I'm baaaack..... 7 days in the Emigrant Wilderness with 10 great friends. Carried 54 lbs on day 1, and ~ 45 lb on day 7. Body is tired, feet are shredded, and my smile is large as all outdoors.
details to follow....
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
No Joke
Mackenzie peed on me. On my leg. On my foot. I. Am. Not. Kidding.
We were walking this morning, and I was chatting with Jill. Macdog was on his leash. No biggie. Suddenly there was a slightly warm, wet sensation. ACK! Seems he'd lifted his leg, I wasn't watching, and walked right into the stream. He didn't give a crap. Didn't even notice. Looked a bit puzzled by my yelling and shaking the offended leg.
On an unrelated note, I am going backpacking tomorrow, and will be off grid for 7 days.
We were walking this morning, and I was chatting with Jill. Macdog was on his leash. No biggie. Suddenly there was a slightly warm, wet sensation. ACK! Seems he'd lifted his leg, I wasn't watching, and walked right into the stream. He didn't give a crap. Didn't even notice. Looked a bit puzzled by my yelling and shaking the offended leg.
On an unrelated note, I am going backpacking tomorrow, and will be off grid for 7 days.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Nascent Mariner
here's the very loooooong story of my recent trips aboard boats:
Tuesday I headed for Vancouver Island. By this time, I was getting numerous requests for visits and had agreed to help Blair bring the boat back from Campbell River in a week, so....dropped my car at Tsawassen and walked on.
Met Julie for pedicures, and they were LOVELY........ So nice. The Willowstream Spa is fantastic. (It's in the Empress Hotel - I know how to do things right!) Spent that night at Juju's house, then...... Dave texted and wanted to take us for a ride on his boat! He followed me all the way to Vancouver Island! So Wednesday afternoon, Julie and I floated around on Dave's boat in the sunshine. Dave was VERY happy to have 2 bikini-clad blondes aboard :)
keep that track of that......I lost my wallet on Wednesday PM.........
We then motored to Otter Bay, on Pender Island. I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with the fact that I'd been drinking sparkely wine, but when I went swimming after dark, the bioluminesence was INCREDIBLE. When I kicked my legs fast, it looked like fire. And when I moved my legs very slowly, it looked like I was wearing gorgeous, sparkley tights. WOW. MAGIC.
On Thursday, Dave dropped me back at Crofton, where I had left my rental car. I had pre-arranged to meet some old friends, so had to drive up-island. [details and pics in another post] Let's just say that I was magnanimously offering to buy my hosts ice cream, when I discovered my wallet was missing. :( Ooops.
The next day, Friday, I returned my car to Duncan, and Captain Blair drove down to pick me up. His crew had flown back to Toronto, so I had agreed to help crew his boat back to Vancouver, although admittedly, I know NOTHING about sailing.
So... when Blair collected me on Friday, he had to pay the gas in my rental car. And take me out for lunch. And take me out for dinner in Campbell River. And buy all the groceries. And it's his boat, so he paid fuel, moorage, etc........
We stayed on his boat in the marina in Campbell River on Fri night.
On Saturday, the weather had changed..... No longer hot and sunny, a small gale was blowing up, and it was drizzly and cool. This made it pretty tricky to get the 60 foot yacht out of the marina. (hahaha, when I said it was a boat, I was later corrected. It's a yacht. It sleeps 9, should have a crew of 6, has a full kitchen, shower, 2 heads, tv, stereo....although NO hot tub. What the heck?!?)
Like I said, very tricky to get the big boat out of the marina. Everyone else apparently thought we were a little looney for heading out, as oh, there was a small craft warning!! In the marina, there was a light wind, so Blair did about a 20 point turn to get out, and ALL the other boaters were out and trying to keep him from ramming their boats.....and he did not. I ran back and forth like a yappy terrier, pushing the boat away from all obstacles. When he finally did get us out of there, I said, loudly enough for all to hear, "I'll drive next time, and we'll get out with a 6 point turn!!" hahahah, he wasn't even insulted, as he is a damn good boat driver, and I do not know how to do anything. :)
OK, so Blair and I headed south. The shortest way to get to Vancouver was to cross over pretty soon. We got out into the main channel, west of Cortes Island, and got right into the weather. Blair sort of quietly said, "Go downstairs and put everything away. Anything that could fall off the counter needs to be put away, or it will fall and smash."
I failed to realise I had about 1 minute to do this!!!!! We got into some serious swells, and I was down there, putting the coffee maker in the sink, and then dashing to save the laptop. I apparently jumped a bit too hard, and hit my arm HARD....had to sit still for a couple mins as I really thought I had broken my wrist or arm. Ouch.
