PEI In 200 Days!

On Friday, my Dad's 73rd birthday (That should give you a rough idea of my own age.  If it should score me any more points or sympathy, I am closer to 50 than 40 at this point.), I completed my 8 week program AND I successfully ran 5 km STRAIGHT!  No stops, no walking.  A whole 5 km straight!  You have no idea how many false starts I have had over the past 14 years, or how many programs I have attempted but could never quite make it.  But, this time, I did it!  I don't even remember where I found the program - somewhere on the internet?  It was a Word document that I downloaded and will never be able to return to the site from whence it came because it is on my computer which is officially toast.

T, before you start harping on about "you should get a MAC", let me just tell you that I got a new iPhone last Saturday and it hasn't worked properly since I got it.  A phone isn't much good unless you can actually hear what the other person is saying and I can't hear a thing.  Although, it is sort of nice that I can get my point across without having to hear "no" or the plethora of excuses.  You see, they can hear me at the other end.  So I can call the SF and say, "I'll be home in 10 minutes.  My dinner better be on the table!", and he can say whatever he wants back, but I don't have to listen to it.  Or, I can call him and say, "Can you stop at the grocery store and pick up....."  Same thing!  Better yet.  "Can you pick me up a coffee?"  You remember that new bike he just got?  Well, it means that Momma deserves a little payback.  I'm just wonder how long I can milk it?

What the iPhone has been good for is recording my run times/distances while I'm at the gym.  Instead of taking pen and paper, I can just make notes right then and there.  Although the drips of sweat all over it aren't that great and my hands shaking from exhaustion make it somewhat difficult to hit the right letters and numbers, but you get my point.

So where am I?  Well, at the end of my 8 week program, I have landed just short of Murray River, PEI.


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Murray River is, yet another picturesque, town on PEI.  I'm probably going to get tired of saying that.

Located in Murrary River is the Maclure Dam which was built in 1808 in order to provide power to the local grist mill and sawmill.  The Dam happens to be the largest body of fresh water on the island.  In the past, it served the community well in the summer months.  I Because the community did not have any refrigerators until after the 40's, the community members would cut blocks from the ice that accumulated at the dam in the winter and would cover it in sawdust from the mill which would allow the ice to last through the summer.  This sounds familiar to me as the people of the community of Ulukhaktok, where the SF and I lived for two years, would cut blocks of ice from the surrounding lakes.  They would actually melt the ice and use it as their drinking water.

Ulukhaktok.  Loading the kamik with ice.

Hmm....you tell me?  Would you rather live your days in the picture above or below?  No question where I would rather be.

Murray River Wharf
Photo courtesy of /www.pointseastcoastaldrive.com

The community of Murray River is also known for its grove of old wood white and red pines which provide a great backdrop of colour come Fall.  Some of these trees date back to the 1870s.  Spectacular!

Photo courtesy of www.pointseastcoastaldrive.com

That's all I've got for you on Murray River.  As for me, I have now completed 98.25 km!  Well....I've gotta run!

So I'm A Little Late.

I know, I know!  I'm late getting this post done! I've had a horrible headache for the past couple of days so as soon as I arrive home and dinner, etc., is done, I have been taking it easy.  But I have much to share with you.
I have been teasing you all with a bit of a story, so I better spill the beans.  As many of you know, the SF has been harassing me for oh....must be coming on 14 years to buy a motorcycle.  Well now that Momma has a J.O.B. the pressure, although non-verbal, has not gone unnoticed.  And of course, this is the time of the year when people start listing their bikes.  I'm sure if you found the SF sitting in front of his laptop 9 times out of 10 he is probably looking at online ads for motorcycles (See.  NON-VERBAL.)  The subject came up again not to long ago and I relented.  It's not that I didn't want  him to get a bike, but as many families do, we stretch our dollars as far as we can and there just hasn't been much room for such a toy. 

But, now that I have  job, things have changed and so I softened.  Lord knows, the SF deserves a nice toy after working as hard as he has and sacrificing all that he does.  He has provided for me and the boys well and never begrudges me my indulgences.  Any, the slightest hint of caving and he was off.

Within a matter of days he had driven the whole West side of the island checking out a couple of bikes.  He even took two of his buddies with him.  The first one was dismissed, in  part, because the owner couldn't be bothered to even clean the bike prior to the SF coming.  We ALL know how particular the SF is about cleanliness.  The second bike - well, the colour was a bit off-putting - sort of a sparkly bright blue.  Not quite manly enough for my man.    That night, his buddy called and told him of another website to check out and after a while, he called me in.  He found THE ONE!

He got on the phone and immediately called.  I'm thinking it was 8:30/9:00 at night.  Everything sounded great and the SF was gung-ho to go and check it out.  The only problem was that he only had one day off left and the bike was over in Halifax.  To make things even more difficult, the owner told him that he had meetings all day the next day so that if the SF wanted to see it, he had to be there no later than 8 or 9am. (I can't remember exactly).  Well, when my man wants something, my man gets it.  He told the owner, he would be there bright and early the next morning.  Did I mention it is a good 3-4 hour drive to Halifax?  He then spent a while making sure he was rigged to bring the bike back home, straps and all.

