Ok, this was a bad day. I planned on going to work but woke up feeling really tired and couldn't focus very well. My right eye was fuzzy and a bit sore. I had a personal appointment in the afternoon so I went to that. Before I left I put on a little mascara for the first time. After about 2 hours my right eye started to itch a little so I put in the last of my BION drops and headed home. While driving it felt like I had something in my eye. By the time I got home the pain was really bad. I put in more drops when I got home and lay down for a while. It got increasingly bad throughout the evening to the point where I couldn't take the pain anymore and I used the tetracaine pain drops. It helped for about 1 minute but the pain got worse and worse. My husband said it looked like I had a hair in my eye so I flushed and flushed my eye with the BION drops. It was really bad. Finally, not being able to take it anymore, I put in the contact lens the doctor had given me for emergencies. Instant relief. I left it in all night. By morning everything felt better but I still haven't taken the lens out. I'm lubricating lots and using the drops as directed. My eyes feel a lot better today. Vision is clear but much fuzzier than usual. Hope it gets better than this! I can see fine but not as clear as I used to see with glasses and my close up reading is atrocious. I've learned to pull things a bit farther away to bring them into focus, It actually works but it makes you feel old.
I don't know if I got a hair in my eye, or it just got dry and sticky and it caused a small tear or possibly I got mascara in my eye. Whatever happened, it hurt a ton and I will be much more careful now. No more eye makeup for a little while I think.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
PRK Eye surgery - Day 7
Best day yet. By early afternoon my vision had improved so much! I think I might actually go to work tomorrow! I'm so bored! My right eye feels a little bit worse than my left eye, which is the opposite of yesterday.
PRK Eye surgery - Day 6
Day 6 - contact removal day. The contact lenses they put in on the surgery day have been feeling increasingly sticky and sore. I could hardly wait to get them out. I woke up in the morning with off and on sharp pains in my right eye which I think was caused by the contact getting dry. I used tons of the BION drops today to keep them lubricated. I let my niece drive me to my appointment in Vancouver and we went shopping for a bit before and after. The doctor looked at my eyes and said they were healing well. He took the contacts out and gave me a new drop schedule. He said I would struggle with close up reading and computer work and he highly recommended I take the rest of the week off of work. He gave me some reading glasses and I tried them, found them useless so he gave me stronger ones. He told me to come back in three weeks.
After we left the office we went shopping on Robson street. It was pretty funny because my close up reading was terrible. I couldn't read any labels or price tags. Kept having to ask my niece to tell me how much things were.
I drove her home to Abbotsford and by the time I left her house it was getting dark. Oops! The drive from Abbotsford to Langley was sketchy. As it got dark, the halos and night vision got really bad. I just prayed the whole way home! I made it in one piece by the grace of God and by the fact that I drive that road everyday. I probably drove by memory more than sight.
By the time I got home my head ached and my eyes burned. I put all the required drops in, took a pain killer and went to bed. I really overdid it!
After we left the office we went shopping on Robson street. It was pretty funny because my close up reading was terrible. I couldn't read any labels or price tags. Kept having to ask my niece to tell me how much things were.
I drove her home to Abbotsford and by the time I left her house it was getting dark. Oops! The drive from Abbotsford to Langley was sketchy. As it got dark, the halos and night vision got really bad. I just prayed the whole way home! I made it in one piece by the grace of God and by the fact that I drive that road everyday. I probably drove by memory more than sight.
By the time I got home my head ached and my eyes burned. I put all the required drops in, took a pain killer and went to bed. I really overdid it!
Monday, August 11, 2014
PRK Eye surgery - Day 4
This "hazy vision, lay around and heal" thing is getting old. I went to church and to a family BBQ and my eyes hurt so badly by the end of the day. I realized at noon on Sunday I was supposed to stop the anti- inflammatory drops on Saturday. So I'm down to 2 different drops 4 times a day.
Today I mostly feel like the contacts they put in are bothering me. They come out on Wednesday and I can hardly wait. They feel sticky and sore, just like it usually feels to wear contacts too long. When I use the pain drops I tend to forget about my eyes and then I don't rest as much as I should. so I think it's best to not use them and instead just close my eyes and rest when they start to hurt.
Today I'm just ready for this to be better.
Today I mostly feel like the contacts they put in are bothering me. They come out on Wednesday and I can hardly wait. They feel sticky and sore, just like it usually feels to wear contacts too long. When I use the pain drops I tend to forget about my eyes and then I don't rest as much as I should. so I think it's best to not use them and instead just close my eyes and rest when they start to hurt.
Today I'm just ready for this to be better.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
PRK Eye surgery - Day 3
This was the hardest day by far. My vision has become quite hazy and boredom has set in. I'm really struggling with reading too! Close up is a blur! Distance is clear but hazy.
I woke up with very dry, sticky, sore eyes. I quickly put in the cold Bion Tears that aI'm keeping in the fridge, which helped. Then I did the other drop regime and went back to bed. My eyes stung and my left eye throbbed a bit. Got up again and took a Tylenol. Back to bed. I listened to an audio book for a while but just wanted to get up and do something. So bored. My family had gone fishing in the wee hours of the morning, so when they got home at 9:30 am I just couldn't resist helping them clean up all the gear and fish. I wore my sunglasses the whole time, inside and out. It was very bright outside! Off and on throughout the day I put Bion tears in and lay down with my eyes closed for 10 minutes or so. This brought relief for a while. I'm resisting using the pain drops as they say they slow healing. Around 5 o'clock I was so stir crazy and my eyes were really hurting so I caved and put in the pain drops. Total numbness and trouble focussing.
Then, because of the drops, I felt better so I rode along with my husband to get groceries and gas, just for something to do.
We crossed the border to the USA for cheap gas and stopped by the grocery store to buy some wine. It's much cheaper in the US than in Canada. On our walk from the car to the store a young mom with two toddlers in a cart asked us for help. While getting her kids out of the huge, black SUV she closed the door with her keys and cell phone inside and the vehicle automatically locked up tight. Her eight month old baby was still inside. We checked all the doors and tried to open it but it was all locked. The baby was asleep. It was about 28 degrees out and the vehicle was in direct sun. She had no one to call (and no way to call with her cell phone inside). My husband ran inside the get the store manager to help. He sauntered out and asked her if she had any way of opening the SUV. She was staying very calm, for the sake of her two other babies, and she told him she needed him to call someone for help. He seemed slow to understand so I said, very clearly, "There is a baby inside a vehicle on a hot day. Call 911." He did. About 5 minutes later the border patrol services showed up. He said he couldn't really help because there was a fight nearby that he needed to deal with. He indicated the police were on their way. At this point the little kids were getting antsy, the 3 year old starting to fuss and cry, the mom was staying calm but I could tell she was trying to keep her cool for the little ones. So I spoke up again. I said, it's been more than 15 minute. We need to get the baby out. We need to break a window. The mom agreed that she wanted to do that. The border patrol guy got a small tool out of his car but his demeanour couldn't have been more hesitant and weak. He says, "I'm not able to do this for liability reasons." My husband puts his hand out and says, "Give it to me." He looks at the young mom and asks he if she wants him to break the window, she agrees she does. He takes a few seconds to choose the best window, furthest from the baby, chooses the passenger front window, as the baby is rear facing directly behind the driver seat. He takes the hammer, a small yellow object with a very pointy head on one side, and taps gently on the right, bottom corner of the front passenger window. Nothing happens. He taps a little harder, nothing. He goes for it and the window breaks, a small hole at first then it shatters. He pulls away some of the glass then calls the mom over to get her to unlock the car. She does and then immediately runs around and gets her crying, hot baby out. Relief all around. A very exciting trip to the grocery store!
