Day 540 - Brrr

I dare not complain that it's cold, as I know it's still snowing back home, but it was cold today! Really it was! The wind was howling, it was overcast & I just couldn't get warmed up! I had 2 sweaters on & my toque. I suppose being cold & hot is relative to where you are.


We didn't accomplish a whole lot today. Shocker there! We drove for groceries & I had a craving for coconut shrimp - think Red Lobster. I did find a place in town that does shrimp, but not with coconut. And they wanted R190. That's nearing $30 for shrimp! I don't want them THAT badly!


After our grocery trip, we came back to the house & I ate avocado. I thought I might be able to stomach it. Nope. I was nauseous in 20 minutes. I was tired too. I didn't go to bed & then the second wind came & I was up until late again. Will I ever learn? All the way around? Sigh.


Sweet dreams & stay warm, wherever in the world you are!


xxxxMaria 

Day 523 - At Sea

Hmm. A fairly uneventful day. Did laundry. Packed a little. Tanned a little. Uncooked a little. That about sums it up!

I packed up the seeds & spices. I’m not sure how on Earth we’ll get them to SA just yet. It’s a fairly hefty weight! We’ll see! I washed the scuba gear for the last time & it’s drying out as I type.

I washed three loads of laundry, so there will only be a few things left to wash come Sunday.

Up on deck for one hour today, I found it quite windy. After I settled onto the only free lounger at the back of the ship, I tried to read. It was too windy & blew the pages all over. I tried to write postcards, but they were bent out of shape by the wind. I then resorted to playing solitaire on my iPod. When I finished, I looked up at the sky & my eyes were playing tricks on me. The moving clouds in the sky made the railing of the ship look like the back end of the ship was moving up, up, up into the sky! Maybe you had to be there, but it was pretty weird!

Lastly, I made walnut tacos tonight for dinner. Jaco likes the taco ‘meat’, so we both enjoyed a nice meal. I used the raw sundried olives & they gave a nice ‘cheese’ texture to the tacos. Shredded purple cabbage, sliced red peppers & sunflower sprouts all rolled up in a butter lettuce leaf. They were delicious! I was quite pleased with the flavor of the taco meat that I took it to the Medical Centre & Rebecca & Becky both tried it & gave it thumbs up! Becky is quite picky, so I was impressed that she actually liked it! Rebecca even had a second spoonful!

Tomorrow is Tortola & I’ll attempt to travel over to Virgin Gorda again to see the Baths. Here’s hoping I can find the ferry in time!

xxxxMaria

Day 158 - Holy Cow! What A Day!

Phew! Today was a LONG day! I had planned on heading out early, but as usual, the morning got away from me... Then dear ol' Contemplate wouldn't start! My last day to drive my lovely car for many months to come & it was no go. Mom was already gone with NeverLate, so I was left with the truck. I don't mind driving the truck, but it's a gas hog & a bit of a tank to drive in the city. Regardless, I headed out around 1100 for Cochrane.


First up was the TD bank for the $25 Barbados Import Permit. $25 Barbados dollars is equal to about $13 Canadian. It cost $50 (!) to post to Barbados. Ouch! 


I stopped in to see Jenn on her first day of her new job. She looked like a supermodel!!! Wow!!! I couldn't help but stare! She is such a beautiful woman! With those big eyes & perfect smile, no wonder Mike was so swiftly enamoured with this gorgeous Canadian gal! :o) I hope the job goes well for her.


I will admit. Today was a weepy day. I cried on my way to Cochrane, I cried on my way to Calgary & I cried on my way home from the city. I cried at songs on the radio, I cried when  I couldn't find the courts office... Yeah, I was a bit of a wreck. I'm sad to be leaving all my friends & Mom & happy to be leaving to get healthy. I'm sad I'm not already healthy, I miss my husband & I'm sad we're not already living somewhere together... And pretty much anything else made me cry.


I stopped at GAP Adventures to say goodbye to Michael - he was busy as usual! Then it was downtown to sort out the speeding ticket I got in September. I was caught doing 102 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. I was 3 hours late leaving for the wedding weekend, with a million things on my mind. It is my first speeding ticket in Alberta. Grrr. Anyhow, it had gone to trial so I had to see a Prosecutor about it. I phoned & was given the wrong directions. I went to 5 different places & couldn't find the right floor when I finally found the right building. Needless to say, I was getting close to losing it! I ended up having to buy a Jugo Juice just to get more change & pay for parking. My luck I'd get a parking ticket while paying for my speeding ticket! Hmpf!


The Prosecutor was actually human! He was very much unlike the Judge I visited in January - thank goodness! He reduced my ticket & I received 2 demerits instead of 3. 


I motored over to Meyers Norris Penny with minutes to spare on the parking meter. I paid my last payment & hugged my Bankruptcy Consultant goodbye. I was very excited to have made my last payment... Just another 3 weeks of receipts to submit & I am free & clear! Yahoo!


I boogied through the rest of the afternoon trying to get the rest of my to-do list accomplished. Community Natural Foods, then I tried to get a roll of slide film cross-processed. I was rejected at Vistek, Costco & Black's. I'll just take it to California with me & have it done there. I stopped at PetSmart, the Luggage Shop, Chapters, Jugo Juice (again), and then I stopped at Mom2's. She'd been away all weekend & I was quite worried, as I didn't know she was gone & I couldn't get ahold of her! She hadn't checked her email recently, so she didn't know I was leaving - for 4 months! 


It was nearly 2000 & I was pretty pooped. I decided to pick up some veggies for Mom & head home. Hungry as a horse, I decided to have some sushi. I chose a chai tea & sushi over a burger & fries. I thought that was a wise choice! Sushi Ginza was delish!


It had been quite windy all day & I swear in a matter of minutes, the temperature dropped by 10 degrees! It was freezing cold!!! Yuck! Of course, I arrived home to find a lovely blanket of fresh snow! Oh the joys of living in the mountains! 


Tomorrow it the last chance to pack & hit the skies enroute for health & happiness... Sleep well & I'll see you soon! 
xxxxxx
Maria & Valentina

Jenn on her first day!

Yahoo! Last payment!

Great Sushi!

Great service!

Great times!