Internet Deficiency

Coming to BC is always great and I am happy in my lovely home province. The one downfall is that I don’t have internet at my parent’s house so I am not only cut off from the online world and news but am also forced to be rendered unable to write in my blog. Ok, I’ll admit that I kind of like the down-time from blogging but sometimes I get all excited about something in my life but can’t share it with the world!

I got home on the 20th and have been kept busy the entire time. My sister’s wedding was on the 23rd and it was a lovely event. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures to share yet because we are waiting to get them from the photographer. I didn’t even attempt to take pictures because I knew I would be too busy to put much effort into it, plus Amy hired someone to do it and I’m sure that she did a hugely better job at it then I ever could. Still, waiting to see them is painful! Everyone looked so gorgeous and there was no major drama to tell about. Amy and Jer have been together for about 10 years, have a house and a daughter already, so this partnership is well committed. The whole wedding was more just about, “it’s about bloody time!” kinda thing. But the whole event was still highly enjoyable.

The weather has been hit or miss (mostly miss) but we’ve been getting some sun the past couple days. It seems that the sun is out and blazing early in the mornings when I am walking the dogs but then the clouds take over in the afternoons and evening. Me, Chris, Amy and Cadance all went to Champion Lake yesterday for a few hours in hopes of some good sunshine. A few clouds interfered with my already dreadful tanning attempts, but other than that it was great! The rope swing was as fun as ever!

On my first couple days here I bought two books and have already completed one of them. Finding novels for 40% off is such an exciting experience, especially when they are ones that you have wanted to read for such a long time. I just finished Potia de Rossi’s memoir Unbearable Lightness and am now into Stuart McLean’s Extreme Vinyl Café. Portia’s book was of huge interest to me since it was her story about her journey through anorexia and bulimia as well as struggling with her closeted sexuality and the impact it would have on her family and highly successful career. This book just sucked me in right from the beginning and had jaw dropping stories that made me feel so sad for this woman and for all people who struggle with eating disorders. At one point she was down to 82 pounds! I could talk about this book for a good while so I will drop it at that and just tell everyone to go out and buy the book. All I can say is that I have no problem with the issue of extreme dieting. I have been eating so much. Food just seems to taste better out here. Maybe it's just my mom's cooking. Just as soon as I think my belly gets a chance to rest, another family member invites us over for a giant meal. But I'm not complaining!

Realizations!

I have 300 things to get done in the next day and half but yet here I am, blogging. My sister Amy is getting married on Saturday so I am flying home on Wednesday for a 2 week visit with the family. I am looking forward to this trip so much! Plus the weather is supposed to get really hot when I arrive (which is common since I tend to be a good luck charm in terms of weather when going home), so that should make the trip that much better. Chris is coming along as well but he's coming 2 days later - but still, better late than never! It will be the first time in our relationship where we will be in the same place at the same time where neither of us have a job to go to. I have just come to the realization that it will be like a real vacation! WOW! Plus there will be a wedding involved which makes it just that much better.

A couple days ago I came to a shocking realization that I have to share. So, I have spoken more than once about my slight obsession with mullets. They fascinate me. I am excited to announce that I learned of a new mullet! It's the "Didn't Know You Had A Mullet Mullet." There is a man who comes into my work all of the time and he sits at the bar where we always have long conversations or at least a friendly "hello" if I'm too busy to stay and chat. He always wears a baseball cap so I never once thought about his hair which is surprising considering he always wore it a tiny bit long in the back. Then the other day he takes off his hat for the first time ever while in my presence and BAM! The mullet is revealed! I tried not to stare but man...it was a good one. I was thoroughly impressed to say the least. I was also slightly ashamed of myself for being that close to such a good haircut on such a regular basis and never being able to sniff out the true mullet that was before me.



I hope I never get tired of talking about mullets or getting excited when I see a new one. They are just too good not enjoy.

Super Sunday

Today is Sunday and I have been enjoying it to the max! The weather has been fairly bad the past week or so, so when the forecast predicted hot weather for today I was happy for the change. I had to work at 9am-3pm but business was quiet so I volunteered to leave early. By 1:30pm I was on the bike trail and loving the hot afternoon. Normally I curse PEI wind but today it was a much needed relief from the heat and humidity.