By the time we got home I realized I hadn't thought about my eyes at all. And the pain drops were wearing off. For the rest of the night I was using the cold Bion tears lots and by bedtime I put more pain drops in. It might have been a mistake to use them before going out as they made me careless about my eyes by masking the pain. I'll try to not use them tomorrow but opt to close my eyes and rest whenever they start to hurt. Keeping the Bion tears in the fridge was a great suggestion by the doctor. The cool relief is fantastic.
I woke up with very dry, sticky, sore eyes. I quickly put in the cold Bion Tears that aI'm keeping in the fridge, which helped. Then I did the other drop regime and went back to bed. My eyes stung and my left eye throbbed a bit. Got up again and took a Tylenol. Back to bed. I listened to an audio book for a while but just wanted to get up and do something. So bored. My family had gone fishing in the wee hours of the morning, so when they got home at 9:30 am I just couldn't resist helping them clean up all the gear and fish. I wore my sunglasses the whole time, inside and out. It was very bright outside! Off and on throughout the day I put Bion tears in and lay down with my eyes closed for 10 minutes or so. This brought relief for a while. I'm resisting using the pain drops as they say they slow healing. Around 5 o'clock I was so stir crazy and my eyes were really hurting so I caved and put in the pain drops. Total numbness and trouble focussing.
Then, because of the drops, I felt better so I rode along with my husband to get groceries and gas, just for something to do.
We crossed the border to the USA for cheap gas and stopped by the grocery store to buy some wine. It's much cheaper in the US than in Canada. On our walk from the car to the store a young mom with two toddlers in a cart asked us for help. While getting her kids out of the huge, black SUV she closed the door with her keys and cell phone inside and the vehicle automatically locked up tight. Her eight month old baby was still inside. We checked all the doors and tried to open it but it was all locked. The baby was asleep. It was about 28 degrees out and the vehicle was in direct sun. She had no one to call (and no way to call with her cell phone inside). My husband ran inside the get the store manager to help. He sauntered out and asked her if she had any way of opening the SUV. She was staying very calm, for the sake of her two other babies, and she told him she needed him to call someone for help. He seemed slow to understand so I said, very clearly, "There is a baby inside a vehicle on a hot day. Call 911." He did. About 5 minutes later the border patrol services showed up. He said he couldn't really help because there was a fight nearby that he needed to deal with. He indicated the police were on their way. At this point the little kids were getting antsy, the 3 year old starting to fuss and cry, the mom was staying calm but I could tell she was trying to keep her cool for the little ones. So I spoke up again. I said, it's been more than 15 minute. We need to get the baby out. We need to break a window. The mom agreed that she wanted to do that. The border patrol guy got a small tool out of his car but his demeanour couldn't have been more hesitant and weak. He says, "I'm not able to do this for liability reasons." My husband puts his hand out and says, "Give it to me." He looks at the young mom and asks he if she wants him to break the window, she agrees she does. He takes a few seconds to choose the best window, furthest from the baby, chooses the passenger front window, as the baby is rear facing directly behind the driver seat. He takes the hammer, a small yellow object with a very pointy head on one side, and taps gently on the right, bottom corner of the front passenger window. Nothing happens. He taps a little harder, nothing. He goes for it and the window breaks, a small hole at first then it shatters. He pulls away some of the glass then calls the mom over to get her to unlock the car. She does and then immediately runs around and gets her crying, hot baby out. Relief all around. A very exciting trip to the grocery store!
By the time we got home I realized I hadn't thought about my eyes at all. And the pain drops were wearing off. For the rest of the night I was using the cold Bion tears lots and by bedtime I put more pain drops in. It might have been a mistake to use them before going out as they made me careless about my eyes by masking the pain. I'll try to not use them tomorrow but opt to close my eyes and rest whenever they start to hurt. Keeping the Bion tears in the fridge was a great suggestion by the doctor. The cool relief is fantastic.
Friday, August 8, 2014
PRK Eye surgery - Day 2
I slept soundly thought the first night thanks to an Oxazapam. I woke up at 4 am so I took all the drops as required. My left eye was a bit tender and I may have bumped it.
My drop schedule is 1 drop 4 times a day of each of these:
Vigamox antibiotic
Acuvail anti-inflammatory
Predas corticosteroid
Bion tears - as much as is needed (refrigerate for cool, soothing relief)
My left eye is really starting to hurt. I'll tell them at the clinic.
I showered with my Ray Charles glasses on to protect my eyes from splashing, then headed off to the clinic. 1 hour drive, 15 min check, 1 hour drive home.
They checked my eyes and said it all looks good. I told them about my left eye hurting and that I might have bumped it and they put in a numbing drop. I had been avoiding the numbing drops because when Scott had his eye surgery he was using them up and getting refills and they said it was slowing his healing. They said it's ok to use them a bit, just not too much. They also gave me 4 Ativan to help me sleep. They said I shouldn't go to work for another week and filled out my doctors form for work. We will see about that. A week is a long time!
Returned home for another day in the dark. Feel pretty good today though. Took regular Tylenol only. And lots of Bion tears. I'll check in tomorrow.
My drop schedule is 1 drop 4 times a day of each of these:
Vigamox antibiotic
Acuvail anti-inflammatory
Predas corticosteroid
Bion tears - as much as is needed (refrigerate for cool, soothing relief)
My left eye is really starting to hurt. I'll tell them at the clinic.
I showered with my Ray Charles glasses on to protect my eyes from splashing, then headed off to the clinic. 1 hour drive, 15 min check, 1 hour drive home.
