I don't get it

Can I someone please tell me why I find this so offensive??? Swank Boutique on Taylor is going to be open this Sunday. Easter Sunday. They took out a huge ½ page bright pink ad in the Free Press stating they’ll be closed Good Friday but open Sunday.

I called the labour standards board and they said that some small shops get around the Easter Sunday closure because they normally operate with less than four employees. So if they plan on operating with less than four employees including the owner, on Sunday, they can get away with it. If Superstore or Safeway tried to be open they’d get shut down.

Not everybody celebrates Easter. I get that. So maybe the owners of this place are a religion besides Christian, or not a religion at all – get that too. Canada is a melting pot and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So based on that I’m assuming the owners are not any type of Christian, fine. They want to be open, fine. But then don’t bill it as an EASTER SALE.

I have two choices. I can do my venting here and drop it. Or, I can call the store, ask how many employees are working normally, and how many they’re going to have on Sunday. If the numbers don’t add up – then guess what - I can make a formal complaint to our fine City of Winnipeg Police force.

I have every respect or tolerance, whatever you want to call it, for differences in race/religion/sexual orientation/social standing etc. But I am very confused by people who (I'm assuming) have no connection to a holiday, but feel they have every right capitalize on it.

UGH

I'm fond of telling people to pick their battles. Is this one worth it? I'd boycott the store, but I've never been in it.

Go big or go home...

I guess sometimes you do something that results in immediate gratification, but some how you end up paying for it later. Other times you do something that in the long run you will be happy with - but might cause you grief now. Although in this instance - grief isn't really the right word. Actually AGONY might be more the right word. For a long time now I haven't been completely happy with my tattoo - something about people calling it a curling rock, donut, wheel and my personal favorite - SPACESHIP - that really got my knickers in a knot. So with that in mind I went for a consult to a fine shop on St. Annes. Nice kid who looked to be about 12 (ok, maybe 22) met with me, brought in some reinforcements and came up with an idea to "complete" the tattoo. Shouldn't be more than 2.5 hours he said, shouldn't be too bad he said. UGH - in the first 10 minutes I was really questioning my sanity - after all, I didn't really have time think about his design, I just said go for it. DH saw it too and said - sure. First off, laying on my stomach for any length of time is a big NO, NO. My neck is just too old and set in its way - but still, I lay on my stomach and tried not to fidget. I knew after 2 hours when he said lets - take a break that this was going to be a long haul. After close to another 2 hours he was finally done. FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!!! The last hour was the worst, no maybe the first hour, no, maybe all of it. Yes, I know, I have no one to blame but myself - but seriously I really didn't realize how big the final product was going to be, nor the amount of time it would take to finish it.

Well - all that said, I am getting pretty excited with it. It doesn't hurt as much today as it did yesterday and it surely won't hurt as much tomorrow as it does today. (don't' talk to me about Sunday - that sucked - probably the worst moment was when I asked DH to "GENTLY" remove the towel that was stuck to my back after dinner he decided that he should instead RIP like a Band-Aid – it wasn’t the pain (which was NOT pleasant) I was worried about – more like him taking a layer of my hard earned new tattoo!! He did apologize…). The more I look at it, the more I like it. What once started out as a small (subtle) idea to believe in, has morphed into a full on back piece… who knew.

I'm cautiously falling in love with this piece. It is way bigger than I ever imagined I would have. My mom says she loves it - LOL, but don't get any more!!! I am definitely done for now. Samantha is being the real trooper - she's the one who's been slathering me in vitamin e - its getting pretty gross with scabbing now, she's my little hero!

NICE...

I had a great birthday. I don't always say that. Even the year I threw myself a party. it was way fun, but so busy I kind of missed it YKWIM??

Sunday the morning started at 6am. Me & DH went to Fort Whyte so he could run 13 miles as quickly as possible. Fun. I sat in the nice warm building and read my book - how great is that? Perfect till I went outside and realized the -20 had turned into like -6 and a nice walk would have been ok too LOL. That's ok. I like reading my book. after a few presents and getting all cleaned up we went for lunch to Mom & Dad's YUM! Ever since I started eating gluten free they've often had a GF chocolate cake from La Grotta - it is the best!!! I had to force them to put half in the freezer instead of sending leftovers home with me - would not have lasted long! A good time was had by all over food and then on to the main event - Canada vs. USA - WHAT A GAME. I just felt so bad at the end - my oldest of the three little boy nephews got completely freaked out by our rejoicing when Crosby got the Golden Goal. Suddenly middle size nephew comes downstairs "um.. Big L is sitting in a corner crying. he won't let me talk to him. could someone come?" he was so concerned!! Poor Big L - didn't quite get what all the yelling and screaming was about. I guess we'll just have to yell and scream some more to get him used to it. though I do remember a time in Big L's life when the rule was "no screaming, no crying" how confusing are we???

The day was capped off with a couple of hours at B&K's. Great to sit in their kitchen eating "light" snacks (SNICKER) and cheering Canada all over again. Have to remember how K made that YUMMY drink/desert thing. pineapple, mandarin orange, brown sugar and rum - who would have thought! (and its weight watchers too LOL!).

Yup, I had a great birthday.