Purple Haze

Most folks who know me, know I'm a big Jimi Hendrix fan. Ever since I came across and possibly sticky-fingered (sorry Damien), my brother's tape of a best of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. So you can imagine my glee, when I discovered that Jimi in fact lived in Vancouver for a while during his youth, and my dismay to discover that the city wanted to knock his house down.

So today I went to visit the shrine.. some laugh! It's a bit of a big 'ol mess, but bless them whoever put down the plastic grass and flowers and erected the muslin tent. Creative little mites.

Daniel Day-Lewis used to be a cobbler

This is the best thing I saw today. It just about equals the time I saw the man with the cat riding around on his hat. It's definitely waaay better than the man who has the pigeon tied to his shoulder on Commercial Drive.. that guy's weird.

He was like, "yeah, so what if I'm walking around with my parrots". I like to think he is, in fact, a pirate.. 

I bet there's a cutlass tucked into his sock. 

1942

1942 I invented the shoe, 1942. 1943, 1943, I invented the tree, 1943. 1944, 1944, I invented the floor, 1944. I have this song in my head all day... Shooting Stars was undoubtedly one of the finest comic creations of all time! It's a shame Matt Lucas won't be part of the new series.

I'm just back from a screening of 'Max Manus', a film about a central character in the Norwegian resistance at the time of the Second World War. Excellent film, I would urge everybody to see it. It has all the elements of a great film, and even if you don't speak Norwegian they have those handy little subtitlely thingys at the bottom of the screen 

;)

Palm Sunday and Lady Gaga

It IS Palm Sunday, but it is also her birthday.. and there the similarities end. Well I'm fairly sure they do. 

This is the Vancouver Art Gallery. I don't know how long it's been draped like this, as I don't exactly walk by it every day, but I have to say I like it.

I was thinking of asking them for some to make a nice summer dress... or a Hawaiian shirt for a giant.

Shoefiti

I've always wondered what the REAL story is behind shoe tossing. I recently noticed a rather nice pair of Adidas hanging from a wire in the neighbourhood. The next day there was another pair of Adidas hanging almost beside them.. 

Who is this phantom (hipster) shoe thrower? Are they walking around barefoot now?

Sign of the Times

People are crazy.. they throw away perfectly good stuff for apparently no reason whatsoever. Oscar salvaged THIS gem from the neighbour's grassy border. Isn't she just lovely! 

I've been meaning to showcase it for a while now, but I was listening to Prince today and it seemed fitting... Prince won't allow any of his music videos to be shown on YouTube. I love you Prince, but you need to lighten up.

Just in case you're reading this.. and care.

I'm in the mood for dancing

I've decided to start adding links to things I like at the moment.. songs, pictures etc. So here goes...

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight

I will go to bed early tonight..

Not behind the garage..

.. but bluebells none the less. They made me happy, and I really wish cameras could capture smell to, coz they were just divine.

I am currently listening to Van Morrison.. the go-to music for unwinding. After a crazy day in work, I will now be putting my feet up.. ahhhhhhh

Days of getting things done

Tuesday is usually my day of getting stuff done. I mainly rest on Sunday, I like to loll quite a bit on Monday, and then Tuesday the practical things get done before back-to-work Wednesday. I saw lots of nice buildings on the bus today, but I was in on-the-go mode so I couldn't just jump off at the next stop and scurry about with my camera... that's more of a Monday thing, and today is Tuesday.

This building was en-route to an errand, (a message to the Waterfordians!). Thankfully I had 30 seconds to spare or there may have been no picture at all today.

White for the swans, black for the crows

I always think of that quote from "Philadelphia, here I come" by Brian Friel every time I see somebody setting up a chess board. I remember precious little else about that play.. I can't even remember if I liked it or not. 

I realize these are NOT swans.. but you get the point what with the colours and all. I saw these having a bit of a face-off at Trout Lake. The geese were very obviously wanting to hop up on the curb to get out onto the grass, but the crow was having none of it. It was stale-mate for ages until the crow got bored and headed off. I liked the way the second goose was very "dum-de-dum, I'll just wait in line here no bother Mr. Crow". 

Snoozefest

Just had a lovely relaxing day.. didn't do a whole lot, and it was great for that reason

Hope you all are having a fabulously relaxing day also.

