From One Survivor to Another

This week I was asked by a dear friend to send along a note of encouragement and support to one of his family members who was unlucky enough to experience something similar to what I did two years ago. This request was very humbling but I agreed right away. Today, I would like to share what I sent with all of you. 

(PS: the recipient is a giant Doctor Who fan - I couldn't help myself.)

... two years ago I ended up being as incredibly unlucky as you. I was crossing a street in Medicine Hat on the green light when an armoured car went through it. I ended up with three broken vertebrae, three complete breaks in my pelvis, a broken leg, broken ankles and feet, and a lot of messed up stuff in my head. It took me a long time to get better, but I wanted to write to you to let you know a few things:  

1. IT CAN HAPPEN. It may not be 100% or occur exactly the way you expect it, and it may take a lot longer than you want it to, but with faith and courage you will suddenly reach a point where the measly 1% left won't matter anymore, and you'll be left with the raw strength and willpower that comes from doing something most people would find too painful to bear. I can walk, I can dance, I can bear children. No one believed I would be able to do this when my accident first happened. I did, and now I can.
2. Besides, you should congratulating yourself. YOU'RE A SURVIVOR! No one will ever be able to take that away from you. You experienced something awful and you are kicking its butt every single day just by being here and fighting to get better. 
3. Speaking of which, YOU ARE THE ONE FIGHTING THIS which means you have the freedom to do all kinds of things you wouldn't normally do: cry, scream, be sad, have a rough day. But it also means that somewhere deep inside you have the power to laugh, smile, dream about the future, and make plans for when "it's all over". Don't feel guilty about your feelings. They are yours and there is no one else in the room who can understand exactly why you are feeling them. 
4. So, the best thing for you and your loved ones is to LET EVERYTHING OUT. Don't bottle your feelings, and don't ask your family and friends to bottle theirs. Everyone right now is grieving, all in their own ways, and getting through that grief so you can get to the hope that lies underneath is a huge step in figuring all this stuff out.
5. KEEP YOUR BRAIN STRONG. Sure, that's easier said than done in a hospital where all the walls have dumb medical equipment on them that remind you of all the pain you've already been through, but try. Do crosswords, have someone read aloud to you, play games, solve puzzles: there are so many options, especially with the free wi-fi courtesy of the hospital, that there is no reason why you should ever be lying in bed confronting your memories if you don't want to. That being said...
6. LET THE PROFESSIONALS HELP. That is what they are there for. Don't think of them as strangers or be concerned that they might think your fears are silly. They are not the ones that survived the traumatic experience; you did. Tell them everything, no matter how ridiculous you think it is (including how scared you are of needles). You'd be surprised how healing having someone listen is. I guarantee it will drain you at first and you won't want to talk about your sessions, but understand that you don't have to until you are ready.
7. People will ask (if they haven't already) "So, are you better now?" My response was always a very simple and firm, "No". You don't need to apologize for your answer or qualify it in any way. If they don't know you well enough that they ask you insensitive questions like that, don't waste your time. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO PUT UP WITH DUMB PEOPLE. (See also #3)
8. It's been two years since my accident. I have seen countless doctors, mental health professionals, physiotherapists, etc., and the one piece of advice I can safely offer about all of this is that NO ONE PERSON KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS. 
9. I'm sure right now you're feeling more like a prop than a patient, as all the decision makers whisk in and out and spout random bits of your medical history at you. Don't let them make you feel like that. ASK QUESTIONS. If someone doesn't know the answer, ask the next person that comes in. Ask the same questions over and over until they either send someone in to talk to you directly or until you get a satisfactory reply. Everyone has opinions - it takes a keen patient to differentiate between those opinions and solid medical fact. The professionals I got the most useful info from were always my physiotherapists, so even if the question wasn't directly related, I'd still ask them. As a group they really like fixing things - it's why they became physiotherapists in the first place. If they don't know the answer or if there is a problem you need dealt with, they are the best people to help you "fix" it.
10. Once you get answers to your questions, you'll begin to feel like you're taking charge of your own healing. This is good because NO ONE CAN HEAL YOU BUT YOU. You have to be in charge of it. That means telling your physiotherapist that today hasn't been a good day, or letting your nurses know that you are uncomfortable and need help to move. But it also means that on good days you push yourself as far as you can. It means having achievable goals and believing you can do just a little more than yesterday. And then at some point out of the blue you will be able to turn the corner into your hospital room and walk up to your mom without any help, who will insist on taking pictures even though she's crying and can't really see the screen. And then, a little after that, you'll be sleeping in your own bed at home and nothing in the world feels better than that first night at home. Nothing.

My own recovery was full of setbacks. Yours will be too. But I hope that this advice helps you push through them. Each one will peel away a little more of who you think you are, and when you reach your 99% point, you will be shiny, you will be strong, and you will believe you are the person that your mother always saw inside you. Every one of the steps you take now you are taking for you. Make the most of them.

Feel free to email me back if you have any specific questions. Like I said, I've done all this stuff and I not only survived it, I beat it up, stood on top of it, and shouted "I HAVE THE POWER!"

