Grateful Friday!!

View of Mt. Baker from eastern Vancouver island

Sealife near Campbell River

Whew, what a crazy few days. I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to sit down here and post away. It's crazy having house guests, isn't it?! The inlaws are our first official ones, so we're still learning I think. Being back home in Vancouver, in our house, has mellowed us all out a bit, which is great. The parents have been going off on adventures of their own, while R got back to work and I spent my first morning at my new job! I think we all needed a bit of space. The new job looks wonderful! No day will be the same, I'll be busy, and have a wide variety of tasks to do, so I think it's going to be interesting and give me a chance to learn a lot, be creative, and meet all sorts of people. I've got a headache from information overload, but I love it!! I got to go out for lunch with my office to say goodbye to the woman in my place, and say hello to me - it was brilliant! How are you all doing?!!
The trip was full of lovely long drives down new roads, beautiful trees just on the edge of turning colour, small communities and very nice people, and it was such a treat to just be free. It felt a lot like Nova Scotia, where I grew up, which was a nice surprise. It didn't make me home sick, just happy to be around something so beautiful, so bizarrely familiar. It felt like "real Canada - but I don't know what I mean by that exactly! Tofino was our favorite place - went on a whale watching trip. Loved being on a boat in the sunshine, we even saw a bunch of grey whales! The beaches out there are gorgeous, so alive, so vibrant. Eating dinner on the beach with R, watching the sunset, the amazing colours and just having time together. I'm so going to go sea kayaking and surfing when we go back. And we are SO going back there.

Victoria surprised us, after having been there a couple times and not really enjoying it very much. It was a great city to walk around in, had a real downtown core to explore, and a beautiful harbour. It helped that it was a magical sunny day too. We had a great meal out for G's birthday, he was quite chuffed anyways. Stayed in a wonderful heritage house owned by the backpackers, so we each had our own suite - highly recommended if you ever go to Victoria!! Ocean Island Suites. All the places we stayed were wonderful actually. We did well! Time flew by, especially once I came down with the cold - felt like my head was literally in a bubble. But it didn't damper things too much, only meant I used a lot of kleenex!!

Coming home was a treat as well - we've never been away from our place that long before, so nice to come back home. Life is in transition once again, but that's life right? Crazy to think it's almost October, but I'm really looking forward to the trees beautiful colour show - expect many photos. I'm like Ruby and Meg, fall is a new year for me much more than January. I love this time of year.

Missed my first grateful list last week, so this one may be a bit longer than usual - bare with me.
This week I am grateful for:

• my wonderful R and his patience and getting to have some quality time together, away
• my inlaws, even when they drive me batty! bless them
• our lovely little flat
• traveling and seeing new places
• Tofino
• the BC ferries
• sunshine, sunshine, sunshine
• Indian Summer
• the coming fall colours
• bookstores
• Vancouver
• Vancouver Island
• my mom - happy belated birthday! glad she was born, really
• Grey's Anatomy
• soft kleenex
• the internet - for helping us plan our adventure
• rental cars - love the freedom of wheels, cannot wait to buy our own one day
• the air mattress we're sleeping on
• my new job and the people I'm going to be working with/for
• our camera
• being on a boat on the water
• long walks on the beach, even getting sun kissed
• sunsets
• time away from reality
• not thinking about work at all - old or new - for a whole week
• being able to show off where we live - and man, it's gorgeous!!
• being lucky to have seen a lot of the world and experienced so many things - having stretched my comfort zone so many times and getting to learn so much about myself and the world
• the sound of children laughing
• Granville Island, my yoga studio, my art store, and getting to learn what other fabulous places are over there
• my new commute on the ferry across False Creek
• my old crap job for helping me find this community and my creativity again
• getting real letters in the mail
• being able to wear flipflops still
• my new clothes for work
• change
• acceptance and letting go
• family

Wow, I'll stop now, don't want anyone to fall asleep reading this! Weekend full of tour guiding ahead for us, might head up to the mountains. Hope you all have a good one!

Photos first

Tofino harbour

Qualicum beach (this was our backyard!!)

