So I've recruited myself to the Guild in order to get work done. Only Tim and Jared were around today, and as much as I find them entertaining, I can zone them out quite easily in the office, which I've realized has all the essential elements for creating the perfect work environment.
1) It doesn't have a bed. Perfect
2) It has a big bay window that lets in loads of sunlight, which at least gives me the illusion that I am outside, enjoying the fluffy snow and sunshine
3) It overlooks the road. I'm not sure why, but I enjoy looking out at the constant activity
4) It's warm
5) It's Christmasy. James and I spent about an hour hanging lights, stockings, garland and snowflakes. With soft Christmas music playing, it's superb

These are the essentials. They may change with the season, but for now I can say that today was one productive day.
On top of that, I spent the evening with my family, then went to my grandparents to play Rummy Cub with my grandma and my cousin Janelle while James and Ryan discussed the finer points of theology for over two hours with my grandpa.
It's so easy to forget the due dates pressing around me when I'm home, or especially when I'm at my cousins for a sleepover and we've just finished watching the most beautiful love story between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blithe.

What else matters after that?

Small things

Cinammon bread, Macintosh apples and hot apple cider. It's that time of year that I start to give Bennett's the attention it deserves, in appreciation of locally grown produce that still pumps out tasty treats, even in light of hail damage.
I really wanted to sit down and say something brilliant for once. Just give people a small taste of how educated I am. Cocky, I know, but the proud corners of my heart (or brain?) want to think that I have got something to say. Really.
But all that comes to mind are the mundane things around me that don't really matter, at least to other people.
Like my macintosh apple
Or a twenty three minute nap
Or a great sound track playing while I work
Or talking with Robyn about nothing at all around a kitchen table scattered with books and papers and coffee mugs while Ally is in the kitchen cooking up chicken pot pie for dinner.
Little details are too easy to write about, and they are too distracting. I get no work done in this place.

Quizznos

How is it November? In six weeks I'm in the clear, and into Christmas, and I'm just thinking I'd like to hit pause for a while to enjoy the sun. Today was incredible.

My dog Sampson has been adopted into my Hamilton home, and I have become his mom. He shadows me everywhere, like this big black fuzzy ball of fur with eyes- but then again, you can't even see his eyes, so he's just a black fuzzy ball. I love him.

Other than being a mom for the time being, I guess you could say I'm busy with school, but it's a vague sort of busy. I know I need to do things, but the dates are about as fuzzy as Sam. They too, shadow me everywhere. What an analogy.

This weekend was memorable. Friday night was not only Halloween, but Timot's chance to shine with his guitar at a coffee shop downtown.. He did well. In fact, he was amazing.

Then Brad and Evan turned the coffee shop atmosphere into a night club, which was equally as amazing. On Saturday we had our forever talked about wine and cheese formal party at the Guild. Girls in cocktail dresses, boys in suits, attempting to sound educated and refined over a glass of $9 dollar wine and some heated charades. Another good night.

Sunday brought James and I home to my lovely Lincoln region, and an amazing home-cooked meal. The nephews were delightful, particularly with James. At any rate, they're adorable.

My dad turned 48, and his nose and knees are still intact. I am amazed.

The cap-off of my memorable weekend ended with a big furry spider on the dash board of the car and a "visibly upset" James- to quote him directly. The situation was handled with calm maturity, while my cousin casually pulled to the side of the road and dropped a ten pound bag of dog food on the spider, crushing the spider before he could make his next move onto James' lap.

Phew.

As for life in general, I am learning. And I hope it keeps up, or else I'll never keep up with how much is always going on, how time just keeps on pressing on.

Well, time to study about air pollution, and acid rain. Quiz starts at 8 am. It's 10:30. You can understand why I'm procrastinating.

Purple Van Man

Note to all boys in the world that if they are trying to start a widespread panic in any girls house, they just need to make a phone call that says there is a creepy purple van, complete with creepy man, who is slowly cruising near the house. Thanks James.

I understand the concern one might have, if there is a suspicious looking van loitering on Springbrook, but honestly. Some people have 8:00 am class, and sleep doesn't look promising when news like that gets around. After the fits of shrieking and panic, and the occasional intentional scare from me and Robyn (sorry, but it had to be done) we hatched a game plan in case any crazy man did try to get into our place. Much to our embarrassment, it got as far as 'call the boys and tell them to come protect us'. Which is what we did, and what they did. I don't care what girls nowadays try and say- I'm happy to have men in this world that we can trust to keep us safe. This comforts me.

That was last night. Tonight we decided to bolt from the house for a while, and bond with the girls. Karaoke and bonding go hand in hand, and so we went to Boston Pizza (Wednesday is Karaoke night) and sang our hearts out. It was fantastic. On coming home- Ally led the way into the house, only to find the door wasn't closed when she pushed on it. Of course, this led us into our second house panic, and so I grabbed an old pair of crutches and we stalked through the house, checking bedrooms and spare rooms, and under the beds. On finding no crazy intruder, we had a celebratory dance party. And that is the brief update on the last two nights at our place. It's been fun.

