DELAYED!

I'm currently sitting at my boarding gate writing this blog on one of the convenient YVR internet terminals. I should be sitting on my plane getting ready for take off! Gotta love the snow. Oh it so beautiful. I'm sure the little kiddies are thrilled to have a snow day and a free day off school. I know my brother is thrilled because I'm sure he didn't have to go to work today. I'm sitting here less than thrilled that 2 hours have been taken off my vacation time. Not to mention that I'm stuck in the international terminal, with no way out! Okay, it's not that bad. But...

We woke up at 4:00 a.m. today. Amazing how I can rise and shine and be chipper and full of energy when I know a plane is waiting to take me to Mexico. We called our cab ab 5:45. We went downstairs to wait outside for it, figuring it would arrive right away. I mean how many people are up and calling cabs at that hour? Apparently a lot when it snows. We waited 30 minutes for it to show up. I spent much of that time standing on the sidewalk, not wanting it to miss us. I shouldn't have bothered drying my hair...it was totally wrecked and we hadn't even left the house! We finally got our cab, which we ended up sharing with someone else who was standing on the road and looked to be going to the airport. Safe and sound at the airport, we checked in with no line ups. Apparently that is because everyone else had already checked in. So no seats together. That's okay. I told the agent I didn't really want to sit beside Dave anyways. (ha ha ha just kidding!) I gulped down my meds and we breezed through security. Next stop - Duty Free. Unfortunately the did not have my brand of cigarettes. Damn. Now I have to smoke Player's all week. I stop in a bathroom to take stock of myself. Thank God I put a hat in my carry on bag! Off to Starbuck's for tea and coffee, and Timmy's for some tea biscuits (I must purchase my food before the flight. I just cannot eat whatever it is that they try to pass off as food. Grab some magazines and a bag of snack mix and we're at the terminal in plenty of time to board. I see this intenet terminal, and go off in search for loonies. As I pass the gate I see the sign says we are now leaving at 11:00. Hmmm. I needed a smoke after my tea and Timmy's. Now I really need one. Trek back to security to plead our case and be allowed out to smoke. No such luck. Back to the gate to plead with the staff there to escort us out. No luck. I revert back to 14 and head to find a bathroom. I do need a cigarette. How badly, well that's debatable. I'm probably just being a tad defiant and making a point on principle. I find a handicapp bathroom and smoke a whole cigarette. Nothing happens. I report back to Dave and he goes off to do the same, although he is much more reluctant and concerned about getting caught. I figure whatever, if you are going to trap in this section with no doors to outside, then you better expect people are going to break the rules! Anyways...now here I sit with 5 minutes left to post this blog.

All in all, I'm in a good mood and ya, we're delayed, but it could be worse...we're not cancelled! And look...you all get one more post before I go!

So...enjoy the snow, enjoy the slush when it turns, and enjoy the rain that I am certain must follow. I really will be thinking of you all while I'm kicked back in the hot Mexican sun.

Otro Margarita Por Fabor

Another margarita please...Otro margarita por fabor. I have just learned my key phrase for our one week trip to Mexico. Yep...tomorrow we are off to sunny Manzanillo for a one week, all inclusive stay at what appears to be the very swanky Las Hadas Golf Resort and Marina. Outlook: sunny, 30 during the day, cooling off to a balmy 22 at night. Ah, we love our life. Book a trip on Friday, leave the following Tuesday. Clearly, I am seeing the benefits of being "disabled" and unable to work full time here. Not so bad. Now that I have my head wrapped around a vacation as opposed to more travelling that is.

Ever since our trip to Portugal I have been dreaming of more travel to Eurpore. I immediately began saving any extra penny possible for another adventure to a foreign land where Dave and I could spend an extended length of time discovering a different culture, a different history, a different land. I eyed packages and deals similar to the one we had in Portugal. Spain, Italy, France. They all called out my name. My desire to go back to Europe is so strong. The idea of a one week all inclusive vacation was just not what I had in mind. Dave, however, made it very clear upon our disasterous return from Portugal that he would not be making any transatlantic flights with me for some time. In fact, he would need to see me stable for at least one year, with no significant ups or downs, before he even considered crossing all those time zones with me. Our travels would be limited to North America, perhaps as far as the Carribean or Central America. No Europe. He sounded like a lot like my shrink whenever the subject of work came up. And he wasn't joking. And who could blame him? The poor guy was left to deal with and explain his manic, obnoxious, yelling, pushing, kicking, then drugged, drooling, barely able to stand lunatic girlfriend from Lisbon to Frankfurt to Vancouver. Like I'd want to be in those shoes!

