'Tis the season

Environment Canada Weather Forecast

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Metro Vancouver
Issued at: 11.00 AM PST Sunday 21 December 2008

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Snowfall warning in effect.
Today..Snow at times heavy and local blowing snow. Amount 5 to 10 cm. Windy. High minus 2.
Tonight..Periods of snow ending overnight then cloudy. Amount 5 cm. Local blowing snow early this evening. Windy. Temperature steady near minus 3.
Monday..Cloudy. Becoming sunny with cloudy periods in the morning. High minus 1.

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Tuesday..Cloudy with 70 percent chance of snow. Low minus 6. High minus 1.
Wednesday..Periods of snow. Low minus 2. High zero.
Thursday..Cloudy with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 2. High zero.

Normals for the period..Low plus 1. High 6.


We've had no running water at the house for 4 days now. The pipes are frozen & when I left the marina this morning people were so mad! No one has water there (100+ people). I'm interested to see what happened when I get home. We are in dire need of doing dishes & laundry. Thankfully we have heat. I would be so outta there if there was no heat. We also are able to use the public marina facilities. It's gross though. Only one shower & I swear no one cleans it. We bought a new shower curtain for the stall. I hate going there. I can only imagine how busy it will be if we don't get the water going soon at the marina. I think getting it going is un-likey because the weather is sooooo cold + snowy.

Today would have been a perfect day to stay home & be snuggly watching movies from the couch. I am working though. It's been dead. The roads are terrible, I don't blame people. I am hoping tomorrow is better. I can't belive how quick Christmas is creeping up on us.

I have to still pick up a few things.

I am still thinking about sweet Saori. I still don't have the details & hope that her ex-boyfriend will come in soon. I just don't understand. She was such a strong girl. Sadness. I sent her an email, hoping that it wouldn't come back. It did.

I gotta go shovel my walk again.

not good

I just found out that one of the girls that use to work for me passed away in June. I had no idea. She was 6 months pregnant. Terrible. She was the sweetest girl ever. Really she was. My youngest daughter loved her. Anytime we drive by where she lived, my daughter mentions Saori. Saori had painted her toes a few times. She did them all lady bug style & polka dots, when she would baby sit her. Ideya loved her for that and will never forget her.

Saori was an only child. I had met her mom & grandma on a visit to Vancouver 3 years ago. Her poor mom & grandma. I don't know any of the details, but this is shitty news. I can't imagine worse news today. I almost wish that I had never found out. Sadness. I went looking for the picture of her & her mom & grandma, but it's on my old computer in storage. Damn.

I'm a little bit of an emotional mess again. I wish death wasn't part of life. I wish people didn't get that sad. That deep sadness where there is no light for them. She had a baby in her. Oh my gosh.... this is just pure tragic-ness.

My last email to her was exactly a year ago. We were wishing each other a Merry Christmas.

Sadness.

Sad truth

This morning on the news they were reporting how a woman was trying to keep warm under her tarp in her shopping cart by lite candles in the cart. It was pretty freezing cold last night. Anyway, something set on fire & she was unable to get out. So sad. Tragic. That was someones daughter, sister, mother, maybe even grandmother.

I found this.
Everyone kind of needs a Santa.

I'm trying to figure out who to help...

Going there now. Every little bit helps.

C-old

I was so excited to put my glasses on when I got home Friday. To my dismay, as soon as I put those suckers on it was like I was in a "fun house" looking into one of those crazy distorted mirrors. D-arn it! I tried so hard to make it work. Like seriously. I was determined. I ended up having to take them back to the eye wear place. I thought maybe they put the lenses in all weird or something... but "they" say it's just my perscription in those large frames. So sad. They are trying to get me to buy one of their frames & then cut the big lenses down. Sooo so sad. I wanted them. Sucky.

We've been having such a cold world here in the last 3 days!!! It snowed & snowed & now it's just freezing. I like it. I don't mind the cold, because we have been having clear skies. Which is so unusual for us (usually gloomy dark days hover above us all winter). The weather this cold is just unusual period. It was so cold, Friday night when we got home our water line froze. Because SOMEONE said it would never happen & not to leave the water running in our house. Turns out that YES, it does happen & we have to keep the tap running so it doesn't EVER happen again. I had to shower in the main marina shower & it was terrible. Not to mention going there to use the bathroom. Living with 2 little girls means lot's of trips to the bathroom. Thankfully when I got home last night, they thawed out our line & we had lovely hot water. I love hot water. Living on the floating home, has made me appreciate so many things that you just just take for granted when living on land.

Last night & the night before there was a Christmas Cruise, that the marina next to us have every year to raise money for a local charity. There was about 35 boats all decorated to the max with lights & santa's galore! It was mighty chilly so we didn't get a chance to see them all, but they were puttering by our marina & then turning around heading back to their marina and then out again! Last night they were moving pretty fast (probably because it was so chilly!) Sadly none of my pictures really turned out.

Tomorrow is the infamous Christmas Party at our marina (drunken debauchery) , but we can't make it. I heard that it is hilarios & super funny with all the drunk old timers. We're headed to a potluck party at my youngest daughters contortion school. I'm so nervous. I hate potlucks. I'm nervous that people won't like what I bring. I better go look up some recipes!!! Anyone know of any good dishes???

A good cause

This is Andrew, he is 11 years old. He started this great project in 2005. Called Andrews Book's. He collects children's books for schools in isolated first nations communities in Canada. He started with just collecting books from kids at his own birthday party. So no toys for him, he would just request books from his party guests to help other children out! Can you believe it?? So sweet.

This year he had hoped to beat his record of 300 books from last year. Sadly so far only 75 books have been collected. And not very much in dollars has been donated. So terrible! Andrew has a website here, Andrew's Books. You can find more about his project there & his goals. Also a paypal button if you are so kind to help this little guy reach his goal.

