tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274345942024-03-14T00:32:13.347-07:00The Cloud of Unknowing"There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds."
-Gilbert K. Chesterton-Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.comBlogger314125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-30678242838904455972018-10-24T15:05:00.003-07:002018-10-24T15:06:09.618-07:00After an hour of rocking and swaying and gentle pats, little Mylo has finally fallen asleep.<br />
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Rather than jump to the many things that have been lingering on my to-do list, I have collapsed into a chair to stare numbly at the wall. </div>
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I was warned about the sleep deprivation, and the long days, but no one really warned me about the toll my baby would take on my already malfunctioning brain. I have never felt more like the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. </div>
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Motherhood is the best.</div>
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I've decided to compile a list of things I enjoy about parenthood thus far:</div>
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1. I like my baby. He's cute and makes little grunting noises that sound like a baby bear. </div>
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2. So many kind visitors who bring me tea and cheer.</div>
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3. A break from the ol' 9-5 After working for 8 plus years at the same place, it was time to shake it up a bit.</div>
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4. Seeing my husband hold and talk to his child as though they've been friends for years. </div>
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5. Not being pregnant anymore. </div>
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I anticipate being able to add to this list, especially when I am able to get slightly more sleep. </div>
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-58616233322507217832018-10-23T11:02:00.001-07:002018-10-23T11:02:28.173-07:00Some stuff has happened...<br />
Such as...The arrival of our healthy baby boy!<br />
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Myles Elliot entered the world in the wee hours of September 6th.<br />
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The last detailed post I wrote described some of the emotional toll that the many years of infertility and loss had taken. This pregnancy came about by sheer miracle. We had decided to take a break from the appointments and the medication and give ourselves a breather. But little Mylo had other ideas.<br />
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Pregnancy was difficult, between the daily injections and constant vomiting, and my immense lumbering body that I wasn't quite sure how to maneuver (I only tipped over once). It seemed only natural that his birth would be just as long and difficult as our fertility journey. A painful induction, two failed epidurals, an eventual c-section after many hours of labour and three hours of pushing, and a residual spinal migraine that lasted two weeks. But our baby was HERE. And when Yuri asked me an hour after surgery how I was feeling, "Top of the world" was my response. Hormones and morphine and new baby smell for the win.<br />
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So.<br />
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Here we are.<br />
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Seven weeks into parenthood.<br />
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The journey continues...<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p4xqn8jdqHQ" width="560"></iframe>Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-21099198970818741262017-08-01T09:13:00.001-07:002017-08-01T09:20:04.685-07:00I Came Like the Red Bird<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yGXaitm8zCE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">I will try</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">I will step from the house to see what I see</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">and hear and I will praise it.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">I did not come into this world</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">to be comforted.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">I came like red bird, to sing.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">But I'm not red bird, with his head-mop of flame</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">and the red triangle of his mouth</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">full of tongue and whistles,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">but a woman whose love has vanished,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">who thinks now, too much, of roots</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">and the dark places</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">where everything is simply holding on.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">But this too, I believe, is a place</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">where God is keeping watch</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">until we rise, and step forth again and--</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">but wait. Be still. Listen!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">Is it red bird? Or something</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">inside myself, singing?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;">-Mary Oliver</span></span><br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-55322324738382322402017-07-31T07:52:00.000-07:002017-08-01T06:52:29.314-07:00Infertility, loss and The Great British Baking Show<br />
