Home for the Holidays, Day 5

For the last year or so, when I come to my parents' house, I've noticed there's a bottle of hair gel in the shower. Why??? My dad wears a buzz cut, and Mom isn't into styling products...
So tonight, Mom cast a light on this mystery: Dad went shopping at Liquidation World, and bought hair gel instead of shower gel. A-ha!
Dad explained: "It doesn't lather very good, but it washes ok."

I guess he bought a case, as every time a bottle of hair/shower gel is empty, it's replaced by a full one.

Christmas 2009

Here are a few pics from Christmas this year.

my brother, Alan, and my dad

Dad with our old family friend, Tony

Mom and my brother, Al

me n Al

Mom and I spent a lot of time skiing with the dogs

me n Kenz at the Christmas tree on the trail

Mom and I went for a dawn ski one day....at 10:40 AM!

Al, when we walked the dogs at -25 C

Home for the Holidays, Day 1

omg, my parents are getting old. Today, Dad got out of his twice-weekly shower and said he'd forgotten to take his socks off. Mom thought that was good, but that it was too bad he didn't leave his underwear on too. I hope she was kidding.

Kenny's Christmas Present

This is what I got Cousin Kenny for Christmas. I moved his recliner out of the living room, and put this throne in place. Notice the handy reading materials?

My Life in Pics 2009

My Birthday!

This year, my birthday took 3 days to celebrate.

On Sunday, I did 3 hours of yoga, then went for a looooooong lunch with the girls.

Almost right after the longest lunch ever, I went for dinner at Caryn's with the Other Girls. Thanks for hosting, Caryn!!!

Sue, Carol, Caryn and me.

Sue's delicious cheese appie!

wolves came and ate it all :(

Carol and Sunshine Susie

On Monday, my actual birthday, I wanted to ski but it was -23 C :(

So I waited till it warmed up to -16, and went for an easy run by the river with Mackenzie. :)


Then I headed to Revelstoke with Troy, met Lisa, and celebrated FULLY!! There was even dancing for Ullr late, late at night. We were rewarded with a powder day on Tuesday. YAY! 8 inches was fantastic, and it warmed up to -11 C.

me, Troy and Lisa: masters of our terrain!

me n Lisa, after a successful morning of thrashing the mountain

In 2008 I bottled it, so it's been contained through 2009 and hopefully into 2010!

Thanks to everyone who played along with my extended party!

More Trapeze Pics

Here are some better pics from the trapeze class. Many thanks to Katrina and Bo for the pics. And to Bo, Sammy, Deany and Kat for making me go.

I spelled my name TERROR....

absolutely LMAO!!

the sound track here was a Tarzan Yell

right after this I got my hands back on the bar, then did a back flip dismount. No kidding.



do you SEE how close I was to making the catch??????
And how HIGH up I was?!?

as terrifying as this was, it was SUPER fun!

In case you want to try trapeze for yourself, go to this site. Their tag line is: "Forget fear. Worry about the addiction." Too true.

Really?

check out this ad

hmmmmm? really? "The Subaru GL Coupe. Like a spirited woman who yearns to be tamed." Really.......

New Reality TV show

Last night was the first installment of Bo's new fantasy/reality TV show: Let's Trade Lives

I had 3 kids: Sammy, age 15; Kat, age 13; and Deany, age 8. Cute kids, huh?
I dressed as a Yummy Mummy
I drove a mini-van with license plate [love] MNYKIDS (As this was the first episode, I only had the 3 little kids, not the entire brood of 7!)

I received much abuse and ridicule from my teenage daughters over my Mom Purse, which I had previously thought was cool and hip.
I took my kids out for burgers and fries at UCLA.


Meanwhile, Bo lived my life: she stayed home alone, played on the computer and drank wine.

Doesn't she look fabulous?!?!

Leap of Faith

Today I went to trapeze school.
Seriously, as in, flying through the air with the greatest of ease.
It was at the Santa Monica pier. It was bloody terrifying hanging onto that bar and leaning way out into space. I need to re-emphasise that - OMG, I HAD TO STAND ON A PLATFORM WAY UP THERE, AND LEAN OUT INTO SPACE AND GRAB THE BAR. AND LET GO.....
But it was AMAZING swinging by my knees and doing back flips onto the net.

I did a lot of screaming and laughing and my legs nearly shook right off. I could barely stand when I got back on safe ground.
Oh, and by the way, I have HUGE issues with height. Climbing up to the platform was really really hard. Jumping off was ..........WOW.

this is pretty much exactly how I saw Dean....squiggly

Sammy making it look easy

Katrina getting ready

This is a vid of my first catch attempt. So close....and yet so far.

Rave Run....Marin County

I went for an amazing run in Marin County, California. It was all the better as I've been pretty sick for weeks, so haven't done much of anything. so....as usual started with a "gentle" 5 miles over hill and dale. Check out the views! How awesome!

gorgeous light :)

sun setting over the Pacific

my excellent trail guide, and guide to excellent trails, Eric

Black Friday

As mentioned, I was in California for my first Black Friday ever...... This is a day of True Shopping Madness!!!!!! And the day after Thanksgiving.

Sorry to disappoint, but I skipped the 4AM sales, and instead opted for a very relaxed of local boutique browsing in Mill Valley, Marin County, CA. I spent less than $100, and I don't know if that makes me a Patriot or not? (Perhaps an American can clarify if I've qualified?)

