The mysterious case of the Christmas boots

The story you are about to read is true. No names or identifying characteristics have been changed, mostly because it’s all about me.

T’was the end of Christmas day, and one very tired girl in a fluffy dress decided to leave the party and go home to sleep. (That girl is me.)

I went into the room where all the coats and boots were (because my family is so huge, we don’t have a coat closet, we have a coat room. Like, a big one.) and I didn’t see my boots. I saw a pair that were almost identical to mine, but they were someone else’s. I knew they weren’t mine, because when I put them on, they felt funny.

I went out to the living room and exclaimed “Someone took my boots!” Thus ensued a search for said boots, but nothing came up. Phone calls were made to cousins who had left, thinking they might have made a mistake. No luck.

I packed up the wrong boots in a bag and went home in my open-toed heels. It was raining.

The next morning, bright and early (ha! not true. I slept in really late.) I rose and began searching in earnest. These are not magnificent boots, but I am not home right now, and the only other options I have are heels and slippers.

I drove to my cousin’s house to check out his wife’s boots. They were not mine. I sent out messages saying “My boots are missing. I am enclosing a picture of the boots left behind. Mine are almost exactly the same.” Again and again, I received the same reply “I don’t have them. Good luck.”

Now, by this time, I was starting to have doubts. If no one had my boots, then where were they? And whose boots did I have? I compared the left-behind boots with a picture of me wearing my boots a few days earlier. Were they the same? Or just similar?

Me wearing MY boots on Christmas eve (before I got fancy, of course). I am 100% sure these are my boots.

One of the boots that were left behind. Are they the same as mine? Are they mine? Who knows anything anymore.

It’s been 36 hours, and nothing has come up. The only conclusion is that no one took my boots, and I have no idea what my own boots, which I wear every day, look and feel like. I am not sure of anything anymore.

I am not convinced that these boots are mine. If you have any information regarding the mysterious case of the Christmas boots, please contact me immediately. I have no doubt TLC will be calling me to make one of those “The first 48” crime shows about it. The trail has gone cold though, so it might be “Cold Case” instead.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out for a walk. I haven’t decided what will look best with my leggings, heels or slippers.

Happy father’s day!

Last week, a co-worker’s computer screen went all weird and she asked me if I knew how to fix it. I said no, but I could call my computer technician. She thought it a little odd that I had my own technician. I told her he also went by the name Pop.

My dad can fix anything, and if he doesn’t know how to right away, he’ll google it. When I saw this, it made me smile.

I remember being a little girl and asking my dad how to do things. He let me help (get in the way) with whatever he was doing. I know if I asked, he would teach me how to change a flat tire or fix my computer, but I like having to call him for those things. I am a grown-up, independent woman, but I still need my dad and that makes me happy.

I wrote about this on mother’s day, but it surprises me when people talk of trying to understand their parents, or being friends with them. I really lucked out in the parent department, because mine are awesome!

To Tommy from Zooey to Me!

If you’re new to this blog, here is something about me: I love Zooey Deschanel’s style. Like, love, love, love it! In April, I wrote about discovering a website that has all the info on her outfits, called What would Zooey Deschanel wear. A fellow blogger told me about a clothing line Zooey was designing with Tommy Hilfiger. I was so excited to check it out!

A couple of weeks ago, my sister and I went to a work conference together. We don’t work at the same school, or even the school board, but we can sometimes swing it so that we attend the same training. It was in Montreal, so we took the train in the day before and went shopping! It was pouring rain, but we were determined to make the most of it!

While walking in a downpour of extreme wetness, we saw this.

We just had to go in and try on as many dresses as we could! There are 16 dresses in the collection, but this store only about 7 or 8. There was only one I loved, and it’s the one Zooey’s wearing in the picture. It’s called the diamond-print dress. I’m sorry Zooey and Tommy, but these are squares.

I wore this dress on Sunday, and you can see it in my previous post, where my sisters and I tried to take some nice pictures. Since most of the pictures are pretty funny, there is no actual great shot of me in this dress.

My sister got this one. It would be much too short on me, but it looks fabulous on her!

This is Zooey, not my sister.

I also got this dress while shopping in Montreal. It’s not a Zooey dress, but I think she would like it. If there was a What would that girl from The Bliss Project wear website, she would definitely read it. Well, I guess that website already kind of exists, because I share my outfits here. Maybe she reads it, who knows?

Also, I went out to buy materials for a school project tonight, and I bought two more dresses. I am no longer allowed out without supervision.

 

Family pictures

Whenever I’m in a bookstore (which is all the time) and I see books about how to be friends with your mother, or the experience of traveling with your mother, or baking with her, or anything else really, it makes me wonder who these people are. My mom is awesome. I don’t need a book to tell me how to be her friend or how to travel with her. I realize not everyone has a good relationship with their parents, and I think that’s too bad.

