Three Things – I Mean, FIVE Things – Thursday

Hola!

Ideally, today’s post would be entitled “Five Things Friday” because yes, I have five items on today’s agenda, and I’m a fan of alliteration. Unfortunately, it’s not Friday – but we’re almost there! Thursday is my Sunday because the start of my work week is Friday. Gets a little confusing!

Ok! Let’s get started!

1. I COVET THIS DRESS!

I apologize for the intense glare coming off the glass, there. I was practically standing on my head trying to get an angle where the reflection wouldn’t be so strong, but no luck, esp with my (not fancy) point ‘n’ shoot camera.

This gown is in the window of a local bridal shop, of all places.

Is it not to die for? I just love the pleating, the way it flows down to the ground, and that sequined mid-section is out-of-this-world. I’m tempted to go in and ask how much it is, just for interest sake. I have nowhere to wear it (unless, Cousin Kate, you are getting married next year at Buckingham Palace). Nor to I have the bosom to carry off that design. But I intend to walk by daily, as long as it’s in the display window, just so I can drool over “my dress.”

2. Oh, So Smooth

I am a big fan of pithy dialogue, biting humour, and subtle yet stinging use of the English language. This ad in the August issue of Runner’s World is pure advertising brilliance:

advertising for the saucony hattori minimalist shoe

Just so you don’t have to squint, the ad copy reads:

A revolutionary new approach to minimalist training, the Hattori provides a sock-like fit with ample protection at a mere 4.4 ounces. For those who like running barefoot more than once.

It’s that last line, For those who like running barefoot more than once that is the real kicker. See, the *problem* with the minimalist shoe rage for running, particularly the use of Vibrams, (I discuss my pair here)  is that most people do way too much way too soon, and wind up hobbling or even injured the day after they go running in these lightweight shoes.Who knows if the Hattori is, in reality, that much different from the Nike Frees, the New Balance Minimus, or the Vibrams…all minimalist shoes require a sensible approach for running use. but, to my mind, this is an example brilliant ad writing and deserves an award.

3. Bonehead Coffee Move

You know that this is my favourite coffee:

starbucks VIA instant coffee in individual packets

If I buy the pack of 12 sachets at Starbucks, I pay $11.95. If I can find the packs of 8 at Valumart, on sale, it works out to $0.50 per packet.

Recently, I saw this on display at the grocery store:

decaf! individual packs! perfect!

At $1.99 for SIX packets, it’s a definite bargoon. But why, oh why, did I think that packaging this Taster’s Choice coffee this way would make it taste any better than when it’s in the cannister like this:

to quote myself, i previously referred to this coffee as "swill" on this very blog

Guess what? The individual pacs of coffee mix up into TOTAL CRAP! Duh! I let the cheap price sway my decision. Now I have five more mini-packs to use up before I can invest in some decent brew. File this one under “live and learn.”

4. I’m not happy with my haircut

It looked good the first day:

file photo, july 8th

The problem is that I got more bangs cut in AND I got my hair cut so much shorter all the way around. I should have done one or the other. The biggest peeve is the bangs. I wanted a front fringe, and instead I have heavy-duty bang-age. I’ve decided to grow out the bangs starting now. In the meantime, I’m using my headbands and fun barettes to create a false fringe:

i love this pin! it's an iron. mom got it for me cuz i don't even own an iron. that made us laugh!

If we’re lucky, by this time next year, I’ll have one length of hair all over my head!

5. Minding My Grocery Ps and Qs

The grocery bill for June was outta contral.

In July, so far, I’ve put the hammer down tried to be prudent (but I haven’t been stupid and not bought Puffins, or something like that).

I did a tally for grocery costs up to and including Saturday July 16th (I generously included the date that is just over the half-way mark for the month).

And????

As of the 16th/the half-way mark, I had spent a mere 21% of what I spent in all of June. Whew. Now, I am digging into all my stockpiles, but unless some crazy sales pop up that will *force* me to re-stockpile my stashes, things are looking up!