They checked my eyes and said it all looks good. I told them about my left eye hurting and that I might have bumped it and they put in a numbing drop. I had been avoiding the numbing drops because when Scott had his eye surgery he was using them up and getting refills and they said it was slowing his healing. They said it's ok to use them a bit, just not too much. They also gave me 4 Ativan to help me sleep. They said I shouldn't go to work for another week and filled out my doctors form for work. We will see about that. A week is a long time!
Returned home for another day in the dark. Feel pretty good today though. Took regular Tylenol only. And lots of Bion tears. I'll check in tomorrow.
PRK Eye surgery - Day 1
Yesterday, On August 7 I finally got laser eye surgery. While I booked and cancelled this surgery 3 or 4 times since last May, I finally just decided that I'm worth it! And I'm brave! So I did it! My husband did it over a year ago and his recovery was long and agonizing. It made me hesitant. Not because I couldn't handle the pain, I can. But because I always feel bad taking time off work.
So here I am on this sunny Friday in August. Sitting in a dark room, wearing sunglasses, with my room darkening blinds closed and my iPad backlight set to the dimmest setting. I found that reading other peoples experiences were helpful to read so here I go.
August 6 - last day of work before the surgery.
I went to work as usual, dressing up and putting my makeup on as usual. I printed off the relevant sick days forms which are required by my HR department, sent an email reminding my boss that I'd be away for the next 2 days and I'd likely see her Monday. Upon my arrival home, my husband greeted me with a kiss and asked me if I am nervous. I said yes, a bit. So he made me a vodka and soda with cranberry juice, fresh mint leaves and a lemon wedge. Yum!
I decided to sit down with the little info booklet the doctor's office had mailed me. As I read I came across these two tidbits:
1. No eye make up 48 hours before surgery. Oops! I jumped up and carefully removed all my eye make up, rinsing my eyes well. I don't wear that much make up so hopefully that's ok.
2. No alcoholic beverages 24 hours prior to surgery. Oops again! I quickly finished it and turned the page. One drink. Pretty weak. No biggie. I'll drink extra water to rehydrate.
August 7 - day of surgery
My surgery was set for 12:15. 11:15 arrival time. So I had lots of time to get there. I got up at 5:30 am as usual, went to my CrossFit box, had my last workout for a while, wearing glasses because I haven't been allowed to wear contacts for the last 2 weeks. The glasses have been a total pain, sliding down my nose and bouncing around. So glad I'm getting surgery. I was running with a medicine ball held up on my shoulder at one point and it kept bumping the arm of my glasses behind my ear, causing them to fly off. Seriously! Can't. Wait. To. Not. Wear. Glasses.
10:00 am off to the doctors office. It's a 1 hour drive from Langley to Vancouver. Scott was driving me and our 12 year old son was begrudgingly coming along. We didn't want to leave home home alone but the little book said not to bring children to the clinic. I'm hoping they meant little children because I think it's interesting to watch this surgery on the screen in the waiting room. A little science class!
11:15 - we arrive, park, check in. They realize that my initial appointment was over a year ago so they want to redo all the tests. So I spend the next 2 hours reading charts, looking at bright lights, testing dominant eye and answering questions about my lupus symptoms and sufferings. The boys got hungry and went and found a snack at the Urban Fare grocery store downstairs. Chicken fingers and fries. Yum! It smelled so good I had to sneak a few bites. Best fries ever! Finally they take me in for my surgery. Scott had warned me to dress warmly because he felt cold during the surgery. I wore yoga pants, a t-shirt and a light sweatshirt,socks and runners. I was very comfortable. All morning I had been thirsty so I drank a ton of water resulting in countless trips to the toilet right up to minutes before the procedure. At least it gave me a chance to wash my greasy fingers. Scott and Silas were right with me, but when I was led to the table they went into the room next door and watched on a video screen.
I lay on the table with my head in a hollowed out pillow form and my knees bent over a support. The assistant put some drops in my eyes, covered my left eye with gauze and the surgeon put a holder in my right eye. It held my lids open. It pinched a little. He then put a metal ring on my eyeball which I couldn't feel at all. The rest went quickly but he swabbed and dabbed, then told me to watch a red light/dot, then I smelled burning flesh and saw fuzzy red lights, I tried to stare at the red dot but it was really hard. He kept reminding me. My whole body was tense and I felt like I was going to grind my teeth hard and I wanted to clench my fists, so I kept my mouth open and my hands held flat. Then he dropped something freezing into my eye and said the first eye was done. I forced myself to breathe and relax. I was totally rigid from head to toe! I let go and relaxed. He started on the second eye. I just kept telling myself, "relax, relax, relax, but don't move!"
Then it was over. They took me into the room with my husband and son, gave me some drops and said to rest for 20 minutes. So I did. I tried not to peek but the temptation was too great. I opened one eye slowly. I could see! Without glasses! It was hazy but not blurry. Another quick check
and I was sent home with a pouch of drops and a pile of directions.
The drive home was very uncomfortable. I took a Tylenol/Advil combo as soon as we got in the car. It was hot and my A/C doesn't work so we had to have the windows down. The wind and the sun was excruciating. I wore the big, dark, Ray Charles glasses they gave me and tried to block the sun with my hands. I fell asleep for about half the ride. The pain was getting worse. I just wanted to get home. Of course my husband had to stop to renew his car insurance as it was expiring today so that took extra time. I was grouchy and irritable by the time we got home. And thirsty!!
Once I got home I took 2 T3s, leftover from my son's dental surgery last year, drank a ton of water and went to bed in a dark room, with my sunglasses on. I basically slept the rest of the day and night. When I woke up at 4am I put in the Bion Tears drops which I had refrigerated, and followed the other drops schedule as directed. I hadn't taken any pain drops yet. My pain level was quite low as long as I sat quietly in a dark room with my eyes shut. I tried to listen to an audio book but I kept dozing off. My eyes felt hazy, dry, a bit fuzzy and I had a small amount of pain. Drops, drops, drops!
So here I am on this sunny Friday in August. Sitting in a dark room, wearing sunglasses, with my room darkening blinds closed and my iPad backlight set to the dimmest setting. I found that reading other peoples experiences were helpful to read so here I go.
August 6 - last day of work before the surgery.
I went to work as usual, dressing up and putting my makeup on as usual. I printed off the relevant sick days forms which are required by my HR department, sent an email reminding my boss that I'd be away for the next 2 days and I'd likely see her Monday. Upon my arrival home, my husband greeted me with a kiss and asked me if I am nervous. I said yes, a bit. So he made me a vodka and soda with cranberry juice, fresh mint leaves and a lemon wedge. Yum!
I decided to sit down with the little info booklet the doctor's office had mailed me. As I read I came across these two tidbits:
1. No eye make up 48 hours before surgery. Oops! I jumped up and carefully removed all my eye make up, rinsing my eyes well. I don't wear that much make up so hopefully that's ok.