Gimme some cheese

Even though somebody (unknown to us) wanted to cancel our reservation we went ahead and DINED at Federico's Supper Club for my (extended) birthday. It was yummy delicious food, served by our lovely waitor, to the soundtrack of cheesey wonderfulness (i.e proprietor Federico). The Marvellous Margaret (and Kind Kenny) made my heart burst with an invitation to see Florence and the Machine live next month.. for which I thank you both oh so much.

This picture was instigated by my friends Aoife and Mark. It was also a birthday gift. It's taken from a photo of me taken at the Annie Awards in LA... I love it very much. Basically this birthday rocked!

 

Well Holy God

As some of you may know, I have a bit of a thing for religious iconography. I just assumed it stemmed from my Granny's house, where there were bits and bobs celebrating her faith in a few places. But as it turns out, a lot of my friends' grandparents houses were the same. But they don't harbour the same verve as I do. I mainly buy candles at the dollar store with pictures of Jesus on them. Recently I have acquired a large print of the Last Supper which I am quite proud of!

I also have a curious fascination for taxidermy... don't judge me...

Owwweeee

This picture represents my return home from work on a daily basis. I try to help the animals - in turn they try to kill me... Ah no not all of them (but a number). This little accident happened when a cat tried to use me as a springboard to get back into a kennel faster.. Oh the joy

I wonder if people who are unaware of my profession think that I'm a little scrappy? I hope so, it'd be cool to be the rebel without a cause type... but I wouldn't really be, just pretending and that...

I should get myself a proper leather jacket with chains on it and stuff.

Happy Birthday to Me!

I've just finished work and am about to go and be fed by some very good people. Then I will be going to the Narrow Bar on Main for a few drinkies to round off this lovely birthday... but first, This:

I've been harping on at Oscar for about 2-3 years now to make me a milking stool.. "why?", you may ask, "Jacqui, you have no cows", you may state. 

Correct.. I have 0 cows. But I really WANTED a milking stool and that's all that matters! But for this birthday the lovely boy made me one. Isn't she a beaut!  

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Just back from the long-awaited afternoon tea, and I must say it was well worth the wait. 

I think THAT pretty much speaks for itself. Now if you'll excuse me I need a nap...

This little light of mine

This is a lantern I made last year for the annual lantern festival at Trout Lake. I was very excited about it because they hadn't had the funding to do it the year before. So off we went to the dollar store to buy any supplies we might need. A bag of interesting paper choices, tea lights and pipe cleaners ready we set to work. I was very happy with my little house, and then the sky started to turn a ghastly shade of grey.. yes I DID just use the word 'ghastly'.

A lightning storm ensued, bringing with it golf ball-sized hail stones and torrential rain. It was pretty cool to watch, so my little house is holding stead, waiting for it's big moment this year...

Unless it snows.

Spring Forward & I Heart Mammy

So the old daylight saving is upon us again, just in time for... what seems more like winter than it has all year. Hopefully the season will sort itself out. Today is/was Mammy's Day in Ireland. I always have to look up the date because the Canadian date is in May or something.. I was caught out once.. never will be again.

So this is for my Mammy.. the best one in the WHOLE world. Awww

Ho ho ho, Green Giant

It is true.

I have been living in Canada for 2 years, and have never been to a hockey match, (sorry.. GAME), until this very night. Hence the lateness of my posting. A regular game lasts for anywhere between 2-4 years.. or so. I was kindly invited to enjoy a freebie game of the (Vancouver) Giants v the (Kamloops) Blazers.

It was mostly enjoyable.. apart from the bare-knuckle boxing (which is condoned in the game), which was akin to the 'King of the Knackers' title fight.. Except the participants keep their tops on.

The Giants won by the way, during penos.. or whatever it's called.

High Tea

So with my birthday fast approaching I was presented with the problem of having to work. I can't remember the last time I worked on my birthday. It didn't used to happen in Ireland, and I haven't worked in Canada on St. Patrick's Day in the two years I've been here. I wasn't ALL that enamored with birthdays until I met my buddy Ann Marie. She loves her birthday, and it made me wonder why I didn't. Ever since, I have tried to make a concerted effort to make the most out of the day.

To this end, I have decided to go for afternoon tea on Tuesday. It's something I have always wanted to do but have never managed to get around to. I'm quite excited actually..