What’s your favourite day of your WORK week? I genuinely like every day that I work, but I’ll have to say that Saturdays or Sundays are the very best.

New Experience #22: Spend the Day in Goderich, My Byself

Yesterday, I found myself with a clean slate of a day in front of me. There was no question as to what I wanted to do: go to Goderich. With clear and sunny skies and the temp over 30 degrees C, there’d be no better day to head up to my favourite beach town!

As you already know, I have many happy childhood memories of time spent at my grandparents’ trailer, then cottage in Goderich. There was a hiatus during my late teens/20’s when I didn’t get up to Goderich at all, and now the past few years, we make the effort to spend a day in “Canada’s prettiest town,” annually. (You can read about last year’s successful trip here, then an unsuccessful visit here).

I’ve never spent time in Goderich on my own! But, the idea of a solo excursion didn’t faze me. With all my travel experiences in Florida last year (a year ago today, July 20th, I was in Naples!), a day trip is nothing, man!

I was in the car by 9 a.m.:

i felt like wearing my sunglasses! these are the "kiki harharwoods." seinfeld fans will get the reference

Goderich is a 90 minute drive (that’s a JOKE, Dad!!) about 1h 45 minutes by car from Waterloo. It’s a peaceful, scenic, slow drive through farmland and small towns. I R E L A X-ed.

The beach was not at all busy when I got down there. I set up shop:

the essentials: globe and mail newspaper; chic lit fiction; x-word puzzle book; sunscreen (yes, mom, i wore it!)

of course i had my knitting! just made sure not to get sand in the yarn!

Ahhh…

view from my towel

Normally, Goderich is a fair bit cooler than Waterloo, with a refreshing breeze coming right off Lake Huron. Not yesterday! It was stifling a real scorcher, even at the water’s edge.

This year, I did not complete the traditional Loop Walk, as per usual. Time to switch things up. Besides, I wanted to show you the Goderich Bandshell!

at the top of the hill, from the beach, you'll find harbour park (not very clear on the sign, there)...

tranquil and cool

the bandshell!

(Now that I’ve seen them both, recently, I must say the Waterloo Bandshell is cuter!).

i had to check up on my favourite cottage - circa 1913, according to the front plaque!

The Lighthouse is right across the way!

there were no trees AT ALL when i was a young 'un...

see?!

I wanted a self-portrait with the lighthouse in the background:

attempt #1...

effort #2...

try #3...

…and after 400 more snaps several more photos, I gave up.

Back down at the waterside, there was a ship in the harbour today!

a sighting like this always made us very excited, when we were little!

looking up at the lighthouse from the pier

I consumed absolutely nothing with any nutritional value whatsoever, at the beach:

you have to drive right by to get to the beach!

miss vicki swears by the cream puffs; i love the glazed donuts. had to have two. (choco chip won the taste test).

i was feeling for fresh fish 'n' chips!

hot from the fryer, enjoyed on the pier...

a pop is a must on the beach. that's just the way it is.

Man, it all tasted so good.

In the afternoon, the beach filled up with people. I situated myself so I could eavesdrop on conversations – love that. It was too hot to walk across the sand in bare feet!

I ventured into the water. At first dip, YIKES! freezing! Soon, it felt very nice.

so calm and clear!

the extent of my *swimming;* you can bet i was clutching my camera with both hands!

I ended my day downtown. Goderich centre is set up like a “big wheel” – there’s a one-way circular road:

..with streets that are "spokes" coming off the circle

the courthouse is in the centre

Of course, I HAD to visit my nostalgic favourite:

always unchanged

I headed home late aft, feeling very R E L A X-ed, happy, and calm. You know I love the beach, the heat, the sun…today was a wonderfully great day.

**Today’s blog post title is in reference to how I exercised my independence as a toddler. One of my favourite expressions when I wanted to do something on my own, was to exclaim, “My Byself!” – instead of by myself. And I still like to do things my way!

What spot would you name “the prettiest town?” Goderich makes a valid claim, if you ask me!

