Always....!!

Some of you may have already come across this - it's an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter. I had to post it because it's so true - and hilarious! (sorry guys...)

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by a bunch of drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants.

Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you f**king kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James?

FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bullsh*t. And that's a promise I will keep.

Always.
Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

(now isn't that just the best!!??)

Give My Regards To Broadway….

Hey all. Oh my Gaw! Only 3.5 months to go! Can you believe it? Me neither. Sometimes I stop and think – is this really happening? Right now it’s all still a dream about this fantastical day that is going to happen. Through all of my planning, I’ve come to realize, getting married is almost like putting together a broadway show!

First – you need the storyline: “boy meets girl – boy falls madly in love with girl cause she’s so fabulous; boy and girl get married!”.

Second – a title: “Lisa & Rich’s Wedding”. Perfect.

Third – a writer, producer and director – That would be ME!

Let’s not forget the Cast: Bride, Groom, Wedding Party, Family and Friends;

Art Director – (Photographer);

Music and Lighting Director – (DJ);

Food and Beverages – thank you Venue!

And of course – the audience – that would be YOU!

The curtain raises and VOILA! “Lisa and Rich’s Wedding” has its opening night! (day)

You hold your breath and hope that all goes as planned – so much time spent preparing and planning. All you can do is have faith and relax and let everything go. The opening line “we gather here today… followed by a lovely script of warm fuzzies, and coming to the finale when the groom may kiss the bride”.

The crowd is on it’s feet – they are happy and smiling and clapping - a standing ovation! And you take your bow. Well Done I Say! Well Done Indeed! (See – I told you I’m living in a dream world! ;)

A Productive (and fun) Weekend!

This Saturday, Rich and I decided we’d go to look for a suit for him for the wedding. Well, I decided. Rich agreed. His sister had mentioned a men’s suit store in the city so we thought, what the heck, let’s give it a try.

We had an amazing experience there! I’ll give it a plug- it was “Tom’s” in Kensington. Amazingly good service and great prices too. Right away the salesman, William, took one look at Rich and pulled 3 suits down for him to try on. They all fit him very well, but one in particular stood out and he looked SO handsome in it. Even though he didn’t have on a proper shirt, tie, shoes etc. – you could tell it was a great cut for him and it was “the one”.

Rich told William he’d take it, and right away a tailor was marking the hem on the pants and within 10 minutes, Rich had a suit that fit him perfectly and it was packaged up and ready for us to take home with us. He also got a shirt and tie for the big day, as well as ties for our ushers. The selection at this store was great – the service was great and the prices couldn’t be beat. What a great day! (and hello!!! how easy do guys have it??? Jeeez!)

After suit shopping, we had a lovely lunch at a little French bistro in the Kensington area. Crepe cordon bleu for me and croque monsieur for Rich - It was tres delish! On our way home, we took a quick detour to IKEA, bought some fun things for the house – then home to eat our chicken roti’s for dinner that we picked up while out on our travels. YUMMERS!

Sunday was spent at home (it was FREEZING out) addressing invitations and getting them in order. I’m not sending them out just yet – but our lives seem so busy right now and time is tickin’ away! The more I can get done now, the better.

I got it!

My dress! It’s tucked neatly away in a big bag in a secret closet so Rich can’t see it. I’m taking it to a seamstress tonight though, as it’s about 2 sizes too big on me! I’ve lost about 20 lbs now, which I’m thrilled about – but it means a lot of alterations on my wedding gown.

I found this fabulous lady named Grace, who has been working on wedding gowns for over 35 years and she says that she “isa gonna make-a me beautiful” So – I’m holding her to that.

We did a trial run on the weekend with my hair and dress and veil. My sister-in-law is my hairstylist, so she worked her magic, and then she stood behind me to pull in the material from my dress to make it look like it fit me better. My bro snapped a few pics, and I have to say – I didn’t look too bad! I was impressed with just the trial, so I’m hoping on THE day, that it will all come together and Ima gonna be beautiful. Here’s hoping!

