One of our pets is getting up there in age. He's a real cutie, but he's getting quite testy and is causing a few problems. He has a weak bladder and pees everywhere. He isn't very patient with young children. He LOVES my father's pigeons way too much--he would LOVE to have them for supper! He is a charming, funny, sweet, cute dog during the day, but at night his hunter's instinct comes out and he's a completely different dog. He's a Jack Russell Terrier and has got a mind of his own.

Someone asked me if I think we should put Boswell down because he's very old and he's causing some problems. I don't have the heart to. He's really a cute dog (except when I have to crawl under the pigeon loft to try to get him out from under). When people ask me my views on putting old pets down, I think, "So do you want me to put you down too when you're too old???" Is that what we do with people and pets when they're no longer young and healthy? *sigh*

What a gorgeous day it is today! Early this AM my seamstress came over to do alterations on my wedding dress. Before she left, she said, "What are you doing today?" We didn't have anything concrete planned other than usual chores. We've got 2 motel rooms booked this weekend. She said, "Okay. I'm picking you up at 1PM and we're going out."

Off we went to the Daffodil Tea. Here on the island, it's customary for the women to go out and bond. Teas and bazaars are common meeting places for women to just spend time with friends, check out and purchase local crafts and baked goods, and just get away from the homefront for a few hours. It's LOTS of fun!! I know, this doesn't sound like the me I was when I lived in the city--but I really, really LOVE this lifestyle!! Looking forward to the Mother's Day Tea and the Hospital Auxilliary Tea coming up two weeks from now.

While with the ladies, everyone kept reminding me of our upcoming nuptials. "You've got 48 days to go!", "Six weeks until the big day!", "Congratulations to you and John!". Let me tell you, when you live in such a small community, news travels fast and everyone knows everything about your life even before you do! :)
Anyway, many people asked if I am nervous yet. Nervous? Should I be? lol I think my mother is more stressed out about the wedding than J and I are!

Every tiny detail has to be meticulously planned wayyyyyyyyyy ahead of time. The table cloths have to drop at a certain length above the floor. Details, details. So, my mom asked why we're not nervous. Goodness...imagine if I were as stressed as she is? Better that at least one of us isn't stressed. It would be a mess if I were as wound up as she. I'm sure everything will be beautiful :) Noooo worries! Weddings...so much ado about nothing. Let me rephrase that. I'm not taking away the importance of this very special day, but all I'm saying is that one shouldn't make one's self sick over one day out of one's entire life.

My sister-in-law and I love having little in-house spa nights when I visit her and my brother in Kingston. We spend hours shopping at Shoppers Drugmart and drool over cosmetics and all kinds of neat beauty supplies. I know...sad. lol We're like school girls when we're at Shoppers and then we rush home to try our new goodies (after making a pit-stop at Tim Horton's! lol). Hey, I might as well indulge in what the city has to offer while I'm there, cuz there ain't none o' this stuff on Manitizzle!

We discovered Montagne Jeunesse products and boy, are they ever neat. The company offers a range of products from facial care, hair care, body care, foot & leg care and shower & bath. The products smell wonderful and it's natural skin care that is cruelty-free (non-animal tested)," Vegetarian Society approved and carefully scrutinized for their impact on the environment".

Elisha and I have tested out some of the facial masks and foot treatment (for those aching footsies). We both loved the Red Hot Earth Sauna Masque. The stuff instantly warms up on damp skin, removes impurities and clears excess oils. You just apply it and leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off with water. Your skin feels soooooo good after. Welllllll....for Christmas, Elisha sent me some MJ products (since the nearest Shoppers is 2 hrs away!!!) and for for kicks, I pampered myself last night.

Can I tell you how brutal it was? The exact same product that I loved a few months ago, I can't use now! The initial result was fantastic, but moments later, I started getting really itchy and then my face started turning red, bumpy and blotchy!! Really sucks because I love the stuff! I've never had any problems with MJ products before...so why now???

Do you think products like these have a shelf-life? I searched the package for an expiry date but couldn't find one.

Since I'm such a glutton for punishment, and really love Montagne Jeunesse I will give it another go. How can something so good be so bad for my skin? I've got a packet of Dead Sea Mud Pac Masque, so I'll try it out and see what happens. If I get the same horrible reaction, then I'll discontinue using the products. Weird, because I have VERY sensitive skin and MJ products seemed to work well for me before. Plus I like that the products are made with quality ingredients.

Here's an article that was written about my ESL Study Holiday Program. It was featured in the Sudbury Star in February 2006.

What a crrrrappy picture of me! LOL















** Oooops! Just a little amendment to this post: This article was printed in the Espanola newspaper, The MidNorth Monitor and not the Sudbury Star. My bad.**

I'm a loyal fan of Beach Body Fitness. They've got lots of different workouts to do, depending on what kind of results you want to obtain. I've purchased and am doing the Slim in 6 Program and Turbo Jam. We've got a few gyms here on the island, but I just don't feel like paying membership fees and getting in the car to get to the gym. The gym's about a 30 min drive from here.

