i have a new favorite restaurant.  last night dad and i took mum out for an early birthday to a posh eatery http://www.staranise.ca. dinner was divine, and they had extended their "eat out vancouver" special (a price fix menu that many upper end restaurants in vancouver feature for a month or so every year to encourage us poor shlubs that perhaps can't indulge often in their wares to come in for a treat) which was a welcome suprise to me.  to any locals, or to anybody visiting vancouver, star anise is also going to do a price fix menu every thursday starting in march ($25 for appy, entree, and dessert) and after last night's experience, it's definitely a must-do.  i had called beforehand to pre-order dessert for mum, and as soon as i told the gentleman on the phone that it was mum's bday, he told me he'd arrange something special, just leave it to him.  turns out that gentleman was the charming and witty owner who was our host for the evening.  he doted on my mother, bantered with my father, and was attentive without being intrusive.  after having our mouth-watering meal, he came out with some kind of divine chocolate concoction (it was like a frozen ice-cream cake of some sort, but definitely nothing like DQ!) with a candle, whereupon he took many family pics on my mums camera without her even asking and then whisked it away to bring back single servings that were beautifully presented.  the atmosphere in the restaurant is cosy and welcoming, and all the art was done by his wife, who has a very interesting imagination.  apparently they shut the restaurant down on sunday afternoons, and she teaches watercolour classes there.

mum was very pleased with all the thai silk cushions and the table runner that dad and i got her (they're renovating their home, and she's dolling things up quite a bit) and considering she's leaving for england on a two week holiday next week, i think she's done pretty well! next year is the big one for her (the big 60!) so i better get going on planning something exciting  

my life-style has changed quite a bit during this reno, and i think in many ways it has been good for me. i often get too focussed, fixated on completing projects immediately and getting overwhelmed with the workload i've put myself under.  i was hardly a hermit, but i certainly wasn't enjoying the "outside world" as much as i could have.  with the chaos of the renos, it's forced me to drop a lot of things and get out doing other stuff.  all the exercise has made me drop a few pounds (although with all the eating out not nearly as much as i might have!) and re-examine my independance. i've always been very self-sufficient, but have let people help me when convenient cuz it's just quicker.  these days i'm still doing for others, but not taking up anybody on favors in return (although when the project's finished i'll definitely have to as there's no way i can get this place fixed up again on my own!) i can't wait to have my apartment presentable again, and am thinking of repainting it. i'm thinking pear colours...something fresh.

that's it for now, i'm off to get ready to go out (again), today just round the corner to the pub with my dad's partner's daughter robyn.  haven't seen her since her brother's wedding, and before that i don't remember when. she's a girl after my own heart though, should be fun, and i will try to behave myself this time (last time i was at the pub was superbowl, and that's a whole nasty story in itself, but probably too x-rated for this site! ha ha)

cheers my darlins! 

let's see. i've obviously been noticeably absent. ah well, things got way out of control. no time for blog-world unfortunately.  which especially sucks cuz i meant to keep this as somewhat of a personal diary (though i guess not too personal!)

so i left things off in november.  had a great month. net-wise, i had a great treat, several of my on-line buds sent me birthday wishes, some of them hilarious, and some of them very  insightful http://meaningfulundertakings.blogspot.com/2005/11/kerry-bonne-fete.html 

i'm sorry isay that i haven't had a chance to follow your blog either, but i'll try to catch up soon! your portrayal of me was uncanny!

hee hee...none too flattering, but very true to the illo! wee jeremy tried to blow out the candles about twenty times ( lit and relit!)

i'm not sure about chronological order past this point, but i'll do my best!

oh god she's gonna kill me, this is a horrid pic of her. but she made my real-life b-day fantastic. we went to a fab restaurant http://www.shaughnessyrestaurant.com (my fav) and had the most delicious dinner.  then we went home and she had a special cake for me with the candles and the works...i certainly don't expect that at my age! ms. elle took me to the teppanyaki joint down the street that i think is so much fun, where i later took three of my little buddies and their mummies :

the boys definitely bonded, they were so cute together! on the way home they held hands, and i got this next shot that was a complete fluke, gave me a chuckle as i was reviewing the pics later...look closely!

gotta love bdays that carry on forever. then came christmas.  christmas was pretty quiet, and i can't seem to find any pictures.  we didn't have a crew of family in town this year, we just had a few strays over for dinner.  it was lovely and peaceful, went to midnight mass at one of the older churches across the road from my friend's place with her mother-in-law who had been married there about sixty years before.  the quiet season was very welcome, as the construction crew took just over a week off over the holidays and i could sleep for a change! although we did have a scare in the building when someone tried to break into a third floor apartment, we called the cops and were surrounded in seconds as they were already in the neighbourhood chasing down a sexual predator who had accosted a female worker in a local 24 hour copy shop. can't wait till the scaffolding comes down, it's such an invitation to wierdos (and bloody raccoons!) despite having a security guard on patrol.  but the contractor is saying that all might ( i stress MIGHT) be tied up in june. yeah, ha ha, we'll see. we're lucky though, the guys are well-mannered sweethearts.  i've heard of horror stories from friends of mine who've been through similar reconstructions, but none of those things have happened here. these guys are just a bunch of mushball family men.  hell, on valentines day they were bragging to each other (i could hear them clearly as they were right outside my bedroom window) as to how extravagant their plans for their significant others were.  and the funniest thing is that they aren't beer-drinking rubbies, they crave pot-roast and homemade cookies (can't start the oven without a few of them poking their heads in to see what's cookin!)

with all the disruption, no painting has been done. well, with the exception of crafts with the kids. then there's paint everywhere....on the walls, on the floor, on the chairs...ah well, it isn't fun without a little mess!

and then...this happens!

hmmmmmmmmmm.....what does one do when they need to save some trees? no, not chain themselves to them. nor put spikes in them. first things first. you...

yes, hire a big truck with a crane. then...

get a few good boys to get a few good trees outta there!

our beauteous trees ready to go...

up and out!  EVERYBODY was watching!

and then, on the truck...can you believe i slept through all that!

illustration friday:  lost?

FINALLY! took me bloody long enough. started this entry on "lost", and finished on "remote"...soooo...i guess she'll be LOST in a REMOTE location ! hardy har ;D after all, i did move her around the world a bit when i was painting her...she transformed from one ethnicity to another as i painted.  

did this for one of my wee neices...hope she'll like it. it's about two foot by three foot, still haven't figured out how to get it to her! i guess her dad'll have to make a drive down for a medical conference or something! thing's have been too busy to make decent progress with this painting or any other IF inspired work, but won't bore you with the details. just glad to be back at it!