Potluck!

Perfect way to kick off the long weekend? A potluck BBQ!

Potlucks are always a hit with my coworkers and this was no exception. Our focus was on salads but we also had the BBQs fired up for some burgers and dogs. And of course cupcakes and smores for dessert.

Yes...smores. I came up with the idea of BBQing them, while wrapped in tin foil. The idea is good but needed some perfecting. Some of them had disintegrated marshmallow, but some turned out perfect.

Wayne provided the entertainment for the evening while eating his smore :)

Wrapping Up July

July is a big birthday month for my family. Today my nephew Jesse's turned five. On the 14th Liam turned three and the next day Abby turned eleven! I've been slacking in my blogging lately so I'm combining all three into one post :)

Abby was the first one to make me an aunt. I anticipated her arrival with great excitement. I even learned how to quilt with my Aunt Peggy in order to create my very first (and last) quilt for her. When I talked to my brother the night she was born, he was exhausted after not sleeping for a long time. But when he said her name "Abigail Elizabeth" ...I remember thinking it was the most beautiful name I'd ever heard. I still think it is a wonderful name. Abby has been such a joy to watch grow into the little person that she is.

I distinctly remember when I found out about Jesse. It was Christmas Eve and a friend and I were out for breakfast with Jo-Anne and Nick. Jo-Anne was showing me some photos of various family events and the last one was a picture of her and Nick with a pregnancy test! (actually 3...wanted to make sure!) I was thrilled! But...I wasn't allowed to tell anyone that night when I went "home" for Christmas. I had to wait until the announcement the next day! When Jo-Anne told us...she said the baby was about the size of a peanut. So...that has pretty much been his nickname since. He is a curious and
-->precocious little tyke and usually makes me laugh!

Two years later, Liam came along. I stayed with the Peanut while Jo-Anne & Nick went to the hospital. I knew the short list of names and was thrilled when I got the phone call and the decision for Liam. So cute. Liam was born with a shock of dark hair and was so adorable! He has turned into a little sweetie pie that loves hugs and snuggles. (I'm sure he'll grow out of that!!)

Happy Anniversary

Five years ago, I had just returned from some graphics training in Toronto. While I was there I discussed starting a blog with my friend Simon. I came back to work and was in the middle of a major project of switching from "The New PL" to A Channel. Everything about the station was changing in appearance from trucks to on-air presentation. In addition, we were launching a brand new graphics system. Wow, a major undertaking! At the same time, my sister Jo-Anne was getting ready to have her first baby. She ended up going 2 weeks early...the precise weekend of our big project at work. Why am I telling you this? Because it was during all of this that I started THIS BLOG! SEE MY FIRST MONTH HERE

It's been five years of writing about anything and everything. From threading my sewing machine to my phobia of gum. From bragging about my nieces and nephews to concerts I've attended. For the past five years...this is my life. It's kind of neat to reflect and see what I was up to and what I was thinking. It's like a journal. A rather public journal.

At times, I wonder who actually reads my musings, but I do have seven followers, and probably more that I'm not even aware of. I have inspired many of my friends to start their own blogs. Some have continued faithfully, others have lost momentum.

To commemorate this occasion, I have decided to print the last five years of blogging into a book. I heard about this idea on CBC's "Spark" and thought it was cool. You can check it out here.

So, to all my readers, thanks for stopping by. See ya next time!

Microvacation

This weekend, I took a micro vacation. To Petrolia. Ha ha...it was great!!

On Sunday afternoon I met Connie, Steve and Madison in Sarnia to see Toy Story 3. I thought it was great, but I was a little surprised how "non kid" it was. Madison, who is seven, was a little scared throughout. But, as an adult, I thought it was fantastic. Lots of great humour and the use of all the retro toys...love it. Madison and I shared a big bag of popcorn - who wouldn't love that?

After the movie, I went to visit my Grammie. Our original plan was to sort through old photographs, but Grammie didn't feel like doing that "in the heat" so we procrastinated until another time. I did succeed in teaching her how to run her DVD player though :) However, I forgot to show her how to turn the movie OFF and return to watching regular TV. So, I should have expected the phone call I got later! Not to worry, we got it all sorted out.

