Hi Blog I've missed you!!

Johnny Berens

It has been quite some time since I've shared the many quarks of my thoughts with you.  And although I have not been in good standing with MY blog I have been thinking about you.  Ah yes you would think that I had full-on neglected you, but I haven’t.  I like most of the world or shall I say north, have fell into the ‘lazy mode’ its cold out and what better way to spend those cold lazy evening spending time with you? NOT!!   My evenings have been dedicated to hockey, yoga, curling and Johnny walking.  So when I’m not home dressing myself in layers to take my beloved Canine Johnny Berens for his daily snowshoe,  you can find me rushing back to the house by 6:30pm with just enough time to scarf some food down before hockey, yoga or curling.  Sounds lovely doesn’t it...well truthfully I knew it would be like this, I feel that there is no way that I want to deprive to pooch of his well needed off leash snowshoe, so each day that’s what we do.  Now my weekly routine is somewhat of a tight schedule with hockey on Mondays, Wednesdays...sometimes Saturdays and yoga on Thursdays, Curling Fridays.  So the dog walking after work is quite fast paced. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining to you. The busy week is good for both Johnny and myself; we both enjoy our daily snowshoe come on now who doesn’t enjoy a good snowshoe?!

I’m simply telling you blog that although your pages have not been updated in sometime you are always on my mind.

the INTERNET...

You may or may not have noticed that I’ve been slacking on my blog...well the truth is I have been writing, keeping notes and jotting down random thoughts, why haven’t I updated my blog you ask?!  WE HAVE NO INTERNET.  Yes you read that correctly, my household is without the internet for the time being.

The first few days were hard but now I’ve just come to accept the absence of the internet and just browse the internet from my phone.  The browsing of phone really isn’t all that exciting, everything is much smaller and creeping facebook isn’t all that entertaining either.  My roommates on the other hand, not too sure how they’re taking the 'without internet' I’m sure it does get pretty boring.. but hey there are tons of other things to do right?!  Well to be completely honest with you I really miss be able to update my blog on a regular basis...soon we shall have out s#%& together and soon I'll be updating on a somewhat regular basis, sound good?!

Peace & love

the gawd awful truth....it isn't always easy to forget

This next read will be somewhat of a controversial topic, it’s about cheaters

Not such a lovely first line up there, but it was on my mind and I thought I’d share with you my thoughts on the selfish act of betrayal.  My apologies if you find this offensive, this is just simply how I feel.

So I was on the phone the other day with a good friend of mine of whom I haven’t talked to in ages.  We had our normal catch-up conversation...how have you been what’s new, you get the idea.  As we chatted and talked about relationships with our past partners we came to the subject of being cheated on.  IT’S THE WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD! Now I have been a victim of a cheating boyfriend...was I really a victim of a cheater, can you call someone who has been betrayed by someone who supposedly loved them a victim? Is this something that I caused? or was it  only selfish act that caused them to cheat?   

As we were talking I recalled a moment in my life where an ex-boyfriend was introduced to my social circle.  He had been spending a lot of time with close friends of mine.  At first it was sort of strange to see this person on a regular basis but as time went on we had seen each other plenty and talked so much that I began to feel that old warm familiar feeling that one would feel toward a loved one.  We would great each other ever so kindly and talk like nothing had changed between us...like we hadn’t missed a beat (a bit cliché) and as I begun to wonder about rekindling an old romance and how great things would be, other feelings had started to surface. I began to recall a not so happy time.  A time where this same person had broke my heart because they had decided to spend a night with another person, he had cheated on me.  Although things were great now, I would always be haunted by this person’s betrayal.  This was a feeling that I couldn’t shake.  And even though it is said “the past is in the past” this awful awful act was something that had troubled me.  They say that people break up for a reason, this was defiantly something that killed us, our innocent love... what was once so great was now ruined and let me tell you something, once it’s ruined you can’t get it back.  You’re relationship is now in a new place, a place that should you decided to work it out and battle the insecurities, or battle with yourself to keep your head up, that same relationship will never be the same.  

 To this day whenever I see this person we say hi, he still has that twinkle in his eye and always asks how things are going, he mentions good things that he’s heard about me and tells me a little of what’s going on with him, but that’s about it.  We part ways with “it’s good to see you” and carry on with our lives.

