So, with the exception of yesterdays poll, it's been over a month since my last post and yet again there have been many changes. I'm at place now where I feel like I can share what was troubling me so, but I won't bother with the long and drawn out details. Just a general gist and an update.
At the beginning of October, I found out that I was going to be laid-off. After a long and drawn out couple of weeks, I learned that they planned to keep me until the end of they year, but then I would be jobless. This news on its own would normally have been difficult enough to hear, but it was shared with me exactly 7 days after I found out that I was expecting our first baby. 7 days of sheer, over-the-moon joy (and shock) were replaced by panic and the most severe depression I've ever fallen into. Then to add to it, I got very sick. Exhaustion and nausea day in and day out.
I knew that the pregnancy and its required time off with many doctors visits, impending maternity leave (etc.) made me a less than attractive candidate for new work. To add to that, I applied for several jobs everyday for a month and only got one interview out of the whole batch. I was so terrified that I was bringing this baby into the world at a time where I wouldn't be able to provide for him or her in the way that I had always planned. How would I buy the supplies we need, or pay the bills, or even afford to buy maternity clothes? All these questions weighed heavy on me to the point where I was having difficulty with normal day-to-day tasks.
But, by mid-November, after over a month of living in a state of total anxiety, the words of my parents and friends started to sink in. I realized that, regardless of what my job situation was or how much I worried, this baby was still coming in June and I needed to pull myself together. I have an awesome family, a great husband, and we'll make this work. It will be a struggle and I'm still terrified (and stressed), but I've been able to find the joy in my pregnancy again, and have started to function at a somewhat normal level.
So, with work winding down (although there's talks of more temporary work with the same company after the holidays) I'm just trying to get prepared for the year or so to come. Trying to work out a budget, trying to figure out what my options are in terms of a job... all that jazz. It's still a work in progress, but there's a small part of me that excited for the unknown. It's the first time in my life that I haven't had everything planned out, and it's refreshing on some level.
So that's it. I'm coming back. Slowly but surely. And for all my followers, don't worry. I don't plan to bore you with endless details about my pregnancy and baby. I've started a new blog for the express purpose of journaling my pregnancy.... and I don't expect followers. Online friends, please don't feel pressured. It's just way for me to keep track on what I'm thinking and feeling. I'm also throwing the odd belly picture in too.
Hopefully I'll be back to update on some book reviews and on what's gone on over the last few months; including a whirlwind trip to the Bahamas that I need to document before I forget the details.
Oh! And Happy Christmas Week. It's my favorite time of the year.
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Weakness
*Please understand in advance what a rambling mess this post is. It's simply word vomit in an attempt to make sense of what I'm feeling. Followers- please don't feel it necessary to waste your time reading this. It's purely for my own benefit*
Life is hard.
The 21 days since my last post (and even the week before that) have been filled with a lot of tears, a ton of stress, and almost overwhelming sadness, for reasons that I'm not quite ready to delve into in detail yet. I'll just say that the last month has been, without a doubt, the most trying, exhausting and plain awful month of my life. I'm trying to count my blessings, I really am. I have my health, I have my amazing family, and they have their health (a fact that, I assure you, does not escape me. I understand how lucky I am in that way). BUT there's something about the way that my brain is wired that make the bad overshadow the good, and in this case, I can't seem to shake the darkness.
In a family of people who suffer from depression, I've had my share of "funks". I'm not a stranger to overwhelming feelings of sadness which, most of the time, don't seem to have a specific cause. Each time is awful in it's own way, but each time I've been able to fight my way through it with a chin up and carry on type of attitude. It's definitely not easy, but I get through it. This is different. This one is really bringing me down, and it has me in a hole so deep I can't seem to find my way out. I struggle through each day on the verge of tears, just praying for it to end so I can go back to bed. I wake-up through the night, totally distraught, and then have a very hard time falling asleep. I don't want to see my family, I can hardly bring myself to talk to my friends, I'm living in a disaster zone, and I haven't had fresh air in days. I just don't care.
I know that many people would be able to just power through the situation I'm in. I also know that many people are going through a lot of things that they would say are much worse than what I'm dealing with. I don't doubt that at all. I understand that allowing myself to get this deep into a depression over this is a huge indicator of my weaknesses. I don't need to be told that. I think that's the biggest part of my problem right now. I'm coming to terms with my failures and poor decisions and the fact that I'm not, nor will I be, the person that I thought I was or that I wanted to be. Turns out, that's a pretty tough thing to do.
I'm lost right now... and I'm exhausted. I'm not really sure what to do with myself. I need to get it together, I just can't figure out how.
Life is hard.
The 21 days since my last post (and even the week before that) have been filled with a lot of tears, a ton of stress, and almost overwhelming sadness, for reasons that I'm not quite ready to delve into in detail yet. I'll just say that the last month has been, without a doubt, the most trying, exhausting and plain awful month of my life. I'm trying to count my blessings, I really am. I have my health, I have my amazing family, and they have their health (a fact that, I assure you, does not escape me. I understand how lucky I am in that way). BUT there's something about the way that my brain is wired that make the bad overshadow the good, and in this case, I can't seem to shake the darkness.
In a family of people who suffer from depression, I've had my share of "funks". I'm not a stranger to overwhelming feelings of sadness which, most of the time, don't seem to have a specific cause. Each time is awful in it's own way, but each time I've been able to fight my way through it with a chin up and carry on type of attitude. It's definitely not easy, but I get through it. This is different. This one is really bringing me down, and it has me in a hole so deep I can't seem to find my way out. I struggle through each day on the verge of tears, just praying for it to end so I can go back to bed. I wake-up through the night, totally distraught, and then have a very hard time falling asleep. I don't want to see my family, I can hardly bring myself to talk to my friends, I'm living in a disaster zone, and I haven't had fresh air in days. I just don't care.
I know that many people would be able to just power through the situation I'm in. I also know that many people are going through a lot of things that they would say are much worse than what I'm dealing with. I don't doubt that at all. I understand that allowing myself to get this deep into a depression over this is a huge indicator of my weaknesses. I don't need to be told that. I think that's the biggest part of my problem right now. I'm coming to terms with my failures and poor decisions and the fact that I'm not, nor will I be, the person that I thought I was or that I wanted to be. Turns out, that's a pretty tough thing to do.
I'm lost right now... and I'm exhausted. I'm not really sure what to do with myself. I need to get it together, I just can't figure out how.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
"That" Moment - Remembering September 11th
10 years ago today I was a regular grade 11 student, starting a regular morning, at my regular high school. I'd made my home from home, probably kissed my boyfriend, laughed with friends at my locker, and worried about our plans for the weekend. Shortly before 9 am, I was sitting in my first period class when the wall phone rang. I remember Mrs. Waddell laughed at something one of us said as she walked to the phone and answered it. After a few short seconds, her face fell, she grew pale, and she opened the door, wrapping the cord around the wall, walking into the hallway. Moments after that, she returned to the class and said "a plane has hit the World Trade Center in New York City." For many of us, this had little meaning. For our teacher, her terror came from the fact that her husband was a commercial airline pilot and was flying to the US that day. We, as students, didn't know what the WTC was, and we assumed that it was an awful accident until, a short-time later, the wall phone rang again and we were informed about the second plane and the second tower.
