From my own stand point, I can not make a single valid complaint about the year I had. Yes I encountered some challenges and struggles, as we all do. But any complaint I can muster is really very insignificant.
So here’s to another year of travel experiences, good times, eating, and discovering with friends and family.
Cheers 🙂
Me… At a wedding… In Hickory… North Carolina…
I was invited to Candace and Brian’s wedding as my friend Alaa’s date, which was awesome because we always have a good time together. But… I wasn’t sure how I was going to fit into this equation… me at a southern wedding.
Pre-wedding selfie
First, I’m not a wedding-y person, but I knew that Brian and Candace were planning a wedding that was very characteristic of them, rather than a wedding that people have been to before.
Ceremony side of Warehouse 18
Eeek!
And second, I may be from small town Alberta where the people have a different kind of accent, the weather is unsuitable for humans about 6 months of the year and people drink Molson, but I don’t have a southern accent, I don’t wear my hair in a bouffant and I don’t drink moonshine (yes, I know – huge stereotyping).
But I have to tell you – Candace and Brian put together such a comfortable and charming wedding.
They held it at a former textile warehouse in Candace’s hometown of Hickory. This warehouse was converted by a talented artist lady into an art/living space and event venue. I could try to describe the coolness and the eclectic nature of the space, but I can’t. It was that awesome.
On the living space/event venue of the warehouse. Love!
Popcorn!
HOPE
After exploring the space and getting to know Candace and Brian’s families, I felt like I was hanging out with people I’d known for much longer than a few hours. It was great to meet people from different places and walks of life in this cozy and unique setting. Who wouldn’t bond in a candle-lit room with soft music playing or in a living room where there are giant tubs of popcorn where people you know are there to join together as a new family unit?
Small-town southern United States does have a homey feel, once you get to know it and you’re in the right space with the right people. So thank you Candace and Brian, for introducing me to the real south 🙂
First dance ❤
I would like to dedicate this Throwback to my brother and his family for the good time this week.
Me and my bro long ago (1976 and 1982-I think)
My Canadian Christmas 2013 was spent mostly with my mom, dad, brother, sister in-law, niece and nephew (Brett had to work this week so he stayed in NYC, and we will be meeting up with the kids in Phoenix soon). Although I did get to see Jill and her family and had lunch with Joc and her kids; a little more friend time was scheduled but had to cancel due to feeling under the weather.
Anyway… I could throw way back and dig up some crazy old memories from our childhood (stuffing dirty socks in my mouth or getting concussions, for example), but I can call yesterday’s firecracker debacle a “Throwback” memory.
December 25th rundown:
Mom, Dad and I drive from Wetaskiwin to Leduc yesterday morning for gift openings and a day of eating and relaxing.
Gift opening: Great! Lots of smiles and happy faces.
Relaxing: Awesome! From table to kitchen to couch and around again and again. A little nap for Trent and dad, a little run for me.
Eating: Delicious! Corn chowder for lunch. Steak, crab legs, smoked salmon, potato skins and more for dinner. Mmmm!
Games: Scrabble and Beat the Parents. A little thinking involved but successful.
Fireworks: First round – great! Second round – not so much. Run for cover – literally! After Trent set them up, they fell over and started shooting at us towards the house. Ty yells: “They fell over! Get in the house!” while herding us all like sheep toward the door. Trent dove into the snow and tried to take cover. Meanwhile, dad is standing at the end of the deck enjoying the show, no big deal. Keely’s camera records the Griswald type of event that is taking place. After a delayed reaction, we were all back inside. No injuries reported. Usually this type of thing happens at the Borneman family Christmas events… 🙂
After all calmed down and tried a third and final round of fireworks, all was good. And then ended the night ended with a regular Coors and the Griswald’s.
The few days of relaxing with the fam was needed and great. So thank you guys for your hospitality and the new throwbacks! ❤
Yesterday I flew from my new home (which will be +17C this weekend, sniff) back home-home (-28C) for part of the holiday break. For the next few days I will be spending my time with my family mostly, and a handful of friends.
