Dear Baby E, This Christmas

Dear Baby E,

You aren't so much a baby anymore--you are almost 18 months! After you and your parents moved to Utah, I've seen you grow and change so much!

Here are a few highlights from our Christmas together:

You were sick the whole time, but there were still moments of sweetness.

You LOVE helping to clean. You actually just love helping. First, you help make dinner. After dinner you want to help wash the dishes. You like to vacuum and sweep. Basically, if someone is doing something, you want to do it too. And you are so quick at learning! I'm not biased or anything, but I'm pretty sure that you're one of the smartest kids around.

Speaking of which, we worked on your animal sounds. You know cow (mmmm) and sheep (aaaa). We also taught you what sharks say (doo do. doo do. doo do doododododododo) and sea turtles (duuude). We're still working on the sea turtles.

Then I taught you how to "touch" like Gr. Grandpa does, and how to fist pump and explode it. It's basically the cutest thing ever.

Except for one. We were playing one time, just you and me. And you picked up your little Hello Kitty bag and walked toward the hall. You stopped part way there and turned and waved. I waved back. Then you came back toward me and gave me a kiss (the first time you had ever given me a kiss!). Then you walked back toward the hall, turned and waved at me again. After I waved, you came back and gave me another kiss before walking all the down the hall to see what Mommy and Grandma were up to. It was probably the highlight of my weekend.

Even when you are grumpy and won't eat or sleep or wake me up before 6 am, I still love you, girl.

Your Auntie

Update: Timing

Timing sucks.

The past couple of years I have felt like I've been on a different clock than everyone else. Like, I'm off Daylight Savings while everyone else is on so I'm always running an hour behind. And then I'm on it when everyone is off, so I'm always an hour ahead (or would it be the other way around?). This isn't always a bad thing, not at all, but it's more strongly felt when it is.

You know all the stuff I've been through the past year--well, up until I just seemed to drop off the face of the planet and never wrote an update. You know about the bad timing that came with applying to grad school, and the bad timing with my previous job. You also know about my good timing when it came to finding a job after only a month of being unemployed--I had been expecting being unemployed for at least three months.

The four months that I've been working have been good timing. I came in at the right time, just when things started to build in the company, and just in time to prove my worth in order to start getting more responsibility and maybe move up.

I moved last month and that was good timing. It's a little cheaper, and in a house, which is nice.

I had bad timing a couple of weeks ago when I rushed out of the house to get to work and ended up getting in a car accident that totaled Perry. It wasn't my fault, and there were no injuries, but one of my first thoughts was that if I hadn't rushed so much, if I had left the house even a few seconds later, I would have gotten to work fine. And I wouldn't have had to deal with all the stress of talking to insurance and getting a new car (and getting things fixed on the new car). I wouldn't have dealt with the physical manifestations of that stress like sore muscles and a clenched jaw. I think for the moment I'm done though--once I get it registered. It started off pretty rocky, but I think Alfie's and mine relationship will get stronger as we go on.

I've had good timing when it comes to Baby E. Sis, Bro-in-law, and Baby E just moved back here, and I've been able to see Baby E's curiosity and her growth. She's a little mimic, and catches on to things so quickly that it seems like she's changing all the time. I'm glad that I get to spend this time with her.

And then there's bad timing when I finally get to the point when I can put myself out there and want to reconnect with someone and try to give it another go, but I missed the opportunity. Or maybe the timing was always off for us. It's hard when someone being happy means losing a friend and a hope.

I know that the way I plan things, or the timing I want to have, doesn't really matter in this huge plan that God has for me. But it's hard to put trust in Him and not just think that I'm the one that's messing everything up. Because I truly believe that if I keep on trying to do all the things I'm supposed to, and if I keep following the good thoughts that come into my head (even if they seem to turn out badly . . .) then God won't forsake me. He would never leave me on my own. His strength is the strength that I need most in my life, especially when I feel my strength leaving me.

There is nothing wrong with my timing being off. It just means that my life is part of this clock of humankind, the clock that really keeps the whole world turning and going.

Highlights from Salt Lake Comic Con 2014

Thursday 4 September marked the first day of the second annual Salt Lake City Comic Con!! And yes, I went, did you even doubt? Even better, Sis, Bro-in-law, and Baby E came too! Thursday was a little bit of a nightmare, logistics wise, but I think by next year they'll have it all sorted out. Also, we learned a little bit about how we should go about the first day next year.

Instead of giving a whole break down of the entire weekend, I'm just going to post some pictures of the highlights and give a little information about them.

Day 2 we dressed up like Pokemon characters (With Sis and Bro-in-law)

A surprise highlight! We just wandered into Vic Mignogna's panel because we wanted to see the person after him. It was awesome and now I've been binge watching anime series! (He's a voice actor.)

Love Alan Tudyk! He's really funny. I got to meet him and get his autograph after.

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Saturday we started the day by meeting John Barrowman! I like this picture because it makes it seem like I said something really clever, though I'm absolutely certain I didn't.

Stan LEE! Omigosh, he's amazing. Like a grandpa with the coolest stories ever.

Leonard Nimoy on Skype. He's pretty awesome too. There was a girl on the first row who we could see through the camera. She was dressed as a Vulcan, but had very un-Vulcan like reactions. I think everyone was watching to see if she was going to faint or throw up.

Everyone's costumes were amazing. I'm still pretty timid about asking for pictures, and when I do I take them really quickly so they don't turn out that well, but it's just fun to see how creative everyone is. 

I, of course, bought quite a bit of art. There's an artist named Ben Byrd who I discovered at FanX in April and was so excited to see he was there. I got three 4x6 prints from him. (His Etsy shop is down, or I would link to it. :( )

Karen Hallion was there, so of course I had to buy this print:

There are a few more, but I'm a bit too lazy right now to walk into the other room and look up the artists' names. :)

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. I did get the "con crud" last week, and spent a lot of my free time planning my cosplay for next year! Geek problems, right? ;)

A Night in New York: 1920s Party

Last Saturday the men in our ward put on a dinner for us ladies. They do this every year and they completely go all out every year. This year the theme was New York in the 1920s. I got a dress from the thrift store down the street from me, and roommate M and our friend C went off to the party!

