Mount Yam (as I so affectionately call it.)

So I took a hike up a mountain on Sunday with my good friend Calvin.

Mount Yamnuska

Mountain height: 2,240 m (7,347 ft)
Roundtrip distance: 8.78 km

Other peoples photo's that I didn't take because I was too busy not falling...

This was a great hike but proof that I might need to invest in some decent hiking boots. I'm just so resistant to them because I prefer something light and flexible. I feel weighed down by the girth of hiking boots.

The weather was warm and hardly a cloud in the sky. Lucky for us a spring breeze was with us most of the time keeping us cool and by the time we got to what they call " the chimney" there was a little snow so it was cooler. Especially considering that was the most stressful part of the hike.

Mount Yam from my camera phone... oh and a nice close up of Calvin's dirty wind shield on his car

Mountain Crocus- the first flower of spring. They were really late this year though because spring took forever to come.

Calvin "Climbing" over the edge

Calvin and I

Calvin and I at "The Chimney" This was the gate way to the really intense hiking along loose shale and deep snow. I was in running shoes and shorts. Good Job Blanche!

We made it! Calvin looking confident at the top (pictures were NOT taken on the way up because I was too scared!)


Eeeek! Not looking so confident at the top! Scared of heights and no fast way to get down alive... I think I was making Calvin more nervous then he should have been because I seemed unsteady and wouldn't sit down.

Look Calvin- no hands! (OK that was lame.. but the hike was awesome!)

Sad Robot

I'm feeling stuck. Fighting an undertow and I must admit- I'm a bit like a sad robot.

Beep.

It's moments and days like these that I write things that I'd rather not admit. I keep them locked away in another blog because it's hard to show that even this girl has a sad moment.

I'd like to fix it but sometimes it's not my place to do so or even the right timing.

Sometimes life looks so different then from how I picture it. I get frustrated and and stuck in the undertow.

Take Me Tuesday

It's Tuesday afternoon and I am attempting to write a blog which I must admit is a wee bit hard considering I have nothing to really talk about. I had a very tasty lunch however it wasn't enough- I'm still hungry so I am distracted by the thoughts of cookies... and chocolate.

Mmmmm....

I have many things on my mind other then cookies and chocolate. I'm excited about going away next week to the west coast of Canada. It will be a road trip of sorts with lots of different destinations to go too... I don't want to say too much because I want to save that for a future blog. I plan to get some lovely photos and maybe even something good enough to frame and add to the bare walls of my condo!

I'm also thinking about how I want to space out the plans for my week- I don't have anything on my calender (which is rare for me.) but over all I have some things I need to get done like laundry and cleaning. As the days are getting warmer I'd like to change my cozy winter bed linens with the lighter and whiter summer ones. I produce too much body heat when I sleep- I am a little furnace, I must admit! So when the nights get warmer so do I- I blame it on my rocket fuel metabolism.

I also would like to get some yoga in, I haven't done any in the last few days and can feel the tightness in my body. Though that could have been from hiking up that mountain on Sunday ( I plan to blog about that later too... Just waiting for the time to upload pictures from my camera.). When I get back from my holidays I think I will join a studio again... I miss the class environment though it's convenient to do my own yoga on my own... my quality of yoga just isn't where it usually is when I am in class.

Along with starting yoga I'd like to also re-learn how to knit (I've been inspired by other peoples adventures in the land of yarn.)- I don't want to knit anything in particular but just the simple act of knitting sounds so relaxing. Couple that with the desire to make jewelery again I think if I can start both of those things I will really deepen my enjoyment of my personal time. Stay away from watching as much TV as I do- not that it's really that much but it's more then I am use to and I don't like that. I imagine my mind getting slower with every minute I spend in front of Gossip Girl or Californication.

So that is an itty-bitty glimpse into my mind right now. I am also distracted by this package I am trying to finish for work... it's so close to being done but I need to go over it with a fine tooth comb to make sure the final product is perfect- I'm just putting it off. I also have some important (non-work related) emails to respond too and I've been putting those off till the end of the day.

So with that note, I am going to run off and finish my work!

Happy Tuesday Afternoon!