We were quickly moved to our second period classroom where my English teacher, Mr. Welch, had set-up the television and had it tuned to CNN. We, along with 2 other classes, jammed into our tiny portable, sat in silence, and watched the remainder of the mornings events unfold on live television. I cannot explain to you the horror and confusion I felt when I watched those towers fall. I knew in that moment, that I was literally watching thousands of people die, and I had no idea why.
During the late lunch period the hallways were eerily quiet, and the line at the pay phones was huge. I stood in that line and called my Mom at work. I had to talk to someone because, in the halls of my high school, the whispered rumours and speculation were terrifying. Would they attack the CN Tower? Of course they would! No, they have no cause to! They already have, it's burning now! I'll never forget the relief I heard from my Mother when said "I am so happy to hear your voice". The only thing I could say to her between my tears was, "what's going on"? She had no answer.
The morning of September 11th is "that"" moment for me. Prior to 9/11, my Mother's moment was the assassination of JFK. She told me she could remember exactly where she was when she heard the news, and remembers in detail the reaction of her parents and grandparents. She was 3. For me, at 16 years old, the events of September 11th are both ingrained in my brain with crystal clarity, and pass in a blur of images and sound bites. But I will always remember exactly where I was, who was with me and what I was doing when I first heard the news.
For days after we were glued to the television, trying to get answers to our whys. In the weeks following the attacks, I did a lot of growing up, I did a lot of learning, and I did a lot of crying. I still have a hard time watching news reports of the attacks, and images from that day. The shot, from the ground, of that first plane hitting the tower, reduces me to tears, without fail, every time I see it.
But what I remember today, 10 years after the attacks, is those who lost their lives and those who still suffer because of the attacks. Whether they lost a loved one in one of the buildings or on one of the planes, whether the ran terrified away from the falling towers, or ran terrified IN to the burning ruins, or even into the cockpit of a plane piloted by terrorists with nothing but boiling water and butter knives.... so many people were directly affected that day, and today I will think about them and their bravery and sacrifice. Mostly, I commend the American people as a whole for coming together to repair and heal. Their strength as a country is proof that, although almost 3000 people died that day, the terrorists did not win. The country was not broken.
I will never be able to wipe the images of that day from my mind. I don't want to. I will never forget.
We were quickly moved to our second period classroom where my English teacher, Mr. Welch, had set-up the television and had it tuned to CNN. We, along with 2 other classes, jammed into our tiny portable, sat in silence, and watched the remainder of the mornings events unfold on live television. I cannot explain to you the horror and confusion I felt when I watched those towers fall. I knew in that moment, that I was literally watching thousands of people die, and I had no idea why.
During the late lunch period the hallways were eerily quiet, and the line at the pay phones was huge. I stood in that line and called my Mom at work. I had to talk to someone because, in the halls of my high school, the whispered rumours and speculation were terrifying. Would they attack the CN Tower? Of course they would! No, they have no cause to! They already have, it's burning now! I'll never forget the relief I heard from my Mother when said "I am so happy to hear your voice". The only thing I could say to her between my tears was, "what's going on"? She had no answer.
The morning of September 11th is "that"" moment for me. Prior to 9/11, my Mother's moment was the assassination of JFK. She told me she could remember exactly where she was when she heard the news, and remembers in detail the reaction of her parents and grandparents. She was 3. For me, at 16 years old, the events of September 11th are both ingrained in my brain with crystal clarity, and pass in a blur of images and sound bites. But I will always remember exactly where I was, who was with me and what I was doing when I first heard the news.
For days after we were glued to the television, trying to get answers to our whys. In the weeks following the attacks, I did a lot of growing up, I did a lot of learning, and I did a lot of crying. I still have a hard time watching news reports of the attacks, and images from that day. The shot, from the ground, of that first plane hitting the tower, reduces me to tears, without fail, every time I see it.
But what I remember today, 10 years after the attacks, is those who lost their lives and those who still suffer because of the attacks. Whether they lost a loved one in one of the buildings or on one of the planes, whether the ran terrified away from the falling towers, or ran terrified IN to the burning ruins, or even into the cockpit of a plane piloted by terrorists with nothing but boiling water and butter knives.... so many people were directly affected that day, and today I will think about them and their bravery and sacrifice. Mostly, I commend the American people as a whole for coming together to repair and heal. Their strength as a country is proof that, although almost 3000 people died that day, the terrorists did not win. The country was not broken.
I will never be able to wipe the images of that day from my mind. I don't want to. I will never forget.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Going Dark
After sitting through my last statistics II lecture last night and coming up to my 2 final accounting lectures, it's heads down until the semester and exams are over in 2.5 weeks. From here until Aug 5th, I'll be locked in my home office studying, with little time for much else (aside from, you know, my job).
See you on the flip side.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Motivation
Sometimes, I need a little nudge in the right direction. Last night while sitting in my Stats II class, I was getting more and more overwhelmed at the amount of information that seemed to be going right over my head. I kept thinking that I'd never be able to catch on, and was beginning to panic about my mid-term next weekend. I kept thinking, well there goes my rock solid GPA. But then, at the end of class, my professor handed out our first assignments and I was shocked to see that I'd pulled off a 93%! I practically skipped out of the classroom. They assignment wasn't worth much (6% of our mark I think), but it was enough to let me know that if I work really hard, I can get through this.
Then, this morning, my accounting professor posted the grades for our mid-term from this past weekend and I got....100 freaking percent! WHOA?!?!?!?!?! It was the last kick in the butt to let me know that I need to hit the books hard over the next 10ish days and get my arse ready for that mid-term next weekend to keep my marks where they are. I can do it, I just have to find the discipline somewhere. We shall see.
Then, this morning, my accounting professor posted the grades for our mid-term from this past weekend and I got....100 freaking percent! WHOA?!?!?!?!?! It was the last kick in the butt to let me know that I need to hit the books hard over the next 10ish days and get my arse ready for that mid-term next weekend to keep my marks where they are. I can do it, I just have to find the discipline somewhere. We shall see.
Monday, June 6, 2011
It's The Little Things
The further I get into my studies, the more I realize how much the little things in life really matter. As badly as I wanted to return to school, and as badly as I want to finish and do well, returning to school full-time and keeping my full-time job means that I have very little time (or money) for anything else. While I've made a promise to attempt to complain about it less, it doesn't stop me from noticing.
For the first two three years of our marriage, Bub and I had it made. Both working Monday to Friday with few obligations, we were able to spend a lot of time together, take a lot of weekends away, talk long walks and eat dinner together every evening, go to the gym together every morning and spend a lot of time with friends and family. As we approach our fifth anniversary, things couldn't be more different. Bub is now on shift work with a constantly changing schedule, keeping him at work late into the night and on weekends. As for me, I'm constantly running between the office, class, the library for tutoring, and home to get caught up on assignments, studying or reading. I usually have some appointment or another and there's a never ending list of errands to run. Meals have become rushed, the house is neglected, the dogs don't get walked (they get loved, just not walked) and neither of us has set foot in the gym in well over a year. And suddenly I'm dealing with very ticked off family and friends who don't like the fact that they rarely see us anymore (awesome... like it isn't hard enough to balance my time without being made to feel guilty about it).
