Lakes

Manitoba has great lakes. Not the Great Lakes - that's the next province over. However, we have lots and lots of lakes. And while I hate being away two weekends in a row (especially when it'll be three weekends in a row before I know it), I've been able to visit three lakes without really embarking on any major road trip.

Two weekends ago, we went to my in-laws cabin to celebrate our first anniversary (and yes, we had the cabin to ourselves. It's amazing how many people thought we planned to spend the entire weekend with chaperones. All family was restricted to pit stops at the beginning and end of the weekend... and the family gathering smack dab in the middle of it. Come on, we invite family to the wedding, why not let them join us in our anniversary celebration!). The cabin is at Thomas lake, which is one of the less developed "cabin country" lakes in Western Manitoba.

While the nearest store is about 15 minutes away, on gravel roads and broken highways, it's wonderfully located about 35 minutes from Wasagaming, on Clear Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in the prairies. It's also a nice tourist town, which allowed us to go for a romantic noisy and warm dinner, before a much needed walk.

And this last weekend, some friends invited us out to their grandparents' cabin at Victoria Beach, a super cute "no cars allowed" cottage settlement on Lake Winnipeg, the biggest lake on the prairies.

These are just a small sampling of the pictures from the weekends, but there is something amazing about being out at a cabin. It doesn't matter how busy it feels to rush home from work only to load up a car and drive for hours, the minute you see the lake, all the harried pace of the day melts away. We weren't even home for 3 hours before I started planning our next lake adventure.

Post-curation Consideration

My plan for "Curating my closet" was to put a "Do Not Resuscitate" order on clothes that just don't work for me, eliminating one piece a week.

And then last week, I got rid of two tank tops.

It wasn't just a case of being an over achiever.

One tank top... was to make up for the fact that this week? This week I resuscitated a shirt.

I am a strong believer in waiting 6 months after deciding to keep something and my red gingham shirt, which didn't seem worthwhile in winter, became super important this summer. I needed it for our weekend at a friend's grandparents' cabin.

I haven't been smart enough to date when I put things into a box (it's often weeks or months before I get around to posting it on here), so when I take a load to the thrift store, I randomly choose. How this one escaped, I wasn't sure, but nothing says: "Lake wear" like a knotted red gingham shirt!

The high cost of low budgets

We literally drive our cars for so long they are literally wearing thin and falling apart with every kilometer. We aren't doing it to counter consumer culture. Our cars are 13 and 15 years old because we simply can't afford to replace them.

When we want to do something on a weekend that comes with any price-tag other than "free", we have to consider how to make that money, most often by selling our possessions.

As we re-evaluated our budget, realizing we were outspending ourselves, we cut our grocery budget. Again. We're not scraping the bottom of the butter dish to try to make everything stretch just a little further. But we do try to really evaluate the difference between what we want and what we need.

Knowing it's only short term (less than 4 months until Scott's done school!), we figure it's short term pain for long term gain. But the other day, we were sitting on the couch, watching TED Talks, and browsing Pinterest for new recipes. I was explaining why I accept (some) of the theory behind vegetarianism and veganism, but why I don't feel it's the right decision for me. I feel meat is necessary for my body (yes, I do know the health risks of a diet heavy in red meat, etc). My body's desire for meat, however, has to outweigh my dislike of factory farming.

The answer was simple: eat sustainable, organic, or free range meat. But it doesn't come cheap.

As Scott said when I posed that conundrum to him, "We don't have enough money to be good people".

Comments about the high cost of low prices are generally targeted at stores like Walmart, which offers low prices at the expense of the workers, both domestic and international all in the name of profit. We pat ourselves on the back for boycotting Walmart as we eat our grocery store meat, which offers low prices at the expense of the animals.

I know this is the point where I should be voting with my pocket book and going fully vegetarian or vegan if I can't support the ethical farming process. But I also know I'll be benefiting the animals at the expense of myself (I struggle to maintain enough iron and protein levels on my current diet) if I do that.

But my hope is not only that one day we'll have the funds to be "good people" but also that one day, being ethically conscious will not be a privilege for those with money.

Basics gone bad

Has anyone riffled through their drawers in the morning, looking for "That black tank?" while your significant other watches you throw two, three, four black tanks over your back?

I used to justify saying I wore black tanks almost daily.

Then, I justified the merits of each.

