I don't want to move anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it once or twice already, but I HATE MOVING. There. I've said it again. It's terrible. I shipped my things on Valentine's Day and they STILL are not here. Seirously. I understand that they have to go across two provinces, but I would have thought a week and a half would be ample time for that. Aparently not. So all I have is my clothes, toiletries, my kettle, a mug and some tea. That's it. Luckily, today is the big moving day for getting Brad out of Rosetown, so there will actually be a bed in the apartment (I was sleeping on his air mattress), and pots and pans and dishes and a microwave (yay!). It's seriously getting ridiculous. And it took THREE days for the phone to get hooked up. Brad called on Tuesday and it didn't work until last night. I may have done a happy dance when I picked up the receiver and heard a dial tone. Oh, and still no internet. The place I have to get a kit from opens at 9:30 and closes at 5:30...conveniently while I'm at work. Booo.

I just want this move to be over. Please?

Jessica Williams: Bonified Saskatchewanian

Been a while, hasn't it? I'm not a resident of Swift Current Saskatchewan and have been for the past 4 and a half days.
Where to begin....well, the going away party on Friday was amazing and thank you sooooo much to everyone who came! I got a little (a lot) drunk and passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow that the hotel (which Brad reminds me of whenever I try to tell him I wasn't drunk). Pictures will follow as soon as I have internet set up at the apartment.
Michelle had me very worried though when she told me about an avalanche on highway 16 east on friday afternoon. If there was one, it wasn't on the highway report and it certainly wasn't there when we went though.
The drive was fine. We left around 8:30 after a breakfast of McDonalds (mmmmm McMuffin....yum!) and made really good time (especially on the double wide from Jasper to Edmonton). Brad wasn't even that nervous. We stopped in Camrose on Saturday night so we would be able to get some rest and have a good start the next morning for the final 5 hour push to Swift. I didn't feel bad stopping, afterall, it had been a 10 hour that day.
Sunday we headed out around the same time in the morning feeling well rested, but driving directly into the sun was straining and Brad and I got cranky and "bickered" many times during the day.
We finally got to Swift around 3 or 4 (time zone change) and got the keys to the apartment from his Dad. Ben, Brenda and Brenda's sister and her sister's husband came to see the apartment and helped move my stuff from the car.
The apartment is BEAUTIFUL! The nicest apartment I've ever lived in. The carpets are all new and pretty, and (the best part) is the in suite washer and dryer! YAY!! (Pictures to follow).
Brad and I drove to Rosetown on Monday (Family Day Stat in Sask) and I picked up a few more things.
Driving back from Rosetown was a little hairy as the fog was INTENSE. I couldn't see more than a meter in front of the car, but the weird part was that when I looked directly up through the windshield, I could see the stars and a totally clear sky.
Work was good on Tuesday. Everyone has been really wonderful and welcoming! I started at 9 and ended up having to go to Council. Council only lasted a hour. Yup, an hour!!! Fastest council meeting EVER!
Now I'm onto day three and doing the afternoons.
Vince and Shay came over last night and helped put up the curtains in the apartment, much to the dismay of local peeping toms. And when I say "helped" I mean Vince put them up.
Now I'm going for supper with Brad's mum tonight and hopefully will be able to get internet hooked up afterwards.
So there you go...that's the update! Like I said...pictures to follow!

"Pan's Labyrinth" (ye be warned!)