My first few visits back to Edmonton after moving to New York were always really really busy. I wanted to see all the friends I left behind: catch up, go out for dinner, drinks or whatever.
However, my last two or three visits have been different. I am spending less time running around to see the most people I can see, and more time with less people making our time together more valuable. And I think the time here is better spent. I’m not saying I don’t want to see anyone else, because that would be great, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out – and that’s okay. We all find our ways of keeping in touch.
So, happy holidays and enjoy your time together. And now I need some coffee because it is way too early to be blogging!
These words from a song on a record I had as a kid describe how I feel this week… Actually, I think the record is still at my mom’s. If so, I’ll take a pic when I’m there next week.
Sing along if you remember this tune… and you have to sing it in the same voice!
“Have patience, have patience,
Don’t be in such a hurry.
When you get
impatient,
You only start to worry.
Remember,
remember,
that (God) has patience too
And think of all the times when others had to wait for you!”
Have patience this season everyone. I’ve been struggling to maintain patience and sanity – this week especially, but then I remember the times when others “had to wait for me”. This is a reminder to calm down and find peace in knowing I won’t feel annoyed forever.
Ted Corbitt 15k in Central Park this am.
West side, looking at The San Remo, light flakes at this point (mile 1/5)
Thin blanket, leaving the finish area heading back to the east side.
It’s not officially winter quite yet, but it definitely felt like it here today.
This week I saw on some website that Alberta is the coldest place on Earth, and is apparently as cold as Mars. So, spending 30 winters in Alberta should make me immune to NYC winters right? New York doesn’t get that cold! Come on! Ummm, wrong.
Although the temps may not dip to -40F/C here, I’m finding my Albertan blood and skin have not adapted to these damp frigid winters. Would I rather freeze my butt on a dry -40F/C day or a damp 16F/-8C day like today? I’m not sure.
Living in Edmonton all those years, you know what to expect. You expect the temps to drop in September, the snow to fall before Halloween and for it to remain on the ground until at least the end of March. As a community of drivers, you make sure your car-starter works and your block heater cord is out. You equip your car with your winter items, antifreeze, the extension cord to plug in at work, and sand in case you get stuck. You drive in the worst conditions: ice, ruts, blizzard white-out visibility, slush puddles that melt and refreeze, and think nothing of it.
macblaze.ca
Living here for the last several winters, my experience has been … different. I have no car to worry about and no winter driving to prepare for (and I don’t miss the car or the driving). I do have to bundle up for the walk to the subway, bus, to wherever or whatever festivity I’m headed to. I don’t miss being surrounded by snow for 6 months of the year, but now I do get excited when those big fluffy flakes fall… and leave only moisture on the ground.
So what am I trying to say? Winters vary from place to place and when you think you can handle one in one place, maybe you can’t in another (or vice versa)… or maybe you just have a new appreciation for it in a different time and place.
I have been frequenting this fantastic retail establishment for some time now and it’s often not to shop. Entering the “store” (and I hate to call it that) is like entering into someone’s lived in space.
I know it’s super dreamy sounding, but if you are the cozy-French-bohemian-country-farm-housey home decor, soaps, recipe books, dresses, accessories type, you will be in love. All this loveliness living in a few thousand square feet of equally cozy-French-bohemian-country-farmhouse decorated space. Sigh.
I would just need a mini-kitchen space to hang my ruffled apron, lavender-scented dish rags and place all my other amazingly beautiful kitcheny stuff, and of course a huge basin to wash my monogrammed plates and tea goblets.
My bathroom would be equipped with all the luscious smells needed in a bathing room, comfy robes and towels, and of course my beloved claw foot tub.
You are invited over any time, as long as you bring fresh cut flowers, an organic snack and your positive attitude.
Jibber Jabber & Happenstance 