Cruisin’…..on a Sunday afternoon…

My parents are about to embark on a Caribbean cruise this weekend. It will be their first and they’re quite pumped about it I think. And Rich’s mom and sister just came back from a Cruise on Sunday. Am I feeling left out? YUH! I wouldn’t say my family is the “cruising type” per se – we like our freedom and not big on time constraints, etc. – however, cruising looks to be a great way to see many islands in a short time frame; the food is supposed to be out of this world; and they have a balcony cabin – so it really does sound great!

We were asked to join them, but due to wedding expenses and saving up vacation time for two trips to Europe this year, it just wasn’t in the cards. But I do wish them a great trip and I hope they buy me something! ;)

On another note – the wedding is less than five months away! Can you believe it? Me neither! But things are going great! Rich needs to buy a suit still (we’re not doing tuxedos) so that’s a bit of a ‘major’ thing outstanding…but if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll get out there soon ;)

We’ve come up with a few neat ideas and I’m so looking forward to the big day! I know that the important part of getting married is the new life we’ll begin as husband and wife, and the wonderful future we will have going forward, but being engaged has been so much fun and the best time of my life so far, so I gotta say --- I think I may miss being a “fiancé” a bit!

I guess we could always get married again……to each other of course!! ;)

Still Sick....But Honeymoon is Booked!

Sniffle Sniffle...Cough Cough....you get the picture. I'm feeling a little better than I was last week, but I've still got a head cold and can't smell anything and sound like I can't pronounce my words properly. But....the time off and lazing around the house has been used productively too, as we booked our honeymoon!

A couple of posts back, I said we were thinking of going to the French Riviera to get the romance and culture of France, but also the warmth of the Mediterranean sea and its beaches. So, after reading many reviews and going on forums on trip advisor (www.tripadvisor.com - we never travel without it!), we decided that Nice (Cote d'Azur) will be our base and we booked our trip!

We will have two glorious weeks in the south of France. Our hotel faces the water and (fingers crossed) we will have a sea-view room with a balcony. I can't wait. We spent a short time in Nice last September (3 or 4 days) and there is so much more we want to see. So it will be great to have a couple of weeks to tour around and go back to Cannes and maybe Monaco, and see some more of the Old Town. But I'm especially looking forward to the beaches and sun and warmth and romance that the Cote d'Azur has to offer.

I can't wait to sip a glass of wine with my new husband (gasp!) while sitting on our terrace watching the sun go down over the Mediterranean Sea....what more could you possibly ask for? I.Can't.Wait.

Merry Sickness To Me

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas / Hannukah / Holidays. I enjoyed the time spent with family, but I've been sick as a dog since last Sunday and I am only now starting to take a turn for the better.

On Dec. 22nd, which i think was a saturday, we had a christmas get-together at Rich's uncle's house. I was feeling great and enjoying myself and talking to one of his aunts about how I rarely get sick and have been really lucky this year...I even knocked on wood after I said that! and wouldn't you know it, the next morning I woke up with my throat feeling like sandpaper. I didn't think too much of it - I figured it was just the dryness in the house from the furnace being higher these days. But then the froggie in my throat turned into a big old monster and I went downhill from there. You name it, I had it. Cough, congestion, sore throat, aches, fever, clogged sinues, sneezing - I was so sick. I thought by Christmas day I'd be okay, but nope, it held on and I had to do my travelling and visiting with my box of kleenex and bags of herbal teas in my pockets.

So, while it's been nice to be off, it hasn't been much fun at all. To make things worse, Rich ended up pulling a muscle in his neck and it was so bad that I literally had to help him in and out of bed. I'm on tylenol 3's - he's on muscle relaxers - we're quite a pair! Today is Saturday and we've literally spent the whole day in bed watching HGTV. LITERALLY ALL DAY. i kid you not. I think we got up to heat up our leftover chinese food that we ordered for dinner last night cause neither of us are in any shape to cook. Mind you - I can't taste anything anyways so it wouldn't matter what I ate. But we haven't done anything today other than lie in bed and watch the tube. I just came into the office to post this as I know it's been awhile, and I had to stretch my legs a bit).