With Slim in 6, I noticed results right away. I lost A LOT of weight and inches with the program, but then hit a plateau. I then got Turbo Jam and haven't felt like I've shrunk so much, but everything feels tighter. In any case, I enjoy the workout programs. They're fun, fun, fun...and great cardio. They've got a little kickboxing, capoera, aerobics, dance and resistance training mixed into the routines. It's a good way of getting your sweat going. Can't say I'm doing it so much for weightloss or anything--more so for just getting in some cardio every week. I'd have to say that I felt the burn more so with SI6 than with Turbo though.

With the wedding a mere 51 days away, there's more stress on keeping fit. i'm never going to be as rail thin as Kate Moss- and can't say I'd ever want to be! However, I do love to do my Beach Body routines. They are so much fun and nothing feels better than working up a sweat and feeling the burn!! LOL I'm talking about the workouts from BB, silly! ;)

PS. I Sweat a helluva lot more cutting, splitting and stacking firewood and building cedar rail fences though! LOL Guess there's nothing like good 'ol elbow grease. PLUS, when you're on the island, you're ALWAYS working outdoors. Busy, busy!

Wedding hair...arrgh! Soooo many styles to choose from! I've got very fine hair too, so all the more difficult to choose.

Here are some options (keep in mind I've got a tiara and a cathedral veil). If you have any pics or bridal hair ideas, please let me know!




I was thinking that this updo was too tight, but since it's going to be a beach wedding, everything needs to stay intact, especially if it's windy on the beach!




I kinda like this one. Is it too big though?



Sweet and simple (without the big white flower though!)

Prompted by my friend Jill's blog post on sleepwear, I've decided to include my new pjs. LaSenza is having a 15% sale on their website and the online sale starts today.

I've got a sick weakness for sleepwear. It's a curse. I simply need comfy, pretty, soft, gorgeous sleepwear.

Here are my two latest:

<-- very cute cami and panty set. Comfy and pretty. Very pleased with this one.





<-- great to lounge around in. Love having breakfast and reading the flyers in this one. I'm not usually a very bright color kinda gal, but I'm attempting to change my ways, as my students have dubbed me "The Crypt Keeper" because my entire wardrobe consists of black, black, and black. I'll start adding vibrant hues to my undergarments and go from there! lol

Remember I was telling you of an amazing pressie my sister-in-law-to-be is giving us??? Wellll...J's youngest sister and her best friend are getting us a wedding photographer!!! How crazy is that?? (considering I had a great wedding photographer on the island who I was thinking of hiring for our photos- a bit pricey, yes--but very talented!) Initially, I thought they were just getting a friend to take the photos. Noooooooo that wasn't good enough for Sel's older brother!

She and her bf have found an amazing photographer to take our photos. This guy is talented!! I've seen some of his work and am very excited! We told Sel we def could NOT accept a present like this, but she insists that it's her job as "best person" to get her bro a kickin' gift! Ohhh this gift definitely kicks butt! :)

Remember that very special person to me who was in an abusive relationship? Well, last weekend she mustered the courage to call the cops on her abusive bf and had a restraining order put on him and he's got a court case in August. He plead not guilty, of course.

Anyway, after giving her all the resources and info I had on these types of relationships and how to cope with the aftermath, etc, I thought we were in the clear. Well...how wrong was I? I was alerted that she was in contact with him over the weekend.

I don't know what to do anymore. She KNOWS that he is bad news and she knows that beating her up is wrong...then why keep in contact with him???? Especially when she has a restraining order on him?

Anyone out there have any helpful advice on how to help a friend in this type of situation? I don't know why she can't just let go :(

J and I will be having a treat for all our wedding guests at our ceremony on the beach. It involves the union of two hearts, two souls, two lives and two very different cultures!!!

J is Scottish/English/Canadian and I'm Chinese/Trinidadian/Spanish/Filipina/Canadian (phew! That's some handle!). We wanted our wedding to demonstrate the combining of both our cultures, so our guests will be treated to some really neat cultural stuff!! Let me just say that this will be one very different wedding! Definitely not typical, yet wonderful at the same time.

Stay tuned to see what we're up to! 55 days and counting!!!

A friend of mine has a candy company in Toronto and I love promoting all his latest goodies! No, not because he's a friend of mine...but because I truly love, love, LOVE his candy!!! His company has various flavours and they are all the coolest candies ever! The containers are unique and very hip too.

I'm not a big candy fan, but I have to say that I am addicted to his
Warp Green-T Energy mints.

