While researching this topic I found another amazing ecovillage on my old stomping grounds of Vancouver Island! This one could possibly lose their land…please check out the link for more information. Brilliant concept.

If this style of living appeals to your core values take a look at the links below:

Ecovillage Network of Canada

Global Ecovillage Network

Fellowship for Intentional Community

Of course I slightly freaked and panicked, thinking ‘will we make it 2 weeks??’ We had to. We didn’t have a choice. We waited and we DID make it; we survived. January 16th comes and I leave work 20 minutes early so I can be here for the appointment time of ‘sometime’ between 4-6 pm. Long story short, no Technician arrived. I called this company 2 times and both times told yes, a Tech should be there soon…nobody arrived…I went to bed pissed off at corporate business around 10 pm. I guess when a large company has a service we all need, they can grab us by the balls and twist…not caring if they are late or don’t provide what they say we will. They know we’ll wait…

Bottom line is I had to call the following day to find out the appointment for the 16th was NEVER properly set up…I, the customer, had to again wait until a convenient time for the company, to come out to me. Funny thing is, I tweeted about this experience last night and would you believe @shawhelp got back to me in less THAN 1 HOUR? It hit home to me how much value and importance companies put in their online presence over the ‘real’ customers waiting in line (figuratively speaking). Because I complained online and publicly, they responded ASAP to try to do damage control. Not impressed.

Think twice about the service you’re getting from those companies who provide us with our basic necessities; such as hydro, cable TV, internet and electric. We’re paying them for a product and/or a service and we deserve proper treatment, respect and a guarantee on the promises and claims they make. If you’re not satisfied, speak up. If we all do this, our voice will be loud. I’m just sayin…you know? 

Now, in case you live under a rock and didn’t know, today was a day to go down in history. The largest online strike in history occurred to protest the ridiculous Internet Censorship Bills SOPA and PIPA. If you value freedom of speech online and the right for website developers, authors, bloggers etc to speak their minds, please consider signing the petition. If you’re a US citizen better yet you can write to Congress. It’s all here. Visit Fight for the Future for more info.

More to come…

Sneaker Love

Today was what a Saturday should be. It started with a sleep in, a good cuppa Joe, then a trip to the library for some much-needed new reading material and followed up with some always exciting second-hand store shopping! I love bargains and usually My Guy has all the  shoe luck between us but today was my turn to shine. I walked out with a practically new pair of royal blue converse high-tops and a pair of low tops in red. Pure heaven and Lady Luck was on my side today for once! My Guy found no footwear but did come away with some pretty sweet deals nevertheless.

As you know, shopping makes a person hungry. Our cravings led us once again to Hon’s Wun Tun Housedowntown where the plan was to have vegetarian pot stickers (pan-fried of course). But once presented with the monster sized veggie menu, we decided to add Sweet and Sour Vegetarian Pork because on our last visit it was HIGHLY recommended. As soon as it was brought to our table I knew we were in for a treat. The sauce was so thick and rich and for once, there were red and yellow peppers mixed in with the green! So many places throw only green peppers in sweet and sour dishes because they’re cheap and plentiful. Another bonus? Fresh pineapple. This was not pineapple from a can- no way. It had that fresh ‘bite’ to it. I thought the dish looked more like Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls and still feel in my heart, it should be called that…but it doesn’t matter what they’re called. I couldn’t care less. This dish was so amazingly tasty. The ‘pork’ had the chewiness (is this even a word?) that only a gluten mock meat can have but it surprised me in the sense it wasn’t super chewy, it was tender and spiced really nicely. I guess what I’m trying to say is it wasn’t like my attempts into the world of ‘make your own wheat meat’…it was great! My Guy was equally impressed and said it was freaking delicious and gave it 2 chopsticks up! I love being vegetarian in a world of so much choice and flavour.

Vegetarian Sweet and Sour “Pork” from Hons

Hon’s has such a diverse menu for both omni’s and veggies alike. If you’re in the Vancouver area I highly suggest you visit this place. You will not be disappointed. The menu is extensive, there’s a separate vegetarian kitchen, the service is speedy and the restaurant itself is quite spotless. Fine dining it’s not, but if you’re looking for variety, taste and more for your buck, this is the place to try.

