Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone the best this holiday season.

Wish List

Christmas is almost here and since the majority of people purchasing gifts for me have already done so, with or without my input, I have decided to put up a list of things I am hoping to get this year. I don't really like sending out lists of things I want as I like to see what others think I may like or want. It is pretty small as I really don't need that much and want only a few more things than I need. It should be noted that the list is in no particular order.

1. macro lens (Nikon/Nikkor 60mm)
2. tripod (with fully rotatable head)
3. battery grip (for Nikon d80)
4. muffin top tin (non silicone)
5. toaster oven (convection, multiple functions, sleek looking and large enough to hold multiple little pizzas)
6. WoW expansion
7. Kitchenaid utensils and/or appliances
8. Looney Spoons cookbook
9. Crazy Plates cookbook
10. sweaters for work
11. socks
12. DVD player

Number 1, 2 and 3 could be achieved through Henry's gift cards while numbers 8 and 9 could be achieved through amazon or chapters gift cards. Gift cards to eBay or PayPal would also be good for getting some of the camera equipment as I have seen the battery grip for a decent price there as of late. Number 11 is pretty lame but I actually do need regular black and/or white socks as the ones I own have disappeared and the little ankle ones are not enough to wear with my winter boots. Number 12 is needed for the basement so I can watch my exercise DVDs down there and/or movies while I am on the elliptical as the sound from my laptop just isn't enough. And of course any of these things could be achieved through lovely, glorious cash.

That's all I can think of for now...we'll have to see what I do and do not get for Christmas.

Skating

I bought myself new skates this past weekend, kind of on a whim but also kind of necessary. I tried to teach Dave how to skate about two or three years ago after my parents bought him hockey skates for Christmas - only to learn that my skates where too small and really hurt my feet. Weird how skates you bought when you were 12 are too small for you when you are 20+. Anyway, I spent $80 on really good, comfortable ones that should last me a good long time but now I really want to go skating and none of the rinks around me are even close to ready. Mind you I still need to get the darn things sharpened.

Winter Activities

In two days it will be December and therefore undeniably winter. I don't hate winter but am not a big fan of it either. I prefer to be cold than hot, but the degree to which it gets cold here in Canada, Ottawa to be specific, is almost unbearable at times. This year I am going to try an take in the winter activities a bit more than I have in the past but don't really know everything there is to do in the winter months. I know there is skating on the canal and Winterlude when it comes in February, but that is pretty much all I know. What do you enjoy doing during winter in Ottawa? I am also looking to practice my photography during the winter. I have very few winter pictures as I tend not to want to go out when it is that cold and am not the greatest at dealing with the white-white snow. Is there any place in Ottawa that you know of that looks really great and prestine during the winter months?

Pup Scouting Continued

I contacted a few of the breeders and got a reply from one so far. I learned some valuable information the most intriguing of which is the fact that I had the purchase price wrong. I thought it would cost about $2000 for a soft-coated wheaten terrier but in fact it is only about $1200 with papers, first shots and deworming. This is much cheaper than my original price range and is therefore wonderful.

I also learned that though most breeders have waiting lists, your place therein does not necessarily depict when you will receive a puppy. Most of the breeders place dogs with a family that suits that specific dog's personality and you can therefore be moved around the list. This would be good for me as I believe I would come across as a loving, compassionate owner who would take very good care of a puppy and as I don't think I can really go signing up on lists now, I would be later on the list that I would really want to be.

Anyway, point of this blog: soft-coated wheaten terriers are cheaper in Ottawa than I though they were and that is fabulous!

Note: Image found on puppydogweb.com

After My Own Heart

Now this is a photo after my own heart. A rare (and lovable) animal (echidna to be precise, one of the only two egg laying mammals in the world [monotreme]) investigating a great SLR camera (despite the fact that it is a Canon). So adorable.

Note: image taken from Cute Overload.

1111

I checked my blog this morning to see if there were any new comments and noticed that the visitor counter was at 1111. Is this the same as seeing 11:11 on the clock? Do I get a wish? One would think because this only happens once I would get a big wish. If so, I wish for ... will it come true if I say it? I will hint...

Pup Scouting

During my last trip to Chris’ cottage I fell in love with a breed of dog – the soft coated wheaten terrier. Her family friends have one named Kailey (not sure on the spelling) and she was absolutely adorable. I love terriers but the thing that makes this one perfect (I think so at least) for me and Dave is that it is not a small dog. They are about 30-45lbs and therefore classified as a medium dog. Wheatens were originally bred in Ireland to be all purpose farm dogs. They tend not to be as aggressive as other terriers and I have been told that they have a tendency to not bark but rather communicate their needs in other ways such as nuzzling. They are keen jumpers and unless trained not to will jump up on people when they first meet them (in a kind playful manner though). This is often referred to as the “Wheaten Greetin” which I think is really cute. There are four varieties of wheatens: Traditional Irish, Heavy Irish, English and American. The differences between the different varieties has to do with their coat colour for the most part, however, the American breed is prone to more diseases and illnesses then the other varieties. Wheatens are hypoallergenic and like Yorkshire Terriers, do not shed, which is ideal for our living style and we don’t want to have to vacuum on a regular basis. They are playful and energetic and generally adorable. There are of course the many cross-breeds but who cares about those when the original is just so ideal.
There are a few breeders around, 3 of which are right here in the Ottawa region (as a matter of fact, one is ten minutes from our house). I want to start communicating with the breeders to find out prices and estimated dates of litters, etc. I would only purchase one from a reputable breeder and luckily enough, the 3 that are in this area are not only registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, but also with Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Association of Canada. They are also active senior members of the Ottawa Association and I believe one of them is the president. I would feel safe purchasing a dog from one of these breeders, even though it would cost more to do so. My parents believe Eddy had his genetic disease due to poor breeding and possible inbreeding and the best way to avoid that is to go to a reputable source who shows their dogs and therefore has to have legal pedigrees with all their dogs. In case you can’t tell by now, I am very excited about this. I have done tons of research and want to take the next step and talk to breeders. I feel I could care for this breed of dog quite well and I know I would love it more than anyone else possibly could. Now I just need to get Dave on board with me for getting one in the new year (I would prefer now, but it just doesn’t make sense with our travel plans for December and how much attention and stability a puppy needs).
Note: images from wikipedia (top) and Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Association of Canada (bottom).

Site Visits

I have two site visits this week and then an unknown number coming up in the weeks before Christmas. DST has some major projects coming our way and everyone will be doing site visits which means I will be getting tons of really great experience. In fact there are so many site visits to be done that my boss is sending out our AutoCADD technician as a field technician. I am both nervous and excited about the site visits - I want the experience and know-how but really don't want to screw up.

Polling Station

So I had a great idea for a new poll but then lost it and can’t come up with a good one since. Or it could be that the one I had wasn’t that great to begin with and I can’t come up with anything good at all. So it will probably be a few days until I can think of something decent enough to put up for my November poll, but if I can’t think of something soon I will put anything up.

While we are speaking of polls however, today is Election Day for the US. I am so excited to get Bush out of the Whitehouse once and for all. How that man stayed in power for so long is beyond me. I am routing for Obama, which if you knew me at all would be quite obvious - I don’t think the two party system in the states is all that great, but I am definitely a democrat when forced to choose one over the other. This has been the longest and most expensive election in the history of America and I am really hoping that something positive and historic comes out of all this time and money. Although, no matter who wins history will be made either the first African American president or the first female vice president. If you are American – get out and vote today and have a say in your country. The Canadians had a record low for our recent election, but it was a waste of time and money since there was very little chance of anything significant changing. You Americans, however, have the possibility for so much positive change and therefore should have a record high for voter turnout – go prove my theory right!

Don't miss out...

Your chance to vote is almost gone - only three days left. I have my next poll idea in my head already and will get it up as soon as this one is done. Then of course I will start trying to figure out how I want to blog about the results of the current poll. Don't miss out on being a part of my first poll blog.

Upgrade II

The laptop is here and I have it running...it just isn't connected to the itnernet at work or the wireless at home. I didn't have much time last night to work on it so it really isn't running any of my necessary software as of yet - but it will. I have Photoshop going on it now and eventually I will have everything I need to be running my super-duper portable, creative unit. I am so excited about the potential...there is just so much.

Have Your Say

Just a quick note to say that there isn't much time left to vote in my first poll. Right now there is a four way tie which will make it harder for me to write about the results. There has to be more than 4 people who visit this site. So have your say, vote and be heard - come on, it's anonymous afterall.

Daddy

Today is my Dad's birthday and I want to wish him a happy one. I am sure he is just hanging out with Comet today and perhaps going out for dinner with Mom tonight as like me, he is not a huge party person. The picture is from Thanksgiving when he took Dave and I out to the fields behind the forest behind our house to look for geese. We didn't find any geese. It's not the greatest picture as it was getting dark and I didn't have a tripod, but it was a good walk and I really enjoyed the time with my Dad.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

Upgrade I

When I started at DST I learned about a home computer program they have in which the company purchases a computer designed by you on the Dell website and you then reimburse them, interest free, from your paycheque for the next year. They get a pretty decent discount on the computers as they purchase all of their many computers and laptops from Dell. As my current computer is starting to feel its age and I have been wanting the portability of a laptop for quite some time, this program seemed just right for me. I technically have the funds to be able to go out and purchase the computer on my own, but this way it is a little cheaper due to the discount the company has. In the end, I used the many I saved in upgrading several of the features and components and will end up with a pretty kickass high-end laptop. I should be getting it at the end of the month or early next month and can’t wait. I am sure there will be many more changes to this blog or at least more frequent posts once I get the new equipment.

