Last days in Victoria...

Right now I'm sitting in my room in my parent's house surrounded by boxes. Boxes, boxes and more boxes. My life currently exists packed tightly in boxes. Not mention the tonne of stuff that has to go in the car. My Mom and I spent most of yesterday packing. Between that and moving all the boxes into my room, my body is sore and tired. It's only 10:30 and I feel like going back to bed! Or at least collapsing on the couch. Mmmm... sounds good.

Last night I had dessert at the Cactus Club with Cheryl. The food was good and so was the bathrroms. Very nice. Then we wondered around downtown where we ended up at Johnny Zee's. Played a shoot'm up game, a motorbike racing game, a car racing game and the basketball game. We had fun and laughed ourselves silly. I also learned that I'm a very good shot. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about that...

Tonight I'm having dinner with Cass, Dustin and Aurora. Ahhh Aurora. Love that little girl. She's like a neice to me. It should be a nice evening. It'll be good to talk more with Cass. We didn't really have a chance on Saturday.

Now Saturday evening was great. Had a get-together at the Irish Times Pub. A lot of people turned out which made it a lot of fun. It was definitley not a night I was going to walk away sober from. Had one beer.. Keith's IPA.. one of my fave's. Then, Dave bought me a 'dirty nellie'. If you don't know what it is, it's guiness and irish wiskey with a shooter of bailey's that you drop in and then you down the entire drink. I wasn't sure I was going to make it but I did. All I could taste was the bailey's, which was a good thing becuase Dave said it smelled like ass. I didn't really want to think about it so I focused on the bailey's.

Then Frankie bought a pitcher of Keith's and proceeded to fill glasses. At some point my glass was topped up. Then came a second pitcher and I was topped up twice.... I think. Suffice to say, I'm not quite sure how much I had. In between chatting and drinking I danced it up with the live band. But I'm so grateful to Dave for driving me home. Wasn't too sure I could make it to the bus on my own. My world was spinning pretty nicely. Made it home, took some tylenol and collapsed into bed. Woke up feeling not too bad at all. Just a minor headache.

It was a great night and I want to thank everyone for coming out. When Dave sends me the evidence (ie. photos) I'll post them. There were some really good ones, especially the one of the group.

Ryan moved in yesterday and I get to talk to him tonight now that our phone line is finally hooked up. Took Telus till this morning, which I guess isn't too bad.

Tomorrow the movers some to take away my stuff. Then on Wednesday we are all on the 9am ferry. Ryan is leaving work at 1pm and then us and my parents are going to Granville Island. Going to be an emotional day, I can just tell. But at least my parent's accept the fact that I'm moving. Not like Dave's parents. I guess all parent's deal with it in their own weird way and we just have tolet them go through the motions. Especially my parents. The reality is that they don't get to ease into it. After all, my brother moved to Pender for the summer, only 3 weeks ago. Now I'm leaving. Major empty-nesting going to happen. But they'll be fine and so will I.

I'm going to miss Victoria and all the wonderful people here. But I'm ready to make this change. I'm ready to take the leap. With any luck I'll have solid ground beneath me when I land... otherwise I'll be landing somewhere in the Straight of Georgia. I think I'll pass on that one!

The next time I write it will be from my new apartment... so everyone take care for now and I'll let you know how I'm doing when I get settled.

:)

5 More days...

Here we go!!!!!!

Nearly there but still have a tonne of packing to do! Tonight I'm having coffee with Claire and Dave. Tomorrow I'm having my big farewell get-together at the Irish Times. On Sunday I'm having dessert with Cheryl at the Cactus Club and on Monday I'm having dinner (hopefully) with Cass, Dustin and Aurora. Maybe I'll get to packing sometime!

Yesterday I wrote my last exam..... ever!!!!! (Well for now anyway). It went awesome... 45 minutes and I was done. It was sooooo easy!

Got three of four final grades back. This term is shaping up to be as good as the last... 2 'A's and a 'B'+! No bad, eh?