While I was feeling sorry for my arm, a box of blueberries had launched itself off the counter, so now, as the boat, oops, YACHT, wildly rocked back and forth, blueberries rolled back and forth in time.
Being the earnest, though unskilled, galley slave I am, I banged my way over to the galley. (This was HARD. I was falling everywhere, and have the bruises to prove it.) I found a good container, and plonked my way onto the floor to sit amongst the berries. They were rolling everywhere, and I had to brace myself under the table or I woulda have been covering as much distance as they were. Blair, who seems comfortable in all sorts of inclement weather, poked his head down to check on my mayhem, and laughed his guts out. There I was, like a slightly seasick grizzly, wedged under the table, grabbing berries as they rolled by. Since we'd washed the floor just the night before, I ate quite a lot, but saved most of them in my plastic bin.
In case you know something about sea conditions (which I do not), fyi, there was a 3 foot swell, with another 1 foot of wind on top. This meant we were in 4 foot waves, and that really means 8 feet from top to bottom. So really it was like jumping on and off the top bunk of bunk beds! So you can understand why I would need to hang on tight, or wedge myself under various pieces of furniture.......
little did I know I'd be sailing in a storm!
HAHAHHAHAHAH, I am totally laughing at what a complete pain in the ass I am!
Oh yah, and I STILL had not gotten to the ATM to pay him back!
aaahhhh, now just think back to a lovely week....
I even made a map so you could try to follow my trail!
It all started with an invite to watch the fireworks and go sailing on the August long weekend.......
I had a great weekend on the sail boat. Blair, his brother Kevin, his 88 year old dad, and his pal Todd were all living on the boat. My link-up, JoAnne, thought I had no where to stay in Van, so she told Blair I'd be staying aboard, which was totally convenient, but slightly weird when I realised I was the only GUEST staying.... Oh well. Sat night we watched the fireworks and had a pretty boozy party.
 |
| YUM! Dim sum remains |
Then Sunday AM we went for dim sum (YUM!! I have not done that in years!).
And Sunday afternoon we went to Bowen Island. It started getting late, so we all went for dinner on Bowen, and then the group decided it would be way more fun to stay on the boat in Snug Cove in Bowen.
It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it: me n JoAnne, resident mermaids
As we pulled into the dock on Bowen, there was a very drunk woman on the dock, and she liked me instantly. And she said, "You need to meet my friend," and dragged me over to meet Dave. We had a very short convo, then she said, "You guys should get married," so I grabbed to nearest boat captain, and got us hitched! hahahhaha, luckily, he was in fact NOT a current boat captain..... Nonetheless, he and I exchanged numbers.
 |
| Blair's 88 y/o Dad, who performed the ceremony |
 |
| Canada Place |
ok, so next day (Monday).....got dropped at Canada Place, collected my car and by then, Dave had texted and wanted me to meet him at the Port Moody marina, and he'd take me for a cruise, and cook me dinner on his boat. What am I, CRAZY??? Like I would miss this opportunity?!?!?!
 |
| Indian Arm |
Tuesday I headed for Vancouver Island. By this time, I was getting numerous requests for visits and had agreed to help Blair bring the boat back from Campbell River in a week, so....dropped my car at Tsawassen and walked on.
Met Julie for pedicures, and they were LOVELY........ So nice. The Willowstream Spa is fantastic. (It's in the Empress Hotel - I know how to do things right!) Spent that night at Juju's house, then...... Dave texted and wanted to take us for a ride on his boat! He followed me all the way to Vancouver Island! So Wednesday afternoon, Julie and I floated around on Dave's boat in the sunshine. Dave was VERY happy to have 2 bikini-clad blondes aboard :)
 |
| nautical pedi-toes |
 |
| Captain Dave, enthusiastic about his view |
 |
| towheaded bow ornaments |
 |
| YAHOO! |
Hmmm, what next? Dave and I then motored to Saltspring Island to fuel the boat and "get supplies". (And by supplies, obviously, I mean wine.) While he gassed up the boat, I dashed to the liquor store in town. I chose 5 bottles, then the lady at the counter said that they had a sale on: 10% off if you buy 6 bottles. Well, HELLOOOOOOOO!!! I had already been eying the prosecco, so this was obviously a message from above: GOD LOVES ME AND WANTS ME TO DRINK SPARKLEY WINE!! I was so excited, that it seems I lost track of my wallet on Dave's boat :(
keep that track of that......I lost my wallet on Wednesday PM.........
