Annual BBQ

(View from the Ferry)

So this weekend was TT's annual BBQ extravaganza on the Toronto Islands. It was fantabulous as usual and the yummy food was great namely his marinated shrimp kabobs

and triple chocolate brownies I brought a special cake which was rather embarrassing to have made. You see I went to this higher end cake place where the staff are mainly older Italian women and I had a special request. I asked them to draw a picture of tighty whities on the cake if at all possible. Well after a few smirks and funny looks, the cake was made and it turned out fabulously. They would not have understood the underpants Dan seal of approval so I just smiled and thanked them as they looked at me for some type of explanation.
P and I went off to the clothing optional beach to sit by the water and hang out. Aside from the unsightly old naked men the view was beautiful and it felt good to catch up.

I had to leave the BBQ early as I had tickets to the latest Cirque Du Soleil show Kooza, woo hoo!!!!

The show was absolutely amazing, exciting and fun. I love the costumes, the music and the fearlessness of the performers. They astound me with their talent and many a time I found myself with my mouth wide open, eyes bugged out thinking no way did someone just do that. Unfortunately I cannot find a proper showing of the performances that amazed me the most. If you want to check out a few clips the 1st one is the trailer for Kooza, the 2nd is someones own taping of a very amazing act however the quality and view don't really show at all what it was like, but will give you a slight idea. And the 3rd is a contortionist from the Alegria show. Seriously if any of you have a chance to go see one of the Cirque performances you will not be disappointed!! (Has anyone ever been)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O0-HJhjw8Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-jC2An9Rb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFIamAni4Ys

Git R Done

So camping.....well in a trailer for two days was a success. The only unfortunate part was the ban on fires as they have not had rain up there in a long time. It was actually quite nice inside, stainless steel appliances and such, perfect for two people to share. I don't quite understand how families and others stay all summer as many do, but for a weekend getaway it was great.

We spent the 1st night gazing at the stars which reminded me of when I was a child. I used to lay on my driveway wondering what was out there and what the world had in store for me. We also spent that first night having a few bevvies and staying up until 7am chatting. Lots of stories and laughter ensued as I met my friends brother for the 1st time. He had tonnes of funny stories about her as well he and his girlfriend are avid travellers and have been to places I would love to go.
We slept in (woo hoo) and spent the next day shopping and of course checking out the area. I really loved how the general store was not only the corner store, but the grocery store, post office and of course liquor and beer store all rolled into one. We then decided to hit the town at of course the local Country Western bar....oh yeah that's right. I hate country music but was the 1st one to declare our mandatory attendance for some laughs, as well I was hoping to ride the mechanical bull but alas the bull is only there on Thursdays. Unfortunately I forgot my camera but let me just say this....the stamp to get in said either "GIT R DONE" OR "REDNECK" and of course there were cowboy hats everywhere, you get the idea.

It was fun to try something new and I think we even became a little bit country during the weekend...no knife...no problem: (Oh and my toes are healing nicely I can walk again though still nasty looking) SS don't look :)

5 Questions...

Michael was interviewed by Mackenzie and I am in turn being interviewed by Michael. Here are the 5 questions he had for me and my answers, thanks Michael!

1) Where is your favorite place that you've traveled and why?

Man I have to pick just one???? If I must, I would definitely choose West Africa and more specifically Ghana. It was such a unique experience and the biggest culture shock that I have encountered in my travels thus far. I fell in love with the people and of course the children. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming & friendly, beautiful and resilient. I was in awe of how happy people were when by my standards they had almost nothing. It was such a humbling experience and I will be forever grateful for the honour of visiting such a place. (If you missed my posts about Africa you can read them here....and here....and here)

2) If you could travel to anywhere you've never been, where would it be?My list is rather extensive at the moment. I would really like to travel to India next.....however Egypt, Dubai, Galapagos Islands and Bali are also on the list. As well I've never been to South America before ...... I pretty much want to go everywhere, I freaking love love love travelling!!!

3) What motivated you to start blogging?

To be honest I'm not quite sure. I remember PP started a blog and I made fun of her for doing so.....and somehow in the mix I obviously enjoyed her blog and decided to start my own. So really it's all her fault :)

4) (I know a little about your work from your blog, so I hope this question is accurate) What motivates you to work with "deviants"?

