six things

1. 19 degrees feels pretty darn cool
2. my last day of work - I am off for 3 weeks!
3. dinner with the best of friends tonight
4. Friday Night Lights season 3 is on its way
5. made an appointment for haircut with new stylist -
   
6. sewing machine is back in business
   

constant refrain

There is nothing to eat in this house.
Says my 14 year son who is officially taller than me and now taller than his papa.
Who gets up in the middle of the night to eat the leftovers.
Who drinks milk like nobody's business.

It is so hot - I cannot even bear to think of food let alone go grocery shop. I feel for the guy. We made a list and this weekend we will go shopping. I promised. I will be on holidays for 3 weeks and I am hoping it cools down. We are doing some meal planning and will try some new things. We will stock up the barren pantry.

*** update on the tent sleeping situation
spider attack - my billion bites on the arm are not mosquito bites but probably spider bites. gross. I brought out a cotton blanket and used two blankets - which kept out the dampness. Much better. I am feeling more rested.

2 more days of work.

things I know

• while it may be hot; dew still forms through the night leaving one feeling slightly damp upon wakening
• coffee and peanut butter toast are mighty fine together
• that subaru canada offers up nothing - beyond we are sorry that your 5 year old non-warranty covered vehicle needs a new engine
  
• that is is going to be incredibly hot again today
• that I am very fortunate to be working in an air conditioned office
• that it is way too hot to eat dinner
• that despite my reminders to bring your own blanket to the tent, my daughter still attempted to steal mine
• that I need to go to work early today - I am running out of time
  
• that I might need two more shots of espresso to start my morning
  
• that one upper arm can be covered with more than 15 mosquito bites
• that I am very tired and really need a break from work
• that my tomato plants need water constantly
• that I am lacking any kind of motivation to get my butt off the chair and get dressed for work
  

better served cold

In celebration of the new movie Julie & Julia I made cherry clafoutis.
I found the recipe using this great food search tool shared by T.

Which led me here and I made Julia Child's recipe.

My husband thought I was crazy to be baking a dessert when it was almost 40 degrees celcius. It was pretty warm in the house but it was warm anyways - that was my logic - what does a few degrees matter when temperatures have reached an all time high.

holy moly it is hot

When it is this hot we eat salads and cold food.



And we sleep where it is cool.

post review

Oh. My. The football game was a bust. Seriously. It was like they forgot they were supposed to try and win. Effort. None. It was painful to watch. The only good thing about the night was the fact that my husband and I were out together. A date. It reinforced in my mind how important it is to just hang out together. So, often our lives get busy and we communicate on a level of what needs to get done; who needs to be where and when, what are going to have for dinner? - and we forgot to just enjoy each others company.

We received a text from our son that he would prefer to come home earlier from a party he was attending - so we picked him and a pizza up and came home.

In other news - we have purchased new cleats for the football season. We are on the hunt for a different pointe shoe for my daughter. Her ballet camp starts next week. We are gearing up for some seriously warm weather - the tent will be erected and the pinot gris will be chilled. Our best friends have all gone away and so we will have a quiet weekend and that is OK with me.

5 more working days.

finding my way

Friday
One more week of work.
Waiting
but,
wanting to appreciate the anticipation.
changing locations
need to be part of a team
pros and cons
commuting by car
again
jeans and sweatshirts
a gym
vs.
walking to work
minimal support
alone
need to find the balance
thankful for choices

making plans and creating time

My holiday/ vacation is fast approaching. I am full of anticipation and I am enjoying the countdown. My holidays start halfway through the summer and that means that school starts in a month. July has flown by. It has been not without some stress. And when we throw in the gigantic car repair bill - we sort of blew out the summer budget. Gah. But, I am working very hard to NOT let that take over my thoughts. We will enjoy August. I am making a list of things I would like to do - not have to do - we will break away and go camping for a week. We have two more plays at Bard on the Beach. They boys will take in a football game. My daughter has a ballet camp. I may paint my bathroom.

I am also working very hard to enjoy each day as it is given to me. To roll with the events and not worry too much about tomorrow - or dinner - or the laundry.

