And the Race is On...

Snow, Snow, Snow. I am getting tired of all the snow and like most Canadians we start dreaming of warmer weather. In five weeks we will be heading to Texas where it is currently in the low 20's (80's if y'all are Fahrenheit), for a visit with my sister's family and our first race of 2014. 

Rhythm & Blues Race Feb 9, 2014

Part of me thought of waiting and get back at it on New Year's Day but why wait? Why not start today. I would love to have braved the roads with Grant today but it is too slippery (Ice Storm 2013) for me and too much risk. (I hear the warnings of the doctors in my head and for once I will listen); so the treadmill and I have a date later today.

Grant Running 12/28/2013

Since I haven't really been running in the last 3 months I am going to have to kick it into gear. Only 5 weeks to race day. At least I was able to switch my registration from the half to a 5k. I am a little disappointed as it would have been my first half but I will be thrilled to just to cross the finish line at this point and thrilled the organizers allowed me the switch. 

Registration for popular races are starting to open up: The Run or Dye race opened yesterday for the those who preregistered and the Tartan Twosome opens on New Year's Day. 

Tartan Twosome 2013

So I'm thinking, why not run a race every month of 2014? After all, it is starting to shape up that way. What a great way to help keep me motivated, especially through these long winters months.  I don't want it to feel like all work and no play so I plan on doing a couple fun runs, a new race or two and the ones that got me hooked in the first place. Will I do a Half this year?Probably not now. I think I will save that one for 2015.

Well, that's my plan now to get working on it. Here's to a fit and fun new year.

I am getting ready to go away and all I am taking is one carry on bag. I have never traveled for this long with this little luggage and the thought of it is daunting. Which is why I haven't packed yet and I leave in 12 hrs. 

my Lug puddle jumper.
Perfect for a weekend, but a week? 

It really shouldn't be that hard because every time I travel I take too much, tops and bottoms that don't even get worn so why can't I figure out what to pack. Part of the problem is that it is -7°C here and +20° at my destination, Katy, TX.  


Spending the day in the airport and in the sky I want to be comfy but I am tired of wearing yoga pants on my travel day. I really don't know how people stay stylin' on travel day, but I am going to give it my best shot. 

I am going to try and wear my "impossible to pack" pieces on travel. Landing in Houston, of course I've got to wear my boots. Well I don't know what I will pack for the week but I like what I pulled together for travel day. I better go get packing. 

Jacket from the Gap, I snagged last fall in TO during the buying trip for the shop; boots from Cavender's Boot City, Houston, TX; and I love this scarf from Pseudio - it's new and I can't wait to wear it; the turquoise nails go with just about any outfit. 

My Contradictionary World.

  Last night I went on a mission to find a lite weight jacket that I could wear running outdoors - to break the wind and keep warm on the cooler days (wish I'd had one yesterday). I had a criteria for this jacket: it couldn't stick to my sweaty arms and body and I didn't want it to cook me like I were in a sauna, like the Columbia jacket I bought years ago but never wear because it does feel like a sauna suit. So, I went into every sports store on the east side, seeking the help of the sales people. The only jacket that met the criteria was ... a NorthFace jacket. Unbelievable. I told the salesgirl I couldn't buy it because I openly ridicule women who wear their jackets. To which I received a funny look. So I left, finished my errands and went back and got the jacket.

I have mocked many women (and men too) who wear clothing that's designed for a specific purpose yet they have not, nor will they ever use the clothing for the designed purpose ie: NorthFace jackets on people who are not active nor adventurers, but hey they look great when picking up the kids at school or getting the groceries.
So then I started thinking about it and I was already a hypocrite, way before NorthFace. I wear LuluLemon yet I don't do yoga, I wear birks yet I am not much of a free spirit. Both companies I have scoffed for becoming huge name brands. And those traveler friends of mine (that's pretty much most of my friends)... I have said I don't need to travel - I have everything I need right here and yet I find I am searching for new trips hours after I have landed. Yes, a big time hypocrite - head hanging low.
I have become a name branded wanderlust. Oh the shame.
As for the traveling, I get why so many Canadians get away. The sun, the sand, the culture,  the idea of escaping reality even if it is only for a week or two. In the words of Dr. Seuss "Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.". The travel - it seeps into your veins and the more you do, the more you want.

Okay, so I am to get why these brands are so popular and have stood the test of time. The birks (as ugly as I think they are) are just the most comfortable thing my feet have ever worn. The lululemon - well again comfort is top of the list, but breathable, washable and fitted to compliment a women's curves. Then there is the NorthFace jacket. Why was it so special (aside from the fact it was 25% off)? Most of the brands the local sports stores carry are either designed for extreme weather making them too heavy and not very comfortable for running or they do not have a proper lining inside the body & sleeves making the nylon fabric stick to you like wet glue. Not a great feeling when you are at km no.4. The jacket I came home with met all my criteria and looked great to boot.
So now what? Well, I am currently investigating a girl's getaway, a romantic getaway and a family getaway all spanning the next 18months. I will find a new brand to scoff until it too can prove me wrong. Hey have you heard of Bench? My world is definitely becoming a contradiction.

