tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57971142011-06-24T13:24:44.416-04:00"never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. for, indeed, that's all who ever have." <BR>- margaret meadwenderellanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-60888433140919143762007-07-19T14:50:00.000-04:002007-07-19T15:17:27.932-04:00

we went to see the newest pixar flick on the canada day long weekend (the weather was crap and we were kinda bored of just sitting around the cottage) and we both really liked it. you know, i'd never had ratatouille before but that little rat remy and his bumbling friend linguini made me want to have some as soon as possible. then lo and behold, posted on the foodtv.ca blog, a review of the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-70533080831572690512007-03-30T08:18:00.000-04:002007-07-19T15:20:39.497-04:00

i'm not sure why, but on friday mornings i always manage to make it to work a little earlier than the other days of the week. i suspect that it's because i'm less sluggish about getting ready because i know i get to wear jeans instead of dreading the possibility that it'll be another day that i will feel lousy in my dress pants.anyway, i like it because i get to work before almost anyone else is

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-53026310065332559372007-02-26T21:10:00.000-05:002007-02-26T21:27:10.852-05:00

last summer i was looking for a new volunteer opportunity and hadn't had much success coming up with something that i thought i would enjoy and that i could really make a difference doing. i've done a few different volunteer activities over the years from helping my peers in high school in an after-school math program to canvassing for the heart and stroke foundation to sitting on the board of

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-83532704849218315282007-02-15T10:16:00.000-05:002007-02-15T10:32:05.605-05:00

so i was reading a letter to the editor in the metro earlier this week from a pregnant woman who was complaining about how no one ever gives up their seat for her on the subway. if i have a seat i'm always on the lookout for people who might need the seat more than me and offer it up at any opportunity. i have a guy friend who worried about this so much that he would just never sit on the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-46309219121857079772007-02-13T17:44:00.000-05:002007-02-13T17:55:03.441-05:00

i tried this recipe because it looked yummy and comforting and quick. it was very quick - good for a running night and i don't even have to feel guilty about eating pasta because i ran - but not as yummy or comforting as i had hoped. i suspect that the error of my ways was in using an 'instant' type of alfredo sauce which was prepared from a powder and also being lazy and using a rather sweet

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-58840295522237787632007-02-06T19:47:00.000-05:002007-02-15T10:42:36.363-05:00

these days i do exactly 3 things (regularly anyway): work, study, cook. this of course excludes sleeping, which i also do. soon i hope to add running to that list, but for now, this is it. i can't post about work, because that's not particularly advisable and not all that interesting to anyone, and i doubt that anyone wants to read about my study habits. although i do find that most people are

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-43719161520840218022007-02-03T14:49:00.000-05:002007-02-06T19:47:33.390-05:00

the recipe for this undeniably hearty, delicious and healthful soup comes from the detox book and delivers a serious dose of good-for-you veggies. we ate it for dinner last night and it was absolutely satisfying and wonderful. try it!ribollita serves 63 tbsp olive oil2 onions, chopped2 carrots, sliced4 garlic cloves, crushed2 celery sticks, thinly sliced1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped2 large

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-30770740752545293882007-01-25T14:38:00.000-05:002007-01-25T15:20:27.344-05:00

i've been having an unbelievably hard time getting out of bed in the morning these days. it seems that no matter what time i set my alarm clock for, i can't get out of bed before 6:45. this is not early enough for me, as i like to be at work earlier than this allows. i was complaining to my officemate about this and he suggested looking into an alarm clock that simulates dawn. i checked out

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1169232807486701632007-01-19T13:26:00.000-05:002007-01-19T13:53:27.500-05:00

robin loves the girlie drinks. i order beer, sometimes wine if i'm in that kind of mood, but robin loves anything from fruity martinis to the kind of cocktails that come with a pound of fruit, miniature umbrellas, streamers, fireworks...the works. if it's girlie and in a glass, he loves it. i'm all about getting drunk the no-frills way.so this morning i went to second cup to get a latte (i'm

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1165709739291111432006-12-09T19:10:00.000-05:002006-12-09T19:15:39.303-05:00

as robin and i prepare to embark on our next great adventure many people have been asking me 'are you going to do a blog again'. the answer: yes. besides wishing to please our public, we both really enjoyed doing it as well. it's a treat for us to be able to journal our travels as they happen and be able to go back later and reread what we had to say about a particular day or part of the trip.

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1164652007656212972006-11-27T13:08:00.000-05:002006-11-27T13:26:47.680-05:00

the saint cinnamon near where i work (that i happen to walk past every morning) sells these little cinnamon sticks. they normally sell them in a package of 6 but i convinced the woman one day to sell me just 2 of them (come on, do i look like i really need 6?!?!). she reluctantly agreed but insisted that i would eat those 2 and just want to come back for more. i thought: no kidding, what was

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1160960702456047802006-10-15T20:48:00.000-04:002006-10-15T21:05:02.466-04:00

better than my realistic goal time, not quite my optimistic goal time, but i finished still standing. still running in fact. i didn't take any unplanned walk breaks (and in fact skipped one going up the hill at hog's hollow) and i finished before the first full marathon finisher. small achievements but they meant something to me.yesterday i couldn't wait for it to be over. 21.1 kms is a lot of

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1160780851812075352006-10-13T16:14:00.000-04:002006-11-01T10:47:03.780-05:00

this post is 5 days overdue but as natalie has so graciously pointed out, the word to describe me is not 'punctual'. better late than never, as they say.this year robin and i celebrated thanksgiving 3 times - with his mom and brothers, with my mom, ian and sisters, and with my dad, mary ellen and my nana. for the most part, this was our first time seeing everyone since the wedding; needless to

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1159878160977296122006-10-03T08:19:00.000-04:002006-10-13T16:14:44.193-04:00

they're finally available in an online slideshow (click picture below to view)....enjoy!

