Wedding Fun & Vacay Note

Hi friends!!
I am feeling a bit of blog neglect at the mo.. Both in the lack of posting and also lack of blog reading that has been happening since I finished up at work.. but I was busy packing and faffing before I left and now I'm in vacay mode!

The weather has been beautiful here in Victoria, which has been a great motivator for me to get off my behind and get out into the sunshine... even if it takes me a few hours to get my a into g most days...  helps that I've had minor jetlag and been waking up around 6/7am every day!

I was lucky enough to be invited to the beautiful wedding of my friends L&JB yesterday, it was on the fishing pier in Sidney, the day was perfect, the ceremony was small and intimate and I felt so honoured to be there to share their day with them. They are just the cutest ever!! The speeches had everyone in stitches of laughter which I think is such a great indication of not only the couple but also the people they have chosen to surround themselves with. It was a day of love, laughter and happiness and I wish them so much joy for their life together as husband and wife!!

In addition to the fabulous wedding for the gorgeous couple, it was also a chance to catch up with some fantastic friends from my life in Canada.. I really am so fortunate to have these wonderful people in my life.. I may not get to see them a lot and we may not always be the best at keeping in touch.. but we always have so much fun when we get together and for that I am so grateful!

Aren't we a good looking bunch?? ; )

Well, I'm off to enjoy some of this sunshine! And pick up a few things for the BBQ we're heading to tonight..

Thanks again to the new Mr & Mrs B!! Along with all the other lovely ladies and gents who made the day so truly memorable!!

Hope you're having a fantabulous weekend!!


ps. there is the potential that I will be AWOL for periods of time! (Vacay Time!!)

Crackbook... Blogging... Google+.... the evolution...

So I have been on Google+ for a couple of weeks now and I'm still navigating the waters on how to work this latest networking platform...

I have to say, I'm really liking it, as much as I'm addicted to crackbook, I've slowly been getting disenchanted and bored with it... I don't remember the last time I uploaded photos.. as much as I used to be a firm believer of "if it's not on crackbook it didn't happen", it almost feels like a platform for people to show off and gloat about their super fabulous holidays and look at all these great places I've been and all the fun I've been having.. and to be completely honest.. that was probably a large part of my motivation to put up photos in the past...

but how is your life really?? What are you doing for work?? How's things with your family?? Your other?? Your kids?? I think it evokes a really false sense of connection... You feel like you're connected because you see their occasional status update but how much is that a real representation of their life?? When I catch up with people face to face or even on skype, it's a chance to ask about all the little things.. and it opens up discussion about the things that are happening in life and sometimes don't we all just need a sounding board for the thoughts going through our heads?? Surely not everyone's lives are peachy all the time!?!

I can't deny that it is a great way to keep in touch with all my friends scattered around the world.. the great people I've met while travelling and some great friends I've met through various games I play.. but I have steadily felt like I was outgrowing it.. especially since starting a blog.. Fb has felt somehow cramped and stagnant... You see these great pictures of people's holidays, but there is no dialogue to expand on those images... when I read about people's holidays/travels on a blog, I feel so much more of a connection, not just to the place they've gone.. but to the people themselves...

While crackbook is limited to people you know or people you've met... I feel like blogging has opened up a new world of friends... I've only been blogging a short time but I feel like I've met some greats friends in blogLand already and I feel like it's helped me want to be creative again... I feel like G+ has that potential as well.. to connect me to people I find interesting or inspiring...

I think G+ is going to add to that feeling as you can "circle" people that you come across who are interesting to you, so kinda like following a blog because you like its content or its author.. but they don't necessarily have to follow you back.. I guess it's a bit like Twitter in that sense.. I'm not on Twitter and it's never had any appeal to me.. but I think I would describe G+ as almost like an amalgamation of FB, Twitter & Blogging...

For people thinking that G+ is just going to be another Fb... I sincerely hope it's not...

There's a lot of articles out there about G+ and its potential... ie. having circles of people in your local area who may have great advice about places to go and things to do etc.

I am genuinely excited to a part of this platform in its "infancy" and as much as I'm still a complete "g00b" (g+ newbie).. I think its potential is fantastic and will make up for all of Google's previous attempts at a social networking platform... (Wave, Buzz..)

Look me up! I have shared a lot of G+ articles if you want more info about the platform, and you don't actually have to sign up to G+ to view my profile and the things I've shared.. you just won't be able to comment or "interact" with me... if you're not already on and want in.. I have invites left but I will need your email address to invite you!

