5/28/2011 Hi everyone!

I'm baaack!!  Although maybe only my friends A.C. and B.H. might have wondered about, or even been aware of, my lack of posting.  :)

Sorry for not writing for a few days. I am not quite sure why I did not write on Wednesday.  Nothing extra special happened on Wednesday.
Thursday, however, was a big day.  Traci had all 4 of her wisdom teeth taken out under general anesthetic.  Thank you so much to C.W. for driving us there!
Traci was nervous and anxious but she was a trooper. I was surprised.  The surgery took just under an hour. She was in recovery for about 40 minutes before she was cleared to leave.  She was pretty  groggy but not crazily so.  She asked me to take pictures of her so  she could see what she looked like.  Traci made me promise not to post the pictures, although I had no intention of doing that.   The cutest, funniest thing she said in recovery a la David After The Dentist  was "Are my lips closed?" She said it in such a cute voice!  Of course, she could not feel her lower face or mouth or chin!  We stopped on the way home for the beloved Tylenol 3"s (Tylenol with codeine). Traci was REALLY beginning to feel pain by the time we got home.  She was very grateful for the painkillers. Thanks so much to A.Z. for driving us home!!

Traci has been making use of the T3's, frozen corn and peas, and the hand blender to purée her food.

She is actually out tonight, sleeping over at her friend's house.  Traci was REALLY hoping that they could go to Booster Juice tonight.  Traci has been craving a Booster Juice since the surgery.   Her friend is wonderful and she promised to be sure Traci ices her cheeks every hour on the hour for 20 minutes.  Although Traci has been very responsible with her self care.  I am very proud of her!

I JUST realized as I type this that even though I would not wish this pain on my daughter (or anyone), I have enjoyed being able to be here to take care of her.  Traci is VERY capable and reliable and responsible.  Sometimes, though, you need more help than usual.  :)

My friend is running in a half marathon tomorrow.  Go A!!  I am proud of you already!

Tomorrow we are going to a family BBQ to celebrate my mom's husband's 71st birthday!  Happy birthday B!!
Having said that, Traci has decided to go to WORK tomorrow!!  5.5 hour shift.  It is not uncommon, though, for her to be sent home early if it is not busy.  We shall see how it goes.

Toodles!

Date night!

Gerry and I went to IKEA today to exchange some glasses we bought a couple of weeks ago.  One of them had a chip in it.  It was nice just the 2 of us.  We had hot dogs for dinner at IKEA.  I knew it would be too late for him to wait for me to cook dinner once we got home.  I joked with him that I was a cheap date as we sat eating our hot dogs.  :)  I really like that fun light banter! 

PS The girls are on their own for dinner.  :)


What I have eaten today:

Brunch
1 large smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Dinner
2 hot dogs plus a small chocolate milk

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time
1st set-
2nd set-
3rd set-

Toodles!

Breakfast in Bed!!

I was awoken this morning only to be served breakfast in bed!!  Trina said there was no special reason.  She just had the idea and followed through with it.  And she made my day even before I got out of bed!

Trina and I did our chores and chilled.  Gerry got home at 2 pm but had called earlier asking if we wanted to go out and do something.  We ended up using some Wagjag coupons at DQ!  Yummy Reese's Blizzard!

Trina and I walked 1.5 km (a tiny part of the way to DQ) I really wanted to get a walk in, especially because we were going to have 10,000 calorie Blizzards!:)  Gerry picked us up and we drove the rest of the way there together.  Ice cream twice in 3 days!  I asked "What is the world coming to?"  Trina said, "Summer!!"  That girl is so quick and witty!


Here is an example of her humorous quick wit!  She noticed this, took the picture and posted it on Facebook all before we got home. thanks to her Blackberry.  Much to Gerry's chagrin!

Trina's caption was "Nice parking job, Dad!"  Can you see the lines?  

 

 

 

I just LOVE when people take pictures of me from behind!  NOT!! 

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
pancakes and toast

Lunch
Reese's Blizzard!

Dinner
nothing

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

I do not know why but I have not been motivated at all to do my exercises.  Have you noticed?  Hmmmm

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time
1st set-
2nd set-
3rd set-

Toodles!

