So terribly tired

I'm still so tired from Halifax. I'm having a hard time spelling. I should leave my spelling errors in just for you all to see. It's ridiculous.

So in the soup kitchen I made turkey soup from scratch yesterday, base and all, and then today I made pork ribblets with barbecue sauce and carrots with fries. It's great. I made it all by myself and didn't run out. Booya. My soup was amazing. Although I need to learn how to cook with salt. My mother nevers cooks with salt and so therefore, neither do I. My boss is so surprised. But I'm getting better.

In other news...ya I got nothing. My interview with Parry Sound went amazing except for the fact that I'm not 19 so I can't get the job. I was so close to getting hired!! She almost hired me...I could feel it in my bones. But Wilderness Canoe Trip Leaders have to be 19. Darnit. There's still Alberta. That interview isn't until next week.

Other than that there's nothing. Life goes on. The Island is covered in snow. And I am going to pee now. Taa taa.

Halifax, for Shizzle.

Yesterday i started my day at 7:30 with a croissant and some peanut butter, then by 9:00 (Clemence and I slowly did our morning routines) we were off to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We were super excited, I for Halifax, she because we were visiting a couple of her good friends. We stopped for a bagel in Masstown, NS, and drove to Douglas' house and hung out there for a bit. Then we went and picked up Sean and off to downtown Halifax! We parked the car and walked the boardwalk. I definitly saw Theodore the Tugboat Too (They tried to be funny. Instead of Theodore 2, it was Theodore Too...Ha ha, I almost forgot to laugh) Then we drove to Point Pleasent park and walked along the ocean. I got some dried out sea urchins, some purple zebre mussels and crab shells. It's so cool! I touched the ocean! And I was called an ocean virgin...boys an be silly. Is it really surprising that I've never been that close to the ocean that I can remember? I probably went to the ocean when I was in Northern Ireland, but I can't remember. Then we went to Rockbottom and I ate creamy garlic shrimp on pasta. Delicious. The only low point was that I lost my hat that I knitted...it had pompoms and everything!!! I'll have to make another one. Then at 9:15, we found out that the whole reason we went to Halifax was going to be late. They delayed Clemence's brother's flight from Zurich by an hour and he missed his connection from Montreal. So he was 2 and 1/2 hours late. We finally picked him up at 10:00. Mission Accomplished. And he got all his luggage. Bonus. Then after insisting that he would be fine, he passed out in the back seat until we hit Summerside, pretty much. By the time Clem and I got home, it was 2:30 in the morning. Bad news: we both work at 8:30. And that's not even the best part. Her mom was worried the whole time because of the massive storm that was barreling our way. The storm didn't come in until 3:00 this morning. That's right...we beat it by half and hour. And by golly was it a doozy! There has to have been at least 2 feet of snow...then it rained. But I couldn't sleep in the car because I had to keep Clemence awake while she drove. So I was awake from 7:30 am to 3:00 am...Thank goodness work was cancelled. I slept until 11:00. Then woke up with a massive headache. I hadn't eaten in over 12 hours. My body hated me. But I drank a lot yesterday. I drank 2 water bottles (500 ml), 2 Arizona Iced Teas (950 ml), and 2 glasses of water (~500 ml). That's right. Like 4 litres of liquid. I was peeing like a racehorse. It was hilarious.

Right now, I'm still at Clemence's. We're getting ready to clean...woohoo! Then it's crafting time. Then I should probably go home. Billiting ended last night. Everyone probably misses me. I'm so loved! :D Kiding...they're plotting revenge on me like right now. I can feel it...

Saturday=Hockey Day

Today was freaking amazing! We woke up at 8:30, Jodi came over at 9:40, we left for Stanley Bridge at 10:00. Got there by 10:30. Watched Clemence bounce up and down for an hour and a half, then plunked myself down in a snow bank and watched Team Daniel play some good old fashioned pond hockey. They tied their first game, won their second. Won their thrid to qualify them for championships where they won again!!! They were in the recreational diviaion where they played against what looked to be 12 year olds. It was hilarious! But these 12 year olds were very good at hockey. They started playing dirty in the championship. But Clemence showed them what for. They got medals and I got pictures :) I was the official photographer for Team Daniel. I got some wicked awesome action shots. They'll be posted soon I hope on Facebook.

