Have you visited my new home?

The new Vero nihil verius site is up and running at http://veronihilverius.viviti.com.  I will be shutting down this wordpress blog on Saturday, December 12th.  Please ensure you’ve bookmarked the new site today!

Viva Viviti!

What is Viviti you ask? It’s a brand new awesome Blog site created on my favorite Island in the World!

The site was recommended to me by a friend who suggested I switch over from WordPress as I wanted more functionality when it came to stats.  I am unable to use Google Analytic with WordPress online and would have to download their software and host my site, seems like a lot of work just for me to find out how many unique visitors I have!

Viviti boasts, “Start by choosing one of our 100’s of templates (or design your own), then edit your site in place with our content management toolbar. It’s as easy as point, click, drag & drop. No coding experience necessary.”

Upon visiting Viviti.com, I instantly was impressed with their layout and choice of colors and fonts.  The sign up process was quick and easy and not to mention there were a lot of great blog themes to choose from!  I am in the process of creating my site and transferring the content of this blog to the new site.  I will post this when it’s all complete and see you all like the design!  I love change

Please bookmark my *new* blog home – http://veronihilverius.viviti.com and I look forward to your comments.

Can I start this day again!?

I can’t imagine why I’m having such a hard day when it’s SO nice out!  It’s only 2pm and this is what’s happened so far:

1. Mason refuses to eat any solids
2. Mason refuses to nap and howled for 20 mins before he finally passed out
3. The metal coat hooks fell off the wall which is probably my fault since I put too much weight on it.
4. The dog knocked an entire fruit tray platter that I had on the counter onto the floor which is now covered in a sticky fruity mess
5. I still haven’t eaten breakfast cause I’m running around like a chicken with no head
6. I cannot access my online banking because Mozilla deleted the cookie and I don’t have my bank card
7. Mason woke up from his nap early because I was yelling at the dog for #4
8. The gifts I ordered for my Mom & Grandma are lost, I contacted the company and was told that I shouldn’t have been able to send them to another address other than my own?? I have to wait until next week to see if they ’show up’.  Lovely.
9. I forgot about a payment I made that was supposed to come out of my now closed bank account.  WHOOPS.

Sigh.  I’m sure there will be more to add.

I ♥ Kraft Dinner

Whether it was a childhood favorite, a staple as a college student or just because u love it so, Kraft Dinner may have been consumed at some point in your life.  For me, I pick #1 and #3 (I didn’t attend post sec).  Back in the day, your options were Kraft Dinner ‘original’ which is just plain straight macaroni noodles and that oh so good fake cheese sauce.  When I moved out of my Parents home at age 18, Kraft Dinner was a frequent lunch/dinner because it was so cheap!

A few facts about Kraft Dinner: (provided by Wikipedia)

• In 1937, Kraft introduced the product in the U.S. and Canada
• The product was originally marketed as Kraft Dinner, but is now known in the United States and other countries as Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (Dinner). In the United Kingdom, it is marketed as simply Macaroni and Cheese, while due to its popularity and nostalgic quality in Canada

• Kraft Dinner is offered as an option at Burger King restaurants
• Singer Kurt Cobain, who suffered from a rare stomach disorder, stipulated in Nirvana’s tour rider that his diet consisted only of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

Here are a few facts of my own KD experiences:

• My favorite KD varieties were spirals and extra cheesy as a teenager
• I cannot eat KD without a HEAP of Heinz Ketchup
• I never prepare my KD as per the instructions on the box; sometimes I add milk, sometimes marg/butter or sometimes both
• I used to take the ‘Easy Mac’ to work each day but got sick of it after a month and never ate it again

Recently I was at my Parents house visiting when I peaked into my Mom’s pantry to spy a lone box of KD.  I pick it up only to see it is Kraft Dinner ‘Whole Wheat’.  “Uh Mom, why on earth did u buy whole wheat KD?”.  “What?!” she replies.  I guess that wasn’t an intended purchase.  She refuses to eat it and probably will donate it to the foodbank lol.  So I tell this story to my MIL Ginny and not long after, she bought the same box (by accident) and told me that it wasn’t half bad!  So I bought it on our last grocery run and made it today.  The noodles have a slightly different look with specs of something in them and the cheese sauce did taste a bit different.  It could be my imagination though.

Do you have a memory of Kraft Dinner as a child? Or maybe your parents would let you eat ‘that crap’ Please leave a comment with your story!

Ren-uh-veyt

According to Dictionary.com (I linked it for you lazy people), the word renovate means:

–verb (used with object)

1. to restore to good condition; make new or as if new again; repair.
2. to reinvigorate; refresh; revive.

I’m sure if you asked any of my friends who are also ren-uh-veyt-ing, they’d come up with some variations of their own including ‘pain in the ass’, ‘takes forever’, and ‘is a wallet drainer’ but I think we all can agree…well worth it!  Clayton bought our condo in 2007.  It is located on Capitol Hill in Burnaby. Here is an excerpt from the ad online.

