The Ucluelet cabin get-a-way weekend

I have been really bad lately by not posting, I know. I usually do my blog posts at lunch and will have to try to get in that routine again. It has been too tempting lately to leave the office and wonder around outside now that the weather is getting a little better.

The Ucluelet cabin get-a-way weekend was a couple back and oh boy was it great. They upgraded us to an ocean front cabin, as we went up on the Friday that the earthquake shook Japan and the Tsunami warnings scared a good number of travelers I guess.  Fair enough. The snow on the pass was totally nuts, the weather was up and down – but mostly raining sheets, good weekend for cabining – not for camping. We did have some good breaks on Saturday to get out for a hike and a surf, but we tried to hang in the cabin for amazing homemade food that was brought up, beer and wine and Settlers of Catan. The cabin had a Jacuzzi so we all managed to get in a hot soak and pampered ourselves with pedicures and face masks.

So the story goes that me and 3 girlfriends from tree planting were really tight one summer and partied and pounded (the trees in the ground) better than any girls at the company we were working for. We were on a close planting crew with great loving people with similar mind sets and at a time of age of freedom and self discovery.

At the end of the summer (and the planting season) we decided to get a tattoo to remember our our strong bond of a friendship we had created with one another.  So, we had the artist in the group draw out a simple stamp like tree tattoo that was pleasant and cute and well, just perfectly fit with what we all envisioned. The foot was chosen as the spot for the ink and we went for it. The tattoo shop was in Smithers, BC and not once have I regretted that decision. I remember the afternoon after getting the tattoo, resting on the grass, in a park with the late summer breeze and feeling totally at peace with the world and with myself. Those were some of the best days of my life. That was almost 10 years ago.

The cool thing is that there have been times where at least two of us have been approached by a person who has recognized by our tattoo, they say “ I know someone with that same tattoo” and we would have to say something along the lines of “I bet I can tell you who it is”.

For the last few years we have reconnected at campgrounds, cabins and in one another’s homes. We keep track of one another’s partners, travels and new life experiences. More recently we are watching and sharing our experiences with marriage plans and babies and the joy and sorrow of these major life changes bring. These girls, even though not close in proximity, are very close to my heart.

Here are some pictures from our last get together (unfortunately one is absent from this trip – but was not far from our thoughts).

Middle Name Thoughts

I replied to my friends blog today. She was requesting thoughts on middle names and I decided my response was something I wanted to share on my own blog, so here we go...

My middle name is Maria - pronounced Mariah, as in Mariah Carey, and to be honest I never loved it because of that. However, I was named after my Grandmother, Mary. Why Maria and not Mary?  I am still unclear of that.  I am not a fan of Mary either, but I do like Maria,  pronounced Maria. This is because of the Spanish “Maria del Mar” - which I sometimes consider to keep in my back pocket for a daughter one day. Maria first name, del Mar being the middle name. It means “Mary of the Sea” and although I am not religious by any stretch, I do love the sea and love the way the name sounds as it rolls off the tongue.

SO Happy Today

I am happy today. I got some awesome news from a friend, it is Friday, I am going snowboarding this weekend, it is Book club tonight, and I get to see my friend Clare who I have not seen in months - too long really! So really, how could I not be happy? Oh and I worked out with my trainer this morning and noticed that I had 4 more sessions when I thought I only had 2. Its sunny out and me and some co-workers are off to Noodle Box for lunch...life is good.

Hello Winter!

Holy smokes. Its f'ing freezing!! Like, really, what is going on here! First the snow dump - wild and kinda fun, didn't mind that- but this blowing below "0" stuff... really!?!?!

Was it my previous post about February and now I am being reminded of how crappy this month is in other places in Cananda? I truly felt today like I remembered the reason why I am not a fan of the cold winter days of the east.  Anyway, I have pictures to post so I will try and do that tonight. Just wanted to vent a little...

Ten Minute Timeline.

