eastcoastwestcoast

Like Anish Kapoor

Michelle had some Christmas bulbs hanging in her home over the holidays and they reminded me of the Anish Kapoor artwork I'd seen in London.

Back To Work

The poor houseplant that someone placed on my desk for sunshine apparently had a rough New Year. Sorry little plant.

Winter Birds

Outside my window, these birds (are they mourning doves?) sit like little puffballs on the windowsill, as the howling wind blows delicate snow flurries through the air. They've been there now for hours, watching squirrels hop around the tree in front of their gaze and only occasionally shifting to refluff their insulating feathers.

Back to winter on the East Coast, temperatures around -7C (-15C with windchill), snow on the ground and woolies on my hands during morning runs. My radiators emit pleasant warmth and a steady drip from one leaky valve, a puddle of water having greeted me in the living room upon my return (have alerted building maintenance, it will be fixed asap... but for now, towels on the ground). I baked muffins and heated a glass of mulled wine last night. From this quiet mindset, my brain is not yet ready for the heightened pace of the big city, but I know that it will take but a few minutes to get right back into the enjoyable sparkle of New York City energy.

From Verlyn Klinkenborg, one of my favourite New York Times writers, in yesterday's paper:

I know from the weather maps that the edge of the storm is only a few miles to the west. It will be shutting down soon in a last bank of dark gray clouds, so dark that the blue sky shining through their gaps will be the color of diluted turquoise. And then the sun will beam through the cold air and the sense of urgency will dissipate.

I’m reluctant to see the storm finish. At this time of year — winter only begun — I still feel the way I did when I was a child. I want the snow to keep falling, soft and deep into the night and the next day and the week after, until I wake up in a world completely unknown. In that world, there will be no melting back to the vole trails, no going back to spring. There will be only an unknown track into the snowbound woods.

On The First Day of 2010...

...I woke early and packed my bags while listening to CBC radio, completed the huge holiday jigsaw puzzle with Mom, watched some of the Winter Classic at Fenway with Dad, and cruised out to the airport for my flight.

Where I encountered craziness related to this:

Oh well,  nothing like a little adrenaline-fueled hustle to perform a purse switcheroo to kick off the new year. Once finally ensconced in the gate after running this whole gauntlet, I treated myself to a latte and ate the whole bag of biscotti that my folks had packed me. And the pouring rain stopped and the sun came out.

2009 Year in Review: Highlights and Greatest Hits, Part 3

Here is Part 3 (November - December). Part 1 (January - May) can be found here and Part 2 (June - October) here.

November

The month began with cheering on Lisa in the New York City Marathon.

An awesome Jersey Immersion experience, tailgating and watching the Giants.

Mesmerized by the sparkle as NYC got ready for Thanksgiving week.

And then, off to London and Rome and the next great trans-Atlantic adventure with James.

December

Began this month strolling London on an icy cold clear day, checking out the Royal Academy of Arts and wandering the South Bank.

Back in New York the next week, the season's first snowfall.

And the gang bid a fond farewell to our French Canadian friend, with the epic Fredstravaganza Day.

Then a beautiful weekend in Boston with James, complete with BU ice hockey, strolls through Cambridge and Boston, delicious bowls of chowder in the evening, crazies running in Santa hats and speedos, Fenway Park and shockingly cold temperatures.

And, just like that, I was back on yet another plane, bound for the West Coast and another warm, relaxing Christmas break.

So 2009 comes to a close, a marvelous year with so many more memories than I could cram into these highlight posts, and the promise of so many more in 2010.

And since it's impossible to file into any one particular month, I'll just assemble these next photos here to capture the absolute top highlight of my year.

Let's Check Out Some Olympics Stuff

Let's cruise up to Cypress to see the Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing venue.

Check it out below, grandstands, lighting, wow. I think this is the mogul run.

And then let's check out some souvenirs, because I'm going to want a Canada t-shirt to wear the entire week I'm back.  T-shirt, purchased. Did *not* purchase this hat.

But good thing I have those mitties!

Look at These!

My Mom, having not procured any cool torchbearer mitts from the Bay, has knit herself her own pair.  How cool are these mitties, eh?  Awesome!

Quick Trip To Bowen Island

One of my NYC friends has recently moved back to be with her family on Bowen Island, so I caught the Queen of Capilano across to Snug Cove for a quick visit with her (and the best latte of the trip!).

Here it comes, round the corner to Horseshoe Bay

Pulling into the berth.

Snug Cove in the distance.

The really cool-looking Vancouver 2010 Olympics ferry (Nanaimo-bound boat, I think?).

And the view up Howe Sound on this rainy day.