Winter doldrums

Haven't been in much of a mood to post lately. I always find this time of the year the most difficult, as the days don't seem to be getting any longer, and the novelty of winter has long worn off. The tendency to fall into a work, eat, sleep routine becomes very hard to break, and with the weather being nothing but rain, we're actually longing for the colder, clear sunny days that tend to lift your spirits.

So, instead of sitting in front of the TV, we've been trying to use the downtime to head to the gym at my work in the evenings. I've never stuck to a gym schedule for longer than 2 months, but this time is showing hope, as we have the place all to ourselves, get 24 hour access, and the facility is all around top-notch. I also joined a spinning class during my lunch hours in an attempt to get my legs ready for a hopefully productive summer on the bike, and Sophie's been working harder than ever on getting her second stripe on her orange belt. Exercise is working for us...it's not making the days any longer, but our optimism that the sun will reappear is getting stronger. I get the sense that it's been a strange winter right across the country weather wise.

(uhh..yeah..we didn't take that photo, but it's wicked nonetheless)

Sophie and I checked out a small exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. They were featuring some of the "Tree Planting Project" work of Sarah Anne Johnson . She uses a fascinating technique of combining her detailed miniature ceramic figures into real photographs which, when used with well-placed diffused lighting, give an other-worldy effect to the images. She did her BFA at the University of Manitoba, and much of the work is based on her personal experience tree planting up in Northern MB.

Last Saturday we got all fancied up and attended my annual company "Winterlude" Christmas party at the Chateau Laurier. It's a high-end affair, with loads of dancing, lots of wine, and the opportunity to finally get to know those people I pass by in the hallways at work. I attended this event solo last year, as Sophie was stuck with wrapping up our loose ends in MB. I recalled how foreign it felt to be sitting in that big ball room last year with a bunch of strangers, and how the vibe is so much different a year later.

It looks like we're off to Perth again mid-February, and have been planning on possibly tacking a week long vacation on at the end. Many Perth locals recommend the 4 hour flight north into Bali, although this destination is still viewed cautiously since the effects of the 2002 Bali bombings. We have a second option though, through a friend that owns some beachside chalets in a sleepy little town in Southern Australia called Denmark. Maybe he'll get us a sweet deal.