A personal blog that started about the experience with Canadian Immigration and the wait to bridge the gap between two in Love. An American and Canadian that were trying to finally be together once and for all!! After 360 days, Furman was granted Permanent Residency in Canada. Now, we are getting Furman settled here. He is home! Now, the road to Dual Citizenship.
THAT'S MY MAN!! lol
He wanted to make me happy by building a fence that would close off our backyard. He's been on the mission for weeks trying to decide how to make it happen and Saturday, he did!
After much planning we made a trip to Lowe's to look around a couple weeks ago. We learned that we could actually rent a van from Lowe's for only $20 to bring some wood home. Only $20! Nothing extra for mileage or anything. You get it for an hour and a half and then it's like $7 for every 15 minutes thereafter. So, we rented it, purchased some wood and other supplies to build a fence and brought it home. Furman had done some research on YouTube and some math so he had a good idea of what he needed for how he was going to make this fence happen. Now, he just needed the time. If only I would stop making other plans. Lol
Well this past weekend we did a stay at home Saturday so Furman could start his project. He was up early positioning the metal stakes to hold his fence posts. But, it was a bit too early so he didn't start banging them in the ground yet. When he did, he ran into some difficulties when the spot where he was going to put his post already had a hidden post in the ground. It was there from a previous fence that existed and wasn't removed. He couldn't remove the post because it was held by concrete. So, his math had to change a bit. The stake needed a new spot. Slight change of plans.
Nothing was gonna stop my Furman from his mission. Nope! My job, was just to sit back and look pretty. Those were his instructions. Lol. A man with a plan. So, I did exactly what he suggested. Grabbed my iPad and garden chair along with a glass of wine (Jacob's Creek Moscato) and started watching Season 1 of Orange Is The New Black on Netflix. Lol.
At one point my neighbour even offered us each a cold drink. Imagine that!
We were already home in our yard and she is offering us a drink?
My God!
After years of crap at the old place we finally got good neighbors!
Feeling Blessed!
It was a beautiful day! So while I watched about 5 episodes, Furman built.
It took all day but he got it done. I had no doubts. I even got to help out a bit. Tried my hand at banging the stake into the ground with the sledge hammer. Yup... He can keep that task. Then, I helped position the fence boards, once he got the frame up, while he screwed them in. He used screws instead of nails so that we could easily remove the fence when we need to. We worked great together as usual. It was kinda cute. I should have gotten a photo to go with all the others I took.
Anyways....here is the finished product!!
Now, he just has to finish building the gate and Voila!
So, with tomorrow being Canada Day....he just might have time to tackle the gate before we head out to hang with mom for a while. Then again, maybe not. We'll see.
I had a couple days off so I decided to celebrate by getting myself a new look. Ok, maybe not that new but definitely touched up. Wanted to get my Sexy Back!
Think I was starting to look a bit ragged from all the stress I've had over the last several months.
I wanted to do something drastic but I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the guts for that. Cutting my hair short was definitely not an option. My hair has tight curls so it already looks much shorter than it actually is. I don't want to be one of those people that people lie to, talking about how nice I look or how short hair suits me when they know damn well that I look ridiculous. haha Besides, I don't think my husband would have been too pleased if I cut my hair short even though it's my head. Lol. So, I went with a safe option.
I don't really trust hairdressers. You tell them to trim the edges and they cut off inches. So, I haven't been to many. But, the last few years I've stuck with one in particular who I've been satisfied with. Hairdressers are like mechanics, you gotta find the one you can keep going back to.
Without telling Furman my plans, I set out on a mission after he went to work. I was driving a rental, a Hyundai Sonata. I had finally put my car in the shop after Another Accident, so I got to enjoy the rental a bit.
Being brave, I told the stylist to make me beautiful again. haha Just don't cut it short. That was my stipulation. Then, I closed my eyes and let her do her work and boy did she ever! Let me tell you though....when I started to hear that "Snip Snip" I almost opened my eyes. Had no clue how much she was taking off. But, I stayed strong! And hopeful. lol
The big reveal!! She made this Flipagram to share.