Family Visits

I really enjoyed this past weekend with the families. Dave and I drove to Peterborough on Saturday and then joined his mom's side of the family in Newmarket for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. Monday we headed to Prescott to spend the day with my family. Tyler and Lynn were already there as they had drove up the day before and it was really nice to see them again.

This weekend was also my parent's anniversary (11th), my mom's birthday (11th) and Tyler and Lynn's 1 month anniversary (13th) - so there was even more to celebrate than just Thanksgiving itself. It was a very nice relaxing day.

Unfortunately I got sick sometime during the weekend, though I think it was building up throughout last week.

Sunday Plans

Dave and I went shopping on Saturday after he picked me up from my photo outing downtown. We ended up at the Comic Book Shoppe on Merivale where he discovered a new and better place to learn about his new game. We also learned that they play this game there every Sunday (except this holiday one coming up). It is actually going to work out quite nicely. This means that I can drop him off there and then go on a photography walking trip without feeling badly about him being home alone with more or less nothing to do. We can both do what we enjoy while not boring the other one to death by bringing them along. The only downside if that I have to leave a great deal later than I normally would and therefore run into far more families on the trails and therefore small children who steal bird food and scream when they see animals, which equals no animals and no bait for future animals.

Twoterful

Victor Borge - go look him up on YouTube - go now, do as I say.

Better yet, go here and watch his clip called Inflationary Language. Very funny in an intelligent way. :) So good. "He is two, but I am two three."

Postman II

I picked up the packages on Friday – they were both mine. I got my two filter sets and my 70-300mm camera lens – both fantastic and exactly as they were described online, though the lens box was a little beat up. Unfortunately though, Dave’s parcel did not come and he was a little sad that he didn’t have a new toy to play with like I did. Hopefully the notice will come today, although that still means we would have to wait until tomorrow to get it and to make matters worse for him, he would have to wait until I was done work to go pick it up since it is in my name. I guess that is the downside to us both using my EBay account – although it does get us more reputation stars faster.

The Postman

Dave and I spent some significant time on EBay last weekend and bought a few things for ourselves. Yesterday we finally got a notice that Canada Post tried to deliver some things to our house. Unfortunately we can’t pick them up until today after 11am, which basically means I have to get them on the way home from work today. I am really excited to see which items came. I hope they are as great as the seemed to be online.

Thanksgiving Preparation

Thanksgiving is the weekend of the 11th and it is currently looking like it is going to be a good one, though quite busy as well. Not only is our guest moving out two days before the weekend, but we have lots of family dinners in the works as well. In previous years Dave and I go in opposite directions for Thanksgiving (each to our respective families), but this year we are going to try and get to both families together – should be interesting to say the least.

Dave’s Aunt Melinda is having the Mantel Family Thanksgiving at her place near Toronto on Sunday. We will probably be spending the night at his parent’s home in Peterborough and then driving to Prescott to have dinner with my parents, brother and new sister in law on Monday. It will mean lots of food and possible some good leftovers to get us through that next week too. We could move my family’s Thanksgiving up to this weekend, but that would mean we lose two weekends to this holiday instead of just one and quite frankly I have been so tired lately I need the weekends to rest up from the previous week of work and early mornings.

The Mantel Family get-togethers are very different from the Beach ones. To start with The Beach Family Thanksgiving consists of about 5 or 6 people while the Mantel consists of ... well a lot more. Mantel Family events are planned way in advance as it needs to be decided which sibling will get to host the event (or have to host it depending on your outlook) while the Beach events are rather unplanned and just semi-‘go with the flow’. Dinner is of course planned, but the day that it happens doesn’t really matter as long as there is even notice to make the meal.They have the same family togetherness feel to them and there is really no drama at either of them, so I guess it is really just the size and pre-planning of the event that makes them different.

I am looking forward to being part of Dave’s family holiday as I have been attending the family reunions for the past three years and enjoy them very much. It will be nice though to have a quiet, peaceful day with my family after it all though.

Designated Substances

As everyone knows by now, I have started a new job in my field at DST Consulting Engineers here in Ottawa (though they also have offices in Thunder Bay, Kenora, Sudbury and Dryden). I am currently working on Designated Substance Reports (DSRs) although I recently wrote a mould report as well. There are 11 designated substances that are regulated by the provincial government and consists of: Acrylonitrile, Arsenic, Asbestos, Benzene, Coke oven emissions, Ethylene Oxide, Isocyanates, Lead, Mercury, Silica, and Vinyl Chloride. The reports I am writing are primarily concerned with asbestos, benzene, lead, mercury and silica (as well as ozone-depleting substances [ODSs] and polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]).

So far, I am doing my best to understand the terminology used for each of these substances and trying to see what everyday items have them as a constituent through the pictures taken from the different sites we have surveyed. I think I am picking some things up already as I am starting to see items differently already, sort of similar to how I now think of catch basins as CB or CBHD (the cell names in Miscrostation) from my CADD monkey job with the City.

I hope I am able to get the theory part of this job down with all these reports I am writing, though I am still a little scared of the practical components as I have never really worked on those before. Hopefully I will be able to pick them up quickly and effectively too.

Layout

I am currenlty screwing around with the layout of my blog - trying to find something that works best with all the features I want to incoroporate. I want certain ones to be really obvious so people see them and hopefully participate but I don't want anything to distract from my actual posts.

So, basically I will be moving things around and if something you like gets moved to a place you don't like, let me know. Any suggestions you may have would also be appreciated. Thanks.

*Update*
September 29, 2008 @ 1:17pm
Changed blog template from dark dots to rounders 2. Let me know what you think. I was just getting bored with the old look and thought a facelift might be needed.

*Update*
September 29, 2008 @ 8:09pm
I added a personalized title block. I think it is kind of neat, though pretty standard still - no real special effects or anything like that. :)

*Update*
September 30, 2008 @ 11:21am
I changed the poll and added one more answer (sort of at Chris' request). Please check it out and put in your two cents.

*Update*
September 30, 2008 @ 11:54am
Yep so I am really screwing with it now. All the features have disappeared and I have three coloumns. I will be putting things back in place as I configure colours and try and get more division in the coloumns. Hope things go well and I can get it to look how I want. :) Bare with me please.

*Update*
September 30, 2008 @ 2:21pm
I have more or less stopped moving things around and changing colours and whatnot. I ended up with 3 coloumns and multiples sections within each one. I will add those as I deem necessary. I think it looks pretty neat actually and I really like it.

Story of a Clown

In April Dave and I bought tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s travelling performance, Corteo. It was making 7 stops in North America and one was here in Ottawa. There was a little drama with the tickets when we first moved into the new house, involving almost losing the tickets completely (you know how it is, you put them in a ‘safe place’ so you won’t lose them and then forget where that ‘safe place’ is) – but all in all I was fairly impressed that we didn’t lose the tickets or forget what the date was and miss it entirely.

Corteo is a big top show, which was set up in the St. Laurent parking lot. The atmosphere is always magical and just wonderful in general. The show was amazing and I would suggest everyone go see it before it leaves town on October 26, and heads for Miami (the next, and last, stop). I would give more details about the specific acts, but I really don't want to ruin it for anyone who is going to, or might be going to, see it in the near future.


If you have ever been to a Cirque show, you know how the clowns often bring the audience members into their acts at the beginning of the show as well as during the intermission. In the beginning the clowns were playing with Dave`s hair and measuring him (to fit in one of their props) unfortunately he appeared to be too tall for them and was not used. The clowns did, however, climb over us and through the audience around us, which was really neat. They also danced right in front of us and a guy who I swear looked and sounded just like Andre the Giant just about stepped on my poor little feet.

It was a great show and getting our tickets so early allowed us to get awesome seats. We had seats in the middle price bracket but were right behind the highest price seats. We had an aisle in front of us, hence the clowns walked and stood around right in front of us, which lead to tons of legroom. They were amazing seats and from now on, nothing less will do.

For more information on the show, and to get tickets visit the Cirque Du Soleil website. If you really like Cirque, I would suggest joining the Cirque Club, which is free. That way you will get emails for when shows are coming near you and be able to get great seats like we did. Enjoy.
*Images from Cirque du Soleil website

East Side

Dave and I went out to East Side Mario's last night with Chris. The food was good as always, but we realized that they have changed the way they do things ever so slightly.
It used to be that the food took so long to come to you that you could fill yourself right up with the free salad and bread without having to rush or eat from a crowded table. Now, however, the food gets cooked quickly and you don't have the same time to eat the free stuff. Since the good food is sitting right beside you, most people eat their entree. I am of the habit of not really touching my entree and keeping it for leftovers - so I fight the temptation to eat my entree, but it isn't easy.
Darn those restaurant chain owners for realizing how people eat at their establishment.

Blog Plug

As I am sure you know by now, I am taking a photography course at night at Algonquin College. It has been really great so far and I am so happy that I decided to take it. I am definitely going to look into taking more too, I already know it! Anyway, I will be posting about this class on my photography blog and I hope you will venture over there to learn all about it (there are also some tips from things I have learned in the class so far).

A Fortnight

In 2 weeks Dave and I will once again have the house to ourselves...finally. We impromptly decided to let one of Dave's old classmates live with us back in Late July and though we believed he would be gone sometime mid September, it turned out it lasted until early-mid October.

That being said, I can't wait to get my house back again! I haven't been able to set up the basement or use it how I was planning on and doing laundry has been rather awkward. I am very much looking forward to getting back to how things were supposed to be from the get go and especially getting my elliptical back again!!!