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"You own everything that happened to you. </div>
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Tell your stories."</div>
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-Anne Lamott</div>
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<i>"As long as I kept moving, my grief streamed out behind me like a swimmer's long hair in water. I knew the weight was there but it didn't touch me. Only when I stopped did the slick, </i><br />
<i>dark stuff of it come floating around my face, catching my arms and throat till I began to drown.</i><br />
<i> So I just didn't stop."</i><br />
<i> -</i>Barbara Kingsolver</div>
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Grief is a powerful emotion. It chokes you, it can make you feel small and angry. It can also allow the release of confined emotions that are held in, in an attempt to appear "together."</div>
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Yuri and I started our journey to parenthood three years ago. We were met with three consecutive and devastating miscarriages, and a realization that pregnancy loss is a topic that doctors will often label as "normal". Perhaps this comes from the intention of being comforting, but it actually minimizes the pain that miscarriages bring. Following our third miscarriage, we were finally referred to a fertility clinic, and began a series of tests. When everything came back normal and in fact "excellent", our doctor seemed out of ideas. A year and a half had passed from our last pregnancy, and we were left with no answers, and a feeling of hopelessness. We couldn't seem to keep a pregnancy, and then we couldn't even manage to get pregnant at all. This past spring, shortly after a buying a house, a stressful move, and the addition of Yuri's family living with us, we were shocked to discover that extreme stress seemed to be the missing link. We were pregnant again! </div>
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This time it felt different. I was immediately started on high levels of progesterone and baby aspirin. I took extra time off work so I could rest and reduce stress. I took a variety of vitamins, and drank liters of water. The morning sickness was violent, and my doctor was pleased. "It's a good sign." We went for an early ultrasound, and were thrilled to see our first heartbeat. Everything looked good. </div>
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Around 10 weeks I went to the doctor who attempted to use the doppler. "It's early, but I often have success getting the heartbeat." When it didn't work, she was quick to reassure me that it's early, and it's normal. But I couldn't shake the fear. As it wasn't deemed an emergency, it would be weeks before we could clarify with a medical ultrasound, so Yuri and I went to a private clinic. It took only 30 seconds for them to discover what we had already suspected. </div>
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Moving forward with a fertility history like ours has been challenging. There is no cure, so do we try again and face the quite real possibility of experiencing further loss? Or do we take a step back and reconfigure our life with the idea that we will not be able to have biological children? And what are we supposed to do with the deep rooted sadness and anxiety that now surrounds what is supposed to be a happy and exciting time? </div>
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And in the meantime, I will drink wine, eat chocolate and pastries, and watch The Great British Baking Show, which always makes me feel as though everything is going to work out. </div>
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-59712197272523445692017-03-10T10:40:00.000-08:002017-03-10T10:41:37.662-08:00The Way is Not in the Sky"Your song is as silent as the heart is stirring"<br />
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-42629029481390397512016-02-27T22:09:00.002-08:002016-02-27T22:09:35.799-08:00No time for pondering...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/invkdA3Ofjc" width="560"></iframe><br />
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"What good is living a life you've been given if all you do is stand in one place?"<br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-23272526346054662392015-09-05T12:21:00.000-07:002015-09-05T12:21:14.073-07:00Roadtrip Music - Part IYuri and I are preparing for our trip to England and Scotland this Autumn. Part of this preparation includes some excellent roadtrip music.<br />
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First up, an indie folk band from England. <br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-82734600949158282952015-02-24T15:30:00.003-08:002015-02-24T15:30:48.257-08:00Tide of BlossomHave you ever had a bad day? Or even a bad week or month? I'll be honest, The last couple months haven't been so rosy pink for me. <br />
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But this skinny, slightly awkwardly adorable British kid with the deepest, most mellow voice is soothing. Listen to George if you need soothing. <br />
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<i> Caught in the tide of blossom, caught in the carnival<br />
Your confidence forgotten, I see the gypsies rule<br />
What you waiting for?</i></div>
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It is rare that I have a Tuesday off from work. Even rarer that I am blogging about it. But here I am, sitting in a pool of sunshine while the chicken fajitas cook in the crockpot, and my raspberry tea gets cold, and the cat impatiently stalks the hall waiting for her supper. Spring is coming. <br />
