Eva Everyday

One drop in the bucket

2011-05-01T16:47:00.001-04:00

Words can not express how proud I am of this card.

Shadow, the little fish

2011-02-20T14:48:00.024-05:00

The hubby and I recently started taking Shadow, our 8 1/2 year old Black lab/Collie, for water therapy at the Canine Water Wellness centre. It's sort of like aquafit for dogs.

She has had cruciate ligament surgery on both her knees within the last few years. The right, done first with the TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) method in December 2008, and about 8 months later, in August 2009, the TTA (Tibial Tuberosity Advancement) procedure on her left knee.

When we first started taking her swimming at the end of January, she was taking 30 kg of Metacam and 100 mg of Tramadol. She had been ok after the surgeries, and medication-free, close to 100%, but not quite. She walked around ok, jogged with us, climbed stairs, jump on beds and couches. She favored her right leg right after that knee was operated on, then, when she had the second surgery, the one on her left knee, she started favoring it and has since.

But both surgeries were deemed successful. We've had x-rays since, most recently in December 2010 and the implanted mechanisms are still ok and look quite good.

Throughout the Spring and Summer 2010, Shadow started limping, and did so more and more. We had tried walking her more, walking her less, nothing helped.

In the Fall, we started the Tramadol and Metacam at 20 kg, gave her glucosamine and changed her food to Hill's Prescription Diet j/d Canine Mobility. No change. We upped her Metacam to 30 kg.

Still, her condition was pretty much the same.

We were very concerned about the Metacam because it can damage the liver. The vet wanted us to try this level of treatment for three months, until March 2011. Then we might think about exploratory surgery if nothing changed. It turned out the vet discovered that Shadow was not only experiencing knee issues, but hip stiffness issues too. Maybe a flipped part of her miniscus, maybe hip dysplasia. Any of these or other reasons might be the cause of her discomfort, limping, strained rising, head jerking and toe-touching.

Before Christmas, along came the Birch Haven Rescue and Rehabilitation Services online auction. One item peaked my curiosity. I bid on it and won it. A Canine Water Wellness voucher for an assessment and swim.

During the assessment in January, Lianne and Jennifer, the hydrotherapists, got in the warm salt-water pool and slowly got Shadow acclimatized to the water. They checked out her movements with an underwater camera, did a few laps with her and showed us how to assist Shadow in the water. (They are Awesome women and teachers!)

After the initial swim, we bought a 20-visit U-Swim package. Twenty one-hour sessions during which the hubby and Shadow do laps in a warm salted pool with jets. He walks along and guides her and she swims.

I took these videos during our third session. The first, at the beginning of the hour, the second, near the end. The difference is like night and day.

As of the fourth U-Swim session, we have stopped the Metacam as she no longer needs it. We reduced it gradually and haven't looked back.

I cannot speak highly enough about this form of therapy.

My only complaint - I wish they were a little closer to me! But I travel there without hesitations as I know what good comes of each visit.

Just call me prez

2011-02-05T05:56:00.001-05:00

First week on the 'job'

Results of media call #1

www.yourottawaregion.com/news/article/937843--two-new-presidents-for-findlay-creek

A helping arm for a faceplanting man

2011-01-15T06:40:00.002-05:00

As I made my way home from a work meeting yesterday afternoon, which had been in an area of the city I don't frequent much, I took the opportunity to check out some foodie shops.

I checked out three stores, made a few purchases and was crossing the street on my way back to the car.

I heard shuffling on the sidewalk I had just left and turned to look. It was an elderly gentleman with a cane, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. As I watched, he faceplanted into the sidewalk.

I scurried over to him dropped my box and bag and asked if he was ok. He said yes. Meanwhile another tiny lady with a small boy ran up to him to. I asked if he needed help getting up, he said yes. The other lady and I each grabbed under one of his arms and helped him get up. He seemed ok and we all turned toward our destination.

I kept my eyes on the gentleman as I started walking away. Sure enough, he faceplanted again within 10 feet of the first incident. Simultaneously, the other lady and I rushed back to the gentleman and at the same time a car stopped and a man got out. The man who stopped ran up to us and I could hear him saying he would help get the guy back up. Meanwhile I asked the elderly gentleman where he was going. He pointed to 'there', an entrance to a seniors residence about 20 feet away and up a few steps from where we stood. The elderly gentleman was saying he talked too much that day (which I deciphered later meant he thought he wasted a lot of his energy that day while talking, that he had no more to walk... I think). So the guy who stopped and I held the old guy up and walked him to the door, slowly up the steps. While we were on the move, I looked back and see the other lady picking up my box and bag. So in my head, I told myself, well, she may run off with it and so be it, I can't do anything about it now. Or she may just be bringing them closer to me, near the entrance.

At the same time, a young girl got out of a cab and ran up to the entrance, identified herself as someone who works at the residence and asked the gentleman how he was. By this time, we we're trying to get through the door. The other guy who was helping said he'd take the gentleman the rest of the way into the building. And it was over. Just as fast as it started.

While they're getting through the door, the lady who grabbed my stuff touched my shoulder and said that my stuff was on a bench just beside the entrance.

So I thanked her and walked to the car, got in and went home, dazed. I was okay on the ride home, numb and stunned I guess. A little nauseous too.

But this occurrence shook me up. My heart ached. It still does a little. I won't forget that guy for a while.

Up Series: two thumbs up

2011-01-11T18:17:00.003-05:00

I'm hooked on the Up Series, a documentary series that started in 1964. A bunch of seven-year-olds, from different socio-economic backgrounds, were filmed intereacting and answering questions. Every seven years, another film was produced.

It's amazing, surprising, interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Up%21

2010 reflected

2011-01-02T06:34:00.003-05:00

Another year gone by, some parts of it whizzed by, some parts of it I thought would never end.

But it's over.

I've been pondering what the ''best of the year' was for me - an event, a person, a decision, a product, a sandwich, what? Once I started really thinking about it, I came up with a few things.

The trip I took with my grand-maman, hubby and mom. It was so special to me.

Watching a baby develop. I have never been around kids, let alone babies. I never had siblings, cousins or friends with babies. So I've been watching the first of my close-knit group of friends raise her little girl. Seeing her learn, copy, talk, walk, understand, question, observe, communicate is absolutely amazing. This little baby represents a lot of things for me. The baby I'll never have, the mother I'll never be, the best 'unofficial' aunt that I can be and the new life that I might have a tiny role in molding. I love this kid.

Watching my grand-maman keep settling into her seniors' apartment after downsizing in 2009. Hearing about the dynamics, feelings, fun times and life that this place has breathed into her. She is fortunate that she is where she is. At 80-something, she is still growing as a person, enjoying new experiences and living life to the fullest.

Continuing to work on myself as a person, to make me the best me that I can be. It's a hard road, a long one, that I wish more people would invest in making for themselves. I continue to learn about why I think how I think, what could be going on in the minds of the people I interact with, why I react how I do and how to improve my reactions. Two of the key things that I really worked on this year is the idea that I can't fix everything and boundaries. I do however find it challenging that I am evolving and others around me are not.

One of the things I tried to do this year was 'give back' much more than I have been. I am almost always willing to donate money, but I wanted to do more. I wanted to donate time. I joined the Findlay Creek Community Association. We met to plan and organize a Christmas Breakfast and then we pulled it off. I accepted to canvas for the Heart and Stroke Association in February 2011. I wanted to give blood, but I couldn't because of my recent tattoo, but I am committed to giving blood before my next tat. I plan to give more of my time in 2011.

On the work front, things have settled down, thankfully. Since 2008, our team had no steady permanent manager - it was rough. In 2010, we got a new permanent manager who knows her stuff. Also this past year a new co-worker replaced one I loved dearly. Thankfully, I am pretty fond of the new one too. With this new leadership, our new team really blossomed this year and made me love my job again.