Now I get that this probably sounds like it's one big complaint.... but I promise that's not my intention. It's a simple statement of fact about the state of our lives at the moment. I only bring it up because the the change in our schedules and in our lifestyle has really made me appreciate the little things in life that tend to bring me peace that are often taken for granted.
I miss sitting out in the backyard, sharing a few beers and talking about everything or nothing until the it was too dark to see each other. Now, we finish a quick meal and I head upstairs to my home office to work on some school related thing or another while Bub cleans-up. I miss hopping in the car on Friday nights and heading to the cottage (we haven't been once yet this year, and likely won't get there until July). Now, Bub heads off to work on Saturday mornings and I close myself in my office for the day. I miss the impromptu solo drives I used to take in the country, windows rolled down, music turned up, where the drive home from my nephews baseball games, which should take about 15 minutes, took 2 hours for all the detours. Now it seems when I leave one place, it's always a race to get to the next. I miss having time to get my waxing done. It seems now I have to plan it and book it weeks in advance to make sure I can fit it into my schedule. I miss having a clean house and laundry. This is probably the thing that bothers me the most.
I like to be busy, I really do, and honestly, I'm truly very thankful that I was able to return to school when so many people wouldn't be able to. To be idle for any long period of time makes me crazy....but I won't say that I don't often think about how nice it was to have the evenings and weekends to myself to do things that made me happy, just because. I miss the simple things. I miss tea and toast on my back deck early on a Saturday morning before anyone else is awake. I miss waking up every now and then with absolutely nothing on the agenda, knowing that they day is my own to do whatever I want. Not having to check the clock every 5. Like my buddy Charlie Sheen I now operate on one speed, and one speed only...GO!
I know I chose to enter this race, and I'm happy to be doing it... but I can't wait to hit the finish line so I might have just a little more time for the simple things again.
For the first two three years of our marriage, Bub and I had it made. Both working Monday to Friday with few obligations, we were able to spend a lot of time together, take a lot of weekends away, talk long walks and eat dinner together every evening, go to the gym together every morning and spend a lot of time with friends and family. As we approach our fifth anniversary, things couldn't be more different. Bub is now on shift work with a constantly changing schedule, keeping him at work late into the night and on weekends. As for me, I'm constantly running between the office, class, the library for tutoring, and home to get caught up on assignments, studying or reading. I usually have some appointment or another and there's a never ending list of errands to run. Meals have become rushed, the house is neglected, the dogs don't get walked (they get loved, just not walked) and neither of us has set foot in the gym in well over a year. And suddenly I'm dealing with very ticked off family and friends who don't like the fact that they rarely see us anymore (awesome... like it isn't hard enough to balance my time without being made to feel guilty about it).
Now I get that this probably sounds like it's one big complaint.... but I promise that's not my intention. It's a simple statement of fact about the state of our lives at the moment. I only bring it up because the the change in our schedules and in our lifestyle has really made me appreciate the little things in life that tend to bring me peace that are often taken for granted.
I miss sitting out in the backyard, sharing a few beers and talking about everything or nothing until the it was too dark to see each other. Now, we finish a quick meal and I head upstairs to my home office to work on some school related thing or another while Bub cleans-up. I miss hopping in the car on Friday nights and heading to the cottage (we haven't been once yet this year, and likely won't get there until July). Now, Bub heads off to work on Saturday mornings and I close myself in my office for the day. I miss the impromptu solo drives I used to take in the country, windows rolled down, music turned up, where the drive home from my nephews baseball games, which should take about 15 minutes, took 2 hours for all the detours. Now it seems when I leave one place, it's always a race to get to the next. I miss having time to get my waxing done. It seems now I have to plan it and book it weeks in advance to make sure I can fit it into my schedule. I miss having a clean house and laundry. This is probably the thing that bothers me the most.
I like to be busy, I really do, and honestly, I'm truly very thankful that I was able to return to school when so many people wouldn't be able to. To be idle for any long period of time makes me crazy....but I won't say that I don't often think about how nice it was to have the evenings and weekends to myself to do things that made me happy, just because. I miss the simple things. I miss tea and toast on my back deck early on a Saturday morning before anyone else is awake. I miss waking up every now and then with absolutely nothing on the agenda, knowing that they day is my own to do whatever I want. Not having to check the clock every 5. Like my buddy Charlie Sheen I now operate on one speed, and one speed only...GO!
I know I chose to enter this race, and I'm happy to be doing it... but I can't wait to hit the finish line so I might have just a little more time for the simple things again.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Heirlooms
I celebrated Mother's Day with my Mom at her house over brunch. My Step-Dad did the cooking, I did the cleaning and Mum just relaxed. I had picked up a Zero Gravity Chair as her gift after years of listening to my Mum talk about getting one (seriously, if you don't have one, you need one), so we had a really nice time sitting in the backyard chatting on what turned out to be a gorgeous day.
Part way through the morning, my Mum hands me a tiny little ring and asks me if I would wear it with my wedding set. I tried it on and when the platinum band fit nicely under my rings, I agreed. Then she proceeded to tell me that it's my great-grandmother's wedding band and it's over 75 years old. So now of course, I had to take a better look at it. You can see that there used to be some kind of engraving on the band that's now worn off.... but it's still absolutely beautiful.
Mum had me promise to wear it. She said it was too big for her and she was afraid to have it sized give it's age and delicacy... but that she didn't want it to sit in a box anymore. It's too big for me as well, but tucked under my wedding set, it's in no danger.
I've spent a lot of time staring at the ring, trying to imagine the history of my family that it's seen. Did they buy it together as a young couple anticipating their wedding? Was it on Gram's finger when my grandmother was born or got married? Did it accompany her to the funeral of my great-grandfather? How long did she wear it after he passed? How many birthday parties, weddings, Christenings and funerals of my relatives did it attend? I know it sounds cheesy, but this ring represents the love that is responsible for my family. It's responsible for my grandmother, then my Mum, and subsequently... me. The idea of that fascinates me.
So now I'm wearing three rings on the ring finger and I'm excited to have a little piece of my family's history with me everyday.
Part way through the morning, my Mum hands me a tiny little ring and asks me if I would wear it with my wedding set. I tried it on and when the platinum band fit nicely under my rings, I agreed. Then she proceeded to tell me that it's my great-grandmother's wedding band and it's over 75 years old. So now of course, I had to take a better look at it. You can see that there used to be some kind of engraving on the band that's now worn off.... but it's still absolutely beautiful.
Mum had me promise to wear it. She said it was too big for her and she was afraid to have it sized give it's age and delicacy... but that she didn't want it to sit in a box anymore. It's too big for me as well, but tucked under my wedding set, it's in no danger.
I've spent a lot of time staring at the ring, trying to imagine the history of my family that it's seen. Did they buy it together as a young couple anticipating their wedding? Was it on Gram's finger when my grandmother was born or got married? Did it accompany her to the funeral of my great-grandfather? How long did she wear it after he passed? How many birthday parties, weddings, Christenings and funerals of my relatives did it attend? I know it sounds cheesy, but this ring represents the love that is responsible for my family. It's responsible for my grandmother, then my Mum, and subsequently... me. The idea of that fascinates me.
So now I'm wearing three rings on the ring finger and I'm excited to have a little piece of my family's history with me everyday.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Cayo Largo 2011
I'm going to try to keep this a brief as possible because if I don't make a conscious effort, this post could be incredibly lengthy as I detail the entire trip minute by minute. So, here comes the condensed version.
