Sicko

This wasn't how I planned on spending my New Year's Eve, and I am not thrilled that my plans for New Year's Day might be in jeopardy. Late yesterday afternoon, I became sick. I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom since 4pm yesterday. Casey joined me shortly after midnight.

I am feeling somewhat better this morning. So far I have managed a piece of toast and a couple of digestive cookies. My gut still seems to be churning but only once in a while. There is a headache in the background, but I feel perkier than I did last night. I am desperately hoping to be over the hurdle and on the way to wellness.

Tomorrow is my 5K race, and I would really hate it if I could not take part. If the need to spend time in the bathroom doesn't return, then I should be okay. I don't need to run fast. I just want to finish. At this point, I just want to be well enough to get there and start.

A New Winter Running Jacket

I picked up my race kit yesterday afternoon, although to call it a race kit is somewhat generous. The only things in my race kit were a new jacket and my race bib. Still, the jacket retails for $90 and is really nice, though rather bright neon orange. I wore it for a test walk this morning. The temperature was -5 Celsius, which is close to the projected forecast for Saturday. I put on my usual long sleeve winter running top and then the jacket and went for a walk to see how cold I would be.

I was only slightly chilled, but I think I would be just fine while running. The coldest part of the walk was into the wind, and that affected mainly my face. If the weather is the same on Saturday, I will probably wear another thin layer top and my performance long johns. I might feel overheated by the end of the run, but I should be warm enough at the beginning and then after.

My biggest concern now with the run is the route. I have learned that we will be running through Mission Creek park, which I assume means we will be running along the Greenway trail. I don't mind that route; I ran it quite a few times over the summer. However, I expect that the ground will be covered with compacted, lumpy, icy snow. I can wear my grips, but the lumpy would really work my legs hard. That is the reason why I did not go for a run today! My legs are slightly sore from the extra effort of Tuesday's run, so I don't want to push them too much, knowing that they'll be required to work harder on Saturday. So, I walked roughly 2. 7 kilometres.

The Comfy Couch

Kane and the boys picked up a 'new to us' sectional sofa this afternoon. They are all excited about it, while I am merely lukewarm. Yes, it is comfortable. Yes, we now have more living room seating, though not by much really. I am just not completely sold on how well it fits into the space or my plans for it.

I feel like I am frequently the one who is called upon to let go of my plans, my wants. That's happened a lot over the past year, and it gets a little frustrating. I gave up my craft space downstairs, because Kane and the boys wanted my stuff out of there. Kane moved the shed, knowing that I was not on board with his plan. Kane told his brother that we would store his RV in our backyard for the winter, even though it had already been in our yard for a year and I wanted it gone. Every time there is a clear space in the house, Kane wants to fill it up with his junk. I don't want junk crammed into every corner. I want to get rid of clutter. I want my living space to be neat, tidy, and functional, not crowded, cluttered, and perpetually messy. I fight a losing battle, and it drives me nuts.

So, the new sofa is nice, but it limits my ability to re-arrange furniture on a whim, as I like to do from time to time. The coffee table doesn't fit now. I'm not sure I like the way the sofa cuts off part of the room either. I can live with it, though I really don't have much choice. I could have put up more resistance before the purchase, but I didn't. I will, however, not relent on my stance regarding the boys' hopes of putting the futon, folded down, in front of the sofa downstairs!

Running in a Winter Wonderland

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, and the sky is blue. There was a thin blanket of powdery snow on the ground this morning, although it has now melted off of most of the roads. The weather bug on my computer says that it is -1 Celsius. It was a great day for a run!

In four days is the Resolution Run, a 5 kilometre fun run on New Year's Day. I've been looking toward this day from the time that I completed my first 5K in October. I've been excited and anxious, uncertain and confidant. The biggest concern for me has always been the weather. I enjoy running in the rain, and I have run in the heat of summer, but winter weather always seems to be more unpredictable. January 1st could be just as gorgeous as today, or it could be 30 below. Local winter weather is usually not so extreme, so I don't have to worry too much. Plus, I did run during our previous cold snap of -14. Really, I am probably thinking about the possible pitfalls much more than I ought.

