Day 342 - Inception & Stirr!

Today we went to Black Diamond where I did another quick shoot for Stirr! I was very excited when Clayton called me on Tuesday to ask me if I would be interested in taking some more photos for their business. Of course I was! I was ecstatic to get out of the house & have a challenge on my hands! 

They were on a tight time frame, so I raced home, edited the photos & then took them with us to Calgary, where I would drop them off after the movie. Movie? What movie? 

Jaco & I decided to go see Inception, which was playing at Chinook Centre in the Imax theatre. I had heard a lot of crazy things about the movie, so I was excited to see it. Jaco loved it. I did too. It was fantastic to see the special effects on such a big screen!

I was quite impressed with my Kinder Kids Pack. A bit of popcorn, a drink & a Kinder Surprise. It was a top. Yeah, that's right, a top. If you've seen the movie, you'll understand. In the movie, each character is supposed to have a totem. A little something you can carry in your pocket that tells you whether or not you are in a dream. If you have the totem, it's reality. Leo DiCaprio's wife's totem is a top. When she dies, he takes her totem, the top. 

It was quite bizarre, as I didn't open my Kinder Surprise until the movie was finished & we were watching the credits roll. We were the only ones in the theatre. It was spooky! 

I've since downloaded the Edith Piaf song they play in the movie too. Additionally, I seem to recall last summer while I was working at EVIC, I was told that Leo DiCaprio would be filming a movie in K-Country during the winter. I can't believe I missed my chance. Well, besides the fact that I'm married... Anyways, moving on...

We dropped off the DVD of photos after the movie & made our way home. I was happy to fall into bed &, gulp, dream... or not...

xxxxMJV&O


Just to make sure I'm not dreaming...

Click to double check!

The creepiest Kinder toy this big girl ever received!

Day 337 - And That's More Like It!!!

Wow! What a stunner of a day today was! I was so shocked when I stepped out onto the deck & was blasted with warm air! What a concept! I can't believe it! It's almost like, *gasp* summer! Whoo hoo! Bring it on!


I took the dogs for a walk to EVIC to see Joe, as it's been awhile. We chit chatted about this & that. Hard to believe next weekend is one year since their wedding! Time is flying by! The girls are becoming quite the guard dogs. They would give a little growl at every person who walked into the centre! 


However, the best part of my day was when we walked back & found a few cows & calves in front of the house. Valentina spots them & goes charging over, barking the entire way. She was running around one of the cows like it was on fire. It was the funniest thing I think I've ever seen. Do wiener dogs generally herd cattle when given the chance? That poor cow didn't know what was going on. It couldn't keep track of Valentina as she ran circles around it... I'm still chuckling! What a dog...


I took the recycling (finally Mom & Jaco are saying) & forgot to take the back way into Bragg Creek. On weekends when the weather is wonderful, the traffic can get pretty ridiculous at the 4-way stop. It took me about 15 minutes to get through the intersection! Crazy! 


I'm hoping tomorrow will be just as stunning. The Fall foliage is at it's peak right now... I just love the look of bright yellow poplar leaves dancing in the wind, the white bark of the trees & the perfect blue skies sitting as a backdrop. If only it would hold on... Another month of Fall & one less of winter would suit me just fine. 


I managed to do my injection myself today, but I'm starting to feel some bone pain, so I'm off to bed... Have a great rest of the weekend & get some Vitamin D while the gettin's good!


xxxxMJV&O

 Oceana & Papa passed out for the night...

Papa in his jeans - what a looker!

Day 318 - Volunteering At EVIC

After my wonderful sleep in yesterday, I couldn't fall asleep last night. Thus, I was exhausted today! I was quite excited to spend my day with Shauna though! We had such a great time last summer, it wasn't the same this summer as I didn't get as many chances to visit with her. 


I had agreed to volunteer at the centre for today, as they needed help & I was able to give them a hand. It wasn't too busy of a day, even though the weather was quite nice. There was fresh snow at the higher elevations, so perhaps that deterred a few would-be hikers &/or picnickers. 


Shauna helped me re-henna my head, although we didn't get the entire head finished. I look like I'm wearing a little cap on the back of my bald head. Hopefully Jaco will spruce up the rest of my head tomorrow while I'm in treatment. It will never be the same as Larissa's artistic talents, but at least we'll have a little fun in the meantime.


