Off Topic Part Cinq

[Kimbear 53]

Thanks for the support So far i'm taking it slow, with emails etc back and forth. Good thing about facebook, we can share picture albums etc. Recently a few of us were talking about how we dont feel like we fit in and whatnot down here in the states, but now, i think this was the boost i needed to make me feel more at home here. I'll keep you posted on how things progress.

[ashenflowers 5]

Yay Kimbear!!!

Speaking of facebook... I just changed my profile pic. I spent ALL DAY today out in the sun at an air show, and a good chunk of yesterday afternoon in the sun as well. I am paying for it (and yes I wore sunscreen today!). I know we don't usually post pics of ourselves on here, but I can not stop laughing at this even though it's super un-flattering. So here you go; the aftermath of my weekend thus far.

[SupportGeek 21]

Haha! Raccoon eyes!

On another note, I didnt know there was an airshow down your way yesterday, I like them, and would have gone, we were looking for something to do too....

Edited August 8, 2010 by SupportGeek

[Tick Tock 3]

@ Ontarkie

Very sorry to hear about your kitty sending folks to the ER due to his/her scratchings. I think everyone here has listed some good things to look into and I really don't have any bit of advice to give. I just hope your kitty will settle down.

@ Kimbear

I'm so glad that the person you contacted was indeed a relative - though I offer my condolences on the passing of your newly-discovered relative. As it has been mentioned before, I think it's wonderful your husband is getting involved with things; having the idea to meet and plan for it and whatnot!

@ ashenflowers

You poor thing! D: You definitely got a lot of sun! If your face starts to hurt, you could try applying Noxema to the skin and let it sink in (if you have any at home, of course). It may help soothe the skin. Also, very glad to see on your timeline that you were able to send the I-693 back in time!

[ashenflowers 5]

SupportGeek: Would you have driven 2 hours to go to it? If so, I will let you know the next time something like that is going on. It was an hour's drive past us (southwest of Camarillo/Oxnard at Point Mugu)... Actually, it's also going on today, if you want something to do today! Google NBVC Air Show. The Ventura County Fair is also going on this week and weekend, as is Santa Barbara's Fiesta celebration, though most of the Fiesta is done already. Still fun though!

Tick Tock: Thanks I haven't seen Noxema in stores here at all. I miss it. But we do have some after sun lotion which I've been lathering on every since we got home yesterday. lol It is helping a little bit And yes.. yay on the I-693! Now it's back to just sitting and waiting!

Edited August 8, 2010 by ashenflowers

[Tick Tock 3]

I am surprised that you've been unable to find any Noxema; I thought the product had national availability. Here's hoping you come across some soon - or perhaps you can try buying some from on online retailer?

Fingers crossed that the sun leaves a tan!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Ah Ashen, that looks painful!

Yesterday the hubby and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park and had some fun animal encounters! Usually you don't see much wildlife during the day this time of year, but I guess the weather conditions were right. We had a close encounter with a moose and her baby. We were driving down the roadway and there were people stopped on the side of the road taking pictures of them. We stopped the car so we didn't kill anyone or anything, when the moose suddenly got really upset as people were getting to close, and ran out onto the street and came within inches of our car. We thought she was going to hit it at first but she walked around us and then ran off into the trees. Thankfully it wasn't a male, I wouldn't want to come that close to a pair of big antlers

[ashenflowers 5]

Uh, actually no... I don't want this as a tan. I'm sure you can understand LOL!!

Normally I don't like tanning either and prefer natural skin, as I have seen some pretty disgusting tans out there (and had a really dark tan a few years ago that I didn't like.. lol). I've been doing ok down here in California keeping a regular subtle tan just from exposure outside. It's not that hot where I am, but the sun is bright, constant and harsh. It's deceiving! I'm surprised because I rarely burn, but I guess looking up in the sky for a few hours didn't help. hah!

I did some Googling and found that I should indeed be able to find noxzema here, but haven't been looking in the right places. Oh, how I miss my Shoppers Drug Mart. CVS is ok, but meh! We're going to bravely venture outside today and find some

btw, my husband's face is just as bad as mine, but he doesn't have the raccoon eyes. haha He also has some wrinkles/creases on his forehead (just naturally), and those crinkly laugh lines (it makes him sound like he's 60, but he's in his 30s..lol)... so he looks kinda funny and leathery... haha. He keeps looking at me and breaking out in laughter though.

Ah Ashen, that looks painful!

Yesterday the hubby and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park and had some fun animal encounters! Usually you don't see much wildlife during the day this time of year, but I guess the weather conditions were right. We had a close encounter with a moose and her baby. We were driving down the roadway and there were people stopped on the side of the road taking pictures of them. We stopped the car so we didn't kill anyone or anything, when the moose suddenly got really upset as people were getting to close, and ran out onto the street and came within inches of our car. We thought she was going to hit it at first but she walked around us and then ran off into the trees. Thankfully it wasn't a male, I wouldn't want to come that close to a pair of big antlers

awwww moose baby!!! Did you get any pictures?