2. No alcoholic beverages 24 hours prior to surgery. Oops again! I quickly finished it and turned the page. One drink. Pretty weak. No biggie. I'll drink extra water to rehydrate.
August 7 - day of surgery
My surgery was set for 12:15. 11:15 arrival time. So I had lots of time to get there. I got up at 5:30 am as usual, went to my CrossFit box, had my last workout for a while, wearing glasses because I haven't been allowed to wear contacts for the last 2 weeks. The glasses have been a total pain, sliding down my nose and bouncing around. So glad I'm getting surgery. I was running with a medicine ball held up on my shoulder at one point and it kept bumping the arm of my glasses behind my ear, causing them to fly off. Seriously! Can't. Wait. To. Not. Wear. Glasses.
10:00 am off to the doctors office. It's a 1 hour drive from Langley to Vancouver. Scott was driving me and our 12 year old son was begrudgingly coming along. We didn't want to leave home home alone but the little book said not to bring children to the clinic. I'm hoping they meant little children because I think it's interesting to watch this surgery on the screen in the waiting room. A little science class!
11:15 - we arrive, park, check in. They realize that my initial appointment was over a year ago so they want to redo all the tests. So I spend the next 2 hours reading charts, looking at bright lights, testing dominant eye and answering questions about my lupus symptoms and sufferings. The boys got hungry and went and found a snack at the Urban Fare grocery store downstairs. Chicken fingers and fries. Yum! It smelled so good I had to sneak a few bites. Best fries ever! Finally they take me in for my surgery. Scott had warned me to dress warmly because he felt cold during the surgery. I wore yoga pants, a t-shirt and a light sweatshirt,socks and runners. I was very comfortable. All morning I had been thirsty so I drank a ton of water resulting in countless trips to the toilet right up to minutes before the procedure. At least it gave me a chance to wash my greasy fingers. Scott and Silas were right with me, but when I was led to the table they went into the room next door and watched on a video screen.
I lay on the table with my head in a hollowed out pillow form and my knees bent over a support. The assistant put some drops in my eyes, covered my left eye with gauze and the surgeon put a holder in my right eye. It held my lids open. It pinched a little. He then put a metal ring on my eyeball which I couldn't feel at all. The rest went quickly but he swabbed and dabbed, then told me to watch a red light/dot, then I smelled burning flesh and saw fuzzy red lights, I tried to stare at the red dot but it was really hard. He kept reminding me. My whole body was tense and I felt like I was going to grind my teeth hard and I wanted to clench my fists, so I kept my mouth open and my hands held flat. Then he dropped something freezing into my eye and said the first eye was done. I forced myself to breathe and relax. I was totally rigid from head to toe! I let go and relaxed. He started on the second eye. I just kept telling myself, "relax, relax, relax, but don't move!"
Then it was over. They took me into the room with my husband and son, gave me some drops and said to rest for 20 minutes. So I did. I tried not to peek but the temptation was too great. I opened one eye slowly. I could see! Without glasses! It was hazy but not blurry. Another quick check
and I was sent home with a pouch of drops and a pile of directions.
The drive home was very uncomfortable. I took a Tylenol/Advil combo as soon as we got in the car. It was hot and my A/C doesn't work so we had to have the windows down. The wind and the sun was excruciating. I wore the big, dark, Ray Charles glasses they gave me and tried to block the sun with my hands. I fell asleep for about half the ride. The pain was getting worse. I just wanted to get home. Of course my husband had to stop to renew his car insurance as it was expiring today so that took extra time. I was grouchy and irritable by the time we got home. And thirsty!!
Once I got home I took 2 T3s, leftover from my son's dental surgery last year, drank a ton of water and went to bed in a dark room, with my sunglasses on. I basically slept the rest of the day and night. When I woke up at 4am I put in the Bion Tears drops which I had refrigerated, and followed the other drops schedule as directed. I hadn't taken any pain drops yet. My pain level was quite low as long as I sat quietly in a dark room with my eyes shut. I tried to listen to an audio book but I kept dozing off. My eyes felt hazy, dry, a bit fuzzy and I had a small amount of pain. Drops, drops, drops!
Monday, January 20, 2014
A new start
I think my blog is appropriately titled. Easily Entangled. Life entangles me so easily. The years go by so quickly, just the days are long. For seven years I have been trying to write a blog and for seven years it has been hit and miss as I get tangled up in the demands of life. Seven years ago I thought this was a good idea, and here I am, a new year, trying again. I like the New Year. I like resolutions. I like fresh starts. I also like things to be neat and precise and accurate. So a New Year's resolution should start on New Year's day, right? Well I think my New Year's Resolution should be to not be so worried about precision and go for the general idea, rather than the perfection of a goal.
With that in mind, I'm still choosing my new year's resolution. Some ideas I have brewing but have not perfected:
1. Read my bible (that's a no brainer, I should do this). So I feel like I already failed on the Every Day goal for 2014 (it's January 3rd after all) but as I think back on the last 3 days I have read something from the bible every day. I haven't sat down and formally "Read My Bible" but I read my Sunday School lesson, I read some stuff on Facebook and I read a couple of blogs, all containing biblical content. So did I read my bible? Well no. Did I read THE bible? Why yes I did! Check! (see how I like things perfect but I'm trying to just go for the general idea here).
2. Write - this scares me. I don't like my voice.
3. Blog (is that the same as write?)
4. Be real, talk about, think about, focus on things that matter.
5. Eat healthier/lose weight - that is so boring and doesn't EVERYONE feel this way. I think a better resolution will be to find satisfaction in the healthy life I strive to live. Can that be a resolution? At the end of 2014 can I look back and say I didn't stress about my weight for the entire year!? That would be cool with me.
6. Find my calling - ooh that's a big one. I want to work at what I love, not work to make money except you better skip ahead to number 8. These may not work together.
7. Figure out what my favourite food is. My kids asked me recently what my FAVOURITE food is. I couldn't answer. So I asked my husband and he responded helpful with, "Carrots??" No! I don't love carrots! I eat them a lot but that is not my favourite "oh-am-I-glad-God-created this" food. I don't like that I am a person who isn't really sure what my favourite food is. I want to spend 2014 exploring this. I think this falls under the umbrella of "find my calling" because it's part of exploring who I really am and what God wants from me. Somewhat like finding my voice. So 2, 6, 7 all belong together I guess. Might as well group 3 in there too since 2 and 3 are the same.
8. Save money/pay off debt (blah blah blah, this feels stressful and overwhelming and I want a new car and I want a vacation and I want......, ok, this one needs some work). As I see it here I have 2 choices: 1. Learn that slow and steady wins the race and work at this OR 2. Win the lottery. So really, I guess I choose #1 since #2 is out of my control.