Essentials

School is out. I decided to pack an overnight bag, the laptop and lil' g and I hit the road to go visit my folks for a couple of days. Yes, I had to bring my laptop. It's one of the freedoms of being able to just take off at a moments notice and still get work done. Because it was a quick decision to make the trip I packed lightly, but their were a few essentials that had to make it in my bag. You know, the kinda things you don't leave home without. I'm sure you essentials would look quite different from mine. But I had to make sure I packed:

Calvin Klein T's. This tee is actually part of the Essentials collection by Calvin Klein . There you have it, they agree with me that this tee is an essential. giggle. Actually they are sleepwear but so comfy I wear them as day wear and no one is the wiser. So soft and comfortable. Most tees look to sporty for me but these just seem to have a little more style. I love that we carry them at the Girls Bra Shop. Tammy and I always anticipate the next season's colour.

Ultra soft and comfortable. Made of the natural and luxurious modal fabric.

Exercise Bands. Oh I packed my running shorts, sneakers, sports bra and ipod. But I like to get my strength training in too. So I plan to do some planks, downward facing dog, willow tree and a several arm curls. I love these bands. The are so easy to pack in an over night kit and they offer just the right amount of resistance. And by bringing them with me it keeps me from making excuses.



 a great way to workout while you travel or add variety to your usual routine.

LLBean Boat and Tote. When we were in Freeport a couple of years ago, I grabbed a couple of these amazing totes. The most durable canvas. You can carry up to 500lbs. That's crazy. I have suitcases for my business trips but for hob knobbing about, to the lake, or evening to the city market these tote carry everything.  

What did you learn today?

My day started off great, really great.  lil’ g humming a tune while making pancakes. Then Big G drove me to the Halifax airport. It was an enjoyable ride, a comfortable silence. I, reading the book LOVE and Grant flipping channels between a talk show about reality tv.
I had settled in nicely at my gate with an 1hr 15mins til boarding when I saw a crowd come towards me and the voice on the intercom announced that those passengers were to go to the customer service desk. Why was I so interested? That flight was supposed to land in St. John's - my destination - but due to bad weather, had to turn around and come back. It actually made it all the way to St. John's but could not land due to 120km/h winds.
Clue no.1 I was not going to arrive on time.

After many little announcements like "we will have information very soon" & "we'll be loading very shortly, do not leave the gate area" they finally told the truth.

It was now 7pm. Our flight would be leaving at midnight.

I should've landed and checked in to my hotel by now. Strangers started bonding. Two guys were really seeing the brighter side of the day and when they heard this announcement they said "I think that leaves time for a beer" turning to me they said "come join us". I thought why not. 5 min later another delayed passenger walked by and we all flagged her down too. Soon, 8 of us were around a table sharing laughs and stories, wanting to know why each of us were headed to St. John's in the first place.

Don (Halifax)was going to see his 4day old grandson. Isabelle was headed home. Ian (an Irish lad) was in the military on leave to see his girlfriend. Sherman (TO) was taking a vacation to see his kids & grandkids. Tammy was pretty hush hush but laughed at all the jokes, Leanne was heading home, and the last guy - I didn't get his name- was going home on a work break from the NWT and me, from NB going to celebrate the grand opening of our first franchise. All such different lives and a story to tell. We covered religion, sports, shoe shopping, camping, volunteering and mission trips, travel, and so much more.

In the book LOVE, Leo suggests learning something new each day. He said a lot of things. Like "man is a social being" and we are all unique, "Nature abhors sameness". The next 5hrs flew by as we embraced each other's uniqueness and held a common bond.

As I pulled into the hotel parking lot at 3:45 am I was thinking this was great day. I met 8 incredible people. I learned something new.

The List

I just arrived home from a fabulous 4 day vacation on PEI. For the past 20 years Big G and I have made a trek to PEI. When we younger we used to start the trip off with a little camping in an open field at Uncle Jumpin' Jack's in North Rustico and eventually head to Montague to visit our dear friends. Then one day we all got married, had kids, settled down, perfect. The wives get along, the men get along, our girls get along and one day we got a puppy and he met their puppy and they too, get along. Over the years our friendship has really grown. We no longer detour to Jumpin' Jack's but rather, head straight to Poverty Beach. Our visits never seem to be more than a long weekend but always fun and very relaxing.

