Latino Night!

Tonight I had a night of dinner, dancing and drinks with Charly and his friends, Ada and Ivan. I invited Jas too but she couldn't make it for dinner due to a work function and would meet us later in the evening for drinks at Latin Quarter on Commercial. I wanted to take them to Latin Quarter to see and listen to the live Latino band (his friends are Latino) and to test out the Sangria cos the last time Jas and I were there (many years ago!), the Sangria was terrible! We started the night off at the Cactus Club on Lougheed cos Charly and I couldn't agree on a restaurant and I have been craving for a bellini for the longest time! My brother had stopped by the house so I hitched a ride with him to Cactus he was heading out to Surrey to meet his friends but he ended up coming in for a few beers. His friends weren't quite ready yet and he had an hour or so before he could head out there. Everyone got along great and there were some really interesting conversations at the table. Of course, my brother was not giving us his full attention cos there were way too many hot waitresses on the floor! After dinner, a couple of bellinis and a few smokes later, we decided to head over to Commercial drive. I made reservations for 9.00pm and we still had a bit of time before our reservations so we decided to go have some dessert, gelato of course! We walked up Commercial drive to this new gelato place and they all ordered gelato but I did not (too full from the bellinis!) and we slowly walked back to the restaurant. They had to finish their gelato before heading in cos I'm pretty sure you can't bring food into the restaurant. Once we got inside, I realized we got one of the best tables in the restaurant! A table right beside the huge open windows looking out on to the drive. Easy access for smoke breaks! Just a hop over ;-) Wow, how nice was that?!?! Everyone had a great time, lots of dancing, drinking and enjoying each other's company. Charly's friends are really nice and so much fun! Although, the sangria was a disappointment and the owner was a bit rude cos he didn't come by our table to greet us or thank us for coming. But when I did finally speak to him (closer to the end of the night and he was pretty wasted!), he did not take the criticism too well when I told him the sangria needed more work! But besides those minor mishaps, we all had a great time, enjoyed the music, the dancing and the good company! Even though I don't dance (esp to Latin), it was nice to have Ivan teaching me some moves on the dance floor. I need to learn to loosen my hips and maybe after a couple more dances, I'll get the hang of it. Or I could take some dance lessons at the community centre :) It was very nice to meet Ada and Ivan and we are def going to do this again but it's too bad I won't be coming back to the LQ. The band is fantastic and the atmosphere (generally) quite relaxed and friendly. Ada mentioned a Latino cruise (in July) so I might go with her cos that sounds like a lot of fun even though I am a bit terrified of the water. But for now, I really enjoy little places like this and it's too bad that I will have to look for another place like the LQ. But I am sure I'll find something, Vancouver is full of small and fun restaurants like this!

Enjoy the photos and YES I really did have a blast!!!

JapaDog!

I finally had a japadog today! I have been wanting one of these for the longest time but Ben and I made a pact, we would have it together and we both just haven't been available until today!!! It really is as good as it sounds! I had the Terimayo Japadog....mmmmm...beef dog with japanese mayo with teriyaki sauce, fried onions and shredded nori (seaweed). Delish! Can't wait to have another one :)

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!!

Baking

Today, I spent the day with Rhoda, my BFF :) It is always so nice to spend the day with her even though we see each other on a daily basis cos we work a block away from each other. But on the weekend, it's a bit more personal cos during the work week, we only get about an hour to talk and shop. In the afternoon, she had a dress fitting on Hastings street for Ash's wedding (she's a bridesmaid) and after she was fitted, she came by to pick me up and we headed off to Richmond Centre. She needed to pick up a few more items for the ring pillows, she is making those for Ash/Kent and Cho/Susanna 's weddings. We walked around Richmond Centre for a bit, she found some of the crafty items and we quickly stopped in to check out the awesome sale at Costa Blanca. Gosh, did we ever score some great deals! Lowest ticket price was an additional 50% off!! I picked up a dressy teal top and long sleeved black blazer for under $20!! After we walked around the entire mall, we headed over to Langley Farm Market (which is located outside, no access from the mall) to pick up some fresh fruits before heading back into Vancouver. I picked up another great deal, 3 ripe bags of strawberries for $3.00!! I didn't mind that they were ripe cos I planned on using them for baking and smoothies. Once we got home, I started dinner (quick stirfry with brown rice) and Rhoda went upstairs to visit my mom for a bit while I cooked. After dinner, we took a look over the strawberries and it seemed most of them were pretty solid, very few mushy ones. We chopped the stawberries and mashed some bananas and we made up a new muffin recipe! Strawberry banana muffins. Mmmm.. they were good except that I over filled the muffin tin, overbaked them by 5 minutes and need to add some spices to the mix. Overall, it was a wonderful day and I love baking esp with my BFF :) Enjoy the photos!

