Step 1: Eat Waffles
Make sure you scoop on lots of extra whipping cream. It's your birthday, after all..
Step 2: Watch Hockey
It's best if the team you're cheering for wins. Don't forget to wear your lucky hockey charm necklace. That way, your team will likely come out on top!
Step 3: Watch a Movie
Preferably a movie that you find inspiring. Like Rocky. Why do I find that movie inspiring? Because of the training. I've been thinking about Rocky a lot lately while I'm running. "Getting stronger...."
Step 4: Play Hockey
Because playing hockey is better than watching hockey - even if the team you're cheering for wins while you're watching. Bring cupcakes to share and make sure everyone knows it's your birthday. That way, they can sing for you. Everyone knows that hockey players make the best Happy Birthday singers.
Step 5: Eat a Yummy Supper
The best suppers are suppers you don't need to make. Even better is if you can eat supper right after playing hockey when you're starving hungry.
Step 6: Eat Cake
This step is pretty self explanatory. Don't forget to make a wish before you blow out the candle!
Step 7: Be Grateful
Spend a moment to thank the people who wished you a happy birthday - answer phone calls, emails, and texts. Spend a moment to reflect on the year that was and contemplate the year ahead. Make plans. Set goals. Then go to bed, get up, and start enjoying your new year!
~mom
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Blind as a...
17 August 2015
Bats are blind - right? So how is it that a bat came flying right at me while I was wearing my yellow jacket? Maybe sonar doesn't work on yellow. What do you think?
~mom
Friday, August 14, 2015
A Great Swimming Spot..
13 August 2015
Here are some of the places I have swum this summer:
So far, my favourite swimming spot has been Second Beach Pool. Here is why:
I'm working on perfecting my breast stroke...
~mom
Here are some of the places I have swum this summer:
- Kits Pool
- Hillcrest
- Pool at Rockridge
- Lake at Rockridge
- Second Beach Pool
So far, my favourite swimming spot has been Second Beach Pool. Here is why:
- You get to ride your bike to get there
- The lane is nice and long - 50m
- There are very few people swimming in the lanes - today I had an entire lane to myself!
I'm working on perfecting my breast stroke...
~mom
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Between Gods
11 August 2015
by Allison Pick
This book is a memoir. It's like an autobiography in that it is a story about the author's life written by the author herself. However, while an autobiography is a story about the author's whole life, a memoir tells the story about one part of the author's life. Allison Pick writes about the time in her life when she goes through the process of becoming a Jew.
Why I Read This Book
I loved Allison Pick's previous novel: Far To Go which is a story about Jewish children during World War II who were sent by their families on trains to England to save them from the persecution elsewhere in Europe. I knew Far To Go had ties to the author's own life as her Jewish ancestors had fled Europe and had hidden their Jewishness (is that a word??) for decades. I hoped that Between Gods would shed a little more light on her family's history and offer further insight to Far To Go.
What I Thought About This Book
Allison Pick writes very beautifully. However, I did not find Between Gods very compelling. Allison's father was Jewish but her mother was not. Therefore, Allison, although it seems she should be half Jewish, isn't actually Jewish at all. Allison describes being pulled so strongly by her Jewish heritage that she wants to convert to Judaism. She doesn't feel any pull from her mother's background at all.
My feeling about the whole thing is this.
Parts of Allison's family went through some horrendous experiences during World War II. Allison is alive because her grandparents fled Europe and came to Canada, renouncing their Jewish heritage, and becoming Christian. Allison, while researching and writing Far To Go, was deeply affected by the hollocaust stories within her own family as well as others' accounts (who wouldn't be?). Because of her Jewish roots, I believe she felt a personal connection to hollocaust victims. I believe she also suffered some survivor guilt. I also believe that she didn't feel connected to her mother's Christian heritage because it wasn't as interesting or compelling. During a lot of the book, I didn't relate to Allison at all. I felt that she was over-dramatizing her situation - especially in the parts where she tries to convince her father (who IS Jewish but is a practicing Christian) to return to his Jewish roots.
What saved the book for me and kept me reading were the snippets of the other parts of her life during the time she converted to Judaism: her wedding, her miscarriage, her first child's birth. I also appreciated her descriptions of depression. That said, I wouldn't read this book to figure out how to get out of a depression because this book seems to imply that you will no longer be depressed if you convert to Judaism. That doesn't make much sense to me..
~mom
What saved the book for me and kept me reading were the snippets of the other parts of her life during the time she converted to Judaism: her wedding, her miscarriage, her first child's birth. I also appreciated her descriptions of depression. That said, I wouldn't read this book to figure out how to get out of a depression because this book seems to imply that you will no longer be depressed if you convert to Judaism. That doesn't make much sense to me..
~mom
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Kobe's Dog Log: The Forest
9 August 2015
If I imagine heaven, it would be this: a wooded area filled with dogs and people of all sizes. There would be lots of areas to sniff and explore. There would be treats and cookies to eat. I could run untethered. Today I went to a place that was almost heaven.
After a miserable car ride, I wasn't too pleased to find myself in an unfamiliar place with a leash around my neck. A walk? Now? I was not enthused. But within minutes, we were in this amazing place called a Forest.
The Forest had a walking path. Clearly, many dogs come to the Forest: I smelled them EVERYWHERE! The best part: I was allowed to sniff and sniff. They had brought water for me so all that sniffing didn't make me too thirsty!
Along the path we saw:
- bikes: big bikes; small bikes; bikes for one; bikes for two; fast bikes; slow bikes
- people: big people; tiny-just-learning-to-walk people; people in groups; people by themselves
- runners: fast runners; slow runners; in-between runners
- dogs: big dogs; small dogs; mostly all calm dogs
I was supposed to sit whenever a dog walked by. This was hard for me. I was so excited - I wanted to play with every dog I saw. A couple of labradoodles that were just my size stopped to play. I behaved myself: I sniffed but held myself back from jumping all over them. I'm learning that jumping on dogs will tighten my leash and result in the end of play time. The best part of meeting these dogs was the Owner. She was soo nice. She had a dog treat just for me! I was so excited I could hardly sit like she asked.
Speaking of treats: I got a lot of treats on this walk. That made me happy. It's so much easier to remember to listen when there are so many possibilities for treats! I was asked to sit a lot: when people walked by; when people biked by; when dogs walked by; when bikes rode by.
I have only one complaint: the leash. If I hadn't been on a leash, I could have run and run and run. Still. Today was almost heaven..
~Kobe
Monday, August 10, 2015
Kobe's Dog Log: Car Ride
9 August 2015
Something new happened today. I was led outside to the car. There, in the back was my crate! I was confused. What is going on?
I was put into the crate and the door was closed. Suddenly, it was pretty dark. Then I started bouncing about. I guess we must have been moving. I wasn't too happy. The people were talking about "Granville Island". I don't know what "Granville Island" is - it seems like a long drive followed by a really, really slow drive. Luckily, the door opened and Black Hair gave me some water.
Unfortunately, the door closed again and we started driving again. This time, I heard the words "Kits Beach" and "Vanier Park". That seems to be a lot of slow driving too. Yellow Hair seemed to be getting stressed. I wasn't happy either. I could bark, but I would get shushed and no-one comforted me. I heard the word "home". Hooray!
When the car door finally opened, though, I wasn't home - I was at a forest. I wasn't very happy after being in the car for so long. Car rides make me sick!
~ Kobe
Something new happened today. I was led outside to the car. There, in the back was my crate! I was confused. What is going on?
I was put into the crate and the door was closed. Suddenly, it was pretty dark. Then I started bouncing about. I guess we must have been moving. I wasn't too happy. The people were talking about "Granville Island". I don't know what "Granville Island" is - it seems like a long drive followed by a really, really slow drive. Luckily, the door opened and Black Hair gave me some water.
Unfortunately, the door closed again and we started driving again. This time, I heard the words "Kits Beach" and "Vanier Park". That seems to be a lot of slow driving too. Yellow Hair seemed to be getting stressed. I wasn't happy either. I could bark, but I would get shushed and no-one comforted me. I heard the word "home". Hooray!
When the car door finally opened, though, I wasn't home - I was at a forest. I wasn't very happy after being in the car for so long. Car rides make me sick!
~ Kobe
Kobe's Dog Log: I am Not a Chicken
8 August 2015
When I first came to this Red House, I was a bit timid. I was happy to hang in the kitchen. I didn't nip. I didn't bark. I was on my best behaviour.
It seems like this Red House is more permanent than I first thought. I've spent a few days getting oriented. I've sniffed my way around the block, around the other block, even the long walk to the big field with all the dogs. I've figured out how things work. Like:
- Yellow Hair is the big boss
- Brown Hair Boy and Brown Hair Girl are puppies just like me
- I go for so may walks that I don't really need my pee-pad
I feel pretty assured about my place. I'm allowed in the living room in the evening. I've tried to go there during other times of the day. I will get called back to the kitchen but if I choose not to hear, I doubt I'll get in trouble. If Yellow Hair is around, though, I'll get put back in the kitchen and the gate will go up. Still. I'm pretty happy.
Tonight, a new door opened. Everyone went through the door. There are steps going down. A dungeon, perhaps? I don't know WHAT there might be but I'll tell you this: I AM NOT GOING DOWN THERE! Not that I'm a chicken...
~Kobe
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Kobe's Dog Log: Walk after Walk after Walk!