Then, tonight, I played ball hockey at the Boys and Girls Club. I actually scored a goasl! Me! Of all people! I got a beautiful shot right in the top corner. Don't know how I managed that. I can't even lift the ball. I know, I tried earlier that night. Then I helped one of the youngins score a goal. The goalie was way out of the way and we both just kinda pushed it in. Itw as ridiculous. Our team won that. Woohoo for the White Team!

Now Clem and I are slumming watching Robin Hood: Men in Tights. It's crazy! I love it. Why haven't I watched it before?? I love this. Gotta go. Good fight scene.

Miss you all! Off to Halifax tomorrow! :D Tres exciter...dans le sans anglais, pas francais.

Five Months Gone By

Last Tuesday, February the 17th, I had been on the Katimavik program for five months...ya. Count them. 1 2 3 4 5 months!!! That's ridiculous.

In other news, Clem's blender broke mid smoothie and so I ate (yes I meant to write ate) a poorly mixed combination of mushed up banana, frozen strawberries, thawed blueberries, cranberry juice and tofu. Yum. It looked like vomit. But tasted delicious. :)

Work was pretty cool. So far we've served 80, 79, 87, 62 and 60 this week. My boss was talking with me earlier this week and said that her grand daughter didn't know what to do after she graduates this year and was thinking of maybe doing the Katimavik program. So my boss wants her granddaughter and I to talk. She's taking us out for lunch, probably sometime next week. This will be the first non-Katimavictim in Summerside that's my age that I will have hung out with. I'm excited.

We got a nasty blizzard last night...the sam one that hit Ontario a few days back I believe, and the heavens opened up for a good 2 or 3 hours and plopped, yes plopped, a foot of snow on us. Thanks Mother Nature...I enjoyed it. I can't say the same for other parts of the Maritimes.

I found the most butt ugly dress and used it to patch the holes in my jeans. The pattern is multi-coloured paisleys on a multi-coloured backdrop. And the dress itself was like a sack of potatoes. A very square person would have looked beautiful in this dress. I hand sewed some patches to the two gaping holes in the inner thighs of my pants. It looks pretty cool. I might have to do some decorative patches as well.

I know how to make delicious leek pie. And ratatouie. Yum.

Clem's gotten me hooked on an old sappy Western. It's called "Lonsesome Dove" and it's amazing! Then again after 3 months with no tv I'm liable to get hooked on anything right now.

Tomorrow I have pond hockey capers, and Sunday is Halifax! Weekend of glory if I do say so myself.

Love and Peace and all that jazz.

This post is brought to you my my mother. Thank you for pestering me until I did it.

Chillaxin' in S'side

We served 80 people today at the kitchen.

I heard back from the Parry Sound lady...goodness gracioua. She wants to call me next Tuesday at 10:00. Ha! Good luck...I'm working from 8:30 to 5:00. Although, I might magically have no work to do at 10:00 and be able to runhome just for this call. Right. This is the 3rd time I've explained my work hours to her. She just doesn't get it.

Anywho...billiting is amazing! I ate Swiss fondu at Clemence's parents and spoke French all night. I have some pretty amazing books now so I can keep up my french. I love Clemence. She's my billet buddy for the week. She's 25 and taking me to Halifax!!! For shizzle.

That's it except for I hate bunk beds. Long live futons!!

Billiting: Day 2

Howdy y'all, it's officially theend of day 2 of billiting and here is the low down.

