Remember Me?
Yikes... it has been a looong time since I last added to this blog. I guess that's due to a mixture of being busy with guests, work, school, and just not feeling too motivated!
I have been back at school for 7 weeks now, and I have to admit that I am only now just starting to get back into it. I'm not sure why I haven't been as excited this semester as I was last semester, but I am definitely looking forward to April 2009! I still like my classes but I am very eager to just get on with it.
The last few weeks have been pretty damn cold in Edmonton! Previous to that we had been experiencing a fairly uninteresting winter, but I think we let our guards down a bit too soon! Luckily the last few days have seen warmer weather. Infact, I believe that today we were even above zero!! (A treat!) The problem now is the yucky sludge.... Melted snow and mud do now make a particularly attractive combination.
That's a mini update on my life, but this time I will not take so long to return.
December
This month has been pretty busy so far. (Hence the lack of blogging for the last few weeks!) Last week I finished my exams for college, and they actually went really well. I was pleased with my final grades, but I am a bit nervous to see how I do with the new topics next semester.
I have also been trying to fit in a few more hours at work over December since I have not been at college, but it is a bit diffiult trying to get people to pay their outstanding bills before Christmas!
My sister, Hannah, has come to stay with us for three weeks over the holidays. She arrived last Monday, and it seems like she brought along some of the nicer weather with her! I love having visitors, but I sometimes find it a bit of a strain to find things to do and places to go to entertain the guests. For the last few days we have done quite a bit of shopping, and have been getting in the Christmas spirit by decorating. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks we will have a chance to show Hannah more of the city. It seems a bit of a shame to have her go home with only stories to tell of board-game conquests and losses!
St. Augustine Artwalk
I am the ultimate tourist. Whenever I visit new places I always enjoy seeing what makes it special. Sightseeing is a must in every city, as you never know when you will have an opportunity to return. I find it so interesting how unique each city can be, where that be due to events that take place or the architecture and landscape.
St. Augustine, in North Florida, has a very popular cultural event every month. The First Friday Weekend Art Walk has the latest art exhibits, music and entertainment at over 20 galleries. This sounds like a great community event, and there must be a huge amount of people involved to make it succesful. The part that particularly caught my attention is that you can partake in a tour. These are free "artwalks". Because there are so many galleries involved in this event, there is art for every taste. If you have no idea what you like, then you can go along and see what captures your attention, and you can certainly learn a lot. Sightseeing trains and Old Town Trolleys offer complimentary shuttle service to the galleries. This cultural event takes place on the first Friday and Saturday of every month. I definitely suggest attending the St. Augustine Artwalk as soon as you get the chance. It's important to embrace culture, as well as your town or city.
Enchanted
Last night Bill and I went to the movies to see Enchanted. Well, we didn't really purposely go to see Enchanted, but it was the only movie time that worked for us!
It is a disney story about a fairytale world where a princess falls in love with a prince. The prince's stepmother doesn't want them to marry because then the princess will replace her as the Queen, so she pushes the princess down a well. The well leads to a place where "there are no happily ever afters". Real-world New York City. The princess, Giselle, is played by Amy Adams. When arriving in the real world, she still acts like a fairytale character, and even keeps breaking into song. Understandably, everyone else is the city just thinks she is a bit kooky, so Robert, played by Patrick Dempsey, tries to help her find her way home. James Marsden plays the part of Prince Edward, and tries to rescue Giselle.
Ok, so you may wonder why we decided to see a Disney movie. It may sound a bit odd, but I really enjoyed it. The fairytale part basically took bits from other well-known fairytales, and although it was entertaining for kids, it is also just as entertaining for adults as it has 2 tiers of humour. It was a bit mocking of fairytales, and it added adult humour. I am convinced that even Bill enjoyed it. 
So if you get a chance, check it out. Use your kids/siblings/cousins as an excuse if you have to!!
Last Minute Holiday Deals
Bill's sister is planning a trip to Europe next month. It sounds like it will be a very exciting trip, and she and her husband will be visiting several countries from Poland to England. I think the urge to go on holiday is a bit contagious!
