As many of you are pretty smart you may have guessed from the title change that there has been a relationship change as well. Don't panic...it's all good. Very amicable and we sill talk regularly. Without going into detail, let's just say that my and Dave's relationship had gone from romantic to best friends and along with that the dealing with my illness was taking a great toll. Dave and I have an incredibly strong bond as friends and I have no doubt that we will continue to be a part of each other's lives. We just need to figure out what it looks like. Sigh. So sad news. But like I said to Dave, "I'd rather end with love in our hearts than hate." Anyways, I figure this puts it out there for everyone and hence, the new title to my blog... I am off to find my own adventures!
And p.s. - I am doing fine thank you! :)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Vegas Road Trip In Pictures
Some photos of our Vegas Road Trip.... They just don't do it justice but at least there's something for you to see! :)
Valley of Fire State Park....
Valley of Fire State Park....
Red Rock Canyon (next 4 photos)...
VEGAS ROAD TRIP!
Have you ever been to Vegas and actually left the strip? I have been to Vegas numerous times and still haven’t even seen everything on the strip. The farthest I’ve been off the strip is to the Rio Hotel. Well, this time we had 5 whole days in Vegas and I wanted to see something different – I wanted to rent a car and just drive out into the desert. I had a picture in my head of driving in the middle of nowhere, just desert all around. I got my picture and more. Describing what I saw will be difficult to put into words, if not impossible. But it’s worth telling because I think it should be on everyone’s “Things I Must See Before I Die” list.
After picking up our car, stopping at Denny’s for breakfast (what’s a road trip without Denny’s?) we headed off to Red Rock Canyon, at 15 minute drive from the strip, which I’m sure you’ve all heard of…known for it’s outdoor concerts and of course its televised poker tournaments. Anyways, we think we are going to drive up to some beautiful vista, be amazed by the red rock, snap some photos and be on our way. Ah, no. This is a National Conservation Area that has a scenic driving loop through the canyon with about 10 stops along the way, all kinds of trails, rock climbing, etc. It is stunning. You stand and look at these red mountains, which began forming over 600 million years ago and it is awe-inspiring. Beyond anything we thought we were going to see. After a couple of hours and many snaps, we are ready to really hit the highway out of Vegas to our next destination – The Valley of Fire State Park.
I am anxious to hit open road and be surrounded by nothing, so I’m hoping the highway is going to lead us that way and that we are not going to be passing through sprawling suburbs. I am pleased to say that once we were out of the city limits, there was nothing but desert as far as the eye could see…no suburbs, only the rare other vehicle and not even a gas station. We did see eight F-18 fighter planes flying around, which was pretty cool, but other than that it was just nothing, nothing, nothingness along the 45 minute drive. Sooooo awesome!
Again, we had no idea what to expect here. We had pretty much randomly selected the destination, although we did know there was some sort of rock formations to be seen. As we drove off the highway and along the road heading to the park there was still no indication of what we would arrive at. We were figuring a few rock formations and some wonderful canyon vista again. Ah, no again. What we happened upon was truly mind blowing and words will never describe accurately what we saw. Pictures cannot even do it justice. We finally got to the park entrance, put our $6 park fee in the box and as we rounded the first corner we were pretty much stopped dead in our tracks.
A massive expanse of deeply red coloured rock with so many formations that I just could not believe what I was seeing. I could not believe this was a natural creation. I wondered if I was hallucinating and had to keep checking with Dave as to whether he was seeing what I was. I literally kept questioning Dave as to whether or not perhaps someone had come in here and carved all of these formations…people, faces (angels, ghostly faces and more), animals (elephants, eagles, lizards and more), beehives…well, really if you can think of it, there is probably a formation of it. At least that is what it felt like. At every turn we saw something new. And after turning again that same rock would morph into something else. I was in shock and awe during our entire drive around the park and we did not even see the entire thing, which encompasses about 36,000 acres of land and has about 20 miles of roadway to drive around! I must say if someone wants to argue God versus Nature this place is a damn strong argument on the Nature side!
Arriving late in the day, we were literally the only ones there. Me, Dave and an expanse of natural wonder the like of which I have never ever seen in my life. I cannot believe we had never heard of this place and really think it ought to be listed as one of the Wonders of the World. This was most definitely the highlight of my trip. The combination of exploring this enormous piece of the Mojave Desert without another person in sight and the vastness of the naturally created formations that we saw were just beyond anything I could have pictured when I originally saw myself out in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere. So it was here in the Valley of Fire that we sat and waited to watch the sun go down, surrounded by nothing but rock and sprawling desert and not a single sound.
If you have been to Vegas but never left the strip, well, there’s a lot more out there than the man made craziness of that one piece of road. Get a car, get off the strip and check out what natural beauty is so close to the unnatural bells and whistles of Vegas that draw all the tourists. And skip Red Rock – it’s cool, but nothing compared to the Valley of Fire.
