Pictures and a Story!

So, last night we arrived at Osoyoos. Hubby's aunt and uncle have a condo here, it's absolutely gorgeous! The boys docked the brand new seadoos while I showered and got ready. We went for dinner - had some leftover wine, so they corked it and brought it back to the condo (something you can't do in our province). Hubby then started loading our video footage onto the computer... some of it was missing :( I was really upset. We're missing our arrival and drive to my aunt and uncle's and some really great footage of a forest we went for a walk in. Then, it starts halfway through being at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. I had a nice cry, I don't know if I'll ever forget that we're missing stuff. How depressing. I guess a person should really get to know the camcorder (we just bought it before we left) before they start filming important things. It's done, can't retrieve it, can't do anything now except make sure it doesn't happen again. Right now I'm just waiting for Hubby to wake up (this is very unusual, he's always up before me - which is why I thought I'd let him sleep today).

Here are some pics from our trip so far. I'll try and upload one of the videos later!

This is from our drive around Vancouver. We stopped at this lookout to enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean. There was a sign (should have taken a pic) that said no parking between 11 PM and 6 AM. I wonder what they thought could possible happen at those hours... ?


This one is from a beach we stopped at. From here, you could see downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park across the water.


This is the Capilano Suspension Bridge. The part that was erased on tape somehow was the view of the bridge walking across. I don't believe we have any of the big bridge on video. Boo, Hoo :' (


This is still at Capilano. They have built walkways attached to the middle of the trees so you have some amazing views. This one has a stream in the background that is a habitat for Salmon.


We went on a hike up Teapot Hill. It was supposed to be a quick one, about half an hour, but with me carrying 25 extra pounds and having a cold, and yes, being a little out of shape, it took a little over an hour to get up. This stream I'm standing by was ice cold. I just had to put my hot and swollen feet in it on the way down.


This is the view from the top of Teapot Hill. We had made sandwiches, so we ate them up here and had a nice break - along with a beautiful view!

Vacation Time, Yay!

We're going away for 10 whole days. We leave tomorrow, so, I won't be writing (at least, I don't think I will) while we're gone. Although, we are taking the computer, and I may not be able to keep from posting pics of the trip. Anyhoo, no one reads this anymore anyway, so y'all won't care ;)

Warning!

I'm never sure if any of these emails are true or not. But, I checked this one out a bit and it seems to be legit. So, I thought I should put it out for more peeps to see!

Claim: Drug dealers are selling colored crystal methamphetamine known as "Strawberry Quick."

Status: True.

Example: [Collected via e-mail, April 2007]

Drug Warning - Beware and please inform your children

I have been alerted by one of our EMT's for our volunteer fire department that they
have received emails from emergency responder organizations to be on the lookout
for a new form of Crystalized Meth that is targeted at children and to be aware of
this new form if called to an emergency involving a child that may have
symptoms of drug induction or overdose.

They are calling this new form of meth "Strawberry Quick" and it looks like the
"Pop Rocks" candy that sizzle in your mouth. In it's current form, it is dark pink
in color and has a strawberry scent to it.

Please advise your children and their friends and other students not to accept
candy from strangers as this is obviously an attempt to seduce children into
drug use. They also need to be cautious in accepting candy from even friends
that may have received it from someone else, thinking it is just candy.

Origins: This warning about sweetened and flavored forms of methamphetamine began landing in inboxes in April 2007. "Strawberry Quick" (or "Strawberry Quik," named after strawberry Quik, a powder used to make flavored milk drinks) was first reported as appearing in the western states in January 2007. (Nevada holds the dubious honor of being the first state the substance was found in; its Department of Public Safety issued a bulletin about flavored meth seized during a 27 January 2007 search of a gang member's apartment in Carson City.) According to intelligence gathered by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents from informants, users, local police, and drug counselors, colored meth has also been found in California, Nevada, Washington, Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, Missouri, and Minnesota.


One DEA agent reported a red methamphetamine that had been marketed as a powdered form of an energy drink. Says DEA spokesman Steve Robertson, "Drug traffickers are trying to lure in new customers, no matter what their age, by making the meth seem less dangerous." The colored meth has been described as resembling rock candy or Pop Rocks (a kid-favored confection that fizzles in the mouth), and because it looks like candy, officials fear it may fool children and teens into mistakenly perceiving it as candy (or perceiving it as a drug far less dangerous and addictive than it actually is).

