Summer madness

It's been a busy summer so far- with birthday parties, work parties, summer parties, and baby parties... Here's a sampling:

The first party has no pictures because I forgot my camera! But I went up to Bobcaygen for a family reunion with my Uncle Frank, Aunt Leagh and cousin Jo. It was a great weekend with family, a bbq and a gentle reminder of why I am glad to not yet have children!! (yes I love my cousin Noah- but when he's still up and screaming at 11pm- maybe not so much!! It's frustrating that gagging and tying up a small screaming child is considered morally reprehensible)

Work party - where we traveled around the harbour on a yacht, sipping martinis, and breaking a pinanta filled with booze, cigarettes and condoms. Even a torrential downpour couldn't dampen our fun. (yes- really bad pun intended).




Liang's 30th party was held at "Trevor" where we nibbled on mini burgers and gourmet mac & cheese- super yum. In the middle of the soiree- Bobby, Lisa and I went outside to practice our moves for the next cycle of CNTM. (Canada's Next Top model). Eric also dropped by to give me the final copy of Harry Potter. Jen was incredibly generous and treated all of us to dinner- so amazing!





Finally I just spent the weekend in Windsor for my other cousin's baby shower. (Other side of the family). Ross and Ashley are having a baby girl in October- and they came up from Alabama to celebrate. We had more bbq's where my cousin Elisa and I were surrounded by couples and raced each other drinking our Woody's coolers in an attempt at oblivion. The shower itself was a class affair at a country club- almost like a wedding- funny enough: wearing sunglasses indoors to cover up bloodshot eyes was frowned upon.


On Sunday after the shower we went to play in the pool to get some sun.




Next weekend I'm going camping in Algonquin park- I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Parting is such sweet sorrow

9 years ago (or so) my Mom said to me "sarah you should really read this book I just read. It's a children's book... (slight hesitation), but it's really good. It's called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". "Um. ok- sure Mom" I said. As though I was really going to read some kids' book that wasn't a classic like "The Secret Garden" or "Tuck Everlasting". But I love to read, I go through books like a fat kid through ice cream and I did need something new. So I read it, or rather devoured it. And waited with eager anticipation for each new sequel. The longest relationship I've had with a boy is the one I had with Harry.
I started the last book with the intention of making it last through the week, and of course I took only 2 days- all the while marvelling about the INCREDIBLE imagination of this author- and how she could possible spin something that was both so entertaining, imaginative and moving. It's brilliant. And I actually felt (along with the rest of the other 12 million readers) quite sad about the end. Not the ending- but rather the fact that there was an end- and no more anticipation, no more questions and no more Harry. sigh. It's always hard to say good-bye.

"Hair by David' is a big hair DON'T

I was recommended by a friend to a new hairstylist. I still go to my hair stylist in Calgary and was looking for someone in Toronto and I love my friend's hair- so it seemed like the right time to make the break. HOWEVER when I went to make the appointment the not so nice receptionist told me that "David only sees new appointments before 5pm during the week."
My reply? "I can't take time off of work just to get my hair cut. That's ridiculous." and she just said "ok". wtf?! Have you ever heard of anything so stupid?! Who are these people who can just prance around getting their haircut at 2pm on a Wednesday? I have a real job!!!
So anyone with another suggestion for a salon? Taking recos...

LOVE THIS SONG!

I LOVE Rihana's new song 'Dont stop the music"!!!!!! It's soooo good.
Ok- maybe not that many exclamation points- but I do really like it.
It makes me want to run again... or dance. yes. dance. I'm trying to insert a link to the video on 'youtube' but it doesn't seem to be working.

Temporary roommate

So we have a guest staying with us for a couple of days... it's a chihuahua. She's a complete stereotype- as she is tiny and has a pink studded collar and is named Daisy! I didn't think I'd be the biggest fan: but she's actually really cute.
Here she is nestled among my other friends her size.

And this is my roommate Paul and her hanging out.

Past in present

I wanted to update my facebook photo- and by update I really meant - show a picture from nearly 25 years ago. And while I was looking for pictures circa early 80s I came across some photos that I scanned of me at a very young age... The first one shows that I got started on my sweet tooth early. That's a picture of me and my twin David with my Mom- that would've been the late 70s.


Then we have me, Stefan and David during our 7th?? birthday. I remember that shoe cake- and one of us (I think it was me- because I was the witty one) made a joke about "why don't you put the shoe on?!" even though it was really cake- and me and my brothers laughed and laughed about that... sooo funny.


And finally the last one must have been someone else's birthday- but I look like I've overdone it a bit on the cake/sugar or dancing or something. And I need to take a rest!