7 August 2015
So. It turns out this family I'm staying with loves to walk. I walked with Brown Hair Boy. I walked with Brown Hair Girl. I walked with Black Hair. I even got to walk with Yellow Hair. Oh, boy!
Walking is exciting. There are so many new smells! It is hard to remember to keep walking instead of running ahead or sniffing side to side.
Here are some things I saw today:
- A broken water pipe (I wasn't allowed to play there. Boo.)
- A family with a young child
- An older couple
- A lady in a wheelchair
- An injured bird (I wasn't allowed to play with him.)
- A dog (I was allowed to say hello which I did: very loudly but we weren't allowed to play)
- A big, noisy Truck (I didn't like that very much)
Mostly, I was very polite. I sat quietly every time someone passed by. Except the time a person was attached to a DOG. That was just too exciting!
At some point with all that walking, we ended up at this large, grassy field. Guess what was there? DOGS! They were playing ball. They were running. They were off the leash. Boy, did I want to play with those dogs. I didn't. I got to sit in the grass and watch them. Still. It was super exciting!
I had a bit of trouble settling down after all the excitement today. I fell asleep early enough but woke up suddenly and went straight for the door. Yellow Hair took me outside. I was confused. It was dark. There was a DOG outside. I was disoriented. Luckily, Yellow Hair stayed close by and took me back inside right away. I was happy when she put me in my crate. I curled up with my Rabbit and went to sleep.
~ Kobe
So. It turns out this family I'm staying with loves to walk. I walked with Brown Hair Boy. I walked with Brown Hair Girl. I walked with Black Hair. I even got to walk with Yellow Hair. Oh, boy!
Walking is exciting. There are so many new smells! It is hard to remember to keep walking instead of running ahead or sniffing side to side.
Here are some things I saw today:
- A broken water pipe (I wasn't allowed to play there. Boo.)
- A family with a young child
- An older couple
- A lady in a wheelchair
- An injured bird (I wasn't allowed to play with him.)
- A dog (I was allowed to say hello which I did: very loudly but we weren't allowed to play)
- A big, noisy Truck (I didn't like that very much)
Mostly, I was very polite. I sat quietly every time someone passed by. Except the time a person was attached to a DOG. That was just too exciting!
At some point with all that walking, we ended up at this large, grassy field. Guess what was there? DOGS! They were playing ball. They were running. They were off the leash. Boy, did I want to play with those dogs. I didn't. I got to sit in the grass and watch them. Still. It was super exciting!
I had a bit of trouble settling down after all the excitement today. I fell asleep early enough but woke up suddenly and went straight for the door. Yellow Hair took me outside. I was confused. It was dark. There was a DOG outside. I was disoriented. Luckily, Yellow Hair stayed close by and took me back inside right away. I was happy when she put me in my crate. I curled up with my Rabbit and went to sleep.
~ Kobe
Friday, August 7, 2015
Kobe's Dog Log: The Top Dog
8 August 2015
I've got it figured out.
Yellow Hair is DEFINITELY the Top Dog. Everyone listens to what she says. She's mostly calm, but she can be pretty stern with anyone who isn't listening. I've watched. In know. Brown Haired Boy and Brown Haired Girl know she's Top Dog too. I can tell. I'm pretty smart that way...
Yellow Hair is nice but pretty firm. I feel secure around her because I know what she expects of me. I do what I can to make her happy. When she's in the mood, she gives me lots of Love and Treats. She is around most of the time. That makes me happy. Sometimes she is out of my sight. But not too long. When she comes back, I'm super happy to see her again!
~ Kobe
I've got it figured out.
Yellow Hair is DEFINITELY the Top Dog. Everyone listens to what she says. She's mostly calm, but she can be pretty stern with anyone who isn't listening. I've watched. In know. Brown Haired Boy and Brown Haired Girl know she's Top Dog too. I can tell. I'm pretty smart that way...
Yellow Hair is nice but pretty firm. I feel secure around her because I know what she expects of me. I do what I can to make her happy. When she's in the mood, she gives me lots of Love and Treats. She is around most of the time. That makes me happy. Sometimes she is out of my sight. But not too long. When she comes back, I'm super happy to see her again!
~ Kobe
Kobe's Dog Log: A Big Job..
7 August 2015
I'll confess: I'm not a fan of doing my business in unfamiliar places. I've been waiting for hours to go back home but it doesn't seem to be happening. I've had lots of opportunities to go. People keep taking me outside. I've gone for a walk. I've been in the yard. I was even sprayed off with the hose at some point. (I think that happened because I rolled around in some super-awesome dirt!) But even though it was fun to be outside SOMEWHERE ELSE, I really didn't want to go. So I held it.
I held and I held.
And I held.
After supper, all 4 Red House people took me for a walk. So many people! I was excited to sniff absolutely everything. It was a bit of a pain in the neck. Literally. I was trying to get ahead like always but I was being held back. If I started wheezing too much, I would be called back with a "here" and a "sit". Still. So many smells - who can blame a dog for being excited?
The highlight of the walk was meeting some new dogs. There were 2. A smaller dog with short, wiry hair and a flat snout. A bigger, shaggy-looking dog. The small dog was calm. But the big dog was as excited as I was. No wonder. Even though he looks big, he's only 16 months - just 1 year older than me! We started play-wrestling. The people seemed worried about us. We didn't get to play long before we were pulled apart. I heard the words "it's play but he's really big". I don't know what that means, but the next thing I know, play time was over and we headed for home.
After play time, I couldn't hold it any longer. I found a nice spot on the boulevard and did my business. My people seemed pretty happy with me. When we got home, I got lots of love. I was pretty tuckered out after that. I was allowed to sleep in the living room. Yellow Hair eventually lifted me up and put me in my crate. The curtains were closed and I settled in for a comfy night. Lots of weird things are happening and my world is pretty confusing right now. But at least I'm having fun and that makes me pretty happy.
~Kobe
I'll confess: I'm not a fan of doing my business in unfamiliar places. I've been waiting for hours to go back home but it doesn't seem to be happening. I've had lots of opportunities to go. People keep taking me outside. I've gone for a walk. I've been in the yard. I was even sprayed off with the hose at some point. (I think that happened because I rolled around in some super-awesome dirt!) But even though it was fun to be outside SOMEWHERE ELSE, I really didn't want to go. So I held it.
I held and I held.
And I held.
After supper, all 4 Red House people took me for a walk. So many people! I was excited to sniff absolutely everything. It was a bit of a pain in the neck. Literally. I was trying to get ahead like always but I was being held back. If I started wheezing too much, I would be called back with a "here" and a "sit". Still. So many smells - who can blame a dog for being excited?
The highlight of the walk was meeting some new dogs. There were 2. A smaller dog with short, wiry hair and a flat snout. A bigger, shaggy-looking dog. The small dog was calm. But the big dog was as excited as I was. No wonder. Even though he looks big, he's only 16 months - just 1 year older than me! We started play-wrestling. The people seemed worried about us. We didn't get to play long before we were pulled apart. I heard the words "it's play but he's really big". I don't know what that means, but the next thing I know, play time was over and we headed for home.
After play time, I couldn't hold it any longer. I found a nice spot on the boulevard and did my business. My people seemed pretty happy with me. When we got home, I got lots of love. I was pretty tuckered out after that. I was allowed to sleep in the living room. Yellow Hair eventually lifted me up and put me in my crate. The curtains were closed and I settled in for a comfy night. Lots of weird things are happening and my world is pretty confusing right now. But at least I'm having fun and that makes me pretty happy.
~Kobe
Kobe's Dog Log: A New Place
7 August 2015
The door opened. Holy cow! I couldn't contain myself. I took 2 steps and - oops - I leaked a bit.. I took another 3 steps and then really let it rip. It was a loooong car ride and I reaaallly needed to go...
There were all sorts of new faces inside of this Red House. I was nervous and excited. My Suzy seemed to be talking to Yellow Hair a lot. My Keith brought in all my stuff from home. My crate. My blanket. My leash. My food. My treats. My pee pad. What is going on here? I used my pee pad. That made me feel a bit better. Still nervous. But better.
My Joseph kept me busy. I showed off all my best tricks:
- Sit
- Shake a paw
- High 5
- Lay down
- Crawl
I'm so happy to do everything my Joseph tells me to to do. But then something funny happened. Everyone went to the door. The door opened and everyone went out. Everyone. Except me. These new people held me back!! What is going on??
I was led into the kitchen. A plastic gate went up to keep me inside. There were 4 people keeping me company: Yellow Hair, Black Hair, Brown Hair Boy, and Brown Hair Girl. They all played with me. They asked me to sit. To lay down. To crawl. High 5. They even asked me to Go Around. Whatever THAT means! All I know is there was a treat inside the hand. The hand went behind the back and I followed. Eventually, they gave me a treat.
I am having fun so far. I get a bit nervous from time to time. When that happens, I go into my crate. When I do that, people leave me alone. That makes me happy. My blanket made an appearance in the kitchen. I was so happy to see it! I chewed it and re-arranged it just the way I like it. I'm still not sure what's going on, but so far, it's not too bad.
~Kobe
The door opened. Holy cow! I couldn't contain myself. I took 2 steps and - oops - I leaked a bit.. I took another 3 steps and then really let it rip. It was a loooong car ride and I reaaallly needed to go...
There were all sorts of new faces inside of this Red House. I was nervous and excited. My Suzy seemed to be talking to Yellow Hair a lot. My Keith brought in all my stuff from home. My crate. My blanket. My leash. My food. My treats. My pee pad. What is going on here? I used my pee pad. That made me feel a bit better. Still nervous. But better.
