It Was a Gumboot Kind of Day

It was pouring rain this morning, so I threw on my trusty gumboots and dashed out the door to work. Traffic woes didn't give me time to change my footwear before my first meeting of the day, so I attended in dresspants and wellies. Unfortunately, I discovered afterward that I hadn't brought appropriate footwear at all, and the koi became part of my fashion statement for the day. But I got compliments galore, and even after the rain stopped and the sun came out, I was rockin the gumboots like it ain't no thing.

Thank you, Chooka!

Update: Okay, so this post got me thinking about my boots and I went to the website. And O.M.G. These are my next pair:

When a Diva Must Adjust to Change

I have been using Estee Lauder skin care products for 10 years this year. Before that, I was using soap and water (gasp) on my skin, and by my mid-20s I was already noticing the damage. So I switched.

But over the past decade, sometimes I buy a new pressed powder (Lucidity Light Medium, holla!) or moisturizer and they've changed the packaging. Usually it's not a big deal, like when it's for appearance. For example, the last time I bought moisturizer they had changed the shade of blue of the pump and it now has a gold lid, not a frosted white lid.

New packaging (left) old packaging (right)

At first I didn't like it and I was kind of annoyed. (Seriously!) But today when I went to throw out the old pump I compared the two and the new version is clearly better.

Sometimes the changes aren't for the better. One time last year I bought my usual pressed powder and was dismayed to discover that it had a gold inner ring now inside the compact. While the new packaging does look nicer, the decorative ring (as far as I can tell it is only decorative,) obstructs me from getting at the last bit of powder around the edges when I'm running low. Sort of a waste, or I have to pry the gold ring off to get the rest. (I'm cheap enough to do it too.)

Notice the annoying gold ring inside the compact.

Anyway, the last time I was on the website I noticed they have collectible compacts. And as soon as I saw this, I decided I MUST HAVE IT:

It comes filled with Lucidity pressed powder, and you can get refills! (And look - no annoying gold ring!)

And she's off!

New colour: Antique Earth, by Behr (Love!)

I have completed one wall. One coat. This is going to take longer than I thought. However, I should note that I bought an edging contraption that the lady at Home Depot said is a great seller and everyone loves it, but maybe I'm dumb, because every wall I edged with it was a mess. So I have been cutting in by hand, as I hate taping. And if I do say so myself, I'm pretty good!

I started around 4:45, and finished this wall just before 7, so I know I'll be able to finish the last wall, but the second coats might go into the late/early hours. But I have to give the ladder back, so it's do or die.

Here's the lowdown so far:

Number of walls left to cover: 1
Number of coats left: 4 (two on one wall, one each on two walls)
Number of times I got up and down on the ladder: a freakin' million
Number of slip-ups on the edges: about 10
Number of times I got mad at my kids for being annoying: 2
Number of hours they have been watching TV since: 1.5

My trusty iPod, Roxy LaRue, is spewing out pretty good tunes so far.

Song of this round: She Sells Sanctuary, The Cult

Back after the last wall is done.

3:06am:  Not quite done, but calling it a night and I'm running out of paint anyway. I did all the edging, but the last three walls need their final coat. It does look way better in here. So close, but not quite. :(

Besides, when the iPod starts playing Depeche Mode songs a second time after being on shuffle for 11 hours, it's time to end the show.

Making a Change

Tomorrow's post? Finishing painting my bedroom. I started Saturday before last but couldn't finish because I didn't have a ladder for the high walls. Now said ladder is ready and waiting, and tomorrow is a go.

Check back tomorrow for a play-by-play of the race to the finish.

Not. Happy.

I spent an hour writing today's post and when I went to preview it, I got a blank screen. I went back to edit the post, and half of my post is gone. Blogger, you're on probation.

Good Morning

I am not a morning person, and nor have I ever been. But mornings like today's make me think there is more to life than enjoying a good sleep-in. When I can fit this many things that I love doing into a four-hour period, it's a good morning. I had to drop Dev off at his friend's to go snowboarding for the day, and I had a hair appointment downtown. So we were up at 7:40am this morning, dropped D off, and Cam and I headed out.