Have you been to the beach yet this summer? Grand Bend and Sauble Beach are also hot spots I’d love to revisit!

Groupon Be Gone!

Yesterday evening, I headed up to Conestoga Mall. My Groupon for Old Navy was burning a hole in my pocket in my knapsack. It expires on July 31st, and as someone who does not enjoy leaving things til the last minute (!), I was getting antsy to use it up. Yes, twelve days away is verging on “last minute” territory!!!!

It is hot, hot, hot in Southern Ontario! And I am happy, happy, happy! I  ♥ love and adore ♥ the heat (although we’ll talk on that again after Thursday when the high is to be 37 degrees Celsius, 46 with the humidex) but it was nice to escape into the air-conditioned coolness of the mall. [Sidenote: we have air-conditioning in the Condo Casa, but I only put it on at night to conserve energy/save money/go green, and because I do not enjoy living in an ice box].

OK! Back to shopping. I picked a great time of day to go (about 6 p.m.) because Old Navy was empty – that was the positive…unfortunately, the negative side is that the summer wear is hugely picked over.

Last week, before we saw “Horrible Bosses,” VFBF Joanne and I had about 4.5 minutes to scoot through Old Navy. What I glommed onto during that quick trip was this:

remember this fabric - we'll come back to it

I had the best time shopping around last eve! I love clothes shopping at any time – for myself or for others – and last night, I had nowhere I had to be at any time, so I totally dinked around and took my time. As in I made three separate visits to the fitting rooms as I whittled down my options.

As I said to Joanne last week, I am soooo weak when it comes to tshirts!

no, no and no - just walk away!

Not even this one?

NOOOOO!!!!

*sigh.*

Moving on…

Another weakness is fitness wear. I have to remind myself that I have access to tons o’ this stuff at the store. NO!!!

knock-off of lulu styles, most definitely

These ruffled tanks were super-cute – and on sale from $19.94 to $10:

i liked the floral patterns the best (yes, even better than the ORANGE); remember these, too

After those three trips to the dressing rooms, I had narrowed down my choice of top to two:

the same ruffled top as shown above - black is so versatile, and i loved the fit

part of the active wear line

That magenta top was a total surprise – I loved the fit and look. See the elastic at the bottom? That really surprised me – it was so comfy and the blousy look it gave was quite attractive! Sadly, it was not on sale – but still reasonably priced at $17.96.

You’ll remember I paid $10 for the $20 Groupon. The easy solution would have been to get both the black and magenta tops…plus my “mystery purchase.” But I really wanted to stick to the $20 range…so what did I do? [Please note that this decision-making process took A G E S!!!].

Well, I ended up putting in just over $5 (added to the $20 from the Groupon), then I came home with…

the black ruffled cami/top...

I chose the black because it will go well with my skirt, or any of my shorts.

silver thongs - $6, can be dressed up or down...

I had to give in to one of my weaknesses!!!

And the pièce de résistance, the coup of the evening, the purchase that made me giggle and dance…

ta da!

Recognize that, Jo?!

Now, technically, I am very sure that this is a beach cover up. But I am going to wear it as a dress. Yes, it’s a little see-through, but put the right undergarments on, and there’ll be no worries – also know the proper occasions at which to wear it (Aunti day? yes. Church? not so much). AND – here’s the details on the price (more dancing!):

Regular price – $29.50.

What I paid – $7.50

Not lying!!! Unbelievable, eh?! PLUS, it was THE ONLY ONE like it left. Hellloooo, Kiki-dress!

So, the Groupon is well-spent, I can strike “go to Old Navy” from my July To Do List, and R E L A X in my *dress!*

Found any great bargains on summer wear? Conestoga Mall is a shopper’s paradise right now. Aéropostale has tons of shorts on for $5!