I work with people who are involved in the correctional system. I believe there is a light in all of us and that the crime does not define the person. People make mistakes, some have made them repeatedly & some are horrible mistakes that hurt and affect others. I don't condone or excuse their behaviour and believe that my clients must take responsibility for their actions...however they are people too and deserve to be treated as such.

My motivation comes from the clients I work with. I have been able to lead a relatively privileged life with a great family, supports....you get the idea. If I can get through to even one person on my caseload that there is more out there than a life of crime & jail, then I feel as though I've made a contribution to society. As well, the community hours can give the client a sense of accomplishment & some job experience which is so important and rewarding in itself. I had one man who was rather transient, a kleptomaniac, into drugs and will most likely be in and out of jail for the rest of his life. He called me out of the blue one day to tell me that the supervisor where he was completing his hours told him he was doing a fantastic job. He had never been told that before and it meant the absolute world to him. That's what keeps me going, it's my passion.

5) What is the most important thing your father has ever taught you, other than the proper pressure for your tires. :)

My dad has taught me many many things over the years however the one that sticks out the most is the importance of honesty. Take for instance little white lies that others may tell or actions they take (having an illegal satellite, buying clothes over the river and declaring nothing at the border) there is no way in hell my father would do such things.....ever. I completely respect and admire him for that.

Lovvvvveeee Long Weekends!!!

I had a fantastic long weekend.....and it's still continuing on this evening so I have to make this short and sweet. I layed low on Friday evening and spent the evening with my friend while she watched her nieces. Felt good to stay in and relax which is something that I rarely make time for.

Saturday a few co-workers came down and joined a friend and I for the comedy show. Two of the comics were quite funny, one was bleh, but let me tell you, we got quite a kick out of the audience. I'm pretty sure we missed the part on the invitation that read "Hawaiian shirts mandatory" or "wear your jammers from 1980". Seriously it was ridiculous and we pointed out a vast number of "there's your boyfriend". We then went to the Wrinkle Ranch where a few more friends joined us. It again was ridiculous and our tummys hurt from laughing at the cougars and the interesting moves that were flying around on the dance floor.

I bought a bike rack and spent most of Sunday trying to figure out how the hell to mount it on my car, I gave up and asked a neighbour for some help. I made it to the path fine, but figured I'd be shit out of luck on the way home and lose my bike when it was my turn to mount it myself after the bike ride. Shockingly, the bike and the rack made it home in one piece.

Today I spent the entire afternoon down by the beach playing volleyball....no joke, we played for almost 5 hours and it was about 30 degrees out (feels like 36). Hot as hell but felt good to get out there and play with some great people. (Clearly I was not playing with my regular team, just some friends fooling around). It was probably one of my favorite summer days thus far, however I did rip up my toes pretty good. Nasty I know:

Now I'm off to meet them for some drinky poos and then back to work tomorrow ..... BOOOOOO!! Hope everyone had a great weekend!!!

Freecycle

So I recently heard about this website called freecycle. There are various groups all over the world with one common goal...to keep objects out of landfills and to pass on items that are no longer of use to you but that someone else may need. Also everything on the site is given away for absolutely free. One can request an item IE I'm in need of a lawn mower......or one can post about an item they wish to pass on IE I have a bike to give away. I think it's a great concept and thus far have picked up a book and four tickets to a dinner and comedy night that someone was unable to attend. I shall enjoy that gift this weekend with some friends. Take a look at the site and find a group near you. Perhaps there are some unwanted items in your house that would be better suited for another person in need rather than the dump :)

This next bit I found rather interesting yet a little bit bizzare. I'm not sure if any of you caught the inmates in the Philippines doing their "Thriller" reinactment....ummmmm yeah!!! Check it out haha, it gets going about a minute into the video. I didn't realize they started having dance lessons in prison, I kind of dig it.



So a happy weekend to all!!! I'm sticking with my plan of enjoying the weather:

HIKING




BIKING

AND OF COURSE LOUNGING

Japanese Game Show

I love crazy Japanese game shows!!! This one is the human tetris game, Sugoi!!!

