September Long Weekend Highlights!

You know, I really wanted to go away somewhere this long weekend. I had actually booked the first week of September off, in preparation for possibly going camping, or sailing, or...whatever really. Why? Because I ADORE September. I love transition months, when the seasons are changing. I love April for this reason as well, as the days are getting longer, and warmer with the promise of summer just around the corner. Fields of wildflowers mean a rebirth!

Late summer feels sensual to me....the golden light, the warm days of an indian summer, which we are often blessed with on the coast, are treats for my soul. I love nothing more than the changing colours, as the greens give way to reds, oranges, and browns. The summer is dying, but with it brings the promise of cozy nights by the fire, rain, clouds, sweaters....I love the seasons. Spring and Autumn both hold special places in my soul.

I wanted to spend the late days of summer with my husband, soaking up the last longer days of sunshine. But, we didn't book anything, we just didn't get on it. So, we spent this long weekend primarily at home, and it turned out to be a wonderful decision because the weekend ended up being perfect. Sure, we didn't sail away into any sunsets, but it felt just right. Aside from going to work today. Harrumph.

My weekend started on Friday, at noon. Fridays in my line of work, are often used for tying up loose ends. I had a very productive week, so I was not overloaded, and was able to shut down officially at lunch time. James had his bi-weekly flex day, so we headed downtown to celebrate the start of a long weekend with lunch at our favorite sushi establishment in Victoria, Ebizo. We had tuna tataki, salad, the Ricky roll, and a house special roll. Their sushi, for the record, is of the highest quality. I have never EVER had better tuna tataki. Get yourselves involved.

We then wandered back home, grabbed our blanket, our dog, and headed to the park to read in the sunshine. There really is nothing like relaxing on  Friday afternoon with your loved ones in the warm sun, on the last day of August. And a relaxing Friday is not complete without a cocktail, homemade BBQ'd burgers, and a movie or two {Pirates: Band of Misfits and Birdsong, for the record}.

This is a DELIGHTFUL combo. 

Saturday mornings are leisurely. James got up bright and early and headed out for coffee with just him and his novel, while I slept in a bit. I got up and decided to buy tickets to see The Shins here in Victoria, on September 23rd, at my FAVORITE venue, the Royal Theatre. We also bought tickets to Feast of Fields, which is coming up on September 16th. All in all, Saturday morning was a ticket buying extravaganza!

I had the pleasure of getting together with friends for lunch later that day, to celebrate my long time friend Carmel's birthday. Myself, Carmel and Julie met up at the Rebar for a healthy lunch {and maaaybe, a shared piece of the best chocolate cake EVER}, before we hit up some late afternoon rays and swimming at Thetis Lake. It was so nice to catch up with these two ladies, who I don't see more than a handful of times a year. We laughed a lot, and got caught up on each other's lives, and enjoyed the day. I bailed on nighttime festivities as I got my PERIOD (sorry, Blair), and was feeling equal parts crampy and blue about that fact.

So of course, our solution was to eat the best Chinese food in town {J&J's Wonton Noodle House}, and watch Warrior, which was SICK. In a good way. Tom Hardy is supa sexy. And the movie, which is about MMA fighting, is actually very well done - the acting, the plot, the way it was filmed, was superb. I'd totally recommend it.

Sunday morning we awoke bright and early and made our way downtown to meet up with Kristin and Danny to grab breakfast at Shine Cafe. I'd never been to the downtown one before, but have always loved the original location. Downtown did not disappoint as we had a great meal, and a fun time catching up with K& D.

James headed to the ferry straight after breakfast as he was going over to Saltspring to pick hops for our friends who own Saltspring Island Brewery. I wasn't in the mood to camp in a field with no bathroom, so it was a solo adventure. And that left me with the day to do as I pleased. So...what did I do?

Oh, you know. The usual. Bought my dog a hoodie and got my tarot cards read by a mystic named Lion.

Thug Life.

Wait, what? Yeah, I bought my dog a hoodie. Oh, you mean the mystic named Lion? Oh right, the witch doctor.

So, I was walking downtown, and I kept noticing signs for psychics and card readers and all that jazz. I was brought up to believe that one shouldn't....really do that. But then again, I've done all kinds of things my mom wouldn't be pleased with, so I thought, what's one more?

I found the experience to be...very weird. But not in a bad way. I paid $35 for a half session {whatever that means}, but he spent over an hour with me, perhaps because it was a slow day. "Lion" looked exactly like you would expect a male tarot card reader to look like. He was first of all, extremely friendly, and welcoming. He also had a long, wispy beard, and was dressed like a hippie. Go figure.

I'm not really too sure how tarot cards are supposed to work, so after I gave him my birthday, and he read some things about my sign from a book, I was a bit skeptical as I thought "I could read this from a book, or the internet, what do I need this guy for?"

And, for the first bit of the reading, I found myself mostly confused by his vague explanations of the cards I pulled, and all the stories he was telling...about himself, in relation to the cards. Ummmmm.....what? This isn't about YOU. It's about ME! But his big blue eyes, open wide, were expressive and engaging, and I found myself relaxing into the whole experience.