Please be under no misaprehensions about this movie: it is not a magical almost-child-oriented Alice in Wonderland type film. It is far more accurately described as a fantasy/war/horror. The fantasy moments are absolutely stunning and the makeup is incredible (the Faun and the Pale Man were done entirely with make-up and costume, with Doug Jones' legs dressed in green to be edited out for both characters which just made them all the more real looking), and the scenery is stunning. The story takes place in Spain after WW2 during Franco's reign. A little girl, Ofelia, is taken to an old Spanish mill that's been converted to a military outpost. Her mother is pregnant with the Captain's child. There are major complications in the pregnancy and she becomes bedridden. The Captain is quite clearly the villain, clear from the very first mention of him. Ofelia is visited by a faerie which she follows to the labyrinth of the Faun. A legend of a missing Princess is explained and Ofelia starts trying to fulfill three tasks. I don't want to give too much away, but that's the jist of it. Much of the story revolves around the Captain trying to kill the rebels living in the woods outside of the Mill. There are scenes of violent torture that I can only describe as "no holds barred"...the camera focused directly on a close up of a man bashing another man's face in. There is a scene of a man being stabbed in the mouth that is, again, shot in a close-up. For good portions of the violence I closed my eyes (which made it very very difficult to read the subtitles as the movie is in Spanish). I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would laugh at me calling the movie violent, and maybe it's not as bad as a lot of the movies out there, but I felt it was the in-your-face-realism of it that made it extreme. Many parts of the movie were disturbing (especially the Pale Man, who even creeped out Brad), and overall it was filled with relentless hardship. I think, though, that it was an excellent movie. I like it far better this morning than I did last night while I was watching it. Does that make any sense at all? And I'm pleased to report I did not have any nightmares as a result (though I was expecting them).

An assload of changes

Well...here we are. Today is my last day at CJCI/CIRX. I can't believe it and, to be honest, I'm actually really sad about it. I'm excited to get out of this "limbo" point in my life where I feel like I haven't actually been doing anything, except waiting. Finally, the waiting is over, but... I guess when one section of life is closing it's alright to be sad for it. I've had some fantastic times here, and I want to thank everyone who has made it a memorable and happy time in my life. Mare, Heather, G-lo and Christina, Bill, Jessica, Hartley, and (of course) Pope have all specifically gone out of their way for me, and I hope I managed to tell them all how much that meant to me at the time and continues to mean to me.

I moved out of my apartment yesterday on my lunch break. There was no time for me to think about the leaving. All I had time for was to grab my stuff, vaccuum and give my keys to my landlord. Then Brad and I got in the car and I looked at the building and it struck me that I would never be able to go in again, that I actually didn't have the key to the front door anymore. It was a very weird feeling to realize I don't actually live there anymore. That was a sad feeling too, afterall, I spent 7 months living in that apartment and took pains to make it feel like me.

Well, things change, don't they? It's unstoppable, and definately a good thing. I'm just a little scared for the moment when it all actually really hits me...that i'm moving so far away from my family and that I actually won't be working here anymore...

(ps. this is my 200th post! Thanks for hangin in there!)

UP WITH SLEEP! DOWN WITH MOVING!!

Getting closer and closer to the big day! Moving day! Yesterday after work I packed my car full of crap and the movers came and took away all of my furniture and boxes and all that jazz...so my apartment is depressingly empty now. I spent the rest of the afternoon running errands and cleaning my apartment (check and check) before Heather came over and we had a Valentine's day picnic on the floor of my livingroom (the couch is gone too). One addition to good ole home sweet home is Brad! He came in last night on an Air Canada flight so that I wouldn't have to drive to Swift Current by myself on Saturday. I'm utterly bagged today though. Let me explain: after Heather left (around 8:30, which has recently become my bedtime since I started working the morning shift) I threw in a load of laundry to wash then talked to Brad from Vancouver for a bit. While it was drying, I decided to sleep until 10:30 so I could be at the airport to meet Brad's flight which was supposed to arrive at 11. At 10:25 he called me to tell me that they hadn't even LEFT Vancouver yet and that they might be boarding in 15 minutes, but that was "optimistic". Ugh. So I went and got my clean clothes from the dryer and went back to bed and back to sleep for another hour until 11:30 when I got up and went to the airport. There weren't many people there, and while we were waiting, the lights went off in the terminal. Just to emphasize how late the flight was, I think. Well the plane landed (an hour late) and Brad was exhausted (still on Saskatchewan time and 2 hours ahead). We got back to my apartment around 12:40 or so and inflated the air mattress and crashed. Of course I couldn't fall asleep right away (murphy's law, right?) so by the time I had actually fallen asleep it was probably closer to 1:30 and I had to get up at 3:30. So, let's see, in total last night I managed to get 4 hours of disrupted sleep. I'M SO TIRED today.... but I just have to get through this shift so I can go and give my landlords my apartment keys, take a load of stuff the Value Village and then be DONE with it all. Slogan for the day: UP WITH SLEEP! DOWN WITH MOVING!!