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-30743393922210731412014-10-04T16:57:00.001-07:002014-10-04T17:03:36.038-07:00<b>How I go to the Woods</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">unsuitable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of <span style="font-weight: normal;">praying, as you no doubt have yours.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost unhearable sound of the roses singing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love<span style="font-weight: normal;"> you very much.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Mary Oliver</span> </span></span> </h1>
Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-14147532817409254892014-05-12T10:50:00.001-07:002014-05-12T10:50:19.154-07:00Jennie's day off...<obnoxious musical="" tone=""></obnoxious><br />
<br />Yuri half leaps, half stumbles out of bed at a glorious 5:50 am, leaving a mostly comatose Jennie in his pillowed wake.<br />
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An hour and a half later Jennie awakes due to her internal alarm clock beeping incessantly reminding her that she is late for her non-existent shift. <br />
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A lazy roll out of bed and the first cup of tea of the day is made.<br />
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A load of laundry.<br />
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A peep at "Love it or List it". Guilty pleasure. <br />
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Search for cute house rentals on Kijiji. Found one! It's perfect! Emailed! Aaand it's not available. Nevermind. <br />
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Some yoghurt and chia seeds are consumed.<br />
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The kitchen is tidied and scrubbed.<br />
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Time for second breakfast! Eggs! Cheese! Tomatoes flecked with cilantro!<br />
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A second cup of tea and a rather languid peruse of my Russian notes.<br />
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A moment of frustrated self pity that I will never be able to speak nor understand this language.<br />
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A harsh self admonishment to study more. <br />
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Blow nose for umpteenth time. I'm not getting sick...not getting sick? <br />
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To do list is made for all the packing and errands before we leave for holidays.<br />
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Nothing is scratched off...hmm.<br />
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An incredibly British looking sky outside beckons my presence.<br />
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Jennie capers off...<br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-17442574420228722762014-02-23T18:45:00.000-08:002014-02-23T19:32:19.734-08:00Spring? Spring???! SPRING!!!The cold weather has decided to stay forever, and at this point I'm convinced that Spring will never arrive.<br />
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So in this perpetual Narnia-esque state, where it's always Winter, I've decided to try and embrace the cold, wind, snow, and ice.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-96HEBoEBc3o/UwqWXQ18bRI/AAAAAAAAArM/ASQMcA1n9Ss/s1600/jennie+skate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-96HEBoEBc3o/UwqWXQ18bRI/AAAAAAAAArM/ASQMcA1n9Ss/s1600/jennie+skate.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
This is me embracing<br />
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I should tell you that I only lasted about 30 minutes outside before rushing indoors to enjoy a London Fog.<br />
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<pre><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"They say that love can't grow
Beneath the winter snow
But if we never see
Then how will we ever know"</span></pre>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/101460308&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-84707073460220405722014-02-03T20:21:00.001-08:002014-02-03T20:21:35.323-08:00Sit back with your cozy essentials. Tea, fire, and of course, a Canadian folk song. <br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=4239464541/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 142px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://themountainsandthetrees.bandcamp.com/track/winter-blues-2">Winter Blues by The Mountains & The Trees</a></iframe><br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-48509840896846125792014-01-22T17:53:00.002-08:002014-01-22T17:53:44.902-08:00Deep in the heart of winter...TODAY<br />
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-I've sent Yuri off to Toronto for a week.<br />
-I am sick with what my boss terms the "cuban flu" although I have never felt the warmth of Cuba.<br />
-The weather is cold, deeply cold.<br />
-My creative spirit is struggling. <br />
-And I am sad.<br />
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BUT<br />
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I am surviving this Winnipeg winter with the help of:<br />
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1. My fleece-lined black tights.<br />
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2. My fake fireplace. It's abstract warmth soothes me.<br />
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3. My ginger tea. <br />
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4. The fact that there are only 59 days left before spring.<br />
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5. Netflix. My guilty pleasure.<br />
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6. The sauna at my gym. I sweat out my toxins and pretend that it's summer. <br />