In the evening, I played some board games at the kitchen table with the Berrys. Originally we were going to hang out at the pool this weekend, but the weather just didn't cooperate. On Monday Connie and I "did Petrolia". This took about an hour. I didn't realize that most of the town shuts down on Monday. There were a few places that were open, so we wandered about and had lunch at Coffee Lodge. Being the techno wizard that I am (umm, ya...) I helped Connie with some computer stuff for her tea room in the afternoon.

I think my favourite part of my micro vacation was visiting my Aunt Peggy. Somehow we started talking about when she was a girl and was growing up and the next 2 and a half hours were spent listening to her stories. She has the biggest heart of anyone I know and she is pretty special to me.

Who knew you could pack so much into 2 days in Lambton County? :)

Anniversaries

It's interesting that we usually mark the "anniversaries" of certain events in our life. These can be things we celebrate like birthdays and wedding anniversaries or remembering first dates. Or they may be more somber. Perhaps remembering the day that someone close to you passed away or when you got bad news.

For some reason, I tend to always remember anniversaries. It might be my penchant for reflecting on the past, I'm not sure. I always remember on February 25 that I met my best friend Karla Ann. On June 6th, I remember that as the day my grandma passed away when I was six. June 23 marks my company anniversary. And of course we always think of where we were on September 11.

This reflection came as a result of today being the "anniversary" of my car accident one year ago. Of course I am not comparing it to any of the previous examples in regards to impact or severity. Just observing.

I'm still sad whenever I see a yellow beetle drive past. I know to most, a car is just a car. And when your car, which is 11 years old, is considered useless by the insurance company, most people would jump at the chance to get a new one. I did not want a new one. I had such an emotional attachment to that car.  As you probably know if you're reading this blog, my dream car since I was small was a yellow beetle.

Anyway, those are my reflections as I pass this "anniversary" which were stirred up this afternoon when I drove through the intersection.

New Glasses!

I recently decided it was time for me to get some new glasses. The ones I was wearing I had been wearing for about 5 years. In fact, I liked the frames so much that my last prescription I had new lenses put in my old frames. But, now I was ready for a change.

I headed to my usual spot at Westmount Mall and perused the frame selection. My goal was to get a pair of regular glasses and a pair of prescription sunglasses. After creating a short list, I got some prices. Wow, two pairs were going to really add up...over $600 in fact.

After leaving the mall to mull it over, my friend Sue mentioned buying glasses online. Someone she knows had just done that. Hmmm, something sparked a memory in my head...my friend Derek had blogged about buying glasses online a few months ago. So, I checked the blog to get the website.

I could NOT believe the price difference!! A complete pair of glasses...frames and lenses for thirty bucks? Could it be? Actually, if I hadn't read Derek's first-hand encounter, I don't know if I would've believed it. But, he had been completely satisfied with his purchase, so I continued.

I narrowed my selection down and ended up with 3 pairs of every day glasses and one pair of sunglasses. FOUR pairs for $140!!! You should have a general idea of what style/colour you like as you won't be able to try them on. But, as long as you have checked out some frames in an actual store, you should have a feel for what you're looking for. So, my recommendation for saving a few bucks on your eyewear, check out www.zennioptical.com

Moore Olympics

This year it was my family's turn to host the annual Moore Reunion. So, when we gathered at Easter, I asked if anyone had any ideas. I usually like to go with a theme so it makes planning easier...you just relate it back to the theme. No one really had any suggestions so I explained the idea I had on the car ride out to the farm. Let's do the Olympics!
 It was the perfect idea...Canada had just hosted the Olympics a few months ago, so people were all over that topic. Also, the reunion falls just before Canada Day so we could tie in lots of patriotism. And finally, we could have the Olympic Games! I loved this idea as it would get adults and kids alike involved in an activity. Usually the kids have some games and the adults get to sit in their lawn chairs "visiting". (bor-ing!)