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1158149737887344652006-09-13T07:40:00.000-04:002006-09-13T08:15:37.916-04:00

last year i posted all of our film choices plus decriptions for anyone who was interested in buying tickets....this year all our tickets were spoken for before i could even think about a post! we decided to see fewer films and get more tickets to each - so instead of seeing 15 or 16 films each and selling 40 or 45 tickets, we're seeing 8 or 9 each and sold about 65 tickets. i think the film

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1157505540130936012006-09-05T21:04:00.000-04:002006-09-05T21:19:00.143-04:00

not really; i'm not actually changing my last name. if i were to make a list of the top 10 things people have asked me leading up to and just after the wedding, "are you changing your last name?" would probably be about #4. it would be funny if i hyphenated though...aside from the chilly, very november-like weather, everything went wonderfully. robin's canoe/boat entrance received many kudos,

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1156943093829855862006-08-30T08:32:00.000-04:002006-08-30T09:05:45.386-04:00

so environment canada says rain sunday. no percentage chance, no cloudy with sunny breaks. just rain. i don't know if anyone else is keeping track, but this year every other long weekend has had beautiful weather. our second choice, the august long weekend, we stayed away from because we figured it would be too hot. 25 degrees, sunny, no humidity. i know the weather forcast is not particulary

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1156336645542669262006-08-23T08:24:00.000-04:002006-08-23T08:37:25.553-04:00

i'm starting to feel a little more excited (almost everyone i talk to every day asks). we finished planning the service yesterday - complete with readings and complimentary music selections for the vocal quartet - so i feel quite relieved about that and excited because it seems to have come together nicely. now all i have to worry about is writing my vows. i'm trying very hard not to nibble on

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1154616111145584372006-08-03T10:06:00.000-04:002006-08-04T16:58:23.846-04:00

exactly one month from today is the wedding. eep.to do list:- get marriage license- buy shoes for me- buy shoes and a belt for robin- buy wedding rings- do baking for wedding desserts- make appointment to have hair coloured- pick up wedding dressit's the last one that's keeping me up at night. well actually it wakes me up at night when i have nightmares about it being the morning of the wedding

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1153340723346016592006-07-19T15:41:00.000-04:002006-07-19T16:25:23.443-04:00

i the past i've organize and planned with fervour to be able to attend as many summer and winterlicious meals as my stomach (and wallet) can possibly manage but this year my attendance at summerlicious has been....well, paltry at best.however, a sudden and unexpected turn of events found me at nectar this past saturday evening. on friday i attended a small gathering at a friend from work's place

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1152540632005253542006-07-10T09:35:00.000-04:002006-07-10T10:10:32.086-04:00

in 55 days robin will be promoted from 'boyfriend' to 'husband'. he's very excited. so with only 55 days to go, i thought i might tell a little story which seems appropriate for a number of reasons which i won't bother to explain because i suspect they'll be obvious if you choose to keep reading.when we started talking about the wedding and how we saw it unfolding, we decided immediately that it

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1151595175939768332006-06-29T11:28:00.000-04:002006-06-29T11:32:57.696-04:00

if you are cold, tea will warm you. if you are heated, it will cool you. if you are depressed, it will cheer you. if you are excited, it will calm you.– william gladstone

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1150983495643298162006-06-22T09:23:00.000-04:002006-06-22T10:16:23.160-04:00

the first 2 weeks of sailing were pretty uneventful. we knew the theory of what we were supposed to be doing, and i can now tie at least 4 different kinds of knots, but no luck on the actual sailing. the wind has been mostly nonexistent and we've just sort of been floating around in the boats just past the breakwall off the shores of lake ontario. until lesson 5.....the wind made a dramatic

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1150210394622322272006-06-13T10:28:00.000-04:002006-06-13T10:53:14.683-04:00

beurre noisette: french term for "brown butter" or literally "hazelnut butter". butter is cooked in a pan until it turns a golden brown. the resulting butter has a nutty flavor.yesterday i took the day off so that we could spend a long weekend at the cottage doing some wedding preparations. for lunch we decided to dine at the restaurant where we have been considering having a day-after lunch for

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1149771750367271492006-06-07T08:29:00.000-04:002006-06-08T09:02:30.476-04:00

robin and i had our first sailing lesson last night. it's just dinghy sailing, but i think i'm glad now that we started small. i've spent my whole life hanging out on boats and thought 'oh this'll be easy, i already know which is starboard and which is port!' ya, so did everyone else in the class! most had even been sailing before.....there was a lot of information to take in; after some '

