Jonsin' for jeans

The hunt for the perfect pair of jeans continues.

Today I'm sporting my new GAP jeans. Boot cut. They feel pretty good - but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the GAP jeans. Sometimes they fit me perfectly and make my arse look fab. Other times, they look great throughout the day and then get the dreaded "saggy bum" phenomenon come evening. Not a good look.

I have to admit - I'm not 100% in love with them yet. They're just not living up to the last pair of perfect jeans I had (American Eagle - but they don't make my kind anymore. Of course.) Those perfect jeans have a huge rip in the inner thigh and I deemed it no longer "appropriate" to wear them to work anymore. (Bah - "The Man" is bringin' me down again. Since when is showing a little inner thigh skin at the office inappropriate??)

Anyway... so the saga continues. For anyone with a perfect jean experience, please feel free to pass it on to me. I'm gettin' desperate.

The 'rents. Gotta love 'em.

Today is my Dad's birthday. My Mom took the day off so they could spend it together. Later on tonight, my brother and I will join my parents at a restaurant to celebrate my Dad. And I know when we get there, my parents will be beaming excitedly, merely because my brother and I are there. In their company.

Now, I know I often sound sentimental and sappy in these blogs when it comes to my family. But really - how could I not?

My Mom and Dad have been married for 30-something years and they still love doing things like taking the day off on each others' birthday to spend it together. They get genuinely happy and excited when my brother and I spend time with them. My mom sends me notes and tells me over and over again how beautiful and smart and wonderful I am.

Really now. How could I not be a happy, healthy, completely 100% sentimental nut?? I have an incredible family.

So, today I'd like to say to the first ever most important man that came into my life... Happy birthday Dad! (And see you tonight, Mumsie!)

It's alive!!

That's right - I'm alive... but not quite kickin' yet.

My less-than-spectacular blogs of late have to do with my recent sickness - which I am begrudgingly telling you about. (You see, I don't like to admit when I'm sick. It's a sign of weakness... weakness, I say!!)

Actually, I pride myself on the fact that I rarely ever get sick. I got me some good white blood cells (or red ones. Or both. Whatever - you get the picture.) So - to be sick for the second time this winter (gasp!!) is just unfathomable for me. It just ain't right.

Anyway - always a smart one, I thought going for a 9km run in the cold harsh Canadian winter weather would do me some good yesterday morning. I struggled through it. But then was completely knocked out for the rest of the day. You would think I had run a marathon! So I learned my lesson.

I'll be resting up today. Lots of liquids, lots of sittin' on my arse. Hopefully, before I know it, I can start writing witty blogs again.

Stay tuned readers!

Johnny Boy (not Depp this time)

There is something incredible about John Irving's writing.

Every time I pick up one of his books I find it takes a little bit of time to get into, but once I'm into it - I'm completely and whole-heartedly sucked in.

Right now, I'm reading Until I Find You. Like all of his other books, it's a bit odd. There's a focus on "taboo" issues (like child molestation). But John Irving never writes it in a creepy way. Ever. So you can still appreciate and enjoy his writing without feeling sicked out by the topic.

I've been waiting for a little while to find one of those books that you can barely put down and that actually makes you excited for your morning and evening commute because you get to read. And Mr. Irving never disappoints.

Oh, and the man had his first novel published when he was 26 years old. So jealous.

Back to myself

Okay... feeling better today.

I talked to some friends and to my hubby and they helped me get out of my mini-funk. I'm back to feeling like this again:

For all who don't know, that's my Dad. This picture may answer many questions you have about how I got the way I am.

Man, I love my Pa.

Blah

Man, what a change from yesterday. I'm seriously bummed today.

I'm chalking that up to the fact that I haven't worked out in a week and a half and can't work out until the end of the week. Even then, I can't do strength training or weights due to my numerous issues. So - I'm feeling lazy and unmotivated, I wake up with red eyes each morning, I'm feeling exhausted and I'm gaining weight since I can't work out and I don't have the willpower to eat like a rabbit all week and weekend long.

Things suck right now, pretty much. That's all I've got.

My hill

Did you know that tobogganing is both hazardous to your health and good for your soul?

On Saturday evening I was enjoying myself - playing as if I were 12 years old again - you know... laughing, sliding, skidding down hills covered with fresh snow. And then I decided to follow my adventurous hubby down a very short, but very steep hill with a bit of a ramp (read: big bump) at the bottom.

I watched A. and he made it down over that bump, no problem. In fact, he made it look incredibly fun. As I watched him whizz down that hill, all I could think was "I want to do that!!!"

