Living without liquor

Some people compliment me like this is a huge feat, living without alcohol. Other people look at me like it’s totally crazy, how could I possibly live without drinking?!

Let me just tell you, since making the decision to stop drinking I’ve been really pleased. And I’ve learned a few things in my 583 days without booze. That’s 1 year, 7 months and 8 days.


I’m going to preface this by saying that I never had a problem with drinking. I really just grew out of it and had no desire to put my body through the harsh consequences anymore. Weight gain, hangovers and lack of sleep are a few obvious ones. Poisoning your body may seem less obvious but as far as I’m concerned, that is exactly what is happening.

Life without liquor is just great. When I don’t get drunk I don’t get hung over. My bank account doesn’t take a beating every weekend. And when I can see clearly I make choices I can be proud of. Plus, let’s be real, I like virgin Caesars more than real ones anyway.

As it turns out I can have just as much fun when I’m sober too. All my friends still drink, which is fine, but we can all still enjoy ourselves together. I will admit that it’s nice having someone else around that doesn’t drink either though and I’ve found that in Ryan. We both have a great time chatting and laughing and taking part in whatever is going on around us. I still play drinking games, taking shots of juice when it’s my turn. We still say “cheers” and clink our glasses of water when we sit around the table. Life is just the same, only better.

Just like I can still go spend time at friend’s houses while other people are drinking, I also still enjoy going to pubs for food. I don’t feel the need to avoid these kinds of places because temptation isn’t an issue, other people drinking doesn’t bother me and I absolutely love eating pub fare!! Not to mention playing pool and especially darts!

I can happily say that I can still enjoy all the best parts of a “drinking lifestyle” without ever touching alcohol, and I’m really excited about that!

My First Experience with Solo Travel

Have you ever considered travelling alone? Is the idea of leaving your comfort zone without a hand to hold exciting and also terrifying? I’m going to tell you the story of my first solo travels.

Way back in September 2012 I said a temporary good-bye to my life in Canada and flew away to Europe. My first stop was Amsterdam and I couldn’t have been more excited.

Flying doesn’t bother me and jetlag isn’t really an issue so I was ready for adventure as soon as I got off the plane.

Issue #1 – I neglected to remind myself about the language barriers I would experience in Europe. I couldn’t read any signs or maps and I wasn’t super keen on approaching a stranger to ask where to go.

I did eventually find an airport employee who pointed me in the direction of the bus terminal, told me which bus to take and what stop to get off at. Never underestimate the kindness of strangers. They won’t be pleasant 100% of the time, but knowing what I know now I would be willing to risk it.

With my first obstacle down I got on my bus and then off my bus at the appropriate stop.

Issue #2 – I still couldn’t read any signs, didn’t have a map and my bags were much too heavy.

I found a really lovely man that was happy to point me in the right direction and I eventually made it to the hostel.

Going on walking tours and talking to the other travellers was a great way to keep from feeling like I was alone, because I WASN’T.

The next city I was in was Frankfurt, Germany.

Issue #3 - I never tried to meet or talk to anyone in the time I was here. Everyone seemed to already be in groups and doing what they wanted and I never found any tours so I felt a bit isolated for my first day. When I woke up on day 2 I realized, I’m in Germany!!

I really had to learn to accept the silence and make the best of it. I ended up having a really amazing day by myself.

After Frankfurt I went to live with my Au Pair family. That is a story for an entirely different post though.

The language barrier continued to be an issue that came up here or there. I remember going out for my first afternoon in Athens. I lived in a suburb so I had to take a bus to the metro and then ride the metro into the city.

The little old man who worked at the newspaper stand that sold the bus tickets didn’t speak one single word or English. Literally, not one word. That very first time I went in there we played impromptu charades for 5 minutes and he still couldn’t understand what I was asking for. I had nearly accepted defeat when another man walked in, understood what I was asking and translated for me. From that point on I just walked in and smiled at him, he would get my ticket, I gave him exact change for it and we nodded our silent thank you and good-byes. You have got to do what is necessary.

