Snow and Paw Prints

We got our first snow of the season this past week.  It was always a time I looked forward to as Crockett loved it.  He would always go nuts and seem so happy to have snow under his feet after the hot asphalt of summer.

It was especially great the first few days before the salt trucks would make their way onto the roads and sidewalks.

Walking home in the evening I came upon a few paw prints in the snow and it made me cry. I miss Crockett. I miss his presence. I miss the joy he brought me. I even miss his snoring.  I haven't been able to go into the park yet. That may take a while longer.

At least I was photo happy and have wonderful memories of him. Here's his first snow of 2012!

Crockett and Friends

It isn't as cold today as it has been these last few days.  The wind is going to pick up later this afternoon so I took Crockett out with the hopes we'd be out for longer than 5 minutes.  It was Crockett's choice.

After he relieved himself, rather than turning back to the door, he walked towards the park. I was anxious he'd think twice & head back but no, he kept on walking.

Once in the park, the trees protected us from the light wind. It was snowing and it was perfect. Both Crockett & I were happy to be outside.

It was then I heard a loud low woof. The woof only a Basset Hound can emit.  Then, Crockett was surrounded by friends. He perked up, ran a few circles, became bouncy, and had a smile on his face.

On our way home, the Sun was trying to peek through the clouds.

The amount of salt on the sidewalk makes these boots mandatory.

Going back up the stairs was harder than sliding down them!

The perfect Canadian winter dog walking photo!

Friends!

Daisy - 6 months old. Pure joy!

Let the Sun shine!

Walking Crockett, being outside, and watching Dogs play heals my soul and makes me temporarily forget my woes. It was a perfect 30 minutes.

Christmas 2013

I woke up this morning, pulled back the curtain & was happy to see big fluffy snowflakes falling.  I love it when it snows Christmas Day.

Last year I bought Crockett a sweater that was too big.  This year I bought Crockett a sweater that is too small.  Poor thing looked like he was out in the cold in a muscle shirt.

I am devastated by what the ice storm did to my favorite trees.  

They lost so many branches.  

I feel like Treebeard when he came upon Isengard.  

(LOTR reference for those not in the know)

This is Crockett at the base of the trees.  So so sad.

These are a few shots around the same area I took the ice photos last Sunday.  

It is still so awful and so beautiful at the same time.

These are from the Parkette across the street, I don't even dare venture in there. 

Not only are there still many branches that look like they could

snap at any moment, the snow is covering pure ice.  

I'd break something no doubt.

Lastly, the driveway of the park leading down to the Tennis and Lawn Bowling club is closed.  

A wee little black squirrel is noshing on something - an apple or an orange.  

I didn't want to get too close and disturb its feast.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Hodge Podge

Today has been a lazy day.  I had some work I wanted to do to avoid stress on Monday, so I made myself comfortable behind my desk, Lord Of The Rings in the DVD player and went to it.

I started at around 2pm and it's now just past 7pm.  I have just flipped over to side 2 of the Extended DVD of The Two Towers. I did what I needed to do & answered a few other e-mails. All is good.

Adam just brought me dinner so I am sitting here happy as a clam.


This is what I am now reading.  It is an easy read. I started on Wednesday & I'm already more than halfway finished.  It's interesting, funny, and well written. There's more football in it than I care about. I don't get the whole Football fanatic/tailgate thing. I wanted to see the film in the theater but now I can wait until it's released on DVD.

 
This is also a photo of a tree I took while waiting for the bus Thursday morning at 6am.  The snow was falling. It was pure white and made the tree sparkle like Edward Cullen.

I'm going to meet Mom for lunch tomorrow so I hope it doesn't snow too much tonight. I love how it looks, it's just difficult to be a pedestrian climbing over wet salty slush to get off the sidewalk & cross the street.

An Orange Boot and More Snow

I chased Crockett around the apartment this morning for 10 minutes trying to get booties on him to go out for a walk.  I caused him great grief and me a sore back.  I got him so worked up he pooped on the floor & ran away into the corner.

I only got one on his back right paw.  I have officially given up, I will not put him through this again!

He was enjoying his walk but I could tell his bootie was bothering him. He kept looking back at it poor monkey.

I took the bootie off and it was as though he smiled. He ran around in the snow with joy.  He has been so extra cute these past few days.  Dogs really do make it difficult to be grumpy.

Our Walk

It finally snowed.  It is still nice and white.  The sidewalks have been cleared and we were able to get out before they loaded them up with salt.  Salt and Crockett's paws do not go well together. I love our Crockett.