Sleeping outside has afforded me some extra hours of slumber and I am more rested. Need to go wake up my ride.

random bits

• I am eating a french breakfast - hot chocolate and french bread
• My husband is giving me a ride to work today - I have a meeting at another location and I have negotiated a ride back with my temporary manager
• 8 more working days
• I am REALLY looking forward to Julie and Julia - the movie
• I finally finished the new Laurie King book - the Language of Bees
• I need to go to the library
• I am still sleeping in the tent
• It is going to be 34 degrees celcius this weekend - hot
• Maybe some lightening strikes - which means more potential forest fires
• I found some good cherries @ $1.99 lb - expensive but a real treat
• I am going to minimize the wine drinking until I am actually on vacation.
• Our subaru will be ready at the end of July.
• Monday - we will scrap the Honda and register for the rebate.
• Friday I am going to a football game
• July is zooming by.
  

a new week

I slept in the tent again. It is so peaceful to lay out under the stars. I kept my glasses on until the last possible moment.

I am a little stiff but, I think it is more a combination of a brutal pilates class and remaining stress about the subaru. I was certainly warm enough.

The mosquitos have arrived. They are late this year. I have 6 new bites on one arm. Several on my feet and the backs of my legs.

9 more days of work.
9
more
days.

I truly need a break. Tomorrow I have a meeting and we need to figure out how to share the one vehicle we are borrowing.

Thursday - the mamogram. Oh yeah.

backyard bliss

warm nights and a new tent
make a good opportunity
to test drive
the set up
and the sleeping capacity
my daughter and I
slept under the stars
last night.

things I am lovin'

• Tostitos Multigrain Tortillia chips - especially good with fresh salsa
  
• Salonpas Pain Relieving patches - perfect for stiff necks
  
• Bard on the Beach - and the fact we access to such fantastic local theatre
• a cooler day with which to garden
• parents who willingly lend their vehicles
• my husband who likes to laugh
• my children who appreciate Shakespeare
• my friends who hang in there with us through the good and the bad

Saturday

I work Saturdays. Every Saturday unless there is a long weekend. I have Mondays off instead. I miss having a regular weekend with my family. But, having a week day off allows me to be more efficient with my time and truth be told, if I were home on Saturdays I would probably end up doing chores and errands.

Saturday is considered a short day. I am usually completely booked up with clients. I enjoy meeting people. Today will be no exception.

Then we are off to the city to see A Comedy of Errors. I haven't read the play.

Someone wants to buy our house. Well, they want a house like ours in our neighbourhood. So, far we are the only ones who even remotely entertained the idea. But, we would need a new place to live. I know where I would want to live. My dream home. I would plant a vineyard.

Crazy Talk.

Time to Bust N' Move.

TGIF*

This morning I woke to:

• beautiful, blue skies
• warm sunshine
  
• a quiet. peaceful house
• a dishwasher full of dirty dishes - someone forgot to turn it on after their shower
• a changed mind - I was going to go into work early but it is a long day at the best of times so opted to show up when I am paid to show up
• a long board in the middle of the sun room
• a camera with dead batteries
• a desire to get out in the garden - this won't happen until Sunday - as Saturday we are off to Bard on the Beach to see A Comedy of Errors
• 3 new mosquito bites - minimal activity this year
  
• resigned myself to the cost of the repair of the vehicle (another post)

six things

1. a party invite for August - old friends are coming home
2. 4 hours of sleep last night -
   
3. my americano is tasting mighty fine
4. a lunch date with new friend and her new baby
5. football practice
6. sunshine all weekend
   

night light

evenings on the deck. warm nights. pinot gris. all is good.

perspective

There is always a reason to be thankful.



One of our favourite vineyards - Hester Creek.



the fruit of the vine





my father's dahlias



Opa and my son make a long board



resting by the pool

not quite

Two days is enough for a new perspective. Our weekend did not unfold as we had planned. We were 3/4 of the way to our destination - gearing down as we travelled out of the mountains and I heard a MOST awful noise. I looked at my husband who barely blinked and started shifting into a lower gear. Still more noise. You just knew something was not right. He was calm and probably drove for another minute or so and guided us over to a pull off zone at which point he declared we had lost the engine and brakes. Not good. But, we were safe. We sat there for a long time slightly stunned at the whole experience.

Then we had to decide on a plan. We called emergency road side assistance and they dispatched a vehicle to tow us to a garage. I called my parents - as that is who were on our way to see. My mum set out to pick us up.

Sunday we brain stormed solutions. I needed to get back to work for Tuesday. The children need to get back too. Car rental would cost ~$750. Nope - that is not happening. We also, had to figure out how and where to get the subaru repaired. Initially, we thought we would leave it in the Okanagan and Mr. W would drive back to pick it up. He would need a ride - it is about 3.5 hours from home and then they would have to drive back. We don't know the repair garage. It would take the garage 2 days to get parts. My husband figures it is a fairly large repair based on what happened. So, we decided to call our subaru dealership to see if they would cut us a deal and tow it back home to repair. Mr and I will take the bus back on Monday and he will orchestrate a ride back on Tuesday and my parents will meet him half way with the kids. Once we had a plan, we could relax and we swam in the pool and played some serious bocci.