I came home just before 1700 & did my best to get caught up on the blog. Jaco did his exercises & terrorized the dogs for the better part of the evening... I have to finish getting ready for tomorrow's big day, so pardon me while I cut this post short & finish sorting things out... 


Sleep well & see you soon! Wish me luck tomorrow! 
xxxxx
MJV

Shauna helps a visitor

Shauna helps a colleague!

Papa works out with the Big Dogs...

Day 297 - Laundry & Shauna

This morning, after a night of tossing & turning, I woke up to a rather thunderous stomping happening in the kitchen, along with the infectious giggles of a small child. Yup, Rayna was up. Her & Valentina were having the times of their lives. Rayna had donned our T-Rex head & Valentina decided it was a game. Rayna chased & chased & chased Valentina around the living room & kitchen until they were both out of breath! It was quite the sight to see! Valentina absolutely loves children & I think the feeling is mutual, especially in this case!


They were off to Calaway Park for the day. Mom decided to 'go along for the ride'(s). :oP I don't think I've been to Calaway Park since I was about 8 years old when I went with Jamee & her sister, Joleen! Yes, it's been a long time! Mom told me Rayna wasn't too happy when they got there, so Jamee knelt down & looked Rayna in the eye & said, 'Do you remember your choices? You can be miserable or you can be...' Rayna replied enthusiastically, 'HAPPY!' Jamee said, 'That's right. So what will you choose?' Rayna replied even more enthusiastically, 'HAPPY!!!' And away they went...


Jaco & I had a 'happy' day of laundry. I cleaned the kitchen, he vacuumed the floors & then we shaved each other's heads. What? Isn't that part of the domestic duties? :oP  So now we look like twins. I'm just waiting for the next 'Sir' comment! Although Jaco is a bit sad, as I have more hair than he does & mine is falling out! I keep assuring him that soon enough he'll have more than I do! Much more! 


It was a stunner of a day! Thank the Good Lord for sunshine & a little heat! I'll take every summer day I can get! We walked down to EVIC to visit Shauna & see how her course went. She was pretty excited about the entire weekend! Hopefully we can get together once we get settled & have a nice dinner. Today was her 7 year wedding anniversary, although her hubby was away on work. Jaco & I have a lot of years to go to catch up! I will volunteer with Shauna on the 6th of September, so I'm looking forward to working a day with her.


I spoke to Granny today & she seems to be doing well. If all goes well, we'll make a trip to see her in the next few weeks. She's only met Jaco once & we were only there for 1/2 a day, as I had to drive back for work last time. Hopefully this time we can stay a little longer & she can believe that I've made a good choice! She's already told me he better treat me well or he'll have to deal with her! And believe me, you don't want to mess with this 95 year old Granny! She's tough! 


She told me awhile ago about a situation in the Senior's Home where she stays. There was an old man who kept making passes at her. He grabbed her arm one day as they were wheeling past each other & told her he'd like to get to know her better. The next night she woke up & he was sitting on the end of her bed in her room! He said he missed the gentle touch of a woman. (!) She called the Nurse & they took him away. This happened a few more times. Finally, after the 3rd or 4th night, Granny told him he'd better get out & never come back. When he didn't respond, she took her cane & whacked him between the legs & told him 'There's more where that came from!' Even at 95 she's still got it! What a gal! 


Mom made us a stir fry tonight & Jaco had his first taste of Quinoa (keen-wah) tonight. He quite liked it, until he found out it was more carb than protein. It will be the challenge of my life to get that man to eat a healthy, well-rounded, BALANCED diet. In any case, he enjoyed it until he knew otherwise. ;o)


Tomorrow was supposed to be Body Worlds, but I think that we'll hold off another day. My energy is not quite there...yet! Have a great night & see you tomorrow!


xxxxxx
Maria, Jaco & Valentina

Headless T-Rex (Rayna) chases Valentina

Rayna helps Mom make fresh juice

The happy matching couple!

Valentina digs for the ball in Papa's shorts! 

Puddle or no puddle, she'll get the ball!