Her name is Clemence. She's in her 20's, early 20's I believe, she's native to the country of France and immigrated here when she was 18. She is the youngest of 5, with 3 brothers and 1 sister. She speaks english, french, german and some spanish. She is working for the Canada Games 2009, which will be held in PEI in this upcoming summer. She lives alone in an apartment not too far from the Katimahouse and she's so cool! We talk about everything! We just get along well. I couldn't have asked for a better billet mom this trimester.

In other news, my wrist is acting up. I feel like those old ladies who can tell when its gonna rain because their joints are stiff and sore. Except that mine is definitly because I played floor hockey and haven't rested it yet. I'm icing it with snow from the balcony. It's too awesome.

And I ate anti-Valentines Day cake. It was spectacular.

Oh and I'm cutting teeth. Yup my wisdom teeth have finally made their appearance. This isn't good, I won't be able to get them out until at least december, if not next march. A whole year. Ya. I'm not impressed. I should have gotten them out last year. I'm just waiting for the other three to show up for the party. Oh well, such is life.

Anyways, I'm tired. Night.

Bad Luck, I've Had None.

It's friday the 13th and my luck has never been better. I'm bilitting right now. I'm with Clemance in her single apartment living the life. We get along great. She's so cool. She speaks 4 languages...Engliah, French, German and Spanish. Sweet. For the moment we have planned an anti-valentines party, and she's going to take me to Halifax! I'm meeting her parents tomorrow, and her brother as well. And her other brother at the end of the week. I'm so excited. She's amazing. We're actually talking right now. We can talk about everything. I might have to post later. My the way, my cold is still here. Dry cough and runny nose...ugh. I'll get rid of it soon. I'm going to post later. Love you!

Island saying of the week

My Isaland saying of the week...

HAVE A LARGE DAY!!!

It's great eh?

Anyways, not a whole lot is hip hop hapenning here (ooohhh, alliteration. Nice.) Just trying to upload some pictures. We just played a rough game of floor hockey with the PEI Special Olympics. Oh Lordy can they play. I got beat out numerous times for the soft-puck-with-hole (I think they call it a ringette) These guys are good. Hopefully we can play them again. We narowly won the game. They were beating us for most of the game. We finally tied it up in the last 3 minutes. Then inthe shoot I got my first goal! I had been getting it inthe general direction of the net all night but I actually scored! Hooray for me! I'm not completely hopeless!! :D

In other news, I learned how to knit. It's amazing! My friend Mary from the Salvation Army photocopied some instructions for me, and now, with some help from Nicole, I can knit!! I'm int he process of practicing so I think this first one I'll keep. It looks really funny. It's like 5 stiches at the top, and then like 40 at the end...it's hilarious looking!! But it's holding together.

I got sick on the weekend. I think I ate something bad because it only lasted like 8 hours, and since I donn't believe in the 24 hour flu, it had to have been something I ate. Probably cream cheese. FYI- Never eat 2 week old cream cheese. It didn't occur to me until today that I bought that cream cheese when I was housemanager...2 weeks ago. Yah. Smart one Caitlyn. Real smart. So now I've learned my lesson, lesson being, my stomach does not like 2 week old dairy and rejects everything thereafter for 8 hours. Sigh. At least now I know. It didn't even like it when I took a gravol. Even apple juice didn't work. Oh and get this, after tormenting me the whole night, the next day my stomach growled as if to say "Hellooooo! Some food please. Goodness gracious what has gotten into you? I need nourishment now!" And by the sound of it, it was swearing...like a sailor. But it still got upset when I drank a smidgen (yes a smidgen, not even a little, not a bit but a smidgen) of milk that was not off. Stupid stomach. I cursed it, a lot.

That's pretty much it...oh. I'm uploading some pictures to facebook so, hopefully, they'll be up soon.

Love you all. Miss you hugs!

Oh and oh my is there more drama in the house. And unfortunately, part of it involes me. I will not go into further detail on this publicly accessed blog site. Perhaps in an actual conversation or an email.

Anyway...love you!

5:23, February 6th 2009, It's Friday.

