This is a journal of what is happening in my life, things I want to do, places I want to visit or have just visited, new and old experiences/adventures, people I have met and who have made a difference in my life, thoughts, ideas and dreams. My struggles, disappointments, failures and successes. This is my world, my life and you're welcome to share it.
It seems like Christmas is coming too soon. I have seen a lot of nice Christmas decoration on office lobbies except ours. I don't know if it has something to do with the owner who is Jewish. But our lobby at my residential tower is decorated really beautifully and simply.
I don't decorate my suite too much now but I might take a picture later once I have done a bit of decorating. I have taken this coming Friday off to do my Christmas baking and finalize what we will have for Christmas Eve and day dinner.
As we have been celebrating by ourselves as we are so far away from family and friends, it has become a quiet and relaxing few days. I know this year we will watch a lot of movies as we bought a big screen tv - 65" 4K HUD.
The year is almost over and we are ready to celebrate the New Year. I guess some of us are ready, really I am not. My boys have their own places to go to celebrate. One is working till past midnight today, I guess he is celebrating at the pub where he works.
My niece's two children might be in Edmonton on their way back to Yellowknife tomorrow and may call me to celebrate tonight with them. If not, I don't mind celebrating by myself.
I usually watch the fireworks from my balcony but there is this tower that is 35 floors they are building and I will find out tonight if that darn tower will block my view of the fireworks. I don't really mind as long as I still have a good view of the river valley which is all the time rather than the twice a year when there is the fireworks.
Whatever your plans are for tonight, drink responsibly and take a cab home or bus it.
I wonder how many of us will make resolutions for the New Year .....I know I won't as it is hard to follow it. I will just make simple goals in life.
Let us all be thankful that most of us had a good year and for those who did not, it will change and life moves on.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American relatives and friends. This would be my first time to celebrate this holidayhere. I understand that this day is bigger than Christmas to Americans.
While at the Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel, we saw this guy who was carving a very big pumpkin at the entrance of the casino. I understand that it would be there for about a week.
We had a short conversation with him and found out he is Ed Wickman and he is the Food and Beverage Manager of the hotel. He was carving an 850 pound pumpkin and another bigger one too.
Here is the picture of the one he has started to carve. I mentioned that I was going to post it in my blog.
He has started to carve a bear who has just caught a fish. I wish we had the time to see the finished product.
This very nice coloured is called Cinderella pumpkin.
Yes, I have arrived here and done a lot of things already meaning ....lots of shopping. After I arrived, we headed straight to a store to shop and then had lunch at a food truck in Sunnyvale. .by mid afternoon I had done a lot of damage to my wallet.
After we went home and unpack, I was ready to start packing. After dinner, my sister and I went out shopping again. Came back by 9:30 and watched a movie. I slept in which I had never done in a while. Then it was time to shop again.
It is sad that it was very difficult to get my shoe size so that is what is my priority. But I have great help from sister and my fave brother-in-law. Another damage to my wallet.
Monday, we are going to Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort. We will be staying overnight there and coming back Tuesday. Then we are passing by the new outlet in Livermore called Paragon.
I am excited about Thanksgiving. For Black Friday, the stores are open 9:00pm Thursday. Even now the stores are already open late which is kind of nice.
I am taking pictures but will blog and post them later.
After weeks maybe months trying to get a flight from Aeroplan to visit my sister in California, I finally got my tickets. I was ready to call and rant on my blog how hard it is to get a flight and finally the ordeal is over.
So I will be celebrating US Thanksgiving with my sister and her husband and mother-in-law and I am sure it would be a blast. I will probably see one of my cousins as well.
I don't know if I would venture to go out for the Black Friday shopping as it gets nasty at times. I don't even do the Boxing Day shopping here.
Now, I have something to look forward to, not that my life is so boring. Planning on what I want to do and what I would like to buy will be the order of the day.
Sadly I will miss my office Christmas party which is being held in Calgary. Oh well, I will have time to get ready as we only work half the day or maybe just two hours as they will be driven to Calgary and put up in a hotel.
So that is it....for you folks who have been asking when I will take my holidays...this is the answer. Now I am going to try for another trip sometime early next year when it will be so darn cold here.
Oh, oh, I hope my sister will not start counting sleeps yet.