Day 296 - Volunteering & My Camping Cousins

Today was a pretty quiet day on the Richter scale. (4.0) I volunteered at EVIC while Shauna did an amazing Search & Rescue course. It was limited to 6 participants & when Shauna inquired about taking the course again, it was full. The Instructor offered to let Shauna come along as a 'guest' Instructor. Naturally Shauna was floored! I was more than happy to help out & harass Joe for a day while Jaco got over his jet lag. It was fun to fall back into the swing of things, although I didn't miss my Smoky the Bear girdle pants. (Think standard uniform designed in the 1980's that come up somewhere between my bellybutton & bosom. NOT flattering!)


It was a semi-busy day, seeing as the weather was nice, so we had quite a few visitors in the Centre. The day went well. I only had one fellow call me 'Sir'. Yes, not a word of a lie. I was wearing big earrings & makeup. Perhaps it was the men's size large fleece vest that gave me a 'unisex' look. I don't really know. In any case, it made me laugh. What was even funnier was when he showed up later in the day with all of his buddies who had to come in & see the 'She-Man' or 'Man-She' depending on which side of the fence you're on! :oP


Jaco & Valentina came to visit for a bit. Jaco & Joe gabbed about bears & cougars & things to do in K-Country. Here's hoping we can accomplish a few fun things while he's here! 


After work Jaco & I went for ice cream at the RIGHT place. Scoops & Snacks! We enjoyed our dairy delight & when we arrived home, Mom informed me that my cousin, Jamee, & her daughter, Rayna, were on their way over. They were on a summer holiday around Calgary & they were coming to camp in our yard. 


Mom left to chase some cows out of the pasture that kept crawling through the fence. Shortly after she left, Jamee & Rayna arrived. Rayna is 5 & a barrel of fun. She was pretty pumped to sleep in a tent tonight! She was also excited to see Valentina. By the time I helped them set up their tent, we had decided that Valentina would join them in her mini-tent. Then Mom was joining them, along with Oceana. It was pretty cozy inside the tent by the time they were all settled in with their sleeping bags, blankets & dogs! But I think they had a memorable time! The first thing Rayna said upon waking, was, 'Mom, next time you have meetings, can I come here to be babysat?' Cute. Very cute. 


It was after midnight by the time Jaco & I crawled into bed. We'd stayed up talking about our plans for the time he would be here. It had been a long day & I was happy to hit the hay! Tomorrow is a day of not much activity & I'm glad!


Lekker slaap!
Maria, Jaco & Valentina
xoxoxoxxxoxoxoxooxoxx

EVIC or Elbow Valley Information Centre

 Rayna & Valentina

It's a girls night out!

 Oceana & Valentina are slightly excited to be in the tent too!

Joe & his 'pose' & his directional heading on the desk.

Day 294 - Arrivederci Hair.

Well, it's official. My hair has officially started to fall out. Yesterday I counted 5 on the edge of my plate at breakfast & this morning after my usual moisturizing application (on my head) I counted 37 (!) little hairs on my hands. Sigh. I was hoping I would be lucky & not lose my hair. Yeah, I shaved it & I liked it, but I was hoping it would stick around. Oh well... Talk about a humbling experience. Vanity sucks.


Speaking of vanity, I had Mom take a few photos of me before it gets any thinner! See below...


I was up at 0100 to take my pill. Actually I woke up at 1247 to the sound of my husband snoring & his elbow grating my spinal column. Oh it's bliss, alright! I looked at the time & knew I'd have to take my pill in 10 minutes, so I used the loo & 'pee'ked out the window to see if the stars were out. 


I had seen on Facebook something about a meteor shower, so I was pretty excited to see that it had cleared of enough to see the stars. Since we only pass through Swift-Tuttle comet trail once a year, I thought I better get out to see it (& since I was already up!) I thought I'd sit out for 10 minutes & sneak back in before my alarm went off in order to avoid waking Sleeping Beauty. (Okay, fair enough, I'll be gentle on him - he did go 44 hours without sleep) As my luck would have it, the meteors were pretty awesome & I didn't make it back in before the alarm went off. A very confused Jaco came to the door to see what on Earth I was doing. He didn't share my love of the Cosmos at that particular moment. 


I sat outside & counted 12 or 14 meteors. I lost track after awhile. They were beautiful & lit up the entire sky! I wished I could have photographed it & captured it in the memory books forever. I've already forgotten what Hale Bopp was like! In any case I went back inside to try & sleep again & Jaco was NOT impressed that I had woken him up. Whoops. My bad.


