Break Time

That's right.... for the next 10 days, I am taking a break from blogging - not because I want to, but because I will be at the cottage on VACATION - sleepin', readin', maxin', and relaxin' with PC for 10 whole days.

So.... while I take a break, you should take a break too.... don't bother checking back until July 9th (or so).... take some time away from the Internet to do other exciting things! Instead of wasting valuable time checking out my blog, do something productive like purchase something online, email an old friend, or sell something on eBay - do whatever you have to do - but don't rely on me for the next ten days for anything, because I. WON'T. BE. HERE.

Enjoy the week.... without me (somehow you will manage), and if can't enjoy the entire week, at least try to appreciate the long weekend ahead of us.

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!

Until next time....

P.S. If your still hanging around here.... I've added some videos from Tim & Faith at the bottom of my last post, so check them out - and if you still haven't found something more productive to do with your time, check out some of the blogs over here ---->, they ought fill the void for a few days!

CHEERS!

I liked it, I loved it, I want some more of it!

Best. Concert. Ever.

Seriously.... it does not get any better than Tim McGraw's & Faith Hill's Soul2Soul II Tour.

It was not just about the songs, it was about the way they can both entertain a crowd. Tim in particular - he did not let the Ottawa fans get away with their typical 'sit back and enjoy the show' routine. He got the crowd on their feet, and kept us there for the majority of his set. We were dancin', clappin', and singin' our little hearts out the entire night!

They sang their hits, their new ones, and I don't think anyone left disappointed. The stage itself was amazing, the lightning effects were very complimentary to the show. They both danced around the stage all night long. Faith especially has the old school dance moves - she just rocked and twisted around the circular stage -- she seemed so down to earth with her style - I loved it!


And the duets.... you can see/feel the love they have between them when they are on stage together - the entire show all I was thinking was, what do you have to do to have their life? I guess I could start by getting PC a guitar and microphone for his birthday, not to mention some of Tim's hot-ass jean's - MAN that guy is hot (although somehow I don't think PC and Tim quite wear the same size!).

But seriously... to be able to perform in front of thousands of people every night with the love of your life right beside you, and your kids along for the ride (their daughter Maggie sang the last verse of Tim's hit Fly Away - 1. 2. 3. like a bird I see... ) - it really must be the life!

AND Faith, that woman can hit the high notes and hold them - and she's beautiful. Blonde again, and beautiful. There is so much behind her singing, its not just a song, she feels the words and it shows, as with every performance you can sense the emotional attachment she has to her singing.

I really can't say enough about this concert. They played for over 3 hours, and every single minute was entertaining and exciting. It was worth every penny. It will be a concert that is hard to forget, and definitely one that won't be easily topped in my books.

I took some video of a few songs, but it might be awhile before I get them posted I got ambitious and posted them anyways; as well, for your viewing pleasure I uploaded some of the pics from last night, including the one of Clapper beside her new JEEP, and the other of her and I with Tim & Faith!!!

Enjoy.

VIDEOS

Please note: these are just some short clips to give you an idea of the show!

4 Week Update

Well... I am on my fourth week at the new job, and thought that it would be beneficial for me to write this post as marker - a marker for me to determine how long it has taken me to become comfortable in my new job.

My intention is that when I look back in 6 months or a year's time at this post, I will see how far I've come, how much I've learned since I've started here, and how comfortable I will have become with my files - and the people around me.

For the record let me state, that I am going on holidays in less than two days, and therefore some of my attitudes may be a bit tainted because all I can think about is getting my white legs to the cottage for 10 days (but this is besides the point).

It's my fourth week, and I am in between the feeling of being excited to be in a new environment, working on new files, and around some extremely great people, while at the same time, feeling very lost in the day to day process of my job.

I have been working on some very interesting files, but nonetheless, I have no idea what is REALLY going on. Everyone talks the talk to me, but nothing seems to make any sense. This Agency is very different from the one I came from, the size of it is much smaller and in most aspects this is fantastic, except for the fact that everyone seems to know everyone on a first name basis, and so when you are just learning and someone says.... email 'Bob, Mary, and John' and walks away, you have to wonder if the person really thinks you'll just figure out who Bob, Mary, and John are - or if they know there is only one of each them in the organization.

