Experience Challenge #4- Conquering the Coquihalla

Holidays finally arrived and I had a week off for the first time since Christmas. It was nice but I wish the beginning of it had gone a little better. I found myself at work every day and the first day of our holidays were spent with our bosses dogs so that was a little disappointing. Not to mention being harassed over text constantly about work related things. Next time I’m just going to turn my phone right off I think.

We camp every year in a place in the mountains about a three hour drive into the interior. It’s a string of stocked trout lakes way up in the mountains. It’s beautiful up there. You can see nothing but stars and a stretch of Milky Way. It’s simply stunning. The weather has always have been so warm and the people that camp up there are so friendly. You can see deer and endless species of birds (owls, hawks, humming birds ect) and cows roam through the campgrounds too. It's pretty fantastic. Corey ended up catching the only fish of the trip. I helped net it but he landing the four pound rainbow trout.

To get there, you have to take the Coquihalla which is part of the trans-Canada highway. It’s a super long stretch of highway that twists and curves around mountains.It's really beautiful but can be intimidating. It can also be downright dangerous in winter.
So, we packed up my car and headed on out with me at the wheel. I was a bit nervous at times, high speeds around corners freaks me out a little but I did it! I drove up the Coq and then all the way up the 30 minute stretch of gravel logging roads to get to our campgrounds. We ended up doing an ice run half way through the trip back down the Merritt and I drove there too along a beautiful stretch of road called Coldwater that looks down to beautiful farmlands from high up in the mountains.
I drove all the way home when we were done too, with a break at our favorite rest stop for smokies and a drink for Zo. Once I pulled up to the house I was really tired but happy as hell that I did it, and didn't kill anyone in the process!

6 Years

Oh my blog. I have been so busy that I haven’t posted in over a week. I’ll be posting twice today because I have quite a bit to report on.

On the 20^th my boyfriend and I celebrated 6 years of dating. 6 years. It still blows my mind. Being with him is so damn easy. I can’t believe that much time has flown on by. We celebrated by taking a trip into Vancouver (Poorly navigated by me) and went to the Aquarium. I used to LOVE the aquarium when I was a kid. My favorite animals have always been orcas so it was simply magic when I went as a kid as saw those huge creatures up close. The VA doesn’t have orcas anymore but they certainly had plenty to see.

The Jelly Invasion exhibit was the main attraction. It was pretty neat seeing all kind of jelly fish up close and personal. Even little rainbow glowing ones. I felt like a kid again and we dragged each other from one tank to the next, checking everything out that we could. It was a little crazy in there as one would assume for a Saturday. Kids flipping everywhere. We didn’t let that hinder us at all however.

We saw the white sided dolphins perform a little show and looked at belugas and sea otters before venturing into the Amazon exhibit and butterfly garden. Holy smokes was it humid in there and I could feel my hair turning into a fuzzy afro but it was so fun. HUGE butterflies everywhere. One landed on Corey’s shoulder and I shouted for him to stand still. He thought I was just taking a picture before I pointed out that there was a giant butterfly on his shoulder. Too funny!

I was briefly molested by a butterfly when one bounced off my boob while I was trying to take a picture. 

Later, to my surprise, Corey bought me a giant  pacific white sided dolphin plushie. It was so soft and cute. As a kid I couldn’t get enough of stuffies but as I grew older they all made it into boxes in our basement. I couldn’t resist this one though. It’s terribly soft and I ended up snuggling it the entire way home. 

We ended up driving around Vancouver and Corey showed me all the places he’s worked at in the past year. 

I got a dress to wear to dinner earlier this week and had my MIL do some sewing magic and attach some black lace to an otherwise plain looking dress. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and wore it out to our anniversary dinner. All in all it was a great day.

Feel Goods

I’ve been super cranky lately. It’s not who I am and not how I want to be acting. Life’s just gotten a little crazy. A month long stint of dog sitting and not being able to sleep in your own home is draining; for me at least. That coupled with work stressed and other various responsibilities and commitments have turned me into a grumpasaurus. I only have to more nights at the house until I can sleep in my own bed and starting Monday I am on holiday for a week. Yay.