Harrods

Thanks Jas for bringing back a limited edition Harrods shopping bag for me! I love it!

I haven't seen Jas since she's been back from London which is 2 weeks! Wow, I can't believe how fast time goes by!! We decided to meet up for dinner as it's Friday night and I like heading out for dinner on Fridays or ordering take out. We wanted to try the new Cactus Club at Bentall 5 but they do not take reservations and when I was there to put our name on the list, we would have to wait 1 hour before getting a table! That's crazy and not worth it!! It's freaking Cactus Club!!! We decided to head over to Joeys on Burrard instead and that was a good choice cos I really wanted to try the apple pie. Mmmm apple pie. After dinner, we headed over to Louis Vuitton boutique cos I told Jas there was a price drop in the luxury items and she wanted to take a look. It's like a sale! How can one resist picking up a most wanted item?? I know what I want..... Monogram Vernis Rosewood in the deep dark purple $890 (price dropped $50!!)

After Louis Vuitton, we headed over to MAC Cosmetics cos they were having a 15% discount on all the products for family and friends until Sunday. She picked up a new lipstick and although I could use some more makeup, I had already picked up my items on Thursday with Rhoda. After MAC, we walked over to PC to check out what was left from the Browns and Holt Renfrew's shoe sales, she picked up a really cute pair of flats (and comfy!) for under $200! I am thinking about buying a decent pair of flats... oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm breaking down and buying a pair of flats! But they will have to be nice flats, good ones not the cheap shoes. After shopping, we decided to call it a night as we were both pretty tired from the work week. It was so nice to finally catch up with Jas!

Flats

I love these MK flats, so pretty and look so comfy! Click on photo to see details.....

I love the patent black ones, I think they are perfect for every day wear! Love the details.....

Close up detail....

ALSO

I love these juicy couture ballerina flats, these come with their own pouch and can fold up to be placed easily in your bag or car! More details? Click to enlarge in new window.

West Restaurant

Tonight, I was invited to dinner with Jess, family and B cos B was taking Jess out for her birthday dinner, FINALLY! Her b'day was Monday, June 9 but she had boot camp and didn't want to rush for dinner so they made birthday dinner plans for tonight. Reservations were made for 7.00pm at West on Granville, which is my fave restaurant in Vancouver. I felt so lucky to have another dinner at West cos I only get to dine at this restaurant once a year (it's so expensive!) usually a birthday or Valentine's Day. As always, the dining experience was excellent and the company very entertaining. They were discussing the wedding plans, dates etc and couldn't decided on certain things and arguing about other things. After dinner, we drove by a few churches to see what they looked like cos Jess and B are getting married at a United Church for Jess's mom cos she's Christian. Jess knows her mom would be really happy to see her baby girl married in a church but it can't be any church, it has to be a United Church. The three churches we looked at, only the first one looked nice but they all seemed way too small for their wedding. Must keep looking and I am sure they will find something to accommodate them as it seems there are many "united" churches in Vancouver and the lower mainland. Overall, the night was very entertaining and I love spending it with the girls! Thanks so much for the invite!

Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS!

Tonight, we started the celebration for Jess's birthday! Gosh, I can't believe she's turning 2* and getting married next year! To me she will always be a wittle girl..... time goes by so quickly .... I could swore it was just a few years ago when she was 14 and babysitting Kayesha, who is always two in my mind!