So Pleased To Meat You

Networking has never been so tasteless (depending on your pallet of course)... Pleased to meat you

Toast

I admit, I think I have the best smelling toast in the whole office. That's right.. of both the floors in my office my toast smells the best. People will comment as they walk past my office about "Aaaah! I smelt toast in the kitchen, knew it must have been yours! Smells good!". They will mention how they have brought bread of their own to toast and can't wait to eat theirs because mine smells so good. We talk about different spreads, breads and combinations.

• Raisin toast with Cream Cheese
  
• Whole Grain Bird Seed (This is what I call bread with little seeds and such on it.) toast with organic peanut butter and tart apple slices on the side
  
• Cranberry Raisin Cinnamon toast with lots of butter
  
• Rye with homemade tangy marmalade

Mmmm soo tasty.

There is a dark side of toast though (dun-dun-dunnnnn)... I have discovered that there are people in this darling world of ours who don't like toast *gasp!*. That's right! I have two friends who honest to goodness dislike toast!! Of course people are entitled to their likes and dislikes when it comes to food.. I expect to come across people who don't like seafood, tomatoes, hot dogs and popcorn-but toast? I figured it was one of those things that anyone could enjoy... you just have to find the right combination even if it's Nutella on lightly toasted Wonderbread. As crazy as it sounds I just can't wrap my head around it. It's like saying that you don't like chocolate or strawberries or mashed potatoes...

Obviously I was wrong and I'm OK with that. I just make sure that I have breakfast with these toast hating people so when it comes down to eating, I get to trade my hash browns for their unwanted slices of toast.

Random Moral of the Story:

Food is like the weather, it's easy conversation to have to with people you don't know.

Free Art

Fact: it's Girly (which is a good thing because I'm a girl.)

Fact: it's freeeeee

Fact: who doesn't love pretty walls!

Fact: there can never be enough creative people in the world so lets celebrate them!

Fact: You can get it here -> Feed Your Soul: the free art project

Back from a Back Breaking Break

I'm back from a little break and during my absence it seems that they (whoever "they" are or is or however that grammatically works.) have found "the missing link"- THE link that they claim links humans to lemurs.

• the article

Over the long weekend I was having an afternoon delight at one of my favorite spots in my neighbourhood. Over cheese, meats, wine and freshly baked cookies Mark informed me that Hobbits are in deed real. I've always claimed myself to be part hobbit (cheerful demeanor, strange feet and always has a second breakfast- sometimes even a second dinner!) but that would be based more on the J.R.R. Tolkien take on a Hobbit and not on what scientist are actually claiming hobbits to be.

• the article

interesting isn't it (though a little less magical then I had originally thought.) but it explains why a good chunk of men I date act like lemurs.

Calgary's Most Notorious

Yesterday, I broke the law- a little. As discussed in earlier blogs I am working on creating a home for myself. Needing many basics I have been spending a little bit of time at Ikea to start myself out (rugs, lighting, decor for the walls.). I'd like to say that I was one of those hip, creative types that can blow into her living room with ribbon and egg cartons and create amazing items in 30 minutes flat but truly... I just don't have the time for that. So, for now, I have to resort to other peoples creative inventions and replications of them. Simply put- I can be Martha Stewart later (By the way- is she still out there? I'm not kidding when I say I don't have much time these days.).

On Monday Laura and I went to Ikea with getting Ice Cream the only thing on the agenda (they have $0.25 ice cream there.) however we left with an arm full of stuff. She with 2 rubber dog dishes for camping, 2 roll-ish type things (Now that I think about it I don't really know what those were.) and 3 package of batteries. I left with 2 lamps and 2 sets of those eco-friendly light bulbs- we forgot about ice cream.

Arriving home I was excited to put my lamps together- pretty things about as tall as me- I imagined them creating just the right mood (while being easy on my electrical bill thanks to the eco-friendly light bulbs) in whatever room I thought they worked best in. When I got to the part where I screw in the light bulbs I hit a giant sinkhole bump in the road. The bulbs I had purchased were the wrong size. They didn't screw into the sockets properly. *sigh*

So the next day, Laura and I headed to Ikea 30 minutes before their closing time. Due to circumstances in both of our lives that was the soonest we could get there. In most stores, I agree, 30 minutes is more then enough time to do a simple exchange but the way Ikea is set up in Calgary (and perhaps all around the world.) you have to go those this mad maze between 2 floors weaving in and out of slow walking people with super-size-me shopping carts. That was just to get to where the light bulbs were... then we would have to wait in line for at least 20 minutes in the "Ikea is about to close so hurry to the front with your purchases, NOW!" line up. Once completing that portion of the adventure I would then have to go to a totally separate section of the store, take a number and wait for my turn so I could return my item.