The idea seemed to go over well at the dinner table as we discussed different ideas and who would be responsible for what. As the weeks and months progressed, the plan started to look pretty cool! My one fear was that the adults wouldn't participate in the games. So, I lectured my dad that he needed to lead the way. I honestly did not think he would. I honestly thought the day of the reunion Dad would be sitting under the tree in a lawn chair and brush me off. How wrong I was!

The big day arrived with ominous clouds in the distance. I told everyone to pray for no rain, and our prayers were answered! The raindrops held off until everyone had left and we were cleaning up. Then the skies opened up :)

We had a check-in table for everyone to confirm their address, get their name tag, be assigned a team and get a family photo taken. Once checked in, people made their way to the pavilion where we were setting up for an awesome potluck lunch. Isn't it funny how everything tastes so good at potlucks? I'm not sure if it's the variety or the fact that you didn't have to make it all, but the food is always delicious!

After lunch we got things started with the arrival of the torch and Opening Ceremonies. I had actually planned on my brother in law Steve carrying the torch in. However, when Bryan Moore arrived in full red & white Olympic/Canada garb...I asked him if he would be the torch bearer. He agreed enthusiastically. So, I cued the "I Believe" music and Bryan carried the paper torch along with his niece Alycia carrying a flag beside him. It was perfect! Next up was Oh Canada. We actually blew a breaker during the national anthem, but everyone kept singing while my brother fixed the problem. And wouldn't you know we were right on track when the music came back on!!
Next Up...Let the Games Begin! I could not believe how many people assembled in their team colours for our first game - the Obstacle Course! My worst fear disappeared! With my Dad leading the way, adults of ALL ages participated and had a blast in the games! Once the scores were tallied, I had created Olympic Medals which we handed out for Gold, Silver and Bronze. Yep, people were really into the medals too!

The rest of the day was a blur of a baseball game, Bingo, Pinata and of course, "visiting". But most importantly everyone had a great time and can't wait for next year. Fortunately, we are not hosting!!

Another Day, Another Nephew Post...

Last week, I was pleased to attend the JK graduation of my nephew Jesse. I can't believe a school year has passed so quickly and Jesse is done his first year of school. When Jo-Anne mentioned there was going to be a special presentation at the school, I told her I would like to attend.

Honestly, I was expecting a somewhat more "formal" graduation. Pomp & Circumstance played on recorders perhaps? At least cardboard mortarboards! I think I had this in mind after remembering my own kindergarten graduation.

Regardless of the formality of the "graduation" it was still adorable to see such little tykes performing for us. There were 3 songs, each with actions. The first was about dinosaurs, the second was "Waving Flag" complete with choreography that included coloured scarves. The final song was "So Long, Farewell" from the Sound of Music. The lyrics were tweaked to reflect the fact that their school is closing at the end of the school year. All were very cute.

Of course, the most important part for both Jesse and little brother Liam was the SNACKS afterwards! Ha ha. I asked Jesse on the way home which song was his favourite and his answer was "the snacks". Nice. :)

Congratulations Jesse on a very exciting first year of school. I have enjoyed hearing about all the neat things you have learned, seeing the cool crafts you have created and most of all watching your little personality emerge. High five Peanut!!

Josh's Big Day

I recently celebrated my nephew Josh's 9th birthday with him. Each year the kids get a special day with me for their birthday. We've done some pretty cool stuff in the past from water parks to seeing the dinosaurs at JLC to the Air Show to painting pottery.

This year, Josh said he'd like to go to a ball game. The plan was to go to a Friday night Majors game here in London. The forecast, however, didn't look like it would cooperate. So, my back up plan was to see Shrek in 3D.

We all met at Jo-Anne's house for a rowdy (5 kids!!) pizza dinner and when it was time to go, I looked at the foreboding sky. Hmmm, looked like the rain could spill forth at any moment. So, I told Josh it was his choice... we could still go to the game, but it could rain. At first he said he would still like to see the ball game, but after a little consideration, announced that he had changed his mind and wanted to see Shrek.

