Roll Your Eyes

Sorry…what?!  Someone. Please. Refresh.

I’m just saying.

Update:  Found this chart on the net.  

Things that make me go hmmmm….(click to make it larger - oh, how if it were only that simple!)

My very good friend, Nancy, and I were discussing a variety of things on the phone yesterday.  She is like me ~ burnt out ~ from life.  There is just so much going on in both of our lives, with so many decisions to make, that it is completely overwhelming.  I was telling her about my plans to head on down to the spectacular and magnificent Waterton Lakes National Park sometime in September.  From what I am told by the locals, after Labour Day ~ the town shuts down.  All that is left roaming around are the locals, the odd straggler tourist, and most importantly ~ the wildlife.  

I yearn to block noise from my life.  From the busy hub-bub-bub of life in Calgary to the constant wheels turning in my head.  So I found a place that will allow me to do just that ~ Waterton.

Once I return from a few days away, then I will of course blog about where I stayed, but since that trip is not happening for a couple of months, I will keep this little gem to myself.  I will say that it is a quaint place, full of charm.  So much so that when I was looking at the rooms ~ it suddenly reminded me of being at my Grandma’s when I was a little girl.  Just the anticipation of this mini-getaway leaves me with the warm fuzzies.

I’ve asked a couple of girlfriends to come along if they wish, as I know both of them are also looking to block out noise, and there is an unspoken understanding this will not be the typical crazy girls weekend, but rather one of inner peace, joy and serenity.  Where I will be staying, I’m told, has no phones in the room or Internet connection.  Doesn’t that sound perfect?  All I will be bringing is my photography gear, a notepad and pen.  I look forward to and actually crave just to be surrounded by nature ~ the soothing sound of the water, the soft echo of the mountains, the whispers from the wildlife and quiet click from my shutter.  Such simplicity, I cannot wait to experience.   I will probably never want to leave.

The countdown is on.

I leave you with some photos I took about 6 weeks ago of what is truly a wondrous landscape filled with characteristics that are unparalleled.  It was so windy and rainy ~ almost impossible to stand, but once I reached the water, this complete calm slowly danced over and through my body and even though it was only for a few fleeting moments, I knew I had to return.  Too bad my camera battery died and I didn’t have a spare with me.

Until September….

 

Simple meme of 50 questions and answers from the ever adorable and intriguing Eiain.  Here we go, folks.