Inconsistent

Well, I suppose my inconsistencies when it comes to blogging has lead to even less readers for the great abyss and it's sister blogs stephanie beach photography and the road to a better me. It is my fault - I just wish you would all come back, that's right all 5 of you. Vote in the polls, comment here and there.

New Features

I have added a couple new features to my blog page and hope that you, the reader (as few of you as there are), will participate in them.

1. Poll. Not really a new feature, I have had one up before but I want to try and keep new interesting questions on there to try and get some different opinions on some sometimes controversial topics. Once I get a decent amount of votes I will blog about my opinions on the topic and invite you all to reply to it (of course).
2. Watchers - though I am not entirely sure how it works and I will have to work out the kinks as I go. If it turns out it is only Chris' name, then I will probably remove it. (pathetic huh).

I am trying to make my blog a little more interesting for you guys as well as for me - in a somewhat silly attempt to get me to use it more and hopefully get more hits. But as I have said before, my blog is really just a cathartic outlet for me and less an attempt to get lots of people to visit it.

***EDIT***
I placed the poll in a more obvious location on the top of the page right above the most recent post...you can see it now...no excuses not to use it :)

Fall

Fall is my absolute favourite season for many reasons. The first of which is of course the beautiful fall colours. They give pictures a wonderful backdrop and pop that the regular greens do not.

A perfect example is the above photo that I took this past weekend at Beechwood Cemetery here in Ottawa.

I also love the season because it gets to the perfect temperature - not too hot or too cold. You can wear a sweater and not sweat to death and you can go outside for long leisurely walks without fear of getting burned. The only thing I dislike about fall is that it means that winter is coming soon and my photography seems to dwindle a little in winter - although this year I plan on making more effort to keep it alive, I still believe it will decrease significantly with the cold weather and mass amounts of snow. Snow is really only pretty in pictures if it is perfect, crisp, white snow, but here in Ottawa we get a lot of mucky, rock-filled, grey snow slush piling up beside the streets and it leads to ugly photos.

For now, however, I plan on taking full advantage of my favourite season while it lasts and going out to different places every weekend with my camera in hand.

Wedding Pictures

To see more pictures of the wedding (taken by both myself and David Koning) visit the following links:
Tyler and Lynn's Wedding I
- rehearsal dinner, rehearsal, the night before, guys preparation, girls preparation

Tyler and Lynn's Wedding II
- pre-wedding photos, wedding

There will be more as I still need to upload the receiving line pictures, post-wedding pictures (both at the church and at Burchat House), reception pictures and of course the gift opening pictures from the 14th.

I also intend on editing some of them in Photoshop and creating some compilation pictures, but those will be a little while longer.

Basic Digital Photography

I started my course two weeks ago and have already learned a few things from it - such as what a couple of the advanced buttons do on my camera and how to use the histogram (that's what I am learned in the ways of the histogram!). It is the latter that I am using the most so far as it lets me know right away whether or not my photograph needs more or less exposure - so neat!

The class is scheduled to use the portrait studio, go on at least one field trip and of course, have several assignments. I actually wanted to take this course (if not to take later courses for which this is a prerequisite) so that I could get some assignments and hopefully have to leave my comfort zone to take them. I want to take photos of things I don't normally take. I am thinking of it as shooting outside my 'photo-box'.

DST Consulting Engineers Inc.

On September 9, 2008 I started on my way to my professional license. I finally have a job in my field and am earning valuable experience towards my P.Eng. I know work at DST Consulting Engineers Inc. as an Environmental Scientist. So far I am just writing lots of reports as the company finishes up a big project they have been working on for quite some time, but eventually my job will also entail completing surveys for designated substances (including asbestos) and other jobs revolving around indoor air quality and building environments. I am looking forward to learning more and becoming more involved with the jobs.

Part of the Family

On September 13, 2008 Lynn Burchat officially became Lynn Beach thus adding her to the Beach Family. My brother is so lucky to have found her and I couldn't be happier for them both. I was fortunate to have been part of the wedding (as a bridesmaid) and therefore couldn't do much in terms of photography but luckily I taught Dave everything he knows ;) and he was able to take the reins for me. He did a wonderful job and I believe the above photo proves that.

Congratulation Tyler and Lynn, I know you have a happy future ahead of you.

Sailing

Annual trip to the Chris' cottage this year included a day on the her parents' (and aunt and uncles') sailboat - so great. The whole weekend was beyond words. Thank you Chris (and family).

Back to School

I just registered in a night course at Algonquin College!

I have been wanting to take night courses in photography for quite some time now - well really since I took a traditional film course in high school through St. Lawrence College in Brockville. Well, now that I am have graduated from the Environmental Engineering program at Carleton University, I will finally have the time to devote to my passion - photography. I really want to advance my skills and just have fun with it all. I can't wait until classes start September 10th!

Taking a Toll

Forcing myself into work in the morning and not getting home until late is starting to take a toll on my energy levels. I am beat all the time. I can't wait until the elliptical is built and I can try to get some energy through morning workouts - hopefully it doesn't make matters worse.

I keep telling myself that I really only have a month and a bit left until I am done here...but it doesn't seem to change anything in terms of my energy levels and my overall drive.

I want to go back to bed.

Convocation

This is one of the many pictures of Dave and I from our Convocation on June 12, 2008.

Drain-All

I have decided that come the end of my contract (August 15th) I will no longer be working at Drain-All. The position isn't in my field and though my boss told me he would look into moving me within the company into something that suited me, and my education, better - I know believe that to have been false promises to get me to stick around as long as possible. The people have been great there and though I do not entirely enjoy the work I have gotten used to going in everyday.

I am hoping to land a job in my field when fall comes around as I am told many more opportunities open up then. My professors and past classmates told me this during convocation and their reasons why seem logical. So fingers crossed on that one - again.

Getting Around to Things

So Dave and I have been in the house for a week now and we still have so much left to do. Our living room was set up in a mad frenzy when we decided to have friends over randomly earlier on in the week and now we are doing the office. We have had Dave's computer set up in the living room/entry way for the last week and it has been rather awkward yet convenient at the same time - odd how that can be. Anyway, we are settting everything up as I type and it is turning out quite nicely actually. Hopefully we can finish up this room today and perhaps start working on another room later on.

I have others things that I have to get around to as well. For example the pictures from Lynn's Bridal Shower that my mom and I had for her two weeks ago. As well as the pictures from convocation from June 12. There will soon be more pictures to deal with as Dave's Family reunion is next weekend and I always take lots of pictures then. So I hope to get the ones I have dealth with this week as to not have an overwhelming amount to deal with next week.

Also on my list of things to do is updating all my blogs. So here is my update for this blog. I need to deal with the pictures to be able to update my photography blog and my weight loss blog needs some attention from me as well (since it has been ages since I posted there). Oh my. So much to do - so little time - so little energy.

Nation's Birthday

Happy Birthday Canada!

Don't have much planned for today as I am not a huge fan of large amounts of people (aka crowds) and that is really all there is outside today. Dave and I will probably travel to the old house later today and pick a few things up that we forgot there, like our peanut butter.

I hope everyone has a great Canada Day!

Daddy's Day

Nikon d80 I

I got it - it's mine - all mine!

Ashamed

I feel ashamed lately.
Thursday is my convocation and I am dreading many aspects of it. I will be asked my classmates if I have a job in my field and all that - and I do not. My job doesn't even come close to my field and I am so ashamed. Almost all of the students who graduated with me in December have jobs - proper jobs and I do not. I am not really sure why I haven't gotten one yet - I have looked as hard as I could and only gotten a couple interviews so far - most for jobs that didn't even exist and the companies just wanted to talk to me.
I don't know what to say - I don't know what to do.
I just feel so stupid, useless and professionally undesirable.
I feel so ashamed.

New Job III

A little update about my new job as an administrative assistant.

I believe I am getting the hang of it. I was the only assistant to the sales team in the office yesterday and I believe it went well - stressful but well. Today I am alone again and the sales reps are gone too for most of the day so I have few people to bounce things off of. But it is going well so far *knock on wood*.

As frustrating and stressful as it is to be doing this alone, it has given me more confidence in my job. Now I just have to hope that my boss comes back to work soon (he has been sick for the past two weeks - poor guy) and is able to move me into a position which might help me get a future position in my field (in a different company since the kind I want don't really exist here).

I did have an interview this last Monday and there might be come piece-work consultation jobs coming my way *fingers crossed*. Although I am not really sure how that will work with this job I have now - I may have to give it up to be able to get some hours in my field...it would be worth it in the long run...I hope.

Hot Air Balloon

I have always wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride. Today when I opened up google it had a link as it's name referring to the first hot air balloon voyage.

In 1783 a scientist named Pilatre De Rozier launched the first hot air balloon. The balloon was called Aerostat Reveillon.

This made me rethink about my hot air balloon voyage. I have looked into it before and determined that it was far too expensive - it was $250 per person - not per ride, per person! I do still want to do it sometime down the road though - I think it would be neat, and enjoyable and I could of course get some great photographs from it.

Birthdays

Happy belated birthday to Chris (24 on the 24th) and Dave (23 on the 26th) and happy early birthday to Dan (24 on the 30th).

I didn't forget these people on their actual days - just forgot to mention them on the blog here - not that the majority of them read this or would really care if I mentioned them here :)

Anyway - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAY BABIES!