My Joseph kept me busy. I showed off all my best tricks:
- Sit
- Shake a paw
- High 5
- Lay down
- Crawl
I'm so happy to do everything my Joseph tells me to to do. But then something funny happened. Everyone went to the door. The door opened and everyone went out. Everyone. Except me. These new people held me back!! What is going on??
I was led into the kitchen. A plastic gate went up to keep me inside. There were 4 people keeping me company: Yellow Hair, Black Hair, Brown Hair Boy, and Brown Hair Girl. They all played with me. They asked me to sit. To lay down. To crawl. High 5. They even asked me to Go Around. Whatever THAT means! All I know is there was a treat inside the hand. The hand went behind the back and I followed. Eventually, they gave me a treat.
I am having fun so far. I get a bit nervous from time to time. When that happens, I go into my crate. When I do that, people leave me alone. That makes me happy. My blanket made an appearance in the kitchen. I was so happy to see it! I chewed it and re-arranged it just the way I like it. I'm still not sure what's going on, but so far, it's not too bad.
~Kobe
Kobe's Dog Log: Where Am I?
7 August 2015
I went for a nice, long car-ride today. It was different than my normal car-rides because:
- my crate came
- my blanket came
- ALL my toys came
- a big bin of rags, supplies, and food came
- the WHOLE family came
- along with a whole pile of luggage
We stopped at a Red House with Yellow Stairs. Boy, was I excited. And nervous. Where am I?
~Kobe
I went for a nice, long car-ride today. It was different than my normal car-rides because:
- my crate came
- my blanket came
- ALL my toys came
- a big bin of rags, supplies, and food came
- the WHOLE family came
- along with a whole pile of luggage
We stopped at a Red House with Yellow Stairs. Boy, was I excited. And nervous. Where am I?
~Kobe
A Day at Rockridge
6 August 2015
So we just got back from 4 days of Family Camp at Rockridge Canyon. This is how my typical day at Rockridge looked:
7:00am - Running Club
I started most days with a run. A quick 3km up to the dam at the end of the lake and back again for a total of 6km. The fun part is counting all the deer...
8:30am - Breakfast Buffet
Omelet station, pancakes, eggs, potato casserole: every morning brought a new surprise in the buffet line. My favourite treat was the cinnamon bun on the last day. YUM!
9:30am - Family Fun Activity
I attended 2 family fun activities: the pool Olympics and the beach activities. Highlights included watching the Cat do the lily-pad adventure, the Huffer working hard on the in-and-out race, and the Old Man jousting. My favourite part was pool volleyball which consisted of trying to throw as many beach balls, pool toys, and noodles to the other team's side of the net as possible. We won. By a lot.
11:00am - Relaxation Time
After the family fun activity, there was time to dry off as necessary, catch up with friends, relax a bit, plan the afternoon activities, and get ready for lunch.
12:00noon - Lunch
Every day brought a new lunch: pasta feast, Greek fiesta, and chicken burgers. My favourite lunch was the chicken burgers because of the chipotle sauce. The soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies were the best lunch dessert..
1:30pm - Free Time
Each afternoon, all activities are open. That means: pool, beach, blob, boats, zip-line, canoes, disc golf, and more. The trick is to run down to the boats first thing to sign up. I ended up riding all the boats: the wake-surf boat, the water-ski boat, the banana-boat, and the party barge. I wasn't brave enough to wake-surf but I did try the water skiing and it was super! I got up on my 2nd try and stayed up after my 3rd try. Each day, I tried to get a bit of pool time. I loved swimming a few laps. I worked hard on my breaststroke technique.
4:30pm - Relaxation Time
At 4:30pm, the activities close. Usually, I took this time to take a leisurely shower and get ready for supper. It was also a good time to catch up with friends and compare stories about our afternoon adventures.
5:30pm - Dinner
Each night, we had a gourmet dinner: turkey dinner with mashed potato and stuffing; ribs (sooo good!); chicken & rice with mushroom sauce; roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. After dinner, there was dessert. The best ones were the flourless chocolate cake with blueberry sauce and the rustic apple pie. An honorable mention goes to the strawberry shortcake.
6:45pm - Club
Club starts with lots of singing. Fun songs. With a band. Familiar songs like "Brown-eyed girl", "Twist-and-shout", "Livin' on a Prayer", "Sweet Caroline", "Let it Be", "Sweet Home Alabama". The words are on the screen for anyone who doesn't know them. After singing, the kids go outside to have some fun while the adults (and teens) stay for the talking portion of club. Some guy named Chris would tell these super-funny stories. Then he would get a little more serious and read from the Bible. He would spend 5-10 minutes talking about the Bible and then the kids would be called in for more singing. Afterwards, there would be some announcements which would typically get interrupted by Mr. Tool and Captain Clean. More on them later...
9:00pm - Evening Activity
The evening activity would be some sort of party: a Hawaiian beach party, a Mexican fiesta, a country-western night. Along with dancing, there would be some sort of yummy food: hot dogs, fruit kebabs, cotton candy, nachos. My favourite evening activity was the hay ride. We saw lots of deer and the sunset was beautiful.
A little bit more about Mr. Tool and Captain Clean...
So Mr. Tool and Captain Clean claim to be superheros. While they look like a duo, they actually claim to be a "three-o". The third member of the crew is Mr. Mittens: a 300lb super-cat who was once dropped into a bucket of radioactive slime. Mr. Mittens, however, was lost and no-where to be found. Each of the evening activities was an attempt to lure Mr. Mittens home again.
Over the days, we slowly learned the Mr. Tool and Captain Clean are actually stay-at-home dads who are not so clean and not so handy. In the end, it appears they might not even have superhero powers. That doesn't stop the kids at Rockridge from squealing with delight every time they make an appearance which proves the following: kids love people in spandex suits!
Next time at Rockridge
If we ever go back to family camp, I would like to do the following:
1. Try wake surfing
I wasn't brave enough the first time but after water skiing, I realize the wake surfing boat travels much, much slower and I'm sure I could do it..
2. Use the longer skis for water-skiing
I was worried about going fast so I used the shorter skis and went slower. However, the short skis are really tough to stay balanced on when you are a big adult. Next time, I'll try the longer skis. I'm sure they'll still work even if the boat isn't whipping around too fast!
3. Walk to the top of the zip-line each day
You never know. One day, I might even get enough courage to try.
4. Try the ropes course again
I SUCKED big time the first time. But I'm sure I could do better!
5. Do more dancing
I tried square dancing and it looked more like pentagon dancing because I kept losing my partner. It was fun anyhow. And I COULD have done the Macarena...
~mom
So we just got back from 4 days of Family Camp at Rockridge Canyon. This is how my typical day at Rockridge looked:
7:00am - Running Club
I started most days with a run. A quick 3km up to the dam at the end of the lake and back again for a total of 6km. The fun part is counting all the deer...
8:30am - Breakfast Buffet
Omelet station, pancakes, eggs, potato casserole: every morning brought a new surprise in the buffet line. My favourite treat was the cinnamon bun on the last day. YUM!
9:30am - Family Fun Activity
I attended 2 family fun activities: the pool Olympics and the beach activities. Highlights included watching the Cat do the lily-pad adventure, the Huffer working hard on the in-and-out race, and the Old Man jousting. My favourite part was pool volleyball which consisted of trying to throw as many beach balls, pool toys, and noodles to the other team's side of the net as possible. We won. By a lot.
11:00am - Relaxation Time
After the family fun activity, there was time to dry off as necessary, catch up with friends, relax a bit, plan the afternoon activities, and get ready for lunch.
12:00noon - Lunch
Every day brought a new lunch: pasta feast, Greek fiesta, and chicken burgers. My favourite lunch was the chicken burgers because of the chipotle sauce. The soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies were the best lunch dessert..
1:30pm - Free Time
Each afternoon, all activities are open. That means: pool, beach, blob, boats, zip-line, canoes, disc golf, and more. The trick is to run down to the boats first thing to sign up. I ended up riding all the boats: the wake-surf boat, the water-ski boat, the banana-boat, and the party barge. I wasn't brave enough to wake-surf but I did try the water skiing and it was super! I got up on my 2nd try and stayed up after my 3rd try. Each day, I tried to get a bit of pool time. I loved swimming a few laps. I worked hard on my breaststroke technique.
4:30pm - Relaxation Time
At 4:30pm, the activities close. Usually, I took this time to take a leisurely shower and get ready for supper. It was also a good time to catch up with friends and compare stories about our afternoon adventures.
5:30pm - Dinner
Each night, we had a gourmet dinner: turkey dinner with mashed potato and stuffing; ribs (sooo good!); chicken & rice with mushroom sauce; roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. After dinner, there was dessert. The best ones were the flourless chocolate cake with blueberry sauce and the rustic apple pie. An honorable mention goes to the strawberry shortcake.
6:45pm - Club
Club starts with lots of singing. Fun songs. With a band. Familiar songs like "Brown-eyed girl", "Twist-and-shout", "Livin' on a Prayer", "Sweet Caroline", "Let it Be", "Sweet Home Alabama". The words are on the screen for anyone who doesn't know them. After singing, the kids go outside to have some fun while the adults (and teens) stay for the talking portion of club. Some guy named Chris would tell these super-funny stories. Then he would get a little more serious and read from the Bible. He would spend 5-10 minutes talking about the Bible and then the kids would be called in for more singing. Afterwards, there would be some announcements which would typically get interrupted by Mr. Tool and Captain Clean. More on them later...