 1) What do you add to your coffee?  I don’t touch the stuff (smells yummy though)
 2) What are you reading now?   Adventures in Tornado Alley; Consulting Toolkit - Step-by-Step Guidance, and eventually the books on WordPress/CSS.
 3) Do you own a gun?  Nope - in Canada we just mow you down as we drive like fucknuts.
 4) Are you registered to vote?  Of course.  If you do not vote, you cannot bitch.
 5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?  Never…when you’ve been probed as often as I, you learn not to sweat it.
 6) What do you think of hot dogs?  Blech.  No thanks. (unless they are a corn dog, then lets talk)
 7) Favorite Christmas Song?  White Christmas - Good ‘ol Bing.
 8). What do you prefer to drink in the morning?  Water & then chocolate milk.
 9) Can you do push ups? Yup, but I don’t.  I’d rather work those muscles another way.  heh
10) What was the name of your first boyfriend/girlfriend? Boyfriend: Eren. Girlfriend - n/a.
11) What’s your favorite piece of jewellery?  it’s a tie: the heart/lock & key I took from my mum’s charm bracelet and a tri-gold nugget melted down into a pendant by a special ex-boyfriend (back in 1994).
12) Favorite hobby?  Photography, writing.
13) Do you work with people who idolize you?  Nope.
14) Do you have ADD?  Sorry? What? Who? Can you repeat the question? Nope.
15) What’s one trait that you hate about yourself?  I over-analyze way too much and it gets me in trouble.
16) What’s your Middle name? Anne
17) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment.  My Canon 40D ~ Work ~ I’m knackered.
18). Name 3 things you bought yesterday.   Red nail polish ~ Edmonton Oilers pen ~ Second Cup strawberry/lemonade smoothie.
19) Name 3 beverages you regularly drink.  Choco milk ~ H2O ~ Crystal Lite.
20) Current worry right now?  Career…since the whole firing thing; Barney (again, puppychow), what I said to my ex-boyfriend in an email; where I am going to live; my normally great teeth that aren’t seeming so great these days.
21) What side do you dress to?  what?  What an odd Q.
22) Favorite place to be?  in the mountains or behind the wheel on a roadtrip, especially through the US.
23) How did you bring in the New Year?  Dealing with a ripped out heart, comparing myself to George Constanza.
24) Where would you like to go?  Right now ~ I could handle a good ‘ol photography visit with a buddy in the US…or hanging out in Bow Falls, Banff all day, with it just being me and the wildlife.
25) Name three people who will complete this.  Doesn’t matter.
26) Whose answers do you want to read the most? Mark’s
27) What color shirt are you wearing?  Red, baby!
28). Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?  Yuck.
29) Can you whistle?  Yeppers - usually just with 4 fingers.
30) Favorite colors(s)?  Red, baby!
31) Could you be a pirate?  Aarrr! Shiver me timbers!
32) What songs do you sing in the shower?  Depends - usually Friends in Low Places or The Gambler
33) Favorite girls name?  Bryce, Ella
34) Favorite boy’s name?  Joshua, Reilly
35) What’s in your pocket right now? Nadda
36) Last thing that made you laugh?  ijustine.com
37) Best bed sheets as a child?  Not sure.  Probably Holly Hobby - lol!
38). Worst injury you’ve ever had?  My heart - last September.
39) Do you love where you live?  Not at all - except that it’s really close to the mountains (which are spectacular).  The Chinook (wind) headaches/migraines take away from my quality of life.
40) How many TVs do you have in your house?  2 - bedroom and living room.
41) Who is your loudest friend?  Debbie - though she would never admit it.
42) How many dogs do you have? Nadda.  Currently honorary mama bear to my folks’ puppychow, Barney.
43) Does anyone have a crush on you?  Yip - I know of 2, though I think one is way beyond crushing.
44) What are the most fun things you ever did?  ROFL - November 1st/3rd, 1990.  I’m just saying. Oh, and Mexico ‘99 was a blast!
45) What are your favorite books?  Non-fiction ~ history, war, meteorology, reference, photography, astronomy, politics (US), some biographies…etc…
46) What is your favorite candy?  I don’t like candy.
47) Favorite Team?   Edmonton Oilers ~ NHL Hockey, Baby
48). What songs do you want played at your funeral?   Definite: To Where You Are ~ Josh Groban.  Portrait ~ James Horner.  I Believe ~ Diamond Rio.  Ave Maria - Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Possible: some pub song to get folks smiling & ready to head out and cheer me off.
49) What were you doing at 12 AM?  On the net.
50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?  Wait…I am NOT a police officer and I am no longer being hunted down with Detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order, as we escaped from this crazy killer who was this guy (Bill) who was in love with me in the ’90’s.  Shouldn’t we have been chasing the bad guy?  I’m so confused…what a dream…..or was it?

I tag:

Cheeky & Manisha to complete this.

I had been in Edmonton for a week to house and puppychow sit for the folks whilst they were out of town in beautiful BC for my Uncle Bob’s funeral.   I just returned late yesterday.

Edmonton received a few intense summer storms during that week, and the best one (that I got to see) was on July 8th.  These photos (and about 40 others) were taken over a 7 minute span from 8:22pm - 8:29 pm, and you can see how much the lighting changed as the storm sped through Northwest Edmonton.  I did not edit these photos outside of reducing image size, so please ignore all the spots, but I was getting poured on as I shot these from the front lawn.

This particular storm produced lightning, thunder, rain, hail and a shite load of wind.  The rainbow appeared before the hail (little backwards?), and I am now sporting some serious dents in my noggin from being the only moron genius on the block standing outside shooting this storm.  I think I may have even pranced a little bit, as there is not much else in this world, if anything, that energizes me quite like a severe summer storm.  I think I would be in continuous orgasmic bliss if I lived in Oklahoma or any of the other states which make up Tornado Alley. 

Good times.