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1148863808572516142006-05-28T20:30:00.000-04:002006-05-28T20:50:08.653-04:00

i've had many good ideas for posts in the past month and a half, and absolutely no time to write them. this past weekend we travelled (by bus....don't do it!!!!) to ottawa for the ing ottawa race weekend, where we ran in the 21st annual nordion 10K. it was okay. i managed a disappointing 1:14:39. in my defense, i've only run 3 times since the around the bay 10K at the end of march though. i

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1145372740178472842006-04-18T10:25:00.000-04:002006-07-10T10:15:48.783-04:00

well, i had to plead my way into getting tagged, but gwen broke the rules (good girl!) and tagged me in addition to the three other people she had already tagged to fulfill her obligation to the blog tag......3 names u go by: wendy, wen, bucky3 screen names u have had: wenderella, whiskeysit, rugbygirl3 things u like about yourself: my hips, my feet, my smile3 things u don’t like about yourself:

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1145364056233207232006-04-18T08:18:00.000-04:002006-04-18T08:42:30.770-04:00

how was everyone's easter weekend? mine was absolutely exhausting.robin and i had planned a very important weekend (mistake number one), where robin's mom and brothers would come to our house (from ottawa, montreal and waterloo) for the weekend while robin and i orchestrated a series of events that would result in several lovely meals to celebrate easter, my birthday and his younger brother

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1144846957632935312006-04-12T08:31:00.000-04:002006-04-12T09:02:37.703-04:00

so far (yes, i am expecting more) i have received two birthday presents. one, from my friend cathy, was some yummy-smelling papaya body butter, a beautiful tile she got in israel that i hung above my stove and some fancy dead sea hand cream, also from israel. the second was my gift from robin; a book that i think i'm really going to enjoy (although i can't seem to remember what it's called at the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1144765835140142372006-04-11T10:24:00.000-04:002006-04-11T10:30:35.216-04:00

happy birthday to mehappy birthday to mehappy birthday dear mehappy birthday to menot that i need to wish myself a happy birthday! i've already received lots of ecard and singing phone calls and "singing" emails from my peeps. yay! i love my birthday. embarking on my 28th year, i still have to fight the urge to tell total strangers that it's my birthday. i'm as giddy and giggly as i've ever

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1144154214618790042006-04-04T08:21:00.000-04:002006-04-04T08:40:50.013-04:00

this is one of those weird things that no one's going to really care about, but it might be a funny story...we'll see once i'm done crafting it.on nights when i'm sleeping fitfully i find that past about 1:00 or 2:00 am i wake up every hour or so. if you know something about sleep cycles, you'll realize that it means i'm dreaming an awful lot, and i'm one of those people that remembers dreams.

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1143039619962462222006-03-22T09:46:00.000-05:002006-03-22T10:00:20.003-05:00

yesterday i found a kitchenaid stand mixer on ebay (imperial grey), which normally retails for about $450. with 7 hours left in the auction i set my max bid to US$170 and crossed my fingers. by the time i got home and checked again, someone had outbid me at US$171.50. i decided to raise my max bid by $10 and then just wait to see if the baking powers that be wanted me to have that mixer. the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1143038723379388402006-03-21T21:07:00.000-05:002006-03-22T09:45:51.463-05:00

after my parents split up i found myself spending more time attempting to prepare meals for my unfortunate sisters in an effort to help out my mom who was, understandably, going through a pretty hard time. she was back to working full time for the first time since i could remember, and still trying to find time for herself to do things like work out and spend time with friends. there were many,

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1142535626230159482006-03-16T13:32:00.000-05:002006-03-17T16:11:46.210-05:00

that's my nana: dorothy may. she makes me laugh in ways that no one else can. she has an insight into life that's as honest and interesting as only a child's can be. my mom was telling me last night about taking nana to see the doctor. apparently she has hemorroids. this fact is not what concerns my nana. she came out of the office and whispered to my mom that her regular doctor had not

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1142533860970031212006-03-16T13:12:00.000-05:002006-03-16T13:31:01.066-05:00

i want to be curled up on my couch under a thick, warm blanket. with a bowl of popcorn. and some cookies. and maybe a big mug of hot chocolate, but more probably a glass of red wine. but i'm not; i'm running.it's cold and windy and bitter. the march lion is roaring. and yet, i'm running. tonight the responsibility to ensure that my friend meredith's cats are fed and watered and cuddled at

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1140732581638659352006-02-23T16:26:00.000-05:002006-02-23T17:21:36.040-05:00

i've been experiencing a bit of writer's block (yes, singular possessive because i am one writer having a block) lately as a result of blogger intimidation. it started out when i stumbled on a post about an article in food & wine magazine by pete wells that refers to 'cheese sandwich blogs'. the article is, at first glance, more specifically about food blogs, but goes on to list the qualities

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1140018727243073582006-02-15T10:17:00.000-05:002006-02-15T11:15:59.206-05:00

a few months ago robin and i decide to take on renovating the kitchen as this year's project. first order of business - replace icky linoleum floor with tile. after a very long and arduous process of chosing the tile, agreeing on whether to pay someone to do it or 'do it ourselves' (also referred to as have sean do it), and scheduling the whole mess we finally have a brand new, smart-looking,

