So today was it. The last day of being the Saskatoon Location Manager at work. It was a volunteer position with some perks, but the best thing about it was that it kept me in the loop. So now I have to make that extra effort to not be reclusive and on my own in the corner.

I had lunch with my successor and I showed her most everything that I've done over the last two year in the role. There's lots of organizing and planning and thinking of others. I loved letting everyone know that they were appreciated for what they brought to the office in terms of humour, attitude, and community. I really feel like the Saskatoon branch is a small community within the company even though we have 11 different managers for 15 staff in the office. It sounds segregated, but we have such a wide range of talents in the office that we can utilize all of them.

There is one last task set in front of me. What do I think Saskatoonians would excel at. The only answer I could come up with was, "Anything we try, we will be good at." Of course, that's just how I feel about Saskatchewan in general. I need to look at what training courses are offered here and what direction the company is moving in. I think we'd be great at a lot of things.

Although I'm going to miss it, I'm glad that I can concentrate on my day job again.

I had a total of 13 houseguests this weekend. It was great! I think I've finally learned to just relax and enjoy my guests' company instead of playing perfect hostess which makes me anal and uncomfortable to be around.

There was partying and carousing and they've learned that I sleep like the dead so they can do pretty much as they please til whatever time they please without disturbing me. I also like to make them breakfast. There would have been fudge too, but I didn't quite get around to it. Ah well, hopefully for next weekend when I go to visit them.

I also went dancing for the first time in years. It was sooo great! All the goths were little and cute and I loved them all. I hope they didn't realize that I was smiling at them and how cute and serious and angsty they were. Then there was the cleavage!! Oh my! And I really saw that some people are not born with rhythm in any way, shape or form. Joints and other pointy bits sticking out into unoccupied air space around them not in time with the music except by coincidence. But since dancing isn't about how you look while doing it - more power to them for doing it!! I smiled and danced and danced and smiled. I could feel the beat in my sternum for some songs and belly for others. Makes me feel so alive and invigorated. I danced for about an hour which made me pretty happy.

I also saw the little brother of a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in ages and ages. He, the lil bro, was hardly recognizable with all the piercings and the mohawk, but he was still just as cute as ever. He's leaving for Rome in 11 days. And he has a job waiting for him when he gets there. I'm so excited for him. He was absolutely bouncing with energy. It's funny though. The thing that made me 98% sure it was him was that he smoked like his brother! Of all the habits to pick up... It's good to see that even though his face, hair, and habits have changed, he still shines from the inside out. He always did.

Now that Cheruby's life has ended as well, we are much better suited for each other. ... I thought it was funny.

I took a few days off work to spend with Jeremy for his 30th birthday. I presented him with the vision of something from his imagination - one of his favourite made up super heroes. His name is Lamp-post Man. I also wrote a short story about the man that became Lamp-post Man in a ill-fated accident with a radioactive lamp-post. I commissioned the drawing from his friend who draws. I was very pleased the outcome. Cheruby seemed to like it so I was happy.

The birthday party was on Wednesday night at Maguire's Pub and we had a really good time. There was much drinking and music. His string quartet played for a while and then there was an Irish music session. He played a lot which left me to fend for myself among all his friends. I did pretty well, but it was tiring. I chatted with someone I met in high school United Nations. She's the same as I remember. She's teaching music in Kuwait right now on a two year contract. Eep! I can't imagine being away from home for that long. Between her and Cheruby's roommate, I had two people in the room I was relatively comfortable with that weren't playing music.

There was a good moment between me and another girl I just met. Someone said that they wouldn't be able to have a tantrum. Pause. Then this other girl and I said in unison, "But those are so - much - fun." We paused at the same places when we realized we were saying the same thing. Of course, I won because I apologized for not bringing my tin foil hat before she did. I don't think she was going to, but it was still odd.

The strangest part was meeting all these people that love Cheruby's ex-girlfriend, including her parents. Obviously, Cheruby and her are still friends and she's a good friend, but it was still had me feeling a bit like an outsider. I didn't feel that way by the end of the night though which was awesome. I didn't even have a drink to make me relax and not be a spaz. Woot! I'm actually starting to look forward to meeting her. She sounds like a great person. Of course, don't let this delude you into thinking that I starting out wanting to meet her. It's been a journey and I'm glad to be at this end of it.

The rest of the trip through Cape Breton was so beautiful. We drove up the eastern shores of Bras D'or Lake to Sydney and Louisbourg. While I wish we'd had more time to go hiking and more time to walk around sites, we had to settle with driving by a lot of very cool things.

