Where did August go?

3 days until we leave Ottawa. I can not believe how quickly this last month has flown by.  In less then a regular work week the first part of our journey will begin. My friends have made this very real for me as they all have tried to fit in last minute visits and dinners. I can always say I know my true friends because it doesn't matter if I saw them last week or two years ago or more, we can always catch up with each other's lives and pick up new conversation like no time has past. Those are the types of friends I would recommend everyone hold on to.

The first leg of our trip is my parents' home in Mallorytown, which is in the Front of Yonge Township. I was touched by how many of my friend offered their couch or air mattress to me for the two weeks I have to wait for our flight out of the country. It seems they do not like the thought of me being stuck out in the country for the first leg of our journey. They do not seem to understand, that for me the old homestead is not just a place in the middle of nowhere, but it is a loving place for me to escape the big city and relax when I need to. The Hubby will have the hardest time at my parents' place as he is a city dweller through and through, but I believe even he has come to appreciate the difference of Mallorytown to Ottawa in small dosages.

I look forward to the two weeks with my family before I go. For me it was a necessary step as I have always been close to my parents and my maternal grandmother. With the extended family, even though we are not as close now, I do have fond memories of family get-togethers as a child and fun family weddings as an adult. I know that if they could see me before I leave most of them would want to. When we take the first air plane on September 17th I will honestly be able to say I have no regrets making this move as I have made sure to let the people I care for and love the most know how much they mean to me and that is very important when the relationships going forward will be very long distance.

The last bit of cleaning and packing is almost done and the final thing I will need to do is quit work. Now normally I would provide two weeks notice, but because my company does not give references and there has been a lot of things that I have detested about the way things have changed over the last 4 years of working here. I have decided that I am going to give them official notice of my departure on my last day. That way it saves me from exit interviews where I may say things I regret. I love my co-workers and will miss them dearly, I can only hope that they will follow their dreams and whether it be to join the RCMP, become a dentist, work with nutrition or just find a job they can enjoy on a regular basis. I wish them luck in succeeding and taking a risk now and then to make their dreams come true.

So I leave this week's post with a warning..."Look out Mallorytown! I am coming home!"

~Diligentdaydreamer

Childhood Memories and The Brew Table.

8 days until we leave the Ottawa area. I find my self slipping into denial, I mean we can't be almost done August...can we? Where has this month gone? I still have packing to get done, apartment cleaning to do and friends to visit before I head off not knowing when I will be back to visit. One minute I feel like jumping for joy! This is really going to happen, we are actual going to do this and it makes me so ecstatic that one of our life long dreams together is going to come true. Then in the next moment I feel panicked and overwhelmed. We are actually going to leave the only country we have both ever lived in, our friends, my family and the culture we both affectionately joke about being uniquely Canadian. We are going to have to get use to a new country, make new friends and learn to adapt in a new culture. Plus find jobs and our own place eventually, but at leas we will have The Hubby's parents and extended family to help us out when they can. So I tell myself that and I relax a little. I guess this is just one emotional roller-coaster I have to ride out and once I am use to the changes I am sure I will not only survive, but I know I will thrive.

This weekend we took some time out of our busy getting ready to move schedule and took sometime to relax and enjoy some more of the Ottawa area while we could. The Hubby decided he would like to go and walk around where he spent most of his time as child and see how things had change. So we made our way out to the Kanata area for a walkabout. We got off the bus at the Eaglson Park and Ride stop for OC Transpo and trundled along through the side streets and parks on our way towards the Hazeldean Mall. I never knew Kanta had so many parks. I mean I was awear of the bike paths and nature trails that criss-crossed through it, but the sheer number of parks in the area we walked was quite astonishing. I enjoyed all the greeniery and The Hubby regailed me with tales of what had changed since the last time he had wandered about the area and what had remained the same. It was a gorgeous sunny day, the perfect day for this type of adventure to be sure.