I'd like to note now that this is not a negative statement against Ikea at all. That's just what my previous experiences have been. The people there are lovely and truth be told- I'm sure they would have stayed till midnight to help me but I've worked retail before... I don't want them to stay late over light bulbs (even if they were $30's worth of something that I would 't use anywhere else in my place.).

Laura and I pulled up to Ikea making our first illegal choice. We parked in the "Expecting Mothers and Family Only" parking and not in an empty spot waaaay in the back where no one would really park anyway but smack up front! The most convenient bit of parking real estate in the lot and no Mame- neither of us are mothers, expecting others or even look like expecting mothers. Running inside we avoided the mad maze but slipping through a "Staff Only" doorway right into the market area (the place where light bulbs come from.). Coming across the light I had purchased the day before Laura and I pulled it apart to inspect the type of bulbs they had used. We then ran to the mountain of bulbs and found the ones we needed. It was a matter of seconds before either of us knew what we were doing- I'd pulled the useless bulbs out of my bag and swapped them for the ones I needed. Yes, I made sure the prices were the same (even the model numbers were the same "E12" just the bottoms were much slimmer on the ones I needed then the ones I'd purchased.) but I knew right then that I was cutting through a lot of red tape. I tossed the proper bulbs in my bag (making sure I still had my receipt from before.) leaving the useless ones in the pile where I had bought them from the day before.

We made it in and out of the store in 10 minutes. I doubt I will ever do this again and yes, this is the closest I have ever come to breaking the law since my one rebellious day in high school. It still feels naughty though- but that really can't be helped can it.

My New Addition

My roommate moved out about 6 months ago. When he left he took everything with him because, well... it was his (thank goodness too because -bless his heart- his stuff was very tacky not my style.). All I had left was my bed, a kick ass computer and my dishes because, well... those were mine. I know, I'm kind of old to be starting from scratch but I've never had to buy anything before. I've always lived with someone- my parents, a boyfriend or a roommate. It wasn't until now that I actually have my own place that I do need a kitchen table, a couch and maybe a lamp or two. I don't really need a TV- I have my computer for when I feel like injecting something the equivalent of junk food into my brain.

*Gossip Girl = MacDonald's in case you didn't know this already.*

and movies- I watch a lot of movies. Well, not a lot but when I have time I enjoy watching movies (preferably not romantic comedies). In order to do this I need to be able to sit in front of my computer which for a good few weeks I did so by perching on my tool chest (not good for my back).

I searched and searched for the ideal dinning table and the perfect couch. I found both of them about a month later (February). The table and chairs I was able to take home right away but they were out of stock on my couch- no big deal. I've been with out one that long what could another month going to hurt? Fast forward to mid April and I got a call that half of my couch was ready for delivery but the rest of it was still on back order. Half a couch is better then no couch so I agreed with a smile that I would take the half and wait for the rest rather then taking the whole thing in May. Fast forward to May 7th 2009 and I get a call from the furniture store- the rest of my couch is here (a week early) I was SO excited. They delivered it 2 days later and I can now say that my place is finally starting to feel more like a home.

This couch is pretty exciting to me because it fits perfectly where I want it (I'm in a 900 sq ft 2 bedroom condo), it has a section that pulls out so it makes into a bed for overnight guests, it has extra storage (big fan of that- I don't do well with clutter.) and- it's a bit of a sexy couch!
So, all in all- I'm feeling very adult-like with me new couch and me new kitchen table. When I return from holidays in the middle of June I plan to get the place fixed up with lighting, art and perhaps a rug or two. Then I will finally be able to have a house warming party with out having to worry about breaking any of my old roommates Transformers (that is a whole other blog... ). Even though I must admit- my couch reminds me a bit of a Transformer.