We napped, we read, we lounged by the pool, we rented scooters and toured the whole (tiny) island twice, we took a sunset dinner cruise, I swam with the dolphins, we snorkeled at a coral reef and shipwreck, we visited and iguana sanctuary island, saw a live crocodile, we ate a lot, we drank way too much beer and too many pina coladas, we swam, we body surfed, we sat in the rocking chairs on our balcony listening to the ocean, I held a starfish and a baby sea turtle, we were pulled over by the Cuban police on our scooters and we took many walks on the AMAZING beaches. We had perfect weather.... not a single day of clouds. It did rain twice, but only overnight so the puddles in the morning were the only indication. We just.... had an incredible time.
The beaches on this island are indescribable. The sand is perfectly white, the water is amazingly blue (and so warm) and they go on forever. Cayo Largo was actually named to have the most beautiful beaches in the world by a UK travel magazine. I loved every second of this trip and I can't wait to go back.
Resort: Grande Caribe Playa Blanca - ex: Barcelo (4 star)
Here are some of my favorite pics:
We napped, we read, we lounged by the pool, we rented scooters and toured the whole (tiny) island twice, we took a sunset dinner cruise, I swam with the dolphins, we snorkeled at a coral reef and shipwreck, we visited and iguana sanctuary island, saw a live crocodile, we ate a lot, we drank way too much beer and too many pina coladas, we swam, we body surfed, we sat in the rocking chairs on our balcony listening to the ocean, I held a starfish and a baby sea turtle, we were pulled over by the Cuban police on our scooters and we took many walks on the AMAZING beaches. We had perfect weather.... not a single day of clouds. It did rain twice, but only overnight so the puddles in the morning were the only indication. We just.... had an incredible time.
The beaches on this island are indescribable. The sand is perfectly white, the water is amazingly blue (and so warm) and they go on forever. Cayo Largo was actually named to have the most beautiful beaches in the world by a UK travel magazine. I loved every second of this trip and I can't wait to go back.
Resort: Grande Caribe Playa Blanca - ex: Barcelo (4 star)
Here are some of my favorite pics:
(This is actually in Toronto, at baggage claim. But it was just too appropriate)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
This post has no name
It’s been too long. I think a three week blog hiatus must be some kind of record. School really kicked my ass this semester, but I made it and it’s all over with for a little while. So here’s what’s been going on:
-I wrote final exam on Thursday night. It was the dreaded STATS exam and BOY WAS IT HARD!!! Actually, it was so much that it was hard as it was LONG. 900 people wrote the exam and 99% of us were still sitting there when it was over. Basically no one finished, so my Prof assured us that they would take that into consideration when they were marking them. I went in with an 85ish though so I have a little wiggle room and I’m not overly concerned. I did my best and worked my butt off and I’ll get what I get.
-Still no news back from UPEI about the additional credits from the missing transcript issue. I’m over it now. I’ve registered for summer classes at my current University and am just carrying on.
-I decided to cut down to 2 classes per semester, at least for the summer. This past semester was way too much and as the classes get more difficult, it will only become harder to balance my time.
-We had a great celebration for Bub’s birthday. We did Sushi with a group of friends and then had about 20 people at our place for drinks. It was a lot of laughs for sure. BUT… I fail as a wife because I didn’t take a single photo of the festivities.
-WE’RE GOING ON VACATION! We leave next Friday morning for CUBA!!!! We’re heading to the tiny island of Cayo Largo for 7 nights and I am soooooooo excited. We’ve never done the all inclusive thing before, so it should be fun. We have a catamaran tour, snorkeling, horse-back riding, scooter renting, swimming with the dolphins and lots of drinking and reading planned. Seriously… the beaches on this island are incredible. Look at this…..
Can’t wait!
Other than that, I’m just trying to enjoy my three weeks of freedom from school (and 1 from work!). Bub’s working every day until our vacation so I plan to get a lot of reading and napping done.
Happy Hump Day!
-I wrote final exam on Thursday night. It was the dreaded STATS exam and BOY WAS IT HARD!!! Actually, it was so much that it was hard as it was LONG. 900 people wrote the exam and 99% of us were still sitting there when it was over. Basically no one finished, so my Prof assured us that they would take that into consideration when they were marking them. I went in with an 85ish though so I have a little wiggle room and I’m not overly concerned. I did my best and worked my butt off and I’ll get what I get.
-Still no news back from UPEI about the additional credits from the missing transcript issue. I’m over it now. I’ve registered for summer classes at my current University and am just carrying on.
-I decided to cut down to 2 classes per semester, at least for the summer. This past semester was way too much and as the classes get more difficult, it will only become harder to balance my time.
-We had a great celebration for Bub’s birthday. We did Sushi with a group of friends and then had about 20 people at our place for drinks. It was a lot of laughs for sure. BUT… I fail as a wife because I didn’t take a single photo of the festivities.
-WE’RE GOING ON VACATION! We leave next Friday morning for CUBA!!!! We’re heading to the tiny island of Cayo Largo for 7 nights and I am soooooooo excited. We’ve never done the all inclusive thing before, so it should be fun. We have a catamaran tour, snorkeling, horse-back riding, scooter renting, swimming with the dolphins and lots of drinking and reading planned. Seriously… the beaches on this island are incredible. Look at this…..
Appropriately named“The Natural Swimming Pool”.
Can’t wait!
Other than that, I’m just trying to enjoy my three weeks of freedom from school (and 1 from work!). Bub’s working every day until our vacation so I plan to get a lot of reading and napping done.
Happy Hump Day!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Good thing I haven't booked our vacation yet....
I received an email from UPEI today notifying me that the reason I hadn't received any transfer credit from my original studies (right out of HS) is because they didn't ever receive the transcript from the college!!!!
So.... looks like PEI isn't 100% off the table yet. I re-requested my transcript from Seneca (that I originally requested and was charged for on FEBRUARY FREAKIN' 15TH!!!) and emailed UPEI back to let them know it was coming.
Yeesh! I'm happy to know it's back on the table, but at the same time.... it's really frustrating.
So.... looks like PEI isn't 100% off the table yet. I re-requested my transcript from Seneca (that I originally requested and was charged for on FEBRUARY FREAKIN' 15TH!!!) and emailed UPEI back to let them know it was coming.
Yeesh! I'm happy to know it's back on the table, but at the same time.... it's really frustrating.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Now I Know
The envelope I’ve been waiting for finally came. I’ve been accepted to the UPEI BBA program. But…
We’re not going.
The transfer credit calculation was the deciding factor. Because it’s not an apples to apples transfer in terms of my major, I’d be losing a year’s worth of credits that I’ve already earned at my current school and from my previous studies. I knew this was a possibility when I applied given that the program I’m in and the program at UPEI are not identical. This means that I’d be studying 2.5 years with a full course load (5 or 6 per semester) in PEI as opposed to 2.5 years I have left with a partial class load(3 classes per semester) here. The difference? I can handle paying tuition on a part-time basis without going into debt because I can still work full-time. If I start studying 100% full-time, I’d be taking on more student loans because I wouldn’t be working. Thus, it’s just not practical. I was willing to do it for a year, but 2.5 would be a lot of debt that we don’t need, especially when I’ve already earned equivalent credit elsewhere. It’s pretty complicated, but in the end it boils down to this: it’s just not worth it for us at this point.
Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I wish it would have worked out? Absolutely. Is there a part of me that’s a little bit relieved? Definitely.
Not going eliminates the stress of having to deal with either selling or renting our house, it eliminates the cost of moving, the stress of trying to secure a home and employment across the country and it frees up the small stash of money we started saving for the move for other things that we need it for (a vacation, new shingles for the roof, etc). Don’t get me wrong, if it had worked out with my transfer credit, I’d be willing to handle all those things and I’d be really excited to do it, but there is that small part of me that’s breathing a sigh of relief.
I’m not going to lie, I’m really disappointed. We were really excited for the possibility of this adventure, for the change, but I know that everything happens for a reason. For now, I’m just going to concentrate on getting through my degree here and then we’ll see what happens. Maybe we’ll move out there when I’m ready to apply for grad school? Who knows… we may still invade the east yet!
We’re not going.
The transfer credit calculation was the deciding factor. Because it’s not an apples to apples transfer in terms of my major, I’d be losing a year’s worth of credits that I’ve already earned at my current school and from my previous studies. I knew this was a possibility when I applied given that the program I’m in and the program at UPEI are not identical. This means that I’d be studying 2.5 years with a full course load (5 or 6 per semester) in PEI as opposed to 2.5 years I have left with a partial class load(3 classes per semester) here. The difference? I can handle paying tuition on a part-time basis without going into debt because I can still work full-time. If I start studying 100% full-time, I’d be taking on more student loans because I wouldn’t be working. Thus, it’s just not practical. I was willing to do it for a year, but 2.5 would be a lot of debt that we don’t need, especially when I’ve already earned equivalent credit elsewhere. It’s pretty complicated, but in the end it boils down to this: it’s just not worth it for us at this point.
Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I wish it would have worked out? Absolutely. Is there a part of me that’s a little bit relieved? Definitely.
Not going eliminates the stress of having to deal with either selling or renting our house, it eliminates the cost of moving, the stress of trying to secure a home and employment across the country and it frees up the small stash of money we started saving for the move for other things that we need it for (a vacation, new shingles for the roof, etc). Don’t get me wrong, if it had worked out with my transfer credit, I’d be willing to handle all those things and I’d be really excited to do it, but there is that small part of me that’s breathing a sigh of relief.
I’m not going to lie, I’m really disappointed. We were really excited for the possibility of this adventure, for the change, but I know that everything happens for a reason. For now, I’m just going to concentrate on getting through my degree here and then we’ll see what happens. Maybe we’ll move out there when I’m ready to apply for grad school? Who knows… we may still invade the east yet!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Still waiting...
I'm still waiting to hear back from UPEI. I got a letter form them last week asking for additional information (which I had already forwarded to them)... and I'm once again waiting for a reply.
I will admit though, that I don't have high hopes. I think that the math credit that I don't officially have (I did an admissions waiver course at York in lieu of a 12U advanced functions math) will likely be my downfall as they may not recognize the credential that York awarded me. My only hope on that front is that I've already completed and done well in 3 classes for which the 12U math is a prerequisite. However, even if I get in the course requirements are so different that I may lose out credits that I've already earned. I'm willing to lose a few, but I don't want to forfeit too many and be starting from scratch.
Ugh... I just wish I could get an answer. I know I'm being impatient and that it has only been a couple of weeks, but the wait is killing me. I'm crossing my fingers that I get an answer this week (the website says it usually takes 1 week after all documents have been received) so that I can get a move on one way or the other in terms of moving or not, transferring jobs or not.... etc.
I need a drink.
I will admit though, that I don't have high hopes. I think that the math credit that I don't officially have (I did an admissions waiver course at York in lieu of a 12U advanced functions math) will likely be my downfall as they may not recognize the credential that York awarded me. My only hope on that front is that I've already completed and done well in 3 classes for which the 12U math is a prerequisite. However, even if I get in the course requirements are so different that I may lose out credits that I've already earned. I'm willing to lose a few, but I don't want to forfeit too many and be starting from scratch.
Ugh... I just wish I could get an answer. I know I'm being impatient and that it has only been a couple of weeks, but the wait is killing me. I'm crossing my fingers that I get an answer this week (the website says it usually takes 1 week after all documents have been received) so that I can get a move on one way or the other in terms of moving or not, transferring jobs or not.... etc.
I need a drink.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Where my brain has been lately....
Several people have asked us why we would want to move to PEI. Why not one of the bigger cities on the east coast... like Halifax. My answer?
This.
And these...
And because...
-it's called "The Gentle Island"... who doesn't want to live on the Gentle Island?
-the total population of the whole island is about the same as the city I currently live in
-Chef Micheal Smith calls it "Food Country" and says that PEI is one big amazing farm surrounded by gorgeous beaches (heaven for me)
-because I could go sea kayaking and whale watching in the morning, horseback riding on the farm in the afternoon, a feast on the freshest of fresh seafood for dinner
-the scenery is spectacular
-they have a good University that offers the degree that I really want
-it's a totally different way of life from what we have now
-everybody and their brother moves out west... we want to go east.
This.
And these...
And because...
-it's called "The Gentle Island"... who doesn't want to live on the Gentle Island?
-the total population of the whole island is about the same as the city I currently live in
-Chef Micheal Smith calls it "Food Country" and says that PEI is one big amazing farm surrounded by gorgeous beaches (heaven for me)
-because I could go sea kayaking and whale watching in the morning, horseback riding on the farm in the afternoon, a feast on the freshest of fresh seafood for dinner
-the scenery is spectacular
-they have a good University that offers the degree that I really want
-it's a totally different way of life from what we have now
-everybody and their brother moves out west... we want to go east.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
A waiting game
I'm just a big old ball of nerves and excitement lately. Why, you ask? I submitted my application to UPEI early last week and to say that I am anxious to hear back from them is the understatement of the year.
I know I have the marks to get in without a doubt. I had honors in high school, graduated college the first time around with high honours and my lowest mark since returning to university is a B+. My concern is more related to how many transfer credits they will give me (I don't want to lose out too badly) and whether or not my math credential course earned through my current school will be accepted by them as the math pre-req required for business programs.
I sent a whole package of detailed paperwork to them explaining my situation, I've requested all my transcripts be forwarded to the school and and waiting on pins and needles to hear back. Everything is on hold (house hunting, job searches, etc.) until we hear back from school. If the transfer credits don't add up or the math credential course isn't accepted, we're not going anywhere. I'm not setting myself back in school. However, if everything works out then we can make decisions about the house and when to leave and Bub can inquire about getting a transfer out there.
For some reason we have our hearts set on PEI... so I didn't even apply anywhere else yet. Not smart, I know.
