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Sep 11

Japanese Breakfast + Lots of Volcanic Activity

Yesterday we started the day at the Cooper Center. We saw this sign the other day + new we had to make a cameo.

These were our people, yo!!! I don’t know if that’s necessarily a good thing, but we hung out, talked story, bought honey + looked at lots of weird stuff.

The guy selling honey told longer stories than Jeff, but his Japanese wife made us the yummiest Japanese breakfast! Suggoku oishikatta!!!!

Check out those prices!!!! Bomb!!!!

There were so many local characters there. It was such a tight community. I loved it. Here’s the lady with her pet turtle, who I was told is the swap meet mascot.

Then it was off to hike the Kilauea Iki Crater!!!

First, is a path through lush rain forest.

The beautiful, but invasive Kahili ginger.

The Lehua blossom. In Hawaiian folklore they represent tears from heaven for separated lovers everywhere. Sigh.

Then, we descended in to the crater itself. Land of the Lost, y’all!!!! This is Pu’u Pua’i, the vent of the crater. Here’s me in front of it doing my muscle competition pose. Because that’s how volcanic craters make me feel. Power!!!!!

Descending into the vent.

Amazing, hearty new life growing in the lava. Jeff the explorer.

Fruity Pebbles lava.

Steam vents.

Heading out.

Next was the Maunu Ulu trail which is one of the longest known rift zone eruptions of Kilauea. Fascinating!!!!

Like mother of pearl!!! Gorgeous!!!!

Out of this world!!!! Dy-no-mite!!!

This is when I screamed, “Frodo!!!! Sam!!!”!!! I said, “Hey Jeff, remember in Lord of the Rings when Sam + Frodo were escaping the fires of Mordor + they were surrounded by flowing, red hot lava???” He replied, “No, I’ve never seen any of those movies.” I screamed, “Whaaaaaaat????!!!!” I might have to rethink this marriage. Well, I’m stopping this blog now because we have to check out + Jeff hasn’t downloaded all the pictures of more volcano fun, so until then!

“No, Mr. Frodo!!! You must hang on!!!!”

Sep 9

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The Last Days of Kaua’i

The days after the wedding were a blur for all of us at Anini House. The adrenaline of the days leading up the wedding completely left us all spent. We lazed around the house + here are some things I’ve learned about kids.

#1 – they really, really love television.

#2 – they really love playing in hot tubs. They’d be like, “Shelli! Come play in the hot tub!!!!” + I’d be like, “NO WAY!!!!! The ocean’s better!!!!” + they’d be like, “No it’s not!!!!!” + I’d be like, “Yes it is!!!!!!” + they’d be like, “No it’s not!!!!” We would have those type of conversations daily.

#3 – I never realized how much they like Ichiban noodles. They ate it cooked or they would munch on it dry!!!! Keiko + Hana are so cute, it sounded they were calling it Itchy Bum noodles. So that’s what we all called it during the trip.

We all made a couple of family trips to Hanalei Bay. I don’t know why I didn’t take a picture of the actual beach. Here’s lunch at Pat’s Taqueria taco truck with my swimming buddy, Ambur. The kalua pork tacos were to die for!!!! FYI, future Hawaii travelers, they close at 3pm.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pats-taqueria-hanalei

After, we had shave ice at the truck next door. It was ono! That’s Hawaiian for good, y’all.

We had dinner that night with my mom + dad over. The Canadian Lady Posse wanted me to highlight what typically happens during dinner prep. Let me enlighten y’all.

Ladies toiling over a hot stove + slaving away.

Oh look…..how interesting!!!!!!! Here, we observe the male species in their natural habitat. Beer AND snacks (provided by the ladies, of course!) Must be nice, guys!!!!!!

Jeff, mom + mother Jean

Okay, okay. The guys helped a little bit, too. They grilled, okay!!!! Sheesh!!!

Look who’s first at the dinner table again!

Jeff with his Moustache Gang!!!! How freaking cute is that???!!!!

The next day some of us went to Tunnels Beach.

Here’s Jeff uptight in paradise. Getting everyone out the door is like wrangling cats. Daphne + I had to have a cocktail while waiting for everyone.

The current was pretty strong at Tunnels, so Deb + Liz took the kids back to Hanalei. Jeff, Daphne, Tom + I went to take a hike on the Kalalau trail along the famous Napali coast.

It is a steep uphill for 3/4 miles, y’all!!! I cursed my short Japanese legs trying to keep up with the long ass legs of the Fayle family!!! But every step of the way was so beautiful!!!

The descent led us to Hanakapia Beach. This sign greeted us towards the bottom. Yikes!!!

River leading to the ocean.

I didn’t know there were Spider monkeys at the beach!!!!

Lava caves

AWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! Jeff is such a romantic!!!! This is what he was making in the lava cave in the picture above. So sweet.

The road back home.

Bye for now everyone!!!!! Sorry there’s so many gaps in the pictures, I still don’t have a hang on this software!!!!

Sep 9

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Mr. + Mrs. Fayle – Part 2 (aka “The Big Day”)

Sorry for the delay!!!! It’s hard to post when there’s 21 people in the house. I just want to hang out in the water all day, drink wine + sleep!!!!

After decorating the house, I went over to my mom + dad’s timeshare in Princeville to get ready. This is how the Nishinos get ready for the wedding. Watching the Kardashians + sleeping. Nice guys, real nice.

As I was doing my hair + makeup my sister asked me, “Shelli, did you do a trial run of your hair + makeup?”. To which I responded, “Nope! I’m hoping it all turns out!”. She was like, “You are so crazy!!!!!!!!”. I’ve done crazier.

At the house, Pastor Niles Kageyama + his wife Eileen had arrived. Jeff apparently was bossing people around while pointing + shouting. Like an art director or something.

The boys + their ginger stalk torches

My cutie niece flower girl, Ambur.

Jeff + best man Steve. Very affectionate, aren’t we boys???

Pastor Niles blowing the conch at the top of the ceremony. Mom + mother Jean looking on bemusedly. I wonder what they were thinking. “Oh my! How curious!” or “How very native!”.

The procession begins!!!! Look at brave Tobin’s face!!!! So earnest!!!

Here comes the bride!!!! I really don’t think I could have smiled any bigger. Pastor Niles + Eileen played ukelele singing Hawiian wedding song, “Ke Kali Nei Au”. I wish someone had taken a picture of Jeff’s face as I was walking down the aisle because his facial expression was priceless.

