One Year On

So........ 1 year eh?!

It looks so strange to write that. It really doesn't feel as though it can be as long as all that.
So, how do I feel? Well, as I was preparing to leave, people kept asking me how long I intended to stay, and my answer was that I didn't know, but if I gave up and came home within a year I would be very disappointed with myself. And here I am, a year on and I'm sorry, but I am not quite ready to quit!

I feel like I haven't done anything yet (my own fault I know), but that should all change in the next few months - lots of changes coming up - and I can't wait!

Of course I have done things really! Lots of firsts and things I would never have seen or done if I hadn't taken that leap and I have met lots of lovely people so far.
I have been to a real Rodeo, I've crewed a sailboat, 'worked' in a recording studio, road-tripped across America, I am now a hockey fan, I've eaten sushi, I have been to see loads of great shows, I've seen many more wild animals than before, I have seen such beautiful scenery - from mountains to deserts, there has been snow, snow, SNOW!, I have had to face my fear of spiders (with no success!), oh and I have never been prouder to be English!

So 'onwards and upwards'!
Here's to the next year. May it be even more eventful!
;-)

Like I Was Never Away...

So, I have been back from my holiday for two weeks now! Sigh! It feels like I never went away :-( If you want to know what I got up to, have a look on here:

girlsinamerica2009.blogspot.com

It was such a fun trip. The part I most enjoyed, was taking a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon! Very cool!
The third week that I was away, I went to Nova Scotia and spent the week with family and lazed by the river. It was lovely to have time to relax after the hectic road trip! While I was there, my Uncle gave me sailing lessons!


That was very fun! I also went to my cousins studio in Halifax and recorded a narration for a commercial for him. I really enjoyed that, even though it was nerve-racking! He later sent the finished product to me and it was weird, hearing my own voice back!!!

The one thing that I did NOT like was the insect bites that I got :-( I got hundreds, no joke, and even two weeks later they are still evident. I think they might scar :-{

Animals!

I saw an OWL on the way home tonight! I was so excited! I have never seen one in the wild before! I have seen tame ones many times of course.
It was sitting on a telephone wire over my road. I stopped right underneath it and we studied each other for a long time till I was the one who broke eye-contact.
I think it was a Barn Owl, but I cannot be sure as it was dark.


(No, I did NOT take this picture!!!!!!)
I have seen lots of new animals since I have been in Canada now I think about it. An Eagle, Raccoons, Seals, and now an Owl!
Oh, and we can't forget more Rats than I care to think about! The other night I had two charge me! One swerved just as it reached me, but the other dashed straight between my legs!
*shudders*
I'd like to say that they were more afraid of me than I was of them, but I really don't think that that is true!!!

Bournemouth Singalong

This made me laugh! It is certainly not the best random group event I have seen,(Improv-Everywhere are amazing!) but the fact that it was in Bournemouth was rather cool! It was really nice (and a bit surreal!) to see the Square again and Borders and New Look and The Slug And Lettuce and the Balloon!!
At 4.42 there is a group of Glenmoor Girls which made me smile, and at 5.01 there is a guy who says 'This is mental!' I haven't heard that expression in 9 months!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHj_2t1upNM

Summer Nights

I love these lighter evenings :-)
Walking home tonight I could still see the outlines of the mountains against the sky. Beautiful!
I still can't get over how warm it has stayed. When I step out of work at 10pm it is warmer outside than it is inside!

Summer nights have a special smell all of their own, don't you think? It makes me breath deep and smile. Its the smell of heat, cut grass, cigarettes and suncream! Mind you, if I smell bonfires or bbq's the happiness is tinged with sadness - because I want to be there!!!

Opera

I really wanted to see 'Easy Virtue' yesterday, and the only place that was showing it is a cinema in Kits. So I took the bus and went to see it. It was good, I really enjoyed it. Plus Ben Barnes is nice to look at! Then I walked up to Vainer park and had a look at where Bard On The Beach is being held. I almost decided to stay and watch 'Othello', but I know that there may be some people who would like to come with me, so I restrained myself! I sat by the water and read for a bit in the sunshine instead. :-)

On the way to Kits I had passed the Metro Theatre and saw that tonight was the last night for 'Die Fledermaus'. So I decided to go there on the way home. As I always say, I would rather go see something on my own, than miss out just because no-one will go with me. As it turned out, I wasn’t on my own. As I was waiting in the lobby for it to start, in walked a girl I work with! So I sat with her. Very random! Neither of us had been to an opera before, but as soon as they started playing the overture, I realised that I actually knew some of the songs, but had never realised what they were from. Some I had even heard English versions of so even though they sang in German I knew what was going on.
By the time I left the theatre, my tummy was grumbling, so I went and got MaccyD’s - and missed two buses while I waited! When my bus did come, the driver hopped straight off and disappeared into McDonald's! Hmm!

I like off the cuff days like that. Plus, I really feel like I am starting to get to know my way around here a lot more, which makes me happy! :-)

Visitors

I have had a busy few weeks! Two weeks ago, some friends from home came and stayed with me for two nights before catching a cruise from here to Alaska. It was lovely to have them and to be able to catch up. It also gave me the opportunity to practice with the bus route for the following week, when Mum and Dad came! The first day they were here, we walked around this area for a bit and then they went to sleep very early! The next day we went downtown and did the Big Bus tour of the city. It was a hop on hop off thing, so we got off at Granville Island and Stanley Park, and walked along the sea wall. I got VERY sunburned that day! The next day we went to Lynn Canyon and went on the suspension bridge and walked a LONG trail. Hiking in flip-flops anyone?!
On Monday we drove up to Whistler. It was sooooo hot up there! The whole week was REALLY hot and beautiful. We stopped at Shannon Falls on the way - which was very pretty - and also at various lookout points along the route.
Tuesday we walked along the dyke and walked around Steveston and had ice-creams! That night we went for dinner at a friends house in Tsawwassen and I had salmon for the first time and it was deeee-li-cious!!!
On Wednesday we met Mum's cousin and had a tour of his popcorn factory before going out for lunch. That was cool!
Hmm..... in one week we managed to do just about everything that I have done in nine months! Note to self: Get Out More!!!