Gateway Big Band

GJA performs with the Gateway Big Band.  They practice every Monday night in preparation for around 5 to 6 gigs every year....and to play in a jazz band.

Every July 1 (Canada Day) for as long as I can remember, they always play in an outdoor concert in downtown Edmonton for the "Works"  festival.  We took PJ when he was around 3 months old.  He found it very loud (so did I).  We managed to get there early enough to find a table that was in the shade of a huge umbrella [which was great because it was around 30C (86C)].  My parents came, as did GJA's mom - and Miriam also came.  It was great because the grandparents wanted to play with PJ and I got to eat in piece and kinda have an outing.

Anyway, they are doing it again this year....if you are around and need something to do the afternoon of July 1.

OH...and they have a myspace page too - photos and I think there are even audio clips of them performing.

Here's the myspace page link.  

Is it just me?

You know how you hear that guys start dressing better when they are living with a female? Well - I'm here to tell you that its NOT TRUE. It only works IF you are able to see what they are wearing before they leave the house.

Last week, GJA came home with this ensemble on.

Is it just me, or does the tiny check in the jacket not look so good with spotty/check tie? I'm also not pleased with the color combo either (ps - I didn't pick out either of those items from the store).

See how pleased he is with wearing something that hurts my head.

There have been other equally horrible (well, maybe worse) combinations with this exact jacket. One day he tried to leave the house with a blue plaid shirt, patterned tie and this jacket - yikes. So glad I saw that combo before it left...and he had meetings out of the office that day...eeeeh

From Halloween's Past

Here are some photos from prior year's Halloween costumes.

Last year (2008) Patrick was an ape and wanted to try on my hat.

Patrick was an ape in 2007 and had a great time at his group Halloween party.

This was Patrick's 1st Halloween - a cute little cow. He also got to attend his 1st Halloween Party - aren't his little friends cute?!

Now for some older ones.

This year was hilarious. After we gave out the goodies to the kids (and there were maybe 20 kids that year since the neighbourhood didn't have alot of houses...and it was chilly), we drove to my parents to show GJA's costume to them. We didn't park in front of the house so we could 'trick or treat' at their house for fun. GJA went up by himself to the door and I hid back holding his coat. He came walking back saying that my father had come to the door and gave him candy...ha ha. Dad opened the door and said...you're a big one...GJA responded with...I'm also a cold one...Dad laughed and that was that. HA HA!
So we both went back and I started screaming from the end of the walk way...HALLOWEEN APPLES. Dad didn't look at our faces and started giving us candy...I started laughing and said...hello. What a hoot!


I think he has more costumes hidden in the basement...I don't ask.

Here's some really old ones. The Raggedy Anne one is from Jr High. The Spanish one was in the mid 90's when I worked at Price Waterhouse. Everyone thought that I had a wig on...but I didn't, it was all my hair....I was under 100 lbs and I thought I was fat....those were the days.

This last costume reminds me about that particular Halloween hall party they had a limbo dance. I was standing near where they were going under the stick. Several of my friends were standing facing where they were coming under the stick. One lady there was dressed as a mermaid (not someone who should have been squeezed into that costume...whatever) and she started under the stick. Part way through, I'm looking at my friends and at the very same time, they all looked confused and then said "eewww" as they turned their faces away. Apparently this woman was commando and they had a flash-back to the "Basic Instinct" scene (except, of course, she wasn't Sharon Stone). Every Halloween since that night, I remember their faces...ha ha ha!

There are probably more photos at my parent's place - my brother had great costumes....I should look for them.

We survived !

Today was PJ's 1st day of preschool - which is also the 1st day he's been left without a family member around. Here he is as we are about to leave the house.


We had to park pretty far from his entrance door...so we were running late, so GJA carried him a wee bit. Then as we were approaching the door, I got him to walk the rest of the way. He wasn't worried or upset or in anyway thinking that we were leaving him.


Then you have to wait in the boot-room for the teacher to come and get you. There were several parents and kids in the room waiting. Just as one teacher was coming to one little boy, he started crying. This was about the time when I handed the teacher his backpack and GJA put PJ's hand in the teacher's hand. He started walking and never looked back at all. I was surprised....he just followed along where the teacher took him. He never looked back...so no tears or protests or anything. Hearing the other kid cry and the mother upset was hard. I teared up too, even though PJ was fine. She was quite upset outside. I went in to see what PJ was doing and I offered to see if her son was ok. PJ was leading an instructor around the room and was fine and oblivious to the fact that we were gone. I found the other little boy and he wasn't crying and was almost settled in....so the mother was pleased.

Three hours later, here he comes out with a teacher...totally oblivious to whether we had been standing there the entire time or not.

YAY...we lived through day 1!

It's been 8 years

Eight years today GJA & I got married. It seems amazing that its been that long, but it has.



We got engaged on Jan 1, 2001 - so I had under 8 months to plan it. I had a hard time finding a gown because they were all so poofy and ornate or strapless...none of the things that are "me". I ended up having 2 choices, so that was good. I ordered it by the 1st week of February so it would get here in time. The dress drama didn't end there - when it arrived & I went to see it, I realized that they had sent the wrong dress - well, the wrong color. It was white & I ordered ivory - which doesn't seem so bad until you put the ivory veil and shoes next to it and it looks dirty - that and the white washes me out. Then we found that it was discontinued...but the manufacturer (who screwed up) made one for me. Phew.

The ceremony took place at a little church that we had visited to hear jazz music in - other churches we visited prior to this one were all really picky about what you could do and I was ready to get a Justice of the Peace. The reception was always going to be at the Macdonald Hotel - so that dictated the date. The choice was either a Saturday in May or a Sunday in August - so...August 19 it was.