Of course, then it was the dog waking me up every few hours. She was in her 'big girl bed' & didn't like it much. She kept jumping up onto the bed, even after I'd moved the bench a good foot from the end of the bed! Then, at 0730, I woke up to the sound of her ripping all over the place. She was running & tearing around like a house on fire. I let her out of the room.


Then Jaco woke up. Then Mom stormed around. Then the dogs barked. Then Jaco hammered away on the treadmill, shaking my room. FINE! I'll get up! 


I visited Joe at EVIC for awhile to help him out while Shauna is away, but it wasn't busy, so he sent me home to see Jaco. 


When I came inside, there's my jet-lagged hubby hard at it on the treadmill. I guess he's sticking to his routine. I should take some lessons! I took the time to type up a bit of the blog (behind again!) while he worked hard. 


After he finished up, we took at drive to town for some groceries, as he wanted to pick up a few things. We decided to stop for ice cream afterwards. Scoops & Snacks was closed :o( but Frontier Candy was still open. I don't enjoy Frontier as much, because their scoops are smaller & more expensive. Yes, I'm an ice cream SNOB. Five summers of scooping ice cream & you would be too! 


When we walked up to the shop, the only clerk was outside having a cigarette break. Jaco & I walked in & looked at the flavours. I watched the clerk come in, grab a bite of a broken waffle cone & then make eye contact with us, asking us if we wanted anything. I was waiting for him to wash his hands. Sick. He didn't. I told Jaco I would ask him to wash his hands if he wouldn't do it after I placed my order. I placed my order. He picked up my spoon & dish. He proceeded to head for the ice cream buckets. WITHOUT WASHING HIS HANDS!!!! Call me crazy, but that's disgusting! So, I said, 'Sorry, but would you mind washing your hands, I have a compromised immune system.' He looked at me & said, 'Yeah, sure.' I watched, in horror, again, as he RINSED his hands under the water, WITHOUT SOAP. The dispenser was directly to his left. He then proceeded to dry his hands on his apron. GAG. I suddenly didn't feel like an ice cream anymore. 


As soon as we arrived home, I googled 'Health Inspector Calgary'. I managed to find Alberta Health Services with a listing of cities, restaurants, & best of all, their inspection reports & findings! Click Here, but be warned, you may NEVER eat out again! 


Jaco & I made our first meal together. Well, he cooked & ate chicken & I made tacos. It was an interesting experience as he helped me clean up & unload the dishwasher. Wish us luck folks! It's going to be a journey!


We walked the dogs down to the barn to let Mom's horse out & then it was time to hit the hay. Tomorrow's an exciting day with Drayton & the Dinosaurs! Rrrrrroar! 


xxxxx
Maria, Valentina & Papa

Leaning on a tree

Leaning on another tree.

Leaning on what used to be a tree

Thinking about leaning on a tree

Smiles

Mother tries to make me laugh 

Jaco liked this one 

 Adios joined us at the end of the shoot

Tall Timothy

Day 287 - Jenn To The Rescue!

What was supposed to be a quiet weekend has now turned into a chaotic one! After my late night of computer biz, I suddenly found myself with the following schedule:

1. Triathlon kit pick-up with Jenn & Wal-mart for Rubbermaid bins this afternoon
2. Miss Foxy Bron visits tomorrow afternoon
3. Visit Janis, Dustin & Caleb in K-Country tomorrow evening
4. Photograph Jenn's 1st Triathlon on Sunday morning

Oh dear! That didn't take long! In a matter of an hour I had the entire weekend fill up! I think the start of the week will be busy as well - I've got to make room in the room for Jaco! I can barely fit myself in here, let alone him too! Yikes! Plus, I'm hoping to meet with Al & Wilma & Sylvia will also be in town! 

I called Krystle today. She's due tomorrow. She said she's no where near ready to have the baby. We were both comforting each other about not doing much & not feeling guilty for it. Just taking the time needed to rest & listen to our bodies. I joked & said the only difference is that she wants her baby to grow & keep him. I want my 'baby' to perish & disappear!!!! I'm so excited for her & Ross! I can't wait to meet Baby Brown! 

