Info for my girl friends (and boy friends interested in female stuff)

Hello girls!

So, I have a product to tell you about that may change how you experience your period. It's called the Diva Cup and I've been using it now for over a year. I heard about it from my cousin, who recommended it to all her gal pals.

So, go to www.divacup.com.

I've copied some of their info from the website below. I love mine as it's completely changed my viewpoint on my period. Before, I hated getting it because it was smelly and messy. With the cup, you don't have any of that, I can empty it in the shower, don't need to worry about leaks or stains on my undies and it's extremely comfy (especially for biking). I used to wear pads as I found tampons very uncomfortable. So, I'm sharing a bit more information than some of you are probably comfortable with but I think it's important to share news with our girl friends about female health issues.


The DivaCup Features

Have you ever…(?)

co-opted toilet paper from a public washroom as a temporary measure
planned a vacation around your period
avoided white pants for that one 'special' week of the month
done a supplies hand-off with a girlfriend while the dates weren't looking
cautiously tucked the telltale string into your bikini
accidentally pulled a mystery object from your purse in front of a curious male audience
scuttled to the washroom to survey the leak damage after a sudden 'surge'
clogged your toilet with "flushable" feminine products
left a party with a jacket tied around your waist...?

The DivaCup to the rescue!!!

The DivaCup is a non-absorbent menstrual cup that simply collects menstrual flow. It is inserted in the vagina and sits at the lower base of the vaginal canal. It is worn internally, yet because it is soft and smooth, it cannot be felt nor will it leak when inserted properly.

The DivaCup is the most clean and convenient method of feminine hygiene protection. No need to touch the flow. It is worn low in the vagina, not near the cervix, so it is easy to remove. No mess!

The DivaCup ends hassles with unreliable disposables in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles. It is perfect for all activities – giving women true freedom without the worry, guessing and unreliability that disposable feminine hygiene products pose.

The DivaCup can be worn for up to 12 hours before emptying, washing and reinserting for use for another 12 hours. It can be used for light or moderate flows and is emptied more often to accommodate heavy flows. Perfect for overnight use.

The DivaCup’s expert, proprietary, patent-pending features make it comfortable and assures ease of use and reliability. Perfect for traveling, running, biking, hiking, dancing, camping, swimming, diving, scuba, yoga, extreme sports and more...

Latex-free, plastic-free, hypoallergenic
No dyes, colors or additives
Comfortable, reliable
Clean, convenient, easy-to-use
Worn for up to 12 hours at a time

The DivaCup is available in two models:

Model 1: for women who are under 30 years old who have never had childbirth or c-section.

Model 2: for women who are 30 years old and over and/or for all women who have had vaginal childbirth or c-section.

Menstrual Cup History and Our Story

The menstrual cup was first developed in the 1930’s. It was made from rubber latex (an allergen for many). Millions were sold in those first years by multiple companies.

Because of management issues, the companies closed and menstrual cups were hard to find. Then over 15 years ago, Francine recognized the need for an alternative to unreliable disposable tampons and pads and found a company offering menstrual cups. She and her daughter, Carinne, singlehandedly resurrected the 75 year old menstrual cup concept by reintroducing this product to the world market when it was virtually unknown. They sold this rubber/latex version for 10 years.

In 2003, drawing on their experience and expert knowledge about the menstrual cup category, they developed a modern redesign, made from soft, top-quality silicone, to meet the needs of today’s woman. They launched their own company, Diva International. Their revolutionary concept, The DivaCup, is patent-pending and ISO certified. Today, The DivaCup is the preferred choice.

The DivaCup Team has over 38 years of combined experience in natural feminine hygiene alternatives. Their passion is to provide women an environmentally responsible, convenient and reliable alternative to tampons and pads.

“Not every woman can afford a hybrid car nor easily convert their home to solar power. Yet, by choosing to use a menstrual cup instead of disposable tampons and pads, any woman is able to make an environmentally responsible choice each month. This is no small matter. In the U.S. alone, billions of tampons and pads are dumped into landfills and the environment each year.” Carinne Chambers

“With all the state-of-the-art conveniences Western society has developed, it baffles us why outdated feminine products are still being used. We believe that reusable menstrual cups are the next generation of feminine hygiene because they are the most environmentally responsible choice. They are also the most convenient and reliable option available and are not linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome.” Francine Chambers.

Quality and Standards

We Adhere to the Highest Quality Standards in the World!
FDA, Health Canada, ISO certification

The DivaCup is latex free and is made from hypoallergenic, top quality silicone, a material that has been used in healthcare applications for over 50 years. This silicone is not the same type of material used in breast implants. No chlorine, dyes, colorings or additives of any kind.The DivaCup holds market approval by the U.S. FDA and is the only menstrual cup that holds market approval by Health Canada; consequently, it is the only menstrual cup that can be sold in Canada.The DivaCup is the only menstrual cup that holds international ISO manufacturing certification. (The rigorous ISO 13485:2003 international standard provides a tried and tested framework and a systematic approach to consistently produce product that satisfies customers' expectations, www.iso.org).

Be a "Green" Diva

Environmentally Responsible

The DivaCup is reusable. This makes it an important, environmentally responsible feminine hygiene choice!

Women around the world are increasingly aware of how they can make a significant, positive environmental impact by switching from disposable tampons and pads to The DivaCup. This simple change is as significant as switching from plastic to canvas bags!

Women, on average, experience a lifetime menstruation span of 41 years (11-52). From use of disposable feminine hygiene, an estimated 12 billion sanitary pads and 7 billion tampons are dropped into the U.S. environment (U.S. 1998) each year. Our revolutionary, reusable product is a modern, viable alternative to disposable tampons and pads.

Additionally, tampons and pads contain surfactants, adhesives, additives and dioxin. Dioxin, a known carcinogen, is a by-product of the bleaching process of rayon tampons. In landfills, these substances can leach into the environment (groundwater, streams and lakes) causing serious pollution and health concerns.

Although not all women can afford to purchase an energy-efficient hybrid car or convert their home to solar energy, they can reduce dangerous landfill waste by choosing to use a reusable menstrual cup. Use of The DivaCup creates a positive eco-footprint every month.

Save $$$

The DivaCup is Economical!

Because many women have become accustom to purchasing disposable feminine hygiene products, they consider the expenditure “necessary”. Most women spend $150-200 U.S. a year on disposable tampons and pads. The purchase of The DivaCup results in significant savings. The cost of The DivaCup is equivalent to a moderately-priced blouse or dinner out, yet saves you money!

Calculate your own personal care savings:

Estimate your monthly total in disposable feminine hygiene products.
Multiply by 12 months.
Minus the cost of The DivaCup.
This total is what you will save each year by using The DivaCup.
Consider donating a small portion of your savings!Visit:www.vitaminangels.comwww.goods4girls.org

Menstrual Health Worldwide

We are all aware of the difficult plight of women in developing countries. Most of these women face challenges in dealing with their monthly cycle, and they do not have adequate feminine hygiene protection options. Many people want to help, yet unfortunately menstrual cups are not necessarily an easy or viable solution for many reasons:Unlike feminine hygiene products made from fiber (reusable cloth pads or disposable sanitary pads and tampons), menstrual cups are made from silicone and are considerably more costly to manufacture. Making disposable feminine hygiene available to women in developing countries poses a serious environmental problem as there is rarely an appropriate infrastructure to handle this type of waste. This type of waste manifests additional health concerns.

Disposables are rarely an option, and when they are available, they are exorbitantly expensive in relation to the local economy.

The washing of a menstrual cup requires potable water and a mild soap. Many communities do not have this luxury; consequently, a menstrual cup is not always a viable solution for these women. A menstrual cup should not be cleaned with non-potable water. A variety of serious gynecological infections may be contracted with the use of unclean water. Please refer to our FAQs about this important topic. We have learned that some women in difficult economic situations may “share” their cup with other women. This practice is very dangerous when considering STDs, HIV, and gynecological infections. Few of these communities have health care professionals who can address this topic. Religious and social mores can be complex. Many cultures prohibit the use of internal feminine hygiene protection.
Most importantly, use of a menstrual cup requires some instruction. Many questions arise, even for women who can read and understand the User Guide. Some of those issues are medical in nature, so reliable answers need to be accessible.

Long ago we realized that we could not address all feminine hygiene needs for all women. Each story is more compelling than the next and we are not able to meet the needs of all who ask. We make a bi-annual donation to a charity that reaches families worldwide in a unique way, Vitamin Angels.