I mostly just nod and smile, and then work frantically to figure things out on my own time - I am googling everything, and lurking around people's shared folders on our computer system, just trying to get the low-down on the important priorities of this place, and surprisingly on many of my searches, I have come across the last names for Bob, Mary, and John. It's definitely still work in progress!

The acronyms are starting to come, and I have made contact with many of clients, so I have gotten through the stage of emailing where every new email starts with "Hi, I am your new comm. advisor... although not new to communications, I am new to the Agency... etc.". I have just started to arrange a few in-person meetings with my clients, and this will allow me to put faces to names, which makes the job seem much more human.

I am hoping that within time, the day-to-day business of the Agency will become second nature to me, but a part of me has to wonder. It's still all very exciting, but although I am not terrified anymore, I am still searching for a lot of answers, before I can actually feel settled. The good news is that many of my colleagues who have been here for a while all feel the same way I did at the beginning of their employment here, and some of them still don't feel comfortable in all areas of the job. Its nice to have a support group of colleagues to share frustrations with, but to also bounce ideas off of and to get direction from.

I am hoping in a few months (mainly after vacation) things will start to sink in better, and before long I will telling the new girl to email 'Bob, Mary, and John' - and walking away with the same 'she'll figure it out' expression on my face!

Note: Today, Miss Kristy Shaughnessy celebrates her champagne b-day. 27 on the 27th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBIE. Wish we were together to celebrate in style - but here's hoping that you live it up in T. Bay this evening. Miss you tons!

As well... Tim McGraw & Faith Hill concert tonight at Scotiabank Place-- can't wait - you can full details tomorrow (provided I am not too tired to post anything!).

Taking vacation

Why is taking vacation so hectic all the time?

I mean really, a vacation, is suppose to be relaxin', worry-free, and easy; however, in my life, going on vacation means nothing but pure stress until the moment you get to your destination.

Going to the family cottage is always a good time... once you get there, but getting ready to get there creates nothing but pure chaos in our household.

There is a million and one things to do before leaving for the cottage including: laundry, yard-work, paying the bills, packing, etc.

It all has to be done before I can feel confident that I will actually relax on my vacation, and it stresses me out beyond belief.

This Thursday evening we are heading to the cottage, but my schedule is jammed up with engagements right up until Thursday at 5, which leaves, literally, no time for any of the above mentioned activities. Of course, I don't do the yard work, that's PC's department, and much to our delight, we have a neighbour who kindly looks after our place while we are away, so if PC doesn't get around to cutting the grass, it will probably get done anyways, while we are away.

However, I don't seem to have a person who does my jobs while I am away, such as pay the bills, balance the cheque book, do the laundry, and dust the place, etc. - THIS IS A PROBLEM!

All of this discontent leads me to believe I should have some staff of my own - perhaps just one Executive Assistant who will look after all the details in life for me. Perhaps she could even prepare meals, a small entertainment agenda for us, and if she's feeling good.... come up with some suggestions for decorating our home, organizing my closet, and what not. Of course, I don't exactly have the funds to pay this person, but I am putting an official call out to anyone who has a good heart, who likes to be taken advantage of, and who thoroughly enjoys working for free with little to no rewards. Yes.... if this is you, please make yourself known in the comment section, and I will gladly get in touch with you (even while I'm on vacation!).

Any takers?

Bridal Shower Weekend

It's was a quick weekend away to Grimsby (encore) ... for KL's bridal shower, but a great time was had by all. The bridal shower was held at the same location where the wedding will be take place (on the shores of Lake Ontario), and if the weather on Sunday, was any indication of what to expect for the wedding, it will be beautiful!

The shower itself was good, with some great food and fun games. We had fun just being outside in the nice weather and sharing some laughs about Krista & Kelly! She got some beautiful gifts, including the lovely group gift we got her - her very trendy bedding set!