After the bike ride I went over to my friend's house to walk her dog while she was at work. I know it may sound a bit strange that I willingly walk 15 minutes out of my way to go to another person's house to walk her dog (for free) but I love it so much. Farley is a very sweet and high energy dog and it makes me so happy that I get to spend a couple hours with his company a few times a week. I brought him a ball that I bought a while back from the Dollar Store and I think he thought he had died and gone to heaven. He was so cute and lovin life as he carried that thing around in his mouth for the afternoon.

On a side note, today I noticed something while walking Farley that I didn't realize I was missing and/or perhaps maybe never realized existed until today. I have been walking dogs since I was 9 years old and have missed it terribly since living here on PEI. Something I never really noticed is how differently people react to you when you have a dog at your side compared to when you're walking solo. They give you this look that reflects a feeling that they think you are a good person and more easy-going or good-natured than other people. I don't know how to describe it. Their face softens and they give you a little smile of approval. Perhaps the people who give you this look are also dog people and therefore think a bit more highly of you since you are also a dog person and are out exercising your canine companion and being a good dog owner. I don't know. Maybe it's all in my head.

After the dog walk, I met my friend Josh at Fishbones Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill where we had a lovely dinner. This is my favourite restaurant (right now) and it was the perfect place to enjoy a meal after such a great afternoon. They play live jazz music just off the patio and the food is delicious. Did I ever mention that Josh and I are in the process of watching Two Guys A Girl and a Pizza Place? Does anyone else even remember that show besides us? I got Season One and we have been watching episodes whenever the two of us have time. It's super cheesy and there is so much canned laughter in that show, but man...it brings me back. It's actually quite hilarious and the characters are truly great. If you want to take a walk down memory lane and watch a brainless show that will make you smile, then I recommend getting some episodes and chilling. Classic Ryan Reynolds.

Little Miss Sunshine

"Age" is the nickname that just kinda happened when I was a little kid and it has followed me all throughout my life. Adrienne is a long, 3-syllable word that everyone wants to shorten (or scream out in a Rocky voice) and "Age" is what evolved over time. No one in my family ever thinks about it. I'm just Age to them. Having a nickname is kind of great and it makes me feel a little special when those who love me and know me well feel confident calling me Age.

There is another nickname that a handful of people call me and it's an interesting story considering I have never told a single one of these people that other people call me this as well. When I was a little girl, I was a really happy-go-lucky kind of kid, therefore my mom always called me Sunshine. As I got older she used it less and less, probably because she felt that I was getting too old to be called such a whimsical name. Every so often though she'll still calls me Sunshine and it makes me happy.

Moving on from my mom, my first job was working at the local Subway in Trail and I usually worked the morning shift where there were lots of regular coffee customers. There was one particular older man who would always come in and say to me, "Good morning Sunshine! How are you today?" Every time he greeted me as Sunshine. Maybe he called all young girls Sunshine perhaps? Who knows! But it made me cheerful.

Here in PEI I have 3 more people who also call me Sunshine. One is a man who is a friend of my boss who comes into the restaurant all of the time to have coffee and/or lunch. He is an older Italian man who constantly flirts with me and offers to buy me anything I desire. Another is an older gentleman as well who goes to the same gym as I do and nearly 4 years ago we became instant friends. We bonded over the fact that he knew who the Trail Smoke Eaters are and that they were World Champions in 1939 and 1961. I was surprised he knew such random sports trivia about my teeny hometown hockey team. Anyway, at first he called me Lou Lou after a brief stint of island stardom I had when I appeared in a local commercial for Lou Lou Clothing. After about a year he dropped Lou Lou and began to call me Sunshine. My third PEI person who just recently started calling me the name is another person who goes to the gym (no not another older man!) and we began chatting a bit a few months ago. Now he suddenly started calling me Sunshine as well.

Why Sunshine? Is it just a really common nickname for a person to call another? Perhaps Sunshine is a good name that a male can call a female that he is not romantically involved with but still affectionate towards in a friendly manner? I would like to throw out there that my hair colour could not be the reason since I was not blonde when meeting all of these people. Maybe it is just 100% coincidence. Maybe I just exude a blinding radiance that can only be compared to the blazing rays of the sun.

