Canada Day, Victoria

The sun decided to make an appearance for Canada Day!  I worked extra hard Thursday night so I could take some time off work on Friday to cruise the downtown events.

Chibi and I slept in, did a couple of work tasks, caffeinated, and loaded up on snacks and water for our day.

First up… meeting Baby Penny!

I met up downtown with my friend Charmaine then we met up with Mike and Angela to meet their little Penelope.

Chibi wasn’t sure what to make of the wee bundle.  :)

We hung out until Penny got hungry.  Crying babies promptly get returned to their Mommies!  ha.  Mike and Angela carried on with their day while Charmaine and I wandered around the waterfront checking out the Canada Day festivities.

Of course the first thing I did was eat. Greek Gyros thankyouverymuch.

Inner Harbour…

Legislature lawn and main stage…

Krispy Kremes!  What?  It was for charity you know!!

Apparently it was also Vulcan Day here in Victoria.

Chibi was a crowd pleasing superstar.  We should have put a tip cup out for her…I spent half my day explaining that she’s supposed to be naked.

This time last year I was on route from Halifax and spent Canada Day cruising the Beaches of Toronto with Mousearoo (sporting the exact same outfit).  Eh!

After a few hours Charmaine and I went our separate ways so I could bring Chibi home and get ready for the evening’s adventures in fireworks…which included views of the city from 19 stories up!!!  (Stay tuned.)

Happy Birthday Canada!!!

Lest We Forget

I was so pleased to see so much support of the troops and veterans in honour of Remembrance Day and Veteran’s Day today. Seeing the moments of silence across the time zones through Facebook and Twitter was truly great. Much love to all of my military friends…thanks to you all.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Busy, busy day.  No day off for me!  Vanilla soy coffee misto to get my brain functioning…

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll for breakfast brain food…

Actually kind of a sugar rush/crash. zzzzzzzzzz. Corrected with an apple a while later…

Because I thought today was going to be a day off I had planned some errands to be done. I split my work day into two and created an “errand zone” mid-day. I made the mistake of going to the mall hungry and ended up in Purdy’s picking up a few things…like, um, English Toffee that never even made it to the car.

I need to wrap my brain around the fact that it’s the holiday season and plan according before heading to the mall. I broke two of my own holiday shopping no-no’s: going shopping hungry and buying chocolate as gifts. 

Lunch was healthy and delicious though. Picked up Greek from OPA! on my way out of the mall.  Nom!

When I pulled out of the underground parking I realized the weather had turned dismal, wet and disgusting. My car literally drove itself across the street for a warm beverage. :)

Back at home I got back to work. That egg nog misto was the perfect thing to power me through a late afternoon. After work I finished up my household chores (shiny clean bathtub anyone?) and finally settled in for dinner around 8pm.

Minimal cooking required. Beef stew from the freezer, served with yam chips.  Sliced, oiled, salted and baked. 

After all of the evenings out, running around, laundry, vacuuming, dishes, dusting and bathroom cleaning I’ve done in the last couple of days it was nice to find an hour to just lay on the sofa tonight. I have a big weekend coming up!

As promised…photos of the fire alarm adventures from yesterday. Never a dull moment in this building I’m telling ya!

If only I’d gotten a photo of the fireman with the SWEET handlebar moustache. I can only hope it was for Movember!

Poor Stoopy was none too impressed.  Meow.

Home Sweet Home

So I last left you with the exciting tale of the first leg of my trip and my impending arrival in Victoria…

I’m here!!  Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!  (Can you tell I love coming home?)

This is the view everyone should get to enjoy from home every day…

Staying with my friend Tiffaney in her fab condo overlooking downtown Victoria and the water.  Lurve it.  :)

I managed to sleep pretty much the entire 1 hour 17 minute flight from Calgary so no airplane snacks to regale you with.  I took the Airporter mini-bus into town, where Tiff met me and brought me “home”.  My intention had been to snuggle up and have a nap while she went back to work, but I ended up tackling some work of my own and exchanging emails with friends trying to organize some plans.

While I puttered on the computer I snacked on some chips.  Mmmmmm…chips.  I don’t know about you guys but when I’m overtired I really like greasy carbs.

I also found the box of Candy Cane Lane tea I left here last year and had a cup to tide me over until dinner…

Originally we had thought we would just go out and grab a bowl of soup just the two of us, but plans quickly changed and we met a group of Navy friends for a bevvie and some eats.

(that is soooo not a flattering pic of me!  haha)

Fifth Street Bar & Grill.  We actually sat on the heated patio believe it or not.  It was a bit chilly but it’s completely enclosed with heat so twas all good. 

Tiff and I both ordered Merridale Ciders. It ain’t no Strongbow, but it’s local and still yummy.  I stared at the menu forever…I was really hungry for a proper meal but I just couldn’t decide. 

(Our ciders escaped the camera, but Tiff and I didn’t.)

Eventually I chose a cup of the Corn Chowder, which was tasty but I could really notice the peppers in it.  (me = not a big green/red pepper fan)…

And the chicken strips with Caesar salad.  A few other people ordered this and once I heard it, I couldn’t chose anything else.

Awesome chicken tenders with yummy honey mustard dip…and the Caesar was good too.  I really needed the lettuce.  LOL.

Was a quick but good visit.  Being the holidays I probably won’t get to see these peeps again, so I’m glad we fit it in last night.  It’s such a rigamarole trying to do the whole visiting thing!!