We packed up about 3:30 and headed back to Ottawa. T.O. traffic was thick and slowed the trip down for a while, but after that it was smooth sailin'!

Here are few pics from the event taken by super-star photographer Erin L. Boyd (I had to use these photos, as she had her Hollywood photographer camera on her all day - takin up all the good angles, so no one else could get any good shots!!!).

Enjoy!!!

Sunshine & Summertime

I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome the SUMMER of 2007 to my life. As of yesterday, the summer season arrived, and let me tell you, no one was happier about this seasonal change than me (minus the fact that today feels more like a cold fall afternoon, as opposed to the +30 days we've had for the last 2 weeks).

I love summer for the fact that it is usually the time of year I can look forward to some vacation, which means rest and relaxation (hopefully). I also enjoy the summer months for the fact that it means outdoor activities, BBQ's with friends, and believe it or not... a lot less laundry!

This summer seems busy, yet again .... less weddings than in the past few years, but still we have almost every weekend booked with plans.

I like to complain that the summer goes by so fast, and that we never really have time to enjoy it, but I think that's why it goes by so quick... because we are doing fun things (the majority of the time), and we don't notice the weeks dragging by because of it.

This weekend I am heading back towards T.O. for a wedding shower. It sounds like a drag, because most showers are (unless of course its your own), but it will be with my 130-O girls, so even though the drive will be sucky, I know we will be in for some good laughs.

As well, next week, I have the Tim McGraw & Faith Hill concert lined up, so that will be a highlight for sure. Their concert is supposed to be one of the best in country music, and I am pumped up! I have all the tunes downloaded, so I will be ready to belt out every word next Wednesday evening - can't wait!

Then, next Friday, we are taking off to the cottage for 10 days.... TEN WHOLE DAYS, of R&R - I can hardly contain myself. I've got some good books lined up, my ipod fully loaded, and my day planner will be conveniently left at the office Thursday afternoon.

I feel like I am getting off a bit easy this year on the vacation side of things, because since I've started my new job, things haven't have time to build into the same level of frustration that I was more familiar with at my old job. Vacation is usually more about destressing, but this year, it will actually just be a nice treat in the middle of a rather enjoyable first month on the new job - I love it!

This post is just a few ramblings slapped together for your reading pleasure... so I hoped you have throughally enjoyed it, on the second official day of summer.

I would also like to send a shout out to my MIL, Mom C, as she celebrates her birthday today. She's been at the cottage all week (what a great way to ring in your b-day), so I am not sure if I will see her today, but I would like send out some special birthday wishes to her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM C

and

HAPPY SUMMER TOUT LE MONDE!

Making lunches

PC started a new job on Monday (felicitations PC), which means he is no longer working from home, but rather making an appearance in the real world, with the rest of the working class, during regular business hours.

He now reports to Head Quarters, as a subject expert (expert on what you ask...? well that's considered confidential, or too complicated to bother explaining, so I will just say confidential, which will lead you to think he's off EXTRA importance in the world... however...) - bottom line is... its a raise, its a promotion, and for the purpose of this post, it requires him to have a lunch 5 days a week, because he is tucked away in a piece of Ottawa we like to call ghetto-ville Vanier.

Talking about Vanier is a whole other post (and Vanier residents don't try to convince me that it's better known as upscale Vanier, or Van York, because it's not). Vanier is known mostly for it's hourly rate motels... if you know what I mean, so from that you can conclude it doesn't exactly have gourmet fine dining restaurants nearby, unless of course you count the Loblaw's deli counter down the street from his office.

Anyways.... moving on. Since I have been at Public Health, I am on a regular lunch taking kick (not by choice). Seriously... I pretty much hate taking my lunch because it requires advance planning, and being proactive, and basically all the things I don't do well in life. But, it only makes sense to pack a healthy lunch when you're eating with the people who work on Canada's National Food Guide (fast food and chubby chips are NOT going to cut it in this neck of the woods!).

However... when you aren't use to packing a lunch, it quickly becomes like a second job.