9:00pm - Evening Activity
The evening activity would be some sort of party: a Hawaiian beach party, a Mexican fiesta, a country-western night. Along with dancing, there would be some sort of yummy food: hot dogs, fruit kebabs, cotton candy, nachos. My favourite evening activity was the hay ride. We saw lots of deer and the sunset was beautiful.
A little bit more about Mr. Tool and Captain Clean...
So Mr. Tool and Captain Clean claim to be superheros. While they look like a duo, they actually claim to be a "three-o". The third member of the crew is Mr. Mittens: a 300lb super-cat who was once dropped into a bucket of radioactive slime. Mr. Mittens, however, was lost and no-where to be found. Each of the evening activities was an attempt to lure Mr. Mittens home again.
Over the days, we slowly learned the Mr. Tool and Captain Clean are actually stay-at-home dads who are not so clean and not so handy. In the end, it appears they might not even have superhero powers. That doesn't stop the kids at Rockridge from squealing with delight every time they make an appearance which proves the following: kids love people in spandex suits!
Next time at Rockridge
If we ever go back to family camp, I would like to do the following:
1. Try wake surfing
I wasn't brave enough the first time but after water skiing, I realize the wake surfing boat travels much, much slower and I'm sure I could do it..
2. Use the longer skis for water-skiing
I was worried about going fast so I used the shorter skis and went slower. However, the short skis are really tough to stay balanced on when you are a big adult. Next time, I'll try the longer skis. I'm sure they'll still work even if the boat isn't whipping around too fast!
3. Walk to the top of the zip-line each day
You never know. One day, I might even get enough courage to try.
4. Try the ropes course again
I SUCKED big time the first time. But I'm sure I could do better!
5. Do more dancing
I tried square dancing and it looked more like pentagon dancing because I kept losing my partner. It was fun anyhow. And I COULD have done the Macarena...
~mom
Monday, August 3, 2015
Fear
3 August 2015
So this is fear.
First, things start to tremble a little bit. The fingers, the hands. Then the legs start getting rubbery. Your heart starts beating so hard that it seems to be trying to escape out of your chest. At this point, you are in full panic mode. You start gasping for air as you start breathing harder and faster. And them everything freezes and you can't move. Tears start slipping down your cheeks and you think to yourself - funny.. I'm not sad about anything..
After it is all over, there is no feeling of pride in having conquered a fear. There is only a deep gratitude that it's over and an overwhelming sence of humiliation. Because deep inside, you know you haven't conquered a fear: you have only survived it. It will be there, waiting for you, ready to consume you the next time you dare again..
There are people in this world who are "thrill seekers". I know what they are looking for. I have it in great excess. If I could bottle up a little piece of what I feel, there would be no need for people to bungee-jump, sky-dive, or any other of the ways people like to hurtle their bodies through space at great speeds and heights - they could simply take a little bit of my fear and be satisfied and I could be a gazillionaire who isn't paralyzed by stupid stuff.
~mom
Sunday, August 2, 2015
When it's Hot
1 August 2015
It's really hot today. Here are somethings that work really well in the heat:
- swimming
- boating
- lounging in the sun
Here are things that dont work so well in the heat:
- vigorous exercise
- sleeping
~mom
Friday, July 31, 2015
The Best Spot for a Nap
30 July 2015
The Huffer was tired today. That's because he played hockey until nearly 11pm last night AND he has trouble sleeping in... He was a bit lethargic so I suggested: why not take a nap?
The Huffer barely likes sleeping at night. He HATES sleeping in the day. But. He was tired. So he went to the couch and, sure enough, he drifted off.
Watching him fall asleep made me feel tired. The Cat came rushing over with a pillow: we can sleep on the floor. Yeah right! But just like that, I woke up and 45 minutes had gone by. The Cat was long gone and I was still on the floor...
~mom
A little Bit of OCD
29 July 2015
OCD: (n) short for "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder". Referring to a condition in which a person repeats an action over and over, finding it difficult or even impossible to stop the repetitive action.
So we went blackberry picking today. We took 3 buckets along: one for the Huffer, one for the Cat, and one for me. And then it was off to Southlands: the land of blackberries-a-plenty.
Here's the thing about blackberry picking: the bushes are REALLY prickly. To protect ourselves, we wear jeans, a jacket, gloves, socks, and shoes (or rubber boots). The best time to go blackberry picking is early in the season. Before the fruit flies are swarming, the bushes are full of juicy spiders, and wasps are flying about everywhere. The best day to choose is a day when it is sunny. That's because the berries ripen quickly and they taste like sunshine inside...
Here's the thing. When you get to the berry bushes, I see berries everywhere. So black. So juicy. So many. And the picking begins.
Once I start, I find it really, really hard to stop. The Huffer and the Cat, however, get hot and tired and fed up. They are always begging to go home while I'm busy trying to pick just a few more...
Here are some tips to keep me a little bit under control and to get home a little more quickly:
- pick a lot of berries and fill those buckets in a hurry (that doesn't normally happen)
- take along smaller buckets (we did that this year)
- take fewer buckets (good luck trying to convince me to leave some at home!)
Today, we ended up picking 2 buckets partly full. I think I did a great job of leaving Southlands in a reasonable amount I time. I could have stayed so much longer. Not that I suffer from OCD or anything...
~mom
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
How to Run a Marathon
26 July 2015
Today I ran the Kamloops marathon. That's 42.2km of running. It took me 3 hours, 23 minutes, and 2 seconds. That's the fastest I've ever run that distance by more than 6 minutes. Here's why...
I started badly. I started fast. Too fast. Why is that's problem? Because even though it feels great to run fast at the beginning, it costs a lot of energy. Every bit of extra energy you use at the beginning means you will run out of energy earlier towards the end. And it's at the end of the race you really need it... Anyhow. So I started too fast and it made me worried early. But after a few kilometres, I saw my mom and decided I would be okay.
Once I hit Westsyde road, I could only think about one thing; I mean 2 things: Adam and Dana. That thought kept me focused to kilometre 15. I ran through the Dunes, headed down Overlander Drive and this is what I saw:
Did that sight make me happy? You decide: do I look happy?
I had a running buddy for a little while:
That was a nice treat. I hardly ever have a running buddy!
The trek back down Westsyde road was long and lonely. I lie. After Oak Hills, we met up with the half-marathoners. These were the 2-hour-plus finishers which meant they were running a much slower pace than I was. It became a game: see how many people you can pass. Another marathoner had caught me up and was running with me and we played the game together. The most memorable moment along this part of the run was passing the blind half-marathoner. She and her running companion were doing awesome. Seeing them and knowing their story was a very emotional moment for me. I applauded them, wished them well and got the biggest energy surge of the race.
Other than passing half marathoners, there was nothing much going on during this stretch. Or was there? Who is that familiar face? My Dad! And then my Mom! That gave me energy all the way to the Overlander bridge. There, I got a bit of a kick: I saw a marathoner ahead of me and decided to pass her. As I ran by, her companion wondered what I had I my water pack. Best comment of the race...
The run through Riverside Park was LONG. At this point, I had already run 30km and I was getting tired. The only marathoners I saw were ahead of me and on their way back to McArthur Island. Just as I was getting discouraged, I saw this:
The best part was I knew I would see them twice. During the toughest mental part if the race. You can see that I really needed the boost. This is me on the way out at km 32:
Tired, but happy. Here is me at km 34:
Tired and no longer happy. But here's the thing: I knew I was in the home stretch. I was headed to McArthur Island and the finish line. There, I knew I would sees my mom, my dad, my parents-in-law, my Huffer, and my Cat. I found another gear and started the kick for home.
I will now interrupt my story to tell you this: while it felt at this point like I was flying, anyone watching me would think I was going at turtle pace. The reason: late in the race, it takes a lot of energy just to keep going at the same pace you started out at. And this late in the race, there is no energy left. I always have a bite of Clif bar every 5 minutes all the way through the race. After km 36, I started popping bites like candy and pretended they were magic beans full of rocket fuel. Maybe it worked. Who knows.
Back to the story.
I passed one more person with 4km to go. I was exhausted. I was disoriented. It's a good thing there were lines on the road and course marshals to tell me where to go because I would have been completely lost. Just when I wondered if I'd made it onto McArthur Island, I saw what I'd been looking for ever since I started: the finish line. And even though I had been feeling like someone had tied anchors to my ankles, dropped me into a big pool of jello, and told me to run; I suddenly felt light as air. My legs found a new gear and I sprinted for home. As I crossed the finish, I saw everyone who had supported me throughout the race and I was grateful. It was over. And I finished strong! At some point, someone (I don't know who) put a medal around my neck.
I had one kid who was happy for a hug and one who thought I was smelly. Guess which was which?
So. How was I able to do such a great job in the Kamloops marathon? Because I had excellent support. Yay cheerers - you ROCK!
~mom
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Nerves...
25 July 2015
Okay - so I'm really writing this entry on July 26 but, really, it's about July 25...
So I'm running a marathon tomorrow (yes, I know that really I already ran it today - that's not important for this post). I'm nervous. Here are some ways I know I'm nervous:
- it's hard to concentrate
- I have shaky hands
- I feel jittery inside
- I feel overwhelmingly sleepy
- yet I have trouble sleeping at night
Running a marathon is nothing new: I've done it 3 times already. It should be no big deal, right?