Taking the time to consciously show my appreciation and love.

If those were the highlights of the year, I thought I might acknowledge the 'low-lights' as many feelings, events and emotions were attached to them.

Although working on myself is wonderful for personal growth, it has a down side. I know how I'm feeling. And these feelings can't be helped.

The biggest thing this year that was unpleasant was the feeling of helplessness. I felt it basically everyday for many reasons. A BFF's infertility challenges that I identify with first hand having lived through it too. A BFF going having a hard time in her marriage. A grand-maman far away. A mom that's aging and noticing the changes. And hoping that she could work on her self-esteem, really figure out who she is, find the love of her life, retire and enjoy life. Wanting things for the hubby that he doesn't feel he wants. Before the new manager, not knowing what was around the corner. My furbaby slowly degenerating and having health complications. Not figuring out why I'm an emotional eater - what triggers it.

I had health issues this year. The first half of the year was pretty bad filled with medical tests, anxiety, appointments, pain, stress.

Finding out that our department is moving downtown was not happy news for me. It means paying to park and working... downtown.

Gaining back some of the weight I lost in 2009.

Figuring out that the hubby and I really want a bungalow but can't afford what we really want. And will likely never be able to with our salaries.

2010 was a mish-mash of good and not so good. I'm glad it's over and I'm glad 2011 gives the opportunity to start fresh.

An unknown gift

2010-12-27T06:30:00.002-05:00

Christmas is a good time of year, a stressful time of year and a blur.

There is so much prep - the shopping, baking, cookie, cleaning, wrapping, driving, standing in line - and in a day it's over.

But I'm not complaining. I love Christmas and I love it for my own reasons. It's not a religious thing for me or spending time with loved ones. It's about giving. Giving to those who need it and those I love. Giving of myself.

But I got something this year that was a gift and no one knows about it but me, even the giver.

My mom-in-law told me that she and the dad-in-law have a hard time shopping for me because I don't give them (or the hubby, the intermediary) any ideas of what I want. She said it's hard for them to shop a lot and find stuff for me because of their age and stamina. I never thought about it from this perspective. And for the record, whatever they give me is usually good, appropriate stuff.

Essentially I don't 'make a list' because I don't want anything. If I need something, I buy it, if I want something, I buy it. But, I have always resented that they want a list. I have never made a list my whole life. I wasn't raised that way and really, to me, lists are cheating. My philosophy is that if you don't know me enough to know what I would like, just by knowing me and talking to me, then really...

But, this year, she said what she said and I got all warm inside. It did change my mind about making a list for them and it helped me understand them better.

Zzzz.... where have you gone?

2010-12-22T03:28:00.002-05:00

3:27 a.m.

It's the middle of the night. I'm typing this. Really, why am I up? I lay there for so long and toss and turn, eyes closed, but not falling back asleep. Falling asleep is never a problem, staying asleep, absolutely a BIG issue.

Do I wake up because I have things trotting around in my head? Can I not get back to sleep because of this?

I can't sleep when I'm cold... so I make sure to be well insulated in bed and very warm. So that's not the reason.

The dog's on the bed, but not in the way, so that's not the reason.

The hubby's not snoring too loudly, so that's not the reason.

My jaw's been hurting more, am I clenching or grinding more? Still waiting for results from my sleep test.

3:37 a.m.

Now that I've vented, let's give it another shot!

Strangers crossing paths

2010-12-19T15:31:00.002-05:00

A stranger can have such a huge effect on me and I don't know why.

Paul Brown died last week. Now I know his name.

Source: The Ottawa Citizen

I used to see him in the morning as I made my way into the building in which I work.

When I would see him, I would offer to push him in his wheelchair up the ramp to the door. He would accept and we would chat along the way. His smile would make me smile and our encounters would brighten my day. I admired him. I think life had been a challenge for Paul. He seemed to have strength and determination about him.

When I found out about his passing, it upset me quite a bit. It not like we had a connection, or a friendship, or anything for that matter - just two human beings crossing paths, literally. But still. These encounters influenced who I am and I appreciate and thank Paul for that.

May Mr. Paul Brown rest in peace.

The most touching thing since ' I do '

2010-12-14T21:28:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, the hubby and I saw a sandwich board with this lottery message. I 'tsk'ed and said to him 'We only need one'.

Then he turned to me and says, 'Ya but, the more we have, the more we can give away'.

Essentially, we meant the same thing but said it differently. What he said reminded me of one of the reasons I love him. I appreciate that he is charitable and it means the world to me.

Bloggers here, bloggers there, bloggers everywhere

2010-12-06T19:46:00.002-05:00

I met three bloggers this weekend and had the opportunity to also see two of my favorites.

I'm always amazed that the bloggers I meet are nice, normal, warm, interesting, good people. It's almost like I think people blog as their alter ego or something, that they couldn't be as wonderful in person as they seem to be virtually. I don't know why I'm so surprised, but I always am. I am me, blogger, friend, wife, daughter. So I don't know why I figure other people don't carry over their personalities of their real-life to virtual selves.

I stopped by Edgar for a bite to FINALLY try Marysol's date and bacon brioche! I also introduced myself to Lynn who was giving Marysol a hand in the shop. As I was waiting for my order, Kaitlin (aka Lady who brunches on Ottawa Foodies) recognized me and she introduced herself. Then I met up with my BFF Anne whose footsteps I followed into the world of blogging. We went off to meet Lori and give her back some kindness in cookie form.

All beautiful wonderful ladies. Thank you for being you, in person and online.

A polysomnogram and me

2010-12-04T22:11:00.005-05:00

I don't sleep well. I never really have as long as I can remember. I envy those people that lay their head on their pillow, close their eyes and have a restful consecutive 7-8 hour night of sleep. I only dream of this.

A referral by my doctor to a sleep clinic brought me to the West Ottawa Sleep Center. I was going to take part in a sleep study, or a polysomnogram if you will, that would electronically transmit and record specific physical activities while I slept.

My boudoir for the evening: an 8x10 room in the basement of the Carling Broadview Medical Centre. The facility serves 6 patients per night. There are no showers in this facility and only one bathroom for everyone.

After being buzzed in, I checked in with the clinic's front desk. I was given a 5-page questionnaire about my sleeping habits, meds and other personal info. I was then led to the scale to log my height, weight and neck circumference. Then I was led to my room, #6.

A bunch of electrodes waiting for me on the bed.

The technician asked me to prepare for bed while she prepped another patient which she told me would take 20 minutes. I had showered and brushed my teeth before coming and worn my pyjamas to the clinic. All I had to do was pop in my mouth guard and remove my bra. This took two minutes and then I sat there checking out my digs and snapping pics.

When the technician returned, she started by measuring my head. Then she exfoliated/sanded skin spots on my face, scalp and legs in order to remove dead skin to permit the electrodes to stick better. She placed paste to glue the electrodes to the skin. Some electrodes got taped too.

Next the nose thing. It was the same type of tube that can deliver oxygen (one thing in each nostril, the tube over the ears) but this one was used to measure breathing. The tech placed two belts around my chest to measure my breathing and the work my diaphragm does. The tech helped me get into bed and then place a sensor on my left index finger to measure my pulse and oxygen.

Sexy, in all my glory.

Closer... Sexier...

After being hooked up, the tech tested the sensors via intercom - she had me blink, speak, cough, and move body parts. Then it was nighty night.