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7. Honestly, sheer will power. I survive because I must. <br />
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<iframe seamless="" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=110712607/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 142px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://postscriptsounds.bandcamp.com/album/post-script">Post Script by Post Script</a></iframe><br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-37606278499496593842013-12-16T20:42:00.001-08:002013-12-16T20:43:26.742-08:00Our apartmentI often tell people that I can't wait to move, to find a little house, or a downtown apartment with a view...but truth be told I am happy to live where I do. Sure the rent is tragically high, and our neighbours are mostly Asian students with no desire to converse, and our parking garage looks like the roof is about to collapse...but it is home.<br />
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Our apartment is located at that delightful spot where the sunlight hits in mid afternoon...if I were actually ever home in the mid afternoon this would be a highly enjoyable trait. We have a cozy fake fireplace which I LOVE. We have two bedrooms AND two bathrooms which has made the whole marriage thing a much easier transition. Yuri has his office space, and I have a bathroom that I can clean to my personal standards. We have a garbage chute literally fifty feet away that does not require going outside. We have room for guests to stay, should they so desire. Aside from the clacking of our upstairs neighbour's dog walking around at strange hours, we have an abundance of peace and quiet. It also protects us from the bitter Winnipeg cold which has been particularly harsh as of late.<br />
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All in all, I am content to call this place home.<br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-88022648379108446252013-12-09T20:14:00.001-08:002013-12-09T20:15:55.326-08:00Blue ChristmasI'm feeling bluesy tonight, but I'll try not to spoil your holiday cheer.<br />
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I'm feeling the realities of adulthood upon me. No longer can I rely
on others to bring the holiday spirit to me, it is time to create my own
magic.<br />
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Alas, magic is hard to create when one is in the
midst of a drastic cold snap (-32 tonight), when one has to work on
Christmas day itself, when one has a cankersore that has decided to set
up permanent residence in one's mouth, when one's kitty has
destroyed the lower half of a carefully decked Christmas tree, and when
one lives three provinces away from one's family.<br />
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Let me be clear, I am incredibly blessed to be sitting here with my cup of Christmas tea (all the way from England thanks to my mother-in-law), my alpaca socks all the way from Kazakhstan, an adorable (sometimes) grey cat curled up by the fireplace, my pot of Christmas smells simmering on the stove (bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, cloves, lemons and oranges), and Frank Sinatra crooning in the background.<br />
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I am also blessed to not be truly alone.<br />
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The First Aid Kit ladies help make this song sound truly tragic, and it comforts me. <br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-88629139266854818892013-11-24T19:18:00.002-08:002013-11-24T19:18:35.206-08:00la la laA mellow Sunday evening made even more relaxing with the inclusion of the smooth vocals of Laura Veirs and fair trade hot cocoa. <br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-26172842397723268562013-11-20T20:30:00.001-08:002013-11-20T20:30:40.654-08:00Yuri would call this video incredibly "hipster" but it reminds me of Nelson and makes me deeply homesick for BC. I happened to see Dan Mangan (the singer with the tambourine) perform live on a warm, sun splattered July day when I was home for a summer holiday. I sat on the grass listening to his music and dreamed of a life full of travel and adventure. I thought that if I could only explore the world I would finally understand my part in it. Two degrees, a husband, and several years have occurred since. I feel somewhat more accomplished, but still just as perplexed. Particularly in regards to the ever pondered question: "But where to live?" <br />
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Tonight, I pick the mountains. Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-88386816980648408902013-11-06T18:37:00.000-08:002013-11-06T18:37:29.667-08:00Some Autumn Photos...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chloe entertains with her amazing musical talent</div>
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I entertain with my, well, non musical talent</div>
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A lil' Thanksgiving feast</div>
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A precious moment</div>
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A Thanksgiving bake off with my worthy opponent</div>
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So sweet...</div>
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So crazy...</div>
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So happy...</div>
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So grumpy...</div>
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So innocent...</div>
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So proud...</div>
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So carefree...</div>
