Did you know that if you spend 10+ hours in the garden without a break, you risk painful reminders of exactly where your iliocostalis, rhomboid & trapezius muscles are located?
The physiotherapist suggested that pacing myself would be a better strategy; the massage therapist offered the advice that a bit of stretching might have been helpful; and today, the doctor who was carefully poking me full of accupuncture needles just shook his head.
I hadn't tried accupuncture before today. It was a bit odd taking a cross-eyed look at the needle protruding from my face, but my favourite part was watching Dr. Frame untangle what looked like tiny jumper cables, which he then hooked up to the needles on my back. I must have left my lights on.
Hmm. I just realized there's no conclusion to this story.
P.S. I walked 6 km last Thursday & 15 km on Saturday, with no negative affect on my knees or leg muscles. Phew.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Feeling festive
CBC rocks. Rocks, rocks, rocks.
On Friday, I was listening as I worked, and CBC was talking about all the festivals, markets and fun events being held this long weekend. Then they said, "And the next four listeners to email..."
So I clicked over to my email...
"...on the coast at CBC.ca..."
I typed that in.
"...with 'Children's Festival' in the re: line..."
I take direction well, so did as instructed.
"...will win four tickets to the Children's Festival."
I hit send.
Ten minutes later, CBC called. Noah, Steve and I* rocked out the evening with Fred Penner, Robert Munsch, 'Sharon, keep ya hair on', 'Everybody's in the band' & Ranganiketan.
As if there weren't enough good reasons to listen to CBC.
*We tried to bring Shonna, but she was out running errands. Seems to me an obvious message from the cell phone gods.
P.S. Steve's putting Noah down for his nap right now, and I just went in to give him a "nap-nap" kiss. I was making silly sounds in Noah's ear and he seemed to be ignoring me. Then he turns to Steve and says, "Daddy, I think I hear a pig."
On Friday, I was listening as I worked, and CBC was talking about all the festivals, markets and fun events being held this long weekend. Then they said, "And the next four listeners to email..."
So I clicked over to my email...
"...on the coast at CBC.ca..."
I typed that in.
"...with 'Children's Festival' in the re: line..."
I take direction well, so did as instructed.
"...will win four tickets to the Children's Festival."
I hit send.
Ten minutes later, CBC called. Noah, Steve and I* rocked out the evening with Fred Penner, Robert Munsch, 'Sharon, keep ya hair on', 'Everybody's in the band' & Ranganiketan.
As if there weren't enough good reasons to listen to CBC.
*We tried to bring Shonna, but she was out running errands. Seems to me an obvious message from the cell phone gods.
P.S. Steve's putting Noah down for his nap right now, and I just went in to give him a "nap-nap" kiss. I was making silly sounds in Noah's ear and he seemed to be ignoring me. Then he turns to Steve and says, "Daddy, I think I hear a pig."
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Garage sales and other adventures
Oh, oh, oh. What a good week it's been. Later this week, I'll update you on the other good stuff, but today it's 'stop the presses' for a garage sale bulletin.
On Saturday, all other priorities were set firmly aside so I could attend the Queens Park neighbourhood garage sale. This is the second year I've spent the morning wandering the lovely streets of New Westminster's nicest neighbourhood, browsing through some of the 90+ sales.
It's such a great community event, wandering around, chatting people up, buying lemonade and cookies from budding entrepreneurs and, of course, finding all sorts of great deals.
My sister-in-law, Tarra, and I towed Noah's wagon for a couple of hours, then Steve joined us and emptied the wagon's contents into the car. Steve made repeated excursions back to the car to store too-large items, thus reinforcing his princeliness.
And thanks to my brother, Bruce, bringing his lovely digital camera (and of course, his wife Tarra, my shopping companion) I have photographic evidence of most of my buys. Technical difficulties will prevent your seeing the round wrought-iron-framed mirror that will hang in my entry way, my forgetfulness the lovely flowering shrub, and the fact that I gave them away before I took photos, the chili-patterned mugs I got for Robin.
Here are a few of the more photogenic purchases.
Heart-shaped candy dish - 50 cents
Magician's jacket and velvet cape - $2
(Cute little boy not purchased at garage sale. Cost me two years of sanity and $55K/year, but recently appraised as well worth the price.)
Three videos and four CDs - $10
Soft, pink poncho for my niece - 50 cents
Three stainless bowls, in which to display pre-chopped ingredients, ready to be added to recipes - 50 cents
Two chrome Umbra towel rails (desperately needed for my bathroom) - $8
Spending the day bargain hunting with two of my favourite people - priceless.
On Saturday, all other priorities were set firmly aside so I could attend the Queens Park neighbourhood garage sale. This is the second year I've spent the morning wandering the lovely streets of New Westminster's nicest neighbourhood, browsing through some of the 90+ sales.
It's such a great community event, wandering around, chatting people up, buying lemonade and cookies from budding entrepreneurs and, of course, finding all sorts of great deals.
My sister-in-law, Tarra, and I towed Noah's wagon for a couple of hours, then Steve joined us and emptied the wagon's contents into the car. Steve made repeated excursions back to the car to store too-large items, thus reinforcing his princeliness.
