I'mmmm BACCKKKK!!!

It's almost been a year since my last post....it's just CRAZY how time flies!!!  Since we have last connected, a LOT has changed in my life  —> I had both of my gorgeous sisters visit me, my amazing parents, my wonderful cousin, and three friends take a leap over the pond....and each visit was soo special to me and made me feel more love than I can properly write in a few short paragraphs. Not only was is super fun to have each of them visit, it made me  feel special and that they missed me and that they wanted to share in the life I had created since I had moved  =)  =)  At the end of October, on my birthday in fact, I moved back to my home in Canada because my work contract had ended...and I ran out money.  My time in the UK was soo memorable and filled with soo many happy times which include some highlights from when family and friends visited me :

My sister HD - taking a ride on the London Eye to look out over a *clearer* London,  going to the chilly Ice Bar with parka's on for a bevy...and luckily didn't get our tongues stuck to the ice, rocking out at a friends concert and being the only people dancing on the dance floor, listening to the cows moo in the bathroom of Sketch where we had a spectacular spot of tea, walking to Notting Hill for some delish half brownie half chocolate frosting pieces of HEAVEN, sipping chilly hot chocolate in Borough Market and having delish meals made my little miss chefy

My parents - Popping some Veuve Clicquot for brunch in celebration of their arrival, seeing the changing of the guards...but did we??...not sure about that, making friends with a cat that looked like my cat Dezzy, watching the St. Patty's day parade from Trafalgar Square, going for afternoon tea at the famous Clariges, seeing the marvellous sights in Bath, being able to pay for my parents to stay at the newly opened hotel I worked at, and my fave - a meal that we all prepared together...it was the best risotto and steak I EVER ate!!!

My sister JP - Scoping out the paparazzi set-up outside Buckingham Palace before Will & Kate's Big Day, catching a glimpse of Kate as she rode past to Westminster Abbey to say her I Do's to Will's, toasting once..twice...thirteen times to the happy couple, taking my sis to a fab Indian restaurant to ask her to be my MOH at my wedding at which point she jumped on her chair and screamed, Barclay biking around the city, visiting Windsor Castle and eating in a leaning building, and pulling an all-nighter as we danced our faces off and watching the sun rise in St. James park!

My grade-school friend AS - hunting for fancy hats as an homage to the Royal Wedding, shopping in Selfriges, watching a hoard of women and men run by with lingerie and plastic boobs for a breast cancer run and dinning at my fave morning breakky spot Raoul's Deli

My dear friend NT and her momma - cuddling up on some over sized lawn chairs...but really...they were gignormous astro turf couches that I could barely climb up on, getting lost on the way to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre which I'd been to a million times, having Will & Kate inspired gelato, having dinns at The Refinery, and gushing over wedding plans!!

My longest ever friend DG - going for some yummy Italian food in St. Charles Place the night she arrived...only to fall ill with a crippling stomach flu that had me curled up in bed for the remainder of her visit  =(  =(  =(

My older cousin KJ - Enjoying a brewsky at a pub with what seemed like the rest of London, shovelling yummy Indian food down our throats at Masala Zone, taking the cooooooolest pic of us with the sun setting in the background EVER, finding out that it's Pimm's o'clock ALL THE TIME, discussing how we both wanted to live the dream not only dream the dream, going to my favourite museum - the Natural History Museum, and biking around London and getting lost but biked past the London Zoo so it was totally worth it!!

My aunt whom I refer to as AL - multiple visits which started just after I arrived in London to a visit just before I moved back home...culinary adventures to some of London's finest which included being seated at a booth in a restaurant that had a 'push for champagne' button...which of course we pushed, and a reservation she sweet talked her way into because the restaurant was newly opened by a famous chef, and us both eagerly washing our feet after a romp around the city!!

My finance NA - he visited me two times, once at the beginning of December and another time in August - the first time was ammmmaaazzzzinnnnnggggg because he popped the question and asked me to be his wifey!!!!!!!!!  We have been dating for 12 YEARS...I know that's a LONG time but it was the perfect time, place and setting for us and I wouldn't have changed it for the WORLD!!  I mean, who gets engaged in London, England???!?!?!?  =) =) =)  His first visit was about showing him around the great place that had become my home, celebrating his birthday which fell over the time he was visiting by going for afternoon tea at Harrods and seeing Chelsea footballer John Terry and his controversial squeeze Vanessa Perroncel, to a Chelsea football match which Nick so greatly outfitted us for nicely with Drogba jersey's and Chelsea toques, along with an amazing surprise - a bouquet of flowers from my BFF TS to congratulate us on our engagement!!
soooo crappy by the way, but our time together was soo amazing that the photos in my head are wayyy better than and physical picture would be.

Other highlights include:

Getting free tickets to Wimbledon and enjoying Strawberries and Cream while watching Andy Roddick play, going to the concert of the year - O2 Wireless and watching Tinnie Tempah, David Guetta, the Black Eyed Peas and Bruno Mars, going to the world famous Proms in the Park which is a delightful symphony experience broadcast around the world and unlike no other, winning first place in the softball league against other hotels in London, and eating as some iconic and amazing London restaurants!!!

My return to Canada has been wonderful, busy and emotional too.  My goal was to move home and get all of the wedding planning done - my date is set for Friday June 8th of this year!!!!  The planning process has taken longer than I thought and I actually don't think it will end until the wedding!!!  I have also been looking for a job AND preparing for my fiance's move to another province where he has training for a new position.  After his training is complete he will be moving away to another city for at least 7 months...smack dab over the time of the wedding!!!  We have been trying to figure out what that means for us, which heavily depends on the longevity of his placement, the work I can secure in the interim and where we see ourselves living after we are married.  Needless to say there is a lot going on at the moment and it seems like EVERYTHING needs urgent attention!!!  I often wish I was a better person, one who was able to handle this challenges more efficiently than I have been.

I know I don't have it all figured out just yet, but I have the best family and friends as a security net, who have been outstanding, and will assist with my emotional roller-coaster ride that has, I feel, become my life!!!!!!

To all of you, I've missed you....I'm back  ;)