Let me tell you....I was shocked! Pleasantly surprised. Wasn't sure what to think. It was so different - for me. Will take some getting used to. She did an awesome job!
So, knowing I had my pole class in a few hours I set out to interrupt Furman from his job so he could see the masterpiece before I messed it up. haha When I got in the car, I snapped a few pics before setting out.
I like it! I really do.
So did my husband. He was just shocked because he didn't know what to expect when I showed up at his job and asked him to come downstairs. haha He wasn't prepared for what he saw. Takes some getting used to. I know!
Since I was on a roll, I decided the following day to continue with the pampering. lol Got a mani and pedi. Felt awesome. Really enjoyed my couple of days off.
So, today i'm watching Furman build a fence for our backyard. Yup! He is on a mission and I am staying out of his way. Besides, I don't want to break a nail or sweat out my hair (since pole class didn't mess it up completely). lol I'd normally be right up in there with him doing whatever he would let me do. This time, I'll watch - and blog.
On that note, let me get back to watching him. Wiping his sweat or something. hahaha
Hope everyone has an awesome weekend.
I got a photoshoot tomorrow. That's not why I got all fancy though. I really just needed some rejuvenation! So, look out for some pics to be shared.
We just completed another year of volunteering for WonderJam at Canada's Wonderland. If you've been following, you'll remember that we did this event last year as well. WonderJam Packed Weekend. It was a very long day starting off with breakfast with friends (who were also volunteering), at 7am at a local breakfast place while we waited for others to get themselves together. A very long day!
When we finally got to the park, we made sure to ride the new ride - The Guardian. Wasn't too bad. Just wasn't worth waiting for over an hour to ride it. lol But now we've done it. So, we're good. It's about all we really did as we waited around for hours for some kind of direction on what we were needed to do this year. If you recall, last year Furman and I sold WonderJam t-shirts. And, we were damn good at it i'd say.
LIVE CHRIST!
While waiting, I nosed around at other booths that were being set up, which brings me to something I really want to share. You probably recall how happy I was to get a t-shirt last year from Wear Da Word (Christian Apparel). I was ready this year to take home another. But, they weren't around. Instead, I found a new supplier of what I wanted - Live Christ Clothing. As they were putting merchandise out, their stuff caught my interest. Right away, I started looking for what I wanted so that I can have the items put aside for the end of the night. After all, I didn't want everything to get sold out and lose out on my buy. But, if you know me, you know that I am not a fan of shopping and take wayy too long to make up mind. Don't give me a menu!! lol After deciding that I would definitely take home more than one that I liked, Furman came along. Oh boy! He is always of fan of me just getting what I want when I can't decide. Take them all! "We are not broke yet!" is what he likes to say. God Bless Him! lol I guess the fact that I hate shopping helps because i'm not out there doing it all the time. lol So it's not that big a deal when I find something I really like. Then again, maybe the waiting on me to decide is what frustrates him. haha I don't know. Six t-shirts for myself and with two that he picked up to total 8 t-shirts, he paid and just took the purchases to the car so we wouldn't have to think about it later. Being the first customer of the day and probably guaranteeing myself to probably being the best customer of the evening, I made sure to snap a few photos so that I could help spread the word of where others can get the apparel that I was loving. T-shirts spreading the word of God with great design! I posted to Facebook and then sent a few other volunteers to the booth to check them out also.
After buying wayy too many t-shirts, I still had one shirt on my mind to buy that I didn't pick up originally - the one I am holding in the picture. lol I was undecided because I had already picked up a red one. I told the guy to hold it for me. Maybe I could earn it? lol
When the theatre was finally opened to the public it got crazy! Furman was given the duty of being Security down by the stage. Let me tell you, the perfect role for him! Made me think of the hilarious Bon Qui Qui at King Burger- Mad TV video. Security! In the meantime, I just kind of hung around till I was needed.
I hung out near the LiveChrist booth because it was closest to where I could watch the stage. But let me tell you, for a while, I felt like I was Security for their booth. There were so many people around it at one point that as I was watching people put shirts in their bags I couldn't help but have concern for whether they paid for them or not. No lie! But, I couldn't say anything because I wasn't close enough to hear the transactions being made. Besides, these are supposed to be Christians...would they really steal? I took a page out of Furman's book and didn't trust anybody! lol Like George Michael once sang, you gotta have Faith! lol I took a few more photos though...because I knew I was going to blog to share the word about Live Christ.