Me doing yoga at sunset in Tofino (or pretending to!)

Tofino Clayquoet Sound

Victoria Parliament buildings

Us at G's birthday dinner

We're back home now, will write a proper post tomorrow, but wanted to share some photos from our time away! Loved Tofino the most (obviously), but it was a great time away. Of course, R and I both got sick with colds (thanks to the English germs his mom brought over!!), but we still loved being away and seeing something new. Have lots to share so stay tuned!

On our way...

Morning! Sitting at home, the sun coming through the windows finally after a few days of rain, getting ready to go out for the day with my future in-laws to Capilano Suspension Bridge. It's wonderful to see them, except for the unsettled weather, but being tour guide is a great treat! His mom survived the flight and was quite happy about the experience, which was good considering she is terrified of flying. We're sleeping out in the living room on the air mattress, feels a bit cramped in our one bedroom flat - good thing we're off tomorrow on our adventure!!

We're heading over to Vancouver Island for a week!! Taking the ferry over to Nanaimo, then getting our rental car and heading up to Qualicum Beach (staying here!)for three days. Hoping to do some sea kayaking there and some major beachcombing. Then, we're driving down to Victoria for the weekend to celebrate his dad's birthday. Then, we'll be heading up to Tofino (see the pic above!) for a couple days. I cannot wait to see it all!! We've been over a few times when my sister was living there, but not to all of these places. Tofino is known for its rugged coastline and amazing waves and storm watching! Its the surf capital of Canada, bit like Cornwall I hope. I've been looking forward to going there ever since we moved out here. I'll take tons of photos, don't worry!!!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments about my new job! I am still very excited! I got to go down there to meet with my new boss yesterday and she gave me a tour of the place and introduced me to everyone - it is an amazing space and everyone seems so nice. Mostly women, could be interesting with all the hormones running around there, but there was a good mix of younger and older, so the potential is there to meet some new friends maybe. They all said how wonderful a place it is to work and so many of them have been there for years, so that's a great sign. I think this is going to be such a positive step in my life, I can't even begin to fathom it. I have no idea what I'm going to be do exactly workwise, but who cares! It looks like I'm going to be busy, that's all that matters!!
We'll be back next week - I love being on holiday!!!

Grateful Friday!!!

R and I at the Great Ocean Road, Australia

I'm still reeling from my good news from last night and from handing in my notice today. I was pretty excited and nervous last night, I couldn't get to sleep. Like a little kid waiting for Christmas or something! I woke up early with R this morning (his alarm goes off at 6am!) and couldn't get back to sleep, so went out and had a coffee and journal session before work. I felt sick to my stomach about handing in my notice, but it went so smoothly, I could barely believe it. He just said ok. That was it, seriously! My other boss was a bit sad actually- because he likes me but also because it means a headache for him in the weeks to come. Oh well!! I'm free! Got my last pay check and had lunch with my favorites, just waiting for wine time before I let everyone know what's going on. I love the look on their faces - such surprise. It's great!!

My new job is as the administrative assistant in the Programs Department for Arts Umbrella, a non-profit art school for kids on Granville Island (one of my favorite places in Vancouver and so close to my home as well!). My yoga class is around the corner and my favorite art store is across the street- could be trouble! They have visual and media arts, theatre, music, and dance. My job is to work directly for the Program Director and the Program assistants, plus liase and work with all the instructors (like 100 of them!!), plus numerous other tasks. It sounds like I may actually be busy!! Imagine that. I know it can't be all the time, but I won't be sitting at a desk trying to come up with something to do for 8 hours a day anymore. I know that and I am ready for it too. I'm ready for all of it. I get to start the first week of October, so still get my two weeks holiday. If I had been offered it when I went through the interview process, I wouldn't have been able to take as much holiday - so it couldn't have worked out better. Sigh...I love life.