Our night will finish off with a movie and some drinks. Aren’t weekends the best? No rushing around, no schedules…just time to “be” and enjoy.

Take a look around you right now. Enjoy.

- Carageenan: Or the lack of it in my diet…this is an additive in tons of foods, particularly sauces, ice creams and gels. It could even be in, *GASP* beer. It’s also been linked quite extensively to affecting those who suffer from Ulcerative Colitis, quite adversely! A friend of mine who has UC, eliminated it from her diet and quickly saw some positive changes in the pain and discomfort she experienced on a daily basis. I figure it can’t hurt to knock this thing out of me…I don’t NEED it, I don’t WANT it…and if it’s possibly affecting my tummy I want it gone from my life. I did email the awesome folks at Sleemans Brewery because my heart skipped a beat the other day at work…when I realized, “Oh my…The Honey Brown Ale I adore *could* have this in it!” I panicked. I was running around like a crazy woman and decided to take matters into my own hands. I rapidly fired off an email and the response back made my heart sing. ‘Sleemans does not use any additives or preservatives in our beer. We hope this news makes you happy.’ Happy?? Happy? I’m ecstatic! Now if only Granville Island Brewery would get back to me so quickly… 

Summer Coaster Series...a la Perler Beads

 - Perler Beads are cool: Moops and I are slightly addicted to these little things. If you don’t know the name ‘perler’ maybe you remember those tiny, colored beads from elementary school you laid out in designs on a plastic pegboard, and then ironed…does that sound familiar? Check out the official Perler Beads site for more info, or just google images. The possibilities are endless! It’s easy, silly, crazy-fun and we can’t get enough of it. Thanks to my dear Mom who was the one who sent the original Perler Beads kit out for Christmas 2010. That was what started it all and we’ve been Perlering ever since. And yeah, I know ‘perlering’ isn’t a real word.

- Today, November 11, is Remembrance Day in Canada. It’s a time to remember, reflect and be thankful to those citizens who fought for our amazing country. My Guy, Moops and I went to the Cenotaph in Victory Square today for the ceremony. It was a somber and tranquil event that had thousands in attendance all there for the same reason: to remember. The Vancouver Bach Youth Choir was absolutely stunning to listen to; like the voices of angels. To hear those voices while staring at the Cenotaph, the grey day simply slid away from me and I felt warm and content. Together with our many Canadian Forces, the Russian Navy was also standing proudly beside them, an integral part of the ceremony. There was much to take in and absorb but above all, the crowd was respectful and filled with pride for the people who serve our country.

- Civic Elections are next week and personally speaking, I’m doing my homework! How many times do we grumble about our city? The increasing traffic? The transit system…how many times do we say “If I was mayor I would…” So maybe I’m not running for mayor (yet), I do have a say in who does get to run my city. I have a voice and if I don’t speak up, I lose the right to complain and ask why. Some people say it’s only one vote- does it really matter? What if 100 people said that? It is only ONE vote, yes, but it’s YOUR vote and we can all vote together to make a difference. As each day goes by in this city of mine, I feel more and more distanced from it. It’s not the Vancouver I know and love. It’s not the Vancouver I remember. It seems it’s getting bigger and bigger, being built higher and higher…and the middle guy is left hanging. This isn’t the city I want to be in without some major changes. For those of you in Vancouver too, and still not sure who is running in your area check out the Vancouver Votes site.

Jamie kept a blog of his day to day challenges. I haven’t read it, nor am I seeking it out. I appreciate and respect that he chose to talk openly in this forum, being a fellow blogger. I choose to not read it because I know it will be too painful for me. High school is hard enough- you couldn’t pay me enough money to go back and do it all over again. I simply can’t imagine what he would have endured every day when all he wanted to do was fit in, and live a normal, happy teenagers life. Instead he fought depression, was faced with bullying and harassment and had no support system within the school to turn to.