But today's run was lovely. It didn't start out too well though, but my body seems to be a slow starter anyway. The first kilometre and a half was tough. That pesky voice inside my head kept telling me that there was no way that I could run as far as I had planned, but I have found ways to placate the voice until such time as my body has warmed up enough to feel energized and excited about running. Then today, I pushed hard for the final kilometre, harder than I have pushed myself for a while. The fresh snow was helpful, because it provided just enough traction to not be concerned about slipping on ice, so I ran fast. My idea of fast might not be the norm for hardcore runners, but when I can run a kilometre, in snow, around 6 and a half minutes, then that is fast for me!

Moaning Monday

Exhausted and sore is how I feel right now. My little 11-3 shift for today turned into a 7-3 shift at about 6:25! Those early morning phone calls are always work-related and never good news, like you don't need to come in today!

So, I went to work and had a decent enough day. I did smash my left shoulder into the bottom of a counter though, and only now is it really started to feel the pain and stiffness. My feet and back are somewhat sore, too, and I am tired.

I really didn't have much else planned for the day, but I am still going to take a pass on tearing down the Christmas tree tonight. It will keep until tomorrow.

Now three days off!

Boxing Day Traditions

It is Boxing Day. No shopping for me! I hate shopping at the best of times, so fighting the hordes on a shopping-frenzy day like today is not my idea of a fun time. Although I have to giggle just a little, because my 'hates waiting in line' husband is out shopping with Abby! Abby loves shopping. I'm not really sure where she inherited that love, although it might just be that I missed out on that all too common female gene.

I had to work today, which was a little weird for me, seeing as how I don't typically work on Sundays. I wonder if my week will feel all mixed up now, thinking that I am a day behind or a day ahead of what the calendar actually says. It was a fairly quiet work day, but the time passed smoothly and quickly. Tomorrow's shorter shift could actually feel longer than today's shift. Unfortunately.

But now I am home, comfortably sitting on the sofa with my favourite blanket on my lap. The television is on, so that I can watch Canada play Russia in the World Junior Hockey Tournament. Now this is a Boxing Day tradition that I just can't pass up! I love hockey! I love the World Juniors. Right at this moment, we are down by a goal in the first period, but there is a lot of game left to play.

Once the game is over, then I will change channels to watch a couple episodes of the Dr. Who marathon, followed by the brand new Dr. Who Christmas special! We became Dr. Who fans around the beginning of the year. Thankfully, the Space channel plays the show on a daily basis, so we have caught up on all six of the more recent seasons, but we've been anxiously anticipating the Christmas special and the start of a new season in January.

Then, we'll have turkey leftovers for supper, along with pumpkin pie, cookies, and chocolates. These next few days are the final days for indulging the sweet tooth, because with January will come a return to a healthier and more conscientious eating habits.

God bless us everyone!

So far Christmas has been lovely. The stockings and presents have been opened and enjoyed. Breakfast has been made and consumed. I went for a short run, which was peaceful and nice enough. It wasn't an easy run physically, but it was still good to go out. There was very little traffic, and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful day for a run.

Within an hour I will have the turkey in the oven, and soon delicious smells will waft through the house, tempting and tantalizing our tastebuds. I can hardly wait!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Twas the Day Before Christmas

and all through the house...

Casey is playing X-box with a friend. Sam is laying on the sofa watching the Star Wars marathon on the Space channel. Abby is actually not at home, having slept over at a friend's house. Kane is also not at home, as he has gone shopping. Crazy man! The cat is sitting on the organ bench looking out the window at the traffic hurrying by. So far, I am the only one moderately doing much of anything in the house!

I just pulled the pumpkin pies out of the oven, and I have wrapped one gift. Okay, so it really isn't that much work yet, but there will be a lot more to come. I still need to start some prep for tomorrow's big turkey dinner. I need to motivate Sam to vacuum the living room carpet and sweep the floors. I still have a few presents to wrap and then stockings to fill, although the stockings will have to wait until the kids are in bed. There is the Christmas Eve service to attend at church, and some family time to enjoy, reading the nativity and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

It will be a good day, followed by a good, if not silent, night, and then a wonderful Christmas morning!

Birthday Boy

Today is Casey's 15th birthday!

This is one of those very rare moments, when I don't wonder how my child got this old so fast. It's a little weird, because I can't help but feel like Casey should be older than 15 already! I'm far from ready to even think about him driving, so I am glad that he is only 15.