With that in mind, I'm still choosing my new year's resolution. Some ideas I have brewing but have not perfected:
1. Read my bible (that's a no brainer, I should do this). So I feel like I already failed on the Every Day goal for 2014 (it's January 3rd after all) but as I think back on the last 3 days I have read something from the bible every day. I haven't sat down and formally "Read My Bible" but I read my Sunday School lesson, I read some stuff on Facebook and I read a couple of blogs, all containing biblical content. So did I read my bible? Well no. Did I read THE bible? Why yes I did! Check! (see how I like things perfect but I'm trying to just go for the general idea here).
2. Write - this scares me. I don't like my voice.
3. Blog (is that the same as write?)
4. Be real, talk about, think about, focus on things that matter.
5. Eat healthier/lose weight - that is so boring and doesn't EVERYONE feel this way. I think a better resolution will be to find satisfaction in the healthy life I strive to live. Can that be a resolution? At the end of 2014 can I look back and say I didn't stress about my weight for the entire year!? That would be cool with me.
6. Find my calling - ooh that's a big one. I want to work at what I love, not work to make money except you better skip ahead to number 8. These may not work together.
7. Figure out what my favourite food is. My kids asked me recently what my FAVOURITE food is. I couldn't answer. So I asked my husband and he responded helpful with, "Carrots??" No! I don't love carrots! I eat them a lot but that is not my favourite "oh-am-I-glad-God-created this" food. I don't like that I am a person who isn't really sure what my favourite food is. I want to spend 2014 exploring this. I think this falls under the umbrella of "find my calling" because it's part of exploring who I really am and what God wants from me. Somewhat like finding my voice. So 2, 6, 7 all belong together I guess. Might as well group 3 in there too since 2 and 3 are the same.
8. Save money/pay off debt (blah blah blah, this feels stressful and overwhelming and I want a new car and I want a vacation and I want......, ok, this one needs some work). As I see it here I have 2 choices: 1. Learn that slow and steady wins the race and work at this OR 2. Win the lottery. So really, I guess I choose #1 since #2 is out of my control.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Starting Strength
I'm starting a new strength program on Saturday and our trainer Tyler is encouraging us to keep a journal. I always write my workouts down but I don't put a lot more than number of reps and time. So I thought I would re-enter my abandoned blog to start recording more about my workouts.
I'm do CrossFit. I love CrossFit. I started in April 2007 when a friend of my husbands discovered this CrossFit thing and I was curious. So I went and worked out with him at the High School gym and that was it. Within a few workouts I was totally hooked. He (my husband's friend who has now become my friend) has since started his own box and I am his original client. I think I am the only one who is still around from those first days.
Generally speaking I am strong. I can do most workouts at RX (prescribed weight) and have a decent time. But I'm wanting to get better and maybe even compete in the CrossFit games next year (in the masters division).
This will be my journey.
WOD - June 24, 2013
Today was a technique day. After doing our standard gym warm up we worked on snatch and clean and jerk.
Standard Gym Warm-up
Row 500m or Run 400m or Skip 200 Double Unders
20 GHD Sit Ups or 20 Hollow Rocks
20 Back Extensions or 20 Supermans
20 Air Squats
20 Push Ups
10 Good Mornings
10 PVC Pass Throughs
10 Neck Rotations
10 Arm Swings (each side)
10 Leg Swings (side to side/front to back)
10 Foot/Hand Rotations
10 Spiderman Lunges
10 Tuck Jumps
Personal Thing 1 (Pull Up Negatives)
Personal Thing 2 (Roll Out on Foam)
Snatch (with squat) + 2 Overhead Squats - 65#
pause 2 seconds at the knee, stay upright, pull bar up close to body, keep pull smooth
Clean and Jerk - 115#
pause 2 seconds at the knee, pull bar back to body, keep weight on the heels, if splitting, work on shuffling front foot back then back foot forward on the finish
I think I'm finally getting the hang of the snatch. It has been a move that has eluded me for years. Finally understanding the pull and get under the bar. Tyler is an excellent coach. He's encouraging me to keep the weight light until I really perfect this move. The OH squat is the limit of my weight as it's difficult to get full depth of squat with the heavier weights. This is definitely a weak area I hope to see improvement in over the next year of training.
Saturday we are starting the real "Starting Strength" program so for the rest of the week I will only record my regular CrossFit WOD. Hope to squeeze in a walk tonight.
Bible verses I am pondering today:
Mark 4:21-25
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
I'm do CrossFit. I love CrossFit. I started in April 2007 when a friend of my husbands discovered this CrossFit thing and I was curious. So I went and worked out with him at the High School gym and that was it. Within a few workouts I was totally hooked. He (my husband's friend who has now become my friend) has since started his own box and I am his original client. I think I am the only one who is still around from those first days.
Generally speaking I am strong. I can do most workouts at RX (prescribed weight) and have a decent time. But I'm wanting to get better and maybe even compete in the CrossFit games next year (in the masters division).
This will be my journey.
WOD - June 24, 2013
Today was a technique day. After doing our standard gym warm up we worked on snatch and clean and jerk.
Standard Gym Warm-up
Row 500m or Run 400m or Skip 200 Double Unders
20 GHD Sit Ups or 20 Hollow Rocks
20 Back Extensions or 20 Supermans
20 Air Squats
20 Push Ups
10 Good Mornings
10 PVC Pass Throughs
10 Neck Rotations
10 Arm Swings (each side)
10 Leg Swings (side to side/front to back)
10 Foot/Hand Rotations
10 Spiderman Lunges
10 Tuck Jumps
Personal Thing 1 (Pull Up Negatives)
Personal Thing 2 (Roll Out on Foam)
Snatch (with squat) + 2 Overhead Squats - 65#
pause 2 seconds at the knee, stay upright, pull bar up close to body, keep pull smooth
Clean and Jerk - 115#
pause 2 seconds at the knee, pull bar back to body, keep weight on the heels, if splitting, work on shuffling front foot back then back foot forward on the finish
I think I'm finally getting the hang of the snatch. It has been a move that has eluded me for years. Finally understanding the pull and get under the bar. Tyler is an excellent coach. He's encouraging me to keep the weight light until I really perfect this move. The OH squat is the limit of my weight as it's difficult to get full depth of squat with the heavier weights. This is definitely a weak area I hope to see improvement in over the next year of training.
Saturday we are starting the real "Starting Strength" program so for the rest of the week I will only record my regular CrossFit WOD. Hope to squeeze in a walk tonight.
