And, it's over?

Why did God make summer the shortest of all the seasons?
And who voted to make winter the longest?


I am such a whiner.

Saw Pat Benatar on Friday night with a friend:

She is 63 years old. (Pat Benatar. Not my friend.)
And belts out her hits as if she were 27.
Confident, strong, energetic.

Her husband and business/band partner is her guitar player. (Spyder.)

He reminds me of my dad:

Black n red clothes.
Red shirt open with hairy chest on display, as well as a thick chain.
Long white hair, slicked back.
Totes in love with his woman.
But likes a bit of attention himself...


They've been married 34 years.


#relationshipgoals.
Hahaha.


My Saturday was supposed to be spent looking at open houses, but between me seeing the listings on Tuesday, and making arrangements to view on Saturday, they were all sold by Friday. SO.

I will not waste this post by complaining about the housing market. The fact that I'm (kinda) in it (the position to make a purchase) means I'm luckier that 90% of the world. So. I will shut up about the prices and buying frenzy that is causing me to have stomach aches and insomnia.

Instead, I did laundry, then met John and Val for dinner in Chilliwack, where we talked for hours about everything under the sun and then some. And ended up at the lake with these two:

Who tackled a never-made-before meal of fish n chips with fresh halibut.

And it was SO good.
Like, amazingly awesome.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Neighbours who give us fish. Kids who are determined to make a meal with that bounty.
2. One last sunny day. Sunday afternoon was beautiful. I am so lucky to have this place.
3. Friends who say 'yes' to my requests for help re: wedding stuff. Feeling blessed beyond measure.

Shalom friends.
Wishing you a gentle transition into the next season on the calendar.
Autumn; we're ready.

xo

Guess what we did at work today?

We were dived into teams, (approx 9 to a table) given an assortment of ju jubes and toothpicks and 15 minutes.

Under a sheet at the front of the room was a ju jube n toothpick structure that we were to replicate.

One person from each team at a time, could go lift the sheet to look at the structure.

I volunteered to make lists, assign tasks and prepare a timeline. (Because I suck at this sort of thing.)("sort of thing" being actually doing the project.)

It was decided that 9 was definitely too many cooks in the kitchen, so we, (the seven women on the team) were prepared to be supportive and cheery for the two guys who could do the actual construction.

The first guy looked under the sheet came back and said, "It's just a huge colossal mess..."

So a few more of us went to have a look.

Including me. And my brain could not compute a way to see, even a corner of the structure, and remember the details enough to get back to the table and reproduce it.

Our new strategy was to each of us to go back and memorize just a small section and build that, independently. We'd connect all the pieces after. But the first three people from the team that went to memorize a section, all came back AND BUILT THE SAME SECTION.

With less than 5 minutes left, and no real plan, it suggested we just build a great structure using as many jujubes and toothpicks as possible, exuding confidence in our final product. It'd be up to the judges to compare ours with the original and prove beyond a doubt that ours wasn't in fact exactly the same.

This was the original. (Above)


This was ours:

Dead on accurate, I'd say.
You tell me where, exactly, it's not the same.



Three things I'm thankful for:


1. There are three long weekends in the summer.
2, Movie dates with friends. And the long conversations that take place afterwards.
3. Red jujubes.

Shalom friends,
xo

ABC's

Tricia did this on her blog, and posted her 2016 answers along with a link to her 2006 answers. I am SO impressed. I don't link to any of my past posts because I don't remember them, and if I did, I wouldn't be able to find them. (I've posted over 4300 times. WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE I BEEN TALKING ABOUT?) I've been at this for 12 years. 

TWELVE YEARS. ( I just went back and looked over my first few posts. Haha. Whoa. Life was so different then). 

In between my answers will be pics I took on Friday night in Vancouver while walking around with Sandra looking at the new murals that've been painted on the sides of buildings in the Mount Pleasant area. 

Accent: If Canadians have an accent, then that's what I've got. 

Booze of choice: Still not a drinker. But if I ever were to take it up, it would likely be something slushy and fruity and fattening. 