Lazy Days of Summer

I took WIGSF's advice and spent most of Saturday drinking down by the water during the day and most of the evening. My friend called and wanted to spend the afternoon doing a mini pubcrawl, having a BBQ and then returning to drink.
We do this once or twice a summer when the weather is gorgeous and we want to enjoy it lazing around. Sometimes we'll play volleyball (he always kicks my ass) but we had a long long night ahead of us and decided to just bask in the sun, chat and listen to an acoustic set. The place we go to is like a mini village within a city right on the water. They have little bars with patios, a beach nearby and some cute boutiques. It was heaven!!! Next weekend is a long one for us, so perhaps i'll try to enjoy the weather in a different manner.
I'm thinking some hiking and biking, reading in the lounger and enjoying every minute of it. What did you ladies and gents get up to this past weekend?

At my wits end...

Seriously????

I got not one, not two but count them three calls in one day from some of my finer clients. Those which have failed to keep in contact with me over the past year as the courts have ordered, have failed to return my calls or answer my letters. All of a sudden my phone is ringing off the hook and they are begging to see me within the next 5 days before their probation ends....so they won't get charged again....are you fucking kidding me????

It spilled over into today and the lucky bastard that called got an earful at which time I decided to stop answering the phone for my sanity. I didn't quite yell at him but it was apparent I was livid according to my co-worker as she was staring at me and laughing "I've never heard you talk to anyone like that before." I refuse to be a babysitter with grown adults and will most likely keep my voicemail running tomorrow as well so I can get some real work done. SERENITY NOW!!!!!!

Fireworks and Fun

It has been a rather busy weekend yet again. I'm definitely making an effort to be more active especially with this gorgeous weather that we've been having. I've been to the gym and bike riding.....I lifted weights for the 1st time in months and ooohhhh maaannnnn am I sore. Seriously, it's two days later and my arms and neck are rather stiff. (Clearly my neck should not be I'm assuming it's from the shoulder exercises or whipping my head around when a hottie walks by)

I was able to see an old friend and finally meet his fiancee on the weekend and I'm glad to say we got along well and she was lovely. He met her overseas and she just moved here a few months ago...silly girl, it's much nicer where she's from :)

A few friends and myself went to see this amazing 30 minute, kilometre long fireworks display. Now for those of you that know me, know that I am terrified of loud noises IE fireworks, thunder, gunshots (thankfully the last one I've not heard in person as of yet). I figured I'd suck it up, throw in some earplugs and enjoy the show. There were hundreds of people around ohhhhhhing and ahhhhhhing which made me giggle and the show itself was fantastic. The only thing that irks me is the amount of money which went into this display. Social Services are being cut left right and centre, we have the working poor, homeless people and such who can't even afford to feed themselves and yet we can waste hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars on 30 minutes of entertainment. Sometimes I loathe the social worker in me as I just can't enjoy things the way I used to :)

Here are a few videos of the fireworks, enjoy!!! (If you turn the sound on you can hear how freaking loud they are as they light them in the gorge and it just echos)





These fireworks were really cool:

The Pre-Finale:


And the Finale:

Trying New Things...

So this weekend was a mishmash of staying in and relaxing one evening and whooping it up with the boys the next. Gee which night do you think the above photo was taken on :)

Sunday was absolutely gorgeous out and I decided to become one with nature and hit the trails on a bike I had borrowed. A word of caution to numnuts like me, you might want to adjust the seat BEFORE you get out there haha. It was quite difficult trying to ride with my knees up to my ears and legs bent the entire time, however I'm a trooper and gave my riding mate a good laugh.

After about an hour we petered out IE our asses were numb and we decided instead to go and hit a few balls at the driving range. Thankfully she plays golf as I have never played (other than mini putt) which is obviously not the same thing and she was my teacher for the remainder of the afternoon. I must say it was a lot of fun and I managed to get at least one ball past the 150 yard mark. How the hell do people hit the 300 mark??? I don't get it.

I still have no desire to actually watch golf on TV, the epitome of boring for this gal but I'm keen to actually try out my new skills on a course. A very very small course, preferably during the week when no one else is around.

Strangely enough after my day of exercise and sun I began to feel rather yucky and under the weather. I missed volleyball and even left work early this week. I'm starting to feel a bit better....but clearly exercise = throbbing head and stomach pain..... sitting on my ass in front of the TV = well rested and content!!! Gee which shall I choose for the coming weekend...haha!!

Dad

My dad has always been a very big part of my life. I could always count on him as a child and now as an adult the same holds true. I remember him running behind me holding onto my bike while he taught me how to ride. He also bought me my first fishing pole and we would sit on the dock for hours at the cottage trying to catch a fish. In the summer he taught me how to catch a baseball (like a man haha) and in the wintertime he was always there to take me tobogganing.