Jeff’s face looked like this:

Jeff + I were both so teary eyed during the ceremony. My tactic for keeping it together + not bawling was to stare at the moustache wax in Jeff’s moustache.

Here’s beautiful Ashley in her Hilo Hattie dress. My mom hand sewed the back to take it in + show off her teeny waist. Doesn’t she look so tropical?!

Our brave ring bearers, Matt + Tobin. Tobin was so nervous about it all day, but they both did an amazing job!!! Ring pillows were made by my mom with vintage aloha fabric courtesy of the fabulously stylish Cacey Riggan!!!

Don’t you love Matt’s cool surfer dude long hair???

Pastor Niles delivered a warm + heartfelt ceremony. Jeff + I were soooo happy!!!! Here’s me clapping for ourselves. So humble!!!

Husband + Wife!!!!!!

The Fayle-Downies

The Fayle-Hoiles

The Nishinos

My lovely + sweet caterers Ann + Catherine from Heavenly Creations – aren’t they pretty?! http://www.heavenlycreations.org/ If it wasn’t for Ann we would of had to barbeque or go out to a restaurant. She saved me!!!!

Appetizers were the best poke we’ve EVER had + teriyaki beef skewers!!!

Dining al fresco, y’all!!! If you look closely, you’ll see my mom bossing me around as I’m taking the picture, + Jeff throwing his shaka.

Luckily, with the combination of families, we had an arsenal of talented photographers.

Here is one of my favorite pictures. Me with the Canadian Lady Posse. Jeff said, “Why would you post that picture?! Look at your facial expression!!!”. Exactly. Hilarious.

Dinner was better than I could have ever hoped for!!!! Grilled Opah fish, chicken, jasmine rice, grilled asparagus, salad + okinawan sweet potatoes!!!! I had seconds, y’all.

The cakes from Kilauea Bakery. Mocha Macadamia + Lilikoi Coconut. Doesn’t it look like Jeff + Rob are getting married?

What a perfect day!!!! All the elements came together so seamlessly (except when I almost couldn’t find the marriage certificate in the morning) with everyone’s love, help + contributions!!! Jeff + I were sort of winging it through most of the process, but we couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out!!! I ended the night watching two back to back episodes of “Saved by the Bell” with Matt + Ambur + then ended passing out while Jeff hung out with the family. Good work, Shelli! I will post more pictures + thought throughout the blog about the wedding, but for now I’m signing off because I’ve been in front of the computer for an hour + a half, hunched over like an old crone. Paradise + family fun are awaiting me!!! I love you all!!!!

Sep 6

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Mr. + Mrs. Jeffrey Fayle – Part 1

Hizzah!!!! We did it!!! We’re still alive!!! We’ve made it!!! We’re hitched!!!! I’ll take you through an adventure to Wedding Land. Please, come join me.

THE DAY BEFORE

First things first – we HAD to get Jeff a haircut. It was getting too shagadelic even for me!!! b I found an Aveda salon called Epic Hair http://www.epichairboutiquekauai.com/- because Jeff is fancy pants + needed a “stylist”. They were tres bon, mes amis. A fabulous man’s haircut for $25!!! Bargoon (bargain) !!!! Next door was TnT Burger truck. Oh, how convenient! Oh wait, what was that you said, again??? Burgers aren’t part of the bride diet????

Next stop was the Kilauea Bakery + Pau Hana Pizza to choose our cakes. http://kilaueabakery.wordpress.com/ I found them on Yelp!!!

Cake tastings + Jeff = so goofy.

We did some paddle boarding – here’s my most fabulous sister-in-law Deb. She feeds us, gives me sympathy + the best advice. If it wasn’t for her, I would probably tear my hair out one by one. She really gets it all.

My brother-in-law, Tom + best man, Steve. They are setting up the lights with minimal tools. If there’s ever a rigging question, everyone always says, “Give it to Tom, he’ll figure it out.” Very handy, indeed.

This is when we skedaddled to Hanalei Farmer’s Market in search of flowers. We bought ALL the flowers in the ENTIRE market, y’all. And thank god for that because I would have been majorly boned if flowers were lacking. Jeff + I were haggling + bargaining + wheeling + dealing like we were at a Thai street market or something.

This is Juan, a real bruddah. Da kine. Blessings.

There was a stand for Niihau shell jewelry + I FREEEEEAKED!!!! Full on cold sweat, y’all. I’ve wanted a Niihua shell necklace for my entire adult life!!!! For reals!!!! Kahelelani are the tiniest and most prized of the Hawaiian shells that are sewn into leis. Kahelelani are found in varying degrees on most of the Hawaiian Islands, but are most abundant on Niihau and Kauai. These shells are so rare they are comparative to a semi precious gem + jewelry is commonly insured. Jeff bought me a necklace + earrings for the wedding! Can you say family heirloom???!!! May Outzen made my jewelry + she was the sweetest lady ever!!!!! Oh yeah, Lisa Bonet has been on the island + everyone’s been really psyched about it. We saw her at the market.

Lisa Bonet in all her dreaded glory.

I just want to remember her like this:

We collected all the flowers from 5 different vendors + Jeff yelled, “We’re going to need all hands on deck!!!!”. Wow. Taskmaster.

That night we had a family dinner, merging the Fayles with the tiny Nishinos. Here’s my brother-in-law Rob at the grill. Beer in hand. Oh yeah!!!! This is how we roll!!!!!!!

Kenny first at the dinner table. Surprised??? Hmmmm, no. His body language is saying, “C’mon!!!! Let’s do this!!!!!”!!!!!!

THE DAY OF

Here we go, y’all. I know this is the meat of the blog. The day of was busy but I was so zen about everything because I was so freaking exhuasted out of my noggin. Every other sentence that came out of my mouth was, “Yeah, okay cool! Sure, sounds good! Whatever you think!”. Of course I started my day with “calisthenics” as mother Jean calls them. Then Ashley + my mom picked me up to get a dress for Ashley (last minute, much? runs in the family) + vases for the flowers at our new favorite place, Walmart.

We didn’t have time for lunch so we had a quick bite at Walmart’s McDonalds. You’re all aghast. I know. In my defense, time + resources are very limited on Kauai!!!!! Sue me!!!! My mom is such a local, they didn’t have saimin (noodle soup unique to Hawaii) on the menu, but she asked + received.

Meanwhile, at the Anini house things were coming into effect.

Deb + Liz helped me do the flower arrangements, which turned out insanely gorgeous. Future brides, it helps to have artistically inclined in-laws.

