visit to Victoria

Sweetie and I spent the last three days wandering around  Victoria, BC. It's a wonderful small city to traipse about. From busy & noisy China Town to  Oak Bay Avenue's quaint little village atmosphere there is always something to see. We had a wonderful concoction at Venus Sophia Tea Room  in the heart of China Town ~  something I've never considered (didn't know what I was missing) a rooibos latte. They grind the rooibos very fine and treat it like ground espresso. Delicious! The decadent brownie that went with it was divine as well. Good thing we (well, I) put many miles on my feet because did we ever eat well!  We started our first day by having an absolutely huge breakfast at John's Place, recommended and patronized by locals.  By far the best omelette I have ever had! Great fuel for the day of walking ahead.  Sweetie had banana bread French toast slathered in banana's and walnuts and syrup that was reminiscent of banana flavoured marshmallow cream.  Yikes! He loved it!

I loved the view from our room at the Carlton Plaza Hotel to the Ducks Building.  Great architecture, one of many interesting things to see on Broad Street. Great hotel location for people who want to walk the city! Just down Broad street and to the right is Trounce Alley where you will find the Tapa Bar, a stupendous place to eat.  We had an eclectic mix of food starting with their latin casear salad and grilled portobello mushrooms, finishing with Bistek al Ajillo (sweetie and his beef) and pollo Armanda (me and my chicken )

Amazingly flavourful food that just hit the spot.

Earlier in the day while sweetie watched some Olympic's on TV (yes, in a hotel room, sigh) I high tailed it  over to  Opus.  An hour and a half later, I emerged with a nice big bag of tricks!  I can't wait to try out my new Derwent Graphitint pencils. Here's a review on them: drawsketch review.  My right hand is healing nicely but... might be another week or so until I can really play. 

All in all it was one of my favorite trips to my favorite small city.  From Chintz and Company , Capital Iron and Silk Road to Murchies , Munro Books , The Papery and Muffet & Louisa, there is something for everyone.  And I have the credit card receipts to prove it :)

It's been a week

So it's still a bigger slice than I expected, somehow that hasn't changed in four more days. And I now have a spectacular bruise on my wrist, a lovely mottled blue/green upside down tear drop shape.  Enough of the whining, I am actually typing with it!  It feels very stiff but the typing motion causes zero pain.  Unlike the picking up motion or the stretching motion.  I wonder if it will ever feel normal again?  After 10 years or so of putting off this surgery, do I even know what normal feels like?

The weirdest thing of all ....is not going to work.  It's only been 5 days off but it's so unlike a vacation that I feel somewhat lost.  I don't know how people stay home (especially if the Olypmics aren't on TV ~ Go Canada Go)  Maybe in another week or so of healing I will be able to answer that question.  I now look ahead to getting the other one done.  I actually felt sick to my stomach when I booked the next appointment.  The not knowing was better for me (really!!).  I could  live another lifetime without experiencing those needles in my hand. But on the bright side, I have no more nighttime pain in my right hand and that is amazing. 

the day of the mummy paw

Today I really feel useless.  I had no idea just how very right handed I am.  Sure I make jokes about my spare (left) paw... but seriously!!!  I hate that I can't even make a pony tail.  And as helpful as sweetie tries to be, he just doesn't get the hair thing. All he wants to do is unwrap it to see the scar.  I can wait until I'm 90 for that!  I like to follow doctors orders... he says three days so three days it is.  Besides the minute the wrap is off I will likely forget all about the slice and do something I shouldn't.

Ouch

Yesterday I finally went under the knife. Yup, had the carpal tunnel surgery.   It was surprisingly painful to have several injections in the palm of your hand.  In fact, here I am hours later and it's still somewhat frozen.  Not so sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.  Of course with my over active imagination, it's never a good thing. At least I didnt totally embarrass myself and pâss out... okay, so it was touch and go there for a minute or two...

This might be the shortest post ever since I am typing with my left (just a spare really) hand. This is the unblemished, albeit wrinkly paw pre surgery. It was once described as a palm readers delight!

  

Resolutions, pain and Happiness?

Resolutions

One of my resolutions for this year was to print my photos, frame them and display them in my home.  Last weekend I did just that.  Well.... I printed 9 photos with my new HP Photosmart printer (Christmas present from Sweetie) and I framed and hung 3 of them.  Its a start.
Earlier in the blog I was questioning how to pick which photo's to print.  Turns out when I really started looking through them all (oh My God, who took all those???)  I knew exactly which ones I want to look at every day.

This really is a photo I took of wild ginger in Hawaii.  I was playing with a demo of an online painter program and this is the result.  The printed photo is gorgeous.

With the same online painter program I turned a photo of Koi fish (taken in Hawaii outside our favourite Starbucks) into an oil painting.  The printed photo is good but it would look much better on matte paper.

Again, another favourite photo from Hawaii.  Do you see a theme happening here?  I also realized that not only do I collect tea pots I like to take pictures of them too!

Such a beautiful view.  The color of the water almost hurts to look at.  Hawaii again.  What a rugged land.

Mai Tai's at our favourite restaurant on Maui.  Mamas Fish House.  All I can say is YUMMY.

 Check it out:  Mamas fish house on Maui

And finally, the first picture I see every day when I get out of bed

5th Avenue, New York City.  The place where stone castles meet glass skyscrapers.  I will forever be reminded of this wonderful trip.

Pain

The pain is all about the carpal tunnel.  Crappy. I'm looking at surgery some time in February.  More on that at a later date.  Here's a little info though http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpal_tunnel_syndrome

Happiness

Some time before Christmas I was on Amazon looking for the latest book by Elizabeth Gilbert.   I was so excited to hear she has written a sequel to Eat Pray Love.  I will read anything she writes, even a grocery list !   http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm

Along with Elizabeth Gilberts new book Committed was a recommendation for "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.  The more I read about this book the more intrigued I became.  It hadn't been released yet and I wanted it.  I ordered two copies, one for myself and one for my sister.  They came in the mail a few weeks ago and I've been reading it and thinking about it ever since.  Check it out:  http://www.happiness-project.com/  I'm so taken with this idea that I am going to start at the beginning and read it over again, taking my time, bad habit, that speed reading.

New Year, new ideas?

I've been thinking a lot lately about blog themes.  Basically, trying to find my own voice.  The experts say the best way to do that is by reading other blogs and adopting or adapting what it is you like about them into your own blog.  I guess that's what I have a problem with.  We all want to be original, unique even.  But hasn't everything already been done?  I sure hope not.

Anyway, I am contemplating a theme for a series of photographs and one that appeals to me greatly is based upon color. How about "searching for aqua in life".  Since I could never choose between blue or green as my favorite color, I have decided that aqua it is.  Sometimes more blue than green, but always questionable... the color of beach glass or a favorite tee shirt. This could be a very difficult assignment this time of year in our climate.  If I said searching for grey in life, well then, there would so much more to choose from! 

While I contemplate what it is I want to do in a blog.... here are some new photos from yesterday.  Walking my favorite trail in the rain.  And why is it photos look so much better on rainy days?