Feb 28, 2011

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Monday: Plaid

Monday: Plaid

Missed the mish-mash about my weekend? Click here and take a read!

Instead of just linking you to the website where I purchased my new outfits, I’m going to do mini-posts on the days I wear something new.

Please tell me if you absolutely hate this idea and I’ll stop.

Plaid blouse is from Dynamite. I love it and the husband totally approves. There are pockets just below the belt that make it even cuter. I think it would look great with leggings, I’m just not sure if I’m brave enough to try that.

The jeans are from Moto (Makers of True Originals). They were the first pair of straight leg jeans I purchased. I love them. I can’t find them on the website, so I’ll bet they don’t make them anymore.

Shoes are Calvin Klein ballet flats purchased on sale from Town Shoes. These are also known as my lazy shoes (aka – too lazy to deal with heels). They’re super comfy for work.

A post about what I’m wearing wouldn’t be complete without a picture of the (really poorly done) nails I painted last night. The colour is Sole Mate by Essie. I love the colour but made the mistake of painting my nails in a dimly lit room while watching the Oscar train wreck. (My apologies to @BecksterKU for the crappy nails!)

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Feb 28, 2011

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The obligatory weekend mish-mash

The obligatory weekend mish-mash

I have about a zillion things I want to talk about and I’m tired and started P90x this morning, so my brain will probably be unable to form them into a coherent post. My apologies.

Okay.

So.

P90x.

The Cowboy and I made a plan at the beginning of February to start P90x in March. It’s February 28, but it’s a Monday, so I figure it’s close enough. I’m doing the diet plan (bye bye cookies) and the workouts and he’s mostly just doing the workouts. I woke up at 6am today so I could make myself and egg white omelette before heading off to work. It was kind of nice to eat breakfast before leaving for work.

I’ll probably kill someone for a cookie before the end of the day.

***

I received a message from another girl I met at the student forum in 1999 (yes, 1999) and she’s going to be in Calgary running the same half marathon as I am at the end of May. We’re hoping to meet up for a coffee.

It appears 2011 is the year of reconnecting. However, the boy is now radio silent. Probably because of Med School. I’ll see if meeting up for a drink pans out…..but I’m not holding my breath.

***

I went shopping with a friend yesterday and found some cute tops.

It was an interesting situation. She’s now dating/moving in with the guy she cheated on her husband with. He (her new guy) was also cheated on by his wife.

I worked with 3 of them.

It’s awkward.

But we did have fun shopping!

***

The Cowboy and I went to the Home & Garden Show on Saturday.

There was a Stella & Dot booth set up. Bad news.

I’m fairly certain I’m going to sign up to be a rep for Stella & Dot. I did some asking around and people seem like they’d want to buy stuff.

I promise I’ll only pimp myself out a few times on here.

***

I found my new favourite scent from Bath & Body Works.

Hawaii Coconut.

I bought the body spray this weekend too.

The Cowboy tells me I smell like a cheap whore, but I like it :P

***

My Express order shipped today (6 days after ordering seems a bit long, but oh well).

I’m hoping it arrives before the 15th. I have a 15% off coupon that I’d like to use to pick up a few things, and I’d like to have a chance to try on what I ordered before placing a second order.

***

That’s all from me.

I’m hungry again.

This P90x might make me VERY cranky today….

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Feb 25, 2011

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Five Question Friday

Five Question Friday

My apologies to my post about wine I didn’t mean to bump you from the top. Please, stop by and read about some awesome everyday drinkers. Also, leave me a comment if you have any questions about wine.

Moving on.

My dear friend Tricia is hosting another Five Question Friday at her place today.

If you’d like to win a 1 month Netfix membership, head on over to her place and leave a comment (or, respond on your blog and link to hers for 2 entries!).

Questions are from Mama M.

Can you drive a stick shift? Sure can! I was allowed to learn on an automatic and take my learners on an automatic but after that I had to learn to drive standard. I wasn’t allowed to drive the nice vehicle, I had to drive the cheap truck (GMC Sonoma) and it was standard. Every vehicle I’ve owned since has been a standard.

What are two foods you just can’t eat? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Honestly, I’ll eat pretty much anything. However, I could never, ever eat rabbit or horse. It would just feel wrong to me.

Do you buy Girl Scout cookies? What’s your favourite kind? We don’t have Girl Scouts in Canada, but we do have Girl Guides. If I can find someone selling cookies, I’ll definitely buy them, but since I don’t have friends with kids in Sparks, Brownies or Guides I find they’re hard to come by.

How do you pamper yourself? Wine. Shoes. Clothes. Reading. Baths.

What is your nickname and how did you get it? Right now my nickname (if you can call it that) is just Ange. It’s pretty obvious considering my name is Angela. However, in high school I was called Penguin by my close friends. Mainly because while rollerblading I really do look like a penguin. I was also called Spatula, or Spatch for a while as well. I worked in a call centre and an older gentleman just couldn’t get my name over the phone. I kept saying Angela and he kept repeating Spatula. Thus, Spatula was born.

Now – head on over to Tricia’s and leave her a comment! :)

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Feb 25, 2011

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Wine. Part 2. The pizza wines.