Now as I am more likely to wear teal tank tops (yes, I have multiple. Yes, they are each a different shade. Yes, I do intend to keep all of them), I'm seeing my black tank tops as my husband does - yet another basic serving the exact same purpose. Really, do I need more than one, maybe two?

So this week, I'm getting rid of two black tank tops. You don't need to see them, do you? Use your imagination, it won't be hard.

Fruity Friday

We're headed out to the lake to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, so I thought I'd make up for my lack of blog reading & commenting (both due to being too busy prepping for the weekend, and being out of all internet and cell phone range Friday-Sunday) with a post. I know - they're fairly rare around here.

As I mentioned the other week, I have a new smoothie recipe. I love making these up the night before, so breakfasts are super easy and quick in the morning. It seems like a lot of work at first, but I've got the science of it down to an art!


Ingredients
Fruit
Yogurt
Milk
Flax
Oatmeal
Chia
Honey

1. Chop up fruit. I usually don't fill up my Magic Bullet cup this full, but I really love strawberry & watermelon together, so I usually add extra!

2. Blend

3. Blend oatmeal and flax in a separate container. I add about half of this.

4. Top off with yogurt, milk a touch of honey and chia seeds. Blend, while you watch the bug that came out of nowhere crawl all over your watermelon rinds

And you're done!!  Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours for the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid!*

*I married into a family that hates anything Jello or pudding related, so I've learned not everyone loves a thick smoothie. If you find your smoothie is too thick the next morning, throwing it through the magic bullet for a few seconds loosens it up. I tend to not measure (could you tell?), so some days my smoothies come out pretty solid. Only once have I ever had to add any more milk to get it flowing again!

Tired Academic

It took some convincing for me, but it's time for this jacket to go.

I bought this jacket when Zellers relocated in my hometown. I can't remember the year, but I remember it was Remembrance Day because I grabbed it when I went to buy more flour for the annual perogy making "fest".

But now, it's starting to look a little worn and disheveled. I've already replaced it with a similar style/colour jacket, but I will miss the corduroy! It was so hard to consider giving it away when I found its replacement, but now that I'm comfortably seated in my position within an academic environment, I'm ok with letting the symbol go!

No Sugar... No problem?

A month has passed on my attempt to reduce my sugar consumption. I'd love to say: "Look how well I did" but if I rocked it from the start, I likely didn't have a sugar problem to begin with.

I could quote academic journals on the differences between the refined sugars and the "natural" sugars I've been trying to allow myself, but this is the internet, where I don't feel the need to support my claims with proper evidence and scholastic support. I'm not trying to persuade you my way is the right way. It's just my experience on getting over my sugar addiction. I wanted to reduce my consumption of sugar, and I thought the easiest way to do that is to select only certain sugars to consume and force myself to get create at avoiding the others.

Again, what I've been allowing myself:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Honey
• Treats on special occassions. 

(So pretty much "sugar as God created it" and "weekends off". We had a lot of special occasions. And yes, if I had access to sugar cane, I would have totally chewed up that bad boy).

How did it go?

The successes

• I love my smoothie recipe. As soon as we stock up on watermelon again (which fortunately goes on sale regularly, though still not as cheap as Regina, where they wear it as hats. Google it, people. Google it). 
• My granola bar recipe was a good start, but needs some work (mostly so I won't destroy my keyboard with its crumbliness). (Watch for recipes of both the smoothie and the granola bar coming soon)
• My concern about giving up ketchup in the middle of hamburger season was unfounded. Load on the tomatoes (a food which I just recently started eating)!
• Given the expense of honey, I certainly found myself using less and less
• I discovered how sweet many foods are once your taste buds adjust
• Most mornings were much smoother, not only in not having a "sugar hang over" but also in just being able to jump out of bed and go. Having pre-made my breakfast also helped a lot too!
• Starbucks Shaked Iced Passion Tea (unsweetened) makes a great summer treat

The Setbacks
 - I used "Special occasions" loosely

• My friend got married! (And I chose to eat half of the dessert table myself)
• My grandparents celebrated their 60th anniversary (limited myself to one dessert at the dinner, but may have gone cray on cookies and ice cream at the lunch the next day)
• My MA was conferred! (And I got sweet breakfast treats, afternoon ice cream and a big dollop of ketchup on my hot dog)
• My mom made cookies! (I may have eaten at least a dozen in 24 hours)
• My husband was on vacation! (I couldn't deprive him of a case of Coke for that... but I could deprive him of half of it)
• My department helped organize convocation! (Being at work before you're usually awake some how equates to a very sugar-laden Starbucks)
• My coffee was only 25 cents! (Starbucks anniversary meant 25 scoops of sugar with it... mostly kidding)
• My car died! (And to make up for not finding the ginger snap I wanted to buy, I got 2 chocolate chip cookies)

Believe me - after every one of those legitimate and illegitimate indulgences, I felt the effects. Lethargy, early morning headaches, stuffy nose (ok, that may be due to the fact our office is about 65 degrees on a good day).