Even though we've both had it rough over the holidays, we've still managed to enjoy the company of both our families. It was kind of funny because my parents and brothers and nieces were all outside tobogganing up and down my brother's hill at the cottage and rich and I were watching them while sitting outside in the hot-tub on the deck of the cottage. It felt funny seeing them all bundled up in snowpants, and us in our bathing suits. But it was kind of cool.

Now we're thinking about new year's eve and wondering what to do. We may just have a quiet night together and go out for dinner -- we're not quite sure yet. But hopefully we'll both be feeling better by then.

Decisions, Decisions

Rich and I have been talking about our honeymoon plans. Italy is our main honeymoon destination; however, we’re not going until September. We wanted to wait until then as that’s when they harvest the grapes for the wine (‘hic..) and it’s just beautiful there that time of year (so I’ve been told). We will be taking two weeks to see Venice, Florence and Rome. I cannot wait!

But because our wedding is in June, we also wanted an immediate getaway right after. Our first thought was something easy…all inclusive beach resort…maybe Barbados or St. Martin. Laze on a beach and eat and drink at our leisure. But now our minds are changing. As we’ve been researching vacations, we’re finding that for relatively the same price as Barbados, we could go to back to France. (and we’d probably appreciate Barbados more if we were to go in the winter months as opposed to June).

Our first thought was Paris! Paris in the Spring – does it get any better!? Rich took me to Paris last year and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Who says no to a honeymoon there? BUT – I love the beach and the water and I know that I’ll want to relax after the wedding and not go crazy with sightseeing and trains, planes and automobiles, if you know what I mean.

So I think we found a compromise – the French Riviera! Still the magic and culture of France, but on the Mediterranean Sea – beachside – just how I like it! It will be the best of both worlds. So, although we haven’t made up our minds 100% yet – I think it will either be Nice or Cannes for our honeymoon in June.

Are we crazy? France in June and Italy in September? I don’t know if it’s all a bit much for one year. But then again – it’s our wedding – our honeymoon – we should make it be all it can be, non? Who’s with me on this one? Can I get a “Whoa France!” … anyone??? anyone??? ………

Me? Organized? Maybe just a little...

Hello folks. Sorry for my laziness in blog posting. It’s been a busy few weeks. The wedding planning is going well. There’s a few big things that still need to get done. Bridesmaid dresses, invitations, wedding bands – but they’re all sourced, so it’s just a matter of putting the order in.

There are of course a tonne of little things to do – like buy jewelry, shoes, schedule make-up appt., outfit the guys, and much more, but it’s things that don’t have deadlines, etc. So, I'm ahead of schedule which should mean smooth sailing in the new year. Rich and I are pretty much out of commission for the month of May. There is something every weekend that month, so I have to have everything ready and in order by end of April. When you think about it, that’s only 5 months away. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun!

When people ask me how the planning is coming, it’s usually followed by them saying “so…I hear your very organized”. I’m not sure how to take that statement. The way it is said sometimes almost makes me feel like I’m being judged in a negative light. Do people picture me as a crazy, person running around with a checklist and my arms flailing and ordering people around to get things done? Because that’s not me. I’ve actually been pretty calm, respectful and tactful while planning my wedding. Yes it’s true – I am very organized! But I have to be. I’m doing this on my own. I don’t have a wedding planner. My parents have been great in helping us with money and my mom has ordered me some great things online, and Rich’s folks are helping us with the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon, and I’m grateful for all of that, but when it comes to the actual planning, calling, emailing, scheduling, organizing, ordering, buying, drafting, printing, decorating, and putting everything together -- it’s little ol’ me arranging an event for almost 200 people by myself.

Sure, Rich will browse online for honeymoon destinations, and maybe go with me to look at things at stores, but really (sorry hun) it’s me doing the “stuff”. It can be a bit overwhelming at times. So instead of being a bridezilla about it, I just choose to be organized about it instead. If that means getting things done sooner than later – so be it. It eases my mind – keeps me on track and allows me to be more relaxed. Another thing I don’t think people realize, is that this is what I do at work on a daily basis. I have to be overly-organized in my job in order to thrive and function, so that flows into my personal life too.

