a bummer...

I try to focus on the positive as often as I can, but sometimes the blues just get me down. Tonight turned into one of those nights. And after such a good day too - grumble grumble grumble... I won't go into details cause I don't want to give it anymore power than I already have. And I truly have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

But when a funk threatens to take me under, this is one of those things that makes me smile. It works 9 times of out 10... JCB by Nizlopi!



and repeat!

Summer isn't complete without one!

A music fest that is - ideally a country one too! This year, Staci & I headed up to North Cowichan for Sun Fest. It was the first year they did this festival as a total country one (and they were doing it right). The same production company that produced Merritt Mountain Music Fest for 15+ years took over Sun Fest this year, and it will now be going on the calendar as and annual event for me.

Headliners this year included Jessie Farrel, Johnny Reid, Ridley Bent and Crystal Shawanda - all great performers. It was def less wild than Merritt, and that's not a bad thing. Security was really lax this year - wonder how long that will last?

We met some wonderful people from Coombs & Calgary way... enjoyed cool margaritas under the awning of our neighbor's RV... snuck over to Cowichan Lake for a cool-down swim... danced to great music... wasted away hours of the night being entertained by our 21 year old neighbors... tried to wash our feet multiple times every day only to find them covered in dirt 5 minutes later... got to say "we're with the band"... laugh at mullets and admire six-packs.... and had a sun filled hot hot hot weekend!

Good friends are essential

It's a truth we all know, and it's one we (I) sometimes take for granted. I've been very blessed to always have 1, and for the most part, a dozen or more good, true, fabulous, close friends in my life. Not everyone can say that yet I can, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank the universe for this.

Each friend I have is special and they compliment me in different ways. Sometimes they even shower me with compliments! (lol - my friends appreciate my bad humour, or at the very least, put up with it). Some are those that fuel my crazy-side - we always come home from a night out with a story that could be on tv. Others are those who I talk out my life problems with while walking along the ocean. Others are ones that I disappear into the wilderness with for a week with no showers, deodorant or mirrors, and we come out better than every. Truth be told, most of my friends fit into all those categories.

Some people are only in our lives for certain periods like my best friend from preschool - grade 1, Danielle Tobie. She was my next door neighbor (we lived on either side of a duplex), our brothers shared the same name, we loved dolls and as such we were inseparable from the moment her family moved in, until they moved away to Gibson Landing. It might as well have been Africa as far as we were concerned. (This was the time before the internet and all) But she made an impact in my life, and I thank her for that. Danielle - you could see we were girls of style even way back then...

This is what happened when my mom let me do my own hair and pick out my own clothes - amazing! (Danielle on the left, me on the right)

So a big shout out to all the ladies in my life who help and support me being me - you make this life a wonderful experience!

Happy BC Day

A very happy belated best wishes to my home province - British Columbia! Aug 2nd was BC Day this year and I was lucky enough to celebrate it with Lexi, Kim & Donna downtown with some bevvies on the waterfront deck, enjoying the sweet sounds of the Victoria Symphony at Symphony Splash, the raucous sounds of Southern Urge at Darcy's (complete with front row seat for the fireworks), finished off with some dancing Upstairs...