[	mood	|	energetic	]
[	music	|	an incubus song that i really can't recall the name of... an older one	]

• hmm... i should head to the gym after this... but i'm toying with the idea of not going... 
• elizabeth was roaring at the park while sam and i were in the pool.
• we played connect four and the game of life this morning. and we also invented a great game of ping pong. basically sam and i aren't very good at ping pong, and the ball always bounces away, so elizabeth basically runs after the ball and gets it for us, and we get to paddle her on the bum if she isn't going fast enough. it works well. sometimes she runs away, so we have to chase after her.
• we made puppets today, and mine has a mohawk and is breathing fire. it's rather delightful.
• i hope i'm a little more tanned today.
• i need to do laundry, but i'd rather not haul my clothes over to the resort and back... heck what am i complaining about? i'm living quite luxuriously...
• tomorrow two more kids will be joining us for a couple days... they're big enough so that i don't really have to worry much about them... which i think will be nice.
• not going back this weekend... but will the weekend after.
• i really can't think of much else to write.
  
   

• today was rather nice out. the weather cooperated, and we were able to swim outside.
• we took out a paddleboat, and drove (paddled?) it over to my B&B, and the girls met the dog who resides there. it was a long paddle, but my calves still function
• what else did we do...
• there was a birthday party for canada, with cake, and a round of singing for the old darling herself. we tossed some water balloons, played with a large parachute... made a huge sandcastle/moat thing... good times at the beach!
• we swam after we did the watercolors, only for 20 minutes at the pool down the hill, but it was 30degrees in the pool! there was this little boy damien there with his mom, and he had 5 torpedos, and he named all of them... so we all had fun playing with the torpedos.
• later on, at 7:30, there's this naturey widlife thing happening down at the 'grassy knoll'... they bring in wild animals and we get to pet them and stuff. i'm excited. i really want to pet a raccoon. elizabeth wants to see a snake.
• alice heads home tomorrow. she's a great kid, but i've always known her week on, week off... so it's tough. no idea what the day will hold for tomorrow. if the weather is anything like it is today, then i really hope that we swim all day.
• oh! for breakfast, i had french toast... and it was great! they really treat me well at that place
• and today is the 1st, so i'm going to head into town and put the rent cheques in... i completely forgot about that... and i can't imagine anyone would be happy with me if i forgot about that... jim and nancy have let me borrow this really sweet schwin bike... it's so old and i have this really old school helmet. i need a picture of me riding it. i think LTK would just love it! it's green.
• facebook is not working... in the muskoka region, perhaps they don't use this kind of technology.

the wild animals are awaiting... i should go back and get a better lens for the camera, then head down.

[	Current Location	|	north of gravenhurst	]
[	mood	|	ditzy	]
[	music	|	vampire weekend	]

•  
•  
• so, i took the bus up here, and a friend from church just happened to be on the same bus! hilarious, i didn't need to turn on the i-pod once... great conversation.
• the B&B is great. they have this amazingly adorable springer spaniel named josie, and oh man... i love her. she has a shock collar. it's kinda cool. the people who own the place are so nice, and yeah... these three weeks are going to be great.
• this morning the girls were so happy to see me, and we did some geocaching, which was a fun experience, except for all the mosquitos. Elizabeth (she has very very curly hair) has 11 bug bites alone on her hairline. she keeps scratching them, and two or so have bled open.
• we did some arts and crafts at the rec centre.... i'm good at beading!
• our swim this afternoon was at the indoor pool as it was cold and rainy. it cleared up for a little while, but not long enough to go swimming. tomorrow?
• speaking of tomorrow... it's canada day, and up here it sounds like there will be lots of fun adventures here. Everyday they print off a schedule of events planned by the recreation staff, and so there are hikes, crafts, beach parties and the like. tomorrow's canada day celebrations involve cake... and i'm in for that.
• i can't really think of much else to write... i should have tons to say, but i just arrived last night.
• i'm heading off to the gym here, and i'm hoping to do that every week, except that i ate dinner less than an hour ago, and i don't know how my stomach will react to running on the treadmill after this. we'll see.
  