Stop laughing.

Confessions of a Phobic

I have a confession to make. I am a bathing-suit phobic.

Now I know that this isn't a world changing announcement to make since most women agonize at the idea of stepping into a bathing suit and strutting their bare skin for everyone to see. I have not owned a proper bathing suit in over 6 years and how I let it go this long is beyond me. There's just something about spandex and muffin tops that makes me cringe when I think about it in regards to my body. I have been like this for as far back as I can remember. Going bathing suit shopping is always a chore and I find a flaw in every suit I try on and give up far before I have exhausted even a tiny percentage of the bathing suits available. I think I watched way too much Baywatch as a kid. Damn that was a good show.



Confession #2 - Two days ago was the first time I have gone to the beach since living on this island. I know, I know. Many jaws have hit the floor considering PEI is famous for it's amazing beaches and of course, the Atlantic Ocean that it's coast rests upon. A couple times I have gone to the beach to have a short walk with a friend and once I went with Kaylynne to jump in the ocean (but this was in April and we were only there for about 10 minutes). This time I went and stayed for about 3 hours with a group of friends and soaked up lots of sun. One problem. Going to the beach is a bit awkward when you don't have a bathing suit.

So today I went on a mad mission to find myself a bathing suit. The first thing I had to do was be honest with myself. Ok, I am not a horrible ugly beast who will make young children cry if they see me in spandex. I am a respectable looking person who has some physical flaws but am more than acceptable to the human eye. Ok good, I'm getting somewhere. Now, my next step is to break down the physical components of a bathing suit and figure out what it is that I don't like about them and what I need in a suit that I will be comfortable wearing. One piece or two? Chris really wants me to get a 2-piece (guys....) so I will do that for him. I can handle that I think. Next, bikini bottoms or shorts? I can hear Chris screaming, "Bikini Bottoms!" but once again, I have to be realistic about this. I would feel super uncomfortable in bikini bottoms so I will meet this half way and go for a bikini top but with shorter shorts.

I set out on my mission with lots of ideas of places to go and, with my trusty bus pass in hand, I hit every store and mall I could think of in the Charlottetown area. I tried on lots of suits and when I thought I found "the one" I would realize that the bottoms were too long or a bit too baggy so I would go back out and find something that got me more out of my comfort zone. I found some shorts that I really like and have to go back out to find a top to match. So I have 50% completed my mission and am proud to say that by the end of the weekend I should own a bathing suit to call my own. Horray!

Chaotic Charlottetown (and new friends)

Right when I think the chaos has ended and the Canada Day long weekend draws to a close, I am reminded that in less than 24 hours there will be 30,000 people crammed into the tiny location just 1 block away from my apartment. Yikes! There is excitement buzzing through the air and everyone's conversation seems to begin with, "Are you going to see the Royal Couple tomorrow?" Yes, the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be visiting little Charlottetowm tomorrow morning (more specifically the Province House) on day 4 of their 9-day tour of Canada and travel other areas of the island (including the Gables house of course) the rest of the afternoon. The streets are already packed full of workers who are busy assembling stages and stands for the spectators to pile onto in hopes of catching a glimpse of the duo. I think my favourite part of this whole ordeal is just how pretty the city is right now since they've been spending a lot of energy and money to clean-up the sidewalks, hang baskets and plant flowers in every flower-bed possible. I'm quite certain that I will not get the chance to see the couple since I will likely be at work. We have to be ready for 30,000 people. Arggg. I secretly wanted to see them.

Onto bigger and more exciting news!! I have a new doggie friend! No, I did not adopt a dog (I WISH!). A new cook at the restaurant has a 3-year old pooch and when I was talking to her about my idea to open a little dog-walking business (which involves me walking people's dogs for free because I would find it hard to take money for such a joyous job) she said, "You can walk my dog whenever you want to!" So a couple days ago I met little Farley Mowat and learned about his habits and commands. Then yesterday I got to take him out all by myself while Cherie was a work. He's such a little sweetie. I can't wait to take him out again :)