I kept thinking that people I know should come here because it's so beautiful. I didn't send very many postcards, but Peggy's Cove left me speechless and awestruck and feeling completely at peace. I thought of Neil Gaiman's American Gods as I sat there. What was it about that place?

The other thing that I kept being reminded of through my travels through the countryside of Cape Breton was, "No, but the deer looked kind of crazy though." You tell me...

That sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it's not. Surprised? Heh.

So tonight, only four of us dined together at a restaurant called the Five Fisherman. They have a salad and fresh steamed mussel bar. WOW! Fresh steamed mussels are fabulous! No squish-pop at all. None. And they tasted really delicious as well.

We had this waiter whose name was Sean. He didn't seem real nice at first and I thought I was going to have a miserable time. The first of us ordered and the salad and mussel bar is complimentary with any entree. She mentioned the mussels and asked if he would brought them to her or if she had to get them herself. After some discussion, he said that he'd bring hers to her. It was quite cute. And going in order of age, the second person ordered. She too mentioned she wanted the salad and mussel bar at which point, Sean interrupted and said politely, "The salad and mussel bar is complimentary with each entree." Without missing a beat, the woman replies, "Right, shut up then. Got it." Sean, who had been all too serious up until now, doubled over with laughter and admitted, "You got me. I'm not a nice person." He might have used stronger language but it's already fuzzy in my memory. The night was much more interesting and fun from that point on. Sean was a big flirt. We tried to make conversation with him, but he said, "We'll chit chat later. I just got two new tables." It was how he did it. Real charismatic, this guy, but really not nice. So, he reminded me of a certain ex-waiter friend of mine. He'll be nice to you because you'll pay him well if he acts the way he's supposed to. We still knew he was being nice to us to get a big tip. We didn't disappoint. 15% on the bill to expense (cap) and an extra 10% in cash from us. We really liked him.

And you'll never guess who was one of his new tables - the phone guys from work! They were sitting in the table across from ours. We ran into them in the office yesterday. And even though we were from across the country, we all knew him because he'd come to each of our locations to do phone upgrades. Really good guys.

Our initiative meeting was this morning. This is the reason we were all brought to Halifax. We were charged with the task of gathering the opinion of the masses across the country about a new initiative that we're trying to bring about. Of course, we're trying something new - telling the staff about the change before it's all planned out so everyone can have a say in what they think might or might not work. It's a struggle because we've never done this before, but at the same time, it's the right way to do things because all the employees of the company come up with great ideas and it's hard to find a workplace that values us that much.

One of the great things about the meeting was that we know things are going to happen differently because of what was said. One programming project is being stopped so the work doesn't have to be done. Of course, Saskatoon has a much different culture than all the other branches, but it's something that we love and we have cultivated. We are planning on growing and I hope that we keep that same environment. I'm going to try my best to do that because it's important to me.

We also got some parting gifts from our director. The note we got with it made me cry, of course. I'm such a sap. I just feel so lucky.

And I say "lucky", but I know that isn't it. I worked for it and I've been rewarded beyond my expectations.

We just got back from the Press Gang restaurant and I thought of many of my friends. Stone walls and wooden beams were the decor with candles everywhere, including a wrought iron chandalier. There was a little alcove in the back for two with a curtain that could be closed for extra privacy. There was a wall with holes in it that fit candles and the wax had been let to drip down the stone. I have pictures so I hope they turned out okay.

The food was spectacular. I started with the beet salad which was on a bed of feta surrounded by a turret asparagus spears. For the main course, I had the blackened halibut with dill sauce. And dessert was the Chocolate Caramel Parfait. [sigh] It was so good and so filling.

We actually got shushed in the restaurant because we were being too loud. What do you expect when you get 10 women together from across the country who are all outspoken and outgoing and opinionated? Oh and a company executive and a company director were there buying wine too. It was so much fun.

Let me start with the fact that life is really good. I know that I've been saying that for a while now, but it's still true so I'm going to keep saying it.

I got to see mom on Wednesday and I think she stayed longer than she meant to at my house so she could meet Cheruby. Sneaky mom. We sat outside and talked and talked and she told me about her trip that she's going on sometime in the next two years. She sat in her egg chair and I laid on my hammock. It was beautiful. I don't think I'm going to be able to hunt the rest of the dandelions before I leave for Halifax on Tuesday morning.

Cheruby and I have been spending lots of time together. This week, he learned that intending to play City of Heroes for an hour meant playing for three hours. Heh. I wasn't playing, he was. I had to get him hooked on it somehow. [grin] And I got to meet his cousin this week who said that I was too good for Jeremy. Apparently, he thought I was pretty and smart and funny. And that I've got to be cool because I play video games. I don't think that's cool criteria myself, but it goes with the rest of me that is pretty cool. I'm not good at video games, I just like to play.