A. You have to have groceries in the house ALL. THE. TIME.
B. You have to have a variety of items to make it seem like you have options.
C. You have to have pack stuff that is portable, with portable containers that require washing at the end of the day.

I am finding that making lunches is easier if you make a decent supper, and then prepare the next day's lunch while cooking supper. However, this brings up another issue, in that we don't always eat a decent supper, especially with our busy schedules - we are on the go, all the time, which makes, making decent meals a challenge in general. If there is no supper on the table some nights, that definitely means there is no chance in hell of having a good lunch the next day, let alone a healthy one.

If I get a decent supply of groceries on Sunday, I seem to be able to get through Monday and Tuesday without too many problems, but when Wednesday morning rolls around, I am fresh out of ideas on what to put in my lunch bag. AND, if I happen to spend the weekend away from home, I am grasping for ideas on what to include in the lunch box come Monday morning - it's a vicious cycle, I swear.

I think I might be able to survive a bit more than PC, on minimal groceries, because a small supply of cheese n' crackers classifies as a meal for me, but PC sees that combo as more of a lame appetizer than an entire meal.

The other issue I have is with deli meats. I like a good deli sandwich, but I seem to be most attracted to the salty meats, like salami and ham.... and less into the fat free turkey and chickens. I like salami for the sheer fact that it doesn't get that slimy film attached to it after only 3 hours in the fridge, and in my opinion it just tastes better - so when I arrive at the deli counter, I am always asking for the same meat, and even I know its not particularly healthy to live off of salami all week long.

All of these little lunch box issues are leading me to ask for some help, some advice, in the lunch making department. Do any of you have lunch packing secrets... good treats or quick menu items that I could try, in an attempt to spice up my lunch bag? If so, please post your ideas in the comments section - I am dying here .... throw me a bone (or a sandwich), PLEASE.

Show me the money

It was a winning weekend for all parties involved as we headed to the Rideau Carelton Raceway (RCR) on Friday night for dinner and some horse racing.

PC showed up late due to a scheduled golf tourney, however this didn't slow down his winning ability, as he picked up just over 90 bones about 5 minutes through the door. Julien Benoit came close a few times before picking up 250 clams, leaving Darcy Wall at the bottom of the winning list with only 2 twenties and a lonely 5 dollar bill to his name.

Before the Final Race

(Note: the face on the middle man, Officer Wall, not a happy camper!)

However there was one race to be held, and the boys went all out.... dropping some heavy coin on the final round. The women were skeptical, yet nervous, as they saw their life savings on the line... but as luck would have it, the boys picked three horses to finish in the top three, and when the dust settled, their horses crossed the finish line in the top three spots. The crowd guys erupted as if they had just one Stanley Cup (while the rest of the restaurant starred in disgust), as they each picked up 150 bucks and some change.

After the Final Race

(Note: You will notice a slight improvement on the face of Officer Wall)

It was a profitable evening for all involved, although I think Officer Wall's wife (Natalie) was the person who benefited the MOST from this experience (as... no one wants to experience Darcy on a losing streak)!!

It was a great way to start the weekend... as it's not that often that we leave RCR with our pockets full of cash.

GTs.... it's all about the GTs!

The Workplace Bathroom Situation

This post has been brewing for a while, but after seeing this over at Chez Roz, and having the topic come up with my girls on stag n' doe weekend, I thought it was about time I formalize my concerns on the blog.

As the title indicates, workplace bathrooms create a stinky (no pun intended) situation. In any offices I have been in, there are usually three or four stalls in one main bathroom. Normally, this isn't a problem, if your heading through the doors for a quick pee. You're in and out in under a minute (unless of course you've drank 2 coffee and a bottle of water without making a trip to the lou, creating a power pee situation... but that's a whole other blog!).