The Verve Earth

I received an email this morning from Verve Earth. It is a really neat website which is attempting to log blogs from around the world on a map of the earth. As I think this is a really neat idea I registered this blog there and have added a link to it on the side (it's own section - not in my blog or exterior links).
I suggest that everyone take a look at it - it's sort of neat seeing where the blogs on the internet actually get posted from. :)

New Job II

I am having doubts about my job. Doubts about my performance and doubts about how well it fits my needs and desires.
Part of the problem, I think, is that I am deeply ashamed that I do not yet have an engineering job or an environmental job. I feel like I am wasting my degree when it took me so much time and energy and will-power to get through it and earn the stupid thing. I also feel pressure from others to get a proper job I am educated for.
Hopefully I will get better acquainted with how things work around here and a little more trained in my tasks - I hope it happens really soon too.

New Home

Dave and I signed a lease last night for a new townhome. It is a two bedroom townhome with a communal hallway and a secure entrance. It is part of the Parkwood Hills Minto homes along Meadowlands. We initially looked at one there on Monday and tried to get it on Tuesday but someone else had signed for it and we lost it. We then were supposed to see three last night but one was gone. The second one we saw was not nearly as good as the first and Dave and I were a little nervous. But then we saw the third unit and were absolutely floored by how nice it was. All the units we had seen before this had an archway between the dining room and the kitchen but this one did not have that. This unit had an L-shaped counter and no wall between the dining room and kitchen - it makes it look so much larger, and nicer too. Then upstairs instead of having a large linen closet it has a walk-in-closet in the master bedroom! Once I had seen the L-shaped counters in the kitchen and the walk-in-closet in the bedroom I was sold. Dave and I took a few pictures but we couldn't get as many as we wanted since the belongings of the current tenant were still in the house. We get possession of the house on June 18 and will probably be moving in early July. I am so excited!

New Job

I started my new job today (I am here right now). It is rather slow today since the lady who is supposed to train me (for the most part) is sick right now and I have therefore had to busy myself on my own all day. I learned how to use the phones today (which obviously didn't take long) and then I helped to complete some work orders - basically I just did what one of the salespersons told me to do. I am now out of things to do since the training manual has reached it potential and everyone else who could teach me further, is out for the rest of the day. I have a little less than 1.5 hours left for the day and I am super bored! I hope it picks up and gets interesting soon.

8-5

I got a call today from one of the staffing companies I am registered with about a 2 week temporary administrative assistant job. I went down to their office to sign the paperwork (since I can't really be passing up job opportunities right now) and got the great news that it was actually going to be a 3 month contract position. It is from 8-5pm every weekday (as most regular jobs are). The job is basic administrative assistant work with some accounting work as well. As they are willing to train me in the accounting aspect of the job, I feel I am more than qualified for the position and will be able to excel in it. Hopefully that is what happens and I fit in well with their company and they want to keep me for the whole contract.

I am rather happy about it since I can now sign for a new home (rent of course) and be able to prove that I can pay for it and wait for it...wait for it...I can get my dSLR camera!! Anyone who has spoken more than three sentences with me lately knows how much I have been wanting it and now I can actually go and get it and not feel that I am screwing myself over. So my plans (unofficial right now) are to work for a couple weeks, make sure that I am not going to get fired or 'let go' right away and then go out and get my long desired camera. I am so excited. This day has been amazing, seeing houses I want to live in and getting a job (though I would have prefered an engineering job of course). This one though, with the accounting aspect, should be helpful, it is atleast a different job than what i have had before and shows yet another side of my skills, and of course I get new ones too. I will be able to use new programs and complete new tasks that may be desirable to other companies. At the very least, it is money.

1...2...3...

So yesterday I registered for a counter for this blog and then today when I read Chris' comment on my previous blog I felt a little better about having got it. I was just going to let it sit down there at the bottom and hope that no one noticed it and I could get a little information back, but I guess I will make it more public. I do have to take into consideration that I visit my own blog at least once a day and it seems to be counting each visit (instead of registering my IP address or realizing that I own the blog).

A Little Sad...

I was visiting Chris at her new place the other day and mentioned my photography blog, Stephanie Beach Photography, and how no one comments there or even seems to visit it. She said that it was because it was not linked from her blog, Always Standing. This statement hurts a little, I am not mad or anything like that, it is a true statement - it is true that people come here (and my other sites) from Chris' blog and that most people do not come here directly, I doubt anyone has it in their favourite list or anything like that. It is true that no one really comments here even, let alone my other sites (although Chris' Mum does comment on my health blog, The Road to a Better Me, that is when I post there which I have not been doing regularly lately). I have always known that few people read my blogs and that the only person who comments is Chris (or Chris' mum) I guess it just hurts to realize that other people can see it too. And of course I am a little jealous that Chris has tons of visitors and lots of comments on her blog on a regular basis - although Chris is more outgoing than me and has more friends...okay I swear I won't post another pity-fest like this one again - just something that was on my mind and I wanted to get it out there.

House Hunting

July 31st, 2008 will be our (Dave and I) official last day here at Unit 58. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate to be unprepared and always have some kind of plan, whether the plan is for the day or for the next year - so in preparation for the move I started researching houses (townhomes and apartments) for Dave and I to live in after July. I started looking places up in the beginning of April - mostly internet searches but also a little bit of driving around town and writing down apartment and townhome names (to look up later on the internet). Anyway, the paper part of the search is complete now and of course there is a spreadsheet system as well as some mathematical interpretations to properly compare places.

My paper research has lead me towards a couple different large companies, such as Minto Rentals, as well as a few private home owners. It has also informed me that I am leaning towards a townhome while Dave enjoys the all-inclusive feature of most of the apartment buildings. The reasons I lean towards townhomes it primarily the storage aspect, but also the fact that there are no elevators involved, private entrances and the fact that laundry facilities are within my home (I don't like the thought of having to go to a laundryroom and wait there with my stuff as it washes, I prefer to multi-task while I wash clothes).

I called Minto yesterday and Dave and I are going to look at our first option tonight at 5pm. I am really excited and am currently getting all the paperwork together so that when we go we are already informed of most of the features of the home and area. I plan on calling some other places tomorrow and setting up times to see them over the weekend and throughout the next week. Hopefully Dave and I will be able to decide on a place by the end of the month, if not earlier, so that we can finalize where we are going and I can have a sense of security (which I believe is my main drive to always have a plan - though most of the time, the plan is fairly flexible if not completely changeable).

DeviantArt

I feel a massive thank you is in order to those who visit my DeviantArt site - particularly those who comment or fav my photographs. So for those of you who go there from here or got here from there, thank you. I really do appreciate any and all comments and suggestions about my work - I feel it will make me a better photographer in the end.

Tulip Festival 2008

Today I ventured out to see the beautiful tulips of the Tulip Festival. It started this past weekend but because of the weather I didn't get a chance to get out there. I started out just heading to Chris' old place with a small pit stop at the university along the way. There is a bed of large red tulips there and a smaller bed of yellow ones near Chris' place, but along the way I saw some of the other side of the canal and felt impelled to get there - somehow. I ended up biking down the canal to Pretoria bridge, crossing and riding up to the Olympic Bed near Lansdowne Park, of course making stops along the way. I kept going along the canal and roadway all the way up to Dow's Lake where there are tons of tulips (Chris, you would hate it there, haha!). Anyway, I took tons of photos while biking around the area. There was a girl doing yoga there and I wish I had more courage because I would have loved to take some proper shots of her - perhaps I will get that bravery when I get my proper camera, you know, have the feel of a real photographer. Anyway, I really enjoyed myself, mind you getting home was long and tiring as I was biking against the wind and I had been going for about 2 hours. To make a long story a tiny bit less-long, it was a great day. Perhaps tomorrow I will go looking for those magnolias around Chris' new place (which happens to be just a few blocks from her old one haha).

Gyms

Yesterday I went to GoodLife Fitness with Chris' friend Anne [note the e ;)]. She is a member there and it was a free day at the gym since it is their 29th anniversary. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it wasn't far off. There were tons of equipment, so much that even in the high peak, there was still space for Chris and I to workout next to each other. We spent 30 minutes on the treadmills running, jogging and speed walking then we snacked on the healthy anniversary food they had laid out and spoke with Anne's trainer. If I ever land a job, I am definitely going to look into gyms and this one will be on the list to research.

Painting

I spent the weekend at Chris, Jerrica and Emily's new place painting up a storm. For some this would be a major task that they would only do for the best of friends, this is true for me in the respect that I would normally not partake in that much physical activity for just anyone, but I do love painting. When Chris mentioned that she wanted me to help out, I was thrilled and RSVPed instantly. I just love everything about painting, it is so much fun. You get to change a room drastically and give it a whole new feeling - new emotion, it's great.
We painted the three bedrooms and the kitchen this weekend, as well as the bathroom. They had to be primered first which was a little boring, but after that the colour came and that is always exciting. The colours they chose for their rooms are great and mesh together well actually, despite the fact that they are quite different. I think their place looks great!
Next weekend is the spare bedroom and main living room - again we have to start with primer which will once again be bland and boring, but after that two new colours :) yay!

Bored

Without a job and without the equipment and resources I need to advance my photogrpahy skills I find myself completely and utterly bored. There is nothing I want to do around the house and nowhere I want to go - at least not that I can think of. Fortunately Chris has a gathering at her new place this weekend so that will give me something to do on Saturday at least. Perhaps I can find something to do to fill tomorrow - although right now I can't think of anything.

