We have progress!

Finally I bit the bullet and purchased myself some Cathy Zielske digital templates to do my month-in-review scrapbook pages. There was a 30% off sale last week so it made sense. And you know what? It was worth it, since it actually motivated me to get these done. And I'm so happy I did!

So here we have January, February and March...and the enthusiasm to not leave it so long for the upcoming months! (well, hopefully!)

In March & April...

So as far as my 2011 manifesto goes I may have been slacking. Just a little. There are a number of items on my list that require slow and steady progress and cannot and will not be completed until the end of the year. Frustrating for someone like me who loves lists, more specifially ticking things off lists!

So actually myabe I have been making some progress. The gratitude album is so far still going strong (though I wonder if it will be so interesting or perhaps rather telling that I'm consistently grateful for fridays, long weekends, a day off work, getting home early etc, etc - a rather distinct pattern forming there don't you think?!)

I'm not sure if I've truly signed off on any new recipies though I'm having a hard time defining this to myself. I'm not really one to follow recipies I just make things up with whatever's on hand so you could say I've done this a hundred times over already. But this month's Cedar Planked salmon was a roaring hit (with Asian sesame seasoning) so I might count that one!

Scrapbooking a layout a month....uh...and moving on....

Clocking 600 miles. How very ambitious of me?! Crazy more like. I don't even remember where I got this hair-brained figure from! So in theory it's only 50 miles a month right?! But since the couch and I were BFF for the whole of January and February I'm a little behind. (if only my behind were little too! - consequences of sitting on the couch too long I guess) Things picked up OK in March and I clocked 50+ miles running. April I put the running on the back-burner a little and spent more time with Chris walking and hiking. I truly believe that it's a way better fat burner anyhow and we both need a little help after a cozy Canadian winter (read = inactive & potentially unhealthy!) Again we clocked 50+ miles and enjoying it. And if it's recorded on my Nike + it counts (running or walking I'm not fussy about how I get to 600 anymore!)

But not to finish on a low note. I have accomplished. I have ticked some items off the list. I have taken a candelit bubble bath #15 (thanks to my lovely husband for planning it - actually I think he may have just wanted a quiet hour or so to himself!) And whilst it sounds like a simple pleasure (which of course it is) It is the first bath I've taken since we got the hot-tub. Whenever I want to warm up we just hop in the hot tub these days. But you can't beat some nice scented bubbles and not smelling of chlorine afterwards so I really should do it more often! I also ticked off #19 - Visit a National Park - the Olympic National Park in Washington was where we spent our wedding anniversary in April.

So slow, but sure progress....I'm loving having a list to keep my focus and get me doing the things that normally I just talk about and now I'm actually doing!

Crazy Ptarmigan attacks hapless hikers in Fairmont (and other stories)

So Easter weekend we traded one beautiful part of BC for another. This one had lots of craggy mountains which I love and miss. Fairmont Hot Springs is in the Columbia Valley wedged between the Purcell mountains to the west and Canadian Rockies to the East. It’s a slither of a valley with lakes, forests and a few natural hot springs thrown in for good measure. (and an inordinate amount of golf courses and hence timeshare units) We stayed in a lovely property right on the golf course with log fireplace, cute mezzanine bedroom and a freezer on steroids (this was important for making ice for the margaritas so you can see why it’s worthy of a mention).

Anyhow. Long Easter weekend, 2 buddies to party with, hiking gear packed and a trusty bottle of tequila (or 2) and we were set for the 6 hour drive from home on the Thursday. After forgetting that there was a time zone change between home and Fairmont we made it to check-in minutes before they went home for the night and promptly settled in. Since Krystina and Amos were sleeping on a sofa bed we had to get them just a little tipsy so they wouldn’t complain too much! And so our Easter weekend began.

For the next 3 days we spent a great time chilling out, sleeping in, hiking, soaking in the hot springs, BBQing and maybe raising a glass to our luck and fortune on this fair Easter weekend. The weather was A-MA-ZING! We hiked a wonderful 10km along the shores of frozen Alces & Whiteswan lakes on the Friday and another hike directly up a ski hill to the most spectacular lookout on Saturday. It was pretty hard going on the way up but thanks to a couple of emergency blankets found in Amos’ pack it was a pretty swift and amusing ride back down! Who says you need a toboggan to toboggan??! Pah!

It was here we encountered the bad-assed Ptarmigan. Seemingly sweet and cute at first glance it came over to say hello and didn’t seem particularly scared of 4 humans taking photos. It even seemed charming when it started following us along the trail a little. But then the demon set in and no matter how quickly we walked it followed with a look in it’s eyes that said it wanted blood, more specifically from the ankle region of Amos’ leg….I admit we might have started running in terror at one point. It took a full kilometer to shake the darn thing off and we spent the rest of the hike down the hill glancing over our shoulders in fear.