One last piece of advice: If you have a really bad day, one that you can't possibly see the light in, remember the 9th Doctor staring down the Daleks. You are the Doctor and this is part of your reincarnation. Tell those Daleks exactly what will happen if they mess with you. Like I said, don't hold anything back.

I'm sure you will make a grand Time Lord. Welcome to the Survivor's Guild.

All the best,

Krista

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Flat-Out Friday: Just Buy It In White

Ever since publicly announcing my pregnancy, I have received details on many "old wives tales" about how to tell the baby's sex. MANY. It seems like everyone has some sure-fire way of telling whether the Flat-Out Offspring will be a boy or a girl. For kicks, I will list them below:

• The Portuguese method: if your due date is closer to the new moon, it'll be a boy.
• The Italian method: if your due date is closer to the full moon, it'll be a boy.
• The Gypsy method: find or make a pendulum, and suspend it over your palm; up/down swing is boy, circular motion is girl.
• The New Age method: find or make a pendulum, and ask it a series of yes/no answers to determine the swing for both yes and no answers; ask separately if having a boy or a girl.
• The Chinese method: find out what lunar year you are in when you are due; complicated math and virtually throwing I Ching sticks later, formula reveals whether you're having a girl or a boy.
• The Vomit method: the more you throw up, the more likely it's a girl.
• The Heartbeat method: the faster the heart rate, the more likely it's a girl.
• The Cravings method: salty/hearty snack cravings suggest a boy; sweet cravings suggest a girl.

I'm going to invent a new one. It's called The Dice method. If I roll 1-10 on a d20, it's a boy; 11-20 is a girl. I mean it makes as much sense to me as the rest of these do. Wanna hear my results for each of the aforementioned methods?

• Girl
• Boy
• Boy
• Boy
• Girl from Last Known Period; Boy from Conception Date
• Girl
• Girl
• Boy

Unfortunately, I can't find a D20 at this precise time or I'd include those results. It'd be the tie-breaker vote too!

Why is it that, after all the advances in modern medical science, myths like these still perpetuate themselves? One reason I think is because all women like to weigh in on a subject they feel they are uniquely qualified to speak about, especially if they've given birth at some point to their own children, and even more especially if one of these methods actually worked in predicting the sex of said children. One of the things you can always count on is that most people you run in to are going to have some sort of opinion about what's happening with your body. Through my accident, I have learned that the best thing to do in these cases is listen, nod politely, and then forget everything they've said because dwelling on it will just make you cranky.

We are going to find out the sex if we can. By ultrasound. You know, that crazy technology that actually allows you to see whether your on-board passenger has the optional hose attachment or not. If we can't find out out (my niece was turned completely backward and refused to let the technician see her girly parts; she's still shy to this day), then I have a completely foolproof system for a non-gender biased nursery:

Get it all in white.

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Week in Review: Back to... Darn, I'm Old

Hands up if you feel like you've been run over by a truck this morning!

I can't believe it's back to school time already. More importantly, I can't believe that I have a niece starting kindergarten today that looked like this when I moved to Alberta:

Growing up should not be allowed. Look at those cheeks!

My stepchildren are starting grade 7 (GRADE 7!), grade 5, grade 2 and grade 1. I have a brother-in-law that's starting a year-long college degree today, and I can't even remember the last time I did anything academic. (Was it 2008? Maybe...) In conclusion, I am feeling my age this morning.

I am also feeling it because we have had such a busy week this past week. On Thursday we went to play trivia as we do every Thursday, and we WON! "The Del(ink)quents" are now in the trivia finals! It was a personal point of pride for us because we are the most heavily tattooed group in the bar (by far), and we managed to beat all of the groups that have been coming to trivia since the dawn of time. What a way to kick off the weekend!

Matt had Friday off, so he dropped me at my psychiatry appointment and went to run "some errands" (his exact words). I have begun my EMDR therapy now, and Friday was my first session. Basically what the doctor tells me to do is, after they hook me up to the incredibly non-complex machine, pull up in my mind the most vivid scene from the accident and hold it, experiencing it again. From there, I am just supposed to go where my mind takes me. Needless to say, the therapy is very powerful. You end up re-experiencing all the emotions and physical sensations associated with your memories. I told the doctor that next session I was wearing a bib because the front of my shirt was soaked with tears. He told me to never ever wear mascara to a session. Also sound advice. So in case you were wondering what happened to Flat-Out Friday last week, it did happen, at least for me. I got my chance to release anxieties and hurt over the accident - it was just in a private forum.

Friday afternoon Matt and I went to paint matching mugs at a pottery studio just off Whyte Ave as part of the celebration of our first anniversary weekend. We decided to do it this past weekend because Matt had four days off and we could properly celebrate. Our "Time Lord" and "Companion" mugs should be ready for pick up by the end of this week, and I can't wait to start using them.