WRONG!
It's a big deal every time. 42.2km is a mega way to go. From our house, 42.2km will get you to:
- Whiterock (Dominic's house)
- Maple Ridge (that's 10km further than Stve & Carol's house)
- Lion's Bay (that's half-way to Squamish)
FAR!
The things I do to not be nervous:
- get my running stuff ready
- pin my number on my shirt
- pre-make my breakfast and coffee
- decide on what to write on my arms
This time, I decided to write "GUTS" and "GRIT" on my arms because I signed up last minute and have only had a little bit of time to get ready. Here's me ready for for the run. Do I look ready?
~mom
Thursday, July 23, 2015
My First Triathlon
23 July 2015
I run. A lot. You probably already know that. But today I did something I've never done before: I did a mini triathlon.
Okay, okay - I may have cheated a little bit. I started with a swim. It wasn't super long, but at least I swam all of it (last time I had a flutter board and did nothing but kicking: that's not exactly swimming).
Then I did a run. Unlike a real triathlon: it wasn't 42.2km; it wasn't 21.1km; it wasn't 10.5km; it wasn't even 5km. It was 1 mile. Also known as 1.61km - a little bit shorter than even the shortest beginner triathlon. But still. I ran.
I ended on the bike. That's the only part of my mini-triathlon where I worked hard. I managed to cover 31km in just 25minutes. Without moving a single centimetre. That's right - I was at the gym.
I cheated a lot on my triathlon. Cheat #1 happened on the amount of work I did on each leg. I did way less swimming, biking, and running than a real triathlon. Cheat #2 happened on the order of the events. It should be swim, bike, run and NOT swim, run, bike. Cheat #3 happened on the transitions. Normally, the hardest part of a triathlon are the transitions (at least that's what I've been told): from the pool to the bike and from the bike to the run. Legs are tired and making the switch from one type of exercise to another is really, really tough. I had hours between each part.
If you ask me, none of that matters because for the first time ever, I swam, biked, and ran all in one day. In my books, that's a triathlon!
~mom
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
A Creative Collaboration
21 July 2015
The Cat LOOOOVES cats. A lot. She's been practicing drawing cats in preparation for her Opus Art project. I've been practicing my cat drawing too.
Today, after asking for permission, I used one of the Cat's practice drawings and added a bit of colour and ink. Here is the result:
I love the result and so does the Cat. We should collaborate more often...
~mom
Night Stages
21 July 2015
by Jane Urquhart
Main Characters:
Tamara (Tam) - Niall's lover, stuck at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland for 3 days. She seems like a cool character at the beginning as she was an airplane pilot during the war (pretty cool!) but her interesting background seems a bit disjointed from the character she is while she's stuck at the airport (she hasn't really done much with her life lately and seems to be sitting around waiting for stuff to happen. which it doesn't.).
Niall - the older, successful, athletic brother who is married but carrying on an affair with Tam. He's the kind of guy who makes all the right choices: good student, natural athlete, good job. Except for the unfaithful bit. Although that doesn't seem to affect his life much if at all...
Kieran - the younger, screw-up brother who has tantrums, hates school and teams, and is a bit of a "wild child" (later a "wild man") who has no connection to his older brother and really kind of doesn't like him at all.
Kenneth - the artist who painted the mural in the Gander airport. He's a bit of an "extra" in the book.
Secondary Characters:
Gerry-Annie - the housekeeper who becomes Kieran's "other mother" and raises the boy by taking him home to live with her.
Susan - Niall's wife who we don't really get to know but her character becomes important in the later part of the story.
Michael Kirby - a fisherman who becomes Kieran's mentor. Imagine a "Jedi master" who is also eccentric (fancy word for oddly-different), a bit rough, and very old-school. While I know they are completely different movies, but think "Gandalf's" wisdom in "Strider's" body with "Gimly's" personality all bound together to be the best Jedi master ever...
What this Book is About
That's a really, really good question for the first 3/4 of the book. For 300 pages or so, the book uses the most beautiful flowerly language to develop the characters, to tell their back-story, to explain who these characters are, how they grew up, where they grew up, and how they ended up being where they are. Where they are is this: Tam is stuck for 3 days at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland thanks to a blanket of never-relenting fog that keeps her flight (from Ireland to NYC - spoiler: she doesn't get there) firmly on the ground. Niall is back in Ireland. It is clear that while Tam has left Ireland in an effort to leave Niall (as in break-up with him), it is really Niall who has left Tam to be with his wife. Kieran is nowhere. He has disappeared. Who knows why. And Kenneth, well, his story takes place in the past (before the mural was painted) so really all we get are a few snapshots of his journey as an artist and unfaithful husband. For the rest, his story doesn't tie in at all.
While you think the book is supposed to be about Tam, most of the book focuses on Kieran. He is a "wild child", prone to tantrums after his mother's suicide when he was just a boy. He is taken in by Gerry-Annie (my favourite character by far: she's definitely a "Gandalf") who has a connection to the boy and knows instinctively how to nurture his independent nature while guiding him to make smart choices (like wearing a jacket, like going to school, like making connections with people in his community). Kieran (not surprisingly - what kid doesn't) is a boy who loves his bike (long story about how the bike came into his life) and rides it all the time. He catches the attention of Michael Kirby, and old fisherman and poet, who becomes the boy's mentor, training and preparing him for a grueling 8-stage (over 8 days) bike race (like 150km+ per day - from our house to West Van and back is just over 40km; you can imagine...) called The Rás.
Rating
I didn't love this book very much. Especially the first 300 pages. It was long and nothing much happened. While it was interesting enough to read about Kenneth (the artist who painted the mural), his story didn't really have any connection to the rest of the book. His story could have been nicely left out and I would never have missed it. The last 100 pages, however, the book finally got GOOD and a there was a STORY. About the bike race. And that was AWESOME. It's just too bad it took so long to get there. It's also too bad that the story ended so abruptly after the bike race. In my opinion, the book ended just as the story was beginning..
I won't be recommending this book to my book club. There just isn't much to talk about. The characters were pretty flat (that means they didn't change much or learn anything). That said, Jane Urquhart has a beautiful way with words and I'd love to go and see Ireland (where most of the book is set) which sounds rough, wild, and AMAZING!
~mom
by Jane Urquhart
Main Characters:
Tamara (Tam) - Niall's lover, stuck at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland for 3 days. She seems like a cool character at the beginning as she was an airplane pilot during the war (pretty cool!) but her interesting background seems a bit disjointed from the character she is while she's stuck at the airport (she hasn't really done much with her life lately and seems to be sitting around waiting for stuff to happen. which it doesn't.).
Niall - the older, successful, athletic brother who is married but carrying on an affair with Tam. He's the kind of guy who makes all the right choices: good student, natural athlete, good job. Except for the unfaithful bit. Although that doesn't seem to affect his life much if at all...
Kieran - the younger, screw-up brother who has tantrums, hates school and teams, and is a bit of a "wild child" (later a "wild man") who has no connection to his older brother and really kind of doesn't like him at all.
Kenneth - the artist who painted the mural in the Gander airport. He's a bit of an "extra" in the book.
Secondary Characters:
Gerry-Annie - the housekeeper who becomes Kieran's "other mother" and raises the boy by taking him home to live with her.
Susan - Niall's wife who we don't really get to know but her character becomes important in the later part of the story.
Michael Kirby - a fisherman who becomes Kieran's mentor. Imagine a "Jedi master" who is also eccentric (fancy word for oddly-different), a bit rough, and very old-school. While I know they are completely different movies, but think "Gandalf's" wisdom in "Strider's" body with "Gimly's" personality all bound together to be the best Jedi master ever...
What this Book is About
That's a really, really good question for the first 3/4 of the book. For 300 pages or so, the book uses the most beautiful flowerly language to develop the characters, to tell their back-story, to explain who these characters are, how they grew up, where they grew up, and how they ended up being where they are. Where they are is this: Tam is stuck for 3 days at the airport in Gander, Newfoundland thanks to a blanket of never-relenting fog that keeps her flight (from Ireland to NYC - spoiler: she doesn't get there) firmly on the ground. Niall is back in Ireland. It is clear that while Tam has left Ireland in an effort to leave Niall (as in break-up with him), it is really Niall who has left Tam to be with his wife. Kieran is nowhere. He has disappeared. Who knows why. And Kenneth, well, his story takes place in the past (before the mural was painted) so really all we get are a few snapshots of his journey as an artist and unfaithful husband. For the rest, his story doesn't tie in at all.
While you think the book is supposed to be about Tam, most of the book focuses on Kieran. He is a "wild child", prone to tantrums after his mother's suicide when he was just a boy. He is taken in by Gerry-Annie (my favourite character by far: she's definitely a "Gandalf") who has a connection to the boy and knows instinctively how to nurture his independent nature while guiding him to make smart choices (like wearing a jacket, like going to school, like making connections with people in his community). Kieran (not surprisingly - what kid doesn't) is a boy who loves his bike (long story about how the bike came into his life) and rides it all the time. He catches the attention of Michael Kirby, and old fisherman and poet, who becomes the boy's mentor, training and preparing him for a grueling 8-stage (over 8 days) bike race (like 150km+ per day - from our house to West Van and back is just over 40km; you can imagine...) called The Rás.
