A Week at the Gift Show

Spent a good part of the last week helping out with setting up and running the HarperCollins booth at the CGTA Gift Show. Culmination of my whole internship, basically, and with the office picnic tomorrow, everything's kind of got the old end-of-school-year vibe. I've been so... I don't even want to say stressed, because all of the work I put in was a joy (as it is for everyone: that life-size Gruffalo is hand-made by one of the sales assistants).  I guess I just love books. Hated them for a couple of minutes today, but naw, I love'em. I feel different than when I started this though. I mean, I felt a lot of things last week that were a result of steroids, but in general I think it finally hit me that only so much can drastically change before I change. And that's a huge relief, because it's that inner shift I've been waiting for, I guess. I just hope it sticks.

But also I feel sure that it WILL stick, if I just stick around books. Come on, look at this wall! I read more kids' books in the last three days than I have since grade school.

Then, oh my goodness, I found out that at the end of the show I get to take books home. Obviously, I went straight to the craft display. Tough call, but in the end I chose this modest pile:

Among which, most are for the nieces. Tal loves The Gruffalo (she even recited some of it at breakfast this morning), so I picked up a Monkey Puzzle board book. I think it's new; I don't even know. Also she likes planes, although that particular choice is rather basic. But no matter: maybe the Nai-pod will like it. My Zoo, who wouldn't like My Zoo? And The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water, I actually bought that for myself. I keep putting it on lists and it's just the cutest. Also, it reminds me of a certain someone who thinks baby crocodiles are cute and also likes dragons (spoiler alert: this particular baby crocodile IS a dragon).

But admittedly, I'm MOST excited about these two. And you should be too, since they're the ones most likely to reappear in this particular setting.

:D

That is all.

That was fast.

I'm so sick of 2013.

I know, I know, it's barely March.

But after losing my dog, going through regular old-fashioned heartbreak, and now having my apartment broken into, it's hard to feel safe and warm and happy.

And even my cheer-up shopping trip ended in this:

It was only the second time I'd worn it and no, I didn't snag it on anything. It just happened.

There are bright sides, of course. There's fun, there are new people, there are a ton of "at leasts." At least I had my brand new laptop with me at school when they broke in. At least I hadn't popped home for that shower like I was debating. At least the chain of my favourite necklace (most value both in fact and in sentiment) broke last winter and so was safely in Ontario, waiting for repair. At least I've moved away from home before. At least I've lost friends and people before. At least I know I have myself through all of it. 

But still. There are reasons I miss the people I miss, and reasons I love the people I love. The best of new friends and lofty aspirations can't replace them, or help me forget that it's the old best friends, the family, the dog and the boyfriend, the instruments, the boardgames, the house I grew up in, laughter and hugs and above all the security and love of home that I need right now. 

Time is passing. I'm getting things done. Good things still loom on the horizon. And I'm coping. But I'm only coping. 

Some Sun, Finally

 

 You know, sometimes I forget my apartment can look like this. Everything's been so dark and damp lately.

It doesn't help that, despite the mild climate, this is the farthest north I've ever lived. These photos have a time stamp of 5:00 for example, but that can't be because it's usually long dark by then.

 The sun came out yesterday and I took a picture of the mountains on my way to get a bottle of wine. You couldn't see them all, but it's more than has been visible in a while. Turns out this has nothing on today. These clouds dropped a bunch of snow and left.

I actually wrote some new stuff today, but only because I've been thinking something over that I can't make a big deal about until I have a bit more information. You know, one of those decisions I want to make on my own. TEASER!