Just Wait 10 Minutes

I live in a place called Calgary, Alberta... I've pretty much lived and considered it to be my home my whole life. Though I do dream of living by the ocean or at least a small body of water.... In time. Maybe I'll become what they call "Snow Birds" when I retire. Of all the large cities in Canada, Calgary happens to have the most unpredictable weather of them all- it's an on going joke that if you don't like the weather here just wait 10 minutes (and it will change.). In order to illustrate this I have copied a quick little synopses of what someone has written about what the Calgary climate is really like.

"July is the warmest month with a 24-hour average of just over 15 and January has about minus 7.The city gets about 169 frost free days per year on average. Some of them occur in the fall and even winter (during Chinooks) after the growing season has ended, so we normally have only about about 115 consecutive frost free days per season, from around May 23 to September 15.

The wild temperature fluctuations characteristic of Calgary weather are partly attributed to the continental climate. The high altitude plays a role, and some of the remaining credit goes to the turbulent winds in the wake of the Rocky Mountains. The temperature reaches 20°C or better, about 85 days each year. And 30° only about four times. Chinooks and cold fronts can result in temperature changes of 10° or more in a single hour.

Calgary has a definite dry season and a moist season. The city gets a little over 400 mm of total precipitation in an average year. Of that we often get 120 cm of snow between September and May, which melts down to about 120 mm of water. That's the drier season.

The better part of the 300 mm of rain falling between May and September constitutes our wet (and growing) season. This still makes xeriscape gardening, a technique that conserves water, worthwhile in Calgary weather. We can go months without significant moisture even in the summer.

Most rain in one day - 95.3 mm on July 15, 1927. Most snow - 48.4 cm on May 6, 1981. We usually see some kind of precipitation on 113 days out of the year. And we normally have about 88 days with snow on the ground (1 cm or more).

The winds around here are worth mentioning as well. Southern Alberta in general is recognized as a windy area year round. Calgary's highest gust at 127 km/hour occurred in June, 1956, probably during a thunderstorm not during one of the winter Chinooks we are so famous for.

Is it sunny there? At over 2400 hours on average of bright sunshine per year, Calgary weather, along with many other south Canadian prairie locations, makes us one of Canada's sunniest places.It can be bright, sunny and extremely cold and wind all at the same time in winter. It's something to experience."


That's right! It's something to experience!

Copied from Stuff In The Air

It's Been A While

It's been a while since I've written and my only excuse is I've been busy... I tried to write a fabulous blog on Thursday but through fumbly fingers and bad timing I ended up deleting it. Disappointed but there was nothing I could do to fix it. So, I'm back again- sadly not with a fabulous blog but at least it's with something.

It was Mothers Day on Sunday so I spent the day with my parents hiking out at our Country House with the dogs. I made sure to wear my rubber boots because there were plenty of mud and puddles to play in. It was nice to be out and about in the spring air but the tree's are still very naked of leaves so it still looks a bit like winter. It was a friend of mines father who use to say every year that we were silly to try and plant our plants before Victoria Day (May 18th- aka May Long Weekend.) because there was always a chance of frost. Doesn't matter how nice it has been a smart gardener always waits till after May Long Weekend. That advice has never steered me wrong. So I expect that after this coming weekend I will finally see green leaves on the trees but before then- I won't expect much. Maybe even a little snow (tisk-tisk... Calgary Weather... I tell ya...)!

Tonight, I am hoping that the company I work for has 2 extra tickets for the "Company Box" so Laura and I can see Fleetwood Mac (!!)- I've seen then once before and they were fantastic live. I know as with almost any band they have had their ups and downs in regards to how close they are. Ego's, relationships and sometimes drugs get in the way. When I saw them 5 years ago it was as though that was all put a side and they just went out and played the best music they could. The band was so connected to each other giving us, the audience a glimpse into how closely knit they truly are after all these years.

I also got the rest of my new couch on Saturday. It was finally delivered after having ordered it early February- every thing seems a bit slow leading up to this time of year. I'll tell you more about my couch in another blog- till now I'm off to do a little my work!

What the Cheese Said to the Pie

Food. I love food. Not just any food or all food but good food. The definition of good food to me is... "creative concoctions of top quality ingredients made in a way that doesn't seem as thought it's trying to hard." I like to be able to taste the food I am eating without murdering confusing my taste buds.