Oh and the photo is of salmon and cranberries in a barrel...

...

...

No talk today.. just d'visuals

Cat Yoga

I will never understand cats. I was fully sure Edward and LeeRoy would bro it up together. Edward came to stay on Sunday and will be a fixture at our place for about 2 weeks. Both Edward's owner and I were pleased as punch that the 2 boys would LOOOOOVE hanging out together, and would fill their days making hairballs and looking out of windows.

We were wrong.

As it turns out, LeeRoy is completely petrified of him and moves around the apartment in incredibly slow-motion. Oh well, at least Ed doesn't seem too bothered. He mainly spends his days walking around and indulging in some marathon grooming/yoga sessions.

School Tour

Today we went on what felt like a school tour.. and it was really fun. Seriously. I know I am coming across as sarcastic, but it really was. We went to Fort Langley, "the birthplace of BC". The oldest building there was 140 years old... which when you come from a place that houses Newgrange (which is older than Stonehenge), doesn't seem that impressive. But it was good craic all the same.

This lady was stoking the fire with the huge bellows behind, and she made an ornate hook-y thing out of a straight bar of metal. We also watched a HIL-arious video about Fort Langley, made on the budget of about a fiver.. it was worth the admission price all by itself. 

Oops

I went out to Kitty Nights ("Breaking the Law show") last night. I came home to check on the animals in work before bed, and I inadvertantly locked my camera up for the night. It was a very enjoyable show though! This picture is of Watermelon. She owns a movie theatre (one of my favourites in Vancouver) - the Rio Theatre on Broadway. She did some stand-up in the flavour of "prison comedy". She was really rather hilarious, and VERY animated.

In recompense, there will be another picture later.. maybe after the Alice in Wonderland matinee we go to today!

The movie was great, the costumes and make-up were visually stunning. I seriously recommend. 

This painting was created by T. I thought it interesting that the sun decided to sign it for her.. just for a short while.

Big Brain

So my brain is almost at capacity from all the things I learned at my dental course today. I am taking a short break from revision because I want to get as much out of tomorrow's lab day as I can. That way I can go back to work and show off.. well not quite. Maybe just showing the boss that he didn't waste the admittance fee will be good enough. 

These stairs were pretty eye-catching to me. Not only did they lead to nothing but a big hole, (which was once somebody's humble abode), but they had broken glass all over the bottom and "red paint" splashed down them... I like to imagine a grizzly murder scene. Much more entertaining than a clumsy change of address.

Pooped

These are daffodils.. I am tired and have a dentistry class tomorrow, so this is all for now 

Alice in Wonderland

I can't believe after all this waiting it's gonna be out tomorrow. My favourite story, directed by one of the best directors of all time. It may sound as though I will be rushing to the cinema in a blue dress/white pinafore/blonde wig clutching tickets that I purchased in anticipation 6 months previously. 

Well you'd be wrong. I really can't abide opening nights. I would inevitably not get a ticket, or have to queue for 2 hours and get a seat up the very front. For this reason I will wait a reasonable amount of time.. maybe the next day.

My blue dress and white pinny should be out of the wash then anyway.

Scones.. or stones

As I type, the wonderful waft of freshly baked scones (or stones as my little nephew used to call them), is filling my nostrils.. Good ol' Oscar is some baker. It's great that he's out of work!

Mmmm, I just ate one. Yummy. Thanks Oscar, and thanks Mammy for the recipe! xo

Snotser

Head's a bit bunged-up today, so I will make this short and oh-so-sweet before I scavenge for a tissue and leave my sleeve alone (I'm joking Mammy). So today's picture was actually taken with the phone on my camera. I'm not cheating since it is still very much point-and-shoot. I really do miss the old SLR at this stage.. 

I'm going to have my lunch at 'Beans'on Main Street now. Their food is rather delicious, and the people oh-so-friendly.  

I kelele, he kelele, she kelele

U kelele. Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Tiny Tim was in my head this morning. I love the Ukelele, I wish I could play it. But like all instruments, I have not the patience to lend to something like that. I just want to be able to play it NOW, and not have to go through all the boring lesson stuff. If only there was a day that I could repeat over and over in order to learn it, Bill Murray stylee in Groundhog Day.