I ended up on the second shift at the Lecrae table selling his merchandise. OMG! I never heard of this guy before, but I sure know who he is now. People were going crazy for his music. Ie: Will You Take Me As I Am His stuff SOLD OUT! I mean, people were buying leftover t-shirts at $25 each that didn't even fit them. We were down to XL and XXL and it didn't even matter. Crazy! Smh! Furman thought that maybe Lecrae should have been the headliner because the crowd was just a bit more crazy than it was for TobyMac although crazy nonetheless. But that was just his opinion. I missed it all because I was working at the Lecrae table. But Furman ended up with stories. Kids trying to run up on stage to TobyMac just minutes before the concert ended. hahaha You know Furman was happy to play Security!! But God it was soo good to see for another year soo many young people involved in Praise and Worship! Man oh man! What a blessing! Whether you like the music of these artists or not, you cannot deny what they are doing.
Anyways, after all was said and done, I went back and got my red t-shirt at the end of the night. Forked out more money again like I didn't spend enough at the start. I know that Live Christ Clothing had a good night at WonderJam because I saw it myself and was very pleased. Hope they didn't have anything missing. Even through my posts on Facebook, people were hitting me up with inquiries on how they could get their own gear. Especially after sharing a couple photos of some kids items. These were just the cutest!! Yup..."Made in Heaven"
So, if Christian Apparel interests you at all, be sure to check them out. LiveChristClothing They have some awesome items with great designs and at a reasonable price. Donnie was real friendly and is very determined to reach the masses and help share the word of the Gospel in any way he can. That, I cannot help but support. God is Good and I see much success for his business. Keep at Donnie!! Oh, and I'll mention that he was wearing a very unique Christian necklace with pendant that I hope I can find to order. lol
In ending, this morning we went to church in Keswick and ran into someone who also bought Live Christ Clothing at WonderJam. lol Furman took a photo so that we could share with Donnie how far he was reaching with his merchandise. Then later on today we were at our own church picnic and I just happened to have some business cards for Live Christ Clothing on me. So, when people asked me about where I got the t-shirt that I wore, I was able to spread the word like I am by blogging. Note: He didn't ask me to. This is just me. So, hit up the website or give Donnie a call for your merchandise and go ahead and tell him that Mrs White sent ya or that you read about it on my blog just so he knows the power of social media. Trust me, I'm not getting anything out of it other than doing my part on directing others to another way they can help spread the Gospel by wearing Christian Apparel.
I finally have an opportunity to blog about our very first Marrieds Retreat with our Church this past weekend. We had a great time with 24 other married couples.
On Friday we head up mid day to Elim Lodge. I was pleasantly surprised to find on the website that it is a Christian Lodge and Resort. And, they advertise it as such. So, you know that people who are up to no good are going to stay far far away. Lol
The place is beautiful. It is located in a great spot overlooking Pigeon Lake. Great fishing too.
Because we were early to sign up to attend the retreat (since we missed the last one), we got to stay in the Bayview Apartments overlooking the water.
Inside was more than we expected. Not too shabby at all! Lol. No TV! Great for bonding. Bibles in each room. But, I travel with Furman who is always crazy prepared for just about anything. So, he had his laptop which enabled us to watch a movie each night before we slept.
Took a few shots to share of our apartment for the weekend:
As the first night was an add on to the original plan, we had to fend for ourselves for dinner which was not a problem! Once we saw what we were working with, we were ready to go. We googled for a nearby grocery store to pick up dinner and some snacks, just in case. Yup....found our way to Buckhorn! Next time, we will know exactly how to prepare. Bring a cooler of stuff cause the prices at the Buckhorn Foodland grocery store was ridiculous!! lol
I don't want to say too too much about the awesome time we had because I'll keep writing and writing and sharing picture after picture. lol But let me say that everything was organized beautifully. We had an agenda and everything. Such a great time with awesome people. Felt very blessed.