The movie was really fun...even a few laugh out loud moments. Josh was settled in with the 3D glasses, popcorn, kinder egg and blue slurpie, so he was all set! On the way home, it started to pour rain...as if to confirm our decision not to go to the ball game.

In the morning we made pancakes for breakfast. Josh helped by measuring out the mix, cracking the eggs and letting me know when it was time to flip. They were dee-lish as we added bananas and chocolate chips! Yum. We played a little wii before heading for home. Nothing like a little bowling competition or 9 holes of golf in the morning.

Josh is a pretty cool kid. He is a man of few words, but once he opens up a bit, he is just so darned cute. I think he is actually a clone of my brother. Not only does he look just like John, who looks just like my dad, but they all share the same name! He loves the outdoors, fishing, exploring, nature...just like John. I wish we lived closer so I could pop by more often. Although I think he's convinced me to come to at least one football practice in the fall.

I'm In a New York State of Mind

OK, yes...after a bit of a delay, my final installment of my trip to New York.

After our brush with celebrity on Saturday evening, we were up & at 'em fairly early Sunday morning. When we arrived at Times Square, we discovered there was a Sunday morning market! It was fun to wander around and see what was up for grabs. I thought I might find some sunglasses, but never did find any that suited me. Same with I <3 NY t-shirts. I wanted to get one but they all seemed tacky. I was looking for something a little more subtle than the bright white version that appeared everywhere. (see footnote)

After meandering the market, we hopped on the bus and toured through lower Manhattan. Unfortunately, the microphone on the bus wasn't working. At first this was OK...we sat at the front and our tour guide (who had about 3 teeth) also sat at the front. But, as more people got on the bus, he moved further back and we could no longer hear Snaggletooth, as he became known. It's too bad as he seemed like he had interesting stories to tell.


After finally getting my cupcake at the Magnolia Bakery (deeelish, but a bit of a sugar shock) we lined up for Broadway tickets in Times Square. We were all flexible as to what to see so most of the time in line was spent discussing what to see. We settled on "Rock of Ages" and I'm so glad we did! It was fantastic. By the end of the show, we were all on our feet singing along to Journey.

PHOTO: GROUP SHOT AFTER BROADWAY

FOOTNOTE ON I <3 NY T-SHIRT
After searching the whole city for a black shirt with gray letters, I ended up making my own. It was a cinch! I bought a black t-shirt and after a little photoshopping, printed off an iron-on transfer and ironed it on. Voila...my perfect T-shirt!!

Kermie's Trench

So, while planning my trip to New York, I had a lot of people say that I should visit the FAO Schwartz toy store. Apparently the "Big" piano is there. Since I've never seen the movie Big, I wasn't really sure what the 'big' deal was.

Anyhow, we stumbled upon it ...just behind the ultra cool Apple store on 5th Avenue. We headed inside and wandered around. We saw the big piano and every other kind of toy, but none of us were really in need of toys, so we headed back outside. We rounded the corner and as we were walking down the street, something caught my eye. Through the glass doors and inside FAO Schwartz, I saw something very muppet-like. I stopped in my tracks and insisted we go back in.

I couldn't believe what I saw inside (and missed my first time around!). It was the  Whatnot Muppet Workshop . It was like a Build-a-Bear for muppets!! How cool is that?! There were 3 body types/colours to choose from and you got to choose the eyes, nose, hair, etc. I was too overwhelmed to actually build a muppet right then and there... and we had other things we needed to get to. But, someday, I want to go back and build a muppet. Wouldn't it be cool to make a muppet that looks like yourself?!?

Although I didn't build a muppet, I did purchase a miniature trench coat for Kermie. I've been looking for one since I got him and I was thrilled to find it! It came on a little hanger and in its own little garment bag! Ha, so cute! 

New York

On Saturday night, we ventured on the subway down to Greenwich Village/Soho. We wandered around, taking in the vibe. We were definitely in a trendy/hip neighbourhood. Too bad I was still dressed from my day of walking around the city...including running shoes! Bah, embarrassing.

