Monday, June 20, 2011

For my daddy...

Since there is a mail strike going on, I realized I won't be able to get my fathers day card out to my dad. So to continue my new-found tradition of blogging the events that pass my every day life, I thought I would write a little bit about us.

I will be the first to admit we didn't always have the relationship we have today. At one point in my childhood I had to make the difficult decision of choosing between my old life, my mom and new baby sister, or moving to a new city where I knew nobody. Unfortunately I went about it in the worst way possible, by abruptly leaving the home I grew up in via taxi and moving into my moms place in the course of a mere few hours. It still makes me sick to my stomach to think of what I did to my dad, but I was afraid he would stop me if I didn't do it in the manner I did. I'll spare the painful details, but it resulted in us not speaking for a year. My mom finally forced me to spend a weekend at my dads place to make amends. And apologies were exchanged, but I don't think either of us felt the same about eachother after that point. The trust between us was lost, but we made nice as best we could.

I did end up moving in with my dad at the end of my twelfth year and proceeded to spend my first summer in the city partying with my friends. I came and left at all hours, and looking back on it, I didn't realize how selfish I was being. At the end of the summer, I was supposed to move down to Lethbridge to be with my high school boyfriend. Knowing in my heart that I couldn't do it (for various reasons I won't get into, because thats not what I'm blogging about!) My dad spent his whole day driving my sorry butt down there so I could break it off with my now ex (but best friend- like I said, another blog for another day) and patiently waited until I was ready to head back to Calgary to live with my dad and sister. That was the first eye opening experience that showed me my dad wasn't the bad guy I had made him out to be...

A few months had passed and I eventually got myself a job at a gift shop. I met a guy I thought was cool, and promptly moved in with him (I later found out he was a drug dealer- sorry daddy, I didn't know!!) so to make a long story short, my then 'flavor of the month' some would say, ended up in the hospital for a month in a drug induced coma, due to a severe asthma attack. Well my dad, once again, was there for me. I'm sure he didn't approve of anything I was doing at the time, but regardless, he loved me and was there for me when I most badly needed him. We started talking more often and I started opening up to him more about my life. When the dude and me didn't work out, daddy was up in a flash to move me out of the one-roomed basement we called our house and I was quickly back home again. This time more greatful to be there, for the things he had done for me general in the past few years and throughout my childhood.

Now a few years have passed, and I've done alot of growing and changing since then. He has married an incredible woman who I know makes him truly happy, and he has a whole new life up north to keep him busy. I say this with no resentment, becuase after everything he has gone through, nobody deserves true happiness more than him. I am so proud to be able to call him my father, through all our ups and downs, he has done his best to see me through them all and has always done what he thought was right as a father. His strength and wisdom has helped mold me into the woman I have become. I'm still working at my own fairy tale ending, but don't worry about what twists and turns life will throw at me next because I know I have his support and advice anytime I need it. Plus I have seen what life has thrown at him and know if he can do it, so can I, because I am my fathers daughter.



So this is my thankyou to my father, for EVERYTHING he has done for me, for thinking of me, and worrying about me and being there through some of my toughest times. Tougher times are still to come but I am SO greatful and lucky to have him here for me now and forever!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Summer is here!!

Well its always a beautiful day for a blog. I want to start telling everyone about our outdoor summer adventures. Hopefully they will include some hiking, but both of us are doing shift work and its hard for us to get one day off together let alone enough time to go hiking for more than a couple days.

We are hoping for mid July to get some time off to come back to Calgary and visit everyone we have missed so much because the trip is long overdue and I find myself missing everyone else more and more these days...

So last Sunday we were lucky enough to get the day off together and the weather was just gorgeous, so we went back to the place where we spent the summer last year. Spent the afternoon on Elliott Beach and reminisced with one of the guys that so kindly let us stay with him.
Log dog fetching his own sticks.
Gus enjoyed his usual stick fetching in the ocean while we all caught up on our lives together. At one point we had stopped throwing the sticks for Gus and he decided he would just fetch by himself, so into the water he went to find his own sticks. He just went out into the water on the hunt for driftwood and when he found one he would bring it back to shore, chew on it for a short while, then go back in for another. It was pretty cute that he can make his own fun like that.

