Not A Full Day

My big street event at work was yesterday and the whole experience is a blur. I was at the office for 3:45am on Saturday morning to meet up with the people putting out our barricades, from that point on it was constant low-level chaos. I did take a couple of short naps - hiding out on an air bed thing (featured in the photo on the right.)

The event itself went from noon to midnight but I was there until about 2:45am helping with take-down - according to Jason. At this point time had lost all meaning and I had no idea. So it turns out that I worked a 23 hour day, which is pretty insane and I feel like I have the worst hangover right now. My whole body is puffy and hurts. But I did have fun!

I think the event went well. Over the next couple of weeks there will cleaning, reviewing visitor and business surveys, having multiple debrief meetings, and generally analyzing everything to see how we can improve.

Come Party In The Junction!!

It Is Going To Be A Tough Week

I am still a bit down because of Father's Day and how much it reminds me of Dad's death. Unlike more organic remembrances, that may still be sad but are at least enjoyable nostalgia, Father's Day just makes me think about the fact he is missing from my life now. It is definitely painful. His birthday is also coming up on Wednesday so it is a rough time for grief all around.

My event is, and like all event planning, the last week is chaos. It is basically controlled panic. While I do enjoy it, I could never do events like this full time - too exhausting. Also, this is a massive event and there has been less time to plan it than normal, even for a smaller event.

Also, related to work, it seems local discontent is coming a bit to the surface, which in general is a good thing because it will allow me to address concerns and improve relationships. But really this isn't coming at a time when I have the time, energy, or even mental capacity to give it the attention it deserves.

One week from today, next Monday, I should be able to take a deep breath and feel more centered.

Happy Father's Day

Dad - I miss you.

You Can Cook Those?

Jason took me out for dinner tonight before he goes away for a week to San Francisco. It was a really nice evening and a great escape from work, which is all consuming at the moment.

We went to Woodlot on a side street in Little Italy. (And it turned out that area was having a street festival so walked around for a bit afterwards.)

One of the most interesting aspects of the night was that we ordered roasted radishes, I don't think I have ever had a cooked radish! It is totally different from the sharp taste when they are raw, both Jason and I really liked​ them. So strange to experience new food that is something so normal and simple.

How have I never had a cooked radish before? I am 33.

The Lost Summer

I ran across a video on Facebook called 25 Years of Summer Songs and all of them brought brief flashes of life back to me, except one. It was so strange to recognize each one, remember the song, reflect on my time during that year and then be confronted by a blank. It was jarring but I assumed it was probably an American list and that song wasn't popular here.

Then I thought about the year - 2004. I don't know if I would say it was the worst summer that I have had but it was a rough one: staying in Ottawa after my first year at Carleton in Engineering, to take summer courses. Working at a minimum wage job across the city that took over an hour and half on transit to get to. Dealing with a long distance serious relationship. Not many friends around because so many people return to their hometowns during that first university summer. However, that minimum wage job was at Extreme Pita, so that is full-time radio listening and I am surprised that the song didn't stick in my mind from that.

The song, Burn by Usher, seems to be pretty universally agreed to be the main song for the summer of 2004. While I recognize other songs from that same album, that one just isn't in my memory. I don't totally agree with all the picks each year, in 2001 I can remember Drops of Jupiter being a major summer song, but that might have just been personal experience. I might not be big on music but songs are still often a serious memory link.

Too Early For Worms

There is sun light peeking through the top of the drapes in the bedroom. IT IS FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!! The light doesn't wake me up or keep me awake (I don't need darkness to sleep) but the birds do. It is too early in the day for birds, go back to your nest beds.

I love that the days are getting longer, but hate that it also means the mornings are getting earlier.

Scaredy Cat

I don't really post much about Two here anymore​, because she has her own Instagram (linked on the left) but this morning she was being pretty amusing. Basically she randomly became super curious or scared of everything, like she had never seen it before. When she is curious she taps and bats at the item incessantly. If she is scared she either runs away or attacks or both.

