Day 5: Thunder Bay to Sudbury, ON

They say a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work. Well, a rainy Monday spent in the car, drinking mini cans of Coke, eating bananas and All-Bran Bars, and singing Weird Al Yankovic songs beats work any day!!

We didn't arrive in Sudbury until after midnight and we're all exhausted, so I'll fill you in on Terry Fox, Winnie the Pooh, and our walk on the beach later.

Day 4, Part 2: Kenora to Thunder Bay, ON

My goodness it rained a lot in Kenora! The wind was so fierce that Child was concerned there might be a hurricane.



A little rain wasn't going to stop us from taking some pictures of Husky the Muskie, though.



It was a long drive from Kenora to Thunder Bay — because you're only allowed to drive 90 km/hour (55 miles/hour) on the highway! In Alberta the maximum is 110 km/hr, which means most people drive 120 (or faster). But there were signs all along the road outlining exactly what kinds of fines and demerits we would get if we dared to speed.

Oh well, at least the drive was more interesting than it was on the neverending open prairie in Saskatchewan (if your dog runs away in Saskatchewan you can still see him for 3 days!).

The highway here is bordered by lush green forests, interrupted every once in awhile by astounding outcroppings of granite. Along the tops of some of the rock outcrops visitors have built little inukshuk statues out of stones.





We also saw a huge inukshuk along the way in Vermilion Bay.



Apparently moose are a big problem on the TransCanada Highway in Ontario. We kept a lookout, but we didn't see a single one.





***************
Driving around, searching for someplace to eat lunch...

Me (spotting a bait shop): Leeches! I heard them's good eatin'.

Husband: Nah. I heard they suck.

***************

Hi, G! Do you miss me yet?

Day 4: Kenora, ON

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

Bang, bang, bang!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Oh, good morning! Silly me, I forgot my key and I thought this was my room.

Did I wake you? Awww, that's too bad.

Say ... Aren't you the douchebags who kept us awake all night with your partying, shouting and guffawing?

Did you know your girlfriend laughs like a horse?

Well, I gotta go now. Have a nice day!

(Alas, I don't have the balls to do this. I will, however, be putting a sign on their door to let the maid know that she should feel free to wake them when she makes up their room.)

Day 3: Manitoba to Ontario

It rained all day today, which made for some dreary driving, but we made good time to Winnipeg, where we had lunch, saw the Legislature Building, and witnessed some sort of parade (or maybe it was a protest).







Tonight we're in beautiful Kenora, Ontario. We managed to find a hotel overlooking the Lake of the Woods and even though the weather is stinkin' miserable, the view is absolutely amazing!

Day 2: Saskatchewan to Manitoba

Oh. My. Gosh, I'm tired! We've been going non-stop all day, so I'll just hit the highlights so we can get to bed ...

We visited Rouleau, a.k.a Dog River, today — where they made Corner Gas! It was awesome seeing the locations from the TV show. Husband figured it must be like how a Muslim feels when he gets to visit Mecca. I wouldn't go quite that far, but it was very cool.











Oh, and on the way to Regina, Husband stopped to take some pictures of an old abandoned drive-in theater screen and sign ... and ended up losing his car keys!!! He and Child searched the tall grass in the field around the old movie screen for ages, but they couldn't find them.

I had my keys in my purse, but that was beside the point. Who loses their car keys in some farmer's field because he's taking pictures of a sign? It took me the better part of the day to get over it and forgive Husband.



We spent a fun afternoon at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina and then we headed off to Manitoba, which is where we are now. Good night!

Day 1: Alberta to Saskatchewan

We got started later than planned this morning because Husband was adjusting the iPod dock in my car last night and blew a fuse! There was no way we could drive half way across the country without being able to listen to our iPods (we might actually have to talk to each other!). We have a CD player in the car, but we don't own a single CD!

Not to worry. Husband rushed to the car dealership the moment they opened this morning so they could restore our ability to listen to music. We ended up not leaving home until almost 10:00am. Oh well, we weren't in a big rush anyway.

We stopped in Brooks for lunch and spotted some really cool little Mini Coopers. This one from Florida was the coolest — it was modified into a little van!





For most of the day, every few miles we passed a big rig going in the opposite direction that was loaded with carnival rides — they were hauling midway rides to the Calgary Stampede (which we're gonna miss this year cuz we're not home). Their loads were interesting and often quite bizarre-looking. I tried unsuccessfully to take a picture each time we passed one, but they were travelling too quickly in their direction and we were travelling too quickly in ours.

