Happiness

I think I might have previously mentioned that I enjoy fall. That everything about it - the way it smells, feels, looks - makes me happy. I've finally closed all of my windows and turned my heat on (the cats are grateful), I'm eyeing root vegetables at the store, daydreaming about baking things with pumpkin, and I'm going through tea so fast it's a wonder I'm capable of sleep. Love it! Adore it!

This Sunday I had a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner for my friends here in Portland. I made Tourtiere from Aunt Lynda's recipe (and everyone loved it!) and spiced apple cider, which was complemented nicely by the roasted squash and baked apples stuffed with figs (yum!) brought by one of my friends. Oh, and I can't forget the pink wine. We are a classy establishment, after all.

Monday was my first set of midterms, and while I'm cautious of sounding too optimistic, I really felt like I rocked them. Granted, I don't know yet how this instructor marks, but I certainly felt good about them when I walked out. We'll see!

Yesterday was my weekly Kitty Bunny fix, and since she was doing her usual NotTired!™ performance, we loaded her into the car and drove out to Crown Point. Where the wind appeared to be going about 60mph. Have I mentioned that whole loving fall thing?

This photo is amazingly clear, given that I got knocked off the sidewalk twice while trying to take it. Anyway, the round trip provided Kitty Bunny with enough car time to get a good nap in, and I was just happy to see the gorge on such a lovely day.

Last night was a repeat of Tourtiere leftovers, good movie and great company. It poured rain all night, and today was a beautiful sunny fall day with just enough bite in the air to keep me happy. How could life be any more perfect?

Well, maybe if I didn't have to be researching questions like "How do phenothiazine derivative tranquilizers induce hypothermia?" and "What does it mean when an opioid is described as a mixed agonist/antagonist?" for tomorrow. Yuck. On the upside, this means I will be sticking animals with needles tomorrow to give said "phenothiazine derivatives" and "agonist/antagonist opioids". Yay! Acepromazine and Butorphanol for everyone!


(1: By causing peripheral vasodilation. 2: Because they block one type of opioid receptor while stimulating another)

Happy Canada Day

Every time I get homesick, I hit youtube and look for Canadian specific videos to make me feel better. A good dose of Rick Mercer or some National Film Board shorts usually cheers me up pretty quickly, but sometimes I just have to watch this video instead:




I've tried explaining to a couple of my American friends why this video gives me shivers every time I watch it, but it seems to be one of those things that just doesn't translate very well. I wouldn't consider myself to be a particularly rabid hockey fan, especially not compared to a lot of Canadians, but it resonates with me on a level that I think is particular to our country. I think, whether we follow it regularly or not, the game seeps into our pores and becomes part of our cultural identity in a way that is hard to pinpoint or describe, and yet that video somehow seems to sum it up. So, whenever I need to feel just a little bit more Canadian, I watch it.


And, for the record, that coke can would need to be smushed before being used as a puck. No way would you play with it that way.