Happy Chanukah!!!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

So far this year the holidays have been all about singing. Singing Oy Chanukah, Handel's Messiah & Wham's Last Christmas. Going to a sing-along Sound of Music. And tonight going to sing Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper and David Bowie with Choir!Choir!Choir!

Halloween!

I love Halloween! I love the imagination and transformation that happens when people are given license to run wild with ideas.

I have always been a huge Carmen Miranda fan and when realized that my grade 12 prom dress (which was still in my closet) had the perfect top I knew I had to make this costume happen. I chopped the top off and sewed it onto a strapless bra and presto, Carmen Miranda top!

But the hat proved to be a major challenge. So after attempting to make one myself, I ended up buying a pre-made one and then completely rearranged it with the aid of a hot glue gun. And I even had to get another little felt hat to support underneath and hold up all those bananas, cherries and the parakeet!

Then at the last minute the Fine Fellow and I got tickets to the Silver Snail Halloween Party. So while we were not exactly dressed "appropriately" for the comic booky theme of the evening, everyone else sure was. Those are the Muppet X-Men!!

And here are the members of Alpha Flight - the only Canadian Super Hero team I've ever heard of!

This was one of my favorites of the evening ...

Obi Wan, Princess Leia & Han Solo

love these guys ...

Team Zissou!

and this, which won a big prize ...

The fine fellow and I had absolutely no idea who half the revelers were dressed as but it was quite fun talking to people and finding out what their stories were. And though I was convinced that very few people at this event had any idea what I was dressed as, I won a prize!!

the spare room update

Due to a wonderful but slightly nutty summer that involved the bathroom ceiling collapsing, and visits from my fabulous siblings and friends from the Big Apple, those new ideas I had for the spare room have been slow in coming to fruition.

And though I still haven't painted all that untreated wood on the shelf or the bed,

put upholstered panels on the headboard,

replaced the Ikea dresser,

or properly re-upholstered the little chair;

I am truly amazed at the difference rearranging the furniture, and adding some darling curtains from Mod Cloth and some sheers from Ikea has made!

If you'd like a reminder of what it used to look like go here. There will be yet another roomie moving in this weekend to make it her own and fall in love with Marcel.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

To all my Canadian friends and family!!

I would like to give particular thanks to the men in my life who have gone out of their way to make me smile, make me feel safe, make me feel loved, and make damn sure I have a good time.

Perry - has been a source of so much wonderful silliness and support.

 

He actually offered to let me walk on him.

Tyler - has literally fixed many of my problems by mending what was broken.

And he always dances with me.

Jesse - his generosity knows no bounds and he is a master of playing. He also literally kept the boat afloat.

David - has the kindest heart and throws the meanest party. He made this Disco Party the best party of the summer, and that's saying something!

Kenny - for the openness of his spirit and the love that pours out of him.

I am thankful for these friendships.

For the kindness, generosity, helpfulness, sauciness and manliness of these men.

So, so grateful for all the love.

And for DISCO!

let love rule

Okay, hi there, I've been kinda awol, I know but I'm back. As you might have guessed from my last couple of posts this summer brought some interesting challenges to my door. But my horoscope has improved dramatically and so has my life!

"You have cosmic clearance to fall deeply, madly, and frequently in love, Gemini. In fact, it's OK with the gods of fate and the angels of karma if you swell up with a flood of infatuation and longing big enough to engorge an entire city block. The only stipulation those gods and angels insist on is that you do not make any rash decisions or huge life changes while in the throes of this stupendous vortex. Don't quit your job, for instance, or sell all your belongings, or dump your temporarily out-of-favor friends and loved ones. For the foreseeable future, simply enjoy being enthralled by the lush sexy glory of the liquid blue fire." Rob Brezsny, Free Will Astrology

I'm gonna go with that. Here are a few new things that are making me love my kitchen even more than before.

Mercury is retrograde

From Rob Brezsney's Free Will Astrology:

"When Mercury is retrograde, as it is for the next few weeks, it does not mean communication snafus are likely. Rather, it tells you this is a great time to refine the ways you exchange information . . . and to concentrate harder on saying what you mean and meaning what you say . . . and to meditate on how to improve the ways you connect yourself to the people and resources you need and like.

Some people say that when Mercury is retrograde, it's a bad time to begin anything new. During one such period two years ago, an acquaintance of mine decided to delay accepting a dream job offer as editor of a magazine. By the time Mercury returned to normal, the magazine had hired another applicant. I wish I'd have known, because I would have told her what I'll tell you: Some of America's biggest, most enduring Fortune 500 companies began when Mercury was retrograde, including Disney, Goodyear, and Boeing."