Rating
I didn't love this book very much. Especially the first 300 pages. It was long and nothing much happened. While it was interesting enough to read about Kenneth (the artist who painted the mural), his story didn't really have any connection to the rest of the book. His story could have been nicely left out and I would never have missed it. The last 100 pages, however, the book finally got GOOD and a there was a STORY. About the bike race. And that was AWESOME. It's just too bad it took so long to get there. It's also too bad that the story ended so abruptly after the bike race. In my opinion, the book ended just as the story was beginning..
I won't be recommending this book to my book club. There just isn't much to talk about. The characters were pretty flat (that means they didn't change much or learn anything). That said, Jane Urquhart has a beautiful way with words and I'd love to go and see Ireland (where most of the book is set) which sounds rough, wild, and AMAZING!
~mom
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Blueberries
19 July 2015
I love blueberries. They at sooooo yummy. Right now, we have a HUGE box of them in the fridge. Here is a whole pile of things you can do with blueberries:
1. Wash and eat fresh. Yum!
2. Blueberry muffins. Like this morning's breakfast.
3. Blueberry jam. Yummy on muffins, bagels, crackers, and cheese.
4. Blueberry pancakes. Hmmm. Maybe I'll make those tomorrow!
5. Smoothie. Tasty on their own or with a mix of other berries.
6. Fruit crisp. Especially nice warm with a bit of vanilla icecream. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is...
7. Blueberry clafoutis. Especially nice when mixed with peaches. And vanilla yogurt on top. Tuesday breakfast, maybe?
8. On salad. Nice mixed with strawberries and some nuts. Choose a fruity salad dressing and - just like that - super yummy salad!
9. Blueberries and yogurt. Especially fun when the blueberries are hiding under the yogurt and come as a surprise.
10. Blueberries and ice-cream. Make it even yummier with a bit of chocolate sauce. Oh boy!
11. Blueberry tarts. Or pie. But I'm not a great pie-maker so let's say tarts!
12. Blueberry-cranberry sauce. Yummy on turkey. Works great if you're a little short on cranberries at Thanksgiving!
13. Blueberry syrup. I've never made syrup from blueberries but I do have a recipe. Maybe one day if I don't get enough blackberries I can make a batch..
14. Frozen blueberries straight out of the freeze. A yummy winter snack.
15. Dipped in chocolate. What fruit isn't good dipped in chocolate?
There you have it. 15 great reasons to buy lots and lots of blueberries during the summer. And a whole pile of extras for the freezer for treats all winter long.
~mom
Saturday, July 18, 2015
How to Get Onto the Lions Gate Bridge
18 July 2017
We biked to West Vancouver today. Across the Lions Gate Bridge. We had a little trouble..
First, we took a path that we thought would lead us to the Stanley Park Causeway. It didn't. It took us to Pipeline road. That's how you find yourself above the Lions Gate Bridge..
We found another trail that took us to Prospect Point where we took some pictures of the bridge:
From there, we took a path. We got excited when we saw the sign:
That path took us to the west side of the Lions Gate Bridge. If we were walking, that would have been fine. But we were on bikes which meant we needed to cross on the east side of the bridge. That meant that the west side was the wrong side. But no worries. Yet another path took us under the bridge:
When we popped up back up, we were finally on the east side of the bridge: the right side. Hooray!
So now we know and now you know too. You can go above the bridge, below the bridge, on the west side of the bridge, and the east side of the bridge. Surely one of those is what you're looking for!
Happy biking!
~mom
We biked to West Vancouver today. Across the Lions Gate Bridge. We had a little trouble..
First, we took a path that we thought would lead us to the Stanley Park Causeway. It didn't. It took us to Pipeline road. That's how you find yourself above the Lions Gate Bridge..
We found another trail that took us to Prospect Point where we took some pictures of the bridge:
From there, we took a path. We got excited when we saw the sign:
That path took us to the west side of the Lions Gate Bridge. If we were walking, that would have been fine. But we were on bikes which meant we needed to cross on the east side of the bridge. That meant that the west side was the wrong side. But no worries. Yet another path took us under the bridge:
When we popped up back up, we were finally on the east side of the bridge: the right side. Hooray!
So now we know and now you know too. You can go above the bridge, below the bridge, on the west side of the bridge, and the east side of the bridge. Surely one of those is what you're looking for!
Happy biking!
~mom
Friday, July 17, 2015
Arms Don't Break Everytime...
17 July 2015
The last time we went skim boarding, the Huffer broke his arm. He SAID he would never skimboard again...
Today we went to the beach and guess what:
...arms didn't break!
Now where are those pretzel goldfish?
~mom
Swimming
July 17, 2015
Small secret...
The Huffer and the Cat have been signed up for Swim Kids level 8 since last week THURSDAY. Because I asked. And I already knew...
I love my kids. They've worked so hard. I'm proud if them.
~mom
All My Puny Sorrows
July 17, 2015
by Miriam Toews
Main Characters:
Elfrieda (aka Elf) - the older, successful sister who wants to kill herself
Yolanda (aka Yoli) - the younger sister who is making a mess of her life and is desperately trying to keep her older sister alive
Secondary Characters:
The girls' mom
The girls' dad
Elf's husband
What this Book is About
This book is about a whole mess of things. It asks "what is success?" It is a vivid depiction of depression. It explores the bond between siblings. It is steeped in grief. It asks the hardest of questions: is life worth living and why? It is a story about survival. Mostly, it is a beautiful, moving song about family and all it's moments: the good times and the worst times.
Rating
I LOVED this book. It is the kind of book that prints itself on your heart and stays there. I will definitely recommend this book to my book club. That said, I do not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a happy, easy story. Because this book is not that.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A Ghost Story
July 16, 2015
Today we were listening to a Ghost Story during lunch. I started thinking: what if I wrote a ghost story? I'm not a big story writer. I don't know if I could write a story let alone a Ghost Story. But supposing I could write one, it would go something like this...
At the beginning...
The story would start with "Once upon a time" because I like stories that start that way. The story would tell about a Mother, a Father, a Brother, and a Sister who are close. Very close. They are a happy and loving family. Then one of the kids gets sick. And sicker. And sicker. And dies. The whole family is sad. The Father starts working all hours of the day and night to stay out of the house. The Mother starts cleaning everything in sight all day, every day. The remaining Child is very sad and won't leave the bedroom. Ever. The family moves but their sadness moves with them. Father keeps working. Mother keeps cleaning. And the remaining Child won't leave the bedroom. Ever.
And then...
As Sister is sitting in the room, staring at the wall, a Child appears in the room. Same age. Dressed a little funny. But otherwise normal. And super nice. At first, this other Child just sits there too, staring at the wall. Staring. And then leaving. Each day, the Sister and the Child sit and stare. The Child never says anything. The Sister never says anything. None-the-less, the Sister feels comforted with this Child's presence.
One day...
The Child speaks. She asks Sister, "What was his name? The Brother?" At first the Sister won't say anything. Then one day she blurts out the answer. The Child doesn't say anything. Just puts an arm around the Sister. They are sad together.
The stories begin...
The Sister starts to tell the Child all sorts of Stories about her Brother. Like the time they had a snowball fight and she got snow down the back of her Brother's neck. Like the time her Brother was scared of a spider. Like the time her Brother ambushed her in a water fight and soaked her to the bone. Like the time she scraped her knee at the playground and her Brother helped her get a band-aid. Each of these stories would be a small chapter. At the end of each chapter, the Sister would start to feel a bit better.
The Outing...
Slowly the Child convinces the Sister it's time to leave the room. That leaving the room doesn't mean leaving her Brother. That no matter what, her Brother is still Gone. But even though he's Gone, she needs to remember that he loved her and always would. Sister needs a lot of convincing. But then she goes. First to the bathroom. Then to the kitchen. Then she sits in the living room. Each time she leaves the room, she feels a little bit of her sadness lift and she feels a little more free. All the while, the Child is encouraging her. Supporting her. The Sister is now leaving the room but still won't leave the house. The Child tells Sister she needs to leave the house. And once she does, the Child will take her to her Brother. To see him one last time..
Expanding her world...
Finally she does it. The Sister steps out of the front door. The air is cool and crisp. The breeze seems to blow right through her. She feels free. She walks down the stairs and back. Then she walks to the sidewalk and back. Then she walks to the neighbour's walkway and back. Then she walks to the mailbox and back. After many months, she finally walks to the school and back. She watches the kids play and feels sad. But happy too. Watching the kids playing and be happy makes her realize that even though her Brother is Gone, life goes on. And life needs to go on. When she tells the Child her feelings, the Child tells Sister she is ready. And they go.
The Family cheers up...
The Child takes Sister by the hand and they walk. They walk and they walk. It is a long way to where her Brother is. It takes days to get there. When they get to the house, Sister is confused. It isn't the house she remembers. But the Child assures her she will find her Brother inside. After much convincing, the Sister reluctantly goes inside. The first person she sees is her mother. Her Mother is cleaning like mad. At first, Mother ignores Sister. Sister asks Mother, "Where's my Brother?". Mother doesn't answer. Silly. How would Mother know?? Sister asks Mother why she's cleaning. Mother tells her she doesn't know. Sister tells Mother: "You can clean all day, you can clean all year, you can clean your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot clean the sadness away. You have to stop cleaning. You need to find life outside soap bucket. I love you, Mommy. It's time to move on.". Just like that, Mother puts her soap bucket away, takes off her apron, and cries floods of tears. Once she has cried out every last tear from her body, she puts on some nice clothes and goes for the first walk she has been on since the loss. Mother still feels sad, but she knows she's ready to move on. For the first time, she feels more than just sadness: she feels a little spark of light. Just then, Father comes home.
