This is my nephew Romeo and my dad. And yes, the sweetness of this photo warrants an entire post.
Apple Picking at Chudleigh's
I hadn't been to Chudleigh's in years, so we decided to go recently. There wasn't a huge selection (we chose to go with picking Cortland apples), but that was mainly our fault since we went on tail end of the apple picking season (which goes from late August to late October).
I'm not sure if everyone does this, but the best part is really just eating apples along the way as you pick them. Is that gross? Is it not allowed? These answers can't be known.
“If you’re an aunt, you should totally be having sleepovers with your nieces and nephews.”
Layla's 10th Birthday
I think it's fair to say that I talk about my niece Layla a lot. Why's that, you ask? Umm, I don't know, maybe 'cause SHE'S CLEARLY AMAZING?
I could get into some specific stories and post certain photos here as proof of her uniqueness, but she's previously said that she "refuses to give consent" on everything that gets posted of her online - so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Happy 10th Birthday, my love! You continue to wow everyone around you and I hope your day's treating you right.
Robbie & Romeo
Sometimes you have to post photos of babes. Sometimes those babes are your brother and nephew.
Albion Falls in Hamilton, Ontario
It's sort of insane how many waterfalls exist in Hamilton, Ontario (often callously referred to as the armpit of Ontario) - and it's even more insane that I'm only seeing this one for the first time at 30 years old.
Here is it! Albion Falls!
Kind of gorgeous, right? And there are more! I didn't go to those, but I intend to as the years go on. One waterfall a day is all I can handle at this point in my life.
Few tips?
- Don't wear sandals. Wear some kind of running shoe or better.
- You know how you can see people climbing the falls? Yeah, don't do that. Unless you're a daredevil 'cause it's seriously slippery.
- Bring a towel.
Who the hell knew a place like this could be found only 40 minutes from Square One? Just nuts. Go!
The Heathers
My parents had their 40th anniversary last month and I did NOTHING! Why? Not because I'm a terrible daughter (in my opinion), but moreso because I don't believe in celebrating other people's anniversaries. Am I only one who finds it weird? It's their day, let them celebrate it their way, without interference from anyone else. Maybe I'm abnormal, but it also seems like such an intimate and personal thing to celebrate, so why on earth would anyone ever be expected to horn in on that? I'm not opposed to expressing a simple "Happy Anniversary, guys" - but anything more than that I find odd.
In any case, 40 years is a crazy amazing amount of time to be with someone. And since I stayed out of their celebration, I thought I'd post some of my favourite photos of them here as a way of saying, "Yeah! Good work."
Lastly, my parents are the kind of parents everyone should be envious of. I know how lucky I am to be in this family and I'll forever understand that. Maybe I should apologize for how often I talk about my family, but, yeah, that ain't never gonna happen.
(Also, if you haven't called your parents in the last few days, maybe give them a ring. You kind of owe them everything you have, so it bodes well to say a small "What's going on?" every now and then.)
The Man Who Is Dave Grohl
You know what's weird? You don't know how much I love Dave Grohl. This is the first time I'm mentioning him on the blog since its inception two years earlier, and that seems kind of fucked up to me. I used to adore this man. And it's not as though I don't anymore - it's more of a silent "Ahh yes. Dave Grohl" kind of feeling now. Just a buried love affair that once was. I don't want to get into too much detail about being in my late teens & early twenties and fully believing that I would marry this man.
I mean, look at him.
And I was too young to like Nirvana when they were around, so I boarded the Grohl train in the early Foo Fighters years. They were at the first concert I went to (Summersault 2000) and that was when I fully knew how I felt. I mean, someone hurled a water bottle at his face and he casually caught it mid-air and then took a sip. Can you comprehend how cool that looked?
In any case, does this post have a point? Not really. It just felt weird to write on here for so long and not mention his name. Oh, and also - if you're not in love with this man's voice after the acoustic version of Everlong, then you, my dear, are dead inside.
I don't get nuts when I see celebrities, but him and Martin Short are the only two people I think I would convulse at seeing in the flesh.
All right, that's all.
Sidenote: Happy Birthday to one of the best humans I know, my brother Gary. You're in my top three of people I couldn't live without and I hope you're aware of how much I sing your praises to everyone I know. (And also, you kind of introduced me to the magic of Dave Grohl, so I kind of am in debt to you forever for that.) Thank you for being everything that you are. I love you enough to temporarily give up my Perfect Strangers collection.
My Nephew In A Commercial!
My nephew, Camden, is in a Luvs commercial! He's the second kid (Lucas) and he's adorable as hell in it.
Celebrating 29
Tomorrow I turn 30.
I know, I know - how could this youthful, ageless beauty be turning a fully functioning adult age? Beats me, but it's happening. And I think I'm kind of pumped about it. Why, you ask? 'Cause these past 29 years have been some of the most fortunate ones that any human could have asked for. Really. And I want to list some of the greatest things that I've experienced thus far.
(If you judge me for making this list and/or being proud of it, then I think you might be missing my point here. In which case, skip the list altogether and proceed to the final two paragraphs.)
Highlights Of The Past 29 Years
- I was a co-lead in my fifth grade musical production of Newsies (or the more accurately titled "Extra! Extra! Read All About It!")
- I've learned to play the piano, alto saxophone and bass guitar.