Crockett and the Snow

Birds

I was covering for our Receptionist today at lunch in our main lobby.

I must've looked like a dog hearing an odd noise as 

I was walking around tilting my head from side to side trying to

determine where a sound was coming from.

It sounded like there were birds in the ceiling.

Like, in the ceiling, right under the ceiling tiles.

Then I looked out the front door.

They were all chirping at once & it

was really loud.

They're probably confused about the weather.

 

A Really Good Read

I am reading the book The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins.

Source

I am really enjoying it.

It has made my commute home almost enjoyable.

One thing I don't have at home is a good reading chair.

The Starbucks down the street have this really comfortable

leather chair that is perfect.

Knees bend at 90 degrees, feet touch the floor,

good back support.

I could read in that chair all day.

I also like sitting on the floor in a corner or nook

to read the way I did in the library when I was a kid.

I'll put this kick ass chair reading from

Restoration Hardware on my wish list.

They even have faux fur bean bag chairs!

On a separate note, it was absolutely perfect

outside when I got home so I took Crockett for a walk.

He hasn't been too good the last few days.

The Pug reverse sneeze thing creeps me out

and causes me great anxiety.

Today, he seemed happy and eager to go outside

so I let him lead the way.

The snow in the park was perfect.

Heavy, perfect snowball snow, great to walk on.

I took a few photos but only 2 turned out

half decent and not completely blurry. (Effing camera!)

I put one on my 365 Photo and here is the other one.

There was a snow angel and I was hoping Crockett would

walk into the frame.

When he did I was so happy only, as the flash went

off, I noticed he had a turtle head poking out!!!

Rather than trash the photo, I've

covered it with a heart! 

One Of Those Days

We had a return of winter here in Toronto on Wednesday.

To think that Spring was almost here was being a bit too optimistic.

I took this very lazy shot through the bedroom window,

hence the fuzzy screen.

It looks really nice and I don't mind the snow.

It covers up the city dirt.

What I do mind is how much more time it adds to my commute.

On a good day it can take up to 90 minutes.

On Wednesday, I left work at 4:00pm.

By the time I walked through the door, took off my

 coat, boots and changed into something

warm & comfortable, it was 6:45pm.

I also walked through the door in a foul mood and miserable.

Yes, I am a passenger, yes, I can bury my head in a book, but still.

It is exhausting, it is tedious and depending on my fellow

passengers, can be downright hellish.

Wednesday was a 6, with full on hell being a 10.

Lots of teenagers, lots of yelling, laughing and awful

vocabulary, like y'know.

Thank goodness, there were no crying babies.

Adam says I am an old curmudgeon.

The lady that yells at the kids to, 

"Turn it down" and "Get off my lawn".

Easy going I am not. I'll admit it openly.

Every neighbourhood needs a Broom Hilda!

Sadly, I woke up Thursday morning in the same mood from

Wednesday night.  It was just one of those days where

you'd like to turn off the alarm clock and pull the nice warm

covers back up over your head and sleep in.

Sensibility prevailed and I dragged my achy bones and weary soul

out of bed and off to work.

I am very sensitive and emotional but I do not wear my

emotions on my sleeve when I'm at work. 

I can be having the worst day ever and

if someone asks me how I am, I'd smile and say,

"Fine thank you, and you?"

All morning at the office I felt off.

My coffee didn't have enough sugar, the receptionist

called me with the stupidest thing and it took everything

in me not to reply with sarcasm or tone or to say,

"Um and you're telling me this why?"

It's days like these where my mind gets the better of me.

I start to question what it's all about.

Is my existence solely to collect a paycheque, pay the bills and

buy groceries?  Where's the joy?

I'm going to spend my free time this spring and

summer looking for the joy!

I found a furry ball of joy sitting in his bed in the living room.

Poor Crockett had to endure kisses and cuddles from me.

He really is a sweet dog and is a huge source of joy in our life.

Thank Dog!

That Wasn't So Bad

I got my snow day.

I am glad that I did not have to commute in it as it most likely would have

added an hour each way to my already long rides.

Truth be told, it wasn't a very bad storm here in
my neighbourhood of Toronto.

Yes, the roads are slippery but people should drive accordingly.

Sadly, alot don't and that is what causes the majority of accidents.

Not all, the majority.

Let me say that I will NOT be crossing any roads

except at designated cross walks and only with a green

light once the cars have come to a full stop.

Here are views from my kitchen window today.

See. Not so bad.

 6:19am - Windy with a light snowfall.

 2:00pm - Very windy with a sideways heavy snowfall.



 4:45pm. Winds have eased, no longer snowing.