The men had laid out a red "carpet" which led to the stage door in the church. There was a "bouncer" there--so it really felt like we were going into a speakeasy! Everyone looked fantastic! The girls had on the prettiest dresses and headbands, the guys wore fedoras and zut-suits. Every girl got a red rose, and escorted on the arm of a handsome man to their table. They served us dinner, and provided entertainment, then after the dinner there was a live band and dancing! 

In my fairy-tale addled brain, I thought that maybe I would catch the eye of someone and he would know that we were meant to be together. That didn't happen, but life can't be a fairy-tale ALL the time (or even most of the time . . . or ever, in my case, haha)

Below are a few pictures:

M, me, and J

Being helped down the stairs after being announced and given a rose. My dress wasn't as green as the picture makes it look. More teal.

me, M, and C. I have horrible posture.

C's boyfriend made the sign with lights! So talented!

Memoirs of a Teenage Daycare Teacher: 7 (or possibly 8) years later

To give a 17-19 year old the care of your children probably seems ridiculous, but that's how it was. When I was 18 I could be in charge of 4 under 1s up to 28 school aged kids (6-10 year olds). I'm not sure how it was for other daycares, but the turnover rate for teachers at SBA was high, which lead me to being assigned to the 3 year olds just after my high school graduation. I don't think anyone will mistake working in a daycare as a glamorous job. I dealt with vomit, dirty diapers, scrapped knees, fights over toys, kids not eating, and illnesses that most adults don't get (including scabies, pink eye, and strep throat)--I even had snotty noses wiped on my pants. I struggled to get some kids to sleep at nap time, then spent half of those two hours cleaning up from lunch, just to have to clean up again after snack time when the kids woke up. I was a human jungle gym. I was in charge of 10-12 3 year olds on a regular basis, and I loved them. So much so that when I quit to go to college, I cried at the thought of leaving them.

So, no, my first job was not glamorous or enviable at all, but it was rewarding. Some days. A lot of time I felt like I was making up it as I went--which I probably was because I was only 18 and had very little experience with kids beyond the infrequent babysitting I had done in my early teens. I had kids with behavioral problems--probably from being sent to a daycare for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. There was a boy, 4 years old, who refused to potty train. A 9 month old who cried unless he was held. A little boy and his sister who came every day dirty--once he hadn't had a bowel movement or a wet diaper in three days. Parents who sent their kids to daycare sick, causing the other kids (and us teachers) to catch whatever it was they had. Parents who yelled at the teachers for trying to do their jobs; parents who would go to the local bar before picking up their kids.

Then there were my coworkers. When I first started at SBA, I was a "closer," meaning I would do the snack dishes, then clean the bathrooms, mop the floors, vacuum, and take out the trash. The teachers were supposed to be in charge of their own rooms, but sometimes the task fell to us. One day the woman who made lunch had been going very slowly on the clean up, so when I got there at 3 I was sent to help her. She left and I ended up doing all of the lunch dishes, with only a half hour to relax before it was time to start the snack dishes. Standing at a sink for several hours was probably one of the worst days of work I had.

But not everything was horrible. It was so amazing to be so close to kids--I learned so much. Have you ever heard that we must be like a child? That is something that I learned a lot about while working at SBA. Children are so forgiving. I would have someone tell me I was mean and then five minutes later he was hugging me. Children are loving. Children are honest--sometimes brutally so, but it's really just that they will say what they think. One day I walked into my classroom and a little girl, E, came up to me and said, "You look like Cinderella!" I have to admit, I was a little confused, being brunette whereas Cinderella is blonde. Then the other teacher said, "It's the ribbon in your hair." I had put in a blue ribbon that morning! Of course, then there was the one time that I was wearing a high waisted shirt and one of the kids asked if I were pregnant. And then the time when I was told that I needed a boyfriend, because I was "old enough." I was 18. The kids also loved helping. They would help their friends, and me. When I was a closer, I would frequently get the help of one little girl, who wanted to wash the dishes, and get the trash, and vacuum. It's always nice to have a little someone to talk to. There was always a plethora of hugs and kisses. There is really nothing like feeling tiny arms around your neck.

The day after my high school graduation, my boyfriend broke up with me. In an e-mail. It was a pretty hard time, but I went to work everyday and did what I needed to. I wasn't taking any breaks because I knew that if I did I would just break down and wouldn't be able to go back to work. If work is good for anything, it's good for helping you forget yourself for a little while, especially at a daycare. One day near the end of the week, we were taking the kids out to afternoon recess, but first we made a stop at the bathrooms. Not all of our kids were completely potty trained yet, so I had to take one of them, R, back to the classroom to change her diaper while another teacher took the rest of the kids. R's mom had just arrived, and was watching while I completed this task--which is unnerving, and also a little strange. She got upset about the way I did something, and in a huff said, "I'll just do it myself!" It wasn't a big deal, but it was enough to break the dam and despite my best efforts I started to cry. I was told to take a break, so I went into our empty classroom and had a good cry. When the kids came in, they found me, and little A (one of my favorites--even though I know you aren't supposed to have favorites), gave a soft little, "Hey . . ." He just let me hug him, and I really did feel better. Parents are probably the worst part about working child care--worse than all the diapers and vomit. E's mom was especially intimidating: tall, blonde, power woman. I know it's unfair, but I frequently thought "If you don't like the way I'm raising your kids, then stay home and raise them yourself!"

Another thing about working at the daycare is that there was always something funny to tell. The kids would come up with their own jokes (none of which made any sense), or they would just laugh. The laughter of children is infectious. Then, of course, there were the times the kids didn't know they were being funny. I had to open the classroom cupboard up once, and C saw some candy that had been put in there. He proceeded to try and convince me for 10 minutes that the candy belonged to him. "But Miss Widanee!" he'd protest. "My mom brought it from home!"

