Packaging when Immobile

I have had lots of time lately to get caught up on packaging...

Leg update: I walked the 4 blocks from home to the beach and back yesterday afternoon. I sat for a while with my leg in the sea. Oh that Mediterranean healing... bring it on!!!

Trip to Canada - Part 2

Beer & Honey Shampoo

Wild Lavender

Dog Shampoo

Activated Charcoal, Goat Milk, Spearmint Essential Oil

This is just a teaser... they are some old photos of soaps I made... but the great news is the Doctor unwrapped my leg yesterday and blood tests say that there is no more Thrombosis! Yippee. So I am to begin walking on it again... does that mean soaping? Oh yes I think it does!!! And walking!!! And full-on Showering!!! I have a lot to organize here (still need to get unpacked etc etc...) but I think I may be able to make soap tomorrow. My daughter (still in Canada, at camp) has the camera so I am searching for our point and shoot... will find!!

So, back to Canada... A little more Collingwood. My cousin organized (Thank you Eden!!) a big BBQ for Canada Day and a rubber duck race down the creek on my uncle's property. Everyone had to decorate a rubber duck and they were all numbered. Then people bet on the winners to raise money for Cancer. A lot of fun... and I think about 600$ was raised.

Dad watching the Duck race finish line

Another shot of Georgian Bay, Collingwood... looks like the Ocean doesn't it!?

Dad took Aurora and I camping in Arrowhead Park, Huntsville.






I have always left a little piece of my heart in Huntsville as we used to have a cottage there. Most of my memories of family get togethers when I was younger and Christmases and Easters were there. Then during university, I lived there during the summers and worked at a bar in town to pay for university. Although I grew up in Toronto, I would say that Huntville always felt more like home to me. My haven. Dad sold the cottage several years ago. Whenever in Huntsville we always stop by the property to check it out but this time when we arrived, the cottage WASN'T THERE. We found out it had burnt to the ground in April. Wow. I shed a few tears.

More photos of Arrowhead park and Huntsville:















So... Trip to Canada - Part 3 is yet to come and progress leg reports and back to the markets and swimming in the sea and soaping - Oh yeah!!!!!

Trip to Canada - Part 1

Ontario summertime countryside (drive from Toronto to Collingwood)

I would love to post some glorious photos of a new soap I made... But I haven’t made soap in over a month because I had been travelling and now I am immobilized with Thrombosis. Can you imagine being immobilized and not being able to do anything other than what you are able to do on a sofa with your leg up in 40º weather with no Air Conditioning... for weeks? No matter how difficult it all is I can't get down about it because I feel so lucky. I feel so fortunate. I feel so blessed to be here. I should not have flown with Thrombisis.

So, please bear with me as I post about non-soapy things until I can get back to my passion...

Toronto Racoon, a family of them live under my old friend Leigh's porch

I almost called this post Trip Home but I have lived away from Canada for 8 years now... So what is home? The place you are from? or the place you are now? Can you create home wherever are? Or maybe it is not about the place at all but about people?

Canola Fields

I almost didn’t go on the trip as I had injured my leg, torn part of my calf muscle shortly before we left... and during the entire 3 week trip I hobbled around on a cane but this trip was mostly about the people so it was okay.

Collingwood, Canada Day, July 1st:





Dad, my daughter Aurora and Mum, at that great Canadian icon - Tim Hortons

My stepmum, back porch, Collingwood

Georgian Bay, photo taken by my daughter

Dad & I

Me, hobbling and happy at Georgian Bay


I will continue with my Canadian journey in another post...

Most nights, ever since my grandmother died in March 2010, before going to sleep, I write a list of the things I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for:
1) the wonderful people in my life
2) my husband who has come through and is looking after me better than I could have imagined
3) being alive and getting better
4) the wonderful smell in my house... with my Essential Oil soaps
5) the enjoyment I get from reading and writing
6) the followers out there who enjoy my Blog

xoxo Jen

The Versatile Blogger Award

I am flattered to have been given "The Versatile Blogger" award by both Tierra Verde Handmade Soaps http://tierraverdesoaps.blogspot.com/2011/07/paying-it-forward.html and Soaperstar http://soaperstar.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-have-been-given-versatile-blogger.html

Thank you both!!!

Here is the information regarding the award.

The concept behind the Versatile Blogger Award is to follow a few rules and then pass it on to whatever blog you think deserves it. The rules are:
1 – Make a post and link it back to the person who gave you the award (and include their website address)
2 – Share 7 random things about yourself
3 – Award 7 recently discovered bloggers with this award and contact them to let them know they have won

So here are 7 Random things about myself:

1) I grew up in Toronto at Yonge Blvd and Yonge Street and my last name is Young. So I was a young Young at Yonge & Yonge.
2) I learned to knit and crochet when I was 7 years old from my aunt who is a fabulous knitter and quilter.
3) I wrote a novel when I was 12, entered it into a competion for young authors and didn’t win anything. Reading it now, I realize it wasn’t a great literary work but the accomplishment of finishing a novel still feels wonderful.
4) The greatest thing I have ever done in my life was having my daughter Aurora… she was a big surprise as I lived alone in a tiny 1 room apartment, was not in a healthy stable relationship at the time, had no money as I was a starving Grad student but none of it mattered because from the moment I saw that positive pregnancy test I knew she would be the best thing in my life. And she is.
5) When I was younger I wanted to be an actress. The constant competition hurt my self-esteem and I finally left acting behind.
6) I have written many songs over the years on my guitar but finally recorded a CD of my originals 8 years ago and felt very proud. The guitar sounds great, the voice not-so-much but it is mine and I cherish it.
7) My very favourite foods are Tomatoes and cheese. I can't go a day without either.

Now who to give this award to? Well, re-reading the instructions I notice it said Recently Discovered blogs, so I will try to choose new blogs I have been enjoying and pick blogs that have not already been nominated although I would love to nominate you all!!!

I nominate the following blogs.

http://www.tokyofactory.net/
http://restingonabranch.blogspot.com/
http://mygaliciangarden.blogspot.com/
http://skruben.blogspot.com/
http://biancahewson.blogspot.com/
http://www.bodygoodiesonline.com/blog/
http://handmadesoapblog.blogspot.com/

Pending... a post about my recent trip to Canada!!

Happy Soaping everyone!!

xoxo
Jen

Soap Log Splitter

Thanks to my Dad!!!! Look at the beautiful Soap Log Splitter that he made from scratch for me!! Now I just have to get it back to Spain and try it out!!

And Happy Belated Canada Day!!!! This is a photo of my cousin's backyard just before the Canada Day celebration bonfire and fireworks.




xo
Jen