Thursday 29 September 2011

Today.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
~ Albert Einstein







Never ever stop questioning. When we stop questioning, we stop existing.  The goal for all of us, every day, should be - “I can do this. I can do anything. I can do everything.”  There are no limits to our own willpower other than those which we put upon ourselves. We just have to tell ourselves that we can and we will. That’s what it’s all about.


That’s all I really want to say today.


I am in dire need of a few solid hours of reading.



Tomorrow’s Friday!!! 

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Happy Birthday Mom!


“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
~Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!











Tonight my hubby and I hosted the fam for my Mom’s Birthday Supper. We had homemade Veggie Lasagna, Caesar salad, triple layer German Chocolate cake with boiled icing and WINE. Calories anyone?

Enjoy the pictures!! 

My wall chalkboard creation for Mom


Home made veggie Lasagna, caesar salad and bread. Yummo!


Happy Birthday!! 

My decor. Awesome! I know. 
Skyping with Chicago Auntie :) 
Coolest Grandma EVER!



I should note: Mom's Birthday isn't until tomorrow; but this is the night we chose to celebrate. Tonight was a blast! Love you MOM! 


I'm exhausted from all that eatin'! Nighty Night! 



Tuesday 27 September 2011

Teatime

While there will always be something you want that you do not have at this very moment, this moment in time is not imperfect.  Perfection is not having everything you could ever want.  Perfection is being perfectly happy with where you are now.  It is my wish for you that you are happy with where you are now or at the very least be at peace with where you are.
~ Alon Attal


Right now – I don’t feel like doing anything. I typically have a very non-stressful workplace, but we are down one for a while and it’s been CRAZY! Although I do feel more energized and awake during the day [because I have to be] it’s killing me at night.  [I should note: it’s only been two days. I am such a little wimp! !]

It’s like this - Get home, make supper, eat supper, do dishes, time to chill… and oh, it’s time for bed. No time to go for a walk, no time to read, no time to have a cup of tea. Ahhhhh!!!! I don’t understand how so many people out there are all…go, go, and go. I am NOT good at being a busy person. I need me time, I need teatime, I need slow time and I need silent time. I need breaks in between events, need time to clean up; I need time to refresh and regroup. Listen to me! Losing my mind here!
But now, I feel good! I just had to get all that out. It’s truly been a really busy couple of weeks and it just seems like lately time is flying by and we’re too busy to enjoy it; and that, my friends, it horrible!

How can we be too busy to enjoy right now? It’s awful that we don’t take the time to organize ourselves enough to be able to really enjoy every minute of the day. How many of us wish that there were more hours to each day? Just that little bit of extra time that we could spend snuggling with our hunny, playing catch with our dog or chatting on the phone with a sibling. I sure do! Thus, the quote above is so very true. We can spend all our time wishing the minutes that we do have away, or we can remind ourselves of what we did accomplish in the run of our day. Stop and take note of the moments that are making us laugh, really taste the fresh brewed cup of morning java, hug our hunny’s for just a second longer and be appreciative of all the simple stuff  and thankful for the roof over our heads and the family’s that love us.

Now, I AM going to do something for me  - Have a cup of tea and think about why I am happy with where I am now.

One of my fav pottery mugs.




I am perfectly happy where I am now because:
·      I am in love and married to my best friend. He makes me laugh every single day, he makes sure that I know I’m loved, he cooks me the most amazing meals and bakes the BEST CAKEs in town!
·      I have a lovely, cozy, adorable home. 
·      I’ve created my own awesome little library in my living room.
·      I have a sweet little doglet with a very cool name.
·      My Mom and Dad practically live next door.
·      My whole Carson clan is coming over tomorrow night for my Mom’s BIRFDAY dinner!
·      I don’t make a million $’s a year, but my work environment is pretty awesome.
·      I have some really amazing, thoughtful, creative, beautiful, smart, funny, crazy, people as friends.
·      I belong to a book club called ReadingBetweenTheWines.
·      Sometimes I have baby fever, but then I remember that I do not yet have the patience for that. Then I also remember how cool I think it is to be a young married couple having the time of their lives for a couple of years before they pop out any super dependent little tiny’s.
·      I’ve travelled a bit and I’ll travel more.
·      I’m funny.
·      I’m healthy
·      I ran 10k once and it felt amazing.  I’ll do it again.
·      I come from a very quant little town and I am very proud of that fact.
·      I am going to have French babies some day. That’s very cool.
·      I am going to learn French from Shaun while we’re raising our French babies.
·      I have dreams.
·      I have goals.
·      I will admit that I am kind of a huge fan of the simple, silly, random stuff in life. That’s a really great thing.
·      I am going to be a Maid of Honor for the very first time and I am so excited and flattered that I was asked.
·      I think I have some really great in-laws. Like, I lucked out big-time!!
·      My house is a 2-minute walk from a really nice trail.
·      Canada is a really incredible country and I live here.
·      I LOVE me.

There you have it!!! I mean, come on!! That’s almost an entire page and it took me no time at all. It was actually kind of fun and once I started there was no stopping.


Give it a try! It’s feels amazing!! And the tea is really great too!! 


Picked up this tea at Sobey's last night. It rocks!! And, it's Herbal! A great night time tea!! 


I am quite proud of this post. I went from pretty negativo to pretty happy! Well done Natasha!! 

Monday 26 September 2011

Here's to feeling blah on a Monday!

“Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?But am I talking too much? People are always telling me I do. Would you rather I didn't talk? If you say so I'll stop. I can STOP when I make up my mind to it, although it's difficult.” 

~L.M Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables



My post today is merely this quote. Why? Just because I needed to read it. I bet you did as well. 

Happy Monday!






Friday 23 September 2011

Tell Me what You think of This





The Local
Café and Artisan Gallery

I would love some comments on this please. Tell me what kind of place this would be. 






*switchin' things up tonight…quote's at the bottom.


“Recipe For Happiness Khaborovsk Or Anyplace' 

One grand boulevard with trees 
with one grand cafe in sun 
with strong black coffee in very small cups. 

One not necessarily very beautiful 
man or woman who loves you. 

One fine day.” 


Happy Friday!!! 

Thursday 22 September 2011

Start Something Pictures







“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” 
~George Eliot



So excited for the night to begin!
Smiling at me….



introducing him!























Such an awesome night!!!!!


Not much more to say tonight; we're taking it easy! Might make some tea and snuggle up on the couch to watch some 30 Rock, but that's about it!!!

Toodles!!


Wednesday 21 September 2011

A shout out to the most amazing guy in my world


Shaun

I cannot even begin to describe how proud I am of you. This past year has been so life changing for you, and I can only imagine how much of what you went through came out into the creation of this CD.
You are such an incredible musician with such a talent for song writing. Everyone that I have spoken to about this CD has been absolutely blown away by the final product.
It has been so amazing to be witness to this whole process and I could not be more ecstatic that TONIGHT is finally happening.
You deserve this. You deserve this more than I even know. You deserved this along time ago.
I want you to know how insanely delighted I am to be your wife and to walk along side you on this journey. My entire heart is in this with you.

I love you so, so much.
I really, really do.

Natasha 







Tuesday 20 September 2011

A Community Read Night!












“Some say that I was once uncommonly beautiful, but I wouldn't wish beauty on any woman who has not her own freedom, and who chooses not the hands that claim her.”
Lawrence Hill, The Book Of Negroes


So!!!..........Look at me, posting in the afternoon!!! It is merely because today has been marvelous and it will continue to be so. My mom, and one of my lady friends and I are going to  check out our very first Community Read at city hall tonight; where we will have the chance to meet Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes. How amazing is that?!! I have so many reasons to be excited about this... A) The Book of Negroes was our 2nd RBTW book -read last November. B) The book is AMAZING! [I am sure I must have given it a 10/10!] C) I am going to have my very own signed copy!!!!! D) I just think it's so amazing that we have been given this opportunity!! E) If I am brave enough, I could totally raise my hand and ask HIM a question! 