The best example I would have for that would be Apple Pie. Classic and simple. There are key ingredients: apples, pie crust, sugar and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.). The apples should be tart, the sugar should be brown, the crust should be flaky (and preferable homemade.) and the spices should be precise. It's important to be able to taste the apple when one is eating apple pie. I don't want Apple-Pie-Spice pie. I want Apple Pie. With a slice of well aged cheddar to accompany it (personal preference of course.).

Good french food accomplishes this well, blending quality ingredients with excellent skill resulting in a very satisfying, delicate and superficially simple (though we all know french food isn't simple- non, non!) delight for the mouth. Mmmmm... Just thinking of it reminds me of the 1987 movie Babette's Feast- a favorite of mine for sure. I have to admit that any movie revolving around the creation of food drives me a bit wild even a particular animated one showcasing a small rat with a flair for the culinary arts (need I say more?).

It's the sharing of the food that lies the most satisfaction thought. Passing forks with mouthfuls of food speared on them, exchanging your tasty samples of experience with other people at the table. Delightful. Food is more then nourishment for the body and soul- it's a way for our bodies to ingest art. To savour every star from Picasso's Starry night and swallow it down to your belly so it is only yours- that is what food is.

Let Them Eat Cake

*A note regarding the The Anytime 5 Minutes Chocolate Cup Cake from my friend Ryan*

"I think I was too hard on the cake.
I mean, it had to grow up in a tough neighbourhood, unlike the luxurious, leisurely environment of the oven. No, it grew up in the trailer park by the high-power electric lines buzzing, and got kicked out of the house at age 16. It wasn't spoiled with any baking powder, like those silver spoon cakes. No, it was just given an egg and told to make the best of it. Dag nabbit though if it didn't ended up just as choclately as the next cake! Sure, a little rubbery, maybe, but when you're forced to grow up fast you have to get tough or you won't make it past minute two. So what if it doesn't fit in at a fancy-schmancy dinner party.
The fact is, who else can you turn to when you have chocolate cake emergency? Throw in some ice cream, and you'll get through it together."

*The moral of the story is let them eat cake- as long as it's warm and comes with ice cream. *

The Moose

Calgary is a city of over a million people. Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains we are so lucky to have such stunning topography at our feet. The city is hugged by two large rivers so though I wish I lived near an ocean- the river does fill the void. With spring testing the waters finally the days are getting warmer giving everyone a spring fever that even the homiest of hermits find themselves scaling the pathways that thread through the city. Yesterday, my best friend Laura and I drove to see my parents. They live within 5 minutes from one of the many beautiful parks that adorn the city. Glenmore Reservoir - it's huge with horse trails, mountain biking, walking paths and a yacht club. Once you get into the park it's as though you have been transported out of the city buzz and into a more rural area of Alberta. A delightful way to wind down after work. We took off with our dogs eventually getting deep into the forest following a beaten path rather then the busy paved one that we had to share with speeding bikers and slow walkers. The air was rich with the smell of awakening foliage and the sounds of birds looking for their mates. I'd mentioned that it would be wonderful to see some wildlife joking that a moose or a bear would be exciting. The experience was delicious. On the way back we chatted about this and that- there is never a lack of words where Laura and I are concerned. Expecting to see typical wild animals like rabbits, squirrels, beavers and birds at first I wasn't too frightened when I saw something move in front of us. I stopped and notice it was not only TWO of something but it was huge! I screamed out of instinct- a blood curdling "I'm being attacked!!!" scream.

Laura: "what is it??!! What's WRONG!!"
Me: "Horse!! Horse thing!! OH MY GOD!!!"
Laura: "Horse THING???-"
Me: "MOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!"
Laura: "oh my goodness!! What do we DO?!"
Me: "MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS POSSIBLE and DO NOT make eye contact!!!!"

so we broke into a spring screaming at the top of our lungs

Laura: "Is it going to chase us???? I need to know so I know how fast I need to run!!!!"
Me: "Just RUN!!!"

Of course the moose were harmless. My main concern was that perhaps one was a Mama and the other was the baby. If that was the case then there may have been reason for panic but really- they were just as scared of my insane screams us as we were of them. I have never seen a moose that close in the city before so it was a bit of a shock.

Next time I'm not going to joke about seeing anything other then bunnies.