Yesterday I made cheeseburger pie for the soup kitchen. I made it all my myself too. It was amazing! I had a taste and it tasted awesome. It went over well too. My boss loved it and, apparentyl, I'm making it 2 more times before I leave for Manitoba. Ridiculous.

Today we had fish and potatoes and veggies. And a school group made us some Triffle. Oh my Lord, it was so good! It had brownie and cheesecake and whipped cream and Scor bar...it was heaven in 2 bowls. Just delightful. I could hardly contain myself.

We went to a Global Jam in Charlottetown last night. There were these guys doing a drum circle, and then Wendy played some Irish flute accompanied by Tony on guitar. Then the Wellington Katimavik group had a couple of their guys go up and play some songs. We danced a traditional Japanese dance, then we did the Katima-jig and the Cadillac Ranch. Good times were had by all.

In other news, Parry Sound Tim's camp is trying to set up an interview for nest week. She had a little bit of a hard time understanding that I work from 8:30-5:00 and therefore could not hae my interview during the day. And the camp in Alberta says that they'll interview me early March. Things are falling into place.

Other than that, there isn't a whole lot going on, except that there is hardly anyfood in the house. The housemanagers for the week, in my opinion, didn't buy enough food. Last night for supper the vegetarians had beans, carrots, and brocolli. The non-vegetarians had that and some chicken. There was no complete protein, there was no complete food groups either. And somehow, not sure how, that passed as a meal. Not only that there is no more peanut butter...argh! What am I supposed to do??? And, get this...no cereal! There is no more cereal! I'm in deep water here. Those are my two main food groups.

And I'm craving pretzels. That is all.

Life on the Island.

The storm last night brought in, get this, 2 and half feet of snow...HOORAY! I bet I'm the only one in the Maritimes saying that. You know they closed schools in Nova Scotia in anticipation of this storm??? Yah. It didn't even start snowing and they closed the schools in NS. They really trust their weather persons here. Our weather person's name is Boomer. I cook on Tuesdays with his cousin. Everyone trusts Boomer.

There is a weird anomaly in PEI. People stop for pedestrians. Shocking I know. But we're not talking like the little white crossing-man says you can walk and the driver that wants to turn gives you an exasperrated look and graciously stops for you. No. We're talking like middle of the road. People have stopped to let me jay-walk. It's ridiculous. They want me to break the laws. I think it's a plot against Katimavik...kiding. I think they'e just nice Islanders. And also think (whoa Caitlyn, now don't go blowing a fuse...you know what happens when you think) that it's because everyone here knows everyone else. I've had new volunteers at the kitchen spend about 20 minutes trying to figure out if at one point they knew anyone, at all, that knew any of the other volunteers. I stood there with a blank stare of awe, because they found one! Across this whole island, they actually found one. Just imagine trying that in Ontario...or even just a city like London. I don't even know everyone in Strathroy! It's so funny because it ended up being that Shelly (The new volunteer) worked at the same restaurant as Brian's (the Wednesday cook) wife under the same guy, named Joe. It was ridiculous.

By the wasy, I'm sitting in our drafty living room, at about 10:00 in the morning, because the Salvation Army thrift store is closed until noon. I'm not sure about the kitchen. I keep calling but no one is there yet. That probably means that the kitchen isn't open. Not to mention that there are no sidewalks. I love my life. I love my life enough that I don't feel safe walking on the snow covered road with cars occasionaly swerving. It happened this morning and until the sidewalks are clear, I don't think I should be going to work. I should call work again. Toodles.

Stormin' outside.

It's a blizzard right now. Everone is in a kerfuffle. It's funny seeing everyone in such a flurry, they're all like "Oh my goodness the storm! Batten down the hatches!" I'm like, "O my goodness it's going to snow! Hooray!" They all think I'm crazy. Who knew??