Reunions

When I was a child I spent my summers in Moncton, NB (well the first summer was in Riverview across the river- at the farmhouse). My Mom would ship us out to stay with my Grandparents for July/August, we did this from the age of 4 to 12(ish). During my summers I would hang out with a variety of kids in the neighbourhood- but Jen Mullane was my best summer friend (and her brother John would hang out with my brothers- this is the same John of "In-Flight Safety" a couple of posts ago).
Through the miracles of facebook, Jen and I have recently re-connected with one another - after nearly TWENTY years!!! She was living in Halifax- but is moving to Toronto in September for a job. Her boyfriend is already here- so she came out for a visit, and she and I got together for dinner last week.
I was nervous about getting together, I mean- what would we talk about? Would we still get along? What if we had nothing in common?? I mean, one can only keep talking about the "good old days" of being a child/pre-teen for so long...
However, as my oldest friend Josephine reassured me "you will never run out of things to talk about Sarah"- we did not run out of things to talk about. Literally- we just picked up where we left off- and it was awesome!
We had a such a great visit and I'm so glad she's moving to Toronto in September... this is a person I had the fondest memories of, and thought I would never see again- and we've already (re)formed a lasting friendship.


Tonight we went with my friend Hayley and Jen's bf Mike to Czehoskis for a drink, and then to Johnny Banana (super yum) for dinner. If you live in Toronto and want good Mexican with wicked Mojitos and spiced hot chocolate- it's the best place to go! (Lola- if you ever get back to Toronto we're totally going there!)

The other totally crazy thing? I asked Jen if she knew anyone else in the city and she said that Mike knew a guy from his high school back in RIVERVIEW (can you see where this is going?!) who had opened a bar in the city- "Czehoskis" (partly why we were there tonight) and his name was "Dave Mitton". He happens to be my second cousin but I haven't seen him since i was 5. (and yes I realize only a girl would know that!)
I knew that he lived in Toronto but we hadn't reconnected... I did meet up with his sister Karen three years ago (only because she happened to be roommates with a colleague of mine), but hadn't met Dave.
So I've been going to Czeshoskis quite a bit in the last week hoping to introduce myself to the long lost relative - but no luck yet- and the people that work there are convinced I'm a stalker and give me funny looks now when I go in... but I'll meet him eventually.
It's like a mini maritimes festival. We all know each other- that's just how it is!! and I just LOVE how I could see my cousin Karen after 25 years- and it was fantastic- and I could see Jen after 20 years- and it was like no time had passed at all.
There is something to be said for friendships where you share memories linking back to the truly simple and pleasureable times of our youth. And if you can build on those friendships and create new memories as you get older- then you are just all the more blessed...

The Real GB

Finally I went out to a cottage for the long weekend. My first summer in TO it seemed I was up at a cottage, or in cottage country, every other weekend during the summer... and then last summer- nothing!
This Canada Day weekend my friend Kathleen was renting a cottage and I went up with her, Jaime, Mandi, Emily and Ashley for a girl's weekend in Grand Bend, dubbed "the real GB". Even though it was slightly chilly on Saturday (like freezing cold actually) we managed to get some sun, spend time in town and have a relaxing mini-vac-ay.
Our cottage was in a gated community (that sometimes we'd have to crawl in and out of- don't ask) and right beside the golf course, about 2 minutes away from the beach. it was fab. This picture is the secret pathway to the beach, with the sunsetpeeking through. We went out for dinner and would watch the sunset over the water- so beautiful. (Except for the cold!)


We didn't cook at all, preferring instead to go out for dinner, or order in. We did however make fabulous mojitos with fresh mint leaves, and the most amazing margueritas! (which Emily and I polished off). The first pic is me and Mandi, Emily and Ashley crushing mint leaves. (I know- so hard core!)


We went out to the bar Saturday night- looking for drama, Jaime snuck us past the line by saying we were with the ad agency for some beer that was doing some promotions that night. She flashed her business card and we were in. So hilar. I mean -we were 6 girls, unsteady on our feet but yah we were totally there to do "work"!! But better than standing in line. (Unfortunately, or maybe thankfully, I didn't take my camera to the bar to capture the moments!)
The rest of the weekend was super chill, just eating and reading and resting. Perfect.
This is our walk along the beach to 'town' (the strip) to get ice cream. Such a taxing day, as part of a taxing weekend!

Rounded out the weekend with another blockbuster movie "Transformers" and it made for a great long weekend. (though if you are going to see a movie I would recommend "A Mighty Heart". It's much more thought provoking and Transformers degenerated into a special effects fest of fighting robots that I couldn't follow).