Yet Another Blog

I badly want my own personal website - but since I do not have the funds to pay the fees for one, I have created yet another blog. This time the blog is specifically for my photography. I am going to try to post one of my photos on a regular basis once I get everything set up - which might take some time. But don't fret, I will keep everyone posted and let you all know when it is running - as it is currently up. http://stephaniebeachphotography.blogspot.com/

Two Eyes

I love photography. Recently I have come to a conclusion that I seem to have to very different eyes. One sees the world normally, as everyone else does, but the other sees the world as if through a camera lens. I do not mean this in the sense that I watch the world go bye or do not partake in the events of my life - I believe I enjoy life full-heartedly. My second eye simply sees the world as if through a lens in a creative way. I am always on the lookout for a great photo and believe that I see things a little differently than most, not all as there are many great photographers out there and to be quite frank, most of them are light years beyond me in not only talent but experience and know-how. I love my second eye and I love feeding it by placing the camera in front of it and allowing it to go to work.

Proverbial Saying

"There is a proverbial saying chiefly concerned with warning against too closely calculating the numerical value of unhatched chicks,"
~Quintus of Neil Gaiman's Stardust.

Parliament Lighting

Creative Rights

I am starting to think of my photography more and more seriously lately and in doing so I have actually become more and more frustrated. I sometimes feel as if my creative rights are forgotten and my talents in general are taken advantage of. Many people 'borrow' my photos from Facebook or other sites and it has always bothered me on some level, but recently it has really struck a nerve. There is only one person who ever credits my work (for which I am very grateful, just so you know) while others do nothing of the sort. In fact, some don't even ask, just right click and save image. I realize that in posting my images online I have lost protection of them, until the day I learn to limit right-clicking that is. I realize that when people are in photos, and they like the photo of themselves, they will want a copy of it. I completely understand that - and I am glad people like my photos of them. But, shouldn't some credit be given to me for taking a nice photo? I know the legal rights, I have taken courses on them and understand them for the most part, so the logistics of it are not in question on my part. Just because I understand the legal aspect of it, and just because I have a strong respect for others art, does not mean I will get such fair and just treatment in return.

In short, if you use an image of mine, wherever you got it from, please credit the work. If you are in the image, yes you have a right to have a copy of said image, but if you like it, if you think it is good, do you not think that perhaps a mention or a thank-you to the photographer would be polite? Perhaps I am being too sensitive, perhaps I need to just shut up, sit back and let others do what they want to do. Perhaps I am being too bitchy, perhaps I am asking too much. I know I am not thinking too highly of my skills, for I know I have a far way to go before I could ever do anything with them professionally - I have plans to better my skills but at the same time, I know I am no longer a beginner. I like to consider myself a serious amateur photographer and her way to becoming a serious professional photographer. Perhaps I need to wait until I have some sort of degree, diploma or certificate to request recognition for my work. Perhaps I should not post this, but as there are few people who read this - I will.

Parliament

House Frustration

After writing this huge rant I feel I should place a warning ahead of it. It is a rant about the current house drama - selling. The people who are mentioned in it are not personally to blame as most of these things could have been avoided (except for the events taking place and damaging my birthday) and I do understand that most of these events needed to take place. There may have been better recognition of the hardwork and effort imparted throughout this entire ordeal that I was, and still am, unaware of, but at the current moment I am at the end of my rope. I am tired of being sickingly nice and polite, and desperately need to use my personal web space, which is quite possible the last place I have left, to get everything I am feeling off of my chest.

Our house was put on the market Friday, March 28, 2008 at approximately noon. Showings started the next day at 10am. There were non-stop phone calls all Saturday (you know my BIRTHDAY) and showings up until about 10 minutes before my birthday party was scheduled to start, a time which all participants knew of including the old landlords, the people seeing the house and the real estate agents themselves. Preparations for my party took literally 4 hours longer than normal due to the showings and the need for the house to be spotless and quiet at all times. Not only did these people walk around the house free of will and demand all the lights be left on (wasting our electricity and raising our bills, for which we were not repaid) but there was even one who damaged our fuse box making the fuse blow later on and our hot water heater stop working. We were out of hot water from Friday night until Monday night, how inconvenient.
Showings continued the next day despite the fact that offers had been given and, for the most part, accepted. The invasion continued into Monday where the proposed new owners had a house inspector come through. This took over 2 hours and involved him poking and proding every aspect of our house dishing insult after insult about the place I not only call home, but the place in which I PAY to live. He climbed over my belongings without asking and moved any adn every object that got in his way.
The children of the new owners were no better. They pranced around the house as if it were their own - touching and moving anything they so wished. People went in and out of every room making it impossible to keep any of them warm. They left the front door wide open letting all of the heat out - you know that heat we paid through the nose to get. When they were done there was relief for a little while.
The old owners called and told us they had received documentation ending the ordeal. However, this was not true. Apparently there is yet another condition which must be met for the deal to be final - a mortgage appraisal. They will be coming tomorrow afternoon. When the real estate agent (or rather their secretary) called I asked them if they could please stop telling us that each step was the final step when they knew full out that it was not. I told them how incovenient and stressful this is to all the tenants and how we would appreciate it if they would start taking us into consideration - since no one seems to care about us.
This house is an investment to everyone but the five of us who live here. To us it is our home and I would really like it if people would start looking at it like that. It is our home - the things in it are our belongings. I am sick and tired of people walking around my home without care or thought to those of us who live here. I am sick and tired of people touching, moving and breaking our belongings. I am sick and tired of this entire thing.
I have one last statement - who benefits from all of this. Well the real estate agent makes a huge commission and of course the old owners make money from selling the house. The new landlords get a new investment opportunity and once the current tenants move out, the new landlords can raise the rent and make even more money. But what about those current tenants - what do they get? The old landlords are paying for a buffet dinner and getting the male tenants a case of beer. Good for them really, they realize a tiny fraction of how stressful this has been. But really does it make up for the invasion of space and privacy? Considering how much work we did for them (well some of us) and how much that work increased the amount they received, one has to ask whether or not it really makes up for it. In my opinion, the main thing I received from this hole event, the thing that resides in the front of my mind, is simply frustration, anger and stress.

Looking for a Home

So, it's not quite official yet as there is an inspection tomorrow, but the house is pretty much sold. The new landlords put an offer in yesterday (before ever seeing the house) and it was accepted today. They came and looked at the place just now and it seems like they wrote a cheque out to Royal LePage (probably the downpayment or holding fee until the inspection). I am not quite sure how I feel about getting new landlords - I knew the house was selling obviously but I didn't know the closing date would be while we were still in the house. It is soon too. We are fine - protected by the tenants act and all, but still the whole situation makes me uneasy.
I suppose I should start looking for a place for Dave and I to live in come August. Anyone have a 2 bedroom available come August??

Birthdays of the Past II

So the party went really well - thanks to everyone who came, I had a really great time. There are pictures up on facebook for everyone else who is addicted to that thing like I am. And thank you to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. Now the only thing left to do is clean up the living room and eat the leftovers - haha.

Thought I would add a picture to compare to the birthday pictures from when I was 3 and 9 - just a slight difference from my current picture at 24!

Birthdays of the Past

Today is my 24th birthday and I woke up to an email from my Dad in which he had attached some pictures from my birthdays when I was little. They brought back great memories from when I was young(er).

This is me on my third birthday - looks like there was good barbecue food and probably just relatives at the house with me to celebrate. I have that sweater still somewhere - I used to put it on my dolls all the time.

This one is from my ninth birthday (according to my parents). I am the one in the purple dress. The girls with me are Leslie Payne (behind me) Melissa Szydlowski (in front of me), April Roode (on the bed) and Stephanie ? (at the end of the bed). I kind of remember this one - well I remember wearing the dress and having this group of friends at least.

I'm having friends over for cake and other treats and of course games and whatnot. Just general hanging out really - pretty low key, just the way I want it.

Toby and Megatron

Chris decided it was time to give Toby to a new owner. I think she did the right thing (and hope she doesn't mind me talking about it) as he didn't really get played with or handled half as much as he should have. At the same time she offered to take care of her brother's bearded dragon Metatron (aka Megatron) until he is done his full-time committment to the Canadian Forces. The dragon is much less work and committment than the bunny was as they don't need to be handled as much as their cleaning needs aren't as high (silly high-maintenance bunnies).

B.Eng

My parents came up today and they brought me something I have been waiting a long time for - my degree! I am now an official member of the Carleton Alumni and have my B.Eng in Environmental Engineering - yay! Now I just need to get over to the university bookstore and buy one of the university frames for it - although I already know which one I want since I bought my brother's there a couple years ago and got him the one I want to get myself. I am so excited about finally having it in my hands.

Unemployment

So I have been unemployed for 2 weeks now and am doing fine I suppose. I am just starting to get bored during the day and have been finding that I have tons of energy left at the end of the day, though that may be partly due to the fact that I sleep in every day despite my efforts to get up at a normal time.It is just so hard to dow hen you have no real reason to get up.
The time away from work has been really helping my weight loss and exercise though. I have been able to get in about an hour of exercise every day and it feels really great.
I had an interview on Wednesday, which went really well and I am feeling pretty good about. The man who interviewed me said that he would have to wait until another person (the guy who originially contacted me) got back from vacation on Monday but that they would definitely be contacting me early in the week. I think I will probably get asked to come back in for another interview. In the meantime I am reading up on Class Environmental Assessments and Infrastructure Planning as that is what my job would primarily be based upon. I took courses on both so I am ok in that department, I just need to refresh my memory about the basics incase I get asked any technical questions about them. They mentioned that they might want a copy of my transcript so I requested ab unch from the school already and hope they come in before the second interview - or at least shortly there after as I want to show that I am prepared and can think ahead and whatnot. Even if they aren't in, I will be able to say I requested them just after the last interview based on what we discussed blah blah blah. I hope I am able to go over the transcript with them to discuss with them that my environmental and even my civil courses have high marks despite the fact that some of my first and second year courses aren't that great. Though I think most people realize the life changes that are going on during that time and how they can impact your grades.
Other than that, I really have no new information. I have my fingers crossed about this job and even if I don't get it, at least I know now that I can interview well, since I was at ease throughout the whole thing and was able to answer all the questions asked of me. I always have the federal jobs, my clearance application is almost done and I should be able to start applying for those jobs through the hiring company at the end of the month.