What I found most interesting in this experiment was not how easy it was to avoid sugar (which I did do very well at times, despite the above list), but rather what other addictions it created or fostered:

• Can't have a cold can of coke at the end of a long, hot bus ride? Why choose water when there is beer?
• Can't run out for ice cream when the evening "snackies" hit? Why not have something overly salty? 

Where do I go from here?

I can't go back to "life as normal" after experiencing waking up WITHOUT a headache. I think (sigh) I may have to turn this month's experiment into a lifestyle. This last month allowed me to see both how easy it is to limit sugar, but also how easy it is to form new "food addictions". So going forward, for the next month my goals are this:

• Establish a better granola bar recipe (I think the afternoon run-to-the-caf-for-a-cookie routine was the hardest to give up)
• Work on increasing water consumption without increasing boredom by adding lime, cucumber, or herbal tea
• This one is key: develop the skill of treating myself without over-indulging

 I'll post my latest smoothie recipe hopefully this coming week, and my granola one once it's "perfected". I don't know if I'll check in mid-month (accountability: good. Only posting about food: bad), but hopefully I'll make it to the end of July!

Take a picture, it will last longer

(It has recently come to light that a number of my relatives frequent this blog. Hi!!)

While the title may sound like a snarky comment, there is truth behind it. We take pictures because we worry we will lose the memory of a moment. We look back through these pictures, hanging them on our walls, placing them on our desks, to remember the event, or recapture the emotion.

I never doubted my grandmother's love for her family and friends. It was blatantly displayed on every possible surface of her house, then later her apartment, then later her room in an assisted living facility. One of the last interactions I had with her was showing her the picture Scott & I had taken for our engagement / Save the date / Christmas cards, and pinning it by her hospital bed, amongst various other pictures my cousins had placed there as well.

Over the years, as my grandmother amassed more and more family, but moved to smaller and smaller houses and suites, my aunts or my mother would attempt to corral all the pictures she had placed on her wall (some in frames, others taped or pinned in place) into one large collage. With the rate at which the family grew, it almost seemed that as soon as a collage was finished, it would be outdated. With time, pictures began to filter into my parents' house as my grandmother ran out of room for them.

The night after my grandmother passed away, my mother started pulling together pictures from various albums, frames and collages to bring to the funeral. To say the carpet was covered in pictures would not be an overstatement. To see the number of people who loved my grandmother and whom my grandmother loved was overwhelming. 

My grandmother's estate finalized a few weeks ago, and my mother saw to it that both my sister and I were offered a portion it so we could purchase something, preferably which would remind us of our grandmother. However, my grandmother was not a woman who tended to spoil herself. She freely gave to others whom she saw as being in need, even if it meant she would do without. We would frequently go to visit her and find that she had loaned a chair or a television to a friend. I struggled for a long time with finding something that properly commemorate my grandmother, given her disengagement with things normally believed to have value.

But as I found our spare bed covered with photographs for a slideshow to commemorate my other set of grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary, the answer was clear: a camera. Even if (as I dream I will almost every night), I drop the camera into the ocean, smash it on concrete or bury it in dirt, I will still have the pictures. And some day, when my children untape pictures from my walls, and pick frames off my shelves to compile collages of my friends and family, I will tell them of their great-grandmother and how her love for her friends and family could never be contained to a frame.

My grandparents on the day of their wedding, in the locket I wore the day of mine

(PS - did I mention I've enabled anonymous comment again?)

I've got blisters on these...feet!

Some weeks, it's so easy to decide what to give away  - all I have to do is look down.

Scott and I went for a walk to pick up some essentials tonight. Our walk was roughly a kilometer, not bad. I said to Scott as we threw on shorts to beat the heat. As I grabbed a pair of shoes, I said: "I'm going to regret this".

