Tomorrow at 8:00AM my parents and I leave the island to travel to Corner Brook so I can move back in for my last year at university!  Wow!  4th year, I can’t believe how fast time goes by!  Mom helped me pack everything up today, and we were finished before supper, so we did well.  It’s nice to get it done early in the day, then tonight we went for another walk and then relaxed.  I am so excited to get back in tomorrow, and to be back with Kieran again.  We made it through the summer without living together!  I knew we could, no one said distance is easy, but sometimes it’s what you have to deal with.

Hurricane Earl swept through here on Saturday night; high winds (clocked in at 89km/h here), heavy rain and raging seas (which we are just getting over today).  We would have left today for me to move back into Corner Brook, but we had no rush, and since it was still a bit choppy on the ferry, we decided to wait until tomorrow morning, when there will be light winds and the sea will have calmed down a great deal.  There’s no need to travel on the ferry in rough waters if you can wait until a better day.  Much more comforting and less nerve-racking.  There wasn’t any damage here in town, only one small speed boat managed to be filled with water and flipped over near the wharf.  The fisherman had no problem turning it back over, though.

I haven’t been visiting all the blogs I check into in the last couple of days, but once I’m all settled away again at the school things will return to normal again.  Kieran spent all day tending to orientation for the first year students today, leading groups and all of that fun stuff.  Tonight there is a dance, another shin dig through orientation, and I really wish I was there just because last year’s orientation dance was the first time Kieran and I saw each other after a long 5 months of just chatting over the airwaves.  Ah, reminiscing!  :)

I best get to sleep here now, I have an early rise, and I want to be feeling good and ready for a long-ish day of unpacking, setting up camp, seeing everyone again, going to stores, etc etc!  I hope everyone’s week has gotten off to a good start :)

-H xox

I just love the feeling of knowing it’s Friday :)  It’s that nice “end-of-the-week” mood that makes everything feel so relaxed…even though I’ve been finished my summer job and just waiting around for school again…the great Friday feeling still exists!

I am currently watching one of my favourite television shows, Dog Whisperer, with Cesar Milan.  I have always loved dogs so much, despite the fact that I have never owned one, I have always been surrounded by them.  My Mom was never one for liking a dog around the house, even though I know she certainly does like ‘em, too.  But I will have a dog of my own within a year or two I’m sure, and hopefully it will be a Husky or the similar Alaskan Malamute.  I did an online search for local breeders (well, not necessarily local, but within the province of NL) of huskies, and what a appears to be a great breeder near St. John’s of Alaskan Malamutes came up in my results.  I am very impressed; their website is up-to-date, excellent information, contact info, etc.  I find it rare to discover all the mandatory details you’d like to have when searching for a breeder with good reputation.  The breeder is known as Nordic Hope AlaskanMalamutes.  I know it’s a little while yet before I’ll own one, but it’s just something I’ve always wanted, and to finally discover their website, well that put the cherry on top :)

I haven’t had any photos to begin my posts with in the last few days, I just haven’t noted anything photo-worthy, which I’m sure there certainly is something out there that is…well, I know there is, but I just haven’t done so!  Maybe when the hurricane weather storms through there will be something interesting to snap.

Speaking of the hurricane (Earl), I headed out for another little walk tonight because it doesn’t seem like this weekend will bring nice weather, at least I got out of it what I could.  I am so eager to get back to Corner Brook and get my gym pass!!  And also to be back into a regular schedule…it’s just so much better to carry through the week when everything is organized so well.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!  Kieran will be leaving St. John’s super early tomorrow morning to drive across the province back to Corner Brook.  I can’t wait to see him in a couple of days :)

-H xox

I went for a walk/jog today around half of the trail, I could not stand the heat enough to go all the way around!  I managed to get a short jog in and the rest was a medium paced walk, but going all out with the sun shining right down makes me feel like it’s the worst thing ever!  I usually wait until evenings to head out, but I feel bad if I don’t go outside on a nice, bright day!  Oh well, in another 5 days I’ll be back in Corner Brook at the school again where I’ll be able to start at the gym with the student pass :)