I've been seeing more of her and Neuba's honey which is nice. There has a resurgence of his D&D game and we've invited Batty to play with us as well. Batty and I have been going through withdrawal since our GM moved to Calgary. PPbbbbbbbbbbttthhhh...

I'm feeling very blessed.

We finally made it off the couch to do some qigong on Friday night. We did it outside which was completely amazing. I get so ... energized, which isn't quite the right word for the feeling, that I can't meditate on it for very long. She usually does that part at least twice as long as me. I think the problem is that I can't seem to focus the energy anywhere, it just seems to explode everywhere and I have to get rid of it some how to feel not out of control - subtle but important difference from in control.

Then I made supper for her and Cheruby before we sat down to some BSG including the season one finale which shocked me. Then the jerks wouldn't let me watch any of season two. Booo!

I was awake for a few hours yesterday, but only because I had to be and was rewarded with flowers and lunch. And I took up hunting my dandelions with a very big knife today. Two and a half hours later, I have cleared out approximately 16 square feet which isn't very much of my infested yard. More hunting later.

This evening I was supposed to do some Kung Fu with her, but we decided that sitting on the couch and being lazy and watching Six Feet Under was a much better plan.

While we were watching the first season's finale, Cheruby phoned just to see how I was doing. What a sweetie! I love moments like these when someone else lets me know that they were thinking of me. These are the things that can make my day completely spectacular whether it was a bad or good day prior to the event. [GRIN]

It takes a lot for me to call in sick and yet, that's what I did today. How does one decide whether or not you are sick enough to not work? I don't really think today was as bad as I wanted it to be, but decided today I wouldn't be good at work even though I felt guilty because I had a team meeting which I know my staff arrange themselves around a little bit. Grrrr... So I'm mad at myself for letting them down a tiny bit. I'll have to send out an email for the items that can't wait for two weeks. Dang.

The stupid dumb luck part of the day was that I answered my cell phone which woke me from my slumber at 1:30 this afternoon because it must be important or I wouldn't be getting a call. Yep. It was the Vice President of my department at work who I haven't had a chance to speak to personally yet, but have heard a lot of good things about. And I'm at home babying myself because I didn't feel well enough to work. He let me go back to bed after discovering my state of being so I don't even know what it was about.

It's reminiscent of the first time the Director of my department decided to do a surprise drop-in on Saskatoon to visit his three staff here. One was on vacation, one was on jury duty, and I was feeling really ill so I went home early. Then I got a call at home from him letting me know he was in the city. Sheesh!

When looking at it from another perspective, one might think I call in sick a lot if on two important occasions, I just happen to be out of the office ill. But I trust that my reputation at work will precede me and that wouldn't have been the thought at all.

The past week has been quite busy. In that exhaustion-inducing way trying to do everything can be. I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the week or at least Thursday to recuperate from all the busy.

In trying to do everything I wanted, I seemed to get quite a bit accomplished at work last week even though I was in a different branch. I went swimming with the kids in my new fancy bathing suit. And had supper with two good friends in Calgary and their little girl who is very cute. Spent some time with a friend of mine from high school. And helped someone buy a new office chair. Heh. Because maybe we threw out his old one.

The drive home in the rain was fun. I was so happy to see Cheruby when I got into Saskatoon. All my fears about just being with someone have been put aside. While there is no label for our relationship besides that we are seeing each other, it's still good. Although, he got his first taste of crazy today because I haven't eaten enough and was getting all anxious about my to do list this evening. I've had some Nerds since then, but nothing substantial. I'm still proud of having noted my craziness while still in it. My powers of communication are completely shot though. A simple conversation has been very difficult for me.

Hmmm... it seems that I have less friends than I thought in Saskatoon. Everytime I look at my list of frequently called numbers, I keep running into a peculiar problem - they're mostly long distance. When did that happen?

The weekend was spent in the fabulous company of Cheruby with some naps and X-Men 3 with friends and TV and games with Neuba thrown in. I eventually had to sleep yesterday, but it was great while it lasted.

It's funny how talking about the people I know with the other people I know about what I read on so-and-so's blog has become a natural part of conversation and keeping up with friends. When I get busy and don't have time to read every day or two or seven, it takes me a few hours to catch up. Like now. I just spent the last few hours reading and commenting on other's blogs. I feel like I've spent some time with each one of those friends and they don't feel so remote anymore. I know a bit of what's going on in their life. I know that I can't possibly actually know how they are really doing without actually spending time with them in some way, but at three in the morning, it's the best I can do.

