Tag Archives: Photo Diary

Happy 4th Birthday, Wrigley!

Wrigley Turns 4!

Four years ago today, on April 4th, 2018, Wrigley was born!

If you know me at all, you’d know that I really (and I mean really), love my dog. I’m constantly snapping cute photos of him, updating his Instagram account, and doting over how much of a “good boy” he is! So of course, his birthday is treated as an extra special occasion.

This year, we picked up a cupcake from the Three Dog Bakery in Port Moody to treat Wrigley. And as you can see from the photos, he thoroughly enjoyed it. At Wrigley’s last vet appointment we were told he needed to lose 5 pounds, and since then, he’s been on a pretty strict diet… but birthday calories are exempt! The poor dog though, I wouldn’t let him eat the cupcake until he cooperated and let me put the party hat on him. He was not thrilled, but in the end, he got his cupcake, ad I got some adorable pictures!

Wrigley’s birthday has me feeling like an emotional mom whose child is growing up. It feels like yesterday my mom surprised my brother and me by bringing home a puppy, and I can’t imagine these last four years without Wrigley in our lives.

Happy 4th birthday Wrigley! May this year be filled with lots of walks, time spent playing ball, and yummy treats (but not too many treats… you still need to lose 5 pounds!)

Check out Wrigley on Instagram!

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Pitt Meadows: A Hidden Gem

When people ask me, “Where do you live?”, some are confused when I say, “Pitt Meadows.” It always suprises me, how many people don’t know where Pitt Meadows is or even that it’s a city. But to me, that’s one of its appeals. To those that live here, Pitt Meadows is our hidden gem.

Across the Pitt River and Golden Ears’ Bridge lies the city of Pitt Meadows. With a population of just over 19,000, Pitt Meadows has a home-town intimate feel that most cities in the lowermainland lack. Unlike the sprawling cities of Burnaby and Vancouver, Pitt Meadows has one of everything: one highschool, one movie theater, one rec centre, etc. Because of this, the sense of community is strong.

Between Pitt River, Pitt Lake, and the dyke, Pitt Meadows offers great outdoor scenery and activities. Osprey Village, located by the river and the Katzi First Nation reserve, is a hub

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SFU Rowing

1, 2, reADY Row

Based out of Burnaby Lake, the SFU Rowing team is a competitive club representing Simon Fraser University. Through the guidance of coaches Ryan Takagi, Ian Ceholski, and Meaghan Stratford, the team trains 6 mornings a week at Burnaby Lake and SFU. Within SFU, the team is classified as a club, not a varsity sport. This classification means the team receives very little funding from the university and relies on fundraising to buy equipment, cover travel costs, regatta entrance fees, and coaches’ wages. Student-athletes are also responsible for a portion of these costs. Behind the fundraising initiatives is SFU Rowing’s student-led executive board, which in addition to fundraising, works on team events, recruitment, and media.

I joined the team this past February, and I’m so glad I did. I have fallen in love with the sport of rowing— I look forward to every practice. The feeling of using your strength and power to move through the water is exhilarating, and working as a team to achieve a common goal is unlike any sport I’ve done before. The speed of the boat depends on every person to do their part, and I feel lucky to have such a great team behind me. My teammates make waking up at 4:45 am six times a week to train on a cold and rainy day at the lake, worth it. I’m thankful to my coaches, Ryan, Ian, and Meaghan for giving so much of their time to the program and expecting so little in return. Driven by their passion for rowing, they are committed to developing us as high-level athletes and overall good people.

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SFU Aquatic Centre Renovation

Saying Goodbye

The SFU Aquatic Centre located on the Burnaby campus has been a central part of my life. I competed in my first swim meet here when I was 7 years old, and from grades 9-12, I trained 30 hours a week out of this pool with Simon Fraser Aquatics. And today as a student a SFU, I am also a lifeguard and swim instructor at this pool.

Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how you look at it), The SFU Aquatic Centre will be undergoing major renovations in January of 2023, shutting the pool down for 2 years to rebuild the facility. Considering that the pool looks the same as when my mom swam for SFU back in the early 1980’s, I’d say the facility is certainly in need of a renovation. However, I am still nostalgic and sad to see the pool I spent so much time in the last 12 years, come crashing down.

Before the renovations start, I wanted to document, at this moment in time, what the SFU Aquatic Centre looks like. In a few months from now, nothing will look the same, but I’ll have these pictures to remember the pool by.

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The Catfé

Coffee and cats, is there a better combo than that? For a coffee and cat lover like myself, this is a dream, and my visit to the Catfé truly was.

Since 2015, the Catfé has partnered with animal rescues to help adoptable rescue cats find loving homes. The Catfé serves as a temporary foster environment for these cats, and a space for cat lovers to meownite! Enjoy cat-themed drinks and snacks while engaging with the feline furry friends. And before you leave, stop by the meowchandise store to buy all things cat-related.

Upon entering the catfé, I paid the general admission fee of $16 and ordered my coffee to take in with the cats. As I walked through the Catfé doors, it felt like I had died and gone to cat heaven. There were about 20 cats— some were sleeping, some were eating, and some were right at the door ready to greet customers. Right away I made a connection with one of the cats named Tollan. He is a 6-month-old male currently up for adoption. If my house wasn’t already at animal capacity with one cat and one dog, I would have brought Tollan home with me in a heartbeat.

I had such a great time sippin’ coffee, chilling with the cats, and talking to fellow cat lovers about cats! Check out The Catfé to learn more about their rescue mission, meet the cats of the catfé, and book your next visit!