This was one of the weirdest experiences I've had. Going there, to an empty building and empty parking lot after hours, at 10 p.m., weird. Sleeping away from home, weird. Trying to sleep, turn over, get comfortable attached to all these gadgets, weird. Knowing you're being watched, weird. The paste residue in my hair, weird and gross. I can't say I got a good night's sleep. I tossed the same amount or more than usual. I was awake multiple times and was woken up rather abruptly.

The bed was actually comfortable. The staff, fairly professional and informative. All in all, a good experience for what it was, but still weird.

Minty kisses

2010-11-30T20:44:00.001-05:00

A spanking new tube of lip gloss: $7.50

Kisses from my favorite 8-year-old puppy: Free

Minty kisses from my favorite 8-year-old puppy: Priceless

Grrrr....

Squeaky cheese

2010-10-17T15:54:00.002-04:00

You may or may know what squeaky cheese is, but for your sake, I hope you do.

It's the result of just produced cheese curds, not usually the ones in the grocery store. The cheese hasn't been refrigerated yet, is usually still damp, sometimes warm. It literally squeaks as you chew.

There's something about squeaky cheese that is so comforting. I hope everyone has the opportunity to try it.

Giving thanks

2010-10-05T19:28:00.002-04:00

I think it's funny to celebrate giving thanks. Thanks for the harvest, thanks for the food, thanks for anything and everybody.

But I guess for some people, they need to be reminded to do this, and I find that sad. That goes for all holidays alike.

People are so caught up in their own web of life, work and play that they take for granted the bones of our existence. And, sure, it's easy to get caught up in 'stuff' but it's not what really matters.

I try to show my appreciation and love every day for the people around me, through words or actions. It's a conscious effort, but I try very hard. To family and friends: I love you and I'm happy for what you bring into my life. To the farmers whose bounty I celebrate each time I take a bite, thank you. Long live fresh local food!

Watching the peeps

2010-08-28T07:19:00.002-04:00

I went to a restaurant yesterday that was located in a prime people-watching spot. The hubby and I both kept looking out the window at the comings and goings of Ottawa residents, tourists, worker bees and construction.

Then we realized we weren't even talking to each other, just sitting there, taking it all in, and got a chuckle out of that!

I could watch people all day. Really, I could.

People are so interesting. Their attire, walk, voices, expressions - all so differently expressed. I try not to judge, just understand, and sometimes I learn a little about me at the same time.

Polyp be gone, polyp benign

2010-08-25T18:12:00.002-04:00

It's strange to be elated and floored at the same time.

I met with the bowel doc yesterday to get the results from the testing that was done on the two polyps he removed in May.

He tells me they were fine, there was no cancer. OMG OMG OMG. Deep breath. Smile.

Then he asks me my age.

Thirty-four, I say.

Impressive, he says.

WTF? Impressive?

Then he tells me that the big 2-centimeter one would have been cancerous by age 40. Deep breath. No smile.

I push aside the lump that had instantly lodged itself in my throat to whisper, are you serious? (In retrospect, as if he would crack a joke like that!)

He says yes. I tell him I'm going to cry. I can't believe it. He pats me on the back and tells me I'm ok and that he'll see me in three years.

Happy tears, sad tears, awe tears, shock tears.

Why, thank you

2010-08-20T20:55:00.002-04:00

Some kid held the door open for my friend and I today as we were walking out of a bank.

And he smiled and wished us a good evening.

This kid was about 14 or 15, and was with his mom, for whom he had also held the door.

This experience reminded me that chivalry is not dead and teenagers are not all the same.

Imagine

2010-08-17T20:49:00.005-04:00

Just caught an episode of Glee, most likely a repeat. The Glee kids did Hair/Crazy in Love for a group of kids from another school. Those kids in turn did John Lennon's Imagine. The thing is, they were deaf/hearing impaired. Amazing. Beautiful.

Cracking foundation

2010-08-06T18:02:00.003-04:00

You know when you feel your foundation is shaking and things are crumbling around you... that's how I'm feeling.

One scary thing, turns into another, then another... when I mean scary, I don't mean boogeyman-scary, I mean stuff making me anxious and sad and helpless.

There's nothing I can do about any of it except get through it.

In a nutshell, upcoming follow-up medical appointment. My co-worker is leaving the office. The one I've come to realize has been a father-figure to me. Sad because I've known him only 6 years and that a co-worker is the closest thing I've had to a father-figure in my adult life. Losing a 'father' again. Sad. Shadow has a lump, unlike the others, vet appointment tomorrow. Just found out gramma went to the hospital again. She's ok, but alone. Father-in-law has an eye issue and couldn't come to help at brother-in-law's. This affected me more than I thought.

It's hard to realize your loved ones aren't indestructible. Life is hard sometimes.

One day at a time, Eva, one day at a time.

Shivers

2010-08-04T20:58:00.003-04:00

I don't like thunder and lightning, I never have.

It thunderstormed here today, and yesterday, with a fierceness that I've only seen a handful of times over the years. It made for very angry skies, angry wind.

And scared puppy. She came to curl up beside me and was shivering. She rarely seeks me out to cuddle so I wasn't complaining. I just wanted to comfort her and make everything ok for her again.

I petted her and spoke to her, trying to calm her down. Soon the shaking and panting subsided. It helped when daddy came to canoodle too. I think he has the magic touch. She is daddy's little girl after all...

What the hell is going on?!

2010-06-23T18:44:00.002-04:00

1:40 p.m. Eva is sitting at her desk in her work cubicle
All is quiet, just plugging away at the computer

1:41 p.m. Eva gets the shit scared out of her
Rumbling and tremors that are increasing

1:42 p.m. Eva is walking fast onto the lawn of her building
Wanting to run, knowing I'm supposed to, wondering the future, fighting back tears

1:43 p.m. Eva overhears people saying 'earthquake'
Almost disbelieving - Could it be?

Ottawa apparently gets 150 earthquakes a year. This is the first one a I really felt. It was apparently 18-19 km deep and was felt from Windsor, ON to the Maritimes.

Ottawa is located on a fault-line-type-area called the western Quebec seismic zone. It's a zone about 50 km across from Montreal from Temiskaming.

So apparently, this earthquake happened because the Earth was simply relieving some stress... too bad it caused alot of it to everyone else.

I have never been so scared.

Southern comfort, except for the heat

2010-06-12T07:00:00.002-04:00

I went down South, along with the hubby, the mom and the gramma. It was basically a two-part vacation. The hubby, the mom and I drove to Welland, ON to pick up the gramma. Then we drove to Toronto and flew from Toronto to Orlando. We took a shuttle to Port Canaveral then took a 3-day cruise. We rented a car and returned to Orlando. we spent a few days touristing and flew back to Toronto. Phew, I need a vacation :)

This took a whole whack of planning and was so worth it. This trip was full of firsts for everyone travelling. My motto for the trip was 'Making memories'.

Let me rewind. Gramma got her first passport last Fall at 87 years of age. There were a few challenges to actually acquiring her passport, but in the end - success! See, she had decided she wanted to go on a trip with us - she was on a mission. We had plannned to go in February. But of course, shit happens. She had medical issues and so did I, so the trip kept getting postponed. Once we both felt ok to travel, we booked and were gone within two weeks. We couldn't risk waiting because... well, shit happens.

There were alot of firsts on this trip, mainly for the gramma: a facial, a massage, a cruise, a stay at a fancy hotel, shooting a gun, the Bahamas, lobster, going in a pool, a Cirque du Soleil show, a Pina Colada. I enjoyed living these things through her, watching her take it all in. Many of these activities I take for granted and it's good for me to stop and realize how lucky I am.

Some of these things were firsts for the rest of us too and some of us had other firsts and they were all awesome. We all enjoyed ourselves, got along well and had many new experiences.