We then motored to Otter Bay, on Pender Island. I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with the fact that I'd been drinking sparkely wine, but when I went swimming after dark, the bioluminesence was INCREDIBLE. When I kicked my legs fast, it looked like fire. And when I moved my legs very slowly, it looked like I was wearing gorgeous, sparkley tights. WOW. MAGIC.
On Thursday, Dave dropped me back at Crofton, where I had left my rental car. I had pre-arranged to meet some old friends, so had to drive up-island. [details and pics in another post] Let's just say that I was magnanimously offering to buy my hosts ice cream, when I discovered my wallet was missing. :( Ooops.
The next day, Friday, I returned my car to Duncan, and Captain Blair drove down to pick me up. His crew had flown back to Toronto, so I had agreed to help crew his boat back to Vancouver, although admittedly, I know NOTHING about sailing.
So... when Blair collected me on Friday, he had to pay the gas in my rental car. And take me out for lunch. And take me out for dinner in Campbell River. And buy all the groceries. And it's his boat, so he paid fuel, moorage, etc........
We stayed on his boat in the marina in Campbell River on Fri night.
On Saturday, the weather had changed..... No longer hot and sunny, a small gale was blowing up, and it was drizzly and cool. This made it pretty tricky to get the 60 foot yacht out of the marina. (hahaha, when I said it was a boat, I was later corrected. It's a yacht. It sleeps 9, should have a crew of 6, has a full kitchen, shower, 2 heads, tv, stereo....although NO hot tub. What the heck?!?)
Like I said, very tricky to get the big boat out of the marina. Everyone else apparently thought we were a little looney for heading out, as oh, there was a small craft warning!! In the marina, there was a light wind, so Blair did about a 20 point turn to get out, and ALL the other boaters were out and trying to keep him from ramming their boats.....and he did not. I ran back and forth like a yappy terrier, pushing the boat away from all obstacles. When he finally did get us out of there, I said, loudly enough for all to hear, "I'll drive next time, and we'll get out with a 6 point turn!!" hahahah, he wasn't even insulted, as he is a damn good boat driver, and I do not know how to do anything. :)
 |
| everything's under control with Cap'n Blair |
OK, so Blair and I headed south. The shortest way to get to Vancouver was to cross over pretty soon. We got out into the main channel, west of Cortes Island, and got right into the weather. Blair sort of quietly said, "Go downstairs and put everything away. Anything that could fall off the counter needs to be put away, or it will fall and smash."
I failed to realise I had about 1 minute to do this!!!!! We got into some serious swells, and I was down there, putting the coffee maker in the sink, and then dashing to save the laptop. I apparently jumped a bit too hard, and hit my arm HARD....had to sit still for a couple mins as I really thought I had broken my wrist or arm. Ouch.
While I was feeling sorry for my arm, a box of blueberries had launched itself off the counter, so now, as the boat, oops, YACHT, wildly rocked back and forth, blueberries rolled back and forth in time.
Being the earnest, though unskilled, galley slave I am, I banged my way over to the galley. (This was HARD. I was falling everywhere, and have the bruises to prove it.) I found a good container, and plonked my way onto the floor to sit amongst the berries. They were rolling everywhere, and I had to brace myself under the table or I woulda have been covering as much distance as they were. Blair, who seems comfortable in all sorts of inclement weather, poked his head down to check on my mayhem, and laughed his guts out. There I was, like a slightly seasick grizzly, wedged under the table, grabbing berries as they rolled by. Since we'd washed the floor just the night before, I ate quite a lot, but saved most of them in my plastic bin.
In case you know something about sea conditions (which I do not), fyi, there was a 3 foot swell, with another 1 foot of wind on top. This meant we were in 4 foot waves, and that really means 8 feet from top to bottom. So really it was like jumping on and off the top bunk of bunk beds! So you can understand why I would need to hang on tight, or wedge myself under various pieces of furniture.......
I will guess this lasted about 30-60 mins, but I truly have no idea. It was mostly fun, although I was starting to clench my teeth and wish for an end.... As Cap'n Blair said: "It's not dangerous, just uncomfortable." True, but still we had waves crash over the bow, and I had to close all the portholes as water was splashing inside.
little did I know I'd be sailing in a storm!
Not long after that, we moored at Hernandes Island, south of Cortes. Had lunch, thought about swimming, but....didn't.
Anchor up, we motored south. There really is no other great harbour or safe bay until we got to the mouth of Jervis Inlet. So we pased Savary Island (nice beaches, apparently), past Powell River and its unique breakwater of WWII warships, east of Texada Island, and set anchor safely in Thunder Bay. Yep, we motored across Canada. [haha, obviously not.] It's just inside the south of Jervis Inlet, close to Saltery Bay ferry terminal.
