a little Friday randomness

I reached into the drawer at work to grab a marker to change a sign. After using the red and the blue ones I went to put them back and realized the box was not in rainbow order. Immediately I dumped them out and made it right.
Made it right?
hmmmmm...
I'm not compulsive about everything, but sets of coloring implements must be in rainbow order. Must. Be. How else would I be able to find the exact color I need instantly? Today is the first time I really realized i'm compulsive about it.

 

Goofy wears Goofy slippers.

 

Really.

The state flower of Maryland is the Black-eyed Susan which I have always considered to be a more serious version of daisies.

I took this picture two weeks ago because July and August is the peak season for Black-eyed Susans in Maryland.
MENTAL MORSEL: Since The Preakness is run in May, the blanket of flowers that is draped over the winner is not made from Maryland Black-eyed Susans; in past years they have been brought in from other states or are yellow daisies with the middles painted black. 

How come you can sit in a store all alone for hours and as soon as a customer walks in you have to piddle?

Street performers and buskers make me happy and I have a special affinity for living statues.

Today's Public Service Announcement:
Do not -for any reason- grab the barrel of a curling iron that is turned on; it is hot, people.
BTW, if -for any reason- you do grab the barrel of a curling iron that is turned on not only should you run cold water on it, submerge your hand in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes and it won't blister. Don't ask me how I know or why I am bringing it up today.

The Ocean Breeze

Our Alaskan cruise at the end of May left from Vancouver, BC.
Douglas and I decided to get there a day early to explore and be well rested for the cruise.
He wanted to stay in a bed and breakfast; I was in charge of finding one.
Do you wanna guess how many B&Bs there are in Vancouver?
A LOT.
We were arriving late at night by train (from Seattle) and leaving via the cruise port plus wanted to be able to explore without having a car while staying within a certain price range; that is a lot of criteria. I was talking to my wonderful BFF about trying to find the right place and she volunteered to do the research for me. Dontcha love her?

After spending i don't even want to know how much time on BedandBreakfast.com Rea sent me her top three choices and I went with her top pick, The Ocean Breeze Bed and Breakfast. Located in North Vancouver it was a 15 minute taxi ride from both the train station and the port.
 Perfect.

Run by Margaret and her husband, the beautiful house is on top of a hill so there are a lot, lot, lot of steps (especially at midnight after a full day of cross-country travel), but once you manage to get all of your luggage up there the elevation allows for an amazing view of the city across the water.

There are several common areas, including the kitchen and a piano room. Each suite has a different decorating theme. Rea chose the Romantica for us because it has a sunken tub and you know how i have a weakness for bubble baths. Somehow we don't have any pics of our room though there are pics of other rooms from when Margaret took us on a tour, but you can see our room here.

I woke up before everyone else in the house and spent time in the hedged-in courtyard drinking juice and writing in my journal. It was relaxing and lovely until it started to rain; apparently Vancouver is even rainier than Seattle.



Margaret made us incredible omelets and fresh fruit yogurt parfaits the first morning and blueberry pancakes with sausage the second morning. Her cooking was amazing, the house was beautiful and the atmosphere was comfortable. Margaret even sent me home with a glittery I heart BC ornament for my Christmas tree.
I highly recommend this B&B if you ever find yourself in Vancouver. Be sure to tell Margaret we say Hi and give Jackson and Princess Buttercup some head scratches for us.

aperitif

While i continue to edit and cull the photographic herd from vacation, here is a quick video to whet your appetite.

Home again, Home again, jiggedy-jig

sigh... vacation is over...
I had a wonderful time and brought back a few pictures of the glaciery goodness. Be patient and mayhaps you will see them before 2014.
Guess what i did on the plane home?
Read Sidhartha.
Really.
After a dozen years carrying it around.
After its continual mocking from the To Be Read pile.
Finally, i read it and in fact, quite enjoyed it.
sigh... i love vacation...

quick hello

I've been ill since Monday, hence the silence.

The jewelry show went great and i will have stories and pics up in the next few days.
Until then, i plan on sleeping.

On a totally different note, i think the trip to Alaska is back on. It might have been a fever dream, but i feel like Douglas said he isn't starting school until September so we are cruising in May. Just don't tell Fate.

hey Fate, i'm not afraid of you

Having now cancelled not one, but two vacations in a row, i am flying in the face of common sense, spitting into the wind and thumbing my nose at Fate by announcing the eight months from now i will be in
ALASKA!
Douglas is going on a Disney cruise to our 49th state and is taking me along as his trusty traveling companion.
I love being the trusty traveling companion.
I kinda wish that trusty traveling companion was my job.
So, all my dear, dear people, this is your advance notice:
from May 19th through May 30th of 2012 Niki will not be available to you, (unless your name is Douglas).
I can't plan your wedding, feed your iguana, dye your hair, throw your party, be your child's godmother, attend your rugby match or perform frontier surgery.
I won't be available.
Mark your calendars.
Plan accordingly.
Over and out.