Toronto preparedness course

One month from now Deano and I will be trucking along the Number One, eastward. Destination: Toronto, and our new lives therein.

I have been getting pretty excited about our cross-country/Atlantic move until I got off the plane in Saskatoon this week and met with a rude shock. Negative 25 degrees. There I was with no mitts, no toque, and a coat designed merely to ward off the evils of London's acrid rain—certainly not to cope with Siberian temperatures. Anything below -5 is a shock to this Vancourite's system, but surely these prairie temperatures are unlivable!

The funny thing is, I've endured Saskatchewan Decembers before, but this is the first year I've taken it personally. I realize that, come February, I too will be living in such a cruel climate, and frankly I'm not sure how I'll cope!

Since this holiday is the longest stretch I'v ever spent in the prairies (ten days!) I figure this time is meant to break me in... or beat me down... either way.

So I'm in the market for a warm coat and a sturdy pair of boots. Is it aiming too high to hope to find a marriage of function and fashion in both? Any tips?

merry christmas from the regiers

budapest cont.

budapest

village past

in the week or so before I left, Dean and I took one last little stroll through Stanton St John, just to say good bye. I shot film. The light was lovely that day.

home

Sorry to be so quiet for so long - visits home always come with a dearth of downtime, and if that time finally does come I'm usually too exhausted to do anything but catch up on all the episodes of What Not to Wear I've been missing.

I got home over a week ago but, after a weekend with best friends, I plunged right away into work at my old stomping grounds, TWU. I set up camp at my old desk and spent five days working on copy for the magazine, notably including a feature on a fascinating artist/prof who survived a heart attack last year and is incorporating her experience (and the moving GIF from her angiogram) into her current art.

Tomorrow I take the first of five cross-Canada flights this month, as I go to join my hubby in Saskatoon/Swift Current for the holidays. And tonight I'll finally indulge in the sushi I've been craving since my last visit. Not a bad start to the week, I'd say.

my debt to britain

I am in the throes of packing and editing a magazine and squeezing in all my goodbyes, so blogging is about to go on hold for another week, but before I sign off, it would be a shame to leave Britain without a short tribute.

Typical that after 3.5 years of longing to be back in North America, I am now becoming awe-fully aware of all the things I have loved about the UK. When I am back on Canadian soil I'll surely have a list of all the things/people I'm grateful to be reconnected with, but just for now, a list of the wonderful things that Britain has given me, for which I am deeply indebted:

+ a vastly expanded vocabulary which now includes irreplaceable words like chuffed, manky, and twoddle
+ a love for strong milky tea (multiple times a day)
+ clotted cream
+ a seriously impressive shoe collection
+ a killer curriculum vitae
+ endless design inspiration
+ Orla Kiely :)
+ Jamie and Living Etc magazines
+ cheap access to the Continent (this year: Prague, Paris, Barcelona and Budapest!)
+ incredible friendships in three fascinating cities

thanks to all who played a part in such a memorable three years! We'll miss you guys.

Story of Origin

My first foray into creative writing in a very long time is now live  at Canada's best new creative journal, This Great Society.

Other highlights in this issue:
Battleaxe Sweetheart (short story by a super talented writer in UComm)
Level Playing Field (series of paintings juxtaposing classic and modern ideals)
One of my Own (essay by fellow PA alum, Linnea McNally Jenkins)

good news from TO

Toronto has had its first snow-free November in 162 years.

... now if it could just hold off another 11 months.