Kids Again

On the first or second day we went to the beach I commented to my siblings that it would be nice to have Mom and Dad on the beach watching us having fun in the water. I admitted that it was a "kid" thing to say but we all did agree. Yesterday while we were out at Stone Island Mom said she enjoyed watching us as it reminded her of when we were kids. I thought was pretty funny given my earlier comment. She said they were counting heads from time to time just like they used to do when we went to North Beach as kids.

So we have been doing some shopping off and on but so far the only thing I have bought is a hat. I know eh, me not buying stuff is pretty weird. Mom and Dad bought us all something for their anniversary even though we tried to explain that wasn't how it worked. They bought me a silver pendant, a cross of sorts. Oh I also bought vanilla for Freda, enough to keep her baking for years to come. Other than that it has been mostly just food. My 500 Pesos per day budget has been rolling over quite nicely. Hopefully the shopping will pick up today and tomorrow.

Just to let you know I got up at about 7AM and came outside and am sitting on the patio writing this blog. So beautiful here.

Fun in the sun.

I just can't think that it gets any better than this. The ocean is so warm and we have had such a blast playing around in it. It has been like being kids again. Only we are not fighting like we used to. Not even bickering. There has been plenty of teasing though. In my family if you do something dumb it will never be forgotten. We will bring it up any chance we get.

Anyway, having a blast. Wish you were here...

P.S: I had my first Starbucks Vanilla Latte in Mexico yesterday.

Blogging from Mexico

Well as promised I am blogging from Mexico. You doubted it would happen. I doubted it would happen on my first night here, but here it is. All I can tell you about so far is the voyage. There are a couple funny stories.

Going through security at Calgary on our way to Mexico I was "randomly" selected for a personal search. The security guy actually admitted that he chose me because from a distance he though I might be Maynard James Keenan from Tool. Well once he flagged me he was committed. There is not much of me that he didn't touch in the process. In retrospect I figure I could have ended the whole process had I told him something like how he touched me in ways my boyfriend never did. That would have been funny.

Before we boarded the plane my sister though she would pick up a few little bottles of vodka to have on the flight. They sell it right there in the terminal and tell you you can take it on the plane. Makes sense that you could drink it on the plane too right? NOT. I was advised that it was not allowed. Oddly though when the steward came back around he asked if I wanted another vodka and O.J. and when I declined he asked if I was sure and said it was on him. I still declined but still ponder his motivation for wanting to buy me a drink. People are fun to try and figure out.

Next blog I will discuss my thoughts regarding young children on airplanes. Stay tuned.

Vacation Mode

Tomorrow I am leaving for Mexico, via Calgary oddly enough. I will be heading to Ottawa around noon tomorrow to hook up with the sisters and we fly out at 7:30PM. First stop is Calgary for the night where we will be meeting up with the brother. Friday at noon we are on our way to Mexico where the folks are waiting. We are all getting together in Mexico to celebrate the parents 50^th Wedding Anniversary on November 14^th.

Getting together with the family should be fun if the Down East trip is any indication. Being on a beach in the sun will be a very welcome change from work. Mom has some excursions planned but I think we were clear that we did not want the entire 8 days crammed full of stuff to do. We all work and I think we would all love some down time while we are there. I have already scoped out the Starbucks though I think it is a good hike from Mom and Dad’s place. I’m sure I will find an appropriate coffee shop where I can grab a cappuccino and read for a bit if I need to get away.

At any rate the folks have stocked up on Rum, Tequila and Vodka so I’m sure we’ll all be able to stay pretty happy.

So now all I have to do is get through the next 6.5 hours till I am done work. Not as easy as it seems since I realize I checked out sometime yesterday and am now in full on Vacation Mode. That makes it hard to concentrate on work and also explains why I am blogging instead of working.

Next blog will come to you from Mexico.

Books or Blogs, I can't seem to manage both

I have been reading a lot lately, mostly at my favourite reading spot which is the front window table at Starbucks. That is also my favourite place to blog. The books have been winning out though, hence no blogs lately.

The book I am reading right now is about the Bible and homosexuality. It basically covers literal and historical context interpretation of the writings. Literal interpretation favoured by the fundamentalist is obvioulsy just plain scary.

My biggest revelation however has been that an otherwise intelligent, educated person can truly believe that god actually wrote the Bible, albeit through man.

Yeah, yeah, I'm slacking...

I know I haven't even blogged part three of my New Brunswick Family Holiday, AKA The Voyage Home. Nor in fact have I blogged much at all. Here is a little tidbit for you all to keep you going.

Subtitle: Wanted: Dead or Alive, 2002 Pontiac Sunfire, Bright Yellow.

I have been pulled over by the cops 6 times in my life. Three of those times have been in the car I have been driving for just over a year. One of those times was for speeding which was totally legit. The second time I was questioned about the vehicle and who owned it and was let go. The cop told me he thought it was a different vehicle. The third time I was pulled over was only semi-legit. The cop who pulled me over did a u-turn to follow me then stopped me because my tags were expired. That was a $110.00 fine. Something made him want to follow me which led him to notice the tags. Makes me wonder what criminal is driving around town in one of the few other bright yellow Sunfires.

Incidentally the expired tags was a procrastination thing. I went to get them only a few days into September but then discovered I needed an E-Test. I had one scheduled for 2 days after I got pulled over.

So perhaps $110.00 will keep me from procrastinating in the future but I doubt it.

Part 2.5 or Stories from Halifax

So my good friend and tour guide Stew reminded me of something I have to blog about. This is something that shows the difference between people from Eastern Canada and those of us from Ontario. Oh, I apologize in advance to homeless and kind that I may be about to offend.

While wandering about Halifax there were two encounters that I found humorous. The first encounter involved a man who approached us in a park for money so he could get shelter at The Y. Incidentally there apparently is no Y in Halifax. The second encounter was more creative. Two girls approached us looking for cab fare because the one’s boyfriend got drunk and took off without them.

Neither of these incidents are humorous in and of themselves. What I did find funny was the effort they put into trying to get money from strangers. The stories were not elaborate at all yet they were totally complex compared to what I am used to. What you get here is the minimalist approach to panhandling. The most you will get in Ontario is a line asking for spare change. That’s if you even get that. Many just sit with their hat or Tim Horton’s cup. Not that a message is required as we get the picture.

So in the end, for me, the humor is in how the down-homers are all friendly and provide you with entertainment for your money. They are natural born story tellers. Here in Ontario they just don’t seem to put in the effort.