Marmot’s blog

Well, after 2 1/2 months of searching we have finally found a new place to live.  Searching and moving is definitely a very stressful time which I have never been aware of until recently. You see, I have only ever moved 3 times so far in my life.  My family weren't really into moving every 5 years.  I knew people who moved every 2 years.  Oh the agony of that.  So last year, I took the plunge and moved out with my boyfriend and left my mom as an empty-nester.  Since I really didn't have a lot of furniture when I left my mother, it was an easy move.  I had my bedroom stuff.  That was it.  Now, there is bedroom stuff, kitchen stuff, living room stuff, second bedroom stuff and his stuff.

So the finding a place part.  I started early to make sure I found just the right place.  So of course I enlisted the help of a real estate agent. She was great.  Taking me to several different places, putting in offers and not getting the place because the other couple would put in more money and we weren't willing to spend that much. Then we found this really great place in Yorkville. But unfortunately, they owners backed out so again, it was time to keep hunting. Time is quickly ticking away.  But fortunately, at the last minute, we found a place.  It is in a nice building, and only one subway stop away from the office.  Yay for us!

Now all I need it for someone to pack, move and unpack us.  Oh, wait, I have a boyfriend. :)

A couple of days after my car accident, I was scheduled to go away on vacation to a little island called Dominica which is near Martinique.  It is the same island where the Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed.  I had never been to the Caribbean ever so this was a real treat for me.  We stayed in this really amazing bed and breakfast where the owner/host was extremely nice.  The most interesting part of getting to the island is the little plane we were on and how it flew into the island.  We basically flew between these heavily forested mountains.  My hat goes off to the pilots.  Driving was another thing there.  Here in Toronto, we drive on the right hand side so it was a bit unnerving driving on the left.  I can say I have never seen a more winding road with a few potholes thrown in for good measure to perfect driving skills.

Staying at the B&B was heaven.  Especially listening to the waves of the ocean every night.  It was wonderful.  The other thing I enjoyed was the sound of the rain.  It would either rain in the morning or late in the evening.  My boyfriend did all the driving since I had a bit of whiplash and wasn't confident to drive on the other side of the road considering that one had to be very careful when driving around bends.  The other driver may not always see you.

So every day, we would go for a drive either to the capital, Roseau where we would have lunch and where I saw the Queen Mary cruise ship.  That is one huge ship.  Or we checked out the watefalls. I did a bit of snorkeling for the first time.  (Really, all I did was sit on a rock in the water and put my face in the water.  I really should learn to swim!)  The best part of the trip was where we had a soak in a hot spring.  That was luxurious. 

After awhile though, I was getting tired of the dinners that were being prepared at the B&B, so we found a little restaurant a couple of miles away and would have dinner there.  The local food transported me back to when I was kid and my Dad would cook something very similar.  I also made a friend down there.  She has the most beautiful smile.  It's the type of smile that goes right to the eyes and you know the person is being genuine.  We still talk on the phone or send text messages. 

So even though my bf and I became sick with the flu, it was a much needed, relaxing vacation.  I would say it is not an island where there are resorts or a lot of beaches, but well worth the trip to the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean".

I have to say that I am sorry for not writing more, but I feel I need to start doing this again.  I was going through an old box and found a couple of stories I wrote as a kid.  It made me laugh because I used to love writing.  My imagination was so large I couldn't contain it all in my head.  So I always had a pen and paper to write those stories down.  So I'm going to start here.

Well the first thing since being here last year was at the end of the year, just before I was to go away on vacation with my boyfriend, I was in a single car accident.  I hit black ice going around a curve and rolled my car.   Just as I over compensated by turning the wheel too hard, I knew what was going to happen and braced myself.  In slow motion, I could feel the car being lifted up off the ground, the windshield breaking and the side air bags going off.  When the car finally came to rest, I made sure I could move my arms and legs and looked around at the carnage inside. I was alive and I could move.  I thought to myself I should shut the engine off.  Of course I started to panic when I couldn't open the window and I stopped and said "Breath".  I took a breath and realized that I needed to turn on the auxiliary power in order to open the window.  Once I did that, I turned the car back off, pulled the key out, dropped it, and climbed out.  I was lucky that all I sustained was a bruised head and a bit of whiplash.  My car which I called Pepper didn't fare as well.  When all was said and done, I had gone through 4 months of physiotherapy on my neck and ended up buying the exact same car and color that saved my life.  (It also helped that I was wearing a seatbelt!)  I haven't named the new car yet.  We haven't connected.  But I'm hoping that I will name her soon.

Again, like being burned, I just remember after all was said and done, I could have lost my life or sustained a more serious injury.  I have become aware of how precious life is and how every day I have to make sure the people I know are aware of how much I care for them. I also have to make the most of what has been given to me since it could all just be rolled flat by a rolling pin.