OK, so which day is this? Ummmm, we're up to Sunday. I still had no wallet, but what was I gonna do? Tip an orca, as it swam by? Nah, they didn't show up.
 |
| I've got my sea legs, and am just hangin out now. |
OK, Sunday we headed south from Thunder Bay. I gave my mom a call from off shore - AREN'T CELL PHONES COOL??? We motored around the southern tip of Texada Island, as Blair wanted to show me Jedediah Island. Apparently his brother Kevin tried to buy this island at one point..... Anyway, it was a pretty nice place to have lunch and go swimming. There were 2 seal pups being weaned by their mom....we had front seats for Animal Kingdom :)
 |
| Jedediah Island on the left |
 |
| bummer of a view... |
Back under Texada, we headed south for Gibsons. Wow, I still cannot believe how slow boats go compared to cars! HA, we were going 6 knots.... I can run nearly that fast..... Finally, Sunday night we moored in Gibsons harbour, so we could hang above decks (check that nautical lingo... I'm kind of a pro now) and look at the sparkley lights.
 |
| on the way to Gibsons |
Finally, Monday AM, we pulled up anchor, headed north around Bowen Island (got the scenic tour....cuz the rest of the coast is not scenic?) and finally back to Granville Island marina.
 |
| ferry leaving Snug Cove, on Bowen Island |
OK, as you'll recall, I had left my wallet on Dave's boat...... So he had to come and collect me! (I'm not high maintenance at all...) He forgot my wallet, so brought the cash I owed Blair for gas, travel, food, etc etc. And then I made him buy me a coffee (not high maintenance) and listen to all my stories without interrupting (still not!). And we got into.... Dave's Porsche Boxster! YAY for me! First, we went to Mom's house to collect the last of my luggage. Then, out to Tsawassen to collect my car. AND he had to pay for my week of parking. (Oh no, definitely not high maintenance...)
Anyway, so I was cranky and restless. (Wow, I kinda suck as a date...) "I wanna go running." "I wanna go home to my dog." blah blah blah.... What we really did was go for a drive - who knew Port Moody is LOVELY? - and went for a bite at the Keg. Where they have Happy Hour $1 raw oysters!!!!!!!!!!! OK, so I completely fell off my plan... Couple glasses of wine, squeals of delight at oysters.....so we were off to the liquor store for more supplies, and back to his place.
Spent the rest of the evening hanging with him and his son, watching tv, telling stories and drinking wine. Pretty fun night.
The next AM, Dave must have been really desperate for his cash, cuz HE LET ME DRIVE HIS PORSCHE TO GO GET IT!!!!!!! And somehow I managed to get it back to him in under an hour :)
And so I finally made it home Tuesday afternoon. :)
So yes, my life is GREAT.
 |
Aaaaahhhhhhh, my life does not suck at all :) |
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
It's a Dog's Life
It's been insanely hot in Kamloops lately.... 35 C, then 37 C. At that temp, it gets to 29 or 30 C in my bedroom, so last night I dragged my mat, quilt and pillow outside to sleep on the deck.
Mackenzie was excited for the company at first, but then realised I was staying for a while, so he went to settle on his bed.
I always thought that when MacDog wakes me early inside the house, it's because he has to go out to pee. But this morning, he was already outside, but still came to see me at 6:30 AM....
First, he licked my head. I woke up, gave him a little pat, and told him it wasn't time to get up yet. After I closed my eyes, he punched me in the head with his giant foot! "ACK! Kenz, stop it!! Go back to sleep!!!"
It was as if his skull was transparent, as I could watch his brain working.... "Hmmm, that looks like a bed right there. I bet the puffiest part is the softest..... " And then he lay down on top of me. UGH.
I was tired, so wiggled out of the way a bit, so he was only lying on unimportant parts of me, and we both went back to sleep for an hour. I decided to get up, and had to slither out from under him.
No sooner was I up, than Kenz assessed the situation, and made himself even more comfortable on my pillow.
It's a dog's life.
Mackenzie was excited for the company at first, but then realised I was staying for a while, so he went to settle on his bed.
I always thought that when MacDog wakes me early inside the house, it's because he has to go out to pee. But this morning, he was already outside, but still came to see me at 6:30 AM....
First, he licked my head. I woke up, gave him a little pat, and told him it wasn't time to get up yet. After I closed my eyes, he punched me in the head with his giant foot! "ACK! Kenz, stop it!! Go back to sleep!!!"
It was as if his skull was transparent, as I could watch his brain working.... "Hmmm, that looks like a bed right there. I bet the puffiest part is the softest..... " And then he lay down on top of me. UGH.