Nice day today

I am listening to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs playing the Houston Aeros in Game 6 of the Calder Cup conference playoffs.  They are going into 2OT momentarily.  The Dogs were down 3 games to zero.  Sudden death loss and Hamilton is done for the season.  OT win for the Dogs means Game 7 on Tuesday. It's nerve wracking!
EDIT: Dogs win!! Dogs win!!  5-4 in 2OT.  Game 7 is on Tuesday

Trina and I took the bus home from church and we took the opportunity to walk about 1 km before we caught the bus.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
no breakfast

Lunch
1 toasted ham sandwich with mayo

Dinner
pasta with homemade sauce

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time
1st set-
2nd set-
3rd set-

Toodles!

It is a beautiful day today!!

More euchre for the 3 of us girls this am!!  I think the euchre has replaced Rummikub as our game of choice now.

Trina and I are going for a bike ride this afternoon.  Down to Central, across to Montgomery Park, through the Park to Maple and home again.  1.2 km 
EDIT We didn't get to go on our ride.  Hopefully we can go tomorrow afternoon.

And more euchre this afternoon!

How is this for family time on a b-e-a-utiful day??!!  BBQ burgers, then Stoney Creek Dairy, then road trip to Waterloo, to see Traci's new place. Dropping her off for a few days and LOTS of her stuff.

The BBQ was out of propane so Gerry had to go get the tank filled, along with the rest of Hamilton, apparently.  It still wouldn't work.  So I did them on the stove.  The the girls packed the car.  And it was packed full with the 4 of us and all the stuff we were taking to Traci's place.  No room even for my walker.  I had to use my cane.  I do not want to make that a habit at all.  Ice cream was great!  The drive was fun but brutal on my back.

Traci's place is nice.  The only pictures I got were of Trina posing in Traci's (empty) room.

The door to her room is where I was standing to take the window picture.

And this is a picture of the front of the building before it was all finished.


What I have eaten today:

LATE Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

no Lunch

Early Dinner
BBQ burgers!  YUMMY!!

PLUS
2 scoop ice cream cone at Stoney Creek Dairy
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time
1st set-
2nd set-
3rd set-

Toodles!

Family time!!

Got an email from Gerry today:


"maybe later on Sat we can to to Stoney Creek Dairy after supper"!!

Woo hoo!!  Stoney Creek Dairy is a local well-loved ice cream parlour.  4 person family time, I hope.  I don't know for sure if both of the girls are going to be home on Sat night for dinner and the evening.  I sure hope so!  I texted both of the girls that we are going to go. Traci is excited!!  Now we shall wait to see if Trina will be coming with us too.  Update: Trina is coming too!! 


Gerry usually gets at least 1 scoop of his 2 scoops rainbow sherbet.  I get a decadent chocolate-fudge-y scoop plus 1 scoop of peanut butter chocolate.  Trina gets at least 1 scoop of cookie dough ice cream.  I can't think offhand what Traci gets.  Chocolate something for sure!


AND...the girls and I were going to play some more euchre today after dinner.  I asked Gerry if he wanted to play, even though he had just said he was getting tired and was going to bed soon.  No harm in asking, right?  He said yes!  So all 4 of us played a game of euchre!  Gerry and I were down 6-0 but came back to win 10-8.  

God is good!!

Also, I went for a walk to day after the chiropractor. Close to 0.5 km on my way to and then the same distance on my way home from doing an errand.


What I have eaten today:


Breakfast
sausage, egg and cheese on a biscuit, hash brown, orange juice


Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries with peanut butter bars crumbled into it.


Dinner
pepperoni pizza


PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate
1 bowl of french vanilla ice cream with homemade chocolate syrup.


My exercise routine. Each set includes:


Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time


1st set-
2nd set-
3rd set-
Toodles!

Thurs May 19-Family time?

Traci and Trina and I looked up how to play 3 handed euchre on Tuesday night and had a great time playing together!!  And then Trina asked Traci and I if we wanted to play Wednesday afternoon before dinner.  So much fun!  Special time with my girls! 

Sure wish we had 4 person family time, though.  It is just about non existent.  For example, last weekend, he was gone from 7am until midnight on Saturday and on Sunday, he got up at 9 am, and watched movies and TV shows of his choosing all day and went to bed at 6 pm, stopping only to eat. There are some exceptions.  This weekend, he might be driving Traci to Waterloo.  But then again that is not family time for the whole family.

