New Blog

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for not posting sooner but I have been really busy this week. I had a job interview today and it went great. I felt very confident and I know I tried my best. I got some good feedback so I should know by Tuesday if I got the job or not. Work was stressful this week and with volunteering and all it was crazy. I took today off of work which was nice. Jeff did too and after the interveiw we went to Stake Lake with Harrison and walked on the frozen lake. It was great. We took some great pictures. Jeff is turning out to be a good photographer. We really had a fun time.

This week I also started a new blog, so I won't be posting at this location any more. My new blog address is: http://granolagirl.typepad.com/granola_girl/.

I am really excited about my new blog. Jeff designed my weblog's banner and I just love it. He is such an amazing guy. Check it out!

Jeff is the best! He gave me an early Christmas present today. Guess what it is. A Nikon Digital SLR Camera! I am absolutely ecstatic! I have been so excited about this camera for months now and was trying to save up for it. He bought it for me today and could not wait to give it to me. We took Harrison for a walk at our super secret spot. We named this place super secret spot because we took Harrison there when he had kennel cough. We figured that their would be no dogs around for Harry to infect. Anyway, we tried out our new toy and here are the results.

The Literary Review of Canada has just listed The Hundred Most Important Canadian Books.

Check it out. It's in PDF Version.

Here are some more pictures taken from our trip to Jasper in August. The first two were taken at our campsite on Honeymoon Lake and the last two are of Jeff and Harrison walking on a glacier in the Columbia Ice Fields.

Have you ever wanted to know your hobbit name. Check out: www.chriswetherell.com/hobbit
to find yours today!

My hobbit name is: Goldie Sackville-Baggins

Jeff's name is: Dimple Burrows (isn't that cute)

Can't you tell that I can't sleep tonight!

Old Friends and The Upside of Anger

Isn't life weird? I was totally thinking about my best friends from college and how much I miss them when I checked my e-mail and found out that I had messages from them all at the same time. That definitely made my day. We have kind of lost touch with each other now that we have finished school and are pursuing careers and such. It was great to here from them and hopefully make plans to get together soon. Right, Laurel, Olivia, and Reena. We have been talking about getting together for some time now but the plans always fall through. Hopefully Summer 2006. We can get together and reminisce about old times. I can't wait.

I watched the Upside of Anger tonight. It's the movie with Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Kerri Russell, and Alicia Witt. I really enjoyed this movie. It was a little slow going but was worth the watch. The movie is based on the life of the Wolfmeyer women and how their life has changed after their husband/father walks out on them. Mrs. Wolfmeyer turns to alcohol and her interesting neighbor Denny (Costner). The girls go down their own path of life experiences, which is fun to watch. This is a good movie to watch if you are in the mood for watching something low-key and mellow.

Life's Goals

1. Become a vegetarian (possibly vegan)
2. See a puffin
3. Run a marathon
4. Learn how to play the guitar
5. Learn how to bake bread from my grandma
   
6. Wite a novel
7. Find a job I love
   
8. Visit Ireland
9. Learn to swim
10. See U2 in concert
11. Take as many road trips as I can fit in
12. Hike in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park
    
13. Visit Stonehenge
14. Meet David Suzuki
    
15. Take a photography course
16. Ride a horse
17. Become a parent
18. Visit Machu Picchu
19. Bike the Cabot Trail
20. Go to a folk festival
    

While browsing this morning I came across a neat website. The link is http://www.43things.com/
This is a website where you can keep track of your life's goals by making a list of the things you want to do in your life. I got to thinking about this awhile back when Explore magazine published an article on 100 things you have to do out there. I will post my to do list in an upcoming post. Feel free to comment on your to do lists.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

It's Snowing!

Oh what a wonderful morning! Harrison slept in which meant that I got to sleep in. When we first got him he would wake up every morning at 5 am and Jeff and I would have to get up with him. That was brutal. Now, we can expect to have him sleep in until at least 7;30 a.m. which is soooo nice.

