happy december + reflections on photo of the day november

welcome, december!

today is santa shuffle saturday. i get the easy job of staying in the (warm) store; manager paul is out being race director! the santa shuffle (5 k fun run/walk and 1 k elf walk) raises funds for our local salvation army – i hope we have a big turnout of participants! [with yesterday's snowfall, and rain in the forecast for today, watch your footing out there!].

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what a positive way to usher in our holiday month!

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well, photo of the day november is now bygones. here are a few concluding thoughts, divided into pros and cons, more or less…

the positives:
~ photo of the day reinforced that DAILY BLOGGING really is the style that sits with me the best. there’s no thinking about whether to blog or not – you just do it!

~ i loved having a “base theme” (ie, the daily photo) with which to work. i never thought, “i want to blog, but what shall i say?” because i knew i would create an entry around that day’s photo. some days, i knew days in advance what the photo opp would be (zoup it up), other days i grabbed a photograph-able moment (seriously, snow) and went with that. i liked that mix of impromptu vs planning, short vs long.

~ the biggest enjoyment was realizing i am open to being flexible with a blog posting time each day!!! this month, i tried out writing -> editing -> hitting the “publish” button instead of my usual/previous routine of composing -> editing -> editing -> proofreading -> scheduling a blog post (for first thing in the morning). i liked having zero expectations, and just writing what i felt like writing.

not-so-positives:

~ as stated, i am so NOT a fan of november – it gets to me every year, starting the weekend we go back an hour. it’s like clockwork (punny!) how the blahs strike. i initiated photo of the day as a way to help alleviate the november bah-humbug mood (ie something creatively fun to look forward to each and every day), yet i still had an over-riding november funk. now, i DID have MANY fun and happy november outings and moments, but i also had more pissy-mood times than usual…which makes me even more grumbly because life is good and i should not be in bad moods! anyway, i am very happy to move on to december. it is always a busy and energizing month!

~ i cannot tell if you like daily blogging vs random postings?? the number of daily blog hits was all over the place! highest day?? the happy birthday, dad post which saw a surge! [guess we know who is popular around here!!].

overall: november’s photo project was a success!

i have not made december blogging goals.

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all i know is that FOR SURE there will be a kikiproject update on december 9th and FOR SURE i will recap DIET COKE DAY (which is also december 9th) on december 10th!

happy saturday!

out like a lion

snow dump + below-freezing temps = icky!!

s’bux + a visit with sharon = yippee!

photo of the day: friday, november 30th:

twins in our fleecies! one white, one black! random university girl did a nice job with the pic taking!

GOOOOOOOOD BYE, NOVEMBER!!!

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it’s the final day of movember! i bet there are some very happy and relieved wives/girlfriends/partners out there!

the tree in the square

thursday, november 29th:

the morning photo of the day:

the uptown square tree, as i walked to work this morning…

the late aft/early eve photo of the day:

same tree as i exited the store…at only 5 pm! looked (and felt!) like 8 pm!

where have you seen an awesome christmas tree, so far this year? would you believe, the walmart at bridgeport and weber has a great one, just inside the door?! true!

will you put up lights at your home? touring neighbourhoods to see lights, and going through waterloo park for the wonders of winter display are among my favourite christmas activities! (locals, the wat park lights will go on this weekend!).

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the media is abuzz with this r.a.o.k. story, today. i first saw it on the news this morning, then a friend re-posted it on fb, too. it’s always heartwarming to hear about a good deed, but it’s especially so as we head into the chrismas/holiday season: photo of NYPD officer giving boots to homeless man in times square sparks online sensation

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awesome.

photo-ful wednesday

photos of the day: wednesday, november 28th:

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i happened to catch a promo this morning on the foodnetwork for a jamie oliver christmas special – you have to see this sweater he is wearing:

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is that not fantastic??! it rivals colin firth’s jumper in that bridget jones movie…

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where can i get my hands on these patterns??!…although, who would wear them?!