Bible verses I am pondering today:
Mark 4:21-25
He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
24“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
I think God is telling me to recognize that all things will eventually be revealed. It's not wise to try to hide the truth. Put it on a stand to bring it out in the open. Deal openly and transparently with people to show them respect. This respect will then be returned as people will deal openly and transparently with you. You can trust others as much as you can be trusted. Rather than concern myself with who I can or cannot trust in life, I should concern myself with how trustworthy I am. Am I honest 100% of the time, while keeping in mind social norms and kindness (opinions don't always need to be shared and don't hinder my honesty)? God help me with this today! Help me to be kind and trustworthy.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
In which I think about parenting and exercise...
I've been really struck recently by my role as a mother to teenage boys. I have one teenager and one tween. I'm trying to raise them to be healthy boys who will one day be productive adults. God willing they will marry one of your daughters and make a life together. I hope that life is as full of joy (and challenges) as my life has been. I hope they are good, kind, and helpful husbands who are both strong and gentle. I hope they provide for their families and love the work that they do.
It was brought to my attention that by age nine most boys have viewed pornography on the internet. That means that both my boys have likely looked at pornographic websites. I think pornography is a plague on society. I think it harms boys before they become men, it destroys healthy sexual relationships and it destroys the lives of both men and women involved in the industry. It is an addiction that causes great harm.
So the first thing I did when I read that statistic is lock down their internet usage. I want them to have happy, healthy sex lives when the time is right for them with a partner who they know and trust. Ideally I think this should be in a married relationship. That's the ideal. I'm a realist but I also think you have to set the standard somewhere.
So far I haven't let either of my kids go on Facebook. I'm a bit of a hypocrite on this one because I am on FB almost daily. However today I decided I was doing the right thing. More than one of my "friends" posted a link to an exercise video/website/challenge with a picture of a woman that did not look fit to me. She looked like a porn star. These everyday moms and housewives were encouraging and challenging each other to a fitness program that held up a "porn star" look as the ideal. Now I don't actually look at porn so I am hardly the one to decide she looks like a porn star. If you look at porn then perhaps you will disagree and tell me that porn stars look nothing like that but in my mind the fake boobs ballooning out of her "fitness top" and the overly accentuated crotch in the tiny "boy shorts" with the excessively skinny thighs did not look real. Nor did the dark tanned and oiled skin and the pouty, am I sexy lips. I am not inspired. I am disgusted. What about the poor teenaged boys who will click on that link and watch that work-out video. If my son was on FB he probably would click on it too. I'm glad he isn't. But he will be in the future I'm sure. Protecting our kids from porn is not possible. We have to talk about it. But now I realize that we have to talk to our friends and our colleagues and our kids. We all have to say no to this. What if your son became addicted to porn? What would you say to his wife in the future when she tells you that they don't have a healthy sex life because his brain has been re-wired to only be turned on by the sexual images he grew up with on the internet. What then? I think it was John Mayer (who was dating Jennifer Aniston for a while) who would rather watch porn than be with a woman. His brain has been re-wired to find satisfaction in something that isn't even real. Do we want this for our young men? I don't. I want my sons to grow up and have a real relationship with a real woman who loves him unconditionally and who he loves and treats as the most precious gift in his life. Even if she doesn't look like a porn star. Which, let's face it, she likely won't. Because not many of us do. Nor should we want to.
I want to be fit and healthy. I want to be able to go for a hike in God's great outdoors and enjoy my family. I want to put on a bathing suit and swim with my kids in the lake in the summer because it's fun. I also want to be able to deadlift over 215 lbs and keep my gym wall ball record (100 wall balls in 7:12 since you asked). And I want to look good doing it.. But looking good to me is looking real. Having the skin, hair and boobs that God gave me. With wrinkles and stretchmarks and scars and blemishes. And I want my husband to look at me like I'm sexy and healthy and beautiful. So let's stop looking at porn stars for inspiration and start looking at the real women around us who live real lives, squeeze in their exercise on their lunch breaks or while their kids are at dance, rely on a bar of soap to take off their make up and hope for a decent night sleep at least once a week. That's the real 1000 rep challenge.
<>
It was brought to my attention that by age nine most boys have viewed pornography on the internet. That means that both my boys have likely looked at pornographic websites. I think pornography is a plague on society. I think it harms boys before they become men, it destroys healthy sexual relationships and it destroys the lives of both men and women involved in the industry. It is an addiction that causes great harm.
So the first thing I did when I read that statistic is lock down their internet usage. I want them to have happy, healthy sex lives when the time is right for them with a partner who they know and trust. Ideally I think this should be in a married relationship. That's the ideal. I'm a realist but I also think you have to set the standard somewhere.
So far I haven't let either of my kids go on Facebook. I'm a bit of a hypocrite on this one because I am on FB almost daily. However today I decided I was doing the right thing. More than one of my "friends" posted a link to an exercise video/website/challenge with a picture of a woman that did not look fit to me. She looked like a porn star. These everyday moms and housewives were encouraging and challenging each other to a fitness program that held up a "porn star" look as the ideal. Now I don't actually look at porn so I am hardly the one to decide she looks like a porn star. If you look at porn then perhaps you will disagree and tell me that porn stars look nothing like that but in my mind the fake boobs ballooning out of her "fitness top" and the overly accentuated crotch in the tiny "boy shorts" with the excessively skinny thighs did not look real. Nor did the dark tanned and oiled skin and the pouty, am I sexy lips. I am not inspired. I am disgusted. What about the poor teenaged boys who will click on that link and watch that work-out video. If my son was on FB he probably would click on it too. I'm glad he isn't. But he will be in the future I'm sure. Protecting our kids from porn is not possible. We have to talk about it. But now I realize that we have to talk to our friends and our colleagues and our kids. We all have to say no to this. What if your son became addicted to porn? What would you say to his wife in the future when she tells you that they don't have a healthy sex life because his brain has been re-wired to only be turned on by the sexual images he grew up with on the internet. What then? I think it was John Mayer (who was dating Jennifer Aniston for a while) who would rather watch porn than be with a woman. His brain has been re-wired to find satisfaction in something that isn't even real. Do we want this for our young men? I don't. I want my sons to grow up and have a real relationship with a real woman who loves him unconditionally and who he loves and treats as the most precious gift in his life. Even if she doesn't look like a porn star. Which, let's face it, she likely won't. Because not many of us do. Nor should we want to.
I want to be fit and healthy. I want to be able to go for a hike in God's great outdoors and enjoy my family. I want to put on a bathing suit and swim with my kids in the lake in the summer because it's fun. I also want to be able to deadlift over 215 lbs and keep my gym wall ball record (100 wall balls in 7:12 since you asked). And I want to look good doing it.. But looking good to me is looking real. Having the skin, hair and boobs that God gave me. With wrinkles and stretchmarks and scars and blemishes. And I want my husband to look at me like I'm sexy and healthy and beautiful. So let's stop looking at porn stars for inspiration and start looking at the real women around us who live real lives, squeeze in their exercise on their lunch breaks or while their kids are at dance, rely on a bar of soap to take off their make up and hope for a decent night sleep at least once a week. That's the real 1000 rep challenge.