I was touched by the personal exposure that some people shared. One of my co-workers took the time to read some of my blog and asked how I could put so much personal information out there. What have I got to hide from the world? I learned a long time ago that the world doesn't revolve around me and that mostly, I'm the only one that thinks about me that much. That actually takes a lot of pressure off me to be perfect. No one expects me to be perfect and doesn't spend time thinking about all the ways that I'm not perfect.

Did I mention that I've been feeling really happy lately. I've got a lot of good things going and I've started figuring out how to just be happy without trying to find the next big flaw in me to correct.

I've got a lot of good things going and a lot of really great friends and family to share it with.

Today, we started out with breakfast at Phil's. That prompted a story about chemical drain dissolvent. You'll have to ask TUO is you want to know. Brunch was good and it was exactly what we needed before heading out to the zoo.

I took lots of pictures and played with my video capabilities on my phone. I ended up deleting the videos of the snow leopard because I didn't have a lot of room on my camera. They were good videos, but I got a lot more pictures. Camels, baby muskox [delighted squeal], monkeys, elephants, baby big horn sheep, a gigantor snake [shudder], hippos [YAY!], giraffes, tigers, and so much more.

It was a good day and my previous unhappiness at seeing all those animals in cages was much less this time, but probably because I was waiting for it and squashed it quickly. It just seems so wrong.

All the walking and sunshine made for a sleepy Suzi. I'll try to post my pictures later.

I know that I like to talk. And talk and talk and talk. But I can't hold a candle to my dad. I mean, WOW! He's incredible at the amount he can talk. We drove to Calgary together last night and there wasn't any music or any other distractions. The only silence I got was when he was eating and he's trying to eat less so that means talking more. He managed to get me all fired up about something which means I have to talk loudly and more forcefully. That's the easy part when I get passionate about a topic. Mostly, it was just so that he wouldn't interrupt me and try to explain something else about what I was saying. (I have to get it somewhere. [grin])

Great Allergy Man has now threatened my dad's life many times. It seems that when I have an energy drink, I don't shut up when I get excited. And I was very excited to be in the company of so many good friends. Wheeee! I was so tired that I was able to sleep anyway once I managed to be quiet for five minutes. Of course, I woke up and still felt giddy and giggly. There is too much tired in the late night and early morning for this much cute. [happy dance]

Being surrounded by the friends I've made over the years was so amazing yesterday. Not everyone could make it, but they were with me in spirit. Especially my dad, Cenobyte and family, Cheruby, and my brother and family.

I learned so many great things are going on my friends' lives that I didn't know about yet. An engagement, a bid on a first house, a job interview, new opportunities, a possible reunitement, etc. So many good things happening for so many people. Oh, and an invitation to a D&D game. Sweet!

Forty people came out to help me celebrate and five people had well wishes via other mediums including a lovely phone call with my grandma in the morning and my dad calling from the road singing happy birthday to me.

And once again, I was surprised at people getting me presents. You'd think that I'd learn this one. The celebration of my birthday was supposed to be the present to me. That doesn't mean that the stuff i got wasn't incredibly neat and cool and delightful and appreciated. I got gardening stuff for my new favourite hobby, a hammock, an acre of rain forest, frog magnets, Lego knights, magnetic poetry, Logan's Run, thanks for inspiring a friend, money, a silk scarf, a glass bead necklace, balloon animal menagerie, Satsuma essential oil set, chocolate covered almonds, etcetera. And what meant the most was the well wishes from everyone. I cried several times throughout the day for good reasons and none for bad reasons.

And last but not least, showing my age by showing you how much I love this particular piece I found on Nueba's blog.

And lastly, I didn't have a chance to tell everyone why I wanted to celebrate my birthday with so many people. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the influence of all my family and friends and their experience and support and constancy. Thank you everyone for everything you've been through with me in the past 30 years. You mean the world to me.

Thanks very much to Drang and his tallness, I now have patio lanterns in my back yard! YAY! They're awesome and I can't wait to test them out tonight.

Cheruby, as he will thusly be known, is leaving on a jet plane to Vancouver tonight. A trip planned much in advance, but he did give me a birthday present yesterday. Cosmic Cows. Sounds right up my alley, eh? It's a cross between Yahtzee and beaming cows up to your alien space ship. What's not fun about that? Heh. I'm really going to miss him.

The little one has learned how to open the screen door by herself when she wants to come outside to see me. Today this resulted in my opening the screen door as her paws were in it. She was practicing her technique. The she ran under Drang's car as he was preparing to leave.