Ok, enough of me freaking out! Another reason why today is so marvelous is because tomorrow is my singer-songwriter-musician-husband's CD launch! Holy cow! How times flies. I feel like it was only yesterday when we found out that his fathers life was going to be cut short; when he realized just how much he needed to Start Something of his own, that you have to take each day for what it is and not be scared to make something of every single existing moment. I can’t believe that he's already recorded a cd, received the cd's in the mail, made posters, put the posters up around town and that tomorrow night is THE BIG NIGHT!! I might also be a smidgen nervous because I am the one who is introducing him!! I have been practicing ALLLLLL day and even though it's only like 3 lines, I am pretty frightened that I am going to mess it up or get up there and forget everything. Why would I even say that? Because I can be a paranoid freak at times!! So excited though! So excited!!!! 

Also -I would like to note: it felt really great last night to get my blog posted. Yeah, it takes time; but it is such a rewarding accomplishment. I actually sleep better after I blog, given that I've dumped out all the shit that's usually squirming around in my brain keeping me awake. Nice visual eh?



***********************************

[I just got home and I have to add this!!!!] 

WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! 





I asked him to add my Mom's name because I lent her the book to read, so it's kind of hers too.  And--why not? 












Ahhh!!! Ok, so here I am ...back from my night with Lawrence!! I mean, maybe
I am making kind of a big deal about this, but really!!! This guy is famous
and I met him, I heard him speak, I have his signature in my book and I saw
him with my own two eyes!!

No matter what--if I meet someone remotely famous, I freak out! When my hubby and I went to Chicago this summer, we had the chance to sit in on a live Giada De Laurentiis cooking show and I was losing my mind. I'm not even the one in our little love unit that cooks, my hubby does; but, I was just so excited to see her outside of the TV screen and I was even more excited for him to get to see his fav Food Network chef in real life! Maybe it's because I am from a teeny tiny little town and I live in a only a small city now, but I definitely get a kick out of seeing famous people with my own two eyes in
REAL LIFE! Speaking of which---below is a picture or Lawrence and I in REAL LIFE!!! WTF!!!! What a wicked night!! 

Lawrence Hill, Moi and one of my favourite lady friends!!!!












I am seriously on top of the world right now! Lawrece Hill is not only an amazing author but an remarkable speaker as well. He has a way with words in writing and also in his speech. It was so incredible to sit and listen to him speak about the book, about Aminata and the research behind who she was. He explained her character establishment  at one point in saying that his goal was to take the shackles off her hands and let the woman breathe, let us see her as more than just a faceless victim, but a woman with her own story. 

Seriously, listening to him speak tonight went way beyond my expectations. Amazing, just amazing. 




Monday 19 September 2011

Slack Ass










“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body as a commodity with which to purchase superficial intimacy or economic security; for our bodies to be treated as objects, our minds are in mortal danger. It means insisting that those to whom you give your friendship and love are able to respect your mind. It means being able to say, with Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre: "I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all the extraneous delights should be withheld or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.

Responsibility to yourself means that you don't fall for shallow and easy solutions--predigested books and ideas...marrying early as an escape from real decisions, getting pregnant as an evasion of already existing problems. It means that you refuse to sell your talents and aspirations short...and this, in turn, means resisting the forces in society which say that women should be nice, play safe, have low professional expectations, drown in love and forget about work, live through others, and stay in the places assigned to us. It means that we insist on a life of meaningful work, insist that work be as meaningful as love and friendship in our lives. It means, therefore, the courage to be "different"...The difference between a life lived actively, and a life of passive drifting and dispersal of energies, is an immense difference. Once we begin to feel committed to our lives, responsible to ourselves, we can never again be satisfied with the old, passive way.”




