me.

So much to tell.

First, if you need a pick me up--maid service. Sitting around for 2.5 hours today while watching two people clean my house was terrific. I felt like a real lady of leisure as I watched tv, read my book and generally did nothing as my house got clean. It is sooo sparkly. I highly recommend it and if I can afford to do it I hope to have it done every 6 months (or sooner!).

Two, I have a new favorite show....The Doctors. It is neat. I haven't seen a full episode yet, just a few partial episodes but it is interesting. Four real Dr's talk about health issues and solutions to some problems. I recommend it. I will need to find it in a pm time slot for next week, but this week I'm all over it!

Three, I am still a bit--meh! But no worries. I didn't get a nap today, but I did get out of the house for a walk. I made a couple small purchases had a snack at the Zeller's Restaurant and even made an eye appointment. It was a good day.

Four, the nice young man at the eye place apologized for not being able to take me right then and there, I must wait until tomorrow afternoon. I laughed. On PEI it is close to a year to get an appointment. I didn't have my eyes checked up North so I am not sure what the wait is/would be. I have been lucky thus far to not need to have them checked every year, in fact at my last appointment he said I could go 3 or 5 years before my next appointment. I think my vision has changed some in the past couple years, but not to a great degree--or so I think, guess that will be determined tomorrow. I don't wear glasses but have been told that around 40 my eyes will change and I will likely need them shortly after that. Funny how everything changes at 40!

Five, I had a conversation with the folks at Dell today. I need a new key board. My delete key has popped up and is not working. At least I can work around that until the new keyboard arrives, unlike say the E key or space bar. The computer is still under warranty so the cost to me is zero.

Six, if you see a crime take place what is your obligation to report it? I think if I saw a major crime happen I would definitely call into the police or at least crimestoppers. Today I saw a small theft. Two boys entered the dollar type store near my house and it would appear pocketed a lighter. The sales clerk was watching them closely and I mentioned the lighter to her but I think she has dealt with them before. If you see a minor crime like that would you let someone know? If you get extra change back do you let them know? Or if you didn't check your change until you got home would you return the extra? Hmmm, ethical dilemma.

Seven, I can spend HOURS on the net and not get bored most days. I can always think of something I would like to know more about or something to look up. The smallest things can set me off and hours later I surface to realize that it is supper time and my afternoon is gone. Today I spent some time searching courses being offered in/around Edmonton this Spring.

Eight, I LOVE to read. I'm on book two and a half so far this week. I can't find the half book--and I was really enjoying it. I think it must be under the bed. But I finished the first one and started the second one tonight. I have one more book that I would like to read this week and then I'll need more books! I saw a public library not far from my office that I should check out.

Nine, my flowers are holding up nicely. I have had to dispose of the gerber daisies today and the roses don't look like they will last much longer, but the daisies, carnations and lilies look fabulous.

Ten, Tomorrow is an exciting day...dentist appointment in the am followed by the eye appointment in the pm. I decided that if I am off recuperating I might as well get a few errands done that I would likely continue to put off if I was working. And everything is in a one block radius. Sweet. My medical/dental benefits from work are fantastic. I haven't had to pay for a prescription since getting the plan and it sounds like most if not all of my appointments tomorrow will be covered as well. The whole dental thing is a bit confusing with the set rates and then what the dentist actually charges. I'm hoping my new dentist is reasonable. He is located in the local mall and my neighborhood is far from affluent.

While you have seen these before...I thought a picture might be a nice break from all my blah, blah, blah. Here's a few that have been on my screen lately.


Iqaluit August 2008.


One of the many salesmen I met in India.


The yummy jalapeno peppers that were delivered to me in Pangnirtung.

It's Sunday and cabin fever is setting in. Funny how when one is able to get up and about that a weekend stuck in the house is like stolen time. Today though it seems like a bit of torture. I could likely go out and about, but I'm taking no chances so maybe tomorrow I'll head over to the grocery store and pick up something special for lunch.

I'm not in pain but i am not comfortable either. The advil is certainly helping and I can't really complain.

Yesterday was one of those days when you feel and think that maybe Spring could be just around the corner. Our temperatures last week went from -30 on Monday to +5 by Saturday. Sitting in my living room yesterday with the patio door open I could hear the drip, drip of water and hear the cars driving through the slush. The air had that smell of freshness. You know what I am talking about. That great smell that all Canadians recognize as the beginning of the next season. Today however Mother Nature is bringing more snow. Snow, snow and more snow. All day it has been snowing. Lots of big fluffy flakes and a sky so grey that it has the look of rain. Rain would be nice.

So I'm sitting and lying and napping and reading and generally just vegging and it is all good. Maybe when the sun comes back I'll get outside and take a drive.