I have 10 minutes before a meeting and decided to write a post about nothing particular.
I was telling Jon a few weeks ago how around this time of year I am a little confused to actually what time of year it actually is. I know this sounds strange and it is, but it is true. It is times of tiredness or stress where I need to write down the month on a piece of paper, or think about it really quickly and randomly and I don't freaking know it. I feel like it could be November, or April - but not necessarily the month we are in. Weird. it is. I know my brain is a bit different than others...and maybe it is what makes me special.

shoot...I gotta go (my 10 minutes turned into 3) and...for the record - it is February here today ;)

Happy Valentines Day

We had such a fun filled weekend this weekend. We started with a awesome dinner and visit with Hilary on Friday night. Me, Jon, Cyn and Hil went out to Ferris's Oyster Bar – we had a great time with such a good old friend!

Not a late night however, as Hil's flight was at 6am and Jon and I decided to go snowboarding on Saturday, which also requires an early wake up.

So early morning road trip, to a crazy heavy powder day on the hill. Boy, it was a blast!!! A bit tough going though, skiers and snowboarders were falling and even walking down the hill everywhere. It was hilarious. With minimum of like 2 feet of fresh snow on the hill it was just a bit of a shit show. The snow was so deep that it was hard to get back up and lean back to do the power type riding you need to do to stay afloat. When you fell, if you went off track - you most times had to dig yourself, including your face. Man, I was laughing so hard, I was having trouble breathing because of all my gear around my nose and mouth (helmet, goggles and the face mask). It is so crazy when you have no control of yourself and bail all over the place - somersaults were the theme of the day. Thankfully Jon was near me for my fall that landed me head first, with not much access to my snowboard. It was too funny beacuase I had no idea where he was, it was like a white out and then after getting my head up so that I could look around I realize he was like 4 feet in front of me! I was practically crying I was laughing so hard, probably had to be there, and unfortunately because it was so wet and blizzard - we didn’t take the camera. We came home for dinner and hockey and passed out after the first period.

The next morning we had brunch at the Oak Bay Marina with our Ruff/Vaartnou family in Victoria. It was a lovely buffet and I ate enough for breakfast and lunch - plus! I even treated myself to a piece of cheesecake for dessert...sweet heaven. We are so lucky to have such supportive, amazing and beautiful people to call our family in the city.

Jonny and I had a quiet Sunday, organizing and cooking for the week. I made a lasagna and a cabbage soup and we had a relaxing evening watching Lost episodes.

So for Valentine’s Day this year, we will have a nice dinner and relax with the end of the last season of Lost – good times.

Oh yeah, and we will tell one another how much we love each other. We won't forget that - so neither do you!

See the pictures below of me, Peter and my precious niece Gabriel and then the rest of the fam!

Time is ticking...

I feel like the days and weeks are flying by so fast sometimes its like "hey...wait for me!"
It has a lot to do with being insanely busy at work, so busy I am not getting anything done. But slowly and surely, things will slow down, they always do. I am working on the Company's highest priority project at the moment...and out of 65 active projects, that is something to be said.

And now I have the news of Jonny returning to work (on MONDAY) to deal with. The beginning of the end. ha ha. So we have a few days to cherish. Going snowboarding on Saturday (I will take some pics!) and a brunch on Sunday with his Family - good times will be had.

It is what it is, when Jon leaves. And in little ways, for a short time, it will be nice - like having the bed to myself, doing whatever I want, like watching some stupid TV shows. But after a while, I know it will become lonely and I will miss him more and more until he leaves me for months (for spring plant) and then it will be brutal. and then the light will sun high in August when he home for a month at least. Jeeze, and we get married. holy smokes. See --- another reason life is flying by right now, soooo much to look forward too.

I am very excited because I am going to be in a surf competition on my birthday!!!! How cool is that? I am so stoked.

Anyway, I really have to get back to work,  just wanted to "get it out" a little. More details to come on the above.
XO
Sacha