New Kids, recovery and the holidays...

I relived my teen years this past week. I went to the New Kids on the Block concert here in Calgary and I loved it. Dare I say it was actually better than their concert back in the day?!

Debbie and I had pretty average seats that I won on the radio (yes I am grateful!) but after the opening acts, security told us all to move down and fill the seats in below so our seats got better by the time New Kids were on stage. Like a good little girl, I left my camera in my car instead of taking pictures and video like 95% of the population at the concert. It was disappointing because I wanted pictures too!!! lol. I couldn't believe the number of cell phones recording video.. lol it was bizarre.

Anyway, the concert was great and I had a lot of fun dancing and singing along to all those songs that I honestly thought had escaped my brain. Just goes to show you that things can be stored away in little nooks and crannies in the brain and just need a little bit of 90's boy band charm to get released ;)

On Thursday I went to Peter Lougheed Hospital for minor surgery. Long story short, I had a lump removed from my hip.. nothing serious at all.. but the sucky thing was, I was awake through the whole procedure.

When I booked the appointment, I was told the surgery would take 30-45 minutes. I think what really made me miserable through the experience is that I was freezing cold throughout the ordeal, being awake through the procedure meant that I had to inform them when I could feel pain and they had to give more freezing, the jolt of electric shock when they would cauterize blood vessels and then laying there for 1 1/2 hours!!! Yes.. 1 1/2 hours laying on a 2 foot wide metal table on my side. By the end of the procedure I almost jumped off the table and told them to take a hike because my back and legs were so stiff from the position I had to lay in! The bedside manner in Brazil was a billion times better than here.. surprise surprise...

In general the surgery was considered minor but the surgeon admitted that anything more than what I had done wouldn't be done under local anaesthetic. In retrospect, even though I survived the whole thing and am recovering well, I don't know if I would choose to go through anything like that again. Call me a wimp but there are some things that should be left to the unknown...

All in all I am glad to have that out of the way before holiday festivities begin. The next few weeks are going to be fairly crazy.

I have some things to work out with the new project I am on for my night job so that will keep me busy, plus I am working on plans for the wine and cheese party on Dec 5th. I am excited about that but hope people who are coming to the party let me know what they are bringing soon so that I can prepare. I made some nice wine charms to auction off as well. Hoping for a good turnout and great support so that I can pass along a lot of help to my step mom.

The day after the wine and cheese party, I am flying to Vancouver. My company is flying me out for business so I am going out a couple days early to visit my mom. I am happy to be able to see my mom before Christmas. I feel very lucky to be able to go for sure! I fly out on the Saturday and return on the Wednesday which is good because I will need the Thursday to get some work done since Friday the 12th is the employee celebration.

Then of course the 13th I am going to 2 Christmas parties! I am lucky there too because I have a friend coming with me as "arm candy" for my company party and then we'll crash Debbie and Lauren's Christmas party afterwards. I have to admit, it was a bit unsure about asking someone to be my "date" for the company party. I don't want him reading anything into it.. I just want to have a relaxed good time and I think we will look good together in the process :) Besides, it will be nice to go to a party with a guy for a change.

Christmas is still up in the air. It all depends on how June is feeling which is ok with me. I am open to whatever happens and I am flexible enough to do whatever it takes to make the most of Christmas this year. So far it seems like Lauren and I will be spending Christmas in Lethbridge with my Dad and June and Debbie will come down for Dad's birthday. As far as I am concerned, as long as June is happy and healthy, I am fine with whatever they decide.

New Years will be exciting.. we're celebrating the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 in Banff this year with 4 good friends. I have new snow tires too which means I will be a lot more at ease heading into the mountains in the snow! Anyone who knows the tires they put on the Mitsubishi Outlander will understand why I am thankful to have winter tires lol!

I have good feelings about 2009. I think it will bring about much positive change and I am ready to face it head on. Bring.. it.. on!