[Hugglebuggles 60]

We got a couple! Hopefully I can post these without them turning out huge...

This is just before my husband freaked out and closed the window because she was getting too close

[Tick Tock 3]

Uh, actually no... I don't want this as a tan. I'm sure you can understand LOL!!

Normally I don't like tanning either and prefer natural skin, as I have seen some pretty disgusting tans out there (and had a really dark tan a few years ago that I didn't like.. lol). I've been doing ok down here in California keeping a regular subtle tan just from exposure outside. It's not that hot where I am, but the sun is bright, constant and harsh. It's deceiving! I'm surprised because I rarely burn, but I guess looking up in the sky for a few hours didn't help. hah!

I did some Googling and found that I should indeed be able to find noxzema here, but haven't been looking in the right places. Oh, how I miss my Shoppers Drug Mart. CVS is ok, but meh! We're going to bravely venture outside today and find some

btw, my husband's face is just as bad as mine, but he doesn't have the raccoon eyes. haha He also has some wrinkles/creases on his forehead (just naturally), and those crinkly laugh lines (it makes him sound like he's 60, but he's in his 30s..lol)... so he looks kinda funny and leathery... haha. He keeps looking at me and breaking out in laughter though.

awwww moose baby!!! Did you get any pictures?

LOL, I understand why you wouldn't want a tan exactly like that. :S Was moreso hoping that it would fade into something subtle, that managed to not look strange with the outline of sunglasses. Though, in further reflection, no tan would be best in this situation - whoops!

I never shopped much at Shopper's Drug Mart, nor even Bulk Barn for that matter, but those are 2 stores I wish existed here.

@ Hugglebuggles

Awesome pictures! The moose looks so funny in the second one; the way that it's trotting.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Tick Tock

[TimandJoyce 1]

Ashen!! You poor lady. I know JUST how you feel. Same thing happened to me back in May. I'm really not a "sun worshipper" if you know what I mean, and so that day was the first time I'd spent close to 7 hours in the sun! (I wore sunglasses too!) It wasn't painful for me...but sure looked gross as my face was peeling off! The day after the show, (Sunday) I taught Sunday School, and the kids asked..."Did you get sunburned?" I love those kids! Aloe Vera is a good stand by too if you can get some!

Oh Huggles!! How cute!! I love wildlife, (as long as I'm safe!) Tim and I want to tour that area of the States so bad! Don't know when it's going to happen though. I keep waiting for my Dad to win the lottery and give me some of it!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Ashen - that does look painful - hope you find the noxema! (I've found it here and have some in the cupboard so you should be able to find it there too).

Huggles - great shots!

I have to brag about our new electric smoker/grill. We've been looking for a while for a grill (barbeque for you Canadians ) but with just the two of us and a smallish patio out back most of what we found was too big, too gadgety, too expensive, or too basic. Joe really likes charcoal so we were looking for something in the lines of a dual gas/charcoal grill. We have had no success finding anything we like, although we did buy one last year that we thought would work - except it didn't - at all! The gas igniter wouldn't light, so we took it back and they didn't have another of that model in style.

So, two weeks ago we were in Home Depot (don't normally go there but we were that day) and saw this Brinkman "Gourmet" electric dual smoker/grill on sale. It sounded pretty good and the price was really reasonable - $69 so we bought it. We used it as a smoker first and it cooked the chicken much faster than the instructions said it would so it was a little dry, although tasty, (we'll remember the next time we smoke something) but it did the corn on the cook just right. We used hickory wood chips on the lava rocks, but it does have an electric grill to heat everything. We have used it twice as a grill and it is dynamite! I did lamb chops last week with hickory wood and the grill and they cooked really quickly and were incredibly tender and flavourful. Tonight, I did porkchops the same way and the meat was so moist and delicious. We are really, really, really pleased with this smoker/grill so I wanted to share our experience in case some of you might also be looking for something to meet your needs. The reviews on it were also really good, but I didn't read those until after we had bought the thing, hehehe.

So, now to go and clean off the grill - the part I don't like!

[Kayleigh+Kyle 0]

Yay Kimbear!!!

Speaking of facebook... I just changed my profile pic. I spent ALL DAY today out in the sun at an air show, and a good chunk of yesterday afternoon in the sun as well. I am paying for it (and yes I wore sunscreen today!). I know we don't usually post pics of ourselves on here, but I can not stop laughing at this even though it's super un-flattering. So here you go; the aftermath of my weekend thus far.

Oh dear, that's terrible! I went to the state fair Friday and forgot to put sunscreen on my face and wear a hat, so my face was pretty red, but not like that!

BTW I know this is random, but I'm just trying to get started on the Canada boards and was wondering if anyone on here is on twitter. I'd like to follow some people in the same US/Canada boat as Kyle and I are. If that's not to weird.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I'm not on twitter but we have a VJ Canada facebook group if you're a facebooker! Visa journey Canada

[Kayleigh+Kyle 0]

I'm not on twitter but we have a VJ Canada facebook group if you're a facebooker! Visa journey Canada

Thanks, I am all on that!