As you can see this is something that I have never forgotten, perhaps it is something that I should forget but I see it as something of a lesson learned by both parties.  A lesson of life and the hardships that we face and although this topic is somewhat of a sad read it show's us that we shouldn't always think of ourselves.

theres a first time for everything

First timer yoga anyone?!  Okay it wasn’t exactly my first time, I mean I had attended one noon hour session with a colleague of mine last year when I was living in YK.  But this was my first time at tackling yoga in Fort Simpson.   It was a first time for many people that choose to participate at last night’s session.  It was great to see so many faces...including my mom.  My mom was a little reserved when I told her about the 7pm yoga session for ladies, I was like “you should go, check it out you never know, you might like it” she nodded her head and said “it’s too late” than she said well it’s at 7? Yes Mom 7pm. 

To my surprise she showed up, this was awesome...maybe.  As we begin our FIRST TIME ever yoga session in Fort Simpson my mom who was right across from me would giggle and say such things like “oh my” “I can’t do that”  “holy” “my knees”  after 20 or so minutes of hearing this, I than did the unforgivable, I shushed my mom.  Hey its yoga okay, I’m there for peace and to relax my tired muscles. My mom on the other hand was having some difficulties, yoga is not easy,  with all the “bend here move there” its breathing and movement in a way that in time becomes a beautiful almost natural movement of the body.  I have to say she's a trooper for coming, although I’m not entirely sure she’ll be attending again.

I love you mom!!

the long awaited update of the long ass drive to visit our lovely girlfriend

When I say long ass drive, I mean it...we're talking 1500 kms in one direction, can you imagine that.  Seriously who wants to drive 1500 kms to a city, well I did and so did C.

My trip started off at Great Slave Helicopters where I awaited for my helicopter taxi to shuttle me across the Liard River to be joined once again with my little piss-pot Nissan.  For those of you who don't know about Fort Simpson, well it's a little island on the Liard and Mackenzie river, two times a year we are greeted by mother nature who takes it upon herself to start the freezing of the river (the other time is in spring when the river breaks)...this leaves all of us town folk isolated for little over a month or even two, hard to imagine hey.
As my helicopter taxi arrived a cute pilot came out to assist me with my already over following suitcase into the chopper (told ya' I have a hard time packing :)  we arrived safely to the other side of the river, I gave the cute pilot a smile and was on my merry way.


First leg of my trip was to Hay River where I was meeting up with C.  Our plan was to spend the night and head out the next morning bright and early, or should I say dark and early the sun doesn't rise in our neck of the woods until 10 am.  Where was I *grin*  C started off the drive but I knew my turn was coming quickly as I promised that I would do some driving and she would teach me how to drive a manual transmission... 30ish kms later we switched seats and I attempted to switch gears haha.  I approached the drivers seat with confidence not really having a clue what the heck I was doing I figured that it was good for me to learn something new.  So as we slowly got started and I shifted into 1st, 2nd, stallll, 3rd, stalll 4th and finally 5th

As we slowly make our way back onto the highway...stalls and all I find that driving a standard isn’t so bad once you get going.  It’s the slowing down and changing gears that really get me in a pickle oh and the traffic that to can add to the stress of a first time driver of a standard car. 

My time at the drivers wheel didn’t last too long, C took over after High Level as the traffic picks up from there and it’s only a one lane.  Since I hadn’t driven to Edmonton in years I felt that it was okay for her to take over, plus just learning how to drive a manual with heavy traffic, not gonna lie it was scary.

We arrived into Edmonton at roughly 8pm.  It was a long drive but it gave us time to catch up on life and everyone else’s life, no this was not some big gossip session. It was more like so and so had a baby,  did you know what’s her name when you lived in Simpson...that’s the type of conversations that were had on that long dwerry drive to Edmonton.

FRIDAY....West Ed  here we come

C and I spent the first hour of the morning getting ready me with my simple black leggings,hot pink lulu top and a pair of thigh high boots.  I know what you’re thinking “lulu and thigh highs, really does that really work” YES it does, perhaps you think I'm crazy to wear a lululemon top with a pair of leggings toped off with some thigh high boots, but the top is actually a tunic style t-shirt so it works.  I'm not a fashionista...at least I don't consider myself one, I just have this desire for clothing, shoes and accessories, does this impose the idea of a fashionista, well perhaps but like I said I don't consider myself one.  I do like nice things, however I also favor  big grey sweats with the old fadded hoodie..something that I wear almost everyday after 5pm of course. 