groundhog tuesday

today was almost an exact replica of last tuesday!…

i worked the same shift at the store [open until 2:15 pm; brenda, i will be back in the evenings in a couple weeks!]…although i was a lot busier than a week ago!

i then ran walked some errands. it was cold out.

late aft, i met vfbf joanne at coffee culture (alas, we had no birthday to celebrate, like last week).

again, i asked a complete stranger to take our photo. let me just say it was a comedy of errors arranging this photo shoot – joanne and i were rolling on the floor in laughter, just about. this week, i asked ms random university girl to snap our pic – she, too, stayed TOO FAR BACK (??) and…

photo of the day: tuesday, november 27th:

we’re blurry!

i think i am giving up on getting other people to take photos for me at coffee culture – back to my byself self-portraiture!

[sidenote #1 - i wanted us in the EXACT same spot as last week, but there was a guy sitting there, to joanne's left, so we did the best we could, edging over to the front window; sidenote #2 - i realize i wear that black hoodie in 90% of pics, but it is just so very cosy - one of my favourite items!].

it was great to meet up with jo, as always.

…and that was my tuesday day!

how was your tuesday? same old-same old or did you try something new? i’m on a different knitting project than i was a week ago!

this eve is like friday night as i am off tomorrow!

happy birthday, dad!!

did anyone else watch the grey cup? i saw the first half – very exciting football and especially good news for us argos fans, and yes, i was glued to the half-time show. gordon lightfoot sang one of his iconic hits, but oh dear, it looks like time is catching up – take care, gord! carly rae was super cute and boppy, and justin bieber’s performance was oh-so-kool. the whole show was SO professionally choreographed, miked, lit-up – thumbs up, CFL, on improving the quality of the entertainment portion of the big game! sidenote – argos won!

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photo of the day: monday november 26th:

birthday dad with his daily, morning bowl of oatmeal!

dad, i hope you have a wonderful birthday day today!! you are a much-loved grampy, dad, and husband. remember, it’s YOUR birthday, so YOU are the boss! make merry and celebrate well!

here’s a quick trip down memory lane in honour of dad’s birthday…

spring, 1972, at rockway gardens, kitchener

1980 – this is the era where our family thinks dad resembled gord lightfoot the most!

father’s day, 2000 – dad’s gift was that handknit sweater!

fun times at christmas, 2004!

i had asked dad if he would please come up with three pieces of wisdom to share with us, given that he has been on this earth for SEVENTY-ONE years…here is what dad has to say:

1. the most important thing in life is the love of family and spouse.
2. all things in moderation. [i predicted this one! an erv favourite since i was a teen!].
3. the more you give, the more you get.

…and we have a BONUS, #4!…

there are a lot of damn fools in the world.

amen! thanks, dad!

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can you believe that ONE MONTH from today is boxing day, therefore christmas will be all wrapped up?! wow!

zoup it up!

tomorrow is dad’s

71st

birthday!!

(i’ll save the official happy bday wishes for one more day).

today was the perfect day to go out for a birthday lunch – i finished work earlier than normal for a sunday, and mom and dad’s schedule was open. tomorrow/monday is much more hectic!

i have been wanting to try zoup for ages!! and mom and dad are already fans. with today’s blustery weather and wintry temp, soup sounded like a very tasty option, indeed.

our uptown zoup

we met at 1 pm and had to wait for a table. from what i hear, this busy-ness is pretty typical. zoup has got a good thing going!

photo of the day: sunday november 25th:

our booth at zoup!

[i asked a departing mom to take our photo, please. she did a great job - wayyy better than mr coffee culture customer, the other day!].

our order:

make that two lobster bisques and a shrimp + crawfish etouffee!

what a delicious lunch! soup is so warming, and the zoup soups get an A rating from all of us (hot, flavourful, filling). (zoup has a wide-ranging menu: soup; salads; sandwiches; or, you can combo up any of those options).

we finished off our outing with a present-opening ceremony:

surprise!

i’m still feeling toasty warm! from the soup or from our fun birthday visit??!