I was tired, so wiggled out of the way a bit, so he was only lying on unimportant parts of me, and we both went back to sleep for an hour. I decided to get up, and had to slither out from under him.
No sooner was I up, than Kenz assessed the situation, and made himself even more comfortable on my pillow.
It's a dog's life.
get me a coffee, will ya?
so glad this bed isn't so lumpy anymore
Sunday, July 18, 2010
And now for Something Completely Different...
OK, so it's the day after I let my dog lick the table clean, and the swedesaw blade is still in the dishwasher. Since variety is the spice of life, I went to a Buddhist monastery outside Kamloops today.
It's 45 mins away from Kamloops, and a fascinating place. Ajahn Sona (Ajahn means teacher) greeted us, toured us through the main building, and answered plenty of questions. His history is that he has a Masters in Music from Toronto, and then "felt the calling" to become a monastic. The irony is that this is a discipline of intellectual introspection and meditation, where music and entertainment is not allowed...
The monastery is off-grid, and uses the newest green technologies. They do not even burn candles, but rather use the most efficient LED lights, powered by solar panels.
The monastic life is pretty simple. They rise to meditate for an hour at 5:30 AM daily. Then breakfast, then free time to meditate or study or do walking meditation or think about meditation. Then it's lunch at 10:30 AM, which is the primary meal of the day. And the last meal of the day, as the monks are not allowed to eat after noon.
The afternoon is spent - you guessed it - meditating, until tea time. Everyone gathers in the meeting room, and Ajahn Sona takes questions. This was great, as of course I had MILLIONS of questions, although I tried hard to keep it down to about....10.
The monks are not allowed to handle money, buy anything, make food, grow food or kill any living creature. So in other countries, monks will spend a good part of their morning receiving alms of food. Here, they rely on stewards and guests to shop, prepare meals and provide necessities. Something that surprised me is that they are not vegetarian. Since they are bound to receive food as gifts, there is no restriction that it must be vegetarian or vegan. In case you are wondering, they DO use toilet paper.
Birken Forest Monastery is open to the public, and you can go to visit, or to stay, or to attend a retreat. Here's the link, in case you want to check it out. http://birken.ca/monastics_in_dhamma_talks_info.html
There are many free resources available there, including hours and hours of dhamma talks on all sorts of topics. He said he's received comments that people may listen to them, and fall asleep. Haha, meant in the best possible way, of course!
It's 45 mins away from Kamloops, and a fascinating place. Ajahn Sona (Ajahn means teacher) greeted us, toured us through the main building, and answered plenty of questions. His history is that he has a Masters in Music from Toronto, and then "felt the calling" to become a monastic. The irony is that this is a discipline of intellectual introspection and meditation, where music and entertainment is not allowed...
The monastery is off-grid, and uses the newest green technologies. They do not even burn candles, but rather use the most efficient LED lights, powered by solar panels.
the main altar, with LED lights and Buddha from Thailand. The donor said she had it made with a big, "Western" nose so we'd feel better about our big noses!
The afternoon is spent - you guessed it - meditating, until tea time. Everyone gathers in the meeting room, and Ajahn Sona takes questions. This was great, as of course I had MILLIONS of questions, although I tried hard to keep it down to about....10.
Ajahn Sona at tea time
After tea, there is a break of about an hour, then (ready for it??) the Evening Meditation session. We stayed for this, then drove home, exhausted. Trying to be an open vessel, letting thoughts drift past your consciousness, is really tiring.The monks are not allowed to handle money, buy anything, make food, grow food or kill any living creature. So in other countries, monks will spend a good part of their morning receiving alms of food. Here, they rely on stewards and guests to shop, prepare meals and provide necessities. Something that surprised me is that they are not vegetarian. Since they are bound to receive food as gifts, there is no restriction that it must be vegetarian or vegan. In case you are wondering, they DO use toilet paper.
carving of a Buddha
What made Ajahn Sona most interesting to me was his background as a "Western Intellectual". He often compared Buddhist teachings to the Christian and Jewish faiths. (He said leaders of these faiths, as well as Benedictine Nuns, share discussions on many topics.) He spoke about technology and current events and seemed able to converse or expound on any topic. And his sense of humour and ease with all ages, especially kids, made it very relaxed.
Ajahn Sona at the front of the main meditation hall
There are many free resources available there, including hours and hours of dhamma talks on all sorts of topics. He said he's received comments that people may listen to them, and fall asleep. Haha, meant in the best possible way, of course!
detail of a carving in the monastery
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Just a Saturday Night at Home
Here's what I did tonight:
1. MacDog and I went to the river, met lots of great people and dogs, and we both went swimming.
2. BBQed a big wiener. YUM.
3. cut up a couple frozen salmon
If you are really observant, you might be thinking...what do you use to cut up frozen salmon? Well, there are several options, but we used a SWEDE SAW on the picnic table on the back deck...and mostly held Mackenzie at bay while we did it.