The other drama we had was my hair. Two weeks before the wedding, I went in to have my highlights re-done...and came out with white & yellow hair. They tried to fix it that day...but then I left with straw hair that was still white & yellow. It wasn't my normal hair person, she was away in August. I had to come back again to have them try to tone it down. It did get slightly toned down...but it was still really light compared to what I normally had. When I arrived to get my hair done for the wedding day, the person that had done the trial style was not there (she no longer worked there...she was the one that had butchered my hair color). Thankfully, the person they had to do it did a good job.



Here is our official engagement photo. The 2nd photo was done by GJA's friend who was just finishing her photography course at NAIT.



It was really hot and sunny the day before the wedding ...but there was a huge thunder/rain storm all night. The preparation went well that morning and we got to the church on time.

I had been really nervous during the rehearsal the day before...but one of Graeme's friends were there at the far side of the church with her baby & my parents & I were laughing at the stuffed animal she was waving around to entertain the baby. On the wedding day, I was, again, nervous to walk down the aisle, but my father was standing on my gown when we tried to get up the 1st step into the church and that had me laughing...so it was all good from there.

I did, however, look like an idiot during the entire ceremony...I was looking around at all my friends who had travelled to come to the wedding and it looks really stupid on the video....amongst other stupid things I did. GJA & the groomsmen wore kilts - his idea. I thought he was kidding that he wanted to do that. It ended up being fun for everyone. I was able to find ribbon in the same plaid and used it for the ceremony programs.





Then off to photos - we had a great photographer (won lots of awards for his photography - and we still haven't ordered any - which I feel terrible about). He was so pleasant and easy to smile for. Having the Macdonald hotel for a back drop is great too. All the photos came out great. None of these are them, of course...but I guess I could scan the proofs, couldn't I?

The reception meal was yummy...and apparently so was the cake - I wouldn't know, I never got a piece! It wasn't served during dinner, it was set out to eat for the "midnight" snack at around 10 or 11 pm.

Anyway...there's a quick remembrance of our big day from 8 years ago.

More things booked for our trip

I've purchased more tickets for our trip. Its so great to have the tickets...then we don't have to stand in the ticket line-up....go straight to the line that gets you into the attraction.

HHOF (Hockey Hall of Fame)
I'm really looking forward to this! I tried to go back in 1993ish and the one day we were there, it was closed for a private function...boo hoo! I could just put my face on the glass door and leave a nose print. Purchasing the tickets on-line gave us a discount on a photo with us by the most important item there - Lord Stanley's Cup! WOO HOO....bring it on!



Casa Loma

I love this place! Haven't been there since probably 1994 or 1995. It was May and a bit chilly. GJA seems to think he can find it on the subway/bus system...we shall see. The last time he was there, he saw a snake on the sidewalk...I sure hope we don't - I'll have a heart attack. This inside conservatory photo shows up in some movies - most recently the X-Men movie (it was the mutant schoolroom). The website I found to purchase the tickets gave me a 15% discount! WOO HOO...more cocktails for me!

CN Tower
The CN Tower is always busy...but I sure hope we are lucky to get there early. I love to walk/lay on the glass floor - such fun! I don't remember the glass floor the 1st time I was there...maybe I wasn't paying attention. I do remember that my Aunt was hugging the wall with her back at the upper observation deck....its pretty high 1,815 ft., 5 inches! Its currently the tallest building in the world - but that will change shortly, I'm sure. The tickets are from the same website with the 15% discount!

I've even found, what is called an outlet mall. Its supposed to be like the "mills" malls in USA (Arizona Mills, for example)...but, from what I've heard, the store prices aren't any different than in normal malls....so we shall see if we bother going there.

Still have to decide on whether we should go to the Royal Ontario Museum - if we do, we might as well save the 15% and purchase more alcohol - or maybe a dessert or 2?

Stupid recycle depot

I finally got GJA to load up the car with some of the recycle crap (only the plastics) - because we had his mother over to sit with PJ.

The trunk was full and the back seat too. We get over there on Sunday to find that it closed 1/2 hr before we got there...and wasn't open holiday Monday.

So...his trunk is still full of plastic and the backseat stuff is back in the basement - we'll finally be rid of it on Saturday...then we have to get rid of pop cans....

The people we knew at the wedding

Here are all the camp people & spouses - GJA's friends.





Dean, Cara, Raelene, Bob, Amery, Ken, GJA, Jim & Me

Ken & Amery's Wedding

July 25, 2009 - Calgary

This is the venue for the wedding ceremony. It was beautiful - creams and pale yellow. The bridesmaids and bride had to make it down this staircase. I would have fallen, but they had no problems at all!

These are the best men - Dean & Jim. Dean is from Regina & Jim lives in Victoria. GJA has known them since university (I think...I could be wrong) and they met whilst working at a YMCA summer camp. Jim was in our wedding party and Dean was one of our ushers. GJA met Ken (the groom) through these two fellows and they did so many things together that the "camp" stories sometime include Ken because he's a part of the camp group even though he was lucky enough to NOT go to camp (HEE HEE...I'm not a camp person...so that's why I call it lucky).

The bridesmaids were in burgundy/maroon and looked great. The bouquets had stargazer lilies & red roses.

I didn't realize, until Amery walked past us down the aisle, that she was so petite - there's someone shorter than me...who knew.

It was really hard to take photos because of all the windows. Each picture looked black on the camera's screen/monitor, so you never knew if it was blurry or everyone had their eyes shut. It took me this entitre afternoon to lighten them up - they are still a little dark - the walls were paler than you see here.

For the reception, it was at a beautiful Chinese restaurant. There was a 10 course meal - so we had to pace ourselves. All the food was very yummy! At some point, Amery left and changed into a magnificent red dress - not sure how she escaped unnoticed - all of a sudden, there she was in a different gown.