At the crack of dawn the SF was up and gone while I snoozed in bed for a few more hours and not too long after me and the boys were up, the phone rang.  It was his!  His very own motorcycle.  I have to say, I don't think I have ever heard him so excited in all of the time I have known him....not even on our wedding day.  Hmmmmm?   It was all strapped on and he was heading home with his prized possession and he'd see me in a couple of hours.

Well an hour or so passed by and the phone rings.  Instantly I can tell there is something wrong and my first thought is that something happened to the bike.  Nope.  Worse.  He is in the middle of nowhere on the highway and his truck broke down with the bike strapped in the back!  Did I mention that it was pouring rain?  POURING!  What the hell is he going to do now?  I looked up the number for the toll booth on the highway as that was the closest thing to him.  Eventually he get a tow truck and had his truck towed from Nova Scotia to the shop on PEI where it spent the next several days before it was shipped off, still undiagnosed, to the dealership where it spent several more days until they finally figured out it was a corroded computer wire!

And while exhausted and emotionally drained, when he finally got home, there was no wiping that silly grin off of the SF's face!  A proud moment for him, I'm certain!  Congrats, Baby!  You deserve it!  If anything, at least you will never forget the day you got your new toy!

Momma is pooped!

I mentioned the other day that our household was buzzing with activity last week.    Well, today I'll address the first thing that has thrown us into a tailspin.  I STARTED MY NEW JOB last week!!!!  I LOVE it!  I pinch myself each day that I get to work with such fabulous people.  My bosses, Lana and Marc, the owners of Stratford Physiotherapy are amazing.  They seem to have a million things going on and yet they both are ALWAYS super friendly and POSITIVE which I am hoping is extremely infectious.  It's hard not to feel that way when you are with them.  Besides, the physiotherapy service available, we also have a massage therapist and Lana teaches yoga classes three days a week which I can't wait to join in on!

During my training period, I am working an afternoon/evening shift so I start after lunch and work until the last patient leaves which could be as early as 5:00 or as late as 7:00.  Either way, if the SF is working a day shift, he is home before me which means, you guessed it, he has dinner on the go by the time I get home!  Yeah ME!  I thought I was prepared for my return to the workforce but apparently not as the first week was a bit of a struggle on the meal planning but we made it through.  Unfortunately I think this week will be a bit of the same but we'll get it eventually.  I am thankful that, for now, I have the mornings to get my runs in, take care of my boys, and get some housework done.  It is a great transition for me.....and the pups and Lord knows, we need it!  I am suffering from brain drain, muscle strain from my runs and a little anxiety-induced exhaustion.  So let's just say, it was a week of early evenings for this ole gal!  

Come back on Thursday for the more exciting news of last week!

Week 7 - PEI in 200 Days

What a week! It has been a busy one around here and the running seemed to be a challenge for me this week. The last two weeks of my program, 7 & 8, don't actually have a time goal to reach, just to work toward running 5 km's non-stop. So, my thought was to attempt to run a mile, walk, run the 2nd mile, walk and complete the 3rd mile which would have put me somewhere near the 5km mark. Not so easy it turned out. I really struggled with the first two runs of the week and was feeling quite frustrated with myself. Come Friday I was in desperate need of some stress relief (more later on that subject) and decided to just run. It worked! I ran half an hour straight and completed 4kms running and walked the last. Not too much longer and I will have reached that 5km goal!


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With this week's run totalling 14.9km, I have now landed in Murray Harbour, PEI.

photo courtesy of Points East Coastal Drive

In the late 1700's, Murray Harbour became a formidable working harbour and continues to do so to this day. During the Depression when the fishing industry was in decline and prohibition was in effect , rum running became a mainstay of the harbour.  The community is made famous by the history of the rum running vessel known as Nellie J. Banks which managed the elude the authorities for quite some time.  Eventually, when she was seized and the owner was taken to court, it was deemed that the seizure was illegal and he actually won damages from the government.

Photo courtesy of museemccordmuseum

When the railway opened in the early 1900's, Murray Harbour was the final stop for the day of a 22 stop line.  The train was put to rest in the rail yard for the night and would star back up again early the next day where it would make its trek all over again.  Today Murray Harbour is the home of  Rail Head Park where this significant industry is memorialized.

There is some great information about Murray Harbour at this community access program website. 
As well, if you are interested, please check out the Points East Coast Drive website.  This is basically the route I am following and there is far more information there than I am providing here.

Communities passed through:
20. Guernsey Cove
21. Beach Point

I'll fill you in on the rest of the week's drama tomorrow, but for now, I've gotta run!