Father has bags under his eyes. His face is grey. His hair is crazy. He looks awful. He won't look at Sister. Sister asks Father, "Where's my Brother?". Father doesn't answer. Silly. How would Father know?? Sister asks Father why he's working all the time. Father tells her she doesn't know. Sister tells Father: "You can work all day, you can work all year, you can work your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot work the sadness away. You have to stop working. You need to find life outside the office. I love you, Daddy. It's time to move on." Just like that, Father takes off his jacket, loosens his tie, and cries floods of tears. Once he has cried out every last tear from his body, he puts on a pair of jeans and goes for the first walk he has been on since the loss. Father still feels sad, but he knows he's ready to move on. For the first time, he feels more than just sadness: he feels a little spark of light. He sees his wife also walking and he grabs her hand. She puts her head on his shoulder and they walk on together. Sister is pleased. She can see the love. She knows her parents have been through the worst and they will be okay. She feels her heart becoming light. Her own sadness is starting to lift.
Sister goes upstairs. There in the bedroom, she finds her Brother. He is sitting just staring at the wall. He doesn't move when she sits beside him. "Brother?", she says. "Brother?" Brother doesn't respond. As she did with Child all those months ago, she starts telling her brother all the stories from their childhood. The snowball fight. The spider. The water fight. The band-aid. She talks and talks and talks. Then she says, "You can sit here all day, you can sit here all year, you can sit here your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot sit the sadness away. You have to get out. You need to find life outside the bedroom. Outside this house. I love you Brother. We had great times together. Now you need to have great times without me. It's time to move on." Then Sister hugs her Brother. Brother starts to cry. And cry and cry and cry. He cries until he can cry no more. Then he gets up and goes out of the bedroom. He goes to the bathroom to wash his face. Then he goes to the kitchen to get a snack. He grabs his jacket from the living room. He puts on his shoes and goes to the playground. He plays and he plays and he plays. Mother and Father arrive at the park hand-in-hand. They watch Brother play and they smile. Sister is happy. She knows her family will be okay.
Going home...
As Sister watches her family at the playground, Child grabs Sister's hand and tells her it's time to go home. "What do you mean?", Sister asks, "Am I not home already?". The Child looks at Sister sadly. No, says the Child. This is not your home. This home belongs to your Mother, Father, and Brother. You need to go back to where you came from. You see, a year ago, you got sick. Very sick. You got sicker and sicker. Until you died. Right there. In your bedroom. Your family was so sad they decided to move. Your spirit stayed behind. Right there. In your bedroom. Now that you've seen your family one last time, you need to go back. Your job on earth is done. It's time for you to rest.
And so the Child walks Sister back to the house Sister has always known. Past her old school. Past the mailbox. Past her neighbour's houses. Up the familiar stairs. Through her own front door. Past the living room. Past the kitchen. Past the bathroom. To her bedroom. Sister is sad. But happy too. And ready. She thanks the Child for everything. "I'm tired now," says Sister. Then she climbs into bed and goes to sleep.
THE END
Today we were listening to a Ghost Story during lunch. I started thinking: what if I wrote a ghost story? I'm not a big story writer. I don't know if I could write a story let alone a Ghost Story. But supposing I could write one, it would go something like this...
At the beginning...
The story would start with "Once upon a time" because I like stories that start that way. The story would tell about a Mother, a Father, a Brother, and a Sister who are close. Very close. They are a happy and loving family. Then one of the kids gets sick. And sicker. And sicker. And dies. The whole family is sad. The Father starts working all hours of the day and night to stay out of the house. The Mother starts cleaning everything in sight all day, every day. The remaining Child is very sad and won't leave the bedroom. Ever. The family moves but their sadness moves with them. Father keeps working. Mother keeps cleaning. And the remaining Child won't leave the bedroom. Ever.
And then...
As Sister is sitting in the room, staring at the wall, a Child appears in the room. Same age. Dressed a little funny. But otherwise normal. And super nice. At first, this other Child just sits there too, staring at the wall. Staring. And then leaving. Each day, the Sister and the Child sit and stare. The Child never says anything. The Sister never says anything. None-the-less, the Sister feels comforted with this Child's presence.
One day...
The Child speaks. She asks Sister, "What was his name? The Brother?" At first the Sister won't say anything. Then one day she blurts out the answer. The Child doesn't say anything. Just puts an arm around the Sister. They are sad together.
The stories begin...
The Sister starts to tell the Child all sorts of Stories about her Brother. Like the time they had a snowball fight and she got snow down the back of her Brother's neck. Like the time her Brother was scared of a spider. Like the time her Brother ambushed her in a water fight and soaked her to the bone. Like the time she scraped her knee at the playground and her Brother helped her get a band-aid. Each of these stories would be a small chapter. At the end of each chapter, the Sister would start to feel a bit better.
The Outing...
Slowly the Child convinces the Sister it's time to leave the room. That leaving the room doesn't mean leaving her Brother. That no matter what, her Brother is still Gone. But even though he's Gone, she needs to remember that he loved her and always would. Sister needs a lot of convincing. But then she goes. First to the bathroom. Then to the kitchen. Then she sits in the living room. Each time she leaves the room, she feels a little bit of her sadness lift and she feels a little more free. All the while, the Child is encouraging her. Supporting her. The Sister is now leaving the room but still won't leave the house. The Child tells Sister she needs to leave the house. And once she does, the Child will take her to her Brother. To see him one last time..
Expanding her world...
Finally she does it. The Sister steps out of the front door. The air is cool and crisp. The breeze seems to blow right through her. She feels free. She walks down the stairs and back. Then she walks to the sidewalk and back. Then she walks to the neighbour's walkway and back. Then she walks to the mailbox and back. After many months, she finally walks to the school and back. She watches the kids play and feels sad. But happy too. Watching the kids playing and be happy makes her realize that even though her Brother is Gone, life goes on. And life needs to go on. When she tells the Child her feelings, the Child tells Sister she is ready. And they go.
The Family cheers up...
The Child takes Sister by the hand and they walk. They walk and they walk. It is a long way to where her Brother is. It takes days to get there. When they get to the house, Sister is confused. It isn't the house she remembers. But the Child assures her she will find her Brother inside. After much convincing, the Sister reluctantly goes inside. The first person she sees is her mother. Her Mother is cleaning like mad. At first, Mother ignores Sister. Sister asks Mother, "Where's my Brother?". Mother doesn't answer. Silly. How would Mother know?? Sister asks Mother why she's cleaning. Mother tells her she doesn't know. Sister tells Mother: "You can clean all day, you can clean all year, you can clean your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot clean the sadness away. You have to stop cleaning. You need to find life outside soap bucket. I love you, Mommy. It's time to move on.". Just like that, Mother puts her soap bucket away, takes off her apron, and cries floods of tears. Once she has cried out every last tear from her body, she puts on some nice clothes and goes for the first walk she has been on since the loss. Mother still feels sad, but she knows she's ready to move on. For the first time, she feels more than just sadness: she feels a little spark of light. Just then, Father comes home.
Father has bags under his eyes. His face is grey. His hair is crazy. He looks awful. He won't look at Sister. Sister asks Father, "Where's my Brother?". Father doesn't answer. Silly. How would Father know?? Sister asks Father why he's working all the time. Father tells her she doesn't know. Sister tells Father: "You can work all day, you can work all year, you can work your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot work the sadness away. You have to stop working. You need to find life outside the office. I love you, Daddy. It's time to move on." Just like that, Father takes off his jacket, loosens his tie, and cries floods of tears. Once he has cried out every last tear from his body, he puts on a pair of jeans and goes for the first walk he has been on since the loss. Father still feels sad, but he knows he's ready to move on. For the first time, he feels more than just sadness: he feels a little spark of light. He sees his wife also walking and he grabs her hand. She puts her head on his shoulder and they walk on together. Sister is pleased. She can see the love. She knows her parents have been through the worst and they will be okay. She feels her heart becoming light. Her own sadness is starting to lift.
Sister goes upstairs. There in the bedroom, she finds her Brother. He is sitting just staring at the wall. He doesn't move when she sits beside him. "Brother?", she says. "Brother?" Brother doesn't respond. As she did with Child all those months ago, she starts telling her brother all the stories from their childhood. The snowball fight. The spider. The water fight. The band-aid. She talks and talks and talks. Then she says, "You can sit here all day, you can sit here all year, you can sit here your whole life but nothing will ever change. You cannot sit the sadness away. You have to get out. You need to find life outside the bedroom. Outside this house. I love you Brother. We had great times together. Now you need to have great times without me. It's time to move on." Then Sister hugs her Brother. Brother starts to cry. And cry and cry and cry. He cries until he can cry no more. Then he gets up and goes out of the bedroom. He goes to the bathroom to wash his face. Then he goes to the kitchen to get a snack. He grabs his jacket from the living room. He puts on his shoes and goes to the playground. He plays and he plays and he plays. Mother and Father arrive at the park hand-in-hand. They watch Brother play and they smile. Sister is happy. She knows her family will be okay.
Going home...