•  
•  
•  
• hmm... yeah, i really don't have much else of interest to mention.
• well, i had chipped a tooth, and i got it all rebuilt and it cost me about $300 to fix... that was rent money... oh well, that's what overdraft is for... right? grr...
•  
• there's a place in bracebridge called 'marty's' and it's known for the date squares, butter tarts and the 'huge ass apple pies' (that's what they've named them), and i've realized how much i like date squares... oh  man... yum
  
  
  
  

[	Current Location	|	where else?	]
[	mood	|	calm	]
[	music	|	wolf parade :: kissing the beehive	]

• my camera bag is looking nice and full, and i'm happy about that. I now have the 85mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, and the (not so used) 17-85mm for my 20D. I also have a flash... some batteries, some lens hoods, a flash diffuser (gary fong is cool), and all the other random things. it really makes a camera bag heavy.
•  
• with all this camera equipment i'm now stocked and ready to help mae with weddings. I've helped with two. Ann marie and kyle's was a learning experience, as my shots were blurry (should've had a faster shutter speed, and a flash). I enjoyed it, and was slightly nervous, but knew people there, so it was fine. The second one, Jana and Brad's, was so much better. It was such a great day, and even though i was up at 5:30 and in bed by midnight, it was worth it. My pics turned out soooo much better, and I can't wait to help out at another wedding! i'll try to add a collection of pictures onto here at the end...
•  
• Eric's surgery was a success. It's funny, because Tiger Woods has the same injury, and they were explaining it in the newspaper (he tore is ACL) and there was a great picture about how the surgery is done... so cool! They like drill two holes in the femur to attach the ligaments back to the bone... something like that anyways. So he's down at Niagara university, and it sounds like he's off crutches now. I'm not worrying about him as much... although on the day of the surgery I had to leave work to go see him at the hospital (i didn't realize he would have to stay overnight or I would've taken the whole day off). I left in tears because he was in so much pain, and even the morphine didn't help. I called the next morning, and he was all drugged up, and feeling nothing... i updated his girlfriend via facebook about all of the stuff happening.

• my dad is still thinking about moving out here, and apparently has just agreed to sell the house (this divorce has been in the process for about 2 years now... i want it to get over and done with)

• yesterday i went shopping for some new summer clothes, as i'll be up at Taboo probably next week? yeah, i don't want to be wearing jeans in the summer sun. so some new stuff... should be great

• i got a sun hat a couple weeks ago, and since then i haven't really needed it. stupid weather... at least my face isn't burnt
  

• red-winged blackbirds , I saw a bunch while on the way to jana and brad's wedding, and i haven't seen them in the GTA, but i do remember seeing them in my backyard quite a bit while growing up... beautiful!

• i suck at life, but i'm getting better. Having a counselor/therapist to talk to has made all the difference.

• Elizabeth is now dating my friend Amy's son Sebastian. She's 4 and he's 5. She's from a rich white family, and he's half latino and from a poor family (anyone get where i'm going with this?) it's cute, and she calls out to him, "boyfriend, where are you???"... mostly they just like hanging out together, elizabeth tried to kiss him several times, but he didn't really care for it. He often cries when their playdates are done. I think she just likes his toys... but who knows.... true love???

• i've finally finished watching the 4th season of lost. and oooooh was it good.

• been reading up on pregnancy and midwifery, as well as mothering magazine. I really want to do this. i have to apply between september and december to be considered for sept 2008. I'm still not sure if i need some biology and chemistry courses, but i think i'll take them just to be sure (and to get back into the habit of school like things)

• i like the library. i'm a reading machine... it's getting to be stupid, because i'll finish a book in 2 days, and then have nothing else to read for a week. i don't want to start hauling around large bags of books everywhere either.

• running out of things to say... i semi-cleaned my room and did laundry yesterday... it looks a bit better... and i'm starting to put stuff in a suitcase for Taboo. i'll be staying at a bed and breakfast this year, and i think it will be kinda nice...

• i got a really cool spoon in my breakfast cereal. it's not quite as good as the fork that i have... but i sure like it. PS. my light glows read on the spoon, and my fork is more orange in color.