The summer after my freshman year at university, I went home and worked at SBA again, to earn money for the study abroad I was applying for. That summer was pretty hard. I woke up really early in the mornings to be there when it opened and I usually worked overtime. It was actually really nice to see the kids get dropped off. There was one little boy who had a hard time with his mom leaving, but we finally got to the point where she would just hand him to me and he'd be fine. This same little boy would sometimes sit with me during my lunch break while I worked on homework for my online class. If he didn't, he wouldn't sleep and would cry and wake up the other kids. During the month of July we had all of the school age kids there all day long. Twenty-eight 6 to 10 year olds. That's where I spent most of my summer and it was hectic. We tried to come up with enough activities and field trips to keep them interested, but when it's too hot most days to play outside, and they have to be quiet for two hours to keep from waking the babies up, it's pretty hair raising. The best day of that summer was when we took the school kids to the zoo. Not only did I get paid to go to the zoo, but I was only in charge of three kids instead of 28. And the three I had were some of the most well behaved ones. We ate popsicles, saw the bird show, and rode the train. I like the zoo, but it is so much more fun when you go with kids!

When I wasn't with the school kids, I usually gave the other teachers their breaks, which meant I got to spend time with all the ages. The baby room was fun, because you just got to hold babies, or play with them on the floor. I got pretty good at holding a baby in one arm and making a bottle with my free hand. The next room up, with the 1 year olds, was nice because they were starting to talk and discover the world outside of themselves. One of the older girls in this room once started "races". "1 . . . 2 . . . 10," she'd say, then run across the room. The other kids caught on pretty well. Then there were the 2/3 year olds. They talk and understand a lot more, but still don't quite get the concept of sharing. It's really about this age that they start seeming like "little people." They are so excited to go to the "potty," and do grown up things.

The 3/4 year olds have, usually, been potty trained, which is nice. They can follow instructions better, and are more willing to help. The 4/5 year olds are amazing. I spent quite a bit of time in this room as the principle teacher for about half a summer. After recess we'd sit and read a story and then be able to have a discussion based on the story. One discussion we talked about what they wanted to do when they grew up. It was fun to tell their parents that they wanted to be a nurse like their mom, or a rockstar. One even said she wanted to be a teacher like me! At this age they still took naps, but it was easier to get them all asleep than the younger ages. Basically, it was just fun to see the changes in age, and to watch the kids grow up.

The kids I used to take care of are now between 7 and 17. That's crazy. I don't know where any of them are, what they're doing. Sometimes I think of them and hope that their lives turned out well. Thanks for allowing me this little walk down memory lane. I only wish I could give you a "where are they now" snippet.

A Personal Victory

I think that we should celebrate the small victories of everyday, so I'm going to share with you the victory I'm most proud of from this last week: I learned how to unclog a disposal!

Monday evening I was making dinner when I tried to put some food down the disposal, but instead this happened:

Gross!

It was after the apartment complex office had closed and I didn't want the water just sitting in the sink for a day or more, so I decided to figure out how to fix it myself. 

This involved calling my dad on FaceTime. I think he was amused by my antics as we went about "troubleshooting" the problem. (Can you use troubleshooting for anything or is it specifically for computers/technology?) The first thing I tried was using a plunger. Since M and I don't have a plunger, I headed next door and Boy Next Door #2 let me borrow theirs. That didn't actually do anything, but it was a good try and I'm grateful to have such good neighbors. 

After the failure with the plunger it was time to go under the the sink and check out the pipes. First I emptied as much of the water in the sunk into an empty garbage can, then got a towel and a bucket to put under the pipes to catch all other water/refuse. Taking off the pipes meant dealing with a pretty foul odor. I then had to put a spoon handle in the pipe from the disposal to unblock it. 

When the water come gushing out, along with a whole bunch of carrot peels. I immediately jumped up and ran to the other side of the kitchen, exclaiming how gross it was. I heard my dad laughing on his end of the phone. 

I got everything cleaned up and the pipes put back together--the first time with no leakage! I was so proud of myself that I told everyone I talked to about it at least once. Possibly twice. :)

Anyway, so that was my little victory this week! Here's to all of your little victories 

Afternoon Tea

Friday after work three of the girls I work with and I decided to go to Afternoon Tea at the Grand America Hotel. We'd actually had it planned for a while, as a special Christmas treat, and because we like doing things together.

Even though I spent 8 week in England, I had never been to afternoon tea. Truthfully, I just started drinking herbal tea about two months ago. I know. What kind of Anglophile am I?! I had also never been inside the Grand America, even though I have admired it from the outside, because it's just a beautiful building.

And it's just as beautiful inside. Lush carpet, beautiful chandeliers, a harp player, tile floors. It made me feel like I had a lot more money than I actually do. Or ever will.

The tea room is just off of the lobby. In my head I was picturing a tea room like this:

When actually there were couches and chairs as well as tables. The four of us sat at a table with beautiful dishes. The waitress came to get our order of tea (I ordered chamomile citron), and she poured hot water into a wine glass sitting on the middle of the table. The glass had a pellet like thing in it called a "tea flower." While we enjoyed our tea, the pellet bloomed into a flower!

Our first course, as we waited for our tea, was strawberries and chantilly cream. Then our tea was brought out. We each had our own tea pot, and we shared a sugar bowl which had real "lumps" of sugar. For the record, I take one lump. ;) We also got sandwiches at this point.

There were five different kinds of sandwiches, with enough that we all could have one of each. There were ham on marbled rye, chicken salad with almonds, egg salad, cucumber, and a smoked salmon wrap. There were also scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, and strawberry jam.

Then came the pastries. There was orange madeleines, jam cookies (I don't remember what they are called), vanilla cream cake with fudge, double chocolate cake, and macaroons.

