New member of the family

So the boy and I have been back and forth over the past ...omg it feels like forever...over the idea of getting a new dog. Our last dog sadly passed around 8 years ago. She was a purebred rescue, an elderly Westie (West Highland White Terrier) and was only with us a couple of years. Prior to that we'd had another rescue, another mature pooch, a collie-shepherd cross and she was with us for almost 7 years. The boy however has never had a puppy.

After many, many (omg many) hours of back and forth pros and cons (his pros...my cons) we finally decided that if we were going to get a puppy, that it made sense to get one now, and get the housetraining over with before we move into the new house. I made the mistake of saying "We will have a dog before Christmas..." because as soon as those words were out of my mouth it seemed we both became canine possessed. We searched websites, newspaper ads, billboards at the vet's office. Er...what happened to Christmas? What's the rush? We took the "breed quiz" online and heaven knows what other sites. One thing we were both agreed on was that we wanted a larger dog. My favourite being a labrador, his being a German Sheppard.

That was when I happened on a local website and found us the best of both worlds...a lab/shep cross! 24 hours later (whatever happened to Christmas??) we were driving two towns over to "just look" at the litter of puppies. FATAL!! One look at those cute little faces and I was lost. I knew we wouldn't be going home alone.

So without further ado let me introduce you to our latest addition to the family, Cleo. She's 7 weeks old and totally adoreable (and snuggled at my feet as I type this dreaming her puppy-dog dreams...yes, finding time to sit and blog will now depend on puppy nap time!) Enjoy the pics...cuz you know there will be LOTS more to come in the foreseeable future!!



Cleo with her littermates - she's the one on the far right with the tan eyebrow markings.



The boy's heart is won!



Her first vet visit - Dr. Finlay gave her a clean bill of health, her first set of shots...and a tasty raw hide chew!

My fave pic! Look at that face!!!

Waiting for me to quit with the camera and go back inside. hehehe...she'll get used to it!

I caught her in mid-yawn, but I love this pic!

She looks totally lost in her crate, but just wait 6 months and it wont seem so big!

Snuggled up with the boy's shirt.

She wont be in this carrier for long, but for now this is her night time bed in the boy's room.

Shhhhh!

Still alive!

It's been a busy couple of weeks...studying like mad, and a new addition to the family (more about that later). I sat my promotional exam yesterday and am on tenterhooks waiting to see if I passed. It's been a stressful period for sure.

18 of us took the exam - and one keener was done in no time flat, handed in his exam paper and was gone within 20 minutes! I took almost an hour and there were still at least 10 people in the room when I left. I feel I did OK...they were going to mark them yesterday and send them down to employment down town. I hope they get the results to us today and not make us stew over the weekend! Some of the questions were tricky in the way they were worded to try and deliberately trip us up. Talking to some of the other candidates after the exam we discovered a couple of questions where they had tricked a few of us into the wrong answer. I just have my fingers crossed that I passed...then it's on to the interview in October.

They have already told us that the interview is approximately 1 and a half hours long (FECK!) and it's based on the BEI interview format...which I am not good at. So if I pass the exam I will be studying the BEI format and trying to formulate some responses - although I wont know ahead of time what the questions are.

So I can relax a little for the time being....and I am hopeful.

Design Centre part deux

Well today was the big appointment at the Design Centre. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night (OK...I'm exaggerating a little, but I swear I woke up and looked at the clock every hour!) I stuck to my guns pretty much on not going overboard on upgrades and everything is very neutral in colour.

Here are a few pics from my final choices...the full album is available on my Facebook account.

Kitchen cabinet in Maple "Wild Apple" - yes, I upgraded from the basic line. (thanks for your feedback Monette!)
Counter top in Tuscan Marble.
Floor tile - Corte Milia Silver.

Kitchen cabinets, counter top and main floor floor-tiles again.

Bathroom cabinet Vermont Classic in natural Maple.
Counter top in Poritico Marble.
Floor and wall tile in New Albatroz Grey.
Brushed chrome handle (closest to cabinet door).

Yep, bathroom again. I steered clear of coloured tiles because I don't want to be restricted decor-wise and the patterned tiles and borders go out of vogue so very quckly.

Broadloom 35 oz (yes, I got the upgraded under pad) next to the floor tile. No the carpet isn't pink...just photographs that way. OK...here's a better shot of the carpet. Bottom row centre.

The bedroom en suite upgrade was ordered, a rough in 3 piece bath in the basement, and a couple of extra cable jack rough-ins ...and presto! We're done!

Now I just have to wait for them to build it! Here's a shot of the site from yesterday....

A shot I lovingly call "Men @ Work"....and now I can't get that song from the 80's out of my head! Arghhhh!

Design Centre

I was out at the Design Centre this morning to check out all the different samples etc. for the new house. My appointment is in just over a week's time to go in and make final decisions on various items. Carpet, cabinetry, countertops etc. Naturally I took my camera...but I am not about to upload all the pics here. Instead, drop by my photobucket account and have a wee gander ...and if you have a suggestion/preferance or observation, please do not hesitate to leave a comment here.

