Hooliganting: Blue Moon Kinda: Day of the Funnies

Hooliganting: Blue Moon Kinda: Day of the Funnies: Do you remember your parents coming home with the Sunday paper? Remember squabbling over who got to read the comics first? The best part...

Blue Moon Kinda: Day of the Funnies

Do you remember your parents coming home with the Sunday paper? Remember squabbling over who got to read the comics first? The best part about the Sunday paper was seeing what Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes were up to in living color. Sometimes, you had to pretend you weren't interested in stealing that part of the paper and you had to remember to file it back into the paper correctly, but the funnies were the best thing EVER!

Today was a day that I probably should have stayed home and snuggled in. The Deep Freeze is still alive and kicking, and I woke up with the devil's own version of a headache. However, medicine and the act of moving helped so I thought I would go to the gym. I did and so it started. This was a day when the weird happened and the funny happened...and well, I thought I would share the chuckle.

Things that made me laugh in no particular order:

1) When getting dressed for the gym, make sure you have on appropriate undergarments. The female anatomy is NOT made to bounce and jiggle their way out of their entrapments. So, I detoured to the bathroom to fix it with my hair clip, by attaching to the straps and clipping them together. Only in doing so, I managed to snap the straps off altogether. Fortunately, another lady was able to help me reassemble my clothing to continue class. Red faced and winded from laughing...I managed to finish.

2) When you manage to get into a fender bender in the Tim Horton's line up, might I suggest that you move your cars out of the line? The ladies involved just sat there and nearly caused three more collisions. Nothing loathe, they finished their information exchange and drove ahead for their coffee. Ice ice baby - you slide...

3) When taking your children shopping for winter gear for a five minute stop, be ware. Be very aware. I wanted to get them a decent toque since both have been complaining that their hats are too small. (Would they stop growing?) The next thing I know, they have the hats in front of the store mirror and are doing the booty shaking fashion show of the season. The staff and other clientele were just encouraging them, hence making us late for swimming.

4) Maybe I ought to have paid attention to where the cat had her little heart shaped pillow. I couldn't figure out what the thumping noise was coming from the front of the house, especially when I knew I was home alone. There was a scuffle, yowl and thud as well. Not once, not twice, but three times today, the cat had somersaulted down the stairs. Cat nip is the best fun ever. But I wonder how bruised she will be when the feeling comes back to her system.

5) When spending time with your lovely kids, it is very difficult to snuggle one and ballroom dance with the other simultaneously. I managed a system today that involved costume changes, snuggle in between and managed to be a piggyback twirler. Oh and we were watching Grease...love those musicals. Now, why can't they dance that way in class?

6) When wearing skater shoes, which have the advantage of being very comfortable with a wide base and seem to do OK in the snow, sometimes you have to remember why they are skater shoes. So, when the parking lots are filled with sheet ice and you are carrying coffee, walking like a penguin might not be enough. I leave the rest of that to your imagination. (Anne - it was a legal coffee ;-) )

7) When you are plotting science fair homework and realize that you need vegetables to complete the experiments, and seem to want coffee, it made sense to go to Safeway. There were bonus airmile offers so I opted to do the grocery shop in full. I packed the groceries into my portable freezer, aka van, and decided to get myself a coffee at Starbucks instead. I happily noticed there was no line. There was a reason for that. The cold had attacked the pipes and they were frozen. They could make me a frappaccino or something cold but the hot drinks were out of the question. Foiled. No badness for me, instead I came home and had a cup of tea.

All in all, the amusement factor was rather good today. I didn't get much accomplished, but it was a good day.

Hooliganting: Living in the Deep Freeze

Hooliganting: Living in the Deep Freeze: Living in the Deep Freeze, sometimes is well, what you do. I can walk outside and it is colder than my freezer. In fact, it has just daw...

Living in the Deep Freeze

Living in the Deep Freeze, sometimes is well, what you do. I can walk outside and it is colder than my freezer. In fact, it has just dawned on me that I am probably spending more on electricity for freezing food that I could quite easily store outside on the deck. No, I am not feeling particularly bright at the moment. Not to mention that I trudge downstairs to get to the freezer. Hmmm, I might have to actually do something about that. I've digressed already.

