Hello Everyone,
Well, life has been interesting. Starting today...sold my piano. I wasn't playing it and I'm thinking about moving. Too expensive to keep paying for moving costs so I sold it (they're picking it up tomorrow) and will learn how to play the vioin. I have one of gramma's so it'll be a matter of finding a teacher this summer.
Last night found out I failed my final. So, I can rewrite this exam and still pass the course if I pass the midterm rewrite. I got 45%. Haven't got my mark back for my midterm rewrite yet. If I fail the midterm rewrite, I redo the course.
Yesterday morning, found amazing flight to Ontario for Jerry and I this summer. So, we're flying into Ottawa on June 23 and coming back July 5. Jerry hasn't really seen Ontario except for Toronto so we'll do a couple days in Ottawa, a couple in Toronto (business) and then head up to see family.
Thursday night, had my 50th blood donation. It's much easier when you give plasma. Got my picture taken, had a cupcake and then ate pho with Jerry. Then found out I need to do some major maintenance on Polly and may need to replace her frame.
Sunday I cooked "winter dinner". Jerry took my frozen turkey and turned it into a wonderful, moist yummy meal. I actually ate both the gravy and stuffing. For gravy, he took the carrots, onion and celery that the turkey roasted on, drained the juice and put everything in the blender. It tasted like thick vegetable soup. To make the turkey moist, he soaked it in brine for a couple hours.
Saturday, went snowboarding and did my first black diamond run. Spent the afternoon working on speed and confidence. Had a wonderful time.
So, I've had some great ups but frustrations with school. I really didn't want to go back into study mode in February. I'll let you know what happens.
Have a great day!
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
No, I'm not dead
Hi Everyone,
Sorry about not updating recently - it's been crazy since Christmas. We've just transitioned to a new payroll system so I worked OT for 1 1/2 weeks and last weekend. On top of that, my final exam is next Saturday and my midterm the following Wednesday.
I won't be able to give you a proper update until after my mid term.
Have a great day!
Sorry about not updating recently - it's been crazy since Christmas. We've just transitioned to a new payroll system so I worked OT for 1 1/2 weeks and last weekend. On top of that, my final exam is next Saturday and my midterm the following Wednesday.
I won't be able to give you a proper update until after my mid term.
Have a great day!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Another brrrr day
Hello Everyone,
My computer is reading -25. The wind chill this morning had it down to -37. I didn't get cold biking in (the wonders of layers) but my glasses did ice up a bit. No brakes but that's one of the many reasons why I love Polly. I was still able to stop using my legs.
Had plasma donation last night and my arms are a bit sore. The left arm vein didn't want to co-opearate so they needed to switch to my right. Then, my right didn't want to clot so I had to be wrapped up extra. It's all good - was able to ride and meet up with Jerry downtown. On plasma nights, I usually stay at his place since it's half the distance (and a much smaller hill). As well, from a practical side, most of the route is downtown or major residential areas so if I have any problems with my blood sugar, I can get juice/liquid very easily. And, since his roommate was doing a beer run, I had him pick us up some pho. It was a really long, cold & busy day for Jerry (hence why I wanted him to have some soup) and I needed anything liquid.
So, the ride in today was half my normal distance and I had a much smaller hill to go down. To slow down/stop on a fixed gear, you need to lock the muscles in your legs so the pedals literally cannot move. In snowy conditions, this is much easier than it sounds. At the bottom of the hill, it gets a bit steeper so my braking turned into little controlled skids and I had no problem keeping in control. The spiked tires have made a huge difference.
I was planning to go to a party tonight but with this weather, I'm going straight home. Jerry's office party is tomorrow night so I'll head up to his place tomorrow afternoon. Sunday will be filled with studying and then I have a week of studying and last minute Christmas stuff.
Have a great day!
My computer is reading -25. The wind chill this morning had it down to -37. I didn't get cold biking in (the wonders of layers) but my glasses did ice up a bit. No brakes but that's one of the many reasons why I love Polly. I was still able to stop using my legs.
Had plasma donation last night and my arms are a bit sore. The left arm vein didn't want to co-opearate so they needed to switch to my right. Then, my right didn't want to clot so I had to be wrapped up extra. It's all good - was able to ride and meet up with Jerry downtown. On plasma nights, I usually stay at his place since it's half the distance (and a much smaller hill). As well, from a practical side, most of the route is downtown or major residential areas so if I have any problems with my blood sugar, I can get juice/liquid very easily. And, since his roommate was doing a beer run, I had him pick us up some pho. It was a really long, cold & busy day for Jerry (hence why I wanted him to have some soup) and I needed anything liquid.
So, the ride in today was half my normal distance and I had a much smaller hill to go down. To slow down/stop on a fixed gear, you need to lock the muscles in your legs so the pedals literally cannot move. In snowy conditions, this is much easier than it sounds. At the bottom of the hill, it gets a bit steeper so my braking turned into little controlled skids and I had no problem keeping in control. The spiked tires have made a huge difference.
I was planning to go to a party tonight but with this weather, I'm going straight home. Jerry's office party is tomorrow night so I'll head up to his place tomorrow afternoon. Sunday will be filled with studying and then I have a week of studying and last minute Christmas stuff.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Bad Exam News
Hello Everyone,
Yep, I didn't pass :-(
There's still hope though. They offer a rewrite. I have up until the middle of February.
I'm not overly disappointed, based on how I felt writing. I now what I really need to work on and will buckle down with my studies.
My final course is being offered at Mount Royal College so I'll take it there rather than online. It's a bit more inconvient but I think I'll learn more and get better marks than if I'm left on my own. For anyone considering accounting by correspondence, I would recommend against it - I've really struggle with the material.
Yep, I didn't pass :-(
There's still hope though. They offer a rewrite. I have up until the middle of February.
I'm not overly disappointed, based on how I felt writing. I now what I really need to work on and will buckle down with my studies.
My final course is being offered at Mount Royal College so I'll take it there rather than online. It's a bit more inconvient but I think I'll learn more and get better marks than if I'm left on my own. For anyone considering accounting by correspondence, I would recommend against it - I've really struggle with the material.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Winter tires
Hello everyone,
If you've looked at the news recently, you'll know the prairies are in the midst of a deep freeze. It drop down to -26 on Friday, -30 and colder on Sat & Sun and then got up to -23 on Monday. When you throw in the wind chill, it was in the -40s.
The office shut down early on Friday and I got home easily before the storm came. Headed up to Jerry's for the weekend and cursed the stupid roads the entire way. The pathway was fine but since the city doesn't clear residential roads (taxpayers weren't willing to pay extra for it), conditions were a mess and a lot of people didn't have their sidewalks shovelled.
But Jerry is super sweet. He gave me part of my Christmas present early - a winter tire. It's a road tire but has spikes. We put it on my front over the weekend and it made a huge difference on Monday. I then stopped at the bike shop on the way home and picked up a second one. He wasn't sure it would fit and since they're expensive, he only picked up 2 - and I insisted he use one too. This will be his first year riding them. My traction and control was great this morning (and I look rather grimy. I couldn't get the black from between my fingers). So, I'll end up with 2 sets of tires - winter spikes and regular road. I got a second cog so that way I don't have to fool around with anything - just remove the wheels and switch.
I'm pretty well ready for Christmas. Got everything shipped off to home and I just need to pick up a couple things for Jerry. Have a bit of Christmas treats still to bake but that won't take long. Whiskers likes to hide under the tree. She shoves the presents around until she has lots of room. Mike tends to ignore her there.
Have a great (and warm) day!
If you've looked at the news recently, you'll know the prairies are in the midst of a deep freeze. It drop down to -26 on Friday, -30 and colder on Sat & Sun and then got up to -23 on Monday. When you throw in the wind chill, it was in the -40s.
The office shut down early on Friday and I got home easily before the storm came. Headed up to Jerry's for the weekend and cursed the stupid roads the entire way. The pathway was fine but since the city doesn't clear residential roads (taxpayers weren't willing to pay extra for it), conditions were a mess and a lot of people didn't have their sidewalks shovelled.
But Jerry is super sweet. He gave me part of my Christmas present early - a winter tire. It's a road tire but has spikes. We put it on my front over the weekend and it made a huge difference on Monday. I then stopped at the bike shop on the way home and picked up a second one. He wasn't sure it would fit and since they're expensive, he only picked up 2 - and I insisted he use one too. This will be his first year riding them. My traction and control was great this morning (and I look rather grimy. I couldn't get the black from between my fingers). So, I'll end up with 2 sets of tires - winter spikes and regular road. I got a second cog so that way I don't have to fool around with anything - just remove the wheels and switch.
I'm pretty well ready for Christmas. Got everything shipped off to home and I just need to pick up a couple things for Jerry. Have a bit of Christmas treats still to bake but that won't take long. Whiskers likes to hide under the tree. She shoves the presents around until she has lots of room. Mike tends to ignore her there.
Have a great (and warm) day!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Christmas Party
Hello Everyone,
Here we are all dressed up for my office Christmas party. And I have no idea why it takes Jerry twice as long to get ready as I do. This did not include ironing (which is automatically exempt)
It was a good time although I wished for a bit more food.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunshine!
Jerry's so good to me. He was out at Sunshine Ski Resort (in Banff) yesterday when I texted him about my exam. The exam didn't go so well. I had some very expensive mind blanks and I'm not sure if I passed. I was feeling rather down (although Mom cheered me up some).
Later in the afternoon, he asked if I wanted to go up on Sunday.
So, here I am on Libby (check out the pink helmet - $30 on sale at MEC). My next upgrade will be pants. Mine work but they're a bit big and awkward.
I was really surprised at how well I did. I was expecting to fall a lot but it came back right away. Did 7 runs (all green) and I'm exhausted.
Had a few spectacular somersault falls that shoved snow in my
face but those didn't hurt since it was in powder. I did have a couple really hard falls on some less forgiving snow and I'll have bruises on my hip and knees tomorrow. I also smacked the back of my head a couple times (thank goodness for helmets) but I'll be fine.
After I got home, I jumped right into an Epsom salt bath. I'll take some ibuprofen and rub some red flower oil (similar to tiger balm) on my sore muscles tonight.
Sunshine is a really special place for Jerry. He spends most winter weekends there and he has a group of people he often snowboards with.
He was really excited when I was game to play in the snow and although his jacket collar is in the way, he actually has a huge grin on his face.So, I got to see why he gets so antsy when fall comes and he got to show me why he loves that place so much. I'll be able to do quite a bit of snowboarding there this winter - maybe 2-3 times a month as he can get half-price tickets for me. He has a season's pass.
I'll let you know what the final result of my mid-term was. I still have time to do a rewrite before my semester is up without having to get an extension.
Have a great day!
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Prom
So, here we are at prom. I've resigned myself to helmet hair (aka very flat). I did fix my bangs a bit later once I found a mirrot.And Jerry was so sweet! He got me a corsage because he wanted me to have a proper prom. I have them in my freezer now to preserve them. I think he's caught on that I really love flowers.
I ended up wearing the gold dress. It was the perfect dress for this type of thing. Because of the odd hemline and brightness, it's something you can only wear to a few events. And with the eclectic, individualistic crowd, it worked perfectly. And it was easy to bike in.
The prom was at the local bike messenger hang-out bar. There was a very loud band that played some type of heavy/thrash rock music. Whatever it is where you can't understand the lyrics and the "singer" screams into a microphone. It's not my taste but if you listened to the voice as if it were an instrument, it made an interesting blend with the guitars and I did think they were a good band. It was also the world premier of "The Courier Always Bites Twice." Yep, a really bad zombie movie. Jerry and Keith (roommate) were zombies and it was quite funny. Once it goes on YouTube, I'll let you know. Not appropriate for younger audiences.
After prom, we went for Chinese. There's a restaurant near Jerry's place that's open really late. We got there about 1:15 am and we were the last customers to be served. The food was really good - definitely hit the spot.Thursday, November 06, 2008
...and I still want to hold Jerry's hand (but maybe he won't want to hold mine)
Women lead in bacteria, hands down, according to study of 51 college students
Module body
Mon Nov 3, 6:59 PM
By Randolph E. Schmid, The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Wash your hands, folks, especially you ladies.
A new study found that women have a greater variety of bacteria on their hands than men do. And everybody has more types of bacteria than the researchers expected to find.
"One thing that really is astonishing is the variability between individuals, and also between hands on the same individual," said University of Colorado biochemistry assistant professor Rob Knight, a co-author of the paper.
"The sheer number of bacteria species detected on the hands of the study participants was a big surprise, and so was the greater diversity of bacteria we found on the hands of women," added lead researcher Noah Fierer, an assistant professor in Colorado's department of ecology and evolutionary biology.
The researchers aren't sure why women harboured a greater variety of bacteria than men, but Fierer suggested it may have to do with the acidity of the skin. Knight said men generally have more acidic skin than women.
Other possibilities are differences in sweat and oil gland production between men and women, the frequency of moisturizer or cosmetics applications, skin thickness or hormone production, he said.
Women also may have more bacteria living under the surface of the skin where they are not accessible to washing, Knight added.
Asked if guys should worry about holding hands with girls, Knight said: "I guess it depends on which girl."
He stressed that "the vast majority of the bacteria we have on our body are either harmless or beneficial ... the pathogens are a small minority."
The researchers took samples from the palms of 51 college students - that's 102 hands - and tested the samples using a new, highly detailed system for detecting bacteria DNA.
They identified 4,742 species of bacteria overall, only five of which were on every hand, they report on Monday's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The average hand harboured 150 species of bacteria.
Not only did individuals have few types of bacteria in common, the left and right hands of the same individual shared only about 17 per cent of the same bacteria types, the researchers found.
The differences between dominant and non-dominant hands were probably due to environmental conditions like oil production, salinity, moisture or variable environmental surfaces touched by either hand of an individual, Fierer said.
Knight said the researchers hope to repeat the experiment in other countries where different hands are assigned specific tasks.
While the researchers stressed the importance of regular hand washing, they also noted that washing did not eliminate bacteria.
"Either the bacterial colonies rapidly re-establish after hand washing, or washing (as practised by the students included in this study) does not remove the majority of bacteria taxa found on the skin surface," the researchers said in their report.
While the tests could determine how many different types of bacteria were present, they could not count the total amount of bacteria on each hand.
The research was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
-
On the Net:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.pnas.org
Module body
Mon Nov 3, 6:59 PM
By Randolph E. Schmid, The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Wash your hands, folks, especially you ladies.
A new study found that women have a greater variety of bacteria on their hands than men do. And everybody has more types of bacteria than the researchers expected to find.
"One thing that really is astonishing is the variability between individuals, and also between hands on the same individual," said University of Colorado biochemistry assistant professor Rob Knight, a co-author of the paper.
"The sheer number of bacteria species detected on the hands of the study participants was a big surprise, and so was the greater diversity of bacteria we found on the hands of women," added lead researcher Noah Fierer, an assistant professor in Colorado's department of ecology and evolutionary biology.
The researchers aren't sure why women harboured a greater variety of bacteria than men, but Fierer suggested it may have to do with the acidity of the skin. Knight said men generally have more acidic skin than women.
Other possibilities are differences in sweat and oil gland production between men and women, the frequency of moisturizer or cosmetics applications, skin thickness or hormone production, he said.
Women also may have more bacteria living under the surface of the skin where they are not accessible to washing, Knight added.
Asked if guys should worry about holding hands with girls, Knight said: "I guess it depends on which girl."
He stressed that "the vast majority of the bacteria we have on our body are either harmless or beneficial ... the pathogens are a small minority."
The researchers took samples from the palms of 51 college students - that's 102 hands - and tested the samples using a new, highly detailed system for detecting bacteria DNA.
They identified 4,742 species of bacteria overall, only five of which were on every hand, they report on Monday's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The average hand harboured 150 species of bacteria.
Not only did individuals have few types of bacteria in common, the left and right hands of the same individual shared only about 17 per cent of the same bacteria types, the researchers found.
The differences between dominant and non-dominant hands were probably due to environmental conditions like oil production, salinity, moisture or variable environmental surfaces touched by either hand of an individual, Fierer said.
Knight said the researchers hope to repeat the experiment in other countries where different hands are assigned specific tasks.
While the researchers stressed the importance of regular hand washing, they also noted that washing did not eliminate bacteria.
"Either the bacterial colonies rapidly re-establish after hand washing, or washing (as practised by the students included in this study) does not remove the majority of bacteria taxa found on the skin surface," the researchers said in their report.
While the tests could determine how many different types of bacteria were present, they could not count the total amount of bacteria on each hand.
The research was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
-
On the Net:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.pnas.org
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Dress choices
Hi! So, I need your help. I took pictures of me in my dress and have a bunch of formalish occasions to attend. Ignore the terrible posing and camera angle - I wanted to show off the dress. Each dress has a matching organza wrap. All of them also have fabric in the back that turns into a belt & bow. The back is also plain - nothing interesting.
It's a red-orange colour. No sequins (I removed them) but some interesting fabric patterns. A very bold dress.
Sequins and fun fabric. I really like this dress.
There's some beadwork along the horizontal lines of the dress but it's hard to see in the photo. The detail on the side is a flower. Not entirely sure if I like it.
Super fun dress. It changes colour in the light but it's mainly gold to magenta.
It's a red-orange colour. No sequins (I removed them) but some interesting fabric patterns. A very bold dress.
Sequins and fun fabric. I really like this dress.
There's some beadwork along the horizontal lines of the dress but it's hard to see in the photo. The detail on the side is a flower. Not entirely sure if I like it.
Super fun dress. It changes colour in the light but it's mainly gold to magenta.
Here are the events:
Prom (on Friday) - Jerry is wearing grey and steel blue. I could wear the grey to go with his clothes. I could wear the red to stand out from his clothes. Or I could wear the gold because it's fun.
Akita Christmas party - I think I'll wear the green
Jerry's Christmas party - quite a bit more informal than mine. Maybe the red. Can't wear the same dress as at prom.
possible political holiday party - not sure of formality. Could wear a dress but if informal, I have suitable clothes.
New Years - have no idea for plans. Likely can't wear the same outfit as prom or Jerry's Christmas party.
Valentine's Day - Will likely be on a snowboarding weekend. Could pack one of these dresses - surprisingly they pack down very easily. But weather may dictate a warmer outfit.
All dresses are bikeable. That was one of the criteria. All are very comfortable and I have fabulous shoes to go with them all. And, in the summer, I can wear them any time I want to feel pretty.
So, if any one them catches your eye or looks more suitable to an occasion, please let me know. Or, if you think any of them are tacky/hideous, you can also tell me. Trust me, I won't be offended. After all, I could turn it into a costume for Hallowe'en next year. lol - I know I have a weakness for sequins and sparkles.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
A cool morning
Hello Everyone,
I’ve finished the cleanse and I’m back to my regular food. Carb portions are a bit smaller but I’m happy again. Although it did help me lose a couple pounds (and most are back – stupid water retention), I don’t think it was worth it. My skin played havoc with me and it’s only now starting to recover. My hair was oily and I had a number of break outs. Jerry was happy with it though so I told him he would need to plead his case to convince me to try it again.
Had gorgeous weather for Hallowe’en. Only had 1 real trick or treater – a cute little princess that might have been 4. The other was my upstairs neighbour’s niece, a pink bunny. I had a great time at a Hallowe’en party and the weather meant I didn’t need to throw on a bunch of extra clothes to keep warm.
My dresses from ebay have arrived. I’ll take some pictures. I think I’ve chosen my prom (hee hee) dress but I’d still like your opinion.
Having a lot of troubles focusing on studying. My midterm is on the 22nd and I’m very behind. I’m going to test a theory tomorrow. I’ve invited Jerry up for dinner and he’s going to watch tv/play on his computer while I’m working. I suspect the reason why I’m not able to study is I get distracted by too many things at home. As well, I need noise to study. With him there, I’m more motivated to study since someone will be keeping an eye to make sure I’m working and the sooner I’m done, the sooner I get to spend time with him. I have no idea if it’ll work, but he was game to help me out.
I have a new chair at work – it’s a swopper stool. It’s designed to help build core strength. It has a spring in it so you can bounce up and down and tilt in different angles. Basically, it’s a stool designed to work like a balance ball. So far, it’s very comfortable, my posture is better and I find my desk height is no longer a problem. I was uncomfortable in my old chair and was getting pain in the area between my shoulder blades. Hopefully this chair will help with comfort as well as improving my muscle tone.
Have a great day!
I’ve finished the cleanse and I’m back to my regular food. Carb portions are a bit smaller but I’m happy again. Although it did help me lose a couple pounds (and most are back – stupid water retention), I don’t think it was worth it. My skin played havoc with me and it’s only now starting to recover. My hair was oily and I had a number of break outs. Jerry was happy with it though so I told him he would need to plead his case to convince me to try it again.
Had gorgeous weather for Hallowe’en. Only had 1 real trick or treater – a cute little princess that might have been 4. The other was my upstairs neighbour’s niece, a pink bunny. I had a great time at a Hallowe’en party and the weather meant I didn’t need to throw on a bunch of extra clothes to keep warm.
My dresses from ebay have arrived. I’ll take some pictures. I think I’ve chosen my prom (hee hee) dress but I’d still like your opinion.
Having a lot of troubles focusing on studying. My midterm is on the 22nd and I’m very behind. I’m going to test a theory tomorrow. I’ve invited Jerry up for dinner and he’s going to watch tv/play on his computer while I’m working. I suspect the reason why I’m not able to study is I get distracted by too many things at home. As well, I need noise to study. With him there, I’m more motivated to study since someone will be keeping an eye to make sure I’m working and the sooner I’m done, the sooner I get to spend time with him. I have no idea if it’ll work, but he was game to help me out.
I have a new chair at work – it’s a swopper stool. It’s designed to help build core strength. It has a spring in it so you can bounce up and down and tilt in different angles. Basically, it’s a stool designed to work like a balance ball. So far, it’s very comfortable, my posture is better and I find my desk height is no longer a problem. I was uncomfortable in my old chair and was getting pain in the area between my shoulder blades. Hopefully this chair will help with comfort as well as improving my muscle tone.
Have a great day!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Wild Rose Cleanse
Hello Everyone,
Ah, the things I do to be a good girlfriend. Jerry had wanted to do a cleanse since back in the spring but this was the first opportunity that worked for both of us. Luckily, as far as cleanses go, this one is rather flexible. You take herbal supplements with your breakfast and supper for 12 days. During this time, no sugar, dairy, yeast or flour. This is surprisingly a lot of food. As well, eat as much fish as you like but limit your other protein to 20% of your diet. Today is day 2. I'm eating stupid soup. Feeling ok - energy a bit lower than usual but I'm not in my usual diet-change grumpy mood.
But, Jerry was very sweet last week. I typed up some stuff for him and afterward, I sent an e-mail saying I wanted coffee and flowers the next day. He brought breakfast with my coffee and got me a beautiful bouquet. He seemed a bit confused about my flower request. Through the entire time we've been dating, he's never given me flowers. I've tried the subtle approach and got fed up. I later explained to him that yes, the fruit bouquets he got me were very nice (the practical side of him thought this would be better since you got to eat the bouquet). I then agreed with him that flowers were completely impractical and I loved them. So, hopefully he finally understands the importance of flowers and I won't have to ask for them again in the future. As a bit of a background, I've been helping him with some business computer stuff so my week nights have been in front of a computer. And I was tired and needed to feel special. And he remembered I mentioned daisies.
Polly's a fun ride. Jerry also bought me cages last week (yep, I was spoiled on Thursday). I've tried them out since the weekend and they make a huge difference. Basically, they're a cage that's attached to your pedal so you can slip your shoe into it. The cage helps you to keep your foot on the pedal and helps with hills. I can now also pull up as well as push down when going up hill. For down hill, I don't need to brake quite as much as I can do the reverse. I'm rather sore as it reminded me of leg muscles I forgot existed and I also did my first brake skid. I was practising them on Friday night and the muscles in my arms are still angry with me. It's amazing how many more muscles you use when riding a fixed gear rather than a free wheel.
And I'm going to the prom. Jerry asked me. The couriers put on a prom in November so I went to ebay to find a suitable dress. I have several coming from UK that are pretty, formal and completely bikeable in!
Have a great day!
Ah, the things I do to be a good girlfriend. Jerry had wanted to do a cleanse since back in the spring but this was the first opportunity that worked for both of us. Luckily, as far as cleanses go, this one is rather flexible. You take herbal supplements with your breakfast and supper for 12 days. During this time, no sugar, dairy, yeast or flour. This is surprisingly a lot of food. As well, eat as much fish as you like but limit your other protein to 20% of your diet. Today is day 2. I'm eating stupid soup. Feeling ok - energy a bit lower than usual but I'm not in my usual diet-change grumpy mood.
But, Jerry was very sweet last week. I typed up some stuff for him and afterward, I sent an e-mail saying I wanted coffee and flowers the next day. He brought breakfast with my coffee and got me a beautiful bouquet. He seemed a bit confused about my flower request. Through the entire time we've been dating, he's never given me flowers. I've tried the subtle approach and got fed up. I later explained to him that yes, the fruit bouquets he got me were very nice (the practical side of him thought this would be better since you got to eat the bouquet). I then agreed with him that flowers were completely impractical and I loved them. So, hopefully he finally understands the importance of flowers and I won't have to ask for them again in the future. As a bit of a background, I've been helping him with some business computer stuff so my week nights have been in front of a computer. And I was tired and needed to feel special. And he remembered I mentioned daisies.
Polly's a fun ride. Jerry also bought me cages last week (yep, I was spoiled on Thursday). I've tried them out since the weekend and they make a huge difference. Basically, they're a cage that's attached to your pedal so you can slip your shoe into it. The cage helps you to keep your foot on the pedal and helps with hills. I can now also pull up as well as push down when going up hill. For down hill, I don't need to brake quite as much as I can do the reverse. I'm rather sore as it reminded me of leg muscles I forgot existed and I also did my first brake skid. I was practising them on Friday night and the muscles in my arms are still angry with me. It's amazing how many more muscles you use when riding a fixed gear rather than a free wheel.
And I'm going to the prom. Jerry asked me. The couriers put on a prom in November so I went to ebay to find a suitable dress. I have several coming from UK that are pretty, formal and completely bikeable in!
Have a great day!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Smart Blonde Joke
A blonde and a lawyer are seated next to each other on a flight from TO to VAN. The lawyer asks if she would like to play a fun game? The blonde, tired, just wants to take a nap, politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.
The lawyer persists and explains that the game is easy and a lot of fun. He explains, “I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5.00, and vise versa.” Again, she declines and tries to get some sleep.
The lawyer, now agitated, says, “Okay, if you don’t know the answer you pay me $5.00, and if I don’t know the answer, I will pay you $500.00.” This catches the blonde’s attention and, figuring there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, agrees to the game.
The lawyer asks the first question. “What’s the distance from the earth to the moon?” The blonde doesn’t say a word, reaches into her purse, pulls out a $5.00 bill and hands it to the lawyer. “Okay,” says the lawyer, “your turn”.
She asks the lawyer, “What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four legs?” The lawyer, puzzled, takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references, no answer.
He taps into the air phone with his modem and searches Google and Wikipedia, no answer. Frustrated, he sends e-mail to all his friends and coworkers, to no avail.
After an hour, he wakes the blonde, and hands her $500.00. The blonde says, “Thank you,” and turns back to get some more sleep. The lawyer, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the blonde and asks, “Well, what’s the answer?”
Without a word, the blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5.00, and goes back to sleep .
The lawyer persists and explains that the game is easy and a lot of fun. He explains, “I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5.00, and vise versa.” Again, she declines and tries to get some sleep.
The lawyer, now agitated, says, “Okay, if you don’t know the answer you pay me $5.00, and if I don’t know the answer, I will pay you $500.00.” This catches the blonde’s attention and, figuring there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, agrees to the game.
The lawyer asks the first question. “What’s the distance from the earth to the moon?” The blonde doesn’t say a word, reaches into her purse, pulls out a $5.00 bill and hands it to the lawyer. “Okay,” says the lawyer, “your turn”.
She asks the lawyer, “What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four legs?” The lawyer, puzzled, takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references, no answer.
He taps into the air phone with his modem and searches Google and Wikipedia, no answer. Frustrated, he sends e-mail to all his friends and coworkers, to no avail.
After an hour, he wakes the blonde, and hands her $500.00. The blonde says, “Thank you,” and turns back to get some more sleep. The lawyer, who is more than a little miffed, wakes the blonde and asks, “Well, what’s the answer?”
Without a word, the blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5.00, and goes back to sleep .
Monday, September 29, 2008
Polly
This is Polly.
She is my new fixed gear bike!
I won a set of wheels at a bike polo tournament (yes, it's really what it sounds like - polo on bikes. They play on an outdoor boarded hockey rink, 3 players to a team). If you take a good look at them, you will see they look a bit different. They're custom made by a guy in Calgary whose signature is the twisted fork. He takes two forks and twists them 3 times before putting them in the wheel rim. And, he does it in a way that the integrity of the spokes are not compromised. For me, I saw they were pretty. It was a raffle, with procedes going to funding the tournament and Jerry gave me all the tickets to hang onto since he's way too disorganized. And then when we won, he gave them to me. Yes, I know I'm spoiled terribly.
So, I was going to put them on Charlotte.
After they presented them to me, Steve (Jerry's old roommate who got married this past summer) told me he had a frame for me. He picked it up for himself but it was just a bit too small for him and would be the right size for me.
And that's how Polly was born.
I've been working on her for the past couple weekends and that's why I haven't been posting recently. I was hoping to get her finished to introduce her to you. The delay came from her fork. I originally could only find a threaded fork so Jerry & I went up to an old-school bike shop near his place to see what they could do. In the end, I ended up buying a threaded fork and had it cut down to make it threadless. So, basically, the fork is the part that attaches to the front wheel. A threaded fork uses a threaded headset. There's pros and cons to both but both Jerry & Steve recommended a threadless fork. With a threadless fork, you need to customize the stack height (which is the part that sticks up and intersects your handle bars. Jerry cut it to the correct height and I assembled her.
She's still a work in progress. The gold lettering on her will go - they're stickers and she still needs her pink bar tape. I've also just ordered some stickers (fairies and butterflies) to make her pretty. The paint job is already nice. It's a sparkly black. I'll be adding all of her safety accessories this weekend.
It'll be a bit of a learning curve as I've only ridden a fixed gear a couple times. The difference between Polly and Charlotte is that although both only have one gear, Polly's pedals continually turn. You can actually pedal backward and go backwards. I have a brake on her but you can also brake by throwing your weight on the pedals and skidding. I'm not skilled enough to do that yet.
And wow, was she ever fun to test ride! You have so much control! She was more manoeuverable than Charlotte and the speed control was fantastic. You could regulate how fast you went using the pedals rather than with the brake. As well, amazing accelleration. I think she will be a lot of fun.
Hallowe'en costume
Hello Everyone,
An interesting thing happened when I put the costume on when it arrived on Friday. I looked in the mirror and the image showed a girl with great looking legs. Yes, it's the fabulous platform saddle shoes that make a huge difference but it shocked me. I love the shape of my calves and ankles but I've always (since a little girl) been self-conscious of my upper legs and knees. I have a tiny bit of muscle that sticks out on the inner part of my leg, just above my knee and in my mind, it makes my legs look very fat.
So, I've picked out my Hallowe'en costume for this year - I'm a car hop girl! It's for a Hallowe'en party (too short for work). I know it's still September but I ordered it from the US and wasn't sure how long it would take to come up here. They were super fast - less than a week!
I'll need to style the wig and get some bobby socks. Here are some pictures of the costume - I haven't moved it to the bathroom to steam out the wrinkles yet so please keep that in mind.
An interesting thing happened when I put the costume on when it arrived on Friday. I looked in the mirror and the image showed a girl with great looking legs. Yes, it's the fabulous platform saddle shoes that make a huge difference but it shocked me. I love the shape of my calves and ankles but I've always (since a little girl) been self-conscious of my upper legs and knees. I have a tiny bit of muscle that sticks out on the inner part of my leg, just above my knee and in my mind, it makes my legs look very fat.When I put on the outfit, since I didn't see "Karen", I was able to make a more objective observation of the mirror image. Before this, I never knew I had nice looking legs. Well, that's not completely true - Jerry tells me that but it still takes a bit of convincing. He's done quite well for my body image though - telling me how much he loves that I have curves.
So, qualities I looked for in choosing my costume: 1) bikeable 2) cute
It was a very exciting evening. I told Jerry about my experience but I don't think he really understood the impact it had on me. I've read that men and women view each other differently in the mirror. Men look for all the attractive qualities and women zero in on all the (perceived) flaws. He still smiled and gave me a big kiss (yes, he tries even if I don't make sense to him) and remembered to complement my legs on Saturday.
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.
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.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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 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!
Monday, August 18, 2008
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!
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!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
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...
Friday, August 01, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, July 28, 2008
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!
Monday, July 21, 2008
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
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
Sunday, July 20, 2008
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'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!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
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
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
Monday, June 30, 2008
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!
-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!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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.
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.
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