I came home from work and found this. He ‘wasn’t feeling good’.

June 2010

So…I got my hair cut.

This is my hair last Wednesday when one of Marlees co-workers practiced doing a blow out on me. Alicia and I went down to Axis on Pender as hair models (our favorite job ever) and got our hair washed, and blow dried all for free! It was amazing.

As you can tell, though, my hair was all very…LONG. It felt like I had a sack of hair on my head. While nice for Winter, it really was not working for Summer.

I had this plan to keep this hair for the Summer and then get a new do for Italy, but by mid June, I just couldn’t wait any longer. I might has well have had a fur coat on my head.

It had grown to the point that it was life less, had no spunk to it, and just would not straighten properly.

I finally made a LONG over do appointment this past Saturday, and walked my pretty little behind down to Coal Harbour, on the most glorious of Saturdays.

I sat down in the chair and Marlee produced her magic.

Hello layers, and body, and volume, and flare!

She only cut an inch off the length, but she layered the hell out of it, making it feel so light and airy. It’s like I have nothing on my head now! There is so much more life to it and I am loving everything about it! Even when I put it in a bun it doesn’t feel like my head is going to topple over!

There is a part of me that does feel naked now that I don’t have a sack of hair on my head, but that will quickly go away as the hot Summer days continue and I remember what I use to have for hair.

I am LOVING it!

So…have you made your appointment with  Marlee yet?

While driving to Alicias the other night my car decided to stall twice as the light turned from Red to Green.

Once I finally got it up and running, the CHECK ENGINE light came on. Shit.

This has never happened to me before.

I was in panic mode until I go to where I was headed. I called my Dad, he said I had to call the dealership. Crap.

I got home, worried that the car was going to explode, but got home.

The dealership is swamped until Tuesday.

Every time I drive it I fear that something bad is going to happen. I’m right to think this considering every day since the car has attempted to stall while either in neutral, or while driving. Yea, does that make any sense to you?

This morning was probably the worst drive so far. Needless to say, I’m parking it until Tuesday.

This doesn’t bode well when part of my job is driving to factories.

For fack sakes.

Well, the wedding was a success, despite all the things that were thrown at Ryan and Elise this week. It was all pulled together nicely, and was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been too. Elise and Ryan are now in Mexico, relaxing the week away, and then get to come home to a brand new condo and lots and lots of wedding gifts. Not too shabby if you ask me!

A few highlights and stories of the day…

• I was suppose to have the 9am hair and make up slot, but since we were a head of schedule (by a lot), I was woken up at 6:15am to start the getting ready process. Sweet Jesus!
• During the ceremony, my Uncle (who performed the wedding) accidentally hit the mike button and all of a sudden radio waves were coming over the PA system. He made a joke about it being the Devil and everyone laughed. Amazing save!
• My hand shook from being so nervous when I had to sign as their witness. I don’t know why I was so nervous.
• Chad and I were basically the shortest people in the bridal party.
• We took pictures at Deer Lake Park.
• Zia Patrizia made the best Roast Beef Sammich ever.
• Our shoes killed our feet.
• The girls went back to the hall early to finish setting everything up.
• I contracted a giant head ache.
• Luckily I had my over night bag in my Dads car and was able to take out my contacts, which added to the pain of said headache.
• There was a large Italian wedding in the hall beside us, and a small Russian/Eastern European wedding beside that.
• Nervousness + Giant Head Ache = Upset stomach – which meant I barely ate anything. This really sucked because the food looked so good, but I knew if I tired I would end up sicker then I felt. I’d really like to go to a wedding and actually be able to eat the food!
• Finally it was speech time. I think I did a good job. People laughed. I was happy!
• I cried like a baby for everyone else’s speeches. I have no idea whats wrong with me.
• We danced a lot.
• Chad busted his knee on Friday helping Ryan out so his dancing was down to a minimum.
• Colin and I planned out an Italian dinner we will make on Sunday.
• While walking from the bar to the dance floor I slipped on some spilled drinks and landed on my side. My hip hurt like a bitch, but the pain was gone by the next day. Now my shoulder and arm is killing me. I can barely use it. Le sigh.
• The Russians from the other wedding were nuts. One guy got super wasted and spent the majority of the night in the court yard attempting not to fall into the bushes. Eventually he did and then proceeded to full on punch himself in the face. Priceless.
• Ryan and Elise were on the dance floor all night long.
• Dario was on fire the whole night.
• We sang a lot.
• By the time our second cab came (the first one was stolen by Russians) we were officially the last people at the hall.