End of an Era

As of February 29, 2008 at 3:00pm, I am no longer employed at the City of Ottawa as an Engineering Assistant in the Infrastructure Services Department. I worked in this position for 3 summers as a student and for the past 6 months as a part-time employee. My co-workers and superiors were utterly amazing - I couldn't have asked for any better. It is now time for me to move on, however, as I need to gain experience that is more in my field - environmental engineering. I will miss everyone I worked with as well as that place in general. Thank you for such a great experience and wonderful first real job.

Pictures

I finally sent pictures to the printers. I have been holding on to tons of pictures from different events in the last year and have been waiting until there was a enough of them to send in. Well, after the London trip there is finally enough - to say the least. I had 214 from different events over the last year (museums, family reunions, parties/gatherings, and thet ulip fesitval) and then another 194 from the London, England trip. Wow - so many pictures. I am really excited to pick them up. The first set is already done and waiting for me but the second one hasn't been compelted yet. I will probably pick them up tomorrow and then spend the rest of that night playing with them - getting them in frames and albums and deciding how I am going to arrange my London ones. I have been thinking about a hefty scrapbook seeing as how I have so many odds and ends from the trip but not sure if I have the stamina to make through the whole trip with the high quality it deserves. I will think it out. :)

London Ticker

I have officially removed the London Countdown Ticker. It was reading several days since trip to London and I felt by posting my journal entries (see massive post below) it just might be time to stop talking about the trip so much (which I am sure people around me will be very happy with).

London Journal

I have decided that instead of one brief overview of my London trip I am just going to type up (and post) my entries from the journal I took with me to London. This way I can get a good feel for what Chris and I did everyday (and how much we spent). I am probably going to add more to each entry but will note those in some manner (probably italics) as I go along. I hope you enjoy my writeups, they aren't poetry or truly enlightening pieces but they are a good record of what happened each of the fabulous days we spent in the UK.

NOTE: I am using the & symbol as the british pound symbol since this keyboard does not have it readily available)

Day 1: Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
Dave and I left the house to pick up Chris from work for 4pm. We had to turn around and go back since I forgot my Nalgene bottle in my lululemon bag and decided that it was very important to have this for the trip. We still made it to Chris' work for 4:00pm (EST). Dave drove us to the Greyhound Station on Catherine Street where we waited for about 15 minutes with him. He took pictures of us waiting for the bus (on both Chris' and my camera) and then he headed back home. Chris and I spent the rest of the time (about 45 minutes) reading magazines and sometimes talking about the trip. We got on the bus with no problems and headed to Trudeau Airport. I slept most of the way there while Chris only slept a little in the middle. We checked in with Zoom Airlines as soon as we got to the airport to get rid of our big luggage. Both of our checked peices were way under weight (limit was 20kg - mine was 14kg and Chris' was 12kg). We requested seats together, one by the window and got them though they had Chris in the window and usually aren't very good about switching seats but the worker didn't seem to see a problem with it. We ordered Burger King for dinner (about $11) and then went through the security where Chris got patted down. Chris bought some gum and we went to the water fountain where I took an advil which proceeded to get stuck in my throat and I ended up having to buy a chocolate bar to get it down ($2). While waiting for the plane I called Dave and my parents on my cell phones for a total of 15 minutes and Chris read more magazines. I ended up reading some of the London books as well. We boarded the plane on time and Iw as very excited about my first time on a plane. We took off without any problems and my ears adjusted to the pressure quite nicely. The flight attendants came around with a little snack in teeny white boxes which consisted of a chocolate bar, crackers, water, chicken salad sandwich (very little mayo so it was yummy) and something else that I gave to Chris. The movies on the way there were not very good and I slept through them all while listening to my MP3 player (well Dave's MP3 player). Chris was not able to sleep at all during the entire flight which really sucked for her. We had a little breakfast consisting of potatoes, a weird looking cherry tomato and a salsa omelette. It was quite good. The plane descended shortly after breakfast and I got a little naseous but nothing too bad really. Overall the plane ride was exciting but also pretty uneventful. The customs line was enormous and took near to an hour to get through although there was a guy in line a little behind us who looked EXACTLY like my brother Tyler, it was kind of creepy.

Day 2: Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
This was the day we actually entered London - it was also Tyler's 27th birthday (Happy belated bro)! We got our luggage no problem and headed to the Gatwick Express platform. After a little direction we made it to the train and boarded it. We sat at a little table by ourselves and put our checked luggage in a rack for safe keeping. The ride took 30 minutes and was quite pleasant. We stopped at Victoria Station in London and proceeded to make our way through it. We noticed that there were pigeons flying around inside the station which we thought was weird. We bought our Oyster cards (&3 deposit plus &20 put on it). We started to make our way to the underground system where we learned that there were a great number of stairs involved in this. It was hard to get through the gates with the luggage as they didn't really fit. We rode the tube to the bayswater station (the closest one to our hostel) and when we exited the station there was a man from one of the hostels giving directions. He told us our hostel was close and to turn left at the Pizza hut and then right at the laundrymat and then go down the red stairs next to the red door. Going down the stairs with the luggage was difficult and dangerous to say the least. I was afraid I was going to fall or drop my luggage and take Chris down too so I waited for her to be all the way down before I went further.

We checked in and got our key to room #11 and started making our way up - there were a lot of stairs here to and they were also very narrow making it hard to move the luggage. I changed out of my airplane clothes and then we bussed to Piccadilly Circus and started aimlessly walking around the city trying to get a handle of everything. We ended up seeing Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch and hit the tourist centre on regent street. it was all so beautiful. We bussed from trafalgar to The Lamb (a tradiational pub) for dinner. I had fish and chips (&10) and Chris had a mint and lamb burger.

We then tried to go to the library near our hostel at Notting Hill Gate but it had the weirdest hours ever and was completely closed on Wednesdays. So we walked to the grocery store and bought our first load of groceries only to find out that there was a bigger better version just a little further down the street. We spent &16 for groceries. On the way back to our hostel we got some stamps and postcards at a convenience/tourist shop for &5.80.

We had lasagna for dinner with a salad of lettuce and carrots (Chris had some mayo on hers) and then hung out in our room for the rest of the night trying to get used to it too. I showered in a private shower room (the one for room #5) and then went to bed around 8:30pm (London Time)

Chris woke up @ 10 to go to the washroom and I did the same at midnight when 2 dutch girls arrived in the room. There were also a German girl, chinese girl and a guy from California in our room with us. Everyone was pretty quiet and laid back.

Day 3: Thursday, January 17th, 2008
Woke up at about 5:30am and got dressed and packed up. We ate the free breakfast which consisted of toast, cereal, milk, juice and assorted spreads. I paid for some internet time (50p) and emailed Dave and my parents informing them that we had made it safely.

We took the bus to Brompton Cathedral in Kensington and walked past the Victoria and Albert and Natural Science Museums.

We got to the Brompton Oratory at 7:45am and went inside where no pictures were allowed. It was absolutely breathtaking. It was so gorgeous. This was the first time we felt like we were 'somewhere else' - somewhere other than Canada. We walked from there down the road to Harrod's Deparment Store only to find that it didn't open until 9am that day. We took the bus to Tower Hill Station where we were supposed to meet our tour guide for the Old City Walking Tour. we Met an Aussie named Bobby there who was also waiting for the tour to start. Another guide showed up (who knew of Eddie Izzard) and informed us that the Old City Tour was cancelled just for today and offered to show everyone the way to the Royal Walking Tour. Since we were scheduled to go on this tour later on (on a day that woudl involve the changing of the guards) we decided to not go with them and instead head to the London Zoo.

We tubed to Camden Town and headed in what turned out to be the wrong direction although going in the wrong direction made it psosible for us to pass the Dr. Marten Shoe Store which was really neat. We finally made it to the zoo around 11 and bought our tickets (&13). We ate lunch at the cafe (our packed lunch consisting of yogurt, carrots, salami sandwiches, and Jaffa Cakes) and it was delicious. Black Cherry Low Fat yogurt in the little blue containers tastes just like Cherry Garcia Ice Cream from Ben And Jerry. We saw the 'Animals in Action' exhibition in the Amphitheatre right after lunch and then started walking around. We found the Winnie statue in the Children's Section of the zoo and took some pictures there. We met up with a fellower of the zoo (essentailly someone who has donated a lot of money) and he ended up giving us a grand private tour of the zoo starting with one of his favourites - Bertram who would present him with tokens of affection which was very cute.

We went to the Spider Monkey enclosure in which you can walk around with them and Maras (a large rodent). We saw that the monkeys in their little house had a nail which they had pulled from the wall so we had to tell on them and the volunteers called the keepers to come and get it from them. Jokingly I offered my camera to the monkeys and one came right up and starting holding and nibbling it. He then bit my thumb, not breaking the skin but he did crack the nail. Cheeky Monkey!