Saturday morning we took off for brunch and then it was off to Calgary for the night! We drove down and stayed in a hotel downtown. Our biggest plans were to visit the giant game store and eat at our favourite two restaurants. With a game store visit under our belt on Saturday afternoon, we headed out for supper. Halfway through supper, we connected with a good friend from Medicine Hat who also happened to be in Calgary that weekend, and so, plans for a quiet evening now only a dream, we met up with her. She brought along her old roomie, who we had known from our time in the Hat as well, and her roomie's new beau. When he showed up wearing a Star Wars t-shirt, I knew we were in for a long night of nerdy conversation. Because if there's one thing my love does best, it's nerd out. We stayed out until 1:30am laughing, chatting, and catching up. The next morning's checkout time came far too early. We had breakfast at our other favourite restaurant, caught some of the Pride Parade (it was Calgary Pride Weekend), and walked around the Eau Claire Market for a bit before hopping in the car and heading home.

I had a nap when we got home, slept all night, had a four-hour nap yesterday, and then last night's sleep, and I STILL don't feel like I've caught up. Oh, to be young and spry again, and not so very old and broken. Last night we went for supper at the home of another Strathcona officer and his wife. It was fabulous and we had a great time, and yes, stayed a lot longer than we intended because of that. Why does having a social life have to be so tiring?! A long, long time ago I was celebrating my Frosh Week on this day. I was a lot less tired then, and Frosh Week is hard work. But I guess I've got a few years and a second lease on life under my belt, so I should just take what I can get.

Now to drag my tired ass to my other psychiatry appointment today, so I can see my other other psychiatrist. Happy Back to School to all the moms, dads, sisters, brothers, kids, teachers, and folk of the periphery I've probably forgotten. You'll have to forgive me: my memory isn't as sharp as it used to be. It does that with age.

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Drawn Into It

I'm a grown woman and I'm not afraid to admit it: I like cartoons. When I was younger, I was always drawn to the happily-ever-after stories of Disney princesses, but as I matured, I realized that they don't all have to be perfect all the time. In fact, I prefer the imperfect ones; the ones that make me cry, or squirm uncomfortably, or even just leave me in thought when the credits roll. I prefer stories that have an environmental impact to them, something that makes a hero even more heroic because he has failed at his task, or hard lessons about family life. Someday, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to show my child the value of loss as well as victory, and that striving to be perfect is just living with an unattainable goal.

With that in mind, here are a few tv shows and films I enjoy because they don't just portray the message that everyone wins all the time, and even if they do it's at a personal cost or because of a lesson learned.

1. Studio Ghibli: an animation studio out of Japan, you may recognize this name because of its association with Pixar and Disney's John Lasseter. Their first feature was Only Yesterday, a story about an unwed woman who was now too old to be single, according to her family's strict standards. She spends the movie reminiscing about life when she was 10, and how much simpler it was. The movie brings up young love, periods, old Japan versus new Japan, and antiquated notions of what young women should do, including obeying their elders. It's a hard look at a modern woman's Japan animated in the mid 80s, a time when the feminism movement was hitting its peak there. Yes, there are follow-ups like My Neighbor Totoro or Porco Rosso, movies that you would not think had any particular message. But Ghibli, in its cleverness, just makes you think that upon first blush. I can assure you that each one of their films has a strong and vital message worth listening to.

2. Pixar: on the outside, this funny, childish animation studio may seem all sweet and innocent, but if we remember Toy Story, their first feature, correctly, we realize that Buzz suffers from some serious PTSD after the cherry bomb incident and Woody is prone to anxiety attacks. Finding Nemo is a story about a man who nearly loses everything and his realization that he cannot stop it from happening again - he can only change his reaction to it. That's some pretty hefty cognitive behavioural therapy happening right there. I find that sometimes they do get off track a little - Cars, for example, wasn't one of their strongest - but when I cried like a baby during my first AND second Brave viewings, I knew they had found their feet again.

3. Despicable Me: Universal really outdid themselves with the original movie and its follow-up. Granted, the sequel was, like all sequels, more laughs and fewer lessons, the thing that made the first movie shine made it shine as well: a man who believes he has no love in his heart and must therefore be evil finds himself suddenly caring, and three girls who have a dream of a perfect family and instead find Gru. It's an ugly duckling story combined with Annie, and even though the ending is neat and tidy, there are real emotions and real feelings struggled with throughout the movie. Once again here is a man who, when challenged about what he loves most, makes the decision to put his family before his fame. It's a good lesson to see, particularly in this age of celebrity drive-thru marriages and divorce.

4. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited: okay, so these two tv shows are about super heroes, but don't just dismiss them out of hand. These two shows in particular deal with some very adult themes, and though they are rated 8+, I would be hesitant to have anyone younger than 12 watching them. They deal with hard issues like trust, failure, war crimes, genocide, and racial purity. In a world where heroes should win all the time by definition, the Justice League takes casualties. They lose sometimes. They fight amongst themselves. They keep secrets. Things end badly for them many, many times. This is when I would say it's all sunshine and rainbows at the end of the series, but it's not. If you are a fan of DC comics at all, you'll know that it never is. These two shows are truer to the comic than any live-action movie I've seen revolving around these characters, which is good, because learning that even heroes aren't invulnerable is a key lesson for anyone.

5. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: you all knew it was coming. I'll keep it short and to the point. It may seem overly heavy on the lessons at times, but magic or brute strength are never ever EVER the answer. Hardwork, determination, and trust are always rewarded. For a young viewing audience, that's the best thing you can hope for.

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Week in Review: Catch My Breath

What a whirlwind of a week! There was so much to do, and I get the feeling that this is only the beginning; September is going to kick-start a crazy autumn season. Although it'll be full of crazy while by myself, as Matt heads back to Wainwright for two months, which may be better or worse, depending on how things go. To start, we had supper with friends on Monday night - a giant, 22lbs of smoked pork supper - to celebrate a birthday. I spent all day Monday making cakes: a buttermilk chocolate one and a gluten-free banana spice one. Both had cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, because no cake gets made in this household without cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.

Tuesday I went to physio. NBD. Wednesday I had an appointment with a new psychiatrist (that's right, folks - I'm seeing three now!) at the hospital so it was an emotional rollercoaster of a day. Thursday I spent the day feeling sick and playing video games because sometimes you just need a day to do that, but it was a good thing I did because this weekend was non-stop.

Friday I headed back to the hospital to see another of my mental health professionals, cried some more, came home, got prettied up and went out to dinner in Sherwood Park for their 120th Anniversary of the County celebration in conjunction with the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) regiment exercising the Freedom of the County. To explain quickly, a "freedom of the city/county/whatever" ceremony dates back to medieval times when certain units in armies had close ties with certain cities. These units got preferential treatment and were allowed inside the city fully armed and ready for battle. In return for letting them rest inside and replenish supplies, the city was guaranteed protection from outside forces and the assurance that no soldier would take advantage of the situation (and fall to plundering or raping, for example). So Stratchcona County, being another namesake of Lord Strathcona himself, thought it would be super cool for the Strats to come into town fully armed and march through to show their friendly association. Got it?

LCol Peyton riding through in his tank. Tanks are the new horses, yo.

The Friday night was a black tie/Mess Kit affair as I did my best to be arm candy for my husband so he could schmooze. In attendance was the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, along with the Mayor herself, the Colonel, the RCMP Superindendent, and the deputy Premier. Yeah, it was tres fancy. We got home around midnight after dropping off our carpooling friend.

We so fancy

Saturday morning, however, was no time for sleeping in! Matt had us out the door by 7:30am and off to the base to drop him with the rest of the regiment for the convoy of tanks, armoured vehicles, trucks, and buses to depart toward Sherwood Park. Yes, you read that right, folks: they took their tanks down to "free the County". LCol Paul Peyton rolled up in his Leopard 2 and hopped out, put on his sword, and proceeded with the ceremony. He was accompanied by his 100 man honour guard, of which my sweet husband was a member. He was so excited to be a part of it, and even more excited about the sword he got to flourish about. The whole affair was incredible. Matt's never been a part of a "Freedom" ceremony, and I've never seen one, so it was a big deal for both of us.

Sunday we had to do all the pesky stuff that still needed done, like the laundry, etc. And then we were off again to another friend's house for some more delicious smoked meat; this time beef. We got to catch up with them and meet their little one for the first time, which was a big hit with me.

I know that so far today I've done the dishes that have piled up since... last week some time, and vacuumed half the apartment. In a minute, I plan to go have a nap, and then I might fold some clothes. Maybe. This week I have no appointments booked until Thursday and I plan on making the most of the time I have available by finally cleaning the apartment properly (something that hasn't been done for a solid month now) and catching up on my sleep. Because whew, I'm beat. Being popular is so hard sometimes.

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Week in Review: What is that Annoying Noise?!

Gosh, what happened this past week? It's such a blur I don't even remember. Uhm...

We finished our #yegquesting - for those who don't recognize what that is, you can catch up here. We officially have twelve entries in to win the night for two at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. I really really REALLY want to win. Really. It would just be such an amazing first anniversary experience.

Speaking of which, we have something planned for the Labour Day weekend to celebrate our first year of being irrevocably bound to one another for all eternity. And when I say that, I actually mean that. We jumped over a broom together. It's totally irreversible now. Unless we jump back over it backwards... But that's never going to happen. Besides, I don't know where the broom is anyways.

Ahem.

We had a lot of fun finding the last of the #yegquest clues. We got gelato and then rode on the LRT (Light Rail Transit) across the river to the University on a beautiful evening, and meandered through the buildings until we found the one we were looking for. It was completely relaxing. And then there was the park that was really pretty but after 5 minutes of being there Matt and I both agreed we would never live in the neighbourhood. I was half expecting Bible salesmen to jump out of the bushes at us. We gawked at all the people dressed up for the Edmonton Fringe Festival, a 10-day affair devoted to live theatre, as we stole a quiet moment for a photo at one of the locations. And on the very last day, we visited an urban fishing pond (I know, right?) that is stocked with rainbow trout for Edmontonians to fish inside the city. Totally cool.

Fishing is pretty darn relaxing. If more people fished, we'd have a lot fewer douchebags. Just sayin.

