Apple Blossom

We held our 5th Annual Calgary Apple Blossom Festival last weekend. Check out the story and pictures on the Apple Blossom Website.

Weird and Wonderful Coincidence

I made an appointment at the bank yesterday to see about getting a loan long enough to get a bank statement so I can start the process of getting my student Visa. Sounds silly, but it's got to be done. Anyway, I arrive at my appointment and who is my banker but the guy I totally have the hots for that takes my bus! He's even hotter when I don't have to pretend I'm not looking at him. And, as luck would have it, I need to go back there today to drop off some documents... needless to say I wore my nice dress and some makeup, and happen to have a hair appointment before I go.

Crazy Storm

I got stuck in an insane storm this evening. I haven't seen such fierce lightning and rain in a really long time. I ended up having to detour a few times due to completely flooded roads. Fun!

If you look closely you can see the flooded and abandoned car. There were 4 streets like this, all containing an abandoned car or 4.

Third-Worst Crash Ever!

I had a great wipeout at Louise yesterday. After a quick poll of people who have seen two of my three bad crashes, this one ranks at third, but has the distinction of being the only one caught on film! Check it out on the BOS site. (And don't worry, I'm okay)

Weird!

I was walking home tonight from a date that went very well, head down as usual. Suddenly I looked up at the person who was walking by within a foot of me. It was Jon!!! It took me a second to register, and then I burst out laughing! I thought it was hilarious. What are the friggin' odds? I'm pretty sure he saw me and was trying to avoid eye contact. Luckily he was already past me by the time I figured it out so I didn't have to worry about my reaction. Funny funny stuff.

Pink Belly

The Swift Kickers took to the court tonight to battle the number 1 team in our league, the "Orange Crush." It promised to be an intense game and both teams were evenly matched. The intensity, grittyness level was bumped up a notch by their bitchy girl players who were all about the elbows. With no girly girls on the court nobody was taking it easy. Late in the second half the other team had a free kick in front of our goal. I could see exactly where he was going to kick it so I jumped out in front, taking one for the team. Right in the gut! It hit me so hard it sent me reeling backwards. I tried to stay on my feet but the momentum was too much and I fell on my ass and skidded across the floor. In typical Kate fashion, I just lay there laughing, knowing that it would have been one funny-ass sight to see. We went on to win the game 3-2 and take the lead in the standings! Yay!

My pink belly after the game. Note that you can see the design from the soccer ball. (Also note the pasty-whiteness of the belly where it isn't pink, I think it might be time to hit a tanning booth!)

Funniest Name EVER!

I was picking something up at the photocopier yesterday and I glanced over at a resume that was sitting there. The name at the top was... get this...

Rocky J. Wang

I did the classic tv double-take and then read some of the resume to make sure it wasn't a joke.

Morning Adventure

There have been men loitering outside my 7th-floor office window for the last few days. It's not often I feel like I'm in a fish bowl when I'm up this high, but they were doing some work on the windows. This morning I went to get coffee with a girl I work with and when I came back there were two guys in my office and a piece of glass sitting in the hallway. They informed me that they would be replacing my window, and that they'll have to keep the door closed while they're doing it, otherwise all my papers would go flying out the gaping hole. If any of you have seen my office lately, you will understand that it would be very bad for all of my papers to go airborne... I'm pretty sure it would blanket all of downtown! Anyway, it wasn't too bad when they took it out, things blew around a bit but nothing flew out.

I got talking to one of the men working on the platform outside and it came up that he was from PEI. The name-game started and, sure enough, we found someone we knew in common. The funny thing is that the guy who we both knew has an extremely unflattering nickname (so bad that I'm too embarrassed to say it here) and it made me giggle to be talking about him. I did not mention to this guy, who knew unflattering-nickname's father, what everyone in university called him. There's a time and a place, and this wasn't it.

Interestingly, I happened to have my camera with me this morning, so here is a shot of the action and my new window-installing friends...

Name that Car

As per Jennifer's brilliant suggestion, I am going to have a "Name My Car" contest. Post your suggestions in the comments for this post. I will choose my favorite and the winner will receive a (yet to be determined) special prize. Remember that this name will be following in the line of Omar so it has got to be good! Contest deadline is Tuesday, July 4th.

