A Good Fucking Day!

You never know what Friday the 13th is going to bring.. It always feels a little ominous to me. But this Friday the 13th I will simply never forget! <3

Bailey and I had a great walk this morning, even in that cold wind, enjoying the fresh air and snippets of blue sky as we strolled through the park. Most of the ice had cleared up so conditions weren't as insanely treacherous (he only fell once - atta boy buddy). I was reminded that I met one of the greatest loves of my life, my furry boyfriend, Stinky B, Mr. B, Baileyboy, Senor Stinky on this day four years ago today. It's amazing how fast time goes. I genuinely can't imagine my life without him!

Work was productive again today - I feel like I've been on a roll in the office this week, knocking off tasks left, right and center. I'm still high from yesterday's signing of an amendment to an agreement of purchase and sale to buy 425 acres in the Minesing Wetlands - the last big private landholding in the entire Natural Area. And it's going to happen. THIS YEAR! This piece of land I've only dreamed about acquiring will be OURS! It's full of rare species, a rare wetland habitat - it's just gorgeous. And someone came forward and just handed us the money to make the deal happen - one of those amazing donors that you just didn't see coming.

THEN, I got the news that we can tap into $15,000 (!!!!) for a seriously expensive restoration project I've been working on in Creemore for YEARS. It's running up mega bills, but is highly important (liability reduction/fisheries protection), so any chunk of change we can throw at it is great.. $15k you didn't even write a grant application for? I'll take it!!

Then I had a lovely lunch which was actually like a blind date.. another childfree person from the Meetup site found my profile and reached out because she thought we sounded similar -  married, mid-30s, dog lovers, living in Guelph. And it was so nice to make another new connection with someone walking the slightly different path in life that I'm walking, too. Anyone who wants to talk about dogs for most of an hour long coffee date is cool in my books. I just think it's a real pleasure making new connections - something I don't get to do as much of as I'd like. She's going to aim to join our little weekly trivia group, which as an aside was a huge highlight of my week. In the span of 3 months I've turned into a total trivia loser. I love it! SUCH a nerd.

FINALLY... I found out we were the successful applicants of a $180,000 3-year grant to do work in those incredible Minesing Wetlands. I'll admit I started crying a little right there in my office. A small part of my soul went into that grant application in November, and to GET THE MONEY, which will pay for SO MUCH OF MY TIME and my new staff person's time.. JUST OMG!! I am over the moon. OVER IT!!!!!!

I capped off this brilliant day with ordering pizza (pizza makes my heart happy, even if it makes my stomach generally disappointed..), walking Bailey under gently falling snowflakes while singing out loud to an old USS album I had forgotten all about (and garnering strange looks from neighbours - nothing new there), setting up the Leafs game to tape and watch with.. speak of the devil...the greatest hubby in the world just walked through the door after being away for 5 days, so that's my cue to exit!

Welllll..... I owe the universe a miserable, complainy post after all this damn happiness (feel like I'm tempting the gods.. bad harvest! bad harvest! (Downton anyone?)), so I promise to report back with utter transparency the next time something feels shitty, goes shittily, or is just plan shit. I have an audition for a community theater play on Sunday night so I guarantee I'm going to vomit in terror, trip up the stage, fail miserably, or humiliate myself.. so stay tuned for that!!!

Happy weekend, all. TGIF!!