The cruise itself was good. None of us were seasick but some of us did continue to 'rock' for about 3-4 days after we got off the boat - weird. I think I was expecting more activities and animation on the cruise and there wasn't much. There was a 'show' every night. Two out of the three were good - the other not so much. Some of the regular activities that took place during the day/night included: karaoke, a casino, a coffee bar, a towel-folding workshop, a comedy hour, a hairy-chest contest, a spa, a fitness centre, bingo, a scavenger hunt for the kids, a piano bar and a 'nightclub'. There was one pool, which was about 20 feet by 50 feet and 4.9 feet deep) and three tiny jacuzzis for the 2600 guests. Although there were a few 'night-club-type' areas, there was very little nightlife. There was a running track on the top of the ship - that was pretty cool. The surface was similar to cork - very nice to run on and what a view! We had an assigned dinner time and table and the same waiter at one of the two restaurants. We ate all our other meals and snacks at other eating areas, not where dinner was served. We had breakfast at the breakfast buffet, pizza from the 24-hour pizza place and lunch usually at the lunch buffet or the Mongolian grill. The food was ok - there were some hits and misses. Check out my Cruisin' food blog post for details. We also had lattés from the coffee bar every day. They were delicious! I visited the spa three times (don't judge me - I'm on vacation!). I did my first yoga class. I had wanted to try yoga forever. OMG - I felt it for three days. But I liked it.

Unfortunately it was so hot in the Bahamas that we were only off the boat for about 2 hours. And it was Labour Day there so everything was closed. The port was rather ghetto and not like anything the hubby had seen at the other cruise ports he had been to. And we were pushing the gramma in the wheelchair which was challenging because the roads and sidewalks weren't wheelchair-friendly. It's very eye-opening to get around with someone in a wheelchair.

We dipped our feet in the ocean after we got off the boat. After we got our rented vehicle, we jetted over to Cocoa Beach which was about 10 minutes away. We couldn't come all the way to the ocean, float on it for days and not touch it!

After the ocean toe-dip, we headed to Orlando and checked in to Paradise. Seriously - it was paradise. We got an early check-in at 10:30, checked out our room then had lunch at the hotel. I had my first fish taco. (I liked it so much I had another one on our last day.) Then, we went shopping. We checked out the Florida Mall, Millenia Mall and Premium Outlets. We had dinner at Olive Garden and I got some dressing to take home - I love it! We went back to the hotel and did some 'night' swimming. We got up and headed out to start our day! I did Manic Monday so you can check out the pics of that day! The next day we took it easy - the vacation was already coming to an end. We had breakfast at IHOP and headed over to Oak Ridge Gun Range. Then we found Orlando Brewing but it was closed. We did also find the non-touristy part of Orlando. We asked a drunk guy for directions (for the record he told us he was drunk) then he asked us for money. $1 later we were off. We went back to the hotel to chill. We wanted to play in the pool and work on our tan. We wrapped up our day by finding a place to eat and a Starbucks!

Here are some highlights of the trip.

The ship: Carnival Sensation 3-day cruise to Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas

After the cruise we rented a car (got upgraded to an SUV) and headed out to Cocoa Beach before going to Orlando.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Cypress Orlando (Paradise)

We discovered interesting food: grits, smoked alligator, conch and Mofongo

The four of us shot a .9 mm gun

We went to see La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil

Manic Monday

2010-06-10T19:18:00.010-04:00

Just got back from my vacation and to my internet access.
Welcome to my Manic Monday, only a few days late.

Thanks to Sarah for hosting Manic Monday!

I woke up and looked out the window at Paradise.

The hubby and I picked up the mom and the gramma at the door with the rented vehicle.

We headed to Panera Bread for breakfast.

We went to a Super Target to do some shopping.

We checked out products from all over the world at World Market.

I did a little shopping at Lane Bryant. I got new underwear and a dress.

We had lunch at UNO Chicago Grill. I had Lobster Sliders.

We went back to the hotel, checked out the grounds and played in the water.

We saw a lizard.

We had Mofongo at Martin's BBQ.

We had dinner at Sonny's BBQ. We had pulled chicken, pulled pork, ribs, brisket, coleslaw, green beans and mashed potatoes.

We enjoyed the fireworks at Disney from our hotel room.

I'll pay for the car behind me

2010-05-30T07:36:00.003-04:00

At dinner, our guest gets a jonesin' for a Mickey D's new Mint Aero McFlurry.

For dessert, we jump in the car and head over.

We proceed to drive thru.

We order 3 McFlurries.

We get to the window to pay only to be told the vehicle ahead of us paid our bill.

Who the heck was in that van?

Thank you, whoever you were.

I will pay this random act of kindness forward.

(BTW, that McFlurry was AWESOME!)

Are we there yet?

2010-05-29T15:29:00.005-04:00

Holy smokes!

Going on a trip is exhausting! The planning, the research, the shopping, the grooming, the talking, the calling, the dealings with the travel agent, the deciding. And The Itinerary.

Here's a snapshot. It's the only way to keep it all the info clear and understandable - where we need to show up and when and any info we need to bring with us. It's basically our travel bible. So far it's only 4 pages. but I'm not close to done yet!

I hope we have a blast! I need a vacation after all this work!

I'm getting excited!

Stick it where the sun don't shine

2010-05-27T13:03:00.005-04:00

I did. Twice.

Well, not me per se. But it was done to me. It's a very weird feeling, and actually pretty painful. The worst part is the air they blast into you. Holy mother of pearl.

If you get queasy about bodily functions and medical tests, stop reading now.

I'm talking about a barium enema and a colonoscopy. To some, these might be taboo issues, but not to me. C'est la vie, you know. I'm sharing my story so that maybe it will help someone out there get through it too.

I've had pain on my right side for a while, in the lower right quadrant, if you want to get technical. It's been confirmed it's not the appendix, nor is it an ovarian cyst. So, I got a barium enema to see what was going on in there. The pain had creeped up my right side in the meantime sort of like where the ascending colon would be.I was sent for a BE because it takes so long to get a colonoscopy (up to a year's wait I was told) and because it's less invasive than a colonoscopy. I got the BE in mid-April.

In a nutshell, I 'prepped' the day before (meaning I drank 3 litres of Electrolyte liquid stuff, in a short timeframe, a cup every 10 minutes, and crapped until there was nothing to crap out). No big deal really. It took about 3 hours to drink and crap. Then I went to the hospital and got nekked and into double robes, one that opens forward and one that opens backward, and booties. I got on the freaky table thing with one nurse helping me. She asked me a few questions. Then a student nurse showed up. They stuck a thing with a suction cup (like a cork or bottle stopper) in my rectum attached to a tube to it. The doctor came in and instructed me to turn from my left side, to my right, onto my belly and onto my back as they put air and barium in there. The table moved around too and even tilted all the way to the standing position. The point was to coat the large intestine with barium, get the barium out then take pictures of the colon. If you take a picture of the colon, you don't see well because it is transparent, so they coat it to take good pictures. The test took about 20 minutes.

The BE turned up a polyp on the opposite side where I had the pain. Hmph. Again, nothing with the appendix and nothing odd on my right side. The doc chalked it up to Fibromyalgia.

In mid-late-April, I was referred for a colonoscopy to remove the polyp. I was told it could take 6 months to a year even thought the doc has stressed that I had a confirmed polyp on the requisition sheet. Ok, so go on with my life and wait. Luckily I am almost pain-free now on my right side, since about a month or two ago. I do wonder if it was related to stress. Or in a mysterious way, if my body was sending a signal that there was something wrong that needed investigation by giving me that pain, for no other reason than to alert the world that there was a polyp in there. Who knows.