I was a kid who played in the mud, while wearing ribbons in my hair. It didn’t have to be one or the other. I was taught that if I wanted something, and I worked for it, I could have it. Be polite, be kind, and don’t let anyone walk all over you. Family is the most important thing. These life lessons have made me into someone who’s more and more like my mother every day, and I couldn’t be happier.

Today is mother’s day and my mom really wanted a picture of my sisters and I, and one of the whole family. Easier said than done.

Trying to make ourselves look presentable.

We realized mom was taking pictures while we were still trying to figure out how to pose.

My older sister and I trying out a few poses while my little sister looks embarrassed to be seen with us.

I feel like this picture best represents our personalities.

We tried to get one of the whole family, but we look like we should be running away from a tornado.

And now we are playing ring around the rosy.

Is it wrong that the best picture so far is the one where you can’t see our faces?

When we moved indoors, away from the elements, it was a huge improvement.

I think this might be enough pictures for today.

Success! We all look happy and normal!

Joyeuse fête des mères maman! xxx

Treasure Hunting

Yesterday was a holiday and my mom, my sister and I went on a treasure hunt. There’s a farm close to my sister’s house where the owner collects and buys all sorts of goodies. Antiques, not-so-antiques, windows, bottles, books and teacups. If you’re looking for it, chances are, he’s got it. This weekend was the last time he was open until spring. However, he did say that if we decided we wanted something, we could go back and see him.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect. My mom and my sister had been there before, but not me. There were two huge barns filled top to bottom with treasures! We looked around for a couple of hours and could have stayed even longer, but it was getting a little chilly.

See anything you like? I love how there are helmets mixed in with the tables and chairs.

I spy a pretty blue teacup.

Oohh, teapots!

Getting directions on how to navigate the second barn.

Can I interest you in a purple dresser? Or maybe some snowshoes?

May I offer you a chair?

See that one teacup that looks like it might be blue under the dust? One of my treasures! No extra charge for dirt.

I wasn’t looking for books this time, but these were fantastic. I should have bought that pink one because, hello, pink book!

This is a duck cookie jar. How awesome is that?! I can’t believe I didn’t buy this. I should have. Look at her eyes. Plus, she’s wearing an apron. I feel like she would never judge me for eating all the cookies. I have the perfect spot for her too. This would make a fantastic Christmas gift (hint hint mom).

Need a milk pail?

Or maybe a milk bottle?

My mom bought one of these old crockery jars for her new kitchen. Old and new are perfect together.

Need to do some 70’s style entertaining? (I wasn’t actually around in the 70’s, so I’m not sure if this type of glass is from then or not, that’s just the image that comes to mind.)

If I’m ever in the market for a new license plate, I know just where to go.

My mom got a few things for her kitchen, and my sister bought two pieces of furniture with tons of character. I found amazing treasures! A new (to me) teapot and four beautiful vintage teacups. I couldn’t be happier! (Well, maybe a little happier, if I had the duck cookie jar.)

My teapot found a home on a shelf above my stove. I just put the shelf up a few days ago, and I was happy to add this rosebud teapot. I might need another shelf, because several of my teapots are still in the cupoard.

There’s an ugly (but useful) fan on the wall. It was interfering with my teapot vibe, so I covered it up with my Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman album. How perfect, right?

And of course, my teacups!!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to drink some tea from a fancy teacup!

Thankfulness

Today is Thanksgivings. I have so much to be thankful for.

On Friday, I went to Montreal for a work conference. It was so-so, not worth getting up at 5 am. However, afterwards, six of us went shopping. We had a blast trying on clothes, finding things for each other, driving two hours there and back. We sang, laughed and acted like a bunch of little girls. I love days like this, be it with my work friends, my yoga friends, my forever friends or my new friends. I am thankful for my friends.

On Saturday, I went to a yoga class that was much too difficult for me, because of my ever-present glute injury and very low energy level. However, just before class started, the teacher asked us to think of three things that we were thankful for. The first thing that came to mind, no doubt because I was on my mat, was my ability to practice yoga. I may be temporarily injured, but I am still strong, healthy and free to practice whenever I want to. I am thankful for yoga.

In my family, we celebrate Thanksgivings on Sunday instead of Monday. It’s all about being together, enjoying each other’s company. In the middle of nowhere. That’s right. We celebrate Thanksgivings in a cabin in the woods with no electricty or running water. About 60 of us cram ourselves inside the small cabin, spilling out onto the porch and under a tent, to be thankful we are a family. This is not some weird Canadian thing. I don’t know any other family that does this. This is just us. I am thankful for my family.

This is the middle of nowhere.

Me and my momma. Everyday, I am more and more like her, for which I am thankful.

I am thankful for a family full of kids.

I love fall.

Tree pose. In the forest. Get it?!

