fun with photo booth

So I'm a dork, as you all know. And I obviously have way too much free time on my hands.

 
big round muppet head                 me the ugly troll


 
me the grumpy ogre                     me the freaky house elf
                                                   (don't I look like Dobby?)


 
whoa, what a shnoz!                  yes, I have an orange for a
                                               head      


me with wonky mom and wonky brother. I'm a tad of wonk myself.

Yep, this is how I amuse myself in my carefree days as an unemployed bum. I'm teetering on the brink of insanity... or perhaps I've already fallen in!

Backyard bakery

We have two dogs, one is big and lovely and oh so good. The other is an overgrown rat that never stops barking and chews everything in sight. It's all snowy in our backyard with different sized plops of poo everywhere. My mom says it looks like a big chocolate chip cookie. Eww.....

our new channukah carol

Last night was the last night of Channukah and given the good weather, we went to my dad's for a winter bbq. My two year old niece is absolutely adorable and loves both Christmas and Channukah, sort of intertwining them into one mush of a holiday. Her little voice gave us a lovely rendition of "We wish you a merry Channukah and a happy new year" as if those had always been the words.  The poster child for "Chrismukka"!

Get outta my head!!

Have you seen that very annoying Capital One bank commercial? People are playing tennis and dancing, etc etc, while a guy in a suit is behind them with his hand in their back pocket. The little jingle keeps singing "hand in my pocket hand in my pocket hand in my pocket!" over and over and over again. I've had it running through my head for days now and it won't go away. It's driving me up the wall! I'll start humming it or mumbling it without even realizing it. Also, yesterday I was reading through old papers and I did a whole bunch of Sudokus. This morning I woke up with images of rows and column of numbers that I was trying to figure out. Obviously I have an excess of space in my head that is desperate to be filled.

Yay!

It's working again!

I am now free to wish everyone a Happy Channukah! And a belated Merry Christmas!

I got back from Saskatchewan on the 25th and went to my Aunt's house for Christmas dinner. Mmm... I haven't been in years and it was just as delicious as always. My favourite is the ham (bad jew). Then I went over to my dad's for some Channukah festivities where I even got some presents! The most exciting being a ticket to Stars on Ice with a seat right on the floor! EEEEEK!!!!!!!!! I totally squealed and hopped around in some crazy happy dance. Thank you daddy! I'm such a geek. My little niece looked adorable and was full of hugs for her Auntie Amanda (that's me! How fun!). My brother arrived later, having just returned from Europe. Now I don't have the house to myself anymore, but company is nice. Especially since I'm still unemployed and just shuffle around the house all day. Now I have another unemployed bum to keep me company.

I'm not quite my normal chipper self these days. Feeling a bit overwhelmed. I have so many things that I want to do (put albums together, post some pics on here, get some paintings framed, start exercising, find a job, knit an afgan...) and I just have no motivation to do anything. A job is at the top of my list, something to get me moving so I feel I'm settling in again. But I don't know what the hell I can do. I feel like I'm not qualified for anything and I really don't want to go back to waitressing again. Bah. Theran and I have parted ways once again, he's heading back to live in Vancouver, I'm staying here. I don't know what to say about it. We were together a long time and did so many amazing things together.

So, I guess I've got the holiday blues. New Years is fast approaching and I have no plans. I'll find something, I'm sure there'll be a couple of options. I'll probably get stupidly drunk and then end up crying that I have no life and nobody to kiss at midnight. It'll be a self-pity celebration! Wheee!

Happy holidays!!!

Bah humbug!!

I am very upset and annoyed because something is wrong with my blog! Not that long ago I was pleased to find that using a Firefox browser would give me a toolbar for html etc. But when I went to write a blog entry the other day the toolbar was gone and in the text box was < HTML > < BODY > < BR >. And it wouldn't let me write a thing!! I have no idea what's wrong or how to fix it, so now I'm stuck using a different browser with no toolbar. Boo!! Does anyone no how to fix it?

How can I write about festive holiday cheer with these drab little letters and no paragraphs???

Fun in the snow

Life at the cabin has been good. Lots of relaxing with a drink and a book in front of the fire. The weather hasn't been too bad, and with the proper bundling techniques, I've been able to enjoy a decent chunk of time outdoors. With several caesars warming my belly and rosing my cheeks, I decided a nighttime stroll would lovely. First an extra sweater, then an extra pair of thick socks, followed by ski pants that were far too big, tuque, scarf, down coat, giant boots, and finally mittens. Ready! I looked like the Michelin man, but I would be toasty. I waddled out into the snow. We had a lovely walk onto the frozen lake, and eventually laid down to look at the stars. It was so peaceful, and I didn't feel the least bit cold. However, a loud, vibrating crack thundered beneath us and interrupted my dreamy stargazing. I've heard the lake moving and cracking before, but never so close and with me on top of it! Perfectly normal and safe, but a bit disconcerting nonetheless. So we wandered back.

 

The other day I piled the layers on again to look at the sunset. It was breathtaking. I just sat on the ice, staring past the trees on the other side, watching the streaks of pinks, oranges and blues fire up the sky as the lake cracked and rumbled around me. Yesterday Theran and I took the skidoo for a spin. Those things always make me a bit nervous, and passing an area with "caution! Thin ice!" signs all around, and open water peeking through didn't do a lot to ease my worries. But everything was fine, and Theran even let me drive for a while. Wheee!

 

All in all, I'm having a very pleasant time. Now, back to the fire and my book :)

Ooh... booze

I'm drubk. Wait. DRUNk! Yeh, that

s the ticket. But shh... nobody knows yet.

 

What do you expect?? I'm in buttexpletivenowhere Saskatchewan!! What would YOU do for entertainment???

 

p.s. I shoveled snow. Shovel shovel. I was gooooood. Pics to come.

On the road again

 

  I knew Winnipeg couldn't hold me down for long. The road called to me, the travel bug bit, the excitement of discovering new places, people and cultures drew me away from the comforts of home once more!

 

  In the past few months I've traveled over 10,000 kms from Beijing to Edinburgh, gone through 35 degree weather in beautiful southern China to the piercing cold of the Mongolian nights, and seen and experienced some of the most amazing things the world has to offer.

 

  Now my adventure continues, and so here I am... in exotic Saskatoon! Ooh, Amanda, you world traveler, you! Each trip topping the last! And now, finally, my journeys have brought me to the pearl of the prairies, the sweet seduction of Saskatchewan!

 

  Theran and I are just visiting with his family for a while, mostly we'll be hanging out at his mom's place, a very cute and relaxing cabin on a lake near Prince Albert. So, instead of worrying myself over finding a job and all those unpleasant thoughts, I'm just going to chill out in front of a cozy fire, have some holiday drinks and watch some tv. Maybe play in the snow for a bit.

 

  I think these are very acceptable holiday plans. 

yapyapyapyapyapyapyapyapyapyapyapyapyap

Oh my god, my sister's dog is driving me up the friggin wall!!!

You know, if I was still in China....

 
one bite and no bark