Anyway, last week I got a call to go for the colonoscopy. Again I had to prep the day before but this one was different. Some powder stuff and tiny little pills at three times. And 1.5 cups of liquid every hour. Not really a big deal. I just missed eating... Remember, I'm a foodie! And of course, when you can't have any, you want everything more!

So I went to the hospital. I got changed into pyjama bottoms, again the two robes. Oh, and booties. Then I went to the waiting room. Then I met with a nurse to go through medication, allergies, what brought me here. She stuck a needle in me that would be used to inject me with the sedative. She tried in my hand, it didn't work. She got it ok it in the crease of my elbow. Back to the waiting room. Then I was called in to the exam room. I took off the pyjama bottoms and laid on a bed. I asked if I could have a copy of the exam since what is captured on the camera shows up on the screen that was three feet from my face. She said it wasn't a video. The doctor came in and asked me a few questions. What brought me here, etc. The nurse injected the sedative and I swear it started working within 15 seconds. I was soon in a semi-conscious state. They put a tube with a camera into my rectum. It's about 3/4 inch in diameter. It's no big deal really. I wish I could have watched the screen but I was not thinking of that. I was just trying to get through this. It was rather quite painful when they put the air into the bowel. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and this part hurt. They put the air in to get a good view of the colon. Because it's an expandable tunnel, the air opens it up to see all the parts better. The test took about 20 minutes. The verdict was that he removed two polyps, one bigger and one smaller, and the occasional rectal bleeding is only hemorrhoids. The polyps have been sent for analysis and so now I wait a month for the results and to see what the next step is.

Ain't life grand?

Manic Monday

2010-05-24T19:32:00.006-04:00

A shout out to Sarah for hosting Manic Monday!

Running equipment: shoes, leash, halti and poop bags

Breakie for the hubby

Scalp massager I just bought yesterday.

Can't wait to eat the fruits of the hubby's labour

Throwback dessert

Shadow is obsessed with foam

Very exciting: clean dishes

Finished the book I was reading

Please, pretty please

2010-05-22T15:49:00.003-04:00

Please mommy, can I have a cookie?

Pretty please?

Moooooommmy! Please!

I picked up this bag of Peanut Butter Oven Baked Gourmet Dog Treats made by Want A Cookie Co., a CANADIAN company. The cookies are wheat-free, corn-free and sugar-free cookie and Shadow loves them! A little too much I think!

Funny plate

2010-05-20T18:45:00.003-04:00

I saw this while I was on the road one day and it cracked me up, especially since it was a middle-aged couple in the vehicle.

Manic Monday

2010-05-17T18:52:00.004-04:00

A shout out to Sarah for hosting Manic Monday!

A morning run at 5:30 a.m. with Shadow

I own an 'outfit' thanks to a shopping trip to Watertown, NY on Saturday

Another purchase made in Watertown. Everyone's talking about this yogurt and I wanted to know why!

An hour and a half spent with a travel agent planning an upcoming trip

His and hers lattés

Is that any way to run a business?

2010-05-14T12:11:00.003-04:00

I got so angry yesterday. Angrier than I’ve been in a long time.

Let me rewind… Last Saturday, I visited a store to buy new rims for the car. Done deal in 20 minutes. Rims chosen, paid for, installation booked for Thursday, yesterday, and my phone number at work give in case there was a problem. I would drop off the car at 7:15 a.m., before they opened, and would leave the car key in the key slot. I was guaranteed it would be ready for 3 p.m. I carpool so time is of the essence.

This was the third time we had done business with this place. The first time had been smooth, sales and service. The second time, the sale had been smooth but we had been mislead for the installation. We were told it would take 15 minutes but it had taken 4 hours.

Fast forward to Thursday. Car dropped off, check. Key put in slot, check. Car picked up at 3:15 p.m., no check. Denied. Not even started. WTF!

I stopped in to finalize the transaction (go in, get my key back, examine the rims) before picking up the carpool. I would return after picking her up to get my car. The person works a minute from the car place at the car pool finishes at 3:30 p.m. so I had a few minutes to kill.

I pulled into the parking lot and notice that the car was suspiciously in the same spot and position that I left it in about 8 hours ago. Hm…

So, I go in and tell the guy at the counter that I’m here to pick up my car. Was it in for detailing? No, rims. What kind of car? Audi. Ok, give me a second. He scurries through a door and is gone for about 5 minutes. Something smells fishy...

He comes back and tells me that the car isn’t ready, and actually hasn’t been started yet. Are you kidding me? No, I would not kid about that. It will be ready in an hour and a half. I don’t think so, I’m not waiting, I can't. I carpool and actually, I need to go get my carpool right now. The carpool has an apppointment tonight. This is the second time I get screwed with the installation. I don’t live close, about 40 minutes away, and this was the only we could come in. Where do you live? Findlay Creek. Oh, that’s only 10 minutes away, it’s not far. (Note to anyone in customer service – don’t argue with the customer about stuff like this. Just don’t. It doesn’t hep the situation.) Well that depends what time you travel. Ya, it does. If you can have the car ready in 30 minutes - do it. If not... Ok, I’ll check. Dude scurries off through the door again. In the meantime, the guy who I think sold me the rims on Saturday pops up at the counter. I ask him if indeed it was him, he says yes. I tell him I’m not happy. He’s not too sympathetic, but checks the schedule on the computer and I’m certainly booked, for pickup at 3 p.m. Sorry, schedules are supposed to make things smooth and orderly. That’s what I thought too. Dude comes back. Ok, we can do it. I’m really sorry, there was a miscommunication. Ya, see you in 30 minutes.

Fast forward. Pick up carpool. Head to Costco to waste time/help the economy. Return to car place 35 minutes after I had left.

Hurray, car is in different spot and has its new rims.

In the shop I go to finalize the transaction. It’s another dude this time at the counter. He hands me my key. Do I have a copy of the invoice? Yes. Ok, thank you and have a nice day. I don’t think so, I’m not happy, I want to see the manager. Oh, ok, I’ll get him. Dude from 30 minutes ago (Dude #1) comes through the magic door and dude #2 tells him that I want to see the manager. Dude #1 says that he just wants me to be happy. What will make me happy? I tell him that I want them to respect my time and I want good customer service. That will make me happy. Dude #1 doesn’t seem to know what to do with me so he scurries back through the door to get the manager. About 5 minutes goes by. I tell Dude #2 that I am going to check the rims and I’ll be right outside the door where they had parked the car. After being outside at least 3-4 minutes, I come back in. (As a side note, rims have grease residue on them but I didn’t make a case about this) Dude #1 tells me the manager isn’t coming out and asks what it will take to make me happy. I tell him next time I’m in, if I ever decide to come back, I want you to respect my time but if you feel you want to compensate me somehow, I will appreciate it. (The bottom line is I really don’t know what to ‘ask’ for.) I just want to get good service. Dude #1 scurries through the door again and comes back a minute later. I get handed a gift certificate for detailing. I'm really sorry about this. I thank him and leave.

WTF? Who runs a business like that? Why are they even bothering making a schedule? What is behind that door? Is there even a manager? He won’t come out to deal with an angry customer? I’m not even going to question if it’s because I’m a chick.

How inconsiderate. Gah.

Happy day - The market opened on Sunday!

2010-05-12T12:51:00.009-04:00

Bright and early on Sunday, May 9, with flakes of snow falling from the sky, I made my way to the Ottawa Farmers' Market. The season had begun.

It was a short visit. It was cold. I was expecting people for brunch a few hours later. The harvest is not in full force and so the produce was limited. But there was still lots of stuff to check out.

The market is held in the parking lot of Lansdowne Park in the middle of Ottawa.

On this visit, I picked up some cucumbers, bread, asparagus, rhubarb, cheese, scones. Oh yes, and some maple butter and hot sauce for a contest I'm having.