And thanks to my brother, Bruce, bringing his lovely digital camera (and of course, his wife Tarra, my shopping companion) I have photographic evidence of most of my buys. Technical difficulties will prevent your seeing the round wrought-iron-framed mirror that will hang in my entry way, my forgetfulness the lovely flowering shrub, and the fact that I gave them away before I took photos, the chili-patterned mugs I got for Robin.
Here are a few of the more photogenic purchases.
Heart-shaped candy dish - 50 cents
Magician's jacket and velvet cape - $2
(Cute little boy not purchased at garage sale. Cost me two years of sanity and $55K/year, but recently appraised as well worth the price.)
Three videos and four CDs - $10
Soft, pink poncho for my niece - 50 cents
Three stainless bowls, in which to display pre-chopped ingredients, ready to be added to recipes - 50 cents
Two chrome Umbra towel rails (desperately needed for my bathroom) - $8
Spending the day bargain hunting with two of my favourite people - priceless.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Mangolicious
The other evening Steve and I had a long-overdue visit with friends from my ex-work.
TO DO: clean house, decide what to serve. Hmmm.
The six-pack of mangoes I'd whimfully purchased at Costco the week before were "aheming;" a gentle reminder not to let them rot in their groovy podlike container. So I Googled (yes, it's a verb) "mango appetizers," et voila! A luscious selection of mango-based recipes for our gastronomic pleasure.
I didn't even waffle very long; three recipes chosen, I shopped for additional ingredients and whipped up three appetizers in under an hour. They were very easy to make, looked very luxe, and were mangolicious.
MENU (I think I improved on the recipe names)
Mango salsa and chips
Shrimp & mango bowl
Brie with zippy mango
&
Mango margaritas
If you're very nice to me, I'll make some when you next visit.
TO DO: clean house, decide what to serve. Hmmm.
The six-pack of mangoes I'd whimfully purchased at Costco the week before were "aheming;" a gentle reminder not to let them rot in their groovy podlike container. So I Googled (yes, it's a verb) "mango appetizers," et voila! A luscious selection of mango-based recipes for our gastronomic pleasure.
I didn't even waffle very long; three recipes chosen, I shopped for additional ingredients and whipped up three appetizers in under an hour. They were very easy to make, looked very luxe, and were mangolicious.
MENU (I think I improved on the recipe names)
Mango salsa and chips
Shrimp & mango bowl
Brie with zippy mango
&
Mango margaritas
If you're very nice to me, I'll make some when you next visit.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Woof!
I would've posted something earlier this week, but my arms were sore after working like a dog for 10 hours, cleaning and painting my sister, Brenda's rental suite.
How can people leave a suite without vacuuming or cleaning the toilet? The tenants were indignant that B wouldn't give them their damage deposit on the spot. "We've left places way dirtier than this!" was their best defense. We took photos of giant cat-hair bunnies (apparently "no pets" meant little to them), smoke stains (interesting interpretation of "no smoking"), stove-top crud hidden under foil covers and a large hole in the gyproc. I'd post them, but besides being across town, the pictures are disturbing and this is a 'G'-rated site.
So after scrubbing, painting and dragging a steam cleaner around the suite, I was too tired to type.
But by today, I was rested up. So we spent the day in the garden, moving plants around, and moving all my seedlings onto the walkway so we could mulch all the beds with compost. Before he left, Steve was trying to decide whether to buy a half- or full yard of compost, and his indecision resulted in him buying 2 yards. (Buy bulk and save -- he couldn't resist a second yard for a mere $10 more.)
So our neighbours benefited with the addition of some organics to their garden beds. And Sunday is the New West plant sale, so I'll be able to fill all the gaps in the garden with lovely, cheap plants. W-hoo.
I'm going to borrow a camera so you can see pics of my garden. I promise.
Must sleep now. Be good.
How can people leave a suite without vacuuming or cleaning the toilet? The tenants were indignant that B wouldn't give them their damage deposit on the spot. "We've left places way dirtier than this!" was their best defense. We took photos of giant cat-hair bunnies (apparently "no pets" meant little to them), smoke stains (interesting interpretation of "no smoking"), stove-top crud hidden under foil covers and a large hole in the gyproc. I'd post them, but besides being across town, the pictures are disturbing and this is a 'G'-rated site.
So after scrubbing, painting and dragging a steam cleaner around the suite, I was too tired to type.
But by today, I was rested up. So we spent the day in the garden, moving plants around, and moving all my seedlings onto the walkway so we could mulch all the beds with compost. Before he left, Steve was trying to decide whether to buy a half- or full yard of compost, and his indecision resulted in him buying 2 yards. (Buy bulk and save -- he couldn't resist a second yard for a mere $10 more.)
So our neighbours benefited with the addition of some organics to their garden beds. And Sunday is the New West plant sale, so I'll be able to fill all the gaps in the garden with lovely, cheap plants. W-hoo.
I'm going to borrow a camera so you can see pics of my garden. I promise.
Must sleep now. Be good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
