Lots to Check Off! - #63, #68, and #75

It was a busy weekend for me & my 101 List! This morning, I was thrilled to cross off three - count 'em, THREE!!! - tasks!

#63 - Go on a Haunted Walk - I've been wanting to do one of the Haunted Walk of Ottawa tours for years, so to get in the Halloween spirit, I rounded up a gang of friends and finally ordered tickets. We booked the 9 PM Ghosts and Gallows Halloween Edition tour last Friday night. I had a great time and was so glad that I had 10 friends to take along with me! Sharon, Priscilla, Josee, Evan, Lindsay, Ryan, Luke, Amanda, Troy & Steph joined me first for dinner at Darcy McGee's, and then we ventured out in the cold evening for our tour.

Priscilla, Lindsay & Ryan waiting for the tour to begin

Steph was the only one up for a little photo op at the jail! haha!

Evan in one of the cells

The Ghost and Gallows tour focuses mainly on the murder of Darcy McGee, and the hanging of his accused murderer Patrick Whelan. Whelan was convicted and hanged for the murder, but apparently it was on very shaky grounds, and it is rumored that he still haunts the old jail, unable to rest after being wrongfully accused and executed.

Our guide, a lively, theatrical girl named Katelyn, told us many creepy ghost stories while we spent the bigger part of the tour in the old jail downtown (near the NAC), which is now a hostel. The upper floors, however, are still open for tours to show what the jail was like back before, when it was home to some of the areas biggest, most violent criminals. According to our guide, it is believed to be the most haunted building in North America. She toured us through an original block of cells, the solitary confinement cells, Death Row, and the gallows, before taking us out into the courtyard.

I have to admit, I just had a bad vibe being in the jail, and I was glad when it was over. To add to our experience, while on Death Row, our guide's story was interrupted by a loud bang coming from one of the cells. (Of course, it was the one I was standing RIGHT beside...I don't know if I've ever jumped and screamed so loud in my life. Half of our group seemed to think the noise was authentic, while the other half believed it to be staged...I'm still not sure what to think...)

Overall, it was an awesome way to spend a Friday night with friends, hear a few creepy stories, and learn some local history! The best part? When we walked out into the courtyard, we discovered it was snowing...and I loooove snow! It did get a few laughs, too, when our guide deadpanned, "Pretty bad when the scariest part of the tour is the snow..."

#68 - Drink a Guinness - Someone tell me why I ever thought it was clever to put this on my list?? I hate beer, so why did I think it would be fun to test out a Guinness, an infamously thick, dark, foamy, strong beer? Ewwwwww....

I decided while at Darcy McGee's Irish Pub Friday night with Guinness posters hanging everywhere that it was a good time to get it done. And I forgot to specify that I wanted a small one, so they brought me the regular (BIG) sized beer...blech. But I drank it, just so I could cross it off. And honestly, it wasn't nearly as bad as I initially thought it would be. Steph called it strong horse piss, but I didn't think it was that bad.

But will I be ordering another one? Uh...no.

The empty glass...to prove I drank it!

Much happier with my rum & Diet Coke!

#75 - Dye my hair a dark colour - Saturday morning, I went to my hairdresser Lisa and confessed to her that I was ready for a change and wanted to dye my hair a darker colour. She was shocked! I've loved my blonde highlights for about three years now (they magically transform my natural mousy-brown hair), and never wanted to go dark. Last winter, Lisa convinced me to put in some lowlights for the winter months, and I couldn't wait to get the blonde back in come springtime.

But I really was ready for a change, and told Lisa I liked the colour of her (new) darker hair, so we went with that. I think she told me the exact name of it is "Dark Chocolate Blonde", so I'm still a blonde at heart! haha!

Please ignore my haggard face...I had a terrible headache on Saturday!

This is about as dark as I'll ever go, and it will probably go back to blonde before I leave for Cuba in January. But for now...I'm loving it!!