Thanks to M&D for arranging our accommodation, Krystina and Amos for the great company and the Honey Badger for a weekend full of laughs (unfortunately it’s certainly a ‘had to be there’ moment but feel free to watch this you tube video. You will probably need to be on at least your sixth margarita and have a severe case of the giggles to appreciate this, but then….the honey badger don’t care….and so neither will I!)



Vancouver Sun Run

This weekend we spent in Vancouver. I had foolishly signed both Chris and I up for the 2011 Vancouver Sun Run 10km race. This was back in mid-winter when running a spring 10km seemed like a great idea and I was sure I’d be back into the swing of things in terms of training after my winter hibernation. Oh, how wrong can a girl be?!My spring training has been slow in getting started it must be said. I have the willing, just lacking in the motivation and get-up-and-go to actually go. I did clock 50 miles in March which I grant you is not too shabby, and ran 4 days a week. However my pace is much slower than when I started running last year and I’ve struggled with any kind of distance – sticking mostly to 5-7 km runs.

However none of that changed the fact both Chris and I had entry to the second largest timed road race in the world (a neat fact, but so far I’ve been unable to find out what the largest is). A weekend in a hotel in the city did add a little sugar coating to the ordeal so off we went.Vancouver put on its bestest, brightest, sunniest face to welcome us, so things really were looking better and better. We collected our race bibs, timing chips and tees and then spent an awesome afternoon on Saturday strolling along the seawall, along Robson Street and around the city. The blossom was out, the sun was shining, the mountains still had a lovely sprinkling of snow on the tops and life was good. We were in high spirits.But then, it was getting close to dinner time. And what better way to relax than to have a drink before dinner? Or two, oh go on have another, well just one more before we move for dinner, a drink with your dinner sir? – oh go on then! And before we knew it we were stumbling back to our hotel for – hic - a restless nights sleep – hic. burp…

Ah joy. Chris had sportingly agreed to walk like a snail and plod along with me for this race. His last 10km was in Spring 2006 so he wasn’t exactly planning a PR and I loved the idea I finally had a running partner. However he’s had a few issues with a tight hamstring lately so between the hangover and the concern for his hamstring we were getting close to agreeing just to have a nice ‘Sunday morning stroll in the city’ and just walk the course. I also had no expectations about beating my ’06 Sun Run time but even so, come 9am I was game for a little light jogging!
Seriously I love this event. 50,000 people getting out there, running, some in fancy dress, all in high spirits does that to you! And I am so glad to have been a part of it. We did not set any records. But I had a blast. I didn’t have to stop and walk. The previous night’s dinner did not make an appearance. The sun DID! And we ran along to the sounds of everything from rock n’roll to traditional native drummers.
The Vancouver Sun Run rocks! And I just did my longest run since November last year!

Anniversary weekend in Washington

We spent last weekend celebrating our ninth wedding anniversary. Not exactly a new country this year but to open up the game a little we’ve decided to split the provinces and states of Canada & the US respectively – so it WAS a new state!- Washington. Having already enjoyed a week away in the sun this year we opted for something a little chillier and wetter – the Olympic Peninsula. We visited for a few days back in October 2005 so knew what to expect (rain perhaps?!) especially since the accommodation I was booking was situated in a temperate rainforest.

The weekend started early for us and we got to Bellingham, WA on Friday in time for a pint at the Chuckanut Brewpub right down by the waterfront in old downtown Bellingham – such a great little find with some seriously tempting food – we resisted but did leave with a 64oz Growler full of their finest Red Ale ready for the rest of the weekend! Next morning we headed south and headed for Quinault, right on the edge of the Olympic National Park. We stayed at the wonderful historic Lake Quinault Lodge. We treated ourselves to one of their fireplace rooms overlooking the lake and were not disappointed. Everything about the place was perfect and we loved every minute of our stay! We spent plenty of time sitting by the fire, drinking and reading and glancing up every so often to gaze at the view and pinch ourselves to remind us how perfect it all was. We were so wonderfully lazy that both nights we ended up eating at the Lodge restaurant – once visited by FD Roosevelt himself and hence now called the Roosevelt Room, again with views of the lake and some early season hummingbirds feeding right outside the windows. We donned our waterproofs and boots for a hike through the rainforest and along the lake. (Definately a worthy recipient of this award - Best place to Kiss!! - and perfect for an anniversary getaway!)

Monday we said goodbye to Quinault and headed north (the only road encircling the Olympic NP). We passed windswept beaches full of driftwood (and rain), passed through Forks (home of Twilight, Vampires and all that jazz – no peculiar sightings today – perhaps the incessant rain kept them at home for the day!) and Port Angeles. We ended up in Port Townsend for the evening. PT is a charming historic port town with some beautiful old Victorian buildings – in fact most the district is designated a national Historic Landmark.Our final day we caught the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island and then north to Canada. We lucked out a little when I noticed that the annual Skagit Valley tulip festival takes place during the month of April. Still a little early for the tulips the daffodils were in full bloom and we took a detour to pass through field upon field of bright yellow blooms – so pretty.