I visited Joe & Duane at EVIC for a few minutes today. The phones were busy, so I didn't stay long! Shauna was busy on her fam trip, so perhaps I'll see her over the weekend or on Monday.

Valentina & Oceana were quite excited to have their 'off leash' time on the way back from EVIC. Valentina gets to play fetch & my 'pitching' arm is getting better, although I missed Oceana by a few hairs the one throw! Whoopsie! 

Jenn arrived at the house moments after I'd walked in. We were off to the city to pick up her goodies for her 1st Triathlon. I'm so excited for her!!! I am even more excited that she asked me to take some photos of her big day! I can't wait to snap away!!! Her 'team' colour is orange, so the entire family is decking out in orange on Sunday. I found some BRIGHT orange poster paper at Wal-Mart this evening, so tomorrow I'll make a few signs, much to her dismay! :o) I'm so proud of her! What an accomplishment this will be! 

We went to Market Mall for a bite to eat & while we were eating (the mall had just closed) along past our window whizzes the Mall Zamboni driver! It was so funny to see! I'd never seen one before & the driver was clearly enjoying himself. Jenn & I had quite a chuckle about how cool his job was!

Due to a change in their life situation, the Burnett's will be heading to Jenn's parents place for awhile. I'm happy their life is (finally) taking a long overdue upswing, but I am so sad they are going to be moving further away. I have so thoroughly enjoyed having her close by & someone I can hop over to visit in 20 minutes or less! I haven't had that for a VERY long time! I will miss her & her beautiful family so much! **Sniff, sniff**

On that note, I'm going to call it a night... It's late already & the weekend is a busy one! Enjoy your weekend & I hope the weather is stunning, wherever you are!

xxxxx

Maria & Valentina

Long line of Triathlete's!

How useful do you think this speed limit sign is when it's stuck next to a building & in a parking lot?

Whee! Zamboni Man zips along!

He was definitely doing doughnuts around the Kernels Popcorn kiosk!

Day 283 - Long Weekend?

I'm sure you'll all disagree with me, but this weekend seemed extra long! Probably because I'm rather bored (not for lack of things to do, just lack of motivation!) & I don't have a job to 'look forward' to after a long weekend! It was quite a rainy weekend, with a lot of thunder. I LOVE listening to the rain fall & the thunder roll. Tonight was quite spectacular. I counted for 40+ seconds of consistent thunder as it rolled on down the valley. Sweet!

I visited Shauna at EVIC & Dave, one of the Conservation Officers, happened to stop in. I haven't seen him since the end of June. He was going to shave his head at the party, but his scheduled was swapped around, so he couldn't make it! :o( In any case, he's a sweetheart & he always brightens my day! Rumour has it he'll be around this fall & I have yet to meet his new girlfriend... Gotta love romance in the East Kan! I'm excited for his happy heart! His girlfriend spotted the dogs & I the other day. She was driving on the highway & said she saw a girl with a shaved head & 2 wiener dogs in matching raincoats. I guess that fits our description! :o) Well spotted!

Valentina was excited to visit Shauna & Dave & her excitement peaked when Shauna picked up the pen/laser pointer. Shauna didn't even turn the laser on, but Valentina knew it could happen at any moment! What a dog!

We walked home & I threw the ball for her. It's a new ball & quite heavy. She kept dropping it out of her mouth, as it was slobbery & wet. She runs so fast by the time I get ready to throw the ball, I nearly hit her on the head! I'm not a great pitcher (yet) & yes, I throw like a girl! I always chuckle how she'll have the ball in her mouth, but pop her tongue out the side after she has ran for awhile.

I managed to jog to EVIC today! I was quite pleased I could actually do it! I haven't done much (any) exercise as of late, so I am quite unfit. Yesterday I fumbled through my yoga/ab video. I'm anxious to get back in shape, but a long ways from it! Sigh. The road to health is long & winding, not to mention challenging. In any case, I'll get there!

Alrighty, tomorrow is my only day in the city to run around. I'll end it here...

Sweet dreams,

Maria & Valentina

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Dave the CO

Tweet Pea & her ball.

Slightly blurry (my bad), but note the tongue out the side of her mouth!

Day 281 - Nothin' Like A Good Ol' Thunderstorm!