We found a pretty cool place and had some dinner and after wandering a bit more, headed back up to Times Square. We had the brilliant idea that we should find the Magnolia Bakery and get a cupcake (since they're open until midnight). Upon trying to navigate our way, we stumbled down a street that turned out to be a great twist of fate. As we were walking along, we discovered some temporary barriers and lots of people crowded behind them. My spidey sense was tingling and I realized there soon would be a celebrity sighting! Sure enough, we had gone down a street with the rear entrance to 2 Broadway Theatres. Soon after, we saw Kelsey Grammer and Catherine Zeta Jones exit from their Broadway productions. Too bad I forgot my autograph book at home!

~stay tuned for more tomorrow~

The Big Apple

New York City has been on my "list" for a long time and after last weekend, I could put a check beside NYC.

My first trip to the Big Apple was a swirl of skyscrapers, people, a Naked Cowboy and hot dog stands. It was four days that were jam-packed with as much New York as we could fit in!

We arrived at JFK and headed to our hotel (in Queens) on the subway. Seemed like a good idea at the time. We purchased the unlimited pass making getting from the hotel to Manhattan a breeze. However, getting from the airport to the hotel with our luggage....not such a breeze. Augh. So many stairs! But, eventually we made it.

We headed to Times Square and it was exactly as I thought. HUGE! Everywhere you looked, super-sized advertisements. And within moments of arriving...we saw Naked Cowboy! (for those of you that are not familiar, he is an institution in NYC) We hit a few stores and got some big city pizza. Our first evening, we did a trip over the Brooklyn Bridge...and finally hit the hotel, exhausted.

Day 2 started early, but we had lots to do! We hopped on our "Hop on, Hop off" bus and headed to Central Park. Wow, it's absolutely huge...and beautiful! I love how New Yorkers just go there for chilling out, rollerblading, cycling, picnics, etc. Across from the park on the west side, we saw the Dakota building. This is the building where John Lennon lived (and Yoko Ono still does) and also where he was shot.

Not far away, we stopped by Tom's Diner, of Seinfeld fame. (also the song of the same name) We took the obligatory photos and then had lunch. The interior is nothing like Seinfeld, but it was fun. I had a grilled swiss cheese and rice pudding. I was aiming for typical diner food!!

...stay tuned...

Irises

I happen to live in an awesome neighbourhood for walking. I'm surrounded by huge century homes that are beautiful to look at as I pass by. Along with the homes, the gardens are lovely as well. Right now, my all-time favourite flower is blooming everywhere!

Irises are just so beautiful. Three ruffly petals rise up in the middle, three more petals turn down slightly, as if to reveal their friends. They are large yet delicate and sit on top of a lofty stem. Really quite a marvel. And the colours are stunning! All shades of purple, yellow, white...

I need some of my own I think!!

The ABCs of NY

A brief summary of my weekend trip to New York City, as compiled by the alphabet game played in the car waiting for 2+ hours at the border!!

A    Apple (the big)
B    Broadway
C    Cupcake
D    Deli
E    Empire State Building
F    Ferry
G   Greenwich Village
H   Hotdog in Central Park
I     Insane breakfast nook (at the hotel)
J     Jersey
K    Kelsey Grammer
L    Late nights
M   Magnolia Bakery
N    NBC
O    Outrageous Naked Cowboy
P     Pizza
Q    Queens
R    Regis
S    Subway
T    Tickets (Rock of Ages)
U    Unused umbrellas
V    ....the game stopped as we reached the border!!

My Mum.

Last week, it seemed appropriate to write a post about my mum. Sunday was Mother's Day and it was also Nurses' Week. Sadly, the week escaped me before I could "compose" myself.

I like to think I have a special relationship with my mum. Part of that comes from being the youngest. Youngest kids always have a special bond with their mum. Moms tend to be a little sentimental with them as they know it is the last time they will go through each stage. In addition to being the youngest, I share my name with my mum. Well, my middle name is her first name. I think that's pretty cool.

When writing my card for Mother's Day, I was reflecting on my Mum and what she means to me. I started to think of what she has done over the years, not just for me, but for all of her children. Wow. What a self-sacrificing woman.