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1139846447897385572006-02-13T08:18:00.000-05:002006-02-13T15:26:30.316-05:00

in the morning i like to get coffee. not because i need that jolt of caffeine to get me started. not because i have an addiction (believe it or not).my usual coffee routine took me to a small diner, conveniently located across the intersection from my house, called the lunch box. i really like it. they serve fair trade coffee and keep honey on hand for me to use in lieu of sugar to sweeten my

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1139347077470184682006-02-07T16:10:00.000-05:002006-02-07T16:17:57.483-05:00

as i was having my hair cut on saturday, my aunt and i were talking about running and how i had chosen a route near her house (in kanata) to do that afternoon and another for sunday morning. the woman cutting my hair, a wendy as well, asked me if i am addicted to running. i asked her what exactly defines an 'addiction' to running. her response - ' you know, do you have to do it every day?'

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1138825706707126792006-01-31T15:23:00.000-05:002006-02-01T15:31:15.196-05:00

i’m starting to think that i’m going to turn into one of these people that refuses to eat anything because everything makes them feel ill.six months ago i was eating everything. food i love the taste of, food i don’t really like the taste of, food that makes me feel sick to my stomach or bloated, food that makes me want more food. and way, way too much of all of it. i utterly lacked any

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1138197794238631782006-01-25T08:47:00.001-05:002006-01-31T16:00:16.303-05:00

for a long time i was really bad at accepting compliments from others. i would contradict the comment and usually say something derrogatory about myself. then i got better at it. i would always just respond with 'thank you' no matter how urged i felt to put myself down.then something else happened; i began saying thank you and then adding some indication of how i felt about the subject of the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1137506393558405892006-01-17T08:51:00.000-05:002006-01-17T08:59:53.560-05:00

what am i? wendy's new office! that's right, in 2 short weeks when my new team at my new job moves to it's new office space i will be getting an office. i'll be sharing it with a coworker, but the space is allegedly plenty large enough for both of us and really i don't mind because i might get lonely otherwise anyway. i like where i'm sitting right now as well actually. there's a very open

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1136489694838103152006-01-06T14:24:00.000-05:002006-01-06T10:08:33.963-05:00

my friend ryan passed this on to me. he once gave me some of the best advice i've ever received....i was reacting to another person's behaviour and really letting it annoy and upset me and he suggested that if i were to focus not on what the other person was doing or trying to change it, but rather on what inside me was making me react the way i was, that it would be more productive for me and

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1136476414686942722006-01-05T10:47:00.000-05:002006-01-05T10:55:27.326-05:00

i had a very unsuccessful experience with my slow cooker yesterday. i thought i should balance the impression i give to everyone of my cooking abilities but including some not-so-flattering stories of me in the kitchen. i prepared the ingredients of a potato, leek and mushroom gratin on tuesday night and kept it in the refrigerator overnight (the book says you can do this) and then set it on low

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1136385621038869232006-01-04T09:32:00.000-05:002006-01-17T08:50:12.420-05:00

have you ever needed to send a gift to someone and wanted something unique but didn't want the pain of mailing a large package? my aunt kathy does gift baskets (really, really nice ones) and ships all over north america. i've ordered baskets from her before and the recipients have always been very pleased.i came across the url for her site while going through some old emails today and thought i'd

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1136304450631476792006-01-03T10:54:00.000-05:002006-01-17T08:50:33.293-05:00

happy new year everyone! my 'new year' will actually start next week. this is my last week of work at my current job, and after 2 years 5 months at the same company (and 3 different jobs) i'm ready to move on!i'm looking forward to working for a small company - less than 50 employees - and starting a new an exciting role as an integration specialist. jan 10 is actually my first day, so i will

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1135955146648405582005-12-30T09:55:00.000-05:002006-01-17T08:51:22.060-05:00

1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1" cubes and sweated (sprinkle them with salt and let sit for an hour)2 medium onions, finely chopped4 garlic cloves, finely chopped2 portobello mushrooms, quartered and cut into 1/4" strips2 sweet potatoes, cubed2 tsp corriander seed2 tsp cumin seed1 tsp cracked black peppercorns1 tbsp vegetable oil1 can (540ml) of tomatoes1. in a dry skillet, toast cumin and

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1135875993346265672005-12-29T11:56:00.000-05:002005-12-29T12:06:33.360-05:00

i'm not much of a tv watcher....i really only follow a few shows regularly; survivor, 24, and this past fall the apprentice martha stewart which is rumoured to have been the one and only season of the show. so now with survivor guatemala all wrapped up and the 24 premiere not scheduled until jan 15/16, i decided that i needed to find something to watch on those evenings when i just feel like

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1135018470074764392005-12-19T13:51:00.000-05:002005-12-29T11:55:58.580-05:00

thailand and cambodia pics are now online....click to view the slideshow.