It's almost billiting time. I've asked for a french family, and perhaps animals. We'll see who I get. Last time, I was with my mom's godparents. Special case, usually Katimavik doesn't do that,but I pleaded my case and won. The only thing was that they are english speaking in my french rotation. Now that I don't have to speak french all day at work, I miss speaking french. So I've asked my beloved PL, Josie, if she could place me with a french family. I hope so.

And no more news from the camps, except that the Parry Sound lady thinks that somehow, magically, my hours next week are going to change. I don't think she read my letter yet. Her loss.

And there's talk of an early hiring at the Alberta camp for me. We'll have to see what the board says. Time to put on my patient face. (Again with the putting a face on...I have skillz, with a zed. Take that!)

Work was uneventful. My friend Stanley said I was cute and sweet. He's a sweetheart. This is how that conversation went.
S:"Has anyone ever told you that you're cute and sweet?"
C:"No, not that I recall."
S:"Well someone just did."

He's so funny. He has one of those Tim Hortons travel mugs that holds, I was told, a litre of coffee? He owns one. He loves his coffee. I must fill his mug once every hour, everyday, starting at 8:30, finishing around 1:30. It's ridiculous.

And Boots still hasn't come in. That's really odd. He's usally in everyday. I'm starting to worry.

Life's hapennings.

Hey y'all,

So here's the camp update:

1. Nova Scotia Tim's camp called me, we had an "interview" which was him asking me about Katimavik and wondering which Tim's camp I wanted to work at. He sent my resume to St-George because their looking for bilingual persons.
2. I got a job offer from my old boss. His camp is in Alberta, it's Kasota East Camp, and I would be a Sr. Counsellor earnign anywhere from 325-350 a week. Whoa. I have already sent in my application. :)
3. I got an email today from the Parry Sound Tim's camp. Apparently (this is news to me) I appplied to be the Wilderness Canoe Trip Leader. I thought I wrote down counsellor. Easy to confuse them I guess :S. And they want a phone interview with me because, get this, "Strathroy is a little far from Parry Sound." Her exact words. Oh, and before you finish that thought, YES I mentioned Katimavik in my cover letter, YES I mentioned it in my resume and YEEEESSSS, I wrote a letter explaining that I'm in PEI. But, she shouldn't feel bad. Nova Scotia did the same thing. *Sigh*, some people's children.
4. Bad News: The way the Tim's camps work is that as soon as someone is contacted, by phone or email, it tags said person in the Tim Horton database and the other camps know that they have already been contacted by another camp and that they'll get a message if that person really wants to work there.
5. Worse News: The Nova Scotia camp already contacted me and, hopefully, referred me to the St-George camp. Right now, since Parry Sound contacted me I am once again flagged and won't get a call from St-G. Great... isn't life grand?
6. I got a job offer from my old boss and the camps in Alberta!!! (Sorry I'm super excited about that one. It makes up for the follies that Tim's is up to)

And another thing about life: It can be short. Just this past weekend, Jan 31st, a guy I went to school with died in a car accident. We didn't know eachother well, but he was in my French class and his locker was right next to mine all year. We chatted a bit and he was so nice. He's smart and has a beautiful soul, and now he's gone. He was such a sweetheart. A little shy, but so nice. It's sad to hear that he's gone.

That's pretty much it...Oh! I finish work at the Salvation Army at like 1:30, 2:00ish, so, being the goody-two-shoes I am I signed up to volunteer my afternoons at the YMCA day care Kindergarten class and such which. Today was my first day and it was so much fun. The kids loved me, probably because I opened their snacks and listened to everything they said. Oh well. It was fun anyways. And then I jumped rope, and made a "No Boys Allowed" sign for a girls bedroom door. I traced a blob from a stencil on it and we laughed because I coloured it to make it look like a booger. And I got compliments on my heart drawing skills. Booya, I can draw hearts. Stick that in your juice box and suck it. (Tee hee, I can't believe I just wrote that!)

And Boots didn't come in today. :(

But Stanley did! :D

That's it...From your travelling daughter, friend, granddaughter, enemy (I hope not) in PEI,

Caitlyn