4th year. My final year. So far it has me hitting the soccer field for 2 hours a day- conveniently scheduled during dinner time, and suffering from what I assume to be caffeine withdrawal.
I have finally accepted the fact that I may indeed be hooked on coffee (thanks mom) and being back in the swing of school, and out of my home environment, I have not yet had the pleasure of a good home brew. This may explain the headaches.

But it is great to be back. Our home really is home. Clean, matching dishes, colourful flowers, new curtains, freshly baked zucchini muffins, teal walls, and pleasant company- I am truly in my element. The boys' house is not far off, being quite cozy as well, but definitely lacking a woman's touch. As it should be.

As for classes- I have mixed feelings. English, religion, creative writing= exciting! A three hour lab on water= blaah. This is mostly because I feel hugely out of my element taking a science course, when the last time I even considered something to do with chemistry was in high school.. before I dropped it to take a spare and work for my dad instead. Practical application has room for improvement.

In any case, we had our first soccer tourny this past Saturday- where I managed to squeeze in a goal before I pulled my quad and had to sit out for the rest of the day. But, muscles do heal, and I'm hoping mine gets its act together before Thursday (our first away game). Even more exciting than my quad is the fact that this Friday we are hosting an "under the sea" party. It looks promising.

Well, there's the quick update on life back at Redeemer.

My treasure

I'm not sure how I've managed this, but I have organized my room to hoard things. Ridiculous things. Things I shouldn't still have after 5 years, but they are so tightly wrapped up in good memories that I physically cannot bring myself to trash them. For example- I have tight pink leggings that I have worn once in my life, to a decade dance, and I now cling to the notion that if I were to ever put those pants back on, that night will resurrect.
I have letters from high school, old Cd's, a clam shell with sentimental value, a message I wrote myself 7 years ago and jammed in a bottle, diaries starting from kindergarten to the present, endless highschool memorabilia, souvi's from Australia I failed to deliver, memories, memories, memories. And I love it. I love that people can look in my room and see it's nothing special. But if you do a little digging, I have a collection of life material wedged in any little crack, stuffed between books, hidden under my bed, and the most valuable of my life stories are held in an Adidas shoebox from my grade 10 basketball kicks. Those were the days.

So I am thinking of my pack rat existence because yesterday I made myself do a little digging, and then a little dumping. It was a sad struggle, but I did manage to fill 3 bags of things destined for another home, which are now sadly sitting in transition in the corner store's amity bin.
It was tough. Even tougher to explain to James that during the time he vacuumed the whole downstairs and cleaned the entire kitchen, that I was still plugging away in my own little room.
But really, it is amazing what a little room excavating can pull up. I am currently sitting here in a pair of tan pants that I thought were dead to the world as of years ago. And how can you not find old letters and read them? Dusting was simply not a priority.

But anyways, the room is clean, my pile has grown of things I need to bring to my University home, and my inventory list of clothes is still missing 10 much needed items. I think my room has a black hole I am unaware of. But if there is one thing I love about cleaning my room, it's taking that time to re-examine the things I have collected over the years, and see if they still hold that priceless quality. They always do. And the space I make in my closet from tossing out old clothes seems to quite easily adapt to an extra shoebox or two.. thanks to James, and four months worth of letters while I was away. What a guy :)

If there is anything in the world I want to hang on to as I get older, it's that. And perhaps a pair of pink leggings. I hear the 80's are here to stay --and I am totally for it.

If I was a Disney character, I'd be Mulan. She's amazing.

Two of my close friends have done it. They've made the commitment of a life time, said the words, gave the rings, threw the parties and now it's done. Married. And yes, that first sentence could be taken quite literally, but I wasn't going there. Grow up.
It always amazes me how many months of planning and pay cheques are required to begin a life with someone. Really, the whole ordeal could be neatly wrapped up in about 15 minutes, when WABAM-- suddenly that little utterance, that one little performative, changes your status forever. This only reinforces my sentiments about the power of language.
This impresses me.

And so my weekend involved Vanessa's wedding, and a few weekends before that was Jocelyn.
Tomorrow is my cousin Rachel's, and there had better be dancing. I am not quite sure if one is even able to fully celebrate such an occasion without letting loose a little on the dance floor with the relatives. Not only is everyone in a great mood, but it's the most perfect dancing environment! Clean and wholesome people- like King David in the streets.

Well, work starts at 7:15 as usual, but since my car is parked in Hamilton at this very moment, I will most likely be rising with the sun so that I can snag a ride with my dad. This means I'll be getting up early, which also means I should be heading to bed. Life without an alarm clock can be so demanding.

Advice for the day. Stay away from what you think is oatmeal, and then what you think is cream of wheat, and then what turns out to be gluten free creamed corn. However, if you do manage to get your hands on it, be warned that one minute in the microwave is not nearly enough.

Good night folks