So, to combat that pissy mood I wanted to write a list of ‘feel goods’ that aren’t so run of the mill.

Looking through old summer pictures

Finding money in a something you haven’t worn in a while

Head scratches. Especially with this thing:omgyes

Compliments from strangers

Putting on fuzzy socks on a cold day

Getting in your car on a day that’s not overly hot and just sitting in the all encompassing warmth for a minute before you start your drive.

Letting your hand ‘fly’ out the window in the air currents when you drive fast

Trying new food and realize you’ve been missing out this whole time

Looking in a box of old mementos

First sip of a slurpie on a super hot day

Waking up in a panic in the night and realizing you don’t have to get up for another few hours

Hearing your favorite song come on the radio

Seeing a genuinely happy stranger enjoying life

Experience Challenge # 3- Partners In Parks

I dog walk about 5 times a week along this beautiful trail that runs along a meandering river. Since I’ve been using the trail starting a year ago I’ve noticed the absurd about of garbage around the trail. The park is home to tons of different flora and fauna. I’ve seen everything from rabbits, beavers, coyotes, snakes, stokes and birds ranging from eagles to woodpeckers and everything in between. It’s a stunning area brimming with wildlife and it really makes me angry to see how people carelessly litter every day. It could be anything, travel cups, chip bags to tons of dog crap in little plastic baggies thrown into the bush. I usually bring an extra poop bag with me and pick up some of the litter as I go for my walk. There are no garbage cans in the area so I have to bring it all the way back home.

Today I called in to see if we could get a garbage can put in place and found out there is a volunteer position as a garbage bin keeper. I am provided with the bin, bags and cleaning tools. All I have to do it push the bin to the curb during the collection and replace the bag. Easy! I was overjoyed to hear that it was that simple. I’ve filed all my paperwork and now just have to go through a CRC before they hand over the equipment. Someone from the city is supposed to come out and help me pick the best spot for the bin.

I’m excited. Hopefully others will start throwing their trash in the can and not just toss it in the parkland. This land is home to more than just you or I. Let’s keep it clean!

Trying Hard

You know when you do everything in your power to make someone’s life a little easier? A little better? I like to think that I try to do that a lot. My friends and family mean a lot to me and I like to do everything I can to make them happy. This includes inconveniencing myself or fucking myself over even if it only results in the most minor convenience for them. Why do I do this? Not sure. I get a lot of joy out of making friends happy or making things easy for people despite it not always working out for me in the end.

But there are times that no matter how much I’ve done, no matter how much time or sweat I’ve put into something for someone, it just isn’t enough. Sometimes they just don't care or assume I would have done it anyway.  Or perhaps I missed something small or left out something I should have done. BAM. It fucking ruins their day and I don’t get to see them grateful for all I’ve done for them. I just get a cranky attitude and misery thrown at me. That makes me feel like shit. I’m too sensitive as it is. But after I’ve put all this time and effort for someone I would just like them to be happy, even if they didn’t realize it was me. Is that too much to ask? I feel selfish feeling that way.

Goooooooooo

I was on Reddit last night and I quite enjoy reading responses to questions in the subreddit, AskReddit. Last night the question, “Hey, Reddit, what’s the one thing you yell out most while driving in your car?” I clicked on it and as it was loading I thought of my answer. Low and behold, there it was, number one!

I talk to other cars a lot while driving. Mostly I tell them in a sing-song voice “Don’t you think of cutting me off….stay theeere! Where the hell do you think you’re gooooiiiiing?” But then there’s always that idiot that doesn’t turn left while the advanced green is one. One intersection in my town is notorious for this. The light itself is very short. You can squeeze three cars in if you’re paying attention but almost always the first guy in line is picking his nose or daydreaming and totally messes up the left hand turn for the forty other cars in line. That’s most often where my FUCKING GOOOOOO comes out.  Sailor mouth. Yeah sorry, but good god people, pay attention! No wonder people are always crashing into each other.

Changing subjects, I have less than a week left with the zoo-sitting my co-worker and I have been doing. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again as much as it was fun having my best friend as a roommate. Come Thursday next week a few of us will be heading up for camping.