Dear Diary...

Man...I am so ready for the fall/winter hibernation ritual that I have grown accustomed to...and enjoy quite a lot. The past 4 months have just flown by at rapid speed. Like those days at work when you have a ton of tasks to get done...you don't take breaks so that you can get it all done...before you know it, the work day is done. Wheeee! That is how my summer was...busy, busy, busy...now it's nearly November. We spent this past weekend on the other side of the Country...Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. What a beautiful time to be there...the amazing colours of the trees flowing into one another on the massive hills that plunge down into the rushing lake water...the same water that shoots over the Niagara Falls. I really do miss the vibrancy that fall can display. There are some trees out here that turn flourescent red or yellow...but in patches...it is still so incredibly green right now. In fact...I would venture to say that the world here is greener in fall/winter than it is in summer. Having the short but very sweet opportunity to be in the centre of all that beauty made me incredibly nostalgic for home. It was the warmth of those colours accompanied by having just had my parents stay with us for 5 fun and love filled days and then spending the weekend in Ontario with Clint's brothers and their families. The first daughter got married...it was a very special wedding. Just having all of the family time that was so positive and fun and loving...I get homesick. Family really is and always has felt like the number one important constant in my life. Who are we with out our family? I feel sadness in my heart for people who don't have the family unit that we all so deserve. I cringe when I hear friends say they "hate" their parents/mother/father/family. It makes me want to fix it...like as if I can say something to heal all wounds that brought them there. But I do believe strongly that everything can heal. When there is love...there is peace...even if you got to dig real deep getting cuts all along the way. In the end all that blood shed and heartache will be worth it. The intense love for my family and need/want to be nearer to them all can be so overwhelming to me. Like my heart is never at total rest when we are not together. Having my parents here made my heart feel so good. I have gotten so used to saying good-bye to them though...and that breaks my heart. It had been since Christmas that I last spent time with them. I just love them like crazy...and like I keep realizing...time goes by so fast. Life is pretty busy...so days slip by without notice at times. I don't want to look back and feel that I have lost precious time with precious people...I don't think anyone wants that regret. Well, I guess I just got to say...thank goodness for Skype!! ;op

55 days until 12/12/2012...12:12 even...oh my oh my! It will be my second champagne birthday in my lifetime. I am not turning 12 again...but it is my special day...and I am going to have a fun day. I can't wait! (I have no clue what I am doing..i might just spend the day chillaxing at home and the beach around a big fire.) Here's the past 18 days at 12:12...starting off October 1st on Clint's birthday to our regular routine, getting set up for studio tour, having my parents for the week to celebrate Thanksgiving and dad's b-day and then heading out to beautiful Niagara and hanging with Clint's family...it's been a good time. ;o) Now time to crawl into my cave and hibernate for a while...is that the water running? Bath time! hee hee