I wasn't going to regret the walk in the heat - it was really only half the walk it should have been. Our parking lot had been cleaned today, so this morning, we had to move our cars. I drove mine to the nearest "Park and Ride" and grabbed my bus from there. However, I forgot to pick it up on the way home.


Walking to the car/on the errands was just enough time to destroy my feet with these sandals. That it - out they go!

When yoga pants ruin all your fun

I judge the classiness of a restaurant not on the food on the menu, weight of the cutlery or the prices on the bill. I judge it based on how FEW of the serving staff are wearing yoga pants.

I hate the way the yoga pant trend has made the idea of "black pants" mean "that which you wear to contort your body in the name of physical and spiritual flexibility". I've seen it paired with a hoodie, a tunic, a grocery store smock, even as part of a suit.

The worst is the fact that I can't wear my black (dress) capris to work without fearing someone thinking I'm wearing stretchy athletic gear. Lululemon, I place the blame on you for messing with my once perfect: "Mix of business and casual" approach to business casual (that is: one business piece + one casual piece + one statement piece)

So believe me when I tell you, these are not yoga pants. These were once full length pants which I cropped for summer wear. They have a button and a zipper. They have three slit pockets. They have a crease down the front and require ironing.

Words from the couch

Context: Quote from Dexter
Rita: It's hard to hide a secret from your wife.
Dexter: Why would you want to?

Scott: Cara, I've been hiding a secret from you. I'm a serial killer. Only, instead of "killer" it's "eater" and instead of "serial," it's "cereal"

Marriage Advice

Our first year of marriage is coming to a close, and we have a big problem.

We don't know what to do for our anniversary.

We concocted a great plan about 4 months ago - we complained when we discovered we'd planned our wedding for the same weekend as the local folk festival. However, this worked to our advantage: a no-thought-needed gift & activity to celebrate our marriage every year.We were STOKED when we heard Feist was playing.... only to discover she was playing the Wednesday night, and there wasn't much that interested us for the rest of the weekend.

We've tossed around other ideas (a night in a fancy hotel... a weekend at the in-laws cabin... a nice dinner out...) but everything just felt... a little cliché... more "anniversary" and less "us".

Now, despite that last sentiment, I (we) need your help... what were some anniversaries / dates / events that you've shared with a loved one that were unique or memorable?

Mid-Month Check Up

Even though I haven't really been blogging, I've been trying to keep reducing my sugar intake. Among the changes made so far:
 - Altered my daily smoothie recipe by replacing fruit-flavoured yogurt with plain, and a tablespoon of white sugar with a teaspoon of honey
 - Replaced my sugar (and salt) -laden peanut butter with natural
 - Drastically reduced sweets consumption at work.

Among the differences I've noticed:
 - I only crave sweets for a couple days following a "sweet binge".
 - Related, I crave sweets less, but tend to want salty options 
 - I've been more motivated to ensure I have made a proper breakfast and lunch before I go to bed.

Curating my closet catch-up

It's been a few weeks since I've posted what I've gotten rid of from my closet. I'll try to do it quickly to not bore you, and I've made a theme about it: Shoes.

All three pairs were bought on a whim (Walmart, Walmart and Payless). They were great for the short term, filling a specific void, but all were cheap and pinched and blistered something fierce.

Out in the outdoors

We aren't using our patio enough. And there is one reason for that - we still have work and family and things.

Ok, ok, we don't spend all the rest of our time out there. There aren't any outlets on our balcony, and my little netbook doesn't run too quickly unless there is a constant stream of electricity to it. From time to time, we do try to unplug (literally, not figuratively. My netbook is, as always, ever present), and eat outside.

Fresh air, fresh veggies and a fresh take on life!!

The ripple effect

I haven't been planning outfits out ahead of time like usual. Instead, I quickly throw stuff together in the morning. The speed usually means rushing around in the morning, feeling harried as I fly out the door, and not taking the time to see what exactly I look like.

Wednesday morning was no exception. I was zipping up my boots, ready to run out the door when Scott quickly called from down the hall: "You look all cute and sassy in that"

Sure I still had to run down the hallway, across the lawn, through the parking lot, down the street and around the corner. I still didn't get a chance to see exactly what I looked like. But for the rest of the day, I knew I looked polished.

Was I any more pulled together than any other day? Not necessarily; it's hard to say without having seen myself. But just knowing someone else thought I looked good made me feel that good. From my interactions with colleagues and students, to my attention to work, I felt more confident. Was it the colours? The fit? It wasn't about the clothes; it was about knowing someone thought I was beautiful.