Happy birthday!

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Baking Day

After much deliberating on my part, I have finally baked some cookies. I wavered between wanting to bake and not wanting to bake and then what to bake. So I made candy cane cookies. I also baked a cake for Casey's birthday tomorrow. I am finished baking...well, I guess not. I will need to bake pumpkin pies on Friday, and I have some bananas to use up in some muffins or something. Okay, I am not done baking yet, but for today I am.

Just Another List

It's a busy day or should be.

-picked up Abby from her sleep-over
-the first load of laundry is in the wash
-I went for a 2.85K run
-the niece is over for who knows how long
-I have a work meeting at 12pm
-I could go to the produce store or leave it for tomorrow
-I could start wrapping presents
-there is plenty of house-cleaning to work on
-I can get together with my friend tonight
-I need to do my Bible readings and writing
-supper needs to be thought of and prepared
-I'd like to bake a batch of cookies...maybe

It Is Finished!

My Christmas shopping is done! There is no reason for me to go anywhere near the mall or Wal-Mart before Christmas and hopefully even longer than that. I will need to go to the produce store for...some produce and the smaller, neighbourhood grocery store for a couple of things that Wal-Mart either doesn't carry or seems to be perpetually out of.

Now I just to wrap, wrap, wrap. And clean, clean, clean. Maybe bake a batch of shortbread.

Quiet Sunday

I am sipping an Earl Grey tea right now with a splash of eggnog in it. Mmmm! Good!

I love Turtles and Ferrero Rocher and Chocolate Oranges.

I am watching an episode of The Young Riders, which was a favourite television show during my late teens.

I did not get a run in today, but then again, I didn't expect it would happen. However, getting together with friends for lunch was good and enjoyable.

I am enjoying the quiet of the house right now. Sam is out with a friend. Abby has also gone to a friend's. Casey is downstairs. Kane's not yet home from dropping Abby off. Quiet is absolutely lovely, even with the tv on.

Long Day

It was a good day at work. The time went fairly quickly, but it still felt like a long day. I am wiped out. My brain is shutting down, my feet are sore, and I am exhausted.

And I still have to figure out what to make for a potluck lunch tomorrow. Ugh.

Today/Tomorrow

It was a good day at work. Tomorrow could be interesting, maybe a little crazy. We will have a different baker in the morning, which has me a little concerned. This baker isn't used to baking during the day, so I don't know how she will do with a potentially crazy busy Saturday morning. Because of this, I have decided to ensure that I will be working on the sandwich bar station. I know I won't get overwhelmed. I know that I am fast and competent. It will work...somehow.

Staff Party

Staff Christmas party tonight. I missed last year's because of vertigo. In years past, bowling was what constituted a staff party. Last year, they switched it up and went for Chinese food buffet, which is what is happening again tonight. I'm not sure what to expect, since I wasn't there last year. I just hope that there will be enough co-workers from my store there, so that I don't feel uncomfortable amongst a horde of employees from the other store. It should be a good time though. Then back to work tomorrow and Saturday, then Monday, then a week off!

No Visions of Sugarplums

Visions of sleeping in are dancing in my head! Even though I didn't really ask for any time off over the holidays, I do seem to have a fairly free schedule, at least for the first week. I do work next Monday, my usual sucky 11-3 shift, which means that I can sleep in! Then, I don't work again until Boxing Day, but no sleeping in on that day. So, I can sleep in for an entire week, at least as much as I can or want to. Ah!

Shoulda

What a beautiful day we had today, and I should have taken advantage of it by going for a run. I didn't though, so I can only hope that tomorrow is equally gorgeous for a run. Even if it isn't, I'll still go for a run. I am even contemplating a different, longer route than what I have been running, if the weather stays reasonable. If the sidewalks remain clear that is, because I'm looking at a route with a lot more variables in height. Otherwise I will stick to the more level and familiar route.

Monday

Today was a pretty good day, for a Monday. The time felt quicker than it usually does on a Monday, and the atmosphere at work was a good one. Perhaps the biggest difference was that I went into work with the intention of having a good attitude myself. It might also have helped that the problem co-workers were not working. Either way it was a good day.


Still, I am thankful for days off!

