>When Bloggers Meet!!

>Yesterday before I left London… I was able to touch base with my fellow blogging friend Morena from “Babies and Bulldogs”. We met each other through the “Northern Nunavut Blogging Community”…and then we met (in person) back in the Fall of 2009 when I travelled to the community in Nunavut where she was living.(you can read about that HERE!)  I saw her and her hubby and son another time when they were travelling south.. and were ‘stuck’ in Iqaluit… 

Morena moved to the same remote community that I lived in…earlier this year, after I had moved to Winnipeg!… she’s in the “sunny south” and was visiting her friend Jen in London before heading out East to visit family..

It was the first time I met Jen (in person)… But I feel like I’ve known her for quite some time though.  You see, she too was a northern blogger… and I have read along and about all her adventures…some might have called me a ‘blog stalker’…but I perfer ‘blog reader”!! She and her husband and daughter moved south last summer… But the south hasn’t stopped her blogging… you can find her at her “Jentography”. 

Both of these lovely ladies have babies that are almost 19 months old… and were born about 12 hours apart, and their mums were living in the same remote community during their pregnancies, and for the first months of the new babies lives…

I had a blast playing ‘peek-a-boo’ and getting sticky hand kisses and hugs… these toddlers are adorable!!! And I think I made two new friends….!!!!

I had a fantastic lunch with you guys… It was great talking with people that ‘get’ the northern experience…but also enjoy blogging and photography, among other things!!

(I look so ‘shocked’ because we were trying ot keep the kids attention at the camera…and well… apparently that made ME look like a fool! and yes, this location is very similar to the one I took earlier in the week with  Sarah & Adam and Erin & Dan!)…

Jen and Morena it was so lovely to meet both of you again…Thanks for a fun lunch… and if you every find yourselves in Winnipeg feel free to look me up!!!

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>My First Slurpee…

>July 18th, 2010….

It’s true… I’ve never had one… perhaps as a teen I might have had a lot of ‘extra’ energy.. and extra sugary drinks weren’t my thing….. I’m not really sure WHY I haven’t had one…. but last night Dan bought me one..(as well as a banana one for himself, and blue raspberry one for Erin)…Mine well it was “cherry” and oh was it sugar-y good!…

The first sip…(I think I got a head freeze from it!)…

…then a ‘scoop’ of the frozen goodness……

Uh-oh… the sugar has kicked in!!! 😉

Thanks Dan for introducing me to the Slurpee/Slushie goodness….

apparently Winnipeg is known for these guys… who would have known! 

(and please disregard the silly looking glasses… it was late-ish at night.. and my contacts were out!)

>A week in London…

>…Ontario that is!! Before I left Toronto I got my hair done… and my toes as well!!  I did manage to visit a few friends in and around the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)..but those are stories for another time!!!

Here’s my new ‘cleaned’ up hair’… complete with the magic of the straightening iron.. something I have still yet to master… perhaps one day!!

I stopped at Guelph and had some A&W… and was surprised that they gave my root beer in a glass mug, apparently I have never experienced this before… 

The first part of my trip I got to stay and reconnect with my friend Sarah… Sarah and I were roommates in our 2nd year of university September 1999 to April 2000…back in Apt 501 of the “Barbie Dream House”..(it’s a long story–so many stories from that year!!) Sarah was the one that taught me how to study… and I like to think that I was the one that taught Sarah how to have fun in everything you do… whether it be hanging Christmas Decorations, or just procrastinating on studying!! Where was I?  Well Sarah got engaged and then married Adam later that summer.. and transfered schools and moved to London… (that sort of ended the roommate thing for us!)… 

Sarah and Adam have an adorable 13 month old little girl… so our days were spent sharing stories and playing!! (and hanging out in the back yard…with our feet in the kiddie pool!)  It was so nice to catch up… and realize that sometimes distance might separate you… but that never stops a friendship!!  

Here’s Sarah and I… I personally think that Sarah looks AWESOME… (I look like the ‘tired’ new mom…)

Here’s Sar… doing the bubble thing for her little girl!! Thanks again Adam and Sarah for your hospitality.. .if you ever find yourself in Winnipeg… be sure to stop in and say HI!

This is the way I spent my time… toes in the kiddie pool… 

…I think there needs to be some explanation of this photo… I had just had dinner with my friend Sarah & Adam and Erin & Dan… apparently with all the visiting… I didn’t get a photo til we were walking out of that place… so I put the timer on my camera, set it on a pay phone in the front doors… lined us up… and then well waited for the flash! (it only took a few tries…) the first couple had some people walking through!!

This is Grimnak… He’s 7 months old.. and I fell in love!! He’s such a cute puppy… he belongs to Erin and Dan… I had to share a photo of him… 

I think if I was ever to get a dog… a Boston Terrier it would have to be…. (but those who REALLY know me… must realize that this will never happen… I just love hanging out with OTHER people’s dogs!)

On Saturday night… my friend Jen (who I met last year when I was living in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, she was researching for her Masters Thesis, but lives in London with her hubby)…So where was I? Yes, Jen came over to Erin’s place… we got ready and went out dancing…. it was good conversations.. good choices of beverages…great dancing.. despite the ‘hawt, sweaty mess I became on the dance floor!’

….and again another reminder of such amazing friends I have!!

Erin and I… we go way back to a summer camp that we both worked at as teenagers… We met Summer of 1998… but decided to hang out even more Summer of 1999!  We too were roommies the year I went to Fanshawe College and lived in London…I think one of the things we love is our ‘phone’ dates… apparently we both like to talk on the phone… this is a good thing!! Thanks Erin and Dan for letting me crash at your place… 🙂 

Erin and I after dancing (so much fun!!!)… decided to walk home from downtown London, all the way back to where she lives kind of close to Western University… (don’t worry it was a safe, and sober choice for both of us)… I had to snap an iPhone photo of us though…. (see below)

On our way home.. we encountered a raccoon..(i picked up a stick to protect us in case that guy decided to jump out of the bushes as we walked by–I seriously HATE raccoons!)  

We also had to stop for a skunk… this little guy decided to try to cross the road… we were WILLING it to NOT get run over.. as that would be VERY stinky for us… but he didn’t at the last minute darted back across our path and then up someone else’s front lawn….

Now we all know things comes in threes… the last little guy… a squirrel wasn’t so lucky… it was dead as a door knob… and also a bit crispy on the side of the road… 

I’ve even managed to cross a few more things off my “summer hit list” like: 

• Dance like no one’s watching…
• Cuddle some babies…
• Road Trip…to London, Ontario…and visit some awesome peeps!
• Laugh til my tummy hurts..
• a few pedicures… and a hair cut by my hairdresser in Toronto!

Ahhhhh so good!!… and there’s still so much more to do! I’m off to Toronto for a few days.. then by Wednesday I’ll be back in Haliburton with limited internet access… and well days on the beach… surrounded by family!! (I CAN”T wait!!)