She planned on celebrating her birthday all weekend cos she's special and she's got a ton of friends to celebrate with her. Our group tonight, consisted of 4 of her BFFs, Rhoda, Nel and me, the plans were dinner at Brix Wine & Bar in Yaletown and clubbing at a new downtown nightclub after dinner. But Rhoda, Nel and I were not planning on going clubbing, on Friday nights, I'm usually too tired to even go out for dinner but it's a special occassion tonight. The restaurant had a few good reviews and the set up of the restaurant's floor plan is pretty interesting. They have a hidden outdoor patio which is pretty nice and casual. Inside the restaurant, it seems a little more trendy with leather seats and dark maghony tables. There is also a lounge downtstairs called George for after dinner drinks but we were not planning to head downstairs. The food was flavourful and fresh ingredients with a not so over powering sauce. the sides were nicely grilled and the quantity was perfect with the meal. I ordered the Alberta AAA Beef Steak, 8 oz tenderloin served with cheddar potato cake, veggies and sauce. Very delicious. The full menu was pretty interesting and I would like to go back for dinner again to try the other dishes. There is also a late night menu which looked very good and probably a nice way to compliment the many different wines they carry. I think Vince and Meryl would really enjoy eating and drinking wine here cos he's a bit of a wine connoisseur. Before he got married, we (Vince, Meryl, Jas and I) used to go out once or twice a month for drinks and appetizers, we wanted to discover different types of wines and to enjoy each other's company. We don't do that so much anymore. After dinner, we surprised Jess with a dessert and sang her HB! She quickly opened her presents cos Lisa, one of her BFFs, was getting a bit ancy cos it was getting late (dinner reservations were at 8.00pm!) and they wanted to hit the club before it got way too crowded. Plus they had friends that were meeting them at the club and there was also a SUV outside the restaurant waiting to pick them up. She looked quite happy to be celebrating it with us and she enjoyed all her gifts! I love her to bits and hope she had an awesome time at the club!

Ginger

We have a new member to our family! A cute little toy pomeranian that my mom bought yesterday. We named her Ginger cos she is the colour of ginger :) We adore her, she is so cute! Very feisty and super smart pup! Kay and I love having her but am happy that we don't have to do the training or grooming or feeding etc. She's upstairs which means we can see and love her as much as we want but at the end of the night, we get leave her there :)

Saturday Night Fun!

Tonight I had so much fun! I haven't gone out for a night on the town in a very long time so it was pretty cool that I did it with Ana cos this chica knows how to have fun! Tonight our plans were to hit Mona's Lebanese Restaurant in downtown for a belly dancing performance. At first glance of the restaurant, it looks really dark (the windows are blacked out) and shady (or ghetto) but once you step inside, it's loud and lively with music from the DJ and people are enjoying themselves on the small centre dance floor. The restaurant was super packed and we weren't going to get a table any time soon so we decided to have a drink at the bar while we waited for the belly dancing. We weren't sitting for very long before someone Ana knew came up to chat with her, this girl knows a ton of people and no one can forget her cos she's got such a great personality and charisma. She hasn't been in the city for a couple of years and hasn't been to this place even longer but people can't forget the beautiful Ana. Once the dancing started, we both wanted to see her up close so we were at the edge of the dance floor for a full view of the dancer, wow she is so talented, she is a superb dancer! What an amazing performance! She danced for about 15 minutes or so and incorporated her dance performance with a very sharp sword by balancing it on her neck, torso and head! Wow!! After we paid the bar tab, we decided to head out of downtown and onto Commercial drive cos there are lots of exciting entertainment on the drive! Esp lounges/bars with live bands or dancing.

Once we were on the drive, we decided to head over to Latin Quarter cos they are known to have a live band on the weekends. As we drove down the drive, we passed a few places that were packed and blasting live music from the doors. We parked right in front of LQ but it seemed quite dark, quiet and empty, we were hesitant to go in at first but decided we probably wouldn't get a table at the other places. Gosh, were we wrong and lucky to stop in! The band was taking a break and the place was certainly packed with a lot of people!! Lucky for us, we got the last table available in the band area. Our table seated us right in front of the tiny dance floor and right in front of the band. We ordered an appetizer and some drinks, talked some more and before you knew it the band was playing, the people were dancing and it was def. a great time! Ana did a lot of dancing as many of the customers came up to ask her to dance, it was so much fun! I met the new owner of the restaurant, a young entrepreneur and he's planning on making some changes and keeping some things the same. He and his partner just took over the restaurant a month before and was asking how I was liking the place. I told him about a bad experience I had here years earlier and he told me, there would be some changes, slowly but it was happening. This is a really fun and great atmosphere so I hope he does clean it up just a bit and revamp the menu! Maybe I'll have my birthday dinner at this place, it's quaint, fun and casual!