Now, there is so much to clean and organize at home and in our lives. Everything’s been put on the back burner for a while now, so we have to catch up.

I wish I was relaxing in Mexico!

It has become a favorite past time of our dear husbands to poke fun at the fact that you and I are ‘Best Friends’.  I know they do it just to drive us crazy, but it got me thinking of what in fact brought us together.

Elise and I grew up living very different lives. She grew up in the country and I grew up in the city. She was minutes away from our extended family, and I lived on the other side of a bridge, which as a kid, and even now sometimes, is a huge deal. I always felt that she had so many special connections to our cousins which I didn’t have, simply because of locations and circumstances. As a kid, when you don’t have control over who you see and when you see them, it’s hard to become friends and really know people that aren’t around all the time.

This, however, changed once the whole family started going to Manning Park each year. For four glorious days we were all together, and for someone who didn’t get to see everyone all that often, this was a big deal. Friendships blossomed, alliances were made, and Elise and I became sworn enemies!  It wasn’t anything too evil, we just took great joy in trying to annoy one another. There were fights over bunk beds, bribes to get Elise to bring me cookies in bed, and of course, Elise trying to convince me that the Beatles had died in a plane crash.

Eventually, as time went on, we started to see that maybe we had more in common with each other then just our mutual passion for the annoying. A truce was made and we paired up as the ultimate female tennis team to defeat our cousins Steven and Jacob in the first ever Manning Open. From there things started to change.

The most infamous story in the history of Danielle and Elise, came one summers evening while having a girls only movie night at our grandparents farm. We were forced to share the same seat since we were both too stubborn to give it up to each other. This then lead to a mutual mocking of Francesca (sorry Francesca!) who was over joyed to see a Swan swim across the screen in the movie we were watching. Now, I know it doesn’t sound funny, but to Elise and I, it was priceless. There began our endless list of inside jokes.

From there our friendship grew. We started our first business entitled ‘Under The Shade of an Evergreen Relationship Counseling’. We had sleep overs at the farm, watched Pride and Prejudice hundreds of times, wrote stories about our Favorite Zia Maria, and of course talked about boys.

That’s when Ryan came into the picture.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you are a Rossi, and female, you will date a Ryan. This began to get confusing when at the height of ‘The Ryans’, there were 4 of us, including myself, who were all dating boys named Ryan. I blame this on the 80s!

I remember Elise and I chatting online just as her and Ryan had started dating. She sent me over a photo and was so happy and excited to talk about him. I knew then that this guy was pretty special as Elise was not one to throw caution to the wind and just fall for anyone.

After spending many evenings in the presence of Ryan and Elise, it is easy to see that you are in the presence of true love. Even when they sit there and bicker at each other, in only the way Elise and Ryan can, you can’t help but laugh at how cute they are. The way they interact amuses me immensely. Elise is a true romantic and I’m so glad she found her perfect fit in Ryan. Much better then getting stuck with Mr. Colins, right Elise!?

When I look at Elise now, all ‘grown up’, I see an amazing woman who has worked hard, made good choices, and is on the path to ultimate happiness. I admire her strength and courage, and the way she stands up for everything she believes in. She inspires me more then she knows.   Plus, she makes me laugh hysterically every time we are together.

Although my friendship with Elise didn’t quite flourish to ‘best friend’ status until later in life, it doesn’t make me value her friendship any less; in fact, it makes me value it more. There is something beyond comforting about having someone who is at the same stage in life as you are. We share so many of the same beliefs and values, and I always know that if I need someone by my side, Elise will be there. It makes me so excited to look ahead to the future to see the 2 of us, in our High Point Equestrian Estates, with our horses tide up at the hitching post, making plans to take the kids to Disneyland, while the husbands sit back in their Man Cave discussing their latest Scotch discoveries.

I am so honored to be here today, to be a part of this amazing day. I love you guys very much, and I can’t really imagine my life with out either of you in it. You two are truly meant for each other.

If you will join me now in raising your glasses,

To Elise and Ryan,

May your love be as passionate as a Jane Austen Novel, and your journey through life as smooth as a well aged single malt.