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1134754510978492452005-12-16T12:27:00.000-05:002005-12-16T12:35:10.986-05:00

holiday eating tips1. avoid carrot sticks. anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the christmas spirit. in fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. go next door, where they're serving rum balls.2. drink as much eggnog as you can. and quickly. like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. in fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. you can't find it any other time

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1134053381186218742005-12-08T09:32:00.000-05:002005-12-08T09:52:36.720-05:00

i was in shopper's drug mart the other day, picking up a few things, when i discovered something that will change the way i dress for work in the winter months forever more!i usually avoid wearing skirts at all any time after it becomes too chilly to go with bare legs. i'm sure many of you can guess why, if not from experiencing it first hand, then as a result of having witnessed the effects that

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1133791770355686142005-12-05T09:01:00.000-05:002005-12-06T10:00:14.713-05:00

saturday was the day of my goal race for the running clinic i've been doing. admittedly i missed more classes than i actually attended because of being away, but i still wanted to stick with the goal. so it was the 5km santa shuffle with race monies going towards the salvation army. our race kits included veggie tales videos and at first robin was confused and thought the running room was a

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1133791272515898732005-12-05T08:55:00.000-05:002005-12-05T09:01:12.526-05:00

we're back! after a week of being home i think we're finally just starting to recover from jet lag. it wasn't as bad as going there, but a challenge no less. mostly i found that i was waking up really early. like 3am early. which made it hard to stay awake much past 9pm each night. last night i got a good 9 1/2 hours sleep though, so hopefully i'll find myself adjusted after today. falling

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1130870653832715702005-11-04T13:25:00.000-05:002005-11-07T07:41:50.546-05:00

this will probably be my last post before i leave for thailand on friday. i won't be posting on this blog while i'm away, but i have created a blog dedicated to the trip and i'm hoping to have a few opportunities to post while i'm away as a means of providing interested friends and family updates on my trip details. if you're one of those friends or family, go to http://robinandwendy.blogspot.com

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1130869493545639302005-11-01T13:19:00.000-05:002005-11-01T13:24:53.556-05:00

on sunday morning i ran my usual route through the park, which is just short of 5km. as i neared the end, i decided that instead of cutting through the forest out to bloor street like i normally do (mostly to avoid the hill going up spring road) that i would face the hill and go all the way to the top of spring road. i'll admit, it wasn't easy and i was barely going faster than the people in

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1130419959502667602005-10-27T09:27:00.000-04:002005-10-27T09:32:39.520-04:00

i've had a surprisingly successfully week in terms of achievements in physical challenges. on saturday i climbed the cn tower (despite my extreme dislike of climbing anything), making it to the top in 26:27, just over 10 minutes faster than the last time i climbed the tower in 1999. on sunday robin and i went for a run that exceed 5km, which is a new distance record for me and then on tuesday i

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129814414568485772005-10-20T09:18:00.000-04:002005-10-20T13:15:12.793-04:00

you know those mornings when something good or pleasant happens that makes you feel like you had a chance to start the day out on the right foot? something like that happened to me this morning.as i was heading up the escalator to catch my train at keele station, i could hear the westbound train stop and the doors open and i started running up the escalator in a somewhat pointless effort to make

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129813782623067692005-10-19T21:59:00.000-04:002005-10-20T09:09:42.633-04:00

i've been worrying about my work shoes lately. they're black, relatively flat, square-toed and almost had no sole left on them. the heel was worn right down to the wood on the outsides of both shoes and the middle was wearing so thin i was sure my foot was going to go right through and touch the pavement. i'd been considering for weeks where i would find shoes almost exactly the same as these

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129579245996974552005-10-17T15:54:00.000-04:002005-10-17T16:00:46.000-04:00

only 18 more sleeps until i leave for thailand! i still don't know whether i'm more excited or nervous about it. i read in the travel guide that shorts are not really acceptable attire anywhere except the beach in thailand. i'm not sure what i'm going to wear in the 30 degree weather! i know that in the tourist areas shorts would be fine, but i suspect we will spend more time in non-tourist

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129300146112214052005-10-14T10:17:00.000-04:002005-10-14T10:29:06.130-04:00

last night before curling, patrick and i decided that we would have dinner at an indian restaurant that we noticed last week. we planned to meet there since it was a late game and i wanted to be able to drive home after, rather than spend the extra 1/2 hour taking public transit home. so i got there first and was noticing that the place was actually called 'kamasutra'. i thought perhaps it was

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129124947902033532005-10-12T09:46:00.000-04:002005-10-12T09:49:07.906-04:00

i didn't make it out to run over the long weekend, but i certainly managed to eat my share of turkey and all the fixins! mmmm......on monday, after arriving home from edmonton and settling in, robin and i went out for a run. we went 4.2km in 33 minutes - pace, 7:51/km. then last night i went to my running clinic and penny joined me, which made me run faster than i normally do. we went an

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1129125367807056572005-10-11T22:49:00.000-04:002005-10-12T09:56:07.806-04:00

the weekend was great! i left for edmonton on friday right from work and endured the 4 hour plus plane ride with one of the loudest talkers i've ever encountered in my life sitting a mere one seat away from me. he chatted away to the guy sitting right next to me for the entire flight. he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy though, and wasn't saying anything offensive so i couldn't bring myself