Trust me…at the end of the day, it’s a good thing, and it’ll be an even better thing when it’s a few weeks before the wedding and all I’ll have to do is sit back, relax and let the good times roll. That sounds pretty nice to me.

P.S. Happy Hannukah to my Jewish peeps!

No Wind in the Windy City

Oh what fun! I loved Chicago. It was a great trip and we saw and did so much! Chicago is similar to NYC, but it is more laid back. The people are really nice and the pace is a little slower, but you still have the amazing shopping and river cruises and skyline and restaurants all around you. We did a lot in four days. We took a boatcruise along the river to learn about the architectural designs of many of Chicago’s famous buildings. This may sound a little dull to some of you – but it was so interesting, and our cruise started in the daylight and ended in the dark so it was so beautiful to be going along the river with the skyline lit up all around you.

We also went to the Shedd Aquarium. I can’t even explain this – it is too amazing for words. It’s like you’re living inside the sea and there’s so much sea life and coral and water all around you. We also went to the Art Institute of Chicago – a great art museum showcasing the likes of Van Gogh, Dali, Picasso and Monet among many others. We went up the John Hancock tower to the observatory deck – about 100 stories up and WOW – the views were spectacular. We went to Navy Pier – which is a long pier out into Lake Michigan that has a huge ferris wheel and restaurants and boat cruises and rides, etc.

Also in Chicago, which surprised me, were the beaches! Along the coast of Lake Michigan are beautiful sandy beaches and it looks so cool to see the beach against the grand skyline of Chicago’s buildings. And there’s a huge bike/walking path that hugs the coastline which we walked along. And boy did we walk! We only took a cab when we had to, because it’s such a great city for walking and there’s so much to see. We went to see the “bean” which a reflective bean-shaped structure (all mirrored) that’s about the size of a house! And it reflects all parts of the city and it’s centered inside Millennium Park – we got some pictures of this and once they’re downloaded, I’ll come back and post them here. Another park we visited was Lincoln Park – in the upper part of the city – and it has a huge zoo in the middle of it, similar to Central Park in NYC, except that this zoo is free and it’s amazing!

Now…we can’t forget the other important part of our trip – the shopping!! Let’s just say that had we been allowed to bring back more over the Canadian border, we would have been in trouble! We bought a couple ‘big’ things each of us wanted and the rest was spent on clothes, shoes, etc. Our hotel was great – right at the top of the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave) which is lined with all the hot spots for shopping and one street over is State St., which is lined with all the restaurants. I did get to try some deep dish pizza and it was really good! And the other great thing about our hotel is that it had a top of the line fitness center in it, so I was able to keep up with my workouts while we were there and work off the deep dish pizza that I just had to have! All in all it was a fabulous trip and our weather was great and I would go back in a second! Oh, and it wasn’t even windy! Bonus!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to Chi-ca-go!

We're off again on another trip
Just 4 days, but full of zip
Chicago is our little retreat
And with our loonie so high, it can't be beat!

A riverboat cruise, Blues & Jazz
The best deep dish pizza I'll probably ever have
A trip to the Aquarium and a gallery or two
And of course the Shopping!! Oh what will I do!?

I think there's a limit on what I can bring back
So i'll have to take with me an extra large sack
to pack away all the goodies I'll buy
But of course i will claim it, cause that's only right. (in case the FEDS are reading my blog) ;)

So have a good weekend - I'll be back next week
and I'll post some pics if there's some that are neat
I'll think of you while I'm shopping the streets
The magnificant mile should be a real treat!

Later Peeps,
Leece

Centerpieces – a day at the beach?

We’ve tossed around a few ideas for our centerpieces for the wedding. Our venue has some that we can use for free, but they’re kind of cheap looking and then we can’t give them away, which we’re planning to do. So, we’ve decided to make them ourselves. I consider myself sort of crafty and pretty imaginative, so why not?

I won’t divulge too much info, as some of my readers (who by the way – NEVER comment – you know who you are!!) will be coming to our wedding so I want to keep some elements a surprise. But on Sunday, Rich and I drove down to the beach by our house and set down our blanket and proceeded to dig. It was a lovely day. The sun was out and we were laughing and if his buddies had seen him they would have totally made fun of him. But that’s why I love him so much - because he humours me by doing “girl” stuff with me sometimes, even though I know he’d rather not. But I think the centerpieces are going to look great.

