Monday, July 31, 2006

Happy News!

I got an apartment!!!!! I haven't seen it obviously, but my dad viewed it and said it was really nice. I found it through an online ad in the Vancouver Sun. What I know about it - 2 bedroom, 2 bath, ground floor condo apartment with a patio, insuite laundry and dishwasher. Takes cats! It even has two parking spots which will be nice for visitors. It's available for the 15th so there will be no awkwardness with the move. Just leave here on the 14th and take my stuff straight there.

*happy dance of joy*

If you want my new contact info, just send me an email!

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Two weeks to go

It's been a long two weeks. A couple of days after Erin's stagette, I started feeling achy and tired. At first I thought it was just a summer cold, but it was very unpleasant. I went home early on Wednesday because I so tired. Worked Thursday, but called in sick Friday because my throat was so sore I could barely swallow. On Saturday it felt like I tried to swallow a golf ball and it got stuck. I thought about going to a medicentre to see a doctor, but on Sunday it seemed to be getting a bit better. Besides, I figured it was probably viral and there was nothing they could do for me. I went to work Monday because I didn't feel sick - my throat was still a bit sore but other than that, I thought I was fine. An hour after I started work, I started feeling dizzy and passed out. We have an employee nurse on staff and she came and took me to the first aid room. Apparently, my blood pressure was 88/56. Pretty low. After I recovered enough to walk, I went to a medicentre. Had my throat swabbed since it still hurt, my pressure taken again (98/60, coming up!), and blood collected. They called me on Tuesday (I stayed home again) and told me I had an infection. Yep, figured that out. Wednesday they called (I went to work that day) and it turns out I had strep throat. Never had that before, never ever want to again. I started antibiotics that day and my throat stopped hurting Thursday. Antibiotics are wonderful!!!

So other than being sick, I haven't much to say. Was mildly social with Erin and Kim on Friday - we went to the gym, out for coffee and then visited the boys who had a Starcraft tournament. It tired me out though and I spent Saturday sleeping. Apparently I wasn't quite all the way well yet. Felt okay today though and went to the gym again with Erin.

Haven't got much packing done since I felt so horrible. Most of my books are packed though and that's a decent dent. My 1970s fabulous couch and matching chair are gone now. I donated them to a friend's garage sale and they were picked up on Thursday. I think they were the very first thing I bought when I moved out of rez, but I'm not sure. I can't remember if Nancy (my first roommate) had a couch when we lived on Whyte. I do remember that I got the couch, the chair, a coffee table and 2 end tables for 100 bucks though - what a deal :) I have my Ikea day bed/spare bed in the living room now so I can have somewhere to sit. It looks quite odd, but it works for now.

Oh, and the condo has been sold. Had three offers the night after the first sale went through, all very close to each other. Accepted one and it was final that week. Good news. Still working on the place to live part, hoping to hear good news tomorrow.

Only 2 weeks left before the move. Eep.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

The One Where Erin and Todd Get Married

This post is just to send out my best wishes to Erin and Todd, who are getting married this afternoon. Congratulations to both of you!

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


A health to you,
A wealth to you,
And the best that life can give to you.
May fortune still be kind to you.
And happiness be true to you,
And life be long and good to you,
Is the toast of all your friends to you.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

moving details update

I ache absolutely everywhere. I'm hoping it is just tension and that I'm not getting sick. Tension? Why tension? A million little details of course, and a few major ones.

First, the condo sale fell through yesterday. My realtor told me at 5pm and by 730pm, there were already 3 showings lined up for today. Which meant some frantic cleaning (ok, my place is pretty good, but I'd been shredding documents and had confetti everywhere. Not to mention the ol' litter box.) I think there was 5-6 showings in total and I had 3 offers again tonight. I accepted one of them so hopefully it's taken care of it for good this time.

I still don't have a place to live in BC yet, but my mum filled out a rental application for me today. I think it was a place I found in Vancouver Sun and she viewed it today. First place she's liked out of the ones I've had her go to, so hopefully they pick me! 2 bedroom apartment in New West, takes cats. That last part is all that really matters to me!

In the good news category, I won Cracker Cats tickets at work. My first and last Cracker Cat game will be Thursday. I haven't been to a baseball game since I was a kid. My poppa used to take us. Trying to remember if I liked it...

I think I'm going to be lame and go to bed before 10pm.

Monday, July 17, 2006

The Weekend

Wow - what a weekend. Friday night, Lori and I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I really enjoyed it but I hate when a Part II movie ends on such a note that you forced to see Part III (and spend a year waiting for it!). It was really great hanging out with Lori and I hope we get to hang out a bunch more in the next couple of weeks. Before the movie, she came over and raided my Wee Book Inn and garage sale boxes. I'm being absolutely ruthless with what I take with me. It must serve a purpose.

Saturday night was Erin's stagette, arranged by her friends Jamie and Anne. Great night out. We started out at Erin's house where they gave her a hot dog toaster as a gift! I had no idea they even made those. They then gave her the traditional stagette gifts to wear - tiara, beads, blowup doll etc. First, we went to Pub 1905 for a few beers and burgers. Then off to Cook County! We had a stagette package so the price included quite a few free drinks and a bottle of nasty champagne. I danced to the few non-country songs they played, but Erin two-stepped quite a bit. Lots of fun.

