"Home" in DK

I'm sitting here, at my kitchen table, stuff is spread all over the floor and I'm just listening.... no sounds other than the cars on the street and my computer humming. No puppies. No cat. Definitely weird. I guess I quickly got used to mornings at my parent's place.

The trip back to DK was fine. Long but I survived. Probably unintentionally gave people dirty looks in Frankfurt because I was grumpy and tired but I made it back to DK all in one piece. Dorte and Lise made me laugh - I could see them in the arrival hall when I was picking up my suitcases. One short person and one crazy-haired person were jumping around, waving like idiots. That made me laugh. I needed a good laugh after saying goodbye to my life on the island.

I hate goodbyes! You would think that since I've done this several times now, that it would get easier. Nope. I still cry. And it still sucks. I guess it'll take a couple of days before I'm feeling "normal" again.

I had the most amazing trip back home. My island/Victoria/BC/Canada home. I love that place so much and could easily see myself living there again. But DK is also a home and now it's important that I get back into the swing of things here and not dwell on the sadness of leaving Victoria. I have today off work - my final day of vacation - and plan on listening to loud music while putting things away and getting everything organized. I have plans for my little home!! And I have crafty fun things planned! I'm meeting up with some good friends tonight - Fred is back in town from LA. so Heidi and I will be meeting up with him for dinner to catch up on our lives. We haven't seen him in 7 or so years....

I'm running again. Need to get some things done now.

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Pictures in random order.

Canada 2009 - Victoria, Calgary and Banff.

Friends and Family.... Lots of Laughs and Lots of Love.

Glenda and Aidan. I love them both very much!

Mom and Spencer

Kim and Me - saying our goodbyes at the airport in Calgary.

My big little brother!

The city of Banff.

Group shot with one arm stretched out. But I did get us all in the photo without looking!

Goofing around while we were headed up the mountain.

Just having some fun with the camera.

Dim Sum with Glenda, her mom and Aidan.

Rachel and I went out to pick fruit.

Allison came over for Thanksgiving dinner. It was really yummy food!

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I have 2 homes.....

I'm trying to make the most of my last few days here at home.... My other home... It really sucks sometimes having two homes. I just LOVE the island and even after 12 years, it still feels like home. BUT... I love DK too. See the problem? And why do they have to be so freaking far away from each other?

Ok, enough of that. It's depressing me.

I'm enjoying a quiet afternoon, waiting for mom and dad to get home. The dogs are snoring and Alex is demanding extra attention. (We had a long cuddle on the couch so he's not being neglected at all.) This trip has been amazing. It has been so nice seeing my parents and my friends - just hanging out and getting to know them again. And going to Calgary to visit my brother and meeting his wife was a huge bonus.

What have I/we been doing? Nothing. Everything. All sorts of things. We had some quiet nights here at home, just reading books, talking, drinking coffee, walks with the dogs (and sometimes cat) and mainly just enjoying each other's company. Mom is busy with knitting projects and I definitely do feel inspired to start my own projects. I have bought so many books and that is one thing that is keeping me sane about leaving them again. When I get home - DK home - I have so much stuff to do. Things to make and I feel so motivated and inspired to get back on the creative track. Anyways, we had Thanksgiving with Alli and it was wonderful food. Wow, I have certainly missed my dad's cooking!

I was in Calgary visiting my brother and finally got to meet his wife, Kim. He had to work the first afternoon/evening I was in town, so Kim and I did a girly trip into town and poked around. We ate pizza for dinner and then went back to their place to chat and watch tv. On Saturday, the three of us drove over to Banff and spent the day up in the mountains and walking around Banff, poking around in different stores and taking loads of pictures. We went for breakfast/brunch on Sunday and then did some shopping - more bookstores ;) and watched movies in the evening. The weather was pretty decent - definitely colder than Victoria but nothing all too crazy. Very mild and the snow melted again by the time I flew back to the island on Monday. It was great seeing them and finally seeing what their lives are like in Calgary.

I've also been hanging out with Glenda - she's still on mat leave - and I got to meet her little boy, Aidan. Lots of shopping, lots of food (perhaps too much food!) and lots of good times. We have talked about nothing and everything and I love the fact that I've been able to hang out with her so much. I've hung out with Nathan - ate pumpkin pie and drank coffee. Dinner with Glenda, Nathan and Lance where we had some drinks and just talked for many hours. Hung out with Rachel - again, more coffee and more food and definitely more talking. I met up with Glenda, Leah and Christine for after-dinner drinks and just relaxing. Finally got to see Dee last night where her, Glenda and I had a girl's night out - dinner and a movie. It's just so great seeing everyone again and I wish I had more time to spend with all of them. I may have been gone for 12 years, but I really do have some great friends out here. My trips out here seem to always be too short.

Now it's Wednesday and I'm flying back to DK on Saturday. Mixed feelings. I will be happy to sleep in my own bed and be home in my own little apartment. I miss my friends over there and I miss my job... yes, I actually miss my work. But I hate leaving everyone here. I'm going to cry - I just hate goodbyes, even though I know I'll be back and I will be seeing everyone again. And having the internet with skype, msn and facebook definitely helps.

I will post pictures here on my blog later on tonight. Mom just came home from work and we are taking the dogs out for a walk.

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pictures of my first week!