I Must Have Been Drunk

....because by my meagre calculation, using the path I intended, it is 730+ kms around the island?! What the hell was I thinking? Perhaps I should just tackle the Trans Canada Trail which horizontally crosses the island?

If my math is correct, I have to complete 4+kms each day to even come close to that goal? And we all know, that is not going to happen.

Since yesterday was Good Friday, the gym was closed so I had to complete my run today. Not an easy feat after spending multiple hours yesterday with my dear friends, Itchy and Scratchy, drinking sparkling wine and making jewelry. Well, my only contribution to my new bling was selecting the stones and cutting the chain. Scratchy assembled it for me.

With today's run, I have now completed Week 6 of my 8-week program. Today's run was supposed to be my first attempt at running a mile non-stop, walk 2 minutes and then walk/run a 2nd mile. Instead I ran a mile, walked 2 minutes and ran the 2nd mile! Yeah Me! With that, my total distance for this week was 12.97 km which lands me just short of White Sands, PEI which is located in southern Kings County.

White Sands was a prospering community...in 1880.  LOL!  At one time it was the home of two thriving businesses, a pop factory and a lobster cannery but these businesses are long gone.


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Along the way I passed through the following communities:

17. Little Sands
18. High Bank
19. White Sands

Is it just me or does Tignish seem like it is a long way from here?  Gotta run!

PEI in 200 Days - Update 1

If there’s anything we immediately noticed about PEI, it is that you can drive five minutes in any direction and have driven through 10 different townships making it somewhat difficult to get to know the island. Can you imagine a poor police officer having to learn the names of them all? You can probably hold your breath and drive through 3 towns. Don’t believe me? Let’s track that too! I have now completed 5 weeks of my run/walk program. My run/walks are 30 minutes long and as of today, that run consisted of 25 minutes of running and 5 walking. Not bad, if I do say so myself. In these first 5 weeks, I have now run from Stratford through Wood Islands.

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Wood Islands, named for several small forested islands located just off of the shore of PEI, in the Northumberland Strait. Wood Islands is also the home of the Wood Islands Ferry. This ferry takes you across the Strait and lands near Pictou, Nova Scotia which is where my kin arrived when they emigrated to Canada from Scotland. (Oh! That’s another thing I should track. Documenting the McLean family tree! Maybe I’ll get on that in the winter.) Wood Islands is also the home of one of my favourite nurseries, Island Pride.

Wood Islands is the starting point for the 70 mile yard sale which takes place annually and it is exactly as it says. Hundreds of families and businesses set up yards sales along a designated route on a given weekend in the Fall. A great way to spend a couple of hours, or the weekend if you are an avid garage sale aficionado!

In my journey from Stratford to Wood Islands, I have now run through the following communities:

1. Stratford
2. Alexandra
3. Pownal
4. Waterside
5. Mt. Mellick
6. Cherry Valley
7. Vernon Bridge
8. Orwell
9. Orwell Cove
10. Lower Newton
11. Eldon
12. Mt. Buchanan
13. Pinette
14. Flat River
15. Belle River
16. Wood Islands

16 communities in 54 km! And you thought I was exaggerating?

Another couple of things that are in abundance on PEI. Lighthouses and Churches. I would have passed the Point Prim Lighthouse , as well as the Wood Islands Lighthouse along with 5 churches.

See y’all next Friday! I’ve gotta run!

My Marathon Run Around Prince Edward Island in 200 Days

Not that this is news to me, but it might be to you, but I am all about the numbers. Perhaps the ticker count down on the sidebar of my blog are an indication to you. How about the tally for the number of years, months, days and hours we spent living in the Arctic? Better yet, the mileage tracked on our trek from the North to PEI? Or what about the poll for the now defunct, “Mugshot Monday”? And then there is my pathetic and unsuccessful attempt to beat the SF by 3 games? I love tracking money...how much, how little, where it’s going, where it’s been and where it is. Even better I am a sucker for a spreadsheet. I can lose myself for hours inside one. You can track any number of things – budgets, knitting stash, weight, fitness – the limits are endless...and no, I did not attend band camp.

You see the theme? I also like a little competition, even if it is by myself. It inspires me. It motivates me! And I love to track my progress. So I ask myself, “Self? Why don’t you set yourself a running goal and track it?” And I agreed. So my goal is to ostensibly run around Prince Edward Island in 200 Days. My start date was the 14th of March making my finish date October 9th! I hope you’ll join me as I track my progress on google maps and I’ll give you all some of the highlights of the island as I virtually pass them by. Check back each Friday for an update.

