oh hello, april

cooking: nothing. Cutting up an apple and dipping it in peanut butter isn’t cooking, right? Vacations, even those spent mostly in a home, aren’t for cooking; they’re for eating at every delicious place nearby.

drinking: a latte from Philosafy. In my (non) expert opinion, best espresso in downtown Calgary. 

reading: Hidden Figures. Or should I say, trying to read it again. I didn’t get so far the first time but I have a 4 hour plane ride tomorrow to make a decent dent in it. 

wanting: to curl up on the couch for a whole day and catch up on my stories. 

looking: out the window at the rain-snow. 

wishing: I could wander around Canmore every Friday. 

enjoying: trying a different coffee shop/cafe each day. 

crushing: on the security dude at the KW Airport. Hel-looooo. 

waiting: till Dad is back from Florida and then I can my desk into my Guelph office and everything will actually be done in my condo. 

liking: the sweetest new earrings I bought at Adorn on Saturday. 

loving: everything. Nothing like a few days off, sister, friends, and a most magical sunrise to make a girl’s heart burst. 

needing: a lower back massage and a pedicure. 

hoping: for some sunny days when I get home later this week. 

smelling: like smoke…a pizza oven and BBQ, specifically. 

(not) wearing: socks. Welcome to TOMS season, friends. 

knowing: it’s just 2 more months till I’m off on another mini-adventure.

watching: people. Working in a cafe is the best. 

listening: to River by Leon Bridges on repeat. 

noticing: how happy people are at dinner with friends. Sis, Jess, and I ate at Hayden Block on Friday (SO GOOD) and I was looking around and everyone in my sight line was smiling or laughing. Our table included. It was beautiful. 

thinking: about Plant’s store doggie. He was so good and cute and wanted endless pats. 

giggling: at Arkells instastories from Saturday. The concert the night before The Junos looked pretty EPIC. 

feeling: happy.

Advertisement

oh hello, spring

Spring…and of course lots of clouds. It doesn’t look or feel springy (what’s with the -11C low tonight?) but the calendar says it’s spring and that’s good enough for me. I’m excited about my weekly tulip haul and cracking open the windows. 

Just like people seasonally rotate their wardrobes (I would but I just have one wardrobe: clothes and clothes I put a sweater over – and a few dresses), I rotate my musical interests. Other than the Christmas tunes I am happy to rock in December, and December only, my musical tastes are actually the same most months of the year but notice as the temps starts to get warmer there are a few less slow, acoustic songs and a few more with…toe tapping goodness. 

The first week of spring always gets a few spins of two 2012 classics: Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes and The Lumineers self-titled album. I really love both of these. 

Do you have some spring favourites? I’m (im)patiently waiting for Spotify to update their seasonal Acoustics playlist. But Spotify UK has theirs out, loving Young Blood by Noah Kahan. For my country fans, have a listen to You Broke Up With Me by Walker Hayes (super catchy, will definitely have you bopping in the car) or the album Spark by Drake White. 

oh hello, march

making: coffee. And then more coffee. 

eating: raspberries. Got the big pack from Costco and they’re delicious. 

drinking: obviously all that coffee. And tons of water. I am always thirsty lately. 

reading: Lauren Graham’s essays “Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between“. Just started but I really like the writing style and the desire to break into showtunes. 

wanting: a nap. Someone to finish painting? How about someone to come unpack? 

ordering: art from Minted. I can’t wait to show you everything I’ve picked from Minted and what I’ve printed from my vast photo collection. 

snacking: on chocolate and coconut covered cashews. These are like crack (I assume). So good. (link is from amazon, but I got them at Costco and they were much cheaper)

wishing: a fairy godmother could pay my credit card bill. 

crushing: 2 excedrin. The high today is +14C and the low is -17C. Ah. AHHH? WTF? The barometer is plummeting and my headache is getting worse by the second. 

waiting: for my couch to be delivered! (sometime between March 7-15 and the level of excitement is at an all time high)

liking: the sweet smell of perfume that lingers on my sweater. 

crossing: things off my to-do list. 

loving: everything? I live alone again and I’m decorating! Is there anything better? (yes, when sister gets here in May and tells me how pretty everything is and we have somuchbrunch and poutine) 

finding: paint in my hair. 

needing: a hair cut (trim) and a pedicure. 

hoping: to get the kitchen unpacked and functioning today.

smelling: paint. So much paint. 

wearing: a couple of favourites. These sweatpants from Target (sorrynotsorry) and this long sleeve tee from Old Navy (nice and thin and soft).

knowing: spring is around the corner. Probably. Like, I know it’s gonna snow 8 more times but we’ve had a week of warm and it has been so great. 

watching: CSI Miami in the afternoon. CSI NY will always be my favourite but Horatio with the one-liner before the opening credits and sunglasses and Eric just being studly and adorbs? Good combo. 

watching (part 2): Big Little Lies on HBO. Have you seen it? Couldn’t get into the book for some reason but the mini-series is great! (ps: HBO is currently on free preview so you should be able to watch the episodes on cable on online)

(re)listening: to Mike on Much podcasts. And listening to The West Wing Weekly pods. 

noticing: the amount of natural light in here. I knew it would be great…and it really is! 

opening: the fridge hoping someone miraculously put food in it. 

marveling: at how Light Between Oceans was the one video on the quick borrow shelf at the library on Friday. Thank you libs, that was the one movie I’d really wanted to see lately. And….loved it. And I totally balled at the ending. I was also overtired, but still. 

feeling: excited. 

oh hello, february

making: pompom garlands! how-to coming tomorrow. 

cooking: ha. hahahahahaha. Do eggs count as cooking? 

drinking: (currently) iced coffee; it’s -12C and I’m a rebel. 

reading: Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing by Jennifer Weiner. I’m about a third of the way through and enjoying it. 