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it’s grey cup sunday! i could care less about the football, but i DO want to catch the half-time show: JUSTIN BIEBER (!!), carly rae jepsen, GORDON LIGHTFOOT (!!) are among the performers. canada, what is going on, this entertainment line up sounds fitting for the super bowl!

seriously, snow

see, i told you the flurries had started!

photo of the day: saturday november 24th:

pic snapped at 6:10 a.m.

we are counting today as the first official day of snow for winter 2012-13 because the snow removal company was out (see the truck in the photo, hope my neighbours were not trying to sleep in) so if THEY are working, it is definitely a “snowfall.”

a full day awaits – the first snow usually brings out a rush of runners/walkers looking for gloves, hats, yaktrax…i do hope we’re busy!

looking on the bright side – ok, trying to find something positive as i much prefer heat to cold – ONE MONTH TODAY is christmas eve -> the snow adds festive cheer to the air!

are you christmas shopping today?? i just got an email from michaels – huge sales between 7 and 10 p.m. tonight, if you are interested! (including yarn at 70% off – cool!).

50 miles of tales

late this afternoon, i met up with my friend ken. we had planned to visit at s’bux – but all tables were taken when we arrived! so we walked over to the huether, instead.

[sidenote: i have known ken for over seven years, we met through the store - ken worked p/t with us for a few years until he "re-retired" about four years ago. ken still comes out regularly to run club, so i see him fairly often].

remember, i had vowed that i was going to arrange a visit with ken asap so that i could pepper him with questions about his JFK 50 mile experience last saturday. today marks six days since the race – i thought ken might be hobbling around, but no – he’s feeling great and back in training mode!

IF i ever was to do a 50 mile race, the only one that interests me is the JFK. i wanted the scoop on everything about this historic race: ken’s opinion of his training, the trip to maryland, the course, the race day experience, ken’s recovery. ken was so gracious about answering my mega questions – we had a wonderful chat! ken’s wife, bonnie, also joined us so i was able to get the spectator perspective, as a bonus.

photo of the day: friday, november 23rd:

i had asked ken to please wear his official race shirt and finisher’s medal – which he kindly did!

today’s coffee hot chocolate and tea date with ken and bonnie was also outing #21 for the kiki project – that’s the 50%-of-my-age mark!

kikiproject photos!

ken and me (yes, i returned to the tried-n-true self-portrait pic taking!)

ken and bonnie! (here you can see the JFK cap that ken purchased at kit pick-up)

ken, bonnie and me!

when we exited the huether, there was all this white stuff flying around in the air…noooo!!! november 23rd is too early for snow! make it go away!

giving thanks in canada

happy thanksgiving to US friends and readers!

imo, any day is a perfect day to reflect on that for which we are thankful [thank you, fran, for that sentence structure example!]. rather than list the usual/general life thankfulnesses (family, friends, home, cereal, etc), here is a list of specific, small, good things from today that i might overlook on another day:

today, i was thankful for…

~ the beautiful weather -> forget september, it felt like april or even early may out there! i appreciated the sunshine and very pleasant/comfortable temp.

~ setting a date and time with debbie for our annual westmount xmas light-viewing walk-about. i appreciate longstanding friendships and traditions!

~ a new-for-me sales experience at theOTHERstore -> it was a good, good bingo (as we used to say in aruba) and a performance perk, shall we say, will be coming my way!

~ hearing the song beauty& a beat by justin bieber, featuring nicki minaj on my drive home. i appreciated the opp to sing along in the rav and be a little silly. [yes, i am embarrassed to like a jb song, you don't even have to ask].

~ chatting with my neighbour, m, and seeing the holiday edition 2012 barbies that she had purchased for her grand-daughters. the little girls will be thrilled! i appreciate the many kind and friendly people in my building.

~ carbonated water being on sale at food basics for $0.79 per bottle. take that, $1 walmart water!!

photo of the day: thursday, november 22nd:

i got to put new outfits on the mannequins, today! i love that job…and this slogan is a great life motto (it needn’t apply only to running!)

big or little, i hope your day had its fair share of good things!