However, while colored versions of methamphetamine that resemble candy are certainly available, whether the drug is actually being sold in flavored versions remains a subject of some dispute. (Police labs don't generally test drugs for flavoring ingredients, so at least some of the seizures of colored meth may have prompted statements about "flavored" meth that were based solely on the drug's colorful appearance.) It's also not clear that either coloring or flavoring is being added to meth for the express purpose of making the drug appeal to children. (It seems more likely that such factors, if present, are manufacturing errors, attempts at creating superficial 'brand' distinctions, or simply ways of trying to combat the substance's bitter taste.)

In April 2007, U.S. Senators Feinstein and Grassley introduced legislation aimed at increasing the criminal penalties for anyone who markets or makes candy-flavored drugs by imposing upon them the same enhanced criminal sentences handed down to drug dealers who knowingly sell to minors. The Saving Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act would alter federal law from its current state of requiring doubled (or tripled for a repeat offense) sentences for those caught selling illegal drugs to those under the age of 21 to imposing doubled or tripled sentences on anyone who "manufactures, creates, distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute a controlled substance that is flavored, colored, packaged or otherwise altered in a way that is designed to make it more appealing to a person under 21 years of age, or who attempts or conspires to do so." No longer would a dealer have to be caught red-handed in the act of selling to an under 21 for the doubled or tripled sentences to kick in; under the proposed refinement to current law, simply possessing flavored versions of street drugs would be enough. Also, by the lights of this rewriting of the law, manufacturers of flavored drugs would also be subject to doubled or tripled sentences.

There is one bit of good news in all this: Methamphetamine use is down for much of the country for the second year running. Researchers say it appears this latest meth epidemic reached its peak in 2004 and 2005, and data from the federal government shows the number of first-time meth users has steadily declined in recent years.

Let's hope that Strawberry Quick doesn't serve to reverse that trend.

Barbara "quick step backwards" Mikkelson

From: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/drugs/candymeth.asp

New Look!

Needed a new look for spring/summer! Plus, green is my favorite color :)

Oma and the Doll!

So, I just now figured out how to download pictures from my camera...


This is from Christmas '06. Apparently, Oma never had any dolls as a child. So, my MIL, decided to make her one as a Christmas gift. I think it was the greatest thing. Oma was so surprised and totally excited and I'm glad I could capture that moment on camera!

Cutey!!

A while back I wrote a post about A New Cousin. Well, he's 7 months old now, and we had a BBQ at my sisters with some family. He was there (with his mom and dad, of course) and he is so adorable. He's happy and giggles and plays with you. I was smitten :)

I was on ratemyteachers.ca today, and found this from when I student taught. I thought the first comment was quite funny, so decided I had to post it. The second I posted to redeem myself from the first. Enjoy :)

11/28/04115 She thinks she's better that everyone. Not a great learning atmosphere for music students.•
(they still rated me at 5/5 for Clarity - so I couldn't have been that bad)
3/15/03255 She'll be an awesome choir director one day!!•
(aw, how nice)

Kids :D

The other day I was taking care of my 5 year old nephew. I was feeling terribly nauseous. I told him I wasn't feeling well because of baby and he said this: "Well, then you must be having a boy, because boys bug people lots!" So cute :D

Getting Ready!

Ah, the joys of hot rollers! I can't imagine someone doing this every day. Once they cool off, I'll take them out and do touch ups with the curling iron. Oh, how fun. And, while they're in, I'm gonna go bake some cookies!! Just thought I'd share the getting ready process with y'all :)

My Show!

Just wanted to write a quick note! I'm busy rehearsing for my show. It opens tomorrow :) Having lots of fun. Hey, all you out of towners - good excuse to come up to Winnipeg (JK)! The upside - I don't look pregnant (my character is not supposed to be pregnant)... the downer is I look like a big fat blob of lard (what can ya do). Yeah, yeah - "suck it up, princess" :D Ta, Ta for now!