[	Current Location	|	maiden mansion	]
[	mood	|	sick	]
[	music	|	funky mamas :: boogie woogie washer women	]

• eric moves from montreal today... so he's going to the airport tonight where i'll pick him up (andrea todd is driving me!!!) and then he'll stay over the night and leave in the morning. i've seen him like 3 or 4 times in the past 2 months... that's more than in the past 2 years i think. don't get me wrong... i like it.
• cleaned up the room a bit for eric's arrival this evening.
• there's this n64 game called banjo-kazooie that eric and i played as kids, and loved it to death... and there's a sequel that we never got... and i'm now playing it and so completely addicted. it's like an extension of my childhood.
• i'm really liking the two newest additions to my house, andrea todd and gellarah. last night we watched a movie (with sarah and the other andrea) and ate candy and had martinis. twas sooooo nice. we still have some other movies to watch
• leslie and darryl got married on saturday, and it was magical... except for the fact that the kitchen staff included amy, andrea and i. and we were cooking for 124 people... 3 courses. and yeah. i could go on and on about how many hours went into this... but i won't. sunday was a day of trying to relax and battle exhaustion. i've never worked so hard in my life. we battled a grease fire in the oven, tried to drain oil from 7 pans of chicken... and yeah, billowing smoke... not great. but apparently the bride and groom had no idea that there were any troubles in the kitchen... which is great! i didn't get to see much of the reception because i was in the kitchen, but they seemed to be really happy and enjoying it all.
• and i'm still sick

[	Current Location	|	worky work work	]
[	mood	|	chipper	]
[	music	|	sounds of a tea party (not the band though)	]

so, elizabeth and i are waiting for the guy to come fix the dryer. we're usually out and about, but now we are here... and not really doing anything.


i'll tell you what's on my mind

• today is mae and cyril's baby's birthday. his name is dominic. and he is 1 year old today. i like it when babies are given a whole cake and then let to attack it and squeeze it and throw it and bite it. it's better than putting cute animals into slippers.
• i can't seriously be done
• i thought leslie's wedding was this weekend, but it's actually next weekend... what will i do this weekend?
• i have a ticket for wolf parade and matt good, matt good makes me cry, and i wish i could be his wife
• elizabeth is having a tea party right now
• elizabeth found a pen lid at the beach the other day, filled it with sand, and dumped it onto my head. i didn't like it. then she filled it up again and carried it home and didn't really spill any of the sand. then she put the sand and pen lid into a container and filled it with water. She wanted some help writing a note, it reads, " danger, do not touch" and it has a picture of a heart and a skull and crossbones inside the heart. Originally the note was supposed to say something like, "danger, do not touch this because it's mine and not yours and it might spill and that would make norma (the cleaning lady) mad".
• we've been going to the beach a lot lately. we usually climb up onto the lifeguard post tower things and watch the lake. i think it would be cool to do that at night with a bottle of jager and a blanket. so peaceful and cold.
• elizabeth and i were walking yesterday and i was about to walk into a dog (that was tied up) and so she pulled me away and when she was pulling me away i thought that the dog was a fox, and so i kind of jumped. we actually did see a real live fox just running down the street... it was so weird.

here's something elizabeth said a little while ago that still makes me laugh.

Elizabeth: My tummy is telling me I want pie
Nadine: But we don't have any pie
Elizabeth: I know, but my tummy still wants pie

[	mood	|	cold	]
[	music	|	21st century living :: matt good	]

• two erics came to toronto. one was my brother. i bought him things and we played banjo kazooie. it was short, but i really needed to spend some time with him, and realize that he doesn't hate me, and perhaps wants to be a part of my life.
• another eric came to visit me, and he likes unicorns. i wish he would've stayed longer, but maybe i'll see him again someday
• amy and i threw a wedding shower/bachelorette party for leslie... and oh man.... penis pasta salad, a blow up doll called marvelous maverick, and a whole lot of puke. gooooooood times had by most. her wedding is on saturday, and i was hoping that i'd be able to help mae do the photography, but it sounds like i'm helping amy in the kitchen
• oh, penis tiara... that was cool
• mae wants to see if i'd be a good apprentice (she's got her own photography business, mostly weddings), so i'm going to be going to some weddings this summer. I think i've only been to two weddings before this, my uncle's, and my ex-bf's cousin's wedding. yeah. i only want to use my 50mm f/1.4, but i think i might have to start using the zoom... which doesn't really appeal to me. I have a tax related cheque coming in soon, and it will either be spent on a lens, or a flight.
• i didn't do anything for my birthday. actually, i picked up eric at the airport (brother) and i told him to go to kennedy station, and i was at kipling. big mistake. two opposite ends of the subway, two stations starting with the letter 'k'. not cool