Garden

Appys & Tea

Tonight I finally got to see my beautiful Ana :) I have not had a chance to see her since her arrival back to Vancouver a couple of months ago as we have both been busy, delaying our plans but tonight was the night! We made plans to have coffee at Sweet Revenge on Main street but I wasn't sure they were opened so early. If they weren't open (which they were not), we decided to meet at The Reef for drinks and appys. It was such a great evening as the sun and temperatures were very warm for the patio but it was a full house and there was a mile long waiting list to sit out there. We settled for inside (close to the door so we could get some sun!) which was super packed and noisy as everyone was out tonight for drinks after a long work week. It was a bit hard to talk in there but we managed to shout over people and catch up on each other's lives. Ana is still the same Ana that left Vancouver a couple of years ago, she hasn't changed much at all! It was so great to see her and I always enjoy her company. We are like two souls that can connect no matter how much time has passed between us. She is such a lively and soulful person and the connection we have is sparkling! After drinks, we decided to walk down Main street and see what else was opened, maybe for a couple more drinks but on our way to the next place, we passed a small but quaint tea shop. We decided to stop in for tea at Shaktea instead of the lounge/bar cos this place seemed more quiet and better place to continue our conversations. Besides, I have never seen this place before (when I lived in the area) and it was a def lovely tea place with lots of interesting teas to choose from. I am a huge tea fan, I love tea! After an hour, I realized it was time to go as Kay and I had plans to meet Rhoda and Jess for the first night of the Richmond nightmarket. We gave each other kisses/hugs, said our good byes and decided to get together again tomorrow for drinks and fun.

The night market wasn't that exciting and there were many stalls that were empty. The food section of the market wasn't even opened! We probably did the whole night market in about 30 minutes and we were taking our time. Jess picked up a couple of iPod accessories and that was about it. After night market, Kay wanted bubble tea so we headed to the BB tea place that we always go to when in Richmond and that place was packed! I think it took about 15 minutes or so to just order drinks! After a bit, we decided to call it a night cos Rhoda and Jess are heading over to Vancouver Island tomorrow to see the Cirque Du Soleil show in Victoria.

Coolest Art Piece Ever!

London
London
New York, NY

The Telectroscope - How interesting, wish I could go see this exhibition!

Visit the gallery for more photos!

A few ...

... more thoughts ...

Ari was really my dog and I think even Kay realized this. I guess this is why I am more heartbroken and devastated by his death than Kay is. She is handling this much better than I and she is my support system. My baby girl is really not a baby girl anymore, she is so mature and such a strong person that she has been comforting me, reassuring me and supporting me for the last few days.

In my mind, I know I will truly never be over this and I know I should try to stop feeling guilty and stop thinking about his death. Instead, I should focus on his life and the happiness he brought into our lives. This is going to take time and I know once I get over this part of it, it will get easier. My brother (who lost Bea a year and a bit ago) reassures me it will and one day, I will be able to look back and only remember the happy and great times we had together. I must accept and deal with his death and realize that I did whatever I could to save him (if not beyond). I know my brother is right and he isn't at all surprised that I am still so upset. (I called him late in tears) He let me know this will take a while before I am at that place where I can smile and be happy when thinking of him and his life with us.

But of course, I have new guilty thoughts to deal with .......

Although I would like to express my new guilty thoughts, I think I better not cos there are people who care a lot about me that read this blog and I don't want them to worry anymore. Their support, love and understanding is helping me through this and without them, I don't know how I would handle this....

THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU.... (y'know who you are)

Rainbow Bridge

(Image provided by CC49 on flickr)

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.


You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...

Author Unknown.... Poem found on Pet Loss Grief Support

Gifts from Japan!

