Winterlude in Ottawa

I seem to spending a lot of time on the computer lately at work. When I get home, I'm not so much in the mood. Plus, our computer room is upstairs and the tv is downstairs. Back in the condo days I could watch tv (ok, Greg could watch hockey) and I could blog, but we'd be in the same room and that was nice. When I get home from work, I like being in the same room as Greg. Call me weird, but I like my husband, and I like being around him.

Anyway, with my new job, they are going to be providing me with a laptop computer! My plan is to start blogging more. I love this job, and all the benefits that go along with it. I do put in a lot of overtime, and I truly do believe that I am doing a good job. Even if I don't quite get what people are talking about at meetings. The other day I was in a meeting and they were talking about doing a 'straw draft' of a redevelopment project that we are working on. OK, call me naive, but I thought they were talking about getting straw and figuring out what was going where. I put up my hand and said that in the ER department they got styrofoam and planned the environment. Blank Stares All Around The Table.

Ahem. So, years of working bedside, and now I'm thrown into the business side of things, as well as the educational. Clearly, I have a lot to learn. I've learned that "Straw Drafts" "Straw Dogs" and "Straw Votes" are really not made of straw. Just a start of the new lingo.
The educational side is absolutely fabulous and I enjoy it so much. I've had good feedback from the nurses and I feel great about it.
So enough about work.

This past weekend I went to Ottawa (Canada's Capital) to visit my friend. We left Saturday morning, drove 4 hours, and then took the dogs out for a beautiful walk at the Arboretum, an experimental farm that was started in 1889. Sunday morning we headed to the Rideau Canal and walked around for a while watching the skaters. Parliament Hill is in the background of the first picture.

And we got to eat Beaver Tails! They are a deep fried pastry that is shaped like a Beaver Tail and you can put a variety of toppings on. This one was sugar and cinnamon. Delicious!We also spent some time at the Winterlude Ice Sculpture Garden. The work in these sculptures is absolutely incredible.Handmade wooden dolls

Maple Syrup Snow Candy

A Polar Bear up close and personal!

An Inukshuk

The Peace Tower

I hope that this Canadiana post kinda sorta made up for my lack of blogging lately.

Wow. February already. I had all good intentions of having sent out postcards already to the few Old Faithfuls out there by now. Tonight after work I thought I'd stop by the local drugstore and by some pretty pics of Toronto. No luck, however I did spend $65 on beauty creams. My SIL has had botox injected into her forehead and collagen in her lips so I figured that I didn't need anything that drastic, but I could spluge and buy myself some special lotions and potions. I ended up with Biotherm Anti-aging something or other. I'll let you know if I found the Fountain of Yutes. (I've always liked that part in My Cousin Vinnie...)
Vinny Gambini: It is possible that the two yutes...
Judge Chamberlain Haller: ...Ah, the two what? Uh... uh, what was that word?
Vinny Gambini: Uh... what word?
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Two what?
Vinny Gambini: What?
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Uh... did you say 'yutes'?
Vinny Gambini: Yeah, two yutes.
Judge Chamberlain Haller: What is a yute? [beat]
Vinny Gambini: Oh, excuse me, your honor... [exaggerated]
Vinny Gambini: Two YOUTHS.

oh. off on a tangent.
Where was I? Oh yes, beauty creams. I had bought something a while ago that everyone was raving about but have to say, I was disappointed. Once I had the restore and renew on, then day cream, then my makeup (of which I don't wear foundation) I felt like I was wearing a mask. It didn't feel right. I was worried that if I scratched my face for any reason that a bunch of crud would end up under my fingernails. (Hey! Do you like that description?!)

Anyway. If anyone is interested, I'll let you know about how the Biotherm works out.

In other makeup news: I have switched from my old Tried & True Super Thick Lash Cover Girl mascara to a new Cover Girl mascara that I would totally recommend called Lash Blast. I prefer the blue shade, but whatever floats your boat. Navy blue makes the whites of your eyes look whiter, (or so 17 Magazine told me 30 years ago.)

Would you like me to go on about Beauty products that I'm liking these days? I also prefer Dove's Pro-Age cleansing foam. It feels good and takes off all my make-up. BTW: the thing I love the most about the CG mascaras I choose is that they come off with soap and water. No scrubbing or oily-stingy-liquidy -stuff that- gets-in-your-eyes needed.

Alright, I have no idea what really got me started talking about makeup and creams and stuff.

It was postcards. Apparently, there are no tourists who visit the suburb that I live in (even tho Pez's Father was the major of this city once upon a time) and I visited 3 stores tonight before I gave up. The second store I went into was a convenience store and when I asked if they sold postcards they didn't have a clue what I was asking about. The boys sent me next door to the Dollar Store.

Where, I got lost for 45 minutes and ended up spending way more money than I had intended, and still didn't find any postcards of good ole T.O.

So, to BobKat, Pez, Moon, Interrupted Wanderlust, and Begered I am going to go through my vast postcard collection and send out postcards of various places I have been. And since I still have Christmas stamps...uh...that's what your getting!