I’ve come to realize that blogging is just like any other commitment; you have to commit to it. I completely and utterly failed; not only myself, but my readers as well, with not posting [my promised post] on Friday.

I do, however, have an understandable excuse [as always] -I came home from work around 5pm with a few hours to relax by myself until my hubby came home and we headed out to a gathering with friends. I thought that would be the perfect time to sit down and write, as there would be some wine involved in the evening activities, who knew what time we’d get home and just how my blog would turn out if I didn’t do it before. I made myself some yummy pasta with fresh tomatoes from Memere’s garden, and got ready to type; only to discover that between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00pm, my brain shuts down. I opened a new word document, stared at the screen for a half hour, practiced my type-delete-type-delete skills and then gave up.

We all have a point of time in each day when we feel we are at our best, when we are most productive and very awake. Some of us are morning people; some of us are nighthawks. There are those of us who might be mid-day-ers or mid-morning-ers; either way, we are all different and we learn through doing. I tried to be an early evening-er on Friday and it just didn’t work. I am a morning person and can be a nighthawk. I can either write my blog in the early am or late at night, so I think I’ll stick with those times from here on out.

So… my promised Book Blurb [I don’t want to call it a review because I don’t like telling a story about a story; it’s not one of my favorite things to do]-
My Book Blurb was one of the parts of my post that I at least had typed out [1/2 page-ish] on Friday, but because I was in such a sour mood at myself, I got up from the computer without saving; just left the document minimized, all tiny and lonely down at the bottom of the screen, to be lost in cyberspace when my hubby shut the computer down that night. Grrrrr….
The Lost Girls and the Wander Year is not a book that I would normally pull of the shelf at Chapters; [it’s in the the Travel section, for goodness sakes!] but, I absolutely loved it! I say that and you might wonder, “If you loved it then why did you only give it a 7?” Well, because it’s so different from any other book I’ve ever read, I had to change my rating system. A 7 in this case is pretty high. It was very well written with the chapters divided by each of the 3 authors describing their own experiences and accounts of the trip. Holly, Amanda and Jen were each going through their own personal life changes and challenges which brought so much more to the book. It wasn’t just about all the exciting places they visited or the crazy adventures they went on, the book touched on how leaving behind loved ones affected them as individuals and their relationships, how witnessing real life poverty first hand made them feel so grateful -yet silly- for all the things they had, how compelled they were to do everything they could to try and make a difference, how amazing it was to see the sheer gratitude the villagers had for things as simple as cutlery sets which the girls has given them a gifts. It was a great novel and a definite eye opener. The book was also one big travel brochure and because of that, I am totally aching to try my hand and this whole traveling the world thing!

As for my Friday surprise, I haven’t quite figured that out yet. I need to do something fun/different/thought provoking/exciting/neat/creative/unique and Natasha-like every Friday just for kicks. It’s only Monday. We’ll make this Friday the initial FunFriday post, ok?

Please forgive me for the weekend letdown. I am seriously mad at ME.

Also – solid quote today, right? I thought it was fitting. We always have to look at the big picture. I may have had an understandable excuse, but I gave myself the responsibility to create, maintain and learn from this blog, and that I need to keep in mind.

Nightly Night! [Incase you didn’t realize, this is my favorite nighttime saying]




I am not the only slack Ass in this house! 

Thursday 15 September 2011

Tooooo tired


“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”



Every time that I open this screen too tired to write and decide that I'm going to make it a quick one, it ends up being an entire post. Let me tell you, that is not going to be the case tonight.

I am totally exhausted after a [normal] day at work and a fantabulous RBTW meeting, so it's a short one for tonight. However, do expect a long-winded post for tomorrow.  Anticipate a great review of The Lost Girls and The Wander Year and a special Friday post.