The atmosphere was perfect. I'm not a huge fan of eating out, usually because there are so many people and it's so loud. But this was perfect. Everyone was in their little groups, and the noise level just seemed like a murmur. For the most part I didn't even notice the other people. There are large windows which let in a lot of light, and tall ceilings. At the opposite end of the room from where we were is a large fireplace. Of course, the company was great too. We all love Jane Austen, England, and period movies, so we talked about that, and sometimes we just sat in silence and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. It really did make me feel fancy and rich.

This is definitely something I want to do again, for special occasions. I would suggest it to everyone else too.

A Glance into the Past

I was watching Ramona and Beezus tonight (crying fest!) and there is a scene where Ramona gets her own room for the first time and she's really excited. Then Beezus comes in and tells Ramona about how scared she's going to be, sleeping in a room by herself in the dark. And it reminded me of something from my childhood. So, let's get in the TARDIS and head back to 1998.

Vworp vworp vworp

Up until I was 10, I shared a room with Sis. Our room was pretty big, and for most of the time we shared it, we had twin beds. If I ever got scared, I'd walk across the room and get into Sis's bed, though I always had to be on the side of the bed against the wall, which meant I usually got squished. For about a year before I got my own room, we had a queen bed that we shared. Sis spreads out a LOT when she sleeps, so I usually ended up in a ball on the edge of the bed.

So, when it came time to get my own room, I was pretty excited! We had just built an extension onto the back of the garage for my dad's shop, which meant that the room that used to be the shop became my bedroom. The door opened into the sink section of the bathroom, and there was no carpet, and just enough room for a twin bed, but it was going to be mine. (It's strange, I just realized that I still dream about this room, as if it's still my bedroom, even though I haven't lived in that house--or even been in it--for 9 years.) Anyway, I don't remember how it all went down, but I do remember being slightly scared when it came down to it.

If you've spent your entire life sleeping in a room with another person, and being scared of the dark, going into a room all by yourself is kind of scary! So Bro and Sis agreed to sleep on the floor of my room (my hard concrete floor with only a braided rug for a cushion) the first two nights.

It's kind of nice to know that your family is always there to sleep on your floor when you need them.

Going Home (PEI Day 6)

I decided to get to the airport early the next day because I hadn't been able to check in to my flight online the night before, and because I had something to ask Hertz about the car. It was a good thing I did too, since my plane ticket seemed to have disappeared.

Yes, that's right, they couldn't find my plane ticket. A very nice man named Angus spent an hour searching for it and calling different airlines. When I had been driving through Charlottetown on my way to the airport I was sad to be leaving, but when I thought that I wouldn't be flying home that day I immediately got homesick. All I wanted was to be able to go home now. Fortunately, Angus was finally able to recover my boarding passes and I was finally on my way home!

There's something about walking out to a plane, or exiting a plane by stairs that makes me feel like I'm in a movie. And I got to do it quite a bit on this trip. :)

My first layover was in Montreal, and let me tell ya, it was like entering another country, even more so than entering Canada was. Everyone was speaking French, and I had to go through customs, which I thought was weird. (Come to find out, it made it so I didn't have to go through customs once I actually entered the US. It was still weird though.) 

When I made it to Chicago, I was able to call home. Mom told me that she had been tracking all my flights, which made me feel loved and missed. It was that last flight that was the worst. It was the longest of all my flights, and the last leg of a journey is always hard to endure (I am not a good traveler, have I mentioned?). I also finished my book thirty minutes before the end of the flight, which was a bit rubbish. It was too late to turn on my iPod because I would just have to turn it off again in a few minutes when we started out descent. So I wrote in my journal, but it still didn't take up all the time. I glanced out the window and saw our wonderful Utah mountains, and got a bit teary eyed. No matter how much I loved the Island, or what a good time I had, Utah will always be my home and it felt good to return to it. 

Perks of Being a Mormon (PEI Day 5)

Sunday means church! Fortunately, there is a ward that meets just 10 minutes from where I was staying, so I got all ready for church and headed out early, since I seemed to become lost every time I tried to get somewhere. The church was actually easy to find, so I was there 30 minutes early.

Everyone in the ward was super friendly. They all came up to meet me and ask where I was visiting from, which was great. This is the great thing about being Mormon, there is a worldwide network of people to take you in and make you feel at home. The ward was smaller than I was used to, but the talks and lessons were good.

In Relief Society, I sat next to a woman who lives in New Brunswick (I think . . . ) and she crosses over the border to Maine every week for church! That just blew my mind. Imagine going to a different country for church every week. Crazy.

I had some good conversations with the members, which I should have expected. Everyone apologized for the unseasonably cold weather they had been having, though it's not their fault.

After a good day at church, I decided to take a walk and find a place to sit and read. I ended up walking past Beaconsfield again, and onto a nice little walkway by the ocean. After walking a bit, I found a bench where I could read for a little while.

The view as lovely, and the day nice, just warm enough with a slight breeze. There were people out on the water on little boats, and lots of families taking walks. It was a very pleasant place to read, affording comfort and just the right amount of distraction. 

A little while later I decided to continue my walk circling around past the park and the lieutenant governor's house. I also went on a walk later that night to a different part of town, with a nice little memorial garden, down by the wharf. I also got ice cream again from COWS. 

While I ate I took one last look around Charlottetown, since I knew I wouldn't have time before leaving the next morning. 

You know, I had been a little worried about going on vacation by myself. I thought I might get lonely, but I never did. I had a wonderful time! I was so relaxed and never thought about work or home (except when I talked to my parents). There was always something to keep me busy, and things to see. The people were so friendly that I never felt that any need for anyone else, at least, not for the six days I was there. 

Blue Skies (PEI Day 4)

Friday night I was starting to wonder what I would do for the last two days I was on the island. Come to find out there was nothing to worry about!

