Summer time was great! It’s always great but this year, it was an exceptionally good one and I definitely can attribute that to great friends, amazingly good music, beautiful fashions, awesome scenery – and saving the best for last – loving family! In that order!!
Friends are key to having a great summer because you need people to just chill with while you all go patio hopping while sipping on delectable alcohol-infused concoctions while savoring yummy platters of decadent desserts and yummy cheese platters. That is what friends are for! And if one decides that maybe patio or bar-hopping is for another night, and a last-minute BBQ is instead put into motion, you know that everyone will be down for something low-key and chilled. No-fuss and no hassle! Everyone pitches in for meat, alcohol, and dessert … you name it, and finding a spot to put all this together is never hard because their home is your home! LOVE IT!!
I spent some time in Halifax, NS this summer and I enjoyed every single minute of it because of my nearest and dearest …ie. The people who helped me get through university. I enjoyed spending time with some of the best people I know and it was two-years-too-long overdue! From the time I was picked up at the airport, to when I was dropped off, it was a non-stop ride of catching-up, laughs, eating and lovely moments. Too many selfies (which is never possible), too many trips to the grocery store and liquor store, and just a lot of real down-time with my comrades from another lifetime that I hadn’t forgotten. Together we are a collective force of nature because our personalities are so different, yet we collaborate together in so much of life. It was a beautifully painted portrait of chaos and every moment was amazing. It is hard to make friends, but once you find true friends, it’s harder to let them go.
“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun.” – Charles R. Swindoll
Some friendships come and go, but there are some that are just too important to let go because they (your person who is one of many persons) knows pretty much everything about you. I got to spend some time with a very good old friend who I grew up with and the time we spent catching-up after a long separation (about 7 years) was long overdue. But it was like we had never been apart!
My family and I had the opportunity to take a road-trip this summer to Edmonton. And it was a glorious drive! We went through Jasper National Park, stopped and took some snaps (see enclosed); saw some amazing vistas and experienced nature in its truest form. Beautiful! On our way back to Vancouver, we drove through Banff National Park and again, the drive was just incredible. Who knew that taking a drive through the Rocky Mountains would be just as rewarding as taking the Rocky Mountaineer through them?!
Anyway, my friend and I spent a lot of time in awe, and hushed tones discussing where life had brought us. We talked about everything – work, life, and school and … pending nuptials! – because that’s the stage we are at now in life. We have done the once impossible of going to university and actually finishing school and graduating. We did that. And despite the many provinces and the long-distance minutes, we still managed to keep up and in touch in this social-media engaged world. And despite only seeing each other after so long, it’s as if time really hadn’t changed a thing besides our appearance and our now formal respect for life and our consequences. But I think the most important thing for me was just being able to see how much we had grown up in spirit and mind. Body of course, but again, we were the same kids from St. Gerald’s Parish in Borrowdale, who had attended the same catechism class, communion and many fond memories of growing up together while trying to figure out the rest of the world. I mean, when I think about it… I have friends and then I have real friends, and the ones that stand the testament of time, and separation and all the bull-crap that you go through as teens and adults… well, those are your true friends. And he is a true friend. Oh, and the ones you make at university! LOL.
Music played an instrumental part in my summer! Amazingly good music by some big talents was released over the summer and with those awesome beats and sensational vocals, you know summer was off to a very high note! Live shows definitely contributed to the amazing summer. I mean, driving to Seattle on a week night to watch Queen Bey and Hova on their “On The Run Tour” with premium seating was the highlight! But also seeing Boyz II Men and of-course, the soulful Sam Smith only capped the summer off well, as we welcomed in the autumn sun.
Some music acts that Vancouver played host to this summer include:
Ed Sheeran, Gavin Degraw, LeAnne Rhimes, Zendaya, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Boyz II Men, Sam Smith, and many more.
Some brilliant tunes that came out include:
- Ghost – Ella Henderson
- Rude – Magic
- Problem – Ariana Grande Ft Iggy Azalea
- Stay With Me – Sam Smith
- Waves – Mr Probz
- All Of Me – John Legend
- Crazy Stupid Love – Cheryl Cole Ft Tinie Tempah
- Am I Wrong – Nico & Vinz
- Wiggle – Jason Derulo Ft Snoop Dogg
- A Sky Full Of Stars – Coldplay
- Right Here – Jess Glynne
- Dangerous Love – Fuse Odg Ft Sean Paul
- Happy – Pharrell Williams
- Chandelier – Sia
- Summer – Calvin Harris
- Only Love Can Hurt Like This – Paloma Faith
- I Will Never Let You Down – Rita Ora
- Let It Go – Idina Menzel
- Me And My Broken Heart – Rixton
- Boom Clap – Charli Xcx
- Faded – Zhu
- Fancy – Iggy Azalea Ft Charli Xcx
- Love Runs Out – Onerepublic
- Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
- Don’t – Ed Sheeran
- Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson
- Rather Be – Clean Bandit Ft Jess Glynne
- Lovers On The Sun – David Guetta Ft Sam Martin
- Hideaway – Kiesza
- 2On – Tinashe
- Nobody To Love – Sigma
Such a long list, but it is definitely a great list. Summer was amazing and it wouldn’t have been possible without music. We got to experience some amazing sounds and as we now start to cap off the year soon-ish, I can say that this year was a great year in music. I get to reminisce and feel nostalgic about all that was this summer and live it in Technicolor. I captured some amazing moments that you can see via Instagram and on my blog. Enjoy! Xo
My family is amazing, as I am sure yours is. While this year was a year of transformation for all of us – each in our own way – it was the layer to the foundation that strengthened us. Individually, we all went through our own chaotic moments, but we found ourselves and in a way, rose from the ashes like the Phoenix. Marriage proposals, separations, babies, rehabilitation and raging teenage hormones all played an intricate role in our lives and despite the growing pains, we rose. There were many moments that absolutely made this summer amazing with my family, but none can compare to the moment I met my baby Amayah. She is AMAZING!!! I spent a lot of time with babies this summer but none like Amayah. She is the light in our lives, and the joy in our hearts. She is simply … precious.
As autumn is coming to a close, I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on the summer months, the moments created and shared, and life. This summer taught me that outside of family, your friends are your support system. I personally don’t think the summer months would have been as great and as exciting without the important people in my life to share them with. We laughed so hard until our bodies hurt, and then cried tears of both joy and sadness to release the “extra” baggage, and then we danced like crazy people to the sounds and rhythms of our soundtracks.
I loved and lost and yet gained so much more. I learned to trust my emotions and myself and embrace who I am – a free spirit with so much to give back. I took chances and did some things for me because it was my turn. IT IS MY TURN. I look now to the future – forward – with expectant eyes and a vision of what I want to achieve. This is the time to bare my true self and chase my dreams. I’m in love with my life now, and despite it taking some time to get to this place of solace, it was worth every minute.
– XO