Two and a half weeks of thought

So my blogging hiatus seems to keep going and going and going... I certainly didn't expect it to last this long. I've spent some time contemplating why I had such a sudden and extreme shut down. I've shortened the list down to one general reason... I've outgrown... everything.... with my blog.

First and foremost, I've outgrown my technology. I've become increasingly frustrated with my camera and trying to focus it when using the self-timer. And with the configuration of our apartment, it's difficult to deal with lighting issues. I really want to develop my photography skills, but as great as my point and shoot camera is, I need a camera with more range.

Secondly, my computer lags something fierce. My desktop will turn 10 this fall. My netbook will turn 3. Yes, I've upgraded pieces on my desktop, and I do take decent care of my netbook, both have outlived their usefulness. Loading pics off of my camera is an exercise in patience. Editing them? Yikes.

Finally, Cara's Closet doesn't quite leave much room for evolution. Clothing, a still a favorite topic of mine, feels a little limiting. Yes, I tried to expand it with my new weekly schedule, but that felt too regulated. In trying to stop the regulation, I stopped blogging all together. It just seemed to hard trying to break the free of the ootd (outfit of the day) format especially given the association with clothing in the name.

The first two are easy solutions. I am in the process of researching what kind of camera and computer would fit my needs (currently a Rebel T3i and a MacBook Air are the frontrunners in each category). By the end of summer I should have both. Add to that a cell phone upgrade in fall, and I'll enter the 21st century.

The last one? A number of my favorite bloggers have gone on hiatus in the last year and every time, I have thought "why are they quitting? They don't need to quit. They are may feel they've outgrown the blog but I haven't outgrown them!" I feel the same way about own. I have made no plans to quit blogging, but I may quit Cara's Closet.

I haven't made any decisions yet. Instead, what I'd like to hear is your thoughts on:
1. Laptops offering portability and power
2. DSLRs that can grow with my skills
3. Favorite parts of Cara's Closet
4. What you'd always wanted to see on here / read about
5. Blogger vs Wordpress

Thanks, dudes... I've missed you all!

Honey, oh sugar sugar, you are my candy, girl!

My attempts to cut way back on refined sugar in June are off to a rocky start, given I forgot Friday was the first day of June. Between forgetting to make my smoothie on Thursday night and therefore grabbing a quick sugar-laden breakfast (lower-sugar instant oatmeal) and then opting for a grape cream soda while for Friday socializing with co-workers. But set backs will happen, so starting off with one? Should be par for the course!

So here is my plan:

1. Plan ahead
It means stocking up on appropriate desk-side treats to keep me from running to the cafeteria at 3:00 for a sugar-y fix (in my defense, the cafeteria on campus makes everything from scratch - even their peanut butter - using fresh, simple ingredients in socially responsible ways)

2. Make ahead
It means finding recipes for some of my favourite treats that have sugar alternatives, such as my oatmeal to go bars.

3. Think ahead
It means not getting stuck on days when I just have to have that cookie, or need the ketchup on my burger.

So what constitutes sugar in my "no sugar" plan?
1. Granulated white and brown sugar
2. Processed food products that contain large amounts of refined sugars (cookies, ketchup, barbecue sauce)
3. Artificially created sweeteners such as Splenda, Aspartame, etc.

What is allowed?
1. Honey
2. Naturally occurring sugars found in fresh foods like apples, bananas and carrots
3. Moderated amounts of sugar products at special occasions and while being a guest in someone else's home

What are my goals?
1. Reduce my dependance on sugar
2. Get into the habit of avoiding processed foods
3. Increase my daily intake of fruits and vegetables

Hopefully, over the month, I'll be able to stop in from time to time to post some of the great recipes I'll be trying!

Curating my Closet

Uh... I'm not feeling this blog any more. I know, it's a phase. For now my plan is to persevere, but it posting gets erratic, don't worry! I'm still happy and healthy!

Short Sleeved White Wrap Sweater

Why did I buy it? 

It was so long ago, I don't quite remember. I think I was working at an un-air conditioned museum during a hot summer, so I needed professional clothing suitable to really warm weather. 

Why did it work?
I wore it to death. I think wrap sweaters work for me - if for no other reason than they allow layering without the fuss of cardigans flapping away when open. 

