It's the shoes that make the dance

It has been another good week. Sleep deprivation notwithstanding.

A friend at work asked me to go the Ukrainian New Year gala at one of the local church halls. She's not been to a good Ukrainian dance party since moving here and thought a bunch of us girls should go and have a good time. Another really good friend of mine goes every year and has been after me to come out. Of course, XSU being the non social person he is unless it involves copious amounts of alcohol and his guitar ( playing the same four songs ad nauseum) would never want to go. And for some reason, he didn't like my friend's husband. I could never figure that one out. For far too long I played the loyal wife and chose to stick with him.

No more my friends!

So I borrowed, without knowledge,Rebel Junior's new shoes that she has already purchased for Prom and off I went. I had a great time. Ate far too much food, danced the night away when the young girls passed on their leftovers to me,or did the girls in a circle thing and between the Ukrainian dances, the Black Eyed Peas and the Beatles, I did okay.

One of the girls won a bottle of Ukrainian honey pepper flavoured vodka At midnight she opened the bottle and we girls plus our hardy two Ukrainian gentlemen dance partners had a shot each to usher in the New Year. Pepper vodka is very.... peppery even with that bit of honey in it.

I didn't get home til nearly 2 AM, and slept til nearly noon. Even the dog didn't wake me up to go out. RJ had the XSU drive her to work and pick her up, so I am feeling quite content in my little house today.

Life is good. Now I just need to continue to re jig my biorhythms clock and see if this getting up before the birds will work over the next few months.

Autumnal New Year

It always feels like a new year on the Labour Day long weekend more than it does in the middle of winter after Christmas. The change is far more palpable in September. In the dog days of August you can feel some of the coming crispness in the air in the evenings in spite of the searing heat and humidity during the days. This weekend we went from a major high of 34C ( almost 100F) on Friday to barely 17C ( 65F) on Saturday. Change is in the air.

White clothes, tank tops, capris and open toed shoes are tucked away at the end of August, and panty hose makes a return - much to the chagrin of women everywhere.

I've done my share of back to school shopping this year. I took both girls shopping, separately. Their styles of shopping are so different, it never works to take them together. Never has.

Rebel is working now, but I still have to cut her a little slack after her two+ year absence from the work force. She is coaching gymnastics and loves it, but because she doesn't have her certification she has to take a whack of courses and qualifiers to be able to work without a certified coach trailing her every move. She's frustrated but is getting the short term pain long term gain point of view. The other coaches (many younger than her) don't think her diving experience is worth much but she is handling herself. "Back summersault on a trampoline? Piece of cake. You go ahead and do one off a 7 metre board and hit the water without hurting your head or back, okay? Then we'll talk about who was in the tougher sport!" That's a Rebel for ya.

Rebel Junior has finally started looking for jobs. Though given her school agenda - and I don't mean classes, I mean Yearbook Committee, Athletic Association, Grad Committee, and a drive to be valdictorian, not sure whether a J-O-B will fit. Both XSU and I have told her it has to fit as we will not pay for any number of her extra curricular activities including her plans for Punta Cana at March break.

I also did a little shopping for myself. A pair of jeans to die for - Yoga Jeans by Silver. OMG! Best jeans ever! Sold to me by a wonderfully sharp dressed young man at the jean store. I have to get another pair they fit so terrifically. Cost a fortune but whatEV! And a pair of shoes. Not quite flats - a little wedge heel in gold. Perfect for jeans. I also shopped around for drills and impact drivers. But that will now have to wait until late fall, since I blew the budget on the girls.

And this new year for me? It's now been a year since I officially separated from XSU. I am still adjusting but it is easier. I am mostly enjoying my independence. Money is tight. But I'll get there. At least I have a great job and don't have to worry about that. And it will get better.

Had a martini with the widower neighbour the other night - was taking the dog for a walk and he was out on his porch. I told him I envied his porch and his drink, and he invited me to share both. With the dog. And his two cats. We took a chance. Conversation and that's about it. It was a nice. Friends for now that's all I can manage. But I digress....

This year I am still on the board of the gymnastics centre, (yeah the one where Rebel is working- first time I ever used my influence for anything) I will be teaching again in the winter, I have my theatre girls, and am thinking about working a compressed work week, if I can ever figure out how to be a morning person so I can get to work earlier so I can work the extra 50 minutes a day in order to get the 10th day off every two weeks.

I'll be heading to Halifax in a couple of weeks. I won an award from my university. Imagine that. Outstanding alumnae of the year. Given to me by a committe of my peers from the school. The citation was very nice. I have become one of those "been around forever people" and now need to get my speech written. The new crop of students will be in attendance so I have to speak directly to them. Rebel will be coming with me which was a real surprise. She asked to come.

So the "new year" is off to a good start. The air is changing it's a new start for all of us. Happy New Year to you too.

New Year

A new year. 

Take down the old calendar from the wall, put up the new one. Mark the important dates to come. Think of the possibilities and plans for the year. 

My friend in Denmark has invited me to come for her youngest daughter`s confirmation in May. Seriously. Denmark for a confirmation. That would be worth saving my pennies. 

Watching the Rose Bowl Parade again as I have almost every year since I can remember thinking how much I really want to go see the parade live.  And not just watching from any where but I want to be where the tv cameras are to see all the performances. If you go - then go big! Last year I looked at the tour packages for the parade - foot ball game included`and thought `I really need to get on this and go! I`d give away the tickets for the game and go shopping - but then again, maybe I`d go to a game just because it`s something to do.

I need to keep writing my murder mysteries. I have about 6 outlines and a bunch of research done, plus back stories and maybe a little discipline is called for and it`s time to get that ball going. 

No.... these are not resolutions but thoughts and things I have been contemplating. A new year, a new page to be turned. Time to move on and reach ahead to the possibilities rather than turning around at what was and reliving that over and over again.

Good health happiness  and possibilities to all.

Good bye 2009 hellloooo 2010!