It’s raining out there today. On the drive to work this morning, the clouds parted just enough so I could see Grouse Mountain again. It use to be brown, now it’s white. And here we thought Spring was around the corner.

Chad is working extra shifts, which is hard to imagine considering the amount of shifts he is already working. I’ve gotten use to him not being around. That probably sounds negative, but its true. We talk all day online, but  as far as physically being in the same place as each other, it’s been a while, or one of us has been asleep. But it will all come to an end soon. The Paralympics won’t be as stressful as the regular Olympics, which is good.

Today is Friday. This office just hasn’t seemed normal this year. Theres a lot more negativity floating around. I can’t really explain it, you just have to be here to feel it. I have a feeling things are going to come to a head this year.

On the good news front, Chad finally hooked up my Uncle with a police pup in training. Apparently, female dogs usually don’t make it through as they aren’t aggressive enough, so they usually sell them to good homes. It’s hard to get one as they go fast (as we’ve learned) and they need to check you out before they give you a pup. Clearly they don’t want bad folk getting their hands on these prized German Shepard’s. Her name is Barra and my Uncle is driving up to Innisfail on Sunday to pick her up. I can’t wait to meet her! Chad says he kind of feels like an adoption agency or a foster parent since he had a hand in getting the dog.

Tonight will be a quiet night. I’m kind of tired of all the downtown hupla. I much prefer sitting at home and watching all the events on TV. That said, I think we are going to try and head downtown Saturday night for one last Gong Show attempt. Sunday, Chad will be working, so I will spend the day at the parentals watching all the closing stuff.

As exciting as all of this is, I’m getting tired. I will miss it when it’s gone, but right now, I just want things to go back to normal.

More Olympic Pictures, More Olympic Pictures!!!

Saturday, while Chad was at work (whata good boy) I headed downtown with the Famiglia.

PHOTO EXPLOSION

Cristina and I got ID’d at Germany House. It was 11am, pretty sure I’m not about to get wasted!

Ma, Pa, and Cristina

Cooking up some German Meat.

A Brat for Breakfast. I even got sauerkraut. I have never been a fan of it, but I figured, if I was going to be German for an hour I was going to be FULLY German.

Inside the actual house. Already packed watching the days events.

German signed car.

Walking towards the torch.

March forward.

The flame from far away.

Probably a little creepy that I took a picture of someones kid, but it was too cute not to. He made his own torch. Omg, *sniff* adorable.

Thar she blows.

Speaking of blowing, you would not believe how many Russians were downtown on Saturday. There were tons of young Navy guys as well. It was nuts.

Everyone’s in Red. Do we look related!?

The view of the torch from downtown.

Shangra La

CTV

My buddies.

A floral VAG.

The Rossis

Melbourne and Cortina d’Ampezzo, where both sides of my family live!

MUKMUK <3

QUATCHI <3

Oh look! Another picture of the damn lanterns!

So apparently my Mother discovered that not only was there Casa Italia represented at the Olympics, but there was also Casa Calabria! Weird, yet interesting. Considering we will be travelling around Calabria in 7 months it only made sense to check it out.

Hand Made Glass Art

Damn Southerners!

Cheese and coffee and things.

Made it to Casa Italia, yet again. This time they were actually serving CHEESE! Hahah Mom and Dad got handfuls.

Cheese please.

Pappa Rossi

I could be a Skier.

I had this discussion with my Mom that Casa Italia would have been 10 times better if they decided to serve Pasta and Wine. Umm hello, talk about making a killing if you did that. At all our Italian events we serve a plate of pasta and wine for 8 bucks and we always sell out. People go nuts for that kind of thing and it is so cheap to do. I’m going to have to speak to the Casa Italia Organizing Committee. Clearly they were not very organized. Or they just like being snobs and only serving that kind of thing to the VIPs. Oh those Italians.

The Sea Wall in Yaletown.

Yes, this is why we live here.

Sunnies and a Toque.

After Eight. The biggest friggin Yacht I have ever seen!

Waiting in line for the Sea Bus, which, for some reason, we all thought was FREE.

GROUP SHOT.

SEA BUS

Checkin out the city

Love this building

Swiss House on Granville Island

Leaving the ‘Island’

Walking some where. Check out the Cherry Blossoms!

Yacht Club.

Sea Wall Fashion.

PIRATE SHIP

What a beautiful day!

Dreamy

Shadows

RCMP Boat

Us Italians

CANADA LINE SQUISH.

Our plan was to do many things, many things that all had very long line ups, so we just did a lot of walking around the city. All transit was packed so we had to squish.

By the time I got home I was so tired I actually thought I was going to die. I passed out for two hours and felt like crap for the rest of the evening.