I started writing again. Like fictional writing. It's something, anyways. I describe my current story to Matt as a "paranormal romance", meaning I'm so out of touch with my inner writer that I chose something dumb. However, I have also been looking back through my many stories I've started but never finished. There's a cool one about clones taking over a future society. There's the ever-popular vampire buddy comedy. And the epic that I started when I was 10 and has had so many rewrites that it makes my head spin... Well, it could use another re-write.

Hey, why does gluten-free cake take so much longer to bake? At least I didn't leave it out in the rain because I made up the recipe and will probably never have it again. Oh nooooooooooo.

Okay, I'm totally writing whatever comes to mind now. What's that called? Conscious writing? Or am I just vocalising my inner monologue? That. I think.

So there you go. My insane ramblings have no point on this Review Monday, so here's one I particularly like: You can't eat your cake and have it too. If you learn just one thing in your entire lifetime, then learn to say this colloquialism correctly.

Mmmmm. Cake.

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My Furbabies

2013 seems like the year where everyone I know is having a baby. You know those years. Sometimes everyone you know is getting married and you have six weddings and you can't wear the same thing to all of them, and then you need to buy six wedding presents and you're broke and... yeah. This year I'm pumping out little bassinet/car seat sized knitted blankets like nobody's business.

So I thought, since everyone is doing it, I'd properly introduce my babies: Will, Hope, and Jasper. They are our adopted kids, our parents' grandbabies, and our source of four-legged love and affection. At times, they can drive us crazy and then they can be sweet or silly just as suddenly. They are sometimes demons and sometimes angels, trapped in small furry bodies. And when I say I'm going to spend a whole blog post talking about my cats, I suddenly am reminded of this:

This might be the MLP moment when I realized... I AM Rarity. But I digress.

We'll start with Will. He's the oldest of the three, having been around since long before Matt. He is my rescued baby that has grown into a beautiful but kinda obnoxious senior cat. He was named Will because when I got him it was iffy as to whether he'd live. I promised him, "Where there's a will, there's a way. You will be okay", and the name sorta stuck. As he grew, it evolved into "Will Help", because he thinks he's people and will help you do everything you don't want help doing. Lying in the dirt pile while you sweep the floor is a speciality of his. He's actually more like a dog than anything else - he begs for food, meets you at the door, fetches bits of paper and plays soccer with me. When he was young he broke his hip (I still don't know how), so he is now without a ball joint in one of his back legs. This means he can't jump as high as the other cats, but he's cleverer than them so he figures out how to get up on things pretty well. We are the crips, Will and I.


Hope is next oldest. We adopted her shortly after I got out of the hospital. Will was waiting for me at home when I was released, but it was pretty clear that he needed some feline companionship. Her name is completely a product of how I felt at the time - I needed a little hope. And she is little. Weighing in at just 4 lbs, she's the tiniest cat I've ever had. When we brought her home for the first time, she swatted Will, ran by him up the stairs, and then waited for him to follow, kind of like they were playing tag. This is Hope's personality in a nutshell. She is the most feline of the three. She will hide in boxes and bags, randomly self-pet but then run away if you try to actually pet her, and every once in a while she turns into a vicious huntress and pounces, teeth and claws out, on your feet under the blankets. Her favourite things include being up high and drinking out of the fish bowl. Her one quirk is that she doesn't make any noise when she purrs. You can feel her vibrating, but she is silent. She also fiercely protective of her people. If I could make her into a jaguar I would, because aside from that being epic, I think that's how big she believes she is.

Jasper is the baby. And not just because he's the youngest. If he could change himself into a baby human, I think he would. He loves sleeping on his back in your arms, is extremely needy, and very vocal if you are somewhere without him. He runs to the bathroom (which is down at the end of the hall) and sits on the toilet, waiting for me to get there. I have to push him off to use it. He doesn't like cheese or any other human food for that matter. What he does like is belly rubs. Hours and hours of belly rubs (and also being a complete crazy pants when the thunderstorms are rolling in). Matt brought Jasper from Kingston, ON to live with us after a stray that my mum took in had kittens. He is, of all of them, Matt's cat. The hilarity of having a cat named Jasper while living in Jasper House on Jasper Avenue is not lost on us, but it is a well-suited name for him. He's lazy, sleeps under the bed at my head, and if I walk into a room where he is, I always get a "Hi mom!" meow.

My kitties keep me company on my good days and my bad ones. They sleep with me when Matt is gone so I have some warmth in the bed beside me. There are days I couldn't imagine life without them, and there are days I want to sell them to the circus. But I love them all - they are my babies.

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Real Life Kings Quest

You ever play the game Kings Quest in the 90s? I had a 8-bit version of it with nine 5-inch floppy disks, and I used to lie them all out on my bed so I could switch between them easily.

This summer, a local journalist has organized a real-life quest for intrepid Edmontonians to encourage the exploring their own city. She has launched her "yegquest" through the Edmonton Journal, and has brought along some local fowl for the ride. Every day, she posts a photo of her papier mache feathered friends in a recognizable Edmonton location, and challenges readers to go find the exact spot and submit a photo of themselves for a chance to win a night for two at Fairmount Hotel MacDonald, with breakfast included the morning after.