Now, I know that unlike some folk, I have had a respite from the Deep Freeze. It was cold when I left, and not as cold, but still freezing when I got back. However, now that we are at the end of January, I can feel slightly offended that the winter has stayed wintery for weeks on end. Last winter, we were spoiled in the north by a very mild winter. This one is making up for it in spades. Spades and spades of snow, shovelled at all hours of the day and still, it keeps falling. The snow has been cleared from the street and there are still ridges of ice. My deck is lost, and the back pathway is a snowmobile run at best. The bus stop shuffle has turned into the bus stop shuttle.

The hardest part of the Deep Freeze is that it can be dark in here. There is a lack of motivation to get out of bed, especially for the youngest in the house. The blankets are warm, cozy and inviting and the pillows have finally got to their perfect level of squish. No one in the house likes to be up before daylight. Standing at the bus in -42 windchill has to be experienced to remind yourself why winter vacations are a brilliant idea.

However, in the Deep Freeze, there are all sorts of goodies. There is the sunrise that brilliantly comes to life over the roof tops. There is an appreciation for the warmth that spews from the exhaust (I kid you not). There is the delightful shivery conversations with the other moms and still those that welcome you into their home at no o clock in the morning because you are there. Music and spelling, breakfast and play...all before 8:15 am. There is the beauty from the crystals that shimmer in front of your eyes. The snow is deep enough to add insulation to the house. My heating bill for January was actually less than December when I was away.

The best part of the Deep Freeze this week has been the roaming fox. His coat just shines against the snow. Bundled in layers, I tried to stalk him but he escaped and I can't say that I am sad about that. I don't know where he is living but at least, he is company.

Anyway - the best thing about the Deep Freeze, it makes you appreciate Spring!

Hooliganting: A Drive By Shopping Experience

Hooliganting: A Drive By Shopping Experience: Ah shopping...sometimes it is necessary. Groceries, yes. Fuel for the van. Check that box. Clothing and shoes for growing children. Someti...

A Drive By Shopping Experience

Ah shopping...sometimes it is necessary. Groceries, yes. Fuel for the van. Check that box. Clothing and shoes for growing children. Sometimes.

Most of the time, I am sensible. I get what I need and don't spend a huge amount of funds on frivolous extras that I WANT. I may go for a Tim's to be sociable, or I might indulge in the odd chocolate sneak once in awhile. I could go to a movie or have company over. I spend money on scrap booking and activities. However, none of these measure up to what I did today.

Once in awhile, I have what I have dubbed the drive by shopping experience. Have you ever had one? These can be emotionally rewarding, tinged with a bit of guilty pleasure. These are the shopping experiences where you accidentally wander into a shop and discover that they have the thing. THAT thing, the thing that I have been thinking about or wanting for a long time. I can do that and slobber over it, handle such things and 99% of the time, I can put it back. Really.

The majority of my drive by shopping episodes usually happen when I have absolutely nothing else to do but wait and wander. I have no where to go and the waiting game is completely unpalatable. I spend a lot of time waiting in studios, poolsides and school bus stops after all. I have been known to clothes shop or grocery shop because I am that bored. Most of the time, I have productive errands to run and so do that.

But not today. No, not today.

The lovely ladies were at dance and I opted to see if I could find a repair for my phone. The computer store didn't have anything that could help me and there it was. Across the hall was FotoSource. The man at the counter was describing the features of the Nikon cameras. The one I wanted. I have been in there three times to just eye it over. Three times before I have walked away.

But not today. No, not today.

I saw that the newer model came in bright colors. I love bright colors. I just about managed to walk away when I was informed that it did not come in orange. But then my eye caught sight of that magical thing.The SALE tag. It was marked down to half of what I first looked at paying.

Doomed. I even had my credit card in my pocket. It wasn't conveniently in the car with my purse. No, I was doomed to impulsively, gleefully and self-destructively but very happily spend money on my new red camera. It is exactly what I wanted for Christmas. Yep, that's my new story and I am sticking to it.

Just for today.

Hooliganting: Blue Monday: Did you survive?

Hooliganting: Blue Monday: Did you survive?: Blue monday actually has a name: BLUE MONDAY. How did you cope with it? It was today after all. It is something that I pondered for a bit to...

Blue Monday: Did you survive?

Blue monday actually has a name: BLUE MONDAY. How did you cope with it? It was today after all. It is something that I pondered for a bit today seeing that we live in the wild blue yonder of the north. We awoke to a rippled sunrise in vivid pink, that refreshed into orange and looked like waves before calming into blue skies. It was stunning and a great way to wake up.