Boot Camp

Boot camp is not as hard as I thought it would be even though I am feeling a bit sore from it. Lots of cardio and abs exercises. Dayam! Working on muscles that I didn't even know existed! I signed Rhoda, Jess and I up for this course cos those two originally wanted to try Cardio Core Boot Camp and I know that course i incredibly hard! I knew this course wasn't going to be hardcore cos it's a community centre program and I am thankful for that! It is going to be a fun experience and I'm glad to be doing it with my girls. Hmmm... maybe we should sign Kay up for the next one :)

Sleepless Nights

This past weekend has been really hard for me. For the past three nights, I have been restless, feeling guilty and crying many tears about our dear sweet little Ari. I really miss his companionship so much so that my mind is starting to go through all the emotions of guilt and I am replaying the last couple weeks of his life over and over. What could have I done earlier? Why didn't I take him to the vet when he wasn't himself? What if I never took him away from his first home, I'm sure the previous owners (the ladies) who had him would have notice something not quite right with him and maybe his life could have been saved. Why couldn't I have noticed earlier? Why couldn't we save his life? So many whys, maybes and what ifs. All I know is he didn't live a full life and it was indefinitely too short.

The one month anniversary is coming up in a few days and I am having a really rough time. I can't stop thinking of my little Ari and how much we loved and adored him. He was such a smart and beautiful dog, I am still so devastated by his loss, not knowing for certain if I will ever get over his death but all I know is we really miss him terribly so......

RIP Ari, forever loved and missed.....

EAT Vancouver!

This afternoon, Kay and I went to Eat Vancouver with Rhoda and Nel. We go every year and it never disappoints us! This year, the cheese stand did not give out samples of cheese unless you sat in for their cheese presentation which disappointed us cos Kay and I just wanted to sample cheese! After 20 minutes, we lost Rhoda and Nel cos it was just so crowded and busy but we texted each other and gave a time and destination place. Kay and I pretty much went through the entire exhibition except for the alcohol and pet sections cos Kay can't get into the alcohol section and we just lost Ari which made me feel a bit sorry and sad cos I was super excited about picking up samples and new food items for him. Kay and I had some food tickets (thank you Nel) and we decided to try this French bistro restaurant, Cassis, and I was surprised that Kay liked the dish cos I didn't think she would. We may have to visit this restaurant one day with HonHon. Once we were done, Rhoda and Nel wanted to head over to PC cos Hugo Boss was having a suit sale, up to 40% off their suits. While Rhoda and Nel were in HB, Kay and I checked out the new Apple store, wow very coo and pretty. We also headed over to Holt Renfrew and Browns (designer shoe sale!!!). We walked up and down Granville street a bit and after 45 minutes as we headed back, we saw that Rhoda and Nel were done suit shopping. After the mall, we decided to call it a day cos we were all super tired. The evening was quiet and relaxed, I made dinner for my mom and Kay was suppose to go to Mel's house for a sleepover but plans got cancelled. I can't believe how fast these weekends go.....

MADONNA

WE GOT MADONNA TICKETS!! I AM SUPER EXCITED!!! Thanks to Rhoda for waking up early, logging on and getting our seats. Madonna has never been to Vancouver and this will be the first time and maybe her only time!!

Happy Victoria Day :)

What crazy long weekend weather we are having here in Vancouver, the temperatures on Saturday and Sunday were extreme! It was as high as 28C but feeling more like 30C. But this morning, we woke up to clouds and dampness and during the afternoon errand runs with my mom, it started to downpour on us! Gosh, I can't believe how drastic the weather changes are but at least it wasn't cold today. The rain might have brought the blues but it was def a nice warm temperature. Since mom and I did most of our grocery shopping on Saturday (BBQ night), we didn't have much to pick up except a few misc items. We headed over to Superstore to return an item and gosh it was crazy busy! People were back from their long weekend vacation and picking up the weekly groceries or stocking up their pantries? After Superstore, we headed over to LD on Victoria to pick up some stuff that I didn't find at Superstore, Dryel cos I need to dryclean a couple of my jackets and Rubbermaid Produce Savers cos I love products that can extend the freshness of my fruits or veggies! After LD, we headed over to the Victoria Chinese Supermarkets to check out the produce section and mom picked up a bag of thailand jasmine brown rice, I'm so proud of her. She is really trying hard to switch her eating habits. After our errands, we decided to head home so I could prep our dinner, I planned on cooking her dinner cos I wanted to show her the salmond can be tasty and moist. I baked the salmon at 350F with some fresh dill, salt, pepper and 1/4 of lemon for 20 minutes and bam! done and moist. She really enjoyed that with the leftover greek side salad. I think I have convinced her to eat more fish, I am trying to incorporate fish into our meals, once or twice a week! Very good for you :)

Wow, I can't believe the weekend is OVER and we are back to work tomorrow. At least it's a short week, after a long weekend it's hard to get back into the groove of getting up at 6.30am .......

