Wow, it has been a long time since I have posted. Is it too late to blame it on the pandemic?
Quite a bit has happened since December 2020, when I last posted one of these.
January 2021.. Since I didn't get to wish you all a happy new year: Happy New Year everyone! :) I rang in the New Year with my boyfriend, his dad, my best friend and her family, and my mom. No, I wasn't back home. The joys of Skype made it all possible for everyone to ring in the New Year here. It was nice. Back home, if I wasn't celebrating with family I would be bringing in the New Year with my best friend so it was nice to do that again. New Years day I introduced my boyfriend to some traditions we have for good luck- such as eating black eyed peas and corn bread... I think we all could use some luck after the year 2020. And as he could tell you, I pulled out every good luck New Years food tradition I could probably think of. And if anyone wants to know, corn bread is really hard and different to make over here.
Well, the good luck of New Years eve must have worked as the start of February, I was offered a job. It was only suppose to be for 2 months but turned into 6 months. It was about a 45 minute trip away from where I lived and well, oddly, thanks to COVID, my train ticket was free because I worked on hospital grounds. I am starting to think I should eat black eye peas and the corn bread again this year. The job was working with the university in conjunction with the hospital and looking at a faster COVID testing method. I met some really nice people up there, one who shares my love for Orphan Black and shows like that. She has became a really good friend to me. Also in February, my boyfriend and I celebrated 2 amazing years together. We had coffee/hot chocolate from Tim Hortons, where we had our semi first date.
So March-June are kind of a blur on what happened as work kind of took over and some nights I was working till 1 am and then getting up at 5/6 to catch the train. I have been a doctor for a year?! Crazy! A lot of coffee was drunk during the time. I did get to see the eclipse in June! That was cool.
It is a little hard to see, but I promise it is there.During this time my boyfriends brother came to visit as their dad was having heart surgery. I finally got to meet brother number 2, and I think it is fair to say we got along great. There were laughs, jokes, and pure craziness. And then his girlfriend came and added even more laughs, jokes and craziness. It helped with the stress of the surgery/health situation there dad was going through and I made two new friends. She and I have a lot in common and I was so sad when she had to go back home for work. It was nice celebrating my birthday 2 weekends in a row. Their dad came home on my birthday, which was a nice gift. I loved celebrating my birthday with my boyfriend's family, especially with his brother who was visiting. Due to the events on the actual birthday, every place we tried for my birthday dinner was booked solid. Crazy?! Who would have thought so many people would want to go out to eat after being locked down for so long! :) It worked out in the end. We got to a new place that served a lot of gluten free options and well the cocktails were nice too.
July came and I must say, it has one of the best days here. I love it. When I came here 6 years ago, I was told the 12th was one of the most dangerous days and not to go outside. So I never did. I made sure to stay either in my room or work through the day. Oh how wrong they were. What a fab day! I must say, I am thankful for this pandemic. The past 2 years the 12th has stayed in town so I have been able to see it! :) Ok, I may be a little selfish, but I love how it brings this little town together and seeing people I have gotten to know. I love watching the kids march and have a wonderful time. And when that one band with my boyfriend and his brothers get close and start to march through town the excitement in the crowd is crazy. For those of you back home, it is like a homecoming parade or high school football game. When the team you want comes on the field or scores the point and the crowd just cheers, that is what happens here. July is filled with a lot of parades. July's weather though was brutal! I do not handle heat well, mainly because it physically makes my heart and head hurt. This heat was awful. I know, I know, I can hear it now... "We were in the 100s" Yes, but you have AC. The temp here said it felt like high 90s, without AC. I have never eaten so much ice cream, ice water, and ice lollies in my life. My boyfriend and I took his dad to the garden center, and who decides to look like they are about to pass out from the heat? Not the person in long pants and a long shirt... but me in shorts and a tank top. I definitely do not think I will survive the summer back home if I ever go back. Why was it so hot and when can this place get AC? My last day of work on the COVID study was the end of July.
I started a new job on Aug 2. How was that for timing? I have been offered a 2 year post within the university looking at upper limb rehab in Stroke Survivors. This post fits in with my undergraduate degree and my first research post. I have been in the job just over a month and I am absolutely loving it. It is a little bit of exercise science, anatomy, and something new all rolled into one. I love my supervisors. They are so nice, easy going, and give positive feedback. They are fantastic.
In other news that hasn't made it in the month to month update: I started the 100 mile British Heart Foundation September Challenge. I have decided to walk 100 miles within the month of September to raise awareness for the BHF. Its been good to not only really push myself but to raise awareness for heart disease given what has happened this year and the Kawasaki Disease my nephew and I have had. As of this morning, I am at 58 miles (not counting today). I am not only walking, but have decided to see how many miles/steps I can do while doing Zumba. I do Zumba 1-2x a day now that it is open at the leisure center. My boyfriend and I have been taking walks around town as well as on the beach.
This small town did have some superheroes visiting this summer for the kids while they were out of school. The town was also decorated in yarn which was quite fun to see. I am so glad it is getting cooler again. Bring on the sweater weather!
I am Groot! Love this movie! 
Some people have so much talent
Stay safe and have a wonderful September!
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