Toys Are Not Just For Kids

Not immediate friends...

Can I just say what a wicked Aunt I am? I mean really I rock, let's just put it out there. My niece and I are tight! We high five and everything. Granted we did not hit it off right from the start, as I am mostly afraid of babies and small infants until they can talk and walk.

Having such a child in the family has now made me realize one thing, among many others, that kid toys today flat out suck. At age 28 I am going to say it, back in my day sonny we had some great toys. They were metal, deadly and lasted. For each birthday I have purchased her items that we had growing up. First birthday was mostly books that she will cherish when she knows what they are and how to read them. Eventually. Last year was a metal spinning top.

She is ruining it!

This Christmas was the magical gift! It came from Discovery Hut at Chinook Mall. The magical item was a fort builder! It comes with joints and pegs to assemble the most magical of forts. Even as I wrapped the present I was excited for her to receive said present. What was Aunty Shellie most excited for? For niece to open it so Shellie could play with it!

Shellie Moment: All the presents were opened and I grabbed the box but was spotted by the little one who joined me in the basement to build forts. I dumped out the contents of the box and started assembling all giddy as she was was putting random sticks in random places. It makes me sad inside that she got to take it home and now I have no awesome fort in my tiny apartment. Guess what she is getting for her birthday? Another set so we (a.k.a. me) can build bigger forts with doors my butt can actually fit through.

I got in, but it was not a pretty sight how

I Will Become a Domestic Goddess Darn It!

I could probably turn this entire blog into the failed cooking attempts of Shellie. It has happens often. The Internet makes things look easy, just chop, mix and cook your way into bliss. Well I call BS! I even tried recipes from fellow bloggers. You know they saw the recipe, were skeptical, but tried it and now it is their family's favourite meal! Lies! I say lies.

In my attempt to become the smaller better version of Shellie that I can be I made a few new kitchen appliance purchases that every domestic goddess should have: 1) Kitchen Aid stand mixer and 2) Slow Cooker (this was actually a gift but I would have bought it if I didn't have an awesome friend buy it for me). The stand mixer has already produced magical and delicious cinnamon buns with cream cheese icing, cookies and a few squares. Most of which I pawn off on co-workers so I can accomplish the smaller version of me by making everyone around me bigger. Insert evil laugh here.

The first slow cooker attempt was a cream of potato soup. It was a touch thick but all in all was very tasty and fed me for just about 2 weeks. Second attempt was chicken and rice soup. This one came from a blogger I found through Pinterest. Add it to my Pinterest fails. When I started filling the pot with chicken and stock I panicked and added more stock than panicked again while adding the rice and added more. I really need to stop panicking! I was surprised after 4 hours of cooking that it looked very tasty and tasted slightly starchy but not terrible.

Shellie Moment: I froze the soup until the potato soup was completed. Now I only tested the new soup before packing and freezing but figured it would taste the same later. I thawed some out for lunch today and was scooping it into my bowl. Not pouring like I imagine a normal soup would do. Scooping. I figured it would loosen up like the potato soup did when reheated. No such like. The soup is nasty flavourless mush! It looks and feels like over cooked oatmeal. I need some serious domestic goddess lessons.

This is what it looked like reheated

Can you see the immense look of enjoyment in my eyes?

Automatic Doors are Sketchy

The convenience of an automatic sliding door is unparalleled. I have days when I go into my apartment building carrying loads of groceries, my laundry tub (yes a tub not a basket), or a plethora of other assorted items and have to shuffle things around or do the tricky manoeuvres of balancing what I can on the wall while I get my keys and unlock the door and repeat when I reach my apartment. The repeat is usually where things finally fall because you have tested the limits of your balancing act for so long now through a door and up 3 flights of stairs. I digress, automatic doors are awesome but yes sketchy.

Dane Cook, an awesome comedian if I do say so, has a sketch about a run in he supposedly had at a Walgreen's and when he approaches the sliding doors he always feels like a jedi. Insert small moment of Star Wars music, something along the lines of bum bum bum bud da duh. I have inserted the skit below from YouTube, apparently it is just the sound. I recommend listening to the entire sketch because Dane Cook is, as previously stated, awesome. Although if you want the sliding door bit to understand what I am talking about just skip to 8:30.