This week I am Grateful for:

• my new job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (like I said, I'm pretty excited) see previous post
• being on holiday officially in one hour!!!!!
• R's parents arriving on Sunday for their 3 week visit
• getting to show off our home and city to someone new
• R being so happy for me and doing the dance of joy together, for having him in my life
• Arts Umbrella
• surviving this job for a whole year (longest I've ever been in one job, no joke. No, I've never been fired either- yes, my life is strange)
• my little niece being healthy
• the new Razorlight album
• "Don't Feel like Dancing" by the Scissor Sisters - I boogie to it everytime it comes on my iPod
• BBC Radio One
• sweet potato knish's
• the sun coming out again
• finally having some rain and things green-ing up a bit
• Fall coming
• getting to snuggle up in bed to stay warm
• Oyster Bay wine
• how happy I feel, how relieved, how excited
• the Universe and its amazing ways (put it out there and watch it come to life)
• my new creative outlet (see previous previous post)
• getting to really clean our flat tomorrow
• this wonderful community I've discovered and for this boring job giving me the chance to find it!
• change

We're not leaving town and access to our computer until next Wednesday, so I will still be posting and reading blogs. I hope you all have a great weekend!! I know I'm going to go out and celebrate!

The Universe Comes Through!!!

Arts Umbrella logo

I had some great news today...remember that job I had the two interviews for at Arts Umbrella? The one they gave to someone else? Well, I got a call from the head of the programming Department today and the girl they hired has decided to take another job...so they offered it to me!!!!!!!!! Of course I said yes!!! I can't believe this is happening! I knew there was a reason that nothing else had come up. I get to go in to work tomorrow and hand in my notice and then go on holiday! Holy crap! I am so excited, in case you can't tell. I needed something to sort itself out and the Universe has delivered. I am a bit nervous about handing in my notice- I have no idea how they are going to react, but my new boss (!!) said she is flexible if I need to give them some extra time. I don't expect it to be a nice moment and I'll be ok. I'm not going to have to sit at that desk anymore and be bored to tears!! How good does that feel??! I can't sit still I'm so excited. Life is going to get better, I can feel it. (Knock on wood of course)

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments about my paintings as well - that made me feel so grateful for this community once again. I wish you were all here to celebrate! R went out and go us some Oyster Bay Sav Blanc, so I'm a happy girl! (we actually worked for that vineyard and the wine is one of our favorites)

I am in love...

I've found a new creative outlet and I am so in love! (Yes I did these, I still can't believe it myself) I love the feel of the paint, mixing the colours and coming up with anything I want. I love watching how it all plays itself out, having no judgments. The inner critic has yet to show up, which is such a treat. I want to go out and buy hundreds of canvases and just try everything and anything. I love how it got me out of my head for awhile. I love how it helped me forget my shitty day and my even shittier job and let me just create. These are going up in our bedroom. I now know what you have all been going on about! I want to do some mixed media pieces next - mix words with colour and texture and different objects. I think I need to learn more about it all - know any good books or websites I can check out? What are your favorite ways to paint - tools, paints, extras?

I was a bit scared about putting these on here, but wanted to share my excitement with everyone! I am so grateful for all of you and how supportive you are, especially after my post yesterday. I wasn't going to post that either, but thought what the hell. And now I feel so much better. For being brave, for purging it all from my head for awhile. And your comments meant the world to me. Like hugs through the computer screen.

How do you love to create? What gets your juices flowing?!!

Sunday Scribblings

time travel from cybergus on flickr

This week's prompt: "What I wouldn’t write about… "

I found this prompt hard, even a bit uncomfortable really. I wasn’t sure what I wouldn’t write about. I know that I wouldn’t write a fantasy book or a sci-fi book, simply because I have no experience with these genres. I find too much reality hard to handle sometimes, so I wouldn’t write a real-life story. I don’t know what I wouldn’t write about, it’s too hard to pinpoint, so I decided to do a timed writing and see what came out.