~*~*~*~*~

Badwater Ultra update: I have to give you a link to distinguished ultrarunner Dan Rose’s blog, Run 192. Dan crewed for his friend, Chris Roman, in last week’s race, and his account of the experience, “Badwater Crew/Pace Report” is fascinating. Dan gives an insider’s/”backstage pass” account of Chris’ race (Chris ended up finishing 16th, overall). There are tons of photos and really interesting anecdotes.

…And All That Jazz

Saturday night it was way too amazing out to stay indoors:

the colour of that sky just makes your heart sing!

There was so much going on in Uptown Waterloo this weekend!

The Jazz Festival was the star of the show. Friday night I was at the ball game and Saturday I worked, so my first opportunity to visit the Jazz Festival was Saturday eve.

this year's program cover

Now, I’m not a jazz fan at all. But, in talking with people who are more familiar with this style of music than I am, I learned that there are many types of jazz music. [I’ve always just pictured saxophones and/or Ella Fitzgerald in my head. Or Bill Clinton]. By the looks of the program, there is a great variety of acts at the Jazz Festival. I was hoping to hear some new-to-me sounds.

How do you entice people to come out to an event? First of all, offer free entry:

a well-populated venue, on saturday eve!

full view of the stage + seating area

Free parking:

…and lotsa (free) port-o-lets!

reminiscent of a running race scene!

I wandered about, checking things out:

there were several food vendors, but the largest line-up was for ice cream!

view of the main stage

The Jazz Festival takes over the parking lot by Waterloo City Hall (and this year there was a satellite stage in the Uptown Square, during the day).

haha - i felt a little silly snapping photos with my point 'n' shoot, next to this guy!

There was an autograph area:

"deedee" is an unknown figure to me...but i loved her lashes!

...and she obviously has some devoted fans!

I heard one group play, while I was at the Festival:

again, never heard of this group (but then, reminder, i'm not up on jazz AT ALL)

performing...

Unfortunately, the style of jazz this group played was…just the type that I don’t like! It didn’t seem tuneful to me! But you know what I did like?…

check out his feet...!!

Playing barefoot on stage? Now that’s cool!

I didn’t stay all that long, but I enjoyed being outdoors on such a gorgeous night. And I loved the people-watching!

~*~*~*~*~

Yesterday, was the second Car-Free Sunday in Uptown Waterloo. King Street is blocked off from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., and people are encouraged to come out and enjoy activities, and to use alternate forms of transportation to get out and about.

The store is located smack-dab in the middle of the car-free strip. Yesterday, I worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (!) but I did get out for a break, so I checked out the action…or lack thereof:

traffic-free king street!

no confusion as to if you can or cannot drive here!

Among the goings-on:

a street performer (more that to come in august when it's buskers time!)

sidewalk sales...

...and chalk drawings! (i would have gobbled up that opportunity, as a kid!)

In front of our store…

they set up a lawn!

Car-Free Sunday is a super idea, and I hope it catches on. Yesterday, it was incredibly hot and sunny, and I think the intense weather kept some people away…King Street was not hugely populated, from what I could see. I just hope the “powers that be” give Car-Free Sunday a chance.

~*~*~*~*~

How did I end my Sunday? 🙂 …

Back at the bandshell! 🙂

I ♥ summer!

~*~*~*~*~

Jazz fan? I’d pick watching the Utah Jazz over listening to musical jazz!

Any “famous” festivals you hope to attend/have attended? I would love to get out to the Calgary Stampede some time! Never been!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

This was the most spur-of-the-moment Outing of the Month, yet!

Sometimes you get a craving to eat a certain food, or to listen to a certain type of music. Recently, I’ve really felt like going to a Kitchener Panthers baseball game? (I know! What the…???)

I wanted to go last Sunday evening, but they didn’t have a home game on their schedule. That’s how I ended up at the outdoor concert!

I used to be big into baseball. Not any more. I can’t tell you the last time I watched a baseball game on TV (unlike Mom who is the Toronto Blue Jay’s biggest fan, never missing a televised game, if she can help it). I think the last time I was at the Skydome the Rogers Centre for a game was at least ten years ago.