To me, this is like Kings Quest all over again. Using Google Maps and local news to figure out where the locations are is like collecting the rhymes and clues that tell you where you need to venture. For twelve consecutive days, a new photo will be posted on Paula Simons' blog. You have until September 1 to enter all your yegquest photos into the contest. You can follow @yeg_chick or @paulatics on Twitter for more updates and info on the contest.

I think a night at the Hotel Mac would he the perfect way for Matt and I to celebrate our first anniversary on September 8, so we are totally committed to doing this. Quest on!

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Week in Review: Holi-daze

Ah, the August long weekend. A time of complete and utter indulgence. Aside from Christmas, I can't think of another holiday that lends itself to the kinds of selfish behaviours that Civic Holiday does. I was going to describe all the wonderfully self-indulgent things we did this weekend, but my blog post has now been eaten twice, and after a ridiculous appointment with my doctor this morning, I'm getting frustrated.

In my medieval best. Ish.

Dread Pirate Matty

So, in short:

We went to a viewing of The Princess Bride in Churchill Square downtown on Friday evening. The square was packed (about twice as many people showed up as they expected), and there was dancing, comedy improv, a Knights of the Northern Realm demonstration with actual swords and a mace, and a costume contest. Matt and I did dress up and were invited to take part in the contest, but since it was purely based on crowd approval and I don't enjoy being publicly judged, we declined (but still got a sticker - yay!).

Look! I'm a matryoshka!

Ivan, the Terribly Constipated

On Saturday we took in the Servus Heritage Festival at Hawrelak Park. It's a huge festival with tents representing countries from all over the world. There must have been sixty countries represented, maybe more, and each tent was offering a sampling of food as well as artifacts for viewing or merchandise for sale. We circled the entire park, taking in everything, and sampled foods from Peru, Ghana, and Pakistan. It took about 4 hours for the full circut, and I was properly exhausted afterward. We had a fantastic time, though.

Sunday was paintball for Matty yet again, and it was early to rise so we could drop him off. Once I got home I had a great nap (very fulfilling) and made an apple pie. We went to friends' for a BBQ supper (hence the pie) and stayed up late, talking about everything under the sun. It is so nice to visit with them - they are great, down-to-earth people. Plus they sound cool when they say stuff, since they are a Kiwi and an Aussie couple.

The actual holiday Monday was a day of rest for me. I slept quite a bit, and spent the waking hours watching cartoons and knitting. It was a pleasant day of recuperation and I took full advantage of it.

The most electrifying pie in dessert entertainment!

We also went to see The Wolverine last week sometime (maybe Thursday?). It was pretty darn good. I really liked how the movie took place mostly in Japan, and when it didn't, it was clearly in Canada. Hugh Jackman never ceases to surprise me as Logan. He's perfect for the role, bringing the right intensity to the former X-Men while still making him appear human. I also happen to like Asian-inspired esthetic, so that was convenient.
In closing, I'll save my scathing review of the Alberta health care system for another time, since I've vented to my mum and feel somewhat better about everything. But yeah. Scathing.

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Week in Review: A Renewal

Well, howdy. It's time again for another Week in Review, and let me say that it has been a topsy-turvy kind of a week. Hitting some low notes and peaking at some fantastic highs, it has been another week in keeping with the trend this summer has been setting.

We both had appointments this week, and so we worked around those in our social engagements. However, we managed to fit in a treat on Tuesday evening as we went to Famoso pizza for gelato, and was generously given our scoops for free! The manager, whom we speak to often when we are there (or even walking by), told us we were such great customers that it was on the house. My Salted Dark Chocolate Caramel gelato tasted even better because it was free!

We did help friends with the renovations of their business on Wednesday, to the extent that I made cookies and gave my opinion while Matt did all the helping. On Thursday, Matt's dad arrived for a week-long visit, and we have been taking in the sights with him. Saturday was a rainy day, and we spent it walking around the West Edmonton Mall, getting some dry exercise - something Matt and I do quite regularly if it is a rainy weekend, since it's a nice flat surface for me to walk on and it usually tires me out nicely.

On Sunday we had made an appointment at Fort Edmonton Park to take part in their "Weddings Through Time" celebrations with the renewal of our vows at St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church on 1905 St. It was an overcast day, cool and breezy, but that didn't stop us from dressing up in period-inspired costume for the occasion. During the ceremony, we took advantage of the opportunity to get the officiant to work "even through Time And Relative Dimensions In Space" into the vows (which is epic, btw: we are now sealed to one another again by our vows and TARDIS).

It was a very nice ceremony, and Bob was eloquent and well-spoken, easy to speak to and easy-going. He made us feel as though we were celebrating much more than just being married 10 months ago (which of course we are although he didn't know anything about that). Nonetheless, it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. Wandering through the park afterward, we were able to see a 1920s era wedding re-enactment and partake in some homemade raspberry and coconut wedding cake after the 1900s era wedding celebration. Matt's dad enjoyed the visit to the Park as well, and was happy to be a part of our small re-dedication ceremony.