I wouldn’t write about how amazing I am. I wouldn’t write about how many things I have accomplished and how wonderful a person I am. I wouldn’t write that I am a brilliant friend and even better girlfriend. I wouldn’t write that I have so much to offer, that I am being wasted at this job. I wouldn’t write that I deserve to be happy or that I deserve to be in a job where I am successful and feel useful. I wouldn’t write that I am going to be a great mom, caring and open minded and flexible, ready for anything. I wouldn’t write that I am an adventurer at heart, that I like to take risks, that I enjoy new things. I wouldn’t write that change is good. I wouldn’t write that I am beautiful, inside and out. I wouldn’t write that I am afraid of being a mother, that I worry I will be too anxious and miss all the magic. I wouldn’t write that I worry about falling into a depression again. I wouldn’t write that I hate being an anxious person and that I would do anything to stop worrying for even just a day. I wouldn’t write that I am embarrassed that I am working in a place I hate and not getting out of it fast enough. I wouldn’t write that I would trade in my university degree to erase the debt I’m straddled with. I wouldn’t write that I hated 90% of my university experience. I wouldn’t write that I am scared to go after a job I love because then I wouldn’t know what to complain or stress about anymore. I wouldn’t write that I want to work with kids on some level but am too scared to go through all the schooling in case I don’t want to do it once I get there. I wouldn’t write that I feel useless sometimes. I wouldn’t write that I believe in myself. I wouldn’t write that I want to work with young people to help them believe in themselves and follow their dreams. I wouldn’t write that I want to become more creative. I wouldn’t write that I think I am already creative. I wouldn’t write that I think I am brave or strong. I wouldn’t write that I want to stop thinking about a career and working forever. I wouldn’t write that my size doesn’t matter to me, that I am perfect exactly how I am. I wouldn’t write that I don’t care what other people think about me. I wouldn’t write that I like Starbucks coffee. I wouldn’t write that I miss traveling. I wouldn’t write that I wish I had been more relaxed and enjoyed the moment when I was traveling. I wouldn’t write that losing someone I love scares me daily, to the point of tears and/or panic. I wouldn’t write that I think I can handle it, that I can handle anything. I wouldn’t write that I want to make a difference to someone, to the world. I wouldn’t write that I already have done this. I wouldn’t write that I am seen as a positive influence. I wouldn’t write that I can commit to something and stick it out. I wouldn’t write that I want to be a runner, even though I hate every second of it. I wouldn’t write that I am a good writer. I wouldn’t write that I trust I the process. I wouldn’t write that I worry I’m wasting time by being in a job I despise. I wouldn’t write these things because they scare me. They feel like lies sometimes. Or words I’m not supposed to say out loud.

Whew, that was a bit serious. I may be feeling some of the universal grief that's going around today on the 5th anniversary. Or maybe I just needed to open the flood gates a bit. Either way, my other posts this week will be a bit more upbeat, I promise!

Grateful Friday!!

late imperfect afternoon by strawberry fields on flickr

I haven't posted very much this week for some unknown reason. Just been spending a bit too much time inside my own head, I think. I definitely need a holiday...luckily I will get one in a week's time!! Work has been doing my head in, I've felt disconnected from everything, but especially my blog world. Boredom tends to suck any creative energy out of me, so tv was my distraction most nights this week. I spend so much time thinking about what I can do with my life (a regular obsession for me), and always come up with a different answer. I was talking to my little sis last night - she just started doing her Education degree and is loving it. She said I need to stop fighting the inevitable and go get my Education degree. The inevitable being that our family are teachers. My dad, my mom, my brother, and now my sister are all teachers. She may have a point there, but all I think about is wanting to have babies and the student loan I'm already strapped with. But I told her I'd investigate it and see how viable it is. Just one more possibility to add to my list. It would be nice to know what is the right answer, which is the right direction. Oh well, this too shall pass. How's your week been?