That is what you get for never exercising!

Just another beautiful Olympic day in Vancouver!

Ok so I am going to try and pump out some Olympic posts.

Last Monday, Ryan and Elise joined us for some downtown Olympic goodness. This was the second time in a row where we went downtown and the weather was crappy, only this time, we didn’t bring an umbrella. Pretty stupid considering we bought an Olympic umbrella on Saturday. OH WELL.

Elise claims that because these mittens are made in China, that is the reason why they are falling apart. Umm…I’ve had mine for the exact same amount of time and mine don’t look like they got eaten by a dog! Something smells funny here Elise.

Chad and Ryan on la skytrain.

Hey, look who it is.

It was our first time on the Canada Line. The giant underground hole was a little freaky. It’s HUGE.

Hat twins. I hope Ryan doesn’t get confused as to whose who.

Waiting for the Granville Island street car at the Olympic Village Terminal.

Chad and Ryan on the Street Car!!!

Elise on the Street Car. I WAS SO EXCITED!!!

Here we be! Granville Island.

The line up to get into Atlantic House. Yea, I don’t think so.

We decided to head over to the Cats Social House instead. Less people and seats at the bar.

The Mojito.

Elise and I were on a Mojito rampage, as we usually are. These ones looked huge, but then we just realized it was just full of ice. They were tasty none the less.

Watching the snow boarders at the Bar.

We stayed for one drink and one appy and then ‘bar hopped’ as Elise called it.

This is how Chad protects himself from the rain.

Bombardier!

Elise was in love with the way the seats faced each other.

Back on the Canada Line heading downtown.

WOOOOO.

Back at the Bay.

More pictures of the lanterns in the pouring rain.

Why do I feel the need to take a picture of these guys every time I see them?

Mojito number 2.

Elise thinks I should start a Mojito blog. Ha. Like I need another blog.

The service and beer at the Olympic Bar and Grill was not the best this time around.

Ryan’s beer was warm so Elise decided to add to it.

It’s couple time.

An insight into our relationship.

It was a good night, but I was tired by the end of it. The rain sucked but the atmosphere outside was good. I slept like a baby when I got home.

I need to go downtown when it is not raining!

I’ve been a horrible blogger. I have had pictures from our Monday Olympic adventure sitting in flickr for days waiting to be titled and blogged about and here I sit with no time to do any of it. Plus, tomorrow I am going on more Olympic adventures which means there is going to be a giant back log. This no time thing is no fun.

I have no idea when I am going to get a chance to do the overflowing amount of laundry sitting in the bedroom. Or clean the house. Or finish all this work on my desk. Or research Italy. Or plan the next month of our lives. I AM FEELING STRESSED PEOPLE!!!

Tomorrow I am going downtown with the parentals while Chad works away in the office. Saturday night we’ll actually be able to eat dinner together and probably just hang out and do nothing. Hopefully this is true so that I can do the laundry while doing nothing.

Sunday I’ve decided to go to my Moms and scrapbook all day, which is probably not the best way to spend my time but the pressure to finish this scrapbook and exit the premises is mounting, as much as my Mother says its not.

Tonight we are helping Dario move, but hopefully there will be some beers and pizza and socialization post move.

As for now, I’m just going to continue complaining that I have no time!!!

Valentines Day!

Yes! An excuse for cookies and chocolates and dinner out!

That is the best part of Valentines Day, all the food.

This is this years stash.

We got each other the exact same things.

Chocolates and Cookies.

I guess Chad loves me more since my Choclates and Cookies were bigger.

And here I was trying to SAVE money!

Just another thing to prove we are meant for each other.

We got each other the exact same kind of Valentines Day card that talks about all the goofy things we do and how we can make each other mad but in the end we love each other kind of thing. Then we went through the card and personalized each situation with something that has really happened to us. Both cards included situations revolving around the recycling.

We are way too similar.

We walked up to Earls for dinner. Sat close to the bar so we could watch all the Olympic stuff that was going on.

We has Chicken Tacos for an appy and then I had Prawn and Scallop Pasta. Both were soooo friggin good. Not to mention the Raspberry Martini and glass of Red Wine. Yum yum yum!

We came back home where I severed the Chocolate Covered Marshmallows that I had slaved over all day. I friggin burnt the chocolate in the microwave trying to melt it, so badly that smoke was coming out of it and filled the whole apartemnt. Don’t ask. It was a total disasted. Second time around was much better though!

Chad then realized it was 10:00 and he was way passed his bed time (for having to get up at 5:30 the next morning for work) so he went to bed and passed out. Ha.

Yay for Valentines Day during his Olympic Rotation!!!