Happy Birthday Grandma!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

Tonight we celebrated my grandmother's 89th birthday at Red Star Seafood Restaurant on Granville Street in Vancouver. Reservations were early cos the only reservation time slots were 6.30 or 8.30 and 8.30 would have been way too late for all of us esp for my brother cos he usually parties over the weekend.

Mom and I decided to take grandma shopping in the afteroon cos grams still had a Winner's gift card from her birthday last year that she hadn't used. My grams doesn't get out to go shopping much anymore with us cos she gets tired quite easily plus she has to take her time walking. We took her to Oakridge Centre cos mom had to hit the Fido kiosk to inquire about a new cellphone and plan. After Fido, we took her over to The Bay cos we knew she liked shopping there plus she hadn't been in The Bay for quite some time. There were a ton of sales on shoes and clothing but no one (except for me) ended up with something and it wasn't a pair of shoes (even though I was close to purchasing a pair!). I picked out a lovely Kensie silk dress for less than $80! Wow! It was the last size small (xsmall would have been better) but the dress is beautiful and although there was a small tear at the seam, my mom said she could fix that up no problem. Totally worth the buy, I am so excited and I can't wait to wear it. After shopping at The Bay, we decided to head over to the new Winners on Cambie street, there's also a new Home Depot and Save On Foods too. Unfortunately, Winners/Home Sense was not opened yet which meant grams didn't get the chance to use her gift card instead we decided to check out Home Depot, Canadian Tire and Best Buy. Gosh, it was so hot today! I almost fainted in the heat and it was only a block and half walk. After our shopping, we headed home to rest and refresh ourselves for dinner. My brother arrived and we decided on giving my grams a lucky red envelope instead of a gift card this time cos she's had her Winners gift card for almost 2 years!! Once Auntie Ingrid arrived, we all decided it was time to head over to the restaurant, my brother and I in one car and the rest of them in my mom's car.

Red Star Seafood Restaurant wasn't too bad, they were super busy and packed but we got a nice window table in the corner. See photos for all our lovely dishes.

After dinner, we headed home as we had gram's birthday cake in the fridge, Anna's Cake House birthday cake made with fresh taro root and fresh cream. It was a lovely way to end the night and I think my grams was happy to have us all celebrate it with her. More photos on flickr.

BBQ

Wow! What incredible weather we are having in Vancouver! As high as 30C today! Gosh, it was so hot that I should have worn a bikini and shorts but silly me, I decided on capris and a tank top. Most of the afternoon was spent running around doing our grocery runs as I planned on having a BBQ with a Jas and Kay's friend plus mom and grandma. Last September, I bought a portable (camping) Colemann BBQ on wheels on sale (end of the season) and hadn't tested it out since I got it. One of the reasons, I didn't have a balcony at my old apartment and it rained every time I planned on taking it outside. Then I realized I'm moving home so I might as well wait until I get there and by that time, it was winter :( So imagine how excited I was to use it today, FINALLY!! Superstore's weekly specials were grilling steak at a good price and since I was BBQ'ing, I picked up a bulk pack and what BBQ without, BURGERS! Which I picked up last week and those are sitting in our freezer. Asparagus is great on the grill and those were on sale for $1.88 a bunch! After the grocery runs, I couldn't believe it was almost 6pm! Our afternoon went by fast, I guess it goes by faster when you have a ton of things to do plus you get out of the house late! Jas had already arrived and was waiting when we got home. She had bought cupcakes for us but it had melted cos of the heat but they still tasted good! After getting myself ready for the BBQ, we attached the propane onto the BBQ and it didn't work! I couldn't believe it! No BBQ?!?! Lucky for us, my mom had a tabletop bbq and we had to settle for that :( I'm a little pissed off but will have to figure out why it doesn't work, will have to call the customer service on the instruction booklet to warrantee the BBQ. After cooking the burgers and steaks on the smaller bbq, I decided to blanch the asparagus instead and I served a greek salad on the side. No carbs except for the burger buns, we had quite a bit of meat. My mom inquired about the salmon fillet I picked up at Superstore but told her no way was I using my perfectly good salmon on that little BBQ! I was going to bake it and add it as a side to my herb salad for lunch. After serving my mom and grandma first, then the girls and then me and Jas, I realized there was quite a bit of food. Wished I had taken more photos to show you all the yummy food we had but I was too busy prepping while Jas was kind enough to watch and cook over the BBQ while I prepped. I did take a photo of my greek salad cos I wanted Rhoda to check out this post and see what a REAL GREEK SALAD is ;) I love you babe and your greek salad was good a little ghetto but good ;-) Everyone enjoyed the food and the weather, once we were done, the girls went inside to play Kay's Wii and Jas and I cleaned up the mess. Gosh is it ever a lot of work holding a BBQ even a small one! Once we were done, after bit of a rest and Jas got some time with the guitar hero on the Wii, we all had a cupcake, mmmm those are yummy! A great way to end off a great night with good peeps, good food and a great dessert! Chocolate :)