Saturday was a beautiful day! The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the weather was warm. There is a farmer's market on Saturdays in Charlottetown, and I got the bright idea that I was going to walk there, because it was only a mile away. So after breakfast I headed out.

And got lost.

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to find the market, so I turned around and starting making my way back.

And got lost.

At one point I looked over in the direction I was pretty sure I needed to be headed, and I saw the spires of St. Dunstan's Basilica, which is right across the street from my hotel. And I thanked God for St. Dunstan, whoever he was, because that's how I found my way back.

St. Dunstan's Basilica

I decided to get some lunch from the grocery store and head out to the beach. I had heard of a beach called Basin Head that was famous for it's "singing sands." On my way out of town, I saw the farmer's market and realized how close I was when I had turned around! Dagnabit! Oh well, it was an adventure!

Basin Head is supposedly located in a town called Souris. One thing I learned about PEI highways is to just follow the signs, and you should be able to get to where you're going. You turn when it says to turn and you go straight when it doesn't. After about an hour I got to Souris, but didn't see any sign for Basin Head. I went straight through without seeing it. I did end up at a beach eventually, just not the one I was heading for. I finally just turned into Red Point Provincial Park. 

The sand was so soft beneath my bare feet. I don't even know when the last time was that I walked in the sand--very possibly five years ago when I went to Cornwall during my study abroad. I found a little place to sit, and I read and listened to the waves, and ran my hand and feet in the sun warmed sand. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was perfect. I even got a little sunburned.

The place I stopped to read

Warming my feet in the sand.

After about an hour and a half, I decided to roll up my pants and brave the water. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the water was not cold! I walked back the length of the beach, just in reach of the tips of the waves before they rushed back to sea. 

I drove back to Charlottetown and decided that I wanted to see go out and see a movie, just because I could. I looked up showtimes and the theatre, and a couple hours later went out to find it. The theatre was a little hard to find, and I had to stop at a Burger King to ask for directions (Google made it seem like it was on the other side of the street, in full view, when really it was behind the mall). I saw Now You See Me, which was a lot better than I was expecting it to be (there wasn't a big choice in movies). 

After the movie, I headed to COWS Ice Cream Parlor, which boasts the best ice cream in Canada. Considering it is the only ice cream I've eaten in Canada, I can neither confirm nor deny that claim. But it was pretty good. 

Not All Who Wander (PEI Day 3)

For my second day on PEI, I had decided to spend the morning in Charlottetown, and then to go somewhere else on the island for the afternoon. Not really sure what I was going to do in the afternoon, I spent my breakfast looking at the tourism materials available. With two or three ideas in mind, I went out into the city.

I love Charlottetown. It's got a small town feel, and just feels so laid back and calm. I had taken a little walk before dinner the night before, and loved how downtown was set up. (I was also whistled at . . . sort of. A man had asked me a question and then said, "Miss, if I may . . ." and then he attempted to cat call, which didn't work, so he added, "I was trying to whistle, but I can't." I smiled and thanked him. I love that he asked my permission first. So Canadian.) The first place I went was the Province House, just down the street from my hotel.

The Province House is called "The Birthplace of Canada." A very nice guide told me all about how representatives from the various provinces met on Prince Edward Island to discuss the unification of the country. These Fathers of the Confederation never wrote anything up or signed anything during this meeting, but it was significant because it started the process. Funny story, PEI didn't even join Canada until several years later because it was a pretty prosperous province and didn't feel like sharing it's wealth. It was only after the shipping business all but disappeared with the appearance of steam powered ships and PEI lost all it's money that it finally joined the union. 

As I said before, I couldn't go anywhere without having a conversation with someone, and it was true here too! I watched the little movie they had about the meeting, then talked to the guide and the security guard for a little while. The guard even gave me three free pins to add to my collection!

After that, I wandered down to Beaconsfield House.

Beaconsfield House was built in 1877 and had all the best of the modern amenities, including indoor plumbing, central heating, and gas lighting. It was built by a ship builder and his wife, the daughter of another ship builder. Interesting story: a house already existed on this property, but they wanted their dream house there, so they picked up the existing house and moved it across the street! That house still stands. Five years later, they were bankrupt because of the aforementioned decline of the need for wooden ships, so they sold the house. This next owner tried to sell it, for a mere $10,000, but couldn't, so instead he and his two unmarried sisters lived there for 35 years. Then it was a home for young women, then for nurses. It has now been restored to it's previous Victorian State. It's a gorgeous home, and the original central heating system still works and it used today!

This house isn't anything important, except that it was for sell and I want to buy it.

After my morning in Charlottetown, I went back to the hotel to figure out where I wanted to spend the afternoon. I decided on the potato museum, because it sounded random and I wanted to see how much one could say about potatoes. I found the directions on Google Maps, and headed out. Somewhere a long the way I took a wrong turn, so I changed my mind and decided to drive the Red Sands Coastal Drive instead.

There are four coastal drives on the island, covering the four different parts. Each coastal drive is marked with a little picture and arrows, so you know where to go. So I just kept following the arrows, knowing it would get me back to Charlottetown eventually.

In all, I drove for about three or four hours, but I didn't feel it at all! The Island is so beautiful, and the highways take you through little towns, and past farms with their fields of red dirt ready for planting, and white churches with lovely graveyards. 

Prince Edward Island . . . is really a beautiful Province. . . . Elsewhere are more lavish landscapes and grander scenery; but for chaste, restful loveliness it is unsurpassed. . . . Much of the beauty of the Island is due to the vivid colour contrasts--the rich red of the winding roads, the brilliant emerald of the uplands and meadows, the glowing sapphire of the encircling sea. (L. M. Montgomery, The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career, 10-11.)

This is what I saw on my drive--and during the rest of my trip--the "chaste, restful loveliness."

The Confederation Bridge. It connects PEI to mainland Canada. 

Just a view I saw during my drive. I thought it showed
the red, green, and blue perfectly. Unfortunately, cameras never capture
what exactly it is that you see. 