I mostly nodded, and said things like "mmmhmmm", but as we kept going, I started to ask more questions, and found that the cards were perhaps, more specifically related to me. I pulled The Lovers Card, The Empress, the Fool...all meaning, essentially, that I am a child of fate, but that I have surprises in store for me {I asked him about children, and he said he saw them for me, but perhaps not right away...dammit}. I pulled cards that meant I am good with money, will have an opportunity coming my way, and that I am currently happy with where I live. These were all good. The bad cards that I kept pulling were jealousy {not me, but someone close to me}, the nine of swords, and death. DUN DUN DUUUUNNNNNN. It's possible that someone I know will die next year, but that person won't be close to me. Spooky.

What I found interesting most of all, was that it wasn't "Anti-Christian", or "Devil Worship", like I was brought up to believe. It combined religions, pulling the themes together, and once again making you realize that so many of our formal religions are really just copies of each other. He referenced Jesus a lot, and Buddha too. But never once did I feel like he was a devil worshiper, or trying to summon some sort of dark spirit. It was light, love and being open to change within ourselves, and seeing the good in others. It was, in short, the type of spirituality I prescribe to more and more as I get older. I identify as being a Christian, but  I acknowledge the unity in all of our world's man made religions. We really are all striving for the same purpose, so why all the different labels? PONDER THAT, HOMEBOY. 

He also kept bringing up Pan, or the Devil card. He made it seem like it sort of "fell out" of the deck, but I *think* he purposely left it out. It's not meant to be evil in my case...it was meant to indicate LUST. And that I am going to be a naughty girl come the spring. He was talking a lot about tantric sex....was this a come on? I'm LOL'ing as I type this.

So...it all seems a bit ridiculous. And I am not silly enough to not acknowledge that any one of these cards can pertain to any person and whatever situation they are going through or seeking answers for. It was all extremely unspecific, which perhaps is what it's supposed to be. However, what it DID do, was make me think a lot about my life, and in the end, it felt like a cheap therapy session. I walked away no more a believer than before, but I felt...lighter. It was $35 well spent, in my opinion. I probably won't do it again, but it was fun. I'd recommend seeing Lion in the Market Square hippie, crystal selling store if you are curious.

After my soiree with the dark arts, I wandered home through sunny downtown, listening to my audiobook, but not really listening at all. I was reflecting more on what was said, and what the cards could mean for me. I laughed a little at myself, and decided that I am not a child of fate, I make things happen, and that's the way I have always been. As I had really gone in because I was feeling a bit blue about not being pregnant, I came to the conclusion that it will happen because we make it happen, not for any other reason. And if we don't make it happen? That's more than okay. Because travel is my other dream. And, well, I pulled that card. So, it must be true. Right?! But only if I make it happen. Which, generally, is what I do. Oh, and apparently I may have a slight tendency towards being neurotic, so I SUPPOSE I should stop taking so many pictures of myself. Nope, not gonna happen.

I spent the evening with Meliss and Andrew at their new place, and they served me a wonderful dinner, lots of laughs, and some television viewing with surround sound. I got to talk a lot about my date with the witch doctor, and we laughed and discussed all the possible meanings. It was hilarious to hash it out with my best friend, and also to acknowledge some of the truths that could be taken from the experience.

I came home to an empty house and bed, but settled in to snuggle with my favorite pooch in bed, with a movie {James hates to watch movies in bed}. I watched The Lucky One, with the delectable Zac Efron, who is growing uuuuuuuup. GODDAMN. SO HOT. Typical Nicholas Sparks, someone always dies. But at least this time, it was someone you kinda wanted out of the picture anyways. So.

Monday morning, I got up, showered, packed a day bag, leashed up the dog, and took the ferry over to meet James on Saltspring for the day. He picked me up at Fulford Harbor, and we spent a loverly day exploring a little of the island. We got a picnic of meats, cheeses, local tomatoes and peaches, and headed up to the top of Mount Maxwell, for fabulous view and a picnic. We relaxed for several hours in the warm sun, and explored a little of the park. We drove around the island, listening to my friend Nolan's newest mix, which you can find HERE (and I totes recommend you download it, because it's rad), before catching a ferry back to our island.

A Saltspring Montage!

We weren't ready to head home quite yet, so we hit up a sunny beach on the Saanich peninsula, and enjoyed the warming rays of late day sunshine before heading home to pick up fish and chips at the newly re-opened Old British Fish n' Chips. Much to my DELIGHT, everything they  now serve is gluten free!!! James was more than skeptical, as he had been going here for 35 years and it's his favorite place for the above foods. But guess what? They were DELISH. The gluten free batter was crispy and amazing. The chips, were wonderful. Do yourselves a favor and go there - but only order one order of chips, the portion sizes are MASSIVE...between the two of us, we couldn't finish the one order. 4 pieces of halibut, easily eaten, 1 order of chips, less easily eaten, but tasty.

We ended the weekend with our last indulgent meal, a few episodes of Top Gear UK, and an early night. We both slept very well, and woke up this morning feeling....renewed.

A long weekend at home turned out to be a fantastic idea - I got to see a lot of friends, got to spend some time on my own reflecting, enjoyed beaches, and lakes, and amazing meals with the person I love.

I welcome September with open arms - festivals, concerts, birthdays, and beautiful changing seasons.