Our friends' beautiful home.
I was able to spend an hour or so in the sun alone, got to do my nails, catch up on a few YouTube videos and get a nice little tan before the boys came back to visit bringing our Gus' beloved dog friend, Ziggy, who is now unfortunately deaf but he sure remembered us and it was clear he was happy to see Gus. Shortly after, we went back to the house where we stayed and visited with our friends and they gave us a wonderful and beautiful housewarming gift which consisted of a Japanese tea set with four cups, a cute little flat ware set (which I'll be using for my miso soup) and also a sushi making kit, complete with nori to wrap up our creations. It was extremely sweet and we both felt guilty that we hadn't been there to visit sooner (like I said our stupid busy schedules have prevented us from doing many things we have wanted to do so far.)

The plot where we pitched our tent for 2 months.
Afterwords, we went to a little pub outside of town for two 4 one steak night. The food wasn't fabulous but the company sure was! It was so fun having a double date, the first one in... well... ever! It couldn't have been with two more awesome people.

So overall, it was a very successful day complete with a manicure, dip in the ocean, & getting a slight tan. Here's to many more!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Leggings & Life...

Well I have just found a perfect spot for myself! The harbour, of course, as close to the water as I can get without getting wet feet.

I get to watch the tide come in but also (and more importantly) I get to people watch! Yeah, creepy I know, but its been a little hobby of mine for a while now whenever I'm in a public place. I enjoy watching people- I might judge a bit yes. Ex. Girls who wear leggings with nothing covering their bums... its not cute ladies, its gross. Nobody wants to see your butt jiggling with every move you make...


The mall is the best place for people watching- its amazing, and funny to see all these people (typically girls) who get dressed up to go to Wal Mart. See the following link: PeopleOfWalMart. Fur and high heels included- Oh and not forgetting wayyy overdone hair and makeup. Most of those who do this are under the age of 18, have nothing else to dress up for, and its probably the highlight of their week. The same goes for new or young mothers who feel worn and used who have a goal of the afternoon to spin a few husbands heads around 180 degrees.

So they get to have their few hours of prancing around from store to store, and entertain me at the same time. I enjoy watching these characters, see how they interact with store employees, who they are with and guess the relationships between them (is that her dad or her husband?). Its even funner watching the men who watch said girls/women. They oogle and stare and then turn around just to see me with a look of disgust while I watched this male oogle a 15 year old girl. They get reaaly flustered and its veery funny! See link #2: RandomCreepyGuy.com. HOWEVER, I digress... I was trying to talk about pretty scenery and life changing experiences here! Seriously, though, next time your at a mall just sit in one of the squishy chairs for five minutes and observe the people around you...


So I'm sitting here with this beautiful scene around me. Everyone walking down the pier in their summery clothes with their dogs, holding hands with their sweeties. There is a dock for the puddle jumper to land nearby (Goes from Vancouver to here) and they have just recently built a dock for cruise ships to come in and we had our first boat from Sweden come in a month or so ago, so soon I will get to people watch foreigners too!

Its a busy little port, people coming and going constantly, and I am so grateful to call this place my home. I think I've mentioned that a couple hundred times already, but still feels new to me, especially now that we get to experience a full summer and get to watch the tourists and wayward travellers trickle in.

Now here is where it gets deep...

Lately I've been finding myself thinking often about where I was at this time last year. It was a bit different to say the least! I didn't know what I was going to do with my life at a time when everything was so uncertain. I have been so blessed to have someone by my side through all my consistent challenges and changes. We also managed to have fun getting to know each other and going on adventures in the along the way.

Even when I would worry on a daily basis about where I was going to be living next, or what job I might try my hand at, Cam would support me and encourage me to overcome each step as it came. It was wonderful to have that constant support and be given the extra push I needed, when I needed it.

Now as I look out onto the water I think back on how far we've come and how we are now considered to be one of those happy couples holding hands with our dog dragging us behind him. And we are, although we are not perfect we are about as happy as a couple and a pup could be. We have our health, our jobs, our home, and even though we know there will be rough patches coming our way sooner or later, I know I have him, and I hope he knows he has me- to give him the love and care he will be needing when that time comes.