ChickenPants & MonkeyNuts- together again

I'll let you figure out who is who... Saturday Claire came over to my place for a visit while before she headed back to Vic- it was super terrific to see her and hang out in the neighbourhood. Also nice to have a person to sit in my place and have a cup of coffee (or two) with.

Saw my friend from Uni, Jen, on Saturday night at the Local for a couple of pints. So it's been a very fun week seeing lots of people. All the more to get me through the next few grueling weeks- it's mid-term time! Woot! Had one today, there is one on Wednesday (math-ugh), one on Thursday.

Got my AutoCad- test results, not as good as i would have liked, which is crappy because I had to redo the test and I am pretty sure I did better the first time as I wasn't rushing off to sit around an airport... Got an English assignment back with a high mark-whew- I was slightly nervous I had forgotten everything basic and could only postulate on the subtext of the new film-noir genre as according to Lacan (or something equally ridiculous).

Today in the mail I got money! From the school- I have absolutely no idea what for, but I'll take it!!! Better than a bill that's for sure!

So reading break is over, I made it to school this morning- early even. Quite the shock to a system that didn't quite make it out of bed before 10am on any given day last week. I love being a student. Love. It.

Other than that not too much else going down. Studying a lot this week. Melissa and Vince leave on Wednesday, but I have to stick my head in the books, so I don't think I'll get to see them again. So wonderful to have them here though! They are such a good match for each other- makes me all ferchlemmped.

Right back to the dishes, I will seriously give anyone that comes here to do my dishes a shiny nickel. Believe me it would be a good nickel. I don't hand out lame nickels... Anybody? Anybody?

Ich bin gefallen

The topic of this post is falling... It's strange the connotations the word falling can take. One can fall physically, emotionally, spiritually. And does one have to fall, to be able to arise to greater heights than before? I think we have all be down before, but it does help us recognize the highs. Hmmm deep thoughts. Nothing like a road trip to bring out deep thoughts.


Right this picture is a picture of a picture that I took on my camera, the cord is in PA.... But me at the falls....

Yesterday Melissa, Vince, Vince's sister Jennifer and I made our way out to Niagara Falls. It's been a momentous week on the Canadian Landmark for us- first speakers corner(!), then the CN Tower and now the Falls. I have to say, this was my favourite. The CN Tower was ok, but I am always continually more in awe of what Nature can do as opposed to people. (Kenneth Clark would be appalled).

The falls were breathtaking, even with half of them frozen over, almost more so, I found a real sense of movement in the layers of ice. A snapshot of one moment. We went to the "Journey Behind the Falls" which is where you walk to some viewing platforms about 2/3 of the way down the falls. One was totally iced over, but the other you could see the water coming down.

After viewing that we took the scenic drive to Niagara on the Lake. Stopping at a winery on the way to sample their wares. I bought jam! (apricot mmmm) Niagara on the lake is about half an hour away and such a beautiful little town. Niagara Falls is super tacky which I guess is understandable. But this town is lovely, it's obviously trying to be a bit quaint but it works for them and they aren't being pushy about it.

We had dinner at the Olde Angel Inn, our second choice but it was the right one! As soon as we walked in I loved it. It's a nice proper English style pub with real fireplaces, lots of wood, a fine selection of ales- served at the right temperature. Just really cozy. It's been in business since 1792, burned down once in 1812 and going ever since. Really a good pub should not be anywhere under 100 years old. But I won't go into a rant about the problems with North American pubs- not today anyway.
Right-on topic- dinner was good and then we headed back to the city. I love road tripping with Melissa, I feel no shame in screeching out the lyrics to You Give Love A Bad Name in front of her, since I know she is doing the same.

Well I was back home by 9pm which was great and then Kundun was on TV. Oooh I love that movie, it's so beautifully shot and poignant. All the reds and yellows of the Tibetan Monks.. (and we know red and yellow= orange!) I like the idea of the Tibetan Sky Ceremony for the dead. It's where your body is cut up and fed to vultures on the top of a mountain. I don't know why I like it, seems more freeing that laying somewhere.

AND BIG NEWS!!! I woke this morning to an email saying that Rob and Florie are now proud parents to Serena Dulcie Waller. So I think that they have also fallen! I have seen two pictures of her and I admit I am already pretty smitten.

Well that's about it on the adventure so far. I think it's going to be a mindful day. Pondering on falling, but hopefully not doing any actual physical falling. I consider a day seized if I don't fall over at some point or bang my elbow on something.

Ridiculousness Part B- Say Whatcha Like!

Well this week is reading week. And I have been getting some studying done which is good. Kind of hard to get out of my PJs however. Glad I have an extensive collection!

My friends Melissa and Vince arrived from Calgary on Tuesday evening and I met up with them yesterday afternoon downtown. We went for some yum Vietnamese and the headed over to Much Music, as it was Melissa's request. And of course, she talked me in to going on Speakers Corner. Gosh I hope none of you ever see me on TV! Not that we had much to say, mostly just laughing like idiots. But hey, you have to fulfill those childhood dreams!

We went up the CN Tower, which I suppose is quite patriotic- but I dunno.... It's a tall building, it's like looking out of an airplane. Anyway- now that I have done it I feel no compulsion to ever do it again. So there.