So, over the past year I have continued to pursue the idea of Europe, pointing out travel deals, talking about places I want to go, until finally having to accept that this was just a non-negotionable. Okay. So, I recently put myself into vacation mode...spending much too much time on travel websites looking at sunny destinations and getting into the idea of spending a week at a resort doing absolutely nothing but laying in the sun, dipping in the pool and ordering margaritas (or any fun fruity drink for that matter) from the swim up bar. Heavenly. The sooner the better. A couple weeks ago, Dave decided the time was now and we, or should I say I, began spending even more time on travel websites scoping out deals. Dave contacted his travel connections last week and on Friday we were booked into the Las Hadas. I was THRILLED! I'll be spending my 36th birthday alternating between laying poolside and sitting at the poolside bar. I don't think it gets better than that!

So, great travelling it may not be, but then again, what can be better than spending a week doing nothing but relaxing by the pool, soaking up the sun and leaving the "real world" behind? Otro margarita por fabor!

Who Reads This?

Every once in awhile I am informed that someone that I had no idea was reading this blog is, in fact, reading it. It happened again today. Which has got me thinking...who and how many people are reading this? I do know for sure of a small group of people who read it on at least at somewhat regular basis. Some people even check it every day. (I guess they still haven't figured out that I'm not writing every day.) But now I think that a census is in order. It has nothing to do with my ego. Really. I enjoy writing and this is a great outlet. I don't really need fans and accolades and heaps of praise for my great writing. (LIES, LIES, LIES!) I just think it would be prudent to know my entire audience. I mean, knowing your fan base is important, isn't? Okay, I can't even come up with any more untruths. The fact is, I want to know who reads this! I am damn curious as to how many people actually take the time to sit down and read about my trials and tribulations. And okay, yes, this will make me feel all fabulous about myself and my writing. But it is also humbling and fills me with a great sense of gratitude. In the busy world we all live in, I am always amazed by the people who take a time out to check Ange and Dave's Excellent Adventures of All Kinds, Big and Small.

SO...here's the deal. I really do want to know who's out there reading. Seriously. I am taking a census. In order to be counted, please sign on to leave a comment on this post. If you can't figure out how to leave a comment, then email me at ange72@shaw.ca to tell me you read this. The census will close on February 8 (although obviously I will take responses indefinitely!) I shall post a blog with my census report when it is complete. You are certainly all laughing at me at this point, but think of it as a fun interactive blog. Think of me constantly checking to see the results...this should inspire you to participate! In other words, humour me!

Thanking you in advance for your readership,
Angela Simpson,
2008 Blog Census Administrator

Our Backyard

Tuesday afternoon. It's a gorgeous sunny day. Dave and I headed to Cypress to ski sans any weekend crowds. (Ya, I know, we got it good.) What. A. Day. Aside from the fact that I totally kicked ass on the hill (Dave will surely comment on what a ski goddess I was), it was a completely clear sunny day and the views were incredible. It is so stunning it leaves you speachless. This is our back yard. I don't know what more to say. This really is the best place on earth!!!



At the top of Sky Chair I was stunned by the 360 views of the lower mainland, since every other time I've been to Cypress it's been foggy and seeing the tips of my skis has been a challenge. I had no idea what and how far you could see! From the Lions, to Bowen Island, North towards Squamish, the entire city of Vancouver and way beyond to the Valley and Mount Baker and everything in between. A 40 minute drive from my beach backyard, my mountain backyard is truly breathtaking.

Now if only I could figure out how to lay out my photos properly...these are just a few to give you a taste of our truly stunning backyard. Jealous?

The Reading List

So today I decided to gather all the books that I either haven't read or have started but not been able to finish due to lack of attention span or sudden onset of inability to focus and concentrate. I figured I probably had about a dozen or so books kicking around my bookshelves that needed to be read or finished. And by finished I mean re-read since my ability to retain anything I have read is minimal at best. I can't even remember what I read where I last left off when I am reading a book on a daily basis. I have to go back re-read the last few pages just to re-fresh my memory and get me up to speed. Although I often blame this on my wacky brain biochemistry, the fact that I am a skim reader probably doesn't help this. But then doesn't this go back to my attention span? (You can see how easily my brain can get off track!)

