Now, I don't really worry about the sun per se. I love the sun! I like being hot! I do believe I mentioned in a previous post about how the sun and warmth are important for Manitobans because of our vicious winters, so I won't go into it again.
Today, I woke up to the rain pelting my roof, and a lingering thunderstorm heading away towards the east. The weather reports were not good. More rain, more thunderstorms, no sun. So I canceled my beach plans and went for a walk instead. It was drizzling when we started our walk, at some points raining a little harder than a drizzle. But as we were on our way home, the sky got brighter and brighter, and by the time we were having breakfast, it was actually almost sunny, and THEN by the time we were leaving the restaurant the sun was peaking through clouds and I saw some blue sky!
What to do with a cloudy, rainy day that turns sunny??!! How can I get outside?? Is it too late to go to the beach?? Can I find someone to go with me?? I don't have the car, will someone be able to drive?? What if I just stay in the city, is it too wet to bike around?? Will there be a lot of puddles?? It will surely be humid, maybe I should stay inside instead?? Maybe I should go and find some air conditioning??
It's frustrating because you don't want to waste the day, especially with the summer we have had, but it's also exhilarating because a sunny, warm summer day is so magical...
So...what to do??
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Nothing to worry about??
I had nothing to worry about yesterday because I went to the beach with a dear friend of mine who always takes care of the planning so I have nothing to do there but read magazines and books and go swimming....
Well, at least that's what I wish would happen...
The beach part did not involve any worry at all. It was glorious. Warm sun, perfect water temperature, a good book and lots of people (as people watching is essential at the beach!) made for the most wonderful beach day of the summer so far.
And the worrying didn't really start until we were making plans to go home. I was meeting up with my family in the evening and I thought we had made plans....but apparently I was the only one who knew the plans even though they had been discussed two days before.
What time are we meeting? Where are we going? Is B. coming? Did anyone call him?? Is H. coming?? He may have other plans?? Doesn't he think this is important?? What if we don't get in?? How long do we have to stand in line?? Do they have air-conditioning?? Why are there so many mosquitoes?? What if there is a thunderstorm while we are out here waiting?? Do they take debit??
It turns out that I shouldn't have worried and me biting H's head off before we left, was unnecessary and mean....Everything worked out fine and he deserves an apology...as usual:)
Well, at least that's what I wish would happen...
The beach part did not involve any worry at all. It was glorious. Warm sun, perfect water temperature, a good book and lots of people (as people watching is essential at the beach!) made for the most wonderful beach day of the summer so far.
And the worrying didn't really start until we were making plans to go home. I was meeting up with my family in the evening and I thought we had made plans....but apparently I was the only one who knew the plans even though they had been discussed two days before.
What time are we meeting? Where are we going? Is B. coming? Did anyone call him?? Is H. coming?? He may have other plans?? Doesn't he think this is important?? What if we don't get in?? How long do we have to stand in line?? Do they have air-conditioning?? Why are there so many mosquitoes?? What if there is a thunderstorm while we are out here waiting?? Do they take debit??
It turns out that I shouldn't have worried and me biting H's head off before we left, was unnecessary and mean....Everything worked out fine and he deserves an apology...as usual:)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Heat Stroke
Summer has not been kind to this part of the country....Cool weather, lots of rain and very little sun does not for happy Manitobans make. We need our hot, humid summers to make our cold and fierce winters bearable. The thought of sitting on a patio on a hot summer night in late July is the only real memory that sustains us during a brilliantly cold week in early February....but I digress.
We crave the heat and I am a sun-seeker. I like to sit at the beach from morning until late afternoon, reading magazines and a book, eating snacks and people watching. I like the warmth on my skin and the feel of the gritty sand between my toes. However, spending the day at the beach also brings a few concerns....
I once had sun stroke after a friend's birthday party. I had been outside since early in the morning, playing outside with my brother. Then, I spent the hot afternoon playing outside at the birthday party. I was six years old. I came home from the party feeling very strange. I don't remember much except lying on the couch feeling sick and my mom saying that she should have paid a little more attention to how much water I was drinking, etc etc.
So now I have to be careful. Have I put on enough sunscreen? Should I go into the shade? Will my hat be sufficient?? Am I drinking enough water?? Is this feeling of tiredness accompanied by nausea?? Am I feeling sick?? Did I eat enough today?? Is this granola bar going to sustain me?? Should I have brough more food?? Should I go home?? Will I be okay to drive?? Do I have a sunburn?? Will it blister?? I haven't had a bad sunburn since I was 15, will this bring on sunsickness??
