Saturday, August 28, 2010

Goosebumps and sun burns

Did you know it is possible to get a sun burn while you have goosebumps? It makes for an interesting, speckled sort of pattern along the edges of the burn.

We went to the beach yesterday, Ian's family, minus Ian. Poor Ian had to work.

They have security at the beach. They search your bags. I thought it was a bit stupid, but I guess some people like that.. I don't mind the armed gaurds patrolling the beach in Mexico, keeping us safe and free from annoyances... but this seemed a little ridiculous. Are animals and drunk people at the beach really such a big issue here? This is not like the beaches at home... Sometimes I feel worlds away.

The wind off the water was cold. I don't think it could have been any more than 20 degrees. I tried to take my sweater off, only to put it back on within about ten minutes. There is no way I could have sat there in a bathing suit. My bikini was disappointed, it hasn't seen nearly enough sun this year. So I sat in my shorts and sweatshirt, while everyone around me was in bathing suits, and I had goosebumps on my legs. Goosebumps. In August. At the beach. Ian's mom felt my legs and was surprised at how cold they were. Her's were hot she said. Maybe I'm cold blooded. I could be a lizard. I will be now. I have a sunburn on my poor goosebumpy legs. I should have known. Of course I know you can get a sunburn even in the cold. Like in the winter, when it's ten times worse because the sun reflects off the snow when you least expect it... Did I put on sunscreen before we went out? No, I usually put it on when we get there, so I can get a bit of sun on my pasty skin before I cover it up... But I was so chilly, the thought didn't even cross my mind. That and the sand was already stuck to my feet and ankles, from the lotion I used on them in the morning. Putting on sunscreen would have rubbed them raw. I never thought twice.

Until I got home. And saw the red stripes on my knees and thighs. I had had my legs crossed. I have slightly less pink lines where my legs covered eachother. Stupid. Nearly 30 and I still haven't learned to use sun screen every day. What was I thinking?

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Suffocating

It's hot here today. And muggy. Wet, and rainy. My whole body feels heavy. A run is definitly needed but I find it hard to catch my breath just walking around the house this morning. The doors and windows are all open. To let some fresh air in I believe. Maybe it's cooler outside than it is in here. I just know I woke up finding it hard to breath. Uncomfortable. This bed is not the best, and I wake up eager to get out of it, but still tired and aching all over. Maybe I need to be busier during the day so I can sleep better. I'm getting bored now. We've been here nearly a month. I still don't feel at home. I feel like we're visiting here, still living out of suitcases, in a room that's not ours, sleeping in a bed we both dislike... I've woken up grumpy three days in a row, and it's not even PMS. I'm breaking out, and it's not due to an excessive amount of chocolate. I think stress is getting to me. It's hard to accept stress when you're not working, don't have many bills to pay, and seem to be having an extended vacation... But the stress is there, none the less, maybe for all of those same reasons.

We want a house. We've been pre-approved for a small mortgage, and a little goes a long way here if you're careful. But we won't rush into anything, Ian hasn't even started work yet, and I still don't even have a job. I should get a job, but the thought of tutoring just doesn't sit well with me. I don't want to do it. Right now, I don't even miss teaching. I don't miss the kids. I miss money. I think I need to try something new... But I don't know what to do.

I hate waiting. Waiting for something to happen, waiting for things to get going... It's all in the works, but I'm not a very patient person. I like to feel like I have control over things. I like to feel like I'm actively involved in getting things going. I feel like much of what I need to do right now is be patient. Think positive. Breath in. Breath out.

Monday, August 16, 2010

The past few days

On Thursday we spent the entire day waiting for our stuff to be delivered by the moving company. They originally said it would arrive by noon. It got here at about 5:20PM. To the storage site actually. But at least it got here. And after a thorough inspection of the boxes today, I am thrilled to report that only three items appear to be broken. I'm sad about those items though. One of them is my Scholastic teacher Blackboard mug. I had two of them, but got rid of one in Vancouver, thinking I don't need them both. But they're freebie things from Scholastic, and they were my school mugs, you know, the ones I kept in my drawer for the days I wanted tea! The other one was my special tea mug that my friend Bill gave me years ago. It's just the perfect size for a cup of tea! The last item I'm the saddest about. Happiness. We figured it would probably be Success, given the current state of things... But alas, it was Happiness, a clean break, right at the stem... That IS a bad sign. Maybe I can fix it?


Happiness and Success are the words written on my favourite wine glasses,
given to us from Lyn. I miss Lyn!!!
Friday we went to the Buffalo Zoo with Steph, Chris, and Spencer. My camera battery died about half-way through, if that, but Ian got some amazing pictures on his camera. Those pictures, sadly, are not included here.

Here are a few of my favourite critters, before my battery died...



Saturday we looked at several appartments. We wrapped the evening up down on Queen Street, listening to Guns'N Roses and Bob Marley tribute bands, and then we watched the ever fantastic "Back to the Future" outside, on the grass at City Hall! They even had a DeLorean on hand, complete with lights and a license plate that said "OUTATME". It was excellent!


On Sunday, we celebrated Waffle Sunday at Steph and Chris'. The waffles were fantastic, with peaches, raspberries, blackberries, and chocolate and cherry ice cream... Of course, the requisite syrup and whipped cream tied the whole thing together... Mmmm. I forgot to take a picture, as usual when it comes to waffles. I concentrate on eatting them.

Today, I turned in my BC drivers license, with my excellent, short, easy to remember number. I got a piece of paper with a huge long ridiculous number on it. I want my short number back. And, they wouldn't take my marriage certificate in Spanish, which we figured but thought we'd try. So I'll have to go back and change my name anyways. We're in the process of getting that translated this week.

