This week flew by like I never would have expected, I have some exciting things that I am not quite ready to reveal yet, and some annoying things that there are not enough ears in the world to listen to my story. But the long and the short is that this week has been INTENSE and it makes me SOOOOOO Happy! (and I can't wait to share for real)
Here are a few pictures from my week:
Don't even try and tell me you get how cold this is...
This was the afternoon High :(
I restocked my coffee/tea drawer (it's the little warm things that get me through the cold days!)
I suddenly came to the realization that this year is my 10 year high school reunion. That around this time 10 years ago I was writing my last set of winter finals, completing my portfolio for art class, rehearsing for my last season with the Academy, and applying for University. HOW THE TIME FLIES! After this realization I found myself downloading old music that probably drove my parents batty that blared from my bedroom at all hours and realizing I still remember every word to every song.
Working in mental health for so many years I have come to appreciate the power nature has over our personalities and behaviors. I could always tell when it was a full moon because I would leave work exhausted and usually with a pretty killer story (that I can't even share). Oddly enough, although I have spent so much time bearing witness to this power, it never actually occurred to me that I could effected as well. But life quickly showed me this week that although I was told daily by my parents growing up that I was "perfect" and special, these qualities do not make you immune to the powers of nature.
So basically my week went a little like this:
I arrived in Edmonton Monday afternoon for training, shopping and abducting one of my girls from her in-laws for a girls night at the movies. Monday actually went very smoothly. I spent the gift cards my baby sister sent for Christmas:
Met up with co-workers for drinks and had a great laugh
Then called it an early night... well for us anyway.
But come Tuesday, I was like a whole other person... Food tasted off, I really didn't want to be around my coworkers, and everything except rescuing my girl seemed like HUGE TASK. So thanks A for taking the time to laugh and cry at We Bought a Zoo and for letting me snuggle your baby girl (she is getting so BIG!!!)
Then Wednesday came, training should have come with ASIST workers to help us move through the pain that was Day 2 of "Working towards Permanency". My usual 5 minute commute including a stop at Starbucks was turned into a 45 minute commute (which country life has made me so not used to anymore) and my 1 1/2 hour drive home took almost 4 hours!!! So I hit the hay by 9 and called in late for the next day.
Getting back in the office Thursday was nice my office mate cheered my up, and getting back into the gym was a huge help as well, even if I was the biggest Space Cadet of life that day. And finally Friday arrived and the day just flew by! So much work I didn't have time to be negative and by the end of the day I was ready to just chillax and recuperate over the weekend.
Anyway needless to say I had a rough week and I choose to blame the Moon and my denial about still being sick. I am sentencing myself to my room for the weekend so I can take on Monday with my usual sunny disposition and make amends with those I am sitting with for the next month and a half.
So this one is for sure going to be short and sweet. I spent from Sunday evening until Thursday morning in bed with what the professionals thought could be pneumonia, but turned out to be a cold irritated by the dry air. So because when I am not at work the work just sits there and piles up when I returned to work on Thursday I worked about 4 hours overtime... so needless to say I have very little to write about. But I am very happy to say that after about a week of being a home body I am ecstatic to be BACK IN THE CITY!
Hopefully I will have more to say next week other than I was sick and tired.
My New Years Eve celebrations took me further west and north to visit my girl C and her hubby. But before I hit the road for the promise of good times there was a Prairie Blizzard that had people calling into work late and roads too treacherous to travel to meeting on. The office was in a panic over the horrible conditions and we were left short staffed. That day taught me one lesson about Alberta drivers.... THEY CANNOT DRIVE IN SNOW! (or maybe not at all but who am I to judge)
It snowed for about 2 hours, big beautiful flurries fell from the sky. It was one of those snows that make you want to walk in the woods and just listen to the silence. By the time it finished we had this much snow:
Come on now people, if this is a storm I hope no one has plans to move east because today's "Prairie Blizzard" would not have even earned today's forecast a snowflake on the Weather Network back east.
So I headed to GP for a weekend of catch up and celebrations with my girl C. I was lucky enough to enjoy their new wheels right off the lot, and join them for a yummy roast beef dinner (go team Gravy!) while watching the Calgary vs Ottawa game. It felt like home being home right away. That is the best part of being with my east coast friends is we are back by the water in no time when we get together.
Calgary Ottawa game in Ottawa.... YAY East Coast home with East Coast games!!!
After Supper we had a game night with Nacho dip, cookies, and the Captain. C and I owned her baby sister, bestie and hubby. Go team PCC!
Invited the Captain for a rousing game of ...
I spent a good chunk of NYE day bumming around GP, picking up some crab dip supplies and bubbly. But once I returned to C's the party prep began from prepping my famous jello shots to getting "our hair did, make up did and nails did" to quote her hubby.
My Famous Jello Shots for NYE
While waiting for the rest of the guests to arrive to this Maritime Only shin dig I had a chance to sit down and watch the World Juniors Canada vs USA and realized I am gonna be one angry hockey mom one day. Because I was only happy when the score looked something like this...
Canada vs US...
And was honestly annoyed when people cheered in the last 40 seconds when we were 3-2... because 40 seconds is more than enough time to get a goal... Crosby proved that Vancouver 2010. Now lets just take a few moments to reflect on that moment because it was awesome and because I have mad love for that man ;)
Anyway point being we kicked some USA hockey butt again on NYE and well all was right in the world.
Here are some images from the night. It was a crazy good time and I am glad I made the trip out. We celebrated in each time zone that we had loved ones and had some good times in the Maritimes.
C's beautiful Tree
Nosh!
Midnight Bubbly!
Ice Cube Shots! (1/2 Puss 1/2 Vodka... a little heavy on the vodka ik!)
Now I have been here a little over a month and anyone who really knows me can attest to the fact that I never get sick.... Well folks since I signed my contract here I have spent a total of 3 weekends in bed sick with either the flu or this crazy cold. I am going to turn into a Mr Noodle or Romantic Comedy if this doesn't let up soon.