I don’t consider this to be an issue because it was one of the greatest learning experiences for me.

The biggest “issue” I experienced on my 5 months away from home was the one single time I felt homesick.

It was my first island adventure when I was in Greece. I took my bus to the metro and the metro to the port where I got on my ferry and sailed off to Aegina. Everything was going well until I got off the ferry on the island and realized I didn’t pre-book accommodations for the first time.

For a reason I can’t remember anymore I decided to take a bus to the far side of the island and stay there. I really quickly found a nice hotel to stay in and headed right back out to explore.

That’s when it hit me. I was alone on an island, my family is so far away and every shop and restaurant is closed… I didn’t know what to do with myself, I felt lonely and kind of scared. I actually spent about 3 solid hours trying to convince myself not to leave the island right then. I had to learn to enjoy my own company eventually so why not do it on a gorgeous Greek island.

Staying there turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of my trip. I had the best ice cream while wandering the tiny streets, I met a really lovely couple from South Africa and had a conversation in English (I had really missed that!) In the morning I was awake early enough to watch the most incredible sunrise over the sea and then as the day got warmer I got to swim in that sea. This wasn't just one of the most memorable parts of my trip, but a highlight of my life. Watching the sunrise like that was unforgettable.

Even though I continued to have moments of panic it turned out to be so perfect. That experience and the things I learned while I was there are not something I will forget about any time soon and they helped me to be okay for future travels.

The best thing to know is that when those feelings come, whatever they are; homesickness, loneliness or fear, they will also pass. You will remember where you are and how incredible it can be. You will learn from those things and it will make future travel even more exciting. Not many adventures come without a hiccup or two. Embrace those things and continue to travel.

Jasper

Ryan and I spent our weekend in Jasper, again. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now. I love it there. I cannot and likely will not ever get enough of it. Not to mention, it’s already half way through March and this was our first trip of the year!!

We had a concert to go to on the Friday night otherwise we probably would have left after work and enjoyed a slightly longer stay in the mountains. I have to say though, the concert was really great and I had absolutely no issues going to that instead.

Having left fairly early on Saturday morning we got to Jasper around noon and spent a while walking down the main streets. We snooped around a few shops, bought some snacks and got an early check-in at our hotel. 

The room we booked was so cute and tiny. I love the esthetic of the Athabasca Hotel, in and out of the rooms. This particular room had 2 tiny single beds, a dressing table and a shoebox bathroom but I loved it! It's so charming, (inexpensive) and it really is just for sleeping so we don't need much. 

As we have deemed it to be 'tradition' now, we made Pyramid Island our first destination of the day. I've been to the island with family and friends and even for a wedding, but I still love going there. 

Ryan decided this time that we should check if there were any geocaches nearby. We did find one, but it took a bit of looking. It's very well disguised, until you find it, and then it's painfully obvious. 

The day was windy and a bit cold but the trees on the island provide decent cover and kept us from getting to cold. We walked around for a while, enjoyed the view of the mountains from different sides, walked on the ice still covering the lake and took lots of pictures. I’m sure by now I have multiples of the same pictures from many different trips and in different seasons, but you know what?? I love it!!

I even did some tree stump yoga…

When we finished our time on the island the next stop was Athabasca falls. We have been here before as well but I wanted to see if the falls were frozen or not!

When we arrived the parking lots were closed and everyone was parked on the side of the road. I guess it isn’t the ideal season for this site so they don’t feel the need to maintain the parking lot. Once inside we realized that some of the paths weren’t open either due to “slipping hazards.”

The falls were mostly frozen but we could still hear water flowing underneath; rushing really, because even the brutal Alberta winter can’t hold back a force that strong.

There were a few families or groups out exploring but not many. It was a nice change from what it’s like in the summer months when tourists block every viewing point.

I had hoped to walk around and explore all the paths again but like I said, they were closed. We enjoyed our time no-less though and I’m satisfied enough that I don’t feel the desire to come back again. Not anytime soon, for sure.

