Greg always bring the best presents when he comes to visit!!!!

Too many thoughts all at once to possibly collect them, but I can say that I am beyond happy, but also sad because it has been so long since I saw him last.

I just don't know what to think.

http://imasucker.wordpress.com/

This blog added me as a friend on facebook (Can blogs do that?!)
And that gem led me to this gem:
http://cuteboysmakemenervous.blogspot.com/

If I wasn't so busy at work today, I would have read everything on both of these.
You will probably like them just as much as I did.

Mom, you might not think they're as funny. I know you read this, so you might not want to bother with them. LOVE YOU!

What a Perfect Day Off from Work Consists of:

Visitors-Jill Boyce
Meeting new people-Angie
Get-togethers galore
An entire day at the beach with the sun shining brightly and warmly (A rarity here in Tofino)
Hot Dogs, marshmallows, mangoes, corn, ketchup and mustard
My very own personal surf instructor (Todd)

Put it all together and you get a great day to try surfing for the first time for a very wary and unsure customer (even though I wasn't buying anything).

Now let me just tell it to you straight. I went into that skin tight wetsuit thinking "I'll put this on and get in that water just this once. I'll show them that I'm not a pussy, and everyone can stop bugging me about this". I was basically trying surfing just to prove something. I've been doing this a lot lately. Not even just lately. All the time. And for a long time I've been doing it. I need to learn to let go of a lot of things. I need to learn to get over myself. I think the fact that I'm saying this and typing it means I am well on my way.

So, even with thinking all of these negative things about trying surfing, I am sitting here the next day at work, aching bones (REALLY ACCCCHHHHING), and I just wish I was out surfing again. And believe it or not, I wasn't too bad, I don't think. I got up on my board several times, but alas, the feeling was so amazing, I just started laughing hysterically. I laughed so hard and so fully that I teetered and fell right off that board. It's hard to have a hearty laugh AND balance on rushing water at the same time.

It was so great, being out in the water with a great group of people. We were all varying degrees of surf ability and we all egged each other on. We yelled when to start paddling your brains out, yelled at each other when we were about to bowl each other over. It was the greatest sense of teamwork and comradity that I have experienced since, well, since I was in a bowling league tournament. It's been awhile.

Now, for some unrelated pictures form the redneck themed party, stolen from my roommates girlfriend, Rebecca.
Please see July 8th post for a little bit of a foreword.


Out on Kennedy Lake, following the craziest, longest, most hugely potholed road.


Todd's boss, Paul




"Now just let my stick this in your tushie..."



Doesn't exactly look like the safest thing, now does it?

Before coming out here, I imagined this place a certain way.

In my head, I pictured bonfires every night, on the beach, bum planted firmly in sand, cheap wiener on the end of a sharpened stick. Tummy aches nightly from too many burnt marshmallows. Sand in my shoes, purse, underoos, hair....eyebrows? I pictured myself healthier, stronger, full of life. Ready to take on things. Oh my, thinking about it did seem very magical. Very otherworldly, something I had always wished of every summer, but was never fully satisfied.

Well now that I'm here in Tofino, I can safely say I am satisfied. A bit "over-satisfied", shall we say.

I'm sick of cheap wieners. Sick of bellyaches, sick of sand EVERYWHERE. Not just on me. Sand stuck in the pages of my books, in the bed sheets, SAND IN MY EYEBROWS. Sick of hiking rainforest trails to get to "secret" spots. Yeah, sure, the views are breathtaking and yes, otherworldly. But I'm sick of working so hard for my leisure time.

Why can't nature be easier? I think I like it better when it's a novelty that I rarely get time to experience.

I, of course, am mostly joking. I'm doing Tofino to it's fullest potential, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

COMING SOON: ANOTHER VISITOR TO TOFINO....MR. GREGORY NAPIER!!!!

Please stop waking me up so early in the morning.
And please slow down, I'd like to keep at least SOME of my view until the end of the summer....

See that mountain in the back, with the two peaks? Todd climbed that the other day.

Is this for true?

http://postcardx.net/

Yes, Lindsay, your wildest dreams have come true.

EDITTTTTT!!!!
I did some sleuthing. That website SUCKS.
This one rules:

www.sendsomething.net

Wow...

Papercuts by misterrob.co.uk


Camping tonight on the beach with Erica, hopefully will be followed by magical beach laying tomorrow. Minus a sunburn. Minus the boys. In addition, hot dogs and marshmellows.

Most everyone has mail coming to them. If you asked for it, it's in the mail. If you didn't ask me for it, ask, and you shall receive.

Have you ever heard of.....

...this drinking game where you stand on a chair, one arm behind your back, pants down, string of toilet paper in your butt, ON FIRE, and you have to drink a beer before it reaches your butt?

Redneck themed party, last night.

PICTURES COMING SOON

I'M IN FLAVOUR COUNTRY AND THIS COUNTRY'S NAME IS JENNERLAND

Yesterday, Jenner Berger arrived in Tofino on a bus. She arrived on that bus wearing a beautiful white and blue pinstriped dress with a big red belt. I arrived at the bus station with heightened anticipation. We shared a really great hug, while laughing and maybe I cried a little bit. Maybe-just a bit.

We had an interesting day together. I enjoy the fact that I can continue exploring and finding out things about this place, and yesterday, I was able to share my findings with someone who was just finding everything out as well. And I didn't have to feel ashamed for stating the obvious to some of the more seasoned pros around here.

