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// December 30th, 2008 // Enter your password to view comments. // Blog

HOLY WIND BATMAN

// December 28th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Blog

Oh my god.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt such strong wind in my entire life… I eel like my house is going to blow over, or the roof is going to be ripped off or something. I can feel the whole house moving when these huge gusts of wind blow through. It’s insane!

What is with the weather lately!? A week ago Friday, we had a ridiculous snow storm. For the past few days we’ve had drizzling rain and rain storms. It was really warm last night too. And now, we have these huge, insanely strong gusts of wind.

I’m sure as hell happy I’m not driving over the skyway today.

Watson hates snow.

// December 20th, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Blog

The snow in the backyard is really deep. As in, you open the back door and it falls into the house because it’s piled that much against the door, deep.

Watson does not like the cold. Or wet. Or too windy. So you can imagine a snow storm isn’t exactly his cup of tea.

When I got home, I went to let him out. I couldn’t find his leash because it was buried in the snow and I wasn’t about to dig it out, so I decided to put on my boots and coat and go out with him. He’ll walk around and stuff, but he won’t run away if I’m there with him and I often go outside when he goes in the summer when it’s nice out.

He stood in the snow for maybe a minute, made no effort to do his business (which is why he wanted out to begin with) and ran back to the door. I thought okay… he probably really does have to go and is being a wimp so I’ll just wait for him to realize that.

But no. He starts pawing at the door to go in.

I guess he didn’t have to go that badly… but man, he’s such a wimp sometimes, haha. He ran back to his bed, and somehow managed to cover himself in his blankets. When I turned up the heat (which switches the furnace on) he moved a little bit off his bed, to sleep on the vent with the hot air blowing on him. His blanket was still covering his back.

My car is in a ditch.

// December 20th, 2008 // 2 Comments » // Blog

Well, today started off with one hell of an interesting morning.

So, they’d been calling for a snow storm for about a week now. Turns out it really did started snowing… early, early this morning. I woke up at 8:00, got ready and headed off for work, having to clean off my car before I left. It wasn’t too bad though, just some light snow.

All was well and good… but the closer I got to work, the worse the storm came. It was somewhat windy, but snowing an insane amount. I took it pretty sloyw, which is quite the task for me because I was not only running late, but when it comes to driving I get a bit impatient.

I make it to the city I work in, get off at the exit and start heading down the road the campground is in. As you’re going down, there’s a huge bend in the road and eventhough I was going slow, I ended up spinning. My dad had told me before to steer into the spin and take your foot off the break. Well, I did half of it. I steered into the spin but I couldn’t take my foot off the break. My head was going TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF, but my foot was dead set on staying clamped down on that break as if it was going to stop the spinning car.

It wasn’t too bad, but the car ended up going headfirst into the ditch. It was going pretty slow, so it’s not like it was this big crash and the car wasn’t hurt or anything. First I tried to reverse, but that was useless so naturally, my next instinct was to panic.

I called my mum, and she told me to try to find a way to the campground and she would call CAA. Some guys passed in a van, noticed my car and stopped to ask if I was okay. They asked if I wanted to use their cell phone, but I said no I had mine. I told them I worked just at the campground up the road, and they said they worked next door. So I asked them if they’d tell whoever was there that I am on my way… but I’m currently stick in a ditch.

A few minutes later a pickup truck came along and stopped, to ask if I was okay. I asked them if they could give me a ride to the campground, because they too worked next door and they were nice enough to do so. Just as I got there, Christina was getting in her van to come and get me, so I was really glad we got there before she left.

So I made some hot chocolate and started doing some work, and Nicole calls. She talks to Christina on the phone, and asks about this car she sees at the bend, in the ditch. She goes, ‘That looks a lot like Adrienne’s car…’ and Christina was like ‘Because it is‘. I wasn’t hurt or anything, so the whole thing was actually somewhat amusing.

My mum got a hold of my dad (who was making a delivery for her) and he said he’d head to the campground and checkout the car. Sometime before he got there, the police call my mum asking her about the car. O_O She was pretty shocked, because on the insurance and everything it’s our phone number… not her business number.