Wine. Part 2. The pizza wines.

The last time I talked about wine, I talked about Zinfandel.

Today, I’d like to talk about my “daily drinkers”, or “pizza wine” if you will.

The first time The Cowboy and I heard the term “pizza wine” we were a tad confused until the guy at the wine store explained that it’s a term for a decent, inexpensive wine that you can drink with pizza. Or, whatever.

See, there really are wines that you want to save and cellar. Wines that need a good hearty steak with them.

Pizza wines are not those wines.

Pizza wines are the wine you open at 3pm on a Sunday because you feel like it (ahem, not that I do that on a regular basis).

My absolute most favourite pizza wine is The Stump Jump Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre blend.

Wine :)

You’ll notice it comes in a screw top.

Now, don’t turn your nose up at the screw top. More and more wineries have been moving away from traditional cork (to prevent a bottle being “corked” and cork is quite expensive) [more about "corked" wine and how to taste wine upcoming, promise!] to synthetic cork and even screw tops.

I wouldn’t buy a wine just because it has a screw top (well….okay, sometimes I do. I’m not so good with a traditional corkscrew, so I use my “special” opening, or a screw top…) but if a bottle has a screw top it’s a clue that you can drink it right away and it will be tasty.

My second favourte daily drinker is Rosemount Shiraz.

Wine :)

A full bodied, juicy sweet palate with cherry, chocolate and plum flavours and a smooth finish.

This does not come in a screw top, so you could cellar it for a few years, but we’ve never been able to hold on to one for long enough :)

And, third, a new find for us is The Show Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine :)

It’s definitely the cheapest of the three and is totally decent. I enjoyed a glass on Thursday night while watching some hot vampires in the Vampire Diaries (I love me some Stefan!) and it was very enjoyable. (both the wine and Stefan).

Do you have a favourite daily drinker? Let me know in the comments!

Have anything you want me to cover about wine? Let me know and I’ll do my best :)

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Feb 24, 2011

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Call an Old Friend

This is my response to Peanut’s Week 2 challenge. Be warned – it’s a long one.

There are two pivotal people in my  life. Two people who have made me want to be a better person and showed me how to be a better person. I have also fallen out of touch with both of these people until somewhat recently.

I realize the challenge was to do so this week;however, this is so close to my mind and heart, that I want to talk about these people for this challenge.

One is a boy and one is a girl.

***

I met the boy when I was 16. I was accepted into a week long youth forum when I was in grade 11, he was in grade 12. We went to the science week. At the time we both wanted to be vets. I was from the West coast, he from the East. I was 5’4″, he was 6’4″. We were inseparable for the the entire week.

Surprisingly, our story didn’t end at the end of the week.

Our last night there we wrote letters. We promised one another we wouldn’t read them until we were on the planes home. I cried when I read his.

We continued to write. We sent packages. Eventually we graduated to emails and phone calls. He told me he loved me. I told him I loved him. We made a pact to marry one another if we didn’t find  people by the time we were 24.

I got scared. Was he serious?

I met The Cowboy. I didn’t tell them about one another for a while. He guessed. He knew. Something was different. He was hurt. I was confused. I didn’t want to lose my friend, but I didn’t want to lose my boyfriend, either.

I told him we probably shouldn’t be friends anymore.

Then I cried.

Years later I emailed him. I apologized. I hated myself for how I hurt him. Amazingly, he forgave me. We emailed for a while and fell out of touch.

I didn’t think of him for another 3 years. This summer. On a whim I emailed him. He replied. I was astounded that he’d even want to talk to me.

We wished one another well and carried on with our married lives.

Last week. Going to Halifax. Emailed him again. “Hey, any chance you might want to meet for a drink? It’s been 12 years”.

He might.

Old friendships reconnecting. I’m hopeful for our meeting.

***

The girl. The kindest, sweetest person I’ve ever met.

We met at work. I thought she was totally out of my friend league. She had pretty clothes, was put together, was funny and already had a zillion friends. Why would she want to be friends with me?!

After going out for coffee we became inseparable. She saw me through ups and downs in the first few years of my marriage to The Cowboy. I helped her move out of her abusive boyfriend’s home and sat by her when her brother died of an overdose.

I didn’t go to her wedding.

This Spring she and her husband starting having troubles. It was messy and I was caught in the middle.

In July she found out she was pregnant. I was the first person she told and didn’t hear from her afterwards.

With a heavy heart, I moved on.

Two weeks ago she sent me a note. She’s very pregnant and having a very difficult pregnancy. I wish her the best. I wish her husband the best.

I don’t think the friendship will ever be the same.

***

You can read a tiny bit more about the boy here

***

Unrelated to this post. I installed IntenseDebate for comments and I apparently deleted every comment left since I moved over to the new blog. Whoops. Please don’t be offended if I deleted your comment. It’s not you. It’s me. Promise.

I’m hoping IntenseDebate makes it easier to reply to your comments, because I do – I just wasn’t able to via email like I’m used to.

Anyway – carry on.

(and maybe, leave a comment? I like ‘em and I’ll totally write you back!)

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