For clean up, I scraped up a lot of the fishdust off the clean cutting board and threw it in with the fishstock I'm boiling on the stove. (Heads, tails, bits and fishdust, plus onion, carrot, and dill.) I threw the swedesaw blade in the dishwasher. Yes, really.
And then........ we let Mackenzie have at it. Here are the pictures:
1. MacDog and I went to the river, met lots of great people and dogs, and we both went swimming.
2. BBQed a big wiener. YUM.
3. cut up a couple frozen salmon
If you are really observant, you might be thinking...what do you use to cut up frozen salmon? Well, there are several options, but we used a SWEDE SAW on the picnic table on the back deck...and mostly held Mackenzie at bay while we did it.
Cousin Ken and I both wore cotton gloves so our fingers wouldn't freeze off. I held the fish on a board, while Ken worked the saw to make steaks. MacDog lay on his bed, not very patiently at all. Sawdust, oh of course I mean FISHdust, flew all over.
I bagged all the fish steaks and sent them back down to the freezer.For clean up, I scraped up a lot of the fishdust off the clean cutting board and threw it in with the fishstock I'm boiling on the stove. (Heads, tails, bits and fishdust, plus onion, carrot, and dill.) I threw the swedesaw blade in the dishwasher. Yes, really.
And then........ we let Mackenzie have at it. Here are the pictures:
redneck vacuum cleaner
one satisfied golden retriever
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Guest Blogger!!!
oh, how exciting. My first "writing gig". OK, not a paid job, but nonetheless, I have been published somewhere other than where I published myself.
I was asked to guest post for Amanda, as she is off doing the Seattle RnR Marathon and cruising to Alaska.
So go check out the link: http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/2010/july/5-weird-but-good-smoothies
yes, it is the same post as I published here, but it's at a different place!
Anyway, I'm excited about that.
I was asked to guest post for Amanda, as she is off doing the Seattle RnR Marathon and cruising to Alaska.
So go check out the link: http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/2010/july/5-weird-but-good-smoothies
yes, it is the same post as I published here, but it's at a different place!
Anyway, I'm excited about that.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Really Old Pic
one of the fun things about going home is seeing really, REALLY old pictures
This one is a doozy!
hahahahahh, not very politically correct, right?
This one is a doozy!
Halloween 1973: Karen (age 6), Alan (age 3) and me (age 4 3/4)
hahahahahh, not very politically correct, right?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Hole E. Coyote!
I went out for a run with the doggies tonight. No big deal....until the dogs found some coyotes. The dogs kept disappearing into the bush, then I heard some strange barking, and then they came back....followed by a coyote! The coyote was definitely afraid of me. But he kept circling around us, through the bush. And the dogs kept running back into the bush to challenge (or maybe play?).
Eventually, there were 3 coyotes, and I started to get nervous. We were heading back to the car, but a long way into the forest. I picked up 2 really big sticks, and ran along the path like a Masai Warrior!
I kept stopping to look (with my 2 big sticks in hand!), and the 3 coyotes were clearly sticking with us. They stopped for a long group howl at one point, which was totally creepy. They kept crossing the path behind us when I wasn't looking. And the dogs kept heading into the bush! I don't know if they were trying to challenge the coyotes, or play with them, as 1 of the coyotes would always follow them back toward me. But as soon as the coyote saw me, it would turn back. That one followed us right to the edge of the forest, near where I was parked.
Anyway, it all ended fine. Thanks coyotes, for my unplanned speed workout!
Eventually, there were 3 coyotes, and I started to get nervous. We were heading back to the car, but a long way into the forest. I picked up 2 really big sticks, and ran along the path like a Masai Warrior!
I kept stopping to look (with my 2 big sticks in hand!), and the 3 coyotes were clearly sticking with us. They stopped for a long group howl at one point, which was totally creepy. They kept crossing the path behind us when I wasn't looking. And the dogs kept heading into the bush! I don't know if they were trying to challenge the coyotes, or play with them, as 1 of the coyotes would always follow them back toward me. But as soon as the coyote saw me, it would turn back. That one followed us right to the edge of the forest, near where I was parked.
Anyway, it all ended fine. Thanks coyotes, for my unplanned speed workout!
5 Smoothie Recipes That Sound Weird But Are Tasty and Healthy
This post is being written because Amanda at http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/ is heading to do the Seattle RnR Marathon this weekend, so she needs some guest bloggers. And I offered to write this for her to help out.