The first night when most of the couples arrived was a complete hoot. We all gathered around in the main cabin and played a game of Mad Gab. haha If only I could have gotten that on video. Hilarious!
Anyways....the meals provided were crazy! So much good food. Man oh man! They sure knew how to do it up good. And it was so nice to have the man in charge of the place come and bless our meals.
The weather was a bit cooler than we had expected though. So, that kind of killed our desire to get on the water and go canoeing. But, before heading home on Sunday when everyone was pretty much gone, we took advantage of the opportunity to play shuffleboard and tennis with another couple that we hung around with all weekend. That was pure jokes! Tennis is definitely a lot harder than I thought. And shuffleboard is much more fun that I thought. lol
Skipping all kinds of details about the weekend, I will share a few photos. Oh, but let me first add that Furman and I came in 2nd in the Scavenger Hunt we took part in. lol We sure did! I was shocked actually, because Furman refused to run like some of the other couples were doing. lol. He didn't want to get his jeans all sweaty because the sun was coming out hard. With all that though, we were still the second couple to get all the answers right. Smh. (Not the second couple to return. lol) Most people messed up on what they probably thought was a trick question. It was a question about the number of flags you saw across from a particular dock. Problem was, that there was a flag at the end of the dock and two flags across the water from the dock. I guess in the rush, many couples missed the word ACROSS. We didn't!
Oh, and let me say....PRAISE AND WORSHIP......we would have made our pastor proud. We sounded awesome. I'm not gonna lie! It's a Christian Lodge and Resort so of course they had a chapel. They had a couple! So, we were able to have our own praise and worship as well as Sunday morning service. It was great. Did I mention that we look forward to the retreat? Yup...if God spares. But God is good!
Well, It's been a real busy week. TGIF! But I'll write more before the next week begins. For now, enjoy a few more photos of our wonderful weekend with the Marrieds. Definitely something we hope to do again.
Have an awesome weekend.
Thank you again to the organizers of our retreat for an awesome weekend. And thank you to all the other wonderful couples for the fun and the fellowship. It was a pleasure.
I am soo ready to give up this car that I love so much. It's been good to me but gee whizz....I haven't been good to it. In the wrong place at the wrong time? I just don't know.
Let me say that almost from the moment I got this car, people have been up my ass!
When the car was still brand new to me, I had my first rear ender. A guy was rushing through the traffic light behind me and bumped into me after I had to stop for traffic in front of me. It was rush hour. I was livid! My new car!! Well, the car was really not brand new because I bought it used but it was new to me. Immediately we got out of our cars and I was like WTH? The guy was in his 20's and proceeded to blame the accident on the distraction of my personal plates. Like seriously? You gotta be kidding me. That is the best this fool could come up with? lol Then, he started to complain that the damage was "only a scratch". This guy was nuts. It may have been only a scratch but I had to remind him that the scratch wasn't there before HE came along and that the car was new to me. Anyways, he didn't want me to go through insurance for some reason. I don't remember what the reason was as this happened several years back when I first got my car. I remembered to use my cellphone to take a photo of his license and insurance paper just in case. After conversation, I agreed to let him pay cash. We made arrangements for me to take my car to a body shop of HIS choice for an estimate. And, I went to my own as well. Then, I contacted him with the cost. Satisfied, he arranged to do an email transfer of the funds so I could fix my car. This all happened in a short period of time. Happy with the cash, I decided that the guy was right and that I could live with the scratch so I left the cash in the bank.
Well....maybe about a month or so later I learned a valuable lesson. I should have done what the money was meant for because I then got rear ended again but this time on the highway. On the highway!! Was God trying to tell me something? It was also rush hour on my way to work. Traffic was slow moving and I saw this lady in my rear view mirror with her Timmies Cup coming toward me and I wondered if she was going to stop. All I could do was brace myself. Lucky for her, she didn't spill her coffee when she hit me. So, there we are on the highway getting out of our cars. Not the smartest thing to do but we were in the passing lane which separated the north and south traffic with a concrete wall. Again, I exchanged information only to learn that she lived near me. Too funny. This time, the damage was worse than the first time. I had to get it fixed now. So, I went directly to the accident reporting center and got the ball rolling. After all, she said nothing about wanting to make arrangements to fix out of pocket so I wasted no time. The timing though, was perfect. I was just getting ready to go on vacation so I was able to leave my car in the shop while away and use a rental car to travel instead of my own. A rental car I didn't have to pay for. I have a guy I have been dealing with since I was like 16 that used to do my mechanic work but has changed to doing collision instead, so I gave him a shout. He took care of me. The one mechanic guy I trust whole heartedly.