wanting: a good night’s sleep and a light back massage. 

realizing: we had about 25 hours of sunshine for the entire month of January. I noted them in my daytimer: Jan 1, 15, half day on the 30th. Isn’t that sad? Actually, it’s downright DEPRESSING. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even expect the sun to come out. And then it’s THE GREATEST DAY, EVER when it does. Huge mood booster. The lack of sunshine is also making me very tired and I’m having a hard time falling asleep at night/getting up in the morning. It’s always grey so my body/internal clock is so confused. 

loving: THAT I BOUGHT A CONDO! 

counting: down the days till I move. Keys: 23 days. Movers: 27 days.  

looking: at paint swatches. 

marveling: at all the grown up things associated with owning property. I mean, I knew since I had a home before, but stiiiiiiiil. So many things to arrange. 

needing: a new couch! And TV console. And rug. And rug for the office. And cozy chair. And lamps. And curtains for the second bedroom. But I think that’s it. Wanna come over? We can sit on the floor. I have tons of pillows, it’ll be very romantic. 

wishing: The West Wing can come to Netflix Canada. 

enjoying: quiet, cozy nights by the fireplace with twinkle lights and a big blanket.

crushing: sweedish berries. 

waiting: to see Arkells in concert again next Friday! 

ordering: real concert tickets because a piece of paper is lame. 

liking: the bouquet of yellow tulips on my desk. 

hoping: for no snow on Feb 10, 11, 24, and 28. 

smelling: frosted cranberry candle. 

wearing: lululemon align II pants. Oh-em-geeeee! Sister got me these for Christmas (because I never splurge on lulu for myself) and they are amazing. I have no idea what they’d be like to workout in, I am not getting sweat on $100 pants, but they make me feel special while I wear them for work (at home…with likely unwashed hair). So soft. So not 7/8 pants on people who are 5’2″. The naked sensation is true…and you won’t stop petting your thighs because the pants are so soft. Put ’em on your Valentine’s list. 

watching: the snow falling outside. It’s like a cute, wintery snowglobe and it’s only enjoyable because I don’t have to leave the house until Thursday morning. But, since I can stay inside for the next 40-ish hours, it is so incredibly beautiful. 

listening: to Winter Acoustic on Spotify. 

thinking: about how crazy the world is right now and simultaneously trying to think of all the great things around me (memes, baby animal videos, fresh flowers, sourdough bread, coffee, music, my general freedom, access to the healthcare I need, and hot water; you know, the basics) 

giggling: at this NatGeo panda video. The ending! It’s never not funny! 

feeling: excited and nervous. 

oh hello, january

cooking: toast and cereal isn’t cooking, is it? You all know I don’t really like cooking, so after “all the cooking” (air quotes because it wasn’t thaaaaat much it just felt like a lot) I or Laura and I did over the holidays (aks: allthepotatoes and some other stuff) I’m now giving a big eff you to being in the kitchen. Do yourself a favour and look up a recipe for slow cooker mashed potatoes if you need to feed a crowd and definitely use chicken stock instead of water. Hot damn; guuuurl, best ever. 

drinking: a lot of water. And a lot of coffee. And maybe some cherry diet coke that we got at Target. 

(oh yah, ps: Laura and I went to Michigan while she was home and I bought alltheclearance post-holiday items at Target as well as some sweet way discounted knit cardis to keep me warm in these bitter winter months and then got a new pair of New Balance sneaks – my fave – at TJMaxx)

reading: Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks; really just easing into the 2017 reading game. I read 50 books last year and hoping for a repeat. 

wanting: the lady-time cystic acne to go away. C’mon. 

looking: forward to my 2 potential trips to Alberta this year and…

hoping: I can get to an Arkells concert with sister and Jess (c’mon boys, gimme some non-festival, non-winter headline dates, pretty please?)

wishing: for a new apartment. While we’re dreaming about things to happen in the new year, moving would be nice. Really nice. I want to decorate! I don’t want an end date on my alone time. If you’re the praying kind, please pray/think good thoughts for me? I don’t dig numerology or anything like that and seem to gravitate toward round, nice sounding numbers, and I don’t know, I don’t really like “17” but am hoping it pulls through for me. (Dear number gods: don’t read too much into that; I still like you. Kinda. Be nice.)

playing: catch-up with work. I was slow to get into the work groove with 2 weeks off but I really hunkered down yesterday (Thursday) and powered through the morning. Things are looking good and organized (did you see the big wall calendar I shared on instastories – username: allisonbridgman – that I bought solely to keep one pesky client’s campaigns organized).

waiting: for my first bath in yeaaaars this weekend. As best I remember, I don’t like them…I mean, after 12 seconds you’re sitting in a lukewarm tub of dirty water, but I’m hoping a cute bath bomb, some jets, a little James Bay on the stereo will make it a pleasant and relaxing experience. 

loving: the spam comment I got recently — “if only there were more clever people like you”. Right!? 

following: the cabinfolk instagram account. So beautiful. 

needing: a pedicure. 

smelling: frosted cranberry candles. 

wearing: a lot of layers. A LOT. 

watching: Jane the Virgin. Was really needing a new Netflix show to indulge in after work, and I’m really liking it so far. 

enjoying: an hour lounging in bed watching Netflix right after work. I did this last winter and it was such a nice way to unwind and not look at my phone. It’s warm and cozy, I relax, and then make supper. 

listening: to Mike on Much podcasts. 

noticing: how pretty snow is as long as you can stay inside. 

opening: a bag of cherry M&Ms. Iloveyousomuchtarget. 

feeling: tired all the freaking time. I’m Captain I-hate-winter because it’s dark all.the.time. In all seriousness, the sun hardly comes out, and I’m an effing crank-pot. And tired. So tired.