Anyways...back to gathering books. My plan: gather books, clear a shelf, line up said books and there would be my little library so when the urge to read hits, I'd be sure to have a few good books to choose from. What happened: I gathered up all those books. All 41 of them. (How did I come to accumulate so many unread books?) I then had to clear three shelves to make room for them all. I then had rearrange all the books from those three shelves back into other parts of the shelves, messing up my whole bloody system of books! My estimated 10 minute project took almost an hour. I had no desire to start reading after this.

I have calculated that I will need to read almost one book per week if I am to read all of these books this year. I have now lost any excuse at all to go to Chapters. Unless I just go to Chapters and don't buy anything. But we all know I can't leave Chapters without at least 3 new books. Hmmmm. Is this how I have accumulated all these unread books in the first place? Aaaagggghhhhh! Still no desire to start reading. The feeling I'm having is more like the feeling you got when you were handed your reading list on the first day of a class, and after quickly calculating that it was literally impossible to read it all in one semester, you would toss it in your bag and head to the pub for a beer.

p.s. - 3 posts in one day...I may use this when I fall behind! :)

Pass It On

I forgot to tell you...you will notice a little email icon (little envelope) at the bottom of each post. If you want to email the post to someone, click on it. Being the narcissist that I am, I lavish at the thought of everyone emailing my incredibly interesting, funny, insightful and all around entertaining blogs to their friends. Okay, perhaps this is somewhat pathetic, but at least I can admit my love of attention. Or perhaps I should just be taking a few more pills. Either way, share away.

A New Look

As you may have noticed (if you haven't, them I'm not sure what to say to you) I've changed the look of this blog. Inspired by another blogger's page, I decided that I did not like mine. Truth be told, I just wanted to use their template. But I can't just copy someone else now, can I? So, I have wasted away the morning pretending to be a designer (emphasis on pretending), working hard on choosing templates, font sizes, colours, ect. to come up with something that is close to what I really want. Sigh. Now that I am done, I am not sure how much I actually like it. Why don't I go back and make changes you ask? Quite simply, my attention span, like a child, is not long and I have now lost interest in working on this. My attention will now be shifted to something else. Probably some scrabble on Facebook. (Yes, guilty as charged - I am a Facebook user.)

Anyways, for the few of you who have mastered the apparently difficult skill of logging on to make comments here, I await your thoughts on the new look.

No Pressure No Stress

I can't believe a week has passed and already I should be coming up with something to write about again. It is a damn good thing I'm not an actual writer with a real deadline! Although perhaps with a real deadline and some pressure I'd be better at coming up with something to write about! I never have been one to work well under the absense of pressure and stress. Hmmm. I'm not sure how that's going to play out in my new job as house girlfriend. My boss isn't exactly the high pressure type. And he doesn't really have any expectations. I mean, he's thrilled when I place a fabulous meal in front of him, but he is also happy to heat up a Swanson Salisbury Steak T.V. Dinner for himself. And I have a feeling the level of accountability may be pretty low. I could turn quickly turn into a sloth before either of us knew what happened. Of course, I do have great plans for myself....

I will not be sleeping the day away. Nope! My alarm will be set and I shall wake up at the reasonable time of 10:00 or 11:00 each day. (I am not a morning person and won't even kid myself that I can arise any earlier without a reason that includes me having to leave the house for something important). Since I tend to wake up my boss, it's all on me. But so far, 8 days into this new year, so good.

I shall not spend the entire day in my robe or sweat pants. Nope! I will have my tea and be showered and fresh within a couple of hours of waking up. Right. My boss doesn't care what I look like. My boss hangs around in his sweat pants until late afternoon. This will be a challenge.

I will faithfully attend my support group once a week, preferably on Tuesdays. Here I am counting on my boss to make sure I go by getting up and driving me. He is not to take any excuses. Off to a bad start. Today it didn't take much more than "I don't feel like going today; I slept in; I'm not ready" to get off the hook. You can see my boss is easily swayed. I'm sure it's my sweet charm and good looks.

I am going to start writing my book. So far I have had my boss retrieve my box of journals from storage. (I don't like going to the storage locker - it's very creepy down there!) I've opened the box, poked through the box and closed the box. It sat in the hallway for a few days and today I moved it into the office. But I have been doing some writing in my head. No pressure from my boss though.