(photos to be posted on a separate blog...)
After picking up our car, stopping at Denny’s for breakfast (what’s a road trip without Denny’s?) we headed off to Red Rock Canyon, at 15 minute drive from the strip, which I’m sure you’ve all heard of…known for it’s outdoor concerts and of course its televised poker tournaments. Anyways, we think we are going to drive up to some beautiful vista, be amazed by the red rock, snap some photos and be on our way. Ah, no. This is a National Conservation Area that has a scenic driving loop through the canyon with about 10 stops along the way, all kinds of trails, rock climbing, etc. It is stunning. You stand and look at these red mountains, which began forming over 600 million years ago and it is awe-inspiring. Beyond anything we thought we were going to see. After a couple of hours and many snaps, we are ready to really hit the highway out of Vegas to our next destination – The Valley of Fire State Park.
I am anxious to hit open road and be surrounded by nothing, so I’m hoping the highway is going to lead us that way and that we are not going to be passing through sprawling suburbs. I am pleased to say that once we were out of the city limits, there was nothing but desert as far as the eye could see…no suburbs, only the rare other vehicle and not even a gas station. We did see eight F-18 fighter planes flying around, which was pretty cool, but other than that it was just nothing, nothing, nothingness along the 45 minute drive. Sooooo awesome!
Again, we had no idea what to expect here. We had pretty much randomly selected the destination, although we did know there was some sort of rock formations to be seen. As we drove off the highway and along the road heading to the park there was still no indication of what we would arrive at. We were figuring a few rock formations and some wonderful canyon vista again. Ah, no again. What we happened upon was truly mind blowing and words will never describe accurately what we saw. Pictures cannot even do it justice. We finally got to the park entrance, put our $6 park fee in the box and as we rounded the first corner we were pretty much stopped dead in our tracks.
A massive expanse of deeply red coloured rock with so many formations that I just could not believe what I was seeing. I could not believe this was a natural creation. I wondered if I was hallucinating and had to keep checking with Dave as to whether he was seeing what I was. I literally kept questioning Dave as to whether or not perhaps someone had come in here and carved all of these formations…people, faces (angels, ghostly faces and more), animals (elephants, eagles, lizards and more), beehives…well, really if you can think of it, there is probably a formation of it. At least that is what it felt like. At every turn we saw something new. And after turning again that same rock would morph into something else. I was in shock and awe during our entire drive around the park and we did not even see the entire thing, which encompasses about 36,000 acres of land and has about 20 miles of roadway to drive around! I must say if someone wants to argue God versus Nature this place is a damn strong argument on the Nature side!
Arriving late in the day, we were literally the only ones there. Me, Dave and an expanse of natural wonder the like of which I have never ever seen in my life. I cannot believe we had never heard of this place and really think it ought to be listed as one of the Wonders of the World. This was most definitely the highlight of my trip. The combination of exploring this enormous piece of the Mojave Desert without another person in sight and the vastness of the naturally created formations that we saw were just beyond anything I could have pictured when I originally saw myself out in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere. So it was here in the Valley of Fire that we sat and waited to watch the sun go down, surrounded by nothing but rock and sprawling desert and not a single sound.
If you have been to Vegas but never left the strip, well, there’s a lot more out there than the man made craziness of that one piece of road. Get a car, get off the strip and check out what natural beauty is so close to the unnatural bells and whistles of Vegas that draw all the tourists. And skip Red Rock – it’s cool, but nothing compared to the Valley of Fire.
(photos to be posted on a separate blog...)
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Letter to the Crows
I CAN. NOT. STAND. CROWS. I seriously believe there should be a cull of you, you loud, nasty flying rats. You are downright mean, attacking people, other birds and small animals. And you abound everywhere. Currently a large segment of your population has taken up living in the trees street on my street. The noise you make is both annoying and creepy. I’d rather hear motorcycles and sirens than your aggravating squawking. I admit, you do happen to scare me, as I was once attacked by one your kind. And I don’t mean it just swooped around me. I mean this thing got its claw on my shoulder and pecked me in the head – hard! I realize creatures you like to protect their young, but really now, if I’m not actually approaching your bloody nest to abscond off with your stupid little baby bird, they BACK. THE. FUCK. OFF! And stop trying to steal food from seagulls. Stop grabbing food right out of the hands of people on the beach. Stop attacking the little birds who are helpless against you. And stop making so much fucking noise! We hear you and we aren’t interested in you or your young in’s!
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Writing Spree
It was wonderful this morning to sit on my patio and actually be able to sit and write. My brain was not fogged in and allowed my ideas to flow onto the "page". So below you will find the results of this little writing spree. Enjoy!