Here's an exerpt from their www.bigskybrands.com website:
"Warp Green-T Energy Mints are the first brand to bring the invigorating boost of green tea to the confectionery category. Each mint is infused with a wild new flavor that combines intense lemon-lime citrus with the naturally refreshing taste of green tea.
Distributed as a sub-brand of the popular Warp Energy Mints product line, Green-T Energy Mints feature a unique formulation of ginseng, guarana and green tea extract, for a natural high-octane energy rush anytime and anywhere.
With Green-T, Big Sky is expanding its strategy of bringing the hottest, cutting-edge trends from the functional beverage category across to the confectionery market.
10 Warp Green-T Energy Mints are equivalent to one cup of brewed green tea.

For more information on Green-T Energy Mints you can visit our dedicated website at http://www.bigskybrands.com/files/www.warpmints.com" (Photo also from their website).

GO AHEAD! TRY SOME CANDY...YOU KNOW YOU WANNA!!! ;)

Left the island early this morning for Sudbury and boy was it ever an action packed day. I got everything I needed to get done and made it back to theisland around 8:30 at night.

I first went to Lindgrens to try on my wedding dress again. I am soooooooooooo in love with my dress!!!! I got shivers when I put it on. I know it sounds crazy, but seeing it on just made things all the more real. I was like, "OMG!!! I'm getting married in less than 2 months!!!"

I tried on several tiaras -what a nightmare! There are soooo many to choose from! I didn't want anything too 'blingy' and nothing too simple. My dress is very simple yet elegant, so I need something with a little bit of bling....but not too much. I'm not a bling girl :p Then came the veil. I already pretty much knew I was going to get this gorgeous cathedral veil. It's got Swarovsky crystals and it is stunning. Ohhhh! I cannot wait to wear the dress, tiara and veil at the wedding!! This is so exciting! Wonder how the cathedral veil and my train will do with the sand though, since it is a beach wedding!!

Then we went shopping and errand running. Got John his workboots at Mark's Work Wearhouse. They were on special...thank goodness! If my hubby-to-be only knew how much I dropped on wedding accessories, he'd freak!! LOL Wedding stuff (and weddings in general) are definitely NOT cheap!!

I have a question: Those of you who are already married, did you give your guests presents/bonbonniers at your wedding? I'm not sure if I'm doing wayyyy too much, but I got EACH guest 4 gifts! They are gorgeous gifts and def not tacky at all like some of the dollar-store looking things I've seen. Nothing wrong with the dollar store--don't get me wrong because I LOVE the dollar store! I'm just saying that I've seen some pretty yucky looking wedding favors before. :) Hmm maybe Idid go a bit overboard with the wedding favors, but I just want our guests to know how much we appreciate and love them and thank them for coming to our wedding.

Remember that beautiful flat screen TV my girls got us at my bridal shower?? BTW, thank you everyone who contributed! We love you lots!! Oh, and not just because you got us a new TV!! LOL :) Well, it is wonderful but....it's too big for our wall unit!! Dang! I thought we'd measured before but we're about an inch and a half short. Arrrrgh!

I am determined to get it to fit in there somehow. LOL

I'm the type of person who needs to make notes for everything- otherwise I forget. I know, I'm too young to use alzheimers as an excuse. I have no excuse, except for I just have a crappy memory. I admit, I'm a ditz sometimes.

Here's my list for tomorrow and I hope I don't forget anything:

1. Pick up parcel at the Sears outlet (a wedding pressie has arrived! Yay! I LOVE gift registries!!! Hmm..wonder what it is and who it's from!)
2. Go for final wedding dress fitting (yay! So exciting!!! Feel like a princess in my dress)
3. Buy accessories (veil, tiara, etc)
4. Go to the bank
5. Buy John some new workboots since his got scorched when they were putting out that big grass fire. Silly boy wasn't wearing his gear!
6. Buy wedding shoes
7. Try to assemble that bookcase that I was trying to assemble this afternoon. The dumb thing came crashing down on me when I already had everything screwed into place! Stupid thing!
8. Get whatever decorations still needed for the wedding.

I'm sure there's a zillion other things I need to do, but I'll just try to tackle these ones for tomorrow.

Spring is here, so it's time for a wardrobe change. The weather is getting soooo HOT now that it's time to shed the bulky clothes. With living on the island and working outdoors, I can't really dress up like one would in the city. Seeing as I deal with the public (with the little inn we operate) I need to look somewhat presentable. Seeing how we're also close to the beach, it's also nice to have beach wear!

I'm a fan of comfortable, affordable clothing and Old Navy offers just that. Good thing we have internet, because the island does not have any malls or chain stores/franchises.

Here's what I like so far:


These Old Navy gauchos are super comfortable. They come in 4 different colors. The material is stretchy so they make for great pants to lounge in and work in. Love 'em.
















Every girl needs a few new dresses in her closet.
This one is simple and comfy to wear. Nice for dinner at our fave restaurant. There's elastic to keep everything in place. I like the no straps bit because I am working on no tan lines to accommodate my wedding dress!!!!