Thanks to everyone who has written and called. I have certainly appreciated you thinking of me. Don't take me out of your prayers yet. This part is over, now I wait a month to make sure I am healed and then 5 months later go back in for another test to make sure they got all the bad cells. I have the spring and summer to relax and enjoy myself.

It's LEEP day! No it isn't a national holiday...maybe I'll lobby for next year. No, today is the day for my procedure.

Check list:
1. flowers all over house check
2. junk food supply at more than adequate levels check
3. nutritious food supply at above normal levels check
4. movies and books for relaxing and chilling check
5. laundry done (not quite a check but it is in progress)
6. taxi booked check
7. couch set up for comfy relaxing and nap check
8. house just messy enough to give cleaners something to do next week check
9. mentally prepared and ready to just be done with this check
10. chicken is dressed and ready to go! check

No doubt I've forgotten something but I think I'm ready to rock. The take out thai is in the fridge...last nights supper was SOOOOOOOOOO good and the leftovers the next couple days will be just as delicious. This is my no cook plan for the weekend!

I plan to follow dr's orders to the letter. No exertion,no lifting, no exercise, etc for 2-4 weeks. I will follow the no exercise one for at least 4 weeks if not 43 weeks. LOL.

I'm off to finish laundry. Next post will be from the couch in my lazy, I'm recouping mode.

********
Everything went smooth. I'm home and hanging on the couch. I'm crampy and a bit sore but otherwise in good humour. If the rest of the recouping goes as well as today then I'm going to have a great week and should be able to do some exploring of the city. Have a great weekend.

It's 8:05pm. I'm sitting on the couch digesting the supper I inhaled. I left the office just after 6:30pm and ran a couple of errands. Phew. Since tomorrow is my last day at work for 10 whole days!!! I knew I needed to get my act in gear and finally get a b'day gift ready to go. My wonderfully, amazing niece and nephew celebrated their birthdays last week. They were born on March 5. No they aren't twins. Same day. Three years apart. I don't think my sister knows yet how she managed it.

Auntie J has had a gift idea in mind since before Christmas but was having some technical difficulties in getting it done. Last week I found the answer to my problem and today finally purchased the necessary supplies. Tomorrow I will create part of the gift at work and then finish it when I'm off. It's a bit of a secret, but once it has been delivered I'll fill you in. I think it is a bit of a fun idea my sister may not. Oh well...Auntie J perogative.

I also picked up flowers for me. Many of you know of my passion for fresh flowers, when and if at all possible I like to have fresh flowers in the house. I may have gone a bit overboard, but that's ok...I like 'em all and will appreciate having them spread around the room in the coming days.

Then I stopped and got myself Taco Bell. It is a questionable choice when it comes to food, but I was there, it was handy and at 7:40pm it doesn't matter where the food is from just as long as I have some. I inhaled it and am now hoping it was a good choice. So far so good.

Tomorrow after work I plan to pick up some real take out food. I was going to go Indian but on second thought am thinking the thai place across the street might be a better choice. Not better, just different. It's been a while since I've graced the thai restaurant with my presence. I want supper for tomorrow night (with some wine) and then leftovers for Friday night so I have one evening where I don't need to actually cook anything.

I really am hoping for the best. The best being that when I wake up on Saturday I have no pain, the sun is shining and I decide to go for a cruise around town. Or at least by Monday I'm in that mood. But I am planning for the worst. Pain for a number of days and me not feeling like getting out of the house for the entire week. Either way I am prepared and have a plan. Just the idea of not going to the office for a week makes me feel good. With the exception of the two days I was home sick with a fever I haven't had a long weekend or time off since Christmas. I missed having Family Day in February cause I was in Nunavut and they don't partake there...bet I will be in Alberta for Nunavut Day and won't get that off either. LOL.

Ok...now I need to do work work. I have a new program at work and want to see if I can figure it out tonight and post a new job ad before I am off. Then I can go to bed.

Apparently I wasn't the only blogger who was feeling less than happy with their Saturday night plans. It was an evening for thinking about all kinds of things. Neither good nor bad. The other bloggers will know what I mean.

It's a Monday. I'm not sure if it was the time change, the mere fact that it was Monday or the horrid staff meeting from last Thursday but I spent the day spinning my wheels and thinking. Thinking about jumping to another ship as a matter of fact. I'm not sure if I will be able to move on from the poisonous office environment I walked into. Certainly people who were not trying before and now trying some to get along with their office mates but I don't know if I can trust that. I give my trust and my heart upon first meeting....once you lose it, it really is tough to get it back.

I'm not going to pack it all in and leave tomorrow. It really would take me a long time to make a decision if/when I do. But there are days when I'm not sure. I LOVE the work, but really the people....ick. Would you want to work for 8 hours a day with people you don't trust?

New topic.