9:45pm. Started to snow again.

Still no salt trucks up or down Yonge Street.

Hopefully my commute tomorrow won't be too much longer than usual.

Just to be sure I'll leave home much earlier than normal.

It wasn't a snow day where kids could go out & enjoy it

tobogganing or building a snowman.

It was a day that alot of people avoided long delays,
unfortunate traffic situations and broken bones by
staying off the roads and safe in their homes.

Just as I was finishing up writing this, I heard the air popcorn maker on 

in the kitchen.  Adam making a late night snack.

The kernels had stopped popping and being the nosy nelly I am

I yelled out, " Add more kernels or turn it off."

Adam's response, "You shut up."

Then I heard him add more kernels  ;)

The Storm Watch Continues (and Crockett)

I am looking forward to this storm.

This is the first time that I have a job that for a day here and there

I can work from the comfort of my home.

I have remote desktop connection set up as I'm always going

in & checking my e-mails, so I'm all set!

Also, it is the beginning of the Chinese New Year Holiday so all the folks

that I correspond with in China are off for at least a week.

It's already a plan that if we wake up & it's bad, we'll all stay home.

Hope hope hope hope hope.

I would welcome a day home.

I've shaken off the funk I was in last weekend so it can

be a very productive, relaxing and enjoyable day.

One spent in my jammies, checking my e-mail hourly and cuddling with

Crockett while I choose which recipe to tackle first out of my

fancy new cookbooks I got from my father in law.

I have a very strong feeling that it will be bread related.

I could, if it was an option, work from home full time if
I had a proper office and work space.

I have the work ethic and discipline for it.

I think if I worked from home all the time I'd actually

work more than 40 hours a week!

My little writing nook here in the corner of our

bedroom is perfect for my laptop,

a nice warm drink, my camera, Gandalf, a lamp, my alarm clock 

& the tv/dvd converter.
Good for leisure, not proper work.

Also, a Joanne oddity is that when I work, I need quiet.

While I sit here & write my blog, I listen to music on my playlist

or have a dvd in. It's always one or the other.

My current movie is still The Prince of Persia.

I have watched it, or had it on in the background

everyday for a week.

Adam has always marvelled at my ability to rewatch movies

over and over and over.

If I like a movie, I enjoy watching it multiple times.

I look for things I may not have noticed the 1st time around.

Some of my favorites over the years that I've watched and rewatched;

While You Were Sleeping

Bridget Jones's Diary

Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring

Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers

Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

Lord of the Rings - Extended Version Extras

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The Chronicles of Narnia:  The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The Bourne Identity

The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne Ultimatum

Just Like Heaven

Troy

Inkheart

Stardust

Love Actually

The Departed

and now....

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

The criteria of being on this list is that once the movie is over

I've restarted it immediately.

To be clear, I don't sit & watch every minute of every scene while they're on.

Alot of the time they're in the background.

I've done this more since we've moved to Yonge Street to block out

the noise from the street. I get spooked easily and can't hear bad

things from the street over sword fights and battles.

Long post, many words, no photos so, here's a Crockett shot to make you smile.

It is when he was a puppy, he was going mental on our bed having a blast.

It is 11:07pm and I'd better get to bed in case

the storm doesn't develop and I've got to go to work tomorrow!

Good Night.

Winter Wonderland

One of the things I miss about Quebec -

The Winter Carnival

and the Bonnehomme Carnavale.

Quebec Winter Carnival

Back in my youth, I was the Winter Carnival Queen for the City of Dorval one year.

I had tiara and everything.

I got to sit in a convertible in the parade

and drop the puck at a Friday night Junior B Hockey Game.

It was loads of fun and in no way was it a talent or beauty contest.

I got my name picked out of a hat to represent our Figure Skating Club.

There were a dozen other girls who were representing their sport or club.

The first girl to have her name pulled out of the

festive winter barrel 3 times won.

I won!

I am happy with the weather and happy that it is snowing.

It makes it not so sad when you see the Christmas Trees

stuffed in body bags on the side of the road.

It started to snow this evening so I logged onto The Weather Network
because I'm a nerd and that's how I roll.

This is how the next 24 hours will look here in Toronto.

These are the beautiful sparkly snowflakes on our kitchen windowsill.

Finally, the view tonight from our kitchen window.
I feel like having a nice foamy hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.

Winter Has Arrived

It did snow overnight and throughout the day today.

Welcome Winter!!!!



The view out my kitchen window at 10:00pm.
It's still snowing.

Today's Ornaments.



These also were a gift from my Mom for
Christmas 2001.