<
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A gift for a friend
So my good friend's birthday is coming up and I've been madly trying to make her something by hand. Time is precious these days but knitting is my down time so I don't mind doing something. I hate the pressure though and I often worry if people will love a creation as much as I do!
Here's my options so far.
A scarf perhaps (Silk Ribbon Yarn by Mango Moon):
2. Or this cowl I made last year with silk roses in the yarn (mixed with Malabrigo).
Or maybe some socks made out of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock:
Or maybe something out of this lovely cashmere/silk yarn from Tanglewood Fiber:
I just can't decide what she would like best. This is what I know about her:1. She's beautiful inside and out.
2. She can knit but doesn't so she can appreciate hand knit gifts.
3. She likes things soft and casual...not buttoned up.
4. She loves her birthday so much she's instituted "Birthday Month" therefore a wonderful gift is very meaningful.
What do you think?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sunflowers
Sunflowers.Love them.
Love the colour.
Love that they grow without fuss.
Love that you can look up at them instead of down at the weeds.
Love the autumn when they grow and flourish.
Love them.
Sunflowers.
Monday, September 14, 2009
A woman in denial who is too old for cyberbullying
So I logged onto facebook today to discover a great and fantastic friend had posted pictures of me in my bathing suit. And tagged them. So everyone on facebook who is my friend or her friend got a notification that there are new pictures of me on facebook. Pictures of me in a bathing suit. Unflattering pictures of me in a bathing suit. I am not happy with my weight and my body but I hadn't really thought about how REALLY unhappy I am until I realized how many people who know me have now been alerted to the fact that there are pictures of me in my bathing suit. I lost it. I cried. I wrote nasty e-mails to my dear friend in my head. I thought about eating. Junk food. (but didn't...yet). Then I just wrote a nice polite message that said, "Great pictures from yesterday. Could you kindly remove the pictures of me in my bathing suit." And they were gone. This has given me great insight about cyberbullying and how such an innocent move can be so hurtful. The most harmless intention can be taken as meanness when written out of context or done thoughtlessly. Our kids don't have the maturity and ability to deal with their feelings. They may retaliate against their friends rather than ask politely. I could have gotten angry and posted an unflattering comment or picture about her, if I was 15. Or I could have talked to all our mutual friends about it and made them pick sides. Glad I'm not 15. And, I'm going on a diet. Yikes! Is my butt really that big!? Also, I think I'm done with facebook. I don't need this turmoil in my life. I'm simply too old.
Monday, February 16, 2009
I guess I got busy...
I haven't written a blog entry since June 2008! I don't even know why. My life has been crazy, busy and fun in the last 6 months. My biggest change has been CrossFit. I have been a CrossFitter since about April 2008 but I really got into it in July 2008 and have been doing WOD's (Work Out of the Day) on average 3x week. I am stronger, faster, fitter than I have ever been!
I'm still knitting, running and hanging out with my family...not much is new. Valentines Day this year was a highlight! I decided that I really didn't want to go out for dinner and spend tons of money so I made a gourmet dinner at home. I planned the menu and shopped and the whole family pitched in to make it nice. My husband and the boys set an elegant table using all our finest, or at least, all that we had and filling in with regular stuff if we didn't have enough. We have 5 place settings of my nice Denby pottery and 3 place settings of silverware (that isn't silver but stainless steel). Funny! They boys even dressed in matching outfits. No body ironed their clothes though because we were just staying at home, and no one felt like ironing. That's the difference between going out and staying in.
So now I begin a new attempt at being a blogger. Only I think from now on I am going to keep this as my CrossFit, Knitting, Family blog. Hope my life is interesting enough to read about.
I'm still knitting, running and hanging out with my family...not much is new. Valentines Day this year was a highlight! I decided that I really didn't want to go out for dinner and spend tons of money so I made a gourmet dinner at home. I planned the menu and shopped and the whole family pitched in to make it nice. My husband and the boys set an elegant table using all our finest, or at least, all that we had and filling in with regular stuff if we didn't have enough. We have 5 place settings of my nice Denby pottery and 3 place settings of silverware (that isn't silver but stainless steel). Funny! They boys even dressed in matching outfits. No body ironed their clothes though because we were just staying at home, and no one felt like ironing. That's the difference between going out and staying in.
So now I begin a new attempt at being a blogger. Only I think from now on I am going to keep this as my CrossFit, Knitting, Family blog. Hope my life is interesting enough to read about.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Kids vs. Golden Retriever
10 reasons I think my kids should be more like my dog:
- My dog always is excited to see me when I get home, bringing me gifts at the door (usually a smelly shoe, but she thinks it's valuable). My kids, grunt and raise an eyebrow, barely glancing up from their TV show, Nintendo or book depending on the day.
- When my dog wants my attention she looks at me, dances around and tries to show me how much fun it would be to play. When my kids want my attention, they pick a fight with each other.
- When I want to go for a run, my dog is always a willing participant, dropping whatever she is doing and running for the door. This is also always the moment my kids suddenly notice I am home and need a snack, a permission slip signed, help with their homework, clean socks etc.
- My dog devours healthy, homemade food like it is chocolate. My kids prefer KD.
- My dog thinks a good tummy rub is a gift from the gods and looks at me like I descended from the heavens when she gets one. My kids are holding out for a PS3.
- When I trim her nails, my dog sits still. My kids think it's a form of torture.
- My dog doesn't need braces.
- When I want to go on vacation, I can kennel my dog. As far as I know, it is illegal to kennel kids but I haven't tested my theory, yet.
- My dog doesn't have a hockey game at 8:00 am on a Saturday morning.
- When my dog pees outside, the neighbours don't complain.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Let sleeping dogs lie.
This is Amber. She loves to run, chase balls, steal shoes, eat and sleep in the sun. Isn't she pretty? She's not really dead, she just looks that way. I saw her eat an ant today. Really I did. Ick. I am considering getting her a friend. Try as she might, she just can't convince the cat to play.