Okay, you’re all going to kill me because I am a tease + I just now decided to make this post a two parter. I can’t even keep my eyes open with toothpicks right now, god help me. You are all going to have to wait + see my wedding attire tomorrow. Goodnight, sleep well everyone!!!!!! Check in tomorrow!!!

Sep 4

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Wait, what???

Yes, it is September 4th – the day of the wedding. You’re all thinking, “What is she doing posting on her blog on her wedding day? She’s crazy!!!”. That’s right!!!! CRAZY LIKE A FOX!!!!! I’m just going to post a bunch of pictures with short descriptions, cuz this sister is short on time if you know what I mean.

Our backyard

Me + my workout buddy Keiko

Matt the Gecko Whisperer

Jeff finally learning to relax

Rob + Kelly – so glamorous!!!!

LUAU!!!!!!

First meeting of the mothers – how cute is that????!!!!!

Will post later!!!! Running off to do more errands!!!! Yes! Errands on my wedding day because that’s the kind of bride I am!!!!! Love you all!!! Wish me luck!!!!!

Sep 2

Paradise

Man was I exhausted after a fitful night’s sleep. Nevertheless I powered through a run. Ashley walked over + we all made our way into Kapa’a for breakfast. Kountry Kitchen was on my mind y’all. Ashley had a fluffy macadamia nut pancake the size of her head.

After breakfast Jeff + I headed to pick up his family. Ashley decided to go on her own today because yesterdays festivities were a little too much for her sensibilities. We asked if she wanted us to drop her off a little more into town, but she was so ready to get rid of us, so she was like, “Sayonara, bitches!!!!”

The menfolk went with Jean + the children to do what Jean + children do. Jeff + I + the ladies all braved a mass Costco trip to fill up the house with enough food for 18 people. No, that wasn’t a typo. Here are the Canadians freaking out about the cheap plentiful supply of booze. You can only buy alcohol at government run liquor stores + it’s usually twice as expensive. Sad, right?

We had 3 full carts of food. Since I come from a small, insular Japanese family, it was all a little overwhelming, considering Costco gives me hives in the first place. He told me to take off for a bit + do errands. I had to go to Home Depot to clear my head. Aaaaaah. Sanctuary.

Daphne, Kelly + Deb in the grocery filled car. The booze total came out to $375. I freaked out, but the Canadians were ecstatic.

Next stop, renting paddle boards. Kelly + Deb ran across the street to get smaller item groceries while Daphne + Jeff were strapping the boards to the roof. Look at me in the front seat dejected. I think all the residual stress from the storage unit fiasco has worn me out. But I’m soooooooo happy that Jeff’s family is here now because they are helping distribute Jeff’s intensity. I’m passing the torch. Put a knife in me. I’m done.

We got to the gargantuan house at dusk. Kelly is the maestro of the kitchen + we were all her assistants.

Da kids.

Dinner was awesome!!!! Got to go!!! Wedding stuff to do! More later!!! Aaaaaah!!! Getting stink eye from Jeff!!!!!

Sep 1

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Getting Real

This morning Ashley walked the 1.7 miles to our place. She + I found an article in Women’s Fitness called, “No gym? No problem!”. It was a circuit of various timed exercises with as many reps as physically possible. It was hardcore. We were in the zone in our zen garden yelling, “YOU CAN DO IT!!! GOOD JOB!!!! 10 MORE!!!!!”. We were pouring with sweat! After, we did Billy Blank’s ab bootcamp. For any of you ladies who hate doing abs – this is the video for you, sister!!! Billy is your buddy + the best motivator ever!!!! Feel the burn!!!!

Today was marriage license day!!!! We went to Pono Market. A local plate lunch spot where you can eat + get a marriage license!!! Our marriage license agent was also Pono’s barista!!! So, when we were filling out our application, every once in a while he had to excuse himself to make a cappuccino.

We even got a bumper sticker!!! Da kine!!!!! And they took a picture of us to put on their wall.

Afterwards we were all famished!!! Pono Market has the best plate lunches evah, brah!!!! Plate lunches are typically two scoops of rice, a main entree + sides, like kalua pork, lau lau pork, nishime, seaweed salad, poke, etc. Poke is cubed raw sashimi, onion, soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce – omg. Where else can you get a marriage license + eat after?! Here’s Ashley salivating over the choices.

We had some fun window shopping around Kapa’a. Jeff was his overheated polar bear self, so he had to take a dip at Lydgate Park. Lydgate Park has an enclosed + protected pool where kids can swim + snorkel.

After, we headed south towards Lihue to do more wedding errands. My poor sister. Jeff + I are running her into the ground. She has had it, y’all. O-V-E-R IT. While we were all driving down the country highway, Jeff + I were making up stories about all the people we were driving by – but in Jamaican accents. Sometimes it would morph into an Irish accent.

This was going on for about 20 minutes. Ashley was pretending to be asleep + finally she burst out, “Okay!!! Enough!!!! Enough with the Jamaican accent, you two!! I was wondering when it was going to end + it didn’t!!!!”. Sneaky.

We did some pick ups at Wal Mart + scurried to Lihue airport with leis + kukui nut necklaces in hand to greet 3/4 of Jeff’s family.

Step-brother Rob, Mac + Aidan

Kelly!!!! She was so tired from being up for 48hrs that she thought I was a random Hawaiian girl handing out leis.

Jeff’s sister Daphne.

Kelly, me, Daphne + Jeff.

Me, Jeff’s niece Ambur, Jeff’s mother Jean + Jeff

We headed towards their hotel where Jeff’s brother Tom, Deb, Tobin + Matthew had already arrived.

Jeff is giving kukui nut necklaces to a reluctantly shy but excited Tobin (with Jeff’s brother Tom in the background) + a happy Matt.

Dinner was 11 hungry scavengers stalking tables at Monico’s Taqueria in Wailua. I told the kids to linger by the door + rub their bellies with sad, hungry looks on their faces. It was well worth the wait!!! Everyone was super happy with their meals – I had their famous fish tacos, which were insaaaaaane!!!! I would go back tomorrow!!! Same with Mermaids Cafe, BTW. Check out this family!!!!! And this is only 3/4 of us!!!

Soon we shall conquer the world…..soon.

Aug 31

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Canmore-Vancouver-Lihue

Yiiiiiikes. So sorry for the lapse in blogging. I’m so exhausted. Yiiiikes.

SATURDAY 8/27/11 – CANMORE TO VANCOUVER

We packed for Vancouver. I don’t know how we got everything into Jeff’s Toyota Matrix.