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128445193790853132005-10-07T11:09:00.000-04:002005-10-07T11:08:29.763-04:00

my mother makes the best pergogies ever. i know this is a bold statement, but i feel confident that it's true. until moving to high park i wasn't as certain. but now, living in the middle of what i'm sure are close to to largest ukranian and polish neighbourhoods in the world outside of the ukraine and poland, i've had the opportunity to test my theory. i have not yet been able to find perogies

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128606550526756882005-10-06T09:46:00.000-04:002005-10-06T09:49:10.533-04:00

i made it out for the group run at the RR last night. one other girl and i wanted to try doing run 5 min, walk 1 min instead of the 1 and 1 that the rest of our LTR group was doing. the instructor said that was fine and off we went. i managed to maintain a pace that was slightly faster than my normal pace and we covered 2.8km in 19:16. that's 6:53 per km....for those keeping score :P oh wait

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128523770517452372005-10-05T10:37:00.000-04:002005-10-05T11:15:47.330-04:00

my running room clinic started last night. i am taking advantage of our 1 minute running 1 minute walking starting point to try and improve my pace. i can already run for about 15 minutes, but that's not how the running room clinic people want you to do it. 10 minutes running, max! so i found myself near the front of the fastest group of runners. maybe there's hope for me to complete 5km in less

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128370675872623182005-10-04T10:16:00.000-04:002005-10-04T10:18:18.410-04:00

my skins curling league started last week. i'm also playing in the bmo league again this year, but that's only every other monday night. so i feel a bit more serious about it this year, and hope that i'll become a bit more skilled at it. i felt okay about how i played on thursday and like i probably didn't make too much a fool of myself with a 'real' team. to put it in perspective, the skip for

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128369903812606052005-10-03T16:01:00.000-04:002005-10-04T10:08:27.676-04:00

correction: it actually took us 33 minutes. i forgot that i screwed up my watch and it was off by 5 minutes. so actually it was about consistent with the pace i've been running at all along. last night robin and i ran together. we went 4.6km in 28 min. that's about 1 min per km better than my best time so far. he pointed out that i wasn't pushing off my feet properly, thus making it more

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128108124475805602005-09-30T14:35:00.000-04:002005-09-30T15:22:04.543-04:00

today is unity day at work. each floor is responsible for decorating and creating a flag that reflects the theme (meet your neighbours) with the goal of enticing people from other floors to visit yours. i volunteered on the committee for my floor, and we spent the better part of the week working on decorations and setting everything up. it all paid off about half an hour ago when we won second

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1128002316227238122005-09-29T09:50:00.000-04:002005-09-29T09:58:36.263-04:00

i signed up for a running room clinic that starts on oct 4. initially i really wanted to do the advanced 5km clinic but it was only offered on thursdays and i'm curling on thursdays this year. so i settled on the learn to run 5km, following my friend andre's advice that if i tried to do one (like the 10km) that might be too advanced for me, i would end up feeling frustrated and discouraged. i

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1127926400456795052005-09-28T12:46:00.000-04:002005-09-28T12:53:20.470-04:00

this weekend i'm playing in a fun slo-pitch tournament with my work team. the tournament is open to family and friends as well (our regular league is not) so my sister is coming up from peterborough to play with us. i'm really excited about it because a) it will be really nice to spend some fun time with my sister at a non-family event and b) she's really good, so we stand a chance at kicking

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1127232197973681252005-09-20T11:55:00.000-04:002005-09-20T12:08:29.780-04:00

i popped into snarkspot, the blog of jennifer weiner one of my favourite authors, this morning and found this post waiting for me. i didn't even meet her at the film festival gala for 'in her shoes', the movie based on her second novel, and i am still disillusioned by her visit to toronto. it's so not true that if you order bacon in canada you get canadian bacon. i've ordered bacon for breakfast

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126887191603280242005-09-16T12:12:00.000-04:002005-09-16T12:13:11.606-04:00

almost forgot.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126875928779769302005-09-16T09:00:00.000-04:002005-09-16T09:09:00.206-04:00

if anyone out there has been considering getting a pet, now is the time. from sept 16-18 the toronto humane society is waiving the adoption fee because they are in such desparate need of homes for the many abandoned pets at the shelter. if you go to the site you can see all the pets that are available right now.we've considered getting a second dog for a while but really aren't sure how whiskey

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126725316285638022005-09-14T15:00:00.000-04:002005-09-14T15:16:29.926-04:00

i was recently having a conversation about peanuts characters with my dad, mary ellen and robin. i pointed out that i saw myself most like lucy. later, robin laughed at our conversation and said that not only am i most like lucy of the peanuts characters, but that if someone asked him what cartoon character in general i was most like, he would still say lucy. i'm not sure what that says about how

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126544708335589732005-09-12T12:51:00.000-04:002005-09-12T13:05:08.343-04:00

i was walking along bloor street on my way to the park hyatt to pick up my u2 tickets yesterday and i could barely squeeze past the throng of camera-toting star seekers that crowded the sidewalk in front of the intercontinental hotel. i overheard one guy saying that he'd managed to snap a pic of dakota fanning the other day. all i could think was 'goody for you buddy. you wasted your day