Mercury is seriously retrograding my life right now and since I'm a Gemini, Mercury rules.

a beachy visit

The visit from my New York friends turned out to be quite a bit more this (whining and screaming):

than this (smiling and laughing):

I'll be back next week once I've recovered.

a girly bbq

The bathroom ceiling remains unfixed but that doesn't mean I haven't been having some fun times round these here parts.

I hosted a gaggle of girly friends over on the island. There were so many of us we went over to my friend David's spot since he has a lovely lawn and space for everyone to spread out.

Everyone brought incredibly yummy dishes and Diana even made her own sausage - which I have to admit I have daydreams about how good they were!

And someone else made ribs! It was so nice that my friends and the fine fellow's friends and even Perry all got along.

In fact several of them got along better than even I could have imagined! The island really is a magical place!

one step forward and two steps back

Progress is being made in the spare bedroom - yay! But then this happened in the bathroom.

Yes, that's right, the ceiling is falling down.

And thar she blows!

Unfortunately, now the spare bedroom is full of everything that was in the bathroom! And guests are coming on Saturday!! Hopefully the ceiling will be fixed by then.

new ideas in progress

Here's a small peek at what's happening in the spare room - the curtains have arrived and I actually lined the one for the door!

There are still shelves to be hung, wood to be painted and mirrors to be re-situated, but I think it's already so much better!

new ideas

I've been a bit mia lately. I'm actually working a bit right now to fund birthday plane tickets for both my siblings. Very excited that they'll both be visiting in August - yay! Not only are they coming but so is my girlfriend from NYC with her hubby and my two most favorite kids - Tomio & Julia! So it's a good thing I've got some new ideas about how to spruce up the spare room!

I really haven't done anything in here since I quickly set it up for my first roommate about two years ago. So yes, that ugly rice paper blind is still there.

But not for long! Thanks to Emily from Secrets of a Stylist, I'm getting curtains for this room! No, I didn't win them, but when I saw them I thought they would be just the thing I didn't know I was looking for.

As I was thinking about how lovely these beauties will make things, it occurred to me that there might be a better way to organize the space. Now that I've rearranged the furniture, I know I'm right! I'm pretty sure I can get an extra mattress in there now, which will be crucial for the kids to have their own beds, particularly since Tomio has grown taller than me! Once the curtains arrive, and I've primped and spruced, I'll show it all off.

Happy 4th of July!!

Hope all my friends and family in the USofA are enjoying their day off today! Marcel thought you might enjoy this:

Happy Canada Day!!

Yay for long summer weekends!

I'm continuing my challenge to make a different green salad & quinoa salad every weekend and using up a fennel by making this:

I'm going to make a romaine salad w/ blueberries, figs & coconut - cause that's what's in the fridge. Then I'm going to pack it all up on the bike and head over to the island for this:

A wonderful weekend of celebrations to all!!

the summer of lobster?

I think this could be the one.

These were so big and sooooo goooooood!

And yes, there was turf with that surf. But I'm trying to eat less meat on the island so my goal is to make a different quinoa salad and green salad every weekend. The green salad was a version of a niscoise: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, snow peas, cooked potatos & chopped hard-boiled eggs in a vinaigrette.

The quinoa salad had: pineapple, red pepper, green onions, garlic, cilantro & pumpkin seeds. The dressing really made this even better the next day: pineapple juice, lime juice, white wine vinegar, avocado oil and grated ginger - so fresh & yum!!

goin to the island for more than 30 years

Just found these pics of the little sibs and our friend Jenny waiting for the ferry to the island.

look at those pants I'm wearing on the right!

Oh man they were so cute! They may not be little any more but they sure were back in what I'm guessing is probs 1979.

I'm trying to arrange a little reunion for us Jenkinses in August so we can take some trips down memory lane together.

I am so digging my outfit - that yellow poncho rocks! I will have to get one for Ceciley for her visit so we can do some matchy photo-ops. We like those ;)

birthday flowers from Marcel

Marcel knows how much I love flowers and he's the only man in my life who ever buys them for me. Last year he got me the most incredible peonies for my birthday and this year lovely lilacs. He loves the smell too.

He agreed to pose for a few "still-life with cat" photos to kick off the week.

Happy Monday everyone!