Thanks to Mr. Cook every time I encounter a sliding door I now sing that small bit of Star Wars music. I then instantly freeze in panic thinking that the door is not going to open. Just for a split second, the delay kills me every single time. I wish I could have someone tape me just to see what it actually looks like when I approach these doors. All is fine, all is dandy, getting closer, getting closer, uh-oh it is not opening, uh-oh, oh good it opened just in the nick of time!

I know you are waiting for the Shellie Moment here and have been imaging reading the moment when I actually walk into the sliding door but so far I am lucky enough to not encountered that. I just wanted to share my feelings towards sliding doors and their level of sketchiness that I encounter frequently.

Oh right...

I like to consider myself a resourceful woman. Sometimes it is true sometimes it is not so much. I hate shopping, but most of all I hate jean shopping. Like many other women out there I just have one of those bodies that the standard jean just does not fit. The waist is too high, I get a slight case of camel toe, the legs are too long. That is why I live by a theory that no matter where you are or your financial situation, when you find a pair of jeans you buy them IMMEDIATELY!

One day I came across such a pair. My legs looked long and lean, my butt was fantastic and zero sign of any camel toe. They were trendy to boot! It was actually not too long into my awesome jean experience that the zipper broke. It was a very sad day. The awesome jeans were barely broken in and hardly washed. It was a very sad day.

I am a procrastinator but above that forgetful. I kept seeing the jeans and meaning to take them in to be fixed at a tailor but always put them to the side. One day I decided that crazy glue would be helpful, fixed the zipper up to close and saturated it with said glue.

Shellie Moment:  The jeans have been put back in rotation with a fixed zipper and I have been enjoying them during casual Fridays at work. There is no proper way to say this, I was in the washroom and trying to unzip my pants. Two buttons undone with my hand on the zipper trying to move it downwards. A confusing look washes upon my face for a light second until I realized that my efforts were going to be forever fruitless. Oh right, the zipper is crazy glued...

Cell Phone Meet Ice Cold Jug of Water

During a typical work day I drink my standard recommended servings of water. At the start it was in a plastic water cup with a lid, very eco-friendly. After numerous trips back and forth from kitchen to desk, kitchen to desk, and kitchen to desk I decided to upgrade and just have a jug of water with a straw in it. This eliminated the need for numerous trips as well as gave me a nice hydration station right here at my cubicle.

The major thing you should know about me is that I am afraid of commitments. Now I have gotten better with time, but I still get scared with cell phones when you have to sign a 3 year contract to get that awesome phone for free! I don't know about you, but they do not make phones like they used to and it has been a while since I have had a phone last 3 years. I have only had my current phone for just over a year, leaving me with 2 more years.

Shellie Moment: I was plugging away getting through all my paperwork and saw the red light flashing meaning someone wanted to communicate with me. I grabbed the phone clumsily bringing towards my face to read the message when the phone dropped...luckily the ice cold water jug was there to catch said dropping phone. There was a loud F bomb that exploded and I did not know my hand could move so fast to reach in and retrieve the phone from the depths of the jug.

At this moment the phone is not working after many hours of being buried in rice but my fingers are crossed that it will survive its ordeal. For now back to the old crappy phone I fell out of love with. On the upside, I am still connected to the world and not under a cold dark stone without a cell phone.

UPDATE: The phone had a rice bath for about 4 days and has since been working. however recently found out that the alarm function does not...

I have no Gaydar

No Gaydar, not even an ounce! One of my best friends is gay and has been making fun of me for a couple years about the lack of Gaydar.  I call it being hopeful that the cute guy over there wants to pick me up not my best friend. According to the New York Times Gaydar is real and scientifically exists, read the article.

