Help Bring Comedian Dane Cook to Victoria!!

You may all not like Dane Cook as much as I do, but come on and help us get him to come to Victoria!
Comedian Dane Cook is touring places where he gets the highest demand.

Simply Go Here:

New Look & Holiday Tips.....

As you can see, I've redecorated my blog into a festive snowy theme for the time being. Do you like?

Also, I read this today and actually laughed out loud at work, so I thought I'd share the humour.

Holiday Eating Tips
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.

And always remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Sunday Afternoon Walk on the Beach

For those of you not on Facebook....


Some fun photos from your friends.... Enjoy!

Turkey Day Road Trip!

Thanksgiving Weekend for 2007 started off with a busy week of preparing, finishing off projects and getting ready....perhaps not in the typical or traditional way you may be picturing.

My parents and I had been invited to spend Thanksgiving in Kamloops with my gracious aunt and cousins and by Friday afternoon I still was not completely 100% sure things would work out for me to go.

I had to find someone willing to cover my Sunday shift at work, which was definitely proving difficult. However, by the end of the day, about an hour before I had planned to be out at the ferry terminal to catch the boat over...I found replacements and all the jumbled puzzle pieces fell perfectly into place!

So I zipped home, grabbed all the last-minute stuff to shove into my already over-packed bag, gathered up my dog, Sophie's food and toiletries and off we headed to the ferries with a rider from my wonderful pal, Shantala!!

The BC Ferries are an interesting experience if you have to walk-on with a pet, as I had to do this weekend. I dragged Sophie through the very loud and scary mouth of the boat and we parked ourselves in the convenient, if not smelly and slightly uncomfortable, Pets Room on the upper car deck. There Sophie and I met two poodles, Zara big and black, and Bijou tiny and white, and their friendly owners. Sophie sniffed noses and rears, made friends but was as eager as I to go for a few gaunts around the breezy car deck.

Once on the other side of our pretty ocean, I was picked up my my wonderful parents, who had already spent a night and day shopping and whatnot, along with my great and formidable aunt Shirley. We spent that night at Shirley's with a delicious bacon and egg breakfast and great company and the next morning packed up the car for our road trip to Kamloops.

Ah, before the trek began, my folks gave in to my whim and we stopped off at Ikea, the magical land of inexpensive household items and decorative accessories!!! Mom and I purchased a few small items that quickly began to fill the cart and my dad picked up a set of cute kids chairs for my little cousin Brynn (both of which, the chair and the Brynn, you will later see).

Apres Ikea, and a few mutters from dad on how full the car was getting, we finally headed off up the highway to our Thanksgiving destination - Kamloops to see Candace, Roch, Brynn, Cruz, Auntie Bev, David, Angie, Tom and who knows who else!!!

Here I am, occupying the comfy back seat

taking mediocre photos from the moving car.....

and here is the start of the b-e-a-utiful Autumn colours

poking through the dark forests.

Splashes of Fall colour

and a dusting of snow at the Coquihalla Summit

Driving through the clouds at the Summit, very cool!

On the far side of the Summit the trees were even brighter and more vibrant!

Pretty scene just after the town of Merritt

and finally in Kamloops - BRYNN!!

My sister and brother-in-law, Angie and Tom, were also able to drive up

for a night and here is Tom in his usual position...napping....sorry, Tom!

And here is Brynn, showing off her brand new Ikea chair!! So cute!

Ta-dah!! Here is the new baby, little Cruz all bundled up to join Tom in an afternoon nap.

My brother, Mike, who surprised us by driving out for the day and cousin David relaxing with couch and sports.

David and Brynn (in new pjs!)

Auntie Bev, Cruz and Brynn

Brynn suddenly started to try jumping...here a few attempts.

Let's play...The Chins Game!! Who has more?? Baby Cruz or Unca' Bob or Mike????

Brynn, pretty in pink and saying good-bye...

...and Cruz and cousin Kirsten....me.

Mike doing his surprised Zoolander impersonation.

Brynn made a new friend right away...Tom and Brynn colouring.....

On the drive home...freshly snow-capped mountains!

Very cool type of rock on this mountain top

and me trying to take a photo of the cool orange, yellow and red bushes before we slipped through a tunnel....and good job Dad, 10 and 2.....

Front of the ferry photo....coming home

and Sophie being a good dog in the car.....

Well we had an excellent weekend! Absolutely wonderful family time with aunts, cousins, kids, siblings and parents! Superb food and dinners and desserts and late night game snacks!!! We chatted, we played, we ate and we enjoyed each other. Now isn't that what life is all about?

What a beautiful weekend!!!

Stormy Day - Video

This past weekend was quite stormy and I wanted to share the thrill of watching our West Coast weather with my friends from other places. I love walking along the ocean with the crazy wind lashing around me and the waves pounding and rolling into the shore.
The audio from this video clip is a little crazy since the wind was buffeting my camera, but in the middle you can hear the waves sucking back the small rocks all along the shore. The noise it makes is incredible, I love it!
You'll also get a glimpse of my dog, Sophie trotting along the shore.
Later on this week I'll post some spectacular new photos from this stormy day along with a few cool close ups of nature and insects...stay tuned!