Trouble with Truffles

I am making truffles today, which is basically an all day job. It isn't a difficult job, just time consuming, with multiple starts and stops. I have completed three steps so far and have two more steps to go. I could start the next step anytime, but this is the point where I can take as much time as I want, so I am going to wait a bit, in case I can get out of the house yet this afternoon. Because the next step is the most time consuming, and I won't want to be interrupted once I begin.

Can I Have a Do Over?

What a day! It was generally a good day in that I was able to work a position I enjoy, and it wasn't too chaotic of a day. However, personally, today has been nothing but struggle and discomfort.

I smashed my right hip bone on a steel bar, while taking out the garbage. I nearly dislocated my left pinky finger, so it has been a little sore and awkward feeling most of the day. The mysterious left ankle pain was in full force today, with a bunch of extra-strong shooting pains for good measure. My back was hurting almost from the beginning of the day and has been operating on spasms of pain for hours. To top it all off, I have been kind of klutzy today, spilling several drinks and just making a mess. And now a headache is beginning.

Great!

Looking at Saturday

I had a reasonably good day at work, and I anticipate that tomorrow will also be a good day! At this point, I can also safely assume that I will not be working on the sandwich station tomorrow, which is a relief. While I don't mind working it and I am fully capable of doing that station, I have been in that position most of my shifts over the past three weeks! That's a little much.


I have always mostly enjoyed working Saturdays. We are typically quite busy for at least four hours, which helps the day to fly by. It might be a bit chaotic at times, but I don't mind at all. The drama that is a regular part of weekday mornings is non-existent on the weekends. Yeah! And yeah again! All that drama gets to be rather annoying and exhausting.


The only thing I don't enjoy about Saturday workdays is waking up at 5:00 AM. I don't mind getting off earlier in the day though. Of course, I would just as soon have Saturdays off, but I can live with working them most of the time. A while ago, I would have also said that I did not enjoy working with a particular manager on Saturdays, but I have recently changed my opinion. This manager has been making an effort to interact with the staff more and to be excited about how we all perform as a whole, which means that the shift is more effective and efficient than it used to be. She is not perfect, but I have noticed the improvement and appreciate her efforts! Of course, I am not perfect either.

Snow Shot

I took this photo Tuesday night. It was a gamble, and I really didn't expect to get anything from it. I did not use a tripod. It was dark outside, and I was inside. But, it was so pretty outside, with fat, fluffy snowflakes clinging to the tree branches.





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Hump Day

So far, this is a good day! The Christmas tree is still standing. The sun is shining and snow is melting. I went for a 3 kilometre run this morning, after a week of not running. Sam had a second interview yesterday and got a job! I am going Christmas shopping with my girlfriend tonight.


The not so good stuff that I am trying to ignore or move past:
-my lower back is very sore
-my house is a mess
-I am so tired

O Christmas Tree!

Is there such a thing as a perfect Christmas tree stand? Last year, I bought a new tree stand, which I had thought was perfect. It really is the closest thing to perfect for a tree stand that I have seen, and yet, here we are having constant battles to keep the tree upright and straight. This stand is still a good stand, I think, and, in all fairness, I think the problem is that our tree might be too tall for the stand. So, the tree is jury-rigged to a hook on the ceiling with fishing line, and it is tilting a bit. My only hope is that it does not topple over completely.


I suppose this is something that we must suffer through so long as we choose to purchase a fresh tree for the holidays, but I cannot bring myself to switch to an artificial tree. I love the smell and feel of a fresh tree. Even the hassles of setting it up are perversely enjoyed in a very small way. It is tradition.

Monday/Friday

It's Monday. It's my Friday. I am glad and sad and disappointed. I worked my usual sucky Monday shift, although the day was not as frustrating as usual. Even still, I was put in the usual position, which I normally don't mind; however, I have been in that position every shift for two weeks. I'm tired of being there every time I work, especially since that usually means I am left to do all that work myself.

I have a headache brewing. I feel rather icky, tired and cold. Hallelujah for three days off, even if they are going to be busy doing all sorts of stuff.