I know this is a bit late but I am now posting Christmas pictures from my trip to San Jose. I did not get much of a chance to blog from there and I did not take a lot of pictures but here are some.
I did this table arrangement just in time for Christmas Eve dinner and I just went out the back and cut some of the leaves and berries and even stole a few sprigs from next door.
My sister's version of brown (could be Charlie) Christmas tree.
One of the decorated homes nearby.
Another one.
Christmas day dinner, crown roast of pork
My orange picking moment/episode
BIL and me
My sister's mother-in-law, Luckie and me in front of my cousins, Jo and Becky's house
So these are some pictures from my trip and I wish I had taken a few more but I keep forgetting my camera.
I would like to greet everyone a very Merry Christmas!!! And since there are people from different parts of the world who read my blog whether it was intentionally or by accident, it would be nice to wish you all in your languages.
Joyeaux Noel Feliz Navidad
Maligayang Pasko Mele Kalikimaka
Buone Feste Natalizie Pace Salute Froliche Weinacht
Meri Kerihimete Feliz Natal Nadolig Llawen Sawadee Pee Mei
Kala Christouyenna Milad Majid Geseende Kersfees
Glaedelig Jul Selamat Hari NatalChuc Mung Giang Sinh
As Iwill be away for Christmas this year....I wil be visiting my sister in sunny (hopefully) San Jose, California, I am a bit lazy decorating my home.
Don't laugh when I show the extent of my Christmas decor at my place. I will not give anymore excuses just a picture to explain what I have just said.
There.....I have my table setting for Christmas. I might have to put a bit more today.
Oh, I forgot my entrance rug, if that counts at all. It should, it is about Christmas. So there..... I have two things Christmas at my home
One of my favourite Christmas songs....because of the message it gives.
I have a wonderful memory of this song. We lived in Yelowknife for more than two decades. My former husband was a teacher. Every Christmas, the school prepares for their Christmas concert.
Michael is not a singer and could not decide on what song the class would sing so my sister who plays the guitar suggested this song and had him play the cassette to the class and the lyrics typed and distributed. I believe my sister came on her lunch time and practiced with the class.
On concert day, it was one of the hits because the song did not seem to be popular with the crowd. But the nuns were praising it because of the wonderful message of the song.
Ok, now for me it is the official start of the Christmas season. I know for the US, it starts on Black Friday and I know in the Philippines it usually start the first month that has a "ber" so it is September. And as they say the longest celebration.
Now I don't mind if I hear Christmas songs on the radio. I am not going to be home this Christmas so I will not put up a tree but will just make my place a bit Christmassy with a few things.
But at work it is all out but not like last year, this year there seems to be a common theme with the regular decor of the office.
It is the end of the year and I wish everyone a great New Year. I will be watching the fireworks from my balcony which is the best view anywhere in the city. It looks like very close from the 23rd floor.
I don't do New Year resolutions but I will just try to enjoy life and I would like to do new things. Since I have completely healed from my eye surgeries, I will be back to my fitness regime and try to eat healthy food. It has been mostly prepared food for the last two weeks and I am tired of it.
I will welcome the New Year with great hope that it will be a good year and wish the same for everyone.
Today at work, they started decorating the office. As usual I have to take pictures and the ladies are not too happy but I promised them I am only taking pictures of the decoration and not them.
Once a few have been set up, the feeling is way different. If seems like now we are in the Christmas spirit and talking about shopping, baking, menus, traditions, and the office Christmas party which will be in a Greek restaurant and I had received the menu in my email and I feel bad I can't attend as that day is my eye surgery.
There are more but I just want to show some of it. If that does not get you into the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will.
Since the ladies in our office go all out with Halloween decorations, they also go all out with dressing up. I won $200.00 gift certificate for Halloween costumes at Kerrie's Costumes. But I did not have any Halloween party to go to so I gave it to two ladies at work. I did not dress up either as I had doctor's appointment Friday. Here are four of the ladies.
To all my Canadian friends and relatives, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! A time to reflect on all the good things we have, the good friends we have and appreciate every single good opportunities that come our way. And for me I am most thankful for my health and the support of everyone from the past and the present. Enjoy your thanksgiving dinner, and the long weekend which is the best part for me.
In my new office, 11 women work there and they love to decorate the office for holidays. So I took some pictures, it was hard because the decorations are everywhere in little corners or wherever they can put them in.
