Touring around on one bicycle trying and trying to capture it....

Still trying.....

Thai trains.

Enormous golden Buddah.

The most beautiful beach in the world.

Stone Buddah head craddled in tree trunk.

Holy Tree wrapped in colored banners.

Today I only worked until 1. It seemed like such a waste as the weather lately is horrid. Yesterday was gorgeous but all last week was rainy and cloudy. I'm not enjoying this weather when my only mode of transport is my bicycle - well, not even mine, my sister's. I know, it's sad.

I love biking around though. I get places almost as fast as I would in a car but I am getting exercise and giving the earth a break. Usually I listen to music on my MD(mini disc) player.

I tried to upload some more pictures but for some reason HELLO, the program I use, was not working. I'll have to try again tomorrow and if it still doesn't work, wait until Jon comes home from treeplanting.

I wrote a 5 page letter to my pottery teacher from Japan with the help of my new friend Iyo. I could have written it by myself with a lot of errors and without saying exactly what I wanted. With Iyo's help, and a lot of talking about it, I have a finished draft that I feel is exactly what I wanted to say. Everything I wanted to say.

I promised myself I would start going to bed earlier so my patience lasts longer at the daycare. It's 945 and I'm going to call it a night.

And we're off.....to Thailand.

Maxing and relaxing.

Koh San Road at night.

Golden Monks.

Laughing Buddah.

A Trip Down Memory Lane...All the Way to Japan

I have been reminising a lot about Japan and my friends there lately. Perhaps it is because I still don't feel like I fit in here. I am still adjusting and going through reverse culture shock I suppose. At least I feel like I have a purpose now that I have been accepted to school starting in September.

I know everyone feels the same but if I could go back in time when I lived in Japan, I would do a lot of things differently. I didn't know how good I had it there. I wish I had. I loved it and did all sorts of things but I feel like if I could go back (and only sleep 2 hours a day), I would do so much more.

Here are some photos from our Sayonara party on the last day in Japan. A bunch of our friends took us out to a local restaurant and bar. We had a blast!

2 Saskatchewan girls in rural Japan.

Tetsuji's story.

Binesu-san rappin' it up - ka-ra-o-ke style.

Asami-chan and Maru-kun - the staff of Shy Bar.

Mr. Jon and Mr. Tetsuji.

Sending offf the old - bringing in the new ALTS for Sakawa and Susaki.

Sayonara Japan - the night before we left - July 2005.

Birthday Treasure

Somewhere in my basement suite, that I share with my sister, Jon has hidden my birthday present. I have no idea where it could be. Part of me wants to go searching frantically and another, very very small part of me wants to wait until Sunday - my birthday. He sent a letter in the mail telling me where the present is hidden. I wonder if I can wait until Sunday?

I gave the stitch 'n bitchers a second chance after I was stood up at the last meeting. It was a bad idea - no one showed again. I guess I will have to resort to knitting by myself. It's too bad because I was really looking forward to meeting some new people who shared a similar interest. But it was not meant to be.

I bought Jon one of the drums that I wrote about yesterday. It has real character. It was painted by a young boy. There is a picture of a teepee on the front of the drum. I know he'll love it. I can't wait to give it to him!

My parents are coming to visit this weekend. It will be good to see them again. It seems outrageous the amount I've seen them lately compared to how much I saw them in Japan. It feels wonderful!

Nobody Likes to be Should on

That's what the "gorgeous, fabulous, and wonderful" woman leading the evening told us tonight. She learned the saying in South Africa during her time as a Human Resource Manager. She truly was an amazing woman! She referred to shosholoza - the sound a train makes (from South Africa). Her power quickly filled the entire room and she encouraged us to get up out of our seats and dance. I wanted to get up and join her so badly but I couldn't - I just couldn't. I don't know why - peer pressure I guess - everyone else was staying in their seats. That's not how I want to live my life - sitting in a chair - listening and watching while life dances past. At the end of the session I did get up and dance while beating a drum made from the 12 people under the age of 30 who she works with. It wasn't that hard. Afterall, she was dancing during the entire presentation.

If there is only one thing that I take from this evening, it the magic that I felt when she gave us a gift - a small metal ball at the end of a string. When I held it perfectly still and sent a message from my brain to the power in my fingers to swing the ball towards the front and back of the room, and it moved, I felt magical. Then we "told" the ball to swing from right to left and it moved. Last, we "told" the ball to rotate in a circle. It moved.

Ever dreamed of living in a castle? Monica Coneys has created Ubuntu House located on the eighth floor of the Bessborough Hotel. She has transformed a dump with peeling paint and a storage floor for broken furniture into a sanctuary where people can go to gain clarity and composure. Monica coaches the tenants and helps them to change their habits. Sounds wonderful!

Jon called today from the top of a hill in the middle of nowhere - literally. It's the only way he can use his phone. I hadn't heard from him in a couple of days so it was really good to hear his voice. He is doing really well - making lots of money and loving the outdoors. He is located near a river close to Cold Lake.

I gave my notice today at work - 2 months notice. Perhaps I could win the World Record for the longest notice ever. I just wanted to be fair to the director. I really love my job and appreciate the opportunity to work there. Plus, I know it is difficult to find good child caretakers and the huge notice will make things easier for her.

Tonight I am off to hear a motivational speaker. More on that tomorrow....

Welcome to my World

I just returned from working in Japan and traveling to Thailand, India, and Spain. I am working at a daycare to get back on my feet. I have just accepted an offer from St. Lawrence College for a 9 month diploma for a Communicative Disorders Assistant. That means Jon, my fiance, and I will be moving to Cornwall in August. Cornwall is 1 hour from both Ottawa and Montreal so we are very very excited.

It seems as though I have funny stories from my kids at the daycare everyday. Today 2 mischievous boys managed to find the only mud puddle on the entire playground. They were covered from head to toe in mud before any of us even noticed they were up to no good. They immediately got sent inside to put on the dreaded daycare pants.

I have gotten really into knitting lately and have started making a sweater. I can see it is going to be a really long journey - maybe I will never finish. At least it feels that way after I discovered that the patterns for straight needles and circular needs cannot be interchanged. Oh well, making mistakes is the best way to learn. Right?!?

Jon is back to treeplanting again after a few days off for the garage sale we held at his father's house. Considering it was raining the entire day, we made out okay. He is planting north of Meadow Lake and apparently (because he hasn't called me in 2 days), there is no cell phone coverage there. It is such a change going from traveling together everyday for 8 months to not even speaking on the phone. I am looking forward to him finishing that job.