Here is what happened:

It was time for some quality hang out time with my good friend mentioned above and he had invited me to the Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club for an evening of lawn bowling and dinner. It was my first time and when we arrived we were certainly the youngest. There was one other female there, a lovely older lady who was there to socialize and have dinner then very swiftly disappeared. When I go to his place for parties I am generally both the token female and token straight gal. I am used to it. As we were eating dinner I started to notice that there were only men arriving. I am not going to say that some were obviously gay because I did not know. We continued eating when the one person I did not know at the table left I finally asked the question:

Shellie Moment: Is it gay night tonight? Well my best friend just started laughing at how oblivious I was! Innocent me unaware of gay night at Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club. I thought it was just men's night. So yet again I was the token female and the token straight person.

It was a fun night though. I was not responsible for a single point but I had some really good throws for it being my first time and all.

Fail at Canadian Geography

On the side from my full-time job in tourism I am guiding for a brand new walking tour company in Calgary appropriately named Calgary Walks. I have been doing really well getting to know all the Calgary facts and "did you knows", have not been using my cheat notes since the second tour. Well I was on my fourth tour with two lovely American couples and all was going well...

Shellie Moment: In front of the Harry Hays building are two rock installations, one specifically with an outdated map of Canada from 1984. The item missing you ask? The third territory Nunavut. I knew that and always use that as a skill testing question of my guests. Right after though they tested me right back, one couple was heading to PEI afterwards and wanted to know where it was. We were just moving away and I was not paying full attention to the map so I quickly pointed out what I thought was PEI. Off the coast of Newfoundland was my reaction and pointed to the first island I saw. I was swiftly and embarrassingly, corrected by the second couple in attendance. I hung my head in shame, distracted them and quickly walked away! They will forget my foolish mistake by the end, I will fill their heads with Calgary knowledge!

 

Needless to say for the rest of my life I will forever know where PEI is. Even though as a proper Canadian I should have already known since elementary school.

Suburbia is Not My Friend

I said it in the title and I will say it again, suburbia is not my friend. I get lost almost every time I venture in let alone trying to get out. I have to put up with heavier traffic and rush hour battling it out with suburbanites. I digress, I dog sit on a regular basis in the Calgary area an this has brought us to the suburbia rant today. Most dog owners that I work for are in suburbia and I live very central just shy of downtown. Since I get paid for this work I do not mind at all  a bit of a commute. The worst part is the initial orientation and pet meeting when I have to venture into suburbia not familiar with the area or the very random naming of streets, drives and turn arounds. Some of these people must drink a little to get this creative in the planning process.

I always use google maps to find the addresses and general directions. It works well for me in the past until the signs lie to me and I get lost. This day was one of those days. Apparently there are two entrances for the particular road I needed to be on. I went in the first one just in case and should have followed my gut to turn around as soon as I realized my next turn was not immediate. Alas, I continued around the drive and figured it would be a good time waster since I was early anyways. I pass a numbered street coming to the conclusion that I was getting close.

Shellie Moment: I look down for a split second to double check the address and then BANG! My car was no longer proceeding in  straight course, or proceeding at all and my wind-shield wipers were on. I turned them off and slightly dazed tried to figure out what just happened. Rocked my car back and forth, reverse, drive, reverse, drive, reverse, drive but to no avail. I got out and saw that I had driven right into a bus trap. I passed the gigantic sign that said DO NOT ENTER VEHICLE TRAP EMBEDDED IN ROAD WAY. There I was with Margie (I named my car) trapped in between two gigantic signs like an idiot pissing off every bus driver who saw. Who knew there was such good bus service in suburbia.

Well now I was going to be late. I immediately call AMA and hear it is a two hour wait. Phone the dog owners and let them know that I was going to be late. They agree to walk down to meet me and while we waited I walked up and got my orientation. What really  sucks about this whole thing is that I was 2 blocks away and if I had continued to the second entrance I would not be trapped. Maybe I should trust my gut next time! I am also now aware that these exist. In my 10+ years of driving this is the first time I have ever heard of and even seen a vehicle trap. I am an idiot.