I don't think I will be giving up crackbook anytime soon and although one day G+ may supercede it and take its place... for now G+, for me anyway, is an exciting new place not cluttered up with the mundane and monotonous which Fb has become...

From Vancouver Airport to Victoria....

So after my already eventful trip to Canada... 

{via}

I got a decent grilling by the border patrol man about "the purpose of my visit" as a warm welcome to a country I lovingly called home for almost 3 years... at one stage I thought I was going to have to invite him to the weddings I'm going to just to prove that I wasn't lying! After assuring him that yes, I do indeed have a plane ticket outta here... it was time to navigate my way to the Canada Line.. I had read online that if you buy a booklet of "faresaver" tickets, it's cheaper than buying a ticket from the machines as they add on a $5 airport levy or something... a quick trip to the visitor information revealed that I had to get to the domestic terminal to get said tickets.. (apparently this airport levy is to mine money from the tourists!?!) After trapsing from one side of the airport to the other, I had said tickets in hand, it was time to check out this new skytrain.. it was clean and air conditioned but there was nowhere to put luggage that wasn't the middle of the walkway or in front of the doors!!

A 15 minute ride got me to Bridgeport where I had to change to get on a bus.. I had missed the previous bus by 20 minutes (so I probably woulda made it if it weren't for having to trapse to domestic to get my tickets!) so I had a 25 minute wait for the next bus... again, the bus had nowhere to put luggage.. so I ended up taking up two seats, I'm sure some people thought I was a douche considering the bus ended up being full.. ah well, it was that or putting my suitcase in the aisle for people to climb over.. probably garnering me the aforementioned douche status regardless!

The ferry ride was fairly uneventful and the lovely LB and JB were there to pick me up in Schwartz Bay and save me from the fate of the #70 bus into Victoria!

We stopped in town for a bite from the Bard & Banker and I consumed my first caesar in over a year! Yummo!! Then it was back to their place for a nap and some downtime before being handed over to JGP to head to HQ.. to unpack, shower, eat a yummy dinner, meet his fab new lady, then we all pretty much crashed out before midnight! All in all a good first day back on the rock!

It's looking like a fairly sunny day outside, so I will endeavor to venture out and grab a few supplies.. or I may snuggle back down into the couch and have a little nap... It's only 9am.. it's unnatural for me to be up and out at this time when I'm not needing to be at work! 

Jetlag + sleeping on couch of people waking up at 6.30am to go to work = Caz being awake freakishly early!!  Tho JGP bringing coffee = not overly cranky Caz considering the early start! Can't say he doesn't know me well!

Happy Thursday folks!!

Greetings from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada!

Howdie from the Land of Moose and Beavers!

I hope you've all had a good weekend and start to the week.. while I have been busy packing, toddler proofing my flat and travelling! I am well behind on my blog reading... but hoping to remedy that today!

Can't believe it was less than a week ago that I finished up at work.. I was there till 7pm on my last day (as in everyone else left and I was still there!) making sure everything was done and leaving a note for the temp coming to take my place.. coz I hate arriving at jobs feeling like I just don't know anything.. it's always nice to arrive to some cliff notes to ease into a new workplace.. (for me anyways)

Then the weekend was spent running some errands and doing some last minute shopping and Monday and Tuesday were spent tidying up the flat and packing.. the mister's sister and brudder in law are visiting with their toddler in a few weeks.. so I had to pack away any potential health and safety hazards.. (of which there were LOADS!)..

Yesterday we left at quarter past a sparrow's fart to drive to Glasgow... the plane was delayed by an HOUR.. because a) they somehow managed to double book some seats.... b) there was a guy who's seat was broken - a guy came on with a hammer to fix it... eep!? and c) they were having "minor technical difficulties" - which they seemed to fix with the age old... "turn it off then on again" trick!

I moved seats to help remedy the double booked seats problem as they were a family with young children who couldn't be separated.. but ended up sitting next to an arm rest hogging man.. which is fine.. apart from he seemed to think the armrest extended halfway across my seat and spent the majority of the 8.5hrs flight time with his elbow either in my ribs or in my arm... g.r.e.a.t... not so much..  I started watching Love and other Drugs but somehow managed to break my headphones.. I think I must have caught the plug when I stood up and bent it or something.. then was told that if I wanted crappy airline headphones I would have to pay £2.50 for the privilege, so decided that my sudoku book would have to do to pass the time.. Thanks for nothing Thomas Cook!

At least the food was erring on the side of edible!

Tales of my adventure to continue in the next post!

It's been an Awesome Friend Week!!