Finally, when we stopped in Redcliff, Alberta (greenhouse capital of the prairies), we spotted one of the trucks parked across from a Wendy's and we were able to take some shots close up.







On our way back onto the highway, we managed to snap a quick pic of another truck, hauling the "Crazy Mouse" ride (whatever that is).



In Medicine Hat we stopped to see the world's biggest teepee.





We crossed the border into Saskatchewan around 3:00pm. Wow, Saskatchewan is flat! It's beautiful and boring at the same time. And it's weird to be able to see sky all the way out to the edges!

Dear life,

(via: OMG That Rocks)

Thursday thirteen: Vacation playlist

I'm participating in Thurday thirteen!

Today is Day 1 of our super-glorious, stupendous, fantabulous adventure!! In preparation for all the awesome fabulocity, I've put together a special make-me-happy playlist to listen to in the car:

1. Five O'Clock World — Bowling for Soup

2. Soak Up the Sun — Sheryl Crow

3. New Routine — Fountains of Wayne

4. I Love Life — Melissa Lefton

5. Happy Girl — Martina McBride

6. Be OK — Ingrid Michaelson

7. I’m Yours — Jason Mraz

8. Vacation — MxPx

9. My Happy Place — The New Odds

10. Nowhere With You — Joel Plaskett

11. Happy Together — Simple Plan

12. Holiday in My Head — Smashmouth

13. Island in the Sun — Weezer

Happy Summer!

I just want to be OK

We leave for vacation in 2 days and I'm not sure I'll live that long!!! Work's driving me insane(er).

On the plus side, we've made arrangements for a friend to look after our house while we're gone so we can have a wonderful holiday and not worry about anything. I can hardly wait till we leave!


[YouTube link]

I just want to be ok, be ok, be ok
I just want to be ok today
I just want to be ok, be ok, be ok
I just want to be ok today

I just want to feel today, feel today, feel today
I just want to feel something today
I just want to feel today, feel today, feel today
I just want to feel something today

CHORUS:
Open me up and you will see
I'm a gallery of broken hearts
I'm beyond repair, let me be
And give me back my broken parts

I just want to know today, know today, know today
I just want to know something today
I just want to know today, know today, know today
Know that maybe I will be ok

CHORUS

Just give me back my pieces
Just give them back to me please
Just give me back my pieces
And let me hold my broken parts

I just want to be ok, be ok, be ok
I just want to be ok today
I just want to be ok, be ok, be ok
I just want to be ok today

I just want to feel today, feel today, feel today
I just want to feel something today
I just want to know today, know today, know today
Know that maybe I will be ok
Know that maybe I will be ok
Know that maybe I will be ok

~ Ingrid Michaelson

My job is...

(via: Chief Happiness Officer)

Bewildering conversation with an 11-year-old

Child: Did you know that if you have two twins and one dies, the other one will consume all its nutrients?

Husband & Me: Huh?

Me: So if Ashley dies, Mary-Kate's gonna eat her???

Husband: The only problem with eating Ashley is that you're hungry an hour later!

Me: Gives a whole new meaning to binge and purge!


(I'm pretty sure if Child were to put this conversation on her blog it would be titled "Bewildering conversation with two 40-something-year-olds")

Thursday thirteen: 13 pieces of advice for women

I'm participating in Thurday thirteen!

I'm lazy today, so I didn't actually write this list, I received it by email. But I thought it was worth sharing anyway. ;o)

Wise words for women to live by:

1. Aspire to be Barbie — that bitch has everything.

2. If the shoe fits, buy them in every color.

3. Go on a 30 day diet (I'm on one and so far I've lost 15 days).

4. When life gets you down, just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

5. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.

6. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

7. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

8. Don't get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.

9. When life gives you lemons, turn them into lemonade ... then mix it with vodka.

10. Keep your chin up. The first 40 years of parenthood are the hardest.

11. If it has tires or testicles it's gonna give you trouble.

12. By the time a women realizes her mother was right, she has a daughter who thinks she's wrong.

13. Take life with a pinch of salt... a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila!

I'm getting dizzy

There's a big park across the street from my office that has a couple of ball diamonds, a soccer field ... park kinds of things. Every day a man in a golf cart comes and drives around in circles on the ball diamonds for awhile. I've tried, but I haven't been able to figure out exactly why he does it.

Watching him pilot his cart around in seemingly purposeless circles each day, though, I had a bit of an epiphany: I actually do what he does! I go to work each morning, get into my golf cart, drive around and around in pointless circles, and then I go home. Then I do it all over again the next day.