Well I should get started on sorting and packing. Got lots to do...

Can you believe it???????

Yesterday I attended my very last class! Unless of course I decide to go back to school at some point.... but that definitley wouldn't happen for a very long time.

So now I have two exams and then I am done!!!!!!

Had a wonderful night with Claire. Watched a movie and had some nice drinks (he he ... rum). It was nice especially since I had the same thing with Dave last weekend. It's really nice to have spent some time with my friends, especially considering the craziness as of late. But you know what? I okay now.

This week is the first time I felt really joyful. I mean really, truly happy. So I'm mostly better now. Just need to buckle down and get some moving stuff done.

11 days.... here we go!!!!!!!!!!

The countdown begins...

Alrighty everyone! I've now gone from counting weeks... to counting days... 24 of them to be exact. I move in 24 days! I write my last exam in 18 days and attend my very last class in 12 days. I can't believe I am almost done school. I mean four years have gone by! All I've got left is my final work term and then in October I get to walk across the stage because I've finally completed my Diploma.

When I look back, how I got to this point is really quite amazing. It only took 2 years at UVic, 2 years at Camosun, and a lot of crazy, insane days of studying and writing papers. It took the start and end on one relationship and the changing of a school and career. It took the start of the realtionship of my life and the amazing love from that person. It also took the love and support of my family and some of the greatest people I know... my friends.

My life through this period has been about people and the crazy insanity we all find ourselves in. I'm too much of an optimist to believe that any one event can bring us down. Bu there are times when it all seems too much. Like right now.

You'd think I'd have enough to deal with , what with school, working, moving and looking for a new job but add to that a lot of people I know (including family) are going through serious illness. My poor Mom. She's having a really hard time... we all are. Her best friend who lives in Oregon was just recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She just had an operation to remove as much of the tumour as they can before starting chemotherapy. And... her other best friend's husband (who I've met and really like) is waiting to find out whether he tests positive or negative for Hodgkins Disease (a form of cancer). Add to that that just this afternoon we found ou that my Aunt (my Mom's oldest sister) also has cancer. Can't remember what kind but some hard to pronounce carcinoma. (laughs hopelessly at the irony) You'd think after dealing with cancer so much already, my family might get a break. Guess not.

24 days...

24 beautiful , wonderful days, challenging days.

If I've learned anything in my life so far is that I must make each of them count.

So here's to living each day knowing you are loved by our freinds and family.
I love you all.

Good stuff all around...

So things are finally starting to come together. I booked a moving company today. Actually, there are the only ones to give me a reasonable price for ther amount of stuff I'm taking. They can charge a lot less than other companies because they do regular trips to the mainland. The others don't, so you end up footing a good portion of the truck rental... which can be killer!

So I'm so glad that's done! (understatement!) One less stress out of the way.

So you might ask how I, a poor student, can afford to pay fora moving company. Glad you asked! Yesterday, I got my bursary from Camosun. Every semester, those students considered in financial need can apply for internal foundation bursaries. Last year I got one for $200.00... this year... get this!!!!.... I got $750.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you beleive it? I was shocked!

So my bank account is doing very well, thank you!

So now I just have to wait until my tax refund comes in and then I'll be sitting pretty!

As for everything else... it's pretty much "hurry up and wait"!

YOU"VE GOT TO TRY THIS!!!!

I got this link from my friend Sarah. Turn on your speakers and click on the link.

http://www.grayace.com/dex/bunny.html

Hoppy Easter! (and that wasn't a typo! )

-Feel free to pass it on-

Photos from the past weekend...

These were taken in Vancouver. The water view and cherry tree photos are from Pacific Ave near the beach and the birds are from Stanley park at Lost Lagoon. Enjoy!

Isn't this cool? Until then I had never seen the fruit/seeds from a hardy palm tree! 

Looking north up Pacific Ave towards the North Shore. (Our apartment is on the street to the right of Pacific. 

Close up...