Tuesday, August 31, 2010

1,001 Things I Did This Summer -- Part 9

Okay…let’s try this again.  I am going to try to capture everything I have been up to over the last several weeks.  It’s not a perfect or complete list, but it is a list nonetheless.

189.          Read High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips.  She is an amazing person with an equally amazing story.  It is a must read for everyone.  It made me count my blessings that I was raised in such a stable environment.
190.          Had a shopping date with my daughter.  I love Girl’s Day!
191.          Got our new iMac – it is absolutely delicious!
192.          Read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.  I realized I ordered the junior version from the library – didn’t care . . . read it anyway.
193.          Started reading The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill.  Such an amazing story – can’t put it down (except when I have to go to work, of course).
194.          Still working on knitting a shawl for my cousin’s wedding.  I realized today, sadly, it will not be completed for this weekend.  Grrrrrrrr.
195.          Celebrated my husband’s 40th birthday and my MIL’s birthday (do I mention her age?  Better not . . .).  A great time visiting with old friends and catching up with family.  To my niece, Chloe – you are an amazing young woman with a vibrant personality.  Your sense of humour is extraordinary and your vocabulary is prodigious.  I wish we could have spent more time with you!!!  You must come visit us in our local FarmVille. (…p.s. i LOVE your hair!)
196.          Watched horse races.  Those animals are absolutely amazing!  It was incredible watching them.  We placed a few small wagers.  Some races we won . . . some were not so lucky.  Let’s just say we are not retiring any time soon.
197.          Went to my parents’ cabin for the weekend.  It is the one place where I truly feel at home.  I spent my summers there while growing up.  I marveled at the trees we once planted which now reach higher than the cabin itself.  I’m still kicking myself I forgot my camera.  However, I did a lot of knitting, reading, and playing games.
198.          Watched a couple of movies:  The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler {swoon} and last night I watched Date Night starring Steve Carrel and Tina Fey.  Great date movies although I was alone for the last one . . . .
199.          Got my daughter off for first day back to school . . . can you believe she’s starting Grade 6?  I was watching her get ready and wondered, “So when did you grow up over the summer?”  How is it that she just looked like a kid last week, and now she’s looking more like a teen?!?!
200.          Ate ice cream . . . more than once!

I hope you all have a lovely week.  I will probably not be writing again until next week.  I have a busy week ahead and we leave Friday for a family wedding (God’s richest blessings to Meaghan and Mike). 

Thanks for checking in everyone!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

...


Classic, originally uploaded by Knit Girl...(in & out).
I am not sure where the breakdown occurred. I'm not even sure how to pick the pieces up. I have dropped the blogging ball on my 1,001 Things I Did This Summer. Life has gotten so busy since I have began working F/T that I am still trying to keep my head above the water.

I am still here my lovely readers. I have just been a bit distant lately, even though you are always on my mind. I suppose I feel I have let you down. I see you check-in only to find nothing new has been written. I love writing on my little insignificant blog and, for some reason, many of you keep returning (to which I am eternally grateful!!!).

I try to imagine you as old friends who are checking in to see how I've been lately. Isn't it wonderful when you have friends who are in the exact same boat you are? Life seems to become so complicated with work, friends, keeping up on the housework (although I am currently surrounded by tufts of dog hair drifting around the hardwood flooring), extra curricular activities for you and the kids, church, getting your hair done...you name it. When did life become so unnecessarily complicated? You come home at the end of the day and your body indicates you are too stressed out. Your neck and back muscles cramp up so much that you physically have to turn your whole upper body to see who is talking to you. You can't seem to take deep cleansing breaths. You have become irritable with the whole world. And to top things off, some animal has gotten into your garbage and has pulled it from one end of the alley to the other. But a true friend understands because she is going through the exact same thing.

I look for simplicity in my life and, right now, I am really not seeing it too clearly. I have seemed to come to a crossroads in my life. I can keep heading straight which may continue to lead to stress and unnecessary busyness. I don't want to go back from where I came -- that's a whole train wreck that needs to be walked away from.

So I can go right or left. Either way, I don't know what I will find. That can be scary for a lot of people. For others, the unknown is embraced and relishing the thoughts of new experiences can be a real rush.

I am sitting with the engine idling wondering whether to signal left or right...

What would you do if you were me?

"I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I've Been Gobsmacked

Hello everyone,

There will be no instalment this week of 1,001 Things I Did This Summer... {gasp}.  It has been a pretty busy week and to be honest, I didn't keep track of one thing.  It was a bit freeing, really.  It felt good not running to my notebook to jot down the latest thing I did.  If I could be forthright with you all, I really didn't do too much out of the ordinary.  I worked, I read, I knit.  I also cooked the occasional fabulous dish, but that is neither here nor there.

Speaking of cooking and all things culinary, I have discovered the joys of Gordon Ramsay.  I have never really found him to be anything but offensive.  I think I watched exactly half an episode of Hell's Kitchen.  I find his language offensive and his actions border on abusive with the contestants.

However, last night that all changed.  Masterchef has certainly caught my attention.  I found an episode last night on CTV.ca and I can't wait for tonight's episode to be uploaded.  I have seen a different side of Chef Ramsay...and me likey!

That's all for tonight -- I need to be up early in the a.m.  I have started a running program called Couch to 5K and I must admit the runner's high can be rather addictive.  Plus my pants are practically falling off...gotta love that!