I was in such a great mood after I got home from the market. I felt re-energized and re-connected. Things were right in the world again, well, at least my world.

I can't believe how much I've missed that place. Getting up early, excited about what wonderful goodies I would find that day. Trekking out as the city is just waking up - I always love that feeling. Pulling into the parking lot and seeing the people milling around, checking out the goods, bags bursting with food and other hand-prepared stuff. Grabbing my bags and starting down the row of vendors, not wanting to miss anything. Taking in the people's faces. Some friendly, some satisfied, some curious, some serious. Sharing smiles and pleasanteries with the folk and the vendors. Discovering new food, re-discovering old favorites. Stocking up on wholesome wonderful food to feed the hubby, and myself, for the coming week. To me it's sort of like picking out paint colors to use to make a work of art. Every element I choose will be transformed by my hands (or the hubby's) and I get absolutely excited about it.

I love the community feel of the market. I appreciate the hard work it takes to put it together, from beginning to end. I look forward to each Sunday to be able to enjoy it. I thank farmers for I have eaten today.

Manic Monday

2010-05-10T12:44:00.006-04:00

A shout out to Sarah for hosting Manic Monday!

Carpooling with the mother

There used to be a box in which to put clothing donations

View from the office window

Lunch: My first liverwurst sandwich, on croissant with mustard

A walk with Shadow, the neighbour lady and Purcell

Time to visit the mailbox since it's been a week since we did. So close yet so far.

Lasagnas for the hubby's lunch and two to freeze.

Muffins to use up the leftover buttermilk that I had bought for a recipe

One ringy-dingy, you've got mail

2010-05-08T20:13:00.003-04:00

I can't remember not having e-mail and I really can't get over how obessive I am about checking it. Telephone? What's that?

I really don't care to call people up and I don't know why I don't like it. I don't even like answering the phone really. I wonder if I would like talking to people on the phone if I didn't have e-mail. I might, I guess. I probably would never answer the phone if I didn't have call display. In our household, we only answer the callers we care to speak to. There are very few people I ENJOY speaking to on the phone.

I guess if I didn't know any different, I wouldn't mind the phone. But since information can be communicated by e-mail, I don't see a need to bother people with phone calls. Or be bothered by them either. In my book, e-mails are the way to go. You can read/write it at your leisure, communicate with lots of people at once and explain things visually if required. It's short and sweet. But then there's the tone (for example !!!), the CAP/no cap, the greeting or lack thereof, etc... Some people just don't get e-mail etiquette.

But I'll take bad e-mail etiquette over a phone call any day.

I'm not scared of needles

2010-05-06T16:44:00.001-04:00

Well, maybe a little.

But I love tattoos more than I dislike needles.

Last year, I evolved tremendously as a person. As I shrunk physically, I grew in leaps and bounds. But what does this have to do with tattoos?

Long story short:
I was completely at the end of my rope in my personal life and at work. These are the highlights. I had four managers, one after the other, and two of them were replaced because they went on stress leave. My grandmother had health problems, sold her house after 50 years of living there and moved into an apartment. My mother had health problems, was living with the hubby and I for half the year and moved into her condo. My best friend lost her grandmother, had a miscarriage and started the IVF process. My aunt/godmother was dying. Relations with friends and family had their regular ups and downs. My dog had two operations. I weighed 280 lbs. I felt like shit, I looked like shit. I was not happy. I ended up having an anxiety attack. I was put on blood pressure medication. I was on stress leave from work for 2 months.

My father passed away at the age of 37 when I was nine. I became my mother's plus one, so in reality, I carried things with me that I shouldn't have, self-imposed or not. My father had told me to take care of my mother. So I did.

Somehow, this snowballed.

Since I can remember, I've carried everyone else's 'stuff' with me. Until last year that is, when I started changing. I had an awakening of sorts.

I started seeing a counsellor. She saved me, I think, saved me from myself. I learned about boundaries. I learned why I am the way I am, what's mine and what's not.

I started running. And eating better. I was completely focused on me, mind, body and soul, for the first time ever. This tattoo is to commemorate the year my eyes were opened.

The eye is based on a painting by Magritte that was at MoMA in NYC in 1996. I took that trip with my then three best friends (I am still best friends with two of the three). The trip was dear to me and the slide of the painting that I brought back as a souvenir remains my favorite memento of that trip.

The butterflies symbolize my evolution but also represent my hubby, my mom, my dad, my grandma and my grandpa. The filigree is just pretty.

People get tats for all kinds of reasons. I get them because they are beautiful and they tell a story. My story. This tats was just a chapter, there will be more to follow!

I love my new tat. Love it, love it, love it. Thank you Sarah at Living Colour!

I really do love the whole world

2010-05-04T21:55:00.004-04:00

I am constantly amazed by the world.

I'm shocked by it, surprised, saddened and re-energized. Sometimes all at once.

The world is so vast and so different from one end to the other. There's something to be learned from all that goes on and all people, everywhere and anywhere. People are worth opening your heart and letting them in. Most of them anyway. I truly believe that.

I absolutely love this commercial. It takes me on a rollercoaster of emotions and gives me a glimpse of the world I know and others I can only imagine. Enjoy.

Manic Monday

2010-05-03T16:58:00.007-04:00

A shout out to Sarah for Manic Monday!

Shadow no likey the rain. To pee or not to pee, that is the question.

Shadow gets dinner leftovers for breakfast, doggy style.

Wow, what a sight to welcome me to work. I looked all day but no leprechauns, no gold. :(

Yes, it is loud, but it's better for Mother Nature. And on top of that, everyone knows when you're reaching in the bag to get some chips. Maybe it's a guilt tactic from weight loss companies.

Filming for something. I think Cuba Gooding Jr. is in town. Was it for his new film? I have no idea!

Dinner at Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro

Show me your pearly whites

2010-04-30T18:10:00.005-04:00

As I was leaving work today, I passed by a car pulling into a handicap parking spot. I looked up to see an elderly lady in the passenger's seat opening her car door to get out.

Our eyes met. She smiled at me and I smiled at her. I don't know who smiled first - it was just a brief moment that we shared and connected. I smiled all the way to my car and I was instantly in a great mood.

I can't remember what she looked like but I'll remember forever how she made me feel. I can only imagine she felt it too.

I absolutely love sharing a smile with a stranger. I try and do it often but it's not the easiest thing in the world. It takes two to tango, right? I find that alot of people lower their eyes, look away, avoid interaction. On purpose a lot of the time. Where have the days gone when courtesy, smiling and nods were things everyone did without thinking?

It's an incredible feeling to make such an impact in such a simple way and it's a domino effect I think. Sort of like paying forward the good vibes. Next time I cross paths with someone and they look my way, I'll show them my pearly whites. I can only hope to see some in return.

Stress test redness

2010-04-29T21:43:00.006-04:00

Say that ten times fast. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Stress test redness. Phew.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I went for a stress test. This means that I went to a hospital and made my way to the cardiac diagnostic centre. There I was taken into an exam room where I removed my bra and top and put on a gown like a jacket, opened in the front. I had been told to wear comfortable clothes - not that I would be taking it off. I hadn't mentally prepared for this. Oh well.

I laid on a bed. The technician asked me a few questions about family history, symptoms, smoking, medication and took my blood pressure. I told him I was nervous and asked him if this would show on the test. He said no. And also that I shouldn't be nervous. They do this test 10,000 times a year and less that one person per year has issues in the middle of it, the rest are all done without a problem. Besides if something were to happen, I was in the best place for it to happen! This was true. I still thought it was sweet for him to say that today I wasn't going to be that one person.

He then proceeded to scrape my skin with sandpaper before sticking electrodes to my chest on the spots he had just skinned. This felt great! Six or seven I think, but I lost count. This part was the most uncomfortable.