I have been going to Morgan at Storm Salon for the past 16 years. I often think it's time to start seeing someone closer to home, but everytime I walk in, I know I can't do it. For example, the last time I was there, it was a Friday night the week before Christmas, and when I sat in the chair, Morgan asked, "would you like a glass of wine?" So while he did my hair, I enjoyed a glass of red with a stick of chocolate. Does it really ever get any better?

Storm Salon, 77 E. Pender Street

We were early, and Morgan hadn't arrived to open the salon yet, so Cam and I went next door to Everything Cafe for some breakfast.

Cam was thrilled because they had cereal and milk ($3.00) with the mini-cereal boxes. She picked Fruit Loops. Most of the items offered were special coffees, desserts, muffins, sandwiches and wraps, as well as a daily soup. I am cutting down on carbs and sugars, so the only thing I could really have was the breakfast sandwich, ($4.00ish?) which had cheese, scrambled egg and bacon, but it came on a grilled bread. (I didn't think to ask for no bread, but whatever. -1 for me, I guess.) It was delish - I could actually taste everything in it, and the cheddar was sharp - yum!

The sun was coming through the window and we enjoyed our breakfast, the first people in the cafe.

Afterward, we walked down the street to one of the Chinese shops (we were in the heart of Chinatown) and poked around all the trinkets. We saw some pretty paper lanterns, and Cam was trying to decide if she wanted a Chinese fan or a lantern, and if the lantern, what colour - dark pink or lime green (her two favourite colours)? I suggested we decide after my appointment, and we go see if Morgan was there yet. She ran ahead, and when she looked in the window, she turned back to me and gave me the thumbs-up.

Morgan and I had had a great chat as usual. He and I were in the same French class in grade 9, and when I ran into him after high school when we both lived in Vancouver and he told me he was doing hair, I made an appointment and was so happy with what he did I never looked back. Today was no different. After two hours of chatting about Mad Men, his new home, and catching up on what's new, my hair looked much better. Cam and I went back to the shop and she picked the Chinese fan. (A black fabric fan with a cherry blossom branch embroidered on it, very pretty.) We were done so early that I had time to head over to Moe's.

I love Moe's. I bought my white leather dining room chairs there at Christmas time, and the staff member I dealt with, Gene, was awesome. Long story short, I got great customer service and I was able to get a something that I really loved for my new home. The purchase of the chairs also entitled me to a $100 gift card under a promotion they were running at the time, and I haven't been able to make it back to take advantage of it, so today was perfect. I got an email the other day saying they were having a no-tax sale this weekend too.

I love this slipper chair. Thinking about adding it to my bedroom. (Check out Cam's fan.)

I spent about an hour and a half in Moe's, and ended up getting a print for the house.

I liked this piece because I love art that depicts cities. It doesn't even matter what city, or whether I've been to the city. I'm drawn to the look of buildings, skyline and their surroundings. I also like the colours in this one - it had a little touch of turquoise in it, one of my favourites.

During the drive home, Cam fell asleep and my iPod played a clip of the Ricky Gervais Show - Best of Series 1. This is my favourite podcast, and the only one that makes me laugh out loud. I heard a particularly hilarious clip as Stephen read from Karl's diary, as Karl related his trip to Gran Canaria. His observations are so absurd, and Ricky and Stephen's incredulous responses and howls of laughter are half of what crack me up.

"There was a really fat bloke on the plane. He was playing on his PSP. While I waited to go to the toilet I looked to see what game he was playing. It was darts. He's that fat and lazy he can't even face playing a more active game on a games console."

The sun was out, and I'd spent the past four hours doing things I love doing! A pretty good  morning in my book.

I See What You're Doing

I opened the latest Sears flyer today to find this ad. I've noticed over the past few years companies are trying to encourage dumb acronyms, like Payless Shoes' BOGO - buy one, get one half off. They now simply call it "the BOGO" sale, with no explanation of what the acronym means, but it doesn't matter, because the public knows what it means.

Also a few years ago, the Bank of Montreal became BMO, and the Royal Bank of Canada, RBC. (I overheard a converstation between some girls in a store just yesterday: one said, ""where do you bank?" and the other responded nonchalantly, "RBC.")

I guess our society is more and more accustomed to shortened, faster ways of communicating, but it still hurts my heart a little to see our language whittle away to signs and signals like cavemen.

And you will never, ever, catch me referring to the "lowest price of the season" as "LPS".