As Sister watches her family at the playground, Child grabs Sister's hand and tells her it's time to go home. "What do you mean?", Sister asks, "Am I not home already?". The Child looks at Sister sadly. No, says the Child. This is not your home. This home belongs to your Mother, Father, and Brother. You need to go back to where you came from. You see, a year ago, you got sick. Very sick. You got sicker and sicker. Until you died. Right there. In your bedroom. Your family was so sad they decided to move. Your spirit stayed behind. Right there. In your bedroom. Now that you've seen your family one last time, you need to go back. Your job on earth is done. It's time for you to rest.
And so the Child walks Sister back to the house Sister has always known. Past her old school. Past the mailbox. Past her neighbour's houses. Up the familiar stairs. Through her own front door. Past the living room. Past the kitchen. Past the bathroom. To her bedroom. Sister is sad. But happy too. And ready. She thanks the Child for everything. "I'm tired now," says Sister. Then she climbs into bed and goes to sleep.
THE END
~mom
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Musings... Water Restrictions
July 15, 2015
We live in a rain forest but there hasn't been much rain for the last 2.5 months. After a winter that had very little snow fall on the mountains. It is dry all over the province. There are forest fires all over the place. Now there is a water restriction.
Water restrictions mean:
- you can't wash your car
- you can only water your grass once per week
- there is no water in the wading pool at Balaclava Park
- the water at the water parks is turned OFF
Water restrictions are not much fun for kids in the middle of a hot summer. No sprinklers, no water parks, no fun. Luckily, there are lots of swimming pools and there is still lots of water at the beach too. This mom is happy enough NOT to wash the car. However, NOT watering the lawn is a bit stressful. Not that this mom lusts after a lush, green lawn; this mom simply worries for the newly planted and still very patchy clover lawn.
Not everyone is good about following water restrictions. We've seen people:
- washing a boat
- power washing a building
- power washing a sidewalk
- watering their lawn outside of water restrictions
Normally, everyone hopes for a hot, dry summer. But this year, everyone hopes for rain. At least for a few days. We complain about the rain the most of the year, but (living in a rain forest) we all secretly love it...
~mom
We live in a rain forest but there hasn't been much rain for the last 2.5 months. After a winter that had very little snow fall on the mountains. It is dry all over the province. There are forest fires all over the place. Now there is a water restriction.
Water restrictions mean:
- you can't wash your car
- you can only water your grass once per week
- there is no water in the wading pool at Balaclava Park
- the water at the water parks is turned OFF
Water restrictions are not much fun for kids in the middle of a hot summer. No sprinklers, no water parks, no fun. Luckily, there are lots of swimming pools and there is still lots of water at the beach too. This mom is happy enough NOT to wash the car. However, NOT watering the lawn is a bit stressful. Not that this mom lusts after a lush, green lawn; this mom simply worries for the newly planted and still very patchy clover lawn.
Not everyone is good about following water restrictions. We've seen people:
- washing a boat
- power washing a building
- power washing a sidewalk
- watering their lawn outside of water restrictions
Normally, everyone hopes for a hot, dry summer. But this year, everyone hopes for rain. At least for a few days. We complain about the rain the most of the year, but (living in a rain forest) we all secretly love it...
~mom
A Trip To Opus
July 15, 2015
We went to Opus today to get Art Supplies. Mom LOVES art. The kids don't love Art quite as much. Actually, that's not true. The Cat loves art while The Huffer isn't a big fan. However, they're game to do at least a few Art projects each summer.
Every summer, Opus has an Art Exhibition for kids. For a very small donation, kids get a small 10x10 board on which they can create any type of Art. The Art hangs for Public Display for 2 weeks in August. There is Judging and Prizes (although your chance of winning Prizes depends a lot on how may Fans you bring to see the Art works..). The kids have participated the last few years. Here is a sampling:
2013
2014:
Besides picking up our annual Opus Art Exhibition boards, we picked up 2 exciting things:
1. Lino Print Set
Mom is going to let the kids try their hand at Cutting line with real Cutting Tools. Scary? Maybe.. Should be fun, thought!
2. Blank Canvas
We have 3 feet (actually it's 4: the lady at the store was very generous with her measurements...) of blank, primed canvas. We want to do a Big Painting Project later this summer. It'll be a Circle Painting Project. Curious what that is? Not telling yet... Stay tuned!
Tempting as it isfor mom, we aren't doing Art today, though. Today will be Library Day where the kids will be playing on iPads to make a Lego Movie. Oh boy!
~mom
We went to Opus today to get Art Supplies. Mom LOVES art. The kids don't love Art quite as much. Actually, that's not true. The Cat loves art while The Huffer isn't a big fan. However, they're game to do at least a few Art projects each summer.
Every summer, Opus has an Art Exhibition for kids. For a very small donation, kids get a small 10x10 board on which they can create any type of Art. The Art hangs for Public Display for 2 weeks in August. There is Judging and Prizes (although your chance of winning Prizes depends a lot on how may Fans you bring to see the Art works..). The kids have participated the last few years. Here is a sampling:
2013
2014:
Besides picking up our annual Opus Art Exhibition boards, we picked up 2 exciting things:
1. Lino Print Set
Mom is going to let the kids try their hand at Cutting line with real Cutting Tools. Scary? Maybe.. Should be fun, thought!
2. Blank Canvas
We have 3 feet (actually it's 4: the lady at the store was very generous with her measurements...) of blank, primed canvas. We want to do a Big Painting Project later this summer. It'll be a Circle Painting Project. Curious what that is? Not telling yet... Stay tuned!
Tempting as it is
~mom
Hello, Summer...
July 15, 2015
Right. So it's summer. That means:
NO SCHOOL!!!
Yup, that's right: kids at home all day, every day. Every mom's dream, right? Right??
Ok. Now that the shock is over, it's time to get to business. What better way to keep kids (and mom) happy but to keep the kids (and mom) busy. So here is what we've done so far this summer:
- Grandparent Camp
- Swimming Lessons
- Daily Mile, Daily Smile
- A Massive ToDo List
- Creative Projects
- A Big Walk
So what ARE all those things? Well:
- Grandparent Camp is where kids go to Kamloops where Grandparents keep them crazy busy with golf, fishing, tennis, outings, more outings, movies, chips, KFC, and a whole pile of other things while parentsenjoy the best week of summer miss the kids like mad and sit around missing them all week long..
- Swimming Lessons are daily swims at Kitsilano Pool. The Huffer & The Cat are both working on level 7 right now. They'll get their report cards on Friday to find out if they move on to level 8 or if they need a bit more practice at level 7..
- Daily Mile, Daily Smile is a daily mile run. We keep track of our times on a list on the fridge. It is an easy run every day except Mondays. On Mondays, we go to the track and try for a Personal Best (or PB).
- Our Massive ToDo List has ideas of Big Outings as well as Activities Close To Home. If we are bored, we can go to our Massive ToDo List and figure out something to do.
- Creative Projects are wheremoms make kids do Art. So far, we've done shadow paintings. More on that later..
- A Big Walk was a walk we did around the seawall last week. We started in Kitsilano, walked across Burrard Bridge, walked around the seawall, lunched at Fresh Bowl in Yaletown, walked across Cambie Bridge, walked to Granville Island, and all the way back to Kitsilano for Seigel's Bagels and a treat at Starbucks. We (the kids) played at (almost) every playground along the way (I had my book and got a lot of reading done). It took us 6 hours. It was the first Big Outing we crossed off our Massive ToDo List.
Right. This introduction is getting a bit long. That's not the point. Keep reading. You'll find out about our adventures, random thoughts and musings, the odd book review, photo montages, and more.
Enjoy!
~mom
Right. So it's summer. That means:
NO SCHOOL!!!
Yup, that's right: kids at home all day, every day. Every mom's dream, right? Right??
Ok. Now that the shock is over, it's time to get to business. What better way to keep kids (and mom) happy but to keep the kids (and mom) busy. So here is what we've done so far this summer:
- Grandparent Camp
- Swimming Lessons
- Daily Mile, Daily Smile
- A Massive ToDo List
- Creative Projects
- A Big Walk
So what ARE all those things? Well:
- Grandparent Camp is where kids go to Kamloops where Grandparents keep them crazy busy with golf, fishing, tennis, outings, more outings, movies, chips, KFC, and a whole pile of other things while parents
- Swimming Lessons are daily swims at Kitsilano Pool. The Huffer & The Cat are both working on level 7 right now. They'll get their report cards on Friday to find out if they move on to level 8 or if they need a bit more practice at level 7..
- Daily Mile, Daily Smile is a daily mile run. We keep track of our times on a list on the fridge. It is an easy run every day except Mondays. On Mondays, we go to the track and try for a Personal Best (or PB).
- Our Massive ToDo List has ideas of Big Outings as well as Activities Close To Home. If we are bored, we can go to our Massive ToDo List and figure out something to do.
- Creative Projects are where
- A Big Walk was a walk we did around the seawall last week. We started in Kitsilano, walked across Burrard Bridge, walked around the seawall, lunched at Fresh Bowl in Yaletown, walked across Cambie Bridge, walked to Granville Island, and all the way back to Kitsilano for Seigel's Bagels and a treat at Starbucks. We (the kids) played at (almost) every playground along the way (I had my book and got a lot of reading done). It took us 6 hours. It was the first Big Outing we crossed off our Massive ToDo List.
Right. This introduction is getting a bit long. That's not the point. Keep reading. You'll find out about our adventures, random thoughts and musings, the odd book review, photo montages, and more.
Enjoy!
~mom
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