through the looking glass

Home again

bellaluminara — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:56:42 +0000

Hard times trying to get back into some sort of routine now that I’m back! I feel the pull of the grey and the cold pulling me down, memories of sun and warmth fading…

Arrived home at 2 am Friday morning to two very irate cats who didn’t let me get the few hours of sleep I needed before having to go to work, ugh. I was fine and coasting until about lunch time on Friday when I just hit a wall. Bless Nancy’s dear heart for planning the day out for me, and curse me for a dumbum for giving the kids sugar in the afternoon I had such a small suitcase, I couldn’t really bring back much, but I did bring back hand-painted bookmarks for each kid, and then a small sampling of Mexican candy (so their parents may have been cursing me for a dumbum that afternoon, too, hahah!) Was caught up with a few stories of things going on with some of my students and their families (no money, no food, crap-assed parenting where they’re being verbally abused, may be taken away from their families, etc. part of the joys of teaching in this area), and bawled all the way home at the unfairness of it all for those poor little mites. Felt useless, ineffectual. Overtired. Oversensitive. This carried on into the evening, and I went to bed completely out of sorts.

I slept fitfully last night, too — not by choice, of course. Trouble was his thoroughly engaging self and pestered me every 2 hours last night, but at least I went to bed early, and was able to get up and get moving this morning. Chiro for a back-crack and to give Gina some hugs and pressies for looking after my babies while I was gone, my every-2-months(ish) hair appointment to cover my greys (sigh) and freshen up my lovely (sassy, damnit) brown, and then spent a while with my bro & family. Napped a good part of the afternoon, bookended by two affectionate felines, grocery shopped and now am catching up on a show or two before maybe joining a friend for a coffee. And trying not to feel put out by a lack of enthusiasm elsewhere.

Right back into it. Feh. I miss the sun.

Bucerias dreams…

bellaluminara — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:30:58 +0000

…wondering what took me so long to come and visit dad’s place down here. It’s lovely. It’s so soothing to be in the heat and the sun, and it’s so funny, because there are so many people from B.C. who live here or have places down here that many of the expats call Bucerias ‘BeeCeerias’ (BCreias)… Spent the day on the beach yesterday with old family friends Don & Judy while dad went to his Spanish class… out for dinner to an exceptional seafood restaurant, then a walk in the center of town. There’s a festival (fiesta) on right now for Our Lady of Peace, so there are market stalls everywhere… have been meeting a lot of dad’s friends down here, and am making an effort to learn a little Spanish just so I can speak to some who don’t speak English very well. Today Dad & I went to Puerto Vallarta and walked through the Malecon and old Puerto Vallarta, had some authentic Mexican food for lunch (and dinner, haha!). He drove me through Nuevo Vallarta (which is pretty much resort central!) and we watched a small parade for the festival, which had traditional dancers and a Mariachi band!

It’s lovely here… time is passing so quickly. We are watching the hockey game (we PVR’d it while we were out and made Don keep quiet about the score), and relaxing. Being in the sun makes me a little sleepy by the end of the day. I am content and having a great time

<3

bellaluminara — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:09:58 +0000

This popped into my head tonight and I caught myself singing the opening lines as I was making dinner. I used to listen to this on repeat (well, okay, on rewind, as it was a cassette tape, as I recall!) after digging up a Swingle Singers tape at school. It is, of course, more well known as a guitar concerto, but I always loved this version! The Adagio, from the Concerto de Aranjuez, by Joaquin Rodrigo.

And! For a bonus! Since it’s ‘high school jazz choir memories night’ (ha!), you also get Ella Fitzgerald’s 7 minute amazing scat of ‘How High the Moon’, which I also listened to so much I broke the tape. LOVE IT. She was a complete master! (And I probably shouldn’t be listening to it right now, because it’s almost bedtime, and it winds me right up!)

Message to the Skies…

bellaluminara — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:58:39 +0000

It seems the Universe has been contriving, these last few days, to push every single button I have, perhaps to make me grateful I am Mexico-bound shortly. To the Universe I say: you needn’t have bothered, I am grateful anyway! And I could well have done without all the stress!

(And as a side boooo-urns note: I just found out Chuck has been cancelled, and the last episode is the night I get back from Mexico. Such a disappointment, I love that show (um, and maybe my weekly dose of Zachary Levi, if I’m honest!!). Boooo!)

Grumpasaurus Rex

bellaluminara — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:56:26 +0000

Fighting off a sense of anxiety today. Anxiety, frustration, annoyance and agitation, despite a lot of reasons NOT to feel this way. The drive to work was nothing to worry about, as well as the drive home — people were driving responsibly, and I was thankful for my tiptronic and my snow tires.

I had a small class today, due to a whole whack of our kids being sick. Instead of relishing this, I was annoyed. Annoyed that everything I did today, I’ll likely have to do again if the other kids show up tomorrow. I didn’t have my SEA today, and there was no replacement for her, so I fought/coaxed/wheedled my special needs student all day, which annoyed the living daylights out of me, and drained me. I spent most of my lunch chatting with a parent, did a painting activity with the kids, half of which didn’t listen to instructions and had to re-do their assignment (it wasn’t hard, and we were doing it step by step, so there was no reason they couldn’t have done it right the first time…argh!)

Then home to my damn sink still not being done, no call from the damn plumber to let me know he wasn’t coming. I want chocolate in the worst way, but have none in the house, and don’t want to go out into the snow to get any. And I’m restless. Restless and unsure.

Two days and a bit until Mexico, and I can’t wait to get out of here. I want some sun, and a book and not much else.

I should be in bed…

bellaluminara — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:37:15 +0000

…but I am watching the snow fall and smiling a big, big smile. Once again, heart full of gratitude.

I am thinking about the 5k I’m supposed to run on Sunday, though, in the snow? Time will tell!

This is a week of being shown/discovering awesome Canadian talent! Tonight I was introduced to Mike Tompkins. Super talented, super creative… check him out on YouTube!!

(one of many tunes! seriously, check him out!)

:)

bellaluminara — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:36:37 +0000

So much gratitude. Heart big. Smiley face.

Happy

benediction

bellaluminara — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:39:29 +0000

It’s music day, apparently

bellaluminara — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:38:48 +0000

I have run out of fingers and toes to count how many times Grey’s Anatomy and the music they choose to go with their episodes affects me. I finally watched Thursday’s episode tonight, and here’s another to add to the list. *sniffle*

Wickedness

bellaluminara — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:39:03 +0000

Oh! And I saw this last night… how FREAKING AWESOME is this??

Followed by Gotye’s original…