The family is mostly supportive. Both of our mothers and my Dad think it's a great idea. Interestingly enough it's my step-dad and Bub's Dad that are not keen on the idea. This is interesting because both of them, at one point in their twenties, picked up and moved across the country themselves. My step-dad asked my Mom to "talk us out of it" and my FIL just got grumpy when we told him. He literally got this disgusted look on his face and said "why would you want to move there"... ummmmmm for the same reason that you moved out west in your twenties. Because we can and because we will enjoy the adventure of living somewhere that provides a totally different lifestyle to what we have now. I know it's going to be a battle with him and that he's going to fight us all the way. As a bonus, he's totally passive aggressive so nothing will be straight forward... it will be all "you know it rains out there a lot right?" "you know that the housing market out there is not really as good as here right?" blah blah blah... YES! Did you ever consider that I've been doing research like CRAZY? That maybe just because you're finding out about this for the first time doesn't mean that we haven't been looking in to this in detail for a long time?
Hello FIL, have we met? I'm the super obsessive and uber cautious DIL that you often brag about? Remember me? Do you really think that we haven't been putting a TON of thought into this?
Regardless of anyone else's opinion, we're making this decision on our own. We will definitely ask for feedback but ultimately no one will be able to talk us out of it. It's frustrating to hear my FIL and step-dad talk about how wonderful it was to the live out west for a couple years, but then to have them react like this when we say we're going east. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Anyways... my fingers are still crossed and my hopes are still high and really, no one can talk me down. I know this is the right decision for us. If we put our work in and if it's meant to be, it will be...regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Now... I'm off to buy some Wellies for our big move. ;) What do we think...
I know I have the marks to get in without a doubt. I had honors in high school, graduated college the first time around with high honours and my lowest mark since returning to university is a B+. My concern is more related to how many transfer credits they will give me (I don't want to lose out too badly) and whether or not my math credential course earned through my current school will be accepted by them as the math pre-req required for business programs.
I sent a whole package of detailed paperwork to them explaining my situation, I've requested all my transcripts be forwarded to the school and and waiting on pins and needles to hear back. Everything is on hold (house hunting, job searches, etc.) until we hear back from school. If the transfer credits don't add up or the math credential course isn't accepted, we're not going anywhere. I'm not setting myself back in school. However, if everything works out then we can make decisions about the house and when to leave and Bub can inquire about getting a transfer out there.
For some reason we have our hearts set on PEI... so I didn't even apply anywhere else yet. Not smart, I know.
The family is mostly supportive. Both of our mothers and my Dad think it's a great idea. Interestingly enough it's my step-dad and Bub's Dad that are not keen on the idea. This is interesting because both of them, at one point in their twenties, picked up and moved across the country themselves. My step-dad asked my Mom to "talk us out of it" and my FIL just got grumpy when we told him. He literally got this disgusted look on his face and said "why would you want to move there"... ummmmmm for the same reason that you moved out west in your twenties. Because we can and because we will enjoy the adventure of living somewhere that provides a totally different lifestyle to what we have now. I know it's going to be a battle with him and that he's going to fight us all the way. As a bonus, he's totally passive aggressive so nothing will be straight forward... it will be all "you know it rains out there a lot right?" "you know that the housing market out there is not really as good as here right?" blah blah blah... YES! Did you ever consider that I've been doing research like CRAZY? That maybe just because you're finding out about this for the first time doesn't mean that we haven't been looking in to this in detail for a long time?
Hello FIL, have we met? I'm the super obsessive and uber cautious DIL that you often brag about? Remember me? Do you really think that we haven't been putting a TON of thought into this?
Regardless of anyone else's opinion, we're making this decision on our own. We will definitely ask for feedback but ultimately no one will be able to talk us out of it. It's frustrating to hear my FIL and step-dad talk about how wonderful it was to the live out west for a couple years, but then to have them react like this when we say we're going east. It doesn't make much sense to me.
Anyways... my fingers are still crossed and my hopes are still high and really, no one can talk me down. I know this is the right decision for us. If we put our work in and if it's meant to be, it will be...regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Now... I'm off to buy some Wellies for our big move. ;) What do we think...
traditional?
or something a little more funky?...
Monday, February 7, 2011
An Adventure? Maybe.
Bub and I are at a turning point. Not in our relationship with each other, but in our lives in general. Lots of changes in both of our professional lives have caused us to take a step back and think about what we really want... and it has been eye opening.
We've owned our home for 2.5 years now and we love it. We love it because it's the first house we bought together and because it's been home for so long now. But, we've been tied to it since I returned to school. Every decision we make has been based on the house and if we will be able to continue to afford it. I know this is normal but it's really getting to me lately. Career decisions, academic decisions..... everything revolves around the house and I realized recently that it really bothers me.
So.... we're moving. And I mean MOVING. Like across the country or overseas like we've always wanted to. Or at least, that's the plan right now. The fate of the house is yet to be determined. Ideally, we'll keep it and rent it out because we do plan to return in a couple of years, but if we have to sell, then we will. Owning is wonderful, but it's not everything and I don't want to miss out on life experiences just so I can say that I own a home.
As of last night I am officially researching universities out East and in the UK. And can I tell you... I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! I've looked at The University of Prince Edward Island's and Dalhousie University's Bachelor of Business Administration programs and both look really good. I'm leaning towards UPEI at the moment for a few reasons but it's still in the very early stages of research. And for those who say that moving from Ontario to PEI wouldn't be a big change... I say you need to do your own research. The two provinces couldn't be more different. Next, I'll pick a few in the UK and then I'll submit mass applications. Obviously, staying in Canada would be much easier for many reasons, but if we could make the UK work for a year or two, I'd be all over it. Wherever we end up, I'd like to rent a little house, get Bub working full-time at some funky job (like a corner pub in England or something)and I'd tackle school full-time. I just want to experience life in a different way for a little while.
If this is going to happen, it's going to happen quickly. I'd be applying to start at the new school in September and taking the summer off of classes at my current school to pickup a 2nd job to save. But honestly, I've never been more excited about anything. I think this is a big opportunity for us to go and experience something totally different than what we're used to. I'm hoping that it's meant to be and that fate will be on our side. Fingers crossed.
We've owned our home for 2.5 years now and we love it. We love it because it's the first house we bought together and because it's been home for so long now. But, we've been tied to it since I returned to school. Every decision we make has been based on the house and if we will be able to continue to afford it. I know this is normal but it's really getting to me lately. Career decisions, academic decisions..... everything revolves around the house and I realized recently that it really bothers me.
So.... we're moving. And I mean MOVING. Like across the country or overseas like we've always wanted to. Or at least, that's the plan right now. The fate of the house is yet to be determined. Ideally, we'll keep it and rent it out because we do plan to return in a couple of years, but if we have to sell, then we will. Owning is wonderful, but it's not everything and I don't want to miss out on life experiences just so I can say that I own a home.
As of last night I am officially researching universities out East and in the UK. And can I tell you... I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! I've looked at The University of Prince Edward Island's and Dalhousie University's Bachelor of Business Administration programs and both look really good. I'm leaning towards UPEI at the moment for a few reasons but it's still in the very early stages of research. And for those who say that moving from Ontario to PEI wouldn't be a big change... I say you need to do your own research. The two provinces couldn't be more different. Next, I'll pick a few in the UK and then I'll submit mass applications. Obviously, staying in Canada would be much easier for many reasons, but if we could make the UK work for a year or two, I'd be all over it. Wherever we end up, I'd like to rent a little house, get Bub working full-time at some funky job (like a corner pub in England or something)and I'd tackle school full-time. I just want to experience life in a different way for a little while.