I waver between being sad about that and kind of throwing my hands up in the air and accepting it and making the best of the time us 3 girls have together. 

It's true that Gerry works so much that he has VERY little free time during the week (like 1 hour/day),  But I guess what hurts is that he is choosing to spend that time pretty much doing what he wants alone.  Family time suffers greatly!  He might be in the house, but he is not present.  And on the weekends, when he has more time, it is usually similar to last weekend..  More of the same.

I wonder what God ha planned?

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of Shreddies

Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Dinner
1 sausage plus potatoes and corn

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate
1 small bowl of chocolate/peanut butter ice cream!  YUMMY!!

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time
1st set-11:00 pm-v-sit
2nd set-
 
Toodles!

Wed May 18, more home improvement stuff!

Mom & Bruce came over today.  Bruce put up one of Cindy's beautiful pictures for me (after he mounted it for me!). Cindy's photography site is Once Upon A Childhood.  She specializes in photographing children but she does all kinds of photography. 

I had originally intended to give this to my mom, it is totally her style, but she had nowhere to put it.  It really livens up my dining room!

Bruce had a sink he had replaced and was going to try and put it in our vanity.  Our sink is damaged.  But it doesn't fit.  We talked about getting a new vanity which could be cut so the sink could fit.  It's not worth it, though.  The sink is a bit old (but in better shape than our sink)  If we are going to get a new vanity top, we should get a new vanity!  Bruce said that if the new vanity has a smaller footprint than he will fix the floor too.  We have extra tiles from when the floor was done last year.  Bruce also put a new-to-us light in the bathroom. But he had to install the light pointing upwards because the medicine cabinet is in the way. And moving the medicine cabinet down would leave holes in the walls.  We should also paint the bathroom too.  What would look very nice is a mirror where the medicine cabinet is, the light pointing down as it should, and a new vanity which would come with a new top.

I had to stand in the tub to get this picture!  The stuff on the left of the sink is what I took out of the vanity so Bruce could do the sink-work.  The brush should not be there.  (Trina!)  Oh, I forgot...we are also going to get rid of the towel rack.  I think we should hit up the Hamilton's Habitat For Humanity ReStore for dome of this stuff.


Midweek tonight!!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of Shreddies.

Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Dinner
Traci made tuna casserole

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-1:46 pm-v-sit

Toodles!

Tues May 17-Wet and rainy still!

I sure wish we could send at least some of this rain to Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada! The town of 7,000 has been at least 1/3 burned down because of wildfires. It is still burning.  :(

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of Shreddies.

Lunch
tuna melts-Traci makes the best tuna melts!

Dinner
Original Kraft Dinner-the Original is still the best

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-7:08 pm-v-sit

Toodles!

I can hear!!

I went to the ENT clinic today and now I can hear!!  All 4 of us are happy.  We were certainly getting frustrated.  It certainly enlightened me as to the challenges that the hard-of-hearing or the deaf must go through.

I also went for a short 600m walk today on my way to the clinic.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
1 bowl of Shreddies with bananas

Dinner
ham, mashed potatoes, corn

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time

1st set-11:58 am-v-sit
2nd set-11:16 pm-plank

Toodles!

Worshiping God in the drizzly rain this am!!

It was our first service in the park of the summer.  It was raining lightly and drizzly and every now and then the wind blew and we got a bit more of a shower from the water in the trees.  It didn't hurt us any!  And we had some great worship and fellowship, too.

I have decided to add some cardio to my set of exercises.  I am going to start with 2 compete sets down and up of our stairs that go from our main level to the landing to the basement.  5 stairs to the landing and 7 stairs to the basement.  I am going to do them quickly, holding on to the railings, of course.  We will see how that goes.  I haven't counted but I am sure I already go up and down those stairs for some reason or another (laundry, freezer, something for/from Trina's room) half a dozen times a day!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries with peanut butter bars crumbled into it

Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries with peanut butter bars crumbled into it

Dinner
chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, corn

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:

Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
Stairs-2 sets each time

1st set-8:48 am-v-sit
2nd set-8:58 pm-plank

Toodles!

Thurs May 12-Forgot to post this post!

OOPS!!


What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 bowl of Shreddies.

Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Dinner
potatoes, fish sticks, corn

PLUS
cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-1:46 pm-v-sit
2nd set-
3rd set-

Toodles!

A fabulous evening last night and an interesting day today!

We picked up Traci last night.  :)  She was disappointed that Gerry chose to stay in the "cell-phone lot" to wait for my call so as not to incur parking charges.  Trina was not there either as she is at the leadership conference at McMaster this weekend.  I tried my best to make her homecoming special.  We did stop at McDonald's on the way home and her stomach tolerated it OK.  They had had burgers one day on an excursion so they were not totally removed from junky greasy food for two weeks.  :)

Traci and I talked all the way home and until 1 am!  Sweet time together!  It is now 3 pm on Saturday and she is still sleeping.  She did get up to eat something and post 200 pics to Facebook, and then she went back to bed.  :)

She is definitely calling this trip an extraordinary trip of lifetime.  It is very evident by the pictures and descriptions of sob fests and the goodbyes at the airport that this group became very tight knit over the course of the 2 weeks, with each other, with their translator, Esteban, and with the kids in their community.  Traci is talking about another trip.  We will see what \God has planned for her.

I am so proud of her for going and for stepping so radically out of her comfort zone!  Serving others here at home is one thing, serving others in a central American country with different food, so-so water, exposing yourself to scorpions, mosquito net-equipped sleeping arrangements, hardly any power, no ipod or phone.  I am so proud of her!!  I realized I had told that to many people but I had not told her.  So I did today: tears running down my face and a big hug!!

I went to a fundraising brunch this morning. My friend and her husband work for the Navigators of Canada and have a Celebrate Recovery Canada ministry. (Freedom from your hurts, hang-ups and habits through Christ’s power).  They are doing great work for the Kingdom!  I made a small contribution.  I was honoured to be invited and to be there!

I only walked 550m today on my way home from the hotel where the brunch was.  But it was slightly uphill and in misting rain.  That was enough!  :)

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
brunch-scrambled eggs, yogurt, bacon, sausage, coffee

Lunch
no lunch

Dinner
pepperoni pizza

later meal
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

PLUS

3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-8:52 pm-v-sit
2nd set-10:56 pm-plank

Toodles!

Fri May 13-Traci comes home tonight!!

I am so excited to see Traci!  It is about a 1.5 hour drive to the airport.  I wonder if Traci will be hopped up on adrenaline or whether she will crash right away in the car.  She SAYS she wants McDonald's on the way home.  I want to give her what she wants but I wonder if her stomach will be able to tolerate McDonald\s food after 2 weeks of rice and beans!

I dropped Trina off at a leadership conference at McMaster University this morning. The conference goes from Friday morning until Sunday evening, so Trina won't see Traci until Sunday night. I am planning on asking Traci if she wants to go pick up Trina on Sunday night,  I am going to give her some money and tell her to take Trina to Starbucks or something just so they can get some "sister-time".

I went to a chiropractor for the first time today.  Since I have been having this pain for months, he thinks I will need intensive treatment for a while to notice a difference, hopefully.  I went today and will go, Mon, Wed, Fri next week and probably the week after that too.  And then we will see.

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
slept through lunch

Dinner
spaghetti

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-
2nd set-

Toodles!

McHappy Day today!

It was McHappy Day today.  So Gerry and I went to McDonald's for dinner. (Trina did not want to.)  I had a Big Mac & fries.  Proceeds were going to our local Ronald McDonald House with is right beside our AWESOME children's hospital.  We very rarely eat at Mc|Donald's.

Gerry went home from there.  I walked partially to midweek. I mapped it, 1.3 kms!  I walked that far and then got on the bus the rest of the way.

Pretty good day; 3 meals, 2 exercises and a 1.3 km walk!

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
1 bowl of Shreddies cereal with milk

Dinner
Big Mac and fries (it was McHappy Day, proceeds go to Ronald McDonald House Charities).

PLUS
3 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds

1st set-1:16 pm-v-sit
2nd set-4:22 pm-plank
3rd set-10:27 pm-v-sit

Toodles!

I'm breaking down!!

It is a very nice day again today...not as nice as yesterday though.  I walked about 2 kms this am.  YES!