So, Hurricane Earl is trying to make a grand entrance, speeding up along the Eastern Seaboard!  It decreased to a category 3 hurricane, but now it’s back to a category 4 again, and according to the forecast, it’s supposed to blow over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will also be affected, too, being so close.  Unfortunately, it lands right on the weekend (Labour Day weekend at that!) when all of us school students need to take a ferry crossing in order to continue the travel to the university.  If we end up getting a great deal of wind from the hurricane, the ferry definitely won’t be making any crossings.  Who knows, perhaps Earl will die…goodbyeeeee, Earl. :p

The September issue of Self magazine is amazing, it is jam packed with excellent health and exercise tips, I love it!  It really helps keep me focused on how I should be maintaining healthy choices and strongly motivates me to get off my butt and workout!  Plus, there’s a ton of clothes I want to feel (and look!) so good in :)

-H xox

The feeling of arriving back home after travelling to sleep in your own bed once again = priceless.  It is so comfortable and home-y; what a feeling :)

Our trip to Corner Brook went really well.  Paul is somewhat settled into his apartment, minus some bathroom leaks through old pipes.  We were relaxing last evening, when Paul went to the washroom and as soon as he opened the door, he could see the floor was covered in water, running out from in under the toilet (where the toilet meets the floor).  Dad called the landlords (amazing people!) and this morning the man came and checked it out, called the plumbers, and they worked on it later on.  The landlords, Rob and Yvonne, invited Paul to stay at their own little basement apartment tonight, and for however much longer, for comfort due to the fact that the plumbers have everything taken apart and cannot use the shower or toilet.  They are such nice people it’s unbelievable, he certainly lucked into nice landlords…that’s rare!

So I did get my new cellphone, and yes it is the Blackberry Curve 8530 :) I am so excited about it!  I am finally not missing out on everyone else’s cool communication tools :p  It’s black and has a pretty light purple protector.  We actually ended up staying with Bell Aliant, but only because they removed their stupid monthly access fee, which was $8.95 every month, just for the fact that you had “access to the cellphone”"…wtf.  Anyway, they removed it so Dad was satisfied with staying with them.  I am very pleased with my plan and everything the phone is awesome :)

Shopping at the mall was successful as well!  I managed to get myself a pair of cool new running sneakers at Sport Chek (Adidas Osweego ClimaCool) and they are black, accented with a pretty blue.  Super comfy, well ventilated and they look great!  I also shopped at the Garage (got a couple tees, a light grey sweater [jersey shrug cardigan actually], and a pair of black moccasin flats, which are super cute!).  There were some good deals at the Garage this time, fortunately.  I didn’t buy any jeans this trip because I am still waiting until I go to the gym bit more, and I want to see more weight loss results for better fitting!  Hopefully I will pull through.  I feel good about it!  I also made a stop at La Senza, as well as Wal-Mart.  I picked up the new Johnny Reid cd (A Place Called Love), and the Lady Antebellum cd (Need You Now).  Excellent music, I recommend!

I am really tired now, had an early rise at Paul’s apartment, went grocery shopping, drove for two hours and fifteen minutes on a really shitty road, then had an hour and a half ferry ride…I am beat.  I am sure I forgot other highlights to blog about, but I’ll remember them tomorrow I’m sure.

-H xo

Tomorrow morning my family and I will be taking the 9:30AM ferry to Burgeo then driving to Corner Brook.  My brother, Paul, begins his classes at the College of the North Atlantic on Monday, so tomorrow we’ll bring him to get ready!  The apartment is ready to go, and the distance from the college is so short, we were lucky.

I am currently uploading some photos to the Wal-Mart photocenter website, then when I am in the city tomorrow (or the day after while I’m there) I can just drop into Wal-Mart and pick them up.  It is annoying at times to stand in line and use the photo machines to select which shots you want, so I just send them in ahead of time.  Much more convenient.

I will be a new member of the Blackberry bandwagon tomorrow evening!  I am pumped to finally own a Blackberry.  Pretty sure I’ll be signing on with Telus rather then Bell Aliant again, but Dad has been researching today, as well as the last week, about the various plans offered.  Still pretty certain we’ll be going with Telus, though.  They also have a student deal on, so that would be ideal.  There are three colors to choose from – grey, pink or red – I think I’ll go with grey, then any cool colored case would match it quite well.  Should be fun tomorrow, picking out phones! Wish me luck :)

I don’t have any photos to share tonight, it was a busy day around the house packing things up and just general “stuff”!  I am bringing my laptop with me to CB, so I still might be able to blog.  If not, I will be back on Tuesday night.