Marilyn Monroe Moment

Most people that have known me over the years know that I have transitioned from being a total tom boy to being capable of dressing like an adult woman when the occasion calls for it. While I prefer to live my life in jeans, t-shirts and flip flops my job does not necessarily smile upon that choice. During my time in the retail industry I built up an extensive wardrobe. Nothing extreme like you see in hoarders but I can go a good solid month without doing laundry (and I do). Needless to say the month is coming up and the mountain of laundry is growing. As my dresser empties providing less options in the morning I tend to dress fancier because that is all that is left.

My sweet new wheels

Shellie moment: This morning I decided it would be skirt day! This does not happen very often at all unless it is a special occasion. Thursday to me is not a special occasion but I am running out of clothing options. I was in the shower and shaved the legs, applied lotion to them after to reduce the glare of my beaming white gams and put on my sexy black skirt, well the only skirt I own. Remember in the last post I mentioned I typically walk to work? Well the last few weeks I have been riding my newly acquired bicycle, which rocks! What I forget about being a girl is that when you wear skirts you have to act more feminine in public. I mounted my bike and started on my way. The first little stretch is slow as I get into gear and onto the road so my choice of skirt still felt logical and good. Once I hit the road I was immediately ecstatic that I always wear a pair of shorts underneath such clothing garments. I felt like Marilyn Monroe in her white dress, but less classy and a bit less sexy...

All Before 9 a.m.

I am a forgetful klutzy person, this post is one of the prime examples of it. I typically walk to work leaving at 7:30 a.m. not always exactly but close enough. This one morning I was absent minded to say the least. Between snooze button smashes I had a dream that I was late to work and it was utter chaos. This is what I blame for setting things in motion. As I packed up to leave I was focused on remembering my lunch and I sure did remember it. What I forgot was my cell phone and wallet. I realized it about four blocks away and figured it was not worth turning back so I continued on my merry way.

At work I have become the elevator master helping with deliveries for work using our freight elevator. This elevator is beyond scary and is broken down more than it is operational. I am not a  fan of this new task but I am a team player. It is important to clarify that it is a freight elevator, not your typical elevator, this detail seems important when I tell others this story.

Shellie Moment: I finished giving the boxes of brochures to the happy recipient and began my ride back to floor two. My keys are attached to a Calgary Stampede lanyard and I was flinging it around my fingers when suddenly I lost my grip and like a slow motion movie sequence I saw them slide right under the elevator door and heard it crash to the floor below. That will teach me to fling my keys. I couldn't even react my body froze and I just watched them slide.

But wait there's more! I immediately went to the man in charge of getting my keys back, a.k.a. my hero, who immediately put in a call to the elevator company but I received word they may not make it until Monday (keep in mind the day of this story is Friday). My only concern was how I would get back into my apartment for the weekend. Good thing I have emailed my landlord in the past and google had her email saved. I sent a note describing my key situation and she responded with a contact for a locksmith she knows. I call and repeat the situation asking for assistance. He says it is not a problem he would be able to open my door provided I have a piece of ID proving I lived there... I start laughing almost hysterically as my wallet is on my kitchen table and as I explained he started laughing with me  telling me I was just out of luck. Oh what a day! I had to email my landlord back and ask for a plan b.

Long story short, the elevator superheroes arrived later that afternoon and saved the day! The best part of all this was the fact that in the last 24 hours my keys were not the only ones at the bottom of the elevator pit. It makes me feel way better about myself. Now I make sure I have my phone and my wallet every single day before I leave and keep a firm grip on my keys when in the elevator.

I am a Cookie Monster!!

As you have already learned, if you have read any of my previous posts, I suck at diets. I embrace my curves and love them because I suck at trying to minimize them. In my attempts to defy the word diet I was consumed by the urge to buy cookies one evening. Not a pack of oreo's or fudgeo's not the usual cookie. I wanted bakery fresh cookies chewy and scrumptious. I went very unprepared in order to minimize damage to the waistline only taking my license and a $5 bill. Looking at the price tags and the flavours of yummy nummy cookies doing the addition in my head I start adding cookies to my bag. I regret the decision of leaving my phone at home with the calculator app. My math told me that I could afford 6 cookies with my $5 bill. Two chocolate chip, two white chocolate, two M&M, two peanut butter. Yummy yummy yummy. I go pay for my purchase at the self-check out. Bakery purchase, 6 cookies total $4.75, notice how I am under budget! Score one for Shellie!