And this is my Patchwork Baby Blanket Work-In-Progress. Every stage of this blanket is taking forever. First the knitting of the squares (err...rectangles actually because I don't know how to measure). That took MONTHS because to be perfectly honest knitting stocking stitch rectangles completely bored me and I just couldn't get into it. I could knit a rectangle in 20-30 minutes and I needed 25 so 12.5 hours of knitting, right? Wrong! I would knit 3 rows, sigh, get a cup of tea, knit 2 rows, walk the dog, put on a load of laundry...you get the idea. Then, finally, I finished all 25 and I spent another week laying them on the bed and arranging and re-arranging them. I couldn't come up with a pattern I liked. Finally, voila, I came up with checkerboard with alternate border. Then it took FOREVER (2 weeks) to seam all the rectangles into strips, then seam the strips into one big rectangle. Of course the next stage, felting, was easy. Throw it in the wash. Done. Now, I have 2 stages left. I have to whipstitch along all the seams then blanket stitch around the outside edge. And finally, last but not least I will crochet chains and needlefelt designs in a few of the squares. I am planning a heart, a swirl and a moon. I might, might, might add the baby's name and birthdate if he hasn't finished college by the time I get to that stage. As it stands he is now 3 months old. I started it 6 months before his due date. Hope he likes warm, wooley blankets! He is a very sweet baby.
Monday, April 21, 2008
What did I do this weekend?
Well, on Friday we painted shirts: 
Then on Saturday we went to the Kwantlen College School of Horticulture Plant Sale. They gave us a tour of their hydroponics tomatoe/eggplant/pepper/cucumber growing places. Very fun. We ate cucumbers and tomatoes right off the vine. Yummy. I bought geraniums, lobelia, some herbs, allysum and a few basket stuffers.
(That's the "peace-out sign", not the bird. Look closely.) 
Almost there buddy! You can do it!
The burrard street bridge was a climb.
Then on Saturday we went to the Kwantlen College School of Horticulture Plant Sale. They gave us a tour of their hydroponics tomatoe/eggplant/pepper/cucumber growing places. Very fun. We ate cucumbers and tomatoes right off the vine. Yummy. I bought geraniums, lobelia, some herbs, allysum and a few basket stuffers.
Then I went and watched the ball hockey game where my son's undefeated team faced the only other undefeated team and ended, disappointingly, in a tie. Both still undefeated. (no pictures)
Then we went to Fort Langley to pick up my niece from the Albion Ferry. And we bumbered around Fort Langley for a while, had a coffee (well, I had a coffee and she had a whipped fruity, creamy, blendy thingy). I found a little DIY kit to make my own bathroom. It took us hours of f
inicky glueing and a lot of laughing at ourselves but we finally finished it! Now I can't say I want my own bathroom. I have one. Awwwww. Isn't it cute. Look closely, there are tiny weeny little japanese wooden slippers sitting on the mat in front of the sink. And we wove the mat ourselves. It was just a piece of straw ribbon before. And see the towel and the viney plant. I made those leaves myself. Isn't it just so great? The shampoo bottles on the shelf are made of shiny, little beads. I love this bathroom! Except it doesn't have a toilet. Strange.
inicky glueing and a lot of laughing at ourselves but we finally finished it! Now I can't say I want my own bathroom. I have one. Awwwww. Isn't it cute. Look closely, there are tiny weeny little japanese wooden slippers sitting on the mat in front of the sink. And we wove the mat ourselves. It was just a piece of straw ribbon before. And see the towel and the viney plant. I made those leaves myself. Isn't it just so great? The shampoo bottles on the shelf are made of shiny, little beads. I love this bathroom! Except it doesn't have a toilet. Strange.Then I went to bed so I could get up at the crack of dawn on S
unday and ride the skytrain:
unday and ride the skytrain:
Then we walked:
So we could join with 59,172 other people for North America's largest 10km run! This was my 12th (I think) time running the SUN RUN since 1994. I missed a couple of years but I do this almost every year. Even when I was pregnant, I ran (or waddled). And this year for the first time my boys joined me. And my niece and my student came too! The big boy, the student and I did the 10k while my niece and the little one ran the 2.5k mini run.
Almost there buddy! You can do it!
The burrard street bridge was a climb.
It was his first 10 k. He thought it would never end. There was a quiet determination lurking somewhere behind all the complaining. But he did it. The last 100 meters were a blurr as he sprinted to the finish line! Phewf. I was so proud.
What a great weekend. And somehow, in all of that, I found the time to finish seaming my patchwork baby blanket. And I felted it, blocked it and started the whipstitch and blanketstitch edging. I just may finish it. Pictures to come.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
One down...
The little one, after much wiggling, some fake-outs and a persistent mom who just can't resist...lost his first tooth. As with the big one, there was much fanfare, excitement and celebration. A photoshoot, a show-and-tell at school and a placement of the tooth into the special pillow where only the tooth fairy knows where to look. However, this smarty pants just took one look at the pillow, and stated, "I know it's you guys who get the tooth". Sigh...when did he stop being little? But I persisted, thinking maybe he just needs a little convincing. Then he says, "If I only get a dollar, I would rather just keep my tooth." (!) Didn't it used to be a dime?So after he fell asleep I thought I would bulk up the payoff without making it more money (he is only 5 after all). So I put lots of dimes, nickels and quarters in the little pocket and removed the tooth. It was only a dollar, but it looked like more, right? In the morning he was very excited to find the money. Then he came running into my bedroom saying, "Where's my tooth, where's my tooth?" I said, "What do you mean? The tooth fairy took it." And he burst into tears. Threw the money on my bed and started to sob. "I want my tooth. I don't want the money." These were real tears. He was so upset that I picked up the money, put it in his hand and reached to the hiding spot on my dresser and handed him his tooth. "Aha, I knew it was you," he said. Outsmarted by a 5 year old. Boy am I in big trouble.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Central Park Hoodie Swatches
I did a guage swatch! I did two actually. First I did one with a 5mm needles which is what the pattern called for but it gave me 16.5 x 24 instead of 17 x24. So I did it again with 4.5mm needles and I got 17 x 26. So neither one gives me guage but I think stitch guage is more important than row guage. Opinions? My reasoning is that it's easier to add an extra row to get the right length than it is to add extra stitches to the pattern. Right? Or maybe 16.5 is close enough to 17? I find that my 4.5 mm swatch is stiffer than my 5mm swatch. I would prefer a nicely draped sweater so perhaps I should go with the 5 mm needles and just make the smaller pattern. Silk tends to stretch when you wear it though doesn't it. This is the debate going on in my head. This has turned into a blog rather than a note so I think I will post it on my blog instead. I have to confess that I have never actually done a swatch before so I find myself in new territory.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Are you bilingual?
Just had to share this one. I was helping out in the kindergarten class today, corralling kids and other such 5 year old management stuff. And I was switching back and forth between french and english, depending on what the kids were responding to (whatever it took to make them listen). And the substitute teacher (who doesn't speak french) looked at me funny and asked, "Are you bilingual?" and my son piped up, "No, she's a vegetarian." 'Nuf said.
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