Why didn't it work?
The cuffs of the sleeves are rolling up, and the whole sweater is definitely a dingy grey. 

How did I wear it?

What will happen to it?
I will need to replace this. Short sleeved sweaters seem to be a must for a business casual summer!

White out!

I love white out. Actually, I love whiteout tape. Best office supply ever.

I guess I must be inspired by it, because I I dressed to match it twice last week!

That first outfit, I thought up a couple days before my wedding, but didn't have a blue skirt. However, when I found this denim number, I knew it was how I'd debut it!

Weird thing about the skirt, though, no button. No zipper. No hooks. No Velcro. You pull that baby on and hope you don't gain any weight or you'll have to cut it off!

Running into bad weather, bad planning, and bad excuses

Source: northcarolinacharm.blogspot.com via Cara on Pinterest

A couple weekends ago, I went for a run. It was a good run - the type where you felt appropriately exhausted immediately afterwards, but your body recovers rather quickly, and you feel energized. To me, that's the feeling of being in shape.

The next day, all I wanted to do was go running again. I lay on the couch, debating my strategy. I knew it wasn't a good idea to run two days in a row this early into a training program. I knew my body needed a day off. Instead, I strategized how to carve out time the next day.

But the next day met with knee issues, not uncommon to me after a run. My postponed my next run another day.

Then the weather was too windy (like blowing me into buildings and trees when walking). Delayed again.

Then the weather was too hot.

Then I was looking after my niece.

Then my parents were over.

Then it was raining.

Finally a full week had gone by, and it was nice enough to go running. But the urge to run had died out. Pesky little excuses like: "my iPod is in the bedroom, and Scott's still asleep" or "I would have to eat first, and then wait 2 hours for the food to digest, and what happens if someone calls to make plans before then". But as the excuses got more and more, well, stupid, the more I knew it was important to strap on those shoes and hit the pavement.

What's the dumbest excuse you've used to avoid doing something? How do you motivate you in spite of your excuses?

The long and short of things

Now that was a busy and relaxing long weekend, and now we find ourselves in the generally accepted "summer time". As we approached this weekend, I noticed hemlines creeping upward. Naturally, the minute the snow melted, there were half a dozen girls every day traipsing through the city in their booty shorts. I hope my hemline creep was more subtle, professional and above all else, age appropriate. This last week, I pulled on a pair of capris

These were followed by a pair of bermuda shorts (for Tropical party day we had on the Friday before the long weekend).

I contemplated the appropriate length of shorts the previous weekend as well. I didn't actually wear one leg down and one leg up. I took it to be able to cover up one side at a time to see which I liked better. (For these? I like it shorter. A narrower short, I like longer).

Curating my Closet

Denim Man-Capris

These pants aren't from the men's section. They aren't from the women's section either. I can't even say they are from the juniors section. These are straight up from the kids section. 

Why did I buy them?
Based on that intro paragraph, I do feel I have to justify. I hit a point in my life where I could be called no other shape than "rectangle". It was at a time when the fashion world seemed to cater to curves. After a frustrating day in Reitman's, looking to expand my summer wardrobe, I walked into their children's section and found these jeans on sale. A couple scissor cuts later (since the size 14 fit, but were too short, and the 16s were long enough but fell down immediately), I had a new pair of capris.

What worked?

Until gravity thinned out my waist a bit and transferred some of itself to my hips (which I'll say is a good thing, I just blame gravity because I don't understand what happened), they were the perfect solution to a world that didn't cater to 2X4s. 

What didn't work?

They really made me look like a bought my clothes from the K-Fed collection, and if I can remember the year correctly, I likely bought it when K-Fed was still with Brittany. 

How have I worn them?
Pretty much only on lazy weekends since the blog started. I think in the past, I only went through my closet in winter, as that's the only reason why I can see them kicking around still!

A week in review: May 12-18th

The highlight of the week? Getting a new dishwasher. We now have all brand spanking new appliances in our kitchen! Of course, it means when we move out if something is wrong, it's our fault.

These are some super large stone busts my bus drives past and always fascinate me!

The weather was nice, so I took a walk at lunch. We have great little quad - an oasis in the middle of downtown.

I swear, we have the best bus stop in the city

Of course, we also have stairs that lead to... nowhere.

 Then again, stuff around our apartment isn't always normal. I swear this rocking horse rides from balcony to balcony. It's never in the same place twice. Also, our city is overrun with bunnies.