[	Current Location	|	the maiden mansion	]
[	mood	|	amused	]
[	music	|	1234 :: feist	]

• Elizabeth and I love to sing the song '1234' by Feist. It's like our little song. She doesn't really know the words because she's four, but it's adorable nonetheless.
• On friday we went to High park to hang out with Maegan and Dominic (almost one year old!). It was fun, and she loved the monkey bars (which she can now do on her own). Well, most of it was fun... She decided to walk on one of these flat platforms (along the side of a garden, about 2 feet high), but it was lined with these small metal balls (attached)... some sort of decor i guess. She's used to walking on high things like this, but i wondered about these metal things, she was only wearing her crocs. So she was going quite fast, and i told her to be careful, and Maegan called out to slow down, and she fell.............................. I don't think i've ever run so fast. She started screammmmmmmmmmmmmmming. I expected a lot of blood. I expected to call an ambulance. I mean, she fell directly onto the pavement in a bellyflop and she hit her head. She just kept screaming for her mom. Oh it was scary, in the end she only got a big bad bump on her eyebrow... she loved the park afterwards though, and i kept giving her chocolate to make her not think about it. I'm very comforting too... she called her mom, and talked to her for awhile, and was still sad, but alright...So, after we had played at the park, and were coming back to the subway, she was getting so tired, and not wanting to walk anymore, so by the time we got to the subway, she was lying down and falling asleep (in the subway). When we got to VP, i didn't want to wake her, so i carried her to the bus (she isn't light, she's like 45 lbs), and she thanked me for carrying her. We had to hurry, as we had to pick up the girls at school. I gave her a piggy back the way back from school, as she was so tired. By the time we got back to the house, she got to hug her mom, and dad, and i started telling her mom what happened very specifically, and Elizabeth just burst into tears. This lasted probably half an hour, and eventually her mom just put her into bed, where she slept for about an hour and a half, and awoke to be able to watch a new Barbie DVD (she was so excited, and in much better spirits). yeah....

1. The peacocks. Like three of the male ones were showing their huge tail feathers in that cool wave thing... i forgot that they do that. They also scream really loud. Elizabeth didn't like this.
2. The bison cowpies... they were HUGE!
3. Dominic just being in complete love with Elizabeth, he just wanted to look at her all the time
4. Elizabeth wanting to go on the tire swing, REALLY FAST. The last time we were at high park, i started to spin her really really fast (at her request), but it freaked her out, and started screaming bloody murder. This time she liked it
5. Elizabeth going on the monkey bars, she did it last year, and i caught the footage on my phone, but this time it came so easily to her.
6. She kept insisting that we weren't at high park until we got to the playground... "when are we going to be at high park??!!?!?!"
7. the emus... very freaky with those holes for ears in the sides of their heads

• eric tore his ACL in his knee, it's the anterior cruciate ligament, a horror to people who play sports. he needs surgery. his consultation is in hamilton on tuesday. that means he'll be in toronto on monday night, so guess what i'm doing on my birthday?!?!?!? picking him up at the airport? actually, that was the plan, but because of the ttc strike, i think he's taking a cab to my place at like 10/11 at night. Still no plans for monday night, but i've been so busy planning the wedding shower for leslie that i'm going to postpone any celebration until further notice
• wasn't i just in montreal seeing my brother? the answer is yes. i was. last weekend. now he's coming to toronto. i have a feeling that our sibling relationship is getting better (something that i worry about quite a bit).
• the ttc is on strike (our metro service including buses subways and streetcars), glad i didn't get stranded friday night (mostly because i didn't go out)
• i did my taxes yesterday, and i'm getting a $700 refund, last year i had to pay that much
• i got an N64 yesterday. plus banjo-kazooie, an amazing childhood game. oh man... lovelovelove
• this week, i wore skirts, and dresses only... in a challenge to see if i could survive. and i did. and i looked hot. and i got complimented... weeeeee
• i really haven't blogged in a log time. it comes and goes. mostly when i read other amazing blogs and want to write as well.