Every girl needs a good pair of yoga pants! I usually get mine at Old Navy because they fit really well and are super comfy. I got a couple pairs last year (different styles and colors, of course!) when visiting family in New York. There's a great outlet mall in Central Valley, NY. They've got everything there! Anyway, I need yoga pants for pillates and yoga








Now these aren't the most exciting on the list, but they sure are comfortable! Great for walks on the beach. There's a drawstring and the material is a stretchy canvas.

It's true. Sometimes crappy things happen to good people.

J and the rest of the firefighters fought the blaze that scorched over 80 acres of land and they were at it for over 9 hours!!! Two other fire departments were called in and there were also two planes (one was a water bomber that doused the flames) and a helicopter. It was not a pretty sight. The poor guys were exhausted after such a long day. Fortunately there were no casualties.

Then this morning, we got a call from a passer-by saying that it appeared that one of the calves didn't look too well. J went out to see it and sure enough, it was dead :( To add insult to injury, the cow must have kept pushing and her uterus fell out of her. That's right. You heard it correctly- her uterus fell out of her! J's mom called saying there was another similar case in the barn. The vet was called in and he and J got her uterus back in but at the last minute, she died on them. Two dead calves and two dead cows. The turkey vultures were on one of the calves when J got there. They were cute little white calves.

Today is not a good day :( I don't know if I can ever get used to this part of farming. Poor J is down - still exhausted from yesterday's fire call and worn out from today's loss on the farm.

Today I got to witness first hand what a wonderful man I am marrying. J and I were in the next town doing our banking, groceries, and shopping for supplies for the deck he’s building his mom when we heard all this commotion coming from the radio in his truck. By the way the guys were talking on their radios, it sounded like something was definitely up.

Right away, J says, “Shit. We’ve gotta go back.” Here I am thinking: “But we haven’t even been in town five minutes and already we’ve got to go!” Needless to say, we didn’t get our groceries or banking done. We high tailed it back to Tehkummah and boy, does J ever drive fast when he’s on a call. The blinking light from the siren in his truck, the gritting of his teeth…you can definitely feel the adrenaline kick in.

We went from Manitowaning to the fire hall, grabbed his gear and all in less than fifteen minutes. The boys of the fire brigade were already on their way to the scene when we got to the hall. John kind of pulled a rolling stop for me to hop out of the truck in our lane way. I’m getting good at jumping out of moving vehicles! Just kidding!

All the excitement and it is not even lunch time yet!

I’m not certain how serious the call is, but all I know is that all the boys were called to fight the grass fire. I think these guys seriously ought to be given way more credit and support. Being a firefighter and First Responder is one of the most noble thing a person can do. They put their lives on the line every day for others. These men are definitely heroes in my eyes.

Okay, so I'm out early in the morning splitting fire wood. My hubby-to-be is next door at his mom's farm building her a deck with his sister. My dog's running around acting goofy, enjoying the gorgeous weather we're having, when all of a sudden the air gets a bit cool and a dark cloud hovers overhead, and crazy loud wolf howls fill the air. I SWEAR it was like it was straight out of a horror movie!

I practically peed in my pants because Chance's ears perked up, the howling got louder and louder and it wasn't just one wolf--it sounded like MANY! Then all of the dogs in the township seemed to reply back. I shit you not! I could hear tons of dogs in town returning the wolves' call! I was SCARED and thought Chance would bolt after them so I quickly ushered him into the house and kept him in there.

I then called J's mom and asked if they'd heard what I'd heard and she said "Yes! It was mortifying!" They had to tie up her dog too because she was about to bolt! Apparently, the wolves were right across the road from us! Yep...a few hundred feet away! YIKES!

Always exciting stuff on the island! LOL I'm such a city girl :p I DID almost wet my pants! I'm tellin' ya, it was scary!!!

With no snow on the ground and warm weather, it finally feels like Spring's here! The grass is already green and the deer are grazing in our field. It's so nice to eat our breakfast and look out the window to see a dozen deer every morning.

Chance isn't too happy, as the one pile of snow left on the property has melted away. He's a husky/lab (but his dad was a husky/wolf) so he LOVES the snow.

What a glorious day. I've already started my plants indoors so I can later transplant them into our garden. I've got tomatoes...lots of tomatoes! Beef Steak, Sub Artic, and Health Kit tomatoes--I grow our veggies so we don't have to buy produce in the summer and whatever over abundance we have, I freeze for winter consumption. Last summer I made tons and tons of salsa, tomato sauces, tomato juice...

Last year we also grew potatoes, green beans, green pepper, carrots, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage. My dad and John's mom also garden, so I'll make sure I don't duplicate whatever they have so we can swap produce later on.

John's got gorgeous raspberries growing on his property. They're huge, lush, juicy, sweet, red raspberries. My students last year had a blast picking berries. You know how it goes: "one for the basket and two for the mouth!" LOL *sigh* Kids!