Great location and nice building!

Upon moving in, Clayton did some painting of the suite:

The master bedroom was painted ‘Faded Coneflower’ which is a deep blue.  Clayton chose this color because he was told it was a calm color to help you sleep.

This is the Master bedroom move in time to when I moved in. (We don’t have a picture of how it was before I moved in). The carpet was replaced in Sept 2008 with a nice cream berber.

The living room was painted ‘blood lily’ or ‘cranberry’ as I call it.

Move in time to just after Mason was born (Feb 2009).  The carpet was replaced with espresso cork flooring.  Curtains went up and a bit more furniture.

And this is a picture of our ensuite (today) ready for the renovation this weekend!

This is the flooring that was in the hallway/kitchen before we put the cork in.

Unfortunately we do not have too many pictures of the house when Clayton moved in but I have the rest from when I took the ‘updated’ condo some months back (Maybe May?).

The condo has changed so much since then and we just finished installing a new stainless steel dishwasher in the kitchen (Thanks to Mr &  Mrs Claus-Weir) and the ensuite is next! Not much more to do after that besides some touch up paint, replace the rest of the appliances/washer/dryer, give the deck a new coat of sealant and then eventually put ‘er up for sale!

Zero Megapixels

I didn’t want to include this in my last post because it had nothing to do with the theme of war.  In my pile of goodies that Uncle brought over, I also inherited two cameras.  Not just ANY cameras though.

I was given a Brownie Hawkeye Camera Hash Model!  I have NO clue how to work it, whether it works or how old it is.  So I started to dig up as much info as I could on it.  I see one knob, a turny thing and a pushy thing.  I try the turny thing and the whole thing falls apart.  Okay now I got it open!  The imprint inside says to use Kodak 620 film and it’s made in Canada by Canadian Kodak Co. Limited.  It also has a ‘cara’ stamp underneath the imprint.

Further research shows I have a Dec 1950 model Kodak #177 Brownie Hawkeye and one selling on ebay (with accessories) is a whole $15.00USD.  LOL

Kodak #177 Brownie Hawkeye Camera,Flash Model.Takes Kodak 620 Films,Negative Size 2&1/4 X 2& 1/4.Oversize Snap Shots & Kodacolor Prints.*Takes Black & White Or Full Color Pictures.*Built In Flash Contacts,Smooth Shutter Release *Settings For Snapshot And “L”(Time) Exposures *Fixed Focus Lens,No Adjustments Required *Big Finder For Clear View Of Picture Subject *Sturdy Molded Body,Handsome Modern Styling.

I even found the manual!

Neato.

But that wasn’t the only camera I was given! Check this baby out…

Introducing the 1950’s Revere Eight ‘Model 50′ 8mm movie camera.

At the lens piece is states REVERE 12.7 MM f/2.8 CINE REVAR COATED. Appears that you can use either Black and White or Color Film. On side are controls for contrast. A.S.A. 40 BRIGHT SUN, WEAK HAZY SUN, SLOW/NORMAL SPEED, OPEN SHADE, DEEP SHADE. On end is marked 69079m or W64069.  It also looks like someone tried to scratch/engrave their phone # into the camera, not sure if that was Grandpa’s doing.   It weighs a ton lol.   This lovely antique is being sold for about $13.00usd.

War in the eyes of Cecil Edwin Weir

‘Cec’ as he was affectionately known was my Paternal Grandfather.  A well loved man who always greeted everyone with a smile and worked hard all his life.  Grandpa lived in Black Creek BC when I was growing up in a small rancher on a bit of land at the end of Oakes road.  For some time, my Aunt Cheryl & Uncle Bob (his other children) also lived down the street.  I have a lot of fond memories of my Grandpa but for the most part he worked in the yard while I played inside or chatted with Grandma while she baked.  One of my memories was of him sitting in a chair showing me photographs of the war he had,  Grandpa was part of the 69th CDN GEN TPT COY R.C.A.S.C.  Which I believe is short form for Canadian General Transport Convoy for Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.  In further research, this division was part of the General Headquarters and Line of Communication Troops  however I could be wrong.  This is basic research I’m doing.