Unless the issues of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender are brought up IN the schools and talked about regularly, they will always be this source of shame for those who are going through it. We have the power to educate and inform. We have power to SUPPORT those who need it most within our community, our schools and our workplaces.

Rick Mercer brought up a good point about bullying. This behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated in our workplaces or our homes without some sort of repercussions, but we let it go on in our schools.(Read Ricks full comments, from the Mercer Report here)

One of my best friends is a lesbian and I never have thought twice about it. It never stopped me from wanting to get to know her, and it never stopped me from considering her one of my ‘tried and true’ friends. Without a doubt she is someone I respect and look up to. She is someone I love.

I am begging anyone out there reading, or who knows someone maybe…who is gay, lesbian, bi or transgender and is in a position to make a difference, to please do so. Speak up to young people, volunteer, help set up a Gay-Straight Alliance in your school…be a role model. Let young people who are struggling and feeling alone, know it DOES GET BETTER.

If just a few prominent ‘out’ people in each community stood up and offered support, I’m sure many lives could be saved and many hearts opened.

There are many issues today that need support like this; this is only ONE. But it’s one that struck me close to home today and it’s still with me.

Rest in Peace Jamie Hubley; may you continue to shine.

We can make a difference.

I understand when it’s an intimate relationship involved the hurt can appear almost too much to handle. I know, I’ve been there. It may seem as if you could never look at that person again…but unless someone has done something really awful to me personally and it wasn’t just a relationship running its course…I could never hate, loathe or despise another human being. When the pain wears off from a relationship that didn’t work out, one can often understand WHY it failed and learn from it. That’s where the love (or like) you had for that person should re-surface. Are they really that bad? What does carrying that negativity around do to your Soul?

I may have been a late bloomer and maybe my past isn’t that colorful, but the men I have been in relationships with, I still talk to. It may not be daily, weekly or even monthly communication in some respects, but I know they’re close by in Spirit and would help me if I only asked. I look back with clarity that  these relationships DID NOT work out, because they weren’t meant to…I wasn’t supposed to go that route. I would never be where I am, with My Guy now, if I’d stayed in a place I didn’t belong.

How can you hate when you look at this engineering marvel? The Falkirk Wheel. Google it. Photo by Chere Michelle.

In the case of the person I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I hope they realize it’s not their fault. They are not the one carrying the hatred and they must realize, you can’t force someone to change their ways. Hopefully, in time, the one who ‘hates’ will let their wounded Soul heal and open up.

We have too many burdens we put on ourselves every day already- do we need the extra weight of hate for ‘someone’ hanging around our shoulders?

Now kind of along the same lines as hate, but really not so strong, are pet peeves. We all got ‘em. I’m sure you know your partners, your best friends and your co-workers MANY pet peeves. I thought I’d share a few of mine:

- Motorists who leave their indicator lights on. Forever. It makes me wonder a) why they don’t hear the annoying clicking noise and b) why don’t they EVER glance at their dashboard?  Even to check the speedometer or maybe the time? Don’t they see the light blinking on and off, on and off, on and off…

- Ball ‘ O Dish Cloth. Let me explain. I once had a roommate but I won’t name any names. As adorable as she was, she had a nasty little habit of wiping up the counters and table in the kitchen with a damp rag and then squeezing the ever-loving crap out of it and leaving the tight ball lying in the sink. It wasn’t rinsed out, OK? It was just wrapped up all nice, and tight, and damp….a perfect place for mold to grow and smells to start. *shudder*

- People stepping on bubble wrap makes me want to run out into traffic.

- Aimless Whistlers. They don’t have a tune in mind, they are just whistling to whistle and they usually can’t whistle that well. I understand it’s a form of expression and I just have to walk away…it’s no crime to whistle.

We all got ‘em and don’t you love ‘em? Pet peeves. We wouldn’t be who we are without them. What are yours?