Sunday

It's been a long and busy day, although not nearly as productive as I might have liked. I have been busy all day long, and this is the first real opportunity to sit and do *my* stuff. I allowed myself the luxury of sleeping in until a little after 8:00 this morning, which meant that I had to eat breakfast, get dressed, and get everything measured and ready to take to my annual bake day after church. We left for church shortly after 9:00 and got back home just before 11:30. My friend was going to pick me up at 11:30, but she was, thankfully, a few minutes late. I did not get home from the bake day until 5:00. There was just enough time to drop off my stuff, then the family went out for dinner. Now we are home!


Kane and the kids picked up a Christmas tree this afternoon, and they did a good job. Abby is anxious to decorate now, but I still have lots of things on my to-do list for today...and not enough hours left before bed.

Date Night

It's Saturday, and I am finished work for the day! Kane and I are going to go out for dinner and then to a hockey game. I have been to only one hockey game over the past year and a bit, so this will be a nice treat. The kids are jealous but oh well!

Making a List, Checking it Twice

Only 22 days until Christmas! Yikes! I guess I need to stop procrastinating and begin preparing for the holiday.

I did a teensy bit of shopping last night, and I ordered a couple of things on Tuesday, so I can at least say that I have started my Christmas shopping now. We generally do not go crazy on the gift giving, and this year won't be an exception, but it is still good to give to those we love. The most difficult part of Christmas shopping, aside from the craziness in the stores, is knowing what to get everyone! We already have so much, more than we need, and our likes are so varied. I could easily pick out a dozen or more different gifts for each person, so to narrow it down to one or two is a challenge, because I want to get the "best" gift, even if it isn't the most expensive.

We will need to go pick out a tree soon. I splurged a little last night and bought a set of 20 new tree ornaments. My ornament/Christmas decoration stash is old, pathetic, and sparse. There are a lot of broken ornaments that I really need to toss out, as they are beyond repair.

My annual Christmas bake day with my girlfriends is on Sunday. I am excited about my recipe this year, because it is the first time that I will not have to chill dough! We get together and do our cookie baking together, instead of just exchanging baked cookies. We still share the bounty, but this way we also can help each other and hang out at the same time. While I have liked my previous cookies, they always required hours of chilling, which meant that I had to prepare my dough the night before. So, I desperately wanted a fuss-free, chill-free cookie to make this year, and I found one! It's a little fussy still, because I should drizzle melted chocolate over the finished cookies, but I can live with that.

Next week I should also make my Earl Grey truffles. I usually bring some to work for my co-workers, and I have been fielding truffle queries for a couple of months already! They are fairly time-consuming but so yummy.

And then, I will need to start thinking about a turkey and all the trimmings for Christmas dinner. Actually, I dreamed the other night that I was looking for a turkey, and the store only had fresh turkeys that were not even wrapped in plastic. Gross! The turkeys were all small, except for one that was the size of a Volkswagen Beetle car! Yes, I do have weird dreams.

It is a good thing that I make lists and check them twice, because I will need all the help I can get to be ready for the holidays.

Crunching

So, I did 100 crunches yesterday and another 100 today, as I hope to resume doing 100 crunches on a daily basis for as long as I can continue doing so. I enjoyed doing them over the month of June, until sickness derailed me mid-July. Although I have been running regularly, I do need to do more than just running to achieve my fitness goals.


Yesterday's crunches were difficult to complete. Any muscle memory that I had built up in June had long since disappeared. I woke this morning with stiff, sore muscles in my neck, my abdomen, and my upper back. It is amazing how much stiffness there is for having done some crunches! Today's crunches were even more difficult to finish, but I pushed on to the end.


I remember those first few days back in June and how difficult they were and how sore my body was. This will get better.

December 1st

Here we are at the beginning of December. Already! Casey is now counting down the days until his birthday. The kids are starting to anticipate Christmas gifts beneath the tree. I'll admit to feeling a little more excited and eager for the holidays. Who doesn't get excited about Christmas?


Of course, I have lots of work to do until I will be fully ready for Christmas, and I am not even talking about my job's work schedule, which I expect will be hectic. I usually take at least one week off during the holidays, but I have not asked for any time off this year, except for New Year's Day, for my 5K run. Part of me is dreading what my schedule will look like, knowing that there are many co-workers asking for time off, but the extra money will be nice, and I keep telling myself that I just need to be organized!


Ha ha ha! Now I am normally a fairly organized person, but I have my limits. There is always too much to do and too little time to do it.