By the time we were driving back to town from the falls the sun was already going down behind the mountains. We toyed with the idea of making the drive to The Columbia Ice Fields too but it’s a ways away and we were both hungry. There is a good chance we would have frozen to death if we went anyway. Perhaps in the summer.

Back in Jasper we went for supper at Famoso (which I absolutely love!!) I order the same pizza almost every time and it hasn’t gotten boring yet! I like to let my inner child out frequently and so I got a float as well!! Nutella gelato in Root Beer, I highly recommend you try it!!

Full and satisfied we went back to our hotel, conveniently located across the street, and passed out early in our tiny single beds.

On the morning of our second day we packed up, checked out and headed out into the surprisingly cold day. I wasn't expecting a really hot day by any means but I wasn't prepared for how cold and windy it was either.

The Other Paw Bakery is one of our favorite places in Jasper. They have an 'African Nectar' tea that is perfect for a cold morning, amazing scones and a great many other really delicious things. My breakfast was tea, a cinnamon bun and a yogurt parfait. Ryan had tea, a croissant and a breakfast sandwich.

With breakfast finished and no other plans we set out to find somewhere to walk and enjoy the view.

A roadside turnout next to the river turned out to be the spot. While we walked on the rocky shore we could see the mountains all around. Most of the times anyway, I was occasionally blinded by all my hair blowing in front of my face..

We collected a few new rocks for our growing collection, tossed a few in the water just to watch the splash and tried desperately not to turn into popsicles.

Eventually we did go running for the warmth of the car though and it took us all the way home!

2 Months Without Meat

I’ve been noticing for the past 5 or so months that I’m not really attracted to eating meat anymore. At first it was just ground beef, even just thinking about made me feel gross and I couldn’t imagine eating it. Then came chicken, which I’ve always loved, but I was just super uninterested in eating it. If I made it for lunch I had to convince myself to finish it because I was so bored and didn’t even want to chew it up. Eventually I had similar feelings toward pork chops and steak too. Usually they were still good but I could only eat a small amount and not super often.

All that being said, it seemed to make sense that I just stop eating meat. Maybe forever, maybe not, I try to base what I do or do not eat on how it makes me feel. Right now it doesn’t feel like something I want so I’ve been exploring meat-free eating.

The biggest challenge that I have noticed is making sure to get enough protein in a day. I do pretty well between breakfast, lunch and snacks but I find dinner to be more difficult. And because I’m not getting quite enough I find myself being tired in the evenings and eating a lot of dishes in the pasta family.

To combat the tiredness I’m trying to inject as much extra protein into meals as I can. I add Chia and Hemp seeds to my yogurt, I have quinoa for lunch where I would have usually had rice and I’m trying to keep a bag of almonds or cashews with me for that little pick me up. Cashew butter on banana and apple is really good too.

After the first month I started drinking a powdered all-in-one nutritional shake. It has protein, greens, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, omegas and fibre. It’s not the best tasting thing ever, but it isn’t terrible either. I used to drink it in smoothies when I had a Magic Bullet and now I just mix it in a glass of water. I always enjoyed it when I was drinking it a year or 2 ago, but it is quite expensive so I guess I stopped at some point. I’m finding now that it really comforts me knowing I’m getting so much of what I need in a day from one drink. Not to mention it has really helped with my energy levels and keeping me awake in the evenings!

I’ve been more conscious of what I have for snacks as well. Of course, sometimes I still just want chips or ice cream but when it comes to snacking during the work day I pick better options. Homemade date bars, raw nuts, yogurt with chia, hemp and frozen fruit, an orange or apple/banana with cashew butter are some of my favourites.

Beyond being tired I’ve also found that my attention span can sometimes be quite short. I can happily say that those are the only real “symptoms” I’ve seen from this food change though!