After all the environmetnal beauty we decided to take a break in the air conditioned Hazeldean Mall. The Mall itself really hasn't changed too much in the 8 years I have lived in Ottawa, but The Hubby commented on the renovations done to the front entrance of the Zellers and some of the old stores that were no longer there. We found out that sadly the Zellers would be closing in February as well as part of the Target deal and that makes me sad. Growing up Zellers was always part of the shopping experience for me and my mom would always go on about how it was a Canadian institution. I will always remember their jingle, "At Zellers, where the lowest price is the law. Everyday!" It makes me smile to sing that even in my head, but as times change so do the stores and places you went to years ago. It is funny how somethings change and yet others stay the same.

It was finally time to walk down through the Glen Carin suburb and see The Hubby's old high school and elementary school. We talked about how the play structures had changed from the wood and metal we used to play on, to these metal and plastic monstrosities. When we were kids getting a splinter from the playground was a rite of passage. Nowadays  children are so protected, it makes me wonder how most of my generation survived or my parents generation for that matter. Along the pathways between the schools there are fences everywhere. The Hubby hated this the most as he remember walking down to the drainage ditches and creeks to try and catch frogs and fish.  I wondered if children even bothered to try and do that anymore when there was probably an app that allowed them to simulate these activities. We met up with two of The Hubby's childhood friends, who were both in our wedding party 6 years ago and headed out to The Brew Table for some drinks and food.

The Brew Table is a fun bar and grill in the Bells Corner area, right off Roberston Rd and Moodie Dr. It is attached to the hotel there so you know that customer service is going to be important. The selection of beers was quite impressive. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted (but what else is new when it comes to me lol). I decided to pay homage to the Angry Video Game Nerd and try out the Rolling Rock pale ale. 

I have to say it was quite refreshing and light tasting. I loved the glass it came in too! I wouldn't mind having it again if it came up, but The Hubby tells me that I have to get used to a whole different beer experience when we get to England. The food menu had a wide variety of items, all of them matching a large range of price points. I was in the mood for something a little more up market so I tried the Seafood Terrine with home made pastries and fries.

My taste buds were in heaven! The shrimp, muscles and scallops all mixed in with vegetables in a cream sauce was just what I was looking for. It made me feel a little bit more mature to be eating something a bit healthier then a burger, but not too mature. The fries were nice and fresh and the pastries almost melted in your mouth. If you're near Bells Corners for lunch or dinner I would highly recommend checking The Brew Table out. The last item I had to try was a beer margarita. I saw that on the menu and just had to know what it was like.

The only downside to a beer margarita is that unless you let some of the lime mix in with the drink when you try and take a sip all you get is margarita mix. Once it melts a bit though it is actually a quite refreshing beverage, sort of their take on a lime beer just better quality. It is a mix I would make up for friends on a patio for sure.

The afternoon had now turned into evening and everyone had work or more packing to do the next day, so we said our goodbyes. It was nice to see the guys again and it made me teary to think it might be the last time we see them in a while. I made them promise if they made it over to England to look us up. The whole day was filled with reminiscing about the past and yet I was still happy to be dreaming about the future. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Keep on dreaming,

~Diligentdaydreamer

 

The Going Away Gathering

16 Days until we leave Ottawa. On the 11th of August we did have our going away gathering, but due to the weather not being 100% friendly we ended up at the Hintonburger.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this place. At first glance, because the KFC spinning bucket is still up, I was a little apprehensive about my choice in changing the location. As the hubby and I grabbed a picnic table outside and waited for the rest of our guest to show up, I hoped that appearances were deceiving and that the Hintonburger would live up to its reputation.

As some of our guests arrived the hubby went inside to wait in the line. There was quite a line up and the inside looked full so I saved our picnic table outside as I wanted to make sure we didn't lose our spot. Hintonburg itself is a quaint little part of Ottawa. There are a lot of niche little shops along the street and when the sun was out it was easy to sit back relax and watch people milling about with their families. I loved the classic looking church about two blocks away from Hintonburger.

Needless to say there was enough going on to keep me busy while I waited for more of our guests. The hubby came back out though with a menu for me to look over and told me that once I ordered the wait would be about 10 minutes. The reason behind that is all the food is made fresh so depending on what is ordered it may take the cooking staff a bit of time to prep it. They were also really busy which I guess is a good sign when you are trying a new place.

Finally everyone had arrived and we could go inside to order while the hubby saved our table outside. Once I was inside I could understand why the Hintonburger had such a great reputation. From the cozy atmosphere to the classic pop in glass bottles the restaurant gave off the welcome vibe of burger shakes and drive in restaurants of old. The staff were friendly and helpful when it came to topping selection, the food was fresh and the wait wasn't that bad considering how many people were in line ahead of us. I decided to try the 6oz Hintonburger with the works minus banana peppers, fries and a Coke Zero in a glass bottle.

Doesn't that look good, messy but oh soooo yummy! I have to say that I really enjoyed the meal. It is a rare treat to go to a restaurant these days and actually get fresh made food. Even the veggies were crisp like they are suppose to be. So if you are in the Hintonburg area I would highly recommend stopping in for some grub at the Hintonburger. Remember to not judge a book by its cover.

The rest of the afternoon we hung out at my friend Amanda's and played Cards Against Humanity. A funny adult version of Apples to Apples I would say is the best way to describe it. Some times we were laughing so hard I was crying. It was a great day all around and I am sorry more people couldn't make it out. I can hardy believe I have only two weekends left before I leave Ottawa. This means I do not know when I will see some of my good friends again. Thank goodness for the internet, at least when I am oceans away I won't feel like I am that far.

~Diligentdaydreamer

The Last Piece of Documents has Arrived!

23 days until we leave Ottawa. The hubby's British passport arrived two days ago which was the last piece of documentation we were waiting for to be able to be sure we would have no problems on our journey. This has been a relief and yet for me it has made me anxious again as it is a reminder that this is not like 4 years ago when we were just talking about the possibilities of moving to the U.K. No this is really happening and we managed to put it all together in less then two months. It is a bit of a shock to the system, but it also excites me to think part of a dream I had set out for myself will becoming true.

I have planned a going away gathering in Ottawa this weekend. It was suppose to be at Britannia Beach and the Baja Burger Shack as they have amazing burgers. Alas it looks like it is going to be rainy and stormy so not a good day for the beach. We have decided to try and burger place that won the Ottawa's Best Burger competition this year instead. So we shall start our gathering at the HintonBurger on Wellington St. We both have never been there and I promised myself to try as many new things before I left. So if the weather manages to change between now and Saturday we shall be at the beach.

Or if it is rainy and gross out we will be closer to downtown trying out something new.

Either way I will let you know how the gathering goes and give my reviews of either place. Keep on reaching for the moon and you'll land among the stars.

~Diligentdaydreamer

The song behind the blog

29 days until we have to be fully packed and ready to make the first step of our trip. Until then the city of Ottawa is still my home and I have come to realize all of the things I haven't done or the beauty I am going to miss. For example my hour long bus ride to work everyday takes me along the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, past the Parliament Buildings and out past some of the quiet suburbs. There are restaurants I haven't tried, parks I haven't explored and tourist places like the Diefenbunker that I have skipped. However I still have time to try and fit in as much of this city as I can.

I wanted to share the song that inspired the title of the this blog, so maybe it will inspire other dreamers and wanna be travelers as it has me. If it wasn't for "Rocket Girl" by Doc Walker I may not have been inspired to keep on dreaming about seeing the world and finally getting up the courage to plan this move to England. I have seen a couple of places in North America, but I can hardly wait to start this adventure and escape to Europe. I am hoping the move will be fun, educational and full of new cultural experiences.

The chorus of "Rocket Girl" goes like this:

Hey where you going today Rocket Girl?

Tell me what life is like past that city limit sign.

Dream your dreams in my ear.

Baby just get me outta here.

Fly me around this world

Rocket Girl

The song talks about a girl who tells stories about all of these different cities yet in reality she has never been to any of them. The singer doesn't want her to stop though, as he finds her stories and travel dreams as a way to escape the city himself. For the longest time I have talked about traveling, share stories about things to do in many different cities and countries, but never went myself. Now that I have the opportunity to do so with my husband, I would be crazy to pass it up.

So I hope to fill this page with stories from every city I visit and in the spirit of "Rocket Girl" help others to imagine what life is like beyond their own backyard.