As an adult I'm still learning from him. Take for instance the other day, my steering wheel was shaking like crazy when I was clocking 120km on the highway. I told a friend at work and she suggested I fill my tires with air. What's this I asked her, I had never ever done that before as dad had never mentioned it. So her and I went to the gas station, she showed me where to look for the correct amount of air and filled em up. On the drive home my steering wheel continued to shake and shake. I tell my father all about it and chastise him for not telling me about this very important piece of information. Dad stares at me, gets his handy tire tool and off we go. He checks the pressure in the tires and is aghast at how much is in there. Apparently 44 was the maximum for the tires but they should really be at 32....who knew. So he rolls his eyes with a little smirk and lets out all of the air that I had so diligently put in. He then tells me to go to the local tire place as the weights on my wheels have come off and I need to have my tires balanced. Huh??? Tires have weights??? So I went down to the tire place and sure enough that was the problem.

This little incident actually made me rather sad as my dad is getting older now and it's really starting to show. Physically he's in rough shape and it made me realize that there is soooo much more that I need to learn from him. As children we believe that our parents are invincible and indestructible. As we grow we learn that one day they will no longer be with us. I'm not sure what I will do without him.....and quite frankly I'd rather not think about it.

So we're back in once piece. The weather was lovely, the guys were cute and the shopping was hot. We stayed right downtown which was extremely convenient and also meant that it was overflowing with some interesting characters.

One woman in particular would walk around asking for change followed by a big "FUCK YOU" when one would decline her request. There was the gentleman at the pub across the street from our hotel that yelled "Hey Ladies" at us and then proceeded to place his fingers near his mouth, wag his tongue in a suggestive manner and make these bizzaro noises.....ewe!! That was a treat at 3 am as we wandered back to our place. There was also this guy that walked past us as we lounged on the grass under a tree. Nice!!!

Montreal is bustling this time of year as the Jazz Festival is in full swing, as well, we walked out of our hotel room on Saturday to find this Caribbean Parade going on, very cool.

We went to a club called Electric Avenue that was fittingly an all 80's dance club. We rocked out to Eye of the Tiger, some man with a starter mullet tried to dance with me & LD was also approached by a weirdo.....good times.

The rest of our evenings were spent at pubish type places with a pint on the patio. We ventured down to Old Montreal which was beautiful and enjoyed lunch on a terrace while listening to these Latino musicians ( I dug them so much I bought a CD). There were street performers, live music and a beautiful view. We lounged by the water during the day and then returned in the evening to enjoy beer from around the world and take in the atmosphere at this cute cafe: This beautifully lit building was just off in the distance from the cafe:

I enjoyed the artwork in the Metro Stations and this particular piece was my favorite:

Lastly we shopped & shopped & shopped. I bought shoes that I really wanted (the cherry and black ones) and a clutch purse to match my pink purse (but only because it was on sale). As well as this funky Andy Warhol picture with one of his quotes, some silky jammies and some MAC lipstick. My favorite lipstick was apparently a limited edition which I was completely unaware of. I went to buy some at home and they were all out. Thankfully I found a few tubes while on vacation but alas scooped up the last few they had and will sadly never see that colour again. I'll have to make it last :)

Bon soir mes amis!!

Sleep Styles

(Painting by:Henry Maynell Rheam)

I am horribly cranky today as I'm rather tired and have a lot to do before we leave for Montreal on Friday. As well the PMS monster has awakened, so I figured I'd write about this interesting article I read rather than bitch and moan again about my hatred for my volleyball team and other such things.

I read an article a few weeks ago in the paper regarding sleep positions and how they are representative of our daytime personalities. Dr. Samuel Dunkell is the author of a book "Sleep positions: The Night Language of the Body.

Here's what he had to say:

1)Positioned on the side with knees slightly bent forward, the semi-fetal position indicates fair-minded, even tempered types who are layed back, adaptable and easy to get along with. They are friendly, social and trusting.

2)Those who sleep on their stomach are the neat and organized types who like to be in control of their surroundings, actions and relationships. Patti Wood says that lying face down indicates a need to protect oneself and stubbornness. "They hold strong beliefs and try to have everything done their way. They are tense and focused in order to get things done. They do not give ground easily. "

3)Sleeping on your back points to a high degree of confidence, even a bit of arrogance & these types like to be the centre of attention. As well, money tends to be a big motivator for them.