When we woke up, I looked out the patio doors and it was snowing. It looked so beautiful falling down on the trees and the hill behind our house. Jeff will be happy so that he can go cross-country skiing soon. I might take it up as well. We will see how it goes now that we have Harrison.

It's Time to take Harrison for a walk........

Well I am back from my walk with Harrison and what a beautiful snowy day. We walked around the block on roads and trails. Harrison was great. He loves the snow. Then we came home, I had some tea and toast and listened to the radio. What a wonderful, peaceful morning.

I just love this quote, so passionate.

"Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art."

- Felix Gonzalez-Torres (Adbusters Vol 13)

These are a few of my favorite things......

This week I enjoyed:

• Domino Magzine: I love this magazine. It is basically a shopping guide to home decorating. I find it very inspiring as I am in the process of buying new pieces for our home.

• This Quote: "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls off a string." [ L.M. Montgomery ]

• Spending time with Jeff and Harrison.

• Oreo cookies

• Listening to Kathleen Edwards: I love her older album Failer. My favorite song is Mercury. I can't get it out of my head.

Isn't this a cute picture. It was taken in August when Jeff and I went through Jasper and Banff on our way back from Tumbler Ridge. We stopped at a lake that we found somewhere off the highway. It was very shallow. There were tons of people there wading in the water. Harrison had a blast! We all had so much fun!

Today

I am really enjoying my three day weekend. I have been off since Thursday and I am thoroughly enjoying myself.....doing nothing. My house needs to be cleaned and de-cluttered but that can wait for another day. I am enjoying being home with Jeffrey and Harrison, taking in time, moment to moment.

On the weekends Jeffrey and I take Harrison out for an outing. We try and go somewhere new and take him for a walk. Today we went to Stake Lake which is surrounded by cross-country ski trails. Jeff skis there in the winter. We had a good walk today. There was snow on the ground and Harrison just loved it. He was so funny and cute jumping all over the place exploring the snow. It is neat to experience seeing someone or something experience something for the first time. It is touching. I took some pictures so when I get them developed I will post them on this blog.

I really need a digital camera. I am in love with taking pictures. You could call me camera happy. I am also in love with an SLR Digital camera which is a little out of my price range. I am saving for it.

The Song of Your Life

While listening to CBC Radio One a few days back I heard about a website called www.thisdayinmusic.com. The hosts of Freestyle went on this website and found the song of Consevative Leader Stephen Harper life. I thought it would be fun to look up the song of my life so I logged on. I thought that I would share this link with everyone so that you can find the song of your life and the song that was number one when you were born. A little bit of useless fun but surely amusing. Feel free to leave a comment telling me what the song of your life is.

All freezes again--
amomg the pines, winds
whispering a prayer

- Riei, Eighteenth-Century Japanese Poet

Well, It's Saturday and I feel lazy. I am trying to get the energy to get up and clean the house, my usual Saturday routine, but it is not working. Instead I am here at my computer, listening to Hayden in the background, browsing other people's blogs, and wasting time. I was up at 7:00 a.m. this morning. I got up, fed Harrison, and took him for a walk on the trails. A good start to the morning but now I feel lathargic. Now Tom Petty is playing and I like the song so I will type some more.

I talked to my grandparents today. It made me home sick for Newfoundland. I get like that from time to time. The Island has always stayed with me and will always be my home no matter what. Jeff and I are planning to visit sometime in 2006 but we are not sure when. Jeff has to supervise the summer students at the mine next summer so our plan of going when the rest of my family goes is out the window. I was so looking forward to it, to introducing Jeff to all of my family but now that may not happen. I may just go myself. I have been putting off going due to excuses like lack of money, lack of time, and buying the house. My grandparents aren't getting any younger and i really miss them. Well I hope that I can get home soon. I miss the people who mean the most to me and the ocean. It has been too long.