Now give yourself a shake and let go of any negativity weighing you down…

I may (or may not) have mentioned my guy rides a bike;a Triumph for those of you who know your bikes. His good friend Steve has taken off recently on a Coast to Coast motorcycle trip with his girl and is blogging about the whole thing! I always want to support my fellow bloggers but because this is a person close to someone I love, I think it’s especially important to mention it. I’ve spent some time reading his posts and not only is he an excellent writer, but his words are accompanied with amazing photographs to complete the story. It really does seem like a trip of a lifetime; the idea of going on a journey with no real set agenda, across this great continent has always held a special appeal for me. I think it probably strikes a chord in alot of people actually…but we all have excuses for not setting out on our own trip, don’t we? Follow Steve’s ride here at Coast to Coast: A Motorcycle Odyssey and at least discover a little bit of North America via his blog!

 So about those kale chips…my girlfriend S made some last night and apparently they were “to die for delicious”. Sigh. Her success is all over Facebook and I’m thinking, ‘great, another person who loves them when the ones I made tasted bloody awful!’ Her secret? Not much of one but she used olive oil and seasoning salt. Yes, the blasted seasoning salt and it appears this *may* be the trick to making yummy kale chips. Rebecca mentions a little Braggs may be ticket to success…I’m pretty sure I have to try the Almighty Kale Chip again. How can so many people be wrong?

 This week I am embarking on a journey of a lifetime. My Guy, his son and I are headed to Great Britain to attend a wedding in Scotland. For those of you who don’t know, My  Guy hails from Scotland so this is essentially “going home” for him after quite a few years in Canada. I’m looking forward not only to meeting his family, but to seeing the places of his childhood and his heart, and of finally getting a glimpse into a land I have only read about. This is definitely something to be EXCITED about. One thing that makes it particularly exciting is the fact his son is coming, and he’s a) never been on a plane before, b) never been out of Canada before and the kicker, c) he turns 18 while we are overseas! How perfect will the birthday memory be? Remember your first flight? Remember when you turned 18 and the world was at your fingertips?

I will be updating via Facebook, Twitter and my blog a few times over the next 3 weeks so stay tuned!

A little birdie (OK a co-worker…) told me the price of Genuine Health Greens + has gone up in price- significantly! We already pay $59.99 a tub here in Vancouver and if you’re lucky you can find it on sale somewhere for maybe $5 cheaper. My co-worker told me she paid up to $10 more recently! I haven’t had to purchase a new tub yet but I will have to soon, and can I afford to fork out almost $70 for my Greens? I honestly don’t know but it isn’t looking all that possible right now. I’ll be cutting the amount I use in half in hopes I can stretch the container and still have the benefits I’ve come to love from the product. I find it helps my tummy dramatically and if I lose this little bit of peace for my guts, I’m not sure what I’ll do.

The regular readers to this blog know I rave on and on about the PC Blue Label Worlds Best Meatless products…and other meat subs that use gardein. I’ve always been able to buy these products at Superstore here on the West Coast since they are Presidents Choice items…until recently. It started out innocently enough: we couldn’t find the Worlds Best Meatless Meatballs ANYWHERE. I thought, ‘OK they are popular, they’re just out of stock…’ and I held on to this belief for a month or so while I ran around the city checking out No Frills and Superstore for the balls. I could never find them and eventually the label disappeared from the freezer shelf where it had always been….it was replaced with Angus Beef Meatballs. Two rows of them! Why?? Why would Presidents Choice do this? These meatballs are a superior product. I know meat-eaters who love them! We have spaghetti and meatball night in our house that is now ruined and has become Taco Tuesday much to Moops chagrin…tacos sometimes just don’t cut it. I’m wondering if the Worlds Best Meatless Burger will be next? I love being a Vegetarian but too often we get these cool new products, they grab and hook us in…and then the product disappears…like the stuffed “chicken” breasts from Schneider’s. Remember those fellow Veggies?

I’ve got a bone to pick with the PC people and I’m looking for ways to get hold of Galen Weston Jr so I can REALLY vent how I feel! I could go on because there is ANOTHER product we can’t find….*sigh* It’s just simply gone from Superstore. The Meatless Beef Strips. But alas, I’ll leave this for now until I speak to Mr. Weston. Inquiring Veggie minds (and those who simply want to eat more healthy) want to know…stay tuned.