I am going to start getting back into cooking - I mean really good cooking, not just throwing together a meal cooking. I have a great kitchen and I'm going to enjoy it. In this department already I've been a great success. Yes, some meals are the standards, but I've also made a couple new recipes that have wowed the boss. I've got a new cookbook full of delicious looking meals that I'm itching to try. This is really a no brainer since cooking is the one thing I get so much pleasure out of and has the bonus of being a stress reliever for me. And I get so many bonus points from my boss.

I am going to read all the books I've purchased but either have not read or have only partly read. I intend to gather up all said books and just start reading through them. I just haven't gotten to it yet. But jeez, it's only the 8th of January...I'm not Superwoman! Again, no pressure from the boss.

I am also going to get back to keeping better informed about the news and current events by watching the news and reading the news online. See above re: progress to date.

And that's about all I can think of at the moment. Most importantly, I'm going to enjoy every second that I feel good. I want to live my good times fully and completely and when the bad times come just take care of myself. So, I shall learn to live without stress and embrace a stress free life. My health really is my number one priority. Because when I'm not healthy, I'm not the only one who is suffers. Being healthy will allow me to be more present in my relationship, spend more quality time with Dave, and enjoy more adventures, big and small, together. I know my boss would agree that this is of the utmost importance over anything else. And I think this is the one thing he'll really hold me to (God bless him!)

Italian By Osmosis?

Okay, this is short, but I just think it’s funny. Just to clarify, Dave is Czech. As in both his parents are Czech, he is fully Czech. I am half Italian on my mother’s side and half English/Scottish and my Dad’s side (I think – Dad you can clarify if I have that wrong). I associate myself as being Italian because I have spent all of my life surrounded by the Italian side of my family, while I spent little time with the other side.

So, the other night Dave says “Oh I forgot to tell you…” He had received an invitation from the Italian Cultural Centre for some sort of wine and cheese or social thing celebrating their newly renovated banquet hall. Um, pardon me? Why is Dave getting an invitation to the Italian Cultural Centre? Okay, firstly, I am the Italian one in this house. I didn’t get an invitation. And secondly, Dave has never even been to the Italian Cultural Centre. In fact, Dave didn’t even know where the Italian Cultural Centre was until a couple months ago when we were talking about Dario’s restaurant (located there).

Now granted, Dave and my family have fully embraced each other. I mean Dave took to my family like a kid in a candy store. And my family took to him just the same. Dave loves being with my family and loves all of our family gatherings. He loves the Italian cooking, the Italian hospitality and of course, all that love that emanates from everyone in my family. Perhaps he is becoming Italian by osmosis?

Still, why the hell is he, the non-Italian, getting an invitation to an event at the Italian Cultural Centre while I, the true Italian (well, at least half) am not? I think this is funny and I get over myself and then we laugh hysterically at the irony of it.

The Best Of 2007

Well, I had intended to post this for New Year's Eve, but obviously I didn't. So here is now

It seems that time goes by so fast and it is easy to forget everything that made up my 2007. But when I think about it, it was a pretty full year with lots of great adventures and of course, some great challenges. So, here are Ange and Dave's 2007 Top 10 Excellent Adventures of all Kinds Great and Small (in no specific order - I'm just not thinking that clearly!):

1. A month in Portugal. I survived my first transatlantic flight with seeminly no problems (although a closer look may reveal some slight hypomania upon arrival). For three weeks I felt fabulous and Dave and I couldn't get enough of this amazing vacation...from lazing poolside, to incredible beaches, to quaint towns and villages, to miles of cork trees, old ruin and after old ruin, and especially to just getting in the car and going. It did not take us long to lose the feeling of being a tourist and start feeling like we lived there. Of course, all great high moods must come to an end and our last week left Dave mainly exploring on his own while I stayed in bed, becoming more miserable and intolerable by the minute. Poor Dave was left to try to manage me on our long journey home, apologizing and trying to explain as I was beligerent, aggressive and well, just plain really ugly manic. I'm not sure what would have happended had he not been there, but I sort of think it may have involved the police. Thank you Dave for keeping me drugged and for having the patience to make sure I made it back home. Needless to say, Dave is not planning on going on any transatlantic flights with me anytime soon! Ah, but we survived and since I really don't remember the trip home, all my memories of Portugal are fabulous and we now laugh at the disasterous trip home.