But, I adored baseball during my sports fanatic phase which lasted from ages 11-14, more or less. Did you know that the St Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 1982? Um, yea.

So, in chatting with Dad on Thursday, we tentatively scheduled an outing to the Panthers game for Friday eve. How could we not, with the fantastic July weather we’ve been enjoying? Wow – 24 hours of pre-planning! Someone is feeling pretty

R E L A X-ed

this month!

And, funny enough, the baseball game fit right in perfectly with our progression through the hours of the day for our Father-Daughter 2011 Outings of the Month:

January: breakfast

February: morning coffee break

April: lunch

May: afternoon ice cream

June: afternoon coffee break

Our family used to attend Panthers games quite frequently in my late tween/early teen years. Therefore, I cannot count Friday’s event as a New Experience. But, I can count it as a fun trip back in time!

an all-star evening for watching ball

Dad’s parking tradition for Panthers games: park your vehicle wayyyyy back from the diamond to avoid being ding-ed by a foul ball!

i think i see the ball diamond wayyyy over there! better safe than sorry!

cheaper than a movie! esp since dad gets the senior price, haha!

funny how i get the ideas, and dad ends up paying! thanks, dad!

Baseball game attire was required, of course:

sadly, i wasn't ACTUALLY at that game...this tshirt is a relic from the brother's collection, i do believe

we had to wear caps to the baseball game!

Tradition dictated that there was only one acceptable area of the stands in which to seat ourselves: 3rd base side (above the home team’s dugout), part way up. I hoped we weren’t stealing a “regular” fan’s usual seat! We sat exactly where we always used to!

perfect view!

The game got off to a quick start with the London Majors scoring two runs in the top of the first:

panthers in black, london in grey

It didn’t take long for the ump to make a clearly questionable call:

he was out! so obvious!!!

the hecklers - all part of the atmosphere

Dad and I stayed til the end of the 5th inning (I didn’t get home til past 9:30 p.m.! Whoa!) at which time the score was 8-5 for the London Majors.

Thirteen runs between the two teams in five innings! That’s a lot of action – it was a very entertaining game. I like high-scoring games as opposed to pitching match-ups. [Unfortunately, the Panthers ended up losing 10-7; at least we witnessed most of the action!].

All in all, this was a win of an outing: time with Dad, time outdoors on a beautiful evening…and I think I rekindled my sports addiction!

What channel is the Tour de France on, again?!

Watching team sports, live or on TV: fun or tortuous? I love watching a sport for which I understand the rules and strategy. Baseball fits the bill!

Now That Was A Good Idea!

Earlier this summer, Gabriela at Une Vie Saine, blogged about a photo project she was undertaking. Gabriela decided to organize her childhood photos from having them stashed in boxes to being displayed in albums. Lightbulb moment! I put this idea on the back burner for future reference.

Now, my Mom was a step ahead of the game, back in the ’70s, way before scrapbooking was a popular hobby. She started creating photo albums for The Brother and me right from the moment we were born. Using stickers, coloured construction paper, traceable stencils, and her imagination, Mom transformed the simple chronicling of our childhoods into vivid stories.

My photo albums are showing their age. Thanks to incorporating childhood pictures into blog posts, I’ve been spending time paging through my collection. So, while my photos are in order, and in books (up to about the age of twelve) they do look in need of some TLC.

You’ll remember that July is goal-free (!) but I thought that it would be a good idea to spend some time re-gluing Mom’s handiwork; otherwise, some day I’m going to open my baby album and have a waterfall of snapshots and pastel paper flowers at my feet.

I formulated my plan. Step #1:

NEVER go to michaels without a coupon; there is ALWAYS one available online - just google!

Step #2:

many sticky-stuff options...

Step #3:

go with the tried and true

Elmer’s Rubber Cement is foolproof. (And also good for egg decorating!)

Here is my collection of photo albums:

the oldest book is on the far R, then we move chronologically to the L

And here are three “before” pages:

exhibit A - we're close to losing that shoe!

exhibit B - the birds are flying south!

exhibit C - whoops! code red over here!