Another relatively uneventful day... Wake up, check messages, have breakfast, sit outside & read for a bit... Not too enthralling.

I had been up late last night helping Mom rescue one of her hard drives & this morning I took it to her first thing. She seemed quite ungrateful that I'd helped her out - not sure where her head space was at. But then later, all was revealed. She wants to give away Oceana. 

Yeah, I'm pretty much devastated. She hasn't even had her for 3 months & she's already trying to pawn her off. Worst of all on some fellow from her past that treated her like junk... What's he going to do to the dog??? Over my dead body will she give poor Oceana to him!

So, now it looks like I've got 2 dogs. I haven't done any training with Oceana because she's Mom's dog & I didn't want to interfere. I dug out my 51 Puppy Tricks book & the training will commence tomorrow. I get so frustrated with my Mother sometimes. I feel like she tries to 'fix' an area of her life, but gets confused at which one is the most important! The saddest part of all is poor Oceana! She is very submissive & has latched onto Mom like no dog I've ever seen. Mom can't go anywhere without Oceana hot on her heels. 

I'll start taking a list of anyone who wants to dog sit while I'm visiting Jaco this winter! :o) 

I joked with a friend of mine today that I'm sure Mom would have pawned my brother & I off had she been given the chance... Now that I think of it, I do have that one girlfriend who looks A LOT like Mom & she's a few years older... Hmm...

Needless to say, I wanted out of the house, so I put the girls' matching raincoats on & went down to EVIC. The thunder started to roll half way there & we arrived just in time for it to start pouring. We sat inside & observed the flashes while Joe counted the time between lightning & thunder. Some of them were pretty close!

I waited awhile before I walked back home in the rain. The girls didn't really like their raincoats. At one point, I felt like I was dragging both of them, instead of them walking on their own. I turned around & sure enough, I was dragging them! Their hoods had fallen down over their eyes & they couldn't see a thing! All I could see was a red or pink coat with a little black nose poking out the front end & a tail out the back! 

They were both caked in mud & dirt by the time we arrived home, so I carried them straight to the tub. A quick rinse & towel dry & they were good as new. They had a blast ripping around the house playing & drying off. One excited wiener dog is fun, never mind two of them!

I decided to bake something this evening. I found a recipe for banana bread in my Caribbean cookbook (Thanks Winners!) that sounded good. Of course, I don't use the regular ingredients & well, I think I'll have to bake it a few times to perfect it. I used raw sugar instead of light brown sugar, coconut flour instead of self-rising flour, almond milk instead of milk... The flour made things pretty dry. I added more milk & an extra egg. Additionally, it said to grease the tin, so I put olive oil on it. Then added the parchment paper. I'm not sure how it happened, but the bottom of the bread is oily & there was a bunch of water & oil in the bottom of the tin. Let's just say it's edible, but heavy. Next time, I'll cut out some flour & perhaps use butter instead of olive oil?

Seriously, someone needs to invent Culinary Bootcamp for people like me. I could be a Fruigivore like my husband. He'll eat oranges, I'll eat cherries & berries. Lord help us come winter! :o)

In any case, I decided to make myself a routine last night. It works for kids & dogs, so why not me? As I type this entry, I'm about 2 hours behind schedule, but I'll see what I can do to catch up! :o) Part of my schedule includes meal planning for the following day. I liked the look of a lot of the recipes in the Caribbean cookbook, so I'll see what I can find that's yummy! (& healthy!)

I finally hooked up my Magic Jack, after giving my husband grief about not having his set up! :o) I'm pretty excited about it! If you leave me a message, it emails me the message & I can listen to it in my email program! How cool is that? I love Magic Jack! (Did I mention you pay $20/yr for long distance anywhere in Canada & the USA?) And you can take it anywhere in the world & call Canada/USA for that same $20/yr??? What a great invention! **It costs $40 for the Jack, $20/yr or $70 for 5 yrs, plus $10 for a Canadian number** See website for details. Okay, my infomercial is done! :o)

I caught up with a girlfriend from Saskatchewan last night. I haven't spoken to her in awhile & it was great to hear her voice. She has two adorable boys, Buster & Huxley. She has caught a lot of flack for naming her first son, Buster. Agreed, it's not a common name, but it TOTALLY suits him! Last night we Wikipedia'd 'Buster' & there are a lot of famous 'Buster's' out there. Even I was impressed! One from South Africa & one from the UK who was involved in the early developments in IVF! Crazy! I hope her mind is at ease, knowing her son has a unique & meaningful name.

