Category Archives: Canadian roots

Throwback Thursday #8 – White Bread, No Crust

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Things I miss about childhood…

white bread sandwiches that my mom would cut the crusts off of

riding my bike to Tags with Joc for daily donuts and slushes after school, or a little brown bag full of candy

wearing knee-high socks and knickers

being care-free

not doing work after school (don’t really remember doing much homework)

eating popsicles and jumping on the trampoline

biking and walking around for hours, for no reason

packing my little bag with snacks and dolls and going “camping” down by the creek

skating on the creek

tobogganing down our hills

driving my little Honda 50 around

rainbow ice cream from Pioneer Ice Cream

watching Family Ties, The Cosby’s, and Who’s the Boss on my little TV

performing Chicago songs to various “audiences”

dressing up like a fool for reason

the smell of Strawberry Shortcake

setting up the Barbie houses then not playing with them

…

amyunjaded.com

amyunjaded.com

Throwback Thursday #7 – Team Canada

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Keeping it simple in today’s #tbt…

Just thinking about all those years that Team Canada won gold in Olympic hockey.

That was a lot of times.

Men and women.

Canada/U.S. battles are the best.

And the Canadian wins are the greatest. Heehee.

sportsillustrated.cnn.com

sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Wordless Wednesday #6

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wdtprs.com

wdtprs.com

Throwback Thursday #3 – Au Coton

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Please tell me you remember the Au Coton clothing fad of the ’80’s – the decade with the best music and cult-classic movies yet the WORST hair and clothing styles. Seriously, look at these girls…. And I looked just like them from about 1986-1989.

ici.radio-canada.ca

ici.radio-canada.ca

To call this brand of slouchy, layering clothing style an obsession would be an understatement. My poor parents. On weekend shopping trips to West Edmonton Mall, I would drag them into this store so I could basically buy the same set of clothes I already had, just in every color. (Okay, okay – I still do this. If I love something I buy it in multiple colors, what’s wrong with that?) But look at this! Woowwwwww. So sorry I don’t have any pics of me these awesome frocks. Next time I’m at my mom’s I’ll try to find some. You will be flabbergasted.

Throwback Thursday #1 – 2014 Edition “Grad ’93”

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Last week over the holiday break I was in hometown Alberta for Christmas Eve at mom and dad’s. Since my brother, sister in-law, nephew, niece and I took a drive past our high school (my brother’s and mine), I thought it was appropriate that my #tbt this week be a high school graduation day photo. That day was 20 (and a half) years ago…

Wait…

What?

Two decades? Seriously? Nooooo.

Sometimes high school doesn’t seem that long ago and other times it seems like a lifetime when I think about how our lives have all become so different.

Circa June 1993, my parents back yard

Circa June 1993, in my parents back yard (I’m in red)

The five of us were very close throughout high school and university however, our chosen paths eventually lead us all in our own directions. Although we parted physically, we are all from the same place – and have our cherished memories of each other.

Countless experiences and interactions with life in general have shaped our lives since then – careers, boyfriends, husbands, friends, kids, travel – but essentially I know inside we are still the same people. Although I am not as close to all of these wonderful ladies as I once was, I know that who we were then, is also who we are now: good old friends. Despite distance, time apart, or who our new friends are – my memories tell me that will remain.

(P.S. I did have a lunch date with Joc in green last week, and had a cocktail date with Alison in black but had to cancel due to feeling like crap! 😦 . Tanya in purple and I are in contact on FB, and Monica in blue and I email every once in a while to catch up).

JJ’s Throwback Thursday #2 – Holiday Edition

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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)

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! ❤

Wordless Wednesday #2 – Holiday Edition

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Home for the Holidays

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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!

Brrrrr…

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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

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.

It’s Canadian Thanksgiving, Not Columbus Day

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Let’s take a moment to evaluate this weekend – the second weekend of October – and it’s meaning to North Americans. And sorry if I get a little controversial.

For 31 years, this weekend in October always meant gathering with family for Canadian Thanksgiving and for the last 10, my niece’s birthday. Naturally first celebrated by natives (being the first people and all), it remains a day to give thanks for the harvests and all of bounty the earth provides in my home and native land.

For the last 7 years, this weekend means commemorating Christopher Columbus for his exploration and his supposed discovery of America!

So if I live here I should be proud to celebrate this day? Ummm, no! Canadian Thanksgiving it is!

Regardless of the fact that I now live America, I choose to hold true to my roots and be grateful for our tradition of Thanksgiving. I may not be able to find a place that serves a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner, but I can have turkey dinner any time. What I will do is always look back on Thanksgivings past and remember those times with fondness. Being thankful for having my parents to take care of me, my brother to beat me up, and my group of loyal friends to hang with throughout my life (old and new) is all I could really ask for. And throw in a little pumpkin flavored food at this time of year and I’m good.

justhappyquotes.com

justhappyquotes.com

On the flip side, here in New York City, tomorrow will be the annual Columbus Day parade – messing up travels across 5th Avenue and all through mid-town. Columbus may have sailed to find “The New World” first, but he also destroyed the very existence of thousands of people along the way. And he’s a hero?! He didn’t discover America, there were already people living here. They just weren’t Europeans.

floppingaces.net

floppingaces.net

But you know the story, and you know me!… So instead of being a Negative Nelly by starting to bash the idea of celebrating Columbus, I will revert back to my positive thoughts and fond memories of my Canadian Thanksgivings. Family, turkey, food, food, food, pumpkin pie, food, sometimes snow, food, maybe watch hockey, pumpkin pie. Yum.

So I cordially invite Americans to celebrate with Canadians this weekend! Celebrate both Thanksgivings instead of paying “homage” to Columbus! Giving thanks to a peaceful people, who were willing to share the land and resources with newcomers.

Enjoy and be thankful for those who bring meaning to your life and for the harvests the earth (and farmers) provide.

Happy Thanksgiving Canadians and Americans!

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stock-clip.com