My dear friend M has been experimenting with spaghetti squash. To be specific, she is looking to use it as a traditional wheat spaghetti substitute due to gastrointestinal issues. She has tried the oven and microwave methods and says it always comes out crunchy. It seems like it’s a really sore spot with M, because she wants her dishes to turn out, but wants a spaghetti like texture. I personally have zero experience with this squash; it’s always freaked me out to be honest. I think I will expand my horizons however and experiment with this…I found some amazing recipes online today. I also found this informative article about how to best prepare the squash…it certainly looks appealing! And easy. I like that.

I’m still plagued by a stalker of YEARS ago. I know that person is reading this very post, because I can see all the various places they access my website from in the city they live in. As each new one appears, I flag it and block the access thinking surely they will get the hint. Sadly, their life must be so empty (and lonely) that to dwell on the past and re-live the hurt and anguish they put me through, is the only way to get some sort of satisfaction each day. I was really bothered at first because I’d been left alone for years and knew that once I did put a blog and website up, that I would become vulnerable in a sense…but now I feel sadness for this person. I haven’t forgiven and don’t know that I ever will…and I haven’t forgotten either because my life WAS hell during that time. I would appreciate it from the bottom of my heart if I could just be left alone by this person and nothing would bring me more peace than to know they had moved on…I certainly did and with thanks.

Always go with your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, someone seems too possessive…too weird…go with your gut. I wish I had.

I’m in a better place obviously now and LOVE the people in my life. With all my heart.

“Sing as if nobody can hear you…live like there is no tomorrow.”

PC Blue Menu The Worlds Best Seasoned Meatless Chicken Breasts: I was desperately looking through the frozen section at Superstore YET AGAIN, for the Worlds Best Meatless Meatballs and stumbled across these beauties. Imagine my total surprise. Here was what we’d been waiting for….gardein “chickn” breasts in a bulk package in the frozen section for a reasonable price! Now the stuff I saw wasn’t seasoned…and it was made with gardein…so I’m not sure if this is the exact product but you get the idea. I love the idea of buying these, but as much as I love the gardein brand on it’s own, it’s simply out of my price range unless a HUGE sale is on. The fact PC Blue Menu uses gardein (obviously through some private agreement) is amazing because its makes this versatile protein choice for vegetarians very affordable. Now if only I could find out what happened the meatless meatballs……..

Raising Money for a Good Cause: Last weekend Moops set up shop outside the front of the house here in Mount Pleasant and sold chocolate brownies, iced tea and various household items we didn’t need….and it was all to raise money for a good cause. In case you didn’t know, Moops is 8 years old and came up with this idea on her own. She raised $64 which she will be presenting to the BCSPCA later this week. She was thrilled when her 1st customer climbed the steps and saddened when the last walked away. We couldn’t be more proud.

Possibly the Cutest Idea for Sandals…EVER: I’m in love with these adorable sandals with animal prints ON THE BOTTOM! How cool is this??  There are 5 styles to choose from and include birds too! I just love the idea and think they look so whimsical in the sand. Now I can’t say for sure how comfy square sandals would truly be; I would no doubt be tripping over my own feet but then again, I’d be so tickled with my footprints I wouldn’t notice…I hope.

New Body Butter at The Body Shop: I was getting my Body Butter fix last weekend and noticed some new scents at The Body Shop. I picked up my usual Shea Butter and had a Coconut Butter in hand but then saw a new line called Dreams Unlimited. It smelled really damn fresh…uplifting even….but fresh and clean. Personally I’m always looking for those clean scents that are subtle but feminine and this seemed to be it. I bought it and I’ve not used it on my entire body yet, just a few places to ‘test drive’ the scent if you will, and fear it may be overpowering. I’ll try my whole body and get back to you. I want to love this body butter so I hope I’m not disappointed!

Fairy Cakes Now has a HOME on Fraser Street in Vancouver! OPENING SOON at 3586 Fraser Street… Website coming soon I’m told.