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126297217036256932005-09-09T16:10:00.000-04:002005-09-09T16:20:17.043-04:00

robin and i saw our first film festival movie last night - kiss kiss, bang bang starring robert downey jr., val kilmer, and michelle monaghan who were all there!the film was about (from the tiff website) harry lockhart (robert downey jr.), a petty thief on the run from the cops after a botched five-finger-discount christmas shopping spree, suddenly finds himself in a movie audition giving an

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126222055301296452005-09-08T19:17:00.000-04:002005-09-08T19:31:56.953-04:00

we booked!!! woo hoo i'm going to thailand! and for the low, low price of only $1500. apparently one night in bangkok doesn't come cheap. i'm very excited though as this is the first trip of notable duration to a destination where english is not the first language. i travelled in europe for ten days in the fall of 2003, and the two days each that we spent in belgium and holland really stressed me

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1126098963208813622005-09-06T21:10:00.000-04:002005-09-07T09:16:03.210-04:00

i did it! i finished the triathlon and i did not come last! i did come 51st out of 54......two of those people didn't finish at all, but there was one person in my age group that finished behind me. and believe me, she was busting it to try and catch me. i saw her as i turned around after crossing the finish line and she was sprinting the last stretch of the run. now that i know i can do it,

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1125684951097104112005-09-02T14:10:00.000-04:002005-09-02T14:15:51.096-04:00

yesterday i went to drop off my coupon book for the film festival and while i was downtown, decided that i would pop into indigo to look for a book for my mom (her birthday was last friday). as i knelt down to look at a book on a lower shelf, pain started shooting through my ankle. it was that feeling of pressure building when a joint needs to crack except it wasn't cracking and the pressure

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1125684023460927572005-09-01T13:52:00.000-04:002005-09-02T14:00:23.466-04:00

i'm sooooo excited because jennifer weiner is coming to the premier of 'in her shoes' at the film festival on sept 14. i wasn't able to get tickets to the gala, but i intend to rush the line and do so several hours in advance to ensure that if there are in fact tickets available, i will end up with one. i'll have my copy of good in bed with me so that, in the somewhat unlikely event that she's

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1125513239470013832005-08-31T14:31:00.000-04:002005-09-07T09:02:10.260-04:00

updated sept 7 - film tickets confirmedandre, robin and i met last night to make our picks for the upcoming toronto international film festival. it was very exciting and overwhelming. it's a very complicated process. we have 90 tickets between the three of us, and for each ticket we have to make a first and second choice of the films we want to see. if you're interested in seeing any of the films

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1125408179916413282005-08-30T08:44:00.000-04:002005-08-30T09:28:23.713-04:00

from july 29 - aug 7 robin and i went on a vacation roadtrip to eastern canada. we visited a number of places that are worth sharing and i've finally had the chance to pick out a few of my favourite pictures, so i'll be taking the next couple of days to blog a little about the ones that especially left an impression on me.twice during our trip i manage to accomplish, if not enjoy, an activity

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1125094347307180522005-08-26T18:07:00.000-04:002005-08-26T18:13:53.016-04:00

whoops. there was a minor interruption in our regularly scheduled blogging. i caught hoyt's cold while we were in thunder bay on the weekend. i kinda knew i would because he wasn't sick and then all of a sudden he looked like death warmed over. it was inevitable that my immune system, suffering from sleep deprivation, airplane air, and chilly weather that i wasn't prepared for, would end up

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1124907638505502952005-08-24T13:36:00.000-04:002005-08-24T14:20:38.563-04:00

on sept 3, penny, suzanne and i will be participating in a subaru series try-a-tri at guelph lake. we will be swimming 375m, biking 10km and running (hopefully!) 2.5km. it doesn't sound like much, but i'm a bit nervous about it.i've been preparing by riding my bike to work as often as my schedule and the weather allows as well as swimming at the pool in the community centre across the street

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1124831159354714892005-08-23T16:47:00.000-04:002005-08-23T17:05:59.363-04:00

our flight to thunder bay on friday was delayed 6 hours by the storm that did this to finch avenue:i never cease to be awed by the unbelievable force of water. it seems so harmless and inviting and i struggle with the disconnection between this image and the serene image my mind usually associates with water. i experienced something similar a couple of times recently while robin and i were

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1124740817254233992005-08-22T15:42:00.000-04:002005-08-23T10:58:00.986-04:00

thank you to everyone who's so gratiously responded to my shameless plea for more blog traffic by visiting my humble little corner of the world wide web :)i thought as an ode to the people who have graced my page with their comments, that i would help introduce my (hopefully repeat!) readers to each other by saying a little something about everyone that's commented.......i met dale during my time

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1124463664799066922005-08-19T10:27:00.000-04:002005-08-19T11:01:04.860-04:00

what's this? a post two days in a row? it can't be.......i had an interesting experience the other day that i'd like to share with my readers (if there are any left). the other day there were some LAN technicians wandering around our floor at work installing shiny, new 17" flatscreen monitors at everyone's workstation. i was pleasantly surprised to find mine on my desk already when i arrived