One of the major break throughs of yesterday and last night was this: People in Tofino? They just want to chat. THAT'S IT.
Some examples:

We went to the cold beer store in town, where the employees seem to always be fried out of their coconut, and listen to their house and jungle music so loud you can barely hear yourself figuring out whether you want tequila or imported Propeller (SERIOUSLY). The gentleman in front of us in the lineup was just in Washington, where 24's are SIXTEEN dollars. He filled us in on exactly how many 24's he bought, in how many days, and how many friends those were split up between. It was a really confusing math equation. The friendly beer store employee told us quietly that tequila was cheaper at the other liquor store in town, so we stepped outside so I could begin to remember where exactly the other store was in town. The mathematician was outside so I asked him to refresh my memory. Truth was, I don't think he even really knew. Instead of answering our question, he asked us why we would want to go there, what kind of tequila we were looking for and what we were up to that night. I eventually remembered where the store was on my own, and we bid him a good evening.

Later that night after a few margueritas, we headed down to THE bar in town, "The Maquinna". I can't remember exactly who the first person to approach us was, but I believe it was the gentleman who wanted to tell us that as a baby, he had a bright red afro. Apparently, he once had very curly hair, even though NOW he has straight brown hair! WOW! We were shocked. He also told us a joke. What do sharks like to eat? FISH AND SHIPS! And with that, he went off into the crowd.

The we met Coral. Small and cute. I would describe her look as one of those cross-genre types. A gothic hippie. The floaty hempy, free spirit styles, except all in black, with combat boots. We danced with her for a while, as she seemed to have some sort of control over the DJ and what he was playing. We figured it could help to have friends in high places.

Then there was Ford from Saskatchewan. Shorter, stalky, big muscles. Blond hair. He came into the bar with a bunch of other guys who looked just like him. Turns out that Ford is up for the week, for some surfing and camping with friends. He has a fraternal twin sister back home. He thinks my name is Lisa and that Jenner and I are sisters.

Jenner spoke to a nice guy who thought that we were just as bored as him (NOT TRUE) and was here for a bachelor party

There's this kid around town who reminds me a lot of Greg, and he was out last night too. We didn't get his name, but Jenner made sure to let him know that we FULLY appreciated how badly he was GIVEN'R on the dancefloor. He was all over it. Eyes closed, huge smile, didn't even give a shit, wasn't checking out girls. That guy was GREAT.

And after this, easily 15 more quick connections were made with people who just wanted to chat or say something friendly. Even standing outside after the bar closes, I hear from the crowd: "Halifaaaaaax". I think at first that it was someone we met earlier that night, but no one looks immediately familiar. We walk over to the group of people hollering at us....and a girl, all the way over here, as far away as you can get from Halifax without a passport, this girl, says to me, "Did you used to work at Junk and Foibles?"

Can you believe it? HA!

It's starting to get hard keeping track of the names of people I meet her, even just in the boutique. I've always been bad at names. But if that's the worst thing going for me right now, I've got it pretty good.

It feels like life is just getting a little bit better as each day goes by.
And with that, I booked my ticket to come home. August 28th.

What did YOU do on Canada Day?

Mine was fairly uneventful.

It started off with my boutique getting trampled by many traveling families and their children. My entire day at work was almost finished by a tempting salmon barbeque and skateboarding competition just across the street. Who would have thought that I might be enticed by skateboarding? Tofino does weird things to you....

Later that evening while at home I made the most delicious and bizarrely conceptualized meal I've made in a long time. This meal consisted of milky, buttery mashed potatoes with parmesan cheese, homemade cilantro and basil salsa, ground beef with sauteed mushrooms and onions, and cheddar cheese. The ingredients were layered in a roasting pan and then baked for ten minutes or so. The feast was so big, we'll easily be eating for the next three days.

After making dinner, I was so tired I just wanted to crash into bed and never get out. Andre came over around 10, presumedly to cause some trouble with beers and Todd. They ran off to the First Street Dock. I figured I could just sit on our front porch (which conveniently looks over the Clayoquot Sound,) and watch the fireworks. Hesitation set in. I scurried into some real pants (as opposed to sweatpants) and rushed down to the dock. At this point, disappointment set in. The fireworks SUCKED. They were few and far between, and came in singles, instead of EXCITING GROUPS OF FLASHING LIGHTS!!! The crowd though, they ate it up!

It felt like the whole town was down there at the dock on First Street, right by the Sea Shanty. People hollered. They hooted. They raised their arms and pumped their fists at the night sky. They even made the metal sign with their hands in the air, while shouting "WHAWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" This all was a bit much for me, as I was already half asleep at this point. Todd, Andre and I decided to start heading back for home before the crowd. The way home is on a slight incline from the dock, and as we got farther away, I looked back and realized just how many people were down there. I really believe it was just about the whole town, plus a bunch of tourists, of course. It was at this point when the fireworks died down and you could hear a fairly small group start in on the National Anthem....
We all laughed, and as we laughed, the chanting grew louder.....and louder......until you could hear it coming from the entire length of the waterfront, not just the dock. It was loud. Booming. And it seemed to be coming from all directions. The drunks standing outside of the only bar in the town belted out the word "pee" instead of "see" and "thee".
The three of us agreed that we had never been to a Canada Day fireworks display where it was finished with a town-wide anthem singing to finish them off.....

So what did you guys do on Canada Day?