I’m now thinking that maybe our phones really are tapped…

Just as they were on the phone, my dad pulled up to deal with it (I was still at the campground). He left to get me, so I went back to the car with him and by that time CAA had come. The policeman called, so I honestly think that’s why they came so fast… because it wasn’t like a bad accident or anything serious. The two truck got my little red car out of the ditch (yay) while I hide in my mum’s car (that my dad was driving) because I didn’t have my license on me.

I know. I know that’s horrible! I have no idea where I put it (and I will find it tomorrow) but I was searching through my purse for it as we drove down there, and it’s seriously not in there. At all. I always asume it is (I mean, why would I take it out?).  Luckily, I never had to speak to the policeman so I didn’t get fined or found out.

Heading home was an adventure as well. On my way, I passed my boss who stopped (while I was stopped at a light) and got out of the car to make sure I was okay. I told him I could go back to work if he wanted, but he said don’t worry about it and just go home. I think they closed the office early anyways, and I wasn’t doing anything that was overly important. I thought maybe he’d be disappointed in me if I just left, so I’m glad I got to talk to him and I know he was okay with it.

But Jim said it was better to not go on the highway, because they were getting a lot of whiteouts. So we trekked through the city… and my dad pulls over to the side of the road. I’m thinking, wtf are you doing?

.

.

.

He stops for breakfast. orzorzorzorzorz

Seriously, that’s exactly how I felt.

After breakfast, we obviously had to clean off the cars again. My dad went to clean the ice off my windsheild wipers… and broke it. Well, not really broke it but took it the half of it off, and then he couldn’t get it back on. So we’re standing out there, trying to get it back on… and eventually manage to do so. But it took so long (okay, like five minutes) that we had to clean off the cars again. YES. THAT’S HOW BAD IT WAS SNOWING.

Driving on the highway was a painful experience. I mean, I know you have to go slow because it’s dangerous… but doing 40km/h when you’re used to going 100 ~ 120km/h is a huge difference. But it wasn’t too bad getting back, and I made it home save and sound.

But honestly, for the first part of the morning all I could manage was ‘My car is in a ditch’. It died on the highway in the summer, and this time I drove it into a ditch. Nicole said it looked like I had intentionally done it, haha. I’m really glad that’s all it was though; and since we’re CAA members, we didn’t have to pay for them to yank it out.

The policeman wondered why I didn’t go to the gas station, which was actually closer… but my dad said ‘You don’t know my daughter, she had to go to work’. And I guess I’m like that. I would have felt so guilty had I not made it, so even if I was only there for a few hours, I’m still happy I made it. Especially because half the office didn’t come… all but one of the girls came… and the only guy that came was my boss.

Due to that fact, Nicole changed her FB status to Nicole is wondering how is it that all the girls can make it to work but the boys always have problems… I have one word and it starts with a “P.”

The rest of the day I spent working on S-T and playing Tales of Symphonia.

Meme day two

// December 16th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

I told Ailea I’d do that meme, so here’s day two.

Something that made me happy today… well, my students! And Fiona wanting me to come early on Thursday to the staff party so she wouldn’t have to wait alone, haha. I know that sounds lame, but it’s nice when someone doesn’t mind spending time with you. We also tried playing a duet of Angels We Have Heard on High again, haha.

IT WAS AWESOME.

We also tried We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

So that made me happy and it was a lot of fun.

Today, one of my students was learning the song ‘Money Can’t Buy Everything’. He’s in a beginner level, and all the songs have lyrics to them. He makes a point to always read the lyrics before he tries the song.

So he reads through them. I think they’re something like
Money can’t by everything
Money can’t make you a king
Money cannot bring success
Money can’t buy happiness
But there’s one thing that I am sure
Money doesn’t make you poor
Money doesn’t make you sad
Money can’t be all that bad

So he reads through them and goes, “They forgot that money can’t buy you friendship or love either”.

Aww.
I thought that was so cute. He’s around nine.

New wordpress is sexy.

// December 15th, 2008 // 2 Comments » // Blog

Okay, I’ve had this headache pretty much all day.

At first, I thought I was tired, but I got a good amount of sleep. Then I thought I was hungry, because really I didn’t eat much all day, just a sub for dinner (courtesy of my mum’s store, naturally) and after that, I felt a bit better. Then the damn thing came back, so I thought maybe because I didn’t have any tea today. Had some tea, and alas, it’s still here.