Since my starting point was our home in Stratford, I thought I would give you the low-down it. Stratford was not named Stratford until 1995 when several villages and communities amalgamated to form one. (Check out Aerial 4 in this photo gallery.  The long drive with the turnaround is the park next to our house.  Our house is just off camera in the bottom right corner of the shot.) Stratford is located across the Hillsborough River from downtown Charlottetown. It is an up and coming community filled with a mixed population of elderly and young families and a few of us middle-aged people. Before the bridge(s) were built, it was strictly cottage country. In fact, a ferry used to shuttle people back and forth in the summer, while horse drawn sleighs crossed the ice in the winter. The first bridge constructed to connect Stratford to Charlottetown was built in 1905, later replaced in the 60’s and again in the 90’s. The piers from one of the old bridges remain and are frequented by seals and annually migrating cormorants.

Stratford is a mix of modern suburban and rural homes, summer use cottages and farms. An eclectic mix but it all works well. Our home is located right next to one of Stratford’s parks, Tea Hill Park. It serves as the border between rural homes and some farm land.

Oh...and Stratford is also the home to my new workplace (insert free plug here) Stratford Physiotherapy! Did I mention that it takes me under 4 minutes to get to work, even with a road stop for some power pole replacement going on in the hood?!

Please come back tomorrow for my first progress update!

He Lives To Smoke Another Day....

You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?  It seems the SF has been dumbing down his game for the last couple of months because he gave me a run for my money today.  I took beating after beating....after beating today.  I ran, I dived, I jumped, I lunged but, all of that was not enough to get me remotely CLOSE to beating him 3 games.

In fact, I only managed to squeeze one win out of him and when I started to pull away the next game, the panic started to set in for him and he upped his game even further.  He mumbled something about, "he could beat me WHILE smoking a cigarette!"

We are setting a rematch soon because he informed me that I only have until the end of the month to win the bet and then he is retiring until the Fall/Winter season.

Fingers crossed!

Wish Me Luck!!!

Today may be the day the SF MUST quit smoking.  You see, he bet me that if I beat him 3 games at squash today, that he would quit!  He even shook my hand.  Since I beat him twice last week, it isn't completely unfathomable, is it?  You know damn well he will be playing full out.  And now that I recall, he had run 10k the day before?!  But, if I'm successful, I suspect tomorrow will be the day of renegotiation.  LOL!

As for the rest of life....I am spinning slightly by the looming start date of my new job.  I can't wait to get started but I feel like I have 9 years of organizing to get done in the next couple of weeks.  I continue my year and a half long struggle to organize my office and as usual, I'm not getting very far.

And, the running continues....I am in Week 5 of 8 and, knock on wood, it is going fantabulously!  Yesterday's run Run 7 minutes, Walk 2 x 3....combining my warmup, I completed 4.1 km.  Besides my back, which is always sore, my knees are the only thing that are feeling the impact.  Just stiff more than anything.  Stretch. Stretch. Stretch.

I'll check back in with you in a couple of hours....after I whoop the SF's ass!

Fessin' Up......AGAIN!

Forget the milkman!  I'll choose the mailman any day!  He knows all of your deepest darkest secrets, right?  He sees all of the lingerie you order, the next miracle diet, the exercise dvds that are going to give you back the body you had when you were 16. He might know that you are having financial woes by the collection notices you receive or that you are a diversified investor by the bank statements you receive. I'm sure he knows a lot about you that you would rather him not.   He knows by the magazines you receive that you love to cook, you love photography and interior design.  He knows that your husband is a metrosexual and that you  aspire to be an expert horticulturist by summer or a master knitter by winter.
 
I received a call this morning from my friend Itchy.  She informed me I had, yet another, parcel delivered to her house and we giggled like two school girls at our hidden secret.  You see, I have been sort of pulling one over the SF but I figure I better put an end to it and head downstairs to 'fess up.

"Honey?", I say.

"Yeeeees?"  Apparently he can read my tone because it's pretty clear from his that he knows that I am about to spill the beans (again).

"I have something funny to tell you but it means I have to 'fess up."

"Yeeeees?", he says again, with a smile upon his lips.

"Remember the last time I went for Stitch n Bitch at Itchy's...waaaaaaaaaaay back when and I told you I met the nice postal worker.  It was quite cold outside so when Itchy asked if  he would like to come in  and warm up by the fire with a freshly brewed coffee made from Itchy's hubby's own roast and a homemade cinnamon bun, of course he couldn't turn down the offer."

"Uh-huh."

"Well, when Itchy introduced me, he asked what our address was and when I told him 484, he said he had a parcel out in his van for me."

"Uh-huh"

"He asked if I wanted it now or if I wanted it delivered to the mailbox.  Itchy and I laughed at our good luck.  It was some knitting supplies/stash  we had collectively order and I had been rushing to the mailbox each day, trying to get there before you.  The parcel ended up being the perfect size to smuggle home in my current knitting bag and you would be none the wiser.  And that's exactly what happened.  I came home and smuggled my beloved parcel right past you and you didn't have a clue."

The SF laughs.



(Imagine how hard I was laughing inside when you insisted on stopping at the mailbox on our way home from the squash court that afternoon and I knew I had successfully foiled you!)