I went into my bedroom this evening and saw chicken laying on the bed. I picked him up and put him into the pocket of my sweatshirt. He is still my constant travel companion and will be with me at the end of the week. Laugh if you want but I brought him to the appointment in January. Just knowing he was in my purse made me feel better.

I'm tired. The time change has been hard on me. Good night.

Dating in the modern age...

Ok, so I've technically been single for a LONG time now. It doesn't bother me to be single, but every now and then I really want a partner to do things with. When I get these feelings I start to wonder how one goes about finding a partner in todays world.

I don't like going to bars. I mean I enjoy the odd night out at a pub for a drink or two, but it is unlikely that one will meet someone in a room where the music is so loud that having a normal conversation is out of the question and a lot of the lines floating around are there for just one nights entertainment, not a long term commitment. I'm not into that.

There are these events geared towards singles in cities of this size. I would prefer to not attend alone and as of yet haven't met any single girls to tag along with me.

If you think back to a few years ago I did attend a speed dating event in Charlottetown and while it wasn't disastrous it certainly didn't end in any additional evenings out for me. I haven't been brave enough to try it again.

Online dating has been around for a long time. I have talked to and heard about a lot of folks who have met this way. And hey, the internet is a big part of my life so it makes sense I would try it. I've dabbled over the past few years and have had limited success.

I met a gentleman on line a few weeks ago and well...don't get your hopes up. I think I may entirely pack in the online thing. The latest guy is too, I don't know...tooo something. He has two cats. And while I know some guys with cats he seems to make them his life and hide behind them. All of the pictures of him have at least one of the cats in it and he went on for about 20 minutes the other night about them. I don't know much about him, but I know all about his cats.

So sorry cat boy, but it isn't going to work out.

****

It is snowing today. The wind is scheduled to pick up and blow around. I have a list of things to do outside the house but think I will put them off until tomorrow or early next week. The thought of fighting Saturday mall traffic in these blustery conditions doesn't sound like fun so I will pass for now.

Another care package arrived from PEI this week. Yes, Canada Post finally delivered. It seems to take forever. The cookies arrived in excellent shape and I was happy to see some of my favorite books show up in the box. Thanks Mom.

It is March and I am anxiously awaiting Spring. Maybe too anxious for it. The inches of snow that have fallen over night are making me wonder if it will ever come. I know it will and that I will likely return from my next trip to Cambridge Bay to find it is spring in Edmonton. Yes folks, there is another trip to Cambridge Bay being booked for the end of the month...just another one week trip. I'm starting to become a regular on these flights. LOL.

We've had a temp at work the past couple months and she is/was terrific. Her laughter was infectious. Her attitude was great and I appreciated her being around. She lives the kind of life I want in a way. Her and her hubby do lots of trips around the world. One or two trips a year. Not always exotic glamorous trips, but always exciting. She brought in some extra travel magazines she had. I've been drooling over them ever since. I've planned a dozen trips in my head since bringing them home. Sigh. I'm going to try and book something later in 2009 for either Christmas this year or late winter 2010. I can't wait!

It's almost Friday! I am happy to report that except for the odd sneeze and coughing fit I am well on the way to recovery from my cold/sinus issue/sickness of late. Thank goodness.

I will admit to struggling the past couple days at work. I had over 200 resumes that I needed to screen for 4 competitions I have on the go. I'm behind on getting them screened and that will put me behind on getting the interviews done. Somehow the schedule I had in mind is being pushed back...I'll deal. Screening 200 resumes is rather daunting I gotta say. I finally made it through all 200 once and have made it through one pile for a second time. Hopefully tomorrow I'll finish the entire project and be ready to rock 'n roll next week.

Here's a couple of websites that I check on a regular basis:

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

http://ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com/

And a thank you to Edith who sent me a site of some old friends from gov't who are on an incredible adventure.

Montreal the postal black hole of Canada

Yet another parcel of mine is being held hostage in Montreal. It left PEI on February 24 and has been held in Montreal since February 26. I haven't received a ransom note yet but I am expecting it any day. I thought that it was just living up North that made my mail so slow but now think it is simply--Canada Post is S_L_O_W.

Finally had my follow up ultrasound today. It was so uneventful with everything else going on I almost forgot about it. This was a follow up to all the pain I had after the last procedure. No biggie and as far as I know she didn't find any left over sponges, scalpels, etc inside me.

I arrived and left the office in daylight today...whoo hoo. I think I will lose some of that this coming weekend with the time change but I know in the end Spring will come! My cold/sinus issue is still with me and while I feel a bit better everyday the comments from my co-workers would lead me to think otherwise. "You look terrible. You must be sicker." Um, thanks.

I'm chatting on msn with a guy I met on one of these dating sites....I'm not sure how it is going...I'll let you know.