I`ve also been trying out some new recipes and making different dishes in hopes that I don`t get bored. Once they are fully approved by my belly and I`ve perfected them, I`ll make sure to share. Lately its been quinoa bowls, broccoli cheddar soup and veggie-cheese wraps. I dabbled in veggie "burgers" too but I'm not sold on them just yet.

7 weeks in I did have one meat meal. I felt like I wanted some chicken so I had it. No guilt, no "cheating," just having what I felt like I wanted. It was a tasty meal and I enjoyed it but I don't feel like I'll want it again anytime soon. I'm really happy that I did that actually, I think that it helped to show me I'm still doing something good and that it hasn't just become a habit or momentary fad.

As I continue on this food journey I'll keep you posted! Hopefully I'll have a recipe or 2 for you soon too!

My Home Garden

As I’m sure you can tell by now, I’ve gotten to be a bit obsessed with having plants at home.

It all started long ago with my avocado pit. I saw something online about how to grow an avocado tree from the pit of the fruit and I had to try it out. It was quite simple and took minimal care.

Around that time I bought a few other plants too. An orange tree, lemon tree and two cacti. The fruit trees are lost and 1 cactus died, but I still have the second and he’s going strong.

In our new apartment Ryan and I first bought a fern, Jade and English Ivy. Their greenery and warmth pleased me so much that we had to get more. A “Hope” Philodendron and another cactus.
Among all those I am also starting a new avocado pit and attempting to re-grow a bunch of celery! Both seem to be going well.

And finally, the actual garden; I was inspired by yet another online find - egg shell gardening. Basically, seeds are planted in small amounts of soil inside an egg shell and left to sprout inside the house. Eventually when they are ready, the whole egg shell can be planted outside where it will continue to grow and, in my case, hopefully provide me with beautiful veggies. The internet tells me that the roots will eventually crack the shell and as it breaks down will provide nutrients to the plants.

I started with lettuce, cucumber and tomato. I love eating all those things and also, none of them grow underground so planter depth isn’t as crucial. Keep in mind that when they are planted outside it will be in a plant box on a balcony.

Initially there were 2 shells with lettuce and 3 each of tomato and cucumber, but about 2 weeks in I added 1 more each of tomato and cucumber and 2 more lettuce. I’m hoping that means I will get more veggies throughout the season.

Within about 1 week all of the seeds had sprouted. Lettuce first followed by cucumber and then tomatoes. Once they broke the soil there was really no stopping them, they grow a noticeable amount in just one day and it thrills me.

I can’t wait to see if they are successful little producers and will feed me through the summer!!

The Travel Bug

Do you ever get that feeling, like a ghost passing through you? Not literally. I’m talking about the ghost of a trip, the feeling you got on the beach in Greece, or the smell of the desert in Arizona, reminding you of where you have been and the experiences you’ve had. I think that’s the travel bug.

I feel it all the time, just sitting around minding my own business and then all of a sudden I’m back in one of the amazing places I’ve been, or craving the flavors or scents that I encountered there. If someone could market that feeling it would be tourist season every day in every country.

Just now I was reminded of the smoothie bowls I had every day in Hawaii and it brought me right back to the whole experience of being there. I just want to book a ticket and go right back.

Other times when I get the feeling it’s because something physical brought it on. Eating a croissant reminds me of sitting sea side in Poros, Greece and the whole Christmas experience brings me back to the market in Salzburg, Austria. Most of all though, looking through my travel photos can take me back to almost any experience.

I don’t think I’ll ever get enough. If I can’t be out travelling all the time then re-living the experiences in my head will have to do. Not to say I won’t be planning any more trips though!!

Sunrise in Aegina, Greece
This was the only time on my Europe trip that I was really alone and honestly, I was really intimidated by that. I didn`t know if I would be able to spend the night alone on an island but when I woke up at 4am and watched this, the most incredible sunrise, I felt so at peace and OK with where I was. The sound of the waves and the increasing warmth as the sun started to touch me was an unforgettable experience that I still think back on all the time.