"The problem is...", I explain, "that now every time I get a parcel, the mailman delivers it to Itchy's house.  The first time it was a birthday gift from my dear friend in Chicago.  Itchy and I thought the mailman made a simple error that time so I just let it pass.  Then a week or so ago, I ordered a book and that was what Itchy called about this morning.  My book was delivered to her box again......"

Insert the slightly uncomfortable silent pause here.....wait for it...wait for it.... and......let the head shaking begin!

I guess it's time for me to let the poor mailman off the hook.  But seriously?  You tell me where can you live that your mailman becomes complicit in sneaking your  knitting stash into your household unbeknownst to your husband?  Can you say enabler?

Now Where Was I?

Sorry for the down time folks.  My computer has bit it and I refuse to take it in to get repaired because the cost of repairs is just about as much as buying a new one and I'm just not ready to do that yet - buy a new one that is.  We actually went to Future Shop one night while I was particularly frustrated and stood there for 20 minutes waiting for some help before we walked out of the store.  Instead I now continue plugging away attempting to fix it on my own.  Just when I think I got 'er licked and she shows some progress, KABOOM....toasted again.

So here is somewhat of an update.....

1.  Best News First!  For the first time in 9 years....I got a full-time job and it is mine all mine.  (Well, sort of.)  It is a one year Mat Leave position for the front desk administrator at Stratford Physiotherapy  I can't tell you how excited I am.  I start later in the month and will be working part-time until the present administrator takes her maternity leave.  It is a fairly new business which opened in 2009.  Super close to our home.  Less than a five minute drive to get there.  The owners are a young wife and husband team who have done there own share of moving around.  Anyway, I am very excited and if getting a hug goodbye after you  have signed your job offer is any indication of how wonderful the future is there....well, I don't suspect it could get any better.  (Another shout out to my friends and family who supported me through the stress of the last few weeks and for providing me great references!  Love you all!) 

2.  Second Best News!  I am continuing my fight with the running program.  I just started Week 4 of my 8 Week program.  I have opted to do the entire program on the treadmill so that I can build some endurance.  Once I complete the program, I hope to start it again and do it outdoors.  Besides, who wants to run outside when we are still getting snow?  Poor SF did a 10 km race this weekend in snow, hail and blustering wind while I stayed home and snuggled with my furry babies.  37 kms completed to date!
I am trying to keep my total time at 30 minutes each run, including my warm up and cool down.  This week I am up to 5 minutes run, 3 minutes walk x 3.  It was a full 2 minute jump in the run from last week so I was a bit panicked but I completed it with relative ease and I'll be doing my second run today.

3.  Third BESTEST News!  I beat the SF TWICE at squash this weekend!  TWICE!  Never mind that he had run a 10 k race the day before.  He paid me back by nailing me (accidentally, of course) with the squash ball in the hip.  Just a wee bruise this time.  Not like the welt he left me with on my forearm the last time.  Don't fret though.  He still has a way to go before he and I are equal.  I have drawn his blood on the court in the past.

4. FIBRE NEWS.   I am nearing completion on my blanket!  I have completed all of the horizontal stripes, 170 rows in total!  I have sewn in all of the ends on the sides, 170 of them!  And now I am working on the edging.  Soon enough I will be updating my total yardage!

I'm sure there is more, but I gotta go run!  I'll be back soon.

Just wanted to say.....

my computer has bit the biscuit and I can't get on to blog. 

As it is, I have snuck on the SF's NEW computer to post this.  I'll try and be back soon.

Kim

Shock and Awe!

That's what my poor old body has been through this week.  I actually made it through my very active cardio week feeling reasonably well.  Old back, sore as usual and a wee bit of stiffness in the many muscles of my lower torso but nothing like I've felt in the past.  Remember HR when we started working out at lunch and I was so sore that I had to take the stairs down from the office one at a time because I could barely move?  That was 10 years ago so imagine what I expected to feel like now.  Apparently the hockey and squash has given me a bit of conditioning.

So, as I mentioned last post, the week was Monday-run, Tuesday-squash, Wednesday-run, Thursday-hockey, Friday-run, Saturday-squash.  Somewhere in there, I received a lecture from our dear friend T about sprinting out of the starting gate.  I assure you, while it might appear that way, I am taking things relatively slow.  When I say run, by no stretch of the imagination do I mean that I picked up and ran a mile or even a kilometre for that matter.  Nope, even I know better than that.

I have actually started, one more time, a walk/run program.  Last year, I had set a goal for myself to try and run a 5km run at some point in the year.  I never even came close.  You see, while I have slipped into many sports comfortably, running any form of distance, as an adult, as always eluded me.  The SF has always been a runner and I have always admired that about him.  What is it with runners that they make it look so effortless?  In the past, I have made numerous attempts to build up the stamina required to be a runner.  I tried to start a different run/walk program with a friend but we were never able to make our schedules jive.  I frequently went out with the SF.  Occasionally I felt like I was successfully running the Boston Marathon but more often than not, I was disappointed and I'm sure he was as well as I whined and complained and would have to stop all too often for his liking, not that he would openly admit that.