I think I need to ask someone to take over the raffle ticket sending for a couple of days. Although for some reason, I doubt anyone would actually do it beacuse it’s a lot of work. More than I anticipated. I mean, I’ve sent up to 1099 tickets out… which is 1099 e-mails and far over 1099 submissions (because people do get them wrong sometimes).

I was thinking the other day, and you know I haven’t had more than a couple of days off for almost a year. I think my longest break recently, was in May when Kat and I went to NYC and that was for three days. The last time I had a week or more off, was when I went to Holland.

I’m tired of feeling like I’m in this alone. It’s like everytime someone starts to be active, I get this false sense of security which is soon pulled out from under m when I realize it was short lived activity.

This weekend was my Dad’s birthday and my parent’s wedding anniversary. Saturday, Kat and I hung out whch was awesome because  I haven’t seen her for a couple months due to her being in Europe.

I have more to say, but I really should be asleep. It’s past 2am, my head is trying to explode, and I have to be at work bright and early. Not to mention I need to remain chipper throughout the day, because I have my kids tomorrow as well. Ah, I don’t mean to make it sound like a chore. I love teaching and I adore my students, Mondays are just incredibly long days. And it feels like after work 1 and work 2, I come home and do unofficial work 3.

I keep telling myself that somewhere down the road, all this hard work will pay off.

I mean, it has to.

Right?

Tagged by Ailea

// December 14th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

Ailea tagged me to do this meme, so here I am. Doing it.

The rules are that for 8 days you have to post something that made you happy that day. Tag 8 people to do the same.

So today… something that made me happy…

Well, I talked with Kotaro on Skype which was fun. Had some Lindor chocolates which were awesome. And had far too many cups of my newest addiction, hot chocolate.

I don’t really want to tag anyone, so if you want to do it, go for it.

STOP MAKING ME FEEL GUILTY

// December 4th, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog

I know that some of my friends, family and students would prefer if I didn’t go to Japan.

And I know they understand that it’s not like, I’m like ZOMG WANT TO LEAVE YOU. Or anything like that, but I just want to go for at least a few years, get some experience, live somewhere new… I really liked it, and I want to go back. 

But sometimes, people make me feel so freaking guilty for wanting to go and it drives me nuts. Although I know a lot of them don’t mean it like that. But I’ll still be around, and keep in touch with everyone. I’m not dropping off the face of the Earth.

But at the same time, it’s flattering and nice to know that people care about you enough to want to keep you around. Last night, Whitney (one of my students who is just awesome) asked me if I knew when I was leaving. I said, no not quite yet… but I think at the end of January once exams are over, because it would be mean to leave before exams. She agreed (even though she’s not taking one). When I told her I didn’t have an exact date, she goes, “YES”, and then she said she was glad, because she doesn’t want me to go, and if I end up not going, that would be okay.

I haven’t told most of my students yet, I just talk to Whitney’s mum every now and then, and she asked about it.

Monday, Nicole’s dad asked about what I was doing, because he didn’t realize I had finished at school. So I told him (and Nicole) what my plans were. He jokingly said to her, ‘You’re chasing all your piano teachers away!’ which made me feel bad. :/ Especially because when Katie (her former teacher) left, they requested me.

Katey says I can’t leave, because she doesn’t want any other piano teachers to abandon her (Katie used to teach her, and she left). She also wants a new camera so she can put more videos on YouTube… I don’t know if the world is quite ready for that, haha. She likes to make up songs (with the most bizarre lyrics ever) but she made up this one, and it honestly sounds like the theme song for some sort of cartoon, or kid’s show. I told her she should write it down or at least record it… it’s really good. (The lyrics are questionable, but the music part is really good). She was surprised when I told her that, I think, and didn’t believe me… but I was being 100% serious, haha. 

The rest don’t know, because I don’t see the point in bringing it up yet. I don’t have any solid date set, so why bother saying anything and just have that kind of looming there, you know? 