Me and Elmer got down to business…

The best thing about rubber cement is that if you get it on your fingers, just a little rub and the stickiness is gone!

...and it's colourless!

There. Hopefully the photos will be secure now for another 40 years a very long time.

After shots:

exhibit A - a successful rescue operation!

exhibit B - the birds have found their flight path, again!

exhibit C - i have tried to replicate mom's designs as best i can!

So, this really strikes me as more of a winter-time project, but it’s also something that I can devote either 7 minutes to or 7 hours 57 minutes to, at a time. And Mom’s creative handiwork will be preserved!

Part II will entail going through envelopes crammed with pictures, (the teen years and on are hit and miss in terms of organization) and putting any loose photos into albums. Maybe I’ll leave that part to tackle this winter!

So, I give my hearty thanks to Gabriela for the great idea/inspiration (I’m not sure if she finished her own project – I should find out!).

Do you have many photos from childhood? Are they organized? Thanks to being the oldest child, there are more albums of my baby days than there are of The Brother – a very typical occurrence in many families!

~*~*~*~*~

On this day in 2010…the expression, “Life’s a Beach” was very fitting, indeed!

This is Not a Blog Post

Happy Weekend, everyone!

I have absolutely zero content for you today. I created two blog post drafts, both of which ended up in the WordPress trash bin.

I wanted to talk about hot weather workout tips for people who are stubborn…the ideas are in my head and won’t come out on paper on the computer. I brainstormed at least ten other possible ideas (ex: the full moon…

i even snapped a photo to go with the written content!

…my Aunti visit to Toronto yesterday…

three-person self-portrait - zowie! and july coupon-of-the-month - > check!

…Badwater Ultra inspirations, the price of tea in China, how I have yet to watch any Tour de France and need to get my fix of Phil Liggett‘s mellifluous voice before it’s too late)…and none of them will allow themselves to flow from my brain to my fingertips.

So, you gotta know when to fold ’em, R E L A X, and call it a day (can you call it a day just after 7 a.m.?!).

See you tomorrow! TGIF!

Have YOU watched any Tour de France coverage this year? I was way more into it and motivated to watch when Lance was a competitor. Kinda like how I only watch golf if Tiger is winning participating…

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On July 15th, in Florida last year, it was HOT! I arrived in Sarasota and went directly to heaven on earth Whole Foods!

Horrible Bosses

I’ve been very lucky in my various careers thus far in my working life. I’ve never toiled under a horrible boss.

Here are a few memories as I reflect back on some of the jobs I’ve held, to date…

~ My very first job was as a part-time sales associate at Reitmans (a women + children’s clothing store) at Stanley Park Mall, in Kitchener. I worked there from the summer after Grade 11 until the fall of Grade 13. A telling sign that my first job was in retail, and that I loved it?! My manager’s name was Pat, and we got along just fine. I remember that I found her slightly intimidating. Looking back, I likely felt this way because it was my very first job, and I was seventeen years old.

~ During my three year teaching career, I taught at two different private schools. The principals at each were male, middle-aged, bearded, and largely left me alone to do my thing. They both always gave me solid and exemplary teaching reviews, so we got along just fine!

~ My favourite manager ever was my beloved Miss Vicki. After leaving teaching, I went to a local insurance company for three years. Vicki was my Team Lead for the majority of that time – and on two separate occasions – and she was just awesome to work for. Being that I can be of a rather high-strung nature, Miss Vicki (so dubbed in honour of the potato chip of that name!) could calm me down in the blink of an eye. Laidback, yet confident, quiet yet not a pushover, Vicki provided strong leadership yet never micro-managed her team members. To this day, I repeat her favourite mantra “One Step At A Time” when life gets overly hectic.

~ When B and I ran our own business, I was 50% my own boss – haha! Running a business has its ups and downs, but it’s totally awesome to drive your own bus, make your own decisions, and reap the benefits of what you sow.