So, to show him my appreciation, I didn’t bug him AT ALL when we got home and he watched an NBA game followed by an NFL game. Ok – I lied – during those 4 hours I did go in once or twice and tell him I was bored. But then I decided to cook! So I went to the kitchen and made him a yummy dinner of curried chicken with rice and vegetables. It was great! Tonight we’re having leftovers and I’m going to attempt to make rotis from scratch. Wish me luck!

Just a few pics

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, our friend Lori-anne (La) took some photos of us recently by the water and walking trails near our house. I only have a few of them to post, as we're waiting for the full CD, but in the meantime, here are just a few of us .... it was such a fun, happy, sunny, shiny day!

Ow!

I hit the gym last night - upper body workout - and I went hard!

Outcome: Rich had to help me get my workbag over my shoulder this a.m.

Help........

Soreness is to be expected. I'm not really "easing" into this program - it's full power straight ahead. So - I know my muscles (yes I have some) will pay. But it's a good hurt - the kind of hurt where you know you've done something good for your body. I did my cardio this morning before coming to work too. So - it's been a good two days!

Can I stop now?
(*wink*)

Building a Body-for-Life?

Back in 2000, I competed in a nation-wide 12-week competition, called the "Body-for-Life" Challenge. It's a 12-week fitness and nutrition program laid out in very specific detail and guarantees that you can change your body in as little as 12 weeks. Of course before I started I was skeptical, but let me say, if you put your mind to it - you can accomplish anything! And I did. I worked out 6 days a week - and i'm not talking about using rubber bands and bouncing on a ball - this was TOUGH training. Weights and cardio - working your muscles to failure, and high bursts of intensity. Eating 6 times a day - small hand-sized portions...and it goes on....but after 12 weeks, I was down 35 lbs and I had more muscle tone than I'd had before. I looked good. I didn't win the competition, but I was awarded with a medal and a certificate of completion and I had never been so proud of myself as I was after I finished those 12 weeks.

Problem was - after the 12 weeks and the finish of the competition, I slacked off. I figured i'd "take a break". And break I did! Seven years worth! So here I am now with a wedding coming up next year and not at all happy with the way I look. So, I'm going to try my best to do a modified version of the Body-for-Life program again. I don't have to 'kill' myself like I did last time, as I'm not on a 12-week deadline. But in all honesty - it really is an easy program to follow "for life" (the workouts are challenging) but it's very well laid out and if you wanted to make it your permanent fitness routine - it's a great one. (www.bodyforlife.com) You just have to be dedicated and committed. That's where I fall off track. I do something for a month or so and then I slack.

So please folks - wish me luck as I try this again. My results won't be as fast as last time because I'm taking it slower, but I'm hoping to be down in weight for when my wedding rolls (no pun intended) around. Rich supports me and loves me no matter how I look (obviously) but I know he'll be proud of me, and I'll be proud of myself, if I can finally accomplish a goal that I've been talking about for the past 7 years!! I have my pedometer on today, so - let's get to steppin!

A wedding inspired weekend...

This weekend was great! Saturday was a big day – dress day! I had been out looking at dresses a few months back and saw some I really liked, but wanted to give it a bit more time before ordering. So on Saturday, me, my mom, my aunt (Linda) and my sister-in-law (Brenda) all met for lunch and then afterwards we headed to the bridal salon!

The girls at this salon are amazing. They remembered me from my last visit and they pulled out the two dresses that were on the top of my list so that I could try them on again. And then Brenda and Linda went nuts! They started pulling dresses upon dresses off the rack and saying “leece try this one”; “lisa – here’s another one” “oh leece, this would look great on you!”. My poor mom was in the changeroom with me helping me in and out of the dresses – and some of them are HEAVY! It was a workout for sure!