Our vineyard/ winery trip - turned into one visit to Hester Creek. Both of us were feeling gun shy about spending money when we have no idea how the cost of the car repair.

My father-in-law then calls to say he knows somebody who knows somebody and they are arranging a tow back to Langley and they can get a 7 passenger vehicle and they just happen to have a reason to come out this way and they will pick us up on Monday. So, the bus adventure has been put on hold and we will be home around dinner time Monday.

I am thankful we are safe - everything else will sort itself out.

My children are away this week and I had every intention of cleaning my house - room by room.
Ha Ha Ha. That did not happen. We did get some stuff done. One of the projects is deciding what to do with all the art work that comes home every year. This year I decided to photograph it. I have a few things from elementary school packed away but the projects this year were bigger and bulkier - so taking a photo of the artwork is a good compromise.

We are leaving tomorrow to go pick them up - we will visit our favourite vineyards and purchase some wine for the winter months. It is one of my favourite things to do with my husband. He will take his camera full of film and I will take my digital one.

sunshine is back

Woke to fog and no french roast.
Drove into the sun to find some coffee.
The house smells like fresh paint.
My daughter's room is having a redo.
Inspired to paint the bathroom.
I have some curtains to sew.
I am going to make a summer to do list for the fridge.
Work is slightly less stressful.
Thankful.
Looking forward to going to the Okanagan.
Road trip
and
Vineyards.
Maybe try my hand at pastels.
The rubber plant needs repotting.

bounty

produce for sale



our goods



greens

I am thinking we will be eating some new potatoes and beets and greens for dinner tomorrow.

inspired at 3am

So, you know I have been having troubles with the whole sleep thing. Anyways, this morning I got up and checked out the internets. I found some new inspiring blogs and I will be sure to peruse their archives over the next few weeks.

For food related loveliness check out sprouted kitchen.

The Noticing Project is fabulous.

or this collaborative art project Echoes ... Summer is

I am amazed and astounded at the creativity of others. It motivates me to continue to work towards my own creative goals and to see the world with fresh eyes.

what creature eats purple basil?

check it out. one day it was thriving and full of leaves. the next day it has been totally munched down to the quick. whatever it is that is eating my basil doesn't like oregano. not impressed.

summer

This is my favourite pot right now.

I am a Rock Star

Dudes - not only did I find the missing IPOD - but I got the cell phone to work.

making plans

It is the last day of the work week. My children are leaving for the Okanagan to hang with their grand parents for a week of fun in the sun by the pool. This will probably the their last opportunity to go together as next summer my son is hoping to get a job and my daughter will be dancing somewhere. They are going to be there with one of their younger cousins. So, we are making lists and packing. First though, the laundry must be attacked as they will need some clean undergarments.

My husband informs me he is going fishing for a few days - which means I am going to be flying solo for a few days next week. I am not at all sure how I feel about that. Last year, I think I would have been thrilled. I will enjoy the solitude - I do not doubt it - but I think I might get lonely. The last time I came home to an empty house it was a little sad.

I have few projects of my own to work on - this will be a great opportunity to get started. I can eat salad for every meal if I so choose. And read. I could read.

six things

1. beginning to pack the bags for H and L to visit the Okanagan and their grandparents
2. making a list of projects for while they are away
3. looking forward to visiting friends after work
   
4. need to plant more radishes and green onions
5. thankful for the bit o' support that arrived at work yesterday
6. laundry detergent - we have none
   

Canada Day

July 1st.
Where did June go?
Spectacular weather.
BBQ with friends.
Someone is frying bacon outside this morning.
Americano with cream.
Watering the vegetable garden.
Waiting for the kids to come home.
Grasping the moments as they come.
Not wanting for more.
Appreciate what I have.
Life is always better in the morning.
The darkness can overshadow.
Cell phone in the toilet.
Resting in a bowl of rice.
Doubtful.
Worry about things I cannot control.
Making lists.
Making plans.
Bard on the Beach - Othello and Comedy of Errors
Football
Hester Creek Vineyards
Hillside and Burrowing Owl
Freshly picked cherries.
Chlorine and sunscreen.
Archie comics.