Since then, all was great until the Beginning of March. That's when I got hit by the tow truck. Ugh! My car got a few good years with no stress. lol I blogged about that experience already so I wont repeat myself when you can click on the link. But....this brings me to today....Here we go again!!
Got on the highway headed to work and traffic wasn't moving. I was stuck in a long row of cars waiting to make my usual turn about 10 minutes away from the office. So close, but yet so far. When I was about three cars away from making my turn as cars were inching up closer I felt a big bump. WTH? OMG! It was bad enough that I was now going to be late for work because of whatever was causing the crazy traffic. But now, I've got my own accident. Immediately I put my car in park and got out to approach the Volvo behind me. "Are you serious?" lol Why do I always say that? The guy had gotten out also as I looked at the damage to my car. Two holes in my bumper. I couldn't believe it. No scratch...holes!!
Apparently the screws the guy had holding his front license plate were not flush against the plate and created holes in my bumper. He had screws something like these where the ends were rounded. I couldn't believe it! Then, he had the nerve to look at me and give me that stupid Urkel question, "Did I do that?" I looked at him like "are you for real?" lol I answered him pointing out his screws and my holes. lol Cars starting to go around us, I took photos of his license and ownership and then we exchanged numbers. He'll take care of it he tells me. Don't worry.
I hopped back in the car fuming. Finally turned that corner only to see that it was a four car accident that was getting cleared up. When I got to work, I took the photo of my damage so I can send to Furman as well as the guy who does my collision work. Nobody should have a regular guy who does collision work for them. lol Nobody!
On a brighter note, once I turned that corner immediately after the accident the guy who bumped me sent me a text message which helped make me feel better. Have to share it.
Now, to figure out how much this will cost because this guy also wants to pay cash and fix the damage. I just might be lucky and have this taken care of as easily as the last one. Go figure! But....I definitely think it's time for a new car. It's getting close to that time. I don't know how much more bumps my car can take. Thank God though, that the accidents haven't been that bad and that I've never gotten hurt.
Unlike I had hoped, the day didn't get much better. But, it's over now and I am off tomorrow to get some relief and see my doctor for a previously scheduled appointment. I'll use the extra time to get the estimates and run any other errands I might need to. So, i'll keep you updated on what the outcome of the car damage is.
Till then....thanks for reading my rambling about my bad luck in having another accident!!
It's been a rough time lately. Right On The Noggin
Sorry for the extra long post but at the same time, I needed to vent! lol
You know this is too good not to blog about. hahahaha
I sit here with a mild headache the day after (no concussion thank God), wondering that same damn thing myself. Feeling pretty stupid too I might add.
I was just going on my lunch break and making a pit stop in the ladies room before I headed to a quiet spot where I could relax for the 30 minutes I get. My back had been hurting me which happens more often these days. I chose a stall closest to the door I was going to exit when I was finished. When I stood up and was exiting the stall, I connected with the corner of the wall. See the example I posted on the left. I would have been in the stall on the left of the photo and that wall right there with the black design....yup...that would have been what slapped me to wake me up. That corner right there! I didn't get knocked out completely but it was a really hard hit. I stood there for a moment stunned. The wall left an indentation in my forehead. When I left the bathroom I decided to skip lunch because of time and found a corner where I could sit on the floor in privacy for the remainder of my time. Right away, I text Furman. "Think I got a coco?" lol Little did I know that he had no idea what I meant. He hadn't heard that term before. Have you?
