friends

Jan

26

Mansions of Madness

Mansions of Madness was probably the craziest game that we played when our guests were here for Christmas and the New Year. It took us quite a while to get set up, and if I’m totally honest, I have a really hard time sitting and listening (and or reading) instruction manuals of any kind. I’m more of a learn as I go, hands on kind of lady. When I build those do-it-yourself tables/chairs/cabinetry, I always look at the pictures and have to tell myself to read the instructions too. I rarely do, but haven’t ever had a problem so far. Once we fumbled our way through an initial play through of the game, we had so much fun that we played it three more times. (It’s a 3-4 hour game!) It’s set in the 1930s, and you start off as a team of detectives and you is to run through the mansion collecting clues to discover the objective to win. (It changes each time!) One time we had to escape the mansion alive (we failed), another time it was to defeat the hardest monsters, and you can change the layout of the mansion every time too so it was really a new experience every time! And each character is extremely different so you really have to work together to win. And the best part is that one player is the game master (much like D&D) and his objective is different every time too, but it’s always against yours. Now I don’t want to bore your head off talking about games, so I’ll leave you with some photos (of course).
Mansions of Madness

Photos 7, 8, & 10 were taken by my sister Kait.

Jan

09

Friends For Christmas

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / friends Posted by Sara / 16 comments

You know that saying about time and having fun? Well, it’s definitely true. Two weeks ago when my sister and friends came to visit it really felt like they were here for two days instead of five. We got each other games for Christmas and I believe we tried every single one (OK- we didn’t get to Killer Bunnies or Riley’s Glee board game) and even some we played twice! My favorites of the bunch were Munchkin, Pandemic, and Mansions of Madness (which will have a post all it’s own). It’s so easy to get caught up in technology these days and forget that a world exists beyond our phones or computers, so it was really nice to play a game that didn’t involve a screen other than a paper one. (D&D reference, for the win!) Of course we took some time to play some good old fashioned Dungeons & Dragons. It the first time in a long time I wasn’t the DM so I got to play and have my character do ridiculous things and really have fun with it. (My sister and I played characters with a relationship similar to Shawn and Gus in the TV comedy show Psych, if you watch that.) And yes, in that last picture Pumpkin AND Atlas are sitting on her lap while we play. Cat lady runs in our blood.

Doing the simple gibson tuck on hip length hair.

Oct

12

Remaining Thankful

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / friends / holidays Posted by Sara / 8 comments

Monday was Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday!) here in Canada, and Bronwyn (who we helped move in a few months ago) invited us over for their first feast in their new home. She also had (still has) one of her best friends visiting from Portugal whom she met online several years ago, and so it was an extra delight to be able to meet and talk with her. (And once again, I’m reminded of the power of the internet and the friendships that can be forged with it.)

Tom and I brought homemade stuffing & gravy, pumpkin rotini, pumpkin soup, peach pie, an asparagus quiche, and freshly baked bread. Bronwyn made a broccoli puree and pumpkin pies, and Brendan made these really nice baked potatoes with mashed filling and a pasta salad. There was so. much. food. So you see, I spent the entirety of yesterday in a food coma and that is why I did not post yesterday. But I will post tomorrow to make up for it.

I hope all you readers out there who celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend had a fabulous time with loved ones and surrounded by good food.

Jul

07

Mortal Kombat With Friends And Endymion

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / friends Posted by Sara / 3 comments

The day after the wedding we met up with our good friends Riley, Derek (and since I get asked this a lot, if you recognize him, you aren’t imagining things, but he did the floral arrangements for our wedding and he was on a TV show.) and Will for a Mortal Kombat party before heading to the beach and lighthouse with my family (which is when I accidentally left my battery charging instead of putting it in my camera). Derek is a huge fan of Mortal Kombat, and really I think the whole lot of us played it growing up, so when he told us he’d brought home an old arcade machine of Mortal Kombat 2 we all geeked a little inside. Also, the black cat at the end is Endymion, and he loves the shutter sound from my camera. He stalked me like I was a bird. It was adorable.

Jun

01

A Gift From Genevieve

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / everyday life / friends Posted by Sara / 11 comments

Several weeks ago I received a surprise package in the mail from Genevieve, who is one of the new friends I’ve made during the group 365 prompt project. Theodore (that’s what I’ve named the camera) is a Kodak No. 2A Folding Autographic Brownie. I have a few film cameras, and I’ve been thinking about playing with film, but the moment I held this one I immediately wanted to use it. I could see Tom upside down through my tiny little viewer and I immediately wanted to take photos. Unfortunately, Theodore here takes 116, a film size no longer made. But I’ve heard you can take 120 film and re-spool it onto 116, so it’s definitely something I’m considering. (All photos except the last one were taken by Tom!)

May

20

Bronwyn’s Birthday Tea

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / friends Posted by Sara / 9 comments

After Fresh we went back to B&B’s new apartment for tea, gift opening, Cider and Alice snuggling, and some good old Mario Kart! Since then we had Jim’s birthday, a Forks Over Knives screening, I wrapped up three portfolios for fellow photographers, and this weekend we get to see Tom’s great Aunt Valerie here visiting from Ireland! Busy, busy, busy- but I have some good news! The sun is out today! It’s literally been raining every single day for the weeks (I am not exaggerating) and it’s been killer on the photo opportunities (and the mood). But a few hours ago it suddenly became super bright in my office and I squinted, genuinely not knowing what was going on at first before I realized- OH, THE SUN! There you are!

I hope it stays for the weekend!

May

18

A Fresh Birthday

Canon 35mm 1.4 / Canon EOS 7D / dining out / friends Posted by Sara / 17 comments

Last weekend Tom and I had a chance to see Bronwyn for her birthday. We braved the pouring rain and cold winds and utterly drenched, we squeezed into to a packed vegetarian cafe called Fresh. Unfortunately the lighting, while cozy, wasn’t the best for us- and there was only one set of windows in the whole restaurant and they were all the way at the other end! I am spoiled by natural light. Then again, it was gloomy and pouring outside so who knows if it would have helped any. (Learning photographers, it would have, I’m just being a grump about the weather!) But despite all that we really had a fabulous time and I enjoyed the meal and even more so the company. Bronwyn has posted about it on her blog, so be sure to hop over there to see more photos. I don’t think I have ever been on the other side of a blogger’s post like this before- it’s very strange! (In a cool way, of course.)