It really was such a fabulous weekend. And thank you to my wonderful husband of nine years for giving me the excuse for another mini-vacation!

In February...

I started a new job. It's part time and is working out perfectly I think. It's great to have a stability of a 'regular' job and I still have some time to work freelance at a couple of other places. It was an interesting couple of weeks figuring out a routine and how it all fits into place but that has passed and of course I have a house-husband at home doing all the cooking & cleaning which made it a lot easier. It's been quite the novelty to have Chris at home and me be the one heading off to work in the mornings!

Of course February we got the new country item (#4) ticked off straight off with our vacation to Jamaica! We also rented a boat (#13) – well, sea kayaks actually. We both took a classic x-country ski lesson too (#6) Don't think I've spent so long on my backside! Seriously. I do not pretend to be anything of a skier really but I can get by OK on a downhill blue run but this was a whole new ball game. I didn't realise it was going to be so tricky to balance on little 2 inch wide sticks - silly me! We spent most of the lesson doing drills which was the difficult stuff but the last 15 mins we scooted round one of trails and once we got into a rythem it was OK. Realistically I don't suppose we'll get another chance to get out this season but I would like to spend some more time doing this - and such a bargain for our lesson - $40 for a 1 hour lesson including trail passes and rentals - an awesome deal for people 'first time out' up at a nearby x-country club. Bagged another restaurant first this weekend In Seattle when Chris and I checked out a Rainforest Café for the first time. I’d seen these places before but we’d never eaten there – what fun?! We sat by the gorilla family who kept us entertained during our meal but mostly I loved the funky animal legs bar stools! (and the 21oz margaritas!)

I am currently failing in the scrapbook-a-page-a-month goal, although I think my point was to have a layout a month to look back on even if I didn’t actually make it each month – and I have prepped the photos and journaling for January so it’s not all bad! I also want to put together a little mini album documenting my progress on the manifesto and also a vacation mini album for Jamaica (though we don't have too many photos so it might be a mini mini!) Nothing like adding to the 'to do' list rather than crossing things off eh?!

My running is also not going well. I've probably logged about 20 miles so far this year. I took a break over the winter. I felt the dark nights, icy sidewalks and cold were not conducive to me getting out there, and back in December after feeling guilty about not going all the time I finally gave myself a break and 'retired' for the winter without that guilt. I had intended to cross train instead but that didn't happen. I'm OK with all that. But now the sidewalks are clear again so I'm feeling the urge again, just lacking the motivation! I have signed both Chris and I up for the Vancouver Sun Run 10km in mid April so we do have something to work towards. I really need to listen to my own running mantra....if you went when you first thought about it, you'd be back by now!' It's so true and I'd probably have logged half the miles by now! ;-)

January progress

Just got back from a weekend down in Seattle. I was excited to catch up with Tess – my bff from Cyprus days. It’s been over 7 years since I left the island but we’ve been so lucky over the years to catch up from time to time. Funnily enough though, each of those 3 times has been a meeting in a country that neither of us live in! So great to have dinner with her, and her daughter & son-in-law on Friday night and then a bonus meeting in the mall the next day for lunch. Loved seeing you Tess.xx

So already it’s the end of February eh?! My 2011 manifesto has been moving nicely along. January I ‘ticked’ off 5 items;

• We went outdoor ice-skating (#21) up at Big White ski resort.
• We painted a wall (#3) in our bedroom which is just the first step in a bit of a re-vamp/personalization from the orignal and unimaginative natural tan the house was painted in - we used the Behr 'Wine Frost' - I think it looks great, though way more purple in real life than I was expecting!
• I finally made a piece of wall art (#7) that’s been on my mind to do for the longest time. I printed the phrase 'home is where the heart is' repeated over for the background then cut an outline shape of BC with my Silhouette machine and mounted it with foam squares. Then I cut out a little heart and placed it approx where our home town is with some more foam sqaures. It was so simple to do and I'm really pleased with how it turned out; we now have it hung in our entranceway.
• I tweaked the design of my business cards (#18) just a little more and finally sent them off to the printers. Loved how they turned out and upon delivery I felt justified in ticking that one off my list too!
• And finally for January we tried out a new restaurant (#26). I knew this was going to be a pretty easy item on the list – we love eating out, but I had in mind a few places in town I wanted to try out. Mimi’s Italian is just one of them! (I can see us succeeding in this task a few times over during the course of the year!)

I also did a great job of keeping up with a gratitude journal for the fist month and I tried and tested 3 new recipes already so good progress towards a couple of the annual goals.