This week, I'm grateful for:

• the beautiful sunshine that just seems to continue
• fall closing in slowly
• R being back on days
• my friend Kathleen being back online
• my little sis enjoying her new path
• my dad started his 40th year of teaching at the same school
• getting through another week of work (helped that it was only 4 days!)
• our holiday getting ever closer
• having a good day at work today - mainly because the accountant was there and she's always fun, our bosses actually took us out for lunch, and we had birthday cake and wine at 3:30, so the day ended early! if it was like that everyday, I'd be very happy!
• meeting up with someone from Arts Umbrella (where I had applied for that job) and setting up some volunteering for an event they have coming up
• her telling me that several people said they were excited that she was meeting with me
• my yoga class and my friend coming with me
• our lovely long weekend
• lovely emails from my wonderful friends all over the world
• my new sunglasses!
• US Open Tennis
• having no plans this weekend
• giant nectarines
• this wonderful blogging community

I feel with the change of the season, I need a new banner on here...anyone know how to do that? Denise did such a beautiful job with this one, but I don't know how to make a picture to put up there. I can get it on the page, just not sure how to start. Would be grateful for any suggestions!

Long Weekend Fun in the Sun

Bowen Island harbour

The mainland from Bowen Island

It's hard to believe that it's September already. I knew it was coming, but wow - it got here fast. We had another great long weekend. Spending time shopping and eating out in new places we've never tried. Jumping on the ferry across to Bowen Island (15 minutes away) to go for a walk and have a brilliant pub lunch with our friends. A bbq on the beach in the beautiful sunshine, catching up with a friend we haven't seen all summer. It was wonderful, but went by too quickly, as always. I made sure I didn't think about how much I was dreading going into work. Everyone keeps saying how its the end of the summer after Labour Day weekend, but I beg to differ. Summer isn't officially over till the end of this month, despite the days getting shorter and the feeling of autumn creeping into everything. Summer is a state of mind, I'm starting to believe. Especially when it's so beautiful outside! And we have been so lucky to have such wonderful weather for the past three months. I'd love for it to hold on until R's parents get here in 10 days!!!

R, Silvina, and Mauriano on the ferry to Bowen Island

I hope everyone else had a great long weekend as well. What did you get up to? I wasn't able to get the comments to work on Blogger this weekend, but have definitely been reading all your wonderful words. I d o feel disconnected ever since I was banned from the internet at work, I've got to get used to only being on here at home.

Grateful Friday Special Edition

Vancouver Skyline from Stanley Park by canihavemorespamplease on flickr

It was a year ago yesterday R and I moved to Vancouver. Crazy to think I've actually been in one place for a year. The last time I did that was before I went away to university, 12 years ago! Whoa. I thought it would be nice to make a list of the things here I'm grateful for, to mark the occasion and to celebrate our home. A place we love.

The things I am grateful for living in Vancouver:

• our wonderful flat (our first home)
• our new haunts - Hilary's, the Boathouse, Thai Away Home, Vera's, and others
• the West End - being near the beach and Stanley park
• Stanley Park
• all the beaches
• the mountains surrounding us
• the smell of the sea
• the rain (some of the time anyways!)
• our new friends
• great patios
• Granville Island
• the seawall
• being so close to everything
• R's company helping him out and their new workshop
• my job for helping us pay the bills and introducing me to Silvina
• 2 IKEAs
• gelato
• long walks
• everyone being health conscious (obsessed maybe?)
• organic living
• the surrounding areas of Vancouver Island and the Okanagan, Whistler, the Sunshine coast, and more we have yet to discover
• the simple transit system
• a higher standard of living
• the artistic community
• tennis and golf and running
• yoga rocks!- clothing, classes, lifestyle
• how happy it makes us both
• this beautiful summer (so much sun!)
• bbqs on the beach just down the hill from our house
• being able to walk to the beach
• skiing 25 minutes away (something we will try this year)
• snow if you want it, but no bitter cold winters like I'm used to
• our landlords and all their help
• a large multi-cultural population, so many languages, so many different perspectives
• so many opportunities
• the main library
• the False Creek ferries
• so many restaurants to choose from
• Commercial Drive, Kits, Cole Harbour, UBC Endowment lands, Jericho, Chinatown

Sure, not everything is perfect. I worry about all the homeless people and the problems with drugs. Some of the locals aren't the nicest people in the world or the easiest to get to know. It is hard to meet new people. And when we want to buy a house, we'll probably have to sell our first born, but it is our home and I have never been as comfortable or as content as I am here. And the fact that we want to build a future here is always a good sign with me. Here' s to our first of many years here!!!