Today I have a very important appointment in Calgary with a doctor specializing in occupational medicine. I have no idea what to expect when I'm there, so I'm nervous about the whole thing. I am just hoping that this will result in the definitive diagnosis that I have been missing in my ongoing lawsuit, and that it ends up being exactly what we need to get things moved along to the next stage.

You'll notice I didn't mention the "low periods", but really, I don't need to. There were tears, many many tears, but I'm working on it and through it and with the help of Matt, my mum, and my therapist, I'm learning things about myself I didn't realize until now.

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Week in Review: Get a Life

We have friends! I mean, not that we didn't have friends before, but Matt and I are both the sort of people that have a few friends we really, really like, as opposed to a lot of friends who are just all right. Whatever. The point is that we have friends who like us and we like them and they want to hang out with us, like, twice a week. It's uncanny!
 

Awww, aren't we cute?!

We went to Trivia Night again on Thursday - did not do nearly as well as the first week we attended, but the experience was marred by a malfunctioning microphone and a case of "pub near capacity". We still had a lot of fun but I was jangled by the time we left ("jangled" was Matt's word; it's a good one). Friday night we attended another military party: the All Ranks Dinner/Dance at Schank's, which is this crazy pub with bowling, virtual golf, mini golf, an arcade, pool tables, and three bars for two stories of drinking craziness. Basically, it was huge. Matt was the runner-of-all-things-running that night, so I helped with the technical stuff as his familiarity with and patience for computers is moderate at best. Everything went off well, and we had a good meal, some great conversation, and we won a door prize which we are using for admission passes to K-Days here in Edmonton, basically the city's equivalent of the Expo in Ottawa. It's great because Matt will be on summer leave while they are on, so we can fully enjoy all they offer and get me plenty of weight-bearing exercise walking around looking at it all.

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When Fairies Come to Tea

One of my summer projects this year is the construction of a fairy garden. For most of you who aren't sure what a fairy garden is, think of it like a terrarium but with miniature accents and tiny landscaping. The Edmonton Journal posted an article a couple months ago explaining the growing trend. I've picked it up from other bloggers and Etsy, my source of inspiration for most things crafty.

I've started with a relatively small terracotta pot, about as round as a dinner plate. I've filled the bottom with pebbles and a foam wreath base. You should use charcoal if all your plants are going to be real, however since I'm mixing my one small fern with a bunch of plastic foliage, I opted for the foam. I'm covering all that with a layer of fertilized potting soil. I have this vision of a little flowery home with a creek and pond, so I've purchased small blue glass rocks to use as "water", and a little terracotta dish I will paint to look like a koi pond. I have a small birdhouse to fancy up and a pottery sugar bowl - I just couldn't decide which I prefered for the house. I'll post some before and after pictures once I have everything put together.

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Week in Review: We Interrupt This Program

“You say you're 'depressed' - all I see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective - it just means you're human.”
― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

We aren't talking about Saturday. Specifically, we aren't talking about Saturday between 3-8pm. It doesn't exist. It has been removed by the temporal police and placed in the Nth Dimension. I don't care if something important happened to you during that time, because it actually didn't - it took place before 2pm or after 8pm, you just didn't notice.

The rest of my week was pretty okay. We went to Date Night at the Devonian Botanic Gardens on Thursday night and had a lovely time. We walked around the Kurimoto Japanese Gardens and visited the Butterfly House. We had bison bratwursts and listened to a bluegrass band. Once the bugs started to come out in full force, we left and headed over to Trivia Night with some friends. We had a wicked awesome time, but I stand by my belief that we actually won and the quiz master was an idiot. See, we got 24/30 right, and the winners got 25/30. The contentious point was a grammar question. AND I WAS WRONG?! Yeah, I didn't think so. But apparently the wording wasn't what they were looking for, so it was incorrect. DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS THE CORRECT TERM FOR IT AND YOU'RE JUST UNSCHOOLED ENOUGH TO NOT REALIZE IT.

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The Wonders of You (Yes! You, Canada!)

Matt looking properly dapper

Hi all! Long time, no talk. Sorry for the intermittent contact lately. As you know from my last post, I've been feeling a bit undermotivated. However, Matt and I had a great Canada Day weekend, so I want to share some of our photos and memories with you all. Friday and Saturday were spent running around doing errands and watching some movies. Overall, nothing significant to report.

We found an original "Cherry Bomb" (our beloved Ford Fiesta)!

But Sunday we went to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village! It's just east of Edmonton, and it's exactly what it sounds like: an old-timey village devoted to educating people about the Ukrainian migration and settlement here in Alberta. Also, that particular day was the Vintage Day celebration, so there was a tasters fair to try all the different foods, live music, and a vintage car show.

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What's in a Name?

Since I started writing in my spare time (oh, 20 years ago give or take), I have been obsessed with names and their meanings. It started by wanting to have the perfect name for each character, which grew into wanting to have options for the perfect name for each character. I started with a baby name book, the kind that new parents can get free if they sign up for certain things, and a notebook with built-in alphabetisation. That notebook was colour coded, meticulously kept, and the source of hundreds of "perfect" character names. My handwriting changed, and the notebook underwent some heavy revisions, but it was my personal name bible for a long time.

