Friday, October 31, 2008

Friday Fave Five

"It's a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc. Go ahead and grab the button and make your own post, be as detailed as you like, link to the Living to Tell the Story Fave Five post and then add yourself to the Mr. Linky."


1) New Shoes: Even better is new shoes at a great price! Twice every year Ronsons holds a warehouse sale in my city and all shoes are sold for 39.99. This year I bought 1 pair of shoes for 39.99 and when I got home I noticed that the price on the box was 112.99. I love getting a great deal!

2) Pacific Theatre: Thursday I went to Pacific Theatre and saw Mourning Dove. PT is a very small theatre in Vancouver. They are connected to a church, but don't necessarily put on "Christian" plays. Their shows are based on moral issue and are designed to get you thinking and talking. I had a 2 for 1 coupon and went with a good friend to see Mourning Dove. What a touching play it was! I left with tears in my eyes.....and was sniffling by the time we got to the car.

3) Good friends: Further to #2 the friend I went to the play with is a great friend. One of those friends you can cry in front of and not feel bad. (In fact she's seen me cry on one than one occasion.)

4) 50% off coupons: It's much easier to go see a play when it costs you about the same as seeing a movie in the theatre!

5) Getting to use some sign language: A couple of years ago I took a sign language course at night school. Last Sunday at church I saw a friend signing to someone. I stopped by to say hello (in my very limited sign language). She was signing to a deaf man who has been attending our church. They invited me to sit with them next Sunday, when a translator will be translating the sermon for him.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Book Review: Grace in Thine Eyes


I loved this book! It's the last in a series of 4 books, and possible the best one! The book is based in Scotland in 1808. It follows the story of 17 year old Davina, daughter of the two of the characters from books 1-3.

Davina, while visiting her cousins, is raped and must decide whether to lie and cover up the truth and save her reputation, or face the truth and forgive the one who did wrong to her. As with all things her family gets involved and must also come to terms with what happened.

The author's website really says it best:
"A story of passion and revenge, of lost innocence and shattered dreams, Grace in Thine Eyes explores the sorrow of unspeakable shame and the gift of immeasurable grace."

Besides being a great story I was struck by a couple things from this book. The first was that as I was reading part of the book I was starting to get really mad at the author. While this may seem bad it was really a good thing. Often with a story you can tell what is going to happen and where the story is going. I did not for see this one event and got so caught up the story that I wanted everything to work out for the best and this one event went against what I thought was best. ('cause you know its all about me right! :P )
I was also moved by the great descriptions of places. There was a lot of travel in the story and it was all so well described that I feel as through I've been there! (Ok, so I know I haven't really travelled 1808 Scotland, but it has created a strong urge to travel to modern day Scotland just to see the placed mentioned in the book!)

It's even got me thinking how lucky women are these days. We can own property, and have a job, and choose if we want to get married, heck we can even decide if we want kids and how many. Two hundred years ago everything depended on your husband! You HAD to marry and your had to marry well. All I can say is thank goodness for 2008.
Overall a great book, I would definitely recommend this one.


Wow, all this from one book! It must be one heck of a book huh? :)

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Friday Fave Five

"It's a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc. Go and make your own post, be as detailed as you like, link to the Living to Tell the Story Fave Five post and then add yourself to the Mr. Linky."


1) Good books: There just nothing like a good book to curl up with on cool fall days (or any day really!). I'm soon to post about a great book I just finished called Grace in Thine Eyes by Liz Curtis Higgs.

2) Yarn: The yarn I ordered online came in the mail this week. Three skeins of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Raging Purple. It's not as dark a purple as I used for Fetching but it's not a pale, washed out purple either. Can you imagine wearing a sweater you made yourself. Yes, it will be lots of knitting work, but the payoff's gonna be great!

3) Work: I'm thankful that I have a job that is quite slow today. Our CEO and my supervisor are both away today and I can be a slacker and write this post while "on the job".

4) Good advice: As many people do I freeze bananas when they become too ripe, then when I have the time and inclination I'll take then out of the freezer and make banana bread. I normally just toss the whole banana, peel and all, in the freezer and then de-frost the entire thing when it comes time to bake. Recently while at a friend's house I saw that she had bananas in her freezer that were in plastic bags. After I asked she told me that before putting them in the freezer she peels the bananas as this makes it easier to use them when it comes time to bake. I've started doing this and now have several ziplock type bags with banana peices in them. I look forward to baking with them and not having to peel half frozen and soggy bananas!