Things Two was scared of or intrigued with​ this morning:
- The bathmat
- Phone charger cord
- Me taking my morning pills
- A hair tie on the bed
- Jason
- The dryer door
- A sock
- My purse
- Turning on The Tassimo
- Bed pillows, throw pillows, couch pillows

And this evening everything is back to normal again. It is funny when she goes a bit crazy, makes me wish I could have stayed home with her for the day to watch all the rushing around.

I Do Things Too

I did mention before that Jason has been doing a lot of work around the house, but I am also trying to be involved too. A few weekends ago I dug up the Perennial plants that I already had (two Bleeding Hearts that were a birthday gift from Mom last year, and some Irises from Aunt Dan). We need to do some serious work in the yards this year and I will replant them in the Fall when I know more clearly where our gardens are going to be. I got some planters to keep on the back deck so I can look after them over the summer. I also bought more perennials (manly Hydrangeas) since I really feel like Annuals are a waste of money.

Back Deck Planter Garden

Before & After - Spring 2017

Smart Served

Sunday Mornin' Coming Down - A post about my Dad each Sunday, named after a song that he loved.

My parents got their Smart Serve certification so that they bar-tend at Give Me Liberty (the Liberty Village BIA street party that I worked on in 2012, 2013, and 2014.) According to my mom, it was actually at that event that my Dad learned about Shazam.  I don't know if they got much use out of the Smart Serve beyond those few times, they may have found it helpful for yacht club events. I was able to list Mom's as a Smart Serve bartender at my wedding so she at least got one extra use out of it.

Interesting side note: According to Anne you have to redo the certification in Alberta because it expires after a period of time. In Ontario it lasts forever. Teri and I did a course one weekend when we were 18, wrote the test and the end, and are still good 15 years later.

Candy Prep

Jason is 'on production' which I think is something in computer developer lingo but basically means he is scheduled for a off-time shift and has to work from home from noon to eight today.

To prepare for his Saturday work day he bought a Family Size pack of licorice sized Nibs and a big package of M&M's. He will now sit at the computer and focus very hard on work while eating a tonne of candy.

And Why Did I Go?

So, since I haven't been away, and most people knew that I wasn't, what has been the cause of the month-long blog hiatus? A lot of friends and family have been wondering why I haven't posted, and everyone has their own ideas as to the reason behind my stalled writing on Always Standing.

Here are the theories I have heard:

- The trails of home-ownership. Nope. It has been a busy Spring at Casa Verde but more for Jason than me. He has been working on the lawn, trying to get rid of weeds and seeding in more grass. While I was in Ottawa this past weekend Faye and David came and helped Jason and Noah tear down the gross shed/kennel behind our garage.

- Newly wedded bliss. Nope. I know we just had our honeymoon, BUT. We got married in September 2016, moved in to our own house in May 2016, bought our home in December of 2015,  and we had started to live together in October 2013. So the bliss wouldn't really be the type to keep me from posting.

- My new job. Nope. While it is true that I am working long hours at the office in preparation for our big summer event, it has only stopped me from posting in that I don't want to log into a work computer to do it. We use Google for everything here and having my account on the computer to access Blogger might get tangled up in the accounts I use for work. But I often have my personal computer here so could easily pop on it during a break and fire off a post.

The actual reason:

- My tablet broke! I don't think I ever mentioned that I had my own tablet but Jason got me a very nice Google Pixel C for Christmas. (It was intended for my birthday but came so early that I got it at Christmas instead.) Well, I have been using it to post on Always Standing because it is always on hand and the Blogger interface on it is okay. I hadn't realized how much I relied on it to blog, but I do. All my Azores posts were done from the tablet, it is pretty much my main computer now. Well, the screen on it went wonky about a month ago and Jason spent some time trying to fix it but ended up having to send it away. I have it back now and posting will pick up again.