He wanted us to be on the road at 9am. Fat chance!!!! I packed up + cleaned the entire cabin while Jeff was running around town doing last minute errands. I actually fell asleep on the couch which is something I never do. The car was so packed that there was no space left in it. Not even 1/2 an inch. I was surrounded by stuff all around me so that I had to sit with my knees propped up against my chest.

I don’t know if you can tell, but that coche is full, homies.

It took us FOREVER to get out of town because we would run into people Jeff knew. His other Native name is Short-Story-Long. That’s because he can go onandonandonandonandonandonandon. I would gaze absently off into the distance when he would tell stories which was nice because it gave my brain a bit of a break. Here is me with my Native future “sister-in-law” Dolly standing next to the stuffed car.

We didn’t drive out of Canmore until 6:30pm!!!! Here is a beautiful view of the mountains that gave me some relief.

The drive was excruciating. Repeat. Excruciating. We were both so tired. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. What freaked me out even more was the fact that Jeff was probably worse off, + he was the driver. We sang very loud renditions of the Grateful Dead + Flight of the Concords to keep ourselves awake. Here’s Jeff happily singing along to, the Grateful Dead’s, “Box of Rain”. Thank God he’s such a happy-go-lucky person. We balance each other out, if you know what I mean. When the road became dark + desolate, that was when it got really bad.

I didn’t want to perish in a car crash before I was about to get married, so we took an hour + a half nap at a rest stop + kept on keeping on. We didn’t get to Jeff’s brother Tom’s house until 6am.

We got up at 10am + I was SO relieved to see Deb, Tom + Jeff’s nephews Matt + Tobin. I was like, “SAVE ME!!!!!”! After breakfast we did a bunch of Vancouver related errands + oh, guess what??? Went to Jeff’s storage unit!!!! Sigh. I was about to give up. But the great thing is, Jeff is ready to get rid of things because he’s seen how all of his possessions are weighing my spirit down. I’m really happy about that.

That night, Deb made dinner for us + our fellow interracial couple friends Steve, Liz + their cutie 1/4 Japanese girls Keiko + Hana. Deb is awesome like that. Deb is my savior. Here is Keiko + Hana. Hana makes the most adorable scrunchy smiles!!!!

At this point, we hadn’t even started packing for Hawaii!!! We completely took over Tom + Deb’s entire garage floor + spread out. It was like blind people packing because we were so out of our minds. I had to keep Jeff in check to not pack so much. Especially to leave behind his Blundstones. Hello!!!! We’re going to the tropics!!! GAAAAHHH!!!!

SUNDAY 8/28/11 – VANCOUVER TO LIHUE

I passed out once hitting the bed. I was woken by bright lights at 3am, a good morning kiss + a, “you’ve got 15min to shower before the cab gets here.” EXCUUUUUSE ME!!!!!???? Nevertheless, I managed to pull myself together in that amount of time to get to YVR.

The customs agent asked Jeff, “So, where’s Magnum headed to today?” and Jeff replied, “Ironically enough, Hawaii.” How hilarious is that????!!!

Check out #10 on our customs forms!!!! Can you believe it!!!!???

Jeff + I right before touchdown to Lihue, Kaua’i

When we got off the plane, Jeff was still in film set mode. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s: walking fast, talking fast, demanding things to be done fast…you get the picture. I kept telling him, “Hey, mon. We on island time, mon. You need to chiiiiill, mon.” Man, was he uptight. Luckily, my sister Ashley arrived 10 min after us from a flight from Los Angeles. We got our rental car + where did we head to first???? The thrift stores of course!!!!

After visiting multiple Lihue thrift stores, we headed to Costco. Another shocker there. I see a pattern…..

After Costco we drove north towards the east coast to Wailua + Kapa’a.

Me looking a little gnarly at Opaeka’a Falls

View of Wailua River

Dinner at Mermaids Cafe on Kuhio Hwy. Famous for their Nori Ahi wraps. Ono!!! For you haoles that’s pidgin for good!!! The guy in the kitchen that looked like a Kelly Slater brah (10 time ASP World Champ) asked if we were locals. Jeff was so psyched. He loves street cred.

Kelly Slater, bruddah.

Jeff + I are staying in an amazing vacation rental in a residential area of Wailua which is a guest house with it’s own private entry. Their garden is extensive + our room is fully stocked up with a flat screen, dvds, kitchen supplies, etc. Our host Carol Yasutake has been on the island since the ’70s.

MONDAY 8/30/11 – LIHUE DAY 2

Jeff posing in Carol’s beautiful garden. This is what we look at from our bed. Paradise!!!!

After my run + getting our wits together Jeff, Ashley + I headed out on our errands. First we stopped by the Kapa’a music shop.

Lunch at Papaya’s Natural Foods. Da bomb natural health food store with salad bar, juices, smoothies + some hot items. When the guy handed me Jeff’s fish taco, he said, “Have a blessed day.” Ok yeah, we’re in Kaua’i.

Hippie lunch!!!!

If you want cheap gifts, t-shirts + towels, don’t go to ABC store. Go to Waipouli Variety. Cheaper.

Super cute picture of Ashley. I’m so lucky my sister is here on the island early with us. She has been my secretary + research assistant. I think she is a little scared of Jeff + I because we are so neurotic + intense. She keeps saying to us, “Man, you guys have to relax!!!!”. Because she’s actually pretty neurotic herself. Not a good sign.

Ho’omana Thrift Store. Don’t judge!!! We like to thrift, ok?!

Unavoidably, we all walked into Wal Mart for the first time in our lives. What can I say, y’all!!!??? I needed to get some things for the wedding + there was nowhere else to go!!!!

Dinner was Duane’s Ono-Char Burger. It’s been around for 3 decades. You all know that burgers + onion rings are on the bride’s diet list, right?! Heck, yes!

After you pick up your order, drive south of Duane’s to eat at Anahola beach. Otherwise you’ll be eating at Duane’s sad picnic tables with tourists, surrounded by stalker chickens + roosters. Anahola beach is pretty local, but since Jeff was with two Japanese girls, we were cool.

After burger consuming, we headed to the North Shore to spy on our wedding rental home on Anini Beach!!!! It’s GORGEOUS!!!! I didn’t take a picture of the house because the current renters were hanging out on the porch + I didn’t want to be creepy. But here’s a tiny preview of the beach!!!! More to come!!!! Stay tuned!!! I miss everyone!!!