This is a serious picture post. (They're all on facebook) But my grandparents in Ontario don't have a facebook profile so I will post them here too. They are kind of in random order but with Alli, mom and dad distracting me (good distractions!), I have decided that it is more important that I post them will short explanations instead of waiting for a better time.

Talking a walk with mom into town. A guy was practicing bagpipes and wanted to enjoy the sunshine too. That's the water taxi and downtown Victoria.

Water taxi. $9 from downtown Victoria to Hidden Harbour... we walked.

Johnson Street Bridge.

Charlie!

Charlie on the boat!

Mom, dad and computers!

Alex on the table, while we want to eat dinner.

Goofy picture, downtown Victoria through the branches.

The path mom and dad walk every day with the dogs.

Dad is watering the plants in the "backyard".

Hidden Harbour

Hidden Harbour

Dad, flower, wine and the computer.

Mom is on the phone with Biksen.

Me just having some fun.

Mom is relaxing in the sunshine.

Thanksgiving dinner!

Girls' night out! Leah, Glenda and Christine.

Glenda and Christine

Walking into town.

Lance and his new house.

Me and Spencer!

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Canada 2009 - the first few days.

It's been a long time since I last updated my blog so here I am. Sitting at my parent's table, enjoying my vacation on the island - feels good! It's Thursday today and I've been here in Canada since Saturday evening and have enjoyed every minute of it. Well, the journey over here really knocked me out for a couple of days but now I'm over the jet-lag and am feeling very relaxed.

The trip itself was long and pretty much uneventful. Dorte drove me to the airport in Billund and after a early morning coffee, I got stuck in security and was almost late for my flight. Holy heart attack - I thought for a couple of minutes that I was in serious trouble! But I made it and was able to calm my nerves down on the flight down to Frankfurt. Huge airport but I was lucky - the transfer was easy and I just had to walk a million miles from one end of the terminal to the other end. I flew from Frankfurt to Toronto and almost again screwed myself over. When I checked in my baggage in Billund, the guy said that I didn't have to think about it again until Victoria.... so that means I went through customs without even thinking about picking up my stuff. Not until a nice lady at the connecting flight gate area said that nope, all baggage coming from an international flight but connecting to a domestic flight had to be claimed.... which meant that I had to find a nice man who would backtrack with me through customs and find my suitcase. But that also meant that I had to automatically get checked at customs and the guy had to check EVERYTHING in my suitcase...

Anyways, after that little experience, I hung around in the tax-free area for a couple of hours and then hopped on a plane for the last leg of my journey. The last couple of hours were long and I was starting to get misreable. My back hurt, I wanted to see my parents, I was hungry, I wanted to smoke and I wanted to sleep. The last hour just couldn't go fast enough! I booted ass through Victoria airport/customs and walked into the arrival area with a happy stupid grin on my face, excited to give mom and dad a huge hug.... they weren't there. I was 40 mins early. Hmrf. Luckily I know the airport and it's not all that big so when they did come, I was ready to go home (my home here on the island.)

We quickly got something to eat - I was hungry for real food - and then I could finally just plop down on their couch and relax.... 3 minutes later, I fell asleep. I totally conked out. I think I probably snored. So, the trip was long but the end result was wonderful. I could finally give my parents a real hug, cuddle with the puppies and just relax.

Sunday was a quiet day. A morning walk with mom and the puppies down to dad's boat. The weather has been amazing since I landed and I couldn't have asked for more sunshine! We all went for a bike ride into town and did some grocery shopping. Basically a nice, quiet - "hygge" day with my parents. A great dinner and then again, I conked out on the couch in the evening. Woke up to a Glenda phonecall and then things were normal - me on the phone for hours, sitting outside with a coffee and smokes. Some things never change!

Dad and I spent the day together on Monday - running errands and drove out to Sooke to check out our old house. It looks the same. Lunch in Sooke and then more errands before coming back home to take the dogs for a walk. Again - massive amounts of sunshine! I spent the day on Tuesday with mom and we walked downtown and did a bit of fun shopping. Poked around Chinatown and that area, checking out goofy stores and having a good time. Lunch at the Noodle box - amazing yummy food! I ate way too much. Will probably need to go on a diet when I get back to DK but right now, I don't want to think about it. I'm on vacation and really just want to eat everything while I have the chance!

Yesterday (Wednesday), I finally got to see Glenda, Nathan, Aidan and Lance. WOOT WOOT! Glenda picked me up and we went back to her place. Aidan is freaking ADORABLE! I don't really feel comfortable around small kids but he is just too damn cute. How can one not love him!? Glenda's mom watched Aidan so we could have some time alone and just catch up on each other's lives.... Lunch at Romeo's - ended up speaking Danish because the waitress was from CPH... it's a small world. We did some shopping and then went back to her place to wait for Lance and Nathan. Dinner plans changed and we all ended up eating dinner there, and just hung out. Talked, talked and talked some more. It was so nice seeing them again and in some ways, it feels like I've never left. I couldn't ask for better, more loyal friends than them. Makes me all teary thinking about leaving them again.

Today will be a quiet day. Rachel is coming by for a late lunch/early dinner and I can't wait to see her again. Maybe Glenda will be dropping by with Aidan to play at the nearby playground. Again - beautiful weather! Tomorrow, the plan is to meet up with "the gang" at a pub/restaurant and just hang out over dinner and drinks. I only have 3 weeks and I want to enjoy every minute of it.

I feel as though I'm home.

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