Anyways, if you going pee, there is clearly no problem (minus the air farts - that's right I said air farts, you know what I am talking about, so blush, and continue reading)... peeing is not the issue here, it's those unforeseen circumstances when you eat some spicy Thai food for lunch, which brings on the number 2 situation in under 30 minutes. Your cramps make you power walk to the washroom, but when you get in there, 3 out of the 4 stalls are full, and you know if you step in the one that's free, you are going to be embarrassed in no time, so somehow, you hold it together, exit the premises, and return 5 minutes later hoping the place is cleared out. If you happen to be lucky, the coast is clear, you do your business as quickly as possible, and try to get back to your desk without being noticed BY ANYONE.

Now, if your a man reading this, you probably can't relate, because for some reason, most men don't have the same privacy issues as women when it comes to making a number 2. In fact, I know a few men who leave their desk, and say out loud 'shit, I forgot the paper', and walk back to get it. Then, they give the nod and wink to the other men in the hallway, while they proudly place the paper under their arm, as they enter the facilities -urrrrrrrrrrgh, disgusting in a woman's world, but to the rest of the male posse, they are non-verbally high-fiving one another with their eyes, after the deed has been done. GROSS.

However, back to the female issues. In my experience, when you're in the restroom taking a pee, and you don't hear any noise in the stall beside you, but you see feet, you know somebody is trying to wait. you. out. It's embarrassing for all parties involved, because you know what the woman is doing, but at the same time, the evil side of you wants to push the limits to see how long the guilty party is willing to wait you out - while at the same time mentally noting the shoe style and colour (and in my case trying to match them up later in the day with the other woman in the building - evil I know).

I know.... you were thinking I was a nice catholic girl, raised in a small town, with good family values, yet I am talking about people's poo patterns - but seriously, if you're a woman, one or all of these thoughts has crossed your mind at somepoint in a public washroom.

This weekend my girls raised these very concerns... and it was suggested that large offices, have one or two private bathrooms, where a woman can go and use the facilities without the fear of being interrupted mid-process. I would add to that suggestion, that there should be one hell of an exhaust fan in each of those private stalls, and for good measure a truck load of air freshening spray (or stinky bum spray as we use to call it at 130-O), because you just never how nasty the end result will be.

The private stalls are definitely one solution to the workplace bathroom situation, but perhaps you have others solutions? That is, if your not embarrassed to leave a comment, with your name beside it!

What do you think... any ideas on how can we make the workplace poopie situation more bearable for the average working woman?

Stag n' doe Weekend!

Time is of the essence here, so this post will be short, but with photos to keep everyone happy!

PC and I spent the past weekend in Grimsby... with the entire 130-O crew, participating in one of the funnest stag n' doe's in the history of stag n' doe going.

There were games, drinks, jello shooters, good eats, and a whole lot of drunken fun.

The design team, Erin L. Boyd, created one-of-a-kind team shirts for the member's of the work crew. Team Smith in hot pink, Team Burchill in lime green. We worked the games all night, raking in the cash for Krista & Kelly to the tune of over 4K - yeah baby!

There was black jack, crown n' anchor, mini monster truck rallies, live gold fish races, and even a kissing booth (don't ask, but if you know Mat Rogerson - you don't need to know much more!).

As well, at any time in the night you could pay to put someone in the penalty box (which was my home base for the entire evening)... being in the box, meant: NO DRINKING, NO TALKING, NO FUN! But, it was fun, especially when the Krista's parents ended up in their together for 10 minutes, to which her dad (Jim) paid to get himself out, while keeping his wife (Judy) in the box for an additional 5 minutes, all in the name of family!

Everyone had a good time... there were prizes galore, and even a few crew members went home with some lovely partying gifts in tow!

The Smith family put up with us us up for the entire weekend and were great hosts. They even said 'come back anytime', but I am sure they are hoping we won't all take them up on their offer at the same time - like say... the night of the wedding!

Anyways... it was a fan.taaaaaaaaaaaastic weekend, which once again reinforces what it means to have a great group of friends!

Now... without further ado, the photos:

A whole new world

I am a woman, and I love to shop. Actually, love is a pretty strong word, I can scale that down to: like to shop, because I do like it (when I am in the right mood, which usually translates in well-rested and fed), so when shopping opportunities are few and far between, this is an issue.