And you know what? I haven't been able to figure out exactly why I do it, either.

It's true

(via: Dark Roasted Blend)

10 things I'd bring to a desert island

1. Child
2. Husband
3. iPod stuffed full of music and books (It would need an unlimited battery charge though, or perhaps some sort of solar-powered battery… or maybe just a bicycle built out of coconuts that I could ride to power it, à la Gilligan’s Island!)
4. journal (my offline blog)
5. pen
6. matches
7. knife
8. toothbrush
9. toilet paper
10. An emergency food supply kit!

Join in the fun at Ten on Tuesday!

My little artist

Child drew these adorable little cartoons for Husband and me. Aren't they fabulous? She definitely inherited Husband's talent! I'm a wee bit jealous because all I can do is doodle. When it comes to actual drawing, my skills haven't improved one bit since I was in kindergarten.

Doodle day: pocket full of posies

Sharpie & embroidery on vintage book page


Sharpie & embroidery on vintage book page

Thursday thirteen: 13 things I've learned about blogging (and life)

I'm participating in Thurday thirteen!


(image credit: Laughing Squid)

Tomorrow is my second blogoversary, so I've been thinking a lot this week about what I've learned in the last two years ... about blogging and life.

1. If it's not fun, DON'T DO IT!

2. Sometimes it will take a monumental effort just to stick with it. But it's worth it.

3. Quality matters more than quantity. Quality doesn't guarantee anything, mind you. You can be awesome and still get overlooked.

4. It takes time. Sometimes years. Persistence counts.

5. Sometimes nobody else cares what you have to say. Keep going because you care.

6. It's really cool when there's no one else to tell you what to do or to stifle your creativity. Go wild!

7. You will be judged by how you behave toward others. Play nice.

8. Most people you will meet are wonderful. Ignore the nasty ones (every neighborhood has a few).

9. A picture is worth a thousand words. Why say it when you can show it?

10. Lists rock!

11. Humor can be very effective, but be careful. Not everyone gets it.

12. The point isn't to show everyone else what you know. It's to find out what everyone else knows.

13. There’s only so much talking you can do. Sometimes you have to do something.

I'm gifted

What's your gift?

Monday, Monday

(via: OMG That Rocks)

Thought for the day

Doodle day: flowers galore

Sharpie & embroidery on vintage book page


Sharpie & embroidery on vintage book page


Sharpie & embroidery on vintage book page

WOW, a lot of parmesan cheese smells like wet farts

I received this email from Husband at work. I laughed so hard that I peed a little!

From: Husband [mailto:him@thatplacewhereheworks.com]
Sent: 2009 June 03 1:57 PM
To: Andi
Subject: WOW, a lot of parmesan cheese smells like wet farts

Someone decided to zap their parmesan infused future stool in the microwave and it has created this aroma that, I'm quite sure, would make dung beetles throw up a little in their mouths. and guess who sits a few feet from the scene of the crime.

I just thought I would share.

Thursday thirteen: 13 things I want to do/see on my summer vacation

I'm participating in Thurday thirteen!

Husband, Child and I have decided to go on a road trip this summer! Our main destination is Niagara Falls. We'll travel through Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario on our way there, and then we'll come home through the States (we don't know precisely which ones yet). We're so excited we can barely stand it. We leave in 3 weeks!!

13 things we absolutely must see and/or do on our trip are:

1. Niagara Falls, of course
(see what Niagara Falls looks like RIGHT NOW!)


(image credit: code poet)

2. Maid of the Mist boat tour


(image credit: joesflickr)

3. Fireworks over Niagara Falls on Canada Day and the Fourth of July


(image credit: psoup216)

4. MarineLand



5. Niagara SkyWheel



6. Movieland Wax Museum



7. Niagara Butterfly Conservatory


(image credit: ~Sage~)

8. Whirlpool Aero Car


(image credit: esherman)

9. Corner Gas set in Roleau, Saskatchewan
(Corner Gas is the funniest TV show ever produced in Canada!)


(image credit: quack.a.duck)

10. Terry Fox Memorial and Lookout in Thunder Bay, Ontario



11. Navy Pier in Chicago


(image credit: wallyg)

12. Mount Rushmore
(it's one of those things I need to see in my lifetime!)


(image credit: dean.franklin)

13. Devil's Tower
(because Husband is a Close Encounters fan, this is something he needs to see in his lifetime)


(image credit: backpackphotography)

Husband is letting me take my laptop with me on vacation this time, so I'll try to blog a bit on the road. I can hardly wait!!