When my 30 minutes was up I returned to my desk where I started to work despite the throbbing in my head. Not too long after I decided to ask a colleague sitting behind me if there was a bump on my forehead. Yup...she clarified that a good one was coming up and that I needed to report the accident to my manager because it happened at work. Embarrassed as I already was, I went to look for my manager who was nowhere to be found. Hmmm? What do I do? I didn't think it was that serious although I had a good headache and a bump was growing. So, I sat back at my desk and looked online for instruction. Thought it was a great time to take a selfie to show Furman what a coco was. Hence, the photo of my noggin noted above. lol
I ended up asking another manager for advice and then the excitement started. Oh boy. Yes...it needed to be reported. She went and got me some ice and tried to locate my manager. Then, union came to my desk followed by a resource associate that usually backfills for the manager when she is away. Next thing I know they are talking about calling an ambulance and I am feeling totally stressed, embarrassed and in pain. Mind you, my back was still aching too. I was just a mess. Smh.
Shortly after, the Paramedics are strolling towards me with a stretcher. OMG!! Head down. Can I hide? Is all this necessary? "This is what happens when you call 911!" the Paramedic says to me noticing my reaction to their visit. lol I wasn't the one that called! They checked me out and confirmed that I didn't have an actual concussion. They still offered to take me by ambulance to the hospital though. Shaking my head, I wasn't going. Hell no! You weren't rolling me out in a stretcher. No way. I am already dying of embarrassment. So, despite advice given, I stayed at work with my aching head and lump. Besides, I was dealing with enough issues involving getting paid for being off ill that I wasn't trying to have more stress. Last time I went home ill I didn't get paid as I was supposed to. So...I wasn't leaving!
Following the Paramedic visit, I now had an upper level manager and her assistant at my desk. This was definitely not a good situation to be in. Where was my manager? Clearly she hadn't gone to lunch or she would have been back by now. Oh well. Now, I am being strongly recommended to go home with my lump. So...I finally agreed.
But..I wasn't allowed to drive so the next issue became how to get me home with my car on office property. Nevertheless, we got it sorted out. I was sent off in a taxi. But, because of paperwork needed and my refusal to go to the hospital, it was insisted that I go to emergency care and get checked out. So, I contacted my doctors office and let them know what happened and they agreed to take me. The taxi was taking me straight there. And....because I was moved to an office much farther than I used to work, it cost a pretty penny to get me to my doctor now too. $90 each way. Ouch!
The taxi driver was nice and accommodating. He ended up waiting off the clock to take Furman and I back to the office so Furman could pick up my car and drive it home. There were problems with payment that the taxi driver already agreed to sort out himself the next day when we originally left the office. After the driver offered to take the return fare, I got permission to allow him to deal with the return payment at the same time instead of Furman paying and trying to get reimbursed. Smart driver. He was no fool. lmao
It could have been worse.
My doctor....was not impressed. Hahahaha He wasn't quite believing the wall to be at fault. I wont even tell you what he said. Not sure why I had gotten dizzy. I had a light breakfast of Tim Hortons coffee and a tea biscuit several hours before the accident. But, I guess it happens to the best of us from time to time. Will you admit it ever happening to you? lol Furman admitted he walked into a wall or something once, but he had an excuse because he had been looking at a girl. I've seen guys do that before. Me...I didn't really have an excuse. It was just a bad day. Back aches, now head aches. Oh...and the doctor was right...I wouldn't feel so hot the day after. So, I sit here and blog. Telling you all about something stupid I did. Making myself look like a real winner!! hahaha But, if you can't laugh at yourself, what can you do?
Go ahead.....feel free to share your own story. lol
I am soo proud of my husband!
Well this past weekend we did a stay at home Saturday so Furman could start his project. He was up early positioning the metal stakes to hold his fence posts. But, it was a bit too early so he didn't start banging them in the ground yet. When he did, he ran into some difficulties when the spot where he was going to put his post already had a hidden post in the ground. It was there from a previous fence that existed and wasn't removed. He couldn't remove the post because it was held by concrete. So, his math had to change a bit. The stake needed a new spot. Slight change of plans.
So, I did exactly what he suggested. Grabbed my iPad and garden chair along with a glass of wine (Jacob's Creek Moscato) and started watching Season 1 of Orange Is The New Black on Netflix. Lol.