There was a time when I was back to the gym and had worked myself up to a full half hour run on the treadmill.  So impressed with myself, I asked the SF if we could head out to the Demo Forest for a run together.  We got all of our gear on, made the drive up the hill, did the appropriate stretching and off we went.  Unfortunately I came to discover, running outside is not the same as running on a treadmill.  I think I made it up that first hill, maybe 3 minutes, and I had to stop.  Who knew the treadmill does a lot of the work for you?

Then there was the time I went running with my trusty companion, Rookie.  The SF and I used to live in the most spectacular neighbourhood in North Vancouver.  Within a 5 minute run, you were deep into the trails surrounding the Capilano River.  Surrounded by massive trees, shrubbery of moss and ferns enveloping us, it was truly a sanctuary.  When I would go by myself, I really could lose myself in thought however, there was always a small element of fear in being there on my lonesome.  The eerie silence was, at times, haunting.  Actually, I think it made me run a bit quicker for fear the boogie man was hot on my trail.  But, when you had a trusty companion like Rookie to run with you, it was like having your best bud along.  No one enjoyed a run anymore than Rookie.  The nice thing was I didn't have to carry on a conversation and regulate my breathing.  I could just run.

One day, the SF decided to stay home, so Rookie and I made the jog up to Cleveland Dam to the head of the trails and then made our way along the river.  About two thirds of the way, I was running through a winding trail that switched back and forth, over and over again.  Add into that, there were inclines to tackle, stumps to clear and even a small section of rocks that you had to step up on.  Rookie and I were making good time and feeling pretty proud of ourselves.  I hopped over puddles and soft mud as we had had some rain the night before and the next thing I know, my toe catches on some tree roots protruding from the ground.  I tumble to the ground, rolling out of my fall like any professional stuntwoman might.  Stand up, check myself and realize, that I am covered in mud, head to foot.  My white long-sleeved running shirt is now covered in mud and my hair is filthy.  Rookie just stood there looking at me, tongue hanging out panting and gave me a wag of the tail when I started laughing at myself.  I think he was secretly laughing too.  There really wasn't much that I could do but get on with the run and get home.  When I walked in the backyard, the SF could do nothing but shake his head  (I am my mother's daughter.) but he did express how proud he was that I finished my run home.  Unfortunately, that was the end of that run/walk program because within an hour, my back had seized up and I was numerous weeks recovering with no hope of returning to the stamina I had slowly built up.

Anyway, life has, for one reason or the other, always gotten in my way of completing a run.  But, I am NEVER one to give up on a goal and I am determined.  This is going to be the year!  I hope you all can join in providing me some support.....or heckling, whatever you feel but I could certainly use all the help I can get.  I'll track my progress on the sidebar, if I can figure out how, so you can all see how much ground that I have actually covered.

As for this week, today's run is already behind me and it was actually fairly easy!  I love it when I surprise myself.

Good-bye Chocolate, Hello Gym!

Pant, pant, pant....haaa...haaaa...haaa.  It is finally time to put away the chocolate, even with Easter looming in the near distance.  Let's face it, I've already eaten my fair share of mini-eggs.  Huhh....huhh...huhh....do you hear that?

It's the sound of my laboured breathing as I attempt to get back into shape. We were able to get a great deal on gym memberships AND we can play squash there as a part of the fee, so we finally bit the bullet.  Day One of 2011 fitness plan started Monday.  Yes, I know.  I'm several months behind the ball on my New Years' resolution but better late than never, right?

So Monday-gym for a run, Tuesday-squash, Wednesday-a beautiful brisk day but a great one for an outdoor run (OMG, when did I get so old and out of shape?), tonight-hockey, tomorrow a run and Saturday-squash.  You know me, I can never do anything half-hearted but someone might need to call an ambulance for me on Sunday!

I went from 7.4lbs in the A.M. to 7.2lbs in the P.M....you do the math!

Yo! I just wanted to give a shout out to all my peeps and say "hey" for all of the concern. I am well on my way to bein'  a healthy hog, but my days of crotch sniffin' are ovah.....I am now a testicular amputee.  And to try and suck up for the fact that she took me to the docs and had my beans lopped off, my doggy-mama decided to cook me up a feast for dinns.....

I'm not quite sure what this shiznit is?  I best take a closer look.  It looks like some pasta, but what the hay is on top of it?

Are you shittin' me?  That better not be what I think it is?

MEATBALLS?!!!!!!!!  That's just COLD, Beeyatch!

Then again...I'm still tryin' to shake off last night's high and I do gots a hunger on....I'll just eatz a bit till I lose the munchies.  Peace-out!  Thanks Momma-Dawg...sorta!

What Kind of Dirty Trick Was That?

I thought you said we were going to Robins for DO-NUTS.....