Our conversation was cut short when the lightning returned & every flash I saw made a click on the phone! Okay! Time to go! I fell asleep to the sound of the rain hammering down outside my window.

Have a great Sunday everyone! xxxx

Maria, Valentina & Oceana

Matching jackets for the sisters.

Please, Mama, play with me?

Tangled up!

I've got it!

Tug o' war!

Day 281 - Wolves & Coyotes

So I am quite possibly one of the world's worst sleepers. I can NOT sleep straight through the night. On average, I'm up about 3x to use the little girls room. Last night was no exception, except... when I woke up at 0500 to pee, I heard a noise. Not just any noise. Wolves. Not just one. Several. At least three. Howling. Bone chilling. Soul stirring. Pure, raw & certainly savage. It was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced. I managed to grab my SLR & record the audio. I have about one minute of good solid footage of them howling. I LOVE it! 


When I was a little girl, I loved lambs. Then I swapped to wolves. Talk about opposites. I suppose it was similar to my taste in music. I went from the Emeralds - Bird Dance to Crystal Gayle, you know, the country chick with her hair to her ANKLES. Then it was on to Cyndi Lauper. Anyhow, I have yet to see a wolf in the wild, but hearing them is certainly amusing! 


I decided to go outside & see if I couldn't film the moon, the trees AND catch the wolves howling. All I managed to do was get both dogs barking, frighten my mother & when I did finally set foot outside, all I could hear was the river across the highway! It did smell incredibly fresh though! I went back inside (where it was warm) & recorded a few more clips. I heard Mom getting a drink, so I went out to tell her what I heard. She told me to wake her up next time I hear them. I have this sinking feeling if I do, the conversation will go a little something like this:
"Mom! Wake up! The wolves are howling."
"Whaaaah-t?"
"The wolves are howling."
"Oh."
"Are you coming to listen?"
"What time is it?"
"It's four thirty."
"Oh. I have to get up in two hours."
"Yeah. Are you coming or what?"
"No. Just shut my door when you go."


And she'll remember half of the conversation come morning. But I'll wake her up anyways!


I could hardly fall back asleep I was so excited about the magnificent howling I had just heard. I posted an update on Facebook & went back to sleep. 


When I did get up for the day, I didn't accomplish a lot. I ordered some baby things for my girlfriends due this month. I have an incredible girlfriend, Janis, who has created an eco-baby goods business with her sister. Check them out (Little Tree Hugger) if you need any baby things! I still have one more order to place with Taslie & then I'm set for baby gifts! I helped Mom with a bit of book keeping, visited EVIC, ran to town for water & the mail, and visited with my brother's friend, Hayley. I had heard about her before, but she was a delightful young lady! She is tall & gorgeous & so pleasant to visit with. I'm not sure what my brother is thinking... She's a catch! Oh well, as they do...


After Hayley left (she'd stopped to pick up a few day planners from Mom), I heard Oceana at the door. She was whimpering. Valentina was already in the house. What was that other noise? It sounded like a dog barking. But I didn't recognize the bark! It wasn't Oceana. Was there a dog lost from the campground? I went out on the deck & poor Oceana came streaking inside. 


Sure enough, I could hear barking in the clump of trees closest to the gate. I whistled at the dog. It barked back. Again & again & again. I finally decided it's bark wasn't quite a dog bark. It was a coyote. Be darned if the dirty dog wasn't trying to lure our dogs into the woods! I was horrified at the thought of little Valentina going to investigate & then being a cocktail wiener! I went inside to tell Mom to come out & when I went back outside, the coyote had moved places. His barks were coming from the bottom of the meadow. He was still out of sight, but he responded to my whistles. Pretty soon I saw him pop up on the other side of the meadow, where the power lines run. He stopped & looked at us & continued barking. Ooooh! I was so mad! Looks like the little dogs are going to have to be under strict supervision from now on! No wandering ANYWHERE!!! 