Aug 27

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Maxed Out

Hey! I have to make this post super short. We’re packing up the cabin + need to make it on the road to Vancouver today in the next couple hours! Gear up for the next 10 hours of road!!!

Yesterday basically sucked a bunch of sour grapes. I knew it was going to be a gnarly day. I didn’t even put on my turquoise, y’all!!!! Here’s the very full Budget van hauling ass to Exshaw.

If you cosmopolitan folk don’t know what a 40 ft storage container looks like, this is a big leviathan. And this is what we filled yesterday.

Here’s me revealing the full van, biting my knuckles off. Stop looking at my ankle socks!!!! I had no choice!

We lifted, hauled, pushed + cursed. If I needed to remind all of you, thank god I’m so buff. But look! Pretty!!!!

Poor Jeff is so tired + is working so hardcore. Here he is laid out on the liftgate after hitting his head. Note to anyone making a big move, some words of wisdom – YOU MUST GET A TRUCK WITH A LIFTGATE. I cannot stress that enough.

We drove back to Canmore for our second load + Jeff nearly burst a blood vessel because he realized we forgot the keys to the storage garage. He had a solution. This is how Canadians remove locks. Take an ax to it, Canuck!!!! Get ANGRY!!!!

All my costumer friends, I know it pains you to look at this next picture. You’ll be even more sad for me when I tell you that during the ride, two of the racks fell over. Jeff was raging because it knocked over his stupid Jesse James looking bike cruiser with the flames on it. I was OVER IT!!!! Go ride that ugly bike in Long Beach!!!!

Anyways, these pictures do not convey the pain + torture + sweat that we endured. We cleaned out: 1) the storage garage 2) the box storage 3) Peter + Dolly’s garage + 4) Roger’s garage. Yeah, uh-huh. That’s right. 4 locations.

At least he can still smile!

As for me, notsomuch.

Yes, we filled an ENTIRE 40 FT STORAGE CONTAINER.

This picture is blurry because I couldn’t see straight anymore.

At 9:30 I pre-wrapped myself because I couldn’t take it anymore. We were looking at things left behind in the storage garage in the pitch dark with one flashlight. Jeff still had to pick up things from a coworker + drop things off at Peter + Dolly. I was like, “Yo, I’m out.”. But, we found this old picture of lanky young Jeff + I felt slightly better. Juuuust slightly. Pictures like this remind me of things that I love about Jeff.

Wish me luck today. I will need it.

Aug 26

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Overload

Tonight’s post may be short but full of pictures because I’m that exhausted.

Not half as exhausted as Jeff is I’m sure. Tuesday morning Jeff came home from work at 5am. I went to the gym, picked us up breakfast + he was up at 8:30am. I really don’t know how he does it. I consider myself a relatively hyper-active person, but he takes the cake. He’s off his rocker.

First off, we were off to research our alternative storage options to consolidate all of Jeff’s stuff, (things, tchotchkes, memories, whathaveyou). First, we checked out some transport trailers out in Exshaw which is 15 min from Canmore. Keith owns an excavating yard + has a huge, sweet shop that he sometimes rents out to films when they’re in town. Savvy!!!! He also suggested for us to rent out a 40ft storage container – love it.

We thanked him + then made our way to Calgary to check out where more trailers go to die.

Jim showed us multiple trailers to rent +/or buy off of him. He was honest + forthright about the complications about owning a trailer, driving it to Vancouver, all the permits you would need, etc. At this point it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. I asked Jeff, “Why are you so hell bent on buying a trailer?” His response was, “All boys dream of owning their own transport trailer!”. Ah, men. This is a prime example of why women exist. We decided on renting the storage container from Keith. Here’s Jeff making deals over the phone – because that’s what he does.

After we talked to Keith to solidify the container, we ran an enormous amount of errands. Jeff renewed our membership at Costco to get ready for Hawaii.

Those of you who are nearest + dearest to me know it is the kiss of death to go into a Costco with Jeff. It’s like Cesar’s Palace for him + he would never know how long he’d been in there for. After was a lovely lunch at Ikea.

And then to some random hunting store.

I didn’t know that Barbie + Hannah Montana made fishing poles. Did you?

At the end of the day Jeff dragged me to the set of “Hell on Wheels” where he had unfinished notes to work on in his book. They were still shooting, but thankfully + mercifully his awesome team let him wrap out early because we had so much to do. As most of you know, set is the last place I want to be. But, Jeff loves it + is always so happy + excited to introduce me to everyone. Here he is with his amazing costume team. My dear friend Heather is at Jeff’s top left. I met Heather on Inception + she was the first person I confessed to about my feelings for Jeff. We’ve kept in touch but it was the first time I’ve seen her since then, so it was an emotional reunion.

I took a picture of Jeff with Common, but I’m not allowed to show him in costume due to confidentiality agreements which I think are ridiculous. Common + Jeff were having such a bromance right before my eyes + it was so cute that I had to have a Jeff/Common hug sandwich. All the crew + actors that I met were so genuinely nice + it was so great to hear them all say such nice things about Jeff. I think the show is going to blessed because of all the blood, sweat + tears the cast + crew have invested in this show. We didn’t get home until 1am. The long drive to Canmore was really difficult, I’m not gonna lie.

Today we kicked ass. It’s because Jeff put on his “Hell on Wheels” crew tshirt. We did a round to the thrift store which is my favorite thing to do because that means we’re getting rid of his enormous amount of stuff. After that, we went to check on Jeff’s old Chrysler + his old buddy Ed who lives near by came to say hello. This was definitely the highlight of my day. Check out his sweet ride that he brought back from the dead:

This is Eddie. How amazing is he????!!!! If you think I’m going to make fun of his fashion, well you’re wrong!!!! Eddie is legit. He is the real deal + he’s not going to apologize to anyone for it!!!!

Look at his beautiful lion’s mane being tousled by the wind.

Jeff rented a cube van from my favorite Budget rent a car. We loaded 3/4 of his massive garage into this van. Here are the proud first boxes into the cube van:

This is Jeff in his cube van visionary pose.

We loaded that thing 3/4 full. Seriously, thank god I’m freakishly strong. Then we went to his second storage space + loaded the rest of the van. I’ll post a pic of the cube van bursting at the seams later because we were both so tired + cranky at 10:30pm to really do much of anything. Today we will be loading the stuff into the storage container + going back to do another load. As Jeff said, “It’s a good thing I got the ring on your finger before we started tackling this.” Well played, my good sir. Well played.