Happy One Year Anniversary to my Reading Between The Wines Ladies and a huge THANK YOU to our founder for making it all happen!!

I’m off to have one of my nightly nightmares/ghostly experiences that have been taking over my dreams lately. Why? I don’t know; but I would like them to screw off.


- Oh, and the quote: It’s perfect for a RBTW night. 

Wednesday 14 September 2011

RBTW

“Taking the time to figure out our passions is not selfish because once we find our calling, we’ll feel that we have a solid purpose and a connection to something bigger. This helps bring peace.”
~Holly C. Corbett, The Lost Girls


I’m not even almost done my book, so I might be kind of screwed tomorrow. I’ll just have to read until I pass out tonight, read during breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow and hopefully be finished by 7pm for RBTW. Fingers crossed everyone.

It’s not that it’s not a great book; it’s just that I started it way to late. Like, this Sunday too late. Not a smart move on my part, considering it’s a 538-page book. I am loving it; but I’ll tell you more about it when I am finished and ready to give it a proper review and rating.

I am so excited for RBTW tomorrow. We chose not to have a meeting in August -at our July meeting we decided to take a break since it proved to be quite difficult to work around summer schedules; so, this will be our first time back at it in nearly a month and a half.

Tomorrow night is going to be a smaller group than normal since 3 of the girls have moved away, one now works on Thursday nights, etc. However, like I said to the four other girls that are still here, -it doesn’t matter our number; just as long as we have the anticipation of our once a month gathering to drink wine, talk books and visit each other.


I guess I could tell you a little bit about how our book club works; incase you are interested in starting/joining one. -We meet once a month. Whoever has decided they would like to host chooses the book and supplies both red and white wine along with some lip-smacking snacks. The host can create or find a list of questions on-line [some authors even include them at the end of the books these days!] or they can leave the evening to be more of an open discussion. Our founder brings with her a charming little book [that we have used since meeting one] that documents the particular month’s book and who’s hosting, complete with a rating and small review-blurb from each of us. We chose our name [ReadingBetweenTheWines] and established our system of practice [aka-the rules] at our first meeting and each meeting has run smoothly and enjoyable ever since.  


I think Book Clubs are such a great way to:
·      Have a better appreciation for reading
·      Take the time to read more often
·      Reflect on a book and it’s meaning instead of just finishing it, mumbling “Yeah, that was good” and stowing it away on the book shelf
·      Get insights into the minds of other readers
·      Gain a better understanding of the writing process; learning to value the time and effort an author puts into creating a novel
·      Meet new people
·      Learn new things about people you already know
·      Allow random people to make fun of your nerdy book club [only because they have never been to a RBTW meeting and have no idea how AWESOME it is]
·      Read books you might not normally read
·      Get the chance to host people in your home and let the novel spark some creativity in how you are going to go about hosting
·      Build a marvelous selection of book club books on your book shelf
·      Discuss and learn about topics that you might not normally chat about with the group of people you are with


I am really a huge fan of this book club thing that my lady friends and I have created [tomorrow’s meeting is actually our One Year Anniversary] and I highly recommend it. It really is a great way to broaden your reading list and have fun with your friends!


I chose today’s quote because it came from this months RBTW book, and when I read it, I took the time to dog-ear the page [yes, you’re right, I am a dog-ear-er]. What Holly is saying is exactly what I have been writing about since post #1. Without starting a full fledge review of the book, I can say this – this book has  definitely hit a cord with me and my passion seeking self, and I can honestly say that I am on my road to feeling like I have a solid purpose and a connection to something bigger.

I feel much better tonight after a much needed day of resting at home.

Can’t wait to give you a solid review of the book after tomorrow nights RBTWs!! 




This is the only picture I could find of me reading. I'm not posing, it was a book about Chicago that was in our  hotel room while we were staying there. Clearly I need to empty the camera so I can have some more photos to choose from; other than the ones from our recent trip to The Windy City.