We've got nice apple trees here too, so that takes care of the apple sauces, apple pies, etc. John's thinking of growing grapes one day and having our own little vineyard. How nice would that be to have our own winery? Well...maybe not the winery, but the vineyard sounds nice!!

First off, greetings to all on this Easter/Passover weekend. Hope it's filled with good times with family and friends. The girls (Courtney and Elizabeth) enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt in South Bay yesterday. I didn't know there were so many kids on the island! LOL Too cute. I remember when my cousins and I were kids, we used to go Easter egg hunting together. Good times.

Okay, the person near and dear to me that's going through a rough time, has finally pressed assault charges on her boyfriend that beats her up. People who haven't experienced a relationship that's dominated by someone who has a psychological/emotional hold on the other, don't realize how hard it is to just break free and let go. I know for months and months, we'd been urging this person to leave her boyfriend, but she kept going back. As frustrating and hurtful as it was, I can only imagine what she had been going through.

Though I've never been in a relationship where anyone's abused me physically or otherwise, I have been in a relationship where mind games were played. Perhaps my BF at the time wasn't aware of it, but there were serious psychological/emotional games going on. I too kept going back over and over, in hopes that things would eventually change. This never really happens though. People don't jsut change like that. I know my friends used to get so upset with me and never understood why I kept going back. It's a complicated thing really.

For my friend who is going through this rough time, I am thankful that you have found the strength to finally break free. I know it will be tough and sometimes you'll want to go back. You're strong and you'll get through this. You have a lot of people who love you and care about you.

One day you'll see that he wasn't good for you. The person you're meant to be with will make you feel good, will bring out the best in you and make you want to be the best person you can possibly be. No man should ever make a woman feel so little and demoralized. No man should make you ashamed or feel that everything is always your fault. You deserve better and once you see this and believe this, you will emerge a stronger, better person. We love you lots!

Sorry for the somewhat serious post. Have a great weekend! We're off to my mum-in-law's for Easter dinner tonight. I love having family so close by!

Haven't posted in a while. Things have been rather hectic. With the wedding 2 months away and a whole lotta other stuff going on, it's been tough to blog on a regular basis this week.

Things to note for this week:

1) A person very dear to me is going through a rough time. She is in an abusive relationship- mentally, emotionally, and physically. I've spoken to her a few times about this and she knows how bad the situation is...but she keeps going back to the guy!!! Everyone who loves her is torn by this. It's really hard to see someone you love go through such a horrible, vicious cycle. How to help out??? I know a person can only get help once that person is ready, but in such a case perhaps this person can't get herself out on her own? I'm at a loss. Don't know what to do and fear for her safety and mental well being.

2) My sister-in-law-to-be is giving J and me one of the most precious wedding gifts ever. I'll keep you in suspense a little while longer so you keep reading my blog! (and no, she isn't giving us a little niece or nephew!!)

3) My back's sore from splitting and stacking firewood. Pretty soon I'll be learning how to wire cedar rail fences.

4) Business at the inn is picking up again, which means it's officially Spring. Summer is going to be crrrrazy busy with tourists and I may have 4 students arriving in July.

5) Made a kickass pasta salad for supper tonight. As usual, no measuring though. 2 stalks chopped celery, 1 green pepper diced, 1 onion diced, elbow/macaroni noodles (cooked, of course), 1 can flaked tuna, low fat mayo, oregano, basil, thyme. Blend all ingredients. Fast, easy, yummy. I was so tired from all the work today so rather than whipping up a labour-intensive supper like I always do (last night was scalloped potatoes, roast, salad, homemade strawberry/rhubarb compote), I opted for a less than 30 min meal. Just kidding about the labour intensive suppers! True, I did cook scalloped potatoes, roast and homemade fresh fruit compote, but....I cheat!! I use my slow cooker most of the time! (Except for the fruit, which was simmered in a saucepan). Slow cookers....cook all day while the cook's away! Love it! :)

Have a great weekend everyone. Happy Passover! Happy Easter! Happy Weekend!

My bridal shower was a few weekends ago, but I've got some fun pics to post. Wow- 10 weeks until our wedding day! Time sure does fly!!! Hmmm...30's not a bad year after all. Turned 30, getting marrried, have my own ESL business, love my life and hubby-to-be :) And I used to dread turning 30! It's quite possibly the best year so far!

<--Jenny and Tita Rose (my mom's youngest sister). I love this mom and daughter shot!






Karaoke-ing the night away. Too funny!

Liquor + karaoke = a very entertaining evening





















<-- Be careful where you poke those things!!
<---Ouuuch!
BTW, nice boutay, S!!

What's new in the news today:
Before you continue reading, please note that the following are just my mere observations for the day and that my opinions in this blog really have no value, since this is mainly me being way too cerebral about matters that don't even involve me. Just some food for thought. Some disturbing, some interesting, some ridiculous, some not very interesting at all.