I was just wondering about people and these type of websites.  These types of sites are supposed to be for meeting people.  But I have noticed that when people request to be a part of my space, I only get guys.  What happened to the women?  I have nothing against guys.  Actually I only have guy friends.  But sometimes, it would be nice to have a woman who would be interested in my space.  I understand that people are lonely and are looking to "hook up", but it would be nice to connect with other women.  There are just some things you can only talk to other women about.  I'm not saying that there are not guys out there that one can talk to, I have my boyfriend.  But I just find it very interesting. 

A couple of months ago I had gone on a camping trip with a group of people.  Each day we would pick two people to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Finally it was my turn for the day.  On that particular day, I was to prepare grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone.  Now, the stove we were using was an old 1950's propane stove with grill.  It was the type that can't be retrofitted with updated equipment.  So I assumed that the person I was partnered with knew how to light the grill.  Boy was I wrong.  When preparing to light the grill, I asked if all three knobs to the burners were supposed to be set fully on and the person replied yes.  So I proceeded to do that. I turned around to get the lighter and turned back, bent down to the light the elements which are underneath the grill and in very slow motion to me, a huge fireball leapt out at me. 

Now you see that day, I had decided to wear a turtleneck, but at the last minute, I decided to put on a t-shirt.  Lucky for me that I did change my top or I would have had the turtleneck burned to my neck which would have made it harder to remove.  During that episode, I could see the different colours of red, orange and yellow rolling towards me.  With the force of the blast, it threw me across the kitchen.  Of course I didn't immediately feel the pain, but boy when it hit, it was excruciating.  The fireball had hit my neck and went up my face and over my head.  I screamed out and everyone came running.  Thankfully, there was a doctor in the group.  He took really good care of me.  I ended up with second and first degree burns.  But I remember going to lie down and realizing I could smell my burnt hair and skin which was making me sick to my stomach, so I had to take a shower.  I didn't let the water touch my face or my neck. 

But I started thinking that it could have been a lot worse.  I began crying because I started thinking about those women who are burned by spurned lovers or by family members for their honour.  I mean, I only had pain to my neck and face and that was bad, but I couldn't imagine the pain over 75% or 90% of their bodies and having to go through skin grafts and the disfiguration of their face and bodies.  It made me realize how precious life is and how truly lucky I was. 

As for the discolouration on my face and neck, it’s not so bad.  If you didn't know what happened to me, you would never know.  So I'm thankful it wasn't worse.  My boyfriend blames himself for not being there to protect me.  The fact that he was caring and there for me throughout my ordeal means a lot to me.  He made sure I knew how much he loved me and made sure I knew that he found me beautiful no matter how I looked.  That meant more to me then anything else.  So I have to say I am truly thankful all around.

I just recently started talking to a woman I used to know in high school.  She is the first person I have spoken to from that time in my life aside from the one person I have known for years.  In the beginning, I had no idea who she was. Of course I pulled out my yearbooks, but could not find her.  Then talking with a friend of mine, he remembered her a bit which allowed me to really rack my brain and try to figure out the puzzle.  I did eventually remember her.  Well today, she sent me a picture of us together standing by a pond on a school trip.  I don't have any candid shots like that so it is very disturbing the way I dressed back then compared to how I dress today.  I had a really good laugh at myself.  I called my mom and said I couldn't believe she let me out of the house looking like that.  I believe the outfit I had on that day were hand-me-downs from her. Would I ever want to go back to high school?  I don't think so.  That part has been thankfully blocked out.

I have come to a realization about my hair.  It is a very thick brillo pad.  If anyone needs a pot or pan scrubbed then I'm your girl.  I have tried to find different ways to make my hair a bit more managable.  But there is nothing that can be done with my hair except to grow it longer then what is now.  I cut it because I was tired of the maintenance it took.  But at least I will never go bald and if I should have kids, they won't go bald either.  And I have also realized that if I cut it, it won't take long to regrow it.  My hair is very weed-like.  Yay hair!

It was my birthday on Saturday November 25th and I bought myself a brand new car. I bought a Nissan Versa SL.  It has that nice new car smell.  I find it kind of weird to have my own car.  I have been driving my mother's car for the last 8 years.  I feel that after all of these years, I'm finally moving forward with my life.  When I say that, I mean I have a car finally, I have an awesome boyfriend where we are on the same page and I just feel like my life is headed in the right direction.  It has taken awhile and a very long struggle, but I am happy with where I am right now. It is even a bonus that there is no snow on the ground. :)

I'm new to this type of forum and really, I don't know what to say.  Where others are used to writing their lives for all to see, I tend to be private.  But curosity has always killed this cat so to say.  It seems to me most people just write whatever is on their mind.  For me, I tend to keep a journal.  I have kept one for the last 18 years.  I just can't see posting my most inner thoughts for all to see.

So through this post, I would be interested to see who is interested in what I have to say. I usually give advice to my friends or my opinions only when asked. My friends also know when I give them what I think, I'm usually honest.  Not brutally honest, but close enough.  I don't sugar coat things.  It is just way too tiring.

Well this is my first thought.  Enjoy!