If this is going to happen, it's going to happen quickly. I'd be applying to start at the new school in September and taking the summer off of classes at my current school to pickup a 2nd job to save. But honestly, I've never been more excited about anything. I think this is a big opportunity for us to go and experience something totally different than what we're used to. I'm hoping that it's meant to be and that fate will be on our side. Fingers crossed.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Another one?
Well, since it's been almost 3 weeks since my last post I thought I should find some time to post... something. Here's just another mass update (I seem to do a lot of those lately):
School:
I'm starting week four of SemesterFromHell and so far, so good. After class tomorrow I will have 4 stats classes, 1 quiz (on which I scored 80%!!), and 1 assignment behind me- leaving only 7 classes, 1 quiz, 1 assignment and 2 exams left for that class. I have a paper due next week in MODR which I have a good start on, and the ball is rolling with our marketing plan (although, I'm still really not looking forward to it). I'm still iffy on whether or not my stats tutor is going to be of much assistance, so we'll have to wait and see. I do know that physically being in the classroom is a lot better than taking it online in this case.
Health:
I've really gotten back into working out and eating well again. I gained some weight over the holidays so I knew it was time to get back on the wagon.
The exercise bit has been pretty good this time around. I've found a tiered, 3 level mixed cardio routine that I really like and that I can do it in my basement. So, I've been doing that 4 times a week. I'm 1 session away from stepping up to level 2 so we'll see how that goes later this week. It's really nice to have something I can do at home since a) it's -1 billion out, so running is incredibly uncomfortable (and sometimes dangerous) and b) I can't afford a gym membership right now.
I've even convinced Bub to get back to it as well, and he's now working out more than I am (with the exception of last week when he was sick as a dog).
In terms of my diet, I'm trying to stay under 1550 calories per day (with a minimum of 1200), really trying to cut out a lot pre-package/processed foods and trying to make sure that I'm eating a variety of foods from across the food groups.
Example menu:
Breakfast: 2 slices of sourdough toast w/ light margarine (a fave of mine), tea w/ milk
Snack 1: either raspberries (1/2 pint) or 1 banana
Lunch: spinach salad (baby spinach, low fat cheddar cheese, cucumbers, carrots, turkey w/ classic herb dressing)
Snack 2: veggie sticks and yogurt dip and/or banana
Dinner: whole wheat pasta w/ tomato and meat sauce and low fat cheese (extra lean GB, low sodium diced tomatoes, blue menu tomato sauce base)
Snack 3 : a couple of crackers, frozen yogurt
Tonight I have a turkey and sprout pita for dinner (school night) that's is really, really yummy and surprisingly low in calories.
I had a physical last week (my first in 4 years) which went well:
Life
My resolution to be more positive and not let things bother me is going pretty good. I'm trying my best to see the bright side of things and it's really made a difference. I highly recommend it.
Our nephew Oscar turned 1 last weekend and we had a good time at his birthday party. I can't believe a year has gone by already.
That's pretty much it! I've been working like crazy this month and other that Forget You which I read on New Years Day, I haven't even finished a book. I have about 50 pages left of my current novel so hopefully by the end of the week I'll have a review to post and then it' on to Anna and the French Kiss I think.
Ok, now I'm back to work!
School:
I'm starting week four of SemesterFromHell and so far, so good. After class tomorrow I will have 4 stats classes, 1 quiz (on which I scored 80%!!), and 1 assignment behind me- leaving only 7 classes, 1 quiz, 1 assignment and 2 exams left for that class. I have a paper due next week in MODR which I have a good start on, and the ball is rolling with our marketing plan (although, I'm still really not looking forward to it). I'm still iffy on whether or not my stats tutor is going to be of much assistance, so we'll have to wait and see. I do know that physically being in the classroom is a lot better than taking it online in this case.
Health:
I've really gotten back into working out and eating well again. I gained some weight over the holidays so I knew it was time to get back on the wagon.
The exercise bit has been pretty good this time around. I've found a tiered, 3 level mixed cardio routine that I really like and that I can do it in my basement. So, I've been doing that 4 times a week. I'm 1 session away from stepping up to level 2 so we'll see how that goes later this week. It's really nice to have something I can do at home since a) it's -1 billion out, so running is incredibly uncomfortable (and sometimes dangerous) and b) I can't afford a gym membership right now.
I've even convinced Bub to get back to it as well, and he's now working out more than I am (with the exception of last week when he was sick as a dog).
In terms of my diet, I'm trying to stay under 1550 calories per day (with a minimum of 1200), really trying to cut out a lot pre-package/processed foods and trying to make sure that I'm eating a variety of foods from across the food groups.
Example menu:
Breakfast: 2 slices of sourdough toast w/ light margarine (a fave of mine), tea w/ milk
Snack 1: either raspberries (1/2 pint) or 1 banana
Lunch: spinach salad (baby spinach, low fat cheddar cheese, cucumbers, carrots, turkey w/ classic herb dressing)
Snack 2: veggie sticks and yogurt dip and/or banana
Dinner: whole wheat pasta w/ tomato and meat sauce and low fat cheese (extra lean GB, low sodium diced tomatoes, blue menu tomato sauce base)
Snack 3 : a couple of crackers, frozen yogurt
Tonight I have a turkey and sprout pita for dinner (school night) that's is really, really yummy and surprisingly low in calories.
I had a physical last week (my first in 4 years) which went well:
- I got a rec from the doctor for physio and massage therapy for my shoulder, but unfortunately, she gave me a rec for a location who's hours I can't fit into my schedule. I'll have to go back and get a general requisition so I can find my own place to go. I'm really looking forward to tackling this issue.
- She found a lump in my breast, but since I've had one before and it turned out to be nothing, she wasn't overly concerned. I go back in 3 weeks to check it again and if it's still there then I'll be sent to the hospital for an ultra-sound and mammogram. I'm not really concerned.
- I got my shots up-to-date and got a script for the HPV vaccine which I haven't filled yet because I'm unsure how I feel about it (it's really new so that makes me nervous)
- my weight and blood pressure are "excellent" according to the good doctor!!
- Everything else seemed fine
Life
My resolution to be more positive and not let things bother me is going pretty good. I'm trying my best to see the bright side of things and it's really made a difference. I highly recommend it.
Our nephew Oscar turned 1 last weekend and we had a good time at his birthday party. I can't believe a year has gone by already.
That's pretty much it! I've been working like crazy this month and other that Forget You which I read on New Years Day, I haven't even finished a book. I have about 50 pages left of my current novel so hopefully by the end of the week I'll have a review to post and then it' on to Anna and the French Kiss I think.
Ok, now I'm back to work!
Monday, September 13, 2010
As summer winds down...
It has certainly felt like fall lately. We went from sticky blistering 40 degree days (that's 104 fahrenheit for all my lovely American friends) to relatively chilly 13-18 degree days almost overnight. I can't say that I'm upset about it though. I love the seasons and am ready for fall. I wouldn't complain if summer hung around a little while longer.... but I'm not crying about the changing leaves either. I love autumn for the crisp air, Thanksgiving, halloween and the gorgeous scenery. It makes me think of yummy food and hiking and warm drinks. I'm actually really looking forward to it.
We had a good summer. Around work and school we spent several weekends at the T-family cabin, we got to spend a week at the cottage with my Mum, we spent a weekend away for a beautiful wedding, we golfed, we swam we just hung-out. It was crazy busy, but good.