Yoga with Elizabeth, one of my most favourite people ever.

The frog is like this.

Thnaskgiving dinner is about to happen.

So much to be thankful for. I am one very blessed girl. What are you thankful for?

Apple pie day

Every year, my mom, my sisters and I get together to make massive amounts of apple pie. Apple pie is fall’s most amazing food. I know everyone goes crazy for all the pumpkin flavored goodies out there (including myself), but let’s face it, there’s no better food than apple pie. This year, we made 22 pies. We froze most of them, to be eaten later, but to be honest, they’ll all be gone by Christmas. That’s how amazing they are.

First, you have to buy or pick many, many apples. These are lobo apples. Some apples are too soft, and then you get mushy pie.

Then, you have to put on a cute apron.

That’s my little sister and I. My apron says “Will cook for shoes”.

You need to peel the many, many apples and make several batches of pie crust.

Those are my mom’s hands. she’s the pie crust expert.

After that, you start assembling pies and you don’t stop until you have 22 (or 3 or 14 or 7, whatever your goal is. We don’t usually have a goal, we just keep going until we run out of ingredients.)

After a while, it’s totally acceptable to stop for wine. We really had to work for it.

But it was worth it.

This is my sister. She loves wine. So do I. Wine is delicious. Apple pie is also delicious. Good thing I don’t have to chose only one.

Drinking wine really makes for better pies. Just don’t spill any in the pies, that’s wasteful.

I don’t have a recipe to share because we don’t use one. It’s apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour, then repeat, add butter and that’s it. We don’t measure anything. I’m sure of you google “apple pie recipes” you’ll find some, but whatever you do, please, please, don’t use white sugar in an apple pie. That’s just wrong.

It was such a great day, and now we have pie! Everyone should celebrate apple pie day.

My dad is usually there to help. He peels the apples, but he was away this weekend. It’s ok Pop, you can still have pie. We’ll share because we’re nice like that.

A mini-break

This has been a really great weekend for several reasons. Wine and friends on a patio Friday night, then a beach day with those same awesome girls on Saturday (we didn’t go in the water, it was too cold!) and a mini-break from my 30 day yoga challenge.

I didn’t want to skip a day in my challenge, so last Wednesday, I did two classes and got to spend today, father’s day, with my dad.

Sometimes, I hear people say how they’ve become like their parents, and they’re horrified, like it’s the worse thing that could ever happen to them. I don’t get it. My parents are awesome.

I am my father’s daughter and I couldn’t be happier. He’s funny and smart and the nicest person you could possibly meet. He’s kind. He loves kids. Once, when my sister was younger, her friends came over to ask my dad to help get someone out of a tree. My sister wasn’t home, but those kids knew my dad would be more than happy to help.

When my dad is interested in something, he likes to learn everything there is about it. When I was little, he knew more about fishing than anyone I’d ever met. He’s the best poker player I know (he taught me how to play, and I play well enough not to embarrass myself!) When I decided to sign up for yoga teacher training, wanting to know more about this practice I love so much, my mom said I was just like my dad. She’s right. When I love something, I give it all I’ve got. It makes me happy and I’m grateful to my dad for giving me that.

This mini-break from my yoga challenge has given me time to relax and focus on other things I love, like my family.

Joyeuse fête des pères Pop!

Wordless Wednesday

So juicy!

I’m sick. I don’t like being sick. I know, I know, nobody likes being sick! I had a super busy week filled with awesome things, like my class play, and not so awesome things, like my car needing expensive fixing -up. Add all that up, throw in some germy kids and voilà, sick me! It’s mostly an annoying cough, so I’ll live.

I went to up to my parent’s place yesterday so my dad could change the breaks on my car (with all the things I had to pay for this week, I was happy to take advantage of some free labour. Thanks Pop and Uncle Phil!)

My mom and my aunts were at the farm planting the garden. I sort of helped, a little. Well, I cut up the planting potatoes. Mostly I sat on the porch and read my book.

Also, I took some pretty pictures.

My mom took pity on me because I was sick and made me some fresh juice. I’ve never been a fan of juicing, and I didn’t want anything green in there, so she made me a carrot, apple and orange juice. It was delicious! She said I would feel better as soon as I drank it. I didn’t work quite that fast, but I feel much better today, so it must have helped!

I borrowed their juicer so I could make more fresh juice until I feel better. I quite like it, so I’ll probably keep juicing once I feel better! Today I made carrot, apple, orange and celery.

I watched a documentary a few weeks ago called “Fat, sick and nearly dead” about an overweight, sick man who gets healthy largely by going on a juice fast. It was very interesting. My mom and I also watched two documentaries last night called “Hungry for change” and “Happy”. I enjoy documentaries because they really make you think.

Do you have any juice recipes I should try? Or any documentaries I should watch?