After that Tiff and I were back here and crashed by just after 11pm PST.  That would be 3am EST for my body clock.  Awake for about 22 hours…go me!

Pit Stop

I made it to Calgary!  However their free wi-fi seems to be eluding me.  Dirty buggers.  That’s OK, my first flight was delayed an hour this morning leaving me with a slightly tight squeeze for my layover.  

This morning started out bright and early at 5am.  Blech.  Not sure if you noticed but I didn’t get to bed until 12:40am.  Ewwwww. 

Surprisingly I’m not a grumpy-guss!!  And I didn’t sleep on the first leg of my flight due to two incredibly chatty ladies sitting beside me.  We talked the entire time.  haha.  I never do that!  Generally I’m the girl that falls asleep and drools on herself.  :)

Needless to say, it’s going to be an early night tonight!

Started the morning with a Starbucks stop (obviously, like there was ever any doubt!).  Unpictured triple grande non-fat vanilla latte was consumed on drive to airport.  Maybe that’s what kept me going for the 5 hour flight?!

In my foggy haze I didn’t plan my breakfast or snacks very well, so I grabbed this yogurt parfait at the airport.  $5!!  That’s what I get for not thinking ahead.

 

I ate half at take-off and the other half about 2 hours in.  I was actually starving but didn’t want to buy anything from the on-board snacks, so I fished this Amazing Grass energy bar out of the bottom of my purse…

 

Yaieeee for purse snacks!!  I ate half.  I suspect the other half won’t make it to Victoria. (actually it did make it, I fell asleep!)

There was also the last butter tart…which escaped my camera because I was busy chatting.  Plus I always get the little bags of Bits & Bites from the drink cart when they come around.  Those are seriously the highlight of my Westjet flights!  haha.  I had two.  :)

I brought my own water bottle this time too.  I always end up spending $10 on airport water when I travel.  If you bring an empty bottle and ask someone in one of the cafes really nicely, they’ll fill it for you.  :)

Once we got to Calgary and I did a walking lap around the wing to get blood flowing to my bum again, I headed straight for food.  I’ll be honest…there is a Subway here…but the line was like 12 people deep.  So I opted for Manchu Wok…

I asked for steamed rice and chose the two ‘healthiest’ options I could see…mixed veggies and chicken & mushrooms (with lots of zucchini).

The chicken was yucky and there wasn’t much of it so I’m still craving protein, but the rest was good.  She overloaded the rice so I only ate half.

Now I’ve got me a Tazo African Red Bush tea (yummy!  They were out of Refresh so recommended this and it totally hit the spot!) and I’m eyeing up the Sweet Factory for some jelly beans or something…we shall see.  Really I wish I had remembered the pear I left in my fridge.  :)

[I did NOT hit the Sweet Factory…WIN!]

Victoria here I come!

Hooptie doo and dickory dock…

…and don’t forget to hang up your sock…

*dances around*

Last night was the beginning of our Christmas.  Christmas carols played while we decorated our Christmas tree.  We set everything up a week early this year because FH is leaving for Winnipeg a bit sooner than last year.  We wanted to be sure to get some enjoyment out of our Christmas decorations before leaving for our family time.  FH spends the season with his son, and I head home to Victoria with family and friends.  We come back to spend New Years Eve together.

‘Tis FH’s year to use his Santa topper on the tree.  We take turns.  I used my angel last year.

 

Don’t ask about the pipe.  lol.  He just feels it’s a festive touch.  :)

I wait all year to wear my Christmas socks!

And this year we decided our tree wouldn’t be complete without bendy Elvis…

I also added to the Starbucks ornament collection thanks to a birthday gift card from Tasha…

We have 10 now!  I told FH I might have to get a separate mini-tree next year just for the Starbucks collection.  We can call it the ‘corporate whore tree’…lol.

While we danced around the Christmas tree we nibbled on a fondue feast!  We used to fondue fairly regularly but since we moved here (almost two years ago!) we hadn’t even unpacked all of our fondue stuff. 

In trying to keep it a little on the healthier side, I asked FH if he would mind trying a broth fondue instead of the usual boiling oil.  He agreed.  WooT! 

I Googled a super easy recipe… chicken stock & white wine…adding a garlic clove, onion chunk, and bay leaf to the simmering pot…

 

Also made a 1/2 pot of beef broth…splash of red wine, beef stock, garlic clove and lots of fresh cracked pepper. 

The concept was great, but the broth just doesn’t stay hot enough to really cook the meat and veggies…so we did end up switching the chicken stock for oil after all.  The beef one worked OK because it was a smaller portion in a smaller pot.  (The chicken had to be able to properly cook the raw chicken and we weren’t taking any chances.)

        

Super duper yummy.  If you have never fondued, I highly recommend it.  All you need is a good pot, some fresh veggie oil, meats of your choice (we chose chicken, steak, and mild Italian sausage), fresh veggies (FH must have mushrooms, I heart zucchini), and some tasty dips to finish each bite.

I made garlic aioli (I recommend trying roasted garlic, this was pretty strong with raw garlic), honey mustard mayo, and pick your favorite BBQ sauce (we found a Bulls Eye made with Guinness!).

Add some bread and cheese to round it out, and open up a bottle of wine…et voila, fun fancy dinner.  :)

Finish with chocolate of course… milk chocolate almond bark in our case…

We then cozied up on the couch for the first our favorite Christmas movies…Love Actually!  :)

Do you have a traditional meal for you decorating day/night?