We also went to the bank to see about a mortgage. Not sure what will happen with that. Will keep you posted.

Appartment hunting is not going particularly well. There are two apartments we could live with if we had to, so far, but nothing to "blog about"...

Aaaaand, finally, I had a job interview this morning at a tutoring place. The interview lasted about 5 minutes. I'm not holding my breath, and I forgot to ask what they pay. It was too fast. I wasn't sure what happened. I don't think it went badly, just fast.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Employment

Well, I applied for my first job here today. It took me nearly 4 hours. First, I had to re-write my resume and cover letter. I realize I haven't updated my resume in 3 years. Well, I'm sure I have, but apparently I didn't save it. Also, I wanted to change my resume, and make it more skills-based, rather than employment-based... It just makes more sense when I am applying for jobs that are not in the education field. So then I wrote a cover letter to go with it...

Side-note: The job posting was on a website. I was reading the qualifications, experience, and skills required as I was writing my resume and cover letter, making sure to include all of the things they mentioned in the ad.

When I finished writing the resume, I clicked on "apply for job" or whatever it says... and it brought to me another page where I could upload my resume. Then, it automatically picks out your relevant skills, from your resume! Not flawless - I did have to add some it missed, mostly due to a difference in wording... But then you have to rank them, and include years of experience! For example, one of the skills I had listed was "teamwork", and then you have to include years of experience. I think I picked 15 years - I'm sure teamwork was something I worked on in highschool! "Communication skills" was a really difficult one! I put 29 years - I figure I have been communicating in some form or another for my entire life. Maybe not what they're looking for, but what do they really expect?! It was HARD! And then, when I was trying to search skills (you can't make them up, you have to find them in their relevant skills database!) I would backspace on the keyboard, because I didn't find what I was looking for and wanted to try a different word, and I would hit backspace too many times, and it would actually take me back in the browser, and then I would have to start all over again! It was an incredibly frustrating experience. I have decided that I should probably not pursue a career in career advising, or job placement, or whatever - I HATE THIS!!!

I hate the process of reducing my skills and experience to 15 ranked skills. I am a much more well-rounded person than that. I have more than 15 skills and experiences. The website said to pick your strongest 15. Unfortunatly, some of my strongest are probably not relevant to this particular job, so I left some out... Ugh.

Ian is Mr. Joe-Cool when it comes to job hunting. Jobs are handed to him. He doesn't even have to look for them. And when he goes in for interviews, people just love him. I helped him write his resume, but I don't even think he needs it. I think he's very lucky, not that this happens to him, but that he doesn't have to look and try so hard. It's hard to be turned down repeatedly. He's waiting to hear about a job right now. We've been sitting here checking his email all day, waiting for the offer to come in. Nothing yet. It is very hard to wait, especially considering he needs to decide on another job by today, or he'll lose the offer... We have our fingers crossed.
Oh yeah, we're going to go look at an apartment to rent, too! What an exciting day!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

On Vacation

Well, we're still here on vacation. Weather has been cooperating, we've been enjoying all the sites, and catching up on all the things we've been missing out on in the past several years. This past week we hosted a barbeque at Ian's parents' house for his parents and his sister's family, caught up with Ian's friend Ben, drove past the falls (and the thousands of toursits), toured the newly revitalized downtown strip, ate crepes, had drinks on Ian's sister's new deck, went for a few nice walks, had two picnics, drove along the parkway, and managed to stumble upon a battle reenactment at Old Fort Erie. We are clearly enjoying our vacation in Niagara Falls!

Only this isn't a vacation! We live here now!

It will be sad when we both start working again and our vacation time feels like it's over. But there are so many fun things to do here, especially in the summer! We are both wishing it could last at least until the end of the month...


A nice spot for a picnic!
 
The bridge beside our picnic island.

The picnic island!
 Us.

Buffalo, New York, as seen from Fort Erie.

The campers at the battlefield, the War of 1812. The battle depicted here actually occured from August to September, 1814, and was the bloodiest battle faught here. These were the Americans, who held the fort at the beginning of our viewing of the re-enactment..

Tents, and note the American flag flying at the fort in the background.

The British camp.

Waiting to begin...
 Waiting, and listening to the band...
 Some good explosions of peat.. we were covered in bits of dirt!


I think these two were just hiding, trying to get a good view point for the scaling of the walls.

Explosions on the battlefield.
Americans trying to hold the British back.

British troops pushing forward.
British troops at the wall fo the fort.
The British scale the walls...
And blow up 25% of the fort, apparently!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Party!

Last night was our "Niagara Falls Reception" for our wedding, ending the nearly 7 month wedding celebrations. Part of me feels relief that we don't have to plan any more parties. Part of me is really sad that it's all over now! Not many people are as lucky as we are, to have three wedding celebrations!

I met a lot of my in-laws family that I hadn't met before, and met a few that I did meet a few years ago, and then of course I got to see the ones we see frequently, nearly every time we've visited. Ian had some friends in attendance as well, and I had a friend from Toronto who very kindly made the trip down to "represent me." I believe that a lovely night was had by all. A lovely night was had by me anyways. Ian really does have a lovely family, and it's always nice when family can get together and celebrate anything!

I'd like to post some pictures, but I will have to do it later for two reasons: 1, my camera is upstairs; 2, I only have a few pictures, mostly just of what the hall looked like decorated. Hopefully other people will send me their pictures.

Today we are going to his sister's for a post celebration breakfast. My stomach is already growling, I can't wait to go!