Shellie Moment: I get home and chow down on a delightful M&M cookie. A former gentleman of mine is also a cookie monster so I sent him a very sexy photo of the cookie to tease him. As we are texting back and forth I realize how terribly off my math is. I am sure you have already realized it from the numbers above. I bought 8 cookies and only paid for 6!! I am a  cookie thief!!! I am not going to name the location of which I purchased these cookies to avoid persecution. But I sincerely apologize and would like you to know that I donated the difference of the stolen cookies in your charity box during my next visit. Karma already hates me I do not need stolen cookies destroying me!! I am a cookie Monster!!!

Beaver Beaver Beaver

Get your mind out of the gutter! The beaver is the iconic animal representative of this fine country sir or madame (only read the one that applies to you).

I was recently visiting a very pretty lady in the beautiful region of Grande Prairie, Alberta. I met this pretty lady in Banff and she moved up there making it much more difficult to visit regularly. I made the trek up on Family Day long Weekend. For those of you not from Alberta, Ontario or Saskatchewan we get a long weekend in February to spend with our families. We are special like that, although I cannot remember the last time I actually spent it with family. We are close can you tell? Anyways, my journey to GP began with my very first Greyhound bus trip!You know it was not as bad as I thought. I do laugh at the fact the only time my carry on was checked was when I was on the express bus. All the other ones I could have had anything!! Good thing I am such an angel :).

I arrived in GP just in time to join in a ladies night and have a drink. A good way to celebrate getting off a bus that I had been on for 12 hours. As you can imagine, I was just exuding sexiness. The next day, pretty lady and I embarked on a tourism mission of fun proportions. I asked her what there is to see in her new home town and I nearly jumped out of my pants when she replied "well there is the giant beaver". YEEEEESSSS!!!! YEEEESSS!! But first breakfast.

Best bacon of my life. Best. Bacon. Ever. It was thick cut delicious maple flavoured bacon heaven. I also met more of pretty lady's friends. She has an excellent group of friends up there. Along with delicious bacon, we started the beaver jokes. Now you can put your head in the gutter. I cannot even express how many beaver jokes there are. It was a good time. Beaver Beaver Beaver Beaver Beaver. Lot's of jokes.

 We went to a couple of lovely local museums first. not many jokes but some amazing artifacts!! A coat rack made entirely of hooves, a blow fish in full blow-mode, and a dinosaur that moves its head (that is literally all, it moves its head). Now off to Beaver Lodge, Alberta, home of the world's largest beaver!!! I sadly do not have a photo of it, but as you roll into Beaver Lodge there is a sign that says "Giant Beaver Attraction". Insert giant beaver joke here.

We have arrived. My adult dream of seeing the world's largest beaver has come to fruition. Yes it was on my bucket list. Check! Take novelty picture in front of giant beaver pointing at my beaver, check! I never ever ever claimed to be a classy lady. I roll cheesy tourist style! That is why I work in tourism.

A couple of weeks later, I was hanging out with my bestie. We went skating at the Olympic Oval, which was also on my bucket list of things to do in Calgary. She tried to teach me to stop because she did not appreciate my spaghetti arms approach to almost falling down. Well I did stop pretty good...then fell flat on my bum from a complete stop. I am that good.

I know you are waiting for it and here it comes. We stopped at second cup and continued to her pad for a hang out and trashy Friday night TV.

Shellie Moment: While hanging out, I described my beaver adventures to her in great detail. I finished off with "now that I have the world's largest beaver under my belt.." That is when you stop because what I said was very true but not in the way. What do you say after that? I mean really? AWESOME!

Fluffy Does Not Equal Safe

I can see the befuddled look on your face now. What does she mean fluffy does not equal safe? Fluffy is nothing but safe you say, lies!

