J and I are heading to Silver Lake Provincial Park this afternoon for 3 nights and 4 days of camping. It’s his birthday today and this camping trip has become an annual event with his siblings. I can’t wait. I’m leaving the city. I can’t tell you how much I need this. Lake swimming, nature, camp fires, CAMP FOOD(!) and just 4 days of whatever our hearts desire. Goodbye city life, I won’t miss you.

What are you up to?

Whatever it is, I hope you have a wonderful weekend too and to all my fellow Canadians that have a long weekend, make it a good one.

Photo Credit: brookenovak

I have a fairly large wall in my my main living area. Right now it’s the home for a painting I bought years ago. Sadly, that painting no longer fits in with my tastes and so I’ve been formulating plans for this wall of mine over the last few weeks.

Some of you may of seen my moodboard for my main living area. First of all, yes, it still hasn’t been started BUT I promise you, it’s been slated for September. No ifs or buts. Anyways, let’s forget about my lack of following through for now… I mentioned back then I was going to purchase the Toronto Ork Poster in black and white. I still am and I’ve decided to build a whole photo gallery wall around it.

Rather than talk my way through it I figured I’d give you some context. So, below is where I am thinking of going. The photos shown aren’t necessarily the ones I’ll use but at least it gives you an idea (please ignore the scale of the images within the frame too!). I wanted to add a small burst of color to it but not something that would compete with the photography. Of course, finding frames/images that will work with the symmetry I’m hoping for may not be possible, but I’ll adapt if need be.

As I hope for the wall to be full of great memories and things near and dear to me, I wanted any artwork on there to be my own too. I want the wall to be a story all of it’s own. So, as I love quotes and lean on them often when I need a bit of motivation, I took two I discovered recently and turned them into prints which are now available in my shop. I adore how they look in white frames and I hope that you do too. I’m already sending this one out in gray to a customer so I’m excited to see how others place these within their homes as well. I currently have them at an introductory price of $8 but they will go up to $12 as of July 30th!

Eye Chart Albert Einstein Print

Eye Chart Elbert Hubbard Print

What do you think?  Do you have any home renovation projects going on?

That’s what I am right now. I felt so exhausted today that I couldn’t resist retreating to my bed by mid-afternoon. Usually I feel guilty doing this, but I’ve gone through so many emotions this week, that I can no longer tell one emotion from the other.

I guess you could say horizontal is also a great way to describe the last 7 days or so. J and I got some news on Friday that swept us off our feet. While things could be much worse, it was an unexpected and painful blow nonetheless. I don’t want to have a pity party and go down the “why us?” or “when will we just get a break?” road. It’ll get me nowhere. But sometimes life seems so freakin’ overwhelming and difficult that I feel as though I’m suffocating.

As always we are bouncing back but I’m noticing these rebounds are taking longer to overcome emotionally sometimes. I guess I’ll just blame that on the good old age thing. Perhaps that’s something I can’t control either but at least it’s expected and it doesn’t blindside me out of the blue.

Photo Credit: uberllama

That pretty much sums up my day. Holding a thought long enough to finish it was near impossible so I gave up. Tomorrow though is a new day. And on a brighter note I just got the urge to start designing my Holiday 2010 line but I thought I’d pop in and say hello first.

How was your day?

P.S. The photo above was taken yesterday at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. J and I were dipping our toes in the pool at Nathan Philips Square. I love the sunshine over his hands.

The heat is finally breaking here in Toronto. This morning I woke up to rain (which is still going) and a small thunderstorm. While there’s still a little humidity in the air, it’s so nice to feel the coolness the rain has brought. We’re back up to high temperatures again tomorrow so I’m enjoying this while I can.

J and I decided to do away with all our plans this weekend, including our trip to Toronto Island. As we sat over drinks last night at our local, we both realized all we wanted was a weekend at home. Last weekend was jam packed and the only time we spent at home was to pretty much sleep. Other than grocery shopping and a walk around the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, we’re locking ourselves away from the world for a few days.

What’s on your agenda this weekend?

Toronto is currently experiencing a major heat wave and let me tell you… it’s hot, hot, hot! Yesterday temperatures felt in the 110s. Needless to say most of my day was spent indoors basking myself in the cooling AC. Today is going to be even hotter. Oh my! Days like this I crave Fall but I quickly remember how fast the ugly cold of Winter comes and bask in the sunshine. Unfortunately, many in Toronto lost power yesterday. Thankfully I didn’t and so no meltdown was required.