Aug 23

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Mountains + Lakes. Lakes + Mountains.

Another slow start for the day. Jeff did not get home from work last night until 3:30am. Considering how little sleep he gets + how long his commute is, I couldn’t sleep until he was home because I was too worried about his well being.

I managed to get in a run this morning. Here are the views I get to enjoy of Canmore while I run.

The famous Three Sisters

After showering, making lunch + cleaning up, I didn’t get on the road until 1:30pm. EEEEK!!!! At first, I was going to head to Lake Louise + decide from there where I was going to wander. But, considering that Lake Louise is, “one of the most photographed lakes in the Canadian Rockies”, I decided to bet on another route first. Jeff suggested I visit Moraine Lake.

XM radio + I decided we were going to be friends again after the unsettling Lady Gaga experience. Whitesnake’s, “Here I Go Again” came on, + it was rock out central in my car. There’s nothing like driving down a stretch of alpine wilderness + rocking out to a hair band that spells out road trip. There was also a lot of Foo Fighters playing + I must admit, Dave Grohl is my rock n’ roll crush.

Um, hi.

And the Boss

I arrived at Lake Moraine + it was chock full of tourists.

I approached the lake + there was this dude with a pipe + an Indiana Jones style hat standing thigh deep in the lake. I was like, “what the heck is going on here???”

I was going to go up to them + ask, “what are you guys shooting? is this for an album cover? is it for a magazine???” And then I realized I actually didn’t care enough to ask, so I went along my merry way.

I clambered up the side of what is known as, “Moraine Lake Rockpile”. When I got to the top, there were enormous amounts of tourists, so I went back down whence I came from + had lunch on an outcropping of rock that I knew tourists would be too scared to come down.

This is when I heard a woman screaming to her husband from down below, “Dan!!! Dan!!! Look!!! Someone just got on top of one of those new things!!! A paddle board!!!!!”. Snicker.

Another view from where I was sitting.

I wanted to hike down to Lower Consolation Lake + I came across this sign:

Foiled again!!! If you’ve been wondering to yourself, “Shelli is such an avid hiker, I wonder why she hasn’t been going out into the hills more often?”. You want to know why? It’s because when I look into the hills, all I see looking back at me is this:

Anyone who knows me well enough is fully aware of the fact that I am tragically + deathly afraid of being mauled by a bear. I take no chances. I’ve been known to backpack in Wyoming clanging pots + pans + screaming “the star spangled banner” at the top of my lungs for the entire trip.

Thus, I decided to take the leisurely stroll along Moraine Lake. I stopped upon a log in the lake for another snack. It was so beautiful that I almost started crying if it wasn’t for the annoyingly loud group of Brits behind me talking about how expensive a glass of wine was at the lodge. I’m like, my god if you really want to talk this much, why don’t you all go meet at Starbucks?! So annoying!!!

It was time to head back. At this point I was reconsidering going to Lake Louise. But I thought to myself, “Self, this is one of the most famous landmarks in the Canadian Rockies.” So, I ventured out. Yikes. It was like Alpine Disneyland. There were so many tourists. My hunches were correct. Lake Louise was originally named Emerald Lake. I can imagine how pristine + gorgeous it was pre-tourism.

Do you like how I cropped it + timed the desolation of the lake like a travel brochure??? Because this is how it really looked like:

AAAAAHHHH!!!! I high tailed it out there as fast as I could! Canoe locusts!!! Been there, done that!!! Until tomorrow!!!

Aug 22

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The Big Score

Hey all!!!! One week from today, Jeff + I will be in Hawaii!!!!!

Yesterday was another day of editing the storage garage. It was not as harrowing as the day before. We were in a groove. We were making progress. Look at our happy faces. GO TEAM, GO!!!!! We shall laugh in the face of adversity!!!!

I look like a midget for sure in this pic.

Look at the lame smile on my face in this pic. I’m one of the least photogenic people you’ll ever meet. Just ask my dad. As a cameraman, my dad has wasted years of his life trying to get a good picture of me at family functions. My mom is one of the top 5 photogenic people on the planet. I’m trying to emulate her charming smile but it’s clearly not working.

Example: here is the master at work. Effortless.

Jeff really has some gems in that garage. I’m actually getting excited about the idea of trying to swindle the Japanese market into buying all of his Americana at top dollar, y’all. I’m all about the greenbacks.

Jeff + Pee Wee.

I scored big time yesterday. Big time. It is my compensation for all the pain + suffering Jeff is putting me through. Oh, and I just would like to say to all my costumer sisters + brothers out there that thank god I’m a costumer, because Jeff + I were that more efficient, because it what we do at work. I was bagging, tagging, sorting, taping boxes + lifting. You 705 folks know what I’m talking about! Represent!!! And thank god I lift weights.

Score #1, #2, #3

Score #4

Score #5

Score #6

Score #7

And this is for you ladies!!!!

Score #8! A picture of Jeff with John Hamm!!! HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!! Hotties time 2!!!!

So after working for 6 1/2 hours with a 20 min lunch break Jeff + I headed over to Karen + Kyle’s for a bbq. Yaaaaaay!!!! SAVE ME!!!!! Here’s Rudy the rudester the king of all canines.

This is Karen + Jeff. Look at all the turquoise on Karen!!! A woman after my own heart!!! Isn’t she beautiful?! Canadian ladies, I tell ya. Natural beauties.

I went inside to say hi to Juna + her friend Zoey. I was promptly sushed because it was nap time for the babies. Geez, ladies!!! Point taken!!!

This is how Canadians play with kids:

This is what they transport kids in. Take that, Los Angeles moms!!!!

The menfolk playing with the babies. As it should be. Look at the decor in the house!!! Karen has an amazing eye + is a self taught interior decorator. Her style is a mix of modern + ethnic with mid century pieces thrown in. This house should be featured in an interior mag!!! Stat!!!!

Here’s Kyle at the grill. Canadians know how to party!!! Look at all that meat! Look at Jeff’s face. Definition of anticipation.

Speaking of party, we all sat in the backyard + enjoyed some wine + spirits. All in all, good times were had. That’s why this morning was slooooow going. Jeff dropped me off at Budget rent a car. Remember my hooting + hollering about being compensated? Well, guess what?! They gave me the same mini SUV from Friday at a discounted rate of….wait for it…wait for it….$29.99 a day!!!!!! That’s right!!!! I was really appreciative. Even the girl who was helping me was shocked at my discount. That’s how I roll!!!!!!