20 years later, I don't have the notebook any more but I do possess no less than three baby name books as well as several books on etymology, and the development of written and spoken language. When I say that I proposed a thesis to do my Masters in the connections of language, naming structure, and symbolism between the Egyptians and the Mayans, I am not lying. I was accepted into the program - I just chose not to go.

I am a huge word nerd.

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Week in Review: Head Spins

What a week. I feel like my head is still spinning. Actually, that might be the weather. It's been really weird here for the past little while: like today, which had bright blue skies this morning but by 3pm it's expected to be thundering and lightning. It makes everything ache, which makes my head feel all dizzy-making, which gives me a "my-brain" ("migraine" for those who haven't had a toddler say the word to them), which causes me much napping. It's a cycle, and a vicious one. This is also why I can't seem to keep a proper swim schedule. I suppose the lesson here is, don't worry about it. Just swim when you can and everything will turn out okay.

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Upcycled and Updated Art

I have been on a crafting binge. I know I mentioned it last week, but the urge still hasn't left me. I've knit, sketched, glued, hammered, tied, and painted. I actually even did a little writing (aside from blogging, that doesn't count). I've made new art for the bathroom (partly because the old art looked amateur, and partly because the handyman left behind a giant cock-up when he installed our new vanity and mirror). I've made a new sign for the front door. I've taken more photos. I've framed and hung pictures I've been meaning to frame and hang for ages. I've also rearranged my blog space. I think I'm empty nesting or something.


Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some of the things I've created:

First, the bathroom art. My main project went from looking like this -

Gag. What a gross dollar store version of a vintage clapboard advertisement.

To looking like this! -

The inkjet printed words-to-paint transfer worked! I recommend having a fine tip black felt pen or marker on hand to help solidify some of the lines. Also, I liked the white around my words - if you don't make sure you use a white or cream coloured background.

The other piece in the small room is a plain white canvas with brown kraft paper podged messily on it, followed by two wash coats of blue acrylic paint and water -

I really like the way this looks. It's like they are flying through the sky, or over water. The birds were $1.50 for a set of 12 from, you guessed it, the dollar store. They are plastic and come with their own sticky backing. All you have to do is peel the back off and place them where you want them. You could easily paint them or podge them as well.

I love having our name on the front door to let people know they have the right apartment in the sea of mediocre grey that is our hallway. We have a very fall/winter feeling one and we needed a summery injection of colour, and so I used the birds again to create this -

I really love the way our name stands out against the damask print. It's tissue paper podged on a canvas!

Finally, I'd like to share some ponies. Yes, I know, I've got an addiction. Don't care, I am still sharing. Here's a quick and fun drawing I did of Matt and I as ponies -

Sorry about the yellow in this one, it's a rotten quality photo - my cutie mark is a book with stars.

The crafts were all done with materials purchased at the dollar store. All of them. I often buy things when I see them and then store them for a while until the perfect project comes along, and that's exactly what I had done with all of this. The only thing I didn't get there was the Mod Podge, as I prefer the brand name stuff over the off-brand, but if you aren't as picky as me then you can pick some white glue up there as well. It really is the only way to craft these days, as crafting store pricing keeps going up. I coupon clip now for when I need to purchase yarn (another thing I'm picky about), but if you're just itching to craft and you need a quick fix, there is no better place to swing by than the local Dollarama.

Next on my project list I am going to start sketching in earnest, and hopefully some of the beautiful photos I have posted in the past will come alive again as charcoal pencil art!

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Oh So Crafty!

I've been feeling really crafty lately. Whether it's the spring that has finally arrived here in Edmonton, or the shot of inspiration I got while mountain gazing in Jasper, I don't know. But my crafticitis has just gotten more severe. Last week, I did up a small gift for Holly at Domestic Dork as a way to remind her to take some time for herself as she now is a mother of 2. It wasn't much, just took a little creative Photoshopping, some cardstock, and a corner of a sheet of "macky tack" (that's what my husband calls paper laminate), and voila!, or Allons-y! as it were.

Make your own bookmarks featuring The Tenth Doctor making a crazy awesome face: Doctor Who Bookmark PDF Free Download

I'm also working on new art for the bathroom. I found a wonderful tutorial on how to transfer inkjet printed materials to other surfaces, so I'm jazzing up a dollar store find with some acrylic paint and word art.

Speaking of the dollar store, that's where I do most of my shopping for craft items. Being a renter and not having a shed or yard or garage to pop in to for supplies or tools or that bit of cool stuff you kept just in case, I have to make do with cheap goodwill or retail finds. In both cases, it's super easy to find things that just beg to be brought home and updated. Dollar stores in particular have lots of premade signs that I gaze at and rub my hands over evilly, thinking of all the things I could Mod Podge onto them. I've got paints and tapes and nails and yarn and I'm just itching to use them. Most of the time I go to the dollar store looking for something specific, and all of the time I come out with some item I just know I can makeover into something a real person would want to hang in their home. I will provide a whole tutorial next week in my Wednesday whimsies on this ink transfer/paint makeover when it's finished. I can't wait to use my bathroom once its done - it'll be so refreshing!

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