These are the children that he is helping this year. They live in Attawapiskat, Ontario, It's very sad the conditions that these children have to learn in, in our very OWN country. They have been fighting for a new school for a while, but still have not received proper funding. How could anyone say "no" to children begging for a school?!!! It's crazy & so sad.

You can see more about them & their school J.R Nakogee Elementary School here.
I couldn't think of children more deserving of our help.

I'm hoping that you will check it out & help Andrew out & help other children that aren't as lucky. You can even send new children's books to him, if you don't have paypal!

I'm going to set up a little box in Occupied to help out too!

Eye got my glasses!

I love the detailing on the sides of the frames...
I'm giving myself a headache wearing them with my contacts.
I'm squinting & trying so hard to see what they look like on...
I'll have to be patient and wait till I get home!

The doeeeee is for meeeeeeee!

It's ain't Christmas with out Run DMC!

Blind as a bat

I had found these amazing glasses on my last trip to Victoria, at a little antique shop. I had to have them. I haven't worn glasses in soooooo long! I'm all about the contacts. But, I do love good glasses & I had to have these ones in the case at the antique shop. I have been keeping them in safe keeping until I went to get my eyes checked. I was so nervous to go to the eye doctors. I totally knew that my eyes had gotten worse in the last 3 1/2 years since my last eye exam. I was pleasantly surprised that the eye doctor reduced my prescription! YAY!!!

So I went and took my precious frames to get lenses in and... such bad news. I am blind as a bat even with the reduced prescription, but they no longer really make lenses that will fit these HUGE frames. Is this not odd? Where is that warehouse filled with deadstock of 80's lenses when you need it!??? In real life the majority of people favor those small rectangular frames. So people like me who are so visually impaired go for the smallest glasses to hide their thick lenses. I went & did the exact opposite and got the largest frames "apparently". I fell in love with these frames. I wasn't even thinking. It was love. I just went with my feeling. Darn it.

So now the dilemma is that the lenses that do fit are a tad ghetto. Ghetto in price (-$100, could be a good thing BUT) & they say there will be lense spillage off the side (think coke bottle bottoms), because I am so blind. They referred to my frames as windshield size, there is not other option. So not fair! I had to give the "okay" to put the less desirable lenses in. What could I do? The eye wear place kept offering me an alternative in their shop. They referred to my frames as windshield size. Forget it! I love these frames. I pray to the eye wear gods that the spillage on the sides is not as severe as they mentioned. I was so looking forward to sporting by new eye glasses :(
Out in public! Not just in the safety of my home.

I heard the countdown today that there is only 14 more days of shopping left. Panic has set in. I still haven't started any shopping for my girls (shhhhh don't tell!) I'm such last minute nelly. I am kind of hoping to do it in one day. I do this to myself every year. I think I must be addicted to the stress. I think/hope this year will be easier. The girls are kind of growing out of "toys" & it's on to the bigger things. Electronics & expensive clothes for the older one & the little contortionist wants hand balancing canes (Which I hope a friend will make) & she wants super hard foam blocks for doing bridges & cart wheels off of... not to mention some new clothes and of course webkinz! She is addicted to webkinz! Could we possibly get any more? I swear we have 60 in our house already! I'm think cute little re-ment sets for her too!

I better get sewing more of those turkey legs! I got my sewing machine back this morning! YAY!!!

Dreams of flying

Found this photographer, Jan Von Holleben.
via Black Eiffel.

He has kids send in their own photos inspired by his series "Dreams of flying".
You can see more photos that were sent to him from kids here.

I love it!

E-cards

I was looking for an e-card today to send my mom for her birthday & you know how there really is not to many good ones out there... Well I came across this really REALLY great site! They are pretty witty! You totally have to check them out, there is tons that made me chuckle, some slightly inappropriate... but hilarious none the less.
Someecards

Advent calendar

I got this advent calendar the other day. My friend came in on a surprise pop in visit & her son had these for sale. I couldn't resist the Yeti Advent Calendar!!! The boy that made this is named Chaii & he is 10 years old. He is a very talented lad. He even hand stitched the cutest little pouch for me, with two little soft sculptures in it. It was a very pleasant surprise!

If you are interested, I have more of these at the shop!!!
Chaii says the best one is on the 24th!!!
Well of course it is!
Saving the best for last!

I totally forgot to mention to say, "thank you" to Craftzine for posting about my giant turkey window display! So many people have swung by sewoccupied!!! Thanks for coming to see my little world everyone!!

The results....

Ric Yuenn got 1st place for the window decorating contest in our neighbourhood & Occupied got 2nd place!!!

I've never won anything before! so this is pretty exciting. Today they handed over the prize, and it is $300 in gift certificates to foodie places in Gastown. Like Jules, Water Street Cafe, Chill Winston & Salt or The Irish Heather. YAY!!! I'm so excited! I never go out anywhere, so this is great excuse to stay far, far, away from the restaurants my kids love (i.e Dairy queen & Burger King)

Ric Yuenn got $400 in certificates for 1st place!!!

3rd place was the Hudson House, which is a tourist shop on Water St. Sorry for no pictures of that one.

Now I gotta figure out which place to eat at....Mmmmmmmmm!!!!

Thank you for the lovely turkey dinner

I've been working on these guys. I made them last year too. This year there is a little spin on them though. Kind of what inspired the giant turkey in the window display at Occupied.

50% of the sale of the little turkey legs will got towards helping purchase turkeys for families in need this holiday season. The official name of these guys are,
"Thank you for the lovely turkey dinner".

I'm hoping people will purchase them to give to the hosts of Christmas dinners!!!

I know I'd be pretty happy to get one of these guys!