I find that everyday has pros and cons. I don't think that a truly perfect day exists - there always seems to be something. Today, the people around me were definately coping with more than me. The most stressful thing that happened to me today was that I had my annual performance review. I really wind myself up about them so I was rather glad that my lovely boss sprung it on me. I didn't have time to worry. And, it is always better than I think that I was going to be so...on went my day. I know that those that needed me know that I was there. In fact, I even stepped outside of my comfort zone and wandered into a school to set up a meeting regarding my child. Oh yes, the dreaded principal's meeting...once again, I feel compelled to be an advocate.

However, what really got me pondering was the radio announcer informing us that this is the most depressing day of the year for a lot of people. We are in the middle of January and are freezing everything that is possible to freeze off. Fingers...optional. Eyelashes....who needs those? Wet hair....bahahahahahaa. Yes, it is the middle of January and we are far enough away from Christmas that all the good cheer has supposedly worn off and the New Years resolutions are traditional defunct by now. (I never bothered to make any - I forgot). This is when I usually have some magical vacation planned to look forward to but my budget and the budgets of most people won't allow it.

So, I went to the gym to discover that the instructor is still refusing to change her format to suit the copious amounts of people squeezing their yoga panted bodies into a class meant for 20 people. Giving up, I opted for the treadmill and crunches before heading back out to tap. Seriously, this is frustrating. How many of these people will still be there in 4 weeks? Every January, this phenomenon of the new yoga pants irritates me. I will be there, rain and shine, winter and summer. They will quit. In the meantime, they are ruining my social night out. Sniff. I don't go for the workout anymore, I go to hang with my girls!

Looking at the plumes of steam rising from the buildings, I wondered. If this is blue monday, who have you checked in with? Who have you talked to? Do you have people in your life that have issues with depression? Perhaps this should be a day to call them just because. I know I can be a blue creature on occasion and it doesn't take much to snap me out of it. But I do appreciate those that pay attention. Today, I hope I have paid attention to the things that I was supposed to. And if I haven't? I will do better. It is all I can do.

But for now, I will ponder my roadie in the summer. Watching Drive Ins. Diners and Dives, there is inspiration for some exceptional road stops. Food is important after all and it beats thinking about making lunches. I would love it if someone else would just wave a wand so that I didn't need to.

To the blue moon, here's waiting on ya....it would be interesting after all.

Hooliganting: More Images from Tenerife: Peurto Del A Cruz, Loro...

Hooliganting: More Images from Tenerife: Peurto Del A Cruz, Loro...: The Teide Wine Country Sandos San Blas...

More Images from Tenerife: Peurto Del A Cruz, Loro Park and More

The Teide

Wine Country

Sandos San Blas

View from our room

When posting the other batch, I noticed that I was missing some images that I feel were worth sharing. Here they are.

Hooliganting: Images of Tenerife: Christmas Time

Hooliganting: Images of Tenerife: Christmas Time:  For those of you that have read the blogs and missed the images...I braved the memory cards and this is what I have very quickly selected ...

Images of Tenerife: Christmas Time

 For those of you that have read the blogs and missed the images...I braved the memory cards and this is what I have very quickly selected to whet your appetite for travel to this beautiful and might I add very friendly destination. I have also included La Gomera as it is a fast day trip from Los Christianos. Enjoy!

Oh Christmas Tree...

Los Christianos

Ummm...interesting way of putting it. It was also ignored.

View towards Teide from Los Christianos

Sunset looking towards La Gomera Island

Walking up hills on Christmas Day

Monkey Park, you can feed them by hand

Or be ignored

or stalked

or enticed

La Gomera

La Gomera had a forest fire recently

Yes - they do consider hairpin bends possible for coaches

They grow bananas, tomatoes and potatoes

Rainforest: the water comes from the clouds

Church of San Sebastion: Christopher Columbus's last stop before reaching the new world

The Fort at San Sebastion

The Beverly Hills Heights

Sandcastles

Siam Park

Coffee

Siam Park

Coffee on the road to Teide

Volcanic Hike

The Teide

Loro Parque

Hmmm - it would appear that my camera did indeed munch several of my pictures. Darn it - some cool ones are missing. Going to say some nasty things now....night