Today we met up again for some lunch in the neighbourhood- where I found a pub that serves burgers with peanut butter on them. I think my dad would love it. I couldn't bring myself to try it. Peanut butter belongs on toast, or celery sticks- that's it. (and really when you get down to it- bread is just toast waiting to happen)

My friend from Victoria, Claire was flying in this evening and I met her at the airport. We went to her hotel room and room serviced and went in the pool, it was very fun! But this is my second night of getting in past midnight. I am certainly not cut out for this sort of thing anymore.

Tomorrow Melissa, Vince, possibly his sister, and I will be maybe heading out to Niagara Falls which would be great to see. However it will be after sleeping in!

And that is about it thus far. Schooling is going well- midterms are coming up. Boo. But I suppose it's inevitable. So Michelle Out...

Ridiculousness Part A- High Flying Hijinxes

Gosh it's been a while since my last post. So much has happened! I went down to Pennsylvania to visit my friends Valerie and Robert on the 8th. The trip down was mammoth. I could have flown home for the amount of time it took... but still it was a great flight!

We finally got back to Val and Rob's at about 2.30 and had a midnight dinner with champers! Yumm... Val and I stayed up ridiculously late catching up! We had so much fun while I was down. I love it there, they live near New Hope, which is this pretty little town on the Delaware river. It reminded me a lot of where I used to live in England, all these big estates and small country roads.

Friday night we went to their local which is a pub that is at least 300 years old. Now that is what I call a pub... Saturday we just sort of bummed about and watched The Ring that night, kind of spooky. Sunday we went to Princeton and walked around the Uni there. It's really beautiful and a very nice town.

Monday was also mammoth coming home. We checked my flight on Sunday night only to find it didn't exist- found out that I had been put on a different flight which left a bit later. That was fine, when I got to the air port they had (of course) over booked the flight and I was asked to be routed via Montreal.

They offered me a voucher for my trouble so I took it! That will hopefully cover my flight down to New York in the spring! And as another bonus I was upgraded to 1st class on the way from Montreal to TO. Hot towels and everything....

It was so much fun to see Val and Rob and they were so hospitable and nice to me. Great to see where they are calling home these days (lucky lucky!) and to see that they are so happy and in love.

Back home it was back to school for a few days. Hard to get back into the swing of things after vacationing I tell you.

Alas I left my camera cord in PA so I can't upload any new pics- boo.

Ok onto the next post...

It's a Super Super-Bowl Sunday

Wooot! Go Colts! I watched the game by myself this evening but it was all good times. Although I have to say that Canadian commercial are TERRIBLE..... I mean where were the awesome K-Fed commercials? Who cares about Howie Mandell? Or cars? Blech, but that was the only low light. It was a great game and the Colts definitely out played the bears. And I hear they flew everyone that works in the Colt's stadium down for the game. Everyone! I mean this team deserves to win.

I Fought a Chair....

And I WON (high five!)

Today I was able to get the final accoutrement for my abode. A reading chair. I found it on Craigslist- if anyone doesn't know what Craigslist is- get thee to the interweb. It is the BEST website on the net. Seriously. You can find everything on there, and I mean everyting you know?

On with the tale. So I found the chair on there and also found a person who would pick me up at the place the chair was living and drive me and it back to my place. The one thing I really didn't think through was the fact that the chair is wide and the entrance to my place is not.

A) It wouldn't fit down the side of the building to my door- ok I took it around through a neighbour's back yard (shhh don't tell them) and threw it into our backyard. That done I tried to get it into my place through the back door.

B) It wouldn't fit through the back door- ok so it fits down the alley to my door from this way. Then it was about 25 minutes trying to get it in through the door. I finally FINALLY was able to get it in through the door.

C)It wouldn't fit down the stairs. Oh yes at this point one leg had fallen off- I had cut myself and bled all over the chair. - It looked to me that I would need to take off the legs- however I don't seem to have the base of my screwdriver that holds all the attachments. LeSigh. I take off part of the railing and it makes it down to my door.

D) It gets through the door but not down the wee hallway to the living room. GAAAH at this point it's been an hour of trying to get the dang thing in there. Now it's a grudge match. Typical- I get a chair with attitude. Maybe it liked living in North York- but hey, this neighbourhood is great...

E) After realizing the legs have to come off I got at them with a hammer trying to loosen the bolts. It breaks the hammer.... Seriously this chair it tough! However I refuse to be beat down by a chair. Eventually my brute strength prevails and I get the last leg off and it is here! Legless but right now I don't care. It can sit there and think about what it's done and resign itself to it's final home. Because the only way it is getting out of here is in pieces.

So take that CHAIR.

Other than that the day has been uneventful- I think that was enough. It was a possibility of going to school and working on my project more, but I did that for about 5 hours yesterday and I only have a few more hours to go. And I just can't bear to go outside again.

There's an EXTREME cold warning on for tonight and tomorrow night. Right now it's -8 but windy so probably lower.

Ok that's enough for today. I am going to go sit in my chair like the conquerer I am. Got a couple of movies to watch, I am going to vegetate!

Don't mess with me. I have tools and I will use them to destroy!