Here's what an average day would be like: Coffee on the deck from 8am til noon (that's if we didn't stay up til 3am, in that case, coffee doesn't start til at least 10:30am), then it would be a tough decision as to whether we should walk down to the beach to collect moon snails and dip our toes in the ocean or sit and do a craft with the girls. Where are the guys in all of this? Calling a golf course to get a tee time. Dinner is usually late, but so worth it. The evening may consist of a bonfire or a very competitve (giggle) game of scrabble or trivial pursuit, a few bottles of wine, and appies that make us want to swap recipes.

A pretty low key break indeed. Our entertainment is found in the endless hours of conversation. Although we have so much fun without leaving the area, we usually have to hop in the car to visit a few of our favorite spots. It wouldn't be a trip to PEI without it. This time little g had made a point of telling me her must sees and when we arrived, our friends' little g had a list written with her must sees and dos. (Yes, our friends have a little g too!)

If you ever travel to PEI here a few places on the island that you must see. Sorry, no water theme or amusement parks on my list.

The Dunes Studio Gallery- an eclectic place full of jewelry and trinkets, clothing, art and home deco from around the world, a beautiful garden filled with unique furniture made out of tree stumps that you can sit on and soak in the beauty surrounding you.While there you can also eves drop on the potter creating dishes and vases that are sold in the shop or you can meander to the dining area and enjoy a meal. I haven't done that yet, but it is on my list.

Magic Dragon - I love this shop. Polished Rocks, Pashminas, Paper Lanterns, Art, and more. So many little unique things to touch and feel. You will get a treasure here for a sure. You'll have to go to Murray River, PEI to find it.

Cows Creamery  - They claim to be Canada's No. 1 ice cream. I think I would have to agree. Not sure which yummy flavour to put in your waffle cone? May I suggest Mooey Gooey. If you like touristy tshirts,  am sure you will find the perfect one here.

Farmer's Market - This is such a treat on Saturday morning. A fruit smoothy for the little gs, espressos for the moms. This time I snagged a coffee mug by a local potter that fits my hand comfortably. A fresh loaf of carrot spelt bread for Sunday morning breakfast, and oatmeal cookies for a midday snack

The Ocean - so many great beaches to drop your towel on. Water toys are not always necessary. As long as you have a bag to collect your treasures in, you are fine. Take a minute to play in the sand. Make a mermaid, use sea grass for her flowing hair, shells for her jewellery, pebbles for her smile. Take a picture because it will be washed away by morning.

There is so much more on the island. We always find something new to explore each time we visit. While we crossed most of our list off this trip, we missed a couple things. We are not completely disappointed, because we know we will be back soon.

S is for GP"S"

 We have traveled the highway many times to get to the lake but now we had a new gadget and we wanted to see it in action. The gps was more for Grant's work, which takes him to all corners of the province. We typed in the address on our new GPS and it did it's calculations. 1 hour and 5 minutes it told us. In 1.5 kms turn right. We laughed at the voice. While Grant drove I played around with the gadget and discovered I could change the voice, I chose "Anna" with an australian accent. Our eyes kept moving from the road to the gps making sure it knew where it was taking us, watching the rolling ball move along the digital map.

Anna's voice tells us to turn right at .5kms. That can't be right. We have to stay on this road for another 30kms or so. But the gps is right. Right? So we follow the directions. We are talking to each other and to the gps, questioning the route that "Anna" has directed us to. 20 mins later we are in "Deliverance", I can hear the banjos playing now. I am telling Grant to turn back and take the highway, that this thing doesn't work. He is stubborn. We continue on in our little honda civic. The road is topsy turvy and I am getting edgy as I want to turn around and take the normal route. The safe route. And the the road ends. All that lies ahead is a dirt path. Looks like nothing more than all terrain vehicles have used this road, judging by the amount of mud on the trail. "Anna" is telling us to forge ahead. Worried our economy car will bottom out on the dirt road, I tell Grant to turn around. Telling turns to arguing, but now he is even more determined to see where this gadget is going to take.

This road has more bumps than a 10th graders pimply face, I wish I had not drank so much water. I look up and see a glimmer of hope. Could that be pavement up ahead? Are the trees clearing? I am trying not to feel too much relief as I still don't know where we are or how far before the nearest restroom is. "Turn left", Anna tells us.We finally pull out onto a normal road and I begin searching for a sign. Snyder Mountain 8kms, the gov't issued road sign said as we passed it. Okay, we know where we are. Only 25 kms away. We haven't stopped chatting about this stupid gadget. How we like, don't like it, it is too precise, not precise enough. The offroad directions added an extra 30mins of travel. I guess "Anna" assumed the route was paved, or that we wanted the "as the crows flies" directions.
Now I see why I don't always take the road less traveled. I like knowing where I am going, how long it will take me to get there. I like a smooth ride. Bumps in my day, I mean in the road, cause me tension and stress. If I know what is up ahead, I am better prepared for it. I have never liked surprises.I am a planner. I'm good with that.