The huge waves on Sunset Beach, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
Being on this beach with my friends after dreaming of visiting Hawaii for so many years was an amazing experience. The day was so hot but when the waves crashed up around my feet the water was so cold. Everything was really loud. Waves and wind and my screaming laughter as I was suddenly up to my knees in water when just a moment ago I had been at least 20 feet from where the water broke. I crave this beach all the time.

Boats settled in the mud near Blomidon Provincial Park, Nova Scotia
Of the 2 times I`ve visited Nova Scotia, I think this may have been my favorite day. I`m not sure why but this is a sight I really wanted to see. The idea of boats that, just hours ago, had been floating on the deep cold water and are now settled in the mud is so bizarre. I got to see one of nature`s great tricks. On this trip I had already seen the tidal bore rush in, seen high tide and now a true low tide.

Salzburger Christkindl-Markt, Salzburg, Austria
This Christmas market may be one of the most memorable places I`ve ever been. I think about it so often and feel the sensations of it tingle in my spine. The spiced smell of gingerbread and mulled wine, the smoky smell of cooking sausage. All the chatter in different languages, the festive music and laughter. Everything about this place draws me back in to those memories and I can`t get enough.

Date Night

For all of my adult dating life I’ve been a strong believer in having a set date night. It’s always been weekly for me, but if all that can be managed is once a month then make it extra special in the time that you have.

I feel strongly that if you don’t put in the effort to spend time together purely for enjoyment and being in each other’s company than things can get a bit dull.

Going out keeps the excitement alive. You get to experience new things, learn about each other and could find a mutual enjoyment of anything! Not to mention that fact that if you are going out for dinner you don’t need to worry about cooking or cleaning and get to have exactly what you want. It’s a real winning situation.

Here are a few of my favorite dates!

Bowling and mini golf-

I have a seriously competitive edge to me and I especially like to compete with those that I love. Ryan and I have been to plenty of bowling alleys and mini golf courses now and it’s so much fun every time. It’s worthwhile to try out 5 and 10 pin bowling because they are so different. We generally prefer 5 pin, but 10 pin can be real enjoyable as well. I don’t know about you but when I’m bowling I usually pick out 1 ball that I’ll deem as lucky and try to use all night, but I also like to steal my partners lucky ball, just to see if it works for me. As for golf, we have played indoor, outdoor and black light and they’re all great.

Arcade-

We’ve only been to the arcade a few times, and it’s usually in relation to bowling but it’s tons of fun in a totally different way. It’s childish carefree fun. And if you do well and get lots of tickets you go home with candy and crappy toys!

Movies-

Movies are traditional and always enjoyable. If we are feeling lazy we’ll stay home, snuggle on the couch and watch a movie we have or take advantage of Netflix. I especially like going to the theatres though. It always feels really indulgent to spend an evening in the theatre eating crappy (but delicious) food, living in fantasy worlds and enjoying silent time with Ryan.

Food!-

Of course, food is one of the most important parts of any date night. Like I mentioned before you get to eat anything you desire and there is no need to prep, cook or clean.

Outdoors-

Every date doesn’t need to be a big event, sometimes its nice to just get outside and enjoy the world together. Go for a long drive, walk or take a bike ride. Have a picnic, fly a hike or go for a hike. Using the world around me is one of my favorite dates.  Ryan and I have been to so many places around us and it’s always an adventure. We’ve discovered some really great places in Edmonton just from walking or driving.

Edmonton (and area) specific-

One of my all-time favorite places to go is Fort Edmonton Park. In the many times, over many years that I have been going there it has never gotten old for me. At some point I would like to make a real event out of it though. Eat in the restaurant and maybe stay in the hotel or watch a show.

The river valley, especially near the Muttart Conservatory is so beautiful and a great place to explore together during any time of year.

In that same vein, spending any amount of time checking out the Legislature Grounds is always good. Fountains, lights and plenty of green space. In just one spot on the grounds I've done a photo shoot, laid in the sun and played in the snow. It's a very versatile place.