- I've never smoked a cigarette.
- I'm bendy.
- In London, I ate the worst fish and chips known to man.
- In Portugal, I discovered Steak Diane in the Algarve and listened to Fado music in Lisbon.
- A stuffed poodle has slept atop my bed for over 25 years.
- In Spain, my mother and I were chased by gypsies. (Is that a racial slur? I Googled it and opinions are mixed. I don't mean to be derogatory.)
- In North Carolina, I saw a crab bite my dad and as a result - I stayed out of the ocean for the following 15 years.
- In New Brunswick, I saw the tides change.
- In California, I didn't trust how perfect it all seemed.
- In New Hampshire, I flew a glider plane as a teenager.
- I went to a performing arts high school for vocal music.
- I had the perfect childhood dog experience.
- In Grenada, I witnessed some baby turtles hatch in the sand in the early morning sun.
- In Belize, I innertubed through the jungle rivers.
- I've been to Disney Land and to Disney World. (World's better.)
- I've road-tripped to Detroit solely for a concert.
- I've waded in a hotel fountain in New Jersey.
- In The Cayman Islands, I went down into the sea in a submarine.
- In The Bahamas, I was eaten alive by bugs and first saw a pink sand beach.
- In Trinidad, I slept in my mom's childhood home.
- In Tobago, I understood why someone would want to come to Trinidad & Tobago.
- In Barbados, I watched my brother get married on a beach.
- I've hitchhiked in Lake George.
- One time I ate a mustard so spicy that my contact lens popped right out of my face and landed on the sidewalk.
- I interned with my favourite childhood band The Strokes.
- I've seen Bob Dylan in concert.
- I lost my virginity because of the outcome of a World Cup final soccer match.
- I've skydived.
- I've seen a baby's birth firsthand.
- I've undergone a successful cornea transplant surgery.
- I've learned never to take my brothers for granted.
- I met Mike Myers once and he was very nice.
- I met someone who lives in Ireland in a Foo Fighters chatroom about 15 years ago and we still mail letters to keep in touch.
- In Amsterdam, I fell hard for a Frenchman and followed him to Paris.
- In Paris, I celebrated New Year's, ate crepes outside the Eiffel Tower, learned cooking techniques from a master French chef, walked to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, sailed across the river Seine and kissed Oscar Wilde's grave.
- In Venice, I stole wine, rode in a gondola and had a brief (but memorable) Italian romance.
- Acquired the entire Perfect Strangers series as Russian bootleg DVDs.
- In New York City, I've had many midnight rooftop picnics on the Lower East Side, bench-side champagne dalliances in the rain under an umbrella in Central Park, met one of my best friends by picking her up at a bar, had a short play produced and performed in Hell's Kitchen, swam in freezing temperatures in a rooftop hotel pool, saw Woody Allen in his jazz band at The Carlyle, attended Derek Jeter's last Yankee home game and I've been inside the Statue of Liberty's crown.
- In Terrytown, I've had the most luxurious meal of my life at Blue Hill Stone Barns.
- In Cape Cod, I exclusively ate red meat for five straight days.
- In Chicago, I saw great art.
- In Miami, I ate the finest steak of my life at (the now closed) Emeril's.
- In St. Maarten, I went to a nude beach with my parents.
- In Niagara Falls, I stayed in a vice presidential suite and won a ton at the casino.
- In Las Vegas, I rode that roller coaster that Grissom loved.
- In Costa Rica, I went canyoneering, ziplined through the rainforest and saw some sloths.
- I've seen The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway over 10 times and will see it again.
- I have buried time capsules with loved ones.
- In Aruba, I experienced my first all-inclusive vacation and vowed to never go all-inclusive again.
- I have broken both of my feet on separate occasions.
- I've become proficient in pilates.
- In Atlantic City, I saw Lady Gaga perform and roamed the gorgeous boardwalk.
- In Montreal, I listened to more jazz than ever before.
- I have dined and dashed.
- I have never dyed my hair.
- In Ontario, I've made out with strangers on dance floors, had hundreds of sleepovers at my brother's apartment, ate an abnormal amount of poutine, blown bubbles off balconies, learned how to play poker and swam in an infinity pool overlooking the city.
- In Jamaica, I parasailed, helped Nathan learn how to swim and experienced the clearest sea water in the history of mankind.
- I've maintained a daily blog for two full years with some degree of success.
- I'm a (magazine) published writer.
- I became the type of person who enters a dog in a costume contest.
- I've found work as an editor, greeting card store cashier, HMV seasonal employee, video store clerk, management assistant, daycare worker and part time nanny.
- In Florida, I had numerous memorable family vacations.
- I became a godmother.
- For almost six years, I've been in love with a man who treats me so well and happens to be handsome as hell.
If this post seems boastful, I sincerely don't mean it to. I'm so proud of what's happened thus far - and don't think that I don't know for a goddam minute how lucky I am. Everything on this list was possible because of my family and friends. I know how fortunate I am. So what reason is there not to be excited about whatever happens after 30?
If you're to take anything away from this post, I hope that you start to compile your own list, at whatever age you currently are. The bullet points won't all come to you at once, but they'll trickle in over weeks and you'll slowly start to see how fortunate you are in your own life, if you don't already know. It's important to look back on these things and realize we're all immensely lucky in more ways than we realize, I think.