This morning, I still had evidence of the test.

After the technician had set me up with the electrodes. He put this belt of sorts around my waist.

Then I made my way to the treadmill. The tech explained that I was in control. When I needed to stop, I should stop. I shouldn't push it. Ya right. I wanted to make it all the way. It's a test - I wanted to pass with flying colours.

The electrodes that were connected to my chest were connected to a stress test machine and the machine was connected to a programmed treadmill.

He would start the test/treadmill. After 3 minutes, the speed and incline would change - it would go faster with more incline. This would happen every 3 minutes. I could start by holding the bars but when I felt comfortable, I should let them go.

I made it through 6 minutes of walking fast. He took my blood pressure a few times while I walked. When the speed/incline increased again, I almost rolled off the treadmill. The test was over.

I laid on the bed after to catch my breath. The tech took my blood pressure again. I'm guess he was also monitoring how long it took me to catch my breath.

Then he removed all the electrodes and I was on my way.

So now I wait to find out if I have heart disease. I hate to write that. I hate that I could actually have this disease that took my father's life at 37 years of age. That's only 3 years from now for me. We wait and see.

Sister, sweet sister

2010-04-28T18:34:00.003-04:00

I don't really think about having a sister or not having a sister usually. It just rarely crosses my mind.

I can't really remember if I wanted a sibling when I was a kid. Most days, I don't really know that I'd want one as an adult. But sometimes, when I least expect it, I get a glimpse of what it could be like.

Like today. I stopped in to get a pedi after going for a stress test. I've been putting off getting a pedi because I'm having a hard time making appointment commitments these days so I'm not planning as much ahead of time. Driving home, I popped into my pedi place to see if they'd take me as a walk in. I deserved one. And my toes desperately needed one.

So as I sat in one of the pedi chairs, I relaxed and listened to the chatter around me which was basically two sisters getting a pedi 4 feet away from me. I exchanged a few pleasantries with them but I wasn't really in the talking mood and besides, they had a lot to talk about.

They were getting ready for a vist from sister #3 the next day. She was ill and finally felt good enough to travel. As they were talking about who's car they would take here, what time so-and-so expected them and where they were going for brunch on Saturday, I wanted desperately to be one of them. I wanted the bond, the excitement, the happiness, wanted the sincere unconditional friendship, the support, the history, the stories. They were so laid back, I wanted to be laid back too. They took a call from the sister that was coming and I could hear them say they were going to take it easy, go here and there for short whiles and that they had all the time in the world to enjoy being together.

I know not all sisters have the same great relationship but I'd like to think that if I had a sister, mine would have been like theirs. Honest, light, fun, special, trusting, loving.

So I guess today is one of the few days that I think I would have liked having a sister. I'm lucky to have a few friends that are almost like sisters. It's not the same, but I cherish it nonetheless.

Sandals and snow

2010-04-27T17:38:00.003-04:00

It's April 27. It snowed today. I live in Ottawa, Canada, so I can't really say that this is abnormal. What is abnormal is that we haven't had a snowfall with accumulation since February 24. And it was 20 degrees celsius yesterday. Go figure. I woke up to one-two centimetres of snow on the ground. Luckily it melted, but it snowed lightly all day.

Our winter usually lasts from December - March. If Mother Nature is upset with us, it can start in November and end in April.

This year has been really unusual. Blame it on El Nino, blame it on global warming - whatever the reason, it's a little unnerving, even though I don't care for snow that much.

I am Canadian, I am proud of that and I look forward to snow each year. Then I look forward to it melting right after New Year's Day.

I snapped this shot on my way to work. There is an annual tulip festival in Ottawa. Hopefully the snow won't have screwed with them to much. The tulips have been out for a while because it's been unseasonally warm. They are all over the city in April/May and people come from all over to see them.

And yes, I still wore my sandals today dammit.

Manic Monday

2010-04-26T18:57:00.007-04:00

This is my first Manic Monday. I keep singing that song in my head, lol. Does this happen to anyone else?

Thank you Sarah, for inviting me to take part!

Feeding and watering the dog

Making lunches

Making breakfast for the hubby

Appointment at the chiropractor

Work

At the park for a run

Dinner: Brown rice noodles, flank, celery, mushrooms, garlic, soya sauces, teriyaki sauce, black bean sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, teriyaki seasoning

Dogsitting

2010-04-24T17:08:00.011-04:00

The hubby and I got the opportunity to dogsit Riley, a labradoodle, for a few days this weekend. Three nights and three days to be exact. Riley is Anne's, and her hubby's, furbaby.

We were excited to do this because

we love dogs, especially Riley
we really would like another dog so testing out two at a time is good to do
Anne and her hubby have dogsat for Shadow a few times
it would be fun!

So, the first night was... long... and sleepless. It was Riley's first night away from home away from Mommy and Daddy. But after that it was great, days and nights.

Here are a few of the highlights.

Checking out the pedestrians and cars. For the most part, this was a quiet activity. Until there was a dog within view. Then all hell broke loose. Monkey see, monkey do. Shadow usually barks at anything moving, but I don't think Riley did before this. Hopefully, this bad habit won't stick!

Having fun at the park getting some willies out. Unfortunately the fun was cut short when Riley got into some burrs. He ran, ran, ran and loved it!

Going for a car ride. Shadow and Riley were in the back hatch of a Subaru Outback along with an English Bulldog. Good times!

Playing 'steal the roped ball'. Shadow would steal it from Riley and Riley would steal it from Shadow. Repeat. This was actually fairly amicable and gentle.

Getting the hubby to play even before he got out of bed!

Playing tug-of-war. Grunting, tripping, running, pulling, barking, yelping. It was actually quite entertaining.

Relaxing on the floor. Shadow and Riley stuck together most of the time, like double trouble. They really are buddies!

Waking up the hubby with kisses. The hubby's a good sport. He's used to one set of furry sloppy drooly kisses, but now he got two!

Chilling on the couch. Riley is very much a canoodler. He cuddles up often, just to have a very short rest. Or maybe it's in hopes of getting a belly rub!

Enjoying some kibble. I gave up trying to get them to eat their own food. As soon as I would set it down, they would simultaneously step away to the other's bowl. This wasn't that big a deal but they do have very different food. Riley has puppy food and Shadow has food for dogs over 7. So Anne had the idea to mix up their food so at least they would get half a bowl of appropriate food. That's what I did and I topped it with a treat. I'm sure they eat with their eyes first too, no?

Retrieving the retriever. One of our fence posts heaved this winter and we are patiently waiting for the fencing people to come fix it. Luckily Shadow has no interest in trying to get under the fence so we don't think much about it. Turns out Riley has a lot of interest in escaping. I snapped this shot on his second attempt. The first attempt resulted in us placing our window well cover in front of a big gap. But that didn't stop him from getting through another narrow opening. Then he couldn't get back through to the left or right of the cover and I had to open the gate to retreive the retriever.

Riley will always be welcome for a sleepover!

Wogging

2010-04-23T15:33:00.007-04:00

I enjoy running. It's something I take pride in doing simply because I can. Now.

I'm no speed demon but I don't care. It's liberating and gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Last year at this time I couldn't run. I was just too fat and unhealthy. I was tired of being both so I laced up my running shoes.

I started slowly, one step at a time. Every night I would go for a walk and each night I would walk faster. Within about two weeks, I was walking really fast. The 'speedwalking' got so fast that I could only jog if I wanted to go faster. All of a sudden I was running. It felt good. Sort of. It gave me aches and pains because I was waking up dormant muscles but I felt so good inside. I hobbled around somedays, true, but I was going through a rebirth. I was in control of my body and I was getting to know it. This was really new to me and I was having 'growing pains'.