After dinner that night, I went on another walk of Charlottetown. It was Prom night for two of the high schools, so I got to experience what a fun thing their Prom is! They "Promenade" to the Province house, where friends and family (and curious tourists like me) are waiting to see them. They come in all kinds of fun vehicles, like the sightseeing bus below. Fancy cars, tractors, pink fire engines, carriages, police cars, and two girls were even pulled along in wagons by their dates! The girls looked lovely in their dresses. It was so much fun to see, and made me wish that I were 18 again and going to Prom--almost.

I got to experience "turn down service" for the first time that night, and let me say, I'm a fan! It sounds so dorky, but they just come in and turn down your bed, leave some chocolates, fill your ice bucket, and pull down the shades (I didn't even know the windows had shades the first two nights!). I liked it, and I felt spoiled!

Anne with an E (PEI Day Two)

The next day I woke up to the sound of birds, and a little bit of sunshine streaming in through curtains. It was rather cold and windy, but at least it was raining. Thursday was to be my Anne Day, so I got ready and went down to ask the concierge (yes, I stayed in a place with a concierge! And where they would fold the toilet paper into little points. I quite spoiled myself!) how to get to Cavendish, where Green Gables is located. She printed out the instructions, then gave me more detailed instructions. She said that people in Charlottetown are bad drivers, so to be aware of that. I never did notice any particular bad driving habits, so either I'm the same brand of bad driver as the Islanders, or they aren't as bad at driving as the the concierge says.

The drive was very nice, as all the drives are I was to learn later, and I found Green Gables without any trouble at all.

The house belonged to some neighbors of LM Montgomery, and it is what she based Green Gables on, though she admits to not keeping very sharply to the facts. I have to admit I may have teared up a bit while I was on the property. I saw the house, and could imagine Anne in her bedroom, or discovering the drowned mouse in the crock in the kitchen. I could even see Mrs. Lynde making her way up the road to the back door to discuss the latest piece of gossip with Marilla. 

Lover's Lane

Green Gables is part of the PEI National Park. This means that the wilderness around the house is protected and properly looked after. There are two walking paths, about a half mile each. The first I walked was Lover's Lane. I can't even begin to express how green everything is. I don't think the pictures even show it properly.

The second walk was through the Haunted Wood. Montgomery called this wood the Haunted Wood when she was a young girl. The spruces creak and groan in the wind, which to a young, imaginative child would sound like spirits. I tried to capture it on video--you may have to turn your sound on high to hear it. Off of the Haunted Woods there is a path to the homestead where Montgomery was raised by her grandparents, and where she wrote Anne of Green Gables. 

Only the cellar still exists of that house, but some cousins of Montgomery's live on the property and have opened it up for visitors. They realized by reading her journals how much she loved the homestead and Cavendish, so they have tried to restore it as much as they could. There is a little book shop on the property where you can get a little verbal history of Montgomery's life.

After I was done at Green Gables (and had bought a warmer sweatshirt in the gift shop along with a copy of Anne of Green Gables), I headed over to New London, to see the house Montgomery was born in. Her mother died when she was 21 months old, and then she was sent to live with her maternal grandparents at the homestead we saw above. The docent at the birthplace was a nice woman and we had a good chat (and I came to learn that you can't go anywhere without having a conversation with someone. Islanders really are very nice). She told me how to get to the Anne of Green Gables Museum, in Park Corner just about 6 miles down the road, which is where I headed next. 

The Anne of Green Gables Museum is in the home of Montgomery's cousins (the Campbells). She would come and stay frequently throughout her childhood. She used this home in some of her other books, and called it "Silver Bush." This is also the home where she was married, in the parlor. I also was able to see the room she would stay in, and read quite a few selections from her journals. 

It is at Silver Bush that the Lake of Shining Waters is located. In fact, there is a letter on display in the museum that says that she did use the pond as her inspiration for the Lake of Shining Waters in Avonlea. 

On my way back to Charlottetown, I drove past the Cavendish cemetery. I thought briefly of stopping and seeing Montgomery's resting place, then I dismissed the idea. Not much further down the road, I decided that it wouldn't be much of a pilgrimage if I didn't stop by, so I turned around and went to go see it. My eyes got a little watery again as I told her thank you. Thank you for Anne, for without her I never would have come to PEI.

Doing New Things and How They Make Me Feel

You know how in murder mysteries, it seems like where ever the main character goes, he or she is always surrounded by murder? Like, they are on vacation, and someone gets murdered. They just can't catch a break!

Last night I had a dream that I had just arrived on my vacation on PEI and there was a murder at my hotel. Besides showing that I watch way too many murder mysteries, I think it also shows how nervous I am about going on vacation. At least this dream I know won't happen (well, I'm fairly positive), whereas the dream I had about a month ago about missing all my connecting flights was worse because it actually could happen.

Here's the thing: I'm a naturally nervous and worrisome person. I really wish I weren't, but it's not exactly something you can just turn off. So, this vacation, while I am excited for it, also makes me nervous. I mean, I'm leaving the country. By myself. To go to place I've never been, to do things I've never done before; like, rent a car, have my own hotel room, navigate a place I've never been. I've never been on a plane without having someone else I knew with me. So, yeah, I'm a little nervous.

And people, trying to be kind, sometimes make it worse. Having them express their excitement for me makes me more anxious about this trip. That probably seems weird to a lot of you, but it's almost like I have these expectations I have to meet now. My solo vacation isn't so much about me anymore, but everyone who is expecting to hear about it. I know that they are excited for me because they are my friends--I completely understand that. But it doesn't change the fact that every time someone says "I'm so excited!" I get a feeling like a rock in the bottom of my stomach. And then I think, "Why are you excited? You aren't going." Which is probably rude. Sorry.

