Under the Stormy Skies

The weather outside is frightful, but it's warm and comfortable inside with the Christmas music streaming from the speakers.

The weather forecast is predicting up to 30 cms of snow and I just saw a few flashes of lightening followed by the rumbling of thunder. The wind is whipping up from the high winds and forming huge snowbanks outside this condo. I'm staying in all day as my curling game has been cancelled for this afternoon.

Inside, the moving boxes are starting to pile up high while the cupboards and closets get cleaned out. I think I've done as much packing as I can until the big day (in 45 days). I've now moved on to my Christmas holiday packing. For two weeks, I'll be in Mt. Tremblant with my extended family, including my brother and his family from Australia. His two children haven't ever seen snow, but they're expected to arrive today in Montreal (which is experiencing this same snow storm system!). Whether they can land or not is another question altogether.

I'm glad to have the Christmas break between now and the time I move as it'll help the time go by faster. Yesterday I went and visited my new house. On the way from here to there, I was thinking about how far it was from the centre of town.... Oh no.... I'm in the burbs! Some of my friends that I invited couldn't make it - but our own fabulous Anne-Marie did! Kinda neat that she and her bunch were the first ones to see my new home.

It's smaller than I remember and I've probably got to put about $25K of renovations into it - but it's mine! Oh, another clap of thunder outside.

Think I'll sign off and make myself a nice long mug of hot chocolate.

A bientot mes amis.

Eeeeeeeek!

I Got it !!!!

I've been away from here for almost a month because I've been so busy looking for a place in this crazy Toronto housing market.


I just finalized the sale transaction on this house today! It's small, but I love the trees in the front and back yard along with the quaint little neighbourhood. However, despite its size, I'm more than doubling my current space when I consider the basement.

It's very solid but needs renovations to the bathroom, kitchen and basement along with other technical things. However, none of that really needs to be done in the short order so I can take my time. Lucky Home Depot (our huge renovations store chain)!

I move in January 30th! .... oh and it's only a 15 minute drive to my workplace downtown.

Busy times ahead ....

I haven't been too active on here because I had a wonderful visit from my parents over the week-end and then on Monday was hit with bombshell news. The condo unit that I am renting is going on the market to be sold. I was given 60 days notice! Yikes ......

60 days is around Christmas ....

I've hurridly made arrangements in the last two days to get a pre-approved mortgage to buy my own place, made arrangements with the proprietors of my unit to let me stay until January 31st and hired and met with a Real Estate agent. We begin looking at houses tomorrow evening. Oh, and I've also started to pack my materials ... and pinched a nerve in my wrist upon lifting my first box!

I'd like to buy a cute little house (if I can afford it) about 30 minutes from the downtown core of Toronto. The bad news is that its a seller's market and so it might be a little bit out of my price range. However, if the market softens between now and Christmas it may be feasible. If not, I'll probably have to move closer to suburbia (yikes) or go into a Condo.... I think one is for sale in Anne Marie's building (lol).

I was hoping to purchase a home in six to nine months - so its being accelerated. It'll have to be a lean Christmas and a cheap homemade sandwich for lunch for the next while. I feel like I'm on a roller-coaster ride right now, but hopefully will find comfortable footing by the week-end!

Hope all had a Happy Halloween!

There's Ash in Dale's Backyard !

Dale's New Kitty

Ghostly Thoughts

How old do you think you'll be when you die?
88 – one year for each key on a piano

How will you die?
In my sleep

What will your last words be?
Thank you

What will your epitaph read?
Beneath this silent stone is laid,
A noisy, antiquated babe,
Who from her cradle, sang till death,
And ne'er before was out of breath.

Any parts of your body you wouldn't donate?
Yup, my vocal chords

What song will be played at your funeral?
In Paradisum and Sanctus, from Gabriel Fauré's requiem, preferably a recording done by me and the U of O choir

Cremated, buried or "other"?
Cremated and tossed into the country wind.

If you could take one thing with you to the "next life", what would it be?
Any wisdom I’ve learned here and … my vocal chords

If you could take one person with you, whether they like it or not, who would it be?
The love of my life who is up there and hopefully waiting for me

Supposing they existed, do you think you'd end up in heaven or hell?
My version of heaven. Not anyone else’s that may have been interpreted for me and for society in general.

If you could haunt any one place, where would it be?
Lake MacDonald, down the road from Lost River

If you could haunt any one person, who would it be?
Mick Jagger

What type of ghost would you be?
A ghost as friendly as Casper with lots of sweetness and light

You've been given the chance to send one message back to the land of the living. What does it say?
You're here for a good time
Not a long time
So have a good time
The sun can't shine everyday

More of my original Banff national park mountain images

Now for my original images ...

During my stay in the rockies, I spent one night at this hotel !

Where I had views from my room like this !

The surrounding area had views like this !