Not that we were going to Dr. Condon's for NO-NUTS?!!!!

Oh Nuts!



"Oh, Nuts!  Guess what day it is tomorrow?", barks the LBB....





What Do You Do When.....

You received an email from your husband with the subject, "INFIDELITY".  Does it set your heart aflutter?  I have to admit, it momentarily caught my breath.

Then I read the first sentence of the message, "I cheated on you today..." Could it be true?  Could my teasing him about all of his girlfriends at his workplace have turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy?  Is she younger than me?  Can she cook like me?  Yes, when I do SF!  Is she cleaner or tidier than I am? (That one is not so hard.)

Oh wait...the sentence continued.  "but not in the way you think."

Whew!

He goes on, "I have a new 80 year old widow friend..."  It is true.  The SF does like his women slightly older than himself.  In fact, a few have dared to call me a COUGAR.

Okay....get ready for it.....here comes the kicker! 

...."who adores knitting as much as you and gave me a pair of wool socks"

WTH?!!!!!  Are you freaking kidding me?

 and then I laugh in a condescending fashion, "that she knitted on a machine."  My inner knitting snobbery kicks in.  You can't call that knitting!  This is a complete oxymoron.  A mature person (as my mother has informed is the politically correct term to call someone that has one foot in the grave, and the other on a banana peel.) who uses modern technology to perform an age-old traditional craft.

I'll admit, I googled it.  It is documented that Egyptians were knitting as far back as 1000 A.C.  So where did Clare take a wrong turn.....a turn to the dark side?  How much love can those socks actually be made with?  When I'm knitting something as a gift, I touch each and every stitch of that garment and shower it with affection.  Can the same be said for a machine?  Well, I hate to say it (and I know most non-knitters are not going to get this) but I have two words for you.  GUSSET HOLES!



Yeah....That's right!  I'm wearing your socks but only because I had to for the sake of the blog.  Come to think of it, I'm wearing your pj's here too?!



He goes on, "I couldn't say no, and she doesn't care that I'm married to a fellow knitter!!!"

Well of course she doesn't!  Most cheating bitches don't care that they are tearing a family apart, but I thought my husband had more respect for the sanctity of our marriage and certainly thought he we show more self restraint.  At least that he wouldn't add insult to injury by rubbing his dirty little indiscretion in my face. Shame on you Silver Fox!

His final statement, "You have Wallace and I now have Clare."



Whatever!  Wallace is a hard of hearing dear old mature fella, I think he told me that he is 82.  He harvests the eel grass from the beach and delivers it direct to your home as a means of supplementing his pension.  At 82 he is as spry as any 41 year old I know - yeah, I'm talking about you SF.  He hops up into the bed of his truck and shovels out an entire load like he was a teen.  I'm sure his sweat covered muscles are rippling underneath that worn old flannel shirt.

One day this Fall, Wallace appeared on our doorstep while the SF was at work.  Who needs the milkman?  He presented me...errr....us, with a large bag of potatoes that he had plucked from a neighbouring farm after they had finished their "machine" harvest.  I tell you.  Those were the best potatoes I have ever tasted.  With each mouthful, I think of poor old Wallace, bent at the waist, his fingers covered with red dirt, picking each potatoes by hand and, a girl would like to dream, that he was lovingly thinking of me with each potato harvested. Glad to see that not ALL of the older generation, YEAH....I said it....OLDER, hasn't been won over by new fangeled technology.

The SF closes his email, "Your cheating husband"

I say, you keep your Clare, SF, if it means that I can maintain my love affair with Wallace. Sure socks will keep your feet warm, but will they keep your belly full.  You Dirty Dog!

Date Night

My dear hubby took me on a date night last night. A fish and chip dinner at a local pub and a trip to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts where we watched an epic curling battle.

Our original plan was to support Team BC, of course! Go Kelly Scott! (She won her game, btw!)

But, we selected our draw well, as we were able to bear witness to one of the most anticipated draws of the Scotties. Team Canada vs. Team Manitoba. Why? Well, seems Team Canada blindsided their third, Cathy O, not too long ago and fired her with no warning.

Since I’m not one to follow the behind the scenes drama of curling, I can’t give you the particulars on why or what lead up to the firing. I've read there were personality clashes as well as Team Canada and their leader, Jennifer Jones looking toward their teams future and wanting to bring in young blood to their team.  That is the circle of life, is it not?  Regardless, in the few short interviews I have seen of Cathy O, it is very evident that the firing sent her reeling. She is visibly shaken and I think that says a lot about her because she has always seemed, to me, to be tough as nails. While being interviewed, it was obvious that she is verging on tears every time the subject is brought up. Once she was back on her feet, she was able to bring together her own team and is now leading a young, up and coming group. Their play has not been stellar. Team Manitoba is positioned far down the leaderboard but that didn’t stop the fans from showing up and providing her with much support last night.