Lately I've been thinking about the last time I left the country, which was just a little over five years ago. I was sitting in my mom's office at her work, because my plane didn't leave until about 1 or something. She had a TV and DVD player in her office, so I was watching movies. A teacher came in, and after mistaking me for a middle school student (I was 20 at the time), I explained to him who I was and what I was doing. When he heard I was leaving for England that day he asked, "Are you scared?" He was the first person who had asked me that, and it felt good to say, "Yes, a little." I have no idea who that teacher was, but the fact that he could see that I was nervous was such a nice break from all the "Wow"s and "That's going to be amazing"s.

I know a lot of people don't understand why I decided to take a solo vacation--especially all you extroverts out there. I know that sharing an experience with someone can be awesome, because I have shared some amazing experiences with people. But I need a break. I need to be away from my work and my coworkers, and just regular life in general. I need to be able to go on my vacation and not have to worry about if the other person is having a good time, or what they want to do (because I know I would). I can do whatever I want, because it is wholly my vacation. If I want to read in a park (if it doesn't rain the entire time I'm there), I can and I will. Another reason I wanted to do this by myself is because I want to see if I can. I'm a single girl (woman, I guess, but for some reason I can never call myself a woman. A woman is someone who is much more sophisticated and grown up than I am) who wants to travel (even though I'm a horrible traveler), but I might not always have someone to travel with, and I don't think that should be something to hold me back. I shouldn't have to wait for there to be someone to go with me. 

So, this trip, which I leave for very early Wednesday morning, is my guinea pig, my trial run, my beta test. And, despite my nerves, I'm sure I'm going to have a good time.

Good Feeling

I love spring time! I love that it's light outside in the morning when I go to work, and I love the blue sky, and the flowers on the tree outside my apartment. I love that it's getting warmer.

Today on my way home from work, I was listening to my music and thinking. I was thinking about London and my time there, then I started thinking about my upcoming vacation to Prince Edward Island, and all of a sudden, I thought "I'm going to PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND!!" A smile appeared on my face and for that one moment, I was excited. Just excited. No anxieties or nervousness about the trip. Excited! Which is a huge deal for me. Especially since a few nights ago I had a dream about everything that could go wrong on the way to PEI, and that made me not very excited about it at all.

I'm so glad I got to have that moment of pure excitement, because I am excited to go, but my nervousness about it sometimes drowns that out. I'm going on an adventure! That's so cool!

Adventures in Writing: The Letter Game

I first heard of the letter game when I read the great Regency fantasy, Sorcery and Cecelia, or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. At the back of that book, Wrede and Stevermer talk about how they started writing the book and the process they went through. For them, it just started out as something fun between friends, but near the middle of it, they came to realize that it was more than just for fun and when they finished their story, they went back through the letters again and revised and it got published! Followed by two sequels (though neither are as good as the first).

I read that book when I was about 16, and I loved the idea of the letter game. I desperately wanted to do it, but I couldn't think of anyone to do it with. I thought about my brother, but our writing styles are so different. So, nine years have gone by, and I kind of forgot about the game.

Then maybe about a month, I reconnected with someone that was in my study abroad program when I went to London (which, tangent, was almost FIVE years ago! FIVE! That's amazing to me that such a long amount of time has passed since then.). Anyway, this girl (her name is Becky and she's fabulous. You can check out her blog here) and I started chatting on facebook (actually, commenting on a status update, meaning that the rest of facebook was inundated with our craziness) about period movies, and how we are both romantics, and the books we were writing and how hard it is to keep writing sometimes. And then there was a mention about us writing a story about Rye, the town were nothing happens. Then it was time for me to go to bed, but just like that, there was a spark in my brain, and I couldn't seem to shake it.

I remembered the letter game, and I thought, this is a perfect opportunity. I contacted Becky again and she seemed up for it, and it's been going great! It's completely no pressure, so if things start getting busy in our lives, it doesn't matter. It's just been this amazing experience for me, at least.

Here's a quick overview of what the letter game is: both people create characters, and a reason for them to be writing letters to each other. I have an idea of where I want my character's story to be, and Becky is the same with her character. And then, you just write!

I would definitely recommend this to any writer. It has definitely gotten me into the habit of writing again, after a long time of not doing it. And it's great on letting yourself let go of control over the story. If you've ever taken an acting class (and with my one acting class, I feel like I can say this now, because I totally an expert), you probably know a little bit about improv. The first rule to improv is you always say "yes." No matter what you thought you wanted to do, you always go along with what your improv partner says. This is exactly like what the letter game is: I may introduce a character or a situation, and then Becky gives some sort of information (like maybe that character is a cousin, for example), and I just go "Oh, cool, okay. Let's go with that." It's also great to have another person to go off of, it keeps my writing juices going, instead of just sitting in front of a blank screen trying to decide where the story is going to go next. I even decided to let go of one of my characters and pass him over to Becky (it was strange, it was like I pictured him walking off my page and onto hers.) That takes a lot of trust in someone, but in the past few weeks, I've come to trust Becky's writing. In fact, she makes me want to be a better writer, because she's so good at it. Her humor is amazing, and I'm also so excited to read her letters, because I can't wait to find out what's going to happen next.

That was all kind of disjointed, but the conclusion is, this is a wonderful writing exercise. And it's been a great way to reconnect and get to know someone better. I really didn't know that Becky and I had so much in common, which is really sad. And now that I'm writing again with someone, I feel like I can start writing again in my own novel, because I'm getting in the habit. It's given me something more productive to do after work, which is good. Again, I got off of where I was going: if you have someone you can do it with, and you love writing, I would say, try out the writing game. There.

A Quarter of a Century

Last Saturday was my 25 birthday! This means several things: 1) I have now lived more than 1/4 of my life; 2) I can rent a car! and 3) I am no longer grouped in with the 18 year olds when I take surveys (Seriously, I have been waiting for this day for two years).