Poked Before a Movie

Usually I like it to be in the reverse order, but what can I say, I'm easy! Now get your mind out of the gutter... I was talking about having acupuncture today and then going to the Rigstar Movie Night (you're such a pervert, I can't believe you would think I meant it the other way!)

Anyway... I had another acupuncture appointment today. This time I had the forethought to bring my camera along. In case anyone was curious as to what I would look like to have needles sticking into my head, the suspense is over.



I had a quick run after work (shaving 1 minute off my 3 km time) and then headed over to pick up Katie and Tamara. It is difficult to be cheery in downtown rush-hour traffic, but a man managed to make me so today as I sat at the lights on 4th St and 11th Ave.

I was sitting in Omar, grooving to my tunes, when I hear a man talking to me. I couldn't hear what he was saying over my loud tunes, but I was intrigued so I turned the volume down.

"Nice Jeep!" he says. Omar is not a Jeep, but he is very nice.

Small talk continued for a bit about Omar and his spatial virtues, the man standing in the middle of the street, me sitting in Omar. He then pulls out a long yellow balloon and asked me what my favorite animal was. Being very clever and perceptive, I could tell where he was going with this, so I thought I'd make it easy on him... I'm not really a dog lover but I know they're fairly easy to make. So, he starts to make me a dog, noting that he is on a tight time frame as the light will surely turn soon and I will have to go. He struggles a bit, not making the twists quite right the first time. I see the opposing light turn yellow and I start to get a little nervous for him.

"The light is going to change!", says I.

"No problem!", says he.

Within a few seconds the light changes to green, the yellow dog does not yet have back legs or a cute little tail.

"They're going to start honking at me!" says I.

"That's okay!" says he. He's obviously a pro, pressure doesn't phase him. He laughs in the face of adversity.

Before I knew it, there before me was a cute little yellow poodle.

"There's a cute little yellow poodle," says he. "There's a poodle bum," says he. "Don't look at the poodle bum!"

I gave him a dollar and thanked him. I smiled the rest of the drive, having really appreciated my poodle. I was also overjoyed that not a single person honked even though I sat at the light for 5-10 seconds after it had turned green. Sometimes it really is a wonderful world!

I picked up the ladies and headed to the Rigstar Movie Night. Rigstar is the company that Tamara's man works for/is a partner in. Every year they put on a movie night, featuring a band, hors d'oeuvres, booze, popcorn, beverages, prizes and, of course, a movie. I didn't manage to snag a coveted Rigstar hat, but I did see "The Davinci Code" and didn't hate it. Fun night, good day.

Double Teamed!

I went in to get my hair dyed today. I wanted to do something a little out of the ordinary so I went with a deep red colour. I think it looks really nice. The funny part was that the stylist called in another girl to help dry my hair. I must say it looked and felt a little weird to have two girls, two hair dryers and two brushes going at me at the same time... felt a little kinky actually. I knew I had a lot of hair, but holy crap!

Random-Funniness Update

I found out today that my neighbour kitty's name is Johnny Mullet! I love it, he's even cuter now that I know his name. I love him.

Random Funniness

My neighbour's cat makes me laugh and warms my heart. The poor thing is so tiny, and obviously had some problems with matted fur because his body has been shaved. He still has fluffy black fur on his legs, tail and head, which is accentuated by the lack of hair on the rest of his body. Even more cute is the fact that he drools when I pet him! The most pathetic and endearing thing ever... I can relate.

Kate's Fridge 197? - 2006... Rest In Peace

After a very long life, my little almond-coloured fridge finally bit the dust. I didn't know almond-fridge for very long, but I will always remember the time we had together. Like the first night in my house with it , when I didn't sleep a wink due to it's general loudness. I'll also remember it's petiteness, so very tiny, just barely big enough to hold a few groceries.
It really is for the best that fridgy is no longer with us. It has been in it's death throes since I've owned it, always threatening to croak. The lovely part is, it is still making all the loud noise, but is no longer keeping anything cold. I like that I can still hear it even though it doesn't work, it's like almond-fridge is talking to me from beyond the grave.
But out with the old and in with the new. Tomorrow, glaringly-white fridge will be delivered. It will still be tiny, and it will be glaringly white... but, it won't be loud!!! And, in theory, it will also refrigerate my food sufficiently. That's all I ask really.





















Old almond-fridgy






















My fridge full of ice, in an attempt to keep things slightly cold.