Home is where the heart & soul are....

Going Home

Today, after work, we (Rhoda, Jess and I) headed over to Canada West Veterinary Specialists & Critical Care Hospital in Vancouver to pick up Ari's ashes and to consolidate the outstanding invoice. I had finally spoken to Dr. Sharp on the telephone earlier about some questions regarding the billing and after speaking to him, I started to cry. I have been trying really hard to think of the happy times we had together but once I spoke to him, all the painful memories of Ari in ICU came flooding back to me. Dr Sharp was, of course, very apologetic for our loss and wished he could have done more. I asked about the test results and he told me to check back in a couple of weeks as the samples went all the way to Britain to the very best lab to find out exactly what happened to little Ari. Rhoda is counting down the days as she has already marked it down on her calendar and will remind me as soon as the month is up. Hopefully, this will be the closure I am looking for so we can look past the last week of his life. Instead celebrate and remember the 8 months we had with him. One final piece is that I need to pick out a fave photo of Ari and order a pet urn from 7 year etch so we can customize it for his final resting place. Once we arrived at the hospital, I nearly broke down again cos it brought back the sad memory, the last time I was here, I said good bye to Ari and I was with him for over an hour, this trip back to the hospital was very hard and devastating. We discussed the invoice with the receptionist and she spoke to the office manager about our MRI courtesy discount. While we were waiting, Dr Sharp was kind enough to stop by and send his thoughts and again apologize for our loss. After settling the invoice, the receptionist handed us a paper bag with Ari's remains in a sealed box and a memorial clay with his name and paw print stamped on it. That was very sweet and I am so happy to have that. I hadn't decided if I wanted to take him home quite yet but after dinner, I realized it would be nice to have him home except that I left him in the trunk of Rhoda's car when she dropped me off. I will try to get the urn ordered by tomorrow so I can have it within the next couple of weeks.

RIP Ari, forever loved and missed......

Pup Shots

This morning, Rhoda forwarded an email with photos of Ari as a pup. The previous owners were kind enough to go through their photos and send them to her. Awww... gosh, I can't believe he ever had an ugly pup face and why would they put him in a tiara and a bow!?!? He's a BOY!!!

As Rhoda wrote in the email:

He is a King indeed....or should I say PRINCE"SS"

Monday Morning

This morning, I came into work with a much better happier attitude cos I figured I couldn't keep coming into work being sad. As I was talking to a friend, Val came up to me with a card. I opened the envelope and inside was the most adorable Hello Kitty card with a small group of signatures and words from my co-workers. Also included with my card was a SPCA contribution card, they all got together and made a donation in memory of Ari. The kindness made me cry, tears of happiness, and I couldn't believe how supportive and thoughtful they were. Val didn't mean to make me cry since I was in much better spirits but I assured her it was tears of happiness and I felt so good that a donation was made in honour of him.

RIP Ari, you will be forever loved and missed.....