I did, however, have a California Moment. these happen from time to time when I come down here. It's a sudden realisation that I am doing something that, to me, is the Essence of California Dreamin'.
This time it was having a wonderful lunch out with the ladies. It wasn't only that we had a lovely lunch, but that we enjoyed lunch with a glass of Prosecco. That's what Ladies Who Lunch do!!

Ladies Lunching (L to R): Julia from Russia, Jane, me, Judy, Jill (my wonderful hostess)

And thanks especially to Judy for picking up the tab :)

American Thanksgiving

I spent my first American Thanksgiving in Mill Valley, which is just outside San Francisco, California. Have I mentioned recently that I love California???? I really do.





My hosts were Woody and Jill, and they had 17 guests. Holy cow. And the most beautiful table I have ever seen.

It's interesting, as we have the same holiday in Canada, with a few similarities:

• end of harvest family holiday
• lots of food
• fun

and a few differences:

• earlier eating (we sat at 4 PM, rather than 6ish up north)
• started the day with Macy's Christmas Parade
• lots of football on tv
• falls on Thursday, while we celebrate on Sunday or Monday
• November holiday, and Cdn Thanksgiving is in October
• Black Friday shopping is the following day (rather like our Boxing day sales the day after Christmas)

Anyway, it was a great day, and I am thanksful to Jill and Eric for their wonderful hospitality.

The Handsomest Dog in the World

Sorry Carol, you are wrong. Macdog really is the best-looking dog ever. Whihc is good. It compensates for being the Most Terrible Dog in the World.

Cactus MacDoggie

Mackenzie sniffed a cactus. Poor fella! He still has spines embedded in his nose a week later :(

Yoga Workshop

People have been asking why I have not posted much this month.

Here's a big part of why.... I took a yoga workshop! 15 hours in 3 days, was KILLER, and there are 2 words to describe it: 1. Worthwhile. 2. Exhaustion.

a new, easier way to practise handstand. (I LOVE handstands!)

Wall Star - a variation on side plank

Abridged yoga glossary:

downward facing dog - classic yoga pose, in an inverted V on your hands and feet. (Think about how a dog or cat looks when stretching)

plank - top of a push-up

chaduranga - bottom of a push-up

cobra - pose starts from facedown, keep legs on floor, then straighten arms as you arch back. Resembles a cobra snake about to strike!

child's pose - a resting pose done in kneeling position, then bend forward and rest your forehead on the floor with your arms resting outstretched above your head on the mat

_______________________________

By Sunday, after approximately 5 million planks and 400 bazillion downward facing dogs and a couple zillion chadurangas, I was hitting the yogic wall. I thought the instructor said, "child's pose", and it took a couple seconds to realise he said, "plank". Again. Again? Out loud, I said, "F*&#" quickly followed by "oops, hahahhahahha".

FYI, it's sorta frowned upon to swear at yoga.

So then the yogi started goading us into action: "OK, if you are a total wimp, you can go into cobra from lying on the floor. But if you're hard core, you'll go there from chaduranga first. [grrrrr]"

Yes, I am absolutely that easily manipulated, so sure enough, I snapped my body into the bottom of a push-up, gaining praise from the Yoga Nazi at the front of the room. I lifted my whole body off the floor....except my boobs. They were too dang heavy! Just couldn't do it.... There was much laughter inside my head.

look closely at the grimace used to hold a pose after a looooooong weekend. (and the terrible alignment....oh, the shame of having poor alignment captured on film)

Halloween Doggie

This is what happens if you don't have children to dress at Halloween

Gold and Silver at the Worlds. CONGRATS KENZ!
ARRRRRRR Matey...... it's Captain MacDoggie

The Champ on Home Soil

I picked Mom up at the airport this afternoon. She'll be back in Whitehorse tonight.

Mom is World Champ!

from the Whitehorsestar.com, Oct 19:
Whitehorse’s Nesta Leduc has won a gold medal in orienteering at the World Master’s Games in Sydney, Australia over the weekend.

Whitehorse’s Nesta Leduc has won a gold medal in orienteering at the World Master’s Games in Sydney, Australia over the weekend.
Leduc came in first a whopping 12 minutes ahead of her nearest competitors to steal first place away from two favourites from Sweden in the Women’s age 75 category.
The course was 2.3-kilometres, and Leduc managed to finish up in 47 minutes, 51 seconds against 14 other competitors.
_______________________
I did a google search on mom:

• when she won gold in the Canadian champs in August, they called her a 'wily veteran'
  
• "Giving an unblemished performance was Whitehorse’s Nesta Leduc, winning gold in all three events in the women’s 75-plus category." from a report earlier this year
  
• “I didn’t do any sports as a kid; I was the fat kid who was never invited onto any team. I didn’t waste all my joints with injuries when I was young, so now I still have what it takes to keep going.”

ok, I better stop. She can easily cut me out of the will :)

But I do think she should wear her WORLD CHAMP medal when she carries the Olympic Torch this winter.

__________________

here's a comment from a friend: Ya know, I think you need your own reality show: “Orient Yourself: Keeping up with Nesta.” You take a bunch of macho 20-somethings out to the woods and show them what’s what. I’d watch that religiously!

Fall Photos

I love that my dog matches fall :)

my friend Yves

the handsomest dog on earth

rock star dog