Short History of the 69 Cdn Gen Tpt Coy

On the 15 June, 1942, Major N. D. Hogg at Red Deer, Alberta, Canada was ordered to mobilize the 69th Cdn Tk Tptr.  Coy.  RCASC.  Unit was mobilized and proceeded overseas on 16 Aug 1942.  First camp in England was at Bramshot Surrey.  Next camp was located at Crookham on 12 Dec. 1942 then to Puckridge on 26 Jan. 1943 and while there the company gave a demonstration of loading tanks to General McNaughton and Lt. Col Brennan of the 4th Cdn Armd Div.  The Coy moved to Beare Green on 17 June 1043.  A and B Pls were on tank hauling jobs and Exercises Spartan, Wings and Wheels II.  Two   C&D were added on 11 Mar. 43.  Company now moved to concentration area at Coolhurst near Horsham on 20 April 1944 and here disposed of the Tank Transporters and received four pls. of Mack Diesel 10 Ton lorries.  These were loaded with Ammo and then waterproofed.  On 15 July 1944, the company proceeded overseas landing on the Beach at Courselles and made their first camp at Cruelly.  Next move was to Basly – the home of issue rum and dusty caen on 28 July, 1944, we now moved to Vloyaux on 30 Aug. 1944, where the boys were in produced to TNT Calvados.  On 5 Sept. we moved to Bully Grenay and Mazingarbe on 13 Sept  Then up to Mouvaux and the Coy moved to Alost on 28 Oct. 44 – B Pl being quartered at Hamme and D Pl were at Wausmunster.  From there we moved to Schilde on 20 Nov. 1944 where we remained throughout the V-Bomb campaign – dodging V1 and V2.  Many near misses resulted but no casualties.  Cpl. Eklund of B Pl had his section fired upon by the Jerries while on detail up near the front in the Arnhem Salient.  C Pl. were first on German soil.  From Schilde up to Hertogenbosch on 5 Mar. 1945 and then on to Grosbeek on 12 April 45 where they are at present.  The next move will be back to Arnhem and then England and so back to Canada.  A good job well done by everybody.  The commanding Officer wishes to thank all concerned.

My Grandfather passed away in 2003 but his memory lives on.

I had a visit today from my Uncle Bob who brought along some items of Grandpa’s that he thought I might like.  The first ‘gift’ was Grandpa’s war uniform.  I got teary eyed as I took it out the plastic bag it arrived in.  The bag also contained:

• Onewith this caption inside: Genuine Fleur de Lis Basque Beret 7 1/8  – 1952.  Dorothea Knitting Mills Limited Toronto
• One army green with this caption inside: Genuine Fleur de Lis Basque Beret 7  – 1945.  Dorothea Hats Ltd Toronto.  And some stamp in green 45 over a circle with an arrow pointing up and 12 underneath the circle.
• One navy blue hat with gold piping
• One Belt with gold buckle with the inscription – ‘Ubique Quofas Et Gloria Ducunt’ which translates to ‘Where Duty And Glory Lead’

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

Even though they are many years old they are in excellent condition.

I was also given many documents belonging to my Grandfather:

• The 3rd Anniversary Celebration Leaflet from an event he attended
• First Aid to the Injured booklet issued by the DND Canada.  Issued 1940 – Stamped Sept 24 1942
• A pamphlet on ‘how to shoot’
• A Simmons Beds Mattresses Springs Built for Sleep note-book.  1939
• Schedule of military bus services for Canadian Forces in t he Netherlands.  1945
• A Soldier must be able to read a map brochure
• Underground Lines of London. 1945
• Regulations for Military Operated Vehicles.  1947

I want to be a smart cookie too!

I was recently in Shoppers Drug Mart when I passed their ‘book/magazine’ section and a book on an end cap that caught my eye.  I picked it up and it was a copy of “Making More Dough” by the Smart Cookies.  I usually do not buy paperbacks because of their cost and prefer to get them from the library instead.  Unfortunately most new books haven’t made their way to the library so there was a good chance I wouldn’t be reading this book unless I bought it.  The sale sign finally convinced me so I bought it.  This was my first step in being a ’smart cookie’.

I finished the book in two days as I was really eager to read it!  Plus I’m a speed reader!  There are quite a few exercises in the book that I will start in a few days.  I was happy to know that I have already been doing a lot of the suggested steps to reduce my debt and make more money:

1. Document all accounts, interest rates, balances owing – know everything!
2. Call credit card companies to reduce interest rates
3. Invest money RSP/RRSPs etc
4. Selling unwanted items on Craigslist and UsedVancouver

The book is about 5 women who are friends who decided to get in better financial shape and created a group that met regularly to discuss their finances and help eachother out.  They ran the group very business like and within two? years they were debt free and all in better financial lives.  This is what I want!  Overall I’m awesome with my money, don’t spend too much, know all of my accts and everything I need to know, I also invest, have life insurance all that good stuff.  What I am not good at is knowing where my money is going, budgeting and saving!  I’d LOVE to start a money group and went through their website to see if there was a group started in Vancouver and was disappointed that there are ZERO groups in all of BC.  This is something that needs to be done local.  It’s also a different concept as you share all of your financial information with eachother so there needs to be a lot of trust.  I wonder if any of my friends are interested in doing this?