I have an appointment on Monday for my ears.  I can't hear out of my right ear and it is ringing.  I called my friend's chiropractor and I am going to go see him.  Maybe some chiropractic treatment will help my right back and hip and leg.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 Tim Horton's sausage on a bagel, with a hash brown and coffee

Lunch
nothing-meant to have a smoothie but it didn't happen

Dinner
chicken and salsa and cheese quesadillas

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate
a handful of licorice allsorts

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-10:00 am-v-sit
2nd set-11:00 pm-plank

Toodles!

Another glorious day today!

Beautiful sunshine and temps in the high teens.  In Nicaragua, Traci has been enduring temps of 37C, feels like 44!!  She did say last night that she burned, blistered, and was peeling.  :((

I went for a nice 1.5 km walk this morning. Got some baking done.  Went out for coffee/walk/errands with my friend, R, tonight.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 sausage biscuit with coffee and a cookie.

Lunch
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Dinner
ham and cheese & mayo on a pita

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer

NO chocolate
My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds

1st set-1:03 pm-v-sit
2nd set-10:56 pm-plank

Toodles!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Is Mother's Day a great day for you?  Or is it bittersweet because you are missing your children or missing your mom?

If you are a mother, do your children and the father of your children make this day special for you?

We had a great time at a Mother's Day BBQ my brother's house!  After we ate, most of us went for a walk around the park next door.  It was a glorious day!!

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
1 cinnamon bun (they are all gone now)

late Lunch
1 BBQ hamburger, Mom's homemade coleslaw, tossed salad
+ cake.
Dinner
no dinner, full from lunch
snack of crackers later, though

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds

No sets but I went on a walk today.  Me and my mom, my 2 brothers and their wives and kids and Trina.  My brother lives right next to a park with a playground, splash pad, and baseball diamonds.  We walked all around most of that!  And there is a lake right beside it too!


Toodles!

What are you doing for your mother tomorrow?

Our family is getting together for a BBQ lunch at my brother's house.  I am really looking froward to it.  Although my niece is sick, so she and my sister-in-law won't be there.  :(

I have a couple of books for my mom.  I have had them for months!  One of them is a cookbook I KNOW she wants and will love. (I gave this cookbook to my s-i-l for Christmas and my mom wanted to take it home) Plus I also have a gardening book for her too!


What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, juice, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
1 hot dog at IKEA

Dinner
pasta with homemade sauce
1 cinnamon buns from IKEA!
crackers and egg salad (my new healthy snack)

PLUS
1 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-12:44 pm-v-sit
2nd set-8:38 pm-plank

Toodles!

Special Delivery On It's Way For Grace!!

I wrote my first letter to Grace, my sponsored child, today. 

When I first got the picture, I wondered why she wasn't smiling.  I was told that for these kids, getting their picture taken can be scary and/or considered a formal occasion.  Hence, no smile.  I think she is beautiful!

Her birthday is the day before Traci's.  Grace will be 10 this year.

I am so excited about building a relationship with her as best I can across the miles.  I read a story today about how much the children appreciate the letters we send them.  You can find it here in a post from the Blogging From The Boonies blog.  Have the Kleenex ready!  I plan on writing to Grace at least once a month, hopefully twice a month.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
no breakfast

Lunch
crackers and egg salad

Dinner
pepperoni pizza

PLUS
0 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
:(

Toodles!

I miss my smoothies!

Dairy is supposed to be bad when you are congested but I sure am missing all my dairy products!  No smoothies, no cheese, no yogurt.

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
crackers and hummus

Lunch
1 toasted ham sandwich with mayo

Dinner
1 toasted ham sandwich with mayo, I thought there was going to be salad fixin's too but nope!

evening snack, egg salad on whole wheat crackers

PLUS
1 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-10:41 am-v-sit
2nd set-1:52 pm-plank
3rd set-10:08 pm-v-sit

Toodles!

Wed May 4, I am ready to get better any day now,,,,

I was feeling miserable yesterday.  I am sick of being sick.  I do not like stuck inside and I am SO missing not being able to go to church.

What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
no breakfast
Lunch
toast
Dinner
pancakes

PLUS
0 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-8:56 pm-v-sit
2nd set-
3rd set-
Toodles!

Tuesday May 3, Traci and her group got there safely!