When I worked downtown in the market, I was pretty much shopping and spending money every. damn. day. So when I learned I was moving to BFN (butt f%$# nowhere) for my new job, I was pretty disappointed that I wouldn't be accessible to the Rideau Centre, the market, and all the stores that suck me into spending money day after day.

The upside of not being near any mall is that you definitely have more money in your pocket at the end of each day, AND, BFN doesn't charge $170 a month for parking (its FREE). Its like getting a raise, but not paying income tax on it. A pretty sweet deal, in my opinion, minus the fact that shopping is not convenient.

However, to my surprise, BFN is actually not that bad, it's a stone's throw away from Merivale road, and Merivale road has just about anything and everything a girl needs. Pier 1, Winners, Home Sense, Home Outfitters, Sport Chek, Canadian Tire, STARBUCKS, good restaurants, you name it, it can be found on Merivale road.

The west end of Ottawa, in general is a whole new world for me, as is Merivale road. Whenever I used to drive on Merivale, (the three times in my whole life), it resulted in me getting lost, and at one point I ended up on the 416 (for those of you who don't know Ottawa, that's not even remotely close to where I should have been). For a long time I hated the west end.

However, I checked out Google maps, Google directions, and what do you know, the west end is not all that complicated. It's actually pretty straight forward... and to my surprise I am liking it, A LOT! Yesterday on my lunch, I ventured off in my car, to Merivale, did some browsing at a few stores, got a Starbucks, and headed back to the office after lunch, completely fulfilled.

It was the first day that I thought out loud to myself: I am really going to love this job!

This weekend we are off to great Grimsby (near Hamilton) to take in the stag n' doe festivities of my good friends Krista Lynn Smith & the Burch who will be married on September 1, 2007! You can look forward to seeing some pictures of the event, next week.

Bonne fin de semaine, tout le monde!

The New Job

I survived, the first two days of the new job.

Let me set the scene of the first morning. Me... dressed in causal capri pants, a white (very chic) hoodie, and my jean jacket. I was dressed down as per the orders of my new boss, because it was moving day. Everyone in the office was to be unpacking their office as there had been a major office reorg. over the weekend. According to the boss, nobody was to be too concerned about work, and her final words of our last phone call were 'make sure you don't wear good clothes', so I didn't.

30 seconds in the door, we are rushed off to a surprise all-staff comm's meeting. Perfect! I get to meet everyone and their dog under one roof. I roll into the boardroom with a look of distress, and I pretty much have this thought: Hi Sara, meet your new well-dressed colleagues.

Does anyone have a gun? Please shoot me.

If these people are dressing down, as per the orders, they all deserve an F for effort. To the credit of my new boss, she was in jeans, and runners, so I didn't feel completely out of place, but I am sure everyone will now remember me as: the new girl, wearing the jean jacket.

Luckily, I have thick skin... so after about an hour, it didn't really bother me, but I am sure the look on my face said it all when I first walked into the boardroom among 25 of my newest colleagues!

Other than that minor hiccup, I am thinking I am going to like the place. It's super upbeat. Everyone is go. go. go. and really positive while they are at it - which is far cry from the work environment I just left, so this is a plus.

I am going to be a while catching onto the files, how the department is structured, and who does what, but nonetheless, learning all these things is half the fun.

I have met a lot of people over the past two days, many faces which I remember, but not their names. I am hoping this will come. I was asked to do some work right off the bat, which didn't seem too bad, except for the fact that I don't understand any of the five thousand acronyms the department uses. Honestly... whoever permitted the use of acronyms in speaking and writing, did not work in government!

The files are interesting... I am learning a lot as I go along, but the scientific health research might kill me at some point. I used dictionary.com about 14 times today, just to grasp some of the lingo that medical doctors and such are using. I think that is going to be quite challenging to comprehend all the medical lingo, but hopefully nothing I can't handle.

My team is small, and I think we are going to along great. The senior management team seems very nice, and they were very welcoming, which made me feel great about being part of their team. It's a mix of men and women, but the majority of people are late twenties to mid thirties - which is very cool - everyone is on the same page when it comes to working styles, and I like that.