~ Right now, my boss is Paul, the manager at the store. He’s right up there with Miss Vicki in terms of making work an enjoyable place to be. Our working styles mesh extremely well, and Paul is organized, knowledgeable, patient (HOW many times have I asked for clarification on the features of x Garmin model?!) and just plain nice. He definitely is one of the reasons why I enjoy working at the store so much.

That’s a darn good track record!

~*~*~*~*~

I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this topic of conversation.

(source)

As I alluded to yesterday, on Tuesday eve, VFBF Joanne and I saw “Horrible Bosses.” Because it was Tuesday, it was $2 Tuesday [er, that would have been back in the ’80’s…] Cheap Tuesdays – our tickets were only $6.75 each. I had a feeling the movie would be super-popular, so I got our tickets online on Monday. I love this option: it’s user-friendly (even I, Miss Techno Space Cadet can easily use the system), it’s convenient, there’s no lineup, and – I really commend Cineplex for this – there’s no online processing fee. All set!

I’ve had a crush on been a big Jason Bateman fan ever since his days as David Hogan on “Valerie.” His sardonic wit never fails to amuse me. And, from the preview I had seen, in theatre, “Horrible Bosses” looked like a laugh-out-loud fluffy summer comedy. Anecdotal comments I’d heard were positive, too.

Horrible Bosses was completely the summer laugh-fest I have been waiting for! Honestly – the movie was even more funny than I had anticipated. I’ll refrain from saying too much, so just one alert to give you: check your sense of what is politically correct at the door, then just sit back and laugh. The characters are hilarious (Charlie Day as “Dale” steals each scene), and the rapid-fire one-liners flying back and forth are delivered with precision timing. During a couple of scenes, I laughed so hard I was silently shaking, and Joanne had tears rolling out of her eyes. So, it goes without saying that I totally recommend this movie, In fact, I would see it again.

Any horrible bosses in your past? I don’t think I’d last long at any job if I didn’t like and respect my boss.

Have you seen :”Horrible Bosses?” Using my tried ‘n’ true star rating system, I give it four stars. **** !

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

In Florida, on July 14th, 2010, I spent time in Clearwater and St Pete’s!

What Yesterday Was All About

~ basking in the sunshine of a hot July day [it was 31 degrees Celsius, 35 with the humidex!]:

it's extremely challenging...

...to get an acceptable photo...

...of oneself "basking"

~ sporting new earrings [silver hoops are my signature look; on the weekend, I treated myself when I found this 9-pac of silver earrings on sale for $5!]:

three pairs are in my ears; here are the others i'll be able to swap in

untarnished silver - so much better! fresh look to go with the new haircut!

~ cooling off with Kiki’s Lazy Girl’s Frozen Yogurt as part of a nutritious breakfast:

(objects in photo are larger than they appear!)

Here’s the How To:

Dollop a serving of your favourite regular/plain yogurt (I like President’s Choice) into a freezer-friendly container. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Freeze. Pull out of the freezer, when you’re ready to enjoy. Defrost in the microwave for about 60 seconds, just so that you can dig your spoon right in without breaking your arm or destroying the spoon.

the spoon test: yup, perfect temperature!

Savour the combination of the cold creaminess of the yogurt and the sweet crunchiness of the choco chips!

go ahead! chop it all up!

~ ~ making a return visit to Chapters, with a plan in mind this time.

NOT a file photo!

Beelining to the Children’s Dept! [A certain Baby C has a birthday next month!…].

a lot less busy on a tuesday than on the weekend!

Randomly seeing friend, Brenda (runner + knitter)!

hi brenda! 🙂

~ meeting up with Jillian at Coffee Culture for a hot coffee (delicious even in the heat!) while solving world issues chit-chatting enthusiastically!

can i please have that dress, jillian?!

~ getting beaten up at the gas pumps…

yikes!

it's highway robbery!!

~ …then getting pummelled again (and stretched and kneaded) during a much-welcomed sports massage! [No photos; I’m sure you understand].