Have a great evening everyone -- stay cool!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

1,001 Things I Did This Summer -- Part 8

Hi folks,

Sorry I am a day late on this.  Yesterday was a holiday Monday here in Canada so we took advantage of the time off.  Also, you will note the list this week is not very long.  I worked full-time plus an extra seven hours so any free time was spent either sleeping, reading, or knitting.

I have been following Weight Watchers and had a great week.  I lost weight and increased activity -- gotta love that!

Okay...here we go...

182.  Watched Avatar.  I actually had to lay my knitting down to watch the movie which is what I was not expecting.  I had hoped to get at least half of the next repeat section completed while "watching" the movie.  It turned out to be an excellent movie -- looked fantastic on the big screen TV.   Very imaginative.
183.  Watched the Austin Powers trilogy (again).  I absolutely love Mike Myers...and he's Canadian to boot!
184.  Our town had a weekend-long festival.  We took in many events including the throne races (racing with a toilet, or "throne", mounted on a platform with bicycle wheels and two racers), beer gardens (although the only beer I drink is root beer), music, a parade, fireworks (but I didn't bring my camera), pet show (our dog Sam didn't win...but we'll keep him anyway), and a demolition derby (which technically I didn't attend -- hubby and daughter did -- but I definitely could hear it).
185.  Monday was a holiday here in Canada -- we went shopping.
186.  Started reading (second time) Kate Jacobs' The Friday Night Knitting Club.  I love this book...love it, love it, love it.
187.  Bought a fan -- it's stinkin' hot in our house.
188.  Started training for a 5K run (I have always wanted to run a marathon...this will be a great place to start).

Alright, ladies and gentlemen.  That's all she wrote -- hoping this coming week will be a bit more exciting.  Hard when you work full-time...didn't realize just how much free-time I had on my hands before my work hours changed.  Have a great week!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Look up...Look waaaay up

So this was taken about a month ago. We went to the local fair and had a fantastic time! I didn't have my camera with me so I snapped this one with my husband's phone camera.

There is something exciting about a fair. I really like going at night -- all the lights, the noise, the crowds. This year we went during the day. We rode rides that were dangerous, ate food that was bad for us (mmmm...elephant ears...), ignored "carnies" who wanted us to lose money on their games. It was great.

I haven't been on crazy rides for a few years now. When my daughter was younger, we stuck to the kiddie rides which was thrilling for her. Then.

Now she is eleven and is a pure adrenaline junkie. She wanted to do the rides that would make Evil Knievil shudder. Her daddy is a bit limited as to the rides he can partake in. He is one of the unfortunates who get nauseous just doing a donut in the car. So the responsibility was laid in my capable hands.

We first walked around and picked which rides we would definitely try so we knew how many tickets to purchase. We rode ride after ride -- some were delightful and made me giggle. Others were terrifying and my laughter sounded more like a deranged cat lady. But I would not let my adrenaline-seeking daughter know I had the slightest bit of fear. I wanted to be the cool mom who did all the crazy rides. The mom who looked death square in the eye and laughed out loud while shouting, Ïs that all you've got!"

One ride in particular really tested my limits. I can't remember the name, but there are about three carts dangling off a long arm. There are approximately five or six arms that extend out from the centre. As the ride gets moving, the arms spin in a circle. The carts, dangling from this arm also spin in a circle. The music is loud and the wind is blowing through your hair. My feet, at this point, are glued to the floor of the cart and I cling to the flimsy bar across my lap. Okay, I smile to myself, "this ride rocks!" I catch the occasional glimpse of my hubby on the ground shaking his head and probably wondering what is wrong with me.

Now the ride is speeding up (if that is at all possible) and I have realized the cart we are in is now spinning perpendicular to the ground and the ride has now reached warp speed. I hear this manic giggle and realize it is me. I shout out to my daughter (over music which is ear-splittingly loud), Äre you okay?"

Äre you kidding? This is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I was hoping to be the stronger one. Clearly my role has been overtaken by an eleven year old. I am now the one needing consolation. I am the one who wants to get off this crazy ride.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting for the cart to snap off and hurl through the air, I feel the ride slowing down. The kind ex-con operator of this contraption thanks us, ever so politely, for coming on the ride.

My legs hit the ground and they are pretty wobbly. Ökay. That's it for me. I am done!" I knew I just couldn't do another ride like that. It is at this point my daughter points across the crowd and says, "Let's finish with that one!" It is just as I have feared. The Drop of Doom.

Let me catch you up on this one. You are sitting in a chair, strapped in, and sitting in a circle around the center post. Click, click, click. The ride slowly inches you up, up, up until you reach the top. At the last second you are dropped about 20 or 30 feet back down to the ground in a two-second period of time.

Okay, I psych myself up, I have just done the worst ride ever. This is going to be a cakewalk. We all pile onto the ride and up we climb. Click, click, click. We climb higher and higher. At this point we are at least 15 feet higher than the next tallest ride. Oh Sugar Honey Iced Tea! Maybe now would be the point of the story where I tell you I am terrified of heights! I know we are almost at the top and there is nothing I can do. I can't even brace my feet on the floor of the ride because my legs are just dangling with nothing underneath them. Then I hear it. Snap. I am now free-falling through the air and I hear myself screaming out for my mommy. We reach the bottom and I swear to God, myself and my family that I will never ride that deathtrap again in my life.

Never again.