Yay for Sunny Days! Day 99

Today was kind of magical.

First of all, it was absolutely stunning outside. Maude and I took a long walk around Walthamstow and you could tell the warm weather was exciting her too-she ran the entire time. People literally stop in the street to smile or wave at her because she's just too cute. She looked up at me all confused when a young guy literally turned around to say hello to her as he passed us on the street ("Andra, why is he waving?").

Ava wore her "funky leggings" to Epping Forest today (she went on a "nature walk" with her friend and their family...how adorable is that?) The thing about Ava is that she really is just funky and can pull off any combo she comes up with (yesterday it was bright blue flowered leggings paired with a white and red flowered top and pink socks). It's "half term" here (like our March Break) but Ava has been waking up much to early in the mornings. Yesterday she hopped into my bed wayyy to early for my eyes to even think of opening, laid there for a minute and then asked, "why aren't you tickling my back?" I somehow found the energy to start rubbing her back, but couldn't seem to find the energy to actually speak. This prompted the question, "why aren't you saying anything?" (I get asked this question frequently in the mornings).

I'm getting off track- more about today. This morning I got so angry at myself when I walked passed the perfect picture without my camera on hand. There was a young girl standing at one of the fruit stalls on the high street. She was wearing a huge straw sun hat and sneakily eating a kiwi from the stall. There was something so striking about the whole scene, one of those rare moments where the imagery will stick with me for a while. Why don't I carry my camera with me everywhere? Who really knows. I've learnt my lesson though.

I met a friend for coffee today. I had casually glanced in the direction of the staircase near where we were sitting only to see a familiar face! Walking up the steps was a girl I went to high school with! Seeing her gave me the most bizarre feeling in the world. In a blog entry I wrote a while ago, I had wondered what it would be like to see a friend from Canada. Seeing a familiar face from Toronto today provoked exactly the mixture of feelings I thought it would. At first, this overwhelming feeling of relief rushed over me and, although we are really just acquaintances, I felt a sense of comfort. It was so strange, almost as if the bubble I have been living in had been popped. We both didn't know what to say at first until we both just blurted, "WHAT are you doing here??!!"

My decision to not wear a jacket out today proved to be a bit too optimistic (it got very cold when the sun went down-thank goodness for borrowed oversized woolly sweaters...and tea).

photography and pink cake, Day 96

I need start using my 35mm camera again, I realized that today. I miss the precise click sound of the shutter, not being able to wait to get the roll of film developed, the grain in the photos (my old photography teacher used to say he found grain in photos sexy...?). Stay tuned for some film shots coming soon!

I hope everyone had a day filled with lots of love! I (rather unfortunately) ate way to much pink heart shaped cake...

Cupcakes! Day 95

I’ve never liked Valentine's day simply because it is so commercial. I cringed passed card stores this whole week and swatted away the red balloons that seemed to be surrounding me wherever I went.

Despite my highly non-festive attitude I did feel like baking cupcakes today and a heart shaped cake for tomorrow. After discovering Lola’s Cupcakes, I’ve had a burst of culinary inspiration (and not to mention a new found obsession for cupcakes).


I’ve never been one for baking, or cooking for that matter. Things just always go wrong. And having a chef/baker like my sister around, I’ve never felt the need to whip anything up (isn’t that awful?). But next year when I begin to live on my own, my sister is not going to be nearby to make me some pancakes for breakfast and my mum isn't going to be whipping up some amazing dinner (nor will there be a Lola’s cupcake store anywhere near by…what am I going to do?). I’m just going to have to fend for myself…and make lots of cupcakes.

Day 90

Note to self: never go to any museums/galleries/anywhere that has the potential to be an educationally enriching experience on a Monday in London; these places just decide not to open on this particular day. Why Monday? Isn’t the day of rest on Sunday?

I was off to the poetry library this morning. It took me quite a while to get there as it’s located in South Bank (by far my favourite part of London, it always has been) but when I finally got there, it was closed! I was quite disappointed, only because I have heard that it is fantastic. I hopped back on the tube and made my way to Whitechapel Gallery to see Where Three Dreams Cross: 150 Years of Photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Rather annoyingly, the gallery was also closed. Ah well, I guess my educationally enriching adventures will have to be saved for another time.

As the days go by, I feel more and more disconnected from Toronto. London is now very familiar to me and feels comfortable; unlike the first month of being here, I now feel as if I somewhat belong. I was thinking today on the tube how I forget what it feels like to be on the TTC; I have trouble remembering what the map looks like, the sound of the voice announcing the next stop, the sounds of the train as it arrives in the station. I know that isn’t really a big deal, but it makes me feel a little lost not to remember those small things that were once so familiar. I think one of the most exciting things about returning home will be becoming re-acquainted with the comforts of Toronto (and not to mention all those faces of the ones I love). I am sure that when those once-familiar places, faces, scents, sounds surround me, it will be like I never left.
In the midst of a list-making frenzy today, I wrote down the top things that I would like to have done/accomplished by the time I leave England:

-Go to Greece
-EIFFEL TOWER!
-Learn how to use my digital camera (take a course!)
-Driver’s licence
-Get one of my photos up on a wall somewhere!!!!!

They all seem somewhat accomplishable?

Day 86

After I finished my small book of writing/photos a couple weeks ago, I went to get it photocopied so I could distribute some in the library and coffee shop, but almost gasped at the price to copy in colour! After deciding that I didn't want to go the cheaper route and photocopy it in black and white, and after failing to figure out how to photocopy it on the printer at Samantha's, my little book of musings ended up being tucked away in my closet. However, I may be in luck. A friend has told me I could use his photocopier that enables him to print out hundreds of pages for virtually no money (it all sounds a bit vague, I know). So hopefully my book of musings will actually get the chance to live somewhere other than the top shelf of my closet soon enough.

As well as that writing course I'm going to take, I'm thinking of going to a course at a photography resource centre in London to learn how to use my digital camera. I've been taking photos with just a basic understanding of the camera's functions, all the while knowing it has so many more wondrous things to offer me. It will be exciting to finally learn what those things are!

I hope everyone is well! xx