So, what happens when I’m not feeling so hot? Yes, folks it’s Banff time. Check out my parallel parking skillz:

Uh oh. It’s another Alberta fashion bomb:

Had lunch at the park + read an interview about Rihanna. Very life changing. Did I go to the Banff Indian Trading Post again, you ask??? Need you ask???!!! Drool.

I also visited the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. http://www.whyte.org/ It is a well curated museum of Bow Valley history + art. I’m a little obsessed with Norman Luxton. He was known as “Mr. Banff”. Mr. Luxton was a newspaper publisher, philanthropist, outdoor enthusiast + friend to the Stoney Nakoda natives. He is also credited with putting Banff on the map as a tourist destination. Another important note: Luxton founded the Trading Post + the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum. If you regard this photo, you’ll understand my love for Norman Luxton.

The current exhibition is “Women Adventurers in the Rockies”. I was very inspired + wish I had learned to alpine climb, shoot + fish at a young age. This amazing buckskin was worn by Mary Schaffer Warren – an artist, photographer + explorer. I thought it was very unique in it’s turn of the century detail + I would definitely like to replicate it one day.

Bye for now!!!

Aug 20

1 Comment

Touch + Go

Today was a little touch + go, I’m not going to lie, y’all. Jeff + I had a late start today. I was famished, so we headed out for our day. Jeff decided to wear this great all brown outfit, so of course I made him pose in the woods.

But first Jeff swung by ANOTHER ONE OF HIS STORAGE SPACES. Look at the shame on his face. Poor guy.

But, that was for another day to tackle. We had bigger fish to fry today!!!!

We had breakfast at”La Belle Patate”. It is in the industrial district in Canmore + I actually had read about it on Yelp. Yelp rules! http://labellepatate.com/

They specialize in quebecois style food – smoked meats, poutine, etc. For those of you Americans who aren’t familiar with poutine, you are missing out – it is a is a dish of french fries, fresh cheese curds, with brown gravy. It was all to die for!!! And the owner of the shop was the nicest guy!!! Here is Jeff’s smoked meat sub + the poutine. It’s interesting, because the meat in the sub is cubed + they typically douse it with yellow mustard + lots of pickles. I didn’t take a picture of my veggie sub because it was just grilled veggies + cheese. But nevertheless delicieux mes amis!!!!!!!! My complements to the chef!!!

Alright, after we ate, we headed toward the dreaded garage storage space that I had featured in a previous post. We went through all of the racks of clothing + every once in a while Jeff would get cross at me + I would reply, “You’re acting as if I’m the enemy!!!! I’m only here to help you!!!!!”. It totally felt like an episode of Hoarders. Psychology 101. In between we managed to have some fun:

Disregard the tan lines + the scary slip on shoes – I’ve tried to get rid of them, believe me.

Oh yeah, you all know this jacket is going home with me!!!! Score!!!

So HANDSOME!!!!

We got rid of 9 bags of clothing!!!! The back of Jeff’s car was filled. Deb, aren’t you proud?!

When we went to the thrift store to drop everything off, Jeff insisted on going in to shop! What a junkie!!! A JUNKIE!!!! HELP ME, LORD!!!!!!

This is when things started to go south. We went back to the storage garage. I think we were both tired because almost every item became a fight + I became very frustrated. We decided to pick things up again tomorrow. I was very depressed, overwhelmed + dejected about the whole thing. We were supposed to have a romantic dinner at Crazy Weed, but I couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm to go tonight, so we postponed. Emotionally bankrupt, as they say. Jeff is so sweet + noticed my sad mood, so he insisted we take a walk along Policeman’s Creek. I did feel better afterwards. He definitely knows how to cheer up my moods.

Here is a picture of me posing next to the sculpture titled, “Big Head”. Canmore is named after a town on the northwest shores of Scotland named in honor of King Malcolm III of Canmore. The anglicized version of the Gaelic Ceann Mór, Canmore has been variously translated as “big head” or, more likely, “great head” or “chief”. Can you see the strained enthusiasm in my face???

So we are having a quiet night tonight of staying in + ordering pizza. Tomorrow we will start out early + work on the cavernous garage again. I’m so proud of Jeff for really tackling this daunting project because I know it’s been a real burden for many years!!!!! GO TEAM!!!!

Aug 19

Canadian Icefields Parkway, pt. deux

Before I embark on the details of another one of my ridiculous days, let me shed some light onto my lack of sleep for the past week.

1) Jeff is a giant + his mattress is a double

2) He tosses + turns in his sleep. When most people turn over in their sleep it’s like a roll. When Jeff does it’s like a violent flopping as if someone is getting electric shock treatment, or a fish flopping around when it’s gasping for air. I have a queen Tempurpedic in Little Tokyo + I highly recommend it for people with partners that are restless sleepers because the movements of the other person will not wake you up

3) Jeff might be part polar bear because he is one of the most heat intolerant human beings. When he’s in Los Angeles he’s constantly over heating. Therefore, even though Canmore is in the Rockies + is super cold for me, he insists on the ceiling fan to be on + a really, really noisy desk fan to be on during night + the noise makes me locaaaaaaa!!!!!!

4) In the cabin where Jeff is staying in there is a sleeping loft. To reach the loft there is a beautiful old library ladder. Beautiful, yet deadly!!! Being a lady who ferquently visits the bathroom at night it’s quite a commitment to clamber down + up those rungs in the pitch dark while half asleep!!!

Okay, let’s continue. If you all remember my adversity with Budget rent-a-car yesterday, they told me to be at the Canmore office at 9am this morning to figure things out. Well, no one was there!!!!! AAAAAARRRR!!! I called the phone number + the manager of the Canmore + Banff office John answered. He told me no one was coming to the Canmore office today. When I asked what kind of battery my key took, he said he didn’t know that information + it would be best for me to come to the Banff location + switch out cars. “OH HELL TO THE NO!!!!”