4)Full Fetal position reveals a vulnerable, sensitive type who is affectionate & loyal but needs to be reassured. Extremely emotional and artistic, expect intense one on one relationships Dunkell says.

Geez, I always start off sleeping on my stomach. I find I can't fall asleep while lying on my back.....must mean I'm modest haha!!! Which position do you most often sleep in?

I have a friend in from out of town on Thursday evening and a very early flight on Friday morning so this shall be my last post until I return next week. Have a great 4th of July for the Americans and the rest of you, enjoy the week!!

Volleyball

I need to whinge for a moment or two about my summer volleyball league. Let me preface this post by saying that my talent as a player is nowhere near the likes of Gabrielle Reece, I do however know how to get the ball over the net, unlike some people. They must really love the game so much......they could watch it all day long!! Which isn't a good thing when they are standing beside me on the court. Some actually cower from the ball or duck, they yell "mine" and then stand there as it falls to their feet. Not everyone on my team is horrible.....but my favorite is this one guy. His serves are phenomenal.....when he can get them over. Absolutely no consistency whatsoever. He averages about 2 over for every 6 he serves, yet he is the most vocal about how we have to "get it together." He also has a tendency to hit the ball far too hard so it hurls out of bounds frequently (not just when serving) and get this....he blames the ball. I wish I were kidding "it's too soft" "it's too hard" I'm like "why the fuck don't you just hit it with a little less force...hmmm there's an idea."

My other issues are with the players themselves. We have about 11 or so people on the team....or so I've been told. The first week 5 of us showed up and played really well together. The 2nd week there were again 5 of us but two new people and 3 from the 1st game. The 3rd game 9 people showed up and it was absolutely disastrous. Our last game 3 of the people from the 1st game were there and 3 people i had never met before. Again there is no consistency whatsoever and it's difficult to gauge how people play. A cohesive team we are not. Lastly, it drives me bonkers when people hit the ball over the net for the sake of hitting the ball over the net. If I wanted to play ping pong, I would have joined a ping pong league. There should be 3 hits in volleyball....bump, set, spike, not bump ball flys over the net....get it back, bump ball flys over the net, it's maddening.

Anyway shoes = happy thoughts!!!! I saw these John Fluevog shoes and fell in love. I'm more inclined to the closed toe cherry red/black pair above, but which ones do you like best? I find them all so adorable I just can't chose.


Canada Day is upon us this weekend which means Monday off.....WOO HOO!! Not only does it mean an extra day off but also spending time with great friends, a BBQ here and there and of course a beer or two....and by two I mean a 2-4 haha. The Canucks will get that one!!! In celebration of Canada Day... I present to you a quiz all about Canada. Good luck and let me know how you fare. ( I got two wrong oops, the size and when the Yukon joined the confederation)

T minus 9 Days until we leave for Montreal !!!!!

Pride 2007

I went to Jennifer's place for the weekend and we had a great time. Friday I spent a leisurely afternoon shopping and taking a walk (IE death march) with P. The walk was lovely, just very very long :)

Saturday was Jennifer's boyfriends Cottilian and of course Sunday was the Pride Parade. I love Pride as it's one big party, everyone is so happy and the city comes alive. Often I find when we rush to work or complete everyday tasks, we don't really pay attention to those around us, however during Pride smiles & hugs are exchanged with random strangers. We share tables, talk and get to know those around us. I'm far too pooped to write anything worthwhile as it's been a long weekend and the sun did quite a number on my skin. I didn't put on sunscreen and was outside for hours & hours....oops. Enjoy the photos:

Parade Route, they say about one million people go to watch:

Sitting on the street waiting for the fun to begin sans sunscreen:


Colourful Outfits:

They were from House of Lords a hair salon:


This guy was having a good time:

I'm not sure how much fun this gentleman was having in his tighty whities. He would yell and scream at every group in the parade, the police, the mayor on and on he went. Clearly some mental health issues going on......but come on, we all need a good laugh every now and again.


This was very cool:

Loved this outfit: We can't leave out the naked men: Ah hotties:
My very sore face at the end of the day:


Happy Pride Everyone!!!