"A Town for All Seasons!"

Alright, the long awaited (though if you really were waiting for it, you could have just checked Heather's blog) posting about the weekend Smithers trip!

We hit the road on Friday after work (actually on the road at 2, which was pretty impressive really) with a huge car-load of stuff that I wanted to dump on my parents (I hate moving). Gas was 85.9 in Fraser Lake and I, foolishly, figured that meant it would be at least that in Burns Lake as it's always cheaper, but it wasn't. Boo! We got to Smithers and had a delicious supper of potato pancakes and carrot cake for dessert (thanks Mum and Da!) and then went off to the theatre to visit my bro. He was there with Christie and we had a fun time chatting. (Side note: my brother has gone to the dark side and now says that Ninjas are cooler than pirates. I'm still having a hard time accepting his deviance, but have admitted that, while not nearly as cool as pirates, ninjas are pretty cool).
Heather went to bed when we got home and slept from 11pm - 1pm... Yup that's 14 hours! It was pretty impressive actually! And mum made me poke my head in to her room around 11 to make sure she was still breathing.

When she got up though, we went to Schimmels for some lovely dutch baked goods, surprised Denise at Central Clothing (who was pissed that she was leaving town and couldn't go out with us), then up the ski hill (a drive I had never done myself before, but wasn't so bad), Then on the way down, we stopped at Seymore lake, over to Lake Kathlyn, (with a quick stop at the corner of zobnick and zobnick!), and then to Heartstrings efore going home for supper again.

After dinner we went to the Hudson Bay Lodge to watch Kareoke and met up with my friend Christine. Then we headed over to the Twin. To all you unbelievers out there who think the Twin sucks, Heather loved it! I would like to point out of the four people I have taken to the Twin from out of town, THREE have loved it! Brittany said it was "Orgasmic", Mare had a fabulous time and Heather just loved it (and she wasn't even drunk!). The only one who didn't love it was Brad, but he's not a bar person.

We came home after dancing up a storm and went to bed. I got up at 9:30 and hung out with my Mum again then we had some lunch, packed up the car and left around 2, stopping by Frank's once more to say goodbye before leaving.

Leaving was so hard. I hated saying goodbye to my Mum and Da...and I cried.

On the way home we stopped at the World's Largest Fly Fishing Pole in Houston and took pictures. We're suck dorks! And I (somehow) managed to spill my coffee UP my nose only to land in a splotch on my shirt. I don't know...it's a talent.

My sad little apartment...

My apartment is so sad these days...all boxed up and messy (with some splinters of wood scattered on the carpet from afore mentioned bed wrecking..hee hee!). I don't even have a desk anymore as I took it to Value Village. As of today I'm officially blogging on the floor.

Bed Wrecker!!

The lack of posts is due to a trip to Smithers that Heather and I took this weekend. I'll be posting some pictures a little later, once I've got them all on my computer, but for the time being, this entry will take a different theme: Bed Wrecker!

When I bought my bed from Jysk, I thought "Gosh! What a great deal!" and then I brought it home and worked up a sweat trying to put the cursed thing together. A word to the wise: if something made out of wood is really inexpensive, it's probably crap and won't fit together properly. I managed finally to get it to work somewhat, but everytime I went to lay down on it. the frame would creak and moan and generally feel like it was about to give out. I knew, as soon as I had it put together, it would never come apart again. So, as it is not coming to Saskatchewan with me, I decided it was destined for the garbage. Heather came over and we attacked it with a fury (from her) that made us giggle nervously. (note to self: don't piss off Heather when she has a hammer at hand!)