I found an old metal box tonight while I was looking for a computer cable. I had an 'epiphany' last night that it held all my old jewelry from high school. I could find the key, to I tried to 'pick' the lock with my Leatherman. Fat chance, but it worked! I could open it, but not close it. So I had a little trip down memory lane as I pilfered through my cheesy old jewelry. I will see if I can take apart some of it & use it for something 'new'. It was fun to find earrings & pendants & think to myself, 'Really? Did I really wear that? And I thought I was cool, too!' Fun times!


Anyhow, another quiet weekend shaping up... Everyone is out enjoying the long weekend & gorgeous weather... Make the most of it - Summer is flying by!
xxxxx
Maria & Valentina

Oceana snoozes in the sun.

Our new watchdog.

Getting a better look.

Mom & Hayley

Turn up your volume & pardon the 'clicks'!

Day 276 - Pow Wow

Hooray! Today I finally felt up to snuff. Well, pretty much. I'd say I'm back to 98% of my ornery ol' self. I new it was going to be another hot one when I woke up at 0700 & it was bright & sunny & hot already. I laid in bed until Mom informed me that Jenn had called & they were wanting to go to the Pow Wow. I called her back & told her I'd leave in an hour. 


TWO hours later, I finally left! My personal time zone, what can I say?!? I was excited to check out the Pow Wow, as I haven't been to one for hmm, about 9 years! It was awesome! The costumes, the colours, the intricacy, the dancing, the music, the singing... It's a sensory overload. Call me a sap, but whenever I'm around live drumming, it does something to me. I'm always a gulp away from bursting into tears. Today was no exception. 


I found the Burnett's sitting in the bleachers & I was just in time to see the Grand Entry. I quickly got my camera ready & ran off to shoot whatever I could find. It was a bit of a challenge, as the dancing ring was indoors, which left me with low light & some fast moving subjects. I think I got a few good shots, but I'll have to sit down & have a better look! 


I don't know much about the First Nations culture, but I couldn't help but want to learn more about it. It was fascinating to see how much pride they took in their costumes & their dancing. Their culture is so different from what I know. The people seem so much 'quieter'. They don't talk unnecessarily & they are okay with silence. I could go on & on, but I'll stop there... I've got some learning to do! 


I was also impressed to hear there were dancers from as far away as New Mexico! I had no idea the Pow Wow was such a big draw from so far away! The little children were especially entertaining. They just don't care who is watching or what anyone thinks. They dance their little hearts out. 


The intricate bead work that must take hours upon hours to do, the energy to dance song after song... If you've never been, do a quick search & see if you can find one near you... It's something to experience, that's for sure!


A quick visit to EVIC before they closed & it was back home. I was supposed to stop for groceries, but Bragg Creek on a sunny Sunday afternoon is a rat race. The traffic at the main 4-way was back up past the crest of the hill! It must have been a chain of 25-30 cars! Ridiculous! 


I found both dogs at home & Valentina moving suspiciously slow. I thought something was wrong, but as the night wore on, she was back to her usual old self. Her nose is right out of joint, as I've just bathed her, clipped her nails & put coconut oil on her belly. I think she got a rash from the grass last week. Her belly is a sight for sore eyes! I've been putting aloe gel on it, but tonight I put coconut oil on it. I couldn't put it on fast enough! She licked it off as quickly as I put it on!!! Guess it tastes good! So she's sleeping in her 'tent' instead of next to me. She's not impressed! 


Alrighty... Sweet dreams & see you soon! xxxx Maria & Valentina

Mom wanted to take a photo of me in my dress.

The Elders

I'm surprised this little guy was standing still... He danced his heart out!

Crazy moves & electric energy!

Cutie Puh-tootie!

The drummers & singers - well, some of them!

The 2 best dressed... in my opinion!

Amazing costumes!

Each one is unique!

Wow.

Beautiful little girl.

This little guy was quite the show off... He was adorable!

Talented bunch!

Colours!

Rhythm!

Incredible!

The look.

All ages participated.

I'm pretty sure this is the guy who danced past me & felt my head!

The next generation learning.

Getting ready to go.

Femininity.

The jingle dress in action.

Jingle dress.

Amazing sounds.

More jingle dress.

You gotta go!

Three girls.

Cutie Puh-tootie again!

Waiting patiently.

Can you guess who was my favourite for the day?

Wow. What a Pow Wow.