The one thing that is bringing me down is that the department uses Lotus Notes and not Microsoft Office for email - major bummer. I feel like an idiot, but I am starting to catch onto it. It feels old school, because it is, and after coming from Microsoft Outlook and knowing it inside and out, Lotus Notes feels like I have taken a step back in technology, however, I am coping with it - slowly!

I am so far finding the drive in not too bad... its a change of scenery for sure, and I think that in itself is good. The first day, I practically starved myself to death. I didn't pack a lunch, and I decided to get a small salad from the cafeteria, which was clearly not enough to hold me over until 6:30 pm, when I ate dinner. I was dying for snacks all. day. long. and had nothing stashed away. I am really going to be missing the market, and the afternoon strolls for Starbucks, Yogen Fruz, Laura Secord, etc., but in the same way, it will be damn good for the figure. Today I packed my lunch, complete with health snacks, and I was a much happier person at the end of the day - so this is something I am going to have to start doing... faithfully.

I am at the end of day 2, but looking forward to day 3... with each new day, comes more knowledge, and the more I know, the better I will be at my job - so that's a reason to get up tomorrow!

As well... the Sens play tomorrow night... we are down, but not out. I still believe. Its not over til its over, and nobody is going to be harder on themselves than the players, so I will continue to believe they can do it, until they have given their final effort.

GO SENS GO!

Saturday full of surprises!

As Saturday fell upon on us, on this crazy busy weekend, I woke up tired and in somewhat of a bad mood. I really hate when weekends fly by because it never feels like you have enough time to do anything.

However... if I had known how the day would have unfolded, I would have definitely woke up with a smile.

There were so many things going on in Ottawa this past weekend. The biggest most important event was probably the Stanley Cup Finals. The first of two consecutive home games for the Sens was Saturday night, and the city was a buzz. PC and I were attending the wedding of Patrick Bougie & Natalie Carr, which was taking place at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata, a pretty prestigious hotel in Ottawa, that is frequented by the NHL players and legends.

To our surprise... we arrived in the door way and this banner greeted us:

The parking lot was filled with nice cars and very important looking people, all to which had media passes... and were buzzing about the lobby. PC and I checked into our room, and had this lovely view out our window:The wedding was at 3:30... and was outside the hotel under a lovely tent. Before heading down to the wedding site we checked out the facilities... where the reception would be, and what not. We came off the elevator and ran smack into Elliotte Freidman from CBC. I was star struck a bit, but he gave a friendly smile and continued right on with his quick pace. To our surprise, the NHL had taken over the reception room. It was a press conference area for the NHL, and Vincent LeCavalier was being interviewed as we turned the corner. Rumours were that Sidney Crosby had just been there... and later to the surprise of the bride and groom, he left them a worn, autographed Penguins jersey outside their door as a wedding gift - since he was staying in the room next to them!

We continued on with our tour, and made our way down to the wedding. It was a warm, humid day, threatening to rain, but it never did. The ceremony was beautiful.... absolutely beautiful, as was the bride and the entire wedding party.

After the ceremony, we shared some champagne with the happy couple, and really just enjoyed the afternoon. We were led inside the hotel for cocktails and appetizers, and en route, we bumped into, an old friend of my Dad's, Mr. Henri Richard.

(PC & Henri Richard)

He was being honoured at the Sens game that evening, and was staying at the hotel with his family. He was very personable, and indeed a very nice man!

We enjoyed the evening, the meal, and all of the events of the wedding. I was so amazed at how the hotel staffed turned the NHL press conference area into a very elegant and romantic wedding reception in a matter of hours - they were amazing. I think having the Stanley Cup finals interfere with your wedding would be a groom's dream come true, but a bride's nightmare, however Brookstreet Hotel deserves full credit for hosting both events with such class.

In between the reception, we were hanging out in the lobby bar checking out the game on the big screen... the Sens won 5-3, and it was a huge party from there on in.

