Looking Back 2010

I think I have to say that 2010 was one of the highlights of my life so far. I've had some pretty spectacular years in the past so I don't say this lightly.

It all started with the Olympics. I think I'm still feeling the buzz. I had no idea what to expect. Too be honest, I didn't really think anyone would show up. Boy was I wrong! To see the normally frosty citizens of Vancouver dressed up in their best interpretation of the Canadian flag and filled to the brim with giddyness and joy was an experience I wasn't expecting. I fell in love with my country all over again. There is an amazing power that comes with strong patriosm that just sweeps you along for the ride. I'm so proud of all our athletes and their amazing showing on home turf. The final hockey game was the nail-biting icing on the cake. What a wonderful way to start the year.

The mild weather, while maybe not ideal for a winter olympics, was welcomed by me especially after last years frosty wonderland. I really don't like to battle the elements! It can snow all it wants to on the mountains, but please by all means, rain on my parade, I really don't mind at all.

I spent the spring living in a beautiful heritage home with a fabulous garden. Every day was a treat seeing what new life had burst forth. All the lucious scents and colours were a gift for the senses. After three years of living in an industrial park, all that beauty and life was like water to a parched plant. I spent hours in that garden, inspecting plants, taking their pictures, looking them up online to learn more about them and absorbing their lovely energy.

The nine months I spent in that house away from Mitchell Island was in a sense a rebirth for me. I got out and socialized more. I started the Wyldestone Cottage blog and finally put my interests together in writing so that when I'm ready to teach, I'll have my course notes finally in order. I quit smoking again but for good this time. And last, but not least, I manifested my own home.

June/July were anxious months for me as I held my breath and crossed my fingers and toes waiting for all the paperwork and neccesary manouvers to acquire my home and get it transported down here. The day it finally arrived was like a dream for me. I had to keep pinching myself to make sure it was real.

The rest of the summer and fall, I fell off the face of the earth and into a love affair with my home. It looks an aweful sight these days, full of my belongings and construction material all over the place, but I can see the final vision, I see past all the chaos to the castle it wants to be. Each project finished, each decision made, each new purchase is a moment of pure joy and contentment. I live for the day when I can fling my doors open to the world and say "come on in". I look forward to years of entertaining and working on many projects.

As for the rest of this winter, I just can't wait for it to be over. I live in fear of snow. I don't want to have to get up and shovel off my roof. I don't want to battle my way to work and back in vehicles not equipped for bad weather. I have a bunch of projects on hold because it's too cold to work downstairs. I am counting down the weeks until the worst is behind us. I can't wait to see what the new year has in store for me. It will be tough to beat this year, but a nice calm, middle-of-the- road year would be nice, no drama, just things getting done. Work when I need it, lots of sunshine and some headway on my thousand and one projects would be so sweet.


The only fly in my ointment is my weight. As I knew I would, I've ballooned since quitting smoking. I'm so ashamed and embarrassed, I haven't been to a single function involving my friends in over 6 months. Nothing fits, I look horrific, I have a massive 60-70 pounds to lose to get back to where I was when I first arrived here four years ago. It's such a daunting number, I don't know where to start and the thought of starving myself and exercising like a hamster in a cage just to lose one pound a week makes me feel so helpless. So once again, I start the New Year vowing to get control over my body. I don't know why I bother, none of my resolutions ever seem to go anywhere. Maybe this year, I will resolve to eat more chocolate, be more sedentary and not give a shit what I weigh. Maybe then the opposite will happen, a girl can dream can't she?

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year, may all your dreams come true and do take some time to stop and smell the roses, it's those little things that make life worth living.

Linking to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

2007 Year End Review

I love New Years Day. Its like the first day of school, the beginning of a new adventure, a brand new book who's pages have yet to be turned,a clean slate where anything is possible. I cant believe how much my life has changed since this time last year.

Last January I was living in a house I hated, working at a job I was tired of and running out of ideas to inspire me. For years I had wanted to move, preferably back to Europe if possible. Because of all my uncertainty, I hadnt done much to the house to make it very livable. After a trip to England the year before, where I realized I couldnt afford to move to Europe, I decided to revamp the house with better furnishings found on Craigslist. I threw myself into my work , not taking a single day off for over 4 months. I spent thousands buying stuff for the house, with the thought that once I had all the nice stuff I wanted, I would look for better ( and most likely way more expensive) accomadation. I have wanted to live on the water for years and had looked into it in the past, but thought it would be out of my reach, just another dream. Well just goes to show you the power of dreams. It took me awhile but here I am!