Absolutely Revolting: Grandparents guilty of murdering their 5 year old grandson
The Toronto couple abused and starved the child. "The court was told Jeffrey was kept in a locked room and forced to sleep in his own excrement. When he died just shy of his sixth birthday, he weighed less than a healthy one-year-old." How terrible is that??? It makes me really sad, upset, angry to hear news like that. How could anyone do such a thing to a child or anyone else for that matter? The little boy died of septic shock. Heck, most people treat their pets a helluva lot better than some people treat their kids.

Totally Shocking: McGill students featured nude in Playboy
Jeepers! I must lead a sheltered life! Maybe I'm naive, but I was shocked to read that Playboy magazine has listed McGill University as one of the top schools in North America to party in!!! Having grown up in Montreal, the city's vibrancy, nightlife, and liberal views are things that I am proud of. I'm not saying exposing one's body for all to see is wrong--heck, those who know me know that I hardly feel that way at all. It doesn't surprise me that Montrealers would be featured in a bunch of nude photo layouts in the men's magazine, but just that I was just surprised that McGill, with its reputation for first rate students and high standards would be classified as one of the best party schools in North America. Women can be sexy and incredibly intelligent- there's no doubt about that. I'm all for smart and sexy. Just wouldn't want the world to think that university (and Montreal) is all about the partying and sex. LMFAO!!! WOW! I MUST be getting old, because 10 years ago, I was big into the college lifestyle!

Utterly Perplexing: Is Katie Holmes really pregnant?
Well...is she? And is it really important if she is/isn't? *sigh* People just won't leave Tomkat and their little tomkitten alone. I have to admit that my curiosity has been piqued. As news broke out that the couple was expecting, people have been on the belly watch. Many photos taken show odd positionings of Katie's belly, that at times don't always look real. Others have noted that Tom Cruise has been married before and has been alligned with several Hollywood honeys prior to his coupling with Katie...and he has yet to father any other children. Anyway, who really cares if she's preggers or not...or if the baby's his or not? I just think the photos are fun to look at! LOL Notice how I did't bring up Scientology at all? I just knew it may spark some more debate.

Not Extremely Newsworthy: The Britney Birth Sculpture
DEDICATION HONORS NUDE BRITNEY SPEARS GIVING BIRTH. Pop-Star’s Pregnancy Idealized In Brooklyn ‘Monument to Pro-Life’. Some people view this as a celebration of Britney Spears giving birth to her son, Sean Preston. “A superstar at Britney’s young age having a child is rare in today’s celebrity culture. This dedication honors Britney for the rarity of her choice and bravery of her decision,” said gallery co-director, Lincoln Capla".
I'm still undecided on my view of this whole thing. Many people do marvelous things for society and mankind and aren't praised, acknowledged or canonized for it. Am I a fan of this piece of art? Well, it's art and I'm no stranger to nude sculptures (studied them in college and uni). What makes me unsure of how I feel is possibly the idea that the subject is depicted in a highly sexual way. She's giving birth!! Is that supposed to be seductive? I dunno.
Anyway, these are just my opinions and my thoughts...just take 'em with a grain of salt.

Not So Surprising: A friend of mine gave birth to a baby girl this morning.
In the wee hours of the morning a babe was born. Funny thing is that my friend and her hubby had decided not to find out the sex of the baby during the pregnancy since they wanted it to be a secret. By finding out the sex of the baby, they thought it would take out the whole element of fun out of it. Anyway, months and months ago, I kept telling my friend the baby would be a girl. I just had a feeling. My feeling is usually correct. I'm tellin' ya...sixth sense!! Anyway, that's 1 out of 7 babies to be born in the next few months. If you recall, 7 of my friends are expecting around the time of our wedding. Let the countdown begin!! This is so much fun! Can't wait to meet all these little guys and gals! VERY exciting!

This just added: perhaps I was wrong- along with all the other nay sayers.
My friends, it appears Katie Holmes really is preggers. From the previous photos it didn't look like it. Shame on me for thinking she was coveting a prosthetic belly. I really feel badly now that it seems she's had to go through great lengths to prove that she is indeed pregnant. Now....is it really Tom's baby she's carrying? LOL I'm only kidding. I don't really care. What i do find interesting though, is the fact that so many websites and blogs talk about conspiracy theories and notions that Katie's carrying Chris Klein's baby or that the little tomkitten will be messed up (one site debated that the tomkitten is in fact alien spawn- as if!). I don't know enough about Scientology to offer any critique or comment on anything, so...wutev!!
It just makes me laugh that everyone's so intrigued by this. I'm sure baby Tomkat and baby Brangelina will both turn out beautiful. LOL See? I've wasted a good few minutes blogging on something I reportedly said I had no interest in.

Alrighty...I'm outta here! G'night all!

Isn't this absolutely crazy??? My mom sent me an e-mail about these marzipan babies. Thought you'd be as fascinated with these as I. These are made with marzipan....really unbelievable! While some of the faces may look "crafted" rather than "real", every detail is amazing, and the rest looks VERY real.