Not only was it my birthday, but the first year anniversary of me receiving my temple endowment. Because of this, I wanted to make sure that I visited the temple on my birthday and did a session. I was talking to Roommate M about what I wanted to do for my birthday about a month or so ago and mentioned this. Then I mentioned that I wanted to go to a temple I had never been to before. She recommended going to St. George and staying in her parents' condo for the weekend and going to the St. George temple. Which was an amazing idea, especially once I remembered that I was a grown up and could take off to St. George for the weekend if I wanted to. haha So, Friday afternoon after work we drove down to St. George. We were both so excited to get to 80 degree weather!

That night we just watched some "Veronica Mars" (we are now on the third season with only two disks to go!). The next morning we went to the temple, which was amazing, and then Roommate M treated me to lunch at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe, where they have really good smoothies. That afternoon we sat by the pool and read, took naps, and (in my case) got a little bit sunburned! An amazing way to spend an April afternoon!

Oh, if all afternoons could be spent this way!

We watched more "Veronica Mars" that night, as well as Quantum of Solace, and Despicable Me (most of which I slept through, because I'm such an old woman now). We went to sacrament meeting the next day and came home.

I think that that little break away from life, though it wasn't majorly exciting, was exactly what I needed. I didn't have my computer, or internet access. I hadn't been feeling well the last part of that week, and it was so nice to just go somewhere where I could relax, with no expectations.

When I got home, I went to my parents' house for a birthday dinner (baby back ribs, shrimp pasta salad, fruit, and asparagus), and opened presents! Then I had cheesecake for my birthday cake.

Here I am! 25 years old! Thanks for everyone who had been a part of my life somehow or another, it's been an amazing ride.

Dear Baby E: You Are Uncooperative

It took three days of my following your mommy around trying to feel you kick until you finally gave in and did it. (I literally followed your mommy around--hands on stomach at all times.) I seriously thought that I would go the whole weekend without ever feeling you kick, no matter how I cajoled or talked to you. Then I tried the whole ambushing thing by jumping on mommy's stomach, hands outstretched, thinking that maybe if I caught you off guard, you'd be too surprised to hold back your kicks. I just wanted to see how strong you are, and you refused! Stubborn little girl. May I remind you that I am your favorite aunt? I really wanted to feel you kick because I'd never felt a baby kick before and this would be my last chance until your mommy has another baby, which, at the rate they're going, could be another EIGHT years!

Anyway, Sunday afternoon you apparently started feeling bad for me and you gave me a couple of really good kicks. So, thank you. And then Monday night, right when I put my hand on mommy's stomach, you kicked! That was nice of you. :)

You seem to have grown in the five days your mommy has been in town. You just keep on keeping on, little one. We want you big and strong when you finally come out and meet us. I won't see you again until you are born, so be good to your mommy! I can't wait to see you as a real person, not just some strange idea of a person feeding off of my sister.

Updates, Updates Everywhere

First, a sad update. I applied for a full-time position at work, but wasn't considered for an interview. At first I was pretty upset about this, and had a little bit of reflection on where I want to be and how to get there, and even wondered if editing was the right path for me. But once I had some time to think, and I met some of the candidates for the position, I realized that I really didn't have the education and experience to help me compete against other candidates. And I also realized that I needed more diversity in my work, including opportunities to use my editing skills. So I asked for it, and my supervisors/managers have been very good at finding a few projects here and there to give me that diversity and practice. So, good and bad there.

In good news, I'm fulfilling one of my New Year's Resolutions! Yes, I am going to Canada!! Prince Edward Island, to be exact. My plane tickets are all paid for, I've got my hotel reservations made, my car rental is set up, and I'm planning an itinerary and packing list. I don't go until mid-June, but it's exciting (and scary) to think about. I'm going by myself--a fitting tribute to Anne, I think. So, funny story, as I was writing down a rough itinerary, I realized I have FOUR days on Prince Edward Island, instead of the three that I thought I had. I was so surprised and wondered what I was going to do with that extra day! Guess it just means that I get to spend another day exploring the island! I've planned an entire day for my Anne pilgrimage--going to Cavendish and seeing the house LM Montgomery lived in while she wrote Anne, seeing Green Gables house, Lover's Lane, and hopefully seeing the Anne of Green Gables musical. The other days I just want to wander around the island and take in the beauty of it.

Let's see, what other updates can I give? My niece is still in the "unborn" stage, but I can tell I'm going to spoil her rotten. I've decided that being the only unmarried aunt by default makes me the favorite aunt. While her other aunts have their own families/children, I can devote all my love and attention on little Baby E alone. She and I are going to be buddies, I just know. I'm going to read to her from all my favorite books from the time she is born on, and I'm going to teach her how to be a geek. I get to feel her move next week when sis and bro-in-law come to visit and I'm so excited!!

So, there is a more general update on my life. I'll be writing a bit more on narrow topics, but just wanted to share a little of what has been happening in my life!

Dear Baby E: You're a GIRL!

So, guess what baby? We found out today that you are a GIRL! I know, this is old news to you, but very exciting news to us. This means that I can now start buying all sorts of things that will ensure my place as favorite aunt.

I do have to admit, I was pretty adamant that you were going to be a boy. I just had a feeling, ever since your mommy and daddy got married, that their first child would be male. But finding out I was wrong does not make me disappointed at all! I called your grandma and grandpa (my mom and dad) today to talk to them about something not really related to you and therefore not important, and I said, "So, did sis call you?" Grandma kept saying no, and I felt really bad because I thought maybe I had let the cat out of the bag and your mommy was planning a big reveal. And then I hear Grandpa in the background say, "Oh, sis called today!" Five hours before! Grandpa had forgotten to tell grandma she was getting a granddaughter! Silly guy.

I guess I should give you a little advice about being a girl. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of differing opinions of how a girl should be, how she should act, and where her place is in society. Don't pay any attention to any of them. You find out who you are and you stick with it. Don't change for anyone, except yourself. You can be and do anything you want, and your family will support you in your endeavors.

I'm very excited to meet you baby girl! You are halfway ready (which is probably more than your mom can say)! In just over four months, we get to see you and hold you!