This one goes back to when I made the salad bowl for my healthy eating. I had also started the trusty P90X workout system. To update you, this has gone by the wayside and as much as I may want to get back, cookie dough is just better than salad. It just is. FACT! My very first day of P90X I got prepared in my yoga pants, very supportive sports bra and big ass baggy t-shirt. I sure do look sexy when I work up a sweat.

As with every story there is small back story. I live in an older 3-story walk up apartment building. It is not exactly sound proof but for the most part fairly quiet. The tenant below me and I had some issues when she first moved in regarding noise levels. She didn't like my noise and I didn't like hers. Needless to say things are fine now with some involvement of our landlord. Amazing how we can all be adults about these things :).

Back to the good stuff. I first realized in the warm up that the tenant below was not going to appreciate my new lifestyle of daily workouts. Especially with jumping jacks. I only did one and stopped out of TOTAL APPRECIATION. Yes I am going to point out as often as possible that I am the better person in this situation.


Shellie Moment: Insulation! That is what I need, that is what will solve this noise issue and allow me to do jumping jack after jumping jack after jumping jack. My solution sounded practical in my head. I had my yoga mat on the floor and was looking for something that would absorb the extra sound. I have a nice fluffy grey blanket my wonderful big sista gave to me a couple years ago. This blanket is amazing! It is warm and fluffy! What a perfect combination to make this problem silence itself. Can you see where I am going with this? I laid the fluffy blanket on the floor and promptly placed my yoga mat on top of it to continue my workout. It is important to also note that my entire apartment is cheap laminate flooring. Now you get it.

No I did not attempt to do a jumping jack on my new, very dangerous workout zone. Instead I folded up my blanket, laid the yoga mat down again, and skipped the jumping jacks. I continue running on the spot instead. Less jiggling as well. All in all I think it works out, who likes jumping jacks anyway? I like stand where you are jacks.

Valentine's Day Was A Gas

WARNING: This story contains some serious TMI moments. You have been warned, but it is too funny not to share with the Internet. You have been warned.

First TMI moment, my dad is a gassy man. Sitting on the couch, walking in Costco, no matter where no matter when dad will fart. Sadly I take after him although I try to be a little more discreet. It doesn't always work but sometimes.

I have recently experienced my first Valentine's Day with a real live boyfriend. We had been dating a couple of weeks and the romantic day approached, he made dinner reservations, I sent him an edible arrangement at work. Side note, I made all the ladies jealous when he got a delivery. That's right, I rock like that.

After a very nice dinner we returned to my place for a quiet hang out. Warning TMI moment. I put on a little black sexy something (important piece to remember), just use your imagination because there is certainly no picture coming.

Shellie Moment: We are innocently sitting on the couch (I assure you it was innocent at this point) cuddled up and watching a bit of TV. Well what a time to act like my father. That is right I farted. Not a big old stinky fart but it was a good solid fart. It had a great noise, slight vibration and luckily no stank. There was no control and no words. I feel like the YouTube chick who tries to do a sexy dance and falls down. I dress nice and sexy and I fart. Thank you dad. I love you to.

I have myself a good man because he did not dump me immediately following said fart. He had however been pressuring me to meet his parents. I kept resisting as I am a  total commitment phobe. One Sunday night a couple weeks after Valentine's Day I get a text: Guess what my mom just called me about? Um...do I even want to know? It is important to note that I did stay at their house while they were out of town to help with dog sitting. That is it. To hang out and meet the pets, not the parents.

Instead of texting this story he chooses to call me, asked me if I was missing anything, I think not. I have all my possessions there is no reason your mother would find anything at their place. Somehow..and we still argue about the how...that sexy black piece ended up at their place in a load of laundry he did. Long story short his mother found my lingerie. AWKWARD! Certainly not meeting parents anytime soon now!

Best Office Prank Ever!

I can be somewhat of a prankster. Sadly, I am not that creative of a prankster. I stick with the very simple moving things, changing peoples desktop photos to scary photos (but only because that individual has no idea how to change it back) you know the simple things in life. What can I say I am a logical being. I make up for my lack of pranking creativity by being very punctual. I arrive at work at 8 a.m. on a daily basis.