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1124376610235610752005-08-18T10:38:00.000-04:002005-08-18T10:50:10.243-04:00

i have been inspired! my blog has been progressively declining in quality and frequency of posts but my passion for the blog has been renewed.i should point out that i am generally dissatisfied with the quality of my blog overall. this is not acceptable for someone who has spent thousands of dollars on web design courses. so i will be exploring opportunities to improve my blog and perhaps be

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1117820406719333872005-06-03T13:27:00.000-04:002005-06-03T13:40:06.726-04:00

the first opportunity for me to employ my newly acquired (intermediate) web design skills has presented itself. a co-worker and friend who has recently taken up pilates with a friend-of-her-sister's instructor approached me the other day to see if i would be interested in building a web page. said pilates instructor turns out to actually be pilates instructor/jewellery creationist for whom i

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1115259870501852942005-05-04T22:22:00.000-04:002005-05-04T22:27:31.863-04:00

hey! i used to think i would marry tom cruise too, but i haven't been tracked down by "cruise's camp"! what the hell's up with that?!?!oh ya, and don't forget to check out the new pic of me and my wonderful honey :P -->

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1114121426546527592005-04-11T17:46:00.000-04:002005-04-22T10:29:52.706-04:00

i was understandably skeptical about spending my birthday in orlando, with just one other person from work who i was to meet only the day before i would otherwise be celebrating with family and friends. i really anticipated being kinda sad, kinda lonely, and probably spending the remainder of the day following conference activities lounging by the pool, possibly attending a conference social

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1112287345640737142005-04-04T11:35:00.000-04:002005-04-04T14:32:04.086-04:00

one of the first of many subscriptions transferred to my name upon commencement of my new job was a membership to the national association of purchasing card professionals. sounds exciting, right? okay not, but it comes with a perk that i hadn't anticipated, and in fact it's really a job perk that i didn't even know existed when i signed up for this gig. i will be departing for my first napcp

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1112296796735085022005-03-31T14:13:00.000-05:002005-03-31T14:19:56.736-05:00

last night robin went to a geeky waterloo math alumni pub event and returned home with a present for me! a couple things crossed my mind as he produced the plastic bag containing my gifty:"more take-home creme brulee?""leftovers from his meal? - oh wait, this is robin we're talking about, nevermind""a cheesy loot bag?"or as it were, none of the above. it was a pink t-shirt, the front stating "

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1112286748729127582005-03-31T11:25:00.000-05:002005-03-31T11:32:28.730-05:00

i need some clever ideas for the website i am now responsible for administrating at work. the topic is a bit boring, but the content includes a regular reader poll and a spot for random quotes. so i'm looking for 2 things - fun polls ideas and sources for good quotes that i can add to the revolving list.i'm excited about this site. although it's a little dry, i don't get to actually write the

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1110222176393968142005-03-09T22:52:00.000-05:002005-03-12T17:38:07.173-05:00

it seems inappropriate to post about it on my blog, but really all i've been able to think about since monday morning at about 10:00 is anjeet. her sister called to let me know that she is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with acute leukemia. the cancer is very fast moving and she began chemotherapy on monday afternoon. i went to the hospital after work to see her family. i was unable to

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1110221551056853562005-03-07T13:51:00.000-05:002005-03-07T13:52:31.056-05:00

i was offered, and accepted, the research analyst position. i officially start on march 28, but will be 'transitioning throughout the month'. i'm happy, and looking forward to the new job.

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1109002781599153902005-02-21T10:37:00.000-05:002005-02-21T11:19:41.600-05:00

i must be nerdier than i thought because other wendy called me a 'nerdface' and is telling all her friends about my geeky survivor pool tracking spreadsheet. in my defence, i didn't create the silly thing, i just learned how to use it so i could run the pool! on the other hand, in defense of my geekiness, i could have created the spreadsheet myself.update on my pursuit of a more fulfilling job:

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1108050074645099022005-02-10T10:24:00.000-05:002005-02-14T22:02:00.863-05:00

ode to the surveyi used to really be into filling out these silly email surveys and sending them out to everyone in my address book. unlike some of my contacts, the novelty has worn off. however, every once in a very short while and interesting one will pop up. this one came to me from melissa yesterday and i thought i'd post my answers here:15 years ago, i:1. was 10 years old, and in grade 5 at

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1107887996703284042005-02-08T13:36:00.000-05:002005-02-08T13:41:48.960-05:00

you can kinda see how my hair turned out in the pic on the right of me and amory. i have some more shots from the evening but haven't had a chance to upload them from my camera yet (pc is undergoing maintenance at the moment), and will put them up as soon as i get a chance. lise & wendy - rick says hi and was pleased by the limited news i passed on about both of you.

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5797114.post-1107792337476435942005-02-07T10:58:00.000-05:002005-02-07T11:05:37.476-05:00

in other news (on no! 2 posts in one day - this is unheard of) i am considering applying for an internal job posting. i've only been at my position for 7 months and my previous one for 8. all this moving around makes me appear unstable. that, among other things, is making me hesitant to actually apply. i talked to my colleague and friend kathy about it (she's my unofficial manager) and she

wenderellanoreply@blogger.com0