It was funny too, because there was another girl there with her family also trying on dresses. When I came into the store, she actually had on my #1 choice! (and it looked great on her which made me happy because we were about the same build) And so in I went until “my dress” was free and started trying on some others. Turns out the first dress I came out in was HER #1 choice. So there she was in “my” dress, and I was in “her” dress! It was freaky!

So, as I was saying my family kept bringing me in other dresses to try – but at the end, when I finally put on my #1 choice from 2 months ago – they all ooohed and aahhhed and said “Yup! That’s the One!”. Even the girls’ friends who were there said that it was the nicest one I’d had on all day. So it’s a done deal! I bought my dress and I love it and I’m so happy!

Then on Sunday, a friend of ours who’s taking courses in photography came over, and we headed down to a conservation area by the lake and she took a whack of pictures of us. I guess you could call them ‘engagement’ photos – but we’ll use them for different things. It was a great afternoon – the weather was perfect – the sun was shining – the breeze was blowing and the fall colours and leaves with the inky blue of the lake provided for some very beautiful shots I’m sure!

So – that was my “wedding weekend”. Rich had a good time too! After the photo shoot, we went out for dinner and then came home and crashed! We were wiped. It’s not easy shopping all day one day, and then being a supermodel the next you know!

MEEEOWWWW

Last night Rich and I went to see the stage production of CATS. CATS was one of the first-ever live theatre productions that I saw with my parents when I was maybe 12 years old, and I loved it! I saw that it was coming to T.O. for a limited engagement (it’s only here for one week apparently) so I snapped up two tickets right away.

As some of you know, we recently got our own cat about 6 months ago – “Jackson”. After seeing CATS last night, we look at him in a whole new light. For those of you who haven’t seen the show, it’s all about cats and how they get their names, and what their individual names mean to them and the story behind them. There are scary cats, mean cats, magical cats, glamorous cats, jokester cats, etc. It’s quite powerful and even emotional at times, as the weathered old “Grizzabella” who was once the most beautiful cat is now tattered and torn and growing old and all the other cats want nothing to do with her.

The entire cast is cats! They are in lycra and spandex and have ears and whiskers and tails and claws and are very believable – I forgot that I was watching people. They even run and crawl through the aisles – kids would have a great time at this production. The singing and dancing was amazing, and the set was all aglow, as it takes place in an old junkyard, but there’s a starry sky and a bright moon and lots of coloured lights all around.

As you can probably tell, I enjoyed last night’s show as much as I did when I was young, and Rich said he really liked it too. In fact, when we got home and Jackson greeted us at the door – we decided (well, Rich decided) that he required a new name to better identify him and tell his story. So, he is now known as “Tabitha Von Purrrstein”. I told Rich that Tabitha is a girls’ name, but he said that Jackson is part tabby and is always purring so that’s his new name. (sorry Jackie – blame your father)

Anyway – go see the show if you can while it’s here – it’s Great!!

Shop Till Ya Drop!!

This past Saturday, Rich and I set the alarm for 6:30am (sick, i know) to head out for a full day of cross-border shopping. A quick stop at Timmy’s for a bagel and a coffee and we were on the road. It was a nice easy drive as nobody is on the highway that time of day on a weekend – that is however until we got to the bridge into the U.S.

Oh lord…I think the whole world had the same idea as we did. We were stopped – bumper to bumper – for about an hour and a half just to cross the border. That’s what happens when the loonie hits a high! Everyone gets so excited and heads for the border.

But…eventually we made it across – first stop – the fashion outlets!! We had our cell phones charged, knowing we’d probably split up – I mean, Rich didn’t really want to go to the Coach store (can’t imagine why) and I wasn’t in the mood for Fossil – so we just went our own ways and met up every 15 minutes or so depending on where we were. It was great!! The deals were amazing in a lot of the stores there. By noon we were pretty pooped so we decided to sit down for some lunch. We had a really good falafel wrap with hummus to give us more energy for the rest of the day! A couple more stores there, then we were off to Buffalo for the afternoon to hit the Walden Galleria.

