Stage 2

Traffic on the bridge was unbelievable it took like an hour to get across the border and the border guards seemed more interested in my motivation for going to school in Calgary than anything I might have smuggled in. It was kind of funny! After the bridge it was smooth sailing UNTIL I hit Gary, Indianna!! From there until I managed to park my car in downtown Chicago I sat in traffic. It was insane they had ripped the road all to shreds and it was down to a single lane going into Chicago. Talk about fun!! But regardless I made it. And WAY ahead of schedule SO I took myself on a walking unguided tour of the city. I had been there before, but never on my own. I had a blast ! I rode the elevator up the Sears Tower. Looked out all the windows and picked a few things from that viewpoint which I thought I would like to try and find without a map or guide. And I did it!!! I didn't even get a little bit lost! On the way to the first stop which I later found out was the Buckingham Fountain I found this red metal sculpture that is supposedly famous but I know nothing about...But it was REALLY neat. The fountain was amazing!! I had driven by it but never actually stop to admire it before. It really is huge!! Then I got the call from my sister and her husband that they were in the city and parked SO after a few calls and me figuring out where I actually was in the city we figured out that we could met at the huge silver bean (I dubbed "the magic bean") in millennium Park. I don't know if any have you have ever been there, BUT if you haven't and you are in the city you should go. Some really neat architecture that is really more art than anything else. It was incredible...And the "magic bean" I took 15 pictures of the bean alone!! Yes I like my digital camera.
So after meeting up with my sister and her husband we actually went back to the Buckingham fountain as they had never seen it and then wandered around trying to find a "local dive" in which to eat. We needed something that would be fast as it was getting close to curtain time but we didn't want to have subway as you can have that anywhere. So we kept looking and although we got a bit distracted for a jewelry purchase (hehe) I spotted an awning that looked promising. Sure enough it was a self proclaimed local dive "Potbellies" So we decided to give it a try. Not only was it cheap...3 subs and 3 pops for $14.00 not to shabby it was REALLY good to!! And then we headed for the Oriental Theatre.


Wicked was well Wicked!! hehe! I really enjoyed it. They tied up some of the loose ends that the book left a bit open ended but that made it a nice story for stage without the added complications in the book!! I also thought they did a great job with the costumes!! And the seats, although scattered, were good. So it was a great night in the windy city. Now mind you we didn't get back to my sisters house until I think 3am hehe. BUT it was worth every minute of it. And this was just my second day on the road. And I already had a ton of pictures...I hadn't even got to the part that I had never been to before. All I knew is that this was shaping up to be a GREAT trip!!

Stage 1

I hit the road around 12pm after receiving the go ahead from my doctor! So me and my car and what ever possession I hadn't sent on ahead, left Toronto. It was a bit weird know that I wasn't on a there and back again trip but the reality of the fact that I was moving to another city hadn't hit me...Yet.

The road was pretty uneventful all the way to Chatham, there I met up with life long friend Christine. After a quick stop for hotdogs for our planned cookout. I followed her to her house which was about an hour away (but only a half hour from the US border). Then the five of us, her husband and two dogs, spent the evening outside cooking and eating! It was great. I think Christine and I ended staying awake until 2am getting caught up. I really wish I could have spent more time with her...but that was the same everywhere I went! So regardless of wishes, I got up in the morning with her and we went separate ways at the highway, she to work and me on to Chicago. The windy city.

Surgery

Surgery! What a huge effort. Thankfully I have the best Mom ever and she flew out to Toronto to take care of me. If it wouldn't have been for her I would have ended up living in the bathroom in the tub and would have lost ALOT of weight from lack of food. Thanks mom.
The surgery itself went really well and post surgery I felt fine thanks to The Dr. Shooting my ankle full of novocaine. So I walked around on it and had an awfully bloody mess In the pictures above. All the above were taken with in the first week following surgery.
It was a long six weeks sentenced to life on the couch. I read a lot of books (some of which I have reviewed on my other page), watched TV and did six yes six Shakiko embroideries. I believe my book tally got up to 12 in six weeks. hehe!! Thankfully Tom and Della (the neighbor's) took pity on me and shuttled me to the grocery store when I ran out of milk and other things that I needed. And I had friends that took pity on me and took me out in public and put up with my SUPER slow walking and the complaining about the pain. Thanks to Mark for hours on the phone, For Mom for calling me twice a day just so I had some one to talk to. You all made those hard six of a lot of naps, books, and needles pass rather successfully.
The ankle is coming along rather nicely. I had a moment yesterday that was pretty amazing. I went out in public for dinner without my brace and with matching shoes. It was very exciting. I'm allowed to swim and bike without my brace. But only bike on a stationary bike. But that is better than nothing. I go back for a hopefully final visit with my surgeon and hopefully he will clear me.

Another thing I've been up too

I have been doing needlecraft like they are going out of stlye. This is one that I bought while I was in England. What follows are the others that I have completed. The one of Big Ben is one that Mark's Mother gave to me for Christmas...she does alot of needle craft too. The others I bought for myself. The one that looks unfinished is actually finished...I just haven't taken it's final picture. Oh dear....

OH dear!

It is amazing how much you can fall off the band wagon when you don't spend the same kind of time at the internet! Then on top of that add the difficulty of not actually being able to have internet and what do you get...Me NOT blogging!

I do apologize to all of you who have gotten used to my regular posts and sharing of my adventures. I am going to try and get all caught up in a hurry (minus pictures)!