The Light Switch

I use to believe that when a person left the room that they would turn the lights off on their way out. With a flick of the finger things would go from brilliant, vivid and clear to dark, somber and lost. Only when the person would return would life return along with the light.

I accepted that things were this way. Eco-friendly. Resourceful. Environmentally Savvy.

I also must admit that I thought people were this way as well. That with a flick of a switch they could go from loving me to never wanting to be around me again. I find it rather sad to admit such shallow thoughts, I was naive to them until just recently.

It took being forgiven (for something really small and irrelevant.) to shift things for me. Shift things into a whole new light that perhaps people can be connected, accepting and genuinely forgiving. That feelings aren't black or white. Dark or light... and that when you walk out that door I'm not seeing you for the last time.

This is my light switch. I carry it around with me in my purse for now. I'm learning it's purpose having just found it jammed in the corner with a few other things. I want to eventually leave it behind when I go out the door because who knows! I might actually need it to turn the lights back on when I get home.

related:
Purses, Luggage and Trunks

Purses, Luggage and Trunks

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have baggage. Some of us carry purses slung over our shoulders, others have wallets in their back pockets, many relentlessly grunt through life dragging Louis Vuitton trunks with matching wheelie suitcases. Regardless- we all have baggage in which we carry the tokens from our life; our identification. We never go anywhere with out it.

People scoff at it, assuming it makes a person tainted or broken in some obscene way. I disagree- it's not about the bag in which you carry, it’s what you have in the bag and how the person utilizes it through their life. That nasty breakup you had last year, the teasing you endured when you were 8 and last years berry tinted lip gloss all come in handy at some point or another. Though if we find ourselves carrying around so much that we can't physically make our way though life with out needing someone else to carry it for us, then you need to stop and take a better look at what exactly you are toting around with you. One needs to sit and sift through the clutter and crumbs, tossing (or packing) away the items that no longer serve a purpose. Do you really need to leave the house everyday with the memory of your 2nd grade teacher telling you that you’ll never amount to anything? How about that crumbly have eaten granola bar? I didn't think so.

Some of us find it hard to let go of these sentimental things though, holding onto them far past their expiry date. They occupy the space that could be filled with fresh new tokens giving everything a stale, musty, limiting odor.

I'm just like everyone else- I have a past. It's speckled with joy, hurt, love, hate, innocence, mistrust, abuse and adoration. As sentimental and sensitive I can be at times it has become important to me to ensure that each and every token has its place. I try to craft a more manageable version of the heavy, jagged ones with wisdom from the experience, tossing away the nasty assumptions and useless grudges that show up like empty candy wrappers. I am well aware that I still carry with me some items that aren’t really serving a positive influence (if any) on my life. Chewable Pepto-Bismol tablets, an old baby photo I never look at, a light switch… like lucky talismans I keep holding on- though I must admit the light switch is starting to seem a bit pointless these days.

Related: The Light Switch

The Secret Is Out

*whispers* I don't want to say this too loud but I think spring has finally sprung though I don't want to get my hopes up. It seems to be the trend this year for snow to pop up out of no where for no apparent reason.

See article from the Calgary Herald last week:
Spring, Calgary Style.

Though living in Calgary my whole life I've come to accept that each month is peppered with it's uncharacteristically seasonal weather. Warm winds blowing over the mountains in the middle of January causing a mid winter thaw. A good example of that would be the 1988 Olympics- we had such warm weather for them that the Bobsled run was melting mid day.

I've also seen snow all the way up into June (that really makes the farmers cross.)

Regardless, these unpredictable weather patterns are a part of living in Calgary. I've heard that people who live in places where the weather fluctuated like this are friendlier. I think it's because we always have something like the weather to talk about with people waiting in line at Starbucks.

It was close to +20 degree's yesterday and so I decided that I would go for a walk around my neighbourhood (oh damn, I'm doing laundry and it's ready... HOLD ON!), the sights, sounds and smells had "spring" written all over them.

• Strapy sandals on soon to be tanned feet...
• busy, crowded patios of pubs full of laughter and yelling...
• the smell of a freshly painted something...
• the sight of Ferrari's, Lamborghini's as well as other sports cars trawling up and down the avenue.

Delightful!

I keep waiting for the trees to bloom though... cherry, apple and lilac trees spring open with softly colored fragrant flowers.

Mmmm my favorite...