Barlow Vs. Celluci

Did anyone listen to the Current on CBC Radio One today? It was very fascinating. Anna Maria Tremonti spoke with Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians and Paul Celluci who was a former American ambassador to Canada. They debated the closeness of Canada to the U.S. and spoke about the differences of opinion from both countries on issues like soft wood lumber. Paul Celluci was out to lunch in my opinion, Maude Barlow did a great job and was very well read on the issues that affect Canada. Listen to what Paul Celluci states about people living in poverty. Maude points out the consequences of free markets and how the U.S. have the greatest inequality between rich to poor in the world. It is scary to think that we have people with views like Paul Celluci making decisions in our world. Does George Bush ring a bell! Overall, I thought it was a good debate. Check it out at http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2005/200511/20051103.html

Elizabethtown

Jeff and I went to see the movie Elizabethtown last night. It's the movie with Orlando Bloom and Kirstin Dunst. It was a really cute film. Orlando Bloom's character Drew has a series of bad things happen in his life. He loses his job after losing his company close to a billion dollars and then as he contimplates suicide, he finds out that his father has died. He flys to Kentucky where he meets an eccentric flight attendent Claire (Kirstin Dunst ) and the story goes on from there. Overall the movie was fun and the music in the film was great. My kind of music: Rock, alt-country, and folk. I have to give Jeff credit for sitting through a so called "chick flick" with me. I think he liked it but that was probably due to the Tom Petty songs in the film or the hilarious version of Free Bird. I would reccommend this movie if you are in the mood for something light and funny. You may not want to rush out to the theatre to watch but it would be a great friday night movie to watch at home in your PJ's.

Rochelle's Reads

Please Visit my new blog Rochelle's Reads to find out what I am reading.

http://rochellesreads.blogspot.com/

The West Coast Trail? Why?

I am not certain why Jeff and I chose to hike the West Coast Trail or why we attempted such an adventure. Jeff had been hiking for years, and was in good physical shape. Me on the other hand had just started to get interested in hiking and was not in such good physical shape but was up for a challenge.

I believe we decided to hike the West C0ast Trail because of me. One evening while at home, Jeff was browsing on the Internet. I entered our study to see what he was up to when I saw on the screen beautiful pictures people hiking on the beach. I quickly asked him what he was looking at and Jeff stated that he was looking at pictures of the West Coast Trail. The West Coast Trail is a 77 kilometers hike from Port Renfrew to Bamfield or vice versa. I was mesmerized and curious. After Jeff had left the computer I decided to do a Google search to find out more information about the West Coast Trail. The first website I found was a wealth of information and was probably the reason why I decided to challenge myself and take on the goal of training and planning to hike the West Coast Trail.

Curious about the website I wrote about above. Go to http://www.i-needtoknow.com/wct/. This is a wonderful website that will give you good picture of what to expect if you want to hike the West Coast Trail. It will also be an invaluable guide to planning your trip if you decide to be brave and take on the adventure!

West Coast Trail

When Jeff and I came back from hiking the West Coast Trail in June 2004, we thought about starting a website about our trip to show are family and friends our adventures. That never happened. I started a travelogue on our hike to document our trip but never typed it out. It is still lying around the house somewhere waiting to be picked up and documented elsewhere. Anyway, I thought that this blog might be a good place to document our once in a lifetime hike. So look for upcoming posts in the future. I will include pictures.

I was wandering aimlessly around the house today and I picked up my copy of An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature. I came across one of my favorite poets E. Pauline Johnson. I thought I would share a poem with everyone.

The Song My Paddle Sings

West wind, blow from your prairie nest
Blow from the mountains, blow from the west.
The sail is idle, the sailor too;
O! wind of the west, we wait for you.
Blow, blow!
I have wooed you so,
But never a favour you bestow.
You rock your cradle the hills between,
But scorn to notice my white lateen.