I ran pretty much daily from August-December 2009. I couldn't deal with running in the winter so I didn't. I started up again a few weeks ago. In the Fall, I ran around the sidewalks of my hood but now I've been introduced to a new spot. It's a soccer field in the South end of Ottawa. My routine so far is to run four times around the field (pink perimeter) and up and down the hill (blue box).

I bring Shadow along and sometimes Rob too. Shadow gets to run free and Rob sprints and jogs. I like running on the field because I find it easier on the knees. I also like that it's fairly private and away from the roads.

I call what I do 'wogging' because it's a cross between running and walking. It's really running, just at a slow pace... and some walking to catch my breath once in a while.

Now I'm working on learning my limits. Part of me wants to push as much as I can, but I need to be careful not to hurt myself. It's a fine balance and the only way for me to figure it out is to take it one day at a time, one step at a time.

Giada's book

2010-04-21T18:30:00.000-04:00

This is Giada. She is the first baby born within my close knit circle of four friends.

When I was a baby, I was given a cloth activity book that was very special to me and still is. It was made by my aunt. I decided that I would make all the babies dear to me a book like it.

I have to admit that this was my first and last one. Book that is, probably not baby dear to me.

It took a year to finish and took the help of three very skilled, supportive and patient people. Without them it would still be a heap of stuff and a bunch of ideas.

I put my blood, sweat and tears into it and it brought me incredible stress as I was doing it. I wish I could have enjoyed making it but I can't say that I did. The final product is not what I envisioned. I am letting that go. I need to, after all it's just a book. Throughout the process, I discovered that I'm a bit of a perfectionist and that it upsets me when I can't fulfill the expectations I put on myself. I'm proud of it, but deep down, I could have done a better job. It's done. It's over.

I know the book was appreciated and really that's all that matters. I know it will bring hours of fun and learning like mine did for me when I was young. I actually had quite the learning experience making this book too. I learned about interfacing, broadcloth and blanket stitching. And I learned that I haven't the patience for any of it. I'll stick to greeting cards and cooking. :)

Here are some snapshots of the book.

This is the cover. Initially I wanted to iron on a photo of Giada that I had treated with cool Photoshop filters but the ironing material didn't not work well. I did a test on a scrap piece of cloth and I could peel the image right off. It would not have stood the test of time. I ironed it longer thinking that might help but the fabric burned. It was not meant to be. Giada's parents call her a butterfly so I went with that theme instead. At the last minute I painted some on. Butterfly buttons covered the thread that held all the pages together. Pink and green are Giada's bedroom colours so I stuck with that theme.

The snowman will never melt! But you can dress him up in felt.
There were in the pouch. The eyes, nose and buttons were buttons. The pouch was a piece of felt and inside were felt boots, a felt hat, pipe and scarf and some pipecleaner arms. The body of the snowman was made of some salvaged fake fur. The mouth was made of felt.

Take the belt and loop it through. Buckle it tight, just right for you.
I used a pair of my grandmother's old pants for the 'jeans'. I salvaged a belt from a co-worker.

Piggy protects pennies. Count how many!
The pig was made out of felt. His tail was a piece of felt that I had twisted up and sewn on. The eye was a salvaged button. I had cut out 1.5-inch wide 'pennies' out of dense pink foam and written 1¢ on them and placed them in the 'bank'.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. Tell the time on the clock!
The arms were made out of pliable pink foam. I salvaged a post thingy for the middle, I don't know what it's called. I had poked a hole in both arms and put the post through them and connected the back piece that held the post in place. The arms spin to tell the time.

Fruits are yummy in the tummy. Share them with your favorite mommy!
My co-worker and book savior prepped all the pieces of fruit. They are made of two felt layers and have funky stitching. There are snaps on the back of them to hold them in place.

Button the flowers in the vase. The ladybugs keep them in place!
The vase and stem were made of felt. The flowers were made out of two felt layers and were removable. The ladybug buttons were sewn on and kept the flowers put.

Use the lace to tie the shoe. Make a bow once you've pulled it through!
I used two types of felt for the shoe: one for the outside and one for the inside heel. Two laces were sewn together to make this lace.

Start with one and count to ten. Then count backwards - yes you can!
The bear was made out of felt. The zipper, the eyes and the ribbon for the bow were salvaged from supplies I was given. I bought some sponge numbers and I tucked tucked them in the belly.

Shapes are different and fun! Can you name each one?
The same co-worker who made the fruit, made the shapes. She did blanket stitching around the edges.

Look out the window! Who do you see? Is it you or is it me?
I attached a locker mirror to one of the pages then I covered its edges with felt to make a window frame. The drapes were made from the same sheer fabric that one of my helpers used to make her kitchen curtains. The curtain rod was a piece of plastic that came with a pair of shoes, that piece that holds the stuffing in the toe.

This is the back cover.

This is the box I bought to put the book in. And the envelope for the card.

Eager and ready = denied

2010-04-20T18:36:00.000-04:00

Fak.

Perfect parking spot. Check.

Perfect design. Check.

Perfectly ready to withstand the pain. Check.

Tattoo artist that goes home sick but calls your house to reschedule your after-work appointment while you're at work. Check.

C'est la vie!

Retail therapy

2010-04-14T20:11:00.000-04:00

Life throws you curve balls sometimes and I recently caught one.

The following day I got in my car and made my way South for some retail therapy. I left Ottawa with the hubby in tow at about 6:30 a.m. I went to spend the day, and some money, in Watertown, NY. I was going to get some stuff. And help boost the American economy. We all have to do our part, right? :)

Granted, some of this stuff I/we actually needed... and some we needed a little less.

I am presently working on my weight loss. I've lost almost 50 lbs in 7 months. So I keep having to buy clothes when it really gets too baggy. But I don't like spending loads of money because this is transition clothing.

I looked in most of the plus-size clothing stores in Ottawa for t-shirts and summer-type pieces and I didn't find any. It's a size thing and sometimes it's a style thing.

So on this trip I lucked out at Target, Kohl's and JC Penney. Affordable and Awesome. Four t-shirts, four tank tops, two shorts, a pygama and a dress. For about $130.

I bought a dress. That's something in itself. I haven't worn one in years. I love it and can't wait to wear it! (for more than just a picture!)

Our trip also included a visit to Panera Bread. They have such good breakfast sandwiches. And cinnamon scones. Deelish!

We also went to Hannaford which is a grocery store and part of a chain. They have lots of local and organic stuff. I actually bring a cooler on my trips to Watertown.

This was the first Watertown trip with the hubby and it went well. I can honestly say that we shop well together.

I have to admit that the shopping helped. It took my mind off of life. And then I came back home and life resumed where it had left off. But now I had more stuff. That I need to pay off. :)

Zumba

2010-04-12T19:33:00.001-04:00

So my first topic is Zumba. Love it, love it, love it.

I took a Zumba class from January-March at the RA Centre in Ottawa. The instructor was a passionate latina from Venezuela called Carolina Izaguirre. She was amazing.

Zumba is a Latin infused cardio fitness class. It is made up up isolated moves that target specifc areas... but I didn't really care about that when I was doing it because it was just so much fun!

Check out the video for a sneak peek of this fairly new and dynamic caliente workout.

Hello, my name is Eva

2010-04-12T18:57:00.001-04:00

Nice to meet you.

I have a food blog and it's my passion. But I've realized that I have much more to share than my culinary curiosities.

This blog is where I'm gonna talk about stuff. Some of it will be about Ottawa, clothes, activities, travelling, arts and crafts, running, dogs, friends, foes, medical tests, weight loss, laser hair removal, gardening and business. The rest will be everything in between.

Welcome to my headspace.