Once we were ready and out the door our first stop was Canada Place, I had to renew my passport as Im heading on a lovely Griswald family vacation to Hawaii for christmas.

Grrr massive line up at Canada Place, ridiculous. This was defiantly  the place to be for destination travellers. I tell ya’ if I hadn’t had all my paper work prepared then I would have spent at least 3 hrs there.   I waited in line for an hour, the whole time C was by my side as we chatted, watched a beautiful toddler hang on to his mommy’s leg and browsed facebook from our phones once n’while glancing at a digitised numerical screen for my number to pop-up.  Finally when my number did come up I walked  up to the wicket and handed over all my goods, old passport, new picture, paper work and visa.  Four minutes later I’m sent on my way.  So all that waiting for only four minutes, seriously...C lets go to the mall J

West Ed it has been years...well an entire year to be exact.  West Edmonton Mall is a shopper’s paradise.  It has everything, I mean everything.  If you didn’t know then, than you know now Victorias Secret has taken space in the mall, it was added in either July or august so for all you brazier baring babes add it to your list of stores to visit.  It wasn’t on my list as I don’t bare a VS bra, don’t get me wrong I don’t have anything against their bras or anything, they are quite sexy, I’m just very happy with my bra of choice that isn’t from VS, plus I’ve had a lot of years browsing catalogues and internet shopping at Victoria’s Secret that it really wasn’t much of a secret to me..Haha however it was on the list to get some pretty lingerie for our dear bride-to- be. 

 *insert my smile here* oh mall oh mall...i haven’t visited your stores in ages.  I know where all my favourite stores are, and some not so favourites.  Just a little advise from this seasoned shopper, always know what stores your targeting and preview everything online (is this crazy of me? I don’t think so especially when you’re timing is limited)  I know  often  what you see online isn’t always available when you enter into a store.  This is because although every mass store for example the GAP are all pretty well the same, but each store has different buyers, so often times what you see in one store is exactly the same as another GAP store, sometimes one store carries something different than the other and it is simply because the store has different  a buyer.  Are you following me?  So if the GAP in WEM carried a plaid shirt and the GAP in Kingsway would more than likely carry the same one, however if they don’t and have never carried that cute little plaid shirt you were eyeing up on the internet  or in another GAP store it just  simply due to the fact that although both stores are the same, both stores have different buyers.  Do you get what I’m sayin?

As our day carried on it was time to catch a bite, it was a  late lunch with a few other Simpson folk mixed in with a university student as well as a new resident of Edmonton. Lunch was great but we eventually went our separate ways C and I went to get our hair done and  met up with the bride-to-be *big hugs* By 8pm our day slowly came to an end, not to mention sore feet from all that walking.  We had spent hours and hours of shopping, browsing and chatting. We were all exhuasted and hungry.  It was time for a little bite to eat and chatt some more. The thress of us gushed about the things we had bought and the cute store manager a few doors down.   It was a day well spent and I didn’t leave the mall empty handed and my day of shopping had been a success.  I found some absolutely wonderful things: a few hot dresses, some cute long sleeved sweaters, a few little tops, sexy booties and a ton of accessories. What more can a girl ask for?!...how about  a nice glass of red wine.  

C and I had to rush back to the mall on Saturday morning to pick up our bridal gift.  Sounds like an excuse to go back the mall right?! well it wasn’t.  We were joined by the bride-to-be the day before so it was almost impossible to get her gift while she browsed the shops with us.  Our first stop VS to get a sexy little number for bride and groom.  Afterwards C and I spilt,  I went to Sephora to pick up a little something by Philosophy for the bride. Philosophy has a wonderful line of products for brides to be, overall a great line for bath and body. Anyways as I was saying...

we ran outta the mall and quickly got sorted in the car on the way to Beaumont.   Once we arrived in Beaumont we got to work assisting where assistance was needed, filling our mouths with tasty treats and putting out paper plates.  The afternoon was quite splendid, a lot of ladies in attendance as well as some lovely wrapped gifts.  It was an afternoon of laughter, happy tears and bridal games.  Once we wrapped up there we than headed to the bride’s parents place for a lovely dinner and a showing of the gown.   

this was taken from the bridal shower, i only took two...i know i should have taken more :(