We went to the penguin feeding called Pecking Penguins. The penguin enclosure had to be moved since the old one had a meeting with a fox who killed 7 of the penguins. This isn't the story that the keeper told however. They are unable to change anything about the old enclosure though since it is classified as a "Grey Building" which means it was one fo the first suspended concrete buildings. We saw hunting dogs fighting over a carcas they weer being fed and then went to shop where I bought a toy spider monkey for &3.50. It started to rain so we covered ourselves and I put my rain cover on my bag. I used my new umbrella for abit and it was great. The rain stopped shortly after it started and we then bussed back to the hostel. We stopped at a grocery store and got dinner (frozen pizza) and Mars Ice Cream bars. My feet really hurt and actually had a couple blisters on them.

I showered and then emailed Dave and my parents again (50p) while Chris cooked the pizza. It was very good pizza and once again we had a little lettuce and carrot salad with it.

We took the bus to the British Museum after getting changed only to find out (well I already knew) that the museum was pretty much closed at that time except for the Grand Court and one small exhibit just off of it called Living and Dying. We wrote in our journal while sitting in the Grand Court, looked at the museum maps and then headed back to the hostel.

At the bus stop this slightly drunk British young man started talking to us and ended up getting on the same bus as us and hitting on us the entire way home. It wasn't that bad though as both Chris and I were there and we felt safe.

We missed the Queensway stop and thebus went around a detour during which the bus driver wouldnot stop (not like in Ottawa at all). We ended up having to walk a fair bit back to our hostel but we made it so it was alright. We got to bed at about 11pm.

Day 4: Friday, January 18th, 2008
Woke up at 5am. Got dressed in communal bathrooms and brought bags downstairs. Found out that some of our food had been stolen (1 cupcake, 3 pieces of cheese, entire package of salami and bread). We made ourlunches with what was left and then ehaded to the Victoria Bus station (coach bus station). We got there 30 minutes early and were able to get good seats on the bus to Salisbury. The bus had seatbelts as there is a law requiring that in Britain and it felt very space-ish. I slept most of the way to Southampton while Chris stayed awake so we wouldn't miss our stop. We got there at 9:25am and began waiting for teh nextbus. I used a pay-toilet (20p) which Chris found entertaining. Got on the second bus and finished the trip to Salisbury. We walked fromthe station on Endless street (which is actually very short) and then walked up the many hills to teh hostel. It was very cute and the walkway was adorable. YHA Salisbury was so clean and pretty. We had to pay &3 for not beign YHA members but that was okay. We got our room keys (to #4) and walke dup the one set of stairs to the room. We ate a bit of our lunch and then slowly made our way back down and to the bus station. We arrived at noon, 15 minutes after a bus departed to Salisbury and had to wait 45 minutse for the next one. We got front row seats on the upper level of thebus and started the crazy ride to Stonehenge in Wiltshier. As we began to see it I started to realize just what we were about to see and got eally excited. We got our ticket (&3.50) and a complimentary headset and ran down the tunnel - okay I ran down the tunnel. I started taking picture after picture and I was so happy the be there finally. It was everything I had ever imagined and so much more. the weather was kind of awful as it was cold and rainy but I barely noticed. A blister on my foot had popped onthe way to the station that morning and I also didn't notice that. i was so emotional that I had finally made it to Stonehenge that I cried a little.

Chris adn I met up a couple of times around the circle and chatted a bit. I appreciated the fact that she let me do it on my own at my own pace (which was slow and picture filled) even though it was cold and wet. the complimentary headset didn't tell me much that I did't already knwo about the stones but it was still nice. the entire thing was beyond words amazing. There were few people which allowed me to take some great pictures in which it looks like there is no one else there but me. Chris and I met back up and took some photos of eachother and got some other tourists to take pictures of both of us together.

When we were waiting for the bus back - after shopping in the store (&22.50) and feeling two examples stone (one was significantly colder than the other) we got very cold. The bus came in a puff of black smoke as the back tire seemed like it was on fire. We had to wait for a replacement bus to come from salisbury so it took us longer than anticipated to get back to our hostel.

We went to the information centrein town and got some pamphlets after shopping at TK Maxx where I bought a picture frame for &3.

We got back tot he hostel and chatted with a girl from Kingston for quite some time while repacking and resting. We went down and made our dinner of tortellini noodles (from a can) and some corn. We had the rest of our cupckaes (which were squished) for dessert as well as our hula hoops chips. We ordered foro for our dinner the next day (&4.80) and got Purbeck Ice Cream from Dorset for a snack (&1.50). I t was very good - I got chocolate and Chris got mint and chipets ( small chocolate pieces). we apcked again and planned base of tomorrow's plans. We bought two bus passed today (one each)for &7.50 and split on one for tomorrow since Kingston girl gave us an unused one for free which was very nice of her.

We went to bed early (about 8:30pm) and planned to get up at 6:30am the next day.
this was an absolutely amazing day!!

Day 5: Saturday, January 19th, 2008
We woke up to Kingston girl's alarm clock as both of our alarms died last night (mine throughout the night) so we woke up at 8am. We both showered, packed and put our luggage in the 'left luggage area' in the basement. Ate hot breakfast of egg, toast, cheese, meats, juices and milk. Then went to the bus station to wait for the avebury bus (9:20am). Bussed to Pewsey then to Avebury. Visited the tourist information centre which was inside a little chapel. Bought map of stones (50p). Weather was wrtched - raining, windy and cold. Shoes were soaked after 10 minutes of walking in the wet grass. We walked aorund the stones for about 2 hours. They were nice and much larger than anticipated but did not have the same feeling as Stonehenge. Possibly because we had only learned abou them a monthor so ago and therefore there was not this big buildup to them and possibly because you could not see all of them at once - maybe 10 at the absolute most. We ate lunch at the red Lion Pub (&11) where I had a coke and fish and chips. Chris has sausage and mash. Pubw as from 1800s and has a thatche droof - there was a well there which the pub had beenbuilt around and had been converted into a table to eat at with a light coming from underneath the glass top. Story goes that Flora was killed by her husband and thrown into the well for being unfaithful. She now supposedly haunts the pub. Chris called the hostel from a payphone to try to reserve our beds for that night since we would not be returning until late.

We headed back to salisbury on the 1:58pm bus and along the way i got pictures of a Tank Corssing sign For Dave.
We went to the Salisbury museum (&3ish) in which there was some stonehenge stuff and period costumes as well. Had to be asked toleave at which time we realized it waas very dark and that pictures of the Salisbury Cathedral were not going to be good though we took some none-the-less. We walked back to the hostel where we picke dout our bags and our lunches we had ordered the ngiht before. We took the bus back to Southampton and then to London and got in about 10:30. There weer only top bunks available so we slept in those and went right to sleep.

Day 6: Sunday, January 20th, 2008
Woke up at 5am (Chris at 5:30am). Got dressed and whatnot outside of the room to leave it quiet for the others in there who were sleeping. We ate breakfast slowly after emailing Dave (50p). Went to Tesco and bought some food (&3) and then came back and made lunches and then left the hostel again.

We bussed to Victoria Station where we traded in our Oyster cards for a 7a day pass (~&15). Went to Leicester square to get theatre tickets from TKTS but it was closed. Bussed to Wellington arch to meet tour people - atelunch while we waited. Started Tour with Gregg walked to Buckingham Palace and watched the Changing of the Guards which was not as interesting as I had thought it would be. We walked to St James Place took photos with the guards (this is where Charles, William, harry and Camilla live in London). Saw Piccadilly Circus (possibly named after fancy collar the Piccadill since the man who created them supposedly owned most of that road but could also be named after the fact that this is where the prosititues were chosen who were called dilly - pick a dilly), Downing Street (Prime Minister famous house is 10 Downing street although he actually lives in 11 Downing Street since 10 was not big enough, washed walls of building for big event several years ago and public proclaimed it was not the riht place since the walls should be black. This blackness was actually 'london fog' or pollution so they had to paint the bricks black), Big Ben (actually the name of the bell inside the tower which only people with a British passport can see), Cabinet War Rooms, Nelson's Column, etc. Finished at the Abbey where we tipped Gregg &5.

Went to the National Gallery and finished eating our lunch in the gallery cafe. We visited the impressionist rooms, Anolfini portraits then headed to the National Portait Gallery where we saw Queen Elizabeth portraits, shakespeare portait and Karsch photographs. Bussed back, went to Tescot to buy groceries (&4), had pizza for dinner again and once again emailed Dave and my parents. I wrote in my journal while Chris and I chatted and then we went to bed at around 9pm.

Day 7: Monday, January 21st, 2008
Woke up at 6:30am, had breakfast and made lunches for the day. We then took the stuve to St. James Wood and then walked to Abbey Road from there (Abbey Road Studios to be exact). We signed the wall surrounding the front of the building and then took pictures crossing the street we believed to be the famous spot from the Beatles album cover. We then tookthe bus and the tube to tower hill (gotpictures of Dave [man channel] advertisement along the way) where we ate the first part of our lunch. I was feeling very sick and dizzy for some reason.

We had the Old City Wakling Tour with Gregg (same guide as previous walking tour) during which we saw Tower Hill, St. Pauls' Cathedral, Globe Theatre, Millenium Bridge, London Bridge and Tower Bridge. We also saw the Bank of England, Mayor's House, Australia House and the stock excahnge. We saw the monument to the Great Fir (if laid on side tip of monument would mark starting point of the fire, when fire occurred mayor was alerted and proclaimed that a woman could piss it out), temple gardens, covent gardens (originally convenet gardens - it was a spelling mistake which took). We tipped gregg &5 again. When the tour was over we are the rest of our lunch in convent gardens and then went into a little toy shop. We then took the bus to the World's largest Toy Store - Hamleys where I bought my dad's present and my mom's persent. We then took the bus to the library near notting hill gate station where we had to get a user ID and password to use the internset. I emailed Dave and Chris checked some stuff as well.