I've always found that the best thing for a last minute holiday is to look for holiday packages. They are very easy and convenient to organise, and they save you a lot of money. I would love to go on a relaxing holiday to a tropical destination with white sandy beaches and clear blue sea... Ok, who wouldn't, right? I was searching online to see what my chances were of making that a reality, and found some cheap holidays to Dominican Republic. Holiday Hypermarket provides a lot of interesting information about the area, and certainly shows some beautiful pictures of the sights. It also provides you with a current weather report, a map, and holiday videos. Although it is always nice to visit a new destination, it's also nice to know what you're getting yourself into!
The search engine provided to find your flights and accomodation is very simple to use, and if there are too many options to choose from, you can use the links from the top menu to browse for your ideal holiday. If you are unable to find anything that meets your criteria, you can sign up to have special offers emailed to you.
It is very tempting to keep on browsing through the vast range of amazing holiday destinations, but unfortunately I don't have the time to go on vacation right now. Luckily, once I find some free time, I can return to Holiday Hypermarket and I am certain I will be able to find a last minute bargain!
Sweet November
This time of year always makes me a bit sad, because it brings up a lot of memories from when we used to live in England. I always remember November as being an exciting month. It starts off with Guy Fawkes night on November 5th, and this was always celebrated with a trip to the local firework show. I always found this to be such an exciting event because we would walk down to the our local leisure centre where the show would be held, and it was always nice to see the rest of the town headed there too!
Later in November is the Children In Need appeal which is a charity aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged children. The whole country pulls together, and organises different events to raise money, and many celebrities get involved. It's great to see how many people really care, and give time and money towards this charity.
When I was younger, I always associated Children In Need with a Christmas event that was held at my primary school, because they were usually held around the same time. It was like a craft fair, with some little activities and draws to bring out the Christmas spirit in everyone. Odd what you miss, isn't it?
To round it all off, usually around the last weekend of November the town we lived in would have a parade to celebrate the Christmas lights being switched on. This was definitely one of the highlights every year, and I absolutely loved it. Once again, it was nice to see the town rally together to have a good time. Edmonton has already switched on their Christmas lights, but they certainly didn't do anything to highlight it! They were just there one day!
These events may not sound terribly exciting, but I really enjoyed them, and I think it's little things like that that really pull the country together, and give it some personality. England has so much character, and at certain times, it has an amazing atmosphere about it that I haven't found anywhere else. The only time I have even come close to that in Canada is on Canada Day. And that's only one day a year!
So yes. As much as I love Christmas, it is sad that I am so far away from my family, and sad that I am so far away from my beloved home country. But maybe it is time to make some new traditions that I can follow where ever I go.
TechBargains
Bill recently purchased an IPod Nano. We looked around for a while before buying anything as we didn't want to spend an extortionate amount of money, and we were fairly satisfied with what we ended up with. Technology is constantly advancing, and sometimes it feels like you will never be a step ahead. So it's always great when you can find a good bargain.
Often times, the best deals are online. There are some great deals on this tech bargains website. It includes a wide range of products from laptops to ipods to HDTV. Now this is a great discovery for me, because Bill (easy to blame it on the boy) also wants an HDTV. I found a great deal for a 50 inch Plasma HDTV. TechBargains finds the deals and provides you with the link.
It's very easy to find the item you're looking for because there are several different options you can search by. Once you have found the item, you can then look at reviews and ratings. Not to mention, a website that is easy to navigate is priceless! If you are having difficulty finding what you want, you can requst that deals to be emailed to you. When you are particularly eager to find out about new deals, you can even access up-to-date information for your mobile phone.
The website also has a list of coupons that you can use, and they are even assorted by company name! Let's face it, when it comes to spending money on technology, every dollar counts!
So I think for now I will leave the HDTV I found from that link, and submit a deal request. Who knows what bargains I might be able to find by Christmas?