2. Viva Las Vegas. What can I say? Dave and I had the best time in sin city. We always marval at how compatible we are and how we are always on the same page. I don't think I could have that much fun with anyone else. And this time, he didn't have to drug me on the flight and hold me up at Customs!

3. One Year. June came around and we realized that a year had passed since we first found each other. I'm not sure what Dave was thinking but I marveled that he had survived me for a year and still wanted to stick around. I figure it takes someone really special to love me the way Dave does, completely unconditionally, crazy or not. And for that, I love him incredibly. We celebrated by spending the night in Victoria and taking in the Titanic Exhibit. Very romantic.

4. The Move. Upon our return from Portugal, with me still out of control, it became pretty clear we needed more space. We found our perfect 2 bedroom apartment and made our move in August. Here we learned that we have way more stuff that we thought and that we are completely inept at judging how long it would take movers to move our things, thus our cost estimate was nowhere near the actual cost and I almost had a heart attack when I was asked to sign the invoice at the end of the day! But those amazing sunsets I see from my window make it all worth it. We purged everything we had two of, thus officially letting go of the idea that things may not work out and we would need said stuff. We signed a two year lease, thus ensuring our rent stays put for two years and that, well, we figure we're still going to like each other for that long! And finally, we made ourselves a home. No more Dave Mustane paintings and Hedley Platinum records in the living room!

5. I ski again. After a 14 year hiatus, and not wanting to be left out as Dave hit the mountains, I buckled in and learned that it is sort of like riding a bike. On my first run I successfully made it down the mountain with a huge rush and a massive feeling of wanting more. Thanks to Dave for equipping me with all my gear last Christmas, we enjoyed some time on the local mountains as well as some time at Whistler. I walked away without a scape and no yard sales were to be hosted by me! I now await my 2008 debute!

6. Dave continues to travel the world. I was left home (insert whining here) while Dave packed up and travelled to Mexico (twice), Jamaica and Hong Kong. He claims he is lonely without me, while I go online and view the resorts he is staying at and have no pity. If he talks about one more lobster dinner I may not speak to him again! Ah, but someone has to do this job and really, while I miss him dearly when he is away, I love having that time to myself. It all seems to work out. Other than the fancy hotel and lobster dinner parts!

7. I become a working girl. In the spring I attempt to work again. I am hired by a small family law firm, part time. (Thank you Michelle!!) With the support of my doctors and their willingness to pretend to ignore this fact and keep no record of it, I go to work. It's flexible. I enjoy the two lawyers I work for. I feel a sense of purpose. And of course that extra money aleviates an enormous amount of stress. It all works out quite fantastically until I begin to slide in the fall, becoming more and more depressed and anxious. By December I have learned that I am not able to work and make the very hard decision to quit. Oh the joys of the unpredictability of my illness! I shall become a house girlfriend in 2008.

8. My own vacation. While Dave is off travelling to hotter climates, I take off for a few days to visit my Dad in Edmonton. Actually, it's summer, so it's hot there too. Since I don't see my dad often, it's nice for me to have a little vacation that includes some quality time with my dad.

9. Dave officially becomes an uncle. I recieve an email from my sister-in-law Helga telling me that Markus has started calling Dave "Uncle Dave" and she wonders if this is okay, and let's keep it consistent for Katie. As I'm sure you have no doubt, Dave is thrilled. I'm thrilled too...thrilled that the kids love him, thrilled that he has already thought of them as his niece and nephew for a long time and thrilled that he loves his new title. So while I'm still being called Aunty "Mange", Dave is completely clearly being called "Uncle Dave". But a post note here...on Christmas day Markus called my Aunty Ange for the first time (I mean instead of "Mange").

10. A visit from Mom Priban. We got to have Dave's mom Jarmila here for about a week, which was wonderful. Unfortunately I had to work, so I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I would have liked. She has now moved to Ontario and I don't know how often I will see her. She is a wonderful woman, and it was great fun to have her here, giving Dave a hard time and always being on my side! I'm lucky to have a "mother-in-law" who I love and who loves me too, just like Dave, just the way I am.

So, there it is. A top 10 of 2007. There were many more adventures had and challeneges survived. When we both sit and look back at the year, we can't believe all we've done in such a short time. But of coure, you know all about it because you've been reading this blog faithfully all year, right?