Another Dinner Date...Online

I have another dinner date with Daniela tonight.  This time, to celebrate New Year's eve.

Another candlelight dinner.

Board Games In The Prairies

Earlier this Fall I discovered a group of people that get together about once a month to play board games.  I've been a few times, and we play some of my favourite games - Settlers, TTR, Carcassonne,  and Citadel.

We meet at a tea house, which is a bit of a downer, given the great atmosphere that coffee shops offer.  Trouble is, most coffee shops close early around here, 8pm.

Yesterday we played Carcassonne.  Friendly, unassuming people, mostly in my age group.  My guess is people who - like me - have a hard time fitting into the conventional categories of society: married with children.

Good group of people.  I'm thankful.

Panic - A Horrible Feeling

I went skiing today with Michelle.  We went to Wildwood Golf Course and skied for about 30 minutes - about 6 kms.  It felt great - I'm glad one of the first things I did when I moved to Saskatchewan was buying cross country skis!

I felt some chest pain while skiing though, and that concerns me.  I'm not sure where it comes from, but possibly swimming. Sometimes when I go swimming I feel a tremendous sense of panic and shortness of breath.  I try to push ahead and not give up when that happens, but it's a horrible feeling - like I'm drowning or something - when it happens.

I think I'm in worse shape physically than I thought.  I only swim 16 laps (about 500 metres) in total, but by the end I'm physically exhausted.  I don't consider myself a good swimmer, but 500 metres seems like so little.  Plus, it takes me 30+ minutes, 2 breaks included, to complete the swim.

Another thing that bothered me is the pace of my skiing.  I ski so slow.  Michelle is a good and steady skier, but she has skis that are like, 30 years old, and she seems to ski so effortlessly.  Her strides are so smooth, mine seem slow and laboured in comparison.

4+ Hours

I talked to Daniela for a super long time last night.  We started around 10pm, and didn't finish until after 2.

We actually had a dinner date.  We both cooked a meal, and ate it together: she in Sudbury, I in Saskatoon.  I prepared roasted vegetables and fish.

I lit a candle too.

We have so much to talk about.

Merry Christmas.

Alone At Christmas

It snowed today.  I'm glad to be here for Christmas...

I look forward to spending Christmas together with Daniela.  I just wish we lived in the city so we could enjoy each other's company...

I'm somewhat surprised at my indifference towards staying here and not going "home" to BC for Christmas.  Family is important, but family can also be the source of great stress, and at this point I feel that family contributes more alienation than belonging.

The source of this feeling of alienation that I have is definitely related to my feelings towards my mother.  It's hard to talk about it, it hurts.  How could I be so at odds with her?  How could thoughts about her generate so much heaviness of heart?

I don't feel respected.

Daniela

I sent Daniela the first note on October 16th.

Then Ms. Indian Head came in the picture.  Daniela seemed uninterested anyways.

Then I exited the Ms. Indian Head scene, and at about the same time, Daniela came back in.

Early December we started to talk on Skype.

And that has continued, every night, for the past few weeks.

We're planning to spend Christmas together.  And New Year's too.

I think of her all the time.

Photo

I figured out how to take a screen photo on my Mac, so yesterday while talking to Daniela I pressed the magic key-combo and took a picture.  Here's the result.  Gorgeous.

When she asked what that "Click" sound was, I said "I have no idea..."

Christmas Dinner With Coworkers

Same place as last year: Prairie Harvest Cafe.  Wonderful, I'm amazingly blessed to work with this group of fantastic people.  We have two new team members: Poonam and Jayci.  They just came to us within the last couple months, as Kirstin and Nicole moved away.

It feels like Christmas now.  Great food, great company, presents, laughter, and joy.  Thank you Lord for your continued presence in my life.  I bless and praise you forever!

Pirate Heart...Coming To Town!

Yesterday I spotted this sign:

Oh man, I'm SO looking forward to this concert.  She's going to blow off the roof with her gorgeous voice and piano playing.  I seriously cannot wait...

This is a coup for Saskatoon.

Visiting A Farm

I got to visit Deb and Dwight's farm today, an hour's drive south of Saskatoon.  Carla, Chris, Owen and I drove out there after work.

While there Dwight drove us around, showing us their property.  We were hoping to see some deer, but we only saw some from a distance.

We did see their livestock, horses (both, mini and tall).  The ones pictured below are mini.

It was the first time I was out in really cold weather this winter.  Winter's definitely here now...

After the tour Deb and Dwight fed us some hearty chilli.  Their household is busy, my goodness.  dogs everywhere, running around, chasing each other and anyone or anything else moving.  There were hedgehogs too, in one of the rooms.  The walls are busy too, every square inch covered in farming and ranching paraphernalia, pictures, and other kitsch.

But along with busyness comes life.  There was a rhythm present, a definite sense of life or of being alive. That was super refreshing.

Prairie hospitality is striking, noteworthy.

A Christmas Tradition

How I love Handel's Messiah!  It's truly a work that's stood the test of time, as I never get sick of it.  I listen to it for about two months a year: Advent, leading up to Christmas, and Lent, leading to Easter.

It's truly a treasure the church possesses.

I didn't take the picture below but it shows the context in which I enjoyed it tonight, at Knox United Church.

Sudbury

Last week I blogged about Indian Head, today I'm writing about Sudbury.  Even further away than Indian Head: 3 hours flight to Toronto, then another 1 hour flight, then another 45 minute drive.

But I think this time the motivations are good.  Well, at least better.

Of course, she's still online - how I detest the "online" thing, and yet, it seems to be the only way I can meet people nowadays - but I believe she's a great woman.

European.

Intelligent.

Quiet/thinker.

Younger.

Gorgeous.

Intriguing.

Soft.