Good luck Amanda! Have a great run! (You can look at my posts from June/July '09 to see how my Seattle RnR Marathon went. It was my first too.)
_____
OK, there are a few reasons that I now make a lot of smoothies.
My general guidelines for a smoothie are that I try to use vegan ingredients with organic fruit & veggies and no added sugars. I like some texture, I like it thick, and I don't mind if it's cold or not. Throw everything into the blender and push MIX. Add a bit more liquid if it's too thick. Add ice if it's too warm. Add an extra scoop of protein powder if you have a huge workout planned.
I welcome you to try these recipes and modify any way you like!
Sweet Tart Greenie
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
broccoli - a generous spring (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
lime juice - roll it on the counter, chop it in half, and squeeze in juice of 1 entire lime
long English cucumber - about 5-6 inches, chopped coarsely
orange juice - about 1/2 cup. I just add enough so it tastes a bit sweeter and my blender doesn't burn out.
This smoothie is pale green, with a grainy texture, and tastes both tart and sweet. It is very fresh, and will wake you up, but in a nice way.
Chocolate For Breakfast
kids and husbands like this one
vanilla soy powder - 1 scoop
baking cocoa - about 2/3 of a scoop (I used the scoop from the protein powder)
long English cucumber - about 6-7", chopped coarsely
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy milk - add enough to prevent blender burnout (maybe 1/2 or 3/4 cup)
cinnamon - about 1/3 to 1/2 tsp
The cinnamon adds a sweetness without sugar, and it's a natural anti-inflammatory. The cocoa has all the goodness of chocolate, without the fat or sugar. So my mouth loves this chocolatey taste, my heart loves the antioxidants, and my knees love the anti-inflammatories. Consider switching banana for raspberries or pie cherries...or any fruit that tastes divine with chocolate. It's a winnah!
Razzmatazz
Amber's favourite - very raspberry-ey!
frozen raspberries - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
broccoli - a sprig (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
vanilla soy milk - 3/4 cup (I really never measure...I just make sure the blender does not make horrible noises. And sometimes I eat my smoothie with a spoon)
orange juice - a good splash (about 2 tbl)
The strong raspberry flavour and grainy raspberry seeds hide the broccoli in this one, although it does smell slightly grassy. If raspberries weren't so dang expensive, I'd make this one all the time.
Melon Delight
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
melon - 1/4 of a medium-sized melon. I happened to find a Casaba melon in my local grocery, which was a bit like a honeydew. Cantaloupe would be good too.
smells nice, pale yellow-green colour, sweet and tasty
This was a big hit with my friend's husband and 12 y/o son.
"Oh Hello! That's Delicious!"
that's what I said when I tasted this one :)
vanilla soy milk - about 1/3 cup
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
orange juice - 1/4 cup
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
long English cucumber - about 6", chopped coarsely
my friend's husband said: "What did you put in this? Malibu Rum? It's really good." Nope. No coconut or alcohol, although that might be a great idea... post-workout ;)
Notes on ingredients
protein powder - Be careful with the ingredients in your protein powder. Look for NO fake sugars, non-GMO, organic, no weird fillers, or anything that seems like a bad idea to eat. I get whey protein. I prefer vanilla flavour, as that always seems to add a nice taste to a smoothie and make it more of a treat. Get a recommended brand in a health food store, then see if you can find it for less $ online or at the grocery store.
avocado - my naturopath is crazy about avocado! The fat is a "good fat", the pH is quite high, and it adds a lovely creaminess to a smoothie. Buy them in season if possible. In Canada, they are usually cheaper to buy in a bag of 3 or 5. A smoothie is the perfect way to use the one you forgot on the counter, and it's a bit too soft for putting in guac. Or that second half that's gone a bit brown in the fridge since yesterday.
cucumber - I know lots of people do not like cukes. I find their flavour disappears in a smoothie, but might add a freshness. Also, they are so wet, they add lots of water to a smoothie. The little bits of green skin add a nice dab of colour. And their pH is really high, so that's great.
broccoli - this was a pure fun experiment one day, and it worked! As long as you don't add too much, no one will know it's in there, except there are small green bits. Bioflavenoids, fibre, high pH....these little trees are so good for you!
Thanks very much to my testing team: Amber, Karen, Allan, Spenser and Keltie the dog (She is normally a picky eater, but she LOVED the Sweet Tart Greenie!)
Good luck Amanda! Have a great run! (You can look at my posts from June/July '09 to see how my Seattle RnR Marathon went. It was my first too.)
_____
OK, there are a few reasons that I now make a lot of smoothies.
