The stage play was absolutely amazing! It was at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, which was a small, intimate theatre with 2 balconies and the floor. Our seats were fantastic; we were on the floor, row F, dead centre. The power of the orchestra was amazing and probably my favourite part. It took me a minute to realize that it wasn’t a recording, it was just that grand. The stage direction was also amazing, the different bits and parts that moved and changed were outstanding.

I want to talk about the voices, the acting, the characters and how they were portrayed, and the stage movements… but I’m running out of adjectives! It appears my favourite adjective is “amazing”. I don’t know how to explain it but just to say that seeing a play live that I already love the songs and story of is just so fantastic.

Thank you Craig! Amazing Christmas gift. Love you!

Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, England.

Myself & Craig outside the theatre

Me inside the theatre (all dolled up)

Z is for… ZED not ZEE

Because we say the letter Z as “Zed” in Canada… here are some Canadian Mounties!

This photo was taken during the Remembrance Day parade in Downtown on November 11, 2008.

• Go to your Sixth Picture Folder then pick your Sixth Picture.
• Hope that you remember the details.
• Tag 5 others. (Nope! Can’t make me)

Okay so I have a special way of arranging my photos, so I kinda just made it work. Anyway, this is from sometime in November of this year. My sister went to the opera and she loves wearing vintage dresses so she wanted me to take some photos for her.

Of course, her cat Sassafrass needed to be in some of the photos. This is one of the goofing around shots, don’t worry we got some really nice ones!

I know that a large and detailed update is long overdue, and I do apologise. 1. I didn’t intend to blog substantially during my holidays and didn’t even bring my laptop; 2. I’ve got this horrible flu/cold bug that’s going around the UK (over 75% of the population has it); and 3. mostly just family stuff has been going on.

I think it’s quite amazing how each family celebrates the holidays differently. At home when my sister and I were little, she would tell me what time I was allowed to wake her, and we would open our stockings together. Then my parents had a later time that we were allowed to wake them, and we’d all open the gifts from under the tree together. Then we’d have a big breakfast with bacon, stewed tomatoes, english muffins, and scrambled eggs. In the evening we’d have Christmas dinner with my uncles and cousins (on my mom’s side). We’d also exchange gifts with them too.

I must say that compared to what I do now with my boyfriend and his family, our Christmas was quite relaxed. It’s only the one day, and we don’t do anything for Boxing Day, or New Years Day, or anything like that. Even my mother’s birthday which is the 18th of December is rather low key (by her choice).

Here in England, not only do most of my boyfriend’s family (grandparents, parents, aunts, cousins, etc.) all live within the same area and even walking distance apart, but they actually get together often. For example: Sunday Dinner at the Grandparents. This is practically like Christmas dinner! Meat and gravy, multiple vegetables, aunts and kids and everything. But as Craig (boyfriend) says, “We do it because we want to.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying anything against it. I love that they do all their family stuff; our family doesn’t have as much traditional stuff. Also, I expect it has to do with us no longer having any living grandparents. I also noticed our Christmas change with the growth of the kids. I am the youngest in my immediate family, and my youngest cousin is 13. It makes quite a difference to have a 6-year-old running around excited about Father Christmas!

I hope everyone else is having a good time with your family. Sorry if the blog posts are scheduled, short, and boring. I’m busy enjoying my time with my boyfriend before we’re back to long-distance. On Monday we’re going to London to see The Phantom of the Opera! It was Craig’s Christmas gift to me. I’m really excited to see how they’re going to the chandalier bit!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Festivus, or something else entirely; have a great one!

Packing for a trip always makes you look twice, or thrice, at the things you have lying around your life.

46. Some cardboard boxes.

47. Sweatshirt that doesn’t fit

48. Pair of flip flops that have seen better days.

49. Some holey socks.

50. Bits and scraps of wrapping paper that just won’t do.

Signups for the Cocoa Swap 2 open in one week on December 28th. The swap is in the New Year.

See you there! Thanks Michelle & Holly!

P.S. I made buttons for them!

Y is for… YVR

YVR is the airport code for Vancouver International Airport. It’s probably silly to like an airport so much, but I just love how much time they’ve spent on decorating the arrivals. Not to mention that they have free wireless internet, duty free, and multiple Starbucks’.

Arrivals walkways above Departure Gates

Bill Reid’s sculpture (in the Departures level prior to security). It is entitled The Spirit of Haida Gwaii and is actually now featured on the Canadian $20 bill. Visit the Bill Reid Foundation for an explanation of the sculpture.

Landscaping near the Departure Gates:

International Arrivals:

USA Arrivals: