Hello Everyone,
Back to work and the vacation was wonderful. I'll post pictures in a day or two. Left Saturday with a friend of mine and her son. She was visiting her brother while we camped so we didn't have to pay for a hotel room that night.
Got camp set up on Sunday. Had a herd of elk go through the campsite and they were quite mellow.
Climbed Roche Miette and summitted. It was a moderate scramble and took 7 hours round trip. This is my first scramble summit. Went to the hotsprings afterwards.
Tuesday was a mellow day in town.
Wednesday afternoon we spent in a two person sea kayak on Maligne Lake. It was relaxing although I got a bit bored.
Thursday we drove home.
Bought Sasha Dolce while up there. Bike prices were better than Calgary and they were having a season end sale. She's a Specialized road bike - entry level but quite cute. So, I now have my full set of bikes - utility single gear, fixie, English lady's bike and road. It'll be much better riding her on the trainer because of her gears. I think we're doing some long rides next summer and she'll be quite perfect for that.
Spent the weekend with Mike & Whiskers as the guys went down to the Huckleberry Festival. Brought back berries so we'll make jam.
Going camping this weekend at Jerry's parent's campsite.
Will be focusing on school for the next 3 weeks. I start a payroll course Sept 20th in class so I want to make sure everything is wrapped up. I took all my payroll courses online thus far so I'm curious about the in-class course. It'll be the first course in my next payroll certification. Although I don't plan to stay in payroll, I'll take the free education. Stick it out at Akita for another couple years to get my next payroll certification and my university certificate. They've treated me well and although I don't hate my job, I don't have a passion for it.
Starting to feel better. Energy level up and able to focus better. Had a hard time on vacation since I was extremely limited what I could eat at a restaurant. Try it out sometime - battered meat, soy sauce, bread etc. Picked up some gluten-free pizza dough and Indian food at the grocery store. And my favourite Thai peanut noodles are gluten-free so I have "fast food" if I'm super hungry. Weight has levelled off - no huge fluxuations or bloating so it looks like working out for me. Oh well, I knew it would be part of solution.
Have a great day!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
puffiness
Hello Everyone,
I'm unhappily "puffy" for the past several months so I'm going for medical tests today. I think it's connected to my pill. I was on Alesse for a couple years when my pharmasist asked if I wanted to try the generic version, Aviane. So, I started taking it in November. Over the winter my weight increased a bit, which is normal for me. But, in the spring, it got a lot higher and I lost my waist. Turning into an apple and feeling bloated. As well, the ring on my finger I've worn for 12 years no longer fit. And my clothes are 2+ sizes too small.
So, I had a couple dr appointments yesterday. One for my female check-up, one to discuss my weight gain and fluxuations. For example, while I took Aviane, I would lose 10 lbs on my "week off". And when I started the cycle again, the 10 lbs would be back that evening. So, I stopped the Aviane and went back to Alesse at the beginning of this month. And instead of 10 lbs, it was 3 lbs. As well, my weight changes by 3 lbs throughout the day. And I jiggle.
So, the second dr ordered some tests and said if they were negative, he was going to treat me for depression.
What! I was not impressed.
So, I went back to the office, popped online and found a naturopath dr a few blocks away. Got in to see her in the afternoon.
Had an hour long consultation, did a crazy medical history and interview with me. And she also thought other dr was crazy. So, she ordered the same tests plus a few and is approaching my puffiness (which I suspect is water)as a digestive issue with possible side affects from my pill (and the other brand).
So, no wheat for 3 weeks.
Super probiotic pills in the morning.
Fish oil in the morning.
And another supplement to take with meals to help break down the foods into simple components.
I was a lot more impressed with her approach. And I follow up with her in 3 weeks.
Thank goodness my benefits cover at least some of the costs. But if it means potentially not being drugged on prosak for a year, I'm willing to give it a try.
And at my first appointment, I told that dr about my weight gain experience. She had heard of other people who experienced that and gave me a drug card to make sure the pharmasist only gave me the name brand. My benefits covered it anyways but a lot of plans only cover generic brands. The second dr dismissed it completely.
Jerry's been super supportive over this whole time. I've known something was wrong since weight isn't something I focus a lot on. It was more because it was around my core, lack of energy and feeling bloated. And he's going to help me with meals for the next 3 weeks (with a slow introduction back at some point in time). The Safeway near our house is really good - wheat-free pasta, cookies, bread, crackers etc. Oh, and no red licorice (the second ingredient is wheat).
So, I'll let you know how things go.
Oh, and for my last meal, I only had a bit of wheat last night. Chocolate birthday cake from a friend's party and some batter on the chicken nuggets. We had golden beets from the garden that were super yummy.
Have a great day!
I'm unhappily "puffy" for the past several months so I'm going for medical tests today. I think it's connected to my pill. I was on Alesse for a couple years when my pharmasist asked if I wanted to try the generic version, Aviane. So, I started taking it in November. Over the winter my weight increased a bit, which is normal for me. But, in the spring, it got a lot higher and I lost my waist. Turning into an apple and feeling bloated. As well, the ring on my finger I've worn for 12 years no longer fit. And my clothes are 2+ sizes too small.
So, I had a couple dr appointments yesterday. One for my female check-up, one to discuss my weight gain and fluxuations. For example, while I took Aviane, I would lose 10 lbs on my "week off". And when I started the cycle again, the 10 lbs would be back that evening. So, I stopped the Aviane and went back to Alesse at the beginning of this month. And instead of 10 lbs, it was 3 lbs. As well, my weight changes by 3 lbs throughout the day. And I jiggle.
So, the second dr ordered some tests and said if they were negative, he was going to treat me for depression.
What! I was not impressed.
So, I went back to the office, popped online and found a naturopath dr a few blocks away. Got in to see her in the afternoon.
Had an hour long consultation, did a crazy medical history and interview with me. And she also thought other dr was crazy. So, she ordered the same tests plus a few and is approaching my puffiness (which I suspect is water)as a digestive issue with possible side affects from my pill (and the other brand).
So, no wheat for 3 weeks.
Super probiotic pills in the morning.
Fish oil in the morning.
And another supplement to take with meals to help break down the foods into simple components.
I was a lot more impressed with her approach. And I follow up with her in 3 weeks.
Thank goodness my benefits cover at least some of the costs. But if it means potentially not being drugged on prosak for a year, I'm willing to give it a try.
And at my first appointment, I told that dr about my weight gain experience. She had heard of other people who experienced that and gave me a drug card to make sure the pharmasist only gave me the name brand. My benefits covered it anyways but a lot of plans only cover generic brands. The second dr dismissed it completely.
Jerry's been super supportive over this whole time. I've known something was wrong since weight isn't something I focus a lot on. It was more because it was around my core, lack of energy and feeling bloated. And he's going to help me with meals for the next 3 weeks (with a slow introduction back at some point in time). The Safeway near our house is really good - wheat-free pasta, cookies, bread, crackers etc. Oh, and no red licorice (the second ingredient is wheat).
So, I'll let you know how things go.
Oh, and for my last meal, I only had a bit of wheat last night. Chocolate birthday cake from a friend's party and some batter on the chicken nuggets. We had golden beets from the garden that were super yummy.
Have a great day!
Monday, August 16, 2010
china pattern
Hello Everyone,
So, we've picked out a china pattern. It took us about an hour of looking at dishes, pretending to set the table, etc to choose it. It's made by Wedgwood and the pattern is called India.
Jerry's been saying, "We have a china pattern" randomly since Saturday afternoon.
While we were there, we also picked out casual dishes - Lenox Aspen Ridge. I liked it because you can put it in the oven or the freezer and it's a very nice white.
We need to go in and pick our glassware but other than that, we're done.
I just made my last accommodation booking for Mexico. Now, it's just activities and making payments. This one was for staying at Sian Ka An nature preserve (before we go to Cancun). They also offer fishing, birdwatching, kayaking and other nature tours. It looks very relaxing.
And we're staying at a fun, casual hotel while in Isla Mujeres. They threw in a free bike rental for 1 day and they're 4 blocks to the beach. Right on the main pedestrian street so lots of atmosphere and excitement.
The nice thing about having a shorter resort stay (5 nights), we are saving a lot of money by going to lower star accommodations for the other parts of the trip. Both of us are use to hosteling and both places offer great atmosphere and quite reasonable facilities. Nicer than a lot of the motels I've stayed at in Canada. And a more casual feel. I think I'm going to be a bit overwhelmed by the resort since I've never stayed in anything that nice before.
We're off to Jasper on Saturday and will come back on Thursday. Camping, relaxing etc. There's a scramble I want to try and we'll also try kayaking on Maligne Lake. And on Friday we plan to go the gopher musuem (yes, I'm serious - they stuff dead ground squirrels and dress them in costumes) before returning the car.
Have a great day!
So, we've picked out a china pattern. It took us about an hour of looking at dishes, pretending to set the table, etc to choose it. It's made by Wedgwood and the pattern is called India.
Jerry's been saying, "We have a china pattern" randomly since Saturday afternoon.
While we were there, we also picked out casual dishes - Lenox Aspen Ridge. I liked it because you can put it in the oven or the freezer and it's a very nice white.
We need to go in and pick our glassware but other than that, we're done.
I just made my last accommodation booking for Mexico. Now, it's just activities and making payments. This one was for staying at Sian Ka An nature preserve (before we go to Cancun). They also offer fishing, birdwatching, kayaking and other nature tours. It looks very relaxing.
And we're staying at a fun, casual hotel while in Isla Mujeres. They threw in a free bike rental for 1 day and they're 4 blocks to the beach. Right on the main pedestrian street so lots of atmosphere and excitement.
The nice thing about having a shorter resort stay (5 nights), we are saving a lot of money by going to lower star accommodations for the other parts of the trip. Both of us are use to hosteling and both places offer great atmosphere and quite reasonable facilities. Nicer than a lot of the motels I've stayed at in Canada. And a more casual feel. I think I'm going to be a bit overwhelmed by the resort since I've never stayed in anything that nice before.
We're off to Jasper on Saturday and will come back on Thursday. Camping, relaxing etc. There's a scramble I want to try and we'll also try kayaking on Maligne Lake. And on Friday we plan to go the gopher musuem (yes, I'm serious - they stuff dead ground squirrels and dress them in costumes) before returning the car.
Have a great day!
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Friday, August 06, 2010
Hurry up and wait
Hello Everyone,
It's payroll processing day and I'm in "hurry up and wait" mode. You hurry to get all the input in and then you wait for it to load. You hurry to get everything finalized and then you wait for it to calculate the stat deductions. You hurry to get through the steps to make sure the GL accounts balance and you wait for the report to let you know if you screwed up. You wait for all the reports to print off and hurry to make sure everything is correct.
And so I have time to say, "Hello!"
It'll be a quiet weekend. We have a wedding to attend tomorrow but that's it. So, I'm planning on school work and getting rid of some stuff. I had a phone call from a charity looking for clothing and household items and they said they'll be by on Tuesday to pick stuff up. Yay! Getting rid of stuff without having to garage sale. Maybe I'll slowly get rid of stuff throughout the year this way.
I think I'm suffering from some type of allergies. Nose constantly running with fuzzy head. Sore throat from post nasal drip. All yucky but it doesn't seem like a cold. I'm all drugged up and it seems to be helping.
Have a great day!
It's payroll processing day and I'm in "hurry up and wait" mode. You hurry to get all the input in and then you wait for it to load. You hurry to get everything finalized and then you wait for it to calculate the stat deductions. You hurry to get through the steps to make sure the GL accounts balance and you wait for the report to let you know if you screwed up. You wait for all the reports to print off and hurry to make sure everything is correct.
And so I have time to say, "Hello!"
It'll be a quiet weekend. We have a wedding to attend tomorrow but that's it. So, I'm planning on school work and getting rid of some stuff. I had a phone call from a charity looking for clothing and household items and they said they'll be by on Tuesday to pick stuff up. Yay! Getting rid of stuff without having to garage sale. Maybe I'll slowly get rid of stuff throughout the year this way.
I think I'm suffering from some type of allergies. Nose constantly running with fuzzy head. Sore throat from post nasal drip. All yucky but it doesn't seem like a cold. I'm all drugged up and it seems to be helping.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
A Relaxing Weekend
Hello Everyone,
Jerry was off to play with the boys for a bachelor party so I had the house to myself from Saturday afternoon until Monday. Rearranged some furniture in the livingroom and did homey things.
Our rings arrived as well. They are very pretty but I won't show them to you until after the wedding. I will say they're both rose gold and mine is a rose cut diamond. Jerry isn't sure about his. I think it's more that he hasn't worn a ring in years and maybe seeing a ring is starting to make the idea of the wedding sink in further. It was a bit funny but I'm trying to be as supportive as I can. It took a while for the idea of me being engaged to sink in and this is the first physical wedding item he's dealt with.
We got registered at The Bay (before Jerry left) but we'll need to go back to finish the appointment. We'll pick out the china pattern together, the glassware and Jerry's in charge of cooking stuff. I rather enjoyed scanning things that would co-ordinate our household. I took a good look around at the house this weekend and realized what was off. None of our furniture in the livingroom matches, none of the colours in the bathroom go together, none of our bedroom linen works together. So, we'll slowly rectify this over the next couple years. Since we've registered at The Bay, they give us a 10% discount card for anything on the registry we want to buy. And the card is good up until a year after the wedding.
I wasn't planning to register anywhere. We don't need anything but a lot of our stuff is second-hand and/or poor quality. But Jerry's family wants to host a shower on Boxing Day. So, I put lots of things under the $25 & $50 range. It's seems very weird - coming up with a list of stuff for people to buy us. Especially when we're not overly materialistic people. We would much prefer "experiences" (for those who want to give us something). Like movie tickets, dinner for two, symphony and/or theatre tickets, swimming with the dolphins in Mexico, dancing lessons etc. Maybe I'm being ungrateful (if so, just send me a virtual smack on the back of the head). Our ideal would be instead of gifts, a get-together to catch up with friends & family would be lovely. I think it's rather sweet Jerry's family is so excited about doing all this wedding stuff - it's just not my style or what I would prefer. But we'll smile, try to enjoy ourselves, knowing this is their way of welcoming me to the family.
Other than that, the garden is doing well and school is dragging along. I need to finish my second assignment this week and get going on my final chapter. I have until the end of September but I'm hoping to register for a payroll course that starts near the end of September and I want to make sure this stupid course is done.
We've got a baby pumpkin, lots of little green tomatoes, yummy peas and carrots. A few baby potatoes. A few blueberries that were quite tasty - if blueberries in the store tasted like that, I would eat blueberries.
Have a great day!
Jerry was off to play with the boys for a bachelor party so I had the house to myself from Saturday afternoon until Monday. Rearranged some furniture in the livingroom and did homey things.
Our rings arrived as well. They are very pretty but I won't show them to you until after the wedding. I will say they're both rose gold and mine is a rose cut diamond. Jerry isn't sure about his. I think it's more that he hasn't worn a ring in years and maybe seeing a ring is starting to make the idea of the wedding sink in further. It was a bit funny but I'm trying to be as supportive as I can. It took a while for the idea of me being engaged to sink in and this is the first physical wedding item he's dealt with.
We got registered at The Bay (before Jerry left) but we'll need to go back to finish the appointment. We'll pick out the china pattern together, the glassware and Jerry's in charge of cooking stuff. I rather enjoyed scanning things that would co-ordinate our household. I took a good look around at the house this weekend and realized what was off. None of our furniture in the livingroom matches, none of the colours in the bathroom go together, none of our bedroom linen works together. So, we'll slowly rectify this over the next couple years. Since we've registered at The Bay, they give us a 10% discount card for anything on the registry we want to buy. And the card is good up until a year after the wedding.
I wasn't planning to register anywhere. We don't need anything but a lot of our stuff is second-hand and/or poor quality. But Jerry's family wants to host a shower on Boxing Day. So, I put lots of things under the $25 & $50 range. It's seems very weird - coming up with a list of stuff for people to buy us. Especially when we're not overly materialistic people. We would much prefer "experiences" (for those who want to give us something). Like movie tickets, dinner for two, symphony and/or theatre tickets, swimming with the dolphins in Mexico, dancing lessons etc. Maybe I'm being ungrateful (if so, just send me a virtual smack on the back of the head). Our ideal would be instead of gifts, a get-together to catch up with friends & family would be lovely. I think it's rather sweet Jerry's family is so excited about doing all this wedding stuff - it's just not my style or what I would prefer. But we'll smile, try to enjoy ourselves, knowing this is their way of welcoming me to the family.
Other than that, the garden is doing well and school is dragging along. I need to finish my second assignment this week and get going on my final chapter. I have until the end of September but I'm hoping to register for a payroll course that starts near the end of September and I want to make sure this stupid course is done.
We've got a baby pumpkin, lots of little green tomatoes, yummy peas and carrots. A few baby potatoes. A few blueberries that were quite tasty - if blueberries in the store tasted like that, I would eat blueberries.
Have a great day!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Stampede!
Hello Everyone,
Ah, Stampede - I love you! 10 days of dressing up like a cowboy and eating way too much fried stuff on a stick. We went down to the grounds last night and had a lot of fun. Went on 2 rides - the swing tower and crazy mouse (small roller coaster with a 4 seat car that pivots. Said "Hello!" to the ducks, goats and sheep. Explored the Marketplace (As Seen On TV Heaven) and ate lots of unhealthy food. This year, it was my staple (deep fried mac & cheese)and I tried deep fried Oreos and deep fried Snickers.
Saw the fireworks and called it a night.
We'll check out the fireworks for the rest of the nights but I don't plan to go back down to the grounds. Even if you plan to be there only an hour or two and it ends up being a whole day and I have a screen door to build. It's a home & garden weekend for us.
Have a great day!
Ah, Stampede - I love you! 10 days of dressing up like a cowboy and eating way too much fried stuff on a stick. We went down to the grounds last night and had a lot of fun. Went on 2 rides - the swing tower and crazy mouse (small roller coaster with a 4 seat car that pivots. Said "Hello!" to the ducks, goats and sheep. Explored the Marketplace (As Seen On TV Heaven) and ate lots of unhealthy food. This year, it was my staple (deep fried mac & cheese)and I tried deep fried Oreos and deep fried Snickers.
Saw the fireworks and called it a night.
We'll check out the fireworks for the rest of the nights but I don't plan to go back down to the grounds. Even if you plan to be there only an hour or two and it ends up being a whole day and I have a screen door to build. It's a home & garden weekend for us.
Have a great day!
Monday, July 05, 2010
Catch up time
Hello Everyone,
What a crazy few weeks it's been. Close to finishing up training at work so I don't plan to be working late this week. We had a computer upgrade on Friday so I had an extra long weekend. I'm very proud of the fact I slept in until noon on Friday.
We installed ceiling fans in three rooms on the weekend. We can only open about a third of the windows on the main floor since someone sealed and then painted over jams. "Repair" work like this drives me crazy. So we have some fans that have already made a big difference and this week I'm building a screen door with the leftover wood in the garage. Handywoman Karen!
Wedding planning coming along. We have officially made some decisions. We're getting married Sunday, February 20th in Cancun. We're going to have a reception in Lethbridge about a month or so later (afternoon gathering) as well as something in Chesley later in the summer so you'll have lots of opportunities to tease Jerry about married life. I've been in contact with our wedding planner and she's set up a webpage so we can communicate with each other. She seems quite nice.
Garden is growning like crazy. Been eating lots of salad - radish & beet tops, spinach, swiss chard. Potatoes are just getting ready to flower so I may harvest them and do a second planting. We've got a few tomatoes about the size of a loonie now and lots of blossoms.
Jerry built me a new firepit using reclaimed brick. We're still working on the design but it did make great s'mores.
Just got back my first assignment for school and I'm very proud of my mark. Will need to really focus over the next two months and I'll have that course completed. It doesn't help that I don't care a lot about the subject (IT Help Desk Support), the computer knowledge is a bit higher than what I currently had (the course outline I had when I signed up was out of date) and it's summer. I have learned a lot (how to design a web page, some extra Excel formulas etc) but in hindsight, I wish I had known to upgrade my computer skills first. After all, I needed a computer course anyways so I wouldn't have been taking an extra course for nothing.
Stampede starts on Friday. Will go to the grounds on Sunday since if you get there before 9am, it's free admission.
Have a great day!
What a crazy few weeks it's been. Close to finishing up training at work so I don't plan to be working late this week. We had a computer upgrade on Friday so I had an extra long weekend. I'm very proud of the fact I slept in until noon on Friday.
We installed ceiling fans in three rooms on the weekend. We can only open about a third of the windows on the main floor since someone sealed and then painted over jams. "Repair" work like this drives me crazy. So we have some fans that have already made a big difference and this week I'm building a screen door with the leftover wood in the garage. Handywoman Karen!
Wedding planning coming along. We have officially made some decisions. We're getting married Sunday, February 20th in Cancun. We're going to have a reception in Lethbridge about a month or so later (afternoon gathering) as well as something in Chesley later in the summer so you'll have lots of opportunities to tease Jerry about married life. I've been in contact with our wedding planner and she's set up a webpage so we can communicate with each other. She seems quite nice.
Garden is growning like crazy. Been eating lots of salad - radish & beet tops, spinach, swiss chard. Potatoes are just getting ready to flower so I may harvest them and do a second planting. We've got a few tomatoes about the size of a loonie now and lots of blossoms.
Jerry built me a new firepit using reclaimed brick. We're still working on the design but it did make great s'mores.
Just got back my first assignment for school and I'm very proud of my mark. Will need to really focus over the next two months and I'll have that course completed. It doesn't help that I don't care a lot about the subject (IT Help Desk Support), the computer knowledge is a bit higher than what I currently had (the course outline I had when I signed up was out of date) and it's summer. I have learned a lot (how to design a web page, some extra Excel formulas etc) but in hindsight, I wish I had known to upgrade my computer skills first. After all, I needed a computer course anyways so I wouldn't have been taking an extra course for nothing.
Stampede starts on Friday. Will go to the grounds on Sunday since if you get there before 9am, it's free admission.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Susan
Hello Everyone,
I'm still have troubles uploading photos to blogger. I keep getting a bunch of code - any suggestions?
So, I have a link to Susan. Scroll down to my website links and choose "If I won the lottery...". Choose "Our Cycles" then "Classic Bicycles" then "Princess Sovereign".
Susan is my lovely lady from England, in hunter green.
The story behind the effort it took Jerry to get her.
We've sized each other before when I was looking at road frames so he already knew what size I needed.
He called the one bike shop in Calgary who sells Pashleys.
They didn't have any in green and weren't expecting any to be available until next year (most of them are black so green is hard to find).
Jerry explained why it was so important.
BikeBike made a few phone calls
Nobody had any.
BikeBike explained the situation.
A few more phone calls went out.
Someone managed to find the last green Pashley in my size in North America.
And now it's in our livingroom.
She's a dream to ride. So comfortable. Extremely manoeuverable (quick turns, good brakes etc). My arms feel so natural. And a crazy loud bell that sounds like a door chime (2 tones). I'll try to get pictures on my Facebook later this week.
So yes, I'm incredible spoiled and I know how very lucky I am to be with Jerry.
Have a great day!
I'm still have troubles uploading photos to blogger. I keep getting a bunch of code - any suggestions?
So, I have a link to Susan. Scroll down to my website links and choose "If I won the lottery...". Choose "Our Cycles" then "Classic Bicycles" then "Princess Sovereign".
Susan is my lovely lady from England, in hunter green.
The story behind the effort it took Jerry to get her.
We've sized each other before when I was looking at road frames so he already knew what size I needed.
He called the one bike shop in Calgary who sells Pashleys.
They didn't have any in green and weren't expecting any to be available until next year (most of them are black so green is hard to find).
Jerry explained why it was so important.
BikeBike made a few phone calls
Nobody had any.
BikeBike explained the situation.
A few more phone calls went out.
Someone managed to find the last green Pashley in my size in North America.
And now it's in our livingroom.
She's a dream to ride. So comfortable. Extremely manoeuverable (quick turns, good brakes etc). My arms feel so natural. And a crazy loud bell that sounds like a door chime (2 tones). I'll try to get pictures on my Facebook later this week.
So yes, I'm incredible spoiled and I know how very lucky I am to be with Jerry.
Have a great day!
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Scroll down to my profile photo
Hello Everyone!
It's been a whirlwind lovely week.
Jerry proposed last Sunday afternoon. We had some friends over for lunch and then Jerry told me he had something to show me in the backyard.
I had thought maybe something new in the garden came up.
When I came out, there was a bicycle.
So I went jumping and bouncing over to it.
And then Jerry came over and handed me a ring and said, "and there's a ring to go with it."
Awwwwww!!!
Yes, so I jumped up and down, did lots of giggling.
Oh, and yes, after he gave me the ring our friends made him get down on one knee in the wet grass to do it properly.
So, the ring is a proxy ring until we find the right one. He had been looking for one "for a while" but didn't find anything that was just right. And then he found it outside his office on Friday. It is a very pretty ring and I love the story behind it.
So, nothing decided yet. Initial plans are a destination wedding in February. And then a reception in Lethbridge and in Chesley. I get really stressed when planning events and organizing things so I like the idea of not having anything to stress over. We can combine the wedding and honeymoon for about the same price as a nice wedding in Calgary. I also think it is very suiting to start our marriage in a new place, unknown to both of us, so we have opportunities to explore and build our life together.
So, that's enough mushy stuff for now. I made Mom wait a week before telling anyone since I wanted that time for everything to sink in. And it was nice to have that time for Jerry and I to talk about what we want.
Have a great day!
It's been a whirlwind lovely week.
Jerry proposed last Sunday afternoon. We had some friends over for lunch and then Jerry told me he had something to show me in the backyard.
I had thought maybe something new in the garden came up.
When I came out, there was a bicycle.
So I went jumping and bouncing over to it.
And then Jerry came over and handed me a ring and said, "and there's a ring to go with it."
Awwwwww!!!
Yes, so I jumped up and down, did lots of giggling.
Oh, and yes, after he gave me the ring our friends made him get down on one knee in the wet grass to do it properly.
So, the ring is a proxy ring until we find the right one. He had been looking for one "for a while" but didn't find anything that was just right. And then he found it outside his office on Friday. It is a very pretty ring and I love the story behind it.
So, nothing decided yet. Initial plans are a destination wedding in February. And then a reception in Lethbridge and in Chesley. I get really stressed when planning events and organizing things so I like the idea of not having anything to stress over. We can combine the wedding and honeymoon for about the same price as a nice wedding in Calgary. I also think it is very suiting to start our marriage in a new place, unknown to both of us, so we have opportunities to explore and build our life together.
So, that's enough mushy stuff for now. I made Mom wait a week before telling anyone since I wanted that time for everything to sink in. And it was nice to have that time for Jerry and I to talk about what we want.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
My birthday
Hello Everyone,
Spent the weekend in Banff. We climbed Mt Rundle on my birthday, although we couldn't summit. Photos still acting up so check out Facebook for my photos.
Garden planted tonight, based on the moon phase. I trust it more than the star phases. But there's a chance of snow tomorrow and/or Friday so they may need to be covered.
Anyways, rather tired.
Have a good night!
Spent the weekend in Banff. We climbed Mt Rundle on my birthday, although we couldn't summit. Photos still acting up so check out Facebook for my photos.
Garden planted tonight, based on the moon phase. I trust it more than the star phases. But there's a chance of snow tomorrow and/or Friday so they may need to be covered.
Anyways, rather tired.
Have a good night!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
This is why I haven't been posting...
Hello Everyone,
So, still having issues with uploading photos. So, they're uploaded on my Facebook page.
So, still having issues with uploading photos. So, they're uploaded on my Facebook page.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Winter's back :-(
Hello Everyone,
After a gorgeous April, we have snow in May. A bit accumulated on the ground overnight. Roads slushy. Crazy wind for the past couple days. Although we desperately needed the moisture, my front step plants are all in our diningroom. For some reason, I'm not able to post my photos - I'll try later today.
We got the frames for our boxes built on the weekend. We have 3 more to do (they'll sit on the current frame to make our deep boxes). They're protected with a mixture of bees wax and baby oil. So far, water is beading on them.
Have a cough that's been hanging around for a week or two. A good chunk of the office has had it.
Our KitchenAid arrived yesterday! It was a Christmas present (and it took us a while to decide what we wanted). Shiny black with I think a 475 watt motor. I just know it looks pretty and it made great pizza dough last night with little mess. Jerry was giddy. I love the Shopping Channel.
Have a great day!
After a gorgeous April, we have snow in May. A bit accumulated on the ground overnight. Roads slushy. Crazy wind for the past couple days. Although we desperately needed the moisture, my front step plants are all in our diningroom. For some reason, I'm not able to post my photos - I'll try later today.
We got the frames for our boxes built on the weekend. We have 3 more to do (they'll sit on the current frame to make our deep boxes). They're protected with a mixture of bees wax and baby oil. So far, water is beading on them.
Have a cough that's been hanging around for a week or two. A good chunk of the office has had it.
Our KitchenAid arrived yesterday! It was a Christmas present (and it took us a while to decide what we wanted). Shiny black with I think a 475 watt motor. I just know it looks pretty and it made great pizza dough last night with little mess. Jerry was giddy. I love the Shopping Channel.
Have a great day!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Um, yeah...
Hello Everyone,
We had some free time last night and decided to watch a movie. Our fabulous PVR (and 1 free month of extra perks cable) let us watch Twilight. For those of you who are fans of the movie and/or book, please stop reading this post now.
That was one of the most horrible movies I've ever seen! And I've seen some doozies - friends of ours have a crazy B movie collection and this ranked up there in bad movies.
Dialogue - It sounded like it was written for text messaging. 1 line sentence. Long pause while they stare at each other. 1 line sentence. Another long stare. 1 line sentence. A pissed off expression. 1 line sentence...
Cinematography - So, there are a couple times it looks like the director was trying to make a dramatic scenery shot. S/he failed miserably. And that's pretty hard because the location itself was quite pretty.
Special Effects - Jerry and I burst into laughter each time Edward ran through the trees. And what the **** was up with the body glitter in the sun? Yes, I've read the books and body glitter just didn't cut it for me.
Hair - ok, the ongoing additions Jerry and I had (to make the dialogue more interesting). Take every sentence that Edward says and add "...with my eyebrows". It was driving me nuts! The colour tones didn't work. And the big hair was just plain funny. While flying through the trees, I asked Jerry how much pine gum got in his eyebrows. His answer was none, because it was all in his hair.
So yeah, Jerry is a saint for being in the livingroom while I watched this movie. And he only slept through about half of it because I kept waking him up for funny parts. About the only good thing I can say about it is at least it didn't cost us a movie rental.
We had some free time last night and decided to watch a movie. Our fabulous PVR (and 1 free month of extra perks cable) let us watch Twilight. For those of you who are fans of the movie and/or book, please stop reading this post now.
That was one of the most horrible movies I've ever seen! And I've seen some doozies - friends of ours have a crazy B movie collection and this ranked up there in bad movies.
Dialogue - It sounded like it was written for text messaging. 1 line sentence. Long pause while they stare at each other. 1 line sentence. Another long stare. 1 line sentence. A pissed off expression. 1 line sentence...
Cinematography - So, there are a couple times it looks like the director was trying to make a dramatic scenery shot. S/he failed miserably. And that's pretty hard because the location itself was quite pretty.
Special Effects - Jerry and I burst into laughter each time Edward ran through the trees. And what the **** was up with the body glitter in the sun? Yes, I've read the books and body glitter just didn't cut it for me.
Hair - ok, the ongoing additions Jerry and I had (to make the dialogue more interesting). Take every sentence that Edward says and add "...with my eyebrows". It was driving me nuts! The colour tones didn't work. And the big hair was just plain funny. While flying through the trees, I asked Jerry how much pine gum got in his eyebrows. His answer was none, because it was all in his hair.
So yeah, Jerry is a saint for being in the livingroom while I watched this movie. And he only slept through about half of it because I kept waking him up for funny parts. About the only good thing I can say about it is at least it didn't cost us a movie rental.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Proud Kitty Mom
Hello Everyone,
I'm so proud of Mike - he did great at the vet yesterday. The new vet is 5 blocks away so I put him in his harness and we walked for a bit. But he's not good at the leash thing so I then put him in my canvas bag. There were 2 noisy roads that scared him a bit.
When we got there, the room was filled with cute dogs. I had no idea how Mike would react. I went over to the far side where there were no dogs and set him down. After about 5 minutes, he seemed ok so I picked him up and we sat in the corner - between a cat and a dog. The cat wasn't feeling well so I don't think Mike saw him as dangerous. And the 2 lap dogs were very well behaved. After about another 5 minutes, he settled down on my lap.
He acted very well mannered. He only hissed twice - both at dogs who came over to say, "Hello!" And the rest of the time he just laid on my lap, getting petted.
And the vet said he was in good health. We got a sample of food to help clean his teeth and he didn't say anything about teeth cleaning. The last vet really pushed it but it's super expensive and I have concerns about it. He got his outdoor shots too.
Yep, a very proud mom.
On the weekend, he had his first opportunity to roam in and out of the house. It was quite warm so we kept the back door open throughout the day (we were doing yard work on the weekend). The back yard has a high fence that he doesn't realize he can jump on top of yet. He really enjoyed himself. He even chased a squirrel - went bounding across the yard like a golden retriever. And he pounced on bugs (but I don't think he actually caught anything).
Have a great day!
I'm so proud of Mike - he did great at the vet yesterday. The new vet is 5 blocks away so I put him in his harness and we walked for a bit. But he's not good at the leash thing so I then put him in my canvas bag. There were 2 noisy roads that scared him a bit.
When we got there, the room was filled with cute dogs. I had no idea how Mike would react. I went over to the far side where there were no dogs and set him down. After about 5 minutes, he seemed ok so I picked him up and we sat in the corner - between a cat and a dog. The cat wasn't feeling well so I don't think Mike saw him as dangerous. And the 2 lap dogs were very well behaved. After about another 5 minutes, he settled down on my lap.
He acted very well mannered. He only hissed twice - both at dogs who came over to say, "Hello!" And the rest of the time he just laid on my lap, getting petted.
And the vet said he was in good health. We got a sample of food to help clean his teeth and he didn't say anything about teeth cleaning. The last vet really pushed it but it's super expensive and I have concerns about it. He got his outdoor shots too.
Yep, a very proud mom.
On the weekend, he had his first opportunity to roam in and out of the house. It was quite warm so we kept the back door open throughout the day (we were doing yard work on the weekend). The back yard has a high fence that he doesn't realize he can jump on top of yet. He really enjoyed himself. He even chased a squirrel - went bounding across the yard like a golden retriever. And he pounced on bugs (but I don't think he actually caught anything).
Have a great day!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Looking forward to the weekend
Hello Everyone,
Ah Fridays - and I'm having my counterpart run the payroll today. I've got a number of things to do so it means I won't be extra rushed.
Slow going with my assignments. I have 4 parts to do and I've only finished the first one. But it involved creating a website and I'm quite excited about how it turned out. It's super simple in design but I figured I did pretty good for my first try. I have a power point presentation to finish tonight and then the other two assignments on the weekend.
I have the last of the indoor jiffy pot planting to do. Very excited about that! I think we're building boxes this weekend since our roommate is home to help us with transportation. There are a couple things that can go in now (Swiss chard - yum!) but I don't know if we're also getting soil yet.
We didn't get hit with that crazy winter storm. Jerry's family was affected though and got snowed in. It was just really windy here. The forecast shows a lovely weekend.
Made a super delicious roasted butternut squash soup from Barefoot Contessa's cookbook. I picked up some Afghani naan from the Persian store nearby and it made a very filling meal. There are condiments that go with it but I was too impatient. Jerry added a bit of lemon juice for complexity and once we blended it, he also strained it into the pot to get an even texture.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
4-6 servings
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot.
Have a great weekend!
Ah Fridays - and I'm having my counterpart run the payroll today. I've got a number of things to do so it means I won't be extra rushed.
Slow going with my assignments. I have 4 parts to do and I've only finished the first one. But it involved creating a website and I'm quite excited about how it turned out. It's super simple in design but I figured I did pretty good for my first try. I have a power point presentation to finish tonight and then the other two assignments on the weekend.
I have the last of the indoor jiffy pot planting to do. Very excited about that! I think we're building boxes this weekend since our roommate is home to help us with transportation. There are a couple things that can go in now (Swiss chard - yum!) but I don't know if we're also getting soil yet.
We didn't get hit with that crazy winter storm. Jerry's family was affected though and got snowed in. It was just really windy here. The forecast shows a lovely weekend.
Made a super delicious roasted butternut squash soup from Barefoot Contessa's cookbook. I picked up some Afghani naan from the Persian store nearby and it made a very filling meal. There are condiments that go with it but I was too impatient. Jerry added a bit of lemon juice for complexity and once we blended it, he also strained it into the pot to get an even texture.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
4-6 servings
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 teaspoon good curry powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash, onions, and apples into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the chicken stock and coarsely puree.) When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot.
Have a great weekend!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A Mellow Weekend
Hello Everyone,
I was in a stay-at-home mood this weekend. We did a bunch of gardening stuff and planning. We have our garden area staked out in the yard and will build our boxes in the coming weeks. There will be 11 4'x4.5' boxes. At least, that's the bottom floor area and once you consider the thickness of the walls, it'll be about 4x4.
It's all very exciting. Our kitchen table has little seedling (mostly tomato), which makes me happy. We're hoping to have enough harvest to provide our tomato needs for the year (we use a lot of canned tomatoes), and a good supply of beans, carrots, potatoes, squash and parsnips. We have other varieties too but this will be our main focus. We've had good luck in the past and since we're growing from seed, it's fairly economical. We're still having expense from the initial seed purchase, soil and wood supplies but we should have enough harvest to offset the costs.
Jerry was in a cleaning mood this weekend so I curtainly wasn't going to stop him. He did a major bathroom cleaning (including the walls) and he treated the floor in the livingroom. A mixture of oil, vinegar and I think something else but since Jerry was doing the mixture, I didn't ask.
I have school work to do this week. Done my reading for part 1 so now I have my practical assignments to do. It should be a bit of a challenge so my evenings will be full. I'll be glad to get this first assignment done though so I can see how the marking works and what they're looking for.
Have a great day!
I was in a stay-at-home mood this weekend. We did a bunch of gardening stuff and planning. We have our garden area staked out in the yard and will build our boxes in the coming weeks. There will be 11 4'x4.5' boxes. At least, that's the bottom floor area and once you consider the thickness of the walls, it'll be about 4x4.
It's all very exciting. Our kitchen table has little seedling (mostly tomato), which makes me happy. We're hoping to have enough harvest to provide our tomato needs for the year (we use a lot of canned tomatoes), and a good supply of beans, carrots, potatoes, squash and parsnips. We have other varieties too but this will be our main focus. We've had good luck in the past and since we're growing from seed, it's fairly economical. We're still having expense from the initial seed purchase, soil and wood supplies but we should have enough harvest to offset the costs.
Jerry was in a cleaning mood this weekend so I curtainly wasn't going to stop him. He did a major bathroom cleaning (including the walls) and he treated the floor in the livingroom. A mixture of oil, vinegar and I think something else but since Jerry was doing the mixture, I didn't ask.
I have school work to do this week. Done my reading for part 1 so now I have my practical assignments to do. It should be a bit of a challenge so my evenings will be full. I'll be glad to get this first assignment done though so I can see how the marking works and what they're looking for.
Have a great day!
Monday, April 05, 2010
Crazy church service
Hello Everyone,
I don't know how I do it, but I seem to be very good at finding crazy church services around Easter. I have a deal with Jerry that he only has to attend church twice a year with me - Christmas & Easter. He's pretty good natured about it (grew up in the Lutheran church).
So, the negotiation this year was Good Friday vs Easter. Since we were hoping to snowboard on Sunday, Good Friday it was. We wanted to find a church midway between Calgary & Lethbridge so we'd make it to Easter lupper (who serves turkey dinner at 2pm?).
Lots of small towns and although they had churches, most didn't have website and none of the websites mentioned a Good Friday service. So, I came across a local newspaper with an invitation:
"Experience a re-enactment of Christ's Tomb on Friday, April 2 at 11 a.m. at the Fort Macleod Alliance Church."
Sounds exciting! Neither of us had any clue how you re-enact a tomb or who the Alliance church was but we had an address and a time.
So, we show up at the church.
When you opened the front door, there were two legionnaires (complete with skirts and spears) who "guarded" a door made up to look like two rocks. Already it looked more interesting than most services I've been to.
They opened the "rocks" so we could "pay our respects" at the tomb. The next room had no lights but tea lights marked the path with a mummy (Jesus) on a raised section of the "cave". A bit creepy but it did answer how someone re-enacts a tomb.
Then we headed into a perfectly normal sanctuary. Rather pretty with candles along the sides. Then we saw a hooded figure near the front who looked like the grim reaper without his sycthe.
But still, things were going pretty normal. They had an overhead projecter with a counter so you knew when church was going to start "The church service will begin in 2:09 minutes" etc. I was curious what would happen when it reached 0:00 but no exploding graphics or anything like that.
It was a modern service, lots of youth participation and songs.
Then there was the sermon.
Ummm, yeah.
All of the Good Friday services I've ever been to had a sermon that talked about the cruxifiction. This one was about how the world was filled bad things, like Hitler, because mankind didn't place all of their faith in God. And the pastor tried to show this using a cut up piece of paper but he didn't have enough sticky tack so the bulletin board looked funny and he needed help holding up the paper. And that all the people who didn't place all their faith in God were going to hell. And yes, he spelled "hell" using the pieces of paper. Both Jerry and I were rather confused what he was talking about since he rambled off on these odd tangents and nothing really made sense.
Things went back to normal with a hymn.
Then communion came along.
I suspect this sect of Christianity places a strong emphasis on communion and the affirmation of "accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal saviour" (the phrase was repeated numerous times in both the sermon and communion". So a couple weird things came next.
The communion came from a fountain (yep - I thought that was cool). But, it was one of those glowing fountains you see at weddings. So, when they turned it on, it glowed blue and purple before the grape juice started flowing out.
And then the oddest invitation for communion I have ever heard.
1. Everyone who had accepted Jesus into their heart was welcome to take communion
2. Everyone who hadn't shouldn't take communion because they'll be taking all the sins of the world and putting it on themselves.
3. So, if you weren't ready, nobody would judge them (as the minister scans the congregation)
4. And then the first 2 steps were repeated a couple more times
5. And then a moment of prayer, for those people who hadn't accepted him yet. That way they could do it in prayer and then take communion.
So Jerry and I look at each other and try to figure out if we were allowed to take communion. Since both of us had been confirmed in churches, we figured it would be ok.
And then the service had a perfectly normal ending.
And they didn't charge us for the grape juice or bread.
And we escaped as quickly as possible.
I don't know how I do it, but I seem to be very good at finding crazy church services around Easter. I have a deal with Jerry that he only has to attend church twice a year with me - Christmas & Easter. He's pretty good natured about it (grew up in the Lutheran church).
So, the negotiation this year was Good Friday vs Easter. Since we were hoping to snowboard on Sunday, Good Friday it was. We wanted to find a church midway between Calgary & Lethbridge so we'd make it to Easter lupper (who serves turkey dinner at 2pm?).
Lots of small towns and although they had churches, most didn't have website and none of the websites mentioned a Good Friday service. So, I came across a local newspaper with an invitation:
"Experience a re-enactment of Christ's Tomb on Friday, April 2 at 11 a.m. at the Fort Macleod Alliance Church."
Sounds exciting! Neither of us had any clue how you re-enact a tomb or who the Alliance church was but we had an address and a time.
So, we show up at the church.
When you opened the front door, there were two legionnaires (complete with skirts and spears) who "guarded" a door made up to look like two rocks. Already it looked more interesting than most services I've been to.
They opened the "rocks" so we could "pay our respects" at the tomb. The next room had no lights but tea lights marked the path with a mummy (Jesus) on a raised section of the "cave". A bit creepy but it did answer how someone re-enacts a tomb.
Then we headed into a perfectly normal sanctuary. Rather pretty with candles along the sides. Then we saw a hooded figure near the front who looked like the grim reaper without his sycthe.
But still, things were going pretty normal. They had an overhead projecter with a counter so you knew when church was going to start "The church service will begin in 2:09 minutes" etc. I was curious what would happen when it reached 0:00 but no exploding graphics or anything like that.
It was a modern service, lots of youth participation and songs.
Then there was the sermon.
Ummm, yeah.
All of the Good Friday services I've ever been to had a sermon that talked about the cruxifiction. This one was about how the world was filled bad things, like Hitler, because mankind didn't place all of their faith in God. And the pastor tried to show this using a cut up piece of paper but he didn't have enough sticky tack so the bulletin board looked funny and he needed help holding up the paper. And that all the people who didn't place all their faith in God were going to hell. And yes, he spelled "hell" using the pieces of paper. Both Jerry and I were rather confused what he was talking about since he rambled off on these odd tangents and nothing really made sense.
Things went back to normal with a hymn.
Then communion came along.
I suspect this sect of Christianity places a strong emphasis on communion and the affirmation of "accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal saviour" (the phrase was repeated numerous times in both the sermon and communion". So a couple weird things came next.
The communion came from a fountain (yep - I thought that was cool). But, it was one of those glowing fountains you see at weddings. So, when they turned it on, it glowed blue and purple before the grape juice started flowing out.
And then the oddest invitation for communion I have ever heard.
1. Everyone who had accepted Jesus into their heart was welcome to take communion
2. Everyone who hadn't shouldn't take communion because they'll be taking all the sins of the world and putting it on themselves.
3. So, if you weren't ready, nobody would judge them (as the minister scans the congregation)
4. And then the first 2 steps were repeated a couple more times
5. And then a moment of prayer, for those people who hadn't accepted him yet. That way they could do it in prayer and then take communion.
So Jerry and I look at each other and try to figure out if we were allowed to take communion. Since both of us had been confirmed in churches, we figured it would be ok.
And then the service had a perfectly normal ending.
And they didn't charge us for the grape juice or bread.
And we escaped as quickly as possible.
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