Have a nice “beginning-of-the-week” everyone!

-H xo

Today my brother, Paul, celebrates his 28th birthday.  I wish him all the best!  We are having friends and family in for a turkey dinner, it’ll be a nice time for all :)

Clothes in the Wind - Ramea, NL, Canada

These couple photographs were shot yesterday, August 26, but I didn’t blog last evening because darling Kieran did so :)  I was outside near the house, and Mom had some clothes pinned on the line, and the way they were blowing in the wind, I thought it was photo worthy.  A traditional Newfoundland related image in my opinion, I really enjoy it!

The other photo is just another pretty flower in one of Mom’s plants.  I think I may have found all the cool looking ones now!

Bloom - Ramea, NL, Canada

Mom is currently basting the turkey and chatting with our friend Eunice, and Dad is downstairs with our friend Wilf (Eunice’s husband) playing some good o’l Newfy tunes.  My Aunt, Uncle and Grandmother should beh ere soon, too, to join in with the meal.  Should be a good one!

-H xox

After a brief stint today at CFS-NL’s office I came home to play some video games with my brother Andrew.  Andrew and I have been playing video games for as long as a controller could fit into our hands, so roughly 22 years.  On the docket today was some Modern Warfare 2, Scott Pilgram vs the world, and Megaman 10.

My sister treated the family to supper: Pizza, Garlic Fingers, and Chicken Wings, from Pizza Pros.  The food was fantastic and the wings made me want to challenge the Jungle Jim’s Wing King title.  (I am fairly certain I can take it).  Tonight is Big Brother 12′s double eviction night and should make for some good television.  I guess I am kind of ashamed I watch it but whatever.

Today was a sunny day in St. John’s but the fog has been rolling in all evening.  I hope the weather clears up this weekend because my brother Daniel and I will be hiking a section of the East Coast Trail.  It is awesomely beautiful out that way and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a moderate hike.  Although, some parts of the trail can be a bit tricky so just be careful and take someone else along.

The past couple of days Heather has been taking some wonderful pictures of Ramea and I am getting the itch to go back there.  The sense of relaxation I feel there is so therapeutic and my words and descriptions would only do the people and the island an injustice.  Simply put, experience it for yourselves.

K

A Dog & Rain Boots

A photo from earlier this summer of my cousin’s Dog and my new rain boots.  Thought it was pretty cute; it’s near our cabin which we travel to in our speed boat.  I was hiking around the cabin, checking out great photo opportunities, and this one seemed alright :)  I dug out this random summer photo, since I haven’t taken any today.

Tonight, instead of heading out for a trail run, I decided to stay at home and start another routine.  I found my jump rope and did some skipping for a bit, then various crunch moves and lunges.  It felt really good, too!  I was inspired, like many times, through Self magazine and their website.  I feel I am definitely on the road to becoming a healthier and in-shape me, and I am excited!

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that Kieran was going to potentially blog today, but that didn’t happen :p  Just not so convenient for him at the moment, since he’s visiting his family in St. John’s.  But that’s fine with me, it’s obvious I love posting anyway!  I really miss Kieran, I’m really looking forward to seeing him again on September 6, when the student housing officially opens up at the university and we all move back in.  Last September Kieran and myself first started dating, so next month will mark an official 1 year for us, and I am the happiest I have ever been.

I hope everyone has a marvelous Thursday!

-Heather, xox

Augsut 24 2010 - Full Moon - Ramea, NL, Canada

August 24, 2010 - Mom's Flowers

A couple of new photos from this evening at home.  I went for a walk with my parents, and when we got back to the house, the moon was shining over the harbour outside and I couldn’t pass that shot up!  The view is right outside of my house, looking across the lawn, I love it!  The flowers are a part of a hanging plant on our front steps.  The color is so pretty :)  Check them out, plus more, at my Flickr.  (Don’t have a pro account, but may delete some older shots or just sign up for a another account soon!  Didn’t want to buy a pro account yet, not until I am finished school.)

This morning I went for a walk/jog around half of the trail, then tonight went all the way around with my parents.  It feels good to get out twice a day, I’ve been managing that lately.  I feel like I will benefit more from that, I have to push myself if I want to see results, even though it is difficult at times, I always feel better about it once I’ve done so.  Overcoming procrastination is enough motivation to actually make you feel that you can do it if you put your mind to it :)  I’ve also been snacking on plums and almonds, which I’ve read are great choices.  Almonds are a great source of antioxidants as well.  This whole “getting fit” scene is really starting to shape up! :)

Kieran might be blogging tomorrow, he said he was planning to do so, so expect another post from my other half then :p

Have a great night/day everyone! :)
-Heather,  xo

Babysitting the four kids went well today, I had another younger helper along with me, which made it easier!  The kids were enjoyable, I managed to keep the peace for a couple of hours, so I think I (we) did an okay job!  From a Barbie then Dora movie, to going on “adventures”, coloring, then playing outside in the sandbox (which they managed to turn into a giant box of ‘soup’, ingrediants including sand, lots of water and grass) they all enjoyed themselves!  It was nice to have something to do to pass away the evening, and when all was said and done, I earned $50, which I told them was definitely not necessary, but I still appreciated it nonetheless :)

I am currently watching the Miss Universe pageant on NBC, and they are all so stunning!  I would love to model their dresses in my mirror, ha!  I wish I had someone doing my hair and makeup, too, that I could settle for ;)

Kieran and I have been talking to each other from across the miles, through Skype mainly (love it).  He is enjoying his time with his family.  Today he has a bit of a bug, he was sick this morning, and this evening he still continues to have a chill and a weak feeling.  He has gone to bed now, though, I told him sleep should do him good.  I hope he feels better soon! <3

When I head back to Corner Brook in the next couple of weeks, I will be getting a new cell phone.  My 3-year contract is up, and I am excited to use a new model.  I currently have a (crappy) Samsung Vice, and I want to upgrade to a Blackberry.  My current provider is Bell Aliant, and Dad and I were discussing that we will definitely be switching providers; to sum up, they are not good!  Reliability?  Not so much.  I won’t say all, but many of the employees are difficult to chat with, and each one seems to provide you with different types of information, and it may be different each time you go back!  That has been my experience with them, as well as most people I know who are signed on with them.  I want to sign with Telus, but at the moment is seems that Dad is leaning towards Virgin Mobile.  I recently learned that Bell took ownership over Virgin, so in my opinion, we’d only be heading down the same road if we went with that crowd.  But, we’ll see I guess!  I don’t mind if I don’t end up with a Blackberry, but I would absolutely love to have one, that’s for sure!  That’s the way to go!

Mom, Dad, my brother Paul, 28, and I are heading to Corner Brook this weekend to bring Paul in to his apartment and begin a new program at the College of the North Atlantic.  This is his second time attending school, he wasn’t successful in finding a job with his computer support specialist diploma, but he’s not as outgoing as the rest of my family, which is odd.   But anyway, that’s besides the point I guess, the main thing is he’s now moving into his own place and will be back at school again, doing something with his life.  We are so very different, though!  I cannot wait to begin my own life, with Kieran at my side, and just making a living!  He is not so motivated as what I am, so it seems, but that’s ok.  Everyone is different, and I am just glad he’s making a move even now :)  I wish him all the luck.

As I was saying, though, I am going to Corner Brook with them so I won’t be home here in Ramea, bored and would-be wishing I were there with them!  At least it will break up some time now while waiting to move back, and I will get to do some shopping, retail therapy, yeah!  Haha, gotta love it :)  It will be a good few days.

Tonight, I had a great run around the trail!  It went really well, I was strong the whole way through.  I hate sometimes when I’m on the trail, but I’m kind of in a lazy mood, and it just does not do much for me.  Tonight, though, was really good, I felt so free running in the slight breeze.  The fact that I get to run along the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean is enough to encourage me and make me feel free anyway!

-Heather xoxo