My bday weekend
I went home to see my family and unwind a little for my birthday weekend. I've been feeling a desperate need to get my social life back in some form or another and I thought getting in touch with them was a good way to start.
I took the train from St.Catharines on Saturday afternoon and I met up with a couple awesome girls from the area. It was refreshing to talk to people who were so optimistic and excited about their future careers. One was going to be working on a cruise ship to save up money and travel. She wanted to make sure she couldn't spend her money while working so she thought it was ideal with both room and board covered. ;) Lol... I was amused that I started considering this cruise ship idea as a way to kill off my OSAP debt and get in a little travelling for once. You never know. It's another option anyway. I don't remember the other girl's plans, but we weren't together until later on when all three of managed to sit together on the second train and career wasn't on topic for long.
After I arrived home, my brother managed to drag me out to Legends, one of the more popular bars in St.Thomas on a Saturday night. I bumped into a couple of people I knew from high school and found myself scanning the crowd the whole time looking for more. Alas, it was not to be.
Sunday had me wandering around with my mom doing groceries and ultimately cooking supper. One of my neighbours here in St.Catharines, Vivek, kept saying to me that even though it was my birthday, I should still do something nice for my family like bringing presents. My parents (especially my dad) are thrilled when I make the offer to cook. ^_^ I made that recipe of mine with the chicken tomatoes and ranch dressing. If you've had it, you know what I'm talking about. I'm not used to cooking it for three people though. It turned out well enough. I just find I'm rather impatient for how long it takes to cook if it's for more than two servings. I'm getting there anyway. No master chef here, but I'm starting to enjoy the kitchen more as long as some people keep their distance while I'm working. ;) We watched Blades of Glory that night on pay per view. I think I'll be picking up that little gem sometime after Christmas. I'm really starting to enjoy Will Ferrell flicks.
Monday was the day I got together for a buffet lunch at King's Buffet with my family. Of course they had to mention my birthday so the staff sang for me, plopped a crown on my head and took my picture. They brought along some balloons as well. One of which was much more entertaining for my cat Smokey than me. My mom told me she was attacking the string hanging down from the balloon that night and the balloon kept falling down. So I think I know what my cat wants for Christmas. lol..
I visited my grandma over at Crescent Care after lunch. She was originally supposed to come along with us. That however was not in the cards. One of the main reasons I went home this weekend wasn't for my birthday, but to see her. It turns out that she had a cancer flare up and she has been having radiation treatments. This sometimes has side effects and she was worrying about one of them so she couldn't stop by. I'd only heard that she had surgery and I wanted to see her.
My grandmother is 87 now and for more than half of my life has been a bright cheerful fixture. I think what amazes me most right now about that visit with her is that despite seeing her a way that I normally don't, set up in a home in bed, she still had those bright eyes and was excited about her lot in life. She was thrilled that she had all this company and soaked up the attention she received from doctors and fellow residents alike. She didn't seem to mind that she was going to sell her house where she's lived for 30+ years, she just thought about all the money she was going to make to give her this new lifestyle. I wish so much that I could feel and project so much optimism that she gives every moment she lives. I've seen her bustle around with more energy than any of us and somehow she still has it even though she can't get out much anymore. This is the kind of energy and optimism that I want to be feeling. I want to be taking a more active role in achieving that. Not wishing, but attempting to get what I want and feeling excited about what comes next. So I'm doing things I need to do in baby steps now.
The rest of the weekend was spent wandering the mall and relaxing at home with some new japanese anime that I picked up. My parents went out for a while and let me have time by myself in the apartment to do whatever I felt like doing that night. Definitely time well spent that weekend. I've definitely needed the pick me up and I'll be looking for more with seeing my friends in the near future. I need to connect with people again because the job, although easy and fairly stable, is quite lonely. Now with the internet, a few new friends and some plans, I can start changing my lifestyle at least a little bit for the better and start feeling my worth again.
I took the train from St.Catharines on Saturday afternoon and I met up with a couple awesome girls from the area. It was refreshing to talk to people who were so optimistic and excited about their future careers. One was going to be working on a cruise ship to save up money and travel. She wanted to make sure she couldn't spend her money while working so she thought it was ideal with both room and board covered. ;) Lol... I was amused that I started considering this cruise ship idea as a way to kill off my OSAP debt and get in a little travelling for once. You never know. It's another option anyway. I don't remember the other girl's plans, but we weren't together until later on when all three of managed to sit together on the second train and career wasn't on topic for long.
After I arrived home, my brother managed to drag me out to Legends, one of the more popular bars in St.Thomas on a Saturday night. I bumped into a couple of people I knew from high school and found myself scanning the crowd the whole time looking for more. Alas, it was not to be.
Sunday had me wandering around with my mom doing groceries and ultimately cooking supper. One of my neighbours here in St.Catharines, Vivek, kept saying to me that even though it was my birthday, I should still do something nice for my family like bringing presents. My parents (especially my dad) are thrilled when I make the offer to cook. ^_^ I made that recipe of mine with the chicken tomatoes and ranch dressing. If you've had it, you know what I'm talking about. I'm not used to cooking it for three people though. It turned out well enough. I just find I'm rather impatient for how long it takes to cook if it's for more than two servings. I'm getting there anyway. No master chef here, but I'm starting to enjoy the kitchen more as long as some people keep their distance while I'm working. ;) We watched Blades of Glory that night on pay per view. I think I'll be picking up that little gem sometime after Christmas. I'm really starting to enjoy Will Ferrell flicks.
Monday was the day I got together for a buffet lunch at King's Buffet with my family. Of course they had to mention my birthday so the staff sang for me, plopped a crown on my head and took my picture. They brought along some balloons as well. One of which was much more entertaining for my cat Smokey than me. My mom told me she was attacking the string hanging down from the balloon that night and the balloon kept falling down. So I think I know what my cat wants for Christmas. lol..
I visited my grandma over at Crescent Care after lunch. She was originally supposed to come along with us. That however was not in the cards. One of the main reasons I went home this weekend wasn't for my birthday, but to see her. It turns out that she had a cancer flare up and she has been having radiation treatments. This sometimes has side effects and she was worrying about one of them so she couldn't stop by. I'd only heard that she had surgery and I wanted to see her.
My grandmother is 87 now and for more than half of my life has been a bright cheerful fixture. I think what amazes me most right now about that visit with her is that despite seeing her a way that I normally don't, set up in a home in bed, she still had those bright eyes and was excited about her lot in life. She was thrilled that she had all this company and soaked up the attention she received from doctors and fellow residents alike. She didn't seem to mind that she was going to sell her house where she's lived for 30+ years, she just thought about all the money she was going to make to give her this new lifestyle. I wish so much that I could feel and project so much optimism that she gives every moment she lives. I've seen her bustle around with more energy than any of us and somehow she still has it even though she can't get out much anymore. This is the kind of energy and optimism that I want to be feeling. I want to be taking a more active role in achieving that. Not wishing, but attempting to get what I want and feeling excited about what comes next. So I'm doing things I need to do in baby steps now.
The rest of the weekend was spent wandering the mall and relaxing at home with some new japanese anime that I picked up. My parents went out for a while and let me have time by myself in the apartment to do whatever I felt like doing that night. Definitely time well spent that weekend. I've definitely needed the pick me up and I'll be looking for more with seeing my friends in the near future. I need to connect with people again because the job, although easy and fairly stable, is quite lonely. Now with the internet, a few new friends and some plans, I can start changing my lifestyle at least a little bit for the better and start feeling my worth again.