After the reception came to a close, we were not even remotely finished with the night, so we headed down to the lobby bar for a few more drinks and took a few songs with Eugene Melynk on the piano bar.

You may recall a post I made about a year ago titled Move over Don Cherry... where I mention the fact that I heart Kelly Hrudey... I basically love this man, about an ounce less than I love PC. I joking said to PC in the lobby after we saw Henri Richard in the afternoon, that if I saw Kelly Hrudey, I WAS THE ONE GETTING MY PICTURE WITH HIM, not PC! As luck with have it... my hottie was in the building and the fact that I had a few glasses of wine under my belt, made the introduction even sweeter!

(Me & Kelly Mr & Mrs. Hrudey)

Talk about a nice guy. PC did most of the talking while I did the majority of heavy breathing. Kelly was really good about it. PC flat out told Kelly, that I love him, more than I love PC - and he said 'that's not necessarily a bad thing'! - I like how you think Kelly!

Anyways... the funniest part about the whole encounter was that en route to meeting Kelly, I breezed by Brett Hull, like he was a cab driver. Didn't even phase me... I was on a mission to meet my second husband... and I wasn't about to let anyone, not even Brett Hull slow me down!

We hung out at bar with him for the rest the night... I had a very nice conversation with Scott Oake, from CBC, about communications, CRA, and the media in general. He is just as nice in person as he is on camera. PC chatted with Scott Morrison, and after a while Elliotte Freidman showed up at the bar... also a nice guy, all business, but they don't come much more polite than him. PC and Kelly shared some beers, (I still can't believe it), and to round out the night Bob Cole and Harry Neale were in the house.

(Kelly & PC)

(PC & Harry Neale)

I woke up this AM with a headache, but let me tell you, the fact that I met Kelly Hrudey was well worth the headache. PC was also slow moving this morning, but he agreed the hangover didn't put a damper on the events of the previous evening. The bride and groom were off to sunny Cuba for their honeymoon today, and PC and I carried on with our day, helping friends move into their new home, attending a baby shower, and getting ready for my first day of work, tomorrow.

Hard to top this blog post for a while, but I think now these posts should make up for the lack of postings last week!

I am off to bed, and anxiously wantinig to get tomorrow over with. I will update you on the new job as soon as possible!

Friday's Golf Adventure

Friday, I was off. A planned vacation day before all of the job changing events occurred, as PC and I were participating in the Rideau Curling Club Golf Day with some friends (Shaun & Alexis Yoshi Riordan), at the Meadows Golf and Country Club.

Thursday night there was a HUGE thunder storm... the sky was lit up most of the night, and the rain came down hard. I was sure the tournament was going to be cancelled, but to our surprise on Friday, it was sunny and only a humid 50 degrees.

I make a rule each year, that I only golf in June and September, because I hate golfing in the heat of July and August. I think after Friday's round, I might have to narrow my golfing schedule down to merely September, because on Friday, the 1st of June, I was sweating before I even swung a club- not that I am complaining.

All I can say is... I will give my first born to the person (probably a woman), who invented the motorized golf cart - I don't think I would have survived the day without the cart, and it turns out... I am a pretty decent golf cart driver (right Yoshi?). I might just quit golf all.to.gether and take up golf carting instead, it's much less exhausting than actually swinging a golf club every 15 feet - and you get to do some off roading that you might not necessarily do in a regular game of golf... it's definitely something I am going to look into in the future!

Anyways... it was a best ball tourney... and given that I haven't swung a club in two years, I would say it was a pretty good outing. Somehow I have developed my father's mean slice to the bush (according to PC, who shouted 'Timbo would be proud' after every tee-off). This situation resulted in me loosing 14 balls on 18 holes, and PC swearing about every other shot! Thank god it was best ball - although Yoshi and I did hold the team together on a few holes with our birdie putts!

Check out some of the action shots from the day. We ended up 3 under par at the end of the day, but apparently not good enough for a prize - oh well, it was only about having fun, not about winning - or at least that's the speech I had to give PC on the ride home!