It makes me feel really guilty. I absolutely adore all my students, they’re all great kids. Even if some of them don’t always practice, haha. I get along with them all, and we have fun. There’s not one half hour where I think, damn… I wish I wasn’t teaching you today, haha. Which I know sounds mean, but there is the odd student that just makes it so awkward. (There’s this one girl that I’ve taught missed lessons to, who doesn’t smile, talk or anything… e_e most awkward lesson EVER). 

I keep wondering if I could continue teaching piano when I go… but I’m not sure. I’m working on all the vocabulary now, so at least I know what I’m talking about, haha. 

That’s all. I guess I just needed to say that. I get too attached, too quickly I think… and I’ll definitely miss all of them. I’ll even miss talking to some of the mum’s in the waiting room.

Revolving Dining Room

// December 3rd, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Blog

So this morning, my Grammy calls and asks if I want to go to dinner with my cousin, aunt, uncle, Grampy and her at the revolving dining room in the Skylon (in Niagara Falls).

I say, sure. Why not. It’s my day off, and I haven’t been there for years. My Grammy used to take us sometimes when we were younger, usually when my two older cousins came down to visit (they live just up near Toronto). But other than that, I’d never have a reason to go. I found this video on YouTube about it. This is not me talking. I just found it, and thought it was appropriate for those who don’t know about it.

Anyways, we had a nice dinner. My Uncle had these cards (that locals get? I guess?) so you get like $20 off per meal, which includes one appetizer, a main course and desert (the desert is split between two people). So that was pretty good. I had Chicken Cordon Bleu, and it was good! I’ve never had it before, but hey, there’s chicken and some ham… can’t really go wrong. Unfortunately the only vegetables I could eat were the potatoes, since carrots are the spawn of Satan and I can’t eat broccoli, which was weird because I feel odd if I have quite a larger portion meat than vegetables at dinner…

So yes, dinner was nice and it was a lot of fun. They had the lights on the Falls (as usual) and my Aunt and I got into a debate about what colour they were which turned pretty ridiculous. (I swear they were yellow-ish green at some point, but no one seems to have seen that… and then when they were white, she was calling them “pinky-blue”, haha). Grampy was pretty good too; he got this new leather jacket which he apparently just loves, so he wore that. This is kind of gross, but Tyler was sitting at the edge, near the window. The windows don’t rotate, and his leg was against the side. He looks down, and notices his pants have this huge green line of dirt from the side of the windows and rotating. It was like, all rubbing off on his pants. e_e

But the best part.

Was our waiter.

He was nice, and took off the 3% tourist tax when he found out we were somewhat local. And it never occurred to me who he was, but he was talking to my Uncle about hockey (my Uncle plays in like, an older guys league for fun). And the waiter asks if my Uncle knows Dave.

He’s like, yeah! I know him. I overhear this, and I was like… DAVE IS MY BOSS.

Then the waiter goes, DON’T YOU RECOGNIZE MY VOICE!?

I thought for a minute, and then it hit me.

BUDDY DAN. (And I actually said that to him).

Then he told me about how he always calls and stuff, and I was like oh I know. I answer the phone a good portion of the time when you call! It seriously made me laugh. I feel like somewhere in the back of my mind I knew he worked there, but it never really registered.

The back story, for all non-campground employees, is that Dave has this friend Dan who calls us at varied times throughout the summer, asking of Dave’s around. Most of the time, he isn’t because he’s out doing whatever needs to be done at the park. But Dan’s catch phrase is, “Hi, this is Dave’s buddy Dan!” or he’ll say, “Okay, can you just tell him buddy Dan called?”

So we naturally refer to him as BUDDY DAN.

On an unrelated note, they had a real pianist there which was so cool. I loved the arrangements of his Christmas music! It was kind of blusey, jazzy, ragtimeish… depending on the song of course. I’d love to get my hands on it, but I didn’t have the courage to actually go over and ask who did the arrangements.

Away in a Manger

// December 1st, 2008 // No Comments » // Blog, Music

In the Christmas book I normally use (I’ll have to get the title when I go home) Away in a Manger is recommended to be preceded by Silent Night. There;s this one part of Silent Night that kills me, for some reason… my fingers always trip up. So I decided to do Away in a Manger because … I could, and it’s my mum’s favourite.

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