Now there is a bit of a back story here. My office recently purchased a new refrigerator and was storing the used one in our cubicle area, referred to as the hub, until the buyer was able to transport it. Our IT guy was also in the process of moving two coworkers into other cubicles.

The one day I am late! The one day! I had an early morning dentist appointment and arrived shortly after 8:30. The major task of the day was stuffing some envelopes. I was on my way to the office and received a couple texts regarding said mail-out and was curious as to what the big deal was. RELAX people the mail-out will happen in a couple hours. I thought nothing of it and continued on my way. I arrive at the office and see nothing out of the ordinary. Such hindsight.

I quickly rush to my desk as I feel bad for being late turn the corner, head down and go to put my bag down. First thing I notice, there is no chair to put my bag on. I look up and see there is also no table in my cubicle that holds my months worth of filing that is not done (and is still not done). Then I see the sign. Yes my cubicle is available for rent. Now I have the WTF look in my eyes. Did I get fired in an unconventional way? Did my cubicle get moved? I walk out of my cubicle and it is now that I notice the entire contents of my cubicle, and yes I mean the ENTIRE contents, are located inside the fridge.

 Welcome to my new working space. I am much closer to the printer, I can conveniently store my lunch nearby and I get built in air conditioning!

Shellie Moment: No real Shellie moment here as all that was happening was complete and utter laughter. I am a smart person but there were no words being said that were even remotely understandable. Best office prank ever!

A Very Canadian Moment

I decided not to be such a cheap ass this wonderfully snowy month of March and splurged for a parking spot at work just for one month. Mostly though, and I am not afraid to admit it, I rented it out of sheer laziness.

Besides the point though, I was stuck in a  small moment of backed up traffic this afternoon. There was a car accident at the first intersection I passed. I hope everyone is OK as the cars were pretty banged up. Traffic swiftly returns to normal dispersion and flow and I make one intersection free and clear. The third intersection I approach is all of  a sudden backed up as well. My first instinct is that this is just one bad day for downtown drivers. I find it odd that only 2 lanes are backing up. Like every other impatient driver around me I move safely into the lane that is moving (after checking my mirrors, shoulder checking, signalling and ensuring it is safe to proceed). I rubberneck like a good driver to see what the disturbance is to discover that it is really two Canadian Geese just hanging out in the road. Walking around, hanging out and just having a gay old time. This makes me feel very Canadian.

Shellie Moment: I realize that there is a distracted driving law in effect in Alberta and respectfully keep my phone in my purse while driving. Although for a moment or two after witnessing these two geese frolic in the street I really wanted to block the third free flowing lane of traffic to take a photo. Is it wrong to block traffic for a photo opportunity? Or is it wrong to even consider that as an option? You decide. As you can see though there is no photographic evidence to this blog.

Curved Bowls Can Be Tricky

I have now painted pottery three times in my short life. The first two times, well let's just say I am no artist. I like abstract because it does not have to be anything. My bestie and I purchased a Groupon for The Clayground in Calgary. I have recently been painting small canvases in my spare time  mostly just to try it ans see what happens (1 or 2 good creations I must say). This time I was going to be prepared with some print out of things I could trace and create a half decent piece. My bestie is much more artistic than I and I wanted to put some effort into it.

I have also been getting back on track with healthy eating and have salad with lunch every day this week and had the idea to make a salad bowl I could take to work with me. Both creative and functional. I picked the bowl and decided on a Lilly inside the and a fun string effect on the outside. The lady was very helpful and I got down into tracing the flower into the centre of the bowl.

Shellie Moment: The trace paper was taped in and my hand on the sharpie, let's rock this! I turn the bowl position my hand, pull away, turn the bowl, position my hand (apparently expecting a different angle) and then I open my mouth...why did I have to choose the curved bowl? My bestie, sharp as a whip quickly reminds me that all bowls are curved and laughs at me. Rightfully so, it was definitely not the context I was going for.

In my own defense I meant I should have chosen a square plate that was flat.