Full Circle?
9 years ago to the date I left Abby behind and moved myself into the city. I didn’t know anyone and was here to make a fresh start by myself, for myself. It was exciting times for me. It did not take long to meet my first real friend, Kim, who remains one of my nearest and dearest today. Kim and I have been through it all in 9 years. Well, she’s probably been through more with me, but never waivers in our friendship (Thank you my friend).
When we were 28 Kim moved into the same building as me. I lived on the 10th floor and she lived two floors down on the 8th. We would literally call up and down to each other over our patios. So there we were, two young, hot, single girls, free as birds and always looking for fun (or as some may say trouble!) Yes, it was a good time in both our lives. The summer we were 28, also known to some as the “Summer of Debauchery” was probably the best summer I’ve ever spent. Although in retrospect I was probably running on a wave of hypomania, we wouldn’t have known that then. And so the summer was spent on many a patio, soaking up sunshine, flirting shamelessly in bars, dating randomly, and generally testing the waters (Is it legal to go topless at Kit’s Beach? Answer: yes). I was doing all the things I should have been doing when I was in my early 20’s (at which time I was instead married). Yes…that year was a great time.
But eventually Kim moved out of the ‘hood and we kept getting older, finding ourselves in actual relationships for periods of time and well, for the most part acting our age. As summer is now upon us, it is ironic – and exciting – that Kim and I find ourselves about to be living in the same building again. I’ve been here since February and she will move in July 1. It is going to be fabulous for me to have Kim living in the West End again (she’s been gone for so long). And though we are not 28 anymore we can’t help but be giddy and laugh at the thought of “The Summer of Debauchery” repeating itself in some way. (Don’t worry Dave, I’ll let Kim do all the shameless flirting!)
When we were 28 Kim moved into the same building as me. I lived on the 10th floor and she lived two floors down on the 8th. We would literally call up and down to each other over our patios. So there we were, two young, hot, single girls, free as birds and always looking for fun (or as some may say trouble!) Yes, it was a good time in both our lives. The summer we were 28, also known to some as the “Summer of Debauchery” was probably the best summer I’ve ever spent. Although in retrospect I was probably running on a wave of hypomania, we wouldn’t have known that then. And so the summer was spent on many a patio, soaking up sunshine, flirting shamelessly in bars, dating randomly, and generally testing the waters (Is it legal to go topless at Kit’s Beach? Answer: yes). I was doing all the things I should have been doing when I was in my early 20’s (at which time I was instead married). Yes…that year was a great time.
But eventually Kim moved out of the ‘hood and we kept getting older, finding ourselves in actual relationships for periods of time and well, for the most part acting our age. As summer is now upon us, it is ironic – and exciting – that Kim and I find ourselves about to be living in the same building again. I’ve been here since February and she will move in July 1. It is going to be fabulous for me to have Kim living in the West End again (she’s been gone for so long). And though we are not 28 anymore we can’t help but be giddy and laugh at the thought of “The Summer of Debauchery” repeating itself in some way. (Don’t worry Dave, I’ll let Kim do all the shameless flirting!)
Great View, But...
Living up on the 15th floor is fabulous…the view is worth every penny I pay in rent. However, it’s a REAL BITCH when the elevator is out of service, which it was over the weekend. So unless I didn’t plan to leave my apartment I was stuck hiking myself up and down 15 floors all weekend. Well actually it's 14 floors since there is no 13th floor, but whatever! Needless to say I thought this sucked! On a positive note however, my lungs can’t be that bad from all my smoking because I was able to do it without stopping. Mind you I was walking pretty slow. After two days of this, I woke up Monday morning with burning thighs. Yes, I am Out. Of. Shape! I thought maybe I should try walking up the stairs once a day as my workout! Thankfully it was fixed quickly and I haven’t bothered to walk up or down them since.
Summer Arrives
I have always loved summer in the city. I especially love being at English Bay, which to me is the hub of summer in the West End. There is a palpable change in the energy as the sun draws out crowds of people…strolling the streets, lounging at the beach, biking and blading the seawall. It feels to me like I’m on a permanent vacation, with the beach as my own backyard. As I have always said, it only takes one day of sunshine to make us “wet” coasters forget it has ever rained here a day in our lives. And it seems that the sunshine has announced its arrival, and with it summer is here. I have finally been able to pack away the scarves, mittens and toques. No more winter coats. Flip flops are the choice of footwear and my jeans hang untouched in my closet, traded for shorts and Capri's. Windows stay open and the heat is off. And I sit on my patio as I write this, with blue sky above, looking out to the ocean, the entrance to Stanley Park, the mountains now green in the background, and I think “Yes, this is why I live here. Why would one want to live anywhere else?”
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