~ laughing my a$$ off with VFBF Joanne at a very funny movie! (Movie review will be upcoming, tomorrow, but just let me say that I left the theatre with a sore tummy from laughing so hard!)

On a scale of 1-10, how was your Tuesday? I rate yesterday a solid 9.5/10! It was a great day because of the variety of outings/activities – I ♥ doing lots of different things in one day – I find it R E L A X-ing!

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A year ago, on July 13th in Florida, I hit pay dirt at Target, and explored Clearwater!

In a Bandshell

The subtitle for today could be, “The Event That Almost Didn’t Make It Onto The Blog.”

Sunday eve, I went out to Waterloo Park with my parents. Mom had seen a sign saying that at 7 p.m., the New Hamburg Band would be playing a concert at the park bandshell. Mom and Dad invited me to tag along, an invite I gladly accepted, without hesitation. This past weekend was absolutely spectacular in the weather department, so why not spend Sunday eve, outdoors?!

As we were getting settled, Mom asked me if this would be a New Experience for the blog. With a slightly horrified look on my face, I replied, no – this wasn’t even going to go onto the blog!

Why the hesitation to share the eve with you? Well, for some reason, the outing just brought back memories of being an awkward teen. I’m sure you remember that life period, too: where to be seen with your parents is just about the most embarrassing situation you can imagine. I mean, concert band, with my parents, evening outing….yea. Not something to shout from the rooftops.

But after a bit of reflection, I decided what the hay – yes! I’m having fun, and who gives two figs whether it’s an uncool outing or not. [But, I’m not counting it as a New Experience because we used to go to the same type of concert up in Goderich, when we were little. Sunday eves, there’d be outdoor concerts at the Goderich Bandshell, and our family would go quite frequently. My favourite was when Scottish bagpipers were featured].

So, back to this past Sunday eve. Like I said, it was simply a perfect July evening:

i love when i can be comfy in only a tshirt at 7:30 p.m.!

Waterloo Park is such a jewel in the centre of the city. Local readers: did you even know there is a bandshell, back in one corner?

an ampitheathre shape encourages good sound quality - as good as you're going to get out-of-doors!

Promptly at 7 p.m., the concert began:

the view from our spot!

There was a small crowd out – more people assembled as time went by:

BYO...L (lawnchairs!)

mom and dad! (i sat on the ground, in front)

You know who was the star of the show? This young band member, back in the corner:

the youngest in the band, by a long shot

This little guy was the percussionist, and he did it all, I tell ya. Dad and I had a hoot watching him as he switched between cymbals, tambourine, wooden blocks, triangle, maracas, drums…there was nothing the kid couldn’t do! Just great.

The band played a whole mix of musical selections; some examples: Broadway favourites, the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Bad Bad Leroy Brown, a Mary Poppins medley (my fave! love that movie!), traditional marching band tunes, then they ended with a medley from The Beatles. Some songs were *stronger* than others – the traditional band songs were played confidently and in tune; other numbers….well, they tried. I give the band credit, though – New Hamburg is a really small town, just outside of Waterloo, so for the depth of talent they likely have to draw on, they gave a credible performance.

the woman in the front, very left, used that megaphone to introduce each piece

You know why the eve was a success, too? Because all I did was R E L A X. I didn’t knit, fiddle with my Blackberry, read – nothing. I just sat, appreciated the beautiful evening, and stayed in the moment.

ok, there was a little toe-tapping that went on

These Sunday evening (free!) concerts will be going on regularly for the rest of the summer. Bet we get out there again!

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Wanna read something really cool? Or, really HOT, to be more accurate.

The Badwater 135 ultramarathon started yesterday morning. They’re still running. Or plodding. Or just moving forward. Read about this race, and you’ll either think they’re crazy, or you’ll be inspired – let me know!

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Last year, on July 12th, I was exploring the city of Tampa! That city confused me to pieces – I never did figure it out! But I discovered one of the best malls in the universe, and stayed at my favourite hotel of the trip!