So many hours were spent listening to us fumble our way through piano lessons, helping construct science projects, patiently explaining concepts and helping us to learn through mnemonic devices. Making lunches, making dinner, making the beds. A mother's work is truly never done!

That motherly nature also comes through in her career as a nurse as well. I am always moved when I see that compassionate side shine through. She has worked with aging people as long as I can remember and she always treats them with dignity and respect as well as comforting them and their families in difficult times.

Thanks for all that you have done and all that you are Mum. 1-2-3.

Fun with Madison

My sister Connie recently opened a tearoom and I've been helping her with some design stuff. So, on Sunday afternoon I was working on my computer at a table by the window while Connie was in the kitchen whipping up some wonderful dessert. Steve & Madison had gone to get some groceries and when they arrived to deliver them, Madison sprang into action.

It was so adorable to watch! She appeared at my table with a tray and an order pad & pen. She informed me that her pretend name for the day was "Queen" and I needed a name. I chose "Ivy". Then she told me that it was my pretend birthday and she had some special treats for me. She proceeded to take my order on her pad and disappeared into the kitchen.

When she arrived back at my table, she had a plate with 3 small desserts drizzled with chocolate sauce (had a little help from Mom) and wished me a happy birthday! Ha ha. Hilarious. She was very particular about placing everything on the table and carrying her tray. She could almost step in and work there this summer!

Later on, I stayed with Madison while Connie & Steve went out for a bit. We had such a great time! We started out playing "Go Fish". When we were done, I suggested we play again and have a tournament. After I explained what that was, she went and found a paper and pen and wrote both of our names without any help. And then she had the idea that between our names she should put VS. I don't think she knew what that meant, but she knew it should be there.

We went on to play Uno and Wheel of Fortune. (she LOVES Wheel of Fortune) When we got it out of the box, she informed me that she would be Pat and when I guessed an "E" she told me that I had to say that I'd like to buy a vowel. What a smart little cookie.

So, little Madison is growing up but I've gotta say she has become such a neat little girl.

The Yellow Effect

Why does yellow make me blue? Good question. I'll give you a hint... the beetle.

Each time I see a yellow beetle on the street, I feel a pang of melancholy. Seems silly, I know. To most people, a car is a means of getting from point A to point B. But to me, my yellow beetle became a part of me. It was an extension of my personality and I loved driving it.

Even before Volkswagen introduced the "new" beetle, it was my dream car...especially in yellow! Buying my yellow bug was a dream come true. It was also a step in declaring my independence. Knowing that my "domestic car" family wouldn't like a foreigner joining the ranks, I researched, test-drove and purchased that car all on my own.

So, when my partnership with my beetle ended abruptly last summer it had more impact (no pun intended) on me than someone that was in an average car accident. I had to make a quick decision to replace my car.

At the time, I made the decision based on my emotional attachment to the yellow bug, and I bought a silver bug. It was newer, less kilometers and even had a sunroof. It had my mechanic's stamp of approval and he gave me a really great price, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. The interior was basically the same, so all the buttons and controls were already familiar.

All went well...until I saw my first yellow beetle. I dare say it was a bit of jealousy! My new beetle is boring old silver. Silver. Ninety percent of the cars out there are silver! OK, if not it seems like it. In my yellow car, I stood out in the crowd. In the silver car, I blend in. It's been an adjustment that I'm still getting used to.

Spring has sprung!

Each year I marvel at how quickly spring comes upon us. I know this year has been an early start of sunny days and warm temperatures, but it still surprises me how the trees are brown and barren one day and the next day are bursting with colour. I love going outside and being surrounded by green!

I am fortunate to live in a lovely old neighbourhood of the city. When I go for walks I gaze at the gorgeous old homes with frilly pink magnolia trees and perfectly manicured lawns. I can't believe the size of some of the homes. Wow.

There is a really pretty tree outside my front window. I'm not sure what it is, but it is quite beautiful. Currently there are 2 daffodils and a handful of yellow tulips that have sprouted up too. I meant to take a photo when they first popped through...but I kept forgetting. Oops. But, now I will post these and say Happy Earth Day!