• in montreal right now, i washed a bunch of dishes, and now my hands are dry and yucky
• winter is over, and summer is now on the way,  i think spring has been missed
• i can't really think of anything else to write, but i took some amazing pictures today on the way to montreal
• i bought eric some shoes... and i think he likes them, i have to take one pair back
• i really can't think of anything else to write now, so i'll end

[	Current Location	|	home sweet home?	]
[	mood	|	good	]
[	music	|	someone is playing the flute	]

• i'm back... and tired
• i like trying to speak french
• i miss my mom
• i sent some postcards from montreal
• my rats are still alive and well
• i sent some of the following pictures to the editor of the local newspaper (Hope, BC) so one of them will be in the paper on thursday
• i'll be taking care of a friend's baby while she works at the one of a kind show and sale, wednesday and thursday ... well, i think tomorrow is just setting up... but dominic is so cute, so i'll have a great day!
• hmm... tired... almost missed my train this morning because i slept in
• saw the foo fighters last night... wasn't really thrilled, perhaps i've seen them too many times live

[	Current Location	|	gaybourhood (papineau/frontenac)	]
[	mood	|	happy	]
[	music	|	sausage sizzling	]

• they came in 3rd, what an amazing game it was. I'm going to miss not watching basketball and screaming like a lunatic.
• at the end during the medals ceremony, they announced that eric (mon frere) was the best, something something and he got this huge ass trophy with his name and the year on it.. so every year it's given to someone in canada, and this year it was eric!!! i couldn't believe it. They said it was someone from the cavaliers (eric's team), and they said it was #15, my mom and i looked at each other and started screaming, just before they said his name... incroyable!!! he had the goofiest smile, and looked so surprised and honoured.
• i took over 600 pictures just of them playing basketball, i convinced one volunteer that i had a press pass, so he let me stand in an excellent spot (where other pros had been shooting from before), so out of those 600, i might have 10-20 alright pictures... the lighting was difficult, and they moved so quickly, that i needed a superfast shuterspeed... and a lot of the time my pictures weren't in focus because i wasn't moving my camera quick enough. i'll show you all some of the best ones once i weed out the crappy ones and see which ones are alright
• i just found out i'm meeting my dad for lunch in an hour... woohoo? i dunno what to think anymore
• my mom leaves tomorrow, and she sure has cleaned up this place of my brother's.... and cooked and bought groceries... and i don't think he knows how much she does for him
• i was mentioned in the local paper as coming out to visit eric... can't recall if i posted that link yet or not
• perhaps i should get ready... eric and nico will be coming back today, and so it will be a full house yet again
• tomorrow night is the foo fighters at the bell centre
• smells like italian sausage in here, and also like bachelor 20 year old boys...
• oh... and i saw the purse i want!!!!!!!!!! it's from mat & nat (montreal vegan company) but it's quite expensive, and i want it now... but i didn't get that paid time off (i'll get it when i get back), so i can't get it yet... picture soon... i promise 

[	Current Location	|	rue du lorimier	]
[	mood	|	blank	]
[	music	|	cable tv	]

