Another First

Tonight I'm going to my very first costume party and I'm like a child I'm so excited. It's strange how when you move to a different culture how many things hteay take for granted that you have never experienced. To everyone else here a costume party is an annual event, but for me it's a major deal and I've been stressing so much about what to wear that Craig and I actually argued about it (it was totally his fault as usual!). So watch out for the bizarre photos I'm sure to post in the next few days.

I was talking to some ladies at work today, I was teaching a workshop on Internet Basics and as usual we got off topic, for some reason we started talking about meatloaf and they were just stunned that I'd never had it. Sometimes I feel like such a freak and I have to keep reminding people that I'm English. When we planned to come out to Canada I just assumed that life would be the same, I mean Canadaians speak English (well sort of) and they have the same Queen as us so everything should be the same. I was totally unprepared for all the differences and not being able to buy the things I'm used to. I've all but stopped cooking because I hate grocery shopping, I can never find what I want although I'm using the TV ads to translate product names for example:

English Vs. Canadian
Lynx Deoderant is Axe Deoderant
Cif Cream is Vim Cream
Skor bar is Dime bar

The list is endless but it's only when they reuse the same advertising campaign that we realise that they are the same product with a different name. My biggest criticim of Canada though they don't sell Pepsi Max now that is just a crime against nature! (for those Canadians reading this you don't know what you're missing, it's the best Diet Pepsi drink ever)

House Hunting

Me and Amanda went to Christy's house today for lunch and we started talking about house hunting. It made me realise how much I miss having a house of my own and how I adore looking for houses to buy. There's something so satisfying about snooping around someone elses house and imagining all your things in there and what you would change about the place. I find myself doing it whereever I go not just in houses that are for sale. It's really hard being in a rented place which is brand new because there is nothing to do, I can't paint or change anything so it doesn't really feel like home. I can't wait until we find out for certain where we'll be living so that I can find my own place and feel at home again, not that our landlords will ever let us leave here.

Autumn Daze

I know I keep putting random pictures of autumn in Canada on my blog but I just can't get over how beautiful the fall is over here and how stunning and vivid the colours are. I really wish my Dad could be here to see it all, he would absolutely love it. So as you can't be here in person Dad I've taken it upon myself to take as many pictures as possible just for you.



I know, I know I'm no David Bailey and they are all of the same spot but that's because I keep forgetting to take my camera out with me so they all have to be taken from my doorstep. This is yet another thing that I'm not doing very well. I've been such a bad wife lately, I'm not tidying up, I've been going out most evenings and I'm sick of cooking, Craig is so lucky to have me.

Shopping Spree

I went shopping this morning and went kinda crazy. I ended up buying two pairs of shoes, two paris of socks, a skirt, three sweaters for me, one sweater for Craig, three CDs and two books. I thought it was about time I spoiled myself as Craig seems to buy a new dvd or computer games every week. It was great but I have to admit it's so long since I've been shopping that I'm absolutely exhausted now and am looking forward a quiet evening in.

Friendship

For the first time in my life I have true friends, people who I can bare my soul to and not feel ashamed or judged. People who make me laugh and cry and happy to just be around them. Plus they are all fantastic cooks and everyone knows how much I love food. It is still amazing to me how quickly they have accepted us and I feel like we've always known them.

Craig will always be my best friend, we can talk about anything, but having girls to talk to is so important. Plus going out and seeing other people gives Craig and I things to talk about, sometimes too much like on Thurday night, I'd been out all night babysitting with Amanda when I got home at 10pm we lay in bed for hours just talking, it was amazing (except when the alarm went off at 5.20am)

I've had such a hectic week, I've been out every night and home late most nights, then I've been in the gym before work. I really needed to blow off some steam and just go out and enjoy myself and right on cue Christy called to invite us out. Thanks you guys for a great evening I really needed it!

Living in the clouds

Craig took this photo yesterday after work because he thought the clouds looked really cool being so close to the ground.

It's so nice to be able to stand and appreciate these things.

I personally prefer today when the sun is shining and all the autumn colours make everywhere seem magical, not that you can see them in this picture. (I just looked out the window and thought it was raining but it isn't, it's just Ray watering our new lawn for us, he always seems to miss and hits the windows instead). Changing your whole life like we have really makes you stop and appreciate the things around you, Canada continues to surprise me as do my crazy friends and their unique children (Christy and Angella's lastest blog entries are proof of that). I think I'll always miss England but I'll never regret making the decision to come out here.

Weekend Again

It's amazing how quickly the weeks fly by. It's Friday again, weekend again. The weeks go by and it gets gradually colder and darker in the mornings, the leaves have changed colour and are starting to fall. I find it so weird that I've lived in Canada so long, it feels like just a few weeks in some respects. As I think more about how quickly the days pass I feel older and older, life just seems so short and I want to experience everything possible. We might be going away to the US for a weekend in November, it's crazy that we live so close to the border yet have never been across. I don't want to miss out on doing things, especially things that are readily available because we're stuck in a routine. I must be in a strange mood today I'm feeling all deep and philosphical although I'm trying not to bore you all with what's going through my mind. Anyway I'm going to go and make dinner and settle back into my routine.

Christmas is coming

I've officially started my Christmas shopping, by that I mean I've spoken to my sister and asked her what I should buy everybody. It's going to be great all I need to do is order online, have it shipped to my sister and she'll wrap it and make sure it goes to the right person. I will miss rummaging around the stores looking for just the right thing but it certainly is less stressful this way.

Check out my blog

I finally managed to do something different with my blog and add links. For those of you who have yet to see my crazy friends be prepared, especially for Amanda's bizarre photo collection.

The grossest movie I've ever seen

Somehow Craig managed to convince me that we should watch the film Saw last night and I've been traumatised ever since. For those of you who haven't seen it it contains some very pleasant scenes including one where a woman has a bear trap strapped to her head and if she doesn't unlock it before the timer goes of it will rip her jaw apart, the key just hapens to be in the stomach of the man locked in the cell with her and he isn't dead. This isn't even the worst part of the movie. There is a reason why I never usually watch films meant for anyone over the age of twelve. Suffice to say I can no longer sleep without the light on and am scared of the slightest shadow or movement, oh how I love my husband!

My Blog Is Boring

I'm officially sulking because my blog is boring compared to everyone elses. I still haven't managed to put any links on it so my family can see all my strange new friends and I'm bored with the background too. So I'm going to continue to sulk until someone teaches me how to make my blog better.

Revenge of the Mullet!

I'm contemplating having a haircut but after my previous experience of Canadian hairdressers I'm in terror of the whole process. Those of you who saw the monstrosity that was my last hairstyle can avouch for the fact that I did indeed have a Mullet! That's not the worst part though, I'd spent months trying to lose weight in order to go back to England looking slim, tanned and with beautiful flowing locks, instead thanks to stupid Canada I went to England fat, white and with a Mullet! Suffice to say everyone at home was not exposing on how amazing I looked and what a wonderful effect Canada has had on me, they were actually wondering what the hell was going on with my hair. So you can see why the prospect of once again placing myself at the whim of a sadistic Canadian hairdresser is almost more than a girl can handle.