When I sent out my birthday invites, I know that I asked for RSVPs. Only about a quarter of those people actually RSVP'd. And if all the people that didn't RSVP that I expect to show up anyway actually don't show up, I'm going to have a lot of leftover food and drinks. Pirates don't keep that well.

I had a really funny thought the other day after my dad told me that he didn't think he was going to make it to my party. I completely understand that he can't hear that well anymore and it's even worse where there are a lot of people talking. So I thought, "What could I do to make it better for him?" I came up with the perfect solution! Invite Cenobyte's dad! They could sit together and say, "What was that again?" or "Can you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it." Heh. Of course, I didn't buy any Pil for Cenobyte's dad so chances of him showing are slim, but still, the mental image of those two in the corner hoping that everyone they were talking to would just yell so they could make out the words. I have no idea whether Cenobyte's dad is hard of hearing, but it's funnier if he is. Then I imagined them not getting along and having two old guys in two different corners of the yard. Or getting into a fistfight which is just as amusing to me.

Didn't I hear that somewhere? Life ends at 30? LOL I'm just poking all you REALLY old folks out there like cenobyte, tuo, R:tAG, etc. Oh, I suppose my mom fits in that category too, but she's so young at heart that I forget how old she is most of the time.

My to do list in the next few days isn't that long either - final food and drink arrangements, vacuuming, picking up the last of the borrowed items, string up patio lanterns and get a massage. Sweet!

And I have a date tonight. Too bad he won't be in Saskatoon for my birthday party. One of my friends has asked me several times when she gets to meet him so we're playing Shadows Over Camelot tonight. Great game so we should have a good time.

I'm going to try to get my running around done today so I'll be home all day tomorrow to do whatever I please. Maybe even play some City of Heroes.

Well, I have to say that I'm very, very happy. You may have noticed that already what with two weeks of nothing but sickeningly sweet posts about my dating. We had another date last night which I think went very well. The new Battlestar Gallactica movie is quite good and creepy.

So, I have been doing other things besides going on dates lately. I formed my garden yesterday and the cats are doing their best to destroy it. There was spray painting of plastic leaves yesterday to make "laurel crowns" for work next week. Planting of peas also happened although nothing else. I noticed just now that my callalily that she gave me for my birthday is already poking through the soil on my computer desk. I made something grow!! And my little one is getting very big indeed. My mom came to visit last week and I should get to see her again today. A dear friend came into the city and we went to an expo at Centennial Auditorium which was interesting. Getting the last of party details all lined up so I have a worry free weekend with nothing to cause me stress.

I'm so happy.

Last night was another fabulous date. Oh my goodness, my belly is still full of happy little butterflies. [sigh]

We went to a ceili, an Irish dance. He was playing for parts of it and came to dance with me for parts of it. I learned three Irish dances last night and had a blast. I got to laugh at myself and have fun as a bunch of us were learning the new dance. There were some people who knew what they were doing which was very helpful for me to see how it's supposed to be done. I picked everything else up fairly quickly. I liked the Haymaker because I got to stomp my feet. Heh.

The kids running around on the dance floor for the first part of the evening were great. There was one kid who would lay "sleeping" under the tables by the stage and the other kids would come partway to the front until the "wolf woke up" and then they'd scream and run to the back of the hall. They played that one for a while. And they played Duck Duck Goose and they played some form of tag that I remember playing, but don't remember the name of. It's the one where if you get tagged by the It person, you have to stand there with your arms out until someone runs under one of them so that you're free. It wasn't as good as dodgeball, but then again, what is? [grin] They offered me great entertainment along with the really wonderful music.

I feel so young with this whole dating thing. It's fun and it's odd to think that I'm going to be 30 next weekend and still dating. The two ideas aren't congruent to me, but I suppose that's just a product of having my parents married since forever and my brother having his first kid at the same age my mom was when he was born. Apparently, 23 is the ideal age for your first child, or so my mom's doctor told her when she was pregnant with my brother. I'm a little behind the times. Of course, the doctor could have just been settling my mom's fears. Either way, it's what I believe and it makes me feel young.

The best thing about dating this guy (I've let myself start calling him Sweetie), is that I'm not afraid of getting hurt. The knowledge is there that it's a possibility as with any risk, but I've been wonderfully naive to it this time around. It could end at any moment and I'd be hurt, but I'm savouring ever wonderful moment of starting this relationship.

My coworkers actually used the word sickening in regard to my skipping and beaming around the office. Don't care - they can suck it up.