Definition of Marzipan A, Almond paste: a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.


<--This one kind of looks like my hubby when he was a baby! Too cute! LOL I can't believe these babies are made of marzipan. Crazy!

Okay, I promise to try not to blog too much about wedding preparations. Luckily, there's only 10 weeks until the wedding, so soon you won't be reading about all the nitty gritty little details.

Life's been very busy these days. Soon things will be getting busier though. As soon as the first boat sails, the island will be infested with tourists. Hmm...perhaps infested isn't the best word. Yes, the island will be filled with tourists.

Right now, I just enjoy spending as much quality time alone with John before the mad rush begins. Lately, I've been either beautifying our home (yes, it does look fab! I just love our cute little house in the country!) or helping John with his work. My hubby-to-be's got me helping him out in the bush. Yes, me... City Girl! I've been taught how to swing an axe, split fire wood, pile fire wood, clean logs with an axe to make cedar rail fences...whoooo yeah. Then there's helping out with chores. By chores I mean working in the barn. The cows are all due to deliver now and so far we've got 9 very beautiful little calves. Among them are my favorites: a very pretty little white one and a gorgeous chocolate colored one.

A year or two ago and I don't think you'd catch me enjoying being so close to smelly barns, but for some reason I really love being close to the land and close to nature. Life is so beautiful. Funny how life tosses you some curve balls. It's interesting to see the way our story unfolds. I sometimes laugh to myself, thinking how funny it is that City Girl is now as far away from the city as I could possibly be :)

Of course, when John gets in from all his work (firefighting, First Response, the farm, the saw mill, the Co-Op), I have his meals ready for him. That slow cooker I got at my bridal shower has done wonders. Easy, delicious, healthy meals and a very happy hubby-to-be!

I am such a biter!! LOL So many of my friends have posted their "100 Things About Me" lists, that I decided I would write 50 things about me, since I'm now onto my 50th blog entry. I stole this idea mainly from Jill and Dina. (Thanks girls!)

Et voila!

50 Things about Me

1. I’m marrying the most wonderful man in the world and I’m so love with him.
2. It doesn’t take much to make me cry (anything from TV commercials to Disney movies bring on the tears!)
3. I love to draw and paint.
4. I love cooking for others! Hosting dinner parties and baking for charity events are some of my favorite things.
5. I love my little brother PJ (who’s not so little anymore! He’s now in university).
6. My family and friends are the dearest things to me.
7. I’m very close to my family and friends.
8. I now live on an island in the middle of the largest fresh-water lake in the world (that's in another fresh water lake).
9. My mom and I operate a little motel on the island.
10. I have my own English as a Second Language business.
11. I love teaching ESL.
12. I’ve traveled to Asia, Indonesia, the Caribbean, and have seen a lot of Canada and the United States.
13. I haven’t been to Europe yet and would also like to visit Australia and New Zealand.
14. I lived and taught in Japan for two years.
15. I still miss my life in Japan sometimes.
16. I would love to go back to Japan, but have planted roots here on the island.
17. I would never ask my hubby-to-be to move anywhere for me.
18. I love the life my hubby-to-be and I have.
19. I’ve had a few of my poems published.
20. I’ve been published in the newspaper a few times.
21. I’ve been featured in the newspaper a few times (either in interviews or in the local gossip column- don’t worry, good stuff only, of course!)
22. I don’t take criticism very well at all. The slightest critique makes me very defensive. It’s something I am trying to work on though.
23. I can’t stand rude, obnoxious ‘know it alls’.
24. I used to like to party hard when I was in my teens and early-mid twenties.
25. Now I can’t even drink. I’m such a lightweight that one drink now gets me sloshed.
26. I am turning into a carbon copy of my mother.
27. I hate clutter.
28. I’m not the greatest housekeeper! My kitchen and bathroom have to be immaculate, but everything else just tidy.
29. I love my puppy, Chance. If anything were to ever happen to him, I don’t think I could ever have another pet again!
30. I don’t keep any junk food or pop in our house.
31. I like to cook our food from scratch.
32. I graduated from university with a B.A. in Honours English.
33. I’ve been told that I’m too nice and need to toughen up sometimes.
34. I’ve been burnt in the past by people I cared for.
35. I love happy endings.
36. I surround myself with only positive people.
37. I’m creative and artistic.
38. The greatest pleasures are watching the Northern Lights light up the night sky or making a wish on a shooting star with my man.
39. Walking on the beach is a lot more enjoyable when you’re with the person you love.
40. I try to see the good in everyone, but that sometimes gets me burnt.
41. I like making lists. I’ve got a zillion to-do lists all over the place.
42. I love my dad.
43. I miss my late grandfather and my late aunt Zen.
44. Some of the most fun people to hang out with are a bunch of trannies on the beach in Puerto Galera.
45. I love my filipino background and I love my family in the Philippines.
46. I get along amazingly with my mother-in-law-to-be. She is such a wonderful woman.
47. I’m addicted to the internet. I NEED to check my e-mail every day, no matter how busy I am with work!
48. No matter what ‘city folks’ think, we ARE always busy here on the island!
49. I hate it when people think the island is isolated and there’s nothing to do.
50. I am afraid of heights, swimming in bodies of water where I can’t see what’s beneath me, spiders, the dark.