Of course, it doesn't prevent me from actually going to the beach! Only clouds and rain can do that:)
We crave the heat and I am a sun-seeker. I like to sit at the beach from morning until late afternoon, reading magazines and a book, eating snacks and people watching. I like the warmth on my skin and the feel of the gritty sand between my toes. However, spending the day at the beach also brings a few concerns....
I once had sun stroke after a friend's birthday party. I had been outside since early in the morning, playing outside with my brother. Then, I spent the hot afternoon playing outside at the birthday party. I was six years old. I came home from the party feeling very strange. I don't remember much except lying on the couch feeling sick and my mom saying that she should have paid a little more attention to how much water I was drinking, etc etc.
So now I have to be careful. Have I put on enough sunscreen? Should I go into the shade? Will my hat be sufficient?? Am I drinking enough water?? Is this feeling of tiredness accompanied by nausea?? Am I feeling sick?? Did I eat enough today?? Is this granola bar going to sustain me?? Should I have brough more food?? Should I go home?? Will I be okay to drive?? Do I have a sunburn?? Will it blister?? I haven't had a bad sunburn since I was 15, will this bring on sunsickness??
Of course, it doesn't prevent me from actually going to the beach! Only clouds and rain can do that:)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Crossing the Border
I spent last weekend in Chicago...What a fantastic city! Many friendly people, easy to get around, great shopping...it has everything I want in a big city. The only problem when a girl from Manitoba crosses into the United States of America is that she somehow must get back into her own country. The border guards from Canada into the United States are usually friendly, courteous, and eager to let you into their country so that you will eat their food, drink their liquor and buy tons of things that you don't need in the hopes of kick-starting their economy again.....They basically welcome you with open arms and give you treats like cheap booze and sales every time you turn around.
Getting back into the country of your birth however, continually proves difficult and even, at times, scary. The reason for this is that anything can happen. The stories of friends, friends of friends and even people who "knows someone who once..." are varied and developed to create such a sense of impending doom as you approach the border crossing, grown men and women have been known to freak out about such little things as what time they crossed into the states or how much money they spent in the states.
Here is what you need to worry about, should you ever be in this situation (and what I worry about every time I try to get back into my own country):
Do I have all of my receipts? Are there tags on all of the things that I purchased?? Will they believe me that this is the item I purchased even if it doesn't have the tags?? Will I get hauled into the garage??? Will I have to repack all of my things?? How will I ever get everything back in the suitcase if they do decide to rip it open?? Why can't this border guard just smile for once?? Why are they asking me over and over again what time I crossed into the states?? Is the limit $400 USD or $400 CAD?? What if I get hauled into one of those dungeon-like interogation rooms and they take control of my identity?? What if they slash the seats of the van?? Who has to pay for that?? Do I have my passport with me?? Do they take debit cards if I have to pay duty?? How much alcohol can I bring into Canada?? Why do I go to the states again?? Are the deals really better?? Is it worth it to drive 8 hours, stay in a hotel for a weekend so that I can get $10 off of a T-shirt that I really don't need?? Hmm.....
Anyway, consider yourself warned....
Getting back into the country of your birth however, continually proves difficult and even, at times, scary. The reason for this is that anything can happen. The stories of friends, friends of friends and even people who "knows someone who once..." are varied and developed to create such a sense of impending doom as you approach the border crossing, grown men and women have been known to freak out about such little things as what time they crossed into the states or how much money they spent in the states.
Here is what you need to worry about, should you ever be in this situation (and what I worry about every time I try to get back into my own country):
Do I have all of my receipts? Are there tags on all of the things that I purchased?? Will they believe me that this is the item I purchased even if it doesn't have the tags?? Will I get hauled into the garage??? Will I have to repack all of my things?? How will I ever get everything back in the suitcase if they do decide to rip it open?? Why can't this border guard just smile for once?? Why are they asking me over and over again what time I crossed into the states?? Is the limit $400 USD or $400 CAD?? What if I get hauled into one of those dungeon-like interogation rooms and they take control of my identity?? What if they slash the seats of the van?? Who has to pay for that?? Do I have my passport with me?? Do they take debit cards if I have to pay duty?? How much alcohol can I bring into Canada?? Why do I go to the states again?? Are the deals really better?? Is it worth it to drive 8 hours, stay in a hotel for a weekend so that I can get $10 off of a T-shirt that I really don't need?? Hmm.....
Anyway, consider yourself warned....
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