- they are easy, and a fun way for me to experiment
- my stomach likes them, even before a long run, and definitely after
- I have finally figured out how to pack plenty of calories/energy in them so I can manage a big workout, although I only "drank my breakfast" (this used to be a problem)
- my naturopath has recommended that I go on a vegetarian or vegan diet, with way more greens, as this raises the pH of my body. Why? The theory is that cancerous tumours thrive and grow in an acidic pH environment. So, to discourage the growth of cancerous tumours in the body, you should raise this pH, as well as reduce other sources of stress/inflammation for the body.
My general guidelines for a smoothie are that I try to use vegan ingredients with organic fruit & veggies and no added sugars. I like some texture, I like it thick, and I don't mind if it's cold or not. Throw everything into the blender and push MIX. Add a bit more liquid if it's too thick. Add ice if it's too warm. Add an extra scoop of protein powder if you have a huge workout planned.
I welcome you to try these recipes and modify any way you like!
Sweet Tart Greenie
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
broccoli - a generous spring (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
lime juice - roll it on the counter, chop it in half, and squeeze in juice of 1 entire lime
long English cucumber - about 5-6 inches, chopped coarsely
orange juice - about 1/2 cup. I just add enough so it tastes a bit sweeter and my blender doesn't burn out.
This smoothie is pale green, with a grainy texture, and tastes both tart and sweet. It is very fresh, and will wake you up, but in a nice way.
Chocolate For Breakfast
kids and husbands like this one
vanilla soy powder - 1 scoop
baking cocoa - about 2/3 of a scoop (I used the scoop from the protein powder)
long English cucumber - about 6-7", chopped coarsely
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy milk - add enough to prevent blender burnout (maybe 1/2 or 3/4 cup)
cinnamon - about 1/3 to 1/2 tsp
The cinnamon adds a sweetness without sugar, and it's a natural anti-inflammatory. The cocoa has all the goodness of chocolate, without the fat or sugar. So my mouth loves this chocolatey taste, my heart loves the antioxidants, and my knees love the anti-inflammatories. Consider switching banana for raspberries or pie cherries...or any fruit that tastes divine with chocolate. It's a winnah!
Razzmatazz
Amber's favourite - very raspberry-ey!
frozen raspberries - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
broccoli - a sprig (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
vanilla soy milk - 3/4 cup (I really never measure...I just make sure the blender does not make horrible noises. And sometimes I eat my smoothie with a spoon)
orange juice - a good splash (about 2 tbl)
The strong raspberry flavour and grainy raspberry seeds hide the broccoli in this one, although it does smell slightly grassy. If raspberries weren't so dang expensive, I'd make this one all the time.
Melon Delight
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
melon - 1/4 of a medium-sized melon. I happened to find a Casaba melon in my local grocery, which was a bit like a honeydew. Cantaloupe would be good too.
smells nice, pale yellow-green colour, sweet and tasty
This was a big hit with my friend's husband and 12 y/o son.
"Oh Hello! That's Delicious!"
that's what I said when I tasted this one :)
vanilla soy milk - about 1/3 cup
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
orange juice - 1/4 cup
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
long English cucumber - about 6", chopped coarsely
my friend's husband said: "What did you put in this? Malibu Rum? It's really good." Nope. No coconut or alcohol, although that might be a great idea... post-workout ;)
Notes on ingredients
protein powder - Be careful with the ingredients in your protein powder. Look for NO fake sugars, non-GMO, organic, no weird fillers, or anything that seems like a bad idea to eat. I get whey protein. I prefer vanilla flavour, as that always seems to add a nice taste to a smoothie and make it more of a treat. Get a recommended brand in a health food store, then see if you can find it for less $ online or at the grocery store.
avocado - my naturopath is crazy about avocado! The fat is a "good fat", the pH is quite high, and it adds a lovely creaminess to a smoothie. Buy them in season if possible. In Canada, they are usually cheaper to buy in a bag of 3 or 5. A smoothie is the perfect way to use the one you forgot on the counter, and it's a bit too soft for putting in guac. Or that second half that's gone a bit brown in the fridge since yesterday.
cucumber - I know lots of people do not like cukes. I find their flavour disappears in a smoothie, but might add a freshness. Also, they are so wet, they add lots of water to a smoothie. The little bits of green skin add a nice dab of colour. And their pH is really high, so that's great.
broccoli - this was a pure fun experiment one day, and it worked! As long as you don't add too much, no one will know it's in there, except there are small green bits. Bioflavenoids, fibre, high pH....these little trees are so good for you!
Thanks very much to my testing team: Amber, Karen, Allan, Spenser and Keltie the dog (She is normally a picky eater, but she LOVED the Sweet Tart Greenie!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)