Holls almost over...*sigh*

So I am back to work on Monday...and so far haven't made much of a dent on my other things on my "to do" list - but that's OK, this has been a well deserved break. I've made a point of hitting the gym every day and I'm happy with my progress - although the scale is playing a daily game of "gain 1lb...lose 1lb" just to keep me on my toes. I appear to have entered the twilight world of the plateau and I just have to grit my teeth, not lose hope and battle on through it.

I've been studying the package for the promotional exam daily, making copious notes, drinking gallons of coffee and realising that my brain isn't the sponge it was back in my school days. I was one of the lucky ones who never had to study for tests or exams back in school...but it seems with age I now need to learn some study techniques. Any tips from our resident school teacher would be gratefully appreciated!

So what have I been up to? Well last Friday J. , her bf and I hit the "Taste of the Danforth" street festival in Toronto. A celebration of all things Greek - food, drink, music, culture. We had a wonderful time...but as you can see from this pics it was crowded beyond belief!

Saturday, I was at a pool party with friends, but sadly again it was a tad too cool by late afternoon to tempt me into the water. The food was good however and the company ever better - kinda sad in a way that summer is just about over and this was probably the last pool party of the summer.

The traditional "Jello Shot"

Sunday I was photographing sewer pipes (as previously noted), Sunday night I had a date with a guy I have known for a couple of years - but have successfully been able to duck up until this point. He invited me out to watch the meteor shower. Well, we never saw the promised meteors but it was a very starry night and we had a pleasant enough time. I have been avoiding him since as I really don't think we have much in common.

Tuesday was a date of a different kind. A guy I have known for several months...and who plays games like no tomorrow. We agreed to go to the movies...and then he was "incommunicado" from that point on. My response...fine! Screw 'em! And I went to the movies by myself. The Bourne Ultimatum...two thumbs up. Guy in question is deleted from my cell, blocked on msn and can go forth and multiply as far as I am concerned. (The fact he never called is immaterial).

Wednesday I met with an old girlfriend H. for drinks on the patio at a local bar. Our reunion was thanks to Facebook - we had lost touch probably about 10 or more years ago. What I figured was going to be a hour or two bite to eat and quick pint turned into a 5 1/2 hour gabfest. She's now married, with 2 kids (the youngest being a mere 7 weeks old, so this was a big night out for her). We got caught up, marvelled at how well we still got along after all these years, and generally had a wonderful time, promising we'll do it again soon now that we have been reunited. In itself it's not a huge story, except our friendship came along in the most unusual of ways. As we explained later to the bar owner, who came to join us for a drink mid-way through the evening - we both dated the same guy. "Biff" my ex of almost 10 years ago had the unusual habit of remaining the very best of friends with all his exes. My girlfriend was his ex from high school...and again in their mid 20's (he has a tendency to have at least 2 kicks at the can as it were). When he and I got together in the early 90's it was a given that his exes were still a part of his life - in a totally platonic way. I wasn't totally cool with it...but H. and I hit it off like a house on fire. Although the bar owner's comment of "oh so you both slept with the same guy" elicited a chorus of "ewwww's". "Biff" - I am happy to report has married and divorced since our 7 year relationship broke up (to another ex that he re-dated for the second time around) and is now living common-law and is a proud new "poppa" with yet another "ex" who he dated back in the late 80's. We jokingly wondered when my second "kick at the can" was going to happen...but I think I will pass on those sloppy seconds thank you very much!

Back to skool....

So I am sitting out on the patio this morning, sipping my mid-morning coffee and leafing through the million or so flyers that were delivered last night with my local newspaper. The thing weighed a ton, and I mentally made note to check the biceps on our paper-girl - she's a trooper. Seems all the big-chain stores are out to grab everyone's "back to school" dollars judging by all the sales going on. I heaved a sigh of relief that I don't have to go through all that rigmarole and palaver anymore with the boy...and cast my mind back (yes, I know - the stone ages) to my own back to school preparations.

Back in those days there were no MP3 players, jump drives or laptop computers on the top of the list. Our back to school preparations generally consisted of making sure the school uniform from last year still fit...could that blazer go for another term? Couple of new white shirts, new P.E. knickers...and the obligatory new shoes that would leave you blistered and bleeding for at least the first month - until the calluses built up. As far as supplies were concerned I'd generally score a new pencil case, compass set, bottle of Tippex and maybe a new bag to lug everything back and forth to school with. Presto! We were done! My trust Casio scientific calculator survived through my entire comprehensive school career (unlike the boy who generally needed a new one every September...and managed to lose it by mid-November) - all I remember about calculators back in those days was giggling at being able to spell "boobless" or "shell oil" on it. We made our own entertainment back in those days! LOL

Let there be sewers!

OK...who ordered the rock garden?

OK, so most people wouldn't give a sh...but this to me looks like sewer pipes! (pardon the pun)

I'm soooo impatient for them to actually start BUILDING...argh! Would be nice to know what tiny wee plot is mine at least.

...but I will be patient...obviously this stuff is tres important. But wait...orange stick in the ground! Woo hoo...dunno what it means...but it's something!

Is there a better way to spend a Sunday morning than photographing sewer pipes?? Seriously!