• still here, saw eric's first game yesterday, and they were so close... i've never been so close to having 5 heart attacks in a row. if they win all the rest of their games they can come in 3rd. They played against Sheridan, which is considered a toronto school (i think it's brampton). They play UBC today at 3pm EST http://www.webtele.tv/champlaincollege/ if you want to watch them play. Eric is number 15
• i really enjoyed the basketball game... probably only because eric was playing
• eric's roommate jeff is really nice, and he has more shoes than all the girls that live in my house.
• perhaps i'll visit le village de valeurs today with my  mom, i think i should probably see my dad later on as well... not really looking forward to it, but it should be ok i guess.
• that's really all... i can't think on the spot, and i have to get going...
• oh, i tried taking pictures at the game, but i was too excited about seeing him play, that i just couldn't do it. sitting up high in the stands didn't really help, but if i was closer to the net, i'm sure i could have done a little better. i even asked one of the photographers for the tournament what aperature he was using. he was really nice, and yeah... i thought it was kinda cool that i actually went and asked.
• i have new chucks... not the usual black though... i picked the ones that  my mom liked (but they were the ones that i liked too)
• new pants as well... 8 sizes smaller than the largest pair of pants i've ever worn.

[	Current Location	|	montreal	]
[	mood	|	snowy	]
[	music	|	none?	]

• i'm in montreal right now
• my mom is here as well
• we spent most of today buying food for eric, and cleaning, and things like that... i changed some weird lightbulbs... it's much brighter in here now
• montreal has more snow than toronto... not cool, makes me wish i was still in toronto
• i'm hopefully going to meet up with a friend from high school who lives out here
• i have a new memory card... 4gigs, and so i can hold about 1000 pictures, which seems pretty outlandish, but once i start helping with weddings, i guess it will be nice to not have to worry about switching cards, and having to delete lots of pictures (before i only had a 256mb card)
• i have some confidence in my photography skills now... maegan guerette is my tutor, and wants me to come with her to the weddings she has booked for the summer. Very excited about that!
• i like pokemon snap for n64... brings back childhood memories... but i'd love to get banjo kazooie again. i mean who doesn't love a game about a bear with a bird in his backpack?
• will probably see my dad tomorrow... not sure what to think entirely
• i read books... very frequently
• i haven't forgotten how to speak french entirely, mme laboissiere would be proud! i said "je besoin d'une taxi, je suis a le provigo a sherbrooke et .... i can't recall the name of the other street either... but i even understood when he asked for my name, i just knew what to say... weird how it just sort of came back to me!
• my mom took my boots, so i can't really go anywhere, but perhaps i'll steal someone's shoes, and tape them to my feet.
• hmm... i think that's about all i have to say right now.
• the girls will be leaving on their disney cruise for tomorrow, they are just going to have an amazing time swimming with sting rays and having lunch with the princesses.
• elizabeth has learned how to read... very simple words, but i'm very proud of it... and it's all of my efforts that have brought her this far. she spells her name so quickly, and writes it out quite quickly as well. soooo cool!
• i think, that's all i have to say, i might go to a movie with one of eric's roommates (as nobody else is here -at the banquet for parents only, i was going to go as my mother's life partner, just to be able to take some pictures of my brother in a suit WITH GOLD BUTTONS)

that's all... will post pictures in a week.

[	Current Location	|	the maiden mansion	]
[	mood	|	hot	]
[	music	|	salty dog :: flogging molly	]

• reading lots of books
• decided that i'd like to apply for university for sept 09
• premonition was the stupidest movie ever
• i'm eating candy right now
• if you bake sweet potatoes in the oven, they taste just as good as if you fry them
• i have an rrsp
• i'm going to start a biology 12 course
• as i lay dying and matt good are coming back to toronto
• my teeth hurt from eating too much candy
• flogging molly put on another amazing show
• the opening band was really odd, there was a girl on washboard... and this fat black guy with suspenders from the south singing about things like his mama's fried potatoes, and "your cousin's on cops"
• my grandma had her 86th (i think) birthday on tuesday... and i called her, and got the girls to sing happy birthday to her
• saw the eclipse
• yesterday i went to TRL, but not the mtv one... actually it's the toronto reference library (much cooler!) to find out more about my new career of choice... very interesting place
• taking a lot of pictures, trying to use the f/1.4 a lot, but with taking pictures of little kids, it really isn't working out as well, because they don't stay as still as i would like. i'll attach a couple that worked out
• i have a crazy idea that i'd like to turn this upstairs bathroom into a pirate themed bathroom... i think it would be very cool...
  
• it's very sunny outside, and my window is right next to this computer, as well as the radiator is right behind my computer chair... so i'm rather toasty!