On Lack of Options

Amanda and I did our monthly large grocery trip tonight. It's 15% off Tuesday, so after some brief post-work running around, we headed right over to the grocery store. But we ran into some disappointment tonight. First off, we couldn't find any cinnamon-flavoured toothpaste. There are 700 varieties of mint (including smooth mint, refreshing mint, and extreme powermint), but we could not find any cinnamon. So we struck out on toothpaste and resolved to go elsewhere.

Next we visited the deodorant aisle. My brand, which I've been using since my previous favourite brand was discontinued three or four years ago was on clearance. Apparently Irish Spring antiperspirant, whose scent Amanda has come to associate with me, is either being discontinued or at the very least, not being carried by that grocery store anymore. It's really disappointing! They have a distinct product that isn't associated with ridiculous ads (Axe or Tag), or the Old Spice Guy (who Amanda and I both love, but whose deodorant I don't feel compelled to try), and I will really miss it. On the plus side, I was able to buy five of them at an extremely low price, so it'll be a while before I have to explore something new.

Finally, I like a particular brand of dental floss. It's called Ultra Floss, and I think it lives up to its name. It too, was not available.

At any rate, Amanda and I were able to do most of our shopping. It's just disappointing that the few things we're particular about are getting harder to find.

Similarities and Differences

How are Amanda and I like an average couple? Well, today we went to the mall together and one of us dragged the other to pretty much all of the clothing stores.

How are we different from an average couple? ...it was me doing the dragging. I was looking for some pants for work and pulled Amanda into three or four stores to find something that would work for me.

Now, there *was* one store that Amanda walked into with me following, but it would've been very weird for me to lead Amanda into a lingerie store... While we were there, I asked her why there is really no such thing as a store that just specializes in underwear for men. I guess it's because there really isn't enough variety between boxers and briefs to justify an entire store.

Busy Few Days...

It's been a busy weekend.  After Amanda finished her half-day of work yesterday, we did some running around and shopping, then went to the library's Christmas party.  Today we did a lot more shopping, cleaning, and went to the Santa Claus parade downtown.  Fun times were had!

We're all done shopping for Christmas, and I managed to make enough room in our living room to set up the Christmas tree.  To save on some room, I just assembled the top two portions.  The tree is much shorter, but also fits better in here as a result.  It's kind of a novelty to see my ornaments make the tree seem crowded!

I piled our gifts to other people under the tree.  I'd post a photo of it, but those gifts are still unwrapped and I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Christmas Shopping Part One

Christmas shopping day
Nieces and nephews all done
Others yet to come.

Yup, Amanda and I spent this afternoon in stores doing some Christmas shopping.  We finished up the nieces and nephews today, and I finished shopping for my brother.  I think we've finished for Amanda's sister and brother-in-law too, so we're well ahead of the game with a month left!

Kissing Couple Vacation Day 4

After a fantastic morning and early afternoon with Tyler of the Pouting Couple of Kamloops, we've returned to Williams Lake before heading back to Tumbler Ridge tomorrow.  We did some shopping, bought some yarn, and thoroughly enjoyed visiting with him and Irina (before she had to work)!

What else did we do?  What we do best!

This photo was taken while riding down an escalator in the Bay.

We followed it up with a photo while we were looking for shirts.

Tyler was recruited as a third-party cameraman (thanks!) for this photo of us near his and Irina's new apartment:

 We took some more photos later on that I'll hopefully be posting tomorrow night.  Until then!

Busy but Unbusy

Evening everyone!


It was a crazy, busy, but unbusy day for Amanda and me.


We only did a few things, but they took the entire day and left us absolutely exhausted.  We started our morning with breakfast at the Mason's Lodge, before heading to the Prairie Mall for some shopping.  My new job has a slightly more restrictive dress code than my previous one (by actually having an official dress code), and I needed to add a few things to my closet.


By the time we were done at the mall, we had to stop by Amanda's to pack for vacation, wrap her niece's gifts, and pick up her car before driving to Amanda's sister's house for the niece's birthday party.  When the party was winding down around 6:30ish (Alberta time), we said goodbye and drove to Tumbler Ridge (Amanda led from Grande Prairie to Dawson Creek, and I led the rest of the way).


If you look at the number of things we did, and the overall energy required to perform them, our day looks like it was incredibly easy.  After all, we had breakfast, shopped, went to a four year old's birthday party, and then drove a route we're both very familiar with.


...it didn't feel like it though.

We Missed Out

During our tour around Edmonton on Saturday, Amanda and I visited three yarn stores that I'd located while doing some online research on Friday night after she fell asleep.  The second of them was "Ewe Asked For It".


Amanda drove and I navigated as we made our way down to the store.  When we pulled into the parking lot, we saw the bright pink sign on the right side of the photo.  The store was closing, and was having a big sale to clear out the remaining stock.  We waffled between being excited (cheap yarn, yay!) and disappointed (one fewer yarn store to visit during subsequent trips to Edmonton).


When we entered the store, we settled on disappointment.  There wasn't really that much left on the shelves, and the majority of it was yarn that really didn't appeal to Amanda or me.


That said, it's probably for the best.  Amanda had already bought some yarn at the first yarn store we stopped at, and we both bought a few skiens at the final yarn store we visited just before checking into our hotel.  Somehow I think we left Edmonton with enough yarn even without buying anything at this particular shop.


...even if Amanda disagrees.  ;-)

Edmonton Bound

By the time most of you read this post, Amanda and I will be on our way to Edmonton.  We've been thinking about it for a few weeks, and decided that it'd be a good way to spend our long weekend together!


So we'll be driving out early Saturday morning and leaving Edmonton late Sunday afternoon.  What's on the agenda?


1)  Shopping

• There are a few neat yarn stores we'd like to check out among other things.

2)  Library

• I've recently read about the Strathcona County Library in Sherwood Park, and I'd like to take a look around it!

3)  Photos

• What would a trip out of Grande Prairie be without photos of the Kissing Couple on the road?  I've got a few photo ideas I'd love to try, but I don't know that we'll have the time or be in the right place to attempt them.  Needless to say, there *will* be photos of us finding time to kiss in Edmonton.

Anyway folks, Amanda and I had better get on the road pretty quick!

Once more, with feeling!

This photo was taken roughly an hour after my haircut on January 22, 2012.  Amanda and I had some other running around to do, and we eventually stopped at Costco to fill up my car.


The sun was still shining, and Amanda hadn't lost patience with me or my phone's camera.  When we got out of my car, Amanda was smiling and looking incredibly cute, and I took a photo of her that's now the wallpaper on my iMac.


Since I still had the camera handy, I leaned in for another kiss and got this photo.

Sunshine and Lollipops

This kiss happened on December 31, 2011, and it was a great way to close out the year!


We were waiting for the lights to change so we could cross from the parking lot behind the Prairie Mall to the shopping centre with Warehouse One.


I grabbed my cell, grabbed Amanda, and the conditions were perfect.  The sun was shining and the wind was blowing our hair and the strings on our hoodies.  Of course, Amanda was looking cooler than I was (I'd left my sunglasses in the car), but she was willing to kiss me anyway.


Now that I look at this photo alongside the other three I've uploaded to this blog, I've just noticed that in spite of what I said in a previous blog post, Amanda and I appear to tilt our heads to the right most of the time in these photos.  I'm sure we normally tilt our heads to the left, but I wonder if it's easier for me to hold my cell phone to get a photo if I'm tilting right.  Now that I'm aware of it, I'll pay more attention the next time out.