After waiting at the Banff office while John was on the phone, I sat there at the counter + said loudly, “You guys need more staff!!!” while another woman who was waiting nodded at me emphatically. When John got off the phone I was pissed + ready to fight!!!! Whenever he said anything I replied, “WELL I WASTED HALF A DAY YESTERDAY + I WANTED TO BE ON THE ROAD TODAY AT 6:30AM TO GET TO THE GLACIERS!!!! I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD GIVE ME TWO DAYS TO MAKE UP FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE!!!!”. John told me he could “possibly work something out” + I replied, “WELL I WASTED HALF A DAY YESTERDAY + I WANTED TO BE ON THE ROAD TODAY AT 6:30AM TO GET TO THE GLACIERS!!!! I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD GIVE ME TWO DAYS TO MAKE UP FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE!!!!”. We looked at the contract, decided to switch out cars + then he asked me to top off the gas tank in the fiesta. “OH HELL TO THE NO PART TWO!!!!!” They should have comped me the 1/4 tank!!! For future tourist information, Banff gas stations are the worst + there’s always people driving huge RV’s that shouldn’t be + it’s basically a pain. After I filled up the gas tank + went back to Budget, John was helping the emphatically nodding woman. Seems she had a bit of problems that she wanted cleared up too. As I sat + waited while he dealt with her problem, his assistant was running around while helping a kiwi couple, while 2 other couples were standing around + the phone was ringing off the hook. I was observing all of this + was starting to feel very badly for them. When it was my turn I said to John, “I don’t understand why you don’t have more staff + now I understand why no one ever returned my calls”. He told me that he’s urged with corporate to give him another person – even if it’s to wash + park cars. Poor guy!!! They’re running around between 3 locations, washing cars, maintaining them while doing contracts in an insanely high tourist traffic area!!! Blasphemy!!! This whole time John never let his cool down + always maintained a smile. I told him I was going to call corporate + tell them that they have a good group of people working for them in a highly tourist area that is majorly understaffed + are completely swamped. And I apologized for being so mad in the beginning of our relationship. Down with corporate!!!! Towards the end we were BFFS, + he said he was going to try + get me a major discount on a car for Monday + Tuesday.

So, at this point I was amped + was like, “WOOOOOO!!! NOW I’M ON A ROAD TRIP!!!!” So I got overzealous + went to a convenient store + bought a Slim Jim type thing + some gummy bears. I can’t even tell you the last time I’ve eaten a Slim Jim!!! Due to my lack of sleep I was detoured off the road + when I saw a sign that said “Welcome to British Columbia” I had been going the wr0ng way!!! I turned around + as I was driving, I started to trip out due to lack of sleep. My excitement of XM Radio diminished when I heard Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” + started getting dizzy watching the endless rows of trees. I turned off the radio + got to Saskatchewan River Crossing. It’s the last place you can get gas at before the long haul. There were creepy tourists, tour buses, disgusting $3.16 coffee + thus, I decided to just head back towards Canmore because I thought it was too dangerous to keep going. This is where I stopped + took an hour nap.

Yes, everyone I went to the Icefields to take a nap. Pathetic. I woke up because my stomach was starting to hurt becaue of the Slim Jim. I headed d0wn to Peyto Lake.

Note to future travelers: if you’re not used to eating Slim Jims – don’t do it!!!!! Those are my words of wisdom for the day. The End.

Aug 18

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Canadian Icefields Parkway, Pt. 1

I’m calling this Part 1 as you will find out later in this episode.

I embarked on my journey to the Canadian Icefields Parkway today. It is a stretch of highway between Lake Louise + Jasper National Park of craggy mountain ranges + valley glaciers, which is about a 3 hour drive north west of Canmore. My goal today was to go on a Columbia Icefield tour, where they have one of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle.

I took the smaller, more scenic 1A route towards the glaciers. This was my view from the road.

Not even 1/4 into my journey, my rental vehicle gave a warning saying my battery was low on my key + needs replacement. My rental car doesn’t have a traditional key. It has a battery operated key – to start my car I press on the brake, make sure the car is in park + press a button on the car to start it. Well, I ignored the warning, thinking I’d get to Lake Louise + call Budget to figure it out. When I got to Lake Louise, I called the Canmore Budget office with no answer. I left them a message + also called the 1-800 number. They told me they couldn’t help me + referred me back to the Canmore office. So much for customer service!!! I was going to bust that key open myself + replace the battery, but I couldn’t get the thing open!!! I crossed my fingers + headed back on the road.

Here is Castle Mountain. If you notice the little blue speck in the field, it was this little old lady who hauled a lawn chair into the field. I think she was going to sit + paint the mountain range. How cool is that?

As the road became more remote + I lost cell reception, I started becoming really nervous. I’m sure there’s reserve battery energy in the key, but what if I got stuck in the glaciers??? I almost couldn’t enjoy the majestic beauty because I was so freaked out about this stupid battery operated key. What’s wrong with old school keys, I ask you?!?!

Finally, I reached the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (I kept wanting to call it Kumquat Lodge) at Bow Lake. I thought to myself, “Ah! Someone will be able to help me here, + then I can reach my destination with confidence!”. To my dismay the guy at the front desk was smug + unfriendly + said he didn’t want to go against the rental company’s policies when I asked him to help me bust open the key. He was very un-Canadian + square. I’m thinking he was American. So, I wandered with my tail between my legs to the back of the hotel + repeatedly tried to call stupid Budget from the pay phone. Those jerks STILL weren’t answering the phone!!! So I made my decision to have lunch at Bow Lake + head back south east towards home. I used to be much more adventurous. My fear is all due to the fact that I have read too many books about disasters that occured from the hand of mother nature.

Perfect Storm:

Into Thin Air:

Oh yeah, + let’s not forget this one

Here’s Bow Lake. The pictures do not do it any justice. The lake was bright turquoise blue!!! The color lends itself to the fact that when the glaciers melt, they grind sediment into the meltwater. The heavier sediment sinks to the bottom of the lake, while the lighter sediment (called rock flour) reflect the blue + green light. This photo was taken by a nice German.

Dejectedly, I headed back down to Canmore. South east of Bow Lake is Crow Foot Glacier. One of it’s “toes” has melted away from global warming.

On the way home when I was able to get cell service, I called Budget Canmore + STILL NO ANSWER + NO ONE HAD CALLED ME BACK. I tried the 1-800 number again + a gal helped me probably because I was so pissed. She transferred me to a very nice gentleman in Banff. I told him about how I had plans to go to the Athabasca Glacier + had to turn around. I felt I lost a day + NEEDED TO BE COMPENSATED!!! DOUBLE SNAP + A “Z” FORMATION, Y’ALL!!! Oh, I’m sorry I’m in Canada – “ZED” FORMATION, Y’ALL!!! I was mad as a hornet!!!! He is leaving a message with the manager of the Banff + Canmore offices + hopefully I’ll get a couple of free days of car use, considering tomorrow is my last day with the fiesta.

Oh, I made use of my time by wandering around the lakes of Banff. Vermillion Lakes: