Squeeee!!! I Got It!

I did my taxes this morning. E-filed them. Will have tax return shortly. :)

This is what I had planned for my tax return for MONTHS, if the return went well enough. I went out and bought the camera I've been oogling for about a year or so. Perhaps not this particular model, but a Canon DSLR, all the same. On Tuesday, I went up to Futureshop and took a look at it, along with the Canon XSi. And it [Rebel XS] was on sale this week. Tax return will more than pay for the cost. I had done a fair bit of investigation with regards to specifications, costs, recommendations and the Canon kept coming up on top.

Canon XS 1000D 10.1MP DSLR With 18-55mm IS Lens Kit & EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 II USM Lens Kit Package.

I also picked up a couple 4GB SD memory cards and a carry case for camera/lenses. I started playing with it this afternoon, practicing different shots and with different settings. Will work at it some more after I go through some of the helpful manuals. :) I'll be going down to Halifax (Nova Scotia) in a week and a half. Yay. Hopefully will be able to do some lovely landscape and nature photography. Especially if we manage to get out to Peggy's Cove.

Here are two shots I took last year with my Pentax Optio E30

Trinity, Newfoundland

St. John's, Newfoundland

I can't wait to see what I can do with the DSLR camera. :)

Beautiful Jewelry Pieces

A couple months ago I had spoken with a local jeweller about getting a piece done for an aunt of mine, who is a retired nurse. I wanted something special and unique. I'd first seen the jeweller at a Christmas Craft Sale over on Prince Edward Island a a little more than a year ago, then they came to the Craft Sale here in Fredericton a couple weeks later. I found a few lovely pieces that I'd picked up for friends. When they were back this past December, I had browsed their pieces and they had mentioned they do custom pieces. So I thought about it for a bit and contacted them.

The artist is Marcie Poirier, and her company is Wildabout Wampum. The pieces (both pendants and earings) are carved from Quahog and Queen Conch shells.

"Marcia creates her works by meticulously sculpting the rare purple sections of the Quahog shell and the vivid pink hues of the Queen Conch.

Purple Quahog shells occur only in specific areas where they absorb amythest on the ocean floor, making them prized finds for Marcia's jewelry.

Queen Conchs, meanwhile are larger shells found primarily in regions such as Florida, Bahamas, and similar tropical areas.

In Marcia's works, the Quahog and Conch shells are ground, carved and sanded. Many are also then accented with sterling silver highlighting." [taken from her information card]. Contact information available on her website.

The piece I'd gotten her to do was of a nurse's cap. It's just beautiful:

Bollocks! No more "Wire In The Blood"

At least as a television series.

From Val McDermid's e-Newsletter:

It’s not all good news, however. I’m very sad to report that ITV have refused to recommission WIRE IN THE BLOOD for a seventh series. All of us involved with the show have been in a state of shock since we got the news. It’s inexplicable to me. In spite of the fact that ITV have never given us a regular slot – the show has gone out at varying times of the year, on different nights and in at least three formats in terms of length – we have consistently delivered some of the highest audiences for any ITV drama. We have consistently been the most-watched show on any channel. According to official ratings figures, well over 90% of our viewers regard the show as an ‘appointment’ with the TV – ie, they don’t just watch because there’s nothing else on. The show is seen on 120 channels world-wide. It’s won awards – it’s just been shortlisted for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America. Year after year, Coastal have produced fantastic quality on a shoestring budget that has diminished in real terms. They’ve brought millions of pounds into the economy of the North East of England and because they’re the only company in the region producing network drama, this axing means a loss of skills and a loss of voice that goes way beyond our personal interests. For more on this, follow this link.
Wire In The Blood axed from ITV.

My next book - THE FEVER OF THE BONE will be published later in 2009 by Little, Brown. THE FEVER OF THE BONE is the sixth novel to feature clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan, and yet again it takes them into uncharted waters. I’ve started work on it, and so far it seems to be taking me into uncharted waters too!

I'm hoping maybe lunchtime to venture up to Chapters to see if they have in Val McDermid's newest book, A DARKER DOMAIN in stock. They actually have it listed for $17.44 (list price is $22.95) for Trade Paperback. I'm *hoping* that the physical store has it listed for the same price as their online store. Actually might even check the Superstore. They often have newest books as well (as this was just published in North America in Jan. 09).

Giggle - BSG Twitters

Through one of my LiveJournal comms I came across this: Battlestar Galactica Twitters. Here's a few. There are others as well. Some of them are downright hilarious. Actually most of them are. Particularly Saul. :)

Laura Roslin, Admiral William Adama also Bill Adama, Kara Thrace/Starbuck, Caprica Six, Natalie Six, Saul Tigh, Ellen Tigh