Since last year, fall also means back to school. I've been off for 5 weeks since I wrote the final exam of my summer semester and it's been great. It worked out as a fluke this summer that I got so much time, and I won't be getting it again so I really wanted to enjoy it. I can't believe that time went by so quickly. I am however looking forward to going back tonight (remind me that I said that in a couple of weeks okay?).
What's in store for me this semester?
Mondays- Reasoning in Women and Sexism (my final gen-ed class!... but it goes all year)
Thursdays- Introduction to Marketing (apparently the prof is terrible, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt)
Online- Quantitative Methods I (yep... that's a fancy way of saying STATS ::shudder::)
I head to my first lecture tonight. I'm anxious to get wrapped up at the office a little early today so I can make the hour drive down there as early as possible. I have to go to the library (I'm borrowing one of my textbooks until the one I ordered from The Book Depository arrives), then the bookstore, then the registrars office to drop off some paperwork. Of course... I have to make sure to leave enough time to get a tea and to find my class which is in a building I've never even heard of before (for reelz... I go to the 2nd largest University in Canada so the campus is friggin' MASSIVE and therefore this could take a while). The fact that each place I need to go before class is on a different part of the campus coupled with the inevitable lines at the bookstore on the first day of classes means I'll need as much time as possible. *fingers crossed*
We've got lots going on this fall too. We're in final preparations for SILs wedding (10.10.10). It's in less than 4 weeks and our dresses, along with the fabric for the guys ties, have not yet arrived. It's going to be a mad scramble to get alterations done. We're also getting ready for another wedding ceremony this Saturday (we're skipping the dinner/reception) and then I'm heading out with my girls for a friends birthday. The following weekend we're off to Niagara Falls with the family for Bub's grandmothers 80th b-day celebrations. Should be fun (but expensive). And then of course there's Thanksgiving and Halloween (we're throwing our first big bash) in October. *sigh*.... I have to fit assignments and readings for school in there too.
Because of this crazy schedule, I wanted to get a ton done this weekend and I DID! I got the whole house cleaned as usual, the backyard and yard waste cleaned-up, filled in under the playset so we're not battling weeds all the time, trimmed the trees hanging over the fence, weeded and turned dirt in the gardens (front and back), painted our new door frame and the kitchen window frame, washed the bedding, reformatted our desktop, installed new OS, got internet working again and installed all the updates it needed (all 123 of them),took pics off my camera and stored on the computer as well as burnt to cd, and organized the spare bedroom closet. Oh! and Bub cleaned the garage as well! I also went out with my Mom to get some plants. I came home with 2 mums, a snowball bush and a hydrangea bush. LOVE! Can't wait to get them planted. All the while I had Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on audio to keep my company.
On top of all that I had time to read a little, watch a movie, play nursemaid to my dog (who caught a bee in her mouth and ended up getting stung), take a couple of baths and have dinner at FIL's. It was a very satisfying weekend.
Still left to do:
-organize basement/under stairs
-sort donate/toss/recycle/sell and then do dump/hazardous waste, e-waste and goodwill runs, and post kijiji listings
-scrape and paint the rest of the window/door frames
-take annuals out of the garden and turn the dirt over 1 more time (and of course, when the leaves begin to fall we'll be raking like crazy)
Hopefully I'll have time to fit all this stuff in around work and school and all the other crazy plans we have.... but I'm determined to enjoy the season, hopefully get some hiking in not get overwhelmed like I did last fall.
What about everyone else? Are you ready for summer to be over or are you dreading the leaves changing?
photo credit: Huntsville Adventures
We had a good summer. Around work and school we spent several weekends at the T-family cabin, we got to spend a week at the cottage with my Mum, we spent a weekend away for a beautiful wedding, we golfed, we swam we just hung-out. It was crazy busy, but good.
Since last year, fall also means back to school. I've been off for 5 weeks since I wrote the final exam of my summer semester and it's been great. It worked out as a fluke this summer that I got so much time, and I won't be getting it again so I really wanted to enjoy it. I can't believe that time went by so quickly. I am however looking forward to going back tonight (remind me that I said that in a couple of weeks okay?).
What's in store for me this semester?
Mondays- Reasoning in Women and Sexism (my final gen-ed class!... but it goes all year)
Thursdays- Introduction to Marketing (apparently the prof is terrible, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt)
Online- Quantitative Methods I (yep... that's a fancy way of saying STATS ::shudder::)
I head to my first lecture tonight. I'm anxious to get wrapped up at the office a little early today so I can make the hour drive down there as early as possible. I have to go to the library (I'm borrowing one of my textbooks until the one I ordered from The Book Depository arrives), then the bookstore, then the registrars office to drop off some paperwork. Of course... I have to make sure to leave enough time to get a tea and to find my class which is in a building I've never even heard of before (for reelz... I go to the 2nd largest University in Canada so the campus is friggin' MASSIVE and therefore this could take a while). The fact that each place I need to go before class is on a different part of the campus coupled with the inevitable lines at the bookstore on the first day of classes means I'll need as much time as possible. *fingers crossed*
We've got lots going on this fall too. We're in final preparations for SILs wedding (10.10.10). It's in less than 4 weeks and our dresses, along with the fabric for the guys ties, have not yet arrived. It's going to be a mad scramble to get alterations done. We're also getting ready for another wedding ceremony this Saturday (we're skipping the dinner/reception) and then I'm heading out with my girls for a friends birthday. The following weekend we're off to Niagara Falls with the family for Bub's grandmothers 80th b-day celebrations. Should be fun (but expensive). And then of course there's Thanksgiving and Halloween (we're throwing our first big bash) in October. *sigh*.... I have to fit assignments and readings for school in there too.
Because of this crazy schedule, I wanted to get a ton done this weekend and I DID! I got the whole house cleaned as usual, the backyard and yard waste cleaned-up, filled in under the playset so we're not battling weeds all the time, trimmed the trees hanging over the fence, weeded and turned dirt in the gardens (front and back), painted our new door frame and the kitchen window frame, washed the bedding, reformatted our desktop, installed new OS, got internet working again and installed all the updates it needed (all 123 of them),took pics off my camera and stored on the computer as well as burnt to cd, and organized the spare bedroom closet. Oh! and Bub cleaned the garage as well! I also went out with my Mom to get some plants. I came home with 2 mums, a snowball bush and a hydrangea bush. LOVE! Can't wait to get them planted. All the while I had Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on audio to keep my company.
On top of all that I had time to read a little, watch a movie, play nursemaid to my dog (who caught a bee in her mouth and ended up getting stung), take a couple of baths and have dinner at FIL's. It was a very satisfying weekend.
Still left to do:
-organize basement/under stairs
-sort donate/toss/recycle/sell and then do dump/hazardous waste, e-waste and goodwill runs, and post kijiji listings
-scrape and paint the rest of the window/door frames
-take annuals out of the garden and turn the dirt over 1 more time (and of course, when the leaves begin to fall we'll be raking like crazy)
Hopefully I'll have time to fit all this stuff in around work and school and all the other crazy plans we have.... but I'm determined to enjoy the season, hopefully get some hiking in not get overwhelmed like I did last fall.
What about everyone else? Are you ready for summer to be over or are you dreading the leaves changing?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)