Gotta say – I much preferred the fashion outlets. It had all the same stores at lower prices (except for DSW –which is great!! bought two pairs of shoes and a pair of boots from there). But we still managed to make some purchases (go figure!) and of course we had to peek into the Cheesecake Factory just to catch a glimpse of the glorious cakes they have to offer – check it out @ http://shop.thecheesecakefactory.com/PublicStore/catalog/Cheesecakes,92.aspx. It was packed to the gills – which is probably a good thing cause we may have considered sitting down for a piece if it wasn’t. So – thanks to the crowds, I kept a pound or two off my waistline!

All in all it was a wonderful day. Although, coming back across the border was worse than going. We were honest (or dumb??) and told the guy how much we spent (a lot!) so we had to park our car and go inside and pay the taxes. That took about another ½ hour. Add that onto the 2.5 hour line up just go get back across the border and we ended up getting home at about 10 pm. It was a LONG day. But worth every penny I must say! :)

Holiday Wrap Up

Well - if everyone had as much turkey as I did, you’re probably still yearning to lay down on that couch and continue digesting! Between Rich’s family, my family, and the leftovers, it’s been turkey central! But it was a lovely Thanksgiving weekend – as it always seems to be.

We were at Rich’s cottage on the Saturday and during dinner a storm passed directly over us, accompanied by lightning and thunder, and then wouldn’t you know it - out goes the power! But it was actually kind of cool because we all grabbed some candles and set them up around the table and dined by candlelight. Actually, once the power came back on, we contemplated just turning the lights back off!

At my mom’s place the next day it was a lot of fun and felt so cozy and “homey” for me. They have made their little house so attractive and welcoming and I love being there. Me and my mom just lied on the couch for awhile – well, she was sitting, but I was lying down with my feet on her lap and she rubbed my feet for me while I had a snooze – what can be better than that! The colours up north were magnificent. I didn’t go swimming, but could have. It was that warm.

So, Thanksgiving is over. No more holidays until Christmas. But our trip to Chicago is booked around the middle of November! I’m very much looking forward to that. I had no idea how expensive hotels are in Chicago!! If you want to stay in the downtown core that is – which we are – but we got our flights free with Air Miles, so I guess we can’t complain. Anyway – I’m looking forward to seeing the big aquarium that’s there and of course the shopping on the Magnificent Mile – and it just so happens our dollar is great right now!

On the wedding front – everything is still on track. Next big thing will be ordering my dress and thinking about where/who to do our invitations. I’m supposed to order my dress on the 20th of this month – but after all the food this weekend I’m thinking I may hold off a little while longer to try to whittle away some of the holiday leftovers that have made their way around my waist! Anyway – that’s the wrap up for now. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Thank-Yuh Thank-Yuh

Wow! Times have been busy! There have been family functions, dinners with friends, the run-for-the-cure (which was AWESOME by the way!!), birthdays and a new lawyer that started at work – so needless to say - I haven't had a lot of time to post.

But here I am and what better thing to talk about than my favourite time of the year. That’s right – Thanksgiving!! It’s just around the corner and I can’t wait! I love everything about it. The weather, the trees, the colours, the smells in the air, the cozy cottage visits, of course the dinner, but most of all just being with friends and family and thinking about all the things in my life to be thankful for, such as my loving family, my honourable and true friends, my health, my in-laws-to-be, and of course the love of my life – Rich. I still pinch myself each day to see if I’m dreaming. I can’t imagine being more happy and fulfilled as I am right now - and that says a lot, as the best is yet to come.

We’ll be seeing both our families this weekend and the weather is supposed to be fantastic so we might even get a swim in at the cottage! We’ll play a round of golf, eat, drink and be merry. It’s the best. Also, we’ve decided to head to Chicago for a little getaway. Probably a four-day trip. Neither of us have been and it’s on our list of places to go – so I’m really looking forward to that! Wedding plans are still on track and going great! We’ll probably get our bands made soon as our jeweler is moving in the new year, so he asked if he could make them sooner than later – fine by me!! (it’s pretty cool having your own personal jeweler I must say!)

So that’s what’s shakin’ for now. (by the way - can you believe I've been blogging for a year now? Who Knew!?) Oh, and I also want to say Happy Birthday to Rich’s mom! You looook mahvelous! Happy Turkey Everyone! :)