So I quickly ran up the hill and sat myself down on the round, plastic lid that toboggan companies seem to be able to pass off for an actual sledding device. Then I gave myself a little push and off I went! It was incredible! There I was - picking up speed, laughing as I got turned around and went down partially backwards. I watched the bump at the bottom of the hill approach faster and faster and thought to myself "I'm going to make it! I'm going to fly over that bump and make it! I can just feel it!"

It was at the moment that I hit the bump that I knew I was probably not going to make it.

I felt myself go airborne and vaguely remember the sled completely stopping. But I kept going. In what felt like slow-motion, my body got thrown forward and I soared through the air in a spread-eagle formation. (When I replay it in my mind, I'm very graceful). Next thing I knew, I landed face down in the snow.

It was quiet for just a moment before everyone around me erupted into laughter. And then I joined in. I full-on joined in, laughing at how fun and silly that moment was.

And even now, with my intense rib injury that seems to hurt when I make even the slightest of moves, I'm so thankful for that moment. That moment that I got to be a kid again. Where I laughed and laughed - not at a joke or a movie or anything like that. But just because I was sliding down a hill.

It's the simplest things in life that remind you how easy it is to be happy. I hope you find your hill, too.

Hangin' out in my birthday suit

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR MEEEEEEEEEE..........
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.

That's it. That's all. Love my birthday. Had to sing to myself today.

This is not a rant nor a whine nor a dull account

When I mention I have a blog to some people, I get the general response of "Oh, blogs. They're dumb. All people do is whine in them. Or talk about really boring things. Or rant. Bah."

So, as you can see from my very clear title, this blog posting that I am writing today will be none of those things.

Nope. You won't hear about the nap I took last weekend or the sandwich I ate yesterday. You won't hear hear me complain about how I can't run due to my calf problem. Nor will you hear me bitch and moan about the little things in life that bother me (like snowstorms).

Instead, I will regale you with wonderful tidbits of information that you might not know:

• There is a town in Texas called Ding Dong
• Some species of dolphin sleep with one eye open
• Apples are more effective at keeping people awake in the morning than caffeine
• Tipping at a restaurant in Iceland is considered an insult
• The dot over the letter 'i' is called a tittle

I've come undone

Recently, I've been dealing with several aches and pains. And for most of them, I stupidly ignored the pain. Until I developed calf pain. Because I knew this would affect my ability to train for the half marathon I plan on running.

So I went to physio and realized I'm in rough shape. I have a strain in my calf, lower back pain on my right side, serious pain over my rib (pulled muscle I think), I have recurring bicep pain, I used to have IT band issues and my neck and shoulder area is almost always tense.

I'm falling apart. Body part, by body part.

And yet, I find it incredibly hard to rest my body and not run or work out this week.

Birthday week

I no longer have a birthDAY... it's turned into a birthweek. That's right - I love my birthday so much, that I pretty much celebrate it all week long.

This year's festivities started this past Saturday night: Feb. 2nd (or, exactly 5 days before my actual DOB). A few friends got together, one thing led to another and 3 tequila shots later, I was feeling no pain. (Until the next day, of course. I cursed the demon rum all day Sunday.)

The next celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6th - where I will be toasting both myself and Waitangi Day (New Zealand's Canada Day). Again, there will be friends and booze involved... only NO tequila this time.

Then there's my actual birthday - Feb. 7th. I've penciled in some family time, yummy dinner out and cake and ice cream. (Also will be treated to sushi lunch that day by some co-workers. Yum!!)

Now, you may think that once my birthday is over, that would be it. But wait - there's more!! On the weekend of Feb. 8th - 10th, I'll be going to a co-worker's cottage with a bunch of co-workers and their spouses for a weekend-long celebration in honour of me and another spouse (who's b.day falls the day before mine). Looking forward to this weekend VERY much.

And that should be it. Do I know how to celebrate me or what??

Renovations n' junk

Reasons why I have a love-hate relationship with renovations:

• The giddy excitement that comes along with you picturing what your place is going to look like when it's done is fabulous.
• But the drywall dust. Oh... the dreaded drywall dust. How I loathe it.
• The fresh coat of paint that does wonders for a room just makes me feel all happy.
• The process of painting, coat after coat... after coat. It's mighty tedious.
• Getting new things (ie: new furniture, new light fixtures) is fun!
• Paying for said things. Not so fun.

Everyone's invited to see our new basement when it's done. ;)