A friend once told me I had "rage"...maybe he was on to something...

Eye protection everyone! Heather was utterly savage!

And we rejoiced with cheesecake!

I'm not homeless!

Brad called me this afternoon to give me fantastic news: We have an apartment! It's a one bedroom (which is the ONLY downside because we had hoped for two, but oh well), in suite washer and dryer which are damn near brand new (NO MORE COIN LAUNDRY!!!). The carpet is almost new and the lino, it's got a big balcony and a dining area. I'm soooooo psyched! And it's TOTALLY affordable! AND, it's ours on the 15th! Yippee!

Monday Mornings

Every Monday morning, as I stumble into work thinking "oh god, it's monday....ugh..." I am made happy when Mel from the SPCA comes in with a critter or critters that are up for adoption that week. She does a segment with Brad and Heather featuring the little animal.

Yesterday Mel came in and I ran out from recording the network casts to see what she had brought. They were two little male guinea pigs! When I asked what their names were she said they didn't have names and asked what I thought. All I could think of was Chip and Dale. She laughed and that was that. So this is me and Heather holding Chip and Dale. Heather's was grunting and snuffling, and mine was pleasantly gnawing on my finger!

(I cleverly stole this picture from Heather's files on the computer....I'm so sneaky!)

no sense crying over spilt tea

It's already become one of those mornings. I have successfully spilled tea down my shirt four times. That's right, FOUR. Karen has (ever so kindly) told me that perhaps I should use a sippy cup. I think she's maybe right. I just want to get through this week. That's all. Personally though, I blame my coffee cup.

My Weekend

Sooooooo....rather than do anything productive this weekend, I chose to read, drink beer, watch ultimate fighting, drink some more, scapbook and watch tv, and generally lazed about.

Yes, that's right, I have literally 12 days left in Prince George and have packed NOTHING. I have done NO cleaning, and done NOTHING productive. Instead, yesterday, after getting up early, I talked to Ashely on MSN for several hours, read for a while, and then went to the BX with Trevor and Delee to watch the UFC fights. Trevor had made it a goal to get me drunk, but unfortunately I ate too much at supper to get really drunk, despite consuming 8 beer. That may not seem like a lot, but my alcohol consumption has gone so far down that normally after three beer I'm reeling. I was tired by 10:30 but ended up staying out until 1:30.

Today, I got up later than I wanted and read for a while and twiddled about on the computer for a while. I made a cheesecake (why I really don't know...now I'm just going to eat the damn thing) and then turned on the TV to a What Not To Wear marathon. Now I've spent the past three hours scrapbooking. Done anything productive yet? NOPE! Will I be panicking next week? Likely.

Morning Moose

It's Saturday and I've been up since 8 this morning. Why? Because I wanted to be up and dressed and all that before the guy from Bandstra stopped by with a quote for me. And because my landlords have permission to show my apartment between 9 am and 6 pm every day until it's rented out, so, again, I want to be dressed and all that. So I was up, sitting in my living room and had opened my blinds to let some daylight in on this chilly winter morning, and lo-and-behold, I see a Moose outside my balcony wandering along. I got up to go to the window and saw another one and another one! A mummy and her two babies! So, obviously I ran for my camera and snapped a bazillion pictures. Then I went back inside (cause it's friggin cold out today!) and was going about my business when they came back! This time I got a good picture. I heart Moose!

BOOOOOO to moving!

There is absolutely nothing original about this blog posting, but I'm going to write it anyway. I hate moving. It's awful. I haven't even started, but I hate it already. I hate having to box up everything I own, I hate the inevitable realization that you own way more than you thought and the feeling of panic of "how will I move all of this?!" I haven't packed up a single box yet, but I'm dreading it...I hate moving. I wish I could just snap my fingers and magically have all of my belongings appear in an apartment in Swift Current.