I have had an Awesome Friend Week this week.. which was much needed after some bad news about my holiday this summer... remember I was saying how I left work on Wednesday wanting to cry or punch someone? Well, it looks like my road trip isn't going to happen this summer... so I have been in a bit of a funk.. there's no one to blame as it's due to a series of circumstances that it's not going to happen.. that and a few other things have left me feeling let down and disappointed... Annnywhos... I got in touch with my wifey to ask what her plans were and if maybe she might want a visitor... and two days later, she left a msg on my fb to say "Stoked, Totally cleaned the spare room!" LOL... she really knows how to make a girl feel welcome!!

I was also having a moan to Cookie about it all and he replied with "Well, those people just don't know to treat you right"...  (I love that all my friends know I'm a big princess! hahaha)

Then on Thursday night I had a fabulous skype date with Ms AK and I can't wait to find time to go visit her in Norway!

I also accused Ms Jagiri of I did tell you... of creeping my blog roll... to which she responded "Its not my fault that you have impeccible taste my dear" - How much of a compliment is that!?! She knows me too well!! HAHAHA

She also posted this on my wall with the caption "Wanna make these for you"

Then today this conversation happened:

All of which just reminded me even tho stuff happens that get me down and even tho sometimes I get annoyed because things don't go to plan (I've also decided to go back to never planning anything, because anytime I plan anything, it always goes to hell anyways!) that at the end of the day, I have some wonderful and amazing friends who make me smile and make me feel truly blessed to have them in my life.. 

To have friends who know me so well, who put up with my spoilt brattiness, cater to my whimsy and still choose to stay friends with me... it really means a lot! Makes me think I must be doing something right!! ; )

Wiredmonkey also posted this link on my wall with the message "seen this and thought of you" - It always makes my heart smile when people leave messages like that.. it's nice to know that people think of you.. especially when it's something that you are actually into and something you are interested in... I try to send messages like that often... just to let people know that I thought of them that day.

So, no matter how big or small, don't forget to let your friends and family know that you thought of them! It might be just the thing that turns a frown upside down!!

Thanks friends!!! I couldn't mention all of you in this post obviously.. I'd be writing forever!! Just know that I am grateful for each and every one of you!!

London Weekend - the aWkwaRd phOtO shOOt eDitiOn ~

After our Saturday out and about, I realised I hadn't taken any photos with my loverly Sok!!

So when we got back to her apartment, we decided to have a photo shoot.. muaahaha

She insisted on having photos taken with her tomato plants! O_o 

 I then decided lunging for her and pretending to throttle her would be funny... hehehe... (awkward much?!)

 We then decided to have a "nice" photo... Seated all prim and proper... Like "the Royals" - says Sok...

Of course, I couldn't resist doing something ridiculous... hehehehe

Then Sok got in on it too!! There's a reason we've been friends almost 20 years!! Muaahahaha

Love you Sok!!!!

Thanks for being a super duper friend for 19 years, I hope we have many many more years of friendship to come!! (I wouldn't let you stop being friends with me anyways.. just sayin' - you know it's true!)

How do I know we will be friends forever? We have gone on lots of trips together and travelled extensively together and managed to not kill each other or even have any fights or arguments.. she knows to keep me well fed and rested so I don't get grumpy.. and if I do, she just let's me get on with it.. :D

                       You're AWESOME!!

Best Ice Cream in Scotland - Ciao Roma, South Bridge

After our rather disappointing dinner, we were on the lookout for dessert on the way home..

Ciao Roma had signs in their window announcing "Best Ice Cream - Highland Show 2011"

Best Ice Cream you say??? Well, don't mind if I do!!

We stood and stared at the flavours in the window for a while then decided to go in...

The girl behind the counter was super nice and let us have lots of tasters before we finally made our decisions! 

 Muaahahaha.. notice I pretty much squeezed the mister out of this picture.. teeheehee

Lemon & Mango Yoghurt Gelato for me.. neither of which I tasted originally.. haha

Hazelnut & Banoffee (banana + toffee - I didn't know that's what banoffee stood for until this year!!) for the mister


Now I can't vouch that it's the best ice cream in Scotland, but it was pretty darned tasty!! The lemon had a nice zesty zing to it and the mango yoghurt was mellow and subtle.. The hazelnut was a nice offset to the sweet tang of the banoffee adding a nice nutty after taste. If you're passing by, stop in for some ice cream!

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Just so you know, I am in no way associate with Ciao Roma, I'm just a random passer by who really enjoyed their ice cream!