That night (saturday night if you're feeling overwhemled by my mashed thoughts being thrown at you) both C and I drove back to the city to get our party shoes on.  We were meeting up with the bride and company for a night of drinks and two-stepping at Cook County.   Have you even been to Cook County?? It was my first and let me tell you it was something, especially with it being the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) weekend,  the place was crawling with cowboys if you really wanted to have your choice there were plenty for the picking.  I had myself a few little chats with a few of them wrangler boys, but there was one in particular that stood out the most and he wasn't a wrangler bearing boy. His name was Jeff he was 39 and a racer of sorts.  He raced cars, bikes a snowmobiles pretty cool huh, um no not really, did it make him seem that much hotter? not at all, I mean he was already physically attractive, but we didn’t really have much in common and the conversation was dry.  Perhaps it was dry cause he had told me that he had a 17yr daughter and my response was “oh really, she’s gonna be in this bar  next year” probably not the best thing to say while chatting with an attractive muscled racing man..Hahaha. Oh well.

bar scene photo taken from the back bar of cook county

End of the night booooooo... and a lil tipsy

As you can guess neither of us were feeling %100 the next day, I lazed around for a bit not motivated to do much and C was out visiting.  We planned to go to Costco and Walmart that day we just got started a tad later than planned.   

The trip to Edmonton with C to visit the lovely bride-to-be was fantastic.  It was so nice to get out and see two of my close girlfriends for a weekend of wine, chatter and shopping...most importantly to get together with my cherished girlfriends to share a special day with another in celebration of an upcoming wedding.

 

Did anyone check out the Black Friday deals? I have to admint there really wasn't anything too impressive to actually make me excited and want to buy something...Oh well christmas is just around the corner. If you do decide to check out the internet and maybe treat yourself or someone else, check out www.esty.com   a site full of many beautiful things.  

Now was that too much for one read???
Have a good night
xo

Girlfriends!!!!

We all have girlfriends, a person that we share all of our moments with, the ones who have been through heartache, betrayal and all of lifes changes...without our girlfriends life wouldn't be as complete, too much?

I'm going to meet up with my girl C  I haven't seen her since July of 2009 yes it has been a long time, however I do know in my heart that our friendship is still as strong as it has been since the day we parted... this is how it went (just a simple explanation)... we were in need  of change a few of us were off to school while others  were off to explore a new city it was time to move forward so we packed up and parted ways not knowing what was to come  just that we'd always be friends.

At one point we met up at the same mine site..I was sorting diamonds and she worked in the training department, it was a treat to see her for a week as we both lived in two diffrent cities, as time had passed and I moved on from that job and back to the 9-5 lifestyle,  our regular meetings at camp would come to an end and we would'nt see each other for at least a year.... sad hey, it gets better :)   on wednesday I will be heading out to meet up with C.  we're going on a road trip which i'm sure will be memorable, she's going to teach me how to drive a manual transmission for the first time ever, poor girl, she don't know what she's in for, haha.

C and I are on our way to meet up with another group of wonderful ladies to celebrate our friend who will be married in Feburary.

Our girlfriends are pretty important to us, although we don't get to see them everyday we do know that they are always a phone call away, facebook, skype or just down the street. 

Yes I have to admit this post is pretty cheesie...I was having some girlfriend like thoughts while out on a snowshoe with my pooch Johnny Berens.  My mind wanders a ton when we're out.   Another example: packing, what the heck am I gonna bring, not gonna lie my closet is pretty full..full of so many wonderful pieces that the decisions of what to pack is always a challenge.... this is something that I will be thinking about tonight and almost all day tomorrow :) you all have a wonderful night, PEACE!

take care
xo

ps.  I know this blog is lacking photos...i will add some soon :)

Marilyn Monroe the Artist...according to Vanity Fair or someone in the article

She's a babe, all lusty and busty, her signature character the vulnerable "dumb" sensual blonde of the 50's

I was reading in Vanity Fair the other day about Marilyn, 'Marilyn's Secret Diaries' and I wonderdered this....

WOULD MARILYN  STLL BE ALIVE TODAY IF SHE BLOGGED?

Just a little thought that passed through my thousands of thoughts a moment...this one just stayed longer then the others.


pppppessssss
for you fitness buffs with a bust I recomend the Ta Ta Tamer from lululemon...its a busty musty miracle.
xo