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So helpful...</div>
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So cold...Finally!</div>
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Going on an adventure!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nature
will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level
with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Henry David Thoreau</span></div>
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Fun Family Fotos</div>
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-51080785280821096932013-11-04T17:58:00.001-08:002013-11-04T17:58:46.854-08:00NovemberThere is something strikingly grey and melancholic about the month of November. Earlier now, the days are getting dark. Tonight as I left work, snowflakes swirled about me in anxious haste. My nose is in a constant state of cold and I still don't have my winter tires on. <br />
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I recommend Jordan Klassen's latest album "Repentance" as heart warming reprieve from these cold days. I also recommend a grey cat and a fire place.<br />
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"With your hand in my hand, go to me" Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-80840736461624636352013-11-02T19:43:00.000-07:002013-11-02T19:55:22.106-07:00Last weekWhile Yuri was in a very exciting work related conference last week, I decided I would go along and keep him company. It doesn't hurt that it was located in our Nation's capital city, the lovely city of Ottawa. An abundance of lattes were drunk.<br />
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I am a girl of simple pleasures.<br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-15080304401822622122013-09-09T20:47:00.002-07:002013-09-09T20:47:50.386-07:00A couple of months ago a resident at the nursing home I work at passed away. Death is not a surprising phenomenon when working with seniors, but it is still one that I often find difficult to process. Some days are harder than others. The resident who died, had only hours before been helping me put tomato plants in the garden. He talked proudly of his garden at home and the many years he had tilled the earth. As the tomato plants have grown, flourished, produced fruit, and are now starting to whither and die, I find myself remembering him. I remember his stories, his humour, his love for nature. <br />
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<i>"It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are"</i></div>
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-Wendell Berry </div>
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-66780853644776265772013-09-07T12:31:00.002-07:002013-09-07T12:59:00.533-07:00<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/imLq8eh5nyE" width="420"></iframe><br />
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“The crickets sang in the grasses. They
sang the song of summer’s ending, a sad, monotonous song. ‘Summer is
over and gone,’ they sang. ‘Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is
dying, dying.’<br />
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“The crickets felt it was their duty to
warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most
beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into
fall – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.”</div>
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- <i>Charlotte’s Web</i></div>
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Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-84666037023558392572013-09-05T07:59:00.001-07:002013-09-05T07:59:30.897-07:00There is an air of magical happenstance in the air today...perhaps it's the early Autumn glow. And I feel I must write, even if I have nothing of brilliance to share. In fact, Yuri and I find ourselves in the midst of a rather exhausting, run-of-the-mill work week. Both of us are fighting some sort of head cold that simply prefers to drip and linger as opposed to leaving us be, and work demands from us our precious remaining energy. This is why, I firmly believe, we as humans, need the beauty of thought, creativity, and art, to give the world some whimsical joy just when it so desperately needs it. <br />
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In light of the crisis surrounding Syria, I leave you a slice of thoughtful art:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xJpfK7l404I" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-57065014418166252992013-08-26T12:19:00.004-07:002013-08-26T12:19:27.316-07:00A lovely summer tune...<iframe seamless="" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=949650926/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="http://eldersisterplum.bandcamp.com/album/people-like-us">People Like Us by Elder Sister Plum</a></iframe><br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27434594.post-81483445018205373582013-08-26T08:57:00.000-07:002013-08-26T08:57:16.879-07:00I know we are in the midst of a summer heat wave (+30's all week), but the elderly keep reminding me in a depressing realistic fashion, that a long, hard winter is coming, and it's right around the corner. Even the most positive person would crumble beneath the frigid foreshadowing. <br />
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And so, this last week of heat, I shall cherish and delight in. Because the thought of cold weather makes my toes curl.<br />
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Yuri and I have made a point of enjoying as much of the outdoors as possible this summer...camping trips to Ontario, bike rides, trips to grand beach, and trail runs at Bird's Hill park. <br />
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<br />Jennie http://www.blogger.com/profile/03174257735497709633noreply@blogger.com0