Enjoy !
More mountain pics to come on October 16

Going West ....

I am preparing to go West ..... about 2,000 miles or so to visit my sister and do a bit of work as well.

After my visit with Dale, and before I begin my conference I am going to spend a night in Banff, Canada's largest national park (and the world's third oldest national park). In doing so, I have decided to splurge for a night and stay at one of Canada's most magnificant hotels .... The Chateau Lake Louise. Normally the price is outrageous, however, in the off-season I am able to get a reduced rate, paying about $200 less for the night than I normally would. I think I deserve it - after all those hundreds of nights I've stayed at youth hostels.

Here are some pics. Hopefully when I'm there there'll be good weather so I can post some of my own.

For Anne-Marie .....

..... The cat loving woman who had a Wine themed wedding shower.

My lunch with Steve and Dan

This morning I had tonnes of work to do and smashed thru it like construction worker with a jack hammer. So, when lunchtime rolled around I decided to take a walk in the warm 25C temperature under sunny skies.

For some reason I decided to venture into BCE Place and see what type of food and merchandise offerings they had. ....

Well to my surprise, there were lots of people standing around a stage and listening to someone sing and play guitar. I couldn't identify who it was but figured it had to be someone "big" or else there wouldn't be the large number of people gathered. I was curious so I walked closer and identified a popular song coming from the sound system. Aha! it was a barenaked lady.... Steven Page, the band's lead singer to be exact! Wow .... what a surprise. So, I loitered in front of the stage swaying to the music (Brian Wilson, If I had a Million Dollars etc...) and then was surprised once again when Steven asked Dan Ackroyd to came on stage to play and sing with him!


I think I better take more lunchtime walks.

An old hobby resurrected

Can anybody guess what that "rat looking" thing is on the cake above?

A bookworm cake I made for a work social with the same theme

I have been tagged by many, therefore I will not tag anyone myself. However, if someone reads this who hasn’t been tagged then consider it done.

So, here are 8 things about me + a few of my simple pleasures that I’ve mixed in for the fun of it.

1. I am a traditional, liberated and adventurous.
2. I am a romantic realist.
3. I am a leader who sometimes likes to follow
4. I am a practical, pragmatic, creative person and thinker
5. I believe in fate, but also I believe in taking matters into my own hands.
6. I like wine and specialty drinks on occasion. But don’t like smoke on any occasion.
7. I like blue skies contrasted with white fluffy clouds.
8. I love the smell right after a spring rain.
9. I like rainbow colors along with black and white, but believe that life is made up of the shades in between.
10. I feel better when the sun is shining, but love walking in light drizzle.
11. I am a people, dog and cat person.
12. I like to mix it up. I like a touch of stability.
13. I am a quick study. I’m quick learner.
14. I like a challenge and don’t like to lose, however know the best part of any game is playing it.
15. I love my friends and family and am thankful to have them in my life.

For Alfie

Mummy, Mummy I want to go too

This is what happens when "Mummy" travels a lot

with Rory (above ) and Leo (below)

Montreal Architecture and panoramic views

Looking at the past brightly

As many of you know, I spent the last three days in Montreal participating in a work-related course on Copyright. Montreal is the place where I spent the first 22 years of my life. The course was only a block away from the office building that housed my first job as an insurance policy typist in a typing pool. At that time I was 17, "wet behind the ears" but knowing everything there was to know about life - just like all teenagers do at that age! But really, I knew nothing, or nearly nothing at all and was full of fragility and low confidence.

Being so close to my past led me on a journey (or a long walk and drive) through the city to some of my old hang-out joints, old elementry and high schools, and the four places where I lived ... (two with family and two on my own). I walked and drove around Montreal like a native, yet looked at the city with new eyes, almost like a tourist appreciating many things like the architecture that I used to take for granted as being normal.

Since I left there I've added 24 years to my life and added 24 pounds to myself, I've travelled half way around the world, attained multiple university degrees, gained much more self-confidence and have made more than 24 new friends. I really have come a long way since I was 17 and knowing nothing!

24 years ago, I never thought I would take a course on copyright with a room full of bright lawyers, including some law professors. The course was amazing and my fellow classmates highly impressive. We learned a lot, but it made me realize that I still know next to nothing. In fact, the more I learn the more I realize this.

All in all, it was an enjoyable trip for the course content and also for the trip down memory alley. I guess I'll just have to accept that I'll never be a "know it all". But be thankful for all the good things that have come my way and even the trying times that have built my strength and made me who I am today, who may not no everything, but is happy with where she's gone.

Now, I wonder what the next 29 years will bring?

Lower than normal activity for me in the next 10 days

Hi Friends,

I am off to the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec and then to Montreal on business. I'll have limited access in the next 10 days, but hope to get to visit sometimes.

I thought I'd leave you with some amazing shots.... enjoy!