The weekend before we had a kind of bridal shower/girls' day out for Erin. Erin, Kim, Kate and I went for a 3 hr hike in the Elk Island National Park, followed by a picnic. We then wandered around the interpretive area, and joined a bunch of kids in a lakeside program where we caught some water life - minnows, leeches, snails and various bugs. It was strangely fun! We drove back to the city (it's about an hour from my place), had showers at our individual homes to get rid of the layers of sunscreen and bug spray, and then went out for supper on Whyte. Just a casual, lovely day.

Pics are posted as usual :)

Saturday, July 15, 2006

The Camping Entry

All pics are posted on my website, check them out if you feel like it.

The following entry is my nightly journal typed up.

Thursday, June 29

Left North Van this morning only a bit after our intended target of 9am. It was funny though - we stopped to get Shivauna and we all got out while S finished getting things. AJ and I got back in the car with dad and he pulled away - without Shivauna. She'd gone back inside for a last minute bathroom break.
It was about a 2.5 hour drive to Lightning Lakes in Manning Park. Nothing eventful. Got spot #30, looks very nice. After setup and lunch, S, Dad, AJ and I went for a bit of a walk around the parking lot to Lone Duck Beach and then to Lightning Lakes Day Use Area and back. Very pretty. Lots of hoary marmots.
After supper, S, Dad, AJ and I drove to the Rein Orchard Trail and went for about a 20 minute walk. Had hot dogs and marshmallows around the campfire and went to bed about 11pm. Rained during the night.

Friday, June 30

Hiked Heather Trail to just before the First Brother/Third Brother junction. About 9.5km in/9.5km out. Drove to the upper parking lot, hiked down to Buckhorn Wilderness Camp and then UPUPUP to the Bonnevier junction. Then from the junction across the meadows to just before the First Brother junction and had lunch. Then back, downdowndown and a little bit more upupup. I spent a lot of time looking at flowers - western anemone, glacier lily, red indian paintbrush, yellow cinquefoil, blue lupine and others I can't identify. Million pics. Took us about 5.5 to 6 hrs. Fell asleep on the drive down.
Just being hanging out at camp since. Going for a walk around camp after dinner.

Saturday, July 1

Hiked around the Lightning Lakes Chain. From Spruce Bay, down the west side to Flash Lake, around Flash, up along Lightning again to Lone Duck. Didn't see too many people until we got close to the Lightning Lake Day Use area. Tons of people there. We also saw deer.
I actually went for a run after dinner! About 1.5km I think, so not very far, but I did go at least.

Sunday, July 2

Today was Strawberry Flats/Three Falls. About 9km. The first section through Strawberry Flats was very flat with lots of flowers. Shadow Falls was okay, then downhill to Nepopekum Falls (which was across the river, so fairly far away), then more downhill to Derek Falls (nice!). Had to cross 2 talus slopes (rock falls). We had lunch at Derek, sitting on the rocks, then back uphill to Shadow and through Strawberry Flats back to the car.
Just spent the afternoon reading and lying in the sun. The squirrels and marmots got very brave and were running up to us.

Monday, July 3

Did Skagit River trail today, starting at the Sumallo Grove to the 6km marker. We took 2 side trips, one to see an old cabin,Ford truck,mine entrance and waterfall. The other was about 10-15 minutes along a very unmarked trail, uphill, to see the rhondrodren grove, but the rhondrodrens we passed were not in bloom and we decided to turn back before reaching the heart of the grove as the trail was becoming very narrow and very uphill. Lots of logs to go over or under. Most of the main trail was quite flat, except between the 5-6 km markers. Had lunch at Delacy camp on the way back. On the way in, we saw a deer at Delacy. Dad got very close. Total bear country too, but we never saw one. We did see old scat and markings though. Found some ripe salmonberries. About 13km in total, 4.5 hours. AJ didn't come on this one as her knee was really bothering her.
I saw a shooting star just before bed. I'm taking it as a omen that this is the right decision.

Tuesday, July 4

Got off very early today, before 9am. A little rain storm just as we were waking up, but it didn't really bother us as we packed. Time to go home!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

All Hands, Abandon Ship

Sorry about the lack of entries lately, but I've been on vacation. I spent about 6 beautiful days camping with my family in Manning Park, BC, and I stayed a few more days in Vancouver. I took a million pictures, which I am currently working on and will upload eventually. I've just been way too busy to do it lately as there are so many things going on!

While I was in Vancouver, I went on 3 job interviews. I have since accepted a job in a lab in Surrey, working in their hematology department. It starts in late August which really isn't that far away. There is so much to do! I have been frantically chipping away at my to-do list. So far, I've given notice at my current job, listed my apartment for sale, sold my apartment (in about 6 hours), and started looking for a place to live in BC. And those are just the big things, never mind all the little picky details. Frankly, I've been going nuts! I can't believe how fast all of this is going. It's pretty exciting though!