In the last three years, Vitamin Angels has distributed over 300 million vitamins and other supplements in over 80 countries worldwide. Last year, Vitamin Angels distributed vitamins and other supplements to reach over 7 million children, lactating mothers and babies in 40 countries worldwide. To learn more about Vitamin Angels and "Operation 20/20” visit www.VitaminAngels.org. We encourage you to visit their site and learn of the amazing impact they are making around the world..

Another program offers women and girls reusable cloth pads. This feminine hygiene option is the most realistic option for women in these communities. Please review an enlightening article concerning the problem of feminine hygiene in developing countries. We believe you’ll find it thought-provoking and informative. If you would like to participate, please go to www.goods4girls.org. For $30 U.S. you can change the life of a young girl or woman in a way that is best for her and her community!

Your First Questions!

Q. Does The DivaCup leak?

According to consumer research, 60% of women experience leakage every month when using tampons and pads! The DivaCup is reliable. The majority of women feel secure without the hassle of worrying about leakage.

If leaking occurs, the cup has not been inserted properly; it has not been rotated; it is not inserted at the right angle; or the muscle tone needs to be strengthened with kegel exercises (usually necessary after multiple vaginal childbirths).Success with The DivaCup increases when the instructions are followed precisely. Sometimes it takes women one or two cycles to master insertion and removal. Most women find that once they find the right position, it is not necessary to use a backup pad or liner and that they would not be without it!

Many women can’t believe that it is possible for a feminine hygiene product to actually do its job and not “leak”. Believe it, ladies!!! This product actually works. Our testimonial pages are just a small sample of the many thousands of satisfied users worldwide who agree that The DivaCup is the best feminine hygiene product they have ever tried!

Q. Is The DivaCup messy?

Almost every woman's initial reaction to The DivaCup is, "Ewww! That's gross!” When tampons were first introduced it took quite a while before the concept caught on. Once you take the time to learn about The DivaCup, and actually try it for yourself, you will be pleasantly surprised about how clean and NOT messy it really is.

The cup sits low in the vaginal canal and you can avoid reaching inside the vagina by pushing the cup out slightly. Simply bear down on the muscles for removal. Most women find that once they start using The DivaCup that every other method is messy and gross! Just imagine a product that actually lives up to its expectations: no leaking, no odor, convenient, comfortable, clean AND helps to save the planet! It's hard to believe that all this could be a reality, but try it for yourself and you will see that it is true.

Q. Is there odor with The DivaCup?

No, there is no odor when using The DivaCup. Menstrual flow only begins to develop an odor when it begins to oxidize and break down from being exposed to air. Menstrual fluid on pads is exposed to air, so it does create an after odor. Tampons are not as bad since they are worn internally, but they can still create odor. With The DivaCup, odor is not created at all; consequently, it allows women to feel clean and secure. No more worrying about embarrassing odor or leakage!

Q. Can young girls and virgins use The DivaCup?

Physically, The DivaCup is suitable for women of all ages as the vagina is made up of very flexible tissue and muscles. Women's bodies are designed this way to be able to stretch to deliver a baby. The tissue returns back to its normal size after expansion with intercourse or childbirth. It is the muscles that usually need to be strengthened after childbirth. Many of our customers are as young as 11 or 12 years old. It is ideal for young girls who are very active (such as swimmers or gymnasts) who are looking for a more reliable method other than tampons or pads. Everyone is unique and there are many variables. Many young women use The DivaCup. Please read and understand all of the FAQs. This will help you make an informed decision! As for all gynecological concerns, we suggest you consult your physician.

Q. Can you feel The DivaCup when you are wearing it?

If you can “feel” the cup, it has not been inserted properly. Please see our inserting and removing FAQ. Because The DivaCup is made of soft silicone that actually softens with body heat, you cannot feel the cup at all. The DivaCup is totally different than the sensation of tampons. The DivaCup does not dry out the vagina, so it is extremely comfortable. You won’t even know it's there!

Q. Can The DivaCup be used for light and heavy flows?

The DivaCup works very well for women with light or heavy flows. The DivaCup holds one full once and the average women only flows about three to four ounces in her entire cycle. For most women, the cup is not even half full after 12 hours. We always recommend you empty the cup, wash, rinse it, and reinsert it at least every 12 hours (2 times a day) even if your flow is light.Women with heavy flows will simply need to empty the cup more often. The convenient ounces and milliliters measurement feature allows women to actually keep track of flow and accurately report flow details to their health professional.

Q. Can I sleep while wearing The DivaCup?

Yes! You will feel fresh, secure, and liberated. No worries about staying close to a bathroom. No restrictions on physical activity. You can wear The DivaCup for 12 hours at a time, so you have the convenience of not having to think about your period all night long!

Q. What do I do in a public restroom?

Most women find that they do not have to remove The DivaCup more often than every 12 hours, and that taking it out in a public restroom does not occur very often. However, for women with heavier flows, or on the occasion you need to empty it in a public restroom, simply remove the cup, empty the contents and use a dry or damp tissue to clean the cup and reinsert. Make sure your hands are clean before going into the stall. Wash your DivaCup well with warm, soapy water at the next convenient time.

A long week

Hello Everyone!

I know, it's been a bit but I've had a long week so far. I spent this week on a special work project to fix an error I found. Not everyone was happy with the process but it was the right thing to do, I stuck to my principles and convinced them it was important. So, I'm happy with the resolution but it means I'm a week behind my regular work. I also put in some extra long hours so I'm a bit drained.

Jerry knew I was under a lot of stress so he convinced me to play hooky from my homework and instead I spent the evening with him. He was playing bike polo (league) so I got to watch him for the first time, ate barbequed hot dogs (it's been a year and they were mighty tasty - and yes, I know how incredibly unhealthy they are as I only like Red Hots) and drank beer. I really needed last night and I felt quite refreshed today.

Tonight, I took for myself. I've eaten ice-cream and candy. Surfed the net for fun stuff. Cuddled with Whiskers. Played dress-up (yep, I've got clothes all over my bed from trying on different outfit combinations). I still may open my text book for a bit of reading but I'm not staying up late tonight.

Anyways, I'm not really in the mood for typing - I just wanted to let you know I haven't been kidnapped by aliens in the post office yet.

Have a great day!

New Garden photos

Jerry at the garden on Sunday night. The tall plants in front of him are amaranth. It's a grain that will have a burgundy flower.















Our harvest. This is the 2nd big summer harvest. We already had 2 big early summer harvests (raddish, peas). I didn't know zucchini could get so big! We had to pull up the onions and shallots because the zucchini plants were crowding them out. Many of the beets have ground squirrel nibbles out of them. I'm not too upset about that since they're not touching the carrots but Jerry rather likes beets. The corn cob was a test to see if they were forming well. The rows were even and the corn was tasty but not overly sweet. A bit of salt and butter would do the trick.


Does anyone recognize this flower? It's in one of the gardens a few plots down from us. I'm not sure who has it. It comes in both light pink and the darker magenta. I think it's really pretty.








Evening sky. According to Jerry, this is a typical sky for a Chinook. I've never seen the sky look like this and he told me it's because the weather's been very strange for the past several years. The sky under the clouds is clear and this is the northern edge of the Chinook arch.

Weekend Trip

On the weekend we went to Castle Mountain to pick berries.


This is a huckleberry. It's sweet and I prefer it a bit over a Saskatoon (which looks very similar).








There was a pair of grouse on the mountain with us.









Here I am with my berry bag (and bear spray). Note the very terrible tan line on my arms.








We ended up finding a whole lot of raspberries, some thimbleberries and a few huckleberries. I'm going to freeze them and we can turn them into tarts during the winter. Yum! The weather was nice and it was a relaxing, low-key weekend

Snowboard pictures

This is Libby





























This is Libby's underside (the part that slides on the snow)

Yay for sales!

Hi Everyone,

I got an amazing deal on my snowboard. Everything was used/consignment but for entry level, I didn't need more than that.

Snowboard with bindings: $62.50
Boots: $12.50
Hoodie: $12.50
Touque: $6.00
Snowboard Bag: $15.00

Everything was 70% off. A new board, without bindings start out in the $350 area for entry level. My board was on consignment and Jerry thinks that when the store declared bankuptcy, they were unable to contact the owner. Mine is a Lib Tech and looks very pretty. Apparently, it's also a really great board. I showed him the 3 boards that were the right height and he got really excited when he saw this board.

So, now all I need is a helmet. They get another shipment in on Friday so I'll look to see what else comes in. Basically, each week one of the chain stores shuts down and the extra stock goes to their main location downtown. They have both new and used sporting equipment but I will go new for the helmet. Although they are designed for multiple impact, I don't want to risk anything when it comes to safety.

So, super excited - I was expecting to spend 2-3 times that amount on equipment.

Have a great day!

Camping on the long weekend

Hello Everyone!

I just booked a back country campsite in Kananaskis (a region along the edge of the Rockies) for the Labour Day weekend. We plan on doing a lot of fishing (but will have lots of food since I don't plan on actually catching anything), relaxing and maybe a bit of light hiking (depending on how Jerry feels). He's talked about this area a lot so I'm rather excited to see what it's like.

This weekend, we're going to Lethbridge to see his family. There's a party on Saturday night so while we're in the area, I hope to walk around the railway bridge area (I think it's the longest in Canada) and maybe do some fishing. Definitely a take-it-easy weekend.

I'm hoping to buy a snowboard & equipment tonight. There's a store going out of business and they have their stock down to 70% off. At that price, I can get an entry board & equipment for about the equivalent of 5 rentals. So, I should come out on top by the end of winter. So, I'm hoping they still have stuff in my size. This will be my last big purchase until Christmas and budget will be very happy with that.

Have a great day!

I passed my exam!

Hi Everyone,

I wrote my Payroll Fundamentals 1 exam this morning and passed. It was rather a squeak through - I got exactly the minimum amount I needed for the exam. Luckily, I had a great mark on the midterm so I estimate I got around 70% overall on the course. The material was dry and 75% of it was not relevant to my current work. It was really hard to get into, especially with the beautiful summer weather.

My next course is accounting and I have until the beginning of December to complete it. It's through Athabasca University and the text book is hard cover. This means it's easy to take with me while fishing!

So, Jerry got doored on Wednesday. "Doored" means he was riding along and a driver opened his car door into him. He remembers hearing "click" and woke up on the ground. The end result was a bruised lung (well, at least there weren't broken ribs) and he was told "no sports" by the clinic and to go back to work. Yep, I rather like the intelligence of a clinic when they tell someone to back to work when their work involves riding a bike. He's sore but the main problem he has is his breathing if he overexerts himself. I pampered him this weekend by bringing up breakfast for him on Saturday (study break for me) and bringing lunch on Sunday (I was attending a church service near his house). He looked a bit better on Sunday so I'm hoping he takes it easy so he makes a full recovery. And, Jerry will need to fight in order for the driver to get charged, even though what he did was illegal. So, to all my friends & family who drive, please look before you open your door when you're parallel parked - this is a very common accident for cyclists and it can be surprising how far out your car door extends into the lane.

And, I got a hair cut on the weekend. I had dyed my hair late last year to a dark brown. This was to cover up any remaining blonde. Unfortunately, the colour was slightly darker than my natural colour. I've been growing it out and I finally reached the point of the two colours driving me crazy. So, I'm back to a short hair cut and almost all of the colour is natural. There are a few tips on the top that have about 1/2 cm of colour but that'll be cut off at my next trim. After that, I'll be all natural again and can grow it out. Jerry was curious to see what I would look like with long hair so I'm indulging him to about shoulder length. With my body frame, anything longer than that looks too heavy. When he saw me on Sunday, he said it looked nice (I did warn him I needed to cut off the dyed hair).

I have some tlc to do on Charlotte this week. I need to replace her free wheel (the cear on the back wheel. When you have more than one gear, it's called a "cassette"), replace her chain (because of the new free wheel), and a couple other tweaks.

We have some yellow beans in the garden! And we had a couple carrots at eating size! We pulled out the remaining radishes. Did you know they get a very pretty white/pink flower on them. They would be ideal to put in an edible flower bed.

It was a hot weekend (30s) and to suppose to be like this for the next couple days. Last night was the first time I had to pull out my fan in 2 years. So far the furry family is handling it fine.

Have a great day!

Waterton trip

Saskatoon berries - yum!










Butterfly on an Aster









Crypt Lake. The glacier is in Montana and the lake is very cold. We didn't have time to hike around it but in all honesty, the trail didn't look very nice (basically walking on a big gravel pile)






Jerry setting up our tent. It's a three person tent and it was more than big enough for us. Because of bears, you don't keep your backpack in you tent (scents such as toothpaste, deodorant, sun screen). And I carried it in since I have a backpack and Jerry only has a day pack. He's use to a lot more rustic camping and usually uses a bivouac sac instead of a tent. He also knew if he wanted me to go camping, we needed a tent. Because even though tent fabric won't keep a bear out, I can trick myself into believing it can.


Deer checking out our campsite early Saturday morning.









Mount Galwey (I think) reflecting on Crandell Lake. Our campsite is on the left (in comparison to the picture) side of the lake.








Me in the tunnel that leads to Crypt Lake. Note the canister of bear spray on my right hip.









Common Red Paintbrush. This is one of my favourite mountain flowers. It comes in white, red, pink and orange.










Wildflowers along Crypt Lake trail.







So, I had a lot of fun at Waterton. We ended up camping at Crandell Lake (amazing location) and I was the only girl (with 5 guys). Good weather - a bit of rain & hail Saturday morning but it only lasted about 1/2 hour. I went scrambling for the first time on Mount Crandell on Sunday. It was a bit scary but Jerry was able to get me down when I reached a point in climbing where I couldn't get myself down. He directed me where to place my hands and feet and I got down safely. I plan to take some mountain climbing classes this winter to help me improve. It was very beautiful and I had fun.

On Monday we went on a hike to Crypt Lake. It's noted as one of the best hikes in Canada and I agree. You reach it by ferry so there's only a small amount of people who go on it every day. It was a difficult hike - 8.5 km to the lake and an elevation gain of 2214 ft. I wish we would have had more time but I knew I had to compromise on taking the later ferry (I was ready to go but the sleepyheads I was with...) and returning on the early ferry (since we were heading back to Calgary that night). So, physically strenuous, great (proper) hiking trail, beautiful scenery. At one part, you need to hang onto a wire cable as you cross a 3' ledge and then climb up a ladder to a rock tunnel.

Ate lots of Saskatoon berries, tumbleberries and also a huckleberry. All were delicious.

Was very tired for most of this week, recovering. My ankle was a bit sore since we had to really push to get back from the lake in time for the ferry. The furry family was rather upset with me but I spent this weekend with them and they've forgiven me. I was planning to study all weekend (exam 1 week from Monday and I'm not ready) but I got a severe headache that made me pretty useless all of Saturday.

I don't get migrane headaches but the end result is pretty nasty. I think it was caused by a rapid change in air pressure because my head hurt above my hairline at the front of my head. As well, ibuprofin had no effect. And it wasn't until Saturday night, when feeling nausious that I decided I should go for a short walk (since fresh air usually helps). I added up my symptoms and realized what I needed to do. I had a long hot shower (since running water puts ions into the air) and turned on the ion releaser on my air purifiers. I felt better within an hour. Although my headache still continues, it's not down to a dull ache and no more nausa. I've also been consuming caffeine. Now, normally people don't take caffeine when they have a headache since it often causes one but I've noticed when I get this kind of headache, it really helps. I think it has to do with how it constricts your blood vessels. As for the ions, the science is still undecided but I've tried it and it helped me. It is very frustrating to get this type of headache since I basically have to wait for it to end. And, it's a very common thing in Calgary and southern Alberta. Stupid mountains and its effect on weather systems.

Well, I have some tidying to do around the apartment before bed. Have a great day!

PS - I didn't need to use my peeing device - there were outhouses. So, I'll have to wait until my next adventure...

I peed standing up!

Hello Everyone,

I know this above statement may seem odd but I'm rather excited. When I was getting my camping stuff last night, I was in the misc health section and saw Sani-fem Freshette Urinating Aid. And yep, it's a device that allows women to pee standing up. It's basically a slightly moulded cup that has a hole in it for a tube. You place the cup against your body and your pee will run down the tube. Because of it's shape, you only need to unzip a bit of your clothes.

So, I tried it this morning with great success. No dripping and I was able to aim so it went in the toilet (without dribbling everywhere else). I know, this topic is a bit crude to some people but for those who like being outdoors and hate the fuss of squatting, I've got to say this may be a solution. I'm bringing it with me for a full test this weekend.

So, this weekend... originally we were going to do a 10km difficult hike to a lake where there's a campsite. From there, there are a couple challenging scrambles. The problem? Well, the person planning the trip waited until the last minute to book campsites and there weren't any. (I'm still shaking my head at the idea of waiting until the last minute to book 4 campsites on a super busy weekend). We ended up getting 3 sites at Waterton (through my research and a bunch of calls to their Info Centre) and we're driving down early Saturday morning. The campsite is still back country but it's only 2 km to the parking lot, 6 km by highway or path to the townsite and 15 km by highway to Cameron Lake where people can go canoeing. It's also a central location for several scrambles. So, the campsite, although not as wilderness as originally planned, does have a lot going for it since it has activities everyone was interested in. And for me, I'm a bit relieved because this will be my first backcountry camping experience.

Jerry bought me bear spray, bear bangers and flares since it's peak bear season (and showed me how to use everything). We set up our tent last night to make sure everything is fine. I tried my new mattress and couldn't feel the stuff underneath that we used as a test. I was tempted just to buy a thin piece of foam but the blow up mattress was comfortable, very tiny when not in use and light. I was hoping to save money on this but I like a soft sleeping area.

Camping is expensive to start out. I didn't have anything other than a pack and a walking pole. At least this stuff is good quality and I'll be able to get years of use out of it (hopefully). And it will definitely save in the long run since it'll mean camping rather than hotel rooms and more freedom for adventures.

Have a great weekend and I'll let you know next week how everything goes.

Lookin' good!

Hi Everyone!

So, Jerry's roommate got married and the ceremony was on Saturday. It was very small - no reception that day as they had difficulties finding a hall. They're going to put it off for a month or so, which I think is a great idea - it will be a lot more relaxing and memorable for them without that pressure. It was held at Deane's House, a historical house that doubles as a restaurant (with gorgeous gardens). Short ceremony, no decorations (the flowers and natural setting was all they needed). Just family and a couple friends.

So, Steve wore a suit jacket and Jerry wore a vest. They got a 1 1/2 weeks before the wedding and they looked great. I hadn't seen Jerry's outfit but my dress (summer dress, hem just below the knee) worked perfectly with it. It was warm and sunny for the ceremony but it rained that evening for the bbq. Oh well - the food was good and everyone made the best of it. And, they had ice-cream cake!

I think more people should have weddings like this. Low key, low budget, lots of enthusiasm and an overflow of love. They are such a cute couple and you could tell how much this wedding meant to them.

Jerry'll be in transition now - this is the first time since he was a teenager that he'll live by himself. I think it'll drive him crazy since he's a social persom but I think it's important for every person to live on his/her own just to see what it's like. I've offered him Whiskers and he's thinking about it ;-D She can be quite rude to him - scratching at carpet, trying to chew on his pants, giving him the evil eye, knocking his bag over... She takes a while to warm up to people. I think some quality bonding time would do the both some good. Either that or Jerry will have holes in all his clothes and she'll be in a pot! And who said I wasn't an understanding girlfriend hee! hee!

Have a great day!

I can see again!

Hello Everyone!

I just picked my new glasses and wow, what a difference! I was using my really old glasses from almost 5 years ago because my cute pink glasses broke during the winter. Everything is so much clearer and sharper - I didn't realize just how far my eyes had changed.

They ended up just over $600 since I have to get the special lenses because my eyesight is so bad. They're a dark green, with a turquoise hint plastic frame, rectangular with a circle pattern on the arms. Very cute and fashionable. I'll be able to show you pictures next week.

Karen

Rafting down the Bow

Hi Everyone!

I've had a great weekend. On Friday, it was rainy/overcast in the afternoon and I was thinking, "What a crappy day." I wasn't expecting to see Jerry all weekend as he had a bunch of plans.

Then I got a phone call from him to go see the new Batman movie. It's been years since I've been to opening day for a movie that big and the whole experience was a lot of fun. We ended up sitting in the front seats (but it actually wasn't too bad for viewing) and it was great to have the audience get involved in the movies (with the "Wows" and gasps and collective laughs). Later that night he gave me a present (we went on our first date a year ago Saturday). It was a Chinese butcher's knife. I had mentioned several times that I wanted one and we hadn't gotten around to visiting Chinatown for me to buy one. And, neither of us believe the gift of a knife will cut a relationship. My view is he was thoughtful enough to buy me a great present that he knew I would like.

I was planning on using the weekend to work on his present but he then invited me to go rafting on the Bow on Sunday. So, Saturday I was busy making his present. I'm always short money in the last third part of the month so I decided to make it. Since our first date started with Ben & Jerry's ice-cream, I bought a tub at the grocery store, emptied out the ice-cream (will share it with him the next time he's up at my place) and used it as my present container. I then took blank business card paper, wrote mushy-cute notes on them and folded them into what looks like envelopes. So, his container of ice-cream contained (hee-hee) reasons why he's such a wonderful guy. I then finished up by covering the "Ben" part of the labels and putting "Karen" over top. Corny, yes, but he's quite a romantic and sweet guy (although he tries to hide it and does a terrible job). I'm also going to make him a fancy picnic on Thursday after work. Here's my tentative menu:

fresh veggies with hummus
potato omelet (well, frittata - it's yummy and is eaten at room temperature)
fresh salad with ingredients from my home garden and oil/vinegar dressing
oatmeal/dried fruit/chocolate chip cookies
caramel chocolate bars
fresh fruit cups
pink lemonade

We both like picnics and this one will have food that's a bit fancier than I normally would make. I was going to get a picnic basket from the fancy restaurant on Prince's Island (our picnic spot) but they were too expensive. Yes, it's super high end stuff but Jerry seems to really appreciate my cooking attempts.

Anyways, back to the reason for the title of this entry...

I went up to Jerry's this morning and we headed down to Kensington Sun & Salsa festival. Basically, you buy a bag of chips for $2, money goes to charity, and you go around sampling free salsa. You then vote for your favourite salsa. There's also music, dancing, shopping, performers etc. After that, we headed to Bowness Park, met up with friends, and spent the next three hours floating down the river on rafts. The sun was hot, the water was cold and it was very relaxing. I'm a bit sunburnt where I missed with sun screen. As much as I love the convenience and feel of spray-on sun screen, I find it's harder to make sure you're completely covered. Maybe I need the kid's stuff that's purple when comes out but dries clear. I'll put some aloe on tonight to help minimize the skin damage.

I've got a busy week ahead of me - there's a gardening seminar on Monday, I'm having coffee with a friend on Tuesday, dinner after work on Wednesday with another friend, the picnic on Thursday a wedding to attend on Saturday and a meal and/or coffee with yet another friend on Sunday. So, the furry family may not be impressed with me (they get upset when there's not enough Karen time) but I'm looking forward to everything.

Have a great day!

I just sent my first text message!

Hi everyone!

I've received messages on my phone but I've never actually sent one until today. It was rather difficult as my phone wanted to put in different letter than I was trying to use. Afterward, I explained my problem to a co-worker and was told my phone was set to "predictive". I've now switched to alphabet.

Hmm...I may need to look into what my plan has for text messaging.

point form 2

Hi Everyone!

Tues
-did a whole bunch of driving
-rain
-Fort Macleod: opening Canada Day ceremonies, part of musical ride (rained out), museum
-Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump: wet, great interpretive centre, will return for outdoor hike
-Waterton: deer everywhere, very pretty

Wed
-hike to Bertha Falls, partway to Bertha Lake
-climbed Bear's Hump
-rented 4 wheel bike (seated 2 people on a bench across). Let Christine steer/brake. Think I got my first grey hairs
-lots of ground squirrels
-will return for more hikes

Thurs
-Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
-sunny, hot
-climbed on hoodoos
-heard a rattle snake
-Japanese garden in Lethbridge
-very pretty

Fri
-Stampede parade
-rodeo
-Stampede grounds
-lots of fun, not as crowded as in the past (less American tourists because of high dollar and economy)

Now: very tired

Saturday: laundry, relax, Stampede chuck wagon races & evening show
Sunday: Banff
Monday: Lake Louise
Tuesday: zoo, Calgary Tower
Wednesday: back to work, family leaves

point form

Hi Everyone!

-cleaned house
-Mom, Dad & Christine arrived on Saturday evening
- ate my fish recipe on Sunday, didn't get food poisoning. Fish Creek provincial park. Prince's Island. Met Jerry. Ate at Vietanmese restaurant - family agreed it was tasty
- Monday passed Payroll midterm. Family - Science Centre, Devonian Garden, Glenbow Museum. Got Western attire
- printed off driving directions for Fort Macleod, Head-Smashed-In, Waterton, Writing-On-Stone, back Thursday night. Stampede Friday
- very tired. On vacation!

Baa Baa Sheep

Mary had a little lamb,
little lamb,
little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb
That was so very yummy!

Yep, Nigella's good. The recipe turned out like in the picture. It was very moist and flavourful. I put it in the oven like she said and pulled it out when the timer went off. No basting, turning, checking. The only problem I had was with all the juice. Jerry thickened it a bit for me (to make it part jus since it wasn't quite a gravy although he had some fancy name for it). I was so-so on the beans that she said to serve with it but they're still something I'm getting used to as a potato substitute.

Had a baby radish leave salad - from the garden. When the leaves are very small, they aren't prickly yet. We tried it with poppyseed dressing and it was quite delicious.

So, for anyone looking for a great recipe book, pick up Nigella's Express cookbook.

A nice weekend

Hi Everyone,

The weather was warm and mostly sunny. I built a couple planter boxes to set my flower boxes in. It went pretty well but I gave myself a large blood blister on my middle left finger. I was holding 2 pieces of wood together and as I was bringing down the hammer I though, "This wood will likely shift and pinch my finger between the pieces." Thud. Ouch. (Actually, it hurt more when I iced it an hour later).

I went on a proper date with Jerry on Saturday night. Usually we get together at one of our places for dinner and tv but this was a proper date. We went and saw Indiana Jones and then went out for dinner. It was rather nice! The movie itself was a bit odd - 3/4 classic Indiana Jones, 1/4 what the ****? It was a plot twist that didn't fit in with the movie or the other movies. We figure George Lucas had too much script influence. Despite that, I'm glad I saw it. It's the type of movie best suited for a summer drive-in double feature.

On Sunday I had 2 picnics, the second was a garden party at the garden plot. Our little garden is coming along. We lost our accorn squash and we didn't see any peanuts come up. I thinned out some raddish so we're having a raddish leaf salad tonight.

I'm making lamb - specifically lamb shank. It has a simple marinade - white wine, worchestershire sauce, onion, garlic oil, rosemary and red currant jelly. I've had bad luck in the past with lamb but Nigella's recipe was easy to follow and has more details than past recipies. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Have a great day!

Pretty Charlotte

Hi Everyone,

I spent last night giving Charlotte some tlc and making her pretty. I picked up a bright pink chain and put it on. I wanted to get purple but the bike shop wasn't expecting to get any in for the next while. I said, "But I don't think pink would go with my red bike." They then said, "Well, your helmet is red and pink." So they got me. My bike and helmet are becoming co-ordinated. All I need is an orange water bottle and I'll be set!

So, after an ice-cream date with Jerry, I went home and got myself all dirty and greasy. I took the new chain out of the box and cleaned the packing grease off it. You can ride with the original lube but I was told if I have time, to do a proper cleaning/lubing. I then broke my original chain and cleaned it. What a mess! I think I've been over lubing which means dirt sticks to the extra lube and makes it really dirty. It's good for winter since it protects the chain but in summer you want a pretty clean chain. The main problem I had with putting the new chain on was rejoining the chain. Basically, there's a little pin that joins the links and to break the chain, you need to remove the pin but only until it's out of the middle section and still sticking in the outer part. I only had a small chain breaker on my multi tool and although I could remove the pin, there wasn't enough distance between the pin and the crank used to shove the pin in and out. I ended up lining everything up and using a hammer. Not an ideal situation but in the end it worked.

After all this work, I was rather tired and went into my room to get ready for bed. Next thing I know it's morning and I'm late for work. The tv was on, all the lights were on, the furry family was hungry...

So, I opened the window for Mike (he's happy), bribed the other two with strawberries (they're happy) and sent an e-mail to work letting them know I'll be late (they laughed). Had a nice ride in, chain working well, no weird noises or grinding.

So, I've got a very busy week ahead of me. My payroll mid term is next week and I'll be getting the apartment ready for Mom, Dad & Christine's visit. It's suppose to be a nice weekend so I can get a bunch of laundry done.

Had some problems with my kitchen sink pipes. There was/is a clog somewhere and I didn't pick up on that being the strange smell in my kitchen until 11:30 Wednesday night. Since it wasn't standing water (just took a super long time to drain), I used Drano kitchen crystals to help clear it. I think most of the clog is gone - when I was running the water to test it, it took a long time for it to back up and it did drain much faster when it did back up. I'll continue with these crystals over the next few days to make sure everything's fine. Mind you, I did learn how to remove the pipes under the sink to see if there was something caught in the U shaped section (and there wasn't).

Have a great day!

A nice picnic

Hello Everyone,

The weather is finally nice enough to try out my new picnic backpack. I met Jerry at Prince's Island after work and have a lovely picnic. It was my first one of the year and I enjoyed myself. I picked up some pink lemonade by a company called Efferve and it's imported from France. Not something I would normally splurge on but it had a very nice glass bottle with wire and a stopper for the lid. It was also very delicious - not too tart. I think it will end up being a regular in my fridge.

We then watched "The Golden Compass". I've read the book and after watching the movie, I think people put it way out of context. For those of you not familiar with the contraversy, tje author is athiest and many fundamental Christians believe his children's novels are a direct attack on Christianity and organized religion. The novels are geared toward tweens and young teens. In my opinion, this age group would not get this message from the novels and you would have to stretch to even get this message as an adult.

Basically, in this fantasy world, a person's soul is not inside the body but takes the form of an animal (called a demon). This animal is a part of the person (ie physically hurt the animal and the person feels it) and is constantly near the person. There is a religious order, which seems to be connected with the government who wants to control (brainwash) all people. In this book, a little girl is able to use a magic compass to discern truth and receive answers to any question she has. The magistrates (religious order), want to destroy the compass so people can only rely on "their" truth. They also want to separate the souls/animals from children because once children get older, they start getting "bad thoughts". The girl's father is trying to travel between alternative worlds through the means of "dust". This dust connects worlds from all dimensions and seems to be a life source/universal substence. At the point where the movie/book left off, the girl is on a quest to save her father from evil plots. The magistrates want the father's knowledge so they can control the dust, and therefore control the other alternative worlds.

After watching this movie, I saw the message cautioning against absolute power to any one body - whether religious or government. I didn't see it as a novel deliberately underminding any religious faith. In all honesty, I don't think this age group would see this either and only someone looking from an attacking angle would see this message. I don't think a young person would be affect so much by a fictional novel that he/she would lose trust in organized religion.

Anyways, that's my rant for the day.

Meet Ruby!

She's a 400 series Roomba that I got yesterday from Walmart. Only $128! Mind you, they do have newer models but I didn't need all the extra accessories. I charged her yesterday and gave her a test last night. Was quite surprised.

She's a bit noisy but much quieter than my regular vaccuum. When I turned her on, she went in circles until the pattern got large enough that she ran into something. This changed the pattern into a mixture of straight and diagonal lines. Quite interesting watching her and she was able to get under things better than I could with the regular vaccuum. She also picked up a lot of dirt, handled rugs easily and switched between carpet and linoleum nicely.

Mike & Whiskers reacted quite well. They're terrified of the regular vaccuum cleaner. They were still very hesitant about Ruby but Mike got within 6' of her and brave Whiskers got within 2'.

I'll likely run her a couple times each week for an hour to help keep the pet hair/dander and dust/dirt under control. I hate vaccuuming with a passion so this will help with cleanliness and allergies. The air purifiers are a huge help and I'm excited about Ruby's potentials.

I made it!

What a weekend it was. Wet, windy and cold (8-12 C)

Saturday

Airdrie – Fairview Colony 23 km, rain
Fairview Colony – Crossfield 17 km, rain that was hard enough to ring my bell
Crossfield – Carstairs 17 km, rain
Carstairs – Didsbury 14.5 km, rain stopped
Didsburry – Olds 17.5 km, first time we had a bit of wind in our favour for about 10 km. Had some fun at 60+ km/hr

Total distance = 89 km, total time = 6 hours + rest stops

Sunday

Olds – Airdrie 70km (the challenge loop was cancelled), some light sprinkles around Didsbury; wind on our backs; lots of fun. Total time = 3 ½ hours + rest stops

That wind was terrible! Luckily, Jerry was my wind block the entire way and I took advantage of drafting. The event was a lot of fun, despite the weather and I would recommend this event to anyone. The volunteers and support was excellent, although coffee at every rest stop would have been appreciated. I had my coffee mug with me (you can see my cup holder in the photo) and I got more than a few envious looks on Saturday.

We were going to tent on the campus grounds but they opened some dorm rooms so we had a dry night. I was exhausted Saturday night and my eyes were so bloodshot from wind that it looked like I had been on a bender. I'm proud of myself for making it all the way through. Jerry was also impressed and I think it was good for him to see what my physical limits (and abilities) are and what I'm like when I reach that point. He was amazing through the whole event and I wouldn't have made it without him. Mind you, I wouldn't have been in this event in the first place without him!

Charlotte handled great. I was passing people going up hills and I could hear the grumbles about a single gear as I went by. This was because many people don't know how to shift properly. She's also lighter and I kept her at a high cadence (fast pedal rotation). My bum's not sore, thanks to her wonderful saddle and I only had a twitch of pain above my left knee later in the ride. My leg did cramp up at one of the rest stops but it was caused by an improper cool down in conjunction with cold weather.

I want to thank everyone who supported me with financial contributions, advice and well wishes. My muscles are feeling surprising good today, although I can’t believe how much I’ve been eating! I had 2 suppers last night and lunch and a half so far today.

Have a great day!

Over the hump...

Hello Everyone!

The week has been flying by – only two more sleeps until the ride. Jerry was over last night for dinner. We had salad, chicken cacciatore and lava cakes with ice-cream. I mention the salad as it was an organic kit with the outer packaging made out of corn starch. It looks like clear plastic and was twice the price of salad-in-a-bag but I was curious. Overall, I wasn’t too fussy on the dressing – too runny and although I like the packaging innovation, I’m not sure I would buy it again. The chicken came from one of Nigella’s recipes. It was very delicious. I cheated with the lava cakes, thanks to Dr. Oetker and I thought it was rather clever how they were made. Basically, they’re brownies cooked at a very high temperature so the middle lava part is batter that didn’t have time to bake. Yum!

I got Charlotte inspected for the ride on Tuesday night and I needed to change her brake pads. No problems with that – although the technician gave me a hard time about it and I was given the impression he didn’t believe I knew how to do this. It’s a very easy maintenance task but since I needed him to stamp my inspection, I ignored his attitude.

The cucumbers didn’t survive the transplant so I’m giving up on them at my place. I planted a whole bunch of garlic instead. I figured it would add some greenery to the flowerbed and it’s also practical.

The youth service went excellent! I’m very proud of the group. They were a bit nervous but the service flowed well and they got lots of complements after. The congregation was very positive and they appreciated the hard work that the youth put into the service. Afterward we hung out outside, playing a form of tag on the playground equipment and just generally relaxing. I think they needed it – youth have so much on their plates that sometimes they just need some “no pressure” time.

As much as I enjoyed working with them, I’ll be glad for the end of the month. This way, I can attend church because I want to, not because I have to. Also, if I want to take a weekend off to play in the mountains, I can. It was very restricting and I was working 6 days a week. Yes, I needed the extra money to cover my expenses when I originally got the position but now I make (just) enough to pay my bills working at Akita. Yes, it’ll mean sticking very close to my budget and watching my spending but I think it’ll be good for my overall well-being.

Whiskers got into my room this morning so I was late getting to work. I think she can hear when the door shuts but doesn’t catch. In these cases, she can knock the door enough to open it and hop under/in the bed. She didn’t hop up into the box spring luckily and it only took a few minutes (and bribes) to get her out. Silly bunny,

Have a great day!

Garden Planting!

Hello Everyone,

It's finally dry/warm enough to plant! Last week was terrible - rain every day and low temperature. The rain stopped Monday night so the ground will be dry enough to work. It suppose to stay sunny & warm until Saturday, when there's a small chance of rain for part of the day.

So, what will we be planting?

Acorn Squash, Amaranth (grain with pretty burgundy flower), Pole Beans, Wax Beans, Beets, Carrots, Corn, Pickling Cucumbers, Regular Cucumbers, Garlic, Onion, Peanuts, Peas, Potatoes, Quinoa (ancient grain), Radish, Shallots, Watermelon, Zucchini

There will also be flowers around the edges to help keep bugs out (and for eating) - marigolds, nasturtium, geraniums.

Yes, there's a lot of variety. It's an experiment to see what will grow in this climate.

We're also setting up an irrigation system using a rain barrel. Lee Valley Tools has all sorts of ideas. Basically, the rain barrel will be the predominate water source but we can also fill it up with the hose at the garden if there's not enough rain. We'll run a drip hose system to water the plants so we don't need to be up there so often just to water.

I've got two different layouts of garden plans. One has the rain barrel in the middle and there's a main line that heads west. This connects to a north/south line. From the north/south line, the drip lines will connect to it. I think this format is the simpliest form although we lose a row of food.

The other way has the rain barrel in the corner with the north/south line running down. The drip lines connect to it and on the first line, we loop it back toward the rain barrel to get the last short two rows beside the barrel. The problem I see with this one is the loop row may not get enough water.

The other system also allows more space for flowers. We can plants marigolds along the north/south main line hose that's far enough apart to let you walk, but close enough for me to get more flowers. The flowers should still get enough water from the drip lines but if not, there will be space enough to water them by hand. It would be difficult to plant vegetables there (unless maybe onions & garlic since there's little space to spread out. This watering system is another experiment.

We should get most of it in tonight and the rest in tomorrow. I couldn't find potatoes last night at Walmart so we may need to do some searching. I already have acorn squash, cucumber, watermelon and corn sprouted.

We're going to keep the tomato plans at our respective homes as I don't think they're hardy enough to handle the garden. I transplanted my seedlings last from my 9x13 plastic container (I can store baking again!) into little flower pots to help develop their root system. Mike rather likes the smell of tomato plants but he was on his best behavior last night and didn't attack any. I ended up buying herbs as the seeds I planted aren't doing anything. They're in a container so I can bring them in this fall.

Have a great day!

What a wonderful birthday

Hi Everyone!

What a wonderful weekend I had! I've never celebrated my birthday with anyone before and it felt great to be pampered. Jerry took me out for Indian (my choice) and even got dressed up for it! I've only ever seen him in a dress shirt a couple times and it was rather nice to put on a dress and pretty shoes when going out with him rather than my bike clothes. Mind you, it was pouring rain so I wore my bike clothes over top and pulled them off out front of the restaurant.

He gave me a picnic backpack with the offer of weekly picnics (and him willing to provide the food). We had talked about picnics a few times already but thmye weather hasn't been co-operating. We had even been looking at baskets a couple weeks ago and I was planning to buy one next weekend!

Inside the backpack was a Brooks saddle. For all non-cyclists, it's an English made, all leather, high quality bicycle seat. He's had it soaking in Dubbin for about a month and has been working on it to make it comfortable. Both him and his roommate use this type of saddle and they say it's the most amazing seat to ride. They've also done trial break-ins and this method seems to be the quickest/most effective. Eventually the seat will mold to my bone structure and you'll be able to see where my tail bone sits (a dent) and my hip bone placement. I've ridden Jerry's bike once and found it very uncomfortable since it's already at the molded stage and males and females have different bone structures. I tried out my seat on Saturday and already found it more comfortable than what I've been riding. Over the next couple weeks I'll be making small adjustments so it'll be all set up for the MS ride.

My final present will be latin dance lessons this summer. He's mentioned it a few times and we'll take some classes downtown. His roommate and fiancee are planning to sign up for some also so we'll all do it as a fun couples activity. I've never taken formal dance lessons - just gym class so I'm rather excited. Jerry's quite interesting to watch when he's listening to music. He really gets into things and will be moving around, bobbing his head, tapping his fingers to the rhythm etc. I'm more subdued (we just appreciate music in different ways) and love watching people loose themselves in music.

On Saturday, we spent most of the day just hanging out. It had been months since we've just been together with no commitments for the day. It was so wonderful - no rushing, no list of things to do.

On Sunday, I worked with the youth group to prepare them for the service next week. They're running everything and they're getting quite excited. I'm very proud of the work they've done and I think it will be a great service. I also let them know I won't be continuing as a youth leader. Their main reaction was one of abandonment (which I understand) but we talked about it and I've let them know I will still be there when they need someone to talk to. They really liked their last leader and I know they were hurt when she didn't keep in touch with them. Mind you, she wasn't a member of our congregation and she started a teaching job last year so I can understand her busy year. They seemed more upset that she ignored all their attempts of contacting her. It's difficult for them. It took several months before they warmed up to me (although they were always polite) and then to have someone who was an important part of their life suddenly cut them out is a huge rejection. For me, although I will be church shopping, I will still stay a part of St. Matthew's over the next year and will make an effort to stay in their lives. Youth are the future of the church and it's important for everyone (congregation and youth) to give them a sense of community. So, I'm glad I was the one to tell them (I've already given the Board my resignation) and although they don't like it, I think they understand my reasons.

I've got a busy week ahead. With the rain we've had, we haven't been able to put in the garden yet. It should taper off tomorrow so we'll put in the garden likely around the middle/end of the week. I'll be happy to get my window sills back and I think the plants will be happy to have more space for deeper roots. My little garden out front has some seedlings coming up. Only one of two cucumber plants survived the transplant (although I'm not surprised - they can be fussy) and I have 3 ripe strawberries I'll eat tomorrow.

Have a great day!

PS - I got Boston cream pie at work for my birthday. Yum!

Happy Birthday to me!

Hello Everyone!

So, I turn thirty tomorrow – 3 decades old! I’m o’kay with this – I’ve said my goodbyes to my twenties and ready to start on something new. It’s been a year of changes but here are a few highlights:

- moved departments so now I’m in payroll. Now with Akita for just
- picking up some business courses, stopped schooling at Alberta Bible College
- took a position at my church as a youth leader. Decided against pursuing formal ministry at this time.
- got the apartment to myself again – no more roommate!
- in a stable and serious relationship for the first time
- built a bicycle, rode a bike with road tires, commuted by bike in winter
- got more adventurous in cooking
- learned how to fish
- tried the following food for the first time: peanut butter and jam sandwich, pear, antipasto, oysters, capers, buttercup/acorn squash, crème brûlée
- went snowboarding

It’s been a whirl-wind year but I feel more calm and confident with myself than I did on my last birthday. I’m not sure what my thirties will bring but I see a trend of settling down and establishing roots. One of my goals this year is to complete my payroll compliance practitioner certification. I will continue my spiritual journey and will start exploring other expressions of Christianity and worship variances. I’m also looking toward my future and will start putting money aside for maybe some property or other assets.

So, life is good and I’m quite happy with how things are at this moment. It’s not what I expected when I think back to my ideas of turning 30 when I was a teenager but I’m life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan.

Jerry is taking me out for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate. I still prefer a small celebration rather than a huge party although I still love birthdays.

Have a great day!

Long Weekend

Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend. Mine was great – the relaxation I needed.

On Friday night, I picked up a few annuals and planted them in the little flowerbed by my steps. I also had a couple friends drop by so it was nice to catch up with them.

On Saturday, I did my long bike ride. I mapped out a 30 km loop that had a majority highway style road. I did three laps, with a stop at my place to simulate the rest stops for the tour. My first loop was the hardest. I was out in the hottest part of the day and they were new roads to me so I wasn’t sure how things would go. The 2nd and 3rd loops were easier and faster.

When I first signed up for the tour, I was worried about the physical aspect. I’ve discovered that the long distance was mostly mental work. There were a few hills that I first thought, “There’s no way in he$% I’m making it up that!” But, I kept my head down (so I couldn’t see the incline) and worked on my cadence (the speed that you pedal). The timing trouble I had was when should I stand to give my legs that extra push and what speed should I be at. I have since worked it out and when I was biking last night, I noticed a huge difference.

So, I’m rather proud that I was able to bike 90 km. On Sunday & Monday, I was planning to do more biking but when I woke up, I had no muscle pain/strain to work out and no soreness. I decided against the extra riding and did a whole bunch of stuff around the apartment.

I was in an organizing mood for the rest of the weekend so my place looks rather messy with its piles of stuff everywhere. I should have everything back in its place tonight.

Jerry got home last night so I went up to his place for dinner. We’ll be putting in the garden this weekend so we’re going to postpone the Bragg Creek trip.

Yummy product to tell you about – Astro yogurt. They have a type called “Original All Natural Yogurt” and it’s Balkan yogurt sweetened with honey. I bought it because most of the yogurt in the store was low fat with lots of chemicals in it. I was able to pronounce everything in this yogurt and it tasted delicious. It is a bit runnier than regular yogurt but I liked its texture and the sweetness level.

Have a great day!

Feeling sorry for myself

Hi Everyone!

And no, I don't have a legitimate reason for the above title. Jerry's away until next Monday so instead of doing a whole bunch of stuff I've been putting off for a couple months, I vegged in front of the tv last night.

Beautiful day - I put Tammy Faye outside so she can get more light. I'm a bit worried that she's almost 3 ft high and still haven't seen any blossoms on her yet. Tonight I'll be doing some plant tlc and household stuff.

Tomorrow night I'm heading to MEC for an early birthday present to myself. I need some summer bike clothes and a few odds and ends. The clothing may be on the expensive side but it's well worth it. I have clothes that are 8 years old, are in great condition and still have the properties I need (ie moisture wicking, warmth). I've decided this weekend to bike 100 km, 50 km and 100 km. The weather is suppose to be nice - sunny and warm.

Mike and Whiskers were very cute last night. I'm a bit worried about Gilbert. I think there's something wrong with his back left foot. Guinea pigs have 3 nails on their back feet. Although his 1st and 3rd nails look fine, his middle one is twice as thick it should be. As well, the nail itself seems dead and I'm not sure what to do. Guinea pigs do not handle vet visits well because of the stress involved. He doesn't seem to be in pain but I've noticed he laying down more often in his cage than usual. I may be worrying over nothing but he is getting up there in years - he's 4 1/2 years old now. I guess all I can do is monitor the situation and look for any drastic changes in his health.

Have a great day!

Training Day

Hello Everyone!

Did a ride yesterday, exploring the pathways of the city. It was a very nice loop that gave me a rest stop at J's place. The main loop was 30 km and then the ride home was 6 1/2 km. The pathway took me through a wild park, around the Glenmore Resevoir, through some very expensive real estate areas, and then along the Elbow and Bow rivers.

I didn't have good time since I had to drastically reduce my speed to avoid other pathway users. I think I'll use at least portions of this loop again since it was a very pretty ride.

I'm planning on some extra riding on the Victoria Day weekend. Not sure yet what my route will be but I'll likely do a long ride on Saturday, a short ride on Sunday afternoon and a long ride on Monday. This will let me experience the long term impact on my body. Oh, and I'll be staying within city limits.

J and I will do a major training ride on the 24th. We're going to Bragg Creek and back which will be similar to the distance we'll be cycling for the ride.

Total training distance on Sunday = 36.5 km

Have a great day!

Garden

Garden photos

Before any work After adding mushroom compost Our little statue

So, we were at the garden on Saturday. Were going to have it rotor tilled but when I tested the soil, the shovel sliced into it like butter. Spent about an hour adding 5 wheelbarrows of mushroom compost. Don't have anything planted yet - could do potatoes and peanuts next Saturday.

Oh, and it wasn't me who originally chose the statue. We agreed we needed something to watch over the garden and Jerry saw this one. He said, "People will see and say, 'Oh, it's Jerry and Karen - how cute!'" He is incredibly adorable, eh?

Bike photos

Here's pictures of Charlotte and me! New helmet bought on Friday has pink and orange butterflies. Spent my grocery money on a helmet - where have my priorities gone! Oh well, I've got food in my cupboard - although I would prefer not to eat it.

A busy week

Hi Everyone!

It's the end of the work week and I just finished processing. A nice way to end the payroll cycle. Spent the week catching up with friends - had coffee on Monday with someone I knew from the Townships Project and had Sherry-Anne (from work) over on Wednesday.

Saw "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Jerry (yes, I think this is the first time I've used his name) last night. He really wanted to see it and since we didn't get to see it last time (it was sold out), I was willing to watch it with no expectations. I had heard some bad reviews but I though it was rather amusing. Good action scenes too.

Will be going to the garden on Saturday to check in with the rest of the group. Already have some seedlings in my window sill. 3 tiny tims, 5-6 corn stalks, 6 cucumber plants, 5-6 acorn squash. Because of the short growing season, the gardening book recommended to start them indoors and then transplant them out after the May long weekend. Tammy Faye, the tomato plant, has reached the window height so I've clipped the top of her branches. She now starting to fill in.

Got a new bike map yesterday so I'm planning out my training rides. Very excited. Thinking about selling Calli. She was a great starter bike but I haven't ridden her since I got Charlotte. She's almost twice the weight. She may look pretty but it doesn't make a lot of sense to keep her in storage rather than have someone ride her. Need to get a new helmet. Didn't have an accident so don't worry. It's that my helmet is 4 years old now and I read they should be replaced every 5 years (don't know if this is true) because of the sun breaking down the plastic and reducing its strength. My reason (other than it's ugly) is that the adjustments can't go any smaller and the band width has stretched over time.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Garage Sale finds

Hello Everyone!

So, on my way home from church yesterday, I stopped by a garage sale. Found a very pretty butter dish (cut glass so it looks like crystal) and 2 posy vases (also cut glass. One has bumps all over it, the other has a nice pattern.). Total = $1.55 I gave them an extra 5 cents as I didn't want to bother them with the change.

I've been looking for a nice butter dish for a couple years now. Super find!

Have a great day!

Wintery Calgary

Hi everyone,

So, if you've been watching the news, you'll know we've had winter for the past week. It started last Friday and stormed over the weekend. This entire week has been cool (in the single negative digits) and there's been a bit a snow each day. It's suppose to warm up on the weekend and most of the snow will be gone by mid next week. This'll be good for bike training.

Had J over last night to try a new recipe. It didn't turn out so well but I made sure there was lots of salad and dessert so he wouldn't be hungry. It was squash with pecans and blue cheese. The recipe called for butternut squash and I used buttercup squash. That might have made the difference - the type of squash needed to be sweeter to contrast with the blue cheese. The other problem might have been that I added too much blue cheese. Oh well, he had been forewarned that it was new recipe and you never know unless you try. I think I will try it again with a few modifications as it looked really nice and it was simple to make.

Have my seeds planted in preparation for the garden. Calgary has a short growing season so most books recommend sprouting the seeds now. It means I have no spare window ledge for about a month but it'll mean yummy veggies later in the season. Tammy Faye is already at the height of the window. Any suggestions? As far as I know tomato plants need full sun. If I move her, she'll only get indirect light.

Have a fabulous day!

Hooray for Akita!

I approached my work this week about sponsoring me in the tour. They were very generous in their donation and, in turn, I'll be wearing my Akita t-shirt during the tour. It's a win-win situation. They get the company profile showing their corporate citizenship and I am over my minimum donation requirement. Mind you, this doesn't mean you don't need to donate - every bit helps.

So, the roads are still snow covered (winter came again last weekend) but most of it should be melted by early next week. I'll be glad to get some longer rides in to get trained up. After all, I've only got 5 weeks to go!

MS Bike Tour Info

Hello Everyone!

So, if you’ve checked your e-mail, you already know I’m hitting up everyone I know for support as I ride in the MS Bike Tour. For those not familiar with the event, here’s a brief rundown:

What multiple sclerosis is

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada. AN estimated 50, 000 Canadians have MS. Prevalence rates range from one MS case per 500 population to one per 1,000 across the country. The MS Society estimates, based on current prevalence rates, that there are approximately 1,000 new cases of MS diagnosed each year. This means that three more people are diagnosed with MS every day in Canada.

MS attacks the protective myelin covering of the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation and often destroying the myelin in patches and, at times, the verve fibres (axons) themselves. When this happens, the natural flow of nerve impulses is interrupted. The result may be vision problems, numbness, loss of balance, extreme fatigue, tremors, even paralysis.

The most common form of MS has well defined attacks (relapses) followed by periods of recovery (remissions). This pattern of attacks and recovery can continue for months or years. The unpredictable attacks can cause additional symptoms and disability. As yet, the cause and cure are unknown, but drugs to reduce the frequency and severity of MS attacks are available for the most common form of MS. In addition, almost all MS symptoms can be helped by medications and therapy.

Multiple sclerosis is usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 to 40 although it can occur at any age including in childhood. MS is more than twice as likely to occur in women as in men and is seen most commonly in people of northern European background. It is more common in countries that are further away from the equator, like Canada. Epidemiological studies have shown that Canada has one of the highest prevalence rates of MS in the world.

About the RONA MS Bike Tour

The RONA MS Bike Tour is a pledge-based fundraising even that provides Canadians with the opportunity to ride through scenic and often spectacular parts of the country. Over 10,000 cyclists are expected to participate in the 21 one- and two-day tours taking place across Canada between June and September.

The Bike Tour began in 1989 and is now one of the MS Society of Canada’s most important events. In 2007, it raised over $8.2 million, the proceeds of which have gone to fund research in the search for a cure and vital services for people currently living with MS.

Info about my participation

So, J and I had been talking about doing some longer bike rides this summer and he mentioned this event. I was rather worried about the distance but he said with a bit of training, I would have no problems with it. I did a test last weekend when I went to a youth rally in the far south. It was 25 km each way and although I was a bit tired, I wasn’t exhausted and my muscles weren’t sore the following day. This was after a 5 km bike ride in the morning so I was rather proud of my 55 km day. As well, I averaged 25km/hour on Charlotte (and yes, she's still a single gear).

Airdrie is a small community north of Calgary. The route starts there on Saturday morning (June 7) and we ride to Olds. You may be familiar with the name as they are known for their agricultural college. I will be camping at the campus and there is lots of support available on the way. They take care of food, beverages and transportation of camping gear. I also have the choice of a massage or yoga class once I reach Olds. We return on Sunday. Roundtrip is 180 km.

To participate in the ride, I need to raise a minimum of $275 before June 3. I’m hoping to achieve this through your support. I will also approach my work, and am currently looking for the best approach. If you have experience in this, any advice you have is most welcome. You can make donations online or if you don't feel comfortable giving credit card info over the internet, give me a call and I'll write your info on a pledge sheet or you can always mail a cheque. Tax receipts are issued for donations over $20.

I’ll keep you up to date with my progress on my blog. Look for the label MS Bike Tour. I’m excited and a bit nervous about the ride. I think it will be a wonderful time.

Have a fabulous day!

I Passed My Exam!

Hello Everyone!

I passed my Payroll Compliance Legislation exam today (and yes, the material is as dry as it sounds). It was a 3 hour exam but I finished it in just over an hour - and got 80%! A pass of 60% was required. So, I'm quite happy with the mark and a bit surprised. I struggled with the mid-term and was expecting more calculations (find CPP, EI, net pay etc) questions than what I got. As well, there were a lot more broad questions that I found easier to handle. I have 3 more courses to take and then I will have my Payroll Compliance Practioner certification. Two of the courses are payroll courses and the 3rd is an introductory accounting course.

So, I'm going to relax for the month of April. I'm going to take a rock climbing class with J (there's a facility close to his place) and part of the price includes a one month membership. I think it will be a lot of fun and it'll help me build up my shoulder muscles.

Other than that, it's been cold and snowy (started on the weekend). Most of the snow is gone now but in all honesty we needed the moisture. My tomato plant is growing fast - Tammy Faye (and no I wasn't the one who named her) is about 8" high now. Other than that, I've been busy with work and nothing very exciting going on. It's a rather nice change.

Have a great day!

Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park

Karen on a hoodoo

Karen close up

Sweet Grass Hills (the 3 mountains)

J having fun on a hoodoo

Action shot of J jumping to another hoodoo

hoodoos

elephant

Writing-On-Stone provincial park

I spent Good Friday with J and his family in Lethbridge. On Saturday, we went with his parents to Writing-On-Stone provincial park. It is in southern Alberta, very close to the US border. It was a beautiful, warm day (we were quite warm in long sleeved t-shirts. This is a lovely place - beautiful rock formations, pretty views and it is sacred to many native tribes. There are native carvings (hence the "writing" on the stone) that are still being studied and there are also spiritual ties to the area. I enjoyed it because there were few people and we played on the hoodoos for about an hour. It had been a long time since I had climbed and jumped around on rocks (like what you do as a kid).

A nice weekend

Hello Everyone!

I had a really nice weekend. On Friday night, I took J to Spiros. It's a yummy Greek restaurant that's near my place. Had a lot of fun and the food was great as usual - it's got great atmosphere.

On Saturday morning, I led the labyrinth walk at church. There was only a handful of people but it was good. I was super mellow by the afternoon (from the meditating and relaxing) and that basically continued throughout the day.

I went to the seed exchange in the afternoon and picked up all sorts of seeds. They're all heirloom or organic seeds, all bred to grow in Alberta/the prairies. I also picked up a dwarf tomato plant and another plant - I think it's a "bamboo" plant - since what you buy in Canada usually isn't true bamboo but looks similar to it. I have a south facing large window sill so it should grow well there. I know, I don't eat tomatoes but I use them every once in a while and J doesn't have any good windows for growing plants. We're looking for a garden plot in the city to try growing some produce this year. I have a couple leads but if we can't find anything, all the seeds I got can be grown in containers. I think this'll be fun - I wasn't able to keep up with my garden and J can turn vegetables into all sorts of yummy dishes. I later met up with J and we went to the Italian market near his place. He did up a delicious Italian dinner, I choose the wonderful little desserts and we watched a movie about an Italian restaurant (yes, the evening had a theme).

On Sunday, I had church but the youth weren't able to stay for decorating eggs. I went home and napped for most of the afternoon. Woke up for Jericho - a great episode. Did a bit of studying and tidying but overall took it easy.

Wasn't too stress at work today. Wore green but spent my St. Paddy's day sober. I've been taking it easy tonight too but I have some studying to do before bed.

Have a great day!