So last April as the weather was starting to warm up, and thoughts turned to getting out and being more sociable, I decided to take a look at the personal ads on Craigslist. Its funny , I had been shopping on there for about a year, but had never once thought to look at the dating ads. Well within a few minutes I had come across an ad that David had posted. He was quite specific about what he was looking for, it sounded like we had tons in common and I was sure we would get along great but I didnt fit all his criteria so decided not to answer his ad.

A few days later it was April 13th, the 21st anniversary of my Mothers death. I was driving along in the car and thinking about her, having a conversation with her in my head. Told her how much I missed her and wondered what she would think of all the changes in the world and my life since she's been gone. In closing I sent out a plea to her, that if she had any pull with the cosmos, if she could PLEASE send me a nice guy that I could relate to.

The next night I attended a party at a friends house. I arrived wearing a red cape and the band started playing a funny song about Red Riding Hood. I made a joke about how all I need now was my big bad wolf and turned to see David with a grin from ear to ear,looking ready to gobble me up on the spot. We ended up chatting throughout the night and he invited me back to the Bowie for a hottub. The next day I got to thinking, something about him seemed so familiar, but I couldnt put my finger on it. Finally I remembered the ad I had read and went back to look at it again. OMG, it was the same guy. I couldnt believe it!! What were the chances I would meet him in this huge city. Well as I suspected we got along great and nine months later, here we are and both our lives have changed so much. Thanks Mom, you did good :)

As we got to know each other better, I was spending more and more time down here at the shipyard. I loved the lifestyle and the people that I met here. For the first time in 15 years of living in Vancouver, I finally felt part of a community.I was spending lots of time on Craigslist, looking for stuff for Davids floathome that he was building. I had also started looking in the boat section, just to keep my eyes open for any possibilities. I loved Tana's houseboat and would give anything to have a place like hers.

I quit my job at the hotels in June. I loved the work but was getting so burnt out being on call all the time. I couldnt plan anything and it was draining me. I had a few home clients that just payed the bills and spent most of the summer helping David put his house together. I learned so much and enjoyed all the different tasks we were doing. I do love a project and his had lots to keep us very busy.

One of the floathomes down here came up for sale and I spent about a month and a half researching everything about floathomes and trying to get a loan to buy it. It was proving to be very difficult to get the backing I needed, but I felt sure it would happen. It just seemed I was meant to be here, to have this opportunity. Then one day, just as I was about to walk out the door to leave for a weekend job at a Rafting resort, I decided to take one last quick look on Craigslist. Why I did tht, Ill never know as I was running late as it was, but look I did and boy am I glad! I found the ad for my boat and asked David to follow up on it for me as I would be in the bush and no access to phones ect for a few days. When I got back, we talked to the owner and set things up. The rest as they say is history. I was now the proud new owner of my first boat(and home!) and all for free( not to mention , the moorage is cheaper than my very cheap rent at the old house).Could life get any better? The best part is this isnt just any boat but the boat of my dreams , all hobbitt housey and cute as a button. Im proud to have such a cool historic boat and have every intention of restoring it to it's full glory.

I went back to working full time in the fall. Now that I had the boat, I had a million things I wanted to buy and fix and cash flow was required for that. I love my work and the money is great, but after 15 years , Ive had enough. I want a change so bad I can taste it, but had no idea what I could do that would make this kind of money. I dont really want to go back to school at my age and get another degree, but Im not really qualified to do anything else. I have had some interesting jobs in my life. I was a bartender for 13 years in all kinds of establishments. I was a chimney sweep on Vancouver Island for 4 years, did a stint as a roofer, picked up car parts for a garage.Im not afraid of hard work and love being outdoors. David and I have been talking about starting a log salvaging business together. Now that he has the tugboat and the use of a smaller skiff, we are putting together a plan to make that happen. Just waiting now on the salvadge licence to come through and we can get started. I cant wait to see what 2008 brings!

My horoscope says that this will be a very lucky year for me. I cant see how things could get any better but Im excited as hell to see how it will unfold.Im hoping a tropical vacation is in the cards, that would be the icing on my cake.

I wish you all the very best in 2008, may all your dreams come true for you

Happy New Years one and all!!!