welcome, little one

to my dear little nephew, jackson philip, who entered this world on oct 29 at 4:45pm, weighing in at a hefty 5lbs 15oz (wee lil' guy):

welcome...i've been waiting to meet you

a conversation with mum

on days off, my ritual consists of sittin my ass on the couch with a coffee, reading email (well, if any of my 4 friends send me anything), catching up on my favourite blogs and sites, all the while on msn with mum, whose office life is anything but exciting...not that i'm any more exciting than her work environment, but we all need a little distraction in our lives...

so telling her about the lost ring and my thought of getting my wedding band tattooed on my finger (this isn't the first ring i've lost), she writes:

maybe you should hang them on a chain around your neck, you never lost your house key when you were a kid and it hung around your neck, lol

thanks, ma.

~
Music to my ears: Dead Confederate
In reality: this kid was my co-worker's brother's teammate and friend
(my rant on H1N1 is being formulated...more on that coming)

ttc weather

when the weather starts to turn, i start to wuss out of riding my bike for transportation. the only thing i like about riding the ttc is listening to my ipod, reading a book, and occasionally looking up to people watch and make up stories about my fellow passengers...

==
his eyes tell the truth.
he loves you.
and even if you see it, you'll treat him like shit for years.
and yet his love--it's relentless.
he won't care when you hate yourself for putting on a few extra pounds.
he'll love you even more.
he will always see you. on the inside.
and no matter how much that scares you, it's real.

~
Music to my ears: minus the bear - highly refined pirates
In reality: F**ks**t

mushin

as i prepare for my nidan level testing (2nd degree black belt) in Shotokan...a message from my hero:

gone. the ring is gone.

in a patient's bed linens? down the laundry chute?
in a latex glove, in the trash? down the garbage chute?
i may never know.
the ring that was given to me by the love of my life after 11 years of togetherness.
the ring that was so unexpected and wonderfully surprising and in such a beautiful place.
i haven't felt this terrible in a long long time.
"it's just a ring" he says.
what remains is a non-tanned strip of white skin on my ring finger and this photo:



i think i'm more upset with myself for 3 things.
1. for not getting the ring re-sized sooner, so it wouldn't fall off my finger.
2. for wearing it to work anyways.
3. for not noticing when and where it fell off.

i cried.

turkey on the campfire

Centennial Ridges trail, Algonquin Park


The Lookout trail, Algonquin Park


Centennial Ridges trail, Algonquin Park


Centennial Ridges trail, Algonquin Park


Mosley

apples, you tasty things

can't you just smell their apple-y goodness?

i need an apple dessert recipe that can double as a birthday type dessert and something easy to transport on a camping trip for thanksgiving dinner...something i can warm on the fire.
this will involve a little leg work.
i need something i can make ahead of time and possibly freeze, before leaving to go up north.
something that can make it until sunday in a cooler, and will go well with a bird cooked over hot coals.
something i could potentially stick a candle in.
something gillian gellybeans would enjoy for her birthday cake.
and something that really tastes like the apple-y goodness of fall.
i have a ton of tasty apples. ones that are perfect for a dessert.
but i want to taste fall.
i want the dessert to taste like tasty, delicious october apples...and possibly be gluten free...and vegan?
hmmmm.