At my bridal shower a few weekends ago, I received one of the most wonderful gifts ever. My cousin Rene's girlfriend, Sharon got me a romantic novel. No, not one of your run of the mill trashy love stories filled with nothing but smut! This one is special, as the stars are none other than J and me! LOL Yes, the story has been personalized. Too funny!

Sharon had the novel made by www.romancebyyou.com and it is absolutely hillarious! We love it! J and I take turns each night reading each other a chapter before bed. *sigh* I know we're cheesy! LOL The main characters are:
*Christine, a savvy and stunning saloon/hotel owner
*John, a man with a secret past who rides into town on the rails of a new railroad
*Donna, the heroine's best friend
*Chance, the heroine's dog

This is a really creative gift. The fact that it's personalized makes it so special. I love that Sharon included my dog, Chance! Toooo cute! Here's the company's web address, should you wish to surprise someone with a personalized novel! www.booksbyyou.com

Just a quickie, since time's sort of short right now. Got a communal e-mail from my family and sometimes I really feel out of the loop being so far from everyone. I've always been very close to my family, so it really sucks being so far and not being able to just drive over there and visit/hang out.

Ah well. I wouldn't change my life right now since I'm so happy here. Too bad I can't get the rest of my family to move up to the island! LOL

One of my favorite sites is www.annegeddes.com . I just LOVE her photography... and aren't the babies all soooooo cute??? Just thought I'd share :) Oh, and all you mommies-to-be, I'm sure you'll enjoy the Anne Geddes site!

I guess Spring's here because not only are the animals ready to procreate, but I'm kinda feeling that aching womb feeling. You know, the feeling you get when you just want to have one of those tiny, cute, precious babies in your arms. Most of my friends are on baby #1 or 2 already and I have to admit that I am sooooooooo ready to have one of my own!

I keep imagining how wonderful it would be to have a little version of J and me. How wonderful it would feel to hold our own little baby. I'd better stop thinking about this because I don't want to jinx us! I know, I know...our wedding is but a mere 76 days away, so we can hold off till then to start the baby making.

This may sound like a bizzare thing to worry about, but I sometimes think "what if we can't have kids?" I don't know why the thought has entered my mind (on more than one occasion), but it is something I worry about. I know millions of people get pregnant very easily and some don't even try to conceive. Sooooo many people have unplanned pregnancies (I hate it when people call them 'mistakes' or 'accidents').

But what about those who try to conceive and just aren't able to? Not everyone is capable of having babies. I know for a fact that I am fertile- I've asked my doc a zillion times in the past and have been checked. I don't know why I have nightmares that maybe J and I may not be able to have kids. Weird. I know. I'd better stop obsessing. Anyway, that's what I sometimes think/worry about. Crazy.

Human babies aside, we have three new babies as of today. Three calves were born this week. Two little boys and a very cute little girl. Each weighed around 85 lbs at birth.

Well, it was my mum-in-law-to-be's 64th birthday yesterday, so I whipped up a little supper for her. We invited my parents for the meal as well and we all had a very lovely evening. It's so nice to have family close by and I do love getting together.

The meal:
*veggies and my homemade leek and sour cream dip to start the evening off (it's my mom's recipe!)

*homemade Caesar salad- the bacon bits were made by me, as well as the dressing and croutons. I save the ends of the loaves of bread I make and keep them in the freezer. I then remove them from the freezer when I need croutons and dice/cube them, season them and brown them. The best croutons ever, homemade, no preservatives, you know what exactly goes into them because you make them yourself.

*amazingly yummy, delicious, melt in your mouth pot roast. I Christened the slow cooker I received at my bridal shower and used my brother, Bobby's wonderful recipe. The roast was served with potatoes and carrots

*homemade marble cake and vanilla ice cream

I think the mothers were both relieved to see that J will definitely not starve and I actually do know how to cook homemade meals! Did I tell you that it's absolutely forbidden for me to NOT cook everything homemade? We do not eat anything from a box, package, carton, can...no preservatives and no instant, ready to cook meals. It's kind of hard when work gets in the way, but I guess millions of women have cooked from scratch for decades (heck, even centuries).

Hmm...good thing I love cooking. It sometimes worries me that I'll be balancing a new life as a wife, being a teacher, and a motel operator with my mom. How to balance everything? Again, women have been 'super women' since the beginning of time, so I guess I'll somehow naturally be able to juggle everything.

Oh, the vanilla ice cream was churned by yours truly too! (LOL Just kidding- I did cheat on that one, but we do have an ice cream churner!)