Category: This Town

Posted on

My Very First Earthquake

cats

We just got back from the cottage and finishing up a late lunch when we felt the floors rumbled beneath us.  At first I thought it was some heavy vehicle coming down our street and never gave it a second thought.  But PB said it was all over FB that we just experienced an earthquake.  O. M . G. !  I never thought I would experience it here or in my lifetime coz’  I lived in quite safe places around the world.

It lasted like a few seconds and everything went back to normal.  I heard that the neighboring town had it worst than us.  I don’t know what to think to be honest?  Are we still safe here ?  or do we have to do something?  what do one do when one get an earthquake ?  seriously, we’ve never thought about it at all.  But since we’ve experience our very first earthquake, we should most definitely have a back up plan ?

Posted on

Thankful

004

It’s hard to find good help as we found out after 16 years in business , the good ones leave for a better paying job and the not so good ones leaves just because or for various reasons.  But we do try our utmost best to treat our employees with the best intentions but I guess we are just not good enough employers.

So when a friend/customer came to help us since last year summer, we are anything but grateful.  After having lived in this small town for such a long time, we really don’t ask for a lot from our employees, so we are really not hard to work for.  But of course, some ex-employees will beg to differ , so when you find one that has a good head on the shoulder, you are grateful.

And when you find out that they are having a baby, what do you do?  go find them a present that is useful to them and the baby.  And one thing I regret not getting for chloe is a baby swing , to swing her to sleep.  The one that we had borrowed from a friend, needed cranking with hands and didn’t have a reclining position.  So poor chloe although went to sleep finally, didn’t have any neck support.  Therefore, we got one of those for our friend who is having a baby.

And a thank you note was given to us this morning, so sweeeeetttt!!  see these are the people you wanna do things for and is happy about doing it.  I’m so gonna love this baby.

Posted on

Comfort Of Home

001

Did you know that chinese soup are not only good for health but good for your skin as well.  It’s said that chinese soup can make your skin glow, therefore, I grew up drinking our chinese soup on a daily basis. After migrating to Canada, I haven’t been able to drink as much as I would love to because I can’t find watercress or lotus roots at all , plus chloe and PB refuses to drink them when I do happen to get some from the city.  So a whole pot of soup , takes a long time to finish.

But I’m so blessed because the Zhu’s from the chinese restaurant always gives me a few bowls when they boil some, so I don’t have to boil them or hunt for the ingredients.  So tell me I’m not lucky or what?  So I like to do stuff in return for the Zhu’s but they never want me to do anything back for them.  I’m totally blessed, comfort of home in Canada.

Posted on

My Lil’ Artist Girl

001

I’m happy that we are parents who encourages our child to get as much exposure to many different things and try various hobbies.  Even though both PB and I are very busy, we still try very hard to send chloe for various activities.  Alternatively, chloe has her aunt to fetch her to and fro from various venues.

Posted on

Simply Joyous

003

The summer had been going so well for all of us , from store front to home front.  Chloe is enjoying her summer camp and looking forward to art classes both at the Yarc and the art gallery.  She has several play dates a week and is quite popular of late. And this morning, we saw Pinot and Augustine who will be performing at the Yarc.  Chloe said she didn’t mind watching them at the Yarc, so we booked tickets for the show on Friday.

She continues practicing her piano and reading daily even though it is summer holidays and we shall start with some Grade 5 school work with papers that we received from a friend in Halifax.  We looked forward to August because we will be traveling quite a bit for my work as well as squeezing in a short holiday with Chloe.

At the store front , we have a friend who is helping us out when we are on vacation this year and we are so happy about it.  I know that PB will be able to relax because this friend is pretty smart when it comes to manning the store.  Thus far, he is the only person who didn’t need a lot of training.

We are also spending our weekends at the cottage and just last week, the neighbor at the cottage stopped his truck to say how beautiful we’ve turned the cottage into.  But the cottage is not even completely renovated yet, we still have work to do.  Wait till he sees the inside when everything is done.

Did I also mentioned that someone from the United States wants to buy an acre of land from us at the cottage for $80K?  yup ! you heard right! and right now, we are negotiating the price because the piece of land is right by the beach.  So yes, simply joyous!  cannot ask for more.

Posted on

New Hair Color

So I finally found time to go get my hair colored.  When you are 49, all that silvery white hair starts popping out everywhere, so after several attempts to get it done at the hair salon, I found time to really do it.

Loved my new hair color, a little bit reddish right now but I’m sure it would tone down after a few rinse.  I figured at nearing 50, it’s ok to be bold and try different things.  My hairstylist did a great job, she was quick too and everything just went so smoothly and i was in and out of there in an hour plus hair cut.  Only cost me $67 + tax.

Posted on

Absolutely Touched !

A long time customer and her family came to visit us at the store with her daughter’s daughter.  Yes !  of course, I’m touched!  they said they came to visit because they thought I might like to meet the baby.  Now tell me you are not touched!  I loved children, especially children of children that have grown up with me at the store.

They were but kids when I first met them and now they are adults and have their own children, now isn’t that sweet and beautiful.  Nothing is more beautiful than to see these kids grow up to be awesome adults and having their own awesome family.  Of course, their parents are pretty awesome people too but they have moved away and are only back to visit their parents who are still in this town.

And I’m but an owner by association to the spouse’s business whom they have met when they come to rent a movie or buy a game but they remembered me as the funny crazy Chinese woman who would dish out advice whether they wanted it or not.  But you see, these good kids are the ones who would laughed and nod at my every idiosyncrasies, all because they were taught by good parents to acknowledge even though they may not agree with what people say because our intentions are good.

Posted on

I Love My New Neighbors !!!

They are awesome!!!!  Now I have great neighbors on my right and on my left!  woohoo!! life at home cannot be any better now.  One of my neighbors who saw PB shoveling on a blizzard day shouted across the lawn to ask him to be careful on the roads because she heard they were nasty on the radio.  Now tell me how can you not love neighbors like that right?  No, we don’t chit chat like we are old friends most of the time, but when the big stuff is concern, they do show that they care and it really touches my heart when they do that.

My new neighbor is quiet and that is awesome !  they let the kids play and make noise and they never complain at all.  They don’t have dogs or cats running around our lawn and pooping all over.  They are just wonderful !!!!  the way they are.  No trouble, no worries about anything because all my neighbors are great ppl now.  Thank you, Lord!  This is the first thing that is going into my gratitude bottle of 2014.

Posted on

FundRaiser Winners

This year we didn’t raise as much as we did the previous years * hang my head in shame*.  We’ve collected a total of $364 only but I want to thank all of you who’ve helped and supported Chloe’s school fundraiser.   God bless you and yours richly!

Posted on

Crazy Busy

Yes! I had been crazy busy, no time to even go trim my hair or reshape my eyebrows nor a facial before Christmas.  The store had been so busy with customers shopping and buying everything off our shelves.  No complaining though but juggling Chloe and her many events that she is into and the manning the store, housework and then my online advertising work – definitely kept me up a lot of nights.  But I’m managing and once the Christmas rush is over, I am sure everything will return to normal.  In the meantime, friends and family from home had been sending tons of presents and stuff from Asia, so that I won’t be so home sick.  I’m definitely blessed.  I am also negotiating with my Spanish boss about my role with the new company – so busy, busy for sure.  Next year, I will be flying out occasionally with the engineers to USA whenever the job requires.  Yes, an adventure and something new next year – can’t wait.