We walked back to our hostel and started cooking dinner - pasta and vegetables, watched part of Mr and Mrs Smith, ate and Chris showered. We got dressed up and put on makeup and headed out for the theatre as we had bought tickets earlier for &30 at TKTS. I bought a booklet (&5) and we found our seats. There was a nice british family who informed us of the free coatcheck and chris went and checked our coats for us while I saved our seats (not that they were going anywhere). We talked to the British man until Les Miserables started. Chris and i cried through the entire second half. It was VERY good! We took the bus home and went to be at 11pm.

Day 8: Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
We woke up at 6:15am, although it was supposed to be 7:15am, had breakfast and made our lunched. We bussed to the Tower Hill station and took pictures of it and the Tower Bridge until 9:15am when we entered the Tower of London (&13). We saw the crown jewels right away and then ate lunch. We went through the White Tower and then did the Yoeman (beefeater) tour. We walked along the edge of the tower gate and went into each fo the individual towers. We went into the shop and I bought another gift for mom and a raven for myself (&8). We took the bus to covet gardens adn dwalked to ROck and Sole where we had fish and chips for dinner (&12). We then tubed to Kings Cross Station where Chris got her picture taken at 9 3/4 staton (Harry Potter). We went to the British Library and saw the Magna Carta, Beatles stuff (one song [hard day's night] written on back of John Lennons sons 1st birthday card), Da Vinci Papers, Shakespeare manuscripts, Mozart and Beethoven symphonies, many old bibles and scriptures, etc. It was really neat but no pictures were allowed. Took the tube to Tower Hill to wait for the Key Ceremony. We were very early so we had drinks and lollies in Wagamama (&4). We then went to the key ceremony. I twas really neat and interesting. Our Yoeman from earlier was the key holder and Camilla was in the White Tower having dinner. Felt under dressed as many people were in formal attire. We took the tube home and ordered our London Eye tickets online. Went to bed after hanging out in the loby (emailing Dave and chatting) at 11:30pm.

Day 9: Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Woke up at 6am had breakfast and made lunches as normal. Tubed to St. Paul's (&8.50). Walked around crypt and ate lunch with statues staring at us. we walked up 163 steps to the whispering gallery which really worked. I was nervous I was going to fall. We continued up to the Stone Gallery (another 150 steps) where I felt more comfortable due to the large walls. We then walked up to the Golden Gallery (another 160 steps) which was raelly scary and I was very nervous. but I made it up. The railing looked sketchy and the walkway was barely wide enough for one person. came down and went to Tube to London Eye. Picked up Tickets (pre-ordered pervious night), had lunch in Manga Cafe and then bought 360 degree guides (&3). Boarded capsule with only one other person - a Romanian woman who was very nice. We went very high but I was not nervous at all. Got amazing views of the city. Posed for picture machine which we later found out wasn't working - we must have looked like losers.

When we got off we saw dali statues in front of the Aquarium and thenwalked across Westminster bridge taking pictures of Big Ben and the London Eye as well as the Parliament builgins. Went inside St. margaret's Church and then into Westminster Abbey (&7). ate lunch in the courtyard and then visitied the museum where there were effigies of many Queens and Important people. I bought 3 postcards of the interior of Westminster since pictures are not allowed (&1.20). Walked in gardens and cloisters, saw Poets Corner (Shakespeare, Jane Austin, Bronte Sisters, etc) and saw tomb of little princes from the Tower of London who were near the tomb of Queen Elizabeth I (who shared with Queen Mary I). Walked around Nave - saw unknown warrior tomb and graves of Sir Issacc Newton and Darwin. Monument to Newton was big and important feeling (because it is) and it was very beautiful. We tubed home and took a nap from about 4:30 until 8pm. We made dinner (leftover pasta from previous night and vegetables). Chatted with Dave online while Chris read magazines. Thenshowered and headed to bed. Hot to bed at about 10:30pm.

Day 10: Thursday, January 24th, 2008
Woke up at 7:30am, had breakfast and made lunch. Headed down to Harrods byu bus only to find out that it opens at 10am not 9am like we thought. We walked downt he street and sat on a doorstep for 45minutes then walked back to Harrods. When we got into Harrod's we learned just what an event this store really is. Backpacks were not allowed so we had to carry them like hand bags - very heavy awkward handbags. We found the fountainf or Princess Diana and took photos. Then bouight souvenirs and gifts at the Harrods Gift shop (&33) and then left the store an hour later. We bussed down the the Natural Science Museum and ate the first half of our lunch at a maple leaf table in the school section apaprently. We checked our bags (&3) and walked around the museum together. We saw dinsoaurs skeletons and bones and the teenager t-rex robot, a cut of a giant sequoia tree 1300+ years old. we walked around the gen and minreal section for quite some time and then set off to the volcano and earthquake area. the exhibit where the ground shakes as if in a real earthquake could not be found so we visited the gift shop (bought nothing) and then picked up our bags and headed off to the British Museum. Before going in we went to Fancy That of London and bought some souvenirs - I got something for me and something for Tyler. We ate the second half of our lunch and then split up after checking our bags again (&2). I bought a highlights audio tour (&3.50) from a guy who highlighted all the parts of themuseum which were open past 5:30pm on the map for me. I walked through the Egypt section, Assyria and Greek areas then headed up through the Americas section to the Mummies. Waited fro a mummy talk at 6:15pm (took with Chris) which was reallyinteresting. Learned about Shabti's from my audio guide which are figures placed in the tomb with the mummies who when the person is caleld upon to do physical work in the afterlife, will activate and do the work for the person. Some people had up to 365 Shabti's (one for each day) and some even had Shabti watchers who would make sure the little groups of Shabti were working efficiently on your behalf. Bought small gift for dave (&1) and got my bags. The harrods bag had ripped and they gave me a british museum one for free. The store worker made a note about how cheap the harrods bags can sometimes be. We walked to Wagama for dinner where I had noodles, rice and some chicken meat. I didn't eat most of it so I got it wrapped up for breakfast tomorrow. We bussed home and I emailed Dave requesting a ride from the bus station the next day when we returned to Canada. We went to bed rather early.

Day 11: Friday, January 25th, 2008
Woke up at 7:30am and packed out bags after a quick shower. It was hard to get everything into our bags and took a great deal of time to finish packing. We lugged our bags down to the floor with the main door (not to the basement) and then went downstairs for breakfast. There were a lot of people eating today and the kitchen was very crowded. I warmed up my dinner from last night and ate some of it, then offered it to Chris. I had one piece of toast as well and some juice. We asked for the driver to take up to Victoria Station Train Station. It was a very dodgy ride to the station. The van felt like it was going to fall apart and the driver was very french. He reminded me of someone from a movie but I couldn't figure out who (still can't). Chris had to answer his phone for him since you are not allowed to talk on a cell unless with a handsfree device and he had forgotten his and the cops were everywhere. He dropped us off with plenty of time to spare and we made our way to the gatwick express platform. There was a train waiting for us there and we got right on. We put our bags in the storage place again beside us and faced backwards the entire ride there (I was actually fine in terms of motion-sickness). We got to the airport and figured out what terminal we had to go to and then made our way there. We checked our bags which were both over weight. The limit was 20kg as before and Chris was 22 whilemine was 25kg. They didn't say anything as we were the first to check in and let it go which was awesome. We went and walked around the waiting area as our gate had not yet been posted. This is a very clever trick by the airport people - they do not post your gate until an hour before your plane's departure which makes you stay where the shops are and you end up buying things you do not need. Chris and I bought chocolate. I got 3 bags of mini creme eggs (they were 3 for 2) for &2.50 and a big bag of Quality street chocolates for &5 so their ploy worked perfectly I guess. We walked to the Burger King and waited for a bit talking about random things then bought and ate lunch there (&9). We played some children's games and then found our gate number was posted so we headed there. We waited for less than 30 minutes and then got on the plane. We had to wait a bit on the plane as it was early. It eventually took off and once again I had no problems adjusting to the pressure on the way up. We had dinner shortly after starting on the plane which was shepherds pie and salad (potato so I gave it to Chris) and well as a bun. It was very good. There was also a snack which was not so great. It had a curry chicken wrap which was not yummy at all - ew curry. The movies were better on this trip - there was a night the museum and something else I now forget but watched. I fell asleep through the third movie which I was not interested in. Chris again was unable to sleep on the plane. The flight attendant gave us a giant bottle of water for our naglene bottles which was really cool of her though it looked like she snuck it to us - probably so other passengers didn't ask for the same thing. The sky was gorgeous on the way home with the big puffy clouds against the blue skyand then later then gorgeous sunset just starting. We crossed over Greenland and the pilot seemed to know a great deal about this place which was a little eery but it was beautiful though we had to go to the other side of the plane to see it. We could see iceburgs in the water on our side though. Later a plane passed by us (and below too) on our side of the plane which was really neat. We landed with no complications whatsoever and flew through customs. We got our baggage and the whole thing took 45minutes. We would have just missed our bus to Ottawa but there were delays and we ended up catching the one whichwas supposed to leave at 6:20pm (EST). We got into Ottawa at about 9pm and Dave came and picked us up and then dropped Chris off at home. I went home, got some water and a snack (dave and I bought chips on the way home) and went to bed shortly there-after as I was very tired.

It was a fantastic trip which lived up to my every hope and dream. I would do it again in a heartbeat and not change a thing (maybe make my feet hurt a little less). I absolutely loved it. Thank you Chris for thinking of such a wonderful thing so many months ago - I really appreciate that you wanted to go travelling with me.