I stow the sail, unship the mast:
I wooed you long but my wooing's past;
My paddle will lull you into rest.
O! drowsy wind of the drowsy west,
Sleep, sleep,
By your mountain steep,
Or down where the prairie grasses sweep!
Now fold in slumber your laggard wings,
For soft is the song my paddle sings.

August is laughing across the sky,
Laughing while paddle, canoe and I,
Drift, drift,
Where the hills uplift
On either side of the current swift.

The river rolls in its rocky bed;
My paddle is plying its way ahead;
Dip, dip,
While the waters flip
In foam as over their breast we slip.

And oh, the river runs swifter now;
The eddies circle about my bow.
Swirl, swirl!
How the ripples curl
In many a dangerous pool awhirl!

And forward far the rapids roar,
Fretting their margin for evermore.
Dash, dash,
With a mighty crash,
They seethe, and boil, and bound, and splash.

Be strong, O paddle! be brave, canoe!
The reckless waves you must plunge into.
Reel, reel.
On your trembling keel,
But never a fear my craft will feel.

We've raced the rapid, we're far ahead!
The river slips through its silent bed.
Sway, sway,
As the bubbles spray
And fall in tinkling tunes away.

And up on the hills against the sky,
A fir tree rocking its lullaby,
Swings, swings,
Its emerald wings,
Swelling the song that my paddle sings.

Great Big Sea: The Hard And The Easy

Great Big Sea has released their new album and it is pretty good. I listened to it last night and was pretty impressed. The whole album is made up of traditional Newfoundland music. There are a lot of songs that were foreign to me but I am definitely willing to learn them.

My favorite song on the album is Sweet Forget Me Not. It is such a beautiful and poetic song. I remember my grandpa singing it when I was a child. This song made my eyes fill up when I heard it again, making me feel home sick for Newfoundland. Actually the whole album did.

Anyway, I would recommend this album to anyone who loves Newfoundland music or wants to learn the songs. The Mermaid song was great! It made Jeff and I laugh out loud. Many Newfoundland songs can be humorous. Like the Old Cod Fish song. Hey Olivia and Laurel! That was a song that I learned to sing as a child. My college friends took a liking to it, so I taught it to them. We had many laughs singing that one.

Some of my greatest and happiest memories are singing with my family. The O'rielly's can throw one good party and have a lot of fun. That is what I miss the most about Newfoundland. The family closeness and the quality time we all spent together. I am predicting that summer 2006 will be a blast!

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
~John Donne

It is one of those crisp and cool fall days that make you want to curl up on the couch with your PJ's on, read a good book, and drink hot cocoa. I just love fall! It is my favorite season because it is neither stifling nor frigid. I love the feeling of a cool fall breeze on your face, bundling up in warm sweaters, and going for walks among the leaves. Everything is dying and there is a certain beauty to it, one often hard to put into words but leaves you with a feeling of peace.

I hope everone had a great Thanksgiving and ate lots of turkey! Jeff and I went to Revelsotoke to visit his family. Jeff's grandma came from Ontario and it was great to see her. We had a great time.

Jeff, Harrison, and I have had a crazy week! Harrison was sick and we had to take him to the Vet frequently. After a diagnosis of a stomach infection, pancreitis, Lyme Disease, and finally Panostetitis, Harrison's health appeared to be improving. We went to Kelowna last Friday to see a holistic vet who was great and spent lots of time going over Harrison's case. She believes he has panostetitis which is a disease that affects puppies when they are growing. She described it as being similar to growing pains in children but much worse in dogs. Harrison could not walk for 2 days! Anyway Harrison is on the mend and doing well. We changed his diet to a raw diet (aka BARF-bones and raw food) and he seems to be improving. Harrison is eating like a king and loving it.

Here is a recent picture of Harrison and me at Bijoux Falls on the way up north to visit the folks. Harrison is definitely one brave puppy!