Chores I hate: All of them. I'm at the lake and I thought I'd wash the floors, the windows, the window sills, vacuum, do the bathrooms, sort out the kitchen cupboards, clean out the fridge and sweep the decks. And yet, here I am blogging. And a few hours ago? I went through the years 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2016 for pics for the slide show at Drew and Danica's wedding. The earlier years take forever to review... in 2006 I had 103 folders with photos of the kids. Whereas in 2015? I had 109 folders of sunset pics and 4 of the kids. I miss those olden, golden days. 

Dog or Cats: Neither. I know pet lovers will disagree with me, but I see them as just another chore.

Essential electronics: Camera. Laptop and Kindle. 

Favorite cologne: I don't wear perfume. For no reason other than I never think to buy any. It's been, like twenty years since I've worn a scent, and I wouldn't even know where to start. I do smell like a tropical fruit tho, with my mango scented hand cream...

Gold or silver:  I haven't worn jewelry in years. I bought that ring in 2012; wore it sporadically til I lost it (then had it returned to me)  and haven't worn it since. Of the two, I prefer silver.

Hometown: Born in Vancouver but raised in Surrey. Have spent most of my adult life yo-yoing back and forth between Langley and Surrey as if I'm attached to an elasticized umbilical cord. 

Insomnia: I just like to stay up late. Not because I can't sleep, but because there's so much to read or think about, or plan for. And if I've been out all day at work, and then all evening with a friend, I STILL like to have an hour or two of downtime, being awake. Haha. 

Job title: My business card says Director Of Creative Production. Which is a fancy way of saying I make lists all the live long day. It's a good fit for me. 

Living arrangements: I sleep in a bedroom in the basement of my mom's house about 4 - 5 days a week. All of my belongings (other than my essential electronics, my clothes and makeup) have been in boxes for three years. The other days I sleep at the cottage at Cultus Lake. It's been a great ride, but I'm hoping to make some changes this fall. God willing.

Most admired trait: Is hair a trait? I don't think it is. But that's what I hear most often about myself. I can grow hair like a boss. 

Overnight hospital stays: Three times to give birth to three boys via C-section. 

Phobias: Definition: "a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation 
that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it." With that in mind, I have phobias about snakes, spiders, rats, mice, possums, large parties/social gatherings where I know only one or two people, spontaneous requests to speak in public, massages where I need to take all my clothes off. 

Quote: For such a time as this...
and Bloom where you are planted. 

Religion: Copying Tricia's answer: Saved by the grace of Jesus

Siblings: Younger bro and sister. Because of them I have every single first born quality ever invented. 

Time I wake up: On the weekends? I wake up when I stop sleeping. Which is usually noon. On work days? My alarm goes off at 7:39 am. I get out of bed at 8:15. 

Unusual talent/skill: My skin generally tans without burning. Which is something, I guess, considering the blonde hair and fair skin? Is that a talent? Not really. OK. Lemme think. 
... *ten minutes later... I got nothing. 

Veggies I refuse to eat: It's not so much that I refuse to eat them, per se, it's just that I never have. I was going to list the ones I haven't eaten based on the Wikipedia List of Vegetables. OH MY GOODNESS. I had no idea there were so many. I've eaten a total of about 6. 



Worst habit:Taking a second helping. Having chocolate and sweet tarts as my go to snack. Staying up too late. Not exercising regularly. Wasting time daydreaming.





Yummiest food I make: Chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icing. Chocolate cake with Cream Cheese Amaretto icing. Cheesecake with strawberries. Other than that? I have no confidence in any meals that I make. As the kids got older and were introduced to meals prepared in restaurants or girlfriend's homes, it became obvious that I was lacking in creative culinary endeavors. Watching friends throw together amazing, flavor-filled meals with ingredients I'd never heard of, is humbling. Left on my own, I'd have Rice Krispies for breakfast, a hotdog or ham sandwich for lunch and a tuna casserole for dinner. Every. Single. Day. 

Zodiac sign: Gemini. Not that I care. Other than my brother Jim n I are Gemini. Haha.


Yes, I noticed too, that this list was missing a K and an X word. 
Good thing, because I ran out of photos at V. 


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. A discouraging week does not mean the rest of one's life is going to be awful.

2. Fresh air, clean water, safe streets.

3. He hears the words I don't know how to say. 

Shalom,
xo