Okay, England...after London we only had a few more days there in the country and we visited some of the more local neat spots. Guildford where I met two of Marks really good friends. Chichester (spelling) to see the cathedral, and another day exploring Midhurst. Yes I have pictures and yes they are nice but if you want to see them you will have to let me know...hehe!

I received my Master's degree (the piece of paper) in November along with my neuroscience completion certificate.

December was busy with packing my apartment and putting it all in a storage unit. I also went to Alberta to visit my parents for 2 weeks at Christmas which was nice. Made lots of cookies!! (ate a few too many too) hehe! While there I hung out with good friends in Calgary and we went to the Banaff hot springs...my first time that was pretty cool.

Jan. was pack and leave for the south. We landed in Saint Martin/Maarten and made it over to St. Barths. But ended up having to come back with in 22 days for health reasons (Not mine -- other than waiting for my ankle surgery I'm fine). The south was beautiful, hot sunny and had the Ocean. I had lots of adventures, Sea Kyaking with Mark. Swimming, shopping, biking (let me tell you on those road it is more than just an adventure it is taking your life in your own hands. Mark and I tried to fish a few night BUT nothing would bite. Had some great meals and beautiful restaurants. Was astounded by the price of a tank top (120 Euro) and I won't even mention the white cotton dress (1200 Euro) Beautiful Yes in my closet - not even kind of sort of! hehe! With Mark I also had my very first Rolls Royce ride in a vintage model!! The funniest part was we happened upon it by accident and it ended up only being $5 more than a regular taxi! hehe! Oh another adventure was being buzzed by two airplanes. like 100 feet above my head at tops!

From Feb til now I have been working pretty intensely here in King. I also found out that I did NOT get into Med school and so have applied to UBC and UofC to their accelerated nursing programs! To date I have heard from UofC and I got in!! So now I wait to hear from UBC. I also went down to Miami to visit Mark and everyone else. While there Mark and I went to the Titanic Exhibition at the Miami Science Center and Plantatarium. That was really neat. The plantarium had recreated the night sky as the survivors or Titanic would have seen it! Very neat! I'm on a waiting list for surgery and so they could technically call at any given time point if they don't then my ankle surgery will happen on 6th of July.

Oh I also turned 28. So that was scary! Only two more years tile the big 3-0 and I'm not even done school yet. Oh dear! My life in the fast lane. Since being back I have gotten to see some opera and one play. I plan on seeing the Lord of the Rings play so I'll let you know how that goes.

Good grief this is a long post. I'll finish for now. BUT there is MUCH more to tell. I will fill in more details and maybe even post more pictures IF you are all lucky! hehe!

Testing

Testing 1,2,3

Just checking to see if I have this right

LONDON!

London was amazing!! Mark knew a free place to park!! Then we got on the tube and the adventure began! We came back to the surface at Piccadilly circus!! Talk about incredible!! I didn't really know where to look or what to think! The statue of Eros the big signs and the traffic! I though Toronto was bad. From picadilly we walked to "Lester" (I don't know the proper way to spell it) and had lunch. Sandwiches that we had made at his parents house! It was great!! People were wandering around the square where all the premiers happen it was pretty cool! From there we went to Covent Garden where there we lots of living statues and street performers NOT to mention all the neat things for sale.This guy was my favorite!! He was scary all the passerbys!! It was So funny to watch!! From there we walked through the Admiralty Arch down the mall where SO many princes and princess have paraded to the Buckingham palace! It was amazing. The sky was dramatic and the Union jacks lined both sides of the mall. It was incredible. Behind me off in the distance was the London Eye, the parliment buildings and further adventures!!

From there we walked through a "royal park" I think it was regent park, but I'm not sure! It was filled with the largest variety of birds that I have ever seen. I saw a "stork" (white pelican), a black swan and lots of other odd birds. There was this one that had leaf feet!! It was SO funny looking!! Then we went to the horse palace! Where a horse guard decided that my vest and scarf would make a GREAT lunch! It was SO funny!!

From there we walked down a street (not sure the name of it) BUT went by Downing Street! That was neat and then lots of other monuments!! It emptied out on a corner that housed the parilment building (and big ben), westminister abby, the statue of Winston Churchill and the London eye! I was stunned. I could barely move!! I mean it was stunning. The sun we peaking through the most dramitic cloulds and I was there listening to the voice of Big Ben!! I was blown away as we sat on a bench on the other side of the Thames under the shadow of Big Ben and watched the world go by! I felt like I was in a dream!

From there we took the Tube to Tower hill where I saw the London tower...incredible and the tower bridge!! I can't even begin to tell you how stunned I was I think I took 25 picture of big ben and the tower bridge (not together) BUT both individually. At least!! Probably more! hehe!!

From there we walked along the river bank of the Thames! The sun was setting and the electric lights were twinkling all along the bank of the river street artists were climbing out of their costumes! And it was getting dark. We walked at the way past the replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship. To the replica of Shakespeare's Globe. As we walked it was SO easy to imagine the easy pickings that nasty guys would have had before the "lighting" of the city! There are tons of hiding places!! But I felt nice a safe with the light on and Mark by my side! We stopped in an Imax theather but nothing that great was showing so via the tube we returned to covent garden were we watched a little bit more of street preformances. It was awesome and I didn't want the day to end. BUT I was exhausted! I could barely hold my eyes open AND my legs were killing me!! So we took the tube back to where the car was. I was starving!! So we stopped and got REAL English fish and chips!! YUMMY!! Waht a day! I still can't believe that it wasn't a dream!! I got to see and experience SO many things in a single day!!