I have a ton of exercises to do but I am going to start with the most fun! I have to create a collage of all the things I’d like to have in my life (a house, vacations etc) as a focus board and to ensure my goals are being met.  So here goes!  I’m going to do it blog style…

THINGS I WOULD LIKE IN THE FUTURE

Townhouse in Victoria, BC (Picture from MLS of an actual townhouse for sale in Vic.  Love the outside but not the in)

Lexus Hybrid SUV.  Not picky about year but I’d like it to look like this!

Family vacations!  I don’t really have any places in mind but I’m sure I could come up with a large list eventually! For starters…Las Vegas (hopefully in Feb 2010), drive around the Oregon Coast, drive around the California coast (again), South Africa? India, Portugal.  It’s endless really.

Unsure whether I want to rent/buy a motorhome but I’d LOVE to travel around for at least a month or four through Canada and the US.

I can’t find an image for my next dream item but if I could, it would be to be the owner of a cafe.  Nothing fancy but a nice place to have lunch close to your workplace, good prices, awesome service and home made food.

I guess this list is my ‘if when I win the lottery’.  From reading this book, it shows you can save up for almost anything by working hard and being focused.  We’ll see!

Garbage treasure?

Since my recent admittance to being obsessed with selling my no longer wanted items I’ve really started to think about the things we collect over the years and their significance.  Do we ‘really’ need to keep all this stuff? The momentos and knick knacks that fill our homes.  When I was a teenager I used to collect ‘memory boxes’.  They were old cologne/perfume boxes and I had one for each serious boyfriend.  Each box would contain various items – little gifts, napkins of restaurants we dined at, movie ticket stuff, rings and other useless, valueless items to remember them by. I think I have about five boxes in all.  I can’t bare to throw them away so they sit in my parents storage space collecting dust.  I walk around our already packed condo and think ‘what is the importance of this item’ and ‘do I really need it’.  I don’t want to go eradicating all the years of memories etc but there comes a time when some of this stuff has to go!  So onto Craigslist it goes!

I guess out with the old…in with the new?

Dear Canada Post

I was really excited to order Clayton’s Christmas Present on October 20th!  It is a very unique gift and it’s coming all the way from Niagara Falls, ON! I was even more excited when I got an email from the company I purchased the gift from stating that the package was to be delivered on October 29th.  Well October 29th came and went and I was starting to wonder if the Mailperson would actually deliver the Parcel Notification Card.  (Note – I currently have a case open with CP because my Mailperson has not delivered 2 of my last cards and I received 2 ‘last notice’ cards without getting the first card!).  So I started to call the Shoppers Drug Mart Post Office every day to see if my package had arrive.  By November 2nd I started to worry, so I called Canada Post Customer Service.  Now I have a major complaint, the website clearly says, “Please note that this is the most up-to-date information available in our system. Our telephone agents have access to the same information presented here.” This is clearly a lie! since I called CS and they told me a LOT more information than what was offered on the site.  So embarrassingly I was told that I entered the wrong postal code (my bad! I was on the phone with my Mom when I ordered the gift and I put *her* pc oops!) so my package was delivered to Campbell River.  Dammit!  The nice CS rep on the phone assured me that the package would be delivered the next day.  So I called the Shoppers Drug Mart Post Office the next day…and the next day.  No package.  I am convinced my little package is sitting in Richmond waiting for someone to correct the address and put it on a big truck destined for my neighborhood Shoppers Drug Mart where my Postperson may or may not give me a notice card.

Finally on November 4th I decide to call Canada Post CS once again.  So I speak to a very nice girl who looks up the information and declares that it is odd that my package has not been rerouted and that I have not received it yet.  She says that she’ll put in for investigating and f I don’t receive the package in five (5) business days! to call back.  Seriously? Seriously!  Whyyyyyyyy? This would be a perfect job for me! I could track missing packages to their rightful owners and be a mail delivery HERO!  So I have it marked on my Google Calendar to call CPCS on November 12th to see where my poor little package has gone to.

I didn’t have to call CP on Thursday because they phoned me.  And woke me up.  I’m sick.  Grrr.   So the guy asks me if I’ve gotten my parcel. I reply no.  It’s also 10am and the mail doesn’t come until after lunch.  He says the system says it’s been delivered.  I say it’s possible that it’s been delivered at Shoppers Drug Mart Post Office but not to me personally.  I tell him that I will wait until after lunch and I will check my mailbox for a delivery notification card (good luck on that one) and will call back if it’s not at the SDMPO.  I go about my day and about two hours later my buzzer goes off.  Buzzer to the door.  “Hi, Canada Post with a package for Jodelene”.  Great! Come on up!!!

The mailman hands me my package and I thank him very much.  Glad I didn’t have to drive to the Post Office, me sick.  I happily open the package, inspect the product and am glad this debacle is over with!

Case closed.