It was a decided case of voting for the underdog, right or wrong, the crowd made their loyalty known, and Cathy O handled what had to be the most awkward game of her career with much style and grace. In all fairness, I have to say the same for Team Canada. The crowd was pretty brutal. Awkward silence pretty much describes the response they received whenever they were successful in their own efforts. The only people from the crowd cheering them on seemed to be their own families seated in a small section at the far end of the civic centre. I’m sure it was difficult for them to watch, but they did themselves no favours when they refused to take part in some crowd participation which made them stick out like a sore thumb. That old adage, two wrongs don’t make a right comes to mind.

It was a very close game with control teetering back and forth with each end, and it came right down to the last two ends to decide who would be victorious. The play was so enthralling that many of the competing teams stuck around after their own matches to watch the duel which, I understand, is almost unheard of.

During her final rock of the 9th end which pretty much sealed Team Canada's fate, the entire crowd, including the Mani-TOGA crowd sporting, you guessed it, neon yellow togas, were on their feet chanting, “CATHY O, CATHY O”.  And, oh yes, the sound of cowbells was deafening as Team Canada conceded defeat at the games finale!  What a wonderful piece of Canadiana to be fortunate enough to be present for.  Congrats to all teams that played last night.  It was truly entertaining.

You can read more about the battle here and while I perused the comments, many negative about the crowd not supporting Team Canada because they represent the Canadian population, aren't all of the players CANADIAN?  Furthermore, there were some criticisms claiming the people of PEI should be ashamed of the way they portrayed themselves, but I have to say, that crowd was a huge mix of people that travelled from near and far (including us, really?) to watch this game.  Also present were many university students (the Manitoga crowd), who are truly temporary residents of the province just there to support their home province.  It's easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm.

I'm sure Team Canada was hurt but I don't think the show of support for Team Manitoba was meant as a slight against them.  It was more the crowd trying to lift a wounded soul to her feet and I'm almost certain that her feet weren't even touching the ground after that classic battle!

My two cents.....I'm just sayin.....

A Knitting Fool.....

Mugshot Monday seems to have taken a back seat?  I have been a little under the weather with a wee cold and the SF has been busy.....working, working out, cleaning...you name it....OH!  And plowing snow!



See how he's holding his rear leg.  That's his leg that has pins in it.  Seems that the cold goes right up his little chicken wing into the pins and turns him into TRIPOD.



Men and their toys!

What I have been busy doing is knitting/crocheting.

I am crocheting a blanket for the trailer and making good progress considering it will be a queen size when I'm done.  I've determined that it actually serves as a blanket when crocheting because I lay it across my lap as I'm working on it.  Ernie thinks it's great as well.  He's forever trying to crawl onto my lap to sit on top of it.  The other night I found myself sitting at an uncomfortable 30 degree angle because he'd parked his cuteness on top of it and I didn't want to disturb him.  Instead, I contorted my decrepit back to work around him.  He certainly has my number.

I have continued my KAL with my friend, Jolene, and our socks, Salor.  It's a bit slow as I am finding the dark wool a bit difficult to work with at night.  Despite the recent addition of bifocals and an OTTlite, it appears that I am beyond help.  Therefore, I am restricted to daylight hours for working on this beautiful sock.  I am down to the toe on sock #1.

My final project is also a KAL with my friend Chris who resides in Chicago.  We met through Ravelry coming on two years now.  A kind comment from her on my ravatar (a photo of Ernie, of course) has blossomed into a wonderful friendship.

We are knitting a doll named Poppy .  I'm sure I will find someone to gift her to.  She is knit from the head down in one piece.  If you know me, I can't stand sewing in ends.  (Just ask the SF.  He had to listen to me belly-ache about the recent hat I crocheted that had some 50+ ends!)  The daunting task of sewing in ends on my blanket (already at 48 ends) is enough to overwhelm anyone so the promise of just a few draws me to this adorable little girl.  I haven't decide on any colours for her coif, as yet, nor her dress.  I keep perusing the 346 Poppies already posted online.

I haven't completely ignored my camera.  Here is my trusty knitting sidekick in all of his cuteness.

Suddenly I am feeling a nap coming on.....hmmmmm.

Could It Really Be A Year?

It just seems like yesterday that we said good-bye to you....

Someone misses you horribly.

We all do.

Not a day goes by that we don't think of you..... 

Laugh about you,

Shed a tear for you.

Our hearts ache for you.

What we wouldn't give to let you roll in the snow one last time,

or to take one last walk with you.

What we wouldn't give to throw a stick for you, let you wade in the ocean....

feel the velvet of your ears, to feel you nudge our hand with your muzzle, to have your paw thrust upon our lap. 

You have left a hole where our hearts should be.... 

In your all too short life, you left us with enough memories to fill the rest of ours.

Our tears of sadness have been replaced with tears of thankfulness for being blessed with the best friend we could ever ask for.

Rest In Peace Old Fella