It has been such a crazy few weeks in Toronto. First the earthquake, then tornado warnings, then the G20 which was followed by Pride Week (which when classed as crazy I mean in a fun sense) and now the mini black-out. I wonder what’s next for this city? Ha!

What’s the weather like where you are? Enjoying Summer?

Photo Credit: leeroy09481

As I’m sure most of you have heard or seen, the G20 “protesting” got ugly in Toronto yesterday. I wouldn’t even call what happened yesterday protesting. The destruction being caused is actually deafening the important messages those truly exercising their rights to protest in a peaceful manner are trying to share.

Though I watched most of the craziness on CP24 yesterday, when things appeared relatively calm, J and I headed down to some of the hot spots. It was heartbreaking to see the stores and business I frequent often (many are just a block from me) completely ruined and their windows shattered. I don’t even have the words to describe it. As I headed home, rather than hear the usual hustle and bustle of city life, all I heard was the sickening noise of glass being cleaned up. It was quite surreal.

I don’t wish to get into a debate about who’s right or wrong. But I will say that destroying the city and the businesses of innocent people is wrong. Taking “I was here” photos in front of vandalized stores mocking them is wrong. Committing acts of violence towards others is wrong. Deafening the voices of those trying to share their message peacefully is wrong.

This is NOT the Toronto I love or live in.

UPDATE: One of my photos (this one) ended up on blogTO. While I wish it had been under better circumstances, I’m honored for the include. Cheers blogTO.

Yes, I know I’m 3 days late in mentioning Father’s Day around here. You may even notice I rarely mention holidays period. See, I have a hard time with holidays in general. I’m never with my family back in England and so I can’t help but feel a little homesick. Sometimes a lot homesick.

This Father’s Day hit me particularly hard. As some of you may of read, my father has cancer. Mesothelioma cancer to be exact. There’s no getting rid of it. Doctors suspect he’s had it for years and years – possibly decades. Thankfully, due to chemotherapy it hasn’t grown since we found out over a year ago. And in fact, the doctors are baffled that my dad is showing no signs of having cancer. Obviously, he feels the effects of the chemo, but other than that, he’s as fit as a fiddle. So in that sense, we are blessed. We are also blessed that we can use the word remission. But I’ll be honest, when it’s attached to something so ugly, it’s hard to process. Ugh, I can’t find the words to describe what I mean and so I won’t.

So, moving on… I know I am biased, but I really have the best parents. I hear tales all the time from friends about parental issues. I have none. Never have beyond the typical teenager/parent ones. My parents always gave me enough freedom to be myself with guidance as needed. They pick me up when I’m down and give me a kick up the arse as required. I can tell them both anything. And that only scratches the surface of how great they are. I really couldn’t ask for better parents. A better mother. A better father.

Unfortunately, words are too painful for me to write anymore on this, but I simply need to say (and excuse the language) out loud – I FUCKING HATE CANCER!

And more importantly, I love you Dad!

P.S. The photo is of me getting my first chug of beer. I can assure you my reaction is no longer like the above. It makes me giggle every time I look at it and it’s probably one of my most favorites photos of my Dad and I together.

Setup: J is in the kitchen prepping for dinner. A is laid in the bedroom surfing and watching the news.

J: How do I get the kitchen so messy? (Note: he was talking to himself, this wasn’t a question to A)
A: (Resists the urge to go into the kitchen and get all neat freak on his arse)
J: (enters the bedroom) Hey, show me those videos you were talking about.
A: Later.
J: Come one, show them to me now. (Tries to gain control of the laptop – GASP!)
A: (Holds onto laptop for dear life) It’s mine, all mine!
J: You’re a freak.
A: Why don’t you get back in the kitchen and clean up your mess?
J: Why don’t you go back to being nauseous?

Someone got TOLD! Ass.

Photo Credit: Casey Serin

All weekend I had this sickly feeling. It was a little bit of exhaustion combined with niggling nausea. I hoped my laid back weekend would fix it but it’s still visiting today. Ugh.

Days like this I wish I wasn’t a master at procrastinating. If I wasn’t, it would make taking a sick day less guilt-inducing. Though I can’t help but wonder if it’s my procrastination that’s making me feel sick. Double ugh.