I got an email yesterday:

****************

Hi Friends/Family of the Laurier SOS group in Nicaragua,

Just a quick note to let you know they are all in the community, happy, healthy and safe. Apparently one person’s (not sure who) backpack took a slight detour and is currently on route to the community but other than that, it is all going really well!

I’ll be sure to pass on any updates as I get them. Should you need anything over the next two weeks, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll be in Canada for the duration of their trip.

Best,

Lindsay 

*********************

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
slept through lunch

Dinner
crockpot cream of mushroom soup chicken and rice

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-9:43 pm-v-sit
2nd set-

Toodles!

Two big events today.....

President Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday night our time.  I didn't hear about it until Monday morning. I borrowed this from my friend Amber.   She put my feelings into words perfectly.

I'm thankful and relieved that bin Laden can no longer cause terror, but I do not think it is appropriate to be celebrating his death. I'm not saying he was an innocent man by any means, but it just doesn't seem right to celebrate someone being killed, no matter how evil - God will judge him now.

Proverbs 24:17-18 (New International Version, ©2011)

 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
   when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
   and turn his wrath away from them.

The other big thing going on today is (ANOTHER) election in Canada. This is the 3rd on in 5 years or something like that.  The results have been minority governments for the last few elections.  Looks like it might be that way today too.  Traci and I voted in the advance polls.  She is in Nicaragua right now and could not vote on election day.  She was very excited to be able ot vote! I am torn between the three main parties.  

The ruling Conservative party, under Stephen Harper, has Canada in the best position economically in the G7 (or the world) after the recession.  Our banks and economy are the envy of the world.  I do not like him, though.  He is very cold and mechanical to me.  And he was cited for Contempt of Parliament!  He is not been very open at all to the public during this campaign (everything is scripted, banning people from his rallies, not taking questions from the people and/or very few questions from reporters).

The New Democratic Party is surging. They are a more socialist party.  I like what they say but maybe it is just because I don't get economics so much. But in the 90's (?) thee NDP party made a MESS of Ontario\s economy!  So as far as we know, the NDP does not get economics either.  They have never governed,  They are unproven.  And the local NDP candidate has a nasty past.  I won't vote for him.

The Liberal party is in the middle of the other 2 parties ideologically and has just tanked according to the polls.  It looks like they will finish 3rd among the top 3 parties  That has never happened before.  Michael Ignatieff had a much more open campaign.  His rally that I went to was not scripted and he took many (unknown) questions from the audience.

Polls close at 9:30 pm tonight.  We shall see.

9:47 pm- CTV is calling a Conservative win already
10:11 pm CTV declaring NDP as the official opposition.
10:12 pm It's going to be very close to a majority for the Conservatives.
10:15 pm Looks like the NDP candidate in my riding will win.
10:42 pm I have had enough. It looks like a majority.


What I have eaten today:
Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
no lunch

Dinner
ham and potatoes
1 bowl ice cream

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
NO chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-7:08 pm-v-sit
2nd set-9:50 pm-plank
3rd set-

Toodles!

A couple of firsts today

I had a first ever today.  I took Buckley's.  Their slogan is: It tastes awful and it works"
 It wasn't that bad.  It was quite menthol-y.  It reminded me of Vick's Vapo-Rub. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I don't mind the smell of skunk at all!  LOL  I hope it helps.  I'm sure it will take a few doses to really notice a difference.

The other first today was not going to church for the first time in a LOOOONG time, maybe since I broke my leg.  Not sure.  So Trina gets home from church and says "Everyone says hi"  That was encouraging!  I decided not to go because I am so run down.  I am coughing and (trying to) clear my throat very often.  That would certainly disturb the service.  And I did not want to get anyone else sick!

What I have eaten today:

Breakfast
1 smoothie with frozen fruit, yogurt, milk, 1 egg, bananas and strawberries

Lunch
slept through lunch

Dinner
tuna casserole
1 bowl of ice cream

PLUS
2 cups of coffee with flavoured creamer
some chocolate

My exercise routine. Each set includes:
Leg extensions-10 reps each leg
Bridges-5 reps
Plank or V-sit-15 seconds
1st set-10:43am-v-sit
2nd set-7:00 pm-plank
3rd set-9:28 pm-plank

Toodles!