5) Inspirational quotes: from this website. One of my fav's is:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." Thoreau

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Whiskers on Wednesday

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary....



















8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!



Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary....



















Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now................
**I really do like cats, I just thought this post would be good for a laugh!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Friday Fave Five

"It's a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc. Link to the Living to Tell the Story blog."

1) Mandarin Oranges: I had my first mandarin orange this year. It's the earliest in the season I've ever had one. Yum Yum! I love the smell they give off when you peel them. It smells like Christmas to me.

2) Mountains: I was driving north on the Alex Fraser Bridge a couple of days ago and got a great view of the North Shore Mountains. They are beautiful and can be seen no matter where in Greater Vancouver you are. I love the beautiful place I live!

3) A free ticket to VIFF: A co-worker gave me 2 free tickets to Vancouver International Film Festival. I made plans to go see a film tonight with my old roommate. (We ended up missing the show due to traffic and showing up late, but it was nice to get a free ticket anyway. Maybe I can get out to a re-play tomorrow.)

4) Girl Guide Cookies: More yummy food from this week. My supervisor was selling these at work today for his daughter. They are the chocolate covered mint ones.

5) This quote that was emailed to me this week:

Whatever you give a woman, she's going to multiply.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So - if you give her crap, you will receive more shit than any one human being can handle.
Love and appreciate all the women in your life.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

What a weekend!

I've had a great weekend! On Saturday my family got together at my parent's house for my birthday. We had drinks and yummy cheesecake with strawberries, and played the card game Wizard. My 5 month nephew was there and looking as cute as always! They pooled their money for a gift and gave me ..... CASH! They know that I want a digital camera so along with the money I've been saving and the money they've given me I should be able to buy one soon. (Yea, then I can start posting pictures on the blog.) I also got two movie vouchers from mom. (She's been wanting to go see a chick flick with me for awhile now and I keep beating her to the movie by seeing it with my friends.)

Then this afternoon I met with 3 friends I got to know through the Vancouver Knitting Meetup. And two came bearing gifts. Monica gave me a felted tea cosy with a design and crocheted flower on the front. Chelle gave me 2 stitch markers, a notions bag (that I will put to use as soon as I finish this post), and some sock yarn. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, 100% merino fingering weight. The colour is absolutely gorgeous! It's called Northern Lights and it's black with dark pink, purple, and green. (I gotta say the yarn does smell a little....mostly just like vinegar or chemicals....)

Since I've taken so long to complete my first pair of socks I don't think I'm quite ready to start my second just yet. I do really want to make this scarf though. I was going to make it out of some white yarn I had laying around the house, but I was feeling very uninspired with the yarn. I love the colours of this yarn so much that I might make the scarf with it. I'll do a swatch and see how the gauge turns out.

In non-birthday news I bought the yarn for my first sweater. It's Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in raging purple. (And in case I haven't mentioned it before the sweater I want to make is Green Gable.) I can't wait for it to arrive!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Friday Fill-Ins # 92

1. October is here with in all its raining glory.
2. Pythons and tarantulas scare me!
3. Leaves are falling all around, it's making me want to go on a walk and crunch them.
4. My favorite horror movie is none because I don't watch horror movies.
5. Summer and good friends = good memories.
6. It was a dark and stormy night and the power went out while I was watching the scariest CSI episode ever! (the one where Nick is buried underground!)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing at home, tomorrow my plans include a birthday get together for me at mom and dad's and Sunday, I want to have tea at Steeps with Monica!

Book Review: Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs



It's been almost 3 weeks since I finished reading Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs. This book is the third story in a series of four. I really enjoyed this book. I don't know how to describe the book without going into a long storyline, which I won't do. (It just continues the story of Jamie, Rose, and Leana.) Suffice it to say the book is about honour